Topshop make up

I'm really curious about Topshop make up line. The cute packaging makes me want to have them all. I wonder if the quality is good. The video tutorials are fun to watch,too.

Handmade ceramics from a Japanese artist. I kept the mint one for myself and gave the rest to my friend as a birthday gift.


Summer's still here in L.A and it was the first time I thought we need an AC in our house.

Closet Visit : Clare Vivier

Today I want to show you my favorite bag designer, Clare Vivier's closet. Her closet is a small room with a beautiful back yard view. It's filled with massive vintage finds, her own handmade jewelry, and art by her son Oscar and friend "Simone Shubuck" (one of my favorite artists) and more. I really loved the idea of "closet with art" and enjoyed looking at every single little piece she collected. Clare was kind enough to show us her latest bag design, you can see it in a couple of photos. - it looks amazing. We also get a peek into her work space which I found really inspiring.

Big thanks to Clare for posing in winter coats in 95 degrees!

Click the photos for description.



Can you describe your style?
Hmm, a mix of vintage and new. I like to be interestingly classic, but there's always something a little off, I can't avoid it, I often need to alter things I wear to be personalized for me.

What is the most important thing when you design a bag?
That it is chic but simple.




Who are your favorite designers/brands?
Lanvin, Phoebe Philo, Kathryn Bentley, Isabel Marant, Marni, Vanessa Bruno

What are your favorite shops?
Luxe De Ville on Sunset, Steven Alan, Le Bon Marché, APC, Merci, Comptoir des Cotonniers





Describe your typical day?
Wake at 7 make breakfast and get Oscar ready for school, take him to school, hike Runyon Canyon, come home to work, work, work, until I go get Oscar from school, come home and work more 'til dinner time, put Oscar to bed and work some more. (most days)

What's something you wouldn't be caught dead wearing?
hmm, so many things, but there was a moment of absolute dread when "belly T's" were supposedly making a comeback.



You go to France often.  Are there places that you check out every time you visit?
I do. It's boring, but I have my favorite shops and I have to go to them (mentioned above) also I always end up at Jardin du Palais Royal, and Cafe Charlot in the Marais.


These are all handmade by Clare

Do you have any items you've been eyeing for fall?
I wanted a leather skirt and I just got one. But I'd also love a leather jacket and some ankle pants and I haven't gotten some shoes in a while.



New Clare Vivier Bag --- LOVE!!!

What other bag designers do you admire and wear?
I don't wear many other designers' bags these days - unless it's something vintage. I have a vintage Bottega that I like a lot. I admire the classic French lines for their ability to make an absolute perfect stitch and I really like Lanvin's bags right now. I adore American heritage lines, like J.W. Hulme. And I also admire Vanessa Bruno for her perseverance and her style.

Do you have any fashion guilty pleasures?
SHOES




Who are your style icons?
Heather Taylor, Deb Kaplan, Simone Shubuck, Emmanuelle Alt, Charlotte Gainsbourg




Can you give advice to new designers who want to start their own lines?
Don't let self-doubt get you down, just put one foot in front of the other. It's what I try to do everyday.

{Peek of her work studio}



*** Please check out more photos on my Flickr

Clare's shop, blog

*If you missed the last Closet Visit (Heather Taylor), click here

Stay tuned

Closet Visit : Clare Vivier is coming soon.

my name is pronounced like "gina" if you thought if was "jee -anna". that's all. : )

Chanel nail

I love these two colors!

Lunch

Lunch with creative ladies. It was fun checking out silvia's sketches of her new bags and leather & fabric samples. We talked about small businesses, blogging, fabric, leather, poor cows, silk screen, Comme Des Garcons, Alexander Mcqueen, DIY furniture, metabolism and hair for 3 hours! Haha. It was a nice break.

Necklaces

Thank you so much for your support about Closet Visit! I worked hard on the last post and I'm so glad that my readers are excited about it. Yay! I have a great line up for upcoming Closet Visits. I'll be posting the next one soon.
Me and My camera are going everywhere lately but I won't forget that I need to make some new paintings and videos, too. Phew!

Meanwhile, enjoy my normal daily posts. : )



I'm a little crazy about big necklaces lately. I go to the flea market for necklaces now and I always end up coming home with some great finds. The long silver one was only $12 and i love it so much. I like the spiky one with a simple girly dress.

Closet Visit : Heather Taylor

I've been thinking about starting a new regular feature for my blog for a while and I decided it would be fun to go to stylish and inspiring people's houses, check out their closets, and photograph them wearing their favorite stuff. It's always to fun to check out other people's closets, right? What do you guys think, sound fun?

So I started with my dear friend Heather Taylor. I know many of you already know her through her cozy blog LA in bloom. She is the Co-owner and Director of Taylor De Cordoba, a writer for Huffington Post and Daily Candy, an amazing cook and fundraiser. Also she's one of the most stylish people I know.

Ok, let's talk about her closet. It's full of beautiful stuff from Gap to Prada. Also it's like vintage heaven. I love how she wears big colorful statement accessaries and isn't afraid of taking risks. Whether she's going casual at a cafe for lunch or totally glammed up for a fancy occasion she always looks effortlessly amazing. Anyway I had so much fun doing the shoot with Heather. Enjoy Heather Taylor's closet & interview. ; )

Who are your favorite designers/brands?

For clothes: Prada, Balenciaga, Celine, Marni, Comme De Garcons, Rodarte, Lanvin, Gap Body, JCrew. For accessories: Clare Vivier, Kathryn Bentley, Goyard, Hermes.

What are your top 3 favorite pieces in your closet?

A floor length, aqua blue Halston dress from the 70s, my emerald engagement ring, my assortment of Clare Vivier clutches.

What are your favorite shops?

I love Barney's. The Way We Wore is my favorite shop for vintage. And for Mexican accessories, I hit up Olvera Street and usually leave with some great headbands and belts. My underpinnings come from Jenette Bras.

Are there any current trends you don't like?

Shorts worn with tights.

You are a gallery owner. Can you describe your style for daily gallery work and art openings?

I dress in whatever excites me at that moment and that changes daily. For the openings, I usually wear a chic dress and knock em dead shoes with Red Square lipstick by Nars.

I'm a shoe freak. do you have any fashion obsessions?

I love it all - but I especially gravitate towards a colorful necklace, mexican silver, whimsical headpieces and cozy scarfs.

What is your most recent purchase?

A knitted Prada headband.

Any perfume you like?

My favorite perfume is Blu by Bruno Acampora.

Who are your style heros?

Frida Kahlo, Georgia O'Keefe, Lady Rhoda Birley, Jacqueline Picasso, Sophia Coppola

What items do you splurge on?

I splurge on statement accessories and then proceed to wear them to death.

Are there things you don't mind skimping on?

My favorite jeans and khakis are from the Gap and I'm addicted to cozy sweatshirts from Gap Body.

*Some outtakes on my Flickr

******

Thank you for sharing, Heather!

new regular feature is coming soon!

please check back on monday!

hint: it's about fashion : )

i really like the simple & clean make up here. i should start wearing my red lipstick again.

same dress

i don't know if you remember this post of the dress. i wore it baggy with my vena cava necklace and sandals today.

Pamela Love

pamela love is one of my favorite jewelry designers. check out her new spring 2011 line inspired by indian and african tribes. amazing.

via refinery29

Clémence Poésy

love everything about this outfit.. AND the hair.

via studded hearts