The Secret World of Haute Couture

I am currently reading a really amazing book called The Collection by Gioia Diliberto which many of you may have heard of. It's about a young provincial girl who comes to Paris at the turn of the 20th century and becomes a seamstress in Chanel's atelier. The book has been really inspiring me to learn a bit about process of haute couture myself. Signe Chanel is still my favorite documentary about the making of a HC collection but as there aren't many documentaries made on the subject it's always lovely to see new ones. I recently came across this documentary about it via TFS. It is in 6 parts:

I Have Good News and Bad News

Against my better judgment I always go for the good news first so here it is. Kirsten Dunst just shot the S/S08 campaign for Mui Mui with Mert and Marcus. I think she is the perfect Mui Mui girl and has amazing GPS* and of course played Marie Antoinette.



The bad news is rather unsavory, Jurgen Teller shot Victoria Beckham for Marc Jacobs S/S08. Serenity now. Will this really sell his clothes to the MJ customer? Seems more of a deterrent to want to dress the queen WAG but that's just me. Wasn't it just a couple years ago that Tom Ford was hollering about getting that Gucci outfit off her only to be told that it was impossible as she paid for it in full? I guess MJ doesn't feel the same way.... look what she wore last weekend.


(Pic: Dean McDonald)

(gps: great personal style)

Too Much Awesomeness All In One Place

Finally, The New York Times has recognized what many fashion people already knew, the true awesomeness that is Andre J. Rather than just seeing him around various fashion centered blogs, magazines and You Tube tidbits, we can now get the full story behind this "it person". I guess you know you will either be going places or going nowhere when you end up in 3 Jay Leno segments about human curiosities and Andre really went somewhere, to the cover of Vogue Paris. His current obsessions seam to be heroin addicted 70's model Donyale Luna and 60's caftans. Too much beauty in one place.

The Hipster Olympics... Yes!

Home sweet home. Too awesome for words, just watch.

Why People Scare Me

One would reasonably expect that while celebrating Thanksgiving with one's friends or family one could enjoy the expectation of privacy of some sort..... or not. Perhaps one should just expect covertly made cell phone videos of you having an Hors Doeuvre to be posted on You Tube. Happy Thanksgiving.

Gossip, Girl

See more videos at Pedestrian.tv

Tying Your Hermes Scarf

In such cases where you may have shelled out $350 for a scarf and have only been clever enough to tie it to your Hermes Bag, Hermes has come to the rescue with scarf tying lessons. They are very innovative and demonstrate not only the ever-chic-but-not-for-everyone head scarf but show you how to make an ascot, a Hermes babushka and even how to wear it as a top. Lots more tying here and here.

Picture of the Day

My blog on Black Friday.

An H&M Defusion Line to Really Get Excited About

Maybe this really can make up for the polyester tack-fest of 2007! Marimekko is collaborating with H&M to make 50 pieces using their vintage prints to be out in stores April 2008! Yaaaaaay! I'm afraid to imagine what hell will break loose in their shop this time around, fashion people can be sooooo vicious.

More Fashion Döppelgangers

Blackbook may perhaps have been inspired by Snejana doing her best Anna and Sasha perfecting her Galliano and came out with their own very flattering depictions of fashion's elite in an editorial titled "Isn't It Iconic?". Who does the best Galliano, Sasha in Vogue Paris or Blackbook's Darla Baker?

Happy Thanksgiving

Beautiful Fashion Illustrations by Little Doodles

During a leisurely Sunday troll, I came upon the most gorgeous fashion illustrations by Little Doodles. She has an Etsy shop where the illustrations are for sale. It's all fashion and birds...... lovely.

Anna Meets Karl


Marni Bow Front Dress, Topshop Shoes


Markus Lupfer for Topshop

If You Love Novelty Tee Shirts

JUSTICE - D.A.N.C.E.
Uploaded by edbangerrecords

Then this Justice video for D.A.N.C.E. is for you.

144 Years Ago in Fashion: Gimp Ball Not What You Think

Recently, a copy of a The Englishwoman's Domestic Magazine was found by an auctioneer during a house clearance. Dated September 1863 it contains everything a modern Victorian woman needs to know to look sublime for fall. Turns out that hair should be "frizzed very much", "French canes or walking sticks, elegant and well-carved with flat gilt tops and finished off with a cord and tassel, are attractive" and "chamois-coloured leather boots, halfway up the leg" were "particularly desired." The magazine also suggested accessories such as gimp balls which are made of lightweight fabrics such as lace and silk and stiffened with wire should be "placed around the brim of the bonnet."



Isabella Beeton and her husband started the magazine in 1852 with the innovative idea of publishing a color magazine aimed at young middle class women. It had a circulation 56,000 and discussed fashion, gardening, cooking and even had an article titled "Experiences of Flagellation".



Further fashion advice included warning about carefully matching colors "Wearing every article of the same colour is fashionable only on condition the strictest uniformity of tone is maintained. There is nothing more distressing than seeing a dress of deep blue, inclining to purple, with a bonnet with sky-blue ribbons."

(Via: The Daily Mail)

Photo of the Day

Claudia Schiffer for Dom Perignon Oenotheque

Uncle Karl shot the campaign for Dom Perignon Oenotheque. The premise is that it's about a young wealthy couple who have a perfect marriage except they are feeling slightly bored. Then they drink champaign and he imagines Claudia to be someone else including Marie Antoinette, Grace Jones, a French Maid, a man, a slutty business woman, Asian. I think this campaign works because the ridiculousness of it makes me want to drink a lot. Claudia looks super fab.

What Would Jesus Buy?

Morgan Spurlock's new documentary on shopping, spending and debt. Can't wait for the shopocalypse. How awesome is Revered Billy?

Hot Ass of the Week

Honorable Mention: Jennifer Connelly in Oscar de la Renta at 7th on Sale & Chloë Sevigny for this purple dress to The Diving Bell and the Butterfly premiere.


3rd Place: Jessica Alba at TRL in a Dolce & Gabbana S/S 2008 T-Shirt and Vannessa Bruno Athe Skirt


2nd Place: Rachel Bilson in S/S 2008 Abaete at the Awake premiere.


Grand Prize and winner of this week's Prada Turban: Kate Moss in some hard to identify black stuff.


Winner this week's Jocelyn Wildenstein Award for least improved:

Christina Aguilera

Runners Up:

Pledge to Buy Handmade This Holiday Season

Consider taking the pledge to buy handmade this holiday season. There are people making some incredible stuff out there. Handmade doesn't have to be this. I found some really amazing things so far....

Bird Houses from Sprout Home



Trixie Delicious on Etsy (I totally know who I want to give the Fuckface plate to this year.)




Katamari Damacy Cousin Shoes from Pejorative Charm


And these have to be the most perfect cards I have ever seen from Paper Stories. Again, I know who's getting the "Suck It" card this year.


Alicia Bock Photographic Prints






Reasons to buy handmade? It is not a mass produced, factory made object. Handmade objects take time, skill and care to produce. They are original things that you probably won't see many others possess. Prada and Louis Vuitton claim to be selling you uber luxury but most of their stuff is now made in China. I don't claim to dislike them in anyway but what they are selling, this exclusivity and lavishness is being mass produced and can be purchased by anyone. True luxury is having one of a kind pieces custom made to order by skilled and talented people, not underpaid armies of workers. More reasons? Check out Buy Handmade and this video:


Buy Handmade Video from Etsy on Vimeo.