Christmas

 Feliz Navidad everyone! I hope you are all surrounded by those you love and had a wonderful morning opening presents! I’ll keep this short and sweet, as none of you want to be reading a blog on Christmas now do you? 

 Christmas is one of my favorite holidays, and although, truth be told, I don’t celebrate it today (Serbian Christmas is on the 7^th of Jan, also my bday coincidentally!) I’m feeling very overwhelmed with Christmas spirit, even without the snow I’m so used to. Just like in a snow storm, everything in London has stopped as people celebrate the holiday and the streets seem empty. It’s not a bad empty though, because you can almost feel the warmth and love emanating from people’s homes, as kids open their gifts, us older kids open the wine and the even older kids start preparing our Christmas meals. It’s the only time I believe it is truly allowed to completely and utterly succumb to the Christmas spirits of Kitsch and Cliché.

 Christmas is at the epicenter of the comfort zone, it’s ingrained in our tradition and expected every December. And just like a good Christmas jumper, it makes you all fuzzy and warm. So take an instagram next to that Christmas tree and may the Three Wise Men (Marc, Tom and Karl) bring you much joy this year!

  P.S: To address the elephant in the room I’ll be posting way more for you guys in the coming weeks and sorry for the month long break! Look out for a post on the 1^st!

 Jumper by H&M

Jeans by Topman

Ring from Indian temple

Sunglasses from Camden Market

Necklace from ebay

Shoes by Dr. Martens

Normcore

There’s a recent re-focus in fashion. If you’ve watched the street-style lenses of Tommy Ton or The Sartorialist, you’ve noticed that there’s a presence becoming more and more noticeable, the normcore fashionista. Normcore, in essence, is a movement characterized by wearing unassuming, un-pretentious, average looking clothing. It’s a characteristically Parisian move, with a laid-back aesthetic championed by the likes of Isabel Marant. The main core is that it’s not about the clothes, it’s about how you wear them.

But let’s go back in time, to an era when “normcore” was only really worn by the “working class”. Anybody with any status wouldn’t be seen dead in a basic, and the focus was on the tailor-made, the luxurious and the accessorized. This all faded like a pair of good jeans with the introduction of stars like Brando and Dean. For the entirety of a Streetcar named Desire, Brando is shown in a basic t-shirt tucked into a pair of well worn jeans, and the only accessory James Dean ever wore was his leather jacket. This simple style made them the icons they are today. It’s similar to the changes nowadays, with the introduction of ripped jeans and casually rolled t-shirts challenging the tailored pant and over-the-top shirt. 

More importantly, normcore is signaling a change in which we perceive the style Gods: we don’t see them as Gods any more. What many a person flipping through Vogue or Harper’s Bazaar forgets is that all of those people are human. They may be dressed in something more expensive or rare, but they all have their little problems, their friends, their families. Anna Wintour may be Queen of the fashion world, but she wakes up every morning and goes to bed every evening no different than the rest of us. The thing that defines her are her actions; which, as mentioned, is the core of normcore. Though I’m sure we won’t be seeing her in an American Apparel store any time soon, the future Wintour is already there, in a rolled-up t shirt, jeans, and a mind full of possibilities.  

Trench from Burberry

T-Shirt from American Apparel

Jeans from H&M

Shoes by Converse

Is Fashion Art?

First and foremost, before we get too engrossed in the topic, a big thanks goes out to Alex Acid for gracing my pictures with his own art. His blog is a must see, check it out here. 

The question has been up for debate since the beginnings of couture, and yet we’re no nearer to an answer than we were in 1960’s with the advent of designer-artist collaborations like those between Mondrian and Saint Laurent. Can fashion be art? And if so, what is the line between fashion as a widely consumable product and an art form? Industry giants like Lagerfeld are adamant in proclaiming fashion is not an art, while those like Schiaparelli were passionate about being considered nothing less than artists. In my opinion, fashion is as much of an art as is any other form. Yes, a Louis Vuitton bag, produced in the exact same way with the exact same print for decades may not be art (as much as it is a classic piece), but then again neither is the clay from which a sculpture is made. Only when the clay is molded by the hands of an artist does it become art, not much unlike how Louis Vuitton has been molded many times by artists such as Takashi Murakami with his smiling flowers and cherry blossoms. 

In fact, I don’t think there really can be any discussion as to whether the collaborations between artists and designers are art. One look at the works of Dali and Schiaparelli can tell you that. The real question is whether fashion in its primary (unmolded?) form can be art. The main argument for fashion not being an art form is that it is mass produced and follows the trends of its customer. But nobody claims that type of fashion IS art, just like nobody claims the mass produced print of a generic painting is art. It is when designers like McQueen, Mugler or Valentino create that fashion becomes an art. That is something indisputable, and whoever disagrees should take a good hard look at the clothing before making judgment. The detail, story, construction and vision of an Iris Van Herpen dress can rival any sculpture in its ability to evoke emotion in a third party. Isn’t that exactly what art is “supposed” to be?

Going even further than that, the art of clothing yourself can be an art. With the rise of performance art, and manipulation of the thoughts of others so they perceive you in a different way, the door has been opened for the way you style yourself to become your own artistic impression. The power is in your hands to distort the opinions and thoughts of those around you with what you wear. Your influence in the emotions of others is directly correlated with whatever you decided to put on that day. Even more so, you impact your own state of mind with clothing, and create an image of yourself by picking and choosing your outfit. So, in essence, what you wear is art as long as you think it’s art. 

The main reason most can’t say for certain whether fashion is art is because we don’t know what art is, it is an indefinable concept. The simple fact is that everything and nothing is art. In the eyes of one person, a Damien Hirst shark is fancy taxidermy, while another (The NY Times to be specific) sees it as a statement of life and death incarnate.   Art is what people think art is, and if you ask anybody who’s waited 2 hours for a shaky live stream of a fashion week show, purely for the emotional experience and wonder, Fashion will always be art. 

Photo edit by: Alex Acid of alexacidillustrations.blogspot.co.uk

Top from Romwe

Navy Trousers from Topman

Platform Sneakers from Asos

Jewelry from Topman

I was an Angel

In the land of Gods and Monsters this was a pop culture reference, and what better time to reference Jessica Lange’s rendition of the Del Rey song than in a post about Halloween? Halloween has always been one of my favorite holidays, partly due to the fashion element, and partly due to the fact that I never really celebrated it until I moved to London. In Africa the houses were too far apart for me to go trick or treating as a kid, and in Serbia nobody really cares about Halloween in general. So imagine my surprise when I moved to London and come 31^st of October had absolutely everybody I know inundate my newsfeed with pictures of them in elaborate, thought through costume. I’ve made more of an effort every year since.

Overall, Halloween is the most fashionable of the holidays. The art of dressing yourself in order to represent something you want to be (if only for a night), is something I’ve referenced countless times on here, and what I believe lies at the core of style. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a Game of Thrones character or Anna Wintour (hi BryanBoy), it’s a free pass to be whoever or whatever you want to be for a night. Isn’t that a more intense version of what we do every morning? It doesn’t matter whether you wear a power suit or a slip dress; you’re emulating who you want to be. On Halloween, we just get a bit more fantastical with it.

Fantasy in general is one of my biggest interests, as you may have noticed from the blog post a few weeks ago on Magic. So on Halloween, I get to live in my own Nightmare of a Fairytale, watching the ghouls and ghosts saunter through the streets and clubs. It’s a strange image for those not accustomed to it, and I’ve always enjoyed the slightly strange. In fact, everybody seems to now enjoy the slightly strange and fantastical; American Horror Story being one of the most watched shows on TV is perfect evidence. I think that in the many real life horrors the world is going through at the moment, people are looking to escape by being a part of imagined horror, because it’s easier to bear.

But, let’s not get too dark, after all my costume was not particularly scary at all! I basically wore what you can see in the pictures, with some added makeup, and went as a fallen angel (very inspired by the Undercover runway show at PFW). I wanted to go as something dark but put a modern twist on it, hence the Leather and Astrakhan fur biker jacket (my favorite piece of clothing, and one I designed myself by the way). There was just something enchanting about going as something evil that wasn’t always as such on the night of frights. Although I haven’t fallen from grace thus far, it was good to be bad for a night. Hope you all had a trick and a treat and I’ll see you here next weekend. 

