New Lady Gaga – Bad Romance

Oh, Lady Gaga …

Recently, I’ve been appreciating Gaga’s latest music video. The visuals, scenes, camera angles, lighting, and choreography is pretty impressive…

I know … watch it again

Prospects of Social Media and Fashion

We are living in exciting times eh? Yes, we are!

Before I go discuss further some of you may still not fully understand ‘social media‘. I like to think it as media that is socially disseminated online. The web and Internet supports and continues to accelerate this type of communication and human interaction. It allows individuals to form communities. Again, due to the web there are no clear definitions for community.  You might be wondering – I know I have –  what constitutes a community. Schools? Towns? Companies? Forums? MySpace groups? Facebook fan pages? Tech sites? Fashion sites? Do they need to be off-line or on-line? I would say that all that I’ve listed rightfully can be deemed a community. More and more things are becoming if it already hasn’t, a blur. I tell you, technology. Crazy.

At the same time it’s wonderful. It’s paved the way and brought us 2009 Fashion Week shows right into our own homes.

Alexander McQueen did it

Vivienne Tam did it

Burberry Prorsum did it too!

At this point, fashion bloggers and enthusiasts around the world can all become fashion market editors. Next season, we can watch shows during dinner right in the comfort of our own home with friends! Don’t get me wrong, I would still attend shows over watching them with friends It used to be SO exclusive and you would starve to attend the shows, NOW, times are changing and things are definitely becoming more open. All industries are clearly modifying their business models and PR/marketing strategies. For the fashion industry, however, I’m excited to see how we will embrace these changing times.

Any thoughts?

Create Your Own Content With StyleCaster

Currently, more and more people, individuals are taking control of what they read and how information is portrayed to others. In that, individuals collaboratively produce content that goes online … companies who recognize the importance of two-way communication; jointly producing information with their customers are more likely to grow in our coming times … one example: Stylecaster

Any thoughts? What do you think?

Update: Annie Leibovitz

Annie Leibovitz, 59, one of the MOST successful photographers ever, has a book “At Work” that made the best-sellers list, collects a seven-figure salary from clients like Louis Vuitton, and Vanity Fair, has been touring the world for over two years! Can you imagine a job, a lifestyle that allows you to take photographs and document amazing people in the industry, “GAH, take me with you!” …

She took this photo of John Lennon and Yoko Ono in 1980, it was the Rolling Stone cover. This image is significant and I’m sure incredibly memorable for Annie, that evening after this photo shoot John Lennon was shot and killed on his way back to Dakota…

But, it seems recently she is facing financial troubles…

“Ms. Leibovitz is facing extraordinary financial troubles, with the possibility of losing her Civil War-era town houses in Greenwich Village, a home in upstate New York and the rights to decades of her work, many have formulated the same questions: How is this possible? How could an artist of her standing be in such financial straits? If Annie Leibovitz can’t make it in New York, who can?

On July 29, Ms. Leibovitz was sued in State Supreme Court for nonpayment by a company that had lent her $24 million, and which demanded access to her homes so it could begin the process of selling them to satisfy her debt. Ms. Leibovitz had taken out the loan last year, pledging as collateral properties in Greenwich Village and in Rhinebeck, N.Y., her negatives and the rights to her photographs. The lender, Art Capital Group, claims Ms. Leibovitz is behind on hundreds of thousands of dollars in unpaid fees associated with the loans.”

Read the article from NYT here …

A peep of the artist’s portfolio…

Do you have a favorite?

East Bay Style Collective: Fashion Food Wine

 

I attended the East Bay Style Collective Event tonight, featuring Berkeley designers and smaller business boutiques. After some mingling and talking with some people, the cause for the event is to help families by donating prom dresses to those who need the help and support. This is sweet. 

It was an interesting/entertaining evening in the Gourmet Ghetto. From 6:00 – 8:00 PM attendees enjoyed food and wine tasting ($4 per taste) then the fashion show began at 8:00 – 9:00 PM ($10 per seat). 

Images from the event …

North Shattuck Avenue and Vine Street, Berkeley

 

 

A perk about fashion events are samples, freebies and little gadgets sponsors, contributing partners and designers donate to event attendees. It just so happens that included in my goodie bag was a slip for a ”free” pouch from M Lowe & Co. a jewelry business. My pouch had this cute necklace! A piece of information: they’re located on 1519 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley.  

 

Bye

 

Million Mansion: Take Me Here

“The interior decor of Sam Nazarian’s $18.9 million mansion high above the Sunset Strip might be described as nightlife moderne.”

“The Persian Conquest 

THREE DECADES AGO, IN THE WAKE OF THE ISLAMIC REVOLUTION, ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOODS OF TEHRAN’S MONEYED JEWISH COMMUNITY FLED TO LOS ANGELES. NOW, HAVING AMASSED AMERICAN-STYLE FORTUNES AND POLITICAL CLOUT, THE PERSIANS OF BEVERLY HILLS ARE LIVING THE ULTIMATE CALIFORNIA DREAM.”  You can read the rest here …“ 

I would love to be here RIGHT NOW! Wouldn’t you?

NYTimes Style Magazine: Diane Kruger + Quentin Tarantino

 

“Jean-Baptiste Mondino photographs the actress Diane Kruger auditioning for the director Quentin Tarantino, who will show his latest film “Inglourious Basterds”(Kruger stars along with Brad Pitt in this gruesome war picture) at the 71st festival. )”

I really like this photograph, the lighting and the compulsory attraction of her pose is quite attractive. no? 

Here’s a peek at her close up interview. She reveals her start in the industry, oh, she sings a little in GERMAN. She comes off genuine. 

I am looking forward to this movie, if you don’t know, Quentin movies usually delight.

Happy Mother’s Day 09′

{images from here …}

 

Happy Mother’s Day everyone! According to an article I read…

What I Don’t Want for Mother’s Day: 

 Wishlist.com did a survey they called “Moms, What do you REALLY want?”

• family gathering (23 percent) 
• dinner out (13 percent)
• jewelry (12 percent)
• flowers (12 percent) 
• extra sleep (12 percent) 

The above image of the baby is adorable .. for those away from their family I empathize with you  

Enjoy today though!

 

 

 

“Strange Buildings Of The World”

These buildings are interesting, peculiar, and well just look — their inspirational too… 

The architecture and designs of these buildings are so creative, I wouldn’t consider them all to be modern yet, these all have a theme. 

 

The Crooked House in Sopot, Poland 

 

Forest Spiral – Hundertwasser Building in Darmstadt Germany

The Torre Galatea Figueres in Spain

Ferninand Cheval Palace also know as the Ideal Palace in France

The Basket Building in Ohio (US) — this is classic

Kansas City Public Library in Missouri (US)

Wonderworks in Orlando, Florida (US)

Habitat 67 in Montreal, Canada 

Cubic Houses in Rotterdam, Netherlands

Hang Nga Guesthou se, also known as the Crazy House in Vietnam

The Ufo House in Sanjhih Taiwan

Nakagin Capsule Tower in Tokyo, Japan 

Erwin Wurm also called House Attack in Viena Austria

Wooden Gagster House in Archangelsk, Russia – this is my favorite

Ripley’s Building in Ontario Canada

What do you guys think?

Spring Break 2009 Euro Trip: Part II

A continuation from my first Europe Trip post … 

There was just tooooo many pictures to share … so I’ve just made collages

 

Spain Madrid 

 

Italy, Rome

 

France, Paris

France, Paris cont … 

———————————————————

Spring Break 2009
Dublin
Madrid
Rome
Paris

Amazing food
Biking in Paris
Hole-in-the-wall restaurants
Clapping and cheering when the plane lands
Vintage shopping
5€ skirt
Wireless freedom for a week
Cute Irish student
Blakely
Breathtaking views
Free ‘p’ Star
Getting lost in alleys
Not getting work done
Babies crying on the plane
Raining in Paris
French girl at a bookstore
Buying bananas to eat for breakfast
Louvre
Museé d’Orsay
Old Japanese couple
Horrible candid shots
Great hotels
Cheap and sketchy hotels
Aerial view of Rome
Foreign children’s books
Silly baby girl toungue out
Frantically looking for a jacket
El Rastro
Urban trendy store for cards
Surprise jazz band at dinner
Pitchers of Sangria
Hong Kong food upon arrival in Rome
Thai food for the last night in Spain
Italian food in Paris
Seriously (for the above three)
Roman Pub Crawl
Broady
Becky ridiculously hammered
Ladies night!!
A lot of metro
Walking in the same shoes
Muscles
Le Petit Nicolas Exhibition
Biking in the rain
Lost in the Louvre
3€90 jacket
Moulin Rouge
Code-switching after each country
Merci Gracias Thank You Grazie
Trinity College
Berkeley Library
The golden orb
Joo’s cute = nice
Churros with hot chocolate
Mastering the French Metro
Making all our flights
Last night in Europe (Dublin)
Going into Dublin without a Visa
Becky’s fast on Chinese
Scarves
Lots of beautiful people
Losing things
Finding euro cents
Video footages
Lisa from Peru and her Italian boyfriend
Nice guy from Brooklyn
Tak from the Pub
Nicholas!!!! from Argentina
Denmark guy
Girl kisses Linda and Becky
Meeting people who know Gianni
Stealing drinks at a club
Hotel room photoshoot
Crepes in Montmarte
Sheepish smiles
Spending the night in Madrid airport
Cultural barriers
Miscommunications
Cultural breakthroughs
Siesta in Madrid Park
Trying out new things
Embarrassing stories
Bonding moments
Funny expressions
Maps
Battered luggage
Movies on the plane
Three meals on the plane
Bread
Donations to Unicef
Making it home safely

Anyone and everyone who has been to Europe with friends can understand this list!