warehouse trend talk.

Hosted by ELLE Singapore's lovely Senior Stylist Dora Aljoofri, the Warehouse Trend Talk and AW12 collection preview was a lovely evening of laughs, photographs, and lots and lots of delicious canapes (I may or may not have devoured all those mini mushroom quiches!). After a peruse through the deliciously timeless collection, eager fashionistas gathered around to hear what Dora had to say about the collection. With the help of a fleet of models gliding elegantly through the store, Dora talked us through her favorite pieces in the collection. She summed up the nature of worldwide Autumn/Winter 2012 trends perfectly: "the most opulent season fashion has ever seen." Well, opulence was certainly the right word to use. With rich fabrics in regal hues, the entire collection was sprinkled in class and expensive taste - even the expected leather jacket (typically fit for a half-naked biker chic) was transformed into something of KMiddleton's calibre, thanks to the designers at Warehouse taking a hint from Chanel by quilting the fabric (as worn on stylist Dora and second model from the left). Jodphur-inspired skinny jeans and blouses dotted with "woodland creatures" (another huge recurring motif this season) were a prevalent aspect of the collection, and typically stiff, wallpaper-esque brocade was given a fun update in the form of a flirty, sequined dress (centre image).

The collection was effortlessly classy, and delivered runway-worthy apparel at an attractive high-street price. However, what made the collection especially lovable was the fact that it bridged the daunting gap between the borderline obnoxious trends in high-fashion, and the trends you see on the street. While maintaining modesty and elegance, the collection successfully updated the key features of this season to fit the needs of stylish, young people on a budget. It really doesn't get any better than iridescent, sequined brocade!

Click here to see more pictures from the event.

lana x h&m.

 
































It seems that Tinseltown's favourite girl has reached out her sharp claws to claim even more of the entertainment industry (is it a crime to stick fashion under the umbrella of entertainment? who knows.) - she's conquered modelling, music and movies - and now she's snagged the coveted title of H&M's AW12 face. And just when we thought Lana couldn't be soaring any higher - she's also comfortably secured her role as the face of H&M's AW13 campaign too!

This collection couldn't be more LANA. The designs are Lana, the cynical facial expressions are Lana, the colors are Lana, the hair is Lana. My favorite has to be the baby soft angora sweater in that sumptuous powdery rose hue, and in second place comes those muted floral pants, reminiscent of dark winter nights and forests and fairies and so what if I'm getting carried away because Lana's aesthetic is just so vast and full of possibilities and maybe those pants really are for fairies prancing around in the woods and night and also I love her so much okay.

 I love that this collection is so heavily influenced by her, especially since she's one of the few celebrities with a seriously strong, unshakeable aesthetic. It almost feels like H&M has finally been stamped with the vintage trademark of LDR - in other words, the line seems to represent her more than she represents the line. "A modern and feminine woman with a soft attitude" was apparently the concept of H&M's Autumn/Winter collection, and I don't see how they could've picked a better face. LDR is so incredibly versatile, and as listeners/fans, we get to see so much of who she is through what she does... without her ever saying too much. She has long nails, big hair and an even bigger voice, yet she's mysterious (and I love her for it) and really doesn't say that much in the face of the media. For some celebrities, this lack of extrovert arises as a problem, but I feel like I could be Lana's best friend because of how much I know about her solely through her music.

What do you think of Lana Del Rey's AW12 H&M collaboration? Are you excited to see her comeback during AW13 or would you prefer a change?

+ I also absolutely LOVE Lana's tattoos. I did some research and found out that she has 5 permanent ones, but she also regularly draws temporary ones for her gigs and concerts (namely various infinity signs and the words "life is beautiful" on her wrists). My favorites of her permanent tattoos are the two phrases written on the sides of each of her hands; one reads "paradise" and the other reads "trust no one." She also has the words "die young" on her ring finger, and a cursive capital "M" on her thumb, most probably signifying her grandmother named Madeleine. Lastly, she has "Nabokov Whitman" on her forearm, dedicated to Russian writer Vladimir Nabokov and poet Walt Whitman.

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