Ya'll know I live for my shoes!
Peep these by Giambattista Valli!

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Mike & Chris - The Married Duo

I've loved Mike + Chris since I discovered them about 2 years ago. Mike is a fashion photographer & Christine is just an artsy NY girl. In the beginning, they were known for making comfortable clothes such as hoodies, stylish. In the high fashion way, not street wear. Now they're just known for making comfortable stylish clothes. They use different materials from leather to nylon, but the intricate detailing is always there. Their use of buttons, different necklines, and vertical detailing means that any shape can find something flattering. They have been featured in magazines from Italian Vogue to Elle. Their pieces have been worn by the likes of Keira Knightley [love her] & Angelina Jolie [how are the twins?] If you don't know, now you do. You can purchase their items at Shopbop, Net-A-Porter, & various other locations. Go out & buy!

Images via Mike&Chris.

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IT DOES EXIST!

I’ve always dreamed of starting a magazine for young African-American women and other women of color who are fashion forward, intelligent and enjoying life.
Today, I left work [or snuck out… whichever one works for you] to go handle some business concerning my phone that has been acting possessed lately. So I’m down on 23rd and 7th and there it is, sitting beautifully on a newsstand waiting for me to come pick it up [insert angelic sounds]…
Colures magazine.
I went back to the office [because I realized that I was starting to play myself and needed to start heading back up to Midtown] and looked it up [oh yeah, I bought it!]
... And it is everything I ever hoped for-- except for the British part, lol.

Colures, you have just gotten a new reader [seriously] so congrats on gaining my $7.99 no tax included =)

I haven't read it yet, but I flipped through the pages and it seems really appealing... I will update later got to get back to work... I think my boss is catching on to me!

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Now You Know: S2VS

After graduating from Parsons School of Design, 24-year-old New Yorker Sean William Salim has since gone own to pursue his own menswear label, S2VS.

Post-graduation, Sean was one of a handful of Parsons graduates to have his collection shown in the windows of the SAKS superstore.

Sean hopes to create a clothing line that has the viability to cross over into the commercial clothing market, and one day emulate the success of street wear designers such as Kim Jones, who has achieved commercial success without loosing his identity.

To me he is doing a really great job... evidenced through the growth within the collections produced so far.

Sean describes the S2VS style as simple, but with a bold context: "It's a little vintage but still super fresh... so today."

Click the title to check out the site!

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J.Crew is doing it up!

J. Crew can now be looked at as a pretty good lifetyle brand. They have collaborated with Selima Optique and Globe-trotter. They have a new men's store opening in Tribeca this Fall. To top it all off, they also use textiles and cashmeres from exclusive mills around the globe to consumers at an 'affordable' price.
The mission to grow a solid brand? ACCOMPLISHED ten-fold!
Aaaaaah! You thought they were done?
Oh boy you thought wrong!
Now J.Crew will begin to sell a large collection of vintage Rolexes in stores and on their website.

Any takers?

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King Louis is at it Again!

However, this time it's not necessarily pertaining a new collection.

But this ish is still boss! Look at these pics for m King Louis' Flagship store in Japan.


"The design for the 10 storey [yes that's spelled correctly, we're talking about buildings, not books] (54 meter tall) flagship Louis Vuitton store in Japan aims to establish an architectural equivalent of the identity of Louis Vuitton in which classical and modern qualities are blended, reinforcing each other. The design inspires the visitor with a feeling of being in the House of Louis Vuitton by celebrating the qualities that make up the essence of the company, its products, its history and its future." --- as stated by Dezeen, an architecture and design magazine.

haute ish!

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Fergie is On a Roll...

...but she needs to stop! I've never seen Fergie as a style icon and her shoe game has never EVER been unique to me.Nonetheless, Ms. Fergalicious has teamed up with Brown Shoe Company; the maker of brands such as Carlos by Carlos Santana, Naturalizer, Buster Brown & etc, to launch a brand new shoe line named Fergalicious by Fergie.

