And Another One!

Although I dread the frigid days of January and February ahead of us, I can weather the cold knowing that Spring will eventually show us it's pretty face again. In the meantime, for all you early birds out there who tend to plan a season in advance, let A Peace Treaty's 2010 scarf collection (see the look book that I styled below) be that ray of sunshine on your wardrobe's horizon. Featuring silk chiffon fabrics handcrafted in Afghanistan (yes that's right you read it correctly the first time, Afghanistan!). Each scarf is hand woven by women widowed as a result of the war, and supporting their craft is a baby step towards bringing about reconstruction and healing in that region (well at least we can make an effort in our own stylish way ;)

Long Live the King!

I came this close (pinched fingers) to meeting Janet Jackson (BTW, I'll love her for life!). There was talk of her being featured in the last shot of this promo for the 2009 VMAS, but it didn't work out... However, I am very happy to have been a part of the ultimate send off for MJ, (Yep, I styled everyone from the couple to the cabbie, the hot dog vendor...down to the cop!) and hope to see her live tonight at the awards show (fingers crossed for my ticket to come through!). In an effort to create my own tribute to the King of Pop, I snapped everyone on set sporting a rendition of his trademark sparkling glove, and asked each of them to do something unique with it. Stay tuned for a display of those photos, in the meantime, here's the one of me and of Jason Roth, the Director of the spot.

2009 VMAs "Side Story" - MTV Commerical

I must say that this styling gig has been one of the highlights of my eight years in the business. It took about two weeks to find outfits for all of those dancers. Keep your eye peeled for the homeless lady I put in an average of 15 hour days nearly every day (Yes, that's the right for all of you aspiring Stylistas out there, the styling world from the outside seems quite glamorous)...but the long hours and barely any sleep were definitely worth every second of it, just to be able to add this to my reel. Plus, I got the chance to work with super cool director Seyi-Peter Thomas.

Malibu Spots

The stylish Asbury Lanes in NJ, made a great location for this Malibu Rum shoot.

Sweet Tater - Hot Hot Hot!!!

Nestled on the east side of Mulberry Street, like a diamond in the rough, Sweet Tater is one of the best kept vintage secrets in the city. Christina and her crew have a keen buying eye and always stock a great selection of all the best classics and so many precious one off pieces that make the hunting aspect of shopping vintage worth all the while. From boots, bags, dresses, jackets, denim... I've never left the store and without finding something super chic!

"V" is for RED

Psst...Nothing says "Be Mine Valentine!"quite like the color red. So, whether you're hoping to get struck by cupid's arrow, or if you're already spoken for... heck, even if you're single - there's always a good excuse for a new pair of shoes!  Girls Love Shoes (GLS) has assembled a great selection of red heels to get you and your lover in the mood. GLS is the one and only all vintage shoe store (that's right, that's all they sell!) in all of Manhattan... a-must-stop-by-shop whenever I'm in Chinatown (@ 29 Ludlow Street btw Hester/Canal). They also have an extensive archive (by appointment only) right around the corner. What's that you say? Red's not your color, well don't fret, they have a ton of other great colors too! Just don't go breaking any hearts out there, while you're wearing them!

---xoxo

"KILIM, GOSSYPIUM, NIANI"

I'm really so proud to have been a part of the creation of the new look book from A PEACE TREATY. Not just because I styled it, but because I really respect the thoughtful aesthetic and aim of the brand in general. Their new Spring/Summer '09 Collection is called, "KILIM, GOSSYPIUM, NIANI." Don't those names just sound so, um mm...enchanting? As if repeating them a few times in a row could evoke some fantastical chain of events to magically unfold? Well, they are all just that: magical. This season, Dana and Farah introduce hand-block painted silk into the mix of their masterfully crafted collection of scarves. The fine luxuriousness of this organic fabric, paired with vivid color combinations are sure to instantly elevate any wardrobe. I mean they're even better (and more affordable) than Hermès' infamous designs! So, you hear that guys? That goes for you too! FYI: silk prints look great paired with a solid blazer, thrown over a basic tee or a solid button down, on top of dark washed denim. Wear the long ones loose around the neck, or sport one of the hankies in your pocket. Please just do yourself a favor: wear a nice shoe with this ensemble, NOT sneakers. Trust me, this simple trick really works, and just like magic... the ladies will love you for it!

*Also, peep The Fader's write up on their blog about this collection.

LA DOLCE VITA!

Forget about the story line. To all you costume junkies out there, in case you have an extra three hours to spare! Baz Lurhmann's (of Romeo and Juliet, and Moulin Rouge fame) new film Australia is a must see for all of the custom made Ferragamo outfits created by Costume Designer, Catherine Martin (also, Lurhmann's wife). Lady Sarah Ashley's down-under wardrobe, played by Aussie Nicole Kidman, blew me away in nearly every scene. Especially, these limited edition 1940's inspired, red velvet sandals that the house of Ferragmo decided to put out just in time for the film's release. Oh the joys of being rich and fabulous! Fashionistas everywhere should aspired to obtain such luxurious perks, but for those of us still on our way to the top, they can be viewed at the Salvatore Ferragamo Museum in Florence, Italy. Pack lite!

(source info and pic found on Fashion Windows)

P.S. Ferragamo is also responsible for model Claudia Shiffer's big come back. I love all of their ads featuring her right now. And she looks like she hasn't aged a bit...hmmm, maybe it was the magician?

"FEEL THE GOOD!"

I always wondered how those little packets contain so much power to help fight off colds, and to help us all "Feel the Good," so I was really excited when I got the call from Shilo Productions style a commercial for them. Once I found the right colors that the client was looking for to match the two featured packets (light pink for the "tropical/bollywood" spot and blue for the "lemon lime/kung fu" spot), which sounds pretty simple, but you'd be surprised to find out just how many different shades of pink and blue are out there these days...it was cool to see how everything was filmed: from observing the art department concoct glasses full of "Emergen-C" for the camera (psst...there's a secret formula used for making those bubbles fizz perfectly on cue for the camera, but I'll never tell!); to watching the two actors create genuine looks of satisfaction, sip after sip, take after take...after take. At the end of the shoot, they went home pretty healthy, and everyone else on set: Felt the Good!

STYLECASTER

Need to know what the weather will be for the day, and how to dress accordingly? StyleCaster is a new daily fashion based news and trend forecasting site that will help you jump start your day in just the perfect way. The brain child of Meg Cuna (former Market Editor of Lucky Magazine), the interactive site provides you with not only virtual outfit ideas - based on your own unique style profile that you create but, you'll also find out about what's happening in the fashion community from designer launches to all the up and coming sample sales around NYC. It's a great way for any fashionista to stay in the know and to network with other interesting people in the biz. A bonus feature is that some of the daily style casts were provided by yours truly! Check out my profile in their Style Setter section:

AMERICA NEEDS YOU!

Just a brief preview of the windows displays that I helped create for the Levi's windows on 14th Street ...very fitting for the times that we are living in right now... Hate to sound so cliche, but get out and get your voice heard: rock the vote!

JUST ANOTHER DAY IN THE SUN!

They caught me!  I had to do the interview, but it was fun, I like watching the videos of real people from around the world on their blog site. 

WHAT HAPPENED TO NEW?

The last few trend movements that I've noticed on the streets of NYC, have been forged in their entirety from previous generations (now don't mistake me, there's absolutely nothing wrong with borrowing bits and pieces from our past from time to time, but plagiarism is downright unacceptable).  Case in point the current, and seemingly never ending revival of all things '80s fever, as seen by the kids posted in head-to-toe 80s-inspired gear throughout SoHo on any given day of the week... including high top fades, stone wash jeans and people actually carrying around boom boxes on their shoulders... well quite frankly, it's become a sickness here now, and it has to be stopped! It's as if these kids have been transported through a time machine from 1984, and dropped off in the middle of the city. Or maybe a better explanation is that our parallel universe got stuck in some black hole during that decade, and has finally resurfaced? I see them everywhere and it makes me question, what ever happened to new? New trends, new styles, to new innovative ways of self-expression? The Mods' slender silhouette defined the '60s; bell bottoms and disco sprung forth in the '70s; then, hip-hop, Adidas and high-top fades in the '80s; and grunge rocked the '90s... It seems like all we do these days is reach back to previous generations for style inspiration, can this really be it? Have we entered into an apocalyptic era in the world of fashion? I implore, ten years from now, what fashions will we say defined the first decade of the 21st century?

