lovely, lydia!

for marc jacobs fall/winter 2005 collection he took inspiration from the moody, gothic style of lydia deetz. he was particularly influenced by this skirt with extra-volume....


such amazing eyes to go with those ultra-thin bangs....


I do love that veil....romantic, yet dark.


and of course, the composition of her suicide note....all so uniquely lydia deetz
beetlejuice (1988)

since, it is halloween I thought it would be appropriate to pay homage to the look and style of lydia deetz from tim burton's comedy-horror classic beetlejuice....I have always felt a close-connection to lydia deetz....I think it all started when I was a child, and my father took my sister and I too see this film. I remember this was the first film I ever saw in the movie theatre, and I remember being so intrigued by the look of the movie and fascinated by lydia deetz. I do admire the way she wears black, but I also like the way she thinks and feels in the film. yes, lydia deetz is goth to the 10th power, but she is also quite strange, yet funny, too....two qualities that are not always associated together. starting at a young age, winona ryder as lydia deetz made me realize that it is okay to be strange and unusual, and that you don't always have to fit in with the world...I thank my dad for making me see this film and for exposing me to the gothic ouevre of director tim burton, the beauty of winona ryder, and for making me understand that it is cool to be different....long live lydia deetz!

an updated lydia deetz

mariacarla boscono

lately, I have been admiring the style of italian supermodel mariacarla boscono...I like how she constantly changes her appearance, almost like a chameleon. she can go from looking like actress jean seberg, one day....to looking like mexican artist frida kahlo, the next day. I particularly like the way mariacarla boscono looks in this black ensemble...from the skirt, shoes, to that black birkin, it is really a perfect example of how to wear black, accordingly....I like to think of this look as a modern-day lydia deetz.

bausch in black

pina bausch’s 'orphée et euridice'

It was through pedro almodóvar's film hable con ella, where I first took notice of dancer and choreographer pina bausch.....I feel that whenever I watch an almodóvar film I discover new people and interesting concepts. there really is something so unique about pina bausch's dance style...she often incorporates dark expressionism in her choreography dealing with themes like anguish, fear and loss. mostly, what I love most about her work is her elaborate sets and costumes with eclectic music. I recently watched pina bausch's 'orphée et euridice' and was so amazed by the the look and feel of the costumes with the choreography....there is something so hauntingly beautiful about the way her dancers come together. I don't know who did the costumes, but the look is very yohji yamamoto. the dancers really represent the perfect silhouette...so stunning all together in black and their movements correspond so harmoniously. I know that pina bausch and yohji yamamoto were very good friends and frequent collaborators and I can definetly see a yohji influence. I have always felt that her dance company has some of the most fashion-forward individuals....why aren't they recognized more in the fashion world?...her dancers show that it is not so much about the clothes, but more about the body with movement....if you love the combination fashion with dance I highly recommend pina bausch’s 'orphée et euridice.'

flashback

i saw gorillaz play the other day. i was a big blur fan, but i don't know more than a few gorillaz songs. i was pleasantly surprised, and would happily buy their albums. i also got to thinking whatever happened between damon alburn and justine frischmann? they were the quintessential poster couple for british alternative music.

say yes to the dress

photo by sybille walter

I have recently discovered brookyln-based fashion designer matthew ames...he really knows how to create such bold shapes. how have I just discovered him? this dress in particular caught my eye....I fully support a look that combines drapery with asymmetry.

a ghostly gown

photo by mario sorrenti

there is something so appealing about this photo....perhaps, it is that black background with that white emanuel ungaro gown....yes, it is a beautiful dress, but I love how ghostly and haunting it looks....lately, I have been quite obsessed with black and white contrasts, especially with photography...it just adds a little something extra.

yohji mystery

photo by nick knight

I have always admired the yohji yamamoto sense of style...the look is almost like a bat woman, layered in dark, squarish, and oversized shapes...I know it may sound strange, but it is actually quite interesting and beautiful. as of now, I am bit obsessed with the the look of a yohji yamamoto hat...I can't really describe the look of them. they are very much abstract, but still very structured. for years, I have been trying to find one to add to my collection, but I haven't had much luck. they seem to be such a mystery. hopefully, I will find one in my future...'till then I have photos like this to keep me intrigued.

what a difference a year makes...

