HAPPY NEW YEAR + ALIYA LEEKONG INTERVIEW

2012 was quite the year, wasn't it? How was it for you? I'm excited to start 2013 and am especially excited to build on the foundation that I've laid over the past six (really 12) years by expanding the StyleChile brand! I have a feeling that great things await us in 2013, lots of wonderful opportunities are in store. I'd love to learn about your goals for 2013. I'm a firm believer in speaking things into being, so feel free to share your aspirations for the new year in the comments section.

 

I can think of no better way to kick off 2013 than by sharing one of my inspirations, Aliya LeeKong, with you, in the hopes that the success she has attained in the pursuit of her passion will be encouragement for you to follow your dreams. Check out the video below for a conversation between yours truly and the culinary creative director of the Michelin starred Junoon—who also happens to be my good friend, compadre, road dog and fellow food lover—who can appreciate the finest of the fine in dining, to the local street corner fried chicken spot, to street food from far flung countries across the globe, and everything in between. What inspires you? Follow me on Pinterest to see visual representations of my inspirations!

 

"Let the beauty of what you love be what you do." - Rumi

Filmed by producer and artistic director extraordinaire, Tanji Gilliam, of Oil House Productions, this interview took place back in July, in advance of Aliya's August 2012 Vogue India debut. I think it's hilarious that Aliya flips the script and starts to interview me. Her questions elicited thoughts on my long-held desire to do what I love! Click read more below to see an excerpt of the Vogue India article featuring Aliya and to see more of Tanji's work: a music video for recording artist Nyticka Hemingway, the internal scenes of which were filmed in my apartment! Be sure to check out Oil House Productions, and consider them for documenting your most significant occasions, like I do.

 

Enjoy & Happy New Year!!!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Roost's Pumpkin Spice Donuts with Cinnamon Butter Glaze

Happy Thanksgiving, Fashionistas! Today is a day to give thanks for all that we hold dear. Whether you express your gratitude by feasting with friends and family or volunteering to feed the needy, the common thread of this holiday is food. See below for a round up of fabulous Thanksgiving recipes from some of my favorite food and drink blogs. Happy eating!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

"One of the biggest fallacies in fashion is that nobody eats." - Vogue

Celebrate Thanksgiving in style! Who says you can't have your cake and look good too? Contrary to popular belief, fashion enthusiasts tend to be as passionate about indulging their other senses as they do their desire to clothe themselves in aesthetically pleasing attire. While there is no direct correlation between superior taste in fashion and a refined palate for cuisine, anecdotal evidence suggests it. I'm just sayin'.

When fashion's holy book, Vogue, shares select signature Thanksgiving recipes as provided by noted designers, you know that this signals a sea change. Check out the article here. It includes recipes for Peter Som's pumpkin panettone bread pudding, Jason Wu's and Rachel Roy's apple pie, and Tory Burch's pumpkin mousse. Still in need of additional recipes? The web provides a veritable smörgåsbord of ideas for an uber fabulous Thanksgiving dinner. Check out some of my favorites; these range from: the globally inspired and intelligent over at Aliya LeeKong, to the simple, clean and carefully arranged over at Roost, to the riotously uproarious and fashionable at So Delushious and the down home goodness on The Best by Sess. Enjoy and Happy Thanksgiving!

P.S. - So Delushious and The Best by Sess are run by models Chrissy Teigen and Sessilee Lopez, respectively. These women are at the Vanguard of models who unapologetically share their passion for food with the masses.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Sooo, I have no real excuse for being absent. It’s not like I was traveling during the holidays. I was on mental holiday though (whilst worrying about not blogging).* But, I’m back and am excited at the prospect of an adventure filled, creative, healthy, happy and prosperous 2009. My new year’s resolution? To blog consistently and to stop offering excuses for random hiatus from blogging.

Picture taken at the stroke of midnight (or very, very shortly thereafter) during Shakira’s New Year’s Eve concert in Abu Dhabi. Good thing too, because Sheikh Mohammed cancelled all New Year's Eve celebrations in Dubai in a show of solidarity with the Palestinians and those living in Gaza.

 

Here’s to living in interesting times!** Excellent success and the best of wishes in 2009! Love ya, mean it!

