So I just deleted everything from my online store because, of course, it's time for a new season! As I am browsing through merchandise, seeking out only the stuff worth looking at so that you, dear readers, don't have to... I happened upon this book. A few posts ago ("A New Look For Fall" on 09/15) I made a little slideshow of an editorial shoot I liked by the photographers Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott. The book, which I absolutely MUST have, is called Visionaire No. 52: Private... and is photohraphed by the same team! Even better though, is teaming THEM with Marc Jacobs himself as the Editor!! I just HAVE to see what such amazing photographer's will do with Marc Jacobs eye, and such interesting names involved as subjects. To love fashion and couture is to love photography as well. They are synonymous in an intangible kind of way. Just read what the Visionaire website has to say:
"Photographs by Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott Guest Editor Marc Jacobs In collaboration with Louis Vuitton
PRIVATE comes as a book of photographs housed in an exclusive Louis Vuitton monogrammed case designed by Marc Jacobs. Photographers Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott with guest art director Marc Jacobs have collaborated on a series of personal portraits with sitters including Drew Barrymore, Scarlett Johansson, Selma Blair, Jennifer Lopez, Lil’ Kim, Marc Jacobs, Stella McCartney, and Gisele Bundchen just to name a few.
PRIVATE is a limited edition of 2,500 numbered copies and retails for a starting price of $375. However, PRIVATE is included in a standard subscription to Visionaire at no additional charge. As with our past Louis Vuitton collaborations, we anticipate this issue selling out immediately after its public release in the November. We encourage you to pre-order now to guarantee your copy of Visionaire 52 PRIVATE.
Visionaire 52 PRIVATE is our third collaboration with Louis Vuitton, following the success of Visionaire 18 FASHION SPECIAL, now valued at $5,000, and Visionaire 30 THE GAME, now valued at $4,200 (per set of 7 countries). Concurrent with the release of PRIVATE, we are releasing a limited number of copies of 18. FASHION SPECIAL from our archive, previously withheld from sale."
I truly SWOON over things like this! I HAVE TO HAVE IT! The holidays are coming up! If someone would pre-order this for me I would simply DIE! Okay, enough begging. But if you want to pre-order this for YOURSELF (or me! lol) click on the image below! Can you believe how gorgeous this is? Seriously. Beautiful people, wearing beautiful fashion, photographed by beauty geniuses, wrapped up in beautiful Louis Vuitton! It's almost TOO BEAUTIFUL! This is something to treasure always. Okay. I'm stopping now.
If you buy this through my store, and are a Barnes & Noble Member, you will only pay $300.00, which is $75 off the lowest price! So make sure you choose the option with their logo. Meanwhile, I will let you know when the store is full of great new FINDS FOR FALL!
Last week I went to my local Target to kill some time. I was expecting to pick up some household items, maybe some warm fuzzy socks to wear around the house. I am infamous for the hours I can spend in Target. Wandering the aisles, browsing everything from books to blankets. I made my way through the accessories department. Accessories are just TOO easy to shop for. You don't really have to try them on, and like purses, they always fit. Well, except for rings. Rings don't always come in a whole range of sizes at places like Target.
Anyway, I happened upon the line that Dominique Cohen did especially for Target stores. A jewelry designer that sells her chunky, fun, and sophisticated pieces at high end department stores like Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue, has brought her incredibly "now" style to Target.
I purchased these two necklaces, each for $29.99, and I have been wearing them together. I like that they tie with ribbon. You can adjust the length to go with what you are wearing. I also like to tie one of them with the bow off center so it shows in the front and not behind the neck. It just add's that extra touch of flair.
One is a bunch of chains and ribbon, the other has lace covered "pearls" and ribbon. There is something very "leather and lace" about them. Something hard and yet romantic. I've been wearing them to death!
I then made my way over to the shoe department. To be totally honest with you I was not expecting to find anything there. I seldom do. Once in a while I will find a pair of really cute flip-flops or slippers. So I was pleasantly surprised to find these shoes by Izaac Mizrahi for Target.
Also at $29.99, I felt like I was almost stealing these! I wore them the next day, and I got 3 compliments on them! I couldn't help but whisper "Thanks! They were only $30 bucks! Target! I know! Shhhh!" Mix these with your more pricey pieces and no one will EVER guess you got these great accessories at Target.
