the brazilians have it

so i haven't been up to posting because of some bad news i received lately. but it seems right now that there is some hope. and it has given me the will to type. and i remembered that a few weeks ago i wrote about how i was so inspired by the dashing Grace Jones. well today, i'm really feeling one of my favourite Brazilian actresses, Sonia Braga. in the western world people may recognize her from her recurring role on The Cosby Show as Mrs. Westlake, Theo's math teacher. or you may remember her as Samantha's lover, Maria on Sex and The City. below are a couple of images of her in film, or as magazine editorials. there isn't much in the way of clothing in these photos but she still pours out the style like a volcano during Sao Paulo Fashion Week . go on now, enjoy her in all her hotness.

The Space In Between Things

I have always been a very huge fan of fonts. its rather hilarious because i don't work in graphic design, or signage, or anything even remotely related to it. so i was only too excited to get my hands on a copy of Helvetica. so in my love of all things antique yet classy, i am completely captivated by this film. let me start off by explaining that there are huge undertones about modernism in this film and how antiquated typography got replaced by modernist trends, with the most obvious example being the font Helvetica. and the context for all things antique is referenced to the artists/designers who are interviewed in this film. so much history and knowledge is expunged from these older designers, one can only get all googly-eyed. five minutes into the movie and i've fallen in love again. and of course its a mixture of something older and newer. Massimo Vignelli (77) captured my heart because he made a very blunt and unforgiving statements that only an oldschool Italian man who doesn't care about what you think about him would say. read this "Design is made to cure a disease... and that disease is ugliness". and lets leave it here so we can all be inspired for a million minutes or so.

and My Favourite Today is Undercover

Jun Takahashi is creative gold. this collection is youthful, filled with contrasting fabrics in the outfits and within the pieces themselves, blending subdued hues, creating scalloped cuts, !maintaining a subtle level of androgyny (my favourite part). this is the kind of collection that makes you wish it was fall again... well almost. what is the most important thing it achieves? yummy inspiration!

Dior and JG

So if you've ever seen those plastic Barbie dolls from the 60's you'll probably think that the Dior collection was a miniature catwalk with these dolls, with their clicking knees strolling down the runway and their stiff arms swaying back and forth. this show is so 60's glam right down to the eye shadow.

instead of creating basic RTW garments, JG sticks to complete and utter luxury. mmm... good.

Kris van Assche...

does menswear for ladies, because that's what he does best, and its amazing. contrary to Vivienne Westwood's show, this minimalistic take on next year's soon to be trends is going to give me sweet dreams like the Eurythmics.
image courtesy: style.com

It's Paris and It's Fashion Week

Vivienne Westwood is all about the future. What is her possible image of that? Well i think its the possibility of surviving our ecosystem. Her theme for this show is based on an eco-warrior living in an urban future, i.e. us, as people, battling the effects of a global warming and other environmental downfalls, but living as we were today. she returns to themes of the jungle, and Africa, with more primal painted pieces. what i see, is a light-hearted view on very significant issues today. but why not? we need to sometimes see in often worrying topics in an optimistic view or else wouldn't we all lose hope? p.s. alot of this collection is bonkers. i likey.

notice above, the paint streaked coats, pants, and tops. it looks very similar to patterns used by African tribespeople to paint their faces.

above, i really enjoyed the sharp-angled corners to create the bag clasp and the sleeves of that shrug. it looks like a cuffed shirt was coiled around the model's arms.

i love the multi-fabric, multi-patterned items put together to create this outfit.

image courtesy: style.com

H&M knows Crayola Blue

Crown Royal saved a dress for me at H&M last thursday. contrary to the million and two gray items i've been purchasing lately, this long, slim-fitting dress has a 'punch in the face' colour to it. Lapis lazuli is the colour that best describes it. but it more triggers childhood memories of that blue in the crayon box.

this is the lovely dress below.

