Carla Tersini - the Artist of Black and White.

I met Carla during one of my photo shoots. She is Italian-American. I speak a bit of Italian and love making Italians suffer through my poor Italian. I call it my “Italian practice” but it should be painful for my interlocutors. Carla had enough Italian joy de vivre to enjoy speaking with me, and enough tact and American tolerance to listen to my “Lasciate mi cantare” stammer. After that I found out that she is interested in art, has background in art education. Being in Silicon Valley you start to miss it: people speaking about art, not discussing new technologies.

Then I decided to launch my new series of portraits “Fashion and Backgrounds” and invited Carla to my “studio” to take her portrait, the first one in the series. Carla agreed to meet me and to speak about herself and her projects.

Tell me a few words about yourself

I am Italian-American, raised in San Jose, in a very traditional family as to culture and values. I went to art school. I am visually creative person, light and dark oriented. Now I am doing professional makeup (Carla Tersini Makeup). I am building my portfolio here in the Bay Area and in Italy. Eventually I am going to move to New York for my makeup career. Here (in the Bay Area) there is no fashion. It is all computer and high-tech related.

You are Italian. Do you think that Italian women are different from Americans or any others in terms of style and fashion ? 

 

Yes, Italians are very different from Americans. However, recently when I was going back I noticed that they are getting a little more casual. I will speak about Rome now as my family is from Rome. Italians do not wear make up and it is similar to San Jose people here. But you will see a cute little belt on a pair of jeans, earrings, watches, bracelets. Italians wear jewelry, a lot of accessories. When they are in their twenties and thirties even if they are in sneakers, a nice T-shirt will be tucked in with a little belt. They are really in this visual esthetic. You do not see a lot of obese people in Italia. But teenagers are like here, the same sloppy teenagers.

What items are must-haves in your closet?

When I am going on some errands, going to the post-office etc. I just wear a pair of shorts and a T-shirt. When I work, I dress up. I put on some nice earrings, necklace, watch, ring. I always have perfume. My hair and my make-up are done. I know how to put myself together really well.

Do you have a charm accessory, something that brings you luck?

In Italy a ladybug brings good luck. My cousin has a little ladybug necklace. And when I see a ladybug I immediately think of him.

What would you never wear?

Personally, I do not like too much jewelry. I like minimum, sleek. I like when it is tasteful but it is not screaming out for attention. I do not like to overdo.

I will never wear a handbag with a lot of sparkles. Also I tend to dress nicer in Italy. It is very American to wear a T-shirt and a shirt like I do now. It is cultural.

What are your favorite accessories ?

Hermes Watch – is my dream watch.

Bottega Veneta handbags.

 Hermes watch

Bottega Veneta handbag

What inspires you?

When I have a project with a photographer on a certain theme, I do my research for the makeup.

Makeup for me is a craft, skill, job and I learn. I get inspired while going across photographers' web sites, old magazines, great makeup artists' work. When I see a great makeup artist, I see how clean, original their work is, how they bring out the features of the model in a very tasteful way without drawing attention to the makeup. They approach the face the way may be I would never approach it.

I love Serge Lutens who did more theatrical work and was a creative director for Shiseido in the 80s. Now he is a perfumer and has his own line. Today's makeup artists like Francois Nars or Bobbi Brown are not inspirational for me.

By Serge Lutens

What projects are you working on now?

I am searching for fine art paintings, old posters, not necessarily classics. It may be an unknown artist, but to me, interesting visually. Then I am casting a model who fits the features. I bring all the clothes, prepare the style. Then I will compile these paintings and photographs into an art book. On one side there will be an original painting and on the other side there will be my version. I've done 3 so far, have 4 more scheduled for August and have many more to do. I am trying to pay homage to great painters and beautiful paintings that we do not see anymore, not showing my crazy artist's skills.

Inspired by Caravaggio (from Carla Tersini's painting series)

Michelangelo Caravaggio. Boy with a Basket of Fruit (original painting)

From Chanel to Sheena or My Homage to the Little Black Dress

Do you have a little black dress in your closet? I do, and I love it. Thank you, Coco Chanel, for this major piece of my wardrobe.
Thank you, Sheena Matheiken, for thinking differently of this small black treasure. Do you know Sheena Matheiken? I've only recently learned about her Uniform project dating back to 2009. Here how it went:
http://vimeo.com/11113046
When I decided to write this post, I contacted Sheena to ask her a few questions about her past project, her black dresses and her accessories... about herself. I did not really expect her to reply but she did. She replied to me saying she was no longer taking interviews as the project was wrapped up a few years ago. It was a "no" I was happy to receive.

Coco and Sheena, you are my favorite women in black pouring light into the world!

And I would like to dedicate my small photo shoot and this post to you.

I think I would never be able to wear the same "petite robe noire" the whole year. But I surely can wear 4 different black dresses during the day. A nice black dress can make you elegant and different, especially when accompanied by the right accessories.

Here is my BLACK DRESS DAY:

10 am, going to the pool:

Dress: Nemo
Bikini: Roxi Swim
Bag: Two's company
Bracelet: Yarn & Clay
Shoes: American Eagle Outfitters


Noon, going to have lunch with my parents:

Dress: Nemo
Bag: Edmins
Bracelet and necklace: Yarn & Clay


2 pm, going to the office for an urgent meeting with my boss:

Dress: Theia Grazi
Ring: Yarn & Clay
Watch: Opex
Bag: Edmins
Shoes: Enzo Angiolini

6 pm, going to the opera with my husband:

Dress: Theia Grazi
Necklace: L'atelier d'une fée
Clutch and shoes: Minelli


11 pm, ending the day at the night club with my friends:

Dress: Bebe
Bracelet and necklace: Yarn & Clay
Clutch: Giuseppe Zanotti
Shoes: Pura Lopez

All pictures:
Photography: Joel Moses
Make-up: Carla Tersini
Style and model: Albina Patou-Chebykina


Basically, you can do almost everything wearing a black dress.
The only thing you would probably not do is to go to bed with your black dress on, just because nobody will be able to see how you are beautiful.

A Scarf is not a Weather Indicator, It Is a Mood Mark

Do you think you can wear a knitted scarf only in winter or autumn when it's cold, windy and snowing?
If you answer is "NO" you are either from Paris or from San-Francisco. 
In Paris people love scarves and can wear them all the time. Beret, baguette and a scarf....and here you go.. you look like a French, just don't talk.
In San-Francisco even if it is summer time, it is still windy, very windy. So, a warm knitted scarf is always welcome.
Well, I'm just kidding.
What? Are you still saying "NO". Ok, then you are just like me, exploring your style.
There are millions and millions scarves you would love to wear and 1000 and 1 façons to wear them even in summer. Just follow your mood, not weather forecasts:

"In black and red" with a red crocheted cowl scarf

And even à la "Maria Magdalena"

"Colorful" with crocheted orange loop eternity scarf

À la "Maria Magdalena" again, kind of....

"In black and white" with black crocheted mobius scarf

And even à la "Peekaboo"

Model: Albina Patou-Chebykina

Make-up and hair: Vellia Dance (Dollface)

Photography: Yana Mostizky

Product info: all scarves and a bracelet by Yarn & Clay

Why do I like Castle?

I like Castle....the television show. Castle is about a beautiful detective Kate Beckett (Stana Katic)  and a mystery writer Richard Castle (Nathan Fillion) working together in NYPD on murder cases.
For those who do not know Castle, just watch it.
If you love detective stories, you will find perfectly good plots and the true pleasure of knowing that everything will come together in the end.
If you like fashion, watch it too. You will find elegant actors giving you fresh ideas for your outfits.

In this respect my favorite Castle's character is Martha Rogers (Susan Sullivan). She knows how to marry red, blue and green together and do not look like an old parrot. She knows how to wear a ton of jewelry without giving an impression of a Christmas tree.

Photo credit

Chanel Black flower ring 

R.J. Graziano resin tapered black hoop earrings

Sassy Robin black belt

If you're going to San Francisco be sure to wear some flowers in your hair....

It's summer time and we want to wear accessories which remind us of nature, flowers, animals, trips to faraway countries...

Here is my choice:

Elegant and comfortable Pura Lopez shoes from with leopard print rafia (SS 13 collection)

So girly pink coral bracelet by Y. Mostizky

Big and specious python tote bag by Proenza Schouler

Beautiful headband by die_blonde (SS13 collection)

Beret - a History on your Head

Beret is a soft, round, flat-crowned hat with a long, long history.

I still have mine. I wore it when I was a teenage girl in Russia. It was à la mode then.

And in 2002 I arrived in France with my beret in my luggage. It was autumn and I put it on.

"I thought that berets were in the past. How can you wear it? My grandma did but you.... you will be ridiculous wearing it now" - said to me my French friend. And I did not wear it, fearing being strange for these French people whose ancestors began to mass produce this romantic accessory in 19th century.

Photos by Irina Voiteleva

August Rodin in beret

A traditional basque-style beret (photo by Familjen Palmqvist, 1965)

King Ferdinand II of Aragon (1452-1516) wearing a Renaissance beret