Women's

Women's // Lifestyle

How It’s Made: L’École Van Cleef & Arpels

van cleef arpels

Working with uncut emeralds at L'Ecole Van Cleef & Arpels

Laughter and wax fly out from the worktop where Carole, an expert jeweler, is coaching a student attempting to carve a wax mold. Across the room, master setter Frederic guides another pupil as she manipulates a graver into metal. Meanwhile, jewelry teacher Victoire keeps a watchful eye as I tackle a gouache painting.

It’s just another school day at L’École Van Cleef & Arpels.

van cleef arpels

L'Ecole in session

Opened in February in the Hôtel d’Évreux, a palatial, eighteenth-century townhouse on the Place Vendôme, L’École Van Cleef & Arpels is the first school of its kind—open to everyone, professionals and amateurs alike, with a passion for jewelry. Seven modules (plans call for 25 within five years) of four hours each span the intellectual to the practical, from jewels in mythology to distinguishing flawed from flawless diamonds.

It’s a rare window into a historically secretive industry and its preciously guarded techniques.  Some things, including the surnames of our teachers, remain a secret.

Van Cleef & Arpels brooch, available through Neiman Marcus stores.

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Women's // Lifestyle

Conversation With: David Yurman

David Yurman rides his horse Chicken Enchilada at a charity event for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

David Yurman rides his horse Chicken Enchilada at an event for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

David Yurman‘s passions span from craftsmanship to horsemanship. We joined up with the jewelry designer to talk about his horses Chicken Enchilada, Mr. Scooter and Commander, and his latest collection, exclusive to NM.

NM: Most people associate your name with jewelry, but you are also an avid horseman.

DY: Yes, around here, we refer to it as my alter-ego… I started riding when I was 9 years old. My father taught me; it was about spending time together. We’d ride every Sunday – out the door by 7:30 am, on the horses by 8:30 am. It was a special time and place.

NM: What is it about riding that you fell in love with?

DY: It’s about partnership. When I go through the gate on a horse, I enter their world, away from the constraints we live with – it always clears my head.

Cuffs from Yurman's Labyrinth collection.

Yurman's new Labyrinth collection sports his signature cable.

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Women's

Around The Office: Brooches 7 Ways

The bedazzled button no longer comes with pomp and circumstance.  This season, the brooch is bountiful – clustered on a clutch, in the hair or denim. Want to spotlight one precious pin? Wear a detailed dress and strategically pin the brooch to highlight the detail. When styling the brooch take fashion director Ken Downing’s advice, “ Go for Baroque — there’s no such thing as over-decorating.”

See how our ladies in the jewelry office wear the look:

Around The Office: The Brooch

Assistant jewelry buyer Monica Frailing wears a Stephen Dweck brooch at her hip.

Around The Office: The Brooch

Cusp merchandise coordinator Alison Gross wears an Alexander McQueen skull brooch in her hair.

Around The Office: The Brooch

Executive assistant Julia Williams clustered brooches on a beaded necklace.

Around The Office: The Brooch

Assistant jewelry buyer Courtney Buchanan wears a Marni flower brooch in lieu of a big pendant.

Around The Office: Brooches

Merchandise jewelry coordinator Bridget Ryan clusters Kenneth Jay Lane brooches on her clutch.

Around The Office: The Brooch

Assistant jewelry buyer Melanie Dodd wears a Fragments brooch as a hair accessory.

Around The Office: The Brooch

Merchandise Coordinator Sadia Gowani clusters pins on the lapel of her jacket.

Shop the Trend Event now through August 15 and receive a brooch with your purchase of $350 or more. Shop brooches at NeimanMarcus.com and Neiman Marcus stores.

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Women's

Rachel Zoe Jewelry in a Shoppable Video

We are more than a little excited about the launch of jewelry from Rachel Zoe Collection, and to mark the occasion we have created the first shoppable video from Neiman Marcus. You click directly on the “hot spots” to pause the action and look closer at the item of interest. The music, aptly enough, is called “Analog or Digital” by the band Wildlife Control. Be sure to check out the rest of the interactive features on our Rachel Zoe-dedicated Facebook tab. The trivia quiz is especially, ahem, rewarding.

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Women's

Meet Caroline Maguire, Our New Cusp Fashion Director!

Caroline Maguire

Cusp Fashion Director, Caroline Maguire.

Meet Caroline Maguire. As contemporary/bridge fashion director at Neiman Marcus Group, she is THE trend authority for all things Cusp. New York-based Maguire describes her style as “East Coast meets West Coast” and attributes her laid-back sense of style to her California roots.

NM: What are you coveting this Fall?

CM: Color! I’m loving hunter green or navy.

NM: How would you describe your personal style?

