Last night's Isabel Toledo show opening was mind bending. I have known my old friends the Toledos (Ruben and Isabel) for the past 25 years and I always knew they were amazing and brilliant, but last night's Isabel Toledo retrospective show at FIT, "Fashion From the Inside Out", completely blew it out of the water. I walked into that cavernous below-streetlevel room on 27th Street at Seventh Avenue and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. This was extraordinary. Don't miss this.

Between the survey of Isabel's amazing work combined with the 500 feet of her husband Ruben's drawings to compliment it all... the package was breathtaking. I'm so grateful to Isabel and Ruben for their inspiration and curator Valerie Steele for creating such a beautiful, emotional, imaginative, innovative exhibit -- from Toledo's origami patterns, to those amazing silk dresses tied tightly around broomsticks and dyed (see above), to her genius matte jersey drapings to the magical seaming and details.

This is what fashion is. This is what design is. This is what art is. This is what craft is. This is what imagination and passion and dedication can achieve. Brava!

Name: Chelsey Grygorcewicz
Age: 20
Location: Clinton Hill/Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn –- I’m one block away from Pratt so it seems like every neighborhood and no neighborhood!
Chosen occupation: Counter girl and juice maker at One Lucky Duck since summer 2008 (Pure Food and Wine's casual juice bar takeaway/café just around the block)
Unchosen occupation: Environmental lawyer. I’m working on that at the moment but sometimes I just want to run away and study brutal marine life -– like giant squids and stuff.
School: Environmental Studies major, Studio Art minor at New York University
Work "uniform": Anything goes as long as it follows health code: which obliges sleeves, close-toed shoes and having our heads covered. For me, it’s usually vintage dresses and thrift finds that won’t get cut off funnily by my apron, short lace-up boots and the scarf that’s usually around my neck gets tied around my head to keep my hair back. Flannels, cut-offs and random band shirts get mixed in there too.
Dress down "uniform": Pretty much the same thing except without any of the health code constraints.

How does the dining experience, dress code, and general atmosphere differ between Pure Food and Wine and One Lucky Duck?
One Lucky Duck -– "the juice bar" –- is for people who want to eat raw and healthfully but don’t feel like dressing up fancy and going to sit down at a nice restaurant every day. It’s very laid back and the clientele is pretty diverse so you’ll see people wearing everything from workout wear and pajamas to pieces practically right off the runway.

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Only Andy Spade's wild imagination would be capable of coming up with this idea. As a dad to a toddler named Bea, Andy is spearheading his latest project called The Avant Garde Preschool, and yes it is what it sounds like. On June 21st my dear friend Karen Kimmel will be helping launch this kooky school with her newest big idea for kids called the Art of Exchange Stencil Workshop. Kimmel is one of my longtime favorite artists whose work often is expressed through amazing social sculptures where she acts as sort of an orchestra leader with others in order to direct the results without totally controlling them. If that sounds confusing check out her awesome work on her site here.. I invited her to participate in MY AMAZING FRIENDS show recently and when I introduced her to Andy Spade, he invited her to launch his preschool at a wonderful kids event. Tell every interesting person you know who has young kids (4-8 year olds) to check this out at Partners and Spade. Tickets are only thirty bucks, and not only does that include the workshop, but also Kimmel's limited edition stencil and coloring book kits. Hell, I'm an old lady but I'm gonna go!!!!!!!! Space is limited so reserve at info@partnersandspade.com.

I love the new Thonet furniture that Muji is now making. What a hot and unlikely collaboration! My favorites are the simple tubular steel desks and desk chair. And the simple wooden chairs ain't bad either. I wonder if Muji is taking on Design within Reach? Check them out.

