Patrick Demarchelier Book Signing

Last night, I arrived at Nolita’s Clic Gallery to find it fully packed with fans and friends of Patrick Demarchelier, who was doing a book signing to promote his newly released monograph. The crowd was so deep, it took nearly 5 minutes for me to check my coat, and make it to the back of the store to get in line for the signing. I recognized a lot of familiar faces in the crowd, and even made a few new friends while I waited. After a short wait, it was my turn to meet Patrick.

He comes across as a very quiet, gentle man. Not quite shy, but close. He was most animated while talking in his native language to his fellow Frenchmen and women, but remained friendly and approachable for everyone else as well. I had my book signed, and asked him to pose for a photo, for which he kindly obliged:

Honestly, I’m surprised I didn’t blink too. : )

While I was mingling, I spotted the most amazingly dressed woman in attendance:

Color! In a sea of black. Wearing a gorgeous dress she made herself from old fabrics.

The huge crowd in attendance.

A few of the prints from the exhibition:

More Patrick.

Before I left, I wanted to ask Mr. Demarchelier a question. When I asked what sort of advice he had for young, up and coming photographers he said “work very, very hard”. When he first said it, I almost giggled for a second. It’s so simple, yet so true! Yet most people don’t do it. I think in the internet age, when any jackass can pick up a camera, shoot some drunk girls and be “a photographer”, his advice is like gold. Probably the smartest career advice anyone has ever given me. It made me want to run home and start shooting fashion stories asap.

I also got Patrick to pose for another photo for me:

And proceeded to get so nervous taking it I used my flash when I should not have.

As I was retrieving my coat, I bumped into two of my new friends, April and Christine:

We had a very animated discussion about photography, blogging, and Michael Jackson after I drank a glass of champagne. Doing so before dinner might not have been the brightest idea, but it sure was fun.

I still haven’t made it through the whole thing, but this is one of my very favorite photos from the book:

Cate Blanchett.

My signed copy:

I can’t believe I almost missed this event! This year, I met three people I truly admire. Now all I have to do is meet David LaChapelle, Ellen Von Unwerth and Trent Reznor. And bring Ansel Adams and Man Ray back from the dead, and I’ll have met all my big influences!

All photos and content ®2009 RS/The Greyest Ghost, unless marked.

Tavi Interviews The Mulleavy’s

The video Tavi made behind the scenes at the Rodarte for Target press preview is finally out! Style.com just posted the video, which features Tavi interviewing the Mulleavy sisters and various fashion editors, and talking about the line’s inspiration and her favorite pieces:

A few of the pieces I noticed missing from the look book are shown in this video, making me all the more excited for the line’s December 20th release!

The Best of What’s Going on This Week: Pre-Holiday Fun

To say there are a lot of awesome events going on this week is putting it lightly. (This whole month is actually nothing but events, family visits, and holidays for me.) Here are some of my favorite, and in my opinion, the most exciting events going on during this upcoming week:

The Hayden Harnett sample sale started this morning, but is also going on online!

Shop the online sale here.

Along with the Patrick Demarchelier book signing tonight, there is also a shopping party at the ROGAN Bowery store hosted by Liz from White Lightning:

If you’re single, and looking for someone to kiss under the mistletoe this holiday season, tomorrow night’s Brooklyn Holiday Meatup at the Bell House would be a good place to look:

(Event info screencap Via The Bell House)
Tickets are available for $10 here.

The Brooklyn Flea’s Gifted Holiday market is ongoing all month in Manhattan. Celebrate their opening, and drink free beer from 6-9pm Wednesday at the Gifted Shopping Party:

On Thursday, Brooklyn boutique ALTER is hosting a Jeffrey Campbell Trunk Show, with shoe giveaways and champagne:

Sadly not in NYC, but if you’re in Dallas Texas on Thursday, and want to meet Jane and Judy Aldridge from Sea of Shoes and Atlantis Home this event if definitely worth stopping by. It’s sponsored by GUESS and BAZAAR, and supports a children’s medical fund. Shop, support a good cause, and meet some awesome bloggers all in one place!

Tomorrow is the last day to RSVP. More info here.

