Spark Your Style: The Bold Legacy of Missoni and How to Ignite Your Wardrobe with Fiammata Flair
“ If you wear things you adore, you just look better.” Margherita Missoni In the mid 1960’s knitwear suddenly became interesting. Solid hues were replaced with brillant colors that zigged and zagged in wild patterns, teasing the eye like the Op Art of the same decade. What happened? MISSONI! The eponymous line created by Ottavio […]
Plaid Perfect: The Timeless Journey from Tradition to Street Style
“Nowhere beats the heart so kindly as beneath the tartan plaid”. William Edmondstouse Aytoun Scotland brings to mind bagpipes, a distinctive brogue, fierce warriors and, of course, plaid kilts. The word plaid (from old Gaelic “plaide”) originally described a large blanket worn over the shoulders for warmth; tartan more accurately referred to the colors and […]
Royal Threads: Velvet’s Enduring Allure
“All any girl needs, at any time in history, is simple velvet and basic diamonds”. Eva Gabor For those seeking an alternative to sequins as a dressy option for festivities and celebrations, velvet is an elegant option. Just as the allure of sequins traces back to Royalty and great wealth, so too does the […]
Dressing to Dazzle: Sequins for the Holidays and Everyday
“Razzle dazzle ‘em and you’ve got romance ……Razzle dazzle them and they’ll make you a star”. Lyrics from the movie Chicago It’s true that celebrity stars do indeed Razzle dazzle us with their sparkling, shining and shimmering sequins. Nor is it a new phenomenon. Archeological evidence points to gold discs sewn onto clothing as far […]
Why Department Stores Still Matter
“There’s different shopping in Paris than there is at a bazaar in Istanbul, but they’re all wonderful”. Iris Apfel SHOPPING. It seems to be in our DNA; an instinctive activity. We shop for necessities, gifts for holidays and special events, social interaction, to experience new materials in architecture, fabrics, home goods and technology and to […]
The Art of Transformation: Experiencing Geisha Makeup and Tradition
“The love of beauty is taste. The creation of beauty is art” Ralph Waldo Emerson We all understand the admonition to walk a mile in another’s shoes before forming an opinion or making a judgement. I recently had the opportunity to walk in the tabi socks and zori sandals of a Japanese geisha. Geishas are […]
Wrapped in Tradition: The Timeless Elegance of the Kimono
“Wearing a kimono is like stepping into another world. It embodies grace, elegance and a deep sense of tradition.” Unknown Japanese clothing is world famous for both its cutting edge fashion design and the iconic kimono, which represents its ancient cultural traditions. I am interested in both, but the kimono is of particular interest. I […]
An Evening with a Geisha: Stories, Tradition, and Unforgettable Moments
“Japan never considers time together wasted. Rather, it is time invested” Donald Richie The word geisha literally means artistic person and geishas are highly trained and skilled in the traditional Japanese arts of music, singing, dance, conversation and games. It is a profession revered in Japan as geisha are the preservers and ambassadors of a […]
A Day in the Life of a Modern Geisha: Tradition Meets the Present
“The first rule that a geisha is taught… Is to be charming to other women. Every girl in the world should have geisha training”. Diana Vreeland I travel because I want to experience and immerse myself in other cultures — its language, dress, customs, art forms and unique national quirks. I seek out natives to ask […]
Gucci Cosmos: A Celebration of Design and Heritage at the Kyocera Museum of Art, Kyoto, Japan
“Gucci has always represented great design and contemporary lifestyle.” Marco Bizzari While in Kyoto, I had the chance to visit the “Gucci Cosmos” Exhibit, which opened on October 1st at the Kyocera Museum of Art. This traveling exhibition marks the 60th anniversary of Gucci’s first flagship store, which opened in Ginza, Tokyo, in 1964. However, […]