Seeing WWDMAGIC In A Whole New Light

 So I've been in the shoe business for... well, ever really- and have attended TONS of shoe shows/ trade shows. I'm usually, however, on the vendor side. That's industry speak for 'I'm with the people slinging the product' (in my case, the shoes). This trip though, I was hired by WWD's Footwear News Magazine to go to the show and blog about my experience and about what I saw happening in and around the FN Platform show.

HOW FUN!

 When you're on the selling side you're working like a dog. You're meeting customer after customer selling them shoes, convincing them that your line is better then the countless other lines they've seen, and kissing lots of butts. Now I'm not a sales person so that's just my version of what happens. Don't quote me ;) It's exhausting and I think our sales team is awesome!

When you're someone like a buyer, or say- a blogger... that was me this trip... the tables are turned a bit. You're not someone who needs others to like their product- you're someone that others want to impress. Instead of being greeted at the booth entrance with a skeptical eye ("who's this vendor trying to spy on my goodies") YOU'RE the one they welcome with open arms. It's great!

"Come check out our product! We'd love it if you'd feature us... would you like a water? We have fun giveaways for bloggers!" 

Like I said- quite a difference.

 For the 3 days of FN Platform I got to walk the show with my "Official FN Platform Blogger" badge and check out all the booths from my new perspective and it was really a lot of fun! We did little blogger roundtables 2x a day where we discussed the different trends and shoes and shared our personal favorites. Tuesday was extra fun because Kristen Cavallari joined our roundtable and we all got to do a little Q & A with her about her shoe line. (A separate post about that coming up as soon as I get photos) She even gifted each of us with a pair from her line. 

On the last day I stopped by the BCBG Generation booth and they even had a blogger suite! They were doing nails and hair and had a candy bar and made us all our own personalized bracelets! SO cool!

 I saw lots of shoe brands that I didn't know about, as well as brands I'm very familiar with. I had a lot of fun and hope to be invited back to do it again. The other bloggers were great and I feel like I made some new friends :) 

 OMG speaking of friends! Did you guys see my Instagram!? On my way to Vegas I sat next to Gretchen of RHOC and we got stuck on the plane for a few hours before takeoff and she and I had a blast! She's exactly how I thought she'd be- so fun and sweet.

It's good to be home because as fun as it was, it was even more exhausting! It's been really cool getting back into the swing of things with the blog. It's been so long I almost forgot how to start a new post. But I'm trying!! And I'm still working on that 7 month revamp ;)

XOX

Bring on the Bling!

If you follow me on Twitter you may have seen some back and forth conversation between my favorite Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star and me. A few of you emailed to ask what was going on. What secret were were sharing?
Well, I'm super excited to announce that Adrienne Maloof and I are working on her very own line of shoes!! Adrienne Maloof by Charles Jourdan to be precise! She's teaming up with myself (representing Titan Industries of course) and isaay.com to bring you a collection of shoes where "love is in the details".

How exciting is that!?

I can't even tell you guys how much fun she is to work with. I feel like I've met a long lost girl friend and I'm so glad. She's sweet, charming, incredibly down to earth, and best of all, sassy! She also happens to have a killer collection of shoes, which was our starting off point.
Adrienne and I raided her closet where she picked out her favorites and expertly explained what it was about each one that caught her attention. I was pleasantly surprised to hear her using design terms like 'last' 'construction' and 'pitch', and from our first meeting I knew that Adrienne knew shoes. She understood that although she and I may love high heels, a lot of women want to look sexy AND have a comfortable shoe. She wanted to make sure we covered the bases for all kinds of glamorous women- from working moms to fashionistas walking red carpets.
We quickly found that we have very similar taste and even have several of the same shoes, though her collection is far bigger ;) She and I joked that we are sole sisters- we have the same love of sky-high heels, "The higher the better"! We also share a love for "bling". She loved the gem I have on my tooth and said that I had found a place to put bling that she hadn't thought of!
Overall I was incredibly excited to get started. It's really great when you get to collaborate with someone who really has a passion for what they're doing. I can tell that Adrienne puts 100% into everything she does and that's in part, how her family business is so successful. She wanted to make sure that she was involved with every step of the process, from sketching to prototypes to actual samples. It's a collaboration in the truest sense of the word.

