Mapp.

Unfortunately for some who have stayed at home on a rainy Sunday I haven’t had a time to post about Mapp. private sales which casually took place today. Well, resorting to the word-of-mouth technique I have still managed to collect an army of eager shoppers to join me on a quest through the pouring rain and to rob me of some gorgeous pieces from Mapp.’s previous seasons (that included such names as Christophe Lemaire, Henrik Vibskov, Opening Ceremony, Won Hundred, T by Alexander Wang, Minimarket…), all drastically reduced to the absolute affordable minimum – basically my version of paradise. Me walking away with a HV denim dress and a C. Lemaire dress and trench-coat – must bow to the ground to the team-Mapp. for the warmest welcome and the most delicious cupcakes!
In the meanwhile, the Mapp. store is a must-see, as they’ve got new names for the spring season, including (hold your breath now): bStore, Wood Wood, Cacharel, Red by Wolves and Stephan Schneider!

images: WoodWood, Red by Wolves, S. Schneider, bStore

the hunter and the collector

Last autumn I posted the first verse of the Björk’s song lyrics for the ‘Hunter’ followed by a picture of a pair of shoes.
Yesterday I entered a new concept store with an uncanny feeling – not prepared to want everything, but knowing I will.
Hunting and Collecting is confusingly vast, white and candy-sweet, and almost doesn’t feel like a store situated at the heart of Brussels, being rather the opposite of the banal image I may have for the shops in the neighbourhood. So it’s a fresh change – a good change.

il sistema degli oggetti autumn/winter 2011

This one is a treasure directly out of my mailbox – on reading this, I rarely rush to post about those brands who send me their previews. IL SISTEMA DEGLI OGGETTI is an exception for very obvious reasons - I was gazing in awe at their autumn/winter 2011 lookbook.

IL SISTEMA DEGLI OGGETTI literally “The system of objects” owes much to the homonym book of 1968 from Jean Baudrillard. But what really makes the brand are their values and the vivid interpretation of such in their collections. The designers Caterina Coccioli, Anna Lottersberger and Alessandro Manzi who met and started working together at the College – Politecnico di Milano commonly share the passion for iconic-dresses, symbols of fashion, the ‘uniforms’, the quest for particular fabrics and yarns, for texture and deep colours. Through this brand they speak of everyday uniform, fascinating ordinary and unisex.

The second season is divided in mood:
Mood black. The most precious fabrics: Tuscanian woollen gabardine and heavy cloth, velvet, silk of Como for the daily garments - parkas, masculine trousers, tunics and caraco dresses. The black colour makes them elegant and luxurious. Yet the collection of IL SISTEMA DEGLI OGGETTI refreshes the common view: the long kilt-skirt, in silk, too; the ‘tea-towel’ dress and skirt, the long-shirt dress is the modern interpretation of ancient aprons. The sweater becomes a coat.
Mood nature. The photographic black/white prints, regarding nature themes - such as mountains, rocks and flowers - are the key elements of this line. The colours are grey nuances: from blue to red. Heavy cloth, cashmere alpaca knitwear, 100% cotton. All over nature-printed tops, scarves and handkerchiefs. In the same way, the prints are like traces of shells, with a strong recall of the brand-logo - the flint. Silk and tailored fish-net vests lightly overlap these printed tops.
And that Edith Piaf look of the model just proves once more that the woman of FW 2010/11 is grown-up, independent and forceful, aware of her body, of her femininity and discreet elegance.

If you want to know more, or if you’d like to get in touch with the people behind the brand, check their website: http://www.ilsistemadeglioggetti.it/
I would love to see the garments in person (H&C do you read me?), touch the fabrics and try some of those outfits on. Surprisingly enough these Italians are incredibly close to the Scandinavian aesthetic, only with higher focus on quality fabrics, which only makes ISDO more appealing.

holocaust

I feel like I tried and I failed. But I didn’t give up, because tomorrow will bring something better.
This is concerning the ‘midnight creatures’, issue of the magazine which will never happen. No more comment, for this child has been aborted.

Hunting and Collecting

A while ago I have spoken of a store opening, which I’d prefer to classify as a new cultural hub, as the store space comprises an art gallery and presents you a smart selection of lifestyle objects.
Hunting and Collecting opens its doors for the impatient public on the 27th of February at 2PM, followed by a vernissage with drinks and food at 6PM – all at Rue des Chartreux 17, here in a good old Brussels.

May I (looking at their obsessive use of circles and triangles) add just one more thing:
BE THERE OR BE SQUARE!

first attempt

Today was the day when I tried something new – wearing my hair up! First time in many years, because last time I did it, I think I was 16. So oops, 10 years later I tied my hair in a tiny bun, trying to make it as high on my head as possible. Unfortunately there’s not enough length at the back and I need a dozen pins to hold all the hair, but it’s a good start. Yet luckily the weather is way too cold to go outside without a hat on, so I may postpone this hairdo for another month, but come summer this will definitely be my style for every occasion. But as of today, it goes very well with a checker shirt and simple black trousers.

