100 Fifth Ave, Suite 614
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
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220 5th Ave.
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
412-394-3400
An enticing menu comprised of Vallozzi family traditions such as homemade pastas (including Helen's gnocchi) and the pizza that made them famous, as well as fresh steaks and seafood. The menu also boasts a number of Italian meats and cheeses flown in from Italy weekly and served from their 'Fresh Mozzarella' bar.
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Revolutionary Jeans to Revel in
Jeans of the highest quality materials, made for every body shape and size,
and
under $100? It might sound like a pipe dream to most, but Henry Stafford has brought this dream to life with his men's clothing company, Revtown. Stafford, who was born and raised in Mt. Lebanon, got his start with the sports apparel company Under Armour where he learned the ins and outs of the clothing industry. He saw firsthand how that segment of the clothing world was innovating and improving, and realized that he could try to do the same thing for denim.
Stafford one day thought to himself that "someone should start a company that builds really amazing quality [jeans], ships directly to the consumer, and because they take out the middle man they get a really amazing price... we said, 'why don't we do that?'". Thus, Revtown was born. The name was inspired by Stafford and his team's three main goals. They looked to revolutionize the way people buy jeans, revitalize the production, and also wanted to revel in what they were doing. Once the group realized each word started with rev, the venture had a label.
Revtown is now partnered with the high-end department store Nordstrom to sell its apparel. Stafford states that the reason he chose Nordstrom specifically is because it's "the place to buy really high quality premium jeans...[they] always have the best so we want to put ourselves next to the best and compete day in and day out with the best. 99% of the jeans in this country are sold at under $100, so we believe our partnership enables them to access the market under $100." Additionally, Revtown jeans "wants to cover everyone [they] can, from different body types to different heights to different weights," something Nordstrom found appealing. For those who would rather stay on the couch and buy pants online, Revtown's website even has a tool for its customers to input their height and weight and from there picks the best size.
Stafford expects to release a women's line by autumn of this year. He says that 35% of their customers are wives or girlfriends buying denim for their significant others. "The number 1 request that we had at Revtown was basically, my husband, boyfriend, brother can get these jeans, why can't I get premium jeans at an amazing price?" he explains. Along with this expansion, Revtown's goal is to get the word out across America about the brand, but that doesn't mean Pittsburgh will be left behind. "This is where our headquarters is located and we are reveling in that we get to do this in our hometown."
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Simplifying Beauty
Women on the go who hate having to carry all of their beauty supplies with them finally have a solution. Subtl Beauty, a local makeup startup created by Rachel Reid, wants to revolutionize the world of travel-size cosmetics. Rather than the usual smaller size editions of products, Subtl allows its customers to create a "stack," a compact cylinder containing as many different items as they wish. At the moment, Subtl's stacks can include concealer, shine control powder, a lip/blush shade, highlighter and bronzer, with each layer costing between $12 and $14. While it may sound somewhat bare bones, that is Reid's intention. She explains that Subtl's audience is "not necessarily women who have a passion for makeup...they are probably willing to make the sacrifices that go along with lugging your entire beauty routine with you...it's more women who aren't necessarily passionate about makeup but do wear makeup every day and find it a necessary means to a part of their routine."
A New Zealand native, Reid moved to Pittsburgh over ten years ago with her family and stayed to pursue higher education even after they returned home. Although she never expected it to become her industry, Reid grew up around her mother's own skincare brand so she has "always been around beauty products in a business setting." Thus, when Reid's life got significantly busier in 2016 with a consultant job and a new relationship, she had the acumen to solve the problem of clunky makeup bags herself.
Subtl is hoping to expand their line in the near future, with more shades of concealer already on the way. From there, it's up to the customers. "I'm going to take a step back and assess the gaps in the needs from our customers because we do solicit a feedback loop and we are constantly asking our customers about their experience and what they want or need," Reid says. Communication with the consumer is a priority for Subtl, and most messages go directly to Reid herself, which she responds to casually rather than as a stiff customer service representative. She also wishes to one day partner with other cosmetics brands to include their products in future stacks.
For first time customers, the first stack ordered has a discount of 15% off, and orders inside the US over $45 include free shipping.
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A Show for a New Age Bride
Sewickley boutique Lex & Lynne, showcased the new additions to the small business' vibrant bridal collection. Rather than a traditional catwalk, lead stylist Christina Imberlina and founder Alexis Corry opted for an intimate experience. Only bloggers, vendors, journalists and industry insiders received invitations, ensuring that everyone in attendance could get a chance to view the pieces up close and personal without a large crowd.
Imberlina and Corry achieved their goal of turning the venture into an artistic experience. "I feel like you see the same thing over and over again [at traditional fashion shows]...we had people in living art scenes," Imberlina said. This innovative format was inspired by what the two had seen at New York Fashion Week and wanted to bring it to the Steel City.
The gowns displayed came from the store's lavender line. These dresses are also available in more traditional wedding tones. As Imberlina told me, "they're not your typical ivory and white gowns. We are adding some color and letting our brides have fun with it." Such a unique selection called for a unique show.
Lex & Lynne sets themselves apart from other bridal stores in their details and cuts, not just by dyeing their dresses in various colors. According to their website, the Lex & Lynne woman has a "
fast-paced, ambitious, and exploratory lifestyle". Imberlina's view of a Lex & Lynne bride in particular is one who "wants to look like a bride" but still has her own style. Large ball gowns are sparsely found here, yet brass embellishments, lace, and flowy silhouettes abound.
Along with wedding dresses, the bridal line includes options for bridesmaids, flower girls, and the mother of the bride.
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PGHFW19 Update
The Backstage Zen
It's backstage and the Glam Squad is running like clockwork. In this fast paced environment, models and production crew are running around and the energy is high.
The team jumps into action. Not a word is said, yet hair and make up is flawless in record time.
We are communicating, just not in so many words.
This is Zen team work at its finest.
To have the trust in your team to not have
to say a word and to know that they know what needs to be done is the ultimate Zen.
It's priceless.
Trust is essential to Zen team building.
Trusting that they know the plan, trusting that they can communicate any challenges and work together to overcome them.
True Zen is to become one with each other and our environment.
Zen comes with practice, just like anything - the more you practice the better you become.
With practice comes planning.
With planning comes openness to hearing new thoughts and ideas.
With openness comes trust.
With trust comes understanding the big picture.
We are stronger together.
Our mission becomes our Zen.
Pittsburgh Fashion Week is now seeking artists for the 2019 Glam Squad. Salons and Licensed Independent Artists are welcome to apply via the link below.
Katherine DelGrande is the Director of Hair, Makeup and Nails for Pittsburgh Fashion Week. She is also the past Coordinator of Hair & Makeup for the Lunar Gala 19 and a New York Fashion Week Veteran.
PGHFW is dedicated to the evolution of fashion industry & commerce, Pittsburgh Fashion Week aims to unite and promote the emerging fashion industry by presenting a fresh perspective of the talent within our city.
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*Photography and media sourced from 3rd party sites in no way implies support or affiliation with the Pittsburgh Downtown Community Development Corp., or any partners.
Copyright © 2019 PDCDC, All rights reserved.
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