Mpls.St.Paul Magazine Food + Dining Mpls.St.Paul Magazine Shopping + Style Mpls.St.Paul Magazine Arts + Entertainment Mpls.St.Paul Magazine Travel + Visitors Mpls.St.Paul Magazine Homes Mpls.St.Paul Magazine Health Mpls.St.Paul Magazine Giving Mpls.St.Paul Magazine Weddings Parties + Nightlife
Ali Shops Blog

Archive for September, 2011

Secrets from the Snow White Shoot

Friday, September 30th, 2011

On a hot day in August, our MplsSt.Paul Magazine team took Snow White to happy hour in Northeast Minneapolis. Here’s what you wouldn’t know from the finished photo in our October 2011 issue, now on newsstands:

1. Snow White got felt up on a bar counter by Stylist Elizabeth Doyle

2. We showed up unannounced at the 1029 Bar, after the manager of our scheduled location flaked. And yet, the Seven Dwarfs (or at least a few of them) happened to be there, and seemed amused by the diversion.

3. Liz found an inexpensive way to tie together Snow White's separates. The red trim on the jacket, from the Guthrie and Children's theaters' CostumeRentals, was actually red tape.

Get Glowing With Kate Somerville

Monday, September 26th, 2011

Fresh off a busy Emmys weekend, during which her DermalQuench skin treatment was a pre-red carpet must for host Jane Lynch, her Glee co-star Lea Michele, Kate Walsh from Private Practice and many other celebs, Hollywood facialist Kate Somerville is headed to the Twin Cities. On Saturday, she’ll offer her $250 wrinkle-reducing treatment for free at Nordstrom Mall of America. Somerville will sign copies of her book, “Complexion Perfection,” from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Her DermalQuench machine, a hyperbaric pressurized oxygen treatment, which she says eliminates wrinkles on the spot, will be at the store all week.

Aside from Somerville’s high-tech treatment, she says great skin requires three things:

  • Exfoliation. Use a good peel or scrub twice a week to turn over dead skin cells
  • Hydration serum with hyaluronic acid
  • Moisturizer with peptides to stimulate collagen production

Follow these rules, she says, “and you’ll have gorgeous skin.” But just to be safe, you might want to schedule an appointment at Nordstrom. Call 952-883-2121.

New Digs

Monday, September 26th, 2011

Northfield, Minn. is known for its eclectic local boutiques – well worth a drive, especially on a crisp autumn day. Still, can’t help but be a little bit excited that one of Northfield’s finest, Digs, has new digs in Minneapolis. Linda Schneewind decided to move up to the city, and relocated her crafty shop at the corner of 38th and Grand in South Minneapolis (across the street from Sugar Sugar, as if you need an extra excuse to visit the retro sweet candy store).

Digs is a DIYers delight, filled with a huge assortment of fabrics and fibers. The front of the shop features finished products – jewelry, stuffed animals, t-shirts and more from independent artists–many local. Virtually every item here has an interesting story–just ask! 3800 Grand Ave. S., Mpls.

A New Hue

Sunday, September 25th, 2011

Photo by Stephanie Colgan

Donna Pohlad, wife of Minnesota Twins CEO Jim Pohlad, wants to elevate the home hair color experience. She started this week in Maple Grove with the opening of dpHue (that’s “Do Professional”). Get a free color consult from a licensed pro (trained by the fabulous Pamela Cruz, who also owns Bella Salon), and walk out with a custom blended hair color kit, starting at $38. The store also sells a curated assortment of hair care lines including Living Proof and Gwyneth Paltrow fave Original Sprout, as well as dpHue’s own sulfate-free color care shampoo and conditioner. Want to color in numbers? The striking space is available for color parties. 7808 N. Main St., Maple Grove, 763-447-4727

Stephanie Colgan catches me deep in thought...about gray roots


Joynoelle, In Progress

Thursday, September 22nd, 2011

Had the privilege of looking in on fashion designer Joy Teiken at work on her next Joynoelle ready-to-wear collection, which she plans to preview in Minneapolis in October before taking it to New York. Custom wedding dresses pay the bills, so RTW is her place to play, create and explore her current mood. At the moment, that’s strong, resilient and independent. Her working theme is “Caged Bird,” but from what I’ve seen, this collection has the potential to fly. It’s ladylike, with an edge: transparent white dresses crisscrossed by black ribbon (underlay to be determined) and dresses with tight bodices and delightfully fluffy, feathered skirts. She intersperses white and black with shots of a deep, wine red. I can’t wait to see the finished pieces next month.

Aftermarket Missoni (Or Lack Thereof)

Tuesday, September 20th, 2011

If only I’d gotten to Target just a little earlier last Tuesday, or hit “refresh” just a few times more on Target.com, I’d surely be lounging on a tropical island right now – perhaps my own private island – what with all my earnings from selling Missoni for Target items on eBay.

Or not.

