Fashion Fights Cancer with Byron Lars

An intimate event took place last week at Midtown Manhattan’s Audi Forum.  Fashion Fights Cancer president, Ty Canty and superstar designer Byron Lars presented a special group of ladies and their creations to the world.

The non-profit organization brings together the fashion community to raise awareness and funds to battle cancer. The project brought together Byron Lars and cancer patients Frances Ricks, Muriel Asnis, Barbara Moskowitz, Peggy Leigel and Carmen Diaz to create hand painted scarves under the mentorship of the designer. 


Some women were seasoned artists; some found a surprising new outlet for creative expression.  Muriel Asnis, was already a jewelry designer and donated some of her work to a fundraising auction for the organization.


 The ladies modeled their silk scarves on top of Byron Lars’ blouses.  As gorgeous as the designer’s pieces were, nothing looked as beautiful on these women as their own smiles of accomplishment.
Cupcakes and champagne were served.  Guests also went home with gift bags of Godiva chocolates and Mizani hair products. 


Future events include designers Tracy Reese and Jason Wu.  To donate or get involved, please visit Fashion Fights Cancer on the web. 

photos by Mariana Leung

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Memorial Day Shopping!

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Milla Jovovich - New Face of Jacob & Co.

Living bi-coastally has its pluses and minuses.  It definitely gives one access to a wide variety of events and experiences and the more laid-back CA lifestyle can compliment the non-stop pace of NY.  However, one disadvantage is that you can’t be in both places at once and you will obviously miss out on some things on both coasts.  This of course drives me completely mental!  As a child I never even wanted to take naps as I was afraid that I might miss something.  That mindset has not changed in me and I am able to meet some pretty awesome talent on both coasts!

On my last stay in New York, I was fortunate to spend some time with the people at Jacob & Co. on 57th street (look out for the video segment due out shortly).  I learned a lot about the venerable company and was seriously impressed with the artistry of their jewelry and watch creations.  After 25 years of designing for a private clientèle and the launch of their flagship store in New York in  2004, Jacob & Co. has become synonymous with luxury watches and exquisite jewelry.  A favorite of leaders in the entertainment and sports industries, you are probably most familiar with Jacob & Co. due to its pieces being worn on the red carpet by the worlds biggest celebrities.

Finding the right “face’ for a brand can be difficult, especially when dealing with such an iconic company as Jacob & Co.  So when the announcement came that Milla Jovovich would be the new face of Jacob & Co.., I had to ponder whether this was a good match.  My conclusion: Yes!  Ms. Jovovitch is an internationally famous actress and model whose image and personality are perfect for the company.  “Milla Jovovich is a powerful, intelligent, worldly, sophisticated and sexy, playful woman.  That is the talent that she brought to this photo shoot and what makes her synonymous with our brand, she is the “Jacob girl” we have been searching for to represent our brand globally.”, stated Jacob Arabo, Designer of Jacob & Co.

The advertising campaign encompasses eight different themes and looks stylized to feature Jacob & Co.’s red carpet diamond jewels, fashion diamond jewelry and watches.  Shot at the Sowden House, a lavish Los Angeles private residence, the campaign uses in-door and outdoor shots to capture the luxury lifestyle traits that are representative of the brand.  Scheduled to drop in Summer 2011, the campaign will be featured in the upcoming months in all major international markets.

In the meantime, Milla Jovovich has already put her beauty and talents to work for Jacob & Co.  Attending the “La Conquete” premiere during the Cannes Film Festival, Ms. Jovovich donned pieces from the Jacob & Co. Red Carpet Collection.  The collection consists of one-of-a-kind pieces carefully crafted and designed to accentuate valuable and rare gem stones, hand selected by Jacob Arabo himself.

Ms. Jovovich wore sun colored earrings with two canary cushion cut diamonds, total weight of over 27 carats, set in pavé white round brilliants topped with white emerald cut diamonds mounted from a pavé set French hook.  Complimenting the look, she also wore a one-of-a-kind cocktail ring made up of a 30 carat internally flaless, D color diamond sit in a vintage inspired design, adorned in round white brilliant cuts.  And finally to make sure that she was on time, Ms. Jovovich sported a Jacob & Co., signature Five Time Zone, World is Yours Watch.  The gorgeous timepiece is all pavé diamonds featuring natural fancy yellow and white diamonds with a total carat weight of 37.75 carats.

From the sneak peeks at the ad campaign to Ms. Jovovich’s appearance on the Cannes Red Carpet, this appears to be a match made in heaven.  For as Jacob & Co. and Milla Jovovich prove, not only are diamonds a girls best friend, but sometimes a girl can be a best friend to diamonds!

By Mdivani Monroe of Ladies Who Lunch Travel

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Prince William and Kate Middleton Meet with the Obamas!

President Obama and Michelle might not have been invited to the royal wedding, but they've earned themselves an even more intimate affair with the famed couple. During a two day trip to England, the presidential couple and Duke and Duchess of Cambridge had a nice four-way chat in the Buckingham Palace on Tuesday.

Kate looked extra-slim in a nude Reiss dress as she chatted with an animated, pastel-adorned Michelle Obama. Maybe she's taking some cues from the thrifty shopping First Lady. The fitted dress retails for $340, which in the royal world equals pennies!

For their short visit in England, Michelle and President Obama are being treated like royalty by the Queen herself. In a rare gesture, Queen Elizabeth invited the couple to stay in the 6-room suite at Buckingham Palace where Kate and William spent their wedding night. But an unnamed palace aide says they will not be sleeping in the same bed. Phew...we were so worried.

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Toronto Sample Sale - Best of Canadian Designers

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Prince William and Kate Middleton Return from 10-Day Honeymoon in Paradise

Alas, Prince William and Kate Middleton are back in the real world after spending their 10-day honeymoon in the exotic island nation of Seychelles. 

William and Kate "thoroughly enjoyed their time together, and they are grateful to the Seychelles government for their assistance in making the honeymoon such a memorable and special 10 days," a statement released by the palace read (via People.com). 

"Memorable" probably only begins to describe it. The newlyweds were treated like royalty (er, even more so than usual...) after being helicoptered to a private island where they were put up in a secluded, oceanfront villa for their stay. Few details about the exact accommodations have been released, but we're sure their trip was straight out of a fairytale, kind of like their wedding.

Now that these two are back in London, Prince William will return to work as a search and rescue helicopter pilot while Kate presumably gets used to being a duchess and prepares for some big royal shindigs. Queen Elizabeth's 85th birthday celebration is in June, as is Prince Philip's 90th birthday party. 

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India's Trendiest - Bombay Electric

Having been lost in a flurry of fashion shows and seeking out the clothes that we will all want to buy in the coming seasons, it is time now to return to some serious shopping and dining.  I had left off in the middle of my trip to India, so it is only fitting that I return there.

The Universe seems to be screaming “India” at me, from family moving there and my recent trip to business associations and the rediscovery of friends from long long ago.  Who am I to argue with the Universe?

Upon arrival in Mumbai last holiday season, I was immediately struck with the vast difference between Mumbai and Delhi.  Delhi is very spread out, more low lying buildings and businesses and homes hidden away in enclaves.  It has a feeling of being a cross between Los Angeles and Washington DC.  Mumbai on the other hand is a teeming modern cosmopolitan city congested with skyscrapers and traffic.  I immediately felt a kinship with it similar to my home of New York.

Driving through the city in cabs, I was intrigued by the multitude of interesting shopping venues and was so looking forward to diving in.  Alas, my trip was way too short.  As a first time visitor to Mumbai, I had to do the mandatory sightseeing, meet up with a dear long time friend living in Mumbai and to meet an on-line friend that I have been corresponding with for some time, an amazing person that I am so glad to have finally met in person!  Faced with this lack of time to pursue shopping destinations, I asked my Mumbai friends and my associate in the States if they could tell me a few “must see” shops for me to visit.  The resounding first answer on everyone’s lips was Bombay Electric.  Luckily for me, Bombay Electric was literally around the corner from my hotel, making it easy to fit into my hectic 3 days in Mumbai.

Housed in a historic heritage building that even has teak beams that were a present from the King of Burma, the interior of the store seamlessly blends the antique qualities of the building’s structure with a modernity that give this shop a vibrance that completely draws you in.  Not to be outdone by its interior, the merchandise it houses carries the same energy and excitement.  Bombay Electric  offers fashion for ladies, gentlemen, and kids along with an eclectic mix of jewelry, scarves, vintage pieces and gift items.  Known for nurturing rising Indian talent, the cutting-edge store carries cherry picked fashions from Indian designers like Manish Arora and Rajesh Pratap Singh.  Besides showcasing Indian talent, Bombay Electric also carries a select grouping of international collections such as Comme des Garçons and United Nude.  Alongside the fashion, you can browse through antique jewelry, hand woven scarves, cashmere and limited edition pieces.

A fave store of many of Bollywood’s brightest stars, Bombay Electric is the perfect place to find everyday wear or even to find that red carpet dress that you need for a special occasion or a night on the town.  However, Bombay Electric doesn’t limit itself to merchandise alone!  It utilizes its unique space for photography exhibitions, concerts and even launch parties (Elizabeth Hurley launched her swimwear collection in India here!).  Bombay Electric is literally a center for all things fashionable, stylish and artistic in Mumbai!

I wandered through the store trying to take it all in, from the wild colors and prints of Manish Arora to the old India vintage pieces.  I was particularly pleased that they also sold menswear and found myself putting on my wish list several pieces that were just my style, including some modern takes on classic Indian apparel.

Wherever I am in the world, I now keep abreast of what is happening in the store on their website and find such interesting things going on there that I am always glad that I was led to this jewel of a boutique!  Bombay Electric is now on the permanent list of stores that I have to visit whenever I am in Mumbai!  As Suzy Menkes of the International Herald Tribune put it, “Bombay Electric, the cutting-edge store in Mumbai, could be a template for the new millennium of Indian style.”  Not only do I agree with Ms. Menkes, but I believe that it could be a template for international style!

by Mdivani Monroe of www.ladieswholunchtravel.com

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