Meet the Artist: Josef Hoflehner
Some images pulse; Josef Hoflehner’s are, instead, supremely serene — and that’s precisely their power. The Austrian landscape photographer manages to capture a grandness and elegant solitude in even the most unlikely scenarios, like the beachgoer-filled Waikiki (third slide, above). Here, the lensman talked to us about unimpaired horizons and shooting 60 floors above the ground.
Insider’s Guide: Kacey Musgraves’ Nashville
They don’t call it Music City for nothing. Here, the country music singer-songwriter shares her secrets to the Tennessee capital, from best eats and drinks to her favorite place to catch the latest bands.
Book of the Week: & Sons
David Gilbert’s & Sons opens with the funeral of Charles Topping, a pillar of New York’s elite establishment. We zero in on the man delivering the eulogy: his best friend A.N. Dyer, the reclusive author whose novel defined a generation à la J. D. Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye. As the story unfolds, we follow Dyer, who, faced with his own mortality, tries to bring his three estranged sons back together to tie up the loose ends left behind by a life in which professional ambition and narcissism trumped familial obligations. It’s an absolute page-turner — unexpected twists; dark secrets — that also paints the perfect picture of Cheever Country (Manhattan’s Upper East Side) with all the pit stops of a true insider. A born-and-bred New Yorker, Gilbert doesn’t just pull the curtain back on the nattily dressed characters who inhabit this world, we’re right up there in the midst of the intrigue.
To Do: Chris Johanson at MOCA
Chris Johanson is having a moment. The California artist, who thrived in the skateboarding and punk rock scenes, has a major solo show going on at The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, in which he melds expressionist strokes with a meditative spirit. He recently hosted the Quiet Music Festival of Portland (which he founded in 2011), and is in the midst of curating another show in L.A. this fall celebrating the creative process. And have we mentioned the fountain? He’s designing one for New York’s Standard hotel in collaboration with artist (and wife) Johanna Jackson.
Untitled (A Sense of Something Happening), 2012
Look We Love: From Berry to Bordeaux
Fall 2013’s palette of rich plums, berries and bordeaux works a feminine mood that’s coolly confident and sophisticated, too. Pair it back with abstracted leopard prints, gentle plaids or pretty paillettes to further up the glamour factor.
Most Wanted: Clay Tote
One chic bag, two stylish ways to wear it. Take your look from sleek and minimal to toughed-up cool in a simple step. With a quick flick of the zipper, our large Clay tote goes from classic to edgy. Bonus: Revealing the python-printed leather on the sides also makes the bag wonderfully roomier.
Trend: Smells Like Grunge Spirit
It was the early Nineties. Nirvana’s Nevermind struck a chord with its raw alt-rock anthems. Marc Jacobs’s landmark 1992 grunge collection for Perry Ellis paired flannel shirts with cashmere thermals…and famously got him fired. Those cultural touchstones may be twenty-something now, but there’s no doubt about it: Grunge is back, and brings with it a new take on fall layering. Pile on contrasting prints. Embrace the idea of a button-down shirt, left open over a dress. And don’t forget the lean black jeans. All in the name of a little nostalgic nonchalance…and a lot of cool.
Above, from left, Tory’s Eloise cardigan, Felicia top, Libby top, Denise dress and Super Skinny jeans in black rinse.
To Do: James Turrell at the Guggenheim
You’ve never seen New York’s Guggenheim Museum like this — and by “this” we mean bathed in a shifting spectrum of light, from violets and blues to greens, oranges and pinks. It’s James Turrell’s breathtaking exhibit at — takeover of? — Frank Lloyd Wright’s iconic building, in which he toys with our perception of light and space. The immersive Aten Reign (above) transforms the central rotunda while Turrell’s other works on display, equally serene and transporting, like 1967’s Afrum I (White)’s floating cube, clue the viewer in on the artist’s early career. Not in the city? The Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston are also hosting their own Turrell retrospectives.
Insider’s Guide: Babi Ahluwalia’s Provence
As Co-Founder and Creative Director of fashion label Sachin + Babi and home collection Ankasa, the New York-based Babi Ahluwalia is synonymous with intricate embroideries and textiles from her native India. But her vacation plans veer decidedly to the West — specifically, the French countryside. Here, she reports back from a recent trip with husband (and business partner) Sachin and their two daughters. Learn all about their travel traditions, including a family game called…Headbands.
Behind Design: L’ArcoBaleno’s Ambra Medda
Ambra Medda’s already created one design destination — she’s founder of the popular fair Design Miami/ — and is now hitting the digital space with another. L’ArcoBaleno is her new e-commerce site dedicated to all things design, and we mean all things. You’ll find everything from the coolest chairs and electric bikes to Maria Callas-themed plates and kachina dolls. We got some one-on-one time with Ambra here.
