fresheastfashion

Altaira & Co. from The Forbidden Planet (1956)

2010-01-25T20:24:00.000-08:00

Proof of fashion in heavy rotation can arguably be found in the old futuristic science fiction movie, probably second to none other than War of the Worlds (1953), The Forbidden Planet (1965). It is based on the Tempest, and suspenseful at every turn. The synthetic sounds add to an undercurrent of entrancing discomfort, crossfading into the silence of outer space and clinical, serious dialogue.

Anne Francis handles the role as the daughter of a self-exiled hermit and closet megalomaniac with aplomb. Her performance as the otherworldly Altaira is beguiling. Her pet robot processes her orders to make clothes with precious green emeralds out of thin air. Is that not a dream? One wonders if she has alien DNA; her actions are unsettling; graceful, childlike, and unknowing. Interestingly, the outfits she wears, once portrayed as fantastical and absurdly short costumery, are now being placed on a pedestal in the fashion world. As special effects are becomingly increasingly digitized, with the art of frame by frame drawings and paintings rapidly disappearing, the ones employed in this movie at times seem cheesy, yet surprisingly sophisticated. A visual and ponderable feast that is sure to fulfill your geeky needs, and exceedingly in that respect, many times over. Watch it at YouTube.

Sequins, mi lady?

Balmain? That's so millenia ago.

No wait, gold rivets. Wait. Gold still exists?

He didn't notice my collar!

We're talking about synchrony - hot uniforms. Pressed to be dressed.

Your necklace caught my attention.

Yes, that was the intention. I'm glad you've finally taken notice.

We must find this Gareth Pugh character, and question him.

But question is really a euphemism for interrogation.

Hear ye, hear ye, the all-white wrap dress

That looks like it could transform into a jumpsuit or resort maxi dress.

I like my bow/tie to match in more ways than one.

The bow/tie needs no tying too.

*Shell-shocked expressions*

*Nodding in agreement*

The new posse.

This is a black tie EVENT!

He secretly loves our simple caps with the logo and our multifunctional belts. And by multifunctional, I mean they can carry more than one object, especially act as a holster for our ray guns. You got me? Take care of your guns! I know he digs 'em.

I can't stand the drapery,

or that sheerness, your plunging V-neck line-

Or that flouncy skirt!

Don't be alarmed, the man wears a cape!

Altaira, we give up, how can we beat your perfectly cinched waist?

But wait! Is there a worthy opponent?

I shouldn't have worn this greyish-blue! It was too much for him to bear!

It's alright, it defeated that monster of an outfit.

In the future, what's a girl to do when no one can tell what's Winter or Spring anymore!

Hold your horses, Little Blue Riding Hood.

That robot's gonna be the next big thing.

Ah. How I long to be in an era like that. In case you aren't wondering, which I am guessing you still aren't wondering, that dashing James Bond lookalike is actually Mr. Magoo, aka Leslie Nielsen.

-Miss C.

Discovery

2010-01-11T09:53:00.000-08:00

Discovery #1.

Les Nereides, is a French Jewellery brand. Nereides means goddesses or nymphs of the sea, which *ta-da* hints at the prevailing theme of *miserable drum roll* miscellany. Their charms look like they were sifted out of a bucket labeled ‘WARNING: TOXIC PARAPHERNALIA’, as the dangling rows of little trinkets range from blue genies to circus folk to anthropomorphic kittens and frog ballerinas to the occasional garden gnome to the really random Japanese Daruma Doll. You can supposedly spot the French girl wearing Les Nereides’ cutesy statement pieces with a simple outfit. Apparently charms are designed exclusively by Les Nereides, and not a third party-supplier, so each of the bracelets, earrings and necklaces are limited editions produced with tender loving care. They also have a younger sub-line called N2. Their blog has that same mood of reverie, and the designers appear to be fun-loving young people.

Sold Out "Café des Poètes" Necklace on Colette

Necklace on sale at Karma Loop

N2 Giraffe Necklace at Olivolga

N2 Pig Necklace at Olivolga

The eyeball thing is very prevalent in jewelery lately. As well as animal heads. The human race is sadistic.

Discovered at:
Shop 217, Silvercord, 30 Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon &
Kiosk 3, Level 2, Beauty@Atrium, Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon &
Small boutiques along Jaffe Road, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong

Discovery #2.

The Liger Store has an attention-grabbing name, especially to Napoleon Dynamite Fans who remember his incredibly artistic doodle on the bored student’s favorite medium of choice, the ubiquitous white printer paper.

The Sexiest Beast Alive

There is an underground, cult vibe that emanates from this store, because it is only for the adventurous. It was set up by actress Hilary Tsui (wife of singer Eason Chan), and stylist Dorothy Hui. Their respective blogs (Hilary's is here, Dorothy's is here) show their trendiness and a taste for high fashion.

Hilary

image via style

Dorothy

First of all, the store is on the second storey of a shophouse, with warm light beaming from the frosted windows, like visiting a guru in the mountains. There is a task to complete before one can embark on this shopping quest. Like a back-room restaurant with a packed waiting list, you have to press the buzzer before someone above silently unlocks the gates, and finally, worth all your effort, you are permitted to enter. Way to whittle down to the fashion worthy!

The brands I thought were really interesting were T.A.T.A Baby, Yeah Right and Johanna Ho. T.A.T.A (Talking About The Abstraction) Baby is a really cool Japanese brand that does hyperphotorealistic clothes, putting a whole new spin on trompe l'oeil. At first I was appalled at how they could blatantly rip off the Hermes design (duh) but then I realized the ingenuity, irony, wit, and artistry that went into it, rivaling that of Magritte's paintings! (Just kidding, Magritte is awesome... Tricked ya! HAW HAW.) I suspect they must have stolen some highly advanced color photocopier from area 51 though... A very plausible prospect indeed.Do you know what this means?! They can cut down on labour and time spent on the repetitive process of cutting patterns and sewing! They can also create the illusion of leather without having to commit mass murder! However, I balk at the thought of tons of people carrying the duds around. They also do normal clothes, and they are great as well. Very funky and casual stuff.

Hilary with T.A.T.A Baby Photo Print Birkin Bag

The bag featured on Jak & Jil no one knows about because Tommy Ton doesn't wanna tell anybody

The back of this jacket is even more amazing!

Images via Ancient Age

Johanna Ho is a Hong Kong graduate from Central St. Martins, who has a very soft but structural style. Me likey!

I attained enlightenment and bought a slouchy chocolate brown sweater from their house brand Oh My God.

Discovered at:
1/F no. 11 Pak Sha Road, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong

Discovery #3.

Similarly, the nearby eyeglasses shop Visual Culture is situated above ground, with hypnotic TV screens insidiously reprogramming you to find an entrance round the corner and up another staircase. Check out their blog here.

It is now an in-thing to hide the entrance; it's like a game, like the movie SAW.

