Spring is in the Air

Brrrr...it's cold outside, even here in L.A. where it's been raining non stop for days. But I can't complain, because most days here we can don our first Spring looks before the tulips bloom. Yes, it's hard to believe we've come full circle again and now it's time for the Spring collections to hit the retail floors. The ironic thing is that I'm shooting my Fall '08 collection tomorrow - yikes!

My Eco-spacedye goodies just hit the stores and online at shopstacia.com. Although I've been working with eco-friendly fibers for some time now with the sustainable spun rayon collections, this is my first foray into Bamboo. It's the hot fiber right now if you haven't noticed. This luxurious sustainable fiber feels like a light-weight cashmere, but breathes like cotton and drapes like silky rayon. My Spring I collection was inspired by my June trek up to Ojai (see my previous road trip post) where the natural earthy colors and rustic scenery of this Shangri-la was the basis for my palette of Ojai, Carmel, Big Sur, and Avalon. Even the silhouettes have that hippy-dippy Ojai vibe - a braided beach tunic, a beach tunic dress you can wear alone or over pants, a va va voom dress with wood bead trim, and a tie-front swing cardi. And of course, there's a few feminine pieces to even it all out - a low-back flutter top and a sexy wrap dress. You'll love the dresses even more this time around, because I've added a touch of nylon for elasticity. And I've added some much needed solids to the collection, my favorite being the gathered vee tunic (selling out at Olive & Bette's!)

Check out the new goodies at shopstacia.com and stay tuned for the next Spring delivery of "Pretty" rayon spacedye knits with touches of pointelle and lace to hit in February.

Spring is in the Air

Brrrr...it's cold outside, even here in L.A. where it's been raining non stop for days. But I can't complain, because most days here we can don our first Spring looks before the tulips bloom. Yes, it's hard to believe we've come full circle again and now it's time for the Spring collections to hit the retail floors. The ironic thing is that I'm shooting my Fall '08 collection tomorrow - yikes!

My Eco-spacedye goodies just hit the stores and online at shopstacia.com. Although I've been working with eco-friendly fibers for some time now with the sustainable spun rayon collections, this is my first foray into Bamboo. It's the hot fiber right now if you haven't noticed. This luxurious sustainable fiber feels like a light-weight cashmere, but breathes like cotton and drapes like silky rayon. My Spring I collection was inspired by my June trek up to Ojai (see my previous road trip post) where the natural earthy colors and rustic scenery of this Shangri-la was the basis for my palette of Ojai, Carmel, Big Sur, and Avalon. Even the silhouettes have that hippy-dippy Ojai vibe - a braided beach tunic, a beach tunic dress you can wear alone or over pants, a va va voom dress with wood bead trim, and a tie-front swing cardi. And of course, there's a few feminine pieces to even it all out - a low-back flutter top and a sexy wrap dress. You'll love the dresses even more this time around, because I've added a touch of nylon for elasticity. And I've added some much needed solids to the collection, my favorite being the gathered vee tunic (selling out at Olive & Bette's!)

Check out the new goodies at shopstacia.com and stay tuned for the next Spring delivery of "Pretty" rayon spacedye knits with touches of pointelle and lace to hit in February.

Uggs- Dead or Alive

I'm no longer an Ebay virgin! Just made another purchase this morning at 6 am in my PJ's - a pair of black crochet tall Ugg boots in size 9 (sold out everywhere!) People either love or hate Uggs, but I'm on the love side for sure. Maybe if I didn't live in CA, I'd think otherwise. But Uggs are actually very appropriate if you live near the beach. When the temperature drops to 60 degrees here in Santa Monica, (I know, my blood has really thinned since moving here from NYC!) I have to put the Havaianas on the shelf and crack out my Uggs. They're the perfect beach shoe in the Winter and when your wardrobe consists mainly of jeans like mine, they're the ideal throw on shoe sans socks. Love the way they look on Nicole Richie scrunched over her jeans!

Just when you think the Ugg phenomenon is over, they reinvent themselves and introduce some great new silhouettes. I've been eying their crochet boots since last Fall and finally decided to take the plunge and upgrade my 3-year-old Sand shorties. But thanks Oprah, now these puppies are almost impossible to find since she featured them on her show as one of her favorite things. Should have bought them last year when nobody cared! Having large feet has always been a disadvantage for me in shoe shopping. I'm used to paying the big bucks for my size 10 1/2 feet, which means no cheap shoes for me - J.Crew, Nine West, or any shoe under $200 for that matter either won't fit or come in my size. That's why my closet if full of $300 Sigerson Morisson shoes (thank you for making size 10 1/2's!)

