Debut New York

Love is Mighty

2011-05-22T15:11:00.000-07:00

Everywhere we looked this week, despite ceaseless rain and water-logged streets, girls with tanned limbs were shod – prematurely, perhaps – in summer sandals with pops of “Bermuda Shorts” pink nail polish.

All we can say is get thee to Debut to replace those gold gladiators: Love is Mighty, an artisanal new collection is the new wave of exotic flats. Light as feathers, the shoes have thin, yet durable vegan soles and have been given the works by crafstmen in India. Imagine Ocean reef-blue beads, vegetable died woven laces and individually sourced talisman-like embellishments.

This is a joyous collection, painstakingly sourced and cared for by Founder Monisha Raja. For that extra twinkle to compliment your new white Provencal dress, Raja believes natural is the most beautiful way to go, hence “LOVE is MIGHTY”. Love transcends all, and is represented via preserved techniques, and respect for the earth’s naturally abundant resources. These are good for the “sole”.

Why Timo, Why?

2011-05-15T15:02:00.000-07:00

He tempts us so. Timo Weiland has executed yet another collection of sure to be seasonal (and seasonless) favorites. We first wrote about this new label for spring 2010, and at the time raved about Weiland’s perfect-fit designs for New Yorkers. The message: the art of dress-making for young at heart sophisticates.

Little has changed in our thinking since that initial post, yet everything Timo has evolved. Once again there are must-have dresses in identifiably quirky-chic prints, but the cuts and fabrications have greater depth and finish.

A shirt waist forest-printed mini dress comes either with an exposed midriff for tan-bearing, or without for those who wish to pass office codes. A trim mini skirt is comprised of chiffon over whisper-light silk in contrasting blue and red, with a print bordering on the animal side.

The hunt for the perfect cardigan concludes with a bang: choose ivory or scarlet backed by forest and wildflower print chiffon. Business in the front, party in the back. A Timo devotee likes to surprise, and should be prepared to humbly accept compliments while coming and going at every event.

Timo Girls -

One Original Thing...

2011-05-04T13:02:00.000-07:00

It’s all about that one little thing.

The other day a girl uttered this to a friend while shopping the designers at debut. Her phrase seemed at once a justification, an explanation and a call to arms to keep on looking. “That’s it,” we thought! That’s what makes girls tick. Often there is no reason to buy; nothing is so new that it can be pronounced essential. But if a design has that “one little thing”, it’s a done deal.

Take Akshata for example. The collection was founded in 2010 by Akshata Murty to preserve the ancient crafts and inherited techniques of India’s artisans. Akshata is a collective of sorts, gathering fabrics and accessories prepared in India by local experts, and merging the work with a New York-based design team. Production is split between New York and New Delhi, offering balance and opportunity in the process.

Modernity in this case is a good thing, and introduces unique processes and hand-finishing to simply pretty, wearable clothing. The pieces have at once a far away quality and beautiful finish to them, and will invoke many a “where did you find that?” query. Pale, sweet pink silk, Mediterranean blue beading and gold metallic underskirts conjure long summer days during which you don one dress in the morning, and don’t change until the last drop of rose at night’s end.

Gone Shopping

2011-04-17T15:36:00.000-07:00

The days are improving, and with that, so grows the list of new accoutrements we might, ahem, “require” for Summer.

Sometimes you just need something...anything. That intrinsic human desire to acquire and self-satisfy comes into play during moments of upheaval and transition – for example the weather – and helps create a base of one’s vision of self.

For instance, Hekki Salonen’s latest delivery offers a simple message: “wear cool socks”. The slouchy runway pieces arrived in shades of rust, ivory snow and black. Pair with flat Marni men’s-style sandals in clean calfskin, a floaty dress plus - if you're really hip - these Tube Sock Skateboards.

Hekki Salonen Knitted "Flip" Socks in Black, Ivory Snow and Rust - the new Uggs

$169

And for no reason whatsoever we are feeling this seemingly new color, mint-blue. It speaks to us. It should be paired with incongruous warm things like sand, red-and-white checkered lobster bibs and Baja. These new Jack Germain wallets do just the trick.

There are no bills where we're going. Just credit cards.

Jack Germain "Shoreline" Credit Card Holder

$160

Vacay!

Lost Property of London Rucksack, Hekki "Flip" Socks and Love is Mighty wraparound thongs (more on these puppies later)

Swim like a fish...

2011-04-12T17:08:00.000-07:00

Sang A, one of the brightest talents versed in exotic textures and shapes, has indulged us with new pale colors and matt python for summer. Her signature “Pop” and “Mini Pop” handbags sing a certain secret siren song to passers-by and travelers from afar who come here just to seek a longed-for tote or clutch.

We have written about Sang A Im-Propp before, the multi-faceted, Korean-born dancer turned pop star, turned New York-based designer. She blazed a trail on stage in front of millions of fans abroad, and parlayed this turn in the spotlight into a deep investigation of personal style and self-creation – the strengths of a born performer. Her instincts were right, and she quickly found her niche in fashion with kick-y shapes and ultra luxe textures and skins.

This season we have the palest blue fish skin Mini Pop – the new icon – and a bucket-sized matt coal python Pop bag. Slightly rough and discreet, and just what Sang A offers that others do not.

Mini Pop / Mint-Blue / Natural Fish

Pop / Black Matte Python

True Whit

2011-04-04T20:08:00.000-07:00

Lightness of being, self-satisfaction, and objects of whimsy: these are a few of our favorite “things” for spring.

Enter designer Whitney Pozgay, a bright young talent (Arizona born) based in Brooklyn. Her vaguely namesake collection, WHIT, perfectly embraces all things pretty, easy, chic and un-self conscious. Take her online “inspiration board” (whit-ny.com) titled “Fundamentals”. Keith Harring…Shibori dying techniques…retro cult surf films. The essences of these great elements have been referenced and refined by Whitney – but never derived. Her collection speaks for itself, and comes from a romantic, but none too serious mind.

Let's go...somewhere

A flouncy, but not sweet white linen Urchin dress is clean and what we’ll long for in the long months ahead. Imagine its stark lines, lit by white hot sun against an azure blue vacation sky. Sweet, cheeky olive drab overalls come slightly cropped, and tailored just so. The wearer will feel jaunty, and unexpectedly compelled to don a lean bandeau to peek out from beneath.

Lisa Marie Fernandez suits go well with cool WHIT looks. Summer packing: done-zo, as they say in the O.C.

Shorts, swing tops and apron dresses pop with tribal black and white. A tank top has a “porthole” opening in the back. For fun’s sake, we’ll call it all very witty.

Urchin Dress, Porthole Tank, Khaki Skirt will take you...

HERE:

Suddenly This Summer

2011-03-28T13:29:00.000-07:00

UK-born and bred, but kissed by the Hollywood sun and the colors of Southern France; these qualities, and so many more were whipped into the iconic, fiery, beautiful and enduring personality of the late Elizabeth Taylor.

Many stories will be written about Ms. Taylor as the weeks pass, and her personal style – the ups, downs, and devil-may-care of it all – will be a certain focus; fittingly so, for her love of jewelry has propelled an industry for generations, and created a new legion of famous gems.

The right piece of jewelry absorbs the essence of its owner’s personality, and bestows it to each new wearer – think the Krupp Diamond. Costume, paste, faux, the real thing – they all have the same effect if beautiful, and Liz herself was an ardent fan of all things that sparkled with singularity.

Mawi is on track, then, with an heirloom collection of house favorites, and a fine costume collection of innovative new pieces each season. Our ruby and emerald rock fantasy pieces from Fall have segued to softer, brilliantly-hued looks for Spring.

Tutti Frutti is the name: slick necklaces with modern “claw” settings, and cushion-y cocktail rings with bursts of color in apple green and violet. And exclusively for début we are armed with a just-for-us group of pieces titled “Deco Rocks”, in shades of glinting coal and steel, sparking a decadent new era for costume wear. Each item is of generous weight, and packs a high-wattage of internal sparkle and light, like La Liz herself.

"Tutti Frutti" necklaces, bracelet and cocktail ring

$355 - $595

"Deco Rocks" awesome "Fang" necklace - $595

*Header: "Deco Rocks" stacked tube earrings - $355

I know this much is true

2011-03-20T14:09:00.000-07:00

There is something to be said for the familiar, tried and true,

No less thrilling than something new.

A pick-me-up when you’re feeling blue…

Okay, enough with attempts at faux-haiku. We’ve received our latest Calla collection. The Paris-based talent, introduced first at debut with her launch Spring 2010 collection, has successfully made all-over print cool and accessible for a new generation. In the manner of Emilio Pucci, Calla Haynes has made her unique textiles a hallmark.

Inspired by the creativity of Niki de Sainte Phalle and Maria Felix, the prints are hand-designed and eye-catching while remaining neutral enough so as to not overpower the wearer.

What feels fresh is her stable of evolving silhouettes. As always we have sleek, fitted jersey mini dresses and leggings splashed with a chorus of harmonious colors.

New to the collection are soft and easy sweatshirt dresses, loose jersey tops with swing for summer, and a lean and mean column “gown”. A girl with access to a yacht come July in the South of France will feel quite at home on a breezy ship prow in this number, and equally so for a night out at VIP club. Those remaining in the City will take refuge from the white heat of the sun in Calla’s shattered-glass print mini dress rendered in cool shades of blue.

