bunny BISOUS

From PAPER: Peek-A-Boo Preview of Designer Katie Gallagher's Upcoming Collection: Veil

Katie Gallagher – "I've literally set up a small production house in my studio!"

Fashion circles are abuzz in anticipation of New York-based designer Katie Gallagher's dramatically sculptural garments and endearing yet contemplative motifs (think inflated cats, Neuromancer, Veronica's Veil) to be presented at her first full ready-to-wear collection on September 12. The dainty, dreamy RISD alum further refined her skills at apprenticeships with threeASFOUR and Anna Sui – garnering industry whispers of her unrivaled technical prowess and diligent emphasis on the wearer's personality. It was a pleasure to chit-chat with the fellow history buff and rural Pennsylvania native on her pixie-like upbringing, distinctive design journey, and upcoming Spring/Summer 2010 presentation.

Can you tell us a bit about your environs while growing up?
I grew up in a farm town in Pennsylvania. I was surrounded by forests and I played with wild animals all the time; in fact, my mom thought I was a saint because I would perpetually approach and touch random animals and they never ran away from me! I was a forest creature, really –- I never wore shoes, and I hated wearing clothes (but always wore my cat on my head)! Growing up consisted of foraging mushrooms and berries, making little potions... and avoiding clothes. I'm not really sure how I ended up being a fashion designer in New York, but here I am!

Katie and her Sveater

Why are you so enchanted with cats?
They're furry AND low-maintenance! I only really love novelty-sized inflated cats like my Sveater though [photographed above].

What first sparked your interest in becoming an apparel designer?
When I was younger, I was always vintage shopping and altering my clothes on a little Singer machine. When I attended art school at RISD (Rhode Island School of Design) I originally had the intention of painting, drawing, and doing whatever I wanted! I was so interested in drawing and dividing up the human body into shapes – by dramatizing and adding character to it – that I majored in fashion to learn how to sew properly and make patterns to do this in a more effective, refined, and pure way. I haven't really stopped making clothes since... and now I'm launching my first collection!

Katie Gallagher Spring/Summer 2010 Illustration

How would you describe your design aesthetic?
I like things to be relatively pure: fashion is as much about what's in style as it is about eloquently communicating the personality of the wearer. I'm not particularly frilly and I like to avoid things that are too confectionary or embellished... I definitely appreciate a certain hardness and drama. But that said, I want to avoid the ambiguously masculine road that is so often associated with that aesthetic. Avoiding lace and trim doesn't mean you have to start cutting up and refitting menswear! A big part of what I do with my designs is technically motivated. I'm a firm believer in non-traditional pattern-making and I avoid superfluous seaming and construction in my clothes; seams should follow a woman's body and thereby accent it... not merely use the amount of fabric that's the simplest and most inexpensive to cut in a mass market factory.

Who or what was your chief design inspiration last season? ... and for this upcoming season?
Both in my last collection, Shroud, and in the upcoming collection Veil, I have followed a pretty similar focus: pattern-making, wrapping the body, and a ghostly, ethereal feel. Both titles Veil and Shroud come from historically significant artifacts – namely The Veil of Veronica and The Shroud of Turin – wherein a piece of cloth had taken on much more meaning than the sum of its parts. However compared to the all-white Shroud, Veil embodies a much harder approach; it's mostly composed of blacks and I was affected by very dramatic butoh dancers – these really curated, focused body positions and movements. I tried to contrast that image with some of the aesthetics and moods of cyberpunk literature: novels like William Gibson's Neuromancer and Neal Stephenson's Snow Crash. This sort of high-tech, low-life world.

How has working at threeASFOUR and Anna Sui affected your personal work?
They are very different places: threeASFOUR focuses primarily on patternmaking and construction (just like I do) so it was a great place for me to learn. Anna Sui had a very focused aesthetic and incorporates everything she loves into her clothes; they're very much true to herself... and I admire and respect that. In what manner will you be presenting your new collection? I'm having a presentation of 22 looks and some 70+ separates at the Tribeca Grand during New York Fashion Week. I am trying to blow out the presentation as much as humanly possible given my limited resources; I have funded the entire collection out of my pocket (which is a very small pocket!) and I've handmade all of the samples, cut all of the patterns, and glued and hammered the leather all by myself. I've literally set up a small production house in my studio! It's amazing how many people have gotten behind it and helped me with actually presenting the collection... I even have a German industrial group making a custom soundtrack for the show. It's pretty ridiculous. I hope the show will be too!

