Come Sail Away…

Ecco_Domani_Sailing_01On a recent trip to Nantucket I wanted to take Kevin on a surprise date, something that felt local to the place but personal to our life. I love to sail and when we walked by the gorgeous boat The Endeavor I knew that was it. Considering how much we travel, I’m always looking for ways to make a place feel reminiscent to home. Though I couldn’t make a home cooked meal, I wanted to fill his soul in just the same way. I love a beautiful red wine in the fall and having just received a few bottles of Ecco Domani Merlot I brought them with us on our Nantucket getaway. I tried to think of something I could put together that wouldn’t require access to a kitchen and found a local market stocked with cheeses from Vermont, freshly made lobster salad, my favorite kind of almonds and beautiful grapes. I popped into one of those tourists shops and purchased a cheese board covered in all things Nantucket which I would typically never do, however, we found the enthusiasm for this place expressed on a cutting board quite charming and now back in New York I see it in the kitchen and think back on this perfect afternoon date, sailing around the harbor watching boats bob in place and flags dancing in the autumn sun.

I think it’s important to find ways to enjoy simple pleasures, carving out time in our crazy fast lives. A bottle of wine and a simple picnic on land or sea is an easy and effortless way to make memories with the ones you love. We enjoyed lunch in the smooth waters of the inlet before our captain took us out sailing the sound. Mostly though, we sipped our Ecco Domani Merlot and welcomed fall though the rippling sound of ocean waves.

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Though Ecco Domani’s Merlot pairs well with foods like tomato-based pastas and grilled meats, I found the blackberry flavors of this wine went perfectly with a classic cheese plate. Simple rule of thumb is one hard cheese, one soft, one fruit, one nut, crackers and – in most cases – a cured meat, which I opted out for locally made lobster salad. Though we ate before we hoisted up the sails, it was still a good idea to have stemless wine glasses, which I borrowed from our hotel.

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Portrait of a Lady

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Doing a beauty video for Elle and Clarins had me thinking a lot about French beauty. In particular, how effortless and tasteful they are when it comes to skincare and how you makeup your face for the world to see. Every time I am in Paris I feel so inspired about the celebrated form of beauty French women have. To me, they are the most beautiful women in the world which I like to think goes beyond lucky genetics and has something to do with yummy french beauty products.

Kelly and I wanted to do a shoot for her sister Erin Framel on her birthday to mark this time in her life and celebrate all our collaborations. Many people go into behind the scenes to make a photo-shoot happen and Erin has produced, styled, and even modeled in many of our editorials and commercial shoots as a way to say thanks. With French beauty and one of my favorite fashion photography books, Woman in the Mirror, as inspiration we capture Erin in this timeless moment.

We let Elle & Clarins on set to see how we work and play together and here are the final images from this day of beauty….

Cover images~ Pamella Roland Gown || As29 Earrings

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Paris Time

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For the past 4 years we’ve have the greatest pleasure of enjoying Paris in the fall. First with Esteé Lauder, then for MAC Cosmetics, following with Ralph Lauren and this past trip with CHANEL. I feel so fortunate to be able to shoot for clients who see the magic in this city of lights as much as we do. After work we always stay as long as possible to eat, drink, shop, get inspired and take epic long walks in the enjoyment of life. I’m happy to have french friends and favorite restaurants. I adore how things never seem to change here- the same woman sells me my favorite chocolates, the same waitress serves us that day’s seasonal dish, though this year her english is much better… which kind of makes me sad. Then there is always the thrill of discovering something new. The rooftop of the Raphael Hotel was enchanting. Dinner on the terrace of Monsieur Bleu with this sparkling view was so elegant. And the home stores where on. point. this time.

Standing under the watchful eye of time I looked out over Paris thought about the years that have passed and how one day I’ll look back on this time in my life and say… “now wasn’t that just magical.”

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Lord Byron Woodring

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Being Lord of the Manor comes with a world of responsibilities…one of which is knowing which secrets to tell and which to keep hidden. He has navigated his business deals by holding his cards close to his chest and keeping his power as strong as the stone columns of the manse. Lord Byron Woodring is a reserved gentleman who appreciates peace and quiet and expects only the highest quality from everything in life, from his choice of wife to his L.U.C. timepiece down to the label of scotch in his drink. No time for play, he strategizes the evening ahead where guests become pieces in his chess game. What does he have in store for tonight’s dealings?

Wise, succinct, and most of all, discreet, there are not many #ChopardSecrets Lord Byron has not heard…but what of his own? We may never know…

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Lord Byron wears Chopard’s L.U.C. Timepiece // Caruso Tux & Shirt // Florsheim Shoes

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Lord Byron Woodring played by Sandor Johnson // Shot on location at Old Westbury Gardens by Ann Street Studio // Styled by Kelly Framel // Props by Zio & Sons // Makeup by Ashlee Glazer // Hair by Justin Woods // Manicurist Katie Hughes for Butter London // All watches and high jewelry provided by Chopard

Eros Twombly

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Eros Twombly, a young rising star in the world of jazz, found his success through his exceptional talent but he’ll never truly belong to the stage he plays on every night. His music is moody and lovesick, lost in between the world in which he was born and the one he created. He knows on this night his golden melodies will float around the air Miss Penelope inhabits, his dream girl, in his sight but always just out of reach… but what happens in the gardens under the cloak of night are lyrical secrets kept only between them. He is uncertain of where her heart truly belongs, but he plays on, hoping one day to win her love.

