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Jessica Alba and Tory Burch Are BFFs in Business and Life

When Jessica Alba launched the Honest Company in 2011, she called Tory Burch for help. “I was constantly leaning on her for advice about how to structure the business, what does it mean to have business partners and investors, and how does it all work,” the entrepreneur tells Yahoo Style. Now five years later, Alba’s business, which started as a marketplace for nontoxic baby goods, is reportedly valued at about $1.7 billion and its beauty products, which only launched last September, are being used on models at one of the biggest shows at New York Fashion Week.

Because of Alba and Burch’s friendship, the two, in an almost kismet-like manner, also struck up a working relationship this season. “I’m a big fan of her beauty line and we needed makeup for the show,” Burch says backstage ahead of her Spring/Summer 2017 runway, where Alba’s range of foundations, lip crayons, luminizing powders, and more graced the faces of women clad in nautical and floral-themed ensembles.

“I am so excited to have Honest Beauty partner with Tory Burch because we are both believers that gorgeous style can be effortless,” Alba says of the partnership. “The fresh, radiant look Diane Kendal created with Honest Beauty pairs perfectly with Tory’s 2017 Spring Collection and is great for women like Tory and I who are always on the go.”

A photo posted by Tory Burch (@toryburch) on Sep 13, 2016 at 6:46am PDT

But while this is the first time Alba and Burch have officially collaborated, their alliance has been brewing and developing for a while. Sure, the roles might’ve originated with Alba as a celebrity being dressed by a designer, yet it’s since transformed into something much deeper. Both are powerful women with major companies who contend with ups and downs on a daily basis that come with running such successful operations. “I think being an entrepreneur is sort of just going with the flow, and things come your way and you just have to deal with it and look forward.”

In the future, though, Alba and Burch hope for even more strong women to be part of their crew. “I mean, it’s just a fact that business and government and entertainment and everything seems to be a boys’ club, but the more women who are out there that are making moves and making a difference it’s going to be much more diverse and equal,” Alba says. “And supporting other women. I think that’s really key. You know, I was so thrilled to hear about Jessica’s business, but she also supports other women too,” Burch adds. “I think now women in business are really paramount, people know that, it’s half the population — if we’re not supporting half the population it’s a bit of an issue.”

#fashion week #video #news #tory burch #jessica alba #honest

The Next Big Thing in Denim Is Straight Outta L.A.

Warren Baker and Robbie Rogers of the denim brand Hampton + Baker

In case you weren’t convinced, here’s more proof that L.A. is becoming a fashion hub: the brand-new denim brand Hampton + Baker. We know what you’re thinking: L.A.’s always been the land of jeans. But Hampton + Baker does things a little differently.

First, this collection is only jean jackets — five, to be exact. Not just any jean jackets, though: each style takes inspiration from a men’s fashion icon, from grungy Kurt Cobain to the dapper French heart-throb Alain Delon. And every detail has been carefully discussed, debated, and perfected to create “The New Classic.”

Second, the brand comes from a most unlikely duo: Robbie Rogers — the handsome pro-soccer player and gay activist who rocked the sports world by coming out a few years back — and his BFF and celebrity stylist, Warren Alfie Baker, who counts Miles Teller, Evan Peters, and Rogers among his client list. Rogers and Baker had such a deep love of fashion, they took time from their thriving careers to focus on their passion. Hence, the birth of Hampton + Baker.

Launching this men’s collection as an ultra-curated group of “the item we both live in,” and making it available in a limited run online, allows the brand to grow carefully. Their passion is in getting every detail just right, not getting as big as possible right away. That love for what they make is the reason the brand has major buzz among style-obsessed men — and a growing female fan base too.

I got to sit with these guys and talk about everything from the biggest detail they both fuss over, the scoop on whether they ever squabble, and whether they’re more David Beckham or Victoria Beckham when it comes to fashion.

A model wearing a Hampton + Baker emblazoned jacket

Yahoo Style: Congratulations on the new Hampton + Baker collection! Where did the name come from? Robbie Rogers: Well, my middle name is Hampton, and Warren’s last name is Baker.

