The Fashion Bride

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Just days before her wedding last weekend in Austin, Harper’s Bazaar asked us to shoot a story on alternative bridal looks for the fashion girl. This fashion girl being our friend Laurel Pantin and editorial director of The Coveteur who bought so many wedding dresses IRL it became a joke among friends. She explained to Harper’s:

“I want to feel really cool, and different and fun but then I also want to feel unique and like I was doing something off the beaten path, but then I also want to feel like a gorgeous princess…

I think my looks really round out all the different sides to my personality and the different things that I was hoping to express through my clothes at my wedding–the fashion-y part, the romantic, pretty girl and then just…disco garbage.”

In the end she was a beautiful princess (Monique Lhuillier), the hopeless romantic (Altuzarra) and a true sparkle baby (vintage Calvin Klein).

Below is a fun mix of playing dress up with Harper’s Bazaar with Fall 2016 runway looks and a few avant-garde bridal gowns from Spring 2017 for that fashion bride who truly has her own sense of style.

*Click on any image to view high res*

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Ermanno Scervino pleated lace dress || Stephen Russell 15k yellow gold pendant earrings and 18th century silver, gold and diamond cluster ring, ca. 1780 || Brother Vellies “Lali” boot in brocade

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Valentino gown || Aquazzura “Christy” flat in white gold || Jemma Wynne 18K blackened pave diamond and pearl ear climbers

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Jonathan Simkhai layered loop tulle dress || Jimmy Choo “Viola” sandal || Stephen Russell platinum and diamond chandelier earrings

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A Story for Harper’s Bazaar

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Tomorrow in Austin, Texas, my friend and editorial director of The Coveteur, Laurel Pantin is getting married. Everyone has their wedding dress story of finding “the one”, but working in fashion makes choosing that one perfect dress insanely difficult…. so that’s why Laurel bought somewhere around seven options! To play off her indecisiveness Harper’s Bazaar asked us to put together a fun fashion editorial covering a myriad of bridal personalities from traditional wedding gowns to designer Fall 2016 collections and every hairstyle in between….

To see the full story visit Harper’s Bazaar!

#CheesePreztel

Men In This Town

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This past year my friend Giuseppe Santamaria not only published a new book but started a print magazine, MITT, which is a quarterly digest on the “Men In This Town”. I love that living and working in New York introduces you to an array of amazingly ambitious and talented people and I was beyond thrilled when Giuseppe emailed me to ask if I would be a contributor to their 2nd issue. One problem, I told Giuseppe: I had to be honest, I’ve never done a men’s fashion editorial, and I actually know nothing about the men’s fashion world other than the fact that John Jannuzzi works at GQ and I love the way men look in suits.

One of the characteristics that I possess that has really changed my life is my natural ability to say yes to anything I find a challenge. I love climbing the mountain and slaying the dragon, killing the fear of unknown, so I got to work. I emailed John, I think the subject line was something to the effect of “HALP”. John put me in touch with the amazing stylists at Carson Street Clothiers in Soho, James Ralston & Justin Doss, and I asked Porsche Cooper, hair & makeup artist for one of my favorite shoots of all times, to also jump off the cliff with me. It’s really a wonderful thing to ask people for help, being vulnerable is important, and having the end result a collaboration of parts you couldn’t have found success without. 

Then we had to find our model.

Here is where fate played a role. Enter: Eduardo Ramos. A charming Cuban American, model, writer, and actor. His presence on set was magnetic and we were all totally sucked into his latin world. He shared with us stories of visiting his family in Cuba, the way it really is there and not the touristic description of the vintage cars and cigars, but the day to day way of life living in a communist country.  It was fascinating and changed the entire photoshoot on the spot. I had him speak Spanish to the crew while I photographed him, and we looked for ways to shoot beyond the clothing, into the person before us.

I talked to Giuseppe afterwards and said, “You have to interview this guy for the magazine, his story is so interesting and relevant to what’s happening in culture” which is exactly what Giuseppe did and you can read all about it in the article “¿QUE ES CUBA?” in the June issue of MITT.

