Art Attack: COCO CHANEL—The Illustrated World of a Fashion Icon

I spot this beautiful book by Megan Hess at Suomalainen Kirjakauppa, 17,95 EUR (For readings, I don’t have to wait until season sales!). Now resides in Australia, Hess is beyond talented at illustrating and commentary in a way that is very pleasing to see page by page. Even I have read <Chanel: The Intimate Life> by Lisa Chaney, Hess’ interpretation is a unique and fresh way to learn even more about the fashion icon and see her life through whimsical drawings. 

Published by Hardie Grant Books, in 2015, this 210-page, hardcover bounded book divides Chanel’s life into 3 chapters: 01 The Woman; 02 The Brand and 03 The Legend. Chanel’s childhood is humble and lacking of certain records, while Hess describing merely with 3 illustrations yet informative enough for the readers to realize Chanel’s adulthood life in Balsan, France. Page by page, Hess creates a world filled with Chanel collection which fans can ever dream of: Chanel sewing machine, Chanel beach chair, Chanel metropolitan entrance, Chanel café, and even Chanel hot air balloon with Karl Lagerfeld on. Coloring with Chanel’s signature hues, black and white, Hess also decorates the pages vividly by adding up la rouge on Coco’s lips, Chanel 2.55 handbag, and on the touch of No.5 perfume bottle. 

From Chapter 01 to 03, ‘le look’ silhouette is presenting on every glossary page turn: classic elegant, sleek modern, avant-garde or city casual. Hess’<Coco Chanel> not only introduces Coco’s love and business life, the illustrated world of a fashion icon is also a functional stylist bible for those who would like to create a chic and sophisticated fashion. Among different themes, Coco’s quotes are in between, and my favourite one about fashion, is that “fashion fades, only style remains the same”(116); about life is, “My life didn’t please me, so I created my life” (46-47).

The interesting part is, Hess takes us on a glamorous adventure through Chanel’s visionary, still saves quite a spacious space for the comments on the present Art Director, Karl Lagerfeld, who has been leading Chanel the brand into a wondrous fashion catwalk shows since 1983 (I am in craze on Chanel Airline of ss16!). Hess bridges the past, the present and the future of the icon of Chanel House, opening our eyes by guiding us into her imaginary but yet acknowledged illustrated world.

For more about the author, please visit

www.meganhess.com 

Magazine Madness: Sienna Miller, Cooking up a Storm--By Mario Testino

VOGUE UK, October 2015

Sienna Miller, describing herself ‘was and am, an incredibly fortunate person’, graces VOGUE UK magazine cover again since her first feature in 2004. For her, the past few years have encompassed motherhood, controversy, love affairs, hard-won success and, recently, a broken engagement (with actor Tom Sturridge). In front of the lens of Peruvian photographer Mario Testino, she reveals on the pages why she is not lingering badly on the past.

Sienna Miller catches more of my attention on her personal fashion styles rather than her actress career, all the time. While her roles such as Edie Sedgwick in Factory Girl or Baroness in G.I. Joe bringing up her own characteristics, then Miller switches my preconception toward this Jude-Law-tabloid-It-Girl ever since. Her supporting roles in Bennett Miller’s Foxcathcer and Client Eastwood’s American Sniper in 2014 enhance this newly mother a more convincible touch. Under ‘the world’s most prolific magazine and fashion trade photographer’ Mario Testino’s gazes, Miller nails a 60’s factory girl on vintage crepe blouse, a femme fatale in Dolce & Cabbana evening black gown, or a 50’s Marilyn Monroe wearing Agent Provocateur, attractively. Testino’s photography is notable for the exotic hints, for Sienna Miller, her bare back with a slipping Michael Kors jersey poppy red dress, her angle face with rouge lips, her eye sight is slightly toward to upper right corner, as if she was caught by a close member who she should trust with, but yet unsuspectingly cautious. The 14-page fashion campaign is in such a sensual feels, for every page turn, Miller is natural and full of sentiment. As designer Stella McCartney states, that Miller ‘definitely knows when something is right for her. She looks good in everything but she won’t just wear anything’ (306).

 

Even though this New Your born British indicates that ‘meeting Jude was the most incredible experience’, still she was still subjected to hideous sexism and judgement.’ Through interviewer Emily Sheffield’s eyes, Miller is nothing to do with ‘diva’, ‘she is looking like any other young mother on a Monday night having just bundled her excited two-year-old into bed following a long day at work: tired, harried, hair a bit mussed, eye shadow caked into the creases of her eyelids’ (302). In front of the camera, Miller does own both the alluring and warming attractions, as of her many British peers, she fights for her off-screen life so hard to keep a healthy life, because she is ‘ not someone who is prone to deep self-examination‘ (307).

I like to collect the magazine whichever featuring Sienna Miller due to her photogenic smiles and great tastes. As for her acting appearance, I prefer admiring more and miss Twenty8Twelve, the fine fashion label that Sienna and her sister, Savannah co-designed when they were in their twenties.

Works Cited & Photography:

www.vogue.co.uk

For more photography on Mario Testino, please visit:

http://www.mariotestino.com

Helsinki Retro & Vintage Design Expo 2015

October 11, 2015  12:00-16:00

I tend to buy fewer things with higher qualities at bargain prices, hence, I am the fan of season sales or fashion outlet. What am I supposed to ease my shopping urge between the winter and summer sales? Helsinki Retro & Vintage Design Expo held in Spring and Autumn is one kind of the best solution.

