Category: 2009

Healing with Fashion

How does fashion relate to Breast Cancer Awareness Month? As I was trying to conjure thoughts for this column, I was so stumped. I felt that talking about fashion was trivial compared to a cause that is so big. Breast cancer has devastated so many lives. But then I sat back, took my fingers off the keyboard, rested my chin in my hands, and took a sip of coffee.

Then it came to me!

Because fashion inspires others to start over and reinvent their look, this couldn’t be more relevant to breast cancer survivors. For these women, rebuilding their lives entails being healthy, happy, and stylish.

Shopping (especially shopping sales and clearance racks!) is a popular outlet among those who are weighed down or lifted up with emotions; and I can imagine that breast cancer survivors may feel both highs and lows as treatment concludes. Whether you were the one diagnosed with breast cancer or are a loved one who experienced its suffering with someone throughout her treatment, it may be time to take a deep breath, put on some cute flats, and head on down to the local mall. It may be time to treat yourself to a new wardrobe or update your already-fabulous style.

As for where to find affordable pieces to invest in, think such stores as Target, JCPenney, and Old Navy. For personalized care and customer service, Nordstrom offers you excellence. But before you get going with spending your hard-earned dollars, make a shopping list of your essentials. If you or your loved one underwent a mastectomy or a double mastectomy, specific types of undergarments may be the first items to purchase.

However you approach shopping, remember not to overspend! That is my number one tip. Feeling reinvigorated with new fashion is an understatement, but you never want to go home broke. After all, don’t you want some money left over for your next trip? Treat yourself well, and be kind to your bank account in the process. Healing with fashion doesn’t have to leave your wallet empty.

Tragedy is prevalent in so many lives, and recovery is a blessing. This column is dedicated to those who lost their lives to breast cancer, those who are beginning treatment, and those who have survived.

Written by Elana Pruitt

Louis Verdad’s Spring 2010 Collection – Hit or Miss?

LA-based designer Louis Verdad has always been highly favored in the media. He’s known for his feminine, figure flattering designs. His fashions have graced the covers of several fashion magazines and have been the focus of fashion editorials both in South America and the United States. He has designed exclusively for countless celebrities, and his work is highly praised by top fashion stylists (Arianne Phillips, et. al.) and editors (Anna Wintour, et. al.).

In his Spring 2010 collection, I got a sense that Louis Verdad was trying something different this time. His collection consisted of only three colors: crème, navy, and gold. It was a definite nautical theme with a throwback to the 80s. His use of billowing sleeves against form-fitted A-line gowns was different creating a unique contrast. I’m not sure how well it worked for me. A lot of designers this season followed the one-sleeve trend, and so did Louis Verdad in a few of hispieces. What was consistent with some of his past collections were the following: train-enhanced evening gowns, figure-giving fabrics (jersey) and figure-hugging cuts, and the presence of nautical.

Louis Verdad always had an old Hollywood feel to his past collections. That was one of the things I probably liked most about his designs. By his own admission, he is forever inspired by the opulence of fashionable, societal women of his homeland. And usually this is his constant running theme, with both enchanting and very obvious intentions on his runway. But sadly, this particular season, Verdad missed his mark. There was an obvious well-intended theme with a mostly all African-American lineup walking the catwalk. But unfortunately, the fashion road to hell is often paved with good intentions. The garments were ill-fitted with only a few exceptions: the gold metallic camisole, gold metallic capris, the crème coat dress with the wide lapels, and a few other pieces that fit the models well, but were not all necessarily figure-flattering. What was glaringly obvious? Very few pieces actually flattered the wearer. And I certainly could have done without the 80s riding pants/calf-hugging culottes.

When I interviewed Louis, I asked him about his inspiration for this collection. This was his response: “I wanted things to have color in it. And the way people are following Michelle Obama and the way they want to iconize her, it caught my eye. She has style without even trying, and she inspires me. I wanted to relate this collection to all the black women and to empower them.”

Well, it looks like Louis Verdad created his Spring 2010 collection without even trying either. What appears to be a last minute, thrown together collection with ill-fitting garments—this may have been Verdad’s worst attempt at a collection. This was a classic case of the Emperor’s new clothes. Better luck next season, Louis Verdad!

