carine, carine

I was doing something else entirely when I happened notice that Cleide Carina, from Sketchbook, tweeted something about being upset with Grazia. I messaged her asking if she was okay. She sent back 'Carine Roitfeld has left Paris Vogue.' Turns out she was just joking about Grazia not breaking the news fast enough.





The thing is, my family name is Carin and I always wanted to be Italian so I used to tell people it was Carina. And there's something about the fact that Carine spells her name so close to mine that always made me feel like, you know, we'd be friends. And then I sat in her front row seat at fashion week when she came in late.. and became friendly with her daughter Julia.. and I've papped her twice now.. I'm just kind of in shock, I guess. Vogue says she's leaving to do personal projects and whatever they are, Carine Carine, I hope they will be even more exciting and creatively fulfilling as your ten years at Vogue clearly have been.





It is an incredible thing, in an industry as tough as the fashion industry, by all accounts, seems to be, to find one person so universally loved and admired. I hope this is not the last we'll be seeing of her professionally, and I hope these shots that I took just a few weeks ago at her son Vladimir's art launch aren't the last chance I have to personally see her.

Carine: I wish you the very best, and know that whatever you do next, you will continue to do it with joy, exuberance, class, and above all, style.

carine: support

Hi Mom! If you're reading this I bet you're thinking 'why did she post such blurry shots?'

Actually, I know it's not 'if'. You are. I know you are, because that's one of the many ways you show your support. You show up, on my blog, every day. Even if you don't comment, I know you're there (sometimes - if I don't get in touch, you know where I am from my posts).

Just like you go to my brother's shows even tho massive rock concerts aren't normally your thing. You support us because we're still your children, no matter how old we get.

Same goes, I'm sure, for Vladimir Restoin Roitfeld, who, along with Andy Valmorbida (in collaboration with Giorgio Armani), has curated the most fabulous exhibition of the artist Richard Hambleton's paintings at The Dairy, on Wakefield Street. I went to the launch last night and it was absolutely wonderful in every way.




This wasn't even going to be the first post I did, but something about the way Carine, Vladimir's mother, shows up for his events that really touches me. I've met her daughter, Julia, but have not yet met her mom. Had I interrupted her conversation, I bet she'd have been perfectly polite and even friendly to me. But so far, I've kept my distance. My way of showing my respect: she was clearly enjoying her conversation, she didn't need yet another ambitious social climber taking up her time.





I chose the top shot - the blurry one - because the only thing in focus is her small diamond earring: a cross. Knowing that she is French, I believe that this is more than fashion, and I admire that. I loved what she wore: a long black maxi dress and some kind of fabulously home made looking brown knit cropped jumper/shawl, which had the effect of being an elegant fur stole.

Bet she's so proud of her son (as well as her daughter). Everything about the night was just so fabulous. I've got more posts coming up, been going thru shots all morning, but I just had to start with Vladimir's mum, because without her (and his dad of course), this event couldn't have conceived in the first place.

Thank you to Karmen of Armani, for inviting me.

let's play.. spot the celebrity!

It was such a fun game last time, so here goes: how many can you name in one row? Shot at the Mark Fast show: after all the hoo-hah last February about plus sized models, staff storming out, it was interesting to see this show (which I loved, btw) that he only had one 'curvy' girl, but she was gorgeous: very Mad Men with red hair in a turquoise dress.


Can you spot which yummy celebrity mum is in this shot, below? (hint: I've featured her daughter on my blog once already. Oh and she's got a really cool job).




But some, like this girl, I felt was too thin: that is not a good message to send out in terms of what is beautiful. Anyone recognise the style icon in the audience? Hint: initials KL.





There's a story behind Carine sitting on the end of this row (there's always a story!). That will be my next post.

Actually.. I'm really torn. I've got tons of model shots, catwalk shots, celebs, stylish civilians.. it's really hard to choose what to post. Some blog friends have said they're afraid to keep posting London Fashion Week shots after a few weeks - as if, like wearing white after Labour Day, it's a big fashion faux pas. But I don't want to cram a ton of posts into one day.. you tell me. What do you want? We aim to please here at Polka Dot Inc.

So.. your thoughts on Mark Fast's collection this season. Fingers on buzzers please.