Rachel Roy: What Every Woman Needs in Her Wardrobe PLUS Travel, Style and Beauty Must-haves
Rachel Roy is a dynamic fashion designer whose pieces have been seen on every leading lady from Michelle Obama, Diane Sawyer, Jennifer Garner, Penelope Cruz and Kate Hudson. I met Rachel at a recent event and was blown away by her support of entrepreneurial women and charity. The gorgeous native Californian, whose personal beauty shines through every one of her designs has worked in the fashion industry since her teenage years as a sales girl– which she calls her early market research! Before designing her own line, she styled magazine shoots, music videos and was creative director for Rocawear. Since the launch of her Rachel Roy line in Spring 2005, Rachel has had a whirlwind of success including being inducted into the CFDA, appearing on Oprah, and launching RACHEL Rachel Roy, a diffusion line sold exclusively at Macy’s. Rachel shared with me what she has been up to lately and offered some of her best tips and products picks!
MM: You have a very interesting background. How has that influenced you as a designer?
RR: I’ve always loved fashion and taking risks in both what I wear and what I design as this has been a guiding principle for me. I’ve never let fear paralyze me but rather let my passion drive me. One of my goals is to help other women realize this as well.
MM: We are so excited about your new collection, what was your inspiration for FW 2012?
RR: My fall 2012 collection is inspired by the documentary Women in the Dirt which highlights the works of seven award- winning women who have made their mark in the field of landscape architecture and are changing our world. From this, the idea of modern landscape architecture and the influence of nature was really interesting to me– balancing the clean lines of landscapes and natural colors and interesting material combinations and details.
MM: What are 3 items you always have on hand during fashion week?
RR: Yoga mat- I practice yoga two to three times a week. The meditation helps me stay centered. Music- it’s one of the quickest routes to dream and always inspires me. Candles- the comforting and continuous glow of a Jo Malone candle while I work is a must.
MM: How do you unwind after such a whirlwind week?
RR: Take a breath, thank my staff and then off for some R & R. First I sleep and then I have a proper meal since I have been living off coffee and sugar for the past two weeks preparing for the show. I’ll spend some quality time with my daughters, visit the Caudalie Vinotherapie Spa at the Plaza Hotel for one of my favorite facial treatments, and lounge at home and watch re-runs of The Office or Modern Family. Then it’s right back into designing the next collection!
20 Best & Worst Looks At The Grammy’s
Stars made their way down the red carpet for last night’s Grammy Awards. See which looks rocked and which looks hit a sour note.
Photo: Jason Merritt/Getty Images
Best: Taylor Swift
Taylor donned her most mature look on the red carpet, sparkling in a silk Zuhair Murad mermaid gown. “It’s one of my favorite dresses I’ve gotten to wear,” she told Seacrest before the show. “I saw it months ago, and I said ‘We’ve got to save this for the Grammys.'” We can see why!
Photo: Jason Merritt/Getty Images
Worst: Nikki Minaj
Nikki’s goal has to be to appear on every worst dressed list! Her scarlett Versace cape with striking black beading was daring, but that’s the only nicety we’ll give her! With a pope look-alike on her right arm, all we can think is – How sacrilegious can you get? Oh wait, then there was her Grammy performance…
Photo: Jason Merritt/Getty Images
Best: Rihanna
Rihanna’s latest tattoo and recent reports that she went back to Chris Brown had us worried she was headed for a breakdown. If she is, you would never know it by looking at her. She was an absolute knockout in a Giorgio Armani dress she helped design. If this is what going crazy looks like, sign us up!
Win a iHome Kitchen Speaker System
Looking for a holiday filled with music and cheer? You could win an iHome Kitchen Speaker System. Listen to your holiday tunes while viewing the latest cookie apps—yes, you really can have it all this season!
To enter for a chance to win:
- Fan the PageDaily Facebook fan page—click here
- Follow @PageDaily on Twitter—click here
- Tweet your favorite holiday song @PageDaily
iHome Kitchen Timer & Alarm Clock Radio Speaker System
- Value: $100
- Compatible with the iPhone and iPods
- Perfect for cooking podcasts and recipe apps
- USB port to charge devices like cell phones and PDAs
- FM radio
- One winner will be chosen
- Contest ends December 31, 2010
Atmospheric Electro-Pop: Fall in Love with Phantogram
One of the things I discovered today: my iTunes library contains 15.1 days worth of music. Think I qualify as a little bit obsessed? My favorite recent discovery that’s repeating over my headphones—and I must admit that I’m probably a little late to the party with this one—is Phantogram’s first full-length release Eyelid Movies. This duo— Sarah Barthel (keyboards, vocals) and Joshua Carter (guitar, vocals), both from Saratoga Springs, N.Y.—combines percussive, infectious beats with deliciously seductive vocals to create hypnotic electro-pop that’s as mellow and mysterious as it is danceable. Think The XX but less emo, more complex production level. The singles “Mouthful of Diamonds” and “When I’m Small” are two hauntingly beat-driven tracks that will leave you begging for more and dying to see them live.—Kate Bryan
Download Eyelid Movies by Phantogram, $8.99, at amazon.com
Margot and the Nuclear So & So’s: A Bandwagon to Jump On
By no means do I consider myself a know-it-all in the hipster music scene, but I have friends who are. And when I was introduced to a song by Margot and the Nuclear So & So’s via mixtape, I was certainly glad to have those friends. The Indiana-based band consists of 6 members who use the bass, violin, drums, harmonica, and other instruments against a catchy percussion beat and haunting vocal harmonies. The resulting sound transitions easily from slow ballad to fast rock, is often dreamlike, and always dynamic. Their fifth CD, Buzzard, will be released September 21st, so while I might have been slow to jump on their bandwagon, I have jumped on it none-the-less. It’s not hard to find yourself in their songs, particularly if you are a lover of indie folk music or rock like me, a birthright of my half-Southern heritage. So, thank you hipster friends, because I, for one, am sold. —Kelly Tokarz
Download Not Animal by Margot and the Nuclear So & So’s, $7.99, at iTunes
Marchin On
My obsession with music has become an addiction! When I fall in love with a new song, I replay it over and over on iTunes until I can practically hear it in my sleep. My latest find was inspired by a hip hop class I took at Broadway Dance Center. The second I got home, I Googled the lyrics I could remember and finally found my song—“Marchin On” by Timbaland ft. OneRepublic. I can’t stop listening!!—Lindsay Leff
Download “Marchin On”, $1.29
