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And God created…

Not so long ago I attended the opening of the Lancel boutique in Brussels Boulevard de Waterloo. Not only we celebrated the arrival of yet another luxurious boutique in our little city, but mainly the birth of a bag…

The BB bag!

Inspired by the iconic Brigitte Bardot and created by Italian designer Leonello Borghi (who also collaborated and worked for Prada, Armani, and Ralph Lauren), the BB bag is a mix of elegance, sensuality and nature friendly materials to pay tribute to her life long battle against animal cruelty. So no leather and no chemical dyes… Below, a video where he explains the design process behind the bag which went on with Mrs Bardot’s supervision.

The boutique was filled to the maximum leaving just enough place for the caterers to acrobatically zig zag between a sea of fashionable guests…

Our very unique Didier Vervaeren wearing a vintage Lancel leather bag.

Miss Aurore Daerden, fashion designer, DJ and tv host.

The very friendly Monsieur Mademoiselle and his dancer friend…

…who was wearing his broche in a very interesting way.

Victor Spahn, the artist behind the oil painting of the bag itself who very enthusiasticly offered me a signed copy of his toile.

I left with my little goody bag containing the Lancel catalogue and a pretty scented Brigitte Bardot candle…

As for you… Here is a video of BB singing with late French legend Serge Gainsbourg…

1 February 2011 By Valentine

7 In Fashion Events Archive

Designers and Cupcakes…

Last week, I attended a very cool event which I immediately knew, from the invitation title, I would enjoy. The “Déjeuner de Presse” was organized by the Flanders Fashion Institute and the Wallonie Brussels Design and Mode center and took place on a sunny Thursday afternoon in Brussels.
It was the occasion to meet the talented new designers who have been selected to showcase their collections during Paris Fashion Week in the Showroom Belgium.

I got the opportunity to meet among others, Carol and Sarah from the fast growing and hip label Filles à Papa…

The pair behind The Cookie Therapy who manufacture fine leather accessories which are easy to recognize with their cute and stylish signature bow…

And Nina from Niyona who makes wonderful led travel bags inspired by the 40s 50s.

After a quick bite and a few cupcakes we ended the day with a little improvised photo session between fashionistas…

Below Marie from Oona and Toni from The Fashion Cloud who I finally got to meet after a few virtual exchanges.

Thanks to everyone for this lovely brunch!
PS: Where can I get those delicious cupcakes???

28 January 2011 By Valentine

6 In Fashion Events Archive

Brussels Café de la Presse opening night…

Last Saturday, fed up with club nights that always end up the same way, I attended with a few friends the Café de la Presse opening party…

Located on 493 Avenue Louise this really cool Berlin inspired café will welcome you seven days a week from 7.30 am to 7 pm to indulge yourself in a time of newspaper reading, web browsing and non stop gormandization (et oui… it is a real word!). Or you can also go there to do nothing else that look at other people while sitting very comfortably in one of their cosy sofas…

On our arrival we were immediately greeted by cute little cup cakes, sweets and a welcome Aperol Spritz drink. We then sat at their big wooden conference table to well.. eat, drink and look at people.

What else could you do in a conference anyway?

17 January 2011 By Valentine

3 In Street Style Archive

La Milanaise…

They say “The place where you celebrate your new year is probably the place you will spend your next year at.” I don’t know if it’s true but I spent my new year in Milan and to be honest I wouldn’t mind if this was where I would end my year…

Milan… One of the fourth fashion capitals of the world. The birth place of Prada the home of Armani, Versace, Valentino, Gucci and Dolce & Gabbana…

Despite the weather, that was I have to say much worst than I expected as I felt more like I was in Switzerland than in Italy 😉 I spent a few hours wondering around the Quadrilatero della moda looking at boutiques, people and places… Why travel the world to “Eat Pray and love” When you can stop in Italy to eat, shop and just love it…?

A happy new year to all of you!

In Via Montenapoleone

Piazza del Duomo

In the Galleria Vittorio Emmanuele II: the first ever Prada boutique opened in 1913 by the Prada brothers; Mario and Martino.

By the Castello Sforzesco…

11 January 2011 By Valentine

15 In Fashion Events Archive

La Garance d’Or…

Last September, during the New York Fashion Night Out, I had the opportunity to meet the lovely Garance Doré. Since she brilliantly shot the last Jil Sander advertising campaign, Garance was their guest of honor for their Soho party. To be honest appart from congralutating her on her work and asking her to pose for me (above), I didn’t have time to really talk to her. But from the little I saw, she is a very friendly, lively and down to earth woman… Don’t worry, next time I’ll meet her we’ll go for a coffee… right Garance? 😉

Courtesy of Jill Sander. Photo: Garance Doré

If you are interested in fashion or/and blogs you might be familiar with her work. In case not, to make it short… Garance started blogging as an illustrator in 2006 to showcase her drawings and later started to add street style and fashion pictures, interviews and videos.

What I find really interesting and inspiring is to travel back in time to her first ever blog post… (below)

And see how much she evolved, and kept improving herself. From a really cute drawing she went on to create beautiful, expressive and professional illustrations. It just show how much perseverance and hard work always pay…

All four drawings courtesy of Garance Doré

An I am leaving you with this beautiful video I found on YouTube, showing Garance and her Sartorialist boyfriend Scott Schuman, style hunting together. Very Cute…

And unlike me… Not even the snow can stop them from working!

“The road to success is dotted with many tempting parking places… Just keep driving!” Unknown author

22 December 2010 By Valentine

9 In Collaboration Archive

Michele, ma belle…

Let me introduce you to Michele… She is so cute her name only needs one “L”

I met her last week while working on a photo shoot I was styling for Belgian label Point Virgule.

