25 Secrets Revealed

As some of you may know, I have been hired as the Fragrance Specialist for the newest Victoria's Secret flagship store located on 58th and Lexington Ave. This location is like no other; it is elevated to a new level of opulence with a concierge, personal shoppers, exclusive designer labels, and 25 Secret Notes. And that's where I come in.

Victoria's Secret's Mark Knitowski, VP of Product Innovation, and his team worked with a team at International Flavors & Fragrances Inc., including Clement Gavarry, to hand craft 25 individual notes of the finest ingredients that can be worn alone or layered to evolve into your own personal fragrance. Mark Knitowski has been responsible for building Victoria's Secret's fragrance house into top sellers for over 1o years including, America's #1 fragrance, Dream Angels Heavenly. Along side Mark was the nose of the collection, Clement Gavarry. He has worked with several other perfumers to create such fragrances as the Chole Collection 2005 and Lovely for Sarah Jessica Parker. I have had a chance to meet and experience the fragrances with both of these men, including several other members of IFF and Victoria's Secret, and let me say that they are two of the most amazing people I have ever met. Their passion for fragrance goes beyond anything I have ever been taught and you can sense how much they truly enjoy their careers.

To reveal these 25 notes, I can only describe to you in words a few of the elements. The 25 Secret Notes are divided into 5 categories within 3 layers of notes:
-Top Notes include both Aromatic and Fruity notes like a sparkling Bergamot and a sharp White Pepper
-Middle Notes include Florals like a glamorous Jasmine and petaly Freesia.
-Bottom Notes include both Woody and Warm notes like, my personal favorite, a spicy White Patchouli and a nostalgically light French Heliotrope.

Now if you would like to experience these 25 delicate notes, you will have to visit the Victoria's Secret flagship store on 58th and Lexington in Manhattan because that is the ONLY place they are available. It is exclusive to that location and not even available online. Sorry everyone! BUT I would encourage everyone to find their way into the store and graciously pass across through marble flooring and white leather walls, the 9 ft chandelier that dangles so dramatically down from a, maybe, 30 foot ceiling. Skim your way through the Sexy Little Things lingerie nook and into the 9 karat white gold painted ceiling, mother of pearl wall beauty boutique where the fragrance bar is located. I will be there ready to guide you in creating your own very personal, very unique, and very sensual fragrance. ny

Make Cornbread NOT WAR

A continuous quote found on several pieces of Alabama native William "Billy" Reid's collection. Billy Reid opened a new location in New York this year. His casually tailored yet sophisticated Southern style has stirred up the city since its opening. His pieces are uniquely hand crafted from fine fabrics, including my favorite wax-cotton. The collection includes leather goods, shoes, a strong men's collection and a new, growing women's collection. Some favorites have included the Pappy Van Winkle logo tee, the Wool Jumper for Women (Billy's personal favorite), and the Moleskin Sports Jacket. Such clients have included Reese Witherspoon, Sean Connery, Sean Penn, Matthew McConaughey, Gwyneth Paltrow and Gossip Girl's stylist Eric Daman.

My roommate works at this very up-and-coming boutique located on 54 Bond and Bleeker downtown. I had a chance to take some picture this weekend. The store is unbelievable! Everything is made from reclaimed materials. Apothecary cabinets, vintage chairs, marble tabletops, and chandeliers which create a romantic and luxurious Southern ambiance. And at each register you can snack on a variety of Texas-imported sour-balls!

Other locations include Charlotte, NC at Southpark Mall, Houston, Dallas, Florence, Alabama, and Nashville. Find a location near you and go in, even if you can't break-the-bank during your visit you must at least go to see the visual designs!ny

Tourist Day: The Museum

While my roommate and I both had a day off of work, we decided to play in the city. I should inform you that we have both vowed to be tourists this entire 1st year! There are so many things to do, and probably not enough time, but somehow we are going to do it all!

One of the first things on our checklist (I will share this entire list with you later, it isn't complete though) includes the museums. Since we are so conveniently living on the Upper West Side, and that Central Park is just two blocks east, we decided to start the day with the American Museum of Natural History. You may be familiar with this museum if you have seen Night at the Museum or Nanny Diaries.

