Fashion Fun Sello! It Takes Me A Month of Sundays

Sello Kaupakeskus, Espoo

It takes me not only a month to reset and redo my fun of fashion of 2015! Hooray that the long dark bleak days of winter have gone, the ray of light in March is too lovely to waste any moment, Sunday it is!

Stella McCartney pinky sunny shades is an all-year-perfect accessories, made in Italy, this acetate pair wouldn’t perch heavy pressure on my nose bridge yet stand steadily while west wind blows. Chanel Rouge Allure Inimitable #105 is a plus for my light make-ups, and Vanessa Bruno cowhide leather bag has been always my ideal choice while the party/photo shooting trip is rather shorter.

I always support Finnish fashion brands as long as the use of fabric is prime (cotton, cashmere, linen, wool, silk…), the cuts and modeling are suitable, and the process of production is legal and ethical. Purchasing at discount price at Month of Sundays, this wrap dress is made with melange wool blend, drapes on the waist and has pockets on the side seams. Its dropped shoulder cuts fits my  silhouette even usually padded shoulders can support my shoulders better.

Finnish read-to-wear brand Month of Sundays, was created by designer sisters, Milla and Iina Kettunen. Founded at the end of 2010,the label name can be traced back to England in the 50s, which the saying ‘Month of Sundays’ was used to define ageless and longevity. The constructions of collection perform the unique cuts, such as this wrap dress has raglan sleeves with sweetheart neckline, the waist belt can adjust the whole piece as either an open robe or a wrap dress. I especially like the circular-arc hem so when the wind blows, it feels as wearing a skirt but at the same time my knees are not suffering the chilly feels.

Japanese-Brazilian shoe designer Chi Mihara has the most playful, dare and comfortable shoe collections for ladies to wear at different locations. Her design combines the youthful colours and cow leather from Spain or Portugal. At winter sale from shoe boutique Zio, My raspberry-tone ankle boots has 9 cm heels alongside with 2 cm platform to support while walking, the fluffy wool design is girly and comfortable, and revealing some parts of insteps makes my whole new look much completed.

It indeed takes me at least a month of Sundays to present the early spring 2015 style, but it’s so fun, and I never mind planning to do more on the following Sundays.

Special Thanks: JMH

Month of Sundays 

Chi Mihara 

Zio

Magazine Madness: W The Movie Issue 2015--Emma Stone

The Movie Issue, W February 2015

Each year, when Golden Globe and Oscars season approach, W magazine would introduce the best performances nominees on its cover, and collaborate with professional photographers from Mario Sorrenti to Tim Walker for the alternative styles of graphic portraiture. In February2013, Juergen Teller’s untouched snaps made talented Emma Stone taking off for W cover shooting and captured my attention. This year, Tim Walker’s fantasy and storytelling provided ‘the perfect antidote to Hollywood’s overdose of reality’. (Tonchi, 56) W magazine releases seven celebrity covers, and I am happy that Stockmann Helsinki imports a few more copies of Emma Stone among the others.

Due to I would display W magazine on my working desk as seasonal decoration, the feel of cover femme and homme is essential to me while purchasing. Comparing to other nominees, Amy Adams, Reese Witherspoon, Shailene Woodley and Kiera Knightley are absolutely less elegant for the reason to collect. Though I adore Julian Moore’s performances, still her facial structure always reveals a sense of bitterness, and I never consider Bradley Cooper and Benedict Cumberbatch handsome. I am wondering why Editor-in-Large Lynn Hirschberg passes handpicking Ethan Hawke or jack O’Connell as cover man, I would love to see Mr. Hawke’s natural wrinkles and blue eyes under lens.

British Photographer Tim Walker and his team spend 8 days on shooting 39 already-and-uprising performers of year 2014. As Hirschberg points out, that last year was ‘the Year of the Biopic’; from genius physicist, World War II cryptanalyst, American sniper, company heir to linguistic professor, under the world of Tim Walker, makeup by Lisa Butler and Duffy, those nominees are comic and surreal than the roles they play in those movies with fame of nominee. 