We're in full swing and the line of shoes that Adrienne and I designed together are currently being shown to buyers in New York! It's all so exciting :) I can't show you any images yet, but I'll be sure to keep you all posted. You can follow Adrienne on twitter HERE and get all the inside scoop from her ;)

Here is an excerpt from her interview with Footwear News. You can check it out in it's entirety here:
WWD article- Inside Adrienne Maloof's Closet
Also, an article from WWD here:
Isaay Goes Glam With Adrienne Maloof

Brands owned: Alaïa, Brian Atwood, Chanel, Charles Jourdan, Christian Louboutin, Dolce & Gabbana, Fendi, Jimmy Choo, Miu Miu, New Balance, Prada, Skechers, Yves Saint Laurent

Organizational strategy: Maloof keeps her everyday shoes in one section of her closet and evening looks in another. “From there, I try to coordinate by color.” 

Personal shoe style: Classic with an edge. “I like [my shoes] to be a little more trendy and fashion-forward.”

All-time favorite: Tall Prada boots on a 1-inch heel. “They’re easy to run around in and are classic, chic and stylish. I wear them so often. I know I’ve gotten my money’s worth.”

Most stylish shoe: Yves Saint Laurent nude platform pumps. “They elongate the leg and go with everything. They have the height and are very sexy.” 

Last pair purchased: Jimmy Choo strappy sandals embellished with Swarovski crystals

Style I’d never be caught wearing: Anything with a rounded toe. “And I don’t do ballet flats. I know they are comfortable [and] stylish, but they’re not for me.”

If you could raid the closet of any other “housewife": Bravo producer and host of “Watch What Happens” Andy Cohen. “We call him our honorary housewife, and he’s an incredibly sharp dresser. He has a great eye for what works.”

Biggest splurge: About $4,000 on a pair of cocktail shoes with a gold heel and completely detailed in crystal

Pair I’ll never throw out: The strappy, light-blue, crystal-embellished sandals by Vera Wang worn during her wedding to Beverly Hills plastic surgeon Paul Nassif

Favorite shopping city: Las Vegas. “There’s just about every shop you can imagine, and it’s so close. A 45-minute airplane ride is easy and quick.” 

Best qualities in a sales associate: Personality. “They have to put a smile on their face, and they have to know what’s going to be in fashion for the next season.”

Top shops in Beverly Hills: Barneys, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue and boutiques such as Chanel, Prada and Yves Saint Laurent

No. 1 shoe mistake: Short, chunky heels with a square toe. “I had a pair that I gave away. [The look] does not work for me and doesn’t do anything for the legs.” 

All-time favorite shoe brand: Yves Saint Laurent. “Their classic basic pumps are just gorgeous.” 

Favorite style on your husband and sons: “As a doctor, Paul is very conservative all day, so I love to see him in a more relaxed state. I’m a fan of men in casual, masculine clothing, and he looks great in a rugged boot. My boys are huge fans of the whole skateboarding culture, so they love hip sneakers.”

Best workout shoe: A lifelong tennis player, Maloof turns to New Balance when she hits the courts. “I’ve been playing since I was four.”

Trend you wish would go away: Mid-calf boots. “It’s the worst height and hard for [any] woman to wear.”

Style icons: “Madonna is constantly switching up her fashion and reinventing herself. She’s a strong woman. Coco Chanel also dared women to celebrate fashion and was so ahead of her time.” 

Highest heels I could bear: “The sky is the limit on that one. The higher, the better.”

Dream closet: Plans to expand her wardrobe are under way. “It will be huge and well lit, with lots of space to try things on. I’d love to truly display my shoes as the art form they are. I’ve been trying to bribe Paul to move his closet down the hall and let me have his, too, but so far, no luck. I’m open to bribery.”

Strategy for getting rid of shoes: Maloof turns to charity when she needs to clear space in her closet. “I donate to charities that help women getting into business and who need [professional shoes] to wear to interviews.”

Here's a little video I found of the housewives at a charity event and Adrienne talking about the upcoming line...






xox