+minimalist aesthetics with a hint of navy.

(images courtesy of refinery29.com)

If you are a minimal aesthete who adores making fashion statements in pieces from Helmut Lang and Raf Simons, you will love Jil Sander's new capsule collection named Jil Sander Navy. The line will be carried right alongside to the more expensive Jil Sander at Barney's, which is a statement in itself. Expect the same boxy dresses, trench coats, and shirt-dresses that are typical of the higher end line in Jil Sander, but with a brighter palette of colors, and very little navy. The materials in this collection are also very intricate, like cotton voile, micro twill, and techno gabardine. The prices will start at around $125 and cap at $1000, and this pre-spring 2011 collection will not hit Barney's until December of this year. The line is being more targeted to the American and Japanese markets, where Jil Sander sales have gone up in the last year.

+ the british are coming!

 

(selected styles courtesy of www.us.allsaints.com)

The Brits are coming this year again to SoHo, this time with the opening of a new high street shop called AllSaints Spitalfields. The store's location is on 512 Broadway between Spring Street and Broome Street, which also happens to be the same block where Topshop, another British fashion export, is located. Up till now the brand only had an American presence in Bloomingdale's, and it also opened boutiques in Los Angeles and Miami last year. The brand's iconic punk/rock n' roll chic outfits will now be available for the stylish New Yorker to splurge on beginning May 20th. The boutique is reported to have in its interior decorations vintage Singer sewing machines from the Chatham dockyards of London and searchlights recovered from the Suez Canal, all which is an ode to British industrial and naval history. AllSaints derives its name from a famous 1960s British television icon nicknamed "the Saint," and also for the famous All Saints Road in the Notting Hill district of London. The brand started as a menswear line in 1994, and expanded to womenswear in 1998. In the United Kingdom they have enjoyed wide success from collaborations with some musicians such as U2, Robbie Williams, and Kelis on some collections.

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The footwear does not go above $250, and the average price for a leather jacket is $500. Handbags for men and women start at $40 and do not go above $250. Kudos to the people from AllSaints Spitalfields for finally gracing their presence in the New York fashion scene. We look forward to more from this brand!

- i'm not myself (again).

(images courtesy of out.com)

  Christina Aguilera in Versace Spring/Summer 2003 ad. (image courtesy of aguileraworld.com)

Do we smell a poseur? Pop style-biter songstress Christina Aguilera is on the cover for June's edition of Out Magazine. The photography was done by the very accomplished Ellen von Unwerth. The editorial spread is a regurgitation of Lady Gaga's style, but interestingly enough the interview is where the question of journalist bias comes in when allegedly she gets catty when asked about her opinion of the avant-garde Gaga. She is quoted saying "Oh, the newcomer? I think she is fun to look at." Ouch! Even the slogan on the cover of Out Magazine is stolen from Lady Gaga. The front cover reads "Christina Aguilera Reclaims the Fame" (Lady Gaga has used the words "the fame" many times in her album.) Among other things Christina chats about is about her musical collaborations for her upcoming album, Bionic, with Linda Perry, Sia, and Goldfrapp, as well as her upcoming film debut in "Burlesque" which will feature her alongside Stanley Tucci and Cher.To read the entire interview you can go here.

While the article seems to be written by a queer writer in an acerbic tone, he does give praise to Aguilera's voice. The sad reality to Aguilera's career though is that she has always been "keeping up with the Joneses." In her early career, she was always under the shadow of Britney Spears, and now that she had come out of hiding, she is trying to reclaim her place in the sun. This time however the Queen Bee is Lady Gaga. It would be nice if Xtina could just get her own style, and just be herself again. She looked stylish and comfortable in her own skin in 2003 when she was the face of Versace's Spring/Summer 2003 ad campaigns.

+ men, show a little skin.

men.

+ oak black label 

black net poncho

$178

+ wrath arcane 

grey concept shoe

$134

+ cmrtyz 
white mondo shredder tee
$110

for these looks, click here.

+ krossover kouture.

(images courtesy of kls.com)

Kimora Lee-Simmons is quite the entrepreneur these days. She has a reality television show, "Life in the Fab Lane," She is the creative director for Baby Phat, and now is launching a youthful, trendy line for 'tweens called "Kouture by Kimora." The line will be sold in Macy's and is meant to have a broad appeal to all girls regardless of race or ethnicity. The line is also going to be affordable, keeping in mind that the average tween does not have much disposable income. She said that the line will feature jeans priced as low as $19.99, and cocktail dresses as low as $39.99. Kudos to Kimora for being a great entrepreneur, who understands also that looking good and stylish should NOT be expensive!

+ white space.

interior.

+ Fluye Studio

The undetected ceramics are fully integrated in space and boasts storage capacity within them.  This storage area is barely visible and looks like it could possibly be the bathroom of Maison Martin Margiela.

+ money talks.

(Armani Dubai Hotel image courtesy of goburjkhalifa.com)

( Harrods London image courtesy of timesonline.co.uk)

News came recently that Giorgio Armani opened up a luxury hotel in the Burj-al-Khalifa towers located in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The towers are known for being currently the tallest buildings in the world.This opening came just as news has been emerging of the emirate's debt crisis, but Armani plans to help the local economy with the opening of his hotel which will feature his trademark minimalist aesthetics. The hotel is said to be decorated in beige and other earth tones, which is very much unlike the rest of Dubai, which is like the flamboyant Las Vegas of the Middle East. The prices of a standard room is worth 4,000 dirhams (approximately $1,089) per night. A luxury suite on the other hand, will go for 40,000 dirhams (around $146,800) a night. If you do not carry an American Express Black card you might as well say your money is not welcome.

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Dubai is not the only emirate in the news lately; the Royal Family Qatar made news in London recently when they brought out Harrods of London from Mohamed Al-Fayed, who decided to retire after running the department store for 25 years. Qatar Holding, the investment firm that is owned by the Royal Family of Qatar, brought the store for £1.5 billion. Al-Fayed believes that the new owners will handle well the business as long as they understand that Harrods is a cherished treasure to the British people, and also an asset to tourism in London.