New Look

2011-03-13T13:45:00.000-07:00

Heikki Salonen throws it all at us, but in subtle doses: clean lines, 80s and 90s abstract skate culture references and Native American twang. The Finnish designer has been with debut for two seasons, and is in his third as an independent brand (following a stint at British darling brand Erdem, and appointment as Creative Consultant to Diesel).

Fall/Winter was blade-runner sleek, with sheared chiffon-inset knit trousers worthy of the Bauhaus, a hunter green lambskin sheath dress, and what have become (at least in our eyes) signature raw-edges and layers.

Spring 2011 ushers in a lighter hand, with buoyant linen pieces in shades of smoke and off-season Oceanside.

A chalk white dress features a shredded and layered “ruffle” hem that wouldn’t look out of place on a girl sporting Vans. The same goes for a below-the knee slip on “ruffle” hem skirt with side pockets riding low on the hips. Pair with knuckle duster spike rings, a t-shirt of any make and size and move.

Lacking for sophistication the collection is not, however. A sheath dress with a gently folded neckline and an asymmetric cropped linen blazer are for the girl with a surfboard strapped to her car, and a corner office waiting for her on Mondays.

Heikki’s clothing is meant to be lived in and loved in any state, and our bursting rack at debut will surely dwindle in early days this season.

Whip Lash

2011-03-06T13:47:00.000-08:00

One of the best things Fashion can afford is the ability for talent to transcend commerce, trends and fickle consumers to smack us in the face with something that doesn’t say just, “fashion”.

One designer that has achieved this feat, stepping neatly aside of the commercial-creative combustion machine is Christopher Raeburn. He has been quietly, but with buzz, building a collection of eye-catching slickers, raincoats and outerwear that generally stops all passers-by in their tracks.

First: the colors – army green, highlighter orange, chalk white and lemon yellow. Second: the cuts – razor-like, matrix quality contouring, ruching and visible seams lend a neo-futuristic slant. Finally: the basis of found and re-claimed materials taken from the ranks of our soldiers, naval officers and air force. It all harkens to Helmut-era Helmut Lang modernity without being derivative.

In store we have the perfect in absolutely every sense of the word quilted vest for layering or to wear alone. In a mini bag, stow a parachute topper to pull out in the face of unexpected weather. You’ll feel good about it – for those who care, you will feel indisputably cool. For those who don’t know or care to distinguish L.L. Bean from Balenciaga, you’ll feel unencumbered, dry and also, indisputably cool.

Tyvek Parka - white with army dots

Quilted Gilet - army

Parachute Hoodie: triple dot

Answered Prayers

2011-02-21T17:33:00.000-08:00

A proliferation of new superhero movies on the horizon (I am Number 4, Spiderman) has us in the mood for color that goes *POP*.

The collection doing it for us this season is Meredith Wendell’s neo-luxury, uptown-quirky range of totes, bags and belts in Candyland suedes and python. Flashes of patent add a bit of brilliance and just the right amount of off-ness to super-charged classic materials.

Meredith, along with husband and business partner Wendell German has an aesthetic that harkens to Auntie Mame, and women who “Summer” in Newport with their twin Deerhound puppies, and take restorative holidays at the Dorothy Draper-designed Greenbrier Hotel in West Virginia. The latter serves as seasonal inspiration and backdrop to fantastical company photo shoots, which bring to life the playful, personal accessories of Meredith Wendell, and the great female personas of haute bourgeois society.

In-store now, we love the mini duffle of python and suede, clasping at the top with a box frame closure. Suspended from a delicate patent strap, the mini bag can be tossed about, carefree, as we walk the streets of Palm Beach on a lazy Sunday this spring.

Skins

2011-01-30T13:43:00.000-08:00

We’re feeling oddly aquatic lately, most likely because we’ve just received a true spring/summer delivery of…swimsuits. Those skimpiest members of the ready-to-wear category in all of their strappy, bandaged glory.

Being début, these would not be just swimsuits though. These are from one Lisa Marie Fernandez, a designer who surely believes that swimwear is as integral to a woman’s wardrobe as a little black dress. The aesthetic and execution is that meticulous. In fact, Fernandez’s pieces often walk off the beach and in for a drink.

The collection we’ve assumed is a tight edit of the classics, ranging from the playful, to stealth Bond girl-like. A scuba-inspired racerback in color-block black and yellow; a seamed spaghetti strap number in palm frond green; a bi-color triangle top in cool Hockney blue and khaki, and our favorites: the simplest zip front bandeau bikini and bodysuit, both in all black.

You’ll feel like a regular super hero regardless of which style. Don one, and it molds to you, creating an insta-perfect second skin.

We Are Golden

2011-01-23T14:14:00.000-08:00

At début, we like to surprise everyone – even ourselves! And it happens frequently. Fashion is better seen first-hand, like 3-D movies in theaters. But, if you can’t make it to a runway, you can still dream up your seasonal wish lists. When the time comes, you’ll venture forth, expedition-like, and seek to lay your hands on the object of your magazine affections. And it will be shinier, and more perfectly-rendered than imagined.

This makes the new season’s receipts that much more anticipated – they aren’t just new, they are better than our original impressions. This is precisely the case with Esquivel. We knew Esquivel, with its twisted-traditional aesthetic and hand-made integrity would be a jewel of a collection for the store, but we didn’t know we would want to wear it NOW.

Clean-cut, sharply styled, just on the farthest border of androgyny – the shoes are true “kicks”. Only the softest, lightest leathers are employed, and the workmanship is evident and charming. It seems possible the shoes came to existence organically – as opposed to being pieced together in a studio.

Zeus flashes of gold trim oblong cutouts on a pale, caramel leather brogue boot. A lace and zip front toughens the exterior. Slick, jazz-age white patent oxfords are light as air with similar cutouts. Then our favorites: 24 karat gold metallic oxfords, with raw edged will give flight to your transitional wardrobe. Come summer, on Governor’s island, you’ll lie back, cross your ankles and your shoes will glow in the sun. How perfect.

Sense and Sensibility

2011-01-16T15:43:00.000-08:00

Welcome back readers! We know you’ve just unpacked the old T. Anthony from your travels near and afar, but it’s time to gear up again. With the advent of a New Year, we have a new collection: Lost Property of London.

The collection of totes and carryalls is composed of recycled materials – namely, coffee bean sacks. Stay with us now – it’s not just another eco collection-cum-gimmick. The fabrics are light as air, and laundered to a high degree, rendering them silky to the touch. And there is something about the colors and remaining markings on the bags – “MERCANTA: The Coffee Hunters, May 2009” or “Cafés do Brasil” – that hint at important and exotic beginnings.

Lost Property Founder, Katy Bell, finds a story in each material and tags her designs with notes from the former incarnations, “I started life as a coffee sack, full of beans. Places to go, people to feed. But then I was empty, lost. And now? I am found. Transformed into a beautiful bag.”

This Velveteen Rabbit quality is one that appeals. The need to swoop these neat totes and duffels up is strong. And they are quite useful too. A flat messenger is backed and trimmed in soft, durable leather to lend stability and longevity. Top handles give it dual carriage potential. Cheerful red and white ticking cloth lines the interiors.

A jaunty back pack with leather straps will be a perfect springtime in Central Park compliment – pair with a lightweight Whit dress (coming soon), or bring it on your next voyage South.

The piece de resistance is a surprisingly oversized duffel. We laughed when we unpacked it – where would it go in the store? For the intrepid traveler though, it’s the only thing you need. People will wonder on what distant excursion you are embarking…a sensible and intriguing individual you will seem.

Lights all a-glow

2010-12-20T19:45:00.000-08:00

As we started to pack up for the festivities to come in the days following, our eyes kept catching on a new glint in our jewel cases: Orly Genger by Jaclyn Mayer’s spring-inducing collection of hand-woven neon jewelry.

The collection rendered by Mayer and inspired by artist, Genger’s rope-like sculptures, is a true collaboration, and representative of the creative cores of both designers. Genger’s work is at once simple and monumental, challenging the eye and space it occupies. Mayer is joyful in her approach, and capable of hard and soft – as evident in the splashy colors of rope, intertwined with gleaming dark chains.

The collection has been adapted to the runway work of designer Victoria Bartlett of VPL, and Lela Rose – arguably opposite ends of the ready-to-wear spectrum, and has instant tactile and visual appeal. Wonderfully vibrant statement necklaces will anchor floaty frocks come spring break. In the interim, thick bracelets that are light as a feather stand in for an updated, season-less take on the classic Nantucket rope bracelet. The new film, TRON comes to mind with slick silver, deep blues and pops of orange and yellow – buy now, wear now, and wear later!

Cherries in the Snow

2010-12-05T14:25:00.000-08:00

It was once the name of a Revlon lipstick worn for ballet performances. We were struck this week while updating the arrangement of collections at debut that the idea of this moniker applies to fashion in a new way: it is freezing outside, yet pink, fantastical concoctions still work this time of year. Think of The Nutcracker’s Dew Drop or Sugarplum Fairy – ladies who wear the frothiest, sparkliest of costumes with aplomb. It’s time to shed the black and Barbour jackets for a few weeks of parties…

If Dew Drop were to step out of her conjured universe, and into the New York social whirl, she might look to Elisa Palomino for her wardrobe. Palomino has been on a swift ascent following her debut collection presented during New York’s Fall 2010 Fashion Week. She is a nominee for Franca Sozzani’s “Who Is On Next”, yet possesses a deeply integrated and pertinent body of work, from Moschino to John Galliano, Christian Dior Haute Couture, Roberto Cavalli and finally Diane von Furstenberg. There is no shortage of whimsy, creative forces or technique in her repertoire.

A cherry-picked group of Palomino’s pieces hangs at debut, including a fuchsia velvet mini dress – Twiggy might have worn this with sweet ballet flats – a snowy hand-knit shaggy sweater, and the loveliest chiffon layered gown we’ve seen off the runways as of late. We’re feeling the romantic pull of this long and bare look, anchored by warm knits, or a sporty vest (Palomino’s is fitted, shell-pink, and hand-painted with white flowers). Perfect with rugged heeled boots at a dinner beneath a glowing antler chandelier, and the mistletoe.

Debuting....

2010-11-28T13:29:00.000-08:00

MAWI, the standout new accessories collection we wrote of last week, has already developed a loyal following, which we hinted at. Namely one lithe, bob-haired Brit who appears in this Sunday's New York Times Style Section. She's been marked as that ineffably cool, international girl - the one who wears flats with ball gowns and a denim jacket, and still has a trail of admirers - male and female from Los Angeles to Tokyo. It would be easy, but a bit boring to wax poetically about "it-girls"...so we'll leave you with an image. The endorsement has been made:

Debut will soon receive this collection favorite - a jewelry box cluster of mixed gold and silver-plated chains, with pale sky-gray costume pearls, and a delicately suspended sapphire and skull charm. You'll need one for you, one for your sister, one for your mother...the list goes on.

For inquiries and to pre-order, please call Debut at 212.343.2717

Future Pre-History: MAWI

2010-11-21T14:40:00.000-08:00

There is something comforting and eternally right about costume jewelry; it’s as if the pieces are proven keepsakes before purchased. The history and technique – not to forget the unusual and often twisted material elements – that are involved with the art are inherent and essential. And something about the quirk factor and variant nature of costume pieces appeals to an inner sensibility of the soul.

Take Mawi – London-based, naturally (home of effortless, top-notch quirk) – a new collection of hard-edged metal and brilliant or darkly-colored gemstones dappled by a skull and spike motif for the Autumn/Winter collections. They traverse a line that can best be described as “upstairs-downstairs”. Picture a family of chic women: the matriarch with her mother’s chandelier earrings, baroque pearls and gold-leaf foiled necklaces, which she keeps stored in soft velvet boxes in the master suite; the daughter, who grows up admiring and then stealing away the jewels for nights of dancing. Perhaps she pins a brooch to the slick satin lapel of a menswear tuxedo blazer. Then she winds a tangle of metal and weathered gemstones around her wrist. It all takes on a vibrant new personality, while maintaining the past life.

Mawi’s respect for the elegance and stature of yesteryear’s work is ever-present, and enhanced by a strict motivation for contemporary craftsmanship and design. Gold plating becomes futuristic in aerodynamic tubes encircling the neck. Hematite spikes and jade crystals trump the dusty diamond multitudes roving private clubs. Each as unstoppable as the next in visual punch, and simply put: mesmerizing, just as the costume jewelers of days past intended.

In order of appearance:

Gold plated Sunray Tube Necklace - $585

Hematite plated Onyx and Crystal Skull Necklace - $630

Gold plated Jade and Crystal Skull Bracelet - $495

Assorted Drop Earrings: $315 - $360

Gold plated Double Claw "ruby" Crystal and Spike Bracelet - $608

Bananas for Loquita

2010-11-13T15:30:00.000-08:00

We wrote about Loquita’s silken scarves this summer, which have since wafted off the shelves and onto the shoulders of many. Mesh-like, yet substantial…cool-handed, but with texture, the prints range from classic chain link to just south of twisted (pink and red guns, vintage axes interspersed with Swallows). Why, you might ask? Why not – the scarves are, in a word, perfect.

Everyone will wear these, whether self-bought or received tumbling from a neat white gift box in the weeks to come. Now Loquita has taken us again, not with a print, but with a new take on the scarf: soft, deeply-hued fox furs backed in silk twill prints. The pieces are meant to be add-ons for fall and winter, worn beneath the lapels of an overcoat or tuxedo blazer for added warmth, or looped over a slim sweater.

In two variations: a simple circle, a bit like a snood (that will also lie flat, as a shawl), or a cravat-like version, clasping just below the collar bone – the finishing element to all we’ll wear these coming days. While today is rather warm for mid-November, we feel like peacocks as we write and wear our new Loquita – something of the decadence of the 20s, when women wore mink and had dresses for different times of day, feels present when cozying up to silk and fox.

That Timo Year

2010-11-07T15:07:00.000-08:00

We first wrote about Timo Weiland this Summer, introducing our readers and customers to the fresh collection of polished dresses and separates. The confections rapidly became essential for girls dashing off to weddings, or looking to simply feel pretty and uncomplicated.

The need to strategize how to wear, or categorize one’s existing closet and where a “Timo” piece might fit is entirely unnecessary. It works as follows:

1. See dress/blouse/coat/blazer

2. Try garment(s) on

3. Smile at self in mirror; admire a bit longer than necessary

4. Reconsider that office mate's holiday party; make mental note to RSVP

5. Take home; wear again, again and again

6. Freely accept all compliments

Timo is a Southern born gent who knows how girls dress. He resides presently in New York surrounded by pretty things, and with business partner Alan Eckstein continues to put forth bright new – totally timeless – looks.

Take a phoenix-red pleated swing dress and pair with tough black ankle boots or sweet ballet flats. Top with a lean camel blazer with teardrop hemline, or take the latter out with denim and riding boots to Sarabeth’s for brunch.

A mother’s jewel box was surely raided for the emerald and jade tones Timo whirled together for his washed silk wonder – a mini dress with flowing cape clasped by skinny blue satin belt. The colors cascade over one another and the movement is fleeting but perfect – American sportswear for late nights to come.

That Touch of...

2010-10-31T16:27:00.000-07:00

We remember as children reading our first magazines, perhaps even a few young adult-style novels with variations on a phrase that stuck with us: “Furrier to the Stars…” Surely, if a woman had a go-to fur specialist, she had made it in life. The effect of a silver screen beauty clutching a pelt over her figure epitomized a certain cozy glamour that is absent from the slink of an evening gown or cling of a cashmere cardigan.

Chubby fox and silken minks had – and have – an immediately catalyzing effect, and lasting allure for those who are comfortable with the concept. Like a good fragrance, a good fur is rare, personal and lasting; passed down between generations of women, who alternately step out in the finery, or choose to safe-keep the piece. Little girls grow up catching at the hems of coats, and falling asleep beneath them. The history and craft of furs is at once storied and ever-present.

When a young man working in Paris by the name of Quentin Veron came to our attention, we were curious: here was a person creating and building a business around the controversial but enduring fur trade, and in a very modern way, staging carefully styled and highly inspired runway shows. The theatrics at once amplify and belie the truly beautiful work.

Shaggy white Fin Raccoon and moody Curly Lamb with Ink-purple Fox trim offer an entry for those not in pursuit of their mother’s fur. Classic auburn and black fox are formed into circular vests that rest on the body with a sense of buoyancy. The shrunken jacket is present, to top the evening gowns of future sirens and passed down to stylish women for generations to come…the past marches forward, energized by the future as envision by Veron.

POP ARTIST

2010-10-26T18:10:00.000-07:00

The quest for IT. The ineffable qualities of must-haveness. The existence of perfect proportions, materials and minute details that, while imperceptible from afar, constitute THE bag every woman must own. Rare indeed. If anyone knows how to seek out and render these characteristics, it would be designer Sang A Im-Prop.

Hailing from South Korea, Sang A embarked on a very early, enduring and highly successful career as a dancer and true pop star. Through the creative channels so oft-associated with performance, Sang A cultivated an identifiable and influential sense of style, and was drawn increasingly to fashion as a profession. On her own volition she took a right turn – no pun intended – and traveled to New York City, enrolling at the Parsons School of Design upon arrival.

For Spring 2006 she launched her namesake collection of exotic skin handbags with catchy names, a carryover from her record deal days. Inspired by downtown New York street attitude, and the exotic skins and construction she researched in the workshops of European luxury houses, SANG A hits a mark that straddles high concept design and visual gratification.

SANG A's colors, materials and shapes have near-addictive, instant appeal. From moody, multidimensional metallic pythons to fantastic, trippy seasnake, croc and mink. The POP is an elongated bucket style with shoulder and handheld straps. MINI POP is an abbreviated, but still roomy version of POP. And this holiday season will undoubtedly see a lot of the FLASH, a signature angled clutch, in crimson metallic fish and stardusted leopard suede.

The Recessionistas

2010-10-18T17:51:00.000-07:00

“After everything that’s happened…”

This line has become a common kickoff to discussions evolving around Manhattan’s financial profile as of late. Now, more than ever, spending, speculation and savings are intrinsically and necessarily linked; we try our best to remember the fallible nature of our system, while keeping in mind that life is to be lived and enjoyed.

