WHY FASHION?

Inspiring

2011-09-11T22:28:00.000+01:00

Banana Republic & Mad Men

2011-08-25T12:12:00.001+01:00

Banana Republic is to launch a 65 piece capsule collection inspired by the American TV show Mad Men.

La marca Banana Republic va a lanzar una colección cápsula de 65 piezas inspiradas por la serie norteamericana Mad Men.

2011-08-16T15:02:00.001+01:00

A place to dream. Prefab house by MYCC in Cedeira, Spain.

Un lugar para soñar. Casa prefabricada por MYCC en Cedeira, Galicia, España.

Autumn trends

2011-08-01T10:14:00.000+01:00

Colour blocks.

Bloques de colores

Inspiration

2011-07-26T11:43:00.003+01:00

In London is already autumn.

En Londres ya es otoño.

Sandro a/w 2011

Friday morning

2011-07-22T07:34:00.002+01:00

Ever since a while ago the Digital Harinezumi camera has been on my mind. This camera is obviously not the most technically advanced camera out there. However, having got a Nikon D90 a couple of Christmas ago, I can say by now I need to escape reality. Harinezumi's images have an ethereal, dreamy feeling which opposes the extremely realistic captions of technological forward cameras. Ultra-portable and super easy to use, it will be undoubtedly my autumn must-have.

Friday Morning from Francisco Moraga.

Desde hace algún tiempo tengo la cámara Digital Harinezumi en mi cabeza. Esta cámara no está, obviamente, entre las más avanzadas del mercado. Sin embargo, hace dos años me regalaron una cámara Nikon D90 y creo que hoy por hoy necesito escapar de la realidad. Las imágenes y vídeos que las cámaras Harinezumi capta tienen un toque etéreo y soñador que se opone a las capturas extremadamente realistas de otras cámaras mucho más avanzadas técnicamente. Ultra-portable y muy fácil de usar, estará, sin duda, entre mis compras obligadas otoñales.

Oh la la

2011-07-18T13:19:00.002+01:00

Summer inspiration

2011-07-16T22:22:00.000+01:00

Daddy's girl

2011-07-12T11:16:00.002+01:00

Un vídeo muy recomendable para ver lo lamentable que es la existencia de las que viven para el Botox y la Alta Costura.

A video (in Spanish) who shows how easy and empty is the life of those devoted (only) to Botox and Haute Couture.

The bicycle and the general coolness

2011-06-24T21:30:00.000+01:00

When I first moved to London I was amazed looking at people riding bicycles all around with no helmet, but soon what captured my attention were their bikes. It seems cool people in London are condemned to acquire a bike. And I am not surprised, together they make a perfect picture.

Cuando me mudé a Londres, una de las cosas que más me sorprendía era ver a la gente en bici sin casco. Pero pronto lo que comenzó a llamarme realmente la atención fueron sus bicis. Parece que toda la gente con estilo de esta ciudad está condenada a tener que comprarse una bici. Es una condición sine qua non, y no me extraña, juntos forman una combinación casi perfecta.

One of the best places to go in search of a city bike is Bobbin Bicycles, in Islington

Get there:

Ver mapa más grande

Summertime (in England)

2011-06-18T22:30:00.000+01:00

Highly recommended, this documentary about British Festival History on BBC.

Summer campaigns

2011-05-24T22:52:00.001+01:00

One of the best summer campaigns among the affordable brands:

Una de las mejores campañas de verano entre las marcas asequibles

Crush

2011-04-24T22:12:00.000+01:00

2011-03-27T19:54:00.002+01:00

Will Emmanuelle Alt be able to keep on the level of her former boss at Vogue Paris? Looking at this it seems she might even improve it...

¿Será Emmanuelle Alt capaz de continuar el inmenso éxito de su antigua jefa en Vogue Paris? Con esta portada parece que podría incluso superarlo...

From the desert

2011-03-15T19:47:00.000Z

I have been through a desert on a horse with no name.

He atravesado el desierto en un caballo sin nombre.

2010-12-31T18:53:00.002Z

Not expecting anything is my only purpose for next year. Happy 2011 everyone.

No esperar nada es mi único propósito para el año que viene. Feliz 2011!!

2010-12-26T17:09:00.001Z

Goodbye sunshine

2010-12-17T11:33:00.000Z

The woman who changed magazines' fashion editorials leaves. Where to? Who knows.

La mujer que cambió los editoriales de las revistas de moda se va. ¿A dónde? ¡Quién sabe!

Toeing the line

2010-12-08T22:30:00.001Z

Everyone ends up toeing the line that fashion wants. Even voluptuous and successful model Lara Stone, who appeared amazingly thin last night, has become apparently one of them.

Al final todo el mundo acaba pasando por el aro que la moda marca. Incluso la exitosa y voluptuosa modelo Lara Stone parece haberse rendido ante las exigencias de la moda, ya que apareció notablemente más delgada ayer por la noche en una entrega de premios.

Inspirational

2010-12-01T16:28:00.002Z

Woody Allen's "Interiors", a must-see movie if looking for inspiration for this season's trends.

La película Interiores, de Woody Allen es esencial si se busca inspiración para las tendencias de este invierno.

Being a dickhead's cool

2010-11-28T22:34:00.000Z

Bicycles are the new must

2010-11-22T22:42:00.000Z

Being trendy was never easier: buy a bicycle. That's it.

Estar a la moda nunca fue más fácil: cómprese una bici. Eso es todo.

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart

2010-11-17T17:38:00.002Z

MJ in drag

2010-11-14T22:59:00.000Z

Marc Jacobs poses in drag for Industrie magazine wearing Katie Grand's clothes.

Marc Jacobs posa vestido de drag queen para la revista Industrie, vistiendo la ropa de la estilista Katie Grand.

Hummingbird Bakery

2010-11-07T22:06:00.002Z

The smell of the cupcakes is heady; it works as the singing of the mermaids. Even if you are walking on Portobello Road with no intention of getting inside the Hummingbird Bakery, you do. Every single cupcake there is so cute, so girlie, so festive that you do not even consider its calories; vanilla, red velvet or chocolate flavour? That’s the only question. Lovely pastel colours (soft pink, sweet green, vanilla yellow or turquoise blue) incite you to feel an extreme desire of trying them all and do not help with the eternal doubt, what to go for? Finally it was a vanilla sponge topped with chocolate butter cream icing and chocolate shavings. After having paid £1.75, the friendly lady put the cupcake inside a little rectangular white cardboard box: compulsory take away due to the tininess of the place. It’s a bomb of calories, but worth trying it at least once.

El olor de las magdalenas es embriagador; funciona como un canto de sirenas. Incluso si estás caminando por Portobello Road sin ninguna intención de entrar en la panadería Hummingbird, lo haces. Cada una de las magdalenas es extremadamente femenina y bonita, todas son tan festivas que las calorías parecen no existir y lo único que te preguntas es el sabor: vainilla, terciopelo rojo o chocolate. Los colores pastel (rosa palo, verde suave, vainilla o turquesa) te incitan a sentir un deseo extremo de probarlas todas. Finalmente fue una magdalena de vainilla con virutas de chocolate. Tras haber pagado £1.75, la amistosa mujer la metió dentro de una adorable caja rectangular de cartón: versión para llevar, obligatorio debido a lo que pequeña que es la tienda. Es una bomba de calorías, pero merece la pena probarla al menos una vez.

Make sure you get one

2010-11-02T22:42:00.001Z

*Courtesy Vogue Russia

Whim of the week

2010-11-01T13:48:00.002Z

Let's go surfing

2010-10-26T17:10:00.005+01:00

Autumn sunny days are the best. They bring to mind memories of the summer. And today summer is The Drums' "Let's go surfing".

Los días de otoño soleados son los mejores. Evocan invariablemente recuerdos veraniegos. Y hoy, el verano es "Let's go surfing", de The Drums.

If you have 2:51 minutes play it is worth it.

It girls deserve it bags, don't they?

2010-10-25T22:55:00.000+01:00

Maybe it's because of her hippy-esque style, maybe it's her eternal smile, but Margherita Missoni did not look like one of those girls who would name her first handbag collection after her rich, jobless friends. Does this make sense? I couldn't tell if it's a marketing strategy, but I would not -even if I'd like the bags, which I don't- buy any bag under the name of one of those IT girls who go from one party to the other without any motivation or occupation apart from looking cool. It was obvious she would be designing for Missoni at some point, but I honestly think this name issue was too risky. Nobody will take her seriously. How could we possibly do? Instead of a first collection for her respectable family brand seems a joke from a bunch of rich girls who, this week, happen to do bags. How disappointing.

The designs are extremely predictable. If I were Tatiana Santo Domingo I would be mad at her. Tats' is by far the ugliest.

Quizás fue su estilo hippy, o puede que haya sido esa sonrisa permanente, pero nunca sospeché que Margherita Missoni dedicaría su primera colección de bolsos a sus amigas IT. ¿Creéis que tiene algún sentido? Porque a mí no me lo parece. No podría dilucidar si es una estrategia de marketing, pero sí tengo claro que yo no compraría -incluso si me gustasen los bolsos, que no es el caso- ningún bolso que llevase el nombre de una de estas chicas que se dedican a vivir La Dolce Life entre NYC, Londres y París, sin oficio y con el beneficio de sus papis, abuelos o demás familia. Era obvio que ella tarde o temprano iba a diseñar para la famiglia, pero esto de los nombres se le ha ido de las manos. Nadie la tomará en serio. ¿Cómo podrían? En lugar de una respetable primera colección esto parece la ocurrencia de una niña consentida a quien esta semana le dio por hacer bolsos. Lamentable.

Los diseños son predecibles y aburridos. Si yo fuera Tatiana Santo Domingo estaría cabreada con Margherita. El de ella es el más feo con mucho.

Whim of the week

2010-10-22T15:49:00.000+01:00

Fur or faux?

2010-10-21T22:03:00.000+01:00

The eternal question, fur, real or faux? Any choice is cool this season. Edie was one of the coolest girls in fur ever.

La eterna pregunta, ¿llevar pieles o no? se presenta una temporada más tocando insistentemente en nuestras puertas. Tanto si eliges verdadera como falsa, la piel es una opción segura para este temporada. Edie Sedgwick fue una de las primeras it girl, y también una de las mujeres más atractivas llevando pieles.

To throw or not to throw, that's the question

2010-10-17T22:59:00.000+01:00

How many times have you thought of getting rid of garments, but end up keeping them all to not have to choose? I have been putting off that moment for years. Exactly ten years. I first started going to buy clothes on my own when I was fourteen. Never throwing anything away. I was ready to change my summer wardrobe for the winter one, when I realized I don't have any room at all. And the selection has started. The most hilarious ones are posted on here. I wonder why I have kept many of these things over the years, I guess I was convinced "everything in fashion comes back". I couldn't help but feeling nostalgic. I perfectly remember when and how I bought most of the items I'm going to get rid of. But it's all about space. And in the end, after one year studying about fashion, I have learnt that what matters most is what were you doing when you wore this or that, not really what were you wearing. Memories is all that matters and most of mine are about the people and not about clothing. And I guess I should be grateful for that.

¿Cuántas veces has pensado en librarte de prendas, pero al final acabas guardándolas por evitar el tedioso momento de la decisión? Yo he estado posponiendo ese momento durante años. Exactamente diez años. Comencé a ir a comprar ropa sola, sin la imponente presencia de mi madre, cuando tenía 14 años. Desde entonces no he tirado nada. Me hallaba yo cambiando el armario de verano al armario de invierno cuando me di cuenta que no tengo sitio ni para un calcetín. Y la selección ha comenzado, muy a mi pesar. He colgado una foto con las camisetas más divertidas de esas de las que me voy a deshacer. Me pregunto por qué he guardado muchas de estas prendas durante tantos años, supongo que estaba convencida de que en la moda "todo vuelve". No pude evitar sentir cierta nostalgia. Recuerdo perfectamente cuándo y cómo compré la mayoría de las prendas que no voy a volver a ver más. Pero hoy en día lo que cuenta es el espacio. Y al final, tras un año estudiando moda, he aprendido que lo que más importa es lo que estabas haciendo cuando te pusiste esto o lo otro, no lo que llevabas puesto. Los recuerdos es lo que importa y la mayoría de los míos los protagonizan personas y no trapos. Y supongo que debería estar agradecida por ello.

2010-10-10T22:56:00.000+01:00

Is black the eternal right choice?

2010-10-06T22:45:00.000+01:00

It is ironic that black, the holy colour in fashion industry, is precisely the total absence of colour. Black can be described as the visual impression experienced when no visible light reaches the eye. During centuries in the Western world black was consigned to mourning and to uniform of the humblest ones, especially the servants. Nowadays black is the can’t-live-without colour for women. How has such a change happened?

Chanel s/s 2011

It is believed that the French designer Coco Chanel introduced black in contemporary wardrobes as the colour of elegance in the late Twenties. However, it was the Catholic Church in the Middle Ages the one which appropriated it and gave it a meaning. Vanity was a sin and people stopped using coloured clothes, playing safe with discreet black. Most likely due to the economic crisis, vanity has recovered its former status as a capital sin in contemporary Western societies. Therefore catwalks were flooded with black and dark hue garments, a clear gauge of the break with ostentation that designers took. Balenciaga, Lanvin or Celine among many others opened their Spring/Summer collections with black outfits.

