'Some things in life are free'

Going wild with animal print accessories

The old saying goes: “Nothing in life is free.”

That is, until now.

Décor Innovation is kicking off the Labor Day weekend with freebies. “Buy one, get one free” specials on items from fur-friendly chinchilla pillow covers to safari-inspired zebra stripe curtains last until Sept. 7. This means that you can let your wallet take a breather this weekend (after all, it is Labor Day) by spending on must-have items for your home and getting a little something extra in exchange.

Furry prints on the FW10 runway

The following items have package deals:

Spotted in Fashion

Spotted in Fall-Winter pre-resort and main collections: Fashion designers like Dolce & Gabbana showcased leopard print turtlenecks paired with knits and at Stella McCartney, models paraded around in snakeskin trousers and tops. These designers have still got their claws on animal prints and are not about to let go of the trend. It’s safe to say that the safari is operating all season long.

In the home, play with animal prints without fully investing in a print couch or chaise. The giraffe print is fun, playful and makes a wonderful addition to the top of any leather couch or any down comforter. And the underside is fully lined with hard-to-find, quality stitching. Plus, when you order a giraffe faux fur throw, you get a free matching pillowcase set.

Chocolate stripes that leave you craving for more

Lucky Stripes

Or at least you will be feeling lucky after buying a set of these luxurious curtains with a satin stripe and get another free! Finish draping an entire room with the price of one set.

Factoring in style for function, the curtains are made of a weighted satin with a shimmery vertical stripe pattern. The curtains, available in two generous sizes, are heavy enough to block sunlight and outside noise. Keeping energy loss at a minimum, few other curtains are capable of multi-tasking in luxury.

Now in rich fall colors like burgundy, gold and brown, team these curtains with furniture and accents in greens, berry reds and autumn golds.

Silk Road

Travel the silk road without having to stop by the dry cleaners. Instead, buy a set of silk dupioni curtains for your home and get another set free. The machine-washable curtains are of a thick fabric and etched in the way that is characteristic of dupioni silk. From sage to sand, these silk dupioni have all the qualities of upscale window dressings without the hefty price tag.

This Labor Day, it's all about giving your wallet some rest.

-S.Gonzalez

*Photos courtesy of decorinnovation, coutorture.com

'Fur to the Fashion Forefront'

It’s all about keeping up with appearances.

Luxury and elegance, marked by warm fur coats and fur trim on jackets, returns to the fashion forefront. Despite the economy, showing what you’re worth has never been more important. Except this time around, designers are showcasing fur in the unlikeliest of places: in handbags, hats and even in shoes. In the homefront, fur can be found in the form of rugs, blankets, duvet covers and pillows.

Marc by Marc Jacobs handbag

Marc Jacobs, known for his eclectic style, created a selection of Fall-Winter ’10 Marc by Marc Jacobs handbags and clutches made entirely of fur. In the center of the flap is a gold-plated logo plate. The adjustable fabric strap has leather detailing and the inside is lined completely with a micro-plush lining. Talk about keeping your wallet and makeup essentials warm this season.

Christian Louboutin fur trim boots

If you thought wearing an entirely fur creation on your feet – like the ‘Big Foot-’inspired footwear at Chanel’s Fall-Winter ’10 show earlier this year – but you think it a tad too much, there are less furry concoctions. That is, if you don’t mind wearing some fur on your feet. Christian Louboutin introduces the Toundra: a gray suede boot with criss-crossing belt straps in leather. Running along the front of the boot, strapped in by the buckles, is a layer of fur.

Faux fur run in polar bear white

Keeping those toes warm is priority and all the more reason why fur is now an option for your floor draping needs. A faux fur rug in classic white will insulate hardwood floors, will not slide and adds a measure of class to your existing décor. It could have been my horror by the animal cruelty after watching a crocodile hunting special on television last night, but faux fur and leather products are the animal-friendly and cost-effective way to go.

Coyote-faux fur blanket and pillow

A faux fur rug in warm colors, like this coyote faux fur blanket, is a masculine touch that would go best thrown over a tufted leather chair in a study or home office. This coyote blanket comes available in two generous sizes: 58x60 and 60x86. Its underside is lined with a thick, quality microplush fabric, unlike other blankets out there. Pair a coyote pillow with the blanket to complete the look.

I’m keeping up with appearances this season thanks to all these fur-friendly options. Are you?

-S. Gonzalez

*Photos courtesy of shopbop.com; fashion-style.becomegorgeous.com; christianlouboutin.com; decorinnovation.com

'Fashion Night Sold Out'

Scenes from last year's Fashion's Night Out

The countdown for Fashion’s Night Out – now an annual celebration of fashion in major cities across the globe – may continue, but for the countdown for tickets to the CBS’ ‘Fashion’s Night Out: The Show’ ended within hours.

That’s right. General sale tickets, an estimated 1,500 tickets, to the show Sept. 7 at the Lincoln Center in New York were sold out within four hours.

Sources say that more tickets will become available before the show, and that those interested should call Lincoln Center’s ticket office. Otherwise, the show will be streaming live at 7 p.m. EST Sept. 7 on www.CBS.com/fno. Or watch it on television, which airs Sept. 14 at 7 p.m. EST on CBS.

The special will include behind-the-scenes footage of all the planning and legwork among fashion editors and executives from some of the biggest places in fashion: Vogue (yes, Anna Wintour will be there), Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman to name a few.

Reports surrounding the fashion show suggest that the styling will span seven major trends: Global Traveler, Rocker Girl, Roaring Twenties, Country Weekend, and Fifties Era. Approximately 200 models will be on hand to showcase the styles.

Fashion's Night Out hits all major cities

Fashion’s Night Out, slated for Friday, Sept. 10, is the sequel to last year’s event which drew thousands of people out into the streets of New York, London, Milan, among others, all in the name of fashion. From cocktails with Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen to performances by Oscar de la Renta, the event was the fashion community’s response to a recession-ridden retail market. Struggling retailers watched as new customers trilled into their stores and sales received a much-needed boost.

Fans line up to catch Pharell at the BBC | Ice Cream store in Soho for Fashion's Night Out 2009

This year, the sequel to Fashion’s Night Out is just weeks away. Expect the same revelry, but bigger and much, much better.

Worth checking out in New York:

· Champagne reception at Y-3

· Dancing lessons with Vera Wang and Olympic gold medalist Evan Lysaceck at the Mercer Street store

· Performance by Bryan Adams and the brand’s Creative Directors Francisco Costa and Italo Zucchelli, along with Vogue’s Tonne Goodman at Calvin Klein’s Madison Avenue store location

· Take pictures with friends in a photo booth, sip on cocktails and meet the designer inside Carolina Herrera’s store on Madison Avenue

· Walk the red carpet at Giuseppe Zanotti Design

-S. Gonzalez

*Images courtesy of cbs.com; fashionsnightout and freshnessmag.com

'This Just In: Drapes'

It is interesting how sound advice will always hold true, even with a century gone by. Published in 1893 in The New York Times, an unknown author writes about the importance of arranging curtains and draperies in the home:

“From an artistic point of view no feature of interior decoration and furnishing is more important than the curtaining of a house. It is not enough that they are beautiful in themselves; they must harmonize with their surroundings, be adapted to the purposes for which they are used, be effectively draped, and neither by their pattern nor coloring be more conspicuous than their importance justifies.”

With that said, Décor Innovation has a selection of new drapes in the most sumptuous of fabrics like satins, silks and suede.

Country glamour with faux suede drapes

For the same soft texture, these faux suede blackout curtains are a bargain when compared to the real thing. Plus, could you stand to know that poor animals were harmed in order to decorate the windows and doors of your home? These faux suede curtains with lining, while they have the same matte finish, will not require a costly cleaning should they get stained. One-hundred percent machine-washable, a touch of masculine finery doesn’t get much easier than this.

Satin stripe design on curtains

This satin stripe blackout curtain is a stroke of sheer elegance. Available in some of the richest fall colors like berry red and gold, these satin curtains will complement a newly fall decorated home. Or, it might be just the first step in making the fall transition. Known for its luster and luxurious reputation, this satin stripe curtain is made of a thick, triple weave with the ability to also block out light and noise.

Understated texture with silk dupioni curtains

For subtle texture, take a look at these silk dupioni curtains with a slight pinched pleat. The soft pleating is understated, and the navy shade is a versatile color to match with your home’s color palette. Pair these curtains with a sheer voile curtain, or hang a complementary fabric on top (think olive green or a similar shade of navy) to – for lack of better words that the unknown writer – “harmonize with [your] surroundings.”

-S. Gonzalez

*Photos courtesy of decorinnovation.com