10qq with denise.

Meet Denise Palladino: super mom and fashion entrepreneur extraordinaire/founder of ChicStash.com! An inspiration to women of all ages and living (and glamorous!) proof that being a full-time mom and running a business can be done while looking and feeling good, read on to find out what Denise has to say, as well as a little bit about her highly successful albeit newly launched Singapore based e-commerce platform: ChicStash! If you're keen to find out more about CS, stay tuned to Seven Inch Stilettos in the next coming months when a full advertorial post comes your way!

1. What inspired you to begin Chic Stash?
Resale/vintage stores have always existed in many cities around the world.  We’re now seeing re-commerce migrating online with much success in the US and Europe. We’re leading this pre-loved fashion revolution in Asia with a rapidly expanding community of buyers and sellers.

Right: Denise Palladino with Rana of Bonjour Singapore at ChicStash's recent launch event!

2. Three things you always keep with you:

Hairbands- I always keep a few hairbands and bobby pins in my purse. They’re especially handy when I find myself overheated, or want to quickly change my look. Notebook and pen- a small notebook always comes in handy to jot down inspiration. Lipstick- at any given moment, I have about 4 different lipsticks, lip glosses in my bag. In a pinch, I can go from casual to elegant with a few sweeps of my red…pink…coral, (see, I can never decide) lipstick.

3. A place you've always wanted to travel to:

The Greek Island of Hydra. Imagine no phone reception, no cars, beautiful beaches, and a truly intact local culture.  Friends have a beautiful house there, now I just need to make the time!

4. Describe the typical Chic Stash woman in a sentence:

The CS Shopper is fun and fearless in her approach to dressing; casual in the morning, rocknrolla at night. Life is an endless costume party; she writes her own rules for a distinct look and embodies the true soul of chic.  

5. What is your favorite thing to do on a Saturday night?

Date Night at Ying Yang rooftop bar on Club Street with my hubby is always special.  Met my husband there 2 ½ years ago so to be able to sit down (with no other distractions) and catch up after the usually busy week is amazing. 

6. What are some of your personal favorite pieces on chicstash.com as of late?

From our Concierge/Curated Section: Violet Sapphire Ring, Sequin Chanel tank Top, YSL cream tux suit, Chloe Burgundy bag, and blue satin Louboutin pumps.

From the Marketplace: Great Marrimekko sunflower yellow dress, Collette Dinnigan black skirt & top, and a sexy Banana Republic pink silk camisole.

7. What was your dream career as a child?

To be a Ballerina (not Black Swan).

8. How did the name "Chic Stash" come about?

‘Chic’ reflects our community of users; fab dressers, smart resellers, and Eco-Chic fashionistas. We know that women aren’t wearing 80% of their wardrobes, that’s the ‘Stash.’

9. A food you've always hated?

All fast food – what IS it?

10. A piece of wisdom/motto that you live by:

"Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on Earth." -Muhammad Ali

join the fun @ chicstash.com!

10qq with islean.

 Powerful - Sexy - Sophisticated - Chic. If I had to sum up ARC's aesthetic in four words, those would be the four I'd choose. No one, I repeat NO ONE, knows power-dressing the way Islean Valath does, and that's why every woman needs an ARC piece in her wardrobe - for kick-ass, no-nonsense sophistication. In my mind, the ARC woman is the urban, polished CEO with the world at her manicured fingertips who wears heels as high as her achievements and champions a wardrobe of professional, understated elegance laced with bold sexiness. While we can't all be that CEO, we can sure as hell dress like her with price points of $150 for a skirt to $358 for a dress. ARC echoes the clean aesthetic of sparkling urban life, and achieves a unique sexiness while maintaining generally conservative cuts. With excellent quality and a design philosophy like no other, ARC stands out in the Singaporean design scene as the pioneer of modern, feminine dressing. Islean describes her brand vision as follows:

"A segment of a circle. A curve. The make-up of a woman's body. ARC is inspired by the curves that govern the female form, seeking to draw attention to that which should be, and to hold back what is best veiled... The juxtaposition of the hard-edged and soft curves echoes a balance that all modern women must find: somewhere between fragile and hard, strong and delicate."

