Category Archives: Uncategorized

Oprah: The gift that keeps on giving

Thank goodness for DVR, without which it would be impossible to watch Oprah’s farewell season. One of the most beloved episodes of each season is the Talk Queen’s “Favorite Things” show.

This year, since it’s the 25th and final season, Oprah spread out her famous episode over two days. While all of the gifts were nothing short of spectacular (the top secret 2012 Volkswagon Beetle, a 7-day cruise, Dana Rebecca diamond earrings, the iPad — I mean we could gladly go on and on), we were heartened by the charities Oprah choose to promote.

The first one comes courtesy of Groupon. For $15 donors are given a $25 gift card to Kiva, an organization that supplies microloans to global entrepreneurs in developing countries. What we love about this organization is that it empowers people, who otherwise would be living in poverty, to start their own businesses and transform their communities. The funds given are repaid over time to the lenders who are then free to make another loan, donate the funds to Kiva to help with operational costs, or can be withdrawn from PayPal.

As her second charity of choice, Oprah picked Bing’s contribution to Donors Choose, an organization that allows public school teachers all over the country to post classroom project requests such as funds for pencils, to musical instruments for school recitals, to microscope slides for biology classes. Teachers normally spend $40 per month on classroom supplies, so contributions can help alleviate the burden. Donors can browse project requests and give any amount they desire. In return, they will receive photos of the project taking place, a thank-you letter from the teacher and a cost report showing how each dollar was spent. If donors choose to give more than $100, hand-written thank-you letters from the students will also be sent. How sweet would that be to tack to your fridge?

Through Bing, users can help donate up to $1 million dollars to Donors Choose. By making the search engine their homepage, users will be given an access code which in turn allows them to donate five dollars to Donors Choose. You can also choose to have Bing donate one dollar in your name.

To find out more and to donate go to these sites:

Kiva Gift Card courtesy of Groupon.

Donors Choose courtesy of Bing.

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Monday Morning Gorgeousness: Charlotte Rampling

Charlotte+RamplingCharlotte Rampling: So cool it effing hurts.

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Club Monaco Fetes its New Suit Collection with a Private Dinner at Cecconi’s

Club Monaco designer Tim Farah presents his designs during ClubClub Monaco celebrated the launch of its new men’s suit collection last night with an intimate dinner at Cecconi restaurant’s private Butterfly Room (so named because of the large, heart-shaped piece from Damien Hirst’s Butterfly Series that hangs on the wall).

Timothy Farah, the designer behind the collection — and Club Monaco’s new vice president of design — was on hand for two, to-the-point model presentations, each spanning about five minutes.

Standing alongside a trio of models, Farah pointed out his modern take on the suit—namely, shorter jackets and slim-cut blazers and pants—as well as the collection’s mix-and-match versatility, which was apparent in the pairing of tailored jackets with snowflake sweaters, seersucker shorts, jeans and even long johns.

Farah, who worked on Brooks Brothers Black Fleece Collection before joining Club Monaco, was clad in a blazer and jeans.

In between presentations guests including stylist Karla Welch and make-up artist Tara Dowburd-Luftman noshed on a selection of grilled Alaskan salmon and roast chicken. Attendees took home Club Monaco blazers, which they found draped over their chairs.

Farah’s suit collection hit Club Monaco stores in October and retails for just under $500.

–Rosalba Curiel

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Margaret Maldonado’s L’Agence Line Teams Up with L.A. Photog Brad Elterman

Elterman

Brad Elterman, one of L.A.’s early paparazzos, was a huge source of inspiration for stylist rep Margaret Maldonado‘s, who sidelines as designer for her own L’Agence clothing collection.

The pair used to pal around L.A. nightlife scene in the 70s, and recently decided to collaborate on a capsule collection for L’Agence — a t-shirt-driven collection that Maldonado launched last year with the help of J Brand’s Jeff Rudes and retailer Ron Herman.

The capsule collection of graphic t-shirts includes the above image of a hedonistic scene at a pool behind the Beverly Hills Hotel, and classic images of Joan Jett and Michael Jackson. The t-shirts, which retail from $142 to $168, will be on display at Ron Herman from Saturday, Nov. 14 to Dec. 26 as part of a photo exhibition featuring Elterman’s work and his book, Like it was Yesterday (which is also the name of the exhibition). Hot stuff.

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Stylist’s Diary: Losing My Vintage Mojo?

vintageAnyone who knows me knows that I live for vintage clothes.  I’ve been wearing second-hand gems since the early 90s, When Cobain rendered vintage Levis, graphic T shirts, corduroys and flannels the height of fashion.

Later I graduated to slip dresses, cardigans with holes and Doc Martens.  And now I wear just about everything: floral kimonos from the 20s, long silk robes from the 40s, baby doll dresses from the 50s and peasant dresses from the 70s.

But lately I’ve been feeling kind of “eh” about digging through racks of musty apparel. The other day I went to the Rose Bowl Flea Market and upon entering the “clothes section” I quickly opted to leave.

Maybe it was my Dries Van Noten over the knee boots making me sweat in 80-degree weather, or maybe it was the sheer amount of clothes that each vendor carried…or maybe it’s just that I don’t have that same level patience to elbow my way to the racks as I once did?