It’s perfectly WASP-y, yet British at the same time. Warren, you’re from London, right? Warren Baker: I’m from London, and Robbie’s from California. RR: But I traveled for many years, playing [soccer] abroad in Holland, Leeds, London.

What’s your perception of L.A. as a fashion capital? RR: I think it’s changing and growing. From Silver Lake to downtown L.A., people really care about what they’re wearing these days. Growing up as an L.A. native, I wore Reef sandals, shorts, and a tank top! WB: It’s changed so much. Designers are coming this way now, and people are doing fashion shows in places like Palm Springs now. The shift is happening. Cali’s where it’s at.

So true. Big designers like Stella McCartney, Hedi Slimane for Saint Laurent, and even Louis Vuitton have shown collections in California. But for a long time, L.A. was the jean capital; low-end, mass designer jeans. Did that deter you from wanting to do denim in L.A.? WB: Our sense of style in Cali is old school, that “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” mentality. We felt there was a gap in the market for denim jackets, and for people who want to wear them from day to night. RR: We contemplated having different styles, with antique buttons, hand-distresses, and washes. A lot of brands oftentimes have generic denim jackets, so we wanted to focus on five jackets that are “next-level.”

A model wears the “Delon” white denim jacket with suede accents.

It’s interesting that you launched with just five jean jackets. RR: We eventually want to have a full line, but we wear our jean jackets everywhere. They’re totally seasonless, and you can wear them all the time. And they get even better with age!

And everything’s manufactured here in Los Angeles? RR: Yes! The manufacturer is close to our studio. We love the people we work with. It’s a very small factory with small quantity, not mass-produced.

How much are the jackets? RR: From $495 to $795. We made a little over 100 jackets, so it’s a small collection. It was expensive for us to make them here in L.A., especially because everything’s made by hand.

It’s interesting, because Robbie, you walk red carpets, and Warren, you dress people walking red carpets. You guys have no problem putting a guy in a denim jacket on the carpet, but do you think a woman could do the same? RR: For men, if you get the right kind of jean jacket, it’ll look very tailored and dressy. A guy can wear it with really nice slacks and shoes. For women, it’s different, because jean jackets may read too “staple-y.” So there’s a bit of a double standard on the red carpet.

A model in the “Redford” denim jacket

Yes, there totally may be. I mean, think back to when Selena Gomez wore a gown and her co-star Adam Sandler wore cargo shorts. And nobody said anything! WB: Yes, though Lupita [Nyong’o], for The Jungle Book premiere, wore a skirt and denim jacket, and everyone was raving about it!

Tell us a little bit about the role fashion’s played in your life? RR: It’s so important to me, that when I was living in London, I interned for a fashion PR company. And this is while I was playing professional soccer, too! After soccer, this will be the route I pursue, because I’m getting older…

You’re 29? RR: Ha, yes… 29. I’ve been in the league for 10 years, and have a few more years left in my contract, but I’ve had such an interest in this industry, and my work with Warren has been so fun. We have the same aesthetic and approach to our work.

So one half of you is David Beckham, and the other half of you is Victoria Beckham. RR: Basically!

A model wears the “Cobain” denim jacket.

Have you ever disagreed during the design process? WB: It’s bizarre, but never. We’re both gay, crazy soccer fans, and our conversations revolve around sports and fashion all the time. It’s a unique relationship.

RR: Exactly. We’re pretty much always on the same page. And we’ve made a product that we’re both really obsessed with.

Do you have a favorite client that’s worn your jacket? WB: Me! [Laughs] RR: We’ve gifted to some friends and teammates, but we’d love to see David [Beckham] in the “Cobain” style.

Kurt Cobain is my style icon! RR: Yes, our jackets are all conceived and named after our mood boards with photos of our favorite style icons. So far we have “Cobain,” “Redford,” “Dean,” “Delon,” and “Newman.”

You have all the classic guys! But you know, some of these would look good on Victoria Beckham, too! WB: Definitely! We’ve had some female clients, and we love a washed-denim jacket on women.

Well, I congratulate you both on everything, and Robbie, for being an openly gay man in sports. It’s so important. RR: Thank you. It’s why it’s so important for me to stay in the league, at least for a little longer, before pursuing fashion full-time.

#men #denim #fashion #style #robbie rogers #warren baker #joe zee

Prince of Pop, King of Style: An Ode to a Legend

Legendary artist Prince was found dead at his recording studio in Minnesota on Thursday, according to the Associated Press. He was 57.

While I had never met him, and I don’t want to pretend I did, he has had such an indelible, lasting impact on the fashion industry. He created pop culture — and what would style be without the former?

My first encounter with Prince happened back in 1983, when I was in the 10th grade, pulling an all-nighter writing a paper on the economic state of Brazil. Being informed that coffee was the country’s primary export required more than my just drinking it past the midnight hour — it also required my listening nonstop to the radio.

In Toronto, the biggest pop station was Chum FM, and that night, it kept me going, in particular a little ditty called “Little Red Corvette.” I’d never heard the song before then, but between the hours of midnight and 7 a.m., it played 28 times (yes, I counted). So the next weekend I dedicated myself to researching this Prince character. In those pre-Internet, pre-iPhone days, research meant going to my local record store and thumbing through the bins to find that artist — filed under P, for Prince (he wasn’t yet under A, for Artist Formerly Known as Prince).

I remember picking up a copy of 1999 in 1983 and looking at the purple, cartoonish cover. I pored over every magazine article I could find on him, watched every one of his videos, and listened to his songs religiously.

I was quickly obsessed — the man had style.

Seeing a petite man in ruffles, brocade, and lace wasn’t what struck me — it was, after all, the era of Michael Jackson, Madonna, and Boy George, and I had just gone through my own New Romantics phase (Spandau Ballet, Duran Duran), so I knew my way around a ruffle and a rhinestone — there was something magnetically special about this little guy.

He approached fashion in a way I’d never seen before, mixing the feminine with the masculine in an unprecedented way, in an eye patch or a crystal embellishment — or a Speedo paired with a choker and eyeliner. Then there were his signature bandannas, often worn with catsuits, bell-bottoms, or crop tops and cutout leggings. Even when he was butt naked, with his tiny, lithe waist, there was a stylish flair to the way he wore his birthday suit.

But I think what fascinated me most was his own fascination — and appropriation — of women’s shoes. Prince made high heels and, later, Cuban heels his sneakers. It was the shoe he was most comfortable in, the shoe he lived in, the shoe that defined him. There was something regal (naturally) about the way Prince wore his heels. It was more Jimi Hendrix meets Louis XIV than RuPaul. In an interview, Prince explained that “people say I’m wearing heels because I’m short. I wear heels because the women like ’em.” And he was right. In his heels, he was a lady-killer, luring the likes of Apollonia, Vanity, Sheila E., and his ex-wife Mayte. He not only dated them — he helped craft their style and public image.

The mystery and allure of Prince’s style has never escaped me. When a friend of mine moved to Minneapolis to work for Target, I would occasionally ask him if he ever got invited to Paisley Park (he never did), because in my mind that was the nerve center of all that is Prince. It was his recording studio and his home, but, most important, it’s where he kept his famous wardrobe. Legend had it that there was an army of designers and seamstresses (10 to be exact) who worked around the clock making Prince’s wardrobe and that there were vaults of the world’s most luxurious heels, which were locked up nightly. Allegedly, he would sometimes borrow or share shoes with Mayte too, though they didn’t wear the same size (Prince supposedly wore a women’s size 6).

I have no idea if any of that was true, but I do know this: Prince continued to dazzle and delight with his sartorial confections until the very end (he performed in concert just days before his death). For those inevitable moments when I may feel a little less than inspired, I will play a Prince song — and with the first twang of his guitar, everything will seem more colorful (purple, red, raspberry!) again.

He’ll be missed.

#fashion #news #rip #prince #the artists formerly known as prince

All Hail Prince, the King of Fashion

Legendary artist Prince was found dead at his recording studio in Minnesota on Thursday, according to TMZ. He was 57.

