Some more options for fantastic shoes from spring.
Bass came out with some fantastic color options in loafers
Sperry has created a few multi colored oxfords in suede (they are soft and super comfortable)
Lastly , Gucci issuing a classic loafer embossed with gold.

In the spring one can be a bit more daring with color.
2 fantastic options.
The blue ones are Prada (with or without the ubiquitous kilty)
The other pair is by Paul Smith.
Fantastic options both found in Norfstrom.

The Artichoke table is the first version on ‘The masculine thanksgiving table’ i produced this year. I found this incredible paper placemat with artichokes printed on it and was inspired to create my own candle holders made of live artichokes and some spray paint.

If you are like me, you like strong masculine design that is still elegant. This is super simple to make…

http://kentonmagazine.com/aldo40-igael-gurin-malous/

#ALDO40: Igaël Gurin-Malous

Igaël Gurin-Malous is a print-maker, teacher and calligrapher working in Los Angeles, CA. Born in Belgium, he grew up in both Europe and Israel, before moving to San Francisco. His diverse upbringing has played a part in developing his unique personal style and continues to provide a basis for continued inspiration. We talked to Igaël to find out more about his past and his perception of the now.

KENTON magazine: What do you do for a living and how long have you been in your current position? Do you think your career affects your sartorial choices?
Igaël Gurin-Malous: I’m lucky to be involved in many creative projects as an artist and a designer. I taught for many years and being in-front of a classroom and mentoring students, I wanted to make sure that who I was as a teacher came through not just through my words and what I was trying to teach but also from how I looked. I wanted my values and lifestyle to be reflected in how I presented myself. I have always had my own style (my mother tells many stories about how stubborn I was as a toddler choosing my outfits). It has evolved of course, it can look traditional if you glanced quickly, but if you took a minute to look you would see many quirks and flourishes. Once you look down though you will be surprised, I always wear a statement shoe. Shoes are very important. You can tell a lot about a person from the shoes they are wearing.

KENTON: How would you describe your personal style?
Igaël: It’s classic European in love with American style and with a strong avant-garde twist. I’m drawn to well made clothes, structure and quality, but I love the unexpected. A piece in a bright color or interesting texture, an accessory thats a bit ‘out of place’. I don’t like things that are too perfect.

KENTON: Was there ever a defining moment in your life that helped shape your personal style?
Igaël: I was 14 or so, I was watching a movie and I saw a shirt that I thought was the coolest thing ever. It looked so different. It was a button down white shirt with only one black sleeve. I wanted one like that so bad, and since I could not find it anywhere (there was no Google back then) I decided to make something like it. I took one of my white shirts (I have always had dozens of them; it’s my favorite piece of clothing) took it apart, dyed the sleeve and begged my grandmother to teach me to sew it back together. I was so proud. I think I realized then that I had a “different” style and that I wanted to have my own look. Also, I grew up in Belgium and my taste has very much been influenced by my heritage. My family worked in fashion, they designed and manufactured fur coats and accessories. Then they expanded to luxury good and jewelry so I was always surrounded by people who had their own style. Whenever I visit home, I have this moment that I realize, oh wow… everyone looks like me, dresses like me and talks like me… it’s a great moment, but then it passes when I look closely. Living in America for so long I have fallen in love with American style and it definitely shows.

KENTON: How has your style evolved throughout your life – through elementary school, to high school, college etc.?
Igaël: I have always liked “grown up” clothes since I was a small boy; there are many pictures of me at 6 or 7 years of age in 3 piece suits. In High school I was more “rebellious” and experimental, I wore only black clothes for almost 2 years, always carrying Nietzsche’s “Thus said Zarathustra” with me. my style evolves with my appreciation of craftsmanship. I like intelligent clothes, pieces that fit my personality and lifestyle.

KENTON: Where do you currently live and how long have you lived there? How much does ‘place’ play a part in how you dress?
Igaël: I’ve been very fortunate to live in many places like Brussels, Antwerp, London, New York, and Tel Aviv, each of them influencing my style. After many years living in San Francisco, I moved to LA a little over a year ago. It’s a very interesting place. I’m not into the super casual west coast style so I try and make it my own, I wear a bit more structured clothes, mix them with more casual pieces (I’ve been wearing shorts for what feels like forever at this point) and then since I have a severe shoe addiction, I try and wear a strong shoe.

KENTON: Who inspires you in fashion and style?
Igaël: Miuccia prada is a great influencer, I think she must be one of the most intelligent designers today. I love the thought and intention that goes into her collections and pieces. It’s so brilliant. Dries Van Noten (a fellow Belgian) is always inspiring to me too… I love the effortless masculine look of people like Jean Paul Belmondo in the 60s, but I am also influenced by people like Boy George, who were not afraid to be themselves. Growing up at the height of MTV’s influence, I have very strong cultural anchors in the super stylish music videos of the 90s too.

The FIVE

THE WHO: Who inspires you in fashion and style?
Miucia Prada, Cristobal Balenciaga, Yves Saint Laurant, Claude Montana, Lucas Ossendrijver, Véronique Nichanian.

THE RULES: What are your three rules of style for yourself?
Never wear a belt with jeans. Make sure your clothes fit. Dress for yourself not for anybody else. If you’re older than 12 you can no longer wear crocs. Learn how to tie a tie and a bow tie.

THE MUST: What one piece in your wardrobe can you not live without and why?
A white oxford shirt. I have dozens of them, it’s my go to staple. It always looks good. You can press it for a refined look or wear it right after it was washed for a more relaxed look… it looks good with everything. Growing up in an orthodox Jewish family, white shirts were the only thing we would wear and it stuck with me. I keep getting more and more of them.

THE BEATS: What kind of music do you like? Any great memories when music played a part?
George Michael music video of “Freedom”, it was the age of the mega supermodels… It was amazing. It’s a classic.

THE EATS: What kind of food do you like to eat? Favorite restaurants in your city that you frequent often?
I’m a big foodie. I love to explore new things, but I also love going back to favorite places. Each city has its own feel for me so when I visit, there are places “I must” go to… if you want a safe bet with me, take me to great sushi.

Celebrate ALDO’s 40th anniversary with Freddy and check out more great style on ALDO40.com.

All shoes and bag pictured courtesy of ALDO Shoes.

Photo Credit: Wendy Bendoni  (FMM)

Well, that work of art didn’t happen overnight. In fact, it took more than three weeks to source the dinnerware and table accessories, three days to paint and sew the table cloth and the artwork (all custom made), one day to build the actually tablescape with plant life and then 24 hours to shoot the entire scene (lighting, fog and dry ice aren’t exactly as easy as up-dos and braids).
To create this amazing display, we partnered with Laurie March,  HGTV’s latest online personality, and her partner, artist and interior designer Igael Gurin-Malous. Laurie and Igael sat down with us after our awesome photo shoot to talk about the magic of the dark forest and ways we can bring that magic into our own dining rooms.
FMM: Why were you inspired to create the tablescape based on the dark forest in Snow White and the Huntsman? How does creating an interior environment based on an entertainment property deepen your experience of the film?
LM: The forest has always intrigued me. I grew up on the edge of the woods and have never forgotten the time I spent as a child stomping around, hiding and discovering. The Snow White forest is far darker and more mysterious than what I grew up with, but I love any movie that reminds us that magic is all around us. Movies give us the opportunity to quiet our minds and be taken on the journey the filmmaker crafts for you. A great interior is much the same, but in a living, evolving environment.
IGM: The story of Snow White is such a visual and cultural icon that the idea of creating a tablescape inspired by it was almost too good to be true. The enchanted forest is such a strong visual cue that it represented a fantastic challenge. There were many ways to go with it. We set out to create something inspired by this idea of a lush dark forest that was menacing but also comforting as it offer Snow White an escape and it teaches her many lessons about herself. We wanted to see if if we could create something that was intelligent, inspired by some of the movie’s visuals without coping the set design. We took ideas from the story and the movie and interpreted them through our own aesthetics (which in my case is strong, masculine, clean and dark) creating a rich and tactile “walk in the woods” feel on the table but still keeping some elements modern and contemporary, elements that people could use at home.
FMM: Why would you want to entertain guests in this atmosphere? What social situations would you consider appropriate for this style of decor?
IGM: It’s very inviting. There are elements of magic in the story that carry though when you create an atmosphere like that at home. It could be a fun dinner party, I can imagine a late night dinner with very interesting friends discussing the story and its meaning. There is a reason why we go back to it and retell it. Each version is slightly different because each reader (or artist or director) reads him or herself into the story. The original German version is quite different. I would say, just open a very rich bottle of wine, serve a good stew and get lost in your own little fairy tale.
LM: Themed parties allow guests to leave behind their everyday lives and immerse themselves in something different.  Guests at this party would eat and drink new things, see and touch plants they might not know and spend a few hours without obsessing over their iPhone. Our party is for grownups, but children love plants, moss and bringing nature inside. One could throw a child’s birthday party inspired by the forest and use a simplified version of what we have here. Dry ice and a fog machine create magic anytime!
FMM: Is the centerpiece tiered? Can you explain the process of constructing it? How much time did it take? What tools did you use?

IGM: Yes, everything is tiered, that’s the secret to good design. Well, it’s not a secret anymore now that I’ve told you. We started with brown velvet for the base, super long, super flowy to set the feel of the table, a ground base of sorts. We loved working with it, its so opulent but affordable. Then we wanted to chose a focal point to the table and started building up layering plants, dinnerware and drink ware, making sure that the table looks great from all angles, each one offering a slightly different view, much like in a forest, much like life.
FMM: How many different plants did you use in the table setting? How did you select the plants that you used?
IGM: Many. We wanted a very saturated green forest feeling, so we got ferns, ivys and climbers, a lot of moss, lichen and wood elements. It needed to be dark and beautiful, on the verge of decay, which is such a beautiful moment–about to wilt but still very much alive, just before renewal and rebirth.
FMM: How do you use color to create mood in this environment?

LM: We hung the grey grass-cloth wallpaper in this dining room because it is a gorgeous layer of texture in a elegant family home.  The curtains blend almost seamlessly, to create a backdrop for the amazing parties my client throws. Dark and light are a fascinating theme in Snow White and the Huntsman. Our table would welcome Snow White for a rest on her journey–giving her a drink, a nibble, and a moment to herself. Don’t we all need that?
IGM: It’s important to choose a few colors and go with them, sometimes push the boundaries a bit. We knew we wanted candle light and a romantic atmosphere fairy tale look.We also wanted reflective surfaces, so we got the black Murano glass plates which look like a pool of black water. Greens and browns we important for the forest feel. Finally, we knew that we wanted mirrors and reflective surfaces to reference the mirror in the story, but we also wanted white, of course, so the challenge was not to make it too literal. The greens we chose were very vibrant, and then we used red as an accent color referencing the apple but also blood which is an important element in the story. Overall, I would say that texture was more important than color–the velvets, the plants, the candles and pedestal and the dinnerware. We wanted a very saturated look and feel.

Credits

Photography: Bertone Visuals for FMM

Creative direction and concept: Macala Wright
Design,

construction and development: Laurie March and Igeal Gurin-Malous

Need a great masculine light? (or maybe your a car enthusiast in need if a floor lamp?) try the Toio lamp…