And really, that's the key. I firmly believe it is absolutely worth it to invest in your wardrobe. Trust me. But I can only justify dropping $300 on a dress or $500 on a bag, if I average out my expenditures getting some cheaper pieces. It's all about having a good eye. Knowing what "looks expensive", knowing quality when you see it, no matter what the price is. Mix your designer sunglasses with these pieces. Or try them on WITH that $300 dress. No one will know the diff. You could be wearing an outfit that cost less than your watch does, but no one will know if you know how to wear it. How to carry the look you have put together.
Not sure if you know about Gilt Groupe www.gilt.com (the invite only online community providing members access to fashion and luxury brands at sample sale prices) but if you like jewelry and especially John Hardy.....they are holding a John Hardy sale, showcasing pieces from a number of his latest collections....at 40-50%+ off retail on Tuesday, April 1st at 12pm EST (for ONE day only)!
If you want to visit the sale (as well as to join Gilt Groupe) go to this link below: www.gilt.com/Johnhardy
Great pieces and great prices...Just letting you in on my new obsession :)
Not sure if you know about Gilt Groupe www.gilt.com (the invite only online community providing members access to fashion and luxury brands at sample sale prices) but if you like jewelry and especially John Hardy.....they are holding a John Hardy sale, showcasing pieces from a number of his latest collections....at 40-50%+ off retail on Tuesday, April 1st at 12pm EST (for ONE day only)!
If you want to visit the sale (as well as to join Gilt Groupe) go to this link below: www.gilt.com/Johnhardy
Great pieces and great prices...Just letting you in on my new obsession :)
Something that always fit's... Your purse. And I am head over heels in love with this new Judith Leiber clutch! Dripping with jet black austrian crystals, this hand crafted gem is lined, and comes with a double sided mirror and matching coin purse. For that devil may care girl inside us all, you can add some rock and roll to your gown carrying this. And being that it's a Judith Leiber, you can keep it forever, pass it down to your daughter... blah blah blah, whatever it take's to justify buying it!
You can pre-order it from Neiman Marcus, guaranteed to ship no later than 10/22/07, if you are willing to dish out $1995.00 for this priceless treasure.
You heard it here first! Armani and Samsung have joined forces to bring us not only an Armani cell phone, but also a line of home electronics. The cell phone, which will cost approximately 650euro will premier in Europe as soon as November. Next up will be an Armani LCD television to be sold from Armani Casa locations.
Armani is not the first to do the cell phone thing, we've seen Dolce & Gabanna and Prada already bring us their take on the cell phone, an accessory none of us can seem to do without. However he does seem to be the first to extend his brand by way of electronics for the home.
"Today fashion has expanded to encompass our way of life, not just how we dress, but how we design our home, the hotels we stay in, the car we drive and the technology we buy," Mr. Armani said. "These are all lifestyle decisions, where design and performance are the criteria."
The phone is said to be credit card sized, and boasts a 3 megapixel camera, a music player, and an internet browser, with a 2.6 inch LCD touch screen.
"This powerful partnership ... will aim to satisfy the growing consumer demand for style and simplicity in portable and home entertainment products, and will enable both partners to reach new audiences and further connect with existing ones," Jong-Yong Yun, vice chairman of Samsung Electronics, said in a statement.
I have naturally curly hair, and though I love to sport wild ringlets, I have bangs now which means constant straightening. Blowdrying with a round brush rather than using a flat iron tends to give my hair amazing curve and body. Over the years I have become quite expert at it, if I can be so bold to brag. Additionally, I have probably tried every styling product created to straighten hair, eliminate frizz and flyaways, protect hair from heat damage, keep the hair smooth without adding weight, being sticky, or feelings greasy. I have tens of bottles of all shapes and colors. Creams, serums, sprays... and I usually end up using a combination of the above to get the results I actually want. Always ending up able to feel the product in my hair when I touch it after styling.
I went to the Beverly Center a couple of days ago and wandered into the beauty supply store, in search of Neem Oil. It's what my stylist (the AMAZING Guy Riggio @ John Frieda on Melrose Place) told me he uses when straightening my hair. After one of his blow dry's I can't stop running my fingers through my hair because I can actually feel IT and not PRODUCT. Anyway, I asked the guy working there if he had Neem Oil and he said no, but that his customer's seem to be going crazy over Moroccan Oil. He made claim's of just starting to sell the product this month and already selling out numerous cases. The man did not seem like a hair care expert by any means, but I thought I would give it a try. At $38.99 for 3.4oz, I took a gamble.
