Gilded Style: Influence

A few Christmases ago, I received a gift from my dad that would be, and still remains to be, one of the best gifts I have ever gotten in my life, Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen's book Influence. Being a kid born in the early 90's and raised through the 2000's, I had grown up with the Olsen twins (from the days of Full House, to Passport to Paris, to New York Minute, I was a loyal fan) and had always had a place in my heart for the twin blonde girls with the mega mogul empire. However, by age 15 I had begun to lose track of their recent endeavors as they moved out of the fame spotlight and towards fashion, starting ultra chic lines of their own such as Elizabeth and James and The Row. I saw the book in an Anthropologie store and quickly looked through it, finding the photos interesting, and then later unwrapped it under the Christmas tree as a gift. This book was literally my light in the darkness.
I had always loved fashion since childhood, there's no denying that fact, but the knowledge that Influence gave me surpassed all of that. Essentially, it's a collection of photos and interviews that MK and Ash have published spotlighting all of the people who have influenced them creatively throughout their lives. The book contained detailed interviews and autobiographies of some of the greatest legends of our time, Von Furstenberg, Galliano, Lagerfeld, Louboutin, Valli, Colacello, and more in every field of art, fashion, and design. For the first time in my life, I truly understood the fashion industry and the hard working and truly inspirational people that make it what it is. I began to find my own influence.
- G (I swore I'd never do posts this lengthy, but it's that worth it)