Name: Rocky Banks
Age: 21
Location: Bushwick, Brooklyn
Chosen occupation: Sales associate, since August '08
Unchosen occupation: Living in a van down by the river
Side-gig: Artistic endeavors
Work "uniform": boots, tights, something black
Dress down "uniform": boots, tights, something black

How would you describe the flagship's aesthetic and Laura Wills's retail philosophy?
Laura's retail philosophy is to create a store with a fun atmosphere that doesn't take itself too seriously and offers classic vintage with a modern aesthetic at reasonable prices. We give a lot of attention to merchandising at the store and aim to create head to toe looks for people that are particular to their tastes and represent their style. The Lafayette Street store is edited and styled perfectly to be a place that the employees not only enjoy working at but love to shop in as well.

How were the Mack-Dugan-designed 30-belt-loop jeans celebrating Screaming Mimi's 30th anniversary originally conceived?
Mack Dugan created a wide leg jean for Drew Elliott (of PAPER) that had a sort of modern vintage-raver look that we really liked and we asked him to use this idea and put a Screaming Mimi's spin on it just for us. He then added 30 belt loops in honor of our 30th anniversary... which helps make the jeans completely unique and particular to our store.

What is the typical customer that walks into the store like? Do you have a mostly uptown or downtown clientele?
There is not a "particular" Mimi's customer per se. We get a varied clientele because we carry such a wide array of vintage clothing and costumes. One minute I will be helping models and socialites pick out floral summer dresses and the next I will be putting together spot-on '70s outfits for Wall Street businessmen.

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Name: Jared Seligman
Age: 22
Location: Greenwich Village
Chosen occupation: Real Estate [Senior Vice Preseident, Prudential Douglas Elliman]
Unchosen occupation: Interior designer or developer... or both!
Side-gig: Tennis player
Work "uniform": French cuffed white shirts with a blazer –- and usually jeans, Barker black shoes, Tom Ford shades, Gerrard cufflinks, and my Blackberry and phones
Dress down "uniform": I don't have many days off, but on the rare occasion my outfit is typically composed of a lot of black -- I'm always in jeans and a Rick Owens or Givenchy leather coat

Your signature style has been widely emulated throughout the real estate ranks; so the question begs to be asked: as Curbed's Broker of the Year -- illustriously proclaimed as the "Condo King" by W Magazine and dubbed one of Page Six's "Hottest Bachelors" (leagues ahead of A.Rod) -- who are your style influencers?
Tom Ford and Ralph Lauren

What originally enthralled you about PR, and subsequently real estate, that merited forgoing a full-time college education in order to jump right into business?
I always had a hard time sitting still and loved working with people, so it was only natural for me to be on the move since childhood. I do have sixty college credits and studied quite a bit, but I was really itching to work. In fact I want to go back to school -- although it has been difficult to find the time since I have been working!

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Helmed by the brilliant partners Eddy Chai and Paul Birardi -– who have single-handedly turned E. 11th Street into an East Village retail retreat as owners 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 womenswear emporium that is carefully curated to fit its polished, petite quarters. Staffed by one of the most ebullient and accommodating teams 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 the likes of Boy by Band of Outsiders, Karen Walker and Rag & Bone.

Name: Amy
Age: 19
Occupation: Student and sales associate at Pas De Deux since September 2008
Side-gig: Working on my blog Je Suis Amy.
Work "uniform": Alexander Wang tees and tanks, Repetto Zizi oxfords, 3.1 Phillip Lim
Dress down "uniform": pretty much the same!

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British design duo Marcus Wainwright and David Neville's smartly cut and reliably infallible tailoring was born in Kentucky in 2002 with the help of deftly skilled, olde-worlde craftsmen. In order to maintain such an unparalleled attention to detail and quality standard, the designers of Rag & Bone proceeded to focus all major manufacturing efforts in American factories that solely sustain themselves by sewing garments in the same manner that they have for over 50 years. Their native British Savile Row tailoring has patently been the linchpin of Rag & Bone's allure and template influence ever since the Spring 2004 launch of their men's line and ensuing fall 2005 women's collection. Just before their British rock 'n' roll-tinged Spring 2009 presentation, Marcus and David opened their first flagship on Christopher Street: now a striking 1,600 square foot women's store that echoes the line's innovative and vintage sensibilities with its authentic tin ceiling, mélange of mid-century and antiquarian furnishings and fixtures. Two doors down is an 1,800 square foot men's store boasting rugged wooden beams, bona fide slate floors, and exposed brick. The Rag & Bone flagship showcases the growing lifestyle brand's six annual men's, women's, and children's collections (Spring, Summer, Pre-Fall, Fall, Holiday and Pre-Spring) as well as exclusive collaborations including their renowned hand-tailored suits by Martin Greenfield Clothiers for Rag & Bone, namesake footwear in partnership with Tull Price (founder and president of Royal Elastics from 1997-2004) and handmade leather gloves co-created with Dents.

