Mid-high school I gave up trying to be cool and began to crave the light, imaginative weirdness that was so natural to me in childhood. I came to my senses and worked to discover escapes from the daily convention that threatened to deplete my imagination and creativity. In a moment in December 2003 that pulled together all I loved from the past and from the future, I discovered the bright, creative, weird, wonderful Alice in Wonderland shoot by Annie Leibovitz in Vogue.
I had always loved clothes--my mom says the outfits I dressed myself in when I was little were quite... impressive in their originality, and I worked all through high school to support my obsession with beautiful dresses and shoes. I was also forever obsessed with fashion journalism, declaring from 8th grade on that I'd be the next Anna Wintour. When I saw this Alice in Wonderland spread, the possibilities started clicking into place--and since that moment, every time I flip back through the spread something new pulls and inspires me. My favorite model, Natalia Vodianova is a perfect moody, lovely Alice, and designers Marc Jacobs, Karl Lagerfeld and John Galliano are several of the designers who take shape as the Caterpillar, the Mad Hatter and the Red Queen. When we re-read Alice in Wonderland in English class later that year, I brought in the issue to show the class, and I didn't even care that most the class didn't really get it or care. Because frankly, fashion just isn't for everyone.
This post is to celebrate all versions of Alice, and as a thank you for the artists who engage in a dialog with the impossible! Thank you Tim Burton, Johnny Depp, Annie Leibovitz and
Grace Coddington. The challenge this week--every day think up six impossible things before breakfast! It's a lovely practice!
I'm leaving for China in 8 days!! Wow I feel like I have a million things to do. Especially because I am leaving for Las Vegas tomorrow for the whole weekend. Here are photos from the group's trip last year. Top, pre-show rehersal with a beautiful red 