Wednesday, 15 December 2010

Which bazaar?

Which cat? is another bazaar in Athens offering alternative options for filling your Christmas stockings. Bags, jewellery and cute stuff for the house by Haroula in the Island, Georgia Fragaki, Trouve Mon Bouton, Boxes n' Foxes, Frantzeska, Happy Few, La Mamma, Lina Gavra and Which Cat?

Big shout-out to my girl Origami by P. who is half-Japanese and makes original origami art, perfect for unconventional X-mas tree decorating.

Starts today.
Click on image for more info or see google map here.

Fashion Show with Google


Robbin Waldermar at Wieden+Kennedy Tokyo created a 30 second TV commercial for the launch of the new brand campaign ‘Google and more’ in Japan. It features the Image Search functions ‘sort by color’ and ‘similar images’ and shows the ways you can use Google when searching for fashion online. Directed by Kosai Sekine.

Needless to say I love it!

Fashion Show with Google from Robbin Waldemar on Vimeo

Tuesday, 14 December 2010

Golden rules


This is the Golden Rules sketchpad, created by industrial designer Olivia Lee.


The lines you see are actually based on the mathematical principle of the golden ratio (φ) which can be applied to the design of everything, including fashion and architecture.

Examples?
dzn_The-Golden-Rules-by-Olivia-Lee-5
Galaxy Dress by Roland Mouret.

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CCTV building by Rem Koolhaas


Chanel 2.55 Purse by Coco Chanel

Monday, 13 December 2010

Athinais Nega wearing Sotiris Georgiou

[image via mega tv]

Greek radio producer and Just The 2 Of Us singing show judge Athinais Nega wearing what seems to be a dress from Greek designer's Sotiris Georgiou AW2010-11 Perplexity collection that was inspired by Jackson Pollock's art.


About that particular collection, Sotiris Georgiou had stated in an interview in Battered Couture:
Pollock expresses somehow the confusion and chaos we are experiencing both socially and personally in our day and age. I am interested in the chaotic concept that has neither beginning nor end.

I'm just glad to see Greek fashion on Greek TV.

Friday, 10 December 2010

Investment proposal


Yiorgos Eleftheriades has won a stable place on top of my list of favourite Greek designers these past few years that I've been paying more attention to his work.

Competing for my favourite collection of his along with Autumn Winter 2009-10, his Spring Summer 2010 really hit home for me:


I wanted almost everything you see above. Not a very realistic goal of course, but a girl can dream and sometimes luck is on her side...

Like when I read this post by Mariaflora, who is always kind enough to blog about such things and let us know. I took advantage of the opportunity and made a little something mine...





A runway sample from the SS2010 collection, this Yiorgos Eleftheriades jacket was presented on the runway last October.

Bought not full price - not for cheap either, at the YESHOP summer sale.

A birthday present to myself and - how cliché I know - definitely an investment piece.

The reason I am posting this now is because Yiorgos Eleftheriades is hosting yet another sales event right as we speak, once again announced on Miss Athènes.

Until the 23rd of December YESHOP in 13 Agion Anargyron, Psyrri will be offering special prices in clothes and accessories for both men and women. A great chance to inject a boost of MADE IN GREECE designer fashion to your wardrobe.

Thursday, 9 December 2010

Hint


I've been working on my latest post for the whole day today and it's still not finished. My eyelids are getting heavy, so this is just a teaser of what's coming up tomorrow.

Recognize this jacket?
Fashion kudos to you if you do...

Wednesday, 8 December 2010

Toi&moi launches the e-FASHION store


It's now open!

Designed by K2design (the same guys responsible for Korres' award-winning brand identity and packaging) the e-shop of Greek fashion brand Toi&moi was long awaited by fashionistas here in Greece and abroad. Hoping more Greek companies will follow their example.

After some quick snooping around, here are my first observations:

Things I loved:
Great photography, big pictures, details include fabric type (very important in my book) and the easy-to-use black banner on top, featuring the categories, is minimal yet highly functional. Very helpful in navigating you through the e-shop at any time. Plus, when you spend more than €120 you become eligible for the e-BONUS CARD offering you a 10% discount on all purchases! It pays to be a loyal e-customer.

Things to be fixed:

I'm waiting to see more of Toi&moi's collection becoming available to buy online in the weeks to come. For example, the jacket I recently got (post to follow pronto) can't be found online yet. I hope it's only a matter of time.
Also, a geeky observation: The title and description for each garment are in png images. Like, every word is a png file. Not text. SEO anyone?

Designed to make your navigation easier, these are the three basic sub-categories:

Top 5 Dresses
so you can easily find the perfect party dress in time for the holidays

Best Sellers
because we all want to know what's flying off the selves right now

For Fashionistas
the one we Greek fashion bloggers helped with, so click click click to see the rest of the girls

According to Hara Tsoureka, the Marketing Manager of Toi&moi, this category was created to feature the more fashion-forward part of the Toi&moi collection and that's exactly why they chose us fashion bloggers to model the clothes. Apparently, it takes a person's individual style to support a non-conventional garment. Couldn't agree more.

These are a couple of backstage pics from my shooting:


Unfortunately, the dress is still in production, so no direct link for you to check it out just yet. As I've been kindly informed by Toi&moi, it will be online and available to buy Monday, Tuesday latest!

In the meantime, here's the link for the beaded necklace I styled with the dress.


And coming up this weekend, a huge post with backstage pics of me and the girls! Stay tuned...

Tuesday, 7 December 2010

Architect of one's appearance

CARY_GRANT
"We spent whole afternoons shopping, but not as it is done today. It was an entirely different sort of experience. Socratic, almost religious, an extended negotiation over the most basic details: fabric, cut, stitching. We were the architects of our appearance; we supervised each new suit the way an architect guides the construction of a building."

