of things to come

George Street (Jewellery Quarter) / Birmingham, England
The Jewellery Quarter is an area of Birmingham City Centre that is synonymous with the manufacture of jewelery and coins in Birmingham and has been the birthplace of many pioneering advancements in industrial technology. By the mid-1800s, the jewelery trade was considered the most lucrative in the city with jewelers being some of the best paid workers. There were more people employed in the trade than any other in Birmingham. The majority of the British Empire's finest jewelery was produced in the Quarter. The Jewellery Quarter's importance in the international jewellery industry has declined much throughout the 20th century and is now being transformed into a vibrant urban village and hub for creative businesses, eateries, and other support services. Numerous mixed-use developments are underway with most involving the refurbishment of existing manufacturing buildings no longer in use.

mission accomplished

Times Square / New York, New York
As if Times Square wasn't already a disaster, last week Mayor Bloomberg began his 6 month experiment of closing off Broadway from 46th St to 42nd St to vehicular traffic. While the concept isn't so bad as the city can always use less taxi, bus and car traffic in already congested areas - whoever made the decision to put the cheap plastic lawn chairs out there so tourists can rest their asses and feel right at home - should be dismissed. If the objective is to make an already tacky area even more tacky - mission accomplished.

the afterparty

Old Town / Bucharest, Romania
Wondering what to do after that wild and crazy Memorial Day party? You can always hit the afterparty. Bucharest - a dichotomy of old and new. Similar to Berlin, it has a certain edge to it that keeps it interesting.

madonna monday

Kuekenstratt / Willemstad, Curaçao
Just like the real thing, this store in Willemstad was bold and brassy Madonna. I have no idea what commercial business is conducted here - there were silver mannequins in various stages of haute couture undress scattered across the front window on the second floor. Just like the real thing.

it's all about the hair

Thompson Street / New York, New York
Hair fashion. Sometimes it works; many times it doesn't.

vegetarians are sexy?

Hester Street / New York, New York
NBC pulled the plug on a PETA pro-veggie commercial planned for the Super Bowl because it "depicts a level of sexuality exceeding our standards," according to an NBC Universal's advertising standards executive. The ad, which carries the tagline, "Studies Show Vegetarians Have Better Sex," shows lingerie-clad women getting "intimate" with vegetables. Perhaps PETA should have lined these experienced guys up instead.

on this day

Giants Causeway / County Antrim, Northern Ireland
I just finished watching the inauguration of our 44th President, Barak Hussein Obama, on BBC here in England. Once again, I feel the rock strength of being an American.

"On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord. On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn-out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics."

The inspired word of President Obama is only the first of many steps towards healing the scars inflicted over the past eight years, both domestically and around the world. And Aretha, loved the hat. (update: best line I've read regarding such.. "I'm proud that Aretha is supporting renewable energy by wearing a wind turbine on her head")

back.. and bigger than ever

Broadway / New York, New York
Pink plastic flamingos, one of the most famous of lawn ornaments, have apparently reached the heights of New York fashion with a prominent position in this Forever 21 window front. Because you want to know - the pink flamingo was designed in 1957 by Don Featherstone while working for Union Products in Leominster, MA and won him the Ig Nobel Prize for Art in 1996. Sadly, Union Products stopped production of pink flamingos in November 2006. However, a company in upstate NY purchased the copyright and plastic molds of Featherstone's original plastic flamingos in 2007, and has begun production of them - apparently larger than life.

sunday finery

Old Town / Bucharest, Romania
Who says Romania is not a happening place? This colorful couple were out early in their Sunday best bringing a unique vibrancy to Old Town Bucharest. Either that or they were walking home after a very late Saturday night spent in the edgy clubs which populate the Old Town area - a more likely scenario. Either way, I like it.

fashion interpreted

Selfridges @ The Bullring / Birmingham, United Kingdom
This is just such an odd and interesting building (a department store, of all things) but when you read from the designer's website, you begin to understand - or not. From FUTURESYSTEMS: "The fluidity of shape recalls the fall of fabric or the soft lines of a body, it rises from the ground and gently billows outwards before being drawn in at a kind of waistline. It then curves out again and over to form the roof, in one continuous movement. The skin is made up of thousands of aluminium discs, creating a fine, lustrous grain like the scales of a snake or the sequins of a Paco Rabanne dress. In sunlight it shimmers, reflecting minute changes in weather conditions and taking on the colours, light and shapes of people and things passing by - an animate and breathing form." The structure is particularly striking shot against this dynamic and turbulent late autumn sky.

let the sun shine

Parasol on Mulberry Street / New York, New York
Oh, and another thing about Birmingham - all it does is rain, rain, and rain some more. I honestly don't know how the Brits tolerate it day after day. I'm here a week and I find it totally depressing. Really. I need sunshine in my life - without it I begin to get very moody. Yesterday I went to see a very funny comedy at the cinema, took myself out for a lamb kabob lunch ..but by mid-afternoon I was very antsy and just wanted out. Please - let the sunshine.

charge of the red brigade

Millennium Bridge @ Tate Modern / London, United Kingdom
Direct pedestrian access to Tate Modern is via the Millennium Bridge from St Paul's Cathedral (in the background). The bridge is a pedestrian-only steel suspension bridge crossing the River Thames, linking Bankside with the City. With construction beginning in 1998, it was the first new bridge across the Thames in London since Tower Bridge in 1894. Its design provides a perfect frame for the south facade of St. Paul's Cathedral when looking back from the Tate Modern. And it serves as an impressive backdrop for this gaggle of school girls garbed in their summery red uniforms. School uniforms - one of the many things I find oddly charming about the UK.

quito colors

Plaza San Francisco / Quito, Ecuador
The Ecuadorian woman's traditional dress is the closest to the Incan costumes worn in the Andes. A white blouse, dark skirt and colorful shawl is usually worn. Jewelry is very important, with layers of necklaces consisting predominantly of gold beads and red coral bracelets. But perhaps most distinctive are the brown, black or dark grey fedoras worn. This was shot on a sunday morning - the women obviously dressed for the occasion - perhaps gathering before entering the church in the background.

fashion forward

Madison Avenue @ E 79th Street / New York, New York
This past week was Fashion Week in NYC and Upper Madison Avenue has long been recognized as the world's premier location for high fashion and other fine shopping. While walking by the Jil Sander boutique the other evening, the window display immediately caught my eye - assisted by very focused in-house lighting and the lack of surrounding daylight. The collection really seemed to stand out against the rest of the streetscape. Though I know nothing of the line's wearability, I did like the look - clean, minimal and utilitarian - but then Jil Sander is German after all.

the wilder sister

Christopher St (West Village) / New York, New York
After being separated at birth, the wilder sister is finally located doing window duty on Christopher Street, clearly with a fashion statement of her own (see my post of 31 July below). While having been influenced by life in the big city, this sister still maintains that distinctive wide grin, full of fun. Hanging out with the two of them would be lots of laughs.

hangin' around

Storefront Window / Kingstown, St. Vincent BVI
The joy in Ms. Mannequin's expression instantly captivated me - and still does. Who'd have guessed fashion could be such fun.