the runaways

It's true, The Runaways inspired woman of all ages in the 1970's and beyond! They were pioneers in many ways and left a deep impression on me as a young girl. I adored their rocker looks and style. Now the movie is coming out, so treat yourself to some female trouble this weekend!

celebrating madonna

The Meat Packing District in New York City is known for many things since it's not simply known for what its name suggests anymore. High fashion, yes and good food, contemporary hotel accommodation, lavish parties, exclusive clubs as well as fast cars, etc. and it is always a distinct pleasure to watch the stiletto strapped fashion models make their crooked way over the original cobblestone pavement! Yes, I've spent many nights in this neighborhood and I have discovered something else besides all this.

I always find the most compelling wall art here... murals, tags, advertising... Usually they don't last very long and if you like something, you better snap a picture right then and there, because it may be gone tomorrow and if it's still on that same exact corner you think you spotted it that last night, it will most likely be destroyed, tagged over beyond recognition... ooohhh! Ahh! That is right and guess what: I LOVE IT! I love that these spots are there for a minute, an hour perhaps and then they are gone forever! Hah!

The photo that graced my last promo postcard was taken in front of Meatpacking wall art. And so where a few other images...

... idilvice in front of wall art in the meatpacking district, nyc, photos/digital art carl posey...

These artworks have always inspired me and when Carl recently brought home the photo of this Madonna wall art/advertising (It was used to spotlight her new album "Celebration", although the portrait is obviously from the 80's and taken by photographer Herb Ritts), I nearly fainted! Wowwah!


The shock came because I currently work on some new designs for the Fashion Rocks Collection and this Madonna print makes me a bit crazy... in a very good way if you know what I mean...



Well, sorry for this "Madonna-same-photo" overdose, but I just couldn't decide so quickly which ones to post and so I posted them all. They rock! Yes, so I work with these prints and I can't wait to show off some of what I can come up with! Since - as I said - these walls exist only temporarily, we went back there one night and had a little fun with some models in front of the Madonna mural.... these images will be posted shortly, so if Madonna makes you a little bit crazy too, YOU gotta come back here soon!

dressing in red for woodstock and later

I promise the Woodstock posts will cease latest by August 31st, 2009. But until then I'll keep buggin' you about this hippie stuff! I am just so exited to show you the new version of the Woodstock Dress: A cool printed Mini Tunic Dress! Ahhh! I've been wearing mine since I finished it and I have a hard time taking it off - it's the most comfortable piece and so right on target - love it!


This I'll also wear way into Fall. With tights. And boots. And a hippie scarf. Plus I'll dress it up with some chunky, black bakelite jewelery to match the buttons of my favorite dress. Hey, I think I hooked that up!

...with a variety of fashion accessories you can finish the look and continue wearing Woodstock style this Fall...

summer of love 2009

At the time I felt there was a hippie holiday theme going on in December of 2008, but I swear I wasn't planning to post on Woodstock this Summer, nor did I intend to design the Woodstock Dress for an anniversary of some kind. I'm not lying! The John Lennon and his round glasses post? Also innocently just a coincidence of hippie culture coming together. I just recently spotted the very 70's inspired typography poster around town: A Woodstock movie? Well, let me tell you: I stopped smoking that weed a long time ago and I am not a hippie by all means, but it is the music and the culture that has always inspired me in my life!

The weather is about right as it was then, exactly 40 years ago. 40 years ago, what?! The Summer Of Love, baby! What an incredible story!

Yes, it was in the Summer of 1969 when the Woodstock Music & Art Fair (informally, Woodstock or The Woodstock Festival) a music festival, billed as "An Aquarian Exposition", was held at Max Yasgur's 600 acre dairy farm in the rural town of Bethel, New York from August 15 to August 18. Bethel, in Sullivan County, is 43 miles (69 km) southwest of the town of Woodstock, New York.

Thirty-two acts performed during the sometimes rainy weekend in front of nearly half a million concertgoers. It is widely regarded as one of the greatest moments in popular music history and was listed on Rolling Stone's 50 Moments That Changed the History of Rock and Roll.

I went Upstate in the late 90's to see the town of Woodstock for myself and I thought about all the great bands playing there in '69 (Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, Sly & the Family Stone, Joan Baez, Santana, Johnny Winter, etc.) and I was a bit surprised to still find all that leftover hippie vibe there... I recall buying a bunch of hand made bee wax candles.

There is no doubt that we would need another Summer of Love in 2009, but sadly we are out of luck! There is no more Jimi Hendrix and there is no more Janis Joplin and no more The Who!!!

Before I get too sentimental, I better come to the point of my post now: You may want to head over to the ticket office and grab a couple of tickets for the "Taking Woodstock" Movie, directed by Ang Lee! It opens Friday, August 28th, 40 years after Woodstock. And check out my Woodstock Dress while you are getting into the 70's groove:

As you well know there are many more 70's music inspired items to find in the idilvicefashionrocks online shop... just saying!

And because you are so cool to check out my blog, as a very special treat y'all: here is the full set of Jimi Hendrix's performance at Woodstock in 1969 - ENJOY!!

Vote for your favorite Woodstock song! See you at the movies!

to be or not to be on that list

It's rough these days, you don't need me to tell you that. It's to buy or not to buy. But in any case, I always thought it's a good thing to be on the list, good times or bad. When you go to a night club, being on the list is a treat, sometimes it's a must to get in to party, "hey"! To be on Schindler's List would have been a great thing, which would have most likely saved your life!

Yeah, lists rock, but recently I have been on a list that I was not sure to be pleased to be on, right? I mean, can you imagine to be (or rather have your merchandise be) on a list of things that will not be bought? Ever heard of that one?! Well, let me tell you, I have been on a list like that and I was like: "What tha heck?!"


