LamanBlu Launches Cruise/Resort – Just in time for a Beach Vacation!

LamanBlu has just released its first collection for the cruise/resort season. The collection is entitled “Beachcomber” and is an inspired find for a beach holiday to wash away the winter blues.

“Seaside family holidays provide inspiration for this nautical story, as old, over-exposed photographs remind us of happier care-free times. Recycled nautical elements add authenticity…Natural fabrics with slubby irregularities such as linen and linen blends are important and add a lived-in feel.” (Trend Bible Kids)

Varying colors of blue and white, along with a custom watercolor seahorse print form the basis of LamanBlu’s first Cruise/Resort collection. “I love family holidays at the shore and am always inspired by the sense of wonder they promote, my kids and my own. The beach and the ocean are full of awe-inspiring wonder.” Says Holli Gibson, designer for LamanBlu.

White and pink sand, Caribbean waters so blue they make your soul ache to explore beneath them. And the eternal hunt for seahorses, those elusive gentle creatures hidden in the reef that hold you spellbound. What better beachwear than washed linen in Dutch and sun faded colors. “We’re using inspired finds from the beach, including natural shell buttons and rope trim.”, says Gibson. The colors are translucent and a reminder of being castaway on a desert island. Fabrics are crinkled and cool to the touch. The garments have a feeling of linear aesthetics to strike the right balance. Details and finishings are perfect reminders of a demure and prim gentility. Harking back to Victorian vintage, with haute couture precision and radiant elegance. Nothing is left to chance, nothing is vague, everything is pretty, harmonious and graceful. A revival of the finest which is enchanting and precious.

Why linen for kids? The finest 100% linen is one of the purest cloths there is. It is light and comfortable, and has a coolness and absorbency that make it ideal for sunny days. It is an ideal fabric for children's sensitive skins and especially good for those with skin conditions, such as allergies and eczema, because it has a natural pH balance. Linen is very environmentally friendly. It comes from flax and every part of the plant is used. The finest fibers are used to make linen fabrics and the by-products are used to make everything from oil to cattle feed to bank notes and fiber board. Waste is minimal and any chemicals used are always fully treated before disposal. And as always, fabrics in the LamanBlu line are machine washable and dryable, and ironing is optional, including linen.

LamanBlu Spring/Summer 2011 Preview

Spring / Summer 2011 Preview

We thought you'd like to see some preview shots from the Spring/Summer 2011 Collection. Don't the girls look fresh and lovely?! They're proving out our mantra - for a child, every day is an occasion.

Spring 2011 Sneak Peek

We did our first photo shoot yesterday for Spring/Summer 2011. We found a beautiful park and the girls ran an played and had a tea party and chased butterflies and blew bubbles. They were wonderful and we all had such a good time!

Flowers and flowing hair ruled the day. Little girls all have such natural beauty and they sure showed it off. Beautifully dressed and playing, running, with a giant game of ring-around-the-rosie thrown in. Shoes and hair barettes were graciously provided by Bear Feet, based in Texas.

FGI Denver Captures Major Award at International New York Conference - LamanBlu is the Rising Star

SHINING STAR IN THE FASHION UNIVERSE

Susanne Taylor, FGI District 4 Director and winner of the Entrepreneur of the Year Award; Scottie Taylor Iverson, FGI of Denver Regional Director and chair of RISING STAR; Nathalia Fairbault, FGI of Denver program chair and NY conference attendee; Jan Top, FGI of Denver program chair and NY conference attendee; Carol Engel-Enright, business development chair, Career Day chair and NY conference attendee with Margaret Hayes, president of Fashion Group International, NY headquarters

Fashion Group International of Denver won the coveted Special Event Award for RISING STAR 2009, Fashion By Design Runway Gala at the recent international conference in New York. The awards banquet was held at the famed Cosmopolitan Club and was a particularly sweet culmination for the Denver contingent after the first full day of meetings and presentations held at Conde Naste. This was a wonderful surprise to be shared with a large, talented and passionate committee,” said Iverson. “ I am so proud of the individuals I chose. We all poured our hearts into RISING STAR and it showed! Since the judges weren’t at the event, the package compiled for competition had to be comprehensive as though they had attended.

My background in marketing and winning some national advertising awards helped with the daunting task. It’s all about relationships and we were told that one of the factors that put us on top was the number of sponsors and partners we garnered for the fundraiser for which we are so grateful. Denver is often overlooked in the world of fashion. We have proven that we have lifestyle and style.”

