The "Relaxed Elegance" of La Perla at Buckhead Atlanta

The La Perla showroom has a life-sized screen that plays their latest runway shows from Paris and Florence. It comes through on a live feed from Italy! And yes darlings, that's Miss Naomi Campbell, supermodel!

Yes that me! And I'm wearing a luxurious woven raffia La Perla coat and enjoying a photo opp with Store Manager Rose Maruhn.

If you think you know luxury but you aren't familiar with La Perla, then you don't know luxury. If you know La Perla and have been to their fabulous new location at Buckhead Atlanta, then you know where I'm coming from... WOW! I learned a number of amazing things about the Italian label from my visit to the La Perla concept boutique yesterday afternoon. Their store manager, Rose Maruhn, provided me with a wealth of information, champagne and let me play dress up. And NO, not with the lingerie!

Did you know La Perla has a men's collection? Did you know that La Perla is more than lingerie? They feature a full range of clothing from underwear to outerwear to ready-to-wear. Oh and shoes... and just wait 'til I tell you about that; you're going to flip!

The La Perla men's collection, like the women's, features your staples like underwear and t-shirts, but they also move beyond, to the outside world, with items like track suits, beachwear, swim trunks and robe/coats which are so on trend. I'm pictured (above) wearing one of these fantastic robes. I tried on both, the full length and the shorter styles. The robes are made of raffia woven on a loom and lined in silk. How's that for luxury. The Spring/Summer 2015 collection was launched last June at Pitti Uomo in Florence. Every garment, from loungewear to hooded jackets are tailored to perfection. La Perla's creative director, Emiliano Rinaldi, was inspired and motivated by the surreal submarine life - an underwater fantasy world, and used the rendering of an oyster with wings, protecting a pearl, appropriately so, as a running motif throughout much of the collection. The Buckhead Atlanta store in one of eight locations in the country that carry the men's line - that's pretty special!

Let's move on to shoes. This is where I said (yelled) WHAT? WHO?? NO WAY!!! La Perla carries a small yet impressive collection of shoes for him and her. They are sleek, sexy and modern. Very elegant and cool at the same time. The designer La Perla collaborated with to design and create their beautiful footwear is none other than Guiseppe Zanotti! (I was with Caren West and we both nearly fainted when Rose said this.) FABULOUS! Zanotti's signature appears on the soles of every shoe.

So ladies and gentlemen, there is plenty to have and to hold at La Perla in Buckhead Atlanta. Experience luxury and indulge yourself. Enjoy a visit to the beautiful, Venetian inspired showroom and all that La Perla has to offer. You'll love it.

fashionado

Dennis Basso Fall 2015

Once again, glamour proves to be a timeless thing. Dennis Basso pulled inspiration from the chic side of the 70s for Fall 2015. The gowns were opulent, extravagant and flowing. There was plenty of glitz to go around. And fur. Rich chinchilla, lynx and fox. Many of them embellished with leather and/or dyed. While there were a number of show-stopping evening looks, we cannot ignore Basso's day wear. Chic, elegant and confident short dresses and slacks with just enough flair to give off a retro-modern vibe.

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Public School Fall 2015

I admit that I have a slight (not-so-slight) obsession with Public School. Designers Dao-Yi Chow and Maxwell Osborne's approach to design, gender, style and comfortability resonates perfectly with the past, the now and future of fashion. Season after season they continue to metamorphosize their street-wear style into the chic and upscale. This collection is modern, edgy and at times very unisex. Also, Public School did something very new (for them) they introduced color for Fall 2015. A splash here and there, but nonetheless, another sign of growth and brand development. These guys are just really really cool. Keep your eyes out for Public School.

fashionado

DVF RECAP: Grand Opening Atlanta

from the DVF Facebook page / the #DVFAtlanta crew

from Brittany Hampton's IG / DVF Ambassador 

Sharing a DVF moment with Theo Tyson & Jan Hickel.

Another DVF moment. This time with Annie Carleo & Lisa Rayner.

DVF brought its New York City chic to Atlanta and celebrated with a spectacular grand opening soiree last night. The newest Diane von Furstenberg showroom is located at Lenox Square Mall in Buckhead.

Brittany Hampton, who won the coveted title of DVF Ambassador per the House of DVF - a show on the E! Network that had me glued to my fashion seat- hosted the festivities last night. Brittany was lovely, and naturally, in high demand, surrounded by endless fans and the E! cameras who were filming season 2. From what I heard, next season is going to be insane!

The event itself was wonderful. Mainly because the energy from guests and the DVF glamazons alike was happy, enthusiastic and very friendly. Everyone was having a super great time, sipping on bubbly, engaged in conversation and of course, shopping. I noticed something quite refreshing (for those of us who go out too much!) there were many new, fresh faces in attendance. I loved that!

As for the showroom... its layout, look and design are perfection. The feel is clean, polished, refined and elegant, like its iconic leader. Welcome to Atlanta Diane von Furstenberg.

fashionado

Five Must-Have Shoes for Him for Every Occasion

Alright guys, lets have a quick chat about shoes. How many shoes do you have? If your answer is a couple then you really need to keep reading. I have a lot, though not as much as my friend Jeff who's the gay-incarnation of Imelda Marcos.

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Don't freak out. You don't need dozens, but then again, isn't variety the spice of life? Women like to have options, why shouldn't we? I went into my closet and pulled five pairs of shoes that I can't live without. 1- you need a boot (not cowboy boots!!). These are brown suede by Calvin Klein. I have other boots in black and in burgundy. Boots are great to wear in the Fall and Winter with almost anything from a pair of jeans to dress pants. If the boots are dressy enough, you can even wear them with a suit. Stay away from too much decoration. Good design doesn't need frills. 2- get casual in style. Don't wear your running shoes everywhere. I kick around in these aqua All Stars. I also have them in blue, purple, white, brown and cream. Wear them with shorts, jeans, khakis and if you can pull them off with a suit, more power to ya. Rock them! 3- Definitely incorporate a casual shoe dressier than sneakers. These blue suede Penguins with wing-tip stitching are perfect for almost every occasion. 4- Lace ups are an absolute must-have. A staple. Get a pair in black and one in brown. The design should be classic. Lace ups are the dressiest of shoes. Obviously wear them to special occasions or to the office if you work in a corporate environment. But if you want to change it up a bit, dress them down with a casual outfit. It's okay to bend the rules. The ones pictured are by Ferragamo and I purchased them over 10 years ago! Yep, take care of your shoes guys! 5- And finally, everyone man should own a loafer or three. These are by Gucci. I have another fave pair by Prada. I've worn them with all styles of looks to all sorts of events. I've dressed them up and dressed them down. You can find loafers in almost all brands. Find a pair you like. Tassels are fine as are straps across the top, but stay away from over-embellishments.

Have fun with fashion. Upgrading your personal style is manageable when done in smaller steps.

fashionado