WHEN IN LOUIS VUITTON - The Monet of all Luxury Brands

What came first the Bag or the Egg??


Now I know that this is slightly off topic for  a When in Fashion post, however I feel it only right that I should post something about this incredible brand.

Louis Vuitton is a store of timeless fashion, everlasting class and a dedicated team. I have spent three months here and have never seen so much compassion to a brand as the Louis Vuitton group possess.

Louis Vuitton is at the forefront of Visual Merchandising. With its creative team based in Paris, a dedicated North America group,  it strives for best in class actions and boy oh boy do they succeed.

If you take a look online at the Fashion Night Out windows for 5th Avenue,  you will understand why. Based on the FW11 catwalk show in Paris the windows are decked out with mini Kate Moss figurines, strutting their stuff over levels of catwalk which encompasses one of the gorgeous looks.

It is such a sight to behold that you feel engrossed by the sheer level of creative thought behind this window. This optical illusion is one of the many great things the brand does to keep the story of Louis Vuitton alive and I have come to love it.














In other stores windows there is a comic take on ostrich eggs hatching out shoes and wallets, Legs with bodies as bags walked by a lean and delicate mannequin. Simple yet beautifully structured, these walls keep you ' oohing' and 'ahhhing' and you wander- ' Which came first the Bag of the Egg???!!'

This is truly the Monet of windows, the Degas of presentation and the Cezanne of representation and I can't wait to see what they come up with next!


This is a must visit When in New York

Sometimes I feel like throwing my hands up in the air
I know I can count on you
Sometimes I feel like saying "Lord how they come up with that"
But you've got the Style I need To see me through



LV got the style 
LV got the style 
LV got the style 
LV got the style 
LV got the style 
LV got the style 


for more info see:
1 E. 57th St

WHEN IN CAFE SELECT - USA vs. Austria

Have you heard of Cafe Select?? ( Haben sie gehort von Cafe Select?)

Deep down I am a bit of a german. I love my schnitzels, I love the weisswurstel and I love a good Spezi! ( Basiccally a mix of fanta and coca cola - wierdest but best mix ever!)

Walking down Lafayette street is great. There is always something interesting. If you are stuck for a place to dine, have a gander down Lafayette. It is always bustling and there are some fab finds.

I tried one night with the German boyfriend, Cafe Select. It has this uber retro feel to it, a bit industrial and a bit american trendy diner.

When I saw the menu on the outside my eyes turned into saucers as I saw Schnitzel and I grabbed hold of my boyfriends hand and said ' YUP we are going here!'

Starting with an aperitif and followed by a bottle of wine, this place does saxon ( a mix of german/ austrian/ Swiss - they are) very well. Of course there is the US twist to it however it is a very enjoyable experience.

I thouroughly enjoyed my meal and the ambience is perfect for one of those lazy evenings where you want a good hearty dinner and a cool vibe all mixed in to one. You are surrounded by the uber cool Soho area, and chic people of south Manhatten flicker in and out. So obviously I felt right at home !

If you want a good meal and you like people watching this is the place to go! This is a must dine When in New York

Haben sie gehort von Cafe Select
Mit a bang
Mit a boom
Mit a bing-bang bing-bang boom
Aaah, haben sie gehort von Cafe Select
Mit a bang
Mit a boom
Mit a bing-bang bing-bang boom

For more info see:
212 Lafayette St # A
New York, NY 10012-4025

When in Das neue Schwarz - Play dress up!

My walk in Wardrobe in Berlin

Berlin Mitte has lots of cool stores, all hidden and packed away. However some of them you really need to go digging for or you need to know someone uber cool who has the low down on Berlin's fashion scene ( like myself for example- don't want brag, but one is partial to a bit of fashion scavenging!)

Hidden in a Berlin hof is a store that is like a dress up closet that you used to play in when you were trying on mummy's shoes, hats and pearls smothering yourself in lipstick posing in front of the mirror...or was that just me???

Das neue Schwarz ( translated into The new black) is a little boutique vintage store located in the heart of mitte.

With beautiful one off pieces, this is definitely the kind of place you go if you want to find an amazing designer product.

There are no windows showing you a display of outfits and there is no real entrance. You simply ring a door bell and walk through a courtyard to see an open door, almost as if you are going to someone's house for dinner. Very casual, very low key and all about the fab fashion.

If you like to find pieces that are out of the ordinary and you love your vintage fashion then this is a place for you.

