Liz Claiborne is a Belgian-born fashion designer. She immigrated to the United States in 1939, and was raised in New Orleans, Louisiana. She attended St. Timothy's, a boarding school then in Catonsville, Maryland. Rather than finishing high school, she went to Europe to study art. In 1949, she won the Jacques Heim National Design Contest, and then moved to New York City where she worked as a sketch artist at the sportswear house Tina Leser. She worked as a designer for Dan Keller and Youth Group Inc., before starting her own design company, Liz Claiborne Inc., in 1976. The firm grew from its origins designing affordable active sportswear for women and is now a multi billion-dollar enterprise. Source

Ready-to-Wear
Spring/Summer 2006 - New York
Carolina presented her Spring/Summer 2006 collection during New York Fashion Week in September 2005. A beautiful dress from the collection is shown on the right, a powder-blue gown with a beautiful hand-painted floral panel on the skirt. Her evening gowns were fitted to the knee and then flared out to the hemline.
For daywear, she teamed leg-elongating trousers with tiny knit sweaters and pencil skirts with short-sleeved tops. This was a collection that combined glamour and grace. Source

Hennes & Mauritz AB (operating as H&M), is a Swedish clothing company, known for its fast fashion clothing offerings for women, men, teenagers and children. H&M has more than 1,700 stores in 33 different countries and employ over 73,000 people.
H&M's first store abroad was opened in England. Then from 1964 onwards, H&M embarked upon a major expansion programme many further stores in Europe, including the UK, Norway, Denmark, Switzerland and Germany. In the 1990s, the first stores opened in Finland, France, Belgium, Austria and the Netherlands. H&M has continued to expand its business and today H&M has an extensive network throughout much of Europe.

Since it began in 1921, Loehmann's has occupied a unique position in the fashion industry; it stands alone as the only national upscale off-price specialty retailer. Loehmann's is best known for its world-famous Back Room, where fashion-conscious women can find their favorite designers at prices that are always 30% to 65% lower than department or specialty stores. In recent years, Loehmann's has expanded its offerings to include shoes and accessories, juniors, fragrances, gifts and intimate apparel. In addition, over 45 of its stores now include complete men's departments.

All that is youthful, sexy, vibrant, full of life and beautiful in draping cloth on men and women, young and old, is exuberantly displayed at this Manhattan shrine to the genius fashion designers, Dolce & Gabbana. JLo loves them, soccer gods model their clothing and movie directors feature their distinctive collections. All because they are really good at what they do. Deceptively simple and outrageously alive, these two Italian fashion designers have transformed quality clothing into an art. What use is designer fashion if you have nowhere to wear it? Favored by celebrities, dignitaries and the man/woman on the street, D&G give a spark of life and creativity to the streets of New York City. Their Spring Summer 2012 collection is extraordinary in fabric, line, and color, embracing the family with fashions for men, women and children, with D&G Junior. Sign up for Swide, their fashion magazine and download their app on your Iphone for everything D&G. You are sure to see some of the world’s most beautiful actresses and sports heroes in their Manhattan boutique. It is worth your while to browse through the beautiful people of the world and their clothes when shopping in New York City.

The Armani signature label is the most expensive Armani label and is available in its 75 worldwide boutiques. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org

Video: New York Fashion Week 2007 - DKNY Fall Runway Show

Simply stated, DKNY is the energy and spirit of New York. International, eclectic, fun, fast and real. DKNY addresses the real-life needs of people everywhere, from work to weekend, jeans to evening. Both fashionable and friendly, DKNY consistently delivers its unique mix of style around the world.

After 20 years in the surf, skate and snowboard business, founder Chip Wilson took the first commercial yoga class offered in Vancouver and found the result exhilarating. The post yoga feeling was so close to surfing and snowboarding that it seemed obvious that yoga was an ideology whose time had come (again).

