Thursday, 31 January 2008

Kate Moss for DKNY

It's strange. Normally, when I see an ad campaign with Kate Moss, I instantly think "she is so beautiful", "she is so sexy". It's quite difficult taking a pic of Kate looking badly. In this ad she looks everything but cool. Her closed eyes, the weird position of her arm, and the worst of all, cellulitis in her thigh! It's annoying, and at the same time, it's comforting check models are also humans for once.




Not everything is so bad though



*Pics from elleuk.com and tfs

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My reads of the month:

Tuesday, 29 January 2008

Killing me softly...



I am a big high heels lover. It's unthinkable to me going out at night in less than 5-centimetres-heels. That's why I am astonished at how bad they are for the back, a mortal cocktail together with my love for huge bags! In Spain we have a proverb which says something like "if you want to look cool, you have to suffer", and I guess it's absolutely real. -Thanks God I walk to the Uni on flats, because if not, the damage would be irreversible.
In the lower extremeties we have 28 bones, 7.000 nerve endings and 57 articulations, and when we walk in high heels, we force its natural posture, causing with that severe long-term damage in our knees and back. Doctors recommend walking on the sand on barefoot to reduce the terrible effects of the heels on our body.


*Graphic: Washington Post


I cannot avoid having high heels. It's so empowering. It feels like your body is more stylized, your legs are longer, your hips are smaller, you feel more self-confident... and so many things you already now. It was Louis XIV of France the one who is said to have invented the heels, basically to try to hide his short height.
Here a collage with some of my favourite shoes... What can I say? I recommend you not to use heels, but the question is, are you be able to?

Friday, 25 January 2008

The longevity of Tod's

It's so intriguing how curious the human mind is. There are some classic maisons, and Tod's is among them. If now I'd ask you when Tod's was born, you probably would answer, "a long time ago". The answer is less than 30 years ago. In matter of time everything is relative, but to me, 30 years ago it's not so long. Everything is part of a great marketing strategy. In 1979, Diego Della Valle found a strange pair of moccasins in an antique dealer in USA. He thought they were really comfortable, and under the name of JP Tod's he decided to produce and market them.
Twenty years later, when the brand had enough recognition, the JP is abandoned and the name of the brand is just Tod's. Taking into account the moccasins were inspired by the motoring world, a pair of those shoes were given to Gianni Agnelli, director of Fiat and one of the most elegant men in Italy.





If you check out Tod's website, they said:
"Luxury also means having the know how of artisans apprenticed and trained over decades, and the capacity to detect the slightest fault in an apparently impeccable hide and discard it as unfit for Tod's. It is these same artisans, whose families have often been cobblers for generations, who hand cut individual strips of leather (sometimes as many as 100) and later sew them together, hammer them into shape and ultimately create an inimitable shoe or bag that only an Italian artisan with his ancestry and experience can create".


They are indirectly bringing together its brand with over decades, refer to the artisans, and other time expressions such as for generations or his ancestry. Despite they are not telling any lie, they are using those words to contribute to his brand's prestigious as an antique Italian factory.


Everything in this pic evokes longevity: the leather apron, the toughen hands...

*Pic from www.tod's.com



This is an interesting question, an incredible business established on the basis of Italian quality (which lately has suffered some misfortunes because of a report by the Italian Public Television, in which they prove some brands use everything but artesans. Actually, a vast majority of the ones which appear on the report use chinese people working long hours and in semi-slavery conditions) and long time existence. I love Italy, to me it's one of the most beautiful and stylish countries on earth, and so I prefer to think Made in Italy is still a sign of high quality. But pretending to be an antique brand in the fashion olympus when actually yours is not even thirty years old? I understand, marketing is everything but truths, but this one is absolutely amazing.
*the rest of the pics, by google

Wednesday, 23 January 2008

The goodbye of a fashion God




Valentino said goodbye today to the fashion world in Paris. The young boy who started his career in Paris 45 years ago, it's now an elegant and sophisticated 75-year-old man who is leaving the fashion industry. He is one of the big couturiers, I'd dare to say he is one of the 20 biggest designers in fashion history. His catwalk today was emblematic, 700 invitations were given (the normal is the half). I wish him a long, peaceful and nice retirement, and I am already waiting to see his collection for an Opera, one of his biggest dreams, which hopefully will become true soon.





His last Haute Couture collection was a walk for his 45 years in fashion. His knowledge of the shapes, the colours, the materials and the women's body were the keys to his success. He gives a huge importance to the hats, in this haute couture collection he explored how a hat can change an outfit.









I had to add this picture because of the outfit, which is marvellous, but I want to point out that I am against exaggerated emaciated models.

