Come over to the dark side
Rocky Street Style by Cindy van der Heyden
When your read about street style blogs from the Netherlands many people speak about Andy T. and her blog Style Scrapbook.
Our new favourite is Cindy van der Heyden who runs the blog "Come on to the dark side". When Andy T. is like the nice pretty girl next door, Cindy is the more rocky & avant-garde one obsessed with black, leather, smokey eyes and messy hair mixing in her uniqe way pieces from Zara or H&M with cool designer accessories.
Asked for her basic wardrobe, she says: "Great fitted black skinny jeans, leather biker jacket, high heels (sandals and ankle), basic tee’s in black, grey and white and to finish it a great shopper bag!"
We like her unique rocky street style and if you want to see more just click on the we recommend button below.
Best of Chanel books
Gabrielle alias "Coco Chanel" is probably the most famous personality in the world of style and high-end fashion. Thus it does not surprise us that over the years numerous writers and movie directors could not resist to tell us everything about her fabulous life.
Within the last two years at least seven Chanel books have been published. Some of them are biographies, the most controversal among them for sure is Hal Vaughan´s "Sleeping with the enemy" where the author posits that Chanel was a Nazi agent during World War II. The Chanel company is unsurprisingly vague about its founder’s wartime activities where Coco Chanel had a late love affair with the 13 years younger German Baron von Dincklage. A spokeswoman, Iana dos Reis Nunes, referred to Dincklage not as a Nazi but as “a German aristocrat.”
A second biography “Coco Chanel: The Legend and the Life,” by Justine Picardie tells us more about the private life of Coco, especially her relationship to her nephew Andre Palasse, whom she raised like a son. In this biography, his daughter Gabrielle Palasse-Labrunie opens her doors and shares personal memories of her great-aunt and also Karl Lagerfeld contributed an original drawing.
Our personal favourite is the special editon of the "Chanel Three Book Set," by Francois Baudot and Francoise Aveline published by Assouline in an exclusive quilted leather slipcase by Chanel which celebrates the the brand's revolutionary style in three editions: Chanel Fashion, Chanel Fine Jewelry, and Chanel Perfume.
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The 7 favourite Chanel books
(1) Intimate Chanel by Isabelle Fiemeyer, 2011
(2) Coco Chanel: An Intimate Life by Lisa Chaney, 2011
(3) Sleeping with the Enemy: Coco Chanel's Secret War by Hal Vaughan, 2011
(4) Chanel and Her World by Edmonde Charles-Roux, 2005
(5) MADEMOISELLE COCO CHANEL SUMMER 1962 by Karl Lagerfeld, 2009
(6) Chanel: Collections and Creations by Danièle Bott, 2007
(7) Chanel Three Book Set, Special Edition by F. Baudot & F. Aveline, 2011
Take your choice and select your personal Chanel favourite by clicking on the book covers in the image above.
Army Pants x Pink Louboutins
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Kayture.com by Kristina Bazan
Sweet Glam from Switzerland
When we mix up the terms fashion and Switzerland most of us think of famous watch and jewelry stores in Zurich and Geneva or the high society life in St. Moritz or Gstaad. Thus it does not surprise us when a swiss fashion blog is not about H&M, Forever21 or Zara but features high-end cosmetic and luxury brands like YSL or Louis Vuitton.
It was in 2010 when Kristina Bazan and her friend James Vyn started their blog Kayture.com and since then the 18 years old Kristina became quite a fashion celebrity in Switzerland and a young style icon for thousands of social media fans and followers. In her blog Kristina shows a selection of rather elegant looks and promotes cosmetics and fine accessories from top brands, in this way she becomes a kind of style consultant or role model for successful young women or of girlfriends from wealthy men.
See below a selection of Kristina´s looks and featured products and if you wanna become one of her new followers we recommend to take a look at a short Q&A video with Kristina at Kayture.com.