If you thought the holiday craft fair bonanza of this past weekend was over, you’re wrong:

Join Brooklyn Based and Third Ward for their Handmade Holiday Craft Fair Saturday afternoon at 3rd ward in Bushwick.

195 Morgan Avenue, Brooklyn, NY RSVP and find out more info here.

And check out the Hearts and Crafts Affair on Sunday at Cafe Grumpy in Greenpoint:

View the event’s facebook page here.

If you’re doing some holiday shopping for your loved ones (or yourself) at Urban Outfitters, you might as well save money:

And finally, while not technically this week this is worth noting:
Next Tuesday, The Outnet is having a Balmain pop up sale.

Definitely worth saving your pennies for!

Patrick Demarchelier at Clic Gallery

Tuesday evening, one of the world’s greatest living fashion photographers will be doing a signing in celebration of his new monograph at Clic Gallery in Nolita.

The book is available for preorder for $100, and can be reserved by calling Clic at 212-966-2766 or emailing pcampbell@clicgallery.com.
Clic Bookstore & Gallery is at 255 Centre Street, New York, NY.

My Afternoon With Martha Stewart

Despite truly awful weather that kept most of my friends housebound, Saturday afternoon my Mother and I wandered all the way over to 11th avenue and 26th street for the Martha Stewart Holiday Craft Fair.

The fair was inside the Martha Stewart offices. After exiting the elevator bank, we walked down a long hallway in to a huge convention space.

Six rows of booths lined the walls and shoppers milled about while listening to holiday music, and snacking on the various sweets for sale.

Martha’s cute dessert packaging.

There were plenty of product demonstrations as well, and a “gift walk” where guests could win prizes such as a sewing machine. Many of the vendors were MS staffers. Selling everything from jewelry, baby clothes, cheese, to greeting cards.

I really liked these bright necklaces.

Also available was the full line of Martha Stewart cooking and craft books, and crafting products like the Martha Stewart glitter, and ornament kits.

I’d like all of these for Christmas please!

Both my Mom and I’s favorite section was the aisle of craft projects from the holiday issue, come to life. There were home made ornaments, gift boxes, treat holders, and various holiday decorations. Everything she saw made my Mom marvel over the construction, and supplied her with endless ideas for her own graphic design and craft projects. I can only imagine how inspiring it is to work in that office every day.

What are these?

Oh that’s right, they are treat boxes!

Cute pine cone elves.

Punch out gift tags and wrapping paper.

Peppermint house from the MSL holiday issue.

Other than a lot of photos and project ideas, I also went home with a gift box of Christmas cookies to give to my Dad:

Aren’t they adorable?!?!

My Mom really liked the wall art through out the building, and all of the Martha fonts:

One of the most awkward things I’ve ever photographed, the lighting was horrid.

Me, happy but looking rather shadowy.

Hope you do this again next year, Martha!

Holiday Sample Sales

Earlier today, I attended the Rodarte sample sale. Unfortunately, I came home empty handed. The knits were priced well over my budget, and the studded leather gloves I’d been lusting over were nowhere to be found (nor were the studded Louboutins). It was amazing to see and touch pieces in person, but until the day I can afford a hand knit cardigan, I’ll be saving all my Rodarte money for the Target collab. Speaking of, the lookbook just went live at The Cut.

Luckily there are plenty of other upcoming sales if you have money to burn, or are itching for a new holiday dress and can’t wait until the 20th for the Target release:

Going on Now:
The l.a.m.b handbag sale is now extended until Saturday, with some items 50% off the sample sale price. New stock is said to be arriving today.

Elizabeth and James:

(Via Twitter)

Botkier:

Starting Soon:
Dolce Vita:

“12/6–12/8 Shop discounts of up to 70 percent at Eryn Brinié’s holiday sample sale. The selection includes Kai-aakmann, Blue Notch denim, and more. Openhouse Gallery, 201 Mulberry St., nr. Kenmare St.; Su (11–6), M–Tu (10–8)” via NYMAG

I posted about the Anna Sui sale a week or so ago–It starts Monday!

Also posted previously: The Diane von Furstenberg sale, starting Monday.