Skingraft Spring 2010 Collection: Leather Edge and Sexiness in Strength Inspired by Amelia Earhart and Joan of Arc

With the hype of the film Amelia, I thought just maybe that was where the designers of Skingraft garnered their inspiration. Well, I was half right. Amelia Earhart and Joan of Arc were the inspirations for Skingraft ‘s Spring 2010 collection. It was a bizarre combination of leather, spikes, fitted bomber jackets, all topped off with what appeared to be aviator caps from the late 20s. Oddly, it all worked. And as each model walked the runway, I found myself anticipating the next piece. There was a parade of edgy spiked leather jackets, flamenco skirts, and leather pants. I didn’t think I liked it at first. It was so different, so unexpected, so dark . . . yet so utterly hip! The colors were mostly dark and very “unspringlike,” consisting of blacks and rich browns, with the occasional grey and muted earth tones. The coolest look that caught my eye was the white princess lace skirt with black outer tracing. Don’t ask me how, but everything worked.

Skingraft consists of three designers: Jonny Cota, Cassidy Haley, and Katie Kay; and this was only their second fashion week. Both showings proved to be hugely successful for the relatively new line. Since the label’s launch, many celebrities have been spotted and photographed in it, including Black Eyed Peas and Fergie, Adam Lambert, and Kat Von D.

What was particularly thematic about this last fashion week? Los Angeles’s emerging designers. And with true underground style, Skingraft epitomized just that. Skingraft uses distressed leathers and furs, painting and antique canvases, and masochistic metal detailing and corsetry. Other distinguishing features include elongated Victorian necks and punk-inspired metal work. The design trio used to travel the world as circus performers and costumers, which could explain a lot. Their collection accommodates both sexes, and they truly have acquired a burgeoning cult following.

Leather vests, fitted bomber jackets lined with fur, khaki short shorts were all featured on the runway. I liked Skingraft’s use of color. In keeping with spring, Jonny, Cassidy, and Katie were not afraid to use white. The white leather skinny pant was paired nicely with a matching jacket with front zippersand black leather spiked-heeled boots added a nice touch. The men wore knickers with ankle boots, leather vests, and aviator caps. The final piece in the show was a metal-studded black leather bridal gown that was Victorian-inspired, topped off with a feather headband.

Ash Gupta Studio 838 November 2009 Recap

For Ash Gupta and Studio 838, November was a month full of international flair.  Ash continued his Venetian mask project with models Heather Burton and Jeri, the new face of Bebe Fragrance.  Couture designer Maggie Barry created clothing out of fabric printed with Ash’s photographic images.  These pieces were debuted in a live photo-shoot installation as part of the LA Fashion Walk. Ash also completed the artistic, art-themed editorial for London-based “The Collective.”  Ash and the studio shot a branding-images campaign for the Bollywood Step Dance Troupe.  Rising star, actor Collin Blake was captured atop a Harley, America’s most-loved bike.  Broadcast company RTL came to LA to film Ash in action for a German reality show.  Finally, the month ended with several big production shoots, featuring Bollywood superstar Preity Zinta.

See the November 2009 recap image gallery.

Face of the Month: Interview with Ash Gupta

What was your inspiration for starting “Face of the Month”?

After 25-30 years in the industry, after seeing so many faces, one would think that they would blur; but instead of blurring together, there began to be standout faces, faces that stood-out, not because of their bone structure or eye color, but rather because of what lay inside and behind the faces:  the empathy and intelligence, the education and values.  This is just a humble effort of a fashion photographer to help bring recognition to the extraordinary, but sometimes overlooked qualities of beauty that make up a face behind the painted eyes and dusted cheeks.

Is the FOM only a female, or do you also choose men?

I primarily work with women and find my work tends to weigh towards feminine subjects.  Naturally, I see beauty most obvious in women, though male subjects often fall into the fashion equation.

I notice since we started FOM on Agenda, each month the person chosen is from either an exotic place or has a very interesting background.  What is your selection process that makes somebody a good candidate for FOM?