1) What's your favorite way to spend a Friday night? Catching up with my best girlfriends over a good meal. I don't get to see them often enough due to our travel and work schedules, so it's always such a treat to meet up. We don't frequent clubs and bars at all, but prefer to chill over a good meal in Katong where we grew up together, or somewhere in the Little India/Bras Basah areas. Invariably we'll end up having a great time, laughing our heads off over something or other. Of course it's always a feast, ending with someone whipping out a box of cupcakes or local kueh they had bought along the way. We're all pretty consistent and passionate about yoga and gymming, so we never feel guilty going crazy with the desserts.

2) What are some of your daily online reads? I love the crisp sounds of a publication being flipped early in the morning. I do read online mags but there's nothing on the web that's a daily habit.

3) Name a celebrity you'd love to dress in your designs: Natalie Portman. She's the perfect combination - intelligent, grounded, doesn't take herself too seriously, amazing at her craft, wacky funny, and if all that isn't enough, she's got a flawless face and body.

4) What's a color you'd never wear? Cyan blue. It really doesn't work with my skin tone. Might be great on someone else, but just terrible on me.

5) What's something you always have with you? I hate to admit this, but its my iPhone. Yes I know, people are now completely glued to their handheld devices, causing big shifts and possibly detrimental effects on our social paradigms, not to mention really embarrassing facial expressions on the trains as we attempt to get to the next level of Candy Crush. I can't help it though, I'm addicted to my machine! I don't actually play any games at all. For me it's emails, whatsapp and googling - you see I just HAVE to find the answer to any question I have. Immediately.

6) Name a designer you look up to/are inspired by: There are so many, but for a long time now I've been a huge fan of Haider Ackermann. His work is just phenomenal and he's got such a strong, recognizable voice in his creations.

7) What's your least favorite food? I was forced to eat this 3 times a week when I was a kid: steamed whole fish with ginger & Chinese wine. The smell and slimy skin of the fish made want to puke, and the eyes of the fish staring at me from the plate freaked me out.  Kind of like the Mona Lisa eye-contact effect, except not very pleasant because it's a dead fish...

8) What are your thoughts on Singapore's fashion scene? There's definitely more and more interesting street fashion in Singapore that I've noticed in the past couple years. Every time I see someone, young or old wearing a great outfit styled in a unique, imaginative way, I think to myself, "How awesome, this is the next stage of our development in Asia: creative personal growth." Not merely in small alternative pockets of society, but throughout the mainstream, there is burgeoning recognition that personal expression / individuality are things that aren't to be feared and rejected.

9) Something you've never done but you'd like to try: Bit of a cliche, but for me it really is bungee jumping. I have family in New Zealand so it's long overdue; on my next trip I will have to make good on my self-promise to take the plunge, so to speak...

10) What are your dreams for the future? Being invited to show my line at one of the major cities' fashion weeks is a real dream.

What do you think of Islean's designs and ARC?

10qq with katja tamara.

I have a seriously incurable obsession with statement clutches; for a student on a sartorial budget, statement clutches are the perfect way to spice up a classic, re-wearable outfit - namely a light colored chiffon blouse and denim jeans. They can add a splash of color, texture or pattern to any simple ensemble, and in the case of Katja Tamara's python clutches, they add all three. Possibly my favorite thing about these gorgeous accessories (although seriously, what ISN'T to like about those beauties) is the fact that they exemplify the perfect marriage of color, print and texture through the distinct python-skin print they all boast. If there's such thing as the perfect, all-encompassing statement bag, these clutches might be just that. With a medley of color schemes on offer as well as variations such as python-skin tote bags and carryalls, Katja Tamara's fantabulous designs are definitely a staple for any fashion-forward woman (or man!). Drawing inspiration from Bali where all her designs are exclusively manufactured, Katja has expanded her label to include beautiful tasseled necklaces each with unique bead patterns and Buddha pendants. I'm so over the cheap fad of gothic Christian-cross designs, so I welcomed one of these gorgeous Buddha necklaces (in black) into my accessories collection with open arms a few weeks ago at the ilovedesigner.com event! 

