Castle Rock Shopping Extravaganza Fashion Show

We had such a wonderful time at this show! Peggy Ziglin, Colorado Regional Public Relations Tourism Director and President of the Rocky Mountain Shopping Center Association, put on such a great show featuring Fall 2009 fashions. The shopping extravaganza was a big hit and the excitement and traffic boosted everyone's spirits. It's evident that the economy is starting to get back on track! The fashion show/luncheon presented children and adult fashions from retailers at the Castle Rock Outlets. It also featured several category winners from Fashion Group International, including us! We were so fortunate to have Denise Plante and Tawyna Rush, the stars of the Colorado & Company tv show on Channel 9, serve as our "mom" models for the mother/daughter looks presented in the show.

It's Feeling Like Fall

Well, it's certainly feeling like fall around the studio. A crisp breeze is in the air, the aspens are just starting to show their fall colors, and the ground squirrels are getting really fat! The debut line of LamanBlu for Fall 2009, "Being the Fabulous" is in retail stores and selling nicely.

Take two - I actually started this blog post a week ago - that's what happens here in Colorado - weather changes quickly! It no longer feels like fall - it's been snowing for three days!

It's funny this time of year, Fall 2009 is selling in the stores, Spring 2010 is selling at market, and we're starting to design Fall 2010 in the atelier. No wonder I have to think before I get dressed in the morning (what season is it?) and I never know what year to write on my checks!

Speaking of Fall 2010 (are you ready for that?) - we're traveling to India for Fall 2010. Exotic India, with its hustle and bustle, beautiful bright colors, layered dressing, elaborate embroideries, exotic prints.......

We're also reflecting on our eco-friendly commitment, and happy that more and more companies across industries are also coming to realize that our decisions are important to our planet. Our signature bamboo knits will have a new romantic feel for fall, in reflection pool cool colors of blues and pinks.

We're introducing new eco-conscious fabrics for fall as well, hemps and organic cottons, in our dedication to Avani ("Earth" in Sanskrit). Be on the lookout for environmentally friendly garment dyed items.....

LamanBlu Models at the Shopping Extravaganza at Outlets at Castle Rock

Meet the stars and see their amazing creations with informal modeling at this year’s Shopping Extravaganza at Outlets at Castle Rock on September 26, 2009. LamanBlu will be presenting designs from their Fall 2009 collection, now available in retail boutiques. “We are showing our eco-conscious bamboo knits from the “Being the Fabulous” collection,” says Holli Gibson, designer for LamanBlu. Models will be wearing mother/daughter looks in Pewter and Kiss Pink, two of the key colors of the season.

LamanBlu by Holli Gibson is the winner of the Children’s Wear category for the Rising Star 2009 Award. The Rising Star is awarded to an outstanding designer by The Fashion Group International, Inc. The field was narrowed from 27 finalists to 10 category winners. Category winners will also participate in the prestigious Rising Star Fashion by Design runway gala, the biannual signature event orchestrated by Fashion Group International of Denver, on October 23, 2009 at Mercedes-Benz of Westminster, the presenting sponsor. “I’m excited to be participating in these events, and delighted that the Shopping Extravaganza is another way to support some of my favorite charities,” says Holli Gibson.

This is the 4th Annual Shopping Extravaganza to take place at Outlets at Castle Rock. It’s a day of shopping, saving and fun on Saturday, September 26, 2009 from 10am – 8pm. The Outlets at Castle Rock is located on I-25 in Castle Rock, Colorado, Exit 184. Tickets are $20 and include shopping discounts, jazz, art and desserts in the hospitality suite, a goodie bag and lunch. There will also be over $30,000 in prizes.

This event benefits the Special Olympics of Colorado, The Women’s Crisis Family Outreach Center, The American Cancer Society, The Denver Post Community, Autism Speaks and The Dumb Friends League. To buy your ticket, please contact a participating charity, call (303) 688-2800 or visit http://www.outletsatcastlerock.com/.

For more information about the October 23rd Runway Gala, visit http://www.denver.fgi.org/ or http://www.blacktie-colorado.com/ , or call (303) 809-3595.

To purchase LamanBlu locally, visit Three Blind Mice at 6882 S. University Blvd. in Centennial or call (720) 283-6423.

LamanBlu Announces Dallas and Atlanta Sales Representatives

LamanBlu is pleased to announce its partnership with two new sales representatives. After rave reviews to its debut line, including features in both Earnshaw’s Magazine and Hudson’s Children’s Wear Review, as well as designer Holli Gibson’s accomplishment of being named the Rising Star Award winner in the Children’s Wear Category by The Fashion Group International, LamanBlu has hired outstanding sales reps in two new territories to expand its presence in the South and Southwest.

