Best of 2015

2015 was a fabulously busy year for fashionado. From travel to Cuba to designer runways to epic music festivals, we were in the thick of it and loving it. I went through more than 300 posts to select my top ten. It wasn't easy! After the slideshow below, there are ten links to my 2015 faves. Thank you to all for the loving support. Happy New Year! xo

Doggies on the Catwalk

Havana, Cuba

Raf Simons Dior and I

Jeffrey Fashion Cares

Libby Langdon's Last Minute Holiday Decorating

John Galliano Margiela

Interview: Iris van Herpen High Museum

Erik Rosete's Mister Triple X

Pitti Uomo

Armin van Buuren TomorrowWorld

We moved on up to Buckhead, The Shops Buckhead to be exact! This was a major year for Doggies on the Catwalk: new upscale venue, amazing designers and a huge audience. Our collective efforts raised more than $37,000 for the Atlanta Pet Rescue. DOGGIES ON THE CATWALK

While Cuba continues to be in the news, on a more personal level, I've travelled to Cuba twice now to visit with my elderly father. We spent 43 years apart. CUBA

This was a big year for Jeffrey Kalinsky. As a celebration of twenty-five years at Phipps Plaza, Jeffrey Fashion Cares held their annual bash and runway show at Phipps. The fashion was behind amazing! JEFFREY FASHION CARES

The third annual TomorrowWorld got to a rainy start and only got worse, but hey, we made the best of it. When we couldn't get to the festival grounds on Sunday, we met up with Armin van Buuren in his hotel suite for an interview. Not too shabby! ARMIN VAN BUUREN AT TOMORROWWORLD

This is one of the best fashion films I have seen. Beautifully shot and a good story told. Inspiring and moving.  DIOR AND I / RAF SIMONS

In big fashion news, we saw the "return" of Galliano. JOHN GALLIANO FOR MAISON MARGIELA

One of my most popular features... designer Libby Langdon shared last minute decorating ideas for the home. LAST MINUTE HOLIDAY

New York, LA, Miami... Erik Rosete's Mister Triple X is a fashion powerhouse that is making its mark on the industry with stellar runway shows. I hope to catch up with them in 2016 at NYFW. MISTER TRIPLE X

The first ever fashion exhibit at the High Museum of Art. I had the privilege of interviewing the curator of this groundbreaking show. The show is stunning. IRIS VAN HERPEN AT THE HIGH

The way men should dress. See for yourself. THE BEST OF PITTI UOMO

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Sarah Charness & her electric Pink Violin

When you've been playing the violin since the age of four and now your musical instrument is electric, well, then so are you - as in HOT! As hot as a pink violin in the hands of an artist, musician and fashionista. Sarah Charness is a wickedly talented artist musician living in New York City. She electrifies us with her violin and personal style. I first introduced you to Sarah this Fall and her new hit single with the Disco Killerz called GRIP. Her collaboration with the Disco Killerz continues with "Beautiful Life" and "Running For Our Lives." Both tracks are awaiting release and though Sarah was enthusiastic about the new music, she didn't say much about them, keeping the suspense high. We did chat about many other fabulous things, including her involvement with NYFW. See below:

Tell me about the transition from classical to electronic? I'd like to say that it was something that happened overnight, but was this gradual thing that started happening when I was 16 at a summer intensive program. A guy named Mark Wood came in and he showed off all of his gorgeous electric violins and I'd never heard of such a thing. And I was so pumped. Slowly but surely I got myself an electric violin.

How does living in New York City inspire and influence you, your music, your style? New York has allowed me to flourish as an artist because NYC is such an accepting place. You can be any color, any race, any gender, any anything - any artist has a place here and it's very unique. That's sort of what's allowed me to grow. To be in a totally wonderful, accepting city.

Tell me about the hot pink violin, it's fabulous. I did not design the instrument but the color I chose. I was only sixteen when I did but I think I would still choose the same thing. (She laughs). I wanted a violin that look like a Barbie violin.

