Day 24...

My skincare regimen, and a song I want to have played at my funeral. 

I know y'all are dying to know what my skincare routine looks like... not... I don't even care that much, but here is the stuff I use on a daily basis. Clockwise from top left: YSL Touche Éclat, Aveeno Daily Moisturizer, Chanel UV Essentiel SPF 30 (I'm thinking of switching to DiorSnow Sublissime UV though because it has more Zinc Oxide in it), Clean&Clear Astringent, Korres Wheat Soap, The entire line of Dior HydraLife, Skeen Purifying Cleansing Gel. 

Chopin - Piano Sonata No. 2 Op. 28 Movement No. 3

My funeral will be a very somber affaire if I have any say in it. Strict dress code; veils for the ladies, hats for the gentlemen. No color allowed. And a very austere space for it to be held in...

like the Church of Light by Tadao Ando. Have this song playing in the background as people file out, crying of course, and it will be perfect. There will also be a hefty dose of Rachmaninov's and Prokofiev's music as well.  Hey, don't judge me for already having my funeral planned out, my kids will be thanking me one day for having done the work for them. 

Day 23...

A picture of something that means a lot to me, and a song I want to play at my wedding.

A sneek peak of where I'm at, I'll post more when I go back to Paris.

As much of a city boy as I am, there is nothing I love more than a little isolation; I am a cancer after all. I find that I'm in need of alone time a whole lot more living here. My life is 100 times more active than back in Minnesota. I leave my place every morning at 8am, and don't usually get back until between 10 and midnight, and my whole day is filled with stuff. Every now and then I just need to get out of town for a little bit and do a whole lot of nothing... ok, that's a lie... usually it is something athletic. Andorra was all about non stop skiing, this little trip is all about hiking. Even weekend day trips to places involve some sort of unusually long walk, like when I walked the entire Versailles property. So yeah, I guess alone time means a lot to me right now, it keeps me sane, and we designers need to keep our sanity. Heaven forbid we pull a Christophe Decarnin, have a mental breakdown, and just disappear into rehab right before our fashion show. 

Alejandro Sanz - Se lo Dices Tú

"Y con su mirada, de cualquier tormenta soy capaz de hacer un cielo azul."

I don't think I could just pick one Alejandro Sanz song to play at my wedding, I think there will need to be at least one hour dedicated to him, because no one does love songs as well as he does.

Day 22...

A photo of my evening and a song I listen to when I want to relax. 

Dinner at L'As du Falafel, apparently a world famous Middle Eastern Restaurant according to the line out the door and down the street, and the pictures of famous people all over the walls. I won't lie though... The Holy Land in NordEast Minneapolis is better. 

Nicolas Jaar; Notorious B.I.G. - Juicy, Marvin Gaye - I Heard It Through The Grapevine. 

Only Nicolas Jaar can flawlessly transition between Biggie and Marvin Gaye. I always listen to Nico when I want to chill out for a little while, his way of mixing music is so melodic and it just flows from one song to another. I saw him about a month ago and it was one of the best concerts I have been too. 6am, relaxing on a couch, listening to Nico; it doesn't get much better. 

Day 21...

A photo of your day, and a song that you listen to when you're angry. 

Today, I went to the Christian Dior Exhibition that just opened, it was a sad reminder that John is no longer at the house, since most of the dresses were from his Haute Couture shows. 

Arguably one of the greatest Christian Dior Haute Couture collections ever. I know I have seen images of this dress and collection since before I even started following fashion. It was so great to see this dress up in close in person, and of course the amazing coil necklaces.

Christian Dior Haute Couture S/S 1997 

F/W 2007 Haute Couture; another one of those memorable outfits from a memorable show. 

1950's Christian Dior day dress. The front was plain and simple with no decoration, all the drama is in the back. 

Amazing beadwork. I'm doing a small bead embroidery right now for my surface treatments class and can't even imagine how long this took to do. 

You Say Party! We Say Die! - There is XXXX (Niveau Zero Remix) 

Ok, so the lyrics are super depressing when you actually listen to them, which I guess is good for a song you listen to when you are angry, but what I love is the slow and steady beat of this song. My favorite remix is by Habstrakt off his Pianorama mix, but I can't find that version anywhere online to share with you. This version is pretty darn close to it though. I would love to hear this at a fashion show, the models slowly gliding down the runway. 

Boris Bidjan Saberi S/S 2011...

Boris Bidjan Saberi has quickly risen to the top of my favorite menswear designers, up in the ranks with Damir Doma and Rick Owens. I love how gritty and urban all his clothes are, it sums up perfectly the mood I have been feeling for the past year and a half. I just thought this video was worthy of sharing because of how beautifully the soundtrack and visuals work with each other; It really feels like I was back at one of his shows. 

Day 20...

A picture of something that makes me happy, and a song that I listen to when I'm happy. 

Good friends, good wine, and good weather. Nothing makes me quite as happy as a Sunday picnic. Buttes Chaumont is one of the best places to do that. 

Steve Edwards and Bob Sinclar - Peace Song

Ska and Reggae tend to be my go to happy music. This song is one of my new favorites. 

Day 19...

Another picture of myself, and a song off one of my favorite albums.

Walking home from school in the Marais at night. You can tell spring is coming closer because I'm not wearing all black. 

The Killers - Bones par The-Killers

The Killers - Bones - Sam's Town

This has to be one of my favorite albums out there, every song is spectacularly written, and they all work so well with each other.