Stills & Strokes

As I was waisting my time on Facebook, I found a link that led me straight to this mixed media organisation Stills & Strokes. I found so many amazing images using illustration, paint, instillation, typography and collages. This company works with a range of brands such as MINI, Dior, Comme des Garçons and many more. I love how their work influences abstract art onto products that we would probably not associate as a piece of art. I highly recommend if you've never heard of Stills & Strokes you take a look at their work!

Saskia x

Jaden Smith x Louis Vuitton Womenswear campaign

I was scrolling through Facebook today and found a link saying that Jaden Smith was the new face of Louis Vuitton's womenswear campaign. Yes, I repeat, Womenswear. For such a High-End market brand, doing something like this would of course cause a whirlwind of thoughts and opinions. Vogue stated that ''Gender-Free clothing and championing individuality were two of fashions big themes in 2015'' - maybe LV are trying to push that point across even more for 2016. 

I decided that I wanted to research more into Gender-Free concept so I looked back at an article from 2013 by the Daily Mail.  This article spoke about how we automatically consider the colour Pink to represent girls, and Blue to represent boys. I also learnt that in the 1940's, parents became more aware of what to dress the gender of their child in, it became more specific. In the 1960's when the liberation movement was in play, was when unisex came back. I ask myself when I see a man wearing something that appears to be feminine, or a women that is wearing something that is classed masculine, does it really matter? Who cares if a man wants to wear makeup, or wear the skinniest jeans, or carry a handbag? Who cares if a women wants to wear a suit, wear baggy t-shirts, or have short hair? I think that the campaign that Louis Vuitton came out with speaks a thousand words on Gender-Free clothing and individuality. 

Saskia x  

5 Places I want to Visit

Now it's 2016, I am starting to really think about the things I want to do and the places I want to visit. I've chosen 5 places which I WILL visit before I die (hopefully not any time soon):

New York is one of the places which has been on my list for a while. And very soon I will be able to cross this off my list, That's right, in 9 days (on the 11th) I will be flying to the big apple to explore this amazing city. I am beyond lucky and excited to be able to visit this place. The shopping, the food and the sights - I just cannot wait. I will be posting daily blog posts about this amazing place.

 Milan, Italy. This is known as one of the main fashion capitals of the world. It looks like such a beautiful and picturesque place.

Marrakech, Morocco. With those maze like streets and stunning architecture, I think this place would truly give me a different look on culture.

Oia, Greece. Those gorgeous white and blue buildings and blue sea are calling to me. I need to visit this place.

Tokyo, Japan. Named the 'futuristic City', it looks like one of the main places to grab some bargains but also learn new things about a completely different culture to ours.

Saskia x 

Iconic Sunday's - Anna Wintour

Known for her iconic 'pageboy haircut and chilly demeanour', Anna Wintour is one of the most iconic figures in the fashion industry to date. Born in London on the 3rd November 1949 to the editor of the Evening Standard newspaper, Charlie Wintour and philanthropist Elinor Wintour, Anna has become an international icon in her role has an Editor-in-Chief at Vogue magazine and now the Artistic director for Condé Nast (an international publishing company). 

Her first step into the fashion world was working for the company Harpers & Queen in the fashion department. She then took up the role of Junior Editor at Harper's Bazaar in NYC around 1976. Still in her 20's, she left Harper's Bazzar a couple of years later to work for Savvy where she took on the same job role as Harper's. In 1981, Wintour took a job at New York Magazine. 5 years later, she was back in London, and took up the position of Chief Editor of Vogue magazine. 

"I want Vogue to be pacy, sharp, and sexy, I'm not interested in the super-rich or infinitely leisured. I want our readers to be energetic, executive women, with money of their own and a wide range of interests," 

What I really found interesting when reading her biographies was that the film Devil Wears Prada was written by one of Anna's former assistants, Lauren Weisberger. The character played by Meryl Streep was demanding and cold, much like Wintour herself. Anna turned up to the premier of Devil Wears Prada head-to-toe in Prada which surely turned a few heads. 

Even with her cold personality and harsh critiques, Anna has been at Vogue for over 20 years, and continues to keep the magazine as prestige as when it first started out. 

Saskia x 

Fashion Films on Netflix

Netflix is my guilty pleasure for when I want to unwind. I've been watching a few fashion related films which every fashion lover should watch, and it's all on one website! All of these films have different stories, showing you a true insight to the people, the brand etc.

Dior and I 

'I have an idea, but it's very extreme' 

Bill Cunningham New York

'I let the street speak to me, and in order for the street to speak to you, you've got to stay out their to see what it is' 

Iris 

'Try this, try that, as though I'm playing Jazz'

Paul Smith: Gentleman Designer 

'You can find inspiration in everything. If you can't then you're not looking properly'

Advanced style 

'Show people that ageing can be a wonderful thing; that you can still dress up and feel good no matter what age you are' 

Scatter My Ashes at Bergdorf's 

'If your clothes are not in that place there's no future'

The Director 

'I didn't expect a life at all like this' 

True Cost 

'I don't want anyone wearing anything, which is produced by our blood' 

The September Issue 

'She ignited the entire industry' 

Chasing Beauty 

'What is beauty and is it worth the cost?' 

I hope that you enjoy these films as much as I did, and also gain more knowledge about the icons and the problems around the world. 

Saskia x 

KIKO MILANO Cosmetics

Every time I am out and about in either Nottingham, Bath, Bristol or Birmingham,  I always pop into Kiko and have a cheeky look inside. And I ALWAYS come out with something. Whether it be an eyeshadow, lipstick, powder or a bottle of nail varnish, this shop just draws me and my purse in.

As you can tell by the name, Kiko is an Italian brand which was founded in 1997 founded by Percassi, an ex Italian football player and entrepreneur. Their slogan 'Be who you want to be' summarises the brand; the array of different colour palettes you find in this store is incredible, suitable to any style. What I absolutely love about this store is as soon as you walk in, you can see everything so clearly. Everything is neatly laid out, able for you to take in all the colours and shades. And the prices, well they are just music to a students ears and bank account; affordable and amazing quality.

If you have never been in a Kiko store, I totally recommend it to anyone who is in love with make-up, and wants to play around with another brand, you won't be disappointed!

http://www.kikocosmetics.com/en-gb/

Saskia x

Iconic Sunday's - Bill Cunningham

 Bill Cunningham is one of my all time favourite photographers. He was born in Boston, U.S on the 13th March 1929. He attended Harvard University, but dropped out in 1948 and moved to the big apple, New York City. He served for the U.S Army, and not long after started writing for the Chicago Tribune- a daily newspaper. During this time he also started writing for Women's Wear Daily, this is when he picked up his camera and started capturing ordinary people's style on the streets of New York.

In 1978, the New York Times published a range of his photographs. He has been writing for the NYT with his column 'On the Streets' for over a decade, capturing a range of fashion trends on the street. In 2008, Bill was awarded the Officier de 'lordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Ministry of Culture. He was also awarded the Carneige Hall (where his small apartment is) Medal of Excellence in 2012.

Flicking through Netflix one day I came across a documentary about Bill Cunningham (Bill Cunningham New York) which I recommend to anyone that is interest in photography and fashion. It truly opens your eyes to different styles and trends, and shows what an icon Bill Cunningham is. Even at the age of 86, he continues to take iconic images, and write those famous columns for the New York Times. 

"More than anyone else in the city, he has the whole visual history of the last 40 or 50 years of New York. It's the total scope of fashion in the life of New York." Oscar de la Renta. 

Saskia x