In the Sixteenth Century black was also fashionable but coloured garments were not a choice. This period was especially lugubrious on one hand due to the domination of the Spanish Empire and on the other hand because of the Inquisition. Coloured garments disappeared when Spain became the Empire on which the sun never sets. Black was the predominant colour during the Austrias reign, especially when king Philip II of Spain and his wife, Mary I, queen of England and Ireland, held the throne. Spanish black was in, it became the colour of the court and of the aristocracy, in this period garments were more demure than ever before. King Philip II loved modesty and he believed that black was the best way to achieve it.

King Philip II

However, the humility the king believed in was atypical: those who were able to wear intense and stable black garments were the ones who could afford the Campeche wood dye; a luxury dye imported from Mexico, –then part of the Spanish Empire-. Its discovery provoked a recession in the English conventional dye market and subsequent conflicts between Great Britain and Spain to control the Campeche wood harvests in South America. The fall of the Spanish empire meant the lost of black as the colour of the restrained opulence. Again, black became a colour only for mourning times.

Almost every single religion has used black as a symbol of humbleness and as a metaphor of faith’s mysteries. Despite of the celebre sketch by the Monty Phyton “The Inquisition” in which priests were wearing red habits, black was its colour of reference, mainly due to the authority that it represented. Not only Catholics but also Protestants took black as their colour - Lutero was always wearing strict black to show that the wealthy and the poor are equals-. Even the most sacred object of Islamic religion, the Kaaba which is in Mecca, was –following the tradition- a white stone darken by human beings’ sins.

In 1926 American Vogue presented Chanel petite robe noire (little black dress) as the new uniform of the modern woman. At first it was a scandal because during the last two centuries black had been the main feature of masculine dress. However, soon it was obvious the many favours black colour did to the feminine silhouette: instant elegance, slender figure and in general, a powerful look. Over time the scandal diminished. The big economic depression during the late Twenties helped. Most Western women didn’t have a remunerated job, but they knew the dark times they were living and people try, again, to avoid vanity. The deeper the crisis became, the darker the garments were.

The World War II, in which it is estimated that more than sixty million people were killed, was another inducement for the complete restoration of black in women’s wardrobes. There were millions of widowers who sadly had to adopt black as their colour.

Black has been used by different intellectual movements along the Twentieth century. Marcel Proust wrote in Swann’s Way: In Search of Lost Time a reference to black dresses when describing the attire of an old concierge: “she wore a black dress, as was her invariable custom, for she believed that a woman always looked well in black and that nothing could be more distinguished”.

Once the difficulties of the post-war times were overcome, colours were brought back again to fashion. With the Beat Generation black became an underground culture colour which helped them to show off their deviance from mainstream society. It was an important counterculture movement who succeed in the United States during the Fifties. To distinguish themselves from the hippies, who wore extremely coloured clothing, Beats only wore jeans, black and white. Wearing those colours was a sign of rebelliousness in that time: they were against the established rules and they wanted the world to know at a glance. The original “Beat Generation” met in New York but then in the mid Fifties moved to San Francisco were they contributed to the San Francisco Renaissance.

More thinker support came in the Fifties from the other side of the Atlantic Ocean. The French existentialists vindicated black because they considered it the colour of individuality. Their theory was that black concentrates in the face, the centre of the individual, the impression that the individual produces to others. Factory girl Edie Sedgwick embodied the bad girl prototype. Her infamous black opaque tights together with Andy Warhol’s black turtlenecks became a symbol of the New Yorker underground scene. Pastels, light colours and well-groomed hair represented innocence, the good girl look. On the contrary, those who wanted to look sinister, mysterious and overall, different, would wear black to do so.

At the end of the Sixties the collapse of the traditional values was more than evident. Youth started to vindicate a new social order. The French May 1968 or the Prague Spring were two events that would change the youngsters forever. Punk movement is likely to be one of the consequences of these historical facts. It was born in a climate of nonconformity in England during the mid Seventies. It was a desperate search for the transgression which would keep them far from social stigmas. They were trying to challenge traditional values, morality and in general, the good taste. Punks achieved this provocation thanks to their aesthetical transgression: zips all over their clothes, vintage garments, tartan fabrics, DIY clothing, everything was valid in their visual code. British designer Vivienne Westwood was the maximum exponent of these aesthetics. She was the first one who opened, together with Malcolm McLaren, the first Punk boutique in London under the name of Sex.

Gothic fashion is in a way heiress of punk, but carried away to its extreme. Gothicism was born in London during the Eighties, and its cornerstone is black colour. As punk, Gothicism is a way of protesting about the common, a statement against the inelegant and against social established rules.

Despite of the fact that his career took off during the colourful Sixties, one of the most important designs by Yves Saint Laurent was Le Smoking, which initially was formed by a pair of black trousers and a black blazer. He claimed that black “symbolizes the liason (link) between art and fashion”. It was during the garish Eighties when Gianni Versace became popular, but he would say, years later, that “black is the quintessence of simplicity and elegance.” And the multi-millionaire fashion industry is well aware of it. Fashion magazines had their own pot of gold in this colour. They have exploited the headline “black is back” over and over again. New blacks come and go –midnight blue, khaki...- but they have never dethroned black as the colour par excellence in fashion.

Nowadays black is still a mourning colour, but most of the people who wear total black looks haven’t suffered any lost. Designers know how to play safe and in crisis times, most of them offer black as the answer, even in their Spring/Summer collections that used to be more colourful.

Black has not lost its essence and today is still that symbol of discretion that King Philip II chased. And it is also an emblem of the elegance Coco Chanel made popular. And it is used also for mourning. However, black has become a mainstream colour which has nothing to do with rebelliousness anymore

2010-09-16T16:27:00.001+01:00

Fifties. What a decade.

Años cincuenta. Qué gran década.

Love

2010-09-08T21:30:00.000+01:00

Sally Mann

2010-09-05T22:59:00.002+01:00

Back to life. Final major project is over, for good. Room hunting in London at the moment and actually wondering what it's worst. On a break of the room search I went to the Photographers Gallery (they are closing down at the end of september until autumn 2011).

Sally Mann is exhibiting there a great variety of her work. The first time I viewed her work, like three years ago, I was really amazed by this photography (which is showing there).

It's even more impressive when you discovered that those little angels in their pics are actually her three children (now adults). She documented her children's childhood in a series of mysterious, caring and erotic photographs that shocked American conservative society back in the early Nineties. The series, Immediate Family (1984-1994) are her most celebrated work. In what it's her first solo UK exhibition she also shows pics from her collection Faces, another great collaboration mother/children. It's the first series the visitor sees when coming into the exhibition room.

Those photographs are ethereal, unfocused, with an unavoidable vibe of unfinished, yet close to perfection, work. They are very different to the following Immediate Family, her most successful work to date.

Deep South (96/98) features significant places from the American civil war. Highly nostalgic and sentimental, black and white/sepia, like this example of a wound on a tree's trunk, these are probably her most evocative work.

What Remains (2000-2004) is her most recent series featured in this exhibition. It shows decomposing bodies going back to the land. Not suitable for those very sensitive, the portraits still prove that beauty can be found anywhere.

On until the 19th of September and free, make sure you don't miss it if you are around!

Vuelta a la vida. El proyecto final de master acabado, y la búsqueda de habitación en Londres apenas comenzada. Me pregunto qué es peor, si estar encerrado en tu habitación escribiendo 24/7, o estar por las calles buscando una habitación para estar en el futuro encerrado escribiendo. No sé qué será peor. Afortunadamente mientras buscaba me pasé por la Photographers Gallery (que cerrarán a finales de septiembre hasta el otoño de 2011).

Sally Mann está exponiendo (hasta el 19 de septiembre) una gran variedad de sus trabajos en lo que es su primera exposición solitaria en el Reino Unido. Aún recuerdo la primera vez que vi su trabajo, hace tres años, y lo mucho que me llamó la atención la primera de las fotos.

Es incluso más impresionante cuando descubres que esos pequeños angelitos de las fotos son sus tres hijos (ahora adultos). Mann documentó la infancia de sus hijos y el paso de los mismos a la adolescencia en Immediate Family (1984-1994) su trabajo más celebrado hasta la época. Sus series Faces son las que abren la exposición, y significan otra perfecta colaboración entre madre/hijos, aunque mucho más etérea y a la vez realista que Immediate Family.

Deep South (96/98) supone una serie de retratos de lugares que fueron significantes durante la guerra civil americana. O ni siquiera significantes. Simplemente lugares que fueron tristes testigos de aquella guerra.

What Remains (2000-2004) es su trabajo más reciente expuesto en la Photographers' Gallery londinense. Muestra cuerpos en proceso de descomposición y volviendo de nuevo a la tierra. Un trabajo que provocará arcadas a los ojos más sensibles, pero que a la vez demuestra que se puede encontrar belleza en cualquier sitio.

Si estás por Londres antes del 19 de septiembre, asegúrate de no perderte la exposición.

RIP Corinne Day

2010-08-29T19:53:00.003+01:00

The legendary photographer died yesterday after being suffering from a brain tumor for years.

La legendaria fotógrafa Corinne Day murió ayer tras una larga enfermedad

To catch a prince

2010-08-23T12:04:00.006+01:00

The Victoria & Albert museum in London holds until the next 26th of September the exhibition: "Grace Kelly: Style Icon". There you can contemplate some of the princess' most famous outfits. She was one of the most photographed women of the XX century and even the infamous Hermès bag "Kelly" was named after her.

A pale pink shirtwaist dress stands out from the rest of the outfits. It is made of gold enriched silk. The full skirt and the Peter Pan neckline together with the ¾ sleeves and the bright polka dots’ fabric, confer it an innocent allure. The thin matching belt enhanced her wasp waist. It is a fairy tale dress made for a Hollywood princess. That apparently simple outfit emphasized Grace Kelly’s American style. She wore it the day her then husband-to-be, Rainier III, visited Philadelphia to meet her parents. She looked radiant: a happy smile on her face and a real prince charming next to her. I couldn’t help but shivering in front of that picture. It is the vivid portrait of happiness.

Her wardrobe was extremely glamorous, a requirement of her role as a Princess, even though the exhibition also shows some of her dresses from her Hollywood star times. It is recommended to book in advanced.

El museo Victoria & Albert de Londres muestra, hasta el próximo 26 de septiembre la exposición: Grace Kelly: Style Icon. En la misma se pueden contemplar docenas de los vestidos que formaban el armario de una de las mujeres más fotografiadas del siglo XX. Después de todo es por ella por lo que el bolso Kelly de Hermès se llama así.

Una vestido camisero rosa pálido sobresale del resto de los modelos. Está hecho de seda enriquecida, la calidad del tejido se puede ver incluso a través del cristal. La falda con vuelo y el cuello de Peter Pan, junto con las mangas tres cuartos y el sobrio estampado de lunares, prácticamente inapreciable, le dan un encanto inocente. El cinturón estrecho a la altura de la cintura enfatiza la perfecta silueta de la actriz. Es un vestido de un cuento de hadas hecho para una princesa de Hollywood. El vestido deja patente su inequívoco estilo americano. Ella llevó ese vestido el día que su futuro marido, Rainiero de Mónaco, viajó a Filadelfia para conocer a sus padres. En la foto se ve que ella estaba radiante: una sonrisa en su cara y un príncipe de verdad a su lado. No pude evitar sentir escalofríos frente a esa foto. Es el vivo retrato de la felicidad.

Su armario era extremadamente glamuroso, algo necesario para cumplir con sus obligaciones como princesa de Mónaco. La exposición también incluye algunos de sus vestidos de su época como actriz. Se recomienda reservar con antelación.

Lost your faith

2010-08-22T22:52:00.003+01:00

A part of myself has died today. I lost my faith in Manolo Blahník.

Hoy una parte de mí ha muerto. Hoy perdí la fe en Mr. Blahník.

Have a nice weekend!

2010-08-21T12:49:00.002+01:00

Take a Walk: NYC #3 from TrendLand on Vimeo.

Edinburgh Festival

2010-08-19T11:47:00.003+01:00

The place to be until the next 5th of September: Edinburgh festival. The good thing about being so busy doing a travel magazine is that you get stressed traveling and not in inside your office. Been to the Edinburgh festival. You HAVE TO go there. Amazing atmosphere. Great city. Art everywhere. I'm officially in love.

El lugar para estar: Edimburgo. Hasta el próximo 5 de Septiembre la ciudad acoge su festival internacional. Lo bueno de estar estresada haciendo una revista de viajes es que por lo menos el estrés me coge de viaje y no metida en una oficina. Si podéis, id a Edimburgo. Un ambiente increíble. Una gran ciudad. Arte por todas partes. Creo que me he enamorado, oficialmente.

