March 2012 is Marni time!

 Just on the heels of the Versace for H&M launch this month, the Swedish company has announced their next collaboration: Marni! I'd say return your H&M Versace purchases and wait for this, ladies! This is most exciting since (thanks to my dear friend Katya's influence), I love Marni. It's just hard to get, hard to find, and hard to afford.

 Consuelo Castiglioni, the designer for the Italian label, will be bringing Marni's eclectic, unique prints and hip colours to only 260 H&M stores worldwide. Yes, we Albertans are probably out of luck, but this is one collection I will need someone in Toronto to pick up for me. I better start butt kissing now. :) Worse comes to worse, they announced items will also be available online.

 Now the more reason for spring to come faster.. I'm loving the green outfit from the video promo already! March 8 2012 is when the collection will be released...

Article I'd like to share

Garance Dore's beautiful photograph of her H Kelly from her blog: www.garancedore.fr

I've already told you Garance Dore's blog is one of my favorites to read. She wrote this entry a week ago and her quest somewhat reminded me of my own Hermes Kelly dream. (In case you forgot, I did write about it here). She brought home her Kelly in Rouge Garance (yes, as in her name thus it was meant to be) and she found it at an Hermes reseller boutique in Paris, 3 Marches. Here's an excerpt from her post:

"...It was my gift to myself. It’s my own private souvenir. No one can take that away from me.

It’s my first little craziness as an adult woman. A “real” woman. It’s bright, maybe a little too shiny, like a Ferrari, but it marks a moment in my life. It reminds me of the first car that my mom bought for herself after a professional success, a car that really made quite the vrooooom and went super fast and made her cheeks go all rosy (yeah, after getting very close to three accidents, she had to give the super fast car back and get the normal one, but there’s no chance of that happening with my Kelly. I’ve never had much of a need for speed.).

You know what? I actually don’t wear my Kelly much. But I always do keep it in my eyesight. And as time goes on, I just find it more and more beautiful.

I’m happy to have given myself the opportunity for a little extravagance at this time in my life. Kind of… Like a tattoo, you know what I mean?

Just as frivolous as it is essential."

For my fellow kindred souls who have made "that special" purchase for themselves sometime in their life, I highly encourage reading Garance's whole article. It's translated from French, that's what makes some of the wording awkwardly cute. I know I've made many purchases. Each quest is enriching and I find her whimsical narrative resonates with my passion to find these objects of my obsessions.

P.S. My very own Kelly will be coming early in the new year.. a specialty Kelly Flat in a beautiful salmon colour. Cant wait...  ;)

What I am reading now

On those lazy Sunday afternoons, my husband and I have a tradition that we keep. We go to Chapters, grab a hot beverage (Grande soy no water Tazo Chai for me; Grande Cappucino for him) and we read magazines. He would grab the snowboarding, biking, and car publications. I grab a stack which would include the following:

- Latest US or UK Vogue
- L'Officiel or Harpers Bazaar or Vanity Fair
- Plaza Magazine or W, depending on availability
- the weekly tabloids *preferably US Weekly and Life & Style over Star or In Touch since they identify street wear and red carpet labels much more accurately than the latter two (usually)
- A book or two from the Fashion  & Lifestyle section- It seems everybody has written a style guide but I don't think they realise how redundant most of them are.

For the most part, what I read in these publications is what keeps me inspired when it comes to fashion. When I come across something good, I get butterflies- whether its a biography of an exciting up and coming designer or a stylish travelogue. Of course, looking into the life of the privileged folks is a momentary escape but a good one none the less. I can't say I can relate to the the socialite-type 'It" people who speak of their childhood trips to Sardinia or growing up with a mother or grandmother with closets full of YSL and Chanel. Must be nice for them, but honestly I wouldn't trade my memories of clown-carring family summer vacations for anything. Sorry, got off topic there. Back to fashion mags...

