The amazing versatile HARLOW

When first designing our Harlow clutch, I was going for a mix of jewel box glamour with a modern twist. The metallic leather and textured skin give the bag that luxe look and the lines give it a modern edge.


That being said, in these tough times everyone needs to evaluate very carefully what they are spending and if the item they are buying is worth it. I like to use a CPW (cost per wear) strategy. Sure you could go and buy a cheaper clutch of less quality, but how much use would you get out of it? And how long would it last? I use my gold Harlow clutch ALL the time. Evening event, daytime, to dress up a casual outfit. The color says evening but since its oversized it can transition into day as well. In the last 6 months I have used the clutch approxiamtely 25 times, that equates to $12.60 per wear, reasonable. If I go on to use it the same amount in the next 6 months that price per wear goes down to $6.30 per wear, amazing. Versatile pieces are the most important items to buy at times like this.


1. Using my gold harlow out for dinner with friends in the Bahamas
2. Lexie using her cream harlow out for dinner in NYC
3. Using my gold harlow at a black tie event with my husband in Ottawa

Way too long!

Just like the title says, it has been WAY too long since we updated our blog. So many things have happend in the past year at Melanie Auld Designs, some personal and some professional. On both fronts I have given birth! The first to my son Sam in January. He is our first born and is definitely giving Mom a run for her money! Hats off to all you Moms out there, I had no idea what I was in for, nor did I know the joy he would bring.

The second is to our debut line of leather bags and fine jewelry! I have been waiting for just the right time and this is it. We are working with the softest, squishiest lambskins and have created bags that are perfect for everyday. They will launch along with our fine jewelry in Spring 09. The jewelry is AMAZING, using the most beautiful stones I have ever seen we have stackable rings and bangles that are to die for!

I am putting up some sneak peeks from our studio.

Miami Fashion Week

Its been an exciting month here at Melanie Auld Designs! We were featured in Daily Candy and received an amazing response. Finished design of our new fall line and spent this past weekend at Fashion Week here in Miami.


I was asked to attend Fashion Week by a friend (Janice Sample) who is the Editor in Chief of a local south florida magazine. She wanted me to help her out as her "fashion editor". I, however, thought she navigated the show pretty well herself.


The shows started at 7:30 and ended at 11:00. There were 3 different start times featuring 3 designers in each. The first three designers we saw were disapointing. I guess I had been expecting exciting colors, cuts and fabrics. Their pieces just seemed to be like so many other sub-par labels out there.


In the second show we started to see a little more promise. Columbian designer Monica Bursztyn had some great jersey pieces. The cuts being very body concious and the colors being somewhat subdued made for a great pairing.



By the last show we were ready for some spectacular designs, and did we ever get them! The standout by far was Mexican label Ximena Valero. The dresses and especially bathing suits shown were knock-outs. So much attention to detail was put into every piece. The colors were strong and vibrant, the cuts brillant and the fit on each model bang on. All this together made for an amazing showing of an amazing collection. Please enjoy some of the photos.

***Spring Buys***

Okay, so I realize that most people in the US and Canada are still battling cold weather and snow, and that spring flowers are the furthest things from your mind. I on the other hand, start dreaming of spring and its lastest fashions as soon as Christmas ends. Granted, this year since I now live in florida, its not such a weird thing. I wear shorts and tank tops all year around so I guess I never really left spring/summer mode.

This past week I hit up the Boca Town Center mall with a friend, I found a ton of great summer pieces! I am telling you girls, Intermix has an amazing selection for spring so if you live near one, run, if not www.intermixonline.com. One of my favorite pieces is this Yumi Kim Empire Kimono dress. I love the color, fit and ease of being able to just throw it on with a pair of slides and tons of gold jewelry. Its perfect for day or dressed up for a night out. I also came across this really cute Tucker by Gaby Basora smocked neck tunic, which at first was a little scary. The color is quite shocking, however dressed down with some basics it adds a fun element to my wardrobe. Its nice to put on during the day while running around with a pair of jeans and some cute flats, also in this weather its nice to have an airy top that you can wear sans tank if you like. www.tuckerbygabybasora.com. She has a small selection of pieces with tons of different prints for each.



Another great new designer that has cute pieces for spring is Rory Beca. I bought one of her silk tops in electric blue, its a really nice piece to have cause the fit is easy but the color adds instant glamour. I wore it this past week with white jeans and gold jewelry, it felt so fresh and springlike! I will definitely be trying out more of her pieces in the near future. You can check out her collection at www.rorybeca.com.


If anyone has any great pieces that they have found for spring please email pics of them into me at info@melanieaulddesigns.com. I am hoping to put together a "must have" list for a future blog!

Phillip Lim 3.1: A Spring Dream!

Goddess-like, Flowy, Soft, Airy , all words I would use to describe Phillip Lim's Spring 07 collection. This man never fails to have countless pieces that are easily workable into my wardrobe as well as stand-out pieces for special events. A relatively new designer, his items offer a great value for there money as he hasn't begun to overcharge like so many other labels.

The beauty in this collection is in its understated elegance, its perfectly balanced silhouttes strike an amazing balance between volume and fit. Although some may describe the color palette as bland, I think it gives the clothing a fresh almost un-touchable look.

I pre-ordered this Rosette dress from Blaec a month ago, it looks incredible! Pretty much sold-out everywhere, its one dress I encourage you to jump at should you see it in stores. Perfect dressed down with a dis-tressed pair of boots or dressed up with a wooden chunky sandal.


These shorts are on my must-have list also. The perfect fit as well as a great length they look dressed up without being too much. And those SHOES, I have no idea when they will be out but if anyone knows PLEASE shoot me off an email! I need a pair!

To see more of Phillip Lim's spring collection go to www.style.com, you can also take a peek at his Fall 07 line!

Girls with Style

So one of my favorite things to do is check out other girls clothing and style on www.mystylediary.net
For the past couple years I have been a memeber and built friendships with girls all over the world. Its one of the coolest sites on the web for people interested in fashion. You can keep track of outfits, share tips, get inspiration, and there is even a place for you to add your "cool finds" any items that you love, or think were really good deals etc.
Two of my favorite girls on mystylediary are Sheinam and Rhapsody and they have so kindly agreed to letting me post my favorite outfits.

It was so hard to pick my favorite outfits for both of these gals! Sheinams ended up being Tsubi jeans, Barneys Co-op shoes and a vintage dress. The whole outfit together is very eye-catching. I think the length of the dress works well with the jeans because of the proportion, the jeans are skinny so they don't detract from the dress the way looser fitting jeans would. Also the quilting on the dress gives the outfit and element of texture thats really appealing to the eye, as well as a pop of colour. And the dark shoes were the perfect choice to ground the whole outfit. All thats missing are some stackable gold bangles and layered necklaces!


Rhapsody's outfit caught my eye because its a great mix of girly/masculine. The top is very pretty and she has paired it with a mens trouser pant. Its a great look if you aren't the "girly" type because you have the softness around your face but your overall look has an edge to it. I also like that its a mix of expensive and in-expensive. She had seen a Chloe top that she adored, but found one very close in style at Zara for much less. Her Paul Smith trousers are a great fit with a pair of Lanvin pumps, I can only imagine the countless looks you could achieve with those two pieces.

These are two among hundreds of girls with amazing style on mystylediary, so whether you are looking for inspiration or to have an outlet for your own creative dressing I would definitely give stylediary a try!

Travel: South Beach

Ah, South Beach. The people, the food and the buildings, all so colourful!

I took a trip down with my husband and some of our friends this past weekend and we had a blast. We always stay at the Loews when visiting SOBE because they are animal friendly, and when you have 3 dogs in tow this is of great importance. I would definitely recommend this hotel, the rooms are nice/comfortable, the location is great and the pool area is a fun place to people watch and relax.

Lexie & Amber, both wearing Melanie Auld Designs!!

On monday we did a bit of shopping along Collins Ave, nothing to exciting to report. There was a good selection of clothing at Barneys and Intermix,but it was almost to hot to shop *gasp* I can't believe I said that!



Chatting with Jessica Simpson


Our last night was by far the best! We had reservations at Nobu @ the shore club. The food was amazing! If you are ever in south beach you have to eat here! Make your reservations quite a bit in advance or expect a REALLY long wait to get in, that is if you even get in. Everyone in Nobu looks great, trendy and very fashion forward, its definitely a place you go to be seen. So make sure you dress up and look your best! We even ran into Jessica Simpson who was there dining with new boyfriend John Mayer. She was very sweet and wearing a Temperley dress that looked amazing on her. You can almost count on running into a celeb while eating at Nobu, but honestly, the best part is the food!

My Husband and I both enjoying our dinner

You can't beat south florida in the middle of January, the weather, the food and the beaches are all amazing. Whether you are looking for relaxation or crazy fun, its all waiting for you in South Beach!