LINK LOVE: StyleCaster.com

Michael Bastian preps in khaki rolled up to its shortest capacity. You’ll cause quite a stir at the country club.

1. Full Tilt Aztec Tube Top $21.99 – A splash of purple guarantees you can wear this all summer long.

2. True Religion Joey High Thigh Shorts $325 – What’s more American than cut-off jean shorts?

3. NARS Lip Gloss in Bad Education $24 – This sheer crimson red gloss is perfect for carefree beach hanging.

4. Splendid Striped Cotton and Silk-Blend Tank $78 – The asymmetrical touch at the hem makes this tank stand out from other striped options.

5. Topshop Red Stripe Bow Hair Clips $12 – Too cute for words, these sweet little bows are the perfect hair accessory.

6. Matthew Williamson Sequined Suede Clutch $730 – A burst of color and sparkle, just like the fireworks you’re about to watch.

7. Acne Derryl Jacket $512 – Take this festive yet edgy jacket along in case there’s a coastal/mountain chill.

8. Kenneth Jay Lane Black Stars Bracelet $145 – Be the star of the celebration with this festive statement bracelet.

9. Balmain White Classic Straight Leg Pants $1,221 – There’s nothing that screams summer fun like white pants.

10. Alexander McQueen Red Trompe L’Oeil Pencil Dress $1,695 – For the more sophisticated celebration, it doesn’t get more chic than this.

11. Costume National Varnished Belt $192 – A belt in candy apple red belt is great for just a touch of patriotism.

12. Maison Martin Margiela Line 22 Brushed-Effect Wedge $620 – Is it a boot or a wedge? Does it matter? No because it’s amazing.

13. Yves Saint Laurent Snake Suede Y Clutch $2,200 – A perfect complement to most outfits, dress up your look with fiery snake suede.

14. Karen Walker Belted Swing Skirt $125 – Channel old Hollywood via this full skirt with a nautical touch.

15. Milani Jewel FX Nail Lacquer $4.99 – Paint you nails to match the sparklers with FashionIndie’s favorite lacquer.

16. Cynthia Rowley Printed Dress $395 – An ethnic print in bright summer blue works for every type of July 4th celebration.

17. MOTHER The Looker Bonfire Cropped Skinny Jeans $310 – Pair red jeans with a white tank for a fun and easy outfit.

18. Miu Miu Lolly-Pop Sunglasses $195 – Have a retro holiday with baby blue square frames.

19. House of Harlow 1960 Star Earrings $45 – This glamorous alternative to the five-point star is the only accessory you’ll need.

20. Jeffrey Campbell Cruise to Cape Cod Heel $119.99 – Like picnic baskets for your feet, these platforms are ideal for both day and night.

Have questions about any of the items seen here? Tweet at me @CrystlMeatballs.

If you’re walking off for a pair of Manolos tonight wearing any of these, you best bring it, because if you do it right, you win hands down. Just sayin’.

Black sculpted platform combat boots have the heel that Gaga goes gaga for, and they’re available at Patricia Field. Which shouldn’t surprise because Mother Monster sings the praises of hooker (non) heels.

Pin spiked snake skinned Christian Louboutin heels will test your balance at the point of a needle.

Okay, now where Lady Gaga has been getting her shoes since every designer in the world wants to make things for her: Noritaka Tatehana. His gravity defying front only platforms are a bit more of an architectural feat. Watch yourself, even Gaga has taken a tumble in them.

Costume National brings us black strappies that slap back.

The pastels used by Versace are calming, but the height is anything but. And it’s hollow under the inner sole.

Double dare you to dance in these and make it all night, no complaints, no stumbling. Get it, girl.

Were you girls a design team prior to studying at Ars Arpel School in Milan or did you meet there? As a team, did you always want to design shoes or was it something you fell into along the way?
We met when we both started work in the same week as junior designers for an Australian footwear group. We clicked immediately and it wasn’t long before we were planning our own label together. We’ve always both been interested in shoes and our passion and study drew us together. We both studied fashion design in Italy at different times and we’ve worked together now since 2003.

As designers, you maintain a “strong focus on the silhouette” of the shoes for your line tom gunn. Are you inspired by architecture in modern and ancient building? What about the architecture of nature like mountains and valleys?
We are inspired by everything around us. We collect images and photos on an inspiration board when we start to design a new collection and quite often use both modern and ancient architecture as inspiration as well as nature. We then zero in on the small details and take lines and shapes from the image to create the design lines of the shoes.

You source leathers and exotic skins from some of the top Italian tanneries. What about these materials make your shoes stand out from other lines? Has working with such high-end materials changed your perception of the footwear industry as a whole?
We absolutely love working with beautiful Italian leathers and exotic skins. The best quality materials make the shoe much more luxurious and comfortable. Snake and lizard leathers also have such a gorgeous texture that adds another dimension to the design.

There are so many footwear labels using low-end, cheap and plastic materials to keep the prices extremely low. This means you get what you pay for in terms of quality and comfort. Now we strive to use the best materials we can to ensure our shoes are luxurious, comfortable and the wearer will love them!

Do you look to forecasting trends for the colors and textures you use for your collections, or does the inspiration stem from inner creativity? Or is it a mix of both?
We build our colour palette from our images on our inspiration board. We love colour and leathers so we usually choose them first before we even start talking about design details for the collection. We don’t look at forecasting trends but design based on how we’re feeling and on what we would like to have in our shoe collections at that time! Of course, this means we need to wait six months for the shoe we’re coveting at the time, but it’s worth the wait!

