Shopping Nordstrom - Komarov Brand

Sparky

Veteran

Hoping one of our Nordies experts weighs in; I'd love to find out too.

14 years ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I am not familiar with it, sorry.

14 years ago

Vix

Veteran

Hi DressLover --

I am actually a BIG fan of this line, with the disclaimer that:

* a lot of the patterns are a bit over-the-top for me -- and for the most part you can't be afraid of a little shine!
* I bought my dresses in '05 and '07, and
* I had both altered to be more flattering for my proportions

[I always check out her stuff when I see it at Nordstrom's/the Rack, though.]

The designer is from the Soviet Union -- though LA based for eons now! -- and has a history designing ballet costumes. This is so, so, obvious when one has her dresses on...they move and flow beautifully. They are featherlight and really breathable IMO despite the synthetic fabric.

I'd love to know if you end up purchasing.

Both of my purchases were for weddings that required lots of travel -- I rolled them up and they were good-to-go upon arrival.

The green one was worn to an outdoor wedding in horrendous heat/humidity and survived sitting in the sand and dancing all night with nary a scratch! It's been a go-to casual beach/hot weather dress since.

The greyish-lavender was for a fancypants wedding in an Art Deco hotel. It also survived hours of dancing, though I had a few close calls with the back hem and other dancers.

I only have old pics, sorry!

[2 of green dress shots are post-alteration from midi length-- I had the hem chopped and it rouched up on one side.]

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14 years ago

DressLover

Veteran

Vix, WOW, perfect, just what I was looking for! I hope you can upload pictures soon as I'd love to see them. The dress I saw doesn't look like a lot of the signature pieces on their website, so I wasn't sure what to think.

14 years ago

Vix

Veteran

DressLover --

Looks like I'm good to go with photos, so I just added them to my original post above. The grey is much more subtle than the green, but I like both!

What's the one you've seen like?

14 years ago

Vix

Veteran

DressLover, I'm not sure I should really thank you for this but...I just got an invite to a much-fancier-than usual party and with Komarov's new drapey, jersey styles fresh in my mind and a top I'd been waffling about keeping vs returning...well, let's just say 2 more of her dresses are in my collection. (expensive return!)

14 years ago

DressLover

Veteran

*laughs* Dang it, I'm enabling even when I'm not trying to! Have fun at the party and enjoy the new purchases!

And I missed your previous post, but I can't find a picture of the dress I saw at Nordstrom anywhere. It isn't on their website. It looks a lot different than the other Komarov designs I have seen. It is blues, greens, and yellows, in a geometric pattern with a draped neckline and sleeves. I might just have to go back and get it!

14 years ago

MNsara

Veteran

. . . and I'm hoping both of you will post new pics of your Komarovs

14 years ago

Vix

Veteran

DL --

Hey, I'm all for you going back and getting the one you saw. Consider it returning the "favor" you did me with this thread, ha.

[In my impulse-shopping defense I've been saving my shopping money for several months now and haven't really seen anything that's called to me for fall, so...POUF that money is gone.]

It's always interesting to me what stores get which parts of a line and then what gets online.

My dress that's with Alterations is also a print (darker/lighter purples and...can't remember!) and isn't on the web either, though I'm pretty sure it's this CUT:

http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/ko.....tback=1053

But on me the skirt was much more of a tulip shape, so between that and the different print I almost missed it.

And speaking of not looking like the catalog shot...

MNsara, I grabbed a few *really* bad pics of this dress tonight:

http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/ko.....tback=1164

[The size up didn't look like that on me either -- I just had MORE horizontal rouching -- and the Alterations staffer, random person, and staffer I trust voted for the smaller size. So I'm telling myself the way it looks on me is one of its variations, ha.]

**None of these are accurate for color; it's actually a deep midnight blue/bright navy***

Photo #2 is one of the details I tend to like in Komarov's stuff...there's a nice high bra-hiding panel with the deep/wide sleeve.

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14 years ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Clearly I was smoking something when I first commented.

OF COURSE, I know this brand!!! Thanks for jogging my memory, Vix! You look gorgeous. LOVE the midi. It's just a million times better than a maxi to my eye.

The dresses are beautifully ethereal and remind me of the Elves in Lord of the Rings. Thumbs up from me.

14 years ago

DressLover

Veteran

@Vix - Okay, you won't believe this, but that is the SAME cut as the dress I saw at Nordstrom! I almost posted that link last night, but decided against it because the one online is a solid and the one in store a print. I really liked the fabric panels that hide the bra as well.

@Angie - The dress I saw at Nordies seems so different than everything else from this brand. It isn't floral or ethereal or light, but sort of an edgy, bold, geometric. You'll have to let me know if you see it on your next trip to Nordstrom. I don't think I will get back there before I leave town.

14 years ago

Vix

Veteran

DL --

Oh wow, the solid dress I got but in a print would be awesome. Can't you call the store and have them ship it to you, then decide?

