All I Want for Christmas...

Is the Alex Wang Diego Bucket Bag in black leather. (And world peace).

reborn

Lite Reading Gift List...

If your friends are anything like mine - they're stylish, witty, well-read and up on pretty much everything fashion. That makes for some tough gift-giving. Here are my top 6 fashion "reads" for the season - assuming she doesn't already own them??

Martin Margeila - The rumored retirement of Martin Margeila called for the biggest, brightest and whitest book you've ever seen. Filled with back stage pics, studio shots etc. Everything except (of course) a pic of the man himself.

Nick Knight - Famous British fashion photog really doesn't need much of an intro. Will make any Ikea coffee table look like B&B Italia.

The Private World of YSL and Pierre Berge - Now really why wouldn't you want a peak inside? They were amongst the last of a certain league of French fashion royalty that the world will probably never see the likes of again.

Helmut Newton - 70's/80's fetish fashion photog. Known for combining a certain erotic sexiness with edge.

The Teen Vogue Handbook - I know this may seem like an unlikely choice - but honestly with interviews by everyone from Amy Astley (duh) to Marc Jacobs, Patrick Demarchelier and Karl Lagerfeld... it makes for some fascinating fashion reading.

The Sartorialist by Scott Schuman - This is like required reading. OK fine - calling it reading might be a bit of a stretch. But even if you cruise the blog everyday, you'll still find pics you've never come across. Not to mention, being able to flick through it in whatever order you want is worth the $30.

Hannah Macgibbon for Chloe

Woolly layering, lace-up booties, and cropped-roll-up pants (with just the right amount of VOLUME) all made it on my list of favorite things this Fall. After so much black on black action - the palette of wheatie goodness is just with the fashion doctor ordered. Oh ya - it doesn't hurt that Hannah Macgibbon is ad-or-able aussi. Loving and coveting the booties.

Maciek Kobielski, netaporter, style.com, Who What Wear

What the Cool Girls Wear...

Let's face it - winter hasn't even really hit yet - but in the fashion world it's kind of time to start thinking about Spring. I know - this may seem premature - but honestly all the crappy high street shops are about to go on mark-down (translation if you haven't bought it already forget about it. Unless of course we're talking about Ann D. boots). What should be saving your hard-earned pennies for? More Isabel Marant. The kind of clothes that you can wear to work, from work, after work, weekend-ing etc. All the time. Of course this makes the price tags only slightly easier to justify. Just look at these models faces! You know they're hoping they get to take it all home!

pics V Magazine

Peaceful. Daul Kim

We miss you already.

russh magazine, i like to fork myself

Air Supply by Steven Meisel - Vogue Italia

Seriously. As if we have not heard enough about H1N1 to make any sane person want to crawl under a rock. Is it just me or has the media blown this to situation to preposterous proportions? My office is in a state of lock down. Sani-wipes, hand-sanitiser and paranoia are all now as commonplace as Alexander Wang. I thought that fashion was the last bastion - but trust Steven Klein to find inspiration in such a sick topic? (Bad joke). Mind you - he has also been know to be inspired by rehab. Hmm.

Vogue Italia via tfs

The Glossy Recommends...

Magazine love is a fickle thing. If you are anything like me - you are probably always on a somewhat endless quest for the perfect fashion mag. And yes, as soon as you think you may have found one - the editor leaves or the mag folds or the content goes to shit.

Okay, so I hope I don't jinx it - but this has yet to happen to Russh Magazine, my current flame. For me this magazine is all about the mix. When I read this Jim Jarmusch quote they published in Issue 30 (Daul Kim on the cover - hello?) - I kind of felt like it might be their raison d'etre? It's not that the content is so mind-blowing, but somehow they seem to capture some of fashions fleeting moments - perfectly. You know - when it's less about which designer is doing what and more about the feeling. (Cue laugh track).

Nothing is original. Steal from anywhere that resonates with inspiration or fuels your imagination. Devour old films, new films, music, books, paintings, photographs, poems, dreams, random conversations, architecture, bridges, street signs, trees, clouds, bodies of water, light and shadows. Select ony things to steal from that speak directly to your soul. If you do this, your work (and theft) will be authentic. Authnticity is invaluable; originality is non-existent. And don't bother concealing your thievery - celebrate it if you feel like it. In any case, always remember what Jean-Luc Godard said: "It's not where you take things from - it's where you take them to." Jim Jarmusch

Russh

Look What's in the Mail...

Good 'ole Pixie Market. Killin' it, no?

Pixie Market

Desperately Seeking...

... enough jewelry to make a pirate jealous. Love this shoot from a past edition of Paris Vogue. It features Vogueite Lauren Santo Domingo. And while she's clearly a stunning creature - I usually like it a little more downtown? But her skull boyfriend and silvery bounty make up for the missing edge. Argh.

Maciek Kobielski

Eternal Muse

At this point, it's perhaps a bit of a bore to worship at the "cooler-than-thou" alter of Emmanuelle Alt. But honestly - who else can simultaneously tell Christophe Decarnin and Isabel Marant what's up? With all that confidence - what's the follow up? Inquiring minds need to know.

Maciek Kobielski