Enjoying one last boat ride and beach weekend this season…
(Source: fbdi for Valeria Smith)
Fashion, media, beautiful moments.
A blog of quintessential creative finds.
By Rebecca Prusinowski.
Visit my website at rebeccaprus.com.
Instagram | Twitter | LinkedIn Quintessence Is
A blog of quintessential creative finds.
By Rebecca Prusinowski.
Visit my website at rebeccaprus.com.
Instagram | Twitter | LinkedIn Quintessence Is
- Fashion
- New York
- Travel
- Ad Campaigns
- Bike
- Black White Red
- Models
- Street Art
- Coffee
- Magazines
- Food
- Music
- Wine + Spirits
- Holidays
- Art
- Summer
- Los Angeles
Fall 2012 Ad Campaigns: Bulgari
Thank you Bulgari for acknowledging that women of a certain age are not only captivating and beautiful, but a logical choice for advertising luxury goods to modern women with means. Why would you use a 16 year old to showcase a $2000 handbag when she couldn’t afford or appreciate its workmanship at that age? The wise, graceful Isabella Rossellini is a far better choice!
The ad isn’t a ground-breaking shot – in fact, it reminds me of this glorious editorial from the mid ’80s. But Bulgari has ditched the (tired) baby lion schtick and moved on to something far more powerful, both visually and philosophically: intelligent beauty.
PS If you haven’t read “Brunch with the FT: Isabella Rossellini” – with her thoughts on feminist biology, film and family – do so now!
Fall 2012 Ad Campaigns: Bottega Veneta
Bottega Veneta. Their ads have missed the mark in the past, but I am keen on this one. The workmanship is evident in the dress’s beading; the hair and makeup luxurious in their sleek simplicity. Purple hues evoke a regal air – befitting this venerable Italian fashion label – while black silk knee socks and leather opera gloves keep the look directional. It’s a good balance between heritage and modernity.
I like the tableau style blocking and photography by artist Erwin Olaf, too. My only ish is the child-like male model, up top. Why can’t we use older male models with some presence, like him? This woman has a look of displeasure…and I can only hope it’s for disobedient son here, not her lover!
Fall 2012 Ad Campaigns: Louis Vuitton
September issues mean fall campaign premieres! And I am feeling these Louis Vuitton ads. As I wrote here several months ago, j’adore the old fashioned romance of fancy train travel (even if the ladies had to sit apart for much of the early twentieth century). LV channels the feminine glamour of that bygone era with their elegant taupes, browns and burnt oranges on a railway for Fall 2012. All aboard!
Thank you Neil Armstrong, American hero. 1930-2012. Collage by Beth Hoeckel.
Gray Malin: Beaches from Above
Mesmerized by the work of Gray Malin, a Los Angeles based photographer who travels the world, shooting some of the most famous beaches and pools from a perspective few will ever see. Y’all know I’m a beach bum, so I’m just melting here. Two of my favorites, Rio, above, and Lisbon, below. I need to get to Lisbon already, it’s all the rage!
Here’s a shot of the waters in Bondi Beach, Australia. I was there many years ago – it’s one of Sydney’s most popular beaches, especially among the surfers – and Gray has noted that this image is among the most popular in his series, too.
At the top of her fashion game…
Late nights on Bowery with Lady Aiko.
Olympic Inspiration
If you don’t follow Jackie Magpie, you’re missing out! Celebrating creative living via contributors around the globe, it’s a smart and inspiring site. And I just had to re-blog these photographs they shared last week in honor of the Olympics’ conclusion.
Says the author: “I have loved watching the Games this year and found myself gripped by so many sports that have never even slightly interested me before. The buzz from London has been contagious. My new favorite has to be the delightfully strange and undeniably hardcore sport of synchronized swimming. I am totally in awe of the spectacular strength and coordination of the swimmers, not to mention the kitsch costumes and the crazed smiles.”
I couldn’t agree more. So enjoy these dreamy underwater images by US artist Jill Greenberg. Au Revoir ladies! See you in Rio, 2016.
A Polish film poster for “Love in the Afternoon,” released in 1959. Poland has always made the most beautiful movie posters! They treat them as art, not marketing gimmicks. A handful of design studios continue the tradition today, though it is quite rare.
(Source: what-floats-my-boat, via theniftyfifties)
Goodnight sun, goodbye Bermuda. You’ve been marvelous.
Cup Match 2012
I had the great privilege of joining Bermuda in celebrating their biggest island event: Cup Match. Held on a two-day public holiday, it’s a traditional cricket match played between two lodges: typically one from the east and one from the west.
In 1902, Cup Match exclusively between St. George’s (east) and Somerset (west) was initiated. The annual game became so popular that residents would routinely miss work to watch it, and in 1947 a two-day public holiday was enacted. Today, everyone in Bermuda watches Cup Match – either live or on TV – and thousands simply go out, camp and celebrate the occasion with rum, fun and traditional fare.
My knowledge of the sport is limited to the movie “The Crying Game,” so I required a crash course in cricket before the match kicked off.
Crystal Cave, Bermuda
It’s difficult to imagine, but there’s actually as much beauty underground in Bermuda as there is at sea level. Fifty feet below the earth’s surface near Bailey’s Bay, a hidden world of mesmerizing white stalactites covered with crystallized soda straws hang from the roof of Crystal Cave.
Like candle wax dripping from the cave’s ceiling and frozen in time, these stalactites have in fact been growing for thousands upon thousands of years.
But it’s not these chandelier clusters reflected in the water, above. This pool is crystal clear azure blue. What you see are stalagmites rising from the cave floor.
Crystal Cave is rife with mystery and incredible history. Moreover, it puts our fleeting lives as humans in perspective. These two pieces, above, will connect in 300 years. Three generations from now will not even live to see that in this fantastical subterranean cavern.
Cross Bay, Bermuda
Alright Bermuda, this is getting a little ridiculous!! These pictures are essentially taking themselves…
This island has exceeded my expectations. I’ve been to some amazing beaches around the world – from the Caribbean to Australia to Indonesia – but there is something very special about Bermuda. Beyond the obviously exquisite beaches and lush green landscapes, there is a strong sense of community and national pride. Strict real estate and foreign investment policies ensure that Bermudians can continue to reside and work here, preserving a legacy of island culture and custom. There are no chains here. No Marriotts. I hit every part of the country and observed a steady middle class, not a stratified system that you often encounter on holiday in other islands.
You can’t exactly capture this Bermudian spirit via photography, but I believe it contributes to the natural splendor and beauty of island.
