A GAMBIT PUBLICATION | M AY 2 0 1 2
HOME FASHION
BEAUTY
N I ’ N I R P E P K I C S U S R E SE Friday, May 18, 2012 6 PM to 9 PM at the Shops at Canal Place benefitting
The Ogden MuseuM Of sOuThern ArT university of new orleans
Attire: Southern cocktAil, SeerSucker preferred!
an evening of lite bites, Southern cocktails, shopping specials and live entertainment featuring:
Los Hombres Calientes deluxe raffles • Seersucker ensemble contest TiCkeTs: Before May 18 – MuSeuM MeMberS: $25; NoNMuSeuM MeMberS: $40; Day of evenT: MuSeuM MeMberS: $30; NoNMuSeuM MeMberS: $50 For iNForMatioN aNd tiCketS, Call 504.539.9616 order oNliNe at: Store.ogdeNMuSeuM.org/SiPPiN-iN-SeerSuCker-tiCketS/
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FASHION
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what guys want
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nEOns anD nEutRaLs
Global style
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CuE KIDs
Bywater home tours and a new local fashion line
Gifts they’ll love to make for Mom
PERSPECTIVES
hEEL thysELF Hot hues on summer shoes
BuILt In styLE
09
FROM thE EDItOR
32
CuE thE IntERvIEw
39
shOP DOgs
The light of the party
CuE In Decorator Shawn O’Brien’s quirky style
SHOPPING
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CuE tIPs
Acid brights meet muted beiges
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nEw&COOL Timely accessories
Color theory
Designers Lisa Iacono and Suzanne Perron talk shop.
Retro Active’s pretty Penny
BEAUTY
LustERPhILE Mind your own frizz-ness
french connection is… acting
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playful
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happy
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epic
me ta irie • 6 0 5 me ta irie rd 504-309-8778 |
F iNd US ON FaCeBOOK
New Spring Looks
For The Stylish Man
RUBENSTEINS
Canal Street Corner St. Charles Avenue
504.581.6666 | Free valet parking on Canal St.
www.rubensteinsneworleans.com
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TWO GREAT STORES, ONE GREAT LOCATION
Festival Essentials GIFTS • JEWELRY HOME DECOR
Mon - Sat 10-5:30 504-891-6141
Activewear that goes anywhere
JAZZ UP
your Fest! 504-899-2212
5 5 2 3 M A G A Z I N E (between
Octavia & Joseph)
7725 MAPLE STREET 504.866.1092
5519 5421 MAGAZINE MAGAZINE STREET STREET 504.899.8992 504.891.8992 m ay. 2 0 1 2 < < <
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Can you afford our design services? That depends, can you afford free?
N O W C A R RY I N G D E C O R AT I V E T I L E F R O M K E N M A S O N, A LYS E D WA R D S, B O N TO N T I L E A RT I S T RY, C E R A M I C T I L E T R E N D S A N D M A N Y M O R E ! E X C L U S I V E LY AT T H E M AG A Z I N E S T R E E T L O C AT I O N
TILE - WOOD - STONE - GLASS - DECORATIVES - FLOORS - WALLS
DESIGN GALLERY 4 WESTSIDE SHOPPING CENTER 2801 MAGAZINE STREET
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GRETNA, LA 70053
NEW ORLEANS, LA 70115
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504.361.0501 504.891.3005
eons tend to polarize people. While out shopping for this issue’s fashion features, I found a slew of boutiques radiant with neonaccented garments, shoes and handbags. Other shops maintained a subtle palette of neutrals. “It takes a certain type of person to wear neon,” said the owner of one of the latter boutiques. Her tone suggested this type of person wasn’t among her customers. “Neon doesn’t stick around for more than a few seasons.” I don’t disagree with her. Neon is almost violently bright; even the sight of neon lights can trigger a seizure in certain people. But in its latest incarnation, wedded to more sedate hues, it goes from wild to wearable. A thread of neon — like a handbag’s hot pink strap against the cool column of a white cotton shirt and pants — electrifies an otherwise sedate ensemble. This month’s fashion spread features neon-accented clothes in the muted, rustic environs known as The Pearl. The speakeasy-cum-gallery space is situated in Bywater, where some of the shotguns and cottages themselves wear neon colors. Other structures are less brash, eschewing painted-lady colors in favor of clean pastels and whites. They resemble their owners this way. (But don’t take my word for it. Check out the info about the Bywater Home Tour, page 35.)
Photo by Que Duong anD the MakeuP L ab artistry
from the editor
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Regardless of where your preference falls on the neon spectrum, I hope you’ll take advantage of the intense colors this season offers. But if bold shades aren’t your thing, take succor in the fact that, like a glimpse of a tropical fish in the Gulf, neons will disappear in the blink of an eye. In its own way, the boldest color is also the most shy and retiring.
mArGo dUBoS | editor
dorA SiSoN |
editorial
p u b l is h e r production director
micheLe SLoNSKi
K A N dAc e p o W e r G r Av eS m anaging editor contributing writers
L e e c U t r o N e , c A r r i e m A r KS
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NOW OPEN 4030 canal st | mid-city | 482-nola www.nola.woodhousespas.com
NEW + COOL
TIME OUT JOINT SHOPPING
REPURPOSED WATCH GEAR EARRINGS BY ARTS KINETIC, $125 AT VERNON (2049 MAGAZINE ST., 309-5929; WWW.VERNONCLOTHING.COM).