Related:

• Designer Katie Gallagher to Present her First Full Collection [PAPERMAG]

• The lovely Tavi and I Grab a NY Nosh at One Lucky Duck [Style Rookie]

• Jeremy Laing and I Discuss his Fall 2009 Campaign [PAPERMAG]

• Julia Frakes: Serving on Teen Vogue Fashion University Panel October 23 [Teen Vogue]

• Seeing Red with Chloë Sevigny by David Armstrong featuring Julia Frakes, Ryan McFarland, Lissy Trullie [Opening Ceremony]

• Douglas Pernet casts Opening Ceremony's Reds [COACD]

• Flashback! Julia Frakes, Paris Fashion Week F/W 2009-2010 [StreetPeeper]

bunny BISOUS,
ox Jules

NYLON Japan June 2009: Best-Loved NYC Boutiques | Surprise Lissy Trullie Cameo

NYLON Japan June 2009 via MagStyle

Pas de Deux
Owned by the brilliant partners Eddy Chai and Paul Birardi – who have single-handedly revolutionized E. 11th Street into an East Village retail retreat as proprietors of the preeminent men's store, Odin (as well as the groundbreaking pop-up concept shop, Den) – Pas de Deux is an elegant and enchanting emporium that is carefully curated to fit its polished, petite quarters. Staffed by the most ebullient and accommodating salespeople in retail, Pas de Deux is a chic must-visit for rare collections like Chimala, Coming Soon by Yohji Yamamoto, FWK by Engineered Garments, Repetto, and Coventry by Matthew Terry – alongside a hand-picked selection of the best from my favored Boy by Band of Outsiders, Karen Walker and Rag & Bone collections. 328 E. 11th St. New York, NY 10003 (212) 475-0075

Opening Ceremony
Without a doubt, Humberto Leon and Carol Lim have the most enterprising, innovative, and pioneering vision in retail today. It has been an honor to better get to know Humberto while I was with Chloë Sevigny shooting her Fall 2009 lookbook in Brooklyn (for her unisex collection in collaboration with Opening Ceremony); he is a revolutionary gentleman who has garnered an unprecedented assemblage boasting the likes of Bernhard Willhelm, Proenza Schouler, Schiesser Revival, Hussein Chalayan, Marios Schwab, Alexandre Herchcovitch, G.V.G.V., Jeremy Scott, Meadham Kirchoff. and their cult-venerated eponymous label – as well as my all-time favorites: Charles Anastase, Peter Pilotto, Tsumori Chisato and Rodarte! Until the eagerly awaited opening of their first international store in Tokyo, if you're in New York be sure to request their brilliant salesperson Meghan Farrell at OC: she is incredibly knowledgeable and obliging when navigating their unrivaled selection (including vintage wares) and exclusive, cooler-than-thou collaborations. 35 Howard St. New York, NY 10013 (212) 219-2688

Otte (West Village location)
Otte is a delightfully curated little boutique that carries many sought-after feminine labels that are otherwise quite rare to come by in America – including my beloved Sonia Rykiel, Vanessa Bruno, Burfitt, Catherine Holstein, Seneca Rising, and Ulla Johnson lines. My favorite Otte location is in their West Village storefront just across the street from the enchantingly twee British tearoom, Tea & Sympathy. 121 Greenwich Ave., New York, NY 10014 (212) 229-9424

OAK (Manhattan location)
Always cutting-edge, Oak is a downtown punk oasis situated on a treasured rarity in Manhattan: the cobblestone road that is Bond Street. As the ultimate destination for avant-garde leggings, superbly skinny trousers, and architecturally intriguing volumes, Oak tends to attract an unpretentious, progressive Alex Wang-esque crowd with labels like Obesity and Speed, Horace, Don the Verb, and Ilse Jacobson. 28 Bond St. New York, NY 10012 (212) 677-1293

Mick Margo
Nestled in the historic West Village on the picturesque Commerce Street, Mick Margo's airy, light-filled boutique retains the best selection of Isabel Marant in Manhattan. I usually peruse their comely selection of antique jewelry and easy, dainty basics after wandering around Christopher Street (bursting with gems like Aedes de Venustas perfumery, McNulty's Tea & Coffee Co., Rag & Bone's flagship, and just mere blocks away from my favorite bookshops – Three Lives & Co. on the corner of Waverly Place and W. 10th St. and Left Bank Books on W. 4th St. near Bank St.). Don't forget to ferret out their Chronicles of Never sunglasses and stock up on their impressive selection of supremely supple and cozy environmentally-friendly ecowares by Araks, Royalton, and Organic by John Patrick. 19 Commerce St. New York, NY 10014 (212) 463-0515

bB, jf

Lissy Trullie "Boy Boy" directed by Cass Bird

featuring Chrissie Miller, Chloë Sevigny...and even yours truly makes a few cameos (2:12, 3:00)
hint: a hoisted crowdsurfing bunny donning the same Rag & Bone hat as above NYLON scan

