The RUEHL Film Now on YouTube

This is the film that brought us into the lifes of beautiful post-grads living out the magnificent Greenwich Village lifetyle that was RUEHL No.925. It was originally featured on RUEHL.com late-2008/early-2009. Among the models are: Tyler Lough, the one jump roping and who's chiseled behind we get to check out; Justin Schneider, who walks into the vintage records store; and Mark Ricketson, who wears a light brown RUEHL cardigan sweater and drinks and mingles around at the jazz bar.

Begin the day with a beautiful New York sunrise, and pull on those sexy premium RUEHL jeans! Take a sip of fine coffee at the Village café while reading up the newspaper, and later take a stroll down the Spring-filled streets. Check out the vintage music store at the corner or work out at the Village gym with our jump-roping buddy Tyler Lough. Observe the art of a fine photographer at work, and enjoy the resulting aesthetic appeal with a bottle of wine. As sunset comes, we all come together to hang out, share some drinks, and laugh and dance the night away at this really cool Jazz Club our friends are dying to check out! Drinks all around!!! We mingle and socialize, and enjoy good times…being young…living life! In the end, we depart with one last view of two of our friends giving the night a passionate finale…

The RUEHL film…the RUEHL fantasy…RUEHL No.925
 
Directed by John Urbano

After Fukuoka, Aoyama?

A&F Ginza (a towering behemoth of a flagship!) might not be enough to satisfy the Abercrombie-craze of Tokyo! 

There is no doubt, Abercrombie & Fitch faces paramount demand in Japan. The Company is delivering by making Japan the only other country in the world to be home to multiple A&F locations (apart from its home country, the United States). A secondary flagship store is on schedule to open in Fukuoka, in southern Japan, to meet demand in the region, later this year. But now, rumors are circulating that a third store may open in Aoyama. The retail spot in question was leased by Miu Miu which has moved out (it will open a flagship in a bigger space). In 2006, when scouting possible locations for its Tokyo flagship, A&F had considered the neighborhood but opted out. Aoyama is a neighborhood in Tokyo and very near Ginza (akin to the Upper East Side of Manhattan), and so I was initially curious as to why A&F would open another shop in the same area (Tokyo) since the point of a flagship is to serve the entire area. May I remind you all, A&F Ginza is huge! And then it hit me like a wave of FIERCE; the demand must be really great! May I remind you further that A&F Ginza, however tall it may be, is still quite a narrow structure (and so overcrowding can abound). Also, this is Tokyo, the epicenter of luxury consumption where you can never have enough LV bags (or A&F jeans for that matter).

P.S. A&F's got the Fifth Avenue flagship and a store in Brooklyn (in NYC) so go figure. HCo. is also opening another EPIC on Fifth Avenue, a walk away from its EPIC in SoHo. Demand, demand!

A&F Sued Over Religious Discrimination

An Abercrombie & Fitch store front featuring Back-to-School 2007 marketing.

The company has been recently sued by a young Muslim woman after she was told to remove her hijab why working in store at Great Mall of Milpitas in California. Yes, Abercrombie & Fitch is an "all-American" brand (or so it seems). But that does not mean you have to tell your employees that a hijab - for those of you who are culturally challenged, a hijab is a head covering worn by Muslim women - is not "the Abercrombie look." It is completely unacceptable. Let's discuss both sides, shall we? First of, yes, typically you do not picture an Abercrombie girl with a hijab and there are people do just do not feel comfortable familiarizing American culture with Islam (a very sensitive issue in this country). But that is completely unfound. To be American is to be free and expressive of our ideals, dreams, and hopes. And Abercrombie & Fitch, you crushed the American ideal...

This is not the first time an incident as such has occurred (the same violation was charged last September). The 18 year-old wore her head covering colorful, coordinating the style with her A&F look. “This retailer that targets a youth market is sending the message that you cannot aspire to their ‘All American’ brand if you wear a head covering to comply with your faith,” stated the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's regional attorney William Tamayo.

What are your thoughts over the matter?

'Fantasy Studio'...Where Movie Legends Are Made

Geret and Moritz run down together in an alley at A&F Studios

" 'Fantasy Studio...Starting the A&F Repertory Company..."

The final film in the A&F Screen Test is here...'Fantasy Studio'. So regal, so majestic, so dreamy, it’s A&F Studios. (Let's throw in a boom and wow, too!). It is where everything comes together: all the pizzazz and grandeur that made Screen Test the greatest and most memorable Abercrombie & Fitch marketing campaign ever is beautifully summed up.

'Fantasy Studio' takes us inside the fictional A&F Studios "from where movie legends are made..." There's dancing and parading, and kissing and touching. Our lovely Camille gracefully springs about on set while young love abounds from corner-to-corner. Little doggies wag their tails, Laura befriends a beauty of a stallion, and cattle ranchers mingle with the Abercrombie dream-team. The guys chill out - they playfully wrestle and dance - while the gorgeous women stroll about, twirl with delight, and blow sweet kisses of bliss. A&F Studios is a true fantasy studio where everything goes (even A&F undies, up high in the air).

So we have thus arrived to the conclusion of a wonderful fashion season unlike any other. But hold on! Don't forget that upcoming prize of a lifetime that awaits a yet unknown wunderkind...

Greetings from Boston!

Hello! I'm still here - working up a storm and finally getting all my home issues dealt with. The water main was fixed, the electrical service entrance was fixed and the oil tank is in. It was not the way I wanted to end the summer, but what are you going to do.

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Meanwhile, I wanted to share some of my favorite images from the Boston Public Libraries current exhibit called Greetings from Boston - a look at postcards dating back to the early 20th century. According to the exhibit information, in 1907, American's mailed over 677 Million postcards.

They were all the rage-the tweets of yesteryear! Below are some of my favorites from their Flickr site.

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'Closed Set' is Scandalously Fun, Racy and Classy (Oh My)!

A model stops and smiles (is he day-dreaming of stardom?) after steping out of the closed set. I wonder what went on inside?!

" 'Closed Set'...starting the A&F Studio Repertory Company...with music by Johann Sebastian Bach's son, Christian... "

The newest short film for A&F Screen Test is titled 'Closed Set' and, as the title to this post suggests, is filled with cheeky visuals enough to have you grinning cheek-to-cheek. A complete classic in my opinion, 'Closed Set' runs with a perfect balance of raciness and class. The smiles, facial expressions and body language of the cast lighten the mood with a heighten sense of amusement and unadulterated pleasure. Overall the feel is very bubbly, running smoothly to the classical music of "the London Bach" Johann Christian Bach (1735 – 1782), son of the great baroque composer (and not to be confused with) Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 – 1750).

Opening up, we glimpse two neo-classical statues poised as if awaiting for the show to begin, fixed stares upon the entrance to closed set. A stark-naked male gives kisses of greetings to men and women who come "with a glint of hope and an open eye..." The cast ventures into the closed set with mixed feelings: one girl prays, another boy signals for luck, while others simply walk in casually with a smile (and remove clothing here and there); and soon the door is closed... Time goes by inside: who knows what in the world went on inside? Then with a swift opening of the door, out come the models, one-by-one...pure, liberated, aspirational spirits. Running out scantly-clad or beautifully nude, they are carefree and enjoying it. But running why? For what? To a paradise where dreamers become stars, perphaps? In the final act, a nude model bows down with the grace of a triumphant actor as if to say, "Ladies and gentlemen, we hope you enjoyed our wonderful presentation, a celebration of fun and youth." Yes, naked actor, I completely relished every second of it...

A&F Campus, home of the hyper-cool and totally gorgeous!

Forget working there, I want to live there! A&F Home Office where everything goes down. It is an idealised college-campus-of-sorts were fun and cool rule the curriculum...it seems rather more like a college town, really. I like to also look at it as a very Fitch-alicious Rome: the complex is the capital of an ever expanding international fashion empire that has been taking the world by a storm!

