style file

interview, chic, styleandsubstance, style file

STYLE + SUBSTANCE // SOPHIE ZEMBRA

The best way to describe Sophie Zembra, our first style + substance powerhouse of the year is "veni, vidi, vici".

She moved from Paris to Miami "con furore" opened ANTIDOTE in Wynwood because it felt right and conquering our  hearts  with the perfect equilibrium of "sustainable chic" and acquired the title of "the girl of Wynwood" (according to her Instagram). 

Sophie is the embodiment of chic and young and fresh and happy, the store is the impeccable mirror of her personality and taste, but, as usual, it all happens when someone is motivated by a purpose, a passion, there's no style without substance.

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Style + substance = empowerment. Are you on board?

SZ - Totally 100% percent

 

Your personal style in three words

SZ - I don’t really have one style: it depends on the day, it depends on my mood. But in three words: freestyle; Parisian; chic/casual

 

I find it extraordinary in how little time you moved to Miami and opened one of the best stores in town: what drives your entrepreneurship?

SZ - Thank you for one of the best store in town J

My boosts are the meetings, the people!! Entrepreneurship it s an human adventure and in conscious fashion even more. My passion drive me in the good as in the bad times. I believe in life and dreams, I'm a dreamer that's why I am an entrepreneur. And to be an entrepreneur you need a bit of unconsciousness. 

 

Do you feel like sharing one secret?

SZ - Buy only what you like and what you feel good about. Never follow the trend follow only your feelings!!!

Sophie.jpg

 

Your relationship with fashion: single, married, it’s complicated or

SZ – It’s complicated by time I love fashion and by time I hate fashion!!!

 

What’s the one thing a woman should do to feel powerful?

SZ - Be yourself, listen to yourself. Women are raised without taking their word into account. So you have to listen to yourself and believe in your own power !

 

When did you find your confidence?

SZ – I’m still not confident enough in myself, but entrepreneurship helps me a lot. 

 

 

How do we get rid of the princess/cute/pretty/pink stereotype?

SZ - By creating new princesses: without stereotype!!!

 

You look at your closet holding your morning coffee ready to get dressed: personal uniform or outburst of creativity?

SZ - I like a personal uniform with a touch of creativity. 

 

Which irritates you more and why: “Sustainable fashion is boring” or “Fashion is frivolous”?

SZ - “Sustainable fashion is boring” I have heard this too many times, and it’s not true. People aren’t being curious and just follow big brands/company but now we have a new wave of designer who mix esthetic and sustainability with brio. SUSTAINABLE FASHION IS DEFINITELY NOT BORING!

 

interview, styleandsubstance, style file

STYLE + SUBSTANCE // Valery Demure

Valery and I never met personally, but when you read the interview you'll realize why she stood out in my Instagram feed. There's no seeking for attention, she is a polyhedral woman who can show at the same time strong opinions and romantic gestures, she is an entrepreneur, a mother, a wife and a relentless supporter of creativity and artistic inclination. Exquisite and unique taste make her special. 

 

Valery_2.png

style + substance = empowerment. Are you on board?

VD - Always, always although empowerment happened late to me

 

Your personal style in three words

VD - black, playful and bejeweled

 

A mother, a collector, a curious wanderer of all things beauty: how you do it all

VD - Still not sure! I have a great husband who takes care of all things at home and who follows me in all my adventures.

 

On shopping with a purpose 

VD - I never really shop for a purpose unless it is food shopping, I am always up to discover a great object, a beautiful texture, a mix of rich colors etc.  I am a wanderer.

 

Do you feel like sharing one secret?

VD - I can share a secret, for every thing, I like to go off the beaten track...shops, restaurants, places, friends etc. I love the unexpected.

Images below come from www.valerydemure.com

 

Your relationship with fashion: single, married, it’s complicated or …

VD - Can’t live with it, can’t live without it, a love and hate relationship

 

What’s the one thing a woman should do to feel powerful?

VD - To have the patience, the honesty and courage to truly know herself

 

When did you find your confidence?

VD - Very late in life, after years of soul searching and therapy, although I have always spoken my mind, and I have always been quite assured in my taste for all, music, arts, fashion, food, men etc.

 

How do we get rid of the princess/cute/pretty/pink stereotype?