This is a must visit When in Berlin

The moment I wake up
Before I put on my makeup
I try on something from Das neue Schwarz 
While combing my hair now,
And wondering what dress to wear now,
I try something from Das neue Schwarz 

for more info see:
Mulackstraße 37
10119 Berlin, Germany

WHEN IN BAR LUZIA - An ongoing House Party!

trend·y

   [tren-dee]  Show IPA adjective, trend·i·er,trend·i·est, noun, plural trend·ies.

adjective

1.

of, in, or pertaining to the latest trend  or style.

2.

following the latest trends  or fashions; up-to-date or chic:the trendy young generation.

3. Bar Luzia - Oranienstrasse Berlin 

We all like our hang out joints on a Friday night. We like them because we know what we can expect. However I am the kind of person who thrives on the unexpected. Yes there are times where we want our comfort zones however, there is a fragment of our brains who wish for the edginess and the cool vibe.

Bar Luzia is one of those sleepy places by day and a ram packed nocturnal hang out during the night.

The interior is dimly lit and all you can see is the flicker of candlelight hovering against the redbrick exposed walls. Old vintage furniture litter the room and who find yourself ducking and diving to find a space at the bar. Usually on most nights and in most circumstances I wouldn't dream of entering such a packed place as all I want to do on a friday is relax after the stressful week, however I will make an exception for this bar.

The cool, bright young things visit this bar in the deep underbelly streets of Oranienstrasse in the east of Berlin.



The base of the music playing in the background is like a rhythmic pattern of the ins and outs of the crowd. Always changing and keeping the atmosphere alive.

I kind of feel as if I have just gatecrashed someones house party, you don't know anyone when you enter, the setting is very casual yet everyone looks effortlessly cool and you feel a bit foreign however you leave feeling as if you have made a pile of brand new friends.

This is a must visit When in Berlin

From the cradle bars
Comes a beckoning voice
It sends you spinning
You have no choice......

You hear laughter
Cracking through the walls
It sends you spinning
You have no choice

Following the footsteps
Of a rag doll dance
We are entranced
Spellbound at Bar Luzia 


For more info see:
Oranienstrasse 34 Berlin Kreuzberg

WHEN IN STAR STYLING - A fashionable Amazon Rainforest!

Amazingly Wacky!


Take a Halloween costume, mix it with John Galliano's inspiration closet and sprinkle some underground Berlin party scene and there you have Star Styling!

You enter the store and you feel as if you have wondered into a fashionable amazon rain forest! Plants and trees deck the out the room and scattered between the leaves you find some incredible pieces.

The clothes are as wacky as the setting, neon, fringing, bobbles and toggles, see through fabrics, patchwork, tape and buttons etc. the list goes on! Don't be afraid, you don't need to wear all these pieces at once. By looking through the store I find it interesting to choose a piece so avant garde that you know that none of your friends will have anything like it. Then pair it with something classic and you have yourself a runway inspired look.

It is really refreshing to see a brand have fun with fashion and less of the seriousness that comes with the industry. Starstyling is one of those brands that pokes fun at the traditional fashion stigma and is a tribute to the Berlin fashion scene.

I can spend ages looking through this store as I want to touch and understand each piece. That in my opinion is a clever brand concept. It takes all the taboo elements of fashion, all the dos and donts and makes them fashionable!


This is a must visit When in Berlin

I'm wild again
Beguiled again
A simpering, whimpering child again
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered at Starstyling

Couldn't sleep
And wouldn't sleep
Until I went and looked in this magical store I seek
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered at Starstyling 

for more info see:

Mulackstraße 4
10119 Berlin

Victoria Bar - Where fond memories are made

Impeccable drinks and a wonderful atmosphere!

Berlin is one of those cities where you can find great bars in the most unsuspecting of places. I love Victoria bar. My boyfriend and his family are regulars there and I always trust their judgement when it comes to a good drink, as hey! what do I know, I like anything that looks pretty but usually tastes like washing up liquid.

Victoria bar is one of those cool, hip yet classic bars really focusing on the drinks. It is a pleasure to go somewhere and see that the barmen have a real passion for their trade. They know every drink on the menu as if they were the lyrics of their favourite song. The vibe is always bustling and you can relax after a days work or meet up with a group of friends and enjoy chit chat over a glass of something great!

Last time I had the most wonderful experience there. It was my 5 year anniversary with my boyfriend ( yes I know old married couple already! ) and we had spent a lovely evening having dinner and bar hopping. We ended up in Victoria bar where we sat with his brother and his mum who has impeccable taste in good drinks. We ended up being the last customers in the room at the end of the evening at around 5 am. Our waitress, a good friend of the family sat down with us and introduced us to some fantastically interesting new drinks. And in the spirit of the moment, I heard a familiar old song taking me back to the streets of New York city, and Woody Allen movies. We all got up from the hazy corner seats and danced. With drink in hand, empty bar and in sheer pleasure of ones company we danced through Victoria bar lip sinking to the song.

