Rest in Peace - Ruslana Korshunova

Today the entire fashion industry find ourselves mourning the death of one our brightest stars - Ruslana Korshunova.

I can still remember Ruslana showing up for a casting during her very first season here in New York City - she could truly light up an entire room with her beautiful smile and her haunting eyes. Ruslana was truly one of the few Russian models that I would often see around town always smiling and appearing to be absolutely loving life. While many of the Russian models skulking around the city often appear to be completely serious and career driven, Ruslana always seemed to take her modeling success in stride. But now we all know that outward appearances can truly be deceiving. I can not fathom what darkness could drive a beautiful young creature like Ruslana to such hopelessness, but I pray that there is a sanctuary in Heaven for divine lost souls.

Ruslana Korshunova in a stirring commercial for Nina Ricci Parfum

The following Courtesy of Wikipedia:

EARLY LIFE AND CAREER

Ruslana Korshunova was born in Alma-Ata, Kazakh SSR, and was of Russian descent. She spoke fluent Russian, English and German. She was discovered in 2003, when All Asia magazine printed a story on Almaty's local German language club, which Korshunova was then attending. Her photograph, which was featured in the article, caught the attention of Debbie Jones of Models 1, who tracked down and signed up the then 15-year-old Korshunova.

Korshunova was represented by IMG (New York, Paris, London and Milan), Beatrice (Milan), Traffic Models (Barcelona), Marilyn Models and iCasting Moscow, which was her mother agency. Korshunova modeled for the covers of Elle (France), Vogue (Poland) and Vogue (Russia). She also modeled in print-ads for Blugirl by Blumarine, Clarins, Ghost, Girbaud, Kenzo Accessories, Marithé & François, Max Studio, Moschino, Old England, Pantene Always Smooth, Paul Smith and Vera Wang lingerie.

DEATH

On June 28, 2008 at around 2:30 p.m., Korshunova died after falling from the ninth-floor balcony of her Water Street apartment in Manhattan's Financial District. Police stated there were no signs of a struggle in her apartment and concluded that Korshunova's death is an apparent suicide.

One of her friends stated that Korshunova had just returned from a modeling gig in Paris, noting that she seemed to be "on top of the world" with no apparent reason why she would commit suicide. Korshunova's former boyfriend, Artem Perchenok, said he dropped Korshunova off at her apartment several hours before her death after they watched the Demi Moore film Ghost together. "She was a good person," he told The New York Post. However, she appeared brokenhearted and angry in some of her postings on a social networking site. Korshunova's most telling message came three months ago: "I'm so lost. Will I ever find myself?”

My heart goes out to her family and friends. Rest in Peace Ruslana - Your beauty will shine forever. (Enjoy this beatiful photo tribute to Ruslana Korshunova)

Mal Sirrah Bitch Slap Anyone???

After yesterday’s post, I received a slightly frantic email from one of our readers in Germany. This young German advised me, with great enthusiasm, he recently had the pleasure of meeting Jay Alexander in Europe and needed me to know Miss Jay was also his favorite “gay”. I thought to myself, “Well, okay – thanks for sharing…” However, in the back of my slightly shady mind I also thought, "Is he a regular CS&B reader or did he google - my favorite gay?"

But here is where it really gets good… He also attached the above photos he had apparently been saving of Miss Jay and wanted to know if I had any idea where he got the amazing t-shirt he was wearing. I simply smiled to myself and responded to the young German gay-in-training, “I don't recall where he got the t-shirt (LOL), but I am sure if you check the internet you might still be able to find one or two. Happy hunting…”

After this entire exchange I couldn't help but reflect on how much I have grown since the infamous Naomi T-Shirt… I will admit there are still times when I see certain out of control celebrities and think to myself he or she could benefit greatly from a "Mal Sirrah Bitch Slap”.

The Naomi T-Shirt Backstory - courtesy of TMZ

Happy "Faggoting" Weekend !!!

In honor of gay pride week, I thought I would share with you one of my favorite sewing technique in the world – "FAGGOTING".