She debuted the line on Monday in Las Vegas at the WSA (World Shoe Association) show.
From what I see, it looks like the collection which will be available for purchase in Spring 2009 has an array of different styles of shoes to chose from; heels, sneakers, wedges, sandals.. you name it.
But in my opinion, the majority of them look chunky and mucho uggz! Sorry Fergie :(
However, for those of you who were unaware, this is not the first business venture for Stacy Ferguson. The Fergster also teamed up with Kipling to produce a line of affordable yet fashionable bags which came out in 2007.
Her bag line is split in to three sections, Nice Scout, Naughty Scout, and The Duchess. They're okay.

My advice: please don't come out with a clothing line.. leave the half- assedness to your singing!Thanks!

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Black Or Die

Nick Knight, well-known photographer, just released another one of his mini-movies. This one is about the use [or lack] of black models in the fashion industry, PERIOD. Naomi Campbell is the star, and rightfully so with all her anger issues. The mini-movie consists of Naomi holding two guns while Knight's words come up throughout on black screen. I just think that a lot of what Knight said made perfect sense.

"It is my belief that our society must be inclusive and by denying people the right to be seen as beautiful you cause deep cultural resentment, alienation and division."

Check out the video here. Then just reflect on the message. It's strong.

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Uh huh!

Being a college student who flies back and forth to school, vacation and home again; jetBlue has become my best friend.

Everyone was aware [and angered/annoyed/shocked…mostly annoyed] when American Airlines recently implemented their new bag fees [what are you supposed to travel with then? :( ] in order to counter the rising oil prices.

And we all knew that it definitely meant that the other airlines would soon enough follow suit, and sure enough US Airways and United did just that!

But did I think it would affect me so quickly?
No, as naive as that may sound.

jetBlue has been the best airline! They offer free entertainment, roomy seats, inexpensive fares and free snacks-- their personable employees are just an added bonus. But I should've known something fishy was going on when I booked by flight for Cali in March and I noticed that they no longer gave free headphones. Or when I booked my flight back to NYC in May and I noticed that I had to pay extra in order to sit in the front [I don't do back seats].

However, I recently bought my ticket to go back to school... uber excited because I caught a nice deal for only $99.00 and grabbed it ASAP because I knew it wouldn't be there if I turned my head. After purchasing the ticket, I'm totally relieved that I don’t have to worry about anything else school-related until that time comes around... then I print out my e-Itinerary.
And what am I greeted with?

A WARNING OF A SECOND BAG FEE!!! I don't know how to pack light! LOL, but I will make sure I learn how to 'cause I ain't paying shiiiit! [I’d rather my $$$ go towards shoes, clothes or stay in my account, respectivelyJ]

So for all of you flying back to school… learn some packing strategies!

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Relaxation & Luxury...

...are now only a few miles away from NYC.
Instead of going to Atlantic City to gamble and see some of your favorite artists perform in concert. You may soon decide to go to Atlantic City just for leisure.Two new hotels go a long way toward furthering that aim. The Water Club is a a $400 million, 800-room hotel built by the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa which opened earlier this summer. It was quickly followed by the 330-room Chelsea, a retro-modern hotel which has a 1950s/60s theme and is a $110 million makeover of two older hotels.

Both hotels are located near casinos [the AC staple] but feature high quality amenities that are sure to sweep you off your feet once you step through the doors.

It makes you question if you are really still in New Jersey!

Check them out! I will.

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MJ in the Windy City

Marc Jacobs already has a boutique for his bridge line, Marc by Marc Jacobs, in the Windy City.

But now Louis Vuitton designer Marc Jacobs has signed a 10 year lease to open a boutique for his signature collection at the lavish Elysian Hotel development in Chicago early in 2009.

The posh hotel features 188 guest suites starting at $600,000, 51 private residences which start at $3 million, and a restaurant by famed chef Charlie Trotter.

Steep.

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Purple Fever

So everyone knows that purple is big now!

However it seems like Neiman Marcus has joined the purple push. Their Fall 2008 trend event which runs from August 15 to August 23 will focus on berry colors as well as showcasing other key fall trends such as the return of the lady-like look, according to Fashion Week Daily. Any customer who spends $250 at the store will receive a Neiman Marcus PDA/mobile phone cover [let's leave the sidekicks to the children please!] in this cute shade! Good thing I haven't done my school shopping yet!

