In Memory Of All Things

(IMO) a Fashion Meetup

2009-06-25T01:15:00.008-04:00

I attended my first "meetup" on Tuesday evening - an event where like minded individuals come together to discuss, debate, defend and denounce the topic at hand. On Tuesday evening, that topic was innovation and technology in the fashion industry.

The Fashion 2.0 Meetup is (at the moment) a once monthly gathering hosted by Yuli Ziv and held at secret location disclosed only to those selected as members. Yuli is a fashion blogger of increasing prominence. She is the co-founder and EIC of My It Things, a leading user generated fashion magazine and community; and a founding member of Style Coalition, an alliance of independent online publishers in the fashion vertical. Thankfully for all of us, Yuli is using her expansive network to help introduce entrepreneurs, the online community, and fashion ingenues in general to a wide array of industry professionals who are currently making big waves in fashion.

Tuesday's meetup brought one hundred members face to face with an impressive panel of fashion executives including Alexis Maybank, Founder, Gilt Groupe; Michael J. Smith, President and CEO, AVELLE (the new Bag Borrow or Steal); Susan Engel, CEO, Portero; and Adam Dell, Managing General Partner of Impact Venture Partners. Four of the most successful names in the online fashion market offered their view points - sometimes converging, sometimes diverging - on topics ranging from designer price points, discounting merchandise, the greying consumer, and the potential for competition in the niches they respectively dominate today.

A common thread throughout the discussion was that the current economic turbulence is a time for opportunity and action. The online consumer market is busting at the seams worldwide (pardon the bad pun). Ecommerce sites cutout the paralyzing overhead that is driving brick and mortar operations out of business, and they offer services that a traditional retail store simply cannot - there are of course limitations and downsides to both operations. Nonetheless, the numbers speak for themselves, and for anyone looking to make a name for themselves in fashion today - the Internet could, and should, be your angel.

In fact, more than that it is, quite frankly, the intelligent alternative for anyone looking to get involved in a start-up. And perhaps, as employment in corporate America continues to dwindle, this is becoming an intriguing consideration for many of us. "You have nothing to lose today," said Adam Dell. "It's not like you're walking away from the job at Merrill Lynch that you would have had last year. You've got no where to go but back to live with your parents." Depressingly honest, but sickeningly true.

Gilt, Avelle, and Portero - all first to market ventures - are introducing a younger set of consumers to the designer market, and challenging the credibility of the luxury price point. "We're hoping it leads to greater price equilibrium," espouse Alexis Maybank of the often absurd price tags on full mark-up products. With that sentiment in mind, and while acknowledging their intimidating dominance over the market, the panel both welcomed and encouraged competition. Michael Smith made the point that greater competition inevitably brings more awareness to the industry, and results in more customers spending more money. To revert to an timeworn analogy I heard far too often at business school: it is not about dividing up the pie into small pieces - it's about baking a bigger pie.

So there is room for us yet! And anyone still struggling or dreaming about making their name in fashion still has plenty of opportunity. My most recent personal favorite is Khoi Lee - a small time designer making a lot of noise thanks to her unique creative output and fashion blog Refiner29. Joining forces, scratching backs, and dropping names, the online fashion community is producing something enviable. While the behemoth department stores and designer stand-alones probably aren't going anywhere, neither is the online community, and those having the biggest impact are the ones that have found a way to work together. My personal opinion is that it is within this synergy that the greatest opportunities are to be found.

Adam Dell made the point most eloquently when he closed with:

"There is still a lot left to be built."

Ahhhhh, finally a bit of positivity!

(IMO) a Better Life Philosophy

2009-06-22T00:00:00.002-04:00

On a dreary and drizzly Sunday evening I wrapped myself in an old over sized cardigan and took myself to the movies. I think I have said it before - I am not a movie goer. I hate the scratchy seats that too many bums have imprinted, and the stench of popcorn dampened with butter... it's just really not my thing. But their is an irresistible allure to a Woody Allen movie...especially a Woody Allen movie set in New York City...that hooked me. And so, with no other plans this evening I succumbed to the urge to wonder down to the Angelika Film Center and sit anonymously in a room full of strangers to watch Whatever Works - I like to think that Mr. Allen would find this state of mind entirely appropriate for one of his films - especially this one.

Movie reviews are tricky. They inevitably give something away or at the very least create a false sense of expectation. Given this, I am going to steer a way from a review of the movie itself (although I do suggest you see it) and instead jot down what I was thinking as I left the flick.

As I strolled up Bleecker I pondered the validity of having a life plan...

I grew up with quite a strict life plan - well plans really. As I grew up the plans changed and evolved, and as it should, but the point is there was always a 'plan', a path for happiness and success. I don't think there is any problem with having a life plan, in fact I would argue that it's in many ways necessary to live a life of accomplishment. My sudden problem with my life plan is what it's composed of and how I arrived at it.

White picket fences? A six, née seven digit salary? I Brad Pitt-esque husband? Rock star status? Private schooled children? A second home in Napa? A third in The Alps? Who decided all of this anyways?

OK, my life plan is a little more elaborate than this, but the point stands that so many of us carry these perfect visions of what happiness ought to be - what we think it is - rather than going after what it really is. It all gets muddled up because what's happy for you maybe isn't so happy for me, and vice versa. In a world that looks for objectivity over relativity the idea that happiness is different for everyone can become more than a little perverted - I don't even want to think about the religious implications of this argument!

I guess the point is: Whatever Works man! For me, it was a strangely liberating notion to be able to vocalize within my own head. The idea that I can let go of all my preconceived, preordained, society-influenced ideals and find what makes me really happy...well that frees up a whole realm of possibilities that are other wise closed off, forbidden, unthinkable!

I know that these ideas and concepts have been there - available to think about and discuss long before Woody Allen came along - but it's kind of nice when someone spells it out so perfectly succinctly for you! The ironic part is Larry David lays it out quite simply in his first monologue, "this is not the feel good movie of the year," but that's exactly what it turned out to be - if your open to a slightly different interpretation!

And now for the "review" part, just take a peek at the trailer (you can turn the music off at the bottom of the page)

(IMO) Dad's are Heroes!

2009-06-21T14:39:00.012-04:00

Something really weird, and entirely unexpected happened to my father just seconds after I was born. Without warning he transformed from Clark Kent into Superman - permanently. He didn't have a snazzy suite - at first. Those would come later as I dragged him through the many floors of Canada's Harry Rosen in search of Boss, Etro, Canali and Ferragamo. He didn't have the ability to fly or the superhuman strength required to save the world from a meteorite attack, but he did have his Lois Lane and, in the moments after my birth, and least one life long fan!

how it all began...Gordo & Virginia

In his first feat of superhero activity my dad taught me the unparalleled importance of a hug. In my naive infancy I was blissfully unaware of the true power of my father's hugs. I believed them to be daily perk occurring around 6am when he left for the office, and again around 6pm when he dashed home for family dinner before returning to the office. It was not until later years that I came to understand the sanctity and safety of my father's hugs.

I was by no means a perfect child, in fact I probably offered more than my fair share of sleepless nights and unnecessary excitement. Despite the associated groundings, yellings, and arguments, at the end of they day I always knew it would be OK, and that I had not in fact been disowned by the family, once my dad wrapped his superman arms around me, kissed the top of my head, and asked me very kindly to stop having such massive "brain farts". While they certainly have not faded altogether, I would like to think they have become "less massive" in recent years.

quality time with the old man

The most super of my father's superhero abilities was an uncanny knack for being in all places at once. While garnering not unnoticeable acclaim in the business world, he simultaneously made it home to read to me nine nights out of 10, taught me how build a princess throne on wheels out of over sized lego blocks, took me sledding on winter weekends, attended every soccer came that I can remember and coached every single softball team that my sister and I ever played on - we one several championships as a result of his parental enthusiasm!

The funny thing is - at the time it was never enough. Call it love, call it adolescence, call it whatever you like. When I was in the midst of it all, it seemed like he was never around enough. But then again, I also believed that I was responsible enough to stay home alone on the weekends, grown up enough to drink vodka, and in control enough to have raging house parties. Let's just say I was not the best judge of reality while growing up.

As the years have passed, and my childhood has become startlingly more clear, I realize that my dad really was the most superhero of them all. He never lost me, he never forgot me, he never put me second, he never stopped the love - and ooooooooh did I give him reason! I don't know how many corporate Presidents, CEOs, and Chairmen can make this claim to fame - I haven't done the poll; I'm guessing not many. But I do know that my father is the one man who wins the prize for being a superhero father.

To dad. xoxo.

(IMO) Alex's Vegas Philosophy

2009-05-18T15:19:00.001-04:00

Alex is an "mmm mmm mmm" Frenchie. Girls all over Vegas have swooned for his French accent, and the competition only makes him hotter - and he knows it.

"Frick! Where are we going?

I do everything that I want here. The priority is booze - but fun over anything else. Fun can involve anything - besides pretension, drama and cries - keep that out of Vegas. Joy and smiles...that's the only thing we should look for. Keeping it simple brings you a long way - even in Vegas. Just be yourself.

That's actually pretty good for a drunk little boy like myself at 3am in the morning."

(IMO) Jess's Vegas Philosophy

2009-05-18T14:37:00.003-04:00

"This is exactly what my father warned me about."

(mum stop reading)

These are the favorite words of one of our most favorite femmes. Vegas so often turns into a parent's worst nightmare - and yet we keep going. Dancing on a bar "On The Moon" we were reminded of this sacred warning from fathers everywhere. And yet, and yet...