Below are some of my favorite photographs from our sitting-

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Above Suit by Eidos | Shirt by Umit Benan | Slippers by MELINDAGLOSS | Panama Hat by Carson Street X Cappellificio Biellese

Below Grey Donegal Suit by Camoshita United Arrows | Polo by Camoshita | Shoes by Lemaine

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Resort Chic

There is nothing like getting away from the winter months, packing a light suitcase and going someplace warm. Any place warm. I love dressing for my travels, be it adventure wear for #onlyinsouthamerica or polished L.B.D’s for Parisian nights.

Usually when I think of “resort” fashion I imagine a lot of bright colors and printed patterns which is not really my personal style. So why should it have to change just because you’re on vacation? On a recent trip down to Miami, Kelly and I shot a fashion editorial for the minimalist at heart while also letting the latin culture find influence into our shoot. I loved how the walls of Casa Claridge, our location for this sitting, reminded me so many places in Cusco and I’m instantly transported back to the terra cotta floors and dusty stucco walls.

Here is our take on resort fashion, a study of simplicity and the classics, pieces you can then wear over and over again and if you’re lucky, maybe to some places like these

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AboveMonique Lhuillier dress || Monica Rich Kosann Earrings

Below~ Wes Gordon dress || Monica Rich Kosann Bracelet || Fragments studs

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Killing Time…

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In-between shots, while Jessica was waiting for me to finish setting up, I looked over and there she was, just killing time, running her finger around the ardoise diamond faced IWC Portofino midsize watch and I thought there could not be anything more glamorous than lace, winter light, and a black wool coat so casually and effortless resting against a simple white wall…

See the fashion story here.

Timeless Dressing

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Updating the classics.

After our day together in New York City I was really taken to the idea of wearing a timepiece and started thinking about how that could integrate into my daily wardrobe from working days to all the holiday parties coming up. I was talking to my friend Laurel about this, who herself has such amazing taste (remember THIS shoot?!), on updating timeless dressing. I loved the idea of wearing a watch; it says a lot about a person, and with the IWC Portofino Midsize I think that says someone who is classic, intelligent, and above all timeless.

But let’s look at timeless dressing.

Laurel and I discussed how to make it more interesting, how to update the standard little black dress, how to do something surprising with a wide leg trouser… so in a sun filled studio on Manhattan’s west side we played dress up with Jessica Wall, with our city shining bright in the background, and spent together that thing that is the most valuable of all: time.

Cover image~ IWC Portofino Midsize Ardoise & Diamond Timepiece

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The best thing to wear with black lace is more black lace. 

Above~ Jacket by TOME | Lace Playsuit by L’Agent by Agent Provocateur  | Skirt by TOME | IWC Portofino Midsize Ardoise & Diamond Timepiece

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The Fashion of Bahia

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I always want fashion shoots to feel like a memory…the memory of the lace table settings, the feeling of the spirituality of the local people, the colors in my mind…perhaps it’s not the way they were but it’s the way I remember them. Bahia was a very special place for me. The whiteness in my memory was the inspiration for the walls of this shoot. In my mind I remember leaning against white sun bleached walls, the wind off the ocean pulling at my clothing. Layers of clothing imitate the layers of history, complex and textural…the stories this special place will tell you! I remember the dances, the ritual and percussion of the bodies floating about the floor as weightless as air. These memories are the inspiration behind this shoot, our Salvador Da Bahia muse, come to life in our studio in New York City. Styled by Kelly Framel, our travel companion who brought her own inspiration to the clothing from her personal experiences, from the lessons of dressing she took and the history of fashion from this seaport town.

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above: Alice + Olivia Ball Skirt underneath a DKNY skirt, Candela crop top under a Donna Karan top, La Petite Princesse necklace, Jewels by Dunn horn necklace, and Jewels by Dunn bracelets

below: Candela dress underneath a Delpozo gown, Lizzie Fortunato short necklace

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