happy new year | hello 2015

Happy New Year!!! This is an extremely late post to welcome the New Year, but I just wanted to say I can't believe how fast 2014 went past! It has been such an amazing year both for the blog and the fashion world, many milestones were passed and I was so so satisfied with how things were going last year. I'm pleased to say I'm extremely psyched for this year, with many big things coming my way as well as many exciting developments in the fashion world. {Galliano for Margiela anyone?} However, I'm incredibly sad to say that this year as I have a major exam at the end of the year, I won't have as much time as I want to spend posting and curating this blog. I know for the past few months I haven't been posting as much as I should, and I'm apologising from the bottom of my heart that I would be posting even less for the rest of this year to concentrate on my studies. Of course I would try to find time to update y'all on the fashion world as frequently as I can, but there would definitely be much less activity from me hope you would understand. On a brighter note, my recent Valentino Sala Bianca post has been selected for IFB's Links a la Mode, read on to find out more....

In With The New

How's your first week of 2015 going? The first week back to work, still bulging from the holidays? Hitting the January Sales like there's no tomorrow? Cleaning out your closet? Planning your life for the next year? Even though it's just another day like any other, the turn of a new year brings up so many things for everyone. What are you discarding? What do you want to bring in?

Links à la Mode: January 8th

• A Glamourous Revelation: 40 Amazing Blog Posts from 2014
• Attire Club: Different Cities Different Fashions
• Buttons & Birdcages: New Years & Embracing Change
• Confessions of a Style Cookie: Valentino Sala Bianca 945
• Happy Pretty Sweet: 5 Ways to Wear Marsala
• It Takes Two Fashion: The True Princess Skirt
• Jolly Caucus Race: Oxfam Online Shopping With A Conscience
• Kremb de la Kremb: 2015 Closet Goals
• Les Assorties: Reinterpreting a Key Winter Accessory
• Moda Vracha's Spot: SkinFood Black Sugar Mask Review
• Msyolee: New Years Resolutions!
• Petite Fille Modele: Easy Makeup Tutorial for Beginners
• Purushu Arie: 2014: The Year in Fashion
• Quantrelle: Style Lesson: Color Coordination
• That Paki Blog: Winter Styling & Struck by Splash
• The Best Organic Skincare: Thesis Beauty: Oily Skin Review
• The Chic Teen: My Three 2015 Style Resolutions
• Thy Bliss Calls: A Clean Slate
• TLV Birdie: New Year's Resolution: Less Plans
• We Are Ready Made: 2015 Resolutions: Do We Have To Buy Less?

Although I won't be posting as much this year, do follow me on twitter, tumblr, and instagram for daily updates on the fashion world. Ciao!

VSFS 2013 | Runway

EVERYONE'S FAVOURITE SHOW or what?! It has been a week since the most glamorous fashion show on the planet, the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2013 was staged in New York, and I've been dreaming about it ever since. From the glittery catwalk and the glamorous atmosphere, to the world-famous Angels and models clad in impossibly breathtaking outfits, to the bright lights and sparkles worthy of the red, or should I say pink-carpet, the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show has long been one of the most coveted fashion events of the year, not to mention being an endless source of inspiration and dreams for girls all around the world {like yours truly}. Switching from their pink satin robes to gorgeous million-dollar lingerie, the supermodels this year were featured in segments more fabulous than ever such as Parisian Nights, Shipwrecked, British Invasion, Birds of Paradise, Snow Angels and PINK Network wearing shimmery six-inch Nicholas Kirkwoods to . Here are some of my favourite atmosphere shots of the VSFS 2013, get ready for a major glitter fest.

Hope you loved the show as much as I did!

