"Handbag Designer 101's" Featured Designer of The Day is...Yours Truly!

Today I was pleasantly surprised to open an e-mail from a top handbag site, Handbagdesigner101, informing me that I had been chosen to be their "handbag designer of the day"!

What an honor! Many extremely talented handbag designers have been featured on this site in the past, so I feel privileged to be part of their esteemed list!

To the folks over at Handbagdesigner101.com, thanks for giving me some love!!!

You can check out my feature story by clicking on the link below.

The Infinity Collection on Handbag Designer 101

FOR OBAMA-INSPIRED FASHION, CHECK OUT THE "RUNWAY TO CHANGE" STORE

Obama "Stand For Change" Tote Bag by Isaac Mizrahi

Fundraising for the Obama campaign has taken a fashion turn, with the "Runway To Change" on-line store now in full effect. Top designers have contributed their talents in an effort to raise campaign funds for the Obama campaign.

In an effort to show their support, and help Barack Obama become the next President of the United States, prominent designers in the fashion community designed their own item to be added to the campaign’s merchandise.

Many designs feature Obama's campaign logo or his message of hope. From t-shirts to tote bags and sweaters to scarves, their designer wares will be available in exchange for contributions to the Obama campaign.

Runway to Change launched earlier this month in New York City in order to raise critical funds for the campaign. There are over 20 extremely esteemed and talented designers who have sent in designs for this project.

Of course, I was drawn to the really cute handbag designs!

Check out these totes:

"Change is Awesome" Tote Bag by Rag and Bone

"Obama '08 Button" Tote Bag by Marc Jacobs

"Obama '08 Love" Tote Bag by Diane von Furstenberg



"Obama Flower" Tote Bag by Derek Lam

You can view the entire "Runway To Change" collection by clicking here.

(Source: RunwayToChange.com)

WANT AN ULTRA-FEMININE LOOK? CHECK OUT TRACY REESE'S SPRING '09 COLLECTION!

Tracy Reese's dresses and gowns have a style that is unique to any of the other designers. The ultra-feminine dresses, gowns, and coat dresses are beautiful! I love the fabrics that she uses for her creations: silky, flowing, with a splash of color, some frills, and accentuated with lace trim. She is able to pull off combining a totally funky style with delicate fabrics and patterns.

I am truly proud of my fellow sister because there are very few big-name "real" designers of color out there. Tracy Reese is one of the few who actually studied and worked in both New York and Europe. Even in my own experience of working in the apparel industry and teaching for many years, I personally saw very few people of color working in a design or creative capacity, or even studying to become a designer, for that matter. I always found this to be interesting because I know there are many talented people of color out there who can either sketch, sew, or create. One thing that I know for sure is that Tracy Reese has a gift for designing.

Check out these gorgeous dresses from her Spring 2009 collection:

Funky and feminine at the same time-- see what I mean?

No one has coatdresses like the one's Tracy Reese puts out!

Flirty and flowing-- Love the purple!

This dress is my absolute favorite! So regal and sexy at the same time!

I must say-- this girl has really got it going on!!!

For someone who really loves her designs, I only own one item with her name on it - a scarf that I purchased about four years ago. At the time, I didn't even know who she was! I was going out with my husband to a black-tie affair, and needed a scarf or shawl to accessorize my dress with. I found the scarf in a local boutique and remember cringing when I looked at the price tag. It was around $200, but I had fallen in love with the floral silver metallic pattern on the scarf, and it was large enough to use as a shawl. It also had long fringes that gave the scarf its own individual personality.

Here it is:

This dress actually looks like my scarf!

Now I'm glad I bought it. I know that there's no way now that I would be able to buy a scarf with her name on it, for $200!

"FASHION ROCKS": GOTTA HAVE MUSIC WITH FASHION!

I can't believe that Spring 2009 Fashion Week is here already! From the looks of it, just about everybody who is big on the entertainment scene right now was at the Fashion Rocks - Conde' Nast event at Radio City Music Hall this past Friday night. Beyonce, Justin Timberlake, Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey, Rihanna, Chris Brown, Miley Cyrus, Kid Rock, Fergie and many other big-names in the music industry turned out for the event. The entertainers performed for a great cause-- to help raise funds for cancer research.

The only problem was that no one has any new music out right now, so instead of promoting themselves, the entertainers paid tribute to music legends, like Marvin Gaye, the Temptations, Etta James, the Rolling Stones, and producer-songwriter Timbaland.

Here are some of the photos from the event (courtesy of In Style):

A glammed up Mariah Carey

Young and sexy R&B Crooner Chris Brown

Not to mention his "first lady" Rihanna and the Queen of R&B Mary J. Blige



"The Dutchess" Fergie with 80's sensation Debbie Harry

I have to mention that these performers were all looking quite the trendsetters themselves! Look out runway models-- with music sales down, don't be surprised if some of these performers show up on the catwalk soon!