BLUEPRINT 2013 | 4 Accessory Labels to Hunt Down
This year, the selection of exhibitors at BLUEPRINT (Singapore’s tradeshow & emporium) seems to be of a completely different breed, in a good way of course. One walk around and I could see more labels with strong design concepts and unquestionable craftsmanship. Now, the accessory labels were truly stunning pieces of art and that was probably why the accessories zone was consistently buzzing with excited gleams from buyers and media.
It was warranted attention for sure.
In my little time to walk about, I scouted 4 spine-tingling accessory labels and it’s no surprise that 2 of them are based in Thailand. Thailand designers have a peculiar eye for jewelry, you’ll see why in a bit. 
Thai label, Nitz Designs creates intricate pieces, which are subtle narratives of our social lives. From decadent luxuries to street culture, each collection is highly conceptual but grounded in a reality, or something akin, we can attach ourselves to.
Take a look at these two ram-headed pieces. They immediately hearken us to biblical metaphors and mythological experiences, the image and animal itself already indemnified as such.
These are earrings, yes earrings. To wear them, you’d have to split open the ram’s head (I’m sure there’s a story about this somewhere) to two & wear them in a way such that your ear is wedged in between each half of the ram’s head. Ingenious? Definitely.
The price points are on the higher range (in the hundreds) but for such hand crafted finesse, you know you’re getting your money’s worth.
The next Thai label, Mosstories, has a unique flair of creating statement pieces without it looking gaudy or over the top. Statement pieces are usually tricky to master - they need to be of the right proportion and stand out in a sea of people, without being clunky.
Inspired by the African tribal groups and their manner of attire, the latest collection by Mosstories is essentially a toned down interpretation, mostly making sense of the geometric shapes involved. Nonetheless, expect lots of brights and neons at their booth - bound to lure you in.
Earrings wil be going for about SGD$40-50 and necklaces will be SGD$100+. 
Now for some home pride. Singapore based accessory label, Setu is thoughtfully designed and has some elaborately handmade pieces. Each step in the process has been carefully calculated from treating the metal parts with a finishing to prolong its wear to digitalizing designs on sequins for a quaint touch.
A label that puts such immense thought into details has an immediate tick in my book and makes shopping for designer pieces that much different from a fast fashion brand. The line is clear. 
If I remember correctly, the above necklaces will be in the hundreds range. 
Just as every exhibitor was busy packing up for the day, I literally had to scurry down to Zone A and capture this beautiful Balinese label, Tulola. If you’re looking to only score some elegant cocktail rings, head down to their booth and you’ll be set.
More updates from BLUEPRINT will be up tomorrow night or just stay glued to Instagram!
BLUEPRINT Emporium
The Pit Building, Level 3
1 Republic Boulevard
Shuttle buses are available from ION Orchard
Shoes of Prey x Romance Was Born
The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. The way to a woman’s heart? Feet. Or more specifically, shoes on feet. Drop dead gorgeous shoes - just to put everything into perspective.
I’ve seen how exquisite shoes have made even the most sensible woman weak in her knees. There’s just something about us wanting to have an exquisite article to walk in and catch a glimpse of as we huddle through a crowded bus or train. It adds a smile and a twinkle to an otherwise usually drab day.
It was a moment of revelry when Shoes of Prey, an Australian company launched, promoting the full customization of your dream pair of shoes. Pick different styles, throw in some materials, dribble colours and in a matter of minutes, you’ll have your very own signature shoes. Akin this to a personal shoe factory coming to life right before your eyes.
Also, free worldwide delivery just gives the entire concept a real good punch. Feel it yet? That itch to head to Shoes of Prey is mounting up pretty nicely, no? Well, reign it in for a bit. 
Shoes of Prey recently debuted their collaborations with Australian labels. One that I’ve come to love was the eclectic partnership with Australian label, Romance Was Born. Known for their psychedelic take on fashion and theatrical sets, their SS13/14 show was a journey into a young girl’s mind, where a wicked imagination takes centre stage. 
