{ coming soon }

i've been getting a lot of inquiries about the jewels worn in yesterday's post. most are part of a HUGE summer collection i've been working on for the store ~ which i'm aiming to have ready by next week. stay tuned; i'm so excited to share this new line with you all!!

{ the glamourai } for schick

today i am so excited to tell you all about my latest collaboration (and most unique creative challenge to date): the glamourai for schick intuition!!

a few months ago, schick approached me about designing limited edition skins for their super-luxe intuition naturals razor. at first, i feared this was too far outside of my purview ~ i am certainly comfortable designing clothes and accessories, but product design on this scale is another story entirely. then, i remembered an inspirational quote from olivier theyskens, who said (of his move from luxury houses like rochas and nina ricci to the far more affordable theory), that he felt capable of designing anything from a glass to a cellphone. i thought (with arguably unearned arrogance): well then, so can i! from there, it occurred to me that nearly every person who reads this blog probably uses a razor ~ and wouldn't we all like to have the prettiest one possible? that's when i started getting really excited about this endeavor, accepted schick's challenge, and got right to work.
{ above: the glamourai for schick intuition naturals // from left to right: le love, le plume & le fleur }

i loved the curvaceous shape of the intuition razor ~ it reminded me of the fluid lines of art nouveau, as seen through a pop-art lens. so i dug into my library and pulled out my favorite biba book. after all, biba set the standard for pop nouveau in the sixites and seventies, blending fashion, decor, and bold product design to create an all-encompassing lifestyle juggernaut ~ and i think their attitude and aesthetic are still as fresh as ever.

my inspirational starting place established, i holed myself up in the studio and sketched my way through an entire night, coming up with dozens of ideas by sunrise. i couldn't believe how much fun i was having, imagining ways to fill the razor's hourglass shape with color and pattern and drama!! i wore out several pens (and fingers!) in the process, in the end submitting my top 12 favorites to my friends at schick, who in turn selected their top 3:

now i want to hear what YOU think! head over to schick intuition's facebook page to let us know which design you like best (voting will remain open until friday, may 27th). the winning style will be put into production for spring 2012 ~ then sold in thousands of shops around the world!

best of all, everyone who votes will be entered to win one of three prize packs, containing my personally selected summer essentials: a diane von furstenburg beach tote, missoni towel, karen walker sunnies (the same style i wore HERE), versace silk scarf (wear it as a turban!), and schick intuition naturals razor. bonne chance everybody ~ i can't wait to see which one wins!!

{ new bijoux }

{ photos by jeremy and me }
spent the weekend finishing a brand new batch of bijoux for the boutique. i don't know which i like best: making jewelry, wearing jewelry, or photographing jewelry?! (seriously, i could spend all day taking macro shots of each teensy stone.) either way, it's a big part of my daily life ~ i suppose i just love having lots of pretty little bitties all around me. if you suffer from the same affliction, have a browse about my freshest jingle jangles, all RIGHT HERE.

{ tvland }

recently, producers from the nate berkus show contacted me about doing a feature on my apartment. one thing led to another, and the next thing i knew i was co-piloting an episode about translating your personal style into your home's decor, and given free reign to redesign a viewer's space (with a budget of only $1200!) to better reflect her fashion sense. the episode aired yesterday, but you can check out some highlights in the clips below:


UPDATERY: to answer a few reader questions, the stores i took cat to were ugly luggage & junk (both in williamsburg, brooklyn). the top i wore on the show is from aaron ashe and the skirt is shulami (via modcloth // it first appeared in THIS POST).

{ kaleidoscopic collection }

yesterday afternoon i added a sumptuous slew of new jewelry designs to the store. i'd love for you to have a look at them HERE!!

{ synergy }

there sure is a lot of black, white and gold in my life these days ~ i've recently really realized how much i dress like i decorate like i design. every passion, inspiration and fixation feeds into all the others!!



{ wearing: club monaco shirtdress (last seen HERE), kelly framel leather hoop earrings, teardrop talon and citrine fringe necklaces, plus ~ from left to right ~ ibiza ring, raveonette ring, and liberace ring + OPI's my private jet nail polish }

it's here!

it's been many weeks in the works, and i'm so excited to finally introduce you to my new bijoux boutique, kelly framel jewelry!! there are so many more pieces still to come, but i just couldn't wait any longer to spill! please have a peek...

xokelly

{ as promised }

new in the store!!!

{ rock pop }

been a busy bee this week, crafting and adding newly-made jewels to the shop. click the picture to have a gander!

{ above: amethyst amulet necklaces (only $60!) hang on a homemade cork-board in my studio }

{ newly jewelly } midsummer statements

after two tumultuous months of packing, moving, and a head-spinning schedule of freelance projects, i've somehow eked out the time to unpack and rebuild anew my jewelry studio. the first fruits of my work/life relocation have just arrived in the shop ~ it feels so good to finally be fashioning fancy new fripperies again! we couldn't let bunny have all the fun, now could we?!

{ costume of the day } the halftan

no, it's not quite a caftan, but this whispery slip floats off the skin and achieves the same end.

i made it a few summers ago, out of a triangular sample of pleated silk. the most complicated construction it required was a single seam down center back. next, i looped the neck section around a strip of grosgrain (for structural support), which was then sewn to two pieces of chunky chain; it clasps in the back like a necklace! for fun, i hand-tacked little bits of finer chain fringe down the front.

it's a good go-to when the summer sun swelters, but i still want to be chic!


{ kara ross for vogue eyewear sunnies (gifted), self-designed earrings & dress, helmut lang bandeau, random belt, vintage bracelets, dries van noten shoes }

{ real good lookin }

as i mentioned yesterday, i had the great opportunity of collaborating with famed fashion designer josie natori to co-design my own, one-of-a-kind dress for the coach collectibles launch party. and now that very frock can be yours!

honestly, it's incredibly to part with it. in every way, it really is my ultimate dream dress ~ from the silhouette, to the print, to the lovely memories that were made in it.

but when i heard the passion with which josie talks about her intimate involvement with women in need (she's been on their board since 2005!), there was absolutely no question of my keeping it. i've been very blessed in my life ~ especially lately, it seems ~ and i felt this was an unmissable opportunity to share my good fortune with those who need it even more. at the very least, i hope to raise awareness of this noble organization's efforts ~ but to be able to offer them some serious dough would be even better!

thus, this oh-so special dress will be up for auction on ebay for the next week. please bid generously ~ because the only thing that feels better than looking marvelous is doing something great for someone else! that being said, i can't promise that i won't get in there and try to buy back it myself!!

---

UPDATE 06.17.10: this auction has now ended. thank you to everyone who bid ~ together, we raised over $700 for women in need!!! i am so proud to have such fierce AND philanthropic readers! you all really are the best. xoxoGlamourai

{ costume of the day } best night ever

last night's coach collectibles launch party ~ held at the brand's magnificent madison avenue flagship store ~ was easily one of the most memorable moments of my life! i've got a whole other post in the works featuring pics from the event, but first things first: what i wore:

such a special occasion called for a super special ensemble ~ ie: high fashion-pressure potential! luckily, designer josie natori generously offered to make me the custom dress of my dreams. how could i refuse?!

we collaborated on the design, which was engineered to reflect my style signatures, josie's expert specialties, and of course, the look of my bag. thus, the keyhole shoulders (a personal favorite, seen regularly in my glamourwrap designs), the lush, exotically printed silk (a natori trademark), and the intricately seamed lantern sleeves ~ whose hidden architecture precisely mimics the curved construction of my coach tote.

{ tom ford sunnies, the glamourai + josie natori custom dress, the glamourai ring, custom coach belt, miu miu swallow brooch, the glamourai for coach bag, badgley mischka shoes }

i felt easily chic all night long ~ and also like the luckiest girl in the world! in an attempt to give back a small portion of the overwhelming good fortune which has been bestowed upon me, i'll be re-teaming with josie natori to auction off this very-dear dress on ebay, with 100% of the proceeds going to women in need, a new york organization that provides housing and job training to homeless women and their families. stay tuned for more details!

{ hearts on fire }

i quite cockily imagine that all who add glamourai jewelry to their wardrobes must be a pretty chic bunch, but actually seeing the pieces come to life on my real-life clients is really more touching and humbling. it's such an honor! i seriously squealed when this photo of fabulously fierce jemina popped up in my inbox. how incredible does she look in her graphic, draped dress, cat eye sunnies, pop of blue bag, and one-of-a-kind hearts on fire necklace?!
i have been (and will continue to be) running a bit behind on posting & producing this week, as i'm transitioning into a new home & design studio. as such, i'm having a little moving sale in the shop: use code 'MOVING10' for 10% off any order until sunday, june 6th!

{ the glamourai for coach } it's here!

today is the first day you can pre-order my coach collectibles bag online!

coach has also released a fun picture of the lived-in luxury inspiration board we put together for this project (complete with the original sketch, leather swatch options, first reticule-style prototype, and a pair of my own sunnies tacked on!):

when given this amazing opportunity to collaborate with coach, i felt the design should reflect the many sides of my life and style. i’ve always looked to the far east for inspiration. this fascination is manifested in my collection of kimonos, paisley print caftans, and tooled moroccan jewels. the shape of the bag, especially the wrapped seams and tassel finish, came directly from the swingy simplicity of antique chinese lanterns.

at the same time, my inspiration is fueled by the sophistication and speed of life in new york, juxtaposed by quiet café moments and puppy dog walks around my brooklyn neighborhood. thus, the wear-everywhere, day-to-night size speaks to the uniquely NYC necessity of having a bag that works as well for breakfast meetings at balthazar as it does for late nights at the boom boom room. so often, changing in between is not an option!

i also knew it needed to be a beautifully neutral, calming color: one which would seamlessly transition from summer to spring ~ and everyday in between! finally, it needed to speak to my passion for vintage, and feel like something one might as easily have found at an antiques market as on madison avenue (though the luxurious execution obviously speaks to the latter locale).

coach enabled me to deliver on all these ideas, while maintaining their own exquisite commitment to quality construction, longevity, and integrity. they also know how to keep things fun, and are throwing a great big launch party on june 8th for myself, their other three guest designers (emily, krystal, and karla), and you! everyone's invited ~ i hope you can come!!

{ shop the glamourai } gypset jewels

i'm always inspired by the mysteries of the far east. this preoccupation manifests itself in my work in myriad ways, but is increasingly obvious come summertime. as this post suggests, i'm especially apt to channel jet-set gypsies as the weather warms up.

accordingly, i've just spun a special series of sun-bleached silver sundries, all superb for bathing on the beaches of bali. actually, they'll work wherever your warm weather wanderings may take you ~ even if you're only headed as far as the local swimming hole!

{ click any pic to see them all }

{ bijou jangles }

since the inception of spring, i've enjoyed wearing loads of jangly bracelets (as recently evidenced here and here). compound to that the fact that last week, at an antique accessory exhibition, i fell hard for a tassel-trimmed number (with an achingly intimidating four-figure price tag) ~ and what you've got this week is a clangor of bangles (also a few new necklaces) in the collection!

tis the season to start stacking!!
{ click here to peruse }

{ inspiration and outcome } a magic carpet ride

remember the exotic porcelain urn that i found on my last trip to texas? i just went crazy when first i spotted it in a frill-free flea market booth! getting it home was a bit of a hassle, but well worth the trouble, for it immediately inspired me to make a medley of mediterranean marvels:

taking cues from the vase, i sourced stones in cerulean, turquoise and white magnesite, chains in ivory and gold, and smooth polished pearls. i imagined the world this porcelain piece might have originally belonged to (something quite like THIS) ~ and contemplated the lady who lived there. what could i possibly make that would befit this majestic mirage?

i'm thrilled by the resulting pastiche of turkish delights; don't they just teem of far east seas?! it's amazing what a jolt of inspiration will do ~ even from a source as unlikely as a cookie jar.

{ click any image to see item in store / all are available now at shop.theglamourai.com }
[ still life photos by me / fashion by steven meisel ]