no. 21: f/w '12

Milan's runways this year have largely been influenced by a certain dark romanticism.  The mood and colour palette at No. 21 was no different.  Alessandro Dell'Acqua created his signature pieces in moodier fabrics and hues; opting for heavy wools, thick lace, satin and lots of dark embellishment instead of his usual lighter silks and airy lace.  Dell'Acqua's signature silhouette, however, remained constant: short hemlines paired with looser bomber jackets, to-die-for knits and perfect pants.  The hair was tousled and the make-up bare, as if to suggest that this was your every day girl, doing every day things.  These were the kinds of clothes that anyone can pull off and look absolutely stunning in.  Alessandro also maintained a sort of "secret" unique quality about the pieces; adding embellishment where you might not normally see it, adding panels on structured dresses to give it a modern lift.  We can't wait to wear everything.

No. 21 by Alessandro Dell'Acqua is currently available in Hong Kong at I.T and Harvey Nichols.

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bonsai it to me!

Takanori Aiba has been has been building bonsai tree houses for years; born in 1953 in Yokohama, Aiba has taken the traditional art of caring for bonsai trees into a whole new artistic medium, designing miniature buildings and structures around his bonsai.  His designs are delightfully fantastical, yet remarkably realistic, as Aiba makes every effort to design his structures around the bonsai in a manner which would be akin to the scale of real-life.  Aiba is a surrealist.  He was trained in traditional Japanese textiles, is experienced in architecture and one of his greatest hobbies is maze illustration; these three elements combined give him a wonderfully wild imagination.  His partner, Murakami, is a civil engineer and helps to bring Aiba's dreams to reality; he is a "realist sharing dreams with Aiba."  If their bonsai work is anything to go by, then I think they've safely proven that dreams can, indeed, come true.

See more of Aiba's stunning work here.

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shop my style

Who better to give you style advice than the designer who actually designed the clothes you know and love?  ksubi's Women's Denim Designer, Apples (rad name), recently shared some of her favourite pieces from ksubi's Spring 2012 collection, 'WAR'.  We love her for her style, and we love her even more for being truly loyal to her fellow design team, claiming them to be her "Style Crush".  Apples also looks amazing in all sorts of denim, from bleached white to leopard print to cut-off shorts.  Here are some of her favourite picks for SS12; coincidentally, they're some of our favourite picks, as well ...

Source: The Intersection Paddington

ksubi is currently available in Hong Kong at I.T & Lane Crawford.

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house of holland: f/w '12

The House of Holland girl has grown up a lot as of late; Henry Holland's last couple of collections have become more sophisticated and, dare we say it, elegant than his first shows featuring the logo tees for which he became so well-known.  Yes, she's grown up, but she's still got that inherent flare for stand-out fashion and isn't afraid of a graphic print or bright colour.  To put it simply: she's still heaps of fun.  Houndstooth also played a big role this season, but Holland turned the traditional English fabric into something more playful, creating ombred prints on his casual pieces and sequined cut-out paillettes on his version of a red carpet gown.  He also cleverly played with stripes - diagonal, horizontal, vertical - sculpting his pieces into ultra figure-flattering shapes.  The colour palette was also perhaps a bit more accessible this season; gone were the neon brights and, in their place, Holland introduced a deep, rich colour scheme (still utilising perhaps every single colour of the rainbow, however).  This was definitely Henry's strongest collection to date.

All images courtesy of Style.com

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twenty8twelve: f/w '12

Sienna and Savannah Miller may have departed the label they started last month, but in their place is Elsa Elphick, who's been at the label since its launch in 2007, so fans aren't to fear that anything will change too dramatically.  They've also hired a consultant who works at the ultra cool Scandinavian label, Acne, known for their deconstructivist approach to design.  The result is that Twenty8Twelve has benefited from a much needed boost in the edginess department.  Although Twenty8Twelve has always had a strong celebrity following in starlets such as the Olsen twins and Kate Moss, they've rarely been seen worn by "it girls" who aren't necessarily famous for anything other than, perhaps, always looking achingly cool.  Well, that's all about to change.  For Fall, Twenty8Twelve have offered up more fashion-forward shapes and techniques that are require greater expertise and effort in order to construct.  Voluminous skirts countered sleek trousers, silks lifted the collection from its wool-heavy beginnings, pops of colour brought brightness to a collection otherwise dominated by grays and navies.  It was a perfectly balanced collection and wonderfully executed, as well.  We can't wait to wear it all.

