>> That's how Phillip Lim and his business partner Wen Zhou describe each other.  Amy LaRocca has really been churning out some great articles for New York Mag in the past couple of weeks - this time it's a profile of Mr. Lim, Ms. Zhou, and the brand between them. 

I can't believe it's been around for only two years... I foresee 3.1 Phillip Lim being the next great American brand... along the lines of Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein great American brand, if they keep up the pace. 

>>  I wasn't able to catch the Nan Kempner exhibit in New York, so I had to settle for the abbreviated version at the de Young Museum in San Francisco this weekend.  Still worth seeing if you're in the area - even if it is the abbreviated version.  The best pieces are YSL - this cape that makes me swoon every time I see it is definitely the standout piece.  But there are some beautiful Madame Gres Grecian gowns as well.

**image: syracuse.com

>> Sometimes I find Rodarte a bit hard to swallow - their pieces are a such a reflection of rawness, raw talent.

But one thing makes me keep going back - I am fascinated by the Mulleavy sisters themselves.  They make the most obscure literary and cultural references, are obsessed with the interiors of a garment rather than the outside, and live in suburban California.  I love that they stay so removed from the industry and yet are so included.  They seem to me the ultimate fashion geeks - I think that's why I'm so intrigued. 

**image: rodarte