Filling in the cut outs, Rucci frames the form in sheer workings. Chado Ralph Rucci

Give us those giant shoulders and we're happy, but that skirt layering kicks it up. Sally Lapointe

Business sheers take it back and forward decades. Thom Browne

Take it to the plastics, this sheer will hit the beach. Cynthia Rowley

Ocean sheer up top sets a scene for the trailing print to tell. Peter Som

Cut out are supplemented with a Wang size mesh. Faster by Mark Fast

Loose knit mesh shrouds the body in sportswear. Just make sure your pockets are clean and tidy. Alexander Wang

Take this look clear across to neons. It's how you catch it from a distance. Rebecca Minkoff

Full length hollow striation lace becomes new world basic layering. Theysken's Therrorist

Cascading reds in layers of mesh glimmers slightly translucent. Oscar de la Renta

Shiny sheer uses metallics to cover up. Philosophy

Maximizing the use of white space, Calvin remains minimal. Calvin Klein

Shimmering sheer, this dress sees and feels in water. Marc Jacobs

*Editor’s pick* Givenchy’s Ange ou Demon is the new perfume of intrigue and was made to give a jasmine tea effect. Rather it gave indie editor Amanda @crystlmeatballs wild visuals of “gummy bears wearing caged crinolines”. @Mcarthurjoseph‘s favorite lady scent, too? Mmm intriguing indeed.

1. H&M black and pink dress ($14.99 hm.com)

2. Topshop leather bow headband ($32 topshop.com)

3. ASOS leather boyfriend belt ($36 asos.com)

4. Sandra Dini organic ring ($865 barneys.com)

5. KOTUR “Breen” lace clutch ($550 shirise.com)

6. Marc Jacobs Daisy Pop Art Edition Eau de Parfum ($88 nordstrom.com)

7. Jimmy Choo cosmic suede pumps ($695 net-a-porter.com)

8. Philosophy “sweet on you” candy hearts lip shine ($10 nordstrom.com)

9. NARS eyeliner pencil in Kyoto ($21 barneys.com)

10. Marc by Marc Jacobs studded chunky chain-link watch ($250 net-a-porter.com)

11. Rodney Holman black enamel and gold plated petal earring ($26 make-me-beautiful.co.uk)

“Design that works”  grabbed my attention and it was then I was acquainted with Ute (yoot) Australian Design for the home; another outstanding find amongst many at this years’  Melbourne Design Market. With Product Designer Kain Lucas at the forefront Ute designs have created exceptional harmony between beauty and function.  Continue below to view more  photos provided by myself and Ute Australian Design.

City Lights BlackBoard

Heisei Lamp

The Butterfly Coat Rack

Ute’s products embodies its philosophy of maintaining focus on functionality

without sacrificing elegance in design.

Trivet Coasters

Isos Coffee Table

Materials can consist of carbonized bamboo, Tasmanian Oak, and  a walnut finish.

Profile Bathmat

To purchase and view more beauty in simplistic design by Kain Lucas and the Ute community click here.

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Daniel Radcliffe and Our Lady J: The Odd Couple
The star of this season’s most anticipated movie made tabloid headlines last year for his friendship with trans musician Our Lady J. Now, the pair goes public to chat about magic, music, and how to find a date in New York City.
By Noah Michelson

VERY LONG INTERVIEW but Dan talks about girls, the LGTBQ community, and how he likes it when people call him by his real name.

When the Harry Potter franchise sends the eighth, and final, film adaptation of author J.K. Rowling’s multibillion dollar publishing phenomenon to the big screen next summer, expect to hear the collective wail of heartbroken fans echoing throughout cineplexes as the young wizard rides off into the celluloid sunset on his Firebolt broomstick. But don’t expect Daniel Radcliffe to join the chorus. Yes, the 21-year-old actor, who was just 12 in 2001 when he donned Harry Potter’s trademark circular specs after beating out 40,000 hopefuls for the role, happily sacrificed his teenage years to bring the beloved character to life. But along with the fame, adoration, and monster paychecks came the exhaustion of struggling to maintain his own identity and the mounting pressure to ensure that once Potter was finished, his career wouldn’t wither in the long, magical shadow of his fictional counterpart.

That, it seems, is not going to be a problem. Though Radcliffe is in many ways still relatively new to the industry (his first networking trip to Los Angeles took place earlier this year), he’s no stranger to unorthodox career choices. He has already made two of the gutsiest moves a teenage screen actor can make: He starred on Broadway (in Peter Shaffer’s Equus), and he did it completely naked. Next year, Radcliffe will push even further from his decade-long stint at Hogwarts with a return to the Great White Way in a revival of the musical How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, a remake of the 1930 war classic All Quiet on the Western Front, and the lead role in The Woman in Black, a ghost story from the revered (and recently revived) film studio Hammer. These atypical projects suggest an actor who is growing into himself, more attracted to taking risks than playing it safe.

Radcliffe’s personal interests are just as unexpected as his professional ones. He has become one of the queer community’s most visible allies, speaking out against homophobia and filming public service announcements for the Trevor Project, the leading organization focusing on suicide prevention efforts among gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender youth. In 2009, when the British tabloids played a salacious guessing game about the nature of his friendship with American trans singer-songwriter Our Lady J, Radcliffe didn’t jump to fire off a press release to refute the claims, as many straight young leading men would do. He’s better than that. Instead, he simply gushed about how talented he thought she was and left the world to think whatever it wanted about their relationship.

