sailing into the sunset

image ©Louis Vuitton / Edwin Levick, Mariners Museum, VA USA  

On Board the Class J Endeavor in 1934.

Today was one of those days - the perfect day.

Midday on the harbour the most beautiful yachts I have ever seen - futuristic  elegant sails that looked like liquid metal - my people have arrived ! 

Delicious lunch at the super cute "Fish and Chips" on Takapuna Beach with Jodie, Tatum and Lisa right in front of the chase around the Volcano, Rangitoto commanding prime position in the harbour. 

A life altering haircut by Lucy Vincent Marr and a new Christine Crabb silk dress HOT HOT HOT. I really feel great and many compliments ensure :-) 

 Breeze in to the LV Queen st store handed a glass of Moet and view the Louis Vuitton "Winds and Sails" exhibition -"La   Légende de l'America's Cup et de la Louis Vuitton Cup" historic photographic exhibition in the private gallery upstairs. -  I love this company, their extrordinary history is linked with travel and Yachting is in their very fabric.

LV have broken away from the America's Cup and are hosting from this  Friday in Auckland, the very glamourous Louis Vuitton Pacific Series. 

So with bubbles in hand I saw a truly beautiful collection of photographs curated by the charming Bruno Troublé. With historic images of the Kennedy's, full blown romantic sailboats,  sailors that JPG would melt over to the modern fast arial racing shots that simply invite adrenaline being so dynamic. 

Angela, Melinda and Mark all in one place for a rare new years catch up - just delightful, they are all sparkling and in fine form hosting the worlds elite sailors.  

My trip back to my beautiful island with the softening sun and a flock of sails all around us to complete the day. 

Heaven.  

a lacy appointment

                                        photos courtesy of Bendon

There is nothing complacent about the new Elle Macpherson Intimates Boudoir range. She is very girly and candy - and those silks would look gorgeous against a naked thigh. 

Statistics are showing that we are way to stressed to  get busy at what we all set out to look busy for in the first place mostly along the lines of - sex, power and money.  So I thought perhaps the ritual - the lingering delightful thoughts of lingerie may persuade you to think twice about over time and more about having a nice time. 

It is January and being back from that break at the beach is still fresh and making a habit ( it takes two weeks ) while you are still feeling good is a good habit. 

Trust me making love is better than war and the stats need lifting for the good team ;-) 

The lacy lovelies are in store now - just a spritz of fragrance and heels and you will leave the office way way behind. 

Well Hello Kitty

images courtesy of M.A.C 

MAC Cosmetics have released their new Celebrity range - this time the 35 year old Hello Kitty.

I just love the imagery and imagine the little girl in us all will enjoy this one. Rush for this one these collections sell out super fast. That pink on the lip and nails is sensational. 

 My first and only Barbie was the M.A.C Barbie - my gorgeous friend Jason insisted on having her and I had no ammunition for his pleading eyes and sizable Barbie collection. 

Well this time you have plenty of warning - hands off my Hello Kitty - go get your own or lick up the spilt milk.  meow. 

Available March 9th in selected MAC stores. 

optimism and the brand

Calvin Klein perfumes had a little shindig with Rock the Vote last night in Washington to celebrate the inauguration of Barrack Obama as President. 

Cleverly leveraging the hope and optimism of the "re" United States of America for a little relaunch of the fifteen year old Fragrance CK One. 

Jamie Burke the model and lead singer of the Band named Burke is pictured singing at the gig and in the staring role for the CK One TVC I have included.

 "we are one" is the new catch cry and the new gen of CK fans will be sniffing afresh what was the smell of the early 90's androgynous grunge generation. 

  Never "one" (excuse the pun ) to miss out on cashing in on the mass psyche, CK is right there in the mosh pit of the warm and fuzzies for the new Global hope in the US President. 

Personally I loved it at the time and I am happy that something great is getting a new audience.

Madonna UN-RETOUCHED !

Yes this is what a good looking woman at 50 with a facelift, botox, lots of filler, shot by a good photographer with the worlds best in hair and makeup working on you looks like-  BEFORE RETOUCHING !

These are Steven Klein out takes "ouch"-  found on Candy Store 

sigh and be relived - I know it you know it - modern photography is part painting now 

relax in your own skin - enjoy the pictures knowing they are part fantasy.