I did have one shopper call in to Shop Girls to report that she sold a $39.99 Missoni blanket from Target for $180 on eBay. But the more common story seems to be my friend who snatched up $2,500 worth of Missoni for Target, took most of it to eBay, and even though she conservatively listed items for around 20 percent above original price, she’s sold just two – a vase and a duvet set. She made $15 on the vase, and stands to make $22 on the duvet…that is, if the buyer actually ponies up. Now filled with buyer’s remorse, she plans to return several unused items. Target could end up with more Missoni in stores after all.

Out of the Allee

Monday, September 19th, 2011

Charm only gets you so far. And apparently, it doesn’t get you down the European-inspired alley at Selby & Snelling in St. Paul to shop Allee Metro Chic. The boutique is planning to move to the former L’atelier Couture space at 493 Selby Ave. That’s closer to co-owner June Berkowitz’s coffee house, Nina’s Cafe. But mostly, it’s out of the alley and visible from the street. Allee hopes to reopen in its new space by Oct. 1.

Oh yes, you caught that part about L’atelier Couture? Here’s a peek at the bridal salon’s fantastic new North Loop space:

Photo by Liz Banfield

Doesn’t it just make you want to be a bride?

L’atelier Couture, 219 N. Second St., Suite 404, Mpls

Christopher & Banks Makeover

Friday, September 16th, 2011

Elastic waist bands: out. Modern and City fits: in. Christopher & Banks has updated its image for fall. It seems even teachers and grandmas were tired of the frog print sweater sets. Silhouettes have been made slimmer; styles, while not trendy, are more in line with current fashions, and the accessories department has been enhanced. Plus-size sister store CJ Banks got a makeover as well. Stop by any location Saturday, Sept. 17 for a fall fashion show featuring the new line. And before you go, print out this week’s Swag Deal: $10 off a $50 purchase at Christopher & Banks, good in store or online through Sunday, Sept. 18.

Christopher & Banks is based in Minneapolis, with 773 stores in 46 states.

After Missoni–Lessons for Target

Tuesday, September 13th, 2011

Off, into the sunset. Even the $399.99 Missoni bicycle for Target reportedly sold out all units nationwide today.

It’s 9:26 p.m.–a full 16 hours after the limited edition Missioni collection launched on Target.com, and the website is still down. Meanwhile, more than 15,000 items from the Missoni for Target collection are already on eBay, many selling for double the original price. Target is attempting to respond to every angry Tweet sent to @TargetStyle. The retailer says some stores will receive more Missioni in the next few days; online will not. Target spokesman Joshua Thomas spent the day apologizing for the empty racks and online woes, saying traffic was heavier than a typical Black Friday and demand far exceeded expectations. You’d think the fact that a pop-up in New York sold out of its entire stock within six hours last week might have better prepared the company for what happened today.

Now, Target must scramble to fill the space that was earmarked for Missioni for the next six weeks (Xhiliration, anyone? Anyone?). While the stores may experience increased traffic for the next few days from people hoping for more, word spread fast that it’s all gone. Target counts on its designer lines to drive traffic to other departments within the store. If you’re not making an extra trip for Missoni, you’re also not grabbing the inevitable $100 of incidentals. Time will tell if this frenzy actually hurt, more than it helped Target.

So what’s the takeaway?

1. More bandwidth online. Or a beefed up help desk? Basically, don’t test your redesigned website with your most heavily hyped designer collaboration.

2. Make sure marketing matches production. The ads always look amazing. The collections don’t always live up, or in this case, live on. When you’re investing in ads in Vogue and throwing parties at New York Fashion Week, you better be prepared for demand.

3. Thinkfast. It would likely take too long to re-issue, and by that time, the fashion-mob moment will have passed and word will be out on how things actually fit. But perhaps Target could capitalize on the attention by letting desperate shoppers order ahead for certain items to be re-issued, or even vote on select items to bring back. That would stick it to those who immediately tried to sell on eBay, extend the Missoni buzz, and serve as a mea culpa to frustrated customers.

Missoni Mayhem

Tuesday, September 13th, 2011

It will likely go down as Target’s most successful designer partnership ever: the limited edition Missoni for Target collection hit stores this morning….and sold out most places before 10 a.m. Meanwhile, Target.com was down for around three hours (intentional, or overcrowded?). As of 11 a.m., there are (or were) still pieces available online – women’s, girls and home – if you can get through. Don’t expect the racks to be restocked–historically, when Target’s designer collections are gone, they’re gone.

Who knew we loved Missoni this much? I think a couple of factors fueled this morning’s shopping frenzy. 1. Great timing, with the collection coming out during New York Fashion Week. Last week’s Missoni for Target preview in New York got a lot of media attention, with A-list editors like Nina Garcia gushing about it on Twitter. 2. It looks legit. Missoni has such a distinct style, and the Target items reflect that.

So. That’s that. You might need a Dramamine to get through the skyway the rest of the week, what with all those zigzag prints coming and going.


mspmag.com | Mpls.St.Paul Magazine © 2008 MSP Communications, Inc. All rights reserved