Dr. Strangelove

January 24, 2016, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: Discover Mid-Century Modern With Opening Ceremony x Fossil

February is seemingly one of those months that everyone, including me, dreads. The weather is close to unbearable, spring seems a long way off, and everyone’s favorite holiday comes creeping up again. Oh yeah, it’s time for Valentine’s Day.

Instead of running and hiding under my flannel sheets and ordering enough Korean food to the point of where they send me two sets of chopsticks, I decided to embrace the holiday with photographer Katie McCurdy. What started as a simple idea of using a pink and red seamless background for a shoot quickly erupted into a full-frontal box of Sweethearts, thanks to the help of Christopher Kane and Isa Arfen, who offered heart shapes in abundance and hot pink pedal pushers in their collections this season. My sweet tooth for this shoot was propelled by gingham and ruffles reminiscent of homemade V-Day card doilies, and was offset by my number one forever valentine: denim.

View the full Red Hots editorial here

Isa Arfen Deep V-Neck Top in mono mix, Christopher Kane Heart Gloves in multi (available in stores) View the full Red Hots editorial here

↧

Discover Mid-Century Modern With Opening Ceremony x Fossil

January 25, 2016, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: Ride The Air Wave With Nicole Schneit

≪ Previous: Dr. Strangelove

Seeing as our Spring/Summer 2016 collection is inspired by mid-century modern design and global souvenirs you can collect for your dream home, it should come as no surprise that we would create a line of innovative accessories to match. This season, Opening Ceremony x Fossil introduces a series of handbags, speckled leather goods, sculpted watches, and furry accessories that embody the spirit of both brands.

To capture the essence of the collection, we enlisted the help of photographer Jess Bonham and set designer Anna Lomax to create our editorial, Primary Structures. “Anna and I drew from the natural elements featured in the collection—such as marble and metal—to work within a glassy reflective environment,” says Bonham. “We wanted the shoot to offer a juxtaposition between hard and soft and light and dark, so we used reflective surfaces and metal structures to form a sculptural basis for each set, and then introduced natural elements and playful color pops.”

But let’s be real, when you think of Fossil, the first thing that comes to minds is watches. So it’s easy to see how the marble and cuff timepieces informed the set. Lomax speaks to how the watches were her biggest source of inspiration. “I think the graphic shapes of the pieces really stood out and informed the set.” Just like the iconic architectural designs that inspired our collection, graphic shapes and nature collide to create a cohesive collection that perfectly ties in with Primary Structures.

“I wanted the set to be very architectural, playing on the idea of when you explore a new environment to discover the doorways, maze-like structures and lines that overlap to create new structures,” says Lomax. “I liked the idea that the metal structures are like silhouettes of a skyline and the shapes are playfully positioned to create tension in the images.”

Shop all Opening Ceremony x Fossil women’s and men’s

View the full Primary Structures editorial here

Clockwise from left: Opening Ceremony x Fossil Dopp Kit in navy, Bifold Wallet in blue multi, Big Tic Watch in black/white, Big Tick Watch in black/brown, Crossbody Bag in black/white, Cuff Watch in white,

↧

Ride The Air Wave With Nicole Schneit

January 25, 2016, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: Opening Ceremony Booze: ‘Nuff Said

≪ Previous: Discover Mid-Century Modern With Opening Ceremony x Fossil

Everyday encounters are nothing new. Each day, over eight million people pass each other on trains, the sidewalk, and even at brunch. These countless passing moments are why Air Waves named their latest album Parting Glances, centered around the notion of missed connections and interconnected feelings. “I'm interested in the lasting effect of the parting glances we share with strangers in our everyday encounters,” says Air Waves lead singer Nicole Schneit. “We encounter each other in the thick of our complex lives by simply looking at each other all the time.”

Below, we talk with Schneit about Air Waves’ latest album, being a woman in the music industry, and identifying with Steve Buscemi?

Listen to an exclusive Air Waves track, titled “Tuesdays,” below.

CHLOE DEWBERRY: When did you first realize that you wanted to pursue music?
NICOLE SCHNEIT: When I was 14, I spotted a sign in the local music shop where i grew up in West Nyack, NY, offering guitar lessons. I asked my mom if I could start taking lessons and buy a guitar. She was hesitant but after renting one out for a couple weeks, she noticed I was dedicated to practicing. That's also when I began writing lyrics and singing. There's nothing compared to discovering new music at 14. It's total bliss and I remember feeling like my favorite songs were written about my teenage struggles.

Who were your influences growing up?
In middle school, I went through a hippy phase where I listened to a bunch of Grateful Dead, and then I got real into grunge: Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr., Breeders stuff like that. And then in college Velvet Underground, 60s reggae, Hot Chocolate, and Sparks. My sister told me I used to walk around the house singing LL cool J, so him too. David Bowie died today, he was a big influence. Me and my friend Eamonn used to listen to Ashes to Ashes on repeat on a little tape player. That beginning is amazing. My tastes have always varied, but very much a sucker for catchy tunes no matter who they are by.

What’s changed the most since Air Waves’ 2010 album Dungeon Dots? Have you switched up your creative process at all?
Well, since Dungeon Dots, it took me a long time to write new songs and record. I was living in Austin when that came out and then when I came back to New York, I got in a funk where I didn't know which direction I wanted my life to go in. I took a break from playing music for about a year. I then regrouped with new band mates and wanted to make an album where I challenged myself more musically and lyrically.

My partner and I split up a few months ago. We had just gotten back from an amazing, magical trip along route one, from Los Angeles to San Francisco, so I wanted to channel the whole experience into new material and songs. Songwriting has been helping me cope with the pain. Everyone goes through breakups at some point, and it's the worst, like a death. I read somewhere that 90 percent of songs are about love. I know Gwen Stefani wrote some good ones after her and Gavin broke up!

I go into the studio as much as possible now to get my stream of consciousness out into music. The new songs are a bit sad, but also hold onto strong memories and look towards a bright future and moving on. A couple of them, I don't play guitar and I just sing. They have a Twin Peaks kind o

↧

Opening Ceremony Booze: ‘Nuff Said

January 26, 2016, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: Katie Sturino Meets World With Her Three Insta-Famous Pups

≪ Previous: Ride The Air Wave With Nicole Schneit

If you’ve ever attended any sort of Opening Ceremony-related function, you know that we enjoy a glass (or two) of champagne. So it should come as no surprise that when historied sparkling wine pioneers Chandon approached OC co-founder Carol Lim to redesign their bottle of sparkling rosé, the opportunity was impossible to refuse.

As the first ever bottle of Chandon to be designed by a collaborator, the packaging features a revamped (read: pink) version our Spring/Summer 2015 “Girl Talk” print. Speaking about her design process behind what might just be our most badass collaboration yet, Carol’s explanation was simple: “It’s really about spending time with friends and coming together.” Good point Carol, so when’s the next OC rosé party?

The limited edition Limited Edition Chandon Rosé by Carol Lim will be available online and in select liquor stores through April 2016. Watch Carol talk all things #ChandonxOC below.

↧

Katie Sturino Meets World With Her Three Insta-Famous Pups

January 26, 2016, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: Good Company

≪ Previous: Opening Ceremony Booze: ‘Nuff Said

Celebrities are cool and all, but in 2016, the real stars are the dogs of Instagram. With hundreds of thousands of followers and enough sponsorships to make any human turn green with envy, these pups have acquired a new breed of fame. But really, the obsession with four-legged friends is nothing new. Take our Resort 2016 collection, inspired by ‘70s suburbia glory and the family (trophy) dog. Remember those painted portraits? The canine social media craze, is really just that, but a lot more, well, instant. For our Kennel Club series, we decided to learn more about the owners behind our favorite accounts.

First up, meet Katie Sturino, owner of Toast, Muppet, and Underpants, who is using her background in PR to shed light on two important causes: puppy mill industry exposure and body acceptance.

When Katie Sturino started fostering (and later adopting) puppy mill rescue dogs in 2008, who would have thought that her love for pups would lead her to where she is now? With a creative background as the head of her own public relations firm, Sturino created a digital identity for her three dogs: Toast, Muppet, and Underpants. And let’s just say it worked. Which quickly made Katie into what we’re calling an “Instagram mom.” But what makes this dogager different than the rest? Sturino is using social media to expose the horrors of the puppy mill industry. And if that wasn’t enough, she has is also using this success to tackle yet another issue: body acceptance.

Below, we talk with Sturino about her body acceptance movement, called the12ishstyle, and hear what being the mother of Toast and Co. entails.

Shop all Opening Ceremony women's and men's

CHLOE DEWBERRY: Can you give us a bit of background info on yourself and how you got into the creative industry in general?
KATIE STURINO: I’ve been working in public relations representing small accessory brands for the past nine years. I actually named my company Tinder before Tinder was Tinder. I started getting emails from people who couldn’t get dates, people who were being stalked, and media who wanted to work with the dating app. I was just hoping and waiting for Tinder to come approach me and take my website, so I didn’t change my name for three years. Finally—this month—I changed it, which is so exciting because I don’t have to explain to one more person that I don’t work at the dating app.

How did you come to adopt your three dogs? When did you decide to make Instagram accounts for each?
I’ve been obsessed with dogs since forever. I started fostering in 2008 and it was such a great way to help. I rescued Muppet from North Shore Animal League and I learned about the puppy mill industry and the life quality for the dogs living in them. I got real

↧

Good Company

January 27, 2016, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: The Mirror Cube: Must-See Events The Week of 1/28

≪ Previous: Katie Sturino Meets World With Her Three Insta-Famous Pups

The ritual of getting ready with friends is an intimate version of pregaming that ensures your utmost confidence about whichever event you are headed to. Any girl that has gotten ready for a big night in the presence of her closest friends knows that having a support system around for doing your, makeup, and—perhaps most importantly—getting dressed, can effectively kill any butterflies you might have in your stomach.

To showcase the magic of dressing up with your girlfriends, we took to the place where the most dreamy rituals take place this time of year: a Hollywood Hills home in the midst of awards season. To show that even getting ready for, say, the Oscars can be chilled out with someone by your side, our models Ellie Stuart Hunter and Valerie Gard donned some red carpet-ready, OC-exclusive Galvan gowns. And since we know not everyone heads to the ceremonies, we even threw in some after-party appropriate attire. Whether it’s a simple night out on the town or battling it out for the Best Actress actress award, you can’t beat lounging by the pool and chilling on the couch together in the calm before the night’s storm.

