Esteemed independent stylist, Carlos Mota gives Urban Agenda an insider's look at his new book of interior designs.
By Sarah Emily Gilbert
There’s nothing more eye-catching than a well-designed room—except, of course, when it’s featured in a world-renowned magazine. With a punch of Carlos Mota’s aesthetic, spaces are transformed into editorial masterpieces that demand attention in the pages of Elle Décor and the like. As the International Style Editor of Architectural Digest – and the designer of choice to celebrities like Jonathan Adler, Simon Doonan, and Geoffrey Ross – Mota is able to use his skills to curate some of the most beautiful rooms for the most discerning clients.
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Charlotte Moss’s lavish new book enlivens your green thumb with stunning photographs of gardens from around the globe.
By Sarah Emily Gilbert
With a reverence for the traditional and a passion for the unexpected, Charlotte Moss brings her unique aesthetic to nature in her new book, Garden Inspirations. A miscellany of sumptuous photographs, interesting stories, and useful advice, her book is rooted in the garden.
For over 27 years, Moss has been perfecting her East Hampton garden using influences from her international travels. From France and Italy to England and Spain, Moss sought to document and replicate some of the world’s most divine natural sanctuaries. As a result, the venerable designer’s artistic eye has been shaded by her wealth of botanical knowledge that she shares in the pages of her book. more
From facial hair to pedicures, grooming connoisseur, John Allan tells us what it takes to be a barbered and buffed gentleman
By Sarah Emily Gilbert
Fashioned after an exclusive club where men can kick back with a cold drink while getting a new hairstyle, John Allan’s Premiere Men’s Grooming Clubs cater to the modern man. Built on John Allan’s desire to help men refine their style while enjoying male camaraderie, he’s revolutionized men’s grooming. The result is an old school-style NYC barbershop with high-end touches.
“My upbringing was composed of strong men who were established characters and definitely influenced me with style. I was always intrigued by that brotherhood, so it kind of took me into the direction of [men’s grooming].”
How Susan Easton and DARA Artisans are preserving artisanal practices with their From the Road collaboration.
By Sarah Emily Gilbert
When Susan Easton isn’t hanging out of planes in Kenya, hobnobbing with Himalayan locals, or working on her retail brand, From the Road, she can be found collaborating with DARA Artisans.
Named after Easton’s retail brand, the collection seems to be the perfect outlet for her unending wanderlust and penchant for adventure. Comprised of one-of-a-kind scarves made from the finest natural materials, they are well placed in the “Artisanal Age” where specialty niche items are in higher demand than their mass-produced counterparts. As a result, From the Road stands as a testament to the beauty and complexity found in artisanal practices worldwide. From Nepal and India to Ecuador and Peru, each scarf’s design is based on Easton’s time spent with diverse cultures. more
By Ellen Gilbert
"A flock of girls just arrived at arrived at our house,” Frank McLaughlin told friends on September 22, 1919. While not exactly “a flock,” the new arrivals were a multiple: identical twin girls named Frances and Kathryn. They grew up to be known as Kathryn Abbe and Frances McLaughlin-Gill, and became remarkably successful photographers who published pictures of high fashion models and celebrities like the young Jacqueline Bouvier in the late 1940s and 1950s. They passed away within months of each other in 2014. The McGill sisters were born in Brooklyn as a result of their having arrived two months early and “were snugly wrapped and placed near a warm oven,” according to a later account by Frances. She couldn’t have remembered, of course, and the affluent Connecticut upbringing that immediately followed suggests that the humble modesty of that description may not exactly have been accurate. Photographs of the twins as beautifully outfitted babies, young bathing beauties, visitors to 1939 World’s Fair, and later, as on-location professional photographers, show them to be as glamorous as any of the subjects they depicted over the years." more
By Anne Levin
Portraits by Tom Grimes
It seems incongruous that a young designer juggling several high-end projects in Manhattan and other parts of the world is thriving without a website, computer, television, or access to social media. But David M. Sullivan, named “One to Watch” by Architectural Digest in 2013, is as enamored of an old world aesthetic as he is of contemporary ideas. Originally trained as a sculptor, Sullivan, who is tall and striking, runs a design/build architecture firm on Soho’s Crosby Street. It was the Architectural Digest article that caught the eye of one of his clients, for whom he is renovating a two-bedroom apartment on Central Park South. But nearly all of the work that has come Sullivan’s way has been by word of mouth. more
By Linda Arntzenius
Dogs of every shape and form can be seen on the streets of New York City, where they enjoy superior opportunities for civil society than do their suburban and country cousins. Just watch any of the professional dog walkers and their fan-shaped packs as they go about their daily rounds. In that respect, Manhattan dogs are more like their European counterparts than dogs from other parts of the United States.
On a recent trip to the U.K., my (human) companion and I visited a small bustling town in the North of England where the local dogs habitually roam free. We were amused, and slightly astonished, to see a pack of five mutts walk purposefully along the sidewalk, with not one master in sight. They stopped at the traffic lights, waited for the signal to change, and then crossed to the other side of the street, where they continued their journey, bothering no-one as they maneuvered through the crowds. None of the locals gave them a second glance. more
How artistic talent and social media are bringing fashion illustrator, Meagan Morrison to the top
By Sarah Emily Gilbert
Armed with some markers, a sketchpad, and a little support from her 126K Instagram followers, Meagan Morrison is slowly taking the fashion world by storm.
Through her blog, travel.write.draw, the Canadian-born, New York-based artist features illustrations of everything from street style to international cuisines. And while her blog’s popularity has allowed Morrison to add world traveler and online influencer to her name, it’s her fashion illustrations that are getting the most attention. more
Interview by Anne Levin
When 27-year-old Alyson Eastman launched her first collection last year at Soho’s Dune Studios, she won praise for her unique mix of Paris-inspired Romanticism and fresh Modernism. An oversized, champagne-colored sweater paired with a white, button-down blouse and long pleated skirt; and a matching, maroon-hued set of high-waisted, draped trousers and a cropped, short-sleeve blouse were among the popular pieces in the collection. Clean, strong silhouettes are the backbone of Eastman’s aesthetic. Her newest collection is for spring/summer 2015. Until recently she worked at the NoLiTa boutique Warm, but she is now solely focused on own design work. more
Thanks to its proximity to New York, New Jersey is on the cutting edge of many fitness trends.
Pronounced “bar,” Barre is a popular fitness program that combines ballet and Pilates. Movements are highly focused and involve lots of repetition in order to rapidly change specific body parts. The exercise routine is low impact, but it does elevate the heart rate, resulting in great cardiovascular benefits. A given class almost always involves props such as a ballet barre and lightweights. Read on to find a studio near you.
By Ellen Gilbert
Photography by Ricky Zehavi
"The more I do, the more people want,” says Richard Moore, Tiffany & Co.’s current vice president of creative and visual merchandising. He is more than happy to oblige.
Moore’s job includes year-round responsibility for the look of no less than all the windows and display cases in Tiffany’s more than 200 retail stores around the world. New York City at holiday time has an especially magical aura, and Moore’s window designs at Tiffany’s flagship store at Fifth Avenue and 57th Street can always be relied on to do their part with extravagance and panache. more
By Anne Levin
Shop till you drop: [defn.] to go hard and nonstop with any task no matter how much rejection, fatigue, or obstacles you may face. Urban Dictionary
When it comes to shopping—purposeful or just browsing —there is nowhere like New York. The city has long been one of the world’s most coveted shopping destinations, both for bargains and high-end fashions and accessories. From Brooklyn to Harlem, there are countless boutiques, shops, and department stores to choose from. Here is a selection of some of the most popular, up-to-the-minute locations for discovering unique merchandise.
BROOKLYN
Brooklyn is a shopping mecca in its own right, with neighborhoods like Park Slope, Williamsburg, Fort Greene, Cobble Hill/Carroll Gardens, and DUMBO offering a variety of choices for browsing. more
