Studio 54 After Dark

Saying that last weekend was wild would be an understatement, because 'wild' doesn't even come close to describing it. To repeat (and borrow!) the words of my fabulous friend, it was very Studio 54 After Dark....

Already buzzing from the amount of painkillers I'd been taking for my blessed wisdom tooth, I headed out to the usual spot on Wyndham (after last week, it will no longer be frequented by us- more on this later) to meet my friends and, as always, to hear the musical stylings of DJ Lucas Luraka and guest dj, Emmanuel Santarromana. The place was well on it's way to heaving when I got there. I was immediately handed a drink by one of the bar staff and while I was looking for my friend, I spotted a lady dirty dancing with her boyfriend (I think it was her boyfriend anyway!) but what caught my eye was the footwear she was wearing. She had on a pair of black peep toe Alla wedges by Alexander Wang, my favourite designer at the moment.

 I love the Alla wedges but I'm after the Eliza cut out wedge mules in nude:

It is suede and perfect for spring. The stretch band that goes across has ribbed detailing on it, which I love, but the band could either make your feet look oh so sexy or make them look as wide as the iceberg that the Titanic hit. But I guess that's why you try before you buy, yes?!

I finally spotted my friend who looked sumptuous in a black tuxedo jacket, black trousers and a pair of  fierce Miu Miu heels. More stylish friends came and so did the champagne and the vodka. It was a bittersweet evening, we were celebrating and mourning Lucas' departure from W52. Lucas is one of the most stylish djs I know in this town (no Ed Hardy for this guy, oh no. Try Hedi Slimane and Alexander McQueen) and W52 had been our 'home' every weekend for the last 4 months. It is sad how people take advantage in his industry and without getting into the politics of it, all I'm going to say is karma is a BITCH.

The evening got even more interesting after DJ Santarromana (who, by the way, was wearing a combination of APC, Thom Browne and Christophe Lemaire for Lacoste- thanks Olga!!!) finished his set . There was fashion carnage on the dancefloor, there were Chanel, Marc Jacobs and Givenchy bags, a Stella McCartney clutch, Dior shoes; Agent Provocateur  and Marc Jacobs underwear thrown in the mix too!!! There was a whole load of other stuff which I didn't care to recognise for I was too......er, merry. They were scattered across the floor. All in a bad state. And so were we. But you know what, it was the best after party I'd ever been to. And I've got pictures to prove it.

T by Alexander Wang

Alexander Wang's diffusion line 'T by Alexander Wang' has just been launched at Harvey Nichols here in HK, so if you want a piece of affordable fashion go there now! The collection consists of cotton basics in 12 styles from vests to t-shirt dresses all done in his signature slouchy and laid back style. On explaining the aesthetic of the collection Wang said,

'the necklines are stretched and armholes are strategically lowered so that it looks worn in. It’s like sleeping in a T-shirt and then wearing it the next day. It’s not this crisp little T out of the dryer. It’s draped and kind of wilted.' 

Check out the rest of 'T by Alexander Wang' here:

http://shop.alexanderwang.com/shop/#/t/

Stella and some wisdom

Question: How much alcohol/valium can you drink/ingest to stop yourself from ripping your gum open and extracting a partially erupted and bothersome (I'm being kind here) wisdom tooth?!

Answers on a postcard, please.

I was having difficulties concentrating at the Stella McCartney cocktail party last night. The right side of my face felt as if it had been tackled by a rugby team. Kicked by a thousand mules. Slapped by a crack team of whores from Wanchai. Ugh. Sorry I shouldn't really be associating my tooth (or whores) with Stella McCartney- she'd probably tackle/kick/slap my face, too, if she comes across this.

Browsing through the collection, there were pieces that immediately caught my eye. Like this blush toned lace top, for example.

There were floral dresses in chiffon, silk and satin. There were jackets in taffeta, silk-piqué and raw silk. There were pants that were knitted and sequined and tapered. There were accessories made with raffia too. I tried on a pair of coated raffia heels in blue stripes and pranced about in the shop much to my friend's annoyance. Not our style. But I like the colour palette that Stella used and I do appreciate the collection. It's perfectly cut, very feminine and simple. View the collection here.

Done with the prancing but still struggling with my tooth, I started feeling hungry. There were cones of delicious Italian gelato, mini-cupcakes and chocolate truffles being paraded under my nose. Back and forth, back and forth. On an ordinary day I would've helped myself to one or ten. But no, my effing tooth was making the decisions last night. I couldn't swallow the champagne I was drinking without difficulty. Or even open my mouth properly.

 And some people will tell you that is actually a good thing.

Come to Mama!!!

T minus 6 hours. Can't wait.

The luscious Brenda Zip Chain suede bag by Alexander Wang, which I will be picking up later from one of my favourite shops in HK- OnPedder http://www.onpedder.com

Check out the Brenda bag from the Alexander Wang website.

