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Thursday, October 09, 2008
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ANTICIPATING MAY SCARLET DESIGNS NEWSLETTER INTRO
Since we aren't posting our newsletters online, we thought we would start including some of the content in our blog just in case you haven't signed up yet. One for sure reason to have a smile on your face, despite the recent rumblings and tremors of earthquakes in the Midwest, is that spring has finally shown its face, and isnt it wonderful to finally confront the sunshine and have light out past 6 PM? Spring is definitely one of our favorite times of year hearing the birds come back out and singing, smelling the grass and flowers blooming, but it is also one of my favorite times of year in terms of celebrations. Being a native of Kentucky, Derby has always been a weekend to look forward to it isnt just the betting at the track, but it truly is a day to sit back, have a mint julep, and be a spectator always some entertainment in both the behaviors brought to bear from a long day in the elements as well as the attire where both the ladies & men are ready to bring it on , often showcasing pieces that create a stir, or at least good conversation or a laugh. I have to say that I am also inspired and amused by the freshness of other spring holidays. Not only is it the month to pay honor to our mothers, but to mother Earth how refreshing to see the renewed attention and activities bringing awareness and support to Earth Day/ Month this year. I know that one of my, shall we say spring aspirations is to enlighten myself to learn something new about what small differences that I can make in being a more responsible consumer.
HAPPY SPRING!
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SEEING IS BELIEVING THEY SAY - CAUGHT IN THE ACT
Scarlet Designs recently hosted a networking event at our Oak Street studio featuring an informative talk with Fave Media. The topic using video to market your business. The attendees, including Mark Rothenstein, Reel Time DVD,
Sansapelle, Pret-A-Poser, Red Carpet Concierge, Pret a Poser and Double
Click, all brought their own experiences from on line, contributing to an informative evening of networking. Video seems to be where its at maybe we (the consumer) just need that kind of entertainment. Definitely, You Tube has become one of my favorite road trip pass times, as long as there is a signal, for being entertained (i.e. the battling between Davids (that is Cook vs. Archuleta) on American Idol) or informed (watching Obama vs. Clinton in the democratic debates). Furthermore, I heard a segment on NPR this last week on search engine optimization. (Cant seem to find the specific episode, but now I am excited to know that I can go back and listen to stories at _www.npr.org/_ (http://www.npr.org/) ). To think that some day you will be able to go on Google and submit a picture to search for something, not needing to use words
pretty amazing. Sounds like being seen in the act is where the action is at!
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CHAMPAGNE & SHOPPING on OAK STREET
Scarlet Designs honored Mothers with a champagne-and-shopping event on
Thursday, May 8th. Toast to Mom featured Scarlet Designs, along with other participating stores along Oak Street who were offering champagne, chocolate and appetizers to the evenings customers. Scarlet Designs unveiled our collectible hand painted accessories, skirts and dresses that evening. And collaborating artist, Suk Ja Kang, joined to meet, greet and create during the special evening. Upcoming parties, benefits, weddings and other special occasions an original hand painted design is a new way to display your art collection and create a unique and distinctive presence.
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Sunday, June 01, 2008
KATE HUDSON TYING The Knot?
Tabloids cant seem to nail it down, as its not like guessing is she expecting with a growing bump. Kate Hudson is costarring with Anne Hathaway in the upcoming Bride Wars, and both were caught clutching bridal magazines including The Knot recently off set. Evidently, those bridal magazines are great ways to get ideas and find useful tips - even if you are an A-list celebrity. We just wish they were reading about us in there as we know we have the best dresses out there and that they can bring smiles to many a bridesmaid. Know anyone that might want to invest in us to launch our national advertising campaign? Can you believe that a single page in one magazine, lets say
Martha Stewart Weddings, exceeds a mere $35,000 a year? Unfortunately the bill comes before the sales. Just think of how many more smiles could be caught down the aisles if we were showcasing girls in their own customizable Scarlet Designs' separates!
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Sunday, June 01, 2008
BUSH- Who is making the news now?
