Emma Dinzebach

Emmitt was a yellow lab loved by all and still referred to as the “best dog.” Her only living responsibility, my stepmom showered Emmitt with the love of a first born son. He had collars for every day of the week and more toys than her stepchildren. Who knew they made 600-thread count dog beds? Emmitt had the world at his doggie paws and all he had to do was sit and stay.
I never understood until I acquired Mia, a red and white sassy shiba inu. With no children of my own, I poured my love into Mia. Lucky Mia. I walked her and fed her and bathed her and sent her to an expensive doggy daycare. She was adored by the neighbors and adored by yours truly. One day, I spent a pretty penny on her vintage designer doggie coture and walked home wondering if I was becoming my stepmother and, more importantly, was it all worth it.

Long before Paris Hilton (um, Marie Antoinette had gold threaded dog beds) people were pouring their love and luxury taste on their pets. A habit that filled their egos (dogs don’t have egos) and made them feel satisfied in their ability to love something so fully. Mia didn’t know she was wearing Dior. She could have been wearing a collar from the dollar section of Target for all she cared, and only reacted to my fawning attention not the collar itself. I once spent a hundred dollars on a dog bed, and when I came home she was lying on my bath robe reminding me that if she was spoiled, it was only for me.

It’s the people who need reassurance through material items that indeed, they are doting pet parents. But doting or not, puppy love has it’s limits. Sure dogs won’t argue with you, but they also don’t recognize your successes. You thank them for being a good girl or boy, but they won’t compliment you in return. In all honestly, you likely won’t jump in front of a bus to save your dog. You say you will, but you likely won’t. In the end of the day, the replaceable nature of a pet puts a limit on your love.

Emma Dinzebach

Children make Christmas lists fully expecting that we buy them something on the list. They don’t care that we didn’t get it on our trip to Africa in the summer or hand knit it in our minuscule spare time. Children don’t mind if it took you ten minutes to order it from Amazon.com as long as it was on the list. Children of all ages continue to give lists to their parents and in some families siblings; but as you get older, the pressure to give thoughtfully grows and grows. But isn’t it thoughtful to give someone something they want?

Last Christmas I came across the dilemma and sent a snarky but sincere email asking friends and family what they want. A close friend then informed me that this was not “kosher” because they were not children and “in addition” gifts are better when they come from the heart.  The dilemma: whether to buy people something the outright want or to purchase something thickly laced in thought.

Last year my artsy painter friend mentioned a Botkier hobo when we were casually perusing Bloomingdale’s one afternoon. For weeks, I had been scouring teeny boutiques in Brooklyn looking for something perfectly suitable for her free spirit. After all, she was always so thoughtful. By December 23rd, I decided to just give her the bag. Marched up to Bloomie’s, paid, and was home in thirty minutes. When she opened it her eyes lit up; she was so thrilled that someone had given her something non-art related. “But handbags are art!” I protested. But I knew what she meant. Just like children, adults like to get something they want. And the something-she-wanted turned into the best present of all.
I’m a genuinely thoughtful person and I love my family and friends dearly, but why scurry around town during the busy, tourist packed holiday season trying to pick out something thoughtful when I could just give them something they want. What’s a thoughtful person to do two weeks before Christmas and completely void of thoughtful present ideas? Give in and give them what they want. Leave the other three seasons to the beauty of being thoughtful.
Emma Dinzebach

Brooks Ross knows cashmere, as he should. His mother, Ann Ross, founded Madison Avenue’s upscale destination for women’s fashion, Leggiadro, in 1985 and now has boutiques in New York, Americana Manhasset, Melrose Place, Ocean Reef Club, Monticeto, Palm Beach, Nantucket, Palm Desert, Naples, Sarasota, Dallas and Charleston. Sticking with the foundations of luxury, Leggiadro designers and craftsman all Leggiadro clothing is spun and died in Italian factories. And their pillow soft cashmere is the best in the world…or pretty darn close.

What’s so great about cashmere?

Everybody loves cashmere – the texture, the warmth, the luxury. Have you felt it?

I mean it’s beautiful, but why is good-quality cashmere so expensive?

There is a lot of fundamental differences between types of cashmere. Five things to keep in mind are: length of fiber, location of raw fiber, color of raw fiber, location of production and weight of item.

So it’s like pima cotton – longer fibers make it softer? 

Exactly. Longer fibers create greater strength Think of it like interlocking hands with a person. If you are holding each other by your fingertips, it won’t take a lot of force to break that bond. If your hands are fully clasped, it will take more force to separate. Shorter fibers have a tendency to pill.

Then where the fiber comes from is important as well. But isn’t a goat a goat? 

There are Kashmir are in many countries; it’s where on the goat the fibers come from. Premium fibers come from a very small area in the center of its chest, the underbelly, and are hidden underneath a coarser outerlayer of hair called “guard hair.” The hair that comes from there is also the purest in color. Other parts of the animal might have fibers gray or brown. Those are harder to die.

Why Italy? 

Italians have ingrained, historical knowledge of how to deal with the fiber. Leggiadro spins their fabrics in Italy because of their ingrained luxury tradition of both spinning and dying the yarns.

What was the fifth one? 

Weight. So it might seem counterintuitive, but the lighter the material, the more delicate and luxury. A very fine sweater requires almost three times as much time to make the same sweater at a heavier weight. Our artisans are more careful about small imperfections. A broken needle or small twist can entirely ruin the quality and weave. They must be extremely meticulous.

Hence the name Leggiadro.
Right. Leggiadro means aesthetic beauty with lightness and grace.

Emma Dinzebach

Tribal influences pranced down the runway at Galliano and Lanvin, and not just the Paris runways. Spring’s Manoush dresses and Laurence Helle’s lovely blouses are alsp tribally inspired and making the brink of summer the perfect time to listen to the call of the wild.

From tribal punk to tribal chic, there are several ways to pull off the earthy and exotic look. Anyone can embrace their inner African Queen by accessorizing with Alexander McQueen’s Large Tribal Scarf. Pair it with a printed dress, your favorite bomber jacket or denim shorts.  If you have an extra $1,600, you might wan to consider blowing it on Louboutin’s “it” shoe of the season. The Ulona platforms have geometric shapes with thick gold straps and make you feel like a real African Queen.
For styles that won’t break the bank, American Apparel’s Afrika print dress and Top Shop’s Geo Graphic Maxi dress are affordable options and easily paired with last year’s gladiator sandals. Jonesing for authenticity? Max Osterweis spent a decade collecting fabrics in Kenya before launching his Africa-inspired line Suno. Suno’s separates are wearable art and beautifully handmade in the homeland.

   
Emma Dinzebach