Y-3

Another great collection from Mr. Yamamoto. If only sportswear looked as stylish as this when I was in high school. 

After a near disastrous start to the evening- the cab dropped me off at the wrong venue resulting in me running- yes, RUNNING- in 4 inch heels-  to the correct venue. It could only happen to me, I thought to myself but as soon as I met up with my friend who got to the venue before me, he complained that he was also dropped off a few blocks away. We hit the bar immediately. 'How dare those cab drivers conspire against us', we bitched, and proceeded to people watch.

It was refreshing to see HK people giving it some in the style stakes. As to be expected, there were a lot of people in black. I was wearing black. Nothing else beats black. Yohji Yamamoto does a lot of black.

This was an edgy crowd that you don't normally see walking along Central or Tsimshatsui, Mong Kok or Causeway Bay. You could've been forgiven for thinking that you were in Tokyo instead of HK. I would like to see this crowd resurface once in a while and remind us all that HK is not just full of  tai-tais running amok in their LV's and Fendis,  that underneath all this  is a legitimate crowd of people who truly know their fashion and how it should be worn.

Style Heroes

Marie-Amélie Sauvé

Stylist extraordinaire and up until recently Nicolas Ghesquière's close friend (well after the famous banning of the French Vogue team from everything Balenciaga, who knows...both parties are keeping schtum).  Fashion consultant and contributor to international fashion firms and magazines and most importantly fashion editor of French Vogue. My total style hero. Check out her work:

 http://models.com/people/marie-amelie-sauve. 

 Oh Marie, will you marry me??!!

Carine Roitfeld

French Vogue editrix. Fashion power plate. My patron saint. 

Did I mention she's in her fifties??!!

Daphne Guinness

In my eyes this lady can do no wrong (not even the badger striped hair!) I'd love to raid her wardrobe and drool all over her couture. Yes drooling is all I would be doing for she is probably a size -2. But I won't hold that against her. 

Miroslava Duma

Only 25 years old and is the 'Special Event Correspondent' of Harper's Bazaar Russia. She always looks like she just walked straight off a magazine photo shoot. Has a vast collection of designer clothes, shoes and Hermes bags.  And you're asking me if I'm jealous?

Diane Kruger

The German-born, model-turned-actress, is simply beautiful and always, always looks amazing. She used to be married to Guillaume Canet, who is now dating another style hero of mine- Marion Cotillard.

Marion Cotillard

Always oozing with glamour,  Marion Cotillard won my heart when she played Sophie in Jeux d'Enfants (2003) opposite Guillaume Canet. Her style and star factor has been on the rise since then, further making her claim on the world fashion stage when she won the Best Actress Award at the Oscars in 2008 wearing a mermaid- inspired dress by Jean-Paul Gaultier.

Alexa Chung

Known for her quirky sense of fashion, mixing vintage pieces with designer gear, Alexa always tops best dressed lists everywhere. But somebody please give this girl a sandwich, though!!!

Katherine Ann Moss

Otherwise known as Kate Moss, my utlimate style hero, photographed here rocking a pair of leather Balmain trousers.
'Nuff said.

ADR

Anna Dello Russo, Editor- at- Large of Vogue Nippon. Owns 4,000 pairs of shoes and once described by renowned photographer, Helmut Newton as a 'maniac'. Anna caused quite a fashion stir when she wore this lacy number by Dolce and Gabbana teaming it with contrasting red underwear during Men's Fashion week in Milan this year. F-I-E-R-C-E.

ADR has her own blog too- check it out here: http://www.annadellorusso.com/

Joe Odagiri

Yes, yes, yes I know he's a guy but a very stylish one at that. Joe Odagiri represents 'cool' Japan, his style looks effortless and sets him apart from other male celebrities. Affectionately called the 'Asian Johnny Depp', Joe sets many hearts aflutter including yours truly.

Alison Mosshart

Lead vocalist of punk rock alternative band, The Kills, she is my ultimate rock chick. Her style is effortless and you'll rarely see her in a dress. I want to be her best friend.

Giovanna Battaglia

I've been meaning to add Giovanna to this list for ages now! 

Not one to put a fashion foot wrong, Giovanna's always had impeccable style. The former model is currently the editor of L'Uomo Vogue and contributing fashion editor of W Magazine, Giovanna is also dating art-dealer Vladimir Restoin Roitfeld (Carine's son). Got nothing but love for this woman.

Hmmmm....

30 July 2010

Ok, has Marc Jacobs LOST the fucking plot?! I thought the LV New Age Backpack  was ugly, but these LV Raindrop Besace Bags are way beyond ugly. Made from, wait for it- 'coated canvass', making it completely waterproof. In other words  raincoat material. Yay.

These bags have been out for a while now and they have only just recently caught my attention. Oh and guess how much? Try HK$20,000.