I work in an industry peopled by a very diverse crowd, in addition to Los Angeles, the city we’re based out of, being a rich cultural mecca.  Modeling as a profession also brings together a huge collective of nationalities and ethnicities, as well. So far the “Face of the Month” choices have ranged from an Israeli, an Indian-heritaged girl born in New Zealand, and a Muscovite.  Their skills also vary and have spanned from combat sniper/bio-geneticist to hula hooping psychologist.  But they all stand out in an extraordinary fashion.

I love the editorials you do on each person.  What is the inspiration for those?  Tell us a little about your shooting and creative processes.

One’s stories always begin based on what they have read, seen, and imagined when incidents are pieced together, one after another—they form a story.  This isalso how cliches are born; after a certain age of experience, one begins to break these cliches, whether they involve technique or creative temperance.

Do you have to be a model to be considered?  What in your opinion makes a good model?

The selection process usually involves subjects crossing my path, whether through a commercial/editorial or artistic venture.  These faces are primarily made up of fashion models, though a model is merely the most refined example of what one is trying to illustrate.  There are many types of models, and though we traditionally work with agency-represented girls that are professionally pursuing an active career that brings them in front of my camera, we do welcome submissions for “Face of the Month.”

December 2009 Face of the Month – Pratima Anae

December Face of the Month, Pratima Anae: Interviewed by Studio 838

Hey, Pratima.  What is your birth city?

Manhattan, Kansas.

Oh . . . when did you get outta Dodge?

Ha ha, when I was six months old.

Ah, O.K. Then, where did you go?

I went to Indiana, a little Amish town named Shipshewana .

So, you’re Amish?

Well, my parents are Mennonite.

Mennonite?  That’s funny because you look, well, more East Asian Indian than “Indianaian.”

I grew up in a family that held the belief that religion is a personal relation of a cultural expression, and wanted to embrace the community that embraced them.   When we lived in Shipshewana (Indiana), we went to a Mennonite church; and in India, we went to temple.

That sounds like a beautiful perspective to have. Have you spent a lot of time in India?

We would summer in Hyderabad. I loved it. I wanted my parents to leave me there.  It was full of things like suitcases with scorpion surprises.  And the city was colored the shades of sunset.

But you didn’t stay in Indiana?

No. I felt like moving to Manhattan. Manhattan, New York, was a bit of my birthright.

Love it.  What was your first Manhattan address?

307 E. 91st Street.

What sent you to New York City?

Modeling.

Your first agency?

Ford.

What brought you to Los Angeles?

Acting.  I believe cinema to be the most relevant art form today.

You have side interests as well, right?

Yes.  I like to read–mostly classic literature, biographies, painting, cinema, and law.

You went to law school, right?

Yes.  Lots and lots of reading. I actually finished in New York while I was working as a model.  I remember I had a casting my first year of law and it was a callback casting, and I got the job and it was going to pay for me to live for an entire summer; so I had to take the job, but I had to study for the exam at the shoot. I had this huge law book at the photo shoot–it was an underwear campaign.

The following questions came from the infamous “Marcel Proust” questionnaire:

What is your most marked characteristic?

One that I believe every human possesses . . . the ability to love.

What is your favorite color?

White, because all the colors of light together create white.

What is your favorite flower?

Jasmine, as it reminds me so of India, and its intoxication.

What would you like to be?

Be myself without reservation.

What is your dream of happiness?

Peace of mind.

How would you like to die?

In the midst of a dream of happiness.

See Pratima’s Editorial.

Fitness Couture – Five Ways to Defeat Holiday Guilt

Happy holidays, Agenda readers! We made it through Thanksgiving, but we’re not out of the seasonal woods yet. The holidays typically take a toll on our health and waistlines due to our busy nature this time of year. Fitness seems to take a back seat these days. It’s easy to enjoy an eggnog or two at a friendly gathering or indulge in one too many sweet treats only to justify it with the promise of extra fitness time later. No worries, as I am not here to scold you but to give you some fitness insider intelligence that will dispense with much if not all that holiday guilt. There is nothing wrong with taking time to enjoy the holidays and all the sweet treats as long as you are willing to keep a balance and pay back your holiday fitness debt. Here are five tips to give you an edge in the holiday season.

