Friday 30 April 2010

Bazaared off


I learned about the Simple Caractere bazaar in Kifissias 282 through the lovely elianoula on twitter last Thursday and I was very eager to visit it. You see, I imagined this would be a much more civilized event (compared to to the last bazaar I attended) as it will be open more than a single weekend of mayhem, more specifically until the 15th of May. Moreover, Simple Caractere is the importer of Maloles shoes in Greece and I thought it wouldn't hurt if I could score some of their signature ballet flats on sale, before my two current pairs give up from the consant use.

Unfortunately there were no flats in my size.

However, I did spot two size 38s of the grey suede Maloles heels I got in Empoli Outlet back in February, and also some sizes in black. If you loved them back then, now is your chance! The initial price was €325 and the box says €140, but if you do the math according to that 70% off sign hanging above them, they will ring up to €97,5. Not bad for Maloles!

Blaming my luck on the ballet flats, I decided to continue browsing until I came upon this:

Dreamy silver sequins on dusty pink silk chiffon, this Ambre Babzoe top spelled bliss in my head.

Unfortunately, the one I initially found was missing all its tags, so I had to ask at the register for the price. After waiting for what seemed like a really long time, the cashier - who apparently was not in a good mood, as she was arguing with her husband on the phone - decided to grand me some of her precious time and help. She handed the top to a sales assistant, who went over to ask the boss for the price. She returned saying it costs €90 euros. I thanked her and continued browsing the shop.

After a while, guess what I find? The exact same top, only with tags. Original price €207, bazaar price €60.

I politelly informed the sales assistant of the mix-up and guess what her response was:

Oh? Huh... Well, ok. That would do too.


EXCUSE ME? You just tried to overcharge me €30 and I pointed it out to you. The least you can do is bloody apologize! And "huh, ok" won't cut it. After that incident I tried to continue my casual browsing, but I was furious. What bugs me the most isn't of course the €30, it's the attitude! What ever happened to I'm really sorry madam, it seems like there has been a mistake?

So, despite the fact I really loved that top, I was too pissed off to buy it. I put it down and left.

And these were my bazaaring adventures of the day.

And maybe that's for the best too, I don't actually *need* any more evening wear, even if it's pink chiffon adorned with sparkly sequins at 70% off. If you do however, the dreamy top is still out there.

Thursday 29 April 2010

Lucky bloggers

lucky_mag_may_2010_feature
Lucky loves bloggers and bloggers love it back! Like every month since March, the greek edition of Lucky magazine is presenting the world of fashion blogging to its readers. This month, it was my turn along with my dearest Elena, to be featured. Many thanks to the whole Lucky GR team and especially to Dora Christidou for her lovely text.

Wednesday 28 April 2010

TEE model building for The Core


Just one day after I returned from my Berlin trip, I got a call. It was from my good friends, directors The Core asking me if I could participate in a project they had in mind. The project was the creation of a TV commercial for the upcoming TEE (which is the greek acronym for Technical Chamber of Greece) elections. It would involve designing and building the architectural model of a building complex in the shape of the TEE logo. Only this model would have to be built on camera, in less than a day, so a stop-motion animation film would be created out of it.

Tough, I thought. But it can be done. I got busy.

Much of the work involved took place in my kitchen. Basically, I had to design three actual six-story buildings and the space around them, get all the materials that would be needed and pre-cut all the pieces.
fashionarchitect_TEE_the_core_reel_3
And then it was showtime at the studio.

It was slow, exhausting and nerve-wrecking. Of course I loved it!

I'm not sure whether The Core guys were thinking the same thing though... Probably more something like FOR THE LOVE OF GOD GIRL, GET IT OVER WITH! Yeap, that's more like it.



Well, I think the result did us all justice.

See the director's cut here:

Tuesday 27 April 2010

Ethical prints and textures

beklina.com lina_rennell_brown_triangle
Lina Rennell Triangle Top

beklina.com Virginia Johnson Jaipur Tunic Whale Blue
Virginia Johnson Jaipur Tunic "Whale" Blue

beklina.com marie_louise_vogt_bluetop 1
Marie Louise Vogt Knitted Top

beklina.com mociun_moonwalker_skirt_2
Mociun Moonwalker Skirt

I recently discovered on-line boutique Beklina, a three women family operation from California that only sells organic and fair trade fashion. The prices are - once again - way out of my budget, but who's to say no to some eye-candy with soul?

Monday 26 April 2010

COS in Berlin


Quite the provocative window display, no?


