Peter Som - An All American Designer

I was fortunate to attended Parsons School of Design NYC for my college education and met lots of super talented friends and Peter was one of them. His clean, subtle luxe & all American chic style has set him apart from most of us both back in college at Parsons and now in the design world. Besides his undeniable talent and taste for fashion, he is also a person with a lot of wit, humor, easy going and simply a great person to be calling a friend.



I've seen Peter's very first collection starting back in year 2001, besides his undeniable talent & hard work, he has also being able to stay focus on his vision for each collections. Year after year, you can always count on Peter to give us the kinda uptown glam - downtown cool, effortless chic designer clothes you can actually wears in the modern daily lives! People often compare him to be "The next Michael Kors", but to me, he has his own very own unique taste and look that no one has!



As we all know, to achieve what Peter does, become a house hold name as a young designer that has all the fashion magazine editors such as the Queen of American fashion - Chief Editor of Vogue Magazine Anna Wintour who loves Peter's most recent Spring Summer 2012 collection and having the A-List Celebrities wanting to wear his creations is very tall order to achieve! But Peter has done it with persistence, drive & believing in his vision.


(Photos by Chiun-Kai Shih)

An amazing moments when young, uber-talented designer Peter Som, suddenly realized that the final word in NY fashion, Anna Wintour, actually loves his collection. A picture is worth a 1000 words.



(Photos by Chiun-Kai Shih)


(Photos by Chiun-Kai Shih)

Fashion is like the show business in Hollywood, both are selling "Dreams" & "Fantasies". Each season, designers dazzle us with their creative visions and beautiful collections all over the world, but when the reality of the world wide economy downturn sets in, every designers are effected by it and it has impacted Peter Some starting early 2009. Peter has had a bumpy ride over the years including losing financial backing. But his Spring/Summer 2010 collection, is reinstating his place as an accomplished and talented designer.

(Peter Som - Sprint Summer 2012 Collection)


He showed his collection at MAC & Milk Studios this year as an installation show, where those with invitations were allowed to come in and peruse the collection as you would in an art gallery. The models stood on a runway broken into three parts and posed for photos as guests sipped cocktails and water, chatted with Som as he strolled through the crowd and talked about the amazing collection.

(Fall-Winter 2008 Collection)


Peter took his inspirations—Lartigue's iconic photos of twenties-era Deauville, Hokusai's woodcuts, classic cruisewear—and wove them together with a sort of madcap thread. The mixture of colour and textures sets Peter Som’s collection apart from many others. mixing stripey tweeds with all manner of prints and off-kilter fabrics, like a turquoise leopard jacquard. He kept his silhouettes soigné but found ways to give his classic uptown standards a whimsical tweak.. For Som it was all about "season less dressing" and each piece is a very special by itself, to me, it's a very smart move because each piece is a "Must Have" piece that you can add to and mix with pieces you already have in your closet. I think that this thinking could be the way forward especially in these recession times. Peter Som is definitely one to watch. As they say what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger.

(Fall-Winter 2009 Collection)


Even with the troubling year, It did not seem like Peter Som held back on quality even though it was all out of pocket. Most designers rely on a certain financial backing in regards to releasing a line each season- Which can include up to 4 collections each year... but Peter Som still offers up a collection that was a collective of Mix Matched texture and color in Undeniable Som style.

(Fall-Winter 2006 Collection)


While Peter may have left his past with legendary American fashion house Bill Blass behind him, but with the many opportunities such as possibily be the head designer for Tommy Hilfiger & his new jewelry collections in the horizon, we'll see more of him & his creations in the future.



All I have to say is his Spring-Summer 2010 collection was a breath of fresh air and should turn even the most jaded, black-loving urbanite fashionistas into an optimistic pattern mixing master in the coming spring!

(Spring-Summer 2006 Collection)


As the year of 2009 is marching to the end ( yes 3 more months till the holiday season, the "happiest time of the year" haha) with the bright, colorful, sparkly collections Peter just shown in NYC, we hope all the bad news are behind you Peter! and we're all rooting for you! Keep dazzel us with your beautiful designs!



Untill next time, go shopping! support our fashion industry & designers! If you like to check out Peter Som's fabulous collections, you can find it at Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, Nordstrom and many other stores (Click here to see the list of stores that carry Peter's collection).

Click on the media player below to see a behind the scene of his Fall-Winter 2008 Collection, how the models come for fittings, make-up & hair all the fun stuff of the exciting New York Fashion Week!



Come back to check out our blog again and see what "Must Have" & "Fabulous" item & things we found!


XOXO


Alan + Mei-Mei the pug :-)

Gloria Swanson an amazing actress in Sunset Boulevard - A dark comedy, deeply moving tragedy, fabulous film

I've been a huge fan of the Movie & Broadway show "Sunset Boulevard" ! So naturally I've been mesmerized by the actress Gloria Swanson's glamourous looks, unique acting skills & her life story.



Gloria Swanson was born in Chicago on March 27th, 1897. Her real name is Gloria Josephine Mae Swenson. She began her career 1913 at Chicago's Essanay Studios. Back then she was known as Gloria Mae. In 1916, she married Wallace Beery, another Essanay player, and the newlywed couple moved to Hollywood. He was to be the first of six husbands. She then shifted back-and-forth between two studios, Triangle and Paramount, where she appeared in roles that captured audiences hearts, making her a major box-office draw of the silent era. Her first lead role was in Cecil B. DeMille's Don't Change Your Husband (1919). DeMille would direct her in six of her box-office triumphs.



In 1925, after returning from France where she filmed Madame Sans-Gene and married her third husband, Marquis Henri de la Falaise, she teamed up with Joseph P. Kennedy, patriarch of the political clan, and began producing her own films. The two had a extra-marital affair, which was effectively hidden from her fans. Her first production effort went over budget and was not successful; but her second, Sadie Thompson (1928), was a commercial and critical success. It was daring for its time: She played a prostitute who was reformed then raped by a religious fanatic. For that role, she received her first Academy Award nomination for Best Actress.



The following year was a tumultuous one for Swanson's professional career. Although she received her second Academy Award nomination for her role in The Trespasser, her production company also embarked on the ambitious project Queen Kelly, directed by Erich Von Stroheim. Von Stroheim created a financial mess, with numerous reshoots and the injection of erotic and perverse touches into the film. Although he was subsequently fired, the damage had been done. Although given a few screenings in Europe, the film was never shown in the United States. It marked the end of Von Stroheim's directing career.

She retired in 1934, but attempted several comebacks. Her most successful was her critically lauded star turn in Billy Wilder's Sunset Boulevard, where she played a role with many parallels to her own life.



What they don’t realize is how close "Sunset Boulevard" cuts to the bone. Not just in terms of the fickle system of Hollywood fame, and the ephemeral and illusory nature of Hollywood glamour, but to its specific references to the people involved. Audiences in 1950 would have been able to recognize Gloria Swanson as an ex-silent film star. When she goes to a backlot to visit Cecil B. DeMille, DeMille plays himself, and is actually working on his real film "Samson & Deliliah" (1949). Seeing as "Sunset Boulevard" takes place in flashback, this would have been exactly the film DeMille would have been working on. We’re asked to watch an old silent film of Norma’s at one point, and it is actually "Queen Kelly" (1929) starring Gloria Swanson.



Gloria plays Norma Desmond brilliantly! She is also infected by love. Love of romantic, abstract things. Things like "the spotlight", "the little people", "the cheers", and most of all "the fame". As a teenager, Norma Desmond was taken under the wing of Cecil B. DeMille. She was a lovely doe. Ready to display her beauty and charm to audiences the world over. Her films were hits, and she became very, very rich. But, as happens so often with teenage stars (from Judy Garland to Britney Spears), the fame went to her head. When she began to fall out of the public eye (due to dwindling roles and the inevitable onset of age), she as no prepared to live life a rung down. She went mad. In her mind, the fame never faded, and the world still wants her, needs, her, adores her, awaits with baited breath her great comeback.