While I’ve never met him, and I don’t want to pretend I did, he’s had such an indelible and lasting impact on the fashion industry. He created pop culture — and what would style be without the former?

My first encounter with Prince happened back in 1983, when I was in the tenth grade, pulling an all-nighter writing a paper on the economic state of Brazil. Being informed that coffee was the country’s primary national export required more than me just drinking it past the midnight hour — it also required me listening nonstop to the radio.

In Toronto, the biggest pop station was Chum FM and that night, it kept me going, in particular a little ditty called “Little Red Corvette.” I had never heard the song before that night, but between the hours of midnight and 7am, it played 28 times (yes, I counted). So the next weekend I dedicated myself to researching this Prince character. In those pre-internet, pre-iPhones days, research meant going to my local record store and thumbing through the bins to find that artist - filed under P, for Prince, ( he wasn’t yet in the A’s, for Artist Formerly Known as Prince)

I remember picking up a copy of 1999 in 1983 and looking at the purple cartoon-ish cover. I poured over every magazine article I could find on him, watched every one of his videos and listened his songs religiously.

I was quickly obsessed — the man had style.

Seeing a petite man in ruffles, brocade and lace wasn’t what struck for me—it was, after all,the era of Michael Jackson, Madonna, Boy George and I had just gone through my own New Romantics phase (Spandau Ballet, Duran Duran) so I knew my way around a ruffle and a rhinestone—there was something magnetically special about this little guy.

He approached fashion in a way I’ve never seen before, mixing the feminine with the masculine in an unprecedented way, in an eye patch or a crystal embellishment, or a speedo paired with a choker and eyeliner. Then there were his signature bandanas, often worn with catsuits, bell bottoms or crop tops and cut out leggings. Even when he was butt naked, with his tiny, lithe waist, there was a stylish flair to the way he wore his birthday suit.

But I think what fascinated me the most was his own fascination - and appropriation - of women’s shoes. Prince made high heels, and later, the Cuban heels, his sneaker. It was the shoe he was most comfortable in, the shoe he lived in, the shoe that defined him. There was something regal (naturally) about the way Prince wore his heels. It was more Jimi Hendrix meets Louis XIV than RuPaul. In an interview, Prince explained that “People say I’m wearing heels because I’m short. I wear heels because the women like ‘em.” And he was right. In his heels, he was a lady killer, luring the likes of Apollonia, Vanity, Sheila E. and his ex-wife Mayte. He not only dated them, he helped craft their style and public images.

The mystery and allure of Prince’s style has never escaped me. When a friend of mine moved to Minneapolis to work for Target, I’d occasionally ask him if he ever got invited to Paisley Park (he never did), because in my mind that was the brain center of all that is Prince. It was his recording studio, his home, but most importantly, it’s where he kept his famous wardrobe. Legend had it that there was an army of designers and seamstresses (10 to be exact) who worked around the clock making Prince’s wardrobe and that there were vaults of the world’s most luxurious heels which were locked up nightly. Allegedly, he would sometimes borrow or share shoes with Mayte too though they didn’t wear the same size (Prince supposedly wears a women’s size 6). I have no idea if any of that is true, but I do know this: Four decades later, Prince continues to dazzle and delight with his sartorial confections and for those moments when I feel just a little bit less inspired, I will play a Prince song and with that first twang of his guitar, everything seems to be more colorful (purple, red, raspberry!) again.

#a-to-zee #popculture #fashion #_category:yct:001000073 #slideshow #_author:Joe Zee #_uuid:0c27bb92-ed41-3340-80f5-68e463c05620 #_lmsid:a0Vd0000003sA7XEAU #_revsp:yahoo.com/style

Denim Makeover: How to Find the Best Jeans For Your Body Shape

Jeans are such a staple in every person’s wardrobe, but are you wearing the right pair for your body shape? We invited four women to the FABLife set to listen to their denim woes and find out what would take for them to find their perfect pair of jeans.

