Tuesday, January 31, 2012

It's Mens Week. Part 1

Tonight DC2NYConfessions is celebrating 3 months anniversary, time flies so fast and we're still learning how to walk...baby steps! I want to take this opportunity and express how much it means to me to have you all as my readers, I've made new friends, learned new things and I appreciate your continuous support, reading, commenting and following this blog! With you we are truly growing!

This week will be about boys, my dear readers!
They almost have been forgotten and neglected here, when all this time you've seen all kinds of posts dedicated to girly things: fashion, trends, inspirations, beauty etc..
So time has come to mention men and their fashion, as it has been going through a major revolution in the past few years. That being said, in the next few days you will see not only 
the runways looks, 
but my very own menswear illustrations and 
even an outfit designed by me and inspired by menswear.

It's been a while since I last peeked into GQ mag to check out the latest shows for Fall 2012 season. Mens fashion week is always held earlier than women's, that way the boys are always ahead of us...(just kidding...).
Here are some of my favorite picks:
3.1 Phillip Lim has evolved this season with avant-garde shapes, particularly pixelated prints that evoke Tetris meets high fashion.


Paul Smith is experimenting with whimsy and very English silhouettes, where sharply tailored double-breasted jackets and trousers cohesively flow with pebbled technicolor sweaters layered over neon T-shirts.


 And last but not least in this sequel, Alexander McQueen showed the influences of traditional Sevile Row intricately twisted with Queensbury Rules of boxing...an unusual combination.


 To be continued...
***
Which of these collections would appeal to you or your boyfriend?
I see you tomorrow with my next post on "the boys theme"...
***
Images and partial text via here

Sunday, January 29, 2012

Sunday Designer Review. Rebekka Ruetz

I've seen and heard the buzz over Berlin Fall/Winter 2012 Fashion Week , which just wrapped up last week.
I'm always curious to discover new designers and while browsing through endless name list, I stumbled upon Rebekka Ruetz!
Her F/W 2012 collection has attracted my eye with its fluidity, visible comfort and feminine approach.
In 2009 Rebekka Ruétz founded her own fashion label and now meets the world of fashion design with an incomparable point of view: on the inside of the designers clothing a hidden treasure awaits the wearer. She uses her knowledge in the field of systemic constellation and her education to influence her work. The strategically positioned chakra flock prints are said to positively stimulate the energy centers (chakras in Sanskrit) within the wearer’s body. Note,that chakra is not visible yet present in each look below. This unique concept appeals to the requirements of an open generation who wants to be moved beyond the obvious and visible.

***
Images and partial text via here
Image editing by DC2NYConfessions

Friday, January 27, 2012

Dresses by Louboutin

Good evening, loves! TGIF!
 I'm sure most of you recognize this name brand, Christian Louboutin for his spectacular ladies shoe collections, designed in Italy. I'm sure all of you have seen  those daring red-laquered heels, in the most design driven creations and colors.


Louboutin brand has been preparing to celebrate its 20th anniversary, and in commemoration, Mr.Loubotin himself asked fashion students at Parsons The New School of Design in New York to participate in the design of ready-to-wear for the brand. The dresses would reflect the shoe designs created by the company in the last 20 years. There were twenty finalists, and then along with vice-president of Bergdorf Goodman, Linda Fargo, five winning designs were chosen for production (oh, I wish I could participate), it must have been a lifetime opportunity for some of these lucky students! I was so excited to find the sneak-peek sketches and I can't wait to share them with you. I can only imagine how amazing the final product will look like!
What do you think of these dresses? Would you wear any of them?











***
Images and partial text via here

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Chanel in Sin City

CHANEL HITS SIN CITY: Chanel is hosting a lavish outing this weekend in Las Vegas, flying nearly 200 guests into town on Friday via private jet, sigh, I wish I was there....
Expected VIPs — who will be treated to a first look at Chanel’s opulent “Numéros Privés” installation at the Wynn hotel — include Jessica Alba, Alexa Chung, Jen Brill, Poppy Delevingne, Anouck Lepère, Bee Shaffer, Brad Goreski, Lisa Marie Fernandez and assorted editors. The exhibition encompasses 10 distinct spaces, each dedicated to a specific aspect of Chanel’s history and brand. Rooms include a children’s bedroom with dolls designed by Karl Lagerfeld, a re-creation of Coco Chanel’s iconic apartment at 31 Rue Cambon, a room meant to evoke the interior of a classic Chanel 2.55 handbag and a garden showcasing Chanel’s fine jewelry. Visitors enter via a curtain of white beads, symbolizing Coco Chanel’s favored pearls. “Numéros Privés” will be on view from Jan. 20 to 28, by invitation only.





