Halloween Inspiration: Daphne Guinness

Halloween is finally here! The one day during the year when you can pretend to be somebody else and reinvent yourself without anybody judging you. You can be bold and outrageous, try something radical and different and most importantly have a lot of fun while doing it! My style inspiration this year is the fabulous Daphne Guinness. A perfectly fashionable modern-day Cruella de Vil, Daphne Guinness is a true style icon. Her Bride of Frankenstein hairdo, the exaggerated eye make-up, the incredibly high heels in the weirdest shapes and the stiff, constructed looks would fit in perfectly for this night and they will transform you into the best dressed villain of any party! Check out some of her looks for inspiration!

Sweet Tooth for: Ladurée Macarons

Have you ever tried them? Aren't macarons the food of gods? I received a box of them for my birthday a few weeks ago and I enjoyed every last crumb of them! I know I can't make up my mind what my favorite flavor or color is, but what about you - do you have a favorite macaron flavor or color?

Inspired by BLUSH

I was feeling very romantic today, so I decided to let loose my imagination and create a blush inspired moodboard. I hope you're in a great mood today!

Chanel No 5 and Brad Pitt

The world's most famous perfume teamed up with one of the world's most well known actors to create a  very intriguing ad campaign. The ad features Brad Pitt, following the footsteps of Marilyn Monroe, Catherine Deneuve, Nicole Kidman or Keira Knightley as the new face of Chanel No 5. I was really surprised when I first heard the news a few months ago, because I thought it was a very bold move to have a man advertise a woman's perfume of such caliber. However seeing the end result now I can say that I like it. It's different, somewhat confusing, but it's definitely creating  buzz around the decade-old brand.

In an interview about the campaign, Brad Pitt talked about his experience working with Chanel. "What's important to remember about Chanel No 5 is how revolutionary this fragrance is; when it was introduced it broke all the rules. No 5 has always been the most iconic women's fragrance. That's what I see being the appeal of this campaign; it goes beyond the abstract of emotion or beauty to evoke what is timeless: a woman's spirit."

There were two different video released for this campaign, one featuring only Brand Pitt and the other one, a more surreal version of the first, featuring model with Brad Pitt's voice over. Have a look at some photos and  at the two campaign videos. Pick your favorite!

Special Collection: Anna Dello Russo for H&M

Taking a break from Fashion Week posts, I wanted to show you a few photos of Anna Dello Russo's collection for H&M and the music video she launched, called Fashion Shower. This fabulous video was created especially for her collaboration with H&M for a line of jewelry and accessories and it both showcases the collection as well as presents a list of fashion advice from the editor. You're in for a lot of fun!

Paris Fashion Week SS 2013: Louis Vuitton

Marc Jacobs did it again! After the stripe-filled runway for his namesake brand during New York Fashion Week, he kept his idea of straightforward patterns with checks for Louis Vuitton in Paris. Straight lines, cropped jackets, sixties inspired rectangular dresses and colorful checkers were the rule on the runway, thus keeping true to his current vision and correlating this collection to the one presented in New York. While giant checks seem to be quite an odd choice of pattern, it was no random choice, as it corresponds to an enlarged version of the traditional centuries old logo of the House. Thus the designer manages to bring a new feeling to the brand, while still keeping its roots in sight.

The show was spectacular as usual, the models appearing two by two down four escalators onto a colorful runway paved with giant acid yellow and white squares. The styling was also very sixties with accentuated eyes and beehive hairdos. The shoes were very simple pointed satin pumps with low metallic heels. Among my favorite looks are definitely the first two ones in the opening photo: the image is surreal, the garments simply seem to be blending in the pattern on the floor, the models appear like holograms rising from the runway. Here is a selection of the most interesting looks from the runway:

Paris Fashion Week SS 2013: Chanel Runway and Details

Being one of the biggest shows out there, I decided to show you also a few detail pics of the runway show and of course some wide angle shots of the runway itself - solar panels on the floor and lined with giant wind turbines. Enjoy!

Paris Fashion Week SS 2013: Chanel (Part II)

Yesterday I showed you the first part of the Chanel show that was presented a few days ago at the Grand Palais during Paris Fashion Week. I guess you already started to see the changes in Karl Lagerfeld's style  yesterday, but the second part of the show was even more different than the first one. Color, bouffant and less structured pieces overran the runway, but strangely the legacy of Chanel was still very present even with these huge changes in design. Overall I believe that Karl managed to look into the future very successfully without turning his back on some of the House's trademark elements and incorporating them differently into the garments. 

Among my favorite pieces of this second part of the show are the colorful woven oversize dresses and the black suits towards the end of the show. Have a look for yourselves and let me know if you are still as puzzled as yesterday.

Paris Fashion Week SS 2013: Chanel (Part I)

After the black and white 90s Latina woman envisioned by the creative team of Balmain, we continue the journey into the most classical black and white pieces known to us all: the timeless Chanel. As a surprise to us all Karl Lagerfeld decided to step away from the House codes but still managed to keep the Chanel spirit as alive and as ever, as he himself says "no chain, no braid, no plastic Chanel buttons, only pearls, pearls, pearls." The designer played with proportions and with different materials in an attempt to showcase a very modern and futuristic vision, the collection is "all about volumes and lightness, because usually volumes and lightness don't go together."

Karl Lagerfeld always likes to go big for his runway shows - models, designs, the decor of the runway. This time he linked the futuristic and technological feel of the collection to the an energy-inspired theme to accompany the show. The runway was seemingly made out of solar panels and along the runway there were lots of towering wind turbines, described by the designer as examples of "beautiful, modern architecture. We need energy. Energy is the most important thing in life!". Whether hinting towards green energy or Karl Lagerfeld's own unstoppable energy, the idea of the runway was very innovative and majestic as always.

The 80 looks that paraded down the runway ranged from baby-doll dresses in linen chambray, a skirt turned into a strapless dress, denim, gingham tweed all the way to sophisticated black and white evening frocks. The play of volumes was achieved with combinations between pneumatic dresses worn with short-cropped jackets, bouffant lines and innovative fabrics. Among the most eye-catching volumes were the purses contained within two hula-hoop rings, clumpy striped sandals and a modern reinterpretation of the classic boater hat with a clear Lucite wide brim. I can't even choose a few favorite looks, Chanel is always so unpredictable and amazing that it makes you dream awake of every single piece of the collection. Here is a first selection of the most interesting runway looks:

Paris Fashion Week SS 2013: Balmain

Paris Fashion Week started a few days ago and the big shows are already starting to line up! The first one on my list is the latin-inspired Balmain runway. From Olivier Rousteing's hearty address "Welcome to Cuba!" to his description of the collection everything was memorable. The designer said that the collection is "the nineties, Latin style. I'm into sensuality and powerful women, like the way Peter Lindbergh and Steven Meisel shot them."

The embroideries, the white lace, the crystals, the trademark skinny jeans and the high-waisted trousers were a delight to watch and they will definitely be an inspiration for a dazzling and bold spring. The usually exaggerated shoulders were even bigger and the layering of coats and jackets created very interesting shapes. Among my favorite looks are definitely the lace and embroidered dresses, but also the black and white lace trousers and jacket worn by Anja Rubik. Here are the most interesting looks from the runway: