Fashion Label Desigual of Barcelona, Spain

Seventy-two countries, five continents, twenty-eight years on....

This is Desigual, a unique, vibrant fashion label headquartered in Barcelona, Spain.  It is the vision of Thomas Meyer of Swiss origin, who at the tender age of 20 believed and wanted a different way to dress, wearing garments that emanated fun and innovation.

Founding his business in 1984 with a jean jacket patched from old worn jeans, it is a far cry from Desigual today.   Hitting a snag in the late 80s and nearly closing up shop, today Desigual sells approximately 15,000,000 garments annually.  Their logistics department can store up to 3,000,000 items in their automated warehouse, process 5,500 orders per day and have it shipped within 24 hours.  It is safe to say that Desigual is thriving and here to stay.

The patched jean jacket that launched Desigual in 1984.
Image credit www.desigual.com

My sister and I fell in love, literally, over Christmas with Desigual when we happened upon the newly opened store at Raffles City Mall, Singapore.  Funky dresses, winter coats (I know it's Singapore but my sister did go home with one and she's going to wow Melbourne with it), handbags that speak for themselves and brightly patterned tops that just call for attention.

Annie modelling Desigual winter coat
and long-sleeve A-line dress.

Not shy about trying new things, Desigual took on the challenge to create a children's range which was successfully launched in 2004.  Desigual's ability to cater from adults to children inevitably created a worldwide following and brand loyalty. With a motto that "we dress people, not bodies" illustrates Desigual's commitment to create clothing that is not driven by a particular culture, gender, shape, size or height.  

As a westerner in Singapore and thereby generally taller and wider than the average local I was delighted with their well-fitting styles and designs.  With a slowly expanding personal collection from Desigual, both John and I feel more vibrant and fashionable in our new gear.  Whilst I was never particularly brand conscious, I must say, I love this label and I am very conscious of it.  Prices average between SGD$100-$250 with the exception of winter coats which are closer to SGD$500.

For those living or visiting Singapore, I highly recommend the Orchard Central store on Orchard Road.  It is large with spunky interiors and fabulous collections for men, women and children.  Note that not all Singaporean stores cater for children.

Whilst it does not have a retail presence in Australia, my sister tells me that there are authorised dealers at least in Melbourne where she resides.

If you are hankering for a wardrobe pick-me up with a difference then visit one of their stores or authorised dealers, you will not be disappointed. 

As their slogan indicates "it's not the same" and it certainly isn't.

Trini enjoying being buried under Desigual.
She thought it was very funny.

Fashion at ION Orchard Shopping Mall

ION Orchard is one phenomenal building. An architectural and futuristic delight, it opened to the public in 2009 with 300+ stores across 8 levels of shopping space. It is by far my favorite shopping mall on Orchard Road (my favorite in all of Singapore is The Shoppe at Marina Bay Sands but that's another blog). It caters to everybody from the top end down.

The upper floors of ION Orchard abound with luxury brands the likes of Armani, Ferragamo, YSL, D&G, Valentino, Miu Miu, Max Mara, Dior and Burberry, to name a few.  The store displays are beautiful as expected with doormen at the ready to welcome the shopper inside.

The lower levels are designated to retailers for mainstream shoppers mixed in with food courts, my favorite coffee shop the Coffee Bean and access to the nearest train station.

A portion of the ION Orchard Shopping Mall

Bebe

Launched by Manny Mashouf, an Iranian-born American in 1976, Bebe has an international presence with three outlets in Singapore.

The brand’s objective is to create merchandise that is playful and sensual for the contemporary woman. True to its objective the clothes are gorgeous, designs are gorgeous, fabulous quality and the prices are great averaging between $150-$200.

You can find anything from workwear, to sportswear, casualwear and eveningwear along with bags, shoes and accessories.

New season's maxi-dress

Karen Millen of England

A UK established company since 1981 it started with a loan of 100 sterling pounds to manufacture and sell shirts to friends. Today, Karen Millen spans five continents, a long way from its humble beginnings.

Karen Millen is synonymous with elegance and style. Catering more towards the 35+ the clothes are ready to wear from all day to well into the evening.

Whilst the store is not large, the clothes are cleverly sectioned into complementary colour schemes with matching shoes and handbags. A dress with matching bag and shoes will set you back approximately $1,000.

The colourblock collection seems to be very much a Karen Millen signature.  Designed to have a "look at me, look at me" wow factor the green, blue, white and black combination is very English and very classy.

Colourblock Collection

Check out the website www.karenmillen.com. It really is worth the effort.

Zara

What a lovely retailer. It’s colourful and lively with anything from smart casual to work to trendy to cocktail. If you are visiting Orchard Rd you can either pick one of the three Zara stores or visit all three.

Zara has a superb business model where new merchandise is delivered to stores bi-weekly, thereby freeing the stores from disposing of any unpopular items instantaneously. With ongoing fresh stock the shopper will always find something new to add to their wardrobe. As Alina of ViaStyle put it “Zara has the ability to commercialize the runway trends in less than two weeks from sketch to store... The store staff are trained to give instant feedback to the design team on what is selling and what is not. The non-selling styles are pulled out the next day and replaced with a new style! Incredible!”

Considering the excellent quality and the range of merchandise available I was surprised at how well they were priced. The average garment price was under $100, whilst many of the shoes were around $200.

What I also found interesting is the quantity of male staff in the female section of the store. They looked smart and efficient and each staff member seemed to be interested in their jobs. Now there’s a first.

I loved the red and white polka dot wedged platforms and the cream floral peep toe platforms. The inner padding made both platforms surprisingly comfortable.  I did however need to hold onto something in order to get into these incredibly high platforms and I am no stranger to stilettos.

I found a beautiful orange maxi-skirt which really needed a tall slender girl to carry it off. The only drawback was that it was too sheer. On a sunny day .... well you can imagine. It was nicely priced at $90.

A couple of hundred metres down the road was an even bigger and better store. Across two levels and substantial space, this Zara was even better at displaying and organising their merchandise. The various designs were easily accessible and readily available for viewing without needing to lift a finger. This store was much more aesthetically pleasing with a better segregation, organisation and coordination of their merchandise.

The men’s department catered from the youthful trendsetter to the stylish yet still modern corporate flyer. The collection contained anything from cargo shorts and polo T-shirts to shirts, pants, suits, shoes and bags. Much of the collection allowed the individual to step into any tropical paradise or just plain summer and be right at home.

A visit to Zara is a must. If you are not in Singapore, never mind, Sydney opened a few months ago with a sensational three storey establishment, measuring at 1400 sqm in its famous Pitt Street Mall and Melbourne’s Zara has an even larger retail space in Bourke Street Mall.

If neither Australia or Singapore are your location, well Zara is found in over 400 cities across all the continents. Now that is a global powerhouse and a far cry from its 1975 start in Spain.

Cream floral peep toe platform $179

Orange maxi-skirt $90

Mohair sweater with elbow patches $90

Southaven

This retailer is perfectly designed for the slender and petite woman.

With Japanese imported fabrics and local designers, Southaven carries a lovely collection of sophisticated female apparel. These nicely structured, soft and elegant garments are targeted for the 20-30s along with a terrific price range of just under $100 each.

What was evident in the designs were the small details either in the waistband of the skinny hipsters, or the slight side gather at the hem of the three-quarter pants, or the soft ruffle that draped gracefully on the v-shaped dress.

 A great store to draw inspiration from when putting together the non-casual part of your wardrobe.

It requires a particularly small frame to carry
these pants off

Guess

Who doesn't know Guess?  My local shopping centre in Melbourne had one but I never checked it out and by not knowing the price range in Australia, I cannot compare with Singapore. However, I thought that $100-$200 was quite reasonable here.

This particular Guess store had a great window display and I felt compelled to enter and see more. I was not disappointed. Great fabrics, soft, summery and girly garments, pretty bustiers, fresh youthful designs with a hint of modern country. The typical Guess handbags were in abundance but what I liked the most was the milky-white, straight-cut, braided neckline, viscose dress with these great strips of fabric bunched together to make up the short sleeves. It was a simple dress that made a great statement. I could see it worn at a christening or engagement or cocktail party, really any after 5 event. It just needed a slender shaped woman to carry it off. The price of $170 was even more surprising.

Viscose dress $170

I seem to mention "slender frame" a lot but this is relative to the country I currently reside in. Singaporeans' thin and petite physiques reign supreme at 90% of the population.  However, at 170cm and Australian size 12, I managed to purchase a lovely full length summer dress, Guess shoes and Charles & Keith handbag.

