Although Angelina’s dip dyed vintage Hermes dress was definitely the most talked about dress of the night… after all is she or isn’t she already?
And I thought that America Ferrera has never looked better than she did in this gray Monique Lhuillier dress…
and of course the fact that there were a sea of beaded and metallic embellished dresses up and down the red carpet….
I have to give a special shout out to all the ladies who brightened up the dreary skies over Los Angeles on Sunday night at the 2008 SAG award… though some of the silhouettes left me a little dizzy, the colors had me jumping for joy. Any chance they were inspired by my “future looks bright“post?
Who was your favorite brightly dressed star?
Credits:
- All photos from Star.com, except for the photo of beautiful Vanessa Williams, which is from moviefone.com
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I am so thrilled that Caron Golden whose website San Diego Foodstuff was recently featured in National Geographic Traveler, has authored an article for Sensational Color.
Caron shares my love of gourmet food, cooking and of course, color! I knew I had found a kindred spirit when Caron started talking about how color serves as both an inspiration and visual gauge for her when preparing a meal.
In ‘How green is your bean? Or, how color teaches us how to cook‘, Caron reminds us that when it comes to cooking it’s all in the timing and shows us how color can be our guide to perfectly prepared meals.
Ready to find out how you can use color when cooking? Great, click here to go to Caron’s article…
Resources:
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I think seeing my favorite documentary “Grey Gardens” might have inspired my new obsession for gray accessories. Since, as Edie would say ” I think this is the best costume for the day”.
“Little Edie” Beale, my “gray” fashion icon
While writing this post, my pal Julie gave me the most beautiful gray and black leopard print scarf and glove set - a very happy coincidence!
Although I am dressing vibrantly this winter, I look forward to toting fabulous gray bags and shoes.
Designers have incorporated every shade of gray in their collections, this season. But since my budget does not allow for designer bags and shoes, my primary focus is on budget accessories.
I believe that as trends ‘come and go’ , you can certainly save your money for classic pieces , by spending less on the accouterments. Of course the YSL flannel tote, Balenciaga’s leather tote, Marc Jacobs multi pocket hob0, and Prada’s duffle like satchel are examples of soon - to -be classics. But each will lighten your wallet by $1300- $2400 .
I am truly impressed with Todd Oldham’s late winter collection for Old Navy. I will absolutely buy the gray bolwer bag (canvas with suede trim) and tote for my spring outings. And I must have his suede wedge mary janes in “urban dwelling grey”. Any of these will cost you under $30 - my kind of splurge. I’m going to say a little prayer - “please let them be as cute in person, as they are on the website”. Amen.
Target and Banana Republic have some great grey patent leather styles. This CL by Laundry PVC bag , with great D-ring handles, is under $20 at Target.com and BR wide patent belt is $68. Michael Kors has a pair of patent spectator heels that are perfect for a night out.
I regularly cruise the Anthropologie website , in search of new items and great sale prices. This week I fell in love with a pair of shoes and sheer white tights. The sling backs are called “Smoke and Fire” (grey with coral accents) that list for $340 .The Hue tights are by Tracy Reese ; for $28 these are a more realistic purchase.
But falling in love doesn’t have to be realistic…so I can still dream of these shoes…and a romance with Daniel Craig , while we’re at it !
Speigel groups “hot” trends together in their catalog, which I find quite helpful in my search for something new. This season they have sumptuous suede totes and boots - all for under $90 each. I think the booties and belted bag look very 60s and mod - definitely a classic look.
**Buyers beware…I do not encourage you to pair the suede tote with a mauve lace dress. Yuk!**
If you’re not into the girlie patent leather or polka dots, then you should like these more masculine styles. Newport News catalog (also the home town of many color mavens) offers the cutest gray flannel cap. Armani Exchange has a tailored utilitarian gray canvas bag…perfect for roaming the streets of any city.
I conider make up another accessory essential. I’ve seen gray eyeshadow as the newest addition to YSL Touche Eclat Eyeshadow pens. Magazines are filled with sophisticated models , all with blunt bobs, wearing these delightful shades on their lids.