Tip 1 – Slowing Down Sugar Bombs

What certain goody is synonymous with the holidays? Sugar! The problem with sugar is that concentrated amounts cause havoc on our systems by ruining our skin, causing false hunger, false cravings, mood swings, increased fatigue, and mental fog. Sugar, when concentrated, shoots into our blood stream quickly, like a Rhino charging through a crystal boutique; so slow the beast to reduce the damage. A great method for calming the negative effects of sugar is to combine it with fiber, sugar’s arch enemy. Add soluble or insoluble fiber when having sugar and you dramatically decrease its destructive capabilities. Fiber when taken about 15-30 minutes prior to your sugary treats will make a world of difference.

·   Walnuts

·   Almonds

·   Veggies

·   Fruits

·   Powdered Fiber

·   Psyllium husk

·   Whole/Multi Grains

·   Legumes (such as dried peas, beans, lentils)

Tip 2 – Triple the Fitness Burn in 1/3 the Time

So you don’t have the full hour to devote to being in the gym or even working out at home, but I know you can spare 20 minutes. In order to reap an hour’s worth of results from 1/3 the workout time, you must push hard, no complaining. Go straight into your favorite workout routine, but take only 30-second to 1-minute breaks when needed and push about 20% harder than you typically would. Is it worth it? I’ll let you decide. You just might love that extra push and keep it up. Now that would be great. For more details on this type of hard, quick training, look up “Interval Training” or wait for my next article on how it works in our next issue.

Tip 3 – Burning Calories While You Sleep

Did you know that when you incorporate resistance (weights) into your workout, your metabolism is naturally heightened by about 30% for the next three days? After you do your cardio routine, your metabolism is naturally heightened by about 50-70% for the next few hours and then returns to normal. When you weight train to the point of feeling a light soreness, your metabolism revs up to repair the positive damage you have occurred, making you stronger. That light soreness burns about 30% more calories while you sleep–yes, while you sleep. Pick up some weights and push hard enough to feel a light soreness/burn that will make up for a lot of those holiday guilty pleasures.

Tip 4 – Decrease Stress to Increase Weight Loss

Stress is all around us this time of year and is hard to shake even with all the festive red, green, and white all around. Stress increases cortisol, which is a basic primal hormone that puts our bodies in defense/survival mode, telling our bodies to hold onto fat and gain some more in self-preservation. “What should I do?” you ask. Well, your best combatant against stress is relaxation and fitness. Get yourself to a spa and enjoy (trainer’s orders). Get to the gym. A short 20-minute cardio session is more than enough to dramatically reduce cortisol; 20 minutes is all you need if time is short. Sex is another great stress reliever if you enjoy a certain workout partner. Please avoid the most common of all short term stress relievers, though, sugary and refined bad foods.

Tip 5 – Mental & Nutritional Prep to Curb Overeating

There is absolutely nothing wrong with eating great food during the holidays. The problem stems from how much of it we indulge in. Sugary and highly refined foods release small, short term amounts of endorphins into our system–the feel good hormones–which is why you always want more. This is also a prime reason that we associate fond memories with sugary bad food. Unfortunately, we subconsciously eat more and more, trying to keep that initial feeling only to be left stuffed with massive calories and not feeling happy at all. Remember that it’s the atmosphere and the people that make you happy, not the food itself. If you truly love the food, then remember that it’s the flavors that have you so enamored and not the quantity. Enjoy the food slowly, and stop once you know you are feeling satisfied. Bad food is usually the culprit for overeating because it is good fats (omega-3s) and fiber that inform our bodies we are full. Most bad foods are low in both and are calorically dense. If you want to make sure you eat properly, eat about 60 calories of walnuts or an omega-3 food about 20-30 minutes prior to your meals. Studies have shown that it takes about 60 calories of good fats to trigger the natural satiety center. This small act will keep you from overeating as your body will tell you much sooner that you are honestly satisfied. Enjoy the family, friends, loved ones, memories, activities, tasty foods, and all the holidays have to offer; but control the guilt and calories, and your health will thank you deeply. Happy holidays Agenda readers!