photos by pierpaolo ferrari

I am going to try and forget the november 2010 annual art issue of W magazine. perhaps, it should be called the fart issue....there is no need for a naked kim kardashian to be on the cover of a leading fashion magazine...especially one devoted to art. I can't seem to find a connection between the two. instead, I am going to reminisce on last year's november 2009 art issue. this was such a stunning collaboration between italian artist maurizio cattelan and supermodel linda evangelista, which touched on a variety of themes like religion and the economy...there is such a cinematic quality to these photos and if you look closely, linda evangelista is almost like a still actress. this really is what an art issue should be all about...models and artists working creatively together...not with reality tv stars.

balenciaga biker babe

balenciaga fall/winter 2004

I always love to reminisce on previous balenciaga collections....I have so many favorites, so it is hard to pick just one. recently, I have been nostalgic for nicolas ghesquière's fall/winter 2004 collection....this look in particular. I love that cinched shearling motorcycle jacket paired with those wide-leg trousers...total tough-girl chic, but still lady-like. I think if I ever decide to buy a motorcycle, this would have to be my look...

time of the assassins

directed by todd cole (2010)

I really admire the simplicity and fragility of charlotte gainsbourg's latest video for time of the assassins...it is such a dream of a video. there really isn't much plot, just simply charlotte gainsbourg wandering through big sur, california with that interesting jacket....somehow, I couldn't help but be reminded of her performance in lars von trier's film antichrist. perhaps, she wanted to keep with that nature-theme....visually, the best part of the video are those shots of charlotte gainsbourg in the forest swinging....makes me think of those dreams I have when I lose control of my body....yes, it is such a minimal video, but it is so rich in tiny details...and I do love the way charlotte gainsbourg blends in with nature.

beauty and balenciaga

charlotte gainsbourg


nicolas ghesquière


hélène fillières

photos by nathaniel goldberg

I love these signature jacket shapes from balenciaga fall/winter 2004 they remind me so much of charlotte gainsbourg's look for the time of the assassins video...perhaps, this collection was used as inpiration? whatever it may be, I think it is evident that designer nicolas ghesquière has quite the eye for blending urban street wear with classic french chic.

late night drawing session

feeling inspired by the pages of french vogue 90 year anniversary

cat people

maybe its just me, but i really think supermodel lindsey wixsen looks like our cat

me and meisel

I recently purchased a limited edition steven meisel jigsaw puzzle of an italian vogue editorial entitled patterns from december 2007...I had so much fun putting it together....it definetly felt like puzzle-making couture...yes, I strained my eyes, but it was all for constructing a true object of art. what I love most about the puzzle is the box it came in...the box was signed by the legendary steven meisel himself....



and voilà...I completed the puzzle! I thought this dress was the perfect accessory for putting the last piece of the puzzle together....now, all I need is the perfect frame!

homegrown avocados

our mom has a great avocado tree that fully bloomed this year. i used quite a few avocados, and a yellow heirloom tomato (hence the bright hue) and made a nice bowl of guacamole.

more than just a cook

i know i've mentioned my love of the barefoot contessa before, but today i am especially in love. today's episode took place in ina's paris apartment, and all of her specialty stores that she purchases food from. great episode, but it got me a little curious about ina garten the person, not the chef. she's more than a hamptons foodie/ entertainment guru. she previously worked in the white house as a budget analyst, and built her well known business from scratch. her husband and friends play a huge part in the show, and i love her more after reading this quote she gave. "we all know that families now aren't necessarily like Ozzie and Harriet (it turns out Ozzie and Harriet's family wasn't all Ozzie and Harriet)... family has a traditional context, but today it's not as simple as two parents with 2.3 kids... it's about relationships... it's about people who are bound together by love and a sense of being responsible for one another... [it's spouses with no children, like Jeffrey and me]... it's a group of women who meet to cook dinner together once a month... it's a one-parent family with adopted children... it's two men who've made a life together... at the end of the day, all we have is love... getting love, but even more, feeling love".

walking contradictions

photos by james bort
consider yourself blessed if you are a blonde with dark thick brows, or a deep brunette with sky blue eyes. these are two of the loveliest of combinations.

persimmon time

photo by eugene mityashev

it is that time of the year when persimmons are in season...I think I found the perfect poem to celebrate.

In sixth grade Mrs. Walker slapped the back of my head and made me stand in the corner for not knowing the difference between persimmon and precision. How to choose persimmons. This is precision. Ripe ones are soft and brown-spotted. Sniff the bottoms. The sweet one will be fragrant. How to eat: put the knife away, lay down newspaper. Peel the skin tenderly, not to tear the meat. Chew the skin, suck it, and swallow. Now, eat the meat of the fruit, so sweet, all of it, to the heart. Donna undresses, her stomach is white. In the yard, dewy and shivering with crickets, we lie naked, face-up, face-down. I teach her Chinese. Crickets: chiu chiu. Dew: I’ve forgotten. Naked: I’ve forgotten. Ni, wo: you and me. I part her legs, remember to tell her she is beautiful as the moon. Other words that got me into trouble were fight and fright, wren and yarn. Fight was what I did when I was frightened, Fright was what I felt when I was fighting. Wrens are small, plain birds, yarn is what one knits with. Wrens are soft as yarn. My mother made birds out of yarn. I loved to watch her tie the stuff; a bird, a rabbit, a wee man. Mrs. Walker brought a persimmon to class and cut it up so everyone could taste a Chinese apple. Knowing it wasn’t ripe or sweet, I didn’t eat but watched the other faces. My mother said every persimmon has a sun inside, something golden, glowing, warm as my face. Once, in the cellar, I found two wrapped in newspaper, forgotten and not yet ripe. I took them and set both on my bedroom windowsill, where each morning a cardinal sang, The sun, the sun. Finally understanding he was going blind, my father sat up all one night waiting for a song, a ghost. I gave him the persimmons, swelled, heavy as sadness, and sweet as love. This year, in the muddy lighting of my parents’ cellar, I rummage, looking for something I lost. My father sits on the tired, wooden stairs, black cane between his knees, hand over hand, gripping the handle. He’s so happy that I’ve come home. I ask how his eyes are, a stupid question. All gone, he answers. Under some blankets, I find a box. Inside the box I find three scrolls. I sit beside him and untie three paintings by my father: Hibiscus leaf and a white flower. Two cats preening. Two persimmons, so full they want to drop from the cloth. He raises both hands to touch the cloth, asks, Which is this? This is persimmons, Father. Oh, the feel of the wolftail on the silk, the strength, the tense precision in the wrist. I painted them hundreds of times eyes closed. These I painted blind. Some things never leave a person: scent of the hair of one you love, the texture of persimmons, in your palm, the ripe weight.
Li-Young Lee, “Persimmons” from Rose. Copyright © 1986 by Li-Young Lee.

in a fuyu fashion

photo by sofia sanchez & mauro mongiello

I have a really nice view of a large fuyu persimmon tree from my desk at work....the orange color from the tree is so eye-catching. as much as I love black, sometimes a little bit of color can be nice....much like this persimmon-orange jil sander creation from spring/summer 2008.

let's get frankie!

photo by mario testino

I dedicate this photo to my fellow sister in black....I came across this editorial from US vogue december 1998, and thought of her for three reasons. first of all, I like how frankie rayder is posed with gisele...it is almost like how she posed with my sister the other day. second, a lot of the looks from this layout were inspired by bernardo bertolucci's film stealing beauty....I think gisele is modeling the liv tyler part. and lastly, I know she would approve of frankie's striped shirt paired with those white pants....that really is the correct way to wear stripes.

on the rayder

i was having a me day. dance class, newsstand for french vogue's 90 year anniversary issue, and a little vintage shopping, when i noticed frankie rayder. in los angeles seeing movie stars are a dime a dozen, but i rarely see models...let alone supermodels. she was so nice, and wanted to take so many photos. very supermodel-esque

j'adore jeanne

la baie des anges (1963)