So this girl named Lexi put up this blog site "Not Buying" where she lists all things she desperately wants but will not get. Yooh, that's a first for me!

It's a sign of the time guys, so even though I don't want to be on that list, I kinda think it's great to be on it at the same time :) I mean - come on - Lexi adores the Beatles Hippie Tunic, and if the economy would be as usual, she'd have purchased it, right? So it's cool! "Yes, I want to be on that list!" The question is: "To buy or not to buy..."



Lexi told me in private she still might buy it... ;-)

Star Trek

Last night I went to Battery Park Cinemas to see the premier of the new movie Star Trek. It's great! An instant classic and absolute Must-See, I am sure you heard by now... Only what is truly exceptional makes it onto Fashion Rocks Printed Skirts so needless to say: the Star Trek 2009 crew made it!!



Love Mr. Spock! The old and the new!! I really did not expect to see Winona Ryder in this movie and due to the extraordinary masks, it was hard as heck to recognize Eric Bana as Nero.... but who else can play a bad guy better than him? I was convinced of that ever since I saw Chopper.



I will add more Star Trek clothing every day now so keep checking the Star Trek Clothing Section.

In the meantime: Live Long and Prosper!

how to dress like a rock star?

"So tell me what's the ultimate rock star look?" people ask me expecting that I should have the answer, being the designer of that clothing line called "Fashion Rocks". On Google, the search term "How to dress like a rock star?" is very high on my list.

I am not a rock star myself. I put my rock idols on clothing because I think they deserve better than an old frumpy T-shirt and frankly, who said that a print of a rock star should be on t-shirts only? Why not an evening gown or a pair of pants and while we're at it on a skirt too? But anyway, I feel like I should have an answer to that question of what makes a star rock after all.

We are not rock stars and really don't now what it takes to be on tour all the time and rock out on stage at night, so it's a bit of a challenge to keep up that genuine look of rock star, I understand. So I've come up with a short list that should make it easy to meet that sort of challenge and if you just have at least 2-3 of these items handy, you're sure to have a rock vibe going:

• 1. THE SKINNY JEANS. Unless you are going for the hippie rock star look, the jeans must be the skinny type. Leggings will do. Also: nothing is worse than a fat rock star. Go on a diet, for crying out loud!

• 2. THE STUDDED BRACELET or anything studded. An easy way to say: rock 'n' roll.

• 3. DOC MARTENS BOOTS. It's the boot to have. Nothing rocks & kicks butt more. The Converse sneaker can be used during Summer instead.

• 4. EMBROIDERED ROCK PATCHES, frankly if your wardrobe is too clean it does not come across well here, so you need to spice things up a bit. The best way to do that is to add some patches to your jacket or pants, you gain instant rock cred.

• 5. MOTORCYCLE LEATHER JACKET. Yeap, it's true - without this rock essential your look just won't come together. If you must trade the leather, opt for denim. The Ramones proof this every day.

• 6. TOP HAT. No clue why this item rocks but it does. Put it on and see yourself transforming from a gray mouse existence to the glamorous VIP appearance. If you can't get your hands on one, go with a Fedora, that'll do.

• 7. PRINTED ROCK ICON T-SHIRT OR SKIRT. Try to hang on to a true rock star, that is a sure way to gain recognition for your look, don't be shy!
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• 8. THE HAIR. Although not a clothing piece, an essential. Must be long & full or short & spiky. It must be messy or else you won't qualify - no way! And don't forget to put on some shades...

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• 9. RUFFLED SHIRT OR BOW TIE SHIRT. This type of shirt reminds everybody of Jimi Hendrix or Prince and is sure to add rock star flavor, especially on a man.

• 10. SOMETHING GLITTERY. That can be make-up (together with a nice dark eye) or a sparkling fabric. Always remember: sparkle is glam.

Alright then, you are ready to go out and be a star! A rock star that is.

I love bess

Sorry, how can I talk about Doc's and not tell you about BESS!??!

Next time you are over on Lafayette Avenue go to Bess. The morbid shop, located in the same spot where Keith Haring's Pop Shop used to be (it's still the same shop, without the Haring wall paintings!!). BTW, I was very pleased to see this specific shop set up there after the departure of Pop. At least it was not a Starbucks or a Duane Reade!! Wewh!

...the bess store front, it's the inside that counts...


...carl posey cover shot of the the alkaholiks taken for rap pages inside keith haring's pop shop in 1995, a classic!

They, of course have whatever your punk heart desires. At a high price, it's understood, but if you are not savvy in studding up your own boots, you get a perfectly original version here...

(Note to Damien Hirst: this might actually be the spot where to purchase an original The Clash t-shirt or other true punk fare - if you must -, it's real here. Why opt to spend $200.000 on the net, where it's fake? I am still not over that stupidity.) Read my post about how Damien Hirst got punked...



I adore this shop, needless to say. I even walk by at night and am intrigued to take some pics of the windows...




..they got a whole bunch of curiosities... these studded moccasins are going to be the hit of this Summer, I am sure.



...especially since some very famous clientele has started wearing that stuff...

Here is model and style icon Erin Wasson:

...erin in one of bess's motorcycle jackets...

...and I saw lou dillon with one of these jackets the other day...

So, yeah Bess rocks, no matter what all the haters say (..too expensive and all, get outta here!) Be happy that someone is knowledgeable about this stuff and actually sells it to you! (They will actually tell you they are sold out if you keep bugging them about the price) And hey, you should know me, I got a challenge for y'all: why don't you stud your own jacket and boots... you can buy the studs here... good luck!