Camilla Norrback Lookbook Preview

Linda styled the shoot 

A few weeks ago we shot the second part of the Camilla Norrback lookbook at our offices. Playing on classic themes of Nature vs. Culture, the new Autumn 2012 collection juxtaposes modern forms and structures while natural themes.  The petrol colors and structural silhouettes reflect the industrial aspects of our society, while the earthy tones and animal prints evoke a back-to-the-land sensibility.  Here's a sneak peek of the new collection, I'll post the lookbook when it is finished!

The Autumn 2012 inspiration board.
  I'm obsessed with this faux broadtail gilet

The team

Camilla styles a dress. 

-Tiffany

Printspiration

All photos from Vogue Germany January 2012 via Fashion Gone Rogue

I almost never post fashion spreads here, but this editorial from the January issue of German Vogue was too gorgeous not to share.  Spring is still a long, long way off, but when it comes, this is what I want to be wearing: layers of mismatched prints, clashing colors, and vintage Versace mixed with new Mary Katrantzou.  Piling on light airy scarves looks so much more appealing than wearing one pair of stockings pulled on top of another to keep warm.

-Tiffany

Bitter tears keep me going

I've spent a fair share of this winter curled up inside watching movies.  While mindless comedies of yore always provide a good mood fix, sometimes serious films can serve up some much needed escapism.   One of my all time favorites is Rainer Werner Fassbinder's The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant, which is a film classic that also contains incredible costuming that has inspired numerous designers, photographers, and stylists alike.  The title character, Petra, is a fashion designer, and the movie follows her sadistic relationships with her assistant, as well as her obsession with a young model.    While this might not sound terribly exciting, everything is filtered through Fassbinder's twisted interpretation of the female psyche.  Additionally, through Petra, we see fashion as the ultimate costume to mask one's true, unknowable self.  This film is definitely worth watching and rewatching, but as a teaser, here are some stills I found floating around the internet.

-Tiffany

Serious Styling at the Manhattan Vintage Trade Show

Amy Van Doran from The Way We Wore wearing a vintage hat that she altered with a plastic lobster.

Three times a year, vintage sellers and lovers alike gather at the The Manhattan Vintage Clothing Show at Metropolitan Pavilion.  The organizers are kind enough to send me press passes to the shows, but unfortunately most vendors won't allow photographs of their precious wares, which designers often buy to replicate for their own collections. So, this year, I grabbed my gay husband to gawk at the inspiring inventory as well as all the incredibly dressed ladies turned out in all of their vintage finery.  I'm seriously surprised that I didn't run into any street style bloggers at the show, as I think the women I saw today were much more creatively dressed than the majority of the label-obsessed ladies swanning for the cameras in front of Lincoln Center.  Here is just a small sampling of my favorite outfits of the day.

If you missed this weekend's show, do not fret. There will be a Manhattan Vintage Holiday Pop-up Sale at Chelsea Market from December 7-10th.  And, if you're a hardcore vintage junkie, Augusta Auctions will be holding their seasonal clothing auction on November 2nd at St. Paul's Auditorium, featuring items from the Brooklyn Museum, and various vintage archives.  They were sweet enough to let me take some photos of some of the pieces that will be at the auction, and you can view the entire catalog online.

Goldie Rush of The Way We Wore. I loved her vintage knit sweater!

A flappers dress, and beaded purses that will be on auction at Augusta Auctions.

A beaded bolero from August Auctions

An authentic Zoot Suit from Augusta Auctions

-Tiffany

Kenny Kenny

Kenneth Jay Lane is one of the most legendary costume jewelry designers alive, and was one of the first designers to make fake gems not only acceptable, but coveted and chic amongst fashionable ladies who traditionally favored fine jewels. In his long and illustrious career, he has dressed style icons ranging from Jackie O and Audrey Hepburn to Madonna and the Olsen twins. I'm pretty sure he's served as both an inspiration and a reference point for every single costume jewelry designer who has ever worked in this industry, and I know that I have looked to his work on many occasions. YOOXVINTAGE is celebrating his designs with a special Kenneth Jay Lane sale, featuring rare vintage items from the designer's archives, as well as classic pieces from his collection that are still in production. They have also put together a nice little video interview, where Lane describes his career trajectory in the setting of his very grand-looking apartment. The pieces will set you back a pretty penny, but the images of the jewelry and the video are definitely worth a peek for any jewelry enthusiast or aspiring designer.

-Tiffany

Lady Daydream

All illustrations by Cate Parr

As much as I love looking at fashion illustrations in magazines and online, I would probably think twice about framing one and hanging it on my wall. The main reason is because I've already had multiple friends enter my apartment and say, "How does your husband feel about your apartment being so girly?" Lets just say he's not entirely pleased with the situation, but he's definitely tired of fighting about it. For my part, I've tried to curb my consumption of overtly femme objects, which would have otherwise overtaken my walls if I still lived alone. While I couldn't resist the United Bamboo Cat Calendar (which is pretty bad since I know Jimmy hates cats), I did have to deprive myself of Fifi Lapin wearing Margiela. Nonetheless, I'm seriously considering purchasing one of these gorgeous prints from Silver Ridge Studios, a recent Etsy find that features the ethereal watercolors of Los Angels based artist Cate Parr. The Meditation series (above) is my favorite, possessing both lustrous beauty, and a more contemplative quality than most fashion illustrations. Perfect for my wall, don't you think?

-Tiffany

Crochet City

It is officially winter now, and therefore it is officially the season to start knitting again (at least in my mind, knitting is a seasonal activity). I've already started making myself a new cardigan, as well as gradually accumulating bits of knit inspiration from across the internet. By far the most inspiring find of late is the work of crochet artist Agata Olek. I've been wondering for some time who was responsible for the completely yarn covered bike that has been parked outside of the Acne store on Greene St. for the past few months, and I recently discovered that it is just one of many pieces by the prolific New York-based artist.

Olek crochets multicolored yarn encasements around everything within arms reach, ranging from cars, bathroom sinks, fully furnished rooms, and the people around her. She claims that she chose the medium because it enables her to create her work while watching movies, which is, in my opinion, a good enough reason to become an artist or designer (or any type of freelancer for that matter!). One of her most inspiring recent projects took place at the Brooklyn Museum of Art, where people were encouraged to bring their old clothes to be recycled and knit by Olek into a new wearable piece of art. If you don't know how to knit or crochet already, this certainly should be inspiration to learn how!

-Tiffany