Fashion at its best

2010-08-16T13:23:00.003+01:00

The Chap Olympiad, in Bloomsbury Gardens (London) is one of the best events of the summer to spot vintage clothing at its best. If you come to the city, make sure you don't miss it! If you are not fan of sports do not worry, this Olympiad is precisely meant for those. Ridiculous contests like the Cucumber Sandwich Discus or the Tug of Hair are probably the funniest sport events you could ever attend to and make a clear statement: everything but sports matters here. It normally takes place at the end of July. Organized by Chap Magazine, it is an event based on the charm of the English gentlemen.

Las Chap Olympiad, en los jardines de Bloomsbury en Londres es uno de los mejores eventos del verano para fichar los mejores looks vintage. Si vienes a Londres, asegúrate de no perdértelo. Y si los deportes no te importan, más aún, pues en esta Olimpiada lo que menos cuenta es precisamente eso, el deporte. Competiciones tan absurdas como el lanzamiento de sandwiches de pepino o quién hace el mejor cóctel de Martini lo dejan claro. Normalmente se celebra a finales de Julio y está organizado por la revista Chap.

Beautiful things

2010-08-05T23:01:00.005+01:00

i-Diot

2010-08-02T19:04:00.003+01:00

It doesn't get more ridiculous than this, does it?

En fin

*Featured on Wallpaper

Hampton Court Palace Flower Show

2010-07-26T22:30:00.001+01:00

Nobody told me that doing a MA would be that time-consuming, but I should have known I guess. My summer is not being a proper one, just going from one place to the other, trying to write a good travel magazine. Britain has amazing places that I am just discovering, so this month will be more travel and less fashion on this blog! This is the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show, held at the beginning of this month in the palace’s grounds. The variety of flowers, vegetables and gardens is amazing and totally worth it paying it a visit!

Nadie me dijo que hacer un Máster ocuparía todo mi tiempo, pero supongo que debería haberlo asumido. Mi verano no está siendo tal, lo único que hago es ir de un lado para otro, intentando escribir una buena revista de viajes para mi proyecto final. Gran Bretaña tiene sitios increíbles que estoy descubriendo gracias a este proyecto, así que he de comunicaros que el próximo mes y medio en este blog habrás más viajes y menos moda en general. Estas fotos son del Hampton Court Palace Flower Show, que se celebra cada año en los jardines del palacio. La variedad de flores, hortalizas y jardines es increíble y realmente merece la pena hacer una visita.

Just like a legend

2010-07-09T12:28:00.005+01:00

I will remember last Saturday until the day I die. When I first got to the Hop Farm Festival I was pretty sure I wouldn't ever forget that day, but not for good reasons. Finally the moment had come: Bob Dylan, live. It was thanks to his songs that I left tasteless music behind, but people had recommended me not to have expectations, not to expect the Seventies Dylan, not to expect anything apart from the decadence of an old legend. So did they say about Pete Doherty. He was good too. Everyone was quite calm and when it was Dylan turn, right after the frontman of The Kinks finished, people went crazy. No room to breath in an outdoors venue. how crazy is that? But all the shoves and the steps on my foot were totally worth it, especially considering that I was in the third row. Even if the times of glory are gone for him, he still has an amazing energy for a 68-year-old who is on a never ending tour since 1988.

Recordaré el sábado pasado hasta el día en que me muera. Cuando llegué al festival Hop Farm estaba segura que no iba a olvidar ese día, pero no por buenas razones. Finalmente el momento había llegado, iba a ver a Bob Dylan en directo, pero la voz de mis amigos resonaba con fuerza en mi cabeza y me recordaba que seguramente sería decepcionante. Gracias a Bob Dylan abandoné los 40 principales y por ello le estaré eternamente agradecida. Pero también tenía miedo. Ya sabía que no me podía esperar al Dylan de Desire, pero tampoco quería creer que solo vería decadencia en el escenario, pese a todas las advertencias. Incluso Pete Doherty estuvo bien! Todo el mundo guardaba la calma, pero justo cuando el cantante de The Kinks se despidió un remolino de gente se agazapó a mi alrededor. A pesar de ser un evento al aire libre no había aire ni para respirar. Pisotones, empujones, codazos... y todo eso bajo uno de los días más calurosos del verano en Inglaterra, pero mereció la pena. Especialmente considerando que vi todo el concierto desde la tercera fila. Incluso si los días de gloria para Bob han pasado, aún conserva una energía increíble, sobre todo teniendo en cuenta que lleva en la carretera non-stop desde 1988.

You have to go here...

2010-06-24T22:09:00.003+01:00

Last Sunday morning I headed to Salisbury without great expectations. Summer solstice in Stonehenge. Yeah, it sounded good, but I wasn't hoping to see the sunrise. For my first time at the event, touching the stones and being literally in the middle of Stonehenge was more than enough. And luckily enough -for first time since 2003- the clear sky let us enjoy the sunrise. The magical atmosphere cannot be described with words. Since you get there, an ethereal feeling of belonging involves you. At a glance, the out of training eye might be a bit shocked by that Woodstock meets weirdos-convention that all this seems to be about. But after a little while, you can only perceive the magic and those edgy aesthetics became part of it. You better go next year and check it by yourself. It is said that the life-changing trips are always worth it. This is one of them.

El domingo pasado me dirigí hacia Salisbury sin ninguna expectativa. El solsticio de verano en Stonehenge. Sí, sonaba bien, pero yo no tenía ninguna esperanza de poder ver el amanecer. Para ser mi primer 20 de junio en Stonehenge, poder tocar las piedras y estar literalmente en el centro del monumento megalítico era más que suficiente. Y este año, por suerte para mí, y por primera vez desde el año 2003, el cielo despejado permitió ver a los presentes el increíble amanecer. La magia del ambiente no puede describirse con palabras. Desde que llegas un etéreo sentimiento de pertenencia te envuelve. A simple vista el ojo desentrenado puede pensar que ha ido a un acontecimiento en algún lugar entre Woodstock y una convención de raritos. Sin embargo, tras breves momentos lo único que se percibe es la magia y esa estética tan diferente de algunos de los asistentes ayuda. El próximo año mejor acudid y comprobad por vosotros mismos. Dicen que los viajes que cambian vidas siempre merecen la pena.

Kate & Aud

2010-06-19T22:23:00.000+01:00

First of all sorry for my long absence. One of my lovely friends was visiting and I had no time for posting. The good thing is that I have a new treasure for you. A little charming boutique in the heart of Brighton (27, Trafalgar Street). Their amazing jewellery together with their vintage garments and their handmade leather bags make this shop a must-see when in Brighton. Don't feel unlucky now. They have an Internet store. I got a silk scarf for only four pounds!

Siento mi larga ausencia, una de mis amigas vino a visitarme y no tuve tiempo para postear. Lo bueno es que tengo un nuevo tesoro para compartir. La boutique Kate & Aud, situada en Brighton (27, Trafalgar St.) es una encantadora tienda de dos pisos en la que se pueden encontrar auténticas joyas con un solo vistazo. Desde joyería artesanal hasta bolsos de cuero hecho a mano con un toque vintage, pasando por obviamente ropa, esta tienda es una parada obligatoria para todos los que vayan a esta ciudad costera. Y para los que no, afortunadamente tienen tienda online. Yo me compré un foulard de seda por solo cuatro libras.

Indochina

2010-06-10T18:13:00.003+01:00

This French film is a great inspiration for this summer utilitarian trend. Set in the 1930s French Indochina, Catherine Deneuve plays the role of a rich rubber plantation's owner who adopts the young orphan Camille (played by Linh Dan Pham) after her wealthy parents' death in a plane crash. The plot is an unconventional love story between Deneuve, Camille and a French navy member. It won the Academy Award for the Best Foreign Language Film in 1992.

La película francesa Indochina puede servir de inspiración para la tendencia de ropa utilitaria de este verano. Ambientada en 1930 en la Indochina francesa, Catherine Deneuve hace el papel de una rica y sofisticada mujer dueña de una plantación de caucho que adopta a Camille, una joven aristócrata que se queda huérfana tras la muerte de sus padres en un accidente de avión. El argumento se basa en una historia de amor muy poco convencional con tres implicados. Ganó un Oscar a mejor película de habla no inglesa en 1992.

On the road, again

2010-06-05T02:00:00.003+01:00

End of the exhausting semester two. A little break to Kent seems to be the answer. Be back on Tuesday!

Final del segundo semestre. Unas mini vacaciones a Kent parecen ser la respuesta. ¡Hasta el próximo martes!

Broadway Market

2010-05-28T09:31:00.000+01:00

Who has never heard of Notting Hill or Candem? These two are probably the most popular markets among no Londoners. I remember how excited I was about the markets the first time I came to the capital. I totally fell for Notting Hill market. The neighbourhood is really beautiful and the charm of those antiques pieces, unforgettable. I hate to be so cliché, but my friend and I even looked for the bookshop of Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts “Notting Hill” movie (1999). Candem was not as charming, but it was good to appreciate the diversity of this big city. I have gone to Notting Hill or Candem markets just a couple of times since I moved here, there are many small not-so-popular markets to be discovered in the city that those two are not so appealing anymore.

Located in Hackney, (East London), Broadway Market is a really small, familiar and charming paradise for food lovers. This market, which dates from the 1890s, was first inaugurate by Fred Cooke, who started selling jellied eels. The market later grew to serve shepherds driving their flocks to the City of London. But by the Nineties only two stalls where selling their products.

In 2004, volunteers from the Broadway Market Traders’ and Residents’ Association revived the community. It has grown beyond expectations. It is now described as the most successful community market in London. And I am not surprised. If looking for clothes, this is not the best market because there are only a few stalls selling garments, -some interesting retro outfits and also stuff for babies- however, it is a great place to spot new fashion trends.

We got to Hackney Central station, only 10 minutes away from the market and after crossing London Fields, the delicious smell of food announced us that we were near of the market. Picking lunch there is quite difficult: from French crepes to German sausages and a great variety of Eastern food, it is hard to make a choice because everything looks and what is even worst, smells tasty. If the choice is cooking yourself, vegetables, cheese and organic eggs, and so meat and fish are sold aswell.

Time for dessert. What to go for? There are several stalls selling great looking homemade cupcakes, brownies, cakes and alike. I can confirm, without no doubt, that Violet’s cupcakes are really one of the best cupcakes I’ve ever had. I tried the soft, spongy base cupcake with an Indian Alphonso Mango icing. Yummy! They also have different cakes and cookies, even though their cupcakes are said to be their most brilliant product.

Apart from the market, that street is a great spot for special bookshops. The Broadway Bookshop is quite small and cozy, the atmosphere captivates you as soon as you get in, not any 3x2 best-sellers or any typical titles, a well-read staff willing to help, shelves full of books that make you dream and the inviting location makes you want to come back soon.

Highly recommended, write it down and if you ever come to London, just don't miss it.

How to get there:

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It's only art, but I like it

2010-05-16T22:21:00.003+01:00

This weekend the Tate Modern has celebrated its 10th anniversary. Herzog and De Meuron were the architects in charge of the transformation of this former power station into the successful museum that is today. The Tate Modern building has become a symbol of London and the collection itself a reference in contemporary art around the world. Tate is always in the vanguard and for its tenth anniversary they organized "No Soul for Sale", a festival of independents. Defined as "neither a fair nor an exhibition", this convention of artists was a celebration for those who still believe in art beyond the restraints of the market. The noise at the Turbine Hall was a mixed of languages, from chinese to brazilian, -70 independent art spaces from all over the world were invited- and a mixed of art languages aswell, from performance to publications or simple art.

The participants showed their art without any partitions or walls among them, a very inspiring situation which was unavoidably food for thought. Sarcasm about the garbage TV, an installation which transported you to a noisy market just by using a pair of earphones or an amazingly beautiful bunch of roses were among my favourites. The Turbine Hall was a seething mass of people. Talks and film screenings completed the three-day-programme for Tate's anniversary. They made it clear: countries' borders have been diluted and distance is not a problem any longer. The no-walls, policy in this convention of artists made me dream. Honestly, this weekend I've seen the best side of globalisation.

Este fin de semana el museo Tate Modern ha celebrado su décimo aniversario. Herzog and De Meuron fueron los arquitectos encargados de transformar esta antigua central eléctrica en el exitoso museo que es hoy. El edificio en sí se ha convertido en uno de los símbolos del Londres moderno y su colección de arte contemporáneo una referencia en todo el mundo. La Tate está siempre a la vanguardia y para su aniversario organizaron "No Soul for Sale", un festival de independientes. Definido como "ni una exposición ni una feria", está convención de artistas fue una celebración para aquellos que aún creen en el arte más allá de las restricciones del mercado. El ruido en el Turbine Hall era una mezcla de idiomas, desde chino hasta brasileño -70 espacios artísticos de diferentes lugares del mundo estaban invitados- y una mezcla de lenguajes artísticos, desde performance hasta publicaciones o simple arte.

Los participantes mostraron su arte sin ninguna partición o muro entre ellos, una situación muy inspiradora que inevitablemente daba que pensar. Sarcasmo sobre la tele basura, una instalación que te transportaba, según ponías los cascos, a un mercadillo, no se sabía en qué parte del mundo, o un bonito ramo de rosas fueron mis favoritos. El Turbine Hall era un hervidero de gente. Charlas y proyecciones de películas completaron el programa de tres días para conmemorar el aniversario de la Tate. Y lo dejaron claro: las fronteras entre países se han diluido y las distancias ya no suponen un problema. La política de no paredes in esta convención de artistas me hizo soñar. Sinceramente, este año he visto la mejor cara de la globalización.