No aspect was left untainted of colour and expression, from make up to set design to styling. Resulting in every turn and step being a climatic juncture. The myriad of elements may be a tad overwhelming but each well thought intricate detail was deserving of every second of gaze by the sunglasses toting audience.
I wasn’t at the show and already my fingers are shivering with excitement as my eyes dart from corner to corner of each picture to grasp the wonderment at the venue.
The shoes were yet another treat where flouncy frills in a labyrinth of shades enveloped their feet on a cushiony mesh. A tutu for your feet if you’d fancy.
A word of caution though: thread carefully. You do not want to anger the likes of Suzy Menkes if she catches you parading in them and creating a spectacle as photographers swarm to capture the goodness on your feet.
Designers, Luke Sales and Anna Plunkett captured subtle Aussie sensibilities with exaggerated elements and delivered a visually stunning, kaleidoscopic experience.
All about having a bout of fun with these Aussies. Throw some confetti, bring in drinks, drop some beats and the audience could have their own after-party right on this set!
Revolutionary Hind | Marchesa SS13
I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again - I love when designers look to India for inspiration. Designers, Georgina Chapman and Keren Craig are no strangers to the ‘look to India for inspiration’ game because their debut collection in 2004 was also revealed with opulent Jaipur embroidery and Rajasthani silks. If you thought that was a show-stopper then you must read on.
This time at the recent New York Fashion Week, Marchesa again brought down the runway with intricate thread and bead work so perfectly done that no one could doubt it was a Marchesa piece. The collection was not a exact replica of traditional Indian attire but rather a modern interpretation of India - especially of the sari-folds that were carefully integrated into the silhouettes.
To be able to do such flawless embroidery on such delicate fabric is standing-ovation-applaud worthy. 
The Lehnga-Choli (floor length skirt with a mid-riff blouse) interpretation was definitely more visibly reflective of their Indian inspiration. 
Nonetheless, the entire collection wasn’t overly indicative of India per se. At times the inspiration was simply a reminder of the heavily saturated colours of India, think fuschia, chartreuse and garnet or the explicit use of Sari silk. 
Still, Marchesa’s collection is a stark gesture for Indians to never forget their customary attire. Instead the versatility of our apparel should entice them to be proud when wearing it. We just need to be a little bit creative with it and revolutionize the standard traditional pieces into our modern lives.
On a side note, I definitely owe my love for Indian wear to my mom who’s an amazing seamstress and has been sewing my outfits ever since I was a kid!
So it’s about time I picked up the trade!
MARNI S/S 2013 LIVESTREAM
Why of course we’re going to provide a livestream of Marni SS13 right here. Be sure to check back here on
23rd September at 4.30pm (Singapore time) for a front row look at one of the most celebrated labels!
Prints are not dying so I can’t wait to see what Marni comes up with this time!
The Chase for Chaste
A couple of months ago, I mentioned that the lovely owners of a new start up label gifted me with one of their sample bags when I did some work for them. Well, fast forward to today, they’re currently working on their launch and I figured this is perfect timing to do a little introduction on their brand - Chaste.
After all, lovely people deserve specially crafted introductions.
“Chaste is the immaculate offspring of creative duo Hana & Din, both of whom set out to bring to life a delicate conception revolving around purity, coupled with outbursts of spontaneous creative sparks.”
Chaste is all for creating that one bag that will grow and bond with you, or rather change with you. Liken the change as to how leather will change with time. As for the make of the bags, I’ll vouch for them completely and say that the owners went through a whole lot of testing before finding the perfect pieces of leather from Italy to work with. Perfection was key, so there was no rush to simply source for the cheapest instead the focus was entirely on the quality.
Oh and notice that piece of ‘fur’ on the front? That’s horse hair. Yep, talk about luxurious.
For their launch, Chaste is releasing two collections - Colours of Spring and a Croc Embossed series. Colours of Spring has brightly coloured pieces that are basically a variation of the tote seen here and the Croc Embossed series will be a more classic black and white version.
The colours from the Spring collection will hypnotize you, so don’t say I didn’t warn you.
