Want to make your friends green with envy? Check out the jaw-dropping, eco-friendly window display at FIT on Seventh Avenue.
Appropriately entitled “Prêt-À-Papier,” this cutting-edge clothing exhibit features a range of red-carpet worthy frocks, which students constructed entirely from recycled paper.
While the silhouettes are all smashing, some standouts worth noting include a sweet cape compiled from dozens of Equal packets (ideal for curbing those sugar cravings), a bustier bound together by multiple store receipts (Hello, shopaholics!) and a sexy, off-the-shoulder Halston-esque number.
Our only concern: what happens if you get caught wearing one of these works of art during a sudden down-pour?
Prêt-À-Papier
Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT)
Seventh Avenue at 27 Street
New York City
fitnyc.edu
Want something productive to do while waiting in line for your bacon ‘n eggs brunch at Friend of a Farmer next Sunday? Look no further than the brown and white sign directly across the street that says “Lucia Nenickova” – a teeny-weeny luxe leather goods shop, wedged between two walk-ups on a tony residential block.
The only boutique on Irving Place, Lucia Nenickova is situated in a former tea salon no bigger than a walk-in-closet. A petite blonde from the Czech Republic, Lucia, chose the quaint space to debut her high-end leather accessory and home décor line, providing further proof that size doesn’t matter. You’ll coo over her handcrafted concoctions, which are all made from top quality European leather sourced from one of London’s finest tanneries. Expect a small, yet impressive assortment of circular-shaped mirrors (the Casa collection), over-sized suede-lined shoppers with multiple compartments (ideal for toting around your laptop), sleek cowhide clutches with ostrich accents (perfect for a night on the town) and timeless tan briefcases with boundless pockets. Also on our radar screen are the hipster belts with brass butterfly buckles and sexy red lizard sandals, meticulously constructed with bespoke hand-molded arches for superior comfort and support (buh-bye aching soles and blisters!).
Can’t find something to suit your fancy? Simply ask Lucia and she’ll whip up whatever you want since everything is made-to-measure. Just make sure to have someone hold your place in line across the street!
Lucia Nenickova
72 Irving Place (between 18th and 19th Streets)
212-777-0810
Mon + Tues, by appointment only, Wed-Friday, 1pm-7pm, Sat & Sun, 12pm-7pm
Better sprint on over to Barneys – the ultra cool Kate Moss for Topshop collection hits the racks at the retailer today! If you’re lucky enough to get inside (expect hoards of shoppers), you’ll find a must-have mix of Kate’s favorite finds ranging from sexy halter dresses, skinny jeans, hotpants, wide-legged trousers, fitted vests and of course… her signature aviator shades.
A top tip: you’d better play hookey or you’ll miss out on all the merch. Can’t deal with the masses? You might be able to score something in your size at topshop.com (Barneys.com is already sold out!)
Forgive me Father for I have sinned. What’s my sin, you ask? I’m hooked on a new shade of lipstick, “Red Sinner” that’s so naughty, I need to confess. It’s one of twenty tubes whipped-up by Poppy King – the Aussie-born, NYC-based makeup maven, from her new line, “Lipstick Queen” that I use religiously. For only $18 a fix, you too can sport dramatic, hyper-pigmented, head-turning, traffic- stopping, Rita Hayworth-inspired, fire engine red smackers that make your teeth so white, they’ll practically glow in the dark.
An admitted lipstick junkie who’s worn it since her teens, King pioneered the indie beauty craze in ’92 with “Poppy” – a lipstick collection she created at the ripe old age of 18. King recently left a corporate gig at Prescriptives Cosmetics to re-live her entrepreneurial spirit and launch a lipstick line unlike anything else on the market. Thanks to King’s winning formula, you can punch up your pout with “Sinner” (rich opaques ranging from dark rouge to rust) and “Saints” (think sheer shades like nude and coral) – two extreme textures made from the same base colors. Even the retro packaging is worth collecting – everything’s personalized with her photo, inspiration (‘70’s album covers and Art Nouveau) and a note about her obsession with, you guessed it, lipstick! So nix those goopy glosses from last year and start stocking up on reds that reign.
Get your Lipstick Queen Fix at Barneys.com, or visit LipstickQueen.com for a list of additional store locations.
Visit FashionJunkie.com’s Re-Tales Blog for an exclusive interview with the Lipstick Queen herself, Poppy King.
Ninety-nine bottles of beer on the wall, ninety-nine bottles of beer, if one falls, what the hell?… you’re in Holland! Load up on hundreds of hard-to-find Belgian (De Koninck and Liefman’s Frambozenbier), Dutch (Mestreechs Aaje) and imported brands at rock-bottom prices.
