Art and fashion: tied at the hip bone-corset
Concept store BluNoir, opening early September at Tivoli Village in Summerlin, promises to be more European salon than West Coast boutique — although you’ll find plenty of celebrity favorite brands such as Autumn Cashmere, Rory Beca, Adriano Goldschmied and Hollywood-made Gypsy05.
Stocking a roster of international brands that might prove intimidating to other retailers should come naturally for Sarbonne-educated and Paris-raised founder Anais Leigh, who plans to import what in many cases are the first State-side offerings of well-loved European (mostly French) brands. We’re excited about menswear-inspired ba&sh, trendy and ultra-feminine Axara and Zazazou, makers of eco-chic T-shirts, bags and paper goods.
Browsing the range of neo-vintage women’s wear, vintage designer sunglasses, home decor and vintage music items would feel like raiding your fashionable best friend’s closet, if that friend were to offer to bring items closer for your inspection while you rested luxuriously upon a divan and then provided you with an uber-tech-savvy mobile point-of-sale system to purchase your must-haves from the comfort of your seat. It’s part art gallery, part home and all lifestyle.
Focused on bridging cultural gaps, BluNoir is also planning to partner with local artists, working with an advisory board of UNLV professors to engage a series of BluNoir-sponsored artists for monthlong, in-store exhibitions. BluNoir’s portion of proceeds from the sales will support charitable facets of their mission and be donated to local non-profits.
The group plans four future Las Vegas locations, opening a shop a year starting in 2013. The online store is projected to hit browsers in September at www.BluNoir.com. — Maureen Adamo
Vogue’s ambition know no bounds, and, as evidence, its annual Fashion’s Night Out fete is back, now expanding to online shoppers. Beginning 6 p.m. Sept. 8 (some retailers will host earlier events, check with your favorite store), mix with designers and celebrities while taking in mini-catwalks, mini-hors d’oeuvres and some exclusive designer deals. The after-hours shopping spree, in its third year, is also bringing back its special FNO collection at selected retailers in-store and online. The official list of participants will be released mid-August at www.fashionsnightout.com, where you can also track updates via the Twitter feed. Sadly, it’s just informed us Anna Wintour will be in Tokyo for this year’s event, but we’ll try to carry on without her. — M.A.