TYRAIDERS OF REALITY

In my Santa Monica studio selecting pieces from my Collections for Tyra Bank's reality romp, 'America's Next Top Model'. All-star celebrity stylist, Gena Tuso, is selecting pieces that will be worn by the super-models-to-be in coord with cocktail dresses on an urban photo shoot at a warehouse in downtown Los Angeles.

Can't wait to see the pieces on the fast-paced show and hope they all pass judgment with ANTM's star-studded panel. Who knows maybe a good word will lead to landing pieces next season on contest-a-models in Banks and Ashton Kutcher's reality head-spinner, 'True Beauty' that has nabbed a prime spot on ABC.

Regardless, thank you Gena for getting my pieces in the proper hands! You make me realize that an assist from good people like you keeps 'real' in my reality.

LACMAnia

As the sun pops out after four straight days of May marine layer in Santa Monica, I look at the breaking blue and know I have every reason to be very grateful. Today, I have a meeting with Los Angeles Country Museum of Art (LACMA) retail curator Cim Castellon, who is such a class act besides being very gracious and charming. Cim and LACMA accepted my collection into their stable of designers and yelling at the top of my lungs 'Thank You' through LACMA's hallowed halls wouldn't characterize my excitement at being accepted into such a high profile venue in the 'art' world. After all, my pieces are 'one-of-a- kind', heirloom artpieces that need to be owned and worn by special women, appreciative of the art inherent and the rich tapestry of provenance.

Currently on display in the LACMA museum store, is my collection entitled, 'Bathe In The Beauty Of Black & Gold' that includes golden vintage curb chains with vintage crystals and black onyx, a hand-crafted vermeil & crystal quartz necklace, a golden rosette bracelet and much more. For those of you reading who might be headed to the Wilshire and Fairfax district, please stop in to take in the wonder of LACMA and stroll by the store to 'bathe in the beauty of black and gold' and put in a good word (or purchase) for your friend, Margaret.
I'll be sure to throw in the towel.

During our initial conversation, Cim told me that my pieces 'would've been perfect' for the Vanity Fair 'Portraits' exhibit that had run November to March at LACMA celebrating the iconic magazine's portraits in a coffee table book by editor-in-chief Graydon Carter and featuring work from stellar lensers like Annie Leibovitz and the late Herb Ritts.

The LACMA experience (and trust me, I wandered all over the museum) makes me realize that if beauty truly is in the eye of the beholder we designers need to be beholden to the balance between those eyes and our inner 'I'. Keep on creating.

Beaus and Aeros

It's not a night in LA without feeling a glimpse of "old Hollywood glamour". The wonderful Aero Theatre on Montana Avenue in Santa Monica, owned by American Cinematheque, is showing vintage Mickey Rooney/Judy Garland films this week. Mickey even made a guest appearance after one of the shows. He is a true legend - so incredibly talented. Loved the gowns and jewels in "Girl Crazy" - fashion always comes back around and the best pieces never go away. Think 'Art Deco Diamante' - breathtaking and always au courant.

Due to the hub bub around the Aero, my husband, son and I went to see 'It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World' on the theater's wonderful, big screen. Between bites of popcorn and Reese's pieces, we had a blast, necks bent and looking skyward toward a shining, comedic ensemble cast that included Mickey, Milton Berle, Jonathan Winters, Sid Ceasar, Buddy Hackett, Ethel Merman, Phil Silvers, Edie Adams, Dorothy Provine, Jim Backus, Terry Thomas, Dick Shawn and, of course, Spencer Tracy. Loved seeing the women -- Merman, Provine and Adams -- all glammed up with necklaces, earrings, adornments and dos in the desert, among other dangerous domains! What a film! What a night! What ever happened to films like that?


www.americancinematheque.com

Pier Pressure

So, how's this for a fashion fete: Me and one of the Santa Monica impresarios of the hip-hoppy-coolio-sports-guy-look heading out to peer west into the Pacific and watch the sun sink into the blue. Wow. Sounds like a scene right out of 'Fast And Furious I, II and III! Actually, my son asked me to take him fishing at the Santa Monica pier --- nothing more glamorous! You neverknow who you'll meet while fishing at the SM pier.

After an hour of piercing squid through a hook and watching ordinary men 'de-hook' spider crab, we had a chance meeting with the producer/director of the independent film, Y Yoga, which had its first screening at the Democratic National Convention with Barack Obama. Reminding us to NOT eat fish from that part of the ocean due to a pesticide spill 30 years ago, filmmaker Arthur Klein professed to my son and I to always concentrate on service to others as it will multiply and compound happiness. If one concentrates on materialism, happiness will always evade you - Sooooo true. Helpful words to hear while navigating the waters of Los Angeles.

www.yyogamovie.com
www.santamonicapier.org

Daniel, My Brother

What is more fun than spending the afternoon with one of the gay stylists of Bravo's hit show "Blow Out"?? Daniel Owens is such a nice person, so fun and seems to know everyone in Tinseltown. Daniel is part of celebrity hair stylist, Kim Vo's entourage at ultra-luxury hotel Montage Beverly Hills and Montage Laguna Beach.

Originally from Pasadena, Daniel epitomizes the "good" part of LA, furiously connecting the dots bringing like-minded people together. Looking forward to meeting his friends, Mary Brennan of Mary Brennan and Co., who has an accessories show room at the Cooper Building in downtown LA. Also a must is Jen Porter of Chic LA Living - and of course his good friend, Jeffrey with the iconic Fred Segal.

Thanks for the conversation and camaraderie, Daniel -- look forward to more fun!


www.bravotv.com
www.montagebeverlyhills.com
www.montagelagunabeach.com
www.marybrennanco.com
www.chiclivingla.com
www.fredsegal.com

Navi-gating The Waters.

Today I’m just thrilled to see Malibu-born actress Navi Rawat wearing my Margaret Rowe Vintage Couture in the Spring 2009 issue of Genlux, celebrating British fashion (hear that Christine? A British tie in!). What a gorgeous woman Navi is – an olive-skinned beauty of Indian and German descent (hey, my husband is part Lebanese and German, thank you very much!). Navi has appeared in television’s The OC, Angel, 24, Without A Trace and NUMB3RS and graced the silver screen in House of Sand & Fog (with Ben Kingsley), Feast and 2009’s Tom Cool among others.

And now, (drumroll please . . .) through the media-wonder that is GenLux, Navi appears in Margaret Rowe’s vintage couture jewelry! Ms. Rawat is destined for a wonderful career in television and film --- will be fun to watch her star rise. Hey, for little Margaret, it’s a big toe on the red carpet. Well, perhaps only on a fiber but there’s always tomorrow and that next design.

I guess when success is just around the corner, I’ll see its shadow . . . keep on dreaming out there!


DETAIL ON SPRING 09 GENLUX:

DETAIL ON GENLUX: