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A new post... Almost.

Wow, it's been SO long!!! This feels weird.

So I know I promised a revamp but getting it done has proved harder than I thought. But we're close I think and hopefully it'll be worth the wait! Either way I can't wait any longer so we'll have to deal with the old layout for now. ;)








Starting tomorrow I'll be an official Footwear News blogger, covering the Las Vegas shoe show, better known as MAGIC, or more specifically- Platform. I'm super excited to bring you coverage from the inside and talk about the different trends I see there.

I hope I didn't loose you all in my super long hiatus...
More tomorrow!

Missed you!
XOX,

Celine

Blog Revamp!

I'm working on revamping the blog and hope to have a new look and more frequent posts soon!!!

In the meantime, check out the AMAZING sale over at Kurt Geiger. Not familiar with the brand? You should be! They're one of the UK's biggest shoe retailers and they recently opened a beautiful store in South Coast Plaza. So exciting!! Check them out in person or on line... www.KurtGeiger.com

You've been a good girl. Get the shoes! ;)

See you soon! 

XOXO

Behind the Scenes...Photo Shoe-t

I know, I know. Almost a month without posting, I totally suck. I hope you follow my Tumblr because I update that almost daily. It's so convenient. 

It's been 10 months and this divorce thing is still really affecting me. I don't know why but I find it hard to do the things I used to love to do. Blogging included. BUT... this isn't a therapy session its a muthafuggin shoe blog so let's get to it!

This last Friday we shot for the new Fall 2012 Cece L'amour and Penny Loves Kenny lines. IT WAS SO AWESOME!! We had a really great team of super talented people and we had a lot of fun. Like, probably more fun than you're supposed to have when you're working ;) We shot it at the beautiful Biltmore hotel in downtown Los Angeles and shot from 10am to close to 10pm. Crazy long day!

I'm no longer designing for bebe. I've handed it off to another designer who's got some great ideas and is going to have a lot of fun with it. I'm now concentrating on my own brand, Cece L'amour... my baby. And a really fun brand named Penny Loves Kenny. We own both of those names and I think it's awesome to be designing for the 2 brands that my father's company actually owns. It's more personal.

Anyway- here's a look behind the scenes...

The best part about these shoots was that I got to use my beautiful friends as models. It's so INSANE that I have actual friends that are this beautiful.
The amazing and ridiculously gorgeous Skully Smith for Penny Loves Kenny...

Me in my Cece L'amor floral mary janes, deciding which shoe to shoot next...

Up next, another stunning friend of mine, Dianna Ryan for Cece L'amour.

These are my favorite for fall!!

And me again, in rare form. FLATS!? Yep. Sometimes you gotta get on the roof of the historic Biltmore hotel in your Chucks. ;)

Love you all!!




XOX,

I'm a Little Slow...

I've never claimed to be the sharpest knife in the drawer but I've never really felt so stupid. It took me 2 months to "get" Tumblr. I don't know what it was that wasn't clicking, or if I just wasn't really trying, but I finally got it.

Since I'm pretty consumed with getting this new line off the ground I'll be posting to Tumbler in between blog posts. Just photos of the shoes I'm wearing and maybe shoes I'm seeing out and about. Quick little shots of, well, my life in heels... ;)

I hope you enjoy it- I think it will be fun and an easy way to share some fun fabulous (and maybe even not so fabulous) shoes! I share a lot of these on Twitter but I realize that a lot of you aren't Twitterers. I get it.
Please check it out and follow me if you'd like. My Tumblr 

(L.A.M.B. shoe straight off the runway)

(Louboutin)

(gianmarco lorenzi)

(L.A.M.B. shoe in the showroom in NY)

(DSquared2 "rain boot")

A Shoe Story

I read this story the other day on a fellow fabulous blogger's site, RedHeadFashionista. 

She entered it into Elle for their annual talent contest to find a fabulous new writer, and though she didn't win, I thought it was great and asked her if I could share it with my readers. I love a good shoe story and figured you would too...

