The Buckler dream man

I had a very pleasant visit to the Buckler presentation at his Soho boutique last saturday evening. The models were arranged on pedestals in a story like progression, from young man to seasoned and sophisticated. His chosen theme was Dorian Gray, but the subtle nuances of style that had some modern flavors.  The vintage appeal was hard to miss with tailored waistcoats, earthy print manderine collar shirts, brown leather belts, and knits all layered together in a rough Into The West kind of way.  And the modern manifested it self with a touch of rock and roll (in the form of a leather vest), asymetrical sweater vests, and more loosely fit denims.

I had the privilege of being introduced to Andrew Buckler himself, Who explained to me that this season was about the details over volume.  And details there were a plenty. The tailoring was impeccable, his mastery of layering subtle textures and fabrics to work in perfect harmony to create the right balance of bookish with outdoorsy man, and subtle nuances in modernity and vintage appeal were all present in his fine craftmanship.

All told, these are pieces that could last a man a lifetime, and will give him what he needs to dress up for a night on the town or to look fabulous whilst roughing it in a cabin in the woods. Frankly, this is the wardrobe of every womans dream man.

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Wang had me at Hello

The last time I stood in an enormous line outside the Roseland Ballroom, it was for a rock show, and both times I was a devoted fan decked out in my edgiest black and grey attire with the rest of the throngs around me. The queue was massive, going around the corner beyond my line of sight. A young man in front of me was donning the requisite grey ripped beanie hat, and the woman behind me wore Alexander Wang skin tight trousers with a fly zip that went provocatively from front to back.

Security was tight, as celebrities and socialites from all around were there. I even saw Anna Wintour dressed in her own brand of rock and roll chic going for a sneak peak backstage before the show began.

It is funny to me how the fashion world has embraced punk/rock/grunge with such welcoming arms. An aesthetic I have always loved, has as a result had the brightest artistic minds bringing it to a new level, without making it over chic. Yes, Alexander won the CFDA this year, but he had me at 'hello'.

Despite last seasons brief foray into bright colors, Wang returned to his normal palate of black and grey with splashes of white and the odd deep tone of purple. He did not disappoint his diehard fans, nor his new Elite following, as he stuck to what he does best and simply made it better.  His dresses were more complex in their draping and geometry, his range of textures were more varied and luxe, and his silhouettes more refined.

What makes Alexander so great to me is the way he deftly balances the rough edge of rock and the oversized boxy silhouettes borrowed from menswear, with the sexiest of silky delicately draped mini dresses and super skinny legs and luxe fabrics.  It is a self possessed sexiness that is thoroughly modern, and I imagine quite a bit intimidating. I cannot imagine wearing a piece of his without feeling absolutely powerful in a strangely casual way. A power that is as equally feminine sexy as it is strength of conviction and confidence that is usually associated with testosterone.

Bring it on.

View the collection on Style.com

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Lush jewelry designs by Kimberly McDonald

Every day my email is inundated with PR promos of their latest hottest designers...and most of the time, I'm not that impressed.

But today, I think I literally gasped when I saw the photo to the left open up in my iPhone. 

I had to run straight to my computer when I got home to share this fabulous designer with you all.

Her name is Kimberly McDonald, and she uses natural, non-color treated Agates and Geode gems.

These days I have really love works with texture and jewelry that follows the form of nature, rather than cutting nature into the consensus form of classic jewelry. In this case, I love the mixture of three stones, and the added framework of diamonds to give it that extra vavavoom.

The best part of following natures form, is that you can expect that each hand-crafted piece is one of a kind, completely timeless, and in harmony with all that is.

If in these trying times, you are one of the lucky ones with money to invest in a lifetime piece of jewelry, do put your faith into this hot new designer. To top it off, you can feel good about your splurge, as her collection is sustainable and charitable, using eco-friendly materials and donating to Conservation International.

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