BLUEPRINT – See you there this weekend!

Keep this weekend free because it’s BLUEPRINT and specifically BLUEPRINT Emporium to the public. BLUEPRINT gathers more than 180 emerging and established fashion labels in one venue for 4 days, out of which 2 days make up Blueprint Emporium where we can shop local and overseas emerging fashion labels, many of which are showing for the first time in Singapore.

Into its fourth edition this year, BLUEPRINT Tradeshow and Emporium will take place from 16 to 19 May at Fashion by the Bay at The Pit Building. Expect womenswear, menswear and accessory brands from Australia, Brazil, China, France, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Switzerland, Thailand, Trinidad & Tobago, United States of America, United Kingdom and Vietnam. Singapore is also slated to host this year’s Asia Fashion Federation Conference, and six representing designers who are prominent names in their own countries will present their ready-to-wear collections at BLUEPRINT. The labels are Kaal E. Suktae (Korea), Christian Dada (Japan), Dieu Ahn (Vietnam), ISSUE (Thailand), Zou You (China) and Ong Shunmugam (Singapore).

We can’t wait!  See you there this weekend!

x Sybil

Black: the colour of sophistication

It’s never easy to find a gift for a guy, especially a gift that is sleek, modern and classic at the same time.  The only way to approach this complicated gift searching process is to go for brands that are well, modern and classic, like Dunhill.

I’ve been looking for a gift for some time now.  The one criterion I have is that it must be entirely black.  That’s when I found this cufflinks.  They are not just any cufflinks.  They are made out of jet stone, a stone that was formed approximately 182 million years ago during the Jurassic period.  How’s that for timeless?  Dunhill managed to incorporate them into a modern and sleek design that is so simple and versatile. Yes, it’s probably more than what we’re used to paying for a pair of cufflinks but I bet they’ll last you another few hundred of years. Hell, a stone like that probably belongs in a museum.

Another option is this all black pen that features an innovative lacquer finish containing genuine crushed black diamonds and meteorite stone.  It’s also limited edition. I want it for myself.

It’s too bad that they don’t have an all black lighter.  A close match would be this iconic Rollagas lighter with black lacquer, a timeless classic piece.  My grandfather had a similar one.  I like that the logo has been moved from the front of the lighter to the roller itself, the design looks cleaner that way.

Finally, to top it all off, Dunhill’s range of leather collection includes a functional overnight bag that is all black of course.  A unique graphic carbon fibre print is applied to black leather, ensuring that the bag is durable with a high degree of resistance to scratch and water.

Available at Dunhill, shopping for men just got easier.

X Sybil

(Images from Dunhill)

Mark your calendars: Asia Fashion Summit, 15 to 17 May 2013

The Asia Fashion Summit returns for its fourth year featuring several familiar names in the industry and from last year’s summit.  Organised by the Textile & Fashion Federation, the conference provides insights and expert views on topics that are important to fashion industry professionals and retailers in Asia.  This year, the focus is on the ultimate customer experience, industry trends and challenges.

I’m looking forward to several speakers and their presentations, especially Ravi Thakran, Group President for South Asia, Southeast Asia and Middle East, LVMH and Hussein Chalayan.  From past experience, while there are the occasional “this-is-my-brand-and-why-you-should-love-it” presentations, there are truly motivational speeches with useful insights.

Highlights include:

• The WGSN Forecast by Ruth Marshall Johnson, Head of Consultancy, WGSN
• Creating Compelling Store Experiences with Wayne Milano, Senior Vice President Asia, Abercrombie & Fitch; Jennifer Fall, Asia Brand Director, Galeries Lafayette; and Ian Bellhouse, Managing Director, Fitch South East Asia and Greater China
• Service Branding: Designing your Moments by Simone Pederson, Founder, Red Scout
• The New Sales Associates: Activating Ambassadors within your Organisation with Marcello Pace, President Retail, Emerging Markets, Bata; and Ann Kositchotitana, Founder & Managing Director, Front Row Group
• Moving Your Commerce Offer Forward With The Customer with Malcolm Pinkerton, Senior Ecommerce Analyst, Planet Retail; and Harry Marki, SE Asia Manager, Zalora
• Winning the Asian Fashion Consumer and Brand Loyalty by Douglas Young, Founder and CEO, Goods of Desire (G.O.D)
• The Stopover Shopper: How to Maximise their Visits for your Profits with Stefan Ellrott, Country Manager, Global Blue Singapore; and Mark Israel, CEO, Value Retail Management China
• The Greatest Story Ever Sold: How the World’s Fashion Leaders Tell a Story by Daniel Saynt, CEO & Chief Creative Officer, Socialyte
• Retailing Trends You Want to Watch by Mercedez Gonzales, Director, Global Purchasing Companies

