Anastasia Lander

"I think a little bit has changed since I did my Top Shelf a few years ago…back then, I wanted to get a little more experimental with everything, but I think that I've just now perfected my cat eye! These days, I am doing a lot more with my skincare—I’ve actually started using masks.

At the moment, I love the SK-II Facial Masks. In December I was in Tokyo for the Dior show and went to this place called Tokyu Hands. They had everything that you could ever want there, and I bought these funny face masks that have Kabuki faces painted on them. You literally put them on and look like a Kabuki master! I’m also really into these Dolce & Gabbana Aurealux Masks that I’ve been using for travel. They smell delicious, and I travel so much…at the moment, I’m basically living my life on a plane.

I've been so busy recently—my next issue of Tank Magazine is coming out, and I’m working on Because Magazine, which is our digital magazine. I also just had my Nordstrom Signature and Caroline Issa clothing launch, which was huge for me because it’s the first time I have collaborated on ready-to-wear. I have a long history with Nordstrom. I used to be a management consultant, and when I graduated Penn 15 years ago, they were my first-ever client. Then, a few years ago they approached me about collaborating, so I hopped into the world of clothing design. It’s a 28-piece capsule collection that comes out quarterly for the next few years—basically, they're essentials for your wardrobe. We’ve got things like a key trouser, great leather pieces, a two-piece power suit—all with good tailoring, because I love tailoring. That probably comes from my days as a management consultant! Basically, I want it to feel like you can mix-and-match throughout the collections and have every piece work with your existing wardrobe—like, you can wear a Dior coat with our suit, or your Topshop jeans with our biker jacket. Just key, classic, and timeless pieces.

GOING OUT
I have two different kinds of 'going out.' I go out almost every night for work, so I have to do a lot of day-to-night dressing when I'm running around all day, meeting the bank manager in the morning, then have to go to a fancy dinner at night. I tend to wear really versatile pieces during the day, so that I can go straight out in the evening. That’s where makeup becomes important. I’ll put on big chandelier earrings and a red lip, and that is how I can sort of cheat my way from day to night.

On a weekend when I’m going out with friends, I like to have fun, really dress up, and do my face for the evening. I tend to go out for dinners with my friends, and I like old-school places like The Delaunay or The Wolseley where the light is really good. I have a friend who sometimes brings this amazing DJ from Italy to the downstairs bar at Momo, and I’ll just spend like six hours dancing. That’s my release—twice a year, dancing nonstop for six hours, getting dressed up, and letting loose.

WHERE TO GO
I still love going out in Mayfair, London—it’s really chic and has beautiful bars. I don’t tend to do East London...I’m just not hip enough. It is very cool, very i-D, but I’m a W kind of girl. I always think that Paris is the perfect city to go out in, other than having to find a cab to go home. This amazing club called Chez Castel has just reopened. Actually, when I joined Tank—almost 12 years ago now—that was where we did our first Paris party. There was red-velvet everything, and it’s where all the rockstars used to hang out.

André Saraiva and Thomas Lenthal, the guy who co-founded Numéro, came together to redo this institutional club. It’s amazing—a true Parisian place to go out at night. It’s sexy and French—it’s glamorous. I love places where you can inject a little energy and glamour wherever you go.

Recently at Couture Week there was a party at Caviar Kaspia in Paris. It was black tie, so I took it at face value and wore a white tuxedo with a bow-tie, a red lip, and a cat eye. It was great, but everyone was like, 'You’re so dressed up!' I was like, 'The invitation said black tie! And we’re in this glamorous restaurant!' We spend our time reading magazines and looking at these amazing images, and sometimes we just want to make the effort, look amazing, and be in that moment to have that amazing memory.

MAKEUP
For my skin, I’m addicted to Glossier's Perfecting Skin Tint for a little bit of sheer coverage, then I just use Charlotte Tilbury’s The Retoucher Conceal and Treat Stick in 3 Medium around my eyes, nose, and on any zits I need to hide. The coverage is really good, but it doesn’t feel heavy. After that, I’ll put on a bit of bronzer on my cheeks and, with that, I’ll look relatively presentable.

Then, for the evening, I will pile on mascara—like a double-layer instead of a single-layer, and I’ll do my bottom lashes. I use Diorshow Black Out Mascara, because it’s a really intense black, or the Charlotte Tilbury Full Fat Lashes 5 Star Mascara in Glossy Black because it stops me ending up with raccoon eyes at the end of an evening—but I always keep the classic Maybelline Great Lash as a backup. A cat eye is the only thing that I can do very well. I use the Eye Do Lash Enhancing Liquid Eyeliner from Eyeko because Alexa Chung does, and she does a great cat eye. But I also love the Creme Eyeliner from Laura Mercier in Noir. I feel like a gel defines better, and I like the texture of it—plus it has a powdery finish. I need to learn how to do a smoky eye. I’m so afraid of messing it up, but right now I just use a little bit of Charlotte Tilbury’s Filmstar Bronze and Glow on my eyes and under my brow.

Sometimes I wear a red lip during the day if I have a lot of meetings, but I’ll deepen it for the night. I also really like this Dior lipstick that’s a two-in-one—Dior Diorific Golden Shock Lipstick in 007 Passion Shock. You can use it if you want to lighten up or need a little bit of a sheen. I was on a shoot with Charlotte Tilbury, and she was like, “Darling! You need to try this and my Golden Goddess!” She’s amazing.

FRAGRANCE
My new favorite perfume is D.S. & Durga’s Silent Grove, but I tend to consider Frédéric Malle’s Lipstick Rose my signature. It reminds me of my grandma’s lipstick. It’s so good! I don’t switch my fragrance for night, but I do switch my winter and my summer fragrances. Winter is always Lipstick Rose.

HAIR
I usually have no patience for my hair. I slick it back, put some Pantene Pro-V Curl Shaping Gel in, and that’s it. It's naturally really frizzy, but I never leave it curly—I was thinking of busting out the au natural soon, actually. I haven’t dyed my hair, and I’m letting all the white hairs out. It’s good to be natural. Now I just need to take the next step to let the curls out!

GETTING HOME
After a long night, I always take everything off. I just started using Charlotte Tilbury’s Take It All Off Genius Eye Make-Up Remover, and then I use Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser or Liz Earle’s Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser with the washcloth. It’s so good! You feel like your skin breathes after all the dancing and sweat. Then I really like to massage in Liz Earle’s Superskin Concentrate—it hydrates really beautifully and smells really good. Then, I use Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Moisturizer.

I’m an early-night type of girl. Sleep is important—super important! I need like eight hours of sleep, but I’m lucky if I get seven. I’m now on six...It catches up with you. I think that nowadays, a lot of people know not to expect me after dinner. Once dessert hits, I tend to eat it and then duck out."

—as told to ITG

Caroline Issa photographed by Tom Newton. For more After Dark, click here.

The post Caroline Issa, Editor & Designer appeared first on Into The Gloss.

A string of articles have come out recently, mostly in business publications, warning their readers that contemporary art is not always the sure-fire investment that headlines over the last year have perhaps suggested it is. A good example is this piece out today in Bloomberg titled "The Dangers of Investing in Art":

Countless collectors and speculators have sunk money into young, in-demand artists only to watch their investment disappear in a matter of months.

But before you reach for one of the six Latin phrases you actually know and smugly dismiss such events with a cavalier "caveat emptor," keep in mind that collectors may not suffer from such downturns nearly as much as individual artists can:

Artists themselves usually have little to do with the price swings. And while they reap little benefit from their soaring secondary markets—collecting nothing when their work sells at auction—they can be hurt when those sales crumble. As their stars fade and collectors, even the nonspeculative ones, drift toward more fashionable subjects, it can be devastating.

I can imagine a few dealers out there thinking "Shut the f*ck up, Ed...this trend of so many newbies being focused on art as an investment is why we're selling so much of it...." Such dealers are ignoring the devastating impact such focus, to the exclusion of other considerations, can have on their artists, though, so I'll leave them to their conscience, and to remember what they must have believed at some point before they chose to make a living selling something no one actually needs. Indeed, I know it may be difficult in this age of hyper-capitalism to imagine why anyone would ever spend money on art unless there was something approaching a guarantee they would see a solid ROI on it, but there are actually several reasons. For those just becoming interested or with memory issues, let's review them:

1. Buy art because you like it.
2. Buy art because you can.
3. Or, save up and stretch yourself to buy art because it enables you to participate in the culture of your time.
4. Buy art as an heirloom for your family.
5. Buy art for its ability to cheer you up (or otherwise make you think) at times in your life when nothing else makes sense.
6. Buy art because you're an adult, and you should have some original art among your possessions. 
7. Buy art so you can illustrate to your children, with a straight face, that money is not the most important thing in life.
8. Buy art because it's fun to be part of the art world. [admittedly, your mileage may vary on that one]
9. Buy art to impress your potential mates, or their parents. 
10. Buy art to support artists. They make our world so much more interesting and our darkest days so much more bearable. I'm not even sure how you can put a price on that. Seriously.

Book Review: “The Supermodel and the Brillo Box” – artmarketblog.com

When Tracey Emin’s controversial artwork “My Bed,” which as most of you will know consists of an unmade bed, smashed the auction record for the artist when it sold for a whopping 2.5 million pounds at Christie’s in London on July 1, 2014, it just so happened that I was reading a fantastic book on the art market that explores the inner workings of the often secretive and opaque contemporary art world.

The book in question is The Supermodel and the Brillo Box: Back Stories and Peculiar Economics from the World of Contemporary Art by Don Thompson, author of the much-lauded art market expose The $12 Million Stuffed Shark: The Curious Economics of Contemporary Art which was released in 2007, just before the Crash of 2008 which burst the art market bubble that had produced so many astounding price records.

The Supermodel and the Brillo Box expands on the investigation that Thompson began with his previous book on the art market, adding insight into the events that led to the art market crash of 2008 and the amazing rebound that followed. The book is ambitiously billed as “an inside look at the evolution of the economics and psychology of the contemporary art market,” and it doesn’t disappoint.

What sets Thompson’s book apart is that it is written from the perspective of someone who has no real vested interest in glorifying the art market. Thompson is not an art market professional, he is an economist who currently holds the position of Emeritus Nabisco Brands Professor of Marketing and Strategy at the Schulich School of Business at York University in Toronto.

If you think a book about the art market written by an economist could only be filled with dull facts and figures, you could not be more wrong. Thompson’s book is filled with tales of intrigue and desire that expose the complex mechanics of the art market, lift the veil on the opaque contemporary art world, and the reveal startling secrets of the art auction scene. Thompson still validates his claims and assertions with hard date, but does so within the context of fascinating and relevant stories.

The title of the book comes from two works of art: the first is Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan’s trophy-style wax sculpture supermodel Stephanie Seymour’s nude torso; and the second is one of Andy Warhol’s renowned “Brillo Boxes.” The case of the Cattelan sculpture offers an intriguing insight into the power of branding and marketing, while the case of the Brillo box tackles the controversial topics of authenticity and appropriation.

According to Thompson, The Supermodel and the Brillo Box “is about the themes that swirl around the top of the art market: about artists, auction houses and dealers, and prices.” If you want to know what motivates art collectors to pursue their trophies with such single-minded determination, why the top contemporary artists are as popular as they are, and how auction houses and art dealers motivate their clients, then this is definitely a must-read book.

Get your copy of The Supermodel and the Brillo Box here

**Nicholas Forrest is a Sydney/London based art market analyst, art consultant and writer.  He is the founder of the Art Market Blog (artmarketblog.com) which offers independent commentaries as well as research and analysis on the current art market, and has recently been published in Fabrik magazine, Verve magazine, Visual Art Beat magazine, Australian Art Collector magazine, Art & Investment magazine and many others.  Nic has made several radio appearances (both nationally and internationally) as an art market expert and has received press from the likes of the New York Times, Conde Nast Portfolio and Times of London.

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• Davidoff Launches 1st Art Edition Boxes by Quizqueya Henríquez – artmarketblog.com
• Sedition Launches First Trading Platform for Digital Art – artmarketblog.com
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On est au point de l’hiver ou on veut juste oublier que c’est l’hiver – hier Neada est arrivée au Studio avec des Superga sans chaussettes et un pantalon super court – et je la comprends carrément, moi aussi j’avais envie de mettre une jupe et de prétendre que l’hiver est fini.

C’est dans cet esprit – et dans celui de la saint-Valentin que je vous propose de baver ensemble sur ces sublime ballerines Louboutin !!!

Chaussures, Christian Louboutin.

Cette année, pour la saint-Valentin, on a prévu de la nouveauté avec un chat sur Twitter !

Vendredi 13 février de 12 h 30 à 13 h 30 heure de New York (soit de 18 h 30 à 19 h 30 heure française), Garance répondre à vos questions sur l’amour, le dating et les relations modernes via Twitter. On a déjà abordé ces sujets sur le blog, mais cette fois-ci, on voulait en discuter avec vous en direct?

Alors commencez à préparer vos questions ! Si vous n’avez pas de compte Twitter, pas de souci, vous pouvez poser votre question dans les commentaires ci-dessous et bien sûr, on postera toutes nos réponses sur le blog après le tchat. On va essayer de répondre à un max de questions, mais vous pouvez aussi juste laisser des conseils ou des commentaires ci-dessous.

Sur Twitter, suivez-nous @garancedore et utilisez le hashtag #askgarance pour poser votre question.

On commence à les compiler tout de suite, alors allez-y !

A très vite !
xoxo

Photo par Taea Thale.

Представьте себе жилище богатой девушки, унаследовавшей в 1930-х годах квартиру в Париже, мебель, картины, скульптуры, которая в разгар оккупации всё бросает и уезжает на юг – туда, где немцы сохранили хоть и декоративную, но французскую республику Виши. И даже после победы  не возвращается в столицу, живёт в своей провинции, хотя аккуратно платит charges (вода, электричество, налоги), и умирает в почтенные 91.

Когда присланные наследниками адвокаты и оценщики входят в комнаты, их встречают интерьеры начала прошлого века, сохранившиеся в неприкосновенности под густым слоем пыли. Квартиру в девятом округе немедленно называют «капсулой времени» и «замком Спящей красавицы». Снимки, попавшие в сеть, и вправду напоминают декорации: слепые зеркала, картины в золотых рамах, нетронутые деликатной молью ковры и красиво отклеившиеся обои. Накрытый стол посреди гостиной, чучело страуса у стенки и кукла Микки-Мауса в углу. 

Среди прочих вещей в квартире находят портрет работы Джованни Болдини, изображающий красавицу-актрису Марту де Флориан, девушку страстную, пользовавшуюся в Париже XIX века огромным успехом. Как выясняется, она приходилась хозяйке бабушкой. Журналисты начинают строить догадки, что помешало внучке вернуться в Париж, предполагают кровавую семейную тайну и ждут ответа романиста.

Ответ в жанре «портреты заговорили» последует очень скоро, уже объявлено о выходе книжки «Тайна мадам де Флориан». Надеюсь, из неё мы узнаем и то, кем приходился хозяйке страус. История спящей красавицы будет подана как исключительный случай. И я поверил бы в это, если бы не слышал такие же от далёких и близких людей. Знаменитый декоратор Кристиан Лиэгр рассказал мне, что его нынешней квартирой владел американец, который якобы о ней забыл. Квартиру нашли через несколько лет после его смерти – разница лишь в том, что она оказалась музеем не 30-х, а 70-х, и это пока не так интересно фотографам.

Мои приятели купили квартиру в выдающемся парижском районе Нейи. Ею владел весьма пожилой человек, нейрохирург – в доме хранились истории болезней разных людей. Картин не было, но приятели мои, разбирая подвал, всё время опасались найти склянки с подопытными мозгами. Господин хирург последние 20 лет жил не в Париже, а на морском берегу, где у него был другой дом и, кажется, не один. Когда он умер, не оставив ни завещания, ни наследников, адвокаты потерли руки и взялись за розыски. Поскольку речь шла не о том, чтобы выгуливать хирурга в коляске по набережной и поить его микстурой, а о том, чтобы разделить деньги за его квартиру, родственники обнаружились довольно быстро. На заключительном этапе покупка превратилась в водевиль. Сделка всё время висела на волоске, потому что владельцы множились как головы лернейской гидры – на место любой исчезнувшей бабушки становились её дети и внуки. Но и про загадку хирурга книгу, я боюсь, не напишут.

Теперь я с большим вниманием разглядываю окна парижских домов и думаю, где ещё прячутся эти самые капсулы времени. За давно не мытыми окнами на третьем этаже или за вечно закрытыми ставнями на четвёртом? Гуляя по городу, я то и дело встречаю витрины, увешанные объявлениями о продаже квартир и домов. И почти перед каждой стоит влюблённая пара иностранцев и разглядывает предложения: квартира в V округе с видом на Люксембургский сад, дом на границе Версальского парка, вилла на Кап-Мартен. Это могут быть и рычащие американцы, и наши соотечественники. Разница в том что одни говорят: «Ridiculously expensive!», другие: «Да это дешевле, чем наша квартира!» Не факт, что завтра они пойдут к нотариусу заключать договор. Но если это произойдёт, в Париже окажется одной капсулой времени больше.

Я давно знал, что две трети венецианских квартир стоят пустыми большую часть года, потому что это всего лишь дачи для иностранцев, к которым, на венецианский взгляд, относятся и прочие итальянцы. Теперь я вижу, что это проблема всех знаменитых городов, способных вызывать любовь с первого взгляда. Беда любви лишь в том, что она проходит, и трудно понять, сколько таких квартир рассеяно тут и там как склепы былых очарований и заблуждений. 

В том периоде жизни, когда мы любим, мы спешим расширить нашу территорию любви на разные города – в этом есть что-то от советов сексолога, рекомендующего супругам разнообразить места секса. Потом наступает другой период, и мы не можем возвращаться туда, где были счастливы, потому что всё там напоминает о том, что счастья больше нет. В процессе жизни квартира переполняется не только вещами, такими же странными, как чучело страуса, но и чувствами, и ожиданиями, и воспоминаниями. От них становится тесно. Места не хватает. Память отказывает. Очень много пыли. Не зря Пикассо, проживавший иногда целую жизнь за год, покупал виллу и зарисовывал её с подвала до чердака, потом запирал на ключ и переезжал в следующую, побросав работы и эскизы.

В аукционных залах Drouot в Париже я видел специальные комнаты, в которых продавали квартиры спящих, но так и не проснувшихся красавиц. Когда отсортировано всё главное (среди антикваров есть специалисты высокого полёта, которые обследуют старые квартиры на предмет неожиданностей и тайников), в дело вступает второй эшелон, вытряхивающий жилплощадь подчистую – от детских игрушек до последнего коврика перед кроватью. На задававшийся нам в школе вопрос: «Что ты оставишь после себя людям?» продавцы Drouot имеют точные ответы.

Я понимаю людей, которые не могут войти в оставленную ими квартиру, как будто там случилось убийство. И то, что в этой квартире была убита всего лишь любовь, дела не меняет, запах мертвечины так же непереносим. В сонниках любая квартира – обещание перемен, и то, какой она предстаёт перед вами ночью, эту перемену предвещает. И нет, я не хотел бы увидеть во сне квартиру в девятом округе со всеми её картинами. Это был бы кошмар. Красавица, которую уже не добудишься, верхом на страусе и с Микки-Маусом в руках.

