Bita Rad

Check out this interview I did with Russell Simmons a while back where he speaks to me about his brand Argyleculture.

You can find more at www.argyleculture.com/

Ok, but really. I lOoooVeee Kate Lanphear. Love love.  She was the Style Director of Elle Magazine US until recently and her street style photos are always on my inspiration boards. Not bad for a tomboy from Fairfax, Virginia…

“If you asked me who my style icons were, I’d say I began with old-school heavy metal. I love the androgyny and the glam. In high school I covered my bedroom walls with Axl Rose posters. Appetite for Destruction was out, and I trailed Guns N’ Roses’ tour bus in my Honda Civic (its plates read AXL LVR). I had these amazing, skinny, tight-enough-to- cut-off-your-circulation acid-wash jeans with an inky blue plastic zipper that ran up the seam, purchased at Spencer’s Gifts at the mall. I had begged my mom for them. They were part of a look: slouchy suede boots, oversize suede jacket, outrageous jeans. Breaking the suburbatopian mold by wearing metalhead garb definitely wasn’t something one did to fit in with the cool kids in Fairfax, Virginia.”

Every now and then, while researching designs at the office, I come across a designer whose unfamiliar name or work leaves a lasting impression on me. Newcomer Alice McColm is one of those names. Her first collection, which premiered at Graduate Fashion Week in June 2009 (Middlesex University alum), should be recognized by new and aspiring runway designers everywhere. While she doesn’t stray far from practicality and current trend, her approach to fabric and fur medium is rather new and extremely refreshing. It could effortlessly fit on the runways of New York Fashion Week (right alongside Rodarte). McColm has done an excellent job of finding the balance between what is familiar and what is new, while applying big statements to each look. I, for one, am excited to see what she comes up with next.

Name: Lourdes Maria Ciccone Leon

Age: 12

Status: Madonna’s daughter

# of yrs. in the Spotlight: 13

Showing up nothing short of what you’d expect from Madonna’s offspring, at the age of 13, Lourdes is already cooking up a recipe to become a style icon.  She has claimed to dress herself, and from the looks of it, she would probably be dressed no different if her mother was dressing her. With tons of fashion articles about her already under her belt, Lourdes continues her mother’s legacy of showing  the fashion world what being a material girl is all about.

Name: Camilla Belle Routh

Age: 22

Status: Actress, face of Vera Wang &   Miu Miu

# of yrs. in the Spotlight: 14 years

To be quite honest, I wasn’t familiar with Camilla until recently. Her look is striking and her fashion sense is impeccable. The good thing about her, like any great muse, is that she knows how to dress to compliment her “look”. Perhaps it comes from her Brazilian mother, ex-fashion designer Cristina Routh. Her reputation as a fashionista has over-shadowed Camilla the actress, as she’s constantly spotted in show-stopping dresses at fashion events.  See for yourself what all the rave is about.

]Name: Eric Daman

Age: Unknown

Status: Costume Designer/ Stylist for Gossip Girl

# of yrs. in the Spotlight: 10

The truth is that if you haven’t yet discussed it with your friends, you have at one point or another marveled at the wardrobe that the cast of Gossip Girl gets to wear. Undoubtedly, Gossip Girl has become the best-dressed show on television, now that Sex & The City is over with. And as it turns out, you can find one man responsible for both! Eric Daman, who also once assisted Patricia Field on the set of Sex and the City as a costume designer, has now moved on to the next best thing.

Daman started his fashion career as a buyer for a Paris boutique, and was soon discovered as a model by famed fashion photographer Steven Meisel. In 1999 he became the assistant costume designer for Sex & The City, and the rest is history. In a recent interview with WWD, Daman opens up about his fashion philosophy:

“I always make sure I mix some of the higher-end looks with something from a less expensive brand. I use stuff from Forever 21 and H&M all the time. You will always see someone wearing a $5,000 dress with a pair of Nine West shoes. That is how people dress today anyway.”

This quote rings especially true for the quintessential California fashionista. .

Click here to be schooled by Eric Daman on how to get the perfect fall style.

Name: Cassie Ventura

Age: 22

Status: Singer/Model (signed to 1 Model Management, NY)

# of yrs. in the Spotlight: 3

I love the way this girl dresses. She is always on point. You can always tell the celebrities that love fashion vs. the ones that don’t.

clicky click.