{style inspiration: sofia coppola + louis vuitton}

. . . have always been besotted with sofia coppola's collaboration with louis vuitton, especially the black velvet clutch with gold clasp, but love most the ad campaigns, that have an upscale, almost selby-esque quality to them, and best of all, include beautiful glimpses into sofia's new york apartment, featuring the elegant blue george smith sofa, framed photographs, busy workspaces and stacks of books . . .

{p.s.} sofia's paris apartment

{images: sofia coppola for louis vuitton via rdujour & habitually chic}

{interior designer: rees roberts}

. . . crème caramel-coloured velvet perfectly paired with lucite, exotic wood and modern classics, sweeps of carerra and ultra-glamorous mirrors, and most of all, beautiful spaces that defer to the elements of views, art, and light . . .

{images: rees roberts + partners llc via the diversion project}

{give-away: crystal & 24 karat gold tray}

. . . has been a while since the last glamorous give-away, but most definitely well worth the wait . . .




. . . designer anna rabinowicz launched her first home collection for new york-based rab | labs in 2002, creating objects inspired by nature, fusing ancient, precious materials in a luxurious palette with modern design, layering semi-precious gems, including crystal and agate, with the finishing touches of pure gold and sterling silver . . .



. . . resulting in beautiful pieces such these pure brazilian agate bookends, left, and a personal favourite, the rose quartz tray with 24 karat gold trim, right

. . . rab | labs' pieces are so lovely, they have been featured in the new york times, elle décor, architectural digest, harper’s bazaar, o magazine, and new york magazine and carried by the museum of modern art stores, moss, and barneys new york . . .

. . . and best of all, today, one charmed reader will win a crystal and 24 karat gold or sterling silver tray {retail $325.00 - $375.00}, perfect for brie & table water crackers on a romantically overcast autumn afternoon, or champagne & macarons in a pair of sequined heels after dinner, or even as an ultra-stylish place to display an exquisite perfume collection on the dressing table . . .

to enter, {click here} to visit rab | labs or {here} to browse the beautiful selection of crystal trays, then leave a comment below

{bonne chance!/good luck!}

* one winner will be randomly selected and contacted by e-mail after thursday, september 30, 2010; if you do not have a blog or contact e-mail on your blog, please include it with your comment for notification; this give-away is open to u.s. & canadian readers only - apologies!; images: haute design - one & four; 2 - the cherry blossom girl; 3 - barbara palvin by max von gumppenberg & patrick bienert for vogue germany, october 2010 via oh}

{mostly london + a little new york}

. . . ending London Fashion Week with softly falling metallic confetti, Burberry Prorsum's reinvention of the trench coat in shades of camel and nude was luxurious, short, and draped loveliness . . .



. . . and for a last look at New York, more draping at Reem Acra, mixed with soft, floaty silks and satins and handfuls of princess jewels . . .

{images: style.com}

{inspiration: new york fashion week}

. . . bursts of tulle and organza mingled with structured yet playful shorts suits and all "with a little something to make you dream" at j.mendel . . . and ruffles and beautifully blurry silk prints from childhood memories of cherry blossoms at erin fetherston . . .


{images: style.com}

{runway inspiration: j. mendel, new york}

. . . one of the very few designers that could rival affections for monique lhuillier, {with the exception of chloé and stella mccartney}, would be j. mendel, whose purely romantic sensibilities are impossible to to resist, and whose spring collection was an ethereal dream of mousseline and tulle, exquisite hand-pleating and ruching, and stunningly elegant draped silk chiffon . . .

{style.com, more of this collection at the side project}

{travel inspiration: paris, london, italy, new york}

orvieto

"the world is a book and those who do not travel read only a page"

~ saint augustine

. . . a wonderful wednesday afternoon and thoughts are drifting, drifting to far off places -- to romantic canals and glass museums, tiny boulangeries and grand archways, a sweet nostalgia for all the places we have been, and all of the places still in our dreams . . .

{p.s.} unbelievably, all of these beautiful photographs were taken by natasha, a lawyer from sydney, australia







paris



london







new york





florence



assisi







rome











venice

{all photography by .natasha. on flickr, quote via destined to design; special thanks to felicity for always sending along the most lovely things}