THE FLORAL REPORT CONT'D...

(Photo by Chioma Nnadi; Vintage floral print dress from Eleven)

At McCarren Pool concert, sponsored by Top Shop 

(Yay!!! I'm so excited that it's opening in NYC soon!)

I HEART CHANGE!

OLD DRY CLEANING POSTERS

CUBANNIE!

The first thing I noticed about Annie Basulto when I met her were those gold link earrings glimmering from her ears.  See more of her cute creations on her web site... PS. That's NYC Graffiti Artist, TOO FLY working her magic in the background at an event to launch Sidekick's new customizable shells.

THE REAL ERIN BROCKOVICH

Yup! She's the real Erin Brockovich, and she's been standing up now for a very long time, using her voice to fight for average people against the hazardous practices of big corporations.  I have to admit that Erin is one of my new favorite people that I've ever styled.   Her persona is definitely unique and true to the fiery rawness that Julia Roberts portrayed of her in the film (released in 2000) made about her landmark victory against Pacific Gas & Electric Company. A straightforward, grab 'em by the whatever it takes-to bring about justice-type of woman; Erin also possesses a great sense of humor, and is sincere, inquisitive, easy going, and considerate.  In fact, she even offered to help me clean up the wardrobe after the shoot!  Plus, she was a total pro on camera and banged out many of the spots that we shot last week for Weitz and Luxenburg, about the dangerous side affects of asbestos, in just a few quick takes.  They should start airing sometime soon... more details to follow...

A REASON FOR PEACE!

Two women bridge the gap between Jews and Muslims with their new collection of scarves, stoles, and handkerchiefs.   A Peace Treaty (APT) is the collective brain child of Dana Arbib, a Libyian Jew, and Farah Malik, a Pakistani Muslim. News headlines around the world would cause one to believe that such a relationship is just not possible.  Thus, Dana and Farah founded APT to help recognize their respective cultural similarities; but, more importantly to prove that we can all work together to create a more beautiful planet.  All of the scarves are hand-dyed and hand-loomed by local artisans in Southeast Asia, and feature bright, thoughtful colors and patterns that can be worn year round by both men and women.  So go ahead... give peace a chance and snatch one up while they still last! (Plus, you can see me in their online look book).

MARK MY WORDS

Men's tunic dress shirts will be a big hit for Spring/Summer '08, but only the truly brave will dare to venture out in one. Here's an example from a British street vendor selling them like hot cakes at the Portobello Flea Market in Nottinghill.

IN FLORALS WE TRUST

By now, we've all seen this explosion of floral prints that has infected itself on the styles of the runways and the streets. But, only Tsumori Chisato could add strength to their movement by showing us how to rock them properly. When it comes to details, she and her team leave no stone unturned. No seam un-stitched. The flower-packed prints she displayed on a range of pieces for her Fall/Winter '08 collection, included a 70's inspired chiffon dress complete with matching covetable lace up rain boots (pictured). As an observer in the audience (thanks to my friend Angela over at Mail Movement), I felt myself to be magically transported by the whimsical carousel music, not to mention the breathtakingly beautifully dip-dyed tights, to a place of limitless imagination. The bold color combinations that Chisato has become known for tend to mesmerize - evoking a vivid sense of other worldliness that she continues to improve upon season after season.

LA MODE DE PARIS!

* photos courtesy of elle.com

There's no place like home, but Paris is a close second pour moi! I just love perusing it's avenues and rues, exploring many of them as if for the very first time. Each one hosts a new source of inspiration: from the classic French architecture, to the flowers hanging from nearly every window, even the street art is tres chic! This time, I stumbled upon the Isabel Marant Fall/Winter '08 runway show. Her American Indian modern cowgirl lumberjack look suits me quite well. 