Related:

• Julia Frakes StyleSetter interview conducted by Elizabeth Monson [StyleCaster]

• Vogue Nippon spots a bunny during Mercedes-Benz NY Fashion Week [vogue.co.jp]

• Hehe... sent to me by M: bunny BISOUS Conspiracy Theories [The Clothes Horse]

• Vladimir Restoin-Roitfeld presents three photographers [New York Magazine]

• Caught outside Lanvin F/W '09 by ELLE Japon in Paris [elle.co.jp]

• On my BFF Rachel Antonoff's lookbook set with Sarah Sophie Flicker and Alia Shawkat [Teen Vogue]

Field Trip! Bunny Hop to PAPERMAG.COM for my Ongoing Fashion Month Down-Low

My Pre-Fendi Chit-Chat with "Karl Lagerfeld" [PAPERMAG]

images via Chantale Nadeau

My Quick Chit-Chat with Calvin Klein Exclusive (and bunny amie via my dear friend, the talented photographer Owen Bruce) Addison Gill [PAPERMAG]

My Quick Backstage Narciso Chit-Chat with Charlotte Høyer [PAPERMAG]

My sincerest of apologies for the lack of bunny BISOUS exclusive postings as of late! While I cannot reveal very much quite yet – as per various contractual things way beyond my realm of understanding – I've been quite a busy bunny! Stay tuned for in-depth behind-the-scenes action when I arrive back home to New York après Paris A/H 2009-2010 Prêt-à-Porter. In the meantime, be sure to check my twitter and PAPERMAG column for the latest daily fashion schmashion! As always, thank you kindly...

bunny BISOUS,

ox jules

Field Trip! Bunny Hop to PAPERMAG for My Ongoing Fashion Week Down-Low

 My Quick, Mid-Casting Chit-Chat with Katie Fogarty [PAPERMAG]

photo via Supreme Beings at Paul Rowland's Transformations exhibition
My Quick Pre-Show Chit-Chat with Designer Jeremy Laing [PAPERMAG]

Douglas Pernet's Quick Chit-Chat with Some Cool Cats – somehow your bunny snuck in there – at Transformations [Confessions of a Casting Director]

  My Quick, Mid-Castings Chit-Chat with Constance Jablonski [PAPERMAG]

Vlada Débuts her New Red Hue [PAPERMAG]

  My Quick, Backstage Chit-Chat with Burberry It-Girl Alexina Graham [PAPERMAG]

Related:

• Julia Frakes is Cool, Calm, and Collected at threeASFOUR [Teen Vogue]
  

• Once Perennially Late, Now Always on Time – Jacobs Makes a Statement (a.k.a. I have the funniest editor ever, Mickey Boardman) [The Cut]

• First Glimpse: Jeremy Laing Fall '09 [Fashionista]

• Bloggers Unite! Teen Voguers, Fashionista and bunny BISOUS Cover Costello Tagliapietra [Teen Vogue]

• At the Tents: Scott Schuman (The Sartorialist) Spots a Bunny at the Ready-to-Wear Shows [Style.com]

• 6119 Ilana Sunderland's Designs Make You Look Red Hot and Feel Naked! [Refinery 29]

bunny BISOUS,
ox jules

A Quick, Pre-Holiday Chit-Chat with America's Sweethearts Ali Michael & Karlie Kloss

After a few twee Christmasy tête-à-têtes over at PAPERMAG with Canada's Amours (top models Amanda Laine, Kate Somers, and Simona McIntyre) and "Planet Earth's [self-proclaimed] Favorite Third World Fag" – recently announced COACD Top Face – Bryanboy, I had the pleasure of catching up with all-American beauties Ali Michael and Karlie Kloss to dish on their kooky family traditions, nostalgia for the Nineties, and how they're giving back... not just throughout the holiday season. 

How long did you believe in Santa Claus? 

