The Coutorture Community is celebrating all things Spring. Ribbons, bows, fragrance and more can be found in today's Must Reads from:

See Pretty Things proves ribbons aren't just for bows.

MaleStyle Review takes a shopping tour of the Meatpacking District.

Perfume Posse reviews Guerlain Apres L'ondee.

A Mom In Red High Heels finds an eye brightening cream designed for moms.

Cult of Couture discovers her love for Phillip Lim.

On a grey, cold day like this one, it's appropriate to focus on our other senses for a dose of optimism. The new Ralph Lauren fragrance, Ralph Wild, was created by perfumer Linda Kramer. Although the ad campaign and the market work required to put out the new fragrance piques our interest, we thought it appropriate to speak with the perfumer behind this soon-to-be popular commodity. When working with an ever-reaching brand like Ralph Lauren, every aspect of that identity has to be considered. Translating these notions into fragrance, into notes, is a feat in and of itself. Our interview with Linda Kramer follows, and for more from the perfumer, and on perfume in general, look to our network partner The Scented Salamander, whose education on fragrance consistently makes for an interesting read.




Can you tell us a little bit about how you came to be a Perfumer?
I have been interested in fragrance since I was young. I went to private school where I wore a uniform and wasn’t allowed to wear make- up, so fragrance was the only true way I could express myself. Not only was I was obsessed with trying new fragrances, I loved reading the fashion magazines to see the fragrance ads – the beautiful, seductive women, the elegant, elaborate packaging, the exotic imagery. It amazed me how a blend of certain ingredients could not only smell great, but could completely transport you to another place. Once I finished high school, I attended a college with a fashion/beauty focus.


What aspects of the field are people unaware of?
I think people are unaware of the limitless amount of inspiration that surrounds each project. For example, with Ralph Wild (and all of our fragrances), what inspired me most is the fact that I work for such an iconic designer as Ralph Lauren. His vision guides the project from conception to completion. Another source of inspiration was our new model, Amanda. At the beginning of the project I watched a video of her taken at a photo shoot. The video captured Amanda playing Frisbee and having fun with the photographer and crew. She exudes this great energy and I found her fearless, feminine confidence very inspiring.


How long does it take to develop a perfume?
There are several steps in the process of developing a perfume. With Ralph Wild, The first step was to identify the key elements of the brand – This fragrance was designed to represent a girl who is spontaneous, fearless and confident. We also looked at the imagery and the color of the packaging. Based on all of these elements of Ralph Wild, it was clear to us that we needed to create a fragrance that would make a bold statement but would also tie in the Ralph Wild Girl’s personality and the color of the packaging.


How great a role do cultural changes play in the popularity or prevalence of particular scents? How does this dynamic inform your creations?
Right now there is a trend towards floral fragrances with juicy, fruity, edible nuances. Ralph Wild is so popular because the juicy, fruity notes and the warmth of the fragrance not only provide a feeling of playfulness and comfort, but has a nostalgic effect on us as well. These types of notes have the amazing ability to olfactively transport us back to the happy memories of our youth.

Our network partner, Kingdom Of Style, reported on a burning desire for a waistcoat from Warehouse. Being that we are in New York, and Kingdom Of Style writes from London, we thought it appropriate to present some stateside options. The waistcoat epitomizes a dressed up gentlemen's look for women and in towns such as these, where the obvious option is the 'little black' whatever, adding a tailored garment can make all the difference. Waistcoat, in case you haven't noticed, is 'vest' in the King's English. Generally speaking, waistcoats are tailored where a vest can encompass everything from oversized knits to suede tassled versions. As a general rule, if it makes you stand a little bit taller and it's sleeveless, you're wearing a waistcoat. If it's embroidered with a Christmas tree and worn by your favorite 5th grade math teacher, it's a vest. Below we've found waistcoats from the likes of Rag & Bone, Todd Lynn Jackson, and McQ.

Are expensive shoes worth the money? Find out in today's Coutorture Community Must Reads, featuring posts from:

Wardrobe Oxygen helps us store our off season clothing.

A reader question leads ShoeBlog to recommend flat t strap shoes for Spring.

Fops and Dandies gets bright for colored denim.

Can a British bunny have a better wardrobe than you? Haute and Bothered thinks maybe.

A reader of The Manolo looks for advice on an expensive pair of shoes that have fallen apart.

In today's exclusive Coutorture editorial we've pulled garments from the Spring 08 collections of Alice Ritter and Trovata. The two brands, though seemingly dissimilar, are on common ground in terms of their contemporary style and appeal to twenty-something's with a penchant for smart casual dress. From Ritter, we've covered her Spring 08 collection as well as her Fall 08 presentation during New York Fashion Week (it was one wild party). In our video, we spoke with Ritter, who attributes the Fall 08 season to have been influenced by legendary rougue Serge Gainsbourg. From Trovata, we popped into the showroom to shoot Fall 08, an exclusive Coutorture editorial that made us want to move upstate and start a family (only kidding!). It, as always, had an East Coast prepster aesthetic that pulled at our Cape Cod-loving heartstrings. The two brands appear again in today's editorial, La Belle Dame sans Merci, so, consider yourself an expert.

Our network partner, We Are The Market, always scouts out the best emerging menswear labels. We are not the sort to be put off by menswear, hell, we've more Steven Alan in our closet than we do Agent Provocateur. In their post on menswear line Mjolk, carried in New York by BBlessing, the Fall 08 collection is revealed and damn if it isn't good enough for the girls. To that end, we've put together a few outfits that rip on the Fall 08 collection. Let's call it styling, shall we? For more on Mjolk, including quotes from the designer and a review of the Fall collection, check out We Are The Market's editorial.

More Shoutouts!

Is your Spring wardrobe unique? Coutorture Community members pick Spring trends such as florals and octopuses. Find other trend ideas in posts from:

Fashion Indie reports on Acne Jeans' New York & Paris store openings.

All the Russian styling has So Fash'On irritated.

Trendinista wants you to octopi your style.

The Beauty Brains tells the truth about baking soda.

The Budget Babe picks florals for Spring.