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Marni Summer Bags
We love the fabulous prints of Marni. Thus we selected two looks from the new Spring Summer 12 collection and the matching bags which will make you a perfect summer queen. Just click on the bags below and you´ll get all the details from Marni directly plus a short video and background information about the making of the new stylish fringe bag.
Iris van Herpen: Future of Fashion
When we take a look into the near future of Haute Couture and Fashion we definitely have to name Iris van Herpen as one of the most promising designers. Although she is only 28 years old she is on the way to become the most inspiring and mind changing new artist since the appearance of Alexander McQueen in the 1990s. By using new materials and state of the art production methods like 3D printing she creates and manufactures unique garments which each of itself can be considered as an object of art.
Thus it is no surprise that the Groninger Museum presents the first large-scale solo exhibition of the work of Iris van Herpen, an overview of her oeuvre from 2008 to the present. We strongly recommend to visit the exhibition which lasts until September 23rd and for those of you who want to take an immediate look just visit her portfolio site where you can see the latest collections and a special video section containing the runway shows and artistic short films.
The Coral Folk Tote and Clutch
In the actual S/S 12 Alexander McQueen collection Sarah Burton showed some outstanding new looks in coral.
Now you can get the appropriate bags in this new summer trend style. The Alexander McQueen online store offers a coral folk clutch with hand woven whip-stich details and a mini folk tote with Swarovski crystall skull charm plus the matching peep-toe pumps with block heel and crystal detail shell skull at toe and hammered studs around front platform.
Just click on the items in the image below and you´ll be directed to the Alexander McQueen online store.
Prada Real Fantasies S/S 12
Animated Lookbook by AMO OMA
For the second time AMO OMA created an animated lookbook, named Real Fantasies for Prada´s Spring/Summer 2012 collection.
The 50s and 60s themes of the collection are told through a sequence of 100% handmade collages - continuing a new tradition of handcraftsmanship - by a team of artists under the direction of Max Brun.
The collaboration of AMO OMA and Miuccia Prada results in a new form of lookbook, a unique mix of photography, graphics and text that pulls the reader into a realm of hyper reality.
Get your Prada Summer inspiration by clicking on the video image below and for more information about the collaboration visit Prada´s "Real Fantasies" site.
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Just the beginning of e-commerce
Jacques-Antoine Granjon on Vente Privée´s philosophy
Jacques-Antoine Granjon is the inventor of the online flash sales model, which he launched in 2001 under the brand name "vente privée". Since this time dozens of followers copied his idea and established copy-cats all over the globe.
Quite in contrast to all his followers Granjons puts the focus not on the business to consumer model but on establishing a long time relationship with top fashion brands for whom he creates an exclusive sales channel versus a closed group of fashion enthusiasts.
"I have been speaking with brands for 28 years. I know what matters to them: the protection of distribution, the quality of the shopping experience and the maintenance of their image. We look after the brand, because it is our first customer. And if we take care of it well, there will be a good discount, a good service and a good image and the customer will keep returning.", Granjons about his business philosophy.
And the figures confirm his strategy. Today vente-privée sells 41 million products per year to it´s 14 million members which results in an annual turnover of almost one billion EUR and the numbers are still growing. According to the founder we only have seen fifteen years of e-commerce and the best is yet to come.
If you are not a member of the club take a look at the "Le désir" great video below directed by photographer Erwin Olaf and you´ll understand Granjon´s philosophy immediately.
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Lena Hoschek wins Vienna Award
Best Newcomer Award goes to Shakkei
For the 4th time the Vienna Awards for Fashion & Lifestyle were given in twelve categories. Lena Hoschek received the Award for Austrian designer of the year and she really deserved it. Her unique style characterized by a rare mix of retro looks and folkloristic elements already received a lot of international attention especially during the last two Fashionweeks in Berlin.
The Award for the best newcomer went to Gabriel Baradee and his label Shakkei. His clean and avant garde style is particularly interesting due to the fact that he focuses completely on organic material, sustainable products and production processes.
To see highlights of the designers new collections slide through the images below or visit their respective portfolio sites by clicking on the images below.
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