This week’s Happenings 3.23- 3.30
It’s almost the end of March, and as the Cherry Blossoms start blooming, we can start whipping out our Spring/Summer ensembles. If our closets need a little help, this week’s Happenings can help us out in that area, from an Allison Izu release event to the launch of NAMI’s new online store. Additionally, if you are more the book-worm type, feel free to peruse the collections for something to wear on your way to DC’s SAALT leadership event.
Nordstrom Hawaii to host Allison Izu Release Event
When: Saturday, March 24, 2012
Where: Ala Moana Nordstrom 11am – 3pm
Calling all petites! Allison Izu will be holding a release event at the Ala Moana Nordstrom on March 24, Saturday from 11am – 3pm in Hawaii to help customers find the perfect pair of Allison Izu jeans.
Allison Izu is a unique clothing company which designs and creates clothing for petite women, so they can realize their true beauty comes in a “smaller package”!
During the event, customers who buy any pair of Allison Izu jeans will receive a FREE Allison Izu top (assorted styles and sizes, while supplies last). Also, come down to enter a giveaway for a pair of Allison Izu jeans and top (winner to be pulled at the end of the event).
NAMI to Launch New Online Store
What: Full collection for Spring/Summer 2012
When: Now
Where: www.onnami.com/shop
At the SXSW Style X fashion portion of the Austin, TX festival, NAMI announced the launch of its new online store to offer the full collection from Spring|Summer wear for 2012.
NAMI is a brand based out of Los Angeles, started by the multi-talented Korean-American designer Sarah Nami Ahn.
Rise Up! SAALT Young Leaders Institute
When: May 6-8; applications due by March 23, 2012
Where: Washington, DC
If you a South Asian American college student who wants to change your campus and community, then considering applying to the Rise Up! SAALT Young Leaders Institute to be held in Washington DC the week of May 6-8.
Rise Up! is a four-day gathering of fellow students who are looking to build better skills and strategies, create change and be more effective leaders in their respective campuses and communities.
THE RAID: REDEMPTION
When: Opens March 23, 2012
Where: NY, LA, DC, SF, and Chicago
The Raid: Redemption is an Indonesian martial arts action film directed by Gareth Evans and starring Iko Uwais. After its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), critics and audience alike hailed the The Raid as one of the best action films in years.
It’s the last day of May, officially recognized as Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, but that doesn’t mean we have to stop campaigning for awareness of hepatitis B testing, a disease that afflicts one in 10 Asian Americans (versus one in 1,000 in the general population). Hepatitis B is the leading cause of liver cancer, and one of the greatest health risks for the Asian Pacific American community. And in honor of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, Nordstrom teamed up with Hep B Free and OCA in their “Living Well” campaign to help raise awareness of the importance of getting tested for hepatitis B.
Laundry by Shelli Segal has long been the go-to label for easy cocktail dresses for their stylish and unique designs, while still staying affordable. In their latest national design competition to “Design the Perfect Little Black Dress,” Korean American interior designer Sarah Ahn took home first place with her winning design. The “Sarah” dress, named after the winner, is a knee-length, slip-on design with a V-neck in both front and back and cap sleeves. It’s available now through October at Nordstrom, Dillards, Macy’s, Zappos, Polyvore, 6pm.com and shopstyle.com.
What’s surprising is that Sarah initially worked in the neuroscience field. Her experience shows that people don’t always grow up knowing what they want to do, nor do they enter school or the work force pursuing their interests. People may spend years working on something they aren’t truly passionate about only to discover later that it wasn’t something they wanted to do for the rest of their lives. Unfortunately, it took a tragic event, her brother’s motorcycle accident, before she had the courage to go into the arts, something she had always loved growing up. Here, we talk to Sarah about her inspirational story, her winning LBD, and her thoughts on eco-fashion.
Runway Rundown co-founder and Korean American stylista Kim Halzle is back with spring trends to cash in on now.
I’m back to give you the wrap up on a few more key trends for Spring. Still not sure about what key pieces to buy for a fresh new Spring look? Not sure how to utilize your existing wardrobe and
incorporate it with the new trends? Fret not! The exciting thing about fashion is that you can make it your own. Don’t be intimidated by expensive price tags and statement pieces that don’t seem fitting to
your lifestyle. Mix and match these trends at a researched and affordable price and you’ll be feeling and looking like a million bucks before the snow melts!
Trend 1: Stripes
A standout pattern amongst a crowd of notables for the season will be stripes. Bold, chunky, skinny, vibrant, this list goes on and the multiple ways they can be styled is endless. Another thing we love
about stripes for the season, as they are traditionally known to give off a nautical look this season finds them more youthful and artistic. Mix and match and show your stripes this season!
Inspired from the runway: Jason Wu, Jil Sander, Fendi
The designer, Bryna Nicole McMills.
One thing I love about my job is discovering all this amazing talent in the fashion and beauty world. One thing that’s frustrating about my job as an editor of an Asian American women’s magazine is that much of that talent is of Asian descent — and we have limited room to feature them in our pages! I wish I could feature them all. Why are Asian Americans so dang brilliant?
Well, Bryna Nicole McMills is one of those brilliant Asian American talents. We’ve been featuring Bryna Nicole bags for years now, and only recently did I discover that McMills is of Asian descent. Started in 2006, the San Francisco-based line is McMills’ answer to everything in fashion that is not stiff, fussy or otherwise impractical. McMills favors “deceptively simple and relaxed shapes, and an unusually sophisticated sense of scale.”
