by The Heartful Shopper on August 16th, 2012 in Campaigns We Heart,
Louis Vuitton Core Values Campaign featuring Michael Phelps & Larisa Latynina
Earlier this year, the first of the Louis Vuitton Core Values campaign images was released, which featured boxing legend Mohammad Ali. Now they have followed up that image with one of not one, but two sporting icons. They are Olympian swimming champion Michael Phelps (with hair) and legendary gymnast Larisa Latynina. It seems only appriate that in this, the year of the London Olympics, Luis Vuitton focuses on sporting figures who have inspired us over the last few decades, I eagerly await the next campaign images shot by that genius of photographers, Annie Leibovitz!
Louis Vuitton Core Values Campaign featuring Mohamed Ali
by The Heartful Shopper on August 14th, 2012 in Fashion in Film,
Dolce & Gabbana Closeup Runway Collection Fall Winter 2012-2013 at Milan Fashion Week
Just taking a moment today to absorb the pretty ornateness of this here latest offering by Dolce & Gabbana for Autumn Winter 2013… To lovely noh? Stand-out moments: the rich tapestry-like corsets & lace-love knee-highs. Gold embroidery. And the middle-parting hair with pearl garlands. Love. Gorgeous.
Dolce & Gabbana Closeup Runway Collection Fall Winter 2012-2013 at Milan Fashion Week
Dolce & Gabbana Closeup Runway Collection Fall Winter 2012-2013 at Milan Fashion Week
Dolce & Gabbana Closeup Runway Collection Fall Winter 2012-2013 at Milan Fashion Week
Dolce & Gabbana Closeup Runway Collection Fall Winter 2012-2013 at Milan Fashion Week
Dolce & Gabbana Closeup Runway Collection Fall Winter 2012-2013 at Milan Fashion Week
Dolce & Gabbana Closeup Runway Collection Fall Winter 2012-2013 at Milan Fashion Week
Dolce & Gabbana Closeup Runway Collection Fall Winter 2012-2013 at Milan Fashion Week
Dolce & Gabbana Closeup Runway Collection Fall Winter 2012-2013 at Milan Fashion Week
by The Heartful Shopper on August 10th, 2012 in Fashion News,
I am currently in Jozi town and have spent the last several days wandering around Sandton City taking in the shopping. It has to be said that whatever my lukewarm feelings to mega-malls, Sandton City definitely is the home of South African shopping. Over the last five years our offering of international retailers has swollen considerably (most recently with Zara, my sourcing experience there is a post in itself) and with the latest bit of news that we are now to receive the legendary London retail giant Top Shop, it just makes me feel like our retail fold is complete. Hoorah! I had heard a rumour that this was going to happen from a friend who is based in London and works for the group some months ago, but I was going to believe it till I got a press release to the effect, imagine my delight when this was confirmed last week.
It was especially exciting to be walking past the store front with large posters displaying its’ imminent arrival. I quite literally can’t wait to see the new store. And we have The House of Busby and Edcon to thank for this, as they have been granted the exclusive South African franchise rights for the British High-Street style champions. The TOPSHOP and TOPSHOP MAN store will be housed in a flagship 950 square metre, with a second store planned for opening in Gateway in Durban in December 2012. Sadly, us Cape Tonians will have to wait for the roll-out of instore offerings at key Edgars stores which have as yet not been confirmed. Bah humbug.
A few fast facts on the store: it was established in 1964 and there are currently over 750 stores worldwide (SA is the 37th country in which it is operating). Sir Philip Green, owner of Arcadia Group Ltd, has been quoted as saying he is “delighted to be launching TOPSHOP and TOPMAN in South Africa through the arrangement with Edcon and Busby. This represents another step in our continued international growth, and I am confident that the South African customers will enjoy the retail experience and fantastic product offer that both our brands will deliver for them.”
I’m sure Sir Phillip is delighted, as I would I be, for I’m sure we’ll be swelling his personal fortune (and the group’s) by a few billion within the next few years! This is one retail offering that South Africans will be certain to jump on!