This is the kind of bar where only good memories are made. This is a must visit When in Berlin.

I'm Chiquita banana and I've come to say
Bananas have to ripen in a certain way
When they are fleck'd with brown and have a golden hue Bananas taste the best and are best for you
You can put them in a salad
You can put them in a pie-aye
Any way you want to eat them
It's impossible to beat them
But, bananas like the climate of the very, very tropical equator
So Please remember to visit Victoria Bar!! 

For more info see:

potsdamerst. 102 10785 Berlin, Germany 030 25759977

WHEN IN SIPS - SIP up!

Incorporate your five Senses in the art of Drinking!


Finding a good cocktail is like finding a good partner. Rare, can be a little bitter, sometimes unsweetened, can have no taste at all or can knock you out of your seat but when you find it, it is truly magical! 


I was introduced to SIPS in Antwerp on the corner of the Gillisplaats in the heart of the south. A small bar, the classical kind with one talent. The drinks. Having one of the most famous cocktail makers in Belgium SIPS is the kind of bar you go to after a long day at the office, or after a nice hearty meal with friends. 


There is pretty much nothing this bar can't produce. Great G&Ts, every cocktail under the sun and I especially love their take on a Pimms. 


It is the kind of place where the elite of Antwerp go to be seen 'sipping' on a sleek martini glass.The bar encourages you to incorporate the 5 senses. Smell of the cocktail, the sight of the rich colour of the drink, the pure taste of the drink, the sound of a clinking glasses and the touch of one glass with another.


SIPS also offers workshops for those who want to test their skills in the art of cocktail shaking. Or if you are having a party they have a take away option of pre made cocktails ( Shhhh - don't tell your friends! They will never know where the amazing drinks come from at your party. For all they know you are the Maestro of all cocktail makers!) 


SIPS is one of those all round relaxed bars that gives a relaxing taste to some classics. 


I would usually head over to SIPS with the boys (who want a good drink and the excuse to have a fat cigar! ) after a long day at the office. It was a great way to end the week and a even better way to begin the weekend.




SIP up your troubles in your fav old cocktail
and bury them beneath the sea,
i don't care what the people may say,
As long as I am in S. I . P 



For more info see: 

http://www.sips-cocktails.com/

WHEN IN THE JAD MAHAL - Aladdin's swinging hang out!

The Moroccan version of Coyote Ugly!


I love a little theatrics where ever I go. Whether it is in the decor or in the product, it is fun to have that little bit of drama.

In the heart of the Hivernage in the modern town of Marrakech there is a place that makes Aladdin's palace look so shabby and bare. You walk into a little courtyard and you enter the regal double doors. You see a glass garden, surrounded by low tables covered in candles and ornate pillow chairs.

The Jad Mahal has a mix of cuisines ranging from Moroccan to french, to sushi and much more. Let me walk you through your night at the Jad.


You sit down and order. You tuck in to your meal. You feel relaxed and you are taking in the beautiful surroundings of this great hall. At around 10pm the lights start to dim and you hear the music getting louder. Suddenly out of the darkness women come out with large trays on their heads with tea pots and candles. They sway in and dance around your table getting you in the oriental vibe and suddenly once again you are surprised by a string of gorgeous belly dancers who pull you up from your seats to dance. It feels almost as if you are taking part in an ancient Moroccan ritual of dining.

The girls towards the end of the of the dance move into the glass house in the middle of the room and perform a beautiful routine that creates this lit illusion from within the palm leaves. And then, as if nothing had happened the lights go up and the music dims and you sit back down to finish your meal.

Once the meal is complete you head to the back of the restaurant to the bar where a stage has been set up and the crowds begin to gather. There is a live performance almost every night with music that starts as rock and roll soul to pop and 80s disco with an Arabic twist. Glouie musicians come out at the end to get the oriental vibe pumping and all is I can say is - The Moroccans know how to get their groove on!

when I’m dancing at the Jad
tomorrow doesn’t matter
turn the music up
til the windows start to shatter
cuz it's the only place who can get me on my feet
and I can’t even dance



for more info see:
10 Rue Haroune Erracid

WHEN IN 50'S STYLE - Look at me I'm Sandra Dee!

Sandra dee before she had the makeover! 




I do like a little bit of vintage but what I like more is to copy vintage. Everywhere you go there is vintage inspired clothing as we take a piece of it to inspire our new creations. Grease is a classic and is always being revived-  Sandy and the Pink Ladies sure have some swagger!

