give me liberty!

i have mixed feelings about the globalization of retail.

i will admit that it is really convenient to be able to pop into a uniqlo, an h&m, an american apparel or a sephora in almost any city you happen to be in, and know exactly what you'll find.

same thing goes, i'm sure, for designer boutiques as well. if you want chanel, you can find it in most major cities.

however, it also makes traveling much less interesting, when searching for souvenirs, and unusual pieces. it's nice to be able to say "oh, i got it in berlin/ tokyo/ istanbul/ wherever" and know that it can't be found at home....

one of my favorite stand-alone store is liberty of london. the history of the store and the brand are undeniable. i wager that most fashion enthusiasts have a soft spot in their hearts for liberty prints. there certainly are enough of them for everyone to find a favorite!

and, one of the best things about the store is that they apply these prints to every category of merchandise... from classic oxford shirts and proper english 'brellies to sneakers and satchels....

although you can purchase through their website, in order to get a taste of london.....

i highly recommend making a trip, in order to explore the beautiful "mock tudor" store, and all of it's nooks & crannies.

however, since i don't have a london trip planned at the mo' (damn it!), here are some of the things that are getting me in the spirit of london town.....

the classic.

i'm kind of tired of the cambridge satchel, but with a liberty print, it looks pretty fresh!

i'm obsessed with pointed toe dr. martens. pretty flowers are a cherry on top!

my morning coffee would look so pretty on this tray...

i suck at keeping journals, but this one sure is pretty...

fun shades!

liberty print ties always remind me of my dad....

one of these is always good to have for a london trip...

a classic scarf...

and some scarf print throw pillows!

i think these nikes are my favorite liberty collab. i don't know if i could pick a favorite!

some pretty dresses for a tea party!

here's hoping that some of you are heading to london soon....... there's tons of great shopping in london, but liberty is definitely one not to miss.....

cheerio!

some shoes

so, many of you may know that i am a freelance shoe designer.

you may remember this project, or maybe this one?

well, here's a design project that i did for someone not named wang!

about a year or so ago, i started working with the brand marais usa. it's run by two great girls, catherine & haley, and i really enjoyed working with them.... so much that we worked together for both the spring 12 line, as well as their fall 12 line.

well, a few weeks ago, the spring line hit their website, and i've spent that amount of time, trying to figure out which styles i want to order.....

you see, most of my career has been spent designing shoes that i either loved but couldn't afford, or were too cheap for me to consider wearing. working with marais usa was one of the first times that i got to design some shoes i both wanted, and could order a couple of pair of.....

so, here's what i'm getting:

i looooooove these mary janes. and i'm not a huge fan of shoes with strap, usually. but i've been waiting months for these to join the army in my closet....

and a pair of neutral wedge sandals....

here's what i wish i was adding to my order:

the same mary janes in a sweeter, springier, girlier version....

and the sandal in much more exciting colors. i love the red color (called "clay"), but have decided that since i finally get to answer the question "oh, did you design the shoes that you're wearing?" in the affirmative, that i'll wear the neutral color a bit more often..... and get to be a big show off much more often!

check out the rest of the marais usa shoes on their website. there are a couple styles that i didn't design, so if you're not into the ones above, maybe you'll find something else more your speed..... ;)

marant forever

yesterday, i stopped by the isabel marant store in soho.

there were about 15 things that i would have liked to pick up for myself, but i was pretty happy with just grabbing these two postcards.

i generally get a bit tired of a model when she's been as over exposed as freja beha erichsen has in the past few years. but she really seems very right for marant.

cool girl....

cool clothes.