When was the last time I got excited saying this? Excited about getting a step ahead to my dream, I got this new styling idea -
Top - H&M black and metallic stripy t-shirt dress
Trouser - Giorgio Armani (got it from a mad sale in Hong Kong about 10 years ago, never worn it once) light gray see through pants.
Heels - Nine West white patent heels
Belt - (No brand) Thick black leather belt
Bag - (No brand) Orange soft leather bag from Hong Kong
Really cute and amazingly long ad for LV in Japan. Anime style, reminds me of the famous anime "My Neighbor Totoro" by Hayao Miyazaki. Enjoy~
This video is even better than the other ones I have found previously. This has more commenting from the judges and people involved in the Festival, as well as my two favorite designers Sandra and Peter talking a little bit about their design and inspiration - I absolutely adore Sandra! Her sheepish smile with incredibly high cheekbone and cute Swedish accent when she speaks english - probably contribute a lot to the reason why everybody in the Fashion and Photography Festival had a crush on her ;) (as the commenter said). Enjoy the Vid!
As a future attendee, I checked out the May Student Fashion Show (papierdoll). I guess it's hard to judge by looking at a few snapshots in the photo gallery, but I have to say the images did very little for me. Maybe I was hoping for a little more originality and sophistication in tailoring that could rival Antwerp Royal Academy, but not much gives me a hint of scholarly attitude in forming a concept, theme, or establishing a signature style. I do recognize some good craftsmanship that is looks very commercial (in a good way, as McQueen said), practical and luxurious, which is a signature strength for New York designers.
All in all I am still really excited and looking forward to my new venture. I believe that the school will provide sufficient knowledge and the outcome really depends on inspirations and hard work.
I have really been quite disappointed (and uninspired) with the recent stuff that came down on the major runway, by major I mean the stuff that you can look through style.com, or any major fashion mags like Vogue or Harper Bazaar (at least the US ones). Therefore it is absolutely essential to look at some of the most influential blogs like "Diane, A Shaded View on Fashion"(which I have already "advertised" many times), or fashion forums like "The Fashion Spot". These places you will find a lot of insider's information and materials that will only come out in the major mags few months later, or they wouldn't come out at all because some people in the biz think the advertisements pages are more important.
Anyways, one of the thing i would like to achieve in this blog is to archive some of the designers that really inspire me. I feel like my vision and my taste in this fabric manipulation art has been growing along with my blog. If you back track my entries you see stuff that I pick at first are like easy breezy La Rok, Forty's, and Tracy Reese. But what really inspire me now is the more sober, fluid yet feminine design, and more importantly, is the impeccable tailoring that make a piece deserve a timeless status. I found the Fall/Winter 2007 collection by this Argentinian-French designer Gaspard Yurkievich absolutely captivating. The soft flow cling comfortably on the body, the slim dress pants, mini skirt and blazer with big stripes (fabulous detail on the back of the blazer), beautiful sheer contrast with the satin bow on the chest, and its great that he threw in the more whimsical piece like the crochet + feather tube over the sheer grey blue turtle neck, ends with a bubble mini.
I am really loving this one piece designed by Gaurav Gupta, a graduate from Central Saint Martins, who returned to India to become the local fashion star in his own country...this is definitely a great inspiration for me. I love the fabric (should be some sort of luster rayon material), the top embellishments (not too heavy but shows a little bit of the ethnic influence), the draping and the layering down the waist. I am wishing him all the best in his early career (I wonder how its like to start out in India as a fashion designer, more so I wonder how its like to start out in China as a fashion designer...).
I just found out that Blogger is migrating all the photos in the blog to Picasa Web Album!
Now you can just flip through all the images direct on my blog album! (but you still have to come to read my blog!!) ^^
I should have post the skirt that i made from the sewing class a few months back, but it was such a bad skirt so didn't want to show it. Today I made a new one using slightly altered methods and a better fabric (it's a jacquard brocade fabric, the color is silver grey, black with thin gold thread).
It is still a bit too puffy (as you see on the mannequin) so i took the sides in a bit as well as shorten the hem - so the pictures with me wearing the skirt is the final product with the adjustments. I am still not really happy about it, I think mainly this fabric would be much better to do a pencil skirt with or with less pleats - now i learn how pleats would make the skirt look like an umbrella!
My intermediate sewing classes will be starting soon, so I will be posting my new work from time to time. Also I will be doing more designs of tote bags and makeup bags...I know once I start cranking those little bags i won't be able to stop! stay tune~!
So I will be back to school again! It is really exciting for me and this will lead me to so many different possibilities now. I can't wait. :)
It's been awhile since I last blogged. Since I have recovered from some dreadful sickness, there is a little side effect of lingering laziness and lack of motivation. But regardless, my mind is still racing with ideas on some sewing projects, still looking out for new inspirations from the beautiful patch work ideas.
Starting from next week I will be going back to sewing school for the intermediate class. I will be posting regularly on the process, as well as pictures of what i made...etc. :)
Here are some of the shops I went to in San Francisco last week, which are a little different from the downtown SF union sq shopping where all the main brands and dept stores are(like 5th ave and soho combined).
The first two pics are taken around an area called "Cow Hollow" (on Union st. around Fillmore to Laguna st.) there are tons of nice brunch places separated by little boutiques. Jest Jewels has tons of cute accessories and fun girlie stuff, Mingle is run by a very friendly owner who picks out alot of local designer stuff (I love the Boys and Girls t-shirts!).
The last two pics taken around an area on Haight st. which is a hippie area full of unique characters, vintage shops, piercing and tattoos parlors. We saw that S&M style 6 inches heels boots with open strips on the calf which we must take a pic of, then in the nice boutique called Eve I managed to find this really really cute shoulder bag! (pics later)
All in all, it was a nice little shopping experience, of course I am not saying it beats nyc shopping but at least the weather was nice!! Thats a big shopping factor - as I always retreat to online shopping in my room when I get back to the freezing cold ny.
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After 10 weeks of stitching and being bitched at, I am finally graduated as a Beginner Seamstress at the Stitch & Bitch University (uh...not sure how cool this sound when I told parsons about my sewing experience).
Anyways, I will be sewing some more for sure. Next steps will be sketching some designs, deconstruct some clothes that I was about to throwaway...etc.
It must have been the longest food coma ever on the blogging planet. It was a very very full, sleepy and satisfying weekend with some crazy shopping at the outlet! ;) yes, of course there has to be some retail therapy involved in the process of holiday celebration. Although I am saving up most of my money for x'mas and new year shopping when I go back to my beloved homeland - Hong Kong, but I can't possibly pass on those devilishly deep discounts in the Woodbury Outlet...can I?
So I spent most of my money at the Off 5th Saks Fifth store and Max Studio.com. They are both great bargins, and not like Dolce & Gabbana, YSL, Celine, Prada and Miu Miu, where prices are still too high for my budget, style are either straight off the funkway or the dullway and size small or petite are rarely in sight. Well I almost gave in to this white trousers from Dolce & Gabbana (they are just the right looseness and make my legs looks like miles long!)but they are quite high maintenance to wear and cost almost 200 bucks...humm ok...I need to just tell myself I don't regret not buying it!
Back to what I got:
-Leopard print v-neck top from Laundry by Shelli Segal (~$45, org. ~$180)
-Green silk top with jewel embellishment on the halter neckline by YA-YA ($46, org. $268)
-Black silk skirt with unique flowery pattern stitch work by Cynthia Steffe ( $31, org. $305)
-Khaki knit tan top from Max Studio.com ($25, org. $78)
-Nylon tunic with velvet trimmings on neckline, sleeves finishing and waistline from Max Studio.com ($35, org. $98)
-Lace tunic from Max Studio.com-my fav. piece! ($35, org. $98)
Even though stores close at 10pm at the outlet, I was unable to finish going through all the stores. I quickly went in Diane Von Furstenburg, Juicy, Miss Sixty, Barney's, Theory, but maybe I just didn't have enough time to flip through everything and try on anything, I came out empty handed in those places. But then again, I am really saving for the big and crazy shopping time in HK which is 2 and a half weeks away!
P.S. Can someone guess where I was in the picture? This very very very delicious chocolate place...heehee...if you have heard of this place then you should know by now. :p
I think it will be a good idea to start writing about my experiences while I am striving to become a fashion designer and have a cute little boutique in Hong Kong and Japan. I love little boutiques in Tokyo on the mysterious street, and the door is dark/black wood with antique carving, I am not sure if I want to have mannequins, I guess if they are as cute as the ones that Anna Sui has. Yes, you can see I am very inspired by Anna Sui. Okay. Enough dreaming.
A little bit more details about me: currently in New York, originally from Hong Kong, working as a web designer.
