I feel incredibly fortunate to have been selected by Simon G as one of his favorite up and coming designers in InDesign's "Fan Club" section. Thanks to Simon G, and InDesign's Beth, Dan, Matthijs and Trace!
You can read the article here.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Member of the Club
I feel incredibly fortunate to have been selected by Simon G as one of his favorite up and coming designers in InDesign's "Fan Club" section. Thanks to Simon G, and InDesign's Beth, Dan, Matthijs and Trace!
You can read the article here.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Trend Spotting
Here are some websites that keep tabs on current fashion + design developments. Lists of this sort can be energizing if knowing the trends quickens your pulse.
I, of course, am a big fan of Coco Chanel's saying, "Fashion fades, only style remains the same.” And I believe that I need to design beyond the trends. But, "all the world's a stage..." and it is fun to stay au courant.
Here's a list of some of my favorite places on the web to check in on new directions...
Fashionising.com
Fashion Trends 2009
JustLuxe.com
Spring Color for 2009
Fashion Trendsetter.com
Seasonal Fashion Trends, Color Trends (including Pantone color references,) Events
Design Sponge
Mini Trends in Housewares
Vogue
For runway videos, articles on trends, fashion culture
Crit
A blog from the School of Visual Arts
Design Observer
Writings on Design and Culture from some incredible minds
Boing Boing: A Directory of Wonderful Things
Obscure and fascinating facts that may end up influencing pop culture, which of course, influences art, fashion + design.
Basenotes
A Guide to what's new in fragrance.
Here's my quick rundown on the fashion trends for Spring '09:
Do you have any additions to this list? Love to hear about it in a comment.
I, of course, am a big fan of Coco Chanel's saying, "Fashion fades, only style remains the same.” And I believe that I need to design beyond the trends. But, "all the world's a stage..." and it is fun to stay au courant.
Here's a list of some of my favorite places on the web to check in on new directions...
Fashionising.com
Fashion Trends 2009
JustLuxe.com
Spring Color for 2009
Fashion Trendsetter.com
Seasonal Fashion Trends, Color Trends (including Pantone color references,) Events
Design Sponge
Mini Trends in Housewares
Vogue
For runway videos, articles on trends, fashion culture
Crit
A blog from the School of Visual Arts
Design Observer
Writings on Design and Culture from some incredible minds
Boing Boing: A Directory of Wonderful Things
Obscure and fascinating facts that may end up influencing pop culture, which of course, influences art, fashion + design.
Basenotes
A Guide to what's new in fragrance.
Here's my quick rundown on the fashion trends for Spring '09:
See-Through Fabrics
Continued Layering
Continued use of Gradient Fabrics
Appliques, pearls and beads attached to fabrics
Imperfect Fabrics (referencing all things "green.")
Neutrals mixed with Brights (especially yellow)
Black and White
Seaside Colors (that remind me of seeing color through ocean mist.)
Mauve (believe it or not...though it is looking rather like raspberry. But those of us who lived through the 80's know...)
Off-The-Shoulder Dresses (+ other expressions of asymmetry)
Grecian Dresses + the Ultra Feminine
Longer, unstructured jackets (but not sloppy)
Short jackets
Jeans
Harem Pants (believe it or not.)
Statement Jewelry
Fringe, on jewelry and clothing.
Pink will play a role, as will black and white accessories
Do you have any additions to this list? Love to hear about it in a comment.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
What’s in your Jewelry Wardrobe?
I always find it surprising to hear that many people wear the same jewelry every day. You wouldn’t wear the same t-shirt, skirt, or even the same shoes every day. Why would anyone wear the same necklace or earrings every day? ( I know, it is one less decision to make, but let’s believe that with a little upfront investment of time, we can have what we need at our finger tips and it won’t take a whole lot of bandwidth to make the choices.)
I know that some people wear diamond stud earrings and a "journey" necklace all the time. To me this is dull, dull, dull. But then, I do not design diamond studs or diamond journey necklaces...because, there’s not much design to it.
Women can wear jewelry that reflects their moods or the activities scheduled for any given day. After all, we are picking our clothes, shoes and maybe even our perfume based on these criteria. I think we need different jewels that work in the different contexts of our lives. All of the fashion magazines talk about modern women as excellent jugglers--multi-taskers who make ADD look like child’s play (which I believe it mostly is.) We are expected to take care of house and home, children, work (some of us full-time), volunteer activities, lunch with friends, dinner (or reservations and calling the sitter,) and going to the bloody gym...never mind staying civil.
