tummy full of fashion

Madame Hollywood

2010-10-19T00:47:00.006+08:00

Catherine Baba might actually be the coolest person on earth.

Been a while, baby

2010-10-18T23:00:00.003+08:00

Yeah, it's been a while since I've made a post, I have no excuse other than I'm a lazy bitch, well, and I've got a job too! Wayhey! (Or maybe not). But I had to make a come back with a pic from Jak and Jil, still no doubt one of my favourite blogs out there. And this SS11 Prada top, what more can I say, simply gorgeous.

Pic nicked from Jak and Jil

Oh Ranya, you're awesome.

2010-03-09T00:37:00.001+08:00

Pic stolen from jakandjil

Look of the day: Standing on a platfom

2010-03-08T19:06:00.004+08:00

Spent a very chilled Sunday going yum cha (literally means 'drinking tea' but is basically lunch involving dim sum, I will do a post about this soon), praying in the temple and dossing around the streets of Central. It's a shame all the old streets and buildings of Central are being replaced by new modern looking architecture, I prefer the old Central, it's a lot prettier. Went to the Prada/Miu Miu outlet Space the previous week and got these Miu Miu platforms for half price and I absolutely love them, they're so comfy for their height and the wood platform has a really nice smell, been looking for something like them for a while, had Marni in mind before I saw these, but I think I prefer these now, and at half price, I think I got a pretty good deal.

Wearing random cardigan from HK boutique, H&M Breton stripe dress, Comme des Garcons belt, Miu Miu platform sandals, Puzzle bag and M&S socks

You make me wonder if I'm really straight

2010-03-05T16:40:00.002+08:00

Georgia May Jagger

Candlerella

2010-02-25T17:38:00.003+08:00

You may have noticed how creative I have been with my blogpost title (NOT) and those of you that are familiar with the FW10 Rodarte collection will know what I'm talking about...yes, the Nicholas Kirkwood for Rodarte shoes. I sometimes believe that I'm in heaven when I see stuff like this. Although I do find it kinda sad that his crossover collections seem to be better then his mainline collection. Regardless, he's still a genius and I ain't complaining.

Pics courtesy of Jak and Jil blog

I think I might prefer the full cream version, there's something very romantic about them.

Simply awesome

2010-02-25T16:16:00.001+08:00

Xavier Brisoux

Knitwear at its best

2010-02-25T15:12:00.002+08:00

I wrote about Sandra Backlund's out of this world aw09 collection a while back, but her ss10 collection is actually going into production (I know it's a bit late now but at least you'll be able to get it as soon as you see this post, rather than wait and wait some more until you eventually forget that you want this, anyway...), which is a whole new story, because now you can actually OWN these! I just love the chunky yet very architectural nature of every single piece and even though the weather in Hong Kong may not allow me to wear such things, I insist that I must own at least one piece in the collection. The problem now is which piece (I'm thinking either the one above or the second one down) and where I can get it in Hong Kong?

All pics from sandrabacklund.com

I suppose you get what you pay for

2010-02-25T13:56:00.000+08:00

From this...

To this...

You gotta admit that's a huge disappointment.

Take my breath away

2010-02-24T01:04:00.003+08:00

The breathtakingly beautiful video presentation of Gemma Slack AW10 collection.

Undies Galore

2010-02-23T23:56:00.007+08:00

I started having a secret mini obsession with lingerie since I saw the Kate Moss for Agent Provocateur campaign, she just made it look so effortlessly sexy! I guess that's just the Moss magic though, cause to be perfectly honest, there is a fine line between being sexy or tacky when it comes to lingerie, and I think Agent Provocateur might have just crossed that tacky line (all the stuff looks so good in their campaigns but I'm always disappointed when I see them in person). But since then, I've been a tiny weeny obsessed with lingerie, and with the likes of Kiki De Montparnasse, La Perla and Andres Sarda, it's difficult not to be! Theres also Strumpet and Pink with their super high-waisted novelty knickers that I absolutely adore! How cute! I love the perfectly executed details on every single pair! They kind of remind me of little cupcakes! High waisted pants rule. Whilst checking out Kingdom of style recently, I came across this lingerie brand called Lascivious which I haven't heard of previously, just absolutely love the way it's elegant, sexy and fun at the same time. I literally want everything, and I would say the price is fairly reasonable which makes it all the better. I would actually consider wearing a lot of them on the outside, just to let the world know how proud I am of my undies.

Pics from lascivious.co.uk

P.S. They sell online, bonus.

If I ruled the world...

2010-02-23T23:23:00.007+08:00

...this is how all kids would dress. After my post yesterday about cool old people, I thought I would go the opposite way and post some pics of funky kids, just imagine, these are all gonna be the future Tavi's, awesome. The girl above is too adorable to be true.

All pics stolen from Planet Awesome Kid

Paint your legs

2010-02-23T03:36:00.005+08:00

Your outfit will never be boring again with a pair of handpainted Les Queues de Sardines tights by m+o design studio. I know Kniq in Hong Kong stocked their last season, hopefully they will do so again, forever and ever.

Want.

Cool old people

2010-02-23T00:47:00.007+08:00

You're never too old to be cool.

Was checking out this blog called Advanced Style and realised that there are so many cool elderly people out there, where do they ever hang out? I wanna see them in person! I remember when I was still studying in Liverpool, there was this old lady that used to hang around town, she basically just sat in the centre of town in shades checking people out (perhaps collecting inspiration), she always wore florescent tights and the coolest jackets and sometimes floral skirts and god knows how many bags she had with her, everyone thought she was a bit funny in the head but I was always curious to see what her wardrobe would be like.

All pics stolen from Advanced Style

A tragic loss

2010-02-12T01:25:00.012+08:00

You will be remembered forever McQueen.

R.I.P.

Hotpot

2010-02-05T21:45:00.006+08:00

I've been meaning to write about Hotpot-ing for so long now and have finally gotten around to taking some pictures before stuffing my face with food! Hotpot is probably the most popular food/way of eating in Hong Kong during the winter,although it is available all year round, it's easy and its pretty fast with minor preparations. It basically involves making a soup of your choice, I generally go for something quite mild in flavour so I can taste the freshness of my other ingredients. The ingredients can vary, but almost everyone goes for marbled beef (fat beef), which is also my favourite, I usually also have live prawns, live clams, ink squid, chinese mushrooms, chinese watercress, turnip, and this other thing I don't know the name of in English, it's basically like fish ball with added stuff (chinese sausage, dried shrimp, spring onion and dried orange peel) in it. The final step is to prepare a sauce to dip your food into when its cooked, I basically use soy sauce, sesame oil, chilly, deep fried garlic and spring onion. Then all you have to do is cook the ingredients in the soup as you eat, pretty easy ey?

Samurai

2010-02-05T21:27:00.001+08:00

I am quite feeling this Samurai style hat thingy.

Image via theonestowatch.com

Look of the day: Shred away

2010-02-05T20:06:00.005+08:00

So my package from etsy finally arrived a couple of days ago, and I can't even begin to tell you how satisfied I am with Urban Revisions' beautifully shredded top! Urban Revisions specialises in shredded tops and scarfs, at first glance, I wanted to get every single piece listed in her etsy store, but I thought I'd start off with the most basic one, just to get a feel of what a shredded top is like. Although it looks very delicate, it's a lot tougher than I imagined and is easily washable in a washing bag in the washing machine. The drapery round the back is gorgeous, I was actually tempted to make my own shredded top on the first night I received this one, and although it's not as difficult as it may seem, it's a long, long, boring process and after about 2 hours, I ended up falling asleep on the couch....not for me then. I'll definately be getting more shredded stuff in the future, and I think you should too!

Wearing Urban Revisions shredded top, random acid wash denim shorts, h&m tights, Paper denim vest, Ann D. boots

Have a nice day folks!

Sweet dreams are made of this

2010-02-05T05:23:00.002+08:00

I think I have officially found my dream house in Mykonos, bright, cozy and full of character. I can already imagine the smell of sea breeze whilst sunbathing on the balcony, a true paradise.

Images via Yatzer.com

Did I tell you how gorgeous you are?

