Fashion’s Living Canvas: A Recap

Guests anxiously awaiting the next look. (photography by William Neal)

If you missed Fashion’s Living Canvas last week, allow me to fill you in on what you missed. Pink champagne, six emerging local designers and their creations, a runway show emceed by LeeAnne Locken and Steve Kemble, a live auction, and an after party at Gossip Bar. (And a black silk trench with a pleated black and white back that I can’t stop thinking about.) Jump for full recap.

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Five Stylish Dallasites and a Few of Their Favorite Fashionable Things: Amy Havins

We’re rolling out another round of Dallas style setters and the current stuff they love. Check ShopTalk every day this week for a fresh face and new favorite things. Next up, Amy Havins, cute-as-a-button wardrobe consultant.

(photography clockwise from top left) Marni spring 2012 RTW (photo courtesy of style.com), Scoop NYC (photo courtesy of Highland Park Village), H&M (photo by Raya Ramsey), Neiman Marcus (photo courtesy of NM), YSL Tribute sandal (photo courtesy of YSL), Amy Havins (photo courtesy of Amy) DESIGN BY CHARLOTTE TOBIN

AMY HAVINS

WARDROBE CONSULTANT, DALLAS WARDROBE

Favorite Shoe:
Yves Saint Laurent ‘Tribute’ Sandal. ”Not only is it the perfect shoe to transition from day to night, it is one of the most comfortable shoes I have ever owned!”

Favorite Dallas Shopping Spots:
1. Neiman Marcus. ”It is a Dallas staple and what I call a one-stop shop. You can put together full outfits & the customer service is amazing.”

2. Scoop NYC. ”Although they always have a wide variety of clothing, they seem to have the best selection of tops in Dallas. Dressy to casual, Scoop has it all.”

3. H&M. ”I know it can be a bit overwhelming, but if you are patient, you are sure to find some amazing pieces that will enhance any wardrobe.”

Favorite Spring Trend:
Bold prints. ”From Chevron to Zigzags, these style lines are the new stripe of the season!”

Check out the other style setters and their favorite things.

Why We Love BCBG Even More Than We Did Last Week

(from left) Hereith dress, $498; Iris dress, $398; Nasha dress, $598

Lubov Azria spins for StyleSheet

Over the weekend, Lubov Azria, creative director for BCBG Max Azria (and Herve Leger) stopped in town to chitchat about the spring collection, give a little love to the brand’s most loyal locals, and shed some light on the brand’s inner workings. I’ve always liked BCBG’s knack for flattering frocks and fun prints, but I didn’t know anything about the family-oriented company. A cocktail reception and screening of the spring 2012 RTW show was following by lunch with Lubov, a few of her staff members, and Dallas BCBG lovers. Attendees shared their favorite BCBG-related moments and nearly everyone cried. Seriously. There is so much love for the company and the designers of the brand, it was inspiring. My favorite story shared was Lubov’s own. She told the team of an experience in a dressing room of a fancy department store long ago. She found the perfect dress, she tried it on, she fell in love, she flipped the price tag, and her heart sank. She felt unworthy. That shame led her to decide then and there, if she ever became a designer, she would never make a dress that expensive. And she stayed true to her word. BCBG MaxAzria spring 2012 pieces ring up at under $1,000.

Check out the collection’s heavily colorblocking, inspired by 70s tracksuits. You’ll find a lot of dresses with flowing skirts, peek-a-boo pops of color, sheer paneling, and slices of exposed shoulders and cutout necklace lines. My favorites are above. They’re slowly rolling out into the NorthPark store, so look at the full collection and call to find the ETA of your favorites.

Update: Spring 2012 runway pieces hitting stores at the end of May!