You didn't think I wouldn't share any more of my Berlin shopping experiences with you, did you? Well, one of the shops I enjoyed visiting and shopping in most while in Berlin was COS in Neue Schönhauser Strasse 20.

I actually had to visit twice and although I only got a couple of things for myself, I totally loved that shop!

Wanna see what I got?

Baggy, high-waist khaki shorts with matching tie belt.

I have discovered these past few years that the only way for me to do short shorts in summer and avoid looking like a tramp is by going for a really baggy, oversize and generally old-school safari style. And since my old ones from Bershka are about 5 years old now and starting to fall apart, I decided to splurge on some new COS ones. And you've already seen them on action in my previous post, along with the Laura Laine tank top.

Cream snakeskin leather necklace.

I think it will look great as a statement piece worn with total-black outfits. I've already did a test-drive with a black tee above and I love it!

Bonus, it was 50% off. Gotta love those mid-spring sales!


I also got this blue silk skirt as a present for my sister. She totally loved it and I am kinda regretting it now I didn't get one for myself too! Maybe I'll just have to borrow it when she's not looking...

Sunday 25 April 2010

Are you dying to know?


Ok then, I won't keep you waiting any longer. The winner of the celebratory giveaway is... [drumroll]

Little Stylist

Congrats girl, I hope you'll enjoy your Laura Laine for H&M tank top as much as I'm enjoying mine!

Saturday 24 April 2010

7ply opening party


The opening party last night was a blast. I'm still hangover.

Here I am with Mr Dipyadeep who is proudly wearing his new old-school green kicks. I'm in my green AB/SOUL dress (seen before here), black leggings and yellow Camper wedges (seen before here).

My friend Marietta wearing a cute Petit Prince figurine necklace and RTMone in his brand new Propaganda Rolling co. tee.

Fellow architect Elena in her candy stripes top, mint green scarf and handmade blue ring.

Skateboards were the get-around-the-party way of choice.

I think the woman in the two different shoes had the same idea as me, photographing the cute girl in the purple tutu.
Elektra at 7ply opening party
Elektra is one half of greek elektro act Rockets In A Coma. She was kind enough to let my friend Marietta take a picture of her for my blog. Elektra, if you're reading this, we loved your outfit!

If you want to visit the
skateboard art exhibition, you still have one day left, the 7plyproject ends Sunday night.

Friday 23 April 2010

Skateboard art this weekend


Yesterday I found myself in Technopolis, where 7ply project is being set up. It's the fifth year this event will be taking place, combining all elements of street culture (skate, street art and hip hop music) and the second time I will be attending. Do you remember last year, my dear Queen B?

More than 120 artists from Greece and abroad (among them my boyfriend and lots of my friends) will be using the skateboard deck as inspiration, but also as the actual canvas for their unique creations. A committee will chose the best skateboard to be put into production by Greek skateboard manufacturing company Propaganda Rolling co. as a limited edition design.

As you can see, people are working furiously to get the event up and running this weekend.

The entrance is free of charge and if you decide to show up, other than the skateboard art you will also enjoy a skate show by the most famous greek riders, live graffiti by german artist Flying Fortress and greek artist Ser and on Saturday, live music by Zoltan Tribe, Logos Apeilh, Killa Kela and Foreign Beggars.


7plyproject.com

Thursday 22 April 2010

Spring at last

fashionarchitect_7ply_technopolis_2010
Green t-shirt, Topshop. Off-white skirt, Zara. Floral scarf, H&M. Grey bag, Mango. Leather belt, Massimo Dutti. Strawberry pink ballet flats, XC-XACARET. White-rimmed aviator sunglasses, Von Zipper.

Wednesday 21 April 2010

Two years have passed

...and fashion architect is already two years old!

Two years and twelve days to be exact, since that very first post. However, my Berlin trip and an unexpected work-related project forced me to postpone the celebrations for a while. If you remember, last year I did a mosaic of my favourite blog pics, but this time I thought I should try something different...

I will be celebrating my second blog birthday with a present to you inspired by my second post, about the amazing illustrator Laure Laine and how her whimsical girl drawings were making me feel totally untalented. Well, I sure recognize talent when I see some! When I read that she was doing a collaboration with H&M last November, my heart jumped (and I wasn't the only one) but I failed to get to the stores on time in order to grab one myself.

Until the January sales that is, when completely out of the blue I dug out two Laure Laine tank tops from a pile of clothes at H&M in downtown Athens! Needless to say, I got both.

And love grows when it's shared.

