Ode to Karl

Flyne(pictures.com)

They say everyone is replaceable but it is unimaginable to think of Chanel moving forward without Karl Lagerfeld.  He made Chanel relevant for generations.  Karl carried on Coco's legacy; honoring her vision but reinventing it over and over, making it modern and keeping it at the top of fashion's "most wanted" lists.  The fashion shows became spectacles and the most coveted ticket to get.   Where would fashion be without the  boucle jackets and tweedy looks mixed with pearls, metals and camellias?

The most prolific designer of our time, he not only designed six collections a season for Chanel, he worked with Fendi, Chloe and his own namesake line.  He was a photographer, often photographing this own advertising campaigns and he was a filmmaker or rather a storyteller.  Karl wanted to be a one man muti fashion phenomenon.  I think he succeeded.

Karl was known for his "karlisms," funny, now iconic quotes that will live on forever.  I thought it would be  fun to revisit the best of them.

"Elegance is an attitude"

"Trendy is the last stage before tacky"

Gio Staiano

"The fashion of no- fashion is still fashion!"

Imaxtree

"I'm a working class person, working with class"

Cindy Crawford via instagram

"I don't like standard beauty, there is no beauty without strangeness."

Ganzalo Fuentes

"Don't dress to kill, dress to survive."

"What I love best in life is new starts."

" I'm very much down to earth, just not of this earth."

Valerio Mezzanotti for NOWFASHION

"Sweatpants are a sign of defeat. You lost control of your life so you bought some sweatpants."

He was not without controversy. He has taken stands on subjects not particularly popular and was not always PC.  One of his "karlisms" I have to disagree with was his comment; "I think tattoos are horrible.  It's like wearing a Pucci dress forever."  I, for one love Pucci!

Roland Weihrauch

Forbes said in an article published yesterday, "his passing permanently marks the world of fashion:Before Karl Lagerfeld and After Lagerfeld."

Kips Bay Palm Beach ~ part 2

Back to our coverage of the Kips Bay show house that is still going strong, as evidenced every time I pass by, now thru Feb 20th.  We were downstairs ~ now we go upstairs.

The bathroom by Krista + Home was spectacular with its book matched marble, custom built-ins for everything including a bar, for pregaming, before a night out (or in).

Jason Arnold rook a different approach and did an "un palm beach" look.  His room was inherently dark so he went with it.  Phillip Jefferies velvet covered the walls creating a sumptuous lounge like feeling.  Sculptural pieces of furniture and well placed lighting made it really cozy and gave us the impression  a well traveled couple might live here.  The photograph is by  Bastian Woudt.  His sobering  photos of the Ugandan people help support local clean water projects.

David Mitchell Brown used soft water colors in his soothing master bedroom. They may be soft at night but they are energizing in the morning.  We already know that de Gournay wallpaper shimmers and dances in the light so adding the citrine drapes, crystals, reflective night tables and mixed metals all make the dance that much more dazzling!

Stair and hallways are notoriously difficult but Billy Ceglia did such a cohesive job.  Inspired by a picture of a graphic gown he had hanging on an inspiration board and his friend and photographer Nick Mele, he was off and running.  Yards of Kravet fabric with an added graphic punch and oodles of photos by Nick grace the connecting corridors.

If you have not heard of Nick Mele  check out his instagram account @a.social.life .  He creates wonderfully quirky photos starring himself, his wife and 2 kids, in ordinary settings but with a twist.

Danielle Rollins was inspired by the Palm Beach sunsets and I can attest to the sky looking this color often, on a perfect night.  You do feel enveloped by it!  Danielle said she was conjuring the 1970's vibe of  "Pucci during the day and Halston at night."  Her new collection of ombré colored art for Wendover art hangs in a large grouping on either side of the room.

With a sumptuous bed, a bathroom, a bar and this fab little patio, there is really no reason to leave.

Leanne Yarn of Yarn Design Associates calls her blue lounge the home's hideaway.  Playing off the view of the water outside, blue and silver are the predominate colors and blue chip art give weight to the room while it still remains calming.  The custom bookcase doors are covered in coconut shells.

Amy Meier did a beautiful job outside creating an artful space in the loggia.  She wanted to highlight the flora and fauna and to do that she employed the help of metal artist David DeSantis.  He custom made the iron daybed and installation surrounding the fireplace mantle that could take your breath away.  Amy told me she kept saying to David, "more leaves, more leaves!"  The Sutherland  furniture beautifully anchored  the sculptural pieces throughout the area which gave the whole  environment more depth.

Hustle and Flow

I interrupt my Kips Bay Palm Beach coverage because it is the 1st Monday of a new month and that's when I write my wellness/coaching post.

Talk of wellness is taking over; wellness, mindfulness, awareness, balance, whatever word you use to encapsulate this on going conversation.  With that in mind, I have spent much time thinking about what FLOW looks like for me (and maybe you too).

I needed to take a step back.  Things were feeling a bit overwhelming.  We all get into patterns where we are doing too much, taking on too much, life is too much.  When this happens, I know I need to become still, go inward, spend time alone getting quiet and just slow the merry go round of thoughts and activities down, but since I am also someone who loves to be productive and creative, and too much down time makes me crazy!

When we feel overwhelmed or at a crossroads, getting still and refocusing brings us back to our purpose or our essential self.  Life is fluid.  Something may change in the blink of an eye that makes us question our wants, needs or goals.

I found myself working harder and getting less satisfaction.  I wanted ease.  I needed ease!  I am setting an intention to listen more and react less.  If something feels easy, I am going with it.  If something feels hard, I will walk away (or evaluate).  It is pretty simple.  I am changing the way I am working.  I set my intention, I am working towards the goal, but also allowing the universe to guide me in the right direction.  In the non attachment you find freedom.  There may a path you haven't considered or a round about way to get to where you're going, but you were so set on the 1 way you saw it that none of the other possibilities that may have also been a plausible path toward your goal could be considered.   When you allow yourself to be guided, you see a sign and you understand that is exactly what it is; a sign ~ don't think too much, run with it.

I spent years trying to control my destiny.  Guess what!  It doesn't work that way.  I am giving up.  I am releasing myself from the stress and disappointment I felt when something did not go the way I wanted it to.

Hustle towards what you want, but give up any expectation of getting it and you just may.




#lifecoachlesson