Capturing the end of an era: Roitfeld, Testino, Moss, and Klein in 1999
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I swear the spirit of Carine Roitfeld must be haunting me…. or, at least, her legacy as a stylist before becoming renowned fashion editor at French Vogue. Awhile ago, I was browsing photographer’s Mario Testino’s über-cool site, going through his archives. I came across his shoot he did for the Calvin Klein Spring 1999 campaign featuring the one and only Kate Moss. (Ms. Moss’ brooding male counterpart, by the way, is Mr. Colin Branca, who still works in the industry.) Shortly therefafter, I learned, via the Fashion Spot, that the stylist was none other than Ms. Roitfeld herself. So not only did Ms. Roitfeld shaped my style consciousness via the triumvirate she formed with Testino and Tom Ford in the Gucci era–you can catch the earlier meditation on their work here–but she also influenced me stateside through the architectonic designs of the one and only Mr. Klein.
“Obsolète” by MC Solaar, just a great old school jam from 1994 off his second album Prose Combat. (I think 16 years can count as old school, especially in terms of the sound.)
I remember somehow getting my hands on Solaar’s album Prose Combat back at the old Tower Records in ‘95. I had no idea what Solaar was rapping about, the only thing I knew was that he trying to be marketed as an LL Cool J en français. Solaar’s style is smooth, but not like LL can if you remember the hooks on “Doin’ It”. Of course, this was before YouTube, when the only way to catch anything from abroad was satellite TV or some tape flown in. It was only last week that I came across the clip for “Obsolète” on YouTube. The first thing I notice is that Solaar is working a head-to-toe outfit that looks like Burberry… of course, before we saw that pattern everywhere, from umbrellas to underwear. That aside, what’s remarkable, it looks like everyone’s actually having a good time, even they were most likely all models hired for the gig.
Today’s Hawaiian word of the day is nalu.
Nalu most commonly refers to the waves or surf of the moana, the ocean. It’s also a verb, showing the state of waves… Ke nalu nei ka moana, The ocean is full of waves.
Nalu carries more poetic, less obvious meanings, however.
In keeping with the concept of water and liquid, nalu is the amniotic fluid that surrounds and protects an unborn child.
To nalu is to mediate, ponder, contemplate. For some reason, the water imagery personally works well with this word, such as the tranquility created by the repetitive flow of waves. Or it’s the antithesis of the idea of waves itself, water free of waves, so calm and still that we can contemplate what is below… or a mind free of the waves of thought and mental disturbance.
All photography here used under Creative Commons license. Credits listed below:
Today’s Hawaiian word of the day is honua, or world, earth, or land. It may also mean fundamental.
There is a quite beautiful ʻōlelo noʻeau (traditional saying) that refers to this great earth of Kāne, the Hawaiian akua of fresh water and life.
Ka honua nui a Kāne i hōʻinana a ‘ahu kīnohinohi.
{The great Earth animated and adorned by Kāne.}
You can sense this greatness of the honua when you can gaze on a sight like the cliffs of Molokaʻi Nui a Hina above.
The creator of new land, the goddess Pele is also called ka wahine ʻai honua, the earth-eating woman.
For a word that seems to evoke such stability, honua can also mean quite the opposite. Its other meaning is suddenly or abruptly.
- Ua nalowale honua ʻo ia. She suddenly disappeared.
With all the challenges facing this honua nui a Kāne, may we all come together to protect this amazing creation.
Sources:
- Pukui, ʻŌlelo Noʻeau
- Pukui and Elbert, Hawaiian Dictionary.
Image used under Creative Commons license
Model: Angela Lindvall | Source: Models.com
We hold a special place in our hearts for the clean modernity and grace of Scandinavian design. Right now, we’re especially enamored of the Fusion Collection from Danish house Georg Jensen.
In this photo from the house’s gorgeous spring campaign from last year, American model Angela Lindvall (recently seen in Jimmy Choo’s hot campaign) is wearing the Bangle Fusion 1151 in Yellow, White, and Red 18 carat gold, White Gold Fusion Bangle with Diamonds, and a Fusion ring.
All pieces are available online at Georg Jensen. Or stop by in person at the Georg Jensen store at the Halekūlani Hotel. You may want to stop by at House without a Key for a signature mai tai to ease the wallet burn. Sometimes, good design does cost. But don’t the finer things always do?
Georg Jensen At the Halekūlani Hotel2199 Kālia Road
Honolulu, HI 96815-1936
(808) 922-4700
Today’s Hawaiian word of the day is one, or sand.
