All roads (and shopping) lead to Taigan’s new specialty retailer, Twenty Seven East (27E)  located exclusively in the Hamptons, and now on Taigan!  Named for the roadway that runs through the string of seaside towns in the Hamptons, Twenty Seven East delivers a chic, classic collection of bags, totes and clutches for all occasions. Crafted from such refined materials as alligator, calf, Nile crocodile, and Italian-milled canvas, the Twenty Seven East collection was created to capture the ease and classic style of the Hamptons: A place of exquisite beauty, glamour and natural grace.

Shop 27 E and the growing collection of the country’s best shops, designers and purveyors, only on Taigan.com.

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It’s that designer time of year again! Taigan is following, tweeting and posting through Fashion Week. To kick it off, we share Fashion’s Night Out (FNO) 2010 PSA featuring 14 of the industries top models and directed by world renowned photographer Peter Lindbergh. The PSA was shot in locations throughout New York City and promotes not only the celebration on September 10, 2010, but the wonderful charity sale of t-shirts worn in the video benefit: The NYC AIDS Fund in the NY Community Trust.

Models featured include: Lily Donaldson, Jourdan Dunn, Chanel Iman, Liya Kebede, Miranda Kerr, Abbey Lee Kershaw, Karlie Kloss, Doutzen Kroes, Karolina Kurkova, Sasha Pivovarova, Joan Smalls, Lara Stone, Stella Tennant and Caroline Trentini. Follow on Twitter #FNO

Or find fashion coverage on TaiganFinds from feathers to animal prints to boots.

Taigan was in good company last week with some top names in retail this week!

Gifts & Decorative Accessories Magazine announced the winners for the magazine’s 59th annual Retailer of Excellence Awards and Taigan.com is pleased to accept top honors in the category: Retail Internet Innovation.

The List of Retailer Excellence Awards
Gift Store Design: bluecashew Kitchen Pharmacy, Rhinebeck, New York
Visual Merchandising: Poppy, Columbia, Missouri
Community Service Events: Jenss Décor, Amherst, New York
Marketing Achievement: Swagger Gifts, Cary, North Carolina

Retail Internet Innovation: Taigan.com, Brentwood, Tennessee
In addition, a Special Award for Service to the Community was presented to double finalist Leon & Lulu of Clawson, Michigan, in recognition of the 65 events hosted in the store during the year, most of which raised funds for local charities.

Winners were named at a gala dinner during the New York International Gift Fair on Sunday, August 15 at The Lighthouse at Chelsea Piers in New York City overlooking the Hudson River.

The Retailer of Excellence Awards are sponsored by Gifts & Decorative Accessories Magazine and the New York International Gift Fair, along with Dallas Market Center, 7W New York, 230 Fifth Avenue, Chicago Market Living and Giving, California Gift Show and Wellspring.
Congratulations to all the other finalists and the winners!

“The creative energy that goes into making each piece is as individual as the woman who wears it. Wear it, and you connect with history”, says designer Melissa Braniff, as she launches Melissa Braniff Designs on Taigan.

Houston designer Braniff hand-selects ancient Roman, Greek and other coins and crafts them into one-of-a-kind necklaces, cuffs, rings, pendants and earrings – all original jewelry pieces.

“The jewelry exemplifies adornment, wonder and history.” Braniff explains.

“My mother always said that it seemed I was born with an old soul. Maybe that explains my love for all things ancient some 40 years later. My curiosity started when I was a young girl with a love for Aphrodite, which developed into an interest in ancient Greek mythology, followed by a brief obsession with Queen Cleopatra and Helen of Troy.”

Braniff fuses authentic coins with luxurious heavy metals and sparkling gems ranging from a Cleopatra necklace to a Byzantine cross cuff to a Constantine bangle bracelet, these one of a kind pieces create a true statement of style and history.

Each Melissa Braniff Designs piece on Taigan tells the story of its history and materials included. Visit today to find the piece that speaks to you.

Luxury shopping is back and here to stay, according to Forbes.com Business Writer Anita Raghaven.

In a recent article, Raghaven explains the luxury sector of the economy is enjoying renewed buoyancy through the first half of this fiscal year, despite the threat of “economic shocks in the second half.”

Luxury car-maker BMW said its car sales were up 13.1% in the first half of 2010 compared to a year earlier, while French cosmetics company L’Oreal reported a 12% increased in second quarter sales compared to last year. Both increases topped analysts’ estimates as shoppers spent more on luxury perfume and demand rose in new markets.

