Who wore it better: the Haute Dior version

The dress is from the Eastern influenced SS07 Christian Dior Haute Couture show, which was completely and utterly awe inspiring... never ever in my life have I felt like that! It truly was fashion at its best: fashion as an art form come to life! This lovely lovely creation has this unforgettable beauty about it and well, obviously- Galliano has done it again! So, tell me now... who wore it best?

As a baseline, do you prefer Morgane Dubled wearing the original in the runway show? 
Or would you rather Cameron Diaz at the 2007 Met Costume Institute gala with the Poiret theme in a magenta/dark pink version?

Erica Baxter, now Erica Packer and the wife of the richest man in Australia James Packer, also wore the same in a vision of white as her wedding gown (which is actually difficult to see considering the LQ of the image. Sorry about that...) for the couple's June 20 wedding on the French Riviera. The price tag is $100,000 AUD according to the Sydney Morning Herald. Was it worth it?
Cred: SMH, style.com, theage.com.au

My Hot Hot Mix

A selection of songs which is constantly playing in my ipod! The genre varies, from the electro to the kitsch to ballady slow jams to the old school, and I tried to included a mix of artists. Please take your time to listen and I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed making this playlist!! Featured artists here include Bloc Party, The Killers, The Presets, Justin Timberlake, Pat Benatar, Nouvelle Vague and more...

Cred: projectplaylist

Sitting on the fence

Quite frankly, I find these tees to be a bit hilarious! I get this feeling that the designers at Supré, one of the more popular Australian chain stores, were having a bit of an indecisive moment along the lines of "Do I like the 'I ♥ NY" tees more or do I love House of Holland more?" when brainstorming ideas. I guess they decided to compromise with a House of Holland font on the NY style top...

And on the topic of Supré... is it just me or do others also remember the days when the store, in an attempt to rebrand and reposition itself from a mature woman's clothing store to target the younger teenage/tween audience, sold tees for $10 and skirts for $15? If my memory is correct, that was only about 7 years ago! Now, clothes retail for prices like $75 for a dress...

Which has got me wondering: Is that also what happened when Forever 21 decided to up its image and take the role of counterfeit queen?
Photo cred: Supré

AW07 Campaigns: Part I

The campaigns are gradually flowing in now, from one of the earliest being the vividly-colored Christian Dior ads to the Dolce and D&G ones popping up only yesterday, and for me... emotions ranged from disappointed to ecstatic. My favorites, as of now, are:
Pringles of Scotland

Definitely my favorite as of now: head over heels in love with the dark evocative neo-romantic mood of these print ads!! The metal structures/props lend a hint of industrialism into the mix, and the great clothes, great hair and beautiful styling means this gets a very strong nod of the head from me. The girl on the left looks hauntingly beautiful, no? That the campaign was shot in B&W makes me love it even more!! I am a big advocate of B&W photography because of the atmosphere it captures.

and D&G!
Quintessentially D&G, I suppose it might be considered a bit boring... but I like it! Very glamorous! The menswear influence is very now. It's fantastical! And look at Rachel Clark! I thought she really shone through in these ads. Why they feel a need to reuse the set bothers me though...



This Marc Jacob one, however, is more mediocre. It isn't bad per se... but I just cannot decide whether the marketing is genius or insane! To make it so small means that it is not nearly effective enough to catch the attention of a magazine flipper, but then one can say that the excess of white provides a stark contrast- hence catching their eye and making them want to study the clothes more closely. Definitely undecided on the ad...

I'll leave it there for now... but the ads are still coming in, so look out for a part II continuation of this!
Photo cred: TFS

Seems like I just got... TAGGED!

Thankyou to Lady from You Say I'm a Bitch Like It's a Bad Thing who just tagged me for the blog game doing its circuit around the blogs I read! A bit of fun and it enhances my procrastination time (studying for finals is hellish).

"Game Rules: Each player starts with 7 random facts/habits about themselves. People who are tagged need to then report this on their own blog with their 7 things as well as these rules. They then need to tag 7 others and list their names on their blog. They are also asked to leave a comment for each of the tagged, letting them know they have been tagged and to read the blog."

