Hello, Bird!

With the Bye Bye, Birdie chorus ringing in my ears after last week's Madmen episode, I would like to (respectfully) take the road less traveled--and to instead say: hello, Bird!

Don't tell me you haven't heard! With fall just around the corner, Juicy Couture's queen bees, Gela Nash-Taylor and Pamela Skaist-Levy, have recently debuted Bird, their new line with a much edgier look. According to the July announcement on Juicy's Love G&P Blog, Bird is a different take on the Juicy girl. She is more like your well-traveled sister with the impeccably tailored wardrobe…the closet you cannot help but raid! Sounds like a sister I'd like to have (in addition to the lovely Annie, of course).

Bird is now available in high-end stores, such as Bergdorf Goodman and Harrod's--just to name a few. I took the liberty of perusing the selection online and immediately noticed the change in mood, compared to the standard Juicy collection. It was the difference between the sunny girl next door and her older black-nail-polish-wearing sister. Probably my favorite piece is the Erica Military Jacket. I'm loving the black satin collar and hanging tails, which add a unique edge to the classic military look.

Of course, one can't help but wonder about the timing. After all, the recession has wreaked havoc on the entire fashion industry, forcing many labels--those far more established than the lovingly bedazzled Juicy--to close their doors. So why have Nash-Taylor and Skaist-Levy picked now to unveil a new, more expensive line? According to fashion critic Booth Moore's recent coverage of Bird in the LA Times, the designers see Bird as their laboratory, a place to develop ideas that trickle down to Juicy.

Whatever the rationale, Bird certainly ups the ante when it comes to degrees of fierce. There is a noticeable lack of bling in the Bird apparel--very surprising in the kingdom of Juicy. Rather, the collection has a refreshingly minimalist look to it. With a monochromatic color palette of black and grey in a range of cotton, wool, and leather, the collection is pure industrial chic.

I, for one, am definitely intrigued. While I'm all for comfort, a girl can only have so many track suits. So it seems that, for those Juicy girls who are ready to grow up and leave the nest, the timing is right to say hello to Bird.



Psst: To see the full text of Booth Moore's coverage of Bird from the LA Times, click here.


Credits: (1) Bird advertisement, photo thanks to Juicy Couture (http://www.juicycouture.com/); (2) Erica Military Jacket $498, from Bird by Juicy Couture; (3) quotes from "Juicy Launches Bird Collection" by Booth Moore, featured in the LA Times on August 2, 2009 (available online at http://www.latimes.com/).