It’s that time of year again…you know, Valentine’s Day? Hearts are aflutter and love is professed as you gaze into each other’s eyes and whisper sweet nothings. Or, you stuff your face with decadent chocolate cake and watch romantic movies about a love that you know simply cannot exist in the real world. But who would object to a shiny new piece of jewelry from his or her sweetheart on such an occasion? Oh, be still my heart, cupid has struck again. This time, a bit closer to home…

Last week, stylist and television personality Jay Manuel, of America’s Next Top Model, shared with Project Captured his insight on the most current trends. From casual oxfords to black leather loafers, menswear has never been more contradictory. There are hints of the 60s style in pop culture and entertainment. With shows like the Playboy Club & PanAm, the suit is an ever popular item whether double breasted, colored or both. On the flip side we have casual at its finest, dual item denim looks both as tops and pants, turtlenecks with plaid scarves and button-ups, to the half-tuck. The half-tuck has recently been seen on David Beckham and Kanye West (also dubbed by the September issue of Details Magazine as the “Front Tuck”). Manuel styled men with this trend during New York Fashion Week for the Playstation 3 mobile truck event. The character Nathan Drake of the video game Uncharted 3 also wears the half–tuck.

Kati Stern, the designer behind the fashion line, Venexiana, is viewed as a modern day Renaissance woman. A native of Hungary, Stern has a professional background as a pianist and architect. She left all of that behind in 2003 when she began her new venture as a fashion designer. Since then, she has graced the runways during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week and we have seen her designs on the red carpets. The unique element of her designs rests on her knowledge of music and architecture and how she integrates the two together to create a collection. Her work, although always on a more glamorous side, has a fierce edginess to it and her runway soundtrack reinforces that with rock ‘n roll tunes mixed with classic punk.