Earlier this week, 16 showpieces from Alexander McQueen’s Fall 2010 collection were presented in Paris. Inspired by the Byzantine art and Old Master paintings, the collection was hailed “heartbreakingly beautiful”. Indeed it is. It is also heartbreakingly sad, that another incredible talent is gone too soon. Rest in peace, Lee Alexander McQueen. You and your art will be greatly missed.
Photo Credits: TFS
Watching La Dolce Vita tonight. Such a sad, but beautiful film. One of my favorites. Did you know it won an Oscar for Costume Design? If you haven’t seen it yet, I highly recommend it!
Ok, I love Chanel! Mostly the little tweed blazers that I’ll probably never own in a million years, or the classic quilted purses that I will own in less than a million years. I love Chanel’s infamous interlocking CC’s and have been a Chanel lover for many years now. But stamping my forehead with their logo? Definitely would not do that. Now this is just an art project, which I have to admit, is quite creative…but I honestly think that there is an actual market for such a thing. Branding just took on a whole other meaning.
Would you get your forehead stamped with Chanel’s or any other brand’s logo?
Photo Credits: Refinery29
Love these dolls so much! I want them all! There’s Lanvin, Marc Jacobs, Givenchy, Gareth Pugh, Proenza Schouler…and more! If I had a daughter, I would definitely want her to have one of these Kouklitas (which seems like a Spanish-ified version of the Russian word for doll – Koukla). I can’t decide on my favorite here. They are all so cute! A little creepy too (they remind me of those 3D paintings by Phoebe from Friends, remember those?)…but still more cute than creepy! Which one is your fave?
Above from left: Proenza Schouler; Ann Demeulemeester, Givenchy
Above from left: Katie Eary, Gareth Pugh, Rick Owens; Lanvin.
Above, from left: Comme Des Garçons; Marc Jacobs.
Photo Credits: 1st photo – www.kouklitas.com; others – Refinery29
Most of us had come to expect festive holiday displays in various retailers’ windows come Christmas. Well, perhaps because of the scary economy, or just for fun, some stores decked their windows out in something other than “boughs of holly” and brought us these awesome Halloween displays! Whether it’s swampy in NYC, or abstract in San Francisco, Marc Jacobs didn’t lack the creativity and tried to perhaps bring some of the window shoppers into his stores instead. Although to be perfectly honest, I really don’t know whether I would be brave enough to venture into a toxic zombie waste swamp to shop for clothes. Eeek! I do, however, loooove the cow window! It’s got a perfect pop of color and is weird enough to catch my attention as I walk down the street! Wish I was in San Fran to witness it firsthand!
Bergdorf’s windows are also quite stunning, showing various fairy tales with a technological twist. Princess and the PC, anyone? Not as fun as MJ, but visually captivating all the same. So what do you guys think? Do these windows scare you away, or make you want to shop till you drop?
More spooky windows after the jump!
Apart from the fact that I’d burnt a huge hole in my dress an hour before Stephanie and Addison’s wedding, to me, their reception was a major success! The beautiful bride wore 4 amazing dresses, the groom seemed to keep it together quite well, as did the bride, everything was very well-organized, and we all had a blast! I really loved that they showed a video of the couple’s morning and the church ceremony for those of us that missed it. Congratulation, Stephanie! I wish you and your new hubby an ocean of love and happiness together!
For a few of my other friends that are getting married quite soon, these few finds on Etsy might be of interest to you! As well as to any wedding guests that want to make a personal gift to the newlyweds! These wedding cake toppers are adorable, sometimes cringe-worthy, and at times scary, but I think they are worth a look.
About a year ago, I attended a wedding in which the couple had bobbleheads made to resemble themselves on top of their cake. As a sort of The Office tribute, I thought the idea was totally cute! So for those of you that are looking for cake toppers, the ones below are all from Etsy and range from about $50 to $200, depending on the level of customization. Some sellers will take care of the smallest details to ensure that your topper meets your high expectations, and most ship internationally. Next wedding is in about a month, so Jo, you still have time to get one of you and Gabe made on Etsy! I think your figurine should be trying on a shoe, while Gabe is buried in a pile of shoes with only his head sticking out. What do you think?
More after the jump!
Speaking of cool movies, are you going to watch Coco Avant Chanel (starring Audrey Tautou) this weekend? The movie opens in Canada October 2nd and is a love story as well as a peek into the origins of one of the most famous women in fashion! Perfect for a girls’ night out!
Who knew that the beyond talented photographer Annie Leibovitz was in so much financial trouble? Go to the NY Times website to read the full (shocking) article.
I guess it’s a little too late to let you guys know about the “Signore and Signore: Leading Ladies of the Italian Cinema” event happening at the Cinematheque Ontario, since it ends today. Boohoo! I am sure those of you that love Italian cinema have already heard all about it and have gone, and those that haven’t…well, you should definitely check it out next time!
I grew up watching a lot of foreign films, and even though Soviet films will always have a special place in my heart (Devchata, Bril’yantovaya Ruka, Operaciya I, etc), Italian films from the 50s and 60s are one of my all time favorites! I think it’s the combination of great stories, amazing actors, sharp fashions, and the language! Plus Marcello Mastroianni’s good looks don’t hurt either!