Flowers and bows, the best of the catwalk.



Bye, bye, my hero
*all the pics are from elpais.com

Sunday, 20 January 2008

Fifteen years without Audrey





Today it's the anniversary of Audrey's death. As you all know, she is one of the timeless fashion icons. She was born the 4th of May of 1929 in Brussels, Belgium, and she passed away the 20th of January of 1993 in Switzerland. Despite her private life was not so fortunate, her career as an actress was brilliant.




She owned a classical beauty which made her suitable for almost any role. Her style and elegance, together with her delicate face, natural grace and distinguished taste made her one of the most successful actresses of her time.



Hubert de Givenchy was her favourite designer. He owes her a huge part of his success. One of the most famous dresses in film's history, the one she wore in Breakfast at Tiffany's, it's signed by him. Actually, that's all style is about. She has died a decade and a half ago, but her style still remains.
With Hubert de Givenchy, who said:
"I've had two great privileges in my life. To have known and been the friend of two people of outstanding talent: Cristobal Balenciaga and Audrey Hepburn. Each of them gave me something exceptional that l carry with me today. Thinking of Audrey I remember the extraordinary bond that existed between us. She was capable of enhancing alI my creations. And often ideas would come to me when I had her on my mind. She always knew what she wanted and what she was aiming for. It was like that from the very start".

Hubert de Givenchy






Thursday, 17 January 2008

The Review: Blahnik by Boman

As you probably know, I received as a birthday present the book "Blahník by Boman". I am astonished at it. I knew it would be good, but I didn't expect it to be so good. Blahník shoes are the epitome of sophistication and taste, a consacrated designer, together with an outstanding photographer. The result couldn't be better. This book is a cult object. Its pages are a mixture of talent, creativity and chicness. Boman understands perfectly Manolo and its inspirations: art, literature, cinema, history, botanic sciences...his sources of inspiration are countless. Eric Boman was born in Sweden but he lives in NYC. He has work for Vogue or Vanity Fair, among many others. After viewing this book, I can really appreciate much more the work of Mr. Blahník, so meticulous and inspiring, so talented and perfectionist. Seeing the shoe in its context really makes you think in the complicated manufacture process for those amazing shoes.


























Definetely my favourite one, it's really an amazing picture.


*All the pics are reproductions of the book.


Monday, 14 January 2008

So simple, so chic: 100 years of Converse

This year is the aniversary of Converse. The popular brand was born in 1908 in Malden, Massachussets. Marquis Mills Converse, the genius who created these shoes, had a rubber factory at first. It was in the late 1910s when these shoes became really popular: the secret was that they added canvas to the rubber structure. In this way, the trainers became more comfortable. Its simple design was followed by thousands. Despite its very peak arrived in the Sixties, it was in 1917 when the model All Star was created. Until today, All Stars are the most successful design of the company. Since 1917, it is said they have sold 750 millions of pairs of All Star all around the world.


Chuck Taylor helped to turn these trainers into an icon. He became the image of Converse and he played with these shoes in the basketball courts all around USA. The comfortable design of these shoes together with its shape like a boot, to hold better the ankles, made them suitable to play basketball. He was the ambassador of Converse in North America until his death in 1969.

Today All Stars have become a fashion icon. Everybody has at least one pair in their wardrobes. It doesn't matter neither if you are a boy, a girl, a woman or a man, nor your political convictions. Its affordable price (about 55 euros), its comfortable shape, the huge range of colours and the fact that every famous trendsetter is wearing them, provoke the exception: a 91-year-old shoes which are still fashionable.




*Click to enlarge


Sunday, 13 January 2008

GO, GO, GO

I thought sales couldn't be any better by this time, but I made a mistake. This morning I've gone to catwalktocloset and I was astonished at the 80% of discount they have. You have to go there in the next 2 days or you will be running out of time. I think it's need time to check out everything, but it's worth it. You can find bargains like these ones:




Burberry Trench, 350 pounds










Chloe blazer, 195 pounds







Narciso Rodriguez dress, 130 pounds

Friday, 11 January 2008

Buying shit in rubbish bags

I am so happy about the democracy in fashion. Thanks to that I can wear trends at affordable prices and I can manage to have a wardrobe which doors don't close lately. What I cannot understand it's that the boots I bought a few months ago, which I wore probably less than 15 times, and which were made in Asia, so surely they costed less than 3 euros, are ready to be thrown away. Its aspect it's so depressing... I don't even like them so much, I bought them in a hurry because I need a black flat knee-high boots, but whatever the reasons are, I think I deserve, as a consumer, to have a pair of boots which don't disingrate theirselves when you walk more than 2 kms. I know they are not going to last a lifetime, but at least one season.




