Gucci – Anna Blachut

Posted on September 27, 2022 by — Leave a comment

Milan Fashion Week: Fashion Designers to watch & Spring Summer 2023 Trends by A Stylish Story

Milan fashion week is a biannual event that takes place between January-February and then again in September-October each year. MFW occurs in the third week of Fashion Month. The fashion month of madness always opens in New York, heads then to London, next to Milan, and finally wraps up in Paris.

The Milan Fashion Week is organized by the National Chamber of Italian Fashion, Milano Moda Donna, and is one of the most anticipated fashion events of the year.

Industry insiders, VIPs, and the press all flock to the Italian fashion capital to attend exclusive events, runway shows, and fashion presentations. This said, if you happen to be in Milan city at the time of the event, there is a Fashion Hub that is open to the public, which means you can still experience the artistic and fashionable ingenuity of MFW.

Milan Fashion Week

Italians are known for their style, craftsmanship and ability to combine clothes to look impeccably chic. Famous Italian fashion brands include Prada, Loro Piana, Tods, Gucci, Alberta Ferretti, MaxMara, Fendi, Bottega Veneta and Schiaparelli. Prints and textiles are also incredibly important emblems of Italian heritage. Luxury Italian fashion brands known for this include MISSONI, Pucci and Versace.

Milan Fashion Week: ones to watch

Of course, the big names are very exciting and generate a lot of buzz and press coverage. There are also smaller and lesser-known fashion brands that present their collections. With this in mind, here is a quick breakdown of the emerging designers at Milan Fashion Week with innovation and forward-thinking fashion lines to keep an eye on:

DHRUV KAPOOR

DHRUV KAPOOR the dreamer presentation: This Prêt-à-Porter line was founded by the Indian fashion designer Dhruv Kapoor. Think mesh sets, floor skimming flared sheer trousers and graphic, oversized athletic pieces. My favorite aspect of the new Spring Summer 2023 collection were the circular, crystal-embellished top handle mini bags.

YUME YUME

YUME YUME means “dream” in Japanese. Just like its name, the Dutch brand, founded in 2018 by Eva Korsten and Dave Hendriks present at Milan Fashion Week, offers shoes with a style that are at the same time futuristic and inspired by Japanese traditions. What is truly innovative about their footwear, is that they feature insoles and outsoles made entirely of reused materials such as recycled nylon and rubber or samples of unused products. With an environmentally conscious framework, YUME YUME uses its traditional craftsmanship to ensure sustainability in an innovative manner.

SHUTING QIU

SHUTING QIU – AS A BUTTERFLY CHASING THE SUN. Fashion forward and fun: A complex contradiction in each piece with bold prints combined with softer touches of ruffles and tulle. Colour, textures, and print combinations are all combined in a feminine yet sporty manner. Each piece in the collection is worthy of a conversation with dramatic silhouettes that stand out.

Fashion Fun Fact: The designer has collaborated with Uggs changing the soles and adding hand-sewn sequins in her capsule collection. So her work stretches to footwear as well as fashion.

What to Wear in Milan during Fashion Week?

Of course, Italy is slightly warmer and milder than its other two European counterparts where Fashion Week takes place. Paris and London are freezing and rainy by comparison and you really have to plan your outfits in terms of warmth and comfort if you want to survive there. This means that in Milan, during Fashion Week you can get away with fewer layers and really rock out the latest trends you’ve been itching to try on. In terms of Street Style, you do not need to wait for Milan Fashion Week to get inspired in the city. Simply sit outside a coffee shop in a busy street and sip an espresso whilst watching the incredibly stylish Italians trot past each one oozing more class than the last. This said Milan Street Style Trends that will be making some noise this season include:

Noughties nostalgia: 90s Grunge, think Kate Moss meets the Matrix. Everything that made the 90s what they were: Latex leather, cutouts, thin straps, platform sandals, chokers, With this trend, the return of the cool girl is well and truly here.
Gilded glamour: sequins, rhinestones and feathers on everything. Euphoria eye makeup is the easiest way to adopt this trend. I tried and loved it personally but “il faut oser !” You might look like your crying glitter tears but that’s the idea. It is such a fun look for an evening fashion event for example.
Child’s Play & Y2K are here to stay: Barrette clips, baby blue eyeshadow, lipgloss and plastic jewelry are the easiest way to hop on this trend. Think Moschino fruits, low waist jeans and cartoons – this childhood daydream is what makes this playful trend so easy to adopt.
Gucci Grandma: I am not sure how I can name this trend, basically imagine an incredibly stylish grandma who rocks her designer oversized glasses, costume jewelry, and couture on a daily basis. Think lacy frills, chiffon with sequins, prints on prints, ruffles, pearls, and chunky gold with gelato hues.
Fashion Faux Pas Made Mainstream: Lastly (and possibly most questionably) Pants paired with dresses, visible lingerie, socks with sandals – essentially all the fashion rules you can imagine, break them. In my days at art school they actually had a themed party exactly in line with this trend (talk about avant-garde!). This anti-fashion fashion in certain circumstances, can be just the look you need.

