effortless style

photo by steven meisel

to all our readers, please check out my latest article for I want to be a coppola. this month, I take an in-depth look at the february 2014 issue of vogue italia, which featured sofia coppola on the cover. if you admire her minimal sense of style then I think you will appreciate the noir chic look of this steven meisel layout and my analysis of this editorial. the funny part is that a couple of months ago, I was asked the question who would I like too see on the cover of vogue italia and my response was sofia coppola. after all, I thought her editorial and cover for the december 1992 issue was quite iconic and totally defined 90's minimalism. I have no idea if franca sozzani (the editor-in-chief of vogue italia) actually read my thoughts on who should be the next cover girl, but I applaud her for doing something a little different and for putting her in the february issue. after all, the magazine only features models on the cover.....so for sofia coppola to grace the cover once again 22 years later, means that she is doing something right. this is just one of the amazing looks featured in the editorial and I totally love the way she looks in this form fitted azzedine alaïa black dress. that silhouette looks incredible on her and I love that the magazine dressed her in outfits that feel very representative of her style, much like her december 1992 layout. I guess not much has changed much since the 90's, but I love how comfortable and confident sofia coppola is with her style. do check out my review for more thoughts and analysis!

here is the link:
http://www.iwanttobeacoppola.com/journal/2014/3/26/together-again-sofia-coppola-and-vogue-italia.html

the lanvin woman

jennifer connelly

speaking of black frocks, I thought jennifer connelly looked so stunning last week in this black velvet lanvin dress at the berlin premiere of her film, noah. I don't know why, but I always get excited when jennifer connelly wears black. perhaps, it has something to do with her pale skin, or just her overall elegance and grace that she always exudes when she is on a red carpet. whatever it may be....I think this dress fits her body like a glove and I love that sleeveless bodice and that halter-like neckline. she looks very old hollywood and I feel like very few actresses can get away with this type of style, but she does it with such poise and finese. perhaps, the best part about this dress might be that slit....its sexy, but still very modest and I love how it shows off her amazing legs. I also think her hair and those christian louboutin heels are the perfect complement to her dress......she is styled to perfection. this is truly what red carpet glamour is all about and such a perfect example of why every woman needs a dramatic black dress in their closet. brava to jennifer connelly for yet another inspiring look in black.....she gives me hope that red carpet glamour is still alive and well!

art meets fashion

color at cecily brown

I promise to get back to black soon, but since I am in a colorful spring mood I thought I should share this sartorial moment of a woman in a floral dress that I snapped at the gagosian gallery this past september. in case you were wondering, the painting surrounding her is by british artist cecily brown. her work combines elements of figuration and abstraction and I think if you look closely you can defintely see some bodily depictions of expressive figures and nudes. for some reason, I think her art is more appealing from a distance and I don't know why, but when I saw this woman walk by this particular painting, I knew I had to photograph it. there is something quite eye catching about the vibrancy of her dress and the way it corresponds, with that painting. I also love the silhouette of her dress, its such a beautiful shape and I was quite taken by this woman's elegance and the way she walked. I think this photo is a perfect example of how art can match fashion, or better yet, how the two are highly influenced by each other. this is probably one of my most colorful sartorial moments that I have ever captured, but I must admit it is one of my favorites. this photo even got the stamp of approval from franca sozzani (editor-in-chief of vogue italia) it was chosen for last month's theme of detail, making it my 10th photo recognized....quite the honor. I was saving this photo for the right occasion and now with it being the start of spring I thought it seemed rather appropriate! I still don't know how I was able to capture this exact moment, but I love it when unexpected art and style inspiration like this occurs in my life....even if it happens to be in color!

pretty in prints

photo by erik madigan heck

since today is the official first day of spring, I thought it would be appropriate to share a photograph from one of my favorite springtime editorials. this image actually comes from the march issue of harper's bazaar in a layout entitled prints of the season and it was taken by photographer erik madigan heck. for awhile now, I have been admiring his visual style and I especially loved an editorial he did with lupita nyong'o for the february issue of new york magazine. he has a great eye for blending patterns and color and I love that harper's bazaar is now showcasing his work. I think its great when high fashion magazines incorporate new photographers....it totally brings a new energy and excitement, as I think a lot of editorials are lacking a lot of that these days. at any rate, this was one of my favorite looks from the layout. yes, I know she is not wearing black, but I love the way her floral carolina herrera dress somehow blends in with that background. its quite eye catching and I love how succulent the colors and patterns are. its not so much about the clothes, but more about the styling, which makes it all so visually appealing. this was just one of the looks from the editorial and I feel like each and every image incorporates floral prints in such imaginative and creative ways. I was quite surprised by how stunning this harper's bazaar layout was. my fingers are crossed that the magazine features more of erik madigan heck's work....his photos almost feel like paintings! I don't know how he does it, but I love it when a photographer can somehow magically blend the two mediums together in such harmonious ways....do check this one out, if you have not seen, its the perfect springtime editorial!

