Posts with tag interviews

Britney is back.

We keep saying that. It feels like, over the past couple of years, we've said that with a lot of different looks on our faces. Britney acknowledges that she's had some tough moments. "I'm a smart person ... what the hell was I thinking?" she says.

She may have to prove that "smart person" thing. Well, she said it in her upcoming interview and documentary on MTV: Britney Spears 'Sets the Record Straight.' Let's see if she does!

We caught up with Tim Gunn last night at Fashion Forward, a fabulous fashion show featuring Betsey Johnson, Michael Bastian, Tim Hamilton, Charles Nolan, Ports 1961 by Tia Cibani, and John Varvatos, all to benefit Gay Men's Health Crisis. Tim was very busy hosting, but he made time to talk to us. Could we love him any more?

Of course everyone loves Tim Gunn. When we told a friend we were interviewing the famous fashion icon, she said "Ooooh! Please tell him I want him to be my dad!" (Sorry Jenn, unfortunately there wasn't time.)

Fans of Big Brother and Dr. 90210 are already familiar with Dr. Will Kirby - the very in-demand dermatologist to the stars. You know how hard it is to get an appointment with your hometown dermatologist? Then imagine what it takes to get a consultation with Dr. Kirby!

But you, lucky StyleList reader, need not wait months or even days for an appointment. We got to talk skin with Dr. Kirby and he dished about his favorite products and gave us some surprising skincare secrets. Trust us, beautiful skin is easier than you think.

How easy? You might be surprised:

In between the hubub of Fashion Week parties and runway shows were celebrity meet and greets -- events where designers or celebrities with clothing lines mixed with press and fans. My favorite was the one by Heidi Klum held at Bloomingdales in New York City's Upper West Side. She was super nice to all the reporters, switching effortlessly from English to German depending on the nationality of whoever she was speaking with.

[If fashion is war, then consider Zandile Blay your embedded reporter. From fashion shows to stylish parties, she's there to cover it all -- from London to New York and everywhere in between. Read all about it from your favorite fashionista.]

Kwame Jackson from the first season of the hit reality show, The Apprentice, always impressed me. Call me shallow if you must, but it wasn't his intelligence, leadership, or charm that did it for me -- but his wardrobe. Jackson was always sharply dressed and well groomed. Now he's capitalizing on his business chic with his latest venture: Krimson by Kwame, a line of high end ties f or men.

For our ongoing feature, Indy Designer Interviews, Eric Niccoli,
Creative Director/ Designer, Orthodox Clothing, talks about the subculture of being an indy brand and the importance of wire transfers.

Typically we see "orthodox" with a religious connection. Can you explain how you employ it? In its purest definition, orthodox means an, "adherence to an approved form of doctrine, philosophy, or ideology." Here, at Orthodox, we are creating a lifestyle brand with its own personality and identity. This doesn't imply a perpetual monotony. Fashion evolves and so will Orthodox, but it will do so while retaining our own, peculiar DNA.

There's like 5 billion men's wear lines out there, why should I buy yours? Because we are the bestest in the whole wide world... kidding. We have created a look and feel that is unique in the marketplace. People want to feel unique. In a world of faceless multiplicity, people want to feel like they have identity. Clothing is one of the easiest ways of expressing one's personality and identity. So here at Orthodox we offer the medium of clothing as a means of self expression. We provide forwardly fashionable garments with an intellectually masculine aesthetic. And what man out there doesn't want to be a fashion forward, intellectual man?

I'm a big fan of all of the amazing independent designers out there. In an effort to get inside the mind of the indie designer and find out just what makes all of these creative types tick, I present to you an ongoing segment I call Indie Designer Interviews.

Today's interview is with Catherine Beringer, a jewelry designer and metalsmith who creates modern, organic jewelry using eco-friendly, recycled silver. You can find her work at her website, Solsida, which means sunny side in Swedish.

Tell me a little about your work. I make silver jewelry inspired by lazy summer days spent outside with the sun beaming down on your face. (It's a long winter here in Minnesota!). I totally crave sunshine and my jewelry reflects that. I enjoy using my jewelry saw to cut out silhouettes of birds and butterflies and other things from nature. I also love organic shapes, imperfect circles and rounded edges. I use argentium silver, a newer sterling silver alloy, that has some unique properties for metalsmithing, including the ability to use safer and fewer chemicals. It is also much slower to tarnish than traditional sterling and requires less polishing. Many of my necklaces hang from several strands of linen cord. I really like that linen is a sustainable plant fiber, and that it's lightweight, stronger than leather or cotton and comes in beautiful, subtle colors.

Who are your favorite designers? I've been coveting a BeckyOh intaglio purse for too long and I've promised myself one for Spring. I just have to make up my mind which one! I just redid my studio and I have a wall that is crying out for some of these dream-like Alena Hennessy prints. My favorite jewelry designer is Amy Tavern. I've admired her work for a long time. Her jewelry is simple and modern, but has an light and organic quality to it that makes it really special.

