Color Blocking

Carlos Campos S/S 2012

Agnes B. S/S 2012

Dior Homme S/S 2012

Iceberg S/S 2012

Thierry Mugler S/S 2012

Perry Ellis S/S 2012

Festival de Cannes 2012

The famous Cannes Festival from 16-27 May is not just known for its films, but also for its fashion. Just like the Oscars, many celebrities from around the world come to Cote D'Azure France in the latest top notch dresses or tuxedos from the Spring/Summer and Haute Couture 2012 collections. Pictures below are from the opening of Cannes Festival 65th Anniversary and the premiere of 'Moonrise Kingdom' directed by Wes Anderson.

From Left: Tilda Swinton, Kara Hayward, Jared Gilman, Roman Coppola, Jason Schwartzman, Bruce Willis, Bob Balaban, Alexandre Desplat, Wes Anderson, Edward Norton, and Bill Murray

Berenice Bejo in Louis Vuitton

Diane Kruger in Giambattista Valli Couture

From Left: Fan Bingbing, Diane Kruger, Zoe Saldana, Angelina Jolie, & Salma Hayek

Eva Longoria in Marchesa

Bill Murray, Bruce Willis,
& Wes Anderson

The red dress worn by Berenice Bejo could easily be mistaken for a Valentino but in homage of the red carpet as host of the Cannes Festival, French fashion house Louis Vuitton could not have produced a better dress for the opening!

Rare Exceptional Blazers

A normal cut blazer is an essential, but an exclusive design makes one look glamorous and sets you apart from the classics and everyone else. Dior Homme in Kris van Assche's debut triggered new character within the 2008 & 2009 collections. As for more current designs, Hong Kong fashion designer Henry Lau makes beautiful jackets under the label Spy along with John Galliano, Gareth Pugh, and Neil Barrett!

Dior Homme Fall 2008 (Front)

Dior Homme Fall 2008 (Back)

Dior Spring/Summer 2009

Dior Homme Spring/Summer 2009

Spy Henry Lau S/S 2012

Gareth Pugh S/S 2012

Neil Barrett S/S 2012

Neil Barrett S/S 2012

John Galliano S/S 2012

Gareth Pugh S/S 2012

Crazy Prints - D&G + Others

For anyone out there seeking attention to stand out among crowds, an eye catching overlay is the best way to go! D&G for their last collection Spring/Summer 2012, as announced back in late September 2011, ended the label with splashes of electrifying colors, mind-blowing patterns and spontaneity. According to designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana D&G will translate into their other labels, giving "even more energy and strength to our collections" (~nymag.com).

Burberry Prorsum

Agnes B.

Agnes B.

Givenchy

Cerruti

   

D&G

Asymmetrical

Whether it is for girls or boys, symmetry has been overdone. Designers nowadays therefore are moving steps beyond from the ordinary into greater scopes making imagination come to life. From special techniques in fabric choice, shapes, lines, and cuts, designers challenge themselves to transform clothes into contemporary and unique pieces! For men, the most recognized item was and probably still is the asymmetrical zipper jacket. Though it is mainly seen for women (mainly in Haute Couture collections), over the top designers notably Alexander McQueen, John Galliano, and Vivienne Westwood do provide this world of fantasy and inventiveness distinct to other designers.

John Galliano

Alexander McQueen 

Buckler

Yigal Azrouel

Vivienne Westwood

Outfit #3 - Koninginnedag & Nacht

In the Netherlands, every year there is a day (30 April to be precise) to celebrate and honor the Dutch Queen Beatrix. Though it does not relate directly to the kingdoms birthday, the tradition has been around for many years now since the predecessor Juliana. On the night of the 29, it is probably where one can experience the most parties and booze! A great way for many to rejoice and let loose! On the following day, many festivals take place within main cities where people sale own merchandise at stands second hand for great deals! Furthermore, if lucky, one can spot the royal family cruising by in their fairytale carriage! The typical Dutch color is orange (oranje) and ties into fashion in many ways when people dress up for these festivities! Below I posted some pictures of myself and friends in awe of the glorious event!

 

London Trip - How to Pack Effectively

Before leaving to London, I had struggled packing. At first I had many items of clothing I wanted to bring along with me for the five day stay, but in reality bringing an excess of attires can be tiring and may lead to extra charges (having more than required luggage weight). For girls this is not uncommon obviously, most probably bring their entire wardrobe with three or more suitcases! Totally unnecessary.. and as for guys, though we often tend to limit ourselves, sometimes that can be difficult. Knowing much about London, I was well aware of the fashion capital and the sophistication in clothing many people wear. That was mainly the biggest issue I had, as I wanted to be dressed well for day to day basis (not to mention I was visiting universities for next year). That said, I had to plan strategically by mixing different (limited amounts of) clothing encompassing one (regular size) suitcase that would mash well together. At first, I had picked the color blue and gray (mainly from two blazers) as a definite element I wanted encompassed in my looks. Having had that in mind, I happened to have a pair of sneakers that have blue, silver, and white color blocking which were perfect! From there on, I had to focus on under-layers. To have a small variety, I picked out a blue polo and a yellow T-shirt that both mix well with blue or gray! As for bottoms, I wanted a different color and therefore went for my black denim jeans (tip: black goes with everything) as well as a gray chino (which looked great with the gray blazer having a pop of color from the shoes or shirt/polo). That made a total of, if curious, five items (including a sweater if ever cold) excluding one outfit I had worn with me during travel (as well as coat) and underwear/socks in addition to toiletries. So the key to successful packing in my theory is to first think of elements for your upcoming looks; whether color, type (e.g. suits and blazers if plan to be on business trip), shape, or texture! From then on, pick clothes that fit the chosen element criteria and try to make models by exchanging a regulated quantity of clothes (from one outfit to another).

Day 1 & 2

   

              

Day 3

           

Day 4

       

Sorry for Day 5 had not taken any pictures, but for an outlook (gray chino + gray blazer + yellow tee). Thank you!