A Fashionable Life Radio

One of our favorite UK designers and human rights activist, Alice Temperley, is selling this  beautiful candle to mark Human Rights Day on December 10th. All proceeds will go to Amnesty International who for over 50 years has been leading the charge against all human rights atrocities around the world. The symbol of the candle wrapped in barbed wire is the original design along with the Chinese proverb, “Better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.”

Candles are available at all Temperley boutiques and are $45. Great holiday gifts to show your love and support for mankind……and nothing is more “fashionable” than that!

Steve Madden is is in the closets of many  women in he same way as a pair of  flip flops, Frye boots or Tory Burch Revaflats might be. Dualstar Entertainment (Mary Kate and Asley Olson’s c0mpany) has just inked an exclusive deal with Steve Madden to design, make and distribute footwear and accessories for the Olson brand Olsonboye. Sold exclusively this Spring at JC Penney and JC Penney online.

Leave it to our good friends at Stuart Weitzman to lead the charge towards Spring 2010! Shoes have been playing such a strong role in all the collections and this Spring the wedge and cork remain strong trends. There are no shoes more comfortable than a pair of Weitzman so check out your favorite retailer….you are sure to find Stuart Weitzman shoes there luring you to a future with “happy” feet!

LEGENDS: DAVID ROCKWELL, PATTI SMITH and MARC JACOBS last night on the BLUE carpet at Pratt Institute Legends Gala at 7 World Trade Center overlooking the construction site where the twin towers once stood. The awesome nature of the site, looking south towards the Statue of Liberty and beyond to the Jersey shore line and of course, the lights that dot the Manhattan landscape which added to the vibe of those inside basking in the glow of the halos over the legend’s heads. Marc was wearing a kilt of Scotch plaid (that he paired with a white button down and a black jacket and shiny workman’s boots with a hint of white sock showing). Holy +@#$ he is beyond hot. Men and women were beside themselves throughout the room as he slowly worked the crowd.  Marc is royalty so a crown sort of replaces the halo that occupied his aura while on the way to becoming  legend. Bridget Foley of W was there, Ex- Victoria’s Secret model and owner of the chic Meatpacking store, Batik’s Helena Christianson presented Marc with his award.  In the midst of appetizers a guest toward the back, off to the side of the room blacked out when his low blood pressure medicine and one too many Maker Mark’s specialty drinks made for the evening’s sponsorship. He is doing fine! The evening ended with Patti Smith performing while Patrick Mcmullan rocked out, Patrick is a skilled and adored photographer and the arbitor of all things cool. He is Full frontal’s ‘front man’ on the Sundance channel. As the light bulbs flashed, everyone was in a complete Empire State of Mind! When Marc and I had a chance to catch up, Marc pulled open his tartan kilt to reveal that his kilt was in fact a skort. That’s right. A Comme Des Garcons skort!  Now that is forward. And speaking of Looking forward to seeing this look donned by more legends and regular people alike. Guess what?  Marc also told me that he is doing a furniture line.  Pratt raised $400,000 for scholarships at Pratt. 80% of the student population receives financial aid. Helena Christianson asked “Is it possible to get an honorary degree from Pratt”?  Even though Marc is a Parson’s guy (where we met when we were 18 and on the Parsons in Paris program) he was totally faglempt when receiving his award- completely humbled. Marc’s recently betrothed Lorenzo wasn’t by his husband’s side because Marc thought the event was a week or two later than it actually was, he screwed up and felt badly. We were sent home with the silver indusrial and sustainable bags designed by Legend David Rockwell which were filled with Patti Smith poetry books (published by Harper Collins) and Marc Jacobs silver key chains. Fashion, design, architecture and gorgeous, young Pratt students sprinkled around mostly drooling over the extraordinary talent and brilliance the night held. This was A fashionable Life personified!

My mother use to say nothing in fashion is ever really new! “Hold onto to it all, she would say, because you will be surprised what comes back again.”  Well, I wish I had held onto my frye boots from college because this is one trend making a BIG comeback! I bought the low “Billy” boot last week which is so comfortable and durable…definitely my best investment piece this month. If you haven’t investigated Frye in a while, you will be surprised by all their styles and prices and that is something to stomp your boots about! www.thefryecompany.com

Think about doing some decorating? My favorite new interior designer is Ryan Korban and if you haven’t heard of him, you will! He has designed the cribs of many celebs and fashion favorites and his taste is modern and so unique. Check out his website at www.ryankorban.com and dream….here is a man who CAN make them all come true!

Lisa Marsh is the auhor of the CFDA’s latest installment to their growing library of books which help to raise money for the CFDA’s initiatives. Lisa was our guest today on A fashionable Life and shared some priceless storries, her inside take on the recipes featured and the fact that she tested many of the dishes during her weekly “Moms” poker night!!!  We adored having Lisa on this morning and can’t wait until you get your hands on this PERFECT gift for anyone who loves to cook or simply wants to know what Derek Lam or Yigal Azrouel cook up for their guests! By the way…Yigal Azrouel (our most recent CFDA winner/member guest on A fashionable Life) not only has Chicken Tangine as his recipe in the book….he is also THE window at SAKS FIFTH AVENUE NYC where his cooking talents are the theme.  A man of many talents!!!!  www.amazon.com

If you happen to walk down Fifth Avenue on a regular basis you may have noticed that something old is new again! GANT the quinessential preppy resource known for it’s vast array of classic shirts has upped it ante and entered into a new era where the classics have been reinterpreted for men, women and children.  At a time where (as a recent NY Times article suggested) Tory Burch, Tommy Hilfiger and other designers who bridge the gap between lesser price brands and designer clothes are thriving, Gant has thrown it’s brand into the arena by promoting good and wearable designs that stay true to the original classics but with just enough reinvention to put them on top. The new “cashmere” is a redux of the original “woolster” a soft flannel shirt that anyone would want as the temperature dips and the craze for flannel shirts exists!  The store is GORGEOUS! www.gant.com

If you are constantly asking, “What Would Jackie Do?”, referring to the chic Jackie Kennedy, then you already know she would be sporting the new ‘it” bag named after her from Gucci this season. Much like the classic hobo Gucci bag named after her, this new modern version is larger with the season’s fringe and interconnecting bridle bits. You will notice immediately that the signature Gucci logos are missing which is the company’s response to convincing their customer that investment pieces are still the mark of a serious shopper……Stay away from trends and stay with companies like Gucci where craftmanship still reigns supreme…..they have a point! www.gucci.com

Coined by our UK fashion buddies, a snood is making a big comeback this season. Worn as “statement necklace” at Burberry as seen in the above picture, snoods can also be worn over the head to keep you warm in the dead of winter or as a scarf with your favorite winter coat. The great thing about this new accessory is that it can easily change your outfit in a blink of an eye and there is nothing ”snoody” about that!