Monday, 6 December 2010

Elena in the elevator

fashionarchitect.net_elena_elevator
This photo was taken as we were leaving Atelier Loukia with Elena. It didn't fit in the previous post, but it was just too precious not to be published.

Grabbing the chance to remind you that tomorrow Tuesday, December 7th from 11:00 to 21:00 Atelier Loukia will be open for the Fête de Noël. A great chance for you busy people to tick off some of your Christmas gift shopping, while buying Greek handmade fashion. See you there!

Saturday, 4 December 2010

Some links for the weekend



If you always wanted to know more about me and my style then this is your chance, I'm the latest blogger to be featured in the Real Life Style Icons series of interviews by Sarah Von of Yes and Yes.

And if you're into interviews and graffiti, here's my boyfriend's interview on EyeCandies design blog.

George put together a list of the top fashion blogs in Greece. Sorry foreign readers, greek language only.

See how those rubber boots are handmade in France by skilled workers and not by children in some shady third world factory. Plus, they're beautiful!

My IKEA hack from last month featured on IKEAhacker.

An outfit consisting of a jacket, cargo shorts and heels. I'm so copying this!

Friday, 3 December 2010

What to wear to a tea party

fashionarchitect.net_atelier_loukia_13
Standing in the middle of Loukia's atelier last Friday.

Silk chiffon floral dress, MASSIMO DUTTI. Trench coat, ZARA. Brown leather boots, INCI. Grey ribbed tights, H&M. Studded brown leather belt, MANGO.

Thursday, 2 December 2010

Chez Atelier Loukia


When an invitation reads tea party, just that alone is enough to put you in the right mood.


The legendary Greek fashion designer Loukia invited us to meet her and her team and to talk about fashion and her plans, last Friday in her atelier in Kolonaki.


First of all, let's talk about the space.


Words fail to describe it, really. Her atelier is like something out of a different world, where everything is about creation and delicate, pretty things.


It's the kind of creative mayhem that drives your senses.


And that makes perfect sense, given the way Loukia likes to work.


By having all her fabric scraps and materials at hand, new combinations and techniques can be discovered while in the process of making something by hand.

For most people, Loukia is mostly known for her fairytale wedding dresses.

They are so pretty and delicate and fragile-looking. A perfect antidote to the vulgarity and brassiness we're so used to seeing these days.

And did you know she also makes shoes? I didn't.
And I fell hard for them the moment I saw them.

Of course, some of us just couldn't resist trying on some of the pretty things around us.
fashionarchitect.net_atelier_loukia_elena_01
To visit the atelier for some haute couture - wheather you're a bride-to-be or just a lover of pretty dresses like us - you first have to make an appointment.

But did you know Loukia also has a shop in the ground floor of the building, where you can just pop in and buy things like silk tulle tops for less than a hundred euros?

Our lovely model Christiana shows an example above.

fashionarchitect.net_atelier_loukia_08
I couldn't resist trying on this lovely boiled wool coat with trois quarts sleeves and fake fur trim at the hem.


Happy bloggers and an even happier Haritini as she's is wearing a purple Loukia shift dress.


As mentioned earlier, Atelier Loukia is in the process of entering a new era and for that reason they are embracing the new media, so you can now like Loukia on Facebook!

There you will also find more information about the Fête de Noël event that will be held next Tuesday, December 8th where you will be able find lovely accessories and home objects by Loukia that will make perfect presents for Christmas.

See you there!

See more pics and scoops chez Loukia at Soho Symposium and Life Full of Fashion.

Wednesday, 1 December 2010

Welcome aboard



Instructions for the attendants of the Ermis Awards 2010 that will be held next Wednesday, December 8th.

Welcome aboard, please pay attention for your own safety fun and see you there!

written by Lazaros Nikiforides
filmed by the cOre
performance and styling by Mandy Papadaki

Monday, 29 November 2010

Thankful for Kiehl's


Thanksgiving is a celebration somewhat alien to us Greeks.


However, when you receive an invitation as tempting as this one and by one of the most respected cosmetic brands out there, you dare not say no!

First, some helpful trivia:

Kiehl's is quite the household name in the other side of the Atlantic.

John Kiehl founded his pharmacy in 1851 in New York. Since then the brand has been manufacturing quality skin and hair care products, not tested on animals, that simply do what they promise.

The original pharmacy on 13th St and 3rd Av still exists.


I've never had a traditional Thanksgiving dinner before and may I say, I was impressed!


The people from Kiehl's as well as the girls from Out of the Box PR did their best to make us feel like we were having a cozy family dinner, quite successfully may I say.


Thalia, Cordelia (Kiehl's Greece Brand Ambassador) and me.


The real star of the evening can be seen at the end of the table, a huge organic stuffed turkey.


Yiota Tzavara of Out of the Box (good job organizing that whole dinner girls) and Thalia of Life in Athens.


Elena and me with Mr Bones, Kiehl's mascot. He is a tradition originating from the real human skeleton John Kiehl used to keep in his pharmacy to explain how the human body works to his costumers.

And of course, here's what I wore:

Maxi knit dress gathered at the waist to look shorter, STRADIVARIUS. Brown leather belt, MANGO. Black velvet military jacket, ATMOSPHERE via the GIVE A FROCK A HOME event. Black plastic flats, Vivienne Westwood Anglomania for Melissa.


And of course, couldn't be more thankful for the amazing goody bag! It contained some classic Kiehl's products in full size packages: The iconic Creme de Corps, Hair Conditioner And Grooming Aid Formula 133, Face Concentrates and a USB stick with all the info we would need about the company.

Thank you Kiehl's!