Black 'n' Grey

If there are two shades matching perfectly, then it's grey and black. Elegant, modern and clean - all of this describes my current passion and the outfit I chose to wear at a fair on the weekend.

And so I couldn't believe my eyes when I found my boots by Viktor & Rolf again!! 

I'm still remembering my little nervous breakdown in summer when I moved to London and already searched for them like a psycho thinking of the unbelievable scenario of boots running away from the shoe closet out of the blue. But as lucky as I  am this scenario didn't happen. Someone called MUM has put them neatly back into their shoe box after the last winter season ended. And here they go again! 

Just in the right time to get them out and put them on (due to their thin sole it would have been unthinkable to wear them in harsh, slippery winter times anyways). I bought them years ago during a visit in Antwerp (yeah indeed a fashionable city) and fell in love the moment I spotted them. So happy to see them on my feet again. 

Trousers: Citizens of Humanity 

Top: Bruno Manetti

Cardigan: Repeat

Fur Vest: Vintage

Bracelet 1 & 2: presents by Granny

 Ring: Butler & Wilson

Bag: Chanel

Boots: Viktor & Rolf 

"Who says models can only pose?" Me? You? This video?

Yeah whoever asked that must have been absolutely right to do so because I'm an ignorant, narrow minded pessimist who lost hope for most of the models nowadays when I look at this: A video directed by Mark Hug assembling a bunch of girls from Ford Model agency LA and filming them in "unsual" NON-poses.

At least this is what you expect before clicking the play-button of the youtube video. "Mark captures their fresh, youthful spirit (...) catching the girls rocking out and having fun", Fashion Gone Rogue said and so I couldn't refuse to see what models do if the title is questioning their job (posing).

And what's the answer? ......Nothing. Just nothing. Looking good, laughing, actually posing (yes POSING... what else is this girl doing while swinging her hips to these bad rap music sounds?!) and then again... nothing.

I mean are you kidding me? Are you, Mark Hug guy, serious about filming these pretty girls (ok not all but some of them) while they're doing some karate or dancing like idiots in front of your camera and seriously think that this will look natural? Hey, doing karate is awesome. I'm proud to say that I got the first brown belt in the age of 14 (yeah it's been a while now) and after this ended my career as a professional ninja turtle.  But who the hell cares about some model doing this in front of Mr. Hug?  Maybe she should have kicked down the camera in front of her... to convince everyone that a) Karate is a bit more than just waving your hands and turning strangely around yourself and b) this video is going to SUCK if he continues to capture more of these models' talents.

But how he did. And how I started asking myself: Why am I still watching this???

"Roking out and having fun": ...This is what models are supposed to do while having a photoshoot I guess. At least they're supposed to give you the impression of having fun...or at least doing their job. Then the music changes from hard hip hop mood to french chanson with model Alex singing and dancing around. Honey, you're sweet but who encouraged you to sing? 

Then, Asian girl, Chloe, starts doing some ballet moves, fine with me, Madison can't do anything and then Kalia and her Karate moves come in.

I'm sorry, Mr. Hug, I'm sure you are amazing in what you do but was your intention to film some newcomer models to show the outer world that each model is actually a human being with some additional talent to her job of posing?

Why was it done such an unnatural, bad and strange way? At least I think this could have been done better. And I even have the perfect opposite video to this. It's directed by Jason Wu's little brother Justin and I will publish it in the upcoming post! Maybe you should have had a look at other videos featuring models in their free time. 

This here is just total weird crap. 

Say hello to Mr. Parka!

So this is supposed to be the introduction to my lovely fury parka. What a multifunctional thing. And guess what? I got it for the half of its price so I call this a fully good investment into something you can wear throughout the whole year (except from this nerve wrecking season called summer) .... with or without half of this rabbit farm on it. 

I always wished for a cool parka .. being different from all the other cool parkas I envied on people crossing my way. And tada here it is! 

The location I took these pictures is a place in Cologne... called Apropos. Some of my readers might have heard from it before as I was at the shop's second store in Düsseldorf (ugliest city ever as I had to discover once again these days) for Vogue's Fashion Night Out in September (which I fully enjoyed just because of the selfish fact of getting shot for a feature on their online magazine...yeah feeling absolutely cool while writing this). 

Anyways. I love this shop. Not because of the unfriendly shop assistants (I will definitely write about this issue another time when I'm in rage) or because of the overrated restaurant (hilarious what you can call a restaurant.. I would rather name it the get-together of every failed existence and of those who think they are famous for being nobody). No, it's basically because of the CLOTHES and SHOES and OTHER WEARABLE STUFF (just like my lovely fluffy baby coat) you can get there. The entrance of this flagship store (there's basically another store, which I used to hang out when I was 10 and my mum decided to spend 100 hours in the cabin to fit her stuff on) is PINK. All covered up in pink. And I don't care how girlygirly this might be now but I love walking through it every time. Feels like seeing the reflection of my inner world. Or my favourite highlighter colour. Or my imaginations of relationships. 