ELLE Talent Competition - 'Do you really need another pair of shoes?'

I feel like I'm sitting in front of a firing squad. I guess it sort of is a matter of life and death. The life being able to provide myself with food and coffee for a good while longer than I would otherwise, versus the death of a) my credit rating, b) my sensible diet as I resort to a can of soup a day and drink excessive amounts of water to try and suppress my appetite, and c) my soles.

So I guess by saving my money, I'm also saving my sole. Saving me having to worry about when I next get to eat, whether I can afford my rent, or whether I can pay my next phone bill. Things that most normal human beings need to do to get by.

Except, I'm a twentysomething woman with a fashion conscience. I have other needs, like all people. I need chocolate. I need a gin and tonic and some trashy tv at the end of the day. I need to have my personal space on the tube.

And I needed that last pair of Freja stiletto boots.

There they were, sitting among the other neglected, end-of-line pairs of size 7s in the Selfridges sale (this was pre-new Shoe Hall, I think I'd have to surrender my purse before entering if I went in now). Next to the Balmain military ankle boot that every fashionista worth her salt owned, was a quiet, unassuming black stiletto boot that set my heart aflutter.

Alexander Wang was speaking to me. I was communing with a higher being, yet it was a terrible sin. I felt lust for the beautiful boot. Jealousy of all the women who would have bought them without a second thought. And greed, the overwhelming greed that a woman experiences when nothing else matters but fashion.

I had to have those shoes.

I sat down in the middle of the shoe hall, was attended to by a sweet middle-aged salesman who could tell he was on to a winner. The fashion-hungry graduate who owns one much-loved designer bag which she carries like a trophy, looking to move to the big leagues with her first pair of designer shoes, met by the eager, sweet, earnest salesman who could sense a sale and who was subtly, masterfully going for the jugular. We were two clichés, united over the ultimate cliché – the half-price shoe.

He left me alone for a while with my new solemates. I tried them on. True to my mother's training (though she would have been scandalised if she was where I was) I walked at least two laps around the shoe hall, stalking in the predatory way rich socialites and French fashion editors do, brushing my hair (what hair I have) out of my eyes and looking coyly down. In my mind's eye I was six feet tall, slim and athletic. I rubbed shoulders with Carine Roitfeld and Kate Lanphear. I had made it. I looked in the mirror and felt myself transformed. I was up there with the big players.

In the few short seconds it took me to decide, my brain busily tried to solve a puzzle that most computers would take days with.

Figures and numbers ran through my head. Bank statements. Whether I could sneak the bag past my parents. Whether I could afford a pedicure for my massively neglected feet. How many outfits would be transformed by these shoes. Whether my legs were good enough to carry off a statement shoe. If I was too fat at that angle in the mirror. Whether a (then)cafe worker with no fashion parties to go to really could justify a pair of Alexander Wang boots. It had gone from 'could I afford the shoes' to 'existential crisis' in a few slightly tottering steps.

I stood and stared at the mirror, the image of beautiful, successful fashion personality fading and leaving the image of terrified, prospect-less graduate teetering awkwardly in someone else's shoes in its place. I stared myself in the face. There, in the middle of the Selfridges shoe hall, a pair of beautiful boots stopped me in my tracks.

I sat back down in my little chair, signalling for the salesman to give me more time to think. Staring at the beautiful boots that were within my grasp, yet still so far from my reach, I wondered how much longer it would be before I could look down at a pair of beautiful, expensive shoes and not feel my stomach rush with guilt and fear. I sat there, surrounded by the rich tourists and well-heeled executives and knew I didn't belong there.

But as I sadly unlaced the boots, I wondered if, perhaps, they were the first step along the way. A little reminder to myself that this is what I wanted. I wanted to be the type of woman who could own a pair of a designer boots, and everything that came with them. The station, the fame, the career, the security, the life. They would give me the mindset to put me well on my way to where I wanted to be.