Ali Michael: I believed in Santa probably until I was about eight years old or so. Santa used to leave me a typed letter every Christmas morning. One day when I was looking through my mom's computer to find something for school, I accidently opened the folder that held the exact letters that Santa had left me. It was kind of devastating. 

Karlie Kloss: [chuckles] What are you talking about... I will always believe in Santa Claus!

Does your family have any quirky holiday traditions? 

Karlie Kloss: Well my poor dad was born on Christmas Day [December 25], so he has to "split his birthday" with Christmas: we always spend the entire first part of the day opening presents and enjoying Christmas morning, then at night all of the family comes over to celebrate his birthday! It's quite a day...

Ali Michael: We really don't do too much for Christmas – except get together with family – which is what it's really all about. 

Favorite holiday desert: 

Karlie Kloss: Definitely my gram's gingersnap cookies. 

Ali Michael: I can't imagine that any of my family members will go near any vegan treat that I attempt to make; but I'm loving warm raw cacao-coconut-almond milk at the moment! I want to try to make a raw vegan cheesecake or recreate Souen's carob brownies with pine nuts.

Favorite holiday film: 

Ali Michael: I grew up watching the original version of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964) and always have gotten a kick out of Tim Allen's The Santa Clause (1994). I feel like I'm back in the good old 1990's when I watch either of them. 

Karlie Kloss: It's a Wonderful Life (1946) and A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965): it's a tie! 

Favorite charitable organization: 

Karlie Kloss: There are potentially too many incrediable charities to list... but one of my favorites is the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation because my mom survived breast cancer. 

Ali Michael: While it's not exactly a charitable organization, I just signed up as a volunteer for an organization called New York Cares. It's a really great placement program that connects people with a wide range of volunteer opportunities all throughout the city. When in Texas, I volunteer at a therapeutic horseback riding stable where I work with kids with mental and physical disabilities.

How do you plan to spend your holiday this year? 

Ali Michael: I'm spending my holiday with family in Texas. While it would be nice to see a "White Christmas" for once, I'm not complaining about having a break from the freezing New York weather. It's supposed to be sixty-five degrees [Fahrenheit] here on Christmas! 

Karlie Kloss: Enjoying time with family... and of course catching up on sleep!

a very merry everything,

bB jf

• Related: A Quick Pre-Holiday Chit-Chat with Bryan Boy [PAPERMAG]

• Related: A Quick Pre-Holiday Chit-Chat with Canadian Models Amanda Laine, Kate Somers & Simona McIntyre [PAPERMAG]

The internet at Paper is down – stay tuned for the "European edition" set to be published by the end of the week!

Battle of the Suits: Tom vs. Thom Ensues...

Tom Ford [left] and Thom Browne [right] contrast their trademark tuxedo tailoring

Among the more sparkling revelations of Tom Ford's Rules of Style feature in the new January Details, the designer mogul/film director/luminary of luxury less-than-crypticly divulges: "I hate the trend of short suit jackets. When a man’s butt is showing below the bottom of his jacket, I think it makes him look like a female flight attendant from the back— not my idea of sexy." 

His collocated Bergdorf Goodman Men's second and third floor showdown with fellow American suitor Thom Browne may in fact serve as a microcosm of a greater vying over the definition of masculinity in the twenty-first century luxe market – and as such, a gallant battleground of sorts over whose modern cut will reign supreme in the sartorial propinquity. Although their rivalry over disparate design ideologies will suitably remain as gentlemanly as the made-to-order maestros themselves, when Mr. Browne was asked whether he would indeed triumph in a fist-to-cuffs fight with Mr. Ford, he famously boasted: "I'm a stubborn Irishman, so I'd probably win." 

While his Central Park jogs (famously sporting his signature shrunken silhouette on every run) may help maintain his tiny physique, Thom's runway pursuits of the tennis leitmotif have done little to convince Suzy Menkes of his diminutive dissertation on crisp American menswear with his hallmark hoisted-up schoolboy proportions. Madame Menkes – who recently toured Tom Ford's new Milan menswear maison [below] – strayed from her usual propriety when describing what her fellow International Herald Tribune/New York Times fashion reporter Eric Wilson had just praised [above] by proclaiming Browne's Spring 2009 presentation as "a shriek for a shrink [rather] than a coherent vision of a new man with a newly filled closet." She asserted that he failed to properly infuse his trademark tailoring into his cuts at Brooks Brothers, instead lavishing on overly-literal, frivolous Roger Federer-inspired togs. Match point.

bB,

Julia

• Related: Karl Lagerfeld adores Tom Ford and his goods (erm, clothes): video interview with Kate Betts

Bunny Quote du Jour | Feeling Uninspired? Dress as a Hobo and Bump into Testino

Katie Grand's Latest Masterpiece: 

Pop Fall 2008 - The 80's Excess Issue

Amber Valletta, Jourdan Dunn, Natalia Vodianova, Naomi Campbell,

Oluchi Onweagba, and Agyness Deyn by Sebastian Faena

Hallelujah! If not for Sebastian Faena's fairy godfather Mario Testino, these six sexy 80's nuns may merely be like a prayer:

"Growing up in Buenos Aires, I worked on many short films with friends from high school. Then at 16 I started making my living as a fashion photographer. When I finished high school, I went off to college at Columbia in New York. I dropped out when my script was finished and went back home. I knew I wanted to make it into a film and I knew it had to be fast. The original producer was my best friend from school, and the whole thing was pretty intimate. When we ran out of money halfway through, we stopped postproduction for a while and I escaped to the country and lived with my dog while waiting for something to happen. I would go into Buenos Aires on the weekends, and one night, with dirt under my nails and dressed like a bum, I met Mario Testino at a friend’s house. He was in town shooting for American Vogue. He saw the rough material and gave me the confidence and support to complete [my 2005 Testino-produced film, La Mujer Rota]." 

- Sebastian Faena, 2007

click for full-size covers:

Pop's very prettiest Prada'd vestal pixie is ________.

bunny BISOUS

xx jf

bunny Quote du Jour: Miss Cintia Dicker Makes Her Case for CdG+LV Swag

"I can carry this bag on any occasion. I'll let you know when you give me one hahaha."

- Cintia Dicker peddles for a limited edition Comme des Garçons+Louis Vuitton joint Tokyo store collaboration bag (dangling with a bunny to boot) in the September issue of Vogue Nippon:

bunny BISOUS

ox jf

A Quotable Gem Courtesy of Numéro | Alber & Karl Are Kind of Hilarious

Juste un goût:

"There's only one thing I despise more than the beach. It's the thought of me on it." 

-Alber 

"Whenever I put on a pound or two, [my mother] would say: 'It's a pity you can't see yourself crossing the yard, because your ass is as big as the house'." 

-Karl's Mutter

click each image to view full-size:

bunny bises,

ox jf

Lars Larson is a Racist Arse

Larse displays his innate doucheyness in the latter part of the clip.

bB

xx jf

PS: Watch the exquisite & eloquent Michelle O. on The View!

Bunny BISOUS Exclusive Interview: Zuzanna Krzatala

photographed by Chadwick Tyler for Supreme Model Management

Back from a bask in Bali, prepossessing Polish mannequin Zuzanna Krzatala has graciously answered her bunny amie's burning questions. What makes her so lovably endearing? Well for starters the whimsical Zu used to pretend that her garden was in fact Christopher Robin's Hundred Acre Woods. That's more than ample evidence to merit induction on our liste préférée de lapin!

JF: How were you "discovered"?

ZK: When I was 13, I escaped with my girlfriends from a chemistry exam in school to a shopping centre, where we happened to find an agency scouting for a modeling contest. 'Why not give a try?' I thought at the time. None of my other friends were chosen; and ever since I've skipped more and more school exams!

JF: What do you consider to be your "big break"?

ZK: Doing the Christopher Kane show in London [video below]. I entered the fashion industry dressed in a snakeskin printed dress with chiffon ruffles, and that's how I got enrolled on the Supreme board.

Christopher Kane Spring/Summer 2008

JF: Do you believe in luck? 

ZK: I believe in hard work and self-belief... that's got to lead you somewhere! Luck is tricky: what easily comes, easily goes away.

JF: What do you miss most about home?

ZK: Homemade food... my mum is the best cook ever!

JF: While traveling abroad, what do you like to do in new cities?

ZK: I love just wandering, trying the root out the place on my own, getting lost without any guide. That makes me discover the real vibe of the city! This trait probably comes from my last name, Krzatala, which in Polish (my native language) literally means 'to wander about'.

JF: How would you describe your personal style?

ZK: I take inspiration from the catwalks -- more in order to keep it fun and playful, rather than being really serious about new trends. We have one of the best thrift stores in my hometown of Szczecin, Poland (approx. two hours from Berlin); I go shopping with my Mum and sometimes we fish out gems like original Dior shoes from the '80s, Jean Paul Gaultier leggings, and Kenzo oversized jackets. Nobody else appreciates these off-beat masterpieces here [in Poland], so everything is left for me!