* I did, however, travel home to the states, a month or so ago, to celebrate my parents’ 35th anniversary, Thanksgiving, a dear friend’s wedding and my birthday. While in the airport—heading to Orlando for Aliya’s wedding celebration (pure fantasy)—I ran into none other than ANDRE LEON TALLEY. Swoon. And, what do you think the editor of this fashion blog, with the heady crush on all things Vogue (notwithstanding some healthy criticism thereof), say upon this chance encounter? Nothing. Not. A. Damn. Thing. Ok, so I’m lying. I did say something. The reason for not writing about this sooner is because I didn’t want to share the embarrassing details (I have this thing about being truthful at all times—I try!). But hey, it’s a fashion blog, it’s Andre Leon Talley…

Picture it. LaGuardia Airport, 5 December 2008. It was an early morning flight, and I was walking groggily to my gate (celebrated birthday the night before). I saw this person approaching (disembarking from a previous flight) and for some reason decided to focus on him—eyes only, my mind was elsewhere. We walked towards each other, he looking at me, me looking at him—and all the while, my brain cells are slowly perking up—and I realize as we’re about, umm, maybe ten feet from each other, that it’s him! So in the space of that ten feet I manage to do the following: (mind you, I could have pulled out my card, talked about my blog, pulled out my camera, sing his and Vogue’s praises, make the hard sell for a guest contributing spot (ha!), anything but what I did) ever so slowly, with what I imagine to be a look of complete and utter bewilderment and star stricken-ness, I said: “Oh My God.” Then faster: “Ohmygod! Ohmygod!” And he said: “Have a happy holiday” and smiled. And just like that, he was gone. Talk about missed opportunity.

** May you live in interesting times, often referred to euphemistically as the Chinese curse, is reputed to be the English translation of an ancient Chinese proverb and curse. But, we wouldn’t want to live in boring times, now would we?

JEDDA KAHN AND ZONKIRI @ TE CASAN

Work, work, work...excuses, excuses, excuses! I've been under water, but the deal's finally signed, so back to blogging! It doesn't look like I'll get to post much about Fashion Week, but check out The Fashion Bomb for Claire's coverage of BCBG, Nicole Miller & LAMB by Gwen Stefani, and Heatherette. I do reserve the right to revisit the shows at a later date.

Anyway, check out the Fashion Week event below, held at TéCasan, a chic Soho shoe boutique. I, along with fab friend, Aliya, went to view some pieces from Jedda-Kahn's and Zonkiri's collection. The event was hosted by FashionTribes & Papierdoll in partnership with Glam, H&M, Vitamin Water et al. I couldn't have started fashion week with a more fitting event. Check out the pics below; these emerging designers are ones to watch!

The slide show, above, contains photos of each designer (John Lee and Jedda-Kahn), followed by his dresses. Unfortunately, there were only four Zonkiri dresses on hand, but my, aren't they something? Check out the slideshow below for pics of the fashion forward crowd and more pics of shoes and accessories avilable at Té Casan!

In addition to sipping cocktails, eating (too many!) butlered hors d’œuvres, and mingling with fashion insiders, I somehow managed to come away with the pair of green satin shoes below (the same type of shoe was briefly mentioned in this Satin Shoes post). I can resist everything but temptation! Hurry in, they're on sale and rumor has it, the designer, Gaetano Perrone, was recently poached by Dior! Can you tell that he's also an architect?

Left: I try on, and subsequently buy Gaetano Perrone's "Diana" jewelled ballerina satin pumps in light green; Right: Aliya arrived in Fay Baldock's "Kaelyn" shoe --also available, exclusively, at Te Casan.

Fashion events are not complete unless they include the obligatory swag bag! Here's a sampling of the contents...beauty products galore!

SATIN SHOES!

I've been keeping an eye on this ever so subtle trend...satin shoes are definitely noticeable, but one can easily overlook them, no? It does take a discerning eye to spot the differences (from a distance) between a pair of black satin shoes and a pair of matte black leather...

From left to right. Top: Nine West's "Vasca" satin shoe- $98.00; Lanvin's fuschia satin boot $968.00 at Maxfield, L.A.; Miu Miu's sand satin cap toed mary janes are $368.00 on bluefly; Christian Louboutin's "Gabine" satin slingbacks- $695.00 at net-a-porter. Middle: silk-and-cotton capped toed wedges -$627 at Marni; yellow satin wedges $80.00- Carlos by Carlos Santana; black, pink and red satin shoe $520 at select Prada boutiques. Bottom: Kate Spade's "Karolina" pump $255.00 at Nordstrom's; Satin Boot with Mosaic Detail Alessandro Dell Aqua; Black satin flats $350.00 at Emporio Armani; and Proenza Schouler's Pine Satin Bootie.

...perhaps that's why most of these are brightly colored? It appears as though each designer tried to counteract the tendency to bypass this look by making sure that the colors alone would garner enough attention! Whether you like them bright fuschia-- like the Lanvin bootie; or a calmer, office appropriate pair-- like the navy Kate Spade; or a mix of both--like the cap toed variations... add quiet sophistication and a playful touch to your ensemble with silken shoes!

My friend, Aliya, put me on to these Diana jewelled ballerina shoes, by Gaetano Perrone, available at Soho's Té Casan. I might have to raid her closet to borrow hers!

StyleTip: Avoid pairing with a silky/satiny handbag or clutch...you know what they say about too much of a good thing! P.S. I couldn't resist. Doesnt the black, pink and red Pradas (middle right) 'sorta remind you of this, or this? Lol! Click on the link below for vintage Style Trends posts!