Radcliffe and Our Lady J let Out sit in on a conversation about the upcoming penultimate Potter movie, the thrills and potential hazards of dating when you’re one of the world’s most recognizable bachelors, and why the actor is earning big points in tranny heaven.

Daniel Radcliffe: Hi, J, how are you?
Our Lady J: I’m very well and you?
DR: I’m very, very well. I’ve just finished Potter properly yesterday.
OLJ: Did they let you keep the glasses?
DR: Yes! I’ve got two pairs from the seventh film and the pair I wore in the very, very first movie — which are really tiny on my head now! So what have you been up to?
OLJ: I’ve been in L.A., finishing up my album. There are too many distractions in New York. The only thing to distract me in L.A. is the beach.
DR: I was just in L.A. for the first time in my life. I went for the premiere of the fifth Harry Potter film, but other than that, I’d never really gone there before. So I went for five days and did my first round of meetings and going to studios. It was very exciting.
OLJ: You just made your first trip to Hollywood?
DR: People seem to have a very bizarre perception of me — that I’m a Hollywood actor. I don’t think of myself that way. And when I was out there and telling people it was pretty much my first trip, jaws just hit the floor. They were looking at me like I had two heads.
OLJ: So I wanted to clear up a couple of rumors, if we may. You are not actually Harry Potter, right?
DR: No, not really.
OLJ: And I’m not the transsexual incarnation of Narcissa Malfoy, right?
DR: Laughs No, you are not. I can confirm that neither of those things are true.
OLJ: Laughs OK, OK. Good. It’s funny because with that little tabloid thing that happened a year ago with us, I actually got all these strange e-mails to my website asking “What is Harry Potter like?” And I just thought, I have no idea, actually.
DR: It’s strange. I think it’s a mixture of people who actually do, in some way, think I am Harry Potter and a number of people who can’t be bothered to know my name, which is fair enough. I mean, when you’ve been so identified with one character for so long, it’s natural that it should almost become an alias. But I’ve been encouraged lately to find that people are using my real name more often.
OLJ: You’re coming to New York for your second Broadway show, this time a musical, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. What is it that you love so much about New York?
DR: I love the city as a whole, absolutely, but I love Broadway. And the community on Broadway is something that you hear talked about and talked about by other English actors who’ve been over there. And you think, Well, OK. How could it be that different or that much better? Because they make it sound amazing. And then you come to New York, and you actually experience Broadway, and it is like nothing else. We were across the road from Gypsy when we did Equus, and we were constantly hanging out with them after the show, and it was fantastic. And we went and met with the cast from The Seagull and Black Watch a couple of times. It’s very, very hard to actually describe why New York is so brilliant. But the community is amazing, and if you get involved with all those events, and you show how much you love and appreciate being there, you really get nothing but generosity and kindness back.

OLJ: I was surprised, actually, when I first moved to New York that these people are doing eight shows a week on Broadway, and yet on their night off, they’re going down to Marie’s Crisis or whatever their favorite cabaret bar is, and they’re still singing or they’re doing a benefit on Monday night. It’s so obvious that they’re in love with the craft.
DR: I’ve got to mention Sean Hayes, who is in Promises, Promises at the moment, which is a fantastic show. Up until he hosted the Tony Awards, he was rehearsing. The hours he was doing and the commitment he showed — because the Tony Awards is not just an awards show, it’s a massive Broadway party, and for him to be showing both huge commitment to that and his own show as well — was amazing.
OLJ: Speaking of which, it’s pretty impressive that you were shooting two films over an entire year and trained for Broadway at the same time. How did you handle that?
DR: Training for Broadway is an ongoing process. I’ve been doing dance lessons for about a year and a half, at this point, and singing for two and a half years. But the singing lessons actually stemmed from having to sing the Milky Bar candy ad theme tune at the very beginning of Equus. For some reason, I kept inventing a new tune every night. So they sent me off to this guy, Mark Meylan, who, among other people, taught Alan Rickman Harry Potter’s Professor Snape to sing. To use Alan’s words, “Mark Meylan teaches through sarcasm.” He sort of just abuses you as you get it right. He’s also just a lovely, kind, and brilliant man.
OLJ: What kind of music are you listening to these days? You’re always passionate about your artists.
DR: An English singer-songwriter called Frank Turner. He’s absolutely brilliant. Oh, the Drums — I quite like a couple of songs by them. The Divine Comedy’s new album is really, really good. It’s called Bang Goes the Knighthood, and it’s very, very funny and sad. And of course, I’m still listening to Florence and the Machine. “My Boy Builds Coffins” was a song I listened to a lot this year when I was playing Harry. It felt like the right tone.
OLJ: I’m obsessed with Florence and the Machine as well. I like depressing music. Do you listen to it when you’re getting ready in your dressing room?
DR: Or on set just before we start filming. I’ve always found music was just the most helpful thing in terms of getting into a scene, other than working myself up into a little bit of a frenzy.
OLJ: Well, aside from music, I have a Miss America question for you. When we met during the last big U.S. election, I was so excited to find out you’re passionate about politics. Have you been able to pay attention to politics in the last year, in between filming and training for Broadway?
DR: I’ve been trying to. Certainly, British politics have been fantastic. I’ve not been keeping up with America quite as much.
OLJ: I’ve paid a bit of attention to the politics of Nick Clegg leader of the government’s coalition partner, the Liberal Democrats. Are you a fan?
DR: I’m a very big fan. I’ve actually met him, and I have to say he’s a really, really good man. I don’t agree with everything he says, but of all the party leaders, he was the one I voted for. I thought he was a great speaker and very charismatic and very statesmanlike. And I’m glad that he is still in a prominent position in British politics because I think he could make a great contribution. He comes from absolutely the right place in terms of what his values are.
OLJ: Traveling the world, I’ve noticed that people are just so ecstatic that Obama is in office. And in the LGBTQ community, he’s making baby steps. But is there anything you would like to see for the LGBTQ community around the world, not just in the U.S. or the U.K.?
DR: Well, obviously, in general terms, yes. The world needs to become better educated, but I would defer to you slightly on that, J, because I would never profess to be an expert. What would be high on your priority list?
OLJ: Well, I was impressed that Obama declared June national LGBT month, because change begins with education. But he also extended benefits for same-sex partners of federal employees, which is a pretty big deal. And then the U.S. State Department has a new policy that allows transgender people to change the genders on their passport to match their identity, rather than their sex, which I’m completely relieved about. It’s a bit of a hassle when you go through an airport.
DR: That really does sound very important and vital to people who are making that transition, because otherwise you presumably, as you say, still have that moment in airports when you’re forced to offer a look of explanation or something, which is totally unnecessary.
OLJ: Exactly. A lot of people keep it light and make a joke of it just to get through. But there have been circumstances where it’s been a little bit more difficult than that. How about your involvement with the Trevor Project? How did that come about?
DR: My family and I have always thought it was best to focus our efforts rather than kind of spreading ourselves too thin across a lot of different organizations — just really picking things that you care about and really, really believe in, and Trevor absolutely was one of them. And when I got to have a tour of the New York call center, my admiration for the projects, but also for the place and the people, tripled. The systems they have in place, the actual way the call center works on a practical level, is so brilliant and efficient. It’s something I’m very, very proud to be able to be involved with.
OLJ: My friend Kate Bornstein has a book called Hello, Cruel World: 101 Alternatives to Suicide For Teens, Freaks and Other Outlaws, and it’s comical but still a sincere way of preventing suicide among youth. Her philosophy is “Just stay alive.”
DR: That is a brilliant philosophy — to just keep going. There was a great quote I heard the other day from Churchill: “When you’re going through hell, just keep going.” I just love it. Why stop?