VD - What stereotype ? cute ? pretty ? pink ? I have no idea what you are talking about… princess, …yes who does not want to be treated like a princess ?

 

You look at your closet holding your morning coffee ready to get dressed: personal uniform or outburst of creativity?

VD - Instinct only instinct...a gut feeling… no personal uniform … always a little fun detail…fun socks, cool handbag, one of a kind vintage sunglasses but never never over the top, not craving for attention. I tend to dislike attention seekers, I find them rather sad.

 

Which irritates you more and why: “Sustainable fashion is boring” or “Fashion is frivolous”

VD - Of course Fashion is frivolous however it is such an important part of any culture, and although I can find sustainable fashion clothes and accessories a little too plain, I like the philosophy behind sustainability very much and I think sustainable fashion is evolving fast and it will be become more and more exciting. I am a firm believer too that we must preserve and support, promote craftsmanship all around the world, to me Craftsmanship is an essential part of any culture. I am less interested in the idea of Fashion than the one encompassing true craftsmanship and forward thinking design.

classics, italianstyle, op-ed, style file, style

When your age is in between

Menocore is the new Normcore was declared by The Manrepeller.

Intrigued as to what 'meno' would stand for? 

My Latin and ancient Greek trained mind interpreted it as “less” and got excited that it was a Manrepelling version of minimalism. Alas, it referred to a-50-something year old woman that who doesn’t care what other people think and just wants to be supremely comfortable.”

So: sure, that’s what you do when you are not a Millennial and you are lucky enough to have reached a point in your life when you own your style, you know what looks good on you and what doesn’t without having to fit into a description or a trend or a social media post. In other words, th art of not giving a f^&*

At this point, the description of what is “menocore” went on and all that liberty and freedom above was bypassed by a need of fitting into a definition.

Pero, why? (one of the fine things I have learned in Miami)

Here’s what Menocore dressing is according to The Manrepeller:

-      billowy pants sporting elasticized waist bands (in Stromboli or Panarea that’s all you wear; in the book's chapter "Borrow from the boys" I describe how )

-      head-to-toe ecru (chic in my books)

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-      well-loved market bags (like the shoppers that you use instead of using plastic bags at the supermarket? Like Ikea or Balenciaga?)

-      loose tops with bold prints (Hawaiian shirts?)

-      exposed bras (honestly, us over-50 love free nipples)

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-      clunky sandals (Marni or Prada you mean?) or sneakers (All Stars for sure)

-      loose ponytails secured with scrunchies (please refer to the last chapter of the book: “Some things you never do” no matter what age)

-      a porcelain bowl of freshly-cut pineapple sitting on rumpled white bedsheets (we eat in porcelain plates, don’t use SOLO cups or plastic nothing and bedsheets are hand-embroidered linen)

-      jewelry that looked like something a kid might make in art class (yes, you don’t wear those cookie-cutter parures of bijoux they sell at the mall, and said jewelry is usually mixed with 24 karats gold family heirloom jewelry)

-      unapologetic sun protection for unapologetic sun protection’s sake (we don’t wear sunprotection, remember? We are over-50 and wrinkles we have already. Tourists wear unapologetic sunprotection)

-      tarnished gold barrettes (we don’t own cheap pharmacy stuff, do we look like we live in a dorm?)

-      sequins just for the fun of it (if not us, who?)

My first time being hurt by something The Manrepeller publishes, I guess I felt called into the conversation because of “that certain age” or “older”. 

The article redeemed itself when they realized they had hit the “ageism” button and specified:

“the movement […]  pays long-overdue homage to an age bracket that is often ignored by the fashion industry.” So basically is Millennials and Gen Y on one side and Iris Apfel on the other side, middle-aged women have no saying and menocore is what is for us.

Why do we need to categorize and be put in a class, like “no you go in A and your friend goes in B, you may meet at recess or for lunch, but not together for this year”.  Then you know where is the problem? We need to define everything in this country, “normcore” “menocore” “office attire” “cocktail attire”.