Two hours later - on to the after hours clubs.

Safe and sound. xx

(IMO) Stu's Vegas Philosophy

2009-05-15T19:50:00.001-04:00

Stu is Sydney's hot Aussie boyfriend. Judging by the way they met, and they way he's lived his life since, I'd say he has one of the most carefree life philosophies on earth. So what happens when he shows up in Vegas? How will he live his Vegas life?

Stu:

Basically my Vegas philosophy is: you have to get dressed up. My aim is to get back to where I was - which is: 'look at me'. Let's try to be someone who is fucking unbelievable. I'll dress up in a suit, I'll do anything. Be who you are, and then classy up who you are. But you're never going to be able to change who you are.

(IMO) Sydney's Vegas Philosophy

2009-05-15T14:33:00.001-04:00

Sydney is one of my besties - and the ultimate person to show up in Vegas with. Her life philosophies never cease to shock, awe, amaze and impress me... Therefore, I was naturally curious as to her Vegas Philosophy.

Sydney:

"You can be whoever you want to be in Vegas. There is a dress I could never wear in Calgary, in Canada for that matter, that I brought for Vegas. And I'll never wear a again. It's tight, it's fabulous, it's gold. When you're out in Vegas it's not reality. I'm a fucking Millionaire here, and there are no boundaries.

xoxo - Syd

(IMO) Vegas Philosophies

2009-05-15T11:14:00.001-04:00

This weekend I am in Vegas and I decided to blog about the trip in a new format - hence the Vegas Philosophies was born.

The Vegas Philosophies chronicle the outlandish belief systems that develop in the temporary weekend residents of Vegas Town. I'm talking to all sorts of characters to give you an idea of what people really think about life when they come to Vegas.

They are one's personal philosophy of going out, dressing up, and getting down - Vegas style.

(IMO) When Anna Wintour Talks, You Listen

2009-05-12T22:08:00.040-04:00

I can think of no better way to end my final year of university at Parsons than to listen to an interview/lecture with the industry's ruling monarch: Anna Wintour. And so it was I came to hear her thoughts on where our little fashion industry is headed on this economic roller coaster.

Because it was not until I read New York Magazine's tiny placement for this hugely exciting event at the back of last week's issue (it takes me a week just to get that far through) I was forced to line up for stand-by tickets at the 92d Street Y two and a half hours before the show began. I waited with despair as the only two girls ahead of me received cancellation tickets, and with a mere ten minutes to go before start time, I seriously began to question the viability of this plan. But as the cliché goes, "good things happen to good people", and since I recycle every week, finish all my homework on time, and hold the door open for others, a good thing happened. Mme. Anonymous walked up and handed me a free ticket... apparently her friend had bailed on her, and I got to reap the benefits!

I gleefully cozied into my seat, pen in had, ready to listen intently to everything the wise voices of Jonathan Tisch and Anna Wintour had to say.

The discussion began with brief introductions and a robust round of applause for the evening's guest of honor. JT began with a simple question: "What does the fashion industry mean to you?" AW began her reply by stating that there are a multitude of meanings, but she had not even finished her first sentence before a rowdy group of PETA demonstrators leaped up, threw a massive banner over the balcony, and started ranting on Anna's poor track record with fur covered beasts before breaking into the chant "fur shame, fur shame, fur shame." The crowd was more than a touch taken aback, and it took us several seconds before we rebounded. Someone yelled, "I love you Anna," and the rest of us broke into a thundering applause that drowned out the ridiculous chants of PETA before they were hauled out of the event.

I respect PETA's beliefs and their cause, but seriously, the lady was not even wearing fur! It all came off as silly and juvenile.

Regardless, I have to say that this was immensely exciting for me - my first PETA demonstration...it's like a rite of passage in the fashion industry. You're not truly fabulous until someone tries to douse your fur coat in paint as you step out of a show during fashion week. Poor Carine Roitfeld felt the full brunt of that last February when she was attacked by PETA protesters outside Jean Paul Gaultier's show at Paris Fashion Week.

The audience once again turned to the stage, wondering how the venerable Anna Wintour would respond. "As I was saying, fashion means different things to different people." The entire room shook with laughter in their Christian Louboutins, and A Dubs came off the classy and polished victor of that battle.

The evening continued without interruption, and the discussion was wholly inspiring. This is a lady who decided what she wanted very young, and without any sort of a formal university education, has climbed to the top of her league. She has worked in the industry almost her whole life - more than 20 of those as Editor in Chief at Vogue. She has taken a path separate from her parent's, despite their connections in the industry - her father was at one time the editor of the Evening Standard in the UK.

I've included a quick recap of some of my favorite comments.
*Not all of this is direct quotes, but it does offer a concise recap of what transpired.

JT: How do you maintain the Vogue brand
AW: I like to quote Ralph Lauren when this question comes up. 'I want the brand to be like Nike, like Coke. Not too hot, not too cold. I just want to be there.' Although we are a leader in the industry, we do not want to be too far ahead or we will lose our readers.

JT: What skill set do you look for in the people you hire today?
AW: I hire on instincts. Someone I would want to hang out with, and someone who will disagree with me - not "yes" people. I am looking for people that can offer something that I can't offer myself.

Like what? The lady knows and does everything! But it is nice to see that a backbone does in fact get you somewhere in this industry - although I imagine it better damn well be a polite backbone!

JT: How do you keep Vogue fresh?
AW: Despite the economic times, it is important that we don't turn into recession weekly [more laughs]. But we do focus on what's going on now. We are more focused on the cost of the items we use in the magazine. I now ask the price of every outfit that comes in. Editors are surprised by how pricey a little sequined dress by an unnamed designer can be. Chances are we won't use that $25,000 dress this time around.

JT: How will retailers fare going forward? Will we see the same deep discounts that we did last fall?
AW: Like many business owners, I think that retailers got scared and they panicked. I don't think that the industry will return to the same panic situation in future seasons. We are actually working with the Mayor on a program to bring customers back into the stores. We are announcing it next week so I can't talk about the details today.

oooohhhh!!!! Secret plans with Mayor Bloomberg! Do you think we'll all get $100 to spend on new shoes? Stay tuned for all the juicy details next week. WWD seams to be on top of the news - at least via their twitter updates.

JT: How do you feel about the move from Bryant Park to Lincoln Center for NY Fashion Week?
AW: There is a sense today that there are too many fashion shows during fashion week. Bryant Park ran its course and it didn't want us anymore. It became too small. With all the restoration going on at Lincoln Center, it is going to be perfect.

I unquestioningly agree. The industry has finally grown to be recognized as an art form in New york, and it is time that we treat it as such. The Lincoln Center adds a distinction to the week that was not present at Bryant Park.

JT: On the Met Gala and the Model as Muse Exhibit. Will we see more models on the cover of Vogue?
AW: I give immense congratulations to Harold Koda and Andrew Bolton, the curators at the MET Costume Institute. They did an incredible job. Who knows what the future holds; we certainly have a model on the next issue.

Vogue's last issue had a sprawling cover with many of today's top models. How could they not continue the trend??? The magazine must support the exhibit they helped to create!

JT: With the economy, is the business side, the numbers, becoming more involved in the publishing side?
AW: This is why Condé Nast is an incredible company to work for. Regardless of what is going on in the economy, we never have any editorial pressure from the business side. There is no pressure to be nice to the advertisers so that we don't upset them. There is no quid pro quo.

And as it should be. It is hard enough for young designers to make it in this industry without competing against the deep pockets of Vogue's biggest advertisers. Let's hope that this recognition and commitment to editorial integrity remains a corner stone of the Condé Nast Philosophy

JT: Why did you decide to put the First Lady on the cover of Vogue so soon into her time at the White House?
AW: Make no mistake, it was Michelle who 'decided' to be on the cover of Vogue. Vogue has actually been following Michelle Obama for quite a while. We profiled her in the September issue 2 years ago. The Obama's captured the fashion industry because they are the first administration in quite some time to accept the industry; to understand the industry & embrace the industry. Michelle shows that you can be a strong, working woman without wearing a paper bag.

Amen. And I think the pairing makes perfect sense. Vogue is out there to support and enhance the fashion industry and no one is doing that better that our current First Lady. Fashion match made in heaven!

JT: What does fashion mean to New york?
AW: New York is the center of Fashion for the United States. New Yorkers are amused by fashion, they love fashion, and they are fashion savvy. Fashion people come together in NYC like nowhere else. Seventh on Sale for AIDS/HIV awareness brought the whole industry together in New York. The first year Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, Donna Karen - they were all out there actually selling the clothes. It is not seen outside New York. It is touching and hard to describe.

JT: Who would you like to spend more time with? Who would you invite to your next dinner party?
AW: I would like to spend more time with Ambassador Rice. I think she is an interesting and intelligent woman.

JT: Do you ever think of tackling other things in the future?
AW: Usually I'm just thinking about the next day. I'm very lucky, I think I have the best job in the world. To tell you the truth, I don't think I'd be very good at anything else.

Well, I think we all disagree with that, but there is no doubt that Anna Wintour has the best job in the world...at least the fashion world.

JT: When you look back, what look, style icon or cover best describes your time at Vogue?
AW: I love the first cover I did at Vogue. It was with a model named Michaela, and she was in a Christian Lacroix t-shirt with a cross on it. We paired it with Guess blue jeans. It was a three-quarter length shot which was rare because we used to do just close frame head shots. So that was really marking a change. That is my favorite cover.

I love that from the outset Anna Wintour has not hesitated in changing and evolving industry standards. It is a sweet anecdote, but there is something more to take away from that.

JT: Is there still a future and a career in the fashion industry?
AW: Absolutely. Fashion is an important, vibrant industry, and when we all come together we can create change. Fashion has a bright future!

So the moral of this whole fashion story: don't give up if this is what you want to do!

And on that happy note we end.

(IMO) Mother's Day

2009-05-10T10:00:00.002-04:00

My mum's style is in her smile. It's never really mattered what she put on - she's always been radiant in simplicity accessorized with a smile. Although her closet has historically trended towards classic and functional, I like to reflect how my obsession with the fashion industry has opened the realm of possibility for her. Over the years she's become comfortable with skinny jeans, sheer tunics, leather leggings, exposed zippers and oversized sunglasses... all items she swore she could never wear when they first appeared (or should I say reappeared) on store shelves and magazine pages. Nonetheless, you could strip away her adopted fashionista persona, and you'd still be left with the most beautiful woman I know. Keep smiling Momma!!!

As I reminisced my life with mum, and perused a selection of old & new photos I found several that I had to share. Happy Mother's Day Mum xoxo.

I love this picture because it is so representative of my mum and I. Twenty years later and we still sit on steps, sidewalk curbs, café patios, hardwood floors, step ladders, benches and sandy beaches... anywhere convenient at the moment for a good heart to heart chat. She has always taken an intent interest in my little show & tell sessions.

This picture is a sentimental favorite because it is one of the few pictures I have of me, my mum, and her mum... plus lots of the other people we love! It was a really happy family trip - and this is one of the few thankful moments where my mother had the good sense to refrain from dressing my sister and I as twins. I guess it was just easier to buy two of the same thing than look for different outfits...

As we grow up and become consumed with life's hardships and everyday stresses it is often harder to be spontaneously silly. This picture captures, in photographic permanence, that silly mood that sneaks out of my parents every so often. I can usually induce the same effect by poking my mum in the side where I know she is most ticklish, or during any of the now rare times that the whole family gets together. Additionally - that is a graphic print skirt I would lust over today, And had my mum not divested herself of 90% of her original wardrobe...

This is one of my favorite pictures ever taken of my mum and I - not because either of us look particularly glam, but because of the massive feat which it commemorates. While feeling restless and adventurous on a trip to Southern Italy we decided to take a hike along a beautiful Positano coastline. After 21 years of life with my mum, it was not until we reached a narrow pathway along a ridge about a foot wide that I truly understood my mother's fear of heights. Mean as it is, it still makes me laugh to think of her crawling across this ridge with tears cascading down her cheeks - too far in to turn back, too far to go to the end. No one but my mum could have made crawling along a ledge in a skirt look glamorous - minus the tears, she could have been a model á la the fearless Dovima!

This picture proves everything I said before... simplicity accessorized with a smile! My mum is a beautiful lady.

(IMO) 2009 CFDA Nominees

2009-05-09T18:26:00.024-04:00

The CFDA has pulled back the curtains and revealed the incredible set of deserving nominees for this years Fashion Awards (Read: Oscars of Fashion). I have my own personal favorites for whom I will keep my fingers crossed, but regardless of the outcome several phenomenal designers will be recognized. The CFDA Fashion Awards are sponsored by Swarovski, and will take place June 15 at Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center.

Drum roll please... and the nominees are:

Womenswear Designer of the Year:
Marc Jacobs
Narciso Rodriguez
Laura and Kate Mulleavy for Rodarte

***I hate to play favorites in this group, but the Rodarte sisters so completely deserve this one***
image courtesy of style.com

Menswear Designer of the Year:
Italo Zucchelli for Calvin Klein Collection
Michael Bastian
Scott Sternberg for Band of Outsiders

***My heart lies with Italo Zucchelli this year - Calvin Klein was a win all round this season***
image courtesy of men.style.com

Accessory Designer of the Year:
Marc Jacobs
Vera Wang
Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez for Proenza Schouler

***Have to go with the Proenza Schouler Duo***
image courtesy of proenzaschouler.com

Swarovski Award for Womenswear:
Thakoon Panichgul
Alexander Wang
Jason Wu

***I'm so entirely biased here because I had the opportunity to speak with the talented Jason Wu last month, and I adore him even more than his designs!!!***
images courtesy of style.com

Swarovski Award for Menswear:
Patrick Ervell
Robert Geller
Tim Hamilton

***Love what Patrick Ervell did for Spring and Fall 2009***
image courtesy of men.style.com

Swarovski Award for Accessory Design:
Albertus Q. Swanepoel
Alejandro Ingelmo
Justin Guinta for Subversive Jewelry

***With all the fuss over hats this year - spawned largely from Aretha Franklin's Inaugural chapeau - my vote has to go to Albertus Swanepoel***
image courtesy of albertusswanepoel.com

(IMO) The Model As Muse: Embodying Fashion

2009-05-08T20:11:00.023-04:00

On Wednesday morning the MET opened its doors to a throng of people itching to see the Costume Institute's latest exhibit: Model As Muse. The exhibit, sponsored by the magnanimous Marc Jacobs and Condé Nast, and curated by fashion scholars Harold Koda and Kohle Yohannan, has been crowed ever since, and this morning I made my grand entrance... jaw firmly dropped to floor.

The exhibit explores multiple mediums to relay the beauty, relevance, and influence that iconic models of the last 50 years have had on the societies that adored them. Examining major players in the profession from 1947 - 1997, the MET used fashion's most famous photography; panel displays of Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, and Time Magazine from every era; stunning mannequin installations designed with help from multi-medium artist Julien d'Ys; and video clips such as William Klein’s “Qui êtes-vous, Polly Maggoo?” staring it-girl of the 60s Dorothy McGowan.

For lovers of fashion, beauty, and the illustrious world of modeling, this exhibit will be an obvious destination. But for those who have long despised the exclusive and overly airbrushed inner circle, the exhibit may serve to offer you a different perspective. As much as the Costume Institute seeks to glorify supermodels in all their envied perfection, it also reaches to explain the hugely influential impact theses woman have had on their respective decades... indeed, across decades for those captivating enough to mesmerize, multiple generations. Can we say "The Trinity"?

Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista, Tatjana Patitz, Christy Turlington, and Cindy Crawford in Giorgio di Sant'Angelo
Photographed for Vogue British, January 1990 by Peter Lindbergh
image courtesy of the MET

Take, for instance, the explanation proffered by Harold Koda,

"We look at the power of clothing, fashion photography, and the model to project the look of an era. With a mere gesture, a truly stellar model can sum up the attitude of her time – becoming not only a muse to designers or photographers, but a muse to a generation."
- Harold Koda

If you are having a hard time imagining a woman who could hold this sort of power...especially one as supposedly vapid as a supermodel... just think of Twiggy and Kate Moss, two women who were initially dismissed by the world of fashion for their various "flaws", and who have since become house hold names worldwide. Their success has launched them to an elevated platform, and these two, undoubtedly savvy business women, have gone on to take much broader roles in their profession, and in our lives. When Twiggy landed on North American soil for the first time she was greeted with presidential grandeur. From the first, people coveted her look, and now in retrospect, we can clearly see the divide where a new era began with her arrival. Although admittedly a smaller scale, was it so different an atmosphere when hundreds of men and women lined up for Kate Moss' symbolic cutting of the Topshop ribbon last month in New York? These are obviously women whose presence means something to us.

Twiggy in Yves Saint Laurent Photographed for Vogue, 1967 by Bert Stern
and Kate Moss Photographed by Peter Lindbergh

Models have served to altogether change the fashionable silhouette, as was with Dorian Leigh, Dovima, and Suzy Parker for Dior's "New Look" in 1947. Curved shoulders and exposed clavicles introduced a brand new era for fashion.

Dovima with the elephants in Dior
Photographed for Harper's Bazaar, September 1955 by Richard Avedon

Models have altogether altered the aesthetic of beauty, redefining what we perceive to be beautiful and ushering in an increasingly global understanding of beauty. Donyale Luna was the first black model to appear on the cover of British Vogue in 1964.

Donyale Luna in Paco Rabanne
Photographed for Vogue, 1966 by Guy Bourdin

Models such as Lisa Taylor and Rene Russon, and Christy Brinkely heralded the proclamation of progressive social politics for women during the 70s in the wake of the Vietnam War and throughout a financial recession that haunted the decade.

Lisa Taylor in Calvin Klein
Photographed for Vogue, May 1975 by Helmut Newton

And finally we had the Supermodels: the women who are lauded as much for their "pronounced individuality", as for their stunning physical features. These women lived, and do live, strong public lives that epitomized the dreams and fantasies of the 80s. Naomi, Christy, Linda, Kate, and a handful of select others lived lives, at least in print and on the catwalk, that left a distinct impression on the psyche of more than one generation.

Christy Turlington & Linda Evangelista in Karl Lagerfeld
Photographed for Vogue, April 1990 by Patrck Demarchelier

The power and influence of the model-set has ebbed and flowed throughout history. At times they have reached meteoric heights, and during others they have been all but eclipsed by the celebrity of Hollywood. But these women are an integral part of the history, and the future, of a multi-billion dollar industry loved by many. Their place in Fashion deserves to be commemorated, and the partnerships that have brought this exhibit to life have done an model job.

Model As Muse: Embodying Fashion is on display at the MET from now through August 9, 2009.

Apologies

2009-05-08T16:32:00.003-04:00

Bonjour Friends...

So there has been a bit of a time lag since my last post. Time flies when you're... too busy too type!...Happy, but busy!

I've been working on post-grad finals, the endless job hunt, a sparse string of interviews, a bit of travel, and freelance PR on the Mrs. O Style Book... much more to come on the Michelle Obama project! With all that, 'In Memory Of All Things' was briefly derailed as I was succumbed to the black hole of stress.

After a heart felt re-evaluation of my successful life path (merci beaucoup momma) I am ready to rejoin the blogging world and continue to spread my love of...well...all things!

Thanks for your support!

xoxo

Virginia

(IMO) a Raining Birthday

2009-04-23T01:06:00.013-04:00

Yes, it did rain on my birthday, but please don't take this so literally.

One year ago (almost exactly - the 21st of April, 2008) I went to see Sara Bareilles in concert in Toronto. It was an early birthday present from several amazing friends. I adore Sara Bareilles, but to me, she ended up being an entirely secondary performance to the band that introduced her... Raining Jane.

Does it sound cheesy if I say that their music affected the way I think about life? Probably, but c'est la vie. I walked into the venue as Raining Jane was playing their first song... 'Clementine'. My heart beat slowed, my jaw visibly dropped, and I felt that I finally had a counterpart in life's experience. Despite an undying love for music, a song had never touched my heart so completely. They continued with an incredible set, but I have carried that single song with me for a year.

Clementine.wma - Raining Jane

you can turn off my blog music at the bottom of the page

To put it all into context, I heard Raining Jane for the first time during one of life's all time greatest lows... a time when certain suspects deserved the full wrath of hell...please pardon the violence of my words. I've since let go...all smiles.

I guess I'll never know if it was timing or pure talent that has tied me to Raining Jane...I tend towards the latter. The fact is that there is no where else I would rather celebrate the start of my new year. As such, it was with an irrational degree of excitement that I discovered they would be playing in NYC on my birthday this year.

My wicked cool music aficionado friend, David Chaitt, secured front row seats at the Living Room, a très intimate venue on the LES. We settled in early, ordered Brooklyn Lager, and prepared for the best...we were given even better. It was an incredible performance - despite the noticeable lack of 'Clementine'. If you have a chance to see Raining Jane in their cross-country Spring Tour, see them, see them, see them...please just see them.

I know that music is subjective...they may not change your life...you may not love them like I do. But I promise Raining Jane is worth a very thorough listen...even the ever critical Mr. Chaitt thoroughly agreed!

I turned 24 as the exact person that I want to be... a budding career, sensational friends, a family that never quits, a gorgeous Marchesa dress, and the best music NY had to offer! Merci to all those who wished me luck on year 24.

(IMO) Birthday Girl

2009-04-22T12:01:00.001-04:00

24 years ago I had the good fortune of greeting the world with a smile that has only sometimes faded... I may have been crying my eyes out, but I know I was smiling on the inside.

The Roots are helping me ring in my birthday this year... in the sense that they are providing the theme song... I know I'm not turning 18...or 21...but I am the Birthday Girl!

16 Birthday Girl (Bonus Track).wma - the roots

turn off my blog music at the bottom of the page!

Purple Dragon Adventure

2009-04-19T06:15:00.019-04:00

For the past three months I have had the privilege of using Glasgow, Scotland as my hub to get out into the vast and beautiful wonders of Western Europe. Among my great adventures has been Barcelona, Spain...a place whose culture cannot be completely understood in the four days I had to take it all in. Sure, Gaudi pervades the city, capturing the Gothic quarter and stretching to the infamous 'La Sagrada Familia'. And yes, the Picasso museum is a "must see" for any tourist. But, Barcelona has a much more vast and complicated artistic culture, and as I navigated my rented purple cruiser bike past the traditional tourist hot-spots, I found it wrapped up in the form of graffiti and grub.

To explore the narrow cobble-stoned backstreets of Barcelona is to literally walk in the canvas of thousands of artists, each one rivaling the next in talent and style. The graffiti culture of Barcelona stains hundreds of stoned alley-ways and smothers every shop-keeper's door, but it serves only to add beauty to the city through explosive colour and deep expressiveness...something I felt completely immersed in while riding my old-school cruiser (or the 'purple dragon' as I fondly referred to it) through the graffiti headquarters of 'old-town'.

As I took the dragon in search of what other hidden gems Barcelona had to offer, I was surprised and delighted to find the colours of the graffiti artists mimicked so beautifully in a food market entitled 'La Boqueria'. Looking for an imperfect piece of fruit in this place would be to condemn yourself to a 'needle in a haystack' mission. The colours I found here were so perfect, they might as well have come from the spray cans of the graffiti masters...or perhaps the colours of their spray cans were simply splotches of the pure strawberry-reds and mango-oranges within the market. Standing among the rich colours, the intoxicating smells, and the comforting sounds, it was hard to discern one from the other.

the market felt like an enveloping labyrinth of beauty and wonder, truly rivaling what most tourists find in the typical guidebook top 10's. But isn't that what an adventure is about...searching for the wonders that are capable of producing an inspiring and beautiful memory for those who experience them? And now, with the purple dragon returned and my bags packed for Glasgow, it is only the memory I have to fuel the inspiration that Barcelona created.

(IMO) graffiti sound bites

2009-04-18T21:42:00.019-04:00

When it comes to personal expression I am an immense advocate two elements:

(a) saying what's on your mind...an admittedly difficult task considering the scrutiny placed on off-handed comments these days.
(b) soundbites...give me a catchy saying and I will run with it to the end...into the ground...to my death... (just kidding - xoxo Ian Borak)

A selection of my personal favorites include, but are by no means limited to:

"We're lucky I don't have a real life." - the audacious Johanna Vos on why she has an abundance of time on her hands to do cool random s***.

"If you love someone you let them know, and all the rest is details." - Andrew Francis, founder of LOLA and the man who is going to change all our lives.

"My parents are having a party right now and they're downstairs drinking scotch like it's their job." - Christy Gonis, my best-best friend on the realization that our parents live far cooler lives than we do.

"This dress is worth more than your life." - NY PR girl (who shall go unnamed) to a bartender at a dive bar on the LES... moments later her dress was doused in tomato juice from the bar spout.

"red yellow blue red red blue blue red yellow blue" - Sydney Dundas reminiscing on the better days when our hours were filled with the joy of Rock Band... "Jordan MacKenzie I miss your voice."

"Fact: I just faked an orgasm to make it to my tanning appointment on time. " - OK, despite my deepest desires, this one should probably go unnamed as well.

"If you are unkind, you do not have enough money to be here." - The Marquee Room (Calgay, AB) 'Standard Policy'.

Given my propensity for collecting the above quotes in my little black book of memories, it should come as no surprise that I was also drawn to such sentiments displayed in graffiti around Brooklyn town. While I love the 'in your face' honesty, and genuine sentiment expressed in the below...mostly they are just really amusing.

all images courtesy of me & my canon

(IMO) the Survival of Personal Style

2009-04-16T01:09:00.003-04:00

A couple of my recent posts have touched on the notion of personal style. And you have to wonder, what does it mean to have a unique style identity in the vapid sea of commercial 'fashion' that overwhelms the sales floors today? Some people question if establishing a personal identity is even possible anymore.

There are a lot of very cool people out there who claim an independent fashion identity, but who inevitably fall into some readily defined classification. Is it fair? Probably not all the time, but the sad truth is that more often then not we all end up looking alike.

Well there is hope - and the little lady of Sea of Shoes is here to prove it.

Jane Aldridge proves the a true style identity gets crazy shout-outs from all sorts of characters that appreciate both her aesthetic look, and her dedication to rocking it in her own way.

And is there a single pair of shoes on her wall(s) that we're not lusting after??? No. No, definitely not.

(IMO) Note to Self: No bleach on silk

2009-04-14T04:07:00.005-04:00

Damn.

Potentially ground shaking, spirit lifting, life altering interview tomorrow... well, today. It's 4:15am.

In preparation for what is definitely going to be a tough morning, I tried to lay out the perfect interview outfit prior to introducing head to pillow.

PERFECT item: Vintage sheer silk cream blouse, never been worn - by me at least. But obviously I've been procrastinating, and neglected to remove the small mascara stain that I got on it the last time I tried to pull it on while simultaneously doing my make-up in preparation for a show at the tents... during NY Fashion Week...in February...over two months ago...damn.

NOT so perfect solution: I figured a small, diluted pass with bleach (the only thing under my sink) would remove the stain with out damaging the garment. I knew it was wrong before I did it, I knew it was wrong while I was doing it, and I definitely knew it was wrong after I did it. Damn.

To tired to decide what's worse: a small black mascara stain, or a larger, more opaque bleach stain...and can I still wear it?

UPDATE: Wore the shirt, looked terrific, blew the interview anyways... *long sigh*

(IMO) Bloody Talented People

2009-04-13T20:55:00.011-04:00

No lies - Takeuchi Taijin is one talented artist. The subject matter may not match my immediate interests; (although who doesn't love to chase a pig around town?) but, it is clear that this takes real talent... Je suis une fan!

I'm thinking I'd like Takeuchi to produce a video presentation for my first fashion collection a la Gareth Pugh and Halston... only better...stop motion better!

(IMO) Great Designs...pt. 1

2009-04-13T13:30:00.010-04:00

There are too many options out there today - in every category - to ignore the overwhelming importance of design. Period. Stop.

What? You need more??? Well I suppose I can elaborate...

Back in the day, when Henry Ford built the first car in the US, he could get away with his famous assertion: "Any customer can have a car painted any colour that he wants so long as it is black." If you think Ford to could get away with this maxim today, you probably also believe that fairies deliver your daily mail. Hell, Ford offers a whole multitude of colors today and they are still sinking under the weight of foreign competition... although it deserves to be pointed out that they are faring far better than their domestic counterparts: GM and Chrysler. It must be all the colors.

Clearly great design is more complex than an array of color choices, but I hope my example elucidates my point... or at the very least provides a spot of humor.

My first exploration into the arena of "great design" was inspired by one of my favorite activities: shopping (shocker). I know that it is typically 'what's in the bag that counts' but I am almost as obsessed with shopping bags themselves as I am with the precious cargo that they carry. My ex-roommate can attest to my fascination because I used to hang my favorite shopping attachés on our living room walls in a montage that I commonly referred to as modern art. (As a novice artist, I'm not sure she ever really embraced this definition of art.)

My very favorite shopping tote was from Des Filles a la Vanille in Paris... it was embossed with silver angels and had thick silky rope handles...truly a work of art in my mind. I have a whole host of other specimens, but my favorite ones typically seam to come from my shopping trips abroad... North Americans have simply not yet embraced shopping bag art! This hypothesis was confirmed when I came across a recent posting on Toxel that covered "Clever and Creative Shopping Bag Designs". Clearly this was written just for me!

My absolute favorites are pictured below, but be sure to check out Toxel for the full array of spectacular examples...

from left to right...

YKM (Turkey), Panadol (China), Karl Lagerfeld (Paris)

Leo Burnette Agency (Lisbon)

all images courtesy of toxel.com

(IMO) Topshop Style Advisors

2009-04-12T17:16:00.008-04:00

The New York Times would like us to meet ten of Topshop's beloved style advisors - all while Eric Wilson tries to clear up any quandaries you might have had about why Topshop seems to be taking over the minds & wardrobes of a very certain demographic of NY Fashionites...

"So much about the Topshop phenomenon — the mania is new to Manhattan but well established in England — is predicated on the company’s ability to cast itself as less a store than a service station for style, with its own spokesmodel, the Kate Moss Factory for Fast Fashion."

photos courtesy of the NYT

Selling clothes by propagating a distinct style is nothing new to the industry. Predecessors range from American Apparel to Alexander Wang to Rick Owens. Most successful designers or retailers have garnered their reputation through an identifiable aesthetic.

While great style is evident across the Topshop team, I think Blackbook nailed it with their comments on the question of 'personal style'.

"While each advisor is attractive, thin, and showcases a certain amount of individual style, there is an evident method to their aesthetic madness: lots of layers topped off with a belt to emphasize their slim figures. In other words, all of the above serves to suggest that Topshop’s style can most definitely be boiled down to a science."

But then again that's why we love it! Its a style and a look that we've been craving in New York since word of Topshop first landed on our shores... after all, there is a reason for the lines and all the hype. Regardless, they are the nicest fast fashion sales team I've experienced this side of the pond - so I say, "advise away!"

(IMO) the Rat Pack

2009-04-12T17:01:00.002-04:00

I had delicious cocktail after delicious cocktail with m'ami the lovely Figi this weekend at the Flatiron Lounge. I had never been before, but now that I have, I would definitely go again.

They don't discriminate between gin drinkers, vodka fanatics, wine lovers or those with a penchant for beer... celebrated cocktail stylist Julie Reiner put a little something for everyone on the menu. My personal recommendation is the Marquis Especial - a bubbly treat with a strawberry flare, and finished with a twist of lemon to add a little edge. Yum!

The atmosphere constitutes a post prohibition throwback that references the later days of the Rat Pack & the golden era of jazz. It's reflected in the art deco interior, the softly flowing tunes that make you look over your shoulder for the band, and the splendidly authentic bar man uniforms. One more cocktail and I'd be ready to throw on my flapper dress and walk straight into the waiting arms of Dean Martin.

Dress is fashion casual - you'll feel as comfortable in skinny jeans and an oversized sweater (à la Figi) as you do in your new Topshop sequin dress and fringed vest... chances are your office dress code will get you in just fine post a long day at the office. We felt totally content nabbing up a great table around six with the rest of the anti-Easter crowd, but the Flatiron Lounge really lit up after 7:30 - 8 (yes, we were there for several hours).

Slip into one of the plush velvet chairs at 37 West 19th Street and order me a champagne cocktail. Dean and I will meet you there!

(IMO) NY Social Experiments

2009-04-11T20:32:00.008-04:00

An acquaintance of mine is moving to New York this summer. She has never lived in the city before - in fact she has never lived in any city as big as New York before. She is, understandably, more than a little nervous at the prospect. In one of her emails she wrote:

"Got any tips for before I move down? I hear women are bitchy."

In response, I was more than a little offended. I love this city, and more than that, I love New Yorkers. I felt an innate reaction to protect our reputation and set this lady straight!

"Who told you that?" I demanded. "They've clearly never lived here before. That's just f***ing stupid," I declared... perhaps a bit forceful, but someone was talking smack about my town! I don't really understand why people carry this negative perception of New Yorkers. I think every city, town, and village commune has it's share of less than pleasant characters, but the people - and women in particular - of NYC are some of the nicest, most fashionably clad city dwellers out there.

I am lucky enough to know this from personal experience, but for anyone who has concerns about visiting or living in NYC, I share Kacie Kinzer's story of the Tweenbots with you.

Kacie Kinzer is a New Yorker who pondered the willingness of other New Yorkers to help a vulnerable, primitive, nondescript robot reach its predetermined destination. To answer her own question, she came up with the Tweenbot. Tweenbots are human-dependent robots that navigate the city with the help of pedestrians they encounter. Rolling at a constant speed, in a straight line, Tweenbots have a destination displayed on a flag, and rely on people they meet to read this flag and to aim them in the right direction to reach their goal.

image courtesy of tweenbots.com

Given their extreme vulnerability, the vastness of city space, the dangers posed by traffic, suspicion of terrorism, and the possibility that no one would be interested in helping a lost little robot, Kacie initially conceived the Tweenbots as disposable creatures which were more likely to struggle and die in the city than to reach their destination. The results however, surprised Kacie, and I confess, even myself. Over the course of the following months, throughout numerous missions, the Tweenbots were successful in rolling from their start point to their far-away destination assisted only by strangers. Every time the robot got caught under a park bench, ground futilely against a curb, or became trapped in a pothole, some passerby would always rescue it and send it toward its goal. Never once was a Tweenbot lost or damaged!

Kacie is conducting the Tweenbots experiment for her thesis at ITP. She and the Tweenbots rely solely on the involvement and kindness of New Yorkers to make their excursions a success. You can get involved by sending an email to this address to receive updates on future Tweenbot missions!

If we are willing to help out little lost robots, just imagine what New Yorkers will do for you!

(IMO) Valentino...again!

2009-04-11T14:45:00.004-04:00

NY cannot get enough of Valentino. We did not want to see him go when he retired from his namesake fashion house, and now we refuse to let him to leave the silver screen!

Matt Tyrnauer's sensational film, Valentino: the last Emperor, is held over...again...in a record-setting engagement at Film Forum in NYC. New Yorkers can now also catch the movie at Lincoln Plaza Cinemas and CC Cinemas 123. I will absolutely be going again, and if you have not seen it yet, you now have no reason not to.

Shown in film festivals around the world to wide acclaim, Valentino: the last emperor has captivated both the hearts and minds of audiences everywhere. It is an intelligent film that pulls at the heart strings of anyone who has worked in fashion or dedicated themselves to their own business. The film takes the viewer inside the singular world of the legendary designer Valentino, the maestro of high fashion. We follow the Italian master through the final two years of his celebrated career, capturing the end of an era in global fashion. At the heart of the film we are treated to one of life's great love stories: the unique relationship between Valentino and his business partner of 50 years, Giancarlo Giammetti.

If you do not yet have enough reasons to go here are four more:

@ Film Forum

Q&A w/ Vogue editor-at-large André Leon Talley 4/13 @8:10pm
Q&A w/ Vanity Fair's Bob Colacello 4/14 @8:10pm
Q&A w/ Very Special Guest (TBD) 4/15 @8:10pm
Q&A w/ Fashion Designer Ralph Rucci 4/16 @8:10pm

Rarely do you get the opportunity to see these legendary fashion figures speak, and now you have the chance to see them discuss one of fashion's greatest documentaries at Film Forum's intimate theater setting. If you have any sense at all you will get a ticket immediately because they will not last.

A HUGE thank you to Lauren K. for sending this information through!

(IMO) The Perfect Gift

2009-04-10T09:50:00.006-04:00

I am a gift giving junkie. I buy Christmas presents six to eight months in advance. I plan next year's birthday gift before the candles have even been blown out. And I have already brainstormed engagement and wedding gifts for half my friends - none of them are either engaged or married.

I love gift giving to the point of being a tad competitive. At Christmas last year I tortured my sister for over a month leading up to the big day over how much better my present would be. As it turned out, her gift (she refurbished a vintage clutch for me) rocked my world, and I had to concede the point.

Given my almost obsessive affinity for scouring stores for the perfect gift, it was with much intrigue that I came across BOKKS London, specialty curators of luxury gift giving. Their business is the art of gift giving... and another great business idea slips through my fingers!

The company does not plan to start their operations until late 2009, but adding to my captivation, you can request a personal password that will allow you into the exclusive BOKKS portal to look around in the shiny world of luxury goods that we usually only get to see from the outside... it's like being able to sneak behind the velvet ropes...sigh.

