On the Street....Via Manzoni, Milan

amfAR's Cinema Against AIDS Gala

Garance and I had a chance to go to the amFAR gala last week when we were in Cannes.

She tells the story much better than I do, though; you can read it here.

On the Street....Mercer St., New York

On the Street....Via Landolfo, Milan

On the Street....Margherita, Milan

On the Street....Alessandra, Milan

I saw my friend Alessandra when I was in Milan last week. As you can see, her style has evolved from a sportier gamine aesthetic to a more languid bohemian-femme mood.

What I love about her look here is that even though her dress is a casual cotton dress that could be bought anywhere (and in a wide range of fabrics and prices), she still finishes off the look with very special details.

You know what else I love about this look? I know a lot of girls would throw on a big cotton dress like this and call it done...almost a "fashion day-off." Alessandra, however, adds a dramatic necklace and a thoughtfully executed hairstyle and it elevates the entire look. The hair in this look is so important. I think the reason the girls I saw in Savannah looked so great, even as casually dressed college kids, was because they all seemed to have great hairstyles.

I think this shot is a great example of clothes as a plain canvas for the fashion in the rest of the look...as roasted chicken is to a complicated French sauce.

On this look, let the Summer games begin!!

On the Street.... Prinsengracht, Amsterdam

My Cleverley Cordovan Shoes in Progress

My personal last sitting on top of the fitting sketch.

George from Cleverley sent me these snapshots of my cordovan shoes in progress.

I'm both excited and nervous about having them finished. The design process is a lot like making a photograph - technically, it's not that difficult - however, does the finished image/product convey what you originally envisioned?

I want these shoes to look great with grey flannels but also dark navy denim. The more I think about it, the success will lie in the sole of the shoe (wow, that's kind of a play on words). If the sole is too thin and refined it will miss the ruggedness that is a hallmark of cordovan. If the sole is too thick and clunky (which is currently the trend) it will miss the whole reason for creating my own vision. Even though the process is more than halfway done, it seems the most tricky decisions are yet to be made.

I'll keep you posted.

The cordovan leather specially ordered for this pair of shoes. I was nervous about finding the perfect color, but we were able to nail it.

On the Street.....Eva, Milan

Vintage Photos

This is a photo of my maternal grandparents, taken while they were dating in the late 1940's.
-Beca