Rent the Runway: haute couture that you love, wear and return

UPDATE: Rent the Runway is currently INVITATION-ONLY. In order to join, please email me at editor (at) whatshaute (dot) com.

Anyone who knows me well knows that I am a fickle shopper. ‘Buy today, return tomorrow’ has long been my motto. Not everything of course – I do like to keep my closet well-stocked. But I like to buy something, try it on at home, test it out with a few accessories and see if it ‘works’. If not, it’s going right back to the store. But with more and more stores adopting a “No refunds” policy, what’s a girl to do?

Enter Rent the Runway. Dubbed the ‘Netflix of Haute Couture’, this new site brings high-end fashions to the masses. But not in a lower-priced, mass-produced kind of way. No, these are the actual runway pieces so you can wear what celebrities wear, at about one-tenth of the cost. You can rent dresses and exclusive runway pieces from fashion designers like Diane Von Furstenberg, Hervé Léger, Proenza Schouler and Christian Siriano. Siriano’s ready-to-wear pieces traditionally go for up to $3,000, but on Rent the Runway, you can get pieces from his line for $150 to $200.

Other perks include:
A reservation system to ensure that you can get a specific dress for the night you need it.
On-call stylists
Returns within 24 hours of rental, for any reason
A second style of dress as a backup, for an additional $25
A custom garment bag and fit kit including double-sided tape, bra strap adjusters and deodorant stain removers

Are you ready to Rent the Runway? “Love. Wear. Return.” Now that’s a motto we can shop with.

What were they thinking? Emanuel Ungaro + Lindsay Lohan

It was the gasp heard round the world, or in Paris, at least, when Emanuel Ungaro debuted its Spring 2010 collection, ‘designed’ by Estrella Archs and Lindsay Lohan. Several weeks ago, the fashion house ‘tapped’ La Lohan to join as an “artistic advisor”. This was her first collection co-designed with new design chief Archs. And the results were disastrous. Trashy dresses, heart shaped nipple pasties and sequined heart forehead stickers were just some of the ‘highlights’ (or ‘lowlights’). Apparently, fashion editors were so disgusted they ran for the nearest exit as soon as the show ended. We wonder who they were designing for. Perhaps some of Lindsay’s peers. But really, does anyone want to dress like that really?

And on a side note, what’s up with Lindsay’s face lately?

de Moraes Barros/Wireimage

Tory Burch - Spring/Summer 2010 Presentation #NYFW

During fashion week, where would you find yourself in the same room as Anna Wintour and Toni Braxton? Tory Burch of course! The favorite designer of mine held a presentation near the end of fashion week and even at 9 in the morning, it was a zoo of fashionistas (myself included) clamoring to see what’s haute for Spring. Burch revealed her new logo color (purple) along with the new collection which as always, included a ton of pieces I wanted to snap up immediately.

The collection was an interesting mix of retro, prep, modern frontierswoman with a dash of glitz and glam. The pieces ranged from sequin party dresses to floral-print retro style day dresses; chic tweed skirt suits and gingham pant suits; tie dye to traditional trenches. The footwear was interesting as well - strappy leather sandals stood alongside flat and heeled moccasins.

Accessories included a wide range of covetable handbags, jewelry and belts. Every piece covered the gamut of traditional to trendy. Tory Burch knows how to serve up fashion for any woman, any where at any time.

Photos: Ehmonie Hainey/What’s Haute and NY Post

Maria Pinto - Spring/Summer 2010

We’ve been eyeing the First Lady’s fashions even before she became the First Lady and the one name we kept hearing over and over again was Maria Pinto. The Chicago-based designer has been dressing Michelle Obama long before the nation took notice, and it’s easy to see why Pinto’s designs are a favorite of Mrs. O - they’re figure flattering, fashion-forward and classically glamorous.

I had a chance to chat with the designer after viewing her selection of beautifully constructed and colorful dresses, jackets, and separates including pants, blouses and skirts at her Spring 2010 presentation. Her inspiration? Argentine tango dancers and polo players. Pinto said she visited a while back and loved their vibrancy and sensuality so much that she used the inspiration to incorporate into her line.

Palette: Mimosa, canna, salvia, fuchsia, peony, steel, sand and mud

Silhouettes: Ruffled minis, A-line trenches, pencil dresses, pleated pants and skirts, sleeveless gowns, structured blazers, tops and jackets with strong shoulders

Materials: Chiffon, soft leather, stretch wool, shirred jersey

Pièce de résistance: Black Ritero leather trench with pointed shoulders

Takeaways: Maria Pinto designs for the everyday woman who loves to inject her wardrobe with a bit of glamour. Simple silhouettes are embraced by unlikely fabrics and color choices but the result is stunning. We can see Michelle Obama snapping up this entire collection. We want it all too.

Photos: Ehmonie Hainey/What’s Haute

She By Sheree - Spring/Summer 2010 at New York Fashion Week

So we’ve been waiting all year for She by Sheree and the line finally debuted during New York Fashion Week. Sooo, the looks aren’t necesarily ‘wow’-worthy but, well…they are wearable. Both Sheree’s line and Lisa Wu-Hartwell’s ‘Closet Freak’ line have that sort of slightly upscale bebe vibe - they’re full of cutesy contemporary separates that draw a fine line between corporate and the club. All in all, it’s a nice first attempt for Sheree; a lot better than most of us were expecting.

J. Kohen/Wireimage

Nine West on the runway at New York Fashion Week

During New York Fashion Week, Nine West collaborated with some amazing rising designers to dress their models in some of the latest footwear designs. Designers included Project Runway runner-up Jillian Lewis, Bensoni, Timo Weiland and Untitled 11:11. Nine West’s Creative Director, Fred Allard, commented:

“We were very excited to collaborate with such talented designers for the Spring 2010 fashion shows. We believe in supporting the efforts of new talent in the industry and will continue to work with young designers. The trends I loved on the New York runway ranged from eye-catching Americana to neutral layered palettes. For footwear, there was an emphasis in flats and sandals as well as the continued menswear/utility trend with updated lace-ups.”

Styles included the Lollipop ($89), the Count ($89), the Norbu, the Aleksander, ($79.99), the Velli, Boutique 9, ($99.99), the Tesia, ($89.99), all available in stores and/or online at Nine West.com.

Toni Francesc - Spring/Summer 2010

Toni Francesc’s water-inspired show was a delight to the visual and audio senses. The Catalan designer’s Spring-Summer 2010 collection titled “Water’s Mood” paid homage to water in all its forms. A video installation with moving images of water – waves, currents and water drops – got us in the mood to be wowed. And that, along with the sounds of dripping water mixed with relaxing music set the stage to usher in the models.

The water theme of the collection resulted in a palette of blue with shades of mauve, khaki and sand, white and gray, to translate images of water droplets, lakes, puddles and rivers into ready-to-wear looks.

Silhouettes: Billowy tops, origami pleats, simple cuts, multiple layers and drapes.

Materials: Silk, satin, chiffon, cotton

Pièce de résistance: Blue satin cap-sleeved dress with short underskirt and a sheer ruffled overskirt.

Takeaways: You may not be very familiar with Francesc since this was his first time showing in the tents at Bryant Park, but he is absolutely one to watch. He studied at the Catalan Fashion Institute from 1986-1988 and shortly after, started his eponymous line for the sophisticated urban woman. This was by far one of the best showings during Fashion Week. Each piece was breathtakingly designed, the silhouettes were flattering to all women’s body types and each piece balanced soft and hard textures, with an ethereal yet sculptural feel. It was very well-received by the entire crowd.

Kristian Dowling/Wireimage

Haute or Not: Christopher Kane’s ‘Gorilla’ dress

Inspired by “Planet of the Apes” (of all things), Christopher Kane took the jungle and put it onto his Spring 2009 runway. Add to that a little dash of “The Flintstones”, Raquel Welch in “One Million Years B.C.”, and then Dian Fossey and her gorillas, said the designer. The result? Gory gold-fanged apes, monkeys, mandrills and gorillas printed on scalloped, avant garde dresses and oversized black tees (which are available for purchase online at LUISAVIAROMA.COM). Already worn by  Kristen Stewart (”Twilight”) and Julia Restoin-Roitfeld, (daughter of French Vogue editrix Carine Roitfeld), Rihanna was the next high-profile celeb to rock this edgy dress. What’s your take on Kane’s ape collection? Haute or not?

Image sources: Splash News and Style.com

Say it Three Times Fast: Rihanna Rocks the Rodarte Diamond Cutout Leggings

Rihanna’s on the comeback tip and she’s determined to make her presence known. As if we didn’t notice her before. With her edgy haircut, attention-grabbing wardrobe and her standard sulky facial expression and full-on pout, how could she be missed? But if all that wasn’t enough, she was spotted in New York City wearing Rodarte’s $920 diamond cutout leggings. Are they leather? Are they latex? Not sure, but these over-the knee babies were worn as tights accessorizing the dresses at Rodarte’s Spring 2009 runway show. But leave it to Rihanna to spice things up and make streetwalker chic look quite hot. Kidding on the streetwalker part - Rihanna looks fierce! Who else could sport a leather jacket/poncho, cutoff denim shorts, drapey ear-to-ear earrings and almost-neon orange lipstick with these leggings? Up for the challenge? Snag a pair at Opening Ceremony.

Fashion Fights Cancer

Earning power = real power. Power is often thought of as a negative word but it’s not it is a neutral, or in other words it’s all what you do with it. Fashion makes money, so therefore fashion has power, this coming Tuesday night at the Audi Forum on Park Avenue in New York City, Fashion Fights Cancer puts the power of healing on the runway. This five year old marriage of charity and designers raises money in honor of the memory of Cindi Solomon and this year’s proceeds go exclusively to the St. Jude Children’s Hospital. This exemplary event is the creation of Hope Meredith Ham who lost her mother to cancer and has beautifully turned her grief and loss into this powerhouse for good. Tickets are $35 and are available through the website. I will be there with my friend photographer Markus Lokvist covering the event for What’s Haute and I hope to see you there.

Fashion Fights Cancer flyer

Next Page »