La Vie En Rose

A+R is on FB, Finally!

Yes, Ladies and Gentleman, A+R is finally on Facebook.

I managed to finally squeeze some time in yesterday, and only because I couldn't bear to explain to the umpteenth person asking why we didn't have one—especially given it was such a lame excuse: as in "it's on the to-do list!" It was completely true. But what isn't on the to-do list?

We need YOU, however, to "Like" the page so we can become a bonafide presence on FB. So please click here and give us a thumbs up.

Now in place, you better believe I'll be giving it plenty of love. Keep checking the A+R FB page for updates on new product, promos and other fun stuff.

Thank you for your ongoing support.

Next up? Redesigning this site!

Walking the Line: Esquivel Debuts on Net-A-Porter

Now the world can discover what Andy and I already know: once you walk in George Esquivel's shoes, you can actually keep walking.

I have several pairs of his lace-up brogues, a couple plain, others more traditional—well, except for the color combos! They are my default shoes whenever I know I'm going to be standing or walking all day. Which is why I always travel with a pair (or more).

Ditto Andy. Most recently, he tromped around in a pair of Equivel olive ankle boots during the entire two-week trip around the UK and Barcelona, never so much as asking for his new sneakers.

We'll continue to visit George at his Third Street salon in Los Angeles because, well, it's also an excuse to see the his lovelieness.

But this last week, Esquivel brogues and boots debuted on Net-a-Porter.

It's a tight capsule collection of his must-haves. But hopefully this is the start of a long and fruitful relationship, and not just for the shopping site. If I got a euro for every time I was asked about my shoes stateside or abroad, I woule be nose deep in pairs of every color combination unimaginable.

StyleLikeU+Me

This week I received a visit from Style Like U's Elisa Goodkind and her shutterbug associate, executive editor Ramona Canino for an upcoming showcase on yours truly. It will appear on the site that Elisa co-founded with her daughter Lily Mandelbaum, seen above during a recent celebration in New York for their inaugural book by the same name.

While subjecting myself before the camera is not exactly my idea of fun—I'd much rather control things behind the lens and in the interviewer seat!—Elisa and Ramona were an absolute pleasure. Like me, Elisa (who is a former editorial stylist and appeared at my house draped in a black charmeuse Rick Owens pansuit and shrunken jacket, fingers ringed in silver and gold and a kerchief around her neck) had been increasingly fed up with the way traditional media is heading. Her adult kids, including Lily, countered with a reality check: out with the old and in with the endless DIY opportunities of the internet. And Style Like U was hatched.

I've long checked into the site, fascinated by the colorful individuals they spotlight and the relaxed approach taken with subjects (videos run about seven minutes). More recently, SLU has begun other types of features, such as the beautifully sublime editorial short on vintage bohemians Beatrix Ost and Ludwig Kuttner.

Our conversation this week ended up very biographical and of-the-moment. Even my fashion choices were far from pre-meditated, though I let instinct (and the unsolicited occurrence of a stocking run) determine my selection. I'm not even sure I shared everything I would have had I the luxury to self-edit. That's, of course, me the editor speaking...ha ha!

Keep you posted when my vid airs.

Color Me D-Lux

By its very nature, customization knows no bounds. Yet the prospect of candy coloring a Leica D-Lux 5, had me seeing red...then blue. After all, I'm still reeling a year later from the loss of my treasured Leica D-Lux 5 following a heady night in Vegas with the dancers from the Crazy Horse Paris and Dita Von Teese following her triumphant show there...

This is only the latest rainbow overhaul by ColorWare, a company offering custom coloring of an odd array of techie products: Segways, Dyson Airs, Flips UltraHD, along with Apple iPhones and iPads (oft featured in fashion mags; our London pal Sam Anthony gave us a heads up about the Minnesota-based service). ColorWare started in 2000 when it finally got the formula right to transform a beige computer with vibrant high-gloss, scratch-resistant polymer-based color coatings. It now offers a palette of 22 hues.

Of course, this is aftermarket customization which means the original manufacturer is under no obligation to repair or refund this product. But what price the opportunity to flaunt your true colors?