flower power

photo by danny feser

after looking through and absorbing all the rich prints and patterns from erik madigan heck's march harper's bazaar editorial, I suddenly, became very inspired. recently, I was looking through my closet and stumbled upon a floral dress that my grandma made. she would wear it in the summer months and I use to always compliment her on it. for some reason, I thought this dress just seemed very miuccia prada in its style and the way it looked on her. I never told her that, as I don't think she knew was very familiar with miuccia prada, but I always thought that in my head. before she passed away she gave me her dress and for some reason now after all these years I have started to wear it again. its comfortable, vibrant, and it has a loosely fitted silhouette. yes, I know its not all black, but I love it anyway....sometimes, you make exceptions, when an outfit feels suitable.

interestingly, my sister has a beautiful floral tile bathroom in her house, so I thought for fun it would be exciting to blend my dress and my prada sunnies with that ceramic tile to create some kind of floral camouflage effect. I know it is not as eye catching as erik madigan's heck harper's bazaar layout, but I like to think of it as a sisters in black version. there is so much going on with all those floral prints in the background and I love the way my dress somehow corresponds with that tile. this definitely feels like a prada ad to me and the weird thing is that I didn't even plan it that way. I guess there are so many ways to interpret this photo, but in the meantime, I think its a perfect image and look to celebrate the first day of spring. this dress will always remain special to me and I must thank my grandma for inspiring me with this photo as I think she would be proud to know that I am still wearing her hand made floral printed dress....its always such a great feeling, when a random find in my closet, can somehow lead to an exhilarating style moment like this!

black is not sad

ann demeulemeester spring/summer 2014

I recently stumbled upon an interesting quote by fashion designer ann demeulemeester, which made me quite fascinating by her and her design philosophy.....here is the quote:

black is not sad. bright colors are what depresses me. they're so... empty. black is poetic. how do you imagine a poet? in a bright yellow jacket? probably not.

first, of all I don't know how serious she is with this quote, but I can agree with her too some extent. I can totally relate to her about feeling how black can be poetic. there is something quite beautiful and mysterious about wearing black and I think if you look through our blog history you can certainly see just that. I don't know if all bright colors are depressing, as I think a little pop of color can be quite necessary, but I do feel that when someone wears the wrong color, it can be a definite fashion faux pas. for some reason, with her words, I suddenly became fascinated too look into ann demeuleemster's latest spring/summer 2014 and I was surprised by how much I loved it. I don't know why, but I am always surprised when designers use a lot of black for spring and ann demeulemeester totally went in that direction. I would say that the collection is a bit gothic with a japanese twist. maybe it feels a bit like something yohji yamamoto would do and while I wouldn't necessarily wear a lot of the runway looks, I would certainly wear most of the hats, featured in this collection. this one, in particular, was my favorite and for some reason I cannot stop staring at it. I just love how incognito chic it is and I can't help but admire the shape and silhouette. its got such amazing structure and it is the perfect hat too make an entrance in and too also hide in. not many hats can do that. as of now, I am just so use too seeing colorful hats for spring, so this is such a revelation. my only concern is that I would probably wear a less see through ensemble to go with that hat. at any rate, I am curious to know what this hat feels like in real life and if it is actually available in the store. I will keep you posted, in the meantime, I have my eye on ann demeulemeester. I like fashion designers who emphasize the importance and benefits of wearing black. I think her wise words certainly resonate with her latest spring/summer 2014 collection...do check this one out, if you have not seen!

into the darkness

photo by craig mcdean

last week, I picked up a copy of the march 2014 issue of interview magazine and came across an interesting editorial entitled into the darkness and of course, the opening image totally caught my eye. in case you cannot tell that is model sasha pivovarova wearing that amazing ann demeulemeester hat that I cannot get enough of. this might be a slightly different version than the previous one, but I still love the way it drapes over her face and shoulders....its total incognito chic at its finest and I love the look and body language that she is giving to the camera. the rest of the outfit, including those sleeves and stockings are also by ann demeulemeester. this image definitely has something creepy and noir about it, but I think its such an intriguing photo too look at. I really appreciate that interview magazine is never afraid to go to the dark side and I feel like this is a very edgy image and overall eerie editorial for a springtime issue.....personally, I think this photo feels more fall/winter, to me. at any rate, I think stylist karl templer pushed the envelope once again with creating looks that fall in between strange and beautiful. seems like he is the most visionary stylist in fashion these days. in case you haven't seen this issue of interview magazine I highly recommend it. I think the best part of the into the darkness editorial, has to be the opening words....I just have to share. perhaps, you might find yourself in darker colors, too for spring!

