'bout as bashful as a tribal dance

Is it me, or was there something very indigenously arctic about Rodarte Fall 2010? 

Seriously Mulleavy sisters 1 and 2, I kiss the ground you tread.

I want it all.

-Francois

personal jesus

I'm not a religious girl. Eleven years of Private Catholic schooling didn't manage to penetrate a deep enough faith in me. I do, however, acknowledge the fact that the simple doctrine of "love thy neighbor" had a large impact on a lot of my beliefs and the way I choose to live my life. And why not? Most religions in the world include the core beliefs of love, equality, empathy, etc. If you should take anything from any denomination, it's just that: be a decent human being.
I believe (to a certain extent) that religion is good for humanity. It offers a sort of discipline and it gives you the ability to believe in something pure when the world around you is crap.
Having said this, and keep in mind I'm a HUGE fashion advocate, I don't agree with current trend that seems to picking up speed in fashion: using Jesus Christ as a statement.
It's a rare thing to see someone take their beliefs and execute them in everyday life the way they were supposed to be carried out, in the simplest and most selfless way. Rare, but it occurs. So when you choose to take an symbol of innate love, as big as Jesus, and turn him into a fashion trend as simple as the latest Alexander Wang bag, to be discarded for a new one next season, it demeans and lessens the power that He has on those few souls that choose to live their lives exactly how He intended. This is not to say this is the first time this has happened, or that I'm really surprised. It probably won't be the last. I'm all for creativity, and pushing the boundaries. Sky's the limit, especially when it comes to fashion. But we need to draw a line here. Some things are sacred. And if we live in a world as messed up as our own, and there are still people who believe we can love one another no matter how shitty we act, who are we to tell them "Your beliefs are crap so I'm going to put it on a magazine cover and make lots of dough."
I don't mean to get on my soapbox, but com'on man, fashion can do better than this. Case and point, Alexander Mcqueen. That son of a bitch made history in fashion, and he never sunk so low as to crush somebody's spirit to make quick buck.

-Francois

Confidentially...

I went movie shopping today.

East of Eden

Streetcar Named Desire

                                                            



                                                              Rebel Without A Cause

                                                            


Cat On A Hot Tin Roof

Brothers Bloom

Don't you LOVE new movies? I've only ever seen Brothers Bloom so this was quite a successful day.

~Ferdinando

RIP Alexander McQueen

You Felt Like You Were Disappearing Every Time You Crossed A Road

In light of the late J.D. Salinger's Death just last week, many discussions have cropped up in regards to the novel that made him famous, Catcher in the Rye. One of these articles comes from the NY Times, which I found devastatingly interesting, enough to share at least.

The debate began with a simple question: Is The Catcher in the Rye relevant to today's youth culture?

It was generally discussed that with today's youth lives perforated with social media, could a novel that allows for loneliness and isolation find an audience? Apparently the answer is no.

It is suggested by some that there are no longer "teenagers," in the sense that the middle area between adulthood and childhood is gone, but rather teens are younger adults with perfectly planned lives or are encountering dangers that would have once only been seen as adult temptations. It is also said that teens today are never really alone, and therefore would not have ever experienced true isolation. Another says that this generation is exposed to everyone's personal dramas everyday that his jaded views of life have been experienced by them [us?] since pre-teen age and therefore Holden's drama is nothing unusual or interesting.

Damn it! 

Why would they ask today's adults a question so obviously formed for todays younger generations??

If this is not a perfect example of the division between adult and youth categories that what else is? 

I think it was best said by a Reader's comment down below:

"I am 23, and when I read this book for the first time in high school, I had the same sort of reaction to it typical of the professional commentators above. I dont think today's teens, who I am only slightly older than, would find the book so irrelevant as the panel seems to think. There is still angst, and rebellion, and suspicion of the hypocrisy of adults. These things dont go away because of twitter, or text messages (just think, passing notes in class, but quicker and sneakier..), or being over-scheduled. Overscheduled and micromanaged are just new ways of saying that adults heap expectations on children who often don't want to meet them, same now as then if just even more extreme today.

Perhaps the panel thinks the youth of today won't treasure the book as they once did, because they themselves are now looking at it and their own youths through the glasses of adulthood. The comments seem to ring to the tune of, "Those youth of today, they just aren't youth like we were!"'

Stoked about the Strokes

Word is out. Recording is being finalized. Get ready to scream. The Strokes are back. 2010.

Seriously. I could scream.

~Ferdinando

and the stars fell out of the sky

Shadowplay by Heather Goldberg has to be one of the radest jewelry lines I've ever come across. I don't wear jewelry often, it strikes my nerves after a while and I start stripping it off. The cold, hard metal plus my claustrophobic tendencies lead me to stray away. Ms. Heather Heather however uses silk, yarn, mohair, etc. to construct the beautifully conjured strands for the neck pieces. Inspired by space, crystal formations, and spiderwebs, she weaves Swarovski crystals into the strands to create something truly galactic. I legit just want to put one on, turn on some Zoe, gaze at the stars on Machu Picchu.

-Francois