OPI has a new shade of pale matte gray polish named “Birthday Babe”. This is a welcome addition to salon choices….it’s nice to have a gray shade that isn’t glittery.
It seems that the only thing gray NOT in fashion this season …is gray hair. Guess I need to visit my hairdresser soon.
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Valentino, the designer whose name is as synonymous with the color red as it is with fashion, took his final bow from the catwalk this past week in Paris following his Spring Couture show.
His departure comes in the middle of what could be called the “year of Valentino”. A year that has included a 3 day extravagant 45th anniversary celebration in Rome this past summer, followed by a beautiful retrospective of his work featuring over 300 of his designs, the filming of a hip-indie documentary to be released about him this spring, the planning of yet another retrospective in Paris slated for the summer of 2008, and to top it all off being awarded the Grand Medaille de Vermeil de Ville de Paris just this past week (that’s the medal of honorary Paris citizenship to you and me).
Not a bad way to go out for the 75 year old Italian who has spent the last four and a half decades dressing the world’s most famous women- literally from Jackie O. to J.Lo.
His final show, which took place on the grounds of the Rodin Museum, included all the glamour and femininity one has come to expect from the designer who has always been thought of as the epitome of elegance. His swan’s song-a sea of his iconic red, as 30 beautiful models flooded the runway all wearing the same red gown amidst images of red dresses projected onto the sides of the tent covering the star studded audience.
His spectacular departure from fashion this week got me wanting to know more about him. After all, we are sort of known for being interested in color around here, and I realized I knew very little about Valentino or how his fascination with the color red came to be.
I must first mention that Valentino’s rise to uber-fame came in the 1960’s without an ounce of red fabric in sight. In fact, the designer warned the American buyers in the late 60’s with the quote ” I am a non-color man”. His 1968 collection, which was comprised of only shades of white ( ecru, ivory, pale beige ), was a huge hit amongst jet setters and fashion editors alike- establishing him as a force in fashion.
It wasn’t until the late 1970’s that Valentino would first discover his love of the color red, or rosso valentino, as it is now often referred to.
Here the story gets a little fuzzy… as I found three different scenarios of this “aha” moment. All three have Valentino visiting Barcelona…. the first suggests he was at the circus and spotted the color, the second is that he was at the Opera and was enchanted by a red costumed diva, and the third that it was on this trip that he first meet editor-extraordinaire Diane Vreeland who infected him with her love (and also signature color) of red.
Whatever the events, the color had a strong impact on his aesthetic from there on out.
“Red has guts…. deep, strong, dramatic. A geranium red. A Goya red…. to be used like gold for furnishing a house… for clothes, it is strong, like black and white” he said.
“Women usually prefer to wear black at events because it makes them feel safe, however, if there’s one woman wearing red, she will inevitably be the eye-catcher of the evening. It’s as though the room is suddenly illuminated- simply perfect for a grand-entrance”.
From then on Valentino used red in his collection to symbolize ” the power of femininity”, and in the age of disco and economical distress it all seemed to make sense.
Funny enough as the 80’s rolled in, women wearing red quickly took on another meaning. Remember Nancy Reagan in her red suits, more powerhouse than demure first lady. The culture was changing and women in the workforce took to wearing the color red not so much to symbolize “the power of femininity”, but to shout out “the power of equality” to their male counterparts.
Throughout this Valentino remained steady and never faltered with his visions. His love of a luxurious silhouette survived through the 80’s gender-bending punk trend ( which he basically found beyond distasteful), and as the 90’s were ushered in with the monochromatic pales of Calvin Klein (sound familiar) and the grunge inspired street wear of Marc Jacobs all the rage… his red dress remained.
Now with the return of elegance once again at the height of fashion, Valentino seems to be ending his career very much where he started it, some 45 years earlier.
But does this mark the end of the Valentino “red dress”?
No doubt the label will go on, already Alessandra Facchinetti formally of Gucci, has been named as Valentino’s women’s collection successor.
