Lookout for Ariane’s upcoming DVD and visit her at brooklynbridgebootcamp.com. Hope to see you on the Bridge!
Our friend, Veenu.
Veenu, our dear childhood friend, came to us because she needed to spiff up her wardrobe to transition from Winter to Spring. A very busy mother of two adorable children, Kareena and Kavi, and the wife of one the founders of beautybar.com, she often has to entertain friends and colleagues in their home. We wanted to come up with some easy looks for a mom-on-the-go. Over the course of the afternoon we couldn’t help but reflect on how far we had come since our New Wave, Erasure/Depeche Mode loving days.
left: Veenu walks into Albertine in her daily garb.
right: A very pretty green landscape dress by Erin Featherston. This look is a good start and a bright outlook for Spring.
left: Keeping in line with fresh Spring color, Veenu dons a lime green stingy fedora hat by Heather Huey. The hat is a welcome addition to her wardrobe—an easy piece she can wear out at the park with the kids while maintaining her stylish spirit.
right: A cream organic jumpsuit by Bodkin that is so effortlessly chic. Veenu decides the lace-up wedge heels in brown by A Détacher are a must. We love that the laces can be changed for different colors, giving her the option for a variety of looks.
left: A fetching blush organza dress by Anagram…the secret: it’s got hidden pockets. The lovely ingénue silhouette is complimented by a distressed leather vest by Sissi. We love its old world charm juxtaposed with a modern twist.
middle: She contemplates a vibrant yellow vintage bag.
right: A fresh Summer dress by Dusen Dusen cinched with a yellow Rodejer belt and finished with the perfect oatmeal wedge by Slow and Steady Wins the Race.
Veenu and Kareena: the picture perfect mother and daughter. Veenu wears a Rachel Comey dress– a sharp look that we thought would be great for school meetings.
Shy Kavi stole our hearts. He watches his mom getting ready for a dinner party. The vintage earrings and vintage dress from Albertine. After some reflection, he decides that he approves…as do we.
The Avid Collector: Elise Loehnen
As Editor-at-Large at Lucky Magazine, Elise Loehnen, has one of the coolest jobs around, traveling all over the US (sometimes all over the world) compiling shopping reports. Albertine has had a long love affair with Elise, dressing her on a number of occasions for a variety of events. We love seeing how she’ll put things together with her distinct artist’s eye. There’s isn’t an obvious rhyme or reason to her style or what she collects, we just know when we see it we can say ‘that is so Elise!’
A collector of strange and curious objects, she knows what she likes regardless of trends–her quirky personality shining through in how she styles herself and curates objects in her home. We photographed her at her renovated loft that she shares with her fiancé Rob and their two cats.
left: You can really tell something of Elise’s personality, for example, by how she’s arranged this wall: the whole is more than the sum of its parts. Even her shoe collection becomes part of the display– notice her love of neon!
right: What we love about Elise is her approachability, part of that can be attributed to her unique style, like pairing one of her many classic button down shirts with skinny jeans, a geometric necklace and a pair of the aforementioned neon sebagos.
left: Elise wearing an oldie but goodie. Top by M. Bennett.
right: Elise’s jewelry collected over the years.
left: A personal favorite of Albertine’s: bookshelves by Vitsoe. We love how arranging her books by color and with objects tells a story and conveys something distinct about Elise’s travels and experiences.
right: Kyung convinces Elise to take her hair down with a dress she found at H & M. Elise likes to jazz the dress up at night with layers of necklaces and bright lucite bangles.
left: Pieces Elise has collected, some of it from Albertine General. As an aside, growing up in Montana Elise has retained her love of collecting all things horses.
right: A typical outfit Elise might wear at Conde Nast. We love the camel little boy blazer over the cream blouse with the black skinny jeans and gray ankle boots.
Le Fanion
Dreaming of the sun in the south of France, Le Fanion (W 4th and Bank) is one of Kyung’s favorite stores. They offer French Country antique and handmade pottery and earthenware, perfect for dinner parties or gatherings with friends while sharing some nice cheese and wine.
More Valentine’s Romance
Writer Jennifer Murray told us she left a little piece of her heart at Albertine when she moved to the East Village, so it’s a real treat when we get a visit from one of our favorite friends. For Valentine’s she chooses some her favorites.
Jennifer loves how quintessentially Valentine these are–the pink, the red, the hearts, the sparkle–such a perfect combination of sweet and glamorous (silver rings with CZ and marcasite, $125 – $285 each).
This antique silver blue glass beaded necklace ($498) is so versatile, it can be worn super long, or doubled and tripled up for a fuller look. The blue reminds her of robin’s eggs and Spring.