I wrote a book in which I described “Italian style” and what it means in 10 chapters because there isn’t one single definition that serves to describe what it takes to adopt the Italian way. And, no there are no trendy or pretty adjectives to be used, we may eat pineapple, but also a great pasta and a red Chianti, and we know a good one from a bad one, we don’t ask for Cabernet or Chardonnay, we look at the wine list. It’s a timeless, comfortable in your own skin attitude, simple, slow, sophisticated, and, by all means, we never buy stuff one size smaller.

classics, op-ed, style file

Are you living a luxurious life?

Is luxury a concept that went bankrupt in the year 2000? You know when people in 999 thought the world was going to end and nobody would ever see 1000?

A luxe life can be made of cars, travel, possessions like real estate, jewelry, furs, cars, boats and airplanes, art and travels, it’s normally something tangible, visible, show-off-able. All of the glitz and glamour, the richesse that was expected of the Hollywood stars is now in the hands of celebrities and influencers.

For what I am concerned, luxury is a state of mind.

You don’t need to have a floor dedicated to your closet, to always look impeccable, as long as whatever you wear is chosen with the mind, the heart and a good dose of taste and style. “Buy less, choose well, make it last.” Vivienne Westwood said it back in 2014 in a statement interview about capitalism, consumerism and sustaining her war against fracking.

You don’t need to have a chef, why not just be your own chef? When the ingredients are impeccable (that’s where you don’t settle) no need to EXTRA anything: a simple bowl of fresh pasta, butter and Parmigiano is comfort for the senses, when’s time for artichokes or truffles add them.

Flying private is a luxury, however a peaceful sailing on a small boat, fish and eat your catch, and get lost in an inhabited island with no Wi-Fi is even more of a luxury.

Haute Couture is a 1%er reality, something that we can profusely dream on, however the alternative is not that fast fashion “I would like but I can’t” attitude. How about a talented dress maker? You’ll wear pieces inspired by the catwalks yet made to measure, you’ll choose your fabric, print and accessories and will go through a privileged experience that encompasses all the senses.

What's not luxury?

Luxury is not mass, is not cheap perfumes or knock-off bags, aspirational new-money, is not shining logoed belts, key-chains and shoes.

style file, style, op-ed

It's a Fashion Revolution

April is the month in which the activities around slow fashion and sustainable practices take center stage and culminates with Fashion Revolution day on the 24th.

It's also the month of Vivienne Westwood's birthday whose quote became a motto of any sustainable aficionado.


Buy less,
choose well,
make it last
— Dame Vivienne

Why a revolution?

Because we all love fashion but has come the time when looking good also has to mean feel good about what you are wearing.

It means knowing that what you have purchased has been imagined, designed, cut, sewn, steamed, embroidered, produced and finished in fair and transparent conditions. Fashion is still an industry that values ideas, people, without forgetting about the environment and profit.

The production chain of the fashion industry has reached that far exceeds the limit: one of the heaviest environmental impact in the world after oil industry. And this is because coal mining is almost at its extinction.  

#whomademyclothes

It’s a campaign launched in the UK three years ago and its worldwide impact has prompted the creation of a Transparency Index, that is, a list of global fashion brands that disclose name and address of all the facilities where their garments are produced. It’s an empowerment movement for garment workers, sustainable companies, for designers and creatives, students, who have an extra chance to become visible.

Why did all this start?

Do you remember in 2013 the collapse of a building in Bangladesh that killed 1134 people and left 2500 injured remained in history as the Rana Plaza tragedy?  They were garment workers left to work in conditions so inhumane that could be compared to slavery, forced to live in the same unhealthy establishments. Those were the guys that would sew the $10 H&M jeans or $15 Zara T-shirts.

Why us?

It’s our duty, it’s not “them” anymore, we can’t allow blind ignorance “they are all the same, they all pollute, I go for the cheapest, I won’t make a difference alone”. The same way we need to know where our food comes from, that it’s not injected with poisonous ingredients to make it look uniform, shiny and plump, we have the right to know who made our clothes, if the materials are produced under best practice rules, if labor laws are respected and fair trade applied.

I strongly believe that in 2017 we ought to be active citizens, not just citizens that are governed by some out there entity, responsible consumers and conscientious entrepreneurs. Community builders, if we really need to label ourselves, is another of those roles that we ought to take as parents, if we want to hand our children a healthy future.

In my vision, it’s a revolution to bring things back to how they were.