OF
THERE’S AN UPTICK IN REPURPOSED WATCH PARTS IN THE MOST UNEXPECTED PLACES. BY MISSY WILKINSON
VINTAGE PURSE WITH FUNCTIONING CLOCK, $48 AT UNIQUE PRODUCTS.
WINGED WATCH FACE NECKLACE BY ARTS KINETIC, $135 AT VERNON.
HANDMADE WATCH FACE NECKLACE BY YOUNG AND SICK, $65 AT UNIQUE PRODUCTS (2038 MAGAZINE ST., 309-6258; WWW.SHOPGREENNEWORLEANS.COM).
DISTRESSED CLOCK TOWER HEADBOARD, $2,498 AT ANTHROPOLOGIE (THE SHOPS AT CANAL PLACE, 333 CANAL ST., 592-9972; WWW. ANTHROPOLOGIE.COM). m ay. 2 0 1 2 < < <
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HOME
BUILT IN STYLE
IN THE RIGHT LIGHT A WELL-THOUGHT-OUT LIGHTING SCHEME CAN BRIGHTEN UP AN OUTDOOR GATHERING. BY C A R R I E M A R KS rom flickering gas lanterns at courtyard fetes to the twinkling pageantry of Celebration in the Oaks, many of our city’s outdoor festivities boast lovely, creative mood lighting. With new technology and a little ingenuity, it’s possible to pull that ethereal atmosphere into the most mundane backyard barbecues. A good lighting scheme can bring intimacy, excitement and exactly the right atmosphere to a party, says Jamie Larson, an event planner with NOLA Renaissance. “Outdoor lighting keeps the mind alert and interested in what’s going on,” she says. “It can pretty much create whatever mood you’re looking for.” LED lights are at the eco-conscious forefront, as they use 75 percent less energy than traditional bulbs and have much longer lifespans, meaning that for many homeowners, the initial installation is the only upkeep required. Otis Alexander, vice president of Lighting Inc., says LED lights have developed significantly in recent years as a feasible outdoor lighting option. “The big complaint with LED lighting was that the colors were off; for example, white lights had a kind of bluish tint,” he says. “Nowadays, the technology is such that the color rendition is perfect.”
F POSITION GROUND LAMPS SO THEY CAST LIGHT UPWARDS TO HIGHLIGHT INTERESTING HOME AND GARDEN FEATURES. PHOTO COURTESTY OF ECOSMARTFIRE.
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BUILT IN STYLE CAN LIGHTS WITH COLORED GEL OVERLAYS INSTANTLY SET A MOOD. COUPLED WITH OUTDOOR FIREPLACES, LIKE THESE MODELS BY ECOSMARTFIRE, THEY CREATE A LAYERED LIGHTING SCHEME. PHOTO COURTESY OF ECOSMARTFIRE.
It takes more money and effort, but Alexander also offers a special installation in which the bricks in a patio, walkway or wall are replaced with similarly shaped LED lights, creating a mosaic lighting effect similar to that of Champions Square next to the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Because LEDs last so long, “you’re not going to be up there screwing in light bulbs on a hot August night,” Alexander says. “The whole point of lighting and entertaining is so you can enjoy a leisurely weekend.” LEDs gradually fade in brilliance as they reach the end of their lives, meaning you
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generally can anticipate when a new one is needed instead of having it suddenly burn out in the middle of your family’s twilight bocce ball tournament. LEDs are replacing candlelight in traditional vessels like classic tiki torches and floating votives for pools and fountains. However, traditionalists may prefer outdoor fireplaces and lanterns like those by EcoSmartFire or Brasa, which burn eco-friendly bioethanol. Lighting also can highlight home and garden features that might otherwise fade into the background. “We can position ground lamps so that they cast light upwards against a house to show off interesting structures and texture,” Alexander says. One popular option is RGB tape, a thin, flexible strip studded with LEDs that can make walkways glow, bring festive detail to the base of a backyard bar or provide backlight for an outdoor TV. Resistant to water and weather, RGB tape boasts the long life of traditional LED lights and can be programmed to change colors, “effectively bringing a lot of the same elements of a fancy hotel to your backyard,” Alexander says. A well-planned color scheme can be instrumental in creating the desired vibe. “Soft, amber tones make for a romantic, candlelit feel, while oranges and reds create excitement,” Larson says. She encourages the use of more than one lighting scheme to “add depth to the mood.” This effect is more easily achieved with pre-programmed lighting. LEDs are quickly finding their way into traditional holiday light strands and festoon strip lighting, which Larson touts as tried-and-true methods for incorporating drama. “People use this to bring ‘the sky’ in,” she says, referring to the lights’ similarities to twinkling stars. PAR can lights (often used in stage productions) are another popular choice for her clients. They come with simple color gel overlays and can draw guests’ attention to an important section of the party, like a food or gift display, creating what Larson calls a “focus wall.” For parties and events with a specific theme, she is partial to Gobo lighting as a wallet-friendly option. Gobos are colored projector lights that display a customized image or message on whatever surface or structure they’re aimed toward. In addition to bringing aesthetic improvements, outdoor lighting also has safety benefits. Motion-activated lights in doorways, corners and carports are an easy, energy-conscious way to bring visibility to your home’s perimeter. Because they turn off when not in use, they conserve more energy than a bulb linked to a switch and double as a security feature by alerting residents to outdoor activity.
