And this is the house I pass through on my way 
To power and light.
James Dickey

An acre in Middlesex is better than a principality in Utopia.
Thomas Babington, Lord Macaulay

Dear Readers,

Welcome to a new issue of Fashion Finds! I hope you will find many things to read and enjoy. This issue was very exciting to put together; we met lots of new and talented people, and discovered some wonderful new talent.

As we were assembling the issue, watching the images come together, observing the melding of different ideas, I started to think about what I wanted to say in my letter to you all. It came to me while riding on the bus, heading down 5th Avenue on a beautiful spring day. From the bus I could see Central Park, bursting forth in all its lush glory and intensity of color: flowers, trees and bushes -- all in bloom. That day I was feeling somewhat "existential." While looking out onto this beauty, a little tired and despondent, I started to muse over the disparity of the perfection of Nature and the imperfection of Life.

I began to think of a Utopian world, a personal version, where the physical beauty that surrounds us can also be within us -- free of care and worry, no chaos, no anarchy, no sadness, no desperation.

The word Utopia was first coined by Sir Thomas More in 1516, in his book entitled, of course, Utopia. The work describes an ideal place or state that enjoys perfection in law, politics, philosophy, religion, and so on. Of course many great thinkers prior to More also created such places: Plato in The Republic, St. Augustine in City of God, Rabelais, Francis Bacon, to name a few. But More was the first to use the word Utopia in this context.

Naturally, there is no such place, and human nature defies the ability to create one. However, I thought that each of us, in our own way, can create a Utopian state in our interior life that uplifts us, keeps us on the right path, and helps us put life's events in perspective.

While on the bus, I found myself listing ideas that I think are important for my Utopia. I would like to share them with you, and I hope you will share yours with me:

I want to live in a world where how much money you have isn't a measurement of your worth as a person.

I want to live in a world that doesn't notice the color of people's skin.

I want to live in a world that accepts everyone for what they can or cannot do.

I want to live in a world that embraces the unbridled spirit of a person's soul and their zeal for life.

I want to live in a world that encourages young people to strive, to strike out on their own, experience adventures, and decide the course of their lives for themselves.

I want to live in a world where age has no meaning.

I want to live in a world where we all understand how much older people have to offer.

I want to live in a world where authority is questioned.

I want to live in a world where power is something good that you feel inside of yourself, not a way to dominate others.

I want to live in a world where we appreciate and understand our physical bodies and enjoy them.

I want to live in a world where we all have some knowledge of history (both personal and world), for we don't know where we're going if we don't know where we've been.

I want to live in a world where people consider others besides themselves.

I want to live in a world where people are strong enough to hold themselves accountable instead of blaming others.

I want to live in a world that is kinder.

I could go on, but perhaps that's enough sermonizing for one letter! Nevertheless, I urge each and every one of you to give this some thought -- your own personal Utopia that is -- while you're commuting to school, or work, while doing the laundry, hanging around at the mall, whatever. I think one can learn a lot about oneself, one's priorities, and one's personal ethos.

Again, I hope you will look at every article this month -- each has something unique to offer: British School Scarves, Jackets, and Caps, the truly extraordinary vision of designer Tunji Dada, the marvelously beautiful and slightly ironic photography of Carlos Batts, the lovely feminine creations of Chicago designer Maria Pinto, Fashion Finds Angels -- our real makeup interpretations on Dream Girls, the mouth watering variety of gorgeous shoes from Walter Steiger, the always popular Top 5 of 5, our test of hair volumizing products (oh yes, in my Utopia there will be no bad/limp/yucky hair days!), and another powerful poem by Sean-Thomas Farragher.

Happy dreaming.