July 9th's Prince William's Polo Match in Santa Barbara

By Laura Medina

In a press conference detailing July 9^th’s historical charity polo match with Prince William playing, Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club chairman, Ambassador Glen Holden never imaged the hoopla celebrating the club’s hundredth birthday.

Prince Harry & Prince William

In honoring the club’s centennial, he politely and modestly wrote Prince Charles, whom he had played with and against, a letter asking if his sons can play in a polo match celebrating the club’s hundredth birthday.

Ambassador Holden was not aware of Prince William’s and the Duchess of Cambridge’s engagement and their royal wedding. All that residual excitement certainly took him by surprise. He is honored to be hosting the royal’s first American and California trip.

Duke of Cambridge in action on the polo field.

He welcomed the royal and media hoopla in bringing attention to this prestigious club and enthusiasm to the sport of polo, itself, wishing that the Duke of Cambridge can bring awareness of polo, as David Beckham did to soccer in the United States.

He hopes the anticipation of the charity match will inform the general public that the Santa Barbara Polo Club is considered one of the top four polo clubs in the world. Two of the world’s best polo players call this home. That polo is open to anyone who wants to learn and play. During the winter, they operate a polo school. In April, they gradually warm up the season with matches. Then around July to August, they attracted the world class teams to its tournaments, cumulating in the big Pacific Coast Open where the gold and silver Pacific Coast Open Trophy is hoisted and housed in the club house.

Everything has been approved and run by the royal palace. The police will closed side streets for extra security and crowd management.

Ambassador Holden found the palace staff to be accommodating and responsive and surpisingly easy-going. They immediately return his phone calls and emails.

The Duke of Cambridge will play on the Royal Salute team while the opposing team is sponsored by Audi and American Express. Jack Wills supply the jerseys.

The Duke of Cambridge will play on the Royal Salute team while the opposing team is sponsored by Audi and American Express. Jack Wills supply the jerseys.

The Duchess of Cambridge will present this unique Tiffany & Company trophy, created specifically for this event. A sterling silver cup with 18K gold accents with polo pony handles. She will give this to the winning team.

Ambassador Holden lets it be known that this is not a royal and dignitaries-exclusive event. It is a charity match open to the general public; and that there are many common people who do play polo. The tickets are available to purchase on the club’s site, http://www.foundationpolochallenge.com/.
There are two levels of admission. The VIP attendees will lunch on Polo Field 1, across from the club house, on Tiffany table seating. Giada de Laurentiis created the menu for the luncheon, highlighting California produce and cuisine. The attendees have a pick of one of the two options, non-vegetarian and vegetarian. The non-vegetarian offers chicken curry in a pita pockets with cole slaw both dotted with dried cranberries. The vegetarian has avocado sandwich with goat cheese and a pasta salad. Both have lemon-glazed scone and chocolate-chip/cranberry oatmeal cookies as desserts and treats.

As one of the sponsors and the trophy creator, Tiffany decorates the luncheon tables in Tiffany blue linen while white flower bouquets resemble the white bow.

The club attendees will eat the same lunches in boxed meals.

The polo match is essential fundraiser for The American Friends of the Foundation of Prince William and Prince Harry, supporting children, conservation, sustainable resources, and military and veteran families, and the Polo Training Center of Santa Barbara.

An once in a lifetime, historical event.

Viva Italia! Art of Italian Motoring, Injecting Fashion into Automobile Engineering

By Laura Medina

The centerpiece of Course D' Elegance by La Dolce Vita in at Beverly Hills' Geary's Jewelry Boutique.

150th years ago, the fiefdoms of the Italian pennisula came together and became the nation of Italy.

To celebrate Italy's birthday, Beverly Hills used it's annual Concour D'Elegance on Father's Day, it's annual fashion show of luxury coups, sedans, and sport cars to honor the best in Italian car design and engineering using Rodeo Drive's and the world's best boutiques as glamorous backdrops.

In celebration of the creation of Italy, Italy's Consulate General, the Italian Ministry of Economic Development, and the Italian Trade Commission descended upon the heart of Beverly Hills on Rodeo Drive to cheer the 150th Birthday of Italy by throwing a week-long bash of the best of Italian design, fashion, art, culture, and cuisine.

What a way to honor the dad in your life by showcasing the best of Italian automobile design and engineering in an upscale car show lining the entire length of Rodeo Drive, creating a Concours d'Elegance to display the best of "The Art of Italian Motoring."

Italian manufacturers, designers, and trade groups welcomed Beverly Hills with open arms by gifting the boulevard with the rarest, the oldest, and the newest of Fiats, Ferraris, Alfa Romeos, Lamborghinis, Lancias, and Maseratis...can't forget the Ducatis and the Vespas.

This was not for appearances for appearances' sake. It is the timeline of Italian industrial design, heritage, and engineering. Basically, it is respecting Italians for injecting their history and love of arts, culture, and design into the automobile innovations since the inception of the car.

The newest and latest Bugatti.

Italy's Consul General Nicola Faganello, "From fashion and automobiles to cinema and dining, the very best of Italy will be highlighted throughout this week-long celebration in Beverly Hills...This is an exceptional way to help celebrate the 150th anniversary of the reunification of Italy and allow Beverly Hills residents and visitors to experience the very best of Italian culture without leaving the city."

Umberto Vattani, the Ambassador and Italian Trade Commission's president is "honored to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of Italian Unification, and pleased to seize the opportunity offered to by such an ideal scenario to promote Italian excellence...the ITC is implementing a new and integrated system for promoting Italian lifestyle, bringing our movie industry and luxury goods manufacture all together in Beverly Hills."

Pietro Celi, Director General of the Ministry of Economic Development, thinks Beverly Hills is the best platform to display the best of Italian design and culture.

Beverly Hills Mayor, Barry Brucker, and Thomas J. Blumenthal, Rodeo Drive Committee president, are honored to be chosen to hold the celebration of Italy, the culture, and the best of Italian art and design.

Mr. Brucker, "Our city offers many of Italy's finest fashions, automobiles, and culinary tastes and this celebration is a wonderful way to showcase those great businesses."

Mr. Blumenthal, "Partnering with the Italian Trade Commission to celebrate Italy's 150th anniversary was a natural connection as Rodeo Drive is home to many of Italy's most famous designers and the world-class Rodeo Drive Concours d'Elegance."

The Piece de Resistance at the Concours d' Elegance is a yellow Ferrari balancing on gold-glided Richard Ginori porcelain espresso cups, under all four wheels, at GEARYS Beverly Hills.

In its 18 year history, Beverly Hills' Concours d' Elegance has this traditon of debuting the latest and newest in high-performance sports cars.

This year is no exception.

Father's Day 2011 was the official launch of the McLaren the sports car to the general public.

It went from being strictly a Formula 1 racing car to an high-end sports car.

It still keeps the strong but light carbon fiber chasis and engine. For the driver, there are two knobs that adjust the powertrain and handling of the car. A first in automobile engineering.

The Launch control system consists of two knobs changing the powertrain and handling, each have three settings for normal, sport, and high performance driving modes. Again, a first in automobile engineering.

Concours d' Elgance is one of the few events where limited edition and unique one-offs are in their best display.

There is a lot of automobile history here. One of them is the Scaglietti, a former competitive car designer to Ferrari. Eventually, Ferrari bought him out then owns it. This particular Scaglietti/Ferrari was a rare collaboration between Ferrari and Corvette in the mid-Seventies where Ferrari would design and build the highest end sports car for Corvette. The union didn't but the Petersen Museum has two of them. Imagine that.

Concours d' Elegance was not all about cars. It also showcased the best in motorcycles and scooters, such as Ducati and Vespa for those who want to zip around town, running errands, not speeding down the motorway.

This past Father's Day is only a start to a week-long celebration of Italy art, culture, and design, culuminating in a mini-Tour d'Italia bike race encircling Beverly Hills through Malibu then back to Rodeo Drive and Wilshire Boulevard. In between, enjoy the fashion, the jewelry, the cuisine at reasonable discounts, and the cinema.

Ciao Bella!

By Laura Medina

Let's start with the basics-the upscale basics...

Caswell-Massey offers the any man in your life some fine basic facial care from their 1752 line. For this year's Father's Day, they introduced a new scent, the reinvigorating eucalyptus.

With the bracing scent of eucalyptus with the soothing texture of coconut oil, glycerine, chamomile, and thyme, Caswell-Massey 1752 line strikes a yin-yang balance between sharp and mellow.

Father's Day strikes in the middle of Summer. He's more in the mood for hitting the surf than the boardroom and a vacation, surf and sand. Be more thoughtful and surprise him with Perry Ellis boardshorts for $59.50, affordable attire he'll be pleased with or some top-notch shorts from Franklin+Gower, their latest addition.

If he's in a mood for a mental vacation, these sly tees and hoodies might be the key to a mental break, give him a Hoodiebuddie tee and hoodie.

Insert in the seams and plackets are MP3 wiring and cords and headphones that you can plug into your player while you can plug in your headphones.

Not your usual tie for Father's Day.

Giorgio Armani's character studies in film.

By Laura Medina

Sean Penn in Terrence Malick’s “The Tree of Life."

Since dressing Richard Gere in softly-tailored suits reflecting his louche character in “American Gigolo,” Giorgio Armani has tailored movie characters-physically and personality-wise for thirty-one years.

He continues with Sean Penn in Terrance Malick's "The Tree of Life" and Cate Blanchett for "Hanna."

Penn's brooding character is expressed in his stoic uniform of two-button notch lapel suits, shirts, and neckwear in steward black and somber charcoal grey

Costume designer Jacqueline West, nominated for an Oscar for “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”, continues: “I've found Mr. Armani to be one of the most dedicated and inspirational designers I could ever hope to work with on a film. In ‘The Tree of Life,’ the grey suit we first see Adult Jack wearing is beautifully architectural. The suit represents the grey, ultra modern cityscape of present day Houston, the starkness and the bleakness that imprisons him, the grey glass and steel of his home and life. The black suit that Sean wears, for me, represents the clash of the present with the ancient prehistoric landscapes of nature. The lines of that perfectly crafted suit delineate modern man confronting mankind's beginnings. For me, nothing could have helped tell the tale of Adult Jack better than these brilliantly constructed suits.”

Mr. Armani comments: “What a pleasure to find myself working alongside this creative conclave. My professional relationship with Jacqueline has been a sartorial success story. Her exquisite talent makes film wardrobe key to the cinematic experience. Her work reminds me how clothing plays a leading role on screen.”

For further character development, Mr. Armani expresses the single-minded focus of Cate Blanchett's character in "Hanna."

To drive the point that her intelligence operative, Marissa Wiegler, is the villian, Armani designed her as a modern Ice Queen.

Lucie Bates, the costume designer, describes her as the "Wicked Witch," "her colors would be red [for her hair] and green [in her attire]."

Expressing the character's professionalism and focus...and efficiency, both Ms. Bates and Mr. Armani reflected that in her elegantly tailored suiting and a striking green-colored cashmere overcoat.

Mr. Armani's uses Ms. Blanchett's professionalism as an actor as a foundation for her character's wardrobe, "Working with Cate Blanchett, on and off the screen, has always been a highlight for me," notes Mr. Armani. "She embodies the perfect combination of consummate actor and world-class fashion icon”

Don't expect Giorgio Armani to set the fad of the week or the trend of the month when he designs costumes for movies. The clothes are part of the character...and this is why his creations stand the test of time. They're as strong as the movie characters he designs for.

Faster, Sleeker Prepster, Franklin + Gower

By Laura Medina

Headquartered in the heart of Hollywood and named for the intersection where the Hollywood sign is located, Franklin + Gower is a reflection of the current, modern-day preppy.

The founders, Eduardo Braniff and Christopher "Paco" McCauley, are real-life preps who moved west to Los Angeles and worked in advertising, entertainment, and media.

Eduardo Braniff, a former movie producer and media creative director, and Christopher, "Paco" McCauley, a sports producer for cable television, were dismayed by the devolution of preppy attire suffering from bad workmanship, poor fabric quality, and dismal tailoring at elevated prices.

They decided to join up then they took a leap of faith in bringing preppy attire to its former glory by offering top-notch craftsmanship and quality that stands the test of time while reflecting the authentic, modern preppy.

The one who jet sets from city-to-city and hops the globe. That same preppy who isn't above clubbing it, whether it is in Hollywood or Vegas. Then again, she or he probably owns the place...and can't live without her or his IPhone/smartphone.

Franklin + Gower's Eduardo and Paco offer customized insets, pipings, stripes, and linings in light-hearted patterns and prints for their Bermuda shorts, khakis, trousers, and blazers in light-weight, micro-wale corduroys and seersucker for Spring/Summer and decadent velvet for Fall/Winter.

Making preppy dandy.

But, they keep steward functionality...with a touch of Lilly Pulitzer-like playfulness and whimsy in their roots.

They just recently added a board short collection for those who sail and surf.

Celebrities are opening up to Franklin+Gower's new found preppisms. Here's Paco helping "Mad Men"s Jon Hamm at their launch party last year.

Robert Downey Jr. sporting a pair of Franklin + Gower's piped corduroy trousers.

Mindful of what the modern-day preppy gent wants, they even tailored interior pockets for smartphones and IPhones/IPods, nestled in lined pockets.

Franklin + Gower Bermuda and Sassy Shorts in action.
They do not forget the ladies.

For their women's collection, they took the androgynous preppy frugality of stealing from your brother and father then streamlined the Bermudas into tomboy, tuxedo shorts in velvet with piping; and sassy, but respectful short-shorts, ok hot pants contouring curves and hugging the seat, as sporty substitutes for miniskirts.
They took the boxy blazer, sharpened it into a comfortable classic, a lean, mean jacket that adds pizzazz to the simple camisole and jeans ensemble.

Considering they're nice guys, Franklin + Gower was very generous at the start of this Summer.

Can't forget the groom during Summer's weddings, they collaborated on a contest with stylemepretty.com where the groom and his groomsmen can win a prize of a whole, customized wardrobe for that wedding day.

The prize consists of them picking one, some, or all of the following: blazers, trousers, ties, and pocket squares.

For those not getting hitched, Franklin + Gower also teamed up with grungegentleman.com where they can kick off Summer by winning two Summer suits, one khaki and one seersucker.

How generous.

Revamped and renewed, Franklin + Gower is one of the new epicenter of preppy chic.

Ciao Summer! Italian, Preppy Style, Flair at Ron Robinson on Melrose

By Laura Medina

A pair of Sundek Models serving wine and coconut sorbet.

Italian Summer arrived at Ron Robinson on Melrose just on time.

An American/Californian ex-pat, Sundek Surfwear, returned to home turf. They showcased classic Sixities Californian madras and teal with sunburst in Italian fabrics and tailoring by former Prada menswear designer, Neil Barrett. American sporty roots grown and refined by Italy, where it grew into that country's hottest swimwear brand, only to return home as an American brand done good. Welcomed back.

To complement the Italian beach feel, Missoni popped up a home decor trunk show in Ron Robinson's interior decoration section, outfitted by lush towels and decadent knit swatches for shoppers to pick, choose, and customize through Missioni's fashion executives, above.

They modelled true Italian style-it is the preppy stand-bys of white polos, white jeans, the navy blazer, the lilac button-down and necktie. However, they jolted their ensembles by topping it off with a Missoni knit pullover or switch the khaki for the classic Americana Summer classic, seersucker.

It wouldn't be an Italian Summer with Ducati, the Ferrari of motorcycles.

They may be not hunking huge as our Harley-Davidsons but they're like Italian design themselves-lean, mean, agile, quick, and nimble, decked out in see-through engine chambers and suede seats.

Ahhhh, Italian Summer....

Get some real feathered hair, courtesy of Sean James

By Laura Medina

Sean James of Fred Segal Santa Monica.

Hair stylist to the celebrities, such as Conan O' Brien and New York Fashion Week veteran, Sean James rattled off the top three Summer hair styles: highlights, of course, the top knot, and feathers in your hair.

Not feathered, layered hair or the Shag. Nope. He talked about something organic as it is high tech.

If highlights makes you yawn, why not glue real feathers into your hair?

Doable. While he chatted, Mr. James deftly combed and detangled this scribe's tangled mess of a rat's nest, smoothed, and flipped the hair in flipped tiled sections, the ultimated Farah Fawcett Feathered Flip. This was just the start.

By selecting a section, the same way you pick a highlight, he placed two feathers on top of the hair section, applied organic glue then heat-sealed with an iron.

Protein on top of protein by protein. Healthy.

Instead of a the normal and expected highlight, do something truly bohemian and highlight your hair with feathers for that earthy but sophisicated look for Summer. A leap up from clipping roach clips to your hair.

Look closely, the fluffy, green feather subtly adds an iridescent highlight that is surprising yet natural.