Go Balmain!

I was so excited about this collection, I almost screamed. The transformation that has happened at Balmain is reminiscent of what happened at Alexander McQueen last Spring.

Balmain has always represented the signature rock chic designer. As at last Spring, that rock chic was bordering on grunge. With ripped, dirty jeans and tees, all combined with the signature heavily embellished Balmain jackets.

The creative director, Christophe Decarnin was our sweetheart. I loved the spunk of Balmain under him, but he shockingly left the house in February and handed over to Olivier Rousteing, a 25 year old young man who had worked under him for 2 years. Now, I really don’t want to get hung up on how cute Olivier is, but he is cute. We’re talking fashion here however…*clears throat*

So! What he has done is brought sleek chic into the equation, keeping the elaborate embroideries and embellished details but upping the glam factor and class. The rock chic bordering on grunge has been tossed and there’s beautiful, properly feminine light thrown into the design aesthetic.

We will be watching Olivier.

Olivier Rousteing

Photo credits: Style dot com

 

 

 

MFW Blugirl Spring 2012

Milan Fashion Week definitely brought it. More than a handful of designers dropped a collection worth oohing and aahing for. You bet Paris Fashion Week will totally decimate it!

I was going to check out the A list designer collections when I ‘stumbled upon’ Blu girl and boy was I transfixed! This collection is simply stunning. Intensely feminine bordering on sweet but so sleek, so chic. Whimsical floral prints in floaty chiffon, stunning colour blocking, pretty pastels, pinks, yellows and greens. The blush in silky fabrics are so drool worthy. The combination of colours, patterns and fabrics worked to perfection. I mean, every piece in this collection hits my kind of style note. Perfect for Spring and interpreted in a style I consider refreshing.

It was a 46 piece collection and these are my favs. Look out for more of my favourite picks from more designers.

 

 

Photo Credits: Elle.com

It’s been one year, perhaps time to change

Yeah, it was about a year ago that I decided to start blogging. Following a ‘just do it’ challenge from the facilitator in one of my summer fashion classes. A few of us did start a blog and sent out links to each other.

The class portrait. 'Just do it' facilitator is the bald guy right in the middle, lol

Very nostalgic feelings I have of the early days of StyleFest. I was on a mini sabbatical so I had quite a bit of time to do tons of research and find the best of fashion from around the web and more. I was a committed fashion blogger :-)

It was Spring 2011 fashion month back then and i blogged away to no end. Rushing to see all the shows barely hours from when they went live and staying up till the early hours of the morning, blogging away my thoughts and opinions. Those blog posts earned me a job at a fashion magazine you know? Lol

It was simply unforgettable. Simply unforgettable. That entire summer (and year for that matter) was a moment in time that I would relive again and again.

A lot has changed since then. I’m back to work, attention is split between fashion and so many other things. Right about now, i’m asking myself questions, trying to revive the many facets of my creative life that just do not need to be buried in favour of fashion, even though fashion remains dear to my heart and is being explored further as we speak.

So, what’s the point of the reminiscing? Here it is: Style Fest will be evolving from being a fashion only blog to a full lifestyle blog. It will be about everything I used to be and i’m reviving and everything i’m going to be. I used to be a Poet, Baker, Singer, Writer and I’m dabbling into photography (a Nikon DSLR coming in the near future). Quite a few facets but hey, the call is to place a demand on life and the thing about seeing in colour is that there are so many expressions.

StyleFest will be about Life the way i See it, including all of the above plus Fashion, Home style, Healthy eating, every thing I pass by on my creative journey. And because Style is all encompassing, there’s no better home for all that content than here. I planned to start a different blog called Pink Tapestry ;-) **yeah, wince and roll your eyes Big Sis, LOL** but decided to just make my home here. No need to do split personalities.

I clink glasses with every reader to a beautiful, stunning, picturesque journey ahead.

Let me end this new chapter intro with these poignant words by Steve Jobs, they are excerpts from the Commencement Address he presented to the 2005 graduating class of Stanford University:

Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don’t lose faith. I’m convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You’ve got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don’t settle.

Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.

 

Cheerio folks, see you more often :-)

Viva Jason Wu

Jason Wu

This young designer’s creativity inspires me to no end. The consistency in his style, impeccable tailoring, that effort to add a fresh and different dimension to his designs, with clear inspiration; all result in pretty, very wearable pieces.

I was a bit taken aback by the thigh baring shorts that started the collection, that was his attempt at taking chances this season. True to his style though, he featured the delicately pretty ensembles that made us fall in love with him the first time.

Speaking of Spring 2012 though, I’m still trawling through the shows but i haven’t yet found my ultimate wow factor. Most of last Spring’s trends seem to be making the come back. As Cathy Horyn said though, let’s wait for the design power houses showing in Paris and Milan to tell us the game changing trends for next season.

Either ways, i’ll be back here talking about my ultimate wow factor collection once i find it!

 

Photo credits: Elle.com

Spring/Summer 2012 Fashion Month is upon us

And I will not be starting this blogpost by commenting on the elephant in the room, i.e. where have you been? It’s sadly getting cliche. I’m thinking about making some changes, still thinking, might involve a new blog but hey i’ll keep you posted.

To the subject at hand. There’s no better inspiration for daily blogging than the unveiling of a new fashion season. Spring/Summer is the season to look out for because it dictates the trends we will be seeing and most probably wearing for the most part of the coming year. If you ask me, A/W tails behind and retains some trends from the S/S season.

Spring/Summer is also the most relevant season for all we tropics dwellers. We get to see what trends are making the come back, if it’s going to be another colour bomb season, there’s been talk about whites, muted turquoises, wisteria wave purples, neutrals. Will the 70s influence stay or go, what will be hitting the shops for the new season, how creative is it going to be, will any interesting trend make a come back, like polka dots or animal print from the last two seasons? Or perhaps my favourite 50s era will make a comeback? Unlikely but can’t help but wish. It’s exciting stuff I tell you.

Having said all of that, there’s been a lot of talk about what designers to watch out for, both old and new, I’ve read with keen interest. The thing is though, I have the designers I always look forward to with bated breath. Seeing another collection from these creative geniuses is pure bliss and a delight.

I’m talking about my top 5 designers to look forward to and why, with a peep at my favourites from their Fall 2011 collections.

1. Oscar de la Renta

I did a blogpost on Oscar de la Renta recently. This is one designer who makes the girly girl in me tingle with excitement. The dresses, the flawless tailoring, a very less is more elegant and soignée take on the season’s trends. His fall 2011 collection featured shift dresses, damask, jewel tones, lots of beauty.

2. Lanvin

I really like Alber Elbaz, the creative director of Lanvin. He combines a passionate artistic side with an understanding of the feminine silhouette and what’s practical. On top of that,  he fully has a mind of his own, I sort of see him as an artist artist in the fashion industry. Alber Elbaz it was who decided last minute during the Spring 2011 shows, to put his models in flats because they were not comfortable in vertiginous heels during the dress rehearsals. Never mind that the flats were paired with flowing long dresses. Lol. Fall 2011 was some draping, flowy fabrics and quirky pretty accessories.

3. Jason Wu

He has come a mighty long way since Michelle Obama’s famous inauguration ball gown. He now has a shoe, bag and accessories line. I can’t help but look forward to see where he’s headed next in his design aesthetic. You can’t ignore Jason Wu’s sharp tailoring, detail and precision.

4. Victoria Beckham

Since her foray into fashion, it has been a minimalist, sleek chic aesthetic. Very polished, a mirror reflection of her own style. No one wears a Victoria Beckham dress better than the lady herself. The styles are practical, pretty and very wearable, straight off the runway. I fell hook, line and sinker for  the clean lines, form flattering fit and the generous use of block colours with just a touch of patterns and prints here and there.

I’ve loved seeing the label evolve, slowly and steadily. Fall 2011 was quite different, in a really beautiful way. It looked like she opened up and was more experimental, with  great results to show.

5. Elie Saab

Elie Saab is unrivalled in the expertise of draping the most exquisite fabrics delicately and stunningly on a woman’s frame. It really doesn’t matter what season it is, you’ll find red carpet ready dresses in the Elie Saab collection.  The tailoring is exceptional, generously draped fabrics dripping with glittering jewels, totally exquisite. For Fall 2011, he added in quite a bit of simplicity, with knee length, softly draped dresses and shifts in block colours.

I look forward to Elie Saab with eager anticipation every season.

There are quite a few others who I look forward to as well, Haider Ackermann for the most amazing deconstructed pieces and lush draping, Gucci for luxe style and opulence, Diane von Furstenberg for girly and fun style.

Will report as much as I can on my favourite collections.

Have a blast this week. xx