Perlina:

Hayden-Harnett and The Collective Showroom
“Featuring Gemma Redux jewels, Hayden-Harnett bags and clothing, and other cool accessories are 40-80 percent off.”
December 8-10. Tues.-Thurs., 11 a.m.-7 p.m.
16 W. 36th St., b/t Fifth & Sixth Aves., ste. 501. Map It (Via Daily Candy)

Target To Go

Last night Racked broke the news that a Target pop up shop featuring holiday gifts, and some of the new Rodarte for Target pieces will make an appearance in NYC’s meatpacking district next week. Now Fashionista is reporting that the pop up will grace not only NYC, but Washington D.C and San Francisco as well! Yesterday I was reassured by Target’s PR department that official images will be out next week. But I can’t wait to finally see some of the pieces in person!

The pop up launches with a press preview on Thursday, and will be open to the public from December 11-13th, 10am-8pm. According to Fashionista, the locations are as follows:

“New York: Gansevoort Street & Washington (at the High Line)
Washington D.C.: M Street & Wisconsin Avenue (Georgetown)
San Francisco: 5th Street between Market & Mission (Mint Plaza)”

I’m so excited that Target is continuing the tradition of pop up shops in nyc! If the holiday/Rodarte pop up is anything like the Anna Sui for Target store I went to during fashion week (where I met Anna Sui herself!), or the Bullseye Bodega, it should be amazing.

Edit: A few of the official images recently showed up on InStyle:

Also just in case you missed it: There is a Rodarte sample sale tomorrow! (I’m going, so expect a full report later this week!) I hear it’s rather booked, but it might be possible to still make an appt. Info here.

Topshop Jubilee

I was just browsing Topshop and came across more amazing holiday clothing and accessories. A few weeks back I freaked over the holiday collection at the NY Mag VIP shopping event. Looks like now there are even more shiny and sheer things to catch my eye and make me want to run as fast as I can to the Soho store.

This sequin dress needs to get in my closet asap:

As does this gorgeous sheer blouse:

Sadly I can’t wear heels (I had a bad knee/ankle injury a few years ago) but if I could I’d be buying these:

Wow:

I love sequins!:

And stripes:

Pretty:

These bow platforms remind me of the Chanel bow booties Jane from Sea of Shoes wears a lot:

Something about the stitching on these heels makes it seem like they would fit right in in a Tim Burton movie:

L.A.M.B and Harajuku Lovers Handbag Sample Sale

This morning I got up freakishly early to meet my friend Alison at the Savvy NYC loft for the l.a.m.b handbag sample sale. I’d received an email a few weeks back about the sale, and the prices listed were just too good to pass up. I don’t usually go to sales that start so early, but today I made it right before before the 8am start time. Which was lucky, because a long line had already formed down the street, and only 5 people were being let in at a time.

After waiting about ten minutes, we were allowed in to the sale. The ten shoppers ahead of me all were gathered around a sales girl setting out wallets, so I made a quick dash around the room and grabbed four of the handbags that I liked best. The kid robot section went pretty much ignored by most of the shoppers, but seemed to have a lot of selection. Harajuku Lovers bags were also plentiful, with designs from past and current seasons available. I was sad that very few current season lamb bags were out (about ten designs, compared to the past sales many more), no laptop bags were available, and none that appeared to be “samples” (I bought an amazing unreleased bullseye lamb bag last summer, and would have liked another rarity). Most were overstock, or Nordstrom returns. But the selection was huge, with bags ranging from the first season rasta signature print bags, to fall ‘09 neon graffiti print bags.

L.a.m.b Price List.

Lambseye bags!

Fall ‘09 bag.

Diane von Furstenberg Sample Sale

Just in case you can’t read that microscopic writing:
Up to 75% off
December 7th thru December 11th:

260 5th Avenue (between 28th and 29th)
Monday 11am to 6pm (Friends and Family Day)
Tuesday 9am to 6:30pm
Wednesday 10am to 8pm
Thursday 10am to 7pm
Friday 9am to 3pm
New merchandise arrives throughout the week!

This sale is ALWAYS a total shit show. So if you’re going, go early.

Info via the DVF facebook fan page.