Most of us think that being a model is not that hard… “How could it be..? You just stay in front of the camera and do as you’re told.” Well it’s not as laid back. In addition to the physical requirements, a good model is someone that is:

-always in a good mood to face eventual crisis

-patient (very) as make up, hair and fittings can take hours

-creative enough to suggest poses, ideas and add that little something more

-sociable as fashion means a lot strong or sometimes crazy personalities put together

Now, not only is Michele a very talented and pretty model but she also is, and that’s what really impressed me, currently studying medicine at university.

Well… whoever said models where dumb hasn’t met her yet…!

14 December 2010 By Valentine

14 In My Diary Archive

Parlez-moi de Macarons…

If McDonalds is to food what H&M is to the fashion industry… Then Ladurée would definitely be the Dior Haute Couture of food…

Flawless presentation, a menu to die for and color palette that will make your mouth melt instantly… What more could you ask?

Ladurée is the gourmands ultimate culinary experience… A pure bliss!

So… I know what you might be thinking… “This looks very nice but it must have a lots of calories…” Well in this case, calories are to food what hours of work is to a couture dress… Absolutely necessary!

Also I happen to know that food that beautiful doesn’t make you gain weight… Ok I hear you “What?!! How?“

Well it’s very simple… First of all, you spend so much time looking and talking about it that you’re loosing calories before even had time to take the first bite. Secondly, the amount spent “oohing”, and “mmmhing” while eating is as good as an hour of sit ups. That is of course, my theory and I am sticking by it!
But it only works if you are sincere about it…

No better way to illustrate the secret affair fashion has with food than with the limited edition of Macaroons the designer, John Galliano created this winter for Ladurée. The delicious rose and ginger macaroons were inspired by his perfume “Parlez-moi d’amour” and are available since last month in cute boxes of 6, 12 and 18.

Not only is their food nice, but so is their staff (believe me, something quite rare in Paris;). Our waitress kindly offered us to try them, and I have to say… Ooh la la!

Below, a video for Galliano’s perfume, directed by the amazing German photographer, Ellen Von Unwerth.

You can also have a look at her book “Fraulein” published by Taschen which gathers her beautiful collection of photographs. I wouldn’t advise you to buy it as it cost 750 euros (!!!) but you can browse through it in the shop. As for her other videos, they can be seen here.

7 December 2010 By Valentine

15 In My Designs Archive

Beautiful Belgian Bloggers: The dress…

This month I was featured in the Belgian ELLE along 8 other bloggers (including 2 pairs) in an article about… Well, Belgian blogs of course.

For that very special occasion I wore a dress that I made.

There are many different ways to create clothes including these two… You can start from a sketch, or start from a fabric sample, material…

I, for this dress, was immediately attracted to this fabric I found in my local fabric supplier. I have always been inspired by previous decades, and this 30s style print was just too cute to be missed. There was only a few meters left so I bought it all and decided to make a dress and a shirt of it.

I wanted to mix that print with another plain black material so I went into my fabric box, where I put all the material I have collected through the years and found the perfect match; a pleated black silk chiffon I got while working at McQueen.

After a quick sketch made on a post it, I started with the pattern, and then on to the sewing.

The end result is a mix of 20s flapper dress and 30s cut. I made the shoulder strap in leather to add some texture and contrast with the softness of the silks and a belt at the waist as it elongate the legs…

For the one who haven’t seen it before, here is the video from the making of the photo shoot.

[vimeo w=”680″ h=”383″]http://player.vimeo.com/15985872[/vimeo]

30 November 2010 By Valentine

11 In My Diary Archive

Christmas in Spring…

When some went to H&M to get the new mass produce “Lanvin” collection, others while in Paris decided to take a look at the marionettes Alber Elbaz designed for the Printemps Christmas windows.

A quick look at my calendar… Yes this is the year of Lanvin!

However, this collaboration is to me, far more what high fashion should be about… Exclusivity, art, and originality…

The theme was Noël au Château, and each window was decorated accordingly. Some windows had huge marionettes installation while others had designer clothes for men, woman and even dogs…

Jean Claude Dehix, I could say, is to marionette was God is to us… He is the master! For over 35 years this very talented man has been dressing the window of the Printemps and the Galleries Lafayette. No need to say that Christmas is his busiest time of the year. If there was a “Marionettist of the year award” it would definitely goes to him…!

Also not to be missed, the cool hats, accessories and even the horse designed by Belgian designer Natalia Brilli. She will have a corner at the Printemps until January. You can see the video of it’s inauguration on Elle.be right here.

And in the store… The gorgeousness goes on…

Lanvin (above)

Alexander McQueen (above and below)

And a quick peek at the Galleries Lafayette which Christmas theme was Show Time..!

PS: This is not a post… it’s my Christmas wish list! 😉

23 November 2010 By Valentine

3 In Fashion Events Archive

An evening at the beach… or so

On Wednesday I spent the evening at the Mer du Nord… They were showing their next spring summer 2011 collection. I know it is quite hard to even think about summer when it’s minus two outside but once I left my scarf and padded coat at the door and saw all the pretty clothes hanging in the room, I felt like I could believe the sun will be back… one day.

So here a little sneak peak of what you can expect from them next year. The collection is declined in four themes; the classics, the ethnic, the sporty and the floral…

Also to discover next season the exclusive new shoe collection from Kartell

and their latest collaboration with… Moshino!

20 November 2010 By Valentine

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