Behind the Scenes: Celebrity Photographer Dimitrios Kambouris

New York City native Dimitrios Kambouris is the go-to photographer hired by top PR agencies and publications to cover premieres and fashion events. One of his career highlights include having his photo of Madonna gracing New York Magazine’s most notable covers of the 2009.

After a hectic stint at Mercedes-Benz Fashion week, Ms. Fabulous, Mariana Leung asked the photographer about his craft:

MsFABulous: What did your photography training consist of?
DIMITRIOS KAMBOURIS: Worked in a camera store/one-hour photo lab while a student at Bryant High School in Astoria, Queens.

MsFAB: What led you into fashion and celebrity photography?
DK: Got hands advice from professional photographers, such as Dan Lecca, when they dropped off film.

MsFAB: What photo of yours are you most proud of?
DK: Lady Gaga and Madonna backstage after the Marc Jacobs 2010 Spring fashion show. It was the first time they were ever photographed together.

MsFAB: Who is your favorite photography subject?
DK: Celebrity, Fashion, Music/Concert

MsFAB: What is the one piece of advice you would give to someone who aspires to be a fashion/celebrity photographer? -
DK: Be hands on. Take the photos yourself. You can’t read a book or have someone tell you what to do. Digital is so easy, like a Polaroid, so you can make corrections. Play with shutter speeds and apertures. Learn from your mistakes. Actually, there are no mistakes… everything just looks different.

MsFAB: Thanks Dimitrios!
Celebrity photo by Dimitrious Kambouris from WireImage, Bio photo courtesy of Lippin Group

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FAB Exclusive: How-to Eat, Pray, Love with Kiran Rai

Style, spirituality and spaghetti ruled the box office the past weekend. With the popularity of the book and movie, Eat, Pray Love, there is a huge demand for global chic. Kiran Rai, design director of Sir Alistair Rai and Satya Rai has always been an ambassador for style that is not exclusive of spirituality.

Ms. Rai has been inspired by the people and culture of her extensive travels. The International influence has helped her to create her laid-back and edgy collection. The bohemian touches and humor of her collections have made fans of Halle Berry, Ricky Martin and Angelina Jolie.

Mariana Leung had the opportunity to ask Kiran about her design and work philosophy:

MsFABulous: What piece of the collection is your personal favorite for the upcoming season?

Kiran Rai: My favorites are the "I'm Free" Peacock Caftan, and the Tie Dye Wrap in pink. The caftan is a wardrobe staple; it's flattering to all body types and is wearable all year round. I was inspired by the Rolling Stones in this collection, and this pattern evoked their "I'm Free" hit for me. The Tie Dye Wrap in pink is hot; it's got the same softness our wraps are known for, but the pattern and color lend it some edge for the Fall season.

MsF: Plenty of celebrities have enjoyed the carefree elegance of your pieces. Is there one in particular that you feel embodies your style philosophy the most?

KR: Julia, Julia, Julia! Everything about Julia Roberts is true to our style philosophy. Her style, her SMILE, her timeless beauty, and her love of India.

MsF: The global soul of the Satya Rai collection seems to be right on point with the spirit of upcoming Eat, Pray, Love movie. Where is the most inspiring place you have traveled yourself?

KR: India is hands-down the most inspiring...and funny enough, Italy is my second favorite! I understand Elizabeth Gilbert choosing the countries she did for her journey. India is my motherland, and I lived outside Milan in Lugano in boarding school. They both hold different inspiration for me: Italy means love, fun, food and wine, and in India, I find bravery, peace, color...and it's always a different journey.

MsF: The commitment statement on your website states “You can feel good that the clothes you buy today are helping enrich the lives of the people who helped make them”. So few fashion consumers ever pause to think about the human beings who make the product they wear. Can you tell us a little about the people you employ to make your collection?

KR: Two words: HAPPY, and RESPECTFUL. I have the best crew; they've been with me forever, and they really do embody our truth...both in their personal and professional lives.