rejecting the traditional conventions of all that's bright, white, and breezy, this summer embraces all that's dark, and shady. the high drama plays out with a deeply personal almost costume-y take on exaggerated silhouettes, rich fabrics, theatrical headpieces, and many shades of black.....

such eloquent words to go with such a noir chic editorial, very sisters in black, approved!

stone fox

sharon stone

last week, I was just looking back at the christian dior fall 2012 collection and I happened to notice that sharon stone showed up to the runway show wearing this amazing high neck black velvet dress. I don't know why I never saw her in this look before, but I love the way she looks in this. the collar portion and the way that black dress fits to her figure is all so perfect. she looks so streamlined, sleek, but above all comfortable. her arms look amazing too, and I also love the fact that she is hiding behind a pair of dark sunnies....very incognito chic. personally, I will always have a soft spot for sharon stone. I feel like she totally defined personal style in the 90's and still to this day. you can tell she loves fashion and that she has fun with it. case in point, remember when she showed up to the oscars in 1996 wearing a gap turtleneck t-shirt with a valentino blazer and skirt? words cannot describe how much I loved that look....I even went out to buy that gap t-shirt after I saw her in it. I am very rarely influenced by star style, but she totally got me with that look. it was just a brilliant effort of combining high fashion with everyday dressing. that was just one of her amazing oscar looks that I still like to think about. I very much long for those days when actresses knew about glamour and individual style. don't get me wrong, not all actresses dress terribly, but you can tell that sharon stone does not work with a stylist. it seems like she knows what works for her body and I love the fact that she always looks so confident in what she wears. I think this photo is an excellent example of that....just observe closely and you will see. I have some other noir chic looks of sharon stone that I will be sharing in the future, but for now, I think this is a chic start...always love it when some black frock inspiration like this, appears in my life!

gallery girl

in yigal azrouël

last week at the gagosian gallery, I happened to notice this stylish girl in a black asymmetrical dress and of course I was very much intrigued by it. as soon as she walked in I gravitated towards it. the dress was sleek, form fitted and it had such a beautiful shape to it, that very much caught my eye. she was a photographer at the show, so I knew she was busy taking photos, but I decided to go up to her anyway, and ask her about her dress. I am not shy, and when I like what someone is wearing I will most likely go up to them and tell them. so naturally, I did just that, and she politely told me it was by yigal azrouël. I was quite familiar with this designer and I was actually liking his designs for a couple of seasons, but somehow overtime I seem too have lost track with him....its quite difficult to keep up with all designers nowadays and I am not even sure if he shows at new york fashion week, anymore. at any rate, she seemed to have a great knowledge of style and she even asked me if the jacket I was wearing was by norma kamali. I told her yes and then I asked her if she would pose for me and she kindly did. I don't know if my picture even shows how gorgeous this dress is because she has that camera on her shoulder, but despite that, I think this black frock looked fabulous on her. when she wasn't looking I also captured some other sartorial moments of her, but I like the frontal view of this dress, the best. she looks so comfortable in this dramatic silhouette and out of all the people at the gagosian gallery that night, she was by far best dressed and I must thank her for inspiring me with her noir chic sense of style. I am currently on the hunt for a sleek asymmetrical black dress, much like this. now, I am wondering if norma kamali makes one. I bet this girl probably knows....will keep you posted on what I discover!