Skirt from Zara
Clutch from Marni
Shirt from Reiss
Shoes from Robert Clergerie
Bag from Jill Sander
Scarf from Butterfly Soulfire
Watch bracelet from Spitalfields Market
Necklace from Bodrum Market



Look at me, I'm Sandra Dee
Lovin all the clothes I see
Won't go to bed 'til I'v totally spent
On clothes all of my money! 

WHEN IN METALLICS- Iron woman!

Bring a bit of bling

I'm not saying dress head to tow in pure silver- you don't what to look like a very badly dressed rapper but there is nothing wrong with adding bling to your outfit. I personally love to wear metallic shoes with a plain outfit and then a hint of metal in rings or a cuff. Try it out and see who you can outshine!


gold
always believe in your soul
you've got the power to know
you're indestructable
always believe in,because you are
gold

WHEN IN GEOMETRICS - Geometry is so much more fun!

Deconstruct- Reconstruct 

I love weird and wonderful shapes in clothing. Anything with angles. Instead of a plain T shirt why not wear something asymmetric, or a deconstructed jacket. If you are really tempted try weird and wonderful heels!

Jacket from Zara

Shirt from Complexgeometries 

Shoes from United Nude

Bag from Bottega Venneta 

Ring from Rachel Roy

Geometric and that everyone's smile

Geometric with that cool city style

A new religion that'll bring ya to your knees

Geometric if you please

WHEN IN BACK TO SCHOOL - Straight A

How to make sure you Ace School! 

Let's take preppy to another level. Instead of a white shirt let's go for navy and pleated. Don't go for a typical blazer - try to find something a little avant garde. With that in mind, the brogue is a perfect preppy shoe and it has been reinvented in so many ways. 

Back to School 
Shirt from COS
Blazer from COS
Necklace from Marrakech
Shoes from Jeffery Campbell 
Bag from Kipling



When the teacher rings the bell 
Click your heels and run like hell
Don' forget to grab your bag
with all your lipsticks, sweater and hat


teacher teacher I declare
I have a lesson I want to share
Is the trend black or is it white?
Oh my god its preppy alright! 

WHEN IN BOHO - Boho me up!

A When in Fashion moment 

Get the Boho look
Jacket from Wrangler Jeans
Top from FL
Trousers from COS
Shoes from Creatures of Comfort 
Scarf from All Saints 
Necklace from Bodrum Market 

I like to mix up the traditional hippy way of doing things a little bit of the tailored trouser, mixed with a boho styled top, a vintage inspired jacket and a pair of wacky modern shoes and something special to wear as an accessory. Try this out When in Boho chic! 

Boho  baby
Bo Boho baby
Bye, bye, bye baby
Do-dah do-day
You gotta get that Boho style today

Boho baby
Bo Boho baby
Bye, bye, bye baby
Do-dah do-day
Boho is fun and A OK!

WHEN IN MARNI-Will you Marni me ?

The essence of Great Style 

I thought I would dedicate this post to a brand that in my opinion embodies the essence of great style and innovation in fashion.

Marni is one of those brands that is the height of luxury. Beautiful colour schemes, eye catching fabrics and incredible styling - this is my favourite designer.

I am the kind of gal that will save up, pocket money and all,  so that I can go and buy something really special from Marni. It usually means I can buy a small piece of jewelry but it gives me another excuse to go into one of their avant garde stores.

However no matter how small the purchase is, it never fails to get attention. My first buy was a pair of earrings from Bisceter village ( an amazing outlet ). They have this autumnal feathery look to them and they go with anything making any outfit spectacular.


There is this essence of 60s swing in Marni's design but it never fails to modernize its creations.
Marni takes elements of key trends every season and produces something different. A line pencil skirts in  sheer fabrics, fitted waistcoats in retro prints, over sized bags in patent leather and architecual shoes Marni never fails to impress. It re invents its brand by collaborating with young modern day artists such as Gary Hume, who produces artwork similar in style to Marni's style and colour blocking. Hence a great way to bring the brand to the 21st century of cutting edge art and fashion.

So at the end of the day, Marni is one of those special brands that will always have a special place in my heart and my wardrobe, and I will continue to fill my life full of Marni.

Marni makes my world go around
My world go around
My world go around
Marni makes my world go around
It makes my world go 'round.

A mark, a yen, a buck, or a pound
A buck or a pound
A buck or a pound
Is all that makes my world go around,
That wonderful colour and sound
Can make my world go 'round.


for more info see: 
www.marni.com