Top Shop Current Lookbook
Top Shop Man Current Lookbook
Top Shop Current Lookbook
Top Shop Man Current Lookbook
by The Heartful Shopper on August 9th, 2012 in Fashion News, Style Icons & Cover Stars,
Lady Gaga for September Issue of Vogue, Image via fashionista.com
She’s back!! No not me blogging, rather Gaga is back in Vogue, specifically the September issue and not to be confused with “en vogue”. Apparently she’s always been that, though (in my humble opinion) I sometimes deem her fashion marksmanship to be way off the mark!
I will even concede to be waiting with baited breathe to see this issue, not so much for the interview by Jonathan Van Meter but for the visuals by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott. The last time I loved her it was also for Vogue and she was shot by Mario Testino. The issue will be hitting newsstands on August 21.
Lady Gaga for September Issue of Vogue, Image via digitalspy.com
by The Heartful Shopper on April 4th, 2012 in Clothing & Product, International Designer, Lady Stuff, Trend,
It arrived in my inbox a week ago today… the Trendland newsletter… With a note on a blog post by Ani Tzenkova about someone called Marios Schwab. BOOOOOMMMM. I thought I couldn’t have finished off the week better with the whole Swenkas series and all that delish inspiration… I was wrong…
Now from time to time, one has to sort of your hang your head in abashment. Occasionally you miss some of the bright, new lights in fashion when they start emerging. I missed Marios Schwab at first. Well I did and I didn’t, because I really did love Zoe Saldana at the Vanity Fair Oscar’s Party 2012 in her exciting take on the traditional black dress. At the time though there wasn’t a lot of information on all the designers and dresses and frankly my knowledge of Collections is not yet encyclopaedic. I’m working on it.
However this Greco-Austrian (what an unusual little mix of ancestry there), London-based designer has been wooing critics since about 2005. Like most of today’s fashion notables he studied at Central St Matrin’s (for his MA) and scooped the British Fashion Award in 2006 for best New Designer Award. It seems I have once again gravitated to a London-fashioner…
So here’s this glorious sampling of looks from his Fall Winter 2012 Collection. Notice the splashes of “oil-slick green” and other shades of green colour throughout – I’ll say it again “oil slick green” is one of my favourite colour trends rippling through fashion right now… (See my Pinterest boards for looks by Anthony Vacarello RTW 2012). Note too the ultra-modern combinations of vintage fabrications such as chantilly lace and anglaise and tulle with futuristic sequine gauze and digital prints and embroiderings. And my god there are some beautiful felt cap-hatsand hats in this little mix with slanted brims… It definitely harks of 1930s glam but like the collections by Louis Vuitton in Paris for F/W 2013 where the silhouette was definitely old-world, it too has all the hallmarkings of a thoroughly modern interpretation of their musings. If you visit the site you will have an opportunity to view the showing and experience the soundtrack which neatly dovetails this visual blend – the strains of a classical piano fuse into some very sexy electronic beats and then into something quite continental and latino in vibe but fresh once again. Perfect. LOOOVVVVVE it!
Also be sure to take a look at his blog – it’s a good one and there are notes on upcoming exhibitions of his work and diary events and store openings and interviews… I heart it. Mooooorre please.
by The Heartful Shopper on March 30th, 2012 in Editorial, The other side of Fashion,
Ok so I’m closing out the week with a complete belter of a post, to all of you who read my blog you will have realised that I am having a little love affair with African men’s fashion at the moment… By that I mean the actual fashion as being worn by actual men in some of the poorest parts of our continent. Men who have more dash than cash who revel in being outrageous and original in their choices, who have a delicious sense of eccentricity to their ensembles. LOVE it. And of all the images I’ve loved so far I really do love these brightly-coloured portraits taken by Daniele Tamagni for his book entitled: “Gentlemen of Bacongo”.
Have you spotted the third usage of tartan yet – how’s that kilt??? Or the man in the candy pink suit with red bowler??? Or the man in orange complimenting beautifully his blue surrounds???
Reading up on a review of the book I discovered a little more about these men and indeed ladies on occasion… For one thing they like to splash out on the most expensive garb they can get their hands on – they favour handmade and designer suiting and will team with a D&G belt for example – even though they live within the garbage slums of Congo. Also the Sapeurs actually belong to ‘La SAPE’ (or the: Societe des Ambianceurs et des Personnes Elegantes) and there are many different conventions and codes of conduct that govern both the clothing and moral ettiquette of members. These include things like limiting the combinations of colours in an outfit to no more than three, always lighting the cigar even if it remains unsmoked, etc. From an anthropological standpoint they are fascinating as they represent a merging of colonial culture with traditional Congolese sentiments…
Very cleverly the publishers were able to secure designer Paul Smith to write the preface to the book – an applaudable choice given the designer’s own ingenious use of colour in menswear over the years.
Here endeth the lesson. And the Affair.
by The Heartful Shopper on March 30th, 2012 in Editorial, The other side of Fashion,
Ok, so on Wednesday I hinted at the fact that I would be entering into the great “Sapeurs vs Swenkas” debate and I alluded to the fact that I am firmly in the camp of my Home-Boys “The Swenkas” and to be fair I genuinely do think that it is pretty even stevens when you look at the pics…
Ithttp://dress-sense.co.za/blog/wp-admin/admin.php?page=statpress/statpress.php would seem though that whilst both camps clearly have a flare for grooming and performance, “The Sapeurs” of Congo boarder on theatrical in their use of colour and prop… How is that banana yellow suit and matching monster yellow cigar??? How is that tartan (second time tartans cropped up in this series of posts and wait there’s a third appearance to follow) short-pant-look with the yellow lacepadrilles and yet another matching cigar in red???? I mean the third cigar hardly bares mentioning given that it’s not in green… And what about the old codger marching around in top hat and tails??? I’m sorry I’m searching for something more proper than “amazeballs” but I think that’s the only word for it. “Amazeballs”.
These award-winning portraits were taken by Italian photographer Francesco Giusti for the series: “A Portrait of the Sape from Pointe-Naire Congo”. Alas many of the images I found I could not upload to the blog but do yourself a favour and have a little google of this chap, his work is incredible… Love it!!!
p.s. I am hearting my imaginable word “lacepadrilles” wish I could find a way to slip that one into conversation somehow… You know casually remark to a friend: “This season I’ll be rocking some lacepadrilles…” that sort of vibe…
by The Heartful Shopper on March 28th, 2012 in Editorial, The other side of Fashion,
Just a little something to wet your whistle for tomorrow’s posts; this fine looking little dude with a definitive swagger to his step (How is that eyepatch? Have you ever??) is a “sapeur” in the making… By that I mean the Congolese answer to a “swenka” and so to be fair our country can’t actually claim ownership of this African and male fashion movement… We just do it better 
The photograph is once again by Australian photographer Andrew Bell.
by The Heartful Shopper on March 28th, 2012 in Editorial, The other side of Fashion,
Ok, so this week I’m being inspired by The Swenkas – those amazing fellas with more dash than cash… And in my trawlings I came across more than a few international photographers who have travelled to Africa to capture their spirit… One such individual is Australian photographer Andrew Bell, who came to South Africa and specifically Soweto (around 2004) to take the above series of photographs…
One face keeps cropping up all the time in the imagery of the Swenkas (photograph 4) and it would appear that he’s sort of a main protagonist in this crew based on the trailer of the film by Jeppe Ronde – not entirely sure who he is but he strikes me as a leader-type-figure and he’s certainly very debonair. Mind you the dude rocking the mafiosa-stripe combo in image 3 is also pretty fab – I mean if you were to describe that pairing to yourself you’d be thinking: “no f*@$%ing way!” but then you see the photograph and you’re like: “oh, ok I get it, maybe not to my taste… But ok, I get it.”
Now the other funny thing is that when you start looking for something obscure and below the radar of popular culture, all of a sudden you realise it’s not so obscure at all… In fact I found a clip on YouTube of an clip ad that from 2009… So cool but the kind of reference that would have no doubt been lost on a number of people at that time. Maybe we can encourage a revival of it – I mean how is that tartan and teal lined combo and those socks???? LOOOVE the socks!!!
by The Heartful Shopper on March 26th, 2012 in Editorial, Style Icons & Cover Stars, The other side of Fashion,
One late night at the Power & The Glory in Kloof, whilst nursing a glass of lovely savignon blanc, I got into a fascinating conversation with an old mate. Dali, began telling me the story of a South African subculture that up until that point had been completely under my radar (I had never even heard of them) – “The Swenkas”… The more Dali talked about them, the more my interest was piqued and I knew I had to see what these men looked like and know more about them. I’ve spent a week researching these ” African Dandies”, and they and their counterparts in Congo, will be the focus of my posts this week.
The first bit of information that I came across was a film by director Jeppe Ronde called “The Swenkas” (the images above are taken from the film) and you can see the 10 minute trailer of the film here. I also stumbled across a post by Barima who writes a blog called Mode Parade and who I don’t think would mind being referred to as an English dandy; I agree with his thoughts about the Swenkas being a “more charismatic movement” than the Congolese Sapeurs.
The history of this group of men, is the history of many migrant labourers who during Apartheid flocked to the urban areas in search of work… Most arrived in Johannesburg to become workers in the mines, returning maybe only once or twice a year to their homes and families. For these trips home they would often buy special new suits to impress their relations and neighbours and from this was borne the practice of “swenking”. “Swenking” is a competition between working class men to see who can put together the most stylish outfit and move the best in it. To compete you must pay a door fee and the winner of the competition gets a cut of this fee as a cash prize.
Often one suit amounts to a substantial portion of a worker’s yearly wage and are put on lay-by; being paid off in small amounts over months and dreamed about all the while. When I think about the situation of these migrant workers from yesterday and the men of today who carry on the tradition in the townships, I am reminded of an extremely fitting quote by Bill Cunningham: “Fashion is the armour to survive everyday life”…
When your life is largely back-breaking work in hot, stifling holes deep beneath the earth, where personal grooming is something forsook and every night you return to cramped, shared and meagre sleeping quarters, when you have nothing but a few earthly possessions and you are far away from your loved ones, then life would surely be unbearable if there wasn’t a reprieve to this harsh reality. If these competitions and the act of dressing up and getting together every weekend with friends and enjoying yourself in a moment of escapism didn’t offer a brief respite from all of this, then how would you face that reality? How would you keep returning to this reality week in and week out if not for fashion and the light it offers at the end of that tunnel?
I myself struggle at times with the bane and trivial nature of the fashion industry, but actually when I discover stories like these I remember that sometimes it’s the very essence of fashion that makes life worth living and it’s such an innately human and necessary means of self-expressionism and actualization that can be harnessed by anyone. It’s why I am a true believer in the Psychology of Cloth…
by The Heartful Shopper on March 22nd, 2012 in Clothing & Product, International Designer, Lady Stuff, Trend,
Often I stumble across images of collections which I’ve stored in my blogging folder and then forgotten about and so they don’t see the light of day/blog. And because for the last few weeks I have been banging on about all things British and we are now into Autumn Winter 2012 collections, this one fell into that category… For a start it’s American and it exudes all of that preppy-happy minimalism that is the hallmark of their design houses… But then I cam across this post (see below) by my favourite American street style blogger (do I need to mention the word sartorialist?) and well, it echoed perfectly the same thoughts that I have been having about style and fashion when I reflect on collections that I love. And in a similar sort of way the documentary on another famous American street style photographer, Bill Cunningham, said the same thing of fashion – namely: good fashion is timeless.
It is a constant wonder and pleasure to me that some looks: hold for all time, are certainly of their time but somehow inspire for all time too..
So I decided, Now was definitely appropriate to reflect on some of the American collections that have inspired me of late and perhaps it’s not so terrible that they are already a season behind which in today’s millisecond fashion industry often seems like an eternity…
I loved this Tommy Hilfiger Spring/Summer 2012 collection because it is such a complete departure from my own usual style and preferences… This is good: inspiration should stretch you in ways that are not usual… It’s amorphous and billowy which is something I always struggle to pull off and it’s full of that wonderful playful colour-blocking trend which is something else I never quite get right. It’s crisp. It’s uncomplicated. And for f*$#@ sake it causes me to stand back and re-evaluate my position on camo prints. That is something. Truly. Camo and I, we don’t bed well. I HATE CAMO, but I love these prints somehow. Why?
In fact when I was drafting this post I jotted down the following notes: colour and brightness and happy. And it is exactly that, it’s a lot of what is quintessentially yank in a bold and vibrant spirit. I heart the playful jumpsuits, the shirtdresses and the gorgeous leather shoes and clutches. And something keeps whispering 1920s flapperesque vibe in my ear??? I’m not sure why, maybe in my head I’m thinking that this would be the sort of look favoured by a 21st century hamptons-great-gatsby crew??? I only know I do HEART it and I will refer back to it in years to come.
All images courtesy of Fashion Inquisitive.
by The Heartful Shopper on March 22nd, 2012 in Editorial, Styling Tip,
The Sartorialist.
Garance and I were looking at this photo the other day and both thought she still looked really cool, even though the shot is over four years old.
This shot is not about “style” but truly about modern fashion however we keep hearing how fast fashion and trends are evolving in the digital age. Do you really believe that though?
I think this shot is proof that fashion is not moving any faster than before, it’s just the availability of new, cheaper product is faster and stores want us to want newness faster. If anything, I think the digital space is allowing us to use the search function in a way to pull ideas that may be four, or five, or (someday) ten to twenty years old to help us create a look we want to wear that day.
Can you imagine the pain of searching through a stack of magazines ten years old trying to find inspiration and yet, in seconds, you can search seven years of visuals on my blog alone?
Maybe we will find the digital age is not speeding things up, but making it easier for us to hold onto the visuals and stories that inspire us even more easily than we ever thought possible.
[Note from Cath: easy to see why he's the fashion luminary that he's become isn't it?]
by The Heartful Shopper on March 19th, 2012 in Clothing & Product, International Designer, Trend,
I came across some images of rose gold pieces by Dominique Lucas a few weeks ago, fell in love and decided to do some digging on this lady and surprise, surprise it appears she’s yet another Brit crush… Honestly it’s not deliberate, I don’t do it on purpose. I don’t know why it is that right now just about every fashion muse I have is British, maybe it’s to do with all the Brit-Celtic bits lurking about in my gene pool that makes the aesthetic so appealing to me!
So then, Dominique is a Brit who in fact started out studying a medical science degree. But she was also doing apprenticeships alongside master craftsmen in Florence and Mexico whilst studying and ultimately she decided that this was in fact her calling in life. Lucky-clever-poppet for getting to pick between a career in medicine or design and of course once again proving that life is never fair and sometimes nauseatingly so: pretty, brainy, creative. Nuff said.
The rough and wrought nature of her pieces really appeals to me and in particular these pieces which are from some of her previous collections… I feel like none of them would look amiss on a biker and in amongst folds of black leather and drapey t-shirts or dusting the knuckles of said biker chick. Which by the by is one of the new retro trend I see resurging at the moment, a throwback nod to the 1960s American biker gangs.