Name: Rachel Kichler
Age: 24
Location: West Village
Chosen occupation: Sales associate at Rag & Bone since December 2008
Unchosen occupation: Film writer/director... I hope to choose it eventually!
Side-gig: I run an online magazine called glasses glasses and its blog.
Work "uniform": Rag & Bone with a few vintage pieces slipped in here and there.

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Without a doubt, Opening Ceremony proprietors 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. It was such a pleasure to catch up with the always astute, utterly delightful Meghan Farrell at Opening Ceremony's New York flagship (OC also has locations in Los Angeles and their eagerly-anticipated forthcoming first international store in Tokyo); she is incredibly knowledgeable and obliging when navigating their unrivaled selection (including vintage wares) and exclusive, cooler-than-thou collaborations.

Name: Meghan Farrell
Age: 24
Location: Tribeca, New York, NY (I love my neighborhood!)
Chosen occupation: Assistant store manager at Opening Ceremony since October 2008
Unchosen occupation: Actress, jewelry designer or musician
Side-gig: Jewelry design
Work "uniform": Vintage floral dresses with my leather jacket and boots
Dress down "uniform": Acne jeans or The Row's original skinny black pants with a vintage T-shirt

What is the typical customer who comes into the store like? Do you have a mostly uptown or downtown clientele?
I find this question particularly interesting because I was just talking about this with a few associates the other day! Anything goes. The store has such a broad range of merchandise that it attracts a lot of people with different styles. Of course we naturally (especially during fashion week, market week, etc.) have tons of customers involved in the fashion industry -– and sometimes the designers themselves! But then again we also see everyone from your typical Upper East Side women, to downtown urban hipsters, to celebrities and musicians, to tourists from foreign countries. The common thread between all of these customers is that they have a true love and appreciation for fashion, art, and the discovery of new things.

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PAPER Beautiful Person Adam Lippes will be banding together with the Humane Society on Sunday, May 31 for his second annual Adam Loves Dogs adoption day (last year's successful event was cohosted by the ASPCA). The homeless pooches will briefly dwell in his ADAM storefront windows on 678 Hudson Street from 2-4 p.m. Considering adopting an adorable pup like the delightful, down-and-out Sparkey (at right –- a Lhasa Apso lodging at Humane Society 59th St.)? Perhaps a free "Adam Loves Dogs" t-shirt and leash may sway your opinion! Furthermore the contemporary designer -– formerly of Ralph Lauren and Oscar de la Renta acclaim –- will be donating ten percent of the day's profits to the Humane Society of New York: presently commemorating its 105th year in Manhattan and currently saving 30,000 cats and dogs annually at the Vladimir Horowitz and Wanda Toscanini Horowitz Adoption Center.

The last time that I caught up with Katie Fogarty, the sought-after editorial star of Qvest No. 36 (by Sean & Seng), The Daily Telegraph's Stella Magazine (by Yuval Hen) and Vogue Nippon May 2008 (by Kacper Kasprzyk), was mid-castings, just as the steadfast St. Louis native embarked upon her Teen Vogue behind-the-scenes New York Fashion Week diary. In the freshly-released video, Condé's cameras check in with Katie throughout for her sophomore season's multifarious appointments, fittings, go-sees and all ensuing mayhem. Highlights include chancing on fellow top models Ali Michael and Amanda Laine, brushing off the famed Spring 2009 "notorious spill" as a sought-after Prada exclusive, and a The Hills-style coffee break "confessional" at Gramercy Park's 71 Irving Place. In a PAPERMAG exclusive, Katie generously shares her favorite Fall 2009 fashweek photos with her best buds (and fellow Fashion Schmashion interviewees) Myf Shepherd and Imogen Morris-Clarke.