But will the timeless, elegance forever associated with the label remain?
In a business where constant evolution is seen as good, Valentino always held strong to his simple belief that a women should be dressed elegantly at all times- he was even often heard bashing other designers whose over-the-top designs drew attention, but left the customer with little to wear.
And what about the iconic red dress? The “look” we always knew would show up at some point each season? Will it remain?
Well fashion is a fickle place, and those who drive it are often more interested in creating the next great trend than keeping alive an iconic classic. I suppose we will just have to wait and see… and keep our “rosso valentino” fingertips crossed!
Photo credits:
- Photo of “Valentino Retrospective” Jason Schmidt, New York Times
- Runway photo, getty images
- Vintage Valentino from historyoffashion.com
- Book cover image from amazon.com
- Couture 2008 photo from style.com
- Valentino with red dresses from madeinitaly.com
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As January comes to an end I will be saying adieu to my lovely garnet. Before I explore February’s stunner - amethyst, I want to show the beauty of my birthstone one more time in a cut that is making a big comeback.
One of my own designs featuring a cushion cut garnet
Simply put a cushion cut stone resembles an over stuffed seat cushion. It is a square with soft rounded corners. In the 18oo’s it was commonly called a “pillow” cut or “candlelit” diamond. Prior to the advent of the electric bulb, diamonds were cut for optimum brilliance in candle light.
The cushion cut is not just for diamonds. I love this cut for colorful gems. It is the perfect shape for a solitaire stone ring. A four prong setting is best for the cushion. Garnet and other dark stones work beautifully as a cushion, vibrant colors are subdued a touch by the soft shape. Pale stones like Aquamarine would also showcase exquisitely.
The unique shape of this cut was very popular after it’s discovery in the 1700’s till the early 1900’s. Cutting diamonds perfectly round had yet to be invented. Progression in stone cutting techniques resulted in intricate shapes with multiple facets allowing more sparkle and fire, leaving the cushion in the dust.
Once considered old fashion, it is now making a huge comeback. Angelina Jolie and Kate Walsh chose this cut for its unique shape and subtle beauty.
It has become a sophisticated alternative to “flashier” diamonds although I don’t know how much flashier you can get than some of the world’s most famous diamonds– the Hope Diamond, the Cullinan II and the Tiffany Yellow– all of which are cushion cut.
The Yellow Tiffany Diamond
A publicity photo of Audrey Hepburn in the 1961 film ‘Breakfast At Tiffanys’
In the photo you can see the Yellow Tiffany stone set in the “Bird on the Rock” brooch designed by the famous Tiffany jeweler Jean Schlumberger. The piece is the Tiffany Yellow’s most well-known setting, and is the setting it remains in to this day.
The Hope Diamond
The world’s largest deep blue diamond is more than a billion years old.
A record breaking discovery on January 26 1905 in a South African mine yielded a breathtaking 3,106 carat diamond. The owner of the mine; Sir Thomas Cullinan had it cut into nine famous stones.
Three being the “Cullinan” cushions. The Cullinan #2 weighs in at 317.40 carats! A huge, gorgeous rock residing in the Imperial State Crown of Great Britain. The Cullinan #4 is a 63.60 carat beauty happily perched in Queen Mary’s crown. #8 is 6.80 carats [not too shabby] and is the center of a brooch worn on occasion by Queen Elizabeth.
The Cullinan II Diamond
Note the two tiny platinum loops on the edges. This is so the stone can be worn as a brooch, alone or with the Cullinan I attached. However, it usually resides in the front of the Imperial State Crown.
Remember the saying “size doesn’t matter”. Hmmm, we may all scratch our heads about that one however regardless of the size a beautiful cushion cut stone is a wonderful addition to your jewel box.
So be your own queen of the castle and consider this modern classic for an engagement ring, over sized cocktail ring or take Angelina Jolie’s cue and wear them as stud earrings.
The cushion cut style isn’t going out of fashion this time around. Once again old is new.
Resources:
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What do you get when you cross learning about inspirational fashion, writing comments on style and escaping from reality inside the hallowed walls of the Metropolitan Museum of Art?
Three of my all time favorite things wrapped up into one fabulous experience!
The latest (brilliant) exhibit from the Costume Institute: “blog.mode; addressing fashion“
“The exhibition presents some forty costumes and accessories dating from the eighteenth century to the present—all recent Metropolitan Museum acquisitions—and invites visitors to share their reactions via a blog on the Museum’s website”
Every day you get a fresh daily dose of fashion history, then you’re free to write your feelings about what you see or simply read what others are saying.
I have to admit I’ve spent probably more time than I should on this site over the past few weeks, but hey- why not take advantage of a free “mini course on fashion history” from my favorite museum in the world!
For added fun I like to try to guess the original year of the fashions and then think about the influence they have on today’s trends…
Today’s dress was a real surprise…
Rudi Gernreich (American, born Austria, 1922–1985). Dress, ca. 1969. Black wool jersey and silver metal zipper. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Purchase, Funds from various donors, Isabel Shults Fund, and Millia Davenport and Zipporah Fleisher Fund, 2005 (2005.261).
I would have guessed this was some early 1980’s creation… it seems so “punk rock” to me, I was shocked to discover this dress was in a collection from 1969. You just wouldn’t expect black with exposed zippers during the brightly mode dress of the day we usually associate with the late 60’s! Talk about being ahead of one’s time.
Elle Accessories Fall/winter magazine took a look a very similar looking Patrick Cox boot and Christian Louboutin Bag citing they were inspired from the 1980’s… I wonder if they’re right?
I’m a huge fan of Elsa Peretti, she must have been channeling Cleopatra when she created this belt in 1973.
Elsa Peretti (American, born Italy, 1940). Belt, 1973
Sterling silver and enamel. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Purchase, Irene Lewisohn Bequest, 2004 (2004.20)
Apparently 25 years later her vision is still in fashion, as this week’s Star magazine showcased a trend that looks very similar.
I’m always fascinated how the sillouhette of clothing have so drastically changed over the ages, it seems hard to imagine today’s man wearing this ensemble.
French Suit, 1810–12. Green silk voided velvet with yellow and ivory silk filament fleck motif and ivory silk satin piping. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Purchase, Irene Lewisohn Bequest, 2003 (2003.45a–c).
But, if Thom Browne has any influence over the future… they just might! As his Spring 2008 collection shows, in fashion- anything is possible.
I’ll be checking in with more influences and trends as I spot them during this online exhibition…
In the meantime let me know if you’ve found any!
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I had planned to be in Paris this week for Maison&Objet but decided to skip this trip when the opportunity arose for me to go India for the first time in just a few short weeks.
The business woman in me thinks it was a smart decision, and the mom in me is happy to not be feeling quilty about being away yet again but the creative soul in me doesn’t want to hear from those two…she just wants to at the show absorbing every ounce of insight and inspiration.
So rather than miss it completely I decided to sneak a peak into what was going on at the show, get inspired from afar and and share a highlight of the day.
“An encounter with designer Pierre Paulin”
For sixty years Pierre Paulin has been creating world renowned furniture, products, and interiors and even if you don’t recognize his name you’d recognize his work whether from the screen of a James Bond movie, a display at the Museum of Modern Art or in seating area at the Louvre.
The Mushroom chair is a part of the permanent collection of MOMA
The Mushroom chair was the first design Paulin constructed using covered foam over a wire frame and its unique form was considered revolutionary at the time.
The shape and colors of the Tongue chair instantly make me smile
This chair was just the first of many sculptural chairs designed by Pierre Paulin in the 60s and the one that I instantly associate with his name is the Tongue chair.
Paulin is one of the most significant French designers of the 20th century that came to notarity in the U.S. in the mid-60s.
The New York Times first reviewed this marriage of cutting-edge design and material innovation in 1967. It was love at first sight for critic Rita Reif when she wrote, “the wedding of the sinuous, brilliantly colored prints with the sculptured furniture is so successful that it is hard to imagine one without the other” (New York Times, December 6, 1967). **
This brought back thoughts of design icon Jack Lenor Larsen (who’s work I have loved since college) because many of Paulin’s pieces were covered in funky fabrics which he designed. Larsen’s collection of innovative, stretch-woven upholstery fabrics were designed to work on the curvilinear designsand set a new standard in textile design.
Artifort re-introduced Le Chat, with a slight modification in JLL’s fabric “Momentum“
These two were quite the force in the 60s and I think Artifort sums it up best, “
ust thinking about them has inspired me to get back to a little creative design project of my own but I’ll be back tomorrow to give you another glimpse into my inspiration from Maison&Objet.
Resources:
More about Pierre Paulin and Jack Lenor Larsen at Artifort
From “Happy Birthday Pierre Paulin” at frenchculture.org**
See furniture at Surroundings and Architonic
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After an invigorating day of skiing, snowboarding or other outdoor activities, snuggle up by the fireplace along with our nostalgic print to help keep you warm. The blending of aqua with soft snow whites and cocoa browns naturally evokes a fresh feeling of the outdoors within us.
I am an avid skier and love outdoor winter sports. Do you recognize me; I’m the one on the right alongside my sister and father. Winter Wonderland was inspired from old photographs of family ski trips to the Quebec Laurentian Mountains.
In the 1950’s, novelty designs became popular and were known as conversational prints. Using these types of prints throughout your decor can conjure up happy childhood memories and give a home a story. Whether you’re in the city or the country, rekindle those memories with Winter Wonderland.
Resources:
See Winter Wonderland fabric at Jaima Brown Home
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While making dinner the other night I caught the tail end of a Project Runway re-run on Bravo. To be exact it was episode #4 from Season 4, and yes I had seen the episode twice before- yet somehow I never tire of this show so I watched it yet again.
If you are equally smitten as I am with this gem of a show, you probably remember it as the “outdated trends” episode.
Jillian diligently working in her overalls- she shouldn’t have felt too ashamed though, as it appears Karl Lagerfeld is on her side of this “one minute your in, the next minute you are out” dilemma.
If you’ve never watched… a quick run down.
Nine designers, each assigned with a popular fashion trend from the last two decades, or so … trends that seem to warrant giggles, snickers and even some personal embarrassment for designer Jillian who discovers she is wearing one of these taboo outdated looks herself- denim overalls.
The designers are asked to divide themselves into teams of three ( each with a team leader) and reconfigure these “dated” once popular fashion trends into a cohesive collection of “looks” fit for a modern-day woman.
The first two times I watched the episode I was too caught up in the drama of the sewing room to really give the trends any thought but the third time around, as the designers were pleading their cases in front of the judges ( which this week included guest judge Donna Karan), I was taken aback by how many of these “dead” trends I had recently spotted while clicking through photos of the Spring 2008 collections on Style.com.
In or Out?
In the minds of the judges, Team Jillian took denim overalls to a whole new level and won the challenge…
…and for Spring 2008 Karl Lagerfeld put the “Chanel” spin on his own version of this “outdated” trend
Team Christan attempted to bring zoot suits and menswear as woman’s wear back…
…and Haider Ackermann seems to have had the same agenda.
Team Ricky was given the trends neon colors, cut-outs and underwear as outerwear- three trends I’ve just recently been writing about…
…in fact, I think Anna Sui could have been the fourth designer on their team.
And poor Chris March, his team was on the bottom this particular week and his personal attempt at breathing life back into the trend of larger than life “shoulder pad” sent him home…
…ironically Nicolas Ghesquiere’s vision of bringing fashion focus back on “shoulders” for Balenciaga has got to be the most talked about silhouette of the season.
So the questions is– “Who’s to say if a trend is in or out?” Are there any trends that you wish would stay “out” rather than come back “in”?