We have too much, we don’t need to produce more, we must waste less.

The parameters of the affluent society are o v e r . Economic growth has created a need for more with less, less time, less creativity, less money, less protection, and less quality. Fast, everything is fast, shopping compulsion leaves you craving for more, you cannot just be, you have to have, own, throw and buy. We are led by the carrot like donkeys and what loses in the game is the environment, because economic growth and environmental protection are two opposite forces. 

The Fashion Revolution has its ways of leading towards transparency, there are events all through the week of April 24th and one in Miami too. Take it to the comments if you will be attending. I will.

To see how sustainable is sexy and chic, GO HERE

classics, italianstyle, style file, op-ed

When a man asks for style advice, what do you think I do?

"The Cheat Sheet of Italian Style" is not published yet, but I found out it can help the guys too, who don’t have it that easy as we think.

A friend, Ed, posted the following challenge in a closed Facebook group.

“Ok ... here's a challenge for you folks.

Back in the day, about a hundred years ago, I used to LUV wearing a suit and tie to work.

Now that I work from home? I have two uniforms: Summer, cargo shorts and a polo. Winter, jeans and a heavy flannel (or hoodie).

So what I need from you good people is convincing that I need to dress better... say like this dude, my Insta bud” accompanied by a picture featuring a rainbow circle of what looked a bunch of lace up, brogues, loafers.

First of all: Ed is a professional, owns several businesses, is the only member of the group I have personally met and, even if we differ in our opinion for cargo pants (gulp) is a man of style. Don’t mess up with his wristband watches collection though, and, for his own delight and many more hopefully, there’s a chapter in the book titled “Borrow from the boys” which will be highly entertaining.

The Facebook group he is the administrator for is composed of men and women, all independent consultants who write, that is copywriters of a new generation, the ones that are entrepreneurs first, they come from and live all around the globe, and I think it’s enough to describe the kaleidoscopic congregation of highly prolific minds.

Which brings me to my first point: walk out of your comfort zone.

It’s easy for me to talk about style and fashion and the empowering experience that is discovering one’s style when I talk (and write) from the standpoint of a “professor”. I know, I see where you are making the mistakes, I correct, you pass the test, prize? Your own contentment, happiness, fulfillment, growth and one more person distinctly dressed in the world.

But the lively conversation that ensued catapulted me out of my realm: it was like preparation for the SAT (and yes, I have a Junior in the house, so the analogy comes spontaneous), rough territory, mine fields. I am humbled by the experience and I have to share my takeaway.

The concept that stood out was: I work from home, I don’t need to dress-up and that makes me happy because the years of corporate dressing are gone. The peak was “dressing up slows me down and depresses me”, a brazen statement to hear that I am still trying to dissect it and attempt to understand.

Corporate attire

In the book I describe in details what happened when I was handed my first Employee Handbook that listed in HR jargon what I had to wear. My first encounter with “corporate attire” resulted in 6 of the most miserable months my heart recalls. “Do you mean I am “the girl that does Facebook” because I am wearing a black taffeta full skirt by Oscar de la Renta to work? Didn’t you ask me for “black”? So but then if I’d wear a black ill-fitting sheath dress from ____ (I blank out, but it’s some bridge collection from Macy’s) I am “the girl from marketing”? I leave it as is, I still get fired up about it and the book will do.  

Dress-up.

Truth is: there’s no dressing-up for _____ insert what you want, church, office. The only dressing up is when you are attending a gala that requires couture level and sartorial knowledge or when you play dress-up as a child wearing what your parents wear for galas.

Dress for.

I am going to break another news, the concept of dressing for _____  is a major fail that brings the self-esteem levels lower down the drain, besides creating an insurmountable divide between Italian style and American style. B O Y I said it, but it’s true, just look in the streets and in the metro.

Only person one should dress for is oneself. 

The cliché

The undertone of many comments was the cliché of style and fashion as shallow which is so … shallow, I don’t really know where it comes from, maybe usual male dominated corporate America that sees a woman or a man caring for their appearance, clothing, accessories, new seasons, colors, fabrics, collars as frivolous.

Really?

