Trend Report

Here are the 2012 spring/summer trends we love!

1) Floral prints

Poppy print IndySwank dress

We like feminine and we like pretty, so the floral print trend in fashion is right up our alley! Whether you pick your flowers bold or dainty,  make sure you have at least one pretty floral dress this year!

IndySwank vintage floral dress

2) Bright Colors

What a welcome change from the gray & black we wear so much (too much!) in the Midwestern winter! Think neon in shades of pink or turquoise or add a splash of tangerine to your wardrobe.

Bright pink IndySwank dress

3) Animal prints

This trend keeps hanging around and we like the possibilities of adapting it to spring! Add a leopard belt to any dress and bam…instant chic! I bought a pair of leopard print wedges (Payless $19.99 no kidding) that I love wearing with bright red and orange this season.

IndySwank Knotty Kitten dress coming soon

4) Black & white

Not just for race parties this season! We like it for looking crisp and sporty, and partnered with red lips…HOT!

IndySwank Bridgette dress

5) Lace overlay

IndySwank Gracie dress

We like this trend for it’s throwback vintage feel and refined prettiness. We carry lace overlay dresses in both our new and vintage selections.

6) Bold prints

This season’s bold print trend feels modern, yet like all fashion, ties us back to fashion past.

Bold print vintage IndySwank dress

You can’t talk about spring 2012 without mentioning peplum skirts and dresses, so there…we talked about it! Polka dots are also in right now. White dresses are a season must. Finally, a developing trend we think will carry into fall/winter is dropping waist lines on dresses. Think 1920′s Great Gatsby.

Introducing Swanky Spring!

We have been busy bees stocking up on new spring items for the shop! We’re expanded our non-vintage dress inventory, although we do still love our vintage section! Our new dresses allow us to offer you sizing variety, at price points to fit every budget. We were kind of fanatical about picking dresses that fit the indySwank vibe and are so excited to announce our first arrivals!

The Claire Dress

Introducing “The Claire” dress available now at indySwank. You will reach for this when you want a little polish, but still like a little edge with the exposed back zipper! Also on trend in tangerine with a peter pan collar. This dress is so comfortable we wore it through a full work day, dinner and out for a family walk. We didn’t want to take it off! All qualities we love and don’t always find in a dressier dress. Oh, it retails for $38. No, kidding!

The Chloe Dress

Our second new dress is “The Chloe” from Tulle. Hello, pretty! Floral print with sheer black sleeves and exposed back zip. The Chloe can be your perfect date dress or what you grab when you are heading to your best friend’s bridal shower. Retailing at under $50, this dress will sell out fast!

Our dresses join our expanded gift & houseware offerings, which are a huge success! Sometimes you are south of the Circle and you need a gift or greeting card; well we are here to serve, with unique items you won’t find in a strip mall.

Too much new stuff rolling in to list in a single post, so stay tuned for more posts or better yet…come in & visit soon! We are always happy to see you!

Breakfast at Tiffany's travel mug has been selling like crazy!

Butterflies Fly In With New Staff & Products!

Window Art Installation by Ashten Boehmer

The timing of our brightly colored butterfly themed window was perfect, as hints of spring were teasing us this week! The window display was the idea and creation of local artist, Ashten Boehmer. Ashten has a history at indySwank. She was one of our most successful featured artists in November of 2010 and has also modeled for us. The only thing left to do was hire her, which we did! We are pleased to have Ashten on board at IndySwank! We love this window installation that she called Metamorphosis and the fact that it includes wearable art!!

Local artist and Herron student Ashten Boehmer has joined indySwank

The window display will be up through most of March, so come see it soon! We have lots of new inventory for you to browse on your next visit. We’ve been adding lines to offer more items that you can use in your everyday life. One of our favorites are new refrigerator magnets from Ephemera that are full of whit and spunk. They are perfect for indySwank, being retro and yet current!

House of Balmain

Vintage Balmain Blouse at IndySwank $24

By Annie Stultz

I was thrilled to find a Pierre Balmain red on red stripe blouse for the shop. The resurgence of the house in the past few seasons has made the label highly collectible these days. The rock n roll style of Balmain under the creative direction of Christophe Decarnin until 2011 and its current head designer, Olivier Rousteing, is a far cry from the classic, luxurious designs of Pierre Balmain, himself.

Pierre Balmain (1914-1982) was the French son of a wholesale drapery business owner and a fashion boutique operator.  He studied architecture at the Ecole des Beaux Arts, but left early to work at the house of Molyneux in 1934.  In 1945, he opened the house of Balmain, and by 1951, he was selling ready to wear in the US.

In the 1950’s, he popularized wearing the stole for day and evening attire, as well as wearing sheath dresses beneath long jackets. He designed simple tailored suits and grand evening gowns with the same slender, elegant lines. Like his contemporaries Cristobal Balenciaga and Pierre Cardin, Balmain utilized his architectural studies in experimental shapes during the 1960’s.

Until his death in 1982, Balmain designed for a conservative, sophisticated clientele. His “right hand”, Erik Mortensen, took over as head designer, followed by Oscar de La Renta in 1993.  The house was viewed as a label on life support until it’s resurrection by Christophe Decarnin, who took over after de la Renta, but didn’t hit his creative boom until 2007.

Decarnin introduced a modern and edgy look full of tight pants, tattered t-shirts, military jackets dripping with sequins and chains, metallics, and 1980’s Azzedine Alaia references. The S/S 2009 collection launched the house into Balenciaga and Chanel caliber popularity.

Decarnin's influence

After missing the A/W 2011 show due to exhaustion, Decarnin left in February 2011 and was replaced by 24 year old Oliver Rousteing, who had worked under Decarnin for 2 years. In his S/S 2012 show, Rousteing perpetuated the “babes in beads look” of his predecessor and stylist Emannuelle Alt, but  used elaborate embroidery and softer colors/fabrics to “bring the class of de la Renta and Balmain back to the house.”

The new designer received polar reviews of his first collection. Journalists, buyers, and editors look forward to seeing how Rousteing works out the kinks, while satisfying the established client and appealing to a new one.

Vintage Balmain is becoming more and more collectible with its reinvention. Pick up a piece of the house’s history at Indyswank!

Ms. Stultz is the Manager/Creative Director at IndySwank

Jacqmar Scarf…A Rare Find!

Jacqmar scarf available now at indySwank!

I was excited to find a Jacqmar silk scarf in the Midwest, knowing their desirability and wealth in history. While living/working/studying in London, I learned about Jacqmar, which was founded as a textile house by Joseph “Jack” and Mary Lyons in 1932. They provided many couturiers with French Silk, but during the WWII, those designers could no longer export goods, leaving a void in the market for Jacqmar to fill. They created WWII propaganda scarves, which were widely sold in the US and amongst the French and Polish communities in London. The prints of planes and machinery reflected the common ideals of the Allies, thus creating a bond based on respect and cooperation.

So as wild as it seems to find a 1940′s London label in present day Indianapolis, this is exactly the market the house targeted. Our floral, silk Jacqmar scarf is $15 . . . a steal for a hunk of history!

Annie Stultz

Ch-ch-ch-changes!

With a fancy new sidewalk coming to our doorstep soon, timing is right for some upgrades at IndySwank!

First, you will notice we will have a more streamlined store layout. We kicked off our new look with this swanky new cash wrap counter created by the talented Nick Allman.

IndySwank counter created by Nick Allman

The inventory focus of our shop will shift slightly. The goal is to expand on what already works well for us; shopping for an entire look that fits the Indianapolis urban lifestyle. You will notice some changes in displays and merchandising over the next 30 days.

