fashion blah blah

Interview wih Ivania Carpio from Love-Aesthetics

2012-01-24T14:07:00.000-08:00

Ivania Carpio is a very charming young lady, she surprises you with her huge beautiful eyes and simple beauty. It was love at first sight for me when i discovered her blog. She has a true and inspirational love for clean cuts, minimal aesthetics, simplicity and neutral colors and she developed a great ability in creating her own accessories and jewelry taking inspiration from the designers she likes...her diy tutorials are absolutely amazing. She's the farest thing from the usual fashion blogger we're used to see nowadays (and i mean this in a very positive way!), and after checkin her blog by yourselves i'm sure you're going to become addicted too.

Let me introduce you to the lovely Ivania, owner of LOVE_AESTHETICS.

1-When did you realize your style was growing and going in a more minimal a simple direction?

This was a slow process. I always liked the idea of living minimalistic, with the necessary things you need only. I´ve always had an aversion against over comsumerism and materialism. (my mom is a bit of a hippy) Also my favorite piece of clothing has been plain white or black tshirt since I was about 12. I would add jackets and jewelry and a lot of things not to make it seem boring.

But one day I realized that simple doesn´t mean boring, it´s hard to make a simple basic outfit look interesting.

2-Can you describe a typical day of your life?

Constant running, between my kid´s school, my own university, the blog. Throughout the day I am constantly answering e-mails, I get 40 daily, it´s insane. My blog has become more of a fulltime job and I´m still working on fitting that into my life and schedule.

3-Is there any unknown designer or brand you think everyone should know about?

LAND a Dutch brand of a good friend of mine (if she weren´t my friend I would also love it, just for the record)

CO-TE an Italian brand I recently discovered which has the most amazing view on cuts and the female body

4- How do you like to spoil yourself?

Ordering the most expensive coffee and including all the extra´s, caramel, cream, extra esspresso...

5-Have you ever had the chance to meet a person you really admire and if yes who is this person?

Yes I have, I interviewed Milou van Rossum for a school assignment. She is the best newspaper fashion journalist from The Netherlands. I admire her a lot.

6-What do you love the most about your house?

My new workspace: a huge table in the middle of the living room facing the window.

7-If you wouldn't be studying journalism and keeping a blog what do you think you'd be doing?

I was assistant to the creative director of a pretty cool children's jeans brand before I started university, I think I would have gone into doing something creative behind the scenes of a brand.

8-Is there any blog or magazine you're obsessed about?

Blog: Luxirare, her way of executing everything she does is flawless.

Magazine: Dazed and Confused; I've never been dissappointed by a single issue.

9-What do you keep in your fridge?

Lot's of vegetables and lot's of indonesian and asian spices from my boyfriend

10-When you're busy creating a diy project what do you listen to and what do you love to surround yourself with?

I listen to music that doesn't disturb my thoughts, music I don't want to sing along with, music that doesn't make me want to dance.

As we speak I'm listening to Baths - Aminals.

11-Is there any secret hobby you have and not many people know?

Not really.. fashion is my life. I like making things, but I guess everyone knows that.

12-What's the plan for your future life/blog/work...any idea?

I hope I'll be able to keep blogging. I want to become a cross-media online fashion editor.

to know more about her you obviously need to visit her splendid blog: LOVE-AESTHETICS!

Mens Fashion week in Milan...the first interesting details

2012-01-14T08:04:00.000-08:00

So, the fall winter 2013 Milan Mens fashion week has official started and i've already seen some very interesting details and shapes out there. Today some of my favorite brands had their fashion show planned and those that left me super impressed have been Jil Sander, Costume Nationale and Dolce & Gabbana.We've seen lots of leather, 19th century inspired coats, great leather accesories and handbags, amazing military inspired boots, jackets you can wear like backpacks.

Here are some photos of what you'll be able to see in stores next year, for the joy of all the elegant dudes out there!

JIL SANDER

DOLCE & GABBANA

COSTUME NATIONALE

Thanks to NOW FASHION for the photos

new SS 2012 campaigns

2012-01-08T04:20:00.000-08:00

So, with the cold weather all the new spring summer 2012 campaigns are starting to be revealed. Here's my personal selection of those i find the most appealing and interesting...i'd love to know what's your favorite campaign so far.

CHANEL

DOLCE & GABBANA

YVES SAINT LAURENT

PROENZA SCHOULER

JIL SANDER

More of my favorite ss 2012 campaigns in the next post...meanwhile let me know your opinion about these ones.

Have a lovely sunday!

I am back!!!!

2011-12-15T14:59:00.000-08:00

Hi, I'm back...these past 3 months have been really tough for me. It was really had to get some spare time to update the blog due to the amount of work i had to solve.

The news are: i am a women designer at Prada now and i barely have a minute left during the day to take care of this blog but i'll do my best to solve this problem.

I'm going to restart publishing interviews and reviews as much as i can ten we'll see. I hope you'll keep being faithful.

This weekend the Circus Flea Market is taking place in Milan and i'm going to be there among the seller with my stand and a few of my best friends. I'll have the chance to interview new italian designers and see what comes out! Keep coming back here. I'll keep you updated....you keep on telling me what you'd like me to write about.

Have a lovely day

2011-07-21T16:25:00.000-07:00

THIS BLOG IS TEMPORARILY CLOSED!

Because of the summer holidays i won't be able to update this blog for at least 1 month. The new job doesn't leave me as much free time as i'd need to keep posting so much, therefore i'll take a break and i promise i'll be back as soon as possible with new interviews and reviews by the end of august. Have a lovely summer you all!!!

apologies

2011-06-29T13:25:00.000-07:00

I know Men fashion week in Milan passed and i didn't write a single post about it, it's been crazy at work (and our mens show was one of the most acclaimed ones!) therefore i had no time to update anything, but i promise i'll do a looooong review of all my favorite ss 2012 collections as soon as i can.

Meanwhile please enjoy my new visual diary about Instagram and tell me what you think about it.

I'm so sorry!

2011-06-06T11:50:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry.I know i've been a very bad blogger these days: the truth is i've been working and working and working and really had no time to update the blog but i promise i'll do my best to fill your brain with fashion infos and news as much as possible.

Let's start with this amazing video created by Ksubi to present their new line of colored pants....i think it's pure genius and is so poetic to be just an advert.

Enjoy

ksubi kolors from ksubi on Vimeo.

L'amour Fou, a documentary about Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé

2011-05-15T05:20:00.000-07:00

"L'amour Fou" opened yesterday in New York at the IFC Center and at the Paris Theatre, then it will be available for audience in selected cinemas in the U.S. from the 20th of may.

This is a documentary film presented by Nowness website and directed by Pierre Thoretton. It traces the fifty years relationship between Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé and shows some very intimate moments of the couple and places they shared like their houses in Paris, Marrakech and the Chateau Gabriel in Normandy.It starts with the famous Christies auction where most of couple's pieces of art were sold, following the death of Monsier Saint Laurent.

