While checking up on local New York jewelry designer, Wendy Nichol, we discovered Nichol's daughter modeling in her newest look book. The shoot, a very pretty, very sweet, very Marc Jacobs-inspired gallery of images, shows the leather-covered hearts and pyramid shapes that are prominent in this most recent collection as worn by the youngest of the Nichol's clan. We know Nichol from our days in e-commerce and know that she and her family are more or less the perfect version of 'I'm never moving to the suburbs' and so we only saw it is as very sweet and quirky of the Nichols family. How will other people feel, we wonder? It's hard to say. If anything the shoot will bring some extra-jewelry shopping attention to her brand or, at worst, upset people who misconstrue it as inappropriate or damaging to put a young girl in mascara--it does, in a way, make us feel old and haggard even in our mid-twenties. Look book aside, Wendy Nichol is an amazing jewelry designer. Her rock and roll vibe and balance between costumery and fine jewelry has made her a prominant New York designer. In the end, our headline is 'cute daughter in tough-girl jewelry makes for Marc Jacobsy/quirky look book'. It's a winner.

Not caring very much about what other people think has been the formula for being cool since cool became a "thing". Designers have been a prime example of this for as long as fashion has existed. Anyone who has ever become a sensation was never really like everyone else. You can't lead the crowd if you are "of" the crowd. And that's all there is to it.

We were thinking about this when we read that Scott Sternberg, who runs Band of Outsiders and Boyy, has scraped his Spring 09 presentation/show in favor of a video saying, “I don’t make runway clothes. These are clothes you wear on the street, so I’m just super-uncomfortable with it. It puts it in totally the wrong context — I want to do something closer to where the clothes are, and let people actually touch and feel them as opposed to seeing them on a 14-year-old anorexic model.” Aside from the fact that this might have something to do with the recession, he's totally and completely right and everyone knows it. The only reason we go to these shows, which are more or less completely irrelevant because there is no 'spectacle'--just blazers as usual, is because it gives everyone a break from the insane stuff during fashion week. It's really, ahem, low-key, and really, ahem, unpretentious and as much as we realize it's kind of unnecessary, we've always appreciated the break in insanity. So, Sternberg, in addition to this, has shot his look book with a celebrity friend on polaroid. This, we think, takes the cake. It is very cool of both of them to be behaving this way because it takes the power of The Industry and of The Tabloids and puts it right back in their own hands. Like, "Oh, you're going to try to have me schedule myself in the same time slot as DKNY? Oh, you're going to try to make me some common Starbucks slurping celebrity?--"No, that is not how we're going to do this.". These are the instances that remind you just why you know this person's name in the first place.

With thoughts of the perfect swimsuit in our head, we went over to the Hayden-Harnett page to see what else is going on with the Brooklyn designers. To our surprise, quite a bit! One of major advantages, we suppose, of having your own e-commerce site is being able to put up your collection whenever it suits you. You don't have to wait for the various shipments to trickle in, nor are you held captive to the aesthetics of the merchant. Quite frankly, you can shoot it on a white background and put it up for sale, all at once, at the end of July. So, Hayden-Harnett leaked a snapshot of their Spring 09 swimwear and has their whole Fall collection up for grabs at the same time (on a 'pre-order' basis but delivery dates are indicated and most are in early August). A wise move on their part! We love their look book because of the bright colors and deco-like atmosphere. This image in particular (also pictured left) is like the perfect 'home for Thanksgiving' photograph, complete with that well-rested complexion and 'I don't want to be here' facial expression. There's something so nostalgic about that image and something so fabulous about the print of that shirt! Otherwise, the color blocked eelskin bags are top on our list. This brand is quickly becoming one our of contemporary favorites, and the shoes and swimwear we're about to see might just seal the deal.

Since the split of Mooka Kinney, we've been wondering when look books would emerge from the brand new brands spawned by the split. Rachel Antonoff, the brunette beauty responsible for one half of Mooka Kinney, has given us the anticipated goods (modeled by a few familiar faces) and has, in her spare time, had the line picked up by Barney's. One thing is for sure--the gal is off to a good start. For her first season Antonoff has channeled an aesthetic not unlike the vintage-inspired offerings we drooled over from Mooka Kinney in season's past. Antonoff clearly knows a thing or two about print and femininity, and her frocks are always a testament to that fact. One marked difference, however, is that these frocks seem to be growing up a bit. Rather than sticking with short shifts and bathing suit-like jumpers, the new line and new collection encourage a few longer lengths. Sure, we see a two-piece set that bares a little midriff but the below-the-knee dresses, we think, are definitely taking Antonoff to a new place (both in terms of her target audience's body type and age). Click through the looks and we'll keep you posted on when they hit shelves. It's in our best interest, if you catch our drift.

Consider yourself 389 pages more aware of how to best shop mass-produced clothing.The Fall 08 Topshop Look Book is finally here. Our prediction? Topshop will be giving, not mass-market retailers, but contemporary brands a run for their money. Think of it this way: a tunic that costs 60 pounds sterling will cost 120 dollars in America, a pair of trousers at 85 pounds will clock in at 170 dollars, and a boutique item, say for 150 pounds, will cost you about 300 dollars. What does this mean? This means American Topshop consumers just became contemporary consumers without, perhaps, realizing it (remember, Topshop, until now, retailed at Opening Ceremony and Barney's). So, brands like Diabless, like Phillip Lim (though his prices are rising), like Tibi, and A.P.C. will now have to compete with a neighbor who has a multi-story flagship, worldwide e-commerce site, and daily deliveries of right-now styles. The contemporary brands must know this. If they do not, they are in for a 389-part surprise.

A special shoutout to Fashionista for the link.