Valerie wears Off The Shoulder Galvan Jumpsuit in midnight (available in stores). Ellie wears Galvan Chiffon Lurex String Back Dress in black/white

Ellie wears Galvan Contrast Dress in white (available in stores), Giuseppe Zanotti Shooting Argento Platform Heels in silver/gold (available in stores), Sara Lasry Hand Slide Rings in sterling silver/pearl/blue/colorless topaz, Charlotte Chesnais Brague Unchained Ring in silver (available in stores), Le Gramme Guilloche Cuff Bracelets in sterling silver. Photos by Jerald Johnson

Ellie wears Galvan Heavy Satin Jumpsuit in french blue (available in stores), Le Gramme Guilloche Cuff Bracelets in sterling silver

Ellie wears Ellery Hot Wax Top in white, Calvin Klein Dauber Flared Leather Pants in black (available in stores), Proenza Schouler Floral Satin Crepe Small Lunch Bag in navy (available in stores). Valerie wears Alexander Wang Ruched Off-The-Shoulder Crop Top in onyx, Alexander Wang Pleated High Waisted A-Line Skirt in onyx (available in stores), Proenza Schouler Courier Floral Extra Small Crepe in ecru (available in store), and Giuseppe Zanotti Shooting Ramarro Platforms in green (available in stores)

Valerie wears Contrast Dress in white (available in stores)

Valerie wears Shrimps Bambi Short Coat in peach/khaki, Acne Studios Mock Leather Jacket in peach (available in stores), Acne Studios

↧

The Mirror Cube: Must-See Events The Week of 1/28

January 27, 2016, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: OC’s Radamiz Spits Bars And Drops Knowledge

≪ Previous: Good Company

We all have that moment where Friday night rolls around and a Netflix binge is the primary “event” option. In order to cure your major case of FOMO, we’ve teamed up with The Mirror Cube, a happenings site that features events recommended by artists. With their expert panel of visual artists, actors, writers, and directors, The Mirror Cube brings you the lowdown on what shows, screenings, and exhibits you should check out each week in New York and Los Angeles.

NY: Richard Finkelstein: Sitting in the Dark with Strangers at Robert Mann Gallery
December 10, 2015-January 30, 2016
What: A show of photographs taken of miniature figurines and sets designed to look like scenes from unmade noir, thriller, and mystery movies.

Why Go: Finkelstein’s work is directly inspired by the urban paintings of Edward Hopper and the suspense films of Alfred Hitchcock, and art critics have likened Finkelstein’s images of dioramas to Joseph Cornell’s glass-fronted shadow boxes. The artist draws on the deep well of cinematic memory to conjure up the audience’s darkest dreams and desires and make them feel startlingly tangible.

NY: The Coen Brothers at Film Forum
January 29-February 4
Picked by: Aaron Stern
What: A career-spanning retrospective of 15 films written and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen.

Why Go: The Coen Brothers have been making movies for over 30 years now, and this film series is perfectly timed as a lead-up to the release of their latest effort, Hail, Caesar! The Coens are among modern American cinema's most distinctive and exciting voices, and the many highlights of this week-long event include canonized comedies like Raising Arizona and The Big Lebowski, note-perfect Westerns No Country for Old Men and True Grit, and the small but heartbreaking Greenwich Village folk scene drama, Inside Llewyn Davis.

NY: Jenny Lewis with The Watson Twins at Beacon Theatre
February 3 & 4 at 8 PM
Picked by: Rebecca Dayan
What: Singer-songwriter and Rilo Kiley frontwoman Jenny Lewis celebrates the 10th anniversary of her solo debut record, Rabbit Fur Coat, by touring the album with The Watson Twins and special guest M. Ward.

Why Go: Lewis is known for her energetic, vibrant live sets, and 2014’s The Voyager reminded us that she’s one of the smartest and best songwriters working in indie rock. While some stops on that tour included backing performances from The Watson Twins, this time around, you’ll get to experience the bluegrass-tinged Rabbit Fur Coat from cover to cover.

LA: Cracked Actor: David Bowie on Film at The Cinefamily
January 29-February 2
What: A 5-film celebration of the late musician, songwriter, and actor David Bowie.

Why Go: Bowie is as singular a presence onscreen as he is on his records, and whether you're familiar with his screen acting caree

↧

OC’s Radamiz Spits Bars And Drops Knowledge

January 28, 2016, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: A$AP Rocky Puts The $ In GUE$$

≪ Previous: The Mirror Cube: Must-See Events The Week of 1/28

I started working at Opening Ceremony last summer because I had a good feeling that it was going to broaden my perspective on fashion and taste overall . A sense of style is beautiful, because what what you choose to wear is a reflection of who you truly are. It’s communication before you say a word. I think music works in the same way: it’s something that’s inescapable, you know? Even if you think a song is terrible, you will always find someone who enjoys and resonates with it. I like talking to all of the interesting people who come in to shop at the store. They all understand the culture and are enticed by helping it move forward. If anything, OC really shows you that everyone is a superstar.

If you ever decide to stop in the store and say “what’s up” to me, you’ll most likely meet the same person you hear in one of my songs. I tend to be really passionate and aggressive on wax lately, but it’s all with love, you feel me? In the store, we can talk about pretty much any and everything. Don’t be intimidated by how gangsta I come off in my videos, I’m just sticking up for myself.

Musically, it’s just all about expressing your perspective as honestly as possible. I’ve heard a song that has made me cry, and I’ve heard a line that made my hairs stick up. I’ve heard songs that made me feel almighty and a song that has made me feel vulnerable. I’m inspired by communication on that level—really infusing your spirit into everything you put out. As time passes, I’ll just get more and more ill at expressing myself holistically: that’s when everything becomes monstrous. I can be the rapper that spits 250 bars straight, but sometimes, finding that perfect word is hard. But it’s always worth it in the end.

