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J’adore Dior Garden Party

J’adore by Dior Parfum d’Eau launch party in Traumgarten by Anna Blachut from A Stylish Story

In early September I was invited to attend the new Dior fragrance launch on the Swiss market. The event took place in Traumgarten Thalwil, just a short ride outside of the Zurich city center.

The event was a celebration of the new parfum d’eau.

Traumgarten actually means “dream garden” in German, and this could not be more accurate. The setting was breathtaking, with koi fish curling around the bottom of a pond, Dior goodie bags piled high on lush green bushes, and flowers, and the new Dior parfum d’eau.

Why Parfum d’eau, not eau de parfum? This is indeed the unique selling point of this new Dior fragrance. It is the first-ever water-based fragrance. It is an alcohol-free fragrance. Instead of alcohol, it is an oil-based fragrance that needs to be shaken before being applied. The new Dior fragrance is a concentration of water and flowers.

In terms of advertising and imagery, the Dior J’adore fragrance has become synonymous with the famous actress Charlize Theron. She has been the face of numerous of the J’adore fragrance campaigns (and before her, Carmen Kass in the 90s). Charlize Theron continues to star in the international campaign launch for the new J’adore Parfum d’eau. But did you know that there will be local digital stars for this Dior Parfum launch? Earlier in the day, the Traumgarten served as a backdrop for the upcoming Dior digital campaign for the perfume in the Swiss market. They shot the most stunning images of the beautiful Swiss influencers Anna Maradan, Elvira Legrand, Lisa Starchak, Sindi Arifi, and Svenja Elena Steness.

The evening event started at 6, there was a garden quiz with prizes to win, delicious food and on each table, there was a white bouquet of Dior flowers along with the new J’adore Parfum d’eau for guests to sample. There was also a pop-up booth with makeup where you could try out the latest Dior Makeup collections with the help of professional makeup artists. There were also several backdrops where you could take your picture including a super fun photo booth, which I loved. Later on, there was a full official presentation of the new Dior fragrance along with a speech from the heads of the markets in the evening.

The theme of the evening reflected the new look of the Parfum d’Eau’s opaque white bottle with its elegant gold neck – the Dress Code was white with a touch of gold. For the event, I wore a Miu Miu white dress with a delicate bow detail along with a cream white tweed blazer, threaded with gold and embellished with a pearl trim. In terms of shoes, I wore a pair of white loafers with gold details. This is because we had been asked to wear comfortable shoes, this is because the garden setting meant that heels would be a tad more complex, and I am so happy I had flat shoes as it allowed me to explore the garden fully. For the event, I had done my makeup using only Dior products. In terms of the look, I did a soft glam look inspired by Lily-Rose Depp’s MET Gala makeup from 2019, so iconic and elegant.

The event was a wonderful moment, and I am so thankful to have been invited. Not to mention because when I was an illustration design student at The University of Edinburgh, my dissertation thesis was in fact on Dior and the iconic perfume ads created by the famous Franco-Italian fashion illustrator René Gruau. In this way, Dior will always truly hold a special place in my heart.

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Watches & Wonders Week Highlights by A Stylish Story: WPHH – Franck Muller Gala & HYT Watches at Antiquorum Geneva

Watches and Wonders 2022 in Geneva as told by Anna Blachut.

The annual watch fair called Watches & Wonders just took place in Geneva. This is the equivalent of fashion week for the watch industry. Geneva is the ideal setting for such an event as it is home to numerous prestigious watchmakers such as Patek Philippe, Vacheron Constantin, and Roger Dubuis, to name a few. The Watches & Wonders annual event takes place in Geneva, Switzerland. It consists of an impressive lineup of brands that come together to announce their new watches, unveil their newly launched timepieces and innovations. There are also many local watch brands who host private events during this week.

I was lucky enough to attend several of the exclusive watch events in Geneva, which I wanted to share with you today.

SEVENFRIDAY at The Fairmont in Geneva

The first event I attended was a private watch viewing and dinner at the luxury hotel, the Fairmont in Geneva. The Zurich based brand showcased their new pieces. We met the founders who have successfully launched SEVENFRIDAY as a global lifestyle brand that creates industrial inspired watches as well as super funky eyewear pieces. The pieces are designed for individuals “who live everyday like its Friday”.