OLJ: Beautiful. I’ve been traveling the world a bit and getting to know other trans women, and something that they’re all surprised with regarding transgender people in America is that here, we mostly identify with the gay community because of the threat of violence toward us from within the straight community.
DR: Gasps
OLJ: In the world, I find — generally — many transsexuals are technically heterosexual women because gender and sexuality are different things. I wonder if we’re becoming more fluid in gender and sexuality as a whole?
DR: I think that with every generation, people become more open to those ideas and more aware and more educated. But it’s a really, really slow process. If you take any family with parents who are bringing their kids up in a narrow-minded way that includes homophobia, it will take a very profound moment of realization to change those deep-seated views.
OLJ: Do you think there’s a stigma with men who date transgender women, or is it just kept in the dark?
DR: I think to a certain extent, there would be a stigma — it depends on which person you’re talking to. But I certainly think in this day and age it would be less of an issue. I was on the Harry Potter film set when all that tabloid stuff happened with us hanging out last year and none of my friends gave me shit about it. Nobody took the piss. And the film set encompasses groups from every area of society, and I have to say it’s a pretty good cross-section. There was certainly no stigma.
OLJ: The tabloid obsession is something that’s so new. Transgender people are a small portion of the population, but we don’t have a very strong voice right now. And I think people are surprised that we integrate with society just like everyone else does. We’re not just a cluster of people living on Mars, although sometimes I wish we were. Laughs
DR: There is a novelty factor, almost, with some people. I grew up in a world where I was aware of gay and transgender culture from a very young age, because I was brought up with a real mix of people around me. And people who have a huge, different range of experiences. But not everyone grows up in the same circumstances.
OLJ: That’s why you’re getting major points in tranny heaven for doing this interview, because it is exposure and it is important. Are we allowed to talk about your love life?
DR: Yes. It’s very uninteresting, but you’re more than welcome to.
OLJ: What’s happening?
DR: I was in a relationship with somebody for just about three years, and we broke up just shortly before we hit that mark. But the breakup was very amicable. At the moment, I’m just being single and running around chasing girls. Laughs I’m not getting too many responses, but, yes, I’m having a go. I’m also starting to go on dates for the first time. I’ve never really done it because all my girlfriends that I’ve ever met, I’ve met through work. So we got to know each other really well at work and then kind of ended up going out.
OLJ: What is it like to go on dates as Daniel Radcliffe?
DR: It’s quite nerve-racking because it’s not something I’m used to. Not that I struggle with talking, but I have this incredible anxiety about awkward silences and pauses and all that stuff, which I think everybody worries about. But I get quite wound up about that beforehand. I do actually manage to get quite chatty in the end — probably too much — and probably a bit boring. I just try to make girls laugh. That’s really the only thing I’m particularly good at on dates.
OLJ: Well that’ll give the ladies of New York City something to look forward to when you’re in town.
DR: Laughs I can’t pretend I haven’t thought about that a couple of times. I’ve already had people offering to set me up!
OLJ: Well, if you ever need any help, I have a few girlfriends.
DR: Oh, fantastic. You’ll have to introduce me.

totally tl;dr but I did it anyway.

SOURCE

LINK LOVE:My two favorite ppl ever have a conversation for Out magazine

This is more of a home decor post than an outfit one. One of the many exciting things about moving into our new home has been that I have been able to bust my recently recovered wing chairs out of storage. This is one of them.

When I got these chairs, they were covered in some beige floral fabric that was just not my bag. I was looking for a blue and white fabric to recover them with and, I have to say, the choice was easy when I found this mesmerizing pattern. My general furniture-buying philosophy is to buy cheap and used, then update as needed. Sky Upholstery recovered these and I think they did a wonderful job for a very reasonable price. The fabric came from Calico Corners (which has a great online “lookbook,” chock full of decorating ideas).

vintage men’s J. Press shirt
Anthropologie skirt
H&M socks
Forever 21 sandals

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NOTE: * = Designer Presentation / ** Not in Lincoln Center (addresses for off-site shows below)

THURSDAY | September 9th
9AM – Nicholas K, Studio
10AM – Project Runway, Theatre
10:30Am – Toni Maticevski, Box*
11AM – Richard Chai, Stage
12PM – Vena Cava** / Anne Bowen**
1PM – Ruffian, Studio
2PM – Christian Siriano, Stage / Bensoni, Box*
3PM – Parkchoonmoo**
5PM – Rachel Comey* *
6PM – Farah Angsana, Studio / VERRIER, Box*
7PM – Concept Korea, Theatre / Mandy Coon**
9PM – Richie Rich, Studio / Kate Spade**

FRIDAY | September 10th
9AM – Peter Som **
9:30AM – Tadashi Shoji, Box*
10AM – BCBGMAXAZRIA, Theatre
11AM – Duckie Brown, Stage / Rag & Bones**
12PM Michael Angel, Studio
1PM – Jason Wu**
1:30PM – Buckler, Box*
2PM – EDITION Georges Chakra, Stage
3PM – Ports 1961, Theatre / 3.1 Phillip Lim** / Frank Tell** / Jeremy Liang**
4PM – Alexander Berardi, Studio / Doo.Ri**
5PM – Nicole Miller** / Risto**/ Rag & Bone**
6 – 10PM Fashion’s Night Out
8PM – Academy of Art University, Theatre

SATURDAY | September 11th
9:30AM -Yuna Yang**
10AM – Lacoste, Theatre
10:30AM – Binetti, Box*
11 AM – Cynthia Rowley, Stage
12PM – Ohne Titel**, Exit Art / Jill Stuart** / Loden Dager**
1PM – Prabal Gurung, Studio
2PM – ADAM, Stage
2:30PM – Yoana Baraschi, Box*
3PM – Vivienne Tam, Theatre / Patrik Ervell**, Milk / Leifsdottir**
4PM – Mik Cire, Studio / Philosophy**
5PM – Alexander Wang**, Milk
6PM – Charlotte Ronson, Stage / Band of Outsiders**
7PM – Z Spoke by Zac Posen, Theatre / Alice + Olivia** / Gary Graham**, Milk
8PM – Altuzarra**, Milk
9PM – Venexiana, Studio

SUNDAY | September 12th
9AM – Victoria Beckham
10AM Derek Lam, Stage
10:30AM – Timo Weiland, Box*
11AM – Lela Rose, Studio / Simon Spurr**, Exit Art / Preen**
1PM – DKNY**
2PM – Rebecca Taylor, Studio
2:30PM – Rebecca Minkoff, Box*
3PM РHerv̩ L̩ger by Max Azria, Stage
4PM – Diane von Furstenberg, Theatre
5PM – Trias, Studio / Y-3**, Park Avenue Armory / Cynthia Steffe**
6PM – Thakoon**
6:30PM – Global Glam Collection, Box*
7PM – Custo Barcelona, Stage / Erin Fetherston**
8PM – Tommy Hilfiger, Theatre
9PM – Vassilios Kostetsos, Studio

MONDAY | September 13th
8:30AM – William Tempest, Box*
9AM – Jenny Packham, Studio
10AM – Carolina Herrera, Theatre
11AM – Carlos Miele, Stage / Zero + Maria Cornejo**, Hosfelt Gallery
12PM – Diesel Black Gold**
1PM – Tracy Reese, Studio / WAYNE**
2PM – Donna Karan Collection**
2:30PM – TONYCOHEN, Box*
3PM – Monique Lhuillier, Stage / Rad by Rad Hourani**
4PM – Yeohlee** / Temperley**
5PM – Herchcovitch;Alexandre, Studio / Devi Kroell**
6PM – Betsey Johnson, Theatre / Longchamp** / Halston** / Michael Bastian**, Exit Art / Chado Ralph Rucci**
7PM – Perry Ellis, Stage
8PM – Marc Jacobs**

TUESDAY | September 14th
9AM – Elie Tahari, Studio / Rachel Roy**, NY Public Library for Performing Arts
9:30AM РMonique P̩an, Box*
10AM – Badgley Mischka, Theatre / Karen Walker**
11AM – Vera Wang, Stage
12PM – Rodarte** / Complex Geometries**
1PM – Rosa Cha, Studio / Mulberry**
1:30PM – Bibhu Mohapatra, Box*
2PM – Max Azria, Theatre
3PM – Dennis Basso, Stage / Mullberry**
4PM Marc by Marc Jacobs**
5PM – The Row**
6PM – Luca Luca, Studio / Sophie Theallet** / Odyn Vovk**
6:30PM – Sophie Theallet, Box*
7PM – Tibi, Stage / G-Star** / Yigal Azrouel**
8PM – Narciso Rodriguez, Theatre
9PM – Toni Francesc, Studio