Let's talk fashion... From a very early age I have loved clothes. As a performer I have to be comfortable. I have to be able to move around. Off stage I can wear all sorts of fun things. (...and she's does.) And NYFW? I don't have the schedule just yet because not all the designers have made their schedules, but for sure will let you know once I know which will be a few weeks before fashion week.

You've worked with such a diverse group of artists, from Josh Groban to Flo Rida. It's impressive. When you do something as totally obscure as I do you, really need to be versatile. It's good for your style and it's good overall.

What is your career wishlist? I'd love to work with some of the artists on the Armada label. For sure, Armin van Buuren. He's someone I have enormous respect for and his music is so classically influenced in so many ways that I think it would be really really cool to do that.  

It was such a pleasure chatting with Sarah. Maybe next time it'll be over a bourbon during NYFW?! Lookout for Sarah Charness and make sure and visit her website!

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Tiësto & Tony Junior “Get Down”

New collaboration from Tiësto and Tony Junior “Get Down” is a heavy-hitting house track that will leave you wanting more. The track builds on a serious bassline, with a tantalizing build and explosive drop. The distorted synths are overlain with addicting vocals creating a high energy club anthem.

Voted “The Greatest DJ of All Time” by Mixmag, and the #1 DJ by Rolling Stone, Grammy Award winning artist Tiësto is a worldwide phenomenon. With both his singles “Wasted” and “Red Lights” off of his 2014 album and A Town Called Paradise achieving gold status, Tiësto’s resume also includes a Grammy for his remix of John Legend’s “All Of Me,” as well as hosting duties on the online TV series Your Shot USA. Most recently, the producer released Club Life Vol. 4 - New York City, the fourth installment of his Club Life mix album series based on his Sirius XM Club Life channel, in addition to continuing his residences at Las Vegas’ Hakkasan and Wet Republic pool at MGM Grand Hotel & Casino.

Dutch musical prodigy Tony Junior is known for his outrageous diva-like antics on stage, internationally recognized tunes and hilarious shenanigans on Dutch national TV. With tracks like “Twerk Anthem,” “Michael Jordan” and “Wake Up” blasting onto the scene via Steve Aoki’s Dim Mak Records, Tony has gained a tremendous following. His collaboration with DVBBS on “Immortal” scored over 6 million views on YouTube, as well as “Cobra” and “King Kong” reaching over 1 million views. Tony sets dancefloors on fire with his Marnik collaboration on “Jump Around” which has gained support from DJs like Martin Garrix, Hardwell, Nicky Romero and Showtek. 

Preview: https://soundcloud.com/musical-freedom/tiesto-tony-junior-get-down-out-now

‘Get Down’ is out now via Musical Freedom, go grab your copy: https://pro.beatport.com/release/get-down/1671824

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"Once And Forever" - a short film by Karl Lagerfeld starring Kristen Stewart as Coco Chanel

Karl Lagerfeld & Kristen Stewart

Geraldine Chaplin

Once and Forever is a movie about a movie - an important detail to keep in mind as you watch Kristen Stewart throw fits, yell and be very difficult. Kristen Stewart traded in the werewolves and vampires for couture in this biopic about Gabrielle Chanel. Her character is supposed to be "challenging." Geraldine Chaplin, who plays an older Coco Chanel is absolutely flawless and delivers some of the best lines in the short film.  

Karl Lagerfeld premiered Once and Forever as the prelude to his recent Métiers d'Art runway collection.

If you have eleven minutes, Once and Forever is well worth the watch! 

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Raf Simons Dior and I

Raf Simons is introduced to Dior staff.

Christian Dior Atelier.

Raf Simons

Buy on Amazon

I've been writing about Dior and I since before its release and [as usual] I miss every movie and documentary I'm interested in watching. Dior and I came and went and I missed out, until now. Thank you Netflix!

[I finally] watched Dior and I, from the comfort of my sofa, about a week ago and I'm still thinking about it. It moved me. Raf Simons moved me. It makes his departure from Dior last Fall very upsetting [to me] because from the perspective of the film, he was beginning to adjust and Dior was doing quite well with Raf at the helm.

Dior and I takes us on a frenzied journey through the creation of an haute couture collection. But not just any collection - this was Raf Simons' first collection as the artistic director for Christian Dior and his very first couture collection ever. He had only eight weeks to create and produce a collection and runway show where ALL eyes would be on him. This was a very stressful, under-pressure situation for him. Or anyone, really.

One of the most interesting "topics" of the documentary was the question of minimalism. There is a difference between modernity and minimalism; they are not the same. However, coming from Jil Sander, Raf Simons was immediately pegged as a minimalist when all he wanted to do was express a modern approach to a legendary label. Watching and listening to him speak on the topic was an important and revealing part of the film. Suddenly, everything made sense.

The collection itself was stunning but the images, including the ones published by me, did not do justice to the garments. The richness of the textiles and the intensive labor involved are captured well in Dior and I. Also, photos can't compare to watching this collection in high-definition movement. So absolutely exquisite.

It is undeniable that Raf Simons is an enormous talent. I enjoyed watching his creativity unfold and at the same time felt his stress and frustration - something the film did well to convey. By the end of Dior and I, you feel like you know this man. And watching Raf Simons get emotional was very moving indeed. I couldn't help but to cry along with him. Dior and I did an excellent job of conveying his humanity as well.

I urge you to watch Dior and I, or even better, like me, own it! I'll most definitely be watching Dior and I again.

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Out Now: Armin van Buuren 'A State Of Trance Year Mix 2015' (Armada Music)

Armin van Buuren is the GRAMMY® nominated electronic dance music DJ and producer who hosts the enormously popular ‘A State Of Trance’ (ASOT) weekly radio show, heard by over 37 million listeners each week via 118 radio stations in 84 countries. Armin van Buuren’s A State Of Trance Year Mix 2015 (Armada Music) compilation is out now. The live worldwide broadcast of the A State Of Trance Year Mix 2015 is expected to draw all 37 million listeners on December 31st.

First broadcast in 2001, the ‘A State Of Trance’ radio show is the longest-running weekly radio program devoted to the finest in electronic dance music (EDM). The ASOT radio show format has been widely imitated over the years and a feature of the touring ASOT live events is that the performances are broadcast in real-time from professional radio studios custom-built onsite. In the weeks leading up to the compilation’s release, van Buuren enlisted the feedback of his listeners and encouraged them to vote on their favorite tracks of 2015; the result is 105 of the year’s most important trance tunes expertly mixed into a two-hour release. The ASOT Year Mix 2015 is the 12th in a series. The latest release captures van Buuren’s enduring ability to launch careers and uncover the best new music as no other radio DJ can.

Said Armin van Buuren, “The A State Of Trance Year Mix has become a yearly tradition since 2004. As a kid, I was always a big fan of these mega mixes, so every year, I ask the fans of the show to vote for their favorite tracks of the year. All of those votes combined give me a good overview of what the hot tracks were that year, and I blend in a few of my own favorites that were big at festivals, as well. Since a couple of years, I also decided to do a little skit at the beginning of the year mix, which shouldn’t be taken too seriously and should make you laugh a little.”

Full ASOT tracklist - Listen or download free: https://asot.lnk.to/asotyearmix2015

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MERRY CHRISTMAS 2015!

I'm in Miami for Christmas. I drove down with my dog, Simone a.k.a. MissFashionado, earlier this week. (Well, I did all the driving, the diva mostly slept.)

I'm spending the holidays with my mother and with my sister, her husband and their two furry little ones, Lola & Lily.

Christmas, and not just Christmas, but the entire holiday season, starting with Thanksgiving and ending with New Year's, has always been my favorite time of the year. I've done the party thing and all that jazz when I was younger but it's being with my family that is the most meaningful to me.

We eat, watch movies, eat some more and exchange gifts. It's a special time. Quality time. There's so much craziness in the world that being around the people I love the most re-fuels [my] humanity on some deeper level.

Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas to all. May your day be filled with love!

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