Bouffants and Barnacles Brittany Powers reports, “I just returned from the Piazza Sempione Fall Collection showing at Nordstrom in Walnut Creek. I was delighted to go and view the Italian designer’s many fabulous new contemporary pieces, that were informally exhibited on live models whom roamed around the the department. Exciting event thanks to the wonderful Miss Kelsie Piper and the Collectors Designer Apparel staff. Can’t wait for the next viewing in October!”

(Photo: Nordstrom.com)

Can’t make the trek this week to New York for Fashion Week? Well, Nordstrom Walnut Creek is bringing a taste of it to the Bay Area!

What: Fall 2010 Piazza Sempione Collection. Enjoy informal modeling and refreshments.

When: Friday, Sept. 10, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Where: Nordstrom Broadway Plaza in Walnut Creek: Collectors on floor two.

RSVP: kelsie.piper(at)nordstrom(dot)com or 925-930-7959 ext. 1124

Also, check out how they are promoting the event on Facebook:

Fruitz Watches recently approached me with information on their 24 summer colors featuring delicious flavors like raspberry, lychee, golden pear and melon.

Not only are these watches fun and fresh for a bold summer statement, they have natural frequency technology allowing wearers to sleep better at night, maintain increased focus during the day and reduce overall stress levels. Pretty remarkable!

This added value seemed to good to be true, so I asked the company’s rep to explain further:

“The natural frequency technology is delivered to wearers through a metal disk inside the watch that has been infused with key frequencies in a proprietary process.  When worn on the wrist, the watch exposes frequencies and information to the bio-field of the person wearing it. The bio-field, which is the Master energy field that regulates the body’s functions, informs the body to relax, and in doing so, the person becomes more resistant and resilient to stress. When wearing a Fruitz frequency watch you are more in harmony with natural earth, centered and grounded.”

If you’re looking to de-stress your life through fashion, you can find Fruitz at fruitzwatches.com, Bloomingdales and Nordstrom for $225.

Gift-giving season is over and we now set our sights on the New Year’s Eve trends. After one day of digesting the holiday dinners and potlucks, we’re now on the search for sequins and shiny fabrics for the best price. Shoppers are looking for a deal and researching through their social media networks to get the inside scoop.

As of two days after Christmas, Nordstrom is strictly pushing NYE accessories through Twitter and Facebook. Rather than publicizing glitzy and expensive dresses, this strategy is right on the money in the current economy. @Nordstrom features cocktail rings for all budgets; an easy fix to accessorize an ensemble without buying an entire new look.

On the other hand, Hayden-Harnett is featuring dresses through social media, but they too are aware of the small pockets after holiday shopping. Posting the day after Christmas, @Hayden_Harnett tweets, “Dresses perfect for NYE and far beyond! http://ow.ly/QcwN.” The Web site features Hayden-Harnett top NYE picks, all with up to 30 percent discounts.

Thinking from the consumer’s perspective is key to social media success. Both Nordstrom and Hayden-Harnett have proactively posted to various social media tools before the work week begins. These brands are anticipating the customer to stop thinking of others the moment Christmas is over. Sadly, their prediction is correct! Consumers move quickly– once holiday shopping ends, NYE shopping begins.

Customer service is the springboard for successful public relations and marketing strategies. Anyone can act as the “customer.” Whether someone is a fashionista shopping for the newest pair of Manolos or a journalist shopping for a captivating story. Building and maintaining good relationships is key to public relations.

Nordstrom is probably the best example of placing customer service at the forefront of their business model. They even have their own urban legend about someone returning a set of tires!

During the current economy, department stores are slashing prices and high-end labels are creating lower priced lines. Now, luxury boutique stores are even throwing away their snooty image and starting to place importance on customer service.

Ray A. Smith at the Wall Street Journal explains, “as the luxury goods industry suffers a massive slump in sales – many sales clerks at designer stores who were famously haughty and patronizing suddenly have changed their styles.”

Smith also reports that “some [stores] do acknowledge that they’ve instructed their sales clerks to be less abrupt, spend more time with customers and refrain from being pushy. At Neiman Marcus, sales associates are being encouraged to be “more patient” with customers. “We have seen that customers are more anxious and there is some concern out there,” says Ginger Reeder, a spokeswoman for Neiman Marcus. “So it behooves all of us to remember to be a little more patient.”

If you care about your customer, the customer will care about you and keep your brand secure. As I have said before, in a time of recession, consumers are looking for brands they trust. They want to know that the companies are looking out for them and have their best interest at heart. Fashion brands will gain and retain business while setting themselves apart once they place more importance on customer service.

Twitter is the fastest and most concise way to exchange information. Bloggers use it to promote themselves, track up-to-date trends and immerse themselves in their industry. Twitter can also be used to promote companies, labels, celebrities and those who want to be connected and consume information at light speed.

Fashion bloggers, designers and apparel companies utilize twitter in a way that may change the face of fashion. Nordstrom (@Nordstrom), Saurette (@Saurette), Solessence (@Solessence), and Hayden-Harnett (@hayden_harnett) are all companies tweeting frequently about trends and their own products. With the exception of WWD, fashion trends are mostly reported by print magazine on a monthly basis. Now, with the use of Twitter, fashionistas everywhere can consume fashion 24/7. This enables consumers to become inspired by trends, designers and celebrities at any moment.

Twitter paves the way for fashion trends to come and go in a matter of seconds. The astronomical number of exchanges between people on twitter ignites this type of behavior.

As fashionistas exchange trends on twitter, consumers will be overloaded with trends and fashion news. Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy that there is an overload of fashion news accessible at my fingertips, but this might mean that trends will have shorter life spans.

Consumer brands and fashion labels thrive on trends. Department stores pick up on these trends in order to drive business. With the use of buyers, department stores seek out labels that are consistent with current trends. As trends start to have shorter life spans department stores may not have the capacity to keep up. Boutiques, on the other hand, have the capacity to thrive with the changing trends because they have a smaller inventory.

Can businesses keep afloat if trends have shorter life spans? And will boutiques thrive while department stores go by the wayside?

Photo: Jack & Bill PR post on twitter during Fashion Week