Nike Just Created A Fantasy Sneaker Destination For Women

Nike is changing the way its female customers shop for sneakers in what is typically considered a male-driven industry. According to the athletic brand, women spend 70% of every dollar worldwide — so they deserve a better. Enter: Nike Unlaced, a sneaker and style destination, the first-of-its-kind for women.

“We’ve been watching women over the last few years, talking to our consumers, and we’ve really seen [them] fueling the sport and fitness lifestyle overall,” Amy Montagne, vice president and general manager of Nike Women tells Business of Fashion. “From going for a run in the morning to going to a meeting and taking a yoga class in the afternoon, we’ve seen how sneakers really play into her lifestyle.”

Nike Unlaced will offer unisex sizing, products created by influencers, and even exclusive perks like VIP hours in stores, as well as same-day delivery services. Women can be prepared to shop highly coveted products like “the Virgil Abloh x Jordan I, unisex sizing as well as the latest innovative performance platforms in an array of colors she can style as she wants, and products she wants to stand for — all in one fantasy sneaker destination,” Julie Igarashi, vice president and creative director of NikeWomen (and one of the key Nike execs responsible for bringing Unlaced to life), tells Refinery29. “With Nike Unlaced, we will be offering women a curated point of view with more choice and access than ever."

"Nike Unlaced is about opening up access to Nike’s best sneakers and style, regardless of footwear size, while serving her entire lifestyle with unlimited performance options, industry-leading innovation and iconic collaborations," she continues. "While it's a global concept, Nike Unlaced will be curated by influential creatives and stylists representing the creative energy of Nike’s key cities. With the launch of the concept this week happening in Paris, European stylist Julia Sarr-Jamois to help curate the space."

The official roll out begins on Nike.com on March 27, with physical locations launching this summer.

Stuart Weitzman Celebrates The Anniversary Of Its Most Perfect Boot

When you think about your ideal knee-high boot, it probably sounds something like this: buttery leather that's not too matte and not too shiny, a bit of stretch that allows them to fit neither too tight or too loose, and a walkable heel that elongates your leg while maintaining comfort. Leave it to none other than iconic Stuart Weitzman to check all of the boxes. The brand is celebrating a major milestone — the 25th anniversary of the 5050 boot, the signature design that changed the footwear industry with its innovative use of stretch-in-boot-construction (go figure!).

If you're not familiar with the 5050, it first launched back in 1993 — because so many good fashion moments happened in the '90s — and has been a must-have closet mainstay ever since, with a loyal A-list following and thousands of trendsetting wearers. But what makes this boot so special? Aside from its ideal block heel, it's distinguished by the instantly identifiable stretch detail along the back of calf, resulting in a universally sleek fit. The style has since expanded to include a variety of half-micro stretch and half-leather/suede boots in different heel heights.

Sure, at $655 this boot is an investment, but you' are getting your hands on a shoe that's been worn by everyone from Selena Gomez and Jessica Alba to Angelina Jolie and Kendall Jenner. Talk about iconic. Shop this long-running, classic boot for yourself at the link below, and who knows, you yourself might just own them for 25 years — and then some.

Stuart Weitzman 5050 Boots, $655, available at Stuart Weitzman.

H&M's New Studio Collection Is Truly A Work Of Art

With spring well, springing up on us (okay, maybe not yet, but it's a-coming), it's time to start taking stock of what a new season will bring for our wardrobes. Once we're finally able to shed our thick winter layers, this time around we'll be looking towards more simplistic looks that are just as fresh as the season we're in. And H&M's spring 2018 studio collection, which deputed Wednesday evening in Paris, is providing just that, with an array of tailored pieces made for every woman.

For its latest offering, the H&M Studio design team took a minimalist page from their journey to Japan. Inspired by the meeting point of Kyoto's utilitarian simplicity and the unique urbanity of Tokyo's style scene, the retailer sought out to create new silhouettes that are equal parts fluid yet crisp. But turning towards populated parts of Japan for style inspiration didn't result in a line of been-there-done-that kimonos (you will, however, find subtle kimono sleeves and wrap details here and there) nor the intense streetwear trends coming from Japan's urban districts. Instead, the designers set their eye on a creating a poetic ode to the country's architectural aesthetic that results in a beautiful collection of workwear-inspired pieces that have us reconsidering what workwear even means.

Pernilla Wohlfahrt, head of design and creative Director for H&M, emphasizes the new direction, saying: "This collection celebrates the vivacity of women. From the primary colors to the easy-going movement of the fabrics and silhouettes to the strong prints, there’s definitely an affinity for urban settings with a hint of glam. And yet, there’s also a longing for nature, an unpretentious way of life. We can have both, of course — that’s the beauty of modern life."

To fête its latest move, H&M hosted influencers at its "Studio House" — a takeover of the Hôtel National Des Arts et Métiers complete with beauty treatments and portrait sessions — followed by a show at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs. Guests were treated to a traditional Japanese dinner while sitting on tatami mats. Let's just say it was a fully immersive experience.

Per past releases of H&M's special seasonal collection, prices tap out around $200, with most of the pieces already selling out. Click on to shop highlights, like a contrast stitch trench and an oversized color splattered knits, online now; the pieces hit select global stores beginning March 1.

Fashion Nova Produces Clothing Faster Than Zara

Fashion Nova may have Zara beat when it comes to how quickly its able to produce fast-fashion. Richard Saghian, the notoriously private CEO of the brand celebrities like Cardi B, Kylie Jenner, and Blac Chyna love to tag on Instagram recently spilled a few secrets toWWD — including how the website is able to constantly offer its customers new merchandise.

According to Saghian, the retailer works with more than 1,000 product manufacturers and can receive samples within 24 hours of conceptualizing a piece. Once ready, the items are shot on any of the models on-call in its office, and the finished product goes up on the site in one to two weeks. The L.A.-based company releases 600 new pieces each week, most of which often sell out immediately. “It’s important to have a lot of styles because our customers post so much online and need new clothes," he tells WWD. "We don’t want girls showing up to the club in the same outfit. We need 50 different denim jackets. Not just one."

Saghian seems to have a good handle on the perception of the business he’s built and who it serves; he realizes his brand speaks to what some may consider an “urban” demographic, and it isn’t a stretch to say Fashion Nova caters to those typically excluded from fashion industry. But perhaps that’s the secret to its success.

“A lot of my competitors have teams that work on a budget all day and are obsessed with profit margins,” he says. “I don’t want to focus on that right now. I believe that as long as we focus on giving the best product at the best price and getting it to our customer fast, we will continue to grow. Right now the focus is getting as many people onto the platform as possible.”

It seems the little Instagram brand that could bested the Internet’s most popular retailers by tapping into an underserved market and meeting its customers where they are — on social media. That method may seem obvious to some, but between its community of #NovaBabes and the fact that one post from Jenner could translate to $50,000 in sales, there's proof it's working. Hey, if it ain’t broke...

At Dior, More Fashion For The Modern Female Protestor

At Dior's fall 2018 show, artistic director Maria Grazia Chiuri thew it back 50 years, to France in May 1968, when civil unrest filled the streets and paved way for a nouveau feminist movement. As strikes and protests took place across Paris and beyond, fashion — and the silhouettes that defined the revolutionary period for women — found new traction, too. For her latest collection, Grazia Chiuri commemorated the movement and set forth a new palette of which to draw inspiration from for those who use clothing as protest.
The Italian designer strove to recreate an era when fashion's rules were under construction, which makes her latest showing for Dior all the more relevant. Ruth Bell opened the show in a black balaclava (the third accessory of its kind to hit Fashion Month this season) with a top emblazoned with the words "C'est non, non, non et non." There was patchwork, ponchos, tinted sunglasses, and check tailoring. But there was just as much flower power, too, in the form of delicate, psychedelic florals.

Noticeably absent from the collection was the country's national motto that, too, defined the era: Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité. But the overt references didn't stop there. The show notes began with a quote from legendary Vogue editor Diana Vreeland: “The sixties were about personalities. It was the first time when mannequins became personalities. It was a time of great goals, an inventive time… and these girls invented themselves.” Vreeland is credited with inventing the term 'youthquake' in 1965, and it'd go on to be crowned the word of the year in 2017. It's a term that feels especially pertinent to the today, as it defined the uprising of young people in London in the '60s.

Steadfastly pushing her feminist message, which she has promoted since her Dior debut, Maria Grazia Chiuri's referential collection provided a modern wardrobe for today's fashion-conscious female protestor. Considering the "We Should All Be Feminists" T-shirt from spring 2017 cost a hefty $700, this luxury brand of feminism may no longer be minimal, but it's still going to cost you. We’ll stick to the pins for now.

This Fashion Week Diary Proves It's Just As Crazy As It Looks

Fashion week for a style devotee is many things: inspiring, frenetic, and over-stimulating, to name a few. And coming out on the other side of it often leaves one feeling as though they need a deep, long sleep. Sure, it's easy to kick back and absorb all of the #content coursing through your phone from afar, but if you're really entrenched in early-morning client breakfasts that turn into showroom visits, and backstage interviews in between an overbooked schedule of shows to make, it makes sense you'd need a little recovery time.

To demystify what really goes on between all the 'grams and runway reports, we followed Refinery29's Annie Georgia Greenberg during three of her busiest days at fashion week. Lucky for her, was at her beck and call to make her jam-packed schedule slightly more manageable, scooting her around town so she didn't miss a beat — or fall victim to those untimely rainstorms. Get a play-by-play of her favorite moments in the diary ahead — from going backstage at the Jonathan Simkhai show to an impromptu coworker carpool to even finding time to sneak in some sit-down lunches, which, as any seasoned FW-goer can tell you, is a serious luxury.

Thursday, February 8

8 a.m. — Even though I feel like I know what I'm going to wear to fashion week, I always change my mind last minute due to comfort and weather. This year was no different, and a pile of coats and shoes emerged, well, everywhere. Luckily, because I didn't have to schlep my bags to the subway (I really owe you one, Uber), I was able to squirrel away an extra 20 minutes to give my #OOTD one more look.

12 p.m. — First up, the Sandy Liang presentation at Mission Chinese. This show had seated models at a posed dinner party and cotton candy. So win-win for everyone.

1 p.m. — I ATE LUNCH TODAY! Okay, I eat lunch every day, but today I got to have a sit-down solo lunch between the Sandy Liang presentation and the Adeam show. A very enjoyable one at that at my old favorite (and yours), Dimes, a LES/Chinatown haunt nearby some of my appointments.

2 p.m. — The Beekman Hotel is one of my favorite properties in NYC, and luckily it's right by the office. So it's always fun to swing by for a show and see how the space is utilized. Adeam held its show in the lower level — and it was super fancy.

7 p.m. — Call me crazy (you'd be right), but I was actually in the closing weekend of a play I co-wrote and directed during fashion week. This night I rushed off (in my snazzy black Uber, obviously) for our final dress rehearsal, which we were also filming for posterity.

12 a.m. — We ordered Indian food to the rehearsal space. Our director, Dan Wender, co-wrote all of the music for the play, so it was fun to unwind with a dance off.

Friday, February 9

9:30 a.m. — We usually have bagel Fridays at Refinery29, and I'll be damned if I'm going to let fashion week stop me from getting my bagel. Instead, I scooped one at Bagel Pub, one of my favorite neighborhood haunts.

11:30 a.m. — Then I headed to the Kate Spade presentation in Masonic Hall, which was beautiful! The show had passed apps and a pianist — a great way to start the day.

3 p.m. — The Brock Collection show lifted everyone's mood by offering the sweetest purple flowers on each seat. I tried to wear mine behind my ear the rest of the day.

10 p.m. — The aforementioned play has arrived. Lights. Camera. Total exhaustion.

Saturday, February 10

8 a.m. — My morning routine is usually wake up, moisturize, and throw clothes around until I find something I'm comfortable in. My apartment is always a disaster during fashion week.

1 p.m. — Another sneaky-sneaky meal time. Usually shows in Brooklyn mean a whole lot of traffic, stress, and scrambling. But my Uber driver got me right next to the Eckhaus Latta venue with time to spare. So much time, in fact, that I got to enjoy an entire Thai pork chop at Bunker. Yum!

2 p.m. — Eckhaus Latta is known for its inclusive casting, awesome music, and cool-kid downtown denim. With lilac and rust colorways and bleached-out jeans, this season was no different.

3 p.m. — Coworkers never let coworkers walk around in the rain. Especially not during fashion week. So I opened my SUV doors to R29ers Christene Barberich, Alyssa Coscarelli, and Landon Peoples. Trust, it was one very chic accidental Uber Pool.

5 p.m. — After that, I dropped them off at their various shows and picked up Chrissy Rutherford to head to the Jonathan Simkhai show. It was awesome to go backstage and get a sneak up-close peek at all the details on the models before they hit the runway.

10 p.m. — With the opening days of fashion week behind me, I had one final bow to take: At my play! I ran home to change real quick and then dashed off to dinner with my cast and crew.

Well, there you have it. I will say, making it through the weekend sans blisters (first time ever, mind you) was like a literal dream come true. Cars, people — they're worth it!

12 Of The Best No-Fuss Bras

When it comes to discussing our lingerie drawer, we tend to mention all of the ways we can beef it up — how we can treat ourselves to something nicer than our stretched out nude bra and period panties. But for every lacy bra we recommend, it needs to be offset by something more realistic for day-to-day wear. So it's time we take a little journey back to the ultimate bra basic: cotton.

Bras were intended to offer support and functionality. So while pretty lingerie can be an easy way to make us feel a little sultrier underneath it all, it's not always the most sensible option. Lace can feel too fussy for a Wednesday, ruffles can cause weird lines in your T-shirt, and ugh, I can't be the only one who's experienced nipple chafing from improperly lined mesh. Though we'll never turn down buying a new embroidered bralette, our undergarment collection needs a touch of simplicity. And cotton is trusty, reliable, so damn easy to wash, and, best of all, it'll cradle your breasts all day without an ounce of discomfort.

Since it's not too much to ask for both comfort and cute, grant your girls the gift of all day ease with these no-fuss cotton bras ahead.