-WEDNESDAY WINDOWS-

 'A Flight of Fantasy' 2014 Earth Day windows, Anthropologie Rockefeller Center

A weekend away is spent in Seattle and Vancouver, admiring the tulips and cherry blossoms in full bloom this time of year. Following the migration path of the monarch butterflies, my overnight flight lands in NYC bright and early on Earth Day. Though it's now a day past, I feel it fitting to celebrate the marvels of Mother Earth. This year, Anthropologie's window theme 'A Flight of Fantasy' pays tribute to the plight of the Monarch butterfly.

-WEDNESDAY WINDOWS

Space meets style at Bergdorf Goodman on the 58th Street facing windows

Cosmic geography has changed since the Cold War ended in a stalemate of exploratory superiority. Dogs and humans have raced to the moon. Pluto has been disregarded as a major planet. The intergalactic limits of our Solar System readjust based on the discovery of dwarf planet 2012 VP113. Even Saturn reveals startling surprises with the surfacing of newly defined oceans. And so, style and science are a natural pair for Bergdorf's windows, given the evolutionary element of their respective dominion.

THE COSTUMES OF DOWNTON ABBEY EXHIBITION @ THE WINTERTHUR

Downton Abbey Film Still / Credit: Nick Briggs, Carnival Film and Television Limited 2010 (provided by Winterthur)

Seven weeks' gestation spawns a season's worth of dazzling Downton delights at the hands of costume designers Susannah Buxton and Carolyn McCall. Four cycles in the making, fans of the hit British drama, Downton Abbey are in the midst of a nail-biting hiatus before the next new episode (Season 5 release date TBD). In that time, 40 signature styles across all 4 seasons will be on display at the former Dupont Mansion, currently the Winterthur Museum in Willmington, Delaware. Keep reading for more on the exhibit...

-WEDNESDAY WINDOWS-

American Apparel on East Houston St. features a capsule collection with patterns & line drawings by French artist Nathalie Du Pasquier

Placing a momentary pause on its monochromatic aesthetic, American Apparel gets graphic (in an artistic way). Creative Director Iris Alonzo invites Memphis Group alum Nathalie Du Pasquier to develop a cheery 43-piece collection inspired by the Memphis Group's wacky 80s art. Currently a painter in Milan, Du Pasquier conjures a palette of prints featuring abstract post-modernist patterns. American Apparel's Houston Street window publicly introduces the capsule collection, which the artist claims she will be wearing. Have a look at the accompanying video (after the jump).   

SLUMBERING IN STYLE : CITIZEN M

Reusable Citizen M room key that doubles as a room key (can be used at other Citizen M hotels worldwide)

Slumber parties are a natural rite of passage for the average teen-girl. An overnight bag and comfy PJ's are the regular requisite for a night (or two) away from home where pizza, gossip and other devious delights transpire in stacked sleeping quarters for an evening of friends and frivolousness. This weekend, I'm invited to a "grown-up"/blogger slumber party at the citizenM Times Square, ahead of its official opening April 10th. It's been about 15 years since my last "sleepover" and while I'm always up for a new adventure, I'm not too sure what to expect. Armed with my honey and this fleece-lined silk robe, I'm ready for a night of fun and relaxation. Keep reading for the details, but please be patient--the photos may take a minute to load!

IFB LINKS A LA MODE: WEEK of 4/3

A week ago, NBC Universal announced that today (4/4/14--a bad number in some cultures) DailyCandy will be shuttered. Aside from feeling surprise that a corporate conglomerate would end a site attracting 6 million readers, I'm disappointed that the end has come so quickly and unexpectedly for supporters and staff. After reading this op ed piece by Pavia Rosati, DailyCandy's first editor, I'm convinced that NBCU never recognized Daily Candy for what it was and prevented it from realizing its full potential. It's a pity that passion and hard work can no longer counter the prowess of politics and bureaucracy. In other news, here's this week's IFB Top 20, which includes my interview with Diane Pernet... 

-WEDNESDAY WINDOWS-

Macy's 2014 Flower show theme is "Secret Garden" at its New York flagship on 34th St.

The story of an orphaned girl with an arduous attitude blossoms into a novel of serruptitious secrets, fancy flowers and mesmerizing miracles. Until April 6th, Macy's NYC 34th Street flagship recreates her Secret Garden, fusing flowers, fantasy and fashion. Dahlias and divas alike linger where over 30,000 live flowers frame entryways with fresh fragrance. "This year, we'll travel on a magical journey of discovery…. As you pass through the gateway, you will be enveloped by rich and dynamic colors, elaborate scenic elements and breath-taking landscaping that will showcase hidden floral treasures," says Mike Gansmore, show producer.

A DIALOG WITH DIANE PERNET of ASVOF

Diane Pernet, Portrait by Alessandro Simonetti (provided by Diane Pernet)

Poised in portraiture as enigmatic as the Mona Lisa, Diane Pernet is as much human as she is icon. Under the dark shades, high headpiece and distinct black ensemble, Pernet is one of the most inexplicitly approachable, shrewdly opinionated and creative-minded women I've encountered in the fashion world. The "Paris based, American-born French international fashion blogger and critic" (per wikipedia) graduated with a documentary filmmaking degree from Temple University and, after 13 years designing her own line in NYC, immigrated to Paris in 1990. Pernet has spent the last 2 decades building her blog, A Shaded View of Fashion (ASVoF), and establishing fashion film as an art form. Keep reading for the Q&A...

-WEDNESDAY WINDOWS-

Windows honoring Dries Van Noten at Barney's 60th St. and Madison Ave. / "Cycle"

"I wanted to bring the concept of the garden into the museum, but you can't bring any plants or living organisms, except humans, into a museum," exclaims Dries Van Noten Tuesday in an interview with WWD [source]. Mission accomplished, as Paris' Musée des Arts Décoratifs presents Dries Van Noten: Inspirations, an exhibition of flora-inspired colors, patterns and garments by the designer. As a showcase sponsor, Barneys NY brings a taste of Paris to NYC. This weeks widows at Barney's display archival garments by Van Noten, film shorts by Andrew Zuckerman and naturistic visual displays by Dennis Freedman, Barney's Creative Director.

JESSICA SOFIA MITRANI : HEADPIECES FOR PEACE

"Homeless"; One of the 12 headpieces in Jessica Sofia Mitrani's Headpieces for Peace at the fi:af

Diversity is ubiquitously embedded throughout New York City, as evidenced in the disparate street fashion and prevalence of culture across ethnic neighborhoods. Statistically, 800+ languages are spoken daily, coining the Big Apple the most linguistically diverse global destination. A hidden gem for fashion and cultural activities, the French Institute Alliance Français' (fi:af) latest gallery exhibit, Headpieces for Peace fuses style and social consciousness, boasting headwear christened "Missionary Nurse," "Homeless" and "Buddhist Catholic Muslim Jewish Nun." Designed by Jessica Sofia Mitrani with printed fabric by threeASFOUR, 5-6 headpieces with undercurrents of coexistence and religious affiliation are displayed on either side of a large multimedia installation looping her award-winning video. [View video here]