About RISING STAR: Signature event of Fashion Group International of Denver held every other year to salute new and emerging designers throughout Colorado in order to raise funds for fashion scholarships and educational outreach programs,

Venue: The exquisite showroom at Mercedes-Benz of Westminster with a 55’ runway in the west wing

Components: Kickoff party with 150 attendees and a wait list; red carpet entry, Starlight Lounge with live entertainment and special cuisine for sponsors, VIPs, category winners and media; silent auction; Academy Awards -style presentation of trophies on stage for category winners whose designs would be on the runway and sponsor gifts; fashion show with professional models, awarding of The Rising Star of the Year to Holli Gibson, LamanBlu, children’s clothing

Re-branding: naming the event, logo for the event, consistent use of images including an illustration of the last Rising Star’s evening gown (Gino Velardi – designer) by artist Jim Howard and three models in a Mercedes-Benz of Westminster convertible reaching for the stars

Innovations (all about stars): Save The Date cards attached to “star” shaped chocolate brownie lollipops, special fashion show at Outlets of Colorado Shopping Extravaganza highlighting fashions from category winners; professionally designed invitations, ads, souvenir program and collateral materials; awarding the first ever Lifetime Achievement Award to “Star Legend” David Jacobs, founder of Spyder Active Sports based in Boulder and including Spyder fashions on the runway; signature drink – “sparkling star” created by Occasions By Sandy; proclamations from two mayors; Saks Fifth Avenue display window on the valet circle at Cherry Creek Shopping Center; Star Spangled Banner sung by Nancy Fitzgerald to open the show; multi media presentation throughout created by Tommy Collier; progressive food stations and runway seating rather than tables; stage a presentation of a $2,500 scholarship to CSU by Kenneth King Foundation

Judging: Project Runway meets Academy Awards - Two layers of competition patterned after the New York format with a distinguished panel completing the final judging. Top three companies (BornFit, DVLP Clothing and LamanBlu) on stage for announcing of the winner for 2009. The 11 category winners were selected by criteria to evaluate their portfolios of current and past designs in addition to publicity and industry experience. Before a panel of distinguished judges, those winners continued with interviews and samples of product. Samples were assessed with regard to fashion trends, cohesive collections, construction and marketability. Further assessments were scored as to marketing strategies, distribution channels and business viability. Some companies already enjoy international distribution. Judges were charged with finding the designer who would have a nationally recognized brand within five years.

Of Interest: One of the most well known designers chosen as New York’s Rising Star in recent years is Tory Burch.

Category Winners: Women’s Sportswear -Julie Hill and Lisa Welch of BornFit, Women’s Dress – Stephanie Ohnmacht of Smooch, Art Wearables – Susan Kiely of Women With A Cause, Custom Design – Maureen deHaan of Denver Couture, Active Wear/ Outdoor Wear – Phoebe Stapleton of Sierra Designs, Urban/Street Wear – Rustin Coburn and Noah Price of DVLP Clothing, Children’s Wear – Holli Gibson of LamanBlu, Accessories- Eulanda Saunders of Yo-San Studio, Jewelry – Andrea Li of Andrea Li Designs, Retail – Mona Lucero of Mona Lucero and Interior Design – Jeanne Connolly of Vintage Renewal

Committee (All Star Cast): Jan Top, Debra Pain, Peggy Ziglin, Gino Velardi, Cynthia Petrus, Carol Engel-Enright Lisa Elstun, Nathalia Faribault, Evelyn Stephens, Jim Howard, Susan Ware, Stephen Replin, Vicky Nolan, Lenora Chavez, Lauren Vitalie, Cindy Mackin, Patty Spivack, Melissa Oster, Lisa Wax, Donna Kelly, Keri Christiansen, Janet Wagner and Jo Frank

Sponsors: Platinum Star – Mercedes-Benz of Westminster

Gold Star – Outlets of Colorado

Partners: Occasions By Sandy, Newberry Bothers Greenhouse & Florist, Saks Fifth Avenue, Moet & Chandon, Applejack Wine & Spirits, Beverage Distributors Pinnacle Division, The Villager Newspaper, Donna Kelly Beauty, Posh Salon, Balistreri Winery, Breckenridge Brewery, Starbucks, oogave, Chocolate Discoveries, Tommy Collier, Live Entertainment by David Christie

Caterer/Sponsor/ Partner: Occasions By Sandy

Graphic Designer: Stu Wyatt Productions

Printers: MIDO, Print Pointe

Support by: Blacktie-Colorado.com, The Denver Post-Suzanne Brown, The Villager Newspaper, Denver a la Mode, Mile High Sports Radio – Live with Lisa, Denver Magazine, Denver Woman Magazine, 9News- Colorado & Company, 303 Magazine, Denver Daily News, KKHI Radio, FGI Student Chapter at CSU