We went on a Monday, so the museum wasn't too crowded; mostly school field trips. There was a lot of ground to cover and we didn't make it though all the exhibits, but we had a chance to see the Indians, the forests, the NY environment, Dinosaurs, Gems and Minerals, Human Origins, things in between and of course the gift shops! While we were in the Gems and Minerals exhibit an older gentleman approached us, his name was Robert, and he gave us a personal tour! We could tell everyone around us was jealous! ;) He went into great detail about each mineral and gem; I am fully educated now on several stones including the diamonds, star rubies, and a 596 lb topaz rock! We will be visiting him again soon!

The only thing we couldn't get into was the room with the mammals and the Central Park entry with the large dinosaurs because there was an "elite and exclusive" event happening that evening that they were setting up for. But we will return to see those later... and now I know that I can host my next party in the Milstein Hall of Advanced Mammals.. keep an eye out for your invite! ;)ny

Movie Night

This week I went to see my first movie in New York! Those of you who know me well, this has been the longest period of time that I haven't made my way into a movie theater. I was beginning to have withdrawals...

My roommate and I both were wanting to see the new movie starring Angelina Jolie and John Malkovich, Clint Eastwood's Changeling. To find the right first theater to go to in New York, I pulled out my handy-dandy NFT(Not For Tourists) NY book. By the way, this has been one of the best books I have ever bought! Lots of facts on the city, places to go for EVERY location, and a subway/bus map comes with! If you are going to a city you are not familiar with and might be staying a while.. find your city and purchase the little black book! :)

The theater we selected was located near Lincoln Center. We hoped on the 1 train and head downtown. The theater looked small from the outside, but inside it was enormous! Themed theaters, elevators, nothing like Charlotte, NC theaters. We went to the Paradise theater to enjoy our cinematic adventure!

I will say this about the movie, UNBELIEVABLE performances by the entire cast. And you will be completely captivated by the emotionally disturbing plot. I cried so much, but not just because it was sad... it was painful and horrifying. Even if you don't have a child, you can feel the pain and persistence Angelina's character portrays throughout the film. John Malkovich's character adds some sarcastic humor but for the most part the movie is serious and powerful. I highly recommend this movie! A+ all the way!ny

MAMMA MIA! here I go again...

MY MY how can I resist you!?

A few weeks ago my very first visitor came to the big city to stay the weekend with me; my best friend Erika! (I introduced her in an earlier post a few months ago!) We had the best time and had the chance to do a lot of fun things over the Halloween weekend. Some of our activities included a penthouse Halloween party downtown, Central Park and Riverside Park walking, some fun restaurants and local pubs, and of course shopping!

On her last evening in town, we were given the opportunity to go see, my very first Broadway show, MAMMA MIA! After getting all dressed up (I got to wear my NEW Prada's!) we headed downtown to Carmine's for an Italian bite. Which, FYI, the portions are unbelievably ginormous! But yet very tasty. We walked a few blocks down to the Winter Garden Theater and crowds of people were beginning to enter the venue. The inside was beautiful and dramatic with historic seating and romantic fixtures giving the perfect ambiance to my first theatrical adventure! The lights dimmed and the show began...

Sorry no details here! I don't want to ruin the show...

BUT I will say the show was hilarious and energetic. The actors/actresses were amazing and the voices were unbelievable. 2 hours later, I understood exactly why everyone loves Broadway! If you have a chance, this is definitely a must see!! Thanks again Scott and Theresa!! :)ny

New York: Surprises around EVERY corner!

On my first Saturday, October 18th, in New York City. My roommate and I wanted to shop around the city. I really wanted to see the Miu Miu store so we asked the locals where to go and they gave us 2 locations: Prince St. and W. 52nd St. Since we were not familiar with either of them we decided to go with W. 52nd St. (no specific reason). On our way to the store I started to notice that the area was not getting nicer; in fact it was starting to look more and more residential. I was thinking this wasn't the right store, but we continued walking since we figured block to block can look different.

As we were beginning to approach the street, I casually asked a young women if we were heading the correct way. She said that she was heading to the same location-- odd right?? As we approached the unmarked (no sign of Miu Miu) building we noticed a crowed... our lucky stars had us heading straight into the ONCE A YEAR Prada(and Miu Miu) SAMPLE SALE!!

