We’re pushing ourselves a little today. Erika is shooting film and we’re creating a modern geisha. Challenging, to say the least. Our lovely and talented hair and make-up artist, Kristina Marie, is definitely up for the challenge, though. Here are a few pics she sent over as inspiration:

Modern Geisha hair

more modern geisha hair (ours is sort of a samurai warrior geisha, anyway)

Be sure to stay tuned for the results (and follow us on Twitter and Facebook — we’ll be posting shots throughout the day).

Sadly, I don’t know my image sources :(. If you know where any of these babies are from, please let me know and I’ll update.

We talk about Erika Dufour quite a bit, I know. She’s a genius, we love her. What’re you gonna do?

But what you may not know is that, aside from being your basic run-of-the-mill amazing fashion photographer and badass, Erika actually plays a badass on TV. Well, not on TV, but in a video game anyway. She is a professional motion capture model for a game I’m not supposed to mention. Suffice it to say, it’s a big one. Anyway, it should come as no surprise, really. I mean, the girl is professionally trained in dance and Martial Arts and God knows what else. And she’s clearly a little bit insane, which is what we love about her the most.

The very first time we shot with Erika at her studio she pulled out this honest-to-goodness sword and started whipping it around like it was paper. Ever since that moment (just after a truly proper and genteel lunch break), I’ve been meaning to catch her on video doing some of her amazing sword-wielding. Well I finally got it. Let me warn you in advance — I’m no filmmaker. But seriously, Erika’s crazy talent and daredevil-ness really need no embellishment. So without further adieu, I give you…

Erika Dufour and her sword.

And this sword-wielding occurred after a fashion shoot (not to mention a brilliant spur-of-the-moment set design).

Badass and fashion-y. Just the way we like it.

We can take a printed silk pant and show you ten different ways to suit ten different occassions (soon to be posted btw ), but can we talk about hair & makeup??  It’s baffling!  My personal limits are a quick messy bun and some lipstick…ta dah!  It’s artistry I truly admire and, clearly, admire from a far.  Well here’s one to admire upclose, the Bumble & Bumble crew and Dame Vivienne Westwood for Fall11.  I am left completely speechless.  How did they do that?  How did they think to do that?  The iconoclastic redhead’s creative direction?  Her mantra, of course, “ANYTHING GOES!”

before - fresh & bare

oooh...so cool, the Marie-Antoinette-like hair

Love everything about her, Vivienne Westwood

images via Pandora.fr

gorgeous backstage photography by Alix Marnat

runway images via style.com

I am extremely fond of ethnic jewelry and easily lured into lines that inspire that same down to earth, organic yet raw mix that I love so much.  Case and point, Kathryn Bentley’s line, Dream Collective.  I first came across the line at one of our vendor showrooms this past Feb.  That first sighting took T-minus 2 minutes till I slipped away and started snapping pictures.  It’s always the intricate details that draw me in, I can almost hear the stories behind each piece.  Can you imagine my heart’s delight when I came across Ms Kathryn Bentley’s closet & studio visit via Jeana Sohn’s site??  Thank you Jeana Sohn!!

This is a profile shot of the above ring and the first piece I tried on.  Amazingly comfortable.  I can easily work & play w/this on.

I was instantly drawn to the keychain! I just dig the "braille" feel.

kathryn's ethnic collection & inspiration

and in her creative space

images 1, 6, 7 & 8 via closetvisit.com

images 2, 3, 4, 5 via me

Good-bye grey, hello pink!!  House Beautiful was in our fair city these past couple of weeks shooting pink gorgeous chairs all around town.  The shoot wrapped this past weekend with an art walk spotlighting the Power of Pink (and in my hood no less ) I’m a sucker for this too pretty color and I’m a lover of the arts, but what really got my blood going was the scavenger hunt for the 30 chairs that will be featured in this month’s HB issue.  You find it, it’s yours, free!

{I just missed nabbing the fantastic pair with the pillows!!  Oh boy did that hurt!!}

OK, you know I gotta close with a little fashion :)

chair images via House Beautiful’s facebook page

last image via All the Pretty Birds

More fabulousness found on our latest trip to NYC. We love it when something old is new again, and this time it’s the classic and quiet sophistication of J.W. Hulme. These guys have been in business since 1905 and they know a thing or 2 about bag construction and functionality. And the style is spot-on, too.