Just today I saw an article in the Chicago Tribune about Former _White House_
(http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/politics/government/executive-branch/the-
white-house-PLCUL000110.topic) Press Secretary Scott McClellans new memoir
- What Happened, Inside the Bush White House and Washington's Culture of
Deception. McClellan faults Bush for a "lack of inquisitiveness and, according
to the Tribune article, draws a portrait of his former boss as smart, charming and politically skilled, but unwilling to admit mistakes and susceptible to his own spin. Thank goodness for the women in his life. Maybe Jenna Bush isnt on her way to the oval office, but she definitely created buzz with her glamorous wedding recently down in Texas. Jenna was joined by her family with what Texans refer to as the house party (aka bridesmaids) which consisted of FOURTEEN women that joined her side at the alter - her twin sister Barbara was technically the only bridesmaid. I guess that is where Texans get the round m up from. The bride wore a beautiful white silk organza gown by Oscar de la Renta, while mom, Laura Bush, was also adorned in elegant de la Renta. One of our recent brides contacted us after the wedding weekend and said, I had to send you a note after looking at Jenna Bushs wedding photos because Laura Bushs dress looked so much like my mothers! And my mom had it first! The color, the cut& so similar... although I liked my moms dress much better! We had even recommended the ¾ sleeve. You never know where inspiration comes from& nor the brains.
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Sunday, June 01, 2008
MADE OF HONOR - AN UNCONVENTIONAL LAUGH
Whether you are a MOH or the best man, you can still be chic as Patrick Dempsey. In the new Made of Honor film, Dempsey asked to be Maid of Honor to his long time best friend, and has just had that uh-uh realization that he is in love with her... perhaps too late. Though Dempsey does not need help in looking good, we are sure that we could have helped him win over his friend/ lover with our mens accessories. Throughout the movie, Dempseys character wears many great combinations of shirts, ties and coats, not to mention dresses. But we would have loved to sharpen his look with a few monogrammed ties, and a custom cummerbund and bow tie for the day of the wedding. He could have even given the shower gift of subtlety, not-quite-mistakenly including his last name on a monogrammed gift of accessories from Scarlet Designs. We dont want to give out the ending, but maybe with our help - Dempseys character could have stayed out of the skirt.
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Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Day Dreaming Memories
Scarlet Designs showcased three different looks of bridesmaid attire at
Breakfast for the Bride- something for every girl bringing her dreams true. The
Scarlet Designs girls reflected every bride-to-be in the room- 5 foot tall
to 5 foot 9, red head to African-American to Asian, 20 to 30, American and
European. With each pose of the models in the "Tiffany" window, brides and
guests alike could ponder, dream and imagine. In honor of the Breakfast at
Tiffany's-inspired theme, designer Beth Lambert opened the event with the
models showcasing dresses that featured a robin's egg blue accented with yummy
chocolate brown, the proclaimed new neutral, and the freshness of crisp white.
Next, the giggling models switched gears to a more dramatic look in bright
and festive colors, each woman sporting a different vibrant hue. These looks
echo trends seen on New York Fashion Week's runway this season-splashes of
bright colors like at the Reem Acra show. And, for the grand finale, the
models graced the introduction of Lambert's latest collaboration with
Korean-born, now Chicago-based artist, Suk Ja Kang, wearing taffeta skirts canvassing
hand painted designs inspired by springtime flowers. The models created their
own picture-perfect memory, with guests stopping in their tracks to note
these one-of-a-kind whimsical masteries& truly fit for a bride and her
memory-making day.
Check out these links to see the new trends inspiring the fashion world:
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=natS9_SJ9pU)
_http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1670494,00.html_
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Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Happy Ever After
How do brides find time for work, school and wedding planning? Scarlet
Designs was lucky enough to get some insight from the winning bride-to-be of the
FREE WEDDING give away at our recent Breakfast for the Bride Event, Kristen
Daley. A priceless moment was captured when featured guest, Steven Rosengard, of
Project Runway announced Daley's name as the winner. Daley was ecstatic that
she had won as she is currently in the process of planning her wedding
amidst going to law school at Kent as well as holding down a job. When we spoke
with Daley, she told us that she has frequented numerous overwhelming wedding
events on the weekends, and that she was elated to have found her DJ, Toast
and Jam, at our event. Daley chose her wedding date based on the fact that she
is taking the Bar exam this August and wanted to have at least a year to not
feel rushed in her planning. Daley focuses on law school and work during the
week while dividing her weekend between bridal events, planning and spending
time with her fiancé. Brides have numerous options to juggle, so Breakfast
for the Bride helped Daley narrow her options to great partners so, take
that Bar Exam& and perhaps a vacation to Tahiti& well, there are $10,000 of
savings to help with the Happy Ever After...
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Tuesday, May 13, 2008
How many brides can you fit in a box?
About 250 brides as Scarlet Designs discovered when a flurry of brides
rushed to be the first to receive gift bags at the door and a chance to win a FREE
WEDDING during our recent Breakfast for the Bride event. Scarlet Designs
co-hosted this Tiffany's- themed event in Chicago's West Loop with some of our
favorite vendors in-and-around Chicago and it was a huge success with a long
line of guests wrapped around the block. The Tiffany blue gift bags were
worth a Brut toast of Champagne with delightful goodies including a gift
certificate to Erin Gallagher Jewelry, flirtatious accessories from Toast and Jam
DJs, a beautiful DVD presentation of Scarlet Designs' dresses to the tunes of
Mark Riva's musical mixings, and even fragrances for the not-to-be-forgotten
groom gratis Romane fragrances. But the real excitement was the FREE WEDDING
raffle package, with the winning bride receiving over $10,000 of free wedding
services. The participating vendors donated FREE day-of Wedding
Coordination services from Kiki Reef Events, a $1500 gift toward handcrafted jewelry
from EG Jewelry, $1500 towards outfitting the wedding party from Scarlet
Designs, a custom Coffee Table Album from Gerber & Scarpelli photography valued at
$1000, $1200 towards a day of music from DJ services from Toast & Jam, and
$500 towards a delicious wedding cake from Foodstuffs Catering.
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Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Scarlet Designs joins in on the Runway Trend
Designers like Marc Jacobs, Dolce&Gabbana, and Balenciaga are taking inspiration from renowned artists and incorporating the styles into their designs. Scarlet Designs had the same unique idea and has partnered with local Chicago artist, Suk Ja Kang. TIME Magazine reported on this current fashion trend and commented on how collaborating with contemporary artists brings a new kind of creative fecundity to the product. It forces a different creativity than that of just fashion. Scarlet Designs completely agrees and is excited to unveil the unique and beautiful hand-painted collaborations. Suk Ja uses Scarlet Design's luxurious silk skirts as her canvas and paints stunning organic scenes that are one of a kind works of art. We aren't quite sure who had the idea first, but TIME reported that Dolce&Gabbana opened their show with a video of an artist painting a canvas with flowers, which was followed by models who appeared in dresses of hand-painted organza. Scarlet Designs might not be on the same runway as these cutting-edge designers, but we are definitely on the same page.
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Monday, May 19, 2008
Who better to dress Mayor Daley?
Not exactly the topic of the night, but might have caught your attention!
Actually, our very own Beth Lambert is not only a founder of Chicago Fashion Foundation, but a Board member of the Mayor's Fashion Council in Chicago and recently was a featured speaker at their Spring Seminars. The panel included speakers presenting different Merchandise Strategies in the fashion business exclusives, private labeling, licensing, custom and more. Lambert jumped at the opportunity to share her experiences when contacted by fellow Board member, Laura Steufen, since Mira Couture was unavailable. Lambert shared how she has transitioned her wholesale business to focus on three merchandising strategies special order, custom and wholesale servicing the bridesmaid, wedding and special occasion market. The other speakers included Lisa Starbuck and Marlo Hoffman co-owners of Psycho Baby boutique and Joey Orloff Director of Merchandising & Production for MJC Chicago.
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HOW CAN YOU BEST REFLECT YOUR PERSONAL STYLE?
Scarlet Designs recently hosted an intimate event at our studio on Oak Street in Chicago with Casey Cooper of Botanicals (http://www.botanicalschicago.com/). Her new book, Whats Your Bridal Style?, co-authored with national wedding planner Sharon Naylor, offers an engaging, interactive and revealing exploration for couples to articulate their unique style! Each chapter offers questions, guidance, ideas and interactive exercises. This book equips couples with the tools to communicate and launch into the creative process for any project or event helping them to create a personalized, unique and original wedding or party that embodies both of their unique styles and idiosyncrasies. The time invested in this workbook and the knowledge gained will last a lifetime.
Next month, we will be hosting an event for businesses and individuals on March 17th featuring a presentation by music stylist Mark Riva, DJ extraordinaire. Contact us for additional information or RSVP at 65eastoak@gmail.com
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See More Shopping - www.seemoreshopping.com/jacksonstore
See More Shopping brings together Chicagos premier designers, boutiques, and artisans together in the Loop. Scarlet Designs is carried at the new store located at 175 W. Jackson (Chicago, IL) in the Atrium Lobby as well as other designer clothing and accessories, home decorations, jewelry, specialty foods and gifts for the entire family. A perfect get away during your lunch break in the Loop. For more information, visit www.seemoreshopping.com/jacksonstore
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Tuesday, March 04, 2008
27 Dresses - http://www.27dressesthemovie.com/
Just in time for Valentines day--for all those single gals who need a small reminder that there is someone out there for you. This movie, while seemingly predictable, was really cute and surprisingly funny. From the creator of "The Devil Wears Prada" (an essential in any girls movie list), this movie focuses on Jane (Katherine Heigl), everyone's favorite bridesmaid with her own happy ending nowhere in sight. But don't worry, I'm sure that you can guess that she finds love! The dresses in this movie are outrageous--hopefully none of you have ever had to wear anything like these. And despite the comedic timing of each dresses supposedly made to be "worn again" its nice to know that our separates actually are worn again!
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Friday, January 18, 2008
Food meets Fashion - www.folliachicago.com
What a perfect marriage! Who doesn't love good food and fabulous fashion? Scarlet Designs recently showcased a line of bridesmaids dresses in Follia Restaurant off Fulton in downtown Chicago. Follia combines authentic Italian cuisine with the latest designer fashions. This contemporary and fresh environment showcases a new designer on a monthly basis making this a truly fashionable place to hang out! This January will mark the second month in a row that Scarlet Designs will have our latest lines displayed throughout the Mediterranean style setting. This restaurant is a must for anyone who enjoys freshly made pizza and haute couture fashion.
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Tuesday, December 26, 2006
www.EleganaHandCraft.com - custom figurine cake toppers
In case you didn't already know, S.O.S. is on MySpace. Gotta keep up with the times, right? You can find us at www.myspace.com/specialoccasionseparates. Now we can let you know what we found on MySpace: the most adorable cake toppers. We know that picking out a cake topper is on your incredibly long list of stuff to do. You've stayed up until three o'clock in the morning searching for something to adorn your perfect wedding cake only to find Mickey and Minnie in full bridal regalia, abstract glass figurines that are definitely not your style and of course there are the Precious Moments bride and groom that look a little too sad to be getting married. Instead, for an irresistibly cute alternative, try the cake toppers from Elegana Handcraft. Designer Lily Tsai features seven different cake toppers decorated with Swarovski crystals that can be customized down to the earrings the bride wears, and she'll even add your pet for no extra charge. With your names and wedding date engraved on the base, it will always be a reminder of your special day. Just visit www.eleganahandcraft.com to see which is your favorite and call Lily to place your order. Make sure you tell her S.O.S. sent you. While you're on her site, also make sure to check out the Swarovski jewelry she also creates.
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Monday, December 11, 2006
Conn's Catering Tasting
There is nothing we like better than good food. Okay, well maybe beautiful clothes, good music, great friends. . .you get the picture. In any case, we were thrilled to be invited to Conn's Catering's fall tasting on October 11, 2006. Located in the lower level of Astor Towers, Maxim's is a hotspot for weddings in Chicago's Gold Coast, as we found out when a bride dashed passed us in rollers to finish her centerpieces for that night. With its plush red carpeting and intricate scrollwork, it looks at once like a place where Marie Antoinette would have liked to dine and Beyonce would like to film her next video. Special Occasion Separates was displayed at the foot of the winding staircase with a great view of the arriving guests as well as the lavish set-up. Per the owner of Conn's Catering, one of the newest trends in catering are cupcakes instead of the traditional wedding cake - why not create a yummy and colorful cupcake arrangement for a different take on your centerpiece. Guests mingled, tasted a wide array of dishes and met with vendors while listening to the tunes of SoulQuest. Our favorite was Animal Rentals that includes dove releases in their company repertoire. We chatted with the brides-to-be and munched on some of the goodies Conn's had to offer: just a note- loved the spanakopita- puff pastry filled with spinach and feta cheese- as well as their decorated cupcakes. Brent Conn knows how to treat the ladies (and gentlemen), as no one left without their goody-bag complete with roses provided by Angel Garden Florist.
