Photo source: www.style.com
- Giambattista Valli
I absolutely adore and follow RTW
seasonal collections but my heart is definitely with couture lines. The Fall
2012. Couture season in Paris despite ever growing economic crises didn't disappoint.
Bouchra Jarrar
Business smart designer
who's made precise tailoring the key aspect of her work, Jarrar called her new
collection a "continuation of the
wardrobe, of the story I've been telling since the beginning." The
collections focus is on cut, double-breasted silhouettes, emphasized shoulders
which continue to remain in trend from season to season, military buttons, fox
fur and circular scarves, sleeveless coat dresses and lovely strong women
suits. I love the comfortable look and feel of the gray suit in combination
with brown accessories and circular fox fur.
Giambattista Valli
Giambattista has absolutely
showed his mastery of couture inspired by an old Hollywood glamour. My favorites were sleeveless crocodile top which
emphasized waist and transitioned into a peplum flare over a white lace pencil
skirt.
Jean Paul Gaultier
Designer celebrated the life
of late Amy Winehouse, using her as inspiration for his couture collection with
a help of corsetry wizard Mr.Pearl. The whole collection was a big wonderful couture
mess of an excess featuring satin peignoir, pencil skirts, gorgeous lace, silk
parkas, sequins and finally parading veils. 
Chanel
Karl presented all the
shades of blue you can think of in his couture collection featuring streamlined,
upbeat, tons of embroidery and forward-looking, slash pockets on dresses,
boyish attitude... this collection had that well known Chanel's boy-girl thing
going on, girls looked as comfortable in these couture pieces as men would in
sweats on Sunday afternoon.
Versace
The
focus of the Atelier Versace collection were „warrior women“ gowns with corset
waist, daring lace teasing at strategic spots hugging the curves and exaggerating
the waist, hips or shoulders, shaping the perfect hourglass figure with gold metal
inserts.
Elie Saab
Known as red carpet designer,
due to his shinny and sparkly but romantic and effortlessly floating gowns in
none intrusive pastel shades. The unprecedented strength of his gowns is the lightness;
they look and feel so light.
Dior
Bill Gayten did a wonderful,
maybe a bit reminiscent of the past collection featuring sheer layers, classic
black and white floral designs, gorgeous embroidery, splashes of sequins,
lovely contrast in between thick massive black crocodile scales and sheer floaty
fabrics. 
Valentino
Designers Pier Paolo
Piccioli and Maria Grazia Chiuri were inspired by French royalty culture and
created a collection of gentle floral print, lace embellished, sheer organza,
light, feminine, modest and delicate dresses. They were at the same time
practical, cultural but modern despite long sleeves and high necks. 
All photo source: www.style.com
Photo
source: www.pojemario.com
As you might remember from
my previous post, recently I entered an adventure called Arena Centar bloggers
challenge together with 7 other Croatian ladies, also fashion bloggers.
Yesterday, I had my first challenge; I was paired with Ana, the author of
Psycho Couture blog.
I can’t say I was nervous,
but I was surely excited and anxious to kick it off. After short interview
session, with some navigation help from lovely ladies from Krpa.hr (and one
gentleman – Filip), guys from camera crew and charming lady from Arena Centar
who was our host, I kicked off the challenge first, running around from starting
point to designated store locations trying to put together an outfit according
to task Ana and I pulled out of the hat.
Photo source: www.pojemario.com
Since I cannot show you the
photos of the final outfit I managed to put together according to set task,
budget, one hour of designated time & pre set store locations, I decided to
share a bit of an atmosphere from the challenge itself, thoughts that went
through my head while searching for outfit pieces and final learnings I pulled
out of this shopping challenge experience.
#1 - Go with your gut feeling.
This challenge has showed me
that I really learned have a sense of what I like and know what kind of
fabrication, size and fit I feel comfortable in and which suits my personal
image, so I should always just go with the first thing that catches my
attention and definitely prior to going shopping, set some budget amount for myself
and stick to it. I learned that it is possible! J
#2 – Choose a key statement piece
and work the outfit around it.
Knowing that I might have a
hard time finding shoe size in designated store (although it is 39-40, so US
size 9) I focused on finding a good quality, stylish statement shoes right on
task and I worked the rest of the outfit around it.
#3 – Stay true to your personal
style.
Set themed outfit tasks can
also set some new expectations, I was afraid that I will need to compromise my
usual preferences for good quality fabrication of key pieces for quantity in
order to create a complete styling with accessories and all within a tight
budget and pre-set stores. This wasn’t the case, I still went for natural
fabrication mixes although it cost me more money.
#4 – Explore new stores.
This challenge has made me
shop in some stores I wouldn’t necessarily instinctively go to for the type of
the clothes asked by the set task. However, it taught me to browse more and yes,
go with my gut feeling and first instinct but not to buy right away, but rather
go and check other stores and come back, which due to lack of free time for
shopping I don’t often practice. I mostly shop when on vacation or in between
flights on airports.
#5 – Use accessories to show your personality (but don’t overdo it).
With this being a bloggers challenge
I felt like the pre-set expectation might have been to “dress like a blogger”
whatever this might mean, although they weren’t. However, I am a firm believer
that a lady should show her playfulness or her personality trait with
accessories but not to the point that she looks like she just wants attention. Accessories
and clothes should just be an extension of the person; if they undermine the
looks of the lady herself then they are definitely in excess.
I would like to especially
thank my friend Ana Mandekic the author of most fabulous beauty blog and vlog
Maybe’s New Start for the support and encouragement & Mario Poje, an
amazing IT help and even better photographer who took all of these photos of me.
Painful realization that I
was again to busy this week to finally pick up my custom made Lei Lou tote and
thinking about that there is just one more day from the start of Arena Centar
bloggers challenge by Krpa.hr I am participating it got me thinking about some
commercial fashion bloggers projects, I can name so many, but one I found ages
ago came to my mind first.
I am not a huge Coach fan, I
have to admit, and rather I have developed to be from a Longchamp girl, to a
Ralph Lauren young women and finally McQueen lady.
I really like the tote which
Fasion Foie Grass’s Emily Johnson did with Coach. It is smartly designed
looking like just a regular tote from outside but having many smart compartments
catering to every fashion blogger (or for that matter any career women or a busy
mum).
Photo
source:
So there is a slot for camera, a bottom slit for flats and other small
compartment for every woman’s can’t live without things which we all carry
around all day, every day. The only thing which is not so friendly is the totes
price - $558 is still a bit much, as it is mostly made of canvas and it doesn’t
come in other models or colors.
How do you like this BB –
blogger bag? J
As some of you already know,
I am participating in Arena Centar fashion blogger challenge
together with 7 more lady bloggers, challenge will start on April, 18th and last until mid June. As part of the
project introduction, all participants did the short interview to create their
bloggers ID’s, here is mine in
English.
Since many of you saw the link to this challenge
and said “English please” J Bellow you can see all
of the info about this contest.
Organizers are Arena
Centar - currently most comprehensive shopping mall in Croatia which
partnered with Krpa.hr awarded fashion portal (idea
originator) which focuses not only on sharing latest fashion news but also on
supporting young fashion talents so prospective models, fashion designers, makeup
artists etc. from the region are invited to open their profile & virtual
window and have their work featured on Krpa.hr.
Arena Centar fashion
blogger challenge is
basically a shopping challenge where 8 participating fashion bloggers are split
in pairs two by two, each pair shops on a different weekend, one at the time, on
a limited budget, in Arena Centar and is followed by Krpa.hr camera crew during
this 1 hour time shopping spree on a given theme (for example. business look, casual
look etc.) in participating stores.
Each bloggers clothing selection
is finally evaluated by 3 member jury where one member of the jury are online
voters who will be able to vote on Krpa.hr Blogger challenge minisite for
duration of this contest.
Final 4 contestants will
continue to compete in shopping challenges until mid June when we will have the
winner.
First episode will air on Krpa.hr
portal on April 18th @
20:30pm. I am going first as an ice-breaker! J
Hold your fingers crossed
for me please!
Couple of years back when I got my internship in Showroom Seven,
it was one of the two internships and a retail job I worked in shifts right from
college so I was not aware of the culture and heritage this great brand has.
This post I am writing with much delay but still grateful for the experience
and artistic inspiration I got from working in Showroom Seven. As soon as I entered the showroom
and the „closet“ I wished I wasn't just interning but living there, what a
gorgeously decorated place it was! It was trully inspiring, most creative,
hands on & motivating experience to get, so going back home tired in a
subway I continued to sketch & write notes for my blog in my little black
Moleskin notebook. J
Photo source: Erickson
Beamon Fall/Winter 2011 Presentation
The brand was founded and designed by Detroit natives Karen & Eric Erickson (Chelsea,NYC)
and Vicky Beamon (Belgravia,London)
in 1983. soon after founding their jewelry was featured in Vogue, and credited
with creating the chandelier earring.
Erickson Beamon jewelry is now produced at premises of Showroom
Seven in NYC where cofounder and designer Karen Erickson is stationed as well
as in London where Vicky Beamon resides since 1985.
Erickson Beamon is now sold
in over 600 stores in 75 nations worldwide.
Each jewelry piece is meticulously assembled by hand out of crystalized
Swarowski elements, many are hand painted, containing pearls and other semi-precious
stones. Designers have extended their collections to include mirrors, masks,
and a chandelier collection that was launched in 2004.
Karen Erickson said in one interview „Our jewelry is seasonal of
course but not limited to fabrication like fashion collections,obviously we are
making more bangles in summer, while in winter there is more interest in rings
and necklaces but we are making new pieces all the time regardless the fashion
seasons.“
In its long history Erickson Beamon collaborated with almost
every designer you can think of: Chanel, Donna Karen, Givenchy, Dior, Galliano,
Anna Sui, McQueen etc.
Late Alexander McQueen said: „Welcome
to their universe, where glittering snowflakes freeze into delicate drop
earrings, black roses bloom on bangles, a “Brave New World” is being charted
out with yards of pearls and the “Duchess of Fabulous” rules the roost. Prepare
to “Be… dazzled!”
After Alexander McQueen passed away, Erickson Beamon made homage
to him with this amazing necklace.
“Erickson
Beamon is really an overdose of beauty and creativity”, said
Dries Van Noten.
Companies endless list of private clients include Madonna, Kate
Moss, Angelina Jolie, Gwyneth Paltrow, Beyonce, Sarah Jessica Parker and Nicole
Kidman. Daphne Guinness regularly arrives at photo shoots with suitcases full
of her own favorite pieces. And while the jewelers have created magnificently
insane looks for Gaga ranging from a diamante cage mask to a Spanish
jet-encrusted lace mantilla, Michelle Obama favors the more demure floral
brooches and pearl necklaces.
Beyonce Knowles wearing Erickson Beamon headpiece
Erickson Beamon customers include the biggest luxury clothing
retailers like Net-a-porter, Barneys, Neiman Markus etc. but also many smaller
designers showrooms and boutiques worldwide. In Croatia you can find some
Erickson Beamon pieces at Maria
concept store in Zagreb and Dubrovnik.
In 2009. Well known retail chain Target has partnered with
Erickson Beamon to launch a limited-edition jewelry collection, Erickson Beamon Accessories Collection for
Target, as Target representative described it: "Acclaimed jewelry designers
Erickson Beamon’s exclusive collection for Target adds sparkle, fantasy and
glamour, without pricey drama."
Showroom
Seven has a 20 year history of providing sales, public relations, showroom, and business
services to fashion and lifestyle clients around the globe.
Photo
source: Mandie,
Karen, Eric & Monique Erickson on their FW 2011. Presentation
Mandie
Erickson leads the Seventh
House PR – which is the public relations office of Showroom Seven
handling communications, marketing,
branding, PR and event planing but also designer's press and fashion show
production. I didn't work directly with Mandie's team, but I had a chance to
see the way they work, and although I am working in PR now for large
multinational company, I am yet to meet a PR person fiercer then Mandie, she
really had everything under control despite extremely fast paced work schedule.
Monique
Erickson who I closely worked with while interning in Showroom Seven
is firstly incredibly artistic and
overal quite a fabulous person to be around, J at the
time I interned in Showroom seven, she was doing everything from meetings and
order making with the buyers from all over the world to merchandising jewelry
collections and sales. Now Monique is a brand manager for Erickson Beamon's
recently launched RTW
clothing line.
Showroom
Seven agencies occupy 16,000 square feet on four floors at the corner
of 11th Avenue and 27th Street in New York where top designer fashion showrooms
are stationed making this district an essential destination for fashion buyers
and press. While main Showroom Seven office is located in the historic Terminal
Warehouse building in the West Chelsea gallery district in New York there are
also Showrooms in Los Angeles
and Paris.
Photo
source: www.showroomseven.com
Post sources: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/karen-erickson;
I am sure most of you who
follow fashion know about this amazing tool, but if you don’t, I highly recommend
checking it out!
Style.com combined all of
the key points and personas currently in fashion industry, identifying the best
of the best who appeared in Vogue into one online encyclopedia called
Voguepedia. This tool is nicely searchable with clean design. It contains a
number of key categories: beauty, brands, designers, editors, models,
personalities, photographers and turning points.
It seems like this tool is still work in progress and focused on
US Vogue and US market mainly as many important people are not even mentioned
for example, there is no Anna Wintour, nor Anna Dello Russo and Carine Roitfeld
in editors category. There is no mention of fashion bloggers in turning points
or personalities categories etc. but I am sure all will be added eventually.
My favorite sections so far are:
I would also love to see the
photo galleries of best or most memorable editorials and some business info on
history of Vogue overall.
Although, when it comes to
books I am totally old school, I have and continue to buy more and more fashion
books on my travels and here in Croatia. I have to admit that continuous
changes and extremely fast pace of fashion industry makes most print editions
overdue just weeks and months from purchase, so in such a fast paced environment I
highly support online editions which are not only eco friendly and better
organized, but you can also view them via many different gadgets virtually as well as store and
access info from it when you need it on your iPad, iPhone etc.
What do you think of
Voguepedia?
With this post I am thrilled
to introduce a lovely young lady, creative fashion illustrator, fresh jewelry
designer and a fashion columnist Mrs. Lora Vran who is also La Passion pour la
Fashion's loyal reader. For some time now I am following this talented young
lady via social media channels and I have decided to interview her and share
her passion for fashion so she can be an example and an inspiration to other
young creative people who are currently enrolled or are planning to enroll to
fashion school.
Here is my interview with Lora
J
Currently you are writing a fashion column on Push It moda magazine fashion
portal, you are a fashion illustrator and jewelry designer,
which school do you go to and where do you see yourself in the future?
I am enrolled to Fashion
institute of Technology in Croatia. I like many segments of fashion industry
but I am hoping to make a living as a fashion designer and fashion illustrator.
How long do you design and make jewelry? Is it for sale?
I have started making jewelry
couple of months ago out of various fabrics and buttons. I am selling it, I
started off with rings but now I have many new ideas I am working on, so soon I
will be focusing on other jewelry pieces.
For how long are you working as a fashion columnist on Push It Moda fashion
portal/magazine?
I am a columnist for Push It
Moda for about a year now, I started last April. I accepted this offer because
I find Push it Moda to be different then other similar fashion
portals/magazines. They are quite casual in style, there is no yellow press and
celebrity front row reports, Push it Moda rather focuses on the designers work
and fashion itself. We support young creative designers and present to our
readers to estimate their talent.
When did you start to draw fashion illustrations? What inspires you? Do you
ever make the clothes from your illustrations?
Prior to fashion college I
went to school of art, graphic and fashion design where I fell in love with
fashion design and decided it to be my calling, on my second year I learned to
draw model figures.
First I obviously learned how
to draw anatomic figures and later with practice I have developed my own style. Many things inspire me, even a
blank piece of paper. I would love to bring some of my illustrations to life
and make some of the pieces I drew.
How do you see Croatian fashion designer scene and developing fashion
industry in Croatia?
I admire and value everyone’s
work and style. I would like to see Croatian designers to take more risk and design
more inspiring collections, but I am sure that is hard to design for Croatian
market, and to be an artist and realistic designer at the same time.
Does fashion designer necessarily needs to be a good illustrator and vice
versa?
International fashion
illustrators mostly draw pieces already created by fashion designers, not many
go into designing themselves. I don't think that fashion illustrator
necessarily needs to have potential to be a successful designer but I think
that fashion designers should have the ability and talent to at least sketch
their idea but this is not always the case. Many fashion designers inspired by
fabrics tailor their clothes directly on mannequin.
How do you see Croatian fashion institute to be? Do you think that it’s
gradate is equipped to open and successfully maintain his/her own fashion
business?
Like every other college, TTF
has many problems, mainly financial problems, so no, we – the students do not
get all that we need. I blame it on ministry, we need much more practice then
we get, more technology and to be more in touch with current trends in the
industry. Coming out of TTF we are all inexperienced and not knowing what we
are getting ourselves into.
What do you think about the influence that fashion bloggers today have on
fashion industry in Croatia and worldwide?
I regularly read only few
international and Croatian fashion blogs, which I find interesting and of a
good quality. To be honest I think media are a bit to saturated with the topic
of fashion bloggers but yes, they do influence fashion on certain way.
Do you think we have too many fashion events in Croatia in comparison to
the size of the population and amount of local fashion talent?
Each of these events have
their own approach to fashion designer selection and fashion overall, but I
think it would be of a better quality if they would all combine into one event
like it is in other countries.
Which fashion illustrator is your role model and who are your favorite
Croatian and international fashion designers?
I admire the work of Danny Roberts, Paper Fashion
and Laura Laine. I can't pick just one
fashion designer who I love and admire but some of my favorite are: John
Galliano, Alexander McQueen, Jean Paul Gaultier, Vivienne Westwood, Stella
McCartney, Marc Jacobs, Prada and Proenza Schouler. Croatian designers who are like are Andreja
Bistričić and Aleksandar Žarevac but most Croatian designers work vary from
season to season.
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