Joey is Famous, Amos

Joey with Joy Bryant in a still from Bravo's Rachel Zoe Project

One of my dearest and closest friends, Joey Maalouf, is on a TV near you. He's on The Rachel Zoe Project! Joey is Rachel's hair and makeup artist, as well as the hair/makeup artist for many other fabulous celebrities and fashion stars (as well as yours truly whenever I actually leave the studio) and it is super fun to tune and watch him on the tube every Tuesday night. Joey is totally 100% himself and doesn't change a bit when the cameras are pointed at him (TV cameras that is -- he totally hams it up in front of the still camera anyway, I have evidence to prove it). Check out Joey on the show Tuesdays at 10pm on Bravo.

Amazing Runway Walks

Thanks to Rich @ FourFour we are blessed with these amazing GIFs of joyfully busted model walks from America's Next Top Model. Yes, I admit to watching that show and yes, I giggle and groan a lot at it, but occasionally I do get to see peers like Sarah McColgan, etc pop up and do a shoot. That aside, these gifs are priceless and Rich's ANTM recaps are a serious must.

Bob Mackie 2008

Yes kids, Bob Mackie is still alive and kicking and he's designing the costumes for music legend Tina Turner's upcoming tour. Tina still looks hot and fierce at 68 and we're sure the costumes will enhance that fact. Wow!

TG's New Fashion Film

Directed and edited by Kristiina Wilson. Hair by Lacy Redway. Styling by Angella N. Makeup by Cynthia Rose. Model Ali @ Next. Music by Kristiina Wilson (some samples from Einsturzende Neubauten).

Please pardon the assy Youtube quality. Higher quality film page to follow soon!

Blood, Sweat, & Tears

For our fashion video shoot this past weekend, I was asked to try to come up with a few "crazy hats." You should have SEEN the original inspiration. GENIUS but IMPOSSIBLE. Thoughts of rummaging the streets for "artistic trash" wore me thin.
Thankfully, initial emotions of panic and despair were quickly wiped away as soon as I got a moment to sit down and sketch.

Here are some outtakes of the shoot that proudly showcase these headpieces. And a special thanks to another Genius member, Harri- for without him, I would be shellacking til the break of dawn.

Ali @ Next

Photography by Kristiina Wilson, Makeup by Cynthia Rose, Styling by Angella N., Hair by Lacy Redway

Yesterday TG got together to work with a brand new girl, Ali Harvey @ Next, on a video and still project. Her face is flawless -- no retouching required. She is super fun and funny, and is sure to have an amazing career.

Out now from TG

Photo by Kristiina Wilson. Hair by Lacy Redway. Makeup by Cynthia Rose. Styling by Angella N.

Another story out on the newsstands from TG. Our "beauty" story with Masha @ Muse (an amazing model, btw) in Let Them Eat Cake magazine. Pick it up at any purveyor near you.

David Shrigley is a GENIUS

Words can not really do justice to the greatness and genius that is David Shrigley. His work is disturbing, gross, upsetting, funny, stupid and meaningful all at the same time. He says things that we all think but won't say. The image above is one of his safer, easier to digest works but sits well on this blog; I highly encourage a visit to his site for further exploration.

Elisa Johns

Elisa Johns creates gorgeous paintings with a dash of fashion. Her artist statement in part reads "I am interested in executing paintings that break with iron and instead sincerely embrace glamour. However, some depictions of beauty take on a more ominous tone."

Elisa is repped by Walker Contemporary.

Holly Lynton

Holly Lynton has some gorgeous and disturbing work up at Fraction Magazine right now. Go visit.

The Client is Always Right

Check out this hilarious, and unfortunately accurate, How to Treat Your Freelancer advice by Åsk over at AdLand. It's written from the point of designers but can easily be applied to any of us in creative professions. A few of my favorites:

- Never read the small print in the Freelancers price quotes or bills, it's just there to look pretty.

- When your freelancer calls and ask why payment is late, simply say, "The client hasn't paid us yet, so we can't pay you." It is business-logic at it's best and you are sure to accept that reasoning from your own clients, right?

- Have no clear idea what you want. "I'll know it when I see it" works wonders.

- Expect your freelancer to be available whenever, like 9pm on a Sunday.

Happy Monday!

From GrainEdit.com

Natalie is kicking more butt!

Natalie @ IMG walking in the Dolce & Gabbana show in Milan. Image from Style.com

Nat backstage at Dolce & Gabbana

We can't wait to see what happens now that she is in Paris!

Chickie has left the Building

Yes kids, it is sad here at 753. Chickie left this morning for Farm Sanctuary and Harri and I are glad that she will have an amazing new home but we are sad for us, as we love her and miss her already. All our cats, especially Mr. Grumpy (big orange) miss her also and have been searching for her all day. Above is a video homage to Chickie and the past week and .5 she spent with us. Hopefully next weekend we'll manage a trip upstate to go visit her. Yay chickie and the joy and life she brought to our house, life and work.

I can't believe it's not photograph

New work from Jason Bryant at Raandesk Gallery at 16 W. 23rd Street, 4th Floor, New York NY. Gorgeous photorealistic fashion painting.

Beep Beep New Work

Check our our cover story in this month's Blink Magazine! TG's first story together, featuring Biu @ Muse.

My life in the bush of ghosts

Loving Jenny Kristina's creepoid photography. Go look at it.

Babies and poop on your face. Really.