They do not yet get into a whole lot of detail on the specifics of their gifts, but one can assume from the pictures that you will not be receiving drug store chocolates or a Hallmark card from BOKKS (not that there is anything [much] wrong with those). Items seem to range from fine cigars and engraved silver pens to diamond encrusted mobile phones to bespoke gift experiences to which the only limit is your imagination - and the size of your piggy bank.

BOKKS London may not be within your annual gift giving budget this year, but it is always fascinating to know what the possibilities are!

all photos courtesy of BOKKOS

(IMO) a full piggy bank

2009-04-09T17:04:00.005-04:00

The recession has come and it has stayed. Rather than just grin and bear it there are a few companies that are breaking out into full blown ironic laughter.

The starved recession piggy bank.

photo courtesy of buzzfeed

As the market crashes you can cry in to this.
photo courtesy of Design Glut

The 100% linen hanky is also available as a custom order for $95 - embossed with the graph of your personal portfolio. Could this be the new corporate client gift? Oh please let it be so.

I'm so glad that someone is laughing with me.

(IMO) Color Blocks

2009-04-09T11:56:00.006-04:00

When I was a little girl I was obsessed with two things: building blocks and dolls. The later faded as I replaced my obsession with dressing my dolls with [a far more expensive] focus on evolving my own wardrobe... I know my father has sometimes wished I'd stuck to dolls!

The former, however, never really went away. I have always been attracted to the geometry and clean lines of buildings. In my early years I would spend my weekends building crazy contraptions with my father on the kitchen floor. We achieved novel designs in castle construction and even came up with the genius chair-on-wheels concept. Largely we dealt in Lego, but really I was not picky so long as our medium was brightly colored.

My novice interest in architecture has (thankfully) matured. I've been lucky enough to do some sensational traveling, and I have always been more drawn to city buildings rather than stepping foot in a museum. I spent days wandering around Gaudi's constructions in Barcelona, and was blown away by the diversity of architecture I saw in Prague. Yes I loved Musée D'Orsay in Paris, but it was the beautiful windows that look out over Montmartre that intrigued me more. I now dream of seeing the modern achievements in Dubai and Tokyo.

All that said, I live in NY - a city with plenty of beautiful architecture to offer. (I recommend City Hall and the view of the Ritz-Carlton from central park as a couple of my classic favorites.) However, to bring it all full circle, I have recently become fascinated by the row-after-row of townhouses found in Chelsea and the West Village. We don't do space in New York, so these house apartments are built one on top of the other - squeezed together in what comes to resemble buildings blocks.

In my photographs I began to zoom in close on the points at which two townhouses meet. The intersection of colors and textures takes me back to my Lego building days - and a time when a whole lot was achieved with a modest variety of shapes and colors.

Below are several samples of my recent townhouse photographs all taken in Chelsea & the West Village

(IMO) The Union Jack of Fashion

2009-04-07T23:57:00.002-04:00

I know that many of you have probably heard all about it, but you are going to hear it again, because TopShop really is that good! The UK's most fashionable export finally opened at 478 Broadway in NYC last Thursday, and I took my first American steps into Brit fashion-land this morning.

I may have missed Sir Philip Green (Topshop's billionaire British owner) and the venerable Kate Moss, but that does not mean I missed out on the excitement that is Topshop!

It was not quite like stepping into another universe... the similarities to H&M, Uniqlo & Zara are all there. Nonetheless, Topshop has an identity all its own, and it truly is everything you thought it would be - brightly colored, rammy-jammed with the season's trendiest trends, and offering a good old dose of British pop-culture.

The retailer has all of Spring's necessities, and although I was strictly there for research, I could not resist nabbing a few goodies for myself... including three pairs of harem pants - and yes, before you have a heart attack, two pairs will be returned unworn. I simply could not decide among the proliferation of choices sprawling across the four floors of prime NY retail real estate.

In addition to the many styles of harem pants, you'll find floor length maxi dresses & skirts in body hugging materials, loads of little cocktail dresses with intricate cutout patterns, more leather than most bondage stores, a whole lot of fringe (the season's foremost trend), sparkles on everything imaginable, a wide variety of flower print dresses, and of course the now ubiquitous onesie - or jumpsuit. I collected pictures of some of my favorites items to lust over once the weather heats up!

all images courtesy of topshop

It was once I got to the fourth floor of the fashion emporium that I just about fainted. Topshop has outdone themselves with their shoe boutique. Don't go unless your prepared to step out in ankle-breaking heels...5 inches with a hefty platform. But god are they outstanding. A little avant garde with exposed zippers, chain links, and neon colors. These are shoes made for girls who make you look twice... or three times.

Topshop is an absolute fashion euphoria for a girl on a [slightly expanded] budget. The store cannot really be defined as 'cheap'; not in the H&M sense. But the quality is substantially better, and I thought the fit was leaps and bounds ahead of other fast fashion retailers. Throughout the store the same maxim holds - you'll pay a little more, and you'll get a little more.

One of these extras is absolutely stellar service. From beginning to end I was bowled over by the friendly, efficient, and helpful staff. I didn't matter that the store was crowded and hundreds of customers had been ripping clothes off the racks for almost a week straight. Topshop was pristine, the racks were astoundingly organized, and the change rooms were in perfect condition. I guess we'll have to see how long this lasts, but as far as I'm concerned it was a Grade-A shopping experience - and I've never said that about a fast fashion retailer!

Oh! One last tip: try the fitting room on the first floor...it's hidden up a set of steps at the back of the store on it's own little demi-floor...I walked right in while there was huge lines of people upstairs sighing with frustration!

(IMO) a Blank Canvas

2009-04-07T09:35:00.005-04:00

The only thing that marketing and advertising world loves more than a sexually charged or mildly offensive message is a blank canvas. And in the jammed-up, crowded, blink-and-you-miss-it world that we live in today, a blank canvas is a rare thing! After all a brand is not much more than its visual identity... we'll spend billions on figurative crap that looks cool and has the "right" image, but great brands will languish because they never figure out a palatable way to portray themselves in the market.

...but i digress. The point is this fantastic photo ... a marketer's dream... How would you brand your baby? I bet it would pay for college before the kid lost his/her(its) baby teeth.

photo courtesy of the cool hunter design

Don't be offended, just smile.

(IMO) The Last Emperor of Fashion

2009-04-06T10:30:00.017-04:00

"Compared to us, the rest are making rags." Karl Lagerfeld's comment comes towards the end of the movie, but it effectively sums up the way generations of women feel about Valentino's place in the fashion industry.

This evening I finally made it to see Matt Tyrnauer's much praised film 'Valentino: the last emperor'. When everyone (without exaggeration) tells you that a movie is, "brilliant, deeply moving, unmissable," you tend to believe that it is probably something you should look in to. Well I am now one more person encouraging you to see this movie - at any cost.

I am not typically an advocate of films. Those who know me well are aware that I loathe the thought of being confined to a theater seat that has accommodated thousands of derrieres before mine for two hours. I have seen many of the contemporary fashion documentaries - Isaac Mizrahi's Unzipped, Marc Jacobs & Louis Vuitton, Yohji Yamamoto's Notebooks on Cities and Clothes, Karl Lagerfeld's Lagerfeld Confidential. In my mind, none are as entertaining, riveting, or infuriating as Valentino: the last emperor. This movie makes you feel - about fashion, about art, about ownership, about business. You will better understand the unique lives and thoughts of the fashion crowd - and of one great man in particular - after seeing this movie.

The film is a sensational inquisition into the profound depths of fashion as both an art and a business. Those with a love of fashion will cry, laugh, burn with anger, and then laugh & cry again. The business set will relate to Premira's vicious, underhanded corporate takeover that resembles the messy debacles so often splayed across the front page of the business section... but I do not want to give too much away. For those of you who do not have a background in the industry, this film is both an entertaining and informative way to become better acquainted.

Valentino is playing at Film Forum in NYC, and in a handful of selected cities across the US. Whether you see it in theaters now, or on DVD later, it is unquestionably "a must-see for fashion lovers and pop-culture addicts," as the New York Times so perfectly articulated. The below trailer gives you a fractional peek into a magnificent documentary.

video courtesy of fancast

I have tried to come up with the perfect description for this movie for several hours... but after reading André Leon Talley's comments, I cannot get his words out of my head.

“The luxe, rara avis world of the Italian couturier and fashion designer… fused with wit and self-deprecating humor. With great style and editing, the film captures the deep-seated relationship of two men, one a business genius and one a dressmaker who swept through the sixties on the hems of his delicate, feminine suits and fine evening dresses, favorites of Jackie O and Elizabeth Taylor. (Tyrnauer) took a difficult subject – a fashion brand and its founders – and told the story of how fashion as art has to bend to the winds of commerce and modernity.”

– André Leon Talley, Vogue

This film is a beautiful synopsis of one man's beautiful life passion. Even in his own words Valentino admitted, "I love beauty - it's not my fault."

(IMO) The American Museum of Natural History

2009-04-05T13:50:00.006-04:00

I spent yesterday afternoon at the American Museum of Natural History doing research for a fashion color palette inspired by the 1.2% of the earth known as the coral reefs. After spending several hours exploring the Oceanic Hall it became clear that color inspiration derived from the coral reefs essentially means you are able to employ every color under the sun.

taken (by me) at the American Museum of Natural History

That said, I am now inspired to design using a pastel base with neon accents (or maybe the other way around)... It will be like combining FW09 Balenciaga with Marc Jacobs in some sort of sensational twist of fashion. So I guess the assignment has achieved its goal.