The company, originally known in Italy as ("Prada Brothers"), was founded in 1913 by Mario Prada in Milan. In 1978, Mario's granddaughter Miuccia Prada inherited what was still a leather goods business from her mother, and led the company's expansion into couture.
In addition to the original Prada line, the company introduced the Kelsie Jones Miu Miu collection, a lower-priced line aimed at a younger audience, in 1992. The Miu Miu line, which shares Miuccia Prada's nickname, emphasizes earthy colors and a less haute couture look, evoking an overall more bohemian style. It was followed by the Prada Sport 'Linea Rossa' collection, which featured tennis shoes. The Prada line produces high-end ready-to-wear clothes and accessories for men and women in addition to a range of children's clothes, fragrances and cosmetic products and home products, whilst the Prada Sport and Miu Miu lines produce clothes and accessories for men and women, including handbags, shoes, wallets, and sunglasses.
Prada currently has 14 locations in the U.S., 6 in New York, as well as boutiques in Bal Harbour, Beverly Hills, San Francisco, Chicago, Honolulu, Waikiki, and Las Vegas. A boutique in the Mandarin Oriental hotel in Boston is being planned.
Prada has three flagship "epicenter" stores as well that are much larger and carry more merchandise than regular boutiques. These are located in New York, Beverly Hills, and Tokyo. Source

New to the fashion world but known globally for his innovative design installations, when you go to the Carlos Miele boutique in Manhattan, the Village, you enter an entire designer experience. His American flagship shop was designed by architect Hani Rashad and entered by New York city to the prestigious International Architecture Biennale in São Paulo, Brazil. Brazil, known for gorgeous women, sexy clothing and dynamic colors, Carlos gives us outrageously sexy fabric drapes in brilliant hues of turquoise and azure, yellows competing with the sun itself. His Manhattan boutique emulates the white sand beaches upon which every woman is the sparkling jewel, as long s they are wearing one of his creations, of course. Wisps of diasporas fabrics and stunning Brazilian country wear, leathers, artisan influence, and the elements of life, sun, wind, water and good old solid earth, every penny is worth shimmying on one of his creations. It is no wonder that New York was his first stop in his growing claim to fame. Dressed in a white cotton shirt, blue jeans and an irrepressible dimple, window shopping is just not enough to get his vibe. Walk in and demand a fitting.

Incredibly well staffed with some of the friendliest, most enthusiastic, and helpful people you've ever had the pleasure working with. This place is an absolute pleasure to visit, and amazingly well stocked, too! If you're doggedly searching for that one special piece, but can't seem to sniff it out at any other locations, you'll be delighted to know that this store has nearly every fashion American Eagle currently has in stock! You could lose yourself for hours in Manhattan just by just taking a leisurely browse. Everything is so beautifully arranged, so you won't have worry to about your eyes tiring of pleasant sights. If you find yourself overwhelmed by the vast selection of clothes in the Woman's section, any of the cheerful employees would be more than happy to help you pick out the perfect outfit, no matter the occasion. Whether it is the perfect top to compliment your figure, or a beautiful dress to wear to a party, they'll help. If you ever happen to be in NYC, do yourself a huge favor and stop by here. You will always find just what you're looking for in Spring and Summer 2012.

Returning after a season's maternity leave, Phoebe sent out a collection with crisp new shapes, proportions and vigour. A line dresses and stiffer couture fabrics were used with flares from the shoulder, and swinging skirts with models on great chunky platform shoes. Sixties ruffled skirts (so popular this season) were intricately worked in crunchy embroidery, organza applique and frills. Lots of new accessories like handbags were seen this season. Source

The first store was located in Hingham, Massachusetts. During the following year, they established a direct mail service which would originate their catalog service. In 1973, General Mills acquired Talbots. Talbots was listed on the New York Stock Exchange beginning in 1993. Arnold Zetcher is the CEO of Talbots.
At the end of 2005, there were 1,083 stores in the United States, Canada, and the UK, as well as 4 stores in Japan. The company operates a product development office in New York City, a computer center in Tampa, Florida, that changed facilities and moved into its new building on September 5, 2006, and a call center in Knoxville, Tennessee. The corporate headquarters is still in Hingham.
Talbots has an unusually liberal guarantee; the company allows returns of merchandise, for any reason, with no time limit. (Refer to the website talbots.com or any catalogue for statement of the guarantee.)
Talbots has shops, but relies primarily on internet and phone orders. Source

Eddie Bauer became a household name for quality and classic styling. The designer has a history rich in innovation and scope. Looking for classy quality? Don’t be surprised if you find the Eddie Bauer signature on your car or your cap. Known for their outdoor lifestyle and clothing, Eddie Bauer has branched into a vast selection of Men’s and Women’s casual wear providing style and class for all of their clientele. The Queens clothing store continues with these ideals by showcasing the vast selection of merchandise designed by Eddie Bauer. Shirts, pants, polos, sweaters, swimwear, jeans, jackets and more have all been meticulously designed. It only takes shopping once to become an Eddie Bauer fan for life. After all, you have to come back for their shoes, bags, accessories… Redesigning your home? Eddie Bauer has begun a line of bedding and home ware so enjoy Eddie in the comfort of your own home. Eddie Bauer is an American icon and continues to produce the highest of quality merchandise. If in Queens, stop into Eddie Bauer and see why they continue to thrive today as they have for the last ninety years.

The House of Chanel, more commonly known as Chanel, is a Parisian fashion house in France founded by Gabrielle Bonheur "Coco" Chanel. According to Forbes, the privately held House of Chanel is jointly owned by Alain Wertheimer and Gerard Wertheimer who are the grandsons of the early Chanel partner Pierre Wertheimer.
The Luxury Line, introduced in 2006 featuring a metal chain embedded in the leather, is one of the most desired "it" bags of the moment.
The House of Chanel, under the leadership of Karl Lagerfeld, has defined the style and fashion of Chanel as being the five essentials: audacious, perfectionist, unique, passionate, and visionary. Source

Starting out as Daffy Dan’s Bargaintown, the new Daffy’s has revolutionized quality clothing stores by giving you the opportunity to wear the best designer collections while not breaking the bank to do so. Daffy’s became famous as the first fashion clothing store by making Madison Avenue and European designer brands available to all consumers. With their location in the heart of Madison Avenue, Daffy’s has been recognized as one of Manhattan’s premier clothing stores and is a must visit for anyone looking to do some serious shopping. With extensive selections of dresses, sweatsuits, sportswear and even houseware, Daffy’s is sure to have a little bit of something for everyone. Daffy’s fashion clothing store maintains the highest of quality control and makes a promise to its consumers to maintain these values. A family run business, Daffy’s allows its customers a chance to relax and feel at home with some of the best customer service available in New York City. Evolving from a single New Jersey store specializing in samples and irregulars to a 19 store corporation carrying the finest apparel available, Daffy’s has firmly established itself as one of the best New York clothing stores at bargain prices.

Victoria's secret is a specialty retailer of women's intimate apparel. It has about 1,000 Victoria's Secret lingerie stores and 100 stand-alone Victoria's Secret Beauty Stores in the US, mostly mall-based. It sells bras, panties, hosiery, beauty products, sleepwear, and more. Victoria's Secret mails more than 400 million of its catalogs per year.
Victoria's Secret decidedly built its image with a fairly conservative, middle-class shopper in mind and avoided any connotations of sleaziness which lingerie might carry.
The company gained notoriety in the early 1990s after it began to use supermodels in its advertising and fashion shows. Throughout the past decade, it refused to follow the celebrity trend, turning down at least one celebrity a month begging to model the brand. Source

Bikinis! Dresses! Jewelry! Oh my! Intermix in Manhattan, located on Madison Avenue, is a trendy and fun store filled to the brim with excellent, high quality clothing. A great store for those looking for the latest trends available, Intermix holds all sorts of designers. 10 Crosby, Fendi, L'Agence, and Valentino are some of the major design houses they carry. Girls all over Manhattan come to this store to either browse and relax or find the perfect piece to wear to an uptown party or event. Very conveniently located, surrounded by many of the most popular stores and right in front of a bus stop. This New York City fashion boutique makes for great walk through window shopping and browsing. A big plus is their separate shoe section! Most Intermix locations have shoes scattered around the store which make it seem cluttered, but this one is much more organized and easier to find that perfect thing you're looking for in a cinch. You'll be the envy of everyone you know if you shop here. They carry the hottest of the hot new styles that will be in and out all Summer 2012, so buy soon!