I just have a quick annotation: many of the colleagues of the group own a business, have a website, have profile pictures all “dressed-up” according to their standards, because the rest of the time they live in comfort “exercise clothes” and “scruffy looks”. When they need to meet a prospect client they simply put the “interview suit” on. I find it an alarming divide.  First, truth is, when you dress up for an occasion in which you want to impress, like a networking event or an interview or a meeting with a prospect, good chances are you’ll be sniffed miles away. Second, we are not college students going for the first interview with a Calvin Klein suit charged on the department store card and returned the following day, that is not what you expect from a professional.

To put it in different words, the ones of the founder of the group, “Even when I'm only on the phone with them,[the clients] I can't imagine having a serious conversation if I was in raggedy sweats.”

Metrosexual, who?

There seemed to be some misunderstanding as to what metrosexual means, which is, by the way, one of those words so 2011 that is not used anymore, unless you want to corner someone. And, to give so humorous respite to this opinionated piece, I’d like to invite everyone to laugh their belly out with “Fuck yeah menswear”. Style is an individual language, the first and primordial one, boxing it in to definitions and titles has been attempted forever, some of them resisted the gods of the weather, like prep or sprezzatura, some of them like metrosexual or normcore got weathered down.

Hell yeah, it was a trip down a lane I had never walked before, hard to digest, but more so convinced that my ten struts to the Italian way make sense even for whom is not Italian.

THERE ARE A LOT OF OPINIONS STATED, THAT I'D LOVE TO KNOW WHAT YOU ALL THINK. COMMENT AWAY THEN 

 

style file, trends, style, chic

socks and heels: the 101 manual good for every age

I get it it's not a look for everyone, it may seem childish, it's forward, it's a sexy "je m'en fou" to men since the ones advanced enough to appreciate it are unicorns and it must be done well. 

WHAT TYPE OF SOCKS

lace, sparkly, ankle, fishnet, cashmere, see-through tulle or nylon like my absolute favorite ones by Pan and the Dream crystal encrusted, decorated 

WHAT TYPE OF SHOE

pointy, thin heel, kitten heel, vintage sling-back, mary-janes. You can do it with flats, my favorites are N.21 by Alessandro dell'Acqua and Gucci by Alessandro Michele. 

No wedges, oh no, no wedges (who wears wedges anymore?), platforms we should be good, especially if they are Marc Jacobs or Miu Miu.

WOULD YOU DO IT?

WHAT'S IN IT THAT WOULDN'T MAKE YOU DO IT?

style file, styleandsubstance, style, must-haves, chic, holidays

The one item every chic girl swears by

Tell me what comes to mind when you hear the word “turban” and I’ll tell you who you are. No, that was another story, but not really.

I think of Joan Crawford, Old Hollywood femme fatale, pool, a martini and some good Norman Parkinson or Richard Avedon portraits.

Then think for a moment of Mia Farrow in “Great Gatsby” and her head covered in a cascade of crystals (and also Robert Redford and then I go out of contest).

Then, in order of appearance (in my mind, I mean) it’s India, elephants, the British Empire, the Tour of the World in 80 Days, then Scheherazade and Arabian nights. Come down from the magic carpet and bam, Margherita Missoni and it's real. 

Now stop and find the fil rouge.

Because all the different scenes have a thing in common that is strength, confidence, power, authority, royal privilege, or in one word badass.

The turban is sensual, mysterious yet determined and matter-of-factly. It’s not a beanie, not a hat, you step in a room, you don’t quietly enter, no words are needed, or, no caption needed in social media language.

You are part of a clique, a circle of trust, this is the year of the turban, it’s a thing, or at least, I made it a thing and, once again, via Instagram I met le.Conturbanti this bombastic duo that eats, prays and loves turbans and I got fascinated. You will get more on their story in the book, (including what the work means for non Italian speaking friends) but now I can’t wait to share my first outing with a le Conturbanti turban.

Packaging says it all 

I had received it a week before, it was dangling on the living room table, on my easel, on top of a pile of books. I would put it on, wrap it and it was so easy to wrap that I thought I was doing something wrong (thank you self-esteem for always having my back).

A couple of times I wore it tied in the back, so incredibly Jackie Kennedy that I thought I was plagiaristic, I was knocking her off.  But, I thought it was a OK to go, and I left the house in whatever I was wearing from the day at work and went. 