Resources:
Project Runway gallery photos from Bravo.com
All Spring 2008 collection photos from Style.com
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I woke up last Sunday to the gloom of dense clouds and howling winds. I tried to close my eyes and think of sunny Spanish beaches and bright Paris studios, to no avail. So, as a resourceful girl, I called up my best girlfriend and planned a trip to MOMA. Where better to see the colorful world displayed than in a museum?
The Museum of Modern Art is 7 blocks from my apartment but I hadn’t been there since their grand re-opening 2 yrs. ago (except for an exciting catering job I did for the premier of the NY Film Festival opening film “The Interpreter”).
The center of the enormous space is flooded with natural light - it actually seemed sunnier inside than outside.
We decided to see the Georges Seurat drawings first , as the exhibit was closing soon. Most of the pieces were done with black ink but WOW were the shadows and figures he created, very powerful. We both agreed that our favorites were the circus and cafe series. There were some seascape oil paintings that were lovely blues and greens - very cheery.
Then , we headed to our faves- the paintings and drawings. The first painting I see is “The Ohio Gang” by R.B. Kitaj. He gained fame in London then came back to live in NY. The yellow and orange stripes of color almost take your eyes off the bare breasted woman above a baby stroller. Something almost sinister about this painting…can’t put my finger on it.
My eyes follow the frames until I get to Picasso’s ” Les Moiselles d’Avignon.” Naked women again, but this is a celebration of life. I want to be one of those women standing before Pablo- even if it’s the wolf faced lady. His other 2 paintings “Woman Dressing Herself” and “Girl Before A Mirror” are intimate but more lively. He has taken a solitary experience of a woman’s day and glorified it with his exuberant palettes. I believe it takes a Spanish gentleman to appreciate the true beauty of all women. (Or at least a Spanish cubist living in France).
Claes Oldenburg’s “Giant Soft Fan” bring us to our Swedish sensibilities. Who else could create a giant blow up plastic fan- the fog is finally lifting.
I don’t care how many times I see Van Gogh’s Starry Night - it thrills me. The lovely swirly clouds and stars seem to be dancing in the indigo sky. It’s shocking to me that he was in an asylum , in Saint Remy France, as he painted this - I hope he got as much pleasure from it as I do.
Through another gallery and I’m back in Paris. By way of Russia , Kandinsky enters my view. He’s my dad’s favorite artist- probably because his paintings look good in every room (every color in one painting). I know that Kandinsky has very heavy themes (The Apocalypse and political unrest) but his forms are pure and easy joy.
The gleam of Constantin Brancusi’s” Mademoiselle Pognania” proves that “All that glitters is gold” or bronze. I love the shininess of this beauty. She has a cute hairdo and looks both shy and coquettish at the same time. His travels from Romania to Paris seem to have been worth it.
Salvador Dali was in Paris when he painted the 11 layered glass piece “Petit Theatre”. My eyes are fixated on the red shoe. To me , Dali is simply another sort of being. I can”t understand how he does what he does with paint - all I know is that he is proof of the Divine to me. I’d love to talk about Dali all day long….but there’s more to see. We are done with paintings.
After a brief stop for refreshments- we decide to head to the Design Area. Patrick Nortguet designed “Rainbow Chair” - very cool and rainbowy. I want to put this chair next to a bright window and stare at the colored stripes . I feel like if the designer Paul Smith made furniture , it would look like this. Tailored , colorful, and engaging.
The only thing cooler than the chair is the Capsule Lights - they look like oversized pills- very “Valley of the Dolls”.
The perfect ending to my MOMA experience is to see a shiny Airstream trailer. As a very vintage girl….I have had many dreams of driving Route 66 in one of these very American vehicles. I agree that this should be in a museum - it’s very simplicity and functionality represent the America I love ; offering a promise of possibilities. On the road of life - take time to smell the roses and take in some art. I leave MOMA oblivious to the clouds
I’m looking forward to some shows coming to the museum. Color Chart: Reinventing Color , 1950 to Today will be exhibited March 2nd - May 12th. And my favorite, Salvador Dali, will have his paintings and films available June 29th - September 15th.
Related links:
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