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Wine For All is completely dedicated to boutique wines, specifically those bottled in batches of less than 3,000. Taigan.com is proud to add a wine shop of this quality to offer our customers a taste of these specialty blends.

Wine for All on Taigan offers numerous varieties of wines, each with a different nuance in taste, packaged date and price point as well. There is truly something for everyone, with prices ranging from $17 to $139 and selections running from sake to Shiraz.

Enjoy trying new things and a good wine with your dinner? Consider Wine For All to be your virtual sommelier. Take your time exploring product offerings and reading comprehensive descriptions, email us or call us with pairing questions.

The Wine for All online boutique is also a great place to find unique gifts. A bottle of wine is perfect for occasions from dinner at a friend’s to a romantic candle-lit date.. Wine is great for celebrations as well, so if you plan on having gatherings at your place, Wine for All can supply the perfect wine for every event whether it be a New Year’s Eve bash or a small get together with old friends.

Wine for All online offers the Orin Swift Saldo 2008 wine made from Zinfandel parcels. It’s rich, ripe and full-bodied with aromas of black cherry and bramble fruit. The wine boutique also offers Five Vintners Sauvignon Blanc 2007 from Napa Valley. Only 287 cases are produced from this wine. The Jizake Tenzan Junmai Genshu Sake graces the shelves of Wine for All as well. It’s a rich and medium dry sake packaged in a traditional bamboo leaf-wrapped bottle. Taigan.com explains it is best served a little chilled but not heated.

Visit the Wine for All boutique on Taigan.com and enjoy browsing through all the offerings. While you’re there, don’t forget to check out the Blackberry Farm specialty shop , St. James Cheese Co. or Star Provisions for great cheeses to accompany your new favorite wine.

Taigan online welcomes a new addition to its collection of shops, the home accessories boutique Haven. Located in the West Village in uptown Dallas, Haven now offers its wonderful collections of home furnishings online thanks to Taigan.com. The home décor shop offers urban contemporary furnishings, textiles and accessories to make any home personalized and exceptional. At the Haven boutique, there are new items with every new season, making it easy and convenient to keep your décor fresh and up-to-date.

At Haven online on Taigan, you can find fabulous items for every space in your house. For example, if your home office needs a little TLC, the stainless steel Swing Arm Lamp will do the trick. You’ll get style and light to help you work at night and you can order this item when browsing on Taigan with just a few clicks.

If it’s accessories for the kitchen you need, the Haven specialty store from Dallas has a wide range of beautiful dishes to add casual elegance to the heart of your home. You’ll find porcelain square plates, large bowls, fish platters, cake stands and more. These are all great for family dinners, special occasions or even as gifts.

Haven also stocks tasteful home furnishings, such as sofas and couches. You’ll find tweed sectional couches, modern leather chairs, sofas with button tufted seat cushions and more. Also available are environmental furniture pieces such as a must-have dining table made from Brazilian recycled wood.

The Haven boutique is a great place to shop if you’re looking to individualize your home. Like many of the specialty shops featured on Taigan, Haven offers items that are truly unique.

The jewelry shop Ylang 23 has joined Taigan’s clothing specialty stores, gourmet food shops, luxury pet boutique Come. Sit. Stay., numerous home décor stores, children’s stores and more on Taigan.com.

This fine jewelry shop, celebrating 25 years of business, was previously called Ylang Ylang and is owned by the married couple Joanne and Charles Teichman, who opened their store in Dallas in 1985. The exquisite jewelry at Ylang 23 delivers fine workmanship and one-of-a-kind designs using quality metals and minerals. The number 23 which is part of the Ylang 23 name is reminiscent of the owners’ personal story: they met on the 23rd, were engaged on the 23rd and also married on the 23rd.

On Taigan online, Ylang 23 sells fine jewelry pieces from many different designers, each with a peculiar style and fashion-forward thinking. As a Taigan shopper on the web, you can find a Cathy Waterman rose-cut amethyst ring or cuff. You can browse the online jewelry boutique and find a pair of Todd Reed pear-shaped rose cut yellow earrings or a turquoise charm necklace to dress up a casual look.

The Ylang 23 jewelry pieces are perfect for special gifts too. Men, if you’re having no luck finding something for that special someone in your life, try shopping on Taigan. You’ll find something just right to surprise her for an anniversary, birthday, the birth of your child, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Christmas and more.

Ylang 23 represents a number of top designers, from Sydney Evan and Mizuki to Lucie Campbell and Kala to Jennifer Meyer. These designers of Ylang 23 outfit celebrities like Drew Barrymore and Diane Lane, who wore a Cathy Waterman piece of jewelry on the cover of Redbook. Ylang 23’s Ten Thousand Things designs also made it in on the famous-for-shopping magazine Lucky.

So if you’re looking for something special to wear with a particular gown or a one-of-a-kind necklace to give pizzazz to any outfit, shop Ylang 23, the newest jewelry boutique to join the elusive collection of boutique shops online at Taigan.

We’re pleased to welcome Blackberry Farm to the fabulous collection of shops on Taigan.com. Blackberry Farm joins the likes of Revival, House of Lavande, G. Gilbert, Mimi, Sid Mashburn, Sucre and more.

Now shop the very best from this estate and farm in the Great Smoky Mountains surrounding Walland, Tennessee, from the comfort of your home. This famed food and wine destination has splendid culinary creations available on Taigan. Blackberry Farm mixes Southern hospitality with personal attention, gastronomic excellence and family traditions. At their shop on Taigan, experience their farm-crafted gourmet foods and crafts, including divine jam or apple butter that’s perfectly sweet and tasteful.

People from around the world visit this charming destination to relax, kick back and enjoy the good life. Blackberry Farm is filled with everything you would expect from a farm, plants, trees, pastures, gardens, livestock including sheep and chickens and llamas. This whimsical place boasts countless accolades in various categories, for their outstanding cuisine, for their resort and more. They were on Travel and Leisure’s 2006 ‘Best Hotels and Resorts Around the World” list, Zagat rated them number five for dining in the U.S. and they were endorsed as “Fly Fishing Lodge of The Year” in 2003 and 2004. Plus, Gourmet Magazine along with recognition from GQ said Blackberry Farm is one of the top five country inns in North America.

Browse around the shopping section of the Blackberry Farm store on the Taigan Website. Find gourmet treats to enjoy, or share as hostess or other special gifts, including the artisanal cheeses made from the Blackberry Farm Dairy. The recipes and techniques used to make the delicious cheese you’ll find on the Taigan website reflects specific characteristics to the farm and Great Smoky Mountains. The cheese produced by this award-winning farm changes with the seasons, so you’ll have to check back for new seasonal offerings on Taigan regularly. Blackberry Farm cheeses are great for entertaining, special occasion, as gifts or just to indulge in it yourself.

Blackberry Farm also has some of the best fresh preserves, also created here on the Farm. It’s made in small batches and has the freshest and highest quality ingredients. And if you like honey, make sure to order some online at Taigan.com. Blackberry Farm’s beehives are home to Italian bees that produce delicious sweet nectar and sourwood honey which has a sweet, spicy and anise-like aroma and incredible aftertaste.

For delicious recipes you can make at home, don’t forget to order your Blackberry Farm cookbook on Taigan along with all your other must-have specialty treats.

My friend Linda told me all about the Taigan Website. She’s been shopping online for quite some time now. I’ve just really started being comfortable with it and love the experience. It’s great, easy and stress-free. There’s no need to hit the boutiques in the malls or even worse, the strip malls. Even when you do find parking, it’s always a hassle and a long wait at the cashier’s line. So when I told Linda I really needed to liven up my wardrobe, she took me to Taigan.com.

There are shops on Taigan from all over the country, which is great because that helps me with having a more styled and unique look. And that’s important, especially at black-tie events and gala dinners. You never want to have the same gown as someone else. I get to shop in a totally relaxed state. I love to browse around the Taigan Website in my comfortable pajamas on my couch sipping a good cup of coffee. I take all my sweet time. I look watch the videos, browse items and learn more about the shops themselves and the lines they carry. I also like being able to share an item with Linda – I just click the button and share an item or a video, or a whole shop – then we get on the phone and shop the site together.

The best part about shopping on Taigan is that it’s not just about clothes, like so many other shopping Websites. Not only can I find wonderful style for myself, I can also shop for home furnishings gourmet food, really fun gifts, pet accessories and more. Some of my favorite gourmet treats include from Blackberry Farm ‘s artisanal cheese and sweet preserves jam. They make a great hostess gift. This testimonial is by Libby S., San Francisco, CA.