The shooting stage props are sunflowers and lemons, along with garments on off-white, bleak black, rosy pink and poppy red, but Emma Stone’s retro earthy-like Valentino gown popping out of total 39, and Edward Norton can be considered the most out-of-surprise funniest among the other Oscar contenders. W magazine’s size33.5x 25.5 (cm) shows the details of skin, the muscle and the costumes of the photo shoots, as serves its readers walking through a contemporary portrait gallery in a delightful afternoon.

The monthly column of magazine, ‘W Inspiration Equation’ always draws a sense of humour on fashion design. Perhaps designers’ minds really work this way of absurd to create a stunning dress, or a masterpiece can be seen as rewind on the designing process of thoughts. This intriguing column both constructs and deconstructs the way of creativity, such as making a popping princess as a combination of meds+a tutu+candy crush, among merely a page the column tells more than a story of culture, history and visual power, no doubt, ‘W Inspiration Equation’ is one of the most genius editorial works that I have ever read.

W magazine also invites the contemporary illustrators to grace the pages. Based in Sweden, Stina Persson spreads the ‘WHO’ column a romantic scene. In interview column, Don Bachardy, Hollywood’s preeminent portrait artist also talks about his career and how his father discovered Andy Warhol or Roy Lichtenstein at his legendary Ferus Gallery in Los Angeles.

Stefano Tonchi, the Editor-in-Chief, states in The Movie Issue 2015 that ‘one of the many challenging of editing a magazine, is keeping readers continuously engaged.’ Congratulations, W magazine team, you really nail it and do it very, very well. 

Works Cited:

www.wmag.com

For more art works of Stina Persson and Don Bachardy, please go to:

http://www.stinapersson.com

http://www.donbachardy.com/index.html

Magazine Madness: ELLE, Natalie Portman, Bienvenue à Paris!

ELLE France 30 Janvier 2015

ELLE France, though is highly commercial tendency and printed 30% of the magazine by using phenolic papers, still, when the cover girl is Natalie Portman, for me, there is 0 resistance to collect.

Natalie Portman visits Paris for the Dior perfume short film shooting, ‘Miss Dior 2.0: Rebelle Pour Toi’, directed by Dutch Director Anton Corbijn. Corbijn is a Creative Director behind the music videos of Depeche Mode and U2, also he is the Director of ‘Control’ (2007), a film about British band Joy Division. Above all leads him an intriguing visual output. In 2015, Miss Dior, the floral love story, is under Mr. Corbijn’s control, with a great touch of spirit of female independence.

During the break time of ‘Miss Dior’ filming, Portman also takes the moment to have a quick interview and fashion campaign photographing for ELLE France. Photographer Mathieu Cesar, a 27 year-old Paris based fashion photographer, has been working with British Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar or AnOther Magazine, in ELLE France Janvier 2015, he captures Portman’s elegance but slightly mystic feels, echoing her role in short commercial film Miss Dior 2.0.

It is no doubt that I purchase ELLE France due to the cover girl Natalie (Je l'adore depuis Léon, and I think in Black Swan she is dangerously attractive! My French ability is good enough to read titles and personal info, but not advanced yet to read the full article). The background of Cesar’s shooting is dark blue, rough but contracting Portman’s pale skin and Miss Dior beaute, especially her Dior Rose Harpers lipstick. For the 8-page campaign, the styles of couture consist one little black dress and 2 off-white coiffure, but it’s a pure magic for me to re-flip the same images again and again.

For more images from Mathieu Cesar, please link to:

http://mathieu-cesar.tumblr.com/#7

http://mathieucesar.com/#about

For Miss Dior Short Film:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELNVV1oKNtA

Magazine Madness: NYLON and Charli XCX Break the Rules

NYLON January 2015

After 15-year history, Nylon had changed its Editor-in-Chief a.k.a. Founder Marvin Scott Jarrett and Publisher/Marvin’s wife, Jacclyn Jarrett in June 2014. In May 2014, news leaked that its parent company, in conjunction with style blogger network FashionIndie, had been acquired by an anonymous media company helmed by former Wenner Media publisher Dana Fields (now as Executive Vice President/Chief Revenue Officer/Publisher of Nylon) and Election.com founder Joseph Mohen. While the rumour is flying in town, Michelle Lee, the new Editor-in-Chief takes the position of Nylon in summer 2014.  