Images via here and text via here

Monday, January 23, 2012

Look of the Day. Southern City Stroll







Hey loves!
I hope you had a great weekend!
I've had a pretty hectic Sunday, as I hit the road for Atlanta, Georgia. I was sad to miss you yesterday as the road adventure took almost entire day, and I arrived way past midnight. Well, it's January and the weather in the South is unpredictable. The city first met me with pouring rain all morning today as I tried to enjoy some of its attractions, and later dense foggy blanket totally crippled visibility. Nevertheless, I really enjoyed my day, especially wearing my newest wardrobe addition, a little red dress. Designed and sewn by me, of course.

How was your day today?
Let me know what you think of my outfit.
***
Dress: designed and sewn by me; Jacket: Elie Tahari; Bag and Watch: Michael Kors; Booties: Guess

Friday, January 20, 2012

Black Masterpiece by Kilian

Happy Friday, loves!
Tonight is the last post on the "Perfume Confessions" mini-series.
Recently, I walked through a high-end fragrance department and discovered a counter full of black bottles.
That blackness sparked my curiosity and I approached. I smelled one bottle, then the next, my senses as well as imagination were intrigued. I discovered L’Oeuvre Noire or Black Masterpiece by Kilian.

My senses were touched even further when I learned about the founder of this Luxury niche fragrance. His is name is Kilian Hennessy (does it ring any bell?...), yes that's right, he is the grandson of the founder of the   famous Hennessy cognac company. The brand was launched in 2007, and Hennessy has noted that he wants to “put perfume back on a pedestal” and that he “he has no interest in the current trend of bizarre fragrance combinations”. L'Oeuvre Noire was born...

  
The names of this luxury fragrances also capture your mind with mystery.
The initial offerings from By Kilian included six scents under the name The Black Masterpiece / L’Oeuvre Noire (2007):
two for women Love and Beyond Love
two for men A Taste of Heaven and Straight to Heaven
and two unisex scents Liaisons Dangereuses and Cruel Intentions
Later additions to the range include
Prelude to Love (2008)
Back to Black: Aphrodisiac (2009)
Love and Tears (2010)
Sweet Redemption (2011, reportedly the last in the series).

Kilian uses only the rarest and most expensive essential oils in each scent and, what is particularly impressive  that each bottle comes with perfumer's formula revealed. I was totally blown away by Beyond Love, Prohibited. 


 Finally, what completely sold me on this unique collection was the Packaging. The By Kilian fragrances feature luxury packaging: the refillable bottles are sold in lacquer boxes with lock and key; refills are sold separately, as are 1 liter fountains.Stores are reportedly not supposed to sell the (considerably less expensive) refills if you have not purchased the original bottle. So, the bottle you buy is the bottle you keep for your lifetime. Nothing is meant to be thrown away!

***
Ugh, I still get the goosebumps from this post, how impressed I was with this collection. Hope you all enjoyed my perfume confessions mini-series, and certainly, I'm waiting for your feedback!
***
Images and partial text via here, here, and here

