Daily Recap: Models Need Water, Too

The MBFW ideeli Scoop with Gabriela Perezutti of Candela

To Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week we go!

The stages are built, the models are chosen, and the celebs are milling about. Here at ideeli, our essentials--freshly pressed maxi skirts, extra phone chargers, the handbag that fits everything but the kitchen sink--are ready to go.

Yes, fashionistas and gents, it's Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, Fall 2012 edition, and we're posting up in the heart of it all at Lincoln Center. And in our fourth season sponsoring the fashion industry's Super Bowl, we decided to up the ante.



For the first time ever, we're giving you an all-access pass to the action on The Buzz, our one-stop social shop for live-streaming runway shows, sassy Twitter commentary, pics from the scene, daily blog re-caps and trend stories, and Facebook polls where you can tell us what you're loving (or hating!) this season.

But it wouldn't be ideeli at #MBFW if there wasn't tons in it for you. All week long we'll be featuring designers--think BCBG Max Azria, Nicole Miller, Betsey Johnson, Custo Barcelona, Badgley Mischka, and plenty more--on ideeli.com, so that you can score their duds on the same day they show at Lincoln Center. That's not all! If you loved our #FlashFriday Twitter giveaway, then you'll be weaving through the Twitter traffic during #RUSHHOUR, when you have just 60 minutes to win can't-miss MBFW goodies.

And because it's no secret we like to have a little fun, we decided to put our fashion cents where our mouth is with a friendly game of Bingo--MBFW Bingo that is! We'll be trying to accomplish all the tasks on our cards, from the easy (spotting the ubiquitous Cambridge satchel) to the hilarious (ordering a pizza to Lincoln Center), with pics and tweets to prove it. Will you be hitting shows? Just print out the playing card below to play along. If you're following along at home, get ready, because this is not your granny's Bingo match!



Between daily designer sales, the hot gossip straight from the MBFW scene, and giveaways galore, The Buzz is the spot to be this season, no matter where you're actually sitting!

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Wrap-Up

Nothing revs up the engines of the fashion-obsessed like the industry’s main event: Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. The shows wrapped up last Thursday, September 15, and as sponsors, we were at the center of the whirlwind of activity—from the emerging trends for Spring 2012 to the glitterati dotting the front row to the street style donned by the fabulous fashionistas hanging around Lincoln Center.

The most notable trends for next spring are for the ladies who brunch—with an attitude. Colorblocking remains relevant, but the hues are new. With citrine, tangerine, and lime all on one end of the spectrum, and minty greens, the babiest pinks, and pale blues on the other, there’s no color combo off-limits when the temps start rising again. Midi-length skirts are continuing well after fall, for a mid-century hourglass shape we love. And that’s not where the ladylike trend ends. Peplums were everywhere, cinching the waist in style. And for those days when comfort is key, billowy drop waists reference the roaring 20s with a modern twist. Here are more of the trends we loved:

Jill Stuart: Lighten up—for Spring, that is. Sorbet shades were ubiquitous on the runway this season, and we loved how Jill Stuart used them to lend a casual vibe to classic sportswear. This look was a favorite because it also takes the pantsuit up a notch, literally. You’ll definitely spot this trend again, because shorts and blazers are a match made in Spring 2012 heaven.

L.A.M.B.: We love the way Gwen Stefani and her team inject this line with a dose of the rock star’s fearless fashion sense. The Spring 2012 collection wasn’t shown on the catwalk (Gwen couldn’t be there so they showed a presentation instead), but we were ok with that because we got an up-close-and personal look at the edgy black-and-white tribal prints we NEED to snag for next season.


BCBGMAXAZRIA: We may have hated geometry, but the angular shapes and linear patterns that made up the Spring collection at BCBGMAXAZRIA are worth studying. The palette was heavy on the black and white side, but pops of orange and yellow were perfectly in line with the hues we spotted in several lines for spring. And we couldn’t be more grateful to the fashion gods—the maxi length is here to stay.

BETSEY JOHNSON: Here’s the thing, we don’t always have an occasion to wear La Betsey’s cupcake-shaped frocks. But you better believe we’ll find one. This shot, direct from our sponsor seats in Lincoln Center, was one of our favorite looks. The little white dress is well on its way to replacing the LBD, and with black piping, it’s the kind of party-perfect frock Betsey is known for.

