Voi Là-Bas: fashion

Chantelle Winnie is a model that I - along with the rest of the world (probably) - discovered through America's Next Top Model. The show is not exceptional, really, but if you like fashion and photography and photo shoots (which is the only reason I watch it hah), it is great.

Chantelle was a contestant in the latest season of America's Next Top Model. She did not do exceptionally well in the competition, but I happen to believe that that does not really and truly reflect the actual potential she has as a model.

The really special thing about her, is her skin - clearly. She has a condition called Vitiligo, which is a chronic disease where patches of skin loose their pigmentation. Chantelle had this since she was four, so she had what she describes as a tough childhood especially when around other children.

However, it is beautiful that both in the competition and even when out in the 'real' modelling world, that flaw - so to speak - was that thing that set her apart and contributed to her beauty, and people saw that beauty. The disease doesn't wear her, she wears it.

One of her latest collaborations was with Desigual for their Spring/Summer 2015 collection, which was not the first time she teamed up with them. Both that and the Autumn/Winter 2014 collaboration she did with Desigual were great advertorial shoots in my opinion - she was an immensely great fit for Desigual. However, the first photo above shows that skin condition or not, she can do an array of things and moods. It is a paradox, because while very unique and interesting, it seems to me like she still has that adaptability that successful models have.

Desigual's Autumn/Winter 2014 Campaign

Desigual's Spring/Summer 2015 Campaign

Editorial for SHOWstudio x MACHINE - A

The above shoot must be my favourite, the angle of the camera in the first photo, the angles of her body and limbs and the ethereal expression - it all came together.

I think all this is an exceptional image. I feel that it is proof that society and the fashion industry are collectively moving away from that exclusively obvious, perfect perfect and all symmetrical beauty. Beauty is a lot of things, in my opinion.

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At any given Fashion week, with catwalks and numerous fabulous designs and designers, one of the thrills that can happen is when you love everything in particular look, piece of clothing or detail.

Oscar de la Renta's collection was a thrill to watch. Piece after piece, the designs were pretty and feminine throughout, with gingham thrown in with the lace pastels and the pinch of stripes thrown in.

Look 1: A great look to open with. It revealed enough about the collection to keep you wanting.

Even though the collection had a consistency throughout in fabrics and tones, the designs presented in this collection would provide something for everyone. In fact, in my head, I was spotting things and making mentals notes about outfits and clothes that could dress all four of the main female characters in Sex and the City, all to their personal style. For example, The second look in the two pictures above is definitely a Samatha Jones. The first in the two above those, a Charlotte York.

The above pieces were my favourite dresses in this show, and I'm almost positively certain that they will crop up on the red carpet soon enough. I find that the first one especially is a bit reminiscent of the Louis Vuitton Spring/Summer 2012. The dress that Kate moss wore in that show, white with feathery bits, definitely could pass for this number's baby sister.

Louis Vuitton Spring/Summer 2012

And to continue with the Oscar de la Renta show, the piece below is another that quite stood out to me. A very Carrie-Bradshaw-esque piece in my opinion, especially with the pastel pink, off the shoulder crop top. I'm also in love with this yellow-green colour.

All in all, a fabulous collection. Mixing and matching of different textures, colours and patterns is my most favourite element in designs, and apart from the inherent femininity, it is definitely what called out to me in this designer's work.

Tina x

Disclaimer: pictures are not mine and were all taken from style.com

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Gareth Pugh is an emerging Fashion Designer with a very distinct style. We may say this about every other designer really, but if applies to anyone, it's Gareth Pugh. It's through his immediate leap into the unconventional, unseen and vaguely sinister that marked him down as a designer to keep an eye on. Gareth Pugh practically gambled all his money into what he did.

I decided to do a post about this designer because in my Fashion Foundation seminar we saw a Fashion Film of Gareth Pugh's Pitti at the Imagine #79. It's amazing, really. I mean, props to the director Ruth Hogben, but boy, Gareth Pugh's visions do seem stir something deep within.

I love this one particularly because you can feel the contrast brought by Gareth pugh's usual insights in his creations and the religious connotations at this Italian debut. The melancholic strings against the modernist sounds.

"With a collection inspired by religious iconography and Florentine opulence, Gareth Pugh made his Italian fashion debut at Pitti Immagine #79. Showcasing his clothes via a unique fashion film, created with Ruth Hogben and projected onto the ceiling of a 14th-century church, Pugh melded the grand traditions and art of this ancient city with his own hyper-modern fashion vision." - SHOWstudio

One thing about Gareth Pugh that makes him distinguishable is the way in which he "reaches out". It's a feeling he instils. His designs are daring, a little bit off, maybe, but inherently glamorous. I feel that the Fashion Film advertises this designer's image better than any still photo would. The twisting, crawling, creature-like figures seem to embody some unconscious instinct, searching, looking and testing reality.

I read somewhere that Gareth Pugh's also influenced by London's club scene. You can feel that in the way the figures move, their disconnection with time and place and the harmony with their bodies and movements with the throbbing sounds.

Here is the link to another Fashion Film, the one from Gareth Pugh's Spring/Summer 2011.