Check out Katja's 10 Quick Questions below:

1) Favorite thing to do on a Saturday night: Dinner with friends, listening to music, dancing and late-night lounging, or having Apple TV movie nights (and popcorn!) with my husband and kids. 

2) Your current beauty must-have: An 8 hour night of sleep and Tom Ford’s Eye Color Quad in Titanium Smoke, which is suitable for day or night.

3) Your favorite vacation destination: Does it have to be narrowed down to 1 place? I love to travel! My favorites are Bali during Spring, Hawaii in the Summer, New York City in the Fall and Zermatt during Winter. 

4) Something not a lot of people know about you: Both of my parents are European, but I grew up in California. They wanted to give me a name that could be pronounced in Norwegian, German and English easily, but unknowingly they gave me a name that was quite unique in the USA. When I was younger I was tortured with nicknames! Now I can embrace my name and I love it. 

5) Something that inspires your designs: As cliché as this is, I genuinely have Wanderlust. Whenever I travel, I take snapshots in my mind of the natural beauty of animals. 

6) An artist you've currently been listening to: Coldplay; although they have been around for a while, I always come back to them. 

7) A pet peeve: People who brag. 

8) The best part of the design process: Sourcing different textures, patterns and colors, as this inspires my creations. 

9) A language you wish you could speak: German, my father is from Germany. I used to have to go to German Saturday School in California, but I rebelled and refused to speak it! Now I wish I was more fluent. 

10) Future dreams and goals for the Katja Tamara label: My obsession is for people to own versatile pieces in their wardrobe and not to take themselves too seriously. I think a lot of the rules of fashion have been broken and it's not about recreating the wheel but reinterpreting it. I would love for my label to be carried by influential people on a world stage and by moms out on a Saturday night.  

~

What do you think of Katja Tamara's gorgeous clutches? Shop her designs on ilovedesigner.com!

fide #2 - gustavo lins & alexis mabille.

Gustavo Lins

From elbow length gloves to metallic outerwear; black on black (on black on black on black) to awkward puffy blue fur (sorry Gustavo), this collection was certainly a thought-provoking one with both strong and weak aspects. While I most certainly enjoyed the fabric choices, I felt that there was a lack of "wow-factor," despite significant technical proficiency on the designer's part. The color scheme was a little confusing (lime green to gold to black, and then every color in between?), but it was clean-cut and well put-together nonetheless. Favorites have to be the assymmetrical neckline dresses pictured with gloves, as well as all the black ensembles - call me a sucker for black, but seriously, those pieces were SO well done.

Black is one of the most challenging colors to work with, simply because it leaves such a huge margin for criticism. It's a color that can be outstandingly effective when utilized in appropriate doses, but when a couturier starts OD'ing on it, critics go wild with insults. I have something of a sympathy when it comes to black though; I think it's an elegant understatement which can be emphasized or amplified with the use of things like metallic accents and tailoring, both of which Gustavo has fulfilled to great excess. There's nothing more chic than a LBD with a gold cuff, so the statement necklaces which punctuate an otherwise "flat" ensemble bring up the "chic" factor by a couple notches. The swishy dress with a daring neckline (second from right) was another simplistic beauty, and the general mash-up of fabrics was executed brilliantly.

To be perfectly honest, the infusion of bright blue fur/terrycloth accents (as pictured above) into an otherwise refined collection was a huge disappointment and deterrent to the success of the runway presentation. I loved everything else Gustavo showed, but this just didn't make the cut. It was far too avant-garde for a subdued, chic collection, and the texture screamed "blanket" more than "haute couture" to me.

I couldn't help myself - I simply had to group these pieces together to achieve a somewhat Christmassy color scheme! Although I don't particularly agree on the erratic black splotches (second to the left), the leather lining (left) looked SO classy, as did the "cut and paste" nature of the dress furthest to the right. I've always been skeptical about dresses made entirely of leather (the only person I know who can always pull off leather is Rumi Neely), but the daring slit and v-neck (second from right) made the dress a no-brainer of a winner. On a side note, how beautiful is the model on the extreme left?! She's such a stunner. 

