Fashion Show Flashback: KUHO

It's pretty tough for Korean designers to make it in Korea...because there is an huge upward trending of customers seeking only international brands. Even in department stores where one or two floors used to be dedicated to domestic designers, are now crammed into one "event" space (like Hyundai). Other high-end Korean brands for young women that have been successful include TIME and MINE. KUHO has risen to popularity in Korea pretty quickly and now has a pretty much stable client base. The designer is Kuho Jung, and he did some of his studies at Parsons before he opened up his first boutique, but his label is now part of the conglomerate Samsung's Jaeil Mojik. I would say his designs are architectural and minimalist, favoring monochromatic ensembles.

Well I was lucky enough to attend his Spring 2009 fashion show held in Hyatt last January. My aunt (on the right) is a loyal customer and they give some of their customers tickets to attend the show. We were served hors d'oeuvres and champagne in the lobby, and we got to get a glimpse at some Korean celebrities that were there.

There is the designer and his team bowing for the finale. I loved the lights and all, but it was pretty distracting to focus on the apparel, but I was able to spot some pretty cute shoes matched with the outfits!

At the end of show, one of the models Jang Yoon Joo performed a few songs from her music album she wrote. In the goodie bag, we received her album, a white faux-snakeskin notepad that I'm making such good use of, l'occitane soap, and an herb plant. Very weird combo I know.

Exploring the Wonders of Chinatown

I visited Chinatown two days in a row this week (and also stopping by Soho both days to check out the Acne and Opening Ceremony shoes, putting myself on the waitlist for both...oof) and cannot get over how awesome it is. Its like I took a 10 minute plane ride to China...although I've nver been to China I don't know how it actually is...but I'm thinking it would be somewhat similar. There are so many fruit stands of exotic fruits you can't get at regular grocery stores; dried food ranging from fruit to fish; Chinese people who can't speak English; loads of cheap restaurants, bakeries, and bubble tea places.

I had dim sum for brunch at a restaurant called Golden Unicorn. There was a 20 minute waiting line, and carts passed us by to choose what we wanted. I used to frequent a great dim sum house in San Francisco when I lived in NorCal, and this reminded me alot of it. There are probably more great dim sum places, but this one was good enough to visit again - I was happily full. My favorite was this dish I forgot to take a picture of, it has shrimp in it and is drenched in this soy sauce-like liquid.

Then I went to a bubble tea place called Ten Ren and got the Taro Milk Iced Tapioca for only three bucks. My friend took me and she says its the best bubble tea in the city, I trust her because I thoroughly enjoyed my drink and would want to go back to try more flavors.

Walked all the way in the beating sun to Soho to look around again, and we took photos of each other a la Sartorialist to end the day.

Finding Your Lashmate

Many go on a journey to find The One. When I say The One, I mean the mascara that will do wonders - make that guy notice you when you bat your eyes, prevent panda bear eyes after partying all night long...well I am going to make a bold statement: I think I found it, the mascara for me. It never smudges and I have had a few people ask if I have fake eyelashes on (but of course you need to curl your lashes first to get the best effect)

I tried this out because my friend recommended it to me - she said its the best mascara she ever used. This is a Japanese product from a cosmetic company called Kiss Me. The mascara line is called "Heroine" and it comes in Volume & Curl and Long & Curl. They also have a mascara removing wand because the product is very waterproof (although it comes off fine with regular makeup remover as well). I bought the Long & Curl because I like the look of long separated eyelashes that are more sparse than thick. Anyway I purchased this in Korea at a sephora/drugstore-like place for about 12 dollars. So you can either check out an Asian cosmetics store nearby or on E-bay.

I guess I haven't tried too many to settle down with this magic wand, but I'ved tried Shu Uemura, Maybelline (the green and pink wand that everyone says is good - I personally dislike), Clinique, Mac...they are either just too thin and runny or too thick and lumpy. I have the Dior Show that everyone raves about somewhere in my apt I haven't tried yet, but I have a feeling it may fall into the thick and lumpy category...I shouldn't be judgmental since I haven't tried it yet. Still think this Japanese mascara may be The One for me!

Crazy Stuff Happening in New York (whats new about that)

"J.C. Penney has broken free of its suburban parking area to invade Herald Square, and the most frequent question on New York’s collective lips seems to be: Why?"

That is the starting line for the article, but it gets so much better. I got a kick out of reading this in the New York Times, read it! I already think Macy's is bad enough with those wooden elevators that should have been renovated before I was born. And now JCP lands in Manhattan, reassuring Macy's its okay to be here (although its really not).

Moving on: Fashion Meets Finance
It’s a social get-together for women in fashion and men in finance. Kind of like the (fashionable) Beauty & the (rich) Geek. Makes sense in theory, but oh please, really?

This reminds me of the silly but entertaining DABA blog I used to read earlier this year. I mean I do prefer guys in the finance field more than the doctor types just because of the personality (i tend to generalize that finance guys are more alpha-male, assertive, and social than guys in med school - i am waiting to be proven wrong), but FmF is just so tacky.
Let's all date chefs - how about Fashion Meets Food? Already sounds better to me.

One Saturday Summer

I went to see some art galleries in Chelsea with a friend. We spent two hours walking around and it felt like we only saw 10% of it. Here are pictures I took:

Yumiko Kayukawa's "Higashi No Kamisama" Although very Japanese-cartooney, I liked the vivid colors and details to the sushi mmm.

self-explanatory. this exhibition along with the Japanese artist one are both from the Joshua Liner Gallery.

Another gallery with cool mobile art hanging on the ceilings, colorful ceramic, and small glass sculptures.

some paintings/2d art i liked, especially impressed with all those buttons!

3d art. the way that the trees were mounted on the wall to make deep shadows really caught my attention for awhile. the bottom two pieces are from a Korean contemporary art gallery owned by a Korean business conglomerate.

miscellaneous: the window of the "X" museum, and this awesome truck standing outside the street (and don't you love the blue bricks in the background?)

Then I walked to the FIT museum and saw Isabel Toledo's exhibition. This is a must-see. You have to see the construction close-up to really appreciate the art of her pieces. I was in love with the velvet dresses on display, beautifully draped together. You can find her collection at Barneys New York, and if you do end up purchasing her stuff I believe it is an investment and you are paying for something worth that much.

The first dress is laid flat and you can imagine how it would float over your head and wrapped around your body, almost like how in Cinderella, the Fairy Godmother twirls her wand and the sparkling dust twirls around to form a ball gown. The set of dresses are hand-painted by her husband, it started out as an accident when he spilled paint on her dresses, then she asked him to finish up.

Her construction is intricate yet very logical, pushing new ways that a dress could be constructed. Sometimes she uses no side seams, sometimes she puts together pieces like a mismatching puzzle, and sometimes uses folding like origami.

This is something you have to see in person to appreciate.

beautiful jellyfish tops. *pics from the FIT museum website