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Favourite Resort 2012 – Alexander Wang

I’m really worrying about my wallet at the second when I saw the first image of Resort show by my favourite designer Alexander Wang. The collection got a very refreshing colour pallete – sporty, a bit vintage mood (referring to the vintage 70s sportsmen photograph Wang has been referencing from) and some futuristic technology, and of course the very important element of Wang-esque – the ‘street feel’ – sporting swim suit together with day wear is a new trend peeking out of New York street scene!

And here’re the evidence.

Wang has also announced to schedule of opening his second store, in Beijing!! I guess there’s also a possibility due to the image and quality control. Because since his name is widely spread in China, it’s very difficult for any Chinese followers to purchase his designs. Hence why there’re so many purchase agencies Chinese on-line operating purchases from individual buyers and of course there’re many fakes floating around in China and HongKong areas. Therefore,  I think that’s a very strong clever move. Instead of planting his second store in any of european cities, he is going to put his foot firmly to the root.

Tags: Alexander Wang

Fashion Windows: Selfridges – spring is blooming May 2011

Contrast to last summer season of minimal props with window displays (which we also love love love and you may view here), Selfridges London is back with a boom for the bloom. The whole atmosphere is vivid, fun and colourful and happy mood. Of course it’s spring and of course it’s flowery…but the mushroom props just make you smile and add on the thoughtful edginess. Below here are the evidence.

Tags: Selfridges

Details of Alexander Wang AW2011

Luxury is when you look into something, it just becomes more and more and more interesting because there’re so many micro details. And that’s exactly what Alexander Wang is pushing his brand into for AW2011. Mixture of different materials are key…

… …needle punch is a new word I heard for this collection. It is interesting to see how it works in close-ups…

Wang has linked up with jewellry designer Betony Vernon on 2 sterling silver art pieces. For full detail you may view here.

side-open chunky knits and double-sleeves jacket are looking very layered and clever…purple shimmer cigarette trousers adds some perfect high-light to the look, so it’s not too black and dull… …

….love the bronze on black…

feminine sheered shirty blouse toughened up with leather-waistband-zip-decorated military evening trousers…

… …full on sheerness added with a tiny sparkles on cute collars…

….really love the skinny strappy sandals teaming with long cigarette pants, brings back some mid-90s vibe…

…I could see all panels are bagged out, double layered….craft!

Tags: Alexander Wang

Tough Sex

Abbey Lee Kershaw has modeled a series of editorials for Vogue Russia April 2011 and here’re the evidence, tough and sexy, associated mainly with harnesses….

Tags: Abbey Lee Kershaw, Vogue Russia

Decisions, decisions…

I went to Liberty the other day to try on Alexander Wang’s new SS11 collection. There’s a tent pitched in the middle of 2nd floor with a leather bench inside and a video about Wang’s AW10 show preparation. It was really amazing to see Wang is so into details – detail such as ‘getting rid of the black carpet because it was cheap looking, and instead have the whole floor wet-mopped to add on special atmosphere for the show to match the dark tailoring Wall-Street theme.’

Back to his SS11 collection, this is probably my faourite collection of his up to date. Love all the fresh mint colour and the special pointy texture on knitwear. The baggy shorts are in very draped crepe material, got a decent weight feel for the fabric and super soft and comfortable. Should I get the white longer over-the-knee shorts or fresh mint just-above-the-knee shorts???

Tags: Alexander Wang, Liberty London

I am A Robot

JJ. Weekend Market in Bangkok is a great place to visit. It’s in the north of Bangkok and close to ‘Mo Chit Station’ on Skytrain line system. Here you could not only spot all cheap fake branded goods, but also a great deal of Thai traditional decorations…apart from all those, there’re also a big handful of local designers displaying their original creativity. ‘Robot’ is just one of those creative kids.

All robots are hand-made wood, hand painted with those amusing expressions…

They’re often attached with mini airplanes or googlee eyes or flowers…

…ranges are from table lamps to key rings to hanging necklace… prices are varied from 50 baht for a key ring, or 80 baht for a necklace…

‘Robot’ is located at JJ Weekend Market, SECTION 23 SOI 32/3, ADDRESS NO.128

Here’re the 2 brain children behind all…contact them via email: pusaned@hotmail.com

rotsaniyom – Siam Square

Siam Square in Bangkok is not really a big empty square. In fact it is filled with tiny shops, boutiques, restaurants and massage places. Walking around all the Soi (which means road in Thai) you may discover some rather original design boutiques. I’ve been lucky to find this one called ‘rosaniyom’.

The front gate is a rusty iron gate…

First look at the cashier desk, you would think it’s a vintage store….but this little boutique is not only about the vintage style.

Its designer clearly loves ‘vintage girlie style’….lace is quite a dominant material not only in making in those clothes, but as well in decorating the boutique….

…different weights and patterns of lace and printed chiffon are main materials….

the abstract feather print is used in various garments, like in this scollop edge sheered vest… Styles are rather neutral instead of girlie girlie….there’re baggy dusty pink T-shirt printed with vintage ink sketched wolf, lace short sleeve boxy crop shirt, crochet long line boyfriend cardi, sheered chiffon black maxi….

….forest animals are also a main theme within its current season…owls, wolfs and deers…they all have a quite vintage ink print feeling….

following scarf print is a perfect example to reflex designer’s thoughts….shame it was printed on a smaller scale of scarf which is 60 x 60cm. If it were bigger, I would have purchased it. It was printed with very clear quality on sheered polyester chiffon.

Broderie Angleise tote is so cute with raw tan leather handles….

….near the front gate where the scarves are draped, there was this little stuffed deer standing, draped with pearl chain necklace…

For your information, ‘rotsaniyom’ at Siam Square Soi 5, nearest station is Siam Square on SkyTrain line. They also have a stall at Jatujak Weekkend Market Section 2, every Saturday and Sunday.

ready for a long sexy split for SS2011??

Tags: Rag and Bone, stella mccartney

Fashionology: Gruau – Dior Illustrated Exhibition

In the first page of the booklet it says a quote by John Galliano – ‘To be inspired by Dior is to be inspired by Rene Gruau. His sketches capture the silhouette and spirit of Dior and a new era of fashion and femininity. His illustrations are timeless, ever youthful, ever faithful to the moment he saw; they capture the energy, the sophistication and daring of Dior, and equally are a token of an enduring friendship.’

It really is like…Gruau’s illustration could speak to you…

Flower Woman – below

Christian Dior’s love of flowers inspired him to create the New Look in 1947. Drawn to their architectural symmetry, their colours and scent, he aimed to transpose these qualities on to the clothes he designed: ‘I was drawing flower women, soft, sloping shoulders, generous busts, a slim waist and wide skirts like flower petals.’ Rene Gruau understood and shared Dior’s passion for flowers, and when Dior asked him to create drawings for his perfume Diorissimo in 1956, Gruau initially presented the young woman in the nude. Although Dior was impressed by the boldness of the illustrator’s vision, he eventually asked Gruau to dress her in an elegant black sheath dress.

Diorissimo, 1956, below

was designed around the notes of Dior’s favourite flower, lily of the valley. As lily of the valley’s essence cannot be extracted, the perfume uses a blend of other flowers to recreate its scent. To reflect this, Gruau illustrated a mixed bouquet to evoke the spirit of the fragrance.

Miss Dior was originally a line of bath products. And to assemble that theme, Gruau has created some illustration with girl whistling in the bath.

There’re real photographs being cut and collaged onto the illustration. Those days without computer…

Dioressence (below) was created in 1979. The illustration for the original advertising campaign for Dioressence was inspired by the Belle Epoque society paintings of Georges Clairin. The image of an elegant woman reclining in a hammock conveys perfectly the exotic Haute Couture spirit of the scent.

Below illustration was called Miss Dior created in 1961, inspired by Venetian dominoes, recalls the great society balls of the post-war years, which were often hosted by mutual friends of Rene Gruau and Christian Dior.

For Dior’s second perfume, Diorama, Gruau chose to depict a neo Louis XVI chair onto which a woman has tossed her elegant gloves and scarf. Gruau understood better than anyone the power of the symbolic gesture, and in his drawings for Dior he often referred to the 18th century, a period of great influence for Christian Dior.

This illustration Dior-Dior 1976 is inspired by the techniques of Japanese calligraphy. The model is positioned in a large character reminiscent of Gruau’s own signature. The play on space gives a strong sense of the immaterial quality of the fragrance.

With swirly pattern carved on the body of the perfume bottle j’dor limited edition 2003, it truly represents the concept of the perfume as ‘a drop of gold’.

…below 2 illustrations are for stockings campaign…very cleverly portraited and drawing people attention to its promotional point.

…I wonder whether Lady Diana took her hair-cut inspiration from this illustration which was created during mid 60s…

…they are just so divine, magical and… Christmasy…

The exhibition overall has a genuine feeling of Christmas which is also helped by setting at Somerset House. With the ice-stating ring and Tiffany temporary shop set outside, this exhibition would be an ideal Christmas visit set into your diary.

Tags: Christian Dior, John Galliano, Rene Gruau

if you can’t afford a Chanel…then…

then share a laugh with us here…..

image sourced from Jakandjil.com/blog     re-edited by QueenYoung

Tags: Chanel