Trends Post : SNEAKERS IN GOLD

 By: Unknown    22:52  No comments

Remember those days when the idea of what we call 'yellow gold' fell out of favour?  When not only was this precious metal discarded from the realm of fashion but even as a colour, it was almost frowned upon. It's been a while now since fashion reasoning turned full circle and re-embraced this old friend but occasionally I still get comments like "but isn't gold too loud and out of fashion now?". I love gold, maybe because let's face it I tend to like eclectic, fun, fashion and gold has all of that or maybe because it reminds me of the reverence with which I held jewellery as a child.. who knows..either way, I do have a particular fondness for it.


This brings me to the point of my post and it's all about these gold sneakers I just set my eyes on at MAX&Co. this morning. I've known they were on their way to the island for a while, as their brand ambassador I got a sneak peek look at the catalogs but photos don't actually do these beauties justice. As you must know, I've been stating for a while now that SNEAKERS are THE SHOE of the season but these shoes - these are not just normal sneakers, these are leather, luxe, comfortable, shiny beauties.

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Beauty Post : LABELM LEAVE-IN CONDITIONER

 By: Unknown    05:46  No comments

Anyone who has curly hair knows that frizz is our worst nightmare. Frizz seems to happen due to a number of factors - dry hair, wind, humid weather, products not working well ..but for me the biggest factor is always the dryness. My hair is the opposite of oily..it seems to have absolutely no ability to form any oil whatsoever.

There was a time when I spent quite some time reading up on curly hair and curly hair products and one thing I had read was to leave conditioner in your  hair i.e not rinse it out - they weren't talking about leave in conditioner, just normal conditioner you use when you wash your hair after shampooing. I tried this many times and to be honest it works very well but then a hairdresser once pointed out that it was probably damaging my hair and causing product buildup leading to an inability for my hair to grow properly (in fact my hair was splitting). 

I moved on to leave in conditioners but they just never seemed to provide enough conditioning, hair still seemed dry, frizz still appeared. LABELM UK recently suggested to me at LFW that I try their leave in conditioner and I have to say it's great. I got it from LABELM Malta when I got back. It's not sticky but at the same time does the job ..it even seems to somehow hold the curl. I used it when I snapped that photo above (I did use other styling products that I normally use (specifically Bumble and Bumble hair creme and John Frieda Dream curls on that day) but it was a really windy day and whilst normally the curls would have dried out in all that wind ..they didn't - yipeee !

Method of Application - just worked into hair after shampooing and conditioning and then continued styling as normal.

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Outfit Post : Playing in the Waves in Riccione

 By: Unknown    13:57  No comments

With all the London Fashion Week related posts Riccione seems like a million years away but right before going off to London I travelled to Riccione with Ferragiu to work backstage at the New Model Today competition, you can read more about that here. The morning of the event, the hubby and I decided to go for a walk on the beach, the weather was warm but a little breezy at certain times of day so I carried around a big scarf for when I felt chilly. I got tempted to dip my feet in the seas but ran away at the impending heart attack - cooooold.

Outfit Details : Top, Shorts : New Look (old) / Scarf : Coccinelle A/W 14 / Sungalasses : Chanel at Solaris Malta / Bag : Florence Artisan / Ring : Kenzo

Shopping Ideas

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Events Post : ARK Skincare Inside Out Beauty Event

 By: Unknown    04:45  No comments

Whilst in London I was invited I was delighted to the Grace Belgravia at Knights bridge for an event with ARK Skincare and the Elixir Clinic. The Elixir Clinic specialises in vitamin infusions -

"An Intravenous Vitamin Infusion is the administration of nutrients by intravenous delivery. The drips have been designed to deliver the optimum balance of these nutrients and vitamins directly to your body, bypassing the gastrointestinal system and not only is absorption 100%, but rather than being superficial, it is more effective for long term well-being."

They offer different treatments -  detoxing,  hair regrowth, youth regeneration, for fatigue etc. The Elixir Clinic was something completely new to me, whilst I've of course read about high end beauty treatments that celebrities and the like undergo..I had never really read up on injection and intravenous drip method treatments. The Elixir Clinic can be found at the Grace Belgravia which btw is a beautiful luxurious spa / club which is really worth checking out. They were also giving free manicures on the night which my friend Michelle gladly partook of.

ARK skincare are mainly focused on being age aware, they don't believe in skin types which traditionally has been the general way for determining which skincare to use. They believe that shifts occur in our skin and hormone levels between late 20s to early 30s and again at late 50s to early 60s. 

After researching the company online, I realised there's actually a fair amount of hype surrounding this brand - they've been doing very well with two of their products the - Regenerating Skin Defence and the Anti-Ageing Skin Protector, these have both won awards in the last year. I was very happy that they gave us these products to try out so I 'll be able to review them. Actually I've already started using them and I love the quality and consistency, my skin feels super smooth after applying them.

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NEWS : Mrs Muscat meets Mrs Obama & Her Outfit

 By: Unknown    07:41  No comments

Photo from MaltaToday FB Page

If you recall, last year I reported that Mrs Michelle Muscat traveled to America to meet Mrs. Michelle Obama. You can read that post here. This year she's traveled to the states again, first of all to attend the summit of Fashion For Development, I'm not sure whether this is going to affect the Maltese fashion industry in any way but I'm hoping it will ..you can read up about the project here - it looks very interesting. I like the dress she's wearing (pic below), have no idea who it's by but the colour and shape are right up my alley..anyone who knows who the designer is let me know.

Anyway, the point is that she met the American First Lady again and she did it once again wearing Charles and Ron (topmost pic above). As usual I've already seen both negative and positive comments on social media as to whether they like the dress or not but I think this is all just besides the point Some people might like one dress more, some another - fashion is after all a subjective art. What I care about ,is that she's chosen to wear a Maltese designer rather than a foreign one and although I'm not with her there, I'm sure she's been asked who the designer is and I'm sure that even if some people disliked the dress, there are many others who like it and those will remember the name Charles and Ron.

My opinion regarding the dress is - I like it, maybe it could have been a tad bit shorter but then again the angle of the photograph is making her appear shorter so that could be why it seems a bit long. I love the net covering, I think its a super stylish way to cover up your shoulders and I'm guessing this might have been a requirement for her. The colour black slims her figure and looks elegant, and the orange colour pops against the black. Charles and Ron had this dress custom made for her. I saw a comment about Mrs Michelle Obama looking younger with her arms exposed - I do want to point out here that Mrs Michelle Obama is notorious for having one of the most toned bodies in the American public limelight..to be honest I don't know if Mrs Michelle Muscat's are toned or not and if she covered them up for this reason, but I think few women's arms look like Michelle Obama's past a certain age, I think I would cover up mine standing next to her.

Now I can't write this post without mentioning her very recent appearance, also in a Charles and Ron dress to greet Prince William - this dress I absolutely adored, first off I love this pattern, have done so since I first saw it at Malta Fashion Week 2014, secondly, I love the way they tailored it to her body. I like it miles better than the orange outfit she wore at the Mass the next day, that I felt aged her slightly.

So now it's your turn.. I want to know whether you like the dress or not ?

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Events Post : LFW : Hakaan Yildirim SS15

 By: Unknown    01:59  No comments

The last on schedule show at London Fashion Week and the last show I watched before catching a plane back home was H by Hakaan Yildirim. It was a great way to end the week for a number of reasons, first off I love the Somerset catwalk, big, white, the attention is completely on the models and their outfits at all times and I got to sit on the front row again which meant I had a perfect view of everything. The first pic and the next set are mine..the subsequent better ones are the official press ones by getty images.

Hakaan's inspiration for his SS15 collection was - 

"the releationship between human beings. The relation between humans and nature in general"

His collection featured an explosion of colour  - yellow, green, red orange, black and white. If looking at these pictures, reminds you of bees, don't be alarmed, bees were actually one of Hakaan's main inspiration for this collection and in particular the structured shapes of some of the pieces. The pieces also featured details such as embroidery, beading, handmade lace. I loved the collection, it was interesting and original, and the unique accessories really enhanced the look - LOVEE the sunvisor.

Getty Images for IMG Fashion

Watch the show

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Interview Post : Adalia Bonanno Headpiece Artist

 By: Unknown    08:06  No comments

Ladies and gents there's a new Artisan IN TOWN. Meet Adalia Bonnanno - headpiece artist - who has been working away quietly, out of the limelight but has managed to build up quite a reputation and client list. Her hats were recently selected to form part of the new Maltese luxury brand Ferragiu which was launched in Riccione earlier this month and she was also just given the opportunity to create a headpiece for Kate Middleton herself, to be presented to her during her planned visit to Malta last week.

