Back to the Basics

Been very busy.  This time of year is bananas and right about now I am ready to jump on a plane and head to Texas to visit family and friends and eat my dad’s tamales.  It’s cold and rainy here in Los Angeles and I’m loving every minute of it, mostly because I get to stay indoors and get caught up on things that I’ve been neglecting the past couple of weeks, but geez I’m ready for a little vacation.  I went rummaging through some of my inspiration books today and got really excited when I found these pictures of a hairdresser’s shop in rural Goa.  It’s so incredibly authentic with woodwork inset with mirrors and paintings and framed prints of the owner’s favorite gods. It’s not precious in a stuffy, uncomfortable way, but rather in a sweet and endearing way.  You can feel the love in the place just by looking at the objects, especially the old photograph of the owner’s grandfather cutting hair.  As stated on the first page: Prints of Indian gods jostle with European landscapes, a naive frieze and vintage travel posters in this 19th-century hairdresser’s in rural Goa. Collected by three generations of village barbers, the assortment of objects bears witness to the region’s rich diversity of cultural influences.”

Taken from an issue of World of Interiors

Los Abrazos Rotos

I am a huge Pedro Almodóvar fan and I have been anxiously waiting for his new film, Broken Embraces, to be released.  One of the reasons why I respect his work so much is because of his ability to bring forth strong female characters, usually played by his muse, Penélope Cruz.   It’s hard to find good films these days that portray women as the incredible, intuitive, and passionate humans that they are, and Almodóvar does so beautifully.  I can’t help but get the feeling that he is a perfectionist, and I really appreciate that.  He has a way of capturing the essence of all of the characters in his films through underlying messages, mood, color, and overall aesthetics.  I found these amazing shots on the Broken Embraces website and it got me all wound up about the movie, so I thought I’d post the trailer as well.  I’ll end this with a quote from the one and only Almodóvar, speaking of the film: “This is also something new for me. I do feel that this film is a true declaration of love for cinema. I could almost say that cinema perfects all the irregularities, or the imperfections, of life.”

So Long, Farewell

Purple Magazine used to be the jam back in the day.  I was going through my old issues from 2003 and I flipped out when I saw all of the content and realized what a huge difference there is between Purple now and Purple then.  I’ll be posting some of the photography and editorials soon but what I wanted to share first were these ads.  Let’s face it: ads were way cooler back then.  It wasn’t so much about selling a product, but more of selling a brand or an identity through art.  Funny thing is, this was only 6 years ago, but it seems like a lifetime has gone by when I look at these.  Things were different.  Fashion was different.  The internet wasn’t the biggest deal in the world.  I still appreciate what Purple is and I can’t say I don’t love some of the things that it delivers, but I don’t love her like I used to.  It once embodied what I believe in most which is people living unconventional lives and putting out unconventional art, either literally or through journalism or through the way they dress.  I’m feeling pretty nostalgic right now.

By far my favorite series of ads by Comme des Garçons

How amazing is this Isabel Marant ad?  Check out the hooka!

I like the installation in this Zucca ad.

Vanessa Bruno still puts out some great ads and explores new mediums to showcase her collections.  I like the element of storytelling in this one.

The black & white Miu Miu ads are still my favorite.

Story Time

My bookshelves are overflowing, but that doesn’t stop me from wanting to hoard more.  The newest titles to make it to my wish list: Henry Darger by Klaus Biesenbach; Maison Martin Margiela published by Rizzoli; The Marchesa Casati – Portraits of a Muse written by the directors of The Casati Archives; The Velvet Underground – New York Art from Rizzoli; Self-Portrait in a Velvet Dress, Frida’s Wardrobe published by Chronicle Books; and Prada, conceived and edited by Miuccia Prada and Patrizio Bertelli.  Henry Darger is one of my favorite artists.  I’ve written about him here and am always interested in finding out more about his life and his artwork.  I recommend watching the documentary In the Realms of the Unreal – it sheds some light on his fascinating, although somewhat sad background.  Both the Margiela and Prada books rank high on my list due to the fact that I have a deep appreciation for the aesthetics of both designers and their ability to always design what they want and not cater to the masses, yet somehow manage to drive every fashion follower into a frenzy with their smart and highly conceptual clothing and accessories.  Marchesa Casati wasn’t your everyday heiress. Although she did serve as muse to many including Cecil Beaton and Jack Kerouac, she was very creative and held lavish parties, always dressing in elaborate, statement making attire.  She was also the hostess of the Ballets Russes and her influence can still be felt and seen today, most specifically in John Galliano’s creations and in the evening wear line, Marchesa.  Alice Ritter turned me onto the Frida Kahlo book (thanks, Alice!) and being that I regard her as one of the most prominent, feminist artists with amazing style to have ever lived, I am so interested to find out more about her wardrobe.  And I actually kind of wish I had a unibrow – something about hers was so sexy.  Lastly, The Velvet Underground – clearly one of the greatest bands of all time.  They are so fascinating to me and I can’t wait to devour that book.

State of Being

Anthropologie has just introduced a new website, The Anthropologist, that is centered around inspiration and those who create it.  Three artists are currently featured, each of them sharing projects that they are passionate about and that have a very personal meaning.  Photographer David Eustace embarks on a cross-country journey with his daughter; filmmaker Jane Campion presents behind the scenes images taken from her new film, Bright Star; and filmmaker and photographer, Andrew Zuckerman, shares his Wisdom project that is one of the most heartfelt and honest short films I’ve seen, “inspired by the idea that one of the greatest gifts one generation can pass to another is the wisdom it has gained from experience.” Comprised of an influential and creative group of artists, politicians, activists and more, Wisdom truly is inspiring to watch.  View the trailer below, and a different version dealing with love on The Anthropologist here.

Degrees of Separation

Ami Sioux, a photographer based in Paris, just released her second book in a series appropriately titled, °Books.  This release, Paris 48°49N2°29E, follows the pages of Reykjavik 64°08N21°54W and is the ultimate city explorer guide.  Fifty residents of Paris, some known to Ami and some unknown, were asked to hand-draw a map of their favorite, most personal and significant spots in the city. She then followed each map and took a photograph of each location as shown below, creating a sort of voyeuristic sensibility. I love this concept for different reasons, mainly because I enjoy exploring what is unknown to me.  But I also love it because it reminds me of having a pen pal that you haven’t met yet, but you somehow know them on a very personal level just by exchanging words on paper.  This whole project is crazily romantic.  Looking at the maps, they remind me of one of my favorite books, Stairway Walks in Los Angeles. It’s an out-of-print book that my husband discovered and it’s the ultimate explorer’s guide to Los Angeles.  Filled with maps that take you on beautiful stairway journeys throughout various neighborhoods in LA, this gem is a must for anyone who likes taking long walks and big hikes.  All of the stairways are public – “an urban legacy devoted to pedestrianism.”  The views alone are breathtaking, but the architecture and nature really make me appreciate a city that can be so vast and overwhelming.