The New Chanel

Virginie Viard’s first show for Chanel was a winner. The 2019 Cruise collection is packed with wearable and timeless items and I appreciate Ms. Viard’s light hand when it comes to all the CC trappings — a perfect blending of the history of the house with a modern sensibility. Ignore the chatter, these are clothes we’ll want to live in.

‘Neutral Agreement’

This stunning story is from WSJ. Magazine‘s May issue — on newsstands tomorrow (online now).  The clothes and models (Amber, Alek, Karen, and Gemma) are perfection.

Photography by Campbell Addy  Styling by Clare Richardson

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Dry Up!

True confession — I’m a dry shampoo nut. I use it in two ways: to refresh or to add volume at the roots, especially when it’s humid. This requires a light version and a powdery one. Klorane has been my go-to and the best dry shampoo available for years. But, today there are lots of contenders so I decided to do a sampling.

After being disappointed with the drug store offerings, I bought the above (plus Oribe’s). Sam McKnight’s Lazy Girl (I adore Sam) smells divine, as does the Balmain — both are great for a refresh. The Sachajuan and Philip Kingsley are serious powder shampoos and add tremendous body. The Philip B. scent was overwhelming and I have yet to try the Ouai and Oribe — tbc.

#JET-A-PORTER: Sunshine Essentials

Summer clothes have not been on my radar and soon all the good items will be gone. NET-A-PORTER makes it easy with #JETAPORTER, a complete roundup of warm-weather wear. Here are my picks:

Jumpsuit,  Ray-Bans, Ancient Greek sandals, straw sunhat, cotton maxi dress, Eres swimsuit, Bang & Olufsen wireless earbuds, Joseph satin maxi dress, woven cotton tote, white leather flip-flops, white denim shorts, triangle bikini. The Toteme camel tee I’d selected to pair with the shorts already sold out 🙁

Two New Songs

Two new songs on repeat — They Own This Town by Swedish duo Flora Cash and Groceries by Australian Grace Shaw aka Mallrat.

Floral Designer Lewis Miller at The Conservatory

I’d been meaning to check out The Conservatory, Brian Bolke’s new luxury concept store at Hudson Yards, when I received an invitation to a masterclass with floral phenom, Lewis Miller. Bolke is a co-founder of the Dallas boutique Forty Five Ten so I knew his new venture would be a must-visit. Along with a well-curated edit of clothing, accessories, beauty products, and home goods, The Conservatory has a café-cum-event space, the Teak Room, which  takes the experiential shopping concept to the next level — its brilliant.

Needless to say, the class with Lewis Miller, held in the Teak Room, was memorable. Talented, knowlegeable, patient, and adorable, Mr. Miller chose breathtaking and unpredictable plant material and taught us new ways to consider flower arranging. I will incorporate his tips into my next GCA show entry in September.

Please join Lewis Miller to celebrate his feature in the new Phaidon book Blooms: Contemporary Floral Design  at The Conservatory on May 1 from 6:30-8pm.

‘De l’or dans les mains’

My everyday ring uniform consists of a Bulgari B Zero1, a signet, a Cartier Trinity, a diamond eternity, and a few simple bands mixed in— all in yellow gold. I stopped dead in my tracks when I saw this story in May Vogue Paris — sigh.

Photography by Thomas Lagrange  Styling by Virginie Benarroch  Jewelry Selection by Émilie Zonino

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The Ear Cuff

The ear cuff has been around for years, but I was never sure if  it was “me”. However, I love the idea of wearing a second earring without a second piercing. I have my eye on the quilted Chanel above and this one is on its way for a test drive.

When You Find It, Buy It

Yes, I bought a coat in April. It’s SS19 Celine (Slimane is a master tailor) and will be perfect next fall. I bang my little drum constantly about buying something when you find it because, odds are, you won’t find it when you need it. I’ve been looking for a black peacoat à la Emmanuelle Alt’s since forever and this one comes pretty darn close.

Great news — Celine now has a 14 day return policy (no more store credit only, my #1 pet peeve) and everything is available online — woo hoo!

Earth Day: Reduce & Repurpose

We (my family and I) try to do our bit to help the planet—reusable produce and filet bags, straw market baskets, refillable water bottles and metal straws, grow a lot of our own vegetables, keep bees, compost, recycle, take the train and subway often, buy quality items that we’ll wear forever, and are informed about food waste issues by our younger daughter. But I know there are so many other things we could/should be doing. Here are a few of my eco-friendly finds:

Veja is a French sneaker company with a strong focus on transparency, fair trade, and social and environmental responsibility.

Today, T-shirts can be made of hemp, which has less of an environmental impact than growing cotton. It requires about a third of the amount of water and uses significantly less pesticide.

RE/DONE is an LA label that repurposes vintage Levi’s, which means no two pairs are exactly alike.

Brooklyn-based designer Laura Lombardi‘s jewelry is handcrafted from a mix of new, recycled, and reclaimed metals that Lombardi finds on her travels.