As a native of the Bluegrass State, I grew up donning a stylish wide-brimmed hat and sipping on mint juleps on Derby day. After all, the Kentucky Derby is a celebrated fête for all Kentuckians and most southerners. While the betting and heavy drinking entice throngs of people to Churchill Downs year after year, it’s the sophisticated springtime fashions that make the Derby the jewel of the Triple Crown.
This year female Derby attendees paid scant attention to the pastel trend on the glossy pages of Vogue. Ensembles were brightly hued and ranged from royal blue to Hermès orange. Women young and old were spotted wearing fascinators, but the tried-and-true “Derby hat” was the most popular look among the ladies. Feathers, flowers and bows adorned these magnificent hats, perched perfectly atop women’s heads.
Men opted for a more subdued look of traditional tan suits and seersucker blazers. American fashion brand Vineyard Vines created a special Derby Collection for the event, and many dapper Derby-goers were spotted with “Lucky Julep” ties in a variety of soft shades.
In its 138th year, the Kentucky Derby is the most highly anticipated sporting event in the world. This timeless southern tradition attracts a refined crowd of well-groomed men and women who inspire summer wardrobes around the globe.
- Ali Carter, BE SPOKE.
We all have a list of websites that we can’t live without—the first sites we check in the morning from our phone, or once we sit down at our desks for the day. The blogs we escape to in between decks, media lists, pitching and planning. What started a few years ago as a couple of sites peppered across my Bookmarks Bar, has turned into a full-fledged Google Reader addiction.
Lucky for me that pleasure meets business. Part of what we do here at BE SPOKE. is provide media strategies and influencer recommendations to our clients. And what better way to stay in the know then with a constant stream of photos, news and tips brought by industry leaders and experts.
Here’s just a sneak peek of some of the sites I visit on a daily basis to inspire me throughout the work day.
Garance Dore: The ladies ofBE SPOKE. have a love affair with France (what’s a world without Hermes and Laduree?), so it’s only natural that we turn to the A-list French blogger, Garance Dore, for the latest and greatest in New York City street style. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing her stroll the West Village streets with beau, Scott Schuman, and they’re just as effortlessly chic as the photos they take! Bisous, Garance!
Into the Gloss: Vogue insider, Emily Weiss (from my hometown!) takes you behind-the-scenes and into the medicine cabinets of the beauty elite. Her photos are fresh and fun, the content well curated and her interview subjects simply beautiful.
Matchbook Mag: Co-foundersKatie Armour and Jane Lilly Warren have perfected the online magazine, dubbed a “Field Guide for the Charmed life.” They seamlessly intertwine their social media channels for easy lifestyle lusting. I love the 10 Things, Portrait of a Lady and Odds and Endsfeatures.
vmac + cheese: One of the newer additions to my blog feed, vmac + cheese is a lifestyle blog that spans “all things food, interiors, design and style.” As a blogger myself, I’ve particularly enjoyed her Mini-Alt Week posts that provide advice from top bloggers on how to make the most of your blog and its community.
Inspired to add some new sites to your list? Check out the Blog Rolls of your favorite sites or seek out their links section—most bloggers will feature their blog addictions here. It’s an endlessly fabulous cycle. Happy hunting!
-Claudine Case, BE SPOKE.
Growing up in Southern California, white Christmases and bell-bedecked sleighs were relegated to Bing Crosby songs and made-for-TV movies. The holidays for us beach dwellers were typically marked by 60-degree weather, and maybe a passing rain shower.
I didn’t appreciate the full glory of the holiday season until I moved eastward, where the brisk winter wind foretold of evenings spent watching the snow fall and admiring the flickering candlelight of my menorah; or of heading to friends’ apartments to help them decorate their Christmas trees, toasting our creativity with Champagne and mint liqueur-infused hot cocoa.
Twelve years of living in New York, and I still get giddy around the holidays. This year, I can’t wait to ogle Lady Gaga’s Barneys Workshop, admire the tree in Rockefeller Center and take a twirl on the ice rink at the Standard Hotel.
While I’m taking in Manhattan, I hope friends and family are taking in my gift wish list:
- Barneys New York double-faced throw: Who doesn’t want to be swaddled in three-ply cashmere goodness?
- Tea Forte’s 40 infuser tea chest: A collection 20 delicious and exotic blends, such as Bombay Chai and African Solstice.
- Jonathan Adler’s Dachshund menorah: To add a whimsical touch to those eight crazy nights.
- Gift card to Oasis Day Spa for a 90-minute Swedish massage: A girl has to recharge after a month of holiday festivities.
- Mrs. John L. Strong Thank You Small Set: Because beautiful gifts deserve beautiful thank yous.
-Dana Lenetz, BE SPOKE.
Looking for the perfect holiday gift? Look no further. British fashion label Burberry has created Burberry Bespoke – an interactive offering that allows customers to design and order custom trench coats online.
Burberry-aficionados can select every aspect of their trench, including the cut, fabric and color. Fur lovers like me can add mink linings or shearling collars. And for a bit of flair, there are dramatic options like bronze-studded sleeves or bridle leather belts. To maintain the luxury status of the Burberry name, the online system removes off-equity choices automatically (no studded collar on a shearling coat). But with 12 million combinations to choose from, it’s hardly creatively limiting.
The launch of Burberry Bespoke is the 155-year-old brand’s first attempt at mass customization, but the price point maintains Burberry’s luxury roots. Ranging from $1,800 to $8,800, a custom trench ships in four to eight weeks from Burberry’s factory in Yorkshire, England (leather trenches are made and sent from Italy). To highlight this elite service, each tag stitched inside a custom-made trench includes a limited-edition number and the word “Bespoke.”
Burberry Bespoke was created to encourage consumer engagement with the brand, so customers who cannot justify (or afford) the purchase of a $1k+ coat are still urged to tap their inner Christopher Bailey, and create their dream trench. Designs then can be shared on Twitter and Facebook.
I was eager to see what all of the fuss was about, so I took to the site and designed my very own Burberry Bespoke trench. Choosing from one of the 17 cut options was daunting, because honing in on a specific style of coat can reduce your other options. For example, the Wellclose Zip comes in gem-inspired tones like Peacock (a deep turquoise hue), while the Kensington Leather only comes in neutral shades. I ended up choosing the Abingdon style, because it’s tailored and feminine. Like the Kensington, the cut I selected only came in muted tones. Since grey is a great alternative to classic beige, I chose a pewter cotton sateen fabric. Then came the real delight - embellishments! There are various enhancements for your custom trench, such as selecting black or tan bridle leather cuff straps or electing the au courant brass studded sleeves. Adornments can also be as simple as forgoing the classic Burberry check lining for black wool cashmere. My final look included sleek leather belts, military buttons and a plush mink collar for the brisk months ahead.
I had quite a bit of fun designing a covetable creation from Burberry Bespoke, and am enthusiastic to add a custom Burberry trench to my Christmas list this holiday season.
-Ali Carter, BE SPOKE.
I recently attended Fashion Forward: Digital, an all-day conference held in New York that gathered fashion cognoscenti from around the country to discuss how luxury brands can evolve within the digital space without forsaking their brand identity or heritage. Hosted in the über swanky screening room of the Crosby Street Hotel, the event brought together some of today’s most provocative fashion thought-leaders including: Ari Goldberg, CEO of Stylecaster (@StyleCaster), Tony King, founder of digital image agency, King and Partners (@TonyKingNyc) and the Man Repeller herself, style blogger Leandra Medine (@ManRepeller). During the presentation, Jason John, senior director of online, mobile and social marketing for luxury flash web site Gilt Groupe (@GiltGroupe), discussed the Facebook dilemma many companies face today; that is, how to market a brand on Facebook without inundating consumers with brand messaging. Social media darling Aliza Licht (@DKNY), meanwhile, waxed poetic on Twitter: Why it’s an exceptional networking tool and how she engages her fashion-obsessed followers with witty, on-equity Tweets.
The event’s keynote speaker was cognitive anthropologist Bob Deutsch (@BobDeutsch8), founder and president of Brain Sells, a marketing strategy and branding approach. In his presentation about the many meanings of “beyond expectation,” in which he discussed the challenges marketers face in understanding the desires of the consumer, Deutsch mentioned the Wizard of Oz, and how the Scarecrow, the Tin Man and the Lion are excellent marketing models for luxury brands. While Deutsch didn’t go into detail about this metaphor, it certainly had me wondering how I could apply one of my favourite childhood films to my current role at BE SPOKE. Here is my interpretation of Deutsch’s yellow brick road business model:
The Scarecrow: For those of you who don’t remember, the Scarecrow wished for a brain. My interpretation of Deutsch’s Scarecrow analogy is to be smart. It’s not what the consumer wants, but who they are, so we need to be diligent in our thought process when it comes to speaking to our luxury audience. We need to create meaning in the way we position our products. Learn who your consumer is – not just their interests, but their identities.
