Mid-week Inspirations

This is what my ideal shoe cabinet will look like. Doesn't seem much like a cabinet does it? Coincidentally it is also what my husbands ideal library will look like, although he would say its sacriligious to associate his books with my shoes...

Christina Aguilera, by Douglas Friedman

This is such a sensory overload - an electic mash of textures, colours, patterns and objects to occupy your senses....I love it!

Photo by Douglas Friedman

(in case you're wondering, yes, its her freakin kitchen!)

Lastly, I love this photo below. You can see how each person is an individual in his/her own way, yet how they blend together as a group in a photo by all wearing muted/neutral tones...reminds me of Italy and the rolling meadows of Tuscany...and great coffee.

Photo by Douglas Friedman

Mid-week Ramblings

I need to get to HK!! Gareth Pugh just opened a standalone store - his first worldwide and its in HK! It's located next to the Martin Margiela and Anne Demeulemeester store which I am now missing...Ice House Street in Central is now officially the most happening street in HK! I think somebody needs to do something about the local fashion scene. IT SUX!!!!

Oh, and did I forget to mention - work is boring!!!!

Great Singapore Sale

For some time already, I have desist from shopping at the local shops simply because (i) I find that the variety is boring - new malls pop up but the stores that occupy within are always the same (ii) I can find great value for money for the items I like online instead! Many a times, I have checked out prices for shoes online and compared it to the local stores e.g. Alexander Wang, and I realised that the local shops are just ripping us off! 

That said, I could not resist this sms that came to me today, on On Pedder's Final Clearance Sale. Today was the last day. And look what treasures I found....

 

 Pierre Hardy Platforms at 50% off!

There is a story behind these shoes actually - I went into the shoe boutique looking out for my favourite brands and I was kinda disappointed at the selection of Pierre Hardy available. I have one pair already and I simply think they are wonderful, so I was looking to snag another at a gd price. Then I tried on these Kirkwoods (below), and was prancing around in them trying to do a balancing act, and wondering whether I can actually carry it off, and there was this nice lady who commented in an accented English, that the shoe is amazing and looks wonderful on me! So we started a conversation about shoes, and she was kinda pally with the SA that was coincidentally serving both of us, and she shared with me how she liked the rock-chic type of shoe, and I exclaimed that I too liked those shoes! And her SA brought out this fab pair of Pierre Hardy that he obviously kept for her, since they were not on display. And I ogled at her as she put on the shoe, and exclaimed that they were really funky and nice. And guess wad, the SA said "I kept 2 size 39s, so there is still 1 pair available behind", AND.....who would have guessed it, 39 was moi size! HAHA! I was joyous over the moon!! And it is so amazingly stable this shoe, the nice lady swears we can run around in them! I lurrrve it! So edgey! So me! Now I think I can also zing it up if I wear a pair of black socks underneath....

Next on, I was contemplating on this pair of babies. I have been DYING for a pair of Kirkwoods for a looongggg time. I have another pair of Kirkwoods but they were before he started doing these architectural shoes, and I picked those up at some Club 21/The Link clearance sale for like $200 bucks. So I have been eyeing for a pair of his trademark heels for some time, and you know how expensive they are at retail price, so yes yes, I know, I bought them and I'm not sure if I can wear them at all but I'll frame it up and display it as my shoe conquest nevertheless! I LOVE THEM!!!!

Till the next GSS!!

Lovely Weekend

I met Thomas Wee yesterday!!!! OMG!! I was in awe! and he was actually helping me to dress and saying I had broad shoulders! Fwah!

For the uninitiated, Thomas Wee is one of the pioneers in the local fashion industry, along with the likes of Tan Yoong. In his heydays, people flocked to him for his well cut tailoring, especially jackets. Subsequently, he went into semi-retirement mode and taught at NAFA. To quote him, he said that:

"I'm known for my ability to engineer a dress with great cut and tailoring. Anyone who wears Thomas Wee knows that there are no embellishments on my clothes. I'm all about fine tailoring - I can make a dress with just one seam. But I detest being called a tailor."

I love well-tailored clothes that can last a lifetime. And to support local designers, especially those who are pioneers in the industry, makes fashion all the more fun! To own a piece of clothing from him, is like owning a piece of history, and it is heartwarming when every piece of item you have has a story behind it. That's like adding a touch of warmth to the very commercialised fashion industry ...

Anyhoo, I bought a top from his new collection yesterday, its fully made of shantung silk from Europe. The colour is ivory. Notice the tailoring - there are no seams at the sides, only at the back, and even that seems to serve as a kind of detail, rather than just a plain seam. He said that his neckline is made plain and sharp, so that customers can decorate it with accessories/necklaces. Also, there is no lining, but he used double layers of the silk, he said this got rid of the unsightly bulges you sometimes get from having inner linings of a different material. Don't you love to get down to the 'science' of fashion?

After speaking to him, I got hooked and ordered a made-to-measure dress in shantung silk with a similar neckline to the one above, but in RED! I'm so excited. He said it should be ready end of this week! By the by, when I was speaking to him I told him how much I've heard about his well-tailored jackets and expressed my interest on getting it (which is not available in his current collection). Hiak! Watch this space for more updates!

Cheerios!

Pearl of the Orient

So I spent a week or so in Hong Kong and Macua recently and we had the best time eating, shopping, gambling and sleeping. Having gone to Hong Kong countless times since I was a kid, it was surprising to know that there is a little gem of a hotel that we had not managed to discover until now. It's called The Langham, and its under the Leading Hotels of the World group. It is conveniently located near the Harbour City/Terminal shopping area with lots of designer shops! Have I told you how much I love Lane Crawford? All my favourite brands under one roof! Anyway, I shall let the pictures do the talking...

Our room in Langham. I love the modernist decor!

The amazing bathroom with a shower AND a tub!

They also have pink everything! From calenders, to pencils and notepads, to menus to bedroom slippers!  

They have the most FANTASTIC set of toiletries, all in pink, there's even a mini body powder roll thingy.

A little rubber swan to accompany guests when they have a bubble bath!!

A trip to HK is never complete without a visit to Yung Kee (near Lan Kwai Fong), which sells famous roast goose AND heavenly century eggs. We've been coming here every time we visit HK, and advance reservations are an absolute must! (although if you know the captain and are generous with tips you can probably snag a table if you reserve on that day itself)

Ahh....this is the topping on the cake. Sesame paste desert, YUM YUM!!!

Some pastries on-the-house

We also visited a Char Chan Teng, this one is famous but I forgot its name =P

And, we trooped to Peninsula Hotel for the must-do high tea!

Some lousy frankfurter hotdog that costs us like $15 SGD and came like this. Sad.

We also took a ferry over to Macau for a night and stayed at Wynn Hotel! I love the hotels in Macau, the rooms are big and nice with a separate living area!

Love the amazing bathroom too (spot me in the pic!)!! Can you imagine, the bathrobes were lined in silk! I think a great hotel completes a trip, don't you? I'm definitely not your backpacker kinda girl...

And lastly, I was introduced to this brand of chocolates by a friend, and boy was it good. We spent a good couple hundred bucks at the store and brough chocolates home!

Till next time, ciao!