Balenciaga RTW FW09, Marc Jacobs RTW FW09
courtesy of Style.com

In addition to my exploration on color, I did learn some very cool things while at the Museum...

1. Mangrove trees take the salt out of salt water to create their own fresh water supply. As a result they could become essential should you ever be stranded on a deserted island à la Lost
2. It is truly amazing how many ocean creatures glow... thousands upon thousands. The world would be so much more interesting if humans emitted a neon glow!
3. A coral reef holds more varieties of color per square foot than almost any other environment on earth...it's also a living creature!
4. I then jaunted over to the African Mammals exhibit - because they are just too cool to resist. It was there I discovered, much to my horror, that I have in fact been closer to a buffalo in real life than I can get at the Natural History Museum... Brush with death; shudder...

UPDATE: The images below are the fruits of my labour! My own illustration is very much influenced by the talented Charlotte Ronson - I admit, I do not posses great talents as an illustrator - merci beaucoup for the inspiration.

(IMO) Tickle Trunks

2009-04-04T18:26:00.009-04:00

I was going through old photos today, and it was with an almost irrational degree of happiness that I came across this picture:

my baby sister styled from Nana's tickle trunk circa 1990

My sister and I used to spend endless hours playing around in an old trunk filled with my Nana's cast away clothing. We would emerge from the basement around the cocktail hour - just as the evening's guests were arriving - invariably dressed in outdated, oversized designer goods that were held up with safety pins and the creative use of knots... I think we even beat the Olsen twins on this trend! I am sure there was also the not so subtle touch of blue eye shadow, and perhaps a little rouge on the lips - applied, of course, directly from my barbie make-up kit.

We would mingle with guests, chat about the latest barbie accessory to hit the market, and sip sparkling apple juice from brightly colored plastic cups. [In our minds] we were the picture of class and maturity... we looked like fools - but awfully cute little curly haired blond fools.

I had no idea how good we had it - most of that stuff was nicer than what I have in my closet today. We had all the necessities at our finger tips: 70s print tops, a wide range of leather accessories, major shoulder pads from the 80s (hello FW09 runways), dozens of pairs of vintage heels, and, my personal favorite, silk evening dresses galore.

Looking back, my little sister was an awfully good sport. I don't think she ever got to choose her own outfit, and I am sure that she rarely, if ever, got to wear the best stuff. But even then I took great care and pride in dressing her up. Now a days she is a little more resistant to letting me "influence" her personal style... but I still take great pleasure in the moments that she does invite me to be her stylist. Of course, this has been a more common request since I actually started working in the industry, and my suit case is more often filled with designer goods on loan.

Sadly, we don't have my Nana's tickle trunk anymore. Like so many of life's treasures, it seemed to disappear when we grew up and turned our backs on such silly nonsense. But life always comes full circle, and now I fondly miss those brilliant silk evening gowns.

(IMO) Vos Factory

2009-04-01T22:00:00.007-04:00

One of the counterparts to some of my greatest life schemes and most shameful evenings out - the audacious Ms. Vos - is practicing her web design talents on her new site: Vos Factory. Turns out the little lady is pretty talented and if you're thinking about getting your own site up and running you should look her up.

Ms. Vos is a woman of many talents, varied interests, and passionate intrigue. Occasionally she directs her energy towards a novice expertise in the perfume industry. After reading her review of four of her all time favorite scents, I had to share. I'm inspired to try something new, or return to an old classic - perhaps you will be to!

>Tom Ford - Black Orchid (2006)
Clearly anything that Tom Ford creates is geared to be high quality and sleek. Black Orchid is a statement. There are heavy floral notes at first, but as it wears these florals are subdued by the warm woody base of sandalwood and vanilla. Black Orchid is complex and puts glamour back into the bottle. The black flask is wrapped in gold twine with a simple yet elegant gold plate baring Ford’s name. It is smooth like velvet and has class like Grace Kelly. This scent is ultimately Retro-Glam. The minute it hits my skin, I want to apply a coat of red Chanel lipstick, throw on a vintage dress, and catch the next flight to Paris.

Top Notes: Black Truffle, Ylang Ylang, Bergamot, effervescent citrus, black currant, and jasmine
Base Notes: Lotus Wood, Patchouli, Incense, Vetiver, Vanilla, Balsam, and Sandalwood

>Christian Dior - Dolce Vita (1995)
Dolce Vita was created by Perfumer Pierre Bourdon, who is the ‘nose’ behind Davidoff’s Cool Water, Escada, and multiple fragrances for Frederic Malle. First off, the bottle is exquisite. Like Poison and J’adore, Dolce Vita is a beautifully crafted bubble bottle with gold accents. I associate the scent with cold winter days spent in the mountains of British Columbia. I used a 100 ml bottle in under 4 months, which may give you an indication of how much I love this fragrance. It wraps around you like a blanket and comforts you all day. The spicy oriental, heavy woodsy base and vanilla create a beautiful balance that accents the cinnamon and fruit. Wear this scent and you will be noticed.

Top Notes: Rose, Magnolia, Muguet
Middle Notes: Apricot, Peach, Cinnamon
Base Notes: Sandalwood, Vanilla, Heliotropin (a chemical formula which mimics the odor of a heliotrope flower and enhances the sandalwood smell)

>Fresh - Cannabis Santal (2006)
Yes, Cannabis. No, after one sniff you will not be as high as a kite, jamming to Grateful Dead, or craving late night Shawarma and chocolate covered jujubes. A stunning piece of work, I absolutely adore the Fresh line. Cannabis Santal was on me for 365 days with no exceptions for the year of 2006. There is nothing that smells quite like it. It truly embodies the term ‘hippie chic’ with Patchouli, Cannabis, and Rose. For me, this fragrance unfolds a dark beauty and plays out like the song Don’t kiss me goodbye by Ultra Orange Emmanuel. When you seek this out, buy it, and love it, make sure to thank me… this is a secret love of mine.

Top Notes: Bergamot, Brazilian Orange, Black Plum
Middle Notes: Patchouli, Cannabis Accord, Rose
Base Notes: Chocolate, Vetiver, Vanilla Musks

>Guerlain - L’instant (2003)
The common accord in virtually all Guerlain fragrances is amber and vanilla. Created by Perfumer Maurice Roucel (Symrise), L’instant is complex. It is luxury and it is sweet. Typically, I abhor florals… but for some reason, this scent is so impeccable, it never even struck my mind to dislike it. It has a sensuous modernism that is completely breathtaking. I compare it to a new friend: at first it may present a challenge, it may spite you, but eventually you won’t leave home without it. I am quite fond of this particular scent because it transforms throughout the day. It plays with my own skin chemistry and makes me feel honey kissed and invincible.

Notes: Citrus Honey, Magnolia, Amber

> Recession Friendly:

Vanilla Fields - It may be found covered in dust on the bottom shelf at the drugstore, but so what?. Spray it on, you might be hooked.

Betsey Johnson - Fruity floriental. A percentage of sales from every bottle are donated to Breast Cancer Research.

Patchouli Oil - An aphrodisiac. You will either love it or hate it. Also, it can be used as dread lock conditioner and as an antidote for venomous snakebites.

(IMO) Your Boyfriend's Closet

2009-04-01T21:40:00.013-04:00

It is an undeniably stand out trend this season - outfits that are pulled together with, what looks like, pieces from your boyfriend's closet: a vest, rolled up baggy denim, oversized cardigan sweaters, a tweed blazer, and of course the necessary accessories: suspenders or a great fedora. To feminize the look ladies are pairing with the latest five inch heel and heaping on the pearls. It ends up look effortless and uncharacteristically comfortable for the fashion industry.

The trend spawned from the images of Katie Holmes stepping out in what were speculated to be Tom Cruise's jeans. The baggy, saggy, picked off the bed room floor style proliferated, and we now see it as a staple in every denim collection worth its salt.

The oversized cardigan is not really anything new, but its more structured counterpart - the tweed blazer - is a more recent appearance. And what appropriate timing! After all, 2009 marks the centennial anniversary of Chanel - the designer who first marketed the concept of 'borrowing from the boys' with her tweed blazers in the 1920s.

So go raid your boyfriend's closet. Steal his jeans, throw on his blazers - you can deny it all to him later! Below are some of my favorite looks from the trend:

(IMO) The ThighHigh

2009-03-30T21:17:00.028-04:00

So many women hate their thighs, but there has never been a better motivation to ramp up the stairmaster, sign up for an extra yoga class, and start to bloody love your legs!- hail the illustrious Thigh High Boot!

My near manic obsession began with a pair of black satin thigh high Christian Louboutin boots that I borrowed, and loved, and wore, and desperately wanted to steal away and keep forever. They were gorgeous, they were sexy, they were a power boot - nobody f***ed with you when you stepped out in these boots, and everybody wanted to know where they came from - they were blood in the water for a crowd of fashion sharks. Returning those boots to the showroom was like parting with a dear friend, and I knew my closet would never quite be the same.

And then I saw the Fall 2009 runways, and those black satin Louboutins became a distant memory. Every designer had them, and every designer had a different take. They can be skinny, they can be wide, they can be slouchy or stiff, and they come in every kind of material imaginable - including a vegan friendly option from Stella McCartney. I first noticed them at the Rodarte show in New York, and I thought, "I must have those boots". But then Prada showed in Milan; and Gareth Pugh and Hussein Chalayan showed in Paris; and by the time I saw Giles Deacon and Rick Owens I was ready to sell my first born to have them all!

