A Fashion journal of an aspiring Fashion Designer

A big Thank you to everyone who voted and commented! I really appreciate it. Although, I didn’t get the big prize I am grateful and happy to have the support and encouragement of all my friends and family members. This competition had been a good experience and as it’s said “the show must go on” I will be working towards my ‘bigger prize’ and with all your love and support I hope to achieve it very soon.

Love you all xoxoxo

It’s hard to avoid talking about the new style concept of collections  which designers  have adopted recently in the  fashion weeks from 2009– Designers like Stefano Pilati  covered  the heads of  5 ft 11 inch models with wimple-like hats in the YSL fall show in Paris 2010.

Stefano Pilati for Yves Saint Laurent 2010

“Stefano Pilati categorically denied there was any religious symbolism in his fall show. Nevertheless, the sober caped black forms, wimple like head coverings, starched white cotton, hoods, and heavy chain pendants gave a nun like impression.” –Style.com

Similarly, there was much talk when Ricardo Tisci in fall 2009 showed a Middle Eastern inspired collection with models wearing burkhaa-like veils.

Ricardo Tisci for Givenchy fall 2009

The gold jewelry and the black draping were dark and beautiful and the collection is one of my favourites.  While leaving the audience completely at awe,  it also left them questioning; whether the depiction of burkhaa-like veils in black reflected  the designers views on the current political and cultural clashes within the western and middle eastern world? The fact is (at least to my knowledge) although designers present controversial designs that might reflect a current situation in the national /international level. It does not necessarily mean that it is what the designer believes -Instead, designers as artists love to play with themes and different subject matter to see how their audience reacts to it. I believe that the recent trend of head coverings don’t have anything to do with designers punning on the subject of ‘burkhaa’ or a nun’s wimple.  Instead it is a way of exploring the various forms of female clothing and adornment.Head covering is not just for the pious but it had been a popular style before, from the European mansions to the east Arabian or African cultures. . Moreover, the bedouin hijab or the Indian sari is expected to be worn by the women folk mainly due to their strong cultures rather than religious obligations.

african headdress

bonnets of the 18th and 19th century

In the  18^th and 19^th century Europe,  women  were expected to cover their hair under bonnets  as it showed her modesty; and the bigger and more decorated it was the more fashionable it was considered. By the late 20’s hats were

the elegant cloche

simplified to modern  Chanel cloches, yet they were a must in a woman’s wardrobe.Since the end of the 60’s, wearing a hat is not fundamental to complete a woman’s dress-up. And today, wide brimmed hats are mostly donned for beach wear. However, Stefano Pilati’s exhibition for YSL, with models wearing beautiful sculptural head pieces raised eyebrows and made editors re-write the year’s styles and trends. The models looked feminine and mysterious with the head pieces flowing around the face like a veil and  made the eye focus more on the sharp tailoring of the dresses.

“It is symptomatic of a wish to remove oneself from the Nuts, Zoo and Heat magazine culture; to ask for attention by not displaying flesh; to question what is eye-catching or elegant or intriguing.” – Another magazine-

xoxo

socks from the 'snowy mountains' in India

Hello Everyone! I’ve been quite busy with my exhibition preparations that I havn’t been able to sit down properly at the computer to write posts for Famushu readers. But here I am now, taking some time out to write about my fashion musings : ) Last night I was arranging my closet  (which is almost always messed up)when I got hold of a small gift from an Indian friend of mine.  She is from the Northern part of the country, a state called Himachal Pradesh(“snowy mountains”). This lovely gift is handwoven by her mother. The age-old technique of making the socks have been passed down from their ancestors.  I was awed by its uniqueness and she claimed that the socks do maintain heat during winter! It took me by surprise. But perhaps that is the beauty and the most amazing aspect  about traditional craft work.

Sultan Fareed's shoes - Maldives

Traditional craft work also reflects the origins of one’s culture. The  picture I’ve posted above is of our Sultan Fareed’s shoes which he wore to royal ceremonies, the shoes are similar to the socks from Himachal Pradesh. Although, the pointy ends at the front are exactly the same, the sultan’s shoes are grander and royal with intricate handicraft of beadings and velvet trimmings at the edges. We have always shared a similar culture with the Indian’s  and the rest of our neighboring Asian countries – and what better way is there to prove it other than through clothing’s and jewelries  of our past ancestors.

Hope you enjoyed this post and I will keep you posted on my fashion musings and interesting finds. 

xoxