-
May 25, 2012
The Locals: Val Bitici
–
We recently visited Macelleria, the charming Italian restaurant just East of our home on Gansevoort St., for the bridal shower of Val Bitici, editorial freelancer for Vanity Fair, writer for OliviaPalermo.com and author of her own fantastic blog Misc V.
HW: What about HONOR resonates with you and what made you choose the absent collar dress for your shower?
VB: My mom is the most elegantwoman I know and she introduced me to Honor. She took me to [the store] a few months ago in search of a dress for my bridal shower. As soon as I walked in, I was captured by the ultra-feminine silhouettes and beautifully crafted clothing. Much like the first time I met my fiancé, I knew the absent collar dress was perfect for me the moment I sawit. The 1950s-inspired silhouette and delicate lace paneling on the back were perfect, and the dress fit as if it was tailored to me!! There’s no question thatGiovanna Randall has a clear vision and a knack for creating quintessential ladylike fashions.
HW: Are there any special details about your wedding you can share?
VB: I’m marrying the man of my dreams and couldn’t be more excited! We’re getting married on the beach in Bridgehampton in August. Our ceremony will be followed by an indoor reception and a late-night bonfire on the beach where we’ll make s’mores and watch the Perseid meteor shower - a phenomenon that happens just once each year. The first time I ever sawa shooting star was with Alex (my fiancé), so it’s sure to be a magical evening!
[For our honeymoon] my fiancé and I will spend two weeks in Bali. Neither of us has ever been to Asia and we can’t wait to explore such a far-off place!
HW: A wedding-night meteor shower!
Val, your blog is so lovely and I know you are a contributor for Vanity Fair as well as Olivia Palermo’s site. Is there anything else you’ve been working on recently that we should know about?
VB: Thank you! My blog,miscv.tumblr.com, is a perfect platform on which to showcase anything and everything that interests me. I have a few projects on the horizon, but nothing is set in stone quite yet. In the meantime, I continue to learn each day from my peers and mentors at Vanity Fair, and also from Olivia Palermo and her dedicated staff of editors.
Images of Val Bitici courtesy of: Photography by Raquel Reis
Memorial Day weekend, the unofficial start of summer, a time to honor, to remember, and to take a vacation! Sometimes it’s best to take advantage of the quiet city streets and remain one of the in-town crowd. We’ve curated a list of options to help you get away without getting away and included our favorite looks for the holiday.
Honor Patriotism: The Intrepid kicks off its summer movie series during Fleet Week with a screening of 1986 gem Top Gun (Pier 86, Twelfth Ave at 46th St) Bring a blanket and a picnic basket, and revel in the marvelous friendship of Maverick and Goose.
Honor Design: Take a stroll through the park and stop at the Modern Life Concept House (425 W 53rd St.) for some interior inspiration. Hosted by ELLE Décor, the space features the work of eight designers in partnership with some amazing brands.
Honor Dance: Cedar Lake Ballet has been known to take audiences to another place entirely. Experience the physicality of their performance at the Joyce Theater in Chelsea through Sunday.
Honor Fun: It’s the one-year anniversary of Luna Park on Coney Island! The park’s ‘Scream Zone Expansion’ opens on Friday and we think now is as good a time as any to take a spin on the Cyclone.
Honor Cuisine: Make your way to the Gramercy Park Hotel for bread pudding French toast and bellinis at Danny Meyer’s newly revamped Gramercy Terrace.
Honor Exploration: Take a ferry ride to a world unto itself, Governor’s Island. We recommend renting a bike (free on Monday holidays) and taking in the view as well as the large scale art of Mark di Suvero.
HONOR Weekend Favorites:
Top Gun Photo via: Movie Nation, Modern Life Concept House Photo via: The Dillon, Cedar Lake Photo via: Cedar Lake Dance, Luna Park Photo via: Anijake, Gramercy Terrace Photo via: Gramercy Park Hotel , Mark Di Suervo Photo via: NYTimes.com
We caught up with the fabulous Kate Young, who styled our Spring 12 campaign shoot as well as our Pre Fall 12 look book, for a quick glimpse into her world.
HW: What can you not live without?
KY: My family - husband & kids
HW: Aside from your home, where would we be most likely to find you?
KY: Running around NYC! I like to do appointments in showrooms to pull clothes for all my jobs, so I do tons and tons of showroom appointments. I find talking to PR & Design people helps me understand and love the clothes so much more than just requesting looks via image/email
HW: What’s your greatest source of inspiration in New York?
KY: My friends
HW: What has been your favorite thing about working with HONOR?
KY: The clothes of course!!!
HW: Which pieces (from the HONOR PreFall 12 Collection and beyond) are your must-have’s for early Fall?
KY: I love the red tailored pieces, and the silk shirts
Image of Kate Young courtesy of Kate Young
If you’re not familiar with the artist Francesca Woodman, do yourself the favor of spending an afternoon at Guggenheim perusing the first comprehensive survey of her self-portraiture. We can all agree that art is subjective, but we’ll bet most people feel the same upon leaving this exhibit- changed. Breezing through the gallery is not an option; you’ll want to stay a while to really consider the questions that Francesca tries to answer with each photograph.
Words to describe her work, spanning the 1970’s and up until her suicide in 1981, are difficult to find. It appears a juxtaposition between a fragile girl struggling with self-discovery and a strong woman held captive in her self-made world. Sometimes painful but always hopeful, you may feel the urge to climb inside one of these images and help the girl Francesca was, or maybe just get lost for a while – which is not a bad thing…
Image: www.guggenheim.org Francesca Woodman, Polka Dots, Providence, Rhode Island, 1976.
May 21, 2012
Julie Macklowe showing some palm lace and Ida Liu shining in a Fall 12 rose print, catching up at our Cocktails & Conversation event on Wednesday.