Probably one of the strongest points of the collection, the seamless intertwining of - yes, male models into the presentation. There's nothing more refreshing than seeing a slick-haired beau march down the catwalk after dozens of gaunt females have strutted their stuff (after a while they all begin to look the same, not gonna lie). Gustavo kept the menswear to a tight-lipped minimum, with lusciously dark hues and masculine proportions. While the shredded leather look (furthest to the right) doesn't quite hit the spot, the slouchy cape look (second to the right) definitely does.

Alexis Mabille

Ornate, embellished and absolutely breathtaking - I don't really know how else to translate the beauty of Mabille's collection into words without sounding like I'm having an affair with one of his dresses. But seriously, this man is an artistic, conceptual genius. There is something so pure about his work, something so cohesive and secure about the way he put this collection together. There's an undoubted sense of flow, yet each magnificent ensemble retains a glittering uniqueness unlike any other piece in the collection. Decorated generously with jewels - be it on headpieces or trimmings, the sheer radiance of the designs set the runway alight with the flame of fantasy as Mabille shared with us his escapades into the realm of the surreal.

Perhaps one of the greatest things about this collection is Mabille's fluency at honing all aspects of the female form. Androgyny has taken the world by storm in the last few years, and it's so rare to see a collection so abundantly filled with girly silhouettes and delicate structural choices. Mabille didn't do anything to dilute his authentic flavor with a dose of masculinity - he chose v-necks over boxy shoulders, and pieces that emphasized the bust and waist in true female fashion. Masculinity has been terribly overused and abused in the female fashion sector, that it came almost as a shock to see clothing that wholeheartedly embraces a woman's form. From sweeping lace to dramatic tails, simply looking at these stunning ensembles makes me feel so in touch with my feminine side. These clothes aren't provocative, edgy or attempting to make some sort of revolutionary statement, yet they still retain a fierce quality worthy of a double-take.

+ All photo-credits to Fide Fashion Weeks.

+ Check out my first Fide Fashion Week post here!

+ [sponsored link] Melrose Medley, your one-stop destination for trendy, stylish apparel! Check out their Facebook, Twitter and Website.

paper crown | fall 2012

{images from paper-crown.com}

I was extremely skeptical of LC's new clothing line Paper Crown when it launched it's first debut collection in Fall 2011 - I immediately brushed it off as a run-of-the-mill Kardashian stunt; a celebrity dabbling in numerous industries and succeeding merely because of their wealth/celebrity status. However, after a further look into the collection, a browse on her gorgeous website laurenconrad.com (which strikes a perfect balance between earnest fashion blogger and hairflicky celebrity) and a read of her personal wardrobe tips&tricks book entitled "Style," I quickly dismissed all the superficial impressions I had of her. She really is a hard-working young entrepreneur, and although she has the luxury of wealth and an impressive resume of star-studded experience, her work really does speak for itself - and for a 26 year old, she's succeeded tremendously in countless fields of the fashion and entertainment industries. She started off doing bits and bobs; guest-judging on ANTM Cycle 13, being named the first official spokesperson of beauty brand mark., doing cameo appearances on popular sitcoms, and landing a role on MTV's hit series The Hills. Clearly the decision of only a prudent, business-savvy individual, Lauren took a break from most of the aforementioned projects such as representing other brands, and armed with her extensive experience, she began one of her own. 

To start off with, Paper Crown is just such a perfect name, I can't get over how many wonderful connotations it has. It's not trashy, excessive teen royalty a la Juicy Couture, nor is it literal royalty for the refined, pantsuit-donning millionaire mama. It's a crown made of paper; it's almost a juvenile perception and interpretation of the elite few that the fashion industry seems to constantly strive to impress. It almost feels like child's play - an endless exploration of fashion, dimension, design, color and aesthetic. It's a wonderfully dynamic yet sugary-sweet concept, and it reminds me very much of one of my favorite Taylor Swift songs: "Long Live." 

 ~

"We are the kings and the queens, you traded your baseball cap for a crown."

"I had the time of my life fighting dragons with you."

"Cause for a moment a band of thieves in ripped up jeans got to rule the world."

