(MANGO moto jacket, white dress, heels, and necklace, BOERA knuckle ring)

Last night was the gorgeous MANGO runway show here in Barcelona! Yes, I’ve flown all the way to Spain for my work with the MANGO team, and honestly, I’ve missed them! It’s been a while since we had our last shoot, and I am so so happy we all get to back in Barcelona together, and this time, in honor of MANGO THE RUNWAYYY! Morning of the show, I quickly picked a last minute look at the showroom, and I ended up going the super simple and classic route. There are always those nights that I crave just throwing on a great dress and jacket before run out the door. A crisp white mini and black/brown moto jacket with some rad gold hardware. And HEELS! Yes, heels, a bold red lip, and a wavy new do, fresh out of hair and makeup at my hotel. Just a short drive from our place at Placa de Cataluyna, we finally arrived at the venue. We were greeted by a sea of BLUE. The neon lights overhead made everyone look a grey-ish blue…as if we were all from another planet. Talk about wild! Just a few drinks later, we finally plopped down at our seats at the front row as the live electric guitar filled the room. The models, looking completely badass, came out in a pack. Those sheer black stockings, extra thick socks, the plaid shoes, the bold metal hardware, black sequins, and thick leather jackets. SO MUCH LOVE! It makes me want a killer rock n’ roll Fall out in Shoreditch, London. From the biker boots to the black stilleto, I loved it all. A chunky layer on top, and a slim trouser or skirt on the bottom. Perfection. The reds, blacks, and whites have me thinking it’s going to be one beautiful season to come, complete with black eyeliner and a head of messy hair. 

What I love about Barcelona is how the nights start late, and end later. After a quick mid-day nap, dinners are served around 10pm and the party doesn’t even begin till about 2! The MANGO afterparty required dancing barefoot on the grassy field, and downing one too many gin-and-tonics. Gala and her man really showed us how to party, and BARCELONA STYLE! It happened to be “Nasty Mondays” at the Apollo, and entering the backstage, I really felt like I was coming out of some real Spanish coming of age film…complete with good tunes and smoke-y rooms!

(First look: Lauren Moffatt crop top, Hallelu vintage shorts, GANT sunglasses, G.H Bass & Co. shoes, Chloe “ethel” handbag//
Second Look: Paul & Joe top, Seven for all Mankind jeans, Grandmother’s Buttons necklace, Brixton hat) 

Si, Si! I have made it to Barcelona!! Tomorrow I begin my work with MANGO, and after what’s been a wild weekend, I’m so ready. It’s been over 2 years since I’ve been to Barcelona. Tomorrow night I’ll be at the MANGO runway show…I’m too excited, and honestly, I cannot wait to pick out my look in the morning. Right now, I’m in the middle of taking a nap in our hotel, literally trying to recoop from the past few days. So far, I’ve spent my weekend in just about every little corner of Barcelona. My boyfriend and I have already covered so much ground. We’ve walked the winding roads of El Raval, spent our nights at 2 a.m. dancing down Las Ramblas, and crept into a beautiful tapas joint in the charming Borne district with local friends, practicing my Spanish along the way. Finally I was able to really soak in that real Spanish sun at the la playa, tanning our limbs and glistening our faces. Though I live for the morning cappachino (cafe con leche por favor!), I LOVE LOVE the late nights. The city just comes to life. The golden light restaurants, the tables and chairs of the sidewalks filled with people. We had a whole list of bars we planned to visit. Everything from the local dive, filled with the street rats, punks, and cool kids (El Raval, I love you) to the underground jazz clubs, red velvet cushion and all. By the end of the day, I can’t really feel my legs from all the walking and dancing. I wore my travel essentials: a good sunglass, denim cut-off, black skinnies, and easy brogue…but in a flashing silver metallic that reflected off the sun. Really, it was my boyfriend’s idea to have the ideal “Vicky Christina Barcelona” adventure…mapping out locations from the film. And I can see how Woody Allen did it now…the city really is a beautiful gold when the light hits it, and to me, filled with so much mystery and wonder. 

photos by me and Jordan

Follow all of my upcoming MANGO adventures here on Instagram! 

(Rebecca Taylor denim/leather jacket and skirt, Chaser Brand “Nat Geo” tank, Chloe “ethel” handbag, Kenneth Cole sneakers, Jennifer Zeuner “evil eye” necklace and wishbone necklace)

The 4th of July for me meant STARS IN MY EYES! Finally a day to get all of my friends together for no worries, just play! We had the most beautiful deck view on the westside, and I cannot wait to share the shots I took of the fireworks and all the crazy people in the crowd. HERE’S TO AMERICA, THE GREAT! These little sunnies were tucked away in my bag all week, and finally they’re able to make their little debut hehe. It’s my last day in NYC before I’m off for work in Barcelona tonight, and I am so so excited for a little change in scenery. Lately, the heat has left me slowly wandering my neighborhood in sneakers and a tank, yet this little white denim and leather jacket just couldn’t NOT be taken out. Rebecca Taylor, you can do no wrong! Plopped in the East Village was this old traveling van, so big, I tried capturing it all in one shot. Talk about one big party. 

I’ve got just a few more hours to get all my travel necessities in check. See you in Europe babettes!

It being the first time at Zac Posen‘s studio, I took that moment to sling my camera around my shoulder that day…as behind the scenes images are usually always my favorite. Sitting beside Zac, I was blown away. We had our absolutely own mini-runway show right here in Tribeca, and honestly, I didn’t want to leave the cherryblossom-covered work abode, home to the fashion genius. Dresses I could only imagine seeing walking down the red carpet or just something plucked from a Cinderella fairytale, came to life. A model plopped down in that blue strapless gown and it looked like all she was floating on was a beautiful and lightweight cloud. He spoke of London, Primrose Hill, a place that inspired his latest designs (secretly I was swooning, as London has touched me like no other city). Immediately I knew I liked him and the beautiful creations, all carefully handmade right there in his studio. I could see just by the seamstresses, smiling as they sewed chiffon to the bottom of a starlet’s dress, that they loved their job, they loved the art, and it too made me smile. I felt like a little girl on Christmas when Zac threw the cashmere camel coat on me and took a photo. It matched my hat. Beige, his favorite color.