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richard nicoll: f/w '12

There was literally a buzz about Richard Nicoll's Fall 2012 show in London today: a technology buzz.  Nicoll's show was accessorised with gizmos and gadgets from Vodafone, including a briefcase which doubles as a charger for your mobile phone.  An interesting and innovative touch, but what of the clothes?  Well, they were signature Nicoll in their relaxed fit and menswear inspired cut, with some bi-coloured pleating added in to give his collection a feminine touch.  Nicoll also flirted with sexiness, introducing high slits and peekaboo transparency, a technique that has spilled over from Spring 2012 into Fall.  However, the Richard Nicoll girl is decidedly more sleek and modern for Fall; not just in terms of technology but in terms of wardrobe, too.  She is minimal in her approach, favouring simplicity over layering; monotone instead of multi-colours; utility instead of embellishment.  Fuss-free clothes for a fuss-free lifestyle.  We love it.

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my man, manolo

Manolo Blahnik is my kind of man: sophisticated, chivalrous, creative, funny.  He's most famously known for his dreamy footwear, a craft of which he has 40 successful years under his belt.  He is the kind of man who says hello to everyone and shakes hands with as many people as he can manage; he does not discriminate by wealth, power or even age.  Despite his 70+ years, he is delightfully childlike in his whimsical approach to design and in his stubborn personal aesthetic.  He is famous for never sacrificing his own tastes for those of the mass population - despite the fashion world's recent craze for high platform shoes, Blahnik has never once made anything other than a single-soled shoe.  Perhaps it is the charmed life he lives in the tropical wonderland of the Canary Islands that helps him maintain the fantasy and unique quality of his designs.  Lane Crawford brought him out to celebrate his 40 years in the business with a series of limited edition products design by Manolo Blahnik for established names in various industries, such as Fortnum & Mason, Artel, Globe Trotter, Connor Stationary and Causse.  A well-heeled crowd celebrated him last night amidst never-before-seen black & white photographs taken by Blahnik himself of his illustrious friends, which include the likes of Mick & Bianca Jagger, Anna Piaggi and Grace Coddington.  A classy party for a classy man.

Mr. Manolo Blahnik, dressed in a whimsical lilac double-breasted suit and bow-tie.  He said his outfit was 'standard' for him.  But of course!

Manolo is equally as famous for his delightful illustrations; children's author Camilla Morton wrote a fairytale based on Manolo's charmed life, which Manolo illustrated himself.

In celebration of Manolo's 40 years in the business, Lane Crawford are re-releasing some of Manolo's most iconic styles.  These were made for Christopher Kane in 2008 and were spotted all over the street style blogs.  I still have major lust for them!

These are Manolo Blahnik's answer to the public's obsession with hip-hop and R&B music stars back in the 90's and 00's.  These are circa 1994 and featured in Jennifer Lopez's Jenny From the Block music video.

Definitely worth treasuring forever.

The catering from Relish Kitchen was sublime, and the cater waiters were the nicest we've ever met!

Vogue's Grace Coddington; what a gorgeous woman.  Photo by Manolo Blahnik.

The inside compartment of a Manolo Blahnik for Globe Trotter at Lane Crawford case with specially illustrated linings drawn by Manolo himself. 

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resist revolt rebel

Leave it to One Teaspoon to create a 'revolution' narrative around their latest collection.  Resist. Revolt. Rebel. is One Teaspoon's latest offering for Spring 2012 and along with it comes a short film directed by Taylor Steele, starring Krystal Glynn, who's being touted as 'Australia's answer to Kate Moss'.  I mean, does it get better than that?  A revolution takes a group of courageous souls, here led by the gorgeous Glynn; fighting for something anti-establishment, here dressed as a denim-wearing cult.  Shot in Australia's gorgeous Byron Bay on a moody day, the outcome is uniquely different from many of the 'fashion films' you see nowadays; instead of focusing too much on the clothing, Steele's film evokes more of a feeling, a mood, an emotional connection to what the greater collection might be about.  It's a refreshing take on the 'fashion film', so definitely check it out below.

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