Best Restaurants in Paris

Star Parisian chefs take a casual turn-

THE trend of three-star chefs' opening casual restaurants has spread from the United States - where the process is now taken for granted - to France, where until recently the tenet that a great chef must remain in his restaurant has held sway. No one exemplifies this better than Alain Ducasse, the superchef who has nine Michelin stars (three stars each in Paris, Monte Carlo and New York), and what amounts to a miniempire.
Casual dining in Paris has needed something of a boost. The city is well known for restaurants where casual means cramped quarters, challenging service and predictable if sometimes wonderful food, and everyone - especially Americans, it seems - has been willing to put up with it. This new wave, however, is decidedly French but still creative, and occasionally even boasts relatively comfortable surroundings.
-Mark Bittman, The New York Times

For more style, fashion, and art, visit Anastasia

Artist Profile:

Ali Farhoodi
Los Angeles

"I take time to observe, examine and capture pictures
of objects and elements that are elusive, beautiful
and real, but frequently go un-noticed in a fast paced
and visually cluttered environment that promotes
inattention and distraction. My work is not digitally
manipulated, superimposed or cut-and-pasted. Every
image is composed at the time it is taken, the camera
is seldom straight, perspective is crushed and light
is optimally used. "
To view more of Ali's work, visit Anastasia Gallery

Under Cover Lab

The Undercover lab in Tokyo is Jun Takahashi's undercover architectural masterpiece.

Under Cover Labs is a design studio for one of Japan's leading fashion designers, Jun Takahashi of Under Cover. The building itself is very undercover. Not only is it tucked away in the back streets of Harajuku in Tokyo, but the site is also very deceiving. A narrow but long driveway leads to a 12m x 12m site at the rear. - A weekly dose of architecture

The newest creative designer from Japan...

Undercover
Japan
Jun Takahashi is a founder and head designer of cult Japanese label 'Undercover'. Born in Kiryu, Gunma prefecture, Japan in September 1969, Takahashi studied Fashion Design at the Bunka Academy of Fashion. During his study period, he founded the 'Undercover' brand with his friend and classmate, Nigo (who now heads the inconic Japanese streetwear label 'A Bathing Ape'). Following his graduation in 1991, Takahashi continued to develop his Undercover label and showcased his A/W '94-'95 collection in Tokyo in March 2004. In October 2002, his Undercover S/S '03 collection debuted during Paris Fashion Week. By 2003, Takahashi had received two prestigious prizes, awarded by the Japanese daily newspaper 'Mainichi'. Takahashi has become renowned for his unique sense of street fashion and his use of 'weird and wonderful' references, ranging from flower bouquets, Stanley Kubrick's "A Clockwork Orange", taxidermy and Japanese Manga art. The Undercover label has received support and enthusiasm from notable designers including Miuccia Prada and Rei Kawakubo and writer Suzy Menkes, who recently hailed Takahashi 'the essence of Japanese cool'. Takahashi works from his Tokyo-based design studio entitled the 'Undercoverlab' that was designed by the Klein Dytham archirectural group in 2001 and continues to show as part of the official Paris Fashion Week schedule. As well as twelve stores in locations including Hong Kong, Taiwan and Tokyo. the Undercover label also occupies a 'stall' at Rei Kawakubo's retail concept 'Dover Street' in London. In 2005, Takahashi was invited by Canon to create an Undercover limited-edition digital camera case and in 2006, was chosen to guest edit the June edition of the Belgian 'A Magazine'.
-Show Studio.
To view the Undercover Collection, visit Undercover at Anastasia