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Modern Alchemy by TokyoMilk

Good evening, loves!
Tonight is the second post in the "Perfume Series".
On my countless trips to fragrance shops tracking perfumania, I've noticed some important changes in the perfume industry. Manufactures are really embracing the vintage approach to packaging and even composition of scents, often using unexpected ingredients in modern incense concoctions. It almost appears as if the industry is switching back to its old-fashioned roots, when perfume was very personal and unique, often in the dry form.
Many companies are reintroducing the forgotten aromas as well as the packaging, so I recently discovered TokyoMilk brand, which specializes on the "old vs. new" method to impress customers.
"The alchemy of allure. Botanical extracts unearthed, crushed then distilled into this remarkably uncommon sensory experience. Glide across pulse points and envelop your senses in lush aroma. A fragrant temptation." is their statement.
These perfumes are made in a dry roller form.
Chance No. 18  Fragrance Notes - Bamboo, Tea Leaves, Fresh Fig, White Musk
Destiny No. 79 Fragrance Notes - Fresh Cut Ginger, Honeysuckle, Davana, Midnight Jasmine
Tomorrow No.68 Fragrance Notes- Mineral Salt, Marine, Cypress, White Moss
Yesterday No.21 Fragrance Notes - Asuka Rose, Linden, Ginger Root, Aged Wood
Wisdom No. 26 Fragrance Notes - Water Lily, Woods + Moss, Walnut, Winter Musk
Truth No. 85 Fragrance Notes - Blood Orange, Osmanthus, Crushed Cedar, Sugared Vanilla

These fragrances are available here for $24 each
***
What do you think of this trend?

***
Images and partial text via here



Tuesday, January 17, 2012

London Blooms by Jo Malone

This week is all about perfume, my friends!
I'll be writing several posts about perfume trends, unique aromas and  new collections coming out this year, so I'm so intrigued to share my finds with you! 
I should really start with Jo Malone, which has been my number One favorite fragrance producer for years now.  What makes them so unique is the natural, clean and often unexpected ingredients, so each scent is infused with a story and originality of its own.
Jo Malone announced a new collection of limited fragrances named London Blooms,
coming out in March 2012. London Blooms collection was inspired by the art of botanical gardening and beautiful English lawns. The collection presents three fragrances signed by Christine Nagel: Peony and Moss, White Lilac and Rhubarb and Iris and Lady Moore. Their floral compositions are created with the aim to provoke feelings of happiness, romance and a good mood.

White Lilac and Rhubarb is a feminine and romantic fragrance composed of notes of rhubarb, white lilac, rose and heliotrope.

Peony and Moss is a scent of strong contrast of delicate flowers and wet and earthy moss. The composition includes notes of black currant, ivy, green accords, peony and moss.
 Iris and Lady Moore offers classic elegance with its combination of fresh and spicy geranium, powdery iris and dry vetiver.
 The bottles and packaging of the collection are decorated with floral illustration of a vintage vibe. The fragrances are available as colognes in bottles of 100 ml.
***
Images via here; partial text via here

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Sunday Designer Review. Noon by Noor.

Good evening, loves!
As the holiday craze is now behind us, I'm back to my "normal" schedule of Sunday night designer review. As a reminder to you all, I seek out the most inspiring emerging designers out there ( I mean in a global perspective), the names that are yet to become uber-famous and coveted in the fashion world.
Tonight, we're flying our private jet to a tiny country in the Middle East, Bahrain, the home of a "boho chic" label Noon by Noor.
And this fashion label comes with a funny story! The company started out by two girls, (on of them is Bahrainy princess) in 2010, and has already gained some international exposure. The label has already been launched in our own "LaLa Land" (aka LA), where Kim Kardashian herself was spotted shopping for luxurious caftans and other attributes of the boho chic look.
And the funniest thing of all is that these girls, the owners of the label, apparently sat with me in few classes at the fashion school I attended. I only later learned about the whole "princess thing". And when we had a peer review in class, I had no idea I critiqued the princess of Bahrain herself!
So, check out the collection and let me know what you think.
Have a great week!

 ***
images via here

Friday, January 13, 2012

D.I.Y. Proenza Schouler Canvas Tote. Part 2

Hey, loves!
Tonight I come back (as promised!) with Part 2 of the Proenza Schouler inspired tote that I started yesterday..
Although, I really want to show you the result first, and then I'll continue with tutorial. I must admit the project turned out harder than I thought, but I'm happy with the result and now I have a large tote to go shopping for fabric or meet for casual lunch.
Let me know what you think of this project!


Please see tutorial on next page...

