I’m a big fan of interior designer Celerie Kemble and was excited to see her featured on the cover of J. Crew’s March 2010 catalog! Kemble was one of 9 muses, all creative women with great personal style, that the brand hand picked to model its latest spring fashions. The J. Crew website also features an in-depth interview with Kemble who opens up about how she got her start in design, shares some of her favorite things, plus reveals a few of the exciting projects she has in the works including a new book! Scroll down to read her inspiring interview. (just click the photo to enlarge if you find the interview hard to read) And to read more about the other stylish muses featured in J. Crew’s March catalog, click here.
This just in…Fashion designer, CFDA President and all around style icon Diane von Furstenberg is launching a home collection! She is collaborating with Springs Global, a worldwide supplier of bed, bath and home fashion products. The licensing deal was announced yesterday and Von Furstenberg’s collection of home accessories, bedding, bath and tabletop items will debut in select department and better specialty stores in Spring 2011. The designer’s first foray into the world of home was in the 1970s when she partnered with Sears on a line. That program did close to $100 million in sales, according to HFN. Von Furstenberg also partnered with The Rug Company in 2006 to design a line of signature carpets. I can’t wait to see her new products when they hit the market next year! I hear the line will be very textile driven, just like her fashion collections and I’m sure it will be as chic and sophisticated as she is!
Above, Diane Von Furstenberg’s designs for The Rug Company. Top photo by Douglas Friedman for Harper’s Bazaar
Can’t figure out what to get the fashionista in your life this holiday season? Here are our most stylish gift picks for the fashion obsessed…
Of-the-moment sequins make this classic style blazer perfectly on trend…and perfect for the holiday party season! Sequined Blazer $295, Club Monaco stores nationwide. Visit clubmonaco.com for locations.
This chic emerald green clutch is sure to add a punch of color to any ensemble. The perfectly worn lambskin and Balenciaga signature zipper also adds a bit of edge. Arena Pouch $595, Balenciaga. Available at Barney’s New York.
Unleash your inner urban warrior with this stylish studded cocktail ring….makes a great stocking stuffer! Metal Stud Ring $18, from BCBG.
Street style photographer and blogger Scott Schuman’s book, titled after his popular blog, celebrates the best in street style and packs plenty of fashion inspiration. The Sartorialist $16.50, at amazon.com
25 year-old wunderkind designer Alexander Wang’s diffusion line, T by Alexander Wang, is less than a year old but has already gained a cult following among fashionistas. Wang’s tees are made of super soft jersey and have a drapey, laid-back silhouette. This must-have wardrobe staple makes the perfect holiday gift. Scoop-neck Jersey T-Shirt $76, T by Alexander Wang. Available at Net-A-Porter.
A 14 carat gold charm necklace is dainty and chic.
Assorted Charms, from $70 and Large Link Chain, $1060. By Jennifer Fisher Jewelry.
Classic Chuck Taylors are updated in a stylish gold metallic leather finish. Chuck Taylor All Stars $74.99, Converse.
This durable all-purpose tote, made of burlap and 100% organic cotton, is also reversible. The best part is that this gift gives back…a purchase of one tote feeds a child for an entire year through the World Food Program. Feed Bag $60, Feedproject.com.
A classic black pump complete with a sexy sky-high heel and Louboutin’s signature red sole. I think Christian Louboutin shoes might soon edge out diamonds as a girl’s best friend! Feticha Pumps $695, Christian Louboutin. Available at Sak’s.
New York City based Finn Jewelry makes beautifully crafted and understated jewelry pieces like the
Pave Diamond Little Princess Bracelet above which I LOVE…it’s on my personal wish list!
Contact Finn Jewelry for pricing and availability.
This bright red cheetah print scarf makes a bold statement.
Into the Wild Cotton Scarf $130, Marc by Marc Jacobs. Available at Net-A-Porter.
The pages of this definitive guide to finding your personal style, penned by Vogue contributor and fashion consultant Amanda Brooks, are full of style advice and inspiration. I Love Your Style $13.59, Amazon.com.
Last but not least, who can resist a classic Chanel 2.55 quilted flap bag? Named after the month and year the bag was first introduced (Feb 1955), this bag is a versatile investment piece that will last a lifetime and can be worn with just about anything in your wardrobe. Tres chic! Medium 2.55 Bag $2395, Availabe at Chanel boutiques worldwide. Visit Chanel.com for locations.