OK... I guess I'll get started then:

1. Anyone who knows me will realize that I am completely obsessed about Manhattan!! Something about it being the epicenter of the world because it never sleeps (I am sick and tired of living in a city where stores close at 5PM most days, with the exception of a 9PM on Thursday "late-night-shopping" night), and because everything I love is there- Fashion is in NYC. Art is in NYC. Commerce is in NYC. Starbucks is also on every street corner in NYC? Admittedly, I've never been to the East Coast, so my Manhattan could very well be romanticized.

2. I wish I was alive in the 60s! Self destruction in a "sex, drugs and rock n roll" lifestyle appeals to the wild child side of me- Edie Sedgwick is such a fascinating character who epitomized that generation. The "live hard, die young, leave a beautiful corpse" mentality in her partying ways was so insane that:

"To parents terrified of the influence of sex and drugs, she was an abomination; to the would-be cool, she was an ideal; to painters as eminent as Robert Rauschenberg, she was a living work of art."

3. Ever since watching Center Stage, I've been totally enamored with ballet and want to try it out. I love the ballerinas' grace and elegance... the fluidity of their movement makes me think of impressionism, which is by far one of my favorite art movements. I think it also has to do with the chic dancewear that could be worn to the studios- Pastel colors, pointe shoes, black leotards (♥♥♥), legwarmers, long sweaters, shorts over leggings, flowy handkerchief skirts. Think Michael Kors' soft SS07 collection.

4. One of my many aims for this holiday is to watch the whole Sex and the City series, from start to end. Most likely, I will watch it online: talk about have the world at your feet! Was entirely too young to watch such a sitcom when it first aired (would never have got the jokes anyway... I was what? A fifth grader?), and by the time I realized the series is great and just classic, it was ending.

5. For someone who loves traveling so much, it's funny that I've never been to Europe!! Where am I desperately dying to visit? Paris, Florence, Venice, Milan and St Petersburg!! Partly for the shopping but mainly for the breath-taking scenes, architecture and the museums!
6. Sometimes I don't like living in Australia/ Southern Hemisphere, and sometimes I do. The advantage is that us Aussies can technically be wearing the AW07 trends right now (keyword is trend, not the actual runway collections), because it is winter and just so unbelievably cold over here, while those on the other side are sunbathing. Cons? Mainly that most fashion magazines here drive me crazy- why on Earth does Vogue Australia feel a need to cover swimwear and the spring/summer range when the nation is grabbing out their gloves, scarves and coats? Russh, a bi-monthly, got it right though! It's usually the only AUS mag I buy, and it has my recommendations.

7. No matter what I say, some are convinced that I am obsessive-compulsive because I carry around hand sanitizer in my bag. I guess it's just not a common practice around here.

Now I have to decide on seven people to tag, dont I? Um... I can't think of anyone off the top of my head who hasnt been tagged yet, so- if you think of someone or if you want in on this exciting game... just let me know, ok?
Cred: You Say I'm a Bitch Like It's a Bad Thing, style.com, greenwichmeantime, ltierney, photomann, TFS

More on Ferré

Just something from The Daily that I found particularly endearing and further highlights the role of Gianfranco Ferré as the "architect of fashion":

“I met him when I was working in the New York office of Vogue Italia,” said editor-at-large Joyce Caruso Corrigan (of Marie Claire), who recalled her sole encounter with the architect of fashion. “I was introduced to him by Franca Sozzani, who was also wearing all black, and when we shook hands, he looked at my all-black outfit and said, ‘Oh, I see you’re part of the mourning party.”

Because well, quite simply, architects love black! I love black too! (Vera Wang, I dont care if you think black is the 90s!) After all, doesn't everyone?

Where is the mayhem?

I lied. I went into Target at 10AM- it was too much effort dragging myself out of bed. The store was as calm and peaceful as ever for that time of the morning. Guess not many people knew about the Josh Goot for Target range then? I didnt see any of the pandemonium that the Stella range supposedly had (I couldnt make it to that one) and there were no naked mannequins. First thought when I say the calm was "Yay! More for me!" Sadly, the quality of the trench did not pass my test ( nor did the fabric suit the style imo)- I hate being such a picky person! The silver fabric fared a bit better on the racer tank but that style just looks strange on my frame.

Ahh! The weather is still dropping and I need more winter clothes!! Whatever am I going to do?

