SUSAN ALEXANDRA: BEADS + BAGS + BRIGHTNESS FOR THE LOWER EAST SIDE

Mosaic Wishing Well inside Susan Alexandra @ 33 Orchard St.

Grab onto the beaded banana and let yourself into Susan Alexandra's sunny bead-filled paradise! Doused in yellow and blue tile with peachy pink accent walls, the former tattoo parlor at 33 Orchard street has been transformed into the dream retail reality of brand founder Susan Korn. Designer Lula Galea and architect Levi Shaw-Faber consciously created a truly exceptional space, capitalizing on and perfecting every detail. Opened on October 29th, the store's candy colored presentation and product depict delight at every turn. The mosaic wishing well is a masterful centerpiece, inviting iconic insta-worth moments. Drop a penny in for extra good fortune! Keep reading to see inside...

-WEDNESDAY WINDOWS-

Lord & Taylor 424 Fifth Ave.

Much is quiet, as New York Fashion Week ushers in with a whisper. Grey skies and intermittent drizzle set the tone for a muted, more casual start to the Spring/Summer 2018 shows. Here's to hoping the tempo picks up... In the mean time, have a look at this week's windows at Lord and Taylor, where accessories take center stage...

REMARKABLE CONTEMPORARY JEWELLERY @ MONTREAL MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS

Remarkable Contermporary Jewellery at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts

As a visitor, one of the best ways to acquaint myself with a city's history--other than its restaurants--is through its museums. Truth be told, most history isn't supremely appealing and art is only subjectively inviting. Where possible, fashion-related exhibits become a browse-worthy break between coffee stops and outdoor adventures. On a recent weekend day-cation in Montreal, my honey and I stop at the Museum of Fine Arts--partly because of the downpour and partly because we had time to pass before dinner at Joe Beef. Initially interested in the Fabergé exhibit, the experience quickly expands to include Remarkable Contemporary Jewellery. Keep reading for a peek inside… 

STYLISH SENTIMENT

Assortment of vintage pins, clip-on earrings, watches and necklaces from the 40s to the present day

Saturday afternoon is spent sifting through (my honey's grandma's) vintage treasures, collected over 8 decades of stylistic transformation. A chestnut colored jewelry box holds a lifetime's worth of sparkles and sentiment--souvenirs of youth, faith, marriage, elegance and motherhood. Hours are spent in a Connecticut kitchen pouring over the antiquated trinkets and imagining them on the dashing debutante to whom they belong. Wear and diversity (of style and size) are telltale signs of the secrets manifest within each piece.

FASHION JEWELRY : THE COLLECTION OF BARBARA BERGER at the MAD

The back room gallery space on the 2nd floor of the MAD

Set in a fantasy world of bountiful bijoux, visitors are struck with bejewled brilliance as they enter the second floor gallery space of the Museum of Arts and Design (MAD). With the opening of Fashion Jewelry: The Collection of Barbara Berger, the MAD has on display nearly 500 pieces from Berger's personal collection spanning from vintage 1920's to modern day and representing both contemporary and established designers. With over 4,000 pieces in her personal collection, Berger comments "It's a LOT of work to put together a show--each piece is hand-picked!"