Cheryl Shops

Where & When: Thursday, September 17th at 11 a.m., Apple Store Soho
Runway Recap: Pretty much everything about the fashion industry is exclusionary, from the idealization of thinness to the strict hierarchy of seating at fashion shows. So it's incredibly revolutionary for an esteemed designer like Norma Kamali to embrace what she calls "the Democratization of Fashion." In a 25-minute presentation in the Apple Store, Kamali set the stage for her innovative new way of interacting with the customer: She's introducing a shoppable iPhone application, designing a $250-and-under collection for eBay, and offering a new way of shopping, in which customers can order looks from her website and try them for free for 48 hours before keeping (or returning) them. And, of course, there's her masstige line with Wal-Mart, in which most looks are under $30. Lined up on Greene Street under clear umbrellas (a downpour had just started), models posed in designs from all three collections--Wal-Mart, eBay, and OMO Normal Kamali--holding signs conveniently telling you where to purchase each look. Kamali tends to have a rotating stable of signature looks--the jersey dress, the sleeping-bag coat, the parachute-silk dress--but she tweaks the silhouettes ever so slightly, ensuring that they remain fresh season after season.
Standout Look: It was hard to choose a favorite look because there were so many great ones--particularly a series of red and black-and-white striped jersey dresses for eBay--but I loved this series of pieces for OMO, made out of sweatshirt material. The sleeveless blazer and cropped, pleated pants are totally on trend, and the cropped take on the sleeping-bag coat is a new interpretation of a classic.
Bonus Points: The models deserve a special shoutout for being such good sports in the rain, but Norma Kamali deserves the most praise, for being so visionary in terms of the relationship between technology and fashion.
Where to Buy: All looks can be purchased respectively at NormaKamaliCollection.com, NormaKamaliBay.com, Walmart.com, or on the Norma Kamali iPhone application.