MOSCOW STYLE, THE PACKING LIST

Traveling in style always poses some practical problems as you have to be find a balance between being comfortable, wearing shoes that are made for walking, looking chic and feeling great at the same time, not to mention the luggage restrictions. When the cold suddenly sets in, you start layering, and when my head is covered, I am ready to go! The Russian weather took us by surprise in Moscow as we were prepared for autumn, but met with much colder weather. I always travel with a blazer to fix things up, and being smitten with denim and culottes, I found the perfect match to meet all the requirements for traveling in style. Blazers are timeless, and the weight of this Brocade jacket the perfect travel companion as it gives you a few options to style it in different ways. My boots were made for walking, the tights kept the blaze at bay, and the blazer could take me anywhere. If it was any warmer, I would have draped the blazer across my shoulders sporting the micro trend. A cross body satchel keeps your hands free (for shopping of course) allowing you to take a brisk walk, swinging the arms along to contribute towards burning up some calories after the morning's indulgence in our fabulous hotel's sumptuous spread, the Royal Aurora Marriott, smack in the middle of all the designer stores on Petrovka Street. With Dior on our doorstep, Chanel next door, Gucci across the street, and Burberry decorating the next corner, I had to look the part.... My Astrakhan hat was a very cute discovery in a fur shop hidden away in a small street completely off the beaten track. Keep your eyes open for these little gems when exploring a city! Packing list: Breton Top, Equestrian Scarf, Brocade Blazer, Denim Culottes, Printed Tights, Snake Print Ankle Boots, and Cross body satchel.

Blazer - Belle Epoque

Denim Culottes - Country Road

Tights - Department Store

Fur Hat - unknown store, Moscow

Ankle Boots - Solsana, available at www.superbalist.com

Satchel - Gucci Disco Bag

 

MBFWJ16

Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Johannesburg rocked the city with a bumper filled event showcasing designers from the entire continent. Our very own Tasleem Bulbulia from Bulbuliathreads had the audience in awe with her breathtakingly beautiful designs in vibrant colours announcing the arrival of spring. Her collection displayed bright colours in multiple floral prints, ranging from floor skimming tunics to wide skirts and soft flowing dresses with cropped bombers with an edge.

 

 

 

 

 

 

POP UP OF NOTE

When a pop up of this nature springs up, you don't decline the invitation, as the location alone is well worth travelling a long distance for.  Although slightly of the beaten track, the Atlantic Tintswalo Lodge graciously sits on the slopes of Chapmans Peak Drive, Hout Bay. The venue hosted a number of South African designers including two of my favourites, Anneen Henze and Tamara Cherie. Tamara renders fabulously classic garments in heavy tweeds and wool, whilst Anneen's collections lean more towards a more relaxed style with comfort as key. I was awestruck by the beauty of Coast & Koi's beautiful handcrafted pumps and shoes, each representing a work of art. Pop up stores are such a novel idea, and always attracts a lot of interest, especially when it's hosted by the likes of these noteworthy designers. The event kicked of at noon, allowing guests to languish in the beauty of Hout Bay, and perhaps having lunch on the deck overlooking Hout Bay.  If you needed rest, you could kick back your heels and  succumb to the skilled hands of the beautician performing skin analysis and threading of the eyebrows, leaving you all refreshed with eyebrows well defined,  framing your face. The rest speaks for itself. Immerse yourself into the beauty of these hand made slippers, fit for Cinderella. 

 Style with a view, Collection by Tamara Cherie.

 My kingdom for this cape by Anneen Henze

 Beauty products by Dr Hauschka

 

www.coastandkoi.com

www.tamaracherie.com

Anneen Henzecollection on Instagram

www.tintswalo.com

 

LOCAL STARDOM

Another rising star and South African designer to reckon with,is Tamara Cherie Dyson, a designer who received the accolades of Elle's rising star award 2015. Her designs personifies elegance, and portrays classic lines and designs, certainly of timeless value. Her collections are contemporary and understated yet profound. The fabric exudes luxury. She targets the luxury women's wear market, and aptly named her first collection "geometrics".

 

The looks are very polished, and represents something with a more lasting quality. I am delighted to share these pictures with you.

 

 

 

www.tamaracherie.com

 

FROM HIGH STREET TO RUNWAY

When H&M sets out to do something great, they do so with conviction. Although perceived to be a supplier of fast fashion, and often criticized for this phenomenon that means literally changing the rails every other day, they commit to some serious causes when they decide to contribute to sustainable fashion.  Not only did they launch a unique program which allowed the consumer a discount for every bag of clothes brought into the store, but they also re-distributed or recycled these "trade ins", extending the life of clothes and reducing their carbon footprint at the same time. When sustainable fashion becomes the criteria it raises a brand's reputation and makes it all the more attractive to shop their conscious  and studio collections. Many veterans behind the high end fashion brands  frowned upon it when H & M entered the likes of Paris Fashion Week a few years ago, yet left them in awe with their striking collections. When considering the quality and sustainability of these particular and more upmarket lines, one can shop this brand without a guilty conscience as you will be shopping for a good cause and buy garments where value meets price. Their collaborations with well known brands are well received and if my ears are not misleading me, they will be  launching a collection by Kenzo soon....

I bought some  studio collection items abroad long before H & M came to South Africa, and can proudly say that they were made to last, of good quality fabric, and rather timeless. Lets take  a peek of what was displayed on the runway at Paris Fashion Week this year, with the entire studio collection due for worldwide launch in September! That pinstripe suit already has my name on it.....