Hasta La Ideas

Israeli-born Yigal Azrouel is known for his signature body hugging silhouettes that make any woman feel sexy and sophisticated. His Fall 2009 collection is no different, but with a tougher edge. From legging-like leather stovepipe pants to effortless draped jersey dresses with exposed zippers and pin-studded handbags and pumps, Azrouel walked the line between edgy and feminine. One of my favorite looks was an all black ensemble with a sleeveless leather-like shirt paired with pencil skirt made of leather paillettes. Azrouel collaborated with jewelry Pamela Love who contributed claw earrings, leather and beaded cuffs, and cage rings. Beauty looks to emulate next fall include sleek hair (no flyaways or split ends in sight!) and extreme smoky charcoal eyes with nude lips. To see more looks from Yigal Azrouel’s collection, click the slideshow.

Colors: black, grey, bold jewel tones
Fabrics: jersey, wool knit, mink, leather, jacquard
Celebs: Nina Garcia, Cory Kennedy, Genevieve Jones
Photo credit: Getty Images for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week

News hit Tuesday that 17 phone manufacturers have agreed to use Micro-USB chargers on all phones by 2012. According to ZDNet, “Companies signed up to the initiative include Nokia, Motorola, Orange, Qualcomm, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, T-Mobile, 3, Telefónica and Vodafone. HTC was not on the list of compliant companies in the announcement, but an HTC spokesperson told ZDNet UK on Tuesday that the manufacturer will participate in the scheme.”

I love the idea of a single charger being able to power multiple devices, but I worry that this announcement is a little too late. In three years’ time, devices like mobile phones might best be charged with cable-free technology, like “WITricity” or Powermats.

Another unsettling point is that many of the smart phone makers didn’t sign onto this agreement. Palm, Blackberry, and Apple aren’t among those on the participation list. I don’t see Apple changing their docking systems to Micro-USB in three years.

I definitely believe that this is a move in the right direction. A single power cord is a brilliant idea. However, I worry that Micro-USB may be an irrelevant standard in three-years’ times.

(via ZDNet and reader Clare)

(Note: An astute reader pointed out that the image is a Mini-USB port instead of a Micro-USB port. Sorry for the confusion! There are so many standards, even I got confused. Ugh!!)

In case you missed it, Graphic Design USA, most commonly seen on the newstands as GDUSA, has released its 46th annual “People to Watch” selections, highlighting thirty designers working today at the top of their game and making a few waves here and there. We were pleased to see our old friend Jeff Fisher among the ranks, which also included Hilman Curtis and MoMA‘s new Creative Director, Julia Hoffmann. We also learned that some designers wear funny hats and others have strange hair. Here’s a bit from the introduction:

It is a subjective process — this is a field deep with special people doing special things — and we admit our limitations upfront. That was never more clear to us than when — for the first time — we asked our online readers to nominate someone for selection. And were inundated by absolutely outstanding selections, many with whom we were not so familiar.

An editorial goal for 2009 is to get to know many of those put forth by their peers more closely and to give them opportunities for exposure in GDUSA.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media

Set of center and side table, with metal structure inspired by honeycomb hexagonal shapes.

Without a doubt, the Calvin Klein label is well-known for its minimalism. So when I saw the first couple of looks in Calvin Klein’s menswear collection for Fall 2009, I wasn’t that impressed. Sure, I love these streamlined, no-frill suits, but I wasn’t at the edge of my seat. In fact, I was nodding off. Right when I was about to let out a yawn from my drooling sleep, a handsome blue suit made an appearance on the runway. This caught my attention. The suit itself is signature Calvin Klein, but the color made it interesting and tickled my inner Don Draper. From there, the show started to hit its stride. Sporty space-age jackets and pristine lines on pants, shirts and coats weren’t groundbreaking, but they were clean and refreshing. The shimmery garments (which included a suit and a couple of tops) added a small wave of change in the sea of simplicity. The basic hue of the collection was like eating a palate-cleansing sorbet. It was refreshing, unsoiled and straightforward. At first, I may have been ready to take a cat nap, but as the collection unfolded, I started to pay attention – and there’s nothing wrong with going the simple route every once in a while.

Colors: shiny black, charcoals, shades of blue
Silhouettes: classic menswear, simple sports coats, clean lines
Celeb Sightings: Kanye West, Jared Leto, Chase Crawford, Patrick Wilson
Photo Credit: Imaxtree