Arts of Pacific Asia Show - Opening Night

.We Make the New York Times Style Section Again!






















Fine Feathers! We couldn't agree more! We're in today's New York Times. (The Style Section, of course, dollinks.)

It's Asia Week in New York, so on Tuesday evening, we attended the Arts of Pacific Asia opening (as members of the press), shamelessly schmoozed with our friends, saw some spectacular art, indulged in heavy duty people-watching AND were photographed by Bill Cunningham! It just doesn't get better than that. We appear in his Evening Hours in today's New York Times' Style Section on the lower left quadrant. Appearing on the same page (but at different events) are Cardinal Timothy Dolan and designers Anna Sui, Yeohlee Tang, and Jean Paul Gautier. Couldn't ask for better company than that!

Can't see? Even when you double click? We know, we know. Here is the slightly larger excerpt about our party. Jean is #13 (upper right) and Valerie is #17 (lower right). We're listed as Jean and Valerie. We gave Bill our card, and he gave it to the powers that be, but they weren't having any Idiosyncratic Fashionistas. Their fact checker accepted us as being Madonna-like or Cher-like in our onenamedness, but they wouldn't go for the IF part. Isn't that kinda like insisting on saying John, Paul, George and Ringo, instead of saying The Beatles?






















Although we both wore straw hats, that's where all similarity ends. Fans will recognize Valerie's vintage modified coolie hat from our outing to Helen Uffner's Vintage Clothing warehouse in Long island City in January. Jean's pagoda hat - with porcupine quills - is by Ignatius, from the Philadelphia Museum Craft Show in November. (This was its maiden voyage.)




















Jean caught Valerie and Bill Cunningham in the act, so to speak. The man obviously loves what he does. He has a spring in his step and a twinkle in his eye. He smiles and laughs and seems to be having the time of his life photographing people.























Joining us in this picture - and in today's Times - are Tim John, Linda Pastorino and Tziporah Salamon. As you can see, dressing for this event is a competitive sport nearing Olympic proportions.























We were delighted to see Dodi Fromson who traveled from Los Angeles for Asia Week. Shown here in her signature Issey Miyake with her friend Tony, Dodi also appears In today's Times - in a shot with Tim John. Once upon a time, Valerie introduced Jean and Dodi at a Miyake sample sale, and we've been meeting there ever since. The last time Jean and Dodi ended up purchasing matching pants. Dodi was again wearing Miyake when they ran into each other at last Saturday's Pier Show and Jean blurted out: "Dodi, I didn't recognize you with your clothes on". (Luckily, Dodi is a good sport.)






















We first met Zondra at the Metropolitan Pavilion Vintage Show and regularly run into her there and at flea markets and the Pier Show's Fashion Alley. She wears a lot of vintage and was channeling an 80's vibe last Tuesday.























Linda Pastorino, herself a dealer in stunning Asian jewelry and art, posed with her daughter Coral.






















Valerie chats with Vichai Chinalai on opening night.






















Here are Vichai and Lee Chinalai on Sunday afternoon. Every time we stopped by their booth during the opening reception, Lee was occupied with customers, so Valerie stopped in on Sunday and snapped this shot of both of them. Lee and Vichai are invariably the most interestingly dressed couple at the show. They deal in the arts of Thailand, Burma, the Hill Tribes of China, and other hard to reach areas. Like many dealers, they research their art, and can turn something you think is merely a thing of great beauty into a thing of great beauty and deep meaning.






















Valerie models (and later only reluctantly took off) a Chinalai Modern necklace. Several vendors are balancing their antiques with wonderful modern pieces coming out of Asia.






















Here's Valerie with Japanese textile scholar Terry Milhaupt outside the Chinalais' booth at the show.























We met this lady in Noriko Miyamoto's booth, and complimented her on her geometric necklace, which we instantly recognized was at Chinalai Modern's booth last year.























Here is Noriko. Since she was so busy on opening night and since we didn't want to disturb her, Valerie went back to the show on Sunday to take her photograph. Noriko is standing in front of a privacy curtain. The crest seems to indicate the highly esteemed Date clan. The curtain is very long and tall, and would have allowed open air entertainment away from prying eyes. Noriko is also now selling gorgeous and simultaneously austere large artworks made of Japanese paper by modern masters. We don't have a photo for you, so you'll have to visit her in Sag Harbor.























Jean and Nan Lower got to catch up on events since Nan's recent Mardi Gras party (complete with masks, beads and feather boas). Like so many, Nan was making the rounds - this show, the auctions, Japan Society's Art Deco Show and other events.























Marvin and Dennis (not shown), who own the Apsara Gallery in Long Island City, deal in southeast Asian art. Marvin is standing next to two textiles made in Sumatra, Indonesia, in the 19th century. We have a soft spot for textiles, so we gravitated toward those booths, but there was everything imaginable for every taste.























Sandy Long was a vision in pink topped by an amazing hat. (Jean coveted her skull necklace and Valerie her hat.)






















John Ruddy and Kumi Masumoto always have mouthwatering things that Valerie covets. Too many to mention, but to their right you can see a macrame indigo dyed horse cover.






















Valerie asked Galen which of his countless wonderful things he'd like to be photographed in front of, but he made Valerie choose. The screen depicting traditional textiles was lovely, but the sea bream carved from dense heavy wood was irresistible. The squiggle next to him is the character for water, so the carver had a sense of humor, as well as style. This would hang over a traditional hearth, and was used to adjust the distance of the cooking pot from the fire.

















Even the food was a cause for oohing and aahing. Waiters passed among the crowd carrying platters with beautiful hors d'oeuvres like these. Inside the little boats are brie and chopped apple. Yummy.

















At this show, even the vendors dress to the nines. This lady would fit right in at Japan Society's Art Deco show. We loved the strong lines of her outfit.























Iwana at Xanadu Gallery.























... and Iwana's fab-u-lous Alexander McQueen shoes, which she said she custom ordered!






















This lady, at Thomas Murray's gallery, looked fabulous. Thomas Murray was showing a large collection of Ainu art from northern Japan this time.






















We enjoyed looking at this woman's coat, made by Lee Anderson. We think he needs a higher profile!
























Here we are with Beatrice Chang, owner of Dai Ichi Arts Gallery, specializing in modern ceramics. We fell in love with Beatrice's blouse, made of banana fiber from the Philippines.






















Check out the back of the blouse!
























Here's Beatrice with her equally sharply dressed friend, Noelle Xie.






















And we HAD to photograph her from the back, as well.























We met collector Peter Bershad late in the event, and compared notes on our favorite items.






















Andrea Aranow was wearing very springlike colors. By chance, we ran into her again later in the week at Taka Taka on West Broadway. In a city of eight million people!






















Here's a closeup of Jean's Ignatius hat.























What we're wearing:

Jean is wearing: Ignatius hat, vintage Issey Miyake skirt, Morrocan linen & rayon split top (from Scout at a Metropolitan Pavilion show last season), Pleats Please Miyake drawstring backpack, Trippen boots, Kirsten Hawthorne earrings, vintage bakelite necklace and rings.

Valerie is wearing: an unlabeled vintage black straw hat purchased at Helen Uffner's; a vintage kimono (1940s??) [NOT worn like a proper kimono - ferget THAT!], barely visible Joan Vass dress, '80s pink tussah silk trapunto belt by Magdak, plastic shoes by Melissa (designed by Gareth Pugh).



One last shot for the road, so to speak: