Twiggy: A Life in Photographs

The National Portrait Gallery honors a British beauty with its exhibit, Twiggy: A Life in Photographs. As a celebration of the 60’s icon’s 60th birthday, the NPG is showcasing over 20 of the model’s most renowned images and has produced a photographic biography. The book (entitled Twiggy: A Life in Photographs) includes fashion snapshots, as well as Twiggy’s personal pictures and possessions. It’s not every day the world’s first supermodel turns 60. Portraits of the international star will be on display until March 21st, but “the Face of 1966″ will always last.

National Portrait Gallery

St. Martin’s Place

London WC2H 0HE

Free admission

Open Monday-Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday from 10am-6pm

Thursday and Friday from 10am-9pm

SEE THE LIMELIGHT WITH HUNTER BOOTS

It has been a dark and dreary February, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel.  Specifically, a bright, shiny shopping light bestowed upon us through Limelight Marketplace by hosting the first ever Hunter Boot outpost store in the U.S.

Previously featured on PinkMemo.com, the Limelight Marketplace’s virtual “festival of shops” has re-sparked our interest and created an anxious air of anticipation for the opening of its doors in March 2010.  PinkMemo hearts Hunter Boots and applauds how the brand has stylishly liberated us from puddle-fear.

“Hunter is an iconic brand that has embraced the 21st century, welcoming a wide range of customers,” elates Wendy Svarre, President of Hunter Boot USA.  How true;  The brand was founded in 1865 and has remained steadfast throughout 150 years of tradition and classic product design.  Like that little black dress, Hunter Boots are synonymous with things that simply don’t go out of style.  In 1955, Hunter designed the green knee-high Wellington that is still hot today and remains the world’s “Welly of choice.”  Shake off winter blues and learn to embrace partly cloudy with a chance of awesome, in your brand new Hunter Wellies, the boots that are fit for a Queen.

Sweet Spot: Le Bar at Ladurée

Every Parisian knows and loves les macarons from Ladurée. Ladurée macarons are made with two crisp cookies joined by buttercream or ganache.  They come in stunning colors and chic flavors like rose, coffee, orange blossom, salted butter caramel, and pistachio.

The four Paris locations of the luxe chain sell over 4 million macarons each year. Over the past few years, Ladurée has collaborated with designers like Marni, Anna Sui, Christian Louboutin, Chantal Thomass, and Christian Lacroix.

Christian Louboutin for Ladurée

On Valentine’s Day, my Parisian date let me in on a little secret — the Ladurée Bar inside their boutique on the Champs-Elysées is the place for chic internationals to see and be seen in Paris. When we stopped in for pre-dinner drinks, the bar was already packed with well-dressed visitors speaking umpteen languages. An art nouveau design inspired by a butterfly’s cocoon, the bar has an atmosphere that is at once trendy and cozy.

Le Bar at Ladurée

As night fell, the walls began to glow (trés romantique!) and those around us ordered from the gourmet menu offerings like lobster gazpacho and caviar blinis. Businessmen, ladies in full-length furs, luxury shoppers taking a break from the nearby boutiques, cosmopolitan tourists, and trendy expats sipped Ladurée’s signature teas, cocktails, and champagnes and nibbled on macarons and other enticing sweets.

A signature cocktail designed to complement Ladurée’s blackcurrant-violet macarons

The next time you’re in Paris, enjoy a luxurious dinner or inspired cocktails with other style-minded internationals. Visit the Ladurée Bar at 75 avenue des Champs-Elysées.

Shop ‘Til You Drop at London Fashion Weekend

Don’t let the end of Fashion Week bring you down.  The styles and splendor continue with London Fashion Weekend from Thursday February 25th-Sunday the 28th at Somerset House.  Shop the collections of 100 designers, including Alex Monroe, Aloe, Betrix Ong, DKNY Jeans, Linda Farrow Vintage, Sass and Bide and See by Chloe at up to 75% off.  Sit in the British Fashion Council catwalk and view the top Spring/Summer 2010 looks. Meet the designers of Twenty8Twelve, Alice by Temperley, Herve Leger and more.  After a long day of shopping, you’ll be ready for the royal beauty treatment.  Pamper yourself with manicures, makeovers and brow shaping.  You’ll wish every week was fashion week!

When: Thursday February 25th: 5pm-10pm

Friday February 26th: 11am-5pm, 5pm-10pm

Saturday February 27th: 9:30am-7pm

Sunday February 28th: 9:30am-6pm

Where: Somerset House

Strand, London

WC2R 1LA

Hurry and book tickets for what will certainly be a fashionable affair. Prices range from £12.50 to £37.50

Contact: See Tickets 0871 230 1558

J.CREW GOES GLOBAL

The ultimate all-American brand J.Crew is taking it’s wares on an international tour through a collaboration with the brilliant brains at Net-A-Porter.com. At present, the label is only available in North America and Japan, but according starting mid-May, the world will be able to purchase an abbreviated selection of the current J.Crew repertoire as well as a handful of styles and colors designed exclusively for Net-A-Porter.com.  That clean, crisp preppy-meets-modern style beloved by so many will now be accessible to so many more — precisely 170 countries more.  Three cheers for e-commerce!

