Name:
anais
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Beauty & fashion writer and consultant. Studied in Paris, worked in New York, now doing both in Tokyo. So many things to do, so many places to see, so much to learn, so little time. www.anaislombard.com
On Friday night Coty finally launched the Harajuku Lovers perfumes in Tokyo, at the Gyre Building in Omotesando (which happens to be one of my favorite building here because it hosts the Bvlgari café, Chanel, the MOMA store and a restaurant where they cook delicious eggs Benedict). The little bottles are the cutest, I have no doubt it will do well here. I'm torn between Love and Baby. Good thing I've got all of them in the goody bag I guess! Also I absolutely LOVE the campaign (it was shot by Craig McDean).
Welcome to the world of Harajuku Lovers fragrance!
As usual I tried to steal something, sadly this one really didn't fit in my bag
All the pretties striking the pose just for you.
Thanks Celia for the still life shot.
Contact: m.celia@me.com
Last week was jewelry designer Marijoli's Christmas party in Tokyo. I just wanted to share with you some pictures of her line which I love (my fav is the Buma ring). Marielle Byworth, the brain and designer behind the brand has been created quite a buzz in Japan. She's now on her way to do the same in Europe and the US. There's a new collection in the work. Can't wait!
Yes, I absolutely tried to steal this bracelet, as we say in French: "prise la main dans le sac" (caught with your hand in the bag)
Photos by Celia (thank you!).
Contact: m.celia@me.com .
Yes, I absolutely tried to steal this bracelet, as we say in French: "prise la main dans le sac" (caught with your hand in the bag)
Photos by Celia (thank you!).
Contact: m.celia@me.com .
In Tokyo you can't escape the American celebrities in T.V. commercials and billboards. From Tommy Lee Jones (for Boss Coffee), to Brad and Cameron (for phone operator Sofbank), and George Clonney (for anything he can put his face on, Honda, Toyota, Nespresso...) they are everywhere.
Besides the big celebs Japan also has a tendency to randomly pick (no offense to anyone) slightly less well known people, like let's say, French singer Alizee for a cookie ad, or recently, Emmy Rossum for Mt.Rainier Caffe Latte. Probably inspired by Scarlett Johansson's horrible Starbucks commercial (sorry I could not find it), Mt.Rainier decided to find itself a star as well and ended up with Emmy. I don't know if it's to pay for acting school or to prepare Japan for her role in the upcoming Dragon Ball movie (so instead of wondering who's that girl playing Bulma, they will say: oh, that's the girl from the Mt.Rainier ad) but in any case it's priceless.
Here's Emmy looking like she's having an awesome time drinking lattes and dancing.
Definitely looked like a fun party.
Go Emmy, I hope we'll see more of you soon.
Here's Emmy full performance here or here. I think I liked The Phantom of the Opera better.
Besides the big celebs Japan also has a tendency to randomly pick (no offense to anyone) slightly less well known people, like let's say, French singer Alizee for a cookie ad, or recently, Emmy Rossum for Mt.Rainier Caffe Latte. Probably inspired by Scarlett Johansson's horrible Starbucks commercial (sorry I could not find it), Mt.Rainier decided to find itself a star as well and ended up with Emmy. I don't know if it's to pay for acting school or to prepare Japan for her role in the upcoming Dragon Ball movie (so instead of wondering who's that girl playing Bulma, they will say: oh, that's the girl from the Mt.Rainier ad) but in any case it's priceless.
Here's Emmy looking like she's having an awesome time drinking lattes and dancing.
Definitely looked like a fun party.
Go Emmy, I hope we'll see more of you soon.
Here's Emmy full performance here or here. I think I liked The Phantom of the Opera better.
Laduree opens tomorrow on the second floor of the Ginza Mitsukoshi. The place has a great view of the Ginza crossing and it's pretty amazing to look outside at modern Tokyo from their Marie-Antoinette salon. Saint Honore pistache, Mont Blanc, Mille Feuilles, and of course Macarons! They are all there. Here's a sneak peak from my visit yesterday.
Ah, Tokyo... Don't ever leave your apartment without your camera or you won't be able to share the fun!!! While you're too busy doing who knows what in the U.S., here's what you're missing.
You eat tiny sushis.
You find giant ice cubes in your Whiskey.
You play bowling with a pink Hello Kitty bowl.
Porsches are Barbie pink.
The sign for the Citibank's ATM is an old tiny piece of paper taped on the inner wall of the elevator.
The mailbox has a funny looking little fellow hanging out on its top.