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I feel so sad this morning because I just found out last night that the lovely, spirited crazy, enthusiastic, hilarious, handsome, exuberant, super-talented and beautiful photographer Shawn Mortensen passed away last night. I was shocked as I am sure his hoards of friends, family and admirers were to receive this news (I received an email from his brother last night). WOW. Shawn was a super special guy with an outrageous energy and his pictures tell the story better than I can. He was special and gifted. And BELOVED. Everyone who knew him knows what I'm talking about. Rest in peace Shawn.

As the creative director of Timo. (alongside partner Alan Eckstein) and founding partner of Heir Apparent, designer Timo Weiland has way more than his venerated neckwear to occupy his mind. Armed with his sparkling personality, singular vision, and stirring muse Annabelle Dexter-Jones, the Vanderbilt alumnus and Gotham social fixture is slated to present his first full men's and women's prêt-à-porter Timo. range this New York Spring/Summer 2010 Fashion Week.

SPRING BASICS
Name: Timo Weiland
Age: 25
Location: The West Village, New York City
Chosen occupation: Fashion Designer
Unchosen occupation: Filmmaker
Side-gig: Filmmaker, musician
Best spring of my life: This one!

TIMO'S SPRING PICKS
Park for picnicking: The Cloisters (Fort Tyron Park) or by the DIA:Beacon (Beacon, NY)
Stroll route: Around the Storm King Art Center (Mountainville, NY) as often as possible.

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I mean, COME ON! Can you believe we have a President who is cool enough to hold a meeting with his Secretary of State yesterday at the picnic table next to the swing set while his wife's planting broccoli? I love these people!!!!!

On account of the less-than-springy drizzly forecast on this humdrum Monday afternoon, we thought it would be most opportune to delve into the sunshiny world of my best friend Rachel Antonoff: the buoyant designer of her dashing eponymous label, Rachel Antonoff (formerly one half of the zany cult collection, Mooka Kinney) and brilliant writer (be sure to peruse her magical piece on boater hats in the newest issue of Lula). It was such a thrill to root out her best-loved spring picks around Gotham and an absolute honor to shoot her lovely Fall '09 lookbook alongside PAPER's own Sarah Sophie Flicker and Alia Shawkat (Maeby Fünke of Arrested Development fame –- who stars alongside William H. Macy and Cheryl Hines in Bart Got a Room which opened last weekend).

THE BASICS
Name: Rachel Antonoff
Age: 27
Location: New York
Chosen occupation: Clothing designer and freelance writer
Unchosen occupation: Oh so many things. A tap dancer.
Side-gig: I'm still not sure which one is the side-gig.
Best spring of my life: So hard to say, I love spring so much. Probably the spring I spent in Paris. That sounds a little cliché, but it really was magical.

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Last night I hit up John Waters' opening with my friend, the wonderful artist Tauba Auerbach, at Marianne Boesky Gallery in Chelsea, and it was much fun. His show was hilarious, and included this piece (above), "Hollywood Smile Train," of Hollywood harelips. He also had giant realistic sculptures of iconic items like a huge Creme de la Mer container, a cockroach trap, and a jar of poppers as well as a piece called "Control" which was a life-sized Ike Turner as puppeteer to a tiny Tina Turner. (Debbie Harry told me she overheard someone saying, "Look, there's Sammy Davis Junior playing with a Tina Turner puppet!"). After the exhibit, I stopped by the Metropolitan Club to see the amazingly beautiful Lanvin fashion show, designed by my old friend, the brilliant and sweet Alber Elbaz, and hosted by Bergdorf Goodman. He was getting ready to head to Buenos Aires the next morning for vacation. Then we headed to the dinner-ish thing for John at The Core Club on 55th St., which is a surreal, weird '90s-era kind of place, where I ran into everyone from John's BFF Dennis Dermody (PAPER's own Cinemaniac), novelist Michael Cunningham, the New Museum's Lisa Phillips and the Andy Warhol Foundation's Vincent Freemont and his wife Shelly. Fun night.