What are your top fashion & beauty must-haves? I have a pair of red, stacked-heel Clarks and some sweet, Camper high heels I adore. They appeal to my need to be girly and comfortable at the same time. I favor skirts over jeans, so I love heels to go with them. Some of my favorite casual skirts are from Envi, an eco-friendly, online clothing store that recently opened a brick and mortar in Boston. In my constant battle against dry skin, I recently invested in a whole bunch of Winks and Company shea butters. I love trying out all the different scents. I have a ton of them. I keep changing my mind which one I like the best but right now it's pink grapefruit and honey.

I'm a big fan of all of the amazing independent designers out there. In an effort to get inside the mind of the indie designer and find out just what makes all of these creative types tick, I present to you an ongoing segment I call Indie Designer Interviews.

Today's interview is with Brooke Fuller who runs an online boutique stocked full of great original handmade goods from other independent designers.

Tell me a little about yourself and your shop. I am a busy woman! I run a shop at The Pear Project that focuses on artisan goods in everyday life along with a blog at thepearproject.blogspot.com under the same theme. At The Pear Project I carry handpicked goods from a variety of artists focusing on modern handmade items that can enhance everyday life. I have a love of sales, advertising and marketing that fits in well with running this shop.

I also am a trained photographer. I have a commercial portfolio, but most of my practical experience has been with portraits. I love Polaroids and spend a lot of time thinking of how I can transform my photography into more than prints on the wall. I have a popular series of sx-70 manipulations I did when that type of film was available along with a series of resin necklaces. I have also used my photography for inspiration in other mediums as well.

Felting is another passion of mine. I am currently working on a series of 4x4 wall pieces with theme of simplicity inspired by nature & a line of brightly colored felted bracelets that will include the actual bracelets along with a kit for those who would rather do it themselves. I enjoy dry needle felting and use it as a sculpting medium. The texture draws me in and I am always amazed at the finished product.

I also work with enamel, resin, paper & a few other mediums. Variety is the spice of life, and I don't think I will ever be able to specialize in just 1 thing!

Who are your favorite designers? This is an easy question because I carry many of my favorite designers in The Pear Project shop. To name a few off hand ... I adore the paper products from Papered Together. I can't even count the number of times I have given out the coasters we carry in the shop as an affordable, unique gift. They are just perfect! I also love to give salt shakers by Gamiworks too.

What are your top fashion & beauty must-haves? I love mineral make-up! It gives a great natural look while evening out my skin tone. I also have a bag and purse habit.

I'm a big fan of all of the amazing independent designers out there. In an effort to get inside the mind of the indie designer and find out just what makes all of these creative types tick, I present to you an ongoing segment I call Indie Designer Interviews. Today's interview is with the designer behind Oh So Retro, a line of fun handmade handbags, wallets and accessories.

Tell me a little about your work. I'm Adrienne, a seamstress turned designer hailing from Winnipeg, Canada. As my chosen business name implies, I am a fan of all things vintage and retro from furniture to dishes to textiles and books. I collect a little bit of everything and am always on the look out for vintage stock to incorporate into my designs. I do all of my sewing on a vintage Singer sewing machine from the 1950s which can prove challenging at times but things were made to keep back then. I try to incorporate that mentality in my own designs, to create something that is visually pleasing yet still functional enough to use everyday.

How did you get started running your own business? I started Oh So Retro back in 2004 as a vintage clothing boutique. I had been sewing my own clothing for years before that and took that knowledge into my reselling business by altering vintage clothing and doing custom sewing jobs. I began making matching bags out of the salvaged fabric from floor length gowns and much-too-small tweed skirts and soon enough the bags started outselling the clothing! I knew I was on to something good, and worked on creating my own line of bags and accessories. I was selling well from my own website and did some local consignment but things really took off for me once I started selling on Etsy.com. I'm really happy to have found my home on there.

Who are your favorite designers? The Vintage Zoo does some amazing things with her own brand of vintage + handmade clothing. Nice Face makes the cutest tunics I have ever seen. SRB Designs by Miss Bohl designs the most gorgeous clothing. I want everything.

What are your top fashion & beauty must-haves? It`s hard to be fashionable in the winter, but I try! Right now I`m loving skinny jeans and tunics paired up with bolero sweaters for a little extra warmth. I love flat shoes and I have an amazing pair of mary jane flats from Stops And Starts. I've been using a lot of extra large shoulder bags and still wear my over sized Jackie O sun glasses. I`m very simple when it comes to make up, just a touch of mascara and lip gloss. I use a great lip gloss from The Plaid Mushroom. Thanks to her I've not had chapped lips once this winter!

I'm a big fan of all of the amazing independent designers out there. In an effort to get inside the mind of the indie designer and find out just what makes all of these creative types tick, I present to you an ongoing segment I call Indie Designer Interviews.

Tell me a little about your company. My name is Genie, the owner of DistinQue Co. I constantly look for up-to-date designs and study them, but most importantly, I create my own design from them. I like to use all materials: silver, gold, pearl, copper, brass, leather, silk, etc. As you can see from the name of the company, my motto is "Distinctive + uniQue". It's been only 8 months since the grand opening, but DistinQue is receiving lots of buzz.

What inspires your work? Nature. It's simple. Everything comes from the nature for me: leaves, flowers, trees, sky, ocean, sand, shells, wind, etc. I love their unique colors and forms that cannot be found anywhere else. Anything in the nature, even a little tiny thing, is unique. There's no two of a kind. I also love abstract figures. You can see that in my jewelry.

What are your top fashion & beauty must-haves? A necklace and earrings you can wear anytime and anywhere. A black suit. AND, lipgloss!

The following is part of an ongoing segment I call Indie Designer Interviews. Today's interview is with amazingly talented jewelry designer Brooke Medlin.

Tell me a little about yourself and your work. I'm Brooke, a metalsmith and jewelry designer based in Dayton, Ohio. I make my jewelry (and other things, like cyanotypes and pinback buttons) in a big, brightly painted studio space that was once a room in an old warehouse. I started out making jewelry in 2000, and things just grew from there, and now I teach metalsmithing classes and workshops out of my studio, which is wonderful. It's great watching people finally have that 'aha!' moment when working with metal. I can almost see the ideas turning round in their head as they master each new step. So wonderful. But as much as I like teaching, I still love to just hunker down in the studio for hours, sawing, filing, soldering, making. I have lately gotten away from using beads in combination with my metalwork, which used to be a staple of most of my work, and am working in mostly metal only now. I love it. I'm finding myself making equal amounts of earthy, organic jewelry and bright, sparkling, modern work. Both are really satisfying.

Who are your favorite designers? This is HARD. I bookmark items and sites dozens of times a day. Right now I'm in love with Patrice of Alcove Press for her 'I Want To Barack Your World' notecards - well-made and timely. Moop makes the most amazing bags, and I don't even carry bags! She's turned me into a convert. The fabrics, the colors! Love them. And I've been enamored with the work of Chloe Le Pichon ever since I bought a tea bowl from her last year. I love that thing. I use it almost exclusively.

What are your top fashion & beauty must-haves? Right now, since winter lasts approximately 8 months in Ohio, long, light turtlenecks that I can layer with brightly colored vests or short sleeved shirts for warmth and color, skinny jeans, and the Frye boots I've had for 6 years and are just now perfectly broken in. I don't wear much makeup, but discovered ingero and her Roxie line of tinted lip balms, which have saved my sad little chapped lips this winter, and made me look, dare I say, smoldering. I bought the bright yet somehow subdued (likely because of the slightly translucent, velvety finish) Pomegranate shade - fantastic. I dab some Gold Toof mineral eyeshadow from Coffin Color in the inner corners of my eyelids, put on my hand-crocheted tam from tiffy tuffington (in either blue or black - I bought both) and am ready to go. In the studio I've always got hand cream from DressGreen nearby - since I use chemicals on my pieces when soldering and applying patina, I wash my hands a lot, and moisturizing them is a must.

The Olsen twins are coming out with a coffee table book! I'm so excited. I don't know why I'm so fascinated by these little midgets but something about them keeps me wanting more. Even when they dress like crazy homeless people who haven't bathed in weeks, or insane vampire looking witches who want to suck my blood, I still can't wait to see what they're going to wear next!

Mary Kate and Ashley have teamed up to create a book full of interviews and photos of people who inspire them. Ashley says the book will feature, "the most interesting, challenging, creative people we know - the ones who helped pave the way for us and our generation."

Mary Kate adds, "Ashley and I interviewed the people who have inspired us, with the hope that they will inspire and teach others."

Just to name drop, a few people that grace the pages of the book, aptly named Influence, are shoester Christian Louboutin, actress Lauren Hutton, photographer Terry Richardson and writer Bob Colacello.

Whether you love or hate the Olsen twins, there's no denying that these two are formidable players when it comes to style. Just thinking of all the people they probably had access to talk to for this book gets me giddy. These girls rub elbows with some of the most influential people in fashion -- here's to hoping they all agreed to be in the book!

Exclusive photos and interviews with the twins will also be part of the book.

I just checked and you can pre-order Influence on Amazon for $35.00. It will be released on November 13 of this year.

Via UsMagazine.

Other than Isaac Mizrahi's infamous ScarJo boob bobble, the red carpet has been fairly tame in recent years. Where is the witty commentary, the point blank assault we knew and loved for years?

Never fear! Joan and Melissa Rivers ARE BACK, and this time, they're using the internet. AOL's StyleList.com has joined forces with the founders of red carpet commentary to give us the rundown on this year's Academy Awards.

When someone mentions the term "literary magazine", do you think of those periodicals relegated to the literary ghetto, shelved between gaming mags and graphic novels at the mega-Borders out by the airport?

If so, Conduit gives you reason to pause. "The only magazine that risks annihilation" (its motto), Conduit is a quarterly devoted to bringing the very coolest in art, essays, poetry, interviews and humor.

Whereas most lit mags are boring squares (in every sense of the word), every issue of Conduit is a long, slim volume (11 inches high by 5 inches wide) guaranteed to: 1) impress your less-than-literary friends; and 2) not fit into any of your bookshelves.

Put another way, at $8 a pop, Conduit is cheaper than seeing the current Johnny Depp-vehicle Pirates of the Carribean ... and it gets you a whole lot more credibility among your pretentious friends.