One of her famous line in the movie was : "I am big!" She insists in all seriousness. "It's the pictures that got small." ( Dont' we all have that bitchy diva in al of us? haha )



After a long career in Hollywood, she received her third Academy Award nomination for that film. Her final film appearance was in 1974's Airport 1975, where she played herself. She died on April 4th, 1983. What an amazing actress and the life she had lived!

After watching the "Sunset Blvd" again, I can't help it to think..... and I am sure all of you agrees with me that Hollywood advertises itself as the Place Where Dreams Come True. The city where streets are paved with gold, and all it takes is a single famous director to recognize you, and you are instantly transported into a world of luxury, adoration, large mansions, swimming pools, and endless money. Not in any ad copy, mind you; it's just the grand illusion of the place.



Countless young writers and actors have moved to Los Angeles over the decades in the hopes of cashing in on this dream. The joke goes that, to this day, you can go into a restaurant in Hollywood, and ask any given waiter or waitress for their resume and 8×10 glossy, and they may have it for you. Just convince them that you are a legit producer first. It is kinda sad but a reality in LA.



Does the world of high-paid acting really offer more than money? Does it truly offer that ineffable thing we call glamour? Well, to a degree, yes it does. In the minds of the people who still want the dream, and to those who have bought into it, it still lives on. But it’s easy to see that "Fame" and "Glamour" are fleeting things at best, and completely false at worst. Hollywood does not care for you, it only cares for who is most bankable at any given moment. The movie biz is where ineffable things like dreams, glories, and art, mix the most closely with the callous world of high-profit business.



It’s easy to take the glamour seriously. It's comforting and plush and beautiful. The smart ones prepare for when the paychecks begin to whither. The rest either sink into lower tiers of fame, or they go mad. Going mad is, I think, more common than we assume.

Here is the most famous scene of the movie, the grand finale...... Mr. DeMille, I am ready for my close-up !!! Click on the media player below to see the clip.



I don't want "Sunset Boulevard" to sound like a depressing resignation of personal tragedy though. Despite the tragic elements, "Sunset Boulevard" is refreshingly alive. We may feel the emptiness in Norma's soul, but Swanson is able to take the role of this strange woman and make her into a full realized character who is interesting to watch. All the fabulous clothings, the sets & the over the top melodrama, made this dark comedy, a deeply moving tragedy, and a hugely satisfying film experience.

I was so fortunate to received this original Gloria Swanson autographed photo as a farewell gift from my co-workers when I left my at Carmen Marc Valvo as an associated designer in that company. I now hang this beautiful framed photo in my office so I can see it everyday!



I have seen the Sunset Boulevard Broadway Shows 3 times with all four different leading actresses: Glenn Close, Betty Buckley & Patti Lupone! Here is a video of Glenn Close's performance, simply amazing !



In conclusion of this blog about the movie Sunset Blvd & Gloria Swanson, what an amazing movie! and an amazing actress! Here is a video paying tribute to this fabulous woman Gloria Swanson!




Untill next time, put on your "Gloria Face" and be ready for your "Close-Up" at any time, 'cause you never know who are you gonna meet ! haha


XOXO

Alan + Mei-Mei the pug :-)

Larger Than Life Is Just The Right Size ! - CHANEL Giant Size Carousel Fashion Show

Ok girls! I LOVE everything Chanel! and this is no joke! this is HUGE.... LOL ... hmmm i wish i have one like this at home, where i can put all my life in ha ha
Vogue Paris August 2008

A Chanel carousel fitted out with giant quilted bags, camellias, pearls, boaters, and bows faced the audience as it poured into the Grand Palais for the Fall Ready-to-wear show. It was a fitting metaphor for the timeless turning of the house classics, and for the unstoppable machine fashion has become these days.

Lagerfeld didn't miss a trick, from fragile, frothy, high-necked blouses to spidery knits, peplum jackets, and an intelligent exploration of how longer lengths might be worked into a winter wardrobe.

And what of austerity chic, the subject du jour? Lagerfeld's witty take was an updated retread of Coco Chanel's "poverty de luxe," so that the tweed suits came with worn-through elbows or scatterings of faux-darned patches. Nothing too heavy, of course, because Lagerfeld is not one to take passing fashion issues, even recession, too seriously. But in its relative restraint, reserved color, and holding back on accessory overload, this collection was a smart way to prove that whatever goes around comes around, and ends up looking just as Chanel as ever.

