Valentine's Picks: Accessories

 Louis Vuitton has a luxury valentine in store for a lucky recipient with their coeur on a chain.

The Ashard Richley handbag has romantic ruffles, and a shirt placket detail that looks like it opens up where the 'heart' would be.

Are you a charmer?  Build your loved one a custom charm necklace from Jennifer Fisher. 

Sexy Red Pumps from Shoe Dazzle are $40 . Turning someone on in these can also do some good as a portion of the proceeds goes to The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease (www.womenheart.org)


What better way of winning a woman's heart than being able to save it too?

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Designers For Earth Day - Fashion Showing Love for our Planet

Is it an oxymoron for fashion houses to get involved in Earth Day? It may seem like an industry that promotes consumption and capitalism wouldn't put it high on their priority list, but that is simply not true. Major fashion designers, luxury, trendy and sporty are using their cachet and merchandising skills to help our dear planet.

Designers like Stella McCartney, Proenza Schouler, Vivienne Westwood and Gucci have contributed items for Christie's Bid to Save the Earth auction. The proceeds of which benefit charities that focus on environmental causes. Prizes include lunch with Vera Wang and tickets to the Vanity Fair Oscar party.

Uber-chic department store Barney's has partnered with Loomstate label to create a series of organic cotton inspired by NBC's peacock logo. A percentage of proceeds will benefit the oganization 1% for the Planet as well as the charities involved with the Christie's auction.

Louis Vuitton will celebrate the 40th anniverwary of Earth Day by donating 10% of the day's online purchases to Global Green. The non-profit works with the Green Schools initiative in major cities.

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Paris Fashion Week – Louis Vuitton RTW Fall 2010

In the age of digital speed, Avatar and cyber-shopping, it seems like everything is racing for the future. Marc Jacobs on the other hand, brought Louis Vuitton’s Fall Ready to Wear collection back in the other direction. The clothing had very conservative silhouettes. Super-elongated jackets, hair pulled back, faded vintage florals. A few country plaids. The style evoked Chloe Sevigny’s character in HBO’s “Big Love” or a depression-era schoolteacher. Colors were muted, dusty. The shapes were still quite feminine, and a few pieces looked like the schoolmarm wanted to break out in the vintage patterned corset styling.

The handbags had some of the muted mustards. Some of the quilted monagram pieces had dusty pastels that worked back to the clothing. Some bags had very luxurious fur worked into the bag (I’m seeing a big comeback in fur across most of the Paris collections). Dark appliqued blocked florals were also seen on many of the handbags as well, with lace and hand-painted crocodile texture.

Spotted in the front row: Daisy Lowe, Alexa Chung, Corinne Bailey Rae

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Louis Vuitton Celebrates the 40th Anniversary of the Lunar Landing

Last night, the science-nerd in me loved being at Louis Vuitton’s party at the Rose Center at the American Museum of Natural History to meet heroes of my youth. CEO Daniel Lalonde introduced guests of honor Buzz Aldrin and Jim Lovell at the party celebrating the 40^th anniversary of the lunar landing. National treasures in their own right, the two former astronauts, along with first American woman in space, Sally Ride, star in the new Louis Vuitton Journeys campaign.

With a history in creating high quality travel goods, I loved that this campaign focused on the accomplishments and dreams of the human race (rather than your typical pretty faces). The ad is simply gorgeous n’est-ce pas?

This being a fashion event, the party had no shortage of the chic and famous… Gossip Girl’s Jessica Szohr, Miranda Kerr, a glowing, pregnant Adriana Lima and handsome Lance Bass were mingling among the planets. Singers Cassie and Estelle also made their way across the red carpet. The celeb fashionistas were carrying the latest bags of the Louis Vuitton collection, Jessica with an embellished clutch, Miranda with the metallic leather purse.

Since I attend many more fashion events than I do for science and history, I have to admit I was much more ‘geeked’ about the guests of honor (no offense to the glamor crowd).

The nibbles were themed… “Moons” of white chocolate dipped rice krispy balls were served for dessert along with champagne topped “Cosmos”. (Beats Tang!)

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Louis Vuitton Cocktail Party to Preview Fall 2009

Yes, the weather is just warming up. However, I know that you like to be ahead of the game when it comes to luxury design. I had the privilege of previewing the Louis Vuitton collection for Fall 2009 for Purse Page Monday evening at an intimate cocktail party for invited bloggers.

What is in store for you this September? The luxe went to glam for handbags. Jewel-toned metallic leathers, shimmery monogram brocade, prominent shiny hardware and glittery textured fabrics were all stars in the collection. The signature monogram pattern was re-embroidered in petite sequins for added elegance on one bag. On another the legendary design was imprinted onto fur for a demure clutch, (PETA be damned).

The clothing collection showed a rich palette of violet, saffron, burnt orange, browns and jewel tones. Highly elaborate seaming and complex embroidery embellished sculpted silhouette garments. On a tiny pair of shorts, I think I counted multiple shaped and pieced seams, pick-stitching, contrast thread pin tucks, beaded fagoting, all in addition to the chunky jeweled details on the front. I don’t think you can get more designer details per square inch than that.

There was the infamous "rabbit" ears headband that Madonna wore to the recent Met gala on display as well. The LV reps humbly admitted they were completely trampled in the press for it. Another snarky blogger had compared Madonna's outfit to the creepy rabbit in "Donnie Darko".

I sipped my champagne, nibbled steak tartare and chatted with fellow fashion bloggers. I also took the opportunity to make Daniel Saynt of fashionindie.com squirm a bit when I pretended to confront him about a catty review of my studio several months ago. He was a cutie and quite apologetic. I love the stuff that his crew and he are doing with their site.

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Louis Vuitton Party Celebrating Stephen Sprouse

Hey! Let's pretend I am still 19 and still have the energy to party all night on the Lower East Side. Let's also pretend this rockin' concert by Debbie Harry is actually 1982, and not being sponsored by big luxury label Louis Vuitton. The grande dame herself was doing the same, acknowledging the change of times, " I don't think I have ever seen so much mink in this room..." We were all partying it up at the Bowery Ballroom to celebrate the opening of the Stephen Sprouse exhibit downtown.

Gorgeous waiters served up sweets like chocolate dipped rice krispie matchsticks, truffles and cotton candy. The bartenders poured out the champagne like we were drowning. The music was a great mix of vintage and current rock as well as nostalgic pop.

Lots of "It-girl" models like Erin Wasson and Agyness Deyn were on the dance floor. Lots of the old 80's and 90's art/party characters were on hand as well, (the drag queen Brandywine and friend above). Cute boys snapped Polaroids and set them on cards with the Stephen Sprouse/Louis Vuitton art rose motifs as party favors. My partner-in-crime, the lady Ritika snapped a bunch of fab party pics the like ones you see above.

Am I really old if I mourn the loss of evenings like this or just immature?

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Blackjack and Hennessey at the Louis Vuitton Casino

The Soho NY location of the Louis Vuitton store was host to a ‘Casino Night’ Wednesday for a Fashion Week party. The event was held to showcase the Damier Graphite collection, featuring a new interpretation of the classic Damier canvas. The collection featured a Gotham-friendly black and charcoal checkered pattern with historic LV logos. Unlike the bright, Murakami print handbags, this collection is very sleek, minimal and masculine. Perfect business bags for the chic and cosmopolitan gentleman.

The party itself was a LOT of fun, with the boutique transformed into a casino. Charming and handsome dealers ran blackjack, roulette, and other casino game classics on custom-made tables with custom-made chips just for the occasion.

Yours truly played over an hour of Blackjack with the humorously printed Louis Vuitton play-money. The player with the most money at the end of the night won a special prize.

I started getting cheeky as I was winning. The dealer asked if I was a regular in Vegas. That is, of course, until my mother and date for the evening gave up all of my credibility.

This happened when I lost one hand (with play money) and she exclaimed and comforted me at the table like it was the biggest tragedy. (The "oh no! I'm so sorry honey!" was a great touch.. mm hmm.) At least all of the other players found it amusing.

It was at this point that I sent her back to the bar to retrieve some extra champagne and Hennessey cocktails. She also had a great time sampling all of the artful treats and sweets served up by male models. Cheesecake is her Kryptonite.

In the end, I did not win the big prize, but did win a bottle of Hennessey with a lucky hand at the table. Party favors were sleek Damier Graphite patterned playing cards.

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