WEDNESDAY | September 15th
8:30AM – Bill Blass, Box*
9AM – Tory Burch, Studio
10AM – Michael Kors, Theatre
11AM – Nanette Lepore, Stage / Douglas Hannant**
12PM – Oscar de la Renta**
1PM – General Idea, Studio / Adrienne Vittadini, Box* / Jeremy Scott**
2PM – Gottex, Theatre / 3.1 Phillip Lim**/ Yigal Azrouel**
3PM – Milly by Michelle Smith, Stage / Marchesa**
4PM – Reed Krakoff** / DKNY**
5PM – Odd Molly, Studio / Irina Shabayeva**
6PM – Anna Sui, Theatre / L Sabatino**
6:30PM – Mackage, Box*
7PM -  Bryan Reyes**
8PM -  Proezna Schouler**

THURSDAY | September 16th
9AM – Kate Spade**
10AM – Ralph Lauren**
11:30PM – Andy & Debb, Box*
12PM – Isaac Mizrahi, Theatre
1PM – – Davidelfin, Studio / L’Wren Scott**
2PM – Argentina Group Show, Stage / Stephen Burrows**
3PM – Calvin Klein Collection Women’s**
5PM – Elene Cassis**
6PM – J. Mendel, Studio
6:30PM – Rebecca Moses, Box*
7PM – Naeem Khan, Stage
8PM – L.A.M.B., Theatre
9PM – IVANAhelsinki, Studio

———————————–

OTHER LOCATIONS

Altuzarra, Alexander Wang, Billy Reid, Gary Graham, Patrik Ervell | Milk Studios 450 W. 15th St. betw. 9 & 10th Ave. 10011
Anne Bowen | Stone Rose Lounge 10 Columbus Cir., 4th fl., at 58th St. 10023
G-Star | Pier 94 711 12th Ave – 55th St and West Side Highway
Michael Bastian, Ohne Titel, Simon Spurr | Exit Art 475 10th Ave at 36th St.
Odyn Vovk | 87 Lafayette St- White and Lafayette
Rachel Roy | Oenslager Gallery at the NY Public Library for Performing Arts
Y-3 | Park Avenue Armory 643 Park Avenue betw. 66th and 67th St. 10065
Zero + Maria Cornejo | Hosfelt Gallery 531 W 36th Street 10018
Ralph Lauren | Skylight Studio, 275 Hudson Street
Calvin Klein Collection | 205 W 39th St, Ground Floor

Schedule courtesy of PostFashionism

LINK LOVE:NEW YORK FASHION WEEK SCHEDULE | September 2010 Lineup

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Jac & Krystina star in this ad campaign by Philosophy di Alberta Ferretti. Shot by Max Montingelli, the look of the shoot is modern with lights blazing by as the models walk a runway of their own creation. Loving the looks and the freshness of this campaign.

LINK LOVE:ADDICT: Philosophy di Alberta Ferretti F/W 10.11

I think my philosophy about blogging
(a work I hate) is how to edit.
No matter what or who you’re posting,
I think what makes an aesthetic is not
what designer you choose.
It’s more like what you can put together,
like a loose collage.

LINK LOVE:Marni

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The bottoms are actually listed as pants instead of leggings; I must say that I love the gathering at the ankle and would wear them exactly as they appear, pulled down over the shoes. I love that look!

Odilon

Backstory: Stacy Clark recalls creating patterns for garments when she was as young as eight. “I would lay down my clothes on paper, trace around them and allow for seam allowance,” she says with a laugh. But it wasn’t until after she graduated from the University of Victoria with a degree in the arts that the Canadian began considering a career in fashion. In 2006, she enrolled at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising in Los Angeles and received a degree in product development. Clark created her first collection last year; fall 2010 is her first season going into production.

Collection: The label is named for the French artist Odilon Redon. “He still had that Impressionist technique but painted very morbid subject matters,” says Clark, 23. “I found him refreshing.” Her line takes a dark tack as evidenced by her recent collection, inspired by postapocalyptic images. To wit, the flashes of orange — seen in vests and jackets, some hooded — come from hazard signs, while textured nylon-coated jersey leggings are meant to mimic burnt flesh. “I’m influenced by horror and zombie movies, too,” says Clark, who also notes an affinity for juxtaposing natural and synthetic materials.

Stats: Wholesale prices range from $45 to $680. The collection will be available at Forty Five Ten in Dallas.

This is a great look if one seeks something a bit edgier. I love the legwear……perfect with a dress or tunic.
“I had this vision of a postapocalyptic war,” says Samantha Sleeper, of her debut Nprpa collection. Thus, the abstract patterns on bodysuits and leggings are reminiscent of “concrete grid lines and housing complexes.” (no additional Bio information listed)

Kal Rieman

Backstory: Cleveland-born Cally Rieman caught the fashion bug while studying abroad in Taiwan. “I was teaching a gentleman English, and he owned a textile manufacturing company,” says Rieman. “I was surrounded by a world I had never been in before and thought it was really cool.” Rieman, now 39, studied poli-sci and East Asian studies at Denison University and graduated in 1993. After a four-year stint in finance, she enrolled in the fashion program at the Art Institute of Chicago, graduating in 2000. She has since worked for Rubin Chapelle, Jean-Charles de Castelbajac and H by Tommy Hilfiger, the last two in the men’s department.

Collection: Given her men’s wear background, it’s no surprise Rieman works a masculine vibe — crisp shirting, vests and loads of tailoring. “I’m fascinated by the suit,” she says, noting she works with a men’s wear tailor for her blazers “so they’re made like a men’s jacket with canvas construction, horse hair….” New York-based Rieman adds that her stint at de Castelbajac proved influential. “What I pulled out of my time there was a sophistication — this dandy look for women, with high collars and structured jackets,” she explains, “but without the kitsch.”