Adalia started out within the fashion industry as a catwalk model, she modelled in various fashion shows over the years and has always had a love for fashion. Although I knew about her work, I saw her first hat with my own eyes in Riccione modelled by Claire Ciantar. The hat is really well made and very beautiful. 

As those of you who check in here regularly would know, I happen to lurveeee headpieces and hats, I do, I do, I do... soooooo I decided to meet up with Adalia and ask her a couple of questions

How did you first begin ?

It all happened in 2008, at this particular photo shoot for a calendar; the dress the setting, everything seemed like it was not quite enough and I had suggested creating a striking headpiece for the model to wear..and my love for this art evolved from that moment on. However, well and truly, it was only at the beginning of 2014 that I decided to actually take it more seriously and focus more on bespoke headpieces for special occasions such as weddings, holy communions and Fashion events.

Where did you learn ?

I'm actually mainly self thought but I've also enrolled in various online Milliner Academics and even travelled abroad for interactive tutorials; Malta unfortunately does not as yet have any kind of Millinery training. I have a lot of love for fabric manipulation and new innovative techniques and I love working with a variety of different materials and tools. Also, every time I travel I make sure to visit Milliners' studios and hat shops to check out any new interesting techniques they might be using.

What's the process like ?
Once I get the materials, trimmings and fabric in hand, I immediately become inspired and spend hours in my workshop until I am happy with the result. I am a perfectionist, so attention to detail is essential.

So..on to the juicy bit.. this gift for Kate Middleton - tell us something more

I created a bespoke headpiece as a gift to her Royal Highness, Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, on the occasion of the 50th Anniversary of Malta's Independence which was meant to be her first visit to Malta. This was ultimately given directly to the Royal staff during Prince William's visit who took his wife's place at the very last minute. It was suggested that the piece should be Malta-themed in some way so I chose white and ivory and added a touch of red to complement them.

It took weeks of research and designing, hand crafting and assembling the handmade pieces together. It displays 50 pieces of small, handmade Sinamay flowers with petite Swarovski beads on top of a blocked straw pillboxed shaped base. The hat box was also fully custom made with specially selected fabric and calculated dimensions.

It would be a great honour if she had to wear this creation of mine, who knows... maybe one day she actually will. :)

Any Future Projects

Besides the regularly commissioned pieces, I will also be working on my new collection to be launched beginning of next year which will include one-off compelling statement headpieces, exquisitely crafted and encapsulating current fashion trends.

You can contact Adalia on info@adaliabonanno.com  or +356 79701012

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Events Post : LFW : Jean Piere Braganza SS15

 By: Unknown    01:41  No comments

Probably the most packed show I attended in London was Jean Pierre Braganza - the amount of people who walked in was astonishing, I think every single person who received an invite came. From the pictures I guess it isn't hard to understand why (btw these are the official images their PR sent over, with all those people there and a 101 photographers clicking their flash simultaneously there was no way I was going to get a decent shot.) - his clothes are both astonishingly creative and astonishingly beautiful and elegant. 

The collection is titled Architectonic and he describes it as “a contemplation of Deroit’s unique decay” - black was the predominant colour but with lots of white, taupe and grey. He presents this collection as a time and place where machines and nature can coexist peacefully. There are lots of machinery references with motorcycles printed on the silk fabrics and hints of chrome and gunmetal on the black satin fabric. The pieces are fierce and sharp, simultaneously giving off a sensual and androgynous feeling. The pieces feature very sharp contrasting tailoring, there are angular designs but at the same time the pieces curve in at the waist and show off hints off flesh making them seem daring, even a casually styled jumpsuit gives off a  sensual vibe. 

I also loved the hair look by Toni & Guy that was slightly tousled but still sleek - I read on Glamour that apparently Jean-Pierre Braganza wanted the models' hair to look like they'd had sex on a Harley Davidson bike. The makeup by MAC also complimented the look perfectly.

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Events Post : JIMMY CHOO in MALTA at SARTO

 By: Unknown    02:16  No comments

YES - it's TRUE, you've heard right - JIMMY CHOO is now available in Malta and yes of course you can just drop in and see..it's open to all ..just pop by SARTO (which is right next door to Hugo Boss opposite the infamous St Julians/Paceville 'park'). I've spent the last few days answering these questions, so I thought it's high time I wrote this post and gave you all the info. Of course it's not an official Jimmy Choo store but it's even better because whilst checking out the shoes you can also pop by the Dolce and Gabbana section and lust over those breathtakingly beautiful clothes.