Anyways, I looked high and low online for a size 9 (they run big so I'm actually a size 9- gee my feet feel so petite!), but no luck, sold out everywhere. The only place I could find them was on Ebay where most NIB (new in box) go for close to $200. I bid on four different Uggs and continued to lose. I told myself my limit was under $200, closer to $150 would be the max I'd pay (they regularly retail for $120). But every time I kept getting outbid, mainly because I have a life and I'm not glued to my computer checking the bid status every 5 minutes. But alas, after 3 days of frustration I was determined to get a pair and to win!! So this morning I had my husband wake me at 6 am so I could get in on the last 10 minutes of bidding for a pair of Uggs that were listed at $148. So I bid $150, then $155, and down to the last 2 minutes some ****hole outbid me again. At this point my adrenaline is rushing and I'm getting really pissed. So I bid $165, then $172, and finally at the last 2 seconds I bid $175 and won! Yippee! But after the fact, I'm a little bummed I went over my $150 personal budget. I guess you could say I let the gambling get the better of me! But really if I break it down, I got a deal since my time is $$$$ and I don't have time to schlep around looking for a scarce size 9 boots. And now I'll have a new pair of must-have black crochet tall Uggs under the tree this Christmas and my toes will be extra cozy for years to come.

Uggs- Dead or Alive

I'm no longer an Ebay virgin! Just made another purchase this morning at 6 am in my PJ's - a pair of black crochet tall Ugg boots in size 9 (sold out everywhere!) People either love or hate Uggs, but I'm on the love side for sure. Maybe if I didn't live in CA, I'd think otherwise. But Uggs are actually very appropriate if you live near the beach. When the temperature drops to 60 degrees here in Santa Monica, (I know, my blood has really thinned since moving here from NYC!) I have to put the Havaianas on the shelf and crack out my Uggs. They're the perfect beach shoe in the Winter and when your wardrobe consists mainly of jeans like mine, they're the ideal throw on shoe sans socks. Love the way they look on Nicole Richie scrunched over her jeans!

Just when you think the Ugg phenomenon is over, they reinvent themselves and introduce some great new silhouettes. I've been eying their crochet boots since last Fall and finally decided to take the plunge and upgrade my 3-year-old Sand shorties. But thanks Oprah, now these puppies are almost impossible to find since she featured them on her show as one of her favorite things. Should have bought them last year when nobody cared! Having large feet has always been a disadvantage for me in shoe shopping. I'm used to paying the big bucks for my size 10 1/2 feet, which means no cheap shoes for me - J.Crew, Nine West, or any shoe under $200 for that matter either won't fit or come in my size. That's why my closet if full of $300 Sigerson Morisson shoes (thank you for making size 10 1/2's!)

Anyways, I looked high and low online for a size 9 (they run big so I'm actually a size 9- gee my feet feel so petite!), but no luck, sold out everywhere. The only place I could find them was on Ebay where most NIB (new in box) go for close to $200. I bid on four different Uggs and continued to lose. I told myself my limit was under $200, closer to $150 would be the max I'd pay (they regularly retail for $120). But every time I kept getting outbid, mainly because I have a life and I'm not glued to my computer checking the bid status every 5 minutes. But alas, after 3 days of frustration I was determined to get a pair and to win!! So this morning I had my husband wake me at 6 am so I could get in on the last 10 minutes of bidding for a pair of Uggs that were listed at $148. So I bid $150, then $155, and down to the last 2 minutes some ****hole outbid me again. At this point my adrenaline is rushing and I'm getting really pissed. So I bid $165, then $172, and finally at the last 2 seconds I bid $175 and won! Yippee! But after the fact, I'm a little bummed I went over my $150 personal budget. I guess you could say I let the gambling get the better of me! But really if I break it down, I got a deal since my time is $$$$ and I don't have time to schlep around looking for a scarce size 9 boots. And now I'll have a new pair of must-have black crochet tall Uggs under the tree this Christmas and my toes will be extra cozy for years to come.

Behind the Scenes - 'Botanical' Photoshoot

It's hard to believe that it's a few weeks before Christmas and I'm shooting Summer already. And I have Fall 2008 in the works too. The fashion cycle is so crazy! By the time Summer rolls around and the goodies hit the selling floor, I've been looking at this stuff for over 6 months and I'm over it! But in order to get the goods designed, sold to buyers, and made in time to be on the floor for next Summer, I have to get an early start!

So this past Wednesday, I shot my little capsule collection for Summer, called 'Botanical' on my pal Judy. My new favorite place to shoot is at my girlfriend's house, a tropical escape behind the walls of crazy Montana Ave. It's the perfect backdrop for my botanical-inspired Summer collection of beach tunics, crochet bikinis, hoodies, and sexy knit dresses. The tropical colors were inspired by mother-nature, of course, with vibrant shades of Marigold oranges, Hibiscus pinks, Waterlily blues, and multi-color combinations named Tulip, Mimosa, and Eden (as in the Garden of Eden.) And thanks to my son's fabulously inspiring artwork (see above), he was the source behind my favorite spacedye color combination in the collection, Tulip. That kid's got a good sense of color at 3 1/2!

Now for silhouette, I've got some great pieces for those balmy Summer days...lots of tanks, halters, strappy dresses, and skin-baring numbers. Some faves are the Tulip vee with it's flattering vee neckline and stretchy cap sleeves (great to wear over a bikini); the Mimosa crochet beach tunic (a Summer staple); the Marigold gathered vee dress (a Summer take on the gathered vee from Spring); and the Hibiscus twisted tank dress with clever drawstring bubble hem. All the dresses are done with a touch of nylon for elasticity so they skim the body in just the right places, but still have great drape so nothing clings in all the wrong places! And just for fun, I love to throw in a crochet bikini. I never sell a lot of these bikinis and boylegs, but they're such fun to do and they look great on. So if you're into poolside lounging this will be for you. I actually think wearing the Marigold crochet bikini halter top under the Mimosa crochet beach tunic will look awfully smart with just a pair of Bermuda shorts this Summer. Who says you can't wear a cute bathing suit top under your shirt instead of a bra, especially when it peaks out from your top a bit - now that's chic!

Behind the Scenes - 'Botanical' Photoshoot

It's hard to believe that it's a few weeks before Christmas and I'm shooting Summer already. And I have Fall 2008 in the works too. The fashion cycle is so crazy! By the time Summer rolls around and the goodies hit the selling floor, I've been looking at this stuff for over 6 months and I'm over it! But in order to get the goods designed, sold to buyers, and made in time to be on the floor for next Summer, I have to get an early start!

So this past Wednesday, I shot my little capsule collection for Summer, called 'Botanical' on my pal Judy. My new favorite place to shoot is at my girlfriend's house, a tropical escape behind the walls of crazy Montana Ave. It's the perfect backdrop for my botanical-inspired Summer collection of beach tunics, crochet bikinis, hoodies, and sexy knit dresses. The tropical colors were inspired by mother-nature, of course, with vibrant shades of Marigold oranges, Hibiscus pinks, Waterlily blues, and multi-color combinations named Tulip, Mimosa, and Eden (as in the Garden of Eden.) And thanks to my son's fabulously inspiring artwork (see above), he was the source behind my favorite spacedye color combination in the collection, Tulip. That kid's got a good sense of color at 3 1/2!

Now for silhouette, I've got some great pieces for those balmy Summer days...lots of tanks, halters, strappy dresses, and skin-baring numbers. Some faves are the Tulip vee with it's flattering vee neckline and stretchy cap sleeves (great to wear over a bikini); the Mimosa crochet beach tunic (a Summer staple); the Marigold gathered vee dress (a Summer take on the gathered vee from Spring); and the Hibiscus twisted tank dress with clever drawstring bubble hem. All the dresses are done with a touch of nylon for elasticity so they skim the body in just the right places, but still have great drape so nothing clings in all the wrong places! And just for fun, I love to throw in a crochet bikini. I never sell a lot of these bikinis and boylegs, but they're such fun to do and they look great on. So if you're into poolside lounging this will be for you. I actually think wearing the Marigold crochet bikini halter top under the Mimosa crochet beach tunic will look awfully smart with just a pair of Bermuda shorts this Summer. Who says you can't wear a cute bathing suit top under your shirt instead of a bra, especially when it peaks out from your top a bit - now that's chic!

Mapuana - Color in Motion

Years ago I stumbled upon the most beautiful watercolor paintings by local Hawaiian artist, Mapuana Schneider, at Native Books and Beautiful Things. I bought a few reproductions for my New York boutique, Stacia New York, and have since moved them into my home because I love them so much. On my most recent visit to Hawaii, on my list of things to do and see, was to find more of her work and get some of those brilliant watercolors for my Santa Monica design studio. Mapuana's history is rather unique in that this renaissance woman discovered her talent as an artist rather late in life. She is an accomplished hula dancer and entertainer of the Islands, a hotelier for many years in Waikiki, an entrepreneur of Fine Wine Imports, and lastly her passion for hula has been translated into her brilliant watercolor paintings. I admire her fearless use of bold color, her fluidity of shape, and her simplistic yet beautiful interpretation of the female form. Her favorite subjects are landscapes and hula dancers, "I want you to hear the music," she says. And it's almost like you can hear the music or the sway of the hula dancer's hips in these paintings. Love, love, love her work and a huge inspiration for me as a designer, as I'm a big fan of color as you know. To view more of her vivid watercolors or to purchase some of her reprints, check out her web site, www.mapuanagallery.com.