I have figured that I need a boyfriend who, among other boyfriend-y tasks will take pictures of my outfits, because I can’t keep on feeding you the mirror shots. So who’s in?

shirt Henrik Vibskov
trousers COS
shoes Topshop
watch Casio

at the Graanmarkt opening

Have I forgotten something? Last weekend was the opening of Graanmarkt 13 in Antwerp. It’s a new concept store (without much concept, me thinks). Sorry for the blurry images – there was free champagne.

Monday, February 8, 2010

An idea to photograph my entire day has left me with a number of images missing, because I am still not used to grabbing a camera for every minuscule reason. Nevertheless, I did document one Monday at work in the best way I could – of course forgetting a half of what happened (well, nothing really did, it was just a plain boring day), I bring you one day in my life.

4AM: first alarm rings, snooze, snooze, snooze

5AM: up, shower, no breakfast, out in a cold with my dear morning friend – pink vintage mini-bike.

5:30AM: The rain is pissing down, I’m on my way to work. God bless Brussels for a downhill slope all the way down until the historical centre, sometimes I feel like fixing some wheels to my bed and rolling it down to work. So far my bike does the job.

6AM: Kids! Don’t ever become visual merchandisers! Or you’ll be doomed to start at a very unhuman hour – 6 AM is early. Luckily the seasonal kick-off presentation that I have to do begins at 9 o’clock – time enough to prepare.

11AM: lunch – there’s a dead pigeon on the balcony of the neighbouring building. He’s been there for a while, but I don’t even want to think about what he will look like when the weather gets warmer.

3PM: work is done. I’ll pass by Hema to get a new storage box and an organic food shop for some shampoo and pasta.

4PM: every time I go up with the lift at the Palace of Justice I feel like I’m in Stockholm. It’s just like going from Gamla Stan to Söder with the Slussen lift. I suggest we flood Brussels a little, for the closer resemblance.

I’m on my way to a paper shop, casually tempted by the tasty macaroons at Paul. One can not resist the pistachio flavour!

I think this is a graphic design agency, but I love their windows.

Always wanted to take a picture of this Brico parking lot – it’s just around the corner from my place. Well, here it is now.

5PM: home! Tea time. Quick shuffling around of the groceries.

I’ll finish my day at the photocopy shop and have a lazy evening in front of the computer screen – not that I have much of the evening left – tomorrow up at 5 again.

'das oath'

This is a simple shuffling-around of familiar garments, but I don’t mind to try them out already now, not having to wait for next winter as this one seems to be never-ending. The hat with a huge furry pom-pom is what I crave for in this cold.

TSE a/w 2010 via style.com

The other day these shoes made me stop and stare…not that I need yet another pair, but these Robert Clergerie brogues trespass onto the territory of absurd, this is what I like – still your regular brogues but there’s something strange about them.

Apart from that, I’m hugely lacking of inspiration, and in the times like this I make long-term plans and swear the oath of change. This year’s goal happened to be growing my hair out, starting with a short bob, no colour, no chemical treatments, just me, myself and whatever I’ve got from nature for a hairdo. Believe it or not it’s a tough job, knowing how many hair products I use on a daily basis and the fact that I don’t even travel without a hairdryer makes me doubt if I last long on henna and Co..
But the goal is set, the deal is fixed and this time next year I’ll be tying my hair in a high Japanese bun – what a joy!

a love letter to Henrik...

Dear Henrik! May I call you Henrik?...
..OK, I stop before I begin, it’s cheesy. But basically I’m trying to figure out some kind of blackmail or bribe strategy to make Mr. V send me some free clothes…and not just some – the entire Spring/Summer 2010 collection, please!
I love every piece and every detail of this season, which is surprisingly sombre and seductive – the unusual turn in Vibskov’s designs. The dance macabre of the pressed and stitched pleats, circular-cut lapels, shorter lengths and ditsy prints.

I’ll begin with this gorgeous blue jacket (available at Mapp.), as it is the best cover-up for spring. The catwalk snapshot doesn’t do this jacket justice, because actually it has got a double front which looks like a single-breasted jacket that has a double-breasted waistcoat underneath.


Then I’ll hunt this pleated dress down! You can see it better in the last image, but I love the pearl-grey colour. The pleats are pressed onto the otherwise flat dress and a pleated belt is worn over it to add even more dimension and movement.

Lilac shirt-dress with polka-dot print? There can be only one, and this is it!

The immaculate shift dress in nude colour is just the perfect garment to dress up. Look how the pleats are stitched on the skirt and how they open up on the bodice. This is probably the most flattering garment I’ve ever seen in any of the HV collections.

And this is a clear snapshot of the pleated belt – kind of a more user-friendly version of the ruff-belt from the winter season, me thinks.

The mustard gingham check oversized blazer (yes, please!). What happens if you button it up all the way, as it has a row of buttonholes going all the way up the lapels? I’m already impatient to play around with this one.

And last but not least, a black trench with more rounded lapel details and polka-dot lining! Sorry AF Vandevorst, but I found my true trenchcoat-love.

So, Henrik, when will you finally start making crap that I do not even want to see, so that I don't need to live off cornflakes for months? You are so mean!