OMG! this Chanel merry-go0round carousel runway stage is my wet dream comes true!!! I can just ride on those over size Chanel goodies on the carousel over and over haha....

Don't you wish you can have one of this giant Chanel bags in your living room?

Click on the video player below to see the fashion show

All I can say is J'adore CHANEL !! Karl Lagerfield is a Genius!

XOXO

Ala + Mei-Mei the pug

Givenchy Sacca Grained Yoke Sac

For a nice looking bag, no matter how plain the design is, it will uplift your look! and sometimes less is more! I can't believe I am saying this! as you all may knwo I always believe in "More is More" like Christian Lacroix's Designs! haha but this Givenchy Sacca Grained Yoke Sac is simple but has tons of personality.



I saw this bag at Barneys New York and it is a perfectly designed structured tote/hobo. It is made of textured leather adding a small dose of rugged looking. The tassel fringe brings out the femininity. For a bag that you carrying around all the time, I prefer a magnetic snap closure bag, it’s easy to access. Over all this bag is sleek and stylish! If you are looking for a simplistic chic with a downtown look, this is a perfect must have bag for you!




Details:

* Textured leather w/ Canvas lining

* Magnetic snap closure

* Flat leather handles; 8″ drop

* Tassel fringe detail

* 2 organizational interior pockets

* Size: 13.5" x 15" x 4"

* Price: $2,075

* Available at Barneys New York

Untill next time, go shopping! find some fabulous bags for this fall/winter !

XOXO

Alan + Mei-Mei the pug

PRADA - Daino Large Tote : A perfect white color bag is hard to find! Untill now !

As you might agree with me, finding a perfect white color bag is hard! It needs to have the right details, hardware and shape so it won't look cheap & tacky! With this fabulous off-white PRADA tote bag, you can never go wrong! I can just imagine myself carrying this bag vacationing at Côte d'Azur in the Riviera or going to some fabulous spas in Bali. Such a perfect summer bag but works perfect with your winter white outfits,too!

PRADA - Daino Large Tote $1220

Soft leather tote with magnetic snap closure, rolled leather handles and removable shoulder strap. Prada jacquard fabric lined interior with leather-trimmed zipper pocket. 14" x 18" x 5". 6" handle drop. Available in White. Made in Italy.

(Available at Barneys.com)

Dont miss out this fabulously perfect off white tote bag! It will also be super chic to go with your winter white cashmere sweaters!! It is just a perfect all year around tote!

XOXO

Alan + Mei-Mei the pug

Hermes Birkin 50cm Haut à Courroies - Experience The Magic Of Hermes !

The Birkin & Kelly bag from Hermes is the most sough after bags in the world! Most of the time there will be 2 years waiting list for each bag! since it's all handmade in limited editions! So most of us can just dream about owning one of these trully fabulous Hermes bag. Here is the newest version of the Birkin bag, the size 50cm Haut à Courroies.

This lucky boy at Soho, NYC is sporting the smaller version of the Hermes 40cm Birkin



Here is a video to show you why the Hermes Birkin bag is so expensive and so hard to get (Even Oprah needs wait in line for it!)



I know usually there is a 2 year wait for these fabulous Hermes bags, but it's totally worth the wait! after you watch the video above, then you understand why Hermes has became the untimate luxury handbag!

XOXO

Alan + Mei-Mei the pug

Salvatore Ferragamo - Manhattan Briefcase - A perfect bag for stylish men!

This bag is a perfect work bag for any men who is always on the run and need something that's classy yet still has that designer touch to it.

Salvatore Ferragamo - Manhattan Briefcase $1900

Choose hickory or nero (black) calfskin. Silvertone hardware. Top handles with square rings. Zip top. Front zip pocket. "Manhattan 1" is imported. Click on the photo below to see more details.

(Available at NeimanMarcus.com Men's Dept)


It's a perfect stylish gift for your husband, boyfriend or treat yourself with this stylish bag!

XOXO

Alan + Mei-Mei the pug