Who to follow on Social Media during fashion week

Even if you are not able to attend Fashion Week, in this digital era you can happily hop onto your preferred social media outlet and enjoy the digital version of the show. Both TikTok and Instagram are official Fashion Week partners. Many of the Fashion Houses also host live runway streaming sessions. So you can tune in no matter where you are in the world.

There are also all the behind the scenes and street styles which are fun to look at. Here are the top bloggers and fashion accounts to follow:

Who to follow on Instagram During Fashion Week

Fashion Month

New York Fashion Week

Milan Fashion Week

Paris Fashion Week

A Stylish Story pro tips for Fashion Week:

Want to know how to survive fashion month? No stranger to fashion shows, I have worked at Paris Fashion Week, and Couture Week, illustrated live at fashion shows, captured runway looks in the fashion pit as a fashion photographer and attended my fair share of fashion shows around the world as a member of the press, as an art director and a fashion influencer. With that in mind, here’s my two cents if you are headed to fashion week and want some prepping tips:

Mini miracles: always have a small mirror compact, a flat comb, your favourite lip product and a hair pin or two handy (easy to add into all your handbags and pretty useful for a quick pic op)
The holy grail: A phone charger, because there is nothing more heartbreaking than being at a show with a dead phone. This has happened to me one too many times!
Stomping ground: if you absolutely want to wear heels then opt for heeled boots with chunky heels, platforms also support well – you’ll thank me later.
Power pack: protein bars, a mini water bottle and chewing gum are going to be your best friends along with a ton of coffee.
Logo mania is dead: You would be very much mistaken if you’re planning to wear head to toe designer logos. Unless you are representing a designer, the majority of fashion week people wear unbranded, edgy looks rather than plastering themselves with visible logos. It’s much more of a “if you know, you know” vibe so definitely look at the design quality of what you choose to wear and avoid looking like a walking billboard for a brand.
Take your pills: Daflon is going to be your lifeline along with magnesium tablets in the evening.

The Future of Fashion & Italian Designers:

Last but not least, I wanted to touch upon what is next for the Fashion Industry, in particular for Italian fashion designers. With the steady shift linked to digital trends as well as interesting advancements have been adopted by some of Italy’s most loved fashion designers, such as augmented reality collections and fashion gamification.

Fashion and Web3: the Metaverse at Fashion Week

In March there was the first ever Metaverse Fashion Week and it featured luxury brands, household names and digital-native designers. The early adopters include the Italian Fashion designer Dolce & Gabbana who launched a bespoke collection of 20 looks of Metaverse wearable pieces. This season Dolce & Gabbana’s muse consisted of the the ultimate internet celebrity, the OG of social media influencers: Kim Kardashian. Other notable designers with a Metaverse presence include Hugo Boss, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Burberry and Balenciaga. The latest addition to this list includes Vogue Business that launched their Metaverse Atelier on the 22 of September 2022. A members-only event which brings you behind the scenes and up close to view fashion at its finest.

Posted on February 11, 2021March 30, 2021 by — Leave a comment

The February Beauty Edit

Beauty Product Spotlight: February 2021

The month of February is synonymous with Valentine’s Day. So, just in time for this 2021 Valentine’s Day, I wanted to share with you my favorite lotions and potions that I have become recently enamored by.

MY LOVE FOR LIPSTICK

One thing I like to do especially during the gray, cold winter days is to add a little color to my pout. As a huge makeup fan, I have an extensive collection of various shades of lipsticks. So I picked out my 8 favorite lipstick shades that I like to wear to beat those winter blues.

THE NUDE ATTITUDE

One of my all time favorite lipsticks is the MAC Matte Lipstick in Velvet Teddy. A gorgeous, creamy matte lipstick that has a very high color payoff. It has the perfect matte formulation and what is more the shade itself is like a magical color that suits almost every skin tone. If you prefer a more 60s, sex-kitten look then a great lipstick to try is the MAC Cremesheen lipstick in Shy Girl. A warm-toned peach with a creamy, pearl finish, it is in fact a color often worn by the oh-so-iconic Angelina Jolie.

Indeed, if you have a penchant for nude lipstick shades but want more of a sheer finish I love CHANEL ROUGE COCO FLASH lip shine in Boy 54. It has a luscious glossy effect. It has a super hydrating formulation, the nude shade is extremely flattering, naturally enhancing your lips. It acts almost like a reminder to other makeup products of just what cosmetics should do: enhance your natural beauty and never mask it.

CORAL CRUSH

For a playful pop of color that is not quite as bold as a red lip nor as conventional as a classic nude, coral is a good alternative. I love the Cremesheen MAC lipstick in Crosswires as it has a great color payoff. The coral is almost a bit smoked so to say with a slight pearl finish, which creates an overall expensive effect. I love it and always get tons of compliments when I wear this shade.

Valentine's Day beauty Chanel Mac gucci beauty

RED ALERT

A cool contemporary red lipstick is a great makeup look to rock on Valentine’s Day. My go-to red lip is actually this CHANEL ROUGE ALLURE in Passion 14. The packaging of this particular product is fabulous and ever so fun to use, with a click system and an ultra-luxurious black cover – this Chanel lipstick could be a prop from a 007 spy movie. The color itself is ultra-pigmented with a slightly blue undertone (which by the way makes your teeth look a tad whiter). It is hands down one of the most flattering red lipsticks I own.

THINK PINK

For a flirty, romantic makeup look, opt for a rose pink lip look. This looks great with a feminine, black kitten flick liner, and very long, fluttery lashes. My favorite pinks include MAC Satin Lipstick in Brave, Gucci’s Pigment Rich Lipstick in Magnolia Pink, and MAC Patentpolish Lip Pencil in Clever.

HAIRCARE HEROS

If the idea of applying oil to your hair (especially if it is fine) fills you with dread, then Gisou’s iconic Honey Infused Hair Oil is a must-try. Created by the Instagram Star and Macro Influencer Negin Mirsalehi, whose own hair will give you hair goals with just one click on her Instagram account. So it is only fitting that she launched her own haircare brand. Gisou’s products are all enriched with natural ingredients including honey which is sustainably sourced from the Mirsalehi Bees in the Netherlands. The Gisou Hair Oil adds shine without weighing your hair down, this lightweight silky formulation can be used as a pre-treatment after washing your hair or post-blowdry and works on all hair types. I also love how luxurious the packing is for this hair oil. It looks so aesthetic in my bathroom and so far I am pleased with the results.

When you want to hit snooze and snuggle under the covers for a couple more minutes in the morning, dry shampoo is the answer to all your beauty prayers. Give your hair a little boost with Authentic Beauty Concept’s Dry Shampoo. It is a lightweight texturizing dry shampoo that is perfect to refresh your hair between washes. And just like all of the Authentic Beauty Concept products, it is vegan and free from microplastics, mineral oil, parabens, and silicones.

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Posted on February 1, 2021March 14, 2022 by — 1 Comment

5 Fashion Facts about Gucci

Innovative, iconic and eccentric, Gucci is the Italian, luxury fashion house based in Florence.

Under the romantic and eclectic direction of Alessandro Michele, Gucci is redefining luxury for the 21st century. Founded in 1921, Gucci represents the pinnacle of Italian craftsmanship. Today part of the Kering Group, Gucci is one of the world’s leading luxury fashion brands, with a renowned reputation for creativity.

So here are 5 fun facts for fashion fanatics who are fans of Gucci.

The GG logo: First up, the iconic, double G logo stands for Gucci Gucci. He founded the famous fashion house in 1921, however this GG logo was not created by Gucci himself. It was actually designed in 1960 to honor him after his death.
Fashion Jean-ious: Secondly, did you know that in 1998 Gucci’s “Genius Jeans” entered the Guinness World Records as the most expensive pair of jeans in the world!? They were valued at a whopping $3,134. A record that was only broken in 2005 when Levis sold a pair of jeans for $60,000 at auction.
Christie’s x Gucci: Speaking of auctions, back in 2010, Gucci teamed up with the auction house Christie’s to launch the Gucci Collector. A unique service where team of experts would offer an appraisal of your vintage Gucci items online. It was the first Gucci-certified online destination and became an online hub for Gucci collectors from all over the world.
The Gucci Garden: This set the scene for the Gucci Museo which opened in 2011 in the heart of Florence. It is also known as the Gucci Garden and even has its own library, cafe and of course it’s own boutique.
Alessandro Ascends: In 2015, Alessandro Michele took over as creative director of the brand. He totally revolutionized the Italian fashion house. Juxtaposing his maximalist aesthetic with geek chic. Right up until today he continues to incorporated unexpected materials and create uncommon beauty in each and every Gucci collection.

