Confessions of a Fashion Fanatic: In Fine FORM

Confessions of a Fashion Fanatic

The daily chronicle of a fashion-and-beauty obsessed, style-writing, pseudo-Angeleno who made her way from the Great White North to La-La Land -- otherwise known as Los Angeles, California -- and back again. Till the next big city calls out her name, that is.

: Name: Haute Hippie; Location: Everywhere and anywhere

I'm a Vancouverite who moonlighted as an Angeleno. My momma is the best in the entire world, and I'll argue you hoarse on that one. I've been in love only once in my life. The East Coast calls me but the West Coast is in my blood. Social butterflies -- and party animals -- are a great species. Fashion and writing will be the death of me, but what a way to go. Carine Roitfeld is fabulous. I would die a painful death if art, design, photography, fashion, music and dancing did not exist. Always kind of wondered why Smurfette was the only girl in town. I can't draw. Absolutely believe everything happens for a reason. I feel so lucky to have the girlfriends that I do. I'm a total sun baby. Think I might be a workaholic. I may have slight road rage. Ice cream and hockey are religions. I buy too many glossy magazines. Nothing beats someone with a killer sense of humor. Chivalry is really not dead. I'm a victim of minor vertigo and a serious lead foot. Always up for meeting people from paths different than mine and crossing paths with old friends. At the very end of it all, I want to be able to look back and say: Yeah, I sure lived a damn good life.

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Tuesday, May 15, 2007

In Fine FORM

Some clothing labels just make you stop dead in your tracks.

FORM happens to be one of those completely awe-inspiring labels, blending fashion, architecture and style all into one NYC-based design collective headed up by former Zac Posen and Patrick Robinson for Perry Ellis alumnist Jerry Tam. Bringing up the team rear are Kerry Andrews (an art director), Eric Werner (a former model and current architect/restauranteur) and at one time, Jamie Rosenthal (ex-stylist for Donna Karan).

Though the newest FORM bio no longer lists Rosenthal as part of the collective, it doesn't take away from the intense blow this group has executed on the fashion world. The aesthetic of FORM is completely and utterly modern, carefully constructed and comparable to established avant-garde designers such as Yohji Yamamoto and Junya Watanabe. There's nothing fancy, frilly or particularly girly about their creations, but it all somehow manages to exude modern sex appeal.

Showing they have an ear to the streets, the collective is launching an eco-conscious line dubbed FORM Fundamentals, which will feature bamboo tees that will be found at major boutiques like La-La Land's very own Fred Segal. It's been getting tons of buzz from all the uber-publications of late.

I've only been in love once in my entire life.

Now we can make that twice.

I'm Lovin' it: See above.

I'm Over it: My friend Ry Jonesie's bull mastiff Buddy managed to chew one of my black patent, preppy Zara flats on Sunday night. The good news is Jonesie has already promised to take me shoe shopping for a replacement, which is excellent because I already spotted a ballerina flat pair last week at a store on West 4th. Blessing in disguise, I tell you, because my Zaras are SO last year. Oh yeah, and my sprained ankle ain't so great either. Not only am I unable to wear heels, tensor bandages don't seem to match anything in my closet.

Track of the Day: "I've Been Thinking" by Handsome Boy Modeling School featuring Cat Power. Prince Paul and Dan "The Automator" Nakamura teamed up with the smoky-voiced Cat Power for this trip hop-ish track that's just the right amount of blue-sy and jazzy. The cherry topping on this single is the lyric sampling of the phrase "slide, slide, slipp-ity slide" from -- yup, you guessed it -- Coolio's 1990s hit Fantastic Voyage. Gangsta!