Vivienne Westwood Museum Exhibition

The Vivienne Westwood Exhibition at the Fashion Institute of technology, which is located on W27^th street and 7^th avenue, also free of charge; generated my curiosity for the British designer of whom I have heard of before (of course) but never paid enough attention to. I always had associated her with one of those top designers with clothing that rampantly appeared in various high-fashion magazines that only people with a discretionary income in the tens of thousands can afford. These tidbits are still true but there is more. The exhibition focuses on the less than glamorous beginnings of Westwood and her life as a fashion designer.
To be frank, the exhibition is small, (photo’s of her early collections were encased in frames along a corridor at the start of the tour, with a few “physical” objects like the rocking boots that only led to an open space with about five mannequins, a few flat screens replaying runway clips and one very popular music video of the era). A well-spoken, sweet-sounding woman named Miriam Murphy was the tour guide who seemed to be able to integrate Westwood’s early punk fashions into her own life as she actually lived it. As a teenager during the eighties, Murphy remembered using safety pins to adorn her jackets, shirts and anywhere imaginable. Probably to the ashy blonde, bubbly woman already in her forties, the exhibition was not really history but merely another page in her photo album. Either way, she spoke with enthusiasm, which made me more attentive and able to absorb more of what she had to say.

Westwood was already in her thirties when she started out with her first Pirates collection in 1980. Murphy pointed out the “humble” beginnings of Westwood was made evident in a photo of the designer seated in a rundown-looking factory among scattered clothing working on a garment. The Pirates collection was collaborated with Westwood’s boyfriend at the time, Malcolm Mclaren. The collection emphasized on eighteenth-century men’s undergarments with manipulations. What made this collection so unique is that it was made to be unisex. Male and female models were seen wearing the same outfits in separate photos appearing in early Vogue issues. The minimal success of this collection led to many more collections that were inspired by fashions of historical and traditional times.

Eventually, her later collections were Savage and Buffalo (I particularly love the buffalo collection which largely comprised of oversized clothing, even for women but with cowboy hats, fringes and buckles which all exude the tough, sand-kicking, gun-slinging life of the Wild, Wild West) respectively. Then there’s the Mini Crini collection that had women wearing poofy skirts (unheard of at that time) on city streets. Westwood seemed to design clothing drawn from past history such as the corsets, ensembles of pirates, cowboys, 18^th century structure and style, and strangely enough appearing on the runway in one of the video clips was a white top with a blue, capped collar and big red bows that looked like the school uniform of girls. (Hint, Serena from Sailor Moon or even possibly Walt Disney’s Show White.)

Westwood’s garments were a little over the top and even outrageous. The variance in colors, patterns, structures and the big influence from music such as I want Candy from the band BowWow were clearly demonstrated on her apparel shown in print ads, on the mannequins of the exhibit and even on models in the videos of her fashion shows (In which one particular scene, I was reminded of her peer, Betsey Johnson after she did a cartwheel on the runway). After the tour, I sat down for a long time on a wooden bench in a home theatre-like environment to watch the full video of her 1980s fashion shows. Then, I decided that the dedication and exhibition of Westwood’s historical fashions was actually a really, really good idea. 
xo 
Edo

Fragments Jewelry: 2010 Spring Trends

The sweet gale of birds is heard more often as the blanket of snow melts, revealing lush grass or, in New York City’s case, concrete sidewalks. No doubt, warm weather is gradually making its way back to New York. New Yorkers are more than eager to ditch their coats and thermals even before spring has arrived. Who can blame them? As fashionable people, they not only step out in fabulous clothes but dashing jewelry to compete. Adorning the body with jewelry never goes out of fashion. Just as sure as the sky is blue and flowers and foliage are vibrant in warm weather, piling on jewels should follow suit.

No matter how individualized a style is, there are five distinct jewelry looks that are recognized trends for this spring and summer. Touches of Neon which is probably the newest trend, is perfect for the daring. From just a hint of neon pink on drop earrings like the Miguel Ases’ collection and solid tomato red leather wrap bracelets like from Accessories & Beyond to a burst (and mix) of neon pinks, reds and greens on a cuff like of LK’s collection, there’s enough to tickle everyone’s fancy, even for the most color discerning consumers.

Making a statement can never be so loud yet silent. Statement Jewelry is the craze. Designer Wendy Yue has snakes made of brown diamonds, rubies and white sapphires slithering on rings and designer Phillips Frankel engraved a hidden “love always” message on a rose gold and white diamond cuff that clasps, while designer Anton Heunis placed three large and unique crystal flowers on a vintage inspired gold-toned necklace.

Minimal but feminine is the Ladylike Minimalism trend that includes lots of simple and even plain jewelry. However, a little goes a long way considering the Jordan Schlanger’s sterling silver tendril bracelet that screams out, “Queen of the Nile” chic, according to “Fragments” a jewelry website. The same goes for Dana Kellin’s sterling silver necklace in silver beads pendants and white Labradorite. Seth Coutoure’s diamond hoop earrings are so classic and simple, that they make a wardrobe essential for fashion-forward femmes.

An artsy carefree and excess glamour take on life mix here, creating the Bohemian Luxe trend. The look can be credited to Jordan Alexander’s white turquoise and leather cuffs. Rachel Baritz and Danielle Gadi of “Fragments” a jewelry showroom located in Soho advised, “Bohemian Luxe jewelry can be worn on the beach or to help dress down a fancy outfit.” Whether it’s a day basking under the sun or illuminating underneath the moon, bohemian luxe jewelry’s versatility is a winner.

Layering by mixing metals, fine and fashion jewelry is a practical trend. It gives those who have stacks of jewelry brimming out of boxes or entangled on shelves a chance to wear most, if not all, their trove. Huichol’s cuffs come in various colors and patterns that can be layered and stacked on with other jewelry. In this case, the sky’s the limit so go out and do what Mother Nature does best during the warm seasons, flaunt.

Lita by Jeffrey Campbell

If you're in the modeling business or somewhat in it, you'd agree that shoes that give you height are a god-send. That's why Eyen and I both have a pair. I'll weigh out the pros and cons and hope that my review will help make your mind up in either buying a pair or not.


The Lita has a 5" inch heel and a 2" inch sole. The height of the hidden sole makes me feel like I'm wearing a 2" heel instead. Walking around in these for an hour or so the first time was just fine and dandy but then... after prolonged walking on the uneven and broken concrete of NYC, I started to feel discomfort. Discomfort not due to the fact that I am wearing 5"heels but discomfort that one experiences when wearing ill-fited shoes. I felt friction on the ball of my feet, and that contributed to an unpleasant walking experience. Not only that, the side of my pinkie toe started rubbing against the material and yes, indeed more discomfort!


I thought I'd never wear these boots again but since I paid almost $200 for them, I refused to give up, plus, I love that they give me great height! I decided to work with what I have so I bought Dr. Scholl's gel pads. They work... for the most part, the ball on each foot is now cushioned and I no longer experience pain. Somehow, I think I finally broke into them. I say, these boots overall are worth it! They are a showstopper, especially when worn with a pair of jeggings. Both Eyen and I have gotten a lot of compliments about the Lita's. They are available in a variety of colors!
xo 
Edo

Annton by Steve Madden

Eyen and I were at the LF store in Soho a few months ago and saw these platform wedges that looked clunky and really heavy but actually are very light weight. We both tried them on and WOW, they were super high yet pretty comfortable and on top of that, gave us great height! Plus, being worn, they looked very cute as well. Of course we both wanted a pair but they were around $300 dollars and since we're on a tight budget we reluctantly had to put them down. 

Recently, I went to the Garden State Plaza mall in Jersey and saw something similar to those platform wedges in the Steve Madden store. Although the price wasn't as steep as the ones in LF, I didn't want to spend more than a hundred dollars on shoes at that point. 

Luckily, a sales girl  told me about the opportunity to get a discount right away because knowing me, sometimes I tend to overlook things that are right in front of my face! At the opening in front of the store, a large wheel was set up so that shoppers get the opportunity to spin so as to get a certain percentage off their purchases immediately!  Now, that was a pretty savvy promotional tactic that Steve Madden employed, I think. 

Anyway, a friend of mine took a shot at it and landed on the 40% off segment! (which happened to be the second best deal on that wheel besides the 'buy one and get the second 90% off'). With not a moment to lose, I excitedly placed the pair of Annton in 'Black Leather' (Also available in 'Cognac Le') on the register countertop so that the sales girl can ring them up! Yay! Now I have platform wedges that I've been wanting for the longest and didn't have to pay over a hundred for them!

xo

Edo

Alice's Red Dress

I know, I know... I’m very late with Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland but I was one of the people who wanted to watch it when it first premiered. Things didn't work out  since I’ve been very busy with projects and research papers, thanks to FIT; I haven’t. But today, after finishing up writing and editing a nine page report and working on a storyboard for a commercial my partner and I are assigned, I managed some time.

I chose Alice in Wonderland because it was the best choice out of all the movies that are out now (in my opinion).The funny thing is I had a negative opinion about the movie beforehand since a few people told me that it wasn’t what they expected. So without much enthusiasm or anticipation, like I would have if I saw the movie when it first came out, I watched it to kill some time because I knew if anything I could be visually entertained since Tim Burton's films tend to do that.

To my surprise, I found myself fully engaged in the film, especially the costumes and attire! I was pretty much in love with the the dresses that Alice wore when she was on her perilous adventure. The one that I first took notice of was the blue dress with ruffles she had on when she first shrunk after drinking from the brown liquid.

However, the dress that I coveted over was the red taffeta dress Alice wore when she spent some time in the evil Red Queen’s castle. The dress was mixed with white and black and was just so lovely! I would love to wear it and maybe one day visit Underland? Of course, I'd choose to stay at the White Queen’s palace which happened to be oh-so-heavenly!
xo 
Edo

A Brush with Alexander McQueen

After a suave casting at the Meat Packing District, I decided to make a quick stop at Edris Hair Salon since it was right around the corner. I wanted to stop by to say hi to Edris, one of the salon owners and a few other workers. I also thought of making an appointment to get a haircut and treat myself to a professional manicure and pedicure. The last time I indulged was such a long time ago.

When I got in the building, I saw two girls making their way into the elevator. I quickly ran to catch it. It was not easy running with high platform heels on. My feet were already killing me after walking around Manhattan all day!


The elevator bell dinged signaling the third floor so I got off. To my surprise, the lights were not on and there was no one in sight. The place was completely empty. I looked around pretty confused and then I realized the salon must be closed. Conveniently, the elevator door was still opened and luckily those two girls were still in there. One politely asked, "Are you looking for the Alexander McQueen casting?"


My heart skipped a beat! With not a moment to lose, I quickly replied "Uh-uh-uh, yes!" So I jumped right back in the elevator with the girls and headed for a casting that I was totally clueless about!


While in the elevator, I had the chance to get a better look at the girls and realized that they were workers for the Alexander McQueen Label. I became nervous and thought to myself, “What am I doing? What if this is just a Request casting?” (Request casting is when the client wants to see the model in person after having seen their portfolio)


We got to the fourth floor and as we walked down the long and dim hallway, I became even more nervous, realizing that I might make a fool out of myself. I felt butterflies in my stomach and my palms felt slightly damp.


The girls were quiet. No one spoke. We ended up in front of a glass door marked Alexander McQueen. As one of the girls was opening the door, a feeling of exhilaration came over me  and I thought, "This is it! I don't have to wait around for my agency to find me jobs. This is an opportunity that I can’t blow! I don't care if I look stupid. This is the only chance the client will see me!"


As I walked in the door, I saw a very tall and young Caucasian model wearing a beautiful red satin evening gown. She walked toward a group of people who I assumed were the clients. At first, I just stood there and looked around a little. Then a guy approached me and smiled. He told me to wait in the hallway because the clients were seeing only one model at a time. I was a little confused because as far as I knew, I was the only other model there.


The excitement quickly changed back to nervousness. I decided to wait around for another five minutes. Then I called my booker and asked if he had any idea about the casting. I wanted to know if it was a request or walk in. But my booker knew nothing about it. I was indecisive. I really wanted to stay to see what would come out of it but I felt wrong being there. I needed a second opinion so I asked my booker and he suggested that I leave and explained that it wasn’t professional to appear without invitation. I was bummed. Well, I needed a second opinion and that was my answer so I did just that and reluctantly left.