Los Angeles-based designer/stylist Emily Current is responsible for having re-introduced "the boyfriend jean" into the mainstream (read: glossy) cultural consciousness as co-designer of CURRENT/ELLIOTT along with Merritt Elliot (the dynamic duo have also styled together for over ten years under the "fash-alias" MAUDE for the likes of Mandy Moore and Emma Roberts). As an avid admirer of their work -– and no doubt loyal devotee to their venerated denim wares –- I'm perhaps most besotted with CURRENT/ELLIOTT's airy, ethereal lookbooks. Boasting ribbons-in-hair, prairie lambs, historical references, dainty florals, cowhugging, Victorian drawers, and bunny ears -– it could not be of a more personal, kindred aesthetic. So it goes without saying what an utter delight it was to catch up with Emily (considered a leading light on all things fashion around L.A.) for our first Left Coast edition of "Spring Cleaning With..."

THE BASICS
Name: Emily Current
Location: Los Angeles, California
Chosen occupation: Stylist (styling team MAUDE with Meritt Elliott) and designer (CURRENT/ELLIOTT)
Unchosen occupation: Directing stylized children’s films or maybe a folk singer
Side-gig: Crosswords
Best spring of my life thus far: Hopefully this upcoming spring

EMILY'S L.A. SPRING PICKS
Park for picnicking: Griffith Park (4730 Crystal Springs Drive, L.A.)
Stroll route: Around my neighborhood with my dog, Olive
Facial: Natasha at Ole Henriksen (8622A W. Sunset Blvd., L.A.)
Massage: Thai/deep tissue combo bodywork at El León, (8217 Beverly Blvd., L.A.)
Haircut: Colleen Conway at The Bungalow Salon, (8310 Beverly Blvd., L.A.)

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Has anyone seen this new Burger King fragrance called FLAME Body Spray? It's sold at Ricky's for $3.95 and smells like a smokey barbequed burger. I kid you not. This is for real. But the best part is when I went on the Ricky's site and read the customer reviews (mostly raves) I came across the BEST comments/reviews of the Whopper-scented fragrance from "CarlCarl" of Chocolate, Nevada and "Fat Freddy Marsh" of Houston, Texas. We need to get these guys to start blogging for us!

i heart BK FLAME (TM) March 13, 2009
Reviewer: Carl CarlCarl from Chocolate, NV United States
Ever since i bought the Flame, my dogs have not been able to leave me alone.. they just love me!! except... well... there was a slight problem with that. You see, my dogs... well they started... attacking me. They gnawed on my ankle and bit through the artery, and I had to get 25 stitches at the hospital. They told me that it was either the FLAME or the dogs... well you know what I chose: FLAME ALL THE WAY!!!! My dogs are now living with a single old lady who does not use FLAME *tear* nor does anyone else in her household *double tear*. On the bright side, though, the hospital attendant thoroughly enjoyed the FLAME, if you catch my drift...

Sweet Jesus That's Nasty!!! December 29, 2008
Reviewer: Fat Freddy Marsh from Houston, TX United States
This stuff smells like a wicked lactose intolerant fart. I mean, it's truly nauseating. I sprayed a little bit on my hand and I've nearly thrown up 7 times already. It smells like a combination of Spencer's Gifts, Hott Topix, and adolescent fear wrapped in a skunk's colon. Washing does no good. I've tried everything. I've contemplated cutting my hands off, it's that bad. Please, someone tell me where the antidote is!