Josh Goot for Target

Comes out 9AM tomorrow. I am checking out the range tomorrow morning- got my eyes on the silver foil knit trench coat (left) which is priced at $130 and should look damn fine with black stovepipes/ opaque black tights (maybe the ones with the silver sheen?)/ leggings!! Must say, one of the selling points of this collection is the great likeness with Josh's normal line, in terms of style, but with reduced price tags. Chicalert claims that silver trench from his main collection "retails at around $700 at leading international stores such as the prestigious London retailer Browns Focus, Colette emporium in Paris and Henri Bendel in New York!" Superbe, non? Hopefully the quality will be satisfactory- I will be devastated if the fabrics are as terrible as the Stella for Target line, because I subscribe to the philosophy of quality over quantity.

Going to head in at 9 (no waiting around for me, thanks!), as I think that it wont be nearly as chaotic as the Stella frenzy, considering that the media has not been too noisy about it and that Josh is not as well known as Stella McCartney. Guess I'll find out tomorrow. With any luck, I will score something fabulous and chic!
Cred: chicalert

Salute to Gianfranco Ferré

Gianfranco Ferré, perhaps best known as the “architect of fashion” for his sculpted shapes, structured forms, and for his groundbreaking career at Christian Dior, died Sunday evening after suffering a massive brain hemorrhage. The Italian designer was 62.

It's sad to note the death of yet another prominent figure within the fashion industry- the creative director of his own label but more importantly, the head designer of Christian Dior where he reigned for seven years from 1989 to 1996. The simplicity and structure of his designs should be noted- I liked that it exuded that sense of ease.

While that's wonderful and worthy of praise, what I love and find the most fascinating about Gianfranco Ferré is his groundings in architecture- a degree from Politecnico di Milano, which has one of the best architectural programs in the world (and I was almost going to apply to attend). I think there might be a tinge of regret from me that I didn't end up going through with Bachelor of Architecture degree now that I think about it.
Cred: style.com, the Daily

Gemma's new home

F.A.D. takes us on a tour of Gemma Ward's new co-op on East Sixth Street (East Village). Bought at $1.525M, it's a 1600 ft, 3 bedroom 3 bathroom affair with re-sanded hardwood floors, according to the Observer, and it looks very nice and cosy. But as much as I love this sneak peek of her place, it feels slightly stalkerish/ invasion-of-privacy in my opinion. Guilty as charged.

The location and size of the co-op just upped the "God, I wish I was her" factor.
Cred: New York Observer, F.A.D.

IN2THIS.

The CKIN2U commercial. Wow. Finally saw it when I walked through the city Myer store a few days ago. I absolutely had to dig it up online to rewatch, even though I hate the name of the perfume. First thought when I heard the name was not the best response- "This is Calvin Klein, not some IM conversation." But this is what I'd call amazing advertising- forced me to look again because it was that good!! And fyi, the scent is very light, very fresh. LOVE it!! Might buy it!! Once again, it proves my point that it's an excellent commercial, no?
Freja looks breath-taking in it!! My favorite? The soundtrack and GOD! The beautiful elevator scene- Those cheekbones. That intense look in her eyes. The smile. She's so fine. As is the guy- actor Kevin Zegers.
Cred: youtube

Heads up, Sydneysiders!!

What: KSUBI (/ TSUBI ) GARAGE SALE
When: THIS FRIDAY 15/6, SATURDAY 16/6 & SUNDAY 17/6
Where: 29-31 DUNNING STREET, ROSEBERY, SYDNEY- more specifically, the CORNER of DUNNING and CRESSY in the BLUE BUILDING
Times: 10-5 on FRIDAY and SATURDAY / 10-4 on SUNDAY
Pay by: Cash, Visa, Mastercard or EFTPOS

Here is the pdf for this exciting sale. Who is in??
Cred: vogue.com.au

I spy...

I spy- some Red Bull goodness backstage at the Anna & Boy show during SS07 Rosemount Australian Fashion Week!!

