I’m heading out early this morning with Sean from Levis to check out some factories in Shenzen. We caught up first, however, in Hong Kong at Balalaika, a Russian Restaurant, that no doubt provided some amusement for the crew. Well I’ve never had Russian food before, which was pretty good, but the dancing, singing and ice box were priceless. We later head to the club next door where a Filipino cover band sang everything from Shakira to Tainted Love. Brilliant! Check it out.
Dina, one of the designers from Levis and I share a guffaw at the club next door.
The whole crew: me, Heidi, Dina, Karen, and Dechen
Dechen Does Russia.
Of course it was Sean’s birthday. Time for a little Russian celebration!
Dechen and Dina hold up their phallic “musical instruments” they gave us to shake-shake-shake
Just call us the the Russian Troubadours
From the Ice Box: I guess this is where people come to drink Vodka. They gave us these obscenely grotesque faux fur jackets, reminiscent to Woolly Mammoths and cave men loin cloths. Can’t imagine how many folks wore these polyester monstrosities before us! All in good fun, of course!
I met up with my swimwear designer friend, Fannie Lau Makhsian, who encouraged me to head up to Page One Books just to see if Style, Naturallywas there and what do you know!?!?!? There it was, right in the front of the shop, the top one all dog-eared and lined with finger prints. So cool. Fannie and I caused a bit of a stir; we asked the manager to take some shots and if we stayed there any longer we would have had a little bit of a crowd. By the way, I’m wearing a beautiful handmade necklace by a woman’s cooperative that I was presented with at Vancouver’s EPIC festival. Check out their work here. Oh yeah, and my love ‘em-or-hate-’em harem pants by Copenhagen-based designer Henrik Vibskov that I scored over at No 6. in NYC on Centre Market.
A little video capture with Fannie at Page One books in Hong Kong.
As you all have read recently, I threw (what I think is my last full-blown book party) in San Francisco this past May 14, 2009. But right after I landed in the beautiful foggy city, I got a text from my friend Max to head over to the Weird Street Faire on 2nd Streets and Hudson for a little crazy, pre-Black Rock City (i.e. Burning Man) affair. “Look for me under the Pepsi Sign,” he said. “I’ll be the tall one with the six inch platform-heeled boots and mesh detailing.”
Crazy costumes compliments of the Weird Street Faire
a little video compilation of SF in all its weirdness.
I walked one day for a little outdoor- and retail-therapy to the Mission. You may recall the Loomstate for Target wall painting I shot in Brooklyn here. Well, I came across this one somewhere in the Mission…I think it was on Valencia. The painting in Brooklyn was far superior, but it was cool to see these in different cities. Gives the advertising a bit more of a fly vibe. No?
Flydealists Unite. A painted advert lines the side of a wall in the Mission District of San Francisco.
The Style, Naturally: SFbook launch gave me a good opportunity to catch up with some old friends – like sister-designers Angie and Maggie Kim from Oda, a label unlike any other that I’ve seen.
Signing a book for Angie and Maggie from the design label, Oda.
Their clothes are are a little Shibuya, a little Bedouin, a little fairy princess – and it all just works. I did an amazing photo shoot in their pieces up on the mountain leading to Marin compliments of Braden Summers. Check ‘em out.
Photos in Oda compliments of Braden Summers.
I was SO happy to see they were still designing and selling their stuff over at The Mission Statement on Valencia and 18th Street. Yah, well truth be told. The day after the party I dropped in them the next day later and did a little splurging. I got an amazing puffy chartreuse silk vest and matching skirt; tea-stained lace dress; and feathered hair piece made from off-cuts of their fabric and feathers that they use. If you’re in SF, definitely check it out. And while you are in the area, be sure to drop in on Selfedge started by Kiya Babzani.
You can catch a lot of cool fashion finds by independent Bay Area designers in The Mission Statement