You eat tiny sushis.
You find giant ice cubes in your Whiskey.
You play bowling with a pink Hello Kitty bowl.
Porsches are Barbie pink.
The sign for the Citibank's ATM is an old tiny piece of paper taped on the inner wall of the elevator.
The mailbox has a funny looking little fellow hanging out on its top.
If like me you're obsessed with saving everything and anything, from the Blue Iguana in the Cayman Islands to the Nubian Dragon Tree of Somalia, and even the San Acitos Dirt Shrew (Weeds, Season 3 anyone?), and you happen to be in Tokyo this upcoming Thursday you might want to swing by the Graham London - Aqua Love charity gala. The Anglo-Swiss watch company has teamed up with the WWF's Shiharo Coral Reef Conservation Center in Okinawa to help protect the coral reef and promote responsible diving off the island of Ishigaki. For the occasion Graham has created a unique watch, the "Chronofighter Oversize Diver Blue Seal" that will be raffled off that night. 100% of the proceeds will go to WWF.
Yes, this 1,000,000 yen watch will sure look good on my delicate wrist when I win that raffle.
And why should you care about saving the coral? Because otherwise the world will come to an end! Just kidding, but it' won't be pretty. To make it simple: The coral forms an essential habitat for a lot of species and provide places for breeding, feeding, and hiding from predators. When coral is destroyed, the species that it shelters also disappear. That would mean no more perch, golden king crab, shrimp, sea stars, sponges, or anemones. Right now corals are also being tested to produce antibiotics, painkillers and medications for cancer, AIDS, asthma, and heart disease*. So not to sound corny or anything, but by saving corals you might just be saving yourself!!
*source: www.savecorals.com
Yes, this 1,000,000 yen watch will sure look good on my delicate wrist when I win that raffle.
And why should you care about saving the coral? Because otherwise the world will come to an end! Just kidding, but it' won't be pretty. To make it simple: The coral forms an essential habitat for a lot of species and provide places for breeding, feeding, and hiding from predators. When coral is destroyed, the species that it shelters also disappear. That would mean no more perch, golden king crab, shrimp, sea stars, sponges, or anemones. Right now corals are also being tested to produce antibiotics, painkillers and medications for cancer, AIDS, asthma, and heart disease*. So not to sound corny or anything, but by saving corals you might just be saving yourself!!
*source: www.savecorals.com
The other weekend I went to Naoshima, an island in the Seto Inland Sea
of Japan. Naoshima is home to the Benesse House Museum and the Chichu
Art Museum, both designed by Japanese architect Tadao Ando (Morimoto in
New York, the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth in Texas, and about a
billion things in Japan).
You can sleep in the Benesse House museum itself (yes they have rooms, you don't sleep on a rest bench) and have breakfast across Andy Warhol Flower Prints and a view of the sea. It doesn't really get better then that in terms of fancy tea sipping and croissant munching (oui, they have croissants).
The Chichu Art Museum features only 3 artists (4 if you count the museum itself) and is completely underground. Inside you'll find 4 paintings by Monet (the water-lily, the water-lilies and more water-lilies), Walter De Maria, and an amazing work of light by James Turrell - you literally walk towards the light, it was by far my favorite thing.
Unfortunately, no photos were allowed inside either museum. But I guess that's sort of ok since there's plenty to play with outside. Sculptures by Nikki de Saint Phalle, Yayoi Kusama (you got to love that pumpkin) and a bunch of others that my uncultivated self didn't know (George Rickey, Hiroshi Sugimoto, Shinro Ohtake...).
I also have to give a special props to one of their restaurants, The Terrace. The food was simply delicious, although the lighting at night was a little obnoxious, so knowing how to say "please turn down the light" in Japanese may come in handy.
Yayoi Kasuma's pumpkin. I just wanted to take it home (got a mini one instead, way less expensive).
Walter de Maria "See /Unseen Known/Unknown.
Unfortunately, the jacuzzi was closed so no splish splash.
The Oval, where the coolest hotel rooms are.
More of the Pumpkin, just because.
Japanese girls playing with the Pumpkin at night (yes, I spent the entire day taking pictures of it, what can I say...). I was behind them for a good 20 minutes before they noticed that I was there. When they finally saw me they started screaming, they totally thought I was a psychopath.
You can sleep in the Benesse House museum itself (yes they have rooms, you don't sleep on a rest bench) and have breakfast across Andy Warhol Flower Prints and a view of the sea. It doesn't really get better then that in terms of fancy tea sipping and croissant munching (oui, they have croissants).