I swear, I dragged myself in a 2-mile radius to pick-up Japanese take-away the first time and to Publix the second. My thought process was if I get even just a nod from the places the most remote from where my imagination would spot me wearing a turban, it's good. The reaction was positive and, hello Mr. Self-Esteem, people were strangely nicer to me than usual, women and men.

With general rehearsals passed magna cum laude, the time for the premiere was as short as two days after. Because I was late and the whole outfit had started with the turban, I ended up not having time to put make-up on before leaving, one more time, the rearview mirror at the traffic light is my bitch.

You HAVE to read the whole shenanigans HERE 

What I learned:

Don’t over think: boom, boom and done;

1.   The messier the hair the better, I know that my hair … invented messy hair meets crow’s nest meets bed hair, but if your hair is curly, you are 1 step ahead in the game;

2.   You’ll see your reflection in the windows while you walk or on the pavement and you’ll be baffled and for a split second unable to connect the two together;

3.   People will look at you, they will ask to take pictures of you, they’ll compliment you, they’ll ask you “who are you wearing” like an array of clones of Joan Rivers on the red carpet;

4.    What do you do? You take it all in, say “thank you” smiling and blushing, air kiss, hug, pose for a picture, while thinking that Angelina Jolie does that every day of her life and you deserve your Angelina moment, all brain, smart and a turban (if you have her long legs, work them too!)

5.   Even if you are intimidated, scared, apologetic inside because you are not used to all of the shenanigans going on, don’t you ever let fear slip through the cracks: the show must go on;

6.   Go back home, rewind and enjoy with a smirk while you put your winning cannon to rest;

7.   What now?

8.   You are awesome, you’ll feel the adrenaline pumping while you prepare the outfit for tomorrow when you’ll step and repeat;

9. Are you pregnant? Take it from my glowing preggo friend Keturah: "Just ordered a gorgeous chic turban from Le Conturbanti, makes me feel less shabby and more chic" and remember kids in that womb form 9 months know everything that's going on and you gotta start them early with the notion of " chic ".

 

style file, styleandsubstance

Dana Bronfman: unconventional and quietly bold sustainable jewelry // style + substance

It was just after a few Tweets that Dana and I clicked and I knew she was someone who I wanted you to know.

She is young and talented, a skilled artesan, she  traveled and lived in different countries, she is an artist and a woman of business, she was brought up knowing that to give back is the best form of living.

I stop right here not to spoil it, but be ready to land in NYC ,  do a fast tour of the world with minimal carbon footprint and a good deal of diamonds. 

 

 

FB - Did you always want to be a metalsmith and a jewelry designer?

DB - I didn’t! I was a very artistic young girl. My interests spanned from wanting to be an architect, to psychology, to philanthropy because giving back has always been important to me. But I ended up becoming incredibly inspired by my travels abroad and studying art history in Spain.

It all came together for me on a visit to Santa Fe, New Mexico. There I discovered that being a jewelry designer was an actual career—up until that point, I didn’t know anyone who made jewelry. I became passionate about architecture, which inspired me to create drawings and three-dimensional designs.

I started to become so fascinated in jewelry with a strong sense of style. Those that told stories always made me stop dead in my tracks wherever I saw it along my journeys, and it helped me decide I wanted to create styles of my own.

FB - You have been traveling and living in different places, do you think that was the catalyst to your philanthropic interests?

DB - I do think that traveling and living in different settings opened my eyes to the fact that not everyone lived the way I did. I was lucky enough to have been raised in a family that taught us the value of giving back from day one, which is always something that was important to me. I think having different experiences in multiple areas of the world allowed me to understand that giving back was not only a nice thing to do, but that it was absolutely necessary, and gave me the sense of independence to be able to believe that I could perhaps make a difference, however small.

FB - You use reclaimed precious materials, conflict-free diamonds, recycle scrap to the best of your capacity it all sounds a work of high levels of craftsmanship.

DB - Thank you! I design with my heart, and make sure that everything is created from extremely high-quality materials by extremely talented craftsmen which is done right here in the diamond district of New York City, so I can work with my jeweler face to face and oversee the process each day.

FB - We first have connected on social media for our penchant for the slow fashion movement, how did you decide to follow sustainable practices?

DB - While in jewelry school, I learned about how destructive diamond mining, and gold mining even more, is to the earth, and the often harmful toll it takes on the workers who work in the mines who are rarely trained on the necessary safety precautions while working in the mine.

After learning about the toll jewelry takes on the earth, in keeping with my commitment to society, I knew that I couldn’t ignore what I had learned and felt committed to not only working with recycled metals, but to practicing sustainability however possible. I believe it is a responsibility of mine to help educate the consumer about the process behind their jewelry.

FB - To be a sustainable brand you need strength and courage to maintain the principles of transparency and ethics, have you ever found resistance or obstacles?

DB - Yes, it’s not easy. It limits who you can work with and from where you can source materials, but it also means that you want to work with people you can trust and allows you to work with better people and resources as a result. I think it’s mostly important to be transparent and authentic and practice what you preach instead of just jumping on the sustainability bandwagon, which many larger jewelry companies do. I try to keep my carbon footprint as low as possible with my brand and across other areas of my life as well.

FB - How do you balance being a woman in business with being a talented, skilled and highly qualified artist?

DB - While it is challenging to find balance, I am very lucky that I live in New York City, which is constantly reinventing itself—the city is so full of beauty and inspiration and has such a strong, motivating energy. I believe it was Picasso who said, “Inspiration exists, but has to find you working,”—and I completely agree.

I travel often to keep my eyes and environment fresh, so I never get too comfortable in any one place for too long, and am always exposed to new forms of beauty and inspiration. I have my best ideas for designs while I am doing something business-related. Each of my designs inspires another, and I love the challenge of seeing how many pieces I can design out of a key concept.

Additionally, I’m lucky enough to have a strong community of industry veterans and experts who I feel comfortable seeking out for advice, and while I love the creative aspects of design, the technical aspects drive me crazy, so I work with master jewelers who can bring my visions to life with more precision than I could while I’m working on another aspect of my business.

I travel often to keep my eyes and environment fresh, so I never get too comfortable in any one place for too long, and am always exposed to new forms of beauty and inspiration.
— D. Bronfman

FB - Take us within your #wearrealjewelry and the choice of leaning towards a minimalist life. Is it a move to counteract the imaginary collective that associates wearing jewelry with adding accessories and diverging from minimalism?

DB - #WearRealJewelry is not focused on having or wearing fewer accessories, but is about understanding and valuing the story behind a material object and its material value as an added bonus. I believe that jewelry made from high quality materials is more sustainable because it lasts longer and can be passed down through generations. These pieces hold meaning—something a cheaply-made accessory cannot.

So, it’s more about wearing less that you don’t love, and wearing more jewelry that really means something to the person wearing it. I have a story on my own blog at www.DanaBronfman.com about the meaning behind #WearRealJewelry if you want to learn more!

FB - I am fascinated by the concept of jewelry being quietly bold, can you help me visualizing it?

DB - My designs have a boldness to them. Through edgier shapes and unconventional color combinations, the pieces are also understated through matte and hammered finishes. So while they have a distinct point of view, they are not “loud.”

I think this concept reflects itself in the women who wear my jewelry—they like to think of themselves as slightly unconventional and take pride in being individuals with their own unique sense of style. I believe they agree with me that being understated and original is chic, not flashy.

And now tell me if you are not in love with Dana!

You may find her on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook

style file, style, trends, chic

5 TRENDS gone, 11 still strong: are you on the right train?

We begin the year by closing a circle.

With January comes Epiphany that swipes all the holidays away, the men shows, some snow or the 61 degrees Miami version of snow and all that gear we started swooning over last January's runways. 

That's where it starts allover again. 

So, what are we wearing now? What are we carrying on from last year, that is literally 2 weeks ago?

Are we all on the same track that #wedontfollowtrendswesetthem? If it sounds new to you, go HERE before you continue further.

Concept is: one thing is having a defined sense of style, another 'pair of sleeves' is grasping an overall aesthetic stream and embody it. That's why I am not the regular outfit-of-the-day blogger, I am unpredictable, I may not be cool, but I spice things up with a little bit of attitude and I enjoy getting away with it. 

I keep having these congitations and convince myself I am right, and I am determined to show you so, but what do YOU think? 

Take it to the comments and please contradict me, will you? 