I am in need of a spa vacation just thinking about it all. I think a real jewelry wardrobe is the least we can do for ourselves.
So, pray tell, what is at the heart of a good jewelry wardrobe?
OK, here we go for the basics…
Necklaces:
1- Long and short chains so that they work with the different necklines of your clothing. If the pieces can work together, all the better.
2- Layered chains are still a favorite look of Hollywood stylists and I don’t think it is going away anytime soon. It is great to have flexibility, so being able to --
3- Add a pendant to a chain or double it so that you can wrap it around your neck more than once is a bonus. Large and small are important for flexibility.
4- A thicker, face-framing necklace, chain or pearl necklace gets you a pronounced classic, office or board room look. Or if you are doing one of the very big "statement" necklaces, it can get you a high octane fashion look.
Earrings:
Well, here we need options. Earrings frame the face and so are very important statement pieces. They can make us feel glamorous in an instant.
1- Long dangles or chandeliers for dining out.
2- Large buttons or hugging hoops for the office.
3- Small Buttons for Yoga or Spinning class...or for a day when you need to feel finished without making a loud statement.
4- Large hoop earrings for a dash of eye-catching glamour.
Of course it is great to have earrings in many color options, for special events or particular outfits, to work with your clothing wardrobe. (More on color in future posts.)
Bracelets:
1- Thin bangles for spice. Nice if it has a charm attached.
2- Thick bangles for statement and to call attention to great arms.
3- Link or charm bracelets for ‘feeling dressed.’
Rings:
1- If you have a wedding or commitment ring that you wear all the time, great…don’t be afraid to upgrade. Tastes change. Styles change. (That pear diamond you loved and bought 8 years ago may just feel a bit out of step with the current zeitgeist.) It is nice to have extra rings to make you feel ‘dressed’ when you are out and about.
2- Thin bands for a simple look. It is nice if the bands can be combined to make more of a statement as...
3- Stack rings, especially when mixed with rings with gorgeous stones.
4- Cocktail rings. All colors, all sizes (leaves plenty of room to collect these over a lifetime.) Less is definitely not more when it comes to rings…less is less.
Of course, there are other kinds of jewelry, but we’re going to stop there and keep our G-rating.
We'll talk about more fashion-forward choices that aren't on our "short" list of must-haves in blogs to come.
The beautiful thing about jewelry is that it really doesn’t take up that much space. If you are going out shopping and trying to decide between that it bag and a new pair of earrings, you know which choice is going to stay with you beyond this season.
What are your favorite pieces in your jewelry wardrobe?
I know that some people wear diamond stud earrings and a "journey" necklace all the time. To me this is dull, dull, dull. But then, I do not design diamond studs or diamond journey necklaces...because, there’s not much design to it.
Women can wear jewelry that reflects their moods or the activities scheduled for any given day. After all, we are picking our clothes, shoes and maybe even our perfume based on these criteria. I think we need different jewels that work in the different contexts of our lives. All of the fashion magazines talk about modern women as excellent jugglers--multi-taskers who make ADD look like child’s play (which I believe it mostly is.) We are expected to take care of house and home, children, work (some of us full-time), volunteer activities, lunch with friends, dinner (or reservations and calling the sitter,) and going to the bloody gym...never mind staying civil.
I am in need of a spa vacation just thinking about it all. I think a real jewelry wardrobe is the least we can do for ourselves.
So, pray tell, what is at the heart of a good jewelry wardrobe?
OK, here we go for the basics…
Necklaces:
1- Long and short chains so that they work with the different necklines of your clothing. If the pieces can work together, all the better.
2- Layered chains are still a favorite look of Hollywood stylists and I don’t think it is going away anytime soon. It is great to have flexibility, so being able to --
3- Add a pendant to a chain or double it so that you can wrap it around your neck more than once is a bonus. Large and small are important for flexibility.
4- A thicker, face-framing necklace, chain or pearl necklace gets you a pronounced classic, office or board room look. Or if you are doing one of the very big "statement" necklaces, it can get you a high octane fashion look.
Earrings:
Well, here we need options. Earrings frame the face and so are very important statement pieces. They can make us feel glamorous in an instant.
1- Long dangles or chandeliers for dining out.
2- Large buttons or hugging hoops for the office.
3- Small Buttons for Yoga or Spinning class...or for a day when you need to feel finished without making a loud statement.
4- Large hoop earrings for a dash of eye-catching glamour.
Of course it is great to have earrings in many color options, for special events or particular outfits, to work with your clothing wardrobe. (More on color in future posts.)