Button Up! Will introduce LamanBlu’s Spring /Summer 2010 collection at the Dallas Market on August 13-16. Beth Button began her career in children’s wear by running the corporate showroom for Earthlings, the first organic clothing for children in the market. She opened her own showroom in 2001 and has been representing truly unique lines ever since. Button Up! has just moved into its new showroom in a prime location of the World Trade Center on the children’s floor. Button Up!’s permanent showroom is located at the World Trade Center, Showroom 8072, 2050 Stemmons Freeway, Dallas, Texas 75207.

Lace and Denim will introduce LamanBlu’s collection at the Atlanta Market on August 20-24. Their permanent showroom is located in the heart of the Southeastern buying district in AmericasMart on the Children’s World Floor. Terrie Phillips has over 22 years sales experience, formerly in the Gift industry, before finding her home in children’s apparel and accessories. The AmericasMart is located at 250 Spring Street, Atlanta, Georgia 30303. The Lace and Denim showroom is #13S-344B.

“We are so excited to be working with both Terrie and Beth,” says Holli Gibson, designer for LamanBlu. “They are so vivacious, have wonderful reputations in the industry and we feel that there is such a great synergy with our line and their showrooms. I know our customers will appreciate their professionalism and extremely high level of customer service.”

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LamanBlu, by Holli Gibson, is designer clothing for children. It is created for parents and children who want something uniquely beautiful, fashionable and comfortable. The quality and timeless style is such that these clothes are meant to be passed down to siblings and heirloom pieces are meant to be passed down to future generations. These are mix and match clothing pieces that have been designed to take kids all the way from play to special events. The LamanBlu customer loves the American lifestyle of easy to care, easy to wear clothing, yet appreciates the European sensibility for the finer things in life and attention to detail. LamanBlu is available in boutiques across the US. Visit them on the web at www.LamanBlu.com

To contact Terrie Phillips with Lace and Denim, call (434) 258-7650, or visit their website at www.laceanddenimllc.com.

To contact Beth Button with Button Up!, call (214) 749-0440, or visit their website at www.buttonupdallas.com.

LamanBlu Releases its Spring / Summer 2010 Photo Album

LamanBlu today released its Spring / Summer 2010 Collection. There are three stories for the season, Aruba, Eco-Couture, and Viva la Couleur. LamanBlu continued with its mix and match philosophy, even across stories, enabling the stores to customize their sales floor presentations and enabling the customer to pull together their own unique look for their child. Their signature attention to detail makes each piece in the collection a stand alone “must-have item” for the season.

The Aruba story focuses on tonal color washable linens with ladder lace detailing, natural shell buttons and freshwater pearl beading. An environmentally friendly custom seahorse print rounds out the story. It provides nice crossover options with the Eco-Couture story, which focuses on tropical brights and white in LamanBlu’s signature bamboo/lycra knit. This story also features their signature embroidery on many of the pieces. A yarn dye stripe in bright colors provides accent. Eco-Couture also works closely with the Viva la Couleur story, which features cotton stretch sateens in bright citrus and other tropical colors. A cotton voile couture print rounds out this story as well as contrast color piping and topstitching. Organic cotton t’s with embroidery work across the entire spring/summer collection.

“I’m always inspired by the ocean and wanted to bring finds from the beach for our Aruba story. The seahorse print was actually designed from a photo I took of a seahorse on one adventure.” says Holli Gibson, designer for LamanBlu. Cotton rope ties on sundresses and waistbands continue the beachy feel. Styles include sundresses, suntops and skirts with high “twirl” quality, as well as cuffed clamdiggers and shorts. A reversible bucket hat tops everything.

The Eco-Couture story in bamboo knit shows a ruffled ballerina dress, a short sleeve poet jacket and a ruffled bustle skirt on the dressier side, as well as embroidered tank tops, swing T’s, clamdiggers, ¾ leggings and a full circle skort on the sportier side of the spectrum. Lettuce hemming is a major detail in the story. “We’ve selected a heavier weight bamboo with a touch of lycra which is a true designer quality fabric and is unique in the children’s wear market. It really has a luxurious hand and wears fabulously,” says Gibson.

“Isla Mujeres inspired the citrus brights of the Viva la Couleur story,” says Gibson. “The spirit of Mexico, the bright color combinations, even a bit of the flamenco played into the design.” The backs are as important as the fronts in this story. The short sleeve jacket is beautiful for spring, from its low yoke and flared back to its shell buttons and portrait collar to its Juliette sleeve and front pockets. Also in this story are a voile skort, cuffed clamdigger and fishtail skirt. Tops include a button back tank which is made special by the front topstitching and back detailing as well as a peter pan blouse with piping. On the casual side, organic embroidered t’s top flared shorts with piping and a board short made just for girls. A reversible bucket hat tops it all.

To see the Spring / Summer 2010 Collection photo album, visit www.LamanBlu.com/Gallery.htm

Holli Gibson, Designer of LamanBlu, Wins Children’s Wear Category for the Rising Star Award

LamanBlu by Holli Gibson is the winner of the Children’s Wear category for the Rising Star 2009 Award. The Rising Star is awarded to an outstanding designer by The Fashion Group International, Inc. The field was narrowed from 27 finalists to 10 category winners. Category winners will participate in the prestigious Rising Star Fashion by Design runway gala, the biannual signature event orchestrated by Fashion Group International of Denver, on October 23, 2009. “I am honored to be chosen as the category winner for Children’s Wear. Fashion Group International has such a wonderful reputation and history in the industry,” says Holli Gibson.

Designers will present their collections in this runway gala at Mercedes-Benz of Westminster, the presenting sponsor. The event, which will include silent and live auctions, benefits FGI’s scholarship and educational outreach programs. Tickets are $50-$250. Find more information at denver.fgi.org or blacktie-colorado.com; 303-809-3595.

FGI is a global non-profit where fashion industry professionals connect, create and move the fashion industries – apparel, accessories, beauty and the home. The first non-profit fashion organization that now boasts 6,000 members worldwide originally became a force in New York City, the organization’s headquarters. Helena Rubenstein, Eleanor Roosevelt, Edith Head and others with early New York fashion careers are responsible for FGI’s founding.

The concept of Fashion Group International began originally in New York in 1928 when 17 women, gathered by Edna Woolman Chase, Editor-in-Chief of Vogue, met for lunch in a modest midtown New York restaurant. They had three things in common: Each held a job of consequence in the business of fashion, each held all the others in high regard and together they held a belief that fashion needed a forum, a stage, or a force to express and enhance a widening awareness of the American fashion business and of women’s roles in that business. The Fashion Group®, conceived at an informal luncheon in 1928 became an organization in 1930, with a place, a purpose, by-laws, officers and women eager to be members. The Denver chapter of Fashion Group International was founded March 1958 by Gretchen Weber.

LamanBlu Featured in Earnshaw’s June 2009 Coast to Coast – “True Blue”

LamanBlu is featured in the Nationwide Fashion Spotlight of the latest edition of Earnshaw’s Magazine, THE Infants’, Girls’ & Boys’ Wear Review for the Children’s Wear Industry. “We’re very excited to be recognized by Earnshaw’s. They’re an important voice in the industry.” says Holli Gibson, Designer for LamanBlu.

Melissa Knific, Features Editor for Earnshaw’s Magazine interviewed Gibson about LamanBlu for the Coast to Coast section which spotlights fashions nationwide. They discussed where the name LamanBlu hails from, as well as the eco-bent of the line and a roundup of the Fall 2009 styles as well as Gibson’s extensive industry experience.

Says Gibson, “With LamanBlu, I wanted to merge the American lifestyle of easy to care, easy to wear clothing with the European sensibility for the finer things in life and attention to detail. I also wanted to be true to something near and dear to my heart, the eco-impact our choices have. My mother was eco when I was a kid, before we even had a term for such things. God has given us this beautiful world, and we all have a responsibility to care for it.”

LamanBlu is designer clothing for girls’, offered in sizes 2T through 6x. It is sold exclusively through high-end boutiques across the US. For more information or to view photos of the Fall 2009 line, please visit their website at www.LamanBlu.com. To preview the Spring/Summer 2010 line, please contact LamanBlu at info@LamanBlu.com. To view the online edition of Earnshaw’s and read LamanBlu’s feature, visit http://earnshaws.epubxpress.com/link/EARN/2009/jun/22?s=0

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LamanBlu, by Holli Gibson, is designer clothing for children. It is created for parents and children who want something uniquely beautiful, fashionable and comfortable. The quality and timeless style is such that these clothes are meant to be passed down to siblings and heirloom pieces are meant to be passed down to future generations. These are mix and match clothing pieces that have been designed to take kids all the way from play to special events. The LamanBlu customer loves the American lifestyle of easy to care, easy to wear clothing, yet appreciates the European sensibility for the finer things in life and attention to detail. LamanBlu is available in boutiques across the US. Visit them on the web at www.LamanBlu.com

Earnshaw’s is the premier media resource serving the children’s market, including apparel, juvenile products and gifts. With more than 90 years of experience, the magazine is the established voice of the industry. More than 13,000 decision makers rely on Earnshaw’s print vehicle, online communications, fashion events and seminars to hone their retail strategies and merchandising techniques, stay informed on the latest trends, and keep their assortments fresh. Visit them on the web at www.earnshaws.com.