Photography by Kim Martyn

kimmistyleme.blogspot.co.uk

Fur Biker Jacket by yours truly Front Row Underdog

Mesh top from Topman

Skinny Jeans from River Island

Shoes from Dr Martens

Wings from Ebay

The Tale of the Fisherman and his Fashion

By the very edge of the blue sea lived an old man and his old woman.
For three and thirty years they had lived in a tumbledown hut made of mud.
The old man caught fish in his fishing net; the old woman span with her spinning wheel. One day the old man cast his net and all he caught in his net was slime. 
The old man cast his net a second time and all he caught in his net was weed.
A third time the old man cast his net and what he found in his net was a fish no ordinary fish, but a golden fish. The fish begged, the fish begged and implored; the fish prayed in a human voice:'Release me, set me free in the sea, and in return you'll receive a grand ransom, I'll grant you whatever you wish.'
The old man was amazed and frightened.

Three and thirty years he had fished and not once had he heard a fish talk.
He returned the fish to the water, saying gently as he let her go free,
'God be with you, golden fish! I don't need your grand ransom. Off you go — into the deep blue sea! Swim free, swim where you wish!'

The old man went back to his old woman and told her of this great wonder:'Today I caught a fish in my net - no ordinary fish, but a golden fish. The fish spoke, she spoke in our tongue; she begged to go home, into the blue sea. She promised me a splendid ransom; she said she would grant whatever I wished. But I didn't dare take this ransom. I set her free in the deep blue sea.' The old woman scolded her old man:'Simple fool, fool of a simpleton! What stopped you taking this ransom? A mere fish — and you were too frightened! You could at least have got a new washtub. Ours is cracked right down the middle.'

Off he went towards the blue sea. (The blue sea looked a little troubled.) He called out to the golden fish and the fish swam up and asked him,'What is it, old man, what do you want?' The old man bowed to the fish and said, 'Have mercy on me, Sovereign Fish. My old woman is cursing and scolding me. Though I am old, she gives me no peace. She needs a new washtub, she says. Ours is cracked right down the middle.' The golden fish replied straightaway, 'Take heart — and God be with you! Outside your hut you'll find a new washtub!' 

The old man went back to his old woman. His old woman now had a new washtub, but she was cursing more fiercely than ever: 'Simple fool, fool of a simpleton, all you got from the fish was a washtub. What wealth can be found in a washtub?  Get on back, you fool, to the fish. Bow down to the fish and say you want a handsome house built of wood.'

Off he went towards the blue sea. (The blue sea was a little rough.) He called out to the golden fish and the fish swam up and asked him, 'What is it, old man, what do you want?' The old man bowed to the fish and said, 'Have mercy on me, Sovereign Fish. My old woman is cursing and raging. Though I am old, she gives me no peace. She wants a handsome house built of wood.' The golden fish replied straightaway, 'Take heart — and God be with you! You shall have your house built of wood.' The old man set off for his hut, but not a trace of his hut could he find. In its place stood a house built of wood with a whitewashed brick chimney and two strong gates hewn from oak. Sitting by the window was his old woman, swearing at him for all she was worth: 'Simple fool, fool of a simpleton, all you got from the fish was a house. Get on back, you fool, to the fish. I don't want to be a lowly peasant. I want to be a noble lady.'

Off he went towards the blue sea. (The blue sea was not calm.) He called out to the golden fish and the fish swam up and asked him, 'What is it, old man, what do you want?' The old man bowed to the fish and said, 'Have mercy on me, Sovereign Fish. My old woman is shouting and swearing, cursing me for all she is worth. Though I am old, she gives me no peace. She doesn't want to be a lowly peasant. She wants to be a noble lady.' The golden fish replied straightaway, 'Take heart — and God be with you!'

The old man went back to his old woman and saw? He saw a tall mansion. His old woman was standing there in the porch. She was wearing a splendid 'soul-warmer' —  a precious waistcoat trimmed with sable. On her head was a brocade head-dress; round her neck hung heavy pearls and gold rings encircled her fingers. On her feet were fine red boots and before her stood zealous servants; she was slapping them and pulling their hair. The old man said to his old woman, 'Good day, Lady Countess Baroness! I hope you've got all you want now!' The old woman flew at her husband and packed him off to work in the stables.

A week passed, and another week. The old woman grew madder than ever. She sent her old man back to the fish: 'Go back to the fish, bow low and say I don't want to be a fine lady — I want to be a mighty tsaritsa.' The old man took fright. He implored her: 'What's got into you, woman? Are you crazy? Have you been eating black henbane? You don't know how to walk like a tsaritsa, You don't know how to talk like a tsaritsa. You'll be the laughing stock of your tsardom.' The old woman flew into a fury. She struck her husband across the cheek: 'How dare you, peasant, answer me back? How dare you talk like that to a lady? Back you go again to the sea — or, upon my word, You'll be dragged there against your will.'

Off he went towards the blue sea. (The blue sea was blacker than black.) He called out to the golden fish and the fish swam up and asked him, 'What is it, old man, what do you want?' The old man bowed to the fish and said, 'Have mercy on me, Sovereign Fish. My old woman is raging again. She doesn't want to be a fine lady. She wants to be a mighty tsaritsa.' The golden fish replied straightaway, 'Take heart — and God be with you! Your old woman shall be a tsaritsa.'

The old man went back to his old woman. Before him stands a splendid palace and his old woman is there in the hall. She is a tsaritsa sitting at table. Nobles are standing and waiting on her, pouring her wines from over the seas while she nibbles on honeycakes. All around stand fierce-looking guards with sharp axes poised on their shoulders… The old man was frightened. He bowed to the ground and said, 'Greetings, O dread Tsaritsa — and I hope you've got all you want now!' The old woman didn't look at him; she just ordered him out of her sight, and her nobles and courtiers came running and shoved the old man towards the door; and the guards ran up with their axes and all-but hacked him to pieces. and everyone laughed at the old man: 'Serves you right, you ignorant lout! Let this be a lesson to you, bumpkin! Don't get too big for your boots or sit in another man's sleigh!'

A week passed, and another week. The old woman grew madder than ever. She sent her courtiers to fetch her husband. They found him and brought him before her and the old woman said to her old man, 'Go back, bow down to the fish. I don't want to be a mighty tsaritsa, I want to be a sea empress; I want to live in the Ocean-Sea with the golden fish as my servant to bring me whatever I ask for.'

The old man did not dare say a word; he was too frightened to open his mouth. Off he went towards the blue sea. Raging there was a black storm! Waves were flinging up spray; angry waves were crashing and howling. He called out to the golden fish and the fish swam up and asked him, 'What is it, old man, what do you need?' The old man bowed to the fish and said, 'Have mercy on me, Sovereign Fish! What am I to do with the wretched woman? She no longer wants to be a tsaritsa, she wants to be a sea empress. She wants to live in the Ocean-Sea with you as her faithful servant to bring her whatever she asks for.' Not a word did the fish reply. She just slapped her tail on the water and dived deep into the blue sea. The old man waited and waited But that was all the answer he got. He went back — to a hut made of mud. His old woman was sitting outside it; And before her lay a broken washtub.

Tale by Alexander Pushkin

Coat from Topman

Sweater from H&M

Jeans from Topman

Socks from Pringle

Shoes from French Connection

Daisy Necklace from Ebay

PFW

  Paris Fashion Week. PFW is the jewel in the crown that is fashion month. It attracts the largest crowds of the fashion forward as well as the designers they pander to. Paris is a city that is immediately associated with the fashion world, which it has been enveloped by since the decadent rococo era, and reinforced by the emergence of industry giants such as Chanel and Dior (and many, many more). Nowadays, it’s a melting point of different aesthetics and trains of thought, tied in by the individual love of fashion. Here are my favorite shows this season.

