"First Lady of Fashion".........

Access Hollywood recently aired a segment asking "Can Michelle Obama Save the Fashion Industry" referring to Michelle Obama as the "One Woman Bailout". I guess it all started with Michelle's appearance on The View wearing a White House Black Market dress.

Immediately, Michelle Obama identified with American women all over by shopping on a budget and sticking to classic American designers. Clearly, the black and white dress sold out overnight. She's been compared to Jackie O mainly due to her unique personal style and choice of American designers. Like Jackie O, they both are very different from other first ladies of the White House who tend to look like the typical southern belles. I do believe Michelle has the potential to be a style icon for women in their 40s & 50s BUT........ Bailing out the Fashion Industry uhmmmmmm.....


Are you serious??? Most of us have heard the condition of the retail industry with Macy's closing 11 retail locations, retail sales plummeting, and fashion houses just not making the cuts but dang, the "power couple" can't save us from everything. What else must we expect the Obamas to bail us out of. ONE WOMAN CAN'T DRIVE SALES FOR THE RETAIL INDUSTRY SINGLEHANDEDLY!!! It takes more than that. It takes those women whom she inspires to get out and care about their image. They have to want to look stylish and get out of the fashion rut. But most importantly, we need money to drive sales and from the looks of it...this may take awhile.

High Society sits down with a young and fabulous designer, Kris Keys from Memphis. We chat about style, inspiration, and of course what gets her "high" about fashion.

HSLG: What gets you "high" about fashion?

Kris Keys: Every since I was in middle school, I've been inspired by fashion and art. Fashion has been one of the only things in which you can express yourself freely and the idea of taking my ideas, creative mind, and art. Making a garment just excites me. Being able to make something from my creative mind get me high about fashion.

HSLG: Your style board is really cool. You have designer Tracy Reese and a NYC cab. It must be sentimental to you.

Kris Keys: It's always been my desire to move to the Fashion Capitol of the USA, NYC. I also have a picture of FIT in which I will attend some day. My style board is a little bit of inspiration for one of those days when I may be down.

HSLG: Describe your collection and style.

Kris Keys: My collection is eccentric but chic. It consists of alot of geometrical shapes and abstract prints. I'm often inspired by art and fashionistas on the streets. So my collection is a mold of all those but it still has a sense of class.

HSLG: Being from Memphis, the city of blues. It has such a rich culture. How has the city influenced your style?

Kris Keys: The city has influenced my style in alot of ways. I can often go by the river because I love the movement of water and just sketch. The people on the streets with their individual style. Art museums in downtown give me inspiration. You find inspiration by small things.

HSLG: Do you have any style secrets?

Kris Keys: Be yourself. Be comfortable in what you wear. When I was young, I had to find my individual style. So do what you love. For example, I love vintage and I do that. My advice is being original and finding your individual style.

HSLG: So what do you have planned for the future?

Kris Keys: Moving to NYC in a month. Network with designers. Be an international designer with the biggest ready to wear collections. I'm currently working on ready to wear dresses and I'm going to eventually move to children's and men's designs.

We had an exclusive invite to Kris Keys "Going Away Cocktail Party" in Downtown Memphis. Take a peek at some of the pictures.


Kris Keys with her beautiful mother



Kris Keys aunt...her inspiration and fashion designer herself

Style Board

Guests


Kris Keys, Makeup artist Ninja, and model Molka

To see more of Kris Keys ...www.myspace.com/kriskeys

Be inspired in this society!!!

xoxo, Andrea Fenise