Ashley was looking for a pair that worked for her curvy body, while Farrah was hoping for something that would elongate her petite 5′2″ frame. At 51, Dylan wanted to know which jeans would be appropriate for her age. And Jenny, who is tall and lovely, needed to find a pair that would work for her long legs.

Can you relate to these style conundrums? Then you won’t want to miss the video above for my denim fashion fixes! Not only do they look good, but they feel good too!

Watch FABLife’s entire “Denim Extravaganza Special” Thursday February 4th. Check your local listings at FABLifeShow.com.

#a to zee #fablife #jeans #denim #body shape #video

Are You a Hot Mess? Ashley Tisdale Is Here For You

Everyone knows Ashley Tisdale from her breakout role in High School Musical (btw, did you know that was 10 years ago?!), now the super multi-talented actress/singer/editor-in-chief can also add designer to her mantle. Not only does she oversee the lifestyle site The Haute Mess, but she also just launched a line of T-shirts with Signorelli.

Is there anything this girl can’t do? She tells the FabLife crew that even though she seemingly has it all together, it’s not always the case. Watch the video above to find out her style and life advice for women who feel like they are not feeling their best!

Watch the complete FABLife episode Tuesday February 2nd. Check your local listings at FABLifeShow.com.

#a to zee #fablife #ashley tisdale #t-shirt #celebrity #popculture #video

Accessorize Like an A-lister for Only $30!

There’s nothing more exciting than getting something you really, really want for a killer price. In this week’s episode of the FABLife, we are presenting awesome guilt-free buys that cost $50 or less! Watch the video above to get the scoop on Lauren’s graphic reusable wallpaper, Chrissy’s new favorite snack, and accessories inspired by the red carpet presented by yours truly. (Who would have thought that dressing like Kate Winslet would only cost $30?) Enjoy!

Watch FABLife’s “Guilt-Free Decadence Special” Thursday January 28th. Check your local listings at FABLifeShow.com.

#a to zee #fablife #video #earrings #jewelry #accessories

Style Hack: How to Double Your Cup Size In 30 Seconds Or Less

As a woman, do you ever put on an outfit and think, I wish I could be a bit bustier in this look? Unless you have a drawer full of Wonderbras it’s hard to do. Fortunately the FABLife crew has got some good tips on how to increase your cup size in 30 seconds flat.

Watch the clip above as I share one of my favorite tricks from my styling days, and listen in as Chrissy Teigen and Lauren Makk offer their surprise style hacks as well. Enjoy!

Watch FABLife’s “Double Duty Day” special, Tuesday January 12th. Check your local listings at FABLifeShow.com.

#a to zee #fablife #bras #cup size #breasts #chrissy teigen #video

How Working With David Bowie Changed My Career and Life

I worked with David Bowie only once, but I’ll never forget it.

The opportunity came from his wife, supermodel Iman, whom I have known and worked with many times throughout my long career in styling. Iman was taking charge of the Keep a Child Alive charity and had a vision, which involved bringing attention to the important cause by photographing her friends (who just so happened to be A-list celebrities) and featuring the images with the tagline “I Am African.”

Iman started off the project by assembling a stellar team, consisting of Michael Thompson (our frequent collaborator) as the photographer and me as the stylist. From there, we needed a concept to sell to potential participants, so Iman took charge and gamely cast herself and her husband as our test subjects.

We tried several different ideas and finally decided on stark black-and-white portraits with a colored streak of paint that would define the campaign. Iman was a sport and David was an artist, and the combination of the couple’s professional and loving attitudes produced not only beautiful (if I do say so myself) but pretty impactful results.

Bowie was incredibly gregarious, insightful, and collaborative. When the makeup artist ran a stripe of red makeup down his forehead and nose, I remember thinking, Oh, is he going to like this? I mean, it’s David Bowie. He knows his makeup! But he did, and a quick nod of approval later, we shot a stunning picture that would eventually become the blueprint for all the stars to come after, including Gwyneth Paltrow and Richard Gere. That was my only interaction with David Bowie, but I know how blessed and privileged I am to get even that.