Oddly, in the aftermath of meltdowns it is the consumers who have become beacons of hope. The old Lipstick Index and Hemline Diversity concepts have been recalled, and our Mayor champions the fashion industry with Fashion’s Night Out – a global event. Spending tendencies are tracked, and acknowledged as indicative of a healthy market, specifically with regards to the fashion industry.

People have reemerged with an invigorated, if slightly altered approach to shopping: mulling over purchases before splurging when the moment and object in question are right. At début we celebrate this educated consumer.

We will also celebrate this Wednesday, October 20, the appropriately titled novelThe Recessionistas, by Alexandra Lebenthal. The author, impeccable and as fashion and business-savvy as they come, will hold court at the boutique, and autograph copies of her glossy hardcover. Of course we voraciously read the book, and insist that The Recessionistas must be read by any and everyone – it documents the “Too Big to Fail” implosion, while taking record of the style, moral fiber and humanity against the sparking backdrop of a Judith Lieber-bedecked NYC skyline.

The Bangles

2010-10-14T11:30:00.000-07:00

A good bangle is like a good song – once you catch wind of one, you commit it to memory and pull it out time and time again to feel good. We’ve found this with Nicholas King’s collection of translucent, sculpted chunky bracelets: smooth, clear and optical with studding and crystals inlaid deep within. Each piece will become a go-to favorite, and looks the part of a venerable costume collection.

King possesses as richly varied a background as one could possibly have. A career in ready-to-wear led him to John Galliano in Paris, and Donna Karan in New York. Here, he moved on to work with Alexis Bittar, of cult pop jewelry renown. Following these rich layers of experience, King returned to the UK and founded his namesake collection to immediate accolades amongst industry insiders home and abroad.

The range consists of substantial cuffs, lightweight bangles and bold earrings. Vintage-inspired and modern in approach (as well as handmade), Nicolas King is marked by a simple linear crown motif hidden on each piece. It is fitting that he has crowned this collection, since it will surely reign in the near future, and prove an enduring investment for modern Babe Paileys everywhere seeking the next collectibles.

The Blueprint for Dressing

2010-10-03T14:09:00.000-07:00

UK-based Clare Lopeman has created a collection of look-again separates for her international debut, and the Fall 2010 season.

In a pure vision of the palest of shell pinks, the base of each silky jersey sheath dress début carries serves as canvas for Lopeman’s inspired transcriptions of vintage patterns found in ‘100 Dresses’ – a classic Soviet dressmaking book reflecting key shapes and silhouettes established in 50's French couture. Evident is the meta concept of infusing, and revising these patterns into body-conscious, classic shapes for the modern wearer.

Ranging from complex and literal with Russian notations, to the abstract distillation of these, the dresses garner energy from the blueprints of their predecessors. The graphic blockings and lines of the pattern – or concept of pattern – add a contoured effect to each garment.

Lopeman further defines her silhouettes with softly sculpted shoulders. The work is eye-catching, deserving of further inspection, and will stand alone or serve as a layer beneath a cool leather jacket and piles of chains this season.

Clare Lopeman Jersey Dresses - $726

La Calla!

2010-09-18T15:15:00.000-07:00

Ah Fashion Week – a time for dreaming of the far away Spring visible on the runways, but also a time for fast pursuit of the Fall collections that are finally in full force on the store floors.

We were the first stateside boutique to carry Calla, and with the sophomore collection beating expectations we have been anticipating the delivery for months now. So each time our minds wandered towards another t-shirt purchase we reminded one another, “must wait for Calla.” Thankfully, we did – and it feels right!

This season’s collection – inspired by Abstract paintings and elements of the natural universe – offers sleek, everyday and every night attire. Each design represents a firm grasp on Parisian insouciance, referencing Calla’s current hometown, yet couldn’t be more versatile or globally appealing. Her unique prints are standout: matte, tightly knit jersey is rendered in moody pixilated mixes of purple-blue and black-grey-green; smooth viscose is brushed in watercolor strokes of gradient color and finished with woven Ikat trim.

The range is tight and meant to be mixed: a tank with lean stirrup pants, or tucked into a fitted pencil skirt to appear as a dress; a dress that looks like two separate items – but is in fact an easy sheath. And by popular demand, we herald the arrival of Calla’s much-sought after body conscious bustier dresses - to be saved for the ultimate fashion moment.

Calla "Gaine" Black Bustier Dress - $1,225

Calla "Gaine" Atter Print Bustier Dress - $1,365

Everyone Who is Anyone

2010-08-31T21:22:00.000-07:00

Last year we dubbed it “Fashion Halloween,” a moniker that most people stumbled similarly upon in their post-mortems of the evening. If Fashion Week is a circus then what is this sideshow that is Fashion’s Night Out?

Like any Halloween, it is multi-layered, presents the unknown, and has many variables: we might eat too much candy; we might have a wardrobe malfunction, and we’ll undoubtedly be overwhelmed by the crowds. We wait with baited breath, planning our outfits, and hoping things will surpass our expectations.

At the risk of overstimulation, we are all about FNO’s purpose: to integrate retail and fashion in a perfect evening of spectacle and commerce. For the occasion début will be joined by hosts Michael Fink (esteemed industry veteran, and current head of the Savannah College of Art and Design/SCAD), Lynn Yeager (cult Manhattan fashion icon and writer) and special guest for the evening, Mr. Andre Leon Talley (no introduction necessary).

Along with our hosts and guests, début will launch the Faces of Fashion T’s benefitting SCAD. The limited edition T Los Angeles designs are of the lean-but-slouchy variety, hand painted by New York artist, Victor-John Villanueva, in vivid colors with the visages of Simon Doonan, Glenn O’Brien, Kim Hastreiter, Olivier Zahm, Mr. Talley, Ms. Yeager and Olivier Zahm.

We have also invited The Nouveau Classical Project to perform. Directed by Sugar Vendil, the group is aimed at fusing classical music and fashion to reach new audiences – new, chic and authentic, the Project will provide a haunting dimension to the evening.

Lynn helmed the Village Voice’s fashion coverage for 30+ years, and contributes to Vogue, the New York Times Magazine, New York Magazine and more. She is recognizable for her distinctive pen and approach to clothes, accessories and cosmetics as well as for her fabulous style.

Andre Leon Talley began his career at Andy Warhol’s Factory in the 70s. He reigned as Editor at Large at Vogue for many years, where he famously encouraged a dialogue amongst the editors about fashion. Currently, he is a Contributing Editor to the magazine. Beyond writing, Mr. Talley is renowned for his signature couture capes, Vuitton tennis luggage, and diamond Piaget that he wears to play the sport.

Simon is window-dresser extraordinaire, author, journalist, trend-setter and more. The holiday windows at Barneys New York are a much-anticipated tradition for fashion insiders, New Yorkers and Holiday visitors. We’re all familiar with his sharp Paul Smith shirts, work, whit and whimsy.

Like Andre, Glenn began his career with Warhol. Today, he is one of the city’s most revered writers and Creative Directors recognizable by his white hair, warm smile and impeccable style.

Editor-in-Chief of Paper Magazine, the first niche social-fashion-culture publication, Kim is a downtown doyenne known for her artistic sensibility, and as a mainstay of the New York editorial world.

A dashing and somewhat controversial figure, Olivier has made his mark with an affinity for all states of undressed as Editor-in-Chief of Purple Magazine. He is a hands-on fashion reveler, multi-hyphenate: photographer-editor-stylist-blogger.

Limoncello...where are you?

2010-08-22T13:24:00.000-07:00

Welcome back! Following a seemingly endless, sultry summer, we’re all yearning for a palette cleanser. Smooth, weightless, but character-filled transitional items that will help us segue perfectly into the fervor that will be back-to-everything come Labor Day.

Some of us have been away for August, and upon return to our little oasis at début I’ve come face to face with yet a new collection, Porcelain. What a perfect name for this sea wall grey range of items (some pieces with hints of lurex sparkle, others in chiffon with all-over nude sequins). A perfectly contoured sleeveless jersey dress mimics the lines of a bustier without the boning and threat of breathlessness. The melting butter-soft long-sleeved tee will be a perfect throw-on-over-everything filler for our closets, and a neat little long-sleeved sheath will take us all over the city starting, oh, probably sometime next week. There is a reference to post-war industrial garb throughout the collection; however the subtlety of this provides depth and quality to the garments, without appearing theme-oriented.

Long live neutral colors, the simplicity of seaming, and a touch of sparkle as we herald the excitement yet to come this fall! Also: Need I say, “Stay tuned for Fashion’s Night Out?” Thought not…

Where the Fashion Things Are...

2010-07-25T14:55:00.000-07:00

We’ve all been party or privy to it: the eye roll incited by designer children’s clothing past the dreamy baby shower stage. Kids grow out of things! They rip and roar around – little machines of accidental destruction! They touch anything white with tiny hands covered in chocolate ice cream! While the look of a frilly frock is endearing on a young one, in the current mode of “sensible” parenting a dichotomy exists between children and designer garb.

We believe that the way one dresses is a form of personal expression, and the same is true for kids. The curiosity of a little girl in the throes of a wardrobe crisis, or on the high of donning a new princess concoction is telling: the way they respond to colors and textures a sign of who they are. Some of our happiest recollections are of our own mother surprising us with something new and crisp from Laura Ashley, an excitement we maintain still. The mutual joy of the exchange of beautiful things is undeniable, so why not sprinkle a few lovely items into their wardrobes?

With this in mind the owner of début, a mother of two, was inspired to source the perfect offerings to incorporate into a children’s pop-up boutique, set to be a one stop stock-up for pre-fall treasures. From France we have custom mother-daughter handbag sets in glossy, hand-crafted scalloped patent leather (The French & English Confectioners)…from England we have the venerable Lucy Sykes collection of delicate separates…from New York via Brazil there is Melissa’s collection of non-toxic, sustainable plastic shoes for little girls in collaboration with Vivienne Westwood. Imagine cotton candy colors, hearts and bows. And since it's about fashion 24-7, Matooka Kids provides the whimsy with playful appliqués and details including star studded collar dresses, lace pocket tunics, heartshaped buttons, mini trench coats and lots of leopard. Kiki Catlett brings original prints to silk and cotton dresses.

It’s a celebration of youth and creativity. Designer, yes – joyful, more so.

Children's Pop Up at Debut - Kiddy-Up!

2010-07-25T14:54:00.000-07:00

Lisa Weiss invites

you to cool down with your kids

Cones and coffee

from Van Leeuwen Artisan ice cream

Tuesday, July 27

4:00 - 7:00PM

I Pursued Nature to her Hiding Places

2010-07-18T13:05:00.000-07:00

There is a time for each human when he or she will be struck by the full visual power of nature; from the beautiful yet torrential and forbidding waters of a deep ocean straight, to craggy centuries old land formations along the shores of Southern France. The latter is dappled with branches and trees in wild, restless formations… keepsakes from another lifetime, just as the sun-scorched rocks are.

There’s an innate force in the natural world, drawing us to what is dangerous – fire, unsafe ground and extreme temperatures – in pursuit of the raw and the real. It’s the rare artist who can coax these same elements into something more human and personal, but no less awe-inspiring.

Valerie MacCarthy of Paris is a jewelry designer – singer – songwriter, who has achieved this with her debut collection, titled “Ring of Fire”. The range has a smooth, hard-looking but weightless appeal, rendered in rich naturally finished wood evocative of 1970s sleek.

Liquidy silver drips mimicking the licks of a white-hot flame have been applied around perfectly circular rings, bangles and earrings. A superhero-worthy ring of silver and smoky quartz packs a glamorous punch. A nod to deco is apparent in the mix and balance of materials and juxtaposition of shapes, while simplicity – owing to the natural references at heart – is inherent. These are destined to become keepsakes indeed.

Ring of Fire Smoky Quartz Ring - $525

Ring of Fire Large Wood Bangle - $865

*Opening photo courtesy of Valentine Merriman

Gone Fishing

2010-07-17T12:40:00.000-07:00

We love when a collection of well-researched and innovative – yet of course deceptively simple – garments makes its way into Début. This is what business and commerce are all about: fuel for the creative boiler rooms driving the retail industry.

Los Angeles-born and raised Kevin Joo Hwang is but one of the hard-working talents coming out of Parsons (he participated in the recent designer showcase at Début in June). His collection shown comprehensively, resting on brushed steel fixtures looks real, and exudes a calm sophistication.

View his slouchy olive shorts layered over loose, knit leggings, or a buttery beige silk jacket with the relaxed, billowing nature of a Poiret gown, and it is apparent that Hwang has direction smacking of newness without overwrought or displaced characteristics. On the body, each piece takes on a new life – alternatively flirty and chic, or utterly relaxed. Jackets are hand-tucked, seamed and contoured with grosgrain applications or jet bead trim. Skirts and pants feature unique characteristics – ivory canvas belts or minimal applications of cargo-inspired pockets.

When asked about this collection, Hwang mentioned beginning with research of American utilitarian work wear, which evolved to an exploration of fishermen clothing – from a Western perspective and then South East Asia. He wanted to capture the genre’s modern ease balanced by function and elegance. Nor did he forget who his likely, city-dwelling customer is: a woman who wants the new, often the contemporary, without sacrificing originality and technique.

It's All in the Wrist

2010-06-30T20:28:00.000-07:00

Summer, like winter, can halt the momentum of city-dwellers. The extremes of temperature and other natural elements can be cause to drop on the nearest Bauhaus chair and call it a day.

What you should do instead is look for a window…a small, curtained portal to the creative tidal pools tending to exist during these quieter months. You might find yourself taken with watercolor painting, sailing, a language course, and in the case of many of debut’s curious visitors, the art of design. And it is indeed an art. The genesis of a beautiful garment is often a beautiful sketch. Of course draping and a keen eye come into play, but a sketch can be the livelihood of a designer’s aesthetic (ahem, Monsieur Lagerfeld).

In addition to the Basics Fashion Design book series we stock – an encyclopedic range of finely researched artistic resources – we’ve added a secret weapon to the mix: Hokey Croqui’s sketchpads. This magical, rounded edge, sturdy notebook features sheets and sheets of pre-drawn mannequins. The artist chooses a favorite stance, his or her favorite sketch tool, and goes to work on the creative. When complete, photocopy the paper and watch the original mannequin’s figure disappear, leaving only a perfectly formed gown…or a Le Smoking…or, well, you get the picture. The layout is at once a shortcut and a training process, allowing for fluidity of the hand.

It’s the perfect lakeside occupation for the casual aesthete and a bit of a vacation for the obsessed sketch artist.

$20.00 each, personalized by debut, and for your eyes only with a robin's egg blue organza closure

Annual Parsons Senior Showcase

2010-06-16T13:56:00.000-07:00

Coming off what was by all accounts an uplifting CFDA Awards event (dubbed by many as the Fashion Academy Awards) it is fitting to ruminate on the recent design school graduates who will perhaps – hopefully – be future CFDA nominees and winners!

Debut New York at just two+ years of age is a relative gelding in the racey fashion world. And yet we’ve been fortunate to capture labels pre-buzz quite often; ergo we tend to be more attuned to the largely undiscovered than the newly acknowledged – it keeps us on our toes.

Fittingly, Debut’s Founder, Lisa Weiss will host the third Annual Parsons Senior Showcase at Debut with co-host – and designer – Sang A Im-Propp (the beautiful woman behind the impossibly chic accessories collection, Sang A).

On Tuesday, June 15th we will toast ten select senior designers and their collections, and subsequently turn our gallery over to this mysterious gaggle of names. Each collection will be housed in its own in-store space, and will be available for purchase at Debut through June 20th. On the eve of the 15th, Sang A will also bestow her exotic collection on us, including choice Summer 2010 bags and clutches, as well as a preview of Fall. We can only hope the showcase will be a glimpse of future fashion history!

Allez donc vous faire bronzer...sur la plage, sur la plage

2010-06-06T13:00:00.000-07:00

Following Memorial Day there is usually a palpable shift in the New York-ness of the City, whereby an influx of vaguely unfamiliar visitors populates the island vicinity, while Manhattanites make an exodus “out East” or “upstate”. It’s a bit of an Alien planet feeling.

Rather pleasantly this weekend, however, it seems Manhattan welcomed visitors and residents both. There’s been a happy coexistence on the sidewalks and in stores, and everyone is out shopping. It’s steamy and hot, but with a strong wind coming off the trees. It’s a climate conducive to walking the neighborhoods in search of interesting new items one can only wear when the weather gets like this – that is to say oppressive, but solidly summer. The mission: to find what will keep us feeling light as air and ready to take all the season has to offer.

Debut was well prepared, having ordered in advance a variety of easy, sleek t-shirting options. Draped racerback tank dresses by SHIN are perfect for workday wardrobe fatigue** – they’ll glide on easily and instill a put-together sense of self, particularly paired with high wedges. The new Brazilian label, UMA, offers sheer, asymmetric tanks that appear intricate from afar, but on the body exude an ineffable, languid cool. With these separates we’ll take Manhattan, the Hamptons, Malibu and our plane ride to the South of France come August.

** And it doesn't hurt that summer's heat coincides with summer's sales - 30-40% off!

* UMA's draped "polkadot" tanks - $95.00 each

Why not throw on the lightest crackled leather Dariya Repina bag? The color and chrome chain pair perfectly with whites...$330.000

K-K-K-Kini

2010-05-26T19:54:00.000-07:00

So it’s finally getting steamy in Manhattan, with the reflected light spilling down from blazing metal rooftops and whitewashed buildings along Lafayette. New Yorkers have started their expressive summer stylings, which frequently include limited coverage clothing. Where do they find these things? I asked myself the other day, passing a girl – very tan – wearing an entirely backless, entirely sideless, draped-front dress. I had to admit she looked sort of great and relaxed, particularly for a Tuesday. I diverted eyes to my own dark jeans and barn jacket and realized: it’s time for a change.

Suffice to say New Yorkers must pack away their bodies, secretly toning and tanning them year-round in some airtight Equinox or Crunch. And this is why Début jumped up and down for Kkini’s flashy-minimal bikinis, knowing all well that we wouldn’t be lacking for customers clambering. Metallic, slick and linear, they call to mind a non-preppy turn in a Hamptons Meier house – all blinding white surfaces and Hockney blue pools. They’d be just as at home in Los Angeles or Miami, and this suits New Yorkers perfectly: we’re malleable to the turf and terrain of all major fashion cities.

Kkini’s styles are named and grouped by destination: St. Tropez, Kauai, Monaco Deck Suite – themey, but apropos. The New York-based brand designs around fit, adjustability and versatility, while offering a slim edit of colors and textures aimed at mixing and matching. Many of the straps can be easily readjusted with one or two swift maneuvers to minimize tan lines, and all tops and bottoms are sold separately. Kkini will also throw us for a loop with a full stop, recession-averted, lounging-only sun suit – in our case, a pale pink and sequined Grecian draped number. And of course, all Kkini suits come in black.

Bikinis are intended to be mixed and matched as sets - all $210.00

Cool Coon.

2010-05-11T05:27:00.000-07:00

Mandy Coon, a Texan by birth, and citizen of the fashion world via an earlier modeling career, is quite simply a cool girl.

She embarked on the requisite modeling jaunt, and ultimately landed in the far reaches of Japan where her interest in wearing other people’s clothes waned, and permitted for a creative surge of her own. She began to revise her relationship with fashion, creating special pieces upon request of friends, and in collaboration with others.

A subsequent return to New York was perhaps non-negotiable – feeling the prospective pull of a solid foundation she enrolled at FIT, and ultimately earned an internship with fellow New York designer and tastemaker, Camilla Staerk of the label, Staerk. This led to a full-time position with the company, during which Coon was dedicated to the pure aesthetic of Staerk’s – relatively austere without taking its own value too seriously.

And this is a sensibility Coon puts forth with her own collection; clearly well-versed in the school of minimalism with a bit of kink at the edges – but with Coon’s heightened sense of ease. There’s an element of bad behavior in a “dress” that zips apart into two pieces, and yet a simplicity in the doubleknit jersey. A romper with a cascading leather ruffle has a silk-linen upper with a loose, hanging fit, and a distressed leather bottom. Animal print is taken in a camouflaged direction, a refreshing point of view on the omnipresent leopard spots of the season, with silk chiffon watercolor-like prints. We can’t keep the short black dress and romper in our store, and for good reason: they’re perfect new pieces.

Sheer Tiger T-Shirt and Leather Bloomer Shorts

Silk and Leather Romper w/ Ruffle

GIGI.

2010-05-04T20:00:00.000-07:00

A heady wink, a slight lean forward, a smooth chignon and the perfect hat recall this iconic 50s film. And entirely coincidentally the modern owner of this name, Gigi Burris, is a young designer who has mastered the art of millinery. Her work recalls an era when women dressed to thrill – both themselves and their admirers – in perfectly planned looks head to toe. And yet it is far from retro.

Burris attended Parsons where she studied millinery, and during this time traveled to Paris to integrate herself further with the storied mercerie shops. As Jeanne Lanvin and Gabrielle Chanel had done, why not recapture this somewhat languishing craft, and inject the glamour and atmospheric principles of luxury headwear into the modern girl’s wardrobe?

She graduated in 2009 with a BFA and nomination for Designer of the Year, and promptly founded her namesake label to begin producing bespoke pieces. The collection preceded the influx of audacity emanating from the music world (in the case of Rihanna, Lady Gaga et. al.), and compliments this sense of newness, while fitting perfectly with an Ascot (or Derby) crowd.

The work is deeply varied, ranging from dramatic, black swan swooping feathered numbers to petite, sharp pieces in pale shades and slight nods to punk. Fantastical, yet relevant and timeless – truly hats for the ages.

Black and White and Green all Over...

2010-04-25T14:20:00.000-07:00

Earth Day, Week, etcetera. Every day should be Earth Day! We all know consciousness is virtue when it comes to production, purchasing and living – but a life of green can be thought of as rough going, mentally and physically. The stiff, not quite colorful cottons, linens and wood chip infused cashmeres certified “organic” can make their own cases difficult when appealing to human senses.

A number of designers have risen above this initial challenge with the boon of major retailers, editors and customers rising to the cause. A unanimous sentiment amongst the progressive and stylish is that change is ALWAYS good, when done right – quality and transparency head to toe is the message now where “green” is concerned. The designers able to meet these standards are somewhat cultish as a result – quietly working to offer something beautiful, new and undiluted by harmful production practices, yet also working against the backlash of “eco” design.

As an answer to this, Debut is fortunate to have found Susan Woo, notably based purely on the seductive ease of her work rather than the specific aim to please a burgeoning ethics committee.

“Bonnie and Clyde”-inspired slim, silky pencil skirts, shoulder-baring tops and shirred body-hugging t-shirt dresses swayed our antennae in her direction, and there was an inherent value built into each garment – the knowledge that each piece is comprised of 100% natural, sustainable fiber sourced from like-minded partners. Her commitment and practice not only underscores, but allows the work to stand on its own, and yields this new sensibility of luxury: of wearing a deeply researched, impeccably worked garment.

Susan Woo Organic Fine Wool Cutout Dress - $1,013

Susan Woo Tangerine Silk Tank with Draped Cuffs - $298 (also available in black)

and

Ivory Silk Skirt with Vegetable Tanned Leather Corset Waist - $700

*Black Organic Cotton and Silk-sleeved Mini Dress (at top) - $537

The Nowness

2010-04-18T14:24:00.000-07:00

Between fall and spring there is always a convergence, or a card deck shuffle of trends. We can cite two: the urban woodsman of fall and the minimal sophisticate of spring. The urban woodsman, in his (or her) autumnal plaid button down, a variation of a Quoddy boot or Topsider and crisp dark denim was sleek, but rugged and worn. The look hinted at glowing kitchens, gatherings of friends and the boon of nature – fresh air, sun, snow and the like. It will segue easily to spring, with lighter Breton stripes, softer denim and torn khakis. The urban yachtsman, if you will.

Then we have the new minimalism of spring, ushered in most notably by the press’s unequivocal citation of Phoebe Philo at Céline. Refer to Style.com’s review of her Fall/Winter 2010 collection and the comparison to Helmut Lang (the original) and it was a done deal from the start. Minimal is the new everything: the small calf box bag, the paper leather shopper, and camel cashmere. A girl will practically be able to wear subdued silk fatigues to the Met. This gives a year-round feel to things.

Our favorite new accessories collection is perhaps our favorite for the reason that it embodies the quiet versatility of the aforementioned trends. Jackson's unisex flat zip bags are weathered, yet substantial; minimal yet not recessive – Balmain and Vuitton they are not. These will stand the test of time, and carry a value per wear. Rendered in parochial red, jean blue, black, chocolate brown and natural they range in size from portfolio to hand clutch, the latter of which have flown out of the store in multiples. It turns out there is a need for this new anti-“it” bag. They zip around the seam, and are sans handle. They are so perfectly classic that they don’t have the patience for second thoughts – get them while you can.

*Jackson Large ($325) and Small ($225) Clutches

The Large Natural Clutch - $325

*Study in black and grey: the Jackson Small Clutch in Black - $225

The Shins

2010-04-11T11:56:00.000-07:00

At début we have a tendency to revere show-stoppers – detailed, sculptural and fantastical pieces ranging from the muted, yet fierce, to the vivid and playful. There’s a time though, when our eyes and our wardrobes need a soothing element. This would be where Shin comes in for the Spring/Summer 2010 season.

Shin is a collection constructed to be non t-shirt in presence, but t-shirt in feel. Designer and namesake, Shin, graduated from FIT in 2007, and was promptly honored as a finalist in the Gen Art 2008 Styles competition. She likes to play with the dichotomy of traditional jersey sweats – the material is relaxed and casual, yet malleable and perfectly open to being customized, manipulated and refined based on her references to fine art and architecture.

It’s something we’d wear every day, and we’d feel comfortable, but quietly provocative; hinting at not caring, but also being a bit of a risk taker. This is more than we can express with our jeans and sailor stripes during seasonal wardrobe transition crises.

Lightweight, opaque leggings with small gaping slashes fall like perfectly skinny jeans. The black and white palette allows for a rotation of looks to be formed from a small group of pieces. Shirts that reveal long stretches of bare shoulder, and perfect drapey tank dresses will stand apart from a sea of beach cover-ups that will undoubtedly loom in the coming weeks. We’d prefer an army of Shin-clad women striding our city’s blocks.

To order please email info@debutnewyork.com or call 212.343.217

SHIN Black Exposed Shoulder Top - $165.00 (also available in white)

SHIN Black Slash Leggings - $150.00

SHIN White Pleated Asymmetrical Dress - $350.00

SHIN Black Asymmetrical Drape Dress - $215.00

Return to Grace

2010-04-04T15:05:00.000-07:00

Timo Weiland’s Spring/Summer 2010 collection will land in debut this week, inaugurated with a shopping event for the young Manhattan-based duo behind the design, Timo Weiland and Alan Eckstein. The label will also have a home here for the fall season, and its growing legion of fans will have a go-to place for the delicate frocks and sharp separates.

In anticipation, we decided to write a bit about the collection, but realized we don’t want to read into anything too much just yet (plus we still have Fall!). Instead, we procrastinated as usual, whiling away time on Style.com and viewing the film of Alexander McQueen's awe-invoking shows. And then a question arose: what indeed is a great designer made of?

Just skimming the surface here: an unadulterated love for and connection with fashion and the feminine form; designs for women to act as women, plain and simple; a palpable sensibility and drive.

