L.A. Native and friend Ashlee Margolis killed it last with a huge celebrity turn out at the new Judith Leiber store opening on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. She threw the party along with Judith Leiber’s PR team and their New York PR agency, Company Agenda. Fellow LA Natives in attendance: jewelry designer AnitaKo, Daniel Landver, CEO for Lucas Design, actress Paula Patton (Harvard Westlake), Jessica Capshaw (Harvard Westlake ’94), Desiree Kohan (Beverly Hills High), owner of chic boutique Des Kohan, and The A Lists’ Candice Tab who grew up in Malibu. Other Angelenos we love included Cameron Silver (Decades on Melrose), Ashley Paige (bikini designer),Negar Ali (stylist) and Chris Huvane. Other celebrities included Ginnifer Goodwin, Amber Valletta, Katie Cassidy, Gabrielle Union, Jenna Dewan, Anne Heche and SanaaLathan. Also in attendance were uber-stylists to the stars Jessica Pastor, Penny Lovell, Tanya Gill, Wendi Ferreira, Tara Sweenen and Vincent Boucher. I also saw Brooke Davenporte, Kathy + Rick Hilton, designer Magda Berliner, celebrity hair stylist Anthony Francis, and shoe designers Jerome C. Rousseau and Taryn Rose.
I was ecstatic to get an invite as Judith Leiber was something I grew up being taught was a life necessity!! My mother use to buy me the mini JL coin purses every time she would walk through Neiman Marcus in search of a new bag. I am always excited to find myself growing into my mother’s Maude Frisson shoes and in this case – her Judith Leiber accessories.
Following store openings in New Dehli, India and Dubai, UAE, last week, long time bag and belt maker Judith Leiber joined the ranks of Rodeo Drive storefronts opening their first ever Beverly Hills boutique across from the Beverly Wilshire Hotel on via Rodeo.
Judith Leiber’s crystal minaudières are a well-recognized hit on red carpets and white table clothes at parties. The fall bags are now out and are inspired by the 70′s and Art Deco. The new designs feature square silhouettes for the “Wrap Clutch” and “Rectangle,” held by Paula Patton (above). To show off the bags this fashion week, Judith Leiber collaborated with designer Cho Cheng who featured the handbags on the runway at Bryant Park this month with his SS10 line. Cho Cheng is a secret treasure of the couture set - Cheng inherited his love of fashion from his grandmother, Betty Char-Nuis Yan, the acclaimed couturier who founded the famed Betty Couture at the Peninsula Hotel in Hong Kong in 1960. The Cho Cheng show was opened by socialite & model Lydia Hearst and closed by fav-model-of-the-moment Coca Rocha.
Lydia Hearst (left) opened the Cho Cheng’s SS10 show in Bryant Park this month. Coca Rocha closed the show (left, with designer). Judith Leiber ”Rectangle” bags were featured in the show (center).
Special services at the Beverly Hills store will include personal shopping and as always – complimentary repairs. My mother made it a point to tell me when I started writing this post that she still brings her belts and bags in to have the jewels replaced and leather polished up and they are always happy to do so at no cost! Judith Leiber President, Mary Gleason, says “Judith Leiber is the bag of choice for style setters, First Ladies, and royalty.”I’d like to think so – the collectible handbags are part of the permanent design collections in my mother’s wardrobe as well as The Victoria and Albert Museum, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and The Smithsonian Institute.
Inside the new Judith Leiber store in Rodeo Drive
220 North Rodeo Drive
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Telephone: 310-888-8852
Email: info@judithleiberla.com
Website: www.judithleiber.com
Hours of Operation:
Monday – Saturday 10:00am – 6:00pm
Sunday 12:00pm – 6:00pm
Store Manager: Thomas Joyce
*Other U.S. stores include South Coast Plaza, Las Vegas and flagship store in Manhattan.
Michael Moore re-creates a more successful citizen’s arrest than we see in his film for his DC premiere last night
Michael Moore gets three points for connecting names and drawing circles around lobbyists in this film. 3 more points for wrapping the Federal Reserve with yellow crime scene tape – which is funny. He looses 5 points for drawing illogical conclusions, not understanding basic math and bad physical comedy. Overall – he still comes out ahead.
