Nineties Nostalgia

Photos from Homotography

I've been obsessed with all of the press for the Versace SS12 goods. The graphic baroque print is a must have for any fashionista this summer. Found these photos by Charles Quiles titled "Nineties Nostalgia" shot for Bullet magazine. Absolutely in love with the style; studded shorts, floral, leather, and gold chains [yes, please].

Givenchy Suede Shoes

Came across these suede beauties on ssense.com. They're already on sale, so probably from a previous season, but I fell in love with the cork soles.

Givenchy Suede shoes in beige with round tapered toe and lace-up closure. Seam detail at heel and cork midsole. $395

Rolex 16220 Oyster Perpetual in Stainless Steel with Roman Markers

Whenever I'm wearing a watch someone is bound to ask me what time it is. Unfortunately for them, I only wear a watch for decoration so it's usually never set to the right time. I'm not a huge watch fan [except for Nick Lachey's Jacob & Co. watch he received from then wife Jessica Simpson] but I can appreciate the luxury behind a Rolex. That, and a friend has harassed me to the point that I've decided to learn more.

Rolex is a Swiss manufacturer of high-quality, luxury wristwatches. They are also the largest single luxury watch brand in the world, producing about two thousand watches per day.

In 1905, Hans Wilsdorf and his brother-in-law Alfred Davis founded "Wilsdorf and Davis" in London. Their main business at the time was importing Hermann Aegler's Swiss movements to England and placing them in quality watch cases made by Dennison and others. These early wristwatches were sold to jewellers, who then put their own names on the dial. The earliest watches from Wilsdorf and Davis were usually hallmarked "W&D" inside the caseback.

Just three years later, Wilsdorf registered the trademark "Rolex" and opened an office in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland. The word "Rolex" was made up, but its origin is obscure. Wilsdorf was said to want his watch brand's name to be easily pronounceable in any language. He also thought that the name "Rolex" sounded like a watch being wound and short enough to fit on the face of a watch. One story, never confirmed by Wilsdorf, is that the name came from the French phrase horlogerie exquise, meaning "exquisite clockwork". In 1919, Wilsdorf moved the company to Geneva, Switzerland where it was established as the Rolex Watch Company. Its name was later changed to Montres Rolex, SA and finally Rolex, SA.

Upon the death of his wife in 1944, Wilsdorf established the Hans Wilsdorf Foundation in which he left all of his Rolex shares, making sure that some of the company's income would go to charity. The company is still owned by a private trust and shares are not traded on any stock exchange.

The company has paved the way for many innovations in watchmaking; automatic and quartz movements, water resistant cases [up to 11,000 metres under water], and the first watch to show two time zones at once.

Probably the coolest piece of history for the company was its involvement in criminal activity in 1996. In a famous murder case, the Rolex on Ronald Platt's wrist eventually led to the arrest of his murderer, Albert Johnson Walker [a financial planner who had fled from Canada when he was charged with 18 counts of fraud, theft, and money laundering]. When Platt's body was found in the English Channel, a Rolex wristwatch was the only identifiable object on the body. Since the Rolex movement had a serial number and was engraved with special markings every time it was serviced, British police traced the service records from Rolex and Platt was identified as the owner of the watch and the victim of the murder. In addition British police were able to determine the date of death by examining the date on the watch calendar and since the Rolex movement had a reserve of two to three days of operation when inactive and was fully waterproof, they were able to determine the time of death within a small margin of error.

The company designs three major lines; Professional, Cellini, and the Oyster Perpetual [pictured in stainless steel with a silver dial and bold Roman markers]. And if Jacob & Co. is more your style, you can find a Rolex adorned with precious jewels, but with far more history and luxury behind it.

Burberry Gladiator Sandals

LUST at first sight. Just happened to stumble upon these amazing gladiator sandals while shopping at Barney's New York on Wilshire this weekend. I have to say I was a bit surprised that they were Burberry, but ever since I set eyes on the Givenchy studded men's gladiators a few years ago, I've been dying to strap up and get all roman warrior on the world. $795 and a major competitor against the Gucci ones I fell in love with at the beginning of the season. Haven't found them on any online site, and this is the only image I could find online. Which makes me want them even more!

Diesel Shioner 008PN

As a denim junkie, it's a bit shocking that I have yet to purchase a pair of Diesel jeans. The brand is considered to be a staple for most, but, it seems everytime I fall into lust with a pair they're never the $180 ones, but more like the $325 ones [pictured] from the SS11 Collection. I'm not sure I'm ready to commit that much to a new brand.

The Shioner 008PN is a low waisted, denim cotton, five pocket, light wash pair, featuring a delave effect [i had to look it up too, it means washed out], slashed detailing, boning, zip fly closure, and logo details. I'm sick of all the rinse and raw straight leg denim and am so glad someone put out something different for once. Let's move on to new washes in the denim world!

Love Nail Tree 'Wrung Me Up' Tee

I'm exposed to a lot of fashion, so when something really excites me I'm all over it. When it's as reasonable as $36 it's a done deal. I had to have this tee from Love Nail Tree as soon as I saw it, I guess it related to me in obvious ways.