g n i ng r p S ani Cle Sale F
F O % EMS t 0 3 s 10- ECT IhTMay 31 SEoLw throug N
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HIGH NOTES T-shirts $30 - $38
HIGH NOTES Collection benefits The Roots of Music
Pins and Pendants $38 - $65
Umbrella $85
Canal Place · 504.524.2973 · 3801 Magazine · 504.891.2005 Lakeside · 504.835.2244 · Baton Rouge Towne Center · 225.932.9783 · www.mignonfaget.com
Festival Style
clothing, shoes & accessories
create a buzz 8438 oak street corner of joliet & oak parking lot in rear
mon & tues 10am-5:30pm wed-fri 10am-6pm sat 11am-6pm
(504) 324-3488 www.abeillenola.com
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FA S H I O N
W H AT G U Y S W A N T
GLOBAL GARB
RUNWAY-INSPIRED INTERNATIONAL FASHION BY MEGAN BRADEN-PERRY Bright bottoms recently graced fashion week runways worldwide. Clark chinos in banana, $98.50 at Brooks Brothers (The Shops at Canal Place, 333 Canal St., Suite 124, 5289572; www.brooksbrothers.com).
Stay unruffled while traveling with this no-iron dress shirt, $88 at Brooks Brothers.
Stanton shorts in dusty berry pick up the color trend, $59.50 at J.Crew (The Shops at Canal Place, 333 Canal St., Suite 124, 5289572; Lakeside Shopping Center, 3301 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, 830-3405; www.jcrew.com).
Blue jackets and bright shoes (above) are in vogue in Paris. Achieve the look at Rubensteins (102 St. Charles Ave., 581-6666; www.rubensteinsneworleans. com) by pairing a blue herringbone sport coat (right), $675, with blue suede shoes (left), $250. Photo courtesy of Streetpeeper.com.
Guys in Tokyo are saying konnichiwa to suede wingtips like this version by Cole Haan, $198 at Rubensteins. m ay. 2 0 1 2 < < <
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Style and Comfort - The Perfect Fit Experience Thierry Rabotin
ULTIMATE STYLE & COMFORT ONLY AT PERFECT FIT SHOES
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Shoe Brands known on East & West Coasts now available in NOLA
Gini Davis, Physical Therapist, Foot/Ankle Specialist - Crescent City Physical Therapy Presenting an outstanding collection of stylish, comfortable shoes for any season (or reason)!
5525 MAGAZINE STREET ( B E T W E E N S P R I N G A N D P R I O R I T I E S • C A D DY C O R N E R F R O M W H O L E F O O D S )
OPEN MON–FRI, 10 AM –6 PM • SAT, 10 AM –5 PM | 504.456.5993 W W W. PE R F EC TF IT S H O E S . N E T 16 CUE
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Liberto Photography, LLC
COME SIP • SNACK • SHOP Show Me Your Mumu Trunk Show • Spring & Summer Fashion THURSDAY, APRIL 26TH • 5-8PM
ON & OFF-SITE AIRBRUSH FANTASY TAN & EVENT MAKE-UP • LADIES CLOTHING ACCESSORIES • COSMETICS A BEAUTY BOUTIQUE 6250 GENERAL DIAZ • LAKEVIEW • 304-0633 • WWW.FINIBOUTIQUE.COM
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4011 MAGAZINE STREET 895.6278 weinsteinsinc@bellsouth.net
linens • gifts • children’s clothing
4408 Shores Drive • Metairie 1 block west of clearview & west esplanade 504-888-3313 • www.shopauraluz.com 18 CUE
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MANY SIDESOFOF THE
SHAWN DESIGNER SHAWN O’BRIEN DRAWS ON A MULTITUDE OF MOODS WHEN PUTTING TOGETHER THE LOOK THAT’S UNIQUELY HER OWN.
BY LEE CUTRONE PHOTOS BY EUGENIA UHL
hen designer Shawn O’Brien reflects on her personal style, the word dichotomy comes up repeatedly. A pristine antique can stop her in her tracks, but so can an off-kilter hand-me-down with sentimental value. When she entertains, she prefers to host casual kitchen get-togethers with a hodgepodge of artsy people and “big pots of fabulosity” bubbling on the stove, but she also relishes enchanting formal affairs, like the New Orleans Botanical Garden’s Magic In The Moonlight, of which she is a founding member. “My personality doesn’t have one side and neither does my style,” she says. “In my house, I love that I can indulge all my different urges. … I like to it to be mixed up. I like to combine beat-up with pristine, antique with modern, funky and fine. … Every part of my life is a dichotomy. I get bored with too much of one thing.” As a designer, O’Brien has been exploring and fine-tuning her skills for several decades. While working as a real estate agent, she realized that it wasn’t selling houses that turned her on, but seeing them. She enrolled in interior design school, gradually began taking on clients and never looked back. Today, as owner of Shawn O’Brien Interiors — a career she balances with her role as mother of 21-year-old daughter Remy, 16-year-old son Raphe and 8-year-old Weimaraner Audrey — she works hard to interpret each client’s individual aethetics and needs. “I’m not an intimidating designer, and I think people appreciate that,” she says. “I genuinely understand what it is to want
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O’BRIEN USED OPEN SHELVING, A SPUTNICK LIGHT FIXTURE AND CARRERA MARBLE COUNTERTOPS IN THE KITCHEN. THE PAINTING IS BY WILLIAM HEARD.
VINTAGE JET EARRINGS AND
(RIGHT) BRACELET.
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your house to look great without having a huge budget. … Everyone deserves to love where they live.” O’Brien often uses fabrics as a starting point when decorating a home, and together, she and decorator Heidi Friedler have amassed a fabric library with thousands of choices, all in a Magazine Street showroom that is open to the public by appointment. “Fabrics make me weak in the knees,” O’Brien says. “I really love absolutely everything that makes a room beautiful, but the softest spot in my heart is probably reserved for fabrics.” It’s taken a decade for O’Brien to turn her house into a haven that she loves. “The first time I saw it, I sort of ruled it out,” she says. “But I loved the neighborhood and was looking for a house to renovate. I never buy done houses. I wanted to do my own kitchen and master suite. And I liked that it was on a corner and had oodles of natural light.” By the time she took on the renovation last year, she’d had 10 years to plan exactly what she wanted. With the help of contractors Andy
Smith and Dan Summers, she gutted and enlarged the kitchen at the rear of the house and renovated and doubled the square footage of an attic bedroom, which now includes a bedroom, a spa-inspired bath and a closet spacious enough to accommodate the wardrobe of an avowed clothesaholic. The result is everything she’d hoped for. “My last house was a big old mansion on Audubon Place with marble steps and froufrou stuff everywhere,” she says. “I tried to tone down the formality as much as I could, but this little cottage suits me much better.” O’Brien plans to add regular store hours to her Magazine Street showroom soon, making it easier for locals to find a wealth of great-looking fabrics, wallpapers and furnishings. So we asked her to share the lowdown on fabrics – and a few of the other elements that make her style so inviting.
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PAGE 19
ON FABRICS “When I’ve got a blank slate for a room, I usually find the one fabric that makes my heart sing and build on that. Paint color, rugs and accessories are all a piece of cake to pick once I’ve got my direction.”
ON COLOR “I love every single color. Robin’s egg blue is probably my favorite.”
ON HER STRENGTH AS A DESIGNER “What I bring to the table is good taste and good vision. I’m not a perfectionist, and that makes it easier for me to incorporate someone’s strange little odds and ends. I always walk through a client’s home and say, ‘Tell me what you love and are not going to part with, what you hate and are willing to let go and what you want to modify.’ I build on that and make it look as good as possible.” PAGE 23
O’BRIEN CHOSE A FAVORITE FABRIC, WHICH ANCHORS THE LIVING ROOM’S COLOR SCHEME, FOR VALENCES A WHIMSICAL PIG COLLECTION IS SCATTERED THROUGHOUT
AND THROW PILLOWS.
THE HOUSE.
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Photography by Rhea Aldridge. Hair and Makeup by Christine Fitzpatrick
CLOTHING JEWELRY ACCESSORIES GIFTS 622 S. CARROLLTON · NEW ORLEANS, LA 70118 504.301.9410 · TUE-SAT 10AM-5PM · SUN 10AM-5PM
Sassi Holford Trunk Show
April 13-14 Olivier Couture is the only Sassi Holford retailer in the Southern United States!! $200
Sara Gabriel Veil credit
with purchase of Sassi Holford Gown h
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COUTURE STYLE, REALISTIC PRICING The Market @ Chenier • 1901 Highway 190 • Suite 24 • Mandeville 985.674.6994 • www.oliviercouture.com • info@oliviercouture.com 22 CUE
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o’brien renovated her upstairs attic to include a soothing, spa-like bath (top left), featuring tiles from stafford tile
& stone. she chose a palette of whites and grays for her “cloud-like” bedroom and custom bed (top right).
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ON HER KITCHEN RENOVATION “I have a large kitchen and papering the whole thing would have been very expensive, so I used the fabric for valences and pillows. I wanted cool tones, not beiges. Carrera is a really reasonably (priced) marble, and I like the way it ages, like at Morning Call.”
ON HER BEDROOM “My bedroom feels like a cloud. I put a lot of thought, time and money into the bedding. If people invest in anything in their house, I think it should be their beds.”
ON HER CLOSET
small dishes from crate and barrel showcase costume jewelry.
“The starting place for a great closet is plenty of room. I measured the linear feet of my boots, shoes, sweaters, blouses, dresses etc., and spent hours with graph paper figuring out the
best way to lay it out. Now it’s like I have a lot of new clothes because I see it all. “
DRESSES “I have a curvy frame, so dresses with a vintage feel look best on me. I find most of my dresses at Anthropologie, A Girl Is A Gun and Trashy Diva.”
CAT-EYE GLASSES “If you have to have glasses, you might as well have fun with them. I bought my first vintage pair of cat-eye glasses 15 years ago and have been buying them ever since.”
