Free People

Free People is easy to love. The spirit of the brand pervades its entire operation and colors its every collection, and as a result, the brand's light hearted sway in a long skirt, mixed prints and bangles, is infectious. West Philly native, and founder Dick Hayne, describes the twenty-something girl that Free People caters to as "smart, creative, confident and comfortable in all aspects of her being, free and adventurous, sweet to tough to tomboy to romantic. A girl who likes to keep busy and push life to its limits, with traveling and hanging out and everything in between. Who loves Donovan as much as she loves The Dears, and can't resist petting any dog that passes her by on the street." Who doesn't want to be that girl? 

As easy to love as the clothing (and accessories!) themselves, are the company's monthly catalogues. Below you'll find the June Free People video catalogue, and my favorite of the recent videos, which features my current girl crush, Sasha Pivovarova. If you see something you love and have to have, check out the website here, or meet me at the Brooklyn location in a few weeks!! E-swinging by the Free People blog is also worth your while, because it's obviously cool,  and the "Tunesday" posts are not to be missed!!

Zadig and Voltaire: The Business of Cool.

The Zadig and Voltaire philosophy

Zadig and Voltaire had me at hello. We met in Paris a handful of years ago, the brand 
and I, on a small, unexpectedly chic street.  The shop's name grabbed my attention, 
but the ad campaign printed on a stack of postcards inside claimed my loyalty. 

Theirry Gillier, son of Lacoste co-founder Andre Gillier, with the collaboration of his 
wife Amelie, brought Zadig and Voltaire into being in 1997. The label's debut collection
introduced the cashmere pullovers, leather jackets, and rocker inspired denim that 
would become Zadig and Voltaire's staples, while simultaneously giving life to a whole 
new genre of fashion: urban luxury. 

While Zadig and Voltaire has made a name for itself as a laid-back, rebel inspired, 
high-end ready to wear brand, the company, like its namesake Zadig, or the Book of Fate, 
by Voltaire, isn't limited to a single genre. Voltaire, a leading Enlightenment thinker, 
used the philosophical novel Zadig to approach religious and metaphysical orthodoxy, 
as well as political and social activism, while Gillier has used his fashion brand Zadig and 
Voltaire as an avenue to music and contemporary art. Gillier does not, however, cite this 
parallel as the reason behind naming his brand after a philosopher and his fictional 
character. Rather, Gillier describes Zadig as "charismatic, modern, and courageous," 
everything that the Zadig and Voltaire girl would be. Everything that Emma Wasson is. 

New York scenester Erin Wasson is not just the face of the new Zadig and Voltaire 
campaign, but a collaborator in the design of the Summer 2011 collection. Between 
the tattoos, the effortlessly cool vibe, and the skull ridden clothes she designed, I'm
totally on board with the Wasson and Zadig team. In fact, I'm totally on board with 
everything Zadig and Voltaire. 

I've always been a fan of Zadig and Voltaire's ad campaigns, and I particularly love 
the limited edition skull T campaign featuring Wasson. You can check it out below, 
with several other little goodies that only add to my belief that when it comes to cool 
you can't beat Zadig and Voltaire. I mean, who else has an in-house record label? 

Check out the Zadig and Voltaire website for more!

Palermo Profile

You either love her, or you love to hate her, but no matter which side of the fence you fall on it's hard to deny that Olivia Palermo's got style. In preparation for my fast approaching move to Brooklyn I've been brushing up on old episodes of The City, because despite my fab new apartment's location in, well, Brooklyn, and my pending state of unemployment, the relocation is bound to transform my life into something that is not only reality TV ready, but totally high-fashion.

I'll admit that at times during the show Olivia Palermo's personality may leave something to be desired. THAT SAID, at some point you have to wonder, if the girl looks this good, how can she be so bad?

So with no further delay, I give you a few of my favorite Palermo pics. Lets just say that upon arrival in the city, I absolutely plan on being friends with the new queen of street style.

Palermo keeps her look classic and feminine while staying totally on trend, and I would kill for her blazer and trouser collections. And her shoes. Flats and oxfords especially. Oh, and her shorts. I love her shorts. Alright I'll take it all!