The timing is also perfect to bring some new personnel energy to the shop as well. I am happy to announce that Annie Stultz has joined us as our new Manager/Creative Director. Annie has extensive retail experience and studied fashion journalism at Central Saint Martins in London. Her knowledge and skills will be a valuable asset as IndySwank grows!

We have also extended our store hours and will now be open 7 days a week! Our new hours are: Mon-Thur & Sat 11-6, Fri 11-8 & Sun 12-5. We will frequently stay open later than8pm on Friday nights for special events.

Thanks for supporting IndySwank! As we evolve along with Fountain Square, we will remain true to the concepts that you love! IndySwank will continue to feature vintage clothing and remain a place for local artists and designers to sell product.

 

June’s First Friday at IndySwank, it’s all good!!

Preview from Kyle Ragsale show

I had heard about Kyle Ragsdale for years and admired his work. After I opened indySwank, he became a good customer and I saw he and his wife out often supporting Fountain Square businesses. I am so glad to have them as “neighbors”!

I also love the vibe of the Harrison Center, but like many of us hosting First Friday action it is hard for me to make it to other venues for openings.  I was so excited when I learned a rare sync of calendars, allowed Kyle to have a First Friday opening here. So his show is special to me for many reasons and I know everyone will enjoy it. It is really beautiful work and the perfect opportunity for you to own a Kyle Ragsdale painting.

Speaking of beautiful, we have been loading up on it at indySwank. A new dress line is in that is best described as retro with an edge, perfect to preview on a First Friday in Fountain Square! I love the accessories from this line and had to bring in this crazy cool monster purse. Also a new batch of Stop Staring, always a hit and much, much more for your shopping pleasure!! See you Friday, June 3rd 6-10pm at indySwank!!!

Monster purse, new at indySwank!!

Why this works…

Photography by Polina Osherov

I love this look! It is very indySwank with vintage and current items pulled together perfectly! This is the result of styling by Nikki Sutton, who is a talented creative pro.

Part of the reason this works so well is because Nikki doesn’t skip on the little things that make a difference. The vintage taj mahal skirt has a crinoline petticoat underneath, giving it the perfect amount of fullness. If you do not have a crinoline in your closet, you should get one soon. I purchased this one on line and thought it was too “poufy” so I cut out a layer and now it is perfect!

The green 317 t shirt from PUP (People for Urban Progress) is current, but has a little bit of a vintage look. With a skirt that flares a bit, I prefer the look here created with a simple stylish t shirt. A crisp white button up shirt would also look great, but for our photo shoot we were going for a youthful urban look.

The bow was created from a vintage designer scarf and is super cute! Thanks to Philip Salmon, the fabulous hair stylist who made it work!! Also, notice soft pretty make up which is the right complement to the entire look (credit MUA-Kathy Lynn Moberly!!).

It would have been great if we had stopped there, but what makes professional styling worth every penny is Nikki insisting there needed to be a pop of color on her arm. Not finding exactly what she had in mind from our jewelry, she took a belt and fashioned it into a bracelet.

I realize we all don’t have a professional stylist available when we get dressed! I often take inspiration from photos like these when picking an ensemble. It does take time and thought, but what worthwhile thing doesn’t?

Finally, you can have the best look in the world from a fashion perspective, but it will back fire if you don’t carry yourself with confidence. Model Paulina does that in this photo and she owns the street doesn’t she??

Creativity rises amongst the rubble

Photographer-Polina Osherov, Stylist-Nikki Sutton, Hair-Philip Salmon, MUA-Kathy Lynn Moberly, Model-Paulina

Construction of the Cultural Trail descended upon Fountain Square recently, causing some challenges for indySwank. We have temporarily lost the street parking directly in front of our shop.

I have never faced an obstacle I didn’t think I could market my way out of, so I came up with an idea for an ad campaign and contacted my favorite fashion photographer, Polina Osherov. Polina did the original photos for indySwank’s web site and captured the look of indySwank before I could even communicate it. I was equally happy to learn that Nikki Sutton had agreed to style the shoot. Nikki understands the indySwank brand and has been around since the beginning. I was in good hands!!