A few creators have forged this path, setting the benchmark for the authentic blend of passion, fresh perspective and strong construction integral to the formation of new and enduring collections. Timo Weiland has achieved the beginnings of this thread as of late in New York, with the creative energy and strong self-possession to back it up.

Timo and Alan's dialogue seems to naturally and lightly reference their life experiences to date: travel, family roots and Timo's early sewing work under the tutelage of his mother. Their focus on the art of creating beautiful and most importantly, personal garments is, for lack of better verbiage, nice to see in progress as we move forward, and the cycle of fashion continues in good form.

1: "Regal Trench" in camel - approximately $740

2: "Chantreuse Day Dress" in black with slip - approximately $665

and

"Minstrel Blazer" with silk/chiffon sleeves in black/navy - approximately $600

3: "Accordian Day Dress" in cream charmeuse and chiffon - approximately $495

and

"Ascot" scarf in black/white polkadot - approximately $100

Debut New York Celebrates Timo Weiland's Spring/Summer 2010 Collection

2010-04-04T14:09:00.000-07:00

New York, Wu York

2010-03-28T15:43:00.000-07:00

York Wu is the quintessence of the modern designer: a multi-platform, globally-minded precision artist. He’s set forth with focused, singular creativity in sculpture, interior design, art and creative offshoots, specifically WUYORK’s decadent, delicately crafted army of bowties.

The unisex pieces are nestled in a substantial leather case, adorned with the slippery satin ends of ribbons that affix the bows around the neck, wrist or wherever one can find a place. It feels somehow “off” to refer to these as accessories, so without bringing too lofty references to the interpretation of fashion, I’ll leave it as such: WUYORK’s bowties are little works of drama.

A neat black leather tie has an errant “strand” that drips with glinting silver studs. Another that looks from afar like a smooth cream bow is in fact stiff cotton cording pleated to look like a single piece. An organized chaos of black organza has a blousy, Victorian-meets-Yohji sensibility, and is shown as a pin to the lapel of a jacket. We like it worn over a bright white t-shirt, or perhaps peeking out from beneath a slick tuxedo sans shirt.

There’s a sensuality to each of these perfect pieces that comes from Wu’s intense care for his work, as well as the lightness and duality of the materials. The aim to transfix, transpose and transcend is at work here, and it will not remain unnoticed for long.

She said...

He said...

Cool.

2010-03-15T21:15:00.000-07:00

A flash of color from behind a khaki trench is a siren call of spring, of parties, and better things to come. Structured dresses, high hemlines and lightly sculpted fabrics call to mind days of high heels, bare legs and long dinners on porches somewhere not…here.

And thank-you, Julian J. Smith, for reminding us that we can don one of your color-packed frocks any day of the year and feel exuberant.

Smith, a London fashion darling if there ever was one in Debut’s midst has quickly developed a following for his simple, yet structured looks that are all about maximum impact without high concept fuss, in the vein of Pop Art of the 60s.

Color is used strategically, yet unabashedly and woven in clean lines over neutral navy, beige and I suppose, yes, pink can be considered a neutral in Smith’s lexicon. A preppy vibe tugs gently around the edges of spare shift shapes and short-sleeved nip-waisted dresses, but Smith is about the playful factor with undulating folds of silk and hems that reignite the hemline vs. economic state debate.

Pair with the highest heels and go:

Parisii: The Craftsmen

2010-03-07T22:58:00.000-08:00

Paris fashion week, arguably the most anticipated of the biannual events, is a time of exclusivity, hedonism and purpose. We are reminded that great creativity exists in the original hotbed of fashion, with all the deserved pomp and circumstance. And so we’ve flown off to see what this character of a city will bring us to distinguish ourselves for Fall 2010.

To comfort our compatriots back home we’ve left one of Paris’s current and future jewels: Calla. In our history, never has a designer generated such natural heat prior to arriving in-store. We’ve had emails from Brazil, calls from California and neighborhood friends stopping by “just to check in” on Calla’s debut collection.

The designer, Calla Haynes, hails from Toronto and attended Parsons in New York and Paris, where it seems she was truly born and raised. For it was with the houses of Rochas and Ricci, and individuals like Olivier Theyskens – arbiters of the lean construction and lightness of hand we attribute to the masters – where Calla honed her craft. She then moved on to develop original prints for designers including Alexander Wang and Erin Fetherston.

The sum of her skills and proclivities is a collection for the modern “coquine” – a woman who needs a new luxury brand that looks as good as it feels to wear. Airy silk organza and buttery cotton layering separates feel enlightened, so perhaps “The City of Light” is a moniker-cum-self-fulfilling prophecy for its young talent.

* The perfect new "twin-set" - a silky cotton cropped top with a draped racerback tank

* PERFECT Black Pants

And from this slumber you shall wake, when true love's kiss, the spell shall break

2010-02-22T19:45:00.000-08:00

How long it takes to realize one’s inner style: whether to be minimal or a maximist; to be androgynous or feminine and whimsical. When one is an enthusiast for fashion, and the diversity and expression of its realm, it can be a quandary to be confident in a personal aesthetic. What would it be if distilled and bottled as a fragrance? So many options, so many places to go…so little closet space.

How fortunate then, that a characteristic of the industry is the arrival of up-and-coming designers who put forth work that is, quite simply, awesome (to borrow a phrase from the Olympic atmosphere this week). We’ve found this in Eun Jeong’s collection of off-kilter rock snow queen confections. Mini dresses and tops of linen, lace and silk have silver crystal details, and sculpted shoulders. These are wisps of clothing at first glance – and a sensory delight at that – yet strong.

A white on white palette provides the canvas to highlight the synthesis of material and detail, and lends airiness and delicacy. Jeong clearly knows the power of a classical ballet dancer’s costume (by which she was in part inspired): the strongest pieces are the least forced. Her collection simply floats, gem-like into your conscious.

Once is Not Enough

2010-02-14T20:35:00.000-08:00

Debut isn’t exactly the destination that comes to mind for a seasonal little black dress. It is, however, a veritable one-stop shop for the newest pieces to add to one’s collection. And if there is one thing we think trumps the LBD it’s a signature look as rendered by new designers.

Versace made his own; Chanel perhaps defined the concept of a signature look and Karl hammered it home; and now a couple of times each season new designers will do the same. We value this occurrence, since it gives us cause and joy to continue working with those who first struck us as golden from the upstart. Felder Felder would fall in this category.

We first wrote about the brand’s Fall 2010 collection here, and we waxed on and on about the rock and roll, studded glove-fit-like of the pieces. The sister design duo explored this aesthetic further for Spring, and rendered supple leather and knits into structured, interestingly cropped jackets, taught mini dresses and lean trousers.

Glittery armor-like elements and eye-catching cutouts add a lighter element of “tough”, yet these are offset by the color palette wherein gold is treated as a neutral, with the addition of slate, pale olive and peachy nude throughout.

It felt new, and it felt signature and true to the Felder Felder look – should that particular piece you fall for so happen to be a little black dress, rejoice in its newness and its ability to endure as these undoubtedly will.

Sleeping Beauty

2010-02-08T07:10:00.000-08:00

French designer Aurore Thibout’s work possesses an initial fragile quality; a misty, sun-dappled aura, invoking a lithe girl bounding through a field montage. The delicate pieces arrived at Debut, and visions of The Princess Bride leapt forth. Airy tulle skirts and subtle trompe l’oleil embossed camisoles are fit for the most innocent of characters.

We digress with our fairytale raptures, though. It is important to note that Thibout studiously investigates performance art and costume design, summoning the intrinsic emotional aspects of these arenas in her own handwork. The longing to capture the beauty in ephemeral moments bursts forth in Thibout’s collection, and is evident both at first glance, and upon further inspection.

The spare, deceptive simplicity of the designs is undeniably graceful, and yet surprisingly confident and sensual – the pieces beg for a closer look, and demand appreciation. They’ll become staples – a pleated skirt will work well with bare legs come spring, and add a bit of lightness paired later with tights and cashmere. Most importantly, Aurore Thibout allows for us to play dress-up in our everyday lives.

* an ivory "memory relief" trompe l'oleil sleeveless dress

* tulle camisole with memory relief applique (a trompe l'oliel tuxedo detail)

* tulle pleat waist skirt

please note that these also come in black - we suggest owning both items to wear together on formal occassions, and seperately for work and play (hint: the tulle camisole with a men's tux)

If a girl looks swell when she meets you, who gives a damn if she's late? Nobody.

2010-01-31T11:46:00.000-08:00

In these fast times when everything’s been done and redone, it’s an odd thing to look at a simple – yet beautifully made – piece of silk and think: “my, they’ve really cornered the market on scarves.” And still, with Loquita’s designs this is the case.

Founder Sara Rotman collected a lifetime of experiences and passion to form her debut range: Polo, a sport she learned from Argentine friends growing up; the thrill of the outdoor elements, and the spirited whimsy she was inherently drawn to in fashion. These are not altogether “basic” founding principles, and we imagine this is what makes Loquita special, and a true contribution.

