Do the math

I find myself returnig to one particular look every season and I think this will be my Formula Winter for this year. A knit sweater (skinny, chunky and everything in between), a cool belt and a great pair of jeans. Let the shoes, bag or silk scarf make the statement. I want to be dressed in five minutes and I want to be warm.

The death of artistry?

I picked up the December issue ofVogue Portugal and I was immediatly grabbed by the Editorial note from Paula Mateus, editor-in-chief. She talks about the latest news about the exodus of criative directors Albert Elbaz (Lanvin) and Raf Simmons (Christian Dior).
The motive for these unexpected exits? The fast fast pace of fashion nowadays. This made me think about the fast, fast pace of life in general, wich I'm absolutly feeling in the past six months, but let's return to fashion. What I felt was really ironic was the use of the expression "fast fashion" alongside the name of two of the most revered fashion houses and their respective designers.

Raf Simmons talked about this subject in a recent interview he gave System Magazine, before he anounced his departure from his two year job at Dior. Well, what Raf says is baffling, he talks about the difficult crative timings he has during the season, he says:

 "Tokyo was also done in three weeks. Actually everything is done in three weeks, maximum five. And when I think back to the first couture show for Dior, in July 2012, I was concerned because we only had eight weeks."

If you watched the amazing documentary "Dior and I" then you saw the struggle of developing ideas and concepts for a collection and producing the clothes in a such a tight schedule. Now Raf tell us that those 8 weeks were actually the longest he had to develop his ideas for Dior, we can see how this was a recipe for disaster.

This fast pace burns out criativity, destroyes the potential of these talented designers and it will eventually kill the soul of these fashion houses. We shouldn't strangle the potential of these brilliant minds, give them space, give them time and we'll have magic. This fleeting pace only works for true "fast fashion" brands where, most of the times, numbers surpasse the concern for originality, vision, and artistry. If the historic fashion houses are using the same method as these major fashion distribution groups, that are all about profits, then how can you preserve the artistry? I hope they find a way.

These are a few of my favorite things...

The definitive wishlist for this Christmas and for my Birthday! There seems to be a pink theme but it was totally random.

Dress and shoes    /    Zara

Book   /    Love X Style X Life by Garance Doré

Perfume    /    Valentino Donna

Bag    /    The Classics collection by Bimba Y Lola

Shoes    /    Nike Roshe One Knit Jacquard

Brushes    /    Rose Golen Luxury Set Brushes by Zoeva

Bag    /    Metropolis Caramello from Furla

Palette    /    Ambient Lighting Edit Palette from Hourglass

Hysteria X H&M

There is a reason why you didn't see me talking about this BALMAIN X H&M craziness, I sensed that something like this would happen and the truth is that I'm over these collaborations.

Last year I experienced in first hand how unglamorous and truly pathetic this type of hysteria can be with the ALEXANDER X H&M collection. Let's get something clear, I LOVE BALMAIN and owning their iconic leather jacket is on my fashion bucket list for a long time, so I'm not complaining just because I didn't love this collaboration, I'm just having problems with these launches and the madness around them.

When these luxury brands work with H&M the consumer of fast fashion gets access to a world of glamour, status and exclusivity that is normaly out of their reach so it's understandable that the demand for these items is so massive. The problem arises when the frenzy around these collections gets so uncontrollable that all the glamour goes down the drain in the moment the doors open on launch day. People sleeping on the streets, running like zombies were after them, knocking hangers and pulling clothes, websites crashing and infuriated customers that couldn't get their hands on a single item from the exclusive collection, this is not cool - I repeat - NOT COOL.

If you go trough all of this to buy a dress and a t-shirt, or a pair of heels, where is the status associated with the french house of BALMAIN? I'll tell you, on the floor, just like your dignity. I, for once, value the whole experience of acquiring a special item, it stays with me and I remember it when I wear it. I don't want to remember how I knocked some girl to get the last Small size of that tailored blazer, or how I crawled on the floor to pick up that 400€ dress that fell out of the hanger with the frenzy.

When it comes to luxury it's not just about the design, the qualities of the clothes/accessories, it's about the experience you have from the moment you enter the store to the moment that you leave it with that beautiful bag that you regard as piece of estate.

I loved this collection, it was one of the best so far in terms of quality and design, although there was nothing new just just an adaptation of statements pieces from Rousteings BALMAIN, so you had good return for you money but there are somethings that we shouldn't do for fashion... unless it's Miu Miu then I'm all in.

12/12

BERSHKA

I need this in my life, a reddish faux fur coat is essencial to survive winter night-outs in style.

Is there a "black-rehab" outhere?

Shirts, Knit vest, Boots, Jumpsuit from ZARA

Lipstick - "dark side" from M.A.C

Bronzer from CHANEL

The past couple of weeks my purchases have all been black dark grey. They should send me to the "black-rehab" but I'll problably end up going back to black, get it?

Cover

Harper's Bazaar Spain

November 2015

Aymeline Valade by Thomas Whiteside

I had to buy this month's HB, there is something about this cover I love. She has the most feminine pant suit on but she looks just as tough as if she had on a black leather suit.