Tonight after a long relaxing bath, I washed my hair and decided to treat myself to a blow dry using the Moroccan Oil. Let me tell you. I do not rave easily. But I dried my hair in probably half the time it usually takes me. My hair is unbelievably soft, shiny, and manageable. Until today I didn't know the meaning of manageable. I truly like the results of this better than the Neem Oil and fully intend to bring it to my next hair cut so that Guy can try it. I've never brought a product to a stylist. That's how good this is. It's like the more you touch your hair and play with it, the better it looks. Have you ever gotten a blow dry, and when you wake up the next morning it looks better than when you got it? Your hair is like that immediately with this!
I then went straight to their website and discovered they have other products as well, that I fully intend to try out. And of course I will let you know, but only if it is equally stellar. From their site, which is very nicely done, I discovered the main ingredient, Argan oil.
"For centuries Argan oil has traditionally been used by women in Morocco to treat hair and nails in order to counteract the effects of the hot climate and aging. The Argan tree only grows in an area of South West Morocco called Argana. It flourishes in the desert-like conditions and produces lush fruits much like olives yet larger and rounder. Inside the fruit grows a large nut that houses up to three almond-shape kernels which are the source of the miraculous oil.
Argan oil contains unsaturated fatty acids and is rich in tocopherols which works like vitamin E (nature's most powerful antioxidant agent). Argan oil naturally renews cell structure and always consistently restores shines to dull lifeless hair."
They also discuss ways that colorist's can use this product to protect the scalp and hair, and to enhance the overall effectiveness of color absorbtion. Couture Cult is hooked, and emphatically reccomends this product!
Proof I use it:
* Just a reminder! The products I feature in the "Products I Actually Use" category, are honestly and truly PRODUCTS I ACTUALLY USE! I am not being paid to promote these products! I want you to rest assured I have tried these products and stand behind them, and am featuring them because they are QUALITY!
A First Look at Chloe Sevigny's Line! Video Interview!
What we all have been waiting for! I cant seem to keep her name out of my mouth lately! If you can get past the dreaded COMMERCIAL, watch this video (courtsey of Style.com)! Chloe Sevigny discusses her line, and gives us a FIRST LOOK at some of her favorite pieces! I told you I would be on top of this!
For those with less patience, or who cant view the video... here are some images.
This weekend I stopped by the Wired Magazine Nextfest, held at the Los Angeles Convention Center. This was the first time I went to anything like this, and I wasn't expecting to see the next wave in fashion at a thing like this, but I did! Enter CuteCircuit. From their website:
"At CuteCircuit we are working on making technology that is more usable, emotionally fulfilling, and fun! We think that wearables will be the future tool for personal communication. Like a dynamic surface around our bodies able to connect us to people and places. The most used communication tool today is the mobile phone, we believe that the wearable technology and the telecommunication market will merge in a not very distant future. Many of our wearables are compatible via Bluetooth with mobile phones, this allows for a faster deployment and adoption of this technology.
CuteCircuit wearables are beautiful and pleasant to wear: no loose wires, no hard shells, and no backpacks full of batteries or visible technology (unless for decoration). We pay great attention to details and technological solutions in a sartorial view of technology.
For each project you will see highlights of the design process that will help identify the skills and methodology that our team applied during the development of the product.
The wearable technologies that we develop are RoHS compliant, it means that no lead or mercury are present in the garments. We design technology that is safe for both the wearer and the environment."
What does this mean for you, the fashionista who just HAS to be on top of technology as well as whats hot on the runway? Well if your teeny tiny cell still wont fit into your Judith Leiber clutch and still leave room for your lip gloss and cash for the valet, you can program your cell number into the sleeve of your dress, and dial and talk into your sleeve. Want to send a hug to a friend who lives out of state and is having a nervous breakdown because she has nothing to wear? Put on your hug shirt, hug yourself, and a hug is then sent to your friend (who is also wearing the shirt). The sensation of being hugged is then sent to them!
I was excited to see such a truly cool breakthrough in the realm of fashion and textile technology, however the designs themselves and the textiles they are using left much to be desired. Other than a hoodie they had on display, I didn't really see anything I would actually wear around. YET. I am hoping this isn't a trend that will fade away, but more, is embraced by better designers. Maybe in 10 years we can go into Diesel and get a leather bomber jacket with a cell phone feature in IT's sleeve. Now THAT would be amazing!