Home Office is completely awe-inspiring, and the intention was for it to be so when designed back in the early 2000s. The A&F Team is surrounded by their element. The architecture, and the overall aesthetic of the entire campus, is a contrast of the rustic outdoors and modern appeal. Such illustration embodies the historic heritage of Abercrombie & Fitch (as a respected outdoors company) while capturing its revolutionary modern image (as a world renown fashion entity): the two, harmoniously co-existing, signify a progressive future. To keep development flowing, the campus is centralized, balanced, and relaxed. Smilling faces work and chill side-along-side among the many structures housing all the state-of-the-art amenities that keep the ball rolling. Everything that you see in stores - from the lighting to the scent - is meticulously chosen in on-Campus mock-up stores. Home Office is where it is all at!

Check out the video above (if you haven't done so already) to get a visual perspective of what I mean...its very vibrant, energetic...only A&F.

Our Idol Bruce Weber in Talks Photography in 'The Teen Vogue Handbook'

Weber captured the enduring beauty of Hispanic model Jessica Perez in this image for the A&F Christmas 2006 marketign campaign (one of my favorites!).

"His easy, intimate images of beautiful young people (Abercrombie, anyone?) has established this lensman as one of the fashion world's most celebrated talents" - 'Teen Vogue Handbook', pg.214

He is the man behind the lens...The iconic image that has become synonymous with Abercrombie & Fitch - that of a black-and-white euphoric paradise populated by the body-beautiful - is the product of a brilliant mind world renowned. Through his adored photography, Bruce Weber brings to us worlds unique, sensual and wonderfully racy. And if you are as artistically inspired by his genius my Fitch-alicious friends then check him out in 'The Teen Vogue Handbook'!!!

Yeah, I purchased the book back when it first hit shelves - duh, who didn't - and was totally delirious when, turning the page in the photographers section, I came across the one-and-only, Mr. Bruce Weber! Really, it is wonderful that he took time to provide readers with details from inside his genius. Not only does he shares on that which motivates him, but he also gives advice on how to follow your photographic dreams!

Hallmarks of his work include physical perfection, sensuality, euphoria, timeless appeal...oh yes, and brilliant splashes of homoeroticism here and there. The scandalously risky imagery that propelled Calvin Klein Underwear to highness in the minds all...created by Weber. The colorful, warm appeal that comes to mind when Ralph Lauren crosses the mind...created by Weber. All that talent, he brought to Abercrombie & Fitch in 1993 when he joined the company as its exclusive lensman.

And just as CK and RL, A&F skyrocketed to fame as the quintessential, fun (and, yes, often times controversial) upscale brand for the American youth. A&F liberated Weber and allowed him to express himself uninhibited by the restraints of otherwise "artistic-controlling entities". Nothing embodies this more that the now historic 'A&F Quarterly' publication first launched in 1997. Its artistic content brought sex in advertising to unprecedented levels and, as a result, the hyper-successful (and hyper-notorious) 'A&F Quarterly' became the envy of the marketing world!

Today, he continues the party going with ever wonderful imagery for Abercrombie & Fitch and its children brands. Not only that, but he has also photographed Kristen Steward (in my opinion, beautifully à la Abercrombie) and Zac Efron, as well, for Teen Vogue. So go and get a copy of the 'Teen Vogue Handbook' to read up on the man who brought to us all those magnificent chiseled abs, breasts, and gorgeous faces!

Architectural Digest: A hopeful sign

Maybe it's because I'm a New England girl, but this Rockport, ME waterfront property that's featured in the October issue of AD has me feeling hopeful that changes are afoot for this venerable, but dated, magazine. This spread is fresh and appealing, light of touch and long on personality. It looks like a space people actually live in, or would like to visit.

Nothin' but view... It can be very cold and dark on the Maine waterfront, even in summer. The bright white house will likely always feel light and airy and I'm liking the warming touch of the leather sofa.

This is the guest room. Although I personally don't love waking up with the sun, for a view like this, it would be worth it!

Architect: Hugh Newell Jacobsen, FAIA

Photographer: Richard Mandelkorn

Our most recent Skirted Roundtable discussion focused on the changes at the top of most of the shelter magazines still on the stands, including Architectural Digest. Margaret Russell (formerly of Elle Decor) takes over as e-i-c shortly and I'm personally hoping to see more New England design gracing the pages of all the magazines and I think we're all hoping for some injection of a beating heart in AD. This spread is a good start.