One kind of black sand, specifically that created from ʻaʻā lava (the rocky, slow-moving variety), is called one ʻā. The phrase can also refer to volcanic cinder as well as gunpowder. Recounting the fiery power of Pele, the famous traditional hula “Puʻu Onioni” speaks of one ʻā in its third verse:
Lauahi Pele i kai o Puna
One ʻā kai o Malama
(Pele destroys by fire towards the sea of Puna /The black cinder seaward of Malama)
Here Kumu Hula Kawaikapuokalani Hewett performs “Puʻu Onioni” standing, maile lei in hand:
One is the base of an especially beautiful Hawaiian expression, one hānau. Literally mean “birth sands”, one hānau means birthplace or homeland, especially referring to Hawaiʻi. When I was living far away from home, the expression would always come to my mind. Hawaiʻi has been and always be my one hānau.
One hānau makes a noteworthy appearance in Rev. Lorenzo Lyons’ famous song “Hawaiʻi Aloha”, which is often sung at the end of many different gatherings and community events. However, I find very often that, when people sing the song, the mood is usually very somber. But the lyrics are joyful, inspiring us with the love for our one hānau, our lāhui, Hawaiʻi. It’s the one song that usually gets me every time I hear it, much more so than “Hawaiʻi Ponoʻī”. Hereʻs the first verse and chorus
E Hawaiʻi, e kuʻu one hānau ē
Kuʻu home kulāiwi nei
ʻOli au i nā pono lani ou
E Hawaiʻi aloha ē
Hui
E hauʻoli nā ʻōpio o Hawaiʻi nei
ʻOli ē! ʻOli ē!
Mai nā aheahe makani e pā mai nei
Mau ke aloha, no Hawaiʻi…
(Hawaiʻi sands of my birth/ My homeland / I rejoice in the blessings from the heavens / Beloved Hawaiʻi..
CHORUS: Be happy youth of Hawaiʻi / Rejoice, rejoice! / From the breezes that are blowing / Forever is my love for Hawaiʻi)
This clip from the late Israel Kamakawiwoʻole is sure to give you the gist of it.
The above photos are used through the Creative Commons license. Credit below:
First photo information here. Second photo at:
By this time, everyone has heard of the major earthquake that struck Haiti in the Caribbean.
There are several easy ways that you can donate an assist relief efforts and ease the massive human suffering that is taking place. Even the smallest amount can help.
- Text Haiti to 90999 in order to easily donate $10 to the Red Cross relief effort. See info on the American Red Cross blog.
- Text Yele to 501501 to donate to Yéle Haiti, a grassroot movement to help Haiti.
- Apple has set up an easy-to-use donation page on iTunes. Donate $5, $10, $25, $50, $100 or $200.
- Donate online on the secure Yéle Haiti donate webpage.
- Donate online to the American Red Cross here.
Please keep the people of Haiti in your thoughts and prayers as they make their way out of this crisis.
Today’s Hawaiian word of the day is waiūpa‘a, or cheese.
Admittedly, waiūpa‘a is not one of the first culinary words to pop in my head when I’m thinking in Hawaiian. The usual words are poke, ‘uala, or ‘awa. But waiūpa‘a became part of my vocabulary by a happy surprise when visiting Whole Foods Kāhala a few months ago. Though Hawaiian is an official language of Hawai‘i, public visual displays remain few, place and street signs asides.
So when I actually was headed into cheese section, my eye was drawn to the signage displayed beneath selections of brie, tallegio, and manchego signs, all of them annoucning “Waiūpa‘a”, complete with obligatory macron and glottal stops. It was the first time I could remember any supermarket signage being in Hawaiian. This may seems small to some, but I took it as an immediately good hō‘ailona, or sign, that our language is well on its way into the 21st century. Just as any look at the Hawaiian newspaper archives will demonstrate, ka ‘ōlelo Hawai‘i was successfully used to discuss a whole, worldly array of people, places and things.
The future is here, and it’s pretty glossy | Spring 2010 Campaigns, Part II – Calvin Klein Collection, Men
[Image source: model.com]
This season, the campaign for Calvin Klein Collection for me took a different direction from last season. While Francisco Costa’s collection for women delved into the organic, award-winning Italo Zucchelli went right into the future. Some of the jackets out of the spring 2010 and this past fall 2009 collections would have beenquite perfect for last year’s Star Trek.
But I digress… I’m loving the shimmer and shine of the new campaign by famed photograher Steven Klein. Model David Agbodji is a real standout and a refreshing change in look for the brand if you catch my drift. After all, diversity is something tobe appreciated. Futhermore, he is one of the models that was able to master the slick, futuristic walk for the Calvin Klein Collection spring show while some of his fellow models looked more like stilted androids.
Moist is the word du jour | Spring 2010 Campaigns, Part I – Calvin Klein Collection, Women
Photographed by David Sims, the new Spring 2010 Calvin Klein Collection for women campaign features Monica Jagaciak, also known as Jac. This is her second, and back-to-back, appearance for Calvin Klein Collection. Jac has already been hailed as the new face of Calvin Klein going into the new decade. [via Fashion Gone Rogue]