The time has FINALLY come, Chloe Sevigny (who we LOVE!) has began to unveil her line! Check out this amazing article by Renata Espinosa for Fashion Wire Daily. I have yet to find images, but you KNOW the second they hit the net, I'll have the best ones right here for you to see!
Chloe Sevigny Debuts Collection for Opening Ceremony Renata Espinosa September 14th, 2007 @ 4:04 PM - New York
As a teen, when I first started raiding my mother's closet for all her carefully preserved vintage accessories – saved from her years spent living (in my mind) the jet set life of a TWA flight attendant – I used to think about my own wardrobe of acid-washed Chic jeans, polka dot stirrup pants and Express tunics and think to myself, "Oh, I should save this stuff, because it's going to come back for sure."
This was the early '90s and retro revival was in full swing, so while not a particularly original notion, it did get me thinking about how I might preserve, and potentially resurrect, my own history of dress one day.
So what if someone had packed away their junior high school ephemera in a time capsule a la Warhol, opened it up in the year 2007 and decided to create a collection inspired by their memorabilia and early years of fashion discovery?
The result might be something like Chloe Sevigny's collection for Opening Ceremony, which she presented to a handful of editors on September 10th during New York fashion week.
Back in May, amidst a flurry of celeb collection launches, Fashion Wire Daily asked Sevigny (at a Warhol-related event, coincidentally), whether she'd ever consider doing a line herself. Known for her unique vintage-influence style, she of anyone seemed a logical candidate.
She told us she'd been tossing around the idea of a one-off, in fact, with Humberto Leon of the downtown boutique Opening Ceremony, which carries small, directional labels by international designers.
Leon said when he saw the article, he called her up and asked, "So are you serious?"
She was, and before they knew it, their one-off had turned into a fully-developed 30+ piece collection, complete with a range of accessories that includes nine styles of shoes, a motorcycle cap made from recycled cassette tapes and cat-eye sunglasses produced in conjunction with Linda Farrow UK eyewear.
For inspiration, Sevigny looked to her teen years when she would shop at Unique on Broadway in New York, from "girls that I see on the street," and late '80s vintage fashion. A glass vitrine inspiration case displayed objects from her youth: Patti Smith and Kate Bush LPs, a photo of River Phoenix, zines, combat boots and even a picture of a young Sevigny at a school dance.
Like the Kate Moss collection for Topshop, Sevigny's collection is very true to her own sense of style – the grungy mixed with the feminine, sometimes deliberately clashing prints, high-waisted skirts mixed with blousy tops, vests and '80s-era blazers, Alaia-esque short black dresses in jersey with a cut-out back and mesh inserts, all of which might be paired with black zip-up ankle boots. ("I like a wedge – more support when I go out dancing!" she said).
There are lots of Liberty floral prints, as well, and one bustier cup sundress Sevignyy said was designed specifically because she was always looking for something like it but had yet to actually find it.
As she walked us through the collection, Sevigny called one of her friends over to show off a cute Liberty print shirt dress, like the kind a waitress in a diner might wear – flared at the waist with oversized side pockets, paired with black and white striped tights and black ankle boots all Seattle grunge-like.
"If I saw a girl walking down the street in that dress, I'd want to take her and put her in my pocket," laughed Sevigny.
She pointed to another friend wearing high-waisted black and white gingham pants with tapered legs, saying that she'd chosen particular silhouettes because they were what she preferred to wear, and also what she thinks are the most flattering for a range of body types. For example, you can get a black jersey dress in two versions – tight and curve-hugging, or in a looser, tent-like shape depending on your preference.
There are also tribal-inspired fabrics, and rounding out the line are skirts, dresses and T-shirts in black, a staple of every downtown girl's wardrobe.
"It's mix-and-match, day-to-night," she said, with all the pieces meant to be creatively layered.
Prices range from $150 to $595 and will be carried not only at Opening Ceremony in New York and LA, but also at selected boutiques in cities worldwide.
Chloe Sevigny is a sometimes controversial style icon, but in our opinion that just means she's got actual fashion sense and advanced taste, not something that can be said of most celebrity designers out there at the moment.
I found your blog from your commment on TMZ. Very nice blog. As a guy, this is not really my thing. However, I like to learn. The fashions displayed here are not innovative. Looking back to the days of "Bobby Sox" (40's and 50's),"Annie Hall"(Mid 70's)and the Awful "Grunge" look of the 80's can be done by anyone. Also, these styles were the most unflattering for their respective time periods. Making them ill-fitting only worsens the situation. I think women deserve to look good. As "ZZ Top" said, "Every woman's crazy 'bout a sharped dressed man." The converse is also true. Ask any guy. Thank you, and once again, Nice Blog! Bruce
After some time away from the blog (and I *did* miss it!), the Cult is back and with a whole new look to the page! I hope you like it! It was time for a change anyway... you know it's time to go shopping for fall when you go to get your mail and you are greeted with at least 5 lbs of weight to carry inside, thanks to both Vogue and W boasting their "Biggest Issue EVER!". (Vogue has 840 pages, W has 640. *sigh*) It's so exciting! I had to wait to look through them, for that perfect time when there is nothing to distract me and I can really gaze at the details in the pictures that some people think are just "ads", but are really inspiration for fall. (sidenote: I love the paper W uses to print on. I love how it feels as you turn a page... heavy, some pages thicker than book paper. Quality makes a differance.)
There were plenty of examples of actresses and singers instead of models in the ads for some significant designers and brands. Scarlett Johanssen for Louis Vuitton, Angelina Jolie for St. John, Lindsay Lohan for Jill Stuart, Terri Hatcher for Badgley Mischka, Sarah Silverman, Regina King, and Selma Blair sporting her new short hair cut for the Gap, Sienna Miller for Tod's, and Rebecca Romijn for BeBe. Should the models be miffed?
There was a great article in fact, in Vogue... "The Sloppy Syndrome" by Jean Hanff Korelitz, that particularly struck me. The blurb under the headline reads "Is it a form of self-expression or an issue of self-esteem? Jean Hanff Korelitz questions why women are afraid of dressing up." I had recently taken a notice of my own dressing habits. Even a fashionista can sometimes get into a "comfy" zone, and I found myself starting to feel like when I would make the effort I was somehow showing off. This article was an inspriring read, and motivated me to get a few new things to spice up my wardrobe. I even threw in a haircut. It's amazing what that can do for you, inside as well as out.
If you pick up the W, check out the editorial spread called "Wild Roses". I love everything about these images. Photographed by Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott, styled by Alex White. Images courtesy of Style.com. Slideshow created by moi.
Gwyneth has the cover, but it really isnt the most flattering shot. And her spread is kind of weird, she's photographed with a cane, and crutches. I am the hugest supporter of stepping out of the box. But making someone who is NOT handicapped look handicapped and worn out just doesn't seem fashionable or politically correct. She just doesn't look vibrant at ALL. What do you think? Images courtesy of Style.com. Slideshow created by moi.
I like that I am seeing a lot of true "dressing up" in the fall lines. Designers are putting head to toe looks together, looks that really require you to coordinate and wear "outfits" instead of separates. In Los Angeles, you can wear anything anywhere, and as long as you can carry it you can get away with it. But I do miss the days of having to dress for the occasion, and I think the designers are trying to inspire us to do just that.
I'm loving everything Im seeing come from Hugo Boss lately. Slick, modern, edgy, amazingly cut, architectural angles... incredibly sexy. Make an all black suit look fashion forward, and I'm impressed. Here is a preview of the Fall 2007 ready-to-wear line.
Chloe brings it, once again, with designs that look like you are buying the finest vintage piece... but brand new and remixed. Gucci struck gold with the gold accents on the black silhouettes. Akris demands attention. The Gucci Fall line is definitely one of my favorites by far. As well as Celine. If I had the money I would buy the entire collection! I'm becoming more and more of a fan of Lanvin. One line I have been a fan of for years is Tuleh. There is a GORGEOUS fitted grey suit TOTALLY TO DIE FOR! And Ann Demeulemeester scores big! Here are my selections, straight from the runway. Images courtesy of Style.com, slideshow , once again, by moi.
I am not looking forward to the cold season. But I am definitely looking forward to the clothes. TIME TO PLAY DRESS UP!
ALANA JOY Los Angeles, CA alanajoy.tumblr.com
I work in the fashion industry in Los Angeles. This blog is a place for me to talk about all things fashion and beauty related, hopefully touching on the real art, emotion, and sometimes humor of the industry as a whole.
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