Faggoting technique as used in a garment's trim

If you are laughing at the name, don’t feel bad. During my days at F.I.T. whenever our professor mentioned the technique “faggoting” every single person in the class - straight, gay or bi - would each put their head down and silently crackup. Unfortunately, I had the great fortune of sitting next to one of the biggest flames on campus and whenever he heard someone use the term “faggoting” he would always yell out in his queenliest voice “Okkaayy!” (feel free to put the voice of your favorite gay in this spot – Okkaayy!!!)

My Favorite Gay - Ms. Jay Alexander

Well faggoting for those of you who are not familiar with the term is a very old technique used to hold two pieces of a garment together revealing a decorative stitch/space between the seams of a blouse, skirt, dress, etc.

However, a great number of you may have become accustomed to seeing it within the seams of collections belonging to fashion craftsman such as John Galliano, Alexander McQueen and one of my all-time favorites Antonio Berardi. I often experiment with this technique myself unfortunately I have yet to find a way to make this extremely delicate technique truly hold-up under the stress of a modern woman’s everyday lifestyle.

Note the beautiful “faggoting” technique Antonio used at the waist of this amazing dress

I will admit that Antonio has perhaps come the closest of modern designers to perfecting this decorative technique with his use of elastic at the seams however most of these pieces still haven’t been able to withstand the true test of time. Unfortunately, I have witnessed some of these faggoting techniques from several designers becoming undone before they ever leave the selling floor at Barneys… And imagine this is just from the basic wear and tear of trying them on. I am continuously attempting to find ways to perfect a great number of charming and delightful old-school techniques to suit the needs of my modern and active clients as well as creating new techniques to move not only fashion but practical design forward. I truly believe that it is my job and responsibility not only to provide my customer base with beautiful clothes but most importantly to provide them with timeless and quality clothes that will last for generations.

Okay, that’s enough of me for today… Let’s all promise to meet up here tomorrow at the same time, same place…

Happy Gay Pride Weekend!!! For those of you who don’t know “we gays” get the weekend started from Thursday. If you don’t’ believe me simply note all the red-eyed / hung-over gays in the office tomorrow…

Must see video - the gayest music video ever made!!!

Original it ain't (revised)

I have tried my best to bite my tongue on this one, but after reading all over the internet what "geniuses" Marc Jacobs and Juergen Tueller are for coming up with their new spring advertising concept - I just had to take exception... I usually find their ad campaigns extremely provocative and original but this one, "original it ain't"... I won't spend too much time on this - but I will simply give you a dated breakdown of events:

Mal Sirrah Spring/Summer Show - August 2007

French Vogue Cover - November 2007

Marc Jacobs declares his love for the purse toting blogger BryanBoy (even BryanBoy counts Andre J as one his inspirations)

February 2008

(newsflash: every young gay boy worth his salt on the Lower East Side has been carrying a woman's handbags for the past two years now)

Marc Jacobs Ad Campaign photographed by Jeurgen Teller- June 2008

Genius??? Huhhhh??? At least have the courage to give the proper credit where it is due or to at least book the original model for the gig... Not to mention, now that you have named a bag after BryanBoy can we expect to see the "Andre J Clutch" next season???

In the absence of Passion, Purpose and Ambition - Savage Grace

As a fashion designer that specializes in made-to-order clothing I am always on the look out for the next “important” client, muse or patron. More often than not these patrons come in the form of everyday working women with fairly large disposable incomes. But then there are those times when these special clients come in the form of a 0 to 4 dress size (too thin in my opinion) with a huge family name and/or trust attached. Clearly from just a quick perusal of my client list to date (Ivanka Trump, Lydia Hearst, Tinsley Mortimer, etc.), I have always been oddly fascinated by some of the young women who have inherited these huge names along with the title “socialite”. That being said, I will also admit I have never for one second envied any of these young women given this title as I was very fortunate to have many years ago read about the decadent life and tragic death of socialite Barbara Daly BaekEland.

Former Mal Sirrah muse - Socialite/Model Lydia Hearst

I can still remember being very young and stumbling across one of those old LIFE Magazines my parents used to store in our attic. What I loved the most about those vintage magazines were the sheer size of the publications as well as the life-like cover photos. From a kid’s perspective you knew there must have been something very important and interesting held within the pages of that massive magazine simply entitled “LIFE”. As vividly as I remember that bright red and white logo is as vividly as I can also remember peeling one of these magazines open to read the dark story of the murder of former model and would-be starlet, Barbara Daly Baekeland. I can still recall running to grab a dictionary in order to get a better grasp of several words, particularly “schizophrenia”. I was well aware that I was headed into unchartered territory for a young boy of my age and this made me thoroughly excited. It was at this point I also knew I had grown past the stage of scouring magazines or tabloids searching for the combination of letters that spelled S-E-X.

As I type this post today what stands out the most for me were the beautiful black and white and sometimes color photos of the people belonging to this ultra-rich and elite class. I never noticed there weren't any people of color in these photos as I was too young to care about these matters. I still remember rolling around on the floor with laughter believing these people were all too perfectly dressed, coiffed and posed to be real - I actually found this glamorous life stuff to be a bit silly. Here I was this kid growing up in a firmly middle-class household and attempting to compare these rich folks in LIFE to my mother with flour on her forehead and my father sitting in his favorite recliner reading the paper every evening after work – the comparison was downright laughable. But these people in the pages of this oversized magazine leading their supersized charmed lives simply intrigued me in such a magical and entertaining way.

I couldn’t find a single photo of Barbara Daly Baekeland on the internet (she has been erased by time and photos of Julianne Moore) but simply think of the timeless chic and beauty of C.Z. Guest


Looking back, the actual story of the murder and all of the other jazz in the article escaped me for many years. It wasn’t until I began working as a designer and meeting women from these super wealthy families that I often found myself recalling bits and pieces of the scandalous life and death of Mrs. Baekeland. So imagine my surprise and sadistic delight when the rumors started a few years ago that Julianne Moore might be playing Barabara Daly.

After the movie was finally made and began doing the “circuit” (Sundance, Cannes, Tribeca etc.) the reviews were coming back extremely mixed. Now for some people this might sound like a warning bell that the movie might not be so great, but for me this was like music to my ears… If everyone had loved this strange tale of money, incest, fashion (think Balenciaga and Christian Dior circa 1950-60) and debauchery than clearly it would have signified to me they went way too commercial on the project and glazed over the deep rooted sickness of this privileged family. And if everyone simply hated “Savage Grace” then I would have my work cut out for me in trying to decipher what they all hated so much. Either way I knew I could not miss Julianne Moore’s haunting portrayal of this glittering and troubled socialite.

I actually made several failed attempts to see Savage Grace during the Tribeca Film Festival but my schedule was a bit crazy during this period. Not to mention, I also knew the movie would be hitting selected theaters shortly after the festival and was therefore more than willing to wait a few more weeks… Hell I had waited almost 20 odd years – a few more weeks certainly wouldn’t kill me…

This past weekend after crawling to the theater with a dear friend currently writing a book on the super wealthy, including several chapters on socialites, I knew the moment had finally arrived for my face-to-face (courtesy of Julianne Moore) with Babs Baekeland (I don’t know if super wealthy WASP types like to be called Babs – but I’ll do my homework and let you know soon or vice-versa)…

To say that Julianne Moore nor director Tom Kalin (Swoon) "did not disappoint" would be an understatement. This movie isn’t one you should casually walk or wait to see – this is one that every fashionista or creative should run to see… Run as fast as your little Manolos can carry you. I can promise you this movie delivers in a way that will leave you absolutely speechless and void of any inkling of jealousy you may harbor for the rich and famous. For me this movie only strengthened my belief that the road to happiness isn’t through the spoils of wealth but through the dedication and hard work of a life filled purpose, passion and ambition. In the absence of these key elements one is simply left with a life of Savage Grace.

Pray for the women and children of Darfur

I beg of each of you to take a few moments out of your busy day to send out a prayer to keep the women and children of Darfur safe.

Today CNN put out a Darfur update with the caption reading: "Rape is a way of life for Darfur's Women"

ZAM ZAM DISPLACEMENT CAMP, Sudan (CNN) -- Sudan's Darfur crisis has exploded on many fronts -- violence, hunger, displacement and looting -- but United Nations peacekeepers say the biggest issue now affecting the region is the systematic rape of women and children.

CNN's Video Report

The return of Top Model - Sessilee Lopez

Very rarely have we witnessed a young black model make such a huge and prominent debut into the fashion industry and then disappear even quicker than did Ms. Sessilee Lopez.

I can still remember almost three and a half years ago when I received a telephone call from Ms. Jay Alexander asking me, “Have you seen this little black girl named Sessilee? Honey, she is fierce - FIIIEEERRRCCCE!” I could vividly picture Jay on the other end of the telephone wagging his index finger, pursed lips and doing the “stink face” as he went on to describe the fierceness of Ms. Sessilee Lopez. Jay had first come to know of Sessilee during a casting he was conducting on behalf of Kimora Lee Simmons for her Baby Phat show, but fortunately I had already been well aware of “La Lopez” from a few seasons before as I witnessed her strut her young stuff at the fashion show of an old friend and fellow designer, Zaldy. Sessilee’s face and performance stood out amongst all the rest for me during her first season at New York Fashion Week as she seemed to bring something new and interesting to the table. She was very different from the typical Russian or Brazilian models tromping their way to a new life here in the United States – Sessilee seemed a bit more regal and self-assured than even some of the other black models that had been introduced this same season. So when I popped in to pick Jay up from one of the legendary late night fittings for Baby Phat, I was pleased to finally meet the lovely Sessilee Lopez in person.

Sessilee sat patiently in a small holding room chomping on pizza and listening to her Ipod as she was being stared down and sized up by some of the biggest names in the modeling game as they all waited to try on their looks for the catwalk. I could feel the tension in the room as this young newcomer sat eating away on a slice during a time when most of the other girls were starving themselves into a state of delirium. And here sat the new, hot and carefree 16 year old paying it all no mind.

When I introduced myself to Sessilee I was completely prepared for the most exotic of voices to appear, but to my shock, surprise and secret joy – out slipped the most amazing All-American accent I had heard from a model of color in quite some time. I wanted to break into one of those patriotic songs that ended with “The Old Red, White and Blue”, but I didn’t want to seem like an unsophisticated xenophobe. Instead, I went into my good old southern boy / ebonicly correct dialect and asked, “Where you from?”

It turns out that Sessilee was born in Philadelphia and raised partly in Port St. Lucie, Florida. By the time I met Sessilee she had already been photographed by Sorrenti, Lagerfeld and Demarchellier as well as signed to the number one modeling agency - IMG. Clearly, I wasn’t about to impart any words of wisdom on this burgeoning supermodel as I was for sure she was well on her way to super stardom… But less I forget – this is the fashion industry.

A few months went by and I noticed that we had started to see less and less of the young Ms. Lopez – no editorials, no catwalks, no NOTHING… It was as if she had dropped off the face of the fashion earth. Then one night, perhaps a year and a half ago, at a random party being held at Trump Tower for Donald Trump’s new vodka named, what else, TRUMP – I caught a glimpse of Ms. Sessilee Lopez. I was in shock – absolute shock. In walks Ms. Lopez known for her chicly cropped a la Grace Jones hair style with a long wavy weave almost to the top of her ass crack. Seriously, I was in shock – shock. I almost ran over and grabbed her by the arm in order to give her a tongue lashing about what this industry does to beautiful young black women that come in to this game self-assured, perfectly packaged and ready to take on the world. Now before all my free-to-weave girls start screaming and sending me nasty emails, let me be the first to say that I have absolutely nothing against weaves. Hell, sometimes I take girls I know to have them sewn in and even volunteer to buy them the hair from Adorable’s Hair Supply. But Sessilee Lopez I think was never a candidate for this particular hair make-over unless for an editorial or campaign (like the Macy’s commercial below). It was in that moment as I watch Sessilee elegantly glide through the Trump party, I knew that the business was trying to find a nice way of telling this beautiful young woman, “Change who you are before we move on to the next black girl and as you know, there can only be one.”

Sessilee with “long hair” in a Macy’s Commercial

Perhaps I should break it down for those of you who are not fully in the know how the modeling industry works when they are “making room for new models”… There are several key signs which are the “kiss of death” for a young model that has not hit “star” or “top” model status and insist on staying in the game. The signs or slight nudges are as follows:

1) Drastic and Continual Hair Makeovers (Exception to the rule – Linda Evangelista – and as we know, La Linda is a once in a lifetime phenomenon.)

2) Unhealthy Weight Loss suggested and demanded by the agency (We are talking beyond the normal – “You should loose a few pounds…”)

3) An extended trip to visit the Asian Market (These models come back with books filled with unusable tear sheets.)

The fourth and final sign translates into the equivalent of Modeling Hara-Kiri

4) The Alcoholic Beverage or Cigarette Campaign (There is no return from this deadly sin – none whatsoever.)

Luckily Sessilee had only been committed one cardinal sin from above and also somehow remained on IMG’s board and website. That is she remained until the end of last year when I noticed Sessilee Lopez was no longer being represented by IMG Model Management.

Sessilee is now represented by Major Models

Then one day a few months ago during a trip to a website that had done a sweet little story on the Mal Sirrah brand, I noticed a small thumbnail of a beautiful black girl wearing an amazing gold dress. And there she was – in all her short cropped hair and golden brown glory – La Lopez. In Sessilee’s newer photos her eyes appear a bit more squinted and suspicious – which adds to her fierceness; her hair is no longer pixy and cute but more shaved and severe; and her energy is no longer childlike or coquettish – she is now serving up major attitude and confidence. Sessilee Lopez is back and ready to win.

So this morning when I opened the New York Times “Fashion and Styles” section and read Sessilee had been chosen to appear on the Italian Vogue fold-out cover, I was warmed by a feeling that all might finally be going right in the universe. I knew that this was not only a story about black models taking their rightful place in the fashion world but this was also a story of a young woman’s perseverance, struggle and self-realization being told within those folds. For Sessilee Lopez this was the story of a queen reclaiming her throne. Welcome back La Lopez – welcome back!

p.s. Sessilee also has a blog ( http://sessileelopez.blogspot.com/ ) check it out - you will also notice that I swiped (I meant borrowed) most of these brilliant photos from her blog...

Can someone say "Dream Team"

What are we waiting for to make this happen???

A "Dream Team" we can all be proud of...

It Matters... It All Matters...

Occasionally I have the great fortune of running into one of my supporters or well-wishers on the streets of New York City, but very rarely am I as surprised as I was the other day when I heard someone scream “Malcolm – Malcolm Harris”. At first I thought it was an old schoolmate, as no one actually calls me by my first and last name these days unless it is a telemarketer or bill collector. Therefore, when I turned to see who this could be, I noticed this frantic young woman who had begun making a beeline towards me. She begged that I wait a minute while she got herself together so I immediately grabbed her and gave her a big bear hug, if not a tether, for fear that this young woman would float into the stratosphere.

Now I will admit that I have been “hood-famous” for quite some time now (that’s not bragging – it just is what it is), but this young woman with her British accent left me scratching my head and wondering, “What the fuck have I done?” There was also a bit of fear during this initial exchange and therefore my bear hug was also an attempt at restraining my new friend from reaching for a deadly weapon (just in case she was truly a psycho – of course I’m kidding – just a bit…) But it turned out that this young woman was not a psycho at all. This young woman, like many others, has now become an intregal part of my inner voice that whispers to me, “Keep on pushing forward Malcolm - the work that you are doing really matters… It all matters…”

One of the loudest voices in my psyche comes from my spiritual advisor Deepak Chopra

It turns out this young woman by the name of Courtney had actually used yours truly as a case study for her entrance application in order to attend Parsons School of Design. With Courtney’s permission, I have attached a copy of her subsequent email addressed to me along with her Parson’s essay and photo. The subject line in her email reads (in her own words not mine): CRAZY GIRL ON THE STREET YESTERDAY:

Hey Malcolm,

It was amazing meeting you yesterday. Thank you so much for taking the time to talk to me. I'm sure I seemed quite manic at first so I appreciate you just waiting a moment for me to calm down. I've attached a copy of my essay for you to read if you have a moment to spare. I just wanted to thank you again for doing all that you do. You're truly inspirational and I would love to work with you some day. Do you offer internships? I understand that you're a small company but thought I'd give it a try any way.

That Crazy Parsons Girl - - Courtney

Below is Courtney’s Essay:

To Blog or Not to Blog? There is no question.

In the wake of the Web 2.0 innovation, the design world must take into consideration the benefits of the internet. Not only does it make design more readily available, it is also a crucial business tool. Tim O’Reilly describes, “Web 2.0 is the business revolution in the computer industry caused by the move to the Internet as platform, and an attempt to understand the rules for success on that new platform.” Last year the design world took note of the “business revolution” of Web 2.0. The Tech Luxe: Web 2.0 & Beyond held by Walpole Group and the World Luxury Congress were two conferences that thoroughly discussed utilizing the many possibilities of cyberspace with in the design community. Malcolm Harris is one that has fully employed the phenomenon of Web 2.0, although done so in a more socially adept way than someone like Natalie Massenet.

Malcolm Harris, a dress designer based in New York City, has fully taken into consideration the phrase “Don’t fight the internet”. As soon as one clicks onto his website http://www.malsirrah.com/ ,one is displayed a plethora of avenues to discover the universe that is Mal Sirrah. There are the links to his Cut, Sew & Blog, his Myspace page and his own YouTube broadcast channel, which culminate to give an in depth look into his life of fashion. By doing so, Harris gains world wide exposure and customer based feedback on the designs he creates in the most cost effective manner, for free.

Cut, Sew & Blog is by far the best example of this. Through daily blogs that are both personal and fascinating, Harris engages the fashion world and a global community. One blogger commented, “Hey I don't believe you have any idea how famous Cut, Sew and Blog has made you, especially here in the U.K.” Harris reflects this by saying “we started receiving attention from the international press… The New York Times, or The Herald Tribune or The Washington Post…”. Without spending a cent, Harris gained exposure and notoriety globally on a personal level.

Through the customization of his blog Harris has been able to receive immediate reactions from his collections. Harris explains, “if I am toying with a silhouette I do a focus group online … and I ask them, “Is this something that you as a woman would wear?” By doing so Harris is able to almost tailor his designs to his target market, thus maximizing profitability with low opportunity cost.

This is the brilliant element of Harris’ embracing of the improved form of the World Wide Web. Through the use of “social software” Harris has been able to market his designs competitively to larger companies, who spend millions to advertise in official publications. Harris explained, rather endearingly, in his blog to “be this great little marketing tool which would allow me to virtually connect to my brand’s growing customer base.”

Morning Quickie - The Real John McCain

How sweet it is when people begin to show their true colors. Therefore it is with great pleasure that I introduce to you (courtesy of the RealMcCain.Com) Presidential candidate, Senator John "McSame" McCain:

Please share this video with your friends, family and colleagues - this is truly a must see!!!

Let's Get Inspired - Ballets Russes

Occasionally I will take the liberty of giving you all a little sneak peak into what I am using for inspiration these days via film, music, art, etc. I think it is pretty clear where I stand politically these days (OBAMA) so we can skip this for now!!! But I think this will be quite a little fun exercise in showing Cut, Sew and Blog visitors what goes on in the mind and dreams of a fashion designer. What’s great about this is that all of you can help me out as well… I am extremely interested in knowing what you are all watching and listening to in your own inspirational journeys. So please send me emails or leave me comments to let me know what’s been tickling your fancy these days.

Okay, let’s get started… The first installation of "Let's Get Inspired" is a documentary that I have been attempting to rent for the past two if not three years years, but for a long time Netflix didn’t have it and it didn’t seem to be available through the normal outlets. But recently I did a search for this documentary and it popped up available on good-old Netflix. I should be receiving my copy in two days and find myself very excited about its arrival. The documentary is entitled “Ballets Russe”.

In breif, the legendary Ballets Russes troupe gave Russian dancers who were never allowed to grace the stage in their home country a chance to shine, especially in the 1930s and '40s, when the company achieved worldwide renown. But even as early as the 1900s, it had been a showcase for such big-name talents as George Balanchine (style icon) and Vaslav Nijinsky. When the '50s hit, though, the enchantment began to fade in the harsh light of fiscal realities.

Original Costumes from the Ballets Russes

I believe designers and artisans for many decades have been drawn to the glamour and elegance of the Ballets Russes for many reasons greater than the obviously beautiful costumes and stage scenery - - I believe the core attraction stems from the struggle, perseverance and dedication of the company’s dancers. Just check out the snippet below and you will see the same youthful exuberance and determination in the Ballets Russes' dancers (all of which have aged gracefully) that continues to inspire generations of creatives all over the world.

Joy and the City

The other day as I took an afternoon stroll through Soho I saw the most beautiful young woman coming towards me. She must have been about a block away when I first noticed this almost heavenly glow emanating from this splendid creature. Then I was struck by a bit of panic as I thought to myself, “She must be a model, and God knows I am not in the mood to spend my afternoon with random industry chatter.” But it was too late to duck into a store front or cross the street into moving traffic. Instead, I decided to pick up the pace and to walk by this lovely being with an air of hurried destination in the hopes that a smile and wave would be my toll. What struck me as odd was this young woman had also picked up her pace and I was now relieved to think we would pass each other, designer vs. model, without even having to bother with social niceties. As we began to come within perhaps 10 yards of each other I made a futile attempt at turning my head in order to look into a store window. Now I know you might all be saying to yourself, “What drama just to avoid saying hello!” But the truth is that I am very shy believe it or not and very often find certain forced or unplanned social situations a bit uncomfortable and taxing. I know – weird but true!

Okay, where were we??? Oh yeah, beautiful young woman, walking swiftly, attempting to avoid eye contact, etc… Got it… Well before either of us could turn our heads and/or slow down our accelerated pace we shared that moment when fate forces your eyes and consciousness to connect with your fellow human being. Suddenly we were both stopped in our tracks... Then there was the familiar, yet annoying, scream/screech that comes when you encounter a long lost friend or pal. There standing in front of me looking like sunshine incarnate was none other than the stunning and glorious Ms. Joy Bryant.

You see I have known Joy for almost eight or nine years but somehow we always seem to lose track of each other. As New Yorkers these are the sorts of infractions we become accustomed to when we know how busy our own lives are and therefore can imagine or project the same on our friends or pals. Did that make any sense? If so, then you are a New Yorker or another workaholic just like me. Well Joy and I stood on the corner of Wooster and Spring (that’s Soho for my non-New Yorkers) for about 20 minutes chatting, hugging and laughing. Joy still has the spirit of an angel and the sass of a Bronx born vixen. Not to mention Joy has always been one of the smartest models I have ever met and speaking with her is always an exciting experience. This young beauty didn’t get a full scholarship to Yale for nothing…

I think what I love about Joy the most is her effortlessness… Even as an actress she hasn’t allowed herself to become one of those Hollywood types that fit into their cookie-cutter mold. I also believe what separates Joy from the pack is that she crosses all cultural, racial or stereotypical lines. Joy Bryant is truly an original.

As we stood on this busy New York City street corner with passersby whispering her name and taking constant double-takes, Joy (without a stitch of make-up and flawless skin) didn’t even seem to notice that she had become the center of attention. She truly has no clue that she has garnered a cult following of hipsters, hip-hoppers and fashionistas.

Of course in this small space of time I wanted to know everything -– What she was working on? Where is she living? Who she is dating? And so on, and so on… Then she hit me with it - Ms. Bryant is engaged! I later found out that I was very late on this news/gossip as every blogger under the sun had already reported this tidbit as well as supplied viewers photos of her fiancé (pictured above). Of course, I am sure this meticulous being has already picked out her wedding gown, but I promised to make her a pretty dress as a wedding gift. She took this as a high honor because she knows I don’t give celebrities anything for free. But Joy is not a celebrity in my eyes, she is a friend.

I kept telling Joy how proud I was of her and how I always knew she would make it… I knew it from the first time I ever spotted Ms. Joy Bryant in Paris many years ago as she strolled around backstage at John Galliano’s fashion show with her own personal hair and make-up team she had imported from New York City (from Brooklyn and The Bronx to be exact). Joy had decided to bring her own glam squad as she believed that no one in Paris knew how to make black girls look pretty on the runway and she wasn't taking any chances during her Paris debut. Now you tell me if Ms. Bryant did not have all the makings of a star!

Joy and I must have embraced three or four times that other afternoon as instinctively we both knew it might be another long while before we would see one another again. I do not know why life is this way, but I do know this is just a part of being in New York City. I swear this city can appear so big and scary sometimes but for the focused and determined New Yorker it gets even smaller and much more isolated. As we walked away with well-intended promises to stay in touch, I bumped into a young freckled faced red-head with a bright Kid-Robot shirt that I had noticed earlier walking in the opposite direction. Before I could say sorry to this kid he was already in mid sentence, “Was that Joy Bryant? Yo, that girl is so sexy and fine? I am her biggest fan!!!” I simply smiled and said to him, “Yes that was Joy and if you hurry to catch her I can guarantee you she will be happy you stopped to say hello.” In that moment I realized that Joy was no longer a model-slash-actress she had become a cultural ambassador.

Betcha Can't Tell Them Apart - MoveOn.Org

John Cusack stars in a new TV ad that challenges voters to try to tell the difference between George Bush and John McCain. We must pass this video along to as many people as possible. It is truly time for this country to MOVE ON!!!

Afternoon pick-me-up!

Do you have one of those go-to songs, photos or memories that you can rely on to give you a quick chuckle and/or pick-me-up? If not, then allow me to share one of my favorites with you entitled "Goodbye to the Normals". This video still cracks me up and tickles my spirit. The little person in this video reminds me of myself when I first travelled to Paris at the tender age of 16 with promises of never returning... I hope you enjoy this little pick-me-up and it becomes a part of your go-to memories...

Charity, Fashion and Beauty

Last week I had the pleasure of attending former top-model Patricia Valezquez’s annual fundraising benefit for her Wayuu Taya Foundation. It was truly an eye opening and riveting event.

Donna Karan and Iman

Alessandra and Andres Balazs

There were perhaps 150 of New York’s most influential people (excluding myself) in this beautiful room at the Bowery Hotel. Guest included Rosie O’Donnell, Andres Balazs, Russell Simmons, Donna Karan, Iman, Katie Ford, Anderson Cooper and so on, and so on…

Portia Coleman and Russell Simmons

For a brief moment, I sat there and wondered “What’s the collective average worth of the folks in this room?” I also thought to myself these people could perhaps rebuild the entire continent of South America if they truly focused their power, energy and wealth… But who am I to tell people how to focus…

The stunning Patricia Valesquez

Anyway, the event was extraordinary and quite remarkable. Patricia Valesquez is still perhaps one of the most stunning women on the planet. I also love the fact that she is an openly gay woman that lives her life to its fullest potential.

Kathy Eldon and Anderson Cooper

There were many speeches from some of the aforementioned taste and decision makers but the one speech that left me mesmerized and energized was the one given by Ms. Rosie O’Donnell… I have long been a fan of Rosie every since she worked with Madonna in “A League of their Own”. What an inspiring and amazing woman Rosie has become? She continues to grow even to this day as an enlightened being. Rosie was at the event not only to show her continued support for Patricia’s foundation but also to present a special award to Kathy Eldon, the mother of slain Reuters’ photo journalist Dan Eldon. Rosie’s speech was so passionate and heartfelt. In her speech however she said one thing that stuck out in my mind, “Kathy Eldon helped me to release my anger.” Now this might not sound profound to most of you but for someone like me that recently had to go through a very similar exercise this small string of words spoke volumes. But that is a story for another post…

The Candela/Decker Gallery

Over the weekend it seems that I would be haunted not only by Rosie’s speech but by the son of Kathy Eldon, the late Dan Eldon. While walking down my favorite street in my new neighborhood I stumbled on this small gallery Candela/Decker located at 31 Crosby Street. The gallery is covered in photos and paintings of indigenous people from all over the world. It turns out the owners Lisa Candela and David Decker were both at Patricia’s event earlier during the week had also been responsible for Kathy Eldon’s appearance. This gallery is the exclusive distributors of Dan Eldon’s work (photos, paintings, etc.). I also learned that Rosie, Oprah and Madonna are also huge fans of Dan Eldon’s work as well as major supporters of his mother charitable efforts. My serendipitous trip to the gallery resulted in my buying an amazing book compiled of Dan Eldon’s journals entitled “The Journey is the Destination” and a promise to find a way to work with the gallery’s owners on an upcoming project for Designers for Darfur.

The late Dan Eldon killed at the age of 22

After a long week of funerals, political triumphs, artistic and altruistic discovery, my commitment for staying the course grew stronger and much more focused. I guess if I could wish for anything for the people of the world it would be we all could find that thing, passion or work for which we would be willing to give our life to pursue.