"I WANT TO PLAY A GAME"

They understand how the thrill of finding that perfect pair is such an essential mission in life, such that when I did not want to get anything (since I had just gotten a new pair) I saw the sales guy’s smile falter with a slight smidgen of disappointment. The people here know their eyewear, bringing in names like Moscot, Shuron and Jean Maryll. They have Linda Farrow too. I LOVE LINDA FARROW x whatever designer, they make eyewear of an excellent quality.

Well, these look familiar. Linda Farrow x Jeremy Scott

Japanese Outermost Design Frames

In addition to aviators, they have beautiful GOGGLES, by Baruffaldi, a Milanese brand specializing in goggles since 1932. They look like the ones the old Up dude has.

Baruffaldi Goggles

Baruffaldi Annapurna Mountain Natural Leather Shades

German Fredenhaus Aviator Frames

Random factoid: in the 1960s, Hong Kong was the main producer of toy cameras like the the Diana, so you can probably trust them to be good with lenses, frames and the like.

Discovered at:

Flat J,1/F Po Foo building, No:1-5 Foo Ming street, Causeway Bay Hong Kong

-Miss C.

Information Maven

2010-01-03T08:50:00.000-08:00

A culture is the best feeding ground for vultures like myself. Apart from the internet, I like to do a little research on foot. It is disgusting as I recount how many links and patterns are being drawn out at the moment. I am truly becoming quite geeky... Or is this behavior, this trait of hoarding information, something that has always resided within me?

A Culture Vulture

Hong Kong is a superb place to shop, because the environment is conducive for spending. A stratum of brand names can be found throughout the island and Kowloon. A.P.C planted its third store here before the first opened in London, while Isabel Marant did likewise before opening in New York. (Impressive, but it still doesn't beat Tokyo, which has 15 A.P.C stores.)

A.P.C. at Wyndham Street, Central

Opening T-Shirt
images via hypebeast

There are seasoned buyers who know their stuff, consolidating brands that speak to their target consumer, and placing them at specific sites, such that when they see something they like, they fall in love in an instant. Hong Kong’s fashion taste appears to begin with the population developing a seeded preference for a favorite brand and then worshiping it. The only conscious choice the consumer has to make, is which go-to place they want to return to. Various brand names are extremely accessible and attainable.

There is always something unique to be found if you have the patience to sift through various boutique buildings in Causeway Bay, like Laforet and Island Beverley, that stock a smattering of Korean and Japanese import clothing and accessories, as well as a few original designs by local designers.

The Hustle and Bustle of Causeway Bay

Then there’s the famous Lane Crawford, Joyce, and I.T, all strategically located in the modern and spacious Pacific Place, where it is a breeze to peruse through the designer goods. I.T specifically, has updated and included more up and coming designers over the years. For the younger crowd, there is i.t (essentially the same thing). For an extra dose of mega malls, there are Times Square, IFC mall, and Harbour City as well.

Luxury Retailer Bigwig Lane Crawford at IFC Mall, Central

The fashion forward Lane Crawford ropes in Tommy Ton of Jak & Jil to photograph Hong Kong style. Visit the blog here.

Pacific Place

Every visit to the city is a voyage of discovery. ( Daft Punk!) It surprises every time. (One more time!)

-Miss C.

Simple accessories for the beatnik lover

2009-11-26T20:33:00.000-08:00

Glasses are the first thing you notice about a person's face. No one can stop my glasses obsession right now; this is where all the research landed up.

It's great vintage doesn't survive forever, because then it becomes antique. What a jewel this is.

via Fabulous Fanny's, on 9th street, between 1st and 2nd avenues.

First off, Cazals, of which most are from the '80s. A little over the top, requires some sinking in. Some have this really tasty Egyptian feel to them, like those with the cloisonne decorations or swan arms. They exude old-lady chic. Haven't you ever seen those old ladies who looked so chic, in their scarves, and little coats, you could almost picture how they used to dance? The blue fade lens are so seductive. See how his designs change between each series. Yum. Savor just how beautiful "CAZAL" is etched out on the lens too.

via Vintage Sunglasses

Next, featuring the Moscot Lemtosh,

loved by Johnny Depp,

as well as other famous men,

for years. Check them out and try them on at the site. You may like em, and it's your choice as to whether you want to purchase a pair or two online, but to love em you have to drop by the store. Don't miss the time-worn, lemon yellow sign with the big, bold black letters "SOL MOSCOT" on them. It is situated a wee bit east of the West Village.

Philip Crangi, the jewellery designer wears them too.

The same goes for the bracelets on a wrist or a necklace on a neck. Something there, previously gone unnoticed, is made more visible.

His jewellery is deliciously simple and blacksmithy.They are edgy without being too distressed or punk-ish, and created with tender care in his NYC studio. All by himself. Riveting.

The leather on the bracelet turns darker with time. There is a dusty pink version of this, which I wish would stay pristine though it'd be fun to see it turn brown... I'm half euch and half ooh with that.

The rings and bracelets can be engraved, and a consumer certainly appreciates when his or her jewellery is customizable, because it is a personal object to be worn all day, or even for days at a time. The store, called The Crangi Family Project, which is located in the Meatpacking District, is a rather quaint place. Look, HARD, for where it is. It has tin roofing. Just next to Pastis. I really love the hooks, nuts, and bent railroad spikes, echoing how banal is cool.

Of course, it is the hot thing to do reissues and collaborations nowadays. When is it never?

Cazal x Dita

Moscot x Common Projects

Philip Crangi x Giles and Brother

If you are interested, do look them up.

A great place to wear any of these is in David Hockney's A Bigger Splash, 1967.

In a suit.

Tailored or bathing.

If you are bored, view his new exhibition in the Andre Emmerich Gallery in Chelsea. All the values are of roughly the same value, of equal saturation, but further in the back, it gets gradually less busy and further away. Hence you can really imagine yourself walking into this wonky landscape. His mindscape, perhaps.

Hawthorne Blossom, Woldgate No. 4, 2009

It is funny how microcosms interact to form a bigger one. NYC is a huge cultural melting pot, and this cannot be emphasized more. My locale influences me, but I have a greater need to influence it.

Style always evolves, but something always stays the same; it would be too contrived to describe it, because it is a feeling best kept to yourself. If in a collection the designer's voice is lost to a change, there is something wrong. Hypocrites can't trick people. That's why the word "hypocrite" exists. Don't listen to what that high horse lover, or the oratory pathologist has to say. You know what suits you best. I personally enjoy having a Me complex, but only in the comforts of a silent black room with a hanging lightbulb in my head. Respect that you have your own too. "I think, therefore I am" needs no broadcasting, but introspect and understanding.

The greatest mistake and stroke of genius are ironically and concurrently present in a designer's pastiche. Blatant copying sucks more than keeping a mind of your own.

-Miss C.

Need New Lunettes

2009-11-05T20:02:00.000-08:00

My geek-chic alert radar has been sent in to hyperdrive. To clarify, it's not a want, but a NEED. So here I am, spoilt for choice. Should I pick Rio or Paris? Choosing a vacation destination should not be a problem, but these Prism glasses - oh- they're from London and a pair comes in an exquisite crystal box. I love their designs, the frames are simple and flattering, angular to complement the round and round to complement the angular. And and and I really want to try them on. Where's the stockist when you need one? Barney's seems to be out, and it is coming soon to Opening Ceremony, but I just can't wait. There are some things you just need to get your hands on, and put them on yo FACE. As with clothing, an accessory has to fit in seamlessly with the whole equation! Secretly, I'm lusting after the zebra horn, but wear it too often and the kitsch factor compounds. How can I resolve the dilemma about colours then? Crystal grey or dark tortoise? I'm somewhat leaning towards the dark tortoise now. (Think...) It's either the Rio in crystal grey or Paris in dark turquoise. They come at 205 pounds a pop. Hmm. There is always the option of getting both, but I will explicitly state here that I would most certainly like a pair as a present. Please!

What do you think? I have eyeballed their handsome blog, but seeing is certainly not believing. FEELING is. Along with seeing. Don't miss out on the feeling.

London in Dark Tortoise Shell (Large, rounded. Also, probably too large for my small head)

Paris in Zebra Horn (Adorably described as coquetteish - tres mignonne!)

Rio in Crystal Grey (Cat eyes. Look smart, think smart, like an architect.)

Jessica Stam rocks this look. So now it changes colour too. Awesome!

Conclusively, unless I can make an informed decision, I shall be trapped in a Pandora's Box situation, where curiosity kills the cat. Not to fear, for there is light at the end of the tunnel, as the cat is survived by her kittens and remaining 8 lives. Time will pass!

-Miss C.

Update: They have some remaining styles at Barney's namely the Rios, Londons, New Yorks... No Paris in sight. Arriving in Opening Ceremony next week!

My wanderlust unfolds into austere deserts and oases

2009-07-22T00:51:00.000-07:00

A darkened flaxen,
veiled women,
golden tears,
parfum vials.

Givenchy Fall '09 Haute Couture

Givenchy Men's Spring '10

Wow Riccardo Tisci. I love Morocco. Who can't love this - the palatial prints, the stars, and the ornate hardware. Whittle away the high octane loudness and ostentatious lathering. It's so austere because it's nearly elemental - think topaz, rubies, gold, argentum, silk, burkas. The sidereal and sands whisper that it is time to pave the earth for reserved liberty and the unpretentious. Here's what Mr. Tisci has to say:

More from Christian Lacroix:

Christian Lacroix Fall '09 Haute Couture

Also look out for young Greek designer Mary Katrantzou, whose inspiration came from vintage perfume bottles.

Mary Katrantzou AW '09

I appreciate a fine execution. These collections are very fine indeed. Appreciated.

-Miss C.

Supercolorfragilistic Things

2009-06-23T11:55:00.001-07:00

Feel like a disco dancing diva from the 70's x young millennium hybrid. 2009 heralds an evolutionary era. 70's rewind/80's remix/90's edge/00's glam you name it, recycle it.

Report

The Blonds Spring '09

Marty McFly's 2015 Lenticular Cap

Herve Leger Bandeau Dress

But really, the futuristic thing all started in the 1960's. Wait a minute, maybe not, it was way way before you were born in the 1930s when chivalry was alive and well. Be surprised at how accurate this is. These people were nostradamuses, no joke.

(Wot the heck! cantilever heels! o_O)

As we approach a new decade, the 10's, what distinguishing mark will set it apart from the rest? There's no prediction, or futurism for that matter, just re-creation. That is how colour televisions came about. We call it history, we call it the past, but all of our struggles, mishaps, trials and tribulations really still are concurrent in the present and mapping into future presents. From the beginning of man till now, the fascinating voyage and discovery of new places has had the juice squeezed out it for us technophiliacs to eat in byte sized pieces. We have reached global, cross culture saturation. Forever detreating from single points, we project where we want to be; definitely not here. We get something we lose it. We lose it we want it back, but it can never be found again, as fresh as it used to be. It is now stale and crumbly. The search for a higher plane brings us falling back to the ground. Crawl, repeat. Everywhere our desires renew and morph into something else, they convalesce into an gnarly magmatic mass of blah blah blah, yes! yes! yes!, no no no, hot hot hot, not not not, artistic, fartistic, __Blank__-able, un__Blank__-able. "Look, we like the old and familiar, but surprise me!" Well, panic not, this is the boiling point before sublimation. You know all these trends are gonna implode real soon. This is the tipping point. You got black and white. Now fill in the rest.

-Miss C.

Fitting Room Follies by Karl Lagerfeld

2009-06-23T11:34:00.000-07:00

Explicit directing by Mr. Lagerfeld! Lara Stone! Chanel! Choices!

Only 5 minutes of your time to show that dressing up is a game where clothes are the dice and vain excess-ories of repeated inclusion subtraction, ambiguity and elimination, are feats of self-abstracted folly, getting lost in flights of fancy.

LOL at 0:58. 3:30 is the hotness!

Igniting my affections

2009-06-15T12:46:00.000-07:00

are these handsome knits from Swedish designer Sandra Backlund from her FW '09/'10 collection. A harmonic wave along the median between complexity and simplicity, her pieces are compelling and completely wearable. They also manage to look utterly comfortable! I can imagine........ Awesome how she worked with the dredges of the tight-fitting body con trend and injected renewed life, volume, and softness into it. Digging those amorphous bumps like the styrofoam packing. Mmmm... Sweet! Tingly! My goosebumps are coming out. And jolts of frissons are shooting through my veins! Aggh!!!

But seriously, I really, really marvel at how she has the skill. With knits you have to work with a more difficult form of technology than the sewing machine, well, obviously the knitting machine. How input into computer without computer fail :( ? Everyone should go watch Space Odyssey, it is poetic, has gorillas and an evil computer called HAL. *Shudder* It shows why mankind will not be replaced by chips and metal. If there ever comes a scheme where they wanna plant a microchip in you for security purposes for example for identification, think twice!

I also like how the photographs are taken. There is a mood of fragility because it's so stark, you are able to see so clearly the beauty in the symmetry. Take care in looking, not to break that. Human versus Machine, HUMAN forms symbiotic relationship with machine, owns machine. HUMAN WIN!!! Again, pictures say thousands of words. FEAST YOUR EYES ON THEM NOW!!!

P.S. Hi Knitting Machine, can I call you KM? I can't wait to meet you when I go to design school, hopefully, we'll have a frightfully good time with you not attacking me with your needly things and have such nice bebes such as these!

-Miss C.

To go from Vulnerable to Venerable

2009-06-13T13:53:00.000-07:00

I am someone who is deeply connected to my emotions. My heart and head have a close relationship! Hmm... Good or bad, we shall discuss. (I also have a creeping suspicion that I would actually enjoy studying psychology… but that's besides the point.) Normally I would talk in a positive tone, but ain’t it hard to get through to people without talking negatively? Here’s an exercise, try not saying, that’s not nice, not working, not good, not ___fill blank here___ for a whole day, and grade yourself.

First of all, let me tell you what I am not. I will not wind up talking about a concept, telling other people that they know there is such a thing as this particular concept, classifying a situation into this bracket or that branch, without explaining why I brought up the concept by showing through example. Communication is a two-way street. You may be quick on your feet to mention, ya know, I think it’s a (for instance), conspiracy theory… Yeah well I can understand, to demonstrate you know the specifics is pretty empowering. But that just makes you knowledgeable. You also, probably have, a good memory and have become such an expert at employing mnemonic devices. Good on your frontal lobe though! If I really needed the name of something, I would have gone to a library, where I can check the characteristics of a phenomenon, google or find the word, say ‘Science!’ and forget about it. It is one thing to be knowledgeable, but to apply that knowledge for further argument and henceforth a conclusion would be more useful.

A picture says a 1000 words

Now, here’s what I would do. I would say, ya know, I think it’s a conspiracy theory.... Why? OK. You need the facts.... Because of all these incidents that have been popping up, and questionable evidence... Therefore I feel and infer that there is a possibility they may be working in cahoots. I feel that it is wrong because people have the right to know the truth!

So, what separates people from walking wikipedias? We may reply instantly, nitpick away, but a question I love to ask is, “So what? So what? Sooooo what? Soooo what what what what what what what…….” And till I get to the bottom of it, I cannot rest. I keep going till it’s so blindingly true, it hurts. Then, I can finally screech to a stop. When I can’t be bothered to feel something about the situation, I will not come up with the words to substantiate my feelings, because there is none to begin with. But it’s totally alright to admit you haven't heard of it or you do not care!

So what? You are not a robot. You are not an on/off switch. You do not run on electricity. But blood, food, water and the Sun. You are a human (NSFW). You make mistakes. You do not know everything. You have the human touch and you have feelings (unless you are a psychopath like Jack the Ripper). I don’t believe that if a concept doesn't have a term, and can't be formed into a sentence with the available vocabulary, it doesn't exist. Let me rephrase, I believe that if a concept lacks the words to express it currently, it may still exist if you seek to create it. Give it form. Give it shape. So that it becomes more tangible, you know, visible, touchable. Test the theories, break them down or build them up. Otherwise, how did cavemen begin to speak? Who invented those Chinese words? They look like pictures man! Or who thought of cheongsams and decided to put those heavenly mythical dragons on them, and why do they look so oriental? Or how about xiao long baos? What wonderful soup bursting goodness!

Your word is your bond. Make sure that when you say something, it serves a purpose, because you feel for it. Do you have to list down reasons 1 2 3 and 4 and name them for the way you feel? Maybe it’d be too late then. Trust your gut. Your brain tells you when the red flags are up because it’s helping you connect the dots. Maybe you’ve been through an event like this before, or maybe, someone or someTHING has been sending vibes to you!

What is that?

Now that was just the introduction. I will become very feely and vague now, because I’ll be approaching a rather new agey topic. As you may have noticed, I love talking about brains. It’s where the magic happens. Where something comes out of nothing. Do you believe your brains can transmit energy to inanimate objects? Right now the brain it is making me type: this may be weird, but I have a feeling that inanimate objects possess an energy. Are neurons responsible? Ever lost your phone or your iPod and said you missed it? (For the smart alecs, it’s called Animism. Easily Googleable) Have you ever experienced messing around by kicking or throwing an inanimate object like furniture only for it to bounce back and come SMACK like a boomerang? Then, you might just ADORE these bracelets from Ettika. They are 18 k gold, and really hippie. The charms are fawsome! They wrap around your wrist and stuff. I am defo a wrap bracelet fan. I just love those dangly beads and stringy thingies. Now we’re talking. These are the concepts we should be more concerned about. Qualities! Like love, hearts, peace, joy, luck, hope, and freedom! SO WHAT is the point of all this garrulous gabbing? Before you say shut up, take a gander at ‘em. Then, instead of being all confused and whoa! You’d be like, WHOA!

Winterley

Self Confidencey

Greeny Goldey Beadey

Egyptianey Handey

Purpley Violetey Heartey Circley Peacey

Pinkey

Neoney Happey

Aquaey Watery Eyeballey Keyey

INTERMISSION: OMG someone please buy me one >.<

Life is full of abundance, just go out and grab the opportunities and RUN FREE! They come in so many colours and designs I am just spoilt for choice. Stop hating and live happily ever after! And if you meet perverts, run faster! Save the animals and mankind! Do unto others what you would have them do unto you. Nip the nitpicking this instant and love one another, be humble, respect others and they will respect you too! Can you feel it?

-Miss C.

Have you Scene This?

2009-06-11T07:11:00.000-07:00

To connect with someone, make them laugh. As I want to connect with you, the reader, hence we now know the reason for the corny title. But do we understand it? The etymology of the word scene. From the latin word scena, it referred to theatre and the stage. In this dissertation we will cover the famous lines:

All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players

To put this into context, I shall cut to the crap with some blabbing. Unbeknown to myself until recently there is an alternative to The Sartorialist, called Face Hunter (no relations shall be drawn to Basshunter), and he, Yvan Rodic, a Swiss photographer based in London, visited the South Orient late last year to sift out some serious style. The nanoscopic Singapore! See here.

Girl at Devonshire Road, Singapore

Here's a nice little vid or interview of him where he picks out 3 looks from Comme des Garcons and talks about what style means to him:

Yvan Rodic //Facehunter from commonpeople on Vimeo.

Cute accent and honesty: "I'm not really fashion conscious... I'm not really conscious of brands. Style is something you have inside...Clean and clownish. I look boring but I'm a clown."

Having lived in Singapore for a fifth of a decade, I am very used to seeing Singapore style. I would describe it as... light to medium layering (compromise no comfort), it is a mish mash between a greenery, rainforesty, sandy complementing kind of look, how to look hot or cool without burning up or looking out of place. I wonder how a foreigner would describe Singapore style? Because admittedly I can't describe it fairly myself... Let's see... History: Fishing Village.

Modern day interpretation: for day, Sarong reminiscent checks, white, neutral kampong palette/prints. For night, loose fitting/tight for partying, bars, having fun, chilling out, a bit more daring, but no further than the lightness for the weather we've been acclimatized to. Like London, but muted for the shopping district's flora and fauna and the crowds and the bars and the late night supper at the coffee shop. Trends come here to incubate...

For a fleeting respite from my sweatshoppish work, I wish to begin some major gawking.

(Clicks on 'Face Hunting Around the World')

(Some time later...)