This movement is all about pushing the culture forward. My new track “Sumner” is my way of expressing an alternative voice of growing up in the projects. It’s a way of expressing the mindset that poverty-stricken conditions instilled in me. For me, just as much as I was smelling the pissy elevators and seeing friends I grew up with die over street bullshit, I was always also exposed to other ways of living. There’s a lot more to growing up in the hood than the shit you see in the news. There are a lot of beautiful souls and a sense of real hope that needs the encouragement to grow. The main problem is the scarcity in seeing your neighbor succeed: there are never enough close-to-home examples of following your gut and having it all pay off in the end. I was never presented just one point of view, and I’m grateful to have that choice. I know who I am and what I’ll be.

Listen to Radamiz’s new single, “Sumner,” below.

↧

A$AP Rocky Puts The $ In GUE$$

January 28, 2016, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: Working 9-To-5 With Opening Ceremony Men's Fall/Winter 2016

≪ Previous: OC’s Radamiz Spits Bars And Drops Knowledge

A$AP Rocky is an established front row regular, but his newest foray into the world of fashion is a little more behind the scenes. Partnering with GUESS Originals—a subset of GUESS dedicated to vamped-up reissues of pieces from the brand’s 30 year archives—the rappers collab supplies ‘80s and ‘90s staples with Rocky’s signature sartorial twist. From logo tees appropriately switching out S’s for dollar signs to reversible denim duds, the collaboration holds true to the Beverly Hills sex appeal held by the storied brand while supplying a laid back modernity to the archival pieces.

Needless to say we’re excited to rep the brand’s upside down triangle us ‘90s kids used to wear so proudly. So if the resurgence has sparked a deep longing for nostalgia, you’re in luck. Starting tomorrow, Saturday, January 3rd, Opening Ceremony Howard St. location and online will be selling the collaboration before the February 16th launch.

Shop GUESS Originals x A$AP Rocky online here at 9:00am EST tomorrow and at OCNY Soho at 11am EST

View the collection’s polaroid campaign photographed by Kimi Selfridge in the slideshow above, including three images exclusively released to Opening Ceremony.

Images by Kimi Selfridge for AWGE

GUESS Originals x A$AP Rocky campaign image exclusive for Opening Ceremony.

↧

Working 9-To-5 With Opening Ceremony Men's Fall/Winter 2016

January 31, 2016, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: Finally, Playing Cards Fit For The Art Collector

≪ Previous: A$AP Rocky Puts The $ In GUE$$

For Fall/Winter 2016, Opening Ceremony designed a collection tailored to a week in the life of a modern man. Centered around three times—the 6 AM workout, the 9-to-5 workday, and the weekend—the collection fuses elements of athletic wear, suiting, and outdoor-ready garments, embracing hybridity. Gym-friendly silhouettes are rendered in luxe fabrics like silk and mélange felted wool. Tailored dress shirts and trousers get sporty updates like rugby stripes. Built to seamlessly transition through the week, these pieces are as hardworking as the guys who wear them.

Classic menswear shapes—the flannel shirt, the cable-knit sweater, the sport coat—are the backbone of the Fall/Winter 2016 men’s collection. Yet these staples are never quite what they seem. A rugged cable knit is bisected by a playful stripe of athletic fleece. A striped cardigan is expanded into a billowing coat. The track jacket, a workout staple, is reinvented as suiting, with sharp tailoring bisected by panels of nylon. Reversible pieces take hybridity literally. A silky bomber in ink blue, for instance, flips to reveal an entirely different jacket, a hoodie in soft sweatshirt cotton. Colors are classic, with lots of black, tobacco brown, and heather gray peppered with primary-color stripes. Details like circular zipper pulls and striped ribbing, familiar in athletic wardrobes, carry over to office-friendly pieces like the felted wool overcoat.

Fall/Winter 2016 men’s footwear blends dress, hiking, and sneaker styles into elegant and functional mashups. One new style, the Dracco, layers a moccasin upper and a running shoe base (and comes in suede or eye-catching paisley). Classic OC silhouettes, from sneakers to dress shoes, are updated with D-ring lace-up closures borrowed from hiking. Meanwhile, two true hiking boots add velcro tongues to the mix for serious winter-proofing.

Shop all Opening Ceremony here

Photos by Isabel Asha Penzlien

↧

Finally, Playing Cards Fit For The Art Collector

February 2, 2016, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: Lara And Cookie’s Curated Instagram Will Put Yours To Shame

≪ Previous: Working 9-To-5 With Opening Ceremony Men's Fall/Winter 2016

Since card games first appeared during Tang dynasty China, the ritual has been performed around a kitchen table: drinks in hand, AC on blast, and laughter abound.

But this year, LA-based contemporary artist Fawn Rogers wants to reinvent the notion of the card game and take it outdoors. Rogers’ latest installation titled SUBJECT, opening at the Museum of Art and History on February 13, invites viewers to watch super weeds grow from the soil under her resurfaced produce truck drive shafts. With the artist’s refurbished and reimagined drive shafts, organic and inorganic compounds slowly reach chemical equilibrium through the sedimentation of time, where nature gradually re-establishes its ecological balance beyond our existence.

As part of this nature-focused installation, Rogers also collaborated with 52 other California-based artists to have each focus on a specific produce raised in California and base their own work on it for a deck of playing cards. From Vanessa Prager’s abstract (and juicy) watermelon painting on a queen of hearts card to Alex Becerra’s guacamole-tastic avocado king of clubs card, the full deck spans the range of a California farmer’s market.

Below, we speak with Rogers on the significance of California-raised produce, Terra Preta superdirt, and how nature gradually re-establishing its ecological balance totally turns her on.