Red Bull, Pellegrino and cute fun bikinis. Some of the ingredients for a great day out at the beach!!
Photo cred: vogue.com.au

Australia's Next Top Model Cycle 3

I finally got around to watching the Cycle 3 finale of AusNTM, which was filmed in Sydney with the overseas destination being L.A. I actually cannot decide whether I am pleased with the results or not!! The winner was...
... 19yo Victorian Alice Burdeu! The redhead, who is described as willowy and ethereal, is very very tall (6 feet if I am correct) and is thin enough to have sparked another thin-model debate at BMI 15.3. She was definitely my favorite from the beginning since she looked the part- Alice would definitely blend well with the crop of models that you see staring at you from the cover of fashion magazines or on the runway. But still, I question the result... that, and her newly dyed and intensely red hair color.

It's not that I'm not doubting her ability to model, but rather... I question the concept of Top Model as a whole. I cant yet think of one winner (in any of the series- US, Australia or anywhere else!) who has actually gone on to be great. I wonder if it would've worked out better for Alice if she didn't win and got picked up by another, more well known, agency instead. Say Viviens. Gemma Ward got her start at Viviens after being eliminated from Ford's Search. Viviens who seemed to have ties with IMG, who... in turn, helped kickstart Gemma's career with the Prada and YSL campaigns.

Will Alice be the one to break the mold and become a recognizable credible high fashion model?? Or will she be like some of the other Top Model winners, who have moved onto other things/ disappeared from the radar?? I'd like to think that if anyone can evade the "curse" of the Top Model, it would be her... or Samantha Francis- the darling girl, a bit of an Anna-Maria lookalike, who was eliminated early in Cycle 8 of America's Next Top Model but still got an Elite contract (good for her!).
Photo cred: the ausntm livejournal community

The Nominees

The short film by SHOWstudio/Nick Knight for the 2007 CFDA Awards was quite stunning. Featuring Agyness Deyn in Oscar de la Renta, Proenza Schouler and Marc Jacobs with an extremely hot and somewhat psychedelic soundtrack.
A nod to Nick Knight's genius!!
Cred: SHOWstudio, youtube

Imperfect Competition

The June 7 NYT article, Stealing the Scene Along With the Store, is a complete reflection of the pop-culture dominated society that we live in today. It talks about the death of true fashion as we know it, and by that I mean fashion designed by the talented and the genius, because of the celebrity-designer infiltration. Think MKA and the Row, with its definite upmarket price. The unfairness of it all!! Them, the ones only partially involved in the design process itself, with the huge marketing budget vs the struggling but talented. Who prevails?

I myself have always made a point at avoiding celebrity labels. The Row? No thankyou (although I do like some of the pieces). Britney Spears perfume? No thanks. The Paris Hilton one? Nup, I'll pass. It's not whether they smell nice or look nice, because I know some are great. I'm simply boycotting against the celebrity-name-infused-everything that is one the market today, even though I know one consumer not buying accounts for nothing in their however-many-billion-dollar empire. Call it my personal fashion philosophy. I am in favor of those who have bled for fashion, who've made sacrifices for it, who believes in it- I guess it might be a bias but the celebrity seem to get everything handed to them on a silver platter.

Mr. Lim... said the chances of a young designer surviving in the business today are “slim to none.” By contrast, celebrity lines... typically break the $100 million mark in sales in their first or second year, thanks to the power of a star name hitched to a huge marketing campaign. And they almost always begin with a lucrative fragrance deal, whereas it takes years for traditional designers to get the attention of companies like Estée Lauder or Coty. Ms. Wang said. “You could be competing against a television or movie star for a fragrance deal, and that’s an added pressure for designers. We’re working really hard to keep our heads above water, and does the public differentiate, or care? Those are big questions...” The struggle of talented designers is an old lament. On top of familiar pressures — the contracting number of department stores, the difficulty of finding financing, the fickleness of consumers —some designers are now waking up to realize they are competing with celebrities for market share...

So some might see me as a fashion snob, but how are we meant to find the next Yves and Karl Lagerfeld if we are diving head first into the pond of celebrity worship??
Photo cred: fashionologie

Numero Uno

First post. Second Round. That seems like an entirely suitable description for why I deleted all my previous posts and decided to start afresh. I just didnt like the quality and style of the posts that I had, it lacked the cohesion that made up all my favorite fashion blogs. That is also an explanation for the terribly plain background at the moment. I'll make one as soon as I find time!!

Let's hope I do better this time round. And that there would be no third round!!
Oh, and that I dont forget about this baby blog of mine!!