Helsinki Retro & Vintage Design Expo is one of the biggest vintage event organizers in Finland. The fair is a great opportunity to channel between exhibitors, visitors, connoisseurs and buyers to review the beauty of our past. Exhibition is on offer and display high quality range of nostalgic items, such as the ancient coins, antique furniture, antiquarian literature, 1950-70’s kitchen goods, family postcards and vintage fashion.

 

Though quite some Asians are personally opposed to vintage wearing, for the reason of dirties and ugliness, still, vintage fashion now encompasses and awakes the nostalgia for our childhood and the memories. It gives us a taste of times we would love to have lived. Especially in Europe, the trend for second-hand goods is booming in a direct response to our ecological and economic concerns. The vintage trend is becoming a new style in its own right, it is just yet another challenge for fashion bloggers to mix and match, give a used one a new life.

At the fair, I have gained Bally vintage quilted flap bag at merely 50 EUR, from Maarit Hautala-Harikko, a lovely and smart lady who is travelling between Florida and Helsinki. It’s always nice to chat with stand owners about their stories and passion on the retro items. Due to my affection toward afternoon tea and vintage tea set, I also keep my eyes on USSR era teacup collection since I especially fall in love with golden rim and sophisticated pattern drawings. Surprisingly, this time I spend 20 EUR taking Schumann Arzberg 4 teacups and 16 sauces home. Arzberg is the trademark of German manufacturer of porcelain, founded in 1887 in Arzberg, Bavaria. After the shopping spree, the golden grain patterns on the Arzberg cup surely give me a cozy tea time on the rainy weekend.

http://www.exponova.fi

Accessories Accede: What’s in my See By Chloé Sac?

Q&A on National Holiday Banquet

Tell us about your banquet essentials.

Chanel Rouge, silver lotus earrings, and See By Chloé 2ml scent, M.A.C. mini mascara are my emergency aids, and of course, iphone 5C!

How do you to take as minimum as possible to survive the party time?

In order to match up with my Versace dress, I would like to have See By Chloé natural cuir taurillon handbag, which I purchase during season sale, 75 EUR, for my ‘handful’ accessory. Abandoning my daily mid-length wallet purse, I substitute cardholder and coin case to fit them in. So that I can hold both essentials but drop the heaviness at party, in order to enjoy champagne, food and friends without fussing with my personal belongings.

✔Vivienne Westwood Anglomania coin case is a bargain found through outnet.com. Lately I am really into burgundy small leather goods, perhaps due to the autumn is lingering around. This envelope shape coin case with Anglomania signature orb embossed gold-plated buckle on the surface. While flipping the flap, the empreinte of ‘Vivienne Westwood, Genuine Leather, Made in Italy’ is at the inner upper part, and the linen is also Anglomania orb thread cloth. I use it as my exclusive coin case, in order not to mix up with my keys or bankcards.

✔Marc by Marc Jacobs cardholder is the ‘only’ small leather good which I pay for the full price (100 EUR!!) in 2015 due to its low stock and my worry of ID loss. The design is as chic and fun as always, and its supple cowhide leather allows to hold more than 6 bankcard/ID and several coupons without disfigurement.

✔This pair of Japanese pearl earrings is my favourite found at Design Market. With its silver posts, my ear pierces do not tickle anymore; the lotus pedals also made with silver, which revealing a sense of both Taoism and Gothic touch. I love it a lot!

✔CHANEL Allure Velvet #49 La PÉTILLANTE is a party must-have! This brightened, poppy-red that has slight warmth to it and a satin-matte finish, lasting for around 5 hours on me and was neither drying nor hydrating, this la rouge indeed makes me ‘sparkling’ at the banquet!

Beauty Boom! May Accessoire the Best of Chanel Le Vernis?

535+573=1000% Cute!

After summer sale, SOKOS releases quite an amount of nail polishes for the final sale, and Chanel Accessoire #573 is my bargain find! Accessoire, although seemingly a perfect autumn shade, is actually part of Chanel’s Spring 2013 collection and is also in Le Vernis permanent line. Lately I am in craze of either pinky or purple tone of nail polish, because they contrast to each other surprisingly cute and well.

Accessoire #573 is more nearly burgundy vine hue, a bit brownish red with purple undertones, which seems to drip with old-schooled class. The rich colour while applying is opaque and smoothly. Only applying the first coat then there is no need to fuss with deciding how many layers of coat to paint since it is nearly completely rich at one. The other awesome bonus is that Accessoire #573 is also nicely self-leveling and glossy even before a topcoat goes on. As usual, I leave my fingernails short and pale, and let the rich Accesoire transforms my toenails smoothly shine even it is without shimmering formula.

Extremely rich in pigment and thick in consistency, Chanel le vernis collection takes a little longer to dry, but it's rather long lasting. Though comparing Accessoire #573 and May #535, the later one needs at least 2-3 times of coat application to reach up to the richness on my toenails, but both them are lasting for over 3 weeks without chipping. As for the brush, Chanel Le Vernis still stands Top 1 in my opinion: easy to dip the right amount of polish drops and smooth enough to apply the uneasy corner of toenails.

Accessoire plus May, definitely the cutest for autumn 2015!