VagaBond Nyc

Week. End.

2012-01-27T16:45:00.000-08:00

Pretty crazy week here at VagaBond! Loads of new arrivals and even more just in so keep those pretty eyes peeled! In other news, I spotted the uber lush Joaquin Phoenix shooting the new James Grey film on Bond St. My jaw still hurts from when it hit the ground! Who needs sparkling vampires when you could have a smoldering Joaquin Phoenix?

MEN

2012-01-25T15:08:00.000-08:00

Valentino Suit Jacket

We love you. Most of the time. Only when you're being good.

So we got our thinking caps on, engaged in some serious rummaging and pulled up some stellar vintage pieces! From the super sharp Prada suit, to the nearly too cool leather bomber, guys you can finally hop on board and get your VagaBOND on!

Prada Suit

Valentino Bomber

Leather Shearling Hooded Bomber

Giorgio Armani Houndstooth Jacket

Preview

2012-01-23T16:20:00.000-08:00

We recently scored some jaw-droppingly amazing Thierry Mugler pieces that you would sell your granny for! All sharp angles and lavishly exaggerated silhouettes synonymous with Mugler, the pieces possess an otherworldly aesthetic. Take a peek at a few of the pieces. Modelled by the lovely Sarah and shot by the just as lovely Toto Cullen.

The Verdict

2012-01-16T14:54:00.000-08:00

We're sitting down watching the glitz and glamour of the Golden Globes and there have been quite a few 'WHAT THE HELL IS SHE WEARING?!' moments. Here's looking at you Madonna, Lea Michele and Michelle Williams, the latter of whom we are quite surprised as she usually gets it right.

Ms. Stone and Tilda Swinton raised the bar in our books and completely surpassed the other lovely ladies in Lanvin and Haider Ackerman respectively.

When I look at Evan Rachel Wood in Gucci Premiere, I cannot help but think that she looks sort of crow like. Not entirely enthralled by this one.

Heidi Klum is smoking hot in Calvin Klein Collection. We love the way she offset the nude colour with those beautiful turquoise pieces.

Kelly Osbourne in Zac Posen: Epic Snoozefest.

Funny girl Kristen Wiig looks amazing in this nude Bill Blass gown. The necklace with it is a little too much though.

Lea Michele looks very satisfied with herself in this Marchesa number. We wouldn't be. It's all a bit Halle Berry in Elie Saab at the Oscars. In other words, SO ten years ago.

Madonna in Reem Acra. Nice arms. Shame about everything else.

Michelle Williams wears Jason Wu. It's all a bit too mumsy.

Nicole Richie in Julien Mc Donald. Bonus points for the hair and make up styling.

Reese Witherspoon in Zac Posen. Oh. Mon. Dieu.

Sarah Michelle Gellar looks as pretty as a picture in this Monique L'huiller gown.

Oh Zooey Deschanel, we were expecting more from you than this disappointing Prada gown!

Holy Hipster Jesus!

2012-01-09T17:23:00.000-08:00

The Coachella line-up has just been announced and it is ROCKIN! Now, who wants to buy us tickets?

I'd Like to Thank All the Little People Out There...

2012-01-06T17:43:00.000-08:00

2011 snuck out quietly and 2012 arrived with a bang! We would not have had it any other way here at VagaBond. Here’s hoping that the New Year brings all our customers and fans happiness and health!

Apart from the bubbly and the sometimes awkward kiss at midnight, the New Year brings with it glamour and speculation as awards season looms and everyone from Ms. Wintour to your granny are cooing at the prospect of critiquing the couture the A-listers will be donning in a bid to envelope even more of the spotlight.

With this in mind, we are having a little awards ceremony of our own! Only this time, instead of narcissistic stars veritably elbowing one another out of the way for camera time, we are throwing the spotlight on the designers and hailing our favorites of the extravaganza that was Spring Summer 2012. No easy task when one considers the underwater aurora that was Paris, or the sugar rush that was New York with its ice cream colored palette.

