are you feeling it too?

The end of summer, and sort of moving slow (it's hot!)...plus I'm feeling the need to think about my plans (you know the big and little life ones). I'm not feeling very chatty today. I'll be back soon... Hope you're enjoying every last drop of summer!

i'm in love

...with the work by Swedish photographer Denise Grunstein. I spied some of her photos on Desmitten (who recently commented on tys--once again, blown away by one of my talented readers).

I love the moodiness of Denise's work, and while I adore her fashion photos, I think her nature photography moves me even more. Enjoy!























This dog photo is just exquisite, don't you think?

art for everyone

Loomis Dean print: Models Posing in new Christian Dior Collection

Does the thought of buying art prints bring back memories of college dorm life? When art.com approached me to share their latest offerings, I was surprised by the depth of what's available in this genre. Whether you're looking for cool stuff to put on your walls or you're only interested in collecting the real thing, art.com has something to suit all tastes and budgets. Gary Takemoto, senior vice president of merchandising at art.com joins me today to talk about the latest and greatest in home decor.

mj: What are some of your favorite new fall trends for wall décor?



Andy Warhol: 10 Marilyns print

gary: One of the great things about being the world's largest online retailer of wall décor is that our top sellers reflect the biggest trends for the season. The key trends we’re seeing for fall reflect the tranquil beauty of nature, international themes and a renewed interest in American pop culture icons. It's interesting to see icons such as Andy Warhol and Marilyn Monroe making a comeback, not only by adults re-discovering them but also by younger generations discovering them for the first time.



USA Map II framed print by Aaron Foster

We’ve also noticed classic trends being updated for today's home. One example is the Country Chic look, a marriage of California comfort and French refinement. This look has been reinterpreted for fall; instead of the typical whites and lighter colors, we're seeing lots of blues and greens incorporated into images of antique maps, countryside themes and French-inspired pieces.




Imagery and texture from exotic locales is a recent trend, given the growing interest in international travel and exploration. Art.com offers a huge assortment of European, Asian and African-inspired pieces. African Safari is a key trend for fall, with an emphasis on African imagery and animal prints in earth-tone colors. One of our top sellers, an art.com exclusive, is a set of 3 framed pieces of African Kuba cloth that are hand-woven from palm leaves by a Congo tribe. Asian influence also remains a lasting trend, with a look and color palette that is exotic, yet still easily incorporated into a broad array of home décor styles.



Sea Fan on Linen

Finally, with the environment and "green" movement top of mind for consumers, people are looking for wall décor that reflects the beauty of nature and an ongoing focus on wellness. Some of our most popular items reflect this trend through their use of soothing colors and the incorporation of natural objects including shells, botanicals, ferns and bamboo. Our hand-crafted originals are favorites, including our Sea Fan on Linen and framed Irish Deep Shell.

mj: Do you have some classic pieces that people seem to love regardless of home decor trends?

gary: Over the past few years, people have been buying bigger homes and then have to figure out how to decorate a larger space. As s result, oversized pieces and multiple sets have become very popular. As homes are getting bigger, it's easier to decorate with a single oversized piece that makes a strong statement. Also, sets add a dynamic dimension to a room by coupling prints, photographs or other like items together into a cohesive look.



Vincent Van Gogh's Almond Blossom tapestry

We're also seeing what's old become new again in the form of tapestries. Some of us might think of tapestries as a throwback to the Middle Ages, but they've become a very popular way to add a level of warmth and sophistication to a room. One of our most popular tapestries is a close-up image of Van Gogh’s “Almond Branches in Bloom” woven into a tapestry.




As mentioned earlier, Asian themes are a long-term trend, particularly because they complement a lot of different aesthetics. This theme, combined with the trend of multiple sets, can be seen in one of our perennial best-sellers, "Poppy Nine Patch," which takes an Asian-themed image and breaks it up into a set of 9 different canvas pieces.




mj: Could you share some of your decor ideas for stylish people on a budget?

gary: No matter what your style aesthetic, from classic to trendy, you'll find the wall décor you love at art.com. We've got over 500,000 wall décor products to choose from! And no matter what your budget is, it's always important to let your personal interests guide your design inspiration so don't be afraid to try something new. If you usually hang one item per wall, try drawing an imaginary rectangle on the main focal wall in a room and fill that rectangle with a grouping of themed art. Sets of multiple items focused on a particular theme or format are great for this approach and can help expand your decorating horizons within your particular budget.



Great Wave of Kanga Wall Mural

Another great option for the stylish budget decorator is to choose one magnificent, oversized print to make your room and your budget seem larger! And consider purchasing already framed pieces to give your space a sophisticated, finished look.

It's often the finishing services such as custom-framing that can get a little pricey. Art.com offers the lowest custom-framing prices at up to 40% below local custom-frame shops.



Loomis Dean print: Flower, Shoes, and other Accessories at Dior's Studio

mj: Although some of my readers only collect the real thing when it comes to art, I noticed you have some great diy ideas using personal photos that could appeal to everyone. Can you talk about that--have you found this to be a growing trend with your clients?

gary: Art.com offers a great service called "Photos to Art" which has become very popular for families and also as gifts. This is a great way to turn a house into a home and to personalize a space by creating custom-made high-quality wall art using your own images. It’s affordable and easy. You simply upload a digital photo, choose whether you want to create a photo-realistic or a more abstract, 'brush-stroked' look, and decide if you want to final piece to be framed or mounted onto canvas. Either way, we use only gallery-quality fabric and the finest, long-lasting archival inks so your print will last a lifetime. Our customers really seem to love it.

Thanks Gary for your thoughtful answers!

ditu: uniting eastern + western worlds

Ditu Babel vest over Laksham cami with Dentil Skirt

Designer Layla Abramowitz designed for Zac Posen as well as Ports 1961 before launching her own luxury knitwear label Ditu. Layla is here today to talk about her innovative Fall/Winter 08 collection, "Towers of Babel". She has created her own recipe for fabric from scratch and the resulting line is made from a unique blend of fishing line and knit fabric.

I'm a fan of knits in general and really love Layla's body-shaping corsets paired with knit skirts--hoping you will enjoy meeting this new designer as much as I did!


Layla Abramowitz of Ditu

mj: what gave you the idea to add the fishing line into the knits?

layla: When I was completing my BFA, I experimented on the knitting machines with a few less usual yarns. Fishing line was one of them. Using fishing line is not necessarily a new idea; for example, it has been used in jewelry, knit into exquisite beads.


Ditu Buttress sheath

I felt that there were more possibilities in its application. I started to see the intriguing possibilities when I was working on my senior project at FIT, where I decided to create a dress out of an umbrella, and had the task to also engineer my own knit fabric. I wanted to make something transparent so that the skeleton of the umbrella could be seen. I thought, how perfect to link the fabric to the concept of umbrellas and water by using fishing line!!


Ditu Skyscraper gown

mj: what do you consider the core outfit of your collection to be?

layla: The skyscraper gown embodies the industrial architectural themes and references the Tower of Babel story in contemporary times. My point was not to to be too literal, though while I was designing, there may have been some unconscious link to September 11th and the World Trade Towers.


Ditu bell tower jacket and skirt

The global concept links the East and West, between emerging nations and industrialization. I would consider the bell tower jacket and skirt as one of the core outfits. The bell and diamond motifs allude to patterns of middle eastern decoration. This is blended with an embodiment of powerful creative business women in the global arena, evident in the tailored silhouette. This outfit reflects on business and trade, on the mix of languages that one would hear increasingly in offices, especially in global cities. It reflects how interconnected we really are and the necessity of people and nations to work together in times when so many things are apparently at risk.


Ditu gabled coat

mj: how do you envision evolving your line?

layla: Right now, its a difficult environment for the retail industry, so its a bit limiting to expand as much as I would like. I want to continue to evolve the line with the unlimited pool of inspiration from our interesting human situation. I would like to flesh out the emotional experience of the brand and reach more people, later continuing into accessories and other product categories.


Ditu Apsara Corset + Dentil Skirt

Ideally, I would like to develop a clear lingerie side and move further into the categories of dresses and smart career-wear. I think that the rules for professional dressing could use cue from the comfortable and unconventional power of knits. And so, for this evolution, I am in search of backers who would like to see that come to fruition.


Thanks Layla for stopping by! Wishing you all the best with your new collection! Ditu's new collection falls into the $200-$900 price range, and will be available for purchase beginning this Fall at New York boutiques Sucre (on Bleecker), Coclico (on Mott) and Cantaloup (Upper East Side and Brooklyn locations), as well as through www.dituonline.com.

shoe candy!

Some of you know I'm a freak for Gina shoes. Their new fall collection has just launched, and here are some of my favorite shoe candies. For those of you new to Gina--it's a hipper British version of Manolo/Choo, so be prepared for the prices...



I'm torn between the glossy rose and the leopard "Paris" pump.



Nothing but amore for the gray Gina "Amara"...



Here's hoping that you put your best foot forward this weekend!

crhee: structured minimalism

I'm very excited that Christine Rhee has stopped by tys today to talk about her new seventeen-piece Fall'08 collection. Her label, CRHEE, has just been selected to show within Gen Art's "emerging designer" collective, and consists of innovative, architecture-influenced jackets, shirts, tanks, pants, skirts, dresses, and even jumpsuits. A Princeton Architect undergrad-turned-fashion designer, Christine studied fashion under Mary Ping before branching out to launch her own label last year.


Christine Rhee of CRHEE

mj: what are your favorite architectural motifs and how do you see these showing up in your line?

christine: I don't really have a favorite visual architectural detail. My favorite thing about architecture is that in terms of design, your intentions are extremely important. While you are designing, everything that you put in or leave out really affects the user (from how wide the door is, to wear the bathroom is etc.). Also, visual tools that you use to create your design also hugely affects the tone of the environment and how someone feels inside of it. I try to apply the same intentions into my clothes. I try to remember that everything that I add or leave out will affect how someone feels when they're wearing my clothes or how other people perceive them while they're wearing them. I like to think that I'm setting the tone for someone's personal or emotional environment. I try to make clothes that will make the wearer feel strong, intelligent, complex, and sexy in a modern, unconventional way.


CRHEE Pris Pant

mj: how do you plan to move forward after this collection in terms of your designs?

christine: There are a few things that I have in mind that I would like to try that I've never tried before. For example, I haven't really done evening wear. I started the line thinking that all the clothes would inhabit this middle ground of always being dressier than casual but being more casual for a dressy occasion. I do want to grow as a designer so for me I sometimes think the best things to tackle are things that go against my initial reactions, to break my own rules while still following them. I'm constantly fascinated by contradiction so we'll see what's next. I always say I'm going to do one thing and it always ends up being a surprise to me in the end.


CRHEE Huntress Dress

mj: If you could envision every woman owning one of your pieces, which would it be?

christine: Honestly, I can't really envision every woman owning one of my pieces. How great would that be, though! I think every piece in the collection brings out a different quality in someone. People tend to like the black "slowdive" dress. It's a really flattering piece that I feel like is probably the most successful in terms of how I try to make people feel when they wear my clothes. Also, it's practical because with the placement and width of the elastic bands you can wear a strapless bra with it. Every person that I've seen try it on looks great in it and they tend to dazzle themselves a bit in the dress.


CRHEE "Slowdive" dress

Thanks so much Christine for stopping by! The majority of the CRHEE's pieces fall into the $300 to $600 retail range, available this September at crhee.com.

star crossed

In this age of the internet/iphone/blackberry, there's something wonderful about the feel of a nice pen in your hand.



