Sidewalk Catwalk Stunner by Rachel Roy - Not Rachel Ray

Not to be confused with the talk show host Rachel Ray, this installment of Sidewalk Catwalk features the stunning design by Rachel Roy.  From the bold coloring of the mannequin itself, to the thigh-high boots (gotta get me a pair) and spicy fabric combination, this design is a crowd-pleaser.

The fashion designer Rachel Roy was born in California and attended college in Washington DC.  Roy moved to New York City to pursue her love for design and creativity.  She worked as a freelancer, doing the styling for magazine shoots and music videos.

Then Rachael Roy started at Rocawear as an intern, amazingly in the mail room.  Later came the marketing department; finally she moved into the very appropriate area of women's design. Since the company was still fairly new, Rachel was able to quickly make a major impression and contribute greatly to the company's growth.  As a key player she eventually became the Creative Director.  She  oversaw many licensees and ran all of the design departments for Rocawear Juniors and Girls.

 

In Fall 2004, she began her own collection, RACHEL ROY.  Department and specialty stores carried the Spring 2005 line. The innovative styles and silhouettes could be assembled to transit beautifully from day to evening.

RACHEL ROY designs, clothing and shoes, have been seen on such famous people as Michelle Obama, Iman, Eva Mendes, Kate Hudson, Lucy Liu, Sharon Stone and Penelope Cruz.  Oprah Winfrey had Rachel as a guest on the show in January 2007.   Other honors included Roy being inducted into the CFDA as a new member.



 Currently RACHEL ROY
collections are available at Saks Fifth Avenue, Bergdorf Goodman (my favorite store), Neiman Marcus (my 3rd favorite store; Selfridges in London is 2nd), Nordstrom and top specialty stores worldwide.  You can even find some of her Rachel Rachel Roy designs via Amazon.

A beauty in her own right, Rachel Roy has a talent for making other women look and feel beautiful as well.  See for yourself her Fall 2010 collection at style.com.

Sidewalk Catwalk - Isabel Toledo

There is a new fashion display in New York City.  Walk down Broadway, from West 42nd Street to West 34th Street, by Macys, and you will see quite a sight.  Top fashion designers have presented their interpretation of their take on fashion.  Called “Sidewalk Catwalk”.

Follow my postings and photos as I present a little background on each designer to accompany my photos of each mannequin on Broadway transformed into the NYC Sidewalk Catwalk.

Our first featured design and designer is by Isabel Toledo.  

First Lady Michelle Obama picked fashion Isabel Toledo, (born April 9, 1961), to design her Inaugural ensemble. The resulting design was a creamy yellow dress with a matching overcoat,  made of satin-backed wool guipure (a type of lace sometimes used in French Haute Couture).

Isabel Toledo was born in Cuba; later moved to New Jersey where she attended high school and met her future husband and collaborator, Ruben Toledo. After high school she attended two famous and fashion colleges in New York City – the Fashion Institute of Technology  and Parsons School of Design.  In college she studied painting, ceramics, and, of course, fashion design. Toledo showed her fashion skills as seamstress from a young age.  She has been designing for over 25 years with various fashion houses.  In 1985, Toledo presented her first collection

As a prominent Manhattan-based fashion designer, who works out of a studio on Broadway and 28th Street along with her fashion-illustrator husband, Isabel is not a typical mainstream fashion designer. In 1998 she broke with tradition and stopped presenting biannual fashion collections, instead choosing to create on her own schedule.

The hat/headdress is definitely an eye-catching look.  Perhaps depicting the many faces we present to the world, as a mask?

 Isabel Toledo has received a number of awards over the years.  In 2005 she, along with her husband, Ruben Toledo, was the recipient of the Cooper-Hewitt Design Award for their work in fashion.  In 2008 Isabel Toledo was presented with the 3rd annual Couture Council Award for Artistry of Fashion from the Museum at FIT.  The fashion award event was held in New York City’s Rainbow Room atop Rockefeller Center.

The Isabel Toledo for Payless line is set to debut this September, (2010) and will average about $40 an item.

 Complementary fashion commentary regarding the NYC Sidewalk Catwalk can also to be found at http://worldvillage.com/fashion-to-be-chic.


Be sure to return to read and see the next featured designer and TRULY UNIQUE display, on the NYC Sidewalk Catwalk down Broadway.