Spring/ Summer 2011: Aquilano e Rimondi

I was quite impressed by Aquilano e Rimondi’s Collection for SS 2011 during Milan Fashion Week and think I have become a fan. It's hard to find designers who really know they shape of woman and how to give her a a gorgeous silhouette, but Tommaso Aquilano e Roberto Rimondi definitely master that art. Their collection had vibrant colors, great prints and gorgeous fabrics. Just by looking at it, it made me feel like summer had arrived and I was strolling down the boulevard at the beach .... just a simple happy and sexy feeling, but still with a touch of glamour ;).

Recycled Toy Sculptures by Robert Bradford

"One day some years ago out in the studio I was looking into my childrens box of outgrown and discarded toys which happened to be stored in the same building and responded to the random collection of colours shapes and forms they made. I figured that if I could find a way of putting them together to constitute a larger form they would have great potential as larger scale sculpture." - Robert Bradford

Pear, cinnamon and pecan crumble with vanilla ice cream

You won’t believe how delightful this recipe is and real easy to make, super for a rainy sunday morning like today. Now you know what I've been up to this morning J

I came across this recipe yesterday, when I was looking for a recipe of chocolate souffle with cinnamon pear cream – which I did find and will definitely make one of these days – and found this at Ree’s site a desperate housewife in the country as she calls herself.

All pictures by Ree

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (or 200 Celsius)
Ingredients
Filling:
■4 whole (to 5) Large Pears (Bosc Work Well)
■⅔ cups Sugar
■¼ teaspoons Salt

Topping:
■1-½ cup All-purpose Flour
■⅓ cups Sugar
■⅓ cups Firmly Packed Brown Sugar
■½ teaspoons Cinnamon
■½ cups Pecans, Very Finely Chopped
■1 stick Butter, Melted

Start with 4 to 5 pears, the firmer the better since you don’t want them to fall apart when the crisp bakes. Peel the skin of the pears and slice them into small dices.

Throw them into a bowl…With a nice amount of sugar. Though any amount of sugar is nice. Sprinkle in some salt, just to make up for all this sweetness. Stir it all together, and try not to scarf this down. It’s extremely inviting.

And now for the topping, which is the oh, so goooood part. Combine flour, sugar, brown sugar… And cinnamon. 

Grab about 1/2 cup pecans. And chop them up… Then keep chopping. We don’t want any large chunks of pecans—just a really fine chop.Chop, chop, chop.

Throw the pecans in with the flour mixture. Stir it around to combine…

Then throw some butter into a bowl and melt it in the microwave. Drizzle it over the flour mixture, stirring it with a fork as you go. Keep stirring until you wind up with big, moist clumps.

Pour the pears into a buttered baking dish. Buttered, you're not gonna hold back now...

Sprinkle the topping over the fruit.

Now, pop it in the oven to bake for a good 30 minutes. After 30 minutes has passed, stick it on the top rack of the oven for an additional 10 minutes, just to get the top nice and golden brown and bubbly.

Smells deliciously. Serve it up warm … with vanilla ice cream, or when you are a cinnamon addict like me serve with cinnamon ice cream J

Spring/ Summer 2011: Michael Kors

Michael Kors spring summer collection just had a real laid back holiday feeling, lot’s of white, beige and just loved the greens (there were also a lot of yellows – but they were to solid very yellow for me).

Spring/ Summer 2011: Dsquared²

How to describe Dean and Dan Caten's spring/ summer collection? Combine a preppy look , a little fun, irresistible tailoring and couple of fashion classics and you get this clean but still very sexy look.

Wanderland

Brilliant, witty, bit psychedelic, music video. That bring's just a happy, fun vibe. Love the animations and colours.

Music video for Hermanos Inglesos feat. MeMe "Wanderland".
Directed by Kristof Luyckx & Michèle Vanparys.
Design: Kristof Luyckx & Michèle Vanparys
Art Direction: Kristof Luyckx
Editing: Stijn Deconinck & Kristof Luyckx
Animation: Michèle Vanparys, Michélé De Feudis, Dries Bastiaensen & Kristof Luyckx.

Spring/ Summer 2011: Isabel Marant

Right now Isabel Marant is hot, in her own words: “it's been hard to keep our New York store, which opened this spring, stocked with merchandise: As soon as a new shipment comes in, pfff, it's gone."

Marant took her first trip to California earlier this year and fell in love with its chill vibe. This collection, she said, was an ode to surfing and the early days of skateboarding. That seventies feeling meant there were cutoffs in denim or corduroy with everything from bright check button-downs to shrunken fisherman sweaters to lacy tanks. Sports references came fast and furious: A vintage-looking silk baseball jacket in embroidered washed silk was followed by nipped and fitted rugby-stripe dresses and slightly oversize football-jersey tees. On the more girly side, Marant's signature cropped jacket was cut from red bandanna fabric, and a strapless dress was smocked from a Liberty-esque purple floral print.

