A Walk on the Wild Side: We Visit the Zana Bayne Sample Sale

LEATHER GIRLS!!!

Sometimes a girl just has to test her limits.  You know what we mean?  No, we're not ready to get our tongues pierced, or our bosoms tattooed, and we're not quite ready for harnesses, but we wanted to do a little skating close to the edge, so when we were invited to the Zana Bayne sample sale, we were tempted, like innocents in the Garden of Eden. Long time followers will remember we covered her Opening Ceremony New York Fashion Week runway show a couple years ago.  Click here to link to our coverage.

We are still learning to assert ourselves, so while we should have taken loads of pictures of the merch, to show you what was on offer, and the clients, to show you who the competition was, instead we tried to be as unobtrusive as possible.  Mostly that meant taking photos of one another, so we could see whether we would laugh at ourselves or not.  Do you remember that song "Things That Make You Go Hmmmm"?  We saw lots of interesting works of art in black leather that made us go hmmmm...  We both tried on the so-called Bat Belt, above and below.

OK, OK, so neither of us look like this professional model sporting the Bat Belt. Click here for more.

Here's what it looks like on Zana's website. Click here to visit her website.

Jean also tried a tamer version, a black leather peplum belt.

What is it with Valerie and bustiers?  It's not in her personality at all. There's just something about the complicated structuring that appeals ... You can barely see them, but there are two rings at the front and back of the base of the bustier, which connect at each side with two leather cords in sweeping arcs.  The cords don't do anything - they're decorative - but they add a certain je ne sais quoi (that means 'Hmmm...  I don't know what I'm getting myself into here, but I think I like it' in French).

The model is called the Bullet Bustier.  Need we say more?

And here's what it looks like on someone tall and lean.  (Or what we like to think it would have looked like on us thirty years ago.)

Fabulous trio! While we were trying things on, we were chatting with these three women -- who looked amazing in everything they tried on.  Check out the variations of ombre' hair color effects on the lady in the middle.

She was also carrying this hilarious google-eyed handbag that she said she'd gotten at TopShop.

This tall slim extremely personable gent works for Zana. (And unfortunately, neither of us can remember his name.) He was so sweet to offer to take our photo together. (Its the one that open's this post.) We liked his low-key black harness with silver rings.

Wesley, who also works for Zana, takes his look up a notch, with harness and collar. And check out those boots!

But wait!  We haven't introduced you to Zana yet.  Well, here's a sneak peek at the woman behind the edgy designs; the boss of the darkly dressed (but wonderfully warm and friendly) employees.

And here's the designer herself, bookended by her admirers!