Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Metamorphosis

It appears that Victoria Beckham has started to morph from her normal plasticized state into something even more quasi-android. What the hell is she wearing on her legs? Black rubber leggings with cloven hooves shoes built in? Actually, they are Antonio Berardi thigh-high PVC boots...with 5 1/2" platforms and without heels. Berardi says the shoes are "perfectly balanced" and that heels are a psychological crutch.

Posh's devoted husband David had to keep an eye on her all evening to make sure she doesn't topple over backwards and land on her ass, embarrassing the both of them.

And creating the need for a different kind of crutch.

I'd love to see her hobble walk in these things.

Monday, September 29, 2008

New Jewelry

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Here's my latest creation - a slab of drusy jasper (can't quite remember what kind of jasper) surrounded by gray-lined light amber beads, gray-brown and gray-green freshwater pearls, and more jasper, strung to about 19" with the same pearls and jasper plus pretty faceted labradorite lozenges.  The photo doesn't show the blue flash of the labradorite or the subtle sparkle of the glass beads, unfortunately, but overall the piece is subtle and elegantly somber.

Yours for $125.  Drop me an e-mail if you're interested.

Saturday, September 27, 2008

Paul Newman, RIP

Those blue eyes have closed for the final time. Paul Newman died of lung cancer on September 26, 2008 aged 83 at his long-time home in Westport, Connecticut. He was surrounded by his family and close friends

Friday, September 26, 2008

Spring 09 Fashion Week - Etro

I've always loved ethnic-y paisley prints, even if they mostly remind me of throws sold at the local new age emporium. Etro snatched up a selection of these prints and whipped up quite the subtle collection for Spring. Ok, *I* think it's subtle.

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I like everything about it - the prints, the palette, the voluminous pants, the billowy dresses, and especially the jackets. I'd wear all of it.

Spring 09 Fashion Week - Giorgio Armani

After the freakishness of the Prada collection, it's nice to see that some designers still have a good sense of what's wearable. Take Giorgio Armani and his collection of tasteful neutrals, chock-full of really adorable jackets.

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And equally tasteful gowns, lightly embellished, and ready for the red carpet. Lovely stuff.

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Project Runway - Part Eleven

As usual, the show opens to reveal our remaining designers performing their morning ablutions and discussing the performances in the last challenge.

Stop talkin' and start steppin' already!

At Parsons, Heidi emerges from behind the scrim with the Holy Black Velvet Bag.

Time for a model shake-up! Kenley takes Joe's model Carpaccio, and then Leanne shows her bloodthirsty side and gobbles up Suede's model.

Thus three more models are sent out into the world to wait tables and pray for their big break now that their hopes have been dashed by the inconsiderate designers who have the audacity to be aufed week after week.

Heidi sends the final five up to Tim who gives them their challenge: they will be designing for each other! Tim assigns Jerell to Suede, Leanne to Kenley, Suede to Korto, Kenley to Jerell, and Korto to Leanne. If that's not trouble enough, Tim drops a bombshell:

That would have been fun, right? Instead, Kenley is assigned Pop, Suede gets Punk, Korto gets Country, Jerell gets Rock and Roll, and Leanne, appropriately, gets Hip Hop. She immediately gets into the groove and changes her name to "Loop Doody."

Despite the rubber bracelets and blue-tinged faux hawk, Suede insists that punk is not his thing, musically. He reveals he is a classically-trained cellist who played for fourteen years.

I suppose he'd rather be dressing like a classical musician, Yo Yo Ma perhaps. Or Liberace.

Leanne doesn't have a lot of confidence that Kenley can design something that's not 50s style and knows she's going to end up looking more crap than rap. Especially after Kenley picks out yet another hideous floral print from Mood, telling a dubious Tim that it looks like graffiti.

Korto is amused by her impending transformation into a country music diva, putting on cowboy boots and flapping around like a wounded chicken while warbling nonsensically, saying she was line dancing.

Go on, show her, Tim.

Tim's there for the daily dose of mentoring. He loves Jerell's silhouette for Kenley. Jerell insists he's going to bring out the sex goddess in her. Doris Day, anyone?