“The Fashion Group International of Denver’s Rising Star Awards bi-annual fashion gala is a phenomenal arena in which to compete for our city’s emerging design talent! It’s an incredible opportunity to showcase their businesses, share their vision and to contribute to the creative essence of Denver and Colorado. It was my sincere pleasure to be part of the steering committee for RISING STAR 2009.” --Cynthia Petrus

Saks Fifth Avenue, PR/Fashion Director; RISING STAR Show Producer; former Regional Director FGI Denver and FGI Cleveland

Fashion Group International is a global nonprofit organization with 5,000 members sharing worldwide expertise – professionals who move the fashion industries…apparel, accessories, beauty and the home. The FGI mission is to be the pre-eminent authority on the business of fashion and design and to help the members become more effective in their professional lives. Districts include: Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Columbus, Indianapolis, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., Atlanta, Kansas City, North Florida, St. Louis, South Florida (includes Miami), Los Angeles, Palm Springs, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Columbia, Toronto, London, Paris, Mexico City, Sydney, Tokyo, Seoul and of course – New York. Denver is in District 4 Southwest that also includes Arizona, Dallas, Houston and San Antonio.

Read Our Latest Interview

I was excited to be contacted by Madison Buyer for an interview, and they've posted it on their website. We've reprinted it here, but check out the Madison Buyer website - it' s a great new source for buyers and designers to connect! http://www.madisonbuyer.com/

Madison Buyer (MB): What inspired you to jump into fashion?
Holli Gibson (HG): I've been interested in fashion as long as I can remember. My mother was a very fashionable lady - I still have one of her Balenciaga suits from the 40's that truly amazing! I graduated from college with a bachelor of science in apparel design and I have been working as a designer in the industry since then, in 1990.

MB: What makes LamanBlu different than other collections?

HG: LamanBlu is classically beautiful designer clothing with a modern edge. It is styled for the parent and child who want something uniquely beautiful, fashionable and comfortable. The LamanBlu customer embraces the American lifestyle of easy-to-care, easy-to-wear clothing while having the European sensibility for the finer things in life and attention to detail. Only the highest quality of fabrics are chosen for the line, with the Eco-impact those choices have. The LamanBlu collection gives customers the ability to pick and choose the pieces that will enhance their own unique look. Sizing runs 2T-6x and select styles are also available in mother/daughter looks.

LamanBlu is domestically produced and has no minimums to buy. The line is designed to give enven small boutiques the opportunity to customize the collection for their store, there are many choices in terms of colors and trims, and prints and the way to combine them in the garments - this is a unique opportunity for the small specialty store buyer to become involved in custom merchandising the line for their customers.

MB: As a designer, what are your most difficult challenges?

HG: As a designer, editing is my most difficult challenge. There are so many great ideas and so many inspirations, so many directions to go in. I've been fortunate and had the opporutnity to work with many very experienced buyers and merchandisers over the years so I have learned how to edit and merchandise a line properly, but that's always my biggest challenge.

MB: Who is your primary target audience?

HG: My primary target audience is the specialty boutique store - both in the US and abroad.

MB: What's in store for LamanBlu customers in the near future?
HG: We've just hired a sales rep firm in Canada, so we will be available internationally, we're also starting to see some interest in Australia. We're introducing our first venture into the cruise/resort season and that collection will be available to retailers very soon. And starting with the Spring 2011 collection, we are introducing infant sizing.

Holiday 2010 Fashion Show in Atlanta

It's snowing (AGAIN) in the mountains. While the blanket of white outside is truly beautiful, we're kind of DONE with winter and ready for spring (for real, not the teasing promise of spring). Ahh well, sometimes this IS spring in the mountains. At any rate, seems like a good time to bring you a snapshot of our recent holiday fashion show in Atlanta. The AmericasMart put on a nice show and the models were adorable. Our fabulous faux fur (in the color Snowflake - what else?) was the hit of the show!

From our Avani group (meaning "Earth" in Sanskrit), we present our victimless fur - it feels as fabulous as the real thing and is a delight to any little girl in the winter. "It's all about faux, it's all about furry, and it's all about fabulous! Being conscious of fashion is the new trend." - Style with Anna

We're offering several faux fur pieces for holiday, including our capelet, which is fully lined in snuggle fleece for extra warmth and has a single button closure at the neck. It's paired here with our fur skirt, which boasts an elastic waistband and is fully lined in our bamboo knit. Other pieces include a matching muff, hat with fabric roses and a fur purse!

Special Event Award

Fashion Group International just held its annual conference in New York and guess what? The Rising Star Fashion By Design Runway Gala, in which LamanBlu was honored with the Rising Star Award, won the Special Event Award from FGI!

We thought you might like to see a slide show of the event - video of the fashion show will follow soon (oh, and by the way - you're seeing styles from our Cruise/Resort 2011 Collection in this show).