Gilt Groupe: Behind the Scenes

Gilt's Wedding Weekend March 12-14: Darcy Miller's Picks

2010-03-08T12:52:43-05:00

Wanna walk the aisle in style? Of course you do, and Darcy Miller, editorial director of Martha Stewart Weddings, can help. Get her picks for the on-trend bridal gowns and bridesmaid dresses from Gilt’s Wedding Weekend, starting tomorrow. And for more inspirational wedding ideas, visit Darcy's Wedding Idea of the Day — a must-have resource for every bride-to-be.

DARCY MILLER’S PICKS

There's nothing a girl loves more than a good sale — especially when it comes to great wedding finds! That's why we're excited to announce our first-ever wedding sale through Gilt Groupe, starting tomorrow. From March 12 through the 14th, we'll be offering up great sales on designer names such as Vera Wang, Amsale and Carolina Herrera, just to name a few.

I was lucky enough to have a sneak peek at everything on offer for brides, bridesmaids and, yes, even grooms. Although everything in the sale is fantastic, I do have a few favorites I wanted to share with you.

1. Here's a beautiful dress from Amsale — it's timeless, classic and your bridesmaids will thank you again and again when they wear it multiple times. Plus, I just love the color! And if you need more color ideas, check out our new color center!

2. The gown by Carolina Herrera is simple but not plain, and it's elegant and chic. Who wouldn't love that?

3. The little black dress is a staple in any girl's closet, so this black Amsale dress is one that your bridesmaids will definitely thank you for. But if you want to keep it for yourself, it would make a great cocktail dress for a shower or rehearsal dinner.

4. Guests spend half an hour to an hour looking at your back, so why not give them something beautiful to look at? This dress by Vera Wang is sexy, but in a way your grandmother would still approve of.

Shop these and many more styles (including wedding registry finds and honeymoons, yes, honeymoons) tomorrow at noon, ET on Gilt.

Gilt's Wedding Weekend March 12-14: Destination? Wedding

2010-03-04T16:06:53-05:00

When you’re planning a destination wedding, the sheer number of options can be both inspiring and overwhelming. That’s where Annie Lee comes in. Master wedding planner and founder of event-planning company Daughter of Design, Lee coaches couples through every step of the planning process, from choosing a location to how to be your guests' impromptu tour guide. We asked Lee about the appeal of the destination wedding and why a wedding planner can really save the (big) day.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of destination weddings?
Destination weddings are fabulous because they're exotic and often feature wonderfully authentic touches, like hand-woven lanterns from a local marketplace, that you won't find anywhere else. But if the local culture is very different from your own, there may be language barriers and unfamiliar customs or work ethics to overcome. Also, since travel costs might be too much for some friends and family, many may have to decline. But that's why destination weddings are a great way of keeping the guest count small and intimate!

How does the wedding planner come up with the overall vision for a destination wedding?
First, start with the dream. I always ask couples, "When you envision your wedding photos on your fireplace mantle, what does it look like?" Next, I want to make sure the wedding fits their personality, so I might ask them where they shop for clothes and furniture. Then we examine other factors, like the type of venue they've booked and what the budget is.

What is the biggest benefit to hiring a wedding planner for a destination wedding?
In addition to handling final details of the wedding, it's helpful to have a planner there who can help coordinate the travel details of all the guests, organize the group activities and act as den mother if they’re staying at a villa or large house. Leave the work to the planner — the one person most likely to go home without a tan!

What’s your most important piece of advice for couples?
Don't skimp on photography. Forego lavish flowers and engraved invitations if you must, but please please please hire a photographer worth his/her weight in gold. At the end of the day, your photographs are all you'll have to remember your wedding day!

Look glamorous from near or far in Gilt’s Wedding Weekend sale, starting Friday, March 12, at noon ET.

Gilt's Wedding Weekend March 12-14: Countdown to the Gown

2010-03-04T16:06:19-05:00

If your head is spinning with visions of beading, silk and tulle, don’t panic. Your wedding dress is out there, just waiting for you to carry it away. Bridal boutique owner Gabriella Risatti, of Gabriella New York Bridal Salon, is intimately familiar with the drama that comes with the hunt for the perfect dress. After countless hours coaching nervous brides-to-be, Gabriella is armed with a bevy of advice on how to begin the search for your dream dress. We caught up with Gabriella to pick her brain about picking The One. ... Read more