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A little somethng different: Jason Wu Fashion Show

As I wrote a couple of days ago, I was invited by Brizo to attend a two day series of events in NYC which included attending the Jason Wu 2011 runway show in an old loft building on Mercer St. in Soho. It was my first fashion show in person (although I am a big Project Runway fan) and it was a great time. Jason Wu has been a designer to watch for quite a while, but I expect that it was Michelle Obama's selection of his white floral dress as her gown for the inaugural balls that really put his work in front of mainstream America.

Our Brizo goody bag contained this cute Jason Wu necklace that he designed based on their Virage faucet set.  You can see the twisted curved lines and you may notice that together, they also look like the initials JW.

Virage by Brizo

I ended up with one of the best seats in the house as I was seating right by the door where the models entered and returned, so I got to see and photograph them coming and going. I will say that the clothes are spectacularly beautiful and, with some tweaking for more average/normal sized women, very wearable. Many of the looks are throwbacks to the forties and seventies, which was interesting to see. According to the designer's notes, he was inspired by the work of contemporary Brazilian artist Beatriz Milhazes whose "distinctive style of balancing organized patterns with rhythmic movement inspired the collection's energetic mood." 

Jason Wu also debuted his new collection of handbags and shoes as well. The shoes were gorgeous and while still skyhigh were more classic and less dangerous looking than a lot of shoes seen today.

The fashion show featured 37 looks and took less than ten minutes to run. It's amazing how all that work feels like it comes down to such a short show. Those girls sure know how to walk - the "runway" was a shiny plastic narrow "half-pipe". I have such a phobia about falling that I worry for others as well - but they all did their jobs well.

Here's a selection of some of my absolute favorite looks:

CLICK HERE FOR FULL SLIDE SHOW

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Brizo bathroom design challenge

Am participating in the Brizo bathroom design challenge at the Brizo New York fashion week event. On my team is Nancy Hugo, Corey Klassen  and Mike Tadros. Corey's idea for a zen bathroom is being fleshed out by the team and rendered in SketchUp. The winning entry (4 finalists) will be announced tonight at the Showtime Showhouse cocktail party. Wish us luck! (more pics and final design renderings to come).


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A month of downs and ups

Unfortunately, posting has been very sporadic the past couple of weeks. If you're friends with me on Facebook (and please be!) you will have seen my posts about the non-stop problems at my condo. First, I had a water main break - one month ago today. During the time I was gathering estimates for excavation, I had an electrical short in the wiring outside the unit. The electric company came and said I needed to call an electrician asap because it was a fire hazard. Oy. In addition to all this, my old and outdated oil tank needed to be removed (and a new one purchased) before the excavators will start digging.

Yes, this rusting beast is was my oil tank, which was finally removed on Tuesday. The electrical work was done yesterday, made much easier because the tank was out of the way. Next week (hopefully) the excavation company will come to dig up my foundation to find and fix the break. Please say a prayer that the break is easy to fix and hasn't caused foundation damage! For a month, I've been living with water coming from a neighbors unit via garden hose (seriously, we connected a hose from his spigot to my spigot, turned off my main water inlet and voila, running water. Hose water, but it works). I've also had to be sparing with the electrical until that could be fixed (which was delayed by Hurricane Earl last week) which means no hair dryer, air conditioning, oven, etc.

So, after a month of dealing with all those problems,  contractors and insurance people coming and going, I am truly thrilled and thankful to be writing this post from my lovely hotel room at the 70 Park Avenue Hotel in NY courtesy of Brizo, the high end faucet company.  I featured two of their products in an article in my Fall 2010 issue of my mag::E::zine [although note that the product feature happened before the invitation to this event!].

Brizo hosts groups of designers, architects, writers and bloggers at Fashion Week for a series of events, including the Jason Wu fashion show and a cocktail party at the Showtime House.   Shortly, I am off to a meet and greet, an educational seminar on the use of their products and then a dinner at Barbés restaurant, which features Moroccan food.

However, given the month I've had, this is looking pretty good...

More to come. Not sure I can take pics of the fashion show, but we'll see!  For a great post on the 70 Park Avenue Hotel, check out The Decorating Diva.



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