Love Nail Tree is motivated and fueled by a desire to provoke conversation about topics neglected and often ignored by our culture. Made with love in sunny Los Angeles, this unbleached, organic cotton crew neck tee features a subliminated chest print and symbolically reads "you've wrung me out too many times." Inside text includes a contemplatie story, "we will change the world with the stories we tell..."

Gucci Woven Leather Holdall

This bag has proven to be the highlight of Gucci's SS11 Collection. A supple brown leather holdall with woven handles, a detachable travel tag, discreet double 'G' insignia and a panel of woven intreccio detail. It is beyond timeless [or as us fashion icons say "an investment piece"] and I can definitely see myself toting this on the plane to New York next month holding l'Officiel Hommes and the iPod. However, at $4,700 it will probably be the only thing I'd be wearing, and something tells me I won't make it past security at LAX naked with an amazing bag.

Yves Saint Laurent Leather High Top Sneakers

I'm a sucker for a white high top sneaker. Check these out from Yves Saint Laurent. White leather high top sneakers with a perforated 'Y' motif on the toe, YSL embossed tongue and branded heel, velcro ankle strap, and grey trim at the tongue. Wear them before, during, and after Labor Day. $595

Band of Outsiders Suede Baseball Jacket

I immediately lusted after this jacket when it appeared in the GQ Spring Style Preview sometime last month. Band of Outsiders baseball jacket in soft khaki suede with red and blue striped cuffs, collar, and waistband, $1,590.

 Their AW11 show is one of my favorites, which means it will only get better next season!

l'Officiel Hommes

I talk about it enough, I thought I should tell you about it. l'Officiel Hommes is one of my favorite twenty-dollars-for-a-magazine-you-don't-really-need guilty pleasures. Big, glossy, high fashion, and in French, which means I can't actually read it. The cover pictured is actually the first issue that landed in my hands, and the first time I fell in love with frequent guest, and my first Model Lust subject, Andres Velencoso.

l'Officiel Hommes made history in 2005 as a magazine created for the first time by a stylist and not by a journalist. Marie-José Susskind-Jalou,of Editions Jalou Publications, asked one of the founders of the Colette boutique in Paris, Milan Vukmirovic, to make a bi-annual magazine dedicated one hundered percent to fashion. It sets out to adress the trends of each season and presents a luxurious showcase for men's fashion.

Diesel Coral Riff Trunk

I realize I have a fetish for swim trunks. I think I just love to be in the sun. But, here's another pair to sweat under the sun in with a glass of Absolut Citron and 7Up.

Diesel's Coral Riff trunk [in my favorite of the three colors, Coral] features a drawstring closure, internal slip, elasticised waist, and side logo print. At only $55 you'll still have plenty of cash to get into all the Vegas pool parties.

Marc by Marc Jacobs Fluro Turnlock Bracelet

While I'm on the subject of anything but "beige", check out the Marc by Marc Jacobs Fluro Turnlock bracelet. That's actually neon fabric cord running through the gold chain links and it's pretty dope fresh. It's also available in other colors, including silver with neon yellow. If Nicki Minaj were a bracelet, she'd look something like this, and she looks pretty amazing on my wrist.

Cartier Panther Ring

There are probably only two rings I fantasize about. One includes a sizeable canary diamond, and the other is the Cartier Panther ring. Seen on the hands of Rachel Zoe, Cameron Diaz, and Lady Gaga [to name only a few], it celebrates Cartier and their infamous "Bestiary" theme. In fact, the Panther has been iconic for Cartier since it's first piece of jewelry to celebrate the animal in 1914. There are many variations available, but it takes a substantial amount of pocket change to tame even the entry level style.

Marc by Marc Jacobs 'California' Swim Trunks

Who wears short shorts? Thank you Fred Segal for welcoming these Marc by Marc Jacobs swim trunks into my life. Summer could not come fast enough to lounge poolside or hit the beach in these.

Tom Ford Ace Sunglasses

I definitely have a fetish for sunglasses, and an even bigger fetish for luxury sunglasses. Tragically, the ones that I search high and low for and cherish, I end up either losing [my Valentino's that are now buried treasure at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean] or breaking [the Gucci's that I waited six months for].

Luckily, these have proven to be easily accessible at Saks Fifth Avenue, which gives me hope they'll last while in my possession. Tom Ford can do no wrong in my book, as evident with this summers "Ace". The bigger the better, and better than bigger is the smoke gradient lenses. I'm picturing these poolside in Vegas this summer already.

Gucci Thong with Horsebit

Ever since reading The House of Gucci by Sara Gay Forden, I've been borderline obsessed with anything Gucci does with the horsebit. Case in point: I've recently debated on a horsebit tattoo. Even though it's only myth that the Gucci family were saddlers to medieval courts, the equestrian history is like a jockey riding atop the fashion label. The double stitching used in saddlemaking, the green and red webbing from girth straps, and hardware shaped like stirrups and horsebits are all common design elements each season.

Which is why I've recently been debating on how I'm going to get my feet into these sandals from this summers collection. Brown leather, dark palladium hardware, and a leather sole. $395, but as Aldo Guccio once said, "quality is remembered long after price is forgotten".