I’m not going to lie, I was a big fan of Formichetti for Mugler. His dark aesthetic paired with dangerous sex appeal is something that has vastly influenced my taste. However, David Koma has brought something new to Mugler. Out with the dark and sexy, in with the bright and sporty. Sleek tailoring and monochrome colours (barring the occasional burst of orange or baby blue) were evident throughout. Metallic edges accented the almost Bond-like swimsuits. Although this collection isn’t the best Koma could have done, it’s a step in the right direction. 

Sex is back at Givenchy. What Tisci once saw in streetwear he has come to rediscover in pure, unadulterated sex appeal. The clothes were extremely detailed, evident in the lace appliqués and daintily spun sheer tops. Although the show could have easily gone towards (dare I say it) costume land, it teetered just on the edge, giving us a hint of the medieval while keeping the modern (mostly in the footwear!). Tisci’s Givenchy has long been associated with a tougher woman, but this was a different kind of tough. No longer is it the basketball playing girl in the hoody, it’s the sword brandishing warrior woman in the metal mesh. With so much of fashion turning to boho nowadays, it looks like a good move.

Stella McCartney on the other hand, believes in a completely different type of sex appeal. For her, it’s all about the easy, breezy, I-just-threw-this-on kind of sexy. Although a Brit, it’s an extremely Parisian viewpoint. I mean seriously, is there anything more chic than the girl who quickly pulls her hair into a pony in the morning and throws on a designer dress, no makeup, no bag, no accessories, no worries? That’s exactly the type of girl Stella designs for. Everything seemed comfortable, with tailoring just skimming the edge of the models bodies, and little lace inserts and cutouts adding a bit of flirty detail. Black was punctured with pale pinks, blues and violets, like spring flowers poking out of the darkened ground. A beautiful collection, as always. 

Nobody makes dresses like Elie Saab. Yes, I mean that, there is not one designer on earth that can make a dress as stunningly glamorous as Elie Saab. This runway was no exception. Inspired by the ocean, the clothes flowed in a current of monochrome, blue and the orange. Although there was intense detailing (as always) there was also a true easiness, one that you can only really find at a Saab show. These are the clothes you’ll be seeing on every A-lister from Jolie to Bey on the red carpets. Shoutout also goes to fav model of the moment Mijo Mihaljcic (pictured right), a Belgrade girl who’s making waves (get it) in the modeling world.

 Iris Van Herpen is somebody who’s living 10 years ahead of all of us. Her collection entitled Magnetic Motion was evidence of this, and wouldn’t be out of place in a far off future wear people travel in magnetically powered vehicles in the sky. The collection was spawned by a visit to the CERN collider, and the clothes were a collision of classic silhouettes with modern silicone enhancements attached. It seemed at some points as if the models themselves were emanating a magnetic field. She’s at the forefront of technology in clothing, and is defining fashion as we see it with every laser cut piece of leather and meticulously applied strip of silicone.

My favorite collection ever (and I’m not alone), was Plato’s Atlantis. McQueen inspired a generation and his death was one of the saddest events the industry has ever seen. So it’s not a surprise that people were hesitant when Sarah Burton took over the collection, she had very big shoes to fill. However, instead of trying to replicate Lee’s genius, she took a different root. While staying true to the avant-garde nature of the McQueen brand, she’s brought something it was lacking, femininity. This time around the femininity was echoed in effervescent orchids, yet restrained with (almost fetishistic) black belts and harnesses. The collection was highly influenced by Japan, shown in the kimonos, and samurai like feel that shined through the models. It was the perfect middle point between the dark and edgy Lee and the feminine Burton. He would be proud. 

I’m a sucker for a fairytale. And Takahashi at Undercover showed exactly that. The theme was the loss of innocence with winged beauties in girly dresses, alongside those covered by a print lifted from Bosch’s “The Garden of Earthly Delights” were followed by femme fatales in all black, covering the transition from childlike to dark. It could have looked like 3 different shows summarized in one, but there was a cohesiveness that is rare to see in shows with such a fantastical scene. The complete standout look for me was the biker jacket accessorized with black wings. It was like Maleficent in the 21^st century. As was fiting for the entire collection, it was Disney yet edgy and modern. 

