Model Karmen Pedaru

How do you say hello where you are from? “Tere, kust sa oled pärit?” What is your coffee order? Espresso or cappuccino. What are the three items you always keep in your purse? Lip balm, my wallet, and a snack (apple or nuts).

How were you discovered? I went to see a play in Estonia with my grandmother when I was fifteen years old, and afterward, I bumped into a woman who asked me if I wanted to be a model—she eventually became my agent. Most memorable modeling moment: There have been many memorable moments, but I guess the one I’ll always remember is my first job. Ten days after I was discovered, I got booked for Teen Vogue in India. I had never been on a plane, traveled so far away from home, or posed in front of a camera as a model. Most embarrassing modeling moment: Falling four times in a row on the catwalk was pretty bad. Favorite models of all time: Christy Turlington and Kate Moss.

Describe your style in four words: Relaxed, clean, comfortable, timeless. Favorite designers: Pheobe Philo and Riccardo Tisci. If you could trade closets with someone else, whose would you choose? Someone whose closet falls somewhere between Audrey Hepburn and Jane Birkin. What new addition to your wardrobe are you currently craving this season? A Givenchy-printed shirt or sweater and Elie Saab ankle boots. What item in your closet do you most cherish? I love my fur coats because they keep me warm.

What nail polish color are you wearing right now? Natural. Beauty item you cannot live without: Aesop moisturizer. Who was the last person to cut your hair? The last time I got a haircut was at the John Frieda salon in London.

How do you stay in model shape? Any tricks of the trade? I’ve played soccer, handball, and basketball since I was five years old. I have great muscle memory so I don’t have to do much, but I like to run a lot, and when I’m on vacation, I do water sports and play tennis. If you weren’t modeling, what would be your dream job? Something with sports. I love soccer and was chosen to be on the Estonian national team, which was one of my dreams, but I went with modeling instead. If I weren’t currently modeling, maybe I’d still be playing soccer or designing sneakers . . . something in one of those fields.

One place you always visit while in New York: Walter de Maria, The Earth Room. It’s on Wooster Street. Favorite destination you have traveled to so far: The Maldives, for my honeymoon. Where would you like to go on your next vacation? In August, I always go to Ibiza. It’s like a tradition but Christina wants to go to Thailand.

What is the best advice you’ve ever been given? Don’t complain about stupid things. What quality is most attractive in a boyfriend or girlfriend? Sense of humor. I love to laugh, and it’s the worst if your partner can’t make you laugh. What quality do you most appreciate in a friend? Honesty—no matter what. Name one natural talent you wish you had: To be able to sing. Subject you could wax poetic about: I’m fascinated by ballet. What are your words to live by? Love, health, and happiness.

What Price Glory? Sailor Staples for the City

This week, Vogue’s free-spirited champion bargain hunter tracks down another trend: nautical chic.

Though I grew up in close proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, I have always held that rollicking body at arm’s length. To me, a water sport is the guy who picks up the tab for the Perrier; a rash guard is something to be stuffed in your mouth to prevent intemperate comments. But even if my knowledge of ships is limited to an affection for the Cherry Grove ferry, my enthusiasm for the gear associated with the shore is irrationally avid. I see myself, maybe, as a sort of distant Long Island cousin of Marcel Pagnol’s Fanny, bustling around a waterfront café, only instead of Marseille, we lived in Massapequa.

But enough about me. Regardless of your feelings toward kitesurfing, parasailing, hydrofoiling, flowboarding, or attendant other horrors, who says you can’t slip on a blue-and-white striped shirt, a pair of deck shoes, and carry your laptop to Starbucks in a giant beach bag?

First those ubiquitous shirts: the classic marinières, beloved of Jean Genet and Pablo Picasso, which once required a trip to France to purchase, are now available in every size, style, and permutation. A five-minute walk on lower Fifth turns up a spangled tank version at Banana Republic, a shawl-collared interpretation at J. Crew, and at least two variations at Anthropologie, both of which owe a large aesthetic debt to Sacai: One example, a cardigan, sprouts a muslin ruffle; another has a polka-dotted back and a floral breast pocket ($58).

These are all fine, but if you are determined to procure a completely authentic model, something with a real French label, you can visit the websites of Armor Lux (in business in Brittany since 1938) or Saint James (since 1889!) where, in addition to the traditional stripers, there is an irresistible version overlaid with flowers, on sale for $112. If you are obsessed with looking like you have been wearing this thing since your days at Camp Rim Rock, What Goes Around Comes Around on West Broadway (or La Brea in L.A.) has a stack of vintage examples, dating from roughly the 1960s to the 1990s, for $58 to $150.