Or  just the colour each girl is secretly loving and just trying to avoid because it's so gay. 

Hope you agree on the fact that this parka is amazing (if not, then don't even THINK about leaving your comment).

PS.: Thanks for the patience of my friend to take pictures of me while I complain about my hair, my face, my look, the cold temperatures and people passing our way. You are a heroine! 

Parka: Hugenberg
Jeans: Superfine
Shirt: The Ramones (surprise surprise)
Bag: Balenciaga
Boots: Zara

(I actually have no idea what my fur decided to do here..) 

Zac Posen Pre-Fall 2012

photo credit: style.com

If there is one designer I started loving over the past seasons, then it's definitely Zac Posen and especially his pre-fall collections. Year in, year out I'm simply overwhelmed by his mixture of casual chic and elegance. This year, he seems to have focused on one decisive characteristic: Being body conscious while playing with unusual cuts. 

Dressing Hilary Rhoda in his finest gowns and chicest every-day creations, she seems like the modern Jackie O.! 

Cobalt blue and strong purple bring my favourite season of the year back to life and set a young and fresh contrast to stereotypical colours and finest jewellery. As already mentioned, I personally predict this year's fall/winter to be a little bit (a tiny bit) fur-less (just like Burberry Prorsum has already demonstrated), so no wonder  the accents of black tucks on collars and sleeve ends seem to be the new understatement way to show some fury love. Although his grey Chinchilla coat is a fur-lover's paradise, something just doesn't get off me saying that it looks way too old styled. 

And his most significant creations of this collection? The evening gowns. Breathtaking, elegant - the simple outcome of a genious. No matter which colour or material - all of the selected pieces I'm posting stole my heart. Although I'm not a huge fan of flower prints, they appear as one of the most beautiful patterns one could have chosen for Posen's collection. My favourite? Obviously the black one. But besides from this, the burgundy coloured one with that beautiful free back of Rohda and the flower details. To die for. 

A rainy day off

Having exactly one day off from essay deadlines and exams is the best that could have happened to me. I was taken out for some running sushi on the 5th floor of Harvey Nichols (might be nothing special to most of us but I simply love the atmosphere over there) and a walk at Hyde Park. 

Due to that rainy weather I was FINALLY able to put on my wellies bought in New York last year. I was always refusing to get the typical Hunter boots since I see them literally everywhere and these ones by Steve Madden are the best alternative I've seen in a long time. The twist of the edginess the boots bring with them together with leather look alike shorts, my hat and the necklace (which is a present of my granny) made this one of my favourite outfits for a calm day. 

Pullover: H&M
Shorts: Zara
Hat: Scotch & Soda
Bag: Balenciaga
Necklace: from Granny
Wellies: Tsunami by Steve Madden

20 years of DAZED & CONFUSED

I don't know if I made it clear in the past but I simply love this city. The fact that there is an exhibition for free is nearly as absurd as the imagination of Wikipedia not working for 24 hours.

Between all of the essays and exams I needed to get done by this and last week, I found some time to visit the Dazed & Confused exhibition  at Somerset House, where London Fashionweek will take place again. I've never been there before, which I regret the moment I entered this building. Located directly at the River Thames, I just got overwhelmed by the size and old style.

"Making it up as we go along" is the title of Jo-ann Furniss' published book consisting of all the amazing editorials and frontpages Dazed & Confused published over the past 20 years. And so the exhibition gives an insight with a great compilation of all those works.

The contrast of highly modern images of Agyness, Beth, Kate & Co. and the wonderfully old styled rooms held me for more than 20 minutes per room to feel the atmosphere. The faithful part of my readership knows how much I love Kate and so it was kind of going through her life while walking through each room. No wonder co-editor Jefferson Hack fell in love with her.

The two adjoining rooms of this exhibition are dedicated to Alexander McQueen being so special and out of space for me that I didn't take any pictures.

Personally, I've been always a huge fan of Dazed & Confused. Founded in 1991 by Rankin and Hack it is said to be "the barometer of underground style" and international counterculture ever since. For me it is the British magazine of the scene and represents that fresh, alternative and controversial look of what the youth represents.

Sadly, I'm leaving UK tomorrow again but for those of you living or currently being here, there's a  talk with Jefferson Hack and Jo-ann Furniss (editor of Making it up as we come along) at Somerset on the 27th of January at 6.30 pm. Online it says that all the tickets are sold out (5 pounds is simply nothing... we all understand) but there are still some tickets available at Somerset House directly. Damn it I can't attend this.

The exhibition is still running until the 29th and I can assure you - it's definitely worthy to visit.

The ice rink in front of Somerset House sponsored by Tiffany & Co.