a Matter of Taste

How amazing is the latest book of Fulvio Bonavia: “A Matter of Taste” is full of surprising creations made with natural and edible elements. The work in the book lives in a world between gastronomy and haute couture. Love it !

An Event to Remember

Jerry Sibal is no mere party planner. He’s a world-renowned designer of unforgettable celebrations of every description. Each of Sibal’s projects—whether for a private birthday party or holiday dinner, a lavish wedding or bar/bat mitzvah, a corporate retreat or charity ball—is a distinctive work of art.

An Event to Remember presents a portfolio of some of Sibal’s finest and most visionary work—with dramatic photographs that will make you wish you’d been there. Throughout, Sibal reveals how he coordinates architecture, lighting and audiovisual systems, interior decor, tabletop arrangements, and his trademark floral extravaganzas to create such gloriously spellbinding environments.

Venues from all over the country are featured, from New York City’s Rainbow Room, to Miami Beach’s Setai Hotel, to Atlantic City’s Borgata Casino, to outdoor settings such as the Brooklyn Botanic Garden and a California hillside with breathtaking Pacific Ocean views.

I heart pink!

Virtually stunning: Chanel Iman graces the cover of Elle UK this month!


In front of David Vasiljevic’s lens, Chanel Iman sports Jil Sander spring collections for the February issue of Elle UK. Iman is showing off a striking colour combinations and sleek tailoring, while she also rocks matching accessories including some statement sunglasses! Love how Raf Simons is redefining effortless elegance in a fun way with the neons from this season.

Runway Report: S/S 2010

# 2010 BEST FASHION MAGAZINE

Need a little rendezvous of the past seasons?

Still can't get over those styles?

From flirty dresses and utilitarian separates to ’60s trompe l’oeil and futuristic motocross, the spring/summer 2010 shows which offered looks that were smart, playful, and chic are gorgeously compiled here:

Bringing Home The Birkin

An insider's hilarious, whirlwind account of his years spent globe-trotting in search of the holy grail of handbags: the Birkin!

For more than twenty years, the Hermès Birkin bag has been the iconic symbol of fashion, luxury, and wealth. Though the bag is often seen dangling from the arms of celebrities, there is a fabled waiting list of more than two years to buy one from Hermès, and the average fashionista has a better chance of climbing Mount Everest in Prada pumps than of possessing one of these coveted carryalls. Unless, of course, she happens to know Michael Tonello . . .

Michael's newfound career started with an impulsive move to Barcelona, a vanished job assignment, no work visa, and an Hermès scarf sold on eBay to generate some quick cash. But soon the resourceful Michael discovered the truth about the waiting list and figured out the secret to getting Hermès to part with one of these precious bags. Millions of dollars worth of Birkins later, Michael had become one of eBay's most successful entrepreneurs—and a Robin Hood to thousands of desperate rich women.

With down-to-earth wit, Michael chronicles the unusual ventures that took him to nearly every continent, from eBay to Paris auction house and into the lives of celebrities and poseurs. Flirting with danger, Michael recounts the heady rush of hand delivering his first big score to famed songwriter Carole Bayer Sager in Paris; how he had to hire thugs to rescue a bag that one of his "shoppers" held for ransom; and the story of the Oscar-worthy performances that allowed him to snag "reserved" bags from other, less dogged Birkin seekers.

Whether he's relating his wining and dining, buying and selling, dodging and weaving, laughing and crying, or schmoozing and stammering, Michael is a master raconteur who weaves together tales of hunting Birkins in the world's most posh locales, memories of meals that would make any gastronome salivate, anecdotes of obsessed collectors with insatiable desires, and sweetly intimate stories about his family, friends, and finding true love. The result is a memoir that is distinctive, fun, page-turning, and as addictive as its namesake.

Elle Collections

Whether you are revamping your wardrobe for fall, looking for some fresh inspiration or creating a mood board, you would be well advised to pick up an issue of UK Elle Collections. While Elle Collections is worth buying for the cover alone (hundreds of Fall 2010 runway shots have been placed together to create a Missoni-esque rainbow collage), the contents are, of course, the biggest hit.

The issue includes a rundown of fall’s biggest trends, must-have pieces and most notable collections, as well as a series of fashion week photographs by street style photographer Tommy Ton and a color coordinated pull-out of Elle’s favorite looks. The real drawcard: a specially comissioned tribute to late designer Alexander McQueen, designed by artist Rob Ryan.

The UK Elle Collections Autumn/Winter 2010 issue retails for £6 and can be found at most newsstands, as well as at book stores like WH Smith. For those in the USA, Elle Collections can usually be found around one month after the UK release.

The TeenVogue Handbook

Fashionistas, you'll want to drop everything you're doing NOW and log onto amazon.com orBarnes & Noble to pre-order a copy of Teen Vogue's first book, The Teen Vogue Handbook: An Insider's Guide to Careers in the Fashion Industry.

Teen Vogue grants budding stylistas an all-access pass into the high-profile and glamorous world of fashion in the book. With superb photos, interviews with industry icons such as Marc Jacobs, Bruce Weber, and Patrick Demarchelier, and six sections that include information from editors and assistants, the handbook serves as a link between the style-conscious girl and the seemingly impenetrable fashion world. Just like these featured below:

And still a lot more, such the like of:

Fashion Designer, Karl Lagerfeld says, "Ask yourself, Are you sure this world is for you? And are you sure you are the right person to survive in this world--the world of fashion, a world with no rules, no laws?"

Vogue Editor in Chief Anna Wintour says, "Do your homework, go online, visit every museum, and intern. You just need to have a love for what you're doing. It's not about thinking that it's the cool thing; it's about really believing in it."

For more advice and anecdotes, as well as behind-the-scenes secrets about industry stars, pick up the book. A must-read for anyone interested in fashion.

Prada Fantasy Lookbook

Lookbook PRADA

Season Spring Summer 2010
Production Rem Koolhaas, Ippolito Pestellini Laparelli both at AMO
Artwork Jeroen Koolhaas, Lok Jansen both at AMO
Photography Philip Meech
Website www.prada.com

PRADA one of the most enduring fashion houses, releases their Spring Summer 2010 Fantasy Lookbook, once again shaped into artwork by AMO. Design and research studio AMO is the counterpart to famed architectural practice OMA, who created the Prada Epicenter in New York and the Prada Transformer. AMO is involved with Prada projects since 2007.

Pictures via Design Scene

Behind these hazel eyes...

"She is an essence, a way of being, a mindset -and she exists in us all.
She is that part of us that is free - and not bound up by the joyless strings of Puritan morality of guilt.
She's that part of us that has a sense of continuity in life, that doesn't rush, that feels sexy for no apparent reason.
She is, more fundamentally, that part of us that does not want to live according to what others think she should be.
She is her own woman.
Entirely."

{from the book Entre Nous:
A Woman's Guide to Finding Her Inner French Girl}

romance.

London born photographer Chris Craymer recently launched his new book, Romance.

Craymer wanted the book to be "essentially emotional rather than intellectual or fashion led."

As he states, "Romance for me was the perfect vehicle to make pictures which can covey a number of emotions... I wanted to try to make pictures which could be for example sexy, funny, joyful and also powerful and even soulful."

Craymer captures special, raw moments by enlisting the help of real life couples who have a strong sense of personal style and individuality. Their love shines through in each beautiful photo.

Happy Valentine's Day!