Fashion Films | Chanel & Dior

Although they appear everywhere from stores to style magazines, ads are not enough for designers these days to promote their latest collections. Creative directors of luxury houses have started to take the director's seat, creating films that not only showcases the latest togs from the house, but also reflects the rich history and culture of the label. Today we look to two of the most iconic French luxury houses Chanel and Dior, as well as their latest films. Prepare to be awed.
Once Upon A Time by Karl Lagerfeld | Chanel

Karl Lagerfeld proves his directing skills once again in this delightfully French film "Once Upon A Time" which was made to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the very first Chanel boutique set in the quaint seaside town of Deauville, France. Being the face of Chanel's Coco Mademoiselle parfum, Keira Knightley was the natural choice for the Kaiser to play the legendary designer in her early years. Featuring notable names from British model Stella Tennant to Brad Kroenig, French actress Clotilde Hemse (as her aunt Adrienne) to Tallulah Harlech, this film was premièred at Raffles Hotel in Singapore (I still can't believe Karl was came to Singapore!) a day before Chanel's Resort Cruise 2014 collection was showcased at Loewen Cluster. Teen supermodel Lindsey Wixson also made an appearance in the film, wearing a très chic black feathered hat. Fabuleux.

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Secret Garden - Versailles by Inez and Vinoodh | Dior

If you haven't noticed, Dior has a thing for gardens. From Raf Simons' 2012 Couture collection to now their Secret Garden film series, Dior always had a recurring garden theme in its collections. Lensed by Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin, the films were shot in the most dreamy palace in the world --- Versailles.Last year's Secret Garden was filled with glamorous hallways with impossibly ornate décor, but the second extension of the series "Secret Garden 2 - Versailles" instead brings you to the lush forest grounds of the Château.

 A symbol of Dior's French tradition, the picturesque Château de Versailles brings to life the Dior Fall 2013 collection, starring Russian clotheshorse Daria Strokous as Maria Antoinette, Xiao Wen Ju and Melissa Stasiuk clad top-to-toe in Dior Fall '13 togs. Enter an enchanting world from the Petit Trianon to the surreal misty forests, complete with iconic Diorissimo handbags, colourful spring gowns and of course, stunning scenery. 

Being ever the art historian, Raf Simons even took inspiration from French artists! The scene before you click "play" is apparently inspired by Édouard Manet’s famed "Le Déjeuner sur l’Herbe" or "Luncheon on the Grass", featuring three people reclining on the forest floor. In the film, they are replaced by Daria, Melissa and Xiao Wen still relaxing on the forest floor but instead donning full Dior regalia, with baskets of fruit and Diorissimo bags to match.
(Fun Fact : Did you know Dior means golden in French? Now you know.)

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What do you think? If these films aren't très français, I don't know what is.

       Charlotte

Paris Haute Couture Week | Beauty + Backstage

Everyone know what happens in a fashion show. Models strut down the runway, donning the latest must-haves of the season, from elaborate sweeping gowns to structured coats, to unique works of art in the form of bags and shoes. But what happens backstage is as interesting as what happens on the runway. Models move from makeup to hair using a process called "model rotation" and get their names checked before they can recline back on a chair and let the makeup artists and hair stylists work their magic. While production managers rush from place to place to make sure everything is in order before the models hit the runway, models begin to put on their assigned look, from the accesories to the main pieces. Most importantly, backstage is one of the only places in the world where you can catch one-of-a-kind candids of the models on duty (Look out for Sasha Luss and Anastasia Ivanova having a selfie at Dior!). While they look serious and a tad intimidating on the runway, they are totally different backstage and if they didn't have such elaborate clothes on, you might think they were a bunch of girls having fun on their own! 

Couture 2013 played safe in terms of beauty, with most of houses going for clean natural looks rather than bombastic splashes of colour. The most maximalist one was Jean Paul Gaultier, with his towering swirls of animal print imprinted hair and thick eye makeup. I've always had a penchant for thick black eye makeup as it really draws attention to your eyes and adds major volume to the whole look. Versace did just that and it was my favourite beauty look for Couture 2013. Below are my other faves this season, hope you enjoy them as much as I do! (P.S. Check out my other post on my faves shows of Couture 2013!)

Atelier Versace

Valentino

Armani Privé

Chanel

Dior

Giambattista Valli

Which one is your favourite? Which is your favourite fashion season?

Images from Style.com, edited by me

Charlotte