Dannenmann of Aspen

Colorado Fashion Week

DANNENMANN

the lovely designer, petra dannenmann

we love the combination of structure in cloche hats, capes, jackets and luxurious skirts.  dannenmann uses natural dyes with australian wool to come up with fabrics that are to be taken seriously and yet still carry an air of whimsy.  the colors are intoxicating, and her ability to combine traditional styling with contemporary lines results in a line of clothes that models beg to take home with them.  you can find these designs and more at dannenmann-pure.com

COLORADO FASHION WEEK

OPENING CEREMONIES

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time flies.

last november my sweet ella nearly left this life.  i laid by her side for two weeks and luckily the little lady made it through that time.  she had stopped walking, her arthritis taking control, which put mom in the new title of head hospice nurse. at 15 years and 5 months (a pretty good life for a labrador), she left us in late August.  i now have time to write again and share one of my other passions:

STYLE.

god bless ella.

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sometimes things happen in life with the most auspicious circumstances.  that is how i came to meet the handsome and talented Justice Kwarteng.  his enthusiasm is contagious and his voice large for Colorado Fashion.  his vision to fill the void of a voice for fashion in the Rockies is not only admirable but truly necessary as many designers are simply overlooked in this region.  i look forward to our collaboration.

justice kwarteng in boulder, en route to aspen on official CFW business

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for information on Colorado Fashion Week, please visit http://www.eventbee.com/v/coloradofashionweekseptember 

xx

LONDON CALLING

JENNY PACKHAM F/11
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yeah, i know.  it's been quite a while. 

that is what happens when the furry kiddos need tending to, new houses are being purchased, and life gets to running away from you.

speaking of runways...

can we talk about london designer jenny packham's newest bridal presentation?

ooh laaaa laaaaaaaaaaa

this one makes me sing!
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Jenny Packham Ceres: love the tulle and brooch detail

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Clio and Minerva: goddess delightfulness

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Dido short dress on the left: ostrich flowers bring modern to this 20's flapper-crossover-modern fun.  Beautiful beaded dress on the right is unknown, gasp! however, we love her immensely with peplum top in one-shoulder beading.

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Robe and Saskia gown: after your guests have left, you can relax in your beaded gown, part deux

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Dearest and Clio: ballerina gown with crystal embedded flowers. finally! love love

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the detail on this necklace is indeed stunning! swarovski delights in a myriad of other shiny beads.  it is heavy but not oppressive, and michaela had to put it on immediately.

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Michaela is accustomed to going to many shows with mom Lindsay Mann, and wears them well!  this headpiece is ridiculous.  i have never met it's equal.

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kiss dress: in blush! layered tulle ruffles! truly fantastical.

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and now a few fotos from the press packet, compliments of Jenny Packham:

fontaine: grey silk and satin merge in hollywood genius.  old and fresh all at the same time.

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xenia gown

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bon bon dress: or shall we say "super bon bon, super bon bon?"

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hecate beaded dress: geometry meets beaded flapper

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eden gown: beaded head to toe, this gown would be beautiful in a garden wedding.

lush meets lush.

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an aside: if you have never tried on a beaded gown, you must! the weight of the beads allows the dress to sit on your body while not feeling like a skinsuit. beaded gowns feel decadent and bring out your natural curves.  j'adore!

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in summary, this collection reflects the true genius of Jenny Packham and her ability to combine old and new in a way that is unexpected and unmatched.  there is absolutely no mystery with her status as a designer or that so many celebrities show up in her creations.  she designs in a wide range of styles, from greek goddess, celebrity-inspired, and whimsical bling.

all are beautiful. 

i simply can't wait to see more!!

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SO  many thanks to my couture colleagues at The Aisle NY and special thanks to Mark Niemierko who invited me along for the ride.

Emily Docktor,  Shara Levy, and David Yassky from the Aisle

theaisleny.com

LOVE YOU ALL!

xx

amsale runway f/11

amsale finale

we have saved the best for last.

i think you will agree, this year's collection is truly fantastic.

tulle+beading=heaven

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so floaty and ethereal she looks like an angel. we love the classic beading with a thin tie at the waist. chic beautiful fo sho.

MEGHAN: strapless A-line gown with beaded bodice and tulle skirt

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the devil is in the details.  multi-color beading in a sophisticated pattern make this bodice stand out. this trumpet gown has exactly the right amount of flare at the bottom and is very figure flattering without changing the line of the dress.  outstanding.