JF: As a major fashion insider, who are some of your designers?

ZK: I love Stella McCartney's wholesome sensuality, Sonia Rykiel's red hair, and the Scissor Sisters Rodarte [a.k.a. Kate & Laura Mulleavy]!

Zuzanna backstage at Rodarte Fall/Winter 2008-2009

JF: What are your last thoughts prior to stepping out onto the runway? 

ZK: 'Keep yourself straight!' I have bad slouching habits from school (on account of being the biggest one in class).

JF: Do you personally prefer runway or editorial work? 

ZK: It's hard to say; both can be fun. Modeling has a lot in common with acting: I pop on the outfit and I'm no longer myself. Runway is definitely more exciting, though.

Burberry Prorsum Fall/Winter 2008-2009

JF: What do you least admire about the fashion industry?

ZK: The lack of imagination. There are a few "iron characters" who rule over the fashion industry -- they decide who is on top and also set up the future faces. If they don't fall in love with you straight away, the others [in the industry] will pass you by unnoticed. If it so happens that one day they decide to book you, all of sudden everybody loves you. In a flash it's like: 'Who's that girl? She's stunning! She just did (such-and-such)...' You are not what you are, you are what shows you walked in.

JF: How do you keep yourself entertained backstage?

ZK: By the time I arrive at the shows there are not usually any snacks left -- no, it's not that I'm not so 'in demand', rather just because I'm always late everywhere -- so I enjoy catching up with the girls. Contrary to all the stereotypes, we are not that narrow-minded.

JF: How do you maintain your radiant complexion? Do you have a specific beauty ritual? 

ZK: Beauty sleep. No cost, but it sometimes requires giving up nighttime entertainment!

JF: How would you rate your cooking ability?

ZK: Low, very low... all I can muster are eggs: scrambled, hard and soft boiled, and fried. I received this "survival breakfest recipe" once from my older sister when I went to Japan at age 15. Then I discovered sushi, which immediately halted the development of my cooking skills! Unfortunately I'm a lazybone, but I do believe that I have a hidden talent from my mum!

JF: What are your absolute favorite fashion magazines?

ZK: Every Numéro Magazine is literally a must-have issue for me!

JF: What is your favorite fairy tale, and why?

ZK: Winnie The Pooh -- the very first book that I read by myself. When I was little, I used to pretend that my garden was The Hundred Acre Wood and play with my imaginary friends Piglet, Tigger and Rabbit!

JF: What are three of your favorite songs?

ZK: These songs are attached to some breakthrough moments in my life:

1. Strawberry Fields Forever - The Beatles
2. Rocky Took a Lover - Bell X1
3. Talk Show Host - Radiohead

... and lately I have been obsessed with Jeunesse leve-toi by Saez (grâce à mon petit ami, a french music journalist)!

JF: Which words/phrases do you most frequently use?

ZK: "Sorry!" I am constantly apologizing whenever I step on somebody's foot or put an elbow in someone's eye -- which happens quite often. I'm a clumsy girl... 

Peter Som Fall/Winter 2008-2009

bunny BISOUS

xx jf

Bunny BISOUS Exclusive Interview: Amy Finlayson

Model Amy Finlayson (b. December 23, 1987 in Western Australia) is supremely bright, super bubbly, and breathtakingly beautiful -- but it's her dry wit and fun-loving sense of humor that'll really make you swoon. 

A portion from our most recent repartée:

Do you ever become homesick while traveling? 

"Heck yes! I travel with picture frames, candles and pillows to make myself feel slightly at home; but my agency knows that I have to go home as much as possible or else I go a little nutty." 

How were you "discovered"? 

"The 'Viviens Live City Face Model Search Competition' (bit of a mouthful, I know)."

What are your favorite hobbies? 

"Oh you know... base jumping, parasailing, hang gliding, spelunking... the usual."

While traveling abroad, what do you like to do in new cities? 

"People. Nah just kidding! I unpack as soon as I get there, set up all my things, find a good health food store, and take a walk."

Who are your favorite heroes of fiction? 

"Tinkerbell, because she was always a little bit naughty."

What makes you laugh uncontrollably? 

"People tripping over on the sidewalk and then looking at the ground behind them. I laugh pretty easily!"

How would you describe your personal style? 

"Janis Joplin if she lived in medieval times... but cooler."

What are your last thoughts prior to stepping out onto the runway? 

"Breathe." 