I'm sure you all are going to love this as much as i do.

YSL: L’Amour Fou on Nowness.com.

Chanel Resort 2012 collection: a bad surprise

2011-05-13T11:44:00.000-07:00

I honestly didn't like the new Chanel Resort 2012 collection by Karl Lagerfeld. It was too classic and, even if all the looks are very typical Chanel, all the models looked like 60 years old women ...and those shoes would make anyone's legs look huge paired with knee-lenght tube skirts.

I know the Chanel Resort collection is always a big event for buyers and vips but it was extremely disappointed for anybody interested in seeing something fresh and new.

All images courtesy of style.com

Interview with Simon Christopher Waller

2011-04-22T02:07:00.000-07:00

Today i want you all to get to know a british designer you're going to love for sure. His name's Simon Christopher Waller and his clothes are super wearable, all made of jersey or silk or soft wool and all in earth tones. His latest AW 11 collection was presented 2 weeks ago in UK and was a massive success and that makes me so happy because i think he's going to be very big in a few years. If you fancy super chic but comfy garments please read this conversation i had with Christopher Waller and you won't be disappointed.

1-When and how did you realize you wanted to become a fashion designer?

If I’m honest, it wasn’t until very late on during my foundation course when I was 18. There was a Fashion and Textile option in one of the modules and I ended up enjoying it more than the illustration course I was on. Illustration was what I went to University to do in the first place so it was quite a drastic change in direction. From then on it was about trying to get my portfolio to a place where it was realistic to apply to fashion courses with. Looking back it at it now, I wasn’t really to sure what was supposed to be in it, but it all worked out in the end as I got into the University of East London, which I was very happy about. It all went from there.

2-What is it that you can't stand or are usually annoyed by?

In no order; Umbrellas (I’m quite tall!) Flip Flops, Morning trains. I’m not looking forward to the day when these three things are all in the same place at the same time.

3-Is there any special place you love to go when you need to find inspiration or simply work quietly?

Any library. Especially the one at my old University. One of the things I miss the most, is having all of those books to use as references and inspiration, specifically art and photography.

4-Your collections are very defined, clean and super wearable and I love that! Who would you love to see wearing your pieces?

Alexa Chung! She’s got such an honest down to earth style, which is effortlessly chic. She never over complicates. It’s a hard thing to get right.

5-Do you have any hidden talent apart from being an amazing fashion designer?

I've always been talented at sports although I don’t play the so much anymore as I don’t have the time. When I was at school my life revolved around sport. Football, hockey, rugby, cricket etc. You name it I played it. I much prefer playing sport as apposed to going to the gym!

6-What is it that suddenly gets your attention when you're looking at a piece of clothing?

How it makes a woman look and feel. It’s interesting to hear the opinions that women I’m dressing give. I’m not going to wear the clothes I make, so it’s vital I totally understand what women feel like in any piece of the collection. I’m lucky to have some close friends who wear Christopher Waller when we’re out so I can see for myself what it looks like in context and not just in the studio.

7-How would you describe your experience at John Richmond?

The job at John Richmond was offered to me straight out of Uni. I was a great opportunity to design for them as I had graduated in formal, tailored menswear. The couple of years I was there I made some great friends and learnt a huge deal about building collections and understanding the demands of fashion design in a high-end environment.

8-Do you have any favourite place you like to hang out or that you'd love to recommend?

I live in new cross and love hanging out here. Now it’s summer and actually sunny, I love going up Telegraph Hill in New Cross Gate. It’s really chilled and quiet and has the most amazing view across London. I also love London fields. It’s got festival atmosphere on any sunny weekend like nowhere else in London.

9-First thing you do when you wake up in the morning?

Snooze, Snooze, Snooze, Shower, Tea, Toast, Emails.

10-What aspects do you like the most about the creating process in fashion: sketching, research, pattern making, choosing fabrics.....?

I’ve never been a big sketcher, which seems strange as I initially went to Uni to do Illustration. I only sketch to remember an idea I’ve had, so I can then get on the stand and develop the idea. The whole process in its entirety is what I enjoy the most. From sketch to toile, toile to pattern, back to toile and so on. It’s the constant cycle of development that I find the most rewarding. When you are re-cutting a pattern there is always nervous excitement that this time its going to be the perfect shape. It rarely is but you always get there I the end.

11-Your AW11 collection got so much attention and I must admit it's gorgeous. Do you have any favourite piece from it?

Thanks, I’m really happy with the response it has had. I don’t really have a favourite. They all compliment each other in some way. If I had to pick I’d say the long contrast sleeve and the crombie. They both work really well.

12-Is there any website or blog you love to check every once in a while?

My friend showed me one the other day that I love. It’s called The Selby. It showing creative’s in either their home or work environment. Full of very inspiring people, with great photography to go with it.

For further infos please visit his website:

http://www.christopherwaller.com

A day working as a backstage photographer

2011-04-17T10:13:00.000-07:00

Last week i had the chance to collaborate with my dear friend Umbe San during a shooting he was organizing together with a great photographer, Matteo. The Theme was an adult and more mature version of Alice from "Alice in Wonderland" and it was set in a beautiful old apartment in the center of Milan. It was breathtaking!

Here's the result of my work as a backstage photographer:

G.A.R.B.O press day

2011-04-10T05:08:00.000-07:00

On wednesday i was invited to go to the G.A.R.B.O. press day to have a look at their young designers' collections and i must admit i was amazed at how creative and fresh everything was. It was a mix of really different collections, some were ore colorful, other were very detailed, then there were beautiful jewelry pieces and accessories made with ceramics alongside splendid leather shoes, cozy chunky knitwear jackets and more minimalistic garments. Here are some of the photos i took during that evening. Thanks again to Roberta from G.A.R.B.O. for inviting me into such an amazing space.

the food was absolutely delicious: floaty flakes of fresh parmesan cheese, cakes, pastries, tarallis and great wine.

here's the complete list of all the designers:

- AILE (women clothing)
- BABBU (women clothing)
- BARK (duffle coats for men and women)
- BINGLABANGLES (accessories and bijoux)
- CINZIA ARAIA (bags and shoes)
- COR SINE LABE DOLI (accessories, jewelry and scents)
- COSEATRE (accessories and jewelry)
- ELENA CARDINALI (shoes)
- ELENA MASSARI (women clothing)
- EMILIANO RINALDi (men and women clothing)
- MARCO CORSO (women clothing)
- PAOLO PASOTTI - Luca Crescenzi per PAOLO PASOTTI (accessories and jewelry)

- SUSANNA CORNET (women clothing)
- TUSCIA (women clothing)

- VANET (women clothing)

for further infos please visit the G.A.R.B.O. website

memories from our british weekend

2011-04-08T10:37:00.000-07:00

About 1 month ago i went to London with my bestfriend Umbe San and we had the time of our lives. Just 4 days of laughing out loud, enjoying the vintage markets, visiting galleries, eating out and spending quality time with our friends living there, especially my lovely Ingrid. Here are some photos.

the Sarafan showroom

2011-04-05T05:16:00.000-07:00

There's a wonderful place in Tel-Aviv, it's a showroom founded in 2009 by two friends, Ayelet and Sivan, and it's called Sarafan.

