Last month, Open runway paired up with The Swapaholics to bring our Boston Fashion Week Design Contest to life.  Participants were encouraged to submit handbag and shoe creations using Open Runway’s design studio.  Submissions were posted to The Swapaholics Facebook, where the top shoe and top handbag that received the most “likes” won a $100.00 gift certificate toward Open Runway. Congratulations to our winners!

Jamie Platt designed this "Belted Shopper" out of Disco Gold leather with dark olive and warm honey accents on the pocket and straps. A pop of Chartreuse Leather for the drawstring adds some flair! Polished bronze colored hardware completes her design. Congrats Jamie!

The Rebel Chanel" Shoe, designed by Erin Cummings. Coco meets a biker. Demure spectator flats with a bronze embellished twist. Suitable for work, or out, in the "new neutral" color palette. Constructed from dark olive and dusky gold leather, a winning color combination in this design contest! Congrats Erin! You can find Erin on Etsy at http://www.etsy.com/shop/petalandpink or check out her blog, Petal and Pink at http://petalandpink.blogspot.com/!

Normally, I reserve loafers for my Grandmother (no offense G-Ma, they are comfortable so I’ll give you that!). However, the loafer has gotten a makeover for fall 2011.  The lifted loafer is all the rage right now- wear it as a platform or peep-toe, add on tassels or wear it in this seasons hottest suede colors.  From elegant to in-your-face, loafers can add some flair to an otherwise plain outfit.

Katie Holmes loves her loafer pumps- perfect for all occasions! Photo credit: www.makeuptalk.com; www.coolspotters.com)

What do you think about the loafer look? Would you rock it out, or is this trend better suited for Grandma? Comment back to let us know your thoughts!

VentureFizz spotlighted Open Runway in a blog post yesterday, check it out for yourself here!  VentureFizz is a one-stop destination website that allows you to find ALL that is BUZZING within Boston’s technology community. Open Runway would especially like to give Keith Kline, the founder of VentureFizz, a warm thank you for being so supportive to startups. As a result of the post we received a number of beta testers for the site!  Thanks VentureFizz!

Open Runway wanted to send a special thank you out to all those who made our Boston Blogger’s cocktail event a success!  The event was located at the Watermark Cambridge, which was arranged courtesy of the beautiful, newly opened Bosse City Club & Spa.

We wanted to give local bloggers an exclusive preview of our site and get their feedback in a fun and casual setting…after all, shoes, bags and cocktails?! What more could a gal ask for!

Shoes and handbags adorned the room, pomegranate champagne cocktails were served, and monitor’s were set up to showcase our design studio.  There was even a DIY cookie station with cookie-shaped shoes and handbags waiting to be designed…and consumed, yum!

Being that our cocktail hour was an intimate gathering, we got to spend some quality time showing off our site, and were eager to hear feedback from our guests.

Those in attendance included Amy Allen who writes a lovely blog, stylishyear.com which Amy first started in order to document her attempts to never wear the same outfit twice in one year (hence the name)- quite an undertaking!  We love how every week readers vote on one item from Amy’s outfit that they would like to see her wear again the next week in a new innovative way!

Also present was Melissa Massello co-creator of theSwapaholics.com, where vintage and thrift shopping are infused as people come together to swap fashionable clothing.  Featured in USA Today, The Boston Globe, Mass High Tech, and BostInnovation (to name a few) check out their site for yourself to see what all the buzz is about! By the way, The 2nd Annual Boston Fashion Week Sip & Swap will be held this Thursday, September 29th from 6-10pm at the Microsoft Nerd Center.  Open Runway will be lending out shoes and handbags for the runway show, and will also have a booth set up during the event so make sure to stop by and say hello! Visit http://bfwswap.eventbrite.com/ for more information! In other new and exciting announcements- OR is teaming up with the Swapaholics and will be running a contest for the best designed shoe and handbag with the chance to win a $100 gift certificate!  So put your creative caps on now, and be sure to check back soon for further details!

Naomo Mirando of naomimirando.com also joined in on the fun. An avid fan of D.I.Y, a glance at her style-osophy tell us, “I don’t like labels or being forced to define myself.  My style is constantly evolving and inspired by everything.” Open Runway is exactly Mirando’s cup of tea!

The Boston Fashionista herself, Kristen Uekermann was also in attendance.  We can’t get enough of her blog, thebostonfashionista.com- check it out to be inspired! Fashion and beauty tips and trends..oh my!

Joining the party, Lei Ann (possibly the best dressed Kung Fu instructor on the planet!) another who just couldn’t say “no” to shoes and cocktails. We loved getting to know the other side of Lei Ann “off duty”, and we invite you all to do the same at leiannoffduty.tumblr.com!

From left to right: June Liu, Lei Ann Resurreccion, Monika Desai, Melissa Massello, Naomi Mirando, Amy Allen, and Kristen Uekermann

We got really great feedback from everyone who came out for this event. “One of my favorite things about Open Runway (and there is a lot, I admit) is their motto: Join the Fashionocracy” – The Boston Fashionista. Our guests loved the concept of Open Runway, ”In this day and age everyone is about the utmost in customization and this just takes fashion one step further and into that same realm.” -Allen.

More positive comments were given about the ease of site navigation as well as connecting with other social platforms, “I like that you can share your creations via email or send to social media.”- Mirando

The feedback we heard the most? Everyone wanted to see more more more! Currently we are just offering handbags, but will soon have shoes available for creation. A few suggested additional product assortments such as dresses and accessories.  Once we get into the swing of things we will be expanding our range of styles and embellishments, as well as adding new product assortments into the mix!

Thanks again to all who came out! We truly value your opinions and are very gracious of your support.

Open Runway will be featured at next month’s Mass Innovation Night! Mass Innovation Nights was started with the goal of connecting Massachusetts-based innovators and entrepreneurs (Open Runway!) with the marketplace using social media.  These nights are used to spread awareness and increase the buzz surrounding new products and companies.

Once a month, the top four companies with the most votes make a presentation during the event.  The social media community shows up to help spread the word via blogs, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and pretty much every other form of social networking out there.  In order for Open Runway to present, we all need your help!

Please just take a few minutes and Vote Now for Open Runway to present! After all, we here at OR are all about democratizing fashion by empowering YOU to create your own style, and no democracy may exist without the presence of its voters!

While your on the site, check out some of these other awesome local innovators that will be showcased!

Grafpad is a web app for creating legible diagrams online that's as intuitive as drawing on a piece of paper.

At arcbazar.com, any person can launch a design competition for a project of any scale: an addition to a home, a remodeling job for retail space, a design of an entire family home, a landscape project, a mixed-use development, or any other architectural design project.

Splitwise is a tool for roommates that makes it easy to organize shared living expenses and keep track of who-owes-who.

If you’d like to support us and other local innovators, just take the following steps!

Recap:

1)  Check out the Mass Innovation Nights website to browse all the cool new products

2) RSVP: Mass Innovation Nights will take place October 12, 2011 at Woburn’s TradeCenter 128, 6-8:30 pm

3) Vote for the top 4 companies you’d like to hear more about!

Thank you so much for your support!

Is wearing white out-and-about after Labor Day the fashion faux pas that it once was? Labor day is less than a week away, and I don’t think I am quite ready to retire my white denim pants that I bought only a month ago.  I’m not sure who created the once stringent rule “no white after labor day”, but if I’m not mistaken, aren’t rules created to be broken?

When looking at fall and winter designer fashion on the runway, it’s quite apparent that many designers feel the same way.  Out with the old and in with the new!  Bright white platform pumps, stunningly white dresses, crisp white winter jackets, and yes…even white pants were spotted on the runway – all for the upcoming chillier months when, traditionally, white was ix-nayed.

Gwyneth Paltrow in stunning white at the LA premiere of Country Strong. Kim Kardashian at the Hollywood Style Awards last October. Angelina Jolie braves the cold north air in at N.Y.C. premiere of The Tourist. (Photo credits: www.stylehop.com, www.mystyle.com)

Celebrities too, seem to have grown tiresome of this old fashion commandment.  Many gleamed in wintery white dresses on the red carpet this past December.  Others were seen running around town in their winter white bests.

Fashion guru Victoria Beckham in an elegant all-white outfit. Even little Suri Cruise has been spotted breaking the rules! (Photo credits: dailymail.co.uk, becauseiamfabulous.com)

I feel the need to make a disclaimer about wearing white during the winter – a little white can go a long way, just remember sometimes, less is more.  For example, I love the way Kate Hudson donned white platform pumps to the Golden Globes- completing her elegant look.  On the other hand, Lady GaGa broke the “no white after Labor Day” rule, taking it to the next level…and beyond. Check out those sky-high platform lace-up boots!

Kate Hudson and Lady Gaga- both in white platform shoes, both creating completely opposite looks. (Photo credit: www.shoes.about.com, www.justjared.buzznet.com/)

So what do you think- is wearing white (tastefully) after Labor Day passé, or do you think it was a rule created for a reason?  Let us know in comments!

We are very excited to announce the launch of Open Runway’s private beta!  For those of you who need a refresher, Open Runway is an innovative “Design your Own’ fashion platform where YOU are the designer. In our Design Studio, you can create your own high fashion shoes and handbags by choosing from a wide array of styles and materials and wear them in just a few weeks.

Desperate to start designing?  Go to openrunway.com and request an invitation to our private beta. Be sure to tell us about yourself and what you hope to get out of the experience. Right now we have a limited number of invitations to give out but we’ll let you know when space becomes available.

As with any private beta, we have a few bugs to fix and kinks to work out.  We ask only for your help (and a little patience) as we listen to your questions, concerns, and comments to transform Open Runway into the ultimate user experience. A fair warning, here are a couple of things in particular to watch out for that are still a work in progress:

1. Our handbags are ready to be designed and purchased, however, we are still working on getting our shoes up and “running.”  By all means, please feel free to play around in our shoe design studio and let us know what you think. For now you will only be able to drool over them until we work out a few more details on the back-end.
2. Due to changes in sourcing, a few of the materials seen on some of the configured designs in the “Shop”  area may no longer be available. We are working on implementing an “out of stock” message.

Open Runway exists to serve you, so we need your assistance and feedback to achieve perfection, or… in the case of our private beta (in Tim Gunn’s words) “make it work.”  Without it, this won’t be possible.

All of us at Open Runway are confident that you will find  the design experience to be fun and creative.  You have our commitment to not only make your experience enriching in the design and creation phase, but also to deliver to you products of the highest quality craftsmanship that will allow you to enjoy and proudly display your “uniquely you” creation for years to come.

Sign up here to gain exclusive access to Open Runway!

The women’s soccer world cup took place recently – Japan vs. US – two underdogs battling it out to bring home the gold.  Never a dull moment in the game, the Japanese rung in the Big W in a dramatic fashion.  Speaking of fashion…we here at Open Runway have decided to do an ode to Japanese style in honor of their recent success as the first Asian team to ever win the Women’s World Cup.

In stark contrast to the team’s all-solid navy blue colors, Japanese style back on the main land is quite eccentric. Breaking all the rules, brights are paired with other brights.

Photo credit: http://www.style-arena.jp/

Socks with heels is not a trend left on the fashion runway.  In fact, most women strutting the streets can be seen sporting this look… in pumps, sandals and even sky-high platforms!

Another shoe trend back again this season, the wedge.  Popular all over the world, the wedge is a comfortable option for casual chic…and there is no lack of wedges found on the streets of Japan!  For a new spin on the traditional, try a metallic leather which looks great paired with an espadrille wedge.

Photo credit: http://www.fashioninjapan.com

The perfect handbag has always been an integral part of any woman’s wardrobe. More often than not, it comes down to “which one matches best” rather than “which one holds more.”  Japanese women seem to have bridged this gap by sporting large purses in a neutral shade that hold all the necessities.  For a pop of color, add a scarf or kerchief loosely tied around the strap. Functional and fashionable!

Photo Credit: http://www.fashioninjapan.com, http://www.style-arena.jp/

Not afraid to take on new styles and trends, Japanese women are taking runway looks and making them their own. Do you dare?