Indeed, rather than bouncing from trend to trend, McMills designs bags that are meant for everyday, while still making you look completely put together. It’s a skill that is no small feat, let me tell you.
Like the Bryna Nicole “Tall Harlow” bag. Substantial and chic, yet a bit slouchy and velvety soft, for that just-threw-it-together look. Lined in a chic black and white floral print and in the season’s must-have caramel hue. It’s a classic that returns every season, but still always manages to look modern.
Bryna Nicole "Tall Harlow" bag in caramel.
Bryna Nicole is available at upscale stores like Nordstrom, and e-boutiques like Blondette and LuvCharlie. But you can own a Bryna Nicole “Tall Harlow” bag if you’re the lucky TGIFree Friday giveaway winner this week. Now, this giveaway is just too good for a simple “comment.” So here’s what you have to do:
1. Become a fan or “Like” our Facebook page.
2. Suggest to all your Facebook friends that they become a fan or “Like” our Facebook page.
3. Re-tweet this post for an extra entry.
4. Comment to this post and tell us that you did all the things above.
You have until September 8, 11:59 pm, to enter. (You must have a U.S. mailing address to win.) Good luck and happy Labor Day! Enjoy it while it lasts …
It’s May and that means it’s Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. Of course, for us here at Audrey, every day is a celebration of APA heritage, but it’s nice to have a month where all Americans are focused on us and our heritage!
Like Nordstrom. Once again, they’re honoring APA Heritage Month, this time by partnering with CFDA Swarovski Award-winning designer extraordinaire Phillip Lim on a limited-edition T-shirt.
3.1 Phillip Lim Asian Pacific American Heritage Month tee, exclusively at Nordstrom.
(Side note: We are huge fans of Lim here at Audrey, ever since we interviewed him, pre-3.1, for our Oct/Nov 2004 issue, and again in Oct/Nov 2005 when he debuted 3.1 phillip lim. We’re so excited that he’s gotten the international recognition he so deserves!)
Phillip Lim at his fall 2010 show. Photo courtesy of Style.com.
The graphic T-shirt design, which goes for $85, is actually Lim’s signature in repetition. “It’s simple, but acknowledging my full name was a part of growing up as an Asian American and accepting the two cultures that I am a part of,” said Lim.
Said Lim: “I was interested in this project because I was impressed by Nordstrom’s past success in raising funds to help Asian Pacific American children in need.” To that end, all after-cost proceeds goes to the OCA, a national organization dedicated to serving Asian Pacific Americans. “This is a cause that’s personal to me, and I hope that in my small way I am able to contribute to this great program,” said Lim.
The Phillip Lim T-shirt is sold exclusively at Nordstrom, and for this month only! Get it here, or at one of the Nordstrom stores below.
California: Brea Mall, South Coast Plaza, The Grove at Farmer’s Market, Topanga Plaza, San Francisco Centre, Valley Fair (San Jose), Fashion Valley (San Diego)
Hawaii: Ala Moana Center
Oregon: Downtown Portland
Washington: Downtown Seattle
Arizona: Fashion Square (Scottsdale)
Minnesota: Mall of America
Illinois: Michigan Avenue (Chicago)
Virginia: Pentagon City (Arlington)
New York: Roosevelt Field (Garden City)
Florida: Village of Merrick Park (Coral Gables)
It’s prom and wedding season, so Thank Goodness It’s Free Fridays! We’ve got the hook-up for one very lucky reader!
We are giving away this stunning strapless sweetheart taffeta ruffle dress by eveningwear designer Dalia MacPhee.
Dalia MacPhee strapless sweetheart taffeta ruffle dress.
Available at Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus, Dalia MacPhee is synonymous with luxe fabrics, quality craftsmanship, one-of-a-kind beading and details, all at affordable price points. Her gowns have been featured on Dancing with the Stars, American Idol, Allure, Cosmopolitan and People.
But it’s not just all glam — Dalia MacPhee has plenty of substance, too. Many Dalia MacPhee gowns, including the one we’re giving away, are vegan, meaning no animals are harmed during the production process (including silk worms!), contributing to a healthier environment for all. And every gown that is sold helps plant a tree at the Tree of Life grove in a decimated area of the Tahoe National Forest (one started by an illegal campfire a few years back).
As if that weren’t enough, a portion of proceeds of the sale of every Dalia MacPhee gown is donated to Women For Women Int., an international organization that assists women victimized in wartorn regions like the Congo and other struggling areas. Dalia’s ultimate vision is to provide aid to a woman in need every time a dress is purchased.
Dalia MacPhee gowns range from $150 to $400 and are sold at Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus locations nationwide. The taffeta ruffle dress retails for $275, but it’s yours for free if you win today’s giveaway. All you have to do is tell us your size (size 2-10 available) and why you HAVE to have this dress. You have until May 5, 11:59 pm.
Good luck!
I’ve been loving new line Seventy Two Changes, designed by Taiwanese pop star Jolin Tsai, with the backing of Ken Erman’s Truth & Pride, the company behind Gwen Stefani’s uber successful L.A.M.B. line. (You can check out our story on Seventy Two Changes, our latest Stylemaker, in our Fall 2009 issue, and also here.
