(AD)DICTED TO S/S 2010 CAMPAIGNS

I awoke this morning bursting to shoot out into the sunny + gentle breezy weather. Vitamin D was glowing on the faces and frames parading the city streets.

Personally, the titanic fashion campaign billboards made it all the more pleasure to drink in the sunshine glaring east to west. My magazine pile in the studio flat is amassing because of the passion in appreciating adverts--especially Spring/Summer versions!

Here's a sampling (way, way to much to post) of our favorite Spring ad faves we just can't stop

eye-glazing!!

TOM FORD

GUCCI (My top ad pick for Spring/Summer season)

Cole Haan

SEAN JOHN

WE HEART: Cole, Rood & Haan Co.

I’ll be honest right out and say "I never took conscious glances at the Cole Haan brand." (Not even when Nike, Inc. took brand ownership.) Feelings changed last week when I had the opportunity to engage, explore, and dive on a Cole, Rood & Haan shoe. The company paid brilliant nods to their 1920s Chicagoan heritage with the Cole, Rood & Haan Co. collection.

Last month Cole, Rood & Haan Co. hosted an intimate brand showoff in a speakeasy (real 1920s!) style loft. Each shoe style, shape finishing, bright detail stitch cuts, drew in Mr. MSR closer and closer. Plush cushioned insoles, luxurious Italian leathers, natural wood bottoms, wide-stitch engineering (a telltale for any durable high-quality shoe) trailed through the well-executed and distinguished collection. The collection breadth holds a varied style range (as you can witness below) and offers wardrobe versatility, as great shoes should.

Mr. MSR is a huge fan and boaster of the label’s dress boots! The pair I’m currently sporting (Boot Leg model) into the NYC ground just cannot break free. I actually don’t want it to either! My other shoes are getting envious I think?—lol.

To shop the breathtaking C.R.H. collection or get stockist information, please visit Cole, Rood & Haan Co. online.

(The Boot Leg style atop)

J.CREW: APPEALING TO THE FASHIONABLE KID MARKET VIA- CREWCUTS.

Even before Michelle Obama donned J.Crew assortments, J. Crew had a popular connective to fashion-forwards opting for sophisticated and classic designs. Having conquered the adult and tween (especially omnipresent on tweens) demographics, J.Crew put forward adult-type styles and fashions for the kiddies. On the express tube last week, I happen to whip out the label’s newly pristine catalog and took multiple freeze-frames in the crewcuts sections. Down to the mannerism and poses, the model kids trice their childish age.

The grown-up quality of the garments sends a clear messaging about the J.Crew brand: Quality serves every age—even tikes. The chaps especially impart a debonair-in-training vibe we at MSR admire. The dashing merchandise offerings (some pictured below) don’t displease one bit. Just to spotlight some favorites: We like the lambswool cable knits, wool herringbone suit pant, paint-splatter jean (gasp!), wool-cashmere topcoat (looks ultrasoft and luxurious), suede Macalister pull-on boots (think desert style), white-collar banker-stripe shirt, and mélanges of other prep-focused pieces.

CREWCUTS CATALOG SHOTS:

ERYKAH BADU SWEETENS UP

You remember at the top section of the year, I mentioned the Tom Ford fragrance partnership with earthy-soul songstress Erykah Badu? Well the ad campaign shots for Tom Ford’s White Patchouli—set to debut Fall—are buzzing. (Patchouli is actually a fragrant herb used to hydrate the skin.)

“For this project, I wanted to reinvent patchouli; I loved the idea of mixing patchouli with white florals. We used patchouli orpur, which takes out some of the darker, smoky notes of patchouli. We mixed that with peony, bergamot, and jasmine. Additional notes include rose, coriander, and ambrette seed”, says Tom Ford, in a recent article.

As I stated before “her beauty always translates well.” The new fragrance spreads speaks just that. Erykah depicts sort of a saucy and sultry positioning I actually love. Models, stand way for the possible new it-face. Designers might start clamoring to have her for campaigns.

Well done Ms. Badu!

Speaking of campaigns, check out J. Timberlake’s fall fragrance (entitled PLAY) adverts for GIVENCHY.

ABSOLUT + Kanye West

Today, during a train ride, I featured my eyes on the comical adverts Absolut partnered with Kanye to produce. It has some narcissistic connotations of course, but I found the ad's real comical and strange, coming from a beverage brand that normally whips up stimulating and memorable ad campaigns.

Honestly, I felt the collaboration should of gave birth to something more supreme.

Train Advertisement


The viral video birth from this questionable concept.

SUBLIMINAL BRANDING JUST BECAUSE....

Of course the unequal Hollywood couple has upcoming or pending projects launching. But don’t you love the focused branding (meaning extra familiarity) the duo is offering up for viewer eyes! I believe it’s incredible and strategic. A power couple posing for same month venerable covers: V Man (even a barber whose so non-fashion got hooked from the issue I toted!) and Harper’s Bazaar. Both covers and accompanying spreads were fresh and appealing to the eye! Stephen Gan (founder and E.I.C @ V Man & Creative Director @ Harper’s) I know you had some workings behind the scene with this stellar execution.

Check this attention-grabbing cover out!

Simply, FABULOUS at your age, is the truth!
Whatever your doing sweets, continue it.

**GENTS! Preview these BONUS goodies I pulled straight from the well-styled pages of V MAN. Don't you just feel like snatching up these obsessions because of the artful styling.

GUCCI HEARTS NY!

Who doesn’t love the BIG APPLE?

Well GUCCI showed much appreciation to my hometown with ‘Gucci Loves New York.’ The marketer in me respects Gucci’s strong brand positioning and force with this marketing initiative. I’ve been a lover (ok, groupie) since High School of their thought-stimulating advertisement campaigns. The High School nostalgia re-emerged after seeing their new ad for Gucci Loves New York (pictured above) on the back cover of GOTHAM.

The Gucci hearts NY site is pretty fun and interactive. Check it out and see NY through the eyes of the luxury brand.

3-D model of new Gucci flagship in NYC.