If you want to read about some serious wackjobs putting crazy junk on their faces in the name of beauty, look no further than this article on CNN.com By Liane Yvkoff.

"Applying afterbirth to your face may sound extreme, but it's not the only offbeat treatment being touted by some spas and dermatologists. There's gemstone therapy, skin treatments that contain nightingale droppings or 24 karat gold leaf and even facials for your fanny."

Yes folks, I believe she is talking about Anal Bleaching at the end there. And I have read previously about the resurgence of the old geisha face cream containing bird feces that whitened the skin. Maybe we should just go back to arsenic and leave crap out of it.

Has fashion really gone this far? I should have saved chickie's copious amounts of poop -- perhaps it would have been marketable as some type of new facial product if I mixed it with, say, some mayo and a dollup of toothpaste for freshness. I mean, La Mer, anyone?

Slut, you don't love fashion!

Oh my, check out this interesting fashion film by Mattias Montero called Good Night Stockholm. It's playing in the annual A Shaded View on Fashion Film festival in Paris this month. 

And this film, Emma's Return by Tomas Nasstrom has really amazing sound, illustrating so well just how important sound is to your final product. It can truly make or break your piece.

Happy Friday FFFFound Inspiration Post

Lioness is coming for you

Our cover story in FutureClaw magazine just rolled out and TG could not be happier. I think this is still our collective favorite story and certainly Martina @ Supreme is one of our favorite models. You can check out the issue online at the website (the entire issue is online) or head to your local newsstand to pick it up -- it is oversized and glossy and gorgeous and well worth the purchase. But of course we would say so!

Better than a kick in the ass

all photos by Kristiina Wilson

I found out today that I was given 5 honorable mentions in the 08 International Photography Awards in the Advertising -- Fashion section. Those mentions were for the images above. The blah blah they told is:

"Congratulations. Your entries have been recognized by the IPA jurors as honorable mentions from amongst 22,000 entries submitted from 124 countries across the globe! The names of all Honorable Mention recipients will be published in the 2008 Annual Awards Book."

Woo Woo, and stuff.

The winners in the fashion section were:

SHINJI WATANABE
MICKY MODO (this is GORGEOUS)
Markus Klinko & Indrani
Ng Yuen Kwan Anita (AWESOME)

Fashion film gets a life of its own

A scene from "Emmi" shot by Kristiina Wilson, hair & makeup by Saara Sarvas, model Emmi @ Brand

Check out the article on fashion films in the International Herald Tribune by Oliver Horton. TG has started making films and we're set to do our 3rd film this Friday. Check back as soon as next week for the result, assuming we can dig ourselves out from under Final Cut Studio 2!

Repurposed art

Photograph by Kristiina Wilson, illustration and design by Elizabeth Kalcheva

I found this image today on Flickr -- a woman named Elizabeth Kalcheva has taken one of my images from the Monique Pean campaign and turned it into this pretty cool looking piece. She gave full photo credit to me on Flickr so that's great, and I think the end result looks quite nice. Elizabeth is making some nice designs with other appropriated imagery, you should take a moment to browse her Flickr pool.

Valentino's Pugs

Valentino has 6 super cute pug dogs: Milton, Monty, Maude, Margot, Maggie, and Molly. Watch as they take over his private jet, car and office. Yay dogs.

L.O.V.E.

[(square root of pamela anderson's confusion (multiplied by distaste)+ white rubber man) to the power of vivienne westwood's spring collection] factorial summation hypoteneus pythagorean theorem = GENIUS

Natalie is IT

Natalie for D&G in Milan

Natalie for Francesco Scognamiglio

I've been giving reports during fashion week on my favorite model and friend, Natalie Hockey @ IMG, whose career is skyrocketing now. She's currently in Milan walking the shows and is freaking hitting it out of the park. She walked for D&G and Francesco Scognamiglio the other day and I can't wait to see who is next!!! Then it's on to Paris and new career heights I'm sure. So amazing to see such a great person get recognized and have her career boom. Go Natalie!

Come on People, Be Nice

We've been hearing through the grapevine, and unfortunately finding out ourselves, that the bad financial scene we're experiencing right now is making people act like jerks. Hey people, chill out! Let's all be nice and try to get along, ok? Let's not hire people to do jobs we can't afford to pay for in the end, or crash out in friend's places and then skip out on the rent, or talk endlessly about how awesome we are because we are feeling so insecure, or wipe off our dirty hands on a friend's pet. Those are all unfriendly things to do and we should stop doing them. Like the sign says, everything is going to be alright! Especially if we can play nice.

One more from Maalouf Beauty

Hair and Makeup by Joey, Photo by Kristiina Wilson, Model Aleksandra @ Q

Anonymous Animals and other Fantastic Things

Anonymous Animal, 2004, Altered found photograph by Jennifer Swick

Jennifer has some seriously crazy and fantastic work that you should check out immediately. Love the anonymous animal series and I'm So Scared, It's All So Hard.

See it

Pawel Wojtasik, Autopsy, September 25th, Still from HD video, 2008

Pawel Wojtasik at Martos Gallery, Like A Shipwreck We Die Going Into Ourselves -- a video piece. Through Nov. 1st.

540 West 29th Street
New York, NY, 10001
Phone: 212-560-0670

Tips for You

From dreamchimney.com and Design Crush.

Happy Monday!

Overheard at a rest stop over the weekend:

"I don't love you anymore. I love work."

Happy Monday everyone. Welcome to the workweek!