Just say it—"Nanette Lepore"—and you can envision a precocious little girl who might borrow her mother's favorite Chanel tweed to pair with a painted kimono robe, adding an unattended lace doily made into a delicate neckerchief, draped in plastic beads and baubles, with canvas Keds wrapped in ribbon to imitate real toe shoes. Now imagine that young lady grown-up, gone around the globe more than once and become the famous fashion designer she dreamed of being, with a flair for infusing her otherwise practical pieces with a hint of whimsy.
One of her four boutiques in the United States, Nanette Lepore inside the Forum Shops at Caesars represents the real vision of a lifelong fashionista, pink pickled floors and all.
It's that pink aura emanating from the powder-puff floor planks and magenta cove lighting that reminds you Nanette doesn't take her trade too seriously. Though each season is decidedly mature, she never disregards the important role of playful prints and flirtatious embellishments.
Her mélange coats sparkle with silver woven into the knit. Silk satin blouses tie high on the neck with a bow, and tease with a peekaboo keyhole above the bust. Her skirts sit at the navel, accentuating an adult feminine form.
Most skilled at crafting that casual, devil-may-care mix of Americana appreciation, modern bohemia and turn-of-the-century ephemera, Nanette Lepore simply structures her line to last and offers versatile pieces to please her patrons, be they 20-something designer-jean loyalists or over-50 women with a preference for the fitted pantsuit.
Partnered with Keds for the 2007 spring season, Nanette is taking her talent for exuberant elegance and updating the classic canvas lace-ups with sophistication and just a touch of leopard print. Her creations include rubber-soled ballet slippers in cobalt and black satin; canvas wedges in white and lime stripes; thongs tied off with a big bow; and of course the elastic slip-on, Nanette's vision in mossy leopard spots.
Though Nanette's special-edition Keds aren't on the shelves yet, with last Wednesday's launch party and Mischa Barton as the official spokesmodel, they're sure to be in short supply.
Nanette Lepore
Where: Inside the Forum Shops at Caesars.
Info: 893-9704 or
www.nanettelepore.com.
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