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Monday, December 04, 2006
Out of the Box Fall 2006
Traditional? Not you! So why should your wedding be any different? Of course, you've gotten your bridesmaids (and your uber-stylish mother) outfitted by S.O.S. But, how do you make the rest of your Chicago wedding as unique as you are? We found the answers when we participated in this fall's Out of the Box Bridal event at Alliance Bakery. Thursday, October 19, 2006 saw a wide array of vendors come together with one common goal: to give you the one-of-a-kind wedding you've always dreamed of. Stacy and Kelly Swett of Paper Doll were there, leaving their precious pug, Maude, to guard their inventory of paper goods, giftware and custom stationery back at their Wicker Park storefront. Your big day can be documented in stylish albums by Ocken Photography that you will be proud to leave out on the coffee table, and you can finally star in your own movies with videographers Smiling Toad or Lime Productions. Nancy Jackson, of skin care and makeup fame, can assure that you and your attendants look gorgeous for the big day. Let Porte Rouge and A Stem Above know what colors you chose from Special Occasion Separates so that your place settings and flowers will coordinate. And who can forget the food? A Hot Dish catered the whole event, proving that choosing a menu for your wedding will be a snap. So if anyone asks how you're planning the wedding, just tell them the best is at Out of the Box.
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Friday, November 17, 2006
New York Bridal Market
Here comes the bride, right down the. . .runway? That's right, a few weeks ago Special Occasion Separates attended the New York Bridal Market which featured other designers, such as Nicole Miller, Blumarine, Watters & Watters and Aalexis Bridal Accessories. From October 14 to October 17, 2006, we shared a suite at the Waldorf Towers with bridal gown designer Janet Nelson Kumar, and showcased S.O.S. skirts and tops to stores looking to offer separates to their bridesmaid customers as well as wedding magazine editors that stopped by in between visiting other exhibitors, including fellow bridesmaid designer Lynn Lugo and accessories designers Tacori and Toni Federici. New York City was bustling and it was impossible to get a cab as buyers and the press, including Martha Stewart Weddings, rushed to see designers sure to be the next Vera Wang or Reem Acra. Beth Lambert, the designer behind the line, and two assistants welcomed visitors from as far away as Canada's Blush out of Vancouver, British Columbia to Flair from Massachusetts, as well as boutique owners from Minnesota, Florida, Virginia, Connecticut and more. The S.O.S. team also chatted with the best of the bridal publications: some of the notables being InStyle Weddings and Brides, and a few publications including Brides Noir and Manhattan Bride clicked photos. Of course, no one can leave New York City without sampling some of the best the world's cuisine has to offer, so the S.O.S. team had Turkish, Japanese, Mexican, Malaysian, Indonesian and, of course, Italian food while checking out neighborhoods from the Upper East Side to SOHO during their stay in the Big Apple. The week was capped off with the Wedding Channel Couture runway show highlighting bridal gown designers like Alfred Angelo and Henry Roth. Sparkles, beading and sheer fabrics exploded off the runway - for the bride who desires to be all about flash. And, only to be expected at the Waldorf, they shared an elevator cab with shades-and-all-disguised, Sheryl Crow.