2010-02-05T04:02:00.004+08:00

Once again, I'm head over heels for Givenchy's ss10 Haute Couture collection (I think Givenchy is fast replacing Chanel as my most looked forward to HC show), although I wouldn't say it was very SPRING-like, it's no big deal, cause it's just simply a drop dead gorgeous collection with magnficent detail enough to make your jaw drop! The collection gave off an almost gothicy vibe (some outfits I imagine would work well in a vampire movie!) similar to the fw09 Haute Couture collection, although the bright, sparkly colours (apparently imspired by the 70s) added more life to this dark, rather mystical yet very romantic collection. I also love how the collection is very wearable as opposed to many couture collections which are breath taking to look at, but kind of impractical to wear. Once and for all, this collection undoubtedly proves Tisci's skill as a coutourier. Here are some of my favs from the show (I know you're not supposed to have so many favourites, but trust me, I was being picky!).

Images via style.com

Backstage images from Jak and Jil show just how gorgeously the eye make up complemented the collection (love the super intense blue eyes paired with red lips), which just topped off the whole show. Beautiful.

Ophidiophobia

2010-01-24T01:24:00.002+08:00

Sickest campaign ever - Alexander Mcqueen ss10

Raquel Zimmerman photographed by Nick Knight

Look of the day: That croc tee

2010-01-24T00:45:00.004+08:00

Wearing Christopher Kane x Topshop crocodile tee, random cardigan from HK boutique, Preen coat, Chapel leggings, Ann Demeulemeester boots

The only table you'll ever wanna sit at

2010-01-23T15:04:00.000+08:00

Formations by Joseph Walsh absolutely blew my mind, not only is the concept extrordinary, but the actual making of process, how do you even get wood to bend like that? The chair is almost insect-like, kind of reminds me of a praying mantis. Love.

Joseph Walsh founded his Studio in 1999 in Co Cork, Ireland. He is a self taught designer who travelled to other designers' workshops in order to gain experience. At the same time he visited various museums and galleries where he observed and explored art and design. His work is an expression of his deepest values, a sensitive approach to structure and form. His intention to evaluate the different issues of space and light helps to redefine things and translate them in a different unique way. Joseph Walsh manages to capture the substance of the form and uses his imagination in order to change things by giving new shapes and forms.

Go and check his website out, EVERYTHING is amazing!

Take me to a new height

2010-01-23T12:38:00.000+08:00

I've always thought Christian Louboutin's heels have been a little mature for me, but I need these Louboutins this summer. On a practical note, I might sneak a pair of flats in my bag when I wear them, 5.5 inches is easier said than done.

Hair Chair

2010-01-22T23:21:00.004+08:00

I suppose it's been a while now that designers have started to use hair as a material/fabric in their designs, such as Margiela's famous hair coat in his artisanal collection (which I'm still saving up for by the way!) and Mosslight's accessories from a couple years back. Never in a million years though would pea-brain me consider hair a material for furniture, luckily there's people out there like Vienna-based artist and designer Dejana Kabiljo with larger brains that are able to come up with the idea! I don't think I'd ever wanna sit on any of these PRETTYPRETTY chairs/barstools/poufs in fear of messing up these wonderful 'hair-do's' but I certainly wouldn't mind one of these sitting nicely in my pad!

Images via yatzer.com

I'm missing something down there

2010-01-22T22:47:00.002+08:00

It's when I see collections like this that I wish I was born with a penis. Burberry Prorsum fw10 menswear by Christopher Bailey= awesome as fuck.

Burberry Mens fw10 via lookbooks.com

New found love

2010-01-22T21:52:00.004+08:00

I've always had a special love for fashion labels that don't follow trends, such as Toga Archives, another one I have noticed recently is Sacai by Abe Chitose. Abe Chitose worked for Junya Watanabe for 8 years before setting up her own label Sacai in 1999. The mixture of contrasting fabrics and textures is her signature style and also what I love most about her collections, must save so much time on all that layering! According to Chitose, she simply selects what she likes, the back and sleeves of a cardigan and the sheer front of a chiffon blouse with pin tucks and covered buttons say, and turns them into one intriguing piece (makes it sound so easy!). The grey furry frilly sleevless jacket thingy from her ss10 collection is gorge.

Sacai ss10 images via style.com

Culture is God

2010-01-22T21:16:00.004+08:00

'The most important thing about the manifesto is that it is a practice. If you follow it your life will change. In the pursuit of culture you will start to think. If you change your life, you change the world.' - Vivienne Westwood.

An interesting piece of writing by Vivienne Westwood I think everyone should read - 'Active Resistance to Propaganda'.

Hello again

2010-01-18T01:57:00.007+08:00

I apologise for my super long absence from the blog, I've had a few friends back from England that left a few days ago and kind of needed a few days to recover from all the craziness, my life had literally been turned upside down over the past 3 weeks and I am only just kinda getting back to normal (normality feels good)! I have taken some look of the day shots over the past few weeks which I will post eventually when I get a replacement for my card reader who has decided to die at the wrong time (how unthoughtful). Anyway, I've decided to ease mysef back into the blogosphere with something light today, just in case my head explodes, so here's a few things I've seen that I like recently.

Pieter Hugo's Looking aside

Bleach Black's dick weed nail paint and YSL's nail polish in mauve silk (very ss10)

Jeffery Campbell's C'est moi wedges (I need grey shoes)

Luxirare's vintage rings

Everything about Alice Dellal

Minimarket shark top, hat and round shades

Atsuko Kudo's latex designs, especially the leggings in semi-trans natural

Ciao, for now!

Dilemma for life (almost)

2009-12-30T18:40:00.004+08:00

I've been scratching my head for months in regards to whether I should buy the Acne Atacoma wedges (I'm sure you all know which ones I'm talking about, they've been all over the place!). Yes, because they seem to go with absolutely everything and because they're apparently very comfortable, no, because everyone else in the universe seems to have a pair...dilemmas dilemmas...what to do....So, when I finally came to the decision of sacking individuality off and getting pair (I just need them, simple as that), Acne went ahead and made them in a different colour for SS10, gun metal grey...um...typical, now I am once again back to base one...grey or black, grey or black, grey or black, maybe I should do that he loves me, he loves me not thing with a flower to decide, damn decisions, getting them both would just be outrageous though....help me.

images via acne studios

Merry Christmas Love

2009-12-25T00:00:00.000+08:00

Just a guy that likes to play around with strings and fabric

2009-12-23T18:02:00.007+08:00

It's not often that I find local designers worthy of writing about, you know, the grass is always greener on the other side, and it's a terrible thing because there really is a lot of talent out here and they really do deserve a big thumbs up (perhaps even toes up)! One of them is Kei from Creature de Keis, who coincidently happens to have his own blog too, his womenswear designs are somewhat reminiscent of Toga Archives which I'm sure you'll all know by now is my favourite thing in the world/universe and I'm so happy I can find something similar now for a fraction of the price during these times of economic crisis (which is basically permanantly for me). If you want to get your hands on his stuff, it's stocked in PrayShop in Causeway Bay.

What do you think? Time for some local lovin' (and shopping).

Humanoid Woman

2009-12-23T17:21:00.006+08:00

I'm not sure if any of you will have seen or heard of the film Humanoid Woman, it's possibly the worst and best movie of all time at the same time (believe me, it's possible), it's basically a Russian film about this woman created in space that tries to live on earth, but you really need to watch it to realise the brilliance of the film, the dubbing is awesome. Anyways, the point of this post is not about the film (even though I seriously think you should watch it), it's about the Dutch brand Humanoid. I wouldn't say the brand itself is amazing but they do make nice simple pieces perfect for layering, especially at a time like this, when layers after layers just aren't enough. There's a lot of grey which is probably another reason why I'm mildly in love...grey is no doubt the best colour (I know a lot of you won't agree that grey is a colour, but it is, to me anyway).

Images via Humanoid

Strousers

2009-12-23T04:13:00.002+08:00

You know I want these Gareth Pugh trousers.