The core designs include an oversized, loosely woven fine silk mesh scarf, its materialization cozy and lavish. These are punched up a bit with the distinctive prints: a circle of guns in graphic black and white or iconoclastic turquoise and raspberry. A take on the horse-bit theme is rendered as a heavy chain link and shackle. Also included are silk cravats, free of pretension and in reference to a modern dandy, the aesthetic of the most confident of sartorialists.

Of course there are classic silk pocket squares and traditional silk scarves that can be tied neatly around a ponytail, or cheekily around a wrist or the neck. The designs are pre-destined classics, and we are confident that her collection will become a designation of individuality and status in the hushed inner circles of style arbiters everywhere.

Sweet Karolina

2010-01-24T19:43:00.000-08:00

In a city of been there, done that, has-beens and hopefuls, Karolina Zmarlak is a New York designer capable of conjuring high-concept, utterly original work from the crowded air. In other words: she’s a gem. Her second collection (Debut carried her first this past Autumn/Winter 2009 season) continues to capture a sort of insouciant, luxe effervescence that defines the new “downtown” aesthetic, which fashion people expound so frequently on. And yes, her polished fabrications, cuts and draping will take you from the Bowery to Bemelman’s if so inclined.

What we love is the quiet transformative powers her rich color-blocked and monochrome creations possess. The best-selling “Power Pant” is the sleekest of trousers with a flattering kick hem, imagined as a layer that can move from beneath the frailest of frocks, to the main element of a look when paired with a loose tank, slouchy silk vest or contoured plum leather blazer. These pants are a necessity for those looking to move beyond ubiquitous leggings. A cousin skirt has a similar adaptable quality, and can be effortlessly flipped inside, out and back again – from deep black to soft, pale netting.

Karolina intends for her garments to be worn as chosen by their owners, and titled the range “Fluid Foundations” – to be stylized and personalized. The notion is underscored with each item presenting itself as one you didn’t know you needed. All classic, fluid silks, soft leathers and flattering construction inspired by performance-wear. Truly empowering.

* Plum silk zip back dress with corset belt

* Plum leather blazer, dove silk drape tank, Power pant in nude

* Reversible black/nude pencil skirt

* The "kick" hem, Power Pant

You Seek for Knowledge and Wisdom...

2010-01-19T08:07:00.000-08:00

British designer Gemma Slack references some rather heady arenas in her second collection, citing contemporary armor, and religious and scientific iconography. These conjure a Mary Shelley gothic Frankenstein aesthetic, particularly in that Gemma's work remains thoughtful and sensitive, while working with material that can be construed as...difficult (human hair and untreated leather figure in her work).

In our synopsis it may seem that we're diminishing the depth and significance of Gemma's concepts, which delve into the artistic distinctions of ancient religious crusades, pre-industrial Japanese culture and Sci-Fi film. In fact, we are not; it's that she so seamlessly fuses inherently interesting and versatile materials to render very wearable shapes. We are apt to look beyond the intellectual framework of the collection's creation, and simply savor the end results.

A fluttering silk jacket is married to soft, leather sleeves in the vein of armor, and a slinky shell and mini skirt in slashed leather mirror the linear qualities of a skeleton. The pieces capture the essence of a land far, far away, of mythical novels languishing on a top shelf someplace waiting to be re-discovered. And yet - they are all new.

*Layer the above any which way (over a white or black tank, slick tights, floaty slips) and play with varrying degrees of bare.

*This jacket is a lone soldier: let it stand out, drape as it wants, and be your new second skin.

Seeing Colors

2010-01-11T11:14:00.000-08:00

In the editorial world it’s been said that September is the January of fashion: the new beginning, the ushering in of a promised future of beautiful colors and textures. At Debut and throughout the retail universe, however, January truly marks an abrupt shift towards a set change. For a brief minute over the holidays a weighty curtain drops, yet once lifted the new characters trickle in, there’s a palpable shift in tone and the audience is reinvigorated…

We’re being a bit heavy in our metaphor usage, but it isn’t without purpose: Debut continues to be a gallery space for new or as of yet untold designers, and this arrangement has a theatric quality as the new players move into place.

We feel a fondness for our Autumn/Winter collections, but they’ve found wonderful homes, and we will continue to offer these pieces as the new collections rotate in. And what collections they will be! Please look to our main website and to the new sidebar of our blog for links to preview the Spring 2010 lineup.

Fortunately we’ll be seeing an early spring thaw, if you will, as new pieces arrive shortly in the form of Palm Beach-apropos baubles by designer Marsha Chun-Matsubara of ABAKUS. She named her collection after the mathematical tool (abacus), inspired by the beads of the machine she once scattered as a child. What we love is that there is absolutely nothing mathematical in her latest collection, “Cerco Verdeazzura”. The jewel-toned hues, bright elements and medusa tangles of beads are purely evocative of Chun-Matsubara’s emotional connection to collectible, wearable treasures.

Collective Sensibility

2009-12-14T20:06:00.000-08:00

Over the weeks we’ve written about brands that provoke and intrigue; infrequently, however have we touched on the concept of design staples that are the keystone of a woman’s wardrobe. Obakki, founded in 2005 by Owner Treana Peake, seeks to provide creative classics that will serve as the aesthetic foundation for, and provide added value to wearers.

Obakki is in essence a collective; a cohesive sensibility of talented upstart designers that operates as a platform for innovation and excellence in fashion. Each piece is a relevant contribution to ready-to-wear, and retains the Obakki finesse: the polished yet rustic slant Peake is recognized for today in her home-base of Vancouver. We appreciate that her inspiration is the young talent she finds herself surrounded by, and this is likewise a fundamental consideration in Debut’s approach to fashion.

This season it’s been a marriage of perfect proportions and fabrications: Obakki’s asymmetric thin leather jacket is razor-sharp in fit, and a pullover sheath dress in grey herringbone is ruched in the front and back, creating our new catch-phrase: “magic”. The dress has been snapped up by everyone who tries it on, including one woman who was looking specifically NOT looking for dresses; it was that good.

* Contact Debut now to learn more about our sale: info@debutnewyork.com

Running With the Shadows of the Light

2009-12-06T14:39:00.000-08:00

Shadowplay is one of Debut’s newest treasures. The collection of hand-crafted “jewelry” - a term we use loosely, for the nature of this brand is so ephemeral - is comprised of lighter-than-air necklaces spun in the vein of cotton candy. Each piece is a harmony of 100% natural fibers: bamboo, cotton, silk, cashmere, mohair and organic and naturally-dyed merino wool. For excellent measure these mingle with Crystallized ™ Swarovski elements and certified Fair Trade black silver.

The evident workmanship and unabashedly luxe nature of the materials keeps the jewelry from veering into precious or craft-like territory. We’ve instantly taken to layering Shadowplay necklaces with simple t-shirts to add a hint of color and sparkle to our faces, and undoubtedly will be calling on these for impending festivities, or to hoist ourselves from mid-season sartorial melancholy.

Debut New York will host a trunk show this coming week to introduce the collection and designer Heather Goldberg, now based in Los Angeles where she creates her well-edited range of amorphous, mystical jewelry that seems born from the land, sea and everywhere unseen in between.

Debut Invites You...

2009-12-06T13:40:00.000-08:00

Dress Me Up in Diamonds

2009-11-29T14:44:00.000-08:00

Whilst not technically composed of diamonds, Holly Fulton’s eponymous Perspex, Swarovski crystal and metal jewelry designs stand alone. So strong is the aesthetic impact of each that we liken the effect to the dazzle of a diamond in the proverbial rough.

Winner of the Young Designer of the Year category at the Scottish Fashion Awards, her debut Autumn/Winter 2009 collection synthesized the linear, yet seductive qualities of Art Deco design and paired the unique patterns with clean, monochromatic – yet sing-song bold – colors. The Holly Fulton look, it seems, is one that pops: visually gratifying with a tactile, nearly audible presence.

She abstracted the key elements of her RTW into glam neckwear, which we’ve loaded up on for the season. Each necklace is a relief of Holly’s rendering of Deco on steroids, imagined with glam robotic inflections. We find these have an intrigue of their own (our visitors often wonder just what the pieces are), and wear so well that they’ve invoked the simple and ultimate compliment, “wow,” on more than a few occasions. Holly Fulton jewelry should be paired with anything and everything.

Debut is Having a Party!

2009-11-25T07:09:00.000-08:00

Debut's Debutantes

2009-11-24T09:36:00.000-08:00

Brittney Major named winner of Debut New York’s inaugural Designer Open Call.

For the past month Debut has combed through designer portfolio submissions from qualified entrants to our first Designer Open Call initiative. Individuals from around the country braved the specters that the processes of competition and scrutiny invoke, and put forth their personal best for our review. We marveled as always at the surge of talent, and while it is indisputably difficult to choose one talent from many, we found ourselves piqued by Brittney Major, a recent graduate from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco.

Propelled by her passion for the inherent artistry of fashion design, and the relevance of the medium in a modern woman’s wardrobe, Brittney’s foundation is solid. She offers a point of view that feels at once new and easy, and in this sense embodies the idea of “discovery” that is at our core.

We will launch her full collection exclusively this Spring 2010 season – look for more about Brittney and her work from us in the New Year.

Because the difficulty of our choice was absolute, we’ve selected a runner up in Jie Pan. Jie is also an Academy of Art graduate, and displayed a heightened level of stirring, technical wizardry. We will celebrate Jie’s achievement by carrying a selection of looks through February 2010.