Having been collecting Nylon magazine for over one decade, (I used to collect Nylon Japan as well, since its contents tend to be more J-pop fashion, I gave up hoarding in 2008) I am both worried and excited that what’s the new face and vibe that Nylon would perform.

I love ‘Boom Clap’ this hit but never imagine I purchase Charlie XCX cover due to her cool and a-bit-Shibuya style at Nylon January 2015. In Marvin Scott Jarrett era, his choices of cover girls are sometimes too Teen Vogue (such as Demi Lovato or Hailee Steinfeld), for whom I would never admire (either their looks or talents), and the photography are usually at white background, more or less over-exposure. On January 2015 issue, the size of magazine and the use of paper still remain the same, by using the layering hue of deep purple as basic background hue of cover page, along with yolk yellow ‘NYLON’ fonts, the caption titles fonts are a combination of Courier New or Conslas, or off white, or dark fuchsia. As for the spine, magazine title ‘NYLON’, date ‘January 2015’, web info ‘www.nylon.com’ (rather than nylonmag.com) and ‘Meow’ at the middle, echoes those Hello Kitty embroidered faces on Charli XCX’s silver jacket.

As the major themes, Nylon focuses yet on beauty, fashion and music, plus the long-term columns ‘Factory Girl’ (reported by Style Director Dani Stahl) and ‘Bag Check’. For beauty looks, in January issue I adore Photographer Meredith Jenks and Stylist Tamar Levine ‘Most Wanted’ (pp. 76-83). The duo adapt the crime photo tradition (upfront and silhouette cues) and create highly neon-colourful and sassy bad ass girly looks, no doubt a great reference for party inspiration. 

As for Fashion and music, Charli XCX interviewed by Melissa Giannini is my must-read article. Photographed by Zoey Grossman and styled by Daniela Jung for high street mixed with Moschino trends on Charli XCX are fresh and fun. Unfortunately the interview contents are expectedly filled with first-person perspective description, it would be more authentic and valuable from Charli XCX’s own genuine words. Furthermore, I find fashion campaign pages ‘Easy Like Sunday Morning’ (pp. 104-113) by Photographer Kristin Vicari and Styled by Siobhan Lyons a romantic dim lights.

Nylon also deals in a smart way with its sponsor, less pushy but highly artistic. For example, Nylon x Reebok mini mag in January 2015 issue is a brilliant marketing idea. Dear Nylon, I am very happy that you are still at your alternative taste and voice, in a truly looking forward vibe.

For more info about Nylon’s new Editor-in-Chief, please go to:

http://fashionista.com/2014/09/nylon-michelle-lee

For more art works from Photographer Meredith Jenks and Kristin Vicari:

http://www.kristinvicari.com/index.php

http://www.meredithjenks.com

Beauty Boom! Chanel Le Vernis Sweet Lilac #615

New year new nail! Chanel Le Vernis Sweet Lilac #615 is a cool-toned, light-medium pink with a creamy finish. Comparing to pinky Chanel May #535, the hue of Sweet Lilac #615 tends a pure white paints mixed with deep purple. There's a hint of violet shimmer in the formula but it is almost invisible on the nails but only available being seen through under the yellow light bulb of the bottle. It was mostly opaque after two coats, and the consistency wasn’t too thick or too thin and flowed well across the nails.

It is my first lilac coloured polish since I have been spotted this exact one for quite a while, just to wait for the further discount. Chanel nail polish bottle is no doubt a work of art, the deficiency is that the text on the bottle front is merely a sticker rather than Toppan printing fonts as the backside. Still, the brush of polish is smooth and easy to layer up. Sweet Lilac was released in summer 2014 Reflets d’Été de CHANEL, and the concept of this shimmering collection is as following:

"It’s a season of colour creativity. The shades of summer add a playful stroke to your beauty ritual, with vibrantly versatile options from Glossimer and Le Vernis Nail Colour. Coordinate shades of gloss and polish to accentuate a bronzed-skin look, or contrast lips, tips and lashes with a bright, shimmery eye for a sweet colour clash.”

My Eastern-north Asians skin tone is never bronzed look, but Sweet Lilac #615 is representing the sunny weather, which is a good reminder during Finnish dark wintertime.