Image via luisaviaroma

Love Home

2009-12-23T03:35:00.003+08:00

I literally need all this furniture right now, sort me out, please. I think this really is the dining room of my dreams. That chandelier is the most amazing chandelier in the world, fact. Apparently, all wood slabs from Hudson Furniture Inc. pieces are domestically sourced from either salvaged trees or wind/storm damaged trees, which makes them just that little bit more appealing to 'tree-hugging hippies' like me (I'm sure you noticed the inverted commas, you see, I like to think I am). According to Barlas Bayler, the founder of Hudson Furniture Inc, " We put high regard and value on these trees by turning them into pieces of enduring art instead of leaving them out to decay." Precisely. These are pieces of art anyone would want in their home, it's not like woods ever gonna go out of style! The only thing is, none of the prices are listed on their website and I'm afraid to ask.

All items from Hudson Furniture Inc.

Look of the day: Doing winter

2009-12-23T00:27:00.005+08:00

I'm not sure if non-Chinese people will know of or have heard of the Winter festival (Jo dong - which literally translates as 'doing winter'), it's not a big deal, just a pre-Christmas family meal/gathering, but it's always nice to meet up with the family. This year I went to the boyf's and had a very nice authentic Chou Chow meal...so there will be some food included in this post. I was feeling rather girlish so decided to wear my Anglomania skirt which has been in my wardrobe for god knows how long, but I always feel girly when I wear it, might be to do with the light texture and flowiness.

Wearing Vivienne Westwood Anglomania striped top, random self-cropped tee, VW Anglomania skirt, random leggings, random hood/hat, h&m x comme des garcon cardigan, h&m plimsoles.

Look of the day: Boomin' back atcha baby

2009-12-22T23:53:00.004+08:00

I accidently (drunkenly) walked by this place with a somewhat spooky lighting on my way home from BOOM and thought this would be a good location for my look of the day pictures. All the building material and rubbish added to the contrast between my outfit and the location, I do tend to like things that clash...Warning: there is some serious posing here...yes, I was drunk and was in the mood for being a poser, forgive me.

Wearing Jean Pierre Braganza Dress, random pink tights and blue mesh top, H&M leather gloves, Topshop Boutique heels

And here's a pic of the boyf, I was quite happy with the outfit I put together for him.

Wearing Raf Simons knit top, random drop crotch pants, welovecolors.com tights, izzue scarf and vintage military boots

Fashionistas on the dance floor

2009-12-22T00:03:00.007+08:00

I sincerely apologise for the lack of posting lately, been running all over the place like a headless chicken looking for Christmas presents and feeling the Crimbo spirit. Had an awesome weekend though which started off with BOOM, a pre-Christmas party some friends organised with a unleash the fashionista in you dresscode (I love dresscodes cos then people actually make an effort). Everyone looked gorgeous and went crazy, been a while since I had so much fun!

Oh dear, you won't believe how long it took me to upload all these pictures...mission.

Seriously though, great party, great music, great people. Loved it.

Hope you all had a good weekend too.x

I hope not sporadically! - Brittany Murphy

2009-12-21T04:54:00.000+08:00

R.I.P. you ever smiling beauty.

Luxurious Licorice

2009-12-15T18:45:00.008+08:00

I'm sure a lot of you fashion addicts out there will be familiar with Derek Lawlor's very loopy (literally) graduate collection, for those of you that aren't, don't worry, I won't miss a chance to post more pictures! Derek Lawlor is a contemporary knitwear designer who has received great praise for his innovative work since showcasing his first collection at London Fashion Week in 2009, the collection was dubbed 'fabulous knitwear' by Vogue.com's Sarah Mower (hier hier!). Each of his Haute Couture creations are entirely handmade and take between two to three weeks to complete. Whilst making his MA collection inspired by Japanese body armour, he accidently (??) developed a unique lace cord technique to create organic sculptural shapes on tight fitting cashmere dresses (there is a lot more technical stuff used to describe the technique, but all that just went over my head). This really is something else.

Derek Lawlor CSM MA gradute collection

His SS10 collection continues the monochromatic wax cord embellished theme in a more toned down manner in order to make his collection more wearable.

Derek Lawlor ss10 collection

I also thought I'd share these images of the illustrations Alex Strang did for Derek, cute.

Some of his stuff is available on Couture Lab, and even if you don't have £3,805 to spare, the zoom function on the website which allows you to get a closer look of the amazing craftsmanship is satisfying enough, for now. Go get loopy!

meet me at the zoo

2009-12-15T18:23:00.003+08:00

Granny chic

2009-12-15T17:23:00.007+08:00

I must have started dyeing my hair since the age of 15, after the discovery of about 10 or so white/grey hairs, and haven't stopped since. The thought of growing it out without dyeing it has crossed my mind, for a brief couple of minutes, but the idea of people knowing or even facing the fact about my advanced ageing has always scared me (I know I'm literally announcing it to the world now, but seeing and knowing is different, you get me). I'm not exacly sure how grey I am at the moment, at a guess, I'd say I'm 60% percent grey, scary...I know. However, this Dazed and Confused ediorial with Antonella Graef has made me reconsider the fact that going grey is a bad thing; on the contrary, it may just be a sign of my advanced coolness (yes, I'm pretty good at making myself feel better). What to do, what to do.

Optical illusion

2009-12-15T16:35:00.003+08:00

There is something wierdly wonderful about this Frost Series 3 Baby Stripe Tee which makes me almost want to get it, I wonder if it'll ever be back in stock again? My initial response was that it was quite cute (reminded me a bit of the dancing baby), but the more I look at it, the creepier it gets...

Have you noticed that the tee is actually photoshoped onto the model? That certainly adds to the wierd factor, why not just wear it? How are you supposed to know how it actually fits if she isn't actually wearing it? That may be just another optical illusion...you've lost me there.

You see me, you see me not

2009-12-11T19:03:00.003+08:00

Oh dear lord, please tell me these 'The invisible shoe' by Andreia Chave will go into production and will eventually be mine! Just as I thought shoes couldn't possibly get any better, this is what I find...speechless.

Andreia Chaves is a Brazilian footwear/graphic designer, which probably best explains her visually overloading shoe designs. To sum up her designs, she says, 'If you grew up in a chaotic metropole like Sao Paulo, being in diary contact with different realities and exposed to thousands of visual inputs all the time, you can understand the why of my research of textures, particular forms, and visual effect, as the use of unusual materials.' Well, since I've never lived in Brazil, I guess I'll never understand...but who gives a fuck, surely knowing that I want them is enough of an understanding.

Her final collection will be presented in February 2010, I can't wait to see what wierd wonders she comes up with!

Images via Yatzer

Rapunzel Rapunzel, let down your hair, so that I may climb the golden stair!

2009-12-11T18:09:00.005+08:00

Can someone help me decide if I would look like an utter fool if I got these Miu Miu Rapunzel locks? I am blinded by my slight obsession...

Pic via Altamira

Dorothea Barth Jorgensen (left) and Amanda Norgaard (right) outside Miu Miu

No frills

2009-12-11T15:04:00.010+08:00

Don't ask why, but there's something about Matthew Ames's catalogue shots that have made me decide that if I was ever going to get married, this is what I want my wedding photos to look like (the gorgeous landscape helped too, anyone got any idea where this might be?). I guess I just love how it looks so clean and simple and hasn't gone through too much thought, in a less long-winded sense, it's quite minimal (as opposed to those wedding photos you see in the shop windows in HK, trust me, the idea of taking those pictures put the thought of marriage out of my head immediately).

I wasn't too familar with Matthew Ames before I saw these pictures, so I decided to look into his collections and was pleasantly surprised by how Jil Sander-esque his SS10 collection was. It's pretty much season-less, the colours, fabrics, sheerness, boldness and deconstructed tailoring are all fabulous! This part Grecian drape, part origami technique collection is definately an investment collection for many years to come.

Matthew Ames SS10 via style.com

Red Faced

2009-12-07T02:52:00.000+08:00

KNIGHTS from Pamela Reed + Matthew Rader on Vimeo.