Sarafan showroom is a place where innovative and cutting-edge fashion designers' works are hosted and are presented at trend shows internationally during fashion weeks (mostly NY fashion week) and get the right promotion and visibility to sell their creations in boutiques worldwide.

There you'll be able to admire many different examples of beautiful jewelry, accessories and garments and i'm sure you too will become a fan of Sarafan showroom as soon as you'll have a look at their website.

You can contact the showroom by sending an email to this address:

contact@sarafan-tlv.com

here are some of the splendid creations you'll find there:

Black Sheep baby apparel

Dario's jewlry

Miss Alice garments and bags

Ruby Star jewlry

Julliet clothes

Shirley Jones clothes

Mirit Weinstock jewlry

Thank you Filep

2011-04-02T03:02:00.000-07:00

The lovely and amazing Filep Motwary, fellow blogger and great designer, has featured some of my photos (taken during fashion week 2 years ago) on his blog. Thanks so much Filep! I'm very honored

You can have a look at all the post by clicking HERE.

interview with : Sabino Aguad Castoldi

2011-03-13T13:47:00.000-07:00

More than 1 year and half ago i was browsing through tumblr pages, jumping from one to another and all the photos i liked the most were almost always from the same Tumblr page, the Sabino Tumblr page. I suddenly started looking at all of his pictures (some of them are taken from other blogs or websites and others are taken by the man himself) and couldn't stop thinking how great his sense of taste was, how good he was to see the beauty in a photo, even just in a small detail. That's why i've decided to ask him a few questions to know more who's really behind this amazing project and let you all know why his research deserves to be known by as many people as possible

1-Where are you from and why did you start a Tumblr blog?

I live in Santiago, Chile. I started my tumblr two and a half years ago as a personal photo-bookmarking site, that's why it has my name on it. So it's nothing more than a blog to save and share photos I like.

2-I love your aestheticism, what are you mostly attracted to (faces, landscapes, objects, etc)?
I don't know really, everything is very intuitive and my interests changes all the time. When I look at my archive I see months full of landscapes, other full of portraits, black and white, etc. But I try to be very faithful to the aesthetics, even if they subject, the format or the colors are very different among each post.

3-What do you do in your life and what would you like to achieve in your future?
For now I go to journalism school and run a couple of blogs. I'm also working in two magazine projects that will feature art and fashion.

4-Do you have any vice?
Internet and photography.

5-If you could describe your house what would you say?
It's a nice house in the suburbs. It's very boring here, but it doesn't distract me from my work or studies.

6-Is there any website or blog you'd like to recommend?
Three tumblr blogs I'm enjoying lately: andrewharlow.tumblr.com/, maryrobinson.tumblr.com/, audreyhepburncomplex.tumblr.com/

7-What's a typical day like for you?
Wake up at 6.30, go to school and get back at 5pm or so to blog a little. I also take pictures when I have free time.

8-How do you feel towards your hometown Santiago? Which words would you use to describe it to a stranger?
I love it here, but I won't lie, it's boring. But it's the perfect place to work and start projects if you really want to.

9-is there any secret talent you have that we don't know apart from being able to find breath taking images?
Nah, if I had any I would probably not spent so much time on tumblr.

10-What are your biggest passions in life?
Internet, photography and sharing. Oh, and I'd love to be a teacher someday.

11-Do you take photos as well? What kind of camera and kit do you prefer to use?
I use a Nikon FM2 with a 50mm 1.8 lense and Olympus OM-2s with a 50mm 1.4 and a 28mm 2.8 lenses. I use kodak portra 400nc film when possible.

to look at many more beautiful pictures please visit his blog:

http://sabino.tumblr.com

interview with: Anve

2011-03-10T11:09:00.000-08:00

ANVE is a Lisbon based duo of designers and friends named Kerstin and Annett , both sharing a big love for simplicity and beauty of objects. They create simple yet amazing objects and accessories often handcrafted or homemade and most of them are unique pieces. I really would love you all to pay a visit to their website because i am more than sure you all will fall in love with every single piece you'll find there. Enjoy!

1-Where are you two from? I know you met in Lisbon but you're coming from different countries, right?

Annett: Kerstin is from Basel/Switzerland, and I'm originally from Germany.

2-What kind of studies did you do?

Kerstin: I studied German literature, history and art history.

Annett: And I did industrial design and visual communications.

3-Why have you decided to use Lisbon as your base despite having travelled around the world? What is it that made you fell in love with this city?

Kerstin: Well, what brought us here in the first place were our partners.

Annett: But they didn't have a very hard time convincing us. Lisbon is a beautiful and still very authentic city, maintaining it's own pace. Its sensual light, its wealth of crumbling architecture, pristine beaches and mountains so close by stimulate your senses. Family, friends and fresh fish play an important role in Portuguese culture, and while people are often working extremely hard, they don’t define themselves only by work and success.

It's also intriguing to live on the edge of Europe, having the vastness of the ocean in front of you but feeling the continent behind you.

4-I went to Lisbon for the first time this summer and i absolutely loved it. The food was great, the colors and people were amazing, the atmosphere was unforgettable and i want o go back this summer. Can you name some of your favorite places in Lisbon (so that next time, me or some of my readers can go and visit them) including shops, studios, parks, streets, anything....?

Annett: Some of our favourite places here are gardens. We love the Jardim Botânico (Rua da Escola Politécnica 58) and the Tapada das Necessidades (Largo das Necessidades). And the garden of the Calouste Gulbenkian museum (Rua Dr. Nicolau de Bettencourt) is not to be missed, just like buildings, exhibitions and collections there. Other interesting places for art experiences are Oporto, Kunsthalle Lissabon (Rua Rosa Araújo 7-9), Barbershop (R. Rosa Araújo 5), and Carpe Diem (Rua de O Século 79), which is housed in the ruin of an old palace.

Kerstin: At the Casa de Alentejo (Rua Portas de Santo Antão, 58) you can have simple but delicious country food in an almost surreal ambience. We also like the Cervéjaria Ramiro (Av. Almirante Reis, nº1 - H) for seafood, Taberna Ideal & Petiscaria Ideal (Rua da Esperanca 112-114 & 100/102), ...and the Pastelaria Mexicana (Avenida Guerra Junqueiro 30 C), if you are up for a trip back to the fabulous sixties.

One of my favourite stores is Casa das Velas do Loreto (Rua do Loreto 53/55), selling candles for centuries. And the bookstore Ler Devagar (Read Slowly) at LX factory (LX factory, R. Rodrigues de Faria, Alcântara) for art books.

Annett: The antiquarian bookstores around Chiado are a treat, even if you don't understand Portuguese - the design of those vintage books is mostly Helvetica free and simply amazing.

5-Is there any studio or designer (or even artists) you'd like to collaborate with?

Annett: I wish I could spend some time working with Sori Yanagi in Tokyo, with open eyes and ears. The man is 96, and still working!

Kerstin: When it comes to form and texture I love the works of Indian artist Nasreen Mohamedi and Czech artist Mária Bartuszová.

6-What's your favorite part of the day and why?

Annett: The 'fim da tarde', the early evening. That's when the heat of the day becomes more bearable, the golden street lights mingle with the twilight , and people socialize on the streets after work. And you still have a long, promising night ahead of you...

7-What's the best and the worst part of being a designer?

Annett: It takes some time until you have found the right people to work with. Especially simple, minimalistic things need a certain understanding and perfection. But it's fantastic to be able to follow your intuition and learn new things every day. We do what we like, while keeping it simple and without huge investments, letting it grow step by step.

8-What's the next city you're both planning to visit?

Kerstin: Porto, a city in the North of Portugal. More old shops and warehouses to discover!

9-Anve has just been launched on the 18th of december. What was the reaction of the people?

Annett: That Saturday we had a kind of preview salon, from early afternoon until 10pm. Almost nobody had shown up until 9.45pm! Then all of a sudden it was packed, and we actually sold quite well. We Northerners still have to learn a thing or two about Mediterranean lifestyle!

After all we're really impressed by all the encouraging feedback we've got, by friends and from the internet community.

10- What good memories do you have about your childhood?

Kerstin: Nature. After school both of us used to spend the whole afternoon in the woods, damming up creeks, building huts, and roaming farms.

This gave us a feeling of independence and autonomy, and we had so many things to discover: patterns and colors, shapes and spaces!

11-I love your creations, there is a certain poetry behind any of your objects. While you're in the process of creating, what is it really helpful for you to develop an idea (listening to music, a warm cup of tea, a bike ride, looking at books, etc)?

Annett: We find long walks, in town or in nature, very stimulating. (Unfortunately Lisbon is not exactly the place for bicycle rides!). But first and foremost it's the material that triggers our ideas.

please visit : http://anve.net/

what i've been busy working on

2011-02-27T11:24:00.000-08:00

Here's what i've been busy working on these weeks and i must admit i'm quite satisfied with the final results. Here's the C'n'c Costume national aw 11/12 collection:

and some backstage photos:

London fashion week: the awesomeness of Jonathan Saunders

2011-02-20T13:36:00.000-08:00

London fashion week has started two days ago and i'm already deeply in love with one special collection: the Jonathan Saunders' fall winter 2011 collection was extremely colorful, rich in great details and full of wearable pieces which, i'm sure, will be sold out soon. The colors he chose are perfect for the next cold season and i loved the prints so much; they reminded me a lot of the spring-summer ones without being so similar and gave the collection a whole different mood. Here are some of my favorite looks from the show.

To have a look at the whole collection please click HERE

images courtesy of catwalking.com

Ny fashion week similarities with the past

2011-02-17T13:40:00.000-08:00

Here's one of the lace themed looks from Marc Jacobs aw 2011 collection

And here's the Prada lace themed aw 2008/09 collection...a little too similar in my opinion

That is what i was talking about:

And now let's talk about the similarities with Marni spring summer 2009 collection:

here are some of Marc Jacobs' looks

and here are some look from the Marni ss 2009 collection

Highlights from New York Fashion week

2011-02-17T11:36:00.000-08:00

How beautiful is the Proenza Schouler AW 11-12 collection?! I'd buy 90% of those pieces if i had the money! Once again they prove their talent and i'm so glad to be able to work as a fashion designer and get the chance to look at this wonderful examples of creativity. Thanks Lazaro and and Jack!

And here are my favorite looks from the Marc Jacobs AW 11/12 collection. Some of them might remind you a bit of Prada and Marni past shows but i have to admit he made a good choice by going back to tight silhouettes for dresses and skirts and the color palette was really cool!

images courtesy of catwalking.com

Thank God for NY fashion week!

2011-02-16T14:14:00.000-08:00

NY fashion week is not finished yet and i'm already pretty happy with the shows i've seen. Ny shows presented a bunch of great ideas, interesting shapes and color palettes, amazing details and prints and i fell in love with many collections this time. To name a few: Alexander Wang (obviously), Rodarte's one, Marc Jacobs' pieces (even if i found a few resemblings with a past Marni collection and the infamous lace themed Prada one), Derek Lam, Band of Outsiders, Marc by Marc Jacobs and Preen.

Here's the full show from Alexander Wang:

MARC BY MARC JACOBS

PREEN

RODARTE

I'll be back tomorrow with my favorite looks from Marc Jacobs and Derek Lam.....and Proenza Schouler which will be finally online

Interview with: Sonia Boessert from Boessert/schorn

2011-01-23T04:19:00.000-08:00

Sonia Boessert is one half of the creative duo Boessert/Schorn (the other half is Brigitte Schorn), a Berlin based label who's known for creating clothes rich in details and experimenting with knitwear and shapes. I suddenly fell in love with their designs and decided other people had to know this great german label. They took part in the Hyères Fair and the Berlin fashion week, and their names are becoming popular little by little and i do hope everyone is going to recognize how amazing and special their clothes are. Enjoy!

1-When and how did it all start?Our first collection Brigitte and I designed together for the 18° festival international des arts de la mode in Hyères in France. Since 2006 we've been presenting our collections in Tokyo, Paris and since 2010 also in New York.

2- You were selected to take part in the Who's Next trade in Paris and at Hyères. What was it like and what memories do you have about it?The time in Hyères was really intense but absolutely great. Hyères is really unique, because everything is very professionel and made very elaborate. You have the best opportunities to present and to work with really great people.

3-What differences you think exist between the Berlin based fashion designer and the others?This question is really hard to answer. I don’t see a typical Berlin style and i hope that people see that I have my own style. Perhaps you can say that a lot of Berlin labels are very young which means small.

4- What do you like to do when you're not busy working?I use the time to relax together with my boyfriend.

5-Do you have any hidden talent?I like to cook, especially to wash and cut veggies.

6-Is there any kind of food or drink you can't live without?Of course! I could not live without tomatoes – cooked or raw. And I really like gummy bears.

7-What's your main source of inspiration when you have to do a research before creating a collection?There are always ideas and techniques in which I’m interested. For example the assembly for a cut where I changed the attachment. Or cuts which only work with right angles.So you could say my inspiration is mostly a process where I try out new things, combine them and create something different.

8-Berlin has become quite important for design and fashion. Is there any shop or designer you feel like suggesting?I would say the Konk Shop in the kleine Hamburger Stasse in Berlin Mitte.

9-What's the piece of clothing you wouldn't go out without?Right now I really like the jaquard dress from the winter collection.