CHLOE DEWBERRY Whatsparked the idea for SUBJECT? Was there a specific moment where you formulated the idea in your head?
FAWN ROGERS: Andi Campongone from MOAH saw an article about COURT during Frieze week and really liked it and asked if I was interested in doing something for them. When she called, I was working with repurposing produce truck drive shafts. I was sandblasting, powder coating, and baking these obsolete phallic objects bright yellow and had an immediate flashing image of 52 cards of California farmed produce. California provides about 80% of the produce for the U.S, so I thought of the community and bringing in artists working in California to become the deck. For fun, I asked Andi to join the game and create a joker card inspired by water.

Tell us a bit more about the truck drive shafts you recreated as well as the significance of Terra Preta fertile soil.
I was collecting soil from Fukushima when I came across Terra Preta. It’s pretty incredible and is one of the most fertile soils in the world. It also takes up half of the water that commercial soils need to grow produce. It took awhile to find produce truck drive shafts and when I did, they were rusted over in junkyards. I fell in love with them. To watch super weeds grow and vine over the resurfaced produce truck drive shafts, where organic and inorganic compounds slowly reach chemical equilibrium through the sedimentation of time and nature gradually re-establishing its ecological balance, totally turns me on. Super weeds have evolved during my lifetime and give national and international GMO farmers a hard time. They are now resistant to the most intense herbicides ever invented by man. I think that’s really exciting.

How did the deck of cards come into play for the overall theme of the show?
Why not invite more artists to the game?

How did you go about curating the artists that would contribute their work to the cards?
Each artist was given the same list of current California farmed produce. Some of my favorites are Markus Bacher’s mushroom and plums, Turnip and Strike by Henry Taylor, and Vanessa Prager’s abstract watermelon painting. The original artworks were donated to the museum as a

↧

Lara And Cookie’s Curated Instagram Will Put Yours To Shame

February 3, 2016, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: The Mirror Cube: Must-See Events The Week Of 2/4

≪ Previous: Finally, Playing Cards Fit For The Art Collector

Celebrities are cool and all, but in 2016, the real stars are the dogs of Instagram. With hundreds of thousands of followers and enough sponsorships to make any human turn green with envy, these pups have acquired a new breed of fame. But really, the obsession with four-legged friends is nothing new. Take our Resort 2016 collection, inspired by ‘70s suburbia glory and the family (trophy) dog. Remember those painted portraits? The canine social media craze, is really just that, but a lot more, well, instant. For our Kennel Club series, we decided to learn more about the owners behind our favorite accounts.

This time around, meet Lara Saunders, the 14-year-old owner of Cookie, the Instafamous miniature poodle who melts hearts and instigates “likes” with dress-up photo sessions and downright cuteness.

Scrolling through the @ps.ny profile elicits an onslaught of “oohs” and “awws,” with pictures of the adorable Cookie—a miniature poodle who loves life in front of the camera and is prone to dressing in human clothes while visiting various art museums throughout the city. But amidst these cute puppy photos are glimpses of the dog’s teenage owner, Lara Saunders, who divides her time between running the account with her mother and studying art at LaGuardia High School of Music and Performing Arts.

Considering the carefully-curated account depicts both the day-to-day life of Cookie as well as the creative discoveries of Lara, it’s clear that the artistic gene runs in the family. Below, we catch up with Lara to talk about her artistic hopes for the future as well as discuss how her creative family (including the pup, of course) inspires her constantly.

Shop all Opening Ceremony women’s and men’s

CHLOE DEWBERRY: Can you tell us a little bit about how the @PS.NY Instagram account get started?
LARA SAUNDERS: We had just gotten Cookie when I first moved to New York, so I took a lot of photos of him and thought it would be cool to post them on Instagram. We got a lot of positive feedback and it started to grow from there. After awhile, it got really overwhelming since I was really busy with school, so I asked my mom if she could take the pictures. Once in awhile, I will go on Instagram and comment and interact with people, though.

What first inspired you to start the account?
People at my school started to use [Instagram] when it became really popular, and I knew that I wanted to use it in a different way than everyone else. I just didn’t know [the account] was going to become this big.

Has it been a weird transition into this new Instafamous life? Have people on the street started recognizing you and Cookie?
No, not yet. But when we go to events, that’s when people really recognize us. These events are just a gathering where people will come with their dogs and take pictures and stuff.

You also recently transitioned into having a

↧

The Mirror Cube: Must-See Events The Week Of 2/4

February 3, 2016, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: Black, White, And Everything In Between

≪ Previous: Lara And Cookie’s Curated Instagram Will Put Yours To Shame

NY: I Feel You at Art Baby Gallery
February 4 at 6-9 PM
Picked by: J ess Manafort
What: Virtual arts space Art Baby Gallery presents an IRL group show featuring work by artists Natalie Neal, Tyler Mitchell, Emmanuel Olunkwa, and Jennifer Medina in Brooklyn at 272 Seigel Street.

Why Go: Photographer, filmmaker, and Mirror Cube contributor Natalie Neal will be showing some of her videos and premiering her brand new video, “Skatergirl.” You can check out Neal’s video “I Still Chose to Stay”—which features Soko—here. Galore Mag called it “the saddest love story ever.”

NY: Dave Harrington Group at National Sawdust
February 5 at 10 PM
Picked by: Brady Corbet
What: The ensemble performs an improvised live score to the classic German Expressionist horror film, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari.

Why Go: Harrington is one half of the critically acclaimed (and now defunct) electronic duo Darkside. The new soundscape for the film will blend free jazz, ambient, drone, and pre-existing film scores. This unique musical and cinematic experience is one night only.

