Courtney Kerr Archives - LAFashionsnob.com

Gap x Birchbox Arrives in Houston

Jun 20 2015

Leading beauty and grooming retailer- Birchbox, has recently teamed up with the classic apparel brand- Gap and launched summer beauty shops within select Gap stores around the country. The eight week experience kicked off June 5th and will run through the end of July at flagship locations in New York City, San Francisco, Chicago, Los Angeles and Houston.

I attended the Gap x Birchbox launch event at Gap in the Houston Galleria. Guests were invited to experience Try Bars- where shoppers could get hands-on experience with hair, makeup, nail, body, fragrance and skincare. There were makeup artists also on hand for guests to get touch-ups. I got my makeup refreshed by local artist- Heather Nixon, who gave me a natural look. Dallas blogger-Courtney Kerr made a special appearance, meeting-and-greeting fans, while sharing her favorites from the collaboration. She looked “All-American Chic,” wearing a chambray denim cami and black high-waisted distressed skinny jeans, all from Gap. Her makeup of the evening included: Cynthia Rowley Lip Stain in “Poppy,” Parlor Sea Salt Spray and Cargo Bronzer.

Courtney shared her other favorites from Birchbox: Laqa & Co. Lipstick, Klorane Dry Shampoo, Whish Shave Crave Shaving Cream and Benefit “They’re Real” Mascara.

Customers can go HERE to find out more information on the Gap x Birchbox collaboration.

WWDMagic August 2014- Overall Experience

Oct 29 2014

WWDMagic– the trade show of trade shows. It’s where the fashion industry congregates twice a year in Las Vegas to literally talk trade, sourcing, the latest trends…anything FASHION… for three straight days. Attendees travel (via complimentary shuttles) between two major venues- the convention center and Mandalay Bay to take on nine (yes NINE) different shows. I’ve attended MAGIC about four times now and have always had a great experience, whether it be meeting new people, spotlighting new brands, seeing shows that perhaps I wasn’t able to see the last time I was there and more.

This time around, my friend and fellow blogger- Shalanda and I flew to Vegas to attend the show. We got in a couple days before the show started, to have a mini vacation of sorts. But once the show started, it was jam-packed from 9am to the close at 6pm. I met with brands (and blog followers) that I’ve only connected with via social media. I re-connected with friends from Los Angeles and Austin. I found a booth that specialized in VINTAGE. AND… how can anyone forget… the coveted trade show bags…like ahem… PROJECT?! I don’t know about you, but every time I go to MAGIC, I always anticipate how cool the Pool, ENK, Sourcing or Project bags are going to be. Geeky, I know…but still…

It was my first time attending Sourcing and like all the shows, it was overwhelmingly informative. There were booths that dealt with sourcing fabrics and trims from over 35 countries and inspiration to be found around every corner. There was a cozy lounge provided by Laurel and Wolf- an innovative interior design website where you take a design style quiz and designers submit boards for you to see (depending on what package you choose). Denim was very trend-heavy this season. August’s featured denim exhibit was Jeanologia– a Spanish company that is in the development of sustainable technologies for garment finishing. Their exhibit is dubbed “Back to America Wall” and consisted of a collection of vintage denim garments that were inspired by the company’s archive. It was also during Sourcing that I discovered… “They have VINTAGGGGEEEE…” But more on that later. Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to sit in on the seminars, but for those of you that plan on checking out MAGIC, I suggest making time to go.

Personal appearances by celebrities are the norm during Magic Market Week. There was an after-party at ‘The Oasis,’ at ENK, where Whitney Port and Trop Rouge‘s Christina Caradona were the ‘hosts of honor.’ Courtney Kerr was at the American Express Open booth, discussing fashion and business.

The American Express Open booth was also home to an intense three day competition, where three New York City-based handbag designers competed in the American Express Open Rising Stars Competition. Victoria Khoss, Kelsea Slade and Shana Luther had to design a handbag that dictated the concept “retro proven newness.” Their mini-studios were set up in the middle of the floor, complete with their sketches, materials and sewing machines. It was fun watching them and just chatting with them about their design process.

