After a bit of fog, it turned out to be a beautiful morning for a training run. We’re on week two of our training schedule for the L.A. Marathon (March 9), and we blasted through 5 miles this morning. I’m doing some adjusting with my pre-run dinner and morning-of breakfast to figure out what works, and I’m thinking next week I’ll try a banana before running. Does anyone out there have some suggestions on what you like best before a morning run? I’d love your advice!
Have you guys tried this? I’m all about the 5k, they’re a great, quick workout, lots of fun and spirit and you get a t-shirt (admit it—that’s half the reason we do this!). I did a Run or Dye 5k and it was pretty fun, save for the volunteer who through the green powder directly into my eyes (less fun). I snapped some photos, below, including one of myself and the hubby.
Smoothies tend to tread on dangerous ground: Some are super healthy, packed with fruit and other yummy, healthy ingredients. But others—usually the ones you buy at the grocery store or Jamba Juice—are packed with sugar (and not the natural, found-in-fruit kind). My favorite smoothie is homemade, simple and yummy.
Ingredients:
Step 1: Throw it all in the blender.
Step 2: Blend until smooth, throw in a couple of ice cubes.
Step 3: Pour into a fun glass and enjoy!
Here’s the thing about Los Angeles Fashion Week: It doesn’t exist. At least, not in the traditional (and much more respected) format that we have come to know from Mercedes-Benz fashion weeks in New York, Paris and the like.
But it did exist at one point, most recently in 2008, when Mercedes-Benz, IMG and Smashbox studios were on board and uniting the industry in L.A.
Since those three left the scene, there hasn’t been an official fashion week. Style Fashion Week L.A. has come close, and Concept L.A. isn’t far behind, but we don’t have anything that really puts us on the map of “must-attend” runway shows. To sum it up politely: No one cares about LAFW.
This is a large part of why I started Fashion Maven Los Angeles; there are plenty of talented Los Angeles-based designers, and they deserve to be highlighted, singled out, shown as unique.
But others have their own reasons why LAFW isn’t influential in the industry (to the point where we’re almost a joke). Writing for Los Angeles Magazine, Linda Immediato points out:
“The idea behind fashion week is to create a platform for designers to present their collections to buyers who enable supply and to media editors who selectively create demand. And let’s forget for a second that, when it did happen, L.A. Fashion Week took place a month after designers have already shown in NY, Paris, London, and Milan and that buyers have by now already bought and editors have already published their trend reports. Some critics have argued that an LA Fashion Week can’t help but be irrelevant because of when it did/would fall in the calendar. Nowadays, some West Coast designers show in NY and then go to Project or Magic in Vegas to show their collections to West Coast media and buyers there, though the clothes hang on racks instead of models and the vibrancy and excitement of a runway show is missed.”
Be sure to read her entire article, because she hits the needle on the head. But not all hope is lost. There are plenty of great things about our unofficial fashion week. Though it’s rather fragmented, this leaves plenty of opportunity and time to attend shows. Plus, we use models who lean more toward the California aesthetic: curvy, tan and happy. No grumpy, hungry facial expressions here.
Tell me—what do you think about LAFW and how do you wish it could be different (if at all)?
October 4 held a few fashion surprises during Á LA Mode Productions’ Designer & The Muse event, when Los Angeles’ most fabulous designers gathered, bringing with them the people who inspire their designs. This was all to kick of Los Angeles Fashion Week, and it was a great night! Plus, it’s the second time I’ve been to an event at Sofitel Beverly Hills’ Riviera 31 Lounge, and it’s always morphs into the perfect setting.
I grabbed a coffee and had a fun, overdue chat with a friend at the beach, and it was such a beautiful day—I just had to share it with all of you. The sky was an amazing, perfect kind of deep blue. The perks of living in L.A.!
So, I’m there: I’ve made it to my thirties. It wasn’t scary; It wasn’t sad. It just was. Because, really, there’s not much difference between being 29 years and 364 days old and being 30 years old. But, I will admit, there is a major difference between how I dressed throughout my twenties and how I dress now. To help you avoid these same mistakes, I thought I’d compile my (hard-learned) wisdom of age (“age”).