Bracelets:
1- Thin bangles for spice. Nice if it has a charm attached.
2- Thick bangles for statement and to call attention to great arms.
3- Link or charm bracelets for ‘feeling dressed.’
Rings:
1- If you have a wedding or commitment ring that you wear all the time, great…don’t be afraid to upgrade. Tastes change. Styles change. (That pear diamond you loved and bought 8 years ago may just feel a bit out of step with the current zeitgeist.) It is nice to have extra rings to make you feel ‘dressed’ when you are out and about.
2- Thin bands for a simple look. It is nice if the bands can be combined to make more of a statement as...
3- Stack rings, especially when mixed with rings with gorgeous stones.
4- Cocktail rings. All colors, all sizes (leaves plenty of room to collect these over a lifetime.) Less is definitely not more when it comes to rings…less is less.
Of course, there are other kinds of jewelry, but we’re going to stop there and keep our G-rating.
We'll talk about more fashion-forward choices that aren't on our "short" list of must-haves in blogs to come.
The beautiful thing about jewelry is that it really doesn’t take up that much space. If you are going out shopping and trying to decide between that it bag and a new pair of earrings, you know which choice is going to stay with you beyond this season.
What are your favorite pieces in your jewelry wardrobe?
Monday, December 22, 2008
Fashion Fast-Forward
Last week I met Sally Singer, Vogue writer and editor at a tea sponsored by Harvest for Home, a Princeton-based, non-profit organization that helps people get back into homes after a period of homelessness.
Sally graciously answered questions for over an hour and gave us a bird's eye view into her fashion editor's world.
"Fashion is part of the context of a life. It is one aspect of people's lives." Sally remarked that Anna Wintour, Editor-in-Chief of Vogue, uses fashion to tell stories in the photo shoots. If you take a look at the fashion spreads of Vogue, you can see that indeed the ingenue and the older man are off on a weekend sightseeing escapade...without the wife.
A number of women attending the tea had questions about necessities for their wardrobes. Sally answered them all with equal parts gravitas and light-heartedness. I have paraphrased the questions and her answers here.
Q. How do I determine what I should spend my money on this season?
A. The sales are going to be deeper after Christmas, so take advantage of it. There are always Couture prices, mid-level prices and lower end, mass-produced prices. Buy the look you feel you most identify with at the pricepoint you can afford. If you think that you are the kind of person who always looks great in a trench coat and boots, buy those 2 pieces. If you feel comfortable in pajamas, buy the pajama suit look for evening, and the pajama look for day, and wear it. If you know what you feel comfortable in, buy that and buy the best that you can afford. You will get lots of use out of these items.
Q. What kind of jacket should I have in my wardrobe?
A. The best jackets right now are based on the $3-4,000 Balmain jacket from a couple of years ago. Rick Owens has a great jacket at the $1,500 price point. J. Crew has excellent tailoring at a much lower price point. Also, take a look at the Olsen Twins' new line, "The Row," a brand carried at Barney's. It has many classic elements.
When looking to buy a jacket, make sure that the armholes are cut so that they are not too wide. A narrower armhole suggests better tailoring.
Q. What does every woman need in her wardrobe?
A. Apart from a good jacket,
A sheath dress. Think Audrey Hepburn.
Ballet Flats. Lanvin has a great pair, as do Alaia and Jimmy Choo.
Boots. Check out Christian Louboutin, Derek Lam for Tod's, Sigerson Morrison and Yves St. Laurent. Heel height depends on you.
Handbag. Python is going to be big this spring. Look at Proenza Schouler's men's type bags. Check out Alexander Wang for "hip." And Look at Dunlin in the $400 range.
Jeans. We are waiting for the next re-invention. Check out J Brand, they are often on-trend or setting the new trend.
Pencil Skirt and flouncy skirt, if that's you.
Big Cardigan, if that's you.
Q. What are some of the best places to shop, where the owners have really culled 'the looks' of the season?
A. Barney's. Nieman's. In Soho, Opening Ceremony, at Howard and Crosby Streets, and Kirna Zabete on Greene St.
Q. How do you determine if something is a trend, or is 'on trend?'
A. Trends emerge. They are the result of many people looking at the same items, using the same visual language and coming up with new ideas at approximately the same time. They are not choreographed events among designers.
Q. What did you think of Michelle Obama's outfit on the night of the acceptance speech in Grant Park? (You can see Michelle Obabma's on-camera outfits here. Image number 5 is the dress in question, which was designed by Narciso Rodriguez.)
A. It was great. She is more fashion forward than any of our previous first ladies. She must wear clothes that are made-in-America while in the public eye, and that is going to affect the choices that she makes.
