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.