Oh wow, my closet is full (well, half full) of clothes that I fit into for like one really good, super skinny, pretty dehydrated day. I mean, I won’t get rid of them because I still have a goal weight (just like everyone does, right?), but I could have saved a chunk of money if I had just been more realistic about my dieting practices—and bought shoes instead! On this note, don’t try to squeeze into a size you aren’t. It more often than not results in a squeezed sausage effect that no one likes. Or wants to sleep with.
I, like many women in their twenties, worshipped at the altar of Forever 21 throughout most of the decade (and even Charlotte Russe in high school. Remember that store?). But, what I should have done was put money aside from each paycheck, just a little, and saved up to buy one nice, pricier item every 6-12 months, then filled the rest of my wardrobe with less expensive basics (casual shirts, jeans and flats, always, from Gap or Banana Republic) each season. After a couple of years, you end up with some envious pieces, a killer wardrobe and a distinctive style. Just saying: Put down the floral crop top that will shrink to the size of a onesie after a single wash. It’s not worth your $3.
There is nothing that bugs me more looking back at pictures of myself from a few years ago, when I was actually wearing a cute outfit (or hell—my WEDDING DRESS) and wished someone had told me to stand up straight. I know I look about 5 pounds heavier than I actually was just because I didn’t notice I was slumping my shoulders. Important advice from my ballet teacher: Pretend like there is a string running up from your spine through the top of your head and pulling you straight up to the sky. It works. Do it, younger me.
I spent so long being scared to wear anything that was too brightly colored, or too voluminous, or too structured, or too has-a-crazy-print. I should have just taken the plunge and worn those super fun clothes because, I promise, no one is judging. (OK, some people might judge, but they’re boring anyway so who cares what they think?) It’s not that I was young enough to take fashion risks and I’m too old now that I’m 30; it’s that I feel confident being bold just now, when I should have always been—I could have looked way cuter way earlier.
This one I actually figured out a few years ago, before I was done with my twenties for good, and it’s a useful lesson. People will look at you weird (with the side-eye) for being underdressed, but they will be envious of your confidence if you’re overdressed. Nothing wrong with it.
This is a lesson for which I can thank my mother, who has always been full of fashionable advice. Particularly when you’re going into an important meeting, like a job interview, which will happen often in your first decade out of school—you should be acutely aware that you are being judged on your looks. Obviously, you’re also being judged for other things, like talent and hard work, but you won’t get far if you don’t look polished. Whether or not that’s how it should be doesn’t matter—that’s how it is. So suck it up and buy new heels, whether or not you want to.
Don’t spend yourself into debt. That handbag you’re in love with now that will cost half your rent won’t be as special next year while you’re struggling to pay off your credit card bill. Seriously, walk away.
All of us—ALL OF US—are, at any given point in our twenties and probably most of our teens, too old to be wearing a jean skirt. Especially if it’s a cutoff. Have some self-respect, ladies.
It only takes a few extra minutes at the end of the night, and you can even do it while wasted on a Saturday evening! You won’t see the effects of your good habits for a few years, but I promise, the time spent is worth it. Oh, and while I’m here, another piece of beauty advice: Quit smoking. Yes, being a “social smoker” is still terrible for your health. And maybe go to yoga once in a while.
You don’t. You really, really don’t. This is a huge perk of living in Los Angeles, that most people are casual and the uniform de rigueur seems to be nice sweats. I especially take advantage this on Sunday mornings at brunch: yoga pants, sunglasses and a hat. Can’t miss.
Oh, this is my favorite. Each year, I put some extra cash into a nice, noticeable necklace. The last two years have been big and chunky and have come with endless compliments.
Because, the worst thing that happens is in 10 years (or sometimes two), you look back and laugh. Seriously, the fashion police aren’t an actual thing—no one will send you to jail.
