cecilia l.j.: A Stella-r Gift →

cecilialj:

Just a few weeks ago, my mom and went on a secret mission for SMC6.
And that’s not just because we went to go see the new James Bond movie.

It’s was a Sunday afternoon at 16:30 hours E.S.T. Of course it was a lazy afternoon and I was going to send my partner in crime (mom), but then I thought…

the reality of imagination


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"I was always fascinated by the absurdities and the luxuries and the snobbism of the world that fashion magazines showed. Of course, it’s not for everyone. Very few people had ever breathed the pantry air of a woman who wore the kind of dress Vogue used to show when I was young. But I lived for that world, not only during my years in the magazine business but for years before, because I was always of that world — at least in my imagination.”

Diana Vreeland


There you go, I was always of that world. When I say I ‘need to wipe my eyes with beauty’ as if beauty were wipers whisking away the ugly, I am damn serious. I can’t spend a whole day without being surrounded or exposed to some of the reality of my imagination. 

To say it with DV, ‘the eye has to travel’.

There’s one week in the year when my imagination becomes real and my eyes are bright and clear. Right here in Miami Beach where the amped circus of Art Basel Miami Beach (+ 25 other fairs) happens in just one week, I saw some of my dreams of fashion madness materialize in moments of glory, satisfaction and excitement. 

Just as a hint: when does it happen in Miami to find yourself in the same place with Scott Schuman aka The Sartorialist with uber-chic partner Garance Dore, the impeccably impeccable Stefano Tonchi, Editor in Chief of W and wit and whimsical Leandra Medine of The Man Repeller? An idyllic stage where all of a sudden I was performing, a capella and for real.

So, since

I will be publishing a series of interviews from my own imagination.

Until then, yours truly

Source: http://http://dianavreeland.com/

slip into your own culture

'tis the season and I feel it, love it as I always did since I can remember.

It’s ingrained in my genes, blood, traditions, customs and comfort, beloved and cherished memories. I celebrate Christmas and I am happy to wish Merry Christmas to all, to be a little Santa Elf, to buy gifts, hide them and put them under the tree on Christmas Eve. We eat fish on the 24th and Christmas lunch is a profusion of delicacies, from tortellini to the Pandoro with powdered sugar. 

And the tree? It must be up at least by December 1st when the Advent calendar begins. Flickering lights, gilded decorations, wreaths, silver silverware and champagne flutes always on duty. 

I find it hard to express it all though now that I am not in Italy. I am not alone. I was reading ‘Changing Into Your Christmas Culture’ by Richard Bronson and it was reassuring to read that 

Your culture greatly informs how you perceive the world. It determines what you interpret as honorable, good and true. Its intangible presence can be felt in most everything you do […] However, what you take to be your culture is as much a matter of what you identify with and value as the circumstances to which you were born.

Now, where is my culture? The best depiction (very proud to brag it) is the Mona Lisa culture.

Here’s the latest study done by 2 researchers of the University of Urbino that describes in minute details where is the most famous balcony in the world overlooking. 

Mine is the culture of the culture, something impalpably rich that takes me everywhere I go. it is something that people would love to reproduce by saying “I was in Florence and Tuscany (as if being in Florence isn’t being in Tuscany already…)  in a 7 days tour, I was in Rome and Venice too”.

Culture is not Monopoli, you can’t touch and buy, it grows.

Can’t help it.

Why not being proud of it and show it off? 

Happy 26 days ‘til Christmas!!