Boy by Band of Outsiders Lookbook

I'm a huge fan of menswear inspired looks, so of course I love Boy by Band of Outsiders! Scott Sternberg designs classic looks, but with a great quirky edge. Though I saw the Fall 2009 collection a while ago, I just discovered the lookbook and it's fantastic. It's compiled of all Polaroids taken by the designer himself and features the beautiful Marisa Tomei. I really love the aesthetic of this lookbook, it has a retro feel with the grainy Polaroid shots and the backgrounds, but it's also modern and fresh. I think Marisa looks so great and I also think she makes the clothes look tres sexy and chic!



(Pictures via boy.bandofoutsiders.com)

TGIF: Fall Couture Edition

(Pictures via Style.com)

Halston Heaven

A video of Halston's Fall 2009 collection- so gorgeous, I love love love it!

100% Fashion

W Magazine June 2009: A 26 page editorial, photographed by Craig McDean, displaying Fall 2009's best looks. McQueen, Lanvin, Givenchy, Marc, Prada, and the list goes on! What more could you ask for?!



(Pictures via Wmagazine.com)

The Ultimate

Dazed and Confused June 2009: shot by Mark Pillai, featuring robotic, armour-like designs from the Fall 2009 collections


(Pictures via Trendhunter.com)

What Goes Around Comes Around

While flipping through a 1995 issue of Vogue Italia it struck me how many things seemed to fit in with the current trends. Fashion really is cyclical and this is one of the reasons I hate cleaning out my closet! Styles almost always come back into fashion and right now I'm wishing I didn't throw out my denim jacket a while back! Anyways here are some pictures from the 90's Vogue Italia next to similar trends and styles from today.

Low-slung backpacks: Fendissime & Alexander Wang
80's frills: YSL Rive Gauche & Louis Vuitton Fall 2009
Revealing shoe shots: Bottega Veneta ad & fashion photography by MI-ZO
Houndstooth coats: Anna Lisa & McQueen Fall 2009

Trend De Jour: 80's Revival

(Pictures via Style.com)

Elohim by Sabrina Goh

I ventured to Singapore this weekend and when I came back I accidentally stumbled upon a Singaporean designer. I actually lived in Singapore for 9 years but was so young that I never really explored their fashion scene, so I was glad to see some talented work coming from this tiny island country! I really like the images for her Fall 2009 look book(above)- they are strong, confident, and beautifully androgynous, just like Goh's designs. See more at her site HERE.


(Pictures via Sabrinagoh.com)

Tight Knits

I'm loving up and coming Canadian designer Mark Fast's knitted body-con pieces! His designs are so well made and beautifully show off his talent- Fast hand knits everything on a domestic knitting machine. I really appreciate his unique approach to knitwear, but I also simply love how sultry his clothes are! He creates such great shapes with his knitting and I am crazy about the fringe made of combed viscose- it is so gorgeous that you can almost feel how soft it is. Graduating from Central Saint Martins, Fast recently showed in London's Fall 2009 fashion week with a collection inspired by thunderstorms. I think it's such an interesting influence, which he explained to Style.com- "That moment of fear and negativity, mixed with something that also feels beautiful". The models actually looked like they had just been through a storm with their hair wet, messy, and slicked back and clothes falling off their shoulders. Also, some of the pieces had such great movement that it appeared as if they were being blown away by the wind. His Spring 2009 collection was just as stunning and if possible even sexier with sheer dresses and a million cut outs. I am not sure how wearable these pieces are to those of us without a model's body, but in this case I don't mind just merely appreciating their beauty! Check out more of his work at Fast's site HERE.

Fall 2009:
Spring 2009:

(Pictures via Markfast.net)

Trash, Treasure, Junk, and Jewels

"Jewelry is always a treasure, and though it may not be made of gold and diamonds, it should still have that sentiment" -Tom Binns

Though I just discovered Tom Binn's jewelry from Style.com's Fall 2009 Accessory Report, this eccentric jewelry designer has been turning trash into treasure since the 1980's- he even collaborated with Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McLaren making pirate-themed pieces to go along with their New Romantic trend. He has been called the pioneer of junk jewelry with his 'more is more' aesthetic! He has a lot of different collections that offer such a wide rage of pieces from classic to punk. I just love costume jewelry, it's so much fun and can add so much to an outfit, without you having to pay a fortune for it. And I like how Binn's pieces have such a great spirit and attitude to them, they are edgy, bold, and definitely make a statement (He even designed a silver collar with the words 'Statement Piece' etched on it!). Here are 3 of his collections below, but you should definitely check out the rest of them at his site HERE.