Stats: Wholesale prices range from $150 to $550. The collection is available at P45 in Chicago.

This is my absolute favorite of all the pieces……it’s truly a work of fashion artistry! I envision this piece with leggings or skinny jeans with a long-sleeved top underneath. I’m always a fan of those designers who create one-of-a-kind pieces. I can’t want to see more from his collection!

Johan Ku

Backstory: What a difference a year makes. In 2009, Johan Ku was just another young designer from Taipei who had enrolled at Central Saint Martins. Now, he’s a buzzed-about name in his native Taiwan — he dressed popular Mandopop group S.H.E for the cover of its March “Shero” album and was the subject of a recent show at the Taipei Fine Arts Museum, called “Breakthrough: Johan Ku Wearable Sculpture Exhibition.” Not bad for a 30-year-old who fell into fashion because he failed the test for his first career choice: graphic design. “I didn’t get a high enough score, unfortunately — or fortunately enough,” remarks Ku, who received his B.A. and M.A. in fashion and textile design from Shu-Te and Fu-Jen Universities, respectively.

Collection: The designer has a one-track mind: Ku is crazy for the knitwear. “I always wanted to create something in three dimensions,” says Ku, whose aesthetic skews toward the experimental and arty side. “Even as a kid in art class, I would enjoy doing real sculpture instead of 2-D drawings. That influenced me a lot.” For his collection, he uses mainly raw wool, which gives his designs that ultrahefty, rough-hewn feel. “People use that material for spinning, not for knitting. That’s how I can create my chunky garments,” he explains, while adding that a more commercial collection may be in the pipeline once he gets enough financing.

Stats: Retail prices start at $800 and run upward to $30,000 for his one-of-a-kind designs.

Alexander Koutny

Backstory: While a philosophy student at the University of Cape Town in 1997, Johannesburg-born Alexander Koutny launched a men’s wear collection, named Aka. In time, he would add a women’s counterpart to the line, which he describes as “structured and utilitarian,” before closing up shop to move to London in 2000. “I thought, if I’m going to continue and take it to the next level, South Africa wouldn’t be the place to do that,” says Koutny, who went on to work for Marjan Pejoski. The experience couldn’t have been more different — Pejoski is best known as the designer responsible for Björk’s 2001 swan dress. At Pejoski’s suggestion, Koutny enrolled at Central Saint Martins, graduating in 2003.

Collection: New York-based Koutny notes that his current collection, which he launched last year, straddles the line between Aka and the “extreme” one-off garments he created during his London years. “I started out on the commercial side,” he says, “and then pushed the boundaries of [avant-garde] fashion. This is the balance between the two.” For fall, Koutny found inspiration in earthquakes, plate tectonics and the underground, which explains the abstract lava prints throughout the collection. But the core vibe here is the collection’s sense of ease — even the more tailored jackets and coats come slightly slouchy and draped. “The lifestyle element we’re pushing is something more robust,” explains Koutny, 37, “something you wouldn’t mind throwing on the floor, picking up and still loving.”

Stats: Wholesale prices for the line range from $150 to $400. So far, Eva in New York and Una in Portland, Ore., have picked up the collection.

Charles Henry

Backstory: Charles Henry is already act II for Kentucky native Meredith Fisher. The University of Southern California alum — she graduated in December — launched her first collection, WAYF (Where Are You From), as a junior in high school. At the time, Fisher was spending the summer in Los Angeles, interning for Jennifer Nicholson, when she caught the eye of the buyers at Satine. “I walked in [the store] wearing one of my dress designs and they noticed,” recalls Fisher. “So I started making things for them on the side.” She eventually signed with a showroom and, later that summer, launched WAYF, which sold at retailers such as Barneys New York, Shopbop.com and Intermix. Last year, Fisher took a break from design to “finish college,” she says.

Collection: Fisher named the line after her maternal grandfather, a clothing manufacturer in Tennessee, and it’s more grown-up-looking than WAYF. “The core is there,” she says, “but [my girl] isn’t just wearing sweet little dresses. She wants leather, she wants fringe, she wants a little of everything in her wardrobe.” The fall Charles Henry debut ranges from silk blouses and skirts, with tassel details, to velvet burn-out dresses, featuring custom prints by Fisher.

Stats: The collection ranges from $85 to $270 at wholesale, and will be available at Madison and Switch in Los Angeles and Harvey Nichols in Hong Kong.

Iris von Arnim

Backstory: Iris von Arnim has a car accident to thank for her career in the fashion industry. In the early Seventies, she spent two years holed up in various hospitals in her native Silesia, Germany, after her legs were injured in a collision. With nothing else to do, she took up knitting. The rest is history. Arnim moved to Hamburg, Germany, opened a sweater shop and, by 1979, founded a self-named company that would be known throughout Germany and the surrounding countries — Austria, Switzerland, Holland, Luxembourg and Czech Republic — for its lush cashmere knits. Four years ago, her son, Valentin von Arnim, a former Wall Street banker, joined the company and is making a global push in the U.S. and Asia for fall.

Collection: Knitwear will continue to be the company’s bread and butter. The designs, however, veer “much more modern and sophisticated,” says Valentin von Arnim, whose mother still helms the Hamburg-based firm. “We have this very loyal customer base. But now we have to think about the new generation, who’s looking for something a little sexier and more exciting.” Thus, pullovers feature Crystallized-Swarovski Elements knitted into the shoulders while cardigans feature floral embellishments on the sleeves. The collection still hews to a classic, no-fuss sensibility, too, with the majority of design tweaks in the construction itself. “We’re subtly changing the knit patterns,” explains Valentin von Arnim, “by altering the speed and tensions of knit.”

