City Life.

 

"When you are elevated from the street, you see the city in a totally different light." 

Marios Schwab was technically referring to the extension of the Highline when he said this, but in my mind it speaks for the entire experience of an outsider's relationship with the city. 

My own relationship with the city mimics the course of what I imagine most serious romantic relationships to entail. It is, without question, my first love. Although my city and I certainly have our fair share of lover’s quarrels and mishaps, I know that in the end, I can trust that it will always be there for me and take care of me. While I don’t actually leave the city, I do (as do most New Yorkers) a lot of moving around- in the last two years I’ve lived in Greenwhich Village, the Upper East Side, and Chelsea- so I’ve come to associate the word “home” with the city in general rather than any specific P.O. box.

However... My view of the city varies between realistic and idealist depending on whether I am actually in the city or elsewhere removed. As I’ve recently made New York my home base once again (after several years of forced separation), I’ve found myself traveling in and out of the city on a more regular basis. I spent the majority of those aforementioned five years dreaming of the city and imagining what I would be doing if I were back there. But now that I’m actually here (there) I realize that maybe I was actually letting wishful thinking get the best of me.

Don’t get me wrong. I love, LOVE, living in the city. I feel like it’s the place I belong and that I could never truly be myself or reach my highest potential if I were to leave it again (with the singular, potential exception of London). But there is a certain stress about existing here: one that I can really only relate to that feeling you get when you travel to a new locale- pressure to be do or experience something all the time. You feel like you don’t want to waste a second of your time in this wonderful, unexplored place and even if, you really want nothing more than to sit down, read a book, or (god-forbid) get to bed sometime before 3am, a feeling of guilt washes over and prevents any real relaxation from ever happening.

The point, though, is that even as I have been back in North Carolina for my relatively short winter break (stupid F.I.T. kicking us out of our dorms!) I’ve noticed the same phenomenon happening again. All of the issues and constant fatigue that weigh me down while I am (physically) in the city dissolve and here I am once more: sitting on my couch re-watching the first season Gossip Girl, counting down the days until I go back. I guess there will always be a certain confusion over the assimilation of going from striving for the “unattainable” to not exactly knowing what to do when you have it.

Work hard, move up, and hope you don’t loose it?

On the Way, Spanish V

Apparently it's common knowledge that I am minority obsessed with River Viperii. I mean look at him... even Paris Hilton jumped on that bandwagon (but don't tell him- the last thing that boy needs is another reason to talk about himself and how great he is. I say that with love, but I mean come on. I spent a good six hours with him and he asked me maybeee two questions about myself.) But, this is why, late one night, my friend called and asked if I wanted to work on a shoot the next morning featuring Viperii? 

Uhhhhmmm duh.

Pulling up to Root studios in Willamsburg at the (very generous by industry standards) hour of 8am, the stylist (one of my favorites and such a sweety –David Gomez-Villamediana), the other fashion assistant, and I went through the normal set-up routine of unpacking all the clothes and laying out all of the accessories, ect. 

            Then, around 9am or so, this absolutely stunning boy walks into the room wearing that stupid red hat he always seems to have on, and it’s really hard not to stare at him. I’m not normally one to be interested in someone whose attractiveness is quite so all-up-in-your-face about it, but holy mother of pearl! This was a beautiful boy. At first I did put a little effort into trying not to notice; after all I do value professionalism rather highly… but let’s all give me a break. I’m still an 18-year-old girl at the end of the day.

It took me about two hours of standing next to him (even putting him in a skirt) to work up the nerve to actually speak to him. When I did, I wish I hadn’t he was actually surprisingly pleasant. Apart from his I-hate-Brooklyn-rant, his obsessive hitting on the older model- Maryna Linchukhe (blehhh))- (he and Harry Styles should talk), and his attempt to make everyone on set believe that I was not actually working there, but was, in fact, a random stalker who walked in off the street, he was really sweet. actually no, that was it. You just look at that smile and he could literally be insulting you (as he did on many occasions) and you will still  fall in love with him!  Honestly though he is a really cool guy. He did carry a heavy box down the street for me once and probably got me some new twitter followers with this (on a separate occasion):

  

            Overall the day was a breeze, I think we were able to get out of the studio by 7 or 8.pm Considering that most of the shots took place outside, it was very fortunate that the weather was as beautiful as it was that day. In addition to the cloudless sky, I don’t know if any of you are familiar with the geography of Brooklyn, you could pretty much see the entire skyline of lower Manhattan from where we were shooting and I just had one of those “Is this seriously my life?” moments of disbelief when you realize and appreciate how completely blessed you are. 

Givenchy twins- imagine all the places this nose ring has been? It was tried on no less than everybody on set. And that's only in the span of 12-hours. 

Gruyere, Switzerland.

