RAY OF LITE

Raymond Paultre isn't your typical aspiring model, starry-eyed and full of pictures of major campaigns dancing in his head.  Yet.  With that, he still dreams of signing with a big 10 agency and hopes to satiate the hunger of a diversity-starved industry.  

Hailing from Hollis, Queens, Raymond spent the better part of his childhood balancing a love of classical ballet and basketball.  Sounds like a TV flick of the week but you soon discover Ray is about as real as real gets -- even understanding that his re-arrival in NYC (after a stint out of state for college) doesn't mean instant fame -- or even recognition.  In fact, Ray doesn't even take the industry he loves all too seriously.  Refreshing considering many others come to NYC with big dreams...and bigger egos.

Slow and steady wins the race...and with a face like Raymond Paultre's, it's certainly worth the wait.

WGACA's LA SWAP PARTY

Everyone knows the weight of the economy has had us all compromising our otherwise large shopping budgets and with that comes the subsequent guilt when we splurge on a Martin Margiela bike chain ID bracelet.

Well, at least I do.

Enter the swap party. While on the radar for a bit now, WGACA in Hollywood hosted their very own swap party. Of note, Moschino Couture, Versace Atelier, Norma Kamali and an unusual take on the carpet bag.

Nestled between Ivar and Cahuenga, Sunset and Selma, vintage and fashion lovers collided among a painfully pretty crowd, vintage digs in hand, in hopes of swapping their trash for another man's treasure.

Needless to say, the swap came to a feverish pitch among swillers of champagne, a perfect set by Osamu and a live, mannequin grinding performance by Reni Lane.

Then there was the swapping.

We hear Britt Bardo went home with a Chanel backpack...

Who said it takes a wad of cash to score Chanel? It simply requires a bit of 'out with the old and in with the new'.

Well, sort of.

jahnhall for WGACA SS'10

With a dedicated pack of mules, the team and I traversed through Prospect Park in Brooklyn.  Google maps in hand, we made our trek with rugs, blankets, pillows -- and a hookah to shoot What Goes Around Comes Around's Spring 2010 collection.

The collection, inspired by opium dens, Turkey / Morocco -- and a hint of Native American culture successfully makes old things new again.  Ticking stripes, tonal tie-dying and hand-patched denim (as part of the their Custom Vintage Collection) brought about a very Woodstock type vibe.  Military inspired styles brought to mind a quiet nod to the styling in Hair and of that era.  Add to that, the casting (which inadvertently took a decidedly Blue Lagoon turn) of Brian @ Adam and Frances @ Basic, the collection looks young, easy -- and dare I say, breezy.

All in all, a gorgeous day, a gorgeous collection and gorgeous models.  Makes my job gorgeous.

Err, easy.

Head to wgacany.com to see more from the SS'10 collection

Shall we give this a go again?

Despite my apparent inability to maintain a blog, I've thought to revisit this blogging thing with vigor and new-found focus and energy.

Let's see if I can actually pull it off this time.

See you again.

Soon.

BLAH, BLAH, BLOG...

It's become abundantly clear that blogging is not my bag.

I'm not sure if it's because I just suck at some things or perhaps an underlying fear that no one really checks this out. 

Then again, that could be the result of a measly 5 posts in the last couple months.

I'm working on it...I promise.

Until then, get your head out of the blogs and get as much information as you can about the coming election.  With just over a month ahead of us, it is our duty to be informed, and more importantly, VOTE...and while it's certainly not my place to sway one's decision regarding the election either left or right, I've been amused (read:  scared as hell) by one VP candidate's grasp of the issues.

While McCain has certainly made some brave decisions as a POW and as a member of the Senate, his decision to put Sarah Palin next in line for the presidential post (and with consideration that he may not survive his first term when you think the average American male lives to the age of 74) was foolish, if not down-right dangerous.

Consider the recent interview Ms. Palin stumbled through with CBS anchor, Katie Couric.  When asked about her foreign policy experience, she boastfully thought Alaska's proximity to both Canada and Russia were sufficient despite acknowledging little or no interaction with either country's leaders.  A greater concern, Palin admitted that she had just applied for and received her first passport in 2007, citing that she wasn't raised in a family culture where travel was a priority...adding that her 'education' of the world has literally been left in the hands of the media...

...and we all know how forthright and real the media can be.

Do your own homework, and again more importantly, make yourself heard.

Vote.

Josh Wald @ Wilhelmina

Josh Wald, despite a hectic travel schedule, a new album (he produced and co-wrote) and an overwhelming desire to make more music took some time out (of the little time he has) to update his book.  Josh is a bit of a renaissance man -- his life a sum of it's parts.  His latest project, with singer / songwriter Kerry Beach, is just wrapping up and should prove once again that this Cape Cod cadet has got the chops to keep us wanting more of it.

jahnhall for GEORGE McCRACKEN

Artist turned menswear designer George McCracken took his craft back home, making the Winkleman Gallery (located on 27th Street between 11th and 12th Avenues in Manhattan) a temporary exhibit / showroom for his S/S '09 collection.  In doing so, George successfully merges his established career as an artist with his second menswear collection.

The collection borrows from the 90's minimalist platform, but treads lightly, warming up a steel grey exterior with a sophisticated color palette.  Denim is slim and straight and knitwear of merino wool and cashmere makes the well-edited range extremely wearable however, don't be fooled.  S/S '09 remains loyal to a utilitarian approach inspired greatly by vintage military uniforms.

Of note, a black parka made of a 70% wool composite produced by Loro Piana, completely waterproof, is already on my list of must-haves come January, 2009.

George McCracken's inaugural collection arrives early August exclusively at Bergdorf Goodman.