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Pierre Hardy @ GAP

Now you can keep in step all the way through fall with Pierre Hardy’s latest collaboration for the Gap. The men’s shoe collection (Hardy’s first for the brand) will debut at Gap stores at the end of August.

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Hell Can Be Fun!

Finally a Hellz Bellz Sample Sale in NY. I'm happy. Check the flyer for the info.

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The Top Place To Shop

I've been salivating over the upcoming Topshop collection for weeks now, and I figured it's time to share it with you guys. Now there are two things I ♥ in their collection: the plaid & many jackets/blazers. I never leave the house without one or the other on my body. I'm so glad they are going to be popular this fall. That means they'll be everywhere. And I'll have a leg up on everyone. Check out some of my favorites below, then head over to Topshop to see the total collection. Last, start saving. My birthday month is going to be busy [& expensive] with their store opening in NY.

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To Infinity & BEYOND!--- or Just Central Park!

Chanel Moving Museum-- Coming SOON!!!

Central Park may be the last place you’d expect to find a large, white, gleaming spacecraft.

However an art gallery that can be described just like that will call Central Park home from Oct. 20 to Nov. 9. at the Rumsey Playfield at 70th Street.

Chanel commissioned the structure to house artworks by about 15 contemporary artists. Each artist was asked to create something that was at least in part inspired by Chanel’s classic quilted-style handbag.

Coming off stops in Hong Kong and Tokyo, the 7,500-square-foot 'space ship' will round up its voyage in London, Moscow and Paris.

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Vault: Naomi Campbell

We all know Naomi Campbell as that crazy bee-yotch who has a problem with cell phones staying in her purse, but who is the lady behind the anger? lol. MAD TV, SNL and all the comedians in the world can crack countless jokes on her but Naomi is always on point.

Born on May 22,1970 [damn Gemini --- explains alot!] Campbell was "discovered" in a London shopping mall at age 15 and soon became one of the A-list models of the 1990s. Naomi was the first black model to appear on the covers of Time magazine, and French and British Vogue.

Naomi has also been featured in numerous music videos; from Bob Marley to Jay-Z.

Although she is well into her thirties, Naomi is still as relevant today as she was when she first appeared on the scene.

I love looking at pictures of her; whether it be ad campaigns or just a random shot of her out looking absolutely fabulous. I'm actually quite intrigued with her --- it could just be the fact that I like to find black Britons [idk, it's something in my head that doesn't match the face with the voice so I remain in shock].

Naomi is by far one of my favorite supermodels of all time and let's not forget how she had Tyra shook for years!

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DIDDY + CASSIE = Kim is BURNING!

After constantly denying their relationship, rumor has it that Cassie and Mr. No-Commitment aka Diddy are going to get married.

Ha!

Kim, who has been in a 10 year relationship with him is probably feeling sooooo burned right now!

But after all is said and done, she'll probably still welcome him back with open arms... smh!

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Run To The Hills!

One of MTV's best "reality" shows will be returning August 18th. I just watched the new trailer for the upcoming season of the Hills and I'm excited. Seems like there is going to be drama galore running rampant all around their cozy little area. LC has always been one of my favorite people, since back from Laguna Beach. Her clothing line caused me to lose faith in her. I guess that doesn't really matter since she supposedly, doesn't design it herself. It was reported by Fox News that she can't even sketch. Tsk, tsk LC. But if you admit, you could salvage your name & become a stylist instead. You might be good at that & no sketching involved if you do it right. . . Check out the trailer below.

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It's All About The Nervous System

Nervous System is a jewelery line started in 2007 by Jesse Louis-Rosenberg & Jessica Rosenkrantz. It's a line that uses unconventional materials such as rubber to create interesting pieces. Their pieces are based in the geometries of nature all around us. Their jewelery is affordable and very different. It's more about the design than the materials, which I admire. MIT does produce some brilliant minds. lol Vote for their fan design in the Ponko Jewelery Competition. Check the pics below for more examples of their work.

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It's so not FIERCE!

