Brave New World

Entrepreneur and former professional golfer Andreas Huber approaches his new business venture like a golf swing.  The follow through is not to be approached lightly. In an increasingly digitized world, startups professing to be the next big thing are popping up with a frequency that surely has Orville Redenbacher rolling in his grave. Much like popcorn, however, they puff when overheated and share the life expectancy of a gastrotich. Next, please.

But Founder and CEO of Locality Media has already moved on, unassuming in jeans and converse, but deadly serious as he faces bold new horizons with a clarity of vision and a simplicity of structure that have little room for hot air. Cutting edge technology? Check. Claims to provide local governments the most advanced, easy-to-use technology tools? Check. What makes Locality Media so different, then? And why is an online fashion magazine dedicated to reporting international fashion, style and luxury lifestyle news care? Not very PinkMemo. . .?

Huber and his team stand poised to provide our local officials with the tools they need to protect us. Before handbags, before high heels, before next season’s anything, the Pink Memo reader recognizes that nothing is more important than the safety of our loved ones.

Monitoring convicted sex offenders and making sure they do not enter school zones? Locality Media’s solution has license plate readers working in tandem with intelligent video software – local police are alerted. Communities facing a sudden rise in violence invest in security cameras, but the investment is futile because they lack the manpower to monitor the devices. Enter Local Media’s video analytics  and potential threats are reported in “real time.” A crime caught on tape is, afterall, still a crime committed. Huber tackles the holy grail of the tech realm by seeking preventative solutions.  Omniscience.

So when Union red tape curtails employee accountability and our tax dollars burn like it’s Sherman’s March to the Sea Part Deux, and legitimate civilian complaints drown in a fragmented black hole, Locality Media once again rises to the challenge. They use smart phones and a public website which works so seamlessly with the existing agency’s web presence that the installation seems effortless and the result amost customized. They’re a little like Bat Man. A premium is placed on securing a dependable surveillance; a loud presence is not only gratuitous but self-defeating. Complaints are now empirical, recorded data that can be analyzed by community leaders to both predict and prevent: a road is re-paved, for example, before your tire makes the tiresome discovery and you are on the side of the street calling in a complaint that is scribbled on a piece of paper and easily lost. Human fallibility is inevitable, but Huber, remember, is chasing absolute precision. Why not let technology that is already in place do the recording? Telephone is a game that is only entertaining in kindergarten, and in life sometimes the messenger can get killed.

“There are quite a few products that can gather the data we’re talking about,” Huber admits candidly. “But then what do they do with that data? Nobody was offering the complete solution. We will. It’s all about the follow through.”

It all seems so easy. The website is disarmingly simple. It almost seems simplistic. The visionaires behind it are standing quietly, too. No bells, no whistles. No fancy tech talk. The definitiveness of a Rand hero, armed with a Georgetown business degree and five years at Deutsche Bank in strucutring, sales, and trading of complex financial instruments. But he’s thirty.

Too green?

Well, it is a color Huber has been known to wear well. We’re thinking maybe, just maybe it’s something else. A quiet confidence.  An ability to listen. A  genuine desire to use modernity to safeguard our oldest value system. 

There is nothing more luxurious on earth than the gift of safety. . . or more elegant than a perfectly executed swing.

Oliveira Baptista Appointed Lacoste’s New Artistic Director

Rumors circled on Monday that Felipe Oliveira Baptista would be replacing Christophe Lemaire as Lacoste’s artistic director, and today, it’s been confirmed.

Lemaire was tapped in May to replace Jean Paul Gaultier as creative director of women’s ready-to-wear at Hermes International, so the Portuguese designer will be taking his place.

Baptista, who launched his eponymous women’s wear collection during the Paris Couture in 2003, will officially make his Lacoste debut in September 2011 at New York Fashion Week.

Emmy’s Best Dressed

What a lovely Sunday it is when you can spend the evening watching the couture-clad starlets of primetime walking the red carpet while wearing your pajamas. We did just that last night as we tuned in for the 62^nd Primetime Emmy’s, and we weren’t disappointed. Lots of shine, lots of risk and lots of smiles – that’s what the red carpet is all about. Here, our top 5 stand-outs:

Claire Danes shimmied into a body hugging Giorgio Armani Prive gown and shimmered within its crystal-encrusted hold – it fit like a glove. Loose hair and minimal accessories kept her looking young and fresh.

Glee’s Lea Michele channeled a young Sophia Loren with her teased, dark hair and Flamenco-esque ruffled Oscar de la Renta gown, but it was the extra accoutrements that made her stand out. Her nails and eyeliner matched her navy blue gown, and the platinum mesh sparkler around her neck was a Lorraine Schwartz creation featuring 300 carats of multi-colored diamonds.

Project Runway Judge Heidi Klum chose to show off her stems in a Marchesa mini. The real showstopper of the night though was the second Lorraine Schwartz sparkler to catch our attention: her diamond and ruby necklace, worth a cool $3 million.

Funny girl Jane Krakowski was on-trend with navy, but she added her own touch of pizzazz with a draped, one-shouldered Escada gown. The ruffle at the hip could have been problematic, but Jane’s lithe physique made it work.

Finally, nobody was as sweet and romantic as Dianna Agron in her lace tiered organza Carolina Herrera gown. We loved the vintage vibe mixed with the of-the-moment sheer lace.

The countdown to the Oscars is officially on!!

Hooray for Cynthia Rowley

From her amazing Montauk outpost, to her succession of Swell books to her capsule collections for Target, we are in love with Cynthia Rowley’s creativity and whimsy.  Her latest brainchild?  An infant and toddler apparel and accessories line called Hooray.

The collection, available exclusively at Babies “R” Us, combines Rowley’s classic, fun designs with even a bit more whimsy than usual, all in pint-sized form.

Cartwheels and Fashion With Betsey Johnson!

PinkMemoTV – PinkMemo’s Katrina Szish goes one-on-one with the always unpredictable and fabulous Betsey Johnson.

A Li’l Bit of LOL: Laughing out Loud in the City of Lights

Fashion and beauty photographer David Ken is bringing lots of laughs to the City of Lights. Determined to thaw the frosty image of Parisians, David is collecting 1,000 portraits of Parisians laughing out loud. The idea behind his humanist project is to capture the moment when a laugh begins and the image we project to the world—and any pretense we might want to hide behind—can no longer be controlled.

His website asks “A qui le tour?” – “Who’s next?” For the LOL Project, David photographs anyone and everyone from the anonymous to the famous of any age, sex, religion, gender, and social class for free. He only asks that volunteers become a fan of the project on Facebook and leave their contact information. He then contacts them for impromptu photoshoots, works his magic to elicit a unique, uncontrolled laugh in his subjects, and takes a glowing portrait. In just under half an hour, participants leave with a great memory and a beautiful image of themselves. When his 1,000 portraits are complete, the photographs will be displayed in the city of Paris.

Take a look at some of the portraits he’s taken so far. (We dare you not to smile. It’s contagious!)

Having photographed nearly 1,000 laughing Parisians—in less than a year!—David hopes to turn the LOL Project into a worldwide phenomenon. The next city on his jovial journey: New York City. It’s time to start stretching those smiles! They’re about to get a workout.

Follow him on Facebook or Twitter to be among the first to know when he starts the search for NYC volunteers.

In the Bag: Exotic Skins for All Seasons

Now that fall is slowly sneaking up on us, we need to have appropriately fabulous accessories at all times. Autumn calls for supple, rich leathers, and the very best are exotic. Exotic accessories are any and all handbags, shoes, belts, etc. incorporating snakeskin, crocodile or even lizard.

Depending on the type of exotic skin you’re after, prices can vary from the mid hundreds to the tens of thousands. The best (and biggest) investment you can make is in an exotic bag: it will stand out, remain in style for countless seasons and only look more luxurious with age.

Python handbags, clockwise from top left: Vivienne Westwood, $1,278; Christian Louboutin, $1,680; Mulberry, $850; Burberry, $5,000.

Though exotic skins can be dyed, natural python shades (bone, tan and gray) are always the best bet if you’re looking for the ultimate in classic elegance (highly recommended here at PinkMemo).