What #ChopardSecrets are held in the trumpet’s bluesy notes? Listen carefully, and you may find out…


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Eros wears Chopard’s Classic Collection Timepiece & Cufflinks // Steven Alan Suit & Tie // Caruso French Cuff Shirt // Florsheim Shoes

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Eros Twombly played by Timothy G. // Shot on location at Old Westbury Gardens by Ann Street Studio // Styled by Kelly Framel // Props by Zio & Sons // Makeup by Ashlee Glazer // Hair by Justin Woods // Manicurist Katie Hughes for Butter London // All watches and high jewelry provided by Chopard

 

House of Secrets

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When Chopard asked us to make a series of Cinemagraphs for their site, we took inspiration directly from the world in which Chopard lives: sparkling, wealthy, glamorous, and very cinematic (as you know, they host the Cannes film festival each year). So we decided to write a scene, this moment in time where six characters are all about to collide together, the moment before everything happens when all you have are butterflies and anticipation, dreams and a House full of Secrets

Over the next 5 days I will introduce you to our six characters: Eros TwomblyDirk Janson, Miss Penelope, Lord Byron WoodringLady Argyle, and Mademoiselle Suzette in this mansion on Long Island where their fates lay in wait in my favorite collection of Cinemagraphs yet.

Won’t you join us for the festivities…and see what #ChopardSecrets you may unveil?

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Shot on location at Old Westbury Gardens by Ann Street Studio // Styled by Kelly Framel // Props by Zio & Sons // Makeup by Ashlee Glazer // Hair by Justin Woods // Manicurist Katie Hughes for Butter London // All watches and high jewelry provided by Chopard

Personal Style

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Over the past year, I’ve been going through a minimalistic phase, simplifying as much of my life as possible, including my beauty routine and wardrobe. Less is more right? When reading Steve Job’s biography, I really loved the idea of a uniform. As much as I love fashion, I love photography more and I want all of my time and energy to go into that, not picking out my outfit. So this transformation of simplification has begun and it feels really, really good.

This what I have found is important to me in this new phase of my personal style:

1. Buy less and save for quality. That item, whatever it may be, lasts longer, feels amazing, fits perfectly, makes you feel confident wearing it and is made of high quality fabrics. Even if you can’t afford these pieces new, there are sites such as LXR & Co. that sell luxury items on consignment at a fraction of the cost. I got my travel Hermes backpack that I LOOOOOVE here and a new Chanel watch for my birthday (above)!

2. Classic never goes out of style. I mean, obvi.

3. Shop conscientiously. I *love* companies like Obakki, whose philanthropic counterpart is a registered charity that focuses on providing clean water and education in Africa.  I also love FEED – with every purchase, you feed a certain number of school kids in Africa. Then there is MAIYET, a pioneering luxury brand that “incorporates rare artisan skills from unexpected places throughout the world, with the goal to promote sustainable employment in places that need it most.” I love my basic MAIYET white shirt dress and gold cuff. These things not only look good but make you feel good about wearing them and telling people about the brand because you believe in what they are doing with your money.

4. K.I.S.S. – Keep It Simple Stupid. I was very inspired by Cuyana’s lean closet initiative that “challenges us to collect fewer, better things, and to donate the pieces in our wardrobes that are merely taking up space to those who need them”. Simplifying your closet and ultimately your life feels so good, and it gives you more time to focus on things that really matter.

5. Stay fresh faced. I used to wear a lot of makeup. Even though I’ve been living in New York for 11 years now, it took a while to shake my Texas roots and ideals of beauty. I realized last year in Paris I have been spending all this time “putting on my face” when really, it’s not the makeup that makes someone pretty. I have reduced my beauty routine to Restorsea face cream, sometimes mascara, bronzer, and lipstick. That’s it. 2 mins. Boom.

Recently, we were shooting a beauty story for Joanna Goddard’s blog, Cup of Jo. It was such an amazing group of women who came together, talking, taking photographs, and sharing beauty tips. Courtney, who was just as beautiful barefaced as with makeup on, told me about a documentary called Miss Representation about the way women are viewed in the media and how that makes us view ourselves. At one point in the documentary the point is made that every time you look in the mirror, you should imagine there is a little girl standing there hearing what you are saying to yourself. Horrid right?! I told Kevin there has not been a day in my life that I have not looked at myself in the mirror getting dressed and thought “if I could just lose 10 lbs…”

And now I have to ask myself why? For what? For who? What am I judging my body against that I would say that to myself? So these may be the articles of clothing I wrap around my body to move in and out of the day, but now when I get dressed I don’t tell myself I need to lose weight, I think about the things I like, that I feel fortunate to have. It’s not only a physical makeover but a mental one. So here are my new classics and it feels really, really good on the inside and out.

Above cover photo, the basic black turtleneck. I can thrown it on with jeans and get to work and then change into a pencil skirt and go out to dinner, so versatile that I live in these! 

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Tibi Agathe Jumpsuit: it looks like a dress but it’s pants! Plus it has super clean lines and amazing pockets. And as we know, Tibi also travels very well: Brazil & Paris

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