sweetest invitation

Khira, March 1st

Ack, Alisa ! I had no idea beforehand, but apparently Colette is the Kremlin ? That is, not only were photos (and suspiciously long judgments of particularly expensive garments) strictly prohibited, the ratio of consumers to nosy, pursuant security felt nearly even. It was an environment fueled by riches and paranoia. So, unfortunately I haven't come away with any photos of the exhibit. But actually, in all honesty, I thought there'd be more to see: there were only six panels, and they were rather pushed off to the side, the Dior and Comme des Garçons spotted around the second floor garnering more (even most of the) attention.

Talk about madhouses.

Psst, psst...guess what...there's cocaine at Colette. Through the end of Paris Fashion Week (March 1st) there is a display by Comenius Roethlisberger featuring luxury brand logos written in cocaine and powdered sugar encased in polyester resin boxes. Khira has graciously agreed to take some photos and give us her impressions, so check back for updates.

withdrawal

Marc Jacobs Fall 08 Fashion Show (Full)
Uploaded by FBK1976

Yes, this is what drug withdrawal looks like, without a doubt (read below). A testament of MJ's sobriety: bland colors, boring fabric and unflattering proportions. But what explains the 80's jazzercise headbands, mohawk and pirate hats and metallics? An acid flashback perhaps? I do, however, love the end of the show when Marc plants a big kiss on Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth.

open letter to marc jacobs

Dear Marc,
Listen, I need to have a word with you. I'm glad you're out of rehab and looking happy again. But when you showed us your ready to wear collection for fall 2008, I got a little worried. You must be in withdrawal. Nothing else could explain such an uninspired collection. When the band looks fiercer than the models, you know there is a slight problem. Okay, okay, the band was Sonic Youth. They would win a claim to fierceness against Naomi Campbell holding a cell phone. But, let me continue...


There was a lot of grey--the least flattering color to almost any complexion. It was all loose fitting and thick dull wool fabric. Even the fitted dresses didn't look too hot at awkward lengths and again...the colors were terrible.



I was hopeful looking at the jackets. I love jackets and you make them quirky but wearable. Well, I don't know what you were smoking (or not smoking due to rehab probation), but this low belt is exactly what I always avoid. In fact, every woman avoids it. It is unflattering and cumbersome. You should know this, being a genius designer and all.




And there is just no excuse for this. None.


Marc, instead of making your wares 90% off at the end of the season because no one wants to buy them, why don't you make them more retail-friendly? Although, who am I to complain? I wouldn't be able to afford any of your designs otherwise. Anyway, keep on marching to your own beat and please forgive me the tough love.

XOXO

Photos: Marcio Madeira

child like wonder

This image, taken by, Scott Schulman, represents all of the wide-eyed wonder I feel whenever I see something that makes my heart flutter. Working in a costume shop for the theater and dance department in college, I would stay up almost all night working on the perfect seam and looking at antique buttons. I have always felt this energy when surrounded by fashion, ever since I was a little girl. Who needs a toy store when there is a pretty dress close by?

style icon: lady in red

Charlotte Casiraghi, of the blessed Grace Kelly genes, in casual red. She has the face of a modern Raphaelite nymph and at the tender age of 22 she is already a Conde Nast style icon, walking on the arm of Karl Lagerfeld. It must be nice being a princess.

bonjour paris fashion week

Some hilights from Paris: Rick Owens (photo Christophe Ena/AP), Manish Arora (photo Lucas Dolega/EPA) and Christian Dior (photo Francois Guillot/AFP)

greetings from a cobble stone street

My cousin takes her birthday present for a stroll on the streets of Israel.

past perfect

The silent screen siren and Charlie's angel from Facehunter are perfect examples of why it is so important to thrift. Susie did an interview with Make Do & Mend on the importance of shopping in vintage and charity shops. As someone with a high waist that is quite small, I prefer the silhouette that vintage clothing provide me. I cannot stand low waisted pants or skirts. The result is that most new clothing fits too tight around my hips and too loose around my waist. Used clothing from decades ago also has the added bonus of providing new inspiration. That is why all designers--from Abercrombie & Fitch to Fendi--have personal shoppers whose job is to scrounge thrift stores. Put almost any vintage find in a mix with current fashion and the result is timelessness. These two women are exemplary of successful mixing of vintage and modern pieces.

virtual shoe museum

My guilty pleasure of today, after being snowed in, is looking through The Virtual Shoe Museum. It was initiated by Netherlands native Liza Snook in 2004. Take a look for yourselves. It is a treat.


Designs by Bart Hess and Alexander Fielden.

dries van noten accessories

How perfect are Dries Van Noten's accessories for spring 2008? I am shuddering just looking at the detail shots. I have one pair of well-loved flats from their Spring 2005 collection with silk yellow birds stitched on the back. They get complimented all of the time. I think that whatever the creative director for accessories at DVN is doing, they should keep on doing it...








Photos by Don Ashby & Olivier Claisse

trembled blossoms

From Prada Spring/Summer 2008

one day there was a postcard

It was from Cambodia. You said it was a picture of Ta Prohm Temple of "Tomb Raider" fame. I barely made out the girl sitting at the roots of the tree amongst the sandstone rubble. She seems happy conspiratorially giggling with a friendly temple spirit. I like getting postcards. I also like looking through my photo archives. And I like old things that smell like mothballs or discontinued perfume. I like this polyester wrap dress that I found at the Spence-Chapin thrift shop; I like this photo you took of me:

I like my grandma's wool Russian scarf. I especially like to tie it around my waist and pretend that I am a flamenco dancer:


I like this Yves St. Laurent dress I bought at the Cancer Care thrift shop. I like the gold buttons and shoulder pads; I like how it makes me feel twenty years older:

fashionable installation art

I just became aware of the amazingly talented team at Uchu Country through We Make Money Not Art, and now I realize that I was in Paris last year at just the same time that they had an installation at Colette.



Uchu Country is under the direction of Nagi Noda, who is a cult figure in the Kawaii movement (literally translated as cute). The talented team also includes art director Yuni Yoshida and desginer Emi Yamane. They do a lot of creative design (think ad campaigns, windows and even shopping bags) for Laforet, Tokyo's hip incarnation of Colette. Their creative concept, although delving into the visual language used in Kawaii, is very dark. I love that about them.

last year

I am feeling nostalgic; this time last year I was in Italy. It was a wonderful two weeks full of good food, walking until my feet throbbed, museums and...the Prada outlet in Montevarchi. Here are a few random photos from the trip:

AKA lust

Now, what I really want is a dress that makes me excited for spring. The flower print AKA dress (all the way to the right) would be perfect, but for $325 I will have to wait until spring sales begin.

purchase pile on

Nothing too exciting going on here. I am just trying on some winter purchases that I made today. I bought a wonderful balloon sleeved MK2K shirt and Lily leopard print wrap dress from Sweetleaf Boutique on massive discount and I am excited about the last few weeks of winter again. The vest is from Louis of Boston, which I purchased at the Loehman's on Union Square, for $70 marked down from $450. It has the most amazing stitching I have ever seen--it belongs at an old-time tailor's store front window.

v-day = b-day

photo by Melissa Hom

Happy Valentine's Day to one and all. In New York, Valentine's Day is overshadowed by a very important event--the Barney's Warehouse Sale, of course. Alas, I am too busy studying for finals, which never seem to end. Other lucky and less busy souls had the opportunity to report from the trenches. Here is all the latest Barneys Warehouse Sale news from today, as reported by Kendall Herbst:

There's a big sign advertising an additional 25 percent off Kate Moss for Topshop togs: cropped leather bomber jackets, black cotton sailor pants ("that feel like polyester"), asymmetrical ruffled dresses … but even then, nobody's interested. "It's a ghost town over there," reports our operative.

News you can use: Metallic Jil Sander dresses are marked down from $2,400 to $600; McQueen tees are $100; Miu Miu tops abound as well. There's a lot of marked-down Lanvin merchandise, dresses and coats — it's still going to cost you around $800 to a cool grand, but if you want a genuine deal, it's there. Designer bags: just a lot of Barneys label stuff. Real deals are in the shoes, where you can get Louboutins for $200 (our spy saw some espadrilles that caught her eye that were a mere $150). Other standouts include Miu Miu studded flats, Pierre Hardy wedges, a lot of boots, and your beloved Manolos. Steer clear, however, of the Marc by Marc shoes: They're selling a lot of 'em, sometimes for as much as $250 a pop, which strikes us as a bit ridiculous. Beware!

photos by Melissa Hom