NY: Heat & Vice: The Films of Michael Mann at BAM Rose Cinemas
February 5-16
What: BAMcinématek presents a career-spanning retrospective of the feature film director’s work.

Why Go: Michael Mann is one of modern American cinema’s auteurs—the creative force behind iconic thrillers like Thief, Manhunter, and Heat, as well as an innovator in digital filmmaking. Highlights of the series include the James Fenimore Cooper adaptation The Last of the Mohicans, the whistleblower drama The Insider, and an in-person conversation with Mann.

LA: Vilmos Zsigmond Remembered at Egyptian Theatre
February 5-21
What: A film series tribute to the late master cinematographer and his enduring collaborations with four great American directors: Robert Altman, Steven Spielberg, Michael Cimino, and Brian De Palma.

Why Go: Zsigmond is widely considered one of the greatest cinematographers of all tim

↧

Black, White, And Everything In Between

February 3, 2016, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: There’s Something About Majid Jordan

≪ Previous: The Mirror Cube: Must-See Events The Week Of 2/4

We thought New York Fashion Week Men's needed a fresh set of eyes, so we enlisted 15-year-old NYC native Alex Arauz to help cover the shows from his point of view. We first noticed Alex’s offbeat sense of style (self-described as “grandpa-meets-Harajuku-teen “) and innovative outlook on Instagram, of course. Whether he’s posing in front of sculptures at The Whitney or taking pics with friends at Coney Island, we knew he’d bring an exciting perspective to the Fall/Winter 2016 men’s shows.

To kick things off, Alex paid Gypsy Sport a visit and snapped cool detail shots throughout the Fall/Winter 2016 presentation. Read Alex's review of the show below and click through the slideshow above to view his photos from the presentation.

Citing skin tones and previous pieces from Gypsy Sport’s past as inspiration, the brand’s Fall/Winter 2016 presentation was one of their most wearable and developed yet. Gypsy Sport’s designer Rio Uribe again utilized the recognizable brand logo, this time incorporating it into the clothing pieces which makes me think more “design element” and less logo-focused. Different textures and patterns are also at play this season, as are two main tones present in the color palette: warm brown tones (reminiscent of the skin tone inspiration) and a light icy blue that both balance each other’s depth. All of it comes together and gives me Harajuku girl-meets-Scandinavian circus vibes. As odd as that sounds, it’s not always easy to categorize Gypsy Sport, and this latest presentation is a fresh breath of air in between the more typically masculine looks seen so far this week.

Photos by Alex Arauz

↧

There’s Something About Majid Jordan

February 4, 2016, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: OC's Abby Styles Her Sister Sydney For Proenza Schouler

≪ Previous: Black, White, And Everything In Between

Propelling from the status of mixing tracks in your dorm room to locking down the official “featuring” cosign on Drake’s “Hold On, We’re Going Home” single isn’t the most gradual step towards instant fame. But for music duo Majid Jordan, it’s understood that timing can be everything, and it’s the journey to the top that’s most impactful. Consisting of vocalist Majid Al Maskati and producer Jordan Ullman, the early origins of Majid Jordan took root in the creative hotbed of Toronto almost four years ago. Their musical partnership has since evolved into the experience of a lifetime—from being a part of Toronto’s booming music community to recording their debut full-length album, Majid Jordan, out today, with the OVO Sound family.

Al Maskati, born and raised in Bahrain, met Toronto native Ullman at a birthday party in the city over four years ago where the two quickly bonded over each other’s shared interests—vocal freestyles and experimental beats in particular. “Toronto is a very good city for networking,” Ullman explains. “So that’s what sort of led me to Maj.”

Toronto’s electronic music scene proved to be a beneficial backdrop for Ullman. As a classically trained pianist who was familiar with multiple instruments from a young age, he quickly took to DJing and experimenting with his own computer beats during his late teen years. Around this time, Al Maskati also began to explore the city’s music scene, finding a new home in the diverse and welcoming music community. “I started doing little gigs here and there and met these kids from a jazz program,” says Al Maskati. “They’re very improvisational, so I just kept listening to the music, reacting, and experimenting with them vocally.”

These two contrasting musical backgrounds proved to be sonically beneficial, with Ullman’s sweeping beats and Al Maskati’s sneaky falsetto finding perfect, well, harmony when they joined forces. “We come from two different musical worlds,” says Ullman. “It was that blend of using a computer and Maj taking improv, and us putting all of these elements of music together.”

Not long after the duo’s initial encounter, Al Maskati was scheduled to board a flight from Toronto back to Bahrain after his college graduation. With little time to spare, the pair hit the studio (aka Ullman’s dorm) to record the early tracks for what would become their first EP, 2013’s afterhours. “We wanted to do something before I went [back to Bahrain],” explains Al Maskati. “That way I would have something to take home, because I didn’t know if I was still going to be making music.”

As Al-Maskati landed back home, afterhours, released under their original moniker, Good People, was uploaded to Soundcloud and became a (literal) overnight success. So much so that less than 24 hours after it premiered, the duo’s lives changed dramatically thanks to an email from Noah “40” Shebib. In a chance of fate, Drake’s longtime producer was interested in meeting with the anonymous twosome after his first listen. Within days, Al Maskati booked his plane ticket back to Toronto to reunite with Ullman in the studio.

After their initial meeting with Drake’s OVO fam, Majid Jordan quickly found themselves in the studio with Champagne Papi, cutting 2013’s “Hold On (We’re Going Home),” which wou

↧

OC's Abby Styles Her Sister Sydney For Proenza Schouler

February 4, 2016, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: Happy Lunar New Year, XO OC

≪ Previous: There’s Something About Majid Jordan

Getting dressed for any of the Fashion Week shows can seem like a daunting task. With shows that begin at the crack of dawn and only end when the champagne stops flowing at the after parties, getting your day-to-night look that caters to the show (or shows) you’re attending might seem impossible. But lucky for you, our knowledgeable team of Personal Stylists are equipped to handle every one of your sartorial queries.

For New York Fashion Week, each of our Personal Stylists styled out a chosen client for the shows they *might* be attending. This week, each of our personal stylists will be taking you through the looks and their styling process. First up? OC’s Abby styles her sister Sydney in an outfit fit for the Proenza Schouler show. Check out the day-to-night look above, and read Abby’s commentary below to learn how she and Sydney worked together to create the look.

Read more about OC’s Personal Stylists here

Shop NYFW picks from OC’s personal stylists here

Tell us a little bit about your subject’s personal style: Sydney described her personal style as “basic with structure.” She loves wearing everyday pieces that contain interesting or unique shapes. Being an architect definitely influences the way she dresses.

Did Sydney make any specific requests? The only requests that Sydney made beforehand were, “no tie-dye, loud colors, or prints.”

Keeping that in mind, how and why did you select these brands and styles? Because I was styling Sydney as if she were attending the Proenza Schouler show, the use of prints was inevitable. I made sure to choose pieces that contained softer, not-so-obvious prints (the Proenza long-sleeve T-shirt and skirt worked perfectly). I also kept in mind layering and contrast when choosing looks for Sydney. Layering the Ellery halter over the Proenza top gave the outfit more of a daytime feel, and the orange Proenza Schouler bag pulled everything together with a pop of color. For the second look, I chose the Issey Miyake clutch and Giuseppe Zanotti heels because they contained metallics that helped blend the print on the Proenza Schouler skirt in a way that was subtle but also attention grabbing.

Why do you think this look works your Sydney? This look works perfectly for Sydney because it involves basics that have been reimagined. She thought that the shredded hem on the Marques'Almeida jeans was genius. This simple detail turns an everyday staple into a statement pant that anyone can wear. The Proenza Schouler T-shirt also worked really well for Sydney because it’s something she could imagine owning and wearing everyday. As you can see, this T-shirt can be layered, dressed up, or dressed down. It’s a great piece to have in your wardrobe.

What was Sydney’s first reaction when she saw the selected outfit? Sydney’s first reaction when I showed her the Marques'Almeida jeans and Ellery top was, “What is this?! I want to wear this!” She had yet to try anything on, so I knew we were off to a good start.

Why do you love personal styling? I love personal styling because it gives me the opportunity to style people in clothing they can be excited about and feel good wearing. This particular experience was extra fun because I was styling my sister. It felt as if we were little girls playing dress up again, only th

↧

Happy Lunar New Year, XO OC

February 7, 2016, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: Opening Ceremony 2016 Is The Year Of China

≪ Previous: OC's Abby Styles Her Sister Sydney For Proenza Schouler

Taking our name and mission statement from the modern Olympic Games, Opening Ceremony adopts a multinational approach to retail. In addition to stocking both iconic and emerging homegrown designers, each year OC showcases the spirit and merchandise of a visiting country, transforming each of our stores and digital platforms into a marketplace for exotic souvenirs and international talent.

What better time to announce our country of the year than during the Lunar New Year? For 2016, we have selected China as our country of focus, where we will highlight special collaborations with influential designers, as well as partner up with some exciting Chinese creatives. It’s not good luck to give you the whole rundown now, so check back here and our Instagram in the morning for a more detailed rundown of the exciting year ahead.

↧

Opening Ceremony 2016 Is The Year Of China

February 7, 2016, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: Opening Ceremony Celebrates Pearl River

≪ Previous: Happy Lunar New Year, XO OC

From Brazil to Sweden, Japan to France, Opening Ceremony has represented a breadth of countries in our fourteen years of existence. Now that we’ve rung in the Lunar New Year, we’re ready to take on 2016 in a big way, by featuring the most populous country in the world: China.

This year, Opening Ceremony has unearthed a good number of both established and emerging Chinese designers from across the globe. While some of these innovators hail from London and New York, others are based throughout different cities in China, baring a diverse group of talent that offers a wide range of aesthetic and design. Themes such as east-meets-west, innovative technology, and androgyny, to name a few, are skillfully integrated into each collection. If you haven’t noticed, binaries are a widespread theme throughout, Xiamen-based Ms MIN balances modernity with vintage, while menswear brand Wander fuses traditional Chinese culture with influences from travels abroad.

Our China country focus will also include exciting collaborations with established and influential designers Anna Sui and Vivienne Tam, along with a range of collections by select Chinese designers such as Angel Chen, Decoster, Hiuman, Huishan Zhang, Mo & Co, Ms MIN, Poesia, Xander Zhou, Ximon Lee, and more.

Keep your eyes peeled for more on our featured Chinese designers! But to tie you over until then, click through the slideshow above to view our photo journal that focuses on some of the Chinese brands we are excited to be carrying this year.

Shop all Year of China women’s and men’s

Left: Museum of Friendship Flower Motif Long-Sleeve Dress in white. Right: The World Is Your Oyster Tone-On-Tone Pocket Shirt in white, The World Is Your Oyster Pleated Wide Leg Shorts in black, and Dr. Martens 1461 3-Eye Shoes in black (all items not linked available in stores and online soon). Styling by Kindall Almond; Photos by Isabel Asha Penzlien

Left: Vega Zaishi Wang Double Breasted Jacket in Black, Vega Zaishi Wang Gathered Lace Dress in black, and Opening Ceremony Shiny Calf Zan Leather Booties in white. Right: The World Is Your Oyster

↧

Opening Ceremony Celebrates Pearl River

February 7, 2016, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: Marcel Dzama’s Glory

≪ Previous: Opening Ceremony 2016 Is The Year Of China

Our Year of China debuts in time for the Lunar New Year with a collaboration with one of New York’s most beloved emporiums (and Opening Ceremony’s long-time neighbor), Pearl River Mart. When Pearl River opened in 1971 as “Chinese Native Products” in New York City’s Chinatown, the concept behind the small shop was simple: to introduce quality Chinese goods to America. Founded by a group of overseas Chinese immigrants and student activists, Pearl River was one of the first retailers to import Chinese-made products—from soy sauce to Chinese cotton tee shirts—to the United States, during the Cold War era when trade bans with the Communist nation were still enforced.

Over the next four decades, Pearl River evolved along with the burgeoning downtown New York art scene. Today, its Broadway bazaar is a destination for products from the mainland, such as cheongsam gowns, paper lanterns, traditional textiles, and even decorative gold buddhas. Everyone, from Chinatown locals to fashion insiders to tourists, appreciates the experience of getting lost in the store, as vast and kaleidoscopic as its host city.

“Pearl River is honored to be recognized by a fashion purveyor as innovative and forward-thinking as Opening Ceremony,” says Mrs. Ching Yeh Chen, Pearl River president. “This collection not only celebrates the cultural interplay between the East and the West but also between different generations; which have been our company's guiding principles for over 45 years.”

“Pearl River was one of the first stores I visited in New York when I first moved here in 2000,” says OC’s co-founder Humberto Leon. “I was living around the corner and it was my go-to for all things basic for my home and, of course, for many things Asian. I am super excited to do this Opening Ceremony Celebrates Pearl River collection.”

The Opening Ceremony Celebrates Pearl River collection is a twist on “East Meets West” aesthetics. Opening Ceremony silhouettes, such as the zip mini-skirt and the wide-legged trouser, are reimagined in Chinese jacquards, woven with rich Cherry Blossom and Lotus motifs. Meanwhile, traditional Chinese garments, such as a jacket with a Mandarin collar and handmade frog closures, are given an all-American update in denim. Playing on Opening Ceremony’s classic Varsity Jacket, a Coach jacket is embroidered with a multi-colored phoenixes and dragons—symbols of the perfect yin and yang union—and a Double Happiness character. The Chinese slippers that Pearl River helped bring to fame in the 2000s are recast in denim and lotus- flower jacquards. A series of

↧

Marcel Dzama’s Glory

February 7, 2016, 9:00 pm

≫ Next: How Pearl River Mart Became A Fashion Destination

≪ Previous: Opening Ceremony Celebrates Pearl River

Digitally driven, image laden, and over branded, 21st century contemporary culture has resulted in a yearning for a simpler more streamlined lifestyle. The conspicuous consumption of (practically) any form of minimalist design—whether in fashion, architecture, music, or art—has become an all too powerful coping mechanism. So why not embrace the chaos and make it your muse? This seems to be the tactic for artist Marcel Dzama has taken with his career as well as the costume and set design of New York City Ballet’s The Most Incredible Thing.

Upon moving to New York City in 2004, Dzama began to create densely populated images arranged in various dance positions as a means of bringing order to his life in the claustrophobic city. As a result, dance became a source of inspiration and fascination. In fact, his published works The Berliner Ensemble Thanks You All and The Course of Human History Personified are two notable examples of his ornately conceptualized cast of characters.

Fast forward to 2016, Dzama has joined with choreographer Justin Peck and composer Bryce Dessner to envision the New York City Ballet’s adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s The Most Incredible Thing. The (predictably dark) fairy tale tells the story of a magical clock, where every hour a new life-like mythic figure performs a dance. There’s a king, a princess, a love interest, and an evil dude trying to wreck it all (and, well, you know the rest). Dzama’s prismatic cast of characters and set designs were culled from movements, artists, and literary works including Marcel Duchamp, Francis Picabia, and Hans Christian Andersen's The Red Shoes.

So what did Marcel Dzama’s colorful cast of characters amount to?

A colorful frenzy that was equal parts ornate and orderly. The performance opened with conjoined medieval kings gleaming with silver plating that evoked violent swerves and dips Futurist architecture. To lighten the mood, enter the ‘summer grasshopper,’ outlined in jaunty strokes of red, blue, green, yellow and black. For something a little flighty, don’t forget the crow, cast in gunmetal metallic feathers while searingly red swirls and squiggles outlining a set of lithe rams complimented a set of stacked saucers (representing the five senses), much like the grace and simplicity of a ‘50s UFO.

This past Saturday’s after-party following the performance delved deeper into Dzama’s masterful creations by featuring his video installation with Amy Sedaris and a triplet of dancing polka dots, and a carousel of the artist’s famous chess pieces constructed out of canned goods. This was all aurally outlined by the hypnotic beats of LCD Soundsystem’s Pat Mahoney.

All in all, Marcel Dzama’s kaleidoscopic vignette professes the beauty in chaos and in ornament. See for it for yourself.

The Most Incredible Thing runs on February 11 and February 19.

Photos courtesy of Erin Baiano and Paul Kolnik

↧

Latest Images