Monday 30 May 2011

Riding pretty.



Based on my turbulent history with driving a car, bicycle may as well be my safest bet. So what! 

I don’t like cars anyways…they are boring…they are all mostly black and gray and slightly different shape and there is always trouble with finding parking, not to mention how hard it is to find your car in a mall garage ughhh…. and then you get all these parking fines, and let’s not even talk about gas prices and how when you drive you just sit there while riding a bicycle actually helps you stay in shape and get some tan! 

At the same time you are not polluting the environment, it’s easier to find parking and you don’t get stuck in a traffic jam in the morning when you are going to work and afternoon coming back from work. Bicycle also lets you have that cute little basket with flowers in it.

The only disadvantage I see is that is hard to ride a bicycle in heels – but let’s be honest we are women – we adapt, so or we can bring a pair of heels in this cute little basket or just develop a new skill of riding a bicycle in heels. J

I have found some fabulous pieces for motivation.
Let’s go ladies & gents! Who’s with me?






Chop (www.doitparis.com ) – colorfull / www.thecyclestore.co.uk - pink





Studine Ladies Classic Velorbis bicycle – red




Dutch Granny bicycle 

...and at the end...my very favorite bicycle of all times...Ladies Chanel! Aaahhhh! Divine!






All editorial photos from Vogue Magazine

Are you riding pretty lovelies? Dare to share? J




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Sunday 29 May 2011

Orange loves pink!


Source of photos: www.ragpony.com, Jil Sander SS 2011.



Since end 2009 orange has become a regular in spring and resort collections of many designers. For me it was always somehow reminding on 70s tailored shirts and luxurious one piece bading suits. Spring 2011. Collections are rich with bright colors and optimism – everything goes! The brighter the better!

Orange is combined with red and pink to make a BAM impression. My favorite accessory  while wearing pink and orange outfit is a light pink lipstick while keeping the rest of the look simple without additional pop colors – just like Jil Sander did in his SS 11/12. Collection.

I have selected a number of images for inspiration : makeup and hair backstage shoots from SS 2011/12, to see how this fashion color blocking trend is spilling out to beauty as well, an editorial from May, 2009. Issue of Vogue India (feat.Lakshmi Menor) on the very bottom of the post, amazing clutch and a cute little Zara purse as a mainstream alternative and finally a couple of runway looks to bring it all together.




Hair: meadham Kirckoff
Make up: Vogue Japan May,2011.
Source: www.google.com 





Vogue: Celine/Pierre Hardy/ Behatti Prinsloo

Prada/Vuitton – SS 2011/12.


"If you obey all the rules you miss all the fun."
Katharine Hepburn

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Friday 27 May 2011

Designer quicky: FYODOR GOLAN



Last week we met at Dreft Fashion Week Zagreb, what is your impression of young Croatian designer's collections? Did you notice somebody special?
We think young Croatian designers need to pay attention to all the aspects of high fashion from show, details and quality finishing, and not forget that their creations are created for other people. Keep in mind who is it for. 

What did you like and what didn't you like about the organization?
We felt that this was very well organized event. It had good pace and we didn't feel any stress. It was both business and pleasure trip because just before we left we were approached by a buyer.

You spent couple of days in Zagreb - what do you think about fashion sense of Croatian women? We think women in Croatia are stunning and they should really show it more, have an edge and take more risks. Let’s see more of Fashion! We loved your choice of dress on the last night. 

(My choice of dress was of course Lei.Lou by Alex Dojčinović)


How does your creative process from an idea to execution works since you work in pair?
Does working together affect your private life? It’s a collaboration and mix of ideas, we love to explore opposites. But for the working process we do few things totally together but mostly we decide between us who does what and then we talk and see it from others point of view. A lot of working and a lot of talking. It doesn't really affect us because what we do is what we are and we are married. 


How do you comment when one said that your work has a strong McQueen influence? Is this a conscious decision or does resemblance has its root in similar schooling and cultural influencers? 
We know when designer starts to be out there they would be compared to someone, everyone went through it. Even McQueen was compared to genius Mugler. It’s a great honored to think of us that way because we know how much effort and time he put in his design process, and we do the same. The difference between us is in attitude and the feeling how we portray things. He was aggressive and there was always romantic side mix with dark side, with us it’s more about melancholy and strong women but from women's perspective and exploring differences things that not really go together, but it in our work they do.


Who is a woman who you create for, who is Fyodor Golan women? 
FYODOR GOLAN is designed for the global modern Women. Confident, sexy and an intellectual. She is not afraid to show both sides of her personality, she can have fire and energy, but she can also be gentle and emotional.


Your AW 2011/12. Collection is quit clean and focused, it has a perfect balance between couture elements and unique RTW collection - seems like many dresses are red carpet ready, who are the celebrities who wear your clothes? 
Thank you. That is our focus; we want to create perfect balance between Couture and RTW. For us Fashion without Tradition and moving along with new technology is not fashion, Fashion is not just creativity and its not art but its business as well. We constantly challenge ourselves only that way you can discover and achieve progress. We worked with Lady Gaga, but we would love to create for Nicole Kidman, Eva Green, Ronit Elkabetz, Renata Litvinova, Carey Mulligan and Emma Watson.

Where can one buy your collection around the world? Do you have intention ad capacity currently to expand to the bigger markets like - US, Middle East and China?
At the moment we are at the start of our business, but our collection is sold at Russel Street boutique in Hong Kong and at our website www.fyodorgolan.com with option order online. You can send us an email and we will reply quite quickly back to you.


What is the price range your collections are in? Are you happy with orders/sales of your last collection so far?
Our pieces price range is from £300 to £3000. By showing only once in London Fashion week we think that we have a substantial start and have a potential to expand to many territories.
We are very interested in reaching to American, Chinese, Middle East and Russian markets because we feel our style would work there. Keeping our uniqueness and variety we are interested to offer special pieces for certain markets. So wherever you go there would be something special. Hopefully very soon you will be able to find us in Zagreb.

What is your plan for the near future in regards to your collection? Would you like to expand to other segments? 
We just got chosen to be one of the 3 finalists of Fashion Fringe and to show there is amazing opportunity and support. We are always open for new challenges; accessories would be next step for us.


Images : Lucas Seidenfaden
Illustration 1 : Andy Bumpus
Illustration 2 : KELLYANNA 

You can watch the whole show bellow lovelies! I adore how music fits perfectly with the collection - fabulous!




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Thursday 26 May 2011

I SPY: La Chateau.


'
Last week I was fortunate enough to be able to visit Chateau Grand Castle Liptovsky Hradok in Slovakia as part of my business trip. The castle was absolutely amazing, great mix of vintage, historic and hounted- creepy.

The owner pays special attention to details, rooms are equipped with wireless, fresh fruit and chocolates while the whole castle is decorated with amazing historic pieces and there is indeed a feeling that royalty still resides there. Amazing hospitality, together with great food and wines for leisure time while equipped with full technology needed for any conference and/or business meeting this Chateau is the place to be!

Have a look at the pictures I took darlings! Isn’t it just fabulous? J






Guess where I am spying next lovelies? ;)  

"ALways act as if you are wearing an invisible crown!"





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Wednesday 25 May 2011

Animalistic.Couturistic.Futuristic.


While preparing a number of exclusive interviews for you which I will post
during next couple of weeks as well as my visual diary from Slovakia titled „I Spy Chatau Grand Castle“ I decided to share one of my favorite editorials with you. 

Apsolutely amazing!
Enjoy lovelies!



Photos: Vogue Italia March 2004. Karen Elson by Steve Klein Mad Magic Maginifant




Style is primarily a matter of instinct.
Bill Blass







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Sunday 22 May 2011

Who run the world? GIRLS!


               Photo: Aminaka Wilmont FW 2011/12. Source: London FashionWeek


WARNING:! BAM! BAM! A tribe of power glamazons is taking over! Be aware, they attack in herds but each can be fatal on her own!


Photos via www.moda.hr 

Pagan Poetry by FYODOR GOLAN
Wearing these designer's piece bangs out the insecurity out of the women and transforms her into a modern, confident and a bit dangerous siren looking glamazone!



Totem by AMINAKA WILMONT
Tribal print, soft and flattering fit – these two have the ability to make the leather look like cotton which will adore women’s body making her effortlessly fabulous and each look can take you from the morning  paw stretch to night hunt.



Positronyx  by JEAN PIERRE BRAGANZA
Imaculate tayloring and fit, amazingly wearable and strong collection, chic and timeless. 




My persuasion can build a nation, endless power our love we can devour...