I still fuss about it. I wonder if what I did was missed out on a once in a lifetime opportunity or just saved myself from total humiliation...


xo
Eyen

Lemon Detox Diary

Have you ever considered the popular, yet highly controversial Lemon Detox Diet? Are you curious to know what it's like depriving your body from solid food for seven whole days? Fortunately, a girl kept a diary of her starving plight and is able to share it. Guess who it was? Eyen!

Okay, we don't really condone this type of diet but she did go through with it so why not share it? Eyen was given the opportunity to be signed with one of the top agencies in New York if she came back in two weeks with "body improvement." She took those words to heart and desperately sought a diet that would work quickly! What's absurd is that Eyen is 5'7 and weighed 110 lbs. Well, these agencies look for models who they know will make them money so it's understandable that they are very selective and need their models to be fit and toned.

Anyway, since Eyen's dream is to become a supermodel, she resorted to the Lemon Detox Diet. Stars like Beyonce, Gwyneth Paltrow, Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes are fans of this diet. It reportedly increases concentration, treats acne and most importantly makes you lose weight. The detox drink will help excrete extra waste from your colon, therefore shedding the pounds.To combat hunger, the diet allows you to consume water mixed with lemon juice, maple syrup and a pinch of grounded cayenne pepper. Those ingredients should give you the minimal necessary energy.

Diary:
Day 1, Friday
[11:40 a.m.] My first day! I almost vomited from drinking 24 oz water mixed with one teaspoon of sea salt. I feel a lot of bowel movements at this point. I guess it's a good thing? It says in order to start detoxing, I have to wait to use the bathroom. I miss eating solid food already.


[1:06 p.m. to 11:45 p.m.] I'm working this evening, ugh!! I started mixing the detox recipes. I like it! In one glass, I can taste the flavors of sweetness, sourness, and spiciness that you would get in a real meal. mmmmMMM... satisfying.


Day 2, Saturday
[12:15 p.m.] I drank the 24 oz water mixed with sea salt this morning again. (I'm gonna drink it every morning) I just started mixing some detox recipes again. I added more cayenne pepper than I am supposed to because I love the spicy flavor. The taste of spice reminds me of eating solid food. Anyway, I'm gonna start doing some light exercises.


Day 3, Sunday
[11:39 a.m.] The mixed drink is giving me strength and energy, but I've become very disoriented. My mind is just spacing out constantly, and all I want is food and sleep. I'm always cold...walking slowly up and down the stairs...


Day 4, Monday 
[5:31 p.m.] I bought six cupcakes from CRUMBS Bake Shop for my nephew because today is his birthday, but he isn't here. :(

I keep looking at the cupcakes on the train ride home, but I know I am not gonna eat them. They are really tempting though. I feel stronger now and more focused. I'm so glad I'm on this diet.

My mom is cooking really good food and the whole place smells like food...mmmmm... but hey...I'm already starting to see results on my body!


Day 5, Tuesday
[10:19 p.m.] I am completely annoyed and pissed off! I want to eat! What was the reason why I'm on this diet again??? Anyway, I've gotten skinnier! Maybe I should stop now, but I still wanna reach my goal of seven days. Only TWO MORE DAYS left! Food...I miss you. Nothing fills me with joy like you do


Day 6, Wednesday
[12:38 p.m.] I have one more day left! I'm watching "The Missing" so it's actually keeping my mind off of being too excited! I realized that I can't even eat solid food after this diet. I have to start out only drinking juices, slurping on smoothies, or basically just any kind of clean liquids at first.

Then on the second day, I can only eat raw vegetables and fruits. UGH! My breath is on fire! I brushed my teeth three times already! The diet plan says if your breath stinks, that means you're detoxing correctly. So I guess I am. I'm very proud of myself. I'm ready for the next step. So excited to start exercising after the diet!

[3:30 p.m. - 11:45 p.m.] OMG! I lied. As soon as I stepped out the door, my energy drained. I was so sleepy and hungry! I tried running to catch my train, but I couldn't! It was like my body shut down. I felt like crap and almost started to cry.