Who and what inspires you? From nature to buildings, and blogs to other designers, where do you turn when a creativity block comes along?
Our design time is the most fun part of running the label so we usually come into it bursting with ideas and inspirations we’ve been dreaming about after the previous collection. There are a few amazing blogs including The Selby, Jak & Jil and Sea of Shoes we love looking at and some designers that inspire us are Dries Van Noten, Phoebe Philo of Celine and Consuelo Castiglioni of Marni.

It is so amazing tom gunn was awarded Footwear Designer of the Year at the 2010 2threads Fashion Awards. How has this changed the attention toward your brand?
Winning the 2Threads Footwear Designer of the Year was fantastic! It has certainly helped raise the profile of our brand and we have received many more inquiries and press.

You can learn more about tom gunn on the brand’s website.

Tom Gunn uses the finest Italian leathers and exotic skins. They did study the craft at the Ars Arpel School in Milan, after all. They’ve created an array of heights from the disco-clog-platform sandal to the flat jazzy lace ups. The creamy pumps have an angular jut of color, and the heel is cut like a diamond. The skin sneaking cutouts at the bottom lean a little gladiator, but they seem to look future-ward rather than back.

I think Tim Gunn would approve of what’s going on here. Carry on.

Find more photos like this on ENVY. THE FASHION NETWORK

LINK LOVE: GQ

Find more photos like this on ENVY. THE FASHION NETWORK

LINK LOVE: GQ

Un coup de foudre, that’s the French phrase for “love at first sight.” It’s a rare occasion when I find something I’d lie, cheat and steal to have, but an evening stroll in Tribeca led me into a girl wearing the leather studded booties pictured above. I contemplated kicking her knees and swiping the boots off her feet, but I decided a compliment  would be the less delinquent route. Introducing shoe designer Els Proost, her company, Elsa Shoes, easily ranked at the top of my latest obsessions.

Proost has quite the resume having designed shoes and accessories for Dries Van Noten, Emporio Armani, Maison Martin Margiela, Costume National, Hussein Chalayan, Angelo Figus and more, so there’s no doubt why they’re so damn gorgeous. Craftsmanship,comfort and a “fashionable amusing twist” reign among Proost’s design goals, and it’s safe to say she achieves them with every pair she constructs. Like the woman who married a rollerc0aster, maybe i’ll join the bandwagon and marry Elsa Shoes. Now that’s what I like to call a bright future!

Find more photos like this on ENVY

Check out more from Elsa here! Oh, and if the girl with the studded booties is reading, watch your back!

Find more photos like this on CULT

Thanks Style!

The end of June and beginning of July are of importance to me for one reason: men’s fashion week. Yeah,the tailored suits and spring apparel are nice, but what  I really look forward to is the hours I spend cooing over drop dead gorgeous models. The chiseled jaw. The supple lips. The piercing eyes. I’m like a kid in a candy-store!

But these past two weeks have been less than enjoyable for my model addiction. Is it just me, or are designers and bookers seriously skimping on the man candy this season? What once was a Cole, Ash, Luke and Taylor dominated field is now pillaged with some of world’s less fortunate looking creatures. Is there some sort of repulsive man trend I’m missing the boat on here? 

Costume National

Bernhard Willhelm

Walter Van Beirendonck

Maison Martin Margiela

Blaak Homme

Proceed in clawing your eyes out. 

Images courtesy of NY Mag.

GALLERY: RUNWAY RUNDOWN: Costume National Spring 2010 Menswear

Thanks NY Mag!

GALLERY: RUNWAY RUNDOWN: Costume National Resort 2010

Thanks Style!

Costume National is one of those brands I wish I could afford, as they create some amazing looking products. Their latest Spring 2009 Footwear Collection is no different, as they have created some shoes that have caught the attention of even myself (a self proclaimed shoe freak). The blue hightops featured above are my favorite fromt he collection, but overlooking the calf skin sandals would be a huge mistake.

via Men’s Rag

The new ads for CoSTUME NATIONAL’s Spring collection are pretty awesome. The artistic style of the image mixed with the amazing pieces from the Spring collection are clearly a recipe for success.

Gallery: ADDICT: CoSTUME NATIONAL Spring 2009

Courtesy of: The Fashionisto

As the Costume National show began, I started to get nervous as heavy, monotone gray outfits came down the runway, one right after the other. But then the brand I know and love broke through to the surface. Thigh-high boots, ultra lustrous mini dresses and completely asymmetrical tops and skirts made for quite the interesting fall 2009 show. My favorites are the one-armed black dress and the electric blue suit with matching belt. I’m super proud of all the designers this season because I’ve had to bite my tongue on several occasions; if you can design a suit for someone who hates suits and swears she’ll never wear them, you’ve done an awesome job in my book.

GALLERY: Costume National Fall 2009

LINKAGE: Style.com

Looking for a darker, edgier side in well tailored dress clothes? Costume National has it for you with their Fall 2009 collection. The brand has a great collection featuring well cut suits, black leather pieces, and some amazing boots. I’m a big fan of the belted jacket.

Gallery: RUNWAY RUNDOWN: Costume National Fall 2009 Collection

Courtesy of: Fashin Fags

Costume National’s resort 09 collection houses a unique variety of brilliant designs. The line uses a largely dominant color throughout each piece and then adds a hint of another color in a way that is intriguing; however, not overly invasive. Throughout the collection bright colors as well as more subtle colors are used to the clothings advantage. When light hits these designs they are luminous; it creates an entirely new vibe because of the type of fabric that is mended at the designers fingertips. Whether it’s a unique blend of color or quiet simplistic pieces they all bring something new to the table.

To view more of Costume National’s collection click here

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