New York Fashion Week SS 2014....Joan

Puerto Rican model Joan Smalls, after Donna Karan, NYC, September 2013.

Paris Fashion Week SS 2014....Joan

Puerto Rican model Joan Smalls, after Stella McCartney, Paris, September 2013.

The harness over Joan's leopard print blouse sort of looks like it has been inspired by girls wearing backpacks over their shoulders.....

Recreate Joan's look (kind of):

Equipment Signature blouse, Maje Dindi leopard-print shirt, Tamara Mellon leopard-print blouse, Equipment Slim Signature blouse, Nasty Gal Hell Cat blouse, or Sonia by Sonia Rykiel Wild Dots blouse

New York Fashion Week SS 2014....Joan

Puerto Rican model Joan Smalls, after Alexander Wang, NYC, September 2013.

One way to style the Equipment multi-plaid shirt: tie it around your waist over distressed denim shorts like Joan has!

Paris Fashion Week AW 2012...Joan

Joan Smalls, Tuileries, Paris, March 2012.

Recreate her look (kind of):

Boy. by Band of Outsiders leather blazer, Rag & Bone Pascal leather tuxedo jacket, Vince leather blazer or See by Chloe wool and leather jacket

Topshop co-ord scallop edge boucle skirt or Moschino Cheap and Chic boucle skirt

New York Fashion Week AW 2012....Backstage at Tory Burch

Backstage at Tory Burch Fall-Winter 2012 show, NYC, Tuesday 14th February 2012.

Things that were firmly on my wish list after the Tory Burch show: a gold bow headband (so sweet and it even had a tiny Tory Burch logo embedded on the bow); a personal hairdresser* on call at all times to coiffure my hair into a french pleat (studded with pretty flower hairpins) - with a healthy dash of messiness to ensure that it doesn't look too prim; a beautiful full length evening dress (as worn by Joan Smalls) complete with seamstress to sew it closed!. How they do this without pricking a finger (or the model!) in the frenetic atmosphere backstage is beyond me; a ladylike chain handbag - I loved the snakeskin and tortoiseshell detailing (okay, so probably my camera isn't going to fit in one of these but they were so gorgeous I would make an exception ;); an oxblood red crinkly-leather (not the technical name but I am not sure how else to describe it) trench coat (sexy and elegant all at once); rolls of Gracie handpainted wallpaper. I adored the backdrop to the runway which was covered in wallpaper depicting Chinese scenes; a pair of Spectator pumps and elbow-length leather gloves; a leather plaid dress, skirt and trousers (for me, stand-out pieces); a simple peplum top (I loved the quote from Alber Elbaz on Fashionista last week "I created the peplum so you can eat in it,” Elbaz said. “You can have a dessert, you can have another sandwich".); a stack of Chiavari chairs (which worked so well with the Gracie wallpaper and printed runway carpet reminiscent of a five star hotel) and a beautiful ivory coat with exaggerated peter-pan collar and bow nestled at the waist.

p.s. The colours are a bit squiffy (the lighting is rather tricky for the way I shoot) but sometimes that's just the way I roll :)

* Eugene Souleiman if possible please ;)

New York Fashion Week AW 2011...Joan

Joan Smalls in pansy-print Givenchy, after Carolina Herrera, NYC, February 2012.

Recreate Joan's look (kind of):

Givenchy Iris tee or shirt (Iris = the new Pansy print)

New York Fashion Week SS 2012...Valerija and Joan

Valerija Kelava and Joan Smalls in denim after Rag&Bone, NYC, September 2011.

 p.s. Can anyone I.D. Valerija's bag??? I rather think it could work as my new camera bag.....