Nichii dress $49

 

Guess clogs $65 as featured in
"Shoes, shoes, fabulous shoes" blog (Jun '11)

Charles & Keith handbag $60

Note:

• All prices listed are in Singaporean dollars.
• With the exception of the first and last three photos all other images are courtesy of the world wide web. 

Shoes, shoes, fabulous shoes....

There is something magnetic about shoes.  The colours, the strapiness, high heels, wedges, bling, boots, stilettos.  It doesn't matter, as women we are forever hooked.

We are hooked simply because shoes can make you feel gorgeous, complement an outfit, create artificial height, make you feel and act different (imagine yourself in runners and then imagine yourself in a stylish pair of high heels) and best of all they will always fit unlike clothes.

Singapore retailers have the most spectacular collection of shoes.  Most are for teethering on and require exceptional balance, a straight posture and the skills to walk in them.  My recent acquisition of a pair of Guess clogs added a further 13cm to my already 170cm height. 

Guess clogs a steal at A$50.

On a recent visit my dearest friend and fellow shoe addict departed Singapore with 16 pairs of shoes, mostly courtesy of Charles & Keith and Pazzion shoe stores.  Blessed with great legs and superb feet for high heels each pair of purchased shoes had a wow factor, some more than others, but wow just the same.

Charles & Keith

The Charles & Keith label is a product of two brothers, Charles and Keith Wong, who grew up working in their parents' shoe shop.  The brothers launched the Singaporean label in 1996 and to date have a collection of 200 stores across Asia, Middle-East and Eastern Europe.  Driven to produce fashion forward designs and cater to market sentiments, Charles & Keith successfully create and distribute a plethora of footwear, handbags and other accessories.  Each store has an eye-catching window display, is a delight to meander through, and best of all respectable prices that suit most budgets.

Pazzion

Established in 2001 and of Singaporean origin, Pazzion has expanded its label into several Asian countries such as Japan, Thailand and Brunei.  The company's objective is to mix sophistication with fashion trends, whilst keeping it all within reasonable prices.

Why so many shoes? 

Can this question really be answered?  How can anyone ever articulate the love affair between a woman and her shoes or that instant attraction when she lays her eyes on those must-have heels or boots.  How do you ask a woman not to coordinate her ensemble with the perfect pair of shoes?

How can you ask a woman to say no when her visual senses are constantly tantalised with a myriad of choices?  There are pumps, wedges, clogs, stilettos, flats, platforms, open toed, closed toed, sandals, slingbacks, long boots, ankle boots, leather, suede, patent, mesh, lace, rhinestones, buckles, lace-ups and let's not get into the colours and patterns.

On this occasion maybe because the average pair was priced at A$35.  Maybe because the designs are beautiful and different to what can be found back home.  Maybe because she has great feet and just about everything looked awesome on her.  Or maybe, just maybe because she has an all encompassing obsession with shoes that many of us share, understand and even respect.

Thank you to Marc Gleeson for whiling away a couple of hours with my iPhone and photographing this gorgeous collection of shoes, whilst Mon and I were busy colouring in and painting.

The complete collection

Beauty in Black

Have you ever wondered about the history of black and its place in fashion?  Once a colour synonymous with mourning, black is now associated with timelessness, style and class.  When, how and why did it become fashionable? 

The National Museum of Singapore is currently exhibiting "Beauty in Black: Dresses from 1950s-2000s".  Creations by the likes of Balenciaga, Givenchy, Cardin and Lagerfeld and locals Thomas Wee and Benny Ong give a glimpse into the colour black, its versatility and the effect it can create through design, shades & fabric.

Black's initial rise as a fashion colour took place in the 15th century during the reign of Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy.  Initially he wore black as part of mourning his murdered father but continued to wear it once the mourning period ended.  Since Burgundy was powerful during Philip's reign, wearing black as fashion spread throughout the European courts.  However, black continued to be largely regarded as a colour representing death and destruction and worn as a sign of mourning and despair.

Fast-forward to 1910 Britain.  To mourn the recent death of King Edward VII, Britain's Society attended the Ascot races completely clad in black.  Then in 1914 following the outbreak of WWI, women adopted the usage of black clothing as a sign of economic constraints and the need to be mobile and productive at work.  Unintentionally, through luxuries and haute couture, the colour black was elevated to a new status, yet through needs and lean times black was also practical and convenient.

In 1926, Vogue published a photo of Coco Chanel's little black dress (LBD).  Calf-length, straight and decorated with a few diagonal lines, the dress was simple and accessible to women of all social classes.  The image of Chanel in a simple LBD with bobbed hair, made the garment synonymous with her and by the end of the 20s, the LBD was a staple garment in every woman's wardrobe.  And so began our love affair with black.

Coco Chanel

Below is a photographic collection of dresses from the exhibition accompanied with some of the Museum's history and description of each dress.

"Here the black is so black that it hits you like a blow. Thick Spanish black, almost velvety, a night without stars, which makes ordinary black seem almost grey."
Harper's Baazar on the work created by Cristobal Balenciaga, 1938

Balenciaga - Early 60s
Lace, satin silk, beads & sequins

This sleeveless satin dress is overlaid in black lace and embroidered with sequins and beads.  The dress is worn with a matador cape lined with black organza.

Described by Dior as the "master of us all", Balenciaga had a reputation of uncompromosing standards in the world of couture.  In his latter life he tended towards heavy fabrics, intricate embroidery as the above dress illustrates and bold materials.  He liked using sombre colours like black and brown.

Theyskens - S/S 2006
Lace and linen

This Victorian inspired dress is made of full black lace decorated with flowers, dragonfly motifs and black tassel-like trimmings.

Olivier Theyskens designed this dress for his last collection with fashion house Rochas.  For him, lace reveals the different textures of black when light descends on it.

Lagerfeld - 1982/83
Silk georgette, sequins and beads

Lagerfeld's halterneck "Guitar Dress" is embellished with vertical rows of white beads.  The 'electric guitar' on the back of the dress was embroidered by Francois Lesage, a master embroiderer for many couture designers.

Incorporating street style into haute couture and blending class with quirky, Lagerfeld is known for imaginative creations.

Givenchy - 1952
Silk

This black and metallic green silk dress, typified the 1950s fashion.  A button fronted blouse with wide shoulders and a nipped-in at the waist overskirt is embroidered with flowers and seated musicians using gilt metal strips.

Designer of the most famous LBD worn by Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's, Givenchy is known for creating wearable couture using luxurious materials and embroideries.

Amies - 1957
Taffeta silk

The nipped-in waist and full skirt is achieved with a built-in corset in order to maintain the shapely figure.  Amies believed that elegant clothes should have a low waistline, hence the above creation.

Hardy Amies, was the dressmaker for Queen Elizabeth II since the 1950s.  His creations were largely classic dresses and tailored suits.

Cardin - 1960s
Wool crepe

This wide necked mini dress is constructed by a series of vertical panels which form curved gores at the hem.  The short hemline was quickly adopted by the youth and was most likely worn with leggings and boots.

Cardin preferred sparse, geometric and hard edged minimalist designs to the figure revealing forms of the 1950s.  Often ahead of his time and an accomplished designer, Cardin was the first couturier to launch the ready-to-wear collection in 1959 and very much embraced science and technology in fashion.

Alaia - 1990
Lycra and rayon

This ensemble consists of a bodysuit and skirt, decorated with seams created by fagotting (a technique by joining two edges of fabric together in decorative openwork effect). 

Azzedine Alaia from Tunisia was renowned for creating pieces based on seaming and stitching normally used in corsetry to achieve the perfect fit and flaunt women's toned body shapes, very much a reflection of the 80's era.

Wee - S/S 2010
Taffeta silk

Whilst simple looking at the front with a boat neckline, the dress surprises with a plunging v-drop back and gentle draping. Secured with a bow, it enhances the silhouette of the dress.

Singaporean fashion designer, Thomas Wee is celebrated for his precise tailoring, which is particularly highlighted in this one-seam cut dress.

Ong - A/W 1987
Taffeta silk

Black & white has always been a successful and eye-catching match.  Positioning the white in the centre and flanking the sides with black, the dress reinforces the slim silhouette of the wearer.  Knotted black buttons and white bow provides a little interest to an otherwise minimalistic dress.

Singaporean-born Benny Ong believes that black is best interpreted when contrasted with white, regardless of how challenging it is to balance B&W on a female torso.

