mall of America

By: Dassi Fant

Once upon a time, there was a little girl.  Instead of playing house, she played fashion show; she’d steal her mother’s highest heels and most silky scarf and strut down a makeshift runway, her brown curls bouncing.  Oh wait, that was me.  I know this is a bit more precocious than an average 7-year-old, but I’m sure fashion lovers of any age living in the Twin Cities area would be delighted to hear about Nordstrom’s Fall Designer Preview fashion show- the first ever to come to Mall of America.  Nordstrom was completely unrecognizable; it was as if entering the sacred curtained area had transported me to the tents of Bryant Park.  The music was pumping, the wine was smooth and the hors d’oeuvres were scrumptious.  And the clothes.  The shoes.  The accessories.  It was all so spectacular, no single adjective can display adequate emphasis.  Here’s a quick blurb of some of my favorites.  

Chanel  Must I really say more?  Coco has left behind a glittering legacy, with clothes that will forever drive well mannered socialites and poised fashion gurus to the brink of palpable excitement.  My favorite Chanel moment is when Carrie, of  “Sex in the City,” shoves a Chanel jacket into Aiden’s hands and demands that he take the Oath of Fabric.  Sworn on Chanel, his word is forever binding.  I truly felt the severity of this Oath last night, upon seeing Chanel at the Nordstrom fashion show.  Music blaring, light flashing, heels clicking, the bated breathe of the audience…ah yes, this is the way Chanel is supposed to be experienced.  Allow me to highlight a key look I just couldn’t get enough of.  We all know Chanel is famous for its tweeds and jackets.  Roll that into a whole look and you’ve got the definition of fashionable.  The strategic combinations of tweeds on the jacket complemented the silhouette of the jacket without feeling overwhelming.  The smaller embellishments dazzled against the black and white.  The juxtaposition of the tailored skirt and graphic top drew the eye in and created a playful air.  And let’s not forget about the boots.  As an ode to the old school saddle shoe, the winter white boot and black toe was both daring (since white seems to be the color to fear in winter months) and tres chic, as the French say.

Akris  Nothing says winter style more than leather.  Leather jackets (for the motorcycle babe deep down inside), leather pants (when done appropriately), leather boots (because who wants to walk around in UGGs all day?) all make my skin tingle with excitement.  But nothing positively screams feminine chic like a fabulous leather skirt.  It’s an appropriate way to channel a leather clad siren in almost any setting.  But what good would a leather skirt be all by its lonesome?  Something so scintillatingly fabulous necessitates a dose of polish.  A Jackie-O inspired jacket, with a high collar and a clean knot, is a perfect match.  And just to add to the genius of this outfit, Akris fabrics are double faced, meaning the fabric has two ‘correct’ sides to sew on.  So as not blemish the fabric, invisible seeming is done and the jacket can virtually be worn inside out.  But with such a terrific understated stripe, who’d want to cover that up?  Add dark sunglasses for a mysterious and dramatic effect.

Marc Jacobs  Winter white has long been a point of fear.  The fear of dirt, wine, soiled little hands, and the countless trips to the dry cleaner.  Yet somehow, the practical side of my brain is always hushed when I see such an enticing white coat.  It’s almost as if I see myself strutting down the streets of New York, surrounded by a sea of black and then there’s me, in my uber-fabulous white coat making everyone’s head turn.  These are the types of twisted fantasies fashionistas have.  Pathetic, I know.  If any white coat could conjure up such images, this is it.  The flawless fit, the perfectly starched collar, and those buttons. I know toggles are sort of Marc’s thing, but in my humble opinion, after seeing this coat, it’s all about the embellished buttons.  The artful hodgepodge of mismatched jeweled buttons was the metaphorical cherry on top of scrumptious vanilla ice cream.

Interview with Nordstrom Fashion Director, Gregg Andrews