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LIV: strapless trumpet gown with embroidered bodice and silk mikado skirt

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LOVE the changing hemlines: bubble hem and bustle.  how does she do it?

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ROSALIE: silk taffeta ballgown with pleated floral detail and bustle back

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asymmetry is always a fav of mine.  no exception here.

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REAGAN: strapless silk radzmir A-line gown with asymmetrical neckline and bow detail

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saving the best for last: jacquard ivory and lemon dreams.  i'm definitely in heaven.

this dress is amazing up close as well.  i got a chance to get my hands on it after the show and the model confirmed my suspicion: it feels AWESOME to wear!  she could not stop smiling and took her time parting with this gown. i can't blame her!

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DIANA: crinkled jacquard ballgown with low back and bow detail at waist.

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Amsale, thank you!!

xx

mouse in the city: amsale deux

i'm not sure you are ready for this dress.  i certainly wasn't.  i feel delicate, pretty pretty and yet glamorous with the gentle grid lines in the skirt and classically vintage flowers and a touch of bling.  this dress has a lightness which is contrasted by the bold piece in the back that turns modern up to 11.  yes, eleven.  i'm not sure what ingredients amsale puts into her magic beauty cauldron, but i'm feeling intoxicated.

.LIZA: strapless A-line gown with taffeta bodice and grid tulle skirt

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what a lovely design on this bridesmaids dress.  love the color, the sheen, and of course the empire waist with asymmetric top.  front=classic, back=vavoom!  usually this style of dress in the front has a very similar width over the shoulder and to the back, blocking most of the back, which happens to be a great  place to show skin for many women. amsale surprises us by changing the equation.  oh, thank you, thank you.

silk taffeta short one shoulder dress with inset waist in midnight

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edgy bridesmaid in shiny metallic!  love this idea for fall and off-season weddings.  this dress has all of the great construction seen through the whole line, and is truly wearable past the wedding.  bridesmaids around the world applaud!!

silk taffeta short sweetheart dress with ruched bodice in granite

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ok, now you are just messing with us. 

this dress is almost too pretty for bridesmaids.  kidding! truly, it might detract a little, just a teensy bit and only for a millisecond.. until the bride comes down the aisle.  and that is wonderful.  also wearable well past the wedding, this dress spells GORGEOUS. we love ourselves a chiffon maxi dress.  it glides, it caresses.  and look at those lines.  this is the mini sweetheart neckline we love with rosettes to boot! ah, joy.  we know we are lucky to wear this.

strapless crinkle silk chiffon gown with flowers in slate

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these next three bridesmaids dresses are the versions of the above with the beautiful draping. i'm feeling santorini chiffon dreams.

crinkle silk chiffon criss cross halter gown in champagne

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crinkle silk chiffon criss cross strapless gown with draped skirt in slate

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crinkle silk chiffon gown with spaghetti straps and ballerina skirt in champagne

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jersey! navy!  this is really getting seriously fun. 

navy for bridesmaids is H-O-T.  mark my words that navy bridesmaids with black suits for the guys in winter is a definite win.  this old no-no has finally become a chic combination.

poor navy, always in the dark shadow of black, is honestly a most flattering color for everyone.  you cannot lose in navy, no matter your hair color or skin tone.  it brings the best out of tanned or paler skin.  promise.  and this dress in jersey is one you will want to wear as much as possible because it is so comfortable and drapes so gloriously on the bod.  we love you, jersey girl.

silk jersey strapless curved neckline gown with side draped skirt in navy

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the big flat bow, how we love you.  EVERYONE, and i mean everyone was talking about this flat bow short dress.  i'm not going to lie.  the feet started moving in the seats to michael jackson's ABC about the time this little beauty elegantly strode.  we didn't mind one bit!  that said, this dress stands alone, great DJ or not.  brides, please consider a short dress.   best idea i think is a shorty for the party, while keeping it long for the ceremony.  word on the street: many brides are buying two dresses because it is so difficult to choose and the two parts of your day have little in common.  i'm just sayin...

STEFFI: silk mikado little white dress with exaggerated front bow

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please stay tuned... i have saved the best (believe it! it does get even better) for last.  this line is particularly beautiful as evidenced by the sheen and detail in the fabrics alone.  the styling appears to be very wearable and flattering.  i don't think there is a dress in this line that doesn't feel like the quality and workmanship that went into it.  that is when you are really on to something special. 

 amsale, you are a genius!

xx