* Even though they spelled my name wrong, check out my interview about the show on Refinery 29

RED

I learned a great deal about the London Fashion scene and publishing world during my brief stint at RED Magazine on North Row (a sister publication of BRITISH ELLE).  Fashion Director, Nicola Rose, along with her entire team, showed me all the ins and outs of putting together fashion spreads and other content for the publication. Some of the steps involved in this exciting process include the following: 

(1) Visit runway presentations and press offices to get a glimpse of the best and the brightest of the newest trends/collections to potentially shoot for the magazine;

(2) Find relevant sources of inspiration (such as books, magazines and film) for story ideas;

(3) Create the story/concept to be shot (this has to be approved by the Editor-in-Chief first!);

(4)   Pull clothing, shoes and accessories, to be shot, from tons of designers and showrooms to (*NOTE to those seeking internships/work at a fashion magazine: this process can be very dull and time consuming involving loads and loads of phone calls, emails and faxing---but without this task, there would be nothing to shoot!);

(5)  Edit (or decide on) the looks and articles for each story;

(6) Shoot the story (this involves another series of steps, such as: finding the location/photographer/mode(s)/hair and makeup artists/catering/transportation...);

(7) Return the clothing, shoes and accessories pulled for the shoot to the designers/press offices...;

(8) Collaborate with the Art Department and Editor-in-Chief to edit and layout the the story/article/spread (picture above shows this process in action);

(9) Publish the issue of the magazine;

(10) Plan for the next shoot, and repeat steps 1-9.

FACTORY TOUR: ALFRED SARGENT SHOES

Did you know that it takes approximately 130 people to make a single pair of precisely handcrafted Alfred Sargent & Sons shoes? I, recently had the pleasure of visiting the handmade shoe factory to get a glimpse of the secret skills involved in turning a piece of raw leather into a fine shoe. From selecting the leather to clicking, then gimping, brogueing, tanning, lining, and then finishing; it’s a complicated process, but somebody has do it! Here are some of the photos from my tour of the factory in Northamptonshire England:

VANITY FAIR SHOOT WITH JERRY HALL

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of assisting a Stylist on a photo shoot for Vanity Fair Italia with legendary top model Jerry Hall. She was super sweet, so down to earth and it was a great exprience. With only six degrees of separation, and the same last name, there's a small chance that she and I could just be related...After all, stranger things have happened!

GUY FAWKES NIGHT

Every November 5th year, the people of London gather together to ohh and ahh at the firesworks displays paying tribute to Guy Fawkes Night. The story goes that a radical group of men anxious to bring about change in the government system, and led by Guy Fawkes, were caught in the act of plotting to blow up parliament with gunpowder on Nov. 5th in the year 1605. Londoners make bonfires and set off fireworks to mark how massive the explosion would have been had the plot been successful. This year marked the 402nd anniversary, and I ohh and ahhed with the crowd at Victoria Park on the east side of London, the dissolving giant skeleton of Fawkes was spectacular!

WHAT I'VE BEEN UP TO...

After a week of classes at the prestigious arts haven, Central Saint Martins, I am definitely feeling rejuvenated and re-inspired to pursue my creative interests. The course is called "Contemporary Textiles from Old," and I am learning how to use old textiles to create new works of art. The hands on experience, has produced a great start of something magical within me. I am meeting a lot of good people from all over the world, one of my classmates is even here from Japan. We're all feeding off of each others creativity and encouraging each other to realize our great ideas. The objective of the course is for everyone to utilize their own personal sources of inspiration to produce textiles through the techniques demonstrated by the instructor, Sophie Gorton, such as: foiling, flocking, heat transfer, silk screening, and sewing, to name a few. 

Below is a sample of one of the works that I created for the class.  The bottom image is a tear from  a "Love Story,"  a fashion spread that I directed and styled for  Frank151 Book, Book #20, (photographed by Taku). So, basically, I had to xerox the tear sheet, transfer that onto photo transfer paper, which in turn was transferred on the orange polyester (in the top picture).  After that I created pulls and tears in the polyester to give it even more texture. And finally, I silk screened white flocking onto the area that represents the clothing that the model is wearing. It was such a fun process, and I'm really happy with the way that all my works turned out.  You can see more on them in the collage section of my website. x

MERCI BEACOUP!

Dear Loved Ones,

I've been so busy since I left NYC, (BTW, France was beautiful!) and I haven't had a proper opportunity just to say "Thanks!" So, to all of you who came out to help me bring in the big 3-0, with a bang, and especially to those of you, who traveled near and far, I salut you! In the infamous words of the Brits, "CHEERS!!!" I truly cherish your love, kindness and frienships.

xoxo,

Niki

BONJOUR! C'EST NIKI!

Here, I intend to publish tidbits about my adventures in styling, and other things that I find inspiring along the way. Stay tuned, for updates, more to follow soon...