God damn it Goldin

2009-12-07T01:58:00.000+08:00

Nooooo......not another collaboration, just as I was planning on a new year's resolution of saving up next year, Louise Goldin had to go and do another collab with Topshop, didn't she? Her clothing line is already available on the Topshop website, though I'm not crazy about it, it's no where near as good as her own collection. The shoes though, which are not yet released and so far have no release date (most likely spring 10), are ridiculously amazing, I repeat, ridiculously AMAZING! They are quite literally killer heels, I'm pretty sure if someone pissed me off enough for me to take my shoe off to throw at them, they would result in some serious injury. I'm seriously hoping I get my hand on these. Enough talk, check these out.

They come in three shades: black, white and silver. Bonus: seriously spikey.

Are you in love? I am.

Par Avion

2009-12-07T01:29:00.000+08:00

I was one of those geeks in school that was into collecting stamps, I still do, although I've calmed down a bit, I tend to only collect ones that I really really love, or limited edition ones I see when I'm on holiday (I still believe I'll be able to sell my stamp collection off for an extortionate amount of money when I'm like 50), such as the ones Alber Elbaz designed for French Postal Service, La Poste, to celebrate Lanvin's 12oth anniversary, there'll also be stationary and 3 limited edition ceramic hearts to send to your loved ones (I hope my brother in Paris is reading this, because I'll be expecting mail from you, no pressure). They'll be available from February 2010, all you fashion/stamp collecting geeks out there, this must be heaven!

Flowers or Legs or Flowery Legs?

2009-12-05T19:09:00.000+08:00

Photography has always been one of my hobbies, and as much as I love fashion, my favourite field has always been in wildlife photography. Of course, there are a lot of fashion photographers whos work moves me, but there's an element of risk with wildlife photography and you're never guaranteed anything good in the end. I guess with fashion photography, you have a certain kind of control over your subject so you have an idea of what you're going to get, whereas wildlife photography can result in endless surprises, or nothing at all. Nevertheless, there are a few fashion photographer's work that I really enjoy. To name one would be Daryl Banks. He's a photographer based in Toroto, Canada, and I am partucularly in love with the following shoot - Crinoline Flowers. This is how Nicholas Kirkwood's next campaign should be done.

Yes, legs are lovely and Daryl Banks just proved it.

Shark Attack

2009-12-05T18:11:00.000+08:00

If you know me, you'll know that I have a slightly unhealthy obsession for sharks, and if you love me, you seriously need to get me this (hint to the boyfriend).

Image via artdorks

My letter to Santa

2009-12-05T14:58:00.000+08:00

Dearest Santa,

This is what I'd like for Christmas:

1. Bea Valdes Clutch

2. Bordelle Angela Cage Dress

3. Givenchy Pointed Bra (The one Mariacarla is wearing, naturally)

4. Sandra Backlund Chunky Knit Jumper

5. Rad Hourani Trousers

6. Chanel Tweed Suit

7. Apple Macbook in gold

8. La Maison du Chocolat Advent Calender plus a box of chocolates

9. Panasonic Lumix GF1 camera

10. La Perla Lingerie Set

11. Balenciaga Heels

12. Chris Fallows' Great White: The Mystery of Sharks

13. Nissan Skyline GTR35 in white

Alternatively, you could just give me a million pounds and I'll go and get all this stuff myself, save you the trouble. Hope I'm not being a greedy bitch, wink.

Thank you very much.

Yours faithfully,

Janine.

xxx

A combination Perfecto

2009-12-05T05:04:00.000+08:00

I'm sure you've all seen the the Christopher Kane for Versus capsule accessories collection, which was kind of so so for me...it's kind of something my mum would really like. But I am absolutely digging the ss10 collection he did for Versus. Versus has long been off my 'to buy' list, but a glimpse of the collection has put it straight back on, and it's pretty high up too. The collection has precisely combined Versus's signature sexiness (before it became tacky) with Kane's young elegance. It's very classic yet very current (if you know what I mean). He stuck to black, beige and red throughout the collection which consisted of 20 odd mini dresses (his dresses always manage to be at the perfect lenght), simple clean silhouettes with details such as cut outs at the chest and waist, pleats, knots and the classic safety pin detailing reminiscent of the Versace dress Liz Hurley wore back in the day. A pretty good come back I must say.

Cannot wait to get my hands on this. Christopher Kane somehow has the power to make anything he touches instantly cool. Donatella did the right thing, for once.

Versus for Versace by Christopher Kane ss10

Warrior Queen

2009-12-05T03:24:00.000+08:00

Please forgive my sporadic half-hearted posts, I've been feeling rather under the weather over the past couple of days.

I happen to come across Mother of London accidently on myspace. Mother of London (based in LA) apparently specialises in Naute Couture, which Mildred von Hildegard (the designer) describes as "... a tactile concoction of aristocracy, machismo, elegance and retro-futurism, all tinged with satirical humor." To me, there's also a slight tribal flavour. Some of her stuff really reminds me of the movie 'Predator' (ace film by the way), especially the first outfit below, this is perhaps because of the tubing and the armour-like qualities of the apparel. I find myself strangely aroused.

Her creations are available for rent for $200 a day with 3 pieces of your own choice, which I think is a really good idea, cos let's face it, it's not like you're gonna wear it on a daily basis or anything, but it's defiantely something that should be tried at least once in a life time, even if you're not gonna own it. She also has an etsy shop for showroom samples for those of you that need this stuff in your life, there's not always stuff there, but it deserves to be in your favourites list just in case you get lucky.

It's just nice to imagine this is what my daughter will look like in 2040 (that's if I ever have a daughter).

Featherhead

2009-12-05T02:41:00.000+08:00

Although I would never wear or have the opportunity to wear this headpiece, I would like it in my possession.

Gareth Pugh SS10

Absolute Bargain

2009-12-05T02:06:00.000+08:00

Toga top. Bought from Yoox. 59 quid. Bargain.

I bought this exact same top from Toga's SS08 collection 'Trojan Horse' in a different colour about 2 years ago for about 8 times the price, what an absolute idiot. I suppose finding this on Yoox at such a price makes me feels better though, cos if I add the cost of both together and divide that by 2, it still means I got them both at half price (Yep, that's exactly how I make myself feel better everytime I feel guilty after shopping). Seriously though, what a find, it is my absolute favourite top in the whole wide world (the model does not justify it). Yoox rules.

A handsome costume

2009-12-01T20:26:00.001+08:00

As I was scrolling through my endless list of blogs in my favourites, I came across Discotheque Confusion's blog and in one particular post, she writes, 'It's one of those unfortunate facts of life that just as a new season is in full swing and the last leaves are falling from the trees, you stumble across arrays of climatically inappropriate attire.'. Too right I say. What she was refering to was an Australian brand called We Are Handsome who specialise in making digitally printed swim wear. However, on second thoughts, I don't necssarily have to go swimming just because I'm wearing a swimming costume. So, once again, my brain's automatically generated excuses for buying something has made me 99 pounds poorer.

Full English Breakfast anybody?

2009-12-01T19:16:00.000+08:00

This London Undercover umbrella would certainly make me hungry on a rainy sunday morning.

Bitter luxuries

2009-12-01T17:11:00.000+08:00

If you were to ask me what my favourite food was in the whole wide world, I would answer, without a single doubt, 'Chocolate'. When I was young, it used to be the sweet kind, like milk chocolate or white chocolate with raisins and nuts and stuff, however, the older I get, the darker the better, the bitterer the better. I thought I might give a few tips as to how to taste chocolate for all you poncey chocolate lovers out there (believe it or not, there is an art to it!):

Chocolate should be at room temperature before tasting. Cold temperatures ruin the texture and hinder your abilities to detect the flavours.
Break it into bitesize pieces. Smell the chocolate at the break point before tasting. Inhaling will prime the tongue for the chocolate you are about to taste.
Place it on your tongue and allow it to come to body temperature, don't chew! (I know it's tempting!) It will slowly melt, let the cocoa butter distribute evenly in your mouth.
Observe the taste and texture, a good quality chocolate should have a very smooth creamy texture and should have an after taste leaving you wanting more!

It's almost like wine tasting, right? (Forgive me if there are some differences, I have a zero tolerance to alcohol, in other words, I'm a complete lightweight, so I tend to stay away from anything alcohol related.)