It turns out that the sweetest person in showbiz works behind the scenes: Kimmie Kyees, celebrity nail technician (take that how you want—she has worked with Rihanna, Katy Perry and a number of other famous names, but is also a celeb in nail tech circles), has spent 20 years nailing her craft and shooting to the top of her industry. Interviewing her was a joy, as she was so genuinely excited to discuss nails. We were thrilled to find out her thoughts on upcoming fall trends for both polish colors and nail shapes and get her recommendation on how to spot a quality nail salon.
What do you love most about being a nail tech?
Getting my girl fix! Chatting with my clients and experimenting with colors and designs.
Do you have a polish brand that you prefer to use, or have you ever thought about developing your own nail polish line?
I love different things about all kinds of different lines—right now I am loving Morgan Taylor. I really like new lines, I have thought of doing my own … especially after a friend of mine who does a blog was telling me how much people make selling nail polish! Plus, I have always had a dream of naming my own colors thanks to OPI‘s amazing color names!
What are the upcoming nail trends for this fall?
I am seeing a lot of square nails on the carpets again …. I think there might be a shift back into that shape—as far as trends, texture nail polishes are big for the fall and a lot of jewel toned colors.
You work with a number of celebrity clients—how did you steer your career in that direction?
When I moved to L.A., I learned about mobile spas, [talent] agencies and house calls [for celebrities], which was all new to me!
Who all have you worked with?
I have been really fortunate to get the opportunities to work with all kinds of celebrities. My career has moved more into the music side of the business, working a lot with Katy Perry and Rihanna.
Do you have a favorite client?
I love my clients and for all different reasons, I can’t pick just one!
Many people outside of the nail industry don’t always know what to look for when they visit a nail salon as far as quality, cleanliness, etc.—what’s important to know when we’re choosing a new place?
Make sure you see them cleaning after the client before you—no dirty files or rings around the tubs. And make sure the implements are submerged in sanitizer or coming out of a sealed package!
A trip to the studio of ARTSTRING designer Emilie Odeile will leave you with the warm-and fuzzies of art: you’re inspired creatively and, in a more literal sense, are warm and fuzzy after seeing her fabulously hand-knit designs that make you long for fall. Emilie started hand-knitting in 1999 and added machine-knitting in 2009, just before she opened ARTSTRING boutique in Hollywood a couple of months later. She’s learned a lot along the way, not the least of which is the importance of just believing in what you can do and then doing it—balls of steel, this one. Anyway, I feel like my rambling is depriving you of her wise words, a discussion that includes how she pushed past her fears and jump-started ARTSTRING, and where she sees her business and fabulous designs evolving from here.
What made you want to knit custom designs?
In the beginning, it wasn’t necessarily a conscious choice to design my own pieces as much as it was an unwillingness to learn how to read knitting patterns. I was impatient and just wanted to get on with it already, and patterns, to me, felt rather confining. Finding the right yarn and the right needle size and making swatches to figure out the gauge and hoping the finished product looks at least a little like the one in the picture all seemed like so much trouble when I could just start knitting and see what happens.
Two years into my knitting obsession I did actually attempt to use a pattern and found a typo that I never would have caught had I not already been a fairly experienced knitter. I think that one single attempt confirmed for me that there was value in my stubborn refusal to go about knitting in the traditional manner. Had I gone to a knitting class or two or bothered to read through an entire knitting book, I would, of course, have saved myself a few headaches and learned some of the basics much sooner than I did. But I also might have robbed myself of the opportunity to figure out multiple ways of accomplishing something had I known the “right” way from the beginning. Not knowing what I was doing allowed me to just play and get to know the yarn and the stitches in a way I’m not sure is entirely possible when there are rules to be followed. One of the benefits of just playing and exploring possibilities is that more and more things become possible.
How did this lead to ARTSTRING, and when did your boutique open?
I had been hand-knitting custom garments for private clients for several years but wasn’t making a living at it. I was also working closely with Marco Morante [of MarcoMarco] and Ashton Hirota [of Ashton Michael Clothing], both genius designers—truly, just silly good at what they do—and was having a difficult time seeing the value in my own work when compared to the wide range of beautiful designs they were confidently churning out on a daily basis. They both had this ability to be incredibly creative on demand and I just didn’t believe I would ever be able to conjure up so many great ideas in so little time. I started to believe I just wasn’t a creative person. And as much as I loved being with them everyday, my confidence started to crash and I realized I was never going to let myself fully explore my own creativity under the watchful eyes of these ridiculously talented friends of mine. To be clear, they were incredibly supportive friends and coworkers—and mentors, really—but my own fears and insecurities were getting the best of me and I knew it was time to leave the nest.