Noted for its quality materials, use of color, and elegant and femininine designs, Escada successfully widened its clientele and by 1981 established a name in many categories of womenswear, specializing in formal wear and knitwear. In 1982, the company opened their first store in the United States on Fifth Avenue in New York City and opened its first store in Asia the following year in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong boutique became a worldwide landmark, marked for its use of gold in the store's design.
Though debuting in America in 1982, Escada did not gain national prominence until 1984 when the leading fashion and women's wear magazine Vogue published an entire edition devoted to promoting Escada. Its worldwide prominence led its 1986 IPO on the FSE to be highly anticipated and Escada's debut on the stock exchange marked the headlines in hundreds of major newspapers worldwide. 30 years later, Escada has established itself as one of the largest fashion houses in the world. Escada?s headquarters are based in Munich, Germany and Escada?s collections are available in nearly 500 locations in 60 countries. In the United States, the company has 16 boutiques in Arizona, California, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Nevada, New York, Texas, and Washington. Escada has opened several larger stores carrying various fashion lines including Escada, Escada Sport, and Couture and Accessories. The largest of these stores is located in Vancouver, Canada, and is 16,000 square feet.
Like many fashion houses, Escada also has a line of fragrances for both women and men. Source

Simply elegant. Barbara Bui, combines the simplicity of good design sense with the elegance of her native Paris and catapulted into the hottest fashion markets of the world. Manhattan, Milan, Rodeo Dr, Frand, Italy, Monaco, Lebanon and Russia, just stroll down Prince in Greenwich Village and save the price of jet fuel by shopping in America. White is her basic color palate with ebony incorporated for drama. She excels at adding the jeweled colors of the season. Her Spring Summer 2012 collections radiate with this year’s sunburst yellow and ripe tangerine. Cooling with a bit of fresh live green, Bui designs to enhance a woman’s beauty by making the deceptive simple elegance a canvass for a woman’s natural grace. In fact, if Grace Kelly were alive today, she would be all over Barbara Bui’s clean and flowing garb, especially the gorgeous gowns that fall to the floor in perfect symmetry. Gowns, suits, tops , skirts, pants, knitwear, casual, formal, bags to make you whimper and shoes to incite passion, browse through all her accessories and shop wisely. Once you wear a Barbara Bui original, New York City shopping will have a whole new meaning for you.

Casual sophistication birthed out of traveling around the world, Custo and David Dalmau seized the psychedelic beach style of Southern California and created a lifestyle from their own bohemian Barcelona roots. Surfing in Spain was popular, but clothing was unremarkable until the advent of the two Spanish brothers to the global fashion scene. If you think you can just go online and shop for Spanish surf inspired clothing, you will be sadly mistaken. Custo and David sank their souls into the development of innovative graphics and color treatments that simply cannot be experienced virtually. Their Manhattan boutique is a simple journey to Greenwich Village, so if you were already planning on stepping out for a bite to eat, take a little more time and shop at their New York City store. The colors are divine – fuchsias, turquoise and magenta hues for women and graphite blues for men, casual chic is well represented in their full line of t-shirts, skirts, dresses, jackets, tops, and pants for men, women and kids. Wear the Custo Barcelona brand and you will be initiated into the lifestyle of sun, wind, water and long beaches of fun.

Marc Jacobs is an American fashion designer. He attended the High School of Art and Design and graduated in 1981. From there, Jacobs entered the Parsons School of Design in New York City. At Parsons, Jacobs won the Perry Ellis Gold Thimble Award in 1984, and in the same year was also awarded the Chester Weinberg Gold Thimble Award and the Design Student of the Year Award.
Jacobs has sometimes bucked prevailing fashion trends. In Spring 2004/2005, when designers were following the "safari theme", he made his collection completely lady-like and the catwalk which the models walked on had an archway of 450,000 roses. Jacobs' Fall 2005 collection received sharply mixed reviews. In 2006, he is set to bring out a watch collection this year under the brand of Marc Jacobs. Source

From the beaches of California to the busy streets of New York, Pacsun has established itself as a distinctive and innovative New York City clothing store that embraces its west coast roots and shares it with an East Coast lifestyle. Located in Elhurst, Pacsun is far more than a traditional Queens clothing store; it is a status symbol of a lifestyle not readily available in the New York clothing scene. Offering much more than surfboards and board wax, Pacsun’s reached out into the entire youth culture and now offers a full line of casual and active sport apparel. Men’s wear, women’s wear, swimsuits, shoes, denim and of course surf shorts are all part of Pacsun’s unique designer collections that give you quality clothing in a variety of up-to-date fashions. Another interest of note is Pacsun’s dedication to employees by providing extraordinary training and services to ensure that you, the customer, receive the very best NYC shopping experience. Pacsun’s desire is to stay true to their roots in youth culture and offer what’s new now. With their store in Queens they continue to succeed with that mentality and offer a welcome change from the mundane in the fashion world.