Or go to the reality programming or the Nat Geo/ Discovery channels - plenty of pores and hair over there. 

Geeze someone's head is going to roll with the leak of these shots - ALWAYS always be nice to the assistants - they can break you too it seems !   

Future school

Now you would have thought in the 60's that by now we would be living like the Jetsons - with our own spacecraft instead of cars and very very high tech surrounds. And things could not be more opposite - I have seen the future and it is made of Bamboo !

On a recent trip to Bali I visited the Green School to see what the future of education may look like. The School opened in Sept 08 and I understand they are going through their teething problems. (Bali is a small place with a fairly active bush telegraph)

The School, based on a Steiner and Australian level Curriculum starts and finishes there with any parallel to any kind of educational centre I have seen or attended.

The vision of the school by New Zealand Steiner educator Alan Wagstaff was realized by John & Cynthia Hardy, the Bali Based Canadian Jewelers. The Hardy's reportedly earned a cool US$200mil last year from the sale of shares in the company - so you know the scale of the place and project is massive.

The campus on two adjoining sides of the Agung river is really gorgeous. And the structures set in the landscape are a sight for sore eyes after looking at other "normal" schools.

- there are plenty of shots on the site.

The reason why this place intrigues me is this, my kid is about to start school, and I am looking for something extraordinary outside of the system.

What blew me away was the incredible architecture using Bamboo and the proliferation of food plants in the grounds. Being an avid organic gardener and a entrepreneur as well as growing up on the back of a national park - this ticks by innerchild's boxes for happiness.

My son could catch a chicken about the same time as he could write his name - good skills in this life I happen to think ;-)

As well as chickens (Ayum) they have water buffalo, goats, fish - and a mud wrestling pit !

The talking circle grounded with a giant Brazillian terminator Chrystal was hippy wonderland stuff. I am a Yippee - yuppie/Hippy so beautiful design and well thought out sustainability is right up my alley.

The web site is very comprehensive - to say they are media friendly over at the Green school would be a slight understatement.

So I wish the school much success in it's first year and I hope seeing the beautiful structures will inspire - Bamboo is a grass that grows up to a foot per day in the tropics - they have created something truly magnificent in the jungle of Bali.

And when the US dollar goes down or my income goes up, I may be one of the Green School Mummy's in the future.

from beyond the grave and into your lounge.......

Perhaps not as gothic as it sounds ......

Florence Broadhurst has had design influence well past her death with Signature Prints the custodians of the library doing very clever things with wall paper and fabrics amongst many other darling design darling and desirable design items. 

The newest release bound for Mason & Object in Paris this January 23- 27th, will be accompanied by the incredible duo behind the brand, Helen and David Lenny.

 

These are some shots taken during sample printing. 

 With Broadhurst design popping up in the swankiest houses clubs bars and hotels - keep a look out for these new releases  - perhaps the swanky house will be yours :-)  

and the bride kissed the bride

I am really not very good at keeping up with celeb goss and the magazines stuffed with them - like if they do not leave Katie Holmes and her little girl alone I think we should start taking photos of the editors of these ghastly titles bums and posting them and see how they like it ......

I digress 

:-) 

SO in August Ellen and Portia got married 

I love the shot I love that they are happy I love what they wore I love they squeezed that one in before the bigots shut down gay marriage again in California I love that I have met neither of them yet I am touched by their happiness 

this is one of those great stories that would be in one of those awful mags - but making the life of a new celebrity mother miserable probably made the cover instead. 

congrats ladies I wish anyone who is brave enough to love so publicly all the happiness in the world. 

spirit song - film clip I worked on in 1989 !

My dearest friend performer and healer Karina Hayes sent me this clip today, she is the featured singer and after many years of her living in the US I have happily found her after she married mr golden tonsils   (god bless Google and Facebook)

  

 20 years kinda flies ! so here is a little blast from the past with some updates. 

This is the trailer made for the first film writen and directed by Alex Proyas.( I, Robot, Dark City, The Crow etc )  produced by Meaningful Eye contact. The film, shot on a shoestring in Broken Hill, NSW Australia. Was made with the use of equiptment used for the filming of "kiss the Dirt" film clip Proyas directed for INXS at the same time.

The B&W sequences for which I was Makeup and wardrobe, was shot in a studio on an old tabacco factory site very close to the old Ikea site in Waterloo. It was to be a stark contrast to the extreme colour of the film. 

The remarkable makeup in the film sequence (shown in colour) was the creation of Mathu Anderson  - based in the USA since the filming. you will spy him in early episodes of America's Next Top Model as the resident makeup artist. 

Dean Denim and I have a little cameo doing Rhys Davis's Hair & Makeup - well pretending with much dramatic effect ;-)

And Karina Hayes (now Blakeley)  as our slightly dark angel singing the theme song. Her sweet tones and her extravagant performance graced many a swanky nightclub and giant dance parties of our youth.  Karina was a lead singer in in a hard core experimental band called SPK with the rather imposing Graeme Revell, now one of  Hollywood's most prolific film & TV composers. 

It took me hours to create the costume - not that you see much of it! - the bodice was constructed with rushed ribbon. the long black gloves for contrast and she was wearing my agents heavy metal biker rings (thank you Sally Galwey - she is now a jewelry designer). 

The shoot was a laugh and it is wonderful to see it again - I hope you enjoy it. 

JLo takes out - most breathtaking!

OK SO she is not my fave, her fashion antics with the fur of small animals makes me cringe. Her new rich ghastly displays of more More MORE with the $500US mink eyelashes etc make me gag at times. 

But I got to hand it to the little lady - she made my jaw drop in this gorgeous Marchesa gold gown -appropriately worn at the Golden Globes awards in Hollywood.  

Nicely done Ms Lopez. 

credit to Cavalli

Designer plastic is no longer an oxymoron ! ( lol ) 

Sprouse - the book

Launching today with the Stephen Sprouse collection is the Limited edition LV book. 

 It seems I have the fever ! 

And from highsnobriety here are the first looks of the Soho store. - BAM!

Blumenfeld

whilst on the theme of idols in my youth ...........

I met the grandson of one of the most influential photographers and artists in my life yesterday. Casually over a beer on Waiheke as you do, I almost fell off my chair. 

I had a print of the Eiffel Tower image framed in my room (at a huge investment at the time) as a teenager. When you go back to the masters, you get so much of the foundation of our current photographic trends. 

Revisiting his body of work today I am again humbled by the breakthroughs in photographic imagery this genius made. He died the year I was born.  

Show studio has a collection of his experiments in advertising - the films of Erwin Blumenfeld.

enjoy x

Get your skates on

Louis Vuitton celebrate the return of the Stephen Sprouse collection with a 2009 tribute.

The Collection is vibrant in the popular Sprouse handwriting (revamped in Neon) as well as the beautiful roses.   

The Skateboard and case being a bit of a standout. 

One of the most energy efficient modes of transport available on four wheels, - only ..... would you actually take it out of it's case and ride it ?

The Soho NYC flagship store will transform with a temporary showcase of Sprouse's signature collection with Graffiti embellishing the building in a special vinyl wrap  for the occasion. (amazing)  

The Limited edition skateboard is exclusive to the Greene street location (at US $8,250) - as is a Limited edition "Roses" T-shirt (at US $250 a pop). With a worldwide launch of the range February 2nd, Sprouse's signature "roses" pieces are due to start popping up in a store near you from tomorrow.

  The hit collaboration with Marc Jacobs in 2001 was a sell out  and the first time the LV monogram had been embellished. The artist passed away in 2004.

Proceeds will go to the Stephen Spouse Memorial Scholarship Fund, Sprouse estate, and Free Arts NYC Program. 

If you missed it the first time around, and you have LV fever, get your skates on. 

TED Talking

Isaac Mizrahi is a bit of an idol of mine - when in my twenties he was just hilarious, creative and prolific in all the right ways. (As a 80's runway favourite NYC fashion designer in case you are uninitiated) 

He has since had a talk show, designed costumes and done the best diffusion line for Target which set the high low trend in full steam. 

So visiting one of my favourite sites: ted.com I found a familiar voice describing his inspiriation - I urge you all to view it, he is rather a compelling character - Also on the site there is brilliance in the form of some of the words best minds giving inspired talks.  See Isaac here.