I wanted to add a little bit about the durability of the bag because I brought this to school yesterday with my 15” Macbook Pro and an iPad in it. It was heavy but lo and behold the bag held up - no tears or signs of it deteriorating. This impressive feat, a tall order considering in these days of fast fashion, is really apt for students like me, oh and of course it’s spacious - bountiful brownie points right there!
Anyway the online store hasn’t quite gone live yet but as soon as they do, I’ll update this post with links and you’ll want to keep checking back just in case they come with an enticing opening promotion!
Chaste Tote/ H&M Tee/ Free People Jeans, ASOS/ Shoes & Bangles from Jaipur, India/ H&M Shades/ F21 Earrings
Photos by Pavandeep Singh
You can find me on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram (@tarandip).
The Menswear London Collections in bite size.
The Spring/Summer 2013 fashion season has begun and London kicks it off with its very first Mens Fashion Week dubbed as the London Collections. To those who missed out, here’s a round up of the designers who caught my fancy.
Also, be prepared to witness a whole coalition of shorts.
Martine Rose
Denim, faux python & neoprene, what more could you ask for? No, really. I guess the addition of the thin white veils was the icing on the top - literally. The collection did look like it had a mission to accomplish (an interestingly idiosyncratic one), maybe to serve as a reminder of Britain’s recent strikes and protests?
Maybe.
Oliver Spencer
First off, kudos to the man for such an admirable casting - models were from all ages & race. It only serves to reiterate that the Oliver Spencer is for anyone & everyone. Also, one wouldn’t be able to tell if the collection were formal wear or casual wear because it had a little bit of both and it worked.
A master of diversity, I would say.
YMC
I don’t know where to begin with this label. It’s easily one of my absolute favourites. Who knew a guy could rock leopard prints so effortlessly (or is it just the model)? Nonetheless, the prints & the cuts of the jackets were flawless. Inspirations seemed to hail from the sixties - the loose cut trousers, the rolled up hems, thrown over pullovers. Right on point.
‘You Must Create’ indeed.
E. Tautz
The neons are definitely back with a force & it’s staying (be it menswear or womenswear). The generous splashes of colour were definitely a treat to the otherwise dark and neutral palette. Interestly, E. Tautz very nimbly married ease to an otherwise dapper outline - loose cut trousers & double breasted suits all in one, not awkward at all.
Katie Eary
Apparently, Katie Eary was inspired by fishes so it comes as no surprise when you see elements of a fish on the pieces as they came down the runway. It was odd but refreshing at the same time. The bright pops of colour, the shiny-in-your-face fabric, the skateboards, do I need to say more? Would be perfect for a rapper perhaps?
Though, I did really like the trench on the first look above.
Jonathan Saunders
The stripes roped me in and it was a visually illusionary ride from there.
Matthew Miller
Oh Matthew Miller was a sneaky man indeed. He took images from a surveillance camera and plastered them all over a suit and it’s pretty brilliant. Bringing CCTV inspirations to life is no easy feat but this collections proves a point, that Matthew Miller is a truly unconventional man.
James Long
It’s shorts, no, it’s a skirt, no, it’s the skorts! Yes, the blend between a skirt and a short results in the skorts. Don’t know if it’s just me but I can imagine a secret agent in this look, a well dressed modern secret agent.
JW Anderson
Really, do you really need me to explain the inexplicable quirks, noting that it’s inexplicable? If you say so. The lace, the lopsided blazer and the illusionary print, all seems like a page taken out of a fantasy novel when buildings are odd shaped and people travel in plastic cars.
Do you understand the quirks now? I told you it was inexplicable.
Richard Nicoll
When you think of formal wear, rigid men in starched blazers come to mind but the Richard Nicoll formal wear is quite the opposite. The same perfectly cut suit looks surprisingly casual or should I say, looks relaxed and comfortable, not daunting. Then your eyes will fall on the lilac-ish printed pants to which you nonchalantly ponder on its suitability till your eyes gaze to the last look.