Geneva’s Annual Watches & Wonder Week Highlights by A Stylish Story: WPHH - Franck Muller Gala & HYT Watches at Antiquorum Geneva

HYT Watches Moon Runner & Hastroid at Antiquorum Geneva

The next event which I greatly appreciated was hosted at the auction house Antiquorum. For the 2022 edition of the Watch and Wonders, Antiquorum in Geneva hosted the Swiss manufacturer HYT watches. HYT is known for their unique and innovative approach to time.

HYT introduced two truly remarkable timepieces: the Supernova Blue Moon Runner and the New HYT Hastroid. Davide Cerrato, CEO and Creative Director of HYT, presented these two new models to press and industry members from the 30th of March to the 5th of April. The whole auction house was transformed into a space world. With black-out curtains, one steps through to see a holographic projection of the new Supernova Blue Moon Runner. Headphones in black and neon green were available, once you placed them on your ears echos of the iconic Blade Runner soundtrack envelop you and embark you into the HYT fluidic concept of time and space.

Indeed, space is intrinsic to the watchmaker. HYT’s two new watches celebrate the ‘Heroes of our Time’ such as astronauts and visionary entrepreneurs. Technology is intrinsic to travelling in space, a characteristic HYT shares. How so you may ask? Well, HYT watches are made using mecafluidic technology. This is a the symbiotic marriage of science and micromechanics that means that the HYT timepieces tell time in a manner unlike any other watches in the world. This is because the watches have a fluid that circles around the dial and moves, in order to indicate the passage of hours. This fluid, in its extra-fine capillary, is the remarkable unique feature of the mecafluidic timepieces designed by HYT. 

What is more, only 27 copies of the new HYT Moon Runner are available in the world. Why only 27? Well this links back to outer space, where the number 27 is commonly found. For example, Uranus, the seventh planet of the Solar System, has 27 known moons. It is also highlights the rarity of such a unique timepiece.

WATCHES & WONDERS WEEK HIGHLIGHTS BY A STYLISH STORY: WPHH – FRANCK MULLER GALA & HYT WATCHES AT ANTIQUORUM GENEVA

WPHH – Franck Muller 30th Anniversary Gala

Watches and Wonder is traditionally rounded off by Gala evenings.

I was invited to the WPHH Franck Muller Gala. The WPHH stands for World Presentation of Haute Horlogerie.

The Gala was hosted at the historic Domaine du Grand Malagny. This is a majestic estate owned by Franck Muller. In this stunning location, the watch brand has presented truly exceptional timepieces and laucnhed exciting world premieres. Including the Franck Muller Aeternitas Mega which is the most complicated wristwatch in the world.

This was a particularly special event, as the Gala was held in honour of Franck Muller’s 30 years of success in the watch industry. A milestone for the Master of Complications.

I have documented the event on my Instagram account A Stylish Story if you want to take a closer look at the behind the scenes of the event. Click here to see how the Franck Muller Gala night unfolded.

The new watches that Franck Muller Genève presented at the WPHH 2022, included:

  • Grand Central
  • Vanguard Revolution 3 Skeleton
  • Vanguard Racing Skeleton
  • Vanguard Yachting Crazy Hours (my personal favourite)
  • Crazy Hours 30th Anniversary Limited Edition
  • Vanguard Rose Skeleton
  • Cielo
  • Galet Moonphase
  • Double Mystery

The Franck Muller Crazy Hours model was one of my personal favourites. It is a watch like no other thanks to the unique numerals on the dial. Like a surrealist painting, a melting clock by Salvador Dali, this is a wonderful work of art for your wrist. I adored the Crazy Color Dream one in particular.

It was a wonderful way to wrap up Watches & Wonder. The week was filled with exciting new launches in the watch world. So it was a true honour to attend and be a part of such a special moment for the watch brand Franck Muller.

WPHH - Franck Muller 30th Anniversary Gala
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Sweet satin slip dresses for Spring

Spring Fashion Outfit Ideas with NA-KD.

Firstly, Happy First Day of Spring! So it finally the sun is out and the flowers are beginning to bloom which makes me so happy. I caught the nasty flu after traveling to Paris for Fashion Week and completely lost my voice. So I was extremely happy when I became healthy again to see that the season change was in full swing here in Geneva.