Do you personally prefer runway or editorial work? 

"Hands down editorial. I like to act in my photos, and I like feeling the creative energy on set while shooting. It's nice to be part of an intimate team and know you are creating a form of art."

What is your most prized value in others? 

"Humour and honesty."

What is your most prized value in yourself? 

"My ability to laugh at myself."

Amy discusses the modeling industry and living in Gotham on Australian 60 Minutes, 2006

What do you consider to be your greatest achievement thus far? 

"Living in NYC by myself at age 20 and being fully self sufficient in all my endeavors." 

What do you consider to be your "big break"? 

"[Shooting with] Steven Meisel in Vogue Italia." 

Do you believe in luck? 

"Yes and no. You make your own causes and then receive the effects; but I guess luck could be a part of the mystery of the universe."

Who is your favorite (fashion) photographer? 

"David Sims." 

What do you least admire about the fashion industry?

"The fact that it's an 'industry', not a business. It's a machine and it shouldn't be." 

How do you keep yourself entertained backstage? 

"I go onstage." 

How do you maintain your radiant complexion? Do you have a specific beauty ritual? 

• cleanse morning and night -- no exceptions
• exfoliate  
• La Mer
• noni and vegetable juices
• a sensible diet
• smile -- that's the most important thing!

What is your favorite meal of the day? 

"Midnight snacks." 

How would you rate your cooking ability? 

"Amazing with a capital 'A'." 

Are there any organizations or foundations that are close to your heart? 

"The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund and UNICEF. I like to do a bit wherever I can." 

What do you consider to be the most widespread misconception about models? 

"That we don't eat." 

What are your choice fashion magazines? 

"Vogue Paris, Dazed and Confused, and Russh Australia."

Who do you trust more than anyone else? 

"My parents."

What is your favorite fairy tale, and why? 

"Goldilocks -- because I'm blonde and picky." 

What music are you obsessed with recently? 

"Anything from or mixed by David Katz."

Who are four of your favorite designers, and why? 

"Lanvin for the fabrics, Balenciaga for the designs, Hervé Léger for the cut, and Chanel for the class."

Amy in Lanvin -- Vogue Nippon [illustrations by Alber Elbaz]

Which words/phrases do you most frequently (over)use? 

"I really need to cut down on the word 'dude'... it's getting embarassing now." 

Do you ascribe to a particular life philosophy? 

"Do what you love!"

bunny BISOUS

xx jf

A very sincere "merci beaucoup" to Miss Amy for taking the time to answer all the way from Tokyo! 

... She's kind of my favorite.

Alexis Mabille: Haute Couture Available Online? Hallelujah!

$233 at colette.fr

Alexis Mabille's fleeting frivolity is enough to make any bunny hop for joy! 

Your bunny is in good company, too; Karl Lagerfeld, John Galliano, and Hedi Slimane are all devotees to his bowtie accessories line, "Treizeor" and his whimsical unisex fashion line, "Impasse 13". 

Haute couture may connote a certain inaccessible air, however Mabille's comely creations have popped up all around the interweb -- and quite reasonably, at that (for couture of course). Some favorites:

$1,008 at couturelab.com

$316 at couturelab.com

$252 at couturelab.com

The zany soprano Princess Calixta Biron von Curland rather humorously opened Mabille's show with a fiery aria comprised of haphazard German prose and facetious Jeff Koons passages. The audience's reaction is devilishly priceless [video below].

 

Alexis Mabille, January 2008 Paris Haute Couture Week:

Bows Galore! 

 

 

Alexis manifests his engaging quirkiness in a recent interview with Hint Magazine. Some of your bunny's choice highlights:

Hint Magazine: What was your earliest fashion moment?
Alexis Mabille: "As a child I loved to make costumes for myself. I couldn't stop sewing old fabrics together and getting into mischief to pull my ideas off."

HM: And your first encounter with a bow tie?
AM: "My grandfather, who was a country doctor. He wore a bow tie everyday."

HM: What are your obsessions?
AM: "Bows, elegance, how to play with people's moods, how to create beauty—or not. The line between the two is very thin."

HM: What does unisex mean to you?
AM: "For me, unisex means clothing for both boys and girls, but not just androgynous. It's simply the fact that the cut and the fit of my clothes works for both. But a man stays masculine, if he wants to, and girls can be boyish or feminine. It's all frivolité!"

HM: What is your biggest weakness?
AM: "M&Ms."