That's all I can expect from high street shops like Zara (these boots are not from there, though). Today I've bought a new pair of black flat boots there, and they give me a kind-of-funny bag, I hate when you go to buy shoes and they don't even give you a box, who the hell they think they are? Worse than that it's the plastic bag I got to carry them, it's like a rubbish bag! I had assumed Inditex empire, which has increased its incomes last year in an estimated 18%, could afford a paper bag even during the sales. The plastic-rubbish bags from Zara are everywhere on the streets, how a bag can spoil the "prestigious" of a shop!! I am so fed up with all the high street shops in general, quality is each day worse, and prices raise, I don't know why: they copy must of the designs from the catwalks, celebrities, etc, and they make the clothes in non-developed countries so the costs of production are so low, where does all the money go? Not for us, the middle class which is investing every week in their shops... So sad.



Probably you know it, but just in case, here it is the plastic-rubbish-bag they give you know when you buy something there (if it's from the sales):






Tuesday, 8 January 2008

Me, myself, and I

Today has been a hard day. First of all, it's my birthday... despite it's officially 8th of January, for me it's still 7th, so from today I am a 22-year-old. How fast times flies! Today I have had a precious day because I've spent time with my friends and family, and of course, I went to the sales (in Spain they have started today -I mean 7th of January-. As I predict yesterday, I have made some impulsive shopping, but finally I didn't spend all the money I had, so I can say it was ok, especially taking into account that it's me, the one who cannot avoid buying everything beautiful she sees (until I run out of money, obviously:).

This is me when I was 16.


As you see, palm trees are always present in my life :)



I want to show you some of the most interesting fashion presents I got today:


1) Manolo Blahník
2) The century of Chanel (sorry about the translations of the titles)
3) Christian Dior and I
4) Management of fashion enterprises
5) Fashion Victims
6) Photo Icons
7) Vogue Italy, I just got it today

*I will tell you soon how are they:)!




1) a lovely red flats, thanks God they are comfortable
2) Prada perfume and cream

I hope you all have enjoy this marvellous Christmas holidays which are about to finish, at least for me. Tomorrow I have lessons again... I am trying to assume how hard it's going to be getting up early tomorrow.

Sunday, 6 January 2008

Sales under control

Every single year I say the same "this time, I will be careful and I won't buy impulsively". Funny. Because I always do exactly the opposite of that. I go to the sales and I always spend all the money I have in two hours, because I cannot resist the pressure of seeing so many beautiful things, I am so weak. That's why this year I've been researching on classics. That's what sales are for me now, buying timeless pieces at bargain prices.

Here, some pieces taken as an inspiration for my "personal battle" of tomorrow.
This brown bag it's perfect for going to the University and carry all the notebooks, pens, mobile phone, i-pod, etc. And it will be perfect for going to work.

Celine bag, 805 euros on net-a-porter

I think they are a must-have. Only shoes like these ones are able to make an outfit. That's why they are worth it. My favourite pair for these sales:

Manolos, $461, at Neiman Marcus





Hat from See by Chloé on net-a-porter 72 euros




They only thing I can do with this coat is dreaming about it. It's 60%, but still 2739 euros. Oscar de la Renta is an amazing designer, and I think this coat is a classic that could last forever.

Saturday, 5 January 2008

Getting old with dignity: Jane Birkin

I've always admired Jane Birkin. She is an icon. Her sweetness and fragility made her the "lolita" of the 70s. Despite she is 61 (she was born the 14-12-1946) she still keeps the sweet face which brings her so much success. Nowadays is really on having surgery to look younger than you are. I don't think that's wrong and I don't pretend to judge anyone for having surgery done, but I guess it's more interesting knowing how to get older and still look beautiful and cool. She is the best example I can think of. The wrinkles cut her lovely face, but she still looks delicated and beautiful. She was the main character of the sexual revolution in the 60s, and I must point out the film "Blow up" of Antonioni (1966) as the epicentre of this trend. When she is in the stage she is still surrounded by the halo of erotism she will always have. I've heard you became a fashion icon when you have a famous handbag with your name. If we follow this, she became an icon in 1984, when the maison Hermès decided to create a fabulous bag for Jane, who was always with a wicker bag to carry her daughters' stuff (check out the pics). That bag is the exclusive Birkin.






With Serge Gainsbourg

Song: Je t'aime, mais non plus

Vogue cover











Her famous wicker bag

Not so young



Despite the ages, her lovely smile never changes



Probably the most coveted bag in the world, the Birkin, by Hermès.
*All the pics are from Google, and the video from YouTube