Speaking of chocolate, I am digging Wonderwall's new concept flagship store for Belgian chocolatiers Godiva in Harajuku, Tokyo. The melting chocolate ceiling is enough to make me drool all over my keyboard! I love how it's playful and traditional at the same time. I'm so hungry.

Haute

2009-12-01T16:08:00.000+08:00

Haute Couture has always been my favourite field in fashion, for the simple reason that it's on top of the hierarchy. I was just checking out Couture Lab (if you haven't yet seen this website, you must) and I found this Maurizio Galante jacket/coat I don't think I can live without, the only way I can express my love for this jacket is by Elizabeth Barrett Browning's poem:

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

I love thee to the depth and breadth and height

My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight

For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.

I love thee to the level of everyday's

Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.

I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;

I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.

I love thee with a passion put to use

In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.

I love thee with a love I seemed to lose

With my lost saints, --- I love thee with the breath,

Smiles, tears, of all my life! --- and, if God choose,

I shall but love thee better after death.

Most people would think I was insane, but wait till you see this. Simply divine.

The craftmanship is amazing, from afar, it looks like pleats, somewhat reminiscent of Issey Miyake's Pleats Please, however, upon close inspection, you'll see it's made from small pieces of silk carefully handsewn together to fit perfectly over the human body. Although it looks quite cozy, since it's pretty holey, it'd be perfect for Hong Kong's so-called winter. This jacket is only available on bespoke order, can someone lend me 5000 quid? Promise I'll give it back, wink.

Hope

2009-11-30T19:27:00.000+08:00

The 'Hope' light is designed by Francisco Gomez Paz and Paolo Rizzatto, and in a world of sadness, it's exactly what we need right now. I was reading on the news about Polar bears having to eat their own young in order to survive and it's stuff like this that makes me realise how close we really are to destroying our own planet and it's these innocent animals that have to suffer from our selfishness...sob. I understand the difficulties of reverting back to the inconveniences of life before the world was in this state, but every little bit helps, and it's better to start now than never. Before I go on and on about global warming and get all upset about it, I'm gonna get back on the subject of the 'Hope' light (seriously though, love your planet before it's too late!).

The science behind the 'Hope' light relys on the fact that when light is combined with a series of reflecting and refractive shapes, it becomes amplified and is multiplied in an exponential manner; in a simpler sense, you need less energy to produce more light. So why not be environmently friendly and uber stylish at the same time? The bonus is, as fancy as it looks, it's also extremely practical, it's made from a series of thin, flat plastic Fresnel lenses, created using imprinted microprisms on polycarbonate film to achieve a dioptric effect similar to glass...yeah, that was also jibberish to me, but the point is, it's light in weight and can be easily dismantled to become highly compact in size. Go get it here.

Killer jeans

2009-11-30T18:34:00.000+08:00

If you still haven't checked out Jak and Jil Blog, please go now, I just don't understand where Tommy manages to find so many cool people, it's ridiculous! Anyway, I saw these jeans on his blog, how awesome are they? I'm just wondering how your supposed to sit! Or perhaps you should just sacrifice comfort for the sake of looking fucking amazing. I need these.

Knitted

2009-11-30T03:09:00.000+08:00

'With the human body as the main starting point I improvise through a three dimensional collage methode to discover ideas of shapes and silhouettes that I could never come to think about in my head.' - Sandra Backlund

So, winter seems to have left Hong Kong for the time being, which is kind of annoying since I have only recently found out just how gorgeous Sandra Backlund's AW09 collection is (forgive me for being extemely outdated on this). I have always had a soft spot for knitwear, and when it's combined with architectural structure, I can't really ask for anything better, all I can say is, Backlund is super close to replacing Louise Goldin as my favourite knitwear designer. Her 3D knitting skills are just down right amazing, I love the chunkiness of the collection; although chunkiness often results in the lack of shape or form, Backlund has done a great job at keeping a structural silhouette. Backlund describes her approach to fashion 'more as a sculpter than a tailor', and it truely shows here.

I'm so ready to get woolly this winter (that's if it comes back).

Does anyone know who stocks Sandra Backlund in HK?

Painfully Cool

2009-11-30T02:12:00.000+08:00

For some reason, I have been wierdly attracted to stuff that is accident/pain/medical related recently, don't get me wrong, I'm not a sadist, but with people like London College of Fashion's Una Burke around, I'm starting to think that hurting myself might not be such a bad thing...only messing, but seriously, all these medical/trauma inspired fashion/art pieces are just too cool. It's slightly freaky, and kind of reminds me of Mason Verger in Hannibal, but in a nicer way. Una Burke's 'Re.treat' collection was based on the universal subject of human trauma, a number of pieces are reminiscent of medical braces used to heal broken bones and spinal injuries; signifying the potential for healing. There is a feeling of emptiness when the leather structures are removed from the model, almost as if something is missing and they belong on the body. I wouldn't say Burke's collection is practical as fashion really, but they are wonderful art pieces that definately deserve a mentioning, I'm really looking forward to what she'll be up to next!

Simplistic Coolness

2009-11-25T00:22:00.000+08:00

I am starting to get embarrassed by the amount of time I spend on etsy, it's kind of sad, cos it just goes to show how much time I spend on the internet day-dreaming about what I'm going to buy next, I'm starting to consider therapy. Nevertheless, this seller I've recently discovered is too awesome for me not to share with the world, and it would be too selfish if I didn't do so. The etsy shop is called Arosha Twists, I would imagine the items are made by softening some plastic under mild heat and carefully molding it into shape, sounds easy doesn't it? You don't really need to go through the trouble of doing it yourself though, items are reasonably priced between $20-50, and I think Arosha deserves that for discovering something that is so simply cool.

Clownish

2009-11-24T02:23:00.000+08:00

I recently discovered Jimmy Paul on I Don't Like Detours and although I try to refrain myself from obssessing over clothes that I can't wear out, I can't help myself. His 08 lookbook was what first caught my attention, I really like how the clothes are really fun yet the mood of the photos are really dark, it almost reminds me of the movie 'It' (Well, his collection was based on the idea of childhood fears, so it's pretty obvious I guess). Just the thought of that film gives me the shivers! Anyhoo, Jimmy Paul graduated from the Gerit Rietveld Academy Amsterdam in 2008 and I think he's one worth looking out for, his creations are definately editorial material more than your usual ready-to-wear, but who cares, I would be happy to wear his stuff! (For some reason, even though I might not ever get a chance to wear the hat, I really want one!)

His 09 collection 'Mary me' is somewhat more wearable and since I have a weakness for puffiness and all things balloon-like (I don't know, the idea of being to use your clothes as a cushion has always comforted me), I equally love it (forgive me, I'm a bit of a whore when it comes to fashion).

His illustrations for the 09 collection are also pretty awesome, I love how they all look pissed off, the actual outcome and the illustrations have a really different feel to them, the illustrations almost look Japanese-ee.

What do you think?

Keep drawing on me

2009-11-23T21:36:00.000+08:00

Oasis's latest collaboration with London College of Fashion undergrad Rosalind Keep is looking pretty tasty and definately in need of buying, especially cause it's easily affordable and reasonably quirky at the same time!(Do I wanna use any more words ending in -ly?). The collection basically consists of Keep’s Trompe L’oeil illustrations of corseted dresses, trench coats, Chanel inspired jackets and what not printed onto oversized tees and racer back vests. The collection will be available to those not lucky enough to be in the UK from the 7th of December on their online store, yippee!!

Pics stolen from Disneyrollergirl

Rest in Peace Daul Kim

2009-11-20T18:57:00.000+08:00

Meow Meow

2009-11-19T23:35:00.001+08:00

I have forgotten to tell everyone just how much I love the Miu Miu ss10 collection, I saved these pictures on my computer during fashion week and have been procrastinating until now.

The collection was basically divided into 2 parts; the first half being youthful and clean cut with simple slihouettes, the trousers were unusually low waisted compared to a lot of the other brands this season, I guess Miuccia isn't one for conforming to the norm then. However, it is the shirts in this collection that I have my eyes on, they would be fantastic layering pieces, I'm not sure if that belt thingy is part of the shirt or separate, but it looks pretty awesome together. I guess the youthfulness comes from the cat, dog, daisy and bird prints, white on navy, you can't really go wrong there can you? White and navy used to be my favourite colours as a child, for some reason, I had some wierd obsession with dressing like a sailor, perhaps I still do.
P.s. The shoes as usual are fantastic, the daisy prints are really Japanesey.

The second part of the show consisted of more sophisticated pieces such as this crystal embroidered mesh dress below, the collar on top takes away the seriousness of the dress meaning it could be worn day or night. The length of the dresses/skirts are just right, long enough to be elegant, yet short enough for people like me to not look like a midget. Seriously, over the knee does NOT work for me.

This red shirt below is probably my favourite item in the show, it's kind of combined all of the above, cute prints, sequins and cutouts, with added colour. I don't particularly like it with the black trousers though, I think it'd look better with a more flowy skirt like the one next to it, or perhaps something with more volume. Other than that, it's all good. I also really like the hair in the show, I wonder how long it'll take me to grow my hair out?

Pics courtesy of style.com

Now, the only problem is, where am I going to get the money?

Sack Summer off Joe

2009-11-19T22:32:00.000+08:00

I've been meaning to write about the movie (500) days of Summer for ages, well, not so much the movie, althought it is very cute and enjoyable, it made me feel younger in a way, the way it kind of brought back memories of childhood crushes and the silly things you did for people you liked, all the day-dreaming and stuff, blah blah...anyway, back to my point, I've been wanting to write about Joseph Gordon-Levitt for a while now, dude, can you be anymore gorgeous? Theoretically, I don't think it's possible. Not only is he gorgeous facially (those dimples kill me), I even love the way he dresses in the film, I've always had a soft spot for geeks and as much as I love really fashionable guys, they're never really what I look for in a boyfriend, I feel a lot more comfortable around the boy next door, I guess I would never be able to handle it if my boyfriend took longer than me to leave the house. I also like it when they look like they haven't tried too hard. I think wat really did it for me with Levitt though is that sad puppy look he's got, it's just irresistable to me. I must stop now, it did take me about 2 months to get over him after watching the film, falling in love (it's wierd, I actually do fall in love) all over again for someone so reachable might not be such a good idea, afterall I am 27.

Here's a picture for you guys to drool over.

Peacock green, pointy shoes and mini skirts

2009-11-18T06:01:00.000+08:00

Toga Archives is looking fantastic again for their SS10 collection 'Trans Romantic', not that I'm surprised, and since I have a slight obsession for this brand, I'm sure it's expected. The silhouettes are pretty similar to the SS09 collection 'Space O'Teddy' and the colours are the typical Toga signature colours: green, blue, nude, black and white, and although Furuta always sticks to the same colours, it never gets boring; this is probably because she has chosen the best tone out of these colours, the green colour shes uses is the most amazing green in the world and in no way do the pictures below justify just what a beautiful green it is, I don't even know if there's a name for that particular green, but it is precisely the green you kind on a peacock's tail (it might be called peacock green, if so, trust me to not know that), it's almost shimmery in a way although not glittery, if you know what I mean. I can't really express how much I adore the sheer stuff she does either, they are the ultimate layering pieces, under or over stuff. You can literally wear a Toga item over any cheap ass thing, and it will instantly make you look a million dollars, the craftmanship is always precise and extremely delicate and the patchworking of different fabrics is always spot on. The more I talk about it, the more I'm in love.

I always start off really excited when looking at each Toga collection, then this excitement gradually wears into depression when I realise I'm not going to be able to afford every single piece. It's a mean mean world. Now just give me a moment to sulk and kick my feet for a bit.

One love. (Sorry, that's really gay isn't it?)

Look of the day: Layer me up

2009-11-18T05:14:00.000+08:00

Wearing AA mesh dress, Toga v-neck vest, Toga wool top, cheap ass tassel skirt, Comme des Garcon tulle loose tights, black tights, cdg x h&m polka dot cardigan, cdg x h&m trench coat, AA sheer circle scarf, Ann Demeulemeester boots

Christmas pressies

2009-11-17T03:14:00.000+08:00

Whoopee! The cold has finally arrived and although I'm a pussy for coldness, I'm loving freezing my arse off and the best part of it is that I can wear at least 6 items from my wardrobe at the same time!! Well, by cold, I mean about 11 degees celcius, but that's cold enough for me, I just hope it lasts more than a week with this schizophrenic weather! And the sudden fall in temperature has got me getting all excited about Christmas (warm weather and Christmas just don't seem right together), and the thought of Christmas has in turn got me all excited about a big fat Christmas roast and loads of pressies! Since I'm feeling all festive-y, I thought I'd write a post about what goodies you could get for your mates (hint hint) or yourself as a treat even! I think etsy is a pretty decent place to get presents, a) cos there's a huge variety of stuff to get, b) cos it can be really cheap and c) it's not stuff you'll find everywhere.

Bird in Motion Vinyl Wall Art

Pop up tree house card

Radiolaria Bracelet

iheartnorwegianwood Feather Fringe Necklace

Great White Shark cufflinks

Yokoo Cambridge Chain

Yokoo Cozy

World Landmarks Acrylic Ring

Hand dip dyed Fringe Necklace

Crocheted Studded Dog Collar

Sea Urchin Bowl

Peacock Feather Hairband

As much as I'd love to put more stuff up, this has taken me bloody ages, it's really easy to search for stuff on Etsy though, the easiest way is to find something you like, click on the seller or shop and find their favourites. Have fun shopping!

Jigsaw Puzzle

2009-11-09T18:18:00.000+08:00

Just found another one to watch on I Don't Like Detours, which is a site similar to Not Just A Name, introducing new and upcoming designers/artists etc, his name is Maurice Vandestouwe. M.Vandestouwe is still a student at the Design Academy of Eindhoven, but there'll definately be a lot more coming from this shoemaker! In all honesty, I'm not sure about his shoes comfort-wise, but concept-wise, they are fantastic. His graduation shoe collection was constructed by assembling pieces of wood together, kinda like a jigsaw puzzle (hence the post name), and are attched to the foot using straps and strings! The profile of the shoes are very architectural, and I've always had a weakness for things building-like, don't ask why.

Break a leg

2009-11-08T18:54:00.000+08:00

If breaking my legs meant being able to wear shoes like this, go ahead and break them, PLEASE! Gwendolyn Huskens graduated from the Eindhoven design academy in 2008, her final collection inspired by the medical world opened my eyes, I don't know, I just never imagined that twisting your ankle, breaking your leg, etc etc, to be a cool thing, I was always pissed off whenever I had to wear a bandage and the only reason I ever thought a cast was cool was cos my mates could write and draw stupid things all over it, just never pictured it as an accessory. She used medical materials like synthetic plaster, bandages and stainless steel in white and skin tones, to make these shoes. Now that I've seen Husken's collections though, it all makes sense, I need these shoes in my life (those bandaid wedges would do me just fine)!

I love welovecolours.com

2009-11-07T03:18:00.000+08:00

I've been meaning to write a post about welovecolours for ages, it's kind of similar to American Apparel, only there's not so much stuff for sale, but the greatness of their products balances this out and their stuff is pretty cheap price-wise, which is always an added bonus. They have a selection of 51 colours of tights to choose from, which is more than the amount of colours I can name! They mainly specialise in tights and leggings, but they also do leotards which just fits perfectly with the come back of the body (the only drawback is there's no opening at the crotch, which can be a bit of a mission if you need a wee wee)! It's definately worth a check out, they do loads of amazing tye-dye stuff, which are perfect for lightening up a boring oufit! So if you love colours, go now!!!

Pics from welovecolours.com

Shiny new boots

2009-11-06T23:28:00.000+08:00

Was being my cousin's stylist for the day and he was kind enough to get me these Ann Demeulemeester horse skin platforms in return, which I thought was a pretty good deal! You won't believe how comfortable these boots are, I wrote about comfortable heels being a myth in one of my previous posts, I take that back wholeheartedly, I can run in these! The Ann Dem store was giving out free boxes of matches per purchase to celebrate their HK store x year anniversary (I can't remember how many years exactly due to my over-excitement in getting the shoes), they're so pretty I don't think I'll ever wanna use them! (Oh, and you might have noticed I've finally figured out how to upload larger images, duh!)

