Here is a couple of ‘behind the scenes’ snapshots.

Deidre did the make up and Louis shot the pictures. Will make sure to post them here once I see them.

The clothes is a good mix of vintage and random stuff from my closet. I spot a leather skirt from Zara, a leather biker jacket from Object and vintage gloves. The star is an accessory I got as a gift from the last fashion show I did.

Captured by the Sartorialist in London.

Queens born Jon Lennon is as real a new yorker as they come. He has worked on his talents since a young age and has gotten the chance to work in all facets of music, nightlife and fashion. Sure there is no secret equation to rock & roll style but what I do know is that there is more to it than just the clothing. Personality and the right attitude count for a lot in the world of music and nightlife, Jonny has both.  I know neither personal style or attitude are frowned upon in the fashion world, they are encouraged.  See the world from Jonny’s point of view. I am happy to share my interview with the future rock star right here. 

llM: Tell me a little about where you are from, your music and how it all influenced your style?

JL: I grew up in Ozone Park, Queens. My music is a mixture of all the elements of my influences, from the world of rap and rock n roll. I started to dj when i was very young mixing both my current hip hop albums, such as BDP, Big Daddy Kane, and Beastie Boys, with my father’s vintage rock records like Led Zeppelin, Mountain, and Clapton. I later taught myself to play guitar, bass, and piano to further my progress and started forming bands.

llM: What has been your favorite project that you have worked on, whether in music, nightlife or fashion?

JL: I’ve had many memorable and incredible experiences in all three. Nightlife, music, and fashion are constantly blurring in my professions. My most incredible moments will always be the firsts. The first night in a club in NYC, the first time on stage, and my first time on the runway. One favorite that stands out was playing to a real large crowd in Connecticut while opening for Joan Jett. I just remember the positive response and incredible energy from the crowd. It was surreal and a blessing. There is nothing like the feeling of all the stars aligning for one of those special moments.

llM: As the main person in charge of making the VIP crowd happen at Goldbar you often have to judge other’s style. What do you look for when people walk up to the door?

JL: I look for several things but most importantly I look at a persons ability to carry themselves. How people behave outside is a reflection of how they will behave inside. I always appreciate cordial, well dressed parties. I also have an affinity for punky young fun kids.

llM:  What is the most frequently worn item in your closet?

JL: My black leather jacket.

llM: Where do you shop?

JL: I don’t shop often but when I do it’s normally for Jeans and a T-shirt so wherever they got raw denim and white T’s.

llM: What is a must have staple of a rocker?

JL: Most “rockers” are in jean and leather. At least, they are supposed to be. I know some cool ass rockers that can carry a suit great but im just not into it.

llM: Living or dead, who do you look up to in the music industry?

JL: I’m most impressed by Syd Barrett. He was an original member of Pink Floyd. He went on to do some amazing solo stuff and then to drop out totally from the industry and society in general. He was a true musical pioneer and not an egomaniac rock star. I feel i share the same disdain for the industry and the same love and curiosity of music.

llM: Reveal some of your future plans?

JL: Im currently working on a second album. I’m planning to expand into the digital realm a little as I’ve always recorded predominately analog. I’m gonna keep creating, keep dj’ing, keep throwing parties, and keep growing. I now work with Deckstar, a dj agency started by DJ AM (RIP) and I’m just looking to expand my knowledge, involvement, and passion for music. You can still catch me at Goldbar on most nights.

To check out his music and videos go to http://www.myspace.com/lufthansaheistnyc    

Giovanna Battaglia-former model, L’Uomo Vogue editor and freelance stylist

HELLZ SPECIAL DELIVERY & SHORT FILM, “KICKS AFTER SIX” from HELLZ on Vimeo.

Taken on Greene St.

Always wearing a “uniform”? Update it with these quick tricks!

Do you ever find that you are always wearing the same thing? Ah yes, we always find solace in the trusty outfits that can get us through the day and do even better for us at night. What do you do when you are stuck in a rut? My friends jokingly call my daily American Apparel v-neck and skinny jean get-up a “uniform” even though it doesn’t scream plaid skirt and knee-high socks.

So what’s a girl do to when she’s got 10 of the same shirt in a different color? I, for one, would have to move out of my apartment if I had any dream of buying new clothes- so I try to keep it fresh and change it up. It’s easy to do:

• Bottoms up! If you are constantly wearing the same style of shirt, change it up with different bottoms. Always wearing a button up? Pair it with some to-the-minute bell bottoms or a high-waist skirt. For an even bolder statement, tuck that shirt in and give it some flair with a belt. To add a little spice, try a western belt or a belt with a unique buckle.

• Change up your neckline. If you are always wearing a crew neck, add something to it to change the look. If you’ve got a cool vintage-looking broach and the shirt is right, clip it on and it’ll surely be the focus of your outfit. Draw attention to yourself with a nice necklace or a scarf. If you’ve got awesome accessories, take an extra five minutes when you are getting ready to experiment a bit with different pairings of accessories.

• Don’t forget your feet. Change it up and keep it fresh. Try ankle boots one day and cowboy boots the next. If you sport attention-grabbing footwear, people are more likely to look at them instead of your favorite skinnys.

• Maximize those special pieces in your wardrobe. If you’ve got a unique skirt or piece of jewelry, play with the possibilities that are around you. Look at how you layer your clothes and look for other ways to wear the item.

• Take a peek in your closet. Are there other things that you haven’t worn in a while? Did you forget about that fabulous sundress that you purchased in May when it was rainy? Take it out and give it some love. There’s nothing better than putting on a fresh, new outfit and drawing the attention of everyone when you look at bit different!

• Have some girl time and go through your closet with a friend. Not only will you find some treasures that you forgot about, but your friend may have a few ideas of how you can wear things that you might not have thought of. Remember to keep your originality. Just because you are known for a specific style doesn’t mean it’s bad.

Once, a prominent person remarked that they remember me simply because of the outfit I wore when I met them. Who knew that my “uniform” would make such a statement? Keep it fresh and you can bring those basics to a whole new level.

For more looks go to, http://www.shopnastygal.com

The best thing about Litter?  The laid back vibe and ability to create art out of used items, which they search for high and low.  Visit their blog/shop and you too will want to break free from the usual, take off extra layers of clothing and run like mad looking for vintage fashion.  This is why they are chosen to be the style mavens and le la Moda darlings for June/July.  We just love them and hope you enjoy our interview with the two sisters and designers. 

llM:How was Litter born and what does the name represent?

M&R: LITTER came to be when Mackenzie started getting experimental at the hardware store making jewelry out of nuts and bolts, and plumbing parts. It was really cool stuff, but not really wearable. At that time, it wasn’t named LITTER, it was just a concept. When we joined forces is when we decided to create LITTER using found objects, some hardware store finds, but mostly vintage chains and flea market scores. We brainstormed to come up with a name, and we wanted to stick with something “Trashen” because the jewelry was made from these cast off materials. Basically, we pulled out the thesaurus, and LITTER was the name we chose. 

llM: What influences your design creations?

M&R: We aren’t really influenced by other designers or people. We mostly influence each others designs here in the studio. Its great because we have this amazing resource in each other for style advise and design direction. We make something, and then we revise it based on one another’s ideas. Sometimes, our friends come in with ideas thinking they are going to help us out, but we usually end up wishing they would leave because they are in the way! 

We both went to The Academy of Art in San Francisco, but we studied different areas of the arts. Which is why we have a good partnership, because we bring different things to the table. Everything about us is different in fact. We have completely different style, different taste in men, and different interests. We do have the same taste in music, but that’s it. We love anything with tons of bass, like dubstep. 

llM: Once you realized you had something unique and marketable, what  were the first steps you took to promote your product? 

M&R: We started with just the blog, and from there it grew into needing a website to start selling the product. So, we threw together the online store, and its sort of caught fire all on its own through word of mouth and other bloggers. I mean, we owe all of our success to bloggers, they have fast tracked us to the place we stand now. We still can’t believe how many people have responded to us and to LITTER. Its been such a compliment and has kept us going and motivates us to design more. 

llM: How are you personal styles the same or different? 

M&R: We are 100% opposites! Mackenzie has a much harder look. She chooses more masculine fashions, where I am really girlie and softer. I love gold, and she loves silver. She likes Spikes and heavy chains, and I use the delicate chain and costumy vintage looking chain. She wears combat boots and I wear high heels. This list goes on and on…

llM: Where do you shop?

M&R: We love the Goodwill, Thrift Stores, Vintage Stores, and Flea Markets. We find amazing things, and then we bring them back to the studio and add to them, rework them, and turn them into our own creations.

llM: You create your designs from used items, what other ways do you live the green lifestyle? 

M&R: We try to be environmentally conscience, but our lives are not considered very green. We are happy that LITTER is technically “green” because it makes up for some of our other excesses. We both use energy saving light bulbs and recycle! 

llM: What fashion icons do you look up to? 

M&R: We love Karl Lagerfeld, Alexander Wang, Kate Moss, Keith Richards and love looking at old pictures of Musicians from the 60’s and 70’s for styles. 

llM: If you can tell, what futures plans do you have for Litter?

M&R: We have a trip planned in a couplemonths. We are renting an RV on the east coast and turning it into a mobile LITTER studio. Then, we are going to head west hitting up flea markets, goodwills, thrift stores, and garage sales in every state along the way. We will get chains, clothes, and accessories and rework them into new LITTER pieces. Then, at the end of our trip, we will put on a show of our “American” collection. So excited! 

To shop or for more on Mackenzie & Rachel, Go to www.littersf.com

Dear Readers, fashion lovers and admirers, 

The le la Moda website will be changing as soon as next week.  We will be a much more manageable and even a more attractive website.  We sincerely hope you come and have a peek at our new sleek look.  There is a new lineup of guest bloggers that will provide you with a fresh and a unique take on fashion, beauty, inspiration and relationships. 

I am also excited to announce our new Fashion Darling(s) for June/July,  Mackenzie and Rachael. They are the creators of Litter, a popular accessories line and a blog that screams individual style.  If you need a good dose of inspiration you need to visit their website, http://littersf.com

As always continue to send me your questions and suggestions, I read and answer each one.  Your support and readership is very important and appreciated.

We are working on new topics and ways to improve the website to serve you better. Along with a fresh take on fashion, we want le la Moda to be your escape from your daily hassles and become girl getaway to inspiration.  We hope to inspire you and have a bit of an influence on your life. 

Indulge and spoil yourself in Haute a la Mode!

xoxo