Yvan has an eye for the quirky, adventurous youthful and A la mode. He has gallivanted around the globe to frisk out these treasures. The styles are generally very up to date, they are very lively, and alive because these are real people. They depict life in the city. They show what they're wearing to work, to school and to play. What's interesting is that in every country you can spot a distinctive look, which is very cool because it is like a real time webcam on another hemisphere. Tasty eye candy indeed. I have concluded that it is a universal fact among men and women, that we LOVE brogues. Did you see the number of them? Comfort, edge and class. It's fun to have the nuances between styles of one city and the next jump out at you. You could probably describe each city's style in a few words, they just give off a vibe about them! For example, Mexico has a siesta, frisky vibe. Jakarta: tertiary colours, ruching, ethnic influences. Berlin: Clean cut, geometric... wait is that model Iekeliene Stange? He must love to take her picture! Spotted her 3 or 4 times, thereabouts.

As for the fashion capitals of the world, my adjectives are,

London: vintage, new wave, punk
New York: urban, boho, underground
Milan: dramatic, theatrical, gamine
Paris: sleek, classic, polished (Susie Bubble!)

Ah... Yes... It is like receiving eyedrops. I shall be corny and say, brevity is the soul of wit! Mr. Rodic, I hope to see posts of Japan and China in the future too! Hong Kong too. This is the fresheastfashion yeah! You may also check out his myspace, http://www.myspace.com/yvanleterrible. This is a pretty 60's look, cute dog:

Designers have to take to the streets and voyeur around for that ingredients to that perfectly (perhaps perfectly imperfect) look. Otherwise, how do they sell their stuff or get inspiration? They have to snitch it from somewhere.

As Picasso once said, "Good artists copy. Great artists steal."

Except I'm afraid I don't have the guts to ask, 'Can I take your picture?', so I just take a mental note of it. In Singapore you would probably get stared at like there's no tomorrow, not by the picture takee, but everyone else. (LOL.) Like in Ratatouille, where Remy explains to his brother what is a match made in heaven when all the flavours come together. We hunger for that little spark of creative intent. For that moment we can vicariously meld into another person's shoes. Yes we are somewhat like curious little children. Okay, let's face it, we are busybodies. What's wrong with fulfilling the 'clowny' part void in our structured lives? Variety is the spice of life! That is why we have youtube, for us to revel in frivolity. As with reading a novel or watching a play, we like relating to characters, reenacting what they do or think... The things they think of that we couldn't, or could, we are all the same in that we are different and we want to be different or we want to be the same.

Rather than boggle your mind (or my mind) further with paradoxes, let me leave you with a video by the duo YACHT that echoes many themes today. First, it rips off a movie called Tapeheads. The acting, lines, concept, everything. There is a lot of pretending to be someone else in this video. Secondly, it is a spec video. Naturally, those fashionable street peeps from Face Hunter could easily slide into a lovely impromptu ambush music video. Thirdly, it is funny! I hope I made you laugh somehow. Either at me or with me, preferably with me.

Watch the parody first!

Then watch the original!

-Miss C.

Rick Owens' 10 Rules of Fashion

2009-05-06T13:06:00.000-07:00

Rick Owens

When we think Rick Owens, we think black. Otherworldly. Grunge. Primordial. Obscure. Phantasmagoric. There's a thin mist surrounding his designs, as if you are opening Pandora's Box. It's very interesting to see designers' personal perspectives on fashion, because it lies upon a bedrock of style that becomes a philosophy, secluded in the chasms of their minds. Here are his 10 Rules of Fashion.

1.
I'm not good at subtlety. If you're not going to be discreet and quiet, then just go all the way and have the balls to shave off your eyebrows, bleach your hair, and put on some big bracelets.

2.
Working out is modern couture. No outfit is going to make you look or feel as good as having a fit body. Buy less clothing and go to the gym instead.

3.
I've lived in Paris for six years, and I'm sorry to say that the Ugly American syndrome still exists. Sometimes you just want to say "Stop destroying the landscape with your outfit." Still, from a design standpoint, I'm tempted to redo the fanny pack. I look at it as a challenge—it's something to react against.

4.
When a suit gets middle-of-the-road it kind of loses me—it has to be sharp and classic and almost forties.

5.
Hair and shoes say it all. Everything in between is forgivable as long as you keep it simple. Trying to talk with your clothes is passive-aggressive.

6.
There's something a little too chatterboxy about color. Right now I want black, for its sharpness and punctuation.

7.
Jean-Michel Frank, the thirties interior and furniture designer, supposedly had 40 identical double-breasted gray flannel suits. He knew himself and is a wonderful example of restraint and extravagance.

Jean-Michel Frank

8.
I hate rings and bracelets on men. I'm not a fan of man bags, or girl bags either—or even sunglasses. I don't like fussy accessories. Isn't it more chic to be free? Every jacket I make has interior pockets big enough to store a book and a sandwich and a passport.

9.
With layering, sometimes the more the better. When you layer a lot of black you're like a walking Louise Nevelson sculpture, and that's pretty attractive. Allowing yourself to be vulnerable is also one of the most attractive things you can do.

Louise Nevelson sitting before one of her sculptures

10.
It's funny—whenever someone talks about rules, I just want to break them. I recoil from the whole idea of rules.

via men.style.com

Clothes cover the body, but still show the human form. Of course, clothes equal functionality. We have pockets for keeping things, and jackets and coats for insulation. My perspective on fashion that ties in with Rick Owens' is that it has to reiterate a person's lifestyle. In essence, clothes are a second skin. They convey a mood, perhaps dramatically. The way you move and walk influences how the fabric flows, and vice versa. It breathes as you do.

Begin with the most basic outfit, but marry it with something eccentric, strange boots, or a peculiar hat. Now that you've got people's attention, work upwards in stages. Have a cascade of bracelets, an abnormal necklace, or earrings and the size of ships. Layer on a jacket or a scarf. The pieces and accessories complement each other, ensuring all chapters of the story corroborate a singular theme. Amidst all this uniformity, have a piece that draws the eye in quietly, creating a micro rift. You don't want people to think you're trying too hard. Remember, passive-aggressive. Mix-and-match, a little clash is good. The least tasteful outfit is halfway to nowhere. The kind that just tried a little bit and couldn't be bothered. There is a thin line between awkwardness and grace. Hence, exercise the restraint. Loathe sloppiness. Dress on high notes. If you have to, max out on the parts that can be maxed out. If you're going for minimalism, max out on the minimalism. The most tasteful outfit dares you to think. It leaves people with questions, not answers. It inspires people to think creatively, for once. It isn't just, Oh she looks good, this time. It becomes, who is this person? Where did she come from? The one you just can't get enough of, the one that doesn't tell everything.

Actress Jean Seberg

Working out is modern couture. Agreed. In plain sight, having a finely sculpted bod as a canvas for dress up is essential. It's hard to top that feeling of being at peace and contented with oneself, knowing you are in a well balanced state. Be comfortable in your own skin. March to your own beat. Go ahead, blaze a trail. Be confident about yourself, because no two people are alike.

On the subject of men's fashion, men who dress sharp are incredibly attractive, be it the crisp and cleanly ironed shirt, the tailored pants or the shiny shoes. Bravo on hating the fussy accessories. Even on women - Yves Saint Laurent has said, a handbag has to leave a woman's hands free. The hands are meant to be expressive. Indeed, accessories should not get in the way but instead enhance, and, leave you effortlessly elegant. And yes, break all the rules. Anti-fashion is Fashion. Forget about the rules. Massacre it and create something totally your own. Create a new instinct, pure and unrivalled. If you're right, a wave of ravenous desire will follow.

With fashion you never know what you can get. It's fascinating how one person can fall in love with a dress, and another can be totally dispassionate about it. Well that's because people are different, their lifestyles are never the same - absurd characters, personalities, idiosyncracies and quirks. Even the cleaning lady at the food court with her fanny pack, bunned up hair, gold earrings, cargo pants and loose sandals has style, because it suits the way she lives, it's one of a kind. Most importantly style has to work with what you do, and not against it. Can style be learnt? It is possible to learn through observation, by raiding the shops, but keep going until you find an instinct that is uniquely yours. Fashion is fluid, you can always go with the flow, but trends come and go. To leave your indelible mark you have to create a new classic, the one style which like love, is neverending, and everlasting.

-Miss C.

HOLY COW! Fashion x Music

2009-04-21T15:12:00.000-07:00

HOLY COW! How freaking hot are these WeSC headphones? They're unisex street headphones and in case you're wondering, WeSC stands for We Are the Superlative Conspiracy, which way to go, I see C.U.L.T following already. They are based in Stockholm, Sweden, and here is the About me. Chuckled at some parts, but I really admire their vision:

"WeSC is a street fashion brand for intellectual slackers.

WeAretheSuperlativeConspiracy symbolizes what WeSC as a company represents; a group, a family of good and competent people working towards the same ideal and goals.

WeSC is not merely a brand in the fashion industry, but rather a company within the skateboard culture. We create “street fashion”, clothing with roots in a subculture that sets its own rules and follows its own trends.

The company was founded on January 7th 2000, our official “Day of The Superlative Conspiracy”. The founders are all avid skateboarders and snowboarders.

The idea was to create a street fashion brand, a brand that represented street fashion – not streetwear. We felt that the purpose contained more than just t-shirts and jeans, a broader selection for men and women. None of what we wanted to achieve was to be found in the distribution network that we related to. Today WeSC is available in more than 20 countries around the world.

WeSC is addressing people with awareness, regardless of race, religion or financial background. These people all share the values and lifestyle of the WeSC founders. We deliver “life after skate”, a more developed style that also targets people outside the skateboard community, but still shares its values. The particular “We-feeling” and community feeling in the skateboard culture is an ever present important key element in day to day operations of the company.

Superlative Conspiracy is the foundation for the entire company; it’s the idea and philosophy behind the company. One of the most important components of the Superlative Conspiracy™ is our Weactivists. A Weactivist is someone that is extremely good at what they do, world famous or totally unknown. Someone that has a “streetwise” mentality, that chooses his or her own path with a humble persona. A Weactivist is an informal ambassador that fly’s the flag of the Superlative Conspiracy in a variety of subcultures such as skate, music, film, art and so on. Our unique partnership with the Weactivists is sometimes tight and sometimes loose. WeSC loves to be challenged and wants to constantly seek out creative partnerships to grow the pond accordingly.

Its unparalleled image and brand building tactics make WeSC stand out from the rest."

It has apparel, which I was so surprised to find out when I visited the website, (their style is very laidback, casual, do visit) because I first found out about them as these SMASHING ED BANGER HEADPHONES! At first when I saw it in this mag at the club I was like WOAH those are really cute and ULTRA HOT! But then I saw it on the internet and I went "oh red and blue not pink and blue" but now the more I look at it the classier it gets because it really matches the style/image of its artists and So-Me, the guy who does the covers. I really wanna be a DJ and drop some heavy beats with my equipment right now.

Ed Banger Headphones

It turns out they have a couple of other collabos, with Steve Aoki and Amy Gunther, and THE BLOODY BEETROOTS!

OMFG

Unless you wanna show your fanlove, try this more understated pair, which LOOKS super sleek and high tech >.<>

Alp Horn Headphones

Wait, there's more. While browsing through this drool worthy collection of sexy, accesorizable headphones, I stumbled across this wood version of the Dutch illustrator Parra. Nothing more streetstyle than what looks like skateboard wood for headphones.

He has very audacious designs, and that's the myspace link right there. A very distinctive, come hither pink panther colours style. It's so audacious, I suppose that is why his video has been banned on youtube. Well, you can still listen to the song, and imagine those dancing in your head. I actually watched the contraband material pre-ban ;) It's called Breakfast by Le Le, and it's a rather catchy house track ;) Well Parra hasn't only been seen on headphones, it's been seen on French label Sixpack which does a ton of collabos with graphic designers, like akroe, artists, illustrators, even Surkin is up there! Do visit, clicky boutique>tout sixpack to see all. I went through the whole list of shirts and have given it the stamp of fashion approval. GUYS, WEAR SIXPACK! (hint you'll look pretty WICKED). Well obviously, whoever has a hot bod will look good in 'most everything. Selling mostly t-shirts, we've seen the jap, the american version, now french. Il a vetements tres fantastique, regarder les hoodies! AUSSI, I'd love to see people wearing this:

By Fake

What the! Ha ha ha. Love the lightning flashing across HATE. The fanciful AND. The SPARKLES, the SKULL, and the BLEEDING DIE... What really ties it all together is the simple message. I hate myself and I want to die. Just subtly overkill me already. Some of my other favourites:

By Ryan Waller

By William

By Morning Breath
(The vampire one is cute too)

By Andy Rementer

This is becoming a too many to name post, but the freddy one is freaking hilarious! The typographical ones are SUPER FUNNY. Normally those are uncool, trashy and make you look like a douche, but these are super stylish and giggleblasters. There's one by Numskull, a couple by Grotesk. Agh two more:

By Grotesk

By Ill Studio
By Mark Owens

And yes, MUSIC. There's a link to a playlist over in Nov '08, I see Mr. Oizo, but now this went specially with Akroe's stuff, its called the Sixpack Anthem, it has french touch all over it!

To top it off, here comes KITSUNE MAISON! You know kitsune, the french electro label. The vid below showcases their Fall Winter '09 collection and is set to Kitsune Maison Compilation 7, nouvelle!

Kitsune Store in France

Somebody Somewhere Collection SS'09

White is an awesome decor choice.

MMM... tasty. I like Fashion x MUSIC.

-Miss C.

Sugar Sweet

2009-04-18T12:28:00.000-07:00

Just about a month after their Hello Kitty Collection, M.A.C has released Sugar Sweet, which comes in adorable pastel colours. M.A.C is fast! Well not just any pastel colours, but the tints that are white hot on the runway, especially that pantone pink we've been seeing!

Sugar Sweet

Personally I love the peppermint green nail polish, because it's so fresh! Yeah, I snapped one up for myself ;). The lip glosses come in three toned tubes, with a creamy layer at the bottom, followed by a toned one and a sheer one at the top! Perfect for mixing and matching according to your mood, which will definitely improve after you put them on! Apart from these sweet and fluffy frosty delights from Jones the Grocer's,

CUPCAKES

which may I add has the BEST ICING EVER, we saw a darling cupcake of our own. Nice harlequin pseudo tights! Yeah I got to stick some of em cutesy buttons and ribbons on her, like a homosapien Christmas tree! Which was fun by the way, except she's a cupcake don't you forget that.

Sprightly Petite Cupcake Girl

There was also makeup demonstration. The professional makeup artist aptly called the collection the faded colours of a rainbow. He showed us how to wear the pink eyeshades, although I think not everyone can wear them! It is suited for people with darker skintones, as it is not the rosy sort of blush, but a really fuchsia sort of pink.

Makeup Demo

To top it all off, thank you M.A.C we had a delightful time. And the small tube of lipglass for the door gift? Yum :) THANK YOU!

A Didactic Essay on a Totally AWESOME Jacket and Life, Fashion, Art and Beauty

2009-04-16T12:22:00.000-07:00

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Zero

Wow. Sink your teeth into the fresh single from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Zero, with major riffs and man, look at that jacket. It is oh so sexy with her PVC dress. Love the huge K.O. at the back, and the arsenal of studs. Perfect for that high when you dance and sing as no one's looking. What a knockout!

Designer Christian Joy, does the costumes for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. UrbanOutfitters has the scoop with this interview right here. She's based in Brooklyn and I am in love with how colourful, quirky and acid her designs are. Totally trippy:

"Whenever I'm kind of stuck for inspiration, I'll just go online and look at David Bowie or Kansai Yamamoto. I love David Bowie, so he's my favourite. Right now I am into magic and spiritualism, a little more psychedelic, because I think that's where things are going. I'm also really inspired by the silent film Aelita:Queen of Mars - the costumes are all Russian Constructivist, and the sets are insane."

I love it. David Bowie as a muse. Sincerely, that is how I feel, the androgynous girl with a feminine side. Aye, the air is electric and that's also how I feel whenever I listen to electro music. Take me to another planet! At least, the nether depths of another space.... oddity? Ooh, guts! Showmanship! Her site is right here. She has a nice spring '09 collection too.

Distressed Skeleton Costume

And, what is fashion without a cultured soul or history? It all boils down to philosophy, how you see life. Socrates disagreed with the Sophists (the artists, the people who made a living out of their wisdom) His favourite example was the flower, and if one upon seeing it could instantly feel the perfect, unchanging and purest form of beauty, recreating it in the form of an art piece would only be further from the truth. He also believed that no teacher could pass on a wealth of experience down to his student, only lead them in the right direction so they may experience the truth for themselves. Well yeah that's right Mr. Socrates, but for the first part, I BEG TO DIFFER! The image of the flower was filtered into our brains as electric signals upon first sight, hence our perception is an unavoidable prism.

Am I looking at the clouds or the air in front of me?

It has its limits. But sometimes, artists capture the secondary essence of something intangible, for preserving a memory or let's say an experience like perhaps a dream or a mood at that one moment, which encompasses many compacted forms, well there is just no other way to describe it, to solve a problem and understand it and show your appreciation for it except by creating something. Sometimes, it's just good to share it with the world, like I'm doing right now!

On another level, I'd like to think that fashion without context is dead. The stimulus has to come from something external, or the stream will eventually run dry. Kaput. To incorporate it into life and fuse it together with something else, that's another story, it collides and combusts into a powerful, and aesthetically pleasing beam of light! I recently read about Jean Charles de Castelbajac's recent foray into art with his Triumph of the Sign exhibition on Dazed Digital. I love his humour.

Triumph of the Sign

Remember his kermit and lego stuff? This time, he got Chinese artists to recreate the most beautiful works of art, and stamped them with the logos of powerhouse brands. He quotes:

"The bastard form of mass culture is humiliated repetition... always new books, new programs, new films, news items, but always the same meaning."

Roland Barthes, The Pleasure of the Text

It looks to be a satirical statement on capitalism versus art, and boy are they hot! I love how he takes contrasts and mashes them together. One of the Antis of our time.

It's okay if you don't get the whole message of what art is about. When your brain feels those little bytes of pleasure as you glaze over a brilliant piece, you're already much closer. Socrates said that even though when 2 people look at a flower, although one might perceive it as beauty and the other do not, they both know that such a thing as beauty exists. We are forever creating in our own ways to reach out to it, so GO FORTH AND MULTIPLY!

-Miss C.

Godzilla Kicks

2009-04-02T01:43:00.000-07:00

You need to have guts to pull off these limited edt. Puma kicks, part of Puma's Monster Pack Set Clearly spawned by Sci-Fi stop-motion mega monster flicks from the 60's. Now you can recreate all the mechanics of the lumbering, hulking beasts! Watch as the people cower in fear! Honestly, I loved Mechazilla from the old nintendo game. With lasers, flames and all. He was awesome in his own metal way of beating the crap outta everyone else. AURH! PEW PEW! These are almost firebreathing and skyscraping. I would say they're more of a collector's item than one for wearing, though I must say I like the gritty animal detail. Love the reptilian construction on the Lizoid King sneaker. The lines are just savage. Mount them on your wall. Don't hunt animals, hunt sneakers.

-Miss C.

Bouffant Sleeves

2009-03-27T05:12:00.000-07:00

Taking a cue from the 30s and 40s, channelling Coco Chanel and Elsa Schiaparelli, Fall 2009's style is WWI provocative lady a la dick tracy, showing how it was like when the husbands weren't there. If you've ever seen those AMC classic movies, you'd get what I mean. Coats nipped at the waist, Hats, Gloves, Aeroplanes. Furs, lace, bows, gold accessories, velvet and moire say, "I've still got it." We've fallen on hard times, it's a dark period but the glamour girl portrayed rides strong.

I love the word Bouffant. Bouffant hair? Meh. So-so. But bouffant sleeves - oh, so so sexy. They accentuate a woman's shoulders.

Dolce & Gabbana

Dolce & Gabbana shows what it really means to stick to a theme. Mad heels.

Zac Posen

Givenchy

Balenciaga

Positively rich.

-Miss C.

I have found the Fountain of Youth!

2009-03-27T03:05:00.000-07:00

For some odd reason, I have been thinking of monchichis and yebypawka. Yes those monkey thingies.

The Yebypawka

Actually had some painkillers just now, hence am not in the straightest frame of mind. Perhaps quite crooked. I chanced upon this lovely book with a plushy cover. It's called Friends With You Have Powers! WOOOO!

Friends With You Have Powers!

The glitter and weird white ponyo-like spectre flying into a ginormous licorice giant made me a wee bit happy (or high). It's cute! I thought it had something to do with Katamari, you know, the rolling game? It looks Yo Gabba Gabba-ish too, and NO I'm not still in my infancy, I don't know why I've been attracted to such brightly colored stuff of late, probably because... well... I don't know... LIFE IS DRAB! The toxicity in the air is seriously getting worse. My computer is starting to reek of free radicals. Coming to think of it, I think I'm having a fever. Damn you Total-Recall-esque sun! The days of an air-con dome habitat are looming ever nearer...With my friends slowly falling sick, the hypochondriac radar has been switched on. How can we save ourselves?

Where we will all end up

Well how apt that I now see this squeaky clean book in front of me. I open it and instantly I feel as though I've just had a few watts added to my life. Exaggerated maybe but it's filled with pages of whee, happy illustrations and fresh characters. My batteries have just been recharged! What is this prism of childlike phantasmagoria, sunshine, rainbows, and pots of gold?

I like the Malfis chilling at the back :)

An introduction; Friends With You is the Miami duo of artists Sam Borkson and Arturo Sandoval III. They have plush toys, installations, animations and have done ads for the likes of Nike and Coca Cola! I really like their playground called the Rainbow Valley at Adventura Mall in Miami,

Funny white Loch Ness ('0') cracks me up!

as well as the bouncy house at the Hard Rock in Vegas:

Those look like Gacha-pon containers huh. Please do take a look at their site here. They have gallery and a store, some fresh vids too. I pretty like their design philosophy, kind of digging it, it feels good!

"All we want to convey is magic, luck and friendship. I guess you could see it as a club that accepts people from all religions and cultures - each person, animal, even each blade of grass is already part of it. We are all Friends With You."

Now what does this make me feel like doing?
.
.
.
(drinking bottles of glitter)

-Miss C.

Beams T

2009-03-17T12:13:00.000-07:00

In Causeway Bay there is this shop tucked between swanky boutiques with funky lights called Beams T. Pardon the shaky shot (unintentionally set it to long exposure, don't you just hate that?) Let's pretend it looks like something landed from outer space, or once again, Japan. It's a Japanese Brand with really cool t-shirts featuring awesome graphics and illustrations. Is it anything like threadless or Graniph? Who can beat a name like that; Beams T.

Beams T

They seem to do a lot of collabos, with names like Volcom, and RVCA. Do check out the shirts from the online store:

Ahhh. Now I get why. Via Amazon:

"The T–shirt designs in this book have been selected by Beams T, a hugely popular fashion retail chain and manufacturer in Japan devoted to T–shirts. Founded in 1986, Beams T regards the T–shirt as a canvas for new ideas in art and design and each year of their 20–year history, has invited artists from around the world to create designs for their T–shirts.

In this book, 350 of the best of these T–shirt designs are featured in full color."

Like Andy Warhol, bringing Limited Ed. culture to the masses. Yes I want a piece of designer please. Word has it that the Tokyo Daikanyama store even has them on conveyor belts. If robots really do take over the world one day, you'll know where they came from. They even have cute girls' stuff, quite a number are sold out! These are some items from Ray Beams:

They even have a Merrier maternity label, a more androgynous Beams Boy label, and even one for kids! It's a bit like Uniqlo, fast and fresh. Gosh the pictures speak more than I can ever say, go see for yourself.

-Miss C.

Wooden Frames

2009-03-17T11:22:00.000-07:00

We all know that green is the new black. You've all heard of the wooden USB drives and iPod covers, but nothing spells more eco-chic than wooden frame glasses, with glasses making such a big comeback in the past few years. I couldn't take my eyes off them the first time I laid them on this pair a HK Nike salesman was wearing. They were wooden, geeky, with a sleek white coat on the inside and true tree on the outside.

Urban Spectacles

Ever seen those paper/foam/balsa wood aeroplanes which parts could be punched out from a single sheet and crafted into an ultra cool flying machine? Or those plastic parts for toys you needed to twist out? This is like a mix of both, except much nicer to touch and look at. Like an Eames chair. Did I mention how nice it is to touch and look at? Urban Spectacles has the scoop on tone, grain, custom jobs, loads of pictures and what not. Like fine wine, it also gets better with age, and may change to a different shade of brown from UV rays and oxidation.

Sagawafuji frames

You may also want to indulge in these Japanese Sagawafuji frames. Imagine how light they must be to wear, and plus, you get bonsai vision. B)

-Miss C.

Kimono by Frankie Morello

2009-03-14T10:37:00.000-07:00

This number by Milan Designer Frankie Morello from the Fall/Winter 09/10 collection. is tastefully elegant and the bow does not appear overly cutesy. The oriental flower print is reinterpreted into a European flavoured one, with the deep fuchsia contrasting unconventionally well with the greens for a successful cultural crossover. It’s very different from the usually warm tones of a kimono. The peplum style adds a subtle layer of va-va-voom volume. When paired with the dusty pink aubergine petal skirt, what comes to mind is the dream of spring on a winter’s day.

-Miss C.

I Love Kittens

2009-03-12T12:39:00.000-07:00

I can’t resist Hello Kitty. The cat with no mouth, and granted its perfect look of kitten-done-no-wrong-innocence never fails to charm my inner girl into a pile of squealing glee. I try to suppress this childish fanaticism, but cant’t resist staring a few seconds longer at the larger than life dripping sweet pink and black M.A.C. poster of a real-life kitty model!

Hello Kitty Wild

Efficient marketing ploy, hook line and sinker. In a split second I remember seeing the cosmetics line in the papers that it was being launched today, so I walk in to take a look at what’s new. As expected there are other curious and starry-eyed girls like me, and surprise surprise; already many of the pots and tubes are sold out! Hello Kitty has certainly come a long way from her primary color days. She’s glam and seductive, and so glossy and glittery that she’s delectable even. Check out the Hello Kitty Mild/Wild/Kouture lines here, or watch the 4 minute Alice in Wonderlandesque Video:

Even Anteprima, famed for it’s shimmery plastiq wire bag has adopted Miss. Kitty for upscale girlie chic.

My favourite is the black one ,with the puffy stuffable cheeks and tum-tum of black caviar. I would love to pair it with heels, denim and leather for a soft edge, even if it means risking attracting the attention of hordes of jealous schoolgirls, or people going "Whoa, it's an animal!".

It also comes in clutches and totes, arm candy guaranteed to lend a touch of youth and sparkle to any evening occasion.

I must admit I personally think that felines have a very alluring quality about them… Especially the black ones, perhaps because they seem supernatural? Graceful creatures... Imagine, in Egypt, they're revered as goddesses... and they've been around since the age of Cleopatra.

-Miss. C