HM: Describe one indispensable person in your life and work.
AM: "My friend and confidante Katell Le Bourhis. She worked with Diana Vreeland at the Metropolitan [Museum]. She's fun, eccentric and very chic à mourir—and also a little girl. She's like 'Eloise in Paris' or the famous 'Madeleine.'"

HM: What makes your head turn?
AM: "A good champagne in good quantities."

HM: What is your favorite possession?
AM: "My 18th-century bed, which looks like a meringue cake."

HM: And your philosophy?
AM: "To be a little inappropriate."

Alexis Mabille

bunny BISOUS

& bows too!

xx jf

Just a few more weeks until your bunny will be jetting to Couture Week in Paris for Paper Magazine! Stay tuned for all the mayhem...

Bunny Quote du Jour: Iekeliene Strange

Refinery 29, the online indie fashion mecca, recently sat down with bunny favorite SUPERIEK!

Highlights from their interview with the Dutch supermodel:

Refinery 29: You definitely seem to have lots of fun getting dressed. How would you describe your style? 

Iekeliene Strange: "It's a big mix of things. I don't take things too seriously and wish people could have more fun with how they dress. I like to get into a different character every day…it's fun to play around. I have a 2-bedroom apartment in London with my boyfriend, and one of the bedrooms is just considered my wardrobe! It's covered in sequins, tutus, catsuits, and colors everywhere you look. I love to make people smile when I walk down the street." 

 

R29: Who are your biggest fashion inspirations? 

Iek: "To be honest, I find my friends the most inspiring. I have a lot of very unique people around me who have their own character and don't get affected by their surroundings." 

 

R29: Tell us some of your style constants…the things you turn to everyday… 

Iek: "I wear a lot of hairpieces, like hats, headbands, tiaras. I also have an obsession with anything sparkly! Of course, my big frames keep popping back on my nose, as well. I think Berlin is probably one of the best cities for vintage shopping now. There are some great markets there where people still sell all their junk for very little money."

 

R29: You've been shooting a lot of your own stuff backstage. When did you start getting interested in photography? 

Iek: "I've been into photography since I was young. I used to run after my sister when I was 15 with a little camera telling her to pose everywhere for me. When I was 17, I moved to London to study photography, but since London is very expensive I couldn't afford to do a full-time study. So, when I got scouted to do modeling it seemed like a good way to create some financial stability." 

R21: Did the whole backstage world prompt you to start shooting more? 

Iek: "It mostly started as a way to entertain myself while waiting backstage. I want to focus more on documentary photography, so I thought it would be a nice project to document the backstage fashion world as I have such an original perspective on it." 

 

R29: Like how? 

Iek: "Everything is always so rushed and dramatic running around from show to show, and I try to convey this in my photographs. It's great to see all the different creations designers come up with…especially once you get to Paris and you get designers like Galliano, McQueen, Rick Owens, you see so many inspiring looks."

 

R29: Which shows generally offer the best experience, backstage or otherwise? 

Iek: "Galliano and Dior are always the best ones…the makeup and hair are always extraordinary." 

 

R29: Beyond fashion, what are some other things or people you love to shoot? 

Iek: "I want to become a photojournalist and mostly focus on travel stories and documentary style, more cultural subjects and people. There's so many interesting countries and cultures to document I find it really inspiring. Even in Europe every country is so diverse with its own history, architecture, culture, and people. There are so many places to visit! I'm planning a trip to the Ukraine in July to a tiny village in the middle of nowhere to document the people that live there and will also travel around the north of Scandinavia to take photos of the beautiful landscapes." 

R29: What photographers inspire you most? 

Iek: "A lot of the magnum photographers—some of them have delivered extraordinary work, and I think it takes a lot of courage to take some of the photos they've taken. Right now, I'm reading these travel stories of a documentary photographer called Nick Danziger who shot a lot in Afghanistan in '89 and was one of the last photographers left documenting the war there at the time. The stories he writes are amazing and inspiring…I feel like I can't wait until I have more time to travel!"

For more fairies and monsters and pancakes and such: Iek photos!

For the complete interview: Refinery 29 Iekeliene Dish

bunny BISOUS

xx jf

 

*all images via tFS and Sonny Photos

Bunny Quote du Jour: Jack Black à Cannes

"It's actually triplets... and they are due August 29th!"
- Jack Black at the Kung-Fu Panda press conference at Cannes, below:

[clip includes Gauthier Gallet exhibition, red carpet fashion, and Brad Pitt in slow-mo]

bB
xx jf