Legends

2010-05-13T22:59:00.003+01:00

"To say that these men paid their shillings to watch twenty-two hirelings kick a ball is merely to say that a violin is wood and catgut, that Hamlet is so much paper and ink" said J. B. Priestley on soccer.

Love it or hate it, football is a masses' sport in many countries around the world. Football can be glamorous, rude, sad, joyful... It's not as honest as it used to be, when Pelé or Maradona played (50s and 60s/80s). Many argue that football has lost its magic, that is all about marketing and making profits...and it might be. However, football is one of the few sports which is able to get together thousands of people in its stadiums, people who travel to another country to support their team, people whose only religion is watching football...

Now Louis Vuitton has launched a new series within its long term campaign about the company core's values, portraying three of the best football players of all times to celebrate the World Cup 2010. For this campaign, infamous portrait photographer Anne Leibovitz captures the essence of the celebrated football legends.

Football has lately become a sport intrinsically related to fashion. Maybe the Beckhams have a lot to do with that. Maybe its the Hollywood-esque way of life of many football players. I might sound slightly idealist here, but to me, football still has the spark and so does fashion. That's why this photo has made my day.

When the legends talk:

Every kid around the world who plays soccer wants to be Pele. I have a great responsibility to show them not just how to be like a soccer player, but how to be like a man.
Pele (Brazilian soccer player, considered possibly world's greatest)

The goal was scored a little bit by the hand of God, another bit by the head of Maradona.
Maradona (Argentinian soccer player, on goal against England in 1986 World Cup).

"You can't get bored of winning. You can win 10 games in a row but you keep the same will to snatch the 11th. You always need more." Zinedine Zidane (French football player)

"Decir que estos hombres pagaron sus chelines para ver a veintidós hombres darle patadas a un balón es como decir que un violín es madera y cuerdas, que Hamlet es papel y tinta". dijo J. B. Priestley sobre el fútbol.

El fútbol es un deporte que mueve masas en muchos países del mundo. O lo amas o lo odias. El fútbol puede ser glamuroso, bruto, triste, alegre... No es tan honesto como solía ser cuando Pelé o Maradona jugaban, allá por los años 50 y 60 uno, y durante los 80 el otro. Muchos dicen que el fútbol ha perdido su magia, que ahora todo se reduce a publicidad y a hacer beneficios... y podría ser. Sin embargo, el fútbol es uno de los pocos deportes que es capaz de reunir a miles de personas en sus estadios, gente que en ocasiones viaja de un país a otro para apoyar a su equipo, gente cuya una única religión es el fútbol...

Ahora Louis Vuitton ha inaugurado una nueva serie perteneciente a su campaña sobre los valores internos de su compañía. Esta vez el retrato muestra a tres de los mejores futbolistas de la historia (Pelé, Maradona y Zidane), en actitud relajada, jugando al futbolín. La célebre fotógrafa Annie Leibovitz fue la encargada de capturar la esencia de los tres astros del balón para esta campaña que celebra el Mundial 2010.

Últimamente el fútbol está unido intrínsecamente a la moda. Quizás los Beckham tengan algo que ver con ello. Puede que sea por el estilo de vida, un tanto hollywoodiense, de muchos jugadores. Puede que esto suene un poco idealista, peor yo aún veo la chispa en el fútbol y también en la moda. Por eso esta fotografía me ha alegrado el día.

No words need

2010-05-11T20:25:00.002+01:00

Everyone has a price

2010-05-05T22:59:00.001+01:00

Giorgio Armani has made a deal with the devil, a deal that made him loose his essence. Lady Gaga attended yesterday the MET ball in Armani. Was that Armani? Even if on his website it is said that Armani's spring/summer collection is inspired by Body Art, later it is mentioned that

This season Giorgio Armani creates a collection of pieces empowered by their cut and construction, essentially disciplined but at the same time possessing that special equilibrium achieved through perfectly balanced contrasts – exuberant, head turning, sumptuous. These styles are rich in colour and reference, texture of fabric (satin, taffeta, silk with stiffeners clad in double chiffon to support the structure) and elegant embroidery.
It is this perfectly judged fusion, where the dress has been taken apart and reconfigured without sloppiness or fluttery detail, which brings to mind an eccentric purity derived directly from the Bauhaus. With its pared down look, the geometric formula of the skirt creates movement and emphasises the three-dimensional form of the body, the shoulders slightly prominent or, for a more defined shape, precisely cut at an oblique angle. To underline the prevalence of short compact shapes, shorts are occasionally worn under svelte tunics

*Armani spring/summer 2010

You cannot really appreciate the cut or construction on this kind-of-jumpsuit but let's be honest, it is truly head turning. What is the aim of this outfit? The fast consumer society in which we live has speed up the metamorphosis: Lady Gaga is the natural heiress of Madonna. Madonna used to renew her look every time she had a new album. Lady Gaga radically changes her look every time she appears on stage. But was it necessary for Armani , a man whose company makes $1,6 billion a year, to radically change his style? Is Lady Gaga worth it?

Armani is well known (as said in the unreliable but popular source Wikipedia) "today for his clean, tailored lines". Another well known rule of marketing is making your brand distinctive and easily recognizable. Would you really say that this is Armani? I thought it was Tom Ford the one who had a thing for porno-chic.

It is understandable that he adjusts his designs to her need of shocking outfits, after all he's designing the wardrobe for her tour. However, he should never renounce his gist. What else have a designer, apart from his gist, in this ephemeral times we are living on?

*Lady Gaga in Armani Privé in the last edition of the Grammy Awards

Sybilla at Les Arts Décoratifs

2010-04-29T22:36:00.000+01:00

Sybilla was born in New York in 1963. Her father was an Argentine diplomat and her mother was a Polish aristocrat who worked as a fashion designer under the name Countess Sybilla of Saks Fifth Avenue.When little Sybilla was 7 they moved to Madrid. In 1983, after having work for a year (1980-1981) as apprentice cutter and seamstress for Yves Saint Laurent, she opened a workshop in Madrid for tailor-made fashion and presented her first collection the same year. She said that Paris fashion scared her and that in Spain you still could play with clothes. She was part of the revolution that took place during the Eighties in Madrid, (la Movida), a cultural and festive explosion after the end of Franco's dictatorship.

In 1987 she was awarded with the Premio Balenciaga to the Best Young Designer of the Year. And she's said to be the most exciting and talented Spanish designer since Cristóbal Balenciaga. That same year Sybilla signed a contract with Italian based company Gibó. That meant the beginning of her international career, since she started to show her designs on the international catwalks: Milan, Paris, New York and Tokyo. Two years later she started to collaborate with the Japonese company Itokin and still today she sells largely in Japan. She has also launched her collections of footwear, bags, knitwear...

She has always made clear that she doesn't follow any trends. "I do what I like. What I feel. Everything influences me: people, travels, stories... everything leaves a mark on me, but not consciously. I find out afterwards".

In 1996 Sybilla launched her ambitious decoration line (Sybilla Casa). She extended her field of work and start to design candles, lamps, silverware, rugs... Two years later she launched her bridal line. At the moment her brand's little sister Jocomomola it's very popular in Spain. Sybilla's creativity knows no boundaries.

Her simple, pure and unmistakable creations are timeless. Maybe that's why curator Olivier Saillard decided to include a few of her designs in the exhibition "Histoire idéale de la mode contemporaine vol. I: 70-80" which is currently on (and will be until the 10th of October) at Les Arts Décoratifs, in Paris. The second part of this exhibition, which will cover the Nineties and Noughties will open on the 25th of November. In this exhibition great designers are featured, such as YSL, Christian Lacroix, Jean Paul Gaultier, Kenzo, Comme des Garçons or Karl Lagerfeld among many others.

The last collection Sybilla showed in Paris was Autumn/winter 2007-2008: clean pure and concise lines, far from trendy pieces, her vision of fashion is everything but ephemeral. Her garments are meant to become classics.

2010-04-25T22:20:00.009+01:00

"For my part, I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel's sake. The great affair is to move".

Robert Louis Stevenson wrote the Treasure Island which was first published as a book in 1883. That is one of the books which influenced on me most during my childhood. I read that book many times and every time I'd find something new, interesting and exciting; a new reason to make me think about how special that book was. I took pleasure of reading Stevenson's convincing descriptions, even if by the time Stevenson was born pirates were only a legend, he managed to describe that way of life perfectly.

Life becomes more and more complicated while we are growing up and nothing is as perfect as it looks at first sight. You are disappointed with people. People are disappointed with you. Travel seems to be the answer to those grey days in which you need to block out from thinking. I am sharing with you my own Treasure Island.

"Por mi parte, no viajo para ir a ningún lugar, si no para ir. Viajo por el hecho de viajar. El caso es moverse".

Robert Louis Stevenson escribió la Isla del Tesoro, que fue publicada por primera vez como libro en 1883. Es uno de los libros que más influencia ejerció sobre mí durante mi infancia. Leí ese libro varias veces y siempre encontraba algo nuevo, interesante y excitante, algo que me hacia darme cuenta de lo especial que ese libro era para mí. Las increíbles descripciones de Stevenson me hacían disfrutar de la lectura, aún sabiendo que cuando Stevenson nació los piratas no eran ya más que una leyenda, él se las apañó para describir ese estilo de vida con un realismo pasmoso.

La vida se complica a medida que nos hacemos mayores y nada es tan perfecto como parece a simple vista. La gente te decepciona. Tú decepcionas a la gente. Viajar parece la única respuesta a esos días grises en los que necesitas abstraerte. Aquí comparto con vosotros mi propia isla del tesoro.

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To fly or not to fly, that's the question

2010-04-21T22:59:00.000+01:00

That unpronounceable volcano made me aware, one more time, of how unfashionable airports are nowadays. Together with the frustration of reading that your flight is cancelled comes the frustration to see people wearing tracksuits all around. I am not suggesting here to wear heels to the airport and I am the first one who travels as comfy as she can. However, I do miss seeing those elegant women who didn't carry their own luggage, those women who travelled in first class, who wore heels... Yesterday I couldn't even feel envy! There is nobody to be jealous of! Even the air hostesses don't look like models anymore. Travelling is anything but fashionable. Is it a shame?

Where are the good old days?

Ese volcán impronunciable me ha hecho, una vez más, darme cuenta de lo poco atractivos y estilosos que son hoy en día los aeropuertos. A la frustración de ver que mi vuelo había sido cancelado se unió la frustración de ver a demasiada gente en chándal cuando no estaba en ningún gimnasio. No estoy sugiriendo que deberíamos llevar tacones al aeropuerto y en realidad soy la primera que viaja lo más cómoda que puede. Sin embargo, echo mucho de menos ver a esas mujeres elegantes, esas mujeres que ni siquiera cargaban su propio equipaje, esas mujeres que viajaban en primera clase y que llevaban tacones... Ayer ni siquiera pude sentir envidia de nadie. Incluso las azafatas hace años que ya no parecen modelos. Viajar ya no es lo que era. ¿Es una pena o no?

Guardiola, men's style

2010-04-17T22:51:00.001+01:00

Pure elegance. Josep Guardiola is Barcelona football team coach, one of the best football teams of the last few years. During the Nineties he used to be a player of Barcelona F.C. His remarkable style, simple but always elegant, makes a statement in every field, so full of sporty clothes. He is one of the most stylish men from Spain.

Pura elegancia. Josep Guardiola es el entrenador del Barcelona, uno de los mejores equipos de fútbol de los últimos años. Durante los años noventa Guardiola jugó en el Barcelona. Su estilo destaca en cada campo de fútbol al que va, simple pero siempre elegante, es uno de los hombres mejor vestidos de España.

Kubrick in Milan

2010-04-13T21:31:00.005+01:00

Before becoming a film director Kubrick was a photographer. The fortunate ones who live or go to Milan until the 4th of July can enjoy his exhibition at Palazzo della Ragione. 200 photographies, taken between 1945 and 1950 when he worked at the New York magazine Look, showed how was that society which does not exist anymore. A must-see exhibition which proves how talented Kubrick was.

Antes de convertirse en un director de cine Kubrick fue un fotógrafo. Los afortunados que vivan o pasen por Milán antes del 4 de julio pueden disfrutar de una exposición que reúne 200 fotografías del célebre director en el Palazzo della Ragione. Las fotos, tomadas entre 1945 y 1950 para la revista neoyorkina Look, son un fiel reflejo de aquella sociedad que ya no existe. Una exposición obligatoria que muestra el gran talento visual de Kubrick.

Fendi sewers

2010-04-06T22:39:00.003+01:00

Salamanca is such a cool city that they have Fendi sewers...

Salamanca es una ciudad tan cool que tienen alcantarillas de Fendi...

On the road

2010-03-31T22:59:00.002+01:00

Due to the unpredictable nature of road trips, most likely I won't be able to post until next Sunday. Hope you have a great Easter break!

Debido a la impredecible naturaleza de los viajes de carretera, probablemente no seré capaz de postear hasta el próximo domingo. Espero que tengáis unas buenas vacaciones!

Hummingbird Bakery

2010-03-25T22:02:00.000Z

Hummingbird Bakery is one of my favourite spots in London. Their cupcakes are really colourful and delicious, with amazing buttercream icing. At less than 2 pounds each, they are the best break when bargain-shopping in Portobello Market.

Hummingbird Bakery es uno de mis sitios favoritos en Londres. Sus bizcochos son muy coloridos y están deliciosos. Por menos de dos libras cada uno, es una buena opción cuando se necesita un descanso de compras en el mercadillo de Portobello.

I got the vanilla one with chocolate buttercream icing. I strongly recommend it!

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Shoes from heaven

2010-03-17T11:05:00.014Z

Sophie Gittins is a British shoe designer who graduated from Cordwainers, London College of Fashion with First Class Honours. She launched her eponymous label and she presented her debut collection for Autumn Winter 2009 at only 25 years. She was selected as a finalist of Fashion Fringe Shoes by a judging panel including luminaries Manolo Blahnik, Colin McDowell and Rupert Sanderson.

Her shoes are handmade in Italy and they are close to perfection. The high quality is noticeable at a glance and the sophistication of her inspirations is reflected on her designs. Modern shoes with the allure of the classics. Until the end of March/beginning of April, which is when the buying season closes she doesn't know 100% sure where her shoes will be sold.

-How would you define your brand? What is that makes it different?

SG- I would say I'm trying to create shoes which are classically feminine with a modern edge. Each shoe takes inspiration from a particular artistic or architectural movement.

-Do you think it’s a good idea to name your brand after your name?

SG- I think so - so many brand names can be similar so giving your company your own name automatically imbues it with a particular identity.

-When did you decide to be a shoe designer?

SG-I was still at school when I read about Cordwainers College becoming part of London College of Fashion. That was what piqued my interest.

-You established your own brand right after finishing your studies, you graduated from the LCF with First Honours and you were finalist in the Fashion Fringe Shoes event. Was that enough or you think that some previous experience at some other shoe designer house would have help?

SG-I think it is always good to gain as much insight into the industry as possible but I was determined to start as early as possible as I wanted complete creative control from day 1. Since then however I have gone on to do collaborations with a couple of womenswear designers and have really enjoyed the process of working to another design aesthetic other than my own.

-You look for inspiration in different backgrounds (architecture, jewellery). You always have a theme for your collections? Is it necessary to have an inspiration? If so, do you look for the inspiration or it just comes?

SG-I have always enjoyed research be it inspirational or trend based and so for me it is important to be constantly discovering and learning about something new which interests me. I enjoy the discipline of translating that through to an end product which has to be aesthetically pleasing and functional so I think it will always be a part of the brand.

-Are all your shoes hand-made?

SG- Yes, all of the shoes are hand-made in Italy.

Was it difficult to find people to work with and to rely on for the process of making the shoes?Who is your favourite designer? Style icon?

SG- I admire the shoes of Laurance Dacade and Pierre Hardy. For Womenswear I love Phillip Lim and Yves Saint Laurent.

California Dreamin'

2010-03-13T22:55:00.006Z

Michelle Phillips is the last surviving original member of The Mamas & The Papas, a band from the Sixties who have sold nearly 40 million records around the world. Her naïve, simple and sporty style, together with her undeniable beauty made her a reference in Sixties American fashion. Her trademark are high-waisted flares, stripe T-shirts and cowboy boots, really inspirational for Spring.

Michelle Phillips es el último miembro vivo del grupo The Mamas & The Papas. Una banda que conoció la fama en los años sesenta y que ha vendido cerca de 40 millones de discos.
La simpleza e inocencia de su estilo, junto con su innegable belleza y sus guiños al estilo casual americano la convirtieron en una referencia en la moda de su país, especialmente durante la década de los sesenta, cuando el éxito de su grupo estaba en pleno apogeo. Los pantalones de cintura alta y de campana, las camisetas de rayas y los botas estilo cowboy eran su especialidad. Una gran inspiración para esta primavera.

Trend alert: desert boots

2010-03-09T22:09:00.000Z

*picture: urbanoutfitters

Sock Mania

2010-03-07T22:59:00.000Z

Morgan is behind SockTheory,com, a New York based online store which features interesting, original and different hosiery and which guarantee high quality products. All their items are first tried by their team to make sure that they guarantee their standards.

1. How did you come up with the idea of an online boutique based only on socks?

Socks and really all legwear have been a passion of mine since my grade school days. After a while I had quite a collection of socks, stockings, leggings and tights. Wearing funky legwear kind of became my thing. Eventually my friends began asking me for advice and fashion tips for wearing socks and legwear. It became obvious that this was something that I was good at and something I wanted to do for a living. SockTheory.com is the end product of my vision!

2. What's your background? Would you like to design your own socks in the future?

Well before starting SockTheory.com I worked several jobs. Mostly I worked as a fit model for various lines here in NYC. I've also modeled professionally. Dance has always been a big part of my life. I have danced ballet since I was seven. I try to incorporate a dance influence to a lot of our SockTheory.com photos.

Yes we'd like to have our own line of legwear available soon! That is a whole different ball of wax.

3. How many of you are behind SockTheory? What makes SockTheory different?

Currently we have five people on the team and we work closely with several freelancers.

SockTheory.com's main difference is product selection. We are not interested in carrying just the "Top Seller" basics. Strolling through our online store, you will see only the most unique and interesting socks and legwear around. We are always on the lookout for interesting socks and legwear.

Every photo on SockTheory.com is taken by us. Our fans always mention how they love our photos. Each product displays multiple images; many of our styles have as many as 11 feature images. SockTheory.com photos are clearly unique.

Additionally, we provide detailed descriptions of all of our products; we are honest about them too. We allow comments to be posted on each product we sell.

SockTheory.com is unique in that we are not interested in just selling socks. We try to give our fans more than just an online shop. We own and wear everything we sell, so we can share our personal experiences with each item.

4. Which methods do you use to select the socks you later sell on your shop?

We have relationships with many manufacturers all over the world. Additionally we keep a close watch on all the latest legwear trends. We wear all the products ourselves before deciding on them. We decide against many products if they don't pass our quality standards. Once we determine the items that our fans will enjoy we do full location photo shoots for each item and then we post them to SockTheory.com.

5. What has been the most difficult to achieve before opening the store?

Good question. The photography is by far the largest hurdle to launching Socktheory.com. Now that we are up and running, we do approximately one photo shoot a week. Before we launched we had to get over 150 products photographed and reviewed. This was time consuming but to be honest it was so much fun.

6. When do you think you'd open your shops in Manhattan and Brooklyn?

Opening stores in NYC is a major goal for us. We'd like to have our first store open within the next two years.

7. Why socks are so important for you?

Socks are just something that make me happy. They are warm and cozy but can also be fashionable. They are fun and functional but can also be sexy. I love the fact that they come in so many different colors, patterns and fabrics. They can be as unique as you are! You can tell a lot about a person by the socks they wear.

8. Do you think that socks can be the main character of an outfit?

Yes, yes, & yes! Not just socks but also stockings and tights. I've always sported my legwear as the focal point of the outfit. I have never viewed socks & legwear as accessories. For me shirts, skirts and dresses are the accessories!

9. Miuccia Prada has showed knee-high socks in Miu Miu last fall (2009) and last week she showed in Milan knee high-socks again for next fall at Prada. Do you think knee-high socks will be big next season?

All I can say is I hope so! I have noticed knee high fashion getting really popular with a lot of designers. There is also a nice trend of ankle socks with heels that I adore. Honestly I love following the latest trends but I also love breaking the rules. Luckily though, interesting legwear is all the rage.

10. Do you ship everywhere?

Yes! We ship anywhere and everywhere. We get orders from Australia and Alabama! We offer free shipping to anyone ordering in the US.

Morgan está detrás de SockTheory.com, una tienda online basada en Nueva York que ofrece calcetería original y diferente a precios razonables y con unos altos estándares de calidad. Los miembros del equipo prueban todos los productos antes de ponerlos a la venta para asegurarse de que cumplen con sus estándares de calidad.

¿Cómo se le ocurrió la idea de abrir una tienda online de calcetines y medias?
Los calcetines y las medias han sido mi pasión desde mis días de colegio. Tras un tiempo tenía una gran colección de calcetines, medias y leggings. Ponerme medias de moda se convirtió en una costumbre. Finalmente mis amigos comenzaron a pedirme consejos para llevar calcetería. Era evidente que es algo en lo que soy buena y es algo que quería hacer para ganarme la vida. SockTheory.com es el producto final de mi visión.

2. ¿Tiene experiencia anterior en la moda? ¿Le gustaría diseñar calcetería en el futuro?
Antes de comenzar este negocio trabajé en varios trabajos. Fundamentalmente trabajé como modelo de pruebas para varias líneas aquí en Nueva York. También trabajé como modelo profesional. La danza ha sido siempre una gran parte de mi vida. He hecho ballet desde que tengo siete años. Intento incorporar la influencia de la danza en nuestras fotos en la página.
Sí nos encantaría tener nuestra propia línea de calcetería pronto. Pero eso es un tema totalmente diferente.

3. ¿Cuántos están detrás de SockTheory? ¿Qué es lo que hace que su tienda sea diferente?
Actualmente somos cinco personas en el equipo y trabajamos también junto a varios freelancers. Lo que hace diferente a nuestra tienda es la selección de productos. No estamos interesados en vender solo los típicos básicos que son “top ventas”. Navegando por nuestra tienda online, solo verán la calcetería más única e interesante. Siempre estamos buscando calcetines y medias interesantes.

Todas las fotos de la tienda son tomadas por nosotros. Nuestros fans siempre mencionan lo mucho que adoran nuestras fotos. Mostramos varias imágenes de cada producto, de muchos hay hasta 11 imágenes diferentes. Las fotos son claramente únicas.
Adicionalmente, ofrecemos descripciones detalladas de nuestros productos y somos honestos sobre ello también. Permitimos postear comentarios en cada producto que vendemos.
SockTheory.com es único en que no nos interesa únicamente vender calcetería. Intentamos darles a nuestros fans más que una tienda online. Nosotros nos ponemos y poseemos todo lo que vendemos, así que podemos compartir nuestras experiencias personales sobre los artículos.

4. ¿Qué métodos utilizan para seleccionar los calcetines y medias que luego venden en su tienda?
Nosotros tenemos relación con muchos fabricantes a lo largo del mundo. Además observamos de cerca las últimas tendencias en calcetería. Nos ponemos todos los productos antes de decidir sobre ellos. No vendemos los productos que no pasan los estándares de calidad que tenemos. Una vez que nos decidimos por un artículo que nuestras fans disfrutarán hacemos el reportaje fotográfico del producto y lo colgamos en nuestra página web.

5. ¿Qué ha sido lo más difícil de conseguir antes de abrir una tienda?
Buena pregunta. La fotografía es de lejos el mayor obstáculo cuando fundamos Stocktheory.com. Ahora que ya estamos funcionando, hacemos aproximadamente un reportaje fotográfico a la semana. Antes de empezar la tienda tuvimos más de 150 artículos fotografiados y revisados. Esto nos llevó tiempo pero para ser honesta fue muy divertido.

6. ¿Cuándo considera que podrán abrir tiendas en Manhattan y Brooklyn?
Abrir tiendas en Nueva York es una gran meta para nosotros. Nos encantaría abrir nuestra primera tienda en los próximos dos años.

7. ¿Por qué la calcetería es tan importante para usted?
La calcetería es algo que me hace feliz. Son calentitos y cómodos pero también pueden estar de moda. Son divertidos y funcionales, pero también pueden ser sexy. Me encanta el hecho de que los haya en tantos colores, estampados y materiales diferentes. Pueden ser tan únicos como tú. Puedes decir mucho de una persona por los calcetines que lleva.

8. ¿Cree que los calcetines pueden ser los protagonistas de un look?
¡Sí, sí & sí!. No sólo calcetines sino también medias. Yo siempre llevo la calcetería como el punto central de mi modelo. Nunca he visto los calcetines y la calcetería como accesorios. ¡Para mí las camisetas, faldas y vestidos son los accesorios!

9. Miuccia Prada ha mostrado calcetines por la rodilla en Miu Miu para el pasado invierno y los repitió en Milán esta semana para Prada (fall 2010). ¿Cree que los calcetines por la rodilla serán una gran tendencia esta temporada?
Todo lo que puedo decir es que eso espero. He notado que la moda de los calcetines por la rodilla se ha vuelto popular con muchos diseñadores. También está la moda de los calcetines tobilleros con tacones, que yo adoro. Sinceramente me encanta seguir las últimas tendencias pero también me gusta romper las reglas. Con suerte, la calcetería interesante es el último grito.

10. ¿Envían a todos los países?
Sí! Hacemos envíos a cualquier lugar. Hemos tenido pedidos desde Australia por ejemplo. Y ofrecemos envíos gratuitos dentro de Estados Unidos.

