Lucky Magazine Editor Brandon Holley talks Fall 2013 trends

Lucky Editor Brandon Holley speaks to American Express Skybox attendees. (photo courtesy of American Express.)

One of the highlights for me at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week is always a visit to the American Express Skybox to see a few shows.  The Skybox is set up above the runways in a private area.  American Express card members can purchase tickets to sit in the Skybox and enjoy the fashion shows, along with commentary from special guests.  I think the Skybox is a great idea since it gives fashion fans a chance to see a show, just like they would buy tickets to a sporting event or a concert.  The morning after the Nemo blizzard the American Express Skybox was serving a catered breakfast from Todd English and fresh brewed coffee along with the fashion shows. In a city hit with 8 inches of snow, that was a real perk.

This year, I was privileged to visit the Skybox to watch the LaCoste and Jill Stuart shows (which were incredible, more on those later.) I also got to have a chat with Lucky Magazine Editor Brandon Holley and hear her views on runway style and what’s next at Lucky Magazine. 

What are the early trends on the runway for Fall 2013?
I’m seeing a real return to black. If you remember last fall there were a lot of jewel tones.  Last year, we at Lucky were saying , dress for color for Fall. Right now, we’re seeing a lot of black & white. At the shows like BCBG and Jason Wu I’m seeing a  kind of a menswear with heavy tailoring, but in black. I haven’t seen any tweeds yet.  I’m also seeing a little  less statement jewelry.

What New York Fashion Week shows do you look forward to?
I’m a Lucky girl so I love the small designers before they get big. Of course Marc (Jacobs). Of course.  But with Prabal (Gurung), we’re watching someone become a star.  And then Altuzarra, the last two shows have just been mind blowing.

How would you describe your personal style?

I don’t dress in runway looks. I don’t wear dresses.  At Lucky, we wear jeans to the office. Lucky is really about combining a Derek Lam sweater with a  Madewell shirt underneath.   Playing with fabrics and textures that are kinda fun to put together. One thing I have learned is that stripes and floral always work together.

How do you make the runway real?

People don’t do head to toe looks. We mix signature looks. On Lucky we have a community channel where we let women
post pictures of what they wear. What it’s taught me is that women are dressing great at work.

How is digital and social evolving?
It used to be a magazine was the only way to find out what trends are evolving. Now magazines are not the only spot. Magazines must become multi-platform and become destination sites. On a destination site, you should be able to take a full shopping journey.  For example, There’s LUCKY Kids for Moms to shop for Kids for fashion.

Looking into 2013, what are you excited about for Lucky?

We are  going to celebrate Women’s fashion in America, how she’s really dressing. What’s happening in the street, the small designers.

Does Lucky champion American designers?
Yes we do. The first place Phillip Lim was ever shot was  Lucky. Jill Stuart. Many young designers came into being in Lucky. We put a Derek Lam piece with a Louis Vuitton piece.
So what’s next for Lucky Magazine?  I asked Brandon about how the magazine will continue their evolution. Brandon told me  to expect the current My Lucky shopping destination site to expand and grow to a full e-commerce site.  Right now, you can see fashion  products, share, then buy on the Lucky site. This is currently called My Lucky.  But soon My Lucky will be more of an an e-commerce site.  According to Brandon Holley, ” It’s an expansion, and we’re probably going to announce something soon.” The plan is for  My Lucky to offer high & low end fashion, trends, and investment pieces. There will be flash sales, loyalty points and discount points. Watch this space for details.