Monday, August 31, 2009

New commissioned stuff

Rainbow agates with silver rhodium rings


Large round Klimt with red aventurine, pink agates,
yellow polymer clay, amethyst and Swarovski pearls

These were made on request from one of my best customers EVER.

The top pair with the rainbow agates is a super call on her part, a variation of the cream pearls with silver rings and coral with silver rings.

As for the large round Klimt, she had sent me pic of a gorgeous blue velvet jacket she had recently acquired, and this is what we decided on. A vibrant, funky number that can go cool and pretty or warm and sexy, depending on what she will be wearing with the jacket this fall. ;)

Saturday, August 29, 2009

My Little Shutterbug In Chinatown

Maya went on a school trip to Chinatown recently. And here's some of what she came back with in the camera.















Nice job, Maya!

Friday, August 28, 2009

Living Gorgeously

This is the home of Heather Evans, a marketing executive and former model, with four daughters aged 10-19.

The space is an old townhouse in Brooklyn, and designer Jonathan Berger has gone all out to make it fun, flirty and feminine. Just like the 5 ladies who live in it.

The foyer

The living room

The dining area

One of the bedrooms

The family room

The kitchen

I want my home to look just like this when it grows up... *sigh*.

See more lovely pics and read everything about it here.

Thursday, August 27, 2009

On Flat Feet and High Heels

I have discovered a lifesaver.

You see, I have terribly flat feet. My "special needs feet", I call them. Feet so flat I have to wear Birkies on a permanent basis, as advised by the orthopaedic surgeon. I should ever only be out of Birkies when I take a shower or go for a swim. Yes, that's how bad.

So, as you will know wearing Birkies everywhere can be somewhat of a style bummer. So I got the Birkies inserts, which are stiff as metal plates, and fit only into flat shoes. And for the longest time, I refused to entertain hopes of wearing trendy high heels.


Until the other day, for some reason, I went looking around in the ladies' shoes department at Isetan, and saw this. Scholl's Adjustable Gel Arch Supports. Transparent and flexible, the insert comes with a pocket of an arch, and 3 sets of supports Light, Medium or Firm (I suppose for how high your heels are and what is comfortable for you). I had a go on them with a pair of high heels in the shop and I was absolutely elated. Plus they cost less than half of what the Birkie inserts did!

I bought them, and tried them out yesterday in my 2-inch Kenneth Cole Mary Janes. And they never felt so snug. I walked around town the entire morning, and I am not suffering from the usual aching bunion, toe blisters and painful ankles and knees. What a joy!

I just hope I don't become a shoe fiend, now that my options are wide open...

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Makes Me Gasp



South Korean ballerina, Eun-ji Ha, does the bit from Esmeralda. Pointe-perfect and out-of-this-world gorgeous.

And Ruhi now wants a tambourine...

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

House of Lacroix

How is it that a designer label and company that's been around for more than 20 years, so synonymous with luxury, beauty, gorgeously stylised couture, has never made a profit?

A few months back, the House of Lacroix sought protection from its creditors, and it was revealed that it has NEVER made a profit. I find that totally bizarre. You mean, people weren't buying Lacroix?

Spring 2009 Couture

Fantastical, over-the-top eye-candy that never really made sense to wear outside of a cleverly styled photoshoot in the pages of high fashion magazines. Pouf, pageantry, brocade skirts, satin sheaths, and bejeweled accents were lovely to gush at. But not exactly the staple thing everyone would wear to even the most glamourous events.

Spring 2009 Couture

Perhaps that's what did the House in. That a lot of it were pieces of art. And not exactly wearable art. People oohed and ahhed, drooled over and dreamt about his clothes, but very seldom actually needed to buy and wear one. Now THAT'S bad news.

Spring 2008 Ready-To-Wear

Spring 2008 Couture

Fact is, this is Christian Lacroix . Born in 1951, in Arles, France, the man himself stumbled into fashion from an education in art history and museum studies. His lifelong ambition was always to be a curator. He only ever came into fashion from doing a dissertation on the history of dress in 18th-century French paintings, and had his first job at Hermes.

Season after season, he was key to making popular and raved-about collections. And in 1987, he was awarded Most Influential Designer of the Year by the Council of Fashion Designers in America.

Fall 2007 Couture

But really, what made Lacroix's stuff popular was the fact that it was just so lovely to look at. He is also the man who started the tradition of ending the show with a super-statement wedding dress. Except his were grandiose bridal ensembles that seemed plucked right from stage and theatre, and plonked onto the runway. Out of place it may have looked, but boy were they pieces to look at...



Spring and Fall 2007 Couture

The latest econnomic crunch was I guess the final straw on the poor House of Lacroix camel's back. It's owner, the Falic Group, had bought over the label in 2005, and by then it was riddled with debt. The Falic Group apparently had big plans to revamp the House.

Fall 2009 Couture


So now, in complete financial shambles, the House of Lacroix has laid off all but 12 employees of its 149, and these were mostly loyal seamstresses who managed to bang out the latest season on a serious shoestring budget. Christian Lacroix's Fall 2009 Couture and Ready-To-Wear were, inextricably, more sombre and subdued, far from its tradition of glamourous whimsy and statement-making pieces of art.

I personally think this could be the best thing that could happen to the House of Lacroix yet. A collection that is far less ostentatious, so much more accessible, and yet still racked with the finesse and sumptuous artistry Christian Lacroix has always afforded.

Fall 2009 Ready-To-Wear

Maybe that explains the fact that Christian Lacroix is the most highly respected costumier. He simply makes costumes. In fact, an exhibition of his costume work was doing the museum rounds on its Singapore leg, when it was announced that the House of Lacroix had gone bust. His work for operas and ballets are simply mind-blowing. I suppose that's where he really shines. And that's because he is licensed to go "all the way", and truly indulge, for the stage.


Back to the runway, Fall 2009. The House that is constantly raved about, featured in lavish photoshoots, and so famed for its out-of-this-world prettiness, and has never made a profit, presented its latest collection to a show jam-packed with supporters. Supporters that clapped loud and cheered hard, but too few would have ever really actually worn (hence, bought) his pieces of art. Let's hope all this will change once this latest collection hits the stores. That people will stop ogling and start wearing Christian Lacroix.

More of Lacroix's gorgeousness here.

Saturday, August 22, 2009

Quotable Karl

"I am a fashion person, and fashion is not only about clothes --
it's about all kinds of change."

Friday, August 21, 2009

New stuff for KL

The Baby Klimts and Mini Klimts (which are slightly bigger than the Baby), are very popular in KL. Here are just some of the designs going to be available in KL very soon. I personally love how they are simple, modern and so easy to wear. :)




This shipment has been seriously impromptu. The last shipment was supposed to be the final one until the launch of my first cohesive art-inspired collection in October. But Rachel has been saying that stocks are really low, and might not even last until October.



Maya and her good friend, Megan, were super helpers, labelling all the earrings individually, then fashioning a little box from a big one, for this shipment. Thanks Maya and Megan! :)

Thursday, August 20, 2009

New stuff

Pink opal, turquoise, olive agate, carnelian, purple agate, agate slice pendant, 925 silver.


LEANDRA

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Eley Kishimoto

From their Autumn/Winter 09/10 Collection, "Jet Set Masala".

Two words - SO. CUTE.







See the entire collection here.
Buy their stuff here.
More about Eley Kishimoto here.
Read their blog here.

All Good To Go

Yesterday I met up with my chiropractor friend, Fiona, and got an invaluable lesson on taking good care of my muscles. No, not my fancy yoga ones. But the ones in my fingers and forearms, which I torture on a daily basis.

Fiona gave me this excrutiating massage, which is turning out (today) to be one of the best things that has ever happened for me.

She digs her thumbs and fingers around (she claims gently), into my forearms near the elbow, and I am writhing about with this screwed-up face. "Breathe," she says. And I try to. She carries on for about 10 minutes, and then gives me precious, precious tips on how to avoid injury from all the wirework and clenching of the pliers. (Anyone interested in the details of the tips can drop me an email. :))

Today I feel lighter, more sane, more capable, more 'together'. Today, I feel I can churn out a few pairs of earrings, and more...

Actually, today, I need to go to the supermarket and stock up on some ham...



Tuesday, August 18, 2009

The Doldrums


I have seriously been stuck in a rut for about a week or so, not being able to get any work done, and just wanting to sleep endlessly.

Yesterday's post was a one last ditch at getting rid of this horrible phase. But it didn't work.

It's terrible. Has someone got the Evil Eye on me again? Well, right back at 'cha. (o)

In any case, I have had major doldrums. And interestingly enough, the word "doldrums" actually refers to a section of sea near the equator, where it is known to be deadly calm. So calm that ships of yore could not move even with full mast. The kind of calm that actually causes panic.

So yes, I have been so unable to get anything done, I am actually beginning to worry. Again. About getting projects completed, about getting shipments out, about my first cohesive collection in KL, whose launch date is drawing nearer and nearer...

Hell, I'm so deep in the doldrums I don't even have the energy to hit the panic button.

Ever felt like that?