Kawakubo - A/W 2005
Silk, rayon and wool

This two-in-one dress consists of a structured black wool jacket attached to a collared silk dress beneath.  The deconstructed dress opens vertically at the center secured only by two hooks in front while it is cut horizontally at the waist behind and held by a black satin sash.

A most complicated looking garment, it is atypical of the designer who is renown for her unconventional deconstructed black clothing that is usually torn and crumpled.  As Kawakubo once said, "I work in three shades of black".

Whilst there are some magnificently designed black dresses in the world that will far surpass this exhibition, the display essentially explores the relationship between designers & women and our neverending passion for black. 

So then, is black actually a colour?  Black does not emit or reflect light it actually absorbs light.  In the late 17th century scientists expelled black from the colour spectrum once Isaac Newton discovered that colours are created when objects reflect specific colours, while absorbing others. Whilst a contentious subject, there is one thing for sure, black is here to stay and so is the little black dress in whatever future form it will take.

"With one black dress your safe.
With two, you have double-edged security."
The Straits Times, 1965

What do you think?

The most versatile wrap I have ever owned

I was viewing one of my sister's profile pictures on Facebook and noticed that of the seven women in the photograph, five of them were wearing the same short wrap in the same colour in completely different ways.

I am the fortunate owner of several such wraps in different colours which are obviously needed to coordinate with seasonal releases of pintuck or complementary camis or the LBD skirt cum dress cum baby doll top (another multi-wearing garment - you should see this worn upside down, innovative for sure) or pants or slip... the options are absolutely endless.

My good fortune is a result of being the lucky sister of an Intimo Stylist. Intimo is an Australian company founded by Sue Whyte in 1995, with the vision to supply the Australian women with a brand of fashion lingerie in a broad range of sizes (8A/30A to 24G/46G). Since its inception Intimo has diversified into leisurewear, sports bras, maternity bra & slip and masectomy bra.

Annie Kallis, my fabulous sister, aka "the Slip Queen" (that's another story for another time) has been a stylist with Intimo for seven years. She is a product guru, fashion stylist and superb bra fitter. With a natural charm, zesty approach to her work and committed to ensure her clients feel comfortable and beautiful in their new purchases, this is one woman I would call on.

So you can imagine with a product guru in my family, it was inevitable that I would be exposed to the products, the fittings, the styling and even technical product knowledge. Back to the wrap.

Manufactured out of modal the wrap is versatile, soft, stretchy, non-crush and very smooth. Made of beech wood cellulose, modal is a textile that is resistant to shrinkage and fading, gentle to the skin due to its natural fibre properties, softer than cotton and skin hugging. Simply said a perfect fabric for wraps that can be twisted, pulled and stretched into different wears and particularly perfect for travelling as it folds up small and light.

Whilst the wrap is always available in black (size 6-20) and white (size 6-18), Intimo will occasionally release a seasonal colour.  For instance, the long wrap is currently released in French Navy.

Since pictures talk louder than words, peruse the different tying applications of the short wrap.

This is the classic wrap tied at the rear.

Did you ever think of wearing a wrap back to front. 
It gives a terrific backdrop to a long and sparkly necklace.

The wrap is back to front again, with the sleeves tied around the
neck to give a cowl neckline.

Back to front again, twisted prior to putting it on.

A diamante encrusted bangle is used to thread the ties through.

Same diamanted bangle with the ties crossing over and tying
at the back.

Back to front, with a brooch creating the asymmetrical look.

This has to be the simplest version of a wrap.  Pull the ties
through a gorgeous ring and voila, you have some bling.

And finally, not the most practical, maybe a little wacky, but
it shows that you are only limited by your imagination.

Amongst the hundreds of consultants across Australia and NZ, the short wrap has been twisted and stretched into 18 different looks. 

For now my rainbow collection of wraps sit in storage awaiting the day when it can surface to be worn in cool weather again as Singapore is just a little too hot and too humid.


Ladies, if you want a professional bra fitter, travel wardrobe or styling contact Annie at annie.kallis@intimo.com.au or 0412-476-130.  She will welcome you in her home for a private fitting or happily soujourn to your place for a girlfriend Intimo party.

Annie, this blog is a tribute to you as you reach your first $1 million dollars in sales. Thank you for the endless supply of beautiful lingerie and leisurewear.  I am so proud of you I want to shout it from highest mountain.