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Marshall’s Musings: Bring on the Bold with Spring Fashion
Ah, spring. It’s a time to throw open the windows, shed the layers and begin anew. And, just like Nature blooms with bright, bold color, so too should your wardrobe.
We’ve seen a variety of vivacious, exciting trends pop up this spring – floral prints, pastel pants and peplums galore to name a few – but my favorite is definitely the unabashed use of bright, bold color.
From tangerine (the “it” color of the year thanks to Pantone) to neon yellow, cobalt blue and an array of pretty pinks, color can do wonders for the complexion, play up facial features and really show that the person wearing them is not afraid to make a statement. Isn’t that what fashion is all about?!
We have a variety of bold pieces at Gwynn’s this season including this fantastic ensemble which pairs Alice + Olivia with Vince. Isn’t the blazer such a great statement piece?!
For a more formal affair, we have this stunning blue number from Badgley Mischka:
Or, how about this magenta gown from Theia:
We also love the color blocking in this Suzi Chin for maggy boutique dress:
Of course we wouldn’t want the gents to feel left out and these fantastic polos from Johnnie-O will help him make a statement when he walks in the room:
Or how about these brightly-hued swim trunks from Vilebrequin:
How do you feel about the bold color trend? Will you be adding some key wardrobe pieces with brighter hues this season?
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Easter Hops into Gwynn’s of Mt. Pleasant
Easter is a time for family and with that comes gatherings – food, festivities and fun. While decorating for Easter typically calls images of bunnies and chicks to mind, we think it presents a great opportunity to pull out the full stops and dress your home to impress.
If you’re entertaining for Easter, we have a few suggestions on some elegant serving ware that we think will show you think your guests deserve the best.
Begin a tradition this Easter with Match tableware reflecting warm celebrations at well-laid tables and storytelling by candlelight. Match is hand-crafted by artisans in the north of Italy and is lead-free and safe for everyday use. We love the earthen tones and simple elegance of this line – you truly feel as though you are enjoying dinner on your outdoor piazza at the family vineyard when setting the table with these pieces.
To add a colorful punch to your table, we recommend these gorgeous cloth napkins and napkin rings from Kim Seybert. We really appreciate the use of cloth napkins – especially for a holiday or more formal family gathering – and think that adding the finishing touches to a table, like napkin rings, are details that are often overlooked and can truly give that magazine-spread look.
See how all of the pieces come together so beautifully to create a look of sophistication, yet appear light and spring-like? We adore the gorgeous robin’s blue and cream dishware from Vietri. This handcrafted Italian dinnerware celebrates the embodiment of family gatherings and enjoying a meal together – a love of life, people and simply good living.
Of course, if you do feel that Easter is incomplete without the bunnies, we have the perfect way to hop into spring with this bunny and cabbage cream and sugar server from Mariposa. Mariposa pieces are designed by sculptor Michael Updike and are crafted individually, reflecting his fine attention to detail. They are also made from recycled materials!
And, for all your Easter treat needs, we’ve got you covered. For the grown-up palette, you’ll find Dean and Deluca truffles, including the delectable green tea truffles pictured above. For the kiddos (and those adults with a bit of a sweet tooth), we offer an amazing assortment of goodies from Dylan’s Candy Bar. From chocolate to giant lollipops and everything in between, Dylan’s Candy Bar is so good even the Easter Bunny can’t pass them up (there have been many rumored sightings of the fella around Gwynn’s)!
Tell us your Easter plans! Do you typically have a big family gathering? Will the Easter Bunny be visiting your home this year??
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Charleston Fashion Week 2012: Gwynn’s Fashion at its Finest!
The 2012 Charleston Fashion Week has finally come to a close and our heads are still spinning from the excitement, high-energy and general buzz surrounding the event. Thanks to the hard work and amazing styling of our women’s buyer, Weezie, the overall feedback has been overwhelmingly supportive and we can’t tell you how humbled and appreciative we are.
Our show took place on Friday, March 23 and we really focused on bright, bold clothing and accessories – trends that we see taking center stage this year. Some of the lines that were featured included Pierre Balmain, Marimekko, Alexis, Elizabeth & James, Brunello Cucinelli, Ermenengildo Zegna, John Varvatos, Tory Burch, B.Brian Atwood and Wolford, among others.
Charleston Magazine has shared some amazing photos that really capture the energy and look of our show:
Make sure you visit their website to see the entire slide show!
We also received some great words of encouragement from Charleston City Paper and Creative Loafing Charlotte – we thank them for the support and feedback!
What was really exciting for us was watching the feedback and reactions to our show roll in in real time. We received numerous comments and mentions on our Twitter page (@GwynnsofMtP) and loved participating in the conversations!
Here’s a snapshot of what was being shared during the show:
We thank Charleston Fashion Week for another amazing year of outstanding shows and for bringing the Charleston fashion community to center stage.
Did you attend the 2012 Charleston Fashion Week? What was your reaction?
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Marshall’s Musings: Shopping Goes Live at Gwynn’s
E-Commerce has completely revolutionized the way shoppers are finding their favorite items. It has made the global fashion industry more approachable and definitely given consumers at-your-fingertip access to their favorite brands.
At Gwynn’s of Mt. Pleasant, we have always been a favorite location for giving our customers a very tailored, personal shopping experience. So, in this age of online shopping, how do we maintain our hands-on approach to customer service?
Because our inventory fluctuates so often and we really investigate which items will resonate best with our clientele, straight e-commerce never felt like the right fit. Instead, we’ve taken online shopping to a very interactive level with our Live Shopping feature.
How does it work? Thanks to an in-store camera, you now have access to all of Gwynn’s merchandise and the help of a Personal Shopper–with just the click of a button.
A behind-the-scenes look at our Live Shopping
Simply call us at (843) 849-9667 and ask to speak with a personal shopping assistant, who will show you the department and items of your choice. Then, head to our website and choose the Live Shopping option in the banner at the bottom of our homepage.
From there, you will be able to interact with your shopping assistant via our UStream feed and view the items they pull exclusively for you!
A view of Live Shopping from our website
We’ll take care of the transaction details once you’re finished shopping and if you’re local, you can then come in and pick up your items. Or, if you’re unable to stop into the store, we will ship your purchases to you and charge a minimal shipping fee.
And, if all of our personal shoppers are helping other customers, you can head over to our Contact Us page and send us an e-mail. Your Personal Shopper will be in touch soon to assist you.
Really, we couldn’t imagine providing a less personal shopping experience for any of our Gwynn’s customers – it’s just the way we handle business.
Have you tried our Live Shopping feature? What was your experience?
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Gwynn’s Fashion Feature: Brunello Cucinelli – Where Luxury Meets Comfort
Brunello Cucinelli, a name synonymous with luxury and style, is, in our opinion, a label that is made for the stylish Charleston man. The clothing combines comfort with elegance, creating a look that says indulgence without trying too hard.
The fashion brand is named for the man behind the designs – Mr. Cucinelli’s first foray into fashion was in 1978, when he commissioned textile workers from his native region of Umbria, Italy, to knit him a small batch of neon cashmere sweaters.
He has since muted his designs to a more neutral palette, and has built a small empire headquartered in Solomeo, an ancient Umbrian town of only 500 people. Appreciating the simple pleasures in life, Mr. Cucinelli, 58, keeps his distance from the hustle and bustle of the major fashion hubs and prefers to join local soccer matches several days a week.
Last year, Mr. Cucinelli was interviewed by a reporter for the Wall Street Journal. We thoroughly enjoyed hearing his viewpoints on his personal style and today’s fashion trends. Here are a few of our favorite excerpts:
“I wear corduroy pants all the time, about seven months out of the year—a heavier cashmere-cotton corduroy in the winter, a lighter one in spring, always in off-white. I’ve been wearing these pants for about 25 years; it’s a matter of look and comfort and it’s become part of my uniform. I wear them with cargo pockets during the day and without for evening. Pair them with a very tailored blazer and you’re well-dressed enough for anything.
I have two big style icons: Gianni Agnelli [the late chairman of Fiat] and John F. Kennedy Jr. It’s not just about how they wore their clothes, but how they carried themselves—the way they spoke, smiled and presented themselves to the public.
Black is overrated. You’ll never find it in my stores. Of course it’s slimming, but it’s just used too much, especially for men. One black suit by one designer, another one by another—they all look the same in the end. If I walk into a crowded hotel lobby and I’m wearing a black suit, I just look like everyone else. Luckily, we Italians like to wear color more. That’s part of who we are.
I’ve been coming to the United States for 25 years. When my team and I do research trips, we always like to see what the young people in the U.S. are wearing. From a design perspective, the U.S. has always been a great source of inspiration for me.”
We received the Brunello Cucinelli spring/summer look book and had to share some of the exquisite fashions coming from the designer this year. You can also find some of these items at Gwynn’s – but we must warn you, the Brunello Cucinelli items never stay in store for long. They are very popular with the fashionable men of Charleston and for good reason – they create that quintessential polished, cool-casual look that is synonymous with the Lowcountry.