As usual every Yom Kippur I go to the Brentwood Country with my dad’s side of the family which includes my cousin David’s 7 year old and 5 year old twins. I made plans with them to go riding this weekend at The LA Equestrian Center in Burbank – where I learned to ride. Also on my Jewish side is my sister from my dad’s first marriage, Yvette, my brother, his girlfriend, my dad’s sister who is Mila Kunis and Hilary Duff’s manager, her daughter (my cousin Cami), her son David and his wife and her parents and sister. Also along for the family affair is Larry Baum and his wife, former director of philanthropy at Cedars Sinai, where my father’s parents were extremely active. Oh – and my dad’s new wife Elaine. Did I miss anyone?? Phew!The buffet was amazing, the Latkas – to die for! And they spared us the ceremony. I love a holiday!!
And now for a quick overview of the Country Clubs in LA: Brentwood Country Club: Jewish Hillcrest Country Club: Jewish Riveria Country Club: Not Jewish, in the Palisades Bel-Air Country Club: Not Jewish, in Bel-Air Los Angeles Country Club: Created the definition of Not Jewish, in between Bev Hills and CC on Wilshire Wilshire Country Club: (not pictured) in Hancock Park, also not Jewish
I just got my complimentary shipment of sugarcane bowls and plates from Eco Products and I am soooo excited! These are not your parent’s disposable dishware! Much like Damien Hirst goes around and collects all the dead butterflies bodies left for trash at butterfly farms, Eco Products collects sugarcane pulp which would otherwise be discarded or burned (bad)! The plates are microwave and freezer safe, grease resistant, and I can say from experience – much more sturdy than paper. The sugarcane is a sustainable source – taking only 18 months to grow and harvest. Pretty cool, huh? Call my boy Brett Sicklick at 720-542-6341 in Boulder, Colorado and tell him Daily Truffle sent you. You can also email him BSicklick@ecoproducts.com OR you can order online www.ecoproducts.com/store.htm or call 303-449-1876.
“Fashion film” is a genre which not too long ago was barely on the radar and is now booming! The launch of “A Shaded View on Fashion Festival”, the newest fashion film festival, will open Paris Fashion Week this weekend and is the new “must-attend” for editors and buyers and the new “must-submit” for every fashion house and designer. Festival creator, Diane Pernet has defined “fashion film” into 3 categories: music videos, commissioned works by designers and film inspired by clothes, and made independent of the brand. Diane Pernett is co-editor in chief of Zoo magazine and runs the only recognized fashion film website, A Shaded View on Fashion.
VOX HUMANA directed by Griffin for Rodarte Featuring Jenny Lewis, Kenneth Anger and Jonathan Rice.
“Fashion film in 2010 is what music videos where in 1983″ says Griffin of PRESENT FUTURE FILMS, and director of Rodarte‘s 2008 video. Watch it on Griffin’s website http://www.presentfuture.net/. Griffin is en route to Paris today to represent the film in Diane’s festival for Rodarte’s designers, Kate and Laura Mulleavy. Rodarte’s film is meant to represent the darker turn they took for their fall ’08 which was inspired by Japanese horror films. (3:32 mins) The three day film festival opens Paris Fashion Week for the second year in a row and is called “A Shaded View On Fashion Film“. Griffin’s film, “Vox Humana”, stars L.A. Native Jenny Lewis of Rilo Kiley fame and has a special cameo from another L.A. Native, Kenneth Anger who is also a legendary avant garde filmmaker. Rodarte is one of several major brands to be recognized in the festival for their participation in the new genre. Others include Gucci, House of Waris, MATTHEW WILLIAMSON/H&M (which stars Eva Herzigova & Vincent Gallo), Gareth Pugh, Galeries Lafayette, Sergio Rossi, MAC Cosmetics, Rick Owens, Jeremy Scott, Yohji Yamamoto and oddly enough – Wonderbra. *(all videos can be viewed here)
GARETH PUGH AW09 directed by Ruth Hogben for Gareth Pugh
MAC KITTY directed by Floria Sigismondi for MAC Cosmetics
SCIENCE OF SEXY directed by Ali Mahdavi for Wonderbra
The Wonderbra film stars Dita Von Teese, who just had a party in London last night to launch the “Party Edition” bra. The film shows a bunch of scientists all looking for the cure under microscopes and then Dita comes in with lab coat and snakeskin Louboutins to solve the crucial problem. (2:16 mins)
Griffin’s Rodarte film was also just shown at Nick Knight’s “Fashion Revolution SHOWstudio exhibition,” which closed British Fashion Week, and will run through the end of the year, Dec 20, 2009. Photographer Nick Knight has worked with Vogue, Kate Moss, Dior, etc. and also runs the fashion/photography website SHOWstudio.com. Nick Knight is another name to watch in fashion film. A popular piece from Nick Knights’ show is hisBrad Pitt short film in which Brad violently throws paint on a blow-up wall photo of himself and reads poetry.
