fashion Archives - Page 2 of 4

THE DERIN COLLECTION

By Libby|2011-06-01T22:08:00-04:00June 1, 2011|fashion, Hand Crafted|

Once upon a time,

actually four years ago, I bought a wonderful pair of flip flops with embroidered ribbon straps. They took me through two trips to Paris, not to mention hundreds of days at home and out and about. But, of course, they were looking not so great by this spring. So I contacted the manufacturer, Derin International.

My old, ratty shoe is on the right. To the left is the brand new, gorgeous pair that arrived just the other day.

And, here is a pink pair that also arrived:

(sorry, it’s a little blurry!)

So…while I was talking to Sarah, one of the owners of Derin, it occurred to me that I might do a “story” on the company. I sent her some questions and she very kindly answered in full…

1. Can you tell us something about the company, how it started and a bit of the history?

Derin International dates back to a decade ago when, shortly after they were married, Sara and Ersan moved from New York City to Ersan’s Native Istanbul. Surrounded by the natural beauty and ancient culture of Turkey, Ersan led Sara along the streets of his youth, introducing her to the city’s language and customs. They dreamed about a way to bring some part of it back with them to the states. […]

CONVERSE AND MARIMEKKO

By Libby|2011-05-15T20:56:00-04:00May 15, 2011|Color, fashion|

Now here is a great collaboration: Finnish design house Marimekko and Converse women’s sneakers! Have you seen these yet?

How cute are these? You can find them here.

And here’s a short video from the Marimekko studio:

Now, don’t you just want to go to Helsinki and visit??? Actually, I think I do know someone who is going there this summer! Enjoy…

what’s on YOUR nails?

By Libby|2010-10-11T20:58:00-04:00October 11, 2010|Color, fashion|

Is it the packaging?

Is it the colors?

Whatever…Essie’s got it right!

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This was their summer collection:

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Do I have a slight fixation with nail color? hmmmm. Here’s a story I did last December. Well, yes, I DO like to wear nail polish; but even more than that, I love to shop for it! Talk about color.

And here is my present collection, all lined up and ready to go:

Except that… the colors are not quite accurate. That second to the right is a lighter, a sort of taupe brown called ” Mink Muffs”. On the toes it’s fine, but not fingers!

At the moment my color of choice is the second from the left, “Secret Affair” : a pale gray with a touch of sparkle!

So what IS on YOUR nails?

ST. LAURENT: PART II

By Libby|2010-07-14T22:18:00-04:00July 14, 2010|fashion, Paris/French|

This second part of Michele’s post on the St. Laurent exhibit in Paris concentrates on his use of color. We see the bold, new colors he “discovered”; we see his use of fabric swatch cards…hundreds and hundreds of them…..

Michele says: ” Like poetry, color feeds my spirit; it sings soothing little ballads but also shouts overwhelming and inspiring speeches. It is a constant companion, a lover – filling my canvases, guiding my lens, and pours from my pen. As a driven apostle, I want to share its beauty and power.”

on to the show:

Yves Saint Laurent’s ball gowns were my favorite part of the show; they combine his elegance and purity of line with palettes of candy-colored hues. A celebration of unexpected colors that transcend beauty and exude self-confidence.

I like the classiness of B&W, but Color makes me vibrate – it inspires me and just puts me in a really good mood. Ironically, YSL encountered some resistance and criticism as he dared to use color in a way that broke the rules of traditional design.

Traditionally, Haute couture evolved within relations of formalities based on harmony, nuance and compatibility.

But, when St Laurent first visited Morocco, he had an epiphany; he discovered the […]

YVES SAINT LAURENT RETROSPECTIVE

By Libby|2010-07-13T21:06:00-04:00July 13, 2010|fashion, Paris/French|

Today I am introducing a Guest Blogger: Michèle Coppin

Michele was born and raised in Belgium but graduated from both the Rhode Island School of Design and Pratt Institute. To read about Michele’s painting and see a portfolio click here.

I met Michele through Beehive Studios’ blog Color Buzz. Color Buzz is sponsored by Valspar Paints and features stories by Michele and the three other partners of Beehive Studios. I have always loved their posts for their variety, the displays of color involved in every story, and the attention to detail. So when Michele offered to write a post about the St. Laurent exhibit in Paris, I jumped at the offer!

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Michele reports:

While in Paris recently, I saw the Yves Saint Laurent retrospective at the ‘Petit Palais’.This exhibit is fabulous and delicious like icing on cake! (Paris being the cake)

Covering forty years of amazing creation, the show demonstrates that Yves Saint Laurent was one of the greatest artists of the century – an innovator and a true visionary.

The first part of the exhibit is primarily focused on form and starts by explaining the designer’s importance to a generation of women who consider wearing pants normal attire.

Indeed, many of Yves Saint Laurent’s garments were inspired by men’s tailoring at a time […]

DO YOU LIKE TO SHOP?

By Libby|2010-06-29T20:03:00-04:00June 29, 2010|fashion, Home Design, Shopping|

What a question, right?

So…if you like to shop, do you shop on-line? Do you know where to shop on line?

The latest twist to shopping on line are members-only online sales sites. They promote themselves as “invitation only” sites…but in reality all you have to do is register (yes, they want your email for their daily list). Some say they have a waiting list, if you haven’t been “introduced” by a member, but I have never had trouble signing up and getting in right away. It may take a few hours, or even a day, but you too will become a member!

Here are some of the most popular sites:

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1. One King’s Lane It’s been called “the ultimate shopping site“! Five days a week they have a sale of at least two designer lines (usually four or five). These sales are definitely “first come first served” as quantities are limited. We’re talking goo……d stuff here: linens, bedding, tableware, candles, bags and the list goes on. With names like Vera Wang, Waverly, Reidl, April Cornell there will surely be something for you to want! Really, their things are great, and even if you don’t buy, you will come away with lots of new ideas.

Here are some plates I bought about a month ago. Set of six, in a box. The 6″ size is so hard to […]