Fall/Winter 2016 Coats

Winter is coming!  Here are some of my picks of coats for staying stylish during the cold season...

Tory Burch - Cheval Peacoat

3.1 Phillip Lim - Peacoat w/Lace Bodice

Max Mara - Mauela Coat

Stella McCartney

Moncler -Nesea

Burberry

A.P.C. - Abysse Coat

Soia & Kyo - Chanelle Coat

Uniqlo - Wool

Valentino - Straight Coat

Goen J Ruffled

Valentino - Long Cape

Zara - Faux Fur

Karl Lagerfeld

Mango - Faux Fur

Maison Lesage Atelier

House of Lesage has been creating opulent embroidery requiring countless hours of work and exceptional skills for Haute Couture, Ready-to-Wear and accessories since its creation in 1924.  The company founded an embroidery school in 1992 that welcomes those who are passionate about embroidery from all over the world.

Founded by Albert and Marie-Louise Lesage, who had taken over an embroidery workshop that supplied the first great names in couture, the maison Lesage quickly made a name for itself with its technical innovations and avant-garde motifs of shells, circus performers and zodiac signs.  After the war, Francois Lesage, the son of Albert and Marie-Louise, took over control of the house quickly won the trust of new clients like Pierre Balmain, Cristobal Balenziaga, Christina Dior, Hubert de Givenchy, Christian Lacroix and Yves Saint Laurent.  

In 1998, driven by a desire to diversify the establishment’s activities, François Lesage created a textile workshop. He suggested some tweeds for his Haute Couture and Ready-to-wear collections for the great names in fashion. They are a sophisticated assembly of the most diverse types of threads and materials, and involve extraordinary know-how.

Though Lesage was bought by Chanel in 2002, the atelier has retained its independence, continuing to work for all the top couture houses, and is responsible for many of beadings and embroideries that grace the famous Parisian couture collections.  With 60,000 samples accumulated over its long history, the Lesage archives represent the biggest collection of couture embroidery in the world, with the atelier adding to this rich heritage every year with around a hundred of new embroideries designs.

His son Jean-François created his own workshop producing embroidery for interiors in Chennai, India, where he is established since 1993. He often works with the shoemaker Christian Louboutin and regularly works with the Maison Lesage in Paris.

"We are playing our part in the kingdom of the imagination. Embroidery can be a woman's dream become reality.” François Lesage.

Are We There Yet?

There are countless great getaways; destinations that promise to entertain everyone in the group. But then there are those quintessential vacations that seem to capture the very essence of adventure: the kind of iconic vacation that you remember from your own childhood. Here are five varied spots in the U.S. that fit the bill.

MONTANA - There’s a lot of ground to cover in Montana, and almost all of it is stunningly beautiful, so it lends itself to an old fashioned road trip.  There are even outfits that organize summer bike trips for a family that’s ready for a more active adventure.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - D.C. is one of the first American landscapes that kids become familiar with from afar and, in person, D.C. really lives up to expectations. The buildings themselves, from the U.S. Capitol to the Washington Monument, which stands 555 feet tall in front of the iconic Reflecting Pool are impressive, majestic, to kids and adults alike.

SAVANNAH - Sometimes referred to as America’s first planned city, Savannah has retained much of its original structure and charm. Savannah’s grid town plan was laid out in 1733 by General James E. Oglethorpe, the founder of the colony of Georgia, and you can still see most of the city’s signature squares today.

BOSTON - As a city built on the back of the Revolutionary War, Boston’s the perfect place to instill in kids an appreciation for American history. Luckily, the famously great walking city makes it easy on parents by making its most interesting monuments easy to find and accessible for all ages.

UTAH - Utah’s impossibly red sandstone rocks make up some of the country’s most iconic landmarks and by far the best place to see them is in Moab, a smallish desert town on the state’s Eastern edge, not far from the Colorado border.

Veronica Beard - American Design

Veronica Beard is an American sportswear brand that strikes the balance between classic and cool.

Veroica Miele Beard & Veronica Swanson Beard are sisters-in law who launched their brand in the Fall of 2010 with their signature Dickey Jacket.  Today Veronica Beard offers a modern perspective on iconic staples and results in a ready to wear collection that is for real life.

These perfectly designed essentials are both effortless and chic, each piece mixing superior tailoring with the highest level of quality and fit.

Guns N' Roses

Guns N' Roses might have once been the most dangerous band in the world, but have also been one of the best rock bands.  The band has sold 44.5 million albums in the US alone.  This explains why Coachella was interested in the reunion.  After all, fans have been hoping for a reunion for years - specifically of the original lineup of Axl Rose, Slash, Izzy Stradin, Steven Adler and Duff McKagan.  

Guns N' Roses are unusually good musicians, but they also made unusually aggressive music.  The anger in many of these songs is something a lot of us feel but rarely express.  Anger is seductive; it can make you feel powerful.  Seduction is kind of the key here, because in addition to anger, GNR have some surprisingly sweet ballads.

Guns N' Roses were also known for being the most exciting and unpredictable band on stage.  Even though time has passed and two of the original members are not part of this line up, the music sounds as great as ever.  Axl, Slash and Duff have survived, are older and wiser and getting along.  It now is  all about the show.  They give us a great live performance without the danger, but we can still hear it in the songs.  That is why we love them more than ever...

City of Los Angeles

Here is a little about the City of Los Angeles where I call home:

 The  West Side thanks to the beach, numerous parks, and kid-centric shops, is ideal for hanging out with the little ones.








 The Downtown bordered by Chinatown on one side and the Arts District on the other, has blossomed into an exceedingly cool destination for some of the most inventive food in the city, shopping, and good times.




The West Hollywood and Hollywood boulevard can be a tad touristy, but with major culture pockets, including some excellent galleries, picturesque Beachwood Canyon, and countless restaurants.

 The Beverly Hills is home to iconic stretches like Rodeo Drive, not to mention a handful of storied hotels, excellent shops, and world-class spas.





The Valley is home to destination-worthy restaurants, plus loads of activities for kids.