and if this is a sign of what is to come for H&M this spring/summer, i'm getting excited. i found some of their trend items online for viewing and boy are they ever beautiful. i have to admit, i've been slightly disappointed in the H&M winter collection of this previous year, and i was hoping that they would impress me again. it looks like they are en pointe with the sunny season's expected trends. african prints and culturally-themed garments as evidenced in their large turbans worn on many of the models. safari-inspired themes also a prominent feature. but most importantly (at least to me) the bold, bright monochrome coloured garments are styled together with the other two trends. yeah, H&M, you go on. p.s. ladies, those loose fitting pants are beautiful but if you are shorter than 5'7 put them back on the rack... unless you want to look like a dwarf who rummaged through MC Hammer's closet.

images courtesy: neomoda

Devendra Banhart is a paperdoll

my friend sent me a link today that will occupy me (sadly) for several hours. its the Devendra Banhart online dress up figure. its available on his website. it lets you pick and choose what this burly rocker gets to wear. i don't know, maybe you can dress him up for several different occasions, like when he meets your dad, or when you jump in a 60's caravan to go see the next Grateful Dead show. or maybe he can meet your dad at a Grateful Dead.

Click on this link below!
Dress Me

mmm, one thing i can't wait for is...

the new April 77 to come out with there spring/summer collection. i pretty much want every garment that they provide. the blazer they have on their website is worthy of hugs and kisses. i love how consistent they have been over the last few years. their british post-punk and softened rockabilly looks are gorgeous. they are definitely one of my favourite labels. they don't over-saturate their brand by creating a superfluous amount of non-coalescing pieces. you can pretty much only purchase from their collection for one season and you would have a complete wardrobe. i mean, just let your eyes do the wanting.

images courtesy: jargol.com

A New Do and a Movie or Two

this weekend was a little more low-key yet fun. crown royal and i pretty much watched about a 6 movies and went out for a friend's birthday at the Drake. in between all of that i did some much un-needed shopping and got myself a gorgeous new 'do from a Sassoon stylist. i dipped into the new Tiger of Sweden collection at Ukula and picked up this gray oversized ribbed tank made out of 100% Tencel. it feels like water on my skin, possibly the softest fluid-like fabric that's brushed my skin in a while. i also bought myself this oversized Acne dress from Next Door. as is evident, i've probably just about abandoned any thought of saving up to buy all of my clothes from the spring/summer collections when they come out in the next month or two.

We Can All Stand Taller With These Beautifully Towering Collars

Fresh out of the Fall 2008 RTW Milan runways, there was a definite focus on changing themes. Jil Sanders collection exhibited the refreshing creativity of Raf Simons. Alberta Ferretti strayed away from her traditionally whimisically romantic pieces to a more architecturally designed collection. Ferre's collection has reverted back to its oldways, beautifully crafted fall pieces, feminine but not in an Laura Ashley overkill way. i especially love the overall theme with most of the coats with their exaggerated collars that tower high over the models' necks serving to lengthen the overall stature of the person wearing them and providing a utilitarian purpose as a scarf. the collars look like beautiful sculptures sprouting around the models' tiny heads.

Below: Jil Sanders

Below: Alberta Ferretti

Below: Ferre

images courtesy: style.com, nymag

Moonlight Desires II

it was nice to have a day off today. after all the errands were done i was unfortunately left to my own devices. and what does that mean? spending a bit of time wishing and wanting for so many nice things.


mmmm... a milkshake of potential mix and matches!
1)that lovely dress is from Etsy...from the NikitaJade shop ...what a vintage dream!
2)i would wear that dress to the Safari Motor Inn in Burbank California in order to escape this cold winter weather... imagine that econo-vacation deliciousness, my eyes are hurting from all of the fluorescent lighting. coincidentally they filmed parts of the movie True Romance (1999) there which is why i would love to pay it a visit.
3)i have recently fallen in love with Nine West again. i bought a pair of heels from there a few weeks ago and am dying for the snow to melt so that i can traipse around in them. look at these yummy little gladiator heels which are only about 92 dollars.... i wonder who is designing for them... have they received some sort of revamp or what? these are from Zappo's.
4)i have a mild addiction to baby oil and can't keep enough of it stocked up in the house (Johnson and Johnson's is the best). i need and want it all of the time.
5) i can't keep repeating how much i'm loving Kenneth Jay Lane and all of his gorgeous jewellery. i found this one on the Bloomingdale's site.
6) and finally a deerskin tobacco pouch for me please. native american items are often so beautifully crafted. this one looks as soft as my skin! its from another Etsy shop called Madejust4u

p.s. i can't wait for spring

Swedish De-Scent

do you remember when J. Lindeberg first became a hot product in North America. to me it seems like ages ago. it was one of the first swedish labels in this last decade to make its first dent in the American retail industry. In terms of high fashion, the Swedes had already made their marking with one Lars Nilsson (ex-creative director for Nina Ricci, now defunct designer for Ferre). over the recent years, Tiger of Sweden have etched themselves into American retail with their smart very casual streetwear garments. and even more current, the ever-adored, modestly priced Cheap Monday. well, there may be another brand that will hopefully decide to cross the waters and bring their goods here. a fairly new menswear label (2oo6ish), Odeur, have captured many an interested eye in the last few weeks. i can only describe their collection for spring/summer as something that is deliciously androgynous, almost ghost like. the company, launched by Anna Lidstrom and Peter Hallstrom, carries a magnificent collection of denim, over-sized, cape-like sweaters, akin to when apparitions appear to me at night with sheets over their head. so is it enough that they make hot clothing? apparently not. in efforts to create a unique niche for their label amidst the billion and two already successful brands all over the world, the company has (in the tradition of their namesake) created a scent that is embedded into their clothing. Petter Hollstrom has reported that "it brings the consumer closer to the product". i'm not sure if having a scent attached to your clothing when you buy it would attract you more to the article of clothing. i think, good architecture and design are my two pre-determinates. and with this label it looks like they have succeeded in both. lets just say, if i had a boyfriend, he would be wearing this.

Its a Gray Saturday

So its another freezing day and unfortunately i had a lot of fun at Hip Hop Karaoke last night so i woke up super late. the only thing in order was to have a tasty brunch with Roybotic Steez. my new See by Chloe top saw the light of day today. and all i had was one mission today and it was to acquire one bottle of matte grey nail polish. Nylon mag posted an image recently of a set of digits beautifully polished in a light grey colour. apparently it was seen throughout all of the NY Fashion Week shows and this shade has become highly popular in Japan. over on that side of the world people are coating their nails in this lacquer called Man Glaze. when i went out today, i didn't look for that aforementioned brand, instead i searched for anything in my desired shade. i thought i would have some luck if i searched for OPI brand colours, but as i went to beauty stand after beauty stand my hopes waned. so after i told some friends about my mission, they cleverly advised me to mix black and white. and so sometimes the obvious works. my nail polish is the focal point of my outfit today....

Its a Top Shop just around the Block

image courtesy: dailymail

After such sad news from Polaroid a few days ago, my toes have been wiggling to hear or read something nice. of course when should we find out something great out of England but during London Fashion Week. and what could be nicer than to hear that Top Shop is opening on this side of the water? according to the Herald Tribune that is exactly what is going to happen. well of course in won't be here in the great white north but as it has just been anounced, Sir Philip Green is going to open up shop on Broadway in the NYC. and probably really soon, as he has already acquired the property. mmmmm, my cross-border shopping is going to increase exponentially in the near future. and what of all the other Top Shop lovers around the world? Sir Green is also in talks to open some stores out East (China, Hong Kong, and maybe in India). mmm, Mr. Green i like you. do you know why? because, aside from making his mega retail chain more accessible, also because he earns huge bucks and gives some of it out to support (something along the lines of 2 mill) young designers... such as... i don't know.. Christopher Kane. and all Mr. Kane has to do is create an affordable collection for Top Shop.

Its a Sad Time for Print Photography

artist (David Van't Veen)

So I was reading a few online sources (BBC, Lifelounge) and it is confirmed that Polaroid is closing all of its American factories. last week it was announced that polaroid film production is scheduled to stop in the States, Mexico, and Netherlands. if you didn't know before, the cameras are already no longer being made. Polaroid filed for bankruptcy back in 2001 and haven't been doing well since. many people believed that Polaroid didn't want to jump or failed to jump on the digital bandwagon. it saddens me a lot to know that i will never be a able to hold a warm photo in my hand and shake it into existence. Polaroids always make me nostalgic. they remind me of the 70`s and early 80`s, my parents have boxes of photos, now slightly yellowed. i have loads of pictures of my mom and dad in their youth, and photos of me and my brother as babies. and i always liked their vintage feel. my roommate took some last year and we have them pinned on our fridges. i know the digital future of photography is pretty much a mainstay, but what about the ability to have another option? anyway, all is not lost, at least for now. the company is trying to find a corporate partner to help maintain their film developing productivity. lets keep our fingers crossed...

artist: Toto Frima

artist: Mare Milin

images courtesy: Polaroid

Trying to Beat the Cold is Getting Old

Well, it was quite a tiring weekend. in fact, by saturday i was quite exhausted. i managed to go to sneaky dee's for the dmoney party. i was getting hopeful that warm times were coming, but alas when i woke up my dreams were crushed by a huge iceberg of a winter storm. movie rentals were the only option. and so if it can't be summer yet, we decided to rent some foreign films. and of course both films took place in more temperate settings. crown royal (alias) and i watched the amazing french film 'Breathless'. i know he will be discussing this movie on his blog as he was enamored (as was i) by every aspect of the film. the second film we watched was Almodovar's 'Volver'. although it wasn't my favourite Almodovar movie (that would be 'Talk To Her'), it was still quite good. amidst this grey, cold, harsh weather i'm experiencing the movie boasted a colour-saturated setting in various regions of Spain. i think that amidst the many, often overly complicated and far-fetched storylines, the bright colours characteristic of Spanish culture were set against the often ravenous heat of the summer.


so i decided to look up some older Almodovar films that i haven't seen yet. and tada! i found the 'Labyrinth of Passion' (1982). to give you a brief synopsis i'll start off by saying its about a nymphomaniac punk rocker named Sexi whose father is a gynecologist who specializes in artificial insemination. and like all of Mr. Almodovar's films tlethere are several interwoven storylines not all mutually exclusive from each other. i can't wait to watch it, i think you can't either. let the following images entice you. be forewarned kiddies, the movie has loads of erotic overtones (characteristic of older Almodovar's works).

i can't wait for it to inspire me. p.s. Antonio Banderas is in it (1982 Antonio)

images courtesy: indiewire, rottentomatoes, filmsociety, guardian

So I've Been Weak at NY Fashion Week

I've had a preoccupied week so i haven't been posting on NY Fashion Week. i did get excited about seeing the Project Runway Collection. so the episode for this event hasn't aired so if you want to know what the collections are, stop reading after this next period. one of the finalists was Karen Vaughn. her collection was quite varied and therefore lacked fluidity. her show was noncohesive. however she did have some beautiful quite feminine pieces. i really like the dark maroon and black dress, with the slightly belled almost kimono-like sleeves.





A little more pleasing was the Rami Kashou collection. his experience in dress making is clearly evident. he creates these delicate yet elegant luxurious evening gowns. it was definitely a more formal collection.





so Christian Siriano made the final cut. this was definitely one of my favourites. his show was definitely more fluid than than Karen's. he kept with his feminine edwardian musketeer theme. the detail, and contrast in fabrics made Christian's experience and professionalism shine through.




the following images are of a violent nature, 18 years of age are required. i don't have anything to say about Chris March's collection except that its a gothic mess.



the last but definitely not the least was Jillian Lewis' show. her uber-feminine collection was tasteful. there weren't a whole lot of new ideas in it. it actually reminded alot of what mara hoffman collection's are like with all of the constructed bustier's.



images courtesy: nymag