Sally Singer travels the world. She attends the Paris, Milan, London, NY and LA fashion shows. She meets with older as well as up and coming designers to keep her readers in the know. She has an amazing view of the fashion industry and it was a pleasure to be privvy to it for an afternoon.
Sally graciously answered questions for over an hour and gave us a bird's eye view into her fashion editor's world.
"Fashion is part of the context of a life. It is one aspect of people's lives." Sally remarked that Anna Wintour, Editor-in-Chief of Vogue, uses fashion to tell stories in the photo shoots. If you take a look at the fashion spreads of Vogue, you can see that indeed the ingenue and the older man are off on a weekend sightseeing escapade...without the wife.
A number of women attending the tea had questions about necessities for their wardrobes. Sally answered them all with equal parts gravitas and light-heartedness. I have paraphrased the questions and her answers here.
Q. How do I determine what I should spend my money on this season?
A. The sales are going to be deeper after Christmas, so take advantage of it. There are always Couture prices, mid-level prices and lower end, mass-produced prices. Buy the look you feel you most identify with at the pricepoint you can afford. If you think that you are the kind of person who always looks great in a trench coat and boots, buy those 2 pieces. If you feel comfortable in pajamas, buy the pajama suit look for evening, and the pajama look for day, and wear it. If you know what you feel comfortable in, buy that and buy the best that you can afford. You will get lots of use out of these items.
Q. What kind of jacket should I have in my wardrobe?
A. The best jackets right now are based on the $3-4,000 Balmain jacket from a couple of years ago. Rick Owens has a great jacket at the $1,500 price point. J. Crew has excellent tailoring at a much lower price point. Also, take a look at the Olsen Twins' new line, "The Row," a brand carried at Barney's. It has many classic elements.
When looking to buy a jacket, make sure that the armholes are cut so that they are not too wide. A narrower armhole suggests better tailoring.
Q. What does every woman need in her wardrobe?
A. Apart from a good jacket,
A sheath dress. Think Audrey Hepburn.
Ballet Flats. Lanvin has a great pair, as do Alaia and Jimmy Choo.
Boots. Check out Christian Louboutin, Derek Lam for Tod's, Sigerson Morrison and Yves St. Laurent. Heel height depends on you.
Handbag. Python is going to be big this spring. Look at Proenza Schouler's men's type bags. Check out Alexander Wang for "hip." And Look at Dunlin in the $400 range.
Jeans. We are waiting for the next re-invention. Check out J Brand, they are often on-trend or setting the new trend.
Pencil Skirt and flouncy skirt, if that's you.
Big Cardigan, if that's you.
Q. What are some of the best places to shop, where the owners have really culled 'the looks' of the season?
A. Barney's. Nieman's. In Soho, Opening Ceremony, at Howard and Crosby Streets, and Kirna Zabete on Greene St.
Q. How do you determine if something is a trend, or is 'on trend?'
A. Trends emerge. They are the result of many people looking at the same items, using the same visual language and coming up with new ideas at approximately the same time. They are not choreographed events among designers.
Q. What did you think of Michelle Obama's outfit on the night of the acceptance speech in Grant Park? (You can see Michelle Obabma's on-camera outfits here. Image number 5 is the dress in question, which was designed by Narciso Rodriguez.)
A. It was great. She is more fashion forward than any of our previous first ladies. She must wear clothes that are made-in-America while in the public eye, and that is going to affect the choices that she makes.
Sally Singer travels the world. She attends the Paris, Milan, London, NY and LA fashion shows. She meets with older as well as up and coming designers to keep her readers in the know. She has an amazing view of the fashion industry and it was a pleasure to be privvy to it for an afternoon.
Jumping off the Cliff...
Web 2.0 is upon us and I can't let the revolution keep moving forward without taking an active role. I've just started on Twitter (jj_design is my "handle") and I have a facebook page that keeps me laughing and connected with many friends. It is time to start a blog.
So, what will this blog be and why?
I will focus on design, the jewelry world, and the relationship between the two as they are filtered through my life. Why? Because I have an interesting thought or two per day (sometimes more)...so now I have a forum in which to collect them. I'm looking forward to it!
Reality TV ain't nothing compared to this!
So, what will this blog be and why?
I will focus on design, the jewelry world, and the relationship between the two as they are filtered through my life. Why? Because I have an interesting thought or two per day (sometimes more)...so now I have a forum in which to collect them. I'm looking forward to it!
Reality TV ain't nothing compared to this!
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