Alternative Apparel Blog

Win New Music from Juliana Hatfield: Our Forgotten Favorite

Say hello to an old favorite - Juliana Hatfield. You may remember Juliana from her blaze of greatness with Blake Babies and/or The Juliana Hatfield Three in the early 90's, riding at the forefront of the grunge movement, nursing what would eventually grow into alternative and indie music as we know it today. But while you were either doing that electroclash thing or you were listening to Coldplay on repeat, Juliana was still there, quietly making intimate and intense songs with the same sweet voice, year after year.

Juliana's got a new album out now entitled Peace & Love - check out the track "Evan" up on our music player. It's a refreshing, welcome break from the indie music that's reigned supreme over the past few years. That's not a criticism of today's music in the least (because duh, I love it), but listening to Juliana's new album reminds me of a sound of which we were once so fond. We forgot about a song that sort of organically takes shape, pushed by the raw emotion behind it. We forgot about a song that wasn't peppered with cowbells, handclaps or some computer-generated sound effects.  Forgotten, but not lost.

To help refresh your memory as to the wonderful world of sounds that only Juliana Hatfield can create, we're gonna give two winners a copy of her new album (Peace & Love) and we're gonna throw in one of our unisex t-shirts made with 100% organic cotton (because we don't have any ripped up flannel button-downs...)

Do you wanna win? Just leave a comment on this post by Sunday, February 28, 2010 - we'll announce our two random winners on Monday, March 1. Good luck!

Richard Chai Woos the Fashion World

 
Visionary designer Richard Chai had fashionistas head over heels for his Richard Chai Love Fall 2010 collection at his Bryant Park show yesterday. The audience adored the casual luxury and utilitarian aspect of Chai’s latest ready-to-wear designs, which included lovely layered looks and elegantly tailored pieces made with Alternative’s original fabrications.

For his Richard Chai for Alternative Apparel looks, Chai worked with our semi-sheer and super-soft modal silk and linen jersey fabrics to create a series of street-chic pieces (shown above) with an effortlessly cool vibe. "I wanted to have a real nonchalance about the collection," said Chai of his inspiration, adding that he wanted to "capture the way art students dress."

As Chai’s secondary contemporary line which features high-fashion items at an attainable price point, Richard Chai Love is a welcome breath of fresh air in the fashion world. The exclusive Richard Chai for Alternative line will be sold at Refinery29.com.

Kinds of Love? I Kind of Love You.

Wanna know what's happening right now? Well, right now thousands and thousands of swellegant women and men in the fashion industry are descending upon Bryant Park in New York for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. Right about now they're climbing into a cab (to get that morning Starbucks fix) and right about now, this video is popping up on the screen in the backseat of the taxi:



C'est magnifique, n'est-ce pas? This short video is part of our spring campaign that we originally launched in a special photo collage featured in Flaunt magazine. Here's a bit more about the inspiration behind the video:

Inspired in part by the famed romance between cultural icons Jane Birkin and Serge Gainsbourg and the overall vibrant allure of 1960s French pop culture, Alternative’s “I Kind of Love You” campaign video evokes a casual luxury and effortless cool that is synonymous with the premier brand’s fashion-forward, vintage-soft clothing and accessories. From music, art and cinema to the unforgettable icons themselves, the 60s French pop scene was abundantly rich in style and creativity; it was a cultural moment in time that was all about spontaneity, authenticity and comfort—both inside and out. Featuring the latest Alternative fashions for women and men, the film was shot in L.A.’s scenic Laurel Canyon neighborhood.

P.S. A special shout-out to Blind Man's Colour - the delightful tune from the video is entitled "Never Hope for Treasure" off their Wooden Blankets EP.

Win New Music from VV Brown: Technicolour Tunes to Chase Away the Blues

From across the pond comes VV Brown, a bright and dynamic songstress that combines the snap-crackle-pop of Janelle Monáe and the rock-and-soul of Amy Winehouse. It's a perfect hybrid spanning from Miss Brown's music and voice to her hair and her wardrobe.  She tends to be cheerful and energetic even when singing about break-ups and love gone bad, but hey, no one wants to waste their time being all down in the dumps, right?  If it's up to her, you'll be in a better mood (and possibly dancing) in no time at all.

VV Brown is our featured artist this week, and we've got her latest US single "Shark in the Water" up on our music player.  If you find yourself in the need for an audio-visual demonstration, check out this acoustic version of "Shark in the Water":



(And if it's brighter brights you're after, check out her video for "Crying Blood" - super rad houndstooth dress alert!)

For our giveaway, we're giving two lucky winners a digital copy of the album (in iTunes format) PLUS any item from our burnout collection featuring some bold new colors like violet, sea blue and kelly green.

How do you enter to win? Just leave a comment on this post by Sunday, February 21, 2010 - we'll announce our two winners on Monday, February 22. Good luck!

VV Brown's album Travelling Like The Light is out now on Capitol Records in the US - it's out on Island Records for all you UK folks.

Alternative Makes an Entrance at New York Fashion Week

 
Finally, the week we’ve all been waiting for…no, not Discovery Channel’s Shark Week, it’s Mercedes-Benz 2010 New York Fall Fashion Week! This year marks our first major involvement in the world’s largest global fashion event. That’s right, kids, Alternative is collaborating with two of today’s hottest names in fashion, Richard Chai and Jeremy Scott, who will each be designing signature looks which will be styled into their respective runway shows.

Some of you may have seen Jeremy Scott’s designs on his huge following of top celebrity fans, such as Lady GaGa, Rihanna, Madonna and Gwen Stefani. Scott will show his collection on Wednesday, February 17, 2010 @ 1 pm at Milk Studios. Commenting on his signature Jeremy Scott for Alternative Apparel looks, Scott describes,

"The collection is inspired by fashion itself and with fashion as my muse, I created an homage to the little black dress. I’ve created three takes on the ever-modern women’s best friend—the black dress—using the super-soft and refined micro-modal spandex fabrics from Alternative Apparel."

Sounds like a match made in fashion heaven! As for the visionary Richard Chai, he’ll be showing his women’s collection on the runway on Thursday, February 11, 2010 @ 11 am at Bryant Park. Working with Alternative’s luxurious linen jersey and modal silk fabrics, Chai created an original take on the classic tee for his Richard Chai for Alternative Apparel looks. He says,

"I adored the idea of incorporating t-shirts that are reworked and reinterpreted to give the collection a cook, laidback edge - and who better to partner with than Alternative Apparel for fashion-forward tees and cutting-edge fabrics?"

We couldn't agree more, Richard. Both of the exclusive collaborations will be sold as limited edition, with a private run at a virtual pop-up shop Refinery29.com. Stay tuned for more details and footage from the shows later this week!

Image courtesy of mbfashionweek.com.

Swoon-Worthy V-Day Gifts

 
Valentine’s Day is less than two weeks away and you’ve got squat to give to your sweetheart. Why not switch things up a bit this year and win your one and only over with some super-cool duds instead of the cliché chocolate and flowers bit—after all, chocolate makes you fat and flowers die quickly. That being said, here are our top picks for gorgeous gifts. And just to sweeten the deal, we’re offering free ground shipping on all orders through Valentine’s Day!

For Her

• The Flashdance Sweatshirt – What a feeling...tell her she reminds you of a young Jennifer Beals in this retro-inspired piece.
• Modal Silk Sleepover Tee – Impossibly soft, sheer and perfect for snuggling.
• The Athena Asymmetrical Tank – Our fave new tank designed to help bring out her inner goddess.
• Pima Scarf – This super-long scarf can double as a wrap or belt.

 
For Him

• The Hoodlum Overdyed Pullover – This sleek, snuggly hoodie comes in a variety of rad colors to spice up his wardrobe.
• The Jon Linen Tee – New for spring, it’s made with our stylish, lightweight Linen Jersey fabric. (Hint: Get this one while it’s hot; it’s part of our Limited Addition line and won’t be around forever.)
• The Shawl Collar Pullover – This classic collar looks good on just about everyone.
• The Destroyed Fidel Cap – A favorite of customers and Alternative employees alike, you can’t go wrong with this perfectly-worn, super-destroyed military-style cap.

For Everyone

Think Earth Tee for Global Green – What better way to spread the love than with an earth-friendly tee to benefit the national environmental nonprofit Global Green USA? FREE with your $15 donation! Screen printing by Zoink.