Video: Tory On Fall 2013
Ready to fall in love with our Fall 2013 collection? Here, Tory takes us through some of her favorite highlights — and reveals the place that inspired it all.
Video: Fall 2013 Backstage Beauty
This fall, we’re putting forward a fresh, confident face. See how makeup artist Diane Kendal highlighted natural beauty backstage before our Fall 2013 runway show.
Fall 2013: Looks, Decoded
A great structured sheath, check. Leather-trim pants, check. Cozy turtleneck and romantic blouse, check and check. But what happens when you layer these looks, all chic on their own, in completely unexpected ways? Well, the whole really is greater — and so much cooler — than the sum of its parts. We break down five of Fall’s best outfits and teach you how to rethink the layered look. A leather jacket under a cardigan? Why not?
Click images to shop each look — or shop the complete lookbook here.
Fall 2013: Lookbook
A little Gustav Klimt, a soupçon of René Lalique and a whole lot of beautiful textures and rich embellishments — that’s the crux of our Fall 2013 inspiration, which plays out in subtle leopard prints, velvet florals, glazed tweed coats and fil coupé dresses. Here, photographer Norman Jean Roy and models Caroline Brasch Nielsen, Tilda Lindstam and Liu Wen helped us capture that mood, which reads equal parts romantic and free-spirited, against the expansive backdrop of New York’s historic Woolworth Estate.
Tory On: Fall 2013
What began with a few trips to the Neue Galerie in New York ended with a Fall story filled with intricate details, beautiful berry shades and subtle romance. Here, Tory tells us all about the collection’s inspirations and trends.
Color Trend: Berry
In the spectrum between red and purple, there are myriad bewitching shades, from rich violets and wines to gorgeous saturated berries — all striking and perfect for fall. And whether you go bold with a head-to-toe look or opt for a subtle pop of color with accessories, the mood you’ll exude remains the same: confident and refined romance.
Video: Fall 2013
Rich jewel tones. Beautiful, intricate detailing. An opulent, iconic estate. All three come together in our Fall 2013 video, by filmmaker Matt Baron. Models Liu Wen, Caroline Brasch Nielsen and Tilda Lindstam explore the storied Woolworth Mansion in Glen Cove, Long Island, their easy chic and sophisticated romance complemented perfectly by Lower Dens’s evocative track Blue & Silver. Take a peek for yourself and see if you don’t agree.
What’s Your Sign? Leo
What’s ahead, now that we’re in the fire sign of Leo (July 22nd – August 22nd)? Astrology expert Susie Cox tells us.
Meet the Band: The Girls of Boy
Forget another boy band: Boy is comprised of two super-stylish girls, Swiss singer Valeska Steiner, left, and German bassist Sonja Glass. Here, the pop duo — who are gearing up for a U.S. tour this fall — talk about their song of summer and desert island mixtapes.
Best Dressed: Singer-Songwriter Yuna
Already a hit in her native Malaysia, Yuna — yes, one word, like Madonna — has been making a splash on Stateside shores, with appearances on Conan and Jay Leno and a lead single produced by Pharrell Williams. Expect to hear more about the artist, who also has her own boutique dubbed IAMJETFUEL, once her second record debuts this fall. We chatted with Yuna — here wearing Tory’s Wren sweater, Ivy Super Skinny jeans, Grayson coat, Halland silk scarf — about that retail gig and…her music, of course.
Guest Playlist: ELLE’s Summer 2013
Windows down, hair whipping in the wind…it’s that time of year: road-trip-to-the-beach time. ELLE guest-curated the perfect soundtrack for that quintessential summer moment, so crank up these tunes and head for the waves.
Hear it now on Spotify.
Music Tastemaker: Amanda Brooks
What songs does the chic author and brains behind the I Love Your Style blog have on repeat right now? Find out.
10 Minutes with an Entrepreneur: Steve Stoute
Steve Stoute is a legend in the music industry. He managed Mary J. Blige and Nas, was a top executive at Interscope and Sony Music and now heads up his own ad agency Translation, linking brands and pop culture, with business partner Jay-Z. Need further proof of his impressive exploits? Earlier this year Ad Age named Steve its Executive of the Year. We got his entrepreneurial advice here.
New on the Scene: Charlie Bird Restaurant
Though its name might call to mind jazz icon Charlie Parker (whose nickname was “Bird”), it’s just as likely that you’ll hear hip hop lowly thumping from the speakers at Charlie Bird. The Italian-accented restaurant, housed in New York’s South Village, boasts a mean roasted chicken and a vast 100-bottle wine list. Above, chef and co-owner Ryan Hardy shares the perfect summer dinner menu — buon appetito!