sneak peek LR S10 lookbook

A long-time inspiration of ours, Loeffler Randall, has just re-vamped their site and they’ve included a blog. Could not be more excited! The blog provides lookbooks and behind-the-scenes action, which I personally could not be more excited about. One of their posts is an edited video of the shoot for their newest lookbook. Arlene and I have been taken with their lookbooks and their insane branding since their launch back in Fall 2005 so this video was a rare treat. Here’s to the talent and genius of not only the fabulous designer Jessie Randall, but also to her husband, Brian Murphy, marketing guru extraordinaire!

Loeffler Randall from Petter Ringbom on Vimeo.

There was a shot from their very first lookbook of the Ulla — maybe mine and Arlene’s very favorite shoe of all time (she has 2 pairs in yellow and I have yellow, black and taupe — we’re addicted).

It’s the cutest damn shoe and it was the cutest damn shot. I wish I had a copy to share with you :(. Anyway, the marriage of Jessie and Brian and design and branding got me right from the start. Completely unparalleled, in my humble opinion.

Here are a couple of shots from the Fall 09 lookbook (featuring super-cute shoes we just got into The Shop!) 

the Belinda…

and the Rihanna…

Hot, no????

Hard to believe…September already??  For us, Sept’s inspiration started months ago…with fabulous hair, our model Holly and 1960’s London captured in black & white.  Only our favorites for fall

images, Numero Magazine & Biba

I know, so sad, but so great at the same time for all us fashionistas, right??  Sorry again for the lag in posts. Nothing new, just the usual but this time around could not keep all 29 balls in the air ;0  Brandon says 26 of them came storming down all bouncing around her ankles :]  Fun times!

Back to the goodness…Fall!!  So, we’ve been shooting all this new fall goodness for the past couple of days, everything is so great!  My one item for fall, the over-the-knee boot, has spawned into three more items for this season….the Opening Ceremony cardi coat, the Opening Ceremony banded sandal (oh yes, for fall) and the Les Prairies de Paris carryall bag.

Brandon’s all over the Les Prairies de Paris carryall bag too and that’s exactly what she would be wearing carrying it (hat all the way down to the shearling booties)!  She’s been in love with the Loeffler Randall Wendy booties (yes, those leg warmers are attached!) since we first laid eyes on them back in Feb and nothing screams Brandon more than the peepbra dress from Opening Ceremony.

There’s Holly’s fall item.  Holly is our fantastic model who is also our fall cover story model next month (love her so much, she’s amazing!  You too Karl! ).  After two days of modeling a full rack of new fall merchandise from Les Prairies de Paris, Opening Ceremony, Gar-de, Ms Holly fell in love and walked off that second day with the Demylee slouchy vneck sweater.  Holly’s fall item…

all will be up on The Shop soon!

I don’t know where to start. First of all, a sincere apology — from both Arlene and me — for the lack of recent posts. We have been very busy shooting for the website (such good stuff to come!) and other things related to trying to build a business. We have also been suffering from some technical difficulties. While we have been busy, we have also desperately been trying to post, but have been unable to upload images! So frustrating!!!! And also…

…during this absence, I lost my computer (left it on a f***ing train platform!), recovered it (faith in humanity restored!), turned it on and found that it was completely effed up (knight in shining armor clearly dropped it on his way to return it to me. c’est la vie)… While I was waiting for the Mac specialist to see if he could fit me in, I was flipping through Numero Magazine and came across this…

Louis Vuitton. Genius. The perfect bootie, a sleek and beautiful knee-high boot (with a pocket), and the hottest trend for the season: the over-the-knee boot. I might even try to rock the middle or top part as a sort of spat. SO good. Can I have it, pleeease???

You know what’s just fascinating about the blogosphere?  Well, the blogs, of course!  Like the fabulous Park & Cube that is filled with fantastic DIY projects (she is the go-to for the easiest, chicest updates to your wardrobe) fantastic photography and great style inspirations.  Ms Shini of Park & Cube also introduces the best unknown designers to we Midwesterners.  Like this new obsession, copy of an imitation.  Easily Art + Fashion for me

photos lovingly borrowed from copy of an imitation via Park & Cube

check out Park & Cube’s Bazaar….great stuff y’all!!

Through our dear friend, David (proprietor of one of our all-time favorite Chicago stores, Hazel), we have discovered a new love: Molly Yestadt and her beautiful hats. David saw the line recently in New York and was instantly smitten. Knowing that the line wasn’t the perfect fit for his store, David is sort of on a mission  to find it a loving, appreciative and appropriate home — basically, someone who can share his love of these gorgeous works of art, but also sell them. To this end, he practically chased me down the street to give me the Yestadt Millinery lookbook and linesheets. He couldn’t stop gushing about the beauty and workmanship of each individual piece — Molly hand-blocks every single hat (which basically means that each hat is a like a little one-of-a-kind hat sculpture). With headgear like this, I can’t say I blame him for his enthusiasm. 

I love a hat – so much – so it is very refreshing for me to see someone out there so dedicated and passionate about making hats and keeping them current. I first fell in love with her hats, but then, after visiting her website, I kind of fell in love with Molly. 

Her blog totally sucked me in. It is filled with all things hat. From behind-the-scenes to old Hollywood to new Hollywood to the runway and absolutely everything in between, I am a devotee for sure. 

Long live Yestadt Millinery and long live the Hat!

all images lovingly and respectfully borrowed from yestadtmillinery.com

I’ve always loved a strappy shoe…heel, flat, sandal even straps all over boots.  The first shoe I bought from Loeffler this past spring…was the Mabel.   You should see those strappy numbers with my madras shorts.   Well, in any case, this love has started crossing over to clothing just of late.  Hard not to with Queen Michelle rocking them every which way.   How nice to come across this dress via Style Therapy.  Thank you Style Therapy!  I love it when something comes may way and makes my blood start to rush!  I immediately logged on to MikiFukai.com.

photos lovingly borrowed from Miki Fukai

That’s right, all!  Emma Fletcher of Lyell has reopened her shop in Nolita for fall!  That’s very exciting news for us for two reasons:

1.  we’ll be in NYC next month and

2.  now that our beloved Mayle has closed her doors and moved onto better and BETTER, Lyell will make the transition that much easier for us!  I’ve said it before, Jane Mayle’s mix of details and design are really unbeatable.   BUT Lyell’s femme fatale everyday fashion and subtle details, in my humble opinion, comes very very close.

Oooooo….and this is exactly something I would wear for Glamorama next week…

If in NYC, definitely stop in

Lyell

173 Elizabeth St, New York, NY 10012
newyork@lyellnyc.com
tel - 212.966.8484

store hours
Monday - Saturday 12-7
Sundays 12-6

photos lovingly borrowed from Lyell.

The minute I came across this fantastic coffee table book at Golden Age, I just wanted to order a drink, throw myself on the couch and start flipping!  Before I even made it through the first couple of pages, I was already broadcasting to anyone in earshot, well really Brandon, that we need this book at the very least in our office.  How clever of artist, Asher Penn, to use the perfect canvas, Ms Kate Moss, to draw us in.  This is just a small sampling.  There are three full volumes to give you a giggle (I cracked up for days) and to showcase this artists talent using the simple idea of Rorschach’s inkblot.  What do I see?  I see one really creative talent and a heck of a lot of fun

photos lovingly borrowed from Kate Moss Rorschach #2 via Golden Age

The news is out: Rodarte will be designing a collection for Target’s Go International series, scheduled to hit stores on December 20th. There has been an awful lot of discussion about mass-market designer collaborations and how the items never live up to the designers’ higher-priced collections. Well, DUH. In order to make clothes less expensive, the materials have to be less expensive — and less expensive fabrics just don’t drape or hang as well. However, I do believe that there is some great design to be found. I, for one, have a number of pieces in my wardrobe that have come from various designer collaborations. A few of my faves: a Stella McCartney for H & M parka (still in great shape, actually), a Thakoon for The Gap white cotton tunic (that I live in), and my ultimate fave, a ball skirt from Alexander McQueen for Target (with a crinoline — it’s a lot of design for the money).

I don’t expect to walk into Target and find an affordable — and good-looking — version of those sick thigh-high boots from Fall09…

…but I do very much expect to get my hands on a rockin’ pair of knee-highs — shredded the way only the Mulleavy sisters could do it.

Manage your expectations and you just might find some cheap treasures to mix with your pricier ones!

Rodarte runway images from Style.com, Rodarte product image from Opening Ceremony, Stella McCartney parka image from iamfashion, and McQ image from Nitrolicious.