Vogue US September 2012

One of my most favorite things about summer coming to an end is the enormous bookstop-esque September fashion issues arriving from the mailperson. Anna Wintour’s September Vogue issue arrived digitally a week ago, but I still thoroughly looked forward to sitting down with a cup (or glass – depending upon the time of day) of something decadent and taking my time reading the articles that catch my interest.

In this particular issue there were four articles that I thoroughly enjoyed for differing reasons:

• “Waiting in the Wings” (p828) Jonathan Van Meter’s interview with Chelsea Clinton – an intriguing insight into a young woman (32) who defies exhaustion and is resolute to uphold the Clinton legacy, at the same time making it her own.
• “The Sense of an Ending” (p440) Ann Pachett’s touching piece about the loss of her 16 year old dog Rosie. Dog-lovers, as hard it as it will initially be to read this article (I teared up within the first two paragraphs), it is a lovely dedication to the special, irreplaceable spot our four-legged loyal companions hold in our lives.
• “All that Jazz” (p648) Vogue officially confirmed that Miuccia Prada is the fashion extraordinaire behind the wardrobe of the upcoming film The Great Gatsby starring Carey Mulligan, Leonardo DiCaprio and Tobey Maguire which opens on Christmas Day at the end of the year.
• “French Open” (p860) Plum Sykes takes a grand peek into Lauren Santo Domingo’s new Paris apartment located in the heart of Saint Germain. If you are both a Francophile and a decor aficionado, you will fawn over the story and the beauty of this lovely pied a terre. As co-founder of the online trunkshow website Moda Operandi, Santo Domingo is a devoted lover of Paris, and with the help of interior designer Francois Catrous restored their apartment into one that combines both bohemian and grandeur. Below are a few images found in the September issue of Vogue:

~My favorite room is the outdoor terrace overlooking Paris~

~The library. Table by India Mahdavi and painting L’Offrande (1950) by Wifredo Lam~

~Living space – Herve Van der Straeten chandelier, Michel Boyer coffee tables~

~Lauren Santo Domingo wearing Oscar de la Renta in her Paris appartement~

But now to the cover, as that is always the curious question readers ask before the September issue is revealed.

Lady Gaga wears a custom gown by Marc Jacobs (chosen from one of two that he made exclusively for her cover shoot) and was styled by Grace Coddington. In promotion for her perfume Fame, Gaga is depicted edgy, yet originally glamorously grungy, yet at the same time regal with the inclusion of the adorning hats. Read Jonathan Van Meter’s entire interview here. (photographed by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggot)

~Wearing Alexander McQueen~

~Wearing Marc Jacobs red hand-knit wool cardigan, tinsel-striped skirt, and orange-and-black goat-and-fox-fur hat~

~Wearing Marc Jacobs black fox Edwardian hat and crocheted-wool scarf~

~Wearing a Stephen Jones Millinery fuchsia ostrich-and-marabou hat~

Images: Lady Gaga via Vogue online, Lauren Santo Domingo via Simply Luxurious captured from the pages of Vogue.

Moda Operandi – Runway At Your Fingertips

After Town & Country’s March 2011 issue with the sultry Lauren Santo Domingo on the cover, I took some time to read her interview and found more information about her one of a kind luxury shopping website – Moda Operandi.


The first of its kind, co-founders Lauren Santo Domingo, of Vogue, and Aslaug Magnusdottir, a former executive at Gilt Groupe, have created an online business that allows fashion connoisseurs to purchase the designs off the runway in a matter of days after the designer has revealed them to the public through their trunk shows that are only available to Moda Operandi members.

In hopes of helping the promotion of the designers by placing their wares in the consumer’s hands well before they get tweaked and shipped to various stores, Domingo and Magnusdottir believe this opportunity will be a fairly reliable forecaster of what consumers will want to see in stores, thus, aiding buyers in making decisions about what they should purchase.


Moda Operandi provides a front row vantage point to its members along with a handful of other perks, such as – recommendations from top stylists, access to a personal shopping assistant, and tools to review the looks from every angle.

While I won’t be able to purchase every dream piece that takes its turn on the runway, I like knowing if I want to and the funds are there, I can have a design that strikes my fancy. If you are interested in applying for membership, it’s simple. Just fill out and submit a membership request form and within a few days you will receive an email informing you of your pending acceptance.


The inaugural trunk show began with Prabal Gurung 2011 Fall Ready-to-Wear collection earlier in the month, followed closely with Alexander Wang’s. Both of these trunk shows will close this Friday, February 25th, but the amazing list of shows continues each day.  Vera Wang’s Fall 2011 RTW collection just began and will end March 1st. Carolina Herrera’s collection becomes available for purchase on Monday, February 28th.



If you decide to purchase a piece that catches your eye and would fit wonderfully with your wardrobe, you will be asked to pay 50% at the time of purchase and then the remaining 50% will be expected when the item ships (which is approximately 6 months later).

I don’t know about you, but I like to dream and as I said before, I may not be able to shop with abandon, but at least I have my foot in the door.  Happy shopping!!!

Images: All other images via of Moda Operandi (6) Town & Country