Asia Fashion Summit 2013 will be held on 15 to 17 May 2013 at Raffles City Convention Centre.  Register this week for early bird rates before it ends on 28 April 2013.

x Sybil

Increasing Value: Lauren Vanessa Tickle

$32.00 Brooch, US Currency, Silver, Latex, and Monofilament, 2012

It’s not the first time an artist is working with money, more specifically currency notes but it is the most wearable I’ve seen thus far.  Lauren Vanessa Tickle has created a series of jewellery using currency notes craved out so beautifully, the reason is earrings, necklaces and brooches that are unexpectedly feminine and delicate.

Tickle explains, “I force wearers and observers to reflect on the concept of adornment in our society. One of the most conscious actions humans undertake is the decision of what to wear or not. My work takes underlying materialism and makes it explicit, imploring evaluation from all sides in each social context.”

$300.00 Necklace, US Currency, Silver, Latex, and Monofilament, 2011

$54.00 and $22.00 Brooches, US Currency, Silver, Latex, and Monofilament, 2012

Tickle graduated in 2009 with a Master’s degree in Fine Arts, Jewelry and Metalsmithing. She is also one of eight young contemporary jewelry artists chosen to exhibit work in PREZIOSA Young.  The PREZIOSA contemporary jewellery Young Exhibition was shown in Munchen, Germany in February and will be travelling to Legnica, Poland, for the Silver Festival in May to June 2013 before concluding in Firenze, from 21 June to 20 July 2013, at the Marino Marini Museum for Contemporary Arts.

Weighing $16.00 Earrings, US Currency, Latex, Silver, and Monofilament, 2012

I’m always fascinated with the conception of buying money with more money and Tickle’s artistic process is transparent.  You can buy the $16 earrings for $150.  Take it or leave it.

X Sybil

(Images from Lauren Vanessa Tickle)

Haute Couture for everyone

It’s a noble idea, to bring haute couture to everyone.  Haute couture was born in Paris in the mid-19th century and can be said to be a uniquely Parisian industry.  It is a small industry dominated by talented designers and artisans and their exclusive clientele.  Man on the street may not have access to this elite fashion scene but they can now witness the history of haute couture in an exhibition that is free for all.

The Paris Haute Couture exhibition pays tribute to this little-known world with 100 dresses.  Sourced from the collection of Musée Galliera and selected by its director, Olivier Salliard, along with its curator Anne Zazzo, it is the first time so many haute couture dresses are being shown together.  Presented by Swarovski, the exhibition is dedicated to historic haute couture designs by the likes of Christian Dior, Yves Saint Laurent, Lanvin, Chanel, Nina Ricci, Balenciaga, Balmain, Givenchy, Jean Paul Gaultier, Christian Lacroix, Azzedine Alaia and many more.

The exhibition also features a selection of drawings and photographs to allow visitors a behind-the-scenes experience into the making of a couture dress – from initial design through to production.

The exhibition is on show from now till 6 July 2013 at the Hôtel de Ville, Salle Saint-Jean, 5 rue de Lobau, Paris 4th arrondissement.

x Sybil

(Images from Mairie de Paris)

How Very Dare: Dare to be different

Digital printing is all the rage these days, adding to the variety of prints we just have to own.  The fashion label, How Very Dare, has a name that speaks volumes for its creative concept since they “create bold, striking photographic prints that are sure to spark conversations”.

A fairly new label, it was founded in 2011 by three friends who wanted to explore the possibilities of digital printing.  While some people may think that digital printing does not require much effort since the machine does most of the work, the truth is it sometimes take longer to make a piece of garment.  From creating and layout to colour correction and sewing, the designers are involved in every stage of construction, including the photography and editing that makes the prints.

Selected looks from their Danielle Steals My Heart collection:

Notice the black and white stripes in every single outfit?  The designers had subtly incorporated this basic element to create a contrast between the chaotic nature of the prints and the simple pattern of stripes.

x Sybil

Intimately Social by Minna Palmqvist

I’ve been looking at a lot of long dresses for the past few seasons and chanced upon MINNAPALMQVIST.  The label is set up by Finnish born designer and artist Minna Palmqvist in 2009.

The concept of the label is known as Intimately Social, which references the juxtaposition of social identity and individuality.  In the designer’s words: “My garments get their inspiration from the exploitation of the female body within fashion and western society, and symbolize the meeting between the socially accepted body and the fleshy, ever changing body we actually have. It is a battle between what we wish for, and what we are trying to hide. The garments emerge from intimate garment details and unwanted body shapes, which enters the fashion scene without pardon.”

The SS 2013 collection is described as walking “a thin line between strength and decay; lightness and weight, façade and reality, all the while showcasing femininity that balances on the edge of a nervous breakdown”.  I like it, it’s intense.

Similarly, the AW 2012 collection features the “falling coat” which I love!

Interestingly, the collection is in constant change, transformation and development and does not follow the traditional fashion seasons.  In addition to garments, the collection also contains two separate art installations and three films.  Visual arts is also a part of Palmqvist’s creative vision and helps to push the overall concept further.  Palmqvist graduated with a Master of Fine Arts in Textile from Kontfack College of Arts, Crafts and Design and has since been nominated for the Mercedes Benz Young Fashion Industry Awards in Stockholm in 2011.  She also won the Who’s Next Young Designer Contest in 2012.

Well, a designer to watch.

x Sybil

(Images from MINNAPALMQVIST)

HELLO, SHIBUYA TOKYO

Sybil and I went for the HELLO, SHIBUYA TOKYO POP-UP STORE opening last night and it was quite an amazing space.

A showcase of emerging designers based in Shibuya, Tokyo and Singapore, the event introduces a mash up of collaborations of Singaporean and Japanese designers and artists.

Japanese brands that Sybil and I have written about such as A DEGREE FAHRENHEIT, ANREALAGE, matohu, THEATRE PRODUCTS and G.V.G.V. are all here. Other brands include JUN OKAMOTO, KEITA MARUYAMA, Lily Brown, mint designs, motonari ono, my panda, plumpynuts, snidel and Yasutoshi Ezumi.

Singaporean designers featured are Chalk, Coupe-cousu, max.tan, PAULINE NING and revasseur. There’s also some fashion and lifestyle goods stores that have really interesting items.

Interesting accessories from PHYSICAL TEMPO, a guerrilla shop in Tokyo.

Japanese Horror Dome, made of hair. “Please shake it. You will see a black fantasy.” I absolutely love. So dark and beautiful. Reminds me of Chiharu Shiota’s artworks.

HELLO, SHIBUYA TOKYO is on from now till 10 March.
Plaza Singapura Atrium
Sun- Thurs 11:00-21:30
Fri- Sat 11:00-22:00

 

X Alex

(Images by self)

Georgia Hardinge X River Island

As you may know, I am a big fan of collaborations.  Whether the collaborations turn out well is a different story but most of the time, they turn out great and exciting, showcasing fresh new perspectives.

This time round, it’s Georgia Hardinge with River Island.  I love Georgia’s work for her sculptural aesthetics and ethereal prints, and this collection seems to have maintained the aesthetic even though it’s high street. Quite an amazing attempt I must say.

Inspired by the work of surrealist sculptor and painter, H.R. Giger, Georgia Hardinge created a 14 piece collection of clothing and accessories with 2D prints that look beautifully 3D.

Expect a specially made film created by film maker Alex Turvey which will be shown during London Fashion Week’s biannual Fash/ On Film Festival; an initiative created by River Island and British Council to give film in the fashion industry a boost.

See the teaser of the trailer here. Sensual and mysterious.

Love the statement piece. Can’t wait for the rest of the collection!

 

X Alex

(Images from guardian, river island, Georgia Hardinge fb)

Ones To Watch: YEASHIN

I was hunting for something fresh and young when I found YEASHIN.  The visual interpretation for this womenswear label fits my search exactly.  Launched in 2011, the concept for the label is derived from the blend of England’s 60s style with elements from Korean traditions.  Lots of colours and textures, the collections are a visual feast.

Kim graduated from London College of Fashion and has won a string of awards during her student days; WGSN Global Fashion Awards 2011 Most Creative Student Collection, Best Fashion Graduates of 2011 in Vogue UK and Adidas UK 2012 Olympic volunteer uniform competition finalist.  In fact, Fashion Scout named her as one of the recipients of its coveted Ones To Watch showcase. She will be showing her Autumn/Winter 2013-14 collections during London Fashion Week next weekend.

 

 

Her past collections feel like a clash of cultures and ethnicities.  Perhaps this may be interpreted as Kim’s expression of her own identity; having left Korea for UK to study fashion.  It will be interesting to see what she serves up for her next collection, given her pendant for colours and the mix of different fabrics.  She sometimes mix silk, satin and wool in one dress.  Her pieces definitely look fun to wear.  We’ll definitely be seeing more of her soon!

 

x Sybil

(Images from YEASHIN)