The Chichu Art Museum features only 3 artists (4 if you count the museum itself) and is completely underground. Inside you'll find 4 paintings by Monet (the water-lily, the water-lilies and more water-lilies), Walter De Maria, and an amazing work of light by James Turrell - you literally walk towards the light, it was by far my favorite thing.
Unfortunately, no photos were allowed inside either museum. But I guess that's sort of ok since there's plenty to play with outside. Sculptures by Nikki de Saint Phalle, Yayoi Kusama (you got to love that pumpkin) and a bunch of others that my uncultivated self didn't know (George Rickey, Hiroshi Sugimoto, Shinro Ohtake...).
I also have to give a special props to one of their restaurants, The Terrace. The food was simply delicious, although the lighting at night was a little obnoxious, so knowing how to say "please turn down the light" in Japanese may come in handy.
Yayoi Kasuma's pumpkin. I just wanted to take it home (got a mini one instead, way less expensive).
Walter de Maria "See /Unseen Known/Unknown.
Unfortunately, the jacuzzi was closed so no splish splash.
The Oval, where the coolest hotel rooms are.
Reading the paper with Nikki de Saint Phalle ("Le Banc")
More of the Pumpkin, just because.
Japanese girls playing with the Pumpkin at night (yes, I spent the entire day taking pictures of it, what can I say...). I was behind them for a good 20 minutes before they noticed that I was there. When they finally saw me they started screaming, they totally thought I was a psychopath.
I guess once a beauty editor, always a beauty editor.
I'm not a big fan of powder foundations since my skin is too dry and usually, these kinds of products just make it worse. In the summer, I find it hard to wear liquid foundations (so so hot!), but sometimes there is no way around it (too many parties, too much work, too much stress, etc..) that you just need to hide your real face behind makeup. Recently, I came across Guerlain Parure Compact Foundation with Crystal Pearls and I just looove it! So I thought I'd be a nice girl and share my new discovery with you. This little baby doesn't dry my skin - it's extremely light and covers perfectly. Apparently, they use "crystal pearls to replace some of the talc that goes into the composition of powder foundations". Well, I have no idea what this crystal pearl thing is, but it definitely works for me. Oh, and it has a SPF 20. What else could you ask for? By the way, I hope none of you are running around with no SPF...
Dear Guerlain, I really love your packaging but all these shiny mirrors just make it impossible for an amateur like me to take a pretty picture. I hope you'll forgive me.
I'm not a big fan of powder foundations since my skin is too dry and usually, these kinds of products just make it worse. In the summer, I find it hard to wear liquid foundations (so so hot!), but sometimes there is no way around it (too many parties, too much work, too much stress, etc..) that you just need to hide your real face behind makeup. Recently, I came across Guerlain Parure Compact Foundation with Crystal Pearls and I just looove it! So I thought I'd be a nice girl and share my new discovery with you. This little baby doesn't dry my skin - it's extremely light and covers perfectly. Apparently, they use "crystal pearls to replace some of the talc that goes into the composition of powder foundations". Well, I have no idea what this crystal pearl thing is, but it definitely works for me. Oh, and it has a SPF 20. What else could you ask for? By the way, I hope none of you are running around with no SPF...
Dear Guerlain, I really love your packaging but all these shiny mirrors just make it impossible for an amateur like me to take a pretty picture. I hope you'll forgive me.
Then we headed to Nyanpan the Hanpanda's funeral (seriously). But don't be sad guys, she had a long beautiful life (she was 84 years old). It was a lovely farewell, all her family and friends were there to say goodbye one last time. Sayonara Nypan!
Nyanpan the Hanpanda
The family.
Friends and family.
So much emotion.
Au revoir Nyanpan.
Yesterday was the kick off party for a new Shu Uemura exhibition at the Mori Arts Center. "Opening the Atelier after 25 years" celebrates - you guess it - the opening of the very first Shu Uemura boutique in Omotesando.
If you're obsessed with makeup like a certain someone, this should make your day. Lots of pictures, sketches, old makeup cases, tons of colors and videos. It was also very moving since Mister Uemura died last December and a tribute was held in his honor. The creative team was there and showed us how to really do makeup. It was pretty amazing.
If you're obsessed with makeup like a certain someone, this should make your day. Lots of pictures, sketches, old makeup cases, tons of colors and videos. It was also very moving since Mister Uemura died last December and a tribute was held in his honor. The creative team was there and showed us how to really do makeup. It was pretty amazing.
Copyright © 2008 LipstickTracez and Anais Lombard
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