Christian Siriano: Spring 2010 Runway to Retail

Just in case your memory needed a little push…here’s a quick reminder of the Christian Siriano claw-heeled shoes from his Spring 2010 Runway Collection:

And now, a big thanks to Racked NY, who noticed that the Ready-to-Wear versions of these ‘magically popped up’ online yesterday. If you are interested a review, Racked NY also hunted them down in-store and took them for a  trial run to test for comfort and walk-ability.

So, if you loved the Christian Siriano spring 2010 runway looks, now is your chance to own a pair.

At $80 each, they are a bit pricier than your average Payless offerings. But then again, I fondly remember being a much younger me and grabbing a pair of cute black pumps at Payless for $6.99 after I had finally worn my last pair into the ground.  The most expensive items in the store in those days topped out at $21.99.  So, I may be a little bit skewed in my price comparisons.

In this case, it’s probably better to go with my husband who has paid enough attention to price increases  over the last decade to be more realistic about these things. He understands and occasionally notes, ‘That’s not a bad price these days’ on anything under $150.

Anyway, you might want to hurry if any of these styles have you crushing hard. You never know whether they will sell out;  leaving you desperately trolling the online auction scene for a pair in your size – at painful and ridiculous markups,  to boot.

Christian Siriano for Payless ‘Cut it Out Ankle Cuff Pump’ $79.99.

Christian Siriano for Payless ‘To The Point’ printed platform pump $79.99.

Christian Siriano for Payless ‘All Done Up’ Maryjane pump $79.99.

Oh, and if you like a retro-accessories shoe-purse match, there’s always this (previously available) Siriano for Payless handbag for your consideration. (It also matches the previously available & less expensive  ‘coast printed satin pumps’ which have a more traditional heel style if ‘the claw’ is not for you.)

Siriano for Payless Large Shopper handbag $39.99.

I would have liked to have seen the paper-bag, bloused, booties show up at retail, but at $79.99 I can see why that may not have been possible to achieve.

It remains to be seen if the Payless budget-shopper demographic will accept higher-than-normal (at least for this retailer) prices for such designer exclusives. I wonder if even these under $100 offerings may be a big gamble for Payless  and their traditional family-on-a-budget audience.

Which brings me to more questions:

Are you happy with the often pared-down  translation of shoes from fashion week to Ready-to-wear? Or do you feel that too much is lost in bringing original runway styles to a widely affordable price point?

Pantone’s Color of the Year: Turquoise

I’m not one for following every color trend that comes along.

As I push on closer and closer to (age) 40, I tend to stick with those colors that have proved to be complimentary to me over the years. Luckily, pretty much anything in the blue color family works for me.

Plus, with something close to an even zillion re-tweets last week of Pantone’s Color of 2010, this particular color trend seemed worth mentioning.

It will certainly be interesting to see if fashion and shoe trends fall in line with this prediction. It makes sense given the current resurgence of 80′s-inspired fashion that several of the staple colors from that decade, including turquoise and fuschia, would make an appearance. I also recall seeing a significant increase in both turqoise and fuschia sandals last spring and summer, so maybe this is less of a prediction than an acknowledgement of an emerging trend.

So, here it is:

15-5519 Turquoise, an inviting, luminous hue, as the color of the year for 2010. Combining the serene qualities of blue and the invigorating aspects of green, Turquoise evokes thoughts of soothing, tropical waters and a languorous, effective escape from the everyday troubles of the world, while at the same time restoring our sense of wellbeing.

Luckily for me, I already have my turquoise for the year – care of a few great sales last spring:

Guess ‘Chiquita” & LAMB watch

Sandals by ‘Hot in Hollywood’

Report Signature’s ‘Dita’

Okay, I’ll admit, the last is more of a faboulous sky blue, but what’s the point if all of my shoes are the exact same shade?

Anyway, while I doubt any of these shoes from my collection are still available anywhere but the retail aftermarket, there are still a huge number of fantastic turquoise options for you to choose from right now.

Among them:

Christian Louboutin Double Platform Knotted Mule $895 at Nieman Marcus

Christian Louboutin Glitter Peep Toe Pumps $725 at Nieman Marcus

Stuart Weitzman Turquoise Embellished Strappy Sandals $395 at Saks.com

And, for the slightly more budget-conscious:

Jeffrey Campbell ‘Downtown’ Bootie $139.95

Poetic License ‘Kiss and Tell’ $94.95 at Nordstrom.com

Tory Burch Reva Jelly Flats $95 at Saks.com

Steve Madden ‘Saahara’ $49.95 at Nordstrom

And, for the extreme frugalista:

Montege Bay ‘Oscar Bow’ $16.99 $12.99 at Payless.com

Montego Bay ‘Marissa’ sandal $19.99 at Payless.com

So, will you be on the hunt for the perfect turquoise footwear this year?

