Iceland- desolate, unspoiled, picturesque, awe inspiring. This place is not a good example of a country to comment on its fashion, atleast in my opinion. Fashion would come into terms only in terms of practicality that it comes into play, for example, in dealing with crampons on your ice boots, or a lighted helmet to go into a cave tubing. This place was by far the one country that has left a permanent mark on my soul and my desire to photograph every inch of it. I had the honor of going here briefly in November of 2018. I am now counting down the days until I can return this summer. I cannot wait1!
ZERMATT
I recently was back in this gorgeous ski resort alpine town. I always find a sense of peace, tranquility and beauty that just bathes the entire town aglow in its energy. Fashion in a ski town? You bet! From the name brands, at that. You will find no fashion faux pas on the slopes here. Everyone is coordinated right down to their ski goggles and matching Rolex. Walk the main street in Zermatt and there are some of the best fashion names in the world scattered along this less than one mile very casual little town center.
Yet, there is an unassuming way that the tourists, the locals and the people of Zermatt take on. It is not anything but warm, welcoming and absolute pure Swiss.
AMSTERDAM
I recently visited this beautiful city. I absolutely love the abundance of art, the culture, the fresh air, the diversity and the beautiful overwhelming acceptance of people- just as they are- in Amsterdam. i also felt completely safe here. This city is more than what many assume it is known for. I spent my 'down time' visiting the Van gogh museum, MC Escher's museum, and the Hague, Rembrandt's house, enjoying the famous Old Amsterdam cheese, and tasting their delicious stropewaffles. The windmills are so beautiful too, although i did not have time to visit the windmill farms.
I also paid my respects and took in the Anne Frank museum and house, and processed the absolute tragedy and terror that her and many others must have lived through during that time in WW2. To see her attic face me chills.
The canals, the cobble stoned streets, slightly crooked adorable unique little houses, and amazingly gorgeous tulip lined fields all caught my eye, but when it comes to fashion, all I can say is truly,.....ANYTHING GOES! Hmmmmm,,,,,,,,one word,,,,,Eclectic! I saw everything from shabby chic to truly Bizarre to beautiful couture, and high end Chanel and Versace to the custom made suits with tulips on them (literally) to the inevitable clog shoes. Yes, they still have them in the Netherlands. One thing I did notice however, was the store windows were very diverse, sometimes a little comical ....as was the vast array of dance and EDM music piping through the fashion palaces of the main streets of the old City.
Amsterdam. So much more to see than you have heard about. Please hear me when i say that. Please take in the ART, the CULTURE, the MUSIC, and LOVE the people and the diversity they represent so well.
ORLANDO
I just returned from a weekend shoot, in beautiful Florida. Yes, it is my home, but I have to say, I am proud of its beauty, diversity and above all, the fact that just within an hour and a half of my front door we have a place that, beyond the tourist traps people fly into from all over the world. We may know Orlando as 'Mickey Mouse city' but I was lucky enough to experience the beauty in the 'off the beaten path,' as we had a shoot in the botanical gardens this weekend. Nothing like getting to be one with nature, in 60 degree Florida weather (that is cold for us!)
Orlando is a mecca for diversity. I sat and people watched last night in the downtown area, and was pleasantly surprised at the diversity in fashion. Due to the climate, we had everything from the cocktail dresses to the trenchcoat, the 'Goth' girls to the 'Skater' dude looks, 'business casual,' and the 'island tropical' pink and green signature looks.....
No one felt the need to copy anyone else. Everyone was comfortable being themselves. I have to say I liked that. I did see, I must admit, a heavy abundance of Disney wear, Heck, I was in Orlando. I am not a huge fan of that theme park look, outside of the gates, but I am not going to ruin anyone's day. At the end of this life, we all have to be ourselves, and if wearing a Pluto hat to dinner and donning a Mickey mouse hat is what it takes, then knock yourself out. I have a weird fascination with unicons, so who am I to judge...