15 June 2010

And so the question is: would you pay HK$ 2000+ for these pair of plastic wraparound sunglasses by Madonna and D&G when you can get the same style in Mong Kok for HK$ 100 (or less if you haggle!) To say that the entire collection is a big disappointment is being kind... but to say that it's FUGLY is being appropriate. Hey if the sunglasses fit...

View the rest of the FUGLY here: http://www.dolcegabbana.com/boutique/dg/eyewear/mdg/?cmp=google_mdg_uk_brand&&gclid=CNfNn9OxoaICFcctpAod1Cg6wA#/home

3 June 2010

This is a Pedder Red x Johanna Ho Collection. It left a really bad taste in my mouth. I had to go outside for a breath of fresh air...

Wyman Wong's collection, I understood, I got, I dug....but this?!

Really?!!!?

9 April 2010

Jaysus, I didn't know they were celebrating Halloween early this year in the UK ...

Ladies, the jaundiced look is NEVER a good look.  Especially if you team it with acid bright prints. Blech.

23 March 2010

From hero to zero. 

How to degrade a Balmain military jacket?! Give it to a footballer's wife.  

This brings a whole new meaning to the word 'chav'...

1 March 2010

The LV New Age backpack. At US$54,000 a pop- it had better clean your house, make your dinner, iron your clothes, wash your dishes and wipe your ass.

MARCH WISH LIST

19 March 2010

Miu Miu Python heels in blush
Alexander McQueenʼs heart peep toes in electric blue
Studded Givenchy Nightingale bag
Alexander Wang Brenda zip chain bag in black suede
Azzedine Alaia black leather lace effect belt
Vera Wangʼs elaborate bead net neckpiece
Christopher Kaneʼs safety pin shoes for Versus...
Mulberry Alexa bag in Ink (not sold in Lane Crawford, but I want want want)

A Vogue afternoon

13 March 2010

It's Saturday and Iʼm sat at home working my way through a stack of Vogue magazines that I have criminally neglected over the last few months. The phones are switched off, a bottle of Perrier-Jouet and a few packets of cigarettes on the ready - this is serious business...

Rewind a couple of evenings ago, a good friend and I were at an event at Lane Crawford to welcome the arrival of the Spring/Summer 2010 collections. The evening started out well, champagne and cosmo in hand, we worked the merchandise floor. There were a few --> ok, A LOT <-- of items that I wanted for myself  (see my MARCH WISH LIST).

On the main floor was Michael Costiff's fashion installation which featured vintage designer clothing and fashion pieces that he had collected over the years through travelling. There was a masai beaded neckpiece teamed with a Dries van Noten tribal print dress. Just beautiful.

Onto the menswear floor where Kim Jones, creative director of Dunhill, was holding court. First, a senior PR exec at Lane Crawford gave me a quick run through of Kimʼs take on this seasonʼs menʼs collection, which he beautifully divided into 4 sections (Saville Row, Japan & Beyond, Futurists and Wardrobe Staples) and finally I got introduced to Kim. We chatted about him joining Dunhill, the opening of the Dunhill shop in Prince's Building in Central and Jude Law being the face of the brand. I honestly could not remember the rest of the conversation as I was on my 4th glass of cosmo at this point (empty stomach too, bar from a few pieces of scallops). However, I do remember spilling my cosmo on his shoe. 

YES, OH YES.

As far as introductions go, I couldnʼt have embarassed myself any further than that. Luckily, Kim saw the funny side and we moved onto other topics. Somewhere, somehow Lee McQueen was mentioned and Kim looked visibly upset. He mentioned that they worked together a few years ago and that he still could not believe that Lee was dead. I donʼt know if it was because Kim was getting upset or I was badly needing a refill (and a cigarette) but I decided to exit stage left.

What is it with me upsetting designers?

A few evenings ago, after a boogie and a few bottles of vodka, a friend and I were looking for somewhere to eat along Wyndham Street. I remember hearing the clack-clacking of heels along the pavement and because it sounded almost desperate I looked up and my friend and I came face to face with a famous jewelry designer. We exchanged hellos and made small chitchat when my friend asked him if he used to live in Shanghai. Designer guy gave my friend a filthy look. To diffuse the situation, ( what I was diffusing, I didnʼt know- it was a simple, straight-forward question) I decided to mention that I had met him briefly at an event at OnPedder and what followed bordered on the surreal. He yelled at the top of his voice -  

ʻI have never ever been to OnPedder! And you! (pointing at my friend) how dare you point out that Iʼm from the mainland!ʼ 

Designer guy did a quick shoulder snap, looked at his hangers-on and all three of them stormed off. My friend and I were left standing on the pavement scratching our heads.
Later on in the week at another event, I was told that designer guy is actually quite nice. I am not convinced - coke turns bitches into even bigger bitches.

So back to my stack of Vogue magazines. I see Tina Fey is the cover of this monthʼs American issue.....