I remember a time when there were practically no designer brands available to buy in Malta and most luxury online stores had never heard of Malta let alone delivered to us. This meant your only option was to buy whilst travelling which of course was easier for some people than others.  In the last few years the situation has changed - SARTO houses Dolce and Gabbana, Jimmy Choo , Giuseppe Zanotti, Burberry and others under its roof and for this we have Michelle and her hard working team to thank. Whatever you might think about designer prices, it is important for any industry to have available to its consumers both high end and low end products and these people have managed to be one of the key shops that are filling that upper bracket for our island. 

I also wish to pint out that NO the prices are not more expensive than abroad, which is something people seem to keep insisting on about all local shops and another very important thing is that SARTO also has two annual sales, In fact at the moment, you can find some Dolce and Gabbana items on sale, I've actually spent the last few days thinking about a pair of shoes they have at 50% off in my size, I've been trying really hard to convince myself I don't need them but I'm not sure it's working.

photography: Yentl Spiteri 

The launch party was lovely, lots of delicious sweets by Zest, flowing Martini to drink and lots of people to catch up with ..whilst of course lusting after the shoes. I also absolutely love the Marie Antoinette-inspired visual styling displays.

This event came one day after my trip back from London and 48 hours of no sleep so I was a little tired but I couldn't miss the CHOOs and of course I had to wear a pair of Jimmy's for the occasion right? My top is also a sequinned one which kind of gets a bit lost in the photos.

 BTW You might have kind of noticed that I'm kind of into this one earring trend, as I think I've had in about 2/3 of my most recent outfit posts- at least I get to wear all those pairs of which I've lost one.

Outfit Details : Striped Sequin Top : Zara / Shoes : Jimmy Choo / Jeans : Jennyfer / Bag : Coccinelle : Earring : Perfetta D'Empaire

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Outfit Post : Diaries of the Last Day at LFW

 By: Unknown    00:54  No comments

The last day at London Fashion Week was a bitter sweet day. I was tired, very very tired so in a way I think a part of me was glad it was the last day. I also knew that after two days of being back in Malta I was going to miss all of this like crazy. It was also one of the best days of the whole five - it started out a bit crappy, I missed my first show - the only show at London Fashion Week that must have started on time..I arrived ten minutes late and found people already exiting..

All that followed was great though, I attended a LFW talk regarding creativity and commercialism, very distinguished panel of speakers and very interseting. I then attended the wonderful Isabel Garcia show which was amazing, the Tata Naka presentation at the Royal Academy, George Styler - so cool and the last show of all the week Hakaan Yildirim. (Individual posts on all these shows to follow sometime this week)

For the outfit story - the weather was odd the whole time I was in London, it kept switching from hot to cold and the last day started out seemingly cold but then got really really hot. I wore a jumper initially which infact got quickly removed and stored away for the evening.

The last set of photos I took inside the Catwalk Space and outside Somerset House

This outfit had a few firsts - first of all, I got to wear this beautiful tie by a company called BIBSAB, they approached me recently and sent me three of these wonderful handmade exquisite creations. The word "BIBI" means "esteemed lady" in Arabic and "Sab" is Sabah's nickname. The ties looked beautiful online but when I opened the packaging and saw them with my own eyes, I was really impressed, the quality is top notch - Swarovski crystals, hand-embroidered sequins..I literally spent the whole day telling everyone where I got my tie from.

My skirt was also a first - a purchase from my recent trip to Riccione, it is by Fausto Puglisi who I absolutely adore for managing to combine eclectic style and fashion so wonderfully. My sweater I picked up in Florence from Dixie last March and it has since been too hot to wear in Malta. My earrings were an impulse buy the night before from H&M and soo many people complimented them that I feel they deserve a special mention..

After leaving Somerset and saying my final goodbye, I made my way to one of the highlights of the week - the FashionMonitor Beauty Lounge afterparty at the Mayfair Hotel in the Schiapparelli Suite. Now first of all this suite is all PINK and gorgeous with the largest pink bed on earth but there were also complimentary hair treatments by Nicky Clarke himself (check out his photo below), foot massages (sidenote: those are Compeed blister plasters on my foot which were a lifesaver, the masseur commented on how every girl whose feet she has massaged was wearing them lol), facials, makeup by Bare Minerals (my makeup look below), chocolate, fish and chips, frozen yoghurt, flowing prosecco and great DJs. 

