I love that design houses are releasing little videos to accompany their latest collections. Making a visual 3-5min representation of your work is an added bonus that just watching models saunter down catwalks wearing the clothes.

One of the first mini-videos I ever fell in love with was Erin Fetherston’s Wendybird directed by acclaimed Ellen Von Unwerth. Here is Vanessa Bruno’s Printemps 2010 collection starring Lou Doillon.

vanessa bruno- printemps été 2010 from maggieontherocks on Vimeo.

♥ the alchemist

I have a thing about jewelry, especially rings. Bigger=Better. Bolder=Better. Except for a few keepsake rings I have, the majority of my rings are either huge, cocktail, vintage or a combination of all.

This is why I have a thing for these wooden rings from I Am Dorkas. Yes, wooden! Plus, they have a sculptural beauty to them that I really love.

Look at how gorgeous the Riptide ring is. Good thing it can be resized because I’m seriously thinking that I might need this in my jewelry life :

Or the aptly named, Lights Out, which really packs a punch.

The Time Stamp ring is a hand-hammered brass two-finger beauty:

Designer Mariana Dorkas Jamadi has made this business a family affair working with both her mother and her beau to create stunning jewelry and lovely textiles. I’m looking forward to seeing what else they churn out.

♥ the alchemist

I missed the opportunity last year to write about the sadness and shock I felt when Michael Jackson passed; a childhood hero, a person who shaped pop culture forever. As more and more time passed, it started to feel like there was no real way for me to talk about that influence from the King of Pop.

Life is fragile and each one is precious. It’s hard to explain to someone how a person you’ve never met or knew could impact you in such a huge way. Lee Alexander McQueen is one such person. An enormous inspiration in my fashion aesthetic, his genius could be felt and appreciated by many. Someone who used their creativity to the maximum, always pushing the boundaries, bringing something new to the table. This kind of innovative freedom is what I strive for and want to nurture and appreciate in others.

♥ the alchemist