D for Dot

Proud Mary Textiles is the kind of brands that gives socially responsible and sustainable fashion a good name. By working with artisans in developing countries, they create gorgeous hand-crafted patterned goods that are produced in an eco-friendly manner. I have to confess – it wasn’t their admirable cause but their beautifully shot campaign pictures that first got my attention (I am shallow like that), but really, so what? The point is, the message has been conveyed, and in a visually pleasing way. This proves beyond a doubt that independent green fashion businesses can be chic and contemporary too.

Well, I did a very bad (or very good, depending on how you see it) thing. I went out and got myself the lovely PS1 Pouch in neon coral. Like all those things that we know are bad for us and we shouldn’t be doing, it felt really good. I’m sure you know exactly what I mean. As I’ve said before, it matches my blog perfectly. And (just one last attempt to justify the buy, I promise), its my birthday month! A little treat for the birthday girl – surely that is not too much to ask?

Okay, fine. I reallyyyyyyyyyy like it, okay? That’s all.

So, Blueprint is right around the corner and I am counting down the days to the Blueprint Emporium that will be taking place from 19 to 20 May. From the look of things on the Blueprint Emporium blog, it is going to be a pretty wicked two days of discovering emerging designers and shopping exclusive seasonal and designer sample sales. What is there not to like?

One of the many things that I will be zooming in on is this Clemence woven rope necklace (SGD185) from accessories designer Jennifer Loiselle. Bold, fun and quirky, it is quite perfect for those days when you feel like standing out a little. Besides, things made of grosgrain ribbons are always just that bit prettier.

Here’s a nice read to start off the week. Slanted Mansion is a website in the style of The Selby, which picks up tales of creatives from across the globe. It caught my attention with its interview of Marek Suchanek, a graphic designer from Prague, Czech Republic. Doesn’t he look uncannily like Johnny Depp (oh, how I love Johnny)? The other surprising thing about this feature is how it proves that there are indeed stylish people in Prague – people who I didn’t know exist because the few times I was in the city, I didn’t see any sign of fashion at all. I guess this shows that there is no such thing as a place that is completely devoid of style; you just have to know where to look.

Considering that the iPhone addiction is affecting more people than ever, with many of us holding on to our iPhones almost all the time, it makes sense to invest in a case that works for you. I know that cutesy phone accessories may not be for everyone, but I am sure Anicase will at least make you go ‘awww’ secretly in you head. Besides, these uniquely molded iPhone covers are “a case for a cause” – 10% of net profits goes to support endangered species. At USD24.99 each, it seems like a small price to pay to help stop these lovable critters from going extinct.

Like all self-respecting women in their 20s, I feel a little embarrassed to be writing about one of Korea’s hottest pretty boys (a pertinent question to ask: is K-Mania unstoppable?), but I can explain this. It started off innocently enough – I was jesting around with a guy friend who has recently started watching a Korean drama series. And before I know it, one thing led to another and I found myself scrolling through pages of Lee Min Ho‘s pictures.

Still, it is not all a waste of time. I chanced upon Trugen, and its secondary line S+ by Trugen, a Korean menswear brand that sort of solve the mystery of why Korean men dress so well. I have always thought that the Koreans are like peacocks; the men are surprisingly more beautifully decked out than the women. Trugen specialises in the classic American style for both formal (e.g. neat, slim-cut suits) and casual (e.g. striped t-shirts and knit cardigans) wear that is enhanced by the Korean man’s bold use of colours.

Unexpectedly, the best part of the Trugen experience for me is the very excellent bilingual blog it keeps. From art to music and styling tips for men, it is so pleasingly curated that I found myself reading through its entire archives. Definitely a site that you should be subscribing to your RSS feed reader right now, regardless of your gender.

Unfortunately, it seems like Trugen is currently only available in Korea (there isn’t even an online store) so the next time you are in Seoul, you should make it one of your must-visit stops.

[Pictures: S+ by Trugen S/S12 campaign]

For me, Burberry Acoustics is the coolest fashion + music collaborative project ever. The beautiful clothes and the lovely acoustic gigs (that may have been planned down to the last detail but still feel so spontaneous) go quite perfectly together. Christopher Bailey really is ridiculously brilliant at creating just the right image for this heritage British brand.

Today, Burberry launched its Summer 2012 eyewear campaign, which features four British bands from the Burberry Acoustics alumni – One Night Only, Life in Film, The Daydream Club and Marika Hackman. In addition to modeling in the campaign portraits, each act will also be recording an exclusive track, to be accompanied by an exclusive music video, for Burberry. Needless to say, the musicians will be donning the brand’s new collection of timeless, unisex aviators that are ultra lightweight and are available in a range of attractive metallic hues.

While only One Night Only’s Long Time Coming can be found on Youtube, all four videos are already available for viewing on Burberry’s website. I have watched them all and every one of them is delighfully good. Don’t believe me? Check them out yourself!

I so totally love the scribblings on these deflated balloons that I read them all. Yup, all 14 pages of them. Stopping mid-way was not an option. Some of these balloon messages are funny, some poignant and some just true. [This is yet another one of those ridiculously simple but brilliant projects that I wish I have thought of first.]

The thing about Russian shoe designer Max Kibardin is that his work reminds me of Christian Louboutin’s. I don’t mean it in a bad way; it is a compliment. Like the famous French shoemaker, Kibardin does the classics admirably well (with enhancing little twists) but can also come up with the most outrageous designs that make one stares and stares. Like this pink, plastic-studded, diamanted one above. I may not want to wear it (more than a tad too loud for me) but it definitely screams fashion. Besides, he has designed shoes specially for Sarah Jessica Parker and Anna Della Russo, so you know he has to be rather good, to put it mildly.

There are a couple of other things you should know about Max Kibardin: he happens to be a hot ex-model who speaks with an incredibly sexy Russian accent. This has nothing to do with his shoes, but I just thought that you may like to know. Saks Fifth Avenue in New York has recently started carrying his eponymous line, so I am sure we will be seeing more of him in the future.

He gave an exclusive interview to State of Style:

There is never any lack of “Fashion for Good” projects going on at any one time, but Saught grabbed my attention (which is always flitting around) not only for its worthy cause, but also for its good looks. As “a social enterprise which creates products from landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXOs) to support sustainability in post-conflict countries”, Saught is a collaboration between students of Temasek Polytechnic and Cambodian artisans. The inaugural range of Saught jewellery was unveiled at Actually last week and featured three collections, with each one representing an issue prevalent in post-conflict countries: Freedom from War, Freedom from Poverty and Freedom from Fear.

For hand-crafted jewellery, prices keep to a very affordable range of SGD59.90 to SGD129.90. Available at Actually and online, Saught not only helps the Cambodian artisans gain income and build skills but also helps to create consumer awareness of its cause. A few designs are already sold out so hurry if you have your eye on something!