 ~

(full lyrics here - please read/listen to the song if you haven't already done so, you seriously won't regret it!)

Okay so I got a little carried away; it's really only the first song lyric (bolded) that is relevant to the whole "crown" theme, but the whole song is full of nostalgia for younger days - when everything seemed conquerable and manageable and life was so full of restlessness and sheer moments of victory, however small. The same theme of childlike innocence and sense of infinite success and capability is reflected in Paper Crown's gorgeous Fall 2012 collection; the vast range of styles and trends reflected in so few looks is truly mind-blowing. From voluminous dresses to everyday shifts smothered in pretty bows, this collection expertly retains a playful sense of childhood and relaxation while maintaining a high street appeal, thanks to the versatile, million-dollar color scheme (brick red, muted mocha and light cream, definitely a yes). As well as having a cosy, homewear side to it (think Zara/H&M basics), the collection definitely proves compatible with a chic city-hopper too; the shift dresses and floral button-downs are very Marks and Sparks!

Yeah, and we thought Lauren Conrad's reign would end after The Hills drew to a close. Apparently she's only just found her crowning glory.

topshop.

 Words cannot describe how much I adore Topshop, so I've created this polyvore set in hopes of illustrating my affection for this humble brand through a hastily compiled visual aid. Topshop's timeless, rich aesthetic contorts and re-molds itself as each season breezes in and out, thus achieving harmonious synchronization with the trends that come hand in hand with the seasonal changes on the thermostat. The skilled designers of this brand effortlessly churn out pristine, artisanal works of art multiple times a year, and time and time again, they are awarded with nothing less than a sold out collection, a standing ovation, and a worldwide army of supporters.

Topshop's "unique" (pardon the pun, for those who understand it) aesthetic has become ridiculously appealing to thousands around the world. With saturated, explosive color schemes for every season, a rich variety of fabrics and textures perpetually reside in any Topshop store you visit. The brand embraces a plethora of preferences, styles and personalities; only in Topshop would you find a lace slip dress, a pair of leather combat boots, a shearling coat and a pair of rugged chinos all assembled in dangerous vicinity, yet surprising harmony.

The philosophy of the brand is evident through all their esteemed creations; there is always room for experimenting and testing the boundaries of "acceptable street-style fashion." I've always compiled my outfits with an emphasis on diversity of color, print and texture, and no other brand encourages that as much as Topshop does. Topshop won't provide notoriously theatrical costume ensembles a la Alexander McQueen, nor will it ever sell you something you could find in Gap Basics or Forever 21. If you walk in to a Topshop store in search of denim shorts, you'll find an acid washed, high waisted, studded pair of denim hotpants. If you enter in search of a sweater, you'll walk out with a cropped, raglan button-down knit. Topshop emulates the diversity of our vibrant generation : it sells typical clothing- with a wild, signature twist. 

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tantalizingly temperley.

I first came across this brand in a place you'd least expect to see a delicate brand like Temperley featured in: Hello! Magazine. Yes, I am guilty of wasting away my glorious summer days with my face buried in "publications" that contain little more than pixelated graphics of overrated people. In fact, now that I think about it, Hello! Magazine is the entire opposite of everything Temperley stands for; it's loud and obnoxiously impersonal, whereas Temperley boasts more of an understated class.  

However there was a reason that Temperley's ladylike frocks found themselves sandwiched between pages of wasted adolescents and botoxed fifty-year-olds that comprise our "modern pop culture," and that reason was because the two newest style icons of our time have given the brand a Royal Stamp Of Approval; Kate Middleton and her sister Pippa Middleton.

While doing my occasional sift through the trends and shows on style.com (I know, what an amateur. Pssh.), I did a mental happy-dance when I saw the link to Temperley's Resort 2012 Collection. I am such a sucker for this brand; I can't get enough of the oh-so-Britishness of it all. The charming silhouettes and the beautiful fabrics are truly delightful, and the sumptuous aura that a Temperley dress exudes is priceless, as effortlessly demonstrated by Mrs. Middleton on more than one occasion.

