F*ive W's: Public School

What: Public School

Who: Dao-Yi Chow and Maxwell Osborne are both veterans of the fashion industry. Dao-Yi Chow is currently the co-owner of Arrive, one of Miami’s hot retail spots which offers fashion seekers a cool mix of European designers and top of the line streetwear and is the former Creative Director of Sean John. Maxwell Osborne, also a former designer at Sean John, is also a design instructor at Parsons School of Design, intermittently. “We are both teachers and students who continue to critique the culture we help create, resulting in a new vision of constructed garments that focus on fabric, fit and energy,” says Chow. “It’s the same energy that’s found at the start of every new movement.”

When: Founded about a year ago, the company will be releasing their first collection for Spring/Summer 2008.

Where: Items are available at Public School NYC website & Stores, Barney's New York, Harvey Nichols and Brooklyn Circus. You can go to their website to see a full list of locations that will carry their line.

Why Their HOT: Public School’s logo is a black apple with a feather quill, which pays homage to the Big Apple’s {New York} edgier side and an underlying quest for knowledge. Public School is a intricate mix of interweaving different styles and trends, such as a premium lambskin trench coat that can be unzipped into a cropped biker jacket. Or a fine wool cardigan layered with leather and metallic studs. Every item was on the Fall/ Winter 2008 theme of overachievers, arrogance and urban {particularly NYC} street smarts.

How: Prices will range from $72 for a T-shirt to $680 for leather outerwear. Wovens, jeans, and French terry knits will range from $125- $230. With the use of Italian vegetable dyed lamb leather, specially bonded cotton/nylon blends and Japanese 2x1 cotton twill, it's no wonder that their items provide luxury with simplicity and minimalism.

**Items from the Spring/Summer 2008 line, now available in stores

Letter From The Editor

Have you seen April's issue of Vogue? How about Anna Wintour's letter?

**Image courtesy of Vogue.com

In the April issue of Vogue {as seen above}, Wintour releases a letter on why she chose Gisele as one of the cover models. She goes on to say that Gisele has stayed, "athletic and curvaceous." {If you were born a size 0, sure}

"I wish I could say the same for the young women who were just on the runways at the New York fall collections. Overall, they were pale and thin, and entirely lacking in the joyfulness and charm that once defined the supermodel. This, of course, is not their fault: Designers now near-uniformly favor a non-vivacious, homogeneous ideal." Wintour, Vogue April 2008

It's amazing that it was around this time last year when Jennifer Hudson appeared on the cover of the March 2007 issue of Vogue {to much of an uproar}. I just never thought that it would take another year before she addressed the increasingly thin models that cascade down the runways each season. We all know that Wintour is genuinely concerned about these girls {seriously, she really is} however, the main reason is because she feels the industry is "out of touch... I would urge designers to consider athleticism and vitality as assets in the wearing of great fashion." Because April's issue is dedicated to the human physique, maybe this letter is a result. Or maybe Mme. Wintour is calling for a shift in the industry. Only August and September will tell. I give my thumbs up to Anna for speaking out anyway {despite what her motives might be}

Top for My Jeans

All I want is a nice top to go with some jeans. I'm not very picky, demanding or even hard to please. Seriously, I'm REALLY NOT hard to please at all. I'm just not going to put on any body's top made anyway! I like my tops pretty, structured, practical, sophisticated.......synonyms like that. So I had to go to my reliable "Ralph Lauren." After looking for a while I picked out this "Emmaline Shirt." It's got the puffed the sleeves that are in this season. I can deal with the color. It's got a button down front. Fairly easy to take care of. What's not to like? I saw this "Equestrian Polo" and everything was right once again in my world! Classic polo shirt---I can accessorize it or not. Regular care, I can deal with this. Then I saw this grey Nanette Lepore "Love Triangle" top. It's silk and you have to get it dry cleaned but it's worth it. It's got little bead embellishment along the side, front. Things just mat be lookin' up. You can find it at Nordstrom's.

"Change your thoughts and you change your world." Norman Vincent Peale

Lovin Life, truthis

Joseph And His Technicolor Dream Bags?

Well not Joseph, but Prada and they happen to feature on of this seasons most sought after trends, patchwork. Prada's "Nappa Tote" has been in high demands since it made it's debut at Milan Fashion week. It's currently sold at Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman and due to it's high demand, you are only able to order three units per item within a 30 day period. {Tell your friends to forget it} I personally like the metallic Nappa tote, but then again, I like bright things.

• Prada Stripped Nappa Tote $2,360 available @ Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman
• Prada Stripped Metallic Nappa Tote $2,135 available @ Neiman Marcus
  

• Gucci Hysteria Handbag $3,150 available @ Bergdorf Goodman

Following in the footsteps of bright color combinations for spring, Gucci's Hysteria handbag is my favorite of the bunch. This would be great for those Saturday afternoon's shopping. Remember to hurry ladies an inside source tells me that they are going fast.

A Good Read

"Coco Chanel-Three Weeks," is a book by Douglas Kirkland due out August 25, 2008. Coco Chanel stripped women of their corsets and feathers, bobbed their hair, put them in bathing suits and sent them out to get tanned in the sun. She introduced the little black dress; trousers for women; costume jewelry; the exquisitely comfortable suit that became her trademark. Early in the Roaring Twenties, Chanel made the first ever couture perfume – No. 5 – presenting it in the famous little square-cut flagon that, inspired by Picasso and Cubism, became the arch symbol of the Art Deco style. No. 5 remains the most popular scent ever created, making Chanel rich beyond belief and providing the foundation of a worldwide empire. In 1962, world-class photographer Douglas Kirkland spent three weeks with the most important fashion icon of all time, Coco Chanel. Over the course of this stay, Kirkland photographed Coco with her friends, on the runway, and in the privacy of her homes. Kirkland reveals these never-before-seen photographs in all their vibrancy, shedding new light on one of the world's most enduring, multi-faceted, and bestselling fashion legends of all time. This title can be pre-ordered at Amazon , Borders, and Barnes & Noble Books. Although the book"Dior" has been out for some time (November 21, 2007), it is one of the most expansive collections on Dior ever seen. Founded in 1947 by Christian Dior. It traces the house back from Christian Dior to Galliano. It is a masterpiece, much like all of his work. This book is one of the largest books I've ever seen; this is a genuine coffee-table book. There is a special edition that comes in at a mere $1,500 however the regular edition is very high-quality by itself. A good overview of the 60-year history of possibly the most renowned haute-couture design house in the world. It's recommended for anyone with a serious interest in the field. Dior is available at Amazon, Borders and fine booksellers at everywhere.

"I never gave away anything without wishing I had kept it; nor kept it without wishing I had given it away." Louise Brooks

Lovin Life, truthis

Uber Jetsetting

If you live in New York and you have been to JFK {the airport folks, not the man} then I am sure you've heard of EOS Airline and Limousine company. They are an uber luxurious company that offers private jet services. Say you would like to take a ten day trip to Europe {unless you want to take your private jet}, it would cost about $36,000 for four people {Steep, right}. But unlike with Northwest, it's actually worth the price increase. You won't have to worry about you neighbor breathing on your with their smelly breath or snoring in your ear for a 16 hour flight. Nor would you have to worry about not having enough cabin space for your carry-on. EOS provides each person with 21 square feet of personal space and a personal flat-bed. {For those 24-hour flights} If you're having trouble getting to JFK for your flight you get complimentary helicopter service or limousine service to take you to the airport or pick you up from the airport. And that's hot.

And Yet, I Digress

**Lame Legging available at AmericanApparel.com for $40

Me, follow trends, NEVER!!! Well maybe in this case I might try to. There has been a movement throughout Hollywood for the past year that involves leggings. Yes, they have made a major comeback and have taken the fashion world hostage. They're everywhere and at first I couldn't see it. Then I went and brought a black pair from Wolford and my life has never been the same. {I know, how horrendous. I think so too} But as of now, we're borderline too risque for me. Lame and Leather leggings have been spotted on everyone from Barbados native Rihanna to Kate Moss. Not to mention they were all over the runways last year. I admit, at times I like my clothes spicy and bold to the touch, but I think I have a little too much in the hip area to pull this one off. For the most part the leggings are super shiny (and hugs even the most unflattering areas). Let's just say all of those, eh-hem, unmentionables and mentionables must be in the proper condition (and contained) before attempting to try this one out. {Guess, I'll be in the gym on the StairMaster and treadmill}

**Kova & T Black Latex Leggings $113 @ ShopInuition.com

Unique Sandals

Origami Anyone? These sandals are from Ein/Tritt shoe concepts. Catherine Meuter is the designer. They definitely take you to the next level in creativity. The EIN/TRITT shoe concepts shows how modern technology can take shoe manufacturing to the next paradigm. Flat shoe patterns with reinforced parts get folded and fixed by the consumer. Production and shipping costs are significantly reduced. From an aesthetic point of view, it has a very geometric and architectural form that’ll definitely grab you some attention. Fold and go? Hhhmmm? Don't you wish everything was this uncomplicated!

"I am only one,But still I am one.I cannot do everything,But still I can do something;And because I cannot do everythingI will not refuse to do the something that I can do." - Edward Everett Hale



Lovin Life, truthis

Another Diamond For Kimora

Well it's not what you think. Kimora Lee Simmons' 18 year old pup Zoe recently departed from her pet palace at the Simmons estate a couple of weeks ago. Since then Kimora has been looking for a way to memorialize her highly favored pup {whom, btw, had a few cameo's on her A&E reality show}. She recently told reporters at People.com that she had been looking into having her dog turned into a diamond.

"There is a company that makes diamonds out of your loved ones." [They] make diamonds from a little of the carbon from the ash, so I might do that. I might turn her into a diamond."

I don't know about the everyone else, but this is the first time that I have heard about something like this. Of course, my curiosity got the best of me and I had to search for who or what actually does this and I found LifeGem. What they do is take the carbon ash (all that you can provide) and put it through several processes that ultimately turn the ash into a diamond. If this is something that interests you, prices start at $2700 for a yellow quarter ct. diamond all the way to $25,000 for various other colors 1.5cts and above. Color spectrum: Colorless, Red, Blue, Green and Yellow. For the average person, this might be a little steep, but for Kimora we all know money doesn't mean a thing.

Tailor Made

Getting your clothes made is a option you might want to consider. Or making them yourself. Before you say it's too expensive, I'm here to tell you that it's not. You have the opportunity to be extremely creative. You can go the pattern route---Vogue, McCall's, and Simplicity are the more popular ones. Pictured here is Vogue 8280, (that's the pattern number)from their Very Easy Vogue Options Line. It's essentially a fitted sheath with short sleeves. It's sophisticated and classy and you can make it in any color you want. Or you can go to a reputable seamstress or tailor. Visit a Fabric store and you will find all kinds of materials. From leather to silk and everything in between. All kind of notions, buttons, clasps and everything else you can imagine. Some fabric stores offer sewing classes. Then there is the net. You can find all kinds of fabulous fabrics stores on line. Like Hancock Fabrics, Jo-Ann Fabrics the list is huge. So the next time you see some particular style and you can't find it or you want it made a particular way, consider making it yourself or having it made.

"It is not the critic who counts, nor the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows great enthusiasms, great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat." - Theodore Roosevelt

Lovin Life, truthis