Many years later, his inspiration resurfaced in my life in a very different, less direct (yet just as personal) way. I was in Toronto on a press trip, and the Canadian city was hosting the David Bowie retrospective exhibition at the Art Gallery of Ontario at the time. I went out of curiosity but left full of awe. The incredible costumes, the far-fetched and fun personas, and the unique metaphors and meanings behind everything he created defined him not only as an artist but as a person too.

This display took me back to when I was a teenager in the ’80s living in Toronto about a block away from that very museum. I remember wanting to wear Kansai Yamamoto, Bowie’s biggest fashion designer collaborator during his Ziggy/Major Tom years, because it was the cool, edgy name only those “in the know” were familiar with. Unfortunately, I couldn’t afford any of it, but I saved my allowance for a few months and splurged on a crazy cartoon T-shirt for $100. Worth it — for sure! — and the experience made me appreciate his designs even more. The piece remains a tangible memory in my life as to where Bowie had been in that phase of his career and how my life intertwined with that.

When I walked out of that exhibition, I said, “That is exactly how I want to shoot Miley Cyrus for one of my last covers at Elle.” In fact, I was so determined to do so that I even had Jean Paul Gaultier dig up an old bodysuit he had designed that resembled one of Bowie’s early costumes. Through some sweet-talking and finagling, I was able to circumvent the piece’s travel plans to a museum exhibition and had it make a pit stop at our shoot. The one-shoulder, star-covered bodysuit was shot on Miley, and I even made a cameo too!

The Bowie mystique is undeniable. Sunday night (or, more accurately, early Monday morning) I was at a Golden Globes afterparty when the news alert came through that Bowie had died and the entire room seemed to simultaneously abandon the celebratory mood for a few somber moments in memoriam.

I will always remember David and cherish the experience we had together. My love for Iman, their family, and those fashion memories — and so many more — will forever be a part of what I do.

#fashion #music #popculture #david bowie #a to zee #joe zee #iman

A 51-Year-Old Mom Gets the Ultimate Makeover (Including Her First Haircut In 15 Years)!

Have you ever looked at your parents and thought, “Oh I’d love to give mom or dad a makeover?” Well that’s just what happened on this episode of FabLife when Elisa approached us with a style quandary. She shared that her 51-year-old mother, Jackie, was not dressing in a way that matched her vivacious personality. Her lackluster style even cost her key roles at her local theater because she would tend to be cast as a much older woman.

Thankfully we stepped in to help. Not only did we give Jackie her first haircut in 15 years (!), but we also dressed her to the nines in pieces from Calvin Klein and Zara. Check out the seriously fab results which caused this lovely mother-daughter to cry tears of joy!

Watch FABLife’s "Secrets to Turning Back the Clock Special" on Thursday, January 7th. Check your local listings at FABLifeShow.com.

#a to zee #fab life #video #makeover #mother-daughter #zara #calvin klein

What Will Chrissy Teigen Look Like In 100,000 Years?

Did you ever wonder what you’ll look like when you’re older? Usually that means in 20 years or so, but the FABLife crew took it to the next level by projecting what they will look like in 100,000 years! Just picture it, bigger foreheads and eyes...are we all going to look like Mr. Potato Heads?

Using data provided by scientists we fast-forwarded into the super future to create composites of what we’re going to look like. You won’t want to miss what top knot queen Chrissy Teigen has to say about her brand new look.

Watch the complete FABLife episode, Thursday December 31st. Check your local listings at FABLifeShow.com,

#a to zee #fablife #Chrissy Teigen #video

A Divorced Mom Of 3 Gets a Makeover & 30 New Outfits For Her First Date In 10 Years

When Shannon, a divorced mother of three boys, needed to revamp her style for her first date in 10 years, her best friend called upon the FabLife team to get her ready. While she was very comfortable in loose-fitting printed dresses, these weren’t the garments that were going to carry her through the next chapter of her life.

Check out the clip above as we play with her love of prints while keeping her looking chic and fabulous. The best part? She was gifted a new wardrobe that was comprised of 12 easy-to-wear pieces which will make up a month’s worth of outfits. How’s that for fashion math?!