Overwhelmed with joy we made our way into the building and ran to the shoes! After an hour of trying different pieces on, I settled on my very first pair of perfectly crafted satin Prada sandals with a carved pink-rose and green-stem heel!!! I of course got them for 25% of their original cost! They are fabulous! Jealous??? :) ny

Start: New York City <3

I have officially been a resident of New York City for 2 weeks!! Unfortunately I have not had the time to update everyone on my arrival so there is plenty to write about.

Within the first 24 hours of my arrival my roommate and I found the perfect flat in the Upper West Side (just 2 blocks from Central Park!) The area is ideal. There are plenty of shops and restaurants located on Broadway and the Subway station is just around the corner! In the first few days of us getting to know the area Caroline Rhea tripped me on my way out of a local diner! She apologized and I just looked at her and then realized it was her!

Upon moving in we happened to miss the note about calling the electric company; so for the first 48 hours of living in the apartment we had no electricity. This is an experience to remember and now we are fully prepared in case we ever lose power; we now have a variety of candles and several flashlights!

As soon as it was possible, we hopped on the Subway and headed to Brooklyn to visit the Ikea store where we could furnish our new apartment! After this past weekend, we have completely unpacked all of our belongings and are now settling in comfortably into our own apartment. ny

Fashion School Graduate

As a young girl, I never thought about going to a fashion school; I just knew that I wanted to write for a magazine or be an actress. I found The Art Institute of Charlotte by chance, and it was the luckiest thing that could have ever happened to me. Being a student at AICH has allowed me to explore a side of myself that has always wanted to develop. I never once took an art class throughout high school, so I never knew that I could be artistic.

The best moment for me at AICH was when I had the chance to study abroad in the Fall of 2007. I was able to live in Milan, attend Milan Fashion Week, explore fashion in Paris, and see fashion in a different light! After leaving Europe, I had a new vision of what fashion meant to me and how elaborate and extraordinary fashion really is.

But along with all the positive creativity comes some challenges. We are pushed to our limits to execute the highest level we can create. And the competition is fierce. It seems like I haven’t been able to stop and break since July 2005! Sometimes my ideas’ didn’t always work, not everyone would see things how I did, and when I thought I did my best, there was always room for improvement. But all those things made me stronger, and I could only MOVE FORWARD. That is the way the fashion industry works.

I am glad to have experienced both the positive and negative aspects of being a student. But creativity flows naturally now and innovation runs passionately throughout the entire day. I have finally come to the end of my journey; I graduate in 2 weeks! I guess not too much has changed since my first desire to write for a magazine; that is still the path I am following!ny

Versace for Obama, Obama for Versace

Italian designer, Donatella Versace is one of the most recognized fashion designers of our time. Her style direction is impeccable and influences a great deal of the population. Lately, Donatella Versace has found a bit of inspiration in the United States for her designs. Donatella Versace used Senator Barack Obama as the muse for her Spring/Summer 2009 menswear collection. Versace’s collection includes jazzy scarves instead of ties and several tailored suits with suit jackets either double lapelled or without lapels, slim polished trousers and shirts in muted shades of pale blue, lemon yellow and lavender to define her collection. ABC news mentioned that, “Versace described the Obama-dedicated style as one designed for ‘a relaxed man who doesn't need to flex muscles to show he has power’."

Luxist.com mentioned that, “The woman who once said she wanted to dress Hillary Clinton in more feminine outfits and less pantsuits’ has turned her attention to Barack Obama.” Obama mentioned before that he only has four pairs of shoes and five suits; this may have influenced Versace’s interest!ny

Fashion avant Fashion

The life of one of fashion’s most beloved designers is hitting the big-screen, Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel , in the upcoming French film Coco avant Chanel (translates Coco Before Chanel). Her story is being recreated to celebrate her unforgettable influence in fashion and tell the story of a woman determined to succeed through her desires and experiences before she was even famous. The best part about this film is for us fashion gurus… we get our complete fashion-fixation while Karl Lagerfeld reproduces some of Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel’s original costumes and accessories!! [sigh]

Filming will begin in September in Paris, France. The French film is expected to release in 2009 from Warner Bros. Entertainment. The movie stars young French actress Audrey Tautou as the young Coco. Audrey Tautou is mostly recognized in the U.S. for her role in The Da Vinci Code as Agent Sophie. Audrey also will be the face of Chanel No. 5 in upcoming campaigns and the new commercial. Nicole Kidman was the previous spokes model.