Resort 2012: A Survey

Everyone's talking about Stella McCartney! The designer's Resort 2012 Collection (or, as she prefers to call it, "Spring" because the word "resort" is so unsexy) has knocked everyone's socks off. It's one of my favorites for two reasons. One: the funky prints of inverted palm trees and mirrored tropical skylines remind me of my absolute favorite Stella ad campaign (pictured below), and two: the collection captures all that I love about Resort collections.

Resort runways tend to be a little more flirty. In fact, not all designers use the runway as the primary showcase for their Resort-wear. Stella McCartney, for instance, threw a garden party where models dressed in the new looks mingled with guests, played chess, and nonchalantly knocked around croquet balls. In addition to the more relaxed presentation, the designers employ all of the techniques that they've mastered but don't seem to take themselves quite so seriously. You'll see what I mean. I've handpicked my favorites from this year's Resort collections. Enjoy!

Stella McCartney S/S '11 ad campaign. Check out a cool video from the shoot here. 

RESORT 2012 HIGHLIGHTS

Chanel Resort 2012

Stella McCartney Resort 2012

Marc by Marc Jacobs Resort 2012

Celine Resort 2012

Giambattista Valli Resort 2012

Elie Tahari Resort 2012

3.1 Phillip Lim Resort 2012

Z Spoke by Zac Posen Resort 2012

Check out the rest of the collections here and expect to see me in a lot of red and coral this season!

Have a heart.

I have fallen in love with a piece of jewelry. With an entire collection of jewelry really. Fine, with Ludevine altogether, but most specifically with the human heart locket from the Sempt collection. It's a love bordering on obsession, and it's a heartbreak that I can't have the object of my desire. Below is a multimedia shrine to the golden heartthrob itself. Enjoy... see if it captures yours. 

SEMPT from Samy Jo on Vimeo.

I don't know why I'm so taken by the piece (I'd have it in gold, obviously) but I think it has something to do with the poetry of it. The adornment of the body with the body maybe, or the quirkily gothic romance of its compartments. I could go on, but I'll spare you, instead let me tell you why it's easy to love Ludevine altogether. 


Ludevine is jewelry born from introspection. The three existing lines, Primitive, Sempt, and Peak were created as independent explorations by designer Shahla Kareen (talk about an envy-worthy name!) Ludevine's Primitive, a Gen Art article, "Fresh Faces: Ludevine," reports, "pays tribute to French philosopher Lucien Levy-Bruhl's mystical participation philosophy wherein all primitive minds have an unconscious or even psychic kindred connection to the souls of other persons, animals, or objects, and that the primitive mind does not differentiate the supernatural from reality." The collection is handmade from natural materials varying from gold to fossils to black bear molars. 


As with most things I love, Ludevine celebrates both life and death, and that celebration is perhaps most evident in Sempt, the predominantly solid gold collection. As Kareen's website puts it, "The Sempt collection is an hommage to some of nature's most curious pieces." From the heart's compartments to the chakras of the skull, Ludevine accomplishes introspection with absolute elegance. 


Peak, Ludevine's most recent collection, is no different. Every piece in the collection can be worn in a variety of ways and converted from ring to necklace to earring, playing on Kareen's preoccupation with infinite existence and symbology. 


Are you in love yet? If not, check out the website for yourself, not only is the jewelry itself captivating, but Kareen gives you the opportunity to be inspired by the things that inspire her in the storybook section of the site. 

Tumblr Sunday

Here are the highlights:

from honestly wtf

from ameile

from iamblessed

from cosmic dust

from prismatic-effect

from because im addicted

Shut the front door.

Unlike "bu-na-nus" Rachel Zoe might have been onto something when she coined the phrase "shut the front door." Having recently returned from a beautiful wedding in Italy only to find that my camera was filled with pictures of doors...

I decided to do a little research. Door inspired fashion? Yes please. Turns out, I'm not the only one captivated by the oft-under-appreciated entryway. Moschino, an Italian fashion house no less, has worked door knockers into more than one collection, and it seems Betsey Johnson was similarly inspired. Both designers are known for their tongue in cheek apparel--Moschino of course had his "rich bitch" emblazoned cashmere, and Betsey sent giggle inducing "Guys ♥ BJ" tanks down the runway--but I like to think that the door knocker pieces achieved a more elegant irony. A vintage Moschino jacket and the more recent Betsey Johnson bag are pictured below. Can door knockers be fashion knockouts? You decide.