After a couple small pushes to get things going—creating and marketing a hand-crocheted earring line, which I still sell today, placing my designs in various boutiques, collaborating with local artists—I realized small pushes weren’t going to work for me. Given my hermit-like nature and tendency to hide in my work, it was clear that I was going to have to scare myself into success, which is why I started looking for a public space, even though I had no idea at the time how I was going to pay the rent or even what the business was going to be exactly. But the minute I walked into this magical place, just across the parking lot from Marco’s studio, the ideas came flooding in. Putting the cart before the horse felt like the most logical thing to do so I signed the lease, crossed my fingers, and hoped I’d figure out the next move quickly. I took a deep breath and officially opened the boutique doors on April 1, 2010, and, while I’m convinced this is the smartest thing I’ve ever done, I think I’m still waiting to exhale.
What do you love about knitting?
I love how completely transformative knitting is. The fact that one long string can become just about anything with a little time and imagination feels almost miraculous. It’s both daunting and exhilarating to hold a pound of yarn in my hand and think, “I can make anything I want right now.”
And how did this lead to your career?
Once I started machine-knitting at the end of 2009 (thanks to Anne Edwards, a wonderfully talented knitter, designer and seamstress who pushed me even though I really didn’t want to put down my two knitting needles; she even sold me my very first machine and showed me in an hour or two all the basics I would need in order to continue on this journey), I started to really embrace experimentation even more than before and found that I couldn’t stop the ideas from pouring in. I often had to get up in the middle of the night to sketch in the living room for an hour because this slideshow of images would run in my head until I got the ideas down on paper. It was a kind of creative rush that I had never experienced up until that point and it was pretty clear that a.) I had bottled up a good deal of my design ideas due to the insane amount of time it takes to create garments with just two knitting needles and b.) the game had changed forever.
The idea of doing anything other than creating in physical form what I was seeing in my head no longer felt like an option. And believe me, I did try to think of something else. Anything else. I couldn’t imagine my business surviving more than three months, and I cried for three days straight, struggling over whether or not to sign the lease. Of course, I did have Scarlet Fever at the time (true story—thanks a bunch, Marco*) so it’s possible that may have played into my fragile state. [Laughs] It was also during this feverish time that I came up with the name ARTSTRING because the one thing I knew for sure was that my creations would be made with art, heart and string. Plus I’m a sucker for nerdy wordplay.
*Marco did actually give me Scarlet Fever but, over the last ten years, he (along with business partner, Chris Psaila) has also given me opportunities, guidance, confidence, friendship, and THE sexiest shoes I’ve ever owned. So, you know, he’s forgiven.
How do you think ARTSTRING has evolved and where do you see it going in the future?
ARTSTRING started out very much as an experiment and, honestly, as a way to save myself from my own fears. I didn’t know what part of the business would work or what I would enjoy so I kind of just said yes to everything that came my way. In the early days I mostly made custom garments for private clients, which somehow opened me up to the entertainment industry. I’ve knit custom designs—including clothing, accessories and set decoration—for film, television, runway (New York and Los Angeles Fashion Week, 2010—I designed and made all the knits for the Ashton Michael collection), theatre and commercials and have developed and produced knitwear samples and small productions for a handful of fashion designers.
When I’m not knitting for a production or a client, I typically spend my days knitting one-of-a-kind pieces to keep my boutique full of new things to look at and touch. These days, in addition to the custom and one-of-a-kind work, I’m working on a small capsule collection, which will ultimately allow more people to wear the knits. I’m not quite ready to talk about the concept of the collection yet but I’m really excited about it. I’m also working on a collaborative art installation that, along with the capsule collection, will hopefully be unveiled this winter. In the future, I see the business growing beyond just these two hands of mine so that the label can continue to grow and I can continue to play in the studio. Until then, I’ll continue to do a little of everything, which can be overwhelming at times and also incredibly satisfying.
