Koi Suwannagate - Holiday Gifts

Koi Suwannagate used her leftover fabrics and material to create some last minute holiday gifts. The LA-based designer, who's known for her impeccable handwork and unique clothes, wanted to take advantage of all the beautiful material she has available and have some fun in the creation process. All pieces are one of a kind and will only be sold online on her website. New items will be for sale on a daily basis so it's worth checking out if you're still looking for a Christmas present for someone special.

web: www.koisuwannagate.com

Earring holder by Jewly

I always threw my earrings in a big jewelry box and then it took ages until I found them again somewhere at the bottom of the box. I'm glad I recently found out about Jewly's earring holders on Facebook. If you're looking for a great way to store your earrings you should definitely check out her online-shop. The earring holders are all handmade and come in different designs, you can also get a custom made one. They make a good present too!

here's the link: http://en.dawanda.com/shop/Jewly

PARTY NOIRE

PARTY NOIRE is a fashion label founded by Romanian couturier Alina Cosma in 2008. PARTY NOIRE releases one high-end collection a year as well as a secondary line, the latter consisting of styles released individually and irregularly. The collections consist of beautiful 24-hour dresses for the woman who prefers uniqueness over label status. The timeless dresses are the perfect mix of simple and sophisticated, luxurious and understated. The designs are made to live, work and have fun in while still retaining a cool chic. As the label's name PARTY NOIRE already implies, the signature colour is black. Alina's drive for creativity has moved her from graphic design to fashion design. Committed to producing modern garments with subtle but powerful details, she has not left the arena of wear-ability, finished quality and overall comfort.

These photos are from PARTY NOIRE's collection BOURGEOIS PUNK

VISION ON AND FLAIR AUSTRIA DEBUT FASHION FILM EDITORIAL “LA DEMIMONDAINE”

NY-based multimedia company Vision On and Flair Austria recently teamed up to create the fashion film editorial 'La Demimondaine' which is now exclusively online. The film brings the magazine’s December 2009 14-page print cover story to life. Both the motion footage and photographic images were shot simultaneously using one state-of-the-art digital cinema camera. Vision On provided Flair with creative direction, production, and post production to make the film become a reality. Shot at NYC’s legendary nightclub 'The Box' and starring Austrian supermodel Iris Strubegger wending her way through a dark afterhours cabaret, the film draws inspiration from heroines like Marlene Dietrich and styles from the 1930-50’s. Featured brands include Cartier, Chanel, Givenchy, Louis Vuitton, and Alexis Bittar. Flair Austria Fashion Director, Ingrid Geringer, was thrilled with Vision On's new workflow. “Video editorial is the future,” she said. “It’s an exciting time for magazines. Motion content is very stimulating for our readers.” Thanks to new digital cinema cameras, a world of creative opportunities have opened up in the fashion industry, allowing campaigns and editorials to have more dynamic content in stores, online, and through other digital avenues. There will be plenty more fashion films to come!

I love the video, it looks like a fashion spread come to life

Bruno Pieters leaving Hugo

It was announced that Bruno Pieters' contract with Hugo Boss has not been extended and that he will focus more on his own label again. Pieters was the Art Director of Hugo Boss' avant-garde diffusion line Hugo since 2007 and has been hired to create a new, sharp image for the line. According to the company he positioned Hugo as a distinctive designerbrand with a clear fashion statement. From the fall/winter 2010 collection on two design teams, one for men and one for women, will be in charge of Hugo. I hope they continue where he stopped because I like the clean, sharp look of his Hugo collections. Rumor has it that the decline of the brand's sales figures was the reason for his leaving as the womenswear collection was apparently not so well received by the customers. The very graphic, tailored looks stand in crass contrast to the too playful mainstream uniforms available at all high street stores and therefore were seemingly not understood by the 'average fashionista'.

Here are some looks of his own label's spring/summer 2010 collection

Maison Martin Margiela Spring/Summer 2010

Maison Martin Margiela's spring/summer 2010 collection fueled the rumors whether Martin Margiela is still at the helm or not. I recently read an article in Textilwirtschaft (leading German fashion and textile business magazine) where it said that Martin Margiela is still creative director of MMM and that there's no intention to replace him anytime soon. But he'll carry less responsibility and spend less time in the company, handing over many tasks to his team. Especially to his right hand, who's been working with him for 20 years and has already carried a lot of responsibility as Director of Collections. But Martin will still be informed about everything that will be created and is involved in all strategic decisions concerning the design. Of course the Director of Collections' name was not announced.

Here are some looks from the spring/summer 2010 collection. Let me know what you think!

Caroline by Lucas Gatsas

Lucas Gatsas was born in Switzerland in 1983. After discovering his passion for photography as a teenager he studied photography and film at the school of art in Bern. After graduation he went on to work in London and New York where he also got to do a photo shoot with Andre J. in 2008. Here are photos he shot of Caroline Metzger.

web: www.lucasgatsas.com

Long

The long and the short of it...Long was formed in London, 2008 by young designers Gareth Emmett and Rhys Dawney. The idea behind the brand was simple - super length t-shirts but with a skinny fit. Bored with over complicated prints the pair decided to take things back to basics in terms of design. Bold and simple shapes were used as the Long signature statement and screen-printing by hand ensured each T-shirt was unique. The brand first started its life on clothing markets around North and East London then quickly found itself in a number of independent shops around London. After attending the Margin tradeshow in February 2009 'Long' gained further stockists throughout the UK and also featured in a number of fashion magazines across Europe. Now, the brand has a successful webstore, numerous blog spots and a cult following which is quickly spreading around the world. With more collections on the way, 2009 looks set to be an exciting year for 'Long' although the creators behind the brand assure us that it's just the beginning.

T-shirt collection now available at oki-ni.com

Hello Kitty Wedding Dress

I love to buy some kitsch from time to time and therefore I own a few Hello Kitty pieces. It's crazy how succesful this little cat with the big head is and that it's been sticking around for decades already. It seems that you can get EVERYTHING with Hello Kitty on it, from bags to pencils to pillows to gadgets etc. But I never expected that there's also a Hello Kitty wedding dress. I just found this and thought I share it with you because it's too whimsical...