And five minutes later, as I walked out of Selfridges holding the distinctive yellow carrier with my beautiful new status symbol, oracle, incentive in it, I felt just a little bit more optimistic about my prospects. Unconsciously, I walked taller. I stood straighter. I thought I could see Kate Lanphear in the distance, and even in my comfortable flats, my new Wangs urged me to stride to keep up with my own dreams.

And the boots? I still haven't worn them out of the house. But I like to take them out, put them on and look at myself in the mirror, once in a while, to see the person I might one day become. 

Off to China... AGAIN

Is it just me or does it seem like I am always traveling?? Ugh, and China. Why does China hate Blogger so much?

For those of you who don't know, China blocks me from accessing my blog so I've set up some oldies but goodies for you to re read or for some of you to read for the first time. They'll post over the next week.
Please make sure you leave your comments on this post with ANY questions you have about my China trips or about the design process. I got some really good ones last time and I love sharing my behind the scenes secrets with you guys :)

(view from my hotel in China)

 Ok! I'm off. I'll be back in a week with lots of new experiences and a new project! I'm excited to let you guys know which line I'm designing right now. 

xox

-Celine ♥

TheShoeGirl

Thank You!

I just wanted to show you guys this awesome sketch that reader and fellow blogger Rachel made of me for her blog, VisualBasic
It's really cute and I like how she made my legs longer and skinnier ;)

Cool huh?? Here's the original photo and post...

Benjamin wanted a go at it too. He's so cute :)

Thank you Rachel! This was really cool of you :)

Just For Shizz and Giggles

Mondays suck so hopefully this will brighten your day. :)

What do you do when a fellow blogger posts photos like these and asks for her readers to submit their version?? 

Well, this is what I did...

You like the Nomadic Baglady Look?? Hahaha!!

Other readers also dressed the part. They look pretty amazing and are killing these looks.

Marie-

I love her pillow and the teapot around her belt just puts me over the pee in my pants edge.

Kate B-

Is that Thumper I see in your bag??

Rebecca-

A sophisticated version of the look. ;)

Aja-

I like that she and I had the same idea to hold plants in our hands.

Rosie-

She is SERIOUSLY rocking this look!!

Now if any of you are brave enough I'd LOVE to see your looks. Don't be shy, this was so much fun to put together and it's nice to make fun of yourself sometimes.

Thank you Sister Wolf for making me laugh and for reminding us that we bloggers can't take this crap too seriously. 

Oh Kirkwood...

First, he shows us these for Spring...

I love these. Everything about these. (a mere $2153.70 HERE)

And then there are these for Fall.

(jak and jil blog)

In the words of Rachel Zoe... I die.

I'm dead.

I died.

I love these a lot. A LOT.

I love Kirkwood a lot. A really lot lot.

I love how these heels look like carved soap or ivory. Well, not so much ivory cause that would be pretty terrible. Not clubbing baby seals terrible but... you know. I like elephants a lot. All animals really. Well, not sharks but I don't want to KILL them either. Unless they kill people then go ahead.

Deep blogging I know, but this is what I have for you.

I've been really sick and on top of that I haven't been feeling very inspired. I also feel like I'm talking to myself for some reason. Like nobody's out there.

Ever feel like that??

Hmph.

I love you Kirkwood. Keep up the good work :)

Held Captive!

Ok, so I'm alive and no, I haven't really been kidnapped. I just got back from China where, as you know, they block my blog so I can't post.

Now it's 2am and I should be sleeping and I'm trying to type quietly despite these dang Japanese nail art nails (click clack click clack!!!) so as not to wake Ben up. He does look angelic when he's sleeping... ♥

Anyway- just wanted to tell you all that I'm alive and well, and I'm sorry for my lack of posts. I'll be back with a new post soon, right after I spend some much needed cuddle time with my hubby and puppies.

Hope you all are having a great start to 2010!!

xoxox