And the runway looks are only half the fun. Some of the best style at Lincoln Center was donned by the celebs in the first, second, and third rows. Find your faves in these pics we were able to snap.

And while the paparazzi were snapping shots of the fashion jet-set, we had our eyes on the girls just like us, found walking the lobby, headed out for a bite between shows, or even just soaking in the scene around Lincoln Center. We kicked off our #ideelSTYLE series on Twitter, where we share with you ideeli-approved ensembles seen on the streets. What’s in it for our super-stylish mavens? If we deem their outfits ideeli-worthy, they are rewarded on the spot with an ideeli gift card and a moment in the spotlight when their style is shared with our thousands of Twitter followers! Check out some of our faves below.

Back at ideeli HQ, our team was all abuzz with our featured Fashion Week designer sales, style-centric Facebook fodder, and giveaways to give all mavens a chance to take part in the MBFW action. Thousands of you entered our Runway-Ready giveaway on Facebook, for a chance to win a head-to-toe designer ensemble with pieces from Vivienne Tam, BCBGMAXAZRIA, Betsey Johnson, and L.A.M.B.

And getting outfitted by the pros didn’t stop there. We partnered with fellow MBFW sponsor Maybelline New York to bring you a #FLASHFRIDAY Twitter giveaway of epic proportions. They sent over this gorgeous caboodle of fit-for-the-pros Maybelline makeup for one lucky maven to win. Looking like the top models has never been so easy!

Another Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week has come and gone, and we hope you loved hearing our take on the week’s festivities. Who were your faves this season? And because we're always thinking of what crazy antics we can pull off, let us know what you'd like to see us do next season. Until February, happy shopping!

The ideeli Scoop on MBFW

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week is in full swing, and as official sponsors, we’re stationed in the style trenches all week long. From our virtual headquarters in Lincoln Center, we’re dishing up-to-the-minute twitter exclusives about the new collections. And when we’re not taking in the MBFW shows or trend spotting, we’re capturing photos of our favorite celebs in the front row! Here now is a midweek recap of the scene so far:

Pink Tartan
Pink Tartan—the Canadian womenswear line known for modern classics with precision cuts—presented an intimate runway experience. The models sported mod hair, dark frames, and pranced around the square-shaped catwalk with CIA-like intensity. The sophisticated A-line shifts, sleek trenches, and sequined pencil skirts will surely ramp up office style in spring 2012.

Jill Stuart
Jill Stuart showed an ultra-feminine collection of pretty frocks. Corals paired with nude and blush lets us know that colorblocking will still be on-trend next spring. Ladies who lunch, take note!

Christian Siriano
Christian Siriano’s show was an ethereal experience involving three main factors: breathtaking gowns, saturated hues, and dream-like fabrics. The audience sat in awestruck wonder as the collection was unveiled. Without a doubt, we know we’ll see Siriano’s creations on the red carpet next awards season.

Betsey Johnson
With hip-hop blasting from the speakers and the crowd laced with stars (including Betsey’s new obsession, rapper Nicki Minaj), the Betsey Johnson stage was more of a party than a show. The models came stomping out in burlesque-inspired pieces in animal and floral prints, and Betsey ended the show with her signature cartwheel and split.

Perry Ellis
It was hard to pull ourselves away from the Betsey Johnson party, but we’re so glad we did because the Perry Ellis show had its own surprises in store. After watching a parade of tailored suiting and linen safari jackets march down the runway, we were totally taken aback by the surprise ending: a procession of shirtless models baring impeccable six-pack abs!

The front row surprises are all a part of MBFW fun—like the moment actress Jamie King got assigned a seat next to a tall blonde in the same Jill Stuart dress! Songbird Corinne Bailey Rae and actor Joe Manganiello are two more of the notable names we spotted in the front row crowd.

We’re off to take in the final shows this Wednesday and Thursday. Remember to follow our runway updates on Twitter (@ideeli) and to check out our Featured Fashion Week Designer sales here. Then stay tuned for more inside scoop straight from the MBFW scene!