Yearly Archives: 2012

“Sneak Peek #7” is my new “WINDOW PANE PRINT” cotton sateen jacket, A223937. For many years I had been able to offer you a wonderful shirt/jacket in a silk dupioni window pane pattern. Unfortunately, with the sky rocketing cost of that silk fabric, I had to discontinue the item. Then the light bulb went off….I may have to discontinue the fabric, but I can REINVENT the window pane pattern. I took my sample of the original shirt, laid it on my drawing table….placed a sheet of tracing paper over it and started playing with different patterns until I came up with the one I liked. The pattern has the CLASSIC look of a traditional window pane, but has a modern edge due to it’s BROKEN, THICK & THIN line work. I hope you like it as much as I had fun doing it.

The jacket is in my COTTON SATEEN fabric…..97%cotton, 3% spandex. The colors are WHITE/BLACK, NAVY/WHITE and TURQUOISE/WHITE…..all FRESH and CLEAN. It is an unlined jacket, which gives it an extended life. It has a slight A-LINE SHAPE, with a SPREAD SHIRT COLLAR, and a 4 button front closure. The jacket has some TRENCH detailing……the the straps on the 3/4 length sleeves, the back buttoned down flap and the INVERTED PLEAT all add to the special details of the jacket. Please notice that the back inverted pleat has a 3/8ths inch top stitch which will always keep the edge of the pleat sharp. The front has two INSERTED band pockets…..I capitalize “inserted” because this is a much more expensive way to make a band pocket. The collar has a HALF MOON STAND which is another detail that adds to the DESIGNER QUALITY of the jacket, The straps on the sleeve, the back flap and invert pleat, the half moon stand and the inserted band pocket could have all been left off and it still would have been a cute jacket….but….not a LINEA JACKET!

A223938, is the coordinating  cotton sateen CROP PANT. The colors are BLACK , which is VERY BLACK, WHITE and my deep beautiful NAVY. They are VERY similar to the cuffed crop pant from the past. They have a zip and button front……mens’ trouser slant pockets…..a FULL elastic back and a partial elastic front. They have a 24 inch inseam with a 7 inch bottom opening…….I would classify them as a SLIM LEG pant. They have a 1 and 1/2 inch cuff with a 3/4 inch hem. Everyone NEEDS these ESSENTIAL pants and you know they will go QUICKLY. I hope you like my EASTER WEEKEND SNEAK PEEK!!……much Love, Louis

“Sneak Peak #6” is the reorder of A199266. This is my cotton blend shirt with the mesh and cotton strip inserts.

There isn’t much to say about this sweet little shirt that it’s group of fans haven’t already said. Everyone loves the light weight stretch fabric and the fit seems to work for many women. They especially love the short sleeve which is neither matronly, which some short sleeves can be, nor is it too short and junior looking. The workmanship on this yoke is quite amazing and the stripes are pre-made and then appliqued on top of the mesh………Accuracy is crucial to the success of this little blouse. Wear it with jeans, a boho, Capris or a pencil skirt….to the office or to church on hot summer days. The new color is FROSTED LILAC with the return of OLIVE and WHITE……and YES…..it does work with your FROSTED LILAC JACKET A213623………………Enjoy….Love, Louis

“Sneak Peek #5” is my 92%cotton/8%span knit MAXI DRESS, A223658. This is the dress that , color wise. coordinates to the shrug in sneak peek #4.

For me, it’s got everything you may want in a dress……..it’ simple, it’s easy to wear, it’s easy to take care of,  it’s easy to pack, it can be worn super casual or it can be worn very dressy. You can accessorize it as SIMPLY or as OVER  THE TOP as you want. Wear it with flip flops or beaded sandals……In other words make it YOURS! The neckline is a modest TANK….not too high….not too low. It has PRINCESS seams front and back. The shape is at the rib cage and then gently flares out to the hem….PEARS are you listening? LOL.  It really is a dress for all. Keeping the fit higher and not at the natural waist is ELONGATING. The dress is approx. 52 inches long for an XS. For those who would rather be tortured than go with bare arms….. you can have the shrug that will solve that problem, A223660. NOW….let me  be ABSOLUTELY CLEAR….the dress is made out of cotton/span….the shrug is Rayon/nylon…..no matter how many labs dips we had both factories try [both garments are made in two separate factories], the colors are NOT an exact dead on match…..different dyes take color differently. Do they blend….ABSOLUTELY….do I recommend you wearing them together…ABSOLUTELY. Of course, you can always mix match as I did with the black over the reef green. I would also love the VIOLET with the REEF GREEN…..the right accessories will make it work…..don’t have your accessories match your dress….BORING!!! That said I love all black on black….so do what you want! The colors of the dress are the same as the shrug….BLACK, REEF GREEN and VIOLET. The thing I love about maxi dresses is….when you get tired of “The LOOK’ and the fad dies, as we all know it will,…..all of the maxi dresses I have done for you will also look great SHORTENED to whatever length you want……..for those of you with great legs make them as short as you dare….you can even cut them to TUNIC lengths, 28-29 inches, and wear them with Capris etc. etc. Now you have all that EXTRA fabric to play with! …..head bands, infinity scarves, sashes etc. etc.I know you are all going to LOVE this dress!…………………………………………..Enjoy, Love, Louis

“Sneak Peek #4” is the long awaited “SHRUG”, A223660. It is in all reality a cropped one button cardigan, [18 inches for the xs], made in my WHISPER KNIT! Why is this an ESSENTIAL piece…..because it serves many functions and can be worn ALL YEAR long. This is that one piece that will solve many problems and the one piece you will want in a zillion colors!

The colors are BLACK, REEF GREEN and VIOLET. The design is simple…… the proportions are perfect. It has a slight shape so it doesn’t look boxy. It has a jewel neckline and a single button closure. What I think makes this little piece wonderful is ….it is made in my EVERY NEED RIB construction, which gives the sweater BODY to maintain its SHAPE. Study the photos above and you will discover many ways to wear it…..and, I’m sure, you will come up with many more. I have it shown over tank tops with a myriad of bottoms…..My new jersey pull-on pant or my pebble crepe pull-on pant give a wonderful languid look [last years crop P.C. would look great too]….. my pebble crepe skirts…either the straight long one or the new fuller skirt, coming this month, makes for a dressier outfit……I especially love it worn over the “ROBYN” shirt and a pair of  my new crop cotton sateen pants [the KATE works too]….some ballet flats will complete the look…..come fall….wear the shirt and shrug with a long skirt and boots or a pair of heather gray pants….very CHIC. Of course, the reason I designed this piece was to go over ALL OF YOU SLEEVELESS TOPS AND DRESSES. There is no reason any more for you to pass a great looking sleeveless piece because you don’t want to show you upper arms! One more thing….there are two photos that show the “SHRUG” over the matching TANK MAXI DRESS in a wonderful cotton/span knit…..the same quality as many of my T-shirts and leggings….only lighter weight……”sneak peek” to come. I know you will really enjoy this piece and only wish it came in more colors! This is definitely a problem solver………..enjoy, Love Louis

In “The Year Of The Dress”….. this is a great one.  I thought it would be the perfect follow up to the cheetah safari jacket. The new SAFARI dress is A223657, and it is in my SIGNATURE FAUX SILK SHANTUNG. I have seen many safari dresses in my career from many designers including myself…..at many different price points…..and I can unequivocally say IMHO……..this is one of the best! For my faux shantung lovers……this is a must have and for those who haven’t tried it yet….this is the perfect place to start. The colors are BRONZE and MOSS and in this particular fabric….the colors are magnificent….super RICH. The detail and the stitching are superb with double row stitching everywhere……There are four patch pockets with flaps and the beautiful buttons are dyed to match. The bottom pockets are side entry only….one of my special little details. It has a classic shirt collar and a wide, long placket down the front……long enough to make it easy to get in and out of. The sleeve is 3/4 length and has a 1 inch stitched hem. You can either roll the sleeve up or gather it up naturally and use the attached tab and button to hold it in place. Since this is a two color yarn fabric…black and color…..when you roll the sleeve up you will see the black reverse side as in the bronze photos. The dress is approx. 39 inches long and has side slits on both side seams. There are body darts front and back for a subtle shape…..so you can wear it loose without it looking boxy, or you can use the stitched self belt as in the photo of the MOSS dress.  I would also suggest trying it with a black tank, leaving the placket open enough to see it and also with a pair of my black knit crop legging and flat sandals.  Another casual way to wear a dress…..with this kind of style it works. Just looking at the dress draped over a chair….it looks like money. The sheen of the fabric has that REAL SILK look and no one will know, even if they touch it, that it is anything but SILK…….no one….but YOU and ME……………enjoy, much Love Louis