PIGS “I fell in love with Wilbur when I read Charlotte’s Web and started collecting them as a kid. I’m picky about my pigs though. I don’t like them to be cutesy.” m ay. 2 0 1 2 < < <
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vintage-inspired women's clothing & accessories for work, play, night, day sizes XS–2X
OPEN SEVEN DAYS 11AM-7PM 6010 Magazine Street (near State Street)
New Orleans (504) 891-GIRL (4475) agirlisagun.com
•
I T O N LY H A P P E N S O N C E A Y E A R Artisan linen from down under exclusively at California Drawstrings.
California Drawstrings 812 ROYAL STREET | 504.523.1371 NEW ORLEANS | 1.800.352.3206 | 24 CUE
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Ladies XS to 3XL | Mens S to 2XL OPEN 7 DAYS | 10-6
neons + neutrals fashionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s chicest pairing electrifies summer staples p h oto s by e l i z a b e t h p er r i n
NeoN Blouse, $445; Ray skiRt, $450; Both By schumacheR. QuaRtz maRQuis 18-kaRat gold eaRRiNgs By aNthoNy Nak, $3,485; all at Pied Nu.
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opposite page: NeoN dress by schumacher, $1,465; Quartz marQuis 18-karat gold earriNgs by aNthoNy Nak, $3,485; both from Pied Nu.
left: loNg cottoN shirt by hache, $420; white cottoN paNts with side buckle by hache, $420; leather bowliNg bag with two-toNe NeoN strap by schumacher, $955; viNtage brass Necklace with smoky Quartz by oscar de la reNta, $1,495; all at Pied Nu. oN the cover: silk orgaNza dress by allude, $425; resiN baNgle iN color lime by tiNa frey, $250; all at Pied Nu.
PhotograPher elizabeth perriN (www.elizabethperriN.com)
LightiNg director bob perriN
LocatioN the pearl (639 desire st., 404-840-2628)
ModeL christiNe rigaud
StyLiSt lisa tudor
Make uP / hair giNa crozier
Store iNforMatioN pied Nu (5521 magaziNe st., 899-4118; www.piedNuNeworleaNs.com)
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FA S H I O N
SHOE TRENDS
HOT HUES FOR YOUR
SHOES PUT YOUR BEST (AND BRIGHTEST) FOOT FORWARD BY MISSY WILKINSON MODELED BY RACHEL BARRIOS
BLUE COLOR BLOCK HEELS, $89 AT ABEILLE NOLA (8438 OAK ST., 3243488; WWW.ABEILLENOLA.COM). YELLOW SHORTS, $9.99 AT FROCK CANDY (3112 MAGAZINE ST., 301-9864; WWW.FROCKCANDY.COM).
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FLORAL COMFORT WEDGES, $139.99 AT FEET FIRST (526 ROYAL ST., 569-0005; 4119 MAGAZINE ST., 899-6800; WWW.FEETFIRSTSTORES.COM).
SHOE TRENDS
FA S H I O N
CORAL, LIME AND AQUA SUEDE WEDGES, $34 AT SHOENAMI (15 WESTSIDE SHOPPING CENTER, GRETNA, 366- 0177; 3102 MAGAZINE ST., 895-1717; 3319 SEVERN AVE., METAIRIE, 885-0805). PURPLE SKIRT, $9.99 AT FROCK CANDY.
BLUE AND GREEN FLORAL WEDGES, $119.99 AT FEET FIRST. ORANGE SKIRT, $9.99 AT FROCK CANDY.
DARK TEAL ABSTRACT PLATFORMS, $32 AT SHOE-NAMI.
TAN SANDALS WITH CORAL AND TURQUOISE BEADING, $92 AT GAE-TANA’S (7732 MAPLE ST., 865-9625; WWW. GAE-TANAS.COM). GREEN SKIRT, $9.99 AT FROCK CANDY.
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William Christenberry J. Russell Goodloe, Jr. Elayne Goodman Birney Imes
The Memory Project Featuring nine months of exhibition, performing arts, film, education, public conversations and workshops.
APR 14 / DEC 30, 2012 CENTREFORTHELIVINGARTS.COM N! W . and ! O s ft GR sq. oom r E 0 g V E' 00 in W ed 2 fitt e d r ad mo 5
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Project Row Houses Xavier de Richemont Alison Saar
BEAUTY
LUSTERPHILE
SITTING PRETTY IN THE HUMID CITY HOW TO FIX FRIZZ AND FLOPS BY M EG A N B R A D EN - P ER RY h, late spring in New Orleans: time for crawfish, festivals and Bob Breck’s daily predictions of “the muggies.” Depending on hair type, moisture in the air makes some hair frizz and some hair flop. “Most times frizz happens because hair is really dry and porous and wants to suck up all the moisture it can,” says Angel “Red” Fascio of Hairology (1804 Magazine St., 304-7792; www.hairology.org). “If your hair dries quickly, chances are it’s more porous. If you keep your hair as healthy as possible, not relying too much on heat styling and coloring, you’ll notice a difference in your frizz factor.” Fascio suggests trimming hair every four to six weeks or when a curl pattern change is noticeable: “Split ends work against you like a loose thread in a skirt,” Fascio says. “If you keep pulling that thread, the whole skirt will look terrible. Cut the thread and save the skirt.” A curly girl’s product arsenal should include leave-in conditioners such as Shea Moisture’s Curl Enhancing Smoothie or Mixed Chicks Leave-In Conditioner. “Silicone products are fine to use sporadically to fight frizz, but because they work by filling in gaps in the hair and blocking out moisture, they will contribute to dryness with long-term use,” Fascio says. For straight hair that flops in humidity, Andrea Valle of Hair Loft (5300 Tchoupitoulas St., Suite F4, 895-2911; www.hairloftnola.com) suggests using a clarifying shampoo and conditioner, because product residue contributes to hair falling limp. “Apply a light moisturizer like Lush’s R & B before blowdrying your hair, with your head turned upside down to boost volume,” Valle says. “If you want to do any other heat styling, use a holding protectant like Kerastase’s Fibre Architecte.”
R & B, $20.95 at Lush (407 Decatur St., 525-0730; Macy’s, Lakeside Shopping Center, 3301 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, 841-0640; www.lushusa.com).
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Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie, $9.99 at Walgreens and Target (citywide; www.walgreens.com and www.target.com).
Kinky-Curly Curling Custard, $29.99 at Whole Foods Market (3420 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, 888-8225; 5600 Magazine St., 899-9119; www.wholefoodsmarket.com).
Mixed Chicks Leave-In Conditioner, $26 at Ringletts (4712 Paris Ave., 483-9031; www.ringlettssalon.com).
Kerastase Fibre Architecte, $35 at Hair Loft (5300 Tchoupitoulas St., Suite F4, 895-2911; www.hairloftnola.com). m ay. 2 0 1 2 < < <
CUE 31
CUE THE INTERVIEW
PERSPECTIVES
LIFE BY
DESIGN PH OTOS BY T H ER ES A CA S S AG N E • ED I T ED BY M I S SY W I L K I N S O N
SUZ ANNE PERRON (LEF T) AND LISA IACONO TALK SHOP IN PERRON’S STUDIO.
uzanne Perron is a designer of couture debutante, bridal and Mardi Gras ball gowns who spent 13 years working on design teams for Vera Wang, Anna Sui and Carolina Herrera. Lisa Iacono designed for Betsey Johnson, American Eagle and Suzanne Perron before launching her eponymous line and co-creating NOLA Sewn, a garment production facility on the West Bank. The two juggernauts are helping create the infrastructure necessary to sustain a viable fashion industry in New Orleans. Here they chat about designing, marketing and why each left the Big Apple for the Big Easy.
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LISA IACONO: You had a thriving fashion career in New York. Why did you leave it to come back to New Orleans? SUZANNE PERRON: There was something missing, and that was home. I wanted to be in Louisiana, near family, but I didn’t want to abandon my skill set. I could have just found something else to do, but I wanted to use fashion and bring home my natural, God-given skills, which I had developed through being around amazing, talented people for years. This was the motivation for starting the business: There isn’t a job for me to walk into, so how do I create one for myself? That’s when I recognized that it could be a specific niche. And where will people pay the high prices associated with custom, one-of-a-kind gowns? Bridal, debutante and Mardi Gras gowns. L I : And you built it! Seeing somebody create their own path is so inspiring for people — whether it’s because they love the work that you’re doing or just the fact that you’re doing it your own way.
EL ABOR ATE HAND BE ADING IS A SIGNATURE ELEMENT OF PERRON’S GOWNS.
S P: I come very much from an old-school mentality of what it is to be a designer. A few decades ago, designers were artisans, craftsmen and dressmakers all in one. Now the designer may not know anything about how to sew. L I : Which is tragic. S P: I fell in love with fashion seeing the great masters creating these amazing dresses. It’s not as common in this industry anymore, but I’m one of those weird anomalies who is dressmaker and fashion designer in one person. L I : What about being a designer in New Orleans reminds you of being a designer in New York? S P: The culture of artistry and creative entrepreneurship is very much what you’d find in New York. We’re in a city with young professionals, creative energy, great food, entertainment and music, gorgeous culture, amazing architecture — all of this creates an environment that is encouraging to creative people. We’re a great place to be fashion incubators and grow young designers and small businesses,
CUE THE INTERVIEW
THIS GOWN WAS PART OF LISA IACONO’S COLLECTION, WHICH DEBUTED AT FASHION WEEK NEW ORLE ANS. PHOTO BY MINH Q. NGUYEN.
because we have one of the most exciting, creative environments you can work in, yet we have a very manageable cost of living. New York City does not have that. It’s cost-prohibitive to step out and start your own business. L I : There’s a very supportive artist community here that lends itself to fostering the growth of young designers, but New Orleans is never going to be like anywhere else. I’m very glad for that. Everything about New Orleans is totally unique. S P: What we really need to work on to grow an industry here in New Orleans is designing and producing quality garments that fit well, look good on the hanger and are available for retail production. New Orleans inherently can throw a party, but now it’s time for us to really work on the garments. That is what people will be buying in stores all over the country over time. We’re still a little too close to costume in a lot of the events that we have. I think there’s a place for both, but we’ve got to grow the other end if we want to be recognized as a legitimate fashion industry.
A COUTURE GOWN ON DISPL AY IN PERRON’S STUDIO
L I : We have to be physical in the market. We have amazing designers here that will get through the first sample process, creating garments for a runway show, and then they’ll sell a garment off the runway. There goes the prototype of your collection. The major piece of the puzzle that would help sustain the business would be to keep that prototype. Make it production-ready, have people place orders on samples and sell them in stores. That’s the only way that people can actually sustain their businesses as designers. S P: And with NOLA Sewn, you’ve provided an environment where someone can take their first sample and go into production. That’s what we need to do. In any runway show, there’s a place for creativity, for borderline costume and theatrics, but we’ve got to start producing and designing what can be sold. You could build your image and your brand all day and all night, but if you don’t have anything to sell to retailers, it’s not going anywhere.
PERSPECTIVES
“ L I : That’s what it comes down to: You have to
have both sides. S P: I think it’s great that we have fashion weeks — they really create a buzz, and it’s a platform to get great video footage and great photography. But in reality, we’re not having buyers fly from all over the country to cover our fashion weeks. They’re already so scheduled out to start with, so adding a new destination is going to be a challenge. I would love to see five or six designers from New Orleans work as a collaborative in one showroom or one booth at a New York trade show. It could really make an impact to show we’re legitimate about fashion, and the buyers would absolutely see it. It would help spike their interest, like, “Hey, why don’t we just go to their fashion weeks next year?” L I : It would set an amazing example and prec-
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Fa S h I o n
CUE TIPS
LIBELLULE
TakES FlIghT everal years ago, when friends Crickett Lapeyre and Leigh Reveley began tossing around the idea of designing clothes, vintage-inspired bathing suits were the garment of choice. Lapeyre, a gymnastics coach and collector of antique lawn dresses, has years of experience designing leotards for gymnastics competitions, while Reveley, a Fashion Institute of Technology graduate, works as a conservator of fine fabrics and clothing and has an extensive collection of vintage clothing patterns. “We work really well together,” Lapeyre says. “She thinks I’m calm and I love how focused she is.” The two named their fledgling design business Libellule (French for “dragonfly”) and began poring over books and old magazines for inspiration. This spring, the partners showed their first collection, a sophisticated line of 13 pret-a-porter pieces with decorative motifs inspired by oak trees, at NOLA Fashion Week and Fashion Week New Orleans. Lapeyre’s fondness for clothing from the Edwardian era up to the 1920s and ’30s is evident in Libellule’s premier collection, as is Reveley’s preference
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for 1940s and ’50s silhouettes and details. Their ethereal Morning Dew flapper dress pays homage to the exquisite clothing of PBS series Downton Abbey, and their flowy, full-length goddess dress, a mossgreen design cinched with a belt of bronze leaves, brings to mind the easy, unrestrictive work of 20th-century American designer Claire McCardell. “The response has been very positive and supportive,” Lapeyre says. ”We’ve gotten emails from random people who saw us and want to know where they can buy the clothes.” Having presented their line, the partners now face the job of selling it to retailers. The Libellule customer, they say, appreciates natural, season-appropriate fabrics, reliable quality, flattering fits, unique touches and vintagemeets-modern appeal. “We want the line to have a look
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LIBELLULE’S GODDESS DRESS IS CINCHED WITH A BELT OF BRONzE LEAvES. PHOTO By JASON KRUPPA FOR NOLA FASHION WEEK.
that people recognize,” Revely says. “And we want consistent buyers who like the way the clothes look on them.” The two are full of ideas for future Libellule collections and additional lines — bathing suits and summer dresses for little girls among them. “Our clothes are timeless, like this old city of New Orleans,” Reveley says. “But at the same time, we are happy to be a part of this city’s rebirth through our creations.” — LEE CUTRONE
Twirling into spr ing! ! stop by for your favorites orient expressed • 3905 magazine • 504.899.3060 shop mon-sat 10am to 5pm • www.orientexpressed.com
CUE TIPS
HOME
BURGEONING
BYWATER he Bywater Neighborhood Association (www.bywaterneighbors.com) hosts the self-guided Bywater Home Tour from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, April 22. It’s a way for residents to celebrate their neighborhood’s historic architecture, as well as the renaissance of a once-blighted community. “We only have one blighted property on the block now, and it’s being renovated by a young couple,” Bywater resident T.R. Johnson said in a press release about the tour. A Tulane professor, Johnson owns an 1870s-era camelback home featured on the tour. Each of the eight houses spotlighted on the tour, which encompasses a three-block area, reflects a different aspect of Bywater’s historical architecture. Participants can expect to see shotgun houses, Creole cottages and a 19th-century Italianate villa. Homeowners’ personal tastes will be showcased through the interiors, furnishings, art, antiques and family heirlooms in each home. Tickets are $15 general admission or $12 for Bywater Neighborhood Association members and are available at Clouet Gardens (710 Clouet St.) on the day of the tour, along with complimentary maps. — MEGAN BRADEN-PERRY
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NEW ORLEANS
3115 MAGAZINE · 899-9555 NEW ORLEANS 924 ROYAL · 525-6211 3115 MAGAZINE · 899-9555 924 ROYAL · 525-6211 BATON ROUGE 711 JEFFERSON HWY. BATON ROUGE 711 JEFFERSON HWY. m ay. 2 0 1 2 < < <
CUE 35
Giggleberries
clothing • shoes • gifts • accessories Monday - Saturday 10am-6pm Sunday 12pm-5pm 5509 Magazine Street • (504) 899-5509
NEXT TO SHOE-NAMI
3112 MAGAZINE ST. | 504.301.9864
3102 MAGAZINE ST. | 504.895.1717 3319 SEVERN AVE. | 504.885.0805 SHOE-NAMI OUTLET I 504-366-0177 18 WESTSIDE SHOPPING CTR, GRETNA
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INSPIRATION BECOMES REALITY It’s time to start fresh for Spring! Come view our newest arrivals today!
Come view these and other new pieces arriving daily!
8211 Oak Street • 504-866-6654 • www.eclectichome.net for Eclectic Home updates become a fan on Facebook!
SHOPPING
CUE K I D S
D-I-Y M-O-M FOR
MOTHER’S DAY GIFTS KIDS CAN MAKE THEMSELVES BY M EG A N B R A D E N - PE R RY
Make teatime even more special with paintable plates, $21.99 at Le Jouet (1700 Airline Drive, 837-0533; www.lejouet.com).
Dad can help Baby make a masterpiece for Mom’s first Mother’s Day with this infant-friendly art kit, $19.99 at Magic Box Toys (5508 Magazine St., 899-0117; www.magicboxneworleans.com).
Be like Mom by caring for something and watching it grow. Dwarf sunflower kit, $15 at Iris (5331B Canal Blvd., 304-4966; www.irisnola.com).
With all the glitter glue, stickers and gems, there could be more bling outside of this velvet-lined wooden jewelry box than inside, $14.99 at Magic Box Toys.
Ideal for members of a big brood, this beading kit comes with eight strings and lots of beads, $19.99 at Magic Box Toys.
A weaving loom kit comes with enough loops to make a set of potholders for Mom and both grandmothers, $26.99 at Le Jouet.
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CUE 37
2047 Metairie Road • Metairie • 835-0808 4632 Hwy. 22 • Mandeville • 985-845-2424 1201 E. Judge Perez Dr. • Chalmette • 278-3400
{ Open Mon-Sat • 10-6 }
Find Us or Like Us on
www.allaboutmestyle.com
Two Locations! UPTOWN & OLD METAIRIE
designer
consignment clothes • bags • accessories
visit us to shop or consign 7716 maple
street • 115 metairie road 504.304.6025 • swapboutique.com 38 CUE
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shop dogs
Penny
pERspECTIVEs
my
favorite things ...
hElpIng wITh sEwIng pRojECTs BEggIn’ sTRIps My squEaky Toy pIg sChMoozIng wITh CusToMERs
BY MEGAN BRADEN-PERRY PHOTOS BY CHERYL GERBER coquettish canine with warm, honey-brown eyes, Penny leaps to the door when customers arrive but plays hard to get when the spotlight is on her. It’s as if working at Retro Active Vintage (5924 Magazine St., 895-5054; www.retroactivevintage.com) has led her to channel the spirits of 1940s seductresses like Rita Hayworth and Lana Turner. Store owner Leslie Courreges found Penny through PetFinder.com, a pet adoption website. Penny (also known as Penny Lane) is a cayoudle: definitely part beagle, maybe part Jack Russell terrier, and Courreges isn’t sure about what else. Perhaps because she’s a mix of several breeds, Penny is particularly friendly with other dogs. However, she doesn’t limit her affection to canines.
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“Penny loves guinea pigs, the dogs Mack and Theo from next door and even my cats Jermaine and Atom,” says sales associate Rachel Sumrall. Courreges is an architect by vocation, but she’s always had a penchant for retro fashion. “I’ve worn vintage since my teens and worked at Trashy Diva,” she says. “When the former owner of Retro Active Vintage retired, I took over.” Opened in 1982, Retro Active Vintage is New Orleans’ oldest vintage store and one of the only ones to carry vintage menswear. It recently acquired a collection of men’s clothing from Neophobia after that store changed directions and became Loisel Vintage Modern (2855 Magazine St., 8992444; www.loiselvintagemodern.com). Retro Active Vintage also procures many items through consignment.
Ball gowns, swimsuits, hats, fascinators, jewelry and costumes are included among Retro Active Vintage’s clothing and accessories, and the items date back to periods ranging from the Victorian era to the 1990s. Courreges strives to offer vintage clothing in larger sizes to fit contemporary frames. “People have a view of vintage clothing as being so small, and that only a size two can wear it, so we make sure we get enough of the sizes that will fit the average person,” Courreges says. “We have an email list for customers looking for a certain item or a certain size.” Customers come in for the duds but come back for the dog. “A group of girls who study ballet at New Orleans Dance Academy down the street come to see [Penny] every Saturday, so she has quite a following,” Sumrall says. m ay. 2 0 1 2 < < <
CUE 39
Please Visit Our New Showroom!
1818 Veterans Blvd. Metairie, LA 70005 Next to First American Bank on the corner of Bonnabel & Veterans Blvd. Now Open on Saturday • 9am-12pm
nordickitchens.com • 504.888.2300 • fax: 504.888.1911