I love the rectangle wedge!

I was also tempted to get this feather headpiece, but at 500 quid, I thought I could do without it, or perhaps I could make one myself, shouldn't be that hard! (Let's see if I get around to doing it.)

Dress me in satin, Sonia!

2009-11-05T22:36:00.000+08:00

After Jimmy Choo for H&M, which I wasn't too fussed about (never been a Jimmy Choo fan), next up is Sonia Rykiel for H&M who's gonna kick it off with a lingerie and nightwear collection, and it's all looking pretty sleek, almost vintage in a way and since lingerie is kinda my thing recently, I'm all smiling, can't get enough of high waisted granny panties (they are seriously so much more comfy-er)! The collections gonna launch on the 5th of December guys, don't forget!

I'm also looking forward to her SS10 knitwear collaboration with H&M, there's also gonna be a kids collection which I imagine will also be awesome, haven't been able to find pics of this yet, so a sneek peak of the adult collection will have to make do for now!

Look of the day: Marry me Nicholas Kirkwood

2009-11-01T19:10:00.000+08:00

I've been kind of busy with stuff that I'm not gonna bore you with, so here's a couple of 'Look of the day' posts for now, sorry!

I bought these Kirkwood shoes a while ago but it's the first time I've worn them, yep, they were painful but it was worth every second, I kind of never wanted to wear them cos I didn't want to damage the sole, they look more like an art piece than a pair of shoes, but now that I've finally broken into them, I'll be wearing them loads more!! If there was a God of shoes, it would be Kirkwood, without a doubt. The Chanel bag was my mum's bag like 20 years ago and I kind of prefer vintage styles to the modern ones, this may be largely due to the tassel thingy, lovely! Given it's age, it's in superduper condition!

Wearing Viktor and Rolf x H&M suit, Ann-Sofie Back shoulder pad vest, Nicholas Kirkwood heels, vintage Chanel handbag

Look of the day: Flowers and skulls

2009-11-01T18:36:00.000+08:00

Wearing Topshop floral skull sheer vest, random cardigan, HM black leggings, HM black booties

Happy Halloweeeeeeen!!!

2009-11-01T13:47:00.000+08:00

Look of the day: My baby Leelu

2009-10-28T01:19:00.000+08:00

Leelu is the name of the most beautiful cat in the world, and obviously the love of my life. The oversized t-shirt worn in this post was a pressie from the bf (thank you!), he ordered the tee from American Apparel and got it sent to nonstopspray07 on Etsy, who in turn did the most beautiful artwork of my dear Leelu. He really captured every single detail of her perfectly, the eyes, her fur, the colour...etcetc, it almost looks like a photo from afar and truely is a work of art! So if any of you out there want/need some artwork of your beloved pet or even wildlife done, he's the one! He's got some pre-made stuff in his etsy store that are also fantastic and custom orders take around a month.

Wearing Nonstopspray07 airbrushed Leelu tee, Dimepiece L.A. leggings, Topshop Boutique heels, Freitag recycled bag

Shut up and wrap me in a bundle of cloth

2009-10-27T03:43:00.000+08:00

...is precisely what Yoshikazu Yamagata did to his models for the writtenafterwards ss10 collection. I wasn't particularly impressed with what Japan Fashion Week had to offer this coming season, however I am impressed by the presentation of the writtenafterwards show. Fashion-wise, to be completely honest, I reckon a tramp might have been able to carry out something similar if given a clean piece of fabric, but I found the whole concept of the show quite comical and I always love it when designers incorporate old people into their shows, it's kind of a relief after seeing tonnes of fit birds for the past couple of months or so. Actually, I was being a little harsh just now, it's not all that bad I suppose, it's just not great, I actually can't imagine how heavy the dresses must have been, with all that fabric twisted and turned and wrapped and tied (I could go on forever, but you get the gist) toga stylee. In a way, I could imagine this being quite nice for an editorial, it's all very soft and fluffy and heavenly.

So a little intro for Mr. Yamagata. He graduated from Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design majoring in womenswear in 2005 and worked as an assistant designer for John Galliano, he returned to Japan and started his own label. I was just checking out his website and it's strange how all his previous collections seem to be so wearable and he's kind of gone a bit crazy on this one. He's got quite an interesting little website which I think is worth a look at, including some masks he made for Hedi Slimane and these cute puppet thingys. Go check it out!

Flying like a bird...Skyward

2009-10-26T02:43:00.000+08:00

Feeling a lot better today, slept until 5pm (lazy bitch).

Yeah, so referring to yesterday's 'Look of the day' post, I said I was gonna be talking a bit more about the SWD Skyward oversized t-shirt. I don't really know how long this brand has been around for but it's only recently that I've been acquainted with it and although I've been trying to control myself from buying stuff that's too avant-garde, given the very decent price tag, I really think SWD is worth the cash, so it's ok even if it's not going to last a long time, it's like cheap Bernhard Willhelm, which can only be a good thing. I really don't know much about the brand, all I know is that it's Swedish and the designer is called Annika Berger (sorry, my cat might have been able to write a better biography), the brand generally consists of oversized stuff with graphic prints and minor detailing. Since I'm being quite pathetic at this, I'm gonna cut the crap and go straight to the pictures (that's always the best bit!). The styling, graphics and photography were actually pretty amazing for her ss09 collection!

Back in August, Annika Berger also collaborated with fashion designer Titti Andersson, accessory designer Hanna Af Ekström and SEEK photographer duo to curate a yearly fashion event for the Swedish Design Museum. The theme for the show was an interpretation and homage to the soul of the city of Göteborg. The group presented six outfits that represent the ambiance of the Swedish west coast, the performance was accompanied by Burning Airlines/Simon Ohlsson (Silverbullit) and Petra Hallberg who wrote a customised soundtrack that was performed at the event. I thought it was quite impressive.

You can find her stuff online on Doshaburi or alternatively, if you live in HK, you can get it at KNIQ.

Look of the day: The oversized top

2009-10-25T05:05:00.000+08:00

Just came back from Kid Koala Live in HK, God he's awesome! Was feeling brave with the pink lippy today! As you can see I've super over-exposed the pics, the reason being, I had one, note ONE! alchoholic drink and I turned out bright red, I hate it when that happens, Chinese genes! Anyway, I will be writing slightly more about the top in another post (can't be bothered right now, still feeling a little tipsy!), I think it's worth mentioning! Good night.

Wearing SWD Skyward oversized t-shirt, Primark lime leggings, Nike trainers, Christopher Kane x Topshop tote

The bladerunner has landed

2009-10-23T17:58:00.000+08:00

Dean Quinn, the name sounds like it ought to be someone out of a cowboy movie. Freshly graduated from CSM and showed in Vauxhall Fashion Scout, this dude is yet another one to watch out for. This 23 year old Irish babe describes his style as tailored, embellished and robotic, and we can definately be having more of that! His graduate collection was inspired by the Ridley Scott movie Bladerunner and there's defo a lot of Rachael flavour seeping through the collection. 'Tailored, embellished and robotic'...absolutely spot on, I'm loving every little bit of it! Classic black and white colours used here but there's just something so different about everything else, and you don't see that until you look close-up. Apparently the flawless bugle beads detailing came from a beautiful bout of accident of lining the beads up in a straight line (why don't I ever have accidents like this?) and that somewhat architectural silhouette, both futuristic and wearable. Part handsewn, part machine, this collection is truely a work of art. His next collection will be shown at London Fashion Week and I am expecting no less. I'm so in love!

Unfortunately, we're gonna have to wait till A/W10 before we can start wearing Dean Quinn's magic, damn, that's just too long!

(images from dazed digital)

Look of the day: Pyschedelic Balloon

2009-10-23T01:38:00.000+08:00

Wearing Comme des Garcon deconstructed football jacket, welovecolors.com leotard, zara mini skirt, H&M leggings, Nicholas Kirkwood booties

PS. Sorry, was feeling rather ugly today so decided to cut the head off!