The large Legacy bag in American Heritage

The mini Legacy in Buckston

Fairmount satchel in American Heritage

My ideal briefcase -- padded inside for laptop protection, and a shoulder strap to boot!

And proving that you can have luxury without spending a fortune, J.W. Hulme will even monogram your bag — for FREE. How often these days do you hear that? With retail prices under $500, these babies are a welcome {re}discovery. Coming to the shop for Fall11.

For the second season, we’ve decided to do our store buy during Fashion Week rather than during Market Week (which starts pretty much right at the end of Fashion Week, making it virtually impossible to attend both fashion shows and trade shows). We never find anything at trade shows anyway, and we trust our showrooms to bring us the best.

We love a good showroom. And believe it or not, a really good one is hard to come by. Arlene just blogged about a new one we found, Maryam Nassir Zadeh. But the one we’ve worked with the longest — and always a fun appointment — is Steven Alan. Our rep, Emily, is always so cool and laid back. And honest. And showroom manager Lynn rocks the best shiny black bob I’ve ever seen! SAS has brought us Wendy Nichol, Demylee, Boyy, and Lemlem, just to name a few. So when they talk, we listen. One of the latest lines the lovely Emily brought to our attention is TenOverSix.

A piece to seamlessly work into your wardrobe. And then stay there forever.

The clothing we loved, but the woven bags and rolled clutches are what got us hooked from the start…

The leather is actually as soft as it looks. Even on the wovens.

Cannot wait for all of the TenOverSix goodies to arrive on our doorstep! Proudly appearing in the shop for Fall 2011.

Let’s get it viral folks, ’cause the twentythirtyforty.net pop-up shop is ON! Lots of fabulous clothes (much not even live on the site yet) and tons of awesome stuff for the home. Desks, lamps, flat files, bookends, dining tables, end tables, headboards, benches, chairs, artwork. Some of the cuteness…

Our "desk." Wanting that table now. Like, need it. Really great copper top, too. It's awesome.

Didn't I just post a picture of gongs? I think it's a sign that I must have this one.

My very favorite: the orange chaise. Does this tell you something about me?

It’s a one-of-kind opportunity, really. Revision’s sales only come around 3 times a year — always with fantastic “new” finds that sell out quickly. Not to mention it’s a rare opportunity to see Arlene and me in action So, if you’re in the area over the next 2 days, please come out and say hello. We get awfully closed off in that little studio of ours and really love to meet like-minded people!

Click here for pertinent info.

Hope to see you!

Peace,

B and A

From the minute we walked into Maryam Nassir Zadeh showroom we knew we were in for a treat.  Maryam & crew have such an amazing eye for discovering talent…along with the best service (we love service!!)!  After our appointment, of course, we had to check out her boutique in the lower east side.  It was no surprise that her boutique was just as special as her showroom.  Here are a few shots from both….

The showroom was filled with goodies....like these rings from Africa

With Chinese New Year & the windy cold outside, the showroom was like a slice of heaven! So peaceful :)

the best striped tees...one for everyday of the week :)

{Maram Nassir Zadeh 123 Norfolk, NYC}

Found via Brook & Lyn

This has been an insane last few days for Arlene and me. Arlene lost her phone, we almost missed the Rachel Comey show, we’ve had no internet access (with the exception of my cell phone), and we’ve encountered a whole host of other seemingly Karmic mishaps. But ironically enough, we’ve been on time for every single appointment, we’ve had fun, we’ve actually had time to shop, and we’ve seen some amazing product. From clothes to jewelry to sunglasses to handbags to shoes, there’s been so much to get excited about. We’ve got a lot to re-cap and we’ll get to it all eventually, but in the meantime here’s a glimpse of our adventure via my favorite camera, my hipstamatic.

Chinese New year in Chinatown

By far our best appointment so far was at Maryam Nassir Zadeh. So many amazing jewelry lines, it blew our minds. The first one we saw was the netted deliciousness of Jensen Conroy.

30% off gongs? Only in New York.

Aside from meeting the amazing, talented writer, Michael Cunningham, the highlight of my trip has to be our visit to Wendy Nichol NYC. I thought it was amazing enough just to meet Wendy (and her daughter and her husband), but when she handed me a pair of black diamond studs that my husband had secretly ordered for me… well, that’s when I really lost it.

A peek into Wendy’s workshop and toolbox: