They say that “what goes around comes around” and although it may sound a bit cliché, I happen to agree. When I started this blog in 2009, one of my very first articles focused on the way Betsey Johnson had reincarnated tricot knit fabric from the traditional generic mainstay of my mother’s generation into flirty silhouettes that definitely appeal to my daughter’s sense of style. Reinvention has always informed fashion … Read More
Lingerie is for me, a two sided love affair. It is art and function, not necessarily combined. I could attribute my passion for this product to my obsession with visual beauty and my need for structure, order and productivity to define my daily existence. A mentor of mine once said that a perfect merchant was a combination of Picasso and Einstein. That’s a tall order. To find an item that … Read More
Hard as it is for me to admit it, I went to a mall on Black Friday. After all, this is something I swore I would never do again once I left the world of retailing. However, circumstances demanded some quick, inexpensive purchases and so I commandeered my sister-in-law as my wing-man and we forged ahead. I was not looking forward to it. Anti-department store avatar that I am, I … Read More
When I first entered the world of retailing Holiday business really did begin on Black Friday. The store would be transformed into a Christmas spectacle overnight adding to the fever of the season. It was truly a one day event with prices going back up the very next day until post X-Mas promotions. Since I happened to be involved in main floor accessory items in those early years, I was … Read More
I was riding the #4 Subway in NYC today when I took this photo of the commuters sitting side by side across from me. I was struck by the dichotomy of faces, each ensconced in their own daily business. This is the real America, a nation built on immigrant dreams. This city is a cornucopia of technical and creative talent who came here from distant shores using their unique skills … Read More
During the heady days of college, immersed in the bohemian lifestyle of the art student on campus, I became infatuated with the European painters whose unconventional techniques transposed the definition of art in the early 20th century. I was particularly fascinated with the deconstruction of realism and the reconstruction of form into a simple, powerful statement. And as with much of art throughout history, the female anatomy was a … Read More
I have always had a certain affinity for the photographic arts. I am fascinated with the method. Realism is transposed into thought by the photographers use of color or the lack of it to capture the essence of an object, a moment or an idea. In particular, I am drawn to the art of black and white imagery. It has a way of needling in on details, forcing the eye … Read More