Bliss Lau: Beauty of the Body

Bliss Lau in her creation

Over the weekend, I had a chance to speak with a jewelry designer, Bliss Lau. She makes things of beauty to adorn the body. Her body jewelry - reminiscent of tools of the S&M trade in a very GOOD way - is definitely for the hard-rock, powerful babe who wants to go strong with her style.


Bliss Lau - the back

I particularly love the Hug Tight in cobalt, which can be worn either as a body jewelry or as a more demure necklace. The collection includes necklaces, boleros, bracelets, and footwear adornments.

Style any of these pieces with Report Signature's Downey platform sandal, black leggings and a body-con McQ by Alexander McQueen tunic.

Nice, very nice.

Sartorial Survivalist

It's a hard out here for the sartorial specialist...so you know what we do? We become survivalists! We wade through the muck of out-dated style, over-styled rubbish, and style failures and we come out on the other side triumphant!

Be you in all that you do. No question: life is short. Style hard.

Intimate Rendez-vous

I found this little video clip from JCReport covering a small tradeshow- Rendez-vous ,which is usually held in Paris but recently popped off for the first time in New York. Rendez-vous's, niche is showcasing emerging designers and their collections reinforcing the notion that bigger is not always better at least as it relates to fashion tradeshows. In the clip they shout out labels such as Corpus and Surface 2 Air just to name a couple. Unfortunately the host of this clip is very unorganized and needs help remembering the designers that they like! Which is the dog on purpose for the video!! Anyway here it is. Hope you all do better catching the names then I did.

Tim Dandy

So, I caught wind of designer Tim Hamilton while perusing NotCouture.com. As a menswear designer, Mr. Hamilton has had his collection out and about generating press for two years, and it looks to keep getting better and better. For Fall 2009, the aesthetic is slim, sleek, and pared down. Let's call the overall look sexy-prep.

For more, check timhamilton.com.

I would say this collection is perfect for the daring man willing to don body-conscious apparel on his trim frame and take himself on a jaunt throughout Europe and fashion-forward Asia.

Go ahead, boys, get your dandy on...

* photo from men.style.com

Easily the Dopest Video in 2009! - Kanye West ft. Kid Cudi (Welcome to Heartbreak)

KANYE WEST "Welcome To Heartbreak" Directed by Nabil from nabil elderkin on Vimeo.
This so funny I have to you let you all into my mind real quick. While contemplating on what to write to you people I saw a video interview with Kanye West by Details Magazine(www.details.com)since he is don'n the cover of this month's issue of the men's fashion magazine. As I'm watching this video an overwhelming feeling of indifference came upon me because how nauseating it is to hear one man spend almost the entire interview on a narcisistic rant. Note, talking about himself why people ask why talks in third person he says, because I'm a "walking brand" so on and so forth, notwithstanding the reality of that statement. Yet, it still left me wondering is this all he plans to give his loyalist fanbase on live tv when he isnt performing music. Shallow egotistical rhetoric! Anyway, the caviot of this is that I didnt quite want to be controversial or contrary to my true feelings either about it. Please dont take this as I'm hating dude because I really like Ye he is making history no doubt! That's why instead I wanted to post this video and some commentary on the ingenious quantum-progressive musical work of Mr. West. This song is already and instant favorite of mine. Just sometimes I wish someone could WAKE UP MR. WEST!

Style & Substance

While perusing on www.columbusunderground.com I came upon a story that refreshed my soul and reminded me PROGRESSIVE STYLE IS THE SUBSTANCE OF FASHION!The story was about a new boutique called- Substance, located in the Short North of Columbus,Ohio. Owner/Designer Christina Kitatu is responsible for bringing a new fashion retail concept that focuses on an open creative process by engaging customers in the design process itself. Designers help shoppers create their own pieces that exemplify their own personal style. It's invariably a dynamic and academic approach to connecting with the shopper. Substance offers primarily women's apparel,accessories and shoes. Each collection is designed from recylced overstock and outdated clothing. So not only is the customer experience dynamic but they actually make the customer feel that they are giving back to the enviroment or to a charitable cause. Could this be the beginning of an influx of new progressive fashion we'll just have to see. If you're ever in Columbus,Ohio pivet down to the Short North that your day may be filled with style AND substance. http://www.shopsubstance.com/

Up Your Suit Game - Antonio Azzuolo

Over the past ten years Mr. Azzuolo has been in the lab creating fresh suiting for ultra lux brands like Hermes,Kenzo and has most recently worked as the Creative Director for Ralph Lauren's Purple/Black Labels. His first independent line debuted last year this time and he is going hard again this year. As we all know fall season is always the most coveted and therefore pressure intense season of the year for designers especially. With seemingly effortless craftmenship and satorial flavor he delivers once again with his Fall 09 collection. In this collection he showcases his affinity for the classic design aesthetic but updates the silohettes with modern and novel detailing. This makes me look at my closet with utter shame and disdain..lol!

Lady in Red

In acknowledgement of Lover's Day, I decided to post a fashion photo of a model killin it in the color that can make the average women irrestible.. RED!! She is sophisticated,elegant,bold and unapologetically SEXY! She is rockin sexy red vintage Oliver Goldsmith sunglasses. I think I'm in love!

Fashion F*kery Courtesy of Kinna Leblanc

Fashion Fcukery from JKL on Vimeo.

Shop Sweden's MiniMarket

Welcome to Stockholm, Sweden and here to let the world know Swiss fashion is in the building is MiniMarket! Fresh from checking out posts on emerging designers I stumble upon MiniMarket making their Sweden Fashion Week debut. I decided to post this pic because it was very Charlie
's Angelesque. Mini's novel detailing, impeccable construction and sophisticated silohettes are breathtaking! Too bad they are not yet available in the states. No worries, you will surely see these Swiss mini's in a market near you.

Americana Done Right

Gilded Age is one of my favorite lines! They embody a classic Americana design aesthetic that I definitely identify with. Gilded Age clothing is inspired by America's "gilded age" where in the early 18th century the Northeast experienced the industurial revolution. Due to the proliferation of cotton and textile mills all along the Northeast coast denim production quickly became a widespread and lucrative industry. It's the spirit of that era that influences the creative direction of this label. Each piece is hand crafted from organic artisanal fabrics and natural dyes from their denim to their cardigans. Whoever thought that you could say progressive fashion and blue-collared in the same sentence. So, if in college you sucked at history then you've earned half a credit from reading this. Eh, maybe not but it's still good to know right! For coppin superior Americana flavor go to http://www.shopstyle.com/

Jefferey Campbell Gets Biker-Chic

These booties are crazy biker-chic which seems to be a trend that I'm seeing more and more for Fall 09. These are so ill...it always adds another level of intrigue when you're dating a chick who dresses like she can beat yo a**!! Ha! Buy some of these kick a** booties from Jefferey Campbell at http://www.oaknyc.com/search/jefferey_campbell

King of the Lo Heads- 88 Keys

Big Labels are F*k'd- Wrath Arcane

I couldn't help but to explore the irony behind the Cleveland based design label, Wrath Arcane (which by definition means ; silent anger and forgotten rage) timely and virtually prophetic tagline! Big labels ARE f*k'd , with designer houses such as, Itierre filing bankruptcy, departments stores like Macy's consolidating cutting 7,000 jobs. Wrath Arcane was started by Brigade boutique owner, Brian Oneill and Cleveland designer and friend Sean Bilovecky in 2006 and has quickly grown into an international design label. They block the faces of their models because they believe that quality design of their clothing will compel their customer to buy what they offer, not the models. FIGHT THE POWER!! Lol...my bad..I just had a Public Enemy moment. But this is a revolutionary direction that they are taking with their business model. And not to forget that the gear is dope as hell! Here are some pieces from their Fall 09 collection.. Big Labels you're definitely f*k'd! One! To shop Wrath Arcane visit http://clothingbrigade.com/

Warhol Watches

che guevarra as painted by Andy Warhol

Warhol15 is a collective set up to sing the praises of the iconic artist and pop figure, Andy Warhol. Combining a kitshcy style with a fashion sensability has yielded the group a distinctive set of timepieces sure to be attention-grabbers and conversation-starters.



The group maintains that Andy Warhol's ideas about what was popular in American culture and his passion for creativity are what drives them to pursue this avenue. And naturally, as fashion is subjective - as also attested to by SP - the group chose an interestingly subjective medium to present a timeless instrument with such an iconic approach.

Pop over to 15minutesof.com to get your slice of culture for anywhere from $35-$150; you'll also find some free downloads there to stimulate your inner-artista.

Cudi Gets it in Day & Night

Looks like it's going to be Kanye-day...

Next up is the prolific one's protege, Kid Cudi. The good folks over at FlavourMag.com just finished a nice little interview with the 24-year-old artist, who is currently visiting our brothers-from-another-mother on the other side of the pool (aka London, England).



From the interview, dude seems like he's on some different things. Check out the Youtube of his new video Day 'N Nite. The cut is a mix of R&B and dance with a nice undercurrent of hip-hop.

Based only on the video, my opinion is that the look and the man should fill the vacuum between Gen X'ers and Y'ers in search of a younger, freer, happier Kanyeze.

Fresh Design

I ran across Ibn Jasper's blog (who styles for Kanye West) and fell in love with a pool table he featured.

I know what your thinking, what could be so great about a pool table. This design, created by Craig Nottage during his senior year at design school, is most def a fresh take on the billiards game. With a special blend of glass and resin, Craig was about to develop a table that is both visually enticing and useable!

If you have 40 stacks laying around, you can bring a fresh perspective to your own living room, your family room...or at that price, even your garage. Otherwise, you can get like me and drool over the innovative design.

See more at nottagedesigns.com.