Longing for Shorts

A heat wave has taken over Israel.  This isn’t really a newsflash since the Middle East is hardly known for its cool temperatures, yet the resurgence of the sun has peaked our interest in warm weather attire, which naturally calls for the exposure of skin.

My favorite go-to for Spring is the myriad of playful shorts which, if you think about it, are truly just an improvement on skirts.  You can bend over, run and uncross your legs in shorts in a way that skirts would never allow without forfeiting your dignity or forcing you to be tediously aware of your every move.  Even more convenient, nearly ever Spring trend has been manifested in shorts-form:  silk, floral, plaid, leather, patchwork.  For immediate inspiration, look to Emporio Armani, Charlotte Ronson or Erdem’s Spring 2010 collections;  but rest assured the trend will continue through next Fall: L.A.M.B, Proenza Schouler, DKNY and a slew of other designers included shorts on their Fall 2010 runways.

Neon shorts at Emporio Armani

Flared bow-tie shorts at Charlotte Ronson

Floral playsuit at Erdem

Leather bloomers at L.A.M.B

Tailored plaid at DKNY

Patchwork shorts at Proenza Schouler

Life is too short to be self conscious.  A vote for shorts is a vote for freedom!

F/W 2010 Runway Report Wrap-Up

What makes New York Fashion Week so exciting is to see how different designers translate seasonal trends to tell their own unique story. I once heard Kate Betts, herself a seasoned fashionista and respected journalist, remark about a certain designer that his weakness was not having a strong perspective. That’s what it takes to sell clothes. Create a brand and then stick to it. Here’s a recap of two New York designers who are unwavering in delivering who they are and what their customers want.

“I wanted it to be eclectic and evolved,” said Tory Burch in a backstage interview about her Fall collection presentation. This season, the socialite/designer presented her penchant for high glamour, but with an added dose of utilitarian for outfits that work from day-to-night for her girl-on-the-go. Burch dubbed this collection “Divine!” a word, she says, her mother uses about five times in every sentence and one that appears spelled out in a golden necklace and shouting from a black and white printed sweater. Those key statement pieces Burch banks on (her all-over sequin dress in red, an army-green fur-trimmed anorak) were layered over and under textural and painter pieces that realized her inspiration of a girl going to an art gallery (take a look at Burch’s Jackson Pollock-esque pants for the quite literal translation). It was a collection where sequins are allowed before sundown, topsiders meet Timberlands in construction-worthy lace-up boots, and a girl who’s drawn to the glitterati, gets a little more tough.

It seems, as every New York winter arrives, our coats are staying out of the closet just a little big longer each year. It’s almost to the point that they feel like shackles rather than shells. Luckily, Milly by Michelle Smith presented some outstanding options to shake things up during the chilly months – from cute cropped, fox-trimmed toggle coats, to collarless styles cut in Italian tweed and perfect peacoats with patent leather pockets. Outerwear was the star of Smith’s collection, which churned out one chic gamine after another. Inspired by legendary French filmmaker Jean-Luc Godard, the collection was a bright “combination of bold hues, clean, modern silhouettes, and a feminine, cool attitude,” as the designer noted. To Smith, that which is classic is now modern, and with that she brought back laser-cut berets, Parisian stripes, cool checks, feminine ruffles, and an overall return to sixties French chic. Plus, in a debut partnership with the hosiery line Hue, Smith’s retro styles were (French) accented with bright and patterned tights in cobalt blue, forest green and sophisticatedly simply black that added a final compliment to the chic and sweet Fall looks.

SHOPPING, SIMPLIFIED: SHOPNYC TOURS

You own this city.  You’re no tourist, so you certainly don’t need a tour guide to tell you where to shop.  But, imagine a more civilized shopping experience, one that includes traveling with your girlfriends via limo with a glass of champagne perched in your perfectly manicured hand.

Enter ShopNYC Tours–a tour company that elevates retail therapy to a new level, each trip offering a customized theme.

Natasha Malinsky, of VH1’s “Tough Love” hall of fame and the brain behind these alternative tours, seems to have most wish-lists covered with the “Vintage Boutique Tour,” the “Home Decor Tour,” the “Makeover Tour,” the “Pet Tour,” the “Bride-to-Be Tour,” the “Mommy-to-Be Tour,” and even the “Recessionista Tour,” although Malinsky always welcomes shoppers to create their own special sprees.  If you’re looking for something a bit less structured, opt for one of the “Self-Guided Tours” (available for purchase online) which include up-to-the-minute sample sale details.

Nicole Romano’s Atocha Treasures

In 1622 Nuestra Señora de Atocha set sail for Spain carrying with it the treasures of the Americas.  A watery death and the inescapable lure of 24 tons of Peruvian silver bullion left abandoned on the ocean floor sparked a treasure hunt that would last almost four centuries until Kane Fisher’s epic 1985 discovery – the gold and silver once headed for the coffers of Spain made their triumphant return to the Americas, displayed today at the Mel Fisher Maritime Heritage Society Museum in Key West.  As I take the escalator down to the depths of the Plaza Hotel to preview Nicole Romano’s Atocha Collection – she has the chicest pop up store in The Plaza Retail Collection – the metaphor is even more pronounced.  The designer and the collection are treasures, and the discovery is so overwhelming that it is difficult to believe they have been here all this time.

Nicole Romano

Nicole’s assistant Gabrielle oversees the store as if it were her own – “That’s because working for Nicole is such a personal experience.  Everything is handmade, and we want to know our customers and give them the best service.” Nicole adds, “The Atocha Collection is anything but shy.  The new pieces experiment with different finishing techniques, bold stones and intricate handwork.  Each piece is carefully handcrafted in my East Harlem design studio.”  With a wicked glint, Nicole adds, “Each piece is named after a pirate.”  This detail is telling; Nicole’s lustrous background may include a degree from the Rhode Island School of Design, recognition as the protégé of Nicole Miller, and ultimate discovery by legendary Sex and the City stylist Patricia Field, but the designer’s feet are utterly grounded.  She’s a little street, a little sexy, and yeah she’s been featured in Vogue, Elle, Bazaar, Marie Claire, The Daily Mini, The New York Times – the list is endless – but this is not a girl who glowers from banquettes at the Boom Boom – she’s dancing, she’s designing collections way way uptown, and she will always remember your name and look you in the eye.

Nicole Miller & Nicole Romano, Dressed to Kilt

Patricia Field and Nicole Romano

The Romano label is sold everywhere from Henri Bendel to Fred Segal in the United States, then internationally at select stores such as Harvey Nichols in Hong Kong, Franck et Fils in Paris and Kabiri in London.  A brief glimpse at the women who sport Romano – Gwen Stefani, Sarah Jessica Parker, Drew Barrymore, Tyra Banks, Rhianna, Kim Kardashian, Alicia Keys, and Kim Kattrall  - all share in common a fearlessness which allows them to be pioneers in their respective fields. Like the Romano label they are fiercely independent, willfully strong, but always feminine.

Rhianna in Lucite Drop earrings

Tyra Banks in  Clustered Rosette

Kim Kardashian in Nicole Romano at her fragrance launch

The natural question, obviously, is where Nicole got her training in jewelry design.  The designer laughs and admits, “Nowhere. I was always a collector.  I’m always looking for interesting pieces of fabric or metal.  And then I would just find a way to make it work.”  (Now of course Nicole works with a team and has learned the craft, but each piece is still handmade and carries her personal touch.)  I press for an example and Nicole does not disappoint.  ”Okay,” she grins, “For example I got these fabulous vintage keys from a Cadillac dealership that was going out of business. . . ” I know where this is going but I dare not ask.  We know the video – Alicia Key’s If I Ain’t Got You – but those earrings? Vintage Cadillac. And yes, vintage Romano, baby.

Alicia Keys in video  ”If I Ain’t Got You”

I leave the store “pirate style” with Atocha loot and then it’s off to the chic Espace to view the collection.  The presentation thrills in the way Robert Palmer’s Addicted To Love rocked us when it first aired – hot girls decked in Atocha; untouchable, but teasing with flirty smiles and batting eyelashes.

I greet Bloomberg anchor Gigi Stone and FoxNews anchor Kimberly Guilfoyle – long time fans of Romano – then toasted Nicole for a fabulous evening, an incredible presentation, and for dressing us in her fabulous clothes and jewelry.  Other supporters included Susan Shin, Tracy Stern, Jamie Colby, LuAnn de Lessps, Joel Warren and Seth Greenberg, owner of Espace and Capitale.

Kimberly Guilfoyle, Gigi Stone, Anisha Lakhani and Nicole Romano

Jamie Colby, Nicole Romano, Tracy Stern, Susan Shin

To celebrate a woman who continues to define success, friendship and style on her own terms. . . with a dazzling collection of lucite and gold and chunky chains. . . better than all the Atocha treasure in the world.

*Presentation photography by Richard Bertone

Bryant Park Tents Take Final Bow

All the world’s a stage. . . And all the men and women merely players. . . They have their exits and their entrances.

William Shakespeare

Champagne flowed on the Promenade and the catwalk of dreams raged, raged against the dying of the light.  The last day of New York Fashion Week was made especially poignant this year as it also marked the final time designers would show collections in the famed tents at Bryant Park.  This fall we will do Spring 2011 at Lincoln Center, but for everyone who was there last night, we will never forget.

Party inside the Promenade

Bartenders Fashion Foward Tees

So long, Bryant Park. . .

Night’s candles are burnt out. . .