NEW YORK- FASHION WEEK 2017
Fashion week just concluded in New York! What an amazing week it was. My highlights of fashion week always are seeing the new, crazy and cutting edge lines that emerge and test the boundaries of what is expected. I liken it to being a plus size model in the 90's. When I was a teen, I wish I had had a role model or plus size fashion had been embraced and accepted as it is becoming today- we still have a LONG way to go, but we are geting there. Now, I look at fashion in the same way, We are more free, more encourgaed to experiment, live on the edge and be ok with wearing that 'chicken looking jacket' or those crazy pants that we love that last year we may have been afraid to have been laughed at. Who cares! Through the fears to the wind, and be YOU! Be a beautIful, confident YOU! Who cares what anyone thinks- all that matters is that you find happiness in yourself and love the look.......fashion week highlight for me though was the Steve Madden black sequin boot that goes from black sequin to gold with one touch! Oh girl- that is a must have on my Christmas list! Check that out!
Be YOUtiful
June reminds me always of the importance of acceptance, and love and be yourself....not just because it is PRIDE month but because this is something we forget all the time. Sadly, in FASHION we forget to have fun, experiment, and find our 'look' and instead worry too much what others think or if they will like it. I say, 'be yourself, and be comfortable in your skin!'
Beauty is all about finding YOU. Embracing YOU. Loving YOU. Accepting YOU.
So, remember- we are not here to JUDGE others, whether it be for their choices, their lifestyles, or what they wear- we are here to LOVE. The Bible teaches this principle over and over and over - - and the world would be a more beautiful place if we truly embraced LOVE, because as Hamilton says, "Love is love, is love is love, right?"
So, go in your closet, dress up, have fun, smile and be who you dared to be!
Remember, ACCEPT and LOVE! That starts with YOU!
NORWAY
What a diversely beautiful place! I recently visited here for a fifteenth wedding anniversary trip with my husband. The fashion here took from Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland and even France. I saw such diversity amongst the people, and of course, what is Norway known for in fashion? Sweaters! What beautiful sweaters and coats and wool I saw, touched, tried on....admired! Reindeer fur was even seen in fashions, and other animal furs. Wool and other cottons are common threads in everyday wear. The rows and rows of sweater shops were as common place to Norway as the seven eleven shops at every corner selling 'hot dog' and 'softies!'
I loved Bergen where we stayed. Highly recommend a stroll through this lovely city. Plus, the Kode offers the most beautiful artwork!
PARIS
My favorite stop in Paris?
Rue du Cambon! Many will skip this iconic store yet it is a must do. Just doors down is Coco Chanel's apartment. It is here at Rue du Cambon that her iconic staircase is located and if you look up before going into this flagship, check out the detailing on the awning above the windows 4-5 stories up. Every window bears the Chanel logo. Many garments are made here for the runway shows. CHANEL! I could honestly stop here for 24 hours, and do nothing but wander the Champs d'elysees and window shop the 'Rue de Rennes' in the 6th area, 'Rue de Passy, ' the very classical yet chic fashion district, in the 16th area of paris, or stroll Avenue Montaigne or Rue Saint Honore or Rue de Rivolil -le Marais. More than just the city of love, this is the city that LOVES fashion. I love to stop here to appreciate the beauty of the arts, fashion, and see culture. It is a place to have been and be seen..and of course, have shopped more importantly! There is a reason why the VS show was there for 2016.....they do know best:) 💋
MIAMI
Fashion in Miami? Less is more... and the hotter the better! Miami is home to the best looking looking and the most fashionable people of the Western Hemisphere....and celebrity sightings are a regular occurrence. Fashion shows, music videos and new designer collection debuts are regular daily occurrences along the iconic streets of historic South Beach. This iconic area is made for sun, beach, and getting wet all year round so you need to constantly feel pressure to be in shape, toned, waxed and tan here! A little contrast to a snow bunny of Switzerland! I live in Florida so the struggle is real my friends! However, there is nothing more beautiful than living in paradise,,,,
LONDON
There is nowhere to me more in tune with fashion than London. If it's now, it's here....if it's new, it's here.....trends, new designs, up and coming designers, experimental fashion, and the latest fashions.....Europe starts their search for what's next in fashion here, Paris and Milan.
I was born here, my heart is here. I love fashion, and love London. London is also home to the tradition of ' time meets fashion' where you may have high end hotels hosting runway shows and a tea party simultaneously. It makes for a chic show...London is home to a gorgeous sky line when the weather is cooperative, and home to the iconic Tower bridge, backdrop to some of the best photo shoots in designer collections in England. England is edgy and diverse. Brits are unique and unpredictable yet sassy. The U.K. is a fun country full of vitality, energy and is similar to a European 'New York.' For the best shopping visit Harrods, and pay tribute to Diana, former Princess of Wales shrine on the ground floor ( with former late boyfriend and Harrods family owner , Dodez Al Fayed), and Harvey Nichols, Hamley's Toy Kingdom, The Pall Mall, Covent Garden, and you may enjoy walking up and down Oxford Street. Anything and everything will be here in terms of shops!
my personal fave clothes stores? River Island, Kookai, Top Shop, H&M, Miss Selfridges, Harrodsburg, Jigsaw, Burberry, Doc Martens ( boots), Ann Summers ( lingerie) and Monsoon.
Ann Summer
SWITZERLAND
Some may say the fashion in Switzerland is a diverse as the people, and that would be true. The climate is varied, and the people are incredibly fashionable and cutting edge. The scene in the cities is very trendy, raw and ultra modern, while in the mountains, stylish yet practical winter gear is almost predominantly the wardrobe of the year 9 months or more. Sometimes the weather will be snowing on top of a mountain, and yet there is warm sun on the foothills. I experienced this in Zermatt in October, like a winter, and fall paradox. I so enjoyed this experience though, as the iconic Matterhorn provided a backdrop to the fall sunsets, and the misty sunrises welcomed my mornings each day.
Zurich is the main fashion center if you want to check out high end 'haute couture' and trendy gear, but be prepared in the 'Bahnhofstrasse' to spend the big bucks....and speak a little german and french equally well, as you will need both in Switzerland as you easily switch from one to the next in the various areas as you cross from Zurich (german speaking) to Lucerne ( french speaking) for example all within an hour! I have to say some of my best finds for fashion and edgiest choices have come from the Swiss alps ironically, and my best boots.....yep, Swiss made!
NEW YORK, NEW YORK
I recently returned from the Big Apple. i would go broke if i lived there. Everything you want is all within about 10 square miles...from Gucci to Harry Winston. You will never be able to see it all, buy it all or take it all in. The city has so much and it is overwhelming. Everything for everybody, every culture, and every size and preference is pretty much right here. However, there is a sort of quaint-ness to the hunt for that fantastic outfit, that makes truly the 'shop till you drop' type want to just come to 'The City' just to shop. I was blown away by the sheer choices, bargaining in the markets and wide variety of sizes from plus to the petites! One thing that is most clear, however, though, is that New Yorkers carry themselves differently, with an air of 'I Could care less what you are feeling about my outfit. l am who I am.' Personally, that is exactly what I believe. Be you and do not compromise what makes you different and unique or happy. What makes you different is what is fabulous about YOU and I am way too busy to care about any drama or negativity people chose to bring into my life. How about you? :) In terms of the major fashion houses, almost every designer has their fashion corporate offices here or near Broadway or Ave of the American/ 7th or Fashion Ave ( hence the name.) Walk up and down fashion avenue off 7th near B-way and 36th/37th and many custom tailors and seamstresses are here. They are some of the finest fashion houses in the world. Manhatran is also home to almost all of the top agencies and model management companies there are. Pretty much EVERYTHING is here....I absolutely love NY!!