Don’t get me wrong.  I’m going back next month.  But next time, aside from wearing flip flops, I’ll need to have a system down so I won’t get overwhelmed by the enormous layout.  Any advice for a dried up vintage whore, er, connoisseur?

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Carine Roitfeld Arrives Late to the Halloween Party

Picture 2We  knew this no-pants trend — which, in my opinion, started with Katy Perry last year — would eventually work its way onto the most fashion-forward quinquagenarian (that’s 50-something) in the world: French Vogue editrix Carine Roitfeld.

The editor went pants-less at Nicolas Pol’s “The Martus Maw” opening on Monday night. And as much as I admire her joie de vive, I find the witchy boots-lace hose match-up a tad too “Elvira” for my taste.

What’s your take, fashion fans?

Photo courtesy of Patrick McMullen.

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Lady GaGa Proves New McQueen Shoes are Walkable … For a Few Steps, At Least

Say what you will about Lady GaGa, but the girl can turn out a music video. And beyond the anodyne pop lyrics and jerky choreography for “Bad Romance,” the singer may have proven what assorted British Vogue staff recently intimated was impossible: Walking in Alexander McQueen’s python shoes with 10-inch heels, previously thought to be only possible by the extraterrestrial model-creatures in the Brit designer’s spring 2010 runway show (Gaga debuted the single on the delicious final walk, shown below, along with the new video). — Krista Jennings





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L.A. Eccentric James Goldstein Talks Fashion and Architecture

jamesYou may have seen silver-haired James “Jim” Goldstein around town — perhaps at a fashion show or clad in one of his signature python cowboy hats sitting courtside at a Lakers game.
I got curious about what this flamboyant guy was all about after after Goldstein, dressed in head-to-toe John Galliano, gave a tour of his house to my architecture class last week. I mean, how many long-haired, older guys do you know who dress in head-to-toe Galliano?
Turns out, the real estate mogul — and 24-7 party person — is constantly updating his sprawling bachelor pad, designed by modern architect John Lautner, to reflect the latest trends in home design.
I caught up with Goldstein to talk about his passion for fashion and his newest construction project, an on-site nightclub (what else?).

You’ve got the ultimate party house already, why build a nightclub?

I get requests all the time for parties here, and I’m also a person that’s been going to nightclubs all my life, so it’s something that I’ve wanted to do for a long time.  Whether I end up using it a lot or not, it’s something I’ve always wanted to do: design my own nightclub.

What is the design concept?

The design reflects the overall style of the house: the use of concrete, glass, and leather as the predominate materials. I intend to carry that through the club and combine it with the latest special effects that I’ve seen in nightclubs, such as the ones in Moscow that I’ve just visited.  They use some laser effects that go beyond what I’ve seen in clubs in the U.S.

Do you see a connection between fashion and architecture?

Modern houses reflect a dynamic of what’s going on today by trying to keep up with the latest in technology and design ideas.  Clothes have the same dynamic, in terms of continual evolution.  There is definitely a connection for me because I like to continually move forward in both areas.

Have you been hands-on in fashion design also?

I haven’t really done much in the way of my own design, other than the hats I wear that I designed.  I also attempt to make adaptations sometimes from women’s clothes to something that will work for me, because men’s clothes right now are the most boring that they’ve ever been in my life.  I am very excited by the Balmain clothing line right now.  Although it is geared toward women, there are a few men’s pieces, but they are not anywhere near as exciting as the women’s pieces.  The designer [Christophe Decarnin] really is in tune with what I like and hopefully he will start designing some things for me, and I am working in that direction.

–Hilary Scurlock

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Stylist’s Diary: Military Redux?

GaultierI just had a déjà vu. Wasn’t it just a few seasons ago that the whole military trend swept into fashion — when Chris Martin dotted his navy jacket on every red carpet event in the universe?

Well army green and other military hallmarks are back in a more substantial way for Spring. Marc Jacobs, Jean Paul Gaultier and Pheobe Philo are among the top designers embellishing jackets with military detailing and flaunting fashioned-out combat boots. And on the mass tier,  J. Crew is boasting a bona fide camouflage jacket in its Spring collection.

Soon we’ll see Forever 21 and H&M get in on the game and girls everywhere will start looking like they’ve walked off a flight deck somewhere.

Are you digging this new trend? I’m curious to know.

Photo: Gaultier’s combat chic for Spring. Courtesy of Style.com.

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Taylor Jacobson Leaves Rachel Zoe Inc. Finally.

TaylorTaylor Jacobson, stylist Rachel Zoe‘s longtime right-hand-woman, announced on Friday that she’s leaving RZ to strike out on her own.

At long last. Jacobson’s been grumbling about not being able to move up in the company forever, and we’re happy she’s finally taking the leap. There are rumors that she was fired by Zoe, but no one’s been able to back them up.

Here’s a bit of her g’bye note:

After four amazing years at Rachel Zoe Corporation, I’m saddened and exhilarated at the same time to announce my departure. After much thought and consideration, I have decided to take the challenging leap to go off and style on my own.

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