Audrey Tautou told VOGUE.com, “I'm very happy with the script because it is about her youth and the elements which tell us what she would become and why her style is what it is today," she also commented that “It gave me the freedom to be between the image of what people think about her [Chanel] but also her before her success."

I personally will be the first inline when this film hits theaters!ny

Good Vibrations!

Ladies, technology has now moved a step closer to our cosmetic bags! Estee Lauder has just introduced the very first, world-wide, vibrating mascara wand! No longer will we have to struggle in-front of the mirror because we can now make each and every one of our tiny lashes separate perfectly with maximum-volume, and length and curl that touches the ceiling. “ESTÉE LAUDER REINVENTS MASCARA. Now, you can have everything you ever dreamed of for your lashes—all from one mascara. It's the world's first "turbo-charged" motion mascara with a vibrating brush. An innovation of design and engineering. Auto-powered, patent pending*, and precision-engineered to achieve lash effects you never thought possible” (Estee Lauder Corporate Site).

Not only does this mascara give you the perfect lash look, but it also has the most fabulously-stylish tube! This mascara is now available as an exclusive to the counters at Saks 5th Avenue. But come December it will be available nationwide! The new Estee Lauder Turbolash All Effects Motion Mascara comes to a pretty penny though, $30.00. But who can put a price on perfection???ny

Fashion Essentials

No matter what anyone tells you, looks are the first impression you make on someone else. What you are wearing and how you present yourself makes the biggest impact on the person you are meeting. Whether it be for an interview, a date, or just a social event how you dress and present yourself is important. Personality and skill are too, but they just uphold your first impression. To make sure you are always presented in the best way possible, every woman's wardrobe should consist of 5 pieces. No matter who you are, what you do, where you live, or what your goals are these 5 pieces make any wardrobe.

1 You MUST own a pair of black pants. Black pants go with pretty much everything and can be used professionally or casually. Choose a fabric that is flattering and does not cling to the body. Don’t worry about the size ladies, every pant fits different. There is nothing worse than seeing a woman with tight black pants. If you’re not sure about the fit ask another person in the dressing room. They should be honest!



2 Along with black pants you should have a black blazer; preferably a fitted style. This blazer can compliment pants, jeans, a dress, or even a skirt.

3 A white tank is always an important staple for a woman's wardrobe. They can go under any top to disguise a see-through shirt or even by itself to allow for unique accessories to be seen!

4 Fitted jeans!! Not only should a woman have one pair of perfect jeans, she should probably have at least 5! Jeans have made their way into the top 5 essential pieces just within the past few years. They have been embellished, re-designed, and dyed to look trendy and fashionable! And they match everything dressy and casual.



5 The final MOST essential item should be every woman's favorite item... the little black dress. :) [sigh] So many styles, so many cuts, so many ways to accessorize! You can never go wrong with a little black dress!ny

Fall Equinox

Summer’s vivid and bright colors had a huge impact on the runway, in the stores, and on the streets. Some of the most eye-catching looks were one with the most light! Yes, neon colors lit up the runway in different electrifying shades of reds, pinks, blues, purples, and greens. Zesty yellows and citrus oranges covered the runways by some of the industry’s top designers like 3.1 Phillip Lim, Versace, Dior, Celine, and Posen.

Like many seasons before, we change color trends to very restrained and muted colors in the fall, mostly grays and burnt oranges, but ladies don’t worry about clearing your closet out yet! This fall the colors are going to be just as vibrant as the summer. An executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, Leatrice Eisman says, “Fall is traditionally a time for subdued, quiet colors, but this season we are seeing a shift toward cool hues with bright, exciting undertones" (Pantone).

Fall’s top colors are reds, yellows, and purples. These bright colors from the summer look great paired with rich chocolates and black which help warm up this bright summer looks. Instead of letting summer go with a dreary frown let your wardrobe keep your smile vibrant a season!ny

The creators...

Saggy Jeans Designers
There are several designers that have incorporated the controversial trend of saggy jeans into their designs. Some of the designers that are most well-known for this trend include Rocawear’s, rapper gone entrepreneur, Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter, big brand ECKO, Sean Jean, and Russell Simmons’ Phat Farm.

Rocawear
Jay-z released his first album in 1996 and had his breakthrough in 1998. His story is definitely the rags to riches dream. Growing up in the Marcy Projects of Brooklyn, NY, he has moved his status to elite executive of his very own record label, Ro-A-Fella records and Rocawear clothing.
Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter, who launched Roc-A-Fella records wanted his business to spread into more than music, he wanted to incorporate fashion into his brand name. “Like Roc-A Fella Records, Rocawear quickly staked its claim in hip-hop history becoming the destination brand for street savvy consumers. Rocawear maintains a focus of providing clever innovation in fabrication, application and design to its customer. It has been the brand’s attention to detail that has pushed Rocawear’s appeal beyond its core urban customer. Ten years have passed since the genesis of The ROC and a dynasty now reigns” (Rocawear).
Jay-z has been in the public eye since his debut in 1996 and his hip-hop style has been duplicated and re-created ever since. The saggy jeans that are recognized from his early “Hard Knock Life” album have now been transferred into his own clothing line. Although it has been a decade since this trend was started, with the times changing and trends cycling loose fitting, saggy, baggy, or whatever you may call them jeans are still around. Kanye West and Pharrell Williams are great examples of the more modern fit of the saggy jean.

Phat Farm
The hip hop mongul Russell Simmons owner of the record label Def Jam, started Phat Farm in 1992. The label first retail store opened in New York a year later on Prince Street. When starting the line he had in mind to change the stereotypical thoughts about hip hop clothing in the hip hop community. Since his styles were derived from the street his clothing consisted of Baggy jeans, Shirts with the logo big on the front, and hoodies. Russell Simmons changed the stereotypes of sagging jeans and changed it from being a negative thing to it being a fashionable symbol.
In 2000 after Russell Simmons created a whole new vision on street clothing his former supermodel wife, started a Phat Farm line for women. Where she transformed the baggy look, to a whole new style for women but she still keeping it urban. The line included the all popular baby tees which caused a huge sensation in the fashion world.

ECKO
Symbolized by a Rhino, Ecko Unlimited is a brand for hip hop and urban clothing. Started in 1993 by Marc Ecko with a line of just 6 t-shirts, Ecko has grown into a lifestyle brand.
Marc Ecko began his artistic career as a graffiti artist in the New York area while still in college. Mark was beginning to get bored with the medium he used for his art, so he began to design handmade T-Shirts. Soon after the T-shirts became available Spike Lee and Chuck D began wearing Ecko’s designs.
The fashion brand embodies sports, music, and video games. Ecko has partnerships with Playboy, the NFL, the NCAA, Alfred Hitchcock, Jimi Hendrix, and Marvel Comics. Ecko’s lines include jeans, shirts, jackets, backpacks and has expanded to footwear, leather goods, gloves, and outerwear. Most recently Ecko has developed a cosmetics line, a magazine, and a children’s collection.

Sean John
Sean John Combs, also known as P.Diddy, Diddy, and Puff Daddy, is a successful rapper, record producer, fashion designer, and actor. He is a hip hop icon and one of the wealthiest celebrities in the United States. Sean Combs put his own mark in the fashion industry by introducing his clothing label, Sean John, in 1998. Sean John is a high-end urban fashion line that is targeted to trendy males ages 12-45.
The collection is separated into categories including Sean John, Bad Boy Sportswear, Sean John Tailored, and Sean John accessories. Each category in the collection reflects Combs own diverse and personal style. His various taste of style has been quite influential in the fashion industry and has been nominated for 5 years in a row for his designs by the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) since 2000.
Since the early 1990’s, “saggy” or “baggy” jeans have become more fitted to an extent. The “old school” hip hop style has become “prep-hop” that features polo shirts, trucker hats, and fitted jeans. Sean John’s sportswear collection is an example of the prep-hop trend. Many of the jeans and sportswear could be considered somewhat saggy but it really depends on the person wearing the pants that decide how far down they want to sag and show their behind. Combs has been known for wearing saggy jeans in the past but over the years his own wardrobe has become more tailored and fitted.

Works Cited:
MarcEcko. About Us. 13 August 2008. http://www.shopecko.com/corp/index.jsp?clickid=about
Rocawear. About Us. 7 August 2008. http://www.rocawear.com/shop/aboutus.php
Phatfarm. 11 August 2008. http://nymag.com/fashion/fashionshows/designers/bios/phatfarm
http://www.hoovers.com/sean-john/--ID__109178--/free-co-profile.xhtml
http://www.diddy.com/
http://seanjohn.com/main.html

When I grow up...

Elleria Couture
The first year for the Charlotte Fashion Week, September 18- 20 at the Blake Hotel in Charlotte NC, will be filled with new and upcoming fashion designers. This is a time for pretty much everyone to get some experience and network, network, NETWORK!

One of the designers showcasing her fashions this season will be Charlotte, NC native Arielle Parker Bergmann. I know very little about this young designer but I am already really excited to see her debut! On her website, http://www.elleiracouture.com/, you can find several images from her trendy new line that range from casual to chic.

After studying at Savannah College of Art and Design in Georgia she pursued her dream of becoming a fashion designer that she had since she was only 8 years old. Elevate Magazine, in the Fall of 2005, said that she “began mimicking the designs she saw on the shows [soap operas] and started creating fashions for her dolls.” Not only is she a women’s fashion designer, now, but she also spends her time teaching other design-dreamers what it takes to be heard in the industry.

I hope everyone is as excited about fashion week as I am! I know when I was 8 years old all I ever wanted to do was pretend I was hosting a fashion show for all my Barbies! :)ny

Future of Fashion Magazines

I am currently interning with an online publication, UCE Magazine. It is filled with Fashion, Design, and Culture! Check it out now while subscriptions are FREE!! I know you will love this magazine! Let me know what you think!

About:
“UCE Magazine is dedicated to bringing a richer lifestyle experience to the world through Fashion, Design and Culture. UCE Magazine connects with a young, well-educated, affluent audience that is abandoning traditional media. Our readers will click through the UCE Magazine environment recognizing all the brands they love and discovering new brands soon to be adored. UCE Magazine connects our techno-savvy reader to an immediate marketplace allowing readers the ability to purchase any featured or advertised product in a global marketplace with ONE CLICK.”

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Our FREEDOM issue is the brainchild of creatives from around the globe depicting the condition of being free; the power to act or speak or think without externally imposed restraints. Experience the work of DAMIEN VAN DER VLIST, ANDREA MASSARI, PETER JAWOROWSKI, LUDOVIC ANDRAL and more!
READ, WATCH AND LISTEN at www.UCEmag.com
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Before there was CAD , there was Rene.

The fashion industry is well known for its Fashion Illustrators to help create a visual prediction for fashion when photographers cannot capture the image. These drawings are used to communicate fashion in the industry between designers, magazines, and trend forecasting. This occupation has been around for hundreds of years using the same tool all the while, the croquis. There are millions of Fashion Illustrators and the techniques are ever changing, launching now into digital illustrations. When design began to develop things were mostly done by hand. People were hired to draw and paint images of clothing on croquis or design an eye-catching fashion image for a product. Since the late 80’s technique changed and allowed illustrators to develop their work digitally. This new advance changed the look of fashion illustrations forever, but many of the original fashion illustrators are still looked to for inspiration. One of the most well known illustrators that has been around for centuries, and who has recently passed, is Rene Gruau. His illustrations have been used in several fashion publications and used with several designers.

Rene Gruau was born Renato Zavagli Ricciadelli delle Camminate in 1909 to an Italian count and a French mother named Marie Gruau. His mother was beautiful and was one of the most well dressed woman at the most prestigious haute couture houses. When he entered the art world he adopted the name Gruau after his mother, and his mother soon became one of his biggest influences in the art industry. When asked about his mother he said, “My mother was a marvelous woman”.

Gruau was mostly known for his vibrant use of colors and the way he complements the element of lines. His unique fashion illustrations created a whole new world before fashion photography and digital art even came into play. Rene Gruau illustrated simple and dramatic designs that involved a few ink lines, which was usually black or red. In the 1940’s and the 50’s he became one of the favorites of the haute couture family. He worked with Femina, Marie-Claire, L’Officiel, L’Album Du Figaro and other high fashion magazines. In 1947, he was asked to launch the Miss Dior fragrance and he came up with a stunning design, a white swan with a black fan, glove and a pearl necklace. Designers everywhere were hired to help Gruau promote the “new look” of the fashion forties and early fifties. Even up to his death at age 95 Gruau kept creating fashion drawings for Elle, Vogue, France, Madame Figaro and L’Officiel de la Couture.

