Excuse me, Sir. What are you doing?

Raf Simons Tee, See by Chloe shorts, Barney's NY socks, Fracap shoes, IISE backpack

Sorry, I forgot my tripod and self timing camera.  The stigma toward selfies is a tad irrelevant now.  I still find it absurd to make duck faces from an aerial angle in the middle of Duane Reade while buying bottled water, but Instagram made it acceptable to take photos of your outfits on your phone to share.  Still, I wish I had some hot guy following me around to snap some photos at good angles.  My friend Anthony and I decided to stop by our old work to beat the heat... and take a few photos.

Our old co-workers were like, "What are you guys doing in there?  What are you still doing here?!"  It was a proud moment.  I'm glad I got some shots of Anthony's Gitman Bros. Vintage shirt.  It is a limited edition print for Cinco de Mayo.  Of course he bought the last one, but the long sleeve version is still available online!!  The sacred hearts are so special.  They remind me of the souvenir jacket I am lusting over from the GIZA x Joyrich collaboration.

In the true spirit of skazan, I really like the blue color way.  The black is also a great option though, especially since the insides of these reversible jackets have this awesome print.  Check out the rest of the collaboration on Joyrich's website here.  Souvenir jackets have become an obsession of mine.  Stay tuned for my collection (just be patient though because the summer heat in NYC is killer hot).

- jerome

Take A Bow

Seeing Raf Simons cry during the finale of his final show for Jil Sander is making me weep uncontrollably. His exit didn't have the grandeur of Tom Ford's last show for Gucci; nor was it abrupt and scandalous as John Galliano's termination. The drama came from the tears of a talented designer who loves (and will clearly miss) his work. Watching a designer who cares so much is truly inspiring. Raf brought a new aesthetic to Jil Sander that was so natural and effortless that many of the brand's followers respected and adapted to it quickly - the rest of them who didn't quite agree will be appeased as Jil Sander herself will return to her eponymous brand to take lead. It will be interesting to see if she will carry on from her point of view forged years ago, or if she will continue to design around Raf's current vision which many have come to praise. There is no better person to follow Raf Simons than Jil Sander herself.

Rumor has it that Raf will take the job at Dior. His designs were a perfect fit for the modernity of Jil Sander, but I cannot wait to see what he will do with the heritage and flamboyancy associated with the French mega brand.

Another water-works inducing piece of news is the return of Hedi Slimane as creative director for Yves Saint Laurent. Stefano Pilati brought a darkness to YSL that I will miss, but I cannot tell you how much I have waited for Slimane's return to fashion! I was a fan when he was designing for YSL Rive Gauche, and clearly I and thousands more became disciples after his revolutionary work at Dior Homme. Slimane's leaving DH was a hard pill to swallow for so many because he would shockingly stop designing completely after less than fruitful talks with the corporate leaders about creative freedom. This return to fashion is so highly anticipated and I cannot wait to see how Slimane will design womenswear and how he may perhaps change YSL.

- jerome