10-Talking about fashion. is there any field you'd love to experiment with more (knitwear, embroidery, etc)?In the moment I experiment with knit again. I found very special patterns with float stitch.I would really like to try to do more embroidery. But i didn’t found a firm yet which will produce small pieces. So let’s see.

11-Any new upcoming projects?We are going to make the shooting for the fall winter collection 2011/2012 this month – till then it’s a lot of work to do.

to know more about Boessert/Schorn please visit their website:

http://www.boessert-schorn.de

my fashion week: second part

2011-01-22T09:52:00.000-08:00

On monday i attended the Philipp Plein presentation at his showroom. The location was great, with a dj helping the guest getting in the mood and all of his mens collection displayed on theracks and the shelves. I fell in love with the accessories: lots of leather shoes and bags enriched with studs and skulls. The ostrich bags were great and reminded me a little of the Alexander mcQueen accessories from a few seasons ago. There were lots of vips and journalists and the security guys were busy keeping all the strangers away from the designer....and it happened to me as well, but then the guy read the guest list and finally allowed me inside the main room. Thanks Philipp Plein for inviting me at your presentation, i am now officially in love with your accessories. The prints on the tshirts were great too, all inspired by cartoon superheroes but the room where they were displayed was full of people so it was almost impossible to have a proper look at it.....thanks anyway. It was a great night!

An hour before going to the Philipp Plein presentation i attended the Ballantyne mens collection presentation at their showroom, i went there with my friends Umbe and Veronica (we used to work there: Veronica was in the press office and me and Umbe were women designers). The Atmosphere was very relaxed, the food and drinks were amazing (thanks catering guys!) and there were models wearing some pieces from the collection walking around the room, like normal guests. I loved the colors and those cashmere sweaters were sooooo soft, i cannot even describe it in words!

Here are the most amazing press girls you'll ever meet (plus a casting director), from left to right: Monica, Francesca and Valentina. It was a great year the one i spent working with you girls!

my fashion week:first part

2011-01-19T13:22:00.000-08:00

On friday the 15th i attended the Costume National show with my boyfriend and my dear friend Umbe San (pictured below)...we were sitting on 3rd row and the view was quite good i must admit.

Among the guests there was also Mario Boselli, president of the Chambre de la mode in Italy.

A few shots from the fashion show

the amazing location

The always super elegant Anna dello Russo wearing a tuxedo suit and flat churchs-like shoes.

new addition to my shoes collection

2011-01-19T13:14:00.000-08:00

During sales time i was browsing through lots of shops on the internet and i fell in love with the cutest and most comfortable shoes ever on Asos. They're an amazing pair of Bronx ankle cut out Herald shoe boots and i bought them in black.

Considering you're still in time pay a visit to www.asos.com and go get one pair for yourself too!

cheering up shopping

2011-01-18T16:45:00.001-08:00

While waiting to post some cool photos from the fashion week here's what i bought on the internet tonight just because i needed to cheer myself up a little. I hate knowing i have some money on my credit card....damn!

The famous Lanvin book co-written by Alber Elbaz

The infamous (and very much awaited) Margiela book, the big one!

Both purchased at Amazon...i also had the pleasure to get my hands on these lovely shoes on thecorner.com, a black pair of Alexande Herchcovitch+Melissa wedges.Lovely!

other pre-fall 2011 collections

2011-01-14T11:45:00.000-08:00

While waiting for the Milan Mens Fashion week to start i had some time to have a look at all the new pre-fall collections that came out during this week. Some were boring, some were very interesting, some were absolutely a great surprise.

My favorite ones so far are N°21 collection, Celine's one, Proenza Schouler's one (of course), Helmut Lang's collection and a few pieces from Alexander Wang's one.

Here's a small list of images taken from the labels named above:

CELINE

PROENZA SCHOULER

N°21

ALEXANDER WANG

HELMUT LANG

News

2011-01-10T23:26:00.001-08:00

Milan Mens Fashion week is about to start and there will be lots of presentations and shows to talk about (and try to sneak into), so be prepared, lots of photos are about to appear on this blog.

Oh, by the way, I've started working for the brand i told you about and it's been great so far. It's a nice place filled with young and creative people and i'm already busy drawing the women collection, which i hope is going to be ready soon. I'll keep you updated. Have a nice day, i'm off to work!

Phillip Lim pre-fall 2011

2011-01-05T13:41:00.000-08:00

This season has been all filled up with greys, blues, camel tones, neutrals, whites and reds...and Phillip Lim was no exception with his pre-fall 2011 collection. The fact is i am now obsessed with these colors and even more with his collection. I think it's extremely wearable and very girly yet super modern and clean.

Here are some of my favorite looks from the 40 pieces collection.

To have a look at the whole Phillip Lim collection please visit Style.com

Back from the Xmas break

2011-01-04T05:11:00.000-08:00

I know, i am unforgivable. The fact is i've been lazy and busy at the same time in these last month. The xmas holidays came and i just couldn't fi

nd the strength to do anything but eating, sleeping, seeing best friends, etc. I'm sorry, i really am.

But, since a new year has finally started it's time for some news to talk about: i got hired as a women designer at a wellknown italian fashion brand, i don't want to name names but it's quite popular and there are 2 lines (a high-level one and a younger

one) and theri image is quite rock and edgy but still very modern and super sleek. Can you guess the brand? I'll keep you updated by the way.

Then i got nice presents for Xmas, 2 of the best ones come from my boyfriend: he gave me a vintage Barbour jacket and a tailor's dummy. Then i got a lovely handmade belt by my dear friend Mia (the designer behind the Miryaki label), a beautiful black leather plumber's bag (which you can find at hardware shops!) my sister bought for me, my favorite scent from Comme des garçons and many other nice things.

the Dead Meat woman s/s 2011 collection

2010-11-20T23:20:00.000-08:00

On the 25th of september, during Milan fashion week i had the pleasure to be invited to the Dead Meat presentation at Studio Zeta. I went there with my good friend Ingrid (she was in Milan for a few days trying to catch up with some good friends, go to job interviews and shows) after a lovely breakfast together at my house and there was Umberto waiting for us. He's a designer i already talked about on this blog and right now works for Dead Meat too, he's the designer behind this project together with Giovanni De Pol (artistic director) and Vera Todaro (who's designing all the amazing prints you see on their clothes and tshirts).

I arrived there and the showroom was already crowded; Umberto comes towards us with a big smile telling us he's so nervous and excited about this presentation, it's their 1st woman collection!

The prints are so extremely detailed and beautiful. Vera's pencil drawings on the tshirts are incredible, the shape of certain dresses is to die for....and then there are some little pieces like those amazing leather shorts, reversible jackets and sequins covered pieces that reveal a print when you move the sequins....pure genius! I took some photos, click on them if you want the larger version:

If you're curious to know more about Dead Meat just visit their website:

http://www.deadmeat.it

or contact them : +39 59442592

Hope you'll love their clothes as much as i do

the winner is...

2010-11-12T15:53:00.000-08:00

and the winner of the Rubbish 2.5 magazine competition is Umbe San who published his comment about why he loves fashion. Congratulations! You're going to get your own copy of the magazine straight to your mail box!

Next week i'm going to post a few interviews with great people i think you all should know about. Stay tuned!

Rubbish Magazine 2.5 and the chance for you to win one copy!

2010-11-02T08:14:00.000-07:00

Following the success of Rubbish vol. 1 & 2, Rubbish Ink ltd. is proud to present the new Rubbish magazine 2.5!

A 52-page limited edition issue (only 1000 copies) in large and colourful format. It celebrates all that is fun: a fashionable ode to playfullness and all things RUBBISH. Rubbish two and half is a blend of stories, satire, scribbles bound in technicolour pages. And among the contributors this time you'll find Henry Holland, Anthony Zinonos, Kyle Bean and many others. There's an homage to Lady Gaga, an interview with Alain de Botton and amazing shoots!

Rubbish 2.5 is available to buy from:

http://www.rubbishmagshop.com

I'm giving you the chance to win one copy of this collectors' item: just write in the comments why you should be the winner of the competition. You have time until November the 12th. HURRY UP!

all images are taken from Rubbish 2.5 published by Rubbish Inc.

Click on them for a better resolution

It's finally in stores!

2010-11-02T08:04:00.000-07:00

it's almost in stores! the Lanvin for H&M collection is going to hit the stores in 20 days. Hurry up to get your favorite items !

Here's the video of the complete collection...simply lovely!

parisian similarities

2010-10-04T17:02:00.000-07:00

Today i looked at the Celine fashion show and right after that i looked at the Stella Mccartney's one and i couldn't avoid noticing this:

this is a Stella look

this is a Celine look

and again these ones:

both Stella looks

both Celine looks

I'm not trying to say anything bad, just pointing at the fact that is unusual that 2 brands doing a show in the same week, in the same city are displaying some very similar look. I'm sure the garments are totally different but the styling is quite similar, isn't it? Weird

Paris fashion week s/s 2011: Junya Watanabe and Comme des Garçons

2010-10-03T06:20:00.000-07:00

I always wait with such a joy for these 2 labels' shows. The Junya Watanabe show was a 20s inspired beach collection in my opinion, celebrating the beauty of oversize, striped and comfy clothes...3 of my favourite qualities in a garment! The clothes were a little less complicated than the usual Watanabe's ones and really reminded me of a young woman going to the south of France for her holidays during the first years of the last century. Absolutely lovely!

The Comme des Garçons show was instead more dark, full of greys, black, leather and some white. The shoes were absolutely amazing and Rei Kawakubo created jackets made of 2 separate jackets sewn together to create a single piece, very interesting but i don't know wether it'd be sellable or not. Anyway, i loved it, the only thing is that i don't think it's very summery, but that's part of Rei Kawakubo's taste i guess.

Maison Martin Margiela e-boutique finally open

2010-10-02T09:00:00.000-07:00

The new Maison Martin Margiela e-boutique is finally open, feel free to get crazy and spend all your saved money on it! Enjoy:

CLICK HERE TO VISIT THE E-BOUTIQUE

Paris fashion week s/s 2011: disappointing names

2010-10-02T05:42:00.000-07:00

I don't know if it's just me but most of the "big names" of the parisian fashion week have been pretty weak this year: Isabel Marant which is always among my favourites decided to go for a range of pink and purple tones (with a touch of red and black) which i think weren't exactly what her fans were waiting for, at least i wasn't . Then Balenciaga: i cannot say it's a bad collection, but the shiny quilted pied-de-poule jacket for summer are something nobody would wear, especially in july or august; and quilted especially doesn't remind me of summer....it was a correct choice for the winter collection (which i loved) but in this case i guess they made a faux-pas. I'm not even talking about Balmain, to me it's like watching always the same collection over and over again: same styling, same shapes, same girls....nothing new. Lanvin wasn't bad at all, loved the fact that he chose to use leather accessories to enrich the garmens and their lines, loved the colors as well, and the fabric, as always, were impeccably chosen. Bravo!

and the sky-high shoes

Paris fashion week s/s 2011

2010-10-01T04:43:00.001-07:00

The beauty of the Rick Owens show left me speechless. It was much more feminine than the usual and all the girls looked like futuristic witches in my opinion, which is a plus. I loved the draped leather and the shapes. The colors were obviously perfect and typical Rick Owens' tones. The accessories were extremely sellable and impeccable. Loved everything about it, there's no better way to review this show from my point of view.

here are some photos in detail of the shoes:

no big news from Milan...

2010-09-27T03:41:00.001-07:00

Milan fashion week is almost at the end. I know i haven't posted anything during these days, the fact is i didn't see any really stunning show (apart from Prada), no innovative ideas, nothing to die for.

The day after the Prada show i met with a friend of mine for breakfast,It just so happens he works for Prada as a fashion designer and explained me the inspirations behind this last collection and i fell in love with it even more. The colors, the prints, the accessories, the shoulder shape. Most of the looks are perfect for editorials but many others are quite funny and new for buyers. We'll see how it goes. Meanwhile here are some of my favourite shots from the show.

And here are some of the best looks from the show:

a new side project

2010-09-15T07:46:00.000-07:00

Ladies and gentlemen i want you all to know i created a side project for this blog called "Wording up". Is a blog where i'll post interviews with creative people who are not working in the fashion system, i thought it was much more easy. Fashion blah blah will keep on existing but for all the other interviews with illustrators, photographers, bloggers who are not related to fashion there will be another blog. I hope you all will enjoy it!!!

ready for fall

2010-09-03T07:37:00.001-07:00

the perfect outfit for the first walks all around the city during first days of fall

ACNE 0105720310 GREY POLYESTER/COTTON/VISCOSE 0105720310
80 GBP - farfetch.com
Cotton t shirt »

Proenza Schouler Wool duffle coat
$2,625 - net-a-porter.com
Wool coat »

3.1 Phillip Lim Wool-blend dungaree skirt
$575 - net-a-porter.com
3.1 Phillip Lim skirts »

Women's Apparel: Matte opaque heathered tight: tights tights & socks...
$16 - bananarepublic.gap.com
Opaque tights »

Opening Ceremony wedge desert boot
2.695 DKK - stylepaste.com
Platform boots »

ASOS Faux Croc Bar Day Bag
$61 - asos.com
ASOS shoulder bags »

Yves saint laurent accessories GREY
460 GBP - matchesfashion.com
Cashmere scarves »

Lanvin for H&M!

2010-09-03T02:47:00.000-07:00

This is a dream come true for me...and i guess it is for many other Lanvin fans:

summer sale!

2010-08-23T16:03:00.000-07:00

Two weeks ago i bought this lovely MM6 by Maison Martin Margiela dress from The corner and i'm so happy about it. I picked up a medium size because i knew it'd been too tight if i'd pick up a size small (i'm a 42 european size)...and the color is so great and i can't wait to wear it during fall nights in Milan! Thanks sale season!!!