Then Tim has the nerve to tell Kenley that she's wackadoodle if she thinks those high-waisted grandma jeans is any kind of hip hop. Kenley gets defensive once again.

The next day, Jerell has thoughts of sabotaging Suede, but figures he can do a good enough job of that on his own.

The five of them are given one hour to in the Corporate Sponsorship Beauty Lounge for transformation into their new musical personas.

Then they put on their shiny new duds.

Kenley displays some of her usual braggadocio.

Time for the runway show!

This week's guest judge is LL Cool J, who's putting out a fashion line, so of course that makes him qualified to judge the competition.

Korto's punky outfit for Suede gets the win. Her finely crafted look included bleach-stained jeans and an appliquéd shirt, but anything combining "punk" with "fine craftsmanship" is a costume. Any punk who would wear a t-shirt with chains pre-attached is a poser. Or a 16-year-old who doesn't realize that punk was a movement from the mid-70s, and dressing in that style is as anachronistic as dressing in Kenley's favorite 50s crinolined look.

Speaking of Kenley, Jerell's pop goddess look for her came in a close second. The judges loved it and called it sexy without being vulgar. I guess Kenley didn't flash her va-jay-jay at them after all.

Leanne's country music get-up for Korto was borderline. The judges said nice things about it to her face, but mocked it behind her back, saying it wasn't sophisticated enough. Personally, I think it was awful, particularly that nasty gold belt.

Not as awful as Kenley's misguided attempt at hip-hoppery. The pants were singularly unflattering, the blouse was ugly, and there was too much jewelry that somehow didn't add "bling." The jacket was cute, but it didn't seem like it fit quite right.

Despite the ass-itude of Kenley's design, Suede got the boot. And them's some big boots that Jerell's wearing!

The judges thought that the pants weren't special enough, and that the outfit looked very much like something Jerell would wear anyway. I blame that on the low-cut tank top, which could have come out of his own closet. They did seem to like the vest, but that wasn't enough to redeem the outfit. At least he didn't make him a feathered hat.

Kenley's was clearly the worst of the bunch, so I think Suede was eliminated for other reasons.

Hey, you're lucky you didn't get deported.

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Spring 09 Fashion Week - Prada

Miuccia Prada's Spring '09 collection is a rumpled mess. It reminds me of a Polish saying that was popular in my house when someone tried to leave it without a trip to Grandma's ironing board, "dupy wciągnięty," (roughly, "doo pee vee chung nyenty") or, "pulled out of [one's] ass." Ms Prada calls it, "primitive," and "going back to what counts." So "what counts" is to look like one's been rooting through the dirty laundry bin to find something presentable to wear and failing miserably, or perhaps being molested behind the nightclub and left wandering the streets in a disheveled daze.

Fashion victims will no doubt be snapping this collection up whilst Miuccia laughs all the way to the bank.

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These are about the only two looks in the collection that don't look like complete hell.

Avital Speaks

Avital Aronowitz was Suede's client in the "Transformation" episode of Project Runway, and as you can see in the photo at left, she rocked his "Pucci-esque" dress. I posed a few questions to her about her experience on the show.

M: Are you a Project Runway fan? Have you been watching Project Runway this season? If so, are you enjoying it more knowing that you're a model/client on one episode?
AA: I am a project runway fan, now... I had seen some episodes before, but don't have cable, so it was here and there with friends or online. I have watched this whole season online. I think the show is amazing, but I guess having been part of it, made it that much more fun and exciting.

M: What was it like working with Suede? If you could pick any of the designers to work with, eliminated or otherwise, who would it be?
AA: Suede was great. He's really friendly, and despite the outcome of the outfit, I think he was listening to me and my mother at the beginning. He worked really hard on the dress, and although I can't really wear it as a dress to work in, I would definitely wear it out at night, or with sneakers or pants. I think I may have chosen Leanne to work with, I seem to really love her designs. There is something really feminine and modern, but classy and unique about everything. Her designs are truly special, they feel like runway couture designs that are a bit more real world wearable. I hope that made any sort of sense.

M: Did you enjoy your experience on Project Runway?
AA: The experience was long and exhausting, but overall cool. I think the experience of seeing my mom and myself on tv and having people from the past and present see and call me was quite surreal.

M: What did you do during your downtime on the show? Did you have to hang out at Parsons the whole time?
AA: There was a lot of waiting around, interviews, photo shoots. We had to be at Parsons for the majority of the time, but were able to leave at night.

M: So did you get to keep the outfit he created for you? Will you wear it?
AA: I'm still not sure if I get the outfit. They said they may send them to us after the show airs. I have yet to find out if this will happen. I will totally rock that dress, not sure where yet, but I will! Maybe I'll even use it for a photo shoot of my own.

M: How did you decide to become a photographer? Did you always have an aptitude for it? You have an impressive portfolio already; what sort of photography do you want to focus (ha!) on?
AA: haha. Thanks so much for the compliment Kathy. I was always interested in photography. I started taking photo classes in high school and soon after started entering and winning contests. Once they gave me the tri-x b&w film, I became obsessed, and when I realized I was good at it, I just couldn't stop. I photograph a variety of things, but my main subject is environmental portraiture, humor, and often staged costumed moments that I create. I'm really into photographing people who collect things or have cool apartments, studios, or hang out spots. I also really like to photograph musicians and bands, and landscapes/travel, hahah I guess I love to photograph EVERYTHING, but my portfolio is mainly environmental portraiture. As far as work goes, I really do photograph whatever comes my way, and truly enjoy doing it.

(Examples of Avital's photography can be seen on her Web site, A Vital Photo. )

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Poop Doody

Sean Coombs, aka Poop Doody, stepped into a pile of his namesake and messed up his tacky gold sneakers.

Ha! hahahahahahahahahaha!

Photo from candykirby.com

Spring 2009 Fashion Week - London - Basso & Brooke

Basso and Brooke's Spring '09 collection is a Japanimation extravaganza, full of riffs on traditional Japanese fashion and bright colors galore, ornamented with beads, Swarovski-style beadazzling, and origami-style pleats.  One can't help but be happy looking at these totally fun and festive garments.

It's hard to choose a favorite from the collection - I really do love all of the looks, even if I wouldn't actually wear most of them.

Spring 2009 Fashion Week - Basso, Mizrahi, Lhuillier, Badgley Mischka

Fashion Week started in London so I'm leaving the world of New York shows with this collection of shots from four designers: Dennis Basso, Monique Lhuillier, Badgely Mischka, and Issac Mizrahi.

Dennis Basso - love the green dress, the patterning in the jackets, and the ruffly bits.

Monique Lhuillier's gowns are always stunning, and her fabric choices this season were especially so, reminding one of the beach, waves, and shells.

Badgely Mischka's collection was elegantly floaty and light and refreshing for the duo known for elaborately decorated and encrusted surfaces.

Isaac Mizrahi's collection was full of color and sparkle, with sequins and lace. But my favorites were his more subdued pieces, particularly the green coat and the orange outfit.

Monday, September 22, 2008

Emmy Fashions

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Black was once again a popular color on the red carpet, as Deborah Messing (in Monica Lhuillier), Kristin Chenowith (in Armani), America Ferrera, Sandra Oh (in Oscar de la Renta), and Hayden Panettiere (in Badgely Mischka) were among those appearing to be in mourning. I will admit I like the plainer dresses of Chenowith and Panettiere to the casket drapery of Messing and Ferrera.

On the brighter side, there were a number of happy yellow gowns in attendance, most notably on Mariska Hargitay (in Carolina Herrera) and Teri Hatcher. Top Design contestant Andrea Schroder (with her husband, Rick) wears the Daniel Franco design seen in the window dressing episode of Top Design. It looked better in the window. (Thanks, DD!)

Not everyone wore solid colors. Embellished gowns were in full force, as evidenced by the beauties worn by Kathy Griffin, Marcia Cross (in Elie Saab Haute Couture), Christina Applegate (in Reem Acra), and Jennifer Love Hewitt (in Carolina Herrera).

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