The Radiant Child

It's both sad and amazing that the artist Jean-Michel Basquiat was only 27 when he died of a heroin overdose in 1988. He truly was a talented yet tortured artist who has left us with a beautiful legacy of paintings. His friend Tamra Davis interviewed him in 1986 but the footage remained unseen until now. Her film Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child will open at the Film Forum July 21st and will run through August 3rd. It will also be screened in other cities so be sure to check the screening schedule.

Coco and Igor

The little straw boaters in the Resort shows of Jason Wu and Oscar de la Renta reminded me of Coco Chanel which then reminded me that there is another film coming out about the iconic designer. Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky is based on the book Coco & Igor by Chris Greenhalgh who also wrote the screenplay. The book and film allege that the two had an affair although it's not really known if they actually did or not but fiction is sometimes more fun than reality. The film crew was allowed access to 31 rue Cambon, Coco Chanel's inner sanctum which lends to the chicness of the story. It will be interesting to see if Anna Mouglalis, in this film, or Audrey Tatou in Coco Avant Chanel is the better Coco. I look forward to the film's release June 11th to find out!

Sex and the City 2: The Interior Design Review

Even though the film won't be released until May 28th, the Sex and the City 2 hoopla has already begun. While the fashions will probably steal all the scenes, I am interested in the sets, specifically Carrie and Big's apartment. While there are some views in the trailer, I was able to find a few more photos online that give us a look at the living room. Not sure where the upholstered pieces are from but that floral pillow is the Paul Smith Birdie Blossom cushion from The Rug Company.

In this better shot of the living room, we get a good look at the coffee table. I've never seen anyone display books standing up on a coffee which is interesting. If you can zoom in, the books themselves are interesting too. They include Walton Ford; Lewis Carroll; Tracey Chevelier; Sol Levitt, 100 Views; The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco; The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger; Poe & Fanny by John May; Voices of Time: A Life in Stories by Eduardo Galeano; All Yesterday's Parties: The Velvet Underground in Print 1966-71; and last but not least, Lady Chatterley's Lover by D.H. Lawrence. Quite an interesting assortment of reading material and those were only the titles I could make out!

In this photo of Big reading the paper on the sofa, you can glimpse the foyer wallpaper in the background. Anyone know the artist of the gold painting?

This is a slightly better view of the foyer wallpaper which I could not identify so lucky for me one of my readers, Jenny of Fancy Pants Design, recognized it as Oiseau in Chocolate by Katie Ridder available through Holland & Sherry in New York. That is very exciting for Katie! I love the black doors too!

I apologize to Sarah Jessica Parker for posting a photo of her with her eyes closed but I wanted to show the draperies. On first glance, it looked exactly like the Zoffany fabric that my friends Mercedes and Alberto of Etos used for their Lenox Hill Neighborhood House Gala table but on closer inspection, it looks like a lace overlay on another fabric. Or that could just be a weird shadow. Not exactly sure. The hyacinths and roses hint that the scene was set in spring too! So pretty!

This shot of the dining room table and kitchen is interesting too. The fabric on the dining chairs is Belgravia from Lee Jofa which is exactly the same as the pattern of the Belgravia wallpaper from Cole & Son available through Lee Jofa. The tile in the kitchen is interesting too. It doesn't really look like something Carrie would pick out but perhaps her decorator suggested it!

I wish I had better photos of the bedroom but here you can see that Thomas O’Brien's Hallings Secretary from Hickory Chair! I bet he will be very excited when he sees that unless he already knows about it. The wallpaper here is also by Cole & Son, the Rococo Damask pattern. You can also glimpse a little of the headboard in this photo too.

Thanks again to my readers who identified the headboard fabric as Velvet Gate Tuxedo fabric from Kravet. The pattern is similar to a fabric named Riad by Windsor Smith for Kravet.

In this view of the bedroom, you can see that they are using the Hallings Secretary as a television stand while in the previous view of it, it was set up as a desk. You can also peek into what I am sure will be the scene stealer in the film, Carrie's closet!

It appears that the left side must be for Mr. Big since it's a darker wood while Carrie's side is all white and illuminated. Now let's just keep our fingers crossed that the film is as interesting as the interiors!

Chic Reads: An Education

I didn't realize until recently that the film An Education was actually based on a piece of the same name that appeared in Granta magazine in 2003. That led to a longer memoir by Lynn Barber that picks up where the film leaves off. I am in the middle of reading An Education now and I have to say that I think it's actually better than the movie. The episode with Simon is only one chapter of her life that is rich with interesting episodes and jobs, one of which was working for Bob Guccione! If you ever wondered what happened to Jenny at the end of movie, then definitely pick up this book! Bon Weekend!

A Single Man Sofa

I had a reader email me a few days ago after seeing Tom Ford's new movie A Single Man asking if I knew where to find the sofa seen in the film. I hadn't even had a chance to try to find out before the answer came to me! (I love when I don't have to do any work!) I was chatting with Steven Stolman, the Creative Director of Jack Rogers, when he sent me an image of the sofa from the lobby of his famous apartment building, The Reef, in Palm Beach which has the exact same sofa, or at least one that looks just like it!

Steven describes The Reef as "one of Palm Beach's mid century modern treasures" and it is home to lots of notable people including Simon Doonan and Jonathan Adler, Richard Lambertson and John Truex and Stockard Channing. Above is a photo of the sofa in the lobby designed by Palm Beach interior designer Jack Young. Steven's apartment in The Reef was featured in the May 2004 issue of Elle Decor and you can see photos of it on the Studio Annetta blog here.
The sofa is the Eero sectional by Rowe Fine Furniture and would be a fun sofa for someone who liked to entertain. I have a feeling that A Single Man is going to bring back the sixties style in decorating and if you want a similar look, you now know where to find it! You can check out Cinema Style's blog for more on the film decor too!

Designing Woman

When I was at the Stars of Design dinner recently, I not only sat next to Mario Buatta but also interior designer Geoffrey Bradfield. I had never met him before and found him to be utterly charming and full of life. He mentioned that he just attended a screening of the 1957 film Designing Woman starring Lauren Bacall and Gregory Peck which made him laugh out loud the entire time! Of course I had to check it out and even though Lauren Bacall plays a fashion designer and not an interior designer, it was her apartment that was "very chic" as Gregory Peck declares when he first sees it. This photo, courtesy of Cathy Whitlock and her great blog Cinema Style, is the only one I could find and it doesn't even do it justice. It was very elegant and full of an interesting mix of pieces and is definitely worth checking out. You might even get a good laugh out of it too!

Fashionable Films

My post about the new movie Flawless brought up a great conversation about other films with fabulous fashions, some that are classics and some that might be considered cult classics. Here is a partial list of my favorite fashionable films, the first being Breakfast at Tiffany's of course. But while everyone loves the little black dresses she wears, it is the orange coat and mink hat that is the outfit I love most. I wish women dressed this way today. It's so classic. Oh, and George Peppard also happens to makes a very attractive accessory on her arm too. Especially, since it's very important that the men look good as well.

I don't think there is anyone could have played a better Thomas Crown in the original 1968 version of The Thomas Crown Affair than Steve McQueen. Rumor has it that it was one of his favorite movies, something I don't doubt since he not only got to play a suave, well dressed bank executive / bank robber but he also insisted on doing his own stunts including racing dune buggies, playing polo and piloting a plane, all which appealed to his thrill seeking side. I also love that he happens to live in an amazing mansion on one of the prettiest street in the Beacon Hill area of Boston. Faye Dunaway doesn't look too shabby either but I can't take my eyes off of Steve McQueen in this movie.

I haven't seen Bonnie and Clyde in years but Faye Dunaway's hairstyle for me will always be iconic. Talk about chic! "Theadora Van Runkle's costumes inspired a 1930s fashion craze" and were nominated for an Academy Award and rightly so. Love them!

I can't imagine any movie starring Cary Grant not being fashionable so it's no surprise that he's starred in some of the most popular. One of my favorites for the costumes and the sets is Indiscreet which also stars Ingrid Bergman who wear the most divine dresses throughout. Another fun Cary Grant film is That Touch of Mink where the clothing plays an integral role in the story. My favorite part is when Doris Day's character gets a shopping spree at Bergdorf Goodman, of course.

Cary Grant also happens to be in everyone's favorite Hitchcock movie To Catch a Thief where he plays second fiddle to Grace Kelly's cool elegance and perfect wardrobe. The same can be said for Jimmy Stewart who stars with the fashionable Grace Kelly in Rear Window. In fact all the women in Hitchcock movies look impeccable...and blonde. Tippi Hedren wears one outfit for most of The Birds and still manages to look amazing throughout even while under attack. I hear she also looks divine in Marnie, which I have yet to see but am going to add to my queue right now!