Just so you know your options, here are a selection of my favorites. Happy hunting!

Clockwise from the top left: Antonio Berardi, Costume National, Rodarte, Giles Deacon, Gareth Pugh, Rick Owens, Prada, Hussein Chalayan
all images courtesy of The Cut

(IMO) Fashion Prays

2009-03-30T00:42:00.008-04:00

The below poem ["prayer"] was sent to me in a mass email years ago. I usually hate those things, but I've always held on to this one. I long ago lost the link to where it came from, although I am sure it is published somewhere on the web. I rediscovered it this weekend while I was rooting threw all my old computer files; cleaning up the mess that is my hard drive.

It is amusing (at least to me) and if nothing else it denotes the fact that outrageous (to some obscene) connections are often drawn between fashion and religion - I'm thinking of the 19th issue of Pop Magazine styled by Miuccia Prada (below).

image courtesy of the soon to return Pop Magazine

The publication included a cover story written by Murray Healy that, at times, defended the cover images (there were six different ones all in the same theme). To quote from that article:

“No matter how authoritatively it appears to represent a time and a place no matter how powerfully it defines its age a look always has its roots in a previous era. And sometimes unearthing the chain of influence can lead you back to an unexpected place. Take the wide shoulders narrow waists an hard eges of Paris fashion in the early Eighties. It looked shockingly futuristic at the time, but both Claude Montana and Thierry Mugler were directly inspired by the glamour of the Thirties Hollywood: Joan Crawford dressed by the costume designer Adrian. And there’s a similarly cinematic back story to the early Eighties mania for nuns.”

I think it's a beautiful sentiment and an appropriate response to any expected criticism. After all, everything influences everything and no one is left unscathed. Personally, I think we might as well embrace those intersections rather than trying to keep everything packaged in it's own little box. I do wonder what he would say about the most recent round of 80s revival. Is it a reference to the original 30s Hollywood glamour or is a reference to the 1980s referencing that era? It all gets very confusing as history continues.

In any event, read the below poem in all its triviality - and enjoy or criticize.

Shopping Prayer

Armani, 
Who art in Bergdorf
Hallowed by thy Shoes 
Thy Prada come 
 Thy shopping done 
On Madison Ave, as it is in Paris 
Give us this day, our Visa Gold 
And forgive us our balance 
As we forgive those who charge us interest 
Lead us not into Wal Mart 
And deliver us from Sears 
For thine is the Chanel, The Gaultier and Versace 
For Dolce and Gabbana 
AMEX

(IMO) Shin Guards

2009-03-29T23:53:00.015-04:00

There is a new trend cropping up, and in all honesty, I am not sure how I feel about: Shin Guards.

At first I thought they were just a perverse costume choice by pop singer Rihanna - a slightly out-there option, but perhaps appropriate considering she was performing at the Super Bowl. However, I recently discovered that these shin guards are in fact being termed a 'fashion accessory' by London based designer Kokon To Zai. My question is: they are being marketed as a viable alternative to what? - pants, tights???

Perhaps my skepticism comes from years of varsity sports after which I could not wait to remove my uncomfortable protective gear - including shin guards. Alas, the trend seems to be catching on. As I was perusing blogs this weekend I came across the below image: a couple of homemade shin-guard-meet-boot type creations.

image courtesy of Hipster Runoff

I have to say, that I find these options to be slightly more alluring to Rhianna's stage preferences, but then again I always have had a penchant for fur and leather - plus I never know what to do with all my left over fabric samples. Who knows, six months from now this could be as prolific as the Ugg boot and gladiator sandal. I've learned to neither mock nor judge street fashion because chances are we'll all be wearing it within the year. Kudos to these girls for kicking off something different if not cool.

(IMO) Nicole Romano’s Pop-Up Shop

2009-03-29T18:37:00.008-04:00

Several weeks ago I was invited to the launch party for Nicole Romano’s Pop Up Shop at The Plaza by a wonderful photographer friend. It was a night that I truly looked forward to because, one, the designer’s accessory collections are a destination in and of themselves, and two, I had never partied at The Plaza!

The pop up shop concept has been ‘popping up’ all over New York in the last few years. The idea is to rent a location to showcase a collection for anywhere from a few days to a few months. It’s relatively cheap for the designers, and it gives them a chance to test the market’s reaction to their style before making a full fledged investment in NYC’s pricey retail real estate... still some of the most expensive square footage despite the latest recessionary collapse.

Pop up shops have been stepping it up a notch lately. Once the domain of dressed up warehouses and decked out caravans, pop up shops are now opening for limited commitments in the ritziest of locations - hello, The Plaza. I arrived straight from work (thank god for great coats!) and walked into a wine-subdued sea of New York’s fashion forward crowd... Chardonnay in hand I gravitated towards to sparkly creations calling out my name.

Nicole’s set-up at The Plaza Retail Collections is a special offering of her favorite pieces. She has included some of her favorite dresses and an incredible selection of jewelry from her latest collection. I loved her “Window Gown”, a simple yet elegant floor length dress with a transparent panel stitched in mid way down the leg, but it was the accessories that had me wishing I’d saved my last pay cheque instead of spending it in SoHo. She collects a lot of antique chains and chunky baubles, and turns them into variable works of art - all hand made in her New York studio! (It is important to support our local talent.)

I am telling you all this because I recently received word from Nicole that her stay at The Plaza has been extended by a month or so! Lucky us; we’ll all have another chance to scurry over and pick up one of her beautiful statement necklaces - an indisputable must have to revamp your Spring wardrobe.

There is clearly a lot of passion and talent that goes into her creations and I can’t wait to get my hands on some of these pieces - **sigh** - one day.

a little SHOUT OUT

2009-03-28T19:34:00.016-04:00

I came across Soop Group on a miserable, rainy afternoon some time ago... one of those days where you postpone all your errands, ignore your To Do lists, and busy yourself at home with hot tea and takeout. Tucked up in a millennium old sweatshirt, that's really more like a moo moo, I stumbled upon Soop. Soop Group is a design company that, best I can tell from their site, has a drastically different outlook on the role everyday products should play in our lives.

Their take on product design can't help but make you smile. Take for example - the GMP (Genetically Modified Pillow). If you've ever spent many, many, many, many nights alone you can sympathize with my love for this idea!

How can you argue with Chat ©ups - wine glasses with messages on the bottom that your conversation counter-parts can see when you lift your cup to sip!!! Au revoir awkward silences..

My all time favorite Soop Group item is not actually currently found on their site - much to my annoyance. I came across these rings on Etsy.com - the ebay-esque home of arts & crafts. They are lucite rings with little animals raised up off the band... I dearly want to collect Old McDonald's entire farm to wear on my fingers!!!

If you can't feel good about a purchase here, you'll probably never get over buyer's remorse.

(IMO) A stroll on the Brooklyn Bridge

2009-03-28T17:28:00.007-04:00

Spring has been teasing us for weeks. The sun peaks out and we think that maybe this godforsaken winter has finally come to an end, when alas, the rain, snow, sleet and hail barges back into our afternoon plans. Yeah, mother nature has been sticking her tongue out at us for weeks, and there is nothing we can do about it... except enjoy the brief and intermittent moments of Spring.

At the first hint of sunshine and warmth my girlfriends demanded I meet them on the Brooklyn Bridge for our first spring time stroll... a tradition typically to be followed by brunch and beers on the LES! So I decked myself out in a brand new black silk jumpsuit for the occasion and grabbed my oversized sunnies (because although we love the sun, we do not love wrinkles!). Finally, I grabbed what I thought were sensible shoes for walking on the Brooklyn Bridge - beige open toed ballet flats... flats, because we are planning on walking... across a bridge.

Well my poor little flats sure felt silly when the saw the extravagance that they were to be walking next to. My dear friend - and one of fashion's favorite PR girls - had donned a brand new pair of black lace Christian Louboutin booties with swarovski crystals all over the toe and heel. The exact same pair that had graced the podiums of the Marchesa Fall 09 presentation mere weeks before were now making their way up the Brooklyn Bridge.

With a five inch heel, I thought she was perhaps a little bit ludicrous to attempt the climb in these beautiful shoes. But she did it, and let me tell you, the Brooklyn Bridge has never looked so couture! Forget the stunning view, we had tourists snapping pictures of the shoes.

And so the moral of the story ladies - is do not discriminate against your shoes! Every pair in your closet deserves a good stroll, and there is no better place than the Brooklyn Bridge!

(IMO) Manish Arora

2009-03-28T01:07:00.012-04:00

Longing for the simple days when you would root through your mum's closet to find items that would help you to create a whole new persona? - a princess, a magician, a mythical creature! Manish Arora's designs are the ultimate grown up girl's 'dress-up trunk'. His whimsical creations reference an imagination so brilliant and outlandish you wonder if he does not live permanently in the mind's of children ... albeit incredibly fashion forward & talented children!

Seeing Manish Arora's collections for the first time was like stepping back into my favorite childhood dream. I first fell in fashion love with Manish Arora when I came across his Fall 2009 show during my research of New Delhi Fashion Week. It was the best possible introduction to the designer. His Fall 09 collection is immaculate, and the New Delhi show eclipsed the more refined version he gave in Paris. Regardless, the whole collection is beautiful, nay thrilling, nay inspiring... I’m speechless every time.

Take a look & get lost for hours... Manish Arora

WELCOME

2009-03-28T00:53:00.002-04:00

Welcome to the first day of a whole new memory...