Café Henrie

October 26, 2016October 28, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

This place used to be a garage owned by a hot-dog booth. Now it is the most fashionable address in the Lower East Side. Café Henrie in the newest initiative of André Saraiva, a famous graffiti artist, who for many years has been a soul of Parisian parties and fashion events. His projects include the design of seductive Hotel Amour and chic Castel Paris. And then… he found out he needed a place in New York, where he could drink a delicious cup of coffee. Just a few steps away from his studio.

The interior reflects André’s eclectic aesthetics. There are the timeless benches of Jean Prouvé which for years have been collected at the Parisian flea markets. Pink neons designed by Petra Collins hang in the toilets. Colourful, ceramic vessels designed by Peter Shire (one of members of the Memphis Group) are a good reason to take an Instagram-perfect picture. Café Henrie is constantly changing and the owner regularly invites his favourite artists to co-create this unique place.

And yet, Café Henrie is not only about its interior. It’s the food, and the signature menu of Camille Becerra that stands behind the restaurant’s success. Favourite dish of New Yorkers? „Dragon Bowl“, a bowl filled to the rim with avocado, herbs, pickled veggies and garden salad. Vegan nachos served with mysteriously called sauces (such as Beet Tahini or Gentlemen’s Relish), „Persian” meatballs or tea-and-ginger chicken are only some of the menu’s delicacies that attract everyone at Henrie.

Thanks to Chloë Sevigny herself, who is a frequent guest and a friend with André, Café Henrie is a cult spot. But at the same time, this place seems to be one of the most laid-back in the city, far from the turmoil of fashionable districts.

116 Forsyth Street / New York

Initially posted by me here.

Raise The Glass. Maryam Nassir Zadeh SS17

October 16, 2016October 14, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

After a month of fashion, fashion and once again, fashion, the days after the last shows in Paris feel like the most idyllic moment for the fashion industry. Also, it’s the time to reflect on the season, and review much quieter, yet equally brilliant collections from off-the-radar designers. Maryam Nassir Zadeh‘s spring-summer 2017 was presented at the beginning of warm September in a West Village gallery, and it was rather a downtown brunch with friends (including Ana Kraš, Mari Giudicelli, Oroma Elewa and other MNZ girls) than a fashion show. Zadeh’s women sat at a table piled with fruits and Mediterranean ceramics, and later on started to smash the plates and vases on the floor. No, it wasn’t an art performance; metaphorically, the designer was raising a glass to the success of her brand, her boutique, and creative women, who surround her on daily basis.

The collection is a dream wardrobe for summer. Loosely fit silhouettes and on-the-go styling tricks; sensual, sheer skirts and leather bras; gorgeous denim skirts and lovely beige palette. Maryam is the designer who proudly represents eponymous New York style. It results in the designer’s origins, and maybe the city’s melting-pot culture. Or, it’s just about the idea of making affordable, yet high quality clothes for women in any age. The presentation also celebrated the brand’s debut bag. It’s a hand-woven tote in mint-green. One thing is guaranteed – it will sell fast, in this and any other colour.

Timeless. The Row Resort’17

October 14, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

There’re no other American brand like The Row. The New York-based label is far from ‘contemporary’ or ‘casual’. It’s a luxurious of reflection of Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen‘s aesthetic, which rather targets mature, intelligent individuals, rather than Insta-models. When the designers started The Row (named after London’s Savile Row, not by coincidence), the sisters didn’t look to any brand for inspiration. It’s has always been about quality and fit for them. The Row is a pretty young brand, though – but thanks to its philosophy and minute attention to detail in anything, it quickly appeared in the league of such minimal-luxury brands like Céline, Lemaire, or even Hermès.

No wonder why – just have a glance at The Row’s resort 2017 collection, and you will understand why the label has become fashion industry’s obsession. The look-book of just 13 images features (un)usual models: nearly 50-year-old Frederique Van Der Wal, iconic Audra Avizienis, intriquing Olga Sherer and a newcomer, Jada Joyce. Those four women represent different ages, and that’s the silent message behind the collection. The coats and other outerwear pieces are timeless, just like black cashmere turtlenecks or fur-lined suede loafers. Sensual lingerie isn’t an intepretation of the slip-dress trend, but a new addition to the brand’s range. Impossible not to love it.

Candy Rave. Marc Jacobs SS17

September 17, 2016September 17, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

New York Fashion Week might impress and surprise, but leave “shocking” to Marc Jacobs, who always ends the city’s schedule with a spotlight-stealing collection. And this time, Jacobs presented an ecstatic rave of his latest obsessions, inspirations, collaborators and, of course, aesthetic. At the Hammerstein Ballroom, Stefan Beckman built a huge stage splattered with grease, lit up by more than a thousand little bulbs. A perfect space for an off-beat, underground party filled with techno-music and thirsty-for-fun people. The association was right – it was the venue of the most youthful collection of the upcoming season.

Lets take a look at the collection from the bottom to the top, literally. All of the models wore platforms, which looked even higher than the ones from Jacobs’ autumn-winter 2016. I LOVE THOSE SHOES, every single pair of them. Kept in all colours of the rainbow, the killer-stompers were designed in collaboration with Julie Verhoeven (who also did a fantastic job together with the designer during his spring-summer 2002 Louis Vuitton show). Verhoeven produced a number of fantastic, cartoonish illustrations, which appeared on the shoes, and also on the bags and some of the one-of-a-kind pieces. Looking at the clothes, Marc and his team didn’t disappoint. Candy-coloured, sheer apron dresses with ruffles; extra mini, mini-skirts in denim; fur-collared or sprouting with feathers military jackets and cardigans. This season, it’s about lifting normal pieces into ~~nearly~~ couture creations. Hoodies (something we are all getting sick of lately) look brilliant, also printed with Julie’s illustrations. I really do have doubts whether teens would feel absolutely comfortable in those sexy, fairly provocative and imaginative pieces on a binge – but surely, these clothes guarantee a big entrance.

Reaching the heads of the extremelly tall models, we are getting closer to the most problematic (to some) aspect of the collection – the dreadlocks by Guido Palau. Instagram users raged Jacobs’ account with comments on cultural appropriation, calling him a ‘thief’. I’m just overwhelmed with the public’s lack of any awareness. True, corn-rows are over-used by white teens, while Indian headbands with feathers aren’t properly credited by Coachella fans. BUT dreadlocks are for everybody. They are universal. Lana Wachowski has fuchsia-pink dreadlocks. Boy George from the Culture Club-era had dreadlocks. And Bob Marley was the king of dreadlocks. Even a friend of my cousin has dreadlocks (but they look bad, though). In other words, dreadlocks are for everyone, and people should at least try to widen their horizons.

Janis and Bees. Rodarte SS17

September 17, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

Bees and Janis Joplin. Mostly nothing in common. But Laura and Kate Mulleavy found a connection between genus Apis, and the magical character of a 70s icon. In case of the former, Rodarte played with tulle and lace to form honeycomb-like layers. The safety pins lined up along pants weren’t about grunge and punk, but rather an association of bees’ stings. A heavily ornamented, beehive shaped bustier on a closing gown looked as sweet as honey. Flowers are essential for bees – that’s why floral motif appears countless times in this collection. In case of Joplin, her care-free attitude oozes in those jaw-dropping, fringed biker jackets and hippie, ruffled dresses. In the world of Rodarte, it’s a fantasy story-telling combined with truly beautiful clothes.