The Tin Man: Having passion for the brands you represent is one of the greatest necessities of luxury marketing. The Tin Man understood this. He wanted a heart, after all. If you’re not enthusiastic about the particular brand or product you work on, find something else to fall in love with. Have a penchant for Pinterest? Use it as a brainstorming tool. Dream about starting a blog? Create one for your client. At the end of the day, if you can’t find something to love about the brands you represent, then why should the consumer?
The Lion: According to Deutsch, “if you’re all things to all people, then you are nothing.” I think this quote very much describes the lion’s desire to have courage. The lesson is, be distinctive. The consumer wants to be challenged, so be bold. Think outside the box. And don’t be afraid to take a leap of faith.
If by chance Deutsch’s path of consumer insight, client passion and boundless creativity leads me in the wrong direction, I’ll take Dorothy’s advice and find myself a pair of ruby red stilettos.
-Ali Carter, BE SPOKE.
We’ve all heard it. We live in the city that never sleeps; it’s always abuzz, things to do, places to visit and people to see. I’ve been here for only four months and I’ve already gone into sensory overload. I thought a trip to the movies might help.
The dark: A respite for weary and bleary, bright-light abused eyes.
The quiet: A cure for the sirens, honks, and subway brakes.
The plot: A chance to be distracted by someone else’s story.
After a little hustle and a lot of shuffles, I took my seat at the Angelika Film Center this past Sunday night. All I knew was that Martha Marcy May Marlene was a lot of alliteration (something I’ve always been quite fond of). And that Elizabeth Olsen, younger sister of MK&A, was the leading lady.
Martha Marcy May Marlene was transportive; the only reminder I was still in Manhattan was the rumble of the subway beneath my feet and the commentary of the characters seated in my row. Elizabeth Olsen plays Martha/Marcy May, a young girl who escapes from a cult in the Catskills, and finds refuge at her older sister’s summer home. Olsen plays an incredible mix of juxtapositions—childish yet wise, creepy but scared, violated and loved. It was exhausting to watch and I was totally hooked as she balances on the brink of a breakdown for the entirety of the film.
The silent flashbacks that perforate the film, the very reason I wanted to go to the cinema in the first place, ended up being the creepiest part. Aside from Patrick (John Hawkes) performance of “Marcy’s Song,” of course.
Head down to Angelika Film Center on West Houston & Broadway, get in line, take a seat, and let the rumble of the subway lull you into Olsen’s eerily awesome performance.
-Claudine Case, BE SPOKE.
Artisanal pizza is nothing new to the New York City landscape. Seemingly on a daily basis, a new pizzeria is setting up shop, ready to entice hungry city dwellers with their spin on artfully wrought pizza.
The latest venture is Girello (Italian for “baby walker”), a welcoming slip of a restaurant situated on North Moore and Varick in Tribeca. Owned by the same group that runs Girello’s next-door neighbor, Walkers, this quaint, no-frills space boasts 34 seats, a six-seat bar and floor-to-ceiling windows that allow plenty of light to pour in. On any given night, Girello’s crowd is a healthy mix of Patek Philippe-wielding financiers, Tribeca darlings sporting Lululemon garb and YSL handbags and tattooed hipsters - all clamoring for a choice seat (Girello does not take reservations).
Girello’s menu is spare; it features a well-edited selection of appetizers, salads (I recommend the chopped Romaine with red onions, tomatoes, cucumbers and a piquant house vinaigrette) and sandwiches (including the ever-enticing Italian sausage, broccoli rabe and Provolone combo). The same is true for its wine list – an appealing collection of robust Italian reds and verdant whites – which is complemented with global brews such as Peroni and Ommegang Witte.
Despite the brevity of Girello’s offerings, diners won’t be disappointed. Immediately, your taste buds will be enlivened, thanks to a basket of fresh-from-the oven rustic Italian bread, served with red pepper-infused olive oil, as well as a bowl of wonderfully briny olives (I could wile away an evening sipping a glass of ribald Italian vino and feasting on this crunchy bread).
But the real draw is the wood-oven cooked pizza, which diners can personalize with more than 20 fresh toppings, ranging from cherry peppers and goat cheese to capicola and grilled shrimp. My friend and I opted for mushrooms, onions and prosciutto, all of which blended beautifully with the chewy, thin crust, sweet mozzarella and smartly seasoned tomato sauce.
The only complaint I can lodge is that Girello doesn’t offer dessert. But then again, that leaves more room for pizza!
- Dana Lenetz, BE SPOKE.