About NA-KD Fashion

With the shift into spring, I usually take time to do my Spring Cleaning and look for fashionable staples that I can wear through spring into late summer. Which is why I want to share with you may latest spring shopping haul from NA-KD. With the temperatures rising it means that it’s time to bring out those traditional transitional pieces such as classic trench coats and lighter layers. So today I wanted to share with you how I combine them with three Spring looks I styled from the Scandinavian brand NA-KD.

NA-KD is one of my favorite fashion brands when it comes to shopping online. They always have super cool collaborations with big Danish and Dutch fashion bloggers and influencers such as Claire Rose Cilteur, Hanna Schönberg, Josefine H. J., and even the ever so stylish former Victoria Secret model, Romee Strijd. What’s more, I have a discount code for -20% off the whole NA-KD website: AnnaSwissMermaid (valid for 48 hours as of today).

  1. Baby Blues: I love the cut of this blue slip dress in satin from NA-KD’s new spring collection. The waterfall neckline is so flattering and easy to wear in the warmer months. What’s more, the back is open with very thin straps that crisscross into a bow and are adjustable. This is a detail I find so pretty and feminine as well as being very practical. I really like the of cornflower blue with the tiny printed white flowers. It reminds me of classic Norwegian textiles in blue and white. I paired it with white boots, my Vivienne Westwood pearl necklace, and an oversized cashmere coat in blue from Maje. Which was an easy, fresh weekend look. Ideal for grabbing a mocha at my favorite local coffee shop and strolling around in the sunshine.
  2. Satin cream: Then there is this luscious lace-up slip dress in off-white with a small blue floral print all over it . It reminded me so much of the English Rose, Cottage Core Aesthetic, and the Netflix series Bridgerton, with the puffy sleeves, romantic empire waist, and soft cream color. I love the slit leg detail as well which is very practical for walking with ease. It feels like the perfect picnic dress for spring. I styled it with a pair of white leather high-top converse shoes and a light cream-colored suede coat.
  3. Pink Paradise: Lastly, I opted for a satin pink printed skirt. This is actually part of a set. I will probably get the matching top as I love Co-ord sets so much. The pink and purple circles are so cute and girly, and I like that there is a bit of white and black in the print so you can combine the skirt with either color. For this final outfit, I went for a simple white top to make sure the satin pink skirt remained the focal point and paired it with my white Chuck Taylor’s and super 90’s square shaped black sunnies.

So there you have it, three easy spring looks for the weekend with NA-KD fashion.

If you’re looking to update your wardrobe, I definitely recommend checking out their website as they have super stylish springtime looks, from uber-trendy styles to timeless wardrobe staples. Also if you do find something you absolutely love from the website don’t forget you an enjoy -20% off the whole NA-KD website with my discount code AnnaSwissMermaid (valid for 48 hours as of today). Wishing you a wonderful start to the new season.

ABOUT NAKD CIRCLE

Another great thing about NA-KD is that they have free climate-compensated shipping and returns. The fashion brand has a large variety of sustainably sourced clothing. To top it off, customers can sell their old clothes directly on NA-KD.com by clicking the “pre-loved” menu at the top of the website. Integrating the circular fashion economy. This is a marketplace for pre-loved fashion. On part of the NA-KD website you can find all available second hand items. I find this super cool because sometimes there are pieces from older collections that you wish you had gotten and NA-KD circle ensures you don’t get shopping FOMO. Plus the way it is set up, you just shop as usual. Simply put the item in your basket and check out just as easy as buying new products. How cool is that?

Click here to read more about how to style loungewear with NA-KD.

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Feathers & Leather at Paris Fashion Week

Paris Fashion Week: Day 2

A green tweed twist on the swinging 60s

Combining my two favorite fashion eras (roaring 20s and the swinging 60s) in one. This tweed green set with knee-high boots is what I wore to the Global Fashion Collective fashion show in Paris as well as the Indonesia – Collective Show that took place at Hôtel The Westin Paris Vendôme.

Although Bella, Stephanie, Julia, and I, all got back to Switzerland last night (super late with our mega huge luggages!) after an intense weekend of traveling for Paris for Fashion Week. I found it really fun and rewarding, so I wanted to share with you some of my favorite moments from this season’s Fashion Week in Paris. Our days were pretty filled up with shows, presentations, meetings, and events. I really felt like we made the most of the days we had and once again the fashion capital captured my heart.

