Yesterday evening we began pulling down the stash to send to the sample sale today, and as you can see below there was a bit of a delay in the process…

Every box was neatly packed and stored away over the last 6 months, 2500 units and no chaos.

Yisbel had a GENIUS idea….sometimes the runt of the litter is the most dangerous.

The crew politely picked thorough a few boxes searching for gems they may have missed over the years…

As the process continued, the polite picking turned into ravaged hunting, the crew began diving and contorting to snag their loot. In the end every box was opened and raided.

It’s wonderful for me to see that the people who work so hard to bring the collections to market in this crazy world of fashion are still this excited about what we do.

We’ve repacked the boxes and are on our way to the sample sale venue now….we expect a repeat performance later today and tomorrow and we’re a little scared…

Cafe de Flore is a must stop on all trips to Paris, no matter if it’s for breakfast, lunch, dinner, cocktails, coffee with amazing French magazines from the near by newsstand. It’s been a favorite of the creative influencers for generations and is something everyone should experience more than once.

CAFE DE FLORE

The first photo below was snapped on a recent trip which felt very much like a modern day Herbie the Love Bug, and was shot on actual film with my Contax T3.  I had no idea if it had turned out for months and months, the camera ended up on an extended stay in Paris and it was such a wonderful surprise when the camera arrived and the images were useable.

These are images old and new that tell the story of the cafe.

Simryn Gill is an artist that I discovered while on an adventure a few years ago. New Years being celebrated in Australia. I landed a few days prior to two of my best friends who were joining and got to put in some quality time taking in the city on my own.  As a habit I research the contemporary museums in each city I visit, and in Sydney it’s the Museum of Contemporary Art. The exhibits were engaging and dare I say less precious than many other major cities contemporary venues. Simryn Gill, a Sydney based artist was exhibiting “Pearls” a project centered around the idea of exploring the objects from other cultures when they end up in a foreign land, and how it is almost impossible to determine their true value, and meaning if you don’t understand the culture they came from. Are they treasure or common object?  With this project Simryn took a book from each participant and in exchange returned a finished necklace to the participants. I purchased the exhibit’s book on my way out, see inserts below for amazing examples of the diversity and example of craft that made me want to go home and rip up some books.

ARABIAN NIGHTS

NECKLACE FROM ARABIAN NIGHTS

MOUNTAINS AND WATER

NECKLACE FROM MOUNTAINS AND WATER

Hear what the Tate in London has to say about Mr. Gil

As we headed toward sending our recent Holiday 2010 collection to market I was compelled to add in an additional layer of craft to one of the GF pieces. I had squirreled away a pillow purchased in Palm Beach, Australia December 2008 for inspirational use someday in the future, and the future was suddenly here. The Geren Ford Los Angeles studio became Tie Dye camp for a few days as we researched the techniques and processes. Jennifer who works with us here in LA really is the master and creator of this project. It was a really fun process to watch come to life. The photos below are of her handiwork and the finished product at the look book shoot! We got our information from Google and You Tube and our supplies from Pearl Paint (minus the gloves – Jennifer had those on her own).

Portugal last year…exhausted after fashion filled month in New York a good friend was on her way to Lisbon for a shoot, and who am I to turn down a spot at the Four Seasons and the inside view of a city that being on a production brings. All I heard was “much needed instant vacation”.  The night before heading home it was time for one last dinner, we wanted to walk from the hotel and as luck has it the best meal I had during my visit was the last one, an unexpected wonderful surprise. Bocca delivered what was one of the top 10 meals of my life. The highlight of the evening was a wine chosen for me by the sommelier. Without knowing Portuguese wine in any way, all I had to offer were the words Bordeaux, Malbec, Barolo….the kind man was a genius and I ended up being treated to one of the most amazing wines I’ve had the pleasure of tasting. Even better in Portugal it’s not pricey, and the label was stunning. The details he jotted down on a post-it for me and I take it with me as I make my way back to Los Angeles. Once home I hunt, and I do mean literally hunt the vineyard down. No US distributor, a UK one who’s on holiday, and a website for the brand. I send word in all directions…. and amazingly Ronald my soon to become e-mail pen pal responded. He’s at the winery, he may be able to ship to me, and he has what I want! Yes!

Long Long Long and by long I mean 3 months long story short, Ronald is able to ship me 4 cases (which fly via British Airways to LA, that seems somewhat posh to me for an unexplainable reason) and they get STUCK in customs because I’m not a wine importer. Tessa who has just started with Geren Ford dives in deep to help me out, thank goodness no is not an option for her and after much back and forth and a multitude of ideas, one of which was “SEND IT BACK TO PORTUGAL” which gave me hives, it arrives. Not with the same glamour as it’s flight here, but on Christmas eve at noon on Ventura Blvd in Sherman Oaks I meet Jesus to procure my 4 cases of gold out of the back of a delivery truck too large to make it up the windy roads to my house in the Hollywood Hills. The 4 cases are all that is in the truck. I feel like I’m accepting stolen goods, but I am not. I am 6 hours away from heading to LAX for a much-needed St. Barths stay over to celebrate the holidays and ring in the New Year. I am happy to report that a bottle went with me and was enjoyed by all on a tiny island in the Caribbean

Cargo safely in my pantry.

This is a Japanese ink drawing that my father John Ford did of our family pup when I was a little kid, it now serves as not only a momento and an ode to my dad, but it’s all over our products, on tissue paper in our shoe boxes, on scarves, invitations, stamped inside our denim and on and on…look out for it on t-shirts and totes coming up for next spring…

Below is a link to an exhibit that I had the pleasure of seeing when I was in Hong Kong last year, this is Chinese ink drawing but it’s remarkably similar and very inspiring.

Hong Kong Modern Art Museum

Links to other ink art exhibits in the US and further afield.

LACMA – Japanese Pavillion

Museam of Fine Art Boston

The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art

As the child of an artist I have spent a great deal of time in galleries and museums. I find so much inspiration for my life and my work while roaming the halls of any space where art is given the chance to truly live. I thank my father for forcing me to stand at MOMA in front of the water lilies triptych for what seemed like an eternity at the time, and in retrospect wasn’t nearly long enough. While I fought this as a child, his insistance has given me the chance to see how art can effect you. As an adult I seek out this magic as often as possible.

My top 10 US based Museums

The Whitney Museum of American Art

MOMA

The Guggenheim

The Met

MOCA

Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago

P.S. 1

New Museum of Contemporary Art

Contemporary Arts Museum – Houston

de Young Museum

I live in Los Angeles, and spend about 3-4 months a year in New York CIty.

I love being an American.

I love my very lucky bi-costal existence.

But, I confess Paris is my very favorite city. As time goes on my extreme love affair with it will unfold.

I am lucky enough to be able to go back at least once a year.

Ah the life of a Francophile!

This photograph was snapped without pause on a recent trip, just a simple snap, and the story is so much bigger than the moment really was. I LOVE PARIS!