Guests arrive at Nick Knight’s “Fashion Revolution SHOWstudio exhibition” in London September 23, 2009 Left to Right: Nick Knight with Naomi Campbell, model Lily Donaldson, Robert Konjic with Julia Restin-Roitfeld “Flora by Gucci”, directed by Chris Cunningham and starring Gucci model Abbey Lee was also selected in Diane Pernet’s upcoming fashion. Chris is an English music video film director and video artist who is most famous for his work with the the late Stanley Kubrick on the then-unfinished project A.I., which was picked up by Steven Speilberg. (1 min)
Fashion brand “House of Waris” designer, WarisAhluwalia, directed his own video “Omina Vincit Amor,” which was selected for consideration in Diane Pernet’s film festival as well. Warisbased the film on a journey into the old world as he explores his love of gold.
Fashion film began in the 60s with pioneering projects like William Klein’s Qui Etes Vous Polly MagGoo and William Claxton’s Basic Black starring Peggy Moffitt (not on my youtube playlist, view here) and trend offers viewers an ever deeper level of insight into the artistic side of fashion. Nick Knight, along with fashion designer Alexander Mcqueen, have done loads of fashion film collaboration. The genre has lurked in the cult and industry depths of art but is now receiving it’s place in the fashion industry spotlight -perhaps largely due only to the recent financial crisis which has made the less expensive forum more appealing than a full-blown show or a traditional print campaign.
Last spring, many shows were canceled and scaled back due to the recession. Balleniaga moved their show to the Hotel de Crillon, Karl Lagerfeld showed his pre-fall Moscow/Paris collection in a theatre and created his first ever silent short play to play behind the handful of models who walked through the intimate gathering.
Some designers skipped the show all together, opting for stand alone films that ran at parties or showings as we saw from Montclerin the basement of the old Paris Opera house, and this fall, Marchesacontinued the trend with another gellery-esque “showing” with statue-esque models simply posed at the Chelsea Museum.
The trend of film in fashion is further being popularized by Chanel No.5′s recent mini-film, starring Aurdey Tautou, that shows her searching for, and finally finding, her lost lover on an old fashion train.
Dior has also commissioned a 4-part mini-series, each set in a different city, starting with “Lady Dior Paris,” which is pure Hitchcock, and features the iconic Lady Dior handbag, and the Oscar-winning Marion Cotillard.
Earlier this year, Roman Polanski & Italian performance artist Francesco Vezzoli put out a faux ad based on the non-existent perfume “Greed” with Natalie Portman and Michelle Williams having a cat fight over the fake item. The film is meant to accentuate the problem with vanity.
David Lynch, who can always be counted on to support the merging worlds of weird and lovely, shot a mini-film for Gucci’s real perfume in 2007, featuring models Raquel Zimmerman, Natasha Poly and FrejaBehaErichsen, who are shot to the sound of ‘Heart of Glass’ by Blondie.
Tom Ford could have had an edge into the coming genre as he, himself, is an aspiring director. This year, we will be able to see his first try at film in “A Single Man” starring Colin Firth, Julianne Moore and Ginnifer Goodwin. The stylized suspense drama follows a widowed man around Los Angeles for a day and was screened at the Venice film festival this summer and opens in theatres soon.
Opening Ceremony recently jumped on the bandwagon for their store opening Tokyo, with three short films starring Jason Schwartzman, Chloë Sevigny and Jena Malone directed by M Blash & Gus Van Sant.
“Starring” by designer Jeremy Scott – which was in Diane’s festival last year – is inspired by TV soap operas and the gorgeous women who inhabit them, featuring Asia Argento, Tori Spelling, Lisa Marie, China Chow, Amber Valletta, Liz Goldwyn, & Monet Mazur.