I'm a fan of this pretty Starlight pen by Cross with an inlaid rhodium-plated star pattern that creates a glimmering jewel-like effect against the pearlescent pink body. Ten percent of the retail sales are being donated to the work of Susan G. Komen for the Cure. A model of precision Cross engineering, this limited edition pen (available while supplies last) promises a lifetime of heavenly writing!

The pink Starlight Breast Cancer Awareness pen by Cross is available at Cross stores, select retailers, and at cross.com. It would make a great gift for a girlfriend, or just for some end-of-summer journaling...

maide love

Spats from Maide.

I'm always amazed by the talented and creative people who stop by trust your style. And yes, I usually check to see who you are when you comment--after all, you went to the trouble to say something, which always makes my day. I gasped with delight when I clicked on the link for Maide, who just commented on one of my fashion posts.



Can you believe these wonderful spats she makes?



And what about this lace cuff? (It's meant to be worn on just one wrist.)



And look at this goth brooch!



To me, her work looks straight out of the pages of Vogue! And it's all for sale here. Not all of the site is in English, and since I don't speak German, I'm sure I'm missing a great deal. From what I can garner, her beautiful creations are made from antique laces, notions, and wedding dressings.



While these designs are definitely in the "handmade" category, perhaps with a nod to "crafty", they are most definitely couture--and I can't help but think that they seem like something you might find stashed in Karl Lagerfeld's closet.



How cool is this pair? Love!

summer fun

Sometimes everything you need is right in your own backyard. Lately I've been having friends over for dinner or drinks every night of the week. The weather here has been amazing, cooling off in the evenings to the perfect temperature and although I'm guilty of eating most meals out, it's great to have people over--it makes things feel like home.



This recipe is so easy that I managed to toss it together (finally using those organic green beans from the farmer's market) even after an afternoon of margaritas at the beach. Click here for the recipe. It's from Sunset Magazine and I'm a fan of their fail-proof recipes.

Hoping you're enjoying summer as much as I am!

p.s. (Before I forget--a special thanks to Coutorture for including tys in the Must Reads on Friday!)

more confessions of a beauty product addict

I would feel remiss to leave you for an entire weekend without mentioning some more great beauty products that I'm now addicted to. Is it obvious yet that I'm a beauty product-junkie? I'm sure that winding up as a beauty editor is not as much of a chance happening as I always tell myself it is. Anyway, who needs self-therapy when there's soap to talk about--and lately I've been very into soap.


Believe it or not, I really do try out everything I rave about.

LUSH is making the most unbelievable yummy Porridge soap these days--it's slightly sweet with a faintly maple scent (surprisingly this smells really nice in the shower) and it also has a nice soft texture--just perfect for summer days moving into fall.



I'm also loving LUSH's limited edition White Wedding bath bomb. I feel a little guilty because I was going to give it to someone I know who's getting married, but it was so pretty and I couldn't resist the idea of some of my favorite scents: jasmine, ylang ylang, bergamot and rose. I mean shouldn't we all get to enjoy a bath bomb filled with confetti whether we're getting married or not?




I always love Aubrey Organics' great products, and lately I've been using their luxurious creme de la shave that comes in luscious scents like Orange Cream, Toasted Almond, and Raspberry Honey (my favorite).


Finally, my latest and greatest discovery is the Soypure product line. I'm in love with all of their products, but for now I'm just going to mention the Express Daily Maintenance Soap Trio that detoxifies, exfoliates, and moisturizes. I was sort of dubious when I laid the 3 bars out on a plate, but the soaps are different in color and texture, making it simple to use.

The Detoxifying soap is made with Hawaiian volcano mud salt and organic soy. The hot weather has really been drying my skin out, so the Daily Exfoliating soap followed by the Daily Moisturizing soap that contains organic soy flour and natural shea butter and cocoa seed butter are a wonderful remedy.

Hoping you'll indulge in a sweet beauty treat this weekend--calorie free and good for romance(!)