Normally I allow myself only 1-2 magazine purchases per month. This week I brought home Vogue's Special Edition "Best Dressed" Issue. It's well worth the $10.99. The spreads with the sister pairings (ie Olsens, Fannings, Clarins, Gainsbourg/Dillon etc) are lovely and the articles are reference-worthy, including a recap of Coco Chanel's biography. The service guide in the back isn't so useful for Canadians but so far I'm enjoy my day-end commuter read.

www.vogue.com

Funny way to boost the economy



Photo: peoplestylewatch.com

Leave it to Karl Lagerfeld to supply his economic stimulus plan. He told WWD:

"I think they should make a tax so that when you earn a certain amount of money, you have to spend a certain amount on shopping. To buy whatever … And that way, we create tons of jobs. I think it’s a good idea. What I hate is people with a lot of money who don’t spend it."

I'd diggin' the idea... :)

Behind the seams: The Row

 I have such a soft spot for MKA Olsen & The Row... Here's a great Net-A-Porter TV exclusive:

New shoe line discovery



www.puralopez.com

Some small boutiques will bring in some obscure Spanish or Scandinavian shoe brands and sometimes I hesitate to warm up to the products unless they are truly outstanding. Saying that, I did come across Pura Lopez shoes from Spain and I'm really liking the edginess of her footwear. Some of the boots meets my (new) minimum 5" heel criteria, the quality looks sound, and the price point is good. If you are looking for something that falls in that mid-range pricing ($200-$600 akin to Stuart Weitzman, L'Autre Chose, Modern Vintage, House of Harlow, etc)  then I suggest checking this brand out. Apparently, PL has been featured in Spanish Vogue and the designer has made custom shoes for Penelope Cruz in her movies. It's nice to keep an ear to the ground while looking good standing on it... just saying!

Grey-purple boots, exclusively at www.enprivado.ca

Rachel Zoe Project - My Guilty Pleasure

RZ and baby Skylar Morrison Berman
From www.bravotv.com

As much as I find Rachel Zoe's self-absorption a bit annoying... I am guilty (as a person with no cable television) for watching only one show and that is her Rachel Zoe Project. Despite the catty drama, the obvious superficiality of inter-industry relations, the cosmetic fillers and botox, and the near 40 yr old talking like a Valley-girl, and those Zoe-ism. (ie I just die! Thats just ba-na-nas! and Its soo maj-as in major)... she still has my dream job and I enjoy most of her wardrobe. And for this season, she is more tolerable since becoming a mother and she has a kick ass home. I just love the scenes that take place there. Besides, what else is there to do on my long bus commute home but watch it on my iPhone? This season finale and all its sentiments had me tear up a bit:

So kudos to RZ for finding more and more success in most recent years. I'm reluctantly also liking her shoe line... oh no!

Winter wonderland wear

Moncler S Suika Coat, available at the Moncler online store

Oddly enough there still isn't any snow in Edmonton yet, but I may break down and get a real winter coat this year. For years I swore I'd wear snow jackets only on the ski hills. Yes, the years of donning 4-5 layers may come to an end as its harder and harder to get out the door in time to leave for work every morning.  If I am to get a *sniff sniff* puffer coat, I hope to make it a nice one. Of course, I've tried on many coats from many brands that I can find around here: Burberry, ADD, Mackage, MaxMara, Kenneth Cole, DKNY, etc.. but the winner I found for fit and for that certain je ne sais quoi was Moncler! I especially love the Moncler S Collection, which is created by Japanese designer Chitose Abe of Sacai. (Do you think Iron Chef Sacai is from there, too? :)

I've featured my favorite one below but you can check out the other futuristic and feminine coats at Moncler. Just a heads up though.. some of these sell at near-mortgage prices.

**This note also acts as a wishlist for dear husband since he was asking what I wanted for my birthday and Christmas... it's a long shot but doesn't hurt to wish! :)

Moncler S Sarina coat, at Moncler
(Sold out in my size world-wide except for one boutique in Italy!)

Photo: www.moncler.com