Gilt's Wedding Weekend March 12-14: The Glow of Health

2010-03-04T16:07:34-05:00

The dress, the shoes, the bouquet, the diamond (okay, maybe not that last one) — these are just icing on the proverbial, fondant-covered cake. Cushion-cut baubles aside, true beauty comes from within. Enter BluePrintCleanse, an all-juice cleanse that goes to work purifying and detoxing from the inside out. Clear skin, a clearer head and a liver primed for the party (that’s the reception, to you) are just some of the benefits you’ll experience post-cleanse. And then there’s the svelte figure to consider. You’re about to star in a gazillion photos, so stealing crib notes from the red-carpet bound comes in handy at a time like this. You can also cleanse seasonally, with a friend or, better yet, treat your entire bridal party to a group cleanse and give a whole new meaning to the concept of team-building. BluePrintCleanse will make you such a believer, you may want to give this gift of health to everyone you care about. Which may just make BPC the perfect wedding favor.

Get juiced in Gilt’s BluePrintCleanse sale on Friday, March 12, at noon, ET.

The Finer Things: Gilt Noir at Christie's

2010-03-08T15:01:51-05:00

What’s the next best thing to a wine tour in a Tuscan vineyard? The Gilt Noir-branded private wine tasting at Christie’s, where guests not only sipped vintages from France to Napa Valley, but also previewed an exclusive first look at Christie’s mid-season sales available to the public this week.

The evening kicked off in Gallery 6, for the Impressionist & Modern Art sale and an educational wine tutorial led by Charles Curtis, Head of the Christie’s Wine Department. In theme with the art’s origins, guests whet their palettes with a selection of older vintages of fine reds and whites and feasted on embellished hors d’oeuvres with a French twist. Following the wine section, Head of Sale Jessie Fertig introduced the art, which included masterpieces from Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse and Tamara de Lempicka.

In the second hour, guests were escorted into Gallery 1 for the Post War & Contemporary sale, which was a bold and abstract contrast to the elegant first gallery. Charles matched the contemporary art with more everyday current wines from regions including Napa and Walker Bay, while guests enjoyed New American bites, including sliders and skewers. Head of Sale Koji Inoue led us through the vibrant works of Helen Frankenthaler, Barbara Kruger, Yayoi Kusama, Gabriel Orozco, and Andy Warhol – the piece specifically used for the invitation.

It was an unforgettable evening that gave guests an exclusive opportunity to access, preview and bid on collections before the general public. The Impressionist & Modern sale goes live at Christie’s on March 10 at 10AM and The Post War & Contemporary sale follows on March 11 at 10AM and 2PM.

Wedding Weekend: It's a Bridal Party!

2010-03-02T16:29:30-05:00

Love is in the air … and so is the flutter of show-stopping bridal gowns, bridesmaids’ dresses, wedding gifts and so much more. As part of Gilt’s Wedding Weekend, in collaboration with Martha Stewart Weddings, from March 12-14, we'll be bringing you everything you need, want and can’t imagine walking down the aisle without — from beribboned silk heels to the perfect topaz necklace. (Something blue? Done.) We’ll also have sharp suits for the groom, get-pretty prep packages for the bridal party, dreamily decadent lingerie, and stuff-of-dreams honeymoon packages courtesy of Jetsetter. And if your head’s spinning with the task at hand, chin up — Darcy Miller, editorial director of Martha Stewart Weddings has culled her personal picks to help aide in the planning process. This is your weekend to sit back, sign in to Gilt, and create a wonderful wedding at jaw-dropping prices. Enjoy the calm before the storm.

Join the party! Shop sales from Thread, Amsale, Carolina Herrera, Temperley London, Privé Salons, Judith Leiber, Tara Pearls, BluePrintCleanse and more.

Gilt's Wedding Weekend starts Friday, March 12, at noon ET.

Big Deals for the Big Day: Sneak Peek Gilt's Wedding Weekend March 12-14

2010-03-02T16:30:32-05:00

The countdown’s on. Each day brings you closer to your big day but also closer to Gilt’s big Wedding Weekend. Are you still looking for The One? You’ll find it this weekend — the dress that makes your heart skip a beat, brings a smile to your face, and is as stunning going down the aisle as it is getting down on the dance floor. (Like this gorgeous gown by Carolina Herrera.) As for your girls, if you want them to stay your BFFs after the wedding, go for the sweet, stylish bridesmaids’ dresses by Thread, Amsale and Vera Wang Lavender. The little things count big-time, so max out the cuteness of your flower girls (without maxing out your credit card) and score an adorable dress by Pippa and Julie. Elle McPherson Intimates, Lulu Frost hair accessories and Hickey Freeman Boys are just some of the other designers you’ll see in our sales this weekend. Here’s a sneak peek of some of the highlights.