Staring fixedly, there is only one thought, ‘could a fabric ever be that soft & effortless?’
Yes, it can.
Richard James
The sheer genius use of colours got me hooked. As if that wasn’t enough, they brought out paisley shorts, paisley in yellow! If a guy could look that confident in paisley shorts, he would have every other fashion trend covered.
——
Finally. I definitely didn’t expect my roundup of the designers to be that long. To cut to the chase, the London Collections was a real visual treat and it being the debut menswear week was undoubtedly refreshing. If you’re thinking about what to stock up, think vibrant colours, shorts, skorts and some loose fitting trousers.
All images from Vogue.co.uk
Hermès & Sadhus
So now I’ve finally begun going through all the pictures from my recent India trip and there were some that particularly intrigued me. Specifically, these orange clad Sadhus kept reminding me of the fashion house, Hermès. Forget the colour, instead the silhouette of their outfit brought an uncanny resemblance to the Hermès SS12 collection.
Not entirely and not throughout the collection but there was definitely some shared innovation going on.
I like how something completely traditional could remind you of something completely luxurious.
Reebonz Spring Clean Blogger Contest.
Looking at the Prada bag, what strikes me most about it is how delicate and buoyant it looks. This despite the fact that it is in a colour that is meant to display a fresh side to everything due to it’s resemblance to everything natural and folksy. This pairing really helps offset the stripped-down attires people tend to wear during spring, being the season when people tend to come out and celebrate and have all kinds of youthful revelries.
With those thoughts in mind, I came up with these two outfits that would certainly help any female who would like to display her exuberant side without sacrificing her first taste of spring for the start of the new season. Bearing in mind that without the Prada bag, the looks would feel like an incomplete masterpiece.
Assuming that the socialite is still in need of an attire to help soothe and display her in the climb up the ladder of her chosen profession, being coiffed stylishly is a must. The wine coloured top and the navy flare-y pants cuts out any range for the eye to focus on and pulls it right to the delicate top and toward the Prada bag.
The white crystal set in the ring adds a certain screen-persona mystery, which in spring makes the office environment experience a certain sensual spirit that honours not just classic French New Wave actresses and allows a certain joie-de-vivre commonly associated with that era of films.
The heels add a wonderful touch by fully encapsulating the look with its very sneaky looking peep toe that summarizes spring, which is to just let go and have fun and party! (even while working) The heels complement the bag in a visual harmony that brings focus back to the Prada bag.
A look that empowers the women!
For the second look, the yellow instantly draws the eye in. The yellow dress with small polka dots and a sweet black belt with a ribbon on its front is in my opinion the epitome of a classic 50s young girl wanting to have some fun while riding in the sun amongst the flowers.
Colour blocking the yellow with the green flows together with the current trends and also creates an amazing contrast that displace all other colours of nature. Completing the look with a floppy earth-coloured hat, you would be able to achieve a look even Audrey Hepburn would be proud of. And! You would be protected from the sun!
Considering that colours are important for spring, makeup, especially lipstick and nail polish is an absolute must. The fact that these two outfits allow a wide range of hues that any girl will be able to indulge in the season and allow a certain spontaneity and joy to seduce her. Of course, the fact that it might rain in spring means you can very well bring spring to whatever adventure you might be having indoors and these two looks will definitely abet that desire greatly!
Finally, the Prada bag here stands out due to its versatility in becoming either a formal or casual bag. The bright green colour of the bag is a perfect match when pairing with other spring colours! A bag every lady would want to own in their growing collection.
Time to get that Prada Bag ladies!
Floral Sunglasses?
With spring coming, I’m curious to find out if guys would embrace the floral sunglasses? I do think the floral print is just nice and adds a nice seventies touch to it. The nice subtle glow creates an allure to it rather than it being too in-your-face flamboyant.
Liberty London and SUPER teamed up to create five exclusive designs (2 other designs not featured here). By exclusive, I mean get them fast or sink in your sorrow. Only 75 pieces have been produced for each design and are available for purchase at the Liberty store and the SUPER store.
What say you? Too much or perfect?