Unleash your inner child!

2009-10-20T19:38:00.000+08:00

Time to brighten up the blog! Been a while since I've been so impressed with a vibrant, playful collection like Yang Du's! This Chinese gem is yet another CSM graduate, she finished her BA in 2006 and continued on to the MA course until 2008. Her muse is Bjork, quite obviously. I usually overlook collections like this because although there's the WOW! factor, I can never picture myself wearing it, unless I was going to some fancy dress party, which rarely (or to be precise, never) happens. However, her aw09 collection Buda and Pest really caught my attention, swarming with giant fruit and animals, has taken knitwear to another level, and although these pieces may never make their way into my wardrobe, they are pure eye candy. On second thoughts, there's always room for a loud oversized jumper to go over the leggings.

Yang Du aw09 collection - Buda and Pest

There was certainly nothing less crazy with her aw08 collection - 'Falling in love is a risk', which was composed mainly of bright coloured faux fur and knitwear. Simple silhouettes remain, including an array of cape-like jumpers and shift dresses with stuffed bottoms, nevertheless, it was the concept that was outstanding. This probably would have been my favourite label as a child, the cactus outfit is sooo cute!

Yang Du aw08 collection 'Falling in love is a risk'

Yang Du's BA gradute collection was called 'It is a dream in colours' and indeed it is, albeit a wierd dream, perhaps even under the influence of magic shrooms! It's a great thing that Du says she's happy when people tell her her collections make them laugh, because I'm laughing! It's insane, wonderfully insane! There was no doubt she was gonna be the next big thing.

Yang Du aw06 collection - It is a dream in colours

Keep your eye on this doll!

Some missed out bits and bobs

2009-10-20T02:14:00.000+08:00

Sorry, was kind of a bit overwhelmed by the whole ss10 fashion week thing and kind of stopped quite bluntly, there are however still a number of people out there still worth mentioning, Lanvin, for instance, obviously still very 'Lanvin', which is always a good thing, thanks to the cutest Alber Elbaz. Probably one of the most elegant collections this season in my opinion (I can't wait to get rich and dress top to toe in Lanvin, ot theres always sample sales I guess). Some gorgeous drapery, rufflage and embroidery (or bead setting, technically, fantastic craftsmanship in the first outfit below). Check it.

Lanvin SS10 collection (style.com)

There's also the very reliable (to me anyway) Rei Kawakubo whos collection I adore (again), it kind of reminds me of her ss09 collection in the way that some of the pieces are constructed, like the patchwork thing, and I am all over that japanesey print, I remember buying origami paper like that when I was young! That armoury shoulder pad thing is also a must-buy, I can just imagine wearing it almost over anything. The half sheer extra long trench is one of a kind, I need to get my hands on it! Comme des Garcons rocks.

Comme des Garcons SS10 (style.com)

Then there's good ole' Issey Miyake whos collection, prints-wise is to die for, quite ethnic. Nothing major going on with the silhouettes or anything, a pretty safe collection I'd say. Oh, and the tights and socks, AMAZING!

Issey Miyake ss10 (style.com)

Crabs crabs crabs (not that kind)

2009-10-18T23:39:00.000+08:00

If you refer to my first ever blogpost, you'll see that my point in starting this blog was so that I could write about fashion and food, I've been trying (note: trying) on the fashion part, but if you've been following this blog, you'll see that I have failed miserably in the food department, I don't think I've ever even mentioned the word, which is just tragic, I blame this on the atrocious lighting in most restaurants which in turn makes my pictures look crap and the food unappealing...nah, not really, I'm just a shit photographer, or perhaps I need a better camera (there goes another thing on the 'to buy' list). Anyway...

Today, I present you my first ever food post which coincidently happens to be one of my favourite food in the world: the Big gate crab ( I have no idea what the real English name actually is, this is just a literal translation). First, I feel the need to give you a little background information on this species. This crab is a burrowing crab that comes mainly from lakes, the best coming from Yang Ching Hu (please forgive my pathetic attempt at Mandarin phonics) and is a famous delicacy in Shanghai cuisine. The most distinguishing feature of these crabs is perhaps their hairy claws. The only season that they are really available for consumption is Autumn (most likely the time they reach maturity), with females starting from September to October and males from October to November. The part that is considered the best is the roe and sperm (I'm not positive that its actually sperm but that's what I'm lead to believe) of the crab. I'm definately the sperm fan (this sounds quite wierd and Freudian). It's really quite difficult to explain, so here goes the pictures.

See the hairy claws?

Awaiting destiny...

Shower time

Place them in steam pan unside down (this is so all the delicious stuff doesn't leak out)

A slice of ginger on top

And a leaf, I have no idea what these are called in English.

Steam! You can make the sauce now, which is simply Chinese black vinegar, a teaspoon of sugar and shredded ginger.

Voila!

Flip the crab over (that flap in the middle is how you tell male from female)

Pull the flap off

Turn it back over and pull the top off

Scoop out the sperm and devour with a little sauce

Break crab in half and eat the rest of the stuff in the middle, then eat the rest of the crab meat like any other crab

When you're done, put it back together just to show your respect.

I managed to eat 7 of these which is actually a very tiring thing, and not to mention how high my cholestral levels must be now, I guess it's only once a year so I'm allowed.

Luxury + Rarity = LUXIRARE

2009-10-13T18:35:00.000+08:00

Luxirare is no doubt my favourite blogger I have come across in my couple years of blog reading experience, of course, there is Jak and Jil Blog, Stylebubble, Fashion Toast, The Satorialist, Karla's Closet and Bryanboy...that are also up there in the list, but Luxirare is really something else. She claims to write about 'Killers clothes and Fine Cuisine' and that is precisely what her blog is all about.

All I really know about Luxirare is that she's an asian blogger called Ji and apparently lives in Zimbabwe, she really is quite mysterious and not much is known about her. That really doesn't bother me personally, I'm just pure glad that she exists and is kind enough to share her ideas with the world. Also, I'm thinking the mysterious factor might make the whole thing even better! (It's like how everyone was dying to see what Margiela looked like). There is an interview with her here if you are interested in knowing a little more about this little gem of a blogger.

Luxirare displays wonderful photography, styling, creativity and taste and is simply a pleasure to look at. You really need to look at the blog to get a feel of it, the cuisine section is amazing and has step-by-step instructions to follow, I haven't actually tried to follow any of them cos I know mine just won't turn out as great!

You have to see the production of this parfait, unbelievable!

The most beautiful bento in the world.

Can you believe this is actually a cake?

Avocado crab salad - Taste wise, I am the most interested in making this, looks absolutely delicious!

My only question now is: how do I go about buying these amazing Luxirare products?

Go now, go now, go check it out!

Psychedelactica

2009-10-12T22:04:00.000+08:00

The more I look at the word, the more I like it. What more can you ask for? Psychedelic and galactica in one! Doesn't get much better, and neither does Jean Pierre Braganza's SS10 collection, which is precisely where the name came from. Was checking out Queen Michelle's Kingdom of Style and saw the preview. Gorgeous prints (there really is no need for acid when you've got JPB) and silhouettes again and am absolutely mesmerised by the cut-out dresses which are in need of buying. I'm quite pissed off at how many shops in Hong Kong have stopped stocking Braganza though, apparently they don't sell very well, which is beyond my understanding, I always manage to buy at least one thing from each of his collections, they're just simply divine and reasonably priced even.

Jean Pierre Braganza SS10 collection

He also collaborated with filmmaker Malcolm Pate once again to create a short film for the collection which is just disturbing beautiful, I love how he always makes a video for his collections, he really is an artist. "Chromacolyte" might still be my favourite though.

Genius

2009-10-12T00:49:00.000+08:00

Ok, this really has nothing to do with fashion/clothing....but you have to, have to watch The Life and Times of Tim, it is single-handedly the funniest thing I have watched in the past 5 years. Absolutely hilarious. Thanks Mr. Thompson for introducing me to the joys of life.

Here's a little taste of what it's like: