We hosted a stage with the exciting new act Semi Precious Weapons along with Lyric Culture.  Among the guests were Sophie Monk, Bai Ling and Sasha Grey.  See pictures after the jump!Sophie Monk at Bettina Duncan event.

Bai Ling at Bettina Duncan event.

Sasha Grey with the nights talent, Semi Precious Weapons.

See more images here.

Available in store and online.

The Hero Crane Neck T has been an excellent seller that continues to get mileage and definitely becomes a staple in any wardrobe.  Katy Perry matched it with a leather vest, black skinnies and blue suede shoes! Find it online and in-store.

]]> http://bettinaduncan.com/blog/?feed=rss2&p=73 65 http://bettinaduncan.com/blog/?p=62 http://bettinaduncan.com/blog/?p=62#comments Wed, 21 Jul 2010 00:00:12 +0000 Betsy http://bettinaduncan.com/blog/?p=62

In 1995, Sophie Albou began the line Paul & Joe (named after her two sons), and hasn’t looked back since. The Paris-based label offers a fresh taste in French style, mixing chic Parisian girl-about-town-wear with the looks of the moment that we know any loyal fashionista would appreciate.

Right now, we’re loving their denim button-downs and blazers, which are must-have staples for every woman’s wardrobe. Not to mention their most recent bohemian-inspired looks… they all have this whimsical, romantic feel that keeps you coming back for more!

After such a successful launching of the House of Harlow 1960 jewelry line, why shouldn’t Nicole Richie branch out to clothing? In fact, she is doing just that with her new apparel and footwear line, Winter Kate. The line is co-created with brand owner and manufacturer Majestic Mills, and is comprised of just about anything from ethereal dresses, to edgy leather jackets, to fringe vests. The clothing is vintage-inspired, yet classic and easy for just about anyone to wear.

The inspiration, Richie says, comes from the movie From Hell. “It’s about the free masons and Jack the Ripper so it’s definitely about that time [period],” she says. “We have capes and cigarette pants, vests, jackets and blazers. There are cleaner lines and it’s a lot more simple.” Richie uses fabrics such as crushed velvet, lace, and silk in addition to the moody palette of mostly black, off-white, crimson and ink-blue to reference decades of the past.

Make sure to check out the latest Winter Kate items, available today at Bettina Duncan!

Available in store and online are the ubiquitous standard wrap bracelets from Chan Luu.

Fashion designer Chan Luu was born in Vietnam but moved to the States to study business at Boston University.  However, it was Luu’s true passion that called her to Los Angeles.  Upon moving to LA, she enrolled at FIDM earning a degree in fashion design which allowed her to open up her own boutique in Rolling Hills Estate.  There she sold a variety of styles with a focus on European designers.  Not content with only selling other designers goods, Luu put her knowledge of design from FIDM to work and began her own line Chan Luu, which launched in 1996.

Chan Luu created jewelry from precious stones and eventually designed her signature wrap bracelet that has since become a staple and favorite of tastemakers and celebrities such as Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Hilary Duff, Jared Leto, Jennifer Lopez, Kate Hudson, Lady Gaga, Megan Fox, Nicole Richie, Reese Witherspoon, Rihanna and Vanessa Hudgens.

We’re excited to begin carrying designs from Marie Todd here at Bettina Duncan.  With an interest in organic forms and inspiration from what looks like sacred geometry, Lisa Marie Todd, a former dancer-actress turned jeweler, infuses inspirations taken from the flow of energy within dance and music into her necklaces, earrings, pendants and other pieces of jewelry.  The image above is a preview of what we can look forward to from Los Angeles based jewelry designer Marie Todd.  With categories of her jewelry separated by themes such as colorplay, simple geometry and pattern + texture, it is clear Lisa is interested in the artistry and concepts of design… and it definitely shows!  Marie Todd will be available online soon but it’s already available in store.

Hailing from San Francisco, 49 Sq.Mi handbags offer up a gorgeous take on the hobo bag.  Today, the designers stopped into Bettina Duncan to give us the scoop on the bags and see how they were doing on the floor.  We found out that their signature Bigmouth Hobo bag has been seen hanging off the shoulder of Ellen Pompeo, so it looks like 49 Sq.Mi is not doing so bad and covering quite a bit of ground!

Generously proportioned at just under 20″ wide and 14″ tall, the soft to touch, artisanal premium Italian leather handbag features exposed stiching, two outside zipper pockets that also have slip pockets behind them and even sports a useful “snap loop” for keeping your keys separated and easy to find at all times.

The interior of the bag also provides zip pockets for keeping your cellphone, sunglasses, address book and the rest of your life organized as well.  The Bigmouth Hobo bag is available online and in store as well as some other styles from 49 Sq.Mi.

A bestseller at our store in Santa Monica, we can barely keep the letters in stock. These initial pendant necklaces by Charlene K are perfect gifts and available online and in store!