There is also a white version but i thought it could have been a little see-trough, plus the blue tone suits my hair and eyes color much better.

Have you had the chance to find some interesting bargains during sale time??

the Black Swan

2010-08-23T15:44:00.001-07:00

So, i'm on holiday, still now. But, before flying to Lisbon with my best friend i just wanted you all to watch this trailer of the movie "Black Swan" starring Natalie Portman. The costumes are all designed by the Mulleavy sisters from Rodarte and they are stunning...at least for me.

I'm going to be away until the end of August because i definitely need to recharge a little and enjoy these last days of summer. I'll be back soon. I promise.

Interview with: Katie Rodgers from PaperFashion

2010-07-29T11:21:00.000-07:00

One day i was surfing the internet trying to find some good fashion illustration blogs...i know there are many many great fashion blogs out there but it's pretty hard to find a very interesting fashion blog which contains also extremely beautiful fashion illustrations, isn't it?!
Well, after hours of research i bumped into Katie Rodgers' blog: the amazing PaperFashion!
Katie is a great illustrator and apparel designer, she's currently working for Reebok in Boston and running her fashion blog which is gaining lots of popularity. She graduated in Industrial design at the Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh and studied fashion and accesory design in Florence...and her talent has not stopped growing since then. That's why i got curious about her work and wanted you all to know how great she is. Enjoy my interview with the lovely Katie Rodgers:

1-When did you realize you wanted to become an illustrator?
I've always loved illustration, fashion and art in general. I've been doing it ever since i can remember! I think i realized i wanted to be an illustrator when i realized it was even a real job! I didn't realize this for a long time...I just did it for fun and my job requires illustration (apparel design)...but i never really knew i could do it as work. Paperfashion started out as a creative outlook, but as it started growing and gaining viewers, it showed me this wonderful world of illustration!

2-What's your favourite technique while you're drawing (watercolor, pencils, illustrator, pantone markers, etc) and why?
My favourite medium for drawing is pencil, watercolor and ink. It's my style and gives me the ability to create the illustrations i want to- it's such a freeing medium. I like working with pantone markers as well, but i like these for more technical illustrations; watercolor has so much more flow and character to it.

3-What is it like to live in Boston and what do you love about the city?
Oh...Boston! I can't say i ever pictured myself here. I had my heart set on New York City for a long time...but here i am in Boston. It's definitely grown on me. It's a small city, but a nice one. There are a lot of perks to living here-it has beaches, parks, rivers, etc. I love Boston in the summer and fall, and partly for the winter....mainly because the winters here are way too long! It is a very pretty city though. It's full of young people and you see a lot of the same people everywhere you go. I like it right now, but I don't see myself here forever!

4-What do you like the most about the house you're living in?
I love my little studio...it's right downtown and it's all mine! It's in an old building so it has its "charcater", but it's homey and i have it decorated it how i want it. I don't have a tv....mainly because i would never get any work done! So i mainly spend time working or sleeping in my place.

5-in 2007 you had the chance to come to Italy to study at the University of the Arts in Florence. What memories do you have about that time?
My memories of teh short time i had in Italy are amazing. It's where i really discovered fashion and fashion illustration, and realized it's what i wanted to do forever. Florence was a beautiful city... and in some ways similar to Boston. It was small and walkable...but had things to be discovered in it. My teachers in Italy were inspiring and worked in the fashion industry. They showed me things i have never seen before, and the city was full of fashion. I think the best memory from my time there is when my teacher got me tickets to go to the Moschino Cheap and Chic fashion show in Milan during fashion week. I remember that day so well.

6-As a passionate illustrator and apparel designer. what would your biggest goal be, talking about your career?
This is a very hard question...i've never being good at planning my future. I've always sort of stumbled upon things to get where i have. I have thought a lot about what i want to do in my future none the less! Eventually I think it'd be cool to do PaperFashion fulltime, but I don't see that happening quite yet! Right now I enjoy apparel design a lot. I would love to open up a store of my own sometime...combining my fashion illustration and apparel design together. I think that is my biggest goal!

7-Do you have any blog or website you'd like to recommend?
I love love love looking at DesignLoveFest . It was started by a friend i went to highschool with, and is full of so many inspiring images and thoughts.

8-If you could pick a book and a movie that teached you something or left you with an inspiration, what would they be?
Gosh this is hard...I'm so bad with favourites and remembering this sort of things. I think so many things inspire me that i lose track! I think "Pursuit of happiness" is a very inspirational movie...about working and fighting for something you are so passionate about. I love reading biographies about other designers/artists and their stories.

9-What do you like and dislike about running your own blog?
I love running PaperFashion...and most things that come with it. The thing that is most difficult for me is keeping up with all the emails, messages and phone calls i get. It's a positive thing, but it's hard to keep track of everything/respond to everyone with a full time job, working on PaperFashion and maintaining some sort of normal social life/free time. I don't mind devoting free time to my blog, it's what i signed up for. What kills me is when young students ask me for advice on how to be a fashion designer, how to paint, how to be an illustrator, and I don't have time to respond to them all. I know how much this means being a student, but I looked up to people when i was one. So everyone who emails me- just know I try hard to answer everyone, but sometimes time won't allow for it!

10-Among the new and young designers is there anyone you'd like to work with?
No one in particular to be honest. I've never really been the type to be "starstruck". I love a million different designers' collections or illustrators' artwork but I can't think of one in particular I'd like to work with over others. I'd love to work with any designer. I think there's something to learn from them all. I can usually find something to like in almost every designer's work!

11-Are you a "sunbathing & swimming" person or an "exploring big foreign cities" one when it comes to going on vacation?
I'm definitely both. I love the beach, love swimming, relaxing, etc...but I also love exploring new places and cultures. I wish I had more time to travel!

12-Any new project you're working on at the moment?
Yes! I'm working on some very exciting projects right now! I'm doing some custom work for a few different companies, and I'm also going to be working on a project with Coach very soon.

To know more about PaperFashion and Katie herself please visit her blog:
http://paperfashion.wordpress.com/
her portfolio:
http://www.coroflot.com/paperfashion
or send her an email:
paperfashionart@gmail.com

Interview with: Miryaki

2010-07-13T06:56:00.000-07:00

Miryaki is a brand new project created by two italian designers (and most of all long time friends), Mia and Riccardo (Miryaki is in fact the mix of their names). I've decided to ask them a few questions for more than one reason: the first one is they're very good friends of mine and Mia was my classmate during fashion school and still now she's one of my closest (and most talented) friends; the second reason is because they just won the Clam award as a press recognition at the Mittelmoda competition and they're going to show their collection during Milan women fashion week in september; the third reason is because i genuinely think Miryaki is a great and innovative brand providing great ideas, wearable yet special clothes and you should all know about it. I'm sure they're going to get bigger and bigger and the Milan fashion week is only the first step towards their ever growing popularity.
1-Can you remember the moment you started Miryaki?
Mia: since we met we wanted to create something together, so basically the idea of Miryaki has started about 4 years ago, but became something more real in spring 2009 when we got asked to do a project in a group of young designers, we then gave up that project and tried to do something by ourselves...and i must say we made the right decision.