It's funny how there are barely any good outfit images online of the most stylish movie of all time, Belle du Jour. The costumes for the film were created a 29 year old Yves Saint Laurent and the famous pilgrim shoes were designed by Roger Vivier and have become fashionable once again. I can't see anyone with their hair pinned half up without thinking of Catherine Deneuve. Tres Chic! An updated example of this type of movie would have to be American Gigolo in which Richard Gere wore exclusively Georgio Armani. And Lauren Hutton looked amazing too.

The movie that is not only beautiful but is probably responsible for every woman's obsession with Africa has got to be Out of Africa. The outfits, the landscape, Robert Redford and Meryl Streep...what's not to love. My second runner up for travel infused period films would have to be The English Patient. No one could be more beautiful than Kristen Scott Thomas.

Speaking of Kristen Scott Thomas, she also looks amazing in Gosford Park. The evening gowns are to die for but it's the hunting clothes that I would kill to wear. I also love the upstairs, downstairs protocol. Makes me wish I lived in that era.

Completely different is The Last Days of Disco by writer/director Whit Stillman, who also wrote and directed the cult classic Metropolitan. Both movies deal with the world of preppies and class and I love watching The Last Days of Disco for the outfits. It's funny that some of the most stylish girls starred in this film including Kate Beckinsale, Chloe Sevigny, and Tara Subkoff, the founder of the fashion line Imitation of Christ.

Is it possible for Gwyneth Paltrow to not star is a fashionable film? Well, I guess Shallow Hal wasn't that stylish but I try to block that one from my memory as I'm sure Ms. Paltrow has tried to do as well. The Talented Mr. Ripley may be creepy but it's worth it for the outfits worn by all the characters and the scenes of Italy.

In the comments for my Flawless post, many described Great Expectations as being one of their favorite stylish films. It's been noted that the costumes are by Donna Karen and that most of them are green, as is most of the film. Theories are that it represents envy and wealth, in addition to being director Alfonso Cuarón's favorite color. Who knows if any them are correct. It's still fun to watch. Oh, and the art was created by Francesco Clemente.

Most of my favorite movies are set in New York, which could I guess be considered a fashionable part of the films, including A Perfect Murder, starring Ms. Paltrow again and Michael Douglas. The sets are amazing and I would kill for her wardrobe. She always looks perfect and polished. And Viggo Mortensen makes for some nice eye candy too. He also created his own art for the movie so he's as talented as he is handsome.

The last Gwyneth Paltrow movie I have to mention is The Royal Tenenbaums. She gets to wear fab furs and an Hermes Birkin bag but I love Luke Wilson's Bjorn Borg style tennis outfits the best. Quirky doesn't even begin to describe this movie but it's fun.

The original Thomas Crown Affair is a classic but the remake starring Pierce Brosnan and Rene Russo is pretty darn stylish as well. How can it not be with Ms. Russo wearing Celine throughout the whole darn thing. Apparently the costume designer had less than two months to pull the outfits together so she shopped the 1997 Celine collection created by fashion designer Michael Kors and threw in a few pieces from Halston while Pierce Brosnan was decked out in custom suits. But then again, what would you expect for Mr. Crown?!

A new fashion classic has got to be The Devil Wear Prada. I love watching it for Anne Hathaway's transformation alone. My only complaint is the tie wearing fashion designer and his creations that seemed a bit off but now that's it's on DVD, I just fast forward those unfashionable bits.

I want to be Cameron Diaz and most specifically Cameron Diaz in The Holiday. From the moment we see her in the cute pajamas, you just know you are going to want to steal her entire wardrobe including her cashmere sweaters and hats. The eyemask and stack of books for the plane is so something I would do too. Love her!

I couldn't find a photo of the great dress that Kirsten Dunst wears in Wimbledon the movie, but she looks so cute throughout that it's on my favorite list. Well, that and I just like looking at and listening to Paul Bettany, especially when he's driving his cute little sports car. Sigh.

It's a bit of a silly movie but I love the outfits that Eva Mendes gets to wear throughout Hitch. It's the quintessential New York creative professional woman's wardrobe that is easily translatable to real life. Although, I would never go to work with my shirt unbuttoned that far. Another example of this genre are the cute outfits that Drew Barrymore wears in Fever Pitch. I love her suits and all the chunky necklaces. So my style.

I know I've probably left off dozens of fashionable films but this is my list so let me know some of your favorites. It seems like Atonement and Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day are already destined to be classic fashionable films of the future and quite possible Flawless as well, the movie that started this all in the first place.