Saturday 31 October 2009
Friday 30 October 2009
Talents in the Family
Did I tell you I have got a very talented sister-in-law living on the other side of the pond? She is a published historical romance author. She chooses unusual historical periods to set her tales of love and intrigue. She has written three books, so far, and an e-novella who won the Through Garden Gate Contest in 2007. {Add to that that she is the mother of two very bright little girls who have just embarked on their school journey.}
Her third book is scheduled for publication on 5th January, and its first review has already leapt through. That's not all. She is currently busy working on a number of top secret projects, and I am very curious to hear where will be time travelling next.
Her third book is scheduled for publication on 5th January, and its first review has already leapt through. That's not all. She is currently busy working on a number of top secret projects, and I am very curious to hear where will be time travelling next.
What a Scoundrel Wants Review
"From its opening scenes I was completely swept away by this 13th Century tale of addiction and deception, of love and abuse. [...] Reading this extremely well plotted novel was much like watching a really great action adventure movie. Ada and Gavriel find themselves in danger from their first encounter, and things go from bad to worse for them as the story progresses, leaving the reader on the edge of her seat."
*Honeybee
Re-birth of Polaroid?
Polaroid camera is defunct and Atlas Gallery is hosting an exhibition homaging the end of instant photography:
Polaroid: EXP.09.10.2009
9th October is the date the polaroid films expired. The exhibition features prints from legendary artists such as Andy Wharol and Helmut Newton.
But just when we thought this was the end, we got the news that Polaroid will re-launch the legendary Polaroid One Step Camera in 2010. To this end, Polaroid have commissioned *The Impossible Project* to develop and produce a limited edition of Polaroid® branded Instant Films. CAN'T WAIT.
Click here for the source article: THE IMPOSSIBLE PROJECT INSPIRES POLAROID® TO RELAUNCH INSTANT CAMERAS.
Wednesday 28 October 2009
Stella for Baby Gap
And here Stella speaks with Matilda about the challenges and rewards of being an eco designers.
Monday 26 October 2009
The September Issue :: 60 seconds review
"Fashion is a religion and VOGUE is the bible"
Fashion-makers’ popularity has rocketed in recent years, boosted by street style hunters such as Sartorialist and Jak & Jil. Fashion editors and designers have replaced models’ role of fashion icons and erected themselves to the status of celebrities. That’s not all. They are now turning themselves into film stars. The first to lead the way is Ms Wintour, always a step ahead. In The September Issue, the reader is taken into an unprecedented journey into the world of Vogue and frenetic magazine publishing, this time not in fictional form (The Devil wears Prada) but in crude documentary style.
I was thrilled by the making of the biggest issue of the year. Visits to designers and fashion shows, internal and external meetings, editors’ work and photo shoots and re-shoots followed each other and showed the exciting but intense labour in the run up to the publication of the fall issue. My attention, however, kept going back to HER. Hidden behind a wig-like bob and dark sunglasses, Anna Wintour came across as authoritative but always measured and collected. Her one-word comments, if arguable and glacial, were always unambiguous. In other words, she avoided that fashion jargon you hear so much in the fashion world. I liked that.
Her decisive demure was counterbalanced by different characters. The flamboyant (André Leon Talley), the dandy (Hamish Bowles) and the ex-model turned creative director (Grace Coddington). This latter was the only one with the guts to stand up to Wintour's high demands and icy disapprovals. They have worked together for two decades and, despite the differences in personality and opinion clashes, they also show a chemistry which has helped them evolve with the evolution of the fashion industry.
Her decisive demure was counterbalanced by different characters. The flamboyant (André Leon Talley), the dandy (Hamish Bowles) and the ex-model turned creative director (Grace Coddington). This latter was the only one with the guts to stand up to Wintour's high demands and icy disapprovals. They have worked together for two decades and, despite the differences in personality and opinion clashes, they also show a chemistry which has helped them evolve with the evolution of the fashion industry.
Always incredibly elegant and toned nearly to perfection, Anna also looks very conventional—exactly what is needed to run an institutionalised fashion magazine such as Vogue. Despite all their efforts to support young talents, Vogue remains in fact the bible for the high end of the market and the window for couture fashion. It was Grace's anglosaxon simplicity, non-conformism and talent in pulling together a breathless photo shoot that was revealing and gave the September issue (both in terms of documentary and physical issue) that wow factor. "Everybody isn't perfect in this world. I mean, it's enough that the models are perfect..."
