Kirna Zabete Kicks off Fashion Week

By Nandini D'Souza
February 9, 2011

Sarah Easley & Beth Buccini “Still having fun after 11 years.” That’s the mantra of Sarah Easley (L) and Beth Buccini (R), owners of Kirna Zabete, SoHo’s emporium of high style. While the store, which derives its name from the nicknames of Sarah Easley and Beth Buccini, respectively, will be celebrating its 12th anniversary this year, the best friends have known each other for more than 20.

Sarah Easley and Beth Buccini stocks the shelves of Kirna Zabete the same way they choose their own ensembles every morning—a step ahead of the current fashion trends, supportive of young, exciting designer talent and with a sense of daring that always hits the right, stylish mark. Every season, the friends make the journey through the American and European fashion weeks looking for new fashion designers and culling the best from the established ones. They have their favorites (Paris!) but Sarah Easley and Beth Buccini keep an open mind and eye out for the next big interesting fashion trend off the runways. From the get-go, Sarah Easley and Beth Buccini championed emerging fashion designer talent, from Balenciaga’s Nicolas Ghesquiere and Lanvin’s Alber Elbaz back in the day to today’s new guard, like Thakoon and Jason Wu.

NYC's Kirna Zabete’s sizable fan base follows Sarah Easley and Beth Buccini through it all via Twitter and Facebook. Indeed, during the spring 2011 fashion week, their fans will get a better-than-front row perspective of what’s going on. The Kirna Zabete ladies make their buy before the shows in many cases and happily Twit-pic and post away with an enthusiastic, “Can’t wait for these to come in!”

The Inside Source asked Easley and Buccini for their take on the fashion trends in stores now and what to expect from the designer runways.

The Inside Source: What new fashion trends are you most excited about for Spring 2011?

Sarah Easley: We adore all the happy, colorful shoes and handbags this season. Our Givenchy Tinhan bags are so practical and have amazing colors. The red one is strongest.

The Inside Source: Do a little fashion trend forecasting for Fall 2011. What’s on the hit list?

Sarah Easley: Masculine fabrics (such as houndstooth, Prince of Wales, etc.) and very tailored shapes in jackets, coats and pants. Pop greens, reds and cobalt blue. Even tux suits in pop colors or high-waisted, wide-legged pants combined with chic silk blouses. Burgundy, purple and chocolate brown shades looked so rich. Great fur pieces. Loved the Lanvin fur hats!

Kirna Zabete

Kirna Zabete New York City exterior (all images courtesy Kirna Zabete)

The Inside Source: What fashion designers' runway shows are you most excited to see?

Sarah Easley: In New York, Proenza Schouler and Altuzarra. In Paris, Givenchy and Lanvin.

The Inside Source: What's on your must-have list for spring 2011?

Sarah Easley: Tux Blazer by Stella McCartney. Another Azzedine Alaia classic dress and Celine platforms.

The Inside Source: Who are some young, new fashion designers to look out for?

Sarah Easley: Joseph Altuzarra, Verlaine and Anthony Vaccarello.

The Inside Source: What’s new on the horizon for Kirna Zabete?

Sarah Easley: The webstore is growing so fast. We're getting new merchandise every week. Our Facebook is also really fun. We are posting updates from the runways and from the showrooms during buying appointments. Our fans really respond and everybody makes comments. It almost turns into a fashion forum.

Kirna Zabete

Kirna Zabete NYC interior

The Inside Source: How often do you search for things on eBay online auctions?

Beth Buccini: I am Christmas obsessed and a few winters ago, while up all night with a newborn, I started searching “vintage Christmas decorations.” Well needless to say I was instantly an addict, and the proud owner of dozens of Empire Blowmold 3 feet tall Santas and elves from the 1960s. Of course the KZ team, and my husband, thought I had lost my mind, but we sure did have fun displaying them in the store. Now my kids love them—apparently, they got my Christmas gene—and we put them all over their bedrooms the day after Thanksgiving.

The Inside Source: What are you searching for on eBay now?

Beth Buccini: I'm currently searching for vintage china.… I did buy a Target dress that Proenza Schouler did for their GO collection! I was obsessed and couldn't find it at the store—but got it right away—brand new with tags. I still wear it in the summer!

(images provided by Kirna Zabete)

Shop eBay like Kirna Zabete, whose favorite eBay search keywords include vintage china, vintage Christmas decorations and Empire Blowmold.