Throughout Gruau’s life he painted 80,000 illustrations and worked with some of the greatest names in Haute Couture such as Balenciaga, Balmain, Givenchy, and Schiaparelli. Inspired by Japanese prints, art nouveau, and Toulouse-Lautrec's sketches of Paris night life. Gruau was a master at creating designs with elegant lines and feminine silhouettes. His works are exhibited in museums and art galleries around the world, including the Louvre in Paris. Gruau died at the age of 95 in Rome, Italy but his passion and gift of fashion illustration has made a huge impact in fashion history.

“Elegance is fluid and therefore difficult to define but it is made of desire and knowledge, of grace, refinement, perfection and distinction.” – Rene Gruau

Image links:
Dior_http://imagecache2.allposters.com/images/pic/Ross/5409~Dior-Man-Rear-View-Posters.jpg
Vogue_http://www.renegruau.com/gruau_artist/assets/images/vogueparis.gif
Black dress_http://farm1.static.flickr.com/223/501277066_ba9fe0fb34.jpg?v=0
Rene_http://www.posterpage.ch/mem/gruau/f001635.jpg

Resource links:
www.findarticles.com- Obituary: Rene Gruau
www.iht.com/articles - Remembering Rene Gruau
www.guardian.co.uk - Rene Gruau, Capturing the look of Parisian chic.

House, Job, SHOP!

"I love cotton dresses. For work or for fun they always can look
cute and are easy to wear. Cotton dress, Forever21. "

"I have a million pairs of Forever 21 sunglasses because I always seem to loose them or break them. They go with everything too! Sunglasses, Forever21."

"I love Nine West! These are my new favorite work shoes! Lecia, Nine West."

East Carolina University graduate Erika C., 22, didn’t realize her shoe fetish until she bought her first house. “I have always lived in my apartment in ECU or with my parents, so a master bedroom with the closet attached wasn’t available. When I got my house here my shoes covered the entire wall of the closet. They had room!” Coming home to her new life added a career as well, “A new wardrobe was a must for me. At ECU I studied education so khaki pants and a cute top was appropriate for my teaching internship. Now I work for a mortgage company and business attire is more appropriate.” She has always been known to dress her best; in her senior year of high school she was awarded Best Dressed. Although her wardrobe has been
professionally updated, her life outside of work is still trendy and fun. “ I love mini black dresses for going out but still love wearing a cute Abercrombie tee with my khaki shorts on the weekends.”ny

Shawl We?

Summer 2008 started with a big controversial commercial staring Rachel Ray for Dunkin Doughnuts. Viewers were offended by a scarf she wore which was described as a keffiyeh which is worn by Arab men to resemble a murderous Palestinian jihad. Since May of 2008 several retailers have recreated these scarves including Urban Outfitters, Abercrombie and Fitch, Hollister, and American Eagle.

Although most trendsetters of the summer are not interested in reflecting this Arab symbol, the look has been quickly picked up by young shoppers. These silk scarves are seen in various colors and prints and are a great staple accessory for an everyday look. They can be worn tied loosely around the neck, pulling back your hair, or even wrapped around your head.

Even though trend forecasters predicted silk scarves being the hot item for the summer of 2008 long before the controversial commercial raised eyebrows, it’s interesting to question whether or not the trend "tied" due to controversy or popularity. After all, fashion is all about taking risks, standing out, and personal interpretation.ny

Resources:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/05/28/dunkin-donuts-pulls-ad-fe_n_103859.html
http://shoesaccessories.suite101.com/article.cfm/fashion_accessories_spring_2008 http://shoesaccessories.suite101.com/article.cfm/fashion_accessories_spring_2008 (image 2)
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3179/2462976230_a64ac07595.jpg (image 1)
http://mystylelounge.blogspot.com/2008/03/assortment-of-scarves.html (image 3)

Ciao!

My name is Nicole Yankech and I am NY :).