I have to say there is something really stylish about actress jeanne moreau...I recently watched her performance in the bay of angels and couldn't help but admire her look and style in this film. it wasn't just her chic costumes designed by fashion designer pierre cardin, but it had to do with the way she carried herself. jeanne moreau by far has the best walk ever on screen and of course, I really loved that blonde hair....normally, this is not my style...but she really can work that peroxide....by the end of the film, I almost felt like going blonde.... images courtesy of café mode

a woman under the influence

photo by stéphane sednaoui

I don't really know why, but I have always been interested in knowing where artists find inspiration. recently, I watched madonna's justify my love video and found out that her look and style for the video was inspired by jeanne moreau's character in jacques demy's 1963 film la baie des anges...the look is very similiar, but yet still very madonna. I have always admired madonna for her constant search for inspiration. through every look she goes through, there always seems to be a major pop-cultural influence....sometimes she finds her style in film, vintage fashion, or different ethnic cultures. wherever the vision comes from there really is so much thought and consideration that goes into her transformations....which is not only new and exciting, but also very inspiring.

madonna-effect

photo by ellen von unwerth

I came across this photo of supermodels christy turlington and linda evangelista from an old italian vogue from august 1990 and couldn't help but think of madonna....I have often wondered if this photo was inspired by her look and style back then. I could never figure it out, but I clearly remember in the early 90's madonna's style was all about headbands, bustier tops, and bike shorts with nylons. I guess now the look is a bit out-dated, but back in the day, this is the way so many girls wanted to dress, myself included. whether you love or hate madonna's style, you have to admit she is one of fashion's biggest trendsetters...she can take the simplest of ideas and transform into something really interesting...which is really what being a style icon is all about.

second time's a charm!

signed by michel gondry

I think it is safe to say that I never leave home without my sketchbook...it is almost like my visa. yes, I keep my drawings in it, but I also keep random photos in there, too. If you open it up, you might find random photos of me hanging out with vintage balenciaga balloon dresses, photos of my limited edition silver-streak adidas, my family and I with charlie rose at LAX, and of course, a random photo of me and film director michel gondry in new york city from 2007....a couple of days, I saw michel gondry in los angeles and decided to talk to him again about what a creative influence he has been on my life. who could forget his video for kylie minogue's come into my world...or björk's hyperballad...and of course, steriogram's walkie talkie man?....just to name a few of his, that are so iconic. after a little consideration, I decided to show him this photo of him and I from 2007...he laughed and then smiled...he thought that I looked familiar and that perhaps the pic was taken at his apartment...sadly, that wasn't the case, but it would have been very cool if it was. as a nice gesture, he told me that he was going to write me a letter on the back of the photo....I don't really like to show off autographs...but, I love the mystery and style of this letter...I have always been intrigued by the way hand-written letters look on film...so this was such a pleasant surprise....the style of the way it is written is just as quirky, cool, and strange as michel gondry, himself.

plaster caster

how sad when your favorite hobby turns on you. my dance classes are wrecking havoc on my knee. i'm sure i just need a little break, but lauren hutton sure makes an injury look fun.

fashion show etiquette

sometimes, I think the front row of a fashion show is not as glamorous as it looks on tv and in photos. I recently watched an episode of girl on the run and I learned quite a bit about fashion show etiquette. from watching the program, I learned that photographers will often yell things at the arriving celebrities and will freely boo them if their late arrival is holding up the show. photographers, will also yell at models to give a smile to the camera as they walk down the runway. by far, the strangest rule I learned was that photographers will yell at the front-row guests to uncross their legs...somehow, crossed legs create shadows on the runway, which ruin shots....I think if I ever attend a fashion I would want to sit in the 7th row, that way I could feel more at ease and sit with my legs in a crossed position, much like the way carine roitfeld is seated in this photo.

the fabric of our lives

my favorite purse is a green nylon sequoia bag that i have been carrying around for years. i love everything about it, but my favorite thing is that its light as a feather. an added incentive is that no animals were harmed for my fashion pleasure. many designers such as sonia rykiel, and chanel are catching on to this nylon purse trend. i hope its a trend that stays around for a long time.

W classic

photos by nick knight

I haven't quite adjusted to the new look and style of W magazine....I am sure with time I will appreciate the new format and the new editor stefano tonchi, but I liked what the previous editorial director patrick mccarthy brought to the magazine....I always felt that W magazine was a bit different than the other US fashion magazines. yes, they put celebs on the covers, but they never abandoned the idea of a model on the cover or in-depth designer interviews. my own personal favorite was this november 2005 issue, particularly this editorial...a stunning futuristic layout starring gemma ward in some of that seasons most amazing dresses...I hope W magazine remembers where it came from and sticks to interesting ideas like this.