Playing with Paper: Mary Janes

So many deadlines - hats to block, dolls to sew, papers to shuffle and re-shuffle. It's during these times that I take a little break and pick-up something completely different. I've been thinking of taking a shoemaking class, but not before I complete my millinery courses. For now, I'll have to make do with making paper pairs. This book will show you how.

For other paper projects, how about one from Hermès? For your very own Kelly Purse, follow this post from the amazingly generous Summer Allen-Gibson of Design is Mine.

Shiseido Vintage Advertising

I came upon these beautiful vintage advertising images from Japanese cosmetics company Shiseido and just had to share...

More lovely examples here and here from flickr user tomish*'s.

Speedo/Comme des Garçons Swimwear Collaboration

Imagine if I showed up poolside in this:

It would be one thing if I proceeded to swim a medley of freestyle, backstroke, breast stroke, and butterfly. But I'm in the pool a lot because I'm in love with this class where we do aerobic kicks and drills in the water (ala that Bill Murray pool scene in Lost in Translation). My favorite part is where we use those noodles to stay afloat while pretending to be seahorses. Cool, right? Don't knock it until you've tried it.

So, I don't think the LZR Racer that Speedo and Rei Kawakubo designed for the '08 U.S. Olympic swim team will be appropriate. I like the non-olympic styles - I can envision a seahorse wearing these (especially that first collection). Alas, still not available in the states!

2008: Third Collection (Current)

2007: Second Collection

2006: First collection

Dior SS09 - millinery confections

Time is just going by so fast! Images from the Spring and Summer 2009 haute-couture collections shook me out of the lassitude that has been, so far, characteristic of my Summer 2008. Shake! Shake! There's work to do!!!

Aren't these hats from Dior just beautiful? And I'm one to avoid the animal prints.

Photos by Jean-Luce Huré for The New York Times.

Goodbye, Ms. Tudor.

Some sad news.

minä perhonen SS08 + minä perhonen books

I've been remiss in not publicly obsessing over minä perhonen's current collection. So let me make up for that.

Akira Minagawa is Master of the Fabric Universe. Did you happen to see the three-part series of his work?

minä perhonen 1 textile

minä perhonen 2 embroidery

minä perhonen 3 prints

Each volume is £25 at Selvedge. For those outraged, I saw them at the Bryant Park Kinokuniya for a friendlier $25.

And so I can say I'm not falling behind, here's a look into the AW08/09 collection.

Coming Home

For two months now I've been listening to K.D. Lang's Watershed. I can't even begin to describe the little flutter within me when I hear the opening strings of Coming Home. The magic of music, right?

Well, just a few minutes ago I received a phone call from D with the wonderful news that she's coming home! Magic! Flutter! My dearest friend, I am so happy for you! Yay!

I couldn't help myself, this is too perfect.

Coming Home {Lang/Pitch}

oh sweet sorrow
let's write the book
tomorrow

for I caught a glimpse
been obsessed with it
ever since

my eyes no longer weak amongst the clarity that you pronounce in me

won
you have won
my illumination has begun

I'm happily indifferent to the ones who have consistently been wrong
and all that once confined us like minutiae at its finest now is gone

oh sweet sorrow
let's write the book
tomorrow

my eyes no longer weak amongst the clarity that you pronounce in me
I'm happily indifferent to the ones who have consistently been wrong
and all that once confined us like minutiae at its finest now is gone

and all that lies before me like the asphalt lures me forward towards home

home
coming home