Tag Archives: new york

Hervé Léger AW14

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Hervé Léger has been synonymous with glamour and sensuality since its inception in 1985. Reinvented by Max and Lubov Azria and launched in 2007, the Hervé Léger by Max Azria collection maintains the couturier’s heritage while evolving through the Azrias’ distinctive spirit.

The Hervé Léger by Max Azria Fall 2014 collection was inspired by the beauty of nature and animal patterns. Collection colors include shades of warm grey, rich navy, dark greens, with bright pops of color.

HL_FW14_Look1 HL_FW14_Look11HL_FW14_Look25 HL_FW14_Look9  HERVELEGER

Photo Credit: Thomas Kletcka

NYC Fashion Week Round Up: Kaelen AW14

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Kaelen AW14 Inspiration:

The inspiration began with the softness of nature. Natural elements that mix with innovative and technical is a theme that has been explored throughout past collections and it carries into the AW14 collection. The collection draws on ideas of romance and minimalism while continuing the tradition of androgynous tailoring. Shapes are softer but exaggerated. Graphic, sharp fabrics are mixed with soft, abstract prints. The collection features a new developed print that is meant to feel both digital and natural at the same time. Taking inspiration from mohair textiles and organic mossy textures to create something pixelated and abstract. The print is seen throughout the collection on sheer tulle in black and white as well as stretch cotton against a colour palette of deep purple, silver lavender, pink and orangey red.

kaelen

Kaelen Haworth is a Canadian living in and running her eponymous label in New York City. While attending Parsons, The New School for Design, Kaelen interned for Jenni Kayne, Stella McCartney and lingerie brand, The Lake & Stars.

One year after graduating,Kaelen launched with a collection shown during New York Fashion week in 2010.

Designing from a minimalist perspective with a focus on subtle details, Kaelen seeks to combine the traditional and the innovative, exploring the dichotomies of masculine and feminine, classic and modern. Kaelen strives to create pieces that are at once intelligent and treasured.

In 2014, Kaelen was selected as 1 of 10 designers in the CFDA’ s {FASHION INCUBATOR} Class 3.0.

Zac Posen Designs Affordable Wedding Dresses

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It’s time to get excited; New York designer Zac Posen has designed some beautiful yet affordable wedding dresses. Truly Zac Posen is exclusively for David’s Bridal, the US export that’s now big in the UK. Even better, it launches tomorrow (6th February).

“It’s a love note to a bride on her most beautiful day.” Zac said. They are all available in plus size.

The collection, called Truly Zac Posen, includes seven wedding gowns and ten special occasion gowns. Prices start at £725 and stretch to £1,295. Take a look and tell us what you think.

All images courtesy of David's Bridal.

All images courtesy of David’s Bridal.

All images courtesy of David's Bridal.

All images courtesy of David’s Bridal.

Zac-Posen bridal

Zac-Posen bridal

Zac-Posen bridal

Zac-Posen bridal

Zac-Posen-bridal

zac posen wedding dress

Zac-Posen bridal david bridal wedding dress

Zac-Posen bridal david bridal

Does The Twitter Office Give The Best Fire Safety Advice Ever?

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At the Twitter office in New York they mix humour with sound advice, advising workers to leave the building BEFORE tweeting. This hilarious tweet came from Vivian Schiller, who started at Twitter last Wednesday as the company’s new head of news.

twitter new york office tweet

 

What do you think?

The Top 5 City Breaks

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image010newyorkIf you’re bored of the usual beach holidays and crave a little more culture on your well-earned break then try a city break. Perfect for shorter holidays city breaks are a great way to get away from your everyday life and truly indulge. In most cases you’re only a short flight away from a memorable and meaningful break. So, what are you waiting for? All you need to do now is choose your destination and took make life a little easier we’ve listed our top 5 favourites.

 

New York

A firm favourite, especially around Christmas, New York is the ideal break for the super consumer. Shopping until you drop is easy in this bustling city but make sure you leave time for sightseeing and delving into the Big Apple’s dazzling nightlife. All of the major attractions will be calling your name the moment your feet land on New York concrete from Time Square and The Statue of Liberty to Central Park and the Empire State Building. Film buffs should head to the famous Film Forum and there’s plenty more culture to pack into your trip in the form of theatre trips and museum visits. All this activity should make you pretty hungry but there’s no chance of starving in this city, indulge in your own version of Man versus Food and scoff as much fine cuisine and famous fast food as you can.

By the time you leave, we guarantee you’ll be singing this city’s praises, just like Frank Sinatra.

 

Dubai

For the ultimate VIP city break that combines beaches with culture, all tied together in a concrete jungle, Dubai is the perfect choice. Dubai’s skyline is ever changing and whilst you’re there you should drink in as much of its development as possible and one infamous part of that skyline is the Burj Al Arab. Check this world famous hotel out for yourself to see if it really does deserve its 7 star rating. By day you can sip refreshing drinks by the pool or sink your toes into warm sands and when night falls you can eat at world-class restaurants and dance until dawn at one of the city’s famous clubs. If you feel like you need a break from the glitz and glamour rent a car and hit the road to Abu Dhabi, Dubai’s calmer relative.

Once a humble fishing village Dubai is now a must-see metropolitan city, with great beaches thrown in for free.

 

Dublin

Fancy a tipple? Then head to Dubai! The famous home of Guinness is a hive of activity and a firm favourite for large groups. The social scene begins right from the moment you wake up with trips to The Guinness Brewery that include a full tour and a glass of the famous black stuff. Dublin’s attractions are all easily accessible on foot and a stroll through Temple Bar is punctuated with bars and souvenir shops but if you want to do something a little different, head to Dublin’s Leprechaun Museum.

 

Amsterdam

Well know for both its beauty and its risqué darker side, Amsterdam will definitely leave you open-mouthed. Do as the Dutch do and hire a bike to cycle along this city’s winding canals and onto it’s cultural hot spots including the Van Gogh Museum and the Albert Cuyup outdoor market or to one of the many cafés.

Hop onto a canal boat to see the city from the water and delve into a slice of history by visiting the house of Anne Frank. If you’re feeling a little racy, head to the famous Red Light District to take a sneak peek at another world, but keep your wits about you!

 

Rome

The Eternal City is another firm favourite among tourists, especially couples. Rome is dripping with history and culture with plenty to tick off on your ‘must-see’ list. Make like Russell Crowe’s character from Gladiator and visit the well-known landmark, the Colosseum where you can learn about the city’s battles.

For a bit of popular culture, head to the Vatican to see if you can catch a glimpse of the newest Pope and the staring up at the celiling of the Sistine Chapel is well worth a sore neck!

When you have had your fill of history, fill your belly at one of the city’s many piazzas, squares brimming with shops and authentic dishes to try.

 

Adam Green + Binki Shapiro, Bush Hall | Live Music Review

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Adam Green first burst onto the scene in 2001 as one half of New York anti-folk duo The Moldy Peaches. 12 years on he’s stood in West London on a Wednesday evening alongside Binki Shapiro crooning out a beautiful 60’s folk-pop sound. It’s been quite a time for the irrepressible Mr. Green.

Adam and Binki’s collaboration has been described elsewhere as being similar to that of Nancy & Lee and as they open with “Don’t Be Jealous With My Thoughts” it’s not hard to spot the similarities, with Green’s soft guitar plucks swirling around Shapiro’s honey coated swoon of a voice. The arrangements are lush and the only thing that seems off here is the time of year; with the weather cold outside, close your eyes inside Bush Hall tonight, take a sip of your pint and you could be in some beautiful piece of countryside on a hot summers day. It’s a splendid show on a cold night on the Uxbridge Road and “Just To Make You Feel Good” has the sound of romantic possibility running through its sound but the lyrics hint at altogether less than convivial romantic ties. The pair are backed by a full band who blend into the background with a heads-down, workman-like attitude but add layer upon layer of beauty to proceedings.

Duets can often be a horrible thing and end up being corny, cheesy and slushy muck but this collaboration has the crowd, including a rather fat, legging-clad Carl Barât, enthralled from start to finish. Green and Shapiro come across as kindred spirits, fashioning difficult circumstances into beautifully crafted songs. With little music released there’s little familiarity with the tunes but after 13 songs they exit stage left  with the crowd wishing for more.