What you've missed: Foale & Tuffin

2010-03-05T22:44:00.000Z

Marion Foale and Sally Tuffin started to open its path in fashion during the Swinging Sixties scene in London. They both studied at the Royal College of Art. By 1963 they were running a succesful business and one of their dresses had already appeared in the pages of Vogue magazine. This exhibition Foale & Tuffin exhibition at the Fashion and Textile Museum (it has closed now) showed a good selections of their clothes, especially dresses, from the early days of their careers to 1972, when the label disappeared.

Their boutique was located in Marloborough Court, just off Carnaby Street. They opened it in 1965 and soon became the coolest designers in the famous street. The exhibition showed their drawings, photos with models such as Patty Boyd and their celebrated garments, many featuring typical Sixties prints, such as the houndstooth, liberty or polka dots. For those of you who missed it, here you are the photos.

Today Sally Tuffin designs pottery for Dennis Chinaworks while Marion Foale works with knitwear and she shows two collections a year in London, New York and Paris.

Marion Foale y Sally Tuffin comenzaron su andadura en el mundo de la moda durante los Swinging Sixties en Londres. Ambas estudiaron en el londinense Royal College of Art. En 1962 uno de sus vestidos apareció fotografiado por David Bailey en las páginas de Vogue y en 1963 ya tenían un negocio exitoso. Esta exposición "Foale & Tuffin", que tuvo lugar en el Fashion & Textile Museum de Londres, mostró una buena selección de sus prendas, especialmente vestidos, desde sus comienzos hasta 1972, cuando la marca desapareció.

Su boutique estaba en Marloborough Court, próxima a Carnaby Street. La abrieron en 1965 y pronto se convirtieron en la tienda de referencia de esa calle de culto de los sesenta. La exposición muestra además bocetos y fotos en las que modelos como Patty Boyd posaban con sus vestidos, muchos de ellos con estampados populares en los sesenta, como la pata de gallo, liberty o simples lunares.

Hoy en día Sally Tuffin diseña cerámicas para Dennis Chinaworks mientras que Marion Foale trabaja diseñando prendas de punto y presenta dos colecciones al año en Londres, Nueva York y París.

Sonia Rykiel for H&M

2010-03-02T22:31:00.003Z

Sonia Rykiel collection for H&M is quite disappoiting. I have learnt the hard way not to have expectations about designers' collaborations with high street stores. It's a romance doomed to failure. The charm and lure of high-profile designers' garments cannot be captured in a ten-euro-jumper. And do we really need it?

It doesn't feel the same, not only because the atmosphere of H&M has nothing to do with that at Sonia Rykiel's boutiques, but also because there is an enormous difference between the fabrics. The lightest contact makes it clear: the quality does not differ. Even if the tag says Sonia Rykiel, the quality sings H&M. Clothes are far too Eighties (in a pejorative sense), too much colours, there was no trace of Rykiel's classical stripes. Garments that look too cheap, colours that are too loud and in general, too tacky to handle. Poor me, I was expecting something like the Rykiel's jumper Carrie wore in the episode An American Girl in Paris (6th season of Sex and the City). But I can keep on dreaming, because that is obviously not happening. And in the end the thing is that they offer to those who most likely cannot afford the real thing an alternative which is neither good nor even fashionable. A supposed consolation which makes one cry even louder.

La colección de Sonia Rykiel para H&M es bastante decepcionante. He aprendido la lección de no tener expectativas sobre las colaboraciones entre grandes diseñadores y tiendas asequibles a base de palos. Y es que ese es un romance abocado al fracaso. El encanto y atractivo que las prendas de los grandes diseñadores tienen no puede ser capturado en un jersey de diez euros.

No es lo mismo, no solo porque la atmósfera de H&M obviamente no tiene nada que ver con las boutiques de la señora Rykiel, sino también por los tejidos. El más leve contacto evidencia la realidad: la calidad no difiere. Incluso si la etiqueta dice Sonia Rykiel, la calidad sigue catando H&M. La ropa que ha diseñado es demasiado ochentera (en el sentido peyorativo de la palabra), demasiados colores y ni rastro de las clásicas rayas de la casa. Las prendas se ven demasiado chabacanas y baratas, los colores demasiado chillones y en general, demasiado hortera para sobrellevar. Y la muy inocente de mí se esperaba encontrar algo como lo que Carrie llevó en el episodio Una Americana en París de la sexta temporada de Sexo en Nueva York. A seguir soñando. Y es que al final ofrecen a aquellos que no se pueden permitir el jersey real de Rykiel una alternativa que es fea además de hortera. Una supuesta consolación que hace llorar incluso más alto.

H&M shop window, Knightsbridge, London

Aroma30

2010-02-26T21:13:00.011Z

Italian heart, London based, the combination could not sound better. Michela is the designer behind the label Aroma30. The clothes she showed at the On/Off exhibition during the London Fashion Week were incredibly delicate. The perfect patterns prove her experience at houses such as Valentino or Salvatore Ferragamo. The high quality fabrics and the feminine silhouettes prove this is only the starting point.

1. How would you define your brand?
Lights and shadows

2. How did you come up with the name?
I wanted a name that sounded like an unfinished perfume

3. You have studied in Roma and worked at Salvatore Ferragamo or Valentino. How come you decide to establish your own brand? Was it a difficult decision? Do you think their classic style influences somehow in your design?
It was quite natural to start, I didn't really decide. I just wanted to explore my own style and express it while improving my capabilities. My background influences me on creating wearable items and paying attention to quality and details.

4. You tend to do almost-monochromatic collections (white, now black), is there any reason?
I guess I often have a monochromatic vision of life, with different shades.

5. What does inspire you? Do you have any theme for your collections?
I usually start with a precise inspiration and then I let other influences to come across and change it. It's more like a creation of a mood instead of following a theme.

6. Who is your favourite designer? Style icon? Colour?
My favourite designer is Madeleine Vionnet. I can't really say I've a style icon, I love looking at charming people in general, catching the attitude behind their daily moments. My colour is definitely black.

7. Being Italian, why did you choose to be based in London?
Because London is the place of wannabes

8. If you could choose any fashion week in the world, where would you show your creations? Why?
London is still the best platform for an emerging designer as it offers support and inspirations.

9. Do you think that style has anything to do with money? How would you define a person with style?
I really believe that anything showing richness has no style at all. A person with style is someone with a vision on his mind.

Trend alert: clogs

2010-02-25T21:25:00.001Z

Performance

2010-02-24T22:34:00.001Z

Alternative ways of showing clothes are in vogue. Most likely a limited budget or maybe a nod to innovation are the reasons why. Yesterday I went to the presentation of Maaike Mekking's new collection. At first it was interesting, different. After one hour standing, looking at a girl changing clothes (like in this video below) you get tired. The clothes don't matter anymore and the only thing you want to do is clearing off.

Las formas alternativas de presentar las colecciones están de moda. La mayoría de los casos probablemente debido a un presupuesto limitado o simplemente buscando la innovación. Ayer fui a la presentación de la nueva colección de Maaike Mekking. Los primeros diez minutos fueron muy interesantes: una chica cambiándose de ropa frente a un espejo, mucha ropa sobre la alfombra, una situación corriente para muchas. Pero tras una hora de pie observando a la modelo, te cansas. La ropa deja de importarte y en lo único que piensas es en largarte.

On/Off - London Fashion Week

2010-02-19T22:59:00.007Z

This evening I went back to the fashion dream factory. The first image you see when you get inside the Victoria House, heading for the new designer exhibitions that everyone can see, is this tender deer. The lighting, meticulously calculated, makes you feel instantly nostalgic and curious, dying to see what's in the next room. After a "you-are-not-in-the-list" episode I better forget, I could get into the shows. It was four for one. I was invited to the Txell Miras show but I could also enjoy Derek Lawlor's, Mr + Mr's and Samantha Cole's as they all presented their collections in a row. Check the video below and judge.

However, the best was in the exhibition: Aroma 30 and Shopie Gittins made my day. Delicated dresses with amazing shapes and really good looking fabrics in the first case and fairy tale shoes in the second. Shoes that really have that je ne sais quoi. Shoes you cannot forget. And I don't lie when I say that she has instantly become my second favourite shoe designer.

Esta tarde he viajado de nuevo a esa fábrica de sueños que es la moda. La primera imagen que el visitante puede ver en la Victoria House, que alberga la pasarela para nuevos talentos alternativa a la London Fashion Week, es ese hermoso y tierno cervatillo de la primera imagen. La luz, meticulosamente calculada, con esa sobriedad que abruma, empuja tu curiosidad y te conduce irremediablemente a la siguiente habitación. Tras un episodio de "lo siento pero no estás en la lista" que prefiero olvidar, por fin tuve acceso a los desfiles. Y fue cuatro por uno. Estaba invitada al desfile de Txell Miras y también pude ver los de Derek Lawlor, Mr+ Mr y Samantha Cole, ya que los cuatro presentaron sus colecciones seguidamente. Mira el vídeo y juzga por ti mismo/a.

Sin embargo, lo mejor para mí estaba en la exposición: Aroma 30 y Sophie Gittins alegraron mi día. Delicados vestidos con formas esculturales y materiales que destacaban por su calidad en el primer caso y zapatos de cuento en el segundo. Zapatos que realmente tienen ese je ne sais quoi. Zapatos que no puedes olvidar. Y no miento cuando digo que Gittins se ha convertido en mi segunda diseñadora de zapatos favorita.

Let it grow

2010-02-18T22:59:00.002Z

Unfortunately New York Fashion Week was deeply marked by the tragic passed away of Mr. McQueen. But here you are a detail to look at: long slightly wild hair.

The lady of Shalott, by Waterhouse

Desafortunadamente la semana de la moda de Nueva York estuve marcada por la trágica muerte de Alexander McQueen. Pero he aquí un detalle a tener en cuenta: melenas largas, ligeramente salvajes.

From left: 3.1 Philip Lim, Derek Lam, Marc Jacobs, Anna Sui, Proenza Schouler and Narciso Rodríguez.

Spanish Harper's Bazaar

2010-02-16T22:59:00.001Z

Carmen Kass is in the cover of the Spanish edition of the Harper's Bazaar, which will be in the newstands next Friday. This photo is a tribute to a 1992 Linda Evangelista's cover, when late Liz Tilberis was yet editor of the American edition of this magazine.

Carmen Kass es la protagonista de la portada del primero número de la edición española de Harper's Bazaar, que se pondrá a la venta el próximo viernes. La portada, firmada por Nico, es un homenaje a una portada de 1992 en la que aparecía Linda Evangelista, cuando la desaparecida Liz Tilberis era aún editora de la edicion americana de la revista.

Just Kids

2010-02-15T22:22:00.004Z

Autobiographies and biographies are not my thing. Or it used to be that way. Until I read Edie Sedgwick's. I found out a lot not only about the kind of person she might have been, but also about fashion. And music. And art. And celebrity. Ever since, it may sound like a cliché, but I am interested in everything that happened at the Chelsea Hotel. And these two (Patti Smith and Robert Mapplethorpe) were there. So her memories of those times written in Just Kids must be interesting.

Even if I am not a fan of Smith, Mapplethorpe's talent and their adventures in that New York which apparently doesn't exist anymore, tips the scales in the book's favour. I hope it's worth it.

Las autobiografías y las biografías no son lo mío. O solía ser así. Hasta que leí la de Edie Sedgwick. Averigué mucho no solo sobre la clase de persona que debió ser, si no también sobre moda. Y música. Y arte. Y celebridad. Desde entonces, aun a riesgo de caer en clichés, me interesa todo lo que pasa en el Chelsea Hotel. Y estos dos (Patti Smith y Robert Mapplethorpe) estaban allí.

Admito que no soy fan de Smith, pero el talento de Mapplethorpe unido a las aventuras que ambos vivieron en ese Nueva York que no existe ya hace que la balanza se incline a su favor. Espero que merezca la pena.

2010-02-14T01:10:00.001Z

McQueen, genius

2010-02-11T17:59:00.006Z

He is gone. McQueen has passed away. Unexpectedly. One of the few who made poetry out of fashion. His legacy is irreplaceable.

McQueen se nos ha ido. Inesperadamente. Uno de los pocos que supo hacer poesía de la moda. Su legado es irreemplazable.

Chasing the american dream

2010-02-10T22:59:00.002Z

The spring is around the corner and one of the best choices is denim. Even at the risk of being redundant, a total-denim look is what is needed for capturing the essence of this trend. Denim, the eternal fabric, was first introduced to fashion in 1853 by a German immigrant, Levi Strauss. He moved from New York to California, where the gold rush was at its height and where workers needed resistents pants. In the Fifties jeans became very popular among the younth. Levi Strauss made history.

Often jeans are considered symbols of the American dream and good representatives of the American culture outside USA's borders. Apparently most of the developed countries are getting over the recession. Catwalks nodded in assent giving denim a wink.

From left: Louis Vuitton, Jean Paul Gaultier Couture, Hermès, D&G, House of Holland, Jean Paul Gaultier, Chanel

La primavera está a la vuelta de la esquina y una de las mejores opciones es el denim. Incluso a riesgo de ser redudante, un total look en denim es lo que se necesita para capturar la esencia de esta tendencia. Denim, el tejido eterno, fue descubierto en 1853 por un inmigrante alemán, Levi Strauss. Se había trasladado desde Nueva York a California, donde la quimera del oro mandaba y donde los trabajadores necesitaban pantalones resistentes. En los años cincuenta los pantalones vaqueros se convirtieron en una de las prendas más utilizadas por la juventud. Y Levi Strauss hizo historia.