Dumont:I love these chunky necklaces of intertwined chains and tiered gems, and the playful arrow piece is so great! Even though these gems aren't real I think they would still make me feel 'real good'! As Binn said, "It's actually the integrity that's precious, not the material. Value is not what they say it is, it's what you feel it is."

Tough Chic:This is my favorite of his collections, I love how he mixes skulls, crosses, and spikes, with gems and stones. I would probably wear every piece from this one!

Get Real:This collection actually started out as a joke but Binn ran with the idea- he used laminated magazine cutouts of jewelry, from Cartier to Lanvin, and arranged the 2-dimensional gems on a collar. "If you can't afford the real [stuff], you can have a paper cutout. It's virtual jewelry! I'm virtually rich!" he said about these pieces.


(Pictures from Style.com and Tombinnsdesign.com)

Trend De Jour: Studs

These studded accessories from the Fall 2009 collections are so gorgeous! I love them all but I think the McQueen ankle boots and Givenchy gloves take the cake!


(Pictures via Style.com)

180 Degree Designs

I recently discovered Barcelona designer Gemma Degara and her beautiful versatile garments. Gemma's clothes are unique and amazing because of this 180 degree factor she applies to them- she explains on her site that you can choose yourself which side is the front, allowing people to interpret the same garment in different ways. I love this concept as it lets everyone adapt her clothes to their own personal style and wear it the way they want.
Her latest Fall 2009 collection was entitled Sleepless Night (see pictures above). I am usually not a fan of blue as I do not wear it that much, but I love the shades of blue Gemma has used in this collection- the turquoise and royal blues are vivid yet still have a very cool and calm feeling. Another aspect I really like is the various silhouettes used throughout this collection. The way the blue tops and dresses are draped create interesting and unique shapes, and just hang on the body beautifully. I also think the black cape is striking and dramatic with its great trapeze shape and tiered bell sleeves. I love the way the collection is styled in her look book- the black ankle boots are great, the tights and socks compliment the clothes well, & I absolutely adore the embellished gloves covered with delightful fluffiness! Overall her style is very striking yet at the same time soft and serene. It's this contradiction that creates such a lovely, whimsical, and novel collection!

I also wanted to share the photos of this collection that were not part of the look book because they are just simply beautiful! Setting the photos in the woods is a great backdrop for Gemma's collection. The neutrals of the surroundings really allow the clothes to stand out and the nature parallels the peacefulness of her designs. They were taken by Inmma Varandela, to see more of that shoot and more of Gemma's designs have a look at her site HERE.


(All pictures via Gemmadegara.com)

Rockers in Pearls

I recently discovered Sinha-Stanic this year, but the successful design duo of Fiona Sinha and Aleksandar Stanic created their label back in 2004. I really loved their Fall 2009 collection(shown above). They scaled back and only showed 20 pieces, and this seemed to work in their favor as all 20 pieces were very strong. They presented a distinct style throughout the collection and I adored how they tied all the looks together with the same brown 'Doc Marten' style boots. I also liked their use of feathers and pearls to add a softer side to their rocker chic style. My favorite piece is definitely the black long sleeve dress adorned with pearls that spell out 'Rocker' on the midriff- I want it! I want it! I want it! -Sorry for my childish tantrum, I'm done now. I seriously love how Sinha-Stanic's clothes seem so easy to wear, just effortless, and could easily be taken from day to night- simply throw on a leather jacket and Doc Martens for day and for night take off the jacket, trade in the boots for heels, add some jewelry and you are good to go!
So my new found love for this duo made me take a look through their past seasons and I loved them all- their clothes are so wearable and chic, yet always have a little edge to them, whether its through the use of strategically placed zippers or the addition of a cropped motorcycle jacket. I was especially drawn to their Spring 2007 collection(shown below), and thought it actually was still really appropriate for this season- checkout the cut outs, one shoulder dresses, high platform heels, and body con dresses. Oh and I just love Sinha's long trench-like motorcycle jacket in the last pic!



(Pictures via Style.com)