Modest Operandi

This is a much belated post but I (surprise, surprise) don’t feel like working and decided to tinker around my blog again.

My favorite Vanity Fair Issue (September 2008) had a feature on fashion’s new guard, and lo and behold, there are Asians in there. And lots of them! It’s happening in the fashion industry (Doo.ri, Alexander Wang, Peter Som, Richard Chai, Phillip Lim, than Thakoon Panichgul are pictured below), happening in film, in architecture and in many other creative industries.

Exciting times are a coming (minus the financial crisis, but I suppose that’s exciting too - in a whole other way). God willing, hopefully soon we’ll be seeing some diversity at the White House too.

photograph of Vanity Fair Fashion’s New Guard Article

awesome (via Wooster Collective).

A city worker laughs at an spontaneous art installation of wilting flowers and messages topped with a plaque reading ‘in loving memory of the boom economy’ in the City of London October 13, 2008. The piece is stamped with the monogram K.GUY and appeared overnight near the Bank of England. REUTERS/Luke MacGregor (BRITAIN)

I just read an article on Paul Newman in last month’s Vanity Fair and decided that he’s one of those rare celebrities who makes me want to be a better person. Not “better” in terms of skinnier, prettier and more fashionably dressed, but kinder, more humble, less aware of “my” world and more aware of the world that’s around me. His death makes me sad, but I have no doubt that his life and his works made the world a better place.

Though the quotes below don’t begin to explain the greatness that was Paul Newman, I think they give a good idea of what kind of person he was. When you have time, I highly suggest reading the entire article. I included some pictures because yes, he was as beautiful a man on the outside as he was on the inside.

He is more than a distinguished actor. He’s also an award-winning director, a champ racecar driver, a committed political activist, and, for the past 20 years, a truly amazing philanthropist. Newman credits his unparalleled success in so many areas to what he calls “Newman’s luck.” (He has always attributed his great good fortune to a series of “lucky breaks.”) “It’s allowed me to take chances, to take risks,” he has said. “To get close to a lot of edges without falling off.”

- Vanity Fair, September 2008

photograph of Vanity Fair Paul Newman Article

Movie star Paul Newman has quietly turned over the entire value of his ownership in Newman’s Own - the company that makes salad dressings and cookies - to charity. Completed over a two-year period in 2005 and 2006, the amount of his donations to Newman’s Own Foundation Inc. comes to an astounding $120 million. This is unprecedented for any movie star or anyone from what we call Hollywood. Of course, Newman and actress wife Joanne Woodward have never been Hollywood types.

- Fox News, June 11, 2008

photograph of Vanity Fair Paul Newman Article

Dear Sam Edelman,

I love my new shoes. Your Gilda Gladiators make me so happy I’ve worn them almost every day this week. My feet thank you for making shoes that are both cute and comfy. I wanted to take a picture of my feet in some nice grass, but I felt the need to share right away. Hence the photo against my crappy cube.

If anyone else has been looking for good gladiator flats, I highly suggest you get yo’self to tobi.com and grab a pair. 

I could start my post about cybele wiren the same way theurbancollectionblog did.  This is my first time hearing about the New Zealand designer and I’m in love with her designs. The loose and laid back silhouettes are offset by her gorgeous printed fabrics, making them as perfect for a jaunt to the supermarket as they are for  a special night out with the mister.

via Cybele Wiren

Unfortunately, it looks like she’s not carried anywhere in the US. Hopefully Elizabeth Charles will add her to their already stellar list of designers from down under.

One of my dreams has always been to attend an Alexander McQueen show at one point in my life. Sometimes I forget how brilliant and creative he is, and I love when i come across things that remind me. I was inspired to find some videos yesterday and came across these:

I found a new source of inspiration. I don’t know why I haven’t come across Mireia or her blog, My Daily Style, before, but I love her boho sense of style and the fact that she’s proof that one need not alter their style of dressing just because there’s a bun in the oven. Um, it might also help that she kind of looks like Esther Canadas and probably looks good in anything she wears.

(side note: after perusing my favorite fashion blogs, I’ve decided that everyone in France and Spain is gorgeous and has an amazing sense of style. I’m hoping that one day, the minute Peter and I make our move to Spain, we’ll magically transform into 6 foot tall models. And all of a sudden our closets will be filled with Kate Moss’ and <insert Peter’s style icon here> clothes.)

Okay, back to Mireia…

via My Daily Style

I don’t know why but listening to this almost made me cry. This is the intro text from La Blogotheque.

We took to the streets around Little Tokyo as darkness rolled in. The shopping district was buzzing with people walking and laughing and waving down the street to friends. Priscilla and I watched a man playing a Shamisen hoping to find some odd amalgam, but the sound was too discordant from her own. Only a few people seemed to notice Priscilla playing as we walked between the fluorescents lights and outdoor eateries. I stopped abruptly and asked her to sing an A cappella version of ‘The Moon’. After she began people started to gather behind the camera, drawn to her presence. A pair of security guards stood near us, deciding between each other if we were allowed to film. Maybe they once had dreams of being musicians themselves. On our way back to the apartment Priscilla was still singing, in her own harmonic world away from the all the other noises in the city. She sang her way right past us, as we stopped to cross the street.

I’ve been tagging and bookmarking lots of things I want to share, but since more than half my company got laid off, I’ve actually had to work at work. Oh the horror. Mini update before I get into what really inspired me to finally add something to my blog - I didn’t get laid off (not sure if this is a phew or an aw shucks) but I didn’t end up getting the dress either because I’m not sure how long the paychecks will keep coming in.

Anyway, so onto more interesting things. I always get giddy and excited when I think about friends who are living the dream. I’m not talking private jets and houses in the Hamptons, I’m talking about actually doing what they love for a living. Sure, there are tradeoffs, and maybe sometimes it doesn’t seem worth it, but for those of us who are just clocking in and clocking out, you’re our inspiration and our hope.

I digress. I have many such friends, but one in particular has achieved a most coveted milestone in the life of any designer. She’s on men.style.com! Well, she’s not (though one day she will be), but the collection she designed for Yigal Azrouel is and it’s simply amazing. Enough words, here are some pictures of her collection. I’m so proud!!!

Yigal Azrouel Men’s Spring 2009 Collection via men.style.com

If I don’t get laid off tomorrow I’m getting this dress.

via tobi.com

Something about not getting laid off makes me feel like I deserve a present. Update tomorrow.