"Right after Romy was born, I didn’t really care about having a social life. I did care about looking nice, so I never stopped putting on makeup or anything—I can’t leave the house without mascara, ever. [Laughs] But now that she’s two-and-a-half, I can care more about my social life again. But I need to plan more in advance now. It's not like it used to be, when someone textsyou at 8pm—'Do you want to go for dinner?' And you say, 'Yes, why not?' I need to know at the latest by noon if I have a plan or not which is hard in New York. So if I can, I like to put her to bed at 7:30pm and have a dinner at 9pm. If it’s one of those fashion events that starts at 7pm then it’s a mess everywhere. It’s a mess in the bathroom and I just hope that she’s having dinner with the nanny... otherwise she’s with me and the bathroom, and I just try to deal with it and have fun with it. She slows things a little bit but it’s OK. When that happens, I have to be more efficient.

PRE-PARTY PREPARATION
I try to have dinners or events as late as possible so I can put Romy to bed first, and then I have the apartment to myself for an hour just so I can take a bath and really relax and just take a little time to myself. Even a 15-minute bath with a candle—that always works. I love Epsom salt and just use the inexpensive unscented ones from CVS. It’s better than oils…those make the tub so gross and I never feel like cleaning it right before I go out.

I wash all the day's makeup off my face before reapplying for night. I use a tiny bit of the Eve Lom Cleanser and really massage my face with it because it’s super concentrated. You’re supposed to use this muslin cloth with it, but I think it’s in the laundry right now. If I have time, I apply a mask or a sort of peel to bring out the glow. I’ll use something like the Sisley Black Rose Cream Mask two or three times a week, and then the Natura Bissé Glycoline Glyco Extreme Peel once week. That one really makes you fresh. So I’ll do that and then put something calming over it to rehydrate, like La Mer's The Intensive Revitalizing Mask. You don’t have to wash it off after—just wipe off the excess and that’s it.

When I'm getting ready, I’ll listen to '80s music on Spotify just to wake me up and put me in the mood. I like that it’s cheesy. I don’t like to eat before I leave, but I like to be energized. If I have time, I’ll have a green tea while I’m in the bath. Otherwise, a Diet Coke. Otherwise, I’m very easy to convince into staying home and watching a movie.

STYLE
I hate picking out outfits for events. That’s why I always wear the same thing when I go out—OK, not exactly the same, but always something easy. If it isn’t a big fashion event, it’ll be jeans and a nice top. Otherwise I’ll wear a little dress. Pretty boring. Or rather, French classic. Sometimes I like to be a little glamorous, a little Bardot. Jane Birkin, too. I’m inspired by all those women in the ‘60s—they look so put-together and cool at the same time and they all were moms—moms and career women. I do wear heels, though. Pretty much always. I need to feel good about myself, so even if it’s causal, I’ll slip them on.

But I prefer not to carry much. So usually in my purse it’s going to be my credit card, my phone, an extra battery. I’ll take two makeup products, which changes with what I’m wearing. Normally, it’s a concealer—RMS Beauty "Un" Coverup—and a lip gloss I can use as a blush as well. There’s Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge that’s really good and it’s made for lips and cheeks, but it’s not glossy. Then there’s a lipstick from Jessica Hart’s new brand, LUMA. It’s very sheer and it just puts like a little glow on your cheeks.

GROOMING
Right now I’m trying to give my hair a break. But Romy hates if I have my hair up which is very funny. She’s like 'No. Do like Princess Anna'—from Frozen—which means put my hair down. I'll keep it loose most of the time, and it's always super clean. I probably wash it at least every other day. Amazon Beauty's Rahua Shampoo and Conditioner is really good. Then I just quickly blow dry it with my head upside down and let it dry itself the rest of the way.

During the days—especially before an event—I like to take a break for a manicure and pedicure. I really can’t stand when my nails aren’t fresh, and I’ll redo them if they chip. Even in the winter, I need my toes done because I like to see them when I put shoes on and stuff like that. It’s a self-respect thing.

MAKEUP
Sometimes Romy and I play with my makeup together and sometimes she’ll end up breaking my compacts, which can get annoying. I’m used to it at this point. But since I became a mom, my makeup is more toned down. It’s not because I feel like I have to—it’s just because as I age, I feel like I look better with less makeup. I used to love red lipstick, but now I feel like it ages me. It’s the same with red nail polish. I’m more focused on masks and creams and other preventative things now. So my makeup routine starts with massaging in some MUN No. 1 Aknari Brightening Youth Serum—it smells so good—and then applying some powder blush on top, like Guerlain Terracotta Blush, to take away some of the shine. Sometimes I’ll use a bit of concealer, but not if I don't have to.

After that, I need to do my eyebrows—I like them long and bold so I extend them. I’ve been using this eyeshadow from MAC, in Espresso, that matches my color perfectly. It's so old—I'm surprised I haven't lost it by now. Then I use a Sephora eyeshadow brush to draw them in. Eyeko just hooked me on their products, too. Their Brow Gel and Black Magic Mascara are great.

Normally, I just do a smoky eye. I’ve started putting a little bit of the L'Oréal Infallible Gel Lacquer 24 Hour in Blackest Black in the crease, just for definition. The boldest thing I’ll do is eyes and lips at the same time. [Laughs] Like super-smoky eyes and a rich, red lip. It works best with menswear, I think. Actually, the only way I wear red lips right now if I wear a white dress or an all-white outfit because the lipcolor kind of brightens it up. My favorite red is called Ruby Tuesday by Max Factor. I got it forever ago in London. Lanolips also does a beautiful red.

THE END OF THE NIGHT
I come home earlier now than I used to, unsurprisingly.When you’re 18 you recover right away. Today, if I have a late night out, it takes me a week to recover. But I bet I'd be coming home earlier even if I wasn't a mom, because I’m getting older. But these days, I don’t have mornings to sleep in or anything. I have to wake up for work during the week and then take Romy out early on the weekends. But I love that.

When I do get home, I always try to take off my makeup—that's number one. I use the Lancôme Bi-Facil Double-Action Eye Makeup Remover. And then I use Bioderma all over my face. Afterwards, I put a lot of moisturizer on. Right now, I'm using Sunday Riley Bionic, which is great but really expensive. The First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads are also really great when you come back from a party and you need to refresh. Back when people were allowed to smoke in restaurants and bars, I remember coming home and always smelling like an ashtray, and I hated that. I'm not a smoker! I can't sleep when I smell like other people, so I would take a shower and wash my hair and get a much better sleep. It’s so worth the energy of jumping in a shower, and then moisturizing your body with something like Aurelia Probiotic Skincare Firm and Revitalise Dry Body Oil.

The one thing I have to do when I get home is look for pizza in the freezer. [Laughs] I need something salty and bad when I go home. Always."

—as told to ITG

Julia Restoin Roitfeld, in vintage Yves Saint Laurent, photographed by Tom Newton. 

The post Julia Restoin Roitfeld appeared first on Into The Gloss.

Et si le style, c’était beaucoup plus que nos vêtements ?

Oui, bon, ok ok. On le sait. Le style, c’est beaucoup plus que nos vêtements. C’est une façon de les porter, de se mouvoir, d’être présents au monde.
Mais c’est aussi, peut-être, une manière de mener sa vie.

Je pense beaucoup à ça en ce moment. En regardant la vie des autres sur Instagram par exemple. Énervant parfois. Oui, mais aussi super inspirant à la fois. Le style, c’est une manière de vivre, et ça n’a absolument rien à voir avec l’argent. Ce sont les choses, petites ou immenses, qui font l’art de vivre.

C’est créer un super dîner. Cultiver ses passions. Savoir choisir des fleurs. Créer de belles amitiés. Écrire une lettre. Se réaliser dans son boulot. Savoir voyager.

Je vous parlais hier de mon amie Laura, qui partage sa vie entre la ferme et la ville. Sa vie me fait complètement rêver. Pas forcément le travail à la ferme (la passion que je cultive dès que je peux, ce serait plutôt la paresse et la paresse n’a pas sa place à la ferme), mais le fait de vivre à la fois dans la nature et à la ville.

La manière de bosser de mon copain Richard me fait rêver aussi, il loue une petite maison sublime à Montauk (vous vous en rappelez peut-être, il me l’avait prêtée pour un weekend) et où ses employés sont tous des invités permanents. Il fait même broder des coussins au nom de sa Surf Shack, un petit détail mais qui montre l’empathie à se créer son monde, un monde à partager avec ceux qu’on aime.

Je me souviens la première fois que j’ai compris ce que c’était, l’art de vivre.

Ma mère rentrait d’un weekend avec ses amis à Bonifacio, et elle m’avait dit :“Tu te rends compte, comme ils adorent aller à la plage entre amis, ils ont fait faire une immense serviette de plage que tout le monde peut partager!!!”
J’avais trouvé ça épatant. Une manière de penser la vie et de faire les choses différemment, même si ce n’est que par un détail.

C’est peut être parce que j’entame ma cinquième année à New York que je me pose toutes ces questions*, c’est peut-être aussi parce que mon rapport à la mode et au style change grâce à tout ce que j’apprends avec le blog.
C’est aussi parce que, ayant créé ma propre compagnie, j’ai la chance de pouvoir décider comment mener ma vie et choisir les gens qui m’entourent dans le travail et que souvent, je me dis : “Mais pourquoi on fait les choses comme ça ?”

Ce qui est marrant quand on crée sa propre boîte, c’est que l’on peut faire ce qu’on veut, et pourtant, souvent, on se retrouve à reproduire ce que l’on connait.
Les horaires de travail, les temps de vacances, ainsi que les comportements – être assis à un bureau par exemple.

La semaine dernière, j’ai posté une photo d’Emily en train de bosser au Studio.
J’y expliquais que j’avais toujours voulu que le Studio soit un peu comme une maison pour l’équipe. L’année dernière, je leur ai commandé à tous des chaussons fourrés pour qu’ils soient à l’aise. Je les encourage à prendre un laptop et à bosser où ils veulent.
La photo que j’ai postée sur Instagram, c’était donc Emily sur le canapé, tranquille, à bosser, en chaussettes, ce qu’elle fait souvent. J’ai eu énormément de réactions : “dream job” “Je veux bosser avec vous!!!” ‘Lifegoal!!!” J’ai trouvé que c’était intéressant de voir à quel point ça inspirait, de simplement voir quelqu’un travailler installé confortablement.

Donner deux semaines de vacances de Noël à ses employés dans un pays où deux semaines, c’est en général ce à quoi on a droit par an. Les encourager à travailler où ils veulent dans le Studio. Mon prochain projet, c’est carrément qu’on parte tous en voyage ensemble pour différents projets… Mais je vous en dirai plus là-dessus au moment où ça arrivera, si ça arrive.

Ce sont de petites choses, mais ça encourage à pousser les murs et à imaginer une façon de vivre bien à soi.

Et c’est un peu la même chose dans la vie. J’ai une grande admiration pour les gens qui se posent des questions et ne suivent pas les schémas établis. La dernière fois, je disais à une copine que mon but, c’était de bosser moins (amis de la glande, donnons nous la main). J’aurais dit ça en France, on m’aurait dit mais bien sûr !!!

Mais ici, aux États-Unis, ça choque tout de suite les gens. Et en fait, j’aime bien ça. J’aime le travail. Je crois que ce que je voulais dire à mon amie, c’était plutôt “je veux vivre et bosser différemment” – et surtout, ne pas confondre ma carrière et ma vie – et ça, c’est vite fait, dans la mode…

Inventer d’autres façons de faire les choses, ne pas s’attacher aux modèles établis, s’inspirer d’autres, comme Laura, pour trouver ce qui me correspond à moi, ne jamais oublier de m’interroger et de questionner les règles – suis-en train de faire les choses machinalement, parce que c’est “ce qui se fait”?
Inventer mon propre style de vie, quoi.**

Et c’est marrant, en ce moment, j’en parle avec mes copines, de tous les âges, qu’elles soient salariées ou indépendantes, et elles se posent toutes les mêmes questions.
Comment on se fait une vie bien à soi ? Est-ce que c’est comme avec la mode ? Faut-il essayer des trucs, se planter ? (je pense que oui) S’inspirer des autres ? (probablement) Se remettre en question à chaque saison ?

Je pense, oui. Sinon on finit avec une vie terne et ennuyeuse, comme un vieux sweater trop confortable. Bon, ok. On aime bien les vieux sweaters, on est bien dedans. Mais est-ce qu’on ne va pas regretter un jour de ne pas avoir essayé le top rose bonbon ?

(Les analogies à la con, vraiment, cette météo enneigée me ramollit le cerveau…!)

Je me demande ce que vous en pensez et comment vous, vous voyez les choses pour vous. Qu’est-ce qui vous fait rêver ?

———————

* Une ville que j’adore, où j’ai définitivement posé mes valises, mais qui est parfois comme une planète en elle-même.

** C’est un peu ce que j’ai fait avec le blog, probablement. Mais une fois que les blogs deviennent une sorte d’establishment, comment continuer à s’inventer une vie ?

"I went to Vassar to study philosophy and literature but I always knew I was going to go into fashion. My father gave me great advice, he told me, ‘You should go to college and study what you love. You should study something that teaches you lifelong skills, like how to write, read, and think critically. You can take that and do anything with it.’

CAREER
Every summer while I was in college I would do internships at magazines, and then I was really lucky to get an internship in Paris at Christian Dior. I think a lot of it was luck…in my second semester, I did a practice interview at Random House, but my typing was terrible. They asked, ‘What are you doing here?’ and I said, ‘I don’t want to be here, I want to be in magazines!’ For some reason, my interviewer and I hit it off and he sent me to a colleague of his. One thing led to another and she offered me a job at Vogue. It was my first job out of college…I was 21!

The funny thing about it is that I had Christian Dior and Vassar on my resume so it looked good, but I had no idea what I was in for. My first photoshoot at Vogue was Phyllis Posnick with Irving Penn, who is my high school idol. He was this gregariously beautiful, graceful old man who had eyes exactly like my grandfather's. I remember I had to get a condom, a caterpillar, and a quarter for him for the shoot…I think it was a still life about allergies. The first time we shot clothing was couture and I had no idea what I was doing with steaming or ironing. Luckily, Oribe was the hair stylist and Kevyn Aucoin was on makeup and they were like, ‘Oh, girl!’ and taught me how to steam. I can’t remember who the model was…either Linda, Christy or Naomi. Those were pretty much the only girls I worked with back then.

After Vogue, I went on to assist Debbie Mason, the fashion director at Mademoiselle. It was amazing, she was a very strong woman and a real role model to me. I’ve been lucky to have had incredible people in my life, from my mom to people like Phyllis Posnick, André Leon Talley, and Brana Wolf—all so strong, but in different ways. Then I worked for every major freelance stylist you can work for, I even freelanced for Grace Coddington for a while. But then I had to stop assisting, because there was no one left, and I became fashion editor at Mademoiselle. Then, it was after that that I started doing more commercial stuff.

I got into reality TV totally by accident. One day, I got this phone call from my agent saying "This is going to sound weird, but there is this production company that called, and they're doing some television show and they're looking for stylists who are freelance who have worked with celebrities, models, and real people, and can talk a lot off the top of their head. So we thought of you." And that’s how it happened!

STYLE
One thing that I’ve noticed lately is that women don't want to look like they’re trying hard, so a lot of the time, if they’re going to do makeup they will put on something very casual to offset it. Or, they will wear something quite fancy with very messy makeup. The idea of looking completely put together and polished like the 1950's Ava Gardner, Marilyn Monroe thing doesn’t work anymore. I think it’s a cultural shift towards front line feminism—I don’t have to wear my bra and I’m not wearing makeup moving to ‘how do I look and feel pretty without looking like I tried?’ We are in this age of cultural transparency. Women don’t want you to know how hard they have to try. How hard they have to exercise, how much they have to diet. I don’t know why admitting to working hard on yourself is bad, but it is something I find weird. It’s so funny, I used to interview people on the red carpet and they’d be like, ‘Oh well I just chose this dress half an hour ago.’ I don’t know what that’s about. I’m in the camp of people who could play more with makeup but I don’t feel confident enough to stray without people thinking I’m trying not to look 45 or am trying so hard. There’s something about that which makes me feel uncomfortable.

HAIR
My hair is a big part of me. I’ve had the grey streak since I got really sick when I was 11. I got psoriasis when I was 4…it was behind my ears and you couldn't see it but I felt different. I think that it really contributed to young childhood insecurity because my parents didn't know how to deal with it and doctors didn't know how to talk about it and I had to use all this topical medication that felt gooey and gross. Then, when I was 11, I had strep throat something like 18 times in one year and, at the time nobody knew that strep throat could set off autoimmune diseases and make them worse. One day I woke up completely covered in red scales from the neck down. Cracked skin everywhere, for two years—that's when the grey streak showed up. I was taking penicillin every day because they thought they were trying to kill the strep, and then I started using topical steroids which thinned my skin so it started to rip like a zipper. I have scars all over my body from that…my dermatologist at the time said ‘Well she can get skin grafts when she's older,’ as if it was like getting your teeth cleaned. I was so shocked, I was 13. So there was a deep sense of insecurity that I traded the grey streak in for as sort of a badge of honor. Now, I even have a grey clause with Pantene, where I said ‘You can do whatever you want to my hair but you can't dye my grey streak.’ It’s a part of me!

Now, to wash my hair, I use Philip B Russian Amber Imperial Shampoo. It is the fanciest—the texture is like honey and it looks like caramel—plus, it cleans it without stripping it. That’s not to say that I don’t ever break out my Pantene! And I use the Amika Triple RX Mask as a conditioner because my hair is so thick, and because it’s been worked on so much, it can get really dry and brittle at the ends. I keep a wet brush in the shower, and brush the conditioner through so it gets to all of it. But even more important is the Amika Hair Oil which I put in like twice a day, it smells so good and makes my hair so good and shiny.

If nothing else, I’ve learned that heat is really hard on your hair and you need to put something on it before you dry it or put any tools on it. This Amika tool is the best thing ever created—it’s a root straightener [ed note: discontinued] and, when you have frizz like mine, it’s the one you want. A medium barrel gives me curl without the curl—I like the look where it looks like you just had sex, a bit tousled.

SKINCARE
I started using cleansing oils about three years ago and now oils are my number one tip—I love the Antonia Burrell Natural Glow Cleansing Oil and then the Julep one. Americans are afraid of oil, everything is oil-free, but I think that as you age you want as much moisture as you can get. And I love to begin dewy. So, oil is important to cleanse and then I use Epicuren Brazilian Propolis Mist as a toner…they make a great body lotion, as well. They make great everything. Then, in the mornings I use Rodin Olio Lusso and then one of two eye creams—either Shiffa, which is from Dubai and incredibly expensive, or RoC, which is not and is still amazing. They’re the two ends of the spectrum…I do it in fashion, why wouldn’t I do it in cosmetics?

Then, if it’s super cold or there’s a tough wind, I’ll use Decléor Balm Essential, which is like a lip balm for your face. You can warm it up in your hands and lightly put it over my face. A lot of women are afraid of these almost waxy balms, are afraid that it’s going to clog their pores, but I find they really help to keep the moisture in.

At night, I crave the Aurelia Night Moisturiser. I really believe that night creams and oils, even masks, end up being a lot better for you at night when they’re heavier. When I was travelling a lot, we would always stay at W Hotels and there was always a Bliss Spa. I learned a lot at those spas and, to this day I still use the Oxygenating Facial Mask and the Steep Clean Mask. I don’t do a lot of facials in New York now, but I do go to the Peninsula in LA. It’s so good. Also, I’m new to the Glamglow cult but I get really bad bags under my eyes. This schmutz looks like oatmeal but makes the bags a lot better if you just leave it on them for a bit.

BODY
Body-wise, I also use oil—Bio Oil and the oils from Herbivore Botanicals. I rarely exfoliate because I have very sensitive skin and, ever since I was finally diagnosed with Psoriasis Arthritis, it’s felt more important for me to soak in the bath in Epsom salts than scrub at myself.

For perfumes, I used to wear Fracas, all through high school and college. Then, about seven years ago, I got really into Frédéric Malle…it used to drive men wild, but I dated a 27-year-old who told me it smelled like grandma perfume. Now I love Juliette Has A Gun, they have these great names, like the one I’m wearing today is called Anyway. And it comes with a little travel bullet, which I think is so amazing.

MAKEUP
I don’t wear makeup every day, especially lately since I’ve been swimming so much. I’ve been using Glossier Skin Tint on top of Glossier Priming Moisturizer. It’s a little bit of makeup, just enough to even me out enough so I don’t look red.

Kevyn Aucoin once told me that brows were everything. The first time I met him, he said, ‘We have got to do something about your eyebrows!’ I was like, ‘OK Kevyn, no offense or anything, but I don’t know who you are and I don’t want to live with a tweezer next to my toothbrush.’ But he taught me how to shape my brows so now I make sure to do it.

I have a love for lip color because I think it’s the thing that transforms your face the fastest. There are 11 lip colors in my lip rotation right now, because a girl needs options. A lot of them are red but they have different textures. I love Nars Velvet Matt Lip Pencils in Dragon Girl and Mysterious Red. The more I see Advanced Style, the more I think I should just keep going with the red lip. But then I’ve also been doing berry. The other night, I did this black jumpsuit, no accessories, totally backless and no liner, just the dark, dark purple lip. I looked like a vampire but it was a good look. For an orange red, I love the By Terry Frenetic Vermillion. I also love By Terry 202 Funky Ruby [ed note: discontinued]…their pigmentation is very strong.

Then, I have an Ilia Lip Conditioner in Crimson & Clover that I can wear over my reds if my lips are dry and need a little bit of moisture. I don’t like gloss—instead I’ll put Ilia over most everything. My secret weapon is Smashbox O-Gloss. It goes on clear and gives you a tiny pink tint and, especially when you’re doing an orange blush, it looks amazing…you put it on and it looks like your lips are meant to be kissed. And I always use a lip brush because my lips are receding like the Malibu tide. I feel like my top lip is getting smaller and I think it’s too late to shoot anything into it.

I love Laura Mercier’s Secret Concealer for under my eyes or for any imperfections, you can mush it around your nose and stuff. Since my nose is kind of big to begin with, I’d rather have it not be red. Sometime I’ll like use highlighters, like Serge Lutens illuminators, which I mix it with the Laura Mercier or a foundation to give my skin this luminescence, like an ethereal tone. I love shine. Bobbi Brown makes a great luminescent face powder that shines and dries…it gives the same ethereal luminescence without getting sweaty.

I only wear liquid blush and I use a blush brush to apply it. You don’t need to reapply because when you do it correctly, it looks like you’re glowing from the inside out. I have Becca Beach Tint…the Giorgio Armani color that I’m obsessed with is similar to the Becca one but it’s on backorder. There's a waitlist for it!

I always put Lancôme Mascara Base on before my mascara to stop it ending up halfway down my face. Recently, I’ve been really into Bobbi Brown Extreme Party Mascara—part of the reason is because it’s very viscous, so it’s not super clumpy. You can make lashes very long but very fine and you can layer throughout the day without it getting gross. And I have two eyeliners, one is the Nars Velvet Shadow Stick and the other is the Real Lasting Eyeliner Pen…I’ll usually do that and then go over it with pencil. I don’t do a lot of crazy eyeshadow but I love this Polish company, Inglot. Their Freedom System palette has been magical for me because I can mix the colors in a way that makes them either very dramatic or supernatural like I almost did nothing. Eyeshadow is something that I really don’t get into, I just don’t shade well enough. They are all the same colors and I’m pretty simple. This is why my skin regimen is much more intense because my makeup regimen is not."

—as told to ITG

Stacy London photographed by Tom Newton. Stacy's new show, Love, Lust Or Run, airs on Fridays on TLC, at 9/8pm CST.

The post Stacy London appeared first on Into The Gloss.

J’adore les bijoux qui ont une histoire. Une histoire qui raconte comment une pièce a été créée pour quelqu’un en particulier ou ramenée d’un pays lointain.

Ce collier Hermès, par exemple, a un jumeau, un double, qui lui est à Paris, au cou de ma meilleure amie. C’est fort, non ? Un peu comme des friendship bracelets, mais version XL.

Est-ce que certains de vos bijoux ont aussi une histoire ?

Collier, Hermès.

Vous vous êtes déjà demandé ce que donnerait une discussion sur le style entre des centaines de femmes ?

Un truc hyper bruyant, haha. Ce serait certainement la folie, mais aussi très instructif. Vive les femmes ! ;)

Le livre Women In Clothes est passé entre toutes les mains ici, au Studio, et on l’adore. Il explore la relation qu’entretiennent les femmes avec leurs vêtements grâce à des centaines de témoignages comme celui de Lena Dunham ou Kim Gordon. Mais ce qui nous a le plus intéressés, finalement, c’est de voir que chaque femme a choisi une voie différente – pas uniquement en terme de style mais aussi de choix de vie – pour arriver là où elle est aujourd’hui.

Les questions posées dans le livre s’appliquent au style mais vont – toujours de façon très subtile – bien au-delà : Qu’admirez-vous dans la façon de se présenter chez les autres femmes ? Les réponses dépassent elles aussi le simple cadre de la mode.

Ça nous a pas mal fait réfléchir à la façon dont on aborde/choisit sa garde-robe. Les femmes interrogées disent toutes que les vêtements qu’elles portent ont une influence sur leur moral, et ça, ça nous parle. Et vous, est-ce que la façon dont vous vous habillez joue aussi sur votre humeur ?

Vous êtes prêts pour les fêtes, vous ?

It is with great pleasure and anticipation that I finally announce that I am taking bookings for my cooking workshops here in Médoc. Getting here has been a real journey, a journey many of you have accompanied me on. From starting the blog to making a cookbook – it’s been an enjoyable ride and it seems this adventure is only just beginning. After much deliberation on formats and structure, on thinking what would be the most fun, useful, educational way of doing this I’ve come up with the following. I hope my ideas are compatible with your needs, if not we can always find a solution.

I will be hosting 3 workshops every month, starting March 2015. Let me tell you about the details: All the workshops will be identical, different only in number of days. Every month will have a 2-day, 3-day and a big extravaganza 4-day workshop (9 days in total out of every month – as long as there is demand of course). I am sensitive to the fact that some of you might be traveling from far away lands so taking bookings until December 2015 should give you ample time to plan ahead. Exact dates will be at the bottom of this post. To keep things on a personal and enjoyable level I think limiting the number of each class to 6 participants is a good idea.
There will be no workshops in July, August or September due to a seasonal restaurant we are opening next summer. That, however, offers other opportunities (I’ll get to that later). In December 2015 we’ll only have one 3-day Christmas special class, I guess all of us are a bit busy during the holidays.

For the first year, regrettably, I will not be able to offer accommodation. We are putting all our efforts into the culinary side and are mindful of the old saying that it’s better to do one thing really well than … There is a slight possibility we might be able to offer some rooms at the back-end of the year but that would just be a bonus.

Every morning we’ll gather at my new house in St. Yzans de Médoc, have breakfast together, chat and start cooking. In the morning we’ll prepare a three-course lunch, set a table and have it together (with a little wine of course). Then we’ll start cooking dinner and again have it together in the evening (with more wine). We’ll have more than one kitchen and more than one dining room so hopefully it will always feel fresh and new. For the 2-day workshop we’ll pretty much repeat the first day (+ a little outing) but for the 3 and 4-day ateliers there will be some variety and sweet distractions depending on the season. We’ll go to the market, we’ll visit wine making châteaux and have wine tastings, we might go bicycling in the vineyards and have a picnic or even go fishing. We might strike up a barbecue at a friend’s place, have some Lillet, play some pétanque. But the structure will remain the same, It’s all about preparing lunch and dinner and sharing it together. Let’s call it structured variety.
Additionally my husband will be giving an afternoon class on the best ways to photograph food (in case you are interested – for those who are not we will just use the time to cook some more) and maybe you can even pick up a bit of French, unless you are French in which case you might pick up some English, or Chinese or even Icelandic. Ultimately, though, these workshops are all about becoming a better cook, more knowledgeable about French food and French wine, and having fun along the way.

Prices:

(I am half French and not particularly comfortable talking about money, but I suppose I have to put it somewhere):

• 2-day workshop is €1.000.
• 3-day workshop is €1.500.
• 4-day workshop is €2.000.

Included are three 3-course meals and great wine every day, transportation for all activities and a ride to and from the airport or train station. All activities during the day will be arranged and paid for by me. I will recommend accommodation near our house and negotiate the best possible prices depending on your needs (they are mostly friends anyway – prices vary between €60-€180 per night). You will be picked up in the morning at your place of choice (within reason of course) and driven home in the evening. For those of you who want a bit more freedom you can always rent a car.

I mentioned earlier that we’ll be opening a seasonal restaurant in the summer and for that we’ll be needing some help. For those of you who are interested in coming here, working in some capacity, depending on your interests and qualifications and the needs of the restaurant please feel free to contact me and we can discuss and plan further. This seasonal restaurant will be a great adventure and we have set ourselves very ambitious goals in terms of quality. As I said everything can be discussed but normally we’ll be needing help for at least a few weeks and those who participate can expect room and board + some remuneration depending on their contribution.

For those of you who are interested in the workshops (or the restaurant) please contact me at mangerworkshop@gmail.com I will do my best to answer all inquires swiftly and seriously.

Here are the dates:

March:
12–13 (2-day class)
18-21 (4-day class)
26-28 (3-day class)

April:
11-12 (2-day class)
15-18 (4-day class)
23-25 (3-day class)

May:
7-8 (2-day class)
14-16 (3-day class)
27-30 (4-day class)

June:
12-13 (2-day class)
17–20 (4-day class)
25-27 (3-day class)

October:
1-2 (2-day class)
7-10 (4-day class)
22-24 (3-day class)

November:
6-7 (2-day class)
12-14 (3-day class)
25-28 (4-day class)

December:
9-11 (3-day class)

In addition to the dates above there is always the possibility, if you are a group of six, to add a workshop outside this published schedule, something we can custom-make together and fit into the calendar where it suits us all.
So many of you have already expressed interest in some shape or form, I hope this description (and prices) live up to your expectations – looking forward to hearing from you.