My goal was to create an ad campaign that would keep indySwank in the forefront of people’s minds and educate customers that it is still easy to access indySwank; by using the free parking behind our building and our back door entry.

On a rainy Monday, Polina shows up in her combat boots (purchased at indySwank, BTW!) ready to shoot in the mud. She brings  her intern and a professional crew in tow, stylist Nikki,  model Paulina,  hair stylist Philip Salmon and make up artist Kathy Lynn Moberly. All amazing professionals that turned out great work on a challenging day!

Behind the scenes photo by Stephen Simonetto

This was a day of creative reunions, with photographer Stephen Simonetto showing up to help out and take behind the scene shots. Stephen did the photography for my Nuvo cover and I really like working with him. IndySwank appreciates all of the creative professionals that help make us stand out in the crowd!!! The end result were beautiful photographs that were exactly what I had in mind!

We tweaked our store hours for the spring months and are now open, Wed thru Sat 11-7 and Sun 12-5. We plan to be open seven days a week after the construction is over, which is scheduled for July.

Thanks for supporting indySwank and hope to see you this First Friday! We have held over Critters and Cretins by Mamus James Judd and will have a new paper dress window display. James will be moving to Austin soon and I am sad to loose such a talented artist. If you have been waiting to buy one of his pieces, there is no time like the present!

Art by Mamus James Judd

Last Minute Gift Ideas

I found myself at a department store last night wandering around, clueless as what to buy those last few people on my list. Two floors worth of merchandise and I couldn’t find a thing that worked.

I left happy though, reminded that IndySwank fills a void in the retail world. I view it as an alternative to the mass produced merchandise that often lacks creativity.  For example, the department store had authentic ugly Christmas sweaters which made me cringe with fashion disgust.  No ugly Christmas sweaters here, but we do carry ugly Christmas sweater t shirts by a small local company called Vardagen.

Ugly Christmas sweater t shirt

So back at my shop this morning, I created a list of unique gifts found at IndySwank. I chose items  from a wide range of prices, $12 to $168 to offer something for everyone. Hope this helps someone save some time and energy!

IndySwank Gift Ideas For Her

Book necklace from the Binding Bee

I’ll bet you have a book lover on your list! These are also great for the eco conscious as they are made from recycled leather.

Typewriter key necklace from Retro Care Art

Typewriter key necklaces by Retro Cafe Art

A necklace with someone’s initial is a pretty personalized gift. Not to mention that these are made from vintage keys and who doesn’t like old typewriters?

Vintage beaded bag

As mentioned recently in MetroMix, IndySwank’s vintage bags make great gifts! Our collection is from the 1920’s and really reflect the fashion of that time. Perfect for fans of HBO’s Boardwalk Empire!

Stop Staring dress

I have yet to see a woman try on one of these and not look amazing! Chances are she’s heard of the Stop Staring line and will squeal with delight when she opens the package.

Stop Staring Dress

IndySwank Gifts For Him

PUP journal made from Hoosier Dome roof

Dome material journals by PUP

This is a gift that is  both nostalgic and green. Great for the aspiring writer, poet or maybe the guy who is always looking for paper when he needs to write something down.

Wooden cuff links by CaseMethod

Cuff links by CaseMethod

Yes, cuff links are hot right now and what could be better than these that are locally made from wood?

Vintage skinny tie

Our skinny tie collection secured IndySwank a position in Indianapolis  Monthly’s Best of Indy 2010. Nothing says cool like a skinny, skinny tie!

Vintage Leather Jacket

We have a rack full of men’s vintage leather jackets that appeal to the hipster of all ages.

We are open today 12/22 and tomorrow 12/23 11-7. IndySwank will also be open this Friday,  Christmas Eve from 11-5 for those very last minute shoppers.

Happy Holidays!