The appropriate footwear to accompany this item (assuming you have had your fill of soggy espadrilles) is the boat shoe, available in every pattern from pink gingham to gold zebra from Sperry Top-sider. A pair decorated with anchors is marked down to $59.99. And for a tote large enough for a weekend trip (won’t your friends be sorry they invited you when it turns out you plan to spend the entire day walking up and down Jobs Lane and drinking Bloody Marys at Silver’s?), a company called Sea Bags, based in Portland, Maine, has ingeniously repurposed vintage sails as commodious carryalls (around $150). The results are decorated with such watery tropes as appliquéd anchors, bowlines, and, in at least one case, lined with Charles Darwin’s notes, a reminder that a billion or so years ago, our valiant ancestors crawled out of the deep.

Male Order: Fashion Delivered Directly to the Modern Man

What’s a style-conscious guy to do when the summer heat is too strong even for his breezy seersucker blazer? Certainly not stride the city streets in search of new apparel. Instead, he should take note of what more and more men are opting for these days: ordering carefully curated packages to their door with the click of a mouse—all in the comfort of central AC. “This is a shift from ‘shopping’ for clothes,” says Marcus Hall, one-third of the team behind 12Fold, a new subscription-based site that delivers pocket squares to your door in eye-popping colors every month. “In our experience, modern guys are informed and open to advice. Forerunners like Trunk Club, Birchbox, Bonobos, and Mr. Porter are proof of wide [web] appeal.”

And indeed, purveyors of to-your-door sartorial packages are just now beginning to gain steam. “We first started seeing the need for a men’s service when our female subscribers expressed that the men in their lives wanted it,” says Birchbox co-CEO and cofounder Katia Beauchamp, who launched Birchbox Man a little over a year ago. “We have definitely seen a trend in the way men purchase grooming and lifestyle products online.” Brian Spaly certainly recognized this when he launched Trunk Club in late 2009—making him the dapper granddad, if you will, of the men’s mail-order phenomenon—replete with a virtual personal stylist who sends customized trunks to your door packed with looks for your next outing. Like the goods? Keep ’em. Send back what you don’t. It’s a win-win formula that Net-a-Porter’s Natalie Massenet picked up on: Mr. Porter, the brother site to her benchmark online operation, was born about a year later.

What’s followed is a wealth of high fashion at all price points for any man with a monitor and even a modicum of interest in looking good, which is, Spaly recognizes, increasingly the case: “We’re in the early innings of a male-apparel revolution in the U.S. where guys are realizing they not only need to dress better, but also want to have a cooler wardrobe. Everyone’s doing it.” Hence the need for ever-more-specialized services such as 12Fold or Jack Foxley, an online-only venture that creates—get this—customized suede, leather, and wax cotton elbow patches for blazers that need a little pick-me-up. It’s one of those delightful details that somehow make all the difference in modern menswear, and the World Wide Web is taking note. Says Spaly: “It’s all pretty exciting to be part of this reawakening.”

What Price Glory? Markdown Madness

There is, at this very moment, a certain salmon-colored Marc Jacobs cardigan, lavished with strips of blinding turquoise sequins, languishing on a rack on the ninth floor of Saks Fifth Avenue, where refugees from all over the store have been alerted to their last chance to buy it. This item, to which I am oddly attracted, is either atrocious or adorable (and isn’t part of the joy of fashion traversing that thin line?), and it is also now $330, down from $1,100—or it will be on Friday. On that glorious day, everything here will achieve its full markdown potential—a rousing 70 percent off. But on Wednesday afternoon, though it certainly looks like sale time—crammed racks and avid shoppers—the prices are still at 60 percent off. The idea is that Saks will pre-sell it to you immediately (remember when that wasn’t even a word?), and back you will bustle on Friday to pick it up.

This whole process is very strange, and seems intended only to torture tourists who’ve flown here. Still, if you are willing to play this pre-sale game, there are plenty of impressive labels waiting to be snapped up: An eyelet Sacai shift composed of exquisite openwork flowers, which works as either a very short dress or a longish shirt, will, come Friday, cost around $284. A sheer Erdem blouse in a toile de jouy print will be about $345; that same amount will get you a deep-red Nina Ricci jersey dress enhanced with grosgrain ribbon (both these items started life at $1,150). If you want to spend far less—and who does not?—you can pick up a raspberry dress of that beachy, stretchy nylon stuff Jean Paul Gaultier often employs for a delightful $149.

On the other hand, if you don’t relish going back to the stores in the sweltering heat, Bergdorf Goodman, calling its event the Grand Finale, has slashed everything by up to 75 percent, and you can take it home immediately, no questions asked. That said, a pair of decorated white leather Isabel Marant trousers is $639, down from a whopping $2,550—they could be a staple of a fall wardrobe, assuming you are that kind of girl. Equally frisky in its own way is a navy Stella McCartney tank emblazoned with dark jewels (well, ok, rhinestones) for $169. The vast selection of extant Dries Van Notens includes a sleeveless shift that is plaid in front, pale faded floral in back—an extremely refined notion of grunge for a lovely $219.

Over at Barneys, everything is likewise ready to waltz out of the door, even if the constant renovation makes it hard to locate some of the sales items. A helpful salesperson points me in the direction of the truncated sixth floor (you have to take the elevator), where a sleek Junya Watanabe dress in sporty nylon, part of the designer’s collaboration with Puma, is now $239. A pair of Comme des Garçons Bermudas—so wide they could pass for a skirt and, although lime-green with polka dots, are actually office-friendly—are $279. If it ever cools off (which seems doubtful), Maiyet, a label that prides itself on being socially conscious and ecologically responsible, has a white cotton coat with lace sleeves for $319. But maybe your summer consists of endless pool parties where you are playing out your Valley of the Dolls fantasies, in which case why not throw good sense to the wind and snap up the commodious 3.1 Phillip Lim trousers, laden with panels of sequins, some golden, some—wait for it—dusty mother-of-pearl. Even on final markdown, they will set you back $449, but is that too high a price to pay to look like Jennifer North?

http://www.kissyprom.co.uk/pink-prom-dresses

Sacai Gets a New Nook

Chitose Abe launched Sacai fifteen years ago. So it’s undoubtedly come as something of a surprise, after all this time, to find herself touted a buzzy up-and-comer. But there’s no doubt Sacai is having a moment: No less an eminence than Karl Lagerfeld recently called Sacai “the most interesting current brand,” and Abe’s show in Paris for Fall ’13 won a rapturous reception. Pieces from that collection were hanging at Dover Street Market in London, where Abe could be found putting the finishing touches on the new shop-in-shop she launched on Saturday. “I’ve been doing this long enough. I have my own way of working,” Abe said, when asked how she was handling the fashion spotlight. “I don’t think the attention is going to affect me, really. Certainly not the way I design.” That said, the shop-in-shop launch would seem to be another advance for Project Sacai: Total World Domination. Though small, the space is the brand’s first dedicated retail outlet outside of Asia. And as Abe pointed out, it gives her the opportunity to more fully express the ethos of Sacai to customers. The unusual shelving units, for instance, were created by the Japanese artistic collective Gelchop, whose whimsical ready-mades echo the Sacai principles of hybridization and collage. To wit, the piece that Abe pointed out as her favorite from the new collection is a double-breasted overcoat with a leather biker-jacket bib sewn onto the front. Edie Campbell wore it in the show. “I love authentic clothing, garments with a tradition,” explained Abe. “But I have to make these pieces authentic for me. So I combine things. I create a new volume, a new idea.”

Secret Weapon: The Season's New Miracle Hair Oils

Summer, in all its splendor, is not exactly kind to your hair. Sun, saltwater, chlorine, and the occasional sea breeze can leave even the beachiest waves feeling dry and brittle by mid-season. To the rescue: a fleet of new multitasking hair oils designed to restore shine, smooth split ends, and eliminate frizz—leaving your strands glossy but never slick, according to the editorial hairstylist Bob Recine. It was four summers ago, on the beaches of St. Barth’s, that he first tested out his Rodin by Recine Olio Lusso Luxury Hair Oil, a remarkably lightweight blend of eight essential extracts (created in collaboration with fashion stylist Linda Rodin) that absorbs instantly into the hair.

“I found that adding a few drops to wet hair and letting it dry naturally in the sun helped add highlights and give it incredible shine and softness,” he says of the bright yellow gold concoction’s ultra-nourishing effect.

Since then, restorative hair oils have acquired a steady cult following, with dozens of the top beauty companies turning out innovative new formulas of their own in recent months. Oribe’s argan oil–infused Gold Lust Nourishing Hair Oil shields color from UV damage with antioxidant botanical extracts, for instance, while L’Oréal’s Mythic Oil can be worked through wet or dry strands to ward off humidity-induced frizz.