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Wednesday, October 11, 2006
Marcia Cross's Carefree Wedding
It seems celebrities are making more and more outrageous demands these days. Britney Spears demands Doritos, Pop Tarts, and mints in her dressing room, Julia Roberts demands special organic milk in all of her hotel rooms, and Destiny's Child refuses to drink from plastic or Styrofoam cups and always demands fresh ginger root and jar of honey while on tour. With all the buzz about celebrities making ridiculous requests, it's refreshing to see one celebrity is still down to earth. On her June 24th wedding to Tom Mahoney, Marcia Cross remained calm, collected and carefree. She let her hair and make-up people do as they pleased and didn't even balk when her dressing room at the church didn't have a mirror! She didn't even get to see what she looked like before the wedding. She was equally as carefree about the wedding planning. In fact, she left most of the decisions to her husband to be. Her only requirement was that the chapel look like a floral shop, the place she and Tom first met. Isn't it refreshing to hear not all celebrities are as high maintenance as we think?
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Wednesday, October 11, 2006
Nicole Kidman's Unlucky Wedding Dress
One thing is sure about Nicole Kidman's upcoming wedding to Keith Urban: her wedding dress will be brand new. According to femalefirst.co.uk Nicole recently stated that she believes the vintage 1920s wedding dress she wore for her wedding to Tom Cruise was bad luck and contributed to their 2001 divorce. Nicole admitted she purchased the dress from a flea market in Amsterdam years before she and Tom had even met. She vows to never again purchase a wedding dress before first being engaged. Perhaps she'll pass this bit of advice on to Katie Holmes in hopes she'll have better luck with Tom.
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Monday, October 23, 2006
Wedding Bells for Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban
Nicole Kidman finally announced May 15th that the rock she's been sporting since November is, in fact, her engagement ring to country star Keith Urban. Rumor has it that the wedding is set for the last weekend in June. Apparently the exact location is still up in the air, however. While Nicole would prefer a traditional Catholic wedding in Sydney, Australia, Keith is hoping for a more down-home wedding in Nashville, Tennessee. I wonder if they're planning a decoy wedding in one of the locations to allude to press as Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck had planned to do?
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Monday, October 23, 2006
Destination Weddings
Sorry Donald and Melania Trump, your elaborate celebrity wedding is no longer in style. It seems over the top celebrity weddings are being replaced by ultra-private destination weddings. Last year Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner wed on the island of Turks and Caicos, Kenny Chesney and Renee Zellweger on the island of St. John, and Heidi Klum and Seal in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Each of these celebrity destination weddings, along with a slew of others, was attended only by a few select friends and family. Tori Spelling's recent ultra-secret wedding to actor Dean McDermott was attended solely by the couple's wedding photographers. The wedding was so secret, even Tori's father, Aaron Spelling, didn't know. With tropical destination weddings becoming so popular, it can be difficult to find the perfect bridesmaid dresses for the hot tropical sun. Special Occasions Separates by Scarlet Designs has the perfect cocktail length wrap skirts to keep your maids both fashionable and comfortable. The breathable silk skirts and camis are elegant without being too formal for the beach.
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Monday, October 23, 2006
Choosing Your Wedding Colors
Choosing your wedding colors can be a lengthy and difficult process. Finding the right colors to fit your own personal style while still coordinating with the season and wedding location can be frustrating and time-consuming. I recently found a great site that can help you pick out your wedding colors without raising your stress level to Bridezilla proportions. Check out http://weddings.about.com/cs/bridesand grooms/a/colors.htm for a stress-free guide to choosing your wedding colors. Whatever colors you choose, Special Occasion Separates by Scarlet Designs is sure to have the perfect bridesmaids dress. With three fabrics and over 80 different colors from Cotton Candy Pink to Apple Green, they're sure to have the perfect colors for you.
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Monday, October 23, 2006
Adrianne Curry and Christopher Knight Wed
Adrianne Curry, winner of season one of America's Next Top Model, and Christopher Knight, who played Peter Brady on The Brady Bunch were married on May 29. The Surreal Life stars married in Christ's Episcopal Church in Curry's hometown of Joliet, Illinois. Adrianne wore a cream colored Alvina Velenta gown and her seven bridesmaids wore red evening dresses. She had wanted her wedding to be both traditional and gothic, but scraped her original plans to wear a black dress for fear of breaking her grandmother's heart. She compromised by carrying a bouquet of black roses instead. Ah, what we wont do to keep our grandmothers happy...
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