izzi blog

The official izzibag blog

If you have followed my blog over the years, you will know that I very rarely advertise someone else’s work. This blog post is totally different, I have to tell you this story, I was invited to attend a networking / Christmas Fare in early December, unfortunately the day i was supposed to go I couldn’t because I had just flown in from Los Angeles and I was drained beyond belief. Normally I would just have said sorry to the organizer and moved on, but on this occasion I could not do that, firstly because the organizer was a good friend Kimmie Smith and she had gone to great pains to put this event together.

Bhavna

So having said all the above I made izzi come into the city with me and left him browsing around his favorite store B&H on 9th and I went off to the ink48 Hotel on 11th Avenue to see what products Kimmie had put together. I was instantly drawn to the corner of the room where this stunning Indian Lady was standing amongst an array of Silk and Cashmere scarves. Everything else seem to just fold away, I had to talk with her, I wanted to touch the fine silks and soft cashmere. Please do not ask me why I had this urgent need to talk to her I have no idea. Anyway her name is Bhavna Juneja and she is one of two sisters, brought up in New Delhi, India by a single mother. She came to the USA and got married and had two children, she now is also a single mother. I know so much about her already, I feel like I have known this woman half my life, oh and before I forget her company is called Jammu Style

The Story of Two Sisters

I spent a lot of time asking her about her scarves, asking where she got her inspiration from, where the silks were made, how she printed the soft cashmere. I wanted to know everything about them, Bhavna told me that she has been inspired by the Indian Maharajas and it shows through in the prints on the scarves. The silks are hand rolled to perfection and the cashmere is not only hand woven but dyed in the spring waters of Kashmir. She has even encrusted her new collection with Swarovski crystals. Her collection of silk twill scarves have been printed with ceremonial swords, timeless timepieces, royal jewels and royal classics. There are truly amazing and the colors are so vivid.

See the Vivid colors and designs

I left the hotel feeling really inspired by Bhavna and her story and felt that our paths would cross again, little did I know that she had felt the same and the next day she contacted me and we agreed to have lunch. When I met her again we talked for more than two hours and realized we had a lot of synergy in our lives. I have to tell you that Bhavna is an amazing woman and I for one think that you my readers must check out her website as soon as you can. I ask you to pass the word to your friends about her, she needs all our help to make this business a success and I for one will talk about her often. I count her now as a friend and wish her every success for her future, the next time I see you, I hope you will be wearing one of scarves from the Jammu Style collection.

This is my Favorite Scarf

As fashion week moves on I have to say that I have not been that impressed with the shows, the same old, same old comes to mind but there have been some high lights and here are but a few. For the start I was asked to pose for the front cover of the DAILY and my mum is now parading this around the quiet village of Dymock in the UK and telling all her friends how her daughter is famous!

izzi bag hits the Front Cover of The Daily

The only comment izzi made was ‘Are you getting to keep the Mercedes?’ typical man, how about ‘crikey that is my wife on the front cover of the most famous fashion magazine?’

I have been to some amazing shows this week and I loved, loved, loved the Jenny Packman show, the quotation on the front page of her press release was very fitting for Valentine’s Day ‘ Men cluster to me, Like Moths around a flame and if their wings burn, I know I am not to blame!’ (Marlene Dietrich) Anyway going back to the show, there was a lot of silk chiffon with beaded tulle and sequins combined with Moth wings. I so loved this collection the most feminine of all I have seen this week. I like Jenny if not for anything else other than the fact that she is a fellow Brit. Her presence in some of the world’s premier and most discerning stores from Harrods to Bergdorf Goodman reinforces her international appeal and demand. She has fast become one of the UK’s most regarded designers with not only her creative talent, but commercial success, I applaud her.

Jenny Packham 2011 Fall

Perry Ellis caught my eye but that might be as all the guys were ermmm ‘Hot Totty’. I should keep that thought to myself right? but as it’s Valentines day, a girl is allowed to window shop right? Actually I can see my lovely izzi wearing this fall collection so I will be taking advantage of the offer Perry Ellis very kindly gave me that I can purchase 10 of the styles for the next four days, which is six months before they hit the shops. By clicking on this link Perry Ellis you too can be one of the lucky ones. The fall collection is full of Lambswool Turtlenecks, Alpaca Herringbone Country Trench, Twill Blazers and Washed Cord Tux Trousers.

Hot Totty at Perry Ellis

I moved onto designer  CUSTO, now their actual press release says ‘ A clean slate was the starting point of this collection, pure lines and neutral colors reflect the idea’ Well I guess that got thrown out of the window before it hit the cat walk. I have no idea how they could write that and end up with this. Just saying….

Wool is the Hero Fabric

I will redeem them by saying there were a few pieces I could see in my wardrobe, not as staple pieces but as one off’s, so the fact that they went on to say “wool is the hero fabric and all it’s textures are represented (Yeah really), felted wool, fringes, wool based graphic jacquards and open distressed weaves are used to create an effect of light organza’! OK well I was not sure I wanted to see that all in one outfit but I am sure that we will see CUSTO in the shops by Christmas!

My Fav piece of CUSTO

Well I was by this time a little bleary eyed but feeling grateful that it was lunchtime and I was going to have lunch with super model Kara Young at the Plaza Hotel. We were attending the Rush Hearts Education Luncheon, which benefits the Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation Programs. Izzi and I met up with the Hair Rules team at the benefit and here we all are at the step and repeat, although I was told not to go out in my hearts Hosiery I did, it was after all Valentine’s Day!

The Hair Rules Crew

A huge thank you to the host of the Hair Rules table Kara Young who was joined by the Hair Rules crew Monique, Dailey, Jasmine, Katiria, Kristy also the  lovely Nick Gruber, Izzet and I.

Nick Gruber, Anne Agoren, Kara Young & Russell Simmons

Russell Simmons stopped by to say hello and thank us all for attending, he looks so different without his baseball cap on, but always the gentleman. Izzet and I  had a wonderful luncheon at the Plaza hotel, the food was superb, the company a real pleasure to be with and the cause we were all there to support was truly a great one.

Beautiful Cupcakes!

I am now looking at my gym kit and thinking I ought to hit more than the step and repeat today, the running machine perhaps? On that note the cup cakes they gave us when we left sadly had to go to the doorman of my building… Happy Valentine’s Day everyone.

Anne Agoren at NYC Fashion Week 2011

As New York Fashion week got underway I was really excited to see what would come out of the collections on the runways. I have been invited to soo many shows that it has been really difficult to decide which, where and when to go. Anyway I wrapped up warm as it was very cold yesterday and scooted off to the Lincoln Center for the first show of the day Nicholas K I was really impressed with the ‘London Look’ created with a lot of bottle green, grey and a kind of caramel warm brown. The Grunge look he created was layers upon layers and more layers, in fact all the clothes in your wardrobe at one time should be worn this autumn. Having said that I loved Nicholas’s collection and I can’t wait for the fall to be able to put my own style stamp on this look.

I then moved on to the Victor De Souza show, which as it happens was in the building next to where I live so convenient to pop home and warm up a little bit. The show was packed and I was glad to be given a front row seat, I felt like royalty as the photographers came along the catwalk and photographed me, so check out the WWD today and see if you can spot me. The collection was really lovely and feminine I so loved his use of different textures and the motives of birds.

Victor De Souza

His two pieces were very pastel in color and the pale green was not what I would have expected for a fall collection but it somehow made me think that when we get to October, we will all be wishing for spring!

Victor De Souza Pistachio!

I rushed back to the Lincoln Center to the Tadashi Shoji which actually did not impress me that much and I was a little disappointed to see very boring day dresses strutting along the cat walk. Then just I was thinking of leaving and catching the end of another show the evening wear came out and boy what a change! The Organza floral detail was really pretty and the pleated silk chiffon moved and swayed so chic. The colors chosen were from Begonia, sun glow through to Navy, black and graphite.

Ramona, Housewife of New York

I spotted House wife of New York, Ramona as I left show as she was posing for pictures.

Eva Minge

My last show of the day was Polish designer, Eva Minge, I was excited to be again sitting in the front row and I brought izzi along to view her wintry style. We were seated opposite Kelly Rowland and her agent, Kelly was looking very glamorous although I wondered how she managed to walk in those 8″ heels. Eva’s main trend was the use of wool with warmth and imagination and her ready to wear collection was a fusion of prints and exquisite softness. Amazingly fluffy wool and handmade mohair woven with fabric really looked stunning. Eva likes to use a lot of black and for sure it will rule the runways this fall but she accentuated it with red prints and linings. I really loved her collection, she really is a perfectionist in both tailoring and bringing life to her vivid imagination. Bravo….

Check out the boots

As we left the Hudson Hotel, one of my favorites in the city (You may remember I lived there when we first moved to New York). izzi and I ran over to Michelin Rated Rouge Tomate for supper with friends. Have you ever been there ? if not make sure next time you are looking for a fabulous restaurant in New York you make it a date. The Executive Chef Jeremy Bearman and Executive Pastry Chef James Distefano have created a twist on Modern-American cuisine. The seasonally inspired culinary offerings rely heavily on locally sourced ingredients and are prepared in consultation with culinary nutritionist Natalia Hancock. The restaurant offers a carefully selected global wine list of over 200 domestic and international varieties, including a large selection of organic and bio dynamic wines and a handful of wines from local estates.I am going to enlighten you more on this place with a review next week, but for now just feast your eyes on this wonderful toast of Mushrooms, sheep’s milk, ricotta, leek and thyme and remember not to tell my diet that I cheated and ate carbs!

I feel hungry again already!