This Fall....

... I am thinking about sheer silk printed dresses, lingerie on display, fuller, shorter skirts, the blending lightweight materials with heavy tweeds and bold textures... all in neutral, yet rich tones. Giambattista Valli's Fall 2010 line basically sums it up for me in a beautiful line I can't stop admiring. With 60s retro inspiration, these updated silhouettes are ideal for my fall wardrobe. I love the high-class, socialite appeal of these designs.... sigh.

The Selby is in Your Place!

My friend Kim and her husband, creators of 'The Function Key' are hoping to get their hip and modern haven photographed by Todd Selby, photographer, illustrator and creator of "The Selby is in Your Place". Many of you may have seen Todd's book, The Selby, featuring the unique homes of celebrities such as Helena Christenson, Jonathan Adler and Simon Doonan. Help them win this once in a lifetime contest put on by the famous photographer and CB2. The lucky winners will get their home photographed by the creative genius as well as getting $10,000 in cool CB2 loot! In addition, Todd will feature the unique abode on his blog. Help me help them by clicking on this link and voting for their adorable place!

Jeffrey Campbell

Admittedly, the Jeffrey Campbell Fall 2010 lookbook has been out for a while now. I already picked up a pair of boots from the collection (backordered until October), but it's nice to know I will get a pleasant surprise in the mail soon. I have always been drawn to footwear inspired by clogs - it bodes well for me that this trend is carrying through to the fall months. I love the organic mix of leather and wood. I wish I could have them all. The oxford style platforms with a chunky wood heel and the sherpa lined ankle booties are my favorites.... Check out the some of the fabulous images from the JC lookbook below...

Shadowplay

Otis College of Art grad, Heather Goldberg, drew inspiration from "oceanic aragonite structure, planetary space, crystal formations and spiderwebs" to form her jewelry collection aptly named Shadowplay. Using a unique mixture of materials and fibers such as bamboo, cotton, silk, black silver and Swarovski crystals, Shadowplay is a unique collection that is sure to garner plenty of intriguing glances. Beautiful when dressed up or down, these pieces are truly one of a kind. Here.

Tortoise General Store

This weekend we had friends in from out of town to visit. They were traveling across the U.S. after leaving Prague, their home for seven years. It was great to see them again and catch up. Also amazing is when great friends open your eyes to new ideas, concepts and products. While in L.A. they visited Tortoise General Store in Venice. Owned by a Japanese couple, a large amount of their product selection is Japanese made, including two beautiful tenugui cotton towels that they got us. I immediately looked the store up online to learn more and I am in love. Their assortment is so purposeful, providing you with essential everyday items that don't skimp on style or function. Here are some of my favorites.

Pack and Carry Fire Pit, a genius idea for camping or for your own backyard!

Tenugui, traditional cotton Japanese towels in amazing prints!

Tortoise Grater - handcrafted in Japan

A beautiful Mokusai cherry veneer lamp.

Awestruck

I was perusing through style.com earlier today and revisited pictures of Givenchy's Fall 2010 line. Without skipping a beat, the entire collection showcases minute details like zipper pulls in the shape of human bones and ceramic skulls with sprouting wings that can be found safely nestled amongst a sea of pearls and crystals. With additional elements like scalloped hems, beading, lace, fringe and feathers, the entire collection is flawless. Creative director Riccardo Tisci stated that the inspiration behind his collection was Frida Kahlo and her three obsessions:
Religion, sensuality and human anatomy. This collection is an inspiring interpretation of those three elements.See it here.

London Underground

On my amazing trip to NYC this weekend, I made a point to get to the MoMA. There was an exhibit on London Underground posters from the 20s through the 40s. Apparently, after WWI London Underground street posters began turning the tunnels into works of art. The posters were designed by significant artists like Laszlo Moholy-Nagy - but my favorites were from E. McKnight Kauffer. They had about 20 on exhibition. Here are my favorites.

Here are a few of my own pictures from the museum exhibit. In case anyone is wondering, the treatment on the pics is from the LOMO application I have on my iPhone.

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Zucca

This summer, as I strolled through the fashion-forward Tokyo neighborhoods of Harajuku and Shibuya, I sought out those unique and appealing "Made in Japan" designs that had always made Tokyo so special to me. It was apparent as I hit the third ZARA within a block radius that the European invasion had hit Tokyo with explosive power. Despite this recent change in consumer tastes, I knew La Foret in Harajuku would not disappoint. With six floors of cutting edge fashion from obscure Japanese labels (aside from the new Topshop side-store) and everything on sale for the month of July, La Foret was exactly what I was seeking. While I am a huge lover of Topshop and ZARA, I wish for Tokyo to remain how it has always been - a place where you can find unusual and unique looks that are impossible to find anywhere else.

Zucca is a favorite of mine - designer Akira Onozuka always gets it right.