www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWUb_Pwm4hw

WIJW is on German television!

Our lovely host, Niels Ruf, has been a major figure in German television for some time, having had his own late night show “Die Niels Ruf Show,” as well as having hosted German MTV -- With a propensity for cutting edge entertainment, it’s not surprising that he also happened to have created one of the first blogs in Germany! (see “99 days of 99″)

You’ll have noticed I’m not wearing my usual Dior frames since guest and host on the Looki-Looki TV show are both outfitted with video camera glasses! I’m sure you’ll agree this does produce some truly unusual and oft times quite funny first person views throughout the piece.

We’ll be sure to bring you more from Ruf -- until then, enjoy the show! Tschüs!

I’m sporting a royal blue cotton sateen jacket, a Pucci-esq print shirt, black patent belt with silver leather trim and grommets and black leather tote all by Gucci, silvery gray silk pocket square from Turnbull and Asser, Lanvin sand colored suede and gray patent leather sneakers, Cartier “Tank Divan” from Raj Tolaram and my fragrance is Creed Royal Water.

James at Riverside Park

I often find myself in a real quandary over which parties, galas, openings, etc., to go to – and while, as you know, I do like a good party, sometimes hitting all of them can seem like a second job!

In fact, contrary to what you may have concluded from reading WIJW, it’s often the simplest of things that bring me the most pleasure and peace – say for instance a Saturday stroll through a gorgeous park. In fact, when I’m in the city, I consider my park time integral to my well being. Whether I’m already in a good mood, or I’m looking for a psychophysical bump, the quiet, natural, beauty of one of our parks can go a long way toward turning a less than stellar mood into one of appreciation and love.

I’m pictured here at Riverside Park on Manhattan’s Upper West Side enjoying a leisurely stroll in a casual ensemble – Navy cotton pique jacket by Gucci, navy and white silk micro dot pocket square by Battistoni, navy cotton t-shirt by Alternative, white jeans by Diesel, chartreuse python belt with silver double horse head buckle by Gucci, Tom Ford woven olive suede espadrilles, sunglasses by Lanvin white leather bag by Gucci, Cartier “Tank Divan” from Raj Tolaram and my fragrance is Creed Bois de Cedrat.

In Gustavia

In addition to the most spectacular beaches and fantastic food, there is no shortage of super chic shopping to be done in Saint-Barth, particularly in the village of Gustavia. It’s a great place to spend an afternoon exploring beautiful boutiques while taking a break from the plage. A couple of my favorites are – Sea Memory on Rue de Roi Oscar II – they have a wonderful collection of decorative objects and the most gorgeous model boats and ships like the model of the Riva Aquarama shown below – you will have noted in the WIJW post on Le Sirenuse that our friend Antonio Sersale rockets around the Amalfi coast in one of these – oh and in true one to one scale of course. Another great boutique is Bijoux de la Mer on Rue de la République – they have exquisite necklaces and bracelets made from black Tahitian pearls (the size of acorns) strung on to simple leather cords – very sexy – for girls and for boys as well!

A model Riva Aquarama at Sea Memory.

I’m posing (top) in the Village of Gustavia and I’m wearing a Yves Saint Laurent black cotton band collar shirt with flap pockets, Gucci white, black and turquoise striped cotton linen pants, braided black leather belt and black leather sandals, sunglasses by Lanvin and my fragrance is Creed Zeste Mandarine Pamplemousse.

Dining at Maya's.

As one might have guessed, there is an abundance of culinary pleasures available on Saint-Barth where Dutch, Swedes, and French all bring the best of their respective cultures. Among the many exceptional restaurants here, Maya’s is a stand-out – Maya herself (who we had the great pleasure to speak with) remains wedded to the idea of making French Caribbean food from the freshest of indigenous ingredients and presenting them in the simplest, most pleasing way. Scrumptious cuisine, a beautiful seaside setting, and a truly handsome staff all coalesce at Maya’s – making it the perfect island dining experience. We loved it so much we went twice on our rather short stay! It comes as no surprise that Maya’s has been the destination of choice for those in the know for over twenty-five years.

In a classic throwback shot, I’m sporting a cotton voile shirt in white turquoise and black, cotton sateen pants and belt in black patent and silver leather trim with grommets all by Gucci, Lanvin sneakers and my fragrance is Zeste Mandarine Pamplemousse by Creed.

James Andrew poolside at Hotel Christopher, Saint-Barth

Saint Barth Emblem

In any case, just a quick glimpse today – We’ll be sharing more on Saint-Barth this week.

À bientôt!

St Barth is definitely one of the more sophisticated Caribbean islands, and accordingly I’ve gone for a casual chic vibe with an eye toward staying cool in these tropical climes. I’m pictured poolside at Hotel Christopher, wearing a Balenciaga black and white silk and cotton micro striped shirt with drawstring neck, Dior shocking pink jeans, Christian Louboutin black leather sandal/ espadrilles, Lanvin glasses, and my fragrance is Creed Zeste Mandarine Pamplemousse.

James Andrew with a Hildestahl bag. Photo by Lars Stephan.

Beyond the obvious functionality of a good bag, it’s an accessory that can really pop up a look – in fact, I really don’t think an outfit is complete without one!

I recently had the pleasure of connecting with the super chic Jens Hildestahl to speak a bit with him about the inception of his line. Briefly put, his bags were born from the general lack, he tells us, of acceptable aesthetic and functional qualities available in men’s bags – and so he decided to create his own line! And thus the Hildestahl brand was born.

Hildestahl’s mission has been to create the ultimate bag for the cosmopolitan man. His designs draw inspiration from 60′s and 70′s fashions and the lux boheme aesthetic that was quite popular amongst young aristocratic types of that time. Fittingly crafted by the finest artisan workrooms in Italy, the result is an exceptionally well made bag with unusual details rarely seen in men’s bags. And did we mention these bags are as beautiful on the inside as they are on the out? – a perfect metaphor for a perfect brand.

Of course these are rather unique – furthermore women seem to covet them as much as men – so do secure one straightaway.

I’m pictured with the “Valfrid” tote which received non-stop compliments as I dashed about town.

I’m wearing a silk and cotton jacket in a white and black window pane plaid from Gucci, Richard James shirt in black and white cotton stripes and contrast white collar, shell and multi-colored coral beads cufflinks by Seaman Schepps, Cartier “Tank Divan” from Raj Tolaram, sunglasses by Lanvin, and my fragrance is Creed Royal Water.

Not seen – purple skinny jeans by Diesel, Gucci black patent leather belt with silver trim and grommets, and black and saddle leather loafers by Tom Ford.

James Andrew on Madison Avenue.

A celebration of fashion, glamor, and life, Sex and the City has always inspired me to shine – and this latest sequel happily continues the optimistic and empowering message I’ve come to expect from SATC. Of course, as you know, I AM partial to fine design and fashion (and there is plenty of both in SATC2) but there is so much more – when it comes to universal issues like expressing one’s individuality, sexuality, or growing emotionally and spiritually, SATC manages to convey all in the most entertaining and unabashedly over-the-top way – and we here at WIJW DO love over-the-top. Why not?!

Go and see for yourself – and then why not treat yourself to something beautiful – some new duds, a spa treatment, whatever – you’ll be supporting jobs, and end up looking and feeling fabtastic in the process!

A look back at our meeting with Kim Cattrall.

James Andrew and Samoth Mott Chairs at David Dncan - photo Lars Stephan

My magnificent Montauk project is coming along quite nicely. A truck load of the most gorgeous things is on its way and I’m looking forward to a day of decorating!

In preparation over the past week, I’ve been visiting all my favorite dealers to fill in the missing pieces. I nearly fainted at the David Duncan gallery when I saw the set of chairs Duncan found for my self described “Surf Shack Chic” project. It goes without saying my client snapped them up right away! I love when things run so smoothly! These Samoth Mott chairs will be positively perfect for the rather large seaside deck we are designing.

David Duncan Antiques is always one of my first resource stops, as he indubitably has the right thing for me, whatever the stylistic direction a project might be taking.

I look forward to sharing some wonderful images of my Montauk project in the not too distant future – we’re planning another major photo shoot on location with the brilliant Lars Stephan.

I’m wearing a pale beige silk, linen, wool jacket by Gucci, Tom Ford brown end on end cotton french cuff shirt with contrast white collar and brown suede and leather tasseled loafers, Charvet brown and blue retro print silk pocket square, Seaman Schepps pearl cuff links with pale blue sapphires, python belt by Gucci, pale blue jean cut pants by Uniglo, sunglasses by Lanvin, Cartier vintage “Tank Divan” from Raj Tolaram my fragrance is Creed Royal Water.

Dueling Lanvin Sneakers with my young Parisian friend Pierre-Olivier Gerdolle!

We’re always thrilled to get emails and comments from the US and abroad, and we’re even happier when we have the opportunity to actually meet with some of our gorgeous friends and fans!

Once again we want to thank all of our cyber-regulars on WIJW for their support – we’re continually grateful for those appreciative notes and comments! Keep them coming, and we’ll be sure to let you know when we’re jetting to your corner of the globe. We look forward to meeting many more of you in the coming months!

James Andrew and Pierre-Olivier Gerdolle in Paris.

Another from Paris - I collected my gorgeous young friend, the very fashionable Bruno Artigue, for a bit of a shopping spree.