MY PARIS FASHION WEEK LOOK

So I opted for a green tweed suit I found it the weekend right before Fashion Week when I went to Lyon. As Lyon is famous for its textiles I was truly delighted to take home this set with me as a souvenir from the trip. I paired it with a bright green feather-trimmed shirt to add a playful twist and movement to the structured silhouette and a pair of white leather boots. Green and white leather, feathers, and tweed with gold detailing sounds a bit crazy but it tied together nicely I stuck to 2 colors for the whole look. I rocked this outfit for 2 fashion shows (we had zero time to change and were basically on the go all day). I did switch up the sunglasses and my hair between the shows but apart from that, the change was super minimal.

Tweed green set from Zara with feather trim gold details fashion outfit for Paris Fashion week worn by ANNA Blachut A stylish story Fashion style Swiss blogger
Photo: Michael Foust

I am not used to wearing bright colors in my day-to-day and tend to gravitate to a more sober color palette (especially in Geneva), but this bright green tweed set caught my attention. The immediate association one makes between tweed sets and the French fashion house Chanel, was definitely a factor that lead to my instant crush on it, as well as the fresh green which reminded me of springtime. I framed the tweed green set with a long bottle green trench and white boots. Topping it off with my favorite part of this outfit which was the beautiful deep green handbag I was gifted from the Parisian brand THALIE. The “Livia” shape is so unique and incredibly practical (I managed to fit so much in it!) whilst remaining extremely chic. THALIE is a French brand that creates beautiful sustainable & vegan luxury handbags. They have bags made of cactus, a low impact alter leather, and the one I am wearing here is made of ICTYOS Squama Luxe, a French marine leather made of recycled salmon skin. The brand was present at Premiere Classe – the biannual leading hub for the fashion accessory market for over 30 years organized by WSN Development.

Green feather tweed outfit at Paris Fashion Week ANNA Blachut Swiss luxury blogger
Green feather tweed outfit at Paris Fashion Week ANNA Blachut Swiss luxury blogger missguided green leather coat white boots style fashion week outfit
Photos: Michael Foust

ABOUT THE FASHION SHOWS

The location of the first show was tucked away in a passage in the 9th (which is actually the area I had my fashion illustration classes back in the day!). Once past security, and several flights of stairs we found ourselves in LE SALON DES MIROIRS, a large space filled with photographers, press (including Vogue!), and fashion industry insiders. The show opened with the designer IANN DEY followed by MUVEMENT and BLUE TAMBURIN.

Next, we ran to The Westin located in the 1st Arrondissement where we were invited to the the Indonesia – Collective Fashion Show. It was a fabulous selection of 12 up-and-coming designers from Indonesia and Singapore. In association with Fashion Division Paris and supported by the minister of culture and ambassador of Indonesia the show was punctuated with speeches from each of the respective parties. Aiming to empower creative South East Asian talent into strong responsible brands of the future. It showcased their AW22 collections which included Harry Halim, AKSU, PURANA, VAR ERTE, Carol Chen (my personal favorite), Adisza Kahanasty, AM by Anggia, Hanyutan, Adraworld x HMNS, and Elima.

Afterward in the hotel corridors, we bumped into Marta Sierra, a Barcelona-based blogger who is one of my absolute favorite fashion influencers (1M on Instagram and often works with Coco Rocha) who had also been at the same show. A little later on, we also ran into the whole Valentino team. The iconic luxury Italian fashion brand had a corporate internal brand summit taking place that same day at the Westin hotel. The cherry on top for me that evening was when one of the Valentino team members nodded in approval, before complimenting me on my outfit. A definite pinch-me moment.

Marta Sierra and ANNA Blachut a stylish story fashion bloggers at Paris Fashion Week official show backstage jacquemus cult Gaia feather and leather look

OUTFIT OF THE DAY

  • BAG: THALIE
  • TWEED SET & SHIRT: Zara
  • SHOES: Marni
  • TRENCH: Missguided
  • MAKEUP: Urban Decay
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The Woodward: Geneva’s most luxurious hotel

New: The Woodward Geneva- luxury suites & 2 Michelin star restaurants

Discovering the newly opened luxury hotel in Geneva: The Woodward Suites.

This 5-star hotel is part of the Oetker Collection. It is comprised of a total of 26 exclusive luxury suites & 2 Michelin star restaurants as well as the biggest indoor pool in all of Geneva.

Along with Bella Zofia, I had the pleasure of discovering this beautiful hotel in late December. We started with a tour of the Spa, pool, and gym. Before heading to our bespoke beauty treatments from Guerlain. As you know, I am a big fan of Guerlain beauty so I was very excited about this experience. The treatment was hands down the most wonderful experience I have had at a hotel spa. It stated with a beauty questionnaire so that the beautician could have a background on the areas you wished to focus on. Then I went into a private room complete with en-suite shower, locker room and of course Guerlain cosmetics and the fluffiest bathrobe I have ever used. Once I had been tucked into the ultra cozy SPA bed I did a personalised consultation to decide what would be the best treatment to have. Then we did a scent test where I was asked to choose the perfume that I found most relaxing. This scent was then integrated into the treatment. After the hour facial and beauty treatment the beautician applied Guerlain makeup for me and led me into the Guerlain makeup room. It was like being led into a candy store for someone who is as obsessed with beauty as myself! I then did my makeup before heading up to Le Jardiner with Bella.

We lunched at the new restaurant called Le Jardiner by Michelin-starred Chef Alain Verzeroli and assisted by the chef Olivier Jean. It is a truly unique restaurant in Geneva, serving up dishes that celebrate the finest local ingredients. There are 2 sections to the restaurant each with a slightly different decoration (coté Lausanne where we ate for lunch, & coté Genève which is also featured here). There is also have a private meeting room right next to the restaurant that is ideal for business meetings. The primarily plant-based concept was launched in 2019 in New York by Joël Robuchon and Alain Verzeroli. This is.their first European edition of the concept. All the ingredients on the menu are locally sourced (maximum I50 km from the hotel. The Jardiner focuses primarily on vegetables in each of their dishes, meat and fish are almost incorporated as accompaniments.

To top it off we enjoyed their delicious pastries and had the pleasure to meet famous in-house pastry chef Titouan Clauder.

Lastly, we were given a private tour of the Woodward hotel and I was truly spellbound but their Royal Suite which was splendid, to say the least, and even had a private elevator for maximum privacy.

Designed Pierre-Yves Rochon (Pyr design), the entire hotel was incredibly refined with a quiet luxury appeal that so suits Geneva city.

I very much recommend the Woodward hotel if you visit Geneva. It is an absolutely wonderful place and the Guerlain SPA treatment was certainly one of the best treatments I have had in Switzerland.

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3 things you didn’t know about Harry Winston

Known as the “King of Diamonds” and the Jeweler to the Stars”, Harry Winston is one of the most eminent jewelry designers of the 20th century. He was the first to leverage celebrity status, draping draped actress Jennifer Jones in mega diamonds for the 1943 Academy awards. Today this is common practice for the red carpet, but at the time it was a revolutionary marketing technique. So today I wanted to share with you 3 little known facts about Harry Winston:

  1. Harry Winston was very discreet. Despite decking heads of state, royal dignitaries and movie stars in his dazzling creations, the man himself was very private. He even had a tiny concealed private elevator in his office so he and his VIP clients could discreetly slip in and out without being noticed.
  2. Indeed there was actually an ironclad clause in his business insurance policy that forbade him from showing his face publicly. Harry Winston was only photographed in the shadows or from a distance. Very few people ever even saw his face until his portrait appeared in his 1978 New York Timed obituary.
  3. Did you know that The Hope Diamond (which is one of the top 5 most expensive diamond in the world) was purchased by Harry Winston in 1949. The stone is rumored to be cursed due to the misfortune and tragedy that many of its previous owners experienced. The Hope diamond is believed to have been discovered in India in the 1600s. It is a 45.52 carat Fancy Dark Gray-Blue antique cushion cut diamond. The Hope Diamond is one of the most famous jewels in the world, with ownership records that go back almost four centuries. Its much-admired rare blue color and displays unusual luminescence because of the tiny impurities, due to trace amounts of boron atoms. After purchasing it, Mr Winston then donated it to the Smithsonian Institution. Winston never believed in any of the tales about the curse; and he donated the diamond with the hope that it would help the United States “establish a gem collection.”

For more Fashion Facts click here:

https://astylishstory.com/category/luxury/