Jade 42 ans, ouais elle les fait pas du touuuuut, s’est laissée transformer pour le shoot du Marie-Claire. Elle passe d’un carré un peu chiant à une coupe courte whaouu ! D’un look passe-partout au jean en python Attention les eyes !
Ça me remplit de joie de voir ces filles se transformer sous mes doigts, c’est cool comme job nan ?!
Elles arrivent en s’excusant presque d’être là, et repartent en volant, plus fortes, sexy graouuu…

I love my job, i love my job, i love my job…

It was November 2010 when ITG last chatted with Linda Rodin. At that time, Rodin Olio Lusso was still a passion project turned nascent beauty business accruing a rapid cult following. Cut to four years later, Rodin the business and Rodin the woman have their widespread icon status confirmed (Estée Lauder just acquired Rodin Olio Lusso, so a hearty "Congrats!" are in order). There are the clients, including Karlie Kloss and Cindy Crawford; the admirers, like the Olsen twins who enlisted Rodin for a The Row campaign; and the fans, who covet Rodin’s glossy gray hair. Seemed like we were due for another chat—about her business, growing up, and going gray.

ITG: When did you start going gray?

LR: I had a few white hairs here and there by the time I was 35. At that time, I was also hennaing my hair and the white ones looked pink! After a while, I just started letting it go that way. It came in very gradually but evenly. I was lucky. And I never associated it with being old.

ITG: Did your style change once your hair started changing?

LR: No, not at all because it never occurred to me to be like 'Oh now my hair is grey, I had better adapt to that.'

ITG: What about the rest of your beauty routine?

LR: I use Clairol Shimmer Lights, which I didn’t start using probably until about 10 years ago. The lighter it got, the more I wanted it to stay silvery. I just wash my hair with it once a week and it keeps things bright. But my routine was always very simple. I always took the shortest path to getting my face clean and hydrating it a bit. I’m sure now there are a lot of really great scientific things that can help if you start using them at 20, but I started really taking care of my skin many, many years after that.

ITG: So do you have stacks pictures of you in the '70s or '80s with any regrettable makeup?

LR: I don’t know if I regretted it. I think I looked pretty good. In the '80s I didn’t wear any makeup and in the '70s I was just wearing '70s clothes, which are back now—fringe, bell-bottoms...We wanted to look like Cher so that meant long straight hair and little makeup for me. She was my idol. There was this one red lacquer eye shadow I had in my 20s—it was very glossy. But that was it.

ITG: You talked about getting filler once. How long ago was that?

LR: I tried it three or four years ago. I figured, why not? I think one can try to smooth it all out but to me, it didn’t look right. And I couldn’t keep it up. I felt like I was morphing into someone else.

ITG: It’s nice that you’re so open about it.

LR: Oh absolutely! It was very well done and very subtle. I don’t think anyone would have ever noticed. I was very conservative about it and had a good doctor, but one day I just said 'I don’t think I want to do this anymore.' It starts to end up looking a little spackled together.

ITG: Did you ever expect to launch a business like Rodin?

LR: I never thought I would start a business at all! It was really a one-day-at-a-time-process, a very selfish endeavor. I just wanted to make something I liked and the interesting and exciting thing was that so many people embraced my products and loved them too. What I realized after the second product was people really liked my products and I wasn’t working in a vacuum. But I never would have said 'I want to do this thing, in five years I want to grow here, make a larger line...' that never occurred to me. I wouldn’t have even known where to start. I just worked slowly creating products I needed.

ITG: What’s the best thing now that you’re older that you don’t have to worry about?

LR: I think one does feel more liberated and independent when one gets older. More honest and open with yourself and others. But you still have insecurities—they're different, but they don't totally go away. But you reach a point and say 'That’s OK.' In the end, nobody’s perfect, and we’re all doing the best we can.

Photographed by Tom Newton.

Сегодня в Нью-Йорке подписано соглашение, согласно которому еще одна марка присоединяется к корпорации Estée Lauder. Чем она интересна?

Не прошло и месяца с момента, как корпорация объявила о покупке Le Labo, на этот раз предметом сделки стала RODIN olio lusso — марка с семилетней историей, которая основана нью-йоркским стилистом Линдой Родин.

Мало известный российскому покупателю бренд специализируется на маслах премиум класса. Самый известный продукт – The Luxury Face Oil – микс из одиннадцати эфирных масел цветов и растений. Вообще, в багаже марки не так уж много продуктов, но как говорит Линда, в ее философии с самого начала была установка — красота в простоте.

Карьера Линды Родин – путь от модели до fashion-стилиста. Начав эксперименты с косметикой, она смешивала эфирные масла у себя дома и приносила их на съемки и бэкстейджи показов, где работала.

Неудивительно, что в 2007 году она добавила графу «предприниматель» в свое резюме. Кстати, ее потрясающая внешность заслуживает отдельного внимания.

 

Фабрицио Фреда, президент и исполнительный директор корпорации Estée Lauder, называет RODIN olio lusso выдающимся «бренд-инсайдером» индустрии: «Мы возлагаем большие надежды на его потенциал в сфере ухода за кожей». До сегодняшнего дня марка был представлена в нишевых бутиках-трендсеттерах, а также в Barneys, Colette и Liberty.

По словам Линды, Estée Lauder – идеальный дом для RODIN olio lusso. Верим и надеемся, что средства Rodin скоро доберутся до России.

 

Chaque année je cours à la Fiac sous la nef du Grand Palais. Un moment pour moi d’évasion, d’inspiration, sentir l’air du temps.
L’art contemporain pour beaucoup est une vaste supercherie, un ramassis de trucs moches qui ne veulent rien dire. Vous vous êtes déjà dit j’en suis sûr « mais moi aussi je peux faire un monochrome blanc, c’est nul ! « .
Certes, moi aussi j’ai envie de hurler « Naportenawak!!  » devant la sculpture d’un nounours qui sodomise un tricératops, je n’y comprends rien, et ça ne fait pas avancer les choses à mon sens.
Néanmoins cet art est quand même le reflet de notre époque, il dénonce et met en perspective des choses (pas toujours hein! des fois c’est vraiment pourri) .
Pour ma part je vais y chercher des inspirations, des matières, des assemblages de trucs et de machins. C’est difficile à imaginer ce que ça peut influencer dans mon métier de coiffeur, et pourtant ! J’y vois des choses, je fais des liens entre l’art contemporain et les cheveux.
Tout ça est super abstrait et je n’arrive pas trop à vous l’expliquer je m’en rends compte, mais c’est là, ça fait son chemin en moi et ressort par ci par là.

Je ne sais pas quel est votre rapport à l’art, si vous baignez dedans ou si vous n’en avez rien à foutre et ce que ça vous fait, mais j’aimerais bien vous entendre là-dessus !

Because it's Monday and we don't want to work yet.

Photos via Vogue Italia, Nina Ricci, Balenciaga, Calvin Klein, Philip Trengove, Dutch Magazine, Chloé, Vogue Paris, Dolce & Gabbana, Jalouse, Oyster Magazine, Prada, i-D Magazine, Thierry Mugler, Thiemo Sander, Getty Images, Harper's Bazaar UK, and Pablo Frisk.

UPDATE: Sex and the City co-creator Michael Patrick King has responded to Noth's remarks. He told BuzzFeed News over email that the actor was clearly joking in the interview. "We always had a wonderful time working on SATC, and I know [Noth] has the greatest affection for SJP as an actress and a friend. To take his comment any other way would be a 'Big' mistake."

Jenny Bicks, who wrote for the show, served Big with some fact checking. "I will totally agree with Chris (and one generally should, as he is very big) on the fact that Carrie was a strong, smart woman (most of the time). However, he seems to have forgotten that he may not have cheated ON her, but he certainly cheated WITH her when he was married and Carrie was single. So, I would say that’s kinda slutty of Big. And also, not cool. Not cool at all. He’s lucky she married him in the end," she told BuzzFeed.

This story was originally published on October 15:
For all their media training, celebrities still experience a foot-in-mouth moment from time to time. Today, that faux pas comes from Chris Noth, more endearingly known as Mr. Big. In an interview with Australian news outlet News.com.au, Noth talked about his character in Sex and the City.

"One of the things I tell people is that [Big] never tried to pretend he was anything other than what he was. It was [Carrie] who tried to pretend he was something he wasn’t. He was always honest about himself — he never cheated on her. The relationship just didn’t work, and he went on to get married while she went on to…how many boyfriends did she have? She was such a whore! [laughs] There’s a misconception that Carrie was a victim of him, and that’s not the case — she was a strong, smart woman."

If you feel uncomfortable right now, it's because you should. It's such a bummer to see a character so closely associated with your own sexual and dating-life discoveries knock down that very lifestyle his show helped inspire. Newsflash, Noth: Strong, smart women sometimes choose to have lots and lots of sex. (News.com.au)

Click here for more celebrity news:
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Admittedly, the promise of a hangover cure is what initially lured me to Intravenous Vitamin Therapy. As someone susceptible to incapacitation the day after, not the night of drinking, receiving a glut of vitamins seemed a healthier option than the ritualistic bacon, egg, and cheese, persistent nausea, and, at minimum, seven scattered naps—even if it meant voluntarily sticking a needle in my arm.

Unfortunately, all hope of a realistic hangover cure was destroyed when I discovered that most medical spas that'll hook you up to a drip at will only operate during the business week. (I'll add that I am not in the habit of being overly intoxicated on a weekday.) Maybe just a dry run, I thought, scheduling an appointment on a weekday afternoon—I was intrigued enough by the concept that post-drunkeness need not inhibit my exploration.Vitamins are always a good thing, right?