MsF: Your label’s message is one of peace and wisdom. Rare for the often cut-throat world of high-fashion. What is your personal mantra for navigating the stressful garment industry?

KR: BREATHE...when I can!

MsF: Thank you Kiran! Namaste!

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FAB Exclusive: Byron Lars - First Lady Favorite

Byron Lars is one of Ms. FAB’s fashion idols. He is also on the FLOTUS short list of go-to designers. Our most fashionable First Lady, Michelle Obama, wore Byron Lars Beauty Mark to a high profile concert event held at the White House in June. PBS will air Paul McCartney: The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song In Performance at the White House" tonight on your local PBS station.

FAB Ritika got lucky and snagged an exclusive interview, a studio tour and a top secret peek at the 'First Sketch’ of the dress.

Mrs. Obama sketch in Byron Lars Beauty Mark

Byron at work in his studio

MsFABulous: What were some of your inspirations as you were designing the Fall 2010 collection?


Byron Lars: My inspiration for the Fall Collection was primarily color and texture based. Any fabrication that had either color which I couldn't get off my mind or that had a texture which compelled me touch it was included in this collection.
The themes involve vintage hybridization. For instance, a bulky cotton tweed boxy jacket that your grandma might have worn gets crossbred with a zip-front hoody, resulting in something that both a skate punk and your grandma could rock.

MsF: How do you develop your collections? Do you have a specific muse in mind as you design?
BL: Each collection is developed from many points of reference at once. Construction alone may inform some of the pieces while the attitude of a particular customer might inform others.
The one thing that I always try to keep in mind while developing new collections is to make sure that I’m providing clothes that help my customer look better. This is why so much attention is paid to proportion and detailing.

MsF: Do you think a great designer piece is a luxury or a necessity?
BL: I’m not so lost in fashion as to think that any designer piece is an absolute necessity. I am fairly certain however, that anyone who has once experienced wearing a designer piece that really fits properly and is made out of superior fabric might see things differently.

MsF: For design aficionados who can't always afford designer pieces, what is your suggestion to update their Fall 2010 look. Is there one piece you feel is a must have?
BL: I would have to say that the one must-have fall update item is a great fishermen cable sweater. Paired with a super dressy bottom that you already own (for instance that seldom worn beaded or sequined skirt that you got for your cousin's wedding), this staple becomes fashion that be worn for day or evening.

MsF: What sacrifices did you have to make to have this career? Would you have changed anything looking back?
BL: I haven't really had to make any sacrifices for this career that wouldn't had to have been made for any other career. Of course in fashion, as in any career that you are passionate about, there are many long hours and working weekends however, I would love it if I didn't have to be away from home as much as I am.

MsF: Michelle Obama wore your dress to a recent white house concert. What would be the perfect dress you would suggest for her from your fall collection? Or are you working on a super secret design project for the white house that you can’t talk about…..yet?
BL: There are no super secret design projects for the First Lady...at least not for me anyway.
It was of course a great honor for me to see that Mrs. O chose to ware one of my dresses.
I always have so many dresses in each collection that I think Michelle Obama could rock splendidly that it's hard for me to narrow it down to just one.
If, however, I had to choose just one dress for her from the Fall collection it would be this simple scoop neck black sheath that has a lace tank under pinning. it's classic, has a touch of the unexpected and is super chic...just like Mrs. O.

MsF: Can we get a sneak peek at what you’re working on next?
BL: There won't really be anything to sneak a peek at until I make my next sample development trip to China, which is coming up in the next couple of weeks.

MsF: The last question comes from one of our readers. She wanted to ask if you plan on working with Vogue patterns or designing another Barbie in the future?
BL: At present, I don't have any future plans to work with vogue patterns but, anything is possible down the road.
My relationship with Barbie and Mattel is ongoing so, there will be more dolls...a new one every year in fact.
The most recent series is designed around the idea of a sister from Harlem traveling the globe and putting her fashion spin on the culture that she has experienced abroad.
Working with Barbie is probably one of the funnest parts of my job! This is one item that you can always afford at every price point.

Byron Lars at work

The "First Dress" for Mrs.Michelle Obama

If you have never worn a Byron Lars dress before, you are missing out. One can rarely find an outfit that combines unique construction, quality and artful design in the same piece.

To find a dress similar to Mrs. Obama’s, shop on-line at Carina New York. The dress comes in Dove and Blue and retails for $316. Tip: Shop now as anything Mrs. O. wears usually sells out within hours.
Isn't it nice to know that First Lady style is democratically accessible?

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FAB Exclusive: Bibhu Mohapatra Studio Tour

It is rare to fall in love in the fashion world. Once in awhile, you do meet that one designer who makes you feel the passion for a great gown.

I met that designer last month at the National Arts Club. He was being honored as a “Young Innovator”. He had two pieces on display, which were simply sublime, and luckily, we had a chance to see these at his studio again. His name is Bibhu Mohapatra.

Vogue named him one of the “New Guards” of fashion. The CFDA awarded him a coveted space at the Fashion Incubator among other up-and-coming designers like House of Waris, Alice Ritter and Prabal Garung. I was invited for a behind the ‘seams’ studio tour before his trip to India.

Bibhu greeted us promptly at 3:00 PM for our interview before apologizing to check in on a fitting. I was excited to have a few minutes alone to delve into his Fall 2010 collection and explore the pieces individually. The first test of a good quality garment is to look the inside of the piece. A good design is as beautifully constructed inside as it is outside, and his collection was beautifully executed.

While I waited, I saw his inspiration wall covered with collages of 1920’s flappers and 1930’s ladies in cloche hats. As I peered closer, I saw the film Metropolis, my favorite movie of all time.

As we walked into the studio, a dressmaker was meticulously hand sewing geometric pieces on a gossamer evening gown. The yellow dress was stunning, and light as a summer day. It instantly reminded me of Katherine Hepburn...

I asked Bibhu about it in our interview:

Bibhu M: It’s from our Spring 2010 collection. It was inspired by x-rays. The ability to look through them. This is dress is being made for a client - a mother of the bride.

MsFAB: How many sketches/designs does each collection start with? I remember from FIT that we had to do hundreds of mini sketches to develop ideas for each collection.
BM: Each story starts with 300-400 sketches and these are distilled to 26-27 pieces.

Depending on the inspiration, I have specific pieces in mind, then I sketch. Sometimes the material is so beautiful, we design based on it “ outside in “ with shapes and fabrication.

Take simplest fabric and create texture out of it. Create dimension and geometry.

MsF: Are you a draper or a patternmaker. (for our readers, designers essentially like to drape on a ‘body’ or dress form or they like to make patterns on papers and then make the piece. Both M and I are drapers)
BM: I am a draper. This piece for example had 39 different pieces! A pattern production nightmare.

MsF:How do you balance creativity/design and making your collections sell thru?
BM: We are sensitive when we price these products. We definitely do not make it cheaply!

Fashion is a business. Fashion without commerce is just art. It should be a viable business and striking a balance is key.

MsF: How do you like your new space provided thru the Incubator program. You had mentioned your former studio was on the west side?
BM: This space is amazing. It’s nearly three times bigger. We are in here for two years.

MsF: What piece was the one you loved most?
BM: This shirt is my favorite from the collection.

(The designer pulled out a simple, boxy shaped silk and wool inset top in muted shades of navy and brown .The fabric was light with a mod look)

MsF: The fabrics are so beautiful. Did your days with J. Mendel help get contacts and where are your fabrics sourced.
BM: The fabrics are from Japan, Italy and Asia. Yes, I do have access to European mills and developed relationships with them. Working at J.Mendel definitely helped.

MsF: Who were your favorite or influential professors at Fashion Institute of Technology as you studied design there?
BM: Professor Joe Maria and Professor Diorio. She was so very good to all of us and made me work harder. She always knew if the pins on the muslin were not in perfectly!

MsF: Professor Diorio was my professor too! It turns out we were at FIT at nearly the same time and had Professor Diorio. What was your inspiration for Fall 2010 collection?
BM: Fall 2010 is lots of plush clothing. Velvets. Definitely furs. Lots of old world glamour and is also about practicality and purpose.

(Bibhu pulled an anorak from Fall 2010 with fur lining which in production will have a rainproof reversible shell.)

MsF: What is one piece of advice you would give to someone starting out?
BM: Just be aware of working as a team. Everyone deserves equal amounts of respect.

MsF: Please tell us who are your ideal muse(s)? I know you mentioned you want to dress Frida Pinto.
BM: I would like to dress her – Frida Pinto.
Lauren Santo Domingo (contributing editor of Vogue magazine) is a constant muse in my mind. She helps style my shows.
Cate Blanchett – her personality and dress meet in the middle and meld. It’s a happy union of craft and person. The dress does not wear her.
Tilda Swinton – it’s all about her persona.

At 4:00 PM, a blonde with an enviable size 0 figure walked in for her fitting for a dress I had been eyeing. Bibhu went into work mode. He came in between the fitting to continue speaking with us to share favorite books from his library.

I thanked Mr. Mohapatra for the interviews. Bibhu replied with a smile, “ How about making it dinner. I will get the fish from Jackson Heights – hilsa”. Fantastic! I planned to soon make an authentic Bengali dinner for Bibhu.

I walked out lusting every piece in his elegant Fall 2010 collection and was charmed by the man driven by purity of design and respect for others.

The next week, I was in Soho covering a different story when I ran into one of Bibhu’s muses on Mercer Street – Tilda Swinton!

I quickly walked over, introduced myself and informed her of our meeting with Bibhu and that she was an inspiration to him. Playing fashion matchmaker, I asked if we would be able to get her connected to him somehow? She said, “Yes, I will have someone look into it and get back to you” and took our card.

Ms.Swinton – if you are reading us in Europe, we are certain you will fall in love with his work!

As they say, there is still a bit of luck and magic left in this city. If you see Ms. Swinton wearing Bibhu Mohapatara, I will feel like my fashion fairy dust has succeeded…

Photos by Mariana L.

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Bright Young Things Launch of the LBD

PYTs wear LBD's..

Thursday night, Maryam Nassir Zahed’s boutique on the Lower East Side hosted the launch of Brooklyn designer, Eliza Starbuck’s new line, Bright Young Things. The concept is simple. The Little Black Dress (LBD) designed in a clever way to be all things to many people. This is ‘slow fashion’ as a parallel to the ‘slow food’ movement where clothes are not disposable.

Some of the live models wearing the LBD had their own comments, explaining it “Molds into whatever you want and it’s the perfect dress and sold as a canvas like art.” The pricing is also practical at $185 for a garment made In New York. Production is in the Garment district and Chinatown. Online sales start June 18th. Orders will take 4-6 weeks to be made and is currently offered in three sizes.

I checked out every young model wearing the LBD, it did seem incredible that so many women of different sizes, heights and body types could rock the dress in independently. One model channeled 70’s Janis Joplin with a furry vest and pink tights. The LBDs were worn wrapped to the front, back, open, tied with an obi or worn simply with a slim belt as Eliza did.

The designer was her own best model. Tall and svelte, the LBD looked amazing on her. Eliza spoke to us about her first gig, “The Uniform project” which inspired her Bright Young Things launch. She found it hard to locate “Made in US” anymore. The oil crisis of recent years had affected shipping costs making it expensive to ship goods in from China and India. She was also concerned about why goods were so cheaply made overseas. Ms. Starbuck started questioning how and in what conditions these items were being produced.

“ There was never a comfort level working in the industry. I felt that consumer culture has been blind”. She felt she wanted to “see and meet the people making the clothes” and decided to produce her clothes in US.

The LBD in cotton pique is the first of her Bright Young Things conceptual collection. She will add on to the collection by adding core pieces to build upon versatile items. “People were ready for it.”

Eliza was ready to leave the industry for good after becoming disenchanted by it. This was until 2009 when she met Sheena Matheiken during a charitable drive. Sheena was out to raise funds by wearing a single dress for 365 days of the year. She designed and created the Uniform dress that could work in any setting for the whole year.

Based on the awareness generated from the Uniform Project, Eliza produced a 365 piece limited edition run of the Uniform dress that sold out quickly. The sales from this raised an additional $10,000 for the Akanksha Foundation that funds education in India.

Resist being the fast-fashion victim. Wear the Little Black Dress and make it your own. We wish Eliza great luck and we hope this is only the tip of the thoughtfully-made fashion movement!

Photos and story by Ritika W.

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CFDA Fashion Awards 2010 - Emerging Talent Sparkles

Lincoln Center was the scene of fashion's most accomplished Monday evening. The CFDA awards honored the best of designers in a celebrity-packed red carpet event. Guests to the show were presented with a line of models representing all of the design nominees as they entered the auditorium.

Most moving was a special tribute to Alexander McQueen presented by Sarah Jessica Parker.

The lifetime achievement award was presented to Michael Kors by Vogue editor Anna Wintour.

Womenswear Designer of the Year went to Marc Jacobs. Top honors in Menswear went to Rag & Bone. Alexis Bittar took home Accessory Designer of the Year



Swarovski sponsored the awards for emerging talent. Alexa Chung and Gossip Guy Ed Westwick presented awards to Jason Wu for womenswear, Richard Chai for menswear and Alexander Wang for accessories. Emerging talent winners also get financial support for Swarovski as well as access to their crystal libraries.

For those still studying their way into fashion, Monday night also presented scholarships. Carmen Chen Wu was the recipient of the Geoffrey Beene Design Scholarship. The Liz Claiborne Fashion Award went to Jusil Carroll and the CFDA/Vogue scholarship was awarded to Nicole Goh. For a complete list of winners, click through to cfda.com



Photos by Getty Images, fabsugar and Associated Press

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CFDA's Fashion Incubator Ready to Cook...

Last week, 12 independent designers put their personal touches onto their new digs. The CFDA's Fashion Incubator program set forth to help develop promising talent with mentors and subsidized studios in the garment district.

The Council of Fashion Designers in America worked with New York mayor Michael Bloomberg on the initiative. The local industry has recognized the need to save the garment industry in the Big Apple, as well as nurture emerging talent. This project aims to tackle both.

For some designers this is a big leap for their business, many of whom are working outside of their owns for the first time.

Who are the lucky labels? The list of incubator designers include Alice Ritter, House of Waris, Prabal Garung,Dao-Yi Chow, Maxwell Osbourne, Bibhu Mohapatra,Grey Ant, Gemma Redux, Jolibe, Sang A, Subversive jewelry, Tom Scott and Ruby Kobo.

Photos by Kyle Ericksen for WWD

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Textile Design: Digital Printing vs. Old School

The fashion crowd has traditionally been criticized for their slow embrace of technology. Old masters deplore the loss of hand-drawn sketches, couture sewing techniques and artisan craftsmanship in today's mass market world.
Where does textile design fit into this debate? The Wall Street Journal recently ran an article on high end designers who have incorporated the use of digital fabric printing into their collections. Zac Posen and Helmut Lang were able to translate photographic images into dresses. Recent technology has allowed for sharper, crisper images that were not possible in the years before.
Theia designer Don O'Neill took advantage of the speed of this tool by combining the new and the old. He translated an original piece of art into a custom digital print fabric in time to be worn by Carrie Underwood for an awards night.
Does this technology take away from those who still illustrate patterns by hand and use silk screening as a couture art form? Not according to Catherine Malandrino, who vows to continue employing artists specifically for this purpose.

In my own experience of design, there is no technology that replaces hand appliques and embroidery as a technique.
The most recent season of Project Runway, designers worked with Vivienne Tam to create a digitally printed fabric. This is also the show where the talent is asked to create each outfit by hand and employ Haute Couture skills for the runway. It's about making finding new mediums to express creativity.
What is your favorite medium for design? Does digital open up new possibilities? Need to explore it more? Craftzine has a great guide to break it down.

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Mother & Daughter Fashion Teams

Happy Mother's Day beautiful people. I hope you treated the woman who gave you life with love and luxury today. In honor of these amazing women, I wanted to spotlight my favorite Mother and daughter teams of fashion:

Mother Betsey Johnson was a key stylemaker in the 1980's and pop icon today. Her daughter cut her teeth early working as the liaison between designer and public relations in her early 20's and now has been promoted to creative director.
Mom Donna Karan defined how the modern career woman dresses in today's world. Daugther Gabby Karan De Felice was once an intern at Anne Klein, now in business with Mom on the Urban Zen boutique.

Designer Abbe Held describes Mom Bonnie as her "best friend". Together, the mother and daughter duo founded Kooba handbags together.

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Sak's Showcases Young Designers with Cocktail Couture

Sak's Fifth Avenue is the classic, elegant department store where many a young girl aspired to shop upon maturity. I never thought of it as a fashion forward pioneer of young talent though. That all changed Tuesday night when the store hosted an eventto show off exclusives from the hottest young labels of the industry.
Designers Doo Ri, Prabal Garung, Erdem, Christian Cota among others all presented cocktail dresses that were commissioned from the legendary retailer. 10% of the sales will benefit the Whitney Museum of American Art, another NY institution that acts as a patron for new talent.

Photo by George Chinsee

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Italian Designers Promote the Artisan Movement

Why do you pay the big bucks for a designer item? It's not simply for the name is it? I would hope the educated consumer is purchasing their luxury piece for the work and quality too.

Gucci launched its Artisan Corner program last week, bringing their skilled leather craftspeople to their boutiques. The campaign was launched as a tour in stores of several cities, where VIP clients are able to order a customized bag with their initials embossed and an interior plaque listing the date of the event.

Dolce & Gabbana paid tribute to all of the artisans of their team during their recent fashion show. The show opened with images of their workers smiling out to the audience projected onto the big screen. The presentation also showed a video of the designers in a flurry of sketchpads with the seamstresses, tailors and patternmakers.

Domenico Dolce noted "Tailoring and craftsmanship are assets that belong to us and to Italy. From this point of view, we are very patriotic." Of course, the collection that followed on the runway showcased the final product of impeccably tailored jackets, lace and sheath dresses.

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Rebecca Minkoff's Spring Kick-off at Henri Bendel's

On this cool afternoon in Midtown NYC, Rebecca Minkoff is making a personal appearance at my favorite department store. Celebrating the debut of her Spring handbags, shoppers are sipping champagne and nibbling on rainbow colored cupcakes as they take in the new purses. The handbags span the colors of the rainbow and feature a huge range of treatments. There are handmade tie-dyed bags with Italian lambskin. There are sweet and edgy bags in Easter Egg colors with hard-zippered edges along girly ruffles. Rebecca Minkoff’s personal favorite is the deep lapis blue bag with a collection of different shaped studs. Very rock and roll…

You can enter to win a Rebecca Minkoff handbag every hour and score a sweet gift bag (like I did!) with each purchase. Peeking into my bag, I spot a “Bada Boum” tote, some beauty goodies and a best friends 2-part key chain to share.

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Designer Insider: At the Studio of Kooba's Abbe Held

I was invited to visit the design studio and showroom of Kooba and designer Abbe Held to take a peek at this season’s hottest handbags:

The design room walls were draped in colors upon textures of leather swatches. Lauren, a member of the design team was applying antiqued studs by hand to a leather piece at her desk. Photos were not allowed as the concepts being worked on in this room were in the very early stages for next season, and many of the staff had not even been allowed in the design studio yet! While some of the staff apologized for the messy state of the room, it actually had a gloriously creative, busy quality. (It was also much neater than my design studio).


I was led into the showroom upstairs. The collections of bags were artfully arranged in a well-lit room to show off their textures at their best angle. Abbe Held, the design director of Kooba entered the showroom looking refreshed, if a bit camera-shy.

The fall collection showed studded styles in rich, deep hues of forest green and eggplant. Abbe’s personal favorite of this delivery was the Alex Bag in Eggplant. For holiday, she liked the bags in brighter colors of red.

My personal favorite out of this group were the Jagger pieces. Well placed zippers allowed the bags to open up into different silhouettes in unexpected ways, and adding practical additional volume to boot.

The Kooba startup legend describes the relationship Abbe and her mother Bonnie. The two of them founded the company together. She warmly describes her mother as muse, partner and “best friend”. What most people don’t know is that her eight year old daughter is also starting to inject her creative input, but she is Mom’s biggest fan.

What is ahead for spring 2010? The Kooba team is working with neutrals, ruffle details and fabric treatments for when the weather thaws out.

Thanks for inviting Ms. FABulous to visit Abbe!

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Designer Insider: 5 Questions for Tinsley Mortimer

Tinsley Mortimer is one of Manhattan’s hardest working socialites. The NYC ‘It’ girl was sought by Japanese handbag label, Samantha Thavasa to bring her sophisticated style to the collection. In designing the celeb-loved line, Tinsley set out to create bags that would reflect her style and truly wear. She grew up in Richmond, VA before moving to New York City to study at Columbia University. She is a descendant of both Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, making her the ultimate ‘All-American’ girl. Gossip Girl fans got to watch the style maker this season, playing herself at Hampton’s fete. I caught the designer between engagements for a quick interview:

Mariana Leung: What pieces from your collection are you most excited about this season?


Tinsley Mortimer: I love the Travis bag!! It is a small clutch that is covered in animal print with gold trim. When I was designing it, I thought of the little gold minaudiere my mom used to carry in the 80’s. The Travis bag has a little 80’s looking chain too so you can wear it over your shoulder, which I think looks really chic. I also love the Lily clutch. It is really soft and can hold everything. I did it in gold, gun metal, and a fun bright orange.

ML: Many people consider you a modern style icon. Who in your life inspires you as a fashion role model or acts as a muse for your collection?


T.M.: A lot of people inspire me; from young actresses like Sienna Miller, to friends like Lauren Santo Domingo, and Eleanor Ylivisaker, to Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly, to my mom. I pick up on details that I like from lots of people. Mostly, I concentrate on designing pieces that I myself would like to have in my own closet. I design bags that I would love to carry and make sense for me and my lifestyle. If I stick to that, then I am always happy with the outcome.


M.L.: In addition to designing a high-profile handbag line and multi-tasking through other business ventures, you are recognized for supporting several charities. Which one of your causes do you feel closest to?


T.M.: There are so many amazing charities in New York. I love and work closely with New Yorkers for Children and Operation Smile. I recently created a lip gloss called Tinsley Pink with Dior and a portion of the proceeds were donated to Operation Smile.


M.L.: The Purse Page has a lot of Gossip Girl fans. Did you find that your cameo this season as art imitating life? Do you have any ‘behind-the-scenes’ anecdotes about the cast?


T.M.: It was such an honor to have been asked to play myself on GG!! I was beyond flattered!! Everyone was so kind and amazing!! I had hair and makeup in the trailer with Blake Lively who was just adorable and so fun. Her little precious dog was in there too (I think her name is Penny). I had the best time and was just thrilled that they thought of me!!


M.L.: What are your plans and what will you dress up as for Halloween?

T.M.: Halloween is my favorite Holiday!! I love to dress up!! This year I am going as Dorothy from the Wizard of OZ. I have a really cute, short blue and white gingham dress. I am going to braid my hair with 2 big bows, and of course I’ll wear one of my favorite pairs of Mary Janes!!

M.L.: Thank you Tinsley! Enjoy the holiday!

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