Grace Coddington
Grace Coddington
Sunday 25 October 2009
The watch that went to the moon
Omega watches are the best in the world wide world. No worries. My blog has not been corrupted by Omega Ltd to promote their brand.[1] This is a totally independent review. I admit I may not be entirely impartial here because I am very much influenced by family traditions. Omega has run in my family blood for at least three generations. My dad, in particular, has got a thing for this make, which I have fully inherited. 
I was so pleased the other day when in the tube I saw Ziyi Zhang's face as the new testimonial of Omega Constellation.[2]
Endowed with a rare and otherworldly beauty, Ziyi has played in my favourite Chinese mythology films: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and House of Flying Daggers and Raise the Red Lantern.[3]
See my review of House of Flying Daggers here.
See my review of House of Flying Daggers here.
I am very lucky to own two Omega watches. A Constellation My Choice I bought in NYC last year and a vintage mechanical Omega who used to belong to my grandfather. It was given to me by my dad on the eve of my wedding. Together with my engagement ring, it is my most treasured possession.
Don't get me mistaken. I appreciate the timeless elegance of Cartier watches, favoured by princesses and first ladies, but Cartier' starting price is much higher, making Omega a better price/quality ratio. And what about Rolex? I love the model with pink dial but I find them too ostentatious.
[1] On this subject {i.e. a new law for American blogs' ads}, I was reading an interesting post on Fashionista at Law.
Saturday 24 October 2009
GIPSY SHOPS
While big chains keep launching new shops despite the recession (see Anthropologie in the UK or Topshop in the US) and other shops are forced into administration (see Coco Ribbon), a new {well, at least for me} retailing phenomenon is happening: *pop-up shops*.
Pop-up shops, usually a collective of designers and artists offering a full-on experience, either roam from place to place and venue to venue, or appear and disappear in the arch of one day. Two examples worth a timely visit (i.e. before they shut down or move on) are Swanfield and Fraubraun.
The former is a gipsy shop created by two promising designers (Mine and Cecilia Hammarborg) and the latter is a vintage e-shop which will soon become physical, for one day only, at their sale event in November.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE Mine's 2010 Spring Collection!
Both shops share the same transient state and concept: they successfully mix charming clothes with tea & cupcakes ensuring a well-mannered, slow-paced and unpretentious fun experience, which is miles away from the frantic high-street shopping hysteria.
Dress from Frau Braun
The only permanent shop that does this so well, albeit with pretentiousness, is Liberty of London. In Liberty it is never plain buying and never feels like being in a shop... until you check the price tags, of course. But this is why I LOVE it: for its decadence and alchemy of turning ordinary metals into gold. 
Liberty Prints
Swanfield, currently nesting just off Carnaby Street, will stay open until 14th November, and Fraubraun's inaugural selling event will take place on Sunday 8th November, from 12 to 18, at the Rag Factory in East London.
Source: Wee Bird, my friend Zuza and Retail Week
Thursday 22 October 2009
At Last!
From today London
will be wearing
vintagesque ~ romantic ~ individual ~ printed
clothing
clothing
Anthropologie is finally here!
Take a peek at the new shop here and here
UPDATE:
Report from my visit to Anthropologie today, 24th October
I fought my way through the crowd of Oxford Circus on a dull Saturday afternoon (never more!), scrutinised each of the three floors and admired the décor. I picked three pieces, tried them on in the roomy changing rooms and was allowed to leave my stuff there while hunting for more garments. I returned with four more items, tried them on and asked for a personal shopper to help me find a top to go with a printed mini-skirt. Although
she didn't really provide any fashion advise as such, she was very
polite and caring. She explained that 40% of the goods are made in
Britain and that, as well as stocking a selection of external brands
(e.g. J Brand), they have (American) designers creating ad-hoc collections (e.g. Anna Sui for Anthropologie).
Ideally, I wanted a contrasting print to match with this balloon mini, for a daring look, but all the printed blouses and tops were rather puffy and wouldn't have counteracted the volume of the skirt. I eventually tried it on with this embellished tee which looked quite smart*.
* I didn't buy either, if you were wondering. I was good.
All Hallows' Eve
Commercial Halloween, however, is a tradition I only embraced relatively recently. In Italy (like in other Catholic countries) All Hallows’ Eve is the Day of the Dead, when a visit to the cemetery is well in order. So it is a remembrance day to commemorate dear deceased, without pumpkins, trick or treat, horror movies, or black & orange.
Halloween these days is to me associated with London, pumpkin soup, Steve and occasional dress-up events. I am still unsure which party I will be attending on 31st October, yet but I know I want to watch Coraline and The Nightmare Before Christmas, both from the same director, and have been thinking long and hard of what would make a spooky costume whilst retaining a certain degree of *vampness*. After much deliberation, I managed to short-list five ideas inspired, as usual, by pop culture. I intentionally picked subjects which can be easily adapted and personalised (some more than others) to make a unique costume.
Inspired by cinema: The Corpse Bride
For this Burton-ian outfit all you need is a corseted wedding dress to tier apart and spray paint. I appreciate this may not seem an easy find, but with a bit of luck you may get it from an un-trendy charity shop for a little money. The make-up is quite basic: pale blueish face, electric blue eye shadow + Shu Uemura fake eye lashes and a few scars here and there. If you want to be painstaking, you could go as far as painting skeleton structure on your arms, but that's optional.
Inspired by Folklore: Frida Kahlo's painting
{First seen at Felino Felice} 
The talented Felino Felice put together a collection of skeleton costumes inspired by the Mexican tradition of El Día de los Muertos. This outfit is all about long skirts, bold prints, flowers and a skull-style make up.
Inspired by Art: A Magritte's Painting
A suite, a bowler hat, a little black dress, feathered eye mask, your face reproduced on a mask and Les jeux sont faits. Or just wrap a sheet around your face, kiss your wrapped-up man and you will be in Magritte's disturbing painting.
Inspired by Literature: Carmilla, the woman vampire
The woman vampire is essentially a femme fatale. So, be fabulous and pose the accent on a pale face, bloody lips and sharpened molars.
Inspired by mime: Pierrot, the sad clown
Pierrot is a sad clown, so his melancholic eyes are his most distinctive feature. He is traditionally depicted with a white tunic and loose pants, giant black buttons and a ruffled collar, but you can play around with traditions and come up with a feminine version.
Fashion here comes handy as several labels have proposed Pierrot-esque designs.
Credits: Vampire and Pierrot photos from We Heart It. Pierrot-esque clothing, left to right, by Fraubraun, Loeffler Randall, Bill Blass, thrushvintage, ad-hoc design for In Style cover girl Katie Holmes, and thrushvintage again.
Wednesday 21 October 2009
On the Subject of Figs & Irresoluteness
AROMA THERAPY
WRAPPED-UP LOOK
Anthropologie
Colour Palette:: magenta, ochre, lillac, charcoal, jade
FIG-BASED DISHES
BOOK
"I saw myself sitting in the crotch of this fig-tree, starving to death, just because I couldn't make up my mind which of the figs I would choose. I wanted each and every one of them, but choosing one meant losing all the rest, and, as I sat there, unable to decide, the figs began to wrinkle and go black, and, one by one, they plopped to the ground at my feet."
Tuesday 20 October 2009
Small is Beautiful :: Paris Box Apartments
Red and bold prints seem to be a popular choice in these fictional Parisian apartments. It does makes a statement and it is the main difference from the bright and minimal NYC apartments.
{Click on the photos to enlarge}
{Click on the photos to enlarge}
Céline's Pad {Before Sunset}
I still can't decide whether I prefer Before Sunrise or Before Sunset. {I have just permanently deleted the review I wrote at the time! Dumb!}
Because I only watched them a few years ago, under my sister-in-law's recommendation, I have to go with the latter, which is maybe less passionate but more mature and with a brighter future sealed by the happy ending in Celine's funky studio.
Audrey Tautou may not be a great actress, but she is just fit for purpose for this character determined to change the world with her kindness and strong sense of justice.
"Tonight I am going to show you how dreams are prepared: love, friendships, relationships and all those ships." Stephane
Read my full review here.
Cyril Aouizerate's family flat in Les Marais {Real}
Cyril, an urbanist by profession, lives in this apartment with his wife, two children and a dog!
Sources: Still films, Apartment Therapy
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