I am re-watching an old-time favorite “Nights of Cabiria” tonight! Cannot wait! Am super disappointed that Cinematheque Ontario did not include “Marriage Italian Style” in their lineup. Sofia Loren is the leading lady of Italian Cinema, and yet this comedic masterpiece by De Sica was grossly overlooked this time around (she is both hilarious and heartbreaking as the main character Filumena). Considering that Loren’s name is the first one that pops into anyone’s head, it’s a little surprising that they only included one movie featuring the actress. Hopefully they’ll include ”Marriage Italian Style” next time, because this movie is all sorts of amazing!
Click for more ”Marriage Italian Style” stills and a couple of my Italian favorites!
They’ve been around for almost a year, and I’ve never seen them before! Blasphemy!
Feast your eyes (perhaps again) on this amazing collection of Russian “Matryoshka” dolls designed by creme de la creme of designer world for Vogue Russia’s 10-year anniversary (including some homegrown talent)! Which one is your fave?
More adorable dolls after the jump!
Spent the last hour in a crowded Holts’ showroom, waiting to speak to Scott Schuman. The event was poorly organized, but the wait was well worth it. As much as I respect Scott Schuman – the photographer, much has to be said about Scott Schuman – the man. Handsome, funny, patient, stylish, and kind. He didn’t mind the throngs of fans. He answered every question thoroughly and with thought. He laughed with the audience and cracked jokes. He offered words of advice to amateur photographers and bloggers. And he also was very patient. The room was sweltering and most people, who had short lunch breaks, had to dash right after taking a picture or shaking his hand. Yet he had to stay and did not seem to mind it at all.
The paperback copy of his book was also there and it’s much thicker than I imagined! It’s amazing how he remembers every picture that he took for this book, every single subject. He told funny stories about some people that made the cut, sharing that one of the girls only eats Jelly and one of the women actually works at Holts. His words of advice were “be true”, which is what he said to the reporter’s question on what sets his blog apart from others. He is true and it shows.
Loved meeting him so much! We chatted for a bit about his trip to Venice, and how he just shoots and doesn’t care what it is or whether the settings on his cam are right. All that can be taken care of later, he just takes photos of what feels right. He also shared that he brought his girlfriend (the chic Garance Doré) to tears on a Venetian gondola, because he was such a tough subject to photograph. All told as if talking to a group of old friends. Very, very endearing!
Jo and I ran back to our offices with giddy glee. I don’t think I was this happy to meet Gael Garcia Bernal, and I love Gael! Scott will be at the Drake Hotel later tonight. Not sure if I am going to make it to that party; the crowd will probably be insane! Either way, welcome to Toronto, Mr. Schuman! It was truly a pleasure!
The crowd at Holt Renfrew, waiting to meet The Sartorialist.
The Sartorial way to wear shoes.
Scott Schuman sharing stories about the people in his book.
Yours truly with The Sartorialist!
Lots of folks went all out, wearing leopard prints, crazy hats, latest trend shoes and fur…in July.
Joanna and Scott Schuman.
Click to see more pics from the event!
So, Scott Schuman will be in Toronto tomorrow! Yay! Some of my fashionista girlfriends and I will definitely be attending to gush and blush as we take photos/get autographs from the Sartorialist himself! But, if you are truly a fan of this man’s work, then you must see this book! The Sartorialist by Scott Schuman. I believe it will be available in the US August 12th, and sometime in September internationally.
The book comes out in both hardcover (Bespoke edition…very freaking nice, but $175!) and paperback ($25 and still nice)…pick one depending on your budget. Either way, I think it would be a great addition to any stylish person’s coffee table. Think of the endless conversations (arguments) you’ll have about the many people and different outfits portrayed in Mr. Schuman’s first (and hopefully not last) book! Can’t wait to meet him and can’t wait to get my paws on this book!
Photo Credits: www.thesartorialist.com
Saw them walking near Yonge and Dundas (busiest intersection in Toronto), and there was something really lovely about them. Maybe it’s the girl in me, but I love the contrast between the grimey city and these two walking hand in hand.
For someone who loves shoes as much as I do, I’d have to shamefully admit that in my 6 years in Toronto, I still have not visited the Bata Shoe Museum. Until last Wednesday that is. It’s not that I wasn’t curious to see the shoe-volution, it’s that I always put it off, thinking that I’d visit it on one of those rainy days when I have nothing else (better) to do. Well, 6 years later, and at my boyfriend’s suggestion, I finally paid a little visit to the museum that has Cinderella’s slipper as one of its exhibits. As it turned out, there was a Till 10 event happening that night, and we enjoyed a night of shoes, wine, acrobatics, and more shoes. To tell the truth, I wasn’t really impressed with the space, nor with the shoe selection, nor with the way the shoes were displayed. Plus, there was no Carrie Bradshaw section! Blasphemy! But if another rainy day comes about, and if you have nothing else on your plate, and if you love shoes, then stop by and say hello to the many shoes at Bata…but whatever you do, don’t bring your boyfriend!
