Sandi Farkas is both patron and artist. Not only is she a playwright herself, but she’s Founder of PoNY (Playwrights of New York), a nonprofit that offers emerging playwrights financial and artistic support, from rent and a stipend to help locating theaters and resources for their plays. Here, wearing Tory’s Chrissy dress, Sandi gives us her insider view into the theater scene — including the five essential steps to becoming a playwright.
Astrology expert Susie Cox gives us the lowdown on what to expect now that we’re in the air sign of Aquarius (January 19th – February 18th).
You saw her this morning on The Today Show, sharing shopping advice on pulling off winter whites. Now, get InStyle Executive Editor Amy Synnott’s tips on best beauty practices — including the perfect remedy for puffy eyes. Plus, read all about her favorite apps and must-visit websites, and learn her three essential wardrobe rules.
Kate Ciepluch has always been a girl on the go and things are no different now that she’s launched LAVEER, a concise and chic edit of blazers and jackets. We caught up with the New York-based designer — here wearing Tory’s Isabel top and Nicole short — while she was in California and got her pro tips on packing and how to turn your hotel into a home-away-from-home.
As Peter Beard celebrates his birthday today, why not lose yourself in his legacy with the newly reissued Into the Wild, which chronicles his romance with Kenya — all 706 pages worth? The book documents both the African wilderness and a man’s fascination with it, transforming already powerful scenes through the photographer’s signature mixed-media manipulation and collage work. The result is both commanding and electrifying: breathtaking (and at times shocking) photographs mixed in with diary entries, ephemera and newspaper clippings, plus a shot of high glamour with appearances by Veruschka, Mick Jagger, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Andy Warhol…
(c) Peter Beard all rights reserved, courtesy of the Peter Beard Studio
After surfing polluted waters in Bali, actor and musician Mark Wystrach was motivated to start The People’s Movement (a.k.a. MOVMT) in 2011 with co-founders Kevin Flanagan and Chris Swortwood. The Los Angeles-based brand turns plastic bags cleaned up from Bali into shoes and accessories, with a portion of proceeds preventing further plastic pollution worldwide. Here, we chat with Mark about his mission, his music and why he likes traveling to Mexico.
Gifts that come straight from the heart are the best kind, and our Valentine’s Day accessories show no ordinary love. Featuring vibrant, hand-drawn hearts inspired by Mexican milagritos and folk art, these are special pieces that you — or the ones you love — will adore.
For graphic designer and eat.sleep.wear blogger Kimberly Pesch, the face is a canvas, primed and ready for a perfect cat-eye swipe or an everlasting bright lip. Here wearing Tory’s Kerstin sweater, she shares her tips and techniques for achieving both — plus, her Pinterest obsession and more.
Between the two of them, editors Rose Apodaca and Andy Griffith have interviewed a constellation of bold-faced names in their separate careers, from Donatella Versace and Dennis Hopper to celebrated chef Suzanne Goin. But together they’re the brains behind one of our favorite design stores in Los Angeles: the beautifully (and coolly) curated A+R. As part of our spotlight on the sunny city, we spoke with Andy and Rose — here wearing Tory’s Carolina dress — about first jobs, L.A. design talent and what it takes to start, and maintain, your own business.
While the Hollywood set’s been abuzz about the Golden Globes and we’ve been celebrating our Rodeo Drive Collection and film, the tech industry’s been having a moment of its own: the recent Consumer Electronics Show, which took place last week. Here, Wired’s Mark McClusky gives us the inside scoop on all the news and new gadgets you need to know…
As West Coast VIP relations director for Tom Ford, native Angeleno Crystal Lourd is responsible for wrangling major red-carpet exposure — think Gwyneth Paltrow on Oscar night. Here wearing Tory’s Ava jacket, the mother of three tells us about her life and style in L.A. — including favorite spots to take out-of-town friends, what’s in her closet and where she gets her disco on after dark. She even gives us the scoop on her famous poolside BBQs…
Take it easy — and make it easy. Head straight from chaise lounge to lunch (or poolside cocktail hour at the Chateau Marmont, if you prefer) in Tory’s Soraya tunic — it’s incredibly chic in an undone, bohemian sort of way. Plus, it looks equally good off the beach as on. Just add sandals.