My cool manager at the job came up to me and said, "Eyen, I love you, so don't hate me when I say that you look terrible. And when I mean terrible, I mean you look like you need to eat! So please break the diet and eat tonight!" I understood him, but whatever. I didn't take his advice and continued mixing my drink when I felt hungry. After the night, I felt good about myself! I felt like I was re-born again. It sounds weird, but it's true. Now tomorrow will be my last day and I can't wait!


Day 7, Thursday
[2:45 p.m.] I'm feeling okay. I really don't feel like mixing or carrying the recipes anymore, but I have to. Today is my last day and I'm doing very well. I'm dying to eat though!!! But I know I can't yet. I have to take it slow. Ugh.. I'm so impatient!

Eyen completed her diet as planned and now is represented by one of the top 10 agencies in New York. To her, it was worth it. The question is, how far would you go to lose weight?

Lois Samuels: NYFW Fall 2010 Collection

In our society, we value creativity and strive to be so unique that sometimes design and fashion are taken to extreme levels. Take for example the late Alexander McQueen‘s so-called “armadillo shoes” or Lady Gaga‘s wardrobe. There is nothing wrong with being outrageous, but a little goes a long way. That’s why I’m appreciating designer Lois (pronounced “Loy”) Samuels’ label “The Vessel” even more, especially the fall 2010 collection, which I had the chance to view up close and personal during New York Fashion Week.

Once a model, known for her controversial CK One campaign in the early 1990s, Lois now is known for her structured and minimalistic design. At first, I wondered what the hype was about because there was nothing avant-garde about her clothes, but after the show, I started to understand why her approach is a breath of fresh air. She’s largely inspired by sophisticated menswear, so the collection consists of tailored, uniform-like pieces with charcoal gray as the dominant color. But she threw in a few red, purple, and blue garments amongst the muted grays, black, and beige. Lois’ collection is not extravagant in color nor is it adorned with unnecessary ornaments. However, it exudes class because of its subtlety.

Lois designs for young, contemporary, and sophisticated adults. Her pantsuits, dresses, blazers, and capes are really wearable. In the show, a gray tweed dress that looks austere in nature was accompanied by a beige mink bag slung over the model’s shoulder. The result looked warm and comfortable, but also chic. Lois’ collection is not only inspired by uniforms, but also by peers like Issey Miyake, Ralph Rucci, and Jil Sander. Lois explained her love of uniform styling to ModaCYCLE: “The world is so chaotic that you need something that’s quiet [and] structured in your life.” [modaCYCLE]

xo 
Edo

Fur Campaign Targets Young Designers

During Fashion Week, designers like Oscar de la Renta, Michael Kors, Proenza Schouler, Diane Von Furstenberg and Thome Browne had models strut down the runway in fox cuffs, coyote capes, colorful mink jackets, knitted furs and even capes trimmed with raccoon tails. With so many fur pieces, it almost seems like these designers are giving animal activists the finger.


But of course it isn't really like that. So did their innuendos coincidentally tell them that fur is going to be big this season? Afraid not. This time designers aren't that intuitive. The reason behind it? Fur actually became a trend because of a marketing campaign aimed at designers themselves!


The history between PETA and the fashion industry tells us it was a vicious one. In 1996, a dead raccoon was tossed onto Anna Wintour's plate while she was dining at the Four Seasons, and in 1998, activists burned fur coats outside the headquarters of Vogue magazine in New York City. PETA's Anti-Fur campaign was pretty much unyielding and that resulted in big name designers actually excluding fur altogether in their collections.


But that's all in the past right? The Fur Industry saw an opportunity with young designers; somewhat like starting with a clean slate. Since these newbies personally don't have any ties to the chain of events that happened years ago, the topic is less sensitive to them. With that said, these young designers would probably be more than willing to adopt new ideas.


With this preconception, the Fur Industry like Saga Furs and the North American Fur Auctions (NAFA) are no longer sitting back. They are behind the push to make fur become widely accepted again in hopes of it appearing more frequently in magazines and on runways. Over the last 10 years, they have aggressively approached and enticed young designers-- even those who are still in college, through trade groups by giving them free samples.


The fur used this season by Derek Lam, Thakoon, Brian Reyes, Wayne, Proenza Schouler, Richard Chai and the New York labels Cushnie et Ochs was actually provided by Saga. Last summer, they flew in Alexander Wang, Haider Ackerman, Alexa Adams and Flora Gill of Ohne Titel to their design studios in Copenhagen. The week long visit afforded the designers unconditional authority to use fur with state-of-the-art techniques. Some were shown ways to produce light weight fur for half the expense, while others felt that using fur was quite humane after examining the chain of production. So Mr. Wang, Mr. Ackerman, and the Ohne Titel designers ended up including fur in their fall collection.


These designers all pretty much agree to why they think using fur is cool. They aren't blatantly using it as a luxury statement or an act of defiance but rather more for a novel design approach. Hm...that's a good point but here's something to ponder on, that idea; is it somewhat if not all influenced by the educational sessions and perks made possible by furriers?
[The New York Times]

Exploring an Old Mansion

The old mansion sits in the center of a community college campus. Even though it isn't up to par for it to be considered prestigious, the Morrison Hall Mansion does a quaint job of throwing off out-of-town folk with the perception that it is an Ivy League college. It isn't too hard to see that since the landmark does appear very distinguished and grandiose in its own right. It is also very picturesque and that's why we decided this would be our next location!

We threw on some pieces (after much fussing) and then set off feeling very excited and anxious to explore the mansion. Once we got there, we discovered that the mansion was locked. It was like everything we dreamed of and hoped for shattered into a thousand pieces and all we had were shards of broken glass raining down on us--okay, we're exaggerating but the feeling was pretty close to it--but then, our hero came to the rescue. The campus security guard was nice enough to let us in once we explained that it was a fashion project for school. It was a fib. A tiny white lie. No one got hurt so no feelings of guilt lurked in our conscience.

The historic house dates back as early as the 1880's. It's impressive that the inside still managed to give off a sense of antiquity. The mood was somewhat somber. It was eerily quiet and the lighting was pretty much dim due to the abundance of mahogany wood color used for the furnishing. (On the contrary, not only did the flash on our camera made the pictures look pretty bright but the weather outside was the total opposite as well. In fact, it was very bright and cheery with the sun casting its warm rays on the freshly cut grass and the cherry blossom trees which were in full bloom. On a side note, we realize that we also need a better camera.) The reason why we chose a dark midnight blue color for our outfits was because we thought that it would be a sharp contrast with the dark/polished wood background inside the mansion.

We got there during closing hours so we couldn't stay very long but we did manage to get a few really interesting shots.

We wore what we thought might look good in the photographs. We don't use foundation or blush on our faces but we did use light concealer under the eyes, black liquid eyeliner and lipstick in plum and rose blush colors. We wore an H&M boyfriend blazer, a vintage motorcycle jacket [Bona Drag], spring dress from Forever 21, an LF sequin slouchy dress, an earthy hue babule necklace, an African inspired metallic gold wristband, beaded bracelets, gladiator platform sandals and a pair of buckle platforms. A pair of LF distressed Jeans appeared in the shoot accidentally since we didn't have time to change. But hey, we think it came out pretty well and what matters the most is that we had fun!

Special thanks to Joseph Lucenti for most of the shots.
xo 
Edo

Our Own Sweet Time

We needed to break away from the winter blues.That's when we decided to step out to enjoy the first sign of Spring. So we pulled something together just for the fun of it. These photos were shot in our backyard located in Upstate, New York. The weather was nice, like in the mid-70's. The bees buzzed around us and flowers were just starting to bud. The smell of Spring was in the air!

We put together an LF puffed sleeve jacket, lace leggings, Wild Pair cowboy boots, Guess Jeans dark-rinse denim shorts, a stretchy sheer off-the-shoulder top, skinny jeans leggings and flats that were accessorized with a beaded necklace, lots of chunky bangles, feathered headband, a crochet cross-body purse, tribal and hoop earrings. The result was styles that looked like they were from the 80's. That was purely coincidental. However, we intentionally decided to wear purple and viola! The deep royal shade did a magnificent job of accentuating our styles!

xo 
Edo