It was a really great party but my night actually continued with a visit to a great bar called Sketch (which honestly has the coolest bathrooms I've ever seen - space pods) to finally catch up with friends who live in London...The interesting part about all of this is that I was being picked up by the taxi to get to the airport at 3 am and I hadn't yet packed and I was working the next day...it was a looong 48 hrs basically.

Outfit Details : Skirt  : Fausto Puglisi / Shirt : ASOS / Tie : BIBISAB / Sweater : Dixie / Earrings : H&M / Shoes : Zara

P.S. For those wondering who I survived the day in heels - I didn't ..it's common practice apparently in London for people to carry a flat pair of shoes and change into them when needing to walk some distance..I decided to comply with this behaviour.

Get This Style

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Events Post : LFW : Teatum Jones SS15

 By: Unknown    13:13  No comments

I have been a fan of Teatum Jones for a while now, with every season the duo's collections get better and better their craft seems to get more honed. When the invite to the show arrived I danced a little gig of joy. On the day of the show though I have to admit, I complained a bit - well the ticket said 2 mins away from Somerset House which is true, if, a you are a Londoner and know where you're going, b you're wearing ultra-comfortable shoes and can run rather than walk. Anyway.. I digress.

I arrived a bit late and in a bit of a panic that I'd missed the show but true to LFW fashion it started a little late so all was good with the world. I got quite a surprise when the show began - two gospel choirs walked out on stage and started to sing and wow - that was incredible music, beautiful vocals and beautiful energy, the room really came alive. The choir continued to sing all throughout the show, as the models walked across the room, the two elements matched in perfect harmony - the effect was a wonderful, memorable performance. The collection was inspired by Nina Simone the American singer renowned for her Jazz music and the choir sang a remix of her music.

The clothes needless to say are mesmerising - interesting cuts, cowl necks inspired by Nina Simone's methodist background, exaggerated shapes especially in the shoulders, Swarovski sequins and beautiful silhouettes that enhance the female curves. There were also some more wearable clothes including the shirts the brand is famous for.

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Events Post : LFW : Paul Costelloe SS15

 By: Unknown    05:47  No comments

One of my favourite shows at London Fashion week was without a doubt Paul Costelloe. The Dublin Born designer returned to the catwalks after 12 months with a wonderful collection titled "Angel in the Fields". Paul Costelloe is renowned for having dressed the late Princess Diana and Kate Middleton The show followed by a presentation, was held at Simpson’s-in-the-Strand which is a wonderful place and the mood was relaxed and casual and *fan moment* I got to meet the designer himself and he told me he loved my outfit *die of excitement*.

The collection was a very refreshing break from the more androgynous fashion prevalent across fashion nowadays. Although I do like the modern boxy more masculine shapes and styles, it's sometimes great to see women looking like a women. There was a obvious nod to the sixties with bee-hive hairstyles, swing style coats and dresses, big buttons , adornments and puffy sleeves. There were some lovely pastel colours and some darker, richer hues always with lovely luxurious jacquard fabrics.

Lovely, pretty and inspiring ...these are beautiful clothes for when you just want to be a lady.

So the men don't feel left out here's some stuff from Paul Costelloe for you to ..to buy ofc :)

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Street Style at London Fashion Week Vol 3

 By: Unknown    01:17  No comments

More of what caught my eye at London Fashion Week - some truly beautiful accessories. Whilst London Fashion Week at heart is a trade event - meaning it's meant to be for press/buyers/stylists only (to this day these are the only people who get accredited and let into the shows and designer showrooms)..over the years, it's also become a chance for fashion-obsessed people to showcase their self-styling around the streets of Somerset House. Whilst it annoyed me that it felt like some people had absolutely no interest at all in the actual event but were there simply for the chance to get spotted, it's also brilliant to people-watch and some people really do come up with super interesting outfits.

In general, the trends for this Autumn/Winter season seem to be - leather (this one seems to be sticking around), fur, pink pastel shades, quirky bags  padded boxy shapes especially for the upper body, interesting jackets are always around and lots of flat shoes. 

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