Christian Siriano [one of the best designers ever, in my opinion] of Project Runway, last season's winner, released his collection via Bluefly. I should have been overcome by joy, but it was another feeling I had. Disappointment. The collection is nonexistent, first off. There's only 9 pieces. That's not a collection, that's a 5 minute craft project. And none of the pieces said WOW to me. They're not wearable [in my eyes] & also not extravagant enough to be out there & different at some event. They are mediocre at best. I will say one thing: gold + black = totally my colors. Good choice of color palette. Check out some pics below.

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Spend Loco Money for Lupe!

Dita got together with Lupe Fiasco to collaborate on a pair of Midnight Special sunglasses that are hand crafted and extremely limited (1o pairs total) to celebrate Lupe’s appearance on Kanye West’s highly successful, Glow in the Dark Tour.

The sunglasses are equipped with a Red plated titanium and a floating lens with color monofilaments. Buy yours for exactly $961.92.

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See Gold

Super, an Italian brand, introduces the "24K Gold Lenses" available on a black and a white frame.

Say hello to an 80's classic, hand-made in Italy with Zeiss lenses. Let's just wait to see who's spotted in them first.

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She Puts On. . .AGAIN

It looks like RiRi is back on it. She just released her video for her new single, Disturbia. Even though I'm so tired of her, I have to admit the video is hot. Her styling team is freaking amazing.


Anyways speaking of putting on, Jeezy & Kanye also shot their video. I love Kanye's verse on this track. Enjoy.

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She's Baaaaacckkk!

Lots of older supermodels such as Claudia Schiffer and Linda Evangelista[love her!] are returning to the spotlight; and some are putting the younger supermodels to shame!

Check out some flicks from Christy Turlington's new shoot in the August issue of W magazine, titled "Champion".

The 39-year-old model, has also been re-signed as the face of German fashion house Escada.

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Rittenhouse

Peep these cool laid-back spring/summer 08 looks from Rittenhouse. Rittenhouse is an Australian brand that designs clothes for the whole family. I love their laid-back looks that are tailored enought that you don't look like a bum!

Click the title to check out the site

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Just In Case...

Just in case you are walking down the street and say to yourself :

" Golly gee bob! I'd really like to see Chanel's Fall/Winter 2008-2009 Couture fashion show! How will I ever be able to view it? Oh, I'm so saddened! What can I do?-- Wait! I have my trusty, less- expensive- to- buy- but- more- expensive- to- use iPhone!"

you may even say:

" Oh boy! Iwould really love to know what is going on in the world of Chanel, I am constantly out of the loop on all things fashion! How will I ever be in tune with everyone else who knows so much about the House of Chanel???? --- Wait! I have my new-glitch free- slimmer- and - prettier-iPhone- that- I- put-my- life-on-pause-so- that-I-could-stand- in- line- 12 days- before- its-release- and-be-the-first-one-on-the-Earth-with-it! Silly me, How could I forget?"

Then you are in luck!

Chanel has jumped on the bandwagon iPhone Application craze with their Haute Couture Show F/W 08/09 application.

The application is also a Chanel news client, store locator, and video client.

You can find it inside Apple's App Store.

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Schmoove Over!

Schmoove over! That's what you should tell your lame little Jordans, Nikes and etc when you get a look at these shoes! I love the wing tip shoe ( just as must as I love loafers) on a guy. Show me that you know more about footwear than every other average Joe on the street. Schmoove's intricate detailing can make a simple canvas sneaker look like gold [ok, I'm exaggerating... but they're cooler than Keds]

Click the title to see the entire 2008 collection!

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N*GG*R... the Separation & the Struggle

Some of the ladies on The View get into a heated discussion about the use of the N-word. This discussion seems old and I'm tired of reliving it. Check out the video!

Click the title for backposts!

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The Real King of Comedy!

King Louis of course!

'Jokes', a new line of Louis Vuitton bags recently came out but with an unexpected twist. Each has a different series of old time jokes by Henny Youngman. [Henry "Henny" Youngman was a British-born American comedian and violinist famous for "one-liners". His best known one-liner was "Take my wife—please".]

Definitely a different creative take from the minds that are behind King Louis, but I would feel like I'm walking around with an expensive Laffy-Taffy on my shoulder... but to each his own.

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