So pretty.....

Vintage silver lame thread flapper shoes from the 1920s.

Crushing on Humphrey....

Instead of socializing this evening, I opted to sing at home, watch Casablanca, and get some work done.

Bogart is so captivating. The crisp white jacket, those puppy dog eyes, his devil may care attitude, and that lover's heart..........

Morrocan sugar in my lavendar Earl Grey tea

Very poetic....

The pretty English bone china tea cup and saucer belonged to my very stylish Aunt Hazel. It was then passed down to my dear Aunt Leslie (she loved violets and pansies), and now to me. Its a busy day, but I had to take this moment to enjoy....and pay homage to these Steel Magnolias.

The tea is superbly beautiful and is from Chado Tea room, a gift from a new friend Liberty. (More on this young designer soon.) The sugar was given to me by sweet Zainab from a favorite lunch hideaway called the Casbah in Sunset Junction.

JC REPORT: Ohne Titel Trunk Show at Zainab

Los Angeles was recently graced with a visit from the creative minds behind Ohne Titel, Flora and Alexa.

Thank you Margaret Mitchell

Crestfallen, she stops and then resourcefully and determinedly finds her true direction. She was never the type to admit defeat. Ghost-like voices from her past remind her of the source of her strength in the soil of Tara. She hears her father Gerald: "Land's the only thing that matters, it's the only thing that lasts." Ashley: "Something you love better than me, though you may not know it. Tara." And Rhett: "It's from this you get your strength, the red earth of Tara." Each speech is repeated with increasing tempo and volume.


Margaret Mitchell, Pulitzer Prize-winning author, Gone With the Wind. (November 8, 1900 – August 16, 1949)

Nice scarf

The latest project: Leonardo da Vinci & Bill Viola

Its been days of little sleep, great espresso, and impassioned meetings with fantastic Italians about this incredible exhibition which opens to the public on December 3rd. This is a RARE opportunity to be close to Leonardo's work in a very intimate setting alongside the contemporary video work of Bill Viola. A very smart and interesting contrast.

There is very much an Italian connection right now. I left the Istituto Italiano di Cultura this afternoon where we were meeting about the opening event, and then Fedexed a great deal of beautiful clothing samples from my designers to Vogue Italia for another shoot with Steven Meisel.

Detail from Leonardo da Vinci's "The Angel in the Flesh" Istituto Italiano di Cultura.
The Last Angel, Bill Viola, 2002, video, 9:00 min, Studio Bill Viola.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
LOS ANGELES, CA— November, 25, 2009—The controversial drawing the “Angel in the Flesh” (c. 1513-1515), discovered in1990, will appear in its unique splendor at the Istituto Italiano di Cultura (Italian Cultural Institute) of Los Angeles December 3-12, 2009. It is a truly historical moment as this is the first time ever that the “Angel in the Flesh” (formerly in the Royal Collection at Windsor Castle) will be shown on the West coast before it returns to Europe. Under the High Patronage of the President of the Republic of Italy and organized in collaboration with the Department of Cultural Affairs of the City of Los Angeles, Leonardo da Vinci and Bill Viola’s exhibition concludes the 9th Italian Language Week dedicated to Arts, Science and Technology.

Drawn with black chalk on rough, blue paper, like many of Leonardo's late anatomy studies in Windsor, the “Angel in the Flesh” is a masterpiece which was the object of scrupulous studies and interpretations by major art historians, psychologists and psychoanalysts.

Also part of the two-week exhibition is Leonardo’s “Theatre Sheet” (c. 1506-1508, from the “Codex Atlanticus”), which includes its two fragments, cut out of it in the late sixteenth century, now next to each other at last. “Theatre Sheet” shows Leonardo as a master in theatrical arts, set design and music.

Installed alongside Leonardo’s works at the Italian Cultural Institute of Los Angeles will be “The Last Angel” (2002) a work featuring slow motion imagery of an angelic figure in water by celebrated video artist Bill Viola, who is also part of MOCA’s new 30th Anniversary exhibition. Starting in the early 1990s Viola created a series of pieces involving figures plunging into and emerging out of a shadowy underwater realm. Representing the threshold between birth and death, the undulating surface of the water and its reflective properties were transformed into a moving image canvas where time and space were inverted and reversed. “The Last Angel” is the final work in this series. It is kindly lent to the exhibition by Bill Viola Studio.

The exhibition is free and open to the public December 3-12, 2009 10AM-6PM daily.
Italian Cultural Institute of Los Angeles 1023 Hilgard Avenue (Westwood) Los Angeles, CA 90024

MOCA GALA RAISES OVER 3.5 MILLION

The handsome and talented Francesco Vezzoli embroiders while Lady Gaga sings. I was quite impressed by her vocals and performance and admit that I knew very little of her actual talent prior to the gala....

Its been a crazy, busy week, month, fall....

Head spinning like a dream. Still just a little girl from Virginia taking it all in. Carine Roitfeld, my fashion heroine and real woman of all time looked amazing @ the MOCA gala, not surprisingly. Ridley Scott--so cool to talk to. Gore Vidal?! Brad & Angie is all most of the press have talked about..... To me, most exciting is that everyone came to support my favorite Los Angeles museum. The cultural renaissance of LA is growing strong! Larry Gagosian won the pretty in pink Steinway piano painted by Damien Hirst with beautiful butterflies for a cool $450,000.
Growing up as a ballerina, it was a beautiful thing to see the Bolshoi ballet (who almost didn't make it thanks to our American red tape).

Francesco Vezzoli had a hand in EVERY detail of the evening down to the table decor and settings. I love his point of view...It is the concept to utmost attention to detail which truly sets the artist apart.

That week was a whirlwind of Nadine Johnson helmed events and I haven't caught up to myself since. At the Prada party to launch Miuccia's new book, they transformed the entire store into a library. No merchandise....Absolutley fantastic with Ms. Prada there holding court wearing the most lovely genuine smile. The next day was the 30th Anniversary of MOCA Gala fundraiser and the afterparty at the enoromous new Prism gallery hosted by Jeff Koons, Ed Ruscha, a very pretty pregnant Dasha Zhukova and POP magazine amongst others.

Sartorial style and handsome in tuxedos.. Ezra & Andrew.

Check out dear Rose Apodaca's piece on the MOCA Gala after party.... and ArtForum's post on the gala...

Most beautiful and sincerest of thanks to Karyn Kohl and Adam Gross and Jennifer Arcenaux from MOCA!

Me, Shawn & Jeremy. Shawn rocked the most gorgeous family heirloom pendant.... Jeremy wore a beautiful Gucci suit Tom Ford for made him for his sister's wedding years ago...later, the two were reunited @ the after party @ Prism gallery.

Also thanks to Shawn & Jeremy for being lovely escorts for the evening and for zipping me into the gorgeous vintage Azzaro dress from Cerre and tying up the silver Lutz belt from Zainab. Impossible to get dressed on my own that night!

Sleek hair, Egyptian eyes Lanvin dress. Karyn Kohl and Happy House @ MOCA cutie Tracy Fong.

All pics by Shawn K & Karyn Kohl.

"All things are ready if our minds be so."--Shakespeare

Serendipity.

Vogue Italia loves LA Designers

Costume Dept. "Grand Floral" leggings, left. Laura Kranitz headpiece, right.

Costume Dept. white lace leggings. Laura Kranitz headpiece. The lighting in this shot...the beautiful red and contrast of those white lace leggings. Kill me with joy ;)

October Vogue Italia was near impossible to find for some reason. But we kept stalking her, we had to find her. I had a search team. And viola, here she is with 2 of our LA loveys: accessories designer Laura Kranitz and women's/unisexy Costume Dept. We've all been waiting for 4 months to see how this shoot came together and what made it through to final edit. Also some great shots with Jeremy Scott--especially loving the mouse hands coat. Photographed by Steven Meisel. Styled by the incredible Lori Goldstein.

You think you know LA fashion? This is it people, and so much more to come!

She ran

She ran through the wood until she reached a clearing. There, she saw how beautiful the flowers were, standing upright and nodding their heads at her. All at once a brightly colored flower moved & flew away. "I did not know that flowers flew," she said. And there was no one there to tell her it was not a flower, but a butterfly.

ZAINAB toasts Vogue/CFDA Fashion Fund Nominee OHNE TITEL

Shortly we are off to the Chateau Marmont for the Vogue/CFDA tea for the Fashion Fund nominees.

Last night, we had a fantastic and perfectly curated soiree for the launch of the new store front space for Zainab Sumu's new store, ZAINAB and a Spring 2010 trunk show & celebration for Alexa Adams and Flora Gil of OHNE TITEL for their Vogue/CFDA Fashion Fund Nomination.

Zainab previously operated out of a gorgeous 1920's old Hollywood building by appointment only. This is her new venture onto Melrose, just across La Brea from the delicious M Cafe.
Zainab has the "eye" and the touch. A completely terrific point of view. Ohne Titel are exclusive to Zainab in LA. What I love about Ohne Titel is the amazing attention to detail. The fabrics are beyond. You must see them, feel, them, and try them on to fully understand. The reverse side of the pieces are as amazing as the outside.