Watch the complete FABLife episode, Wednesday December 30th. Check your local listings at FABLifeShow.com.

#a to zee #joe zee #fab life #fashion #video #dating #love/sex #men #makeover

Chrissy Teigen’s #1 Hair Secret

If Chrissy Teigen had a signature hairstyle, it would be her topknot. The model and author—her new cookbook, Cravings, is available for pre-sale right now—says she cannot, under any circumstances, do her hair on her own. Which is why, if she doesn’t have a stylist on hand, you almost always see the FABLife co-host sporting a messy topknot.

By messy, we mean perfectly mussed, because while it conveys an “I’m so casual” vibe, it also looks pretty chic. Luckily, we’re not the only ones who wanted to know how she does it. In the video above, she shows off her skills.

Watch the complete FABLife episode, Tuesday, December 15th. Check your local listings at FABLifeShow.com.

#a to zee #fablife #joe zee #chrissy teigen #video

This story is part of a weeklong Yahoo series marking one year since the opening of relations between the United States and Cuba. In 1999, Elian Gonzalez was in Miami and I was on my way to Cuba. I was the newly minted fashion director at W, and we were collaborating with the American art photographer

#fashion #culture

What It’s Like to Shoot a Fashion Story in Cuba

This story is part of a weeklong Yahoo series marking one year since the opening of relations between the United States and Cuba.

In 1999, Elian Gonzalez was in Miami and I was on my way to Cuba. I was the newly minted fashion director at W, and we were collaborating with the American art photographer Philip-Lorca diCorcia, one of the most influential photographers working today. He’s known for work that bridges documentary and theater, reality and fantasy, and W was all about artists like that. The entire crew was incredible, in fact: Our model was Guinevere Van Seenus, and we had Dick Page on makeup and Serge Normant on hair. One of the images from the now famous shoot ended up hanging on the wall at the Museum of Modern Art in New York — but getting those shots was no easy feat.

Perhaps unexpectedly, the most difficult part was getting there. We applied for journalist visas months in advance and flew through Canada on some crazy chartered airline that was only allowed to fly in and out of Havana. My seat was literally duct-taped together (I’m not kidding). This, I remember thinking, was fashion glamour.

It was a particularly difficult time in Cuba’s history with the United States. Though our shoot had been planned for months, it happened to land just weeks after Elian Gonzalez was found clinging to an inner tube in the Atlantic waters north of Miami. The two countries were fighting over him, which wasn’t surprising given the history of discord between the two, but the conflict made it a horrible time to be an American in Cuba. Philip wanted to shoot there because it was scenic and different, but also because the faded ’50s architecture, crumbling chandeliers, and broken windows created the perfect backdrop for a photo shoot, and he knew it’d only be a matter of time before someone swept in and turned the whole thing into South Beach 2.0.

My job was to make sure we had all the clothes we needed to shoot Guinevere in every possible location. Basically, I had to smuggle them into the country. Normally, my assistants would send dozens of trunks in advance of my landing, so we’d be ready to go upon arrival. For this shoot, however, we had to carry everything we needed in the two suitcases we were allowed to bring.

Once there, we couldn’t walk on the streets without being stopped by Cuban police demanding to see our IDs. The electricity and plumbing at the locations where we were shooting only worked between 7 and 9 in the morning and 5 and 7 at night. The toilets wouldn’t flush. On the third day, we were shooting at a private residence in Havana when we got word that we needed to shut everything down. The government was sending buses to collect all locals to take them downtown for a mandatory anti-American rally.

Things have obviously changed a lot since then. Americans are free to travel to Cuba, fashion’s obsessed with the place, Chanel is even showing their resort collection in Havana next year, and I’m free to think about what I might like to shoot there should I have another chance. Under these very different circumstances, I’d love to pull together something modern, full of contemporary clothes, instead of the dreamy retro look so often associated with the country. Though the Cuban landscape was beautiful, and our resulting photos very arresting, I can’t deny that shooting in a country where even the simple things were often difficult made a photo shoot with so many moving parts all the more trying. I still love that photo shoot more than anything, but I’m ready for round two.

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