My Father, New England, 1959
I always think of my mother as the one who, by her own sophisticated sense of style, influenced me to persue a path in fashion, but lately I’ve been reviewing old photographs of my father, and realized that he had his own distinct personal flair. I thought it was timely as the days and nights of Indian Summer fade away here in New York, to post this polaroid of my father, taken by my mom on their honeymoon in the Fall of ‘59. To me, the photo is an endorsement in a way, of the more structured dress code that existed in prior eras, when a sense of decorum influenced even the most casual attire. When I peruse some of the wonderful style blogs out there, it occurs to me how some Continue Reading…
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Annakalmia Traver and Alex Toth
If Kal looks a little familiar, it may be because she’s appeared here before. I noticed her on the street in East Williamsburg this past summer, and photographed her offbeat style on the spot. Shortly after publishing the post, I heard from her via email, and later, she and her boyfriend Alex invited me to photograph them in their new apartment in Bushwick. I especially loved all the personal touches in their home that uniquely reflected their personalities. The charming quilt below was handmade by Kal’s mom, Delia Clark.
Kal and Alex are both musicians, and their band, Rubblebucket, has garnered impressive reviews recently for it’s exciting, ecclectic style. I’m excited to see them live and to follow up this post with some photos from their upcoming show at the Highline Ballroom in New York City on November 5th. Tickets are available for purchase here.
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Cliff, Central Park
I know everyone’s going to take issue with the cardigan being a little twisted in the first photograph, but unfortunately I don’t roam the streets with a stylist in tow. He looks super handsome anyway, and the changing foliage in Central Park made a gorgeous background. It was a perfect Fall day in New York City.
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Halloween, Circa ?
I recently rediscovered this vintage family photo among my personal collection, and right away was struck by the undisguised eeriness of this child’s costume. Who the photographer (my father?) and subject are (my cousin Joe?) is not clear, but judging from the context of my “archive” it appears to have been taken sometime during the late fifties to early sixties. For me, on the most visceral level, the image suggests the feeling of some of Diane Arbus’s more evocative work during her tragically abbreviated life. There must be something in the air, as this morning I arbitrarily stumbled across this article and slide show from the Huffington Post on “creepy” vintage Halloween costumes. It occurs to me that somewhere along the line, we’ve managed to sanitize the spirit of Halloween along with nearly everything else, which to me is far more disturbing than anything these costumes might actually represent.
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I met Christina Viviani a few months ago when a mutual friend invited me to a C. Viviani trunk show held one evening in an elegant, spacious loft in the Grammercy Park area. I was familiar with the line through magazines and websites, but had never had the opportunity to experience it close up until that evening. I was impressed with her use of unexpected textural combinations, and the sensual, tactile quality of the pieces. She recently invited me to her workspace in the West Village to photograph her creative process and to share some of her thoughts about being an artist in New York City.
Occupation: Jewelry designer.
Hometown: Detroit, Michigan
Style philosophy: I’m attracted to a mixture of masculine and feminine as it creates a playful balance. I also think its important to never stop reinventing yourself; as you change, so can your style.
Style icons/influences: Ah, so many! Women – whether historical figures, current tastemakers, or that girl walking down the street…
Describe your work: The collection is always driven by classic shapes or forms, whether organic or historical, then updated and twisted by using non-traditional materials.
Who wears your stuff? C. Viviani is worn by strong, sophisticated and effortlessly cool women, including musicians, models, photographers, stylists and artists.
Who (of note) would you like to dress? I’d love to see Tilda Swinton, Jennifer Connelly and Emmanuelle Alt in some of my pieces.
Memorable recent meal: This is a tough one, as I am a huge foodie, but I’m going to go with my West Village neighborhood spot, Mary’s Fish Camp. Or Degustation. The chef’s tasting menu has such complex and creative flavor combinations…left me mind-blown.
Later, we walked over to Sucre on Bleecker Street where Candace, one of the owners, tried on some stuff. The faceted “stones” in these pieces are actually made of a soft, elastic material that yields to the touch.
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