P.s. Check out Carmen Kass again with her short hair ... looking good.

Back to the future photography

How cool is this?

Picture by: Irina Werning

Picture by: Irina Werning

Picture by: Irina Werning

Picture by: Irina Werning

Picture by: Irina Werning

This is the work of Irina Werning : "I love old photos. I admit being a nosey photographer. As soon as I step into someone else’s house, I start sniffing for them. Most of us are fascinated by their retro look but to me, it’s imagining how people would feel and look like if they were to reenact them today... A few months ago, I decided to actually do this. So, with my camera, I started inviting people to go back to their future."

Spring/ Summer 2011: Balmain, Christophe Decarnin

Right now all the fashion shows for this fall/ winter are happening and I love to watch them. See how all the people that visit them have dressed up, but most of all I am really anxious to see what my favourite designers have dreamt up? But I try not to write about it until fall and winter is actually coming... right now I can't wait for spring to set in, or for it to be summer. Although it is still cold here in Holland, the sun is shining and spring is on it's way. So I am real happy to show you my favourite collections from the spring/ summer 2011 shows :) Also love Carmen Kass's (Silent Models) new short hair... looks great on her.

The first one is Balmain, by Christophe Decarnin, and is quite edgy, punky and has a lot of energy: biker jackets studded and safety pinned to the hilt; tight, bleached jeans or shredded cut-offs; and holey T-shirts to match their torn fishnet stockings.
The look that I really love: the cropped pants (great cut and length), the off shoulder/ shredded Tshirts, a good belt and combined with simple black pointy killer heels.

"It's a look I've always liked," the designer said backstage. "I keep pictures of it all over my office."

Keep on dreaming

A really cool Tshirt

Check out these great Tshirts Tommie Ton just captured during the fashion weeks all over the world.

Pictures by Tommie Ton

Also want a really cool tshirt, visit Zoe Karssen's webshop. For more info about this great new Dutch Designer ... just read my previous blog.

JUST BE

go for long walks,

indulge in hot baths,

question  your  assumptions,

be kind to yourself,

live    for    the   moment,

loosen up, scream,

curse the world,

count your blessings,

just let go,

just be.

(carol shields)

Get the look

About a month ago, I did some spring shopping and got a great outfit a simple pair of khaki/ beige trousers and a simple denim shirt. My inspiration came from the JCrew Fall Collection 2010 (check out my previous blog: Favorites RTW Fall 2010). It's a classic combination, which appears to make it's come back.

Dsquared² Spring 2011

Sea of shoes

I actually got these two items:

Maison Scotch / Basic chino pants Euro 90

GAP / Light wash denim shirt approx. Euro 35

What to wear today?

I always love a red accent

Everything is available @ net-a-porter, exept Chanel

- ROBERTO CAVALLI, Zebra-print jersey T-shirt, €281.24

- RAG & BONE, Zip-detailed stretch-cotton skinny pants, €195

- GUCCI, Python ankle boots, €1,290

- BURBERRY, Studded cotton-blend trench coat, €995

- BURBERRY, Studded chain-link bracelet, €227.39

- CHANEL, Lipstick Rouge Allure, € 25

- CHANEL, Icon 2.55, price approx € 1,900

A little skull time

It is such shame and every day a big loss for Fashion that Alexander McQueen is no longer among us. It is just over a year ago ....

Just some of my favorites from McQueen's current collection:

BLACK LEATHER DOUBLE WRAP BRACELET

BLACK STUDDED BRITTANIA CLUTCH

VELOUR SKULL PUMP

OBI ALL-IN-ONE

About:
Lee Alexander McQueen, CBE (17 March 1969 – 11 February 2010) was a British fashion designer and couturier best known for his in-depth knowledge of bespoke British tailoring, his tendency to juxtapose female strength and sensuality with fragility in his collections, as well as the emotional power and raw energy of his provocative fashion shows. He is also known for having worked as chief designer at the French Haute Couture House Givenchy and for founding his own label under the name Alexander McQueen. His achievements in fashion earned him four British Designer of the Year awards (1996, 1997, 2001 and 2003), as well as the CFDA's International Designer of the Year award in 2003

If you don't have the money for an original McQueen but do like a skull accessorie ... check out Soho Hearts

Skulls and Stones Braided Bracelet (black/silver) € 55.95

Small Skull Earrings (black) € 44.95