This Sunday marks the 58th anniversary of the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance – the world’s premier celebration of the automobile. It’s held each August at the Lodge, on what is often called the best finishing hole in golf, the 18th green at Pebble Beach overlooking Monterey Bay. I haven’t been the last few years, but this used to be an event I rarely missed.

Only 175 of the most prized collector cars in the world are invited to participate in this very competitive event, and to win in its class is an affirmation that the car is the best example of its breed.

The featured marques for the 2008 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance will be the Lancia, Lamborghini and the General Motors centennial. Of special interest will be the return of a 1934 Packard V12 Convertible Victoria. In 1955, San Francisco police officer Marvin Zukor drove the car 100 miles down the California coast to participate in the third Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. On August 17th, fifty three years later, Zukor and his Packard will compete again in the Concours!

Tickets and information about the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance - and the events leading up to it - are available here and on their website. To buy one of these rare automobiles, start here. I like the 2009 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport. (Hey, window shopping is free!)

One of East Sacramento’s most desirable neighborhoods — affectionately dubbed the “Fabulous Forties” by locals because of its location, stately homes and wide, tree lined streets — lies nestled between Folsom Boulevard and “J” Street from (depending on who you ask) about 41st to 46th Streets. Some of the homes even have nicknames like “The Castle” and “The Turret House”.

A family neighborhood, it boasts the longest continually running annual 4th of July parade (photos) west of the Mississippi and epitomizes the well worn real estate phrase, “location, location, location.” If Norman Rockwell still painted covers for The Saturday Evening Post, the Fab 40’s would offer a deserving modern day backdrop.

Like a lot of folks, Dawn and I occasionally enjoy a leisurely Sunday drive through the 40’s to admire the majestic homes. On one recent drive, we’d decided to check out a smaller home on a nearby street that had been featured in the Sacramento Bee because of its unusual new paint scheme; a particularly bright orange. It was bright, all right. Not unattractive, mind you, but, well, quite a bold statement. I snapped this photo (click to enlarge) with Dawn’s iPhone. What do you think? A little over the top?

In November 2006, 21-year-old Ana Carolina Reston, a top Brazilian model, died as a result of anorexia. At the time of her death she weighed just 88 pounds! So last year Spain banned ultra-thin models from catwalks. Good! Everyone else in the fashion industry needs to follow suit.

The French are at least trying. French fashion industry leaders and media companies have said they’re behind a plan by France’s minister of health calling for the promotion of healthier body types. Earlier this month, together with French politicians, they signed a non-binding “charter of good conduct” aimed at promoting healthier body images. Non-binding? Are you kidding me?

Now French lawmakers are saying enough is enough — fashion models are just too thin — and they’re taking a stance against impossibly thin models. According to the Associated Press, the French parliament’s lower house has approved a bill that would make it illegal for anyone — including fashion magazines, advertisers and Web sites — to publicly incite extreme thinness.

The bill is the latest effort to address concerns surrounding the fashion industry’s use of ultra-thin models. Although it’s not clear how the fashion industry would be affected by the rule, its author says she believes the legislation would force changes in how fashion houses depict women by giving judges the power to imprison and fine offenders up to $47,000 $70,000 if found guilty of “inciting others to deprive themselves of food” to an “excessive” degree.

Sounds good in theory, but I hope French lawmakers are prepared to “flesh out” their definitions of “inciting” and “excessive”… More

One of the things about the fashion industry that can be quite entertaining is how it sometimes goes way over the top to introduce a new offering. Take this story I found on Perr-Bear….

LONDON (AFP) - To their high society owners, a pair of haute couture shoes can be a precious thing. But to guard a 62,000 pound (120,000 dollar) pair of ruby, sapphire and diamond-encrusted Rene Caovilla sandals at their London launch, retailer Harrods went to extreme lengths: bringing in a live Egyptian cobra to patrol the shoe counter.

Whether hiring a poisonous snake is, strictly speaking, the most effective means of guarding precious footwear might be a moot point with security experts. But it makes for a pretty effective photo opportunity.

A spokeswoman for Harrods admitted that the cobra had been hired strictly for Monday’s launch of the shoe collection. “The snake has now been returned to its owner,” she said.

So no need to fear snake bites at the shoe counter, then? “Not unless you’re a burglar,” the spokeswoman said.

The killer heels (No Dawn, you can’t have them!) were designed by Rene Caovilla, renowned for using rare jewels on his glamorous shoes popular among the celebrity set; Caovilla clients include Diane Kruger and Carmen Electra. This “creation” is the limited edition “Nyssia” sandal. The cobra featured on the shoes has eyes made of rubies and wears a brilliant-cut 3.5-carat diamond and crown on its head. The sinewy body is studded with round-cut, pave-set sapphires: a total of 20.60 carats.

Impressed? I’m sure Cedrick the Snake was a big hit at Harrod’s. But he may want to lay low for a while. Cobra skin is sometimes used to make couture shoes; he might become the next Caovilla “creation”… Video

“The idea was to make something simple and a bit brutal, but beautiful… like life in Finland.” — Stepan Sarpaneva (QP magazine interview). 

Originally inspired by a Harley Davidson kickstart pinion, Sarpaneva’s Loiste II made from Stavax ESR steel is actually a cog itself. The first variation was built as a pocket watch, followed by the Loiste and now the Loiste II. Customizing functions like the foreboding looking double black moonphase complication, it measures both northern and southern hemispheres … and the display can be used to represent the physical moon on top (12 o’clock) or by its shadow on the bottom (6 o’clock).

The other ingenious feature is his own ‘Turbini’ winding mass, a turbine style rotor that spins with guillotine efficiency while revealing the movement. The metallic icing of this ticking cake is the intricately machined three-dimensional dial in brass or aluminum. Overall, very interesting and dangerous looking elements to this watch.

Via Watchismo. Michael & Sisko, you really don’t have to bring one of these back for me (heh).

Now that the hoody’s been elevated to avant-couture, it follows that there’s an exhibition devoted to the ubiquitous item of clothing. Featuring works by local Bay Area designers such as Nicacelly (pictured), Uhu Clothing and Like Minded People, The Hoody Gallery is a group show of limited-edition hoodies that have been silkscreened, re-invented and otherwise tricked-out. The one-night event also features a line-up of DJs including a few from the label Solos, who are the hosts of The Hoody Gallery. (Click the flyer for a larger version.)

The Hoody Gallery
16 February 2007 
222 Club 
222 Hyde Street
San Francisco, CA 94102 map
tel. +1 415 440 0222                                                    

Via cool hunting

The Quilts of Gee’s Bend exhibition at San Francisco’s de Young Museum ended December 31 after being held over for an additional couple months due to popularity. Dawn and I were fortunate enough to see it during our visit to the museum in October. Those of you that were able to catch the exhibit saw a piece of our not so distant history and a unique American art form.

Gee’s Bend became an important part of the Freedom Quilting Bee during  the mid-1960s, an offshoot of the Civil Rights movement designed to boost family income and foster community development by selling handcrafts to outsiders. The women of Gee’s Bend had for generations made quilts, mostly to keep warm during the long, cold winters, out of old work clothes and seed sacks. Today they’re considered works of art.

Purlbee brought to our attention an interesting footnote in the January issue of Vogue Magazine: “[Diane] Von Furstenberg loved the Gee’s Bend Quilts she saw in the De Young Museum.”

Why is this notable? Because Von Furstenberg, an elemental designer of feminist fashion in the 1970’s, inventor of the wrap dress, champion of the working woman, is now the president of the Council of Fashion Designer’s of America and continues to adapt colorful ideas into fashion and call attention to the artists that inspire her.  On the left (click for larger view) are a few of her “crazy-quilt” creations for Spring 2007.

Joelle & Jennifer have a good eye for fabrics and design. They looked through some other Spring 2007 collections and found plenty of patchwork-inspired finery, including (at right  from left to right) these pieces from Chloe, Stella McCartney, and Anna Sui. (Click for larger view)

I’m no fashion aficionado, but I am a follower and collector of art, especially modern, and its influence is clearly reflected in the world of fashion.

You may also be interested to know that the USPS has recently issued postage stamps commemorating the Quilts of Gee’s Bend. If you’ve received letters or notes from Dawn, or purchased stamps at the Post Office, you’ve probably already seen them. Art is everywhere!