The Most Creative Designers in the World Today

Yohji Yamamoto
Japan

Y's Y's is the first line created by Fashion Designer Yohji Yamamoto in the beginning of the seventies ( first show in 1977 in Tokyo) Yohji Yamamoto designed a collection for women based on men's garments, cut in uncluttered shapes, washed fabrics and dark colors.These clothes expressed a functional elegance and sobriety that Yohji Yamamoto would reaffirm, a few years later with Y's for men. Today, Y's and Y's for men have taken their place as practical, day to day wear beyond the bounds of fashion and shifting trends. Yohji Yamamoto In 1981 Yohji Yamamoto presented his first Yohji Yamamoto collection in Paris and in 1984 he presented his first Yohji Yamamoto pour Homme collection Fabric is always the starting point of his design, and the superposition of clothing is what defines the best his silhouette Yohji Yamamoto clothes destructured and ample In the begining, evolved through time into something more structured , fitted to the body in a spirit of couture -with- a- twist Yohji Yamamoto + Noir This collection is based on classic and timeless pieces of theYohji Yamamoto line.Each season half of the collection changes, while the other half stays the same . Yohji Yamamoto + Noir is almost entirely black with a punctuation of bright colors. Deluxe women's ready-to-wear Yohji Yamamoto Deluxe men's ready-to-wear Yohji Yamamoto pour Homme Women's ready-to-wear Y's Men's ready-to-wear Y'S for Men This line includes Y's for men Shirt and the "Red Label",in refined fabrics,et which is directly inspired from the wardrobe of Mr Yamamoto. Y's for men shirt is available only in Japan. Women's ready-to-wear Yohji Yamamoto. To view the Y's collection, visit Yohji Yamamoto at Anastasia

Sharon Wauchob
Paris and Ireland

Sharon Wauchob is the latest designer from Ireland to receive international acclaim. Born in Co Tyrone in 1971, Wauchob graduated from Central St Martins, London, in 1993. On graduation, she worked with designer Koji Tatsuno for four years, and in 1997 moved to Paris, working with Louis Vuitton on textile development and accessories.
Wauchob has a special interest in exploring the possibilities of unusual material and fabrics. Her clothes are characterised by much wrapping, folding, and gathering, as well as elaborate pleating and stitching techniques. Taking fabric out of context, features of her clothing include experimentation with color and use of light and tone.
In 1998, Wauchob launched her own label and had her first show. Working from Tyrone and Paris, her brand is receiving attention from international fashion editors and buyers. To view the Sharon Wauchob collection, visit Sharon Wauchob at Anastasia

Ritsuko Shirahama
Japan

Majored in English and American Literature at Seikei University. Finished Vantan Design Institute and joined Alpha Cubic Co., Ltd in 1990. Joined Almond Eye in 1983 and launched her own eponymous label in 1984. Debuted her runway collection line at Tokyo Collection in 1988. Worked at Paris Atmosphere Exhibition in 1995. Began to export to Europe and the US in 1996 and has sold to 50 shops in 10 countries. Opened her Ritsuko Shirahama shop in Daikanyama, Tokyo. Started Re*r Ritsuko Shirahama in 2004. To view the Ritsuko Collection, visit Ritsuko Shirahama at Anastasia

Junya Watanabe
Japan

Born in Tokyo in 1967, Watanabe graduated from Bunka Fashion College, Tokyo, in 1984 and immediately joined Comme des Garçons as a pattern cutter and underling of founder-owner of Comme des Garçons, designer Rei Kawakubo. Three years later Watanabe began designing the Comme des Garçons 'Tricot' line and after a further five years he introduced his first own-label collection in 1992. Although designing under his own name, Watanabe still works under the overall Comme des Garçons title, which administrates and produces his collections. In 1993 Watanabe moved his shows from Tokyo to Paris and another eight years later he launched a menswear line in 2001. Junya Watanabe is renowned for his avant-garde style; in particular, his exploration of new cutting concepts, his ingenious sourcing of fabrics and innovative draping techniques. To view the Junya Watanabe Collection, visit Junya Watanabe at Anastasia

Jean Paul Gaultier
Paris



Gaultier never received formal training as a designer. Instead, he started sending sketches to famous couture stylists at an early age. Pierre Cardin was impressed by his talent and hired him as an assistant in 1970. His first individual collection was released in 1976 and his characteristic irreverent style dates from 1981, and he has long been known as the enfant terrible (bad boy) of French fashion. Many of Gaultier's following collections have been based on street wear, focusing on popular culture, whereas others, particularly his Haute Couture collections, are very formal yet at the same time unusual and playful. Jean-Paul Gaultier produced sculptured costumes for Madonna during the nineties and has also worked in close collboration with Wolford Hosiery. He popularized the use of skirts, especially kilts on men's wardrobe, and the release of designer collections. Gaultier caused shock by using unconventional models for his exhibitions, like old and fat women, pierced and heavy tattooed models, and by playing with traditional gender roles in the shows. This granted him both criticism and enormous popularity. To view the Jean Paul Gaultier Collection, visit: Jean Paul Gaultier at Anastasia

If you happen to be in Paris, visit...

Jean Paul Gaultier and Regine Chopinot


Jean-Paul Gaultier designed the costumes of some 18 ballets choreographed by Régine Chopinot from 1983 to 1994. To celebrate the couturier’s thirty years of creation in 2007 and the costumes’ transfer from the Centre Choréographique de La Rochelle to the Musée de la Mode et du Textile, this exhibition will retrace the history of this assiduous collaboration between couturier and choreographer for the first time. Examples of Jean-Paul Gaultier’s haute couture will also be shown

Until Sep 23 2007

Les Arts Décoratifs
Musée de la Mode et du Textile
107, rue de Rivoli
75001 - Paris
France www.lesartsdecoratifs.fr

Rei Kawakubo - Comme Des Garcons

Comme Des Garcons
Japan

Commes des Garcons- Fashion Designer Rei Kawakubo, founder of Comme des Garcons, was born in Tokyo in 1942. Being untrained as a fashion designer, but having studied fine arts and literature, she conveys her ideas verbally to her patternmakers. After graduation Kawakubo worked in a textile company and began working as a freelance stylist in 1967.
In 1973, she established her own company, Comme des Garcons Co., Ltd in Tokyo. Starting out with women's clothes, Kawakubo added a men's line in 1978. Two years later, she moved to Paris and presents her fashion lines there each season. At the same time she opened up her first boutique in Paris.
Following her breakthrough in Paris, Comme des Garcons clothing was often subject of exhibitions around the world.
Comme des Garcons specializes in anti-fashion, austere, sometimes deconstructed garments, sometimes lacking a sleeve or other component. Her garments are primarily in black, dark gray, and white, often worn with combat boots.
To view the Comme Des Garcons Collection, visit: Comme Des Garcons at Anastasia

Alberta Ferretti - Italy

Alberta Ferretti Philosophy
Alberta Ferretti -attracts hordes of Hollywood stars to her gentle colors and subtle sexiness. Born in Cattolica, Italy. In 1974 she launched her own label, and designs for many fashion designers, among them Jean-Paul Gaultier, Rifat Ozbek, Narciso Rodriguez and Moschino. The Ferretti style is not one of old-fashioned prettiness. Her vision is a delicate one, developing an appreciation for textiles, daintily beaded or embroidered chiffons and sari silks. Her Fall/Winter 2006 collection [showed that]she's come a long way from girly chiffon and folksy boho. From the very first look, a chain-belted sixties fur coat with rounded shoulders, it was apparent Alberta Ferretti would be making interesting strides into a new kind of sophistication....the flat, calf-high boots, the stiff, rounded capes and pod-shape skirts—weren't vintage rehash. She made a hybrid out of fall's heavier black, navy, brown, and gray wools and jerseys and her usual light, romantic pintucks and ruffles, often pulling looks together with the great unifying device of a wide metal-link belt, woven onto suede. -Sarah Mower
To view the Alberta Ferretti Collection, visit: Alberta Ferretti at Anastasia

Akira - Australia

Akira -

Australia

Akira Isogawa is one of Australia's most distinctive and respected contemporary designers. Born in Japan, he immigrated to Sydney, Australia in 1986 where he began designing for fashion. Isogawa's first collection was launched in 1994 and two years later at the inaugural Mercedes Australian Fashion Week his spring/summer 1996-97 collection received major attention and critical acclaim. Isogawa's particular design sensibility draws upon the costume and textile traditions of his native Japanese heritage and reinterprets them according to the more relaxed influences of Australian attitudes and environment. Akira has made some admirable achievements over the last few years such as winning Womenswear Designer of the Year and Australian designer of the year both of these prizes were won at the Fashion Industry Awards in 1999. in 2005 he was honoured by the Australian post and named an Australian legend ,and his face was put on a post stamp.

For more of Akira, please visit Anastasia - Akira

What is Fashion?

Thursday, June 08, 2006

The term fashion applies to a prevailing mode of expression. Inherent in the term is the idea that the mode will change more quickly than the culture as a whole. The terms "fashionable" and "unfashionable" are employed to describe whether someone or something fits in with the current popular mode of expression. The term "fashion" is often used in a negative sense, as a synonym for fads and trends. In this sense, fashions are essentially a relief from boredom, or a distraction from important matters, for the idle rich. The term is also frequently used in a positive sense, as a synonym for glamour and style. In this sense, fashions are a sort of communal art, through which a culture examines its notions of beauty and goodness.

For the latest in designer fashions, and the most discreet selections on the West Coast, visit Anastasia Boutique. You can also visit in person at:

460 Ocean Ave

Laguna Beach, CA 92651