Hey ladies, been a while.....

A little hint at what I have been up to recently...this is a blog on the S/S 09 Paris collections and my costume jewelry obsession for Spur Luxe's website, anglais is down below....

 

Accessorize-moi!

Just a week before the Paris collections I interviewed one of THE fashion icons of the 20^th and 21^st centuries, design doyenne Iris Apfel, for Spur Luxe. This meeting shook my stylistic foundations and inspired me to go BIG on accessories in my own wardrobe. As a result, my gaze was zooming in on the baubles hanging off necklines, wrists and fingers on the runways and boulevards of Paris.

On the way to the new Japanese brand Commun's show on rue de Turenne I fell in love instantly with a statement-making necklace at Laurent Guillot; they were big, beautiful and probably quite risky if you've had one cocktail too many. Tribal-chic tooth-like spikes in clear resin! But fashion with a hint of danger of gives me a thrill, so I made a mental note to go back and try them on after the show...and then I fall in love again as I walk by Tom Binns showroom-Africa-Chic. Ah, so much to see and do!

After the rush of this encounter, I met the editors of Encens, my favorite French magazine (here I am in the latest issue in hyper-accessorized Givenchy dress-heaven!). We enjoyed a late morning café and headed to the Totem showroom for a group exhibition by a coterie of young Belgium-based designers. Totem's owner, Kuki de Salverttes, is well-known in the industry and his showroom was the first to represent some of the pioneers of the Antwerp avant-garde including Veronique Branquihno and Raf Simons. He is also a regular contributor to Encens.

In passing I said a quick hello to the camera crew from Tokyo Fashion Express, the show I host for NHK World, who were there to do some filming. We entered the Marais gallery and Kuki lead us downstairs into the cave. It felt like we were traveling into the depths of 17^th century Paris, but it was down in these depths that we would discover Heaven -- Heaven Tanudiredja, that is -- an accessory designer from Bali. His ethereal necklaces were Victorian Bling in the combining of gold ornamental pieces, fragile ribbons and chunky black and white 1920s antique Jade. Each piece is almost unique, given the rarity of the materials, which keeps them limited edition. Everything is handmade in Belgium, where he is based.

My heartbeat quickened. Fragile and feminine but at the same time large enough to make a statement, each of piece called out my name. At a $US200 showroom price I tried to calculate how many jobs it would take to buy the entire collection. Dries Van Noten commissioned Heaven to create accessories for his Spring/Summer 2008 and Fall/Winter 2008 collections and he also is part of the Christian Dior Haute Couture team. One to watch!

That evening I caught the Alexander McQueen show, which was truly amazing! I bumped into a good friend, world renowned British fashion journalist Tim Blanks after the show. He interviewed me for the style.com Alexander McQueen video just after he spoke with hair superstar Guido and equally stellar photographer David Simms. We then headed backstage and Tim caught a few comments from accessory designer Laura Boehinc. 

Other designers are riding the accessory wave by incorporating them into their pieces -- Bravo Ricardo Tischi and Givenchy. The western-inspired show glittered with oversized Swarovski crystals.

On my last day in Paris I had an up-close look at the collection in the showroom. I flipped through the latest edition of A Magazine, curated by Ricky, and wandered around the showroom, my eyes feasting on a crisp white cotton shirt embellished with western crystal and metal badges- I'll take it, pardner!

I enjoyed a coffee on the showroom's balcony absorbing the amazing views of the 8^th arrondissement. The summer leaves on the trees partially obscured my view of the Eiffel Tower, but I could still sense her presence. Later, as she twinkled enticingly in the night sky, I marveled at this most artfully executed piece of accessorizing. Ah, the city of lights!

Photo credit of Tiffany holding Encens www.ashadedviewonfashion.com