Ms. Murray says, “There’s something very medieval feeling about these earrings (left, $157). They make me want to put on one of Albertine’s beautiful velvet dresses and a stellar cape.” About the coral beaded earrings (right, $245) she told us, “The color conjures memories of sunny, warm places I’ve lived and/or visited and that’s really nice this time of year!”
A self-proclaimed sucker for bangles, she loves the rough mix-and-match elegance of these ($90 – $288 each).
Here’s what she had to say about this necklace from Madame Fortuna ($498), “If Coco Chanel had a love child with a Dallas debutante, this is what she’d look like–sophisticated, but also a little bit bubbly, and very disarming.” We couldn’t agree more.
Joyce’s Valentine’s Picks
We’ve been big fans of Joyce Lee’s work since our days back at SVA. She’s got one of the best eye’s in the fashion photography world. She picked this bracelet by Oblik Atelier ($168) because it reminds her of Richard Serra’s sculptures.
This silver heart with ruby makes a special gift for your lady, by Barbara Klar (left, $245). A bold bronze statement necklace by Peace Treaty (center, $298) makes a good gift for the less timid. Vintage door-knocker gilded brass earrings (right, $245), perfectly frame the face at candlelight dinners.
And while we’re on the subject, here are 2 images from Joyce’s portfolio. To see more of her work, take a look at joyce-lee.com.
What She Wants for Valentine’s Day!
Andrea Linett, is a true tastemaker and in our opinion, one of the coolest editors around. We were always big followers of her page when she was at Lucky Magazine and we’re excited to see what’s next for her now that she’s moved on to be the Creative Director at Ebay Fashion. After you check out her favorite gift ideas for Valentine’s Day from Albertine General be sure to check out her blog, I Want To Be Her.
She likes the romance of the dark moody Cave Canem Onyx Pyrite Heart ($368) and these stackable Regard Rings ($740 – $1100/each) because they’re super sweet, great by themselves, or in bunches.
Andrea thinks this Peace Treaty necklace ($250) looks vintage and loves it for its African feel. Not only is it a great versatile piece, but the designer employs dessert artisan families in Rajasthan and enables a revival of centuries old material.
She finds these Starburst Studs ($175) fresh and lady-like in a modern way.
These diamond studded Butterfly Wing Earrings by Becca Strauss ($1450) are so lovely. The organic shapes and delicate metal work coupled with the feel of a very substantial piece make it quite unique and a perfect gift.
Orson’s Animal Kingdom: You Snooze You Lose!
Orson is Albertine’s Top Dog. What he says goes. These are his picks for the holidays.
right: Orson dreams of chasing butterflies in a big golden field. He’ll have to settle for these. Cave Canem silver gilt butterfly pin. American circa turn of the century (smaller butterfly). $135
Hand painted enamel pin from Spain, 1960′s (larger butterfly). $85
left: A self-portrait. If Orson could fly, he’d be a bat.
Ceramic bat with a quartz drop. 14k gold vermeil. $285
right: Rhinestone Tiger bracelet. The full body is articulated so it looks like it’s napping around your wrist. Orson does the same thing with round pillows. $275
Orson likes these because his mommy often refers to him as Chunky Monkey. Hand cast in brass then plated in silver then 24k gold. These lacquered monkeys are made in Columbia. $85
left: Orson often dreams of visiting the motherland. He likes to think that he’d find a friend like this over there. Enameled Rhinestone Zebra pin from the 80′s. Great worn with a one shoulder dress or a blazer. $275
right: Orson picked this piece because it reminds him of football Sundays with Daddy. Tug of War Enameled Rhinestone Panther bracelet from the 80′s. $185
Charlotte’s Holiday Picks from Albertine General
Charlotte Pinson, Albertine’s fashion expert on the fly, gives us her picks for the sparkliest holiday pieces from Albertine General.
These Kim Lyon’s rings are kind of out of this world. The dark sparkle has us daydreaming about unexplored galaxies.
left: Kim Lyons Pulsar Druse Ring with Diamonds. $1295
right: Linear Collider Druse. $785
Necklaces that could be from a place where the winter air is quiet except for the sound of a roaring river.
left: Aroc Urtu River Rock with Black Diamond on Sterling Chain. $298
right: Kathryn Bently’s Pyrite and Brass Necklace. $125
Classic, time-tested pieces that call to mind heartfelt promises of devotion.
left: Cave Canem Antique Blue Enamel and Paste Silver Necklace from England circa 1870s. $645
right: M. Fortuna Antique Paste Double Circle Silver Ring. $225