From left: Oribe’s argan oil–infused Gold Lust Nourishing Hair Oil; L’Oréal’s Mythic Oil

Hairstylist Guido Palau stocked bottles of Redken’s new Diamond Oil Shatterproof Shine backstage at the fall 2013 shows—slicking it over models’ polished braids (Valentino) or side-parted waves (Prada). “There’s nothing more glamorous than almost wet-looking hair,” he says of using the product to create a saturated, fresh-from-the-shower effect. Off the runway, he advises rubbing a drop between the palms of the hands and passing it over a braid or touching up the tips of a messy ponytail. “It’s a way to get a glossy look without overdoing it,” he says.

Of course, the best new treatment oils also happen to smell great. Inspired by the Japanese geishas who traditionally applied oil to skin and hair to seal in moisture, Tatcha’s Gold Camellia Beauty Oil’s blend of flower, rice and macadamia nut oils smells faintly of fragrant white blooms. Paris-based colorist Christophe Robin’s classic Lavender Oil treatment—so French! so soothing!—keeps highlights in pitch perfect condition with SPF 6, and boasts a unique balm-like texture that melts into a liquid when warmed between the hands.

Brought to Light: Introducing Victoire de Castellane's New High Jewelry Line, Cher Dior

“This time, I wanted to work with the idea of all the colors fighting each other!” Victoire de Castellane insists when she’s asked to describe her new high jewelry collection, Cher Dior. You haven’t misheard her, and it isn’t her charmingly accented English getting in the way—she really means she loves the idea of unlikely colored stones nestled next to each other or locked in a strange embrace. So in her latest dramatic effort, rubies nuzzle purple sapphires; yellow sapphires hug their pink confreres. “They are not supposed to be friends, but they are stuck together!” the designer laughs.

(clockwise from top left) Cher Dior Exquise Pink Sapphire earrings; Cher Dior Exquise Ruby ring; Cher Dior Fascinante Emerald bracelet Front; Cher Dior Fascinante Emerald necklace

De Castellane, who manages to seem elfin even as she towers over you in acid green stilettos, explains that the collection began as an imaginary letter to Monsieur Dior, and is an homage to the firm’s couture atelier. To that end, the back of each piece is as finely wrought as the front, worked to evoke golden lace, or to bring to mind the finest embroidery. And every piece, no mater how large and impressive the stones it incorporates, retains the delicacy of execution that de Castellane is famous for.

The exquisite results may look like they just arrived from heaven (where M. Dior gave them his blessing?), but the process has been a lengthy one: The stones were curated over the last two years, hailing from places as far-flung as the American Southwest and Hong Kong. Before committing to them, de Castellane had them sent to France to see if they would pass muster in the Parisian light.

“I think you can have daylight and evening-light jewelry—I like the idea that the pieces have their special moments, maybe they should be worn for just two hours of the day!” she argues, half-serious. But a moment later she relents, admitting that “all the most beautiful stones are marvelous in all different lights.”

Zeniversary: Viktor & Rolf Celebrate 20 Years With Their Fall 2013 Couture Show

Viktor & Rolf Fall 2013 Couture look 21
On a stage meant to evoke the raked sand of a Zen garden, Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren, who this year celebrate their twentieth anniversary as the avant-garde design team Viktor & Rolf, sit facing each other in meditation poses. It is hardly the way most couture shows begin, and even the “Om” shouted by a cheeky photographer doesn’t rattle their concentration. Then they rise, go to opposite corners of the set, but surprise!—they don’t stay put—during this highly unusual couture show, their continued presence will be called upon.
The 20 models (one for each year the two have been in the business), are clad in voluminous, uniformly black garments. All wear flat sandals—to stay grounded?—but instead of moving elegantly offstage when their star turn is over, they sit, or slope, or even lie in artful piles. Now and again, one of the designers strolls over to help a woman assume her pose, or arrange a pile of fabric, or fluff a fringe. The heaps of models, folds of their ensembles burying each other, are a strange sight indeed—like a mound of ebony stones with lovely heads.
Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren
Despite the extravagance of the garments for their return to the couture calendar after a thirteen-year hiatus—they feature voluptuous bows and puzzle-piece trapunto stitching, the total effect is quite austere. (Ten of the looks have already been sold to an art collector.) The silhouettes are curved and rounded—there is nary a straight seam in sight—and all of the clothes are made of a technical silk whose surface has been manipulated to bring to mind rocks and grass.
“We started with couture, it’s our big love,” Horsting recalls, reflecting on the house’s past two decades. “These clothes may look minimal, but they are actually very intricate.”