Meet Jane Wang this Friday December, 3rd and Saturday, December 4

Jane Wang

Like taming a unicorn or balancing the federal budget, finding a new line that strikes a chord with our busy customers is the ultimate buying quest.   For two seasons, you’ve purchased Jane Wang’s distinctive dresses, and this Friday  and Saturday,  Jane will be in the store to meet you and invite you to try more of her meticulously created silk jersey frocks.

Developing as a  successful designer occurs over a lifetime,  requiring as much technical and business  expertise as artistry.  Jane already has decades of experience.   At 14, Jane left China with her family and arrived in Manhattan, where she immersed herself in design.   After graduating from both Manhattan’s  High School of Fashion Industries and the Fashion Institute of Technology, Jane spent ten years learning all aspects of the business  working for other fashion houses.   

 Jane launched JANE WANG bridal in 2006 and her dress line last year.  Her  six year old daughter keeps the home front lively, too.  Jane’s success is grounded in knowing exactly who her customer is, and in being one herself.  As she puts it,  “(m)ost women today don’t have a lot of time for fuss . . . most of the time they are throwing a dress on and running out of the door .”   Being fashionable has to be easy: “Silk jersey is perfect and a simple way to dress.   It is also the perfect material for day-into-evening dressing.”

Below you’ll see several of the styles we’ll feature this weekend.  Asymmetry, ruching and careful placement of prints combine to make the dresses  flattering and memorable.  We’re betting that in a year or two, when you’re wearing an old favorite, a total stranger will stop you and ask, “Is that a  Jane Wang?”

  

September Dreaming . . .

The quaint retail convention that delivers fall clothing during the hottest, steamiest time of the year brings out the most distinctive human capacity: planning for the future. 

So if you’re calculating how to shop now to make your Fall wardrobe distinctive and functional, consider these fabulous items:

Bailey 44 zips over Donna Deganan

Bailey’s cotton stretch shirt works solo or over a tank, making it a  late summer jacket option if you pair it with cropped trousers or a pencil skirt.  You’re in luck if you own Donna Degnan’s espresso skirt from Spring ’10: the colors combine beautifully and justify purchasing Butter’s newly-arrived dark chocolate suede shoes.

Donna’s camel-striped charcoal trousers supply a clean, lean, three-season wardrobe essential thanks to being wrinkle-proof and pocket-free.  They also hide their elastic waist, a personal favorite for accomodating change of the weighty variety.

*****

 

These two items make packing for a  September New York getaway a non-event.    Magaschoni silk cargos and Donna’s jersey top keep you comfortable on the train but get appreciative nods from the fashion cognoscenti when you stretch your legs on a Highline stroll.  Add a strappy heel and stop in at the Gansevoort for a cocktail.   

*****

 

Drozdzik wool and silk jacket suits Yansi jeans

For a look as exclusive as it is easy, try Drozdzik’s asymmetrical jacket over Yansi’s boot-cut jean.  This jacket, with its beautiful collar, typifies any piece from Drozdzik’s small seasonal collections:  it’s crafted from extraordinary  fabric and features wearable details.  A few of you own her summer skirt in a subtly shimmering silver print and know exactly Drozdzik’s standout artisanal design. 

Yansi’s  denim jean arrived first, but look for several other Yansi styles throughout Fall 2010.  The next style  for DC denizens will be a classic trouser in Italian stretch wool with blue and camel pinstripes.    Look for the same boot-cut jean style  in black velvet this November.  Yansi pants have a well-deserved following because they flatter sizes 0 – 16 consistently.

If September Dreaming inspires a little August browsing, come on in!

Betsy

Summer Gambler’s Sale Starts Thursday, July 1

Betsy Fisher Cohosts ArtRageous, Smithsonian Gala, 2/27

What could entice a homebody like me to a Saturday night fundraiser at the Smithsonian American Art Museum?  Well, the  Blues Alley band and the DJ for late night dancing certainly help, but the real draw is  . . .

 . . .   Karen LaMonte’s  2009 Dress.  This evocative sculpture celebrates feminine allure and assurance through the ages, and that’s what we’re all about at Betsy Fisher.

For Info, please click here: http://americanart.si.edu/support/benefit/

 

Hope to see you dressed and dancing at the 2010 ArtRageous party!

Jeffrey Thorpe Describes Magaschoni for Spring 2010

Some of you met Magaschoni’s charming designer, Jeffrey, last fall, when he spent a day in the store learning which parts of his collection appealed to and worked well for the DC crowd.   Jeffrey’s sweet spot and ours overlapped.  We appreciated the unique and beautifully cut pieces, like the rose front shell and purple sheath dress,  and happily mixed them with Magaschoni’s signature cashmere for versatility. 

You’ll see continuity from Fall 09 to Spring 10, thanks to Jeffrey’s ability to combine luxury and functionality across sportswear and knits.  I asked Jeffrey to comment on the direction he took Magaschoni this season, keeping DC customers in mind.  We hope you’ll find his description as intriguing as the clothes Lisa Keneally will bring to the store this Friday and Saturday:

 “Spring 2010 is about refined easy dressing. Navy makes a big comeback replacing black as the new color that works from desk to dinner. My inspiration was great American sportswear from the late seventies and early eighties. Silk crepe dresses, featherweight cashmere, navy boucle separates and polished military touches all work together in tandem to create a fresh new approach to city dressing.”

Drop by this weekend for Jeffrey’s Proof that Spring is just a few days away –

Betsy

Snow Bunnies

Kit and Jacey spend the snow day modeling San Diego Hat's studded fedoras, designed by Cha Cha ($88)

Yansi Fugel Trunk Show

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yansi sends a trove of stylish, versatile suits in seasonless fabrics.  Look for particular treasures in travel jersey, layering pieces and spring dresses – selected items on sale.   Join us for cocktails this Thursday at 5 pm.

A Window into Spring

To restore your faith in spring’s imminence on this snowy, grey day, try window shopping.  Usually we recommend coming all the way in, but without getting blown about, you can enjoy the promise of spring in Karen’s beautiful  window composition.   

After meticulous planning sketches and several shopping trips for just the right props, Karen began making each hanging flower.  As she folded,  she called and chatted with her mother, an art teacher in China, and reflected on the full circle that a celebration of seasons always entails.   

Each outfit was put together with you in mind:  suggesting how you can dress creatively and distinctively for work and play.  It’s only 19 more days until Spring!

Gamblers: 50% off starts this Friday!

Gambler’s Choice Sale Friday, December 5th