HOT Shit

Wanna know what its like to have a hair dryer to your head for 10mins??? Here's some stuff from McQueen in Milan. While it wasn't his best collection, the detail was great, and the shoot turned out well. Let me know if you want to see more..

NEW Year / Milano

Welcome to the new year. We were in Milan for menswear and have just moved on to Paris. Pat and Guido were everywhere weilding their wands to make the boys seem more alive. Funny that the mens shows are so much easier than the womens. Though the pace of the shows may be just as quick, the air around them are much more casual. Maybe it's the guys standing around trying to be cool and unaffected, but everyone seems to have fun. We even managed a few smiles and to get some of the models to loosen up. Though mostly we looked at another straight pant in a cool suit, there were a few stand out collections from Dolce, Jil Sander, Gucci, and Calvin Klein. Here are some highlights.

FINDER'S Keepers

A scene from a city past? No. Long live the lunch diner! I'd been up all night retouching a portrait for some clients (Ok, I slept for a few hours but woke up to cold rain and grey skies like London) and hadn't eaten a thing. So after delivering prints with hunger gripping my senses, I remembered an old standby from years back. Frantically searching and hoping it was still living amongst the new developments and renovations, my eyes set upon its beautiful neon lights. Walking through the door was like a time warp, although the crowd remained fashionably dressed, not one person was using a mobile. The tiny place was packed and luckily a spot opened up on the counter. I sat on the stool, looked around, smiled, and made the kind of photo I used to see in the books when ny was young and everything cost a nickel. If this place looks familar, let me know and lunch is on me!

KANYE...Holla/

So what's a backstage guy supposed to do when the season's over and the edits complete? Have a good drink ofcourse and then get back shooting! Today was a nice start, shooting Kanye West for Calvin Klein. Nothing major just a photos of him prepping for his upcoming European tour with designer Italo Zaccharri. It was good to see Kanye, having not seen him since Paris in October, and it made the shoot that much easier. Unfortunately, I can't show you photos from today until the tour begins but here's one from the front row at the YSL Spring show. Check out the shoes..

WELCOME to Paris!

Well thank you, M. Chirac! Just on the way to Rick Owens, strolling along the Seine and enjoying a beautiful day, but who do I stumble across, former president Jacques Chirac. Everyone smiles on a sunny day in Paris and clearly he is no exception. Today was the exact opposite of yesterday. Things fell in place exactly as they should. Shows moved smoothly, great girls with great energy (still only the first day), and the press helped make sure the right photos were made by the right people. Best bit, we ended with a great dinner. Lets hope this is foresight for the week. Along with M. Chirac are some photos from Balmain and Rick Owens. Enjoy.

BIRD in a car/

Hours in traffic suck, period. But what better way is there to travel in style than with stylish company? Enter Natasha Poly.

I've know this girl since she was about 16 or 17, and today she's more beautiful the ever. Better yet, away from the crowd, she's one of the most talkative and fun to be around.

HOLD on to your hats/

Once again, Pat created vicious makeup at Prada, with some of the new girls crying during the application. This business is tough, but they're in Prada and everyone's watching, so you hear no complaints.

An agent curiously asked me who was opening the show, and if anyone could find her name they were not too be seen. If there's a new girl to be seen, it's usually at this one. Look for their pics on style.com; just click backstage and let me know who's your favorite!