10qq with love bonito | JF x LB.

I didn't think I'd ever live to see the day when an international Haute Couture designer collaborated with an immensely successful online retailer, but it happened this Fashion Season and I'm sure as hell happy it did. Love, Bonito is the mother of all fashion e-retailers in Singapore and in Asia; the site which dresses thousands of women and has inspired hundreds to begin their own online fashion retail ventures. Easily Singapore's most established "blogshop," (I don't even think the term "blogshop" fits it anymore) Love, Bonito has an impressive reputation of happy customers, helpful customer service, quality apparels and more. Julien Fournie, on the other hand, worked in several of fashion's greatest design houses (Celine, Givenchy and Dior, anyone?) before opening his eponymous Haute Couture label in the summer of 2009. A FIDé favorite, Fournie has sent a total of three collections down Singapore runways, including his latest collaborative venture with Love, Bonito. So, what happens when young, fast-fashion savvy business trio Viola, Rachel and Velda join forces with a French Haute Couture designer? Nothing less than a match made in heaven. We chat with Viola and Rachel about music, previous career dreams and Love, Bonito's smashing latest collaboration.

1. Where is the first place you look for design inspiration?

Viola: My source of inspiration comes from my travels.

Rachel: I gain inspiration from fashion magazines like Vogue and Elle UK.

2. What motivates you to continue maintaining Love, Bonito as one of the country's most successful online stores? 

It is definitely the affirmation from our customers and seeing them wear our pieces on the streets. That is our constant motivation to work hard to deliver exceptional apparels and excellent customer service.

 

3. What are your favorite trends as of late?

Viola: I am a big fan of Mary Katrantzou’s prints. I also think red lips is timeless and classic, it instantly brightens the face and can make any woman feel more confident.

Rachel: Cropped tops, landscape prints and skirts with slits.

4. What were your career aspirations when you were a teenager?

Viola: I have always wanted to be a lawyer or a novel writer.

Rachel: A teacher or a tour guide because I love interacting with people!

5. If you had to wear one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Viola: Without a doubt, confidence. 

Rachel: A printed mini skirt. It is so versatile, you can glam it up with high heels for a girls’ night out or pair it with sneakers for a casual look.  

6. Tell us a little more about your collaboration with Julien Fournie.

We attended Julien’s show last year at FIDe Fashion Weeks and we were intrigued and astonished by his work and style. We casually spoke to Dr Frank Cintamani, Chairman of FIDe Fashion Weeks, about the idea of Love, Bonito collaborating with a haute couturier, specifically Julien Fournié. He believed in our brand, heard our wishes and linked us up with Julien. The magic of haute couture meets fast fashion happened. We owe it to Dr Frank for making this beautiful partnership happen. 

7. What's the best thing about your job? 

Viola: Affirmation from our customers and meeting like-minded people who believe in us and are supportive of what we do, they give us the strength to do even better.

Rachel: I get to decide the designs Love, Bonito will launch; down to the colours, fabrics, textures and embellishments!

8. What three foods can't you stand? 

Viola: Parsley, garlic and onions

Rachel: Kimchi, clams and ginger

 

9. Current favorite singer/music artist:

Viola: Coldplay

Rachel: Coldplay and Justin Timberlake

10. Plans for the future of Love, Bonito:

We are very honoured to be the first online retailer in Asia to showcase a marriage of haute couture and fast fashion. Our doors are now open for future collaborations like this to come. With this partnership, Love, Bonito will work towards penetrating into the international fashion market online.

Check out this awesome video for a further peek into the foundations of this collaboration!

What do you think of the Julien Fournie for Love, Bonito collaboration?

two weeks in the +65!

 After an amazing first 8 weeks (that absolutely flew by!) at boarding school in England, I couldn't be happier to come home to Asian food, warm weather, my family, friends and beloved bed. The heat is even more unbearable than when I left - I don't think I'll be wearing anything other than strappy tops and shorts in fear of perspiring to death in this horrific humidity! Life has been craaaazy busy and I literally hit the ground running (...to fashion week, that is); from hopping straight off my flight and dashing to catch the Frederick Lee and Julien Fournie for Love, Bonito shows at FIDe Fashion Week to being reunited with all my lovely friends and my boyfriend, it's all been non-stop since I flew in last week and I'm loving every second of it. Lunching with my dad at our favorite Tiong Bahru eatery "Open Door Policy," coffee dates with Emma, fun photoshoots and modelling jobs, study dates with Camilla, celebrating Zack and Ayush's birthday, gymming with my lovely brothers, attending exciting meetings and events, shooting outfit posts with my mom, going for evening strolls with my boyfriend and trying to get some of my holiday homework done are only a few highlights of the many things I've been up to in the span of 7 days. One week down and one more to go; livin' at full speed is the best way I know how. 

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.

fide #1 - silvian imberg & anne fontaine.

Silvian Imberg's substantial presentation was everything a swimwear collection should be; luxurious, exuberant and sexy. From sheer poolside kaftans to bikinis accentuated with frills, tassels and the like, Imberg showcased a medley of looks that communicated one essential message that is often forgotten in the low-cal hype of the industry; every woman, regardless of their body shape, has the potential to be absolutely beautiful. Seeing smiley models donning Imberg's exotic creations was a touching change from the sullen, rail-thin skeletons that dominate runways worldwide. There was a prevalent geometric emphasis, which was continually reincarnated and reinvented as the show progressed. Watercolor pieces were accentuated with metallic rings, futuristic monochrome bikinis were held together by weaves of fabric, and the magnificent flowing kaftans brought the runway to life with it's bold hues and recurring patterns. The only piece of criticism I had for this show was the lack of cohesion in the pieces. Although I appreciated the long show (talk about value for money!), seeing so many polar opposites depicted on the runway suggested that the inspiration for the designs was blurry and lacked solidarity. Innovation, glamor and sex appeal? Definitely. But a concrete aesthetic and a defined source of inspiration? Not so much.

Anne Fontaine

Anne Fontaine: the curator of chic, the queen of quintessential French design, the master of monochrome, and so much more. It's not often a designer can pull off a collection fashioned entirely from grayscale, yet Fontaine seems to have accomplished this feat with startling ease and immense delicateness. By infusing refined, McQueen-inspired accents of a theatrical nature (see the cloud-like shoulder puffs in the image above) into her otherwise simplistic designs, Fontaine was able to bring what is often perceived as office-only fashion to a refreshing new level. Black blouses were doused with texture, volume and effective tailoring, and white pieces became not-so-angelic as transparent fabrics were introduced. Standouts from this ready-to-wear collection have got to be the strapless black dress with a ruched skirt and gold detailing, as well as the beautifully simple white dress (which I got an action shot of in the first picture!).

Apologies for the great delay, but there are more Fide Fashion Week posts to come, and that's a promise!

+ Check out Singapore blogshop Melrose Medley's newest collection here! [sponsored link]