Emmett McCarthy | EMc2

As a Project Runway Alumn, LivingSocial.com asked me to share my trade secrets with their followers. Flattered, I thought it would be great to offer a class of hand sewing for those enthusiasts who want to learn embellishment techniques to create individual looks that creatively update your wardrobe. This Fall we at EMc2 will be holding hands-on classes in 3 hour sessions in our Fashion design studio (beyond the boutique). Everyone has individual fashion needs for their wardrobe. Techniques range from how to sew on accent buttons for a new look of your favorite coat or jacket, to emphasizing a new style with a new hemline on your favorite dress or skirt. Both women and men can update shirts with unique buttons, embroidered monograming or a simple fit. Bring along trousers that need a cuff or repaired blind hem. You will be amazed at what you can create with needle, thread and your own two hands. After learning solutions both  practical and artistic, the intimate group will be individually supervised in the EMc2 Design Studio.  Apply creative measures to one of your own garments. Begin in a Project Runway Style to add designer distinction to your wardrobe. The class will include an exclusive sewing kit fit for any of your future design dilemmas! The calendar of classes will begin after Labor Day.

Watch for LivingSocial’s one day special which will include special fees and link to the calendar of classes.

• August 6th, 2011
• 2010-11 Fall Winter, Collections, Events, Fashion Tips, Upcoming Events
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Buy tickets on Eventbrite to celebrate Dress For Success!

• October 22nd, 2010
• Uncategorized
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• October 15th, 2010
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Fashion’s Night Out was reminiscent of the energy of the 80’s and a night going to “Area.”  September was a busy month for EMc² and I, as it always is for anyone in the fashion industry.  The first week of the month officially marks the beginning of fall and everyone returns from vacations in the Hamptons and the entire city gets back to work.

To kick off Fashion Week, we participated in Fashion’s Night Out.  The Night of September 10^th the entire city came alive to celebrate New York and the fashion industry.  We hosted a party in our garden featuring Sugar Flower Cake Shop’s cupcakes.  My good friend Amy is an excellent baker and her cupcakes are little bites of heavenly sweetness.  With her treats and the celebration that filled Elizabeth Street, it was a great time.

Amy’s delicious cupcakes from her bakery, Sugar Flower Cake Shop.

It was an absolute pleasure to have a party with our clients.  Relaxing in the garden with good company on a warm evening is such a refreshing break from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.  We can’t wait to participate again next year!

We hosted another fabulous themed party in our garden “Sexy Sophisticated Style.”  Rory Pierpont, event planner from Castle & Pierpont, has gay superpowers that would be the envy of Liberace because Rory exudes elegance.  Some friends fight over hemlines, some over the last yogurt, but Rory and I fought over the length of the turquoise curtains in EMc²â€™s newly renovated atelier.  The party spilled out into the garden where Rory cast her spell and transformed an urban garden into twilight in the Forbidden City.

Rory’s decorative talents transformed our garden so that it was appropriate for our elegant affair.

Champagne flowed and delicious hors d’ouvres were prepared by Gwen from Something Wonderful Celebrations. A highlight was Amy’s Sugar Flower Cake Shop design cupcakes.  All of the moments were captured by friend and photographer Steven Gorgos and videographers Purple Palm Productions as Nicole Zuraitis’ voice enhanced the mood of the evening.

Nicole serenading us with her sweet voice.

Me, mingling with our guests in the garden.

Then off to Chicago for a fashion show at Gray Boutique. We brought complete looks from our fall fashion show for a sixteen-piece collection.  It was hosted at Jerry’s Restaurant and all proceeds went to the American Cancer Society.  I emceed the show as the beautiful models sashayed around the tables at the luncheon.  They all wore rings from an elegant vintage collection.  Gray Boutique is a great store in Chicago, anytime you’re in town you should definitely visit and say hello to Laura and their team.

With the next line in production, I’ve been spending a lot of time in the Garment District of New York where our garments are manufactured.  Stop by our Nolita boutique in the coming weeks to shop our new collection.  And don’t forget to sign up for Boutique Week!

• October 8th, 2010
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Tagua Jewelry: “Ivory of the Forest”

Sometimes the most unpredictable pieces of jewelry garner the most attention.

My attention was captured when Lorena Gaitan returned from a trip from Columbia and showed me a marvelous new collection of  Tagua jewelry.  Tagua is often referred to as the ivory of the forest.

It is the “green dream” of jewelry and is a most politically correct resource. The seeds of the tagua are collected when they have fallen from the trees. The seeds are gathered.  In their natural form they are a flaxen color with dark brown coating. The fibrous constitution of the seed absorbs vibrant vegetable dyes.  Our selection of tagua jewelry is made from sliced and polished pieces strung together with dark brown cotton twine. Cascading of the tagua has been a popular style for our clients, worn both with causal and formal wardrobes. It is the material, color and texture of this jewelry that inspires the question: “That is a beautiful necklace, it is so unusual. What is it made of?”

Our tagua jewelry is available in the Elizabeth St. boutique, exclusively.  Look for it, in the future, online.

• May 17th, 2010
• 2010 Spring Summer
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Saving Your Image in Style – Even During a Recession.

A lot of women ask me for suggestions when it comes to how best to dress for their lifestyle. Constantly I am asked what is acceptable to wear to work, running about town, dinning out, a causal lunch or a special event. I always think of these questions while shopping for fabrics, or thinking up silhouettes for new designs. The demands are growing for more utility in fashion with coordinating pieces to maximize the investment of new items of clothing.

There is no need to suffer from the same fashion victim overindulgences. No need to buy every fashion trend simply because it is in style. Style is about starting out with the right pieces that you can mix and match to wear anywhere. No need to labor over your outfits, understand that the meaning of style is very individual. Buying what suits you, with a great fit, in the best quality and within your budget is a sure investment. Style is not a matter of having it all, it is a matter of having key elements you need to coordinate for your every lifestyle need.

Classically cut fashion worn in a unique way with an accessory that adds an extra design twist or flourish can make each ensemble special and never tired. A beautifully cut trench coat or a dress coat worn over slim pants and a simple solid colored T-shirt along with a handbag and a silk scarf can create an understated elegant look that can take you through your day, morning to night.

Style has never been about money. That is a misconception. Women of all shapes and sizes have style that is recession resistant. At EMc2 our clientele are a wide variety of women with different lifestyles. We approach our ensembles head to toe. Accessorizing classic silhouettes is our approach.

One of our dresses that is a practical and chic is our “Cynthia” in French stretch denim.

What could be more universal to fashion then the familiarity of denim? We believe it is new, using a casual fabric in a classic dressy genre. The denim is 955 cotton and 5% lycra and has a smooth finish with a sheen. Comfortable to sit down at your desk and resilient to wrinkling when you stand up. It is a formal look you can wear to the office, and offers a feminine decollate notch detail at the center neckline.  The 3/4 sleeves give it an overall suit appearance, great for those women who want to show off their jewelry and most flattering for focusing on wrists and hands.

The magic of style and versatility is in dressing up a staple dress with accessories. The “Cynthia” dress can be worn from casual to dressy with the change of a shoe.

Accessorizing is a great way to keep up with fashion without having to buy an abundance of designer clothing. Having a variety of earrings, bracelets, necklaces, sunglasses, shoes and handbags in your wardrobe makes it easy to get the most out of your key pieces.

The “Denim Dress” is both practical and chic, casual and formal. Easily coordinated into your existing wardrobe and utilized as the “go to” dress for all occasions. A great way to put a positive spin on the economy with “Practical” as the new Chic.

• May 3rd, 2010
• 2010-11 Fall Winter
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According to some experts, a flattering swimsuit is one that makes the most of the proportions of a woman’s figure. It’s all about a careful mixing of color and print, the right lines and silhouette.
Emmett McCarthy, (who is going to Spain in 10 weeks in his own bathing suit) offers a few helpful hints on how to succeed at the choice hat every woman dreads – picking out the perfect suit.

Fabrics & Colors

• Crochet: hot, but not practical. Like wearing stilettos at a park, it doesn’t really work.
• Chevron Stripes:  These stripes that form into a v-shaped pattern will make anyone look slimmer all over.
• Use darker colors on areas you want to hide or slim down and brighter colors in places you want to show off.
• Prints with darker backgrounds are usually more slimming, and prints that have lots of movement keep the eye from focusing on certain areas.
• If you want a little detail on your suit such as bows, belts, beading or ties, try to avoid putting them in problem areas; it will only attract the eye to your flaws. Instead, accentuate the positive.

Quick Tips on Fit

When it comes to buying the best suit for your body:

• The torso of a one-piece suit should lie perfectly flat with no puckering near the seams.
• There should be no pulling at the crotch, bust or straps.
• Leg openings: Most important, make sure that the leg openings aren’t digging into your skin; this will create a look that just doesn’t look good on anyone.
• Straps: The straps should lie comfortably on your shoulders. If they are digging into your shoulders, try the next size up; if they are falling down or too loose, try the next size down.
• Bust: Making sure there is enough coverage is important. Try moving around and lifting your arms up, if this feels uncomfortable then it isn’t the suit for you.
• Small bust: A light-colored, print halter top with dark solid bottoms is best.
• Large bust: Minimize large busts with an athletic two-piece that gives plenty of coverage and support. A medium-neck tank is great for this body style.
• Love handles: Accommodate with a string bikini that is tied to fit, so it does not squeeze what you have.
• Bigger hips: A v-cut bottom will magically make you look slimmer!
• Short: Make thighs look longer with a higher cut leg. But don’t go too high, this can actually make you look shorter.
• Waistline: Create a waistline with a side cutout one-piece which will pull the eye inward, or a belted suit.

Have a destination and goal for your swimsuit debut, and wear sun block!

• April 23rd, 2010
• Fashion Tips, Swimwear
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Spring Florals are a great choice to go from casual to dressy.

Easy ponte knit cowl dress.

• April 22nd, 2010
• 2010 Spring Summer
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Some of the most enchanting surprises of living in New York are finding the small tranquil spaces hidden away from view. Outside on the busy streets, the world marches to the drum of the busy city and most people don’t think to look up to see the roof gardens or wonder about the many courtyards behind the buildings.

Our neighborhood is now crowned by the real estate spin doctors as “NoLita” an abbreviation for North of Little Italy. Elizabeth street is lined with tenement buildings that were built in the late 1880′s. The tree lined street has beautiful architectural details, the remainders of the Italian immigrant masons and artisans who created the facades and embellished cornices of the buildings. It was once threatened by the bulldozers of NYC Parks Department and Urban Planner, “Power Broker” Robert Moses, who had envisioned a highway to be built through the neighborhood. This charming European flavor was spared. A hold over and an authentic “Old Fashioned” New York butcher, Moe, whose family has been selling meats for 59 years at Albanese Meats and Poultry, resides between all the tony shops and Cafe Habana on Elizabeth Street.

Behind the EMc2 Boutique there is a small courtyard.  In preparation for Spring, I asked Kerry Noel, architect, to create the garden environment. The vision was to transform an abandoned urban garden into a Balinese inspired tropical oasis. Kerry thoughtfully considered the idea and drafted the plans. Being “green” Kerry used, where possible, reclaimed wood and stone. To create a space that was intimate yet not overpowered the use of stains allowed the use of elemental details without a uniform look.

The light and dark stains are a lovely backdrop for the lush green plants and trees. An overhang on the design studio covers 4 feet of a porch for additional seating. Kerry Noel treated the facade of the design studio with stucco and dark mahogany sliding shutters, on the windows and door. An exotic walled garden with access to both the boutique and design studio. It is a wonderful way to step out of the bustle of the city into this private secret garden filled with sumptuous plants, pillows and lanterns.

From the design studio, the view through the window is the back wall  of the EMc2 boutique. Kerry Noel, created a wooden slated cornice above the windows and door way, transforming a tarred brick wall into a slotted paneled wall incorporating the existing iron grill work. A decorative fence with a planted boxed of bambo line the perimeter. A horseshoe shaped bench for seating incorporates the slotted wood work design. The floating walk way has a graceful curve to incorporate the stone terraced box for the birch tree.

Kerry Noel with boxes keeps the Zen experience by hiding the mechanical equipment and industrial wiring among ferns, palm trees and exotic grasses.

• April 6th, 2010
• Parties
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A McCarthy legacy began with the good taste and style of my beautiful mother Peggy McCarthy and now continues…

On her wedding day my mother wore a beautiful white voile wedding gown with a rich border of eyelet down the isle, September 8, 1951.

The dress was so beautiful that her maid of honor, Mary McCarthy asked to wear it on her wedding day April 26, 1952. My mother, when faced with the need for a ceremonial gown for the first of her four girls (and four boys) was savvy, enough to know the potential of her lovely gown. She brought her gown to her next generation with the help of seamstress, Mrs. Pamazano, who magically transformed the wedding gown into this lovely confection. Over the course of the next two decades it was worn by all the McCarthy girls: Maura, Kerry, Pegeen and Kathleen and also my Aunt Mary’s daughters, Kathy and Suzie. Each girl with their unique beauty and personality brought fresh life into this beautiful little dress.

Elena Rossi, my God daughter will make her First Holy Communion on May 8th. John and Andrea Selby Rossi, are family friends spanning decades. Andrea asked me to attend the Roman Catholic ceremony. What will Elena wear? I asked as a concerned fashion designer and Godfather. I suggested she wear a McCarthy heirloom that had already gone down the isle eight times. My mother was thrilled with the idea of Elena wearing the dress. Lovingly my mother brought the dress back to life 58 years later by carefully washing it with a non-bleach detergent and a careful pressing.

My Goddaughter Elena was so thrilled to wear this dress that she brought it to school for show and tell: “Look but don’t touch” she admonished!

Last Thursday Elena visited the EMc2 boutique to have her fitting for her dress. In preparation for Elena’s big day I am customizing a McCarthy heirloom. Elena is a bit taller than Kathleen was in 1972. Additional length was achieved by adding in a waistband. The sleeves needed a replacement elastic. I will add the final touch with a beautiful silk satin sash and bow.

After all these years there was not much alteration needed. This dress is lovingly once again ready to grace the isle for Elena’s First Holy Communion.

• March 30th, 2010
• Upcoming Events
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