My favorite French woman, Flavie Webster of Cerre, me, Alex & Flora of Ohne Titel in Comme Des Garcons & Ohne Titel respectively. They were straight off the plane, dashed to the Sunset Tower, and into the party. Amazingly creative women and incredibly fun! Their partnership--best friends, a Libra & an Aquarius.

This is Jerome Rousseau. A neighbor and darling gentleman who makes truly beautiful shoes, now available at Zainab.

Lips! Odilon designer Stacey Clark wears a black kiss while friend Natalie wears a striking shade of red.

The stunning Zainab & me. Zainab wears Ohne Titel Spring 2010 and Fall 09 Ohne Titel shoes with Jenni Kayne gloves. I wear Ohne Titel Spring 2010 with those now classic YSL booties, Julia Clancey hand drape and AND_i necklaces.

Izze sparkling juice (no added sugars!) and Pearl vodka. The perfect combination!
All photos by DemonicaPhoto.com

Zainab & the ever-friendly and handsome retail wonderkid & philanthropist Shamus.

Designer Jasmin Shokrian admires the beautiful Natalia Brilli French accessories.

Flavie & Clay of Cerre on Las Palmas. A MUST visit boutique of their beautiful leather collection and vintage finds.
To you from Paris. Gentlemen sample Histoires de Parfums.

Home Sweet Home

and now. safely home. in my curated world. listening to beautiful classical music. a thick and epic sort that makes your heart soar....up to that dreamy moon. with violins that make you want to smile and dance and curtsy. the soundtrack for a gentleman to tip his hat to a lady. he bows, looks up and catches an innocent eye.

that kind of music.

composed in 1898. "Dorian." Alexander Glazunov.

Halloween is near! Nosferatu

Flickering lights. Inspiring style (well, at least of our leading lady---or for a Halloween Nosferatu getup). Do you feel sorry for him, or is he just another stalker? Sometimes guys just look at you that way--they don't even realize it ;)

Nosferatu (1922) Originally released in 1922 as Nosferatu, Eine Symphonie Des Grauens, director F.W. Munarau's chilling and eerie adaption of Stoker's Dracula is a silent masterpiece of terror which to this day is the most striking and frightening portrayal of the legend.

REGGIE CASAGRANDE // PARADISE LOST: EXTENDED THROUGH NEXT WEEKEND

The first solo exhibition of Reggie Casagrande's work has had such a terrific response that we have extended the show until Halloween weekend.OCT. 17 TO OCT. 30, 2009. Gallery hours are Tuesday-Saturday 12-6 or by appointment.

6020 Wilshire Blvd. (across from BCAM at LACMA) Los Angeles, CA 90036

Paradise Lost tells a story of Miami’s most explosive decade. In the late seventies Miami re-emerged as a cocaine-ridden city of drugs and violence. Debaucherous discothèques, palatial mansions, exotic car dealerships, and international banks defined the new space that would become the future of contemporary South Florida. This body of work features photography, film, mirrored etchings, and works on paper exploring the themes of power, desire and destruction. Historical figures like cigarette boat king Don Aronow, drug queenpin Griselda Blanco and celluloid icon Tony Montana all worked well as symbols of empty promise. A passion for true crime and the current level of greed and corruption in our culture provided timely inspiration. “I figured it was a loose metaphor, much like the poem Paradise Lost by John Milton (1667) about the fall of man,” says Casagrande.

In the glamour of the night, the mirrored squares circling the dance floor create a fleeting contradiction between fantasy and reality. The power of transformation, and the popularity of cocaine’s anxiety ridden nature framed my decision to work within the notion of mirrors and perception.

The grid pattern’s allusive nature creates a linear abstraction reducing the space down to a single square. The square becomes a ring, the ring becomes a battle, and within this square is a spectacle of power. A dance unfolds where power and morality are on the line until a new opponent emerges in victory. -- Paul Mittleman, curator, Paradise Lost.

http://www.reggiecasagrande.com


Reggie Casagrande crew opening night.... It was a long week for all but so excited for Reggie to see this come to fruition for her. I met Reggie about 8 years ago when we hired her to shoot an ad campaign for the brand I was working for. I had seen her work in Paper magazine and thought she had such a cool POV. She was one of the first friendly faces from my former life that I saw once I moved to LA and I feel lucky to know this amazing woman.

The Thanksgiving I really Want

Okay, I loooove Halloween.