This goes out to all my girls that’s in the club rocking the latest, who could buy it for themselves and get more money later...." 
~Beyonce~

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Saturday 21 May 2011

Blogging 101 – 5 lessons by Yvan Rodic the Facehunter



This year at 16th Dreft Fashion Week Zagreb I was fortunate enough to be a host of my fabulous and always fun to be around friend Yvan Rodic the Facehunter. 

Last year when we met during Milan’s fashion week I told him about Dreft Fashion Week Zagreb and young and developing blogger scene in Croatia and we decided to organize a blogger intro lecture and book signing as part of Dreft Fashion Week Zagreb activities where Yvan could share his inspirations, his personal experience and his view of what blogging is all about. Yvan’s visit and his blogger lecture I thought came at the right time for young and aspiring Croatian bloggers to get the basics from someone who made his hobby into a profession.

Croatian blogger scene is still very young and there are no professional bloggers but it is growing daily. Most of the current Croatian fashion bloggers are photo bloggers who take pictures of themselves or their friends in captivatingly styled outfits and about 90% of them write in Croatian and are women. Croatian blog which I most frequently visit a street style blog Croator.net.

YVAN’S STORY

Yvan blogger story has started in 2005. when he got a quit simple camera as a Christmas gift, at a time he was working as a copywriter in advertising agency. In 2006, he started his blog on Blogspot.com and was contributing at the coolhunter.com with his street style photos. In 2006. The street style became a phenomenon. Yvan got his first big opportunity in late 2006. When he was paid by GQ online to take photos for them on various fashion events. 


In 2008. Yvan has started The Facehunter web TV show, while in August 2009. Inspired by colorfulness during his travel and seeing various cultures Yvan started a new blog  - visual diary: www.yvanrodic.com . This blog is more personal and it contains inspirational imagery from Yvan’s travels – cities, people, festivals, scenery etc.  
In March 2010. Yvan has issued a book called Facehunter which includes more than 300 inspirational street style photographs from his fashion travels. 


Bellow I highlighted a number of most interesting points from Yvan’s lecture.



Lesson #1: IF YOUR MAIN GOAL IS TO BECOME RICH, DON’T START BLOGGING.

Lesson#2: BLOG(GER) AS A BRAND
I liked the way Yvan described growth and development of his blog and expending his area of interest, going from just taking photos as a hobby to making it into a paid, full time, life long journey including: working on 2 blogs, issuing a book, organizing photo exhibitions, doing a web TV show, speaking at conferences and collaborating with well known fashion brands. 
Talking about living a dream and doing what you love to do! J

               
                                                   Photos by Matija Habljak (dalje.hr)

Yvan on bloggers impact on fashion industry: “Fashion used to be a dictature and now it is a democratic game.”

Lesson#3: HOW TO EARN MONEY?
There are obviously numerous ways a blogger can earn income by placing various ads on his/hers site. Some of the most popular/obvious ones are:adNetworks (GlamMedia, Indie Click and BlogAds), affiliate sales – you recommend a product from the site, someone buys it and you get a pre-set percentage for recommending it (Google Adsense, Shopzilla, Amazon  Associates, Commission Junction etc), collaborations - with clothing, accessories and/or beauty brands (ex. Rumy & Forever 21, Scott Schuman and Burberry and Facehunter & Armani).

Lesson#4: DIFFERENCE BETWEEN EDITORIAL AND COMMERCIAL
While talking to Yvan before the blogger conference I have mentioned that this is the area which would be good to clarify to start up bloggers. My primary concern was transparency with what bloggers declare to their readers as a paid commercial work and what as an actual editorial creative work. So, editorial is work/post/shoot you are not doing as ordered by a third party and for which you are not being paid while commercial or advertorial work is something you got offered to do by a third party and you are getting some sort of compensation for it – not always money.

Rightfully so, Yvan said that as a blogger, you are in position to be your own editor, web designer, journalist and agent so all these “departments” in one person may interfere and indeed we all know there are a corrupted bloggers as there are people in any other profession.

Lesson#5: GETTING AN AGENT
Although the specialty of being an agent to a blogger is still undeveloped, there is a first specialized agency for this kind of work DBA www.thedigitalbrandarchitects.com . Yvan mentioned that he does not uses their services but he does have an agent whose job is to get him commercial, paid jobs.

I thank Yvan for being our guest and I encourage those who haven’t already to check out his work on: www.facehunter.com  and www.yvanrodic.com . Follow Yvan on Facebook & Twitter!

Hvala Yvane! J

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