A menudo los jeans se consideran símbolos del sueño americano y grandes representantes de la cultura americana fuera de sus fronteras. Parece que la mayoría de los países desarrollados se están reponiendo de la crisis. Y las pasarelas asienten con este guiño al denim.

From left: Ralph Lauren, Twenty8Twelve, Stella McCartney, Balenciaga, Chloé

*pictures: style.com

Txell Miras and the Fine Art of fashion

2010-02-03T22:09:00.003Z

The Barcelona based fashion designer Txell Miras speaks about her inspirations, her artistic background and the competitive fashion world

The fashion designer Txell Miras was born in Barcelona thirty three years ago. Because she wanted to be an artist she initially studied Fine Arts. Eventually she ended up working in the fashion industry. To many, fashion is not art. To many others, however, it is. Txell’s sense of discretion means she prefers not to address such a dilemma. She has her own label and collaborates with Devon-born designer Neil Barrett. And for the time being that is enough work.

Her minimalist, gloomy and ethical garments and her wise utilization of apparently mismatched materials have more to do with the Belgian based Antwerp School than with Barcelona, were her studio is located at the moment. “In Spain catwalks are more public and are more affordable, you can have a low-cost show”, she explains. The beginning is never easy. “To get on in fashion industry is really complicated. Everything in this world is very brand orientated and without a name it is very difficult to start, to get people to know you, to find the right shops to sell your garments…”declares the designer, whose working days normally start at 10am and end at 9pm with only a break for lunch. Like her compatriot Pablo Picasso used to say, she thinks that “inspiration exists, but it has to find me working, I prefer looking for it than just waiting for it”.

The artistic background is clearly evident in her garments. “My method of work is from a creative perspective, I come up with a concept and after I develop that idea by working with shapes, I am very influenced by Fine Arts”.

Nervousness and satisfaction are the two words she uses more when it comes to catwalks. She thinks that the best aspect of working in fashion “is enjoying it so much” and the worst is “the show and cynicism around it”.

In 2003 Txell won the Most Promising Young Designer award from Camera della Moda Italiana while she was studying her MA at the Domus Academy, in Milan. She then started to design Neil Barrett’s womenswear collection, (Barrett had achieved great acclaim for launching Prada’s menswear in 1995, and also worked for Gucci). Txell empathises with Barrett’s innovative and independent approach to fashion.

As her favourite designer is Haider Ackermann, it is not surprising that she focuses on, “the total silhouette more than the garments”. She does not believe in the hegemony of catwalks and claims that, “the street and the catwalks boost each other”. Txell admits that London has a great and diverse street-style, and it's there where she is going to show her new collection the next 19th.

*Picture: neo2 magazine

La diseñadora catalana Txell Miras habla de sus inspiraciones, sus orígenes artísticos y la competitividad en el mundo de la moda

La diseñadora Txell Miras nació en Barcelona hace treinta y tres años. Quería ser una artista, así que estudió Bellas Artes y ahora trabaja en la industria de la moda. Para muchos, la moda es un arte. Para muchos otros, no lo es. Txell tiene su propia marca y además colabora con el diseñador inglés Neil Barret. Y de momento eso es suficiente trabajo.

Sus éticas prendas minimalistas y su sabia utilización de materiales que a primera vista no encajan tiene más que ver con la escuela belga de Antwerp que con Barcelona, donde Txell tiene su estudio en la actualidad. “En España las pasarelas son públicas y es asequible desfilar a bajo coste” explicó. Ningún inicio es fácil. “Abrirse camino es lo más difícil. El mundo de la moda es muy marquista y sin un nombre es muy difícil arrancar. Darse a conocer, acceder a los puntos de venta…” declare la diseñadora. Sus jornadas laborales comienzan a las 10 y finalizan a las 9 con un descanso para comer. Como Picasso solía decir, “la creatividad se encuentra trabajando. No me es especialmente difícil pero se debe buscar más que esperar a que llegue”. Su origen artístico es más que evidente en sus prendas. “Mi método creativo es muy parecido al que utilizaba para mis trabajos en Bellas Artes. Parto de un concepto y lo desarrollo trabajando con las formas”.

Nerviosismo y satisfacción son las dos palabras que más utiliza cuando se trata de desfiles. Txell cree que lo mejor de trabajar en la moda es que le permite trabajar “en algo que disfruto” y a su juicio, lo peor es “el mundillo que lo rodea”.

En 2003 Txell ganó el premio a Joven Diseñador Más Prometedor de la Camera della Moda Italiana mientras estudiaba su Máster en la Academia Domus en Milán. Entonces comenzó a diseñar la colección de mujer de Neil Barrett (Barrett había conseguido muy buenas críticas con las colecciones de Prada de hombre, que el mismo inició en 1995, y también en su trabajo en Gucci). Txell simpatiza con la visión innovadora e independiente de Barret.

Siendo su diseñador favorito Haider Ackermann, no sorprende que ella se centre “en la silueta total”. Txell no cree en la hegemonía de los desfiles y afirma que “la calle y los desfiles se retroalimentan”. La diseñadora reconoce que una de las ciudades con estilo más diverso para ella es Londres, en donde tendrá lugar la presentación de su nueva colección, el próximo día 19.

The eternal magic of the cape

2010-01-31T17:50:00.002Z

Capes were first fashionable during the late 19th century and from the Fifties to the mid-Seventies. The last two seasons they have done a very discreet comeback in very different shapes, materials and colours.

Las capas se pusieron de moda a finales del siglo XIX y aparecieron de nuevo en los años cincuenta, para alejarse definitivamente a mediados de los setenta. Desde hace un par de temporadas las capas han protagonizado una discreta vuelta en diferentes formas, materiales y colores.

Maisons such as Yves Saint Laurent, Chloé or Viktor&Rolf have showed capes in their Pre-Fall 2010 collections.

Casas como Yves Saint Laurent, Chloé o Viktor&Rolf han presentado capas en sus colecciones Pre-Fall 2010.

*Pictures: style.com

Last call

2010-01-27T22:32:00.007Z

"Norman Parkinson: A very British glamour" at Somerset House (London) is one of the best exhibitions I've seen lately. It's closing the next 31th of January, so if you have the chance, I strongly recommend you to go! It's free admission and it opens from 10am to 6pm. The exhibition it's a celebration of the publication of his book.

Parkinson was one of the pioneers in taking fashion photography out of the studio and his photos are extremely beautiful, they possess the grace of classic photography and he really knows how to take advantage of the b&w and the silhouettes.

"Norman Parkinson: A very British glamour" en Somerset House (Londres) es una de las mejores exposiciones que he visto últimamente. Cierra el próximo día 31 de enero, así que si tienes la oportunidad es altamente recomendable. Además la entrada es gratuita y abre de 10am a 6pm. La exposición se trata de una celebración ante la publicación del libro homónimo.

Parkinson fue uno de los pioneros en sacar la fotografía de moda de los estudios. Sus fotos son extremadamente hermosas, tienen la gracia de la fotografía clásica y sabe sacarle partido a las siluetas y al blanco y negro.

Going up to the country

2010-01-24T22:26:00.001Z

First of all, sorry for my long absence. The assingments are the one to blame for! I have been quite obsessed with the countryside style and really happy to see that we'll get more of that for this summer!

Ralph Lauren s/s 2010

Siento la prolongada ausencia, las entregas son a las que hay que echarles la culpa. Durante todo el invierno he estado bastante obsesionada con el estilo campestre y es una gran alegría ver que este verano los vestidos floreados y el estilo rural no nos abandona.

Óscar de la Renta s/s 2010

*credits:style.com

Dropped shoulders

2010-01-15T22:30:00.000Z

I am in love with dropped shoulders. For these days of hand-ins, exams and assignments, having one of those delicated knitwear sweaters on is a pleasure. It seems that many people agree, because on the streets of London it's all I can see now...

Me encantan los hombros caídos de los jerseys. En estos días de entregas y exámenes es un placer tenerlos puestos. Y parece que mucha gente está de acuerdo conmigo, porque en las calles de Londres es prácticamente lo único que puedo ver...

B-Day

2010-01-07T22:59:00.006Z

24. Sounds harsh. And it is. What have I done? I have wondered today. At my age many women in many countries have many children by now.. have a job, a husband to love, a house to care about...I studied a degree in journalism. I have studied languages. And now I am doing a Masters Degree. That's all I've done in 24 years. It's a shame. Or is it just what we all do? I don't know. Many presents to celebrate that I am getting older: Kundera, Fallaci, Benedetti, Hesse... Dylan, Fleet Foxes... Inditex, H&M... And just one soul. I feel I knew me more when I turned 23.. And fashion does not appeal me as it used to..is this normal? Or am I just growing up? I don't know, but tonight I am not here

24. Suena duro. Y lo es. ¿Qué he hecho hasta ahora? Muchas mujeres en muchos países a mi edad ya tienen un ejército de chiquillos, un marido al que querer, una casa que cuidar... Yo me licencié en periodismo. He estudiado idiomas. Y ahora estoy haciendo un máster. Eso es todo lo que he hecho en 24 años. Es una pena. ¿O es simplemente lo que todos hacemos? No lo sé. Muchos regalos para celebrar que me hago vieja: Kundera, Fallaci, Benedetti, Hesse... Dylan, Fleet Foxes... Inditex, H&M... Pero solo un alma. Y me conozco ahora menos que cuando cumplí 23. Y la moda ya me llamaba más de lo que me llama. ¿Es normal? ¿O me estoy haciendo mayor? No lo sé, pero esta noche no estoy aquí.

Happy New Year

2009-12-31T15:00:00.005Z

I share my best photo of 2009 with you and I wish you all a Happy New Year!

Aquí comparto con vosotros la mejor foto que he hecho en el 2009 y os deseo un feliz 2010!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, RELLIK

2009-12-20T22:59:00.001Z

Fiona Stuart is one of the three co-owners of Rellik, the temple of vintage clothing in London and one of the most important vintage shops in the world. This month it's the tenth anniversary of the boutique and they friendly enough gave me an interview. Not only they have amazing vintage pieces but the whole shop, with its different clothing styles, it's a treat for the eyes of those who love fashion and are looking for perfection.

Atelier- How did you decide to open your own shop?

Fiona- We all had shops at Portobello Market and we all had been there about five years, about the same time, and we were doing really well, and it seemed that the next stage was to take on a shop, because the thing about the market is that you are getting press on the national papers, but then it was very difficult for the people to find the store, and also the hours, you are only open two days a week and if it is raining you may not have many customers, so it was better for us, it was like an inspiration, it felt like the right idea. I think I had been looking for a shop about a year, and I remembered this one and I thought, "oh, what about that shop?", I knew that it had been vacant for like a year. It was a different kind of shop, the decoration was quite mixed up and we had to re-do the whole shop, it took six months. We'd been all in the market together, we got on well, and it made sense to have this kind of shop on this location in a group, because then you are not alone.

A- How did you come up with the name?
F- It was actually my ex-hunband that came up with the idea. Because of the Rellik tower, and what we did was taking the phrase from there, and also rellik in terms of object of history, something aged, vintage.

A-When it comes to buy the clothes, is it difficult to agree with your partners?
F- The three of us, we buy separately, we choose what we want to buy individually, we just share the cost of the shop and the running of the shop. I'd say that a lot of times you do have the same taste because if something it's fabulous, we're all going to enjoy it, but sometimes one of us buy something that we haven't thought about, it's always three minds coming together, to buy, it's good because it's three approaches, and also one might be more grown-up, one might be more avant-garde, but we influence each other aswell, we were probably more different at the beginning, and now we are probably more the same after 10 years. We all have a stand each, and we can put our personality and the style and do what we want.

A- Where do you buy the clothes?
F- It's our big secret. Another people just sell to us, and that's usually one of the best ways to buy clothes, because people understand what we like in the shop and even in Portobello Market you might find something or from somewhere like that, we are always looking for clothes.

A- Is it difficult to check that they are real designers clothes?
F- You can tell, I can tell who made a garment even without a label, you know the fabrics and the designs, it's a knowledge you get over the years, you can tell, it's like you can feel a real Chanel bag from a fake Chanel bag, obviously because of the quality.

A-Since when can you start saying a garment is vintage?
F- When we started whe probably didn't have anything that was later than 1988-1989, now we have many things that are quite recent, because a lot of it has to do with the customers, sometimes customers don't want to buy real vintage, they want things that are maybe one or two seasons old and that they cannot find anymore. The nature of fashion has changed, when I started doing vintage clothing people wanted a Sixties coat, a Seventies dress, now is less fancy dress in a way, it's more fashion, so I think vintage has become synonymous with fashion. You might wear a second hand coat or a vintage coat, but in a way with vintage you might feel that it's more special.

A-What's the charm of vintage?
F- Again the quality, and the up-to-date, you might have something that it's 20 years old, and you love, and you still wear, and maybe something that it's 2 years old and you never wear. They have a beauty, and they do have a charm that makes you to buy it.

A-When do you think that buying vintage become fashionable?
F- There has always been people that buy old clothes, in the Seventies there was a real trend of going to the market and buying clothes, that's why when you see the Seventies style you can see Forties influences. Sixties is quite original and Eighties too, but they all go back to past references. I think that probably the Internet speed it up, the accessibility, people now can see this. We see a lot of our clothes in magazines, so people can see vintage clothing in a fashion shoot that they might want.

A-Can you buy something here with a student budget?
F- Yes, we have a range that goes from 15 pounds to maybe 700 pounds. But the very special pieces students are not going to want it because they are mostly for a special occasion.

A-Is it difficult to cope with the special needs of your celebrity customers?
F- We treat all our customers the same, there is no special hours, the shop is open to everybody even if there is a celebrity here. We treat everybody the same and I think we treat everybody as we'd like to be treated. And in terms of the clothes, again is a mix, people find the clothes in the shop, we don't store them especially, we want everyone to have access to the clothes.

A-Which are the treasures of Rellik?
F- When we get something that we really love we buy it and we have it in the shop, so the things that we have at the moment in the shop are our treasures. Steven has some Vivienne Westwood's garments and the only reason why he hasn't them out in the shop is because it's a special market and only people who really know about it know what they want, they can ask him and he can find it.

A- The most expensive and the cheapest garment you have bought for the shop?
F- Probably Ossie Clark dresses or maybe an Hermès or Chanel bag and the cheapest probably some jewellery for fifiteen pounds. Vintage kind of has a level where people expect to sell something at a price, but then people also expect not to pay too much for something.

A- Do you think it's worth to invest on designer pieces?
F- I think you have to invest on what you love, because you are going to wear it and you are going to enjoy it. The thing about vintage now is that it's pretty much the market values where is worth, if you buy a pair of designer shoes for 500 pounds and then you sell them, you might not sell them for 500 pounds because it's only from the shop that people would pay 500, it looses value, it's like when you buy a new car, but then if you buy an Ossie Clark jacket for 500 pounds it's worth 500, and then you can put it on the internet and you might sell it again for the same money.

A-Do you think it's necessary to wear designer pieces to be stylish?
F-No. I think the most stylish people are the people who put things together in a kind of imaginative way.

A-Would you say that the Haute Couture is art?
F- It definitely is, because of the level of work and time that people have to put to create a garment, it is a piece of art and it is amazing what they create. It is a shame that not more people can have access to it

A-Who is your favourite designer?
F- The way I am, I am always discovering new people and I am kind of excited by new things all the time that I have found out about. I think someone like Galliano was very original at the beginning, I love Issey Miyake, I think Karl Lagerfeld is a style genious, he made Chanel cool again, now it's like the most desirable brand.

How to get there:

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The coolest couple ever

2009-12-13T22:59:00.000Z

Woodstock, 1969

*Life magazine

I want to scream!

2009-12-11T21:39:00.004Z

Totally focus on my research, I've just gone to net-a-porter to have a break and what was my surprise when I see someone who seems to be Victoria Beckham (I don't want to be cruel here but lately she has this unmistakable Bratz's look in the line of starving celebrities such as Zoe&co, so I assume that is her despite the massive sunglasses) telling me:

"Hi, I'm Victoria Beckham and welcome to net-a-porter.com. Click here to check out my fabulous denim collection"

Is this really necessary? If it's that fabulous, why you need this advertisement, Victoria? Why can't I take this woman seriously despite of all the Birkins she has? And after this I know I will ever again have a break at net-a-porter.com

Totalmente centrada en mi investigación, fui a net-a-porter un momento para tomarme un descanso, y cual fue mi sorpresa al ver a alguien que a primeras parece Victoria Beckham -no es por ser cruel pero últimamente ha vuelto al look de las Bratz, en la línea de las celebrities más famélicas, como Rachel Zoe y compañía, así que asumo que realmente es ella, a pesar de las gafonas de sol- contándome:

"Hola, soy Victoria Beckham y bienvenido a net-a-porter.com. Pincha arriba para ver mi fabulosa colección denim"

¿Es realmente necesario? Si es tan fabulosa ¿para qué necesitas anunciarte tanto? ¿Por qué no soy capaz de tomarme en serio nada de lo que hace esta mujer, con todos los Birkins que tiene?! Y sé que después de esto nunca más me tomaré un descanso entrando en net-a-porter.

S.O.S.

2009-12-06T17:09:00.002Z

Hi everybody! I am currently doing a Research Project on Manolo Blahník and why women wear high heel/fuck me shoes. I would be more than grateful if you would answer to this little survey. It's only 10 multiple choice questions -approximately 2 minutes of your time-. Thanks in advanced!

Click Here to take survey

Hola! Estoy haciendo una investigación sobre Manolo Blahník y por qué las mujeres llevan tacones altos. Estaría más que agradecida si pudierais contestar a esta encuesta. Solo son 10 preguntas, estimadamente son dos minutos de vuestro tiempo. Gracias por adelantado.

*Por razones ajenas a mi voluntad la encuesta tiene que ser exclusivamente en inglés.

2009-12-03T22:59:00.001Z

Quote of the week

"Sportswear is the end of style and taste"

Peter York

"La ropa de sport es el final del estilo y el buen gusto"

Peter York

Das Neue Schwarz

2009-11-30T12:39:00.004Z

Das Neue Schwarz (The New Black) is a new online second hand shop based in Berlin. Tanya Bednar, originally from Vienna, offers in her boutique handpicked pieces from New York, London, Paris, Berlin and Tokyo. The former club host and DJ quitted clubbing to go on the fashion business and sell designers pieces at bargain prices. She also sells furniture and men's wear. A website which is worth visiting especially for the Christmas shopping, if looking for innovative presents.

You can enjoy a 10% discount (except sale products) until the 7th of December by mentioning Why Fashion? blog.

Manolo Blahník shoes: 78 euros

Das Neue Schwarz (The New Black) es una nueva tienda online de segunda mano con base en Berlín. Tanya Bednar, originalmente de Viena, ofrece en su nueva boutique todo tipo de objetos además de ropa seleccionados por ella en ciudades como Nueva York, Londres, París, Berlín o Tokyo. Tanya dejó su antigua vida de DJ y anfitriona de un club para centrarse en el negocio de la moda. Algunos de los precios son verdaderas gangas. Solo hay que ver los Manolos a 78 euros. Además, también vende muebles y objetos de decoración, así como ropa de hombre y accesorios en general. Una página que merece una visita, especialmente ahora que están tan cerca las navidades.

Si decidís comprar algo antes del 7 de diciembre obtendréis un 10% de descuento (excepto en los artículos rebajados) mencionando éste blog.

Alain Mikli glasses: 69 euros

Gucci dress: 89 euros

Wicker bag: 16 euros

*credits: DAS NEUE SCHWARZ

"Fashion has nothing to do with music"

2009-11-26T17:28:00.004Z

Today I heard someone saying that "fashion has nothing to do with music". I couldn't help but thinking she's in another planet...

Hoy he oído a una persona decir que "la moda no tiene nada que ver con la música". No pude evitar preguntarme en qué mundo vive...

The farewell of the skinnies

2009-11-23T20:37:00.005Z

Is this a farewell? Skinny pants have been around for years and they are leaving quietly now. First in the catwalks, then in the streets.. Slowly the hegemony which in other time seemed invincible is been destroyed by the early adapters. The question is, would they get their own way?

From left: Chanel, Lanvin, Balenciaga, Chloé and YSL

¿Es esto una despedida? Los pantalones estrechos se han colocado en nuestros armarios hace algunos años y ahora están yéndose lentamente. Primero en los desfiles, después en la calle... Lentamente la hegemonía que en otro tiempo parecía invencible está siendo destruida por lo que en marketing se conoce como "los primeros que adaptan la tendencia". La pregunta ahora es, ¿se saldrán con la suya?

The early adapters, in NYC, Copenhagen, Paris and London

*credits: style.com, The Sartorialist, copenhagenstreetstyle and facehunter

2009-11-20T20:14:00.002Z

Quote of the week

"I do feel strongly that fashion is an applied art and not art"

Suzy Menkes for I-D magazine (november issue)

"Creo realmente que la moda es arte aplicado y no arte"
Suzy Menkes para la revista I-D (noviembre)

Designer du jour: Peter Pilotto

2009-11-17T22:47:00.001Z

Peter Pilotto is one of those prodigious designers whose talent was even increased at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp, Belgium, where he was born in 1977. Christopher De Vos is was born in Lybia in 1980. The duo met while studying in Antwerp, and they are the minds and talent behind the label Peter Pilotto, which was launched in 2008.

Only two collections were necessary to prove their talent. They were credited by Style.com as one of the Ten Most Promising New Talents. No wonder why. The mix of colours and the unique patterns together with the soft shapes of the garments make Pilotto a label to consider investing in, before their prices rise. And I'm sure they will.

Peter Pilotto es uno de esos diseñadores prodigiosos cuyo talento fue a más gracias a la Royal Academy of Fine Arts de Antwerp, en Bélgica, en dónde Pilotto nació en 1977. Christopher De Vos, su compañero en la firma nació en Libia en 1980. Ambos se conocieron mientras estudiaban en Antwerp y ellos son las mentes tras la firma Peter Pilotto, fundada en 2008.

Fueron necesarias solo dos colecciones para demostrar su talento. Style.com los incluyó entre los Diez Talentos Más Prometedores con su colección de invierno 09. La duda ofendería. La mezcla de colores y los estampados únicos, además de las líneas suaves de sus prendas hacen de esta marca una verdadera apuesta segura de futuro.

The US First Lady spotted two weeks ago wearing Peter Pilotto A/W09

La primera dama norteamericana, Michelle Obama, apareció hace dos semanas en un acto público con un vestido de la colección de Peter Pilotto de Otoño/Invierno-09.

Camilla Skovgaard

2009-11-15T17:13:00.004Z

The best of hanging around places such as Selfridges or Harvey Nichols often is that you can discover relatively new designers by admiring their designs in person. That is what happened to me with Camilla Skovgaard, a shoe designer born in Denmark and based in London who has started her career at the age of 20 in Dubai.

"Her emphasis is on form, material and style rather than in decoration. The combination of contrasting elements, such as fluidity and severity, restraint and sophistication play an integral part in the character of her design".

Personally I think that the key of her designs is that even the simplest ones are eye-catching. You can't help looking at them. The pure shape of the heel makes them look desiderable even though (or maybe because) the heels are extremely high. At less than 400 hundred euros on net-a-porter, they could be considered a high-class bargain.

Lo mejor de merodear por sitios como Selfridges o Harvey Nichols a menudo es que a veces te puedes encontrar gratas sorpresas. Diseñadores relativamente nuevos que descubres en persona y no a través de las páginas de una revista. Es lo que me pasó con Camilla Skovgaard, una diseñadora de zapatos nacida en Dinamarca con sede en Londres que comenzó su carrera a los veinte años en Dubai.

"Su énfasis está en la forma, el material y el estilo en lugar de en la decoración. La combinación de elementros que contrastan, como fluidez y severidad, limitación y sofisticación, juegan una parte esencial en el carácter de sus diseño".

Personalmente creo que el énfasis de sus diseños está en que hasta los más simples llaman inevitablemente la atención. No puedes evitar mirarlos. La forma pura de sus tacones llevan a desearlos a pesar de que (o quizás porque) los tacones son extremedamente altos. Por menos de 400 euros en net-a-porter, estos zapatos se pueden considerar un chollo de alta gama.

You say you wanna a revolution...

2009-11-13T22:36:00.003Z

I thought the economic crisis would bring something good. After all, when the human being has suffered any kind of crisis, it has always emerged a new, fresh, innovative social/cultural movement, normally led by the youth. What do we, the youngsters, have now? Nothing. Well, nothing new. I assumed we are the "we have it all" generation, so we don't bother to complain, there is no need. So sad.

Maybe that is why fashion lately has been a revision of the Twenties, Thirties, Fourties, Fifties, Sixties, Seventies, Eighties, Nineties, because we, the Noughties generation, have nothing to offer. Nothing to create. Just, nothing.

Pensé que la crisis económica traería algo bueno. Después de todo, cuando el ser humano se ha enfrentado a cualquier tipo de crisis siempre ha surgido algún interesante movimiento social o cultural fresco e innovativo, normalmente abanderado por la juventud. Pero, ¿qué tenemos nosotros, los jóvenes de ahora, ahora? Nada. Bueno, nada nuevo. Somos la generación de "lo tenemos todo", así que no nos molestamos en quejarnos. No hay necesidad. Y es muy triste.

Puede que por eso la moda en los últimos años haya sido una revisión de los años '20, '30, '40, '50, '60, '70, '80, o incluso '90. Porque nosotros, la generación del 2000, no tenemos nada que ofrecer, nada que crear. Simplemente, nada.

2009-11-09T22:29:00.000Z

Quote of the Week

"Only great minds can afford a simple style"

Henri Beyle

"Solo las grandes mentes pueden permitirse un estilo simple"

Henri Beyle