Get set to wed Friday, March 12, at noon ET.

Katherine Bernhardt: High Art Meets High Fashion

2010-03-03T15:23:36-05:00

The worlds of fashion and art have always intersected, but no artist has captured that interplay better than painter Katherine Bernhardt. Her Pop Expressionist images depict fashion editorials, supermodels and actresses such as Gisele Bündchen and Penelope Cruz, all in Bernhardt’s breathtaking, boldly colored style. Bernhardt’s avant-garde interpretations of the fashion world make her a perfect choice to be Gilt Home’s first-ever art sale. ... Read more

Katherine Bernhardt’s Model Art

2010-02-19T11:46:35-05:00

Kate Moss. Gisele Bündchen. Agyness Deyn. Katherine Bernhardt has painted them all, transforming their magazine images into Expressionist whirlwinds of eyes, lips, legs and color. The Brooklyn, New York-based artist regularly shows her work in galleries throughout the U.S., Europe and the Middle East; she also produces store installations for fashion brands including Chanel and Miss Sixty.

Gilt has partnered with art consultancy Art & Advisory to create two exclusive, limited-edition silkscreens by Bernhardt. The first, Mangocita, features a resplendent Penelope Cruz as pictured in her Mango clothing ad. The second, La Parisienne, is an image of Moss inspired by her campaign for Yves St. Laurent’s Parisienne perfume. Each work is signed and numbered by the artist and printed on archival cotton paper.

Gilt Home chatted with Bernhardt about the prints (her first ever!), why she favors models and whether she thinks she’s a fashionable person. Read on for all the juicy details.   

Why did you start painting models and fashion editorials?
They’re a way of making figurative work. I only paint women who I find interesting, sexy and hot. I also paint other things, like Swatch watches, E.T., rap lyrics, Viennese patterns and Moroccan carpet designs. Everything’s based on pop-culture references.  

 What draws you to a specific model or editorial?
The image itself has to be strong; have lots of color, pattern and shadows; and be seductive. And I have to love it. Formally, the image has to fill up the entire page and be a good starting point. Also the model can’t be smiling. She has to be serious, not funny or nice!

Are your subjects always female?
Yes, I almost always paint women. Women are more adorned; they have more hair, makeup and color, which make for a better image. Also, because I am female, I relate to them.

How was making a screenprint different from making a painting?
For me, painting is a fast, free and direct way to put paint on canvas. But printmaking is a totally different process that takes much longer. It requires a preliminary drawing, color indication and then color separation. Screens have to be made and colors mixed precisely, with a number of other steps in between; the print is the very final thing. You even have to worry about the machines, cleaning and changing the squeegees and parts after each color is applied! You don’t do that with painting — you mix the color, put it down by hand, and it’s done.

Would you consider yourself a fashionable person?
I have my own sense of style — I would say it’s `80s-influenced. Basically I wear jeans and a crazy sweatshirt or T-shirt every day. And big earrings.    

Any future plans you'd like to share?
On March 20, my solo show at Suzanne Tarasieve’s Loft 19 gallery in Paris opens. I also have a solo show coming up April 16 at New York’s Canada gallery.

Get ready to hang at our Katherine Bernhardt sale, starting Thursday, March 4, at noon ET.

Around the Block with John Robshaw

2010-02-23T09:51:57-05:00

A painter turned textile artist, John Robshaw has an eye for color and an appreciation for history, having studied traditional fabric-making techniques in Asia and India. His linen and cotton-voile bedding, fabrics, clothing and dog beds are a riot of hues and styles, with patterns block-printed and silk-screened by hand. Robshaw’s aim is to revive textile traditions and frame them in new terms. He’s interested in giving back, too. A former ambassador to nonprofit Aid to Artisans, Robshaw uses his business expertise to help textile workers in developing countries set up their own shops. ... Read more

Pillow Talk with Barclay Butera

2010-02-23T09:51:32-05:00

Barclay Butera is a decor juggernaut. Aside from running his eponymous high-end interiors practice (projects have ranged from celebrity homes to the Hearst Castle), he manufactures his own furniture and textiles lines; licenses additional lighting and tabletop products to a host of companies; runs a network of showrooms; writes books; and lives in a house once owned by Desi Arnaz, Jr. (Upholding history demands effort, after all.)

So what does the boyish 41-year-old do in his spare time? Create luxe throw pillows, of course. ... Read more

GILT GROUPE FASHION WEEK ROUND UP

2010-02-19T18:47:01-05:00

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New York Fashion Week FW 2010/11 was a whirlwind of fashion madness. Here are some of our favorite moments from the shows Gilt Groupe sponsored: Proenza Schouler, Rag & Bone and Thakoon.

FEED's Got Fashion in the Bag

2010-02-18T13:39:09-05:00

FEED co-founders Ellen Gustafson and Lauren Bush are tackling world hunger one burlap bag at a time. After traveling the world on behalf of the United Nations World Food Program, Lauren and Ellen devised the stylish FEED Bag, an eco-friendly tote that raises money to provide school lunches to hungry children in developing countries. With over 500,000 bags sold and 50 million schoolchildren fed, FEED is making a measurable impact. We talked to Ellen about FEED’s design concept and its latest campaign in Haiti.

What prompted you to begin FEED, and how did you and Lauren team up?
FEED grew out of the UN World Food Program (WFP), which feeds almost 100 million people a year. Lauren has been an honorary spokesperson for the WFP since 2004. She designed the original burlap and cotton FEED 1 bag and brought it to me when I was working as the US spokesperson for WFP. We quickly teamed up to start FEED Projects, which sells the bags to help hungry children around the world.

What was your inspiration for the look of the FEED bags?
Lauren visited WFP field operations in Africa, Asia and Latin America and was inspired by the rugged look of the bags used to give out food there. The FEED 1 bag's design was designed to look like those bags of grain. As we've added new products to the line, the design of our bags connects to specific causes, like our FEED Haiti 50 bag, which is stamped with the colors of Haiti's flag.

What are your goals for Haiti right now?
Our goal is to sell at least 5,000 FEED Haiti 50 bags, which will provide over 250,000 school meals for Haiti's children. We'd also like to fundraise for an additional 20,000 school meals through direct donations to the FEED Foundation

What's most significant for you personally about working for FEED?
The most significant moments for me have been in schools deep in Rwanda or Guatemala, when a young girl tells us she wants to grow up and be the president someday. We know that staying in school and having consistent nourishment means she has a chance of reaching her goal. That’s when we realize that by being the FEED bag girls, we really are making a difference!

Make a difference this Sunday, February 21, at noon ET in our Haiti Charitable Sale.

New York Fashion Week: Proenza Schouler

2010-02-18T13:23:08-05:00

On Wednesday, starlets and the elite social set packed into Milk Studios to watch Proenza Schouler’s dynamic fall 2010 collection. Filled with bright toggle coats in eye-catching prints, design team Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCollough revealed an unabashedly edgy and sophisticated lineup. Baby-doll silhouettes were paired with thigh-high hose, while silk and angora textures mingled in hues of forest green, purple and gray. The collaboration with denim label J Brand forecasted a youthful, rock-and-roll feel for fall.

Caudalie: Healed It Through the Grapevine

2010-02-17T17:05:20-05:00

Do you drink wine by the glass or by the bath? Mathilde and Bertrand Thomas, the French couple behind innovative skincare line Caudalie, think you should consider the latter. More than 10 years ago, this winemaking pair drew international acclaim when they applied their vast vine knowledge to a new line of luxe and effective spa treatments, christened vinotherapie. Every Caudalie product contains patented grape polyphenols and resveratrol taken straight from the grapes of Château Smith Haut Lafitte, the Thomas family's vineyard in Bordeaux. We talked with Mathilde about her favorite skin treatments, her new spa and wine lounge in New York's Plaza Hotel, and the many gorgeous gifts of the grape.

Tell us about the benefits grapes have on your skin.
Vinotherapie uses nature's most powerfully protective ingredients, like grapeseeds, wine yeast and organic essential oils, to bring antioxidant, moisturizing, anti-wrinkle and firming elements to skincare. One of the most powerful molecules for correcting wrinkles is resveratrol, which comes from the grape and is the main ingredient in our Vinexpert line.

Which Caudalie treatment is your favorite?
I'm crazy about the Signature Caudalie Facial, which uses grapeseed polyphenols. When I want to restore radiance and uniformity to my complexion, I use the serum, day cream, night cream or mask from our Vinoperfect line. And rich products such as the Vinosource mask and the Vinexpert day cream always leave me feeling smooth, radiant and deeply relaxed.

Caudalie just opened its first vinotherapie spa in the U.S., in New York's Plaza Hotel. What made you choose The Plaza?
The Plaza is the perfect match for Caudalie: Its "chateau renaissance" style is so similar to our chateau in Bordeaux, where we opened our first spa in 1995. But of course our spa at the Plaza is more of a city spa — since there's no vineyard nearby, we created a wine lounge instead. It's very chic!

Drink in our Caudalie sale on Thursday, February 18, at noon ET.