MORE ABOUT RODARTE’S FASHION FILM DIRECTOR GRIFFIN: Griffin is a director and producer, who has worked in Tokyo, Los Angeles, Mexico City and points between for the past 10 years. Griffin is in the process of developing two features film project which he will direct and produce, one about Mexico City, and the second written by the creator and editor of dune magazine, Charlie Brown (Fumihiro Hayashi). Currently, Griffin is working as one of the curators and producers of the 42 x 42 onedreamrush film festival as well as directing his own short film for the festival. 42 Filmmakers make 42 second films for 42 Below spirits. Griffin wrangled shorts films submissions from David Lynch, Kenneth Anger, Sean Lennnon, actor James Franco, and Harmony Korine. Griffin also produced The Harmony Book in conjunction with American Rag Cie. to showcase a select group of artists, designers and eccentrics based in Los Angeles.
Watch the 42 x 42 onedreamrush film festival trailer:
All other videos in this blog can be viewed on the Fashion Film playlist here.
Grammy-nominated musician, philanthropist, Ethiopian-born American musician and “actionist” Kenna has masterminded an expedition to climb Tanzania’s Mt. Kilimanjaro with friends, Jessica Biel, Alexandra Cousteau, grand-daughter of famous explorer and filmmaker Jacques Cousteau, Elizabeth Gore, Global Partnerships Director for the United Nations Foundation, and Kick Kennedy, an environmental activist, granddaughter of Robert Kennedy.
The climb is meant to raise awareness of the global clean water crisis and raise funds.
Beneficiaries of the funds will go to:
1. The Children’s Safe Drinking Water Program 2. United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) 3. PlayPumps International
The Group will be outfitted with high-powered HP PCs from corporate sponsor Hewitt Packard to help track each climber’s progress, monitor weather conditions, and capture every aspect of the ascent. Throughout the climb, the team will use HP thin-and-light notebooks to communicate and share photos as well as videos from Mt. Kilimanjaro with fans on www.summitonthesummit.com, which will fully launch next month.
To help bring clean water to the developing world, PŪR created the PŪR sachet that can transform ten liters of dirty, disease-ridden water, into clean, clear drinking water in 30minutes. PŪR has also developed filtration solutions which help to provide high quality drinking water at home through PŪR’s line of faucet mount, pitcher and refrigerator filtration systems. www.purwater.com
The expedition team will be completely outfitted in First Ascent by Eddie Bauer with everything from baselayer, insulation and outer shells, to backpacks, duffels, tents and accessories to safely and successfully summit Mt. Kilimanjaro. www.firstascent.com
“My father suffered for over 10 years of his life with water-borne diseases while his friends and family died around him. It’s over 60 years later and we are living in a world where over a billion people are without clean and safe drinking water. It is unacceptable. My friends and I are taking a risk climbing Kili to stand at one of the highest points in the world and make the statement that we as human beings can stop the Global Clean Water Crisis if we take action now. Help us send water and save lives,” says Kenna, an Ethiopian-born American musician.
The Paul Chesne band at Crazy Girls. L-R: Jon Niemann, Stephen Tegel, Paul Chesne, Paxton Pryor, Eric “Dutch” Suoninen. Photo by Mike Abdelnour.
Photo by Stephen Albanese — Barstow, CA for video shoot of an unreleased song.
“I dance on tables, spill drinks & sing dark love songs with a very talented & poorly behaved backup band. Like Dr. Dre meets Johnny Cash, it’s a Sun Records feel with California country roots and post-modern lyrics. Collaborators have included the newest member of the Raconteurs (Mark Watrous), Johnny Cash’s bass player (Dave Roe), Dwight Yoakam’s band (Mitch Marine, Keith Gattis), Grammy award winner Joe Cripps on percussion and Leonard Cohen’s current back up band (The Webb Sisters). The current band includes members of Rick Rubin’s formerly signed band “The Vacation”. We’ve been together for 200+ shows now.” – Paul Chesne
I know Paul Chesne (Harvard-Westlake ’94) from high school. He is about to release an EP – they are mixing now. Until then his albums are up for sale or free here now. Nice clean site easy downloads! paulchesne.bandcamp.com and you can follow his blog at paulchesne.blogspot.com. His song titles include “Pink Champagne” (from his White Man’s Curse album) and “Offshore Bank Accounts” (from his Wet Dog Manalbum). All his videos can be viewed on his YouTube page.
Be green and ride your bicycle! The festival is handing out treats for first 500 riders to use the festival’s free bike valet stations on Broadway.PRESS RELESAE http://www.abbotkinney.org/2009AKFAPressRelease.pdf
Paul went to my high school and was in band’s with our fellow classmates Jeff Murad and Elvis Perkins. In 1994 we all went to prom together. Harvard-Westlake prom was at the Bel Age hotel (just like “BH 90210″) and our after party was at Dublins (RIP). My mom had the pre-party (just like David Silver’s dad) but our O.G. beverly hills posse knows how to handle our champage and we had no Donna Martin incidences. Well, maybe just one … Here are some pics from our prom night.
Me and Garret Weinreib (now has a law practice in LA), LFET: Suzanne Morris (also a lawyer in SF) with my prom date Jeff Murad, who is the head of development for Murad skincare, which his father – Dr. Murad – started. Jeff is also the face of Murad Man.
In the limo! from left to right: Courtney Scoot & Reagan Rosson, Alexis Fish & Paul Chesne, Vicky Burges & Elvis Perkins, Mike Seifert & Suzanne Morris (not pictured), me and Jeff Murad (also not pictured). Former band members at Dave Jefferson’s wedding, (L-R) RemsAvizianis, Elvis Perkins, Jeff Murad, Paul Chesne)
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What you may hear today is that Diablo Cody has just signed on to write and produce an adaptation of the “Sweet Valley High” book series for Universal Studios. Mason Novick, the former Bender-Spink producer who discovered and manages her, will produce, along with Adam Siegel and Marc Platt.
What you may not know is that author Francine Pascal based the twin California blonds on her friend Kate Capshaw’s adolescent daughter, Jessica; the premiere issue of the series has a dedication to the L.A. Native Jessica (Harvard-Westlake) in the beginning.
Mason! Get JC on for a cameo!
The “Sweet Valley” novels followed the lives of identical twins with dissimilar personalities — the sensitive and practical Elizabeth and the flighty and boy-crazy Jessica — in the fictional town of Sweet Valley. There were more than 150 books in the series between 1983 and 2003 and a TV series with 88 episodes between 1994 and 1997.
I want an Hermès moving island, Daddy! I want one now! Private islands are nice and so are boats – put them together and you have the craziest, coolest thing ever! Hermès is designing the 11,154 sq. foot (190×124) movable island with a maximum speed of 14 knots, with yacht maker Wally. The craft includes a promenade deck, swimming pool, thermophotovoltaic cells and is completely green. All energy comes from renewable energy sources. The co-creation is headed by Hermès’ artistic director Pierre-Alexis Dumas and Luca Cassani Antivari, the President and CEO of Wally Yacths. Together they form Wally-Hermes Yachts, or W.H.Y.
Totes just found these pics from earlier this year -- we were going to do a story on #SohoHouse new valet situation #LAnews
Totes just found these pics from earlier this year -- we were going to do a story on #SohoHouse new valet situation #LAnews
Totes just found these pics from earlier this year -- we were going to do a story on #SohoHouse new valet situation #LAnews
Casa del Mar's "Catch" chef Jason Bowlin and brother Dustin Bowlin #powersiblings @colorplates
#Softshellcrab at casa del Mar
Catch at @casadelmar with brothers @colorplates and head chef Jason Bowlin #friendswithbenefits
Catch at @casadelmar with brothers @colorplates and head chef Jason Bowlin #friendswithbenefits
Such a pleasure to see the #doctor today! @drxromanelli #DrX #drxromanelli #drromanelli
#DailyTruffle #PSA: @prada temp space in progress #RodeoDrive
#Chanel ad #herselfmagazine (this looks like swings at Hotel du Cap --> speaking of which, get ready for the annual takeover there from Cannes starting this week)
TRUFFLE NOTES:
:: Prada store under construction (temp store now open)
:: Reza has Villa under construction ...
:: Gordon Ramsey, TopShop coming to the Grove
:: Trousdale will re-open this summer as Bootsy Bellows under new owners John Terzian & David Arquette