Thursday, January 12, 2012

D.I.Y. Proenza Schouler Canvas Tote. Part 1

Hey loves!
I've been spotting some amazing oversized totes on the runways and on the most fashion-conscious streets of New York, suggesting the trend is coming our way. Also, I came across a really sporty version by Proenza Schoeler, and it really inspired me.
Hold your breath...This Proenza Schoeler tote goes for...a whopping $1350
And I thought I should really make one for me, less costly of course.  Right after the holidays I visited Jo-Ann store for inspiration and I ran into a roll of burlap canvas with vintage French print and the ideas started running through my head. I decided to tweak my version a bit, make it more original.
Tonight, together with you I'll complete Part 1 of this project, and since it required more steps than I anticipated, I split it in 2 parts, as surely, I don't want you to fall asleep while looking through these pictures and reading the text.

You will need:
1. Burlap canvas fabric, print or solid (1/2 yd)
2. 1 pair of Wooden purse handles (similar here )
3. Large piece of real or synthetic leather 
4. Cotton lining fabric (1/2 yd)
5. Scissors
6. Several magnetic snaps (similar here)
Needles and thread, and a sewing machine (I know many of you don't have one, but there are really small machines available and not expensive, surely it will a fraction of the cost of the original tote)

make sure to click "Read more"

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Lanvin. Pre-Fall 2012

Hey, loves!
Tonight I finally looked through the much anticipated Lanvin's lookbook for pre-fall 2012 and was really mesmerized. I immediately thought, I must share it with you! The collection, which, according to Lanvin's design director Alber Elbaz, "is about new fabrics, new technologies, and new volumes", represents the signature silhouettes, yet mystified with dark shades and yes, unusual materials like rubberized wool and crinkly patent leather. I think my favorite part of it all was the jewelry, incorporated in the form of exaggerated CAMEOs, a new word for me. For those of you interested, cameo is referred to a method of carving an object such as an engraved gem, item of jewellery, featuring a raised (positive) relief image. We all have seen them before, anywhere from museums to flee markets and I'm glad this trend is coming back.
What are your thoughts on this collection?



***
images via here, partial text via here

My First Blog Award! Liebster Award!


Good evening, loves!

Yay! DC2NYConfessions is celebrating tonight! I've been nominated (for the first time!!) for the
Liebster Blog Award 
by the most darling of all blogs Skinny Moonstick!! Thank you so much, dear, I'm really thrilled and excited. And I will be nominating you back. Please check out her amazing blog!

My curiosity was boiling to learn more about this award and I'm happy to share with you that "liebster" is a German word for "dearest, beloved or favorite", and it's for bloggers with under 200 followers. Liebster Blog Award is a sort of a "chain letter" in the blog community, but is spread from blog to blog to foster support and unity among growing blogs. An amazing idea for bloggers' community growth and development.

The rules are:
  1. Thank your Liebster Blog Award presenter on your blog.
  2. Link back to the blogger who awarded you.
  3. Copy & paste the blog award on your blog
  4. Reveal your 5 blog picks.
  5. Let them know you chose them by leaving a comment on their blog.
My nominations are: 
                     3. The In (ner) Sole of Cutie Boots

Check out these amazing blogs,as they truly deserve this nomination. Thank you to all of you for visiting my blog, reading my posts, your lovely comments and following. I wish I could nominate more of you, and I appreciate all the support I have gotten from you so far, my dear readers.

Monday, January 9, 2012

Look of the Day:Black and Gold








Happy Monday, loves!
I must confess, I still can't get over the gold theme. Gold warms me up and gives me that luxurious feel, so I totally love it! Remember my gold dress for the New Year's party and that super shiny fabric? Well, on Saturday I had (yet) another party to attend and I was in desperate need of a new outfit! Since I'm my own designer and a sewing addict, I walked into my studio for inspiration and found scraps of that gold fabric sitting on the table, and I thought: "I can't throw away gold..." and decided to make a blouse using bits of that golden treasure. I was ecstatic to put myself into recycling mood again, as I hate to throw away anything from my studio. And, I scored a new jacket from a consignment store! I rarely shop at such places, but this time I was truly lucky!! I found this custom-made, real snake skin blazer in shiny black, especially that the price was much lower than anticipated, I couldn't resist it!! And I totally love it!  
Can't wait to hear your thoughts on my outfit.

Have you scored any bargains lately which totally blew your mind away? 

***
Blazer: vintage; Top: designed and sewn by me; Skirt: BCBG; Shoes: Betsey Johnson; Watch/Gloves: Michael Kors; Earrings: Kara Couture.



Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...