A few days and a 30-minute train ride later, I find myself in a medical spa uptown, signing a consent form and filling out a vague medical history form (my primary care physician’s information wasn’t asked for, strangely enough). On a separate sheet, the benefits of the treatment and ingredients in the Myers' Cocktail are explained, along with a list of any potential side effects—including anxiety and anaphylactic allergic reactions. Later, a nurse tells me clients usually feel an immediate burst of energy following the IV. I look forward to being a more vivacious version of myself (at the time, I was suffering a headache from drinking too much caffeine—needless to say, I was grumpy).

I'm led into the treatment room, which is furnished like a doctor's office but lit like a spa. The medical spa’s sole RN pulls vials of vitamins out of a black lacquered Armand de Brignac “Ace of Spades” Magnum Champagne box. She fills an IV bag with the vitamin concoction, ties a tourniquet above my left elbow, and instructs me to squeeze a stress ball that looks and feels like an avocado. “You have good veins,” she tells me while disinfecting the area and then administering the IV. Then, she dims the lights and instructs me to relax.

Easier said than done. For 20 minutes, I lay on a reclined examination bed with a left arm that feels like a fishing weight. My arm throbs from time to time. Out of fear of screwing something up, I avoid making any movements while the IV protrudes from my forearm, except for my fingers to combat intermittent tingling. I wouldn't call it painful, but I certainly wouldn't call it comfortable. My headache was temporarily alleviated, though, so there's that.

When I left the medical spa and returned downtown, I felt strange. Beyond the new vitamins floating around my blood stream, I was just confused: Why would a place—a “medical” spa, rather—give an otherwise perfectly healthy human a treatment they don’t medically need simply because they are willing to pay for it? Though the consent form I signed stated one of the guidelines for participating in the treatment included understanding that "intravenous vitamin therapy is being used only if the doctor deems it therapeutically necessary in your treatment," I never met either of two doctors who run the medical spa. They weren't mentioned by the RN either.

“Oh Alexis, why would you do that?” was all my mother—also a registered nurse—could say at first when I mentioned the experience. “I bet they didn’t even check your vitamin levels to start.” (She was right.) When I reached out to the communications department of a large clinical, research, and teaching medical hospital in Manhattan, asking for a professional opinion on IV therapy, they declined to contribute. All indicating that my decision to voluntarily partake in IV vitamin therapy was very poor judgment. Potentially dangerous considering all invasive procedures—no matter how seemingly benign—carry risks.

In the last few days, my mind's been wandering back to that champagne box filled with vials—quite literally vitamins and “health” encased in wealth and prestige. An ironic, literal packaging of how we culturally approach and consume wellness today: not as necessary or even beneficial, but instead a commodity bridging us closer to the otherwise aspirational and unattainable.

As for all future hangovers: they’re inevitable. At least now in comparison, one bacon, egg, and cheese doesn’t sound so bad.

—Alexis Cheung

Photos by Alexis Cheung.

À New York, ville de la perfection, on a toujours en fond ce feeling de lose un peu chronique : franchement, ça va, mais on pourrait faire mieux.

Pas grave, du moment qu’on décide que notre but dans la vie n’est pas d’être parfaite , mais faudrait limite se faire un tee-shirt qui dise “I don’t care about perfect” (ou “Fuck Perfect” si on est Cara Delevingne) pour qu’on nous fiche la paix.

Parce qu’ici, et, hum, dans la mode plus particulièrement, le culte de la perfection a vraiment la peau dure, malgré le fait qu’on adore tous “Girls”!!! (C’est tellement bien de voir des gens normaux !!!)(À la télé!!!).

Donc voilà ce dont j’ai envie de vous parler aujourd’hui – après presque cinq ans d’études sociologiques poussées à New York, il me semble que la poursuite de la perfection prend racine dans la quête de…

L’homme parfait.

Être en couple, à New York, c’est une affaire sérieuse. Terriblement sérieuse.
Genre faut pas se planter, quoi.

Donc ça passe par une espèce de casting extrême de la mort ambiance Koh Lanta (le dernier qui tient en équilibre sur un pylône au milieu d’un océan d’histoires d’amour ratées a gagné).
Ça s’appelle le dating*, où l’on a le droit de tout tester du mec, des endroits où il a ses habitudes (“Il m’a emmenée manger un BURGER! Tu te rends compte? De la VIANDE!!?? Plus JAMAIS je réponds à ses textos, tu m’entends ?!”) à ses prouesses diverses et variées (sexuelles, professionnelles, Porte-t-il bien Une Paire de Common Projects Comme Il Se Doit) qu’on peut tester à l’envi sans forcément s’engager dans une relation (pour les Français qui ne comprennent rien à ce sujet, voir encadré à la fin de l’article)(bon ok, on peut pas encore faire d’encadrés, même avec notre nouveau blog génial. Prochaine version, promis).

Le mariage est une telle institution ici, c’est un peu là qu’on juge si une personne “Win at Life”.
On ne va pas parler des cérémonies de mariage qui sont la cristallisation d’années de fantasmes et de pression sociale (comme le prouvent les 75463523 comédies romantiques américaines qui tournent autour du mariage et qui finissent toujours bien), concentrons-nous sur mythe de l’homme parfait.

C’est qui, l’homme parfait ?

Et bien, ne vous fiez surtout pas aux films américains où la femme (adorable, belle, stylée, drôle, bon job) finit avec le nerd de service (légèrement bedonnant, un peu bizarre, mais tellement marrant et irrésistible !!!) : ces films étant faits exactement par ces nerds-là, on peut dire que ça fausse légèrement la narration.

Ça marche pas comme ça dans la vraie vie. Enfin, pardon, je veux dire, à New York.

À New York, pour être parfait, un mec doit avoir un super bon job (premier critère), être relativement attirant (enfin surtout avoir un super bon job)(stable, rémunérateur, valorisant), être relativement pas trop goujat et… ben ça suffit en fait.
Pffff, c’est facile d’être un homme parfait à New York.

Ce qui l’est moins, c’est d’être une fille parfaite. Total déséquilibre. Parce que l’homme parfait, qu’est-ce qu’il recherche ? La femme parfaite. Ben oui, tiens. Il va pas se gêner. Il y a des filles parfaites à la pelle dans les rues de New York, apparemment 4 fois plus que de mecs.
Voyons voir qui est notre femme parfaite, tiens.

—

Bon, d’abord, parlons un peu du corps de la fille parfaite new-yorkaise.
On en avait déjà parlé (en fait on en parle tout le temps); la New Yorkaise est maigre et musclée, et toutes celles qui n’aspirent pas à cette perfection sont perçues comme de gentilles copines un peu hors jeu (alors que moi je pense que c’est celles qui winnent à la life, mais bon encore une fois ce n’est que mon point de vue de fille légèrement à côté de la plaque).

Je ne sais pas si c’est ce que l’homme New Yorkais en quête de la femme parfaite cherche au fond de son âme, mais dans le doute, je suppose qu’il doit se dire que ça fait partie du package et puis socialement, c’est le corps qu’il faut avoir.

Bon, body wise, je tiens quand même à saluer mes amies les vraies maigres, elles existent, GENRE BRIE QUI MANGE DES COOKIES TOUTE LA JOURNÉE (et des trucs équilibrés aussi) mais à part ces filles rares ET énervantes, ça donne une fille maigre, musclée, et assez obsédée par la non-nourriture qu’elle va ne pas avaler la prochaine fois qu’elle n’aura pas faim du tout (c’est-à-dire, là tout de suite!).

Ne parlons pas des heures passées à la gym, hein. Faut bosser pour être parfaite. Et dire qu’on adore ça, aussi. Nous reviendrons là-dessus.

—

Il faut aussi avoir un job parfait, et ça les enfants, c’est pas facile.

Je parlais à une amie qui est PR (Attachée de presse, quoi. Un super boulot, quand même, quand on y pense) (On peut rentrer dans des fêtes cool !!!) et qui me disait que le mec qu’elle datait datait une autre fille à la fois (je vous aurai prévenus !) qui avait un job de rêve, dans les voyages (vachement mieux que rentrer dans des fêtes cool, s’envoler pour des voyages gratuits !!! (Avec massages inclus !).
Le problème c’est que le même mec datait aussi (je sais ce que vous allez me demander, et non, je n’ai absolument aucune idée du nombre limite de dates qu’on peut accumuler) une mannequin, ce qui annihile à peu près tous les jobs cool, même s’il n’y aucun plus à être avec quelqu’un qui exerce cette profession à part le fait de pouvoir dire “ma girlfriend est mannequin”.

Ah ouais, mais c’est clair, on est d’accord, ça pose, là.

Il faut avoir le job de rêve donc, dans une ville de jobs de rêves, c’est pas facile.

Du coup, c’est un peu la battle des jobs de rêve. Et même si notre vrai fantasme, au fond, c’est d’être calée derrière un ordi à glander dans un job pas prise de chou (il y a des gens qui ont envie de ça, et alors ?)(je les soutiens à fond) et ben on se sent con en date.

—

Autre chose pour être parfaite, il faut aussi être bien entourée, c’est-à-dire avoir autour de soi une bande d’amis parfaitement édités.

La meilleure amie à toujours à jamais, bien sûr. L’amie à toujours à jamais du moment (celle avec qui on se montre dans les soirées) (ah oui, je sais c’est cynique. Mais tout ce papier est cynique, donc ne faites pas les innocents, et puis je suis une femme française, le cynisme est notre religion !!!)(je vous ai fait une bonne illustration bien romantique pour vous appâter et ensuite BAM explosion du mythe à jamais), le groupe d’amis avocats ou dans la finance pour le jour où on aura besoin d’un investisseur (et apparemment un très bon filon pour trouver un mari), le groupe d’amis artistes joyeux fêtards (sympa mais un peu bruyants), le groupe d’amis power (CEOs, EICs), la célébrité (si on vit à New York et qu’on ne connaît pas une célébrité, c’est qu’on ne vit pas à New York), et enfin, bien entendu, l’ami gay, comment l’oublier.

