passion is in fashion

Teddy: On my way to BJ again..let me check this out tonight

Me: receiving this message makes me feel like the trophy wife of a successful international man

Teddy: Who turns a blind eye to his various mistresses around the world as long as he attends faithfully the monthly dinner parties you put on

I first read about Daslu as the epitome of luxury in Dana Thomas’s How Luxury Lost its Luster.  Daslu is a Brazilian department so chic and so exclusive, that it leaves Bergdorf’s and Barneys in the dust.

Daslu is a unrivaled retail experience.  Instead of changing rooms, the women simply tried on the clothes in the middle of the display floor.  The Brazilian culture is so open about the body that nobody bats an eyelash.  Obviously men are not allowed on to the women’s floors, and so there are waiting areas for them, complete with a lingerie boutique where they can pick up goodies for their wives and girlfriends.

The store also represents more than just fashion, but a lifestyle.  Right after one buys a new outfit at Chanel, one could hop on over to the next floor to buy a Mercedes.  The salesgirls, known as Dasluettes, come from the best families and live the lifestyle their customers do.  That is perhaps the most valuable trait in a personal shoppers, that they completely understand their customers’ needs.

But things that are too good to be true, usually are.  The way this story unraveled is quite symbolic of both how luxury can be a cover up for something else, and the lengths people go to to attain it.

RIO DE JANEIRO — Eliana Tranchesi, owner of the ultrachic São Paulo fashion emporium Daslu, was convicted late Wednesday of forming a criminal ring, tax evasion and falsification of documents, and was sentenced to 94 years in prison.

The trial took over two years, from early 2006 to June 2008 and, after deliberating for 10 months, Federal Judge Maria Isabel do Prado, of the 2nd Regional Court in Guarulhos, outside of São Paulo, convicted and sentenced Tranchesi, along with her brother, Antonio Carlos Piva Albuquerque, and their accountant, Celso de Lima. Federal Police imprisoned them early Thursday, according to Federal Police spokeswoman Raquel Victor. Albuquerque also received a 94-year sentence. The accountant’s sentence could not be learned, but four import agents who worked with Daslu received shorter prison terms, according to Tranchesi’s lawyer, Joyce Roysen.

…

Tranchesi was first arrested in her home and detained for 12 hours in July 2005 shortly after 250 Federal Police agents, part of a government sting operation called “Operation Narcissus,” raided her $70 million, 200,000-square-foot fashion emporium, modeled after a Florentine-style villa.

The government was investigating Tranchesi in connection with import-export firms that falsified invoices to show that foreign merchandise, delivered by them to Daslu, cost much less than their real prices. Federal Police said the scheme allowed Daslu to pay less than the 20 to 30 percent average import taxes on fashion imports.

When a new, expanded Daslu opened a month before the police raid, it featured 77 in-store shops and 120 mostly foreign labels. These included Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, Valentino, Burberry, Salvatore Ferragamo, Gucci, Christian Dior, Chloé, Prada, Giorgio Armani, Louis Vuitton, Gap and Banana Republic.

The article from WWD

Love this song.  I now know the words to this song, thereby effectively doubling my karaoke repertoire from 1 song to 2 songs.

Red Box has the most delicious fries I have ever tasted. Yum.

This is a so-called "custard apple". Red Box thinks weird fruits are a good idea at 3am.

I never thought the day would come where I actually enjoy karaoke, but here we go. This is the second time I went to karaoke and totally *totally* loved it. Is it China worming its way into my little heart? Is it due to my growing repertoire of Chinese songs from the eighties? Is it the awesome company of my new Korean mistress? It is perhaps a sweet sweet combination of all.

Karaoke is actually quite a challenging and engaging activity. Whereas barhopping and clubbing can be summarized by a) standing around looking ridiculously good and b) making witty conversation with drunk people, singing Chinese songs requires a lot of thinking. Because I don’t know many songs, I am always resorting to the subtitles. They are often fast-moving and filled with characters I don’t know, and I have to read this all the while pretending to know the melody! Quite a good multitasking and learning Chinese exercise, actually. Be forewarned, however, that love songs would provide one with an overly flowery and melodramatic vocabulary.

The confinement of a bunch of people who may or may not know each other in a room also creates for an interesting social dynamic. Due to noise-level and general inebriation, advanced conversation is usually out of the question. By the end of the night, I realized I had not talked to half of the people in the room, despite having taken many shots and starred in multitudes of happy happy pictures with them. It’s cute. It’s a model for peace in the Middle East: take shots, be happy, don’t even get to know each other enough to find out what your differences are.

Speaking of group photos, karaoke sessions are some of the best photo ops. There is space (rare commodity in HK). There are furniture and props. There you have all the elements needed to create the perfect mise-en-scène. Some of the best pictures I have from nights out are from karaoke nights. They are totally action-packed and full of variation. People are singing, giggling on couches, looking bored on couches, excitedly taking shots, provocatively posing for the camera – simply everything!

Karaoke totally captures the Zeitgeist of Chinese urban youth. Here is to reconnecting with the Chinese-ness in myself!!!

Hello there.  Nice color.  Nice legs. 

But these days, President Obama and his wife, Michelle, are popping up all over this city.

Like basketball? There was Mr. Obama sitting courtside recently alongside astonished fans at the Verizon Center as he cheered on the Chicago Bulls in a losing battle against the Washington Wizards.

Enjoy the performing arts? The Obamas have been to the Kennedy Center twice, once to see the Alvin Ailey dance troupe — with daughters Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7 — and once for a musical tribute to Senator Edward M. Kennedy.

How about a tasty meal? The Obamas have enjoyed white-tablecloth dining at Equinox, Bobby Van’s Steakhouse, B. Smith’s and Georgia Brown’s, and street-corner casual at Ben’s Chili Bowl and Five Guys Burgers and Fries.

…

Some warn, however, that such a schedule can also carry political risks, particularly if it undermines the mystique of the presidency, the image of power and command that a president needs to enact an ambitious agenda. Americans love the idea of the common man in a position of political power. (Think Jimmy Stewart in “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.”) But they can also lose some respect if a politician seems too familiar. (Think Jimmy Carter in his cardigan.)

- The New York Times, March 15, 2009

Visual merchandising so freakin’ well-done, it makes one wanna run around everywhere while wearing 5-inch gold-studded platforms.   Lane Crawford collaborated with the funny and precocious fashion photographer/blogger Tommy Ton for a totally youthful and original take on Fashion Week.  Forget Victoria Beckham’s always disgusting appearances!  The real propellers of fashion are the editors and buyers.

Two of his exclusive images for Lane Crawford.  See the rest here.

Got an emergency call from the Honey seeking grammatical advice:

“The dining out consumption trails…” or “the dining out consumption trails behind…”

Both versions are nonsensical to me. At moments like these, I wonder what the Economist would say?