freddy&ma

the oldest trick in the book

On the M2 down Fifth Avenue today, I noticed that Abercrombie & Fitch has employed a new strategy to draw folks into their doors -- they have an "abercrombie guy" out front minus everything but a low-slung pair of cargo shorts.  I'm not sure what kind of message that sends to the young children visiting New York with their parents -- the local kids have seen it all, but sheesh!  At least it was warm outside.

caliente!

Just as I was complaining about a lack of vintage inspired swimwear, I came across a small piece in WWD last week about Nicolita, a relatively new line by designer Cuban American designer Nicole Sainz.  I think we're going to be hearing a lot more about this chica!

bigger is not always better

Did you know that there was a contest for the smallest coolest apartment?  Notice the large majority of contests east of the Mississippi are from NYC.  Take a few moments and click through the applicants, there are some truly stellar design ideas and massive creativity.  Just proves the saying that good things come in small packages.

hot mama

Before the creation of Freddy & Ma, I was encouraged to make my dreams a reality by a very close friend of mine, who was already making her vision happen with momzee, a chic and sexy maternity line that you'll want to buy even if you're not pregnant.  Every piece from momzee accentuates the beauty of the pregnant body but enables stylish women to maintain their fashionista status, even at nine months and beyond.  Check out these great pieces available at Nordstrom and Due Maternity, they make great shower gifts!

a different take

My friend John Paul is an up and coming
fashion designer, photographer and freelance creative director.  He and and his photography partner jhane hoang recently shot our Hazel Clutch (print by Inigo Elizalde) as part of a collaborative shoot with Wilhelmina.  Click on images to enlarge. 

our next adventure

Finding what I want these days in terms of clothing, swimwear, shoes and lingerie is nearly impossible for under $1000.  I have long been inspired by fashions of the 1950s, 60s and 70s and by the formality in dress that is no longer present in this country.  Once F&M bags are selling like hotcakes, I plan to design a line that will ultimately include all of the aforementioned categories.  I want people to see these clothes and think that they are vintage -- they need to invoke the aura of Audrey, Grace, Marilyn, Sophia, Bridget, Bettie, Ava, but have the fit that woman need today -- it's pretty tough to find a girl with a 22-23-24 inch waist.  I want people to start dressing up again -- even if it's just to run to the nearest WholeFoods to pick up some organic soy milk.

the "stealth" bag

We just came across this great article (below) in Financial Times, that reaffirmed our belief that people are seeking out lesser known brands in the hope of making a purchase that is unique, high-quality, and begs the question, "who made your bag?!" -- we promise all of that and more with your f&m purchase (read below!)....just a few more weeks....

who's that girl?

Unique prints and patterns are the foundation of the Freddy&Ma concept.  We spent months recruiting and selecting our diverse creative team of textile designers, whose work will be debuting in a few short weeks.  During this process we spoke to Lena Corwin, an illustrator and textile designer, whose work has been getting a lot of attention in recent days.  Bottom line, we love her work, and we would love to see her prints on our bags.  Take a moment to check out her products and also her blog, very enjoyable.

sad news

It was a sad day when Lord & Taylor moved into the former home of John Wanamaker's in Philadelphia, but MACYS.........that's just tragic.  If you have ever been curious to find out what resulted in the "fall" of department stores, check out The End of Fashion by Teri Agins and then helplessly watch from the sidelines as Macy's moves to take over the world.  The article from WWD is below.

F&M photoshoot - the movie

Download test2.swf

Ever wonder how many shots get taken during a photoshoot?  If so, click the link above to download a short flash movie that shows all of the shots from our recent F&M shoot.  Had we had more time, we probably would have taken twice this many pictures.  Now we must go through the tedious process of finding the "perfect" one for each scene!