Something That Really Matters

Even if you can't be there in person you can go to www.stjude.org/designcares and find out how you can participate. Please do it for the kids.

"Every situation properly perceived, becomes an opportunity to heal."---A Course In Miracles

Lovin Life, Truth Is

An Over-Abundance Of Alligator Skins

The Cut's, Amy Odell is reporting that Louisiana is being overrun with Alligators since no one wants to make handbags with them anymore. Let's journey to Louisiana to see how the recession has affected a small, oft-overlooked sector of the luxury industry: alligator farms. Gerald Savoie Jr. has over 60,000 alligators on his farm, but no one to sell them to. “This is the worst I’ve ever seen,” Savoie told Houma Today. “It’s never been this bad. Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Versace, they’re not buying. And if they’re not buying, we’re not selling.” The alligator business is a $60 million industry in Louisiana. Luxist reports that Vermilion Gator Farms Inc. generally sells 75,000 hides a year, but it hasn't sold a single skin in a year and expects to not sell a skin for a year on top of that. Alligators: the recession's cats.

Alligator skins are used for things like bags, belts, and shoes. But things made of alligator are expensive, so no one's buying them anymore. So PETA should be happy right? Wrong. Their hides are already on the market collecting dust. Last month 840,000 tanned hides were on the market in the U.S., waiting to be sold to tanners. Normally there are just 275,000 on the market. But if these farms won't make any sales for another whole year, now would be a great time for PETA to stage a great rescue mission and start a Clarissa Explains It All–inspired campaign to get the nation to take them in as pets.

Things that make you go hhmmm!

"Man is free at the moment his wishes to be."---Voltaire

Lovin Life, Truth Is

PARIS - FALL 2009 READY TO WEAR

The Fashion Shows in Paris offer a breath of fresh air. There is no way to even compare them to what happened here. They were on their game and they brought their "A" game. Go and take a look at them at Style.com. Often, I say, you can tell who's truly in this game because their current collection is always better than the previous one. Always well thought out right down to the colors and seating in the show area. It's in Paris for goodness sake! We really didn't expect anything outside of excellence.

Andrew Gn / Fall 2009

Versace is the King of Fashion, period. I have my favs like KL, but a Versace Show is just the Creme de la Creme. Any time I can learn from a show, not just the particular textiles, accessories, and colors but the different little nuances that go into a show and the pieces, I'm in heaven!

Versace / Fall 2009

Costume National / Fall 2009

Christian Lacroix / Fall 2009

This dress is exquisite!

Akris / Fall 2009

"If you are never scared, embarrassed or hurt, it means you never take chances."---Julia Soul

Lovin Life, Truth Is

Donatella Versace--- Fall 2009

Milan, March 2, 2009. Donatella Versace's Collection for Fall 2009 took my breath away. It was classy, sexy, colorful, detailed, and inspiring. And definitely not a moment too soon. Her color play was just masterful. Her use of accessories was minimal, but where they were used they were beautiful and bold but not overpowering. Here's a sampling of the collection:

Versace Fall 2009

Donatella Versace

"Silent gratitude isn't much use to anyone."---G.B.Stern

Lovin Life, Truth Is

Cool Beach

THE house of Versace is pioneering a cooling system - so that guests to its esteemed Palazzo Versace hotel in Dubai might be able to walk across the beach attached to it without burning their feet.

According to the Sunday Times, the world's first "refrigerated beach" will comprise a network of pipes beneath the surface of the sand that contain a coolant to absorb the sun's heat. The hotel's swimming pool will also be refrigerated and there are proposals to install giant blowers to waft a breeze over the beach in a bid to attract guests in the already-saturated market, which attracts the most exclusive of guests looking for the ultimate in luxury.

"We will suck the heat out of the sand to keep it cool enough for to lie on," confirms Soheil Abedian, founder and president of Palazzo Versace. "This is the kind of luxury that top people want."

Hyder Consulting - a British construction consultancy - is overseeing the engineering on the project for what will be the second Palazzo Versace in the world (the first is already operating on Australia's Gold Coast), due to open in 2010.

Okay, Seriously?

Thanks Liesa Baenett

"Gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder."G.K. Chesterton

Lovin Life, Truth Is

On The Campaign Trail: Versace

This is a glimpse from the Fall 2008 Ad Campaign for Versace. The campaign features models Isabeli Fontana {pictured left} and Natalia Vodianova with images taken by Mario Testino.

Versace's latest ad campaign shots utilized a quiet lesbian relationship between Natalia and Isabeli for the theme. The pictures explore the dynamics of the average hetero/homosexual relationship. From moments where one party needs their "space" to the moments that breed nights of passion. Testino's pics start appearing in various fashion publications this month.

**Images courtesy of Versace

There's A Countdown For Men Too

I was brutally yelled at by a dear friend and avid reader of the blog that I must not forget to mention the various Menswear Fashion Week. As we all know some of the best ideas in women's fashion are inspired by the ensembles that men don on a daily basis. So guys, enjoy your fashion week{s}

Men's Fashion Week

Milan

Saturday June 21st 2008

12:00p COSTUME NATIONAL HOMME
2:30p JIL SANDER
3:30p MISSONI
4:15p BURBERRY PRORSUM
6:30p VERSACE
7:30p EVISU

Sunday June 22nd 2008

9:00a BOTTEGA VENETA
11:00a GIANFRANCO FERRE
12:00p ROBERTO CAVALLI
1:00p SALVATORE FERRAGAMO
2:00p VIVIENNE WESTWOOD
2:45p ANTONIO MARRAS
3:30p EMPORIO ARMANI
4:15p ALEXANDER MCQUEEN
7:00p PRADA

Monday June 23rd 2008

12.00 GUCCI
3:30p MOSCHINO
5:30p ALESSANDRO DELL’ACQUA

Tuesday June 24th 2008

9:00a MARNI
10:00a ICEBERG
11:00a DSQUARED2
12:00p FENDI
12:45p ETRO
1:45p CALVIN KLEIN COLLECTION
3:30p GIORGIO ARMANI
5:30p ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA
6:30p BELSTAFF

Paris

Thursday June 26th 2008

2:30p LOUIS VUITTON
5:00p JEAN PAUL GAULTIER
6:00p YOHJI YAMAMOTO
8:00p DRIES VAN NOTEN

Friday June 27th 2008

10:00a JUNYA WATANABE
12:00p THIERRY MUGLER
1:00p KRIS VAN ASSCHE
15.00 KENZO
4:00p COMME DES GARCONS HOMME
6:00p GIVENCHY
8:30p JOHN GALLIANO

Saturday June 28th 2008

2:00p ANN DEMEULEMEESTER
6:00p EMANUEL UNGARO
8:00p HERMÈS
9:00p RAF SIMONS

Sunday June 29th 2008

11:00a LANVIN
2:00p DIOR HOMME
5:00p PAUL SMITH
7:00p AGNÈS B.

**Images courtesy of Men's Style.com