Stats: The collection wholesales from $300 to $1,200 and will be available at Louis Boston in Boston, Lane Crawford in Hong Kong and Boutique 1 in Dubai.

I also love this look…….the zip ankle pants would prove to be a perfect wardrobe addition for the fall and winter months.
Jonathan Simkhai

Backstory: New York-born Jonathan Simkhai launched his fashion career at 15 when the owner of Habana Jeans in Scarsdale, N.Y., hired him on the spot after watching him style his friends in-store. Simkhai would spend the next three years helping with the buying and window displays. After graduating from high school, Simkhai took design classes at the Fashion Institute of Technology and Parsons The New School for Design and has since worked at Ravel manufacturing, which is owned by his uncle. “He makes missy clothing for [department stores],” says Simkhai. “We were doing great stuff, but that customer wasn’t my girl. I was hungry to get out.”

Collection: Simkhai works a major borrowed-from-the-boys sensibility, inspired by his female friends who would often dig into his wardrobe. “I thought, let me make them their own pieces, based on the items from my closet,” he says. “Then I have my clothes back and they have their own.” The result is a debut fall collection of men’s wear-inspired offerings, as in a sheath cut from men’s suiting or a zip-up dress shaped like a baseball shirt. There are more humorous notes, as well. For instance, Simkhai adds underwear details (à la men’s briefs) on lamé shorts and long johns bottoms. As for the wire hems in his Ts, they were inspired by a crooked laundromat hanger. “I wanted to incorporate that into the collection to keep giving it that closet feel,” he says.

Stats: Wholesale prices range from $44 to $275. Intermix and Glassworks-studios.com have picked up the line.

This dress appears as though it was taken from the pages of 20′s or 30′s magazine….I’m loving that “vintage vibe.”

Zoe Twitt
Backstory: Melbourne-born Zoe Twitt comes from a fashion family — her parents ran a textile company while her grandparents owned a small dress label. “I was obsessed with sketching from a really young age,” says the New York-based Twitt. But she had ambitions to be an actress, too. So she studied theater and writing at Columbia University and, postcollege, simultaneously enrolled at Parsons The New School for Design and the Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute. Twitt ultimately chose the design route and launched her collection this spring. “The fashion industry is a lot kinder,” she says.

Collection: “I wanted to create a mélange of Gothic, classic and feminine,” says Twitt, 27. “And there are undertones of the occult.” She uses rock crystal embellishments throughout the streetwise collection — tracing shoulder cutouts, for instance, on a black tunic top. Other motifs include exposed zippers and cutouts that punctuate chunky sweaters and loose chiffon dresses. “A main thing for me is the multifunctional aspect,” she adds. “You can wear [the garments] zipped up or use the cutouts as a second armhole.” Design influences for Twitt include Madame Grès and Maria Cornejo.

Stats: The collection wholesales from $70 to $125 and is available at Searle, Factoriem and Eva in New York.

Kalen twill pants & lambskin jacket; Capro shirt & vest, Francis Klein glasses. The lambskin jacket is another phenomenal piece….the high, ruffled neck makes it all the more appealing.

Kaelen

Backstory: Toronto native Kaelen Farncombe may have studied English literature, but she always knew she was bound for the fashion world. So after graduating in 2007 from Dalhousie University in Halifax, Canada, Farncombe headed to Parsons The New School for Design. While there, she interned at Jenni Kayne and Stella McCartney on the sales and marketing side. “What I took away from those jobs was that the creative aspect was something I was drawn to much more,” she says. Fall marks the designer’s debut collection.

Collection: “I have a classic sensibility,” says Farncombe, “but I’m interested in layering and off-kilter shapes.” The streamlined collection focuses on the dialogue between tailoring and drapery, often in a single garment. Left open, for instance, a leather jacket hangs gently in folds; belted, it creates an exaggerated peplumed silhouette. “A lot of the pieces don’t have sewn-in closures,” she adds. “I wanted my clothes to be something you make personal and style your own way.” Farncombe’s palette, meanwhile, sticks to an urban array of blacks, whites and grays, with the occasional pop of blush and vivid blue. “I’m not a print person,” she says.

Stats: Wholesale prices range from $125 to $385.

Hunter Dixon dress, Guishem shoes (love their shoe designs)
Hunter Dixon

Backstory: Three years ago, Hunter Bell and Jennifer Dixon were two Southern bells sharing an apartment in New York. Bell wanted to be a designer; Dixon, an entrepreneur. They partnered, dispensed with any romantic rags-to-riches notions and approached things pragmatically: Bell took a day job at a hedge fund while whipping up a collection on the side, and Dixon pounded the pavement, securing a few retailers and pitching potential investors. Their hard work paid off: In October, one of the financiers Bell worked with set Dixon up with venture capitalist John Pound, president of Boston’s Integrity Brands Inc., which is investing in the fledgling line.

Collection: Bell’s inspiration comes from her own closet or what she would like to see in it. At present, that’s loads of color and feminine flourishes done within reason. Dresses and tanks have ruffled details and vibrant prints, but Bell and Dixon are tuned into a working woman’s reality, which often entails day-to-night transitions and usually travel. Thus, they have a custom-blouse program of eight styles available in eight colors, that always include black and white. “Basically, after our first collection we found that blouses were the bestsellers,” says Dixon. “You can take them with you anywhere and wear them anywhere.”

Stats: Wholesale prices range from $90 to $200 for blouses and $80 to $250 for skirts, jackets and dresses. The collection is available at Saks Fifth Avenue as well as The Gallerie in Aspen, Colo., Tulipano in Atlanta and House of Eve in Kuwait.

Jane Oh dress, Guishem shoes
Jane Oh

Backstory: Jane Oh was surrounded by fashion practically from the day she was born. Her mother owns the denim manufacturer Stone Blue Inc. in her native Los Angeles. And when Oh, now 30, received a business degree from the University of Southern California in 2002, mom offered her a job at the company, where she spent the next year learning the production and design ropes. “I started making my own clothes,” she says, “and showed them to a buyer for the first time. I showed her, like, 70 things, with no storyline or anything.” The buyer’s reaction? “‘Wow, you don’t know what you’re doing,’” Oh recalls now, with a laugh. That harsh reality check prompted her to enroll at Parsons The New School for Design in 2003.

Collection: Oh culls her inspiration from the posh and polished Fifties, à la Audrey Hepburn. And the designer, who also interned in the accessories department at Marc Jacobs and with the footwear licensee of Michael Kors, knows full well what a cliché it is to name the film “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” as her main influence — but it is. “Ever since I was little I always wished we could dress like that, with the gloves and the hats,” Oh says. “There’s just something very sexy and confident about that look.” Her debut collection, to that end, works a Parisian sophisticate vibe with plenty of LBDs, whether sheath-style or poufed, and beribboned jackets, blouses and dresses.

Stats: Wholesale prices range from $68 to $300. Blush and Blink in New York and The Finerie in Seattle have picked up the line.

Capara wool jacket, patent leather and light wool split dress and pants; Guishem shoes
Capara

Backstory: Twins Olivera and Vera Capara, born in Bosnia but raised in Germany, share nearly identical CVs. In 2000, both graduated from The Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp, where they now beside, and went on to work for Dries Van Noten. After participating in France’s Hyères fashion festival two years later, they launched their first collection, Vera and Olivera Capara, which only lasted a season; by 2003, both sisters were at Maison Martin Margiela, designing for his Artisanal line. They would spend four years there before going their separate ways — Vera to Jil Sande and Olivera, to accessories company Delvaux. “Thank god we had at least a different experience,” says Olivera. “It was very good to see that you’re capable of doing things on your own.” For spring, the two came back together and launched Capara.

Collection: “Innovative yet elegant” — that’s how the sisters would best like to describe their collection. “We want to give the clothes meaning, a concept,” says Olivera, “but still have it be elegant and feminine.” For fall, there’s a major focus on tailoring, in loose, boxy silhouettes reminiscent of Margiela. “It’s natural that you take away these influences,” Oliver remarks, noting that she’s partial to oversized garments herself. Other plays on proportion include jackets with exaggerated asymmetrical hems and half-coat/half-dress hybrids.

Stats: Wholesale prices for the collection range from $100 to $500.

MODEL: RACHEL COOK/ELITE; HAIR BY PETE LENNON FOR CUTLER/REDKEN AT ATELIER MANAGEMENT; MAKEUP BY HOPE CHOMAN FOR SHU UEMURA; FASHION ASSISTANT: AMANDA RUMBALSKI.

(WWD)

As a lover of Biography, I’m always interested as well as fascinated, to read about interesting people. I have a great admiration for those creative folk who have a vision and make that vision as reality. It’s apparent from the pieces featured, that creativity and “perfect structure” abound. I look forward to seeing more of their designs!

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GALLERY: RUNWAY RUNDOWN: Philosophy Spring 2010

Thanks Style!

I know we’re all familiar with raccoon eyes. That mascara and eyeliner that just can’t seem to stay put is very often the criminal. If you apply your favorite mascara and step out into the summer heat, chances are the stuff travels down to your cheeks within the hour. So what do you do?

People always seem to advise waterproof mascara and I’m always tempted to grab one off the shelf and head over to the cashier. But the thought of rubbing my eyes with makeup remover for hours upon end always seems to stop me; however, there’s a new product that makes me want to grab that water-proof mascara yet again. Philosophy’s Just Release Me Dual-Phase Oil-Free Makeup Remover uses all natural ingredients and promises to remove even the toughest of products. I’d go grab one!

LINKAGE: NYMag

The first several visits left me unimpressed. The store was unorganized and crowded, wasting over 45 minutes of my life I was sure I’d never get back. Taking the wise advice of my mother, I gave the store a second chance, stopping in early on a Thursday (aka inventory day) just before February’s fashion week. Heading upstairs to “The Back Room,” the discounted designer label department, I was floored by how many great pieces there were by the fashion industry’s cream of the crop. $300 later, I walked out of Loehmann’s with over $2500 worth of  Robert Rodriguez, Vince, Mint and Helmut Lang clothes and accessories. Happy girl? You bet.

After probably a two month hiatus from the discount haven, I stopped by Loehmann’s this morning, Although I only purchased some jewelry (I got a Burberry-esque spike bracelet and a match necklace for $40. Beat that.) I was amazed to see dozens upon dozens of pieces from the Marc by Marc Jacobs Spring 2008 collection. The clothes might be two seasons old, but where else are you going to find a Marc Jacobs Americana romper marked down to just $70!? Other great buys included gorgeous Givenchy boot-heels, Comme des Garcons drop-crotch sweats (too bad they were a size 14…), a plethora of springy Philosophy dresses and tons of chunky Miu Miu, Carmen Marc Valvo and Badgely Misckha sunglasses. 

All in all, if you haven’t yet been to Loehmann’s, now is the time to check it out. But be forewarned, be there early on weekdays or be prepared to dig.