Temperley's Resort collection was just what I expected of a well-established, borderline-snooty British brand. Almost a little too classy, with a perfect pinch of sassiness and a smidgen of sex. However, modesty is never sacrificed for sex appeal in the house of Temperley; plunging necklines are met with floor skimming skirts, and those flirty minidresses always manage to conceal the "upper assets," even if only with a translucent film of lace.

  Even though these two fantastically compiled moodboards (below) are totally irrelevant to Resort 2012, I thought it was cool that they were published on Temperley's website and I definitely thought they were worth posting. After a quick browse through the A/W11 collection that these moodboards were made for, I marveled at the unusual, extraordinary interpretations of the designers which were evident in the collection. It was definitely interesting to see exactly what they drew their inspiration from and what they came up with as an end product in relation to this simple stimulus.

        Moodboards for Temperley's A/W collection, as shown here.

        Sources: Glamazon Diaries, Glamour, Criminal Mindss and South Molton Style.

What do you think of Temperley and Kate Middleton's style?

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a little mcqueen for thought.

“Alexander’s vision of fashion relentlessly questioned the requisites of clothing.”

Alexander McQueen couldn’t be a better representative of how I feel towards fashion. He designs with favor to his highly developed visual palette, he doesn’t design for practicality. He doesn’t design to appeal to the mediocre, he designs to fuel the extraordinary. He doesn’t design for money, he designs to satisfy his immense craving for beauty. He is a perfect example of someone who truly can grasp and fulfill the meaning and purpose of fashion, a craft itself that many never hone.

Razor Clam Shell dress by Alexander McQueen – Voss, S/S 2001.

Take this beautiful, contoured dress for instance. It’s created using real razor clam shells found on a beach. How much simpler does it get than that? Lee didn’t use miles of rare, expensive fabrics. He utilized the beauty and gifts of Mother Nature, who was one of the many sources of inspiration for him, and who should be a huge inspiration to any designer. He created pieces that became legendary based on his miraculous artistic abilities, not on the material he used; and that is something that's truly commendable.

"I have always loved the mechanics of nature and to a greater or lesser extent my work is always informed by that."

Another thing that's so beautiful about McQueen's stunning work aesthetic is that he has such an open, free mind that draws inspiration from everything he sees. His perpetually wandering mind is what leads him to the production of his extraordinary creations, and that is evident through each and every season. This quote (above) really inspired me because I always assumed that designers only drew inspiration from significant occurrences such as wars, time periods, stereotypes and weather, to name a few. To know that one of Alexander McQueen's sources of inspiration is sitting on a telephone pole outside my window, basking in the morning Dublin sun is a confirmation that there are so many little fragments of beauty scattered around us which we don't notice; but all it takes is for us to slow down our lives a little and tilt our heads in the direction of the stars.

 One of my favorite parts of the exhibition was the section that featured pieces from “Highland Rape,” a Fall collection from 2006. (Also categorized as “Romantic Nationalism.”) I was captivated by this entire section, and the as the haunting tune of “God Save The Queen” whistled in my ears, I could almost feel the biting Scottish wind snaking down my spine. I loved the recurring, patriotic appearance of red plaid; I think it placed each outfit into context. Because the outfits were so vastly different from each other, the print was one of the only elements that anchored each ensemble to a clear, common ground and a shared identity.

I remember standing in the doorway to the gift shop at the end of the exhibition, refusing to step out of Savage Beauty in fear of never returning. I spent lots of time in the exhibition taking misspelt notes on my iPod Touch, trying to condense everything in those magical rooms into words. I took a few sneaky pictures and in turn, developed an unwritten suspicion with the security guards who patrolled the vast rooms. Even after all that, I didn’t know how I could relive that hour I spent in there. As soon as I laid eyes on the Savage Beauty book, I knew I was willing to spend $45 on something that would help me relive my very own Alexander McQueen experience, over and over again. My perpetual concern of an overweight luggage kicked in, and I coolly brushed it off. This is Alexander McQueen we’re talking about, guys.

All Quotes taken from the Savage Beauty exhibition and the Savage Beauty book.

Images from the MetMuseum Blog, Google images, Style.com, and my own camera.

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