Yesterday Steve Jobs unveiled a whole bunch of new products for Apple lovers like myself. The biggest changes seem to have been made to the iPods. Jobs introduced some really cool new features for each of the products.
The iPod Touch seems to have been given the biggest changes with you now being able to do video calls through it! They call the new feature FaceTime and when using it you can call other friends that have an iPod Touch and have a video chat using wifi. It can now also do HD video recording which is pretty cool.
But the Nano seems to be the iPod that was given the biggest face-lift. The whole image of the Nano has changed and it is now an ultra-small touch screen. However, other than the change in appearance the Nano has stayed pretty much the same.
The shuffle seems to have been totally shafted in all areas of design and utility. All that seems to have changed is that it is now a little bit smaller, you can have playlists and apparently it now talks to you. Other than the ability to make a playlist the other features are pretty useless, I mean who needs their iPod talking to them?
Generally the changes to the iPods seem to be pretty significant and interesting, though they roll out new product so often I am sure I will be back here in a month sharing the new revolutionary changes that have been made the iPod yet again. If you want to look more into the new iPods go check them out on Apple’s website: http://www.apple.com/ipod/
This weekend I got my inner geek on and headed over to the Toronto Fan Expo. I found the Mad Hatter from Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland, his costume was crazy
Me wearing House of Harlow sunglasses, Alexander McQueen Skull scarf, Purple Cloth Antihistamine Tee (shirt doesn’t come in fringe but I did a little DIY project on it) and Chanel Large Caviar Flap
Here is me with my Gloomy Bear glove
Star Wars lego creations
Graphic tees
Lots of stuffed anime animals for sale
These were some crazy contacts that make your eyes look like dolls eyes (like Lady Gaga’s in the Bad Romance video), they are really popular in Asia.
Old school video games that we all played when we were younger
I always played Princess Peach in Super Mario 2 – and look how dope her arm length gloves are, so in right now!
Everywhere I look recently I see bucket bags, it seems like every designer is featuring them this year in their Fall 2010 collections and I am definitely feeling the trend. Louis Vuitton’s Noe bag is a classic bucket bag that has been around for years (it was actually created in 1932!) and a great option for this season’s trend. LV offers the bag in Epi Ivory, Black, Canvas Monogram, Multicolored Monogram and Damier Azure Canvas.
Left to right: LV Noe in Epi Ivory and Multicolored Canvas
One of my favorite ones though is the Alexander Wang Diego, it has these amazing stud embellishments that add some edge to the design. The bag comes in tons of different colours but my personal favourites are the leather and leopard print (as you can tell from the last post of style faves and this one I have a thing for leopard print right now!). You can find the bag on Alexander Wang’s website (http://shop.alexanderwang.com/shop/#/handbags/?style=2F10216) but right now it is sold out so you might have to wait a while to get your hand on one!
Left to right: Alexander Wang Diego Bucket Bag in Leather and Leopard Print
I’m not the only one that loves Wang’s Diego bag, celebs like Miley Cyrus, Nicky Hilton and Kate Bosworth have been seen sporting the tote.
One of my favourite bucket bags is Balenciaga’s Giant Pompon in Pomegranate.
Last (but certainly not least) Marc Jacobs offers the bucket bag for a great deal ($289 CDN) in his Marc by Marc Jacobs line. The bag comes in black and shock orange, both are cute but I like shock orange better, it is better for those of us that like to stand out a bit more, definitely not a bag for the faint of heart!
This week’s woman in power is the amazing and talented Rachel Zoe!
Rachel Zoe is one of my favorite stylists and has a huge client list with some of the biggest names in Hollywood (Jennifer Garner, Eva Mendes, Demi Moore, Anne Hathaway and Cameron Diaz to name a few). For those of you that don’t already know, I have worked on several occasions as a stylist for music videos, dressing the artists in Purple Cloth. From doing these jobs I know how challenging it is to be a stylist, it is definitely an exercise in compromising between you and the client!
In general Rachel Zoe is best known for four things: big sunglasses, fur, maxi dresses and for bringing back the boho chic style to hollywood (and the rest of the world for that matter).
Rachel Zoe’s most notable boho chic styling was done with Nicole Ritchie. Lets be honest, before Rachel Zoe came along Nicole Richie was a trucker hat wearing, Ed Hardy loving, party girl (remember The Simple Life?). Enter: Rachel Zoe, she took Nicole Richie and transformed her into the boho chic goddess that we all know today.
Rachel Zoe’s boho chic style has spread across Hollywood with the likes of Mischa Barton, Lindsay Lohan, and Nicole Richie leading the way (who have all been styled by Rachel Zoe). Although Zoe and Richie had a very public cat fight and falling out, the bohemian style is still going strong.
Along with her strong relationships in Hollywood, because of her impecable sense of style, Rachel Zoe has gotten tons of respect from the fashion community. Many designers let her have a special preview of their collections before they are shown at fashion week. And whats more, she sometimes even has a control over the design process (something that few stylists could ever dream of having). One of the most notable examples of this is when she got Karl Lagerfeld to alter the design of the sleeve on a Pink Taffeta Chanel Haute Couture Dress that her client Cameron Diaz wore to the 2009 Golden Globes.
Before:
After:
Rachel Zoe is a true entrepreneur and savvy businesswoman. She has now branched out into jewelry, outerwear, tv, and books. Just this year she started selling her line of faux fur, jewelry, and accessories on QVC. She also wrote an amazing book called Style A to Zoe: The Art of Fashion, Beauty, & Everything Glamour that I read and loved. Like the title suggests, it teaches you all about Rachel Zoe’s style philosophy for fashion, beauty, etc.
She has taken her entrepreneurship one step further and also has a reality tv show called The Rachel Zoe Project that follows her everyday life as a stylist. The show features her, her husband Roger, her styling associate Taylor and the new assistant Brad. The show is really fun and interesting, especially if you love fashion as much as I do! There is also some great drama that goes down between Taylor and Brad. I won’t give it away but anyone who hasn’t checked out the show definitely should! It airs Tuesdays on Bravo at 10pm ET
From left to right: Taylor, Roger, Rachel, Brad.
I even got to meet Rachel Zoe in the summer of 2008 at the Webby’s which was pretty exciting. She was of course wearing her classic maxi dress, but she is so petite in person! She is also really nice and humble and, because of this and all the things mentioned above, is the perfect choice for this week’s women in power.
I’m wearing: an H&M tube top, Tory Burch clutch,D&G belt, Hudson shorts, and Louboutin pumps.
I went to the CNE last night for the games and food, and I scored in both departments! I won this huge stuffed panda! The cotton candy made me feel sick halfway – and gave me sticky hands but it was yummy while it lasted!
I’m wearing: YSL Rouge Volupte No. 17 lipstick, YSL No. 10 lip liner, black shoulder pad H&M blazer, Purple Cloth Hustle Dollaz tee in white, vintage skirt, Prada red patent leather flats
Anyone that knows me knows that gluttony is probably one of my biggest vices. I love eating – I wolfed down cotton candy & a lemon lime slushie-bear (pictured below) and also a corn dog, corn on the cob (drenched in butter, salt & pepper of course) and split a cheese burger towards the end of the night. But of all of those things, two dishes were the real winners of the night (pictured below). Pictured above is deep fried butter, yes, you heard me right, DEEP FRIED BUTTER! It was crazy. They took whipped butter mixed with honey, coated it with pancake batter and then deep fried it. It was then topped with chocolate sauce, powdered sugar etc. It was unreal.
I also had chocolate covered bacon (below) which was so good. It was an amazing mix of salty and sweet, if you ever find it you should try it, though I feel that foods like deep fried butter and chocolate covered bacon are specialty items, only offered on very special occasions. They are like the caviar or cristal of the carnival world.
This weekend Fan Expo comes to Toronto! I will be heading over there to check it out. My graphic designer David will also be there showing off his talents as a comic book artist. This year the convention has a bunch of amazing guests attending! Stan Lee (writer, editor, co-creator of Marvel Comics), Gary Frank (artist for select Superman and Batman comics), Adam West (the TV Batman), and Andy Kubert (DC Comics cover artist) to name a few. I am really excited to go, comics have always been a huge part of my artistic inspiration for Purple Cloth. I am inspired by the creativity, fantasy, and world of make believe that comic books create. You can tell by the graphics we use that Japanese anime and comics play a big factor in the design aesthetic of Purple Cloth.
As you can see in the pic below, the Power of the P tee is designed after the old school marvel comic books. Also, graphic shirts like the Cookie Jar tee integrate the cheeky animation from Japanese comics.
Another huge Comic Convention is the San Diego Comic Con, which is the biggest comic convention in the world. It always features huge names in both the comic book and movie industry. Now that so many comic books are being made into movies (Spiderman, Batman etc.), the stars of these blockbusters come to Comic Con to promote their movies. In 2007 Jessica Alba attended the convention to promote The Fantastic Four, while Blake Lively (along with Ryan Reynolds) was there this year to promote the comic-based film Green Lantern.
Tickets are no longer available online, but you can go to the box office to still pick some up! Go to: http://www.fanexpocanada.com/genre/home/view/comicbook to learn more about the convention.
This season leopard print is definitely in! The leopard-print-loving designers Dolce and Gabbana and Roberto Cavalli are a must have for this season’s wardrobe. Integrate a leopard print dress or legging into your closet to make a big statement. But if you aren’t totally convinced, or prepared, to embrace the spots then maybe try a purse or pair of heels, it’s a great way to integrate the trend into your wardrobe.
Form left to right: Dolce and Gabbana and Roberto Cavalli
From left to right: Dolce and Gabbana Leopard Print Denim Shopper, Christian Louboutin Leopard Print Lace Up Bootie (both are available at Neiman Marcus).
Celebs have also been getting into the leopard print trend, wearing it everywhere from shopping in downtown Manhattan to the red carpet.
I even wore these amazing Christian Louboutin Leopard Pony Pump to my birthday party.
You can find leopard print styles for a steal at stores like Urban Outfitters and Aritzia
From left to right: Motel Tammy T Slub Tee at Urban Outfitters, Wilfred Leopard Scarf at Aritzia.
Happy belated birthday to one of my fave Leo’s, Miss. Chanel! Her birthday was yesterday Aug 19 – she would have been 127 yrs old! Thank you for your timeless classic designs and keeping the Chanel quilted flap bag one of the most sought after bags!
Coco Chanel is this week’s woman in power. Chanel was an independent, powerful and influential woman in her own right. So much so that she was named on Time 100: The Most Interesting People of the Century. I could talk about how amazing Chanel is (both the brand and the woman) forever but I will have to limit myself to some interesting notes about her challenged early life.
There is very little that can actually be verified about the life of Chanel because she constantly lied to people, coming up with different elaborate stories for her imagined life. This was because Chanel was born to an extremely poor family. Her father was a market stallholder and her mother was a laundrywoman. The town that she grew up in was poor and small, so much so that there was no one that was literate at the time of her birth Chanel’s last name was recorded as “Chasnel” by the mayor (another reason why it was so difficult for historians to dig up information on her). When Chanel was 12 her mother died and her father left the family resulting in her being sent to the orphanage of the Roman Catholic monastery of Aubazine.
Chanel never married, but she did have countless love affairs. She was a woman in control, breaking the rules for the expected behavior of women at the time. Chanel had love affairs with extremely powerful men. Her passion and drive to rise above conventional behavior for women attracted the attention and affection of rich and powerful men to her. This in turn led to the success of her business because it placed her in a place of position within the elite and exclusive circles that would purchase her clothing.
It is because of her humble beginnings and extraordinary success that I chose Chanel to be this week’s woman in power. Chanel started with next to nothing: no family, no money and no connections. I feel like it is because of this that Chanel is the ideal model for the girl looking to break into the fashion industry. Chanel proves that you don’t have to have the right connections or trust funds to be amazing, successful and fabulous. You just have to have perseverance and confidence in your ideas. The fashion industry can often be daunting (in fact any profession can be at times) but you just have to look to Chanel to see that if you have a passion for something then nothing should stop you from chasing that dream.
This is this great video that I found on TED.com the other night (if you don’t already know about TED.com then go and check it out, they have some amazing speakers and every talk is so interesting and accessible). The speech in this video features Johanna Blakely who discusses the (surprisingly) large benefits that the fashion industry reaps (both economically and creatively) because of the lax copyright and patent laws in place for fashion designers. It sounds complicated but she makes it so easy to understand. Watch the video below to see what I am talking about!