So, celebrating these last two wonderful years with you, I will be giving away a Laura Laine for H&M tank top to one lucky reader. All you have to do is leave a comment below, making sure I will be able to contact you (by email or blog). The winner will be selected randomly in a few days.

All I have to say is thank you!

Sunday 18 April 2010

You thought we wouldn't notice?

Mashallah Design Linda Kostowski T-SHIRT ISSUE wolf
THE T-SHIRT ISSUE is a project by Mashallah Design and Linda Kostowski. A series of three digital portraits in the form of clothing. Their about reads:
Three people are portrayed digitally by scanning their bodies. The output of this scan is a 3d file, which resolution is defined by the amount of polygons, similar to pixels in a bitmap graphic. Linked with their biographical memories a digital twin of the body is thus created, which expands and personifies the garment in a formal-poetic way. The 3d data is turned into 2d sewing patterns by the use of the unfolding function which is a common tool in industrial design process to make paper models with, the single fabric pieces and the inner interface which defines the edges are cut out by the help of a laser cutter.
wolf_1
Making a clothes pattern in this way changes the aesthetics of the garment fundamentally , because in contrary to ordinary pattern construction methods unfolding does not matter about orientations like center front or the shape of a armhole, which frees the designers imagination in a way that feels fresh and liberate. As fabric we used sweatshirt jersey as a reference to the common cliche that Berlin is the city which fashionable output lies in making and painting on t-shirts.
s5
This undoubtedly impressive project has been circling both digital and real world since 2008, has been featured in numerous design blogs - including Yatzer, Dezeen, byAMT and their creator's Mashalla Design own - and has been exhibited in many countries.

So you'd think someone would think twice before they use that quite distinct image of the wolf tee for their advertising campaign, right?

Think again.
PANSIC AD  FAIL Mashallah Design Linda Kostowski T-SHIRT ISSUE
What you see above is a print ad for greek fashion college PANSIK Scuola di Moda.

I feel very strongly about cases like that. However before I got really mad, I tried to cross off all potential explanations that would justify such a choice. Maybe PANSIK actually paid to use that image? Could be the case, but I personally doubt it. It could be poor judgment and lack of professionalism from the graphic designer's side. The quick and easy solution. However, in this particular case, this explanation still doesn't take away the blame from the client.

You see, I believe it is still wrong for a fashion school to promote themselves by using projects of designers irrelevant to that school, even if the images used were actually paid for. Why not use the creations of your own students? Anyone would think you would be eager to show the work they do as part of your classes. Not to mention, it's free! Using a cool image found online is insulting to all your previous and current students, as it's implying they haven't produced anything worthwhile.

Not to mention it's totally misleading to all potential students, who will probably assume this project was made in that particular school.

I've already sent an email to the original artists, informing them of the existence of this ad. Maybe they can clarify things for us. In the meanwhile, whenever you see a case like that, don't let it go unnoticed. It's unfair for both the artist and the public. And you could find yourselves in the place of both.

(the title of this post is inspired by the same-name blog youthoughtwewouldntnotice.com where similar cases of get outed royally by anyone who notices them)

UPDATE: The original artists of THE T-SHIRT ISSUE project answered my e-mail, saying they are totally shocked as they didn´t know anything about this.

Friday 16 April 2010

Kaufhaus des Westens


Casadei red patent sculptural heel sandal, aka OMG.

That and lots of other amazing designer stuff was spotted during my visit to KaDeWe in Berlin, the second largest department store in Europe, a must for any Berlin-visiting fashion junkie.

KaDeWe (an abbreviation for Kaufhaus des Westens) first opened in 1907 and has a rich historical background. In 1927 it changed ownership from its founder Adolf Jandorf to the Hertie Company, which modernized and expanded the store. However, during the National Socialist era, a banking group forced the Jewish owners to sell it and appointed an "Aryan" managing director. During the WW2 a plane was shot down and crashed into the building causing great damages and forcing it to close. The first two floors re-opened in 1950 and by 1956 it was fully reconstructed, becoming a symbol of hope for post-war Berlin.

To those of you not that interested in historical facts, maybe this will get your attention...
KaDeWe stocks Gucci, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Dolce&Gabbana, Miu Miu, Burberry, Celine, Tod's, Strenesse, Jil Sander, See by Chloé, Neil Barrett and many other luxury brands, all under one roof.

There were also more affordable choices, some of which I contemplated myself.

I tried on this grey Comptoir des Cotonniers dress, but the zipper was faulty and they didn't have any more in my size left, so I passed.

In any case, the luxury shopping experience and the designer eye candy alone were more than a treat!