New shop. Bags and more bags.

I've been working on making leather bags and launching a new etsy shop. Making bags are slow going, but I'm enjoying the process very much. All leather and some of hardwares making the bag comes from disused leather jackets or bags. Hopefully I will be posting some of the processes soon. These are samples my latest project.

Bags Galore

I have a weak spot for particular style from 1980s. Preppy envelope style bags and clutches from YSL and Valentino are so elegant. Although ubiquitous 80s fashion trends weren't exactly subtle, i.e. shoulder pads, neon colors, bright eye shadows, there were some killer bags exemplified timeless classic lines. I recently acquired a YSL bag and I adore the quality and the style of this bag. It's on sale in my shop, but I am attempt to add it to my personal collection. It's rare to find Valentino or Yves Saint Laurent bags from 80s in such a great condition, partially because it never leaves original owner's closet. Brown Valentino purse was sold soon after it was put on sale, but maybe YSL bag will end up in my closet...

Hyper Florals

Spring/summer 2011 Erdem collection is like visiting a city hothouse full of exotic and colorful flowers. Hyper colored beauties mixed in with lace and impeccably tailored flirty dresses.

Paired with some pieces from my Etsy vintage shop, some flowery ideas for your spring wardrobe.

One Warm Lo----ng Scarf

I hope for spring, but it's still chilly here in NY. I am putting away the thickest of the winter coat, and wearing lighter coat or a jacket. A soft and warm scarf with generous length can provide extra warmth in this tempermental weather. Go with classic black/grey or add a splash of much needed color!

Here are some cozy ideas...

3 Women, 1977

Fashion is alot like movies. It tells a story and creates certain atmosphere. Late great director, Robert Altman's enigmatic movie "3 Women(1977)" is not only a gorgeous to look at, but it transports viewers to a dreamlike world where a "normal" lives of characters is far from normal. Shelley Duvall never looked so ethereal and lovely. With her meticulously coiffed hair, painted face, carefully decorated apartment and fluttery dresses, Duvall poignantly portrays young woman in desperate search for an identity more glamourous than her reality. Definately a movie for late 70s fashion lovers and Shelley Duvall fans.

Blacks and grey, structured.

Spring's just round the corner(I hope!), and there's much temptation to bring out my muted jewel tone prints and jade green spring colors. But sunny days don't mean spring temperature. So I rounded up more seasonably sensible coats and jackets in blacks, greys and whites. Love Dries van Noten drapey jacket, Chanel structured jacket and others pretties from streets.

Prints, wrangled.

Some prints can be tamed to behave and play nice with others, or not. Here are some of my favorites.

Paper Dolls

So cute! I'm always amazed by the ingenuity of people on etsy. This morning I got a sweet surprise from Catrin in Berlin. She put together this paper doll page on Germany Etsy blog page with the denim shorts in my shop & she emailed me to let me know. It made remember how I LOVED to play with my paper dolls. Maybe that's where my passion for dressing up started? Thank you Catrin for such a great looking page. You can see more here:

http://www.etsy.de/blog/etsy-finds-zieh-mich-an

Pretty ideas for Spring

I recently got appreciation pic from a fashion blogger who bought some item from my etsy shop. I love how she put the outfit together. So here are the pics. Nude colored dress with lace details and the olive green/mustard cutout jackets were from Seesongshop.

RIP Alexander McQueen

http://www.alexandermcqueen.com/int/en/corporate/archive2010_ss_womensp.aspx
A few months ago as I watched McQueen's S/S 2010 collection show on TV with a friend, I remember having a particular conversation . As usual show was theaterical. But there was something different about this show, I noticed it, and my friend who was with me voiced his opinion. He thought there was something almost too perfect, "dangerously perfect", and transcendental about the presentation and the garment themselves. I, for one am a believer in "seriousness" of wearer, but "effortlessness" of garment. I wasn't sure if I agreed with or liked the notion that his collection seems to do with philosohical reflections than "the image" of the life style a piece of garment can offer.
His collection was beautiful and grotsque at the same time. But without his usual shock factor. The silhouette of the dress seem to spill out entrails, as if you turned your dissecting tray upside down with a dead specie still pinned on the tray. There is no blood nor gore, but only formaldehyde soaked guts spread out for all to see. His garments looked so of other world, where death is neatly contained, without any sentimentality, fear, but in its tangiable, concrete metaphors. Even the cameras on the stage seemed reference the mechanical eyes devoide of life. I still don't know if I like or dislike McQueen's creations. But ultimately his works, for anyone who's interested in fashion, is not about "like" or "dislike", and THAT is what makes his work so special. RIP Mr. McQueen...

Cosplay at Akihabara

On January 3, I was on a commuter train heading to Sugamo section of Tokyo, but happened to see some event happening on a plaza in Akihabara section. I decided to get off the train to see what was going on. It turned out to be a big cosplay convention that spilled out to the outdoor plaza from adjacent tech skyscrapper. There were young girls and boys in their teens and early twenties dress up like their favorite anime characters. And there were middle aged men feverishly taking their pictures. My companion tells me that the photographers are probably both professionals(press from some magazine covering the convention) and amatuers(hobbists who collects cosplay youth photos). I notice cute girls in Lolita dresses surrounded by two or three photographers. I see boys in full make up and French maid outfits. Admission fee is required to enter the convention and to take photos, but I sneak some snap shots. I was more facinated by the interaction between posing cosplayers and the photographers than the cosplayers.