With my expectations for the show low I wasn’t disappointed but even if they were higher than Adam’s old pal Pete Doherty, they’d not disappoint. The LP for this project isn’t due out until January 2013 but on this performance expect it to be amongst the records of 2013.

Ill Funk Ensemble “The Duality” | Music Profiles

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Band: The Ill Funk Ensemble
Location: Albany, NY
Styles: Hip-hop/R&B/Soul
Similar to: The Roots, Talib Kweli, Soulive, Common
CD: The Duality

Accolades: Ill Funk has performed live with Grammy-winner Mr. Cheeks of the Lost Boyz, opened for Naughty by Nature, Shontelle and Young MC and placed forth in a national competition to perform at Royal Family Affair with Soulive in 2011. They have also had a placement on the show “Road Trip Nation” and honorable mention in the John Lennon song-writing competition.

Members/Instruments:
Jermaine Wells – Lead Vocals/Freestyle
BJ FitzGerald – Guitar/Lead Vocals
Dennie Brooks – Drums
Joe Stoner – Keyboards/Backing Vocals
Duane Etienne – Bass/Backing Vocals

Walking on sticky floors, stepping on to a stage that’s too small for their swagger, let alone their equipment, setting up under dim lights and dropping a sound check on an unsuspecting audience. Eyes look up, jaws drop and the phones come out, inevitably texting their friends to come check out this band, this Ill Funk.

That scene has played out weekly for the Albany-based band, The Ill Funk Ensemble, since 2006 to great results. Described by reviewers as “a kind of 21st century mash-up of Kool & the Gang and the Isley Brothers” and “all hot sand and asphalt”, Ill Funk takes hip-hop and R&B in a different, yet oddly familiar direction. Perhaps it’s the blend of old and new school vibes, the warm smile of Jermaine Wells, the lead singer, or the obvious fun the band has whether they’re recording or performing live; whatever it is, the band has made the most of its position by performing all over the Northeast, selling nearly 1,000 hard copies of their debut album, Catching Wreck, having more than 1,300 combined likes on their Facebook pages and over 15,000 views on their YouTube channel. They’ve even been blessed to perform live with Grammy-winner Mr. Cheeks of the Lost Boyz, Naughty by Nature and Young MC and placed forth in a national competition to perform at Royal Family Affair with Soulive in 2011. They have also had a placement on the show “Road Trip Nation” and honorable mention in the John Lennon song-writing competition.

Slick, smart, engaging and legit, The Ill Funk Ensemble is humble in its origins, ambitious in its goals and will be releasing their second album in Summer of 2012.

Tracklisting:
1. She’s Fearless
2. Afraid of Heights
3. Amazing
4. Bringin’ the Heat (using a cleared sample of Quincy Jones’ theme from Sanford and Son)
5. Hot, Crazy Good Love
6. Interlude One
7. Different Day (feat. Michael Gaydusek)
8. Find a Way (feat. Steven Atkinson)
9. She’s Fearless (Reprise)
10. Interlude Two
11. My Gosh
12. The Duality

Websites: www.illfunk.com, www.facebook.com/illfunk, http://illfunk.bandcamp.com/, www.reverbnation.com/theillfunkensemble, www.youtube.com/illfunk09, twitter.com/#!/illfunk

 

Andy Murray Wins US Open

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He may have lost Wimbledon but since then Andy Murray has been on fire. Winning gold at the 2012 Olympics and now a historical win at the US Open.  Murray defeated defending champion Novak Djokovic in five sets at Flushing Meadows 7-6, 7-5, 2-6, 3-6, 6-2. The match lasted  four hours and 54 minutes

Murray has really triumphed this year, proving all of the doubters wrong. The 25-year-old Scot won a Grand Slam final at the fifth attempt having lost his 4 previous tries. Murray won the US open title 76 years after Fred Perry, the last British man to win a Grand Slam singles title.

Afterwards, he celebrated the Grand Slam win with friends at Hakkasan in New York. Murray also signed a copy of the menu for staff. He didn’t drink any alcohol. Opting for lemon soda instead.