I became a Barrett groupie after seeing one of his men’s collections a while back. His clothes are absolutely everything I want to wear. They’re cool and edgy, yet have a story behind them and a classic feel. His last men’s show was inspired by Apollo, so it only followed this one would be inspired by Aphrodite. Barrett has a critical eye, and as such he doesn’t usually offer too many pieces that are off track, which showed in the offering of similar silhouettes with plays in print, color and length. The intriguing moment was the camo print which at first seems self-explanatory, but is actually compiled by tiny pieces of sculpture.  The personal standout was the black bomber jacket with digital Aphrodite print, it’s everything you could ever want in outerwear. Barrett is definitely one of my favorite designers and one to follow in the years to come. 

-Till this weekends outfit post, Alex

Trendstory

So kids, what did we learn this season from fashion month? Excluding the fact that KimYe taught us that you can match cleavage, there were a lot of lessons in fashion given at the shows. New York gave us the edgy, London gave us the classic, Milan gave us the fun, and Paris (review to come on Tuesday) gave us the chic. The secret in “dressing well” lies somewhere in between the four. 

 Trend wise, there were a couple that stood out. Normcore is obviously here to stay and it’s out with the gold and gaudy and in with the silver and minimalist. I don’t know how the Russians and ADR are going to deal with it, but I for one am happy we’re slowly steering towards the effortless chic of times past. However, just because we’ll be dressing in the classic doesn’t mean we won’t be looking to the future. It’s clearly (get it) about the different materials, be it plastic accessories at Hood by Air or 3d printed dresses at Pringle.

Although fashion is catering to the young nowadays (more about that later), there was a distinct lack of color from the spring shows. Although florals for spring has always been groundbreaking, it’s all about the monochrome now. Where there was color, it was subdued, jewel tones (Erdem, Delpozo etc), something we’re usually used to seeing for winter. Not that I’m complaining, 2/3 of my wardrobe is black. Sneakers continued to dominate the runway, and everybody from Kate Moss to Manrepeller has completely ditched the heel in favor of a pair of Nikes or New Balances. 

Designers are starting to take the shows a little less seriously now. Barbie at Moschino was the flashiest sign that the industry is starting to break the boundaries of what should be sold by a brand. As I’ve said before (in relation to Fendi) it’s about the 20-year old now, not the older, affluent, professional, and the 20-year old wants to be young, and bubbly, and crazy. And that is the way it should be, because at the end of the day (hold your purse ladies), it’s just clothing! Have fun with it! Experiment! Do something weird! Put a Barbie in your bag and walk around central London like it’s nothin’ special! End every sentence with an exclamation point! We spend a lot of money on clothing, you might as well get some fun out of it. 

 Shirt by uniqlo

Jeans by Topman

Sneakers by New Balance

Clear backpack by American Apparel

Jewelry by Topman

Barbie by Mattel

photography by Viktoria Gzibovska

Diamonds are a boy's best friend?

I’ve always liked costume jewelry. It’s accessible and yet implies the inaccessible, with little pieces of glass imitating sapphires, emeralds, rubies or diamonds. I’ve always liked costume jewelry because, when it gets down to it, costume jewelry is just as valuable as the thing it imitates. I know, I know, that sounds preposterous and I’m completely aware of the price differences, but I’m talking about value. Value is measured by the demand for something. Gold or precious gems don’t have any real use, you can’t “use” them for anything, the only reason they’re expensive is because people want them. The only reason people want them is to add something special to their appearance, and doesn’t costume jewelry do exactly that?

In a sense, the same can be said about clothing. I don’t mean to say there’s no difference between Primark and Versace, because there is, but is there a difference between a gold mesh dress hand sewn by your local seamstress, or a gold mesh dress made by Donatella? If we don’t take into account the creative aspect, there isn’t. The price difference is because thousands of people want the Versace dress, whereas only you want the other one. It’s basic economics. 

But, things aren’t that black and white. Although we pay ridiculous prices for high fashion, there is a reason. The reason is that we don’t just pay for the material, or the hours put in by the person who put together the garment, we pay for the mind of the person who is behind the design. We pay to be a part of somebody’s creative process, because we want to live in that little imaginary world they’ve thought up. When you wear a Versace dress, you become a Versace person, and that is the greatest thing about fashion. It’s why fashion is considered an art, because it allows the wearer to have an emotional experience. That’s why, although critics will say there’s no real difference, we’ll continue to buy high fashion, because it may not have any real value, but it’s worth as much as you want it to be.

Sweater: River Island

Jeans: Primark

Shoes: Dr Martens

Necklace: Ebay

Sunglasses: H&M

Photography by Alice Malyon

MFW

Milan is one of my favorite cities. I’ve only had the pleasure of visiting a couple of times, but Milan feels like Paris, but cosier. Where Paris is flamboyant and OTT, Milan is calmer and has a warmth about it. Milan is also more concerned about fun than romance. So it goes to show that Milan fashion week would have all the wow moments of Paris, but with a bit more, let’s say, childlike fun to it. As always, I’m only presenting my favorite shows.

Fendi (alongside many, many other brands), is undergoing a huge rebrand. The focus is no longer on the affluent 30/40 year old as the main consumer of luxury, but the 20-something and her need for edgy, modern garments. Among the first whiffs of this were the (now renowned) Monster bags and key chains. This tongue in cheek play with accessories continued in the S/S 2015 show with mini Lagerfeld’s swinging from the bags. The orchid has also been introduced as a symbol of budding youth. Shockhorrosgasp THERE WAS EVEN DENIM. Karl’s done it again, with young, cool pieces with movement sent down the runway, with just the right amount of edginess. Definitely one of my favorite collections this season. 

Puglisi is something between Gianni Versace and hardcore punk. He went in many different directions with this collection, but somehow it all managed to tie in together. He’s a master of the geometric print and the best pieces were mostly those with monochrome high contrast printing clashing all over. The oversize leather jackets were stunning, and will definitely be getting a few street style lenses snapping. Although I loved the collection, the gladiator sandals were a bit hit and miss personally, I feel like they’ve been so overdone through the years that it’s time to just move on. Overall though, congratulations Fausto on another devilishly good collection. 

Last but not least, let’s talk about the MOST talked about collection this season, Moschino. Last season we got fast food, and this season we got Barbie. Now, I’m not usually a fan of the overly gimmicky side of fashion, but if you’re going to do it, this is how you do it.  The collection was absolutely bloody amazing. I’ve been a Barbie stan ever since kindergarten (WHO ISN’T) and this collection took me back a good 16 years, to a time where there were no worries and everything was just fun. And that’s exactly what Jeremy Scott is at his core, he’s fun! He’s like a young Betsy Johnson, and he gives fashion the humor it’s been lacking for years. Not to say of course that’s all he is, the clothes were made perfectly, with attention being given to every little detail from the blow up pool bags to the “plastic” neon chains. The collection is so much of a hit that people are already getting photographed in the clothes. In his celebration of consumerism, Scott has created the ultimate need-to-have product. 

P.S: don't worry, weekly outfit post coming tomorrow! (thought I'd switch it up a bit)

Grenica

  I know this post isn’t strictly about fashion, but today is my Grandmother’s birthday, and she is without a doubt, the strongest, most interesting and amazing woman I have, or ever will know.

She is someone who has been through absolutely everything in life and has always persevered and come out on top. She is the woman who made me what I am today, the person I should thank for all the values I have and all the accomplishments I’ve made. At over 70, she runs her own construction company, and goes to work every single day. She works so hard that I have to force her to take time off! She has always been my strongest support system, my biggest fan, and my closest ally. She has taken me by the hand and walked me down the path of childhood, not once letting me stray off course. Even now, she reads my blog every week, and calls me to tell me all her comments. The only tattoo I have is of her signature, because I used to see it all the time at her office, and I like to think it’s like an artist signing their work. Even when I was small I could never call her just “Grandma”, because she means so much more to me than just that. She is my Mother and my Father; My Grenica (pronounced Gran-itza, a combination of Granny and the Serbian word of the same meaning, Bakica). Wherever I go, I know she is always right next to me, no matter how far away we live from each other, and the same applies vice-versa. She will forever be the person I aspire to be, and she will forever be in my heart. I know you’re reading this, and I love you. 

Happy Birthday.

-Alex