Monday, February 15, 2010 at 10:58 AM Below are the Fall 2010 collections from a few of the first lady's favorite designers and labels: Jason Wu (who received a mixed review from Cathy Horyn), Suno (met with acclaim by Style Bubble) and Prova New York (completely covetous, in my personal opinion). I'll continue to post new collections throughout the week.
Images via Kirna Zabete
Sunday, February 14, 2010 at 11:42 PM 
Image by swanksalot / Creative Commons
A significant influence in the first lady's style has come to an abrupt end. It was announced today that designer Maria Pinto is closing her business, including her West Loop Chicago boutique, and early next week, is expected to file for bankruptcy.
The designer told the Chicago Sun Times in an exclusive interview published Sunday:
''After 20 years of pursuing my greatest passion and striving to build a successful high-end fashion business, the time has come for a new chapter in my life.''
Pinto cited ''increasing economic challenges and soft buying trends at the top end of the apparel market'' among the reasons for the downfall of her business, which includes the shuttering of her design and wholesale operations and the retail store on South Jefferson.
''I am confident that the 'Maria Pinto' name will not go away, but will merely take a break, before emerging in a new form. I plan on using the next several months to explore different avenues and opportunities for business, as economic conditions improve," Pinto said.
It is a sad day for Maria Pinto, and certainly, for fans of the first lady's style. It was Mrs. O's penchant for Maria Pinto sheath dresses, created in bold jewel tones and always with a flawless fit, that first drew the future first lady a loyal fashion following. When Mrs. O was named to Vanity Fair's International Best Dressed List in 2007 and 2008, Maria Pinto was named as a favorite designer on both occasions.
Mrs. O's purple Maria Pinto sheath dress, worn with a studded Alaia belt as Barack Obama secured the democratic primary in 2008, is practically an icon in itself. Three words - "purple sheath dress" - bring the exact dress to mind in an instant. The same can be said of the turquoise, three-quarter sleeve dress Mrs. O wore to open the DNC, and, of course, the red dress with sunray pleats at the neckline that Mrs. O wore for her first post-election visit to the White House. Though the first lady has diversified her repertoire of designers in the past 18 months, Maria Pinto is, and will continue to be, very much at the heart of Mrs. O's emerging style legacy.
Just over two months ago, I had the opportunity to interview Maria Pinto at the Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum in New York for a "Inside the Designer's Studio" event. The full interview is posted on YouTube here. At the time, there were no apparent signs of trouble, as Maria Pinto spoke of early plans for her Fall 2010 collection and hinted at the possibility of future retail locations.
From a business standpoint, we did talk about the period around 2001, when she decided to close her business following "embezzlement by a bookkeeper and 9/11." When I asked what she did differently upon reopening in 2003, Maria replied (18:00 on video): "the biggest difference was surrounding myself by people who were really brilliant in areas where I wasn't: business planning, accounting, etc. ... When I relaunched, that was a big part of it, and still is."
Update: Women's Wear Daily has a thorough piece on Maria Pinto's closing, here. Though they don't have further detail on what specifically led to the closing, there's good perspective from several industry insiders...and as we feel, a general sense of shock throughout the piece.
"The news came as a surprise to many, given that Pinto’s star appeared to still be rising. Just last year, Pinto was inducted into the Council of Fashion Designers of America, showed her Spring 2010 collection during New York Fashion Week and joined the likes of Anna Sui and Nicole Miller as the recipient of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago’s Legend of Fashion award."
Maria Pinto Friday, February 12, 2010 at 1:36 PM 
Image via the Carole Tanenbaum Vintage Collection
A few weeks ago, Mrs. O gave a speech to the Joint Armed Forces Officers Wives Club in Washington, D.C., wearing a sleeveless green dress, accessorized with a stunning black floral brooch. It's a finishing touch we've seen the first lady turn to before -- a quieter take on the statement brooch, and a perfect complement to the wintery hues of the season. Our friends at the Carole Tanenbaum Vintage Collection have been kind enough to point us to a similarly inspired vintage '60s piece, measuring 4" in diameter, seen above and available here.
I'm also delighted to announce that the Carole Tanenbaum Vintage Collection will offer a second collection of Mrs. O-inspired pins to readers of this blog on the first day of spring. For those who missed the first collection, have a peek here. We are beyond excited to see what gems Carole Tanenbaum has in store for us come March 20.
Images by Tim Sloan / Getty Images
Friday, February 12, 2010 at 12:12 PM 
Images by Paul Cruz
Last fall Narciso Rodriguez announced that he would introduce a new capsule collection in collaboration with eBay during 2010. A capsule collection in partnership with a retailer beyond the usual suspects of Target and H&M is quite an exciting prospect, particularly for what it might offer to a more grown-up customer. And from the first looks above, the enthusiasm has been well-merited. The integrity of Narciso Rodriguez's design aesthetic is alive and well in this collection, made all the more enticing by its accessible price point.
The designer says: “I am extremely excited by the possibilities that this new online sales channel brings to my business long term. For me it’s always been about dressing many women of all ages, all types, all sizes, and this special collection on eBay is a unique opportunity to reach a broad global audience.”
The eight piece limited-edition collection features Narciso Rodriguez's clean lines and sophisticated color blocking, created in a palette of red, black and white using imported Italian fabrics. The collection will be offered in prices from $65 - $350, sizes 0 to 14, and available for purchase exclusively through the Narciso Rodriguez eBay Store.
The best news? The wait is nearly over. The Narciso Rodriguez for eBay collection debuts this Monday, February 15 at 12:00PM EST, here. Perhaps Mrs. O will be doing a bit of online shopping?
Narciso Rodriguez Friday, February 12, 2010 at 12:00 PM 
Photo by Miguel Medina /AFP/Getty Images
While belts and brooches are often the central focus of the first lady's accessories, we've seen Mrs. O employ equal savvy in experimenting with a wider range of style accoutrements as well. One such example is the distinctive violet and green print scarf that Mrs. O wore as she toured the Eiffel Tower with her daughters last summer. The scarf later proved to be the work of New York-based label Prova, which, in turn, added an exciting, up-and-coming name to the first lady's ever-expanding fashion repertoire.
Prova, which translates to "to try" in Greek, was started by Irini Arakas in 2005, and first focused exclusively on jewelry. Before starting her design venture, Ms. Arakas worked at Vogue as a fashion writer and editor for seven years. When Ms. Arakas launched Prova in May 2005, the line began immediately selling out at esteemed stores such as Barneys and Kirna Zabete in New York, and Ikram in Chicago. In Fall 2008, Ms. Arakas expanded with the launch of the Prova scarf collection, featuring scarves crafted from vintage and limited-edition silks and beaded glass fringe.
In recent months, Prova has been riding a wave of concurrent successes. Sally Singer named Prova scarves a favorite holiday item in the December issue of Vogue, the New York Times prominently featured Prova in a story titled "Statement Scarves", and to start the year, Ms. Arakas received a Ecco Domani Fashion Foundation award for accessories design.
I was fortunate to have the opportunity to catch-up with Ms. Arakas as she was putting the finishing touches on her Prova Fall 2010 collection.
MT: You recently won an Ecco Domani Fashion Foundation award for accessories design. Congratulations! What was your reaction? What does the award mean to you?
IA: First shock, and then excitement quickly followed.
It’s such a great award to win because it provides emerging designers an opportunity to showcase their wares to a much larger audience. It provides us with a tremendous amount of positive exposure, and also to have your work recognized by such an influential and esteemed panel of judges is ace! Marylou Luther is one of the judges and is, in my eyes, a fashion god. I was a fashion writer for many years, so I just bow down to her.
MT: Please tell us a bit about the inspiration for your upcoming Fall 2010 collection.
IA: The inspiration comes from so many different sources. I was really into Buckminster Fuller a handful of months ago, and I think the mid-century glitter balls I use in my necklaces look like mini geodesic domes. All the scarves I design are always print and color driven. I have this wonderful doodle print for fall that reminds me of one of my favorite Creative Growth artists. His name is Dan Miller.
MT: And will you give a few more hints of what we should expect to see?
IA: Star mobile earrings, brass howling monkeys, Venetian hand-blown glass beads, white coral and black pyrite.
A sneak peek from the Prova Fall 2010 Collection
MT: I read (in Mark Holgate's piece for Vogue.com) that you designed your own prints this season. How was that?
IA: Printmaking is great fun because the possibilities are endless. I love the challenge of mixing prints and colors and getting it right. For me, printmaking is a lot like listening to music in that if something is out of key, you spot it immediately. That’s how I feel about patterned textiles. I can spot the Arethas a mile away, and I just tune out the other, less successful ones. I find it’s a lot easier to hand pick a great print than it is to make one by hand, but I love the challenge. This season I dipped a toe into the printmaking pool, and next spring I will probably make a bigger splash.
MT: Is there a common thread or synergy between your collections of scarves and jewelry? Or do you see them as quite distinct from one another?
IA: When it comes to designing scarves and jewelry, my approach is the same. For me it is always instinctual, and the minute it starts to feel forced, I stop and begin again. I just want to make things I am proud of, and that women feel like they have to have. There is a lot of fashion detritus in the world, so much stuff out there to consume. I try and focus on making very special and unique pieces that a woman will want to hold on to and wear for many years.
MT: What is happening behind-the-scenes in your last minute preparations this week?
IA: There is an Ecco Domani fashion show on February 15th at the tents at Bryant Park so I am casting and fitting models, and coordinating with a DJ to mix the music for the show. There are all these fun fringe elements that I never expected to be a part of! As an accessories designer, I never imagined showing my collection on a runway at Bryant Park. I am very excited.
MT: Is there a Fall 2010 Prova piece you would love to see in the first lady's wardrobe?
IA: I don’t want to give away too much but hopefully one day very soon I would love to see the first lady in a Prova dress.
Update: You can see more of the Prova Fall 2010 collection here.
Prova