In my opinion, Gareth Pugh kind of gives any other aspiring designer the push to find that something more within.

-Tina x

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Well, you guys, you can't blame me. She's one of the Fashion world's most favourite fashionistas out there. She's an icon, a trend-setter and she distincts herself from the rest.

Yes, people, bring on Fashion Icon of the 21st century #2, here she is, she's made the list. Should have made it sooner really, but I still have a lot to learn about the Fashion Industry and people and Designers and styles and trends... and I like to take my time. To analyse and decide what, for me, goes and what doesn't. I'm coming from a very art and design background so I look at Fashion more as a culmination of function, aesthetics and creativity.

I really ramble don't I? On with the post, now.

The first photo of Olivia Palermo that I've found and instantly loved. I cherished this photo, I saved it and probably looked at, used in posts and admired to death. It's the one from Stockholm Street Style where she 's wearing this gorgeous lace dress. It was a time were I was literally obsessed with lace.

Here it is! The gorgeousness.

At the time, I didn't know who this 'Olivia Palermo' was (Shame!), but I've grown a lot since (LOL) and I now know her for her sense of style, how she amalgamates stuff ("stuff"? Here I am trying to sound all informed and knowledgeable and I consciously squeeze in the word "stuff") and how she manages to create such superb outfits with so seemingly different items. Her styling is impeccable, and most of all, she seems like the person who experiments. The person who experiments with different prints in one outfit (cue leopard shoes/floral trousers outfit featured in this post) and wears many a different colours with not even the excuse of colour blocking. And still makes it work.

Photos from here and here

See what I mean? In the first outfit above she's wearing multitudes of items all in different colours and it still looks put together and assembled. My guess would be that it's because the colours are all warm colours, for example, and so they do not contrast in such a harsh way, which would have probably made them hard to pull off. Needless to say, she's got the eye. There is a fine, very fine line between something that's daring and something that clashes too much with regards to aesthetic value. The trick is learning how to be a good judge, and knowing what you personally can pull off and what you can't. Every person is different, and practice makes perfect- that's the best way to learn.

Photos from here and here

There are quite a few tips and tricks you are able to pick up when you follow someone's sense of style and outfit combinations. For example, thanks to Olivia Palermo's outfits and my obsession with street style/what people are wearing (also, I remember outfits. You can ask my friends; I can easily recall what they were wearing on a particular occasion. Quite annoying, I suppose, hah.), I have learned a lot on styling and that very fine line I mentioned earlier. I like that fine line, threading on it and swaying over it, but in general I try to avoid falling over on the wrong side.

The thing I wanted to point out before I started babbling was her yellow shoes in the first outfit above. Note the way she paired neutral colours- grey, black, white- with a pop of colour. That's definitely something I'll try out.

Photos from here and here

Olivia Palermo is the one who, to me, proved that an outfit can have different, unexpected elements, but with the right doses and the correct composition, it will still look good. If you're unsure of something, ask for opinions and be open to critique. You can learn a lot from this. I'm not saying you should accept everything people tell you, just consider it. Different people are able to point out perspectives which you wouldn't have noticed.

If you want to see more of Olivia's outfits, do check out my Tumblr. I'll be posting some pictures of her that I've found in my research.

You'll definitely be seeing more of these Style Icon posts. For one, I love doing them, and you readers seemed to have liked my other one on Abbey Lee Kershaw, too.

Have a great Weekend :) x

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One of the most hyped up and talked about shows at Runway Malta was that of William Wilde's very 'British' collection. I do have loads of other runway photos from this event, but the William Wilde ones are my favourite. I was down by the rest of the press for this show so my photos were taken from a much better angle.

After a lot of editing, I can now post some significant pieces in William Wilde's collection. He was one of my two favourites of the night and definitely the show I enjoyed most. Loved the music and the ambience, I found it suited the collection perfectly and definitely gave it that something more with regards to presentation.

Two black and white numbers which I loved. I wouldn't necessarily wear them, but my god they're beautiful. Especially the second. I think the designer balanced everything so well. I love the way he used PVC and paired it with the knee-length dresses. A high hem-line would have probably looked somewhat trashy (for lack of a better suited word). With the type of dresses and cuts he designed, however, William Wilde made PVC look sophisticated and glamorously elegant.

These two pieces above exemplify what I meant by "very British". Doesn't it look so? I think it does. It's a vintage British silhouette executed with modernist touches and detail. The studded bows and belts, quirky sunglasses and bold stripes make the collection ever so playful.

I love this so much it's ridiculous.

More! Fun, fun, fun pieces. You can also watch the whole show, here. I highly recommend you watch it as it was such an enjoyable show.

One last dress. This was definitely my favourite of the lot. It's something I would wear, though preferably it would be made out of a more comfortable material :P. As a concluding thought, though, I really liked how the PVC fabric fell and the silhouettes that were created with it. Probably being a difficult material to wield, you can really appreciate the designer's work and the effect he achieved through his creations.

Also, for backstage photos, do check the Tiziana's post on Rouge Reveries here. Being backstage looks like a different experience altogether and I really enjoyed seeing all the photos and random snaps. :)

Tina x

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1. Silver

2. White Lace

3. Hair Inspiration

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