Christian Siriano is now available online at Payless

Remember how – not too long ago -  we were anticipating the new Christian Siriano-Payless Shoesource collaboration?

Well, some styles are now available in-store an online.

So far, I am seeing 2 shoe-styles and 1 handbag online:

Christian Siriano for Payless “Slither” $49.99. Don’t expect these to go on sale anytime soon.

Christian Siriano for Payless “Sandstrap” platform peep-to $34.99. This is a cute and classy shoe.

Christian Siriano for Payless “Sassafrass” extra large hobo handbag $34.99. I wonder if that little inverted pyramid-thingy will be the Siriano trademark?

These are cute and I like the idea of supporting new designers – particularly when they are trying to create affordable fashion for the many folks who must stay on-budget every month.

But, online styles appear to be limited ….. Let’s hope there are more styles to be found in-store.

…Or, am I just being unreasonably greedy to get my hands on a pair of the edgy little chain-adorned numbers we saw on the runway?

Now I’ll just have to  try to get some time to go into town today to see if anything has shown up locally. Unfortunately, small-town living may not bode well for me in this instance.

ETA: Another new style just popped up on the Payless site (particularly useful to those who’s local stores never saw any September in-store stock); these certainly weren’t there yesterday morning – Brown snakeskin flats:

Christian Siriano for Payless “Saunter” $29.99

I suppose there’s some of that chain we have been mentioning in the comments below.

Christian Siriano: Spring 2010 Runway Collection Sneek Peek

Christian Siriano introduced his Spring ’10 Runway collection at Payless Shoe Source in New York during Fashion’s Night Out.  Now, I don’t know if these shoes will be in my neighborhood Payless, or if they will make them less “runway” looking, or if these are a llimited edition for only New York.  Last year we saw Payless take his hot runway shoes and make them consumer friendly (average).

Here are the shoes introduced. 

These are what the model wore at the sneak peek.

Christian and the current display.

Payless Shoe Source is trying to make unusual shoes available to the lower end market.  They also have Alice+Olivia limited edition designs available.  We’ll see how well this line does in the stores.

Payless Does the DIY Trend

For the uninitiated, DIY stands for “Do it Yourself.” In fashion, it refers to people who take it upon themselves to modify or create their clothing to make it their own. No one has a more personal style than a fashion DIY-er.  It’s not easy to take a pair of scissors to a dress or write all over a pair of shoes if you haven’t done it before. I know. I used to think that the clothes were sacred! They were the way they were for a reason! This is clearly some mythic idea I concocted in my brain. It’s gone now. Payless has taken it upon themselves to make the first step easier by introducing the Friendship shoe.

This all-white shoe is sold with a package of three markers in order to give you the little push you might need to start scribbling on and personalizing your shoes. Originally, the idea came from kids. Remember, in school how important is was that EVERYONE in your class signed your yearbook or your cast (if you managed to break an arm)? These let you collect signatures with the need for tragic accident or the end of the year. But they don’t stop there. In addition to running wild with the pens that come with the shoes, you can also expand on the idea by adding feathers, paint, rhinestones, studs, fabric, or anything else in your craft arsenal. The possibilities are endless. The shoes come in both adult ($22.99) and children’s ($17.99) sizes and are available online as well as in stores in the New York Metro area (which includes New Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania).

Did I mention that 100% of the proceeds from these shoes go to The Fresh Air Fund? This wonderful nonprofit program raises money to allow inner city kids to experience summer camp and outdoor activities free of charge. It literally provides kids with “fresh air.” Those of you who live in places that have large quantities of nature may not understand just how important this program is. I live in the center of Manhattan. On a regular day, it’s entirely possible that I may not actually see a tree, or anything else that grows. Kids in the city have little access to nature and little opportunity to run and play. This is an essential part of childhood and I cannot express to you how vital it is for a healthy childhood. I believe the Fresh Air Fund is providing children and families with a tremendous service.

To give you all some idea of the possibilities of the Friendship shoe, take a look at what our beloved Christian Siriano did with his pair:

That Christian has a way with feathers.

Another famous name, at least in the business of high-end athletic shoes and graphic design, also took a shot at the Friendship shoe. Jeff Staple has designed some of the most sought-after shoes in Nike’s history as well as limited runs for New Balance. He will be designing an entire collection of Airwalk shoes for Payless that will debut in Fall 2009.

So there you have it. The Friendship shoe gives you a chance to do some good, get some comfy kicks, and express your personality in one easy step.