A while ago I heard rumblings that womenswear designer Zac Posen was quietly working on designing a furniture line. Well, not only will his furniture collection debut next year, but Posen is also teaming up with architect Morris Adjmi to design a boutique condo residence in Manhattan’s Flatiron District. Posen’s distinct mark will be seen throughout the building and he is taking a hands on approach in selecting all of the fixtures, finishes and furnishings in each unit as well as in the common spaces such as the hallways and lobby. The facade is being constructed entirely out of frosted glass and the building will provide a stark white, minimalist backdrop for Posen’s designs. I’m dying to see the result of Posen’s first major interiors project. His fashions exude a sense of glamour that would translate beautifully into an interior space. And although he’s quite a versatile fashion designer, I think that some of his most memorable runway creations are the ones that are bold, textured and full of drama (see below). Hopefully Zac will bring on the glamour and the drama for this project! The 11-unit building, located at 16 W 21st Street, has been under construction since early this year and the units will be listed for sale in December. As a side note, when I was in college I interned at the prestigious fashion PR firm KCD which just started representing Posen for free at the time and I was on hand to help unpack his very first runway collection! His company was still in it’s infancy and his mother had rented a truck to deliver the collection to the KCD offices herself. I helped her unload all the wardrobe boxes and now, every time I read about Zac Posen or cross paths with him at an event I think back to that day and I’m amazed at how far his career has progressed in such a short time. Congrats Zac!
Zac Posen’s dramatic runway creations. Photos via Style.com
Attention all fashionistas. You must check out Fashionair – the soon to launch interactive fashion entertainment website that is the brainchild of American Idol creator Simon Fuller and Net-a-Porter alum Sojin Lee. This innovative new site features lots of video content and almost feels more like a very cool fashion TV channel than a website. It will offer up close profiles of top fashion industry insiders, along with the latest news, shopping, trends and styling secrets plus an exclusive look inside the homes and closets of the fashion elite. (A highlight for us decor obsessed folk!)
The current content lineup on Fashionair’s beta site includes a look
inside the Manhattan apartment of Thakoon Panichgul- one of my favorite
young fashion designers.
Thakoon’s apartment features a clean, neutral, minimal aesthetic and is full of pieces with deep personal meaning.
Thakoon’s place also features a few off beat pieces to mix things up such as the photo over his living room sofa seen here.
The photograph, titled “Lying Gun” is by photographer Laurie Simmons, whom Thakoon collaborated with for his Spring ’09 collection. The piece portrays a pistol with a woman’s legs sprouting from it.
During his house tour, Thakoon reveals his fascination with taxidermy. Here he shows off a taxidermied parrot that he purchased from an antiques shop in the East Village called Obscura. His feathered friend rests on his perfectly styled bookshelf which is filled with some of his favorite things.
Thakoon treasures this framed drawing by Vogue’s Grace Coddington who gave it to him as a good luck gift when he was nominated for a CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America) award.
Another one of his favorite things on the bookshelf is this photo of him and his brother in Thailand when they were little. They are on their way to school in their crisp uniforms. Thakoon says his obsession with his school uniform is what fueled his love for fashion and ultimately led him to pursue a career as a designer.
I love how Thakoon is able to mix various styles together yet they all work cohesively thanks to a unifying neutral palette. Here, an antique French bergere chair from ABC carpet is right at home atop a Moroccan rug and surrounded by Thakoon’s other modern furnishings and artwork. The chair is covered it in muslin, as he preferred this unfinished look over having the piece upholstered.
In the bedroom, some ethnic inspired patterns are introduced in his bedding which is nicely juxtaposed with the delicate Gustavian chair in the corner and the masculine tufted leather bench at the foot of the bed.
At his bedside are a pair of lamps by Robert Ogden who is known for creating one-of-a-kind table and floor lamps using old industrial parts.
Another cool house tour currently up on Fashionair features the home of designer Anna Sui who happens to be from my hometown in Michigan.
Anna’s place is quite eclectic with a mix of bold patterns in a black and white color scheme.
Some of the fabrics used throughout her home are actually from her current collection. While I won’t go into too much detail here, I found it interesting to note the connection between the aesthetic of her home and the aesthetic of her fashion collections. Have a look at the photos below. Do you see the parallel?
Photos via Shopbop
Fashionair launches this September, but if you’d like to get a sneak peek, click here and just enter your email address along with the password FLIPFLOP to preview the site!
