London based Model Ricki Hall made a name in what is probably  due to his delectable style. He has the beard, what are described as most photogenic tattoos and made it big due to having such a distinctive look. 

The things that struck me most when I first saw his photos were two things, his beard and tattoos were one, obviously... and the other was the way he brings his attitude and character to the focus in the picture. He photographs well, no doubt - duh, model!- but most of all, the inherent style in his own persona does. In my research, something that stood out was that he has such a distinctive attitude to life. He might seem arrogant to few, direct, rude to others, but all in all he seems like quite the character.

 I love Valentino because the clothes always have that ethereal beauty to them, at least to me. I was obsessed with drawing and painting fairies when I was younger so this takes me back to that. The collection seems to be characterized by two element types. There's the almost strict, geometric lines that twirl into classy looking swirls that remind me a bit of long twirling leaves and flowers. Like the white on white embossed numbers or the sheer and black lining over white underlays. I love these pieces because they have structure despite the flowery feel.  

The other type is the embroidered flowery mesh kind of thing. The flowing, abstract kind like the photo below. These numbers are less strict, more flouncy, light and airy. 

As Dazed and Confused wrote in this article, this collection is one of those which seems to translate "the beauty of the outdoors", indoors. 

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.

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

I have a different kind of post for you guys today. I've been thinking, you see, and since I do quite a lot of it, I managed to actually get somewhere.

I had a short day at University today. So after a lesson of 'Tool-kit For Thinking Out Of The Box' I decided to treat myself to a shopping spree and spend every single shiny euro. It didn't really end up to that but I did spend the majority of what I had. I would say I feel guilty, but I don't.

I feel I have to say this; it was a special day. It was a special day because for the past few days I've been pin-pointing shopping and spending habits I have that are rather annoying. For one thing, it's incredible how much I skimp on bottoms; ie. trousers, skirts and shorts. The second and most annoying is that I tend to be scared of buying things for fear of spending the little money I have. The thing is, I bloody spend it on food, drinks and useless stuff then. *disbelieving* *ugh*.

So today I feel like I've launched a personal project. One that's all about spending my money on things that really matter. Specifically, on building a wardrobe of quality items. These are to me the equivalent of quality art paints. Dressing up is an art. It's not vanity. Seriously it's not. 

Take it like this: Would have Van Gogh been able to create his masterpieces without paint and canvas? No. So we need clothes. We need bags and scarves and shoes. It's our creative side which compels us to translate this artistic streak through what we wear. With that being said, I feel completely justified for not feeling guilty at spending my money on clothes.

Also, in spirit of Van Gogh and Fashion:

So in one of our sessions at the Fashion Foundation course we had to create a lookbook out of Magazine cuttings. It was quite a fun activity really. I love flipping through magazines and all the editorials and some of the beautiful adverts.

What I went for as a theme was that same 'grungy with a contrast' sort of feel that I had in my mood board. This, though, had a more relaxed tone. The overall feel of the Lookbook is a hybrid of pretty scruffiness paired with grungy.

Happy Weekend!
Tina :)

So last week I applied for a Fashion Foundation course that is being held at the St James Cavalier centre for creativity. I had my first 3 hour session yesterday and I must say it was rather interesting. It was more of an overview of the Fashion Industry but we also got a couple of exercises, both individual and group work. One of them was thinking up a 'Jenny' for our hypothetical collection. 

We also went briefly into mood boards, so for today we had to create one of our own. The theme I wanted to go with was a chaotic, dynamic and grungy sort of feel. The collection behind this mood board would be something with contrast, something with a structured, tailored feel but still has that dynamic look. Little stones and metal embellishments with an asymmetrical cuts and lines. I'd probably do pops of well integrated colour with whites, creams greys and blacks.

Also, our lecturer , Alison Coates, explained how the type of mood board like below is better than a bunch of clothing and catwalk looks. I'd imagine that a mood board for styling ideas would, in fact, be made as a number of inspiring looks, but for design ideas it's not the same.

It didn't take that much to make but I did think about it and visualize a lot. I do like the final outcome. I'm not particularly into dark colours but I do like that grunge feel so I think what I came up with is adapted to this.

Inspirations for this look were also the Chanel Fall/Winter 2011/2012 show. I loved that show, even more than this year's. The music, the mood, I like it better.

Tina x

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. 

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

Photos from here and here