CM: Playful, chic, laid back. On weekends, I love to lounge around in J Brand cut-offs with an oversized T-shirt.  When I’m in my “chic mode,” I like to throw on a vintage lace top passed down from my mom, tuxedo blazer and sky-high Zanottis.

NM: Who are your style icons?

CM: Kate Moss, Carine Roitfeld and Emmanuelle Alt.

NM: What will we not find in your closet?

CM: Ruffles or bows.

NM: What are your favorite fashion blogs?

CM: Garance Dore, Manrepeller, Refinery29, Jak and Jil and Hanneli Mustaparta.

NM: Best splurge for Fall?

CM: The perfect jacket! I can’t wait to get my hands on the Pierre Balmain fringe leather jacket.

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Women's

Announcing the NM Fall Forward Pinterest Challenge Finalists

Dear fellow “pinners,” thank you for participating in the NM Fall Forward Pinterest Challenge, our first ever! The #NMFallTrend boards were eye-catching, creative and inspiring. It was difficult to narrow it down but these are our faves!  Stay tuned, as NM accessories director AnaMaria Pimentel declares the winner on Tuesday, August 14.

Eleanor Weston

Eleanor Weston’s “Mixed Greens” board.

Amy Donovan

Amy Donovan’s “Navy: The New Neutral” board.

Sita Laba

Sita Laba’s “Mixed Greens” board.

Betsy Carter

Betsy Carter’s “The Jacket” board.

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Women's

Rachel Zoe Jewelry Debuts at NM Beverly Hills

A year after launching her eponymous ready-to-wear collection exclusively at Neiman Marcus, Rachel Zoe is back with maj news! Yesterday the celebrity stylist-turned-television star-turned fashion designer revealed her jewelry collection to the public for the first time at NM Beverly Hills. The trunk show was a one-day-only opportunity for customers to shop her Art Deco, Sixties and Seventies inspired baubles before the collection officially arrives at all Neiman Marcus stores and NeimanMarcus.com in August. Zoe surprised the crowd when she appeared personally and met with customers. RZ arrived wearing a sleek black pant suit, her Morrison tote, a golden rope necklace and bracelet with intertwined pave strands and tassels from her Fall 2012 collection, and a sliced crystal ring that is a sample from her Spring 2013 collection!

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Women's

Store Soirée: NM Las Vegas Celebrates Cusp

NM Las Vegas

Guests enjoy shopping and manicures at the new Cusp shop at NM Las Vegas.

NM Las Vegas

A colorful dessert bar and great entertainment keep the party going!

Neiman Marcus Las Vegas celebrated the unveiling of Cusp, its new contemporary shop. Guests celebrated the reveal with great music, delectable desserts and fabulous fashions and accessories from their favorite designers—not to mention an array of beautifying treatments that were available. Los Angeles-based hairstylist Brandon Martinez worked his magic, using a blow dryer and B. The Product, to make guests’ hair smooth and voluminous. Local manicurists and makeup artists added pops of color to nails and lips. Once the shopping and beauty treatments were complete, guests snapped photos with friends in the photo booth. Cusp is coming to ALL Neiman Marcus stores, so you can join the fun near you!

NM Las Vegas

Photo booth fun with friends.

NM Las Vegas

NM Las Vegas

NM Las Vegas

Celebrate Cusp at your local Neiman Marcus. Here are the next Cusp parties:

7/12/2012 – Cusp NM Atlanta

7/19/2012 – Cusp NM Willow Bend 

7/19/2012 – Cusp Fashion Island

7/19/2012 – Cusp NM San Francisco

7/19/2012 – Cusp NM Walnut Creek

 

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Women's

Ken & AnaMaria Style Fall 2012 Trends

NM fashion director Ken Downing and accessories director AnaMaria Pimentel are always thinking months in advance. Each season the two are tasked with forecasting the trends and developing a styling perspective for the most covetable pieces of the coming collections. Recently, Ken and AnaMaria took to the NM fashion closet (a wondrous place where all of the samples live before the actual merchandise hits stores and NeimanMarcus.com) to style looks representative of NM’s biggest Fall 2012 trends. We’ve dubbed them Mixed Greens, Borrowed From the Boys, The Jacket, The Leather Leg, The Smoking Slipper, Navy: The New Neutral, The Smoking Slipper, Digital Prints and The Statement Handbag. The slideshow features behind-the-scenes pictures from an internal NM trend presentation.

See pre-Fall styles now at NeimanMarcus.com and Neiman Marcus stores.

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Women's

Exclusive Video: Rachel Zoe at NM Short Hills

I never pass up a chance to see my dear friend Rachel Zoe! Her parents, husband Rodger and baby Skyler, and even her favorite teacher from high school all turned up at NM Short Hills to support the Jersey girl. We presented her pre-Fall collection and a preview of her jewelry collection, coming very soon. Stay tuned!

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