getting ready for the carolina cup!

i can hardly believe that it time to start making dresses for the cup. four years ago i started making custom dresses out of my house. i made flyers and dropped them off at the greek village here at USC. i thought maybe i would make 10 or so dresses. boy was i wrong.... all together 78 dresses were made at the kitchen table. it was so exciting... at this point i knew that i would never return to the corporate world as long as God continued to bless me with customers, fabric and design ideas.

here is the cup flyer for this year:

the girl is the picture is an original water color sketch of our newest style. i really appreciated travis's help with the drawing and the layout. the concept of italian travel art appeals to both of us so ... ta da!

here are a few of my favorite dresses from years past...

i love when girls send me pictures... all of the dresses in the photo below are one of a kind laroque.

here are few from the southern living carolina cup party...

looking at all of these pictures from the past is so rewarding... i am so thankful for all of my customers. their interest, support and friendship mean so much to me. i am so blessed to love what i do and to have LaRoque.

ok.

back to organizing, ironing... ordering... designing cup hats... tagging new dresses... and of course helping you with your cup dresses when you come!

some of my favorite places in new york...

pop up shops every where. loved this one...

haus interiors on elizabeth in soho. do you read new york mag? they were recently featured. the small intimate space on elizabeth st. is filled with unique home goods and posh gifts. owner, nina freudenberger was great to work with. see more at

http://www.hausinterior.com/

not what i thought this was but happy to find this unique place...

before entering thought i may had found one of those places where you can rent a fab designer dress for the night. since im not sure how to tastefully tell you what it was ill let you google it. *not for young eyes

my favorite place to visit by far when in new york.

the strange green tent that has been at 76 east houston Street since 1986 is the last eclectic antique and prop store on the bowery. billy’s first incarnation was called lot 76. in those days the bowery was like the wild west. ( well, this is what billy said, i wasn't there of course. ) only the adventurous came downtown. As the sun would set on east houston the junkies and alcoholics would lurk around like zombies, asking for handouts.

the creator of lot 76 was rob fennick a forward thinking antique dealer from detroit. the tent has provided countless objects to thousands of new yorkers. all walks of life have passed through the doors: movie stars, rock stars, artists, junkies, hookers, gangsters entrepreneurs, hipsters, and today there is a new breed on the Bowery; the metro-suburbanites. but the spirit of old new york is still alive at Billy's, a good deal at a fair price. billy is a character, if in new york you have to stop by and see him.

travis became fast friends with billy... almost couldn't get him to leave.

i would have loved to have taken these chairs home to redo for my dinner room.

john varvatos in the old CBGB's is so cool. the old punk rock venue has been bought and now is

home to the john varvatos shop on bowery. the old stage is now the display for the shoes and vintage apps and posters line the walls. the clothing fits the deco.

cbgb was a music club at 315 bowery at bleecker street in manhattan. named in short for country, bluegrass and blues was founded by hilly kristal in 1973, it was originally intended to feature its names sake musical styles but instead became a forum for american punk. the ramones, nisfits, and pattie smith, the talking heads all preformed there. in later years in became the stage for murphy's law and other hand core punk music.

Before it was cool.

this small shops sells ( well, by the prices i am not sure if they are really there to sell .... the lamp i hoped to bring home was tagged at $3, 200. ) so, as you guessed, it is still there. the museum/ shop entry is an old garage door that if you don't look close you will miss is open when the guy gets there and closed when he leaves. but, its worth it to circle the block and wait to get a look at what he has. the incredible collection of vintage lamps is mind blowing and all, as you would have guessed authentic and made long before it was cool as the name suggest.

dinner in little italy

i heart the fabric stores in new york...

B and J fabric on Fashion ave.

i love this store. unlike most fabric shops, b and j is very organized.... you'll see in the pictures below what i mean. sometimes the clutter is fun but when in a hurry this place is great.

me and eshye hunt for the right color of coral for caroline's bridesmaid dresses.

the Prada ad below shows a dress made of fabric from B and J. there is a wall covered with ad's and the fabric used, all found here.

the prettiest silk velvet you have ever seen. i may need something out of the orange....

M and J trimming

this shop is the mecca for all trim. buttons, buckles, studs, lace, you name it, its here. the store is huge and brightly colored. it is the most complete source for trim in the states.

so you have seen these studs every where this season. you can buy them at M and J! very time consuming but love the effect on a leather skirt or coat.

the bridal section is breathtaking.

Mood fabric....

assuming you've seen project runway... you have heard of mood. this place is a candy shop for designers, artiest, fashion guru's, fabric lovers, leather workers, bridal gown designers...

when i turn the corner and look up and see the Mood sign in the 2nd story on 37th my heart beats fast. im assuming this is the same feeling that one who loves shoes has as they enter Bob Ellis... or someone who loves Italy landing in Rome. Mood is the end all be all in all your fabric needs. i would live there if they would let me.

below is mrs america. that right, her name is america and she is awesome. without i would have to live at mood because the sheer volume of fabric is too much to take in without someone who works there to navigate the three stories.

the swatch board show designer pieces made from fabric from mood...

the leather is beautiful and flawless. if i ever get around to the leather skirt ive been dreaming about, it will come from mood. for now i have gathered some bright colored pieces for the inside of the cuff's.

the famous abric warehouse. yep, no F. it feel down over 20 years ago and was never replaced. this shop although not in the garment district ( very out of the way) and not organized at all was one of my favorites. i have been visiting the old man who owned the shop for the past two years finding vintage buckles and buttons. when we arrived the shop was closed. after asking the shop keeper next door we learned that the man who owned the shop died last week. what a loss. he really was great and so cool. he will be missed by many. i am not sure what will happen to the abric warehouse.... next time im back in ny ill see what is going on... hopefully they will reopen.

a couple blocks down on Broadway... P and S Fabric

wow... what a trip. i wish i could have captured all of the beautiful color and texture for you to see here. my mind has been spinning with design ideas.... luckily, you will see them all soon in the form of the spring collection at the shop. i am really looking forward to working with all of the beautiful pieces found in new york.