gucci drama

black asymmetrical gucci dress

speaking of asymmetrical black dresses, lately I have been feeling nostalgic for tom ford's spring 2000 collection for gucci. somehow, I can always manage to feel nostalgic for tom ford when he was the creative director at gucci. I remember being so obsessed with this season when I first saw it. the python prints, the sparkling jersey dresses, the bright-pink hosiery....I loved it all. nowadays, I don't know if I would wear half of the looks in the collection, but I loved that 70's vibe and ambiance that tom ford conveyed with this collection. he had such a gift for taking vintage fashion and making it so completely modern and wearable. when looking back now, at the collection, my favorite looks have to be those black asymmetrical dresses. this gown in particular is my current style inspiration. lately, I have been quite obsessed with loose black dresses that emphasize silhouette and I think this dress does just that and more. I also love the asymmetry and the way it cuts to her torso. its dramatic, sleek and I admire that collar part, especially....it fits her neck perfectly. I have had this image saved for awhile on my desktop and I can't stop looking at it. this model looks stunning in this black gucci frock and I love that she is posed with her dog while wearing it. I think its always a fabulous idea to wear your best black dress while hanging out with your pet. this is truly the asymmetrical black dress of my dreams. hopefully, I can find something similar to this in the future. on a side note, do reminisce through this gucci collection, if you have forgot. this was a fun one too back on and I don't know why but looking through it made me think back at his glory days at gucci.....such inspiring times!

thumbs up

the sisters in black with terry richardson

last week, my sister and I went to the gagosian gallery too see the taryn simon: birds of the west indies exhibition. her work primarily consists of photography, text, and graphic design. I was not very familiar with her art so this show was an interesting one to check out. at any rate, there was a huge turn out at the gallery. not only was there fascinating photography to discover, but also lots of people and style watching to look at. oddly enough, my sister and I happened to notice photographer terry richardson standing close to us and I kind of knew I had to say something. after all, he has had many editorials that have had a huge impact on my personal style. off the top of my head, I can think of countless layouts from harper's bazaar to vogue paris, especially ones styled by carine roitfeld, that have been a great source of inspiration to me. so with that said, I just decided to go up to him and tell him how much I admired his work at harper's bazaar in the 90's. I even mentioned his brilliant new york stories editorial from the harper's bazaar january 1998 issue. that layout was all about simplicity and casual chic dressing in white tones and I thought he captured 90's minimalism so perfectly with that editorial. he kindly thanked me for remembering that one and he even told me how much he enjoyed working on that layout. he also said that I have a great memory for fashion editorials...I guess I can't disagree with him on that one. at any rate, after our conversation I asked if he would take a picture with my sister and I and he totally agreed. I think the best part is that he even gave us the thumbs up. I always find it exciting to meet the photographers behind some of my favorite images. this was a definitely a memorable moment from the night...who knew this would happen!

classic terry

photo by terry richardson

in case you need to be refreshed here is an image from terry richardson's new york stories editorial from the january 1998 issue of harper's bazaar. the quality isn't so great, but this was my favorite photo from the layout and I even mentioned this particular photo to terry richardson in our conversation. I love the way kate moss looks in that white dress especially the way it contrasts with that blue wall. I also like how that white clock somehow complements her dress. I am forgetting who designed this dress, perhaps its calvin klein, or maybe its ralph lauren....but whoever designed it, I just think its a beautiful juxtaposition of blue and white and I think kate moss looks so sleek and stunning in that gown. I especially love the length and the way it fits to her body. its just a perfect representation of what simplicity should be about. the entire editorial pays homage to classic american designers, like calvin klein, donna karan, michael kors, and marc jacobs....as these designers know a thing or two about modern minimalism. this was just one of the looks, but there are other chic white outfits featured, that I still find very inspiring, to this day. if you haven't seen this one or have forgotten about this editorial, do check it out. I think it is one of harper's bazaar bests and I always like to reference this one for style inspiration. terry richardson was quite good at capturing 90's simplicity and to me that way of dressing will never go out of style...somehow, I think this image proves that point.

the fall

jennifer lawrence

so I probably should have picked a more appropriate red carpet dress for this sunday's academy awards, but I kind of liked this accidental moment from last year's oscars. in case you cannot figure out who the woman behind the dress is, it is actually jennifer lawrence. this was the part of the telecast when they announced her name as best actress and she fell going up the stairs to receive her award. I am not sure why I find her fall so stylish, but I do. there is something quite interesting about the way her body is positioned on those stairs and the way her hand covers her head. she looks completely embarrassed and I love how graceful that tumble was. this feels very cinematic to me and I don't know why, but I could totally see this being an advertisement for a christian dior campaign. I must admit the strange part about me admiring this moment, is that I did not like this dress when I saw it on the red carpet. personally, I thought this christian dior gown resembled a wedding dress and I just thought it seemed to princess looking, for my taste. perhaps, my opinion might not make total sense, as I have explained two different perspectives on this dress, but I just think a dramatic gown like this works much better falling up the stairs than actually walking down a red carpet. I don't know if jennifer lawrence planned this fall, but I must applaud her for transforming her overwhelming dior dress into this very incognito chic moment....who knew this accidental moment could be so stylish?