Design
Ever since we laid eyes on Brook&Lyn’s bewitching “Deflected” collection, we were taken by the brand’s unexpected and original approach to jewelry design. Combining natural materials with bold shapes, their work gracefully walks the line between delicate and strong, such that we see our own femininity reflected in its construct.
This past Sunday was a bittersweet coming together as our neighborhood celebrated ten years of Zebulon with one final night of music and friends. As I looked around the room at the early crowd – kids scampering about on the stage up front and their parents hanging back by the bar – I got to thinking: what would all of us have done without this place? Over the past decade it has served as a community hub for many of us: we watched World Cups and elections here: screaming and celebrating, we met our soul mates here (I met mine) and celebrated weddings (including my own), bid farewell to friends, welcomed new ones, chimed in new lives (including little Henri’s)…
Whether you’re watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, loyally focused on the football game, or gabbing and noshing with friends and family, we here at Lo’s List are wishing you all a very happy Thanksgiving. This year, Lo and little Henri will be enjoying Grandma Martin’s unparalleled Turkey Day spread and Henri, who is normally limited to the healthiest of foodstuffs, is allowed to try every single sumptuous dish at the table tomorrow. It’s going to be a doozy. See you all at the gym on Friday!
As Sandy comes creeping towards us, threatening to shut down NYC for the better half of the week and – oh the horror – seriously screwing with every child’s Trick-or-Treating plans, I, as a responsible mother, am checking my list twice for our household hurricane preparedness. Candles? Check. Batteries? Check. Chocolate? Check. As worried as I am for those who will surely be impacted by the brunt of the storm, I can’t help but get a wee bit gleeful as I consider the possibility of a week cuddled up at home with my kid. And, beyond chocolate and good books, cosy socks are a must.
Jaime Hayon is on the fast track to completely winning over my heart. First there was his Green Chicken, with its childish, nonsensical spirit, and now, in collaboration with French glassworks legend, Baccarat, Hayon has created these spectacular crystal and porcelain vessels for a collection simply titled: Baccarat Zoo. Their tongue-in-cheek opulence is right on the money (a hefty wad of money).
Artist-gone-fashion-designer David Saunders started his fashion career as an attempt to spiff up his fashion-party ensembles. From there, he quickly became known for his hand-painted geometric tees and apprenticeships, collaborations (Fred Perry, House of Holland), and a label (David David) quickly ensued. Although he did offer a few seasons worth of separates and sportswear, the David David line is now concentrating on what the designer loves most: tees (and an accessory here and there). You can snag your very own pop art piece from his shop. We particularly love these stripes and polka-dots…
The forecast for the week looks dreary. Rain rain rain. Not that we mind the change of pace: curling up inside, dressing Henri in his bear hoodie, drinking tea… With the sun hiding behind the clouds, it’s time to make sure those reading nooks and cozy couch corners have just the cheery glow.
If space is the next frontier in fashion, British designer Markus Lupfer is leading the way. He married his London roots with galaxies beyond, showing mod-style A-line dresses (reminiscent of swinging ’60s London Town) in shimmering fabrics. The look was confident – clean tailoring and classic shapes – but not without subtle handiwork that required closer inspection. Lupfer is known for his sequined embroidery skills and he decorated the arms of sweaters, fronts of mini dresses and sheer silk blouses.
Here in NYC, the summer already seems like a distant memory – but there’s always the chance of a final freakish weekend of Indian summer weather. So here’s a bit of swim-ready style to keep in reserve for our return to the beach or that rooftop pool. London Fashion Week was certainly bursting at the seams with colorful, exuberant patterns, and the collaboration between swimwear/lingerie designer Auria (Diana Auria Harris) and illustrator Margot Bowman was a standout favorite for the Lo’s List gang.
Imagine the cuts and artistry of today’s Balenciaga blended with a cheeky approach to print and color. That’s Louise Amstrup. The Danish-born, London-based designer just showed her best – and dare we say most imaginative – collection to date for her eponymous line. Known for striking, offbeat ready-to-wear, Amstrup advanced her work with absurdly cool anthropomorphic prints. Bathing beauties with chameleon heads and swan centaurs graced superbly constructed separates.
Thursday, as preparations for Fashion’s Night Out were underway, I had the rare opportunity (sleeping baby!) to do a little window shopping in the city; more specifically, at Marimekko’s 5th Avenue flagship store. My love for the brand runs deep and far back, to these quintessential Pikku Bo Boo children’s sheets that I’m sure many of us had. Then there was my 1967 Marimekko prom dress (more on that here) which I will be pulling out of the closet for Marimekko’s very first New York Fashion Week show on Monday… Now, looking around the house, I need more than the digits I have to count the Marimekko that has found its way into my life. It’s a good fit: the Finnish brand is an explosion of glowing colors and painterly textiles, channeled into clothing (and beyond) that need not follow seasonal trends of color ways and cuts. Each fresh collection has me counting my pennies and coming back for more: something that I cannot say for many other labels making their way into my closet.
Although brass is not a traditional medalling metal – and although paperweights belong to the class of less-than-necessary desktop equipment – we’re awarding gold to these exceptional objects by Japanese designer Oji Masanori. The solid brass polyhedra will oxidize over time, building up a gorgeous patina. They come in three different shapes, each with a satisfying heft and unfussy integrity. These paperweights are clearly made for more than holding down a stack of bills: they’re meant to be admired and held in the hand and set down on the top page of your finished novel, for example, by the window on a breezy day. Buy the set from one of our favorite shops for all things home, Toronto-based Mjölk.
Care about the planet? Might as well be cute about it. Let your green credentials shine with this golden shopping bag by French designer Frédéric Perigot. It tucks away adorably into a little matching golden bear when not in use. We’d bust it out to shlep around our farmer’s market provender – or, better yet, to hold a heptathlon of Olympics-watching treats: Ritter Sports bar, Kind snacks, Volvic, TJ’s trail mix, watermelon, gum and Ella’s Kitchen squishies for the little guy.
Congratulations, Michael Phelps! You’ve just won your 19th medal and become the greatest Olympian ever. So now what? Bust out the Champers and get celebrating! Of course, your victorious glass of bubbly demands a vessel that’s suitably elevated. You want nothing less than Sieger’s Sip of Gold collection. These sumptuous Fürstenberg porcelain Champagne goblets come in glossy white, black or silver – and with their rim and interior gilding of 24kt gold, they should quench any Olympian’s thirst (for decadence). Yes, even yours. Snag ‘em here for a modest $200 a pop.