Crocodile handbags, clockwise from top left: Proenza Schouler, $14,400; Nancy Gonzales, $1,300; Nancy Gonzales, $3,902; Carlos Falchi, $6,295.

Crocodile bags can tend towards matronly – so choose wisely — but you can’t beat them for sturdiness, weight and durability. Croc also has the most variance – from tiny, hardly noticeable scales to prominent, abstract bumps. Therefore, this skin works best on a small evening bag or clutch.

Lizard handbags, clockwise from top left: Balenciaga, $1,445; Kate Spade, $695; KOTUR, $469; Yves Saint Laurent, $1,516.

Lizard skin is the most supple exotic skin, and the most affordable – the price points for lizard bags are typically significantly lower than those of python or croc.

Exotic embossed handbags, clockwise from top left: Alexander McQueen, $1,340; Diane Von Furstenberg, $325; JJ Winters, $88; Botkier, $645; Michael Kors, $200; Whiting & Davis, $150.

If you love the look but believe the use of exotic skins is cruel, opt for an embossed leather version to resemble your favorite exotic. These tend to have lower price points, too – so you’ll satisfy both your conscience and your wallet.

Bulgari’s Chandra City Bags: Do Good and Indulge

Do you love luxury, travel and making the world a better place? Of course you do! Look
no further than Bulgari’s Chandra City Bag Collection, which features 10 purses inspired
by the most fashionable cities around the world. Even better, proceeds from the bag go
towards helping Haitian children.

Chandra’s Paris bag is black velvet with white leather straps. Green fluorite, white pearls
and crystals accessorize the sides of the bag to remind us of the city’s romantic qualities
and Art Nouveau street lamps.

Chandra Paris Bag

If you’re a New Yorker, you’ll love the Chandra New York bag, which perfectly captures
the hustle and bustle of the city. The bag is sky-scraper-gray and brown metallic leather with silver and gold studs and charcoal beads.

Chandra New York Bag

Bulgari partnered with Save The Children to host auctions for these gorgeous bags in
cities around the world. The price for The Chandra City bags is upon request call 800-
Bulgari. All proceeds will go to humanitarian aid for Haitian children. These bags are non guilty pleasures — indulge!

Tibi To Go

Designer Amy Smilovic just launched Tibi’s new e-commerce site and now ordering our favorite looks right off the Tibi runway is going to be a clickety-clack away. The homepage is pure eye candy and when Liz Walker, head of Tibi Public Relations, told us about it we just had to take a peep.

The “About” section is absolutely adorable and we are in love with Amy’s “About” section because it captures the spirit of a brand we can’t stop wearing. The clothes are pure joy, and the fit is always slimming – nobody does a female body better.

No surprise Gossip Girl’s Blake Lively and The City’s Olivia Palermo are both fans!

We can’t wait to see her Spring 2011 collection at Lincoln Center – Mercedes Benz Fashion Week is just around the corner – and then delve into a little (or a lot!) of online shopping on Tibi’s e-commerce site!

Fashion’s Night Out PSA

If you thought last year’s Fashion’s Night Out PSA, in which everyone from designers like Diane von Furstenberg to model Karlie Kloss gave their two cents was good, you’re in for a treat.

Behind the scenes photos by Tommy Ton of Jak & Jil Blog

This year, 14 of the industry’s top models took to the streets wearing designer dresses and the official T-shirt (benefiting the New York City AIDS fund). Developed by Trey Laird of Laird + Partners and shot by Peter Lindbergh, the whole crew filmed across the city over two days at such locations as the Bronx Zoo, Central Park, PS 1 and Lincoln Center, the new home of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week.

And smiling along with the soundtrack, the 1980 David Bowie hit “Fashion,” are models Doutzen Kroes, Caroline Trentini, Karlie Kloss, Lara Stone, Stella Tennant, Lily Donaldson, Miranda Kerr, Karolina Kurkova, Abbey Lee Kershaw, Liya Kebede, Joan Smalls, Chanel Iman, Sasha Pivovarova and Jourdan Dunn.