Rustic Elegance

  I thought it only fit to write my first post back from NYC about old friend and New York-based jewellery designer Vanessa Lianne. I was introduced to Vanessa by her sister and one of my very oldest and closest friends, Lara, circa 1992, when I was a mere 5 years old. 
   There are no better words to describe the designers work than both rustic and elegant. Vanessa intertwines timeless design components with edgier, rawer, new-age jewellery ideas. She generates pieces that are intricate yet simple, feminine yet uncommon, worked yet seemingly au natural. 
   Trained as a gold smith, everything this innovative designer creates is hand forged, hammered, and soldered in her funky east village studio with her own two hands. Yes, that's right. The links that make up her bracelets? She puts those together, piece by piece. 
   The laborious hours, hard work, and immense concentration it takes this incredibly creative creature to produce a single piece of work is astonishing- but her art is truly a labour of love, and inspiring to the chic science geeks at JOTN. 
    As a laid-back westcoaster with a hunger to create, and a talent for building wearable art, she picked up her life and immersed herself into the fast-paced, cut throat streets of New York. Vanessa has persevered through the years of tough love from the industry and extreme hard work behind the gold smith bench. She is beginning to get the recognition she so rightly deserves, and ultimately, she has proven that the road less travelled ain't easy, but damn it's worth it. The girl is living her dream day in and day out as she works hard to make it, and makes us beautiful pieces while she's at it!

The ring on the far left = my absolute personal fave. 

I'm asking for it for the holidays. It's made of gold vermeil with black diamonds.

I saw it on the designer's hand the last time we met at Balthazar.

Perfect mix of ying and yang- raw edge with an old classic bobble ring feel. 

 

                     

Absolutely love all these stackable rings. I could even see one in gold or white gold ones as a wedding band!

Square mens band.

architectural, simplistic, perfect. 

Love it for myself.

Some of Vanessa's more androgynous designs are gorgeous, edgy, totally modern and great for anyone. 

Check out HER WEBSITE to learn more about her work, and where you can purchase her stuff online, in Vancouver, and in New York.

Needless to say my trip to the promised land, aka NYC, was perfect. While the weather outside was frightful, the Guggenheim and MoMa were truly delightful, and the shopping wasn't all that bad either (obvz).

   

Unique New York

This one's for you Kail: Thank you.

Heading to the big apple on Monday for my annual christmas trip. I always have a huge sigh of relief when I land in the city that never sleeps; there is just nothing like the pulsing, humming, living entity that is New York City- especially during the holiday season. I spend my week wandering around the streets, frequenting coffee shops, restaurants, markets, shops, and martini bars, trying to be like a true New Yorker (Oh one day, Jules....). There are a couple of things I always do to make myself feel at home- head downtown to Balthazar for brioche and coffee, Columbus Circle to Bar Boulud for soup, corn bread and flights of wine, and the MoMa and Guggenheim when it's too cold out to walk.

I was speaking to my boss today about her desperate need to purge of clothes she doesn't wear any more. She feels overwhelmed by her bulging closet. I was tremendously flattered when she asked for my help and said she wanted to have a more minimalistic look, LIKE ME!!! Clearly the woman has known me less than a year; friends who have had to endure my bedroom closet/pig sty/craziness back west wouldn't exactly call on me for decreasing-the-wardrobe advice. However, I have recently matured from a hoarding bohemian wannabe to a more simplistic, monotonal, architectural, dresser. This means I wear fewer items of clothes-I know, shocking- in many many many different combinations. Wouldn't my mother be proud of me? I can hear her now "Investment pieces, investment pieces, investment pieces". My boyfriend is convinced I have turned goth, but I swear I just have a new appreciation for black... all over.... head to toe.... turban included.

I used to make the mistake of heading to New York during the Christmas season and coming back with a lot more quantity vs. quality, hence the lack of a small closet. However, for the past 3 years, I have headed to the big city armed with a specific short(ish) list of things I want to find. At the end, I head home with key investment pieces (usually classics with an updated touch that will fit into my individual style spectrum for eternity) and spend the rest of my savings on good food and good art. This week I am basking in the delight of heading back "home" to NYC, and enjoying my unique, minimalistic closet space.

Here are a couple of things I cannot wait to find!

1. Boots: Such as...

2. Outerwear: I am freezing my ass off in Halifax (laugh all you want Eastcoasters, those atlantic winds are killer for a girl in a lululemon rain jacket). While the images below probably won't fix the problem, I want to find a shearling bomber, a menswear-inspired coat, or a parka, or all of the above.

3. Textured sweaters

4. Fine vintage finds: I will be scouting out the consignment stores first to see what I can find second hand. Wouldn't mind coming across some hidden, precious heirloom pieces. With a closet like mine, and hand-me-downs from madre, I'm sure the 5 sons I'm bound to have will enjoy these treasures.

 Bulgari necklace, Chanel Backpack

4. Shades: I want round frames, okay?

 

5. Pamela Love: designs that leave me speechless. This woman somehow creates all the pieces that I see in my dreams. I wake up drooling.

Gender Benders: Psychic City

Inspirational outfits for all sexes