As the sun goes down over the Hollywood sign and the twinkling lights come on in the houses that cover the Canyon, there’s perhaps no spot more alluring at cocktail hour than the Chateau Marmont. Hidden up in the Hills, this haven of retro glamour and quiet calm is the perfect escape and the ultimate antidote to a crazy day in L.A. Here, the hotel’s bartender shares the secret recipes for a few cocktails that harken back to the days when Marilyn Monroe and Greta Garbo were regulars, and you might just spot James Dean unwinding after a day on set…
What a bash! We celebrated our new store on Rodeo Drive with an opening party this week. Head on over to InStyle’s coverage here to see all the pictures — not to mention the people and the fashion.
Rodeo Drive, host to our newest flagship, has had its memorable moments on film: when a certain Pretty Woman went on a shopping spree, for instance. For a lesser-known — but equally unforgettable — portrait of the iconic Beverly Hills stretch, we take a flashback to three decades ago. Photographer and Vietnam war vet Anthony Hernandez was inspired to take his first ever color images by the bustling everyday scene. The result? MACK’s Rodeo Drive, 1984 book, a 41-shot series documenting shoppers in the heady excess of 1984 — daydreaming, unaware or caught mid-conversation.
Last night, we celebrated our flagship in one of the world’s shopping meccas: Rodeo Drive. Make a pilgrimage to check out our new Beverly Hills home — which features an open terrace and a fantastic fretwork front. Then, while you’re in the neighborhood, head on over to another one of L.A.’s famous drags — Sunset Boulevard — for a chopped salad by the pool at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Take a peek in our Los Angeles travel guide for more sunny-city stopping points, and scope out our L.A. issue here on The Tory Blog for can’t-miss spots from local tastemakers.
Go to Tory’s Los Angeles City Guide here.
There are two stars in Lisa Eisner’s new film, above. The first: Tory’s Rodeo Collection, inspired by the beauty of Southern California. The second? Lotusland, a fantastical garden hideaway tucked away in Montecito. They complement one another perfectly — each an escape to something glamorous and elegant. But together here, set to the tune of Julia Holter’s dreamy My Baby, they create a world and gorgeous reverie of their own where, as Lisa puts it, “magic happens.”
We chatted with Lisa Eisner about the inspirations and the story behind her new film, which shines a spotlight on Tory’s Rodeo Drive collection. Read all about her favorite moments and why she chose to shoot at Lotusland — plus, discover the next garden she’s set her creative sights on.
Polish opera singer and socialite Ganna Walska married six times, but her true love turned out to be an estate just outside Santa Barbara, California — to which she devoted 43 fruitful years. There, she transformed a sprawling 37 acres into her otherworldly Lotusland, hanging succulents that call to mind jellyfish, planting the swimming pool with her beloved lotuses and collecting priceless rare specimens — some of which are extinct in the wild. Her “million dollar garden” — named after the amount she fetched auctioning off her extensive collection of diamonds, sapphires and emeralds to finance the grounds’ development and the exotic backdrop for Lisa Eisner’s film featuring the Rodeo collection — is now open to the public, by appointment only.
Not only are we celebrating our new flagship on Rodeo Drive with a film by Lisa Eisner and an opening party tonight, but Tory’s also created a special collection to mark the moment. Here wearing the Isabel gown paired with beaded drop earrings, Tory talks to us about the Rodeo Collection’s inspirations and the store design itself.
No film is complete without a soundtrack and, for Lisa Eisner’s beautifully cinematic take on Tory’s Rodeo Drive collection, that song comes courtesy of the L.A.-based Julia Holter — her dreamy My Baby perfectly captures the moment. Here, wearing Tory’s Grayson coat, Jasmine top and Drew pant, Julia tells us about the song’s inspiration and dishes on stage style and touring highs and lows.
The Resort 2014 celebration continues. We’ve updated our Instagram-ready photo frames on the Tory Daily app with a selection inspired by the season’s key prints, including bold nautical stripes and the graphic fan-like Madura. There’s also a simple gold logo for the minimalists at heart and, for those who like a shot of elegant flair, a frame with “Divine” — a signature expression of Tory’s mother Reva.
Download Tory Daily here to get the new frames.
As both Creative Director for L.A.-based boutique Satine’s private label and Co-President of nonprofit Baby2Baby, Kelly Sawyer has style and far-reaching interests. Here wearing Tory’s Vesper top at Arcana Books — the go-to place in Los Angeles for rare art, fashion and photography books — she shares her L.A. closet must-have, quick-fix beauty tip and some words of wisdom from DVF.
“I love this picture with my cast from Hart of Dixie. We are all chilling at the Warner Brothers studio. To me, this is a group of artists who followed their hearts and made their dreams come true. This is what is so magical about L.A. — the beauty of hard work and persistence that manifests a high creativity and way to share it with the world.” — Jaime King