Sarma Melngailis –- the brilliantly witty and sexy co-founder of Pure Food and Wine, CEO/founder of One Lucky Duck Holdings, LLC, and author of Raw Food/Real World and the forthcoming Living Raw Food -– first moved to New York City in 1994 after graduating from University of Pennsylvania (where she earned a B.A on top of her B.S. in Economics from Wharton). After making a name for herself on Wall Street at Bear Sterns, Sarma moved to her hometown of Boston to conquer Bain Capital Inc. by evaluating businesses for private equity investment. Desperately missing the sights and sounds of NYC, Sarma returned to Gotham in 1998 and joined a high-end investment fund at CIBC... but within no time she decided to court her passion for food and consequently graduated from the French Culinary Institute in 1999. After working on various restaurant and cookbook projects, Sarma recognized the value of raw and vegan living. Taking advantage of her business and culinary skills, Sarma soon became a groundbreaking pioneer of the haute raw food movement.

THE BASICS
Name: Sarma Melngailis
Age: 36
Location: Gramercy Park, Manhattan
Chosen occupation: Restaurateur, entrepreneur, cookbook author
Unchosen occupation: There’s nothing else I’d be doing. Although part of me has always wanted to play bass in a metal band or be a restaurant critic.
Side-gig: I don’t really have much time on the side, but I love being my boyfriend’s girlfriend, and his biggest fan.
Best spring of my life: Hopefully this one!

SARMA'S SPRING PICKS
Park for picnicking: Battery Park, because I like the views and being near the river.
Stroll route: Walking across town and out on the pier over the Hudson near 10th Street -- it’s very therapeutic to be in the breeze over the water (even if it is the Hudson River).

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It was a true pleasure to catch up with the always alluring Anna Sheffield and her big-hearted brother Kevin Kearney (President/CEO of Bing Bang and Anna Sheffield Fine Jewelry) Wednesday at the special family and friends night of their still ongoing sample sale (underway until 7 p.m. this evening at 153 Lafayette Street). Hailing from New Mexico, Anna has adroitly applied her Academy of Art San Francisco BFA background in blacksmithing, welding, and fabrication to sculpt her sought-after simple pieces in New York City since 2002.

THE BASICS
Name: Anna Sheffield
Age: 34
Location: Manhattan
Chosen occupation: Jewelry designer
Unchosen occupation: I would be a naturalist or vaudevillian circus performer
Side-gig: Cleromancer and art collector
Best spring of my life: If I get to be in New Mexico at all, that ensures the ultimate springtime. It's much easier to appreciate the small things in a place that's so vast.

ANNA'S SPRING PICKS
Park for picnicking: I anxiously await the seasonal re-opening of Storm King Art Center (Mountainville, NY) and my very favorite place to picnic is that monastery with the beautiful hidden gardens –- Saint Luke's, I think -– which is where I fell in love with Barton (487 Hudson Street).
Stroll route: I enjoy getting lost in the West Village, alone or with a favorite person and some cookies.
Massage: Milton Rivera comes to my home or Angela at Infinite Spring on 636 Broadway.
Haircut: D.I.Y., really!
Pet groomer: I often groom my brother's dog, Oscar. He's fuzzy.
Upcoming event: The Final Four -– or as we say in the South "March Madness" –- go Tarheels!
Upcoming exhibition: Just get on the mailing list for Cinders Gallery (103 Havemeyer Steet, Brooklyn)! It's the best.
Spring salad: I like to make salads at home: dressing, especially. But if I do go out for one it's the "Cavolonero" black kale caesar salad at Il Buco (47 Bond Street). Stellar, every time.
Outdoor café: Marlow & Sons -– it's kind of like Cheers only with fancy food and majorly tasty ice cream (81 Broadway, Williamsburg).
Springtime cocktail: Once it's warm, I'm happiest with a good glass of rosé.
Farmers' market: Hollywood (Ivar & Selma Avenue, Hollywood CA)
Staycation hotel: I am never mad about a short stay at Soho House (29-35 Ninth Avenue)
Spring flower: I don't know what season these are naturally gathered or even if they're natural... but there's a carnation which looks like a fern that I'm certainly obsessed with. And Emily's bourbon roses.

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