Agree the brand is really branching out into a sleek modern look and I'm excited by that -- to me the connection is an understanding of fit and how clothes move on the body (her dance troupe costuming at work again, I think!).

I'm a huge fan of 70-era (and later!) Donna Karan plus Halston and ole Calvin and Dress 1: The Solid really has that 40s/70s vibe I just loooove.

[On 5'4 me it's a more demure length, too: ~1.5 inches above the knee, with the potential to be rouched up and worn as a long tunic.]

Dress 2: The Unseen Print is more softer-side-of-Sears but I still like it. And the Alterations staffer said it looked "elegant" on so fingers crossed, snort!

Angie --

Thank you! I did have fun wearing both dresses as they are ideal for the dance floor! Not sure how I did that (sober) in those 4 inch heels all night....

I am on record as am a big fan of streamlined maxis and due to my proportions really can't go lower than just under my kneecap (above is better), but the asymmetrical hem saved me here, I think.

[The green dress' mid-calf length not so much; I think the length can look beautiful on others but I have enjoyed it much more post-chop.]

14 years ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Vix, I meant to say that you look KILLER! I need more tea

Yup. That asymmetrical front drape is genius and you wear it to perfection - ever sober in 4-inch heels.

DL, I will have a look at Nordies today.

14 years ago

DressLover

Veteran

Angie, I'm very interested in your opinion of the dress. The silhouette isn't something I normally gravitate toward; I usually stick with classic silhouettes when playing with patterns. This dress would definitely be for my evening wear, which used to be edgier than my daytime dresses, but lately the day wear looks are influencing my evening looks. I need something to spice it up.

14 years ago

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Oh my. I am salivating about these dresses. They look fantastic, exactly up my line. I wonder if they are available in Canada? Off to look now!

Vix, I am especially eager after seeing your pics; we are the same height and similar proportions except you have more bust than I, I suspect. (Well, truthfully, that wouldn't be hard, since I have almost none!)

14 years ago

Vix

Veteran

Angie -- Thanks again. For a while the dresses were the only nice things hanging in my closet due to "emergency buying," but sloooowly my closet has filled with "regular" clothes that fit well and contain color and pattern, which makes me happy!

DL --

It's funny, because I think the dress I have/you're considering is such a classic silhouette...but you're right in that it ain't "classic" in the sense of spice-free.

Suz --

I do think our shapes are very similar, bar the profile view. Hope you can find these in Canada or get them shipped.

Since I wasn't chasing the dress all over god's half-acre tonight, I came home to daylight and tried to grab a few F/L pics in case it helps others judge stuff like length, arm detail etc...

* I'm a 5'4 Rectangle/H shape.
* Midnight blue color is truest in close up with crooked pendant!
* Belt was quickly tied in the back vs around waist.

ps I did not want to take this off!

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14 years ago

Vildy

Veteran

Gasp! Now that's a dress! I would never have noticed it on a hanger. It has so
much life when you put it on. It's like the dress is lucky to have found a partner
like you. It reminds me of some of the romantic dramatic Charles James creations of
yesteryear.

14 years ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I saw quite a few Komarov dresses yesterday, but I don't think any fit your description, DL.

14 years ago

Vix

Veteran

Hey there, Ms Vildy!

Great to see you around, and not just because of the outrageous compliment, ha.

Funny, when I was picking up the dress to try the saleswoman said the same thing re "no hanger appeal" once I had it on. It's always a nice surprise when that happens...often when I try on a NHA item it turns into a No Appeal, Period look....

I would never have thought of the relationship between the Komarov dress and Charles James, as I always think of his gowns as so structured and sculptural. But I can see what you mean in terms of the folds and dimension, and of course he *did* do sleeker dresses in addition to the bigguns!

Fashion History PSA: Did you catch Jody's (CoutureAllure) blog post about the James' exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum? Amazing photos:

http://coutureallure.blogspot......oklyn.html

14 years ago

DressLover

Veteran

@Vix - WOW that dress suits you! I'm scared to get the similar one I saw because I don't think I can do it that kind of justice! Thank you for sharing all your photos and wisdom on the brand.

@Angie - Wow, Flagship didn't have it? I'm beginning to think I dreamed this dress up.

14 years ago

Vix

Veteran

DressLover --

Thank you and of COURSE go for the dress if you track it down -- we each bring our own bodies and personalities to the table when it comes to clothes!

I happen to like the dress on me as well, but it does emphasize the straightness of my hips which may not appeal to some.

Maybe that's why I went the other direction with Dress 2, the print, and tried to create rounded hips and a waist?

**Warning: following dress made my beloved do a double take -- and not in a good way -- when he saw it. It is rather a lot of lotness...which I did call out as brand hallmark in my original post, ha. No need to love it as even I can't explain my attraction.

Color is truest in photos 1-2; #3 shows my valiant attempt to do some sort of belted dress despite short-waistedness and other proportions.

[Can you believe I didn't notice the many, many patches of animal print until I saw the photos? In my defense, I swear the pattern looks more abstract from a few feet away.]

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14 years ago

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