 

THE TRENDS THAT (SHOULD HAVE) NEVER MADE IT TO YOUR CLOSET

  • the nude dress: somehow from Queen Bey it trickled down to the KKlan, but we never adopted it. In my case, I never had the body and should I had the occasion there would have been other Couture options to choose from. Take that. 
  • normcore: we ain't no Steve Jobs (may he rest in peace) nor Mark Zuckerberg. Must be noted that we are strong believers in our own IQ, we just rock it with mooooore taste, style and creativity.

Now here I ought to open a piece of heart: shouldn't this American workplace show a little respect in 2016 and refrain from judging women with the frivolous adjective when they are brave enough to express their own personality and character in a male dominated professional environment? 

It is sad and sickening at the same time to still read  'corporate attire' required as standard jargon that forces a woman to dress with the unspoken uniform (black suit) just to be hired, initiated in the circle and eventually taken seriously.

Rant is over, free the nipple. To say it with the Giorgio Armani pre-fall collection: 

 

Freedom from all that is ordinary 

 

  • sheer and lace underwear as outerwear, although we love to wear pajama outside. 

 

YOU MAY WANT TO CHECK THE ART OF PAJAMA DRESSING  in THE STYLE FILE

 

  • latex (oh man, when did that become a trend, outside of any street mall sex shop?)
  • athleisure is that awkward evolution of the Juicy Couture's chenille tracksuits with UGG boots. Sorry any celebrity signing leggings, tracksuits and yoga pants which you wear as your signature uniform, but by definition it’s still the same average athletic gear made to look expensive and by signing it you make it also over-priced. i am diverging opinion from Corinne Wang who on Refinery 29 approves of athleisure as one of the epic trends of 2015, easy and minimalist way of wearing comfortable clothes on a regular working day. Thing is what if your regular day doens't involve lounging on the couch and being photographed by your Instagram boyfriend?

 

THE ONES THAT survived and moved TO 2016

  • the off-the-shoulder and bell-sleeved top: there was one white Tibi top that became the piece of the summer, but I never bought it. Let's put it this way, the off the shoulder is the 2015 equivalent ot the peplum top of 2010. nope we haven't adopted that one either. However having a shoulder visible in the flesh is sexy no matter the age, as Harper's Bazaar 
  • Adidas' Stan Smith: this is tricky. If you, like me, have always worn them regardless of the normcore/blogger trend, you are already bugged that everyone has been flaunting them. Stick by them because they belong to your style, but maybe, I mean maybe, I will opt for those suede hunter green high-top Nike just because

 

  • the geek chic(k) I can’t get enough of the new Gucci era by Alessandro Michele, the modern Renaissance man, in total awe of his forward gender bending and barriers thinning. Elements of this granny chic? silky tops, socks and pumps, pleated skirts, pussy bows (a lot), embroideries, lace, bomber elevated, middle crease straight pants and fitted jacket, 
  • neck-gear: bandanna, silk and skinny ones(for this heat over to Etsy and search form Smith Lab, Sarah Smith is the girl: you are welcome) 
  • slipdress great under a blazer with platforms for a day look and long, shiny with flat lace-up sandals or pointy ballerinas for the evening.
  • shirt: the element that keeps on giving, the love for a white crisp shirt never fades, but the shirt-dress has surpassed its own role and risen itself to a power dressing position. A simple exquisite blue cotton shirt-dress belted and worn with wedges (like those Gucci ones) makes the woman entering the meeting room remembered in a forgiving silhouette.
  • denim still a strong seasonal plunge, favorite are frayed cropped straight pants and jumpsuit
  • cropped flares: I am having a crush, still have to find the right ones (unfortunately Zara had the perfect one, BUT I am not buying fast fashion any longer)
  • man pants or like The Man Repeller says, who is wearing the pants? #girlboss, #entrepreneurialmind
  • prints I personally have never been a passionate lover of prints, mono-chrome has been a signature, but when a print touches me, the click is done.  
  • animal print I am bias and believe in animal print like in Santa Claus. Jenna Lyons, the Executive Creative Director of J.Crew said something wise
...as far as I'm concerned, leopard is a neutral

Did I omit something important to you?

If so let's discuss it, because I may not agree (smiley face)