In the next segment of WWDMagic coverage, you will learn about quite a few of the “new-to-me” brands that I discovered. Of course I stopped by a few brands that I’ve known for awhile now, such as Moods of Norway. It is also great seeing one of the designers- Stefan, always dressed in his signature dapper duds and small tractor pin. I was also greeted with a heart-shaped waffled with jam. It was a such a welcome treat after burning off breakfast power-walking the show floor.Let’s just say, I walked out of the booth wanting all of their womens S/S 2015 collection.Catherine Malandrino’s paint splatter prints mixed with vibrant solids stopped me in my tracks. Santa Barbara based footwear brand- Koolaburra showcased their signature boho styles. Lots of fringe, a neutral palette and ‘all-American’ meets boho personalities stole the spotlight at their booth. There was some very manly ‘eye candy’ mocking playing tennis at the Lacoste booth. The dynamic prints and colors at Trina Turk. Chinese Laundry is always a breath of fresh air with trendy and chic styles. That platform heel though…

Every time I attend the shows, it’s another adventure, which makes me anxious to go back every year.

Thank you WWDMagic.. it was a HUGE pleasure being your guest this August!

Recap: All the Wire Preview at Pomp and Circumstance

Mar 23 2014

All the Wire is a Dallas, Texas based jewelry brand founded by two sisters- Tori Gonzales and Desiree Cox. The name, ‘all the wire’ stems back to the following love story between Desiree and her boyfriend (as told by Tori).

One day, driving down the country roads she {Desiree} asked, “Jeff, how much do you love me?” and of course, typical guy answer, ” a lot.” Which didn’t sit well with my sister. She needed full on detail, so she asked again and got the same answer. They kept driving and he told her to look outside the window, “See how the telephone wire keeps going and going? That’s how much I love you, all the wire….” I think she finally got the answer she was hoping for. These two love birds got married and on their wedding day, he had “All The Wire” engraved in her band.

Tori has always loved the story and the idea to start a jewelry line started to churn. She asked Desiree if she would partner up and the next day they started stamping jewelry. They built their brand with the foundation of that love story and wanted to create simple, yet customizable pieces for people to wear and express themselves. These pieces range from message bar necklaces/bracelets to charming wire-wrapped initial rings/charms to fun pieces with recycled bullet and mini pocket knife pendants. The brand launched in 2013 and has gained quite a lot of recognition. You may have also seen Gonzales on the hit Bravo reality show- Courtney Loves Dallas, which follows her bestie, (and number one supporter of All the Wire) fashion blogger – Courtney Kerr throughout her day-to-day adventures.

The All the Wire girls recently took a road trip down to Houston and hosted a trunk show at Pomp and Circumstance Boutique, where I had the pleasure of being in attendance. Courtney was also there to support her friend. There was a line out the door as trendy Houstonians packed the small boutique and were eager to check out the brand, as well as meet Gonzales and Kerr. I checked out the necklaces and all were simple yet statement-worthy. Tasty bites were provided, as well as delicious Texas themed macaroon pops that were provided by Macaron by Patisse. The Deep Eddy Vodka girls were on hand, serving their famous Texas-made specialty drinks in cute mason jars and striped straws. Outside was a food truck and lounge that was hosted by Houston Tidbits. I had the chance to meet Tori, Desiree and Courtney, who were so sweet and hospitable, taking their time to chat and take photos with guests. The girls only brought along a select few of their necklaces for the trunk show. It seemed that the “H-Town” message bar necklace was the favorite of the show, as everyone I spoke with bought one. I personally like the pocket knife and “Y’all” message bar necklaces. The brand not only stands behind their product and the story behind it, but they also want to be able to share others stories. They also believe in affordability, as the price points range from $30- 50. Besides being sold at Pomp and Circumstance, All the Wire is also available at: Duck and Dressing Boutique, The Buck Commander Store and Jul’s Boutique.

Thank you’s: Pomp and Circumstance, White Park Media, Houston Tidbits and All the Wire (love my ring)!

Tag - Courtney Kerr