Bag: Proenza Schouler

Denim top: H&M

 Shirt: Topshop

 Shorts: Marc Jacobs

Necklace: Marc Jacobs

These photos were taken in Gruyere, Switzerland at the end of the summer. This was easily one of my favorite stops on the vacation I took with my Mom (I turned her missing me while I'm away at college into regular mom&daughter trips to Europe). We stumbled upon this little town quasi-accidentaly when we needed a stretch on the five hour drive to Bern. Maybe my love for this little town was not really all that surprising considering the well known fact that I like anything related to (free) food- even the little cheese samples (yes, Gruyere, as in that gruyere). 

 The town itself couldn't have been more than a square mile in size nor could it have housed more than 200 people at one time. Therefore it instantly gave off that intimate, quaint Starts Hollow-like feeling, like everyone knows everything about everyone else and could easily discuss it with the neighbors over coffee (or cheese fondue) for hours on end. To me it resembled Ireland in the fact that everything around was so lush and green, and that there was a legit castle right in the middle of the square. Ok, I've never actually been to Ireland. But one time I saw an editorial in W magazine set in Ireland, and this is exactly what it looked like. 

So I think it's Ireland. 

Weekly Inspiration:

all photos via 11th & Bleecker

"Everything is becoming an experience. Some form of entertainment. Every fashion show is like a Broadway production now." -Steafno Tonchi

"We live in the era of Lady Gaga. Seasonless dressing is wearing a fur coat with a bikini underneath."-Simon Doonan.

Jiggle, JGL

As if you weren't already crushing on Joseph Gordon Levitt (or as my friends and I affectionately call him, "Jiggle"), Glamour made us fall for him even deeper with the delectable editorial in their October issue. Normally these types of stories make me want to vomit with all of their over-the-top cutesyness, but something about JGL just makes me smile. And maybe this is a horrible thing to say, but I love it when magazines use a male model (or actor) as a sort of additional accessory to the girl- as if he was brought along just to match her shoes. 

Personally, I think Harry Styles would match my Chrome Hearts necklace  quite beautifully. 

I've been a fan of JGL ever since I first saw the film (500) days of summer. And judging by the constant stream of (500) spam on my dashboard, it seems that nearly everyone I follow on tumblr feels the same way. In fact, I was just watching (intend of going to class, mind you) an interview with Zooey Deschanel on Live! With Kelly and Michael this morning. 

I want to be a quirky girl!

BB Love

I met the lovely Bryan Boy during fashion week. He told he had the same Kenzo sweater as me. It was a bonding moment. 

Never mind the fact that I look like a giant-headed baby, because I am standing next to Bryan Boy. 

I think he is my spirit animal. 

Who Wore It Best: Asymmetrical Proenza Edition

Stylist Anya Ziourova (Strangely, I met her the day she was wearing this during fashion week outside of  the Alexander Wang show. She definitely has a very specific aura about her that fits well with the Proenza aesthetic, and her personality was just as cool (read: chilly) as her look.)

The Lady Gaga of the fashion industry, Anna Dello Russo, was spotted in the look during fashion week. Only she could pull off the matching jacquard bag. And whats more, she is carrying the Moschino phone case I just posted about! I should have know ADR would have been one step ahead of me!

Dakota Fanning working the whole look right off the runway at the CFDAs where she attended as the date of Jack and Lazaro back in June. This is surprisingly my least favorite version of the look, but I have to consider my personal bias: she is only a year older than me and she is going to the CFDAs with two of my favorite designers in one of my favorite pieces of the season. Bitch.

On a side note: I'm going to see Jimmy Fallon tonight! Rpatz will be in the same room as me...
And look for me standing behind Carrie Underwood in the band section - probably pretending to sing along even though I couldn't even name one song she has recorded..

Wanted: Gennarino, The Moschino Teddy Bear

This Moschino teddy bear iPhone case is just horrifyingly hideous enough to be cool. Gaudy and excessive in the most Italian sense of the words, I think I might actually need this kitch-y cover. 

Plus, every since a certain male model (ahem river ahem) thew my last phone case across the room and cracked it, I'm actually in need of a new one. So it's a justified purchase... right? Can't you just imagine the flurry of photographers that would surround you the second one of them saw you holding this up to your ear? This is street style gold my friends. 

Retailing for £50, this iPhone case was made exclusively for Fashion's Night Out but is currently be available in Moschino stores world-wide. 

Dark Blooms

Thanks to Hurricane Sandy trashing parts of New York City and rendering the subways completely useless (making it impossible for many of the commuters from NJ and Brooklyn to get to school) I haven't had any classes or work for the past week. While the combination of my roommate abandoning me for the comfort of her own home in New Jersey, the loss of internet, and my own unwillingness to go to any other floors of my dorm due to the threat of getting stuck in an elevator and my personal aversion to the stairs, I had very minimal social interaction for the better part of three days. The benefits of anti-social activities were quite visible in the (slow-but-sure) diminishment of my previously-intimidating stack of magazines (seriously, it was getting so tall that anytime anyone touched the dresser it resided on, it would tip around menacingly- tons of fun, I'm sure, for any of my guests who were forced to sleep on the floor right in its (forget Sandy's)  path of destruction) 

After spending hours upon hours studying editorials and articles, I grew less and less susceptible to being impressed by any of them in particular. Thus, it would be the mark of a truly good piece if any of them were to capture my attention by then end of the day. And while there were still great things to be said for certain ones by Tonne Goodman and Grace Coddington in American Vogue, the real winners in my mind were located in the fashion bible's British counterpart. Cue this one in the September issue entitled 'Dark Blooms' by Ryan McGinley featuring gap-toothed model Lara Stone styled by Francesca Burns. 

I generally like my location shots to feature more urban settings (Karlie Kloss + some dramatic lighting + one of my favorite restaurants = collage worthy goodness), but the drama and  angelic quality of this Vogue UK spread really brought something out in me.  Following a very McQueen-esq aesthetic, the mystical rainforest manages to be both enchanting and haunting at the same time. Lara, who is arguably one of the most beautiful women in the world, is, in my opinion, the perfect canvas for these ethereal looks as she signals a sort of lost-in-wonderland appeal the really benefits the clothes as well as the entire story that is being told through this editorial. 

Change of Hart- Elle US October 2012

Unfortunately, I've spent the majority of the past week in bed with a terrible cold (complete with all of the glamourous symptoms: pink eyes, a runny nose, and a room-shaking howl of a cough). While I've been able to keep myself occupied with countless mugs full of chai tea, more sleep than I ever thought I could cram into a 72-hour time period, back issues of Nylon, and watching One Direction's new music video "Live While We're Young," to my hearts content (Louis has a solo!!!), my prospects have been a bit dismal lately. However, the one thing that made my week a little bit brighter (excluding my obvious elation over seeing Harry Styles in a wet T-shirt, natch) is that I got my October issue of Elle in the mail which features one of the stories I worked on over the summer.

Shot at my favorite photo studios, Pier 59 (walking distance to my dorm, best natural lighting, unlimited free lattes...) the story focuses on gap-toothed, model of the moment, "Jess" Hart. Encompassing a true downtown, cool-girl attitude, Jess' bubbly personality and fun Australian accent made for the perfect backdrop to some of the seasons' best pieces in what I would say was a nod to their '90s heyday. It's always fun to be on set and watch the beginnings of what you just know will become an amazing image (or watch it do so on the photographers lighting-speed monitor screen) a few months later, but it's even more rewarding to see it in tangible form.

I think there is something to be said about each image, but in terms of my favorite I'd have to say it's a toss up between the one with the Missoni jeans and the one with the Versus dress. It was such an experience to watch Jess just completely transform into a something else in front of the camera, much like watching some of my more theatrical friends getting ready to go on stage. I think her Jackie O side came out magnificently when you gave her a pair of concealingly large frames and a floppy hat. However, I can't stop thinking about how well the lines of the Versus look photographed- it really draws the eye up and down, plus the addition of the pink bag was simply genius. With anything else it would have just looked over the top, yet when paired with the hard lines and daring cutouts of the Versus, it was just right. 

Photographer: Bruno Staub

Stylist: Lester Garcia

Makeup: Kabuki

Hair: Kevin Ryan

You would think that when a girl as commandingly gorgeous as Jess is around, all eyes would be on her. But the real star of the show was Floyd, Jess' adorable yorkie. She was the HBIC (head bitch in charge) and she knew it. She even had her own monogramed Goyard bag! I don't even have that. 

Not only was this dog aww-induicingly sweet, but he had good taste- sniffing around the Celine and Ferragamo heels while completely ignoring the questionable Kanye West contraptions. Definite V.I.P. status. (Very. Important. Puppy)

Crystal Renn by Thomas Whiteside, DuJour

This is the first full-scale shoot that I've worked on that I've seen in print! We shot this back in July at Richard Avedon's former town house which has an actual white-walled studio on the first floor, right next to the kitchen and foyer. Most recently the home was owned by Oliver Sarkozy (sadly, Mary-Kate Olsen did not make an appearance) but is now back on the market for about $12 million (interested?) Obviously the space was amazing, and it was a bit weird to be walking by restaurants and friends's of mine from lower/middle school's apartments while carrying garment bags full of Chanel and Christopher Kane to set. Obviously I'm just an intern, but it was still a bit like "hey, you're actually doing what you've always dreamed of doing." 

And even though it's a little bit depressing when the formerly-plus-sized model is skinnier than you, Crystal Renn was such a pleasure to work with. Hers was such a collaborative process with the team, frequently suggesting ways that she thought could make an image even better or requesting a few more takes to see if she could improve upon her work any more than she already had. I've had the chance to work with quite a few models recently, but I can honestly say that she was the one I was most impressed with and the entire day was certainly the best way to kick off the editorial streak (I have quite a few stories I helped out with coming out in the next few months which I will be so excited to share with you!) 

On a side note: That girl definitely deserves props for not complaining about the braid she wore in the first image. The hairstylist let me try it on, and it literally feels like someone is trying to yank out all of your hair.