But what I dream of, is a Thanksgiving where my my family, friends and I dress in traditional attire of the original Thanksgiving.

Here Callie and I serve our native friends/relatives.

I did show up to a friend's Thanksgiving a few years ago dressed a bit native American. Everyone else was just themselves. Maybe that is myself though. Hmmm.....

“TUNE IN” Keala Kennelly Stars In FUEL TV’s Original Series “Firsthand”

Airing Sunday, October 25, at 8:00pm Eastern Time (5:00pm Pacific Time), and re-airing several more times during the next month

Pro surfer Keala Kennelly (and major dear & kind friend for 10 years) stars in FUEL TV’s signature 30-minute series “Firsthand.” Maybe you saw her in HBO's "John from Cincininatti" or DJing at some cool club, or even doing what she is most known for, surfing death-defying waves. I will neeeeever forget the fear/adrenaline of being in a tiny boat in Tahiti and watching that girl drop in on the most massive wave I'd ever seen in my life. I was afraid for her life,I was afraid for mine!

Keala Kennelly is one of the premiere big-wave women surfers in the world and she proves this every time she goes out to surf. In her episode of “Firsthand,” Keala spends some time at home on the North Shore of Kauai with the family and entertaining friends who are on vacation on the island. Keala also does a bit of stand-up paddling in front of her current home on the South Shore of Oahu, after which she shows us why she loves living in the city. Finally, Keala heads off to Tahiti to do what she does best, catch big waves at the famed Teahupoo. After watching this episode of “Firsthand,” you’ll see that Keala is warm and energetic and loves to surf!

It smells like fall :)

Blessings for New Beginnings

Shawn arranged for a private blessing at the beautiful and stunning Hindu temple in Malibu. It was a very moving experience--my first in a temple.

Limited Edition Photography Book Captures the Thrill and Beauty of One of the World's Premiere Endurance Rally Races

www.panamericanarace.com

Searing pavement. Roaring engines. Heart pounding adrenaline. The prestigious Carrera Panamericana is one of the most technically demanding races in the world, testing drivers' endurance and skill at every stage. Over one hundred classic sports cars from the 1940s to 1960s are pushed to their limits as they take on Mexico’s' diverse and often treacherous terrain from sea level to over 8000 feet at flatout speeds up to 200 mph.

After four years of negotiations with the organizers of La Carrera Panamericana, Los Angeles-based artist Sam Gezari arranged an embed for the entire 2000 mile, seven day race from the southern tip of Mexico to the US border. The race starts in Tuxtla Gutierrez and makes it's way through Oaxaca, Mexico City and countless other villages and cities until the last of the remaining cars arrive just over the northern border in Nuevo Laredo, Texas. On the first day alone there were a dozen crashes and by Day Five, nearly fifty-percent of the vehicles either had major mechanical issues or were totaled.

Working with the finest presses and book makers in LA, this 100 copy limited-edition book has 275 pages overflowing with vibrant, exciting photographs.

"Few motoring exploits can generate as much excitement as driving on public roads without speed limits, and The Carrera Panamericana does just that," says Leslie Kendall, Curator of the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, California.

Often in this frame of mind....

Say yes to leopard

Meow.

Italian style by Emilio Cavallini. This would work as a layering piece with a tan or black tunic or some such item of clothing. Or just put on a pair of furry ears and make a fellow happy ;) I know it could seem tacky....but I like.....

Take these wings and learn to fly

Richard Avedon @ International Center of Photography

This image spoke to me.... I love his smile!

My legs on the subway after Avedon show...coincidental matching ;) Photo: DVN

Had an amaaaaazing time in NY with D @ this fantastic show. The early works through the 60s are certainly some of my favorites....when ladies were entirely elegant and men were so gentlemanly......

They have the original hand-cut artwork from Bazaar for this famous piece.

This could be Margiela today....

The show is up through Sept. 20th. Fridays from 5-8PM are voluntary contribution. Another art on the cheap experience. Otherwise its only $12. Wander about and be inspired by 2 full floors of Avedon and a fantastic bookstore! Also, see below if you are in NY & would like to attend a very inexpensive lecture.

Avedon and Fashion: September 10 | Thursday | 7:00 pm | $5 HBO Auditorium, 1100 Sixth Avenue at 42nd Street, 15th Floor An evening dialogue devoted to the changing paradigm of fashion with Harold Koda, Curator, Costume Institute, Metropolitan Museum of Art; China Machado, Richard Avedon's 60s supermodel; and Lizzie Himmel, photographer. The event will be moderated by ICP Curators Carol Squiers and Vince Aletti.