Your craft is so unique in that with one medium, knitting, you’ve developed a wide range of designs, from earrings to clothes to knit doc martens—how do you stay so fresh in your ideas?
Fresh is a much nicer way of putting it than all over the map, so I’ll go with it. The reality is that I’m just completely obsessed with knitting and love to see what’s possible. I also get bored and a little sad when I have to make the same thing over and over again so I entertain myself by making whatever I feel like making on a given day, assuming I’m not on a deadline.
Have you ever worked with other mediums or do you think you might in the future?
While my obsession is certainly focused on yarn and all that it can become, I mostly just love to work with my hands. I occasionally incorporate other materials in my work including wire, wool roving, beads, crystals, rope, paint and even electrical tubing. In the future, I would love to explore painting and sculpting.
Where do you find inspiration for your knits?
Inspiration comes from everywhere and nowhere in particular. I don’t read magazines or stay current with fashion trends, so I rely on more basic sources of inspiration: a flower, an interesting texture on the side of a building, an old beat-up basic from my closet that’s begging to be tweaked and remade in cashmere, a mathematical sequence. Of course the yarn itself is a huge inspiration. Sometimes that’s enough, and I’m off and running.
Have you ever found yourself with a kind of “designers block” and if so, how do you get past it, or do your ideas for designs flow freely?
For me, designer’s block comes in waves. It’s less that the ideas stop and more that I sometimes don’t feel inspired to create them. It can be really frustrating. When that happens, though, I know it’s because I haven’t given myself enough contrast in my life. When I tie myself to my work and the studio for too much time without any outside fun, my excitement starts to fade. I don’t think I’ve ever felt excited and blocked at the same time. So the best solution, when I can convince myself to do it, is to close the doors and go do something else entirely for a couple hours or even a couple days to remind myself that there’s more to life besides knitting—something I’m sure we all need to remind ourselves on occasion, right? It’s possible that’s just me…Eating is another one. The days go much smoother when I remember to eat. Of course, when there’s a client and a deadline in the mix, all of the above goes out the window and it’s time to just suck it up and get it done. Fortunately, adrenaline and fear feel an awful lot like excitement to the creative mind.
You host a monthly event, Knit Night. What’s the goal for Knit Night?
Knit Night is a modern day knitting bee and it’s one of my favorite parts about this business, which is otherwise a very solitary endeavor. It’s this great little event where a very mixed bag of creative folks (olds, youngs, boys, girls, gays, straights, virgins, and vets) come together to drink wine, chit-chat and knit. And crochet. And felt. And needlepoint. And spin yarn. And whatever else they feel like doing. Occasionally they even sing at the piano. But all those activities are really just vehicles to connect with one another, which is precisely why it doesn’t matter to me one bit how experienced they are or how much they accomplish while they’re here. My original goal was to create a community of kind, creative, interesting people. I feel like Knit Night has actually managed to do that, and I’m incredibly grateful to get to share the evening every month with people who have truly become family. How often can you say that about a roomful of needle-sharing hookers? [Laughs]
What advice do you have for knit lovers and fashion lovers who want to find their own unique vision in the industry?
Create something you love. If you don’t love what you’re creating, keep playing. Let it be a fun adventure to not know what on earth you’re doing. Let it be okay to fall flat on your face, knowing you’ll learn something you otherwise might never have had the opportunity to learn. My business would be nothing without its happy accidents, especially in the early days. And if I hadn’t been willing to go with it, I might have missed out on creating some of my very favorite designs that ultimately shaped the look of my entire line. Like almost everything, failure, in moderation, is a good thing. It helps us to take a breath and recalibrate or sometimes, even, to redefine what success is. If you can find a way to learn something everyday—about yourself or your work or human nature—that’s a success. Beyond all that, do great work, be kind and meet your deadlines.
See more ARTSTRING designs in the slideshow below:
wild pieces 