Un réseau comme ça prend des années à se créer, mais la persévérance, voilà bien le signe de la fille parfaite qui ne va pas se lâcher (et, horreur !!! prendre 10 kilos après trois mois de mariage !!!).

—

Bon ça, c’était juste les trucs de base à posséder, hein.
Genre le B.A BA de la perfectitude.
Ensuite, il y a les trucs qui viennent en option…

Mais qui peuvent vraiment faire la différence quand on sait que la compétition gronde !!!
(si vous voulez savoir à quel point la compétition gronde, référez-vous à l’encadré pas encadré à la fin de l’article)

Par ordre d’importance.

1/ Un super appart. Bon, ça dépend de l’âge qu’on a, mais un super appart quand même, ça compte. Avec un réceptionniste (allez savoir pourquoi, avoir un doorman est un vrai signe de réussite sociale à New York)(Moi j’ai pas de doorman, je suis genre, très mal) ? Ou encore mieux !!!! Un toit-terrasse ? (j’ai pas non plus, ça craint)

2/ … Dans le bon quartier !!!
Bon, si l’appart en question est à Harlem (même si on est tous d’accord, Harlem est LE quartier qui monte !!) c’est pas aussi bien que s’il est dans le West Village, hein quand même.

3/ Avoir des fringues de dingue!
Oui, dans la vie new-yorkaise, mieux vaut être connectée dans la mode. Pour pouvoir porter toutes ces fringues qu’on n’a pas les moyens de s’offrir, à la Carrie Bradshaw (maintenant je comprends enfin comment elle faisait pour porter tous ces trucs sublimes avec son simple salaire de journaliste ! Elle avait des amis PR !!!)

4/ Être “in the know”. Connaître les bons restaurants. Connaître le responsable du restaurant pour dégoter une table à la dernière minute. Rentrer en boîte en un clin d’oeil. Un hyper méga plus, vous en conviendrez.

Ouais.
Ça fait beaucoup.
De trucs à faire.
Et il ne faut pas juste les faire. Il faut les faire, si possible, à la perfection.

Et en donnant à tout ça l’allure de quelque chose de complètement naturel.

C’est la cinquième colonne de la perfection, et celle qui me rend le plus dingue tellement ça met le bordel dans mon petit cerveau naïf. On doit faire tout ça, et en plus prétendre qu’on est cool.

Alors qu’on ne peut pas être bonne dans tout, dans une ville aussi stressante que New York et être “cool”. Pour atteindre ce degré de perfection, on est forcément quelque part, une control freak. Mais comme control freak, ça sonne pas bien, on dit des choses comme :

“J’adore les burgers !!! C’est mon truc préféré !”
“Je suis une grosse fêtarde !!!”
“J’adore la bière !”
“Cet appart ? Non, je l’ai décoré petit à petit, avec mon meilleur ami.” (= mon décorateur)
“Moi, je suis une vraie, tu vois, l’amitié pour moi c’est profond.”

Voilà. Ça m’a pris presque cinq ans à décoder, mais là, c’est bon j’ai compris – personne ne peut être parfait ET cool à la fois.

—

* Petit précis de Dating à l’usage des Français (et du reste du monde.)

Qu’est-ce qu’on est simpliste, en France. Non mais vraiment. On rencontre un mec, on est bien avec lui, on ne se pose pas trop de questions. Est-il The One ou pas The One ? La vie nous le dira. En attendant “Tu viens chez moi ce soir ?” Tellement innocentes.

Aux USA, on date, et c’est vachement difficile à expliquer – j’essayais même d’expliquer ça à Emmanuelle Alt (= caution fashion) l’autre jour qui poussait des grands cris “C’est pas vrai ? Quoi !!! Pas possible !!!” Et pourtant, si. Allez, j’essaye avec vous :

Un “date”, c’est un mec qu’on “voit”. Ça veut dire qu’on organise des soirées, des journées ensemble, on apprend à se découvrir. Ça peut vouloir dire qu’on s’embrasse, ou non. Qu’on couche dès le premier soir ou après des semaines.

Mais un date, on n’est pas avec lui. On n’est pas sa petite copine, il n’est pas notre petit copain. Il est notre date, et c’est parfaitement possible qu’il date d’autres filles. Et on a parfaitement le droit de dater d’autres mecs, il n’aurait rien à dire.

Quand je fais de grands yeux ronds à l’idée, on me répond invariablement “Mais si, enfin !!! Et sinon comment ferais-tu pour savoir quel le meilleur candidat pour toi ?”

Mffff. Là je devrais vous parler de l’idée du “meilleur candidat” mais je le ferai une prochaine fois, sujet vachement trop profond vous en conviendrez.

LA VIE N’EST PAS UN JOB, AMIS NEW-YORKAIS.

Bon, il arrive un moment, paraît-il, où l’on a “la conversation”, autrement appelée DeeeTeeAaar, DTR, “Define The Relationship”. Genre, si on s’aime vraiment et que tous les autres mecs testés n’ont pas fait le poids, on peut décider de devenir “exclusifs”.
Autrement dit, (si j’ai bien compris, il y a encore plein de nuances que je ne comprends pas) boyfriend et girlfriend.

Ouais, c’est tordu. Ou pas. Je ne sais plus.

La compétition gronde-t-elle à New York ?

Alors apparemment, selon ma copine Joyann, il y aurait un mec pour quatre filles à New York, ce qui expliquerait le nombre de filles single & fabulous et le nombre de mecs pas single & pas fabulous du tout, limite goujats même.
Moi, je pense que ce genre de chiffres ne sont là que pour faire monter une angoisse sourde et asservir et paralyser la fille parfaite new-yorkaise et je dis, fuck les statistiques.

On a qu’à toutes aller s’installer en Ohio. Erik vient de là-bas, ça a l’air pas trop mal.

Petit précis de French Love à l’usage des Américains, parce qu’ils sont aussi surpris que nous quand on leur parle de la manière dont nous tombons amoureux.

Donc, nous, Français. Nous rencontrons quelqu’un. Ça peut être un ami de longue date ou un mec qu’on vient de croiser à un bar. Soudain, ça clique. On parle pendant des heures. On s’embrasse. On couche peut-être, si on a envie. En tout cas, on n’en fait pas toute une histoire.
Le lendemain, si le mec (ou la fille) est toujours là et qu’on lui fait un café, HOP. Ça y est.

On est petits copains ! Zou, aussi simple que ça. Et pas intérêt à aller voir ailleurs, hein. On ne teste pas la marchandise, en France.

On emballe et on embarque, direct.

Bon après, niveau service après vente, France ou Amérique, c’est même combat.

Allez, je vous laisse, je vais à mon non-cours de gym.

Arno Holschuh is the Vice President of Production for the Blue Bottle Coffee Company. He’s been in coffee for a decade, and is almost as shocked as his father that this has turned out to be a viable career option.

This post was originally published on June 30, 2014.

When I was a barista, I got it all the time. A customer walks in, marches up to the counter, assumes the demeanor of a connoisseur, and demands: dark roast. It was a dicey moment, because at Blue Bottle we do not have any true darkly roasted coffees. Our dark-o-meter tops out at a comfortable medium. It’s what we like, and we’re not going to do things we don’t like. So, you start trotting out the sales pitch. We think this coffee is full-bodied; when you say dark, do you mean full-bodied? This coffee has notes of cocoa — everyone likes cocoa! But, in reality, a whole generation of coffee lovers has been trained to like dark coffee the way a whole generation of beer drinkers (myself included) has been taught to love hoppy IPAs. The best argument for super-light roasted coffee, and it is a good one, is that over-roasting tends to smudge the individual fingerprint of the coffee. It’s easy to tell the difference between a Kenyan coffee and an Ethiopian one when they have been roasted to a very light level. This is because roasting involves the destruction of organic acids, and therefore it can muddle the mix of organic acids that the plant’s genetics and growing conditions have put in place. Each coffee bean is like a message from the plant: I got this much sun, this much water, this much fertilizer, and I came from this or that strain of plant. Truly darkly roasted coffees are brutalist, erasing any individual identifying characteristics the beans may have been born with. This explains why the dark roast has fallen prey to the same fate as the caprese salad or ultra-oaky chardonnays; it is the gustatory equivalent of Riverdance. It is simply unfashionable at this time.

But, if dark coffee is autocratic, then light coffees tend to bring out religious fervor. People in the industry get very focused on trying to preserve the information encoded in the coffee, rather than focusing on what is yummy. And, there’s an arms race aspect to it, as certain companies try to outdo each other by roasting the coffee lighter. I joke that some coffee was roasted with a Bic lighter; the resulting product is sweet, explosively tart, filled with information, and kind of hard to wrap your head around. Comfort food it is not; it’s not even approachable. The language is one of a social movement, trying to reform the way you view your coffee. I’ve heard many times that we should be “redefining coffee as a culinary object,” which is both more ambitious and more wackadoodle than focusing on delicious coffee. I’ve been scolded for roasting too dark because I was disrespecting the coffee farmer by destroying their information.

At the end of the day, we need to be doing work that meets our customers’ desires. I often admonish roasters that it doesn’t matter how well they do their job if no one buys the coffee. That doesn’t mean our tastes are dictated by the masses. We are quirky, and we know what we like. But, we want to invite others to like it with us, rather than seek some moral high ground. Consider the croissant: They never come with a mission statement about how you should rethink your definition of pastry and what it means to you. They are content to be merely awesome.

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Lauren Hutton has been quoted saying that she doesn't spend much money on clothes, but last week at the Alexander Wang show she showed up looking like a million bucks, dressed entirely in grey with a subtle sheen—down to her kitten heels and digital camera. The "groutfit" can go wrong, but when done right, it’s good. Very good. This tactic works with any color really, just choose traditionally-tailored separates and accessories, and wear them all at once for a similarly big-ticket feel.

—Claire Knebl

Photo via Getty Images.