Dirty Free For All

In honor of Ke$ha's birthday last week, our matching middle names (Rose), and her upcoming appearance on American Idol this week, I thought it a good time to post some images from an editorial spread I assistant styled under Kim Friday, WWD's senior fashion editor.

The shoot took place last August right around the time that 'Tik Tok' was released, and the singer was full of energy anticipating what was to come from her first single. Little did any of us know that it would become the chart topping, billboard record breaking, can't get it outta your head song it is now. 

The look we were going for was very 'anti-gaga'/garbage can chic. We brought 100's of pieces of designer clothing (There are some set photos after the jump) but Ke$ha still opted to wear a sequined cape she found in a dumpster on La Brea for some of the looks. In addition to her own crumpled gold bra and trash can cape we dressed her in grittier designs from Bess, Boudoir D'huitres, Haleh Nematzadeh, Sass & Bide, and William Rast. We used lots and lots of jewelry (making sure per Ke$ha's request that nothing matched) including pieces from Alexis Bittar, Ben Amun, Draugsvold, and Noir. The shoes were from Brian Atwood, Giuseppe Zanotti, and T.U.K. 

Overall it still remains one of the most enjoyable shoots I've ever worked on due to Ke$ha's charm. As a new artist she was unaffected by fame. She was adventurous, quirky and willing to experiment with her look. I hope after all the #1 hits she hasn't lost that. 

You can read the whole article by Nick Axelrod here.

*images via Talaya Centento for WWD, other images by me

Radiant Crown

Without question, studs were one of the knockout trends shown by designers last season. We saw them fly from the A/W 2009 and S/S 2010 runways onto every possible place incuding bags (Alexander Wang, Balenciaga), Jewelry (Burberry, Noir), Jackets (Bess, Christopher Kane), Denim (Current Elliott, Alice and Olivia) and Shoes (Balenciaga, Gucci).

Now, there is yet another place we can ornament ourselves...On our heads! This Givenchy by Ricardo Tisci spiked headband is the perfect edgy New York girl item, but with a $500 price tag, is a little steep for a hair accessory. 

My friend S however, had an absolute 'I want it I need it' moment and almost took the plunge...Thankfully, she came to her senses--no glorified barrette is worth half your rent. This was the perfect opportunity for a little DIY! 

(Note: You should know that fashion students love a designer DIY like Derek Z loves an orange mocha frapp)

What you'll need:
Headband (Try any accessories store)
Black leather (Try trim/fabric stores)
Studs, 6 big spikes, 5 flat squares (Try trim stores like M&J)
Glue
Pliers
How to:

1. Measure the leather so it is the right size to wrap around the entire headband
2. Measure and mark where you want the studs to be. Start at the temple with a big spike and alternate with flat square studs.
3. Press the studs through the leather. Depending on the thickness of the leather you may need to use pliers.
4. Once the studs and spikes are firmly pulled through the leather, wrap the leather around the headband and glue into place.
5. Allow the glue to dry overnight.
6. Wear it out proudly. Ignore bridge and tunnel creeps who tell you you look like the statue of liberty--they don't know shit. 

The Result

*images via me, Tommy Ton, and Givenchy