2-In your opinion, what makes you so close and winning as creative duo?
Mia: i always say he's the artistic part and i'm the practical and more rational one....We always need one another and there's trust in each other's work, everything is always very well checked by the both of us before being made, we have two very similar behaviours but extremely different lifestyles, that helps to create a balance and to avoid the overdoing when we have to work.
Riccardo: i am the one that sketch the idea on paper or with the help of fabric, she's the one who analize it and makes it practical.

3-What did you both love to do when you were kids?
Mia: walking barefoot everywhere, playing with my brother or my male friends, i thought their games were always much more stimulating than girly ones, we loved to build up little cabins and spent most of the time on the beach or in the park of my little village, basically i hated to stay at home because my parents were working all day long.
Riccardo: i loved to spend a lot of time outdoor also because i grew up in the countryside and big landscapes were my daily routine, i had fun building up imaginary houses among my mother's firm vines using wood, plastic tents and nails. I also used to meet my friends during the week and they were my classmates too. I enjoyed copying the fashion drawing i used to find in my aunt's Burda magazine.

4-what do you think of the opportunities that are today given to the young designers? i'm asking you this because you applied for more than one competition and would love to know if you got disappointed or not (and why).
Mia: in our business i think everything's different from the others and working inside it day after day i've realized there are just a few chances to make new talents come out. You need money and you also need to know the "right" people especially fashion insiders, we're not rich nor used to hang out with that kind of people, so our efforts, like for many others in our situation, are bigger. But it's not all so negative, there are some opportunities like the Mittelmoda competition has been for us. We've been disappointed in the past and we'll surely be disappointed again in the future, but that's part of teh game.
Riccardo: letdowns in the fashion field are always waiting for you because it's a charming business as much as it is mean. It's true that sometimes talent and creativity are not enough but that's what makes the whole thing going on. The chances for the young designers are few, especially if we're talking about important and relevant ones, we've to remember that Italy's a very traditional and conservative country and there are good and bad sides of it, for example an Italian prefers to make a safer choice by buying a piece from a wellknown label instead of experimenting and go for something
new and different, and this behaviour is not just related to the world of fashion, it's about everything. Lets just look at the government: i think it is the "eldest" of Europe....the average governors' age is the retirement one. Luckily we have also a great tradition of craftsmanship and that's what the world envies us for.

5-Can you tell me what's the recipe you're best at cooking?
Mia: oh God, you should ask to my guests, anyway i can say i love cooking, it takes lots of creativity. Cooking for someone makes each of my recipes even more delicious and you should know that, ahahah.
Riccardo: i guess cooking is one of my favourite hobbies, especially because I love the whole situation that comes out with all the friends, a dinner all together sharing great food, long and lovely chattings, all surrounded by some bottles of good wine and lots of smiles. It reminds me of a scene from the movie "le fate ignoranti" by Ozpetek, where there's a big table full of friends eating and chatting together. Anyway the dish i'm very good at cooking is risotto, especially the veggie one.

6-Which places do you lik ethe most in Milan and why?
Mia: i love Brera, Sant'Ambrogio and the little streets close to Piazza Affari and nearby Corso Magenta, it's a romantical side of Milan, a part of the city that hasn't been touched by the traffic or the hurry.
Riccardo: the Navigli and the Darsena are brethtaking and alive in evry day of the year and also very typically old milanese in term of architecture, in winter they're filled with lights and colors and the strenght of the low temperature seems less important, in summer they're perfect for a stroll with a cold beer in one hand or to end the night sitting on a bench enjoying an icecream. It makes you forget the feeling of "greyness" this city carries all the time.

7-Favourite cocktail and late night snack?
Mia: always Martini! Lets not talk about snacks, i could eat anything when i'm hungry....especially at night i think i prefer savory food, so i guess i'd go for a kebab and when i'm in Sicily i always go for a "pane cunsato", which is old bread covered with chopped tomatoes, oregano, olive oil and anchovies.
Riccardo: Negroni without a doubt! I love the bitter taste and the deep red color of this cocktail gives a sense of energy and passion. I don't really like lat enight snacks but if i had to choose something i would put a pizza in the oven, it's my addiction.
8-If you had to choose another job (outside the world of fashion) , what would it be?
Mia: i think i could be a good event organiser, or somebody's manager...ahahaha maybe that's why i've decided to be my own manager!
Riccardo: before going to the Ied school i studied architecture and interior design, therefore i think i could have follow that way but in 5 years working for clubs at night i'd love to do something mine and invent a special event where people don't have to pay a ticket to get in and just listen to music and have a drink, but enjoy something different. There's a big need of "show" these days, like it was for Studio 54 in its golden years.

9-In your opinion what's the city in the world that, at this moment, promotes the young talents/new brands the most?
Mia: i think there are two different sides: on one side there are countries like denmark, Sweden and other northern countries that keep promoting great minds and new brands, exactly like they're doing with music; on the other side there are places like istanbul, an alive and fresh city rich in contrasts and youth.

10-What's the quality you think your brand can offer as a plus compared to the other existing ones?
Mia: I think the fact that every piece is unique has a plus value at the moment, everything is handmade, we make it or we get help from tailors we trust, we're trying to keep up the craftsmanship as much as we can even if it's hard. The collection vibe is obtained by our diversity as human beings.
Riccardo: in my opinion a woman has to keep her femininity even if she's wearing a simple dress or a detailed one. It's important that she keeps on being sexy while keeping the good taste and elegance with no need of using low-level provocation and we offer that kind of look.

If you want more infos about Miryaki or want to have a look at their collection please visit their website:
http://www.miryaki.com

or contact them:
info@miryaki.com

Paris men fashion week ss 2011

2010-06-30T13:14:00.000-07:00

Some readers asked me why i haven't written anything about Paris men fashion week ss 2011....the fact is i thought it was as boring as hell!
That's right! I really liked Dries Van Noten and some pieces from Giuliano Fujiwara and some from Yamamoto, but apart from that it was always the same thing, same black sleeveless jackets and tops, same oversize trousers, same camel jackets (and not at all charming men skirts from Givenchy!)....boring! I know men fashion collections have not so much space for creative ideas since you can't design a pretty ruffled cockatil dress for a guy, but you can only stick to jackets, suits, trousers and shirts....but the fact is i thought only Junya Watanabe presented a nice show, it much more interesting compared to the others, with colourful jackets and navy inspired outfits....anyway i was expecting a lot more from Paris shows. That's why i decide to not write any post about them. I never write anything about stuff i don't like. Let's hope september's women fashion weeks are going to be much more innovative!

A couple of Watanabe's looks