With much deliberation, the VagaBond ‘Best Designer’ Oscar has to go to Monsieur Lagerfeld for the visual extravaganza that was the Chanel show. Ariel has never been so in Vogue right now! Florence Welch serenaded the enthralled as the models gracefully sashayed down donning the most incredible designs in exciting and new materials. Bright white predominated the pieces, but with Lagerfeld as director, it was all about the detail. Essentially, this is what secured the Best Designer award for the ponytailed one. The pearl has long been associated with Chanel, offsetting the tweed and jersey the brand is synonymous with. Only this time the pearls do not soporifically sit on the neck, they have been affixed to the skin of the models, adding a certain je ne sais quoi to the peek-a-boo details of some of the pieces. As for the pieces themselves, they included the de rigeur skirt suits with a boxy shaped jacket, utterly outré jackets that look as though glowing plankton affixed itself in a pattern and the highly coveted seashell clutch purse. The pieces, the attention to detail and the collaboration of newly developed materials secure Mr. Lagerfeld’s position at the helm of fashion and a VagaBond hero.

Next up is our ‘Best Supporting Accessory’ category. Chanel could very well have stolen this one but the desirability factor alone for the accessories at Givenchy ensures the award for the French fashion house. In keeping with the underwater theme, it seems as though Prince Eric fought tooth and nail to bring his lovely mermaid heels embellished with shark fin clasps and shark tooth shaped purses that hung from a necklace. Tisci embraced the most mysterious and menacing of sea creatures and the result could not be more enthralling.

‘Best Foreign Designer’ is a non-entity really considering everyone in the industry is foreign but for now we will run with it! Christopher Kane takes this one, hands down. He is a thoroughly modern innovator and one look at his collection will prove so. He created a ‘ghost fabric’ by layering materials including aluminium. The result is a fabric that bends and crackles with the light and movement of the wearer. A loose fitting dress with appliquéd flowers is a standout piece of the collection. Kane took photos of flowers and with some genius computer trickery, managed to transfer the image onto the piece. Kane’s mastery of technology combined with an innate desire to push boundaries ensures that with each collection, all eyes are on the Scot.

‘Best Costume Design’ is an award that always takes my interest. It is a category that surely deserves much attention as the dress of a character has as much effect upon an audience as the lines they deliver. With this in mind, Sarah Burton for Alexander Mc Queen deserves much commendation. Ruffles, oil-slick leather, face shielding lace sheaths, everything screamed drama and Burton, as always, pulled it off to perfection. A translucent palette counterbalanced looks that were often sugar sweet and others that held a sinister element.

Simone Rocha wins our award for 'Best Newcomer.' With three collections under her belt, Rocha is certainly one to watch. Her spring show was edgy, with each piece possessing a certain finesse. Her clogs are still very much on our wish list!

Of course, all designers are to be commended for adding to the Fashion Weeks. Without them VagaBond would have nothing to obsess over! But Lagerfeld, Tici, Kane and Burton kept this blogger enthralled all the way through their showings. Here’s to 2012 and the excitement it proposes! Now, who’s ready for Fall ‘12?

Check This Out!

2012-01-06T14:58:00.000-08:00

An awesome new magazine called Relapse was just launched by some very talented people! Our site just so happens to be splashed along the inside cover! Take a look!

Happy Christmas!

2011-12-25T10:15:00.000-08:00

Santa has been and gone and turkey time in Ireland has just finished up in my house. It is just so amazing to be home and to be surrounded by all the people I love and have missed so much over the past few months! I would like to take this opportunity to wish all our customers and fans the most wonderful Christmas. Here's hoping for a fabulous New Year also!

Nollaig Shona daoibh! (Happy Christmas in Irish)

Get Dressed

2011-12-15T19:30:00.000-08:00

It is official!

Six sleeps left until Santa navigates his way throughout the world to deliver presents to all the good girls. Whether you deem 2011 to have been your best behaved or not, you still need to welcome the new year in the most chic and sought after pieces!

Mentally slip yourself into the lush 80's Valentino dress, seen above. The cream versus black creation is in keeping with fashion's current enthusiasm for color blocking. The plisse treatment on the bodice provides added interest by creating an interesting texture. The piece is 100% silk and exemplifies luxury.

Party like it's 1989 in this green polka dot prom dress from Ungaro. Beautifully made with a boned bodice and wide v neckline, this piece is crafted out of the highest quality silk. Re-live your prom night without the acne or the crushing insecurity!

Every girl needs a go-to going out blazer. This Lanvin number is just the ticket. The gold and black brocade really makes it stand out with the black velvet outline providing a refined edge.

Have you been nice or nautical? (One pun too far? That's not like us!) This simple yet absolutely stunning navy and white Jean Louis Scherrer dress is the ultimate in understated elegance. Loose fitting and color blocked with navy and white, this piece made from silk crepe is the perfect accompaniment to any festive celebration.

Gurl Crush Part II

2011-12-14T18:49:00.000-08:00

Check out this new video from hype girl of the year, Lana Del Rey. Stunning video, how beautiful is that church? And that man she's sidled up to? Anyone know who she's wearing in the throne scene?

VNYC hearts LDR 4 eva xxx

On the Prowl

2011-12-13T16:47:00.000-08:00

Every now and again amidst the plethora of e-mails we so happily receive each day, I like to take a moment to trawl through the search engines in a bid to find some inspiring images of the most beautiful pieces by the worlds top designers.

Today, I just so happened to type in Jean Louis Scherrer's name and was awe struck to find some incredible shots from collections past.

The Chambre de la Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne alumnus and former assistant to Monsieur Dior, the designer is unabashedly renowned for elegance and high quality pieces that were determinedly not driven by trend.

Jean Louis Scherrer Nautical Shift Dress and Jacket Set

Sprouse It Up

2011-12-12T17:06:00.000-08:00

It's time to jump back from all the hot new designers we have been taking a look at recently and to focus on the veritable rock star of the 80's and 90's New York fashion scene and VagaBond favorite, Stephen Sprouse.

Having amassed influence from the likes of Warhol, Halston and Bill Blass through a midst of internships and alliances, Sprouse was a designer who thoroughly embraced fashion as art and worked to imperatively combine the two.

Known for his business misadventures as much as for his graffiti prints, Day-Glo fabrics and outré runway shows (models chewing on vials filled with fake blood, anyone?)

Throughout his career, Sprouse merged between overwhelming success and disappointing career lows as time and again his businesses failed.

Sprouse was the genius behind the Louis Vuitton graffiti bags, a result of an invite to Paris by Marc Jacobs to assist with the collection. Needless to say, the bags were a monumental hit with the designer admitting that even he could not get his hands on one.

Debbie Harry, the veritable Edie Sedgwick to Sprouse's Warhol, lived for a number of years with the designer, with him styling her for Blondie's 'Heart of Glass' video. The chanteuse fully embodied the Bowery girl look and with Sprouse's engagement, quickly became a style icon for a generation who's looked is echoed in that of Ms. Moss today.

Stephen Sprouse was a designer, an artist and an innovator. Despite his roller coaster of a career, his work is of the utmost importance in fashion history. He broke the bounds of fashion and challenged it, assuring his name will forever be in association with the legends of times past.

1984 Stephen Sprouse Pink Wool Coat

Gone Baby Gone

2011-12-10T19:03:00.000-08:00

As much as we hate to see any of our beautiful and much treasured pieces leave us, we love to know that something is going to a good home to be loved, cared for and, most importantly, worn with pride!

This fabulous Dries Van Noten Green Color Block Full Skirt is on its way back to Europe. From the Fall 2000 RTW collection, this skirt fully embraces the ladylike theme that swayed through the runways of that year. The collection boasts tweeds and emerald greens, a juxtaposition that would look in place at any English countryside retreat.

The skirt was paired on the runway with a deliciously cozy knit sweater. Pop on a pair of knee length leather boots and practice your best Queen Liz impression, amidst aspirations of clay pigeon shooting sessions and spots of tea. Darling.

Hi Ho Silver...

2011-12-06T22:07:00.000-08:00

These are the words that spring to mind when viewing the Michael Kors Pre Fall 2012 collection. A myriad of neutral tones intersprsed with the most amazing red make up a line full of stunning coats and boots that you would relocate to a prairie for. The entire look is utterly classic. There is nothing fussy going on here. Personally, the outerwear of the collection is the prime aspect of the whole collection. Kors may very well have pulled off a whole other trend, we'll call it 'Mountie Chic'.

Stalin was a Hipster

2011-12-05T13:54:00.000-08:00

That's all the proof you need!

Werk

2011-12-05T13:41:00.000-08:00

Here is a shoot we recently styled for Wilhelmina Models. The ever stunning Rose was shot in pieces from the VagaBond NYC collection by incredible photographer Evan Taylor Gunville. You can see more of his work through his blog: http://evantaylorgunville.tumblr.com/

I Don't Care Who You Are, Where You're From..

2011-12-02T19:07:00.000-08:00

Phillip Treacy: VagaBond 2008 Collection

I have always found it incredibly amusing each time I make the hallowed 2 hour journey to visit my granny, that the town of Ahascragh, Co. Galway is home to milliner extraordinaire, supreme pride of Ireland, legend of all legends, Sir Phillip Treacy! 

It's a blink and you'll miss it kind of place! Quaint is one word to describe it! 

It just goes to show that true genius can blossom from anywhere, it just needs to be nourished and treasured. 

It never rains in Southern California.. But it always rains in Ireland.

Welcome to Ahascragh (A-ha-scra)

Focus on: Karly Hodge

2011-12-01T16:56:00.000-08:00

In tonight's installment of the VagaBond NYC blog we are thrusting young Irish designer firmly into the spotlight! Karly Hodge, a recent graduate of Limerick School of Art and Design, debuted her '9am on the New York Subway' collection at the LSAD graduate fashion show. 

The line, as the title suggests, is inspired by her time spent as an intern in NYC at Proenza Schouler. 

Motivated by the energy of the city, Hodge drew inspiration from the metro line and based her print on that of the subway map. 

The colors of the collection are a striking combination of black and neon blue, pink and orange, leaving the viewer no choice but to be thoroughly engaged.

The designer states that she 'wanted to use the prints and colors to encapsulate the energy and spirit of the city, while using the silhouette to represent the structure of the subway system and the cityscape.'

You can check out more of Karly Hodge's designs right here: http://karlyhodge.weebly.com/index.html

VagaBond NYC + Toto Cullen for DMAg

2011-11-30T19:30:00.000-08:00

We worked recently with uber talented photographer Toto Cullen and so we would like to share some of the results of the creative process with you. Gwen, the model is resplendent in pieces from the VagaBond collection.

Gwen wears Jean Paul Gaultier

Gwen wears George Boreham

Gwen wears Chanel

Oh Poor Atlas, the World's a Beast of a Burden

2011-11-28T16:05:00.000-08:00

If ever there was an artist who so utilized her wardrobe so as to enhance (and not take away from, here's looking at you Germanotta) a performance it would have to be Florence Welch, often found accompanied by her 'Machine'.

Flowing locks and porcelain skin, Ms. Welch embodies ethereal fantasy. Her voice transcends the listener to whatever height she finds herself on when her voice emanates from her being.

Having just launched Ceremonials (on repeat here at VagaBond HQ!), the eagerly anticipated follow up to Lungs, Florence is about to embark upon a European tour. Something tells me that, unlike her contemporaries, she will stick to what works for her - beautiful flowing fabrics, delicate patterns and carefully selected vintage pieces - as opposed to violently revamping her image in accordance with a new album.

Everyone and their mother is award of her performance for Chanel in Paris at the S/S '12 show. When you're hand picked by M. Lagerfeld himself, what more reassurance do you need that your style is truly unequivocal? Added to this, she frequents our pop up store at Bond 07 and has selected some of our pieces for her own wardrobe. She's a true blue VagaBond girl!

Fantastic

2011-11-26T08:31:00.000-08:00

I came across this and had to share! Hilarious!

LimROCK

2011-11-25T20:21:00.000-08:00

In order to keep things fresh here we like to feature a designer every now and then who you may be unaware of. The latest installment of the VagaBond NYC blog will focus on another new Irish designer, Natalie B. Coleman. Originating from Carrickmacross, a town in Monaghan, Ireland, the designer set off on her design studies at the renowned Limerick School of Art and Design. She developed upon her knowledge at Central Saint Martin's, home to alumni such as Alexander Mc Queen. Coleman embarked upon establishing her own label last year following stints in New York and designing for a dance company. 

Coleman includes hand drawings and watercolors that are printed onto silks in a bid to establish a real sense of exclusivity to her pieces. Hailing inspirations as diverse as ostriches, unicorns and biker movies as inspiration, Coleman launched her SS 12 collection entitled, 'All the Jewellery I Never Got.' Here are some key looks from the collection:

Be Thankful

2011-11-24T19:45:00.000-08:00

Today at VagaBond NYC we are reflecting on what we are truly thankful for. Of course, the masters are a factor. We would not be where we are without the likes of Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, Yohji Yamamoto... I could go on! We are thankful for the art of their creations that inspires us everyday and for the way we feel when we don any of their pieces. But we are mostly thankful for our families and friends, without whom we could achieve nothing. We are very lucky. Here's hoping that you are spending your day with people you love just as much! Happy Thanksgiving from VagaBond NYC x

Que Porter?

2011-11-22T18:48:00.000-08:00

80's Louis Feraud Silk Shirtdress

I am about to celebrate my very first Thanksgiving this week and it is a fact that I greet with much excitement! Growing up, thanks to our mass consumption of US media, we were all aware of this holiday but few get to experience it first hand. So as the weekend approaches, I am starting to ponder my wardrobe choices for this holiday. I am guessing that since it is predominantly marked by spending time with family and friends around a plethora of delicious dishes (my fingers are crossed for pie!) that one must dress accordingly. Now, normally I would be all for making a statement and adopting a devil may care attitude with regard to my outfits but I think Thanksgiving merits a choice that takes into consideration a no doubt expanding waistline! With this in mind, I have dug through the veritable treasure trove that is the VagaBond NYC collection and chosen some pieces that should prove to be far kinder than, let's say, that body con number you are desperate to break out of the wardrobe! We are all about oversizing and fabulous billowing blouses for the day that's in it!

Laura Biagiotti Honeycomb Linen Blouse

70's Yves Saint Laurent Ruby Silk Blouse

The Glitz

2011-11-21T19:35:00.000-08:00

How many sleeps until St. Nick makes his annual appearance? Anyone know? Not too many I presume! So with the shopping days left until Chrismas dwindling by the hour, we have come up with another selection of VagaBond favorites to give you direction for your own retail expeditions! The mercury is dropping here in New York, and so we have chosen a few key pieces from our collection that will tie together any ensemble and keep you looking chic as you party your way into the night!

How about this stunning couture Ungaro velvet brocade jacket? The collarless piece with metallic brocade with a peplum waist are sure to set off any little number you have planned for New Years Eve! Fully lined in luxurious black silk, there is no better 'surprise' to wake up to on Christmas Day!

Feeling the metallic vibe? So are we. It's a nice little alternative to the de rigeur red of the season! This sequined metallic George Boreham jacket is the perfect go to for all those parties you have marked down in your diary! A subdued floral print adds a feminine dominion to the piece.

Silk is the ultimate party material. The luxury radiates confidence in the wearer and there's nothing you need more when shielding yourself from an onslaught of over eager admirers and mistletoe! This standout piece is from a 90's Romeo Gigli collection. The bronze silk taffeta jacket has an exaggerated collar that can be pulled into a hood, with a voluminous silhouette. It is dramatic and attention grabbing and will ensure that even though you may not be on Santa's 'Nice' list, you sure will be on his 'Best Dressed' one!