Posted on November 28, 2019March 9, 2021 by — Leave a comment

How to Shop for Luxury – A Millennial Guide

A Millennial Approach to Luxury

When it comes to sustainable fashion in luxury it has become more than a buzzword; it has become a conscious necessity. In particular for millennial and Generation Z consumers.

In fashion, there has been a paradigm shift linked directly to the fact that these generations are exposed to the internet and social networks. Making them aware of social and economic issues linked to the way we consume and wanting to take action. Millennials are mindful consumers. It’s no longer sufficient to use the best quality leather for your designer handbag. Millennial consumers want the product to be made of ethically sourced raw materials that respect fair trade and use sustainable production practices.

So how are millennials are transforming the luxury market? And more importantly: how can we stay chic and sustainable at the same time?

Digital natives with a conscious, millennials like myself care about what and how we consume. 14% of consumers from the ages 18 to 24 complete their first luxury purchase online. What is more, today although millennials only represent 32% of spending in the luxury market, come 2025, millennials are expected to make up 50% of the luxury market (FORBES, 2019). Meaning that we have a direct impact on the luxury market as future consumers with a substantial purchasing power. Luxury brands aware of this are upping their green game. Conscious that luxury sustainability will become synonymous with our way of consuming fashion.

“Sustainability will continue to advance in importance,” Sarah Willersdorf, partner and managing director at BCG and Global Head of Luxury explains. “It will feed both the secondary-luxury market as well as give a lift to limited-run collaborations which show a brand’s respect for not flooding the market with too much merchandise.”

Some luxury fashion brands such as Stella McCartney are already way ahead of the game. In 2018, Gucci also eradicated fur from their collections in an effort towards ethical manufacturing their creations.

Purchase decisions are shifting and the luxury landscape with it. For example 56% of true-luxury consumers are attuned to luxury brands’ stance on social responsibility. 62% choose to do business with a brand that supports sustainability over a brand that does not, compared with 50% in 2013. Interestingly, sustainable luxury consumers are primarily concerned with the environment (37%), animal care (27%) and ethical manufacturing (21%). Whilst millennials top priorities are on the environment (42%) and animal treatment (26%), versus Boomers whose primary concern is ethical manufacturing (32%). (FORBES, 2019)

The characteristics of millennial behavior are seeping into older generations— which accounted for 73% of luxury purchases in 2016. (Bain & Company)

The stigma of second-hand luxury fashion goods is rapidly becoming a thing of the past.

“Second-hand luxury is rapidly becoming mainstream,” Willersdorf says. “And it is not just the lower price that attracts these true-luxury consumers. It is often the only way they can buy scarce, limited-edition, special sold-out collaborations missed the first time or vintage items.”

Breathing a second life into your wardrobe – traditionally considered less impressive than getting a new shiny item – is now the cool thing to do. Lending, renting and buying clothes second hand luxury goods is an eco-friendly trend in 2020 that is here to stay.

Unsurprisingly handbags make up 40% of all pre-owned purchases. The most popular and purchased pre-owned brands are the big players such as Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Gucci and Dior. With Vestiaire Collective at the forefront (BCG, 2019). I can honestly say that my first purchase was indeed a pre-loved Balenciaga City Bag bought with my first paycheck. The reasons for this? Firstly, it was a classic in Balenciaga’s permanent collection and bound to stay in style for years to come. Second, I happened to have spotted the exact same petrol blue bag on the arm of my favorite fashion blogger Chiara Ferrangi. And lastly, it was a little treat from me to me without breaking the bank but still investing in a quality, luxury item that I still have, wear and love. Timeless style, the product’s qualify and prestige are all key factors Millennials take into account when purchasing a luxury good such as a handbag.

Moreover, Millennials (myself included) are known to spend time, endlessly exploring and comparing their retail options, both online and in-store. My favorite luxury resale websites include The RealReal, Ruelala and of course Vestiare Collective. Also if you are looking for a hard go find piece Lyst is amazing. Whilst Swiss equivalents include LuxuryLove and Reawake in Zurich and Vintage Garderobe and Downtown Uptown in Geneva.