Shoe Fleur: A Footware Fantasy

I was amazed by the nature's beauty when I had seen Michel Tcherevkoff''s designs and photographs, which are inspired by nature and made of a plants and flowers.

According to Luxury Culture, Michel's concept had started while working on a campaign for client Estee Lauder. He was captivated by a prop made from a banana leaf because the it recalled the form of a shoe. After playing with plant's forms, reshaping, angling them, and applying various lighting scenarios for photographing, Michel was able to have his maiden creation called "La Premiere".

The photographs from "Shoe Fleur: A Footware Fantasy" were exhibited at New York's Museum of Arts and Design last year. For those who missed the exhibit, the photos will be displayed at Paris's Le Bon Marche this June through August 2008.








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The style of an English Gigolo

I frequently discuss my love of reading the papers during the weekend. I like nothing more than buying a number of newspaper titles, taking them in to the local greasy spoon (which in fact has well polished cutlery) and flicking through them whilst devouring a plate of artery clogging goodness... then retreating back to my flat to lie on the settee with a cafetiere of coffee and the broadsheets scattered across the floorboards. Ah, domestic bliss.

During one of these sessionsI came across a quite unusual headline and I proceeded to read the article, which you can find online (God bless the Internet). Gigolos have been around for ever, from the Italian puttano to the Japanese hosuto... they were most famously portrayed by that slightly annoying actor Rob Schnedier in Deuce Bigalow which had the tag line: He's not very good looking. But when the lights go out...he's still not very good looking. The chap featured in the article is a little different to Schneider's character, in appearance anyway...

Here is an extract from the book which discusses his style:

Every modern dandy has to choose a style, a look that summarises the sex he’s selling. Mine is part smart sophistication, part dissolute rock star. At the moment I’m favouring a vintage leather fitted jacket worn with a shirt. A gigolo’s choice of shoes is, of course, essential. Experience has taught me that a bad pair of shoes has approximately the same effect on the female libido as an inexpert tongue. Now everyone from office girls to A-listers are giving two well manicured fingers to badly dressed men with beer guts and opting for a good-time gigolo who can look great on their arm and give them a great time – at a price.

It all makes sense to me really. If you are going to pay for one they might as well be dressed well. The shoe and tongue comment did make me chuckle though. I guess this shows that I'm easily amused over the weekend.

Rihanna's Photo Shoot for InStyle Magazine

It's all over the internet! Rihanna was spotted in a blue swimwear while doing a photo shoot for the incoming issue of InStyle Magazine.

Here's some of the photos:




Photo Source

Francis Ford Coppola and Sofia Coppola for Louis Vuitton Core Values Ad Campaign

Louis Vuitton will indeed feature film directors Francis Ford Coppola and his daughter Sofia Coppola in it’s to-be-released Core Values ad campaign.

The Core Values campaign features noted cultural and political figures in a series of ads designed to commemorate the history of Louis Vuitton. The popular promotional campaign has previously featured French actress Catherine Deneuve, the Rolling Stones’ Keith Richards, and Mikhail Gorbachev.

The ad was shot by Annie Leibovitz in the countryside outside Buenos Aires. It goes with the following tagline: "Inside every story, there is a beautiful journey".

Click here to have a sneak peek at the photo shoot scene


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Wedding-Season Winners

It's that time of year, ladies. The season when you're like "WHY don't I have any cute gold or silver heels, goddammit?" and frantically go searching for some. Well, I have at least one answer for you. I have found pretty much the perfect affordable wedding-attendee shoe.



Nine West "Falcoin" sandals, $47.90. I was originally going to get these in bold orange satin to play off my royal blue dress, but then I decided that was a little crack-smoker of me. (Bold color on body AND feet? Too much.) These gold ones have a delicate heel that's still low enough that you can dance with abandon. Which is pretty key to wedding enjoyment. These come in a wide range of colors if you're a little more adventurous than I am.

But you have metallic sandals, you say, and are in dire need of a good dress? Consider this:





Laundry by Design metallic minidress, $325 at Saks but only $49.99 at Marshall's!! It is SO flattering (at least on me): makes your waist look tiny, has a pleasingly poufy skirt, and is the epitome of understated elegance in deep navy. Also, the structure is such that you could probably go braless even if, like me, you hardly ever do that.

With the almost-blackness of the dress, I'd allow myself to go a little crazy on the shoes. Perhaps with these:



Chinese Laundry "Jemmy" sandals in gorgeous raspberry satin with a big ol' bow, $50.

Or these—



Steve Madden Blosommm flats, $79.99—if they weren't flat. Unforgivable!

Bicycle, Bicycle: You are My Bicycle Bag

So, I recently got a bicycle. And it has kinda changed my life. Now I can zoom around Brooklyn so easily and quickly, with the wind in my hair and the burn in my thighs. And it's a step-through frame, which means I can wear cute dresses and not flash the world as I mount (ahem) my awesome bike. However, it does present a particular fashion challenge, which is this: The bike bag. It has to be a cross-body/messenger style, big enough to fit a U-lock (until I get an attachment so I can hook it to the bike while I'm riding), and, of course, cute. So I've been looking around, and here's what I've realized: Most messenger bags are profoundly uncute. Yet I managed to find a couple of good 'uns:



Of course, the best and most unique stuff is on Etsy. I'm loving Ouno's white reclaimed leather bag, $230.



I also like madebycate's recycled-leather messenger bag, $185.



Juliana Jabour Bosla satchel, $548.10. Nice, but no chance.

Here's what I actually bought:



Vero Vintage's brown leather messenger bag with tree print, $22. A little small but totally me. And...



Deux Lux pintuck satchel, $68. Adjustable cross-body strap AND regular shoulder straps, tons of room, and interesting details? Sold.

Happy Birthday Kanye

Happy birthday to Kanye West who is 31 today... Long may you keep up your interest in fashion. Mostly this is just an excuse to post a picture of this hair cut though (better but less smiley view of it below).