Her new stuff has the same sculptural quality to it but the designs and casts are rather more fanciful and entitled “Juniper Berry Collection”… And she’s already establishing a bit of a celebrity following by the likes of fellow Brit rapper M.I.A. (she who is most famous for the song “All I wanna do is take your money” from the “Slumdog Millionaire” soundtrack) and who donned the gold lion cuff seen above in her infamous appearance at this year’s American Super Bowl alongside Madonna (her finger flip gesture did not go down well with Middle America it would seem), see here for pic…
And if you liked all of the above you might also fancy her detachable shoe jewellery which she showcased at last year’s London Fashion Week and which I came across on Pretty Portobello . I do. I heart it all very much…
by The Heartful Shopper on March 14th, 2012 in Clothing & Product, International Designer, Lady Stuff,
Matthew Williamson is one of those typically British male designers- by that I mean akin to the Paul Smiths and Julien Macdonalds of this world – who sort of quietly tick along being prolific and impressive designers, creating collections that year-on-year achieve an impeccable standard of cohesive and creative vision, standard-bearers for the art of very British tailoring and style… These men are unlike the Stella McCartneys and former Alexander McQueens of this world, who are fortunate to have a meteoric rise to fame, whose collections are either received to great critical acclaim or tank miserably, who are forever in the public eye and on just about every fashion portal you can conceive of…
The Matthew Williamsons and Paul Smiths and Julien Macdonalds of Britain have a presence that is not an assault on the fashion tastebuds but rather like the a delicious, palpable and lingering taste of creamy chocolate in the mouth. Their contributions to the British Fashion Industry when viewed over decades is immeasurable and great, so I suppose it’s not so surprising that the Paul Smiths of this world receive honours like “The Outstanding Achievement Award 2011″ at the British Fashion Awards… Or that the Julien Macdonalds of this world receive OBEs from the Queen in 2006. No it is not so surprisingly at all, in fact, and I believe that Matthew Williamson is someone who will undoubtedly go on to receive just such recognition…
Here then is his Autumn Winter Collection for 2012, presented at London Fashion Week last month – no arguments from me that the silhouettes of the cigar pants and shifts are nothing revelatory or progressive (though they are on trend) – but then I don’t think Matthew would necessarily aspire to be that category of designer… So let’s talk about the colour palette that he’s played with instead which is simply sumptuous to my mind – the gleam of burnished metal tones of bronze and gold and pewter against the brocade style fabrications with fabulous pops of teal, turquoise, cerulean blues, flaming tangerine and deep purple aubergines and then an occasional and irreverent little splash of neon bright is masterful. Or let’s talk about those wonderful tessellated-honeycomb patterned skirts and shifts… Somehow he manages to weave all these seemingly disparate and discordant notes into a beautiful and harmonious collection. A collection that is cohesive, creative, classically feminine yet with deliberately modern quirks. In short a signature showing from Matthew Williamson. I heart it, don’t you?
by The Heartful Shopper on March 12th, 2012 in Editorial, Fashion News, International Designer,
Penning a little note on the house of Louis Vuitton is just about the only way to kick off a Monday morning methinks and especially since “incroyable” Artistic Director Marc Jacobs celebrates 15 years at the helm of this inimitable house of French luxury, in 2012… This season, over and above the Paris Fashion Week showing of the ready-to-wear colllection, an extraordinary exhibition at Les Arts Décoratifs, dedicated to Louis Vuitton and Marc Jocobs, has been unveiled (Highlights from the opening party can be viewed here).
Now “incroyable” is an apt word to describe Marc Jacobs because it fittingly encapsulates the man-legend that is Jacobs and apt too, because it alludes to the reason for his success as the creative behind this brand. “Incroyable” is a French word and it means incredible but also a “fop” or “dandy” i.e. a man who is preoccupied with or vain about his clothes and manners… Jacobs is the lauded creative that he is today because of his visionary design but surely too his genius must find its’ roots in a fastidious attention to clothing details and an air about him that speaks to a bygone era of manners, all of which is embodied in his person.
The fifteen year collaboration between the House of Louis Vuitton is more accurately a 100 year posthumous collaboration between two kindred spirits: the living legacy of another incroyable of the 19th century whose work has been a testament to the tradition of luxury and master craftsmanship, namely Louis Vuitton himself, and Marc Jacobs whose work will undoubtedly endure for the next 100 years. And in particular I will be sure to get my hands on a copy of the exhibition book which will surely become a prized collector’s item on many a fashion heart’s bookshelf.
I have selected a smattering of images from the exhibition that will run from March until September 2012, in my upcoming trip to Europe this year it will be my mecca, as indeed it must be for any other other lover of clothes – offering up an opportunity to commune with two great lovers of fashion, past and present…
by The Heartful Shopper on January 31st, 2012 in Clothing & Product, International Designer, Lady Stuff, Trend,
The first thing that that sprang to mind when reading the name Michael Angel, was that famous Italian Renaisance sculptor – Michelangelo… Now clearly any comparisons to one of the greatest artists of all time would be meaningless, but there is still something pretty great about this collection.
For inspiration Michael delved in collections of 1920′s photographs of Alexandria and personal family photographs. He’s examined his heritage; a once decadent civilization revisited through understated embellishment. By using technology and new fabrication and printing techniques he’s created a range that is a nod to the advancement of the Ancient Egyptians but that is quite futuristic.
He’s used digital printwork imagery of rich gold gilded walls, floor plans of Ancient Egyptian temples and time-worn family photographs. When teamed with the added element of pleating techniques there is an intriguing and distorted intricacy to the imagery. The silk has been sandwashed which gives the fabric the quality of parchment and silk crepe de chine appears in sunray pleated skirts. He has stitched down the pleated double organza to give lean, expansive lines to the modern column dresses. One of my favourite looks would be the drape, shoulder cut-out dress with pleat detail that is teamed with a canvas-panelled bomber jacket.
By opting for shades of ochre, straw and oat and coral accents, he has used linen in a novel and surprisingly modern way. And there’s a plethora of fresh and utilitarian pieces within the collection that would work superbly in a capsular wardrobe (like some of the reversible shirt dresses)… All in all – very progressive and inspiring.
All images courtesy Fashion Inquisitive
by The Heartful Shopper on January 26th, 2012 in Campaigns We Heart, Clothing & Product, Guy Stuff, International Designer, Lady Stuff,
It’s always a surprise how inspiration for a blog post strikes – sometimes it’s a conversation, some days it’s spotted in the shops, most days it’s a trawl through the web and some days it just opens up in your lap. Literally. Glancing through last month’s UK Elle and the very first page it falls upon is the Resort 2012 Campaign for Gucci. And at this moment with summer literally oozing out of every pore in Cape Town, it felt right – the image staring back at me transported me to a place that if I weren’t in my hometown would feel just as good. A place of white-washed walls, berry-coloured bouganvillas (one of my absolute favourite flowers of all time amongst frangie pangies and proteas), turquoise and jade coloured seas and and glorious sun.
Also I’d just yesterday reread an article I’d saved on the history of the design house; it’s beginnings being leather goods in 1921. Founder Guccio Gucci drew inspiration for his label from time spent working at the Savoy Hotel in London which is, undeniably, the equestrian/English aesthetic-vibe about Gucci. Yet… Somehow… It’s all still very flourishy and Italian…
Back to the Spring-Summer Resort 2012 Campaign which was shot by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggot and features models Karmen Pedaru (of Ford Models who has worked with everyone from Christopher Kane, to Dries Van Noten, to Chloe, YSL, Chanel, Donna Karan, Mc Queen… etc, etc, etc) and Lenz von Johnston (of VNY Modles and who has worked for McQueen, Moschino, Prada and Calvin Klein). Like I said, the campaign transports one to a beautiful, sunny world and though I’m not sure one would be wearing a black, ribbed poloneck jersey in such balmy temps, who am I to question such a replete vision of European Summery goregousness. I HEART the slickery-scraped-back-buns (also featured in Bottega Veneta’s resort 2012 campaign); the shock of vermillion red lips. I HEART the bold colour-blocked separates the waisted shorts, the chintz-style prints and the next-favourite-animal-print-trend: zebra. All in all very HEARTABLE wearable indeed.
by The Heartful Shopper on January 22nd, 2012 in Clothing & Product, Fashion News, Guy Stuff, International Designer,
This is my new jewellery perve… Literally spent a few hours hunting for pics of these gorgeous pieces by sister duo Phoebe and Annette Stephens. The background to the brand Aandra Neen: hailing from Mexico City, they produce their pieces alongside an artisanal community and they come from a longish line of artists and creatives. The word hewn springs to mind when describing the metal work – i.e. cut or shaped with hard blows. Nothing delicate or pretty or intricate about these pieces. Rough, authentic, bold and substantive would be my take on them. Dare I say it even tribalistic and African, though according to the artists themselves their influences are Egyptian and Bedouin-inspired. I guess the Egyptian bit makes sense – I could see a North African desert beauty adorned in one of their brass, copper or nickel neckpieces. Yet somehow despite their quirky beauty they have real appeal to the most unlikely of fashion-lovers (spotted a pic of Michelle Obama in one of their pieces in my huntings). But ultimately, I just reeeeeally HEART them.
by The Heartful Shopper on January 12th, 2012 in Clothing & Product, International Designer, Lady Stuff,
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Peter Pilotto LFW Spring Summer 2012
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Peter Pilotto LFW Spring Summer 2012
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Peter Pilotto LFW Spring Summer 2012
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Peter Pilotto LFW Spring Summer 2012
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Peter Pilotto LFW Spring Summer 2012
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Peter Pilotto LFW Spring Summer 2012
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Peter Pilotto LFW Spring Summer 2012
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Peter Pilotto LFW Spring Summer 2012
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Peter Pilotto LFW Spring Summer 2012
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Peter Pilotto LFW Spring Summer 2012
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Peter Pilotto LFW Spring Summer 2012
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Peter Pilotto LFW Spring Summer 2012
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Peter Pilotto LFW Spring Summer 2012
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Peter Pilotto LFW Spring Summer 2012
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Peter Pilotto LFW Spring Summer 2012
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Peter Pilotto LFW Spring Summer 2012
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Peter Pilotto LFW Spring Summer 2012
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Peter Pilotto LFW Spring Summer 2012
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Peter Pilotto LFW Spring Summer 2012
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Peter Pilotto LFW Spring Summer 2012
It can’t have been an easy decision for the panel of judges deciding the winner of the Emerging Talent Award for the British Fashion Awards 2011. And dare I say it, personally I feel that Peter Pilotto may have been as deserving if not more so of the award… Clearly, these two brands share an attention to and love of fabrication and textiles and clashing prints, both are redolent with energy and vibrancy and both share a similar and progressive silhouette. Personally I think that the silhouettes of Peter Pilotto’s are a smidgen more sophisticated. But perhaps the panel thought that ultimately Kantrantzou’s textile design represented something new and that hadn’t been seen before, whereas Pilotto’s ethnic-geometric prints were less so. Maybe that was the deciding factor in their vote, I don’t know, I’m simply hazarding a guess here.
At any rate, I think that Peter Pilotto (half-Austrian, half-Italian) and Christopher De Vos (half-Belgian, half-Peruvian) created a range that is extremely wearable and extremely desirable and should certainly do well commercially.
The designers met whilst studying at Antwerp’s prestigious Royal Academy of Fine Arts in the year 2000. Pilotto focuses on textile and print and De Vos concentrates on silhouette and drape. Their vision of womenswear “embraces both new and classic perspectives on elegance. Otherworldly prints combine with soft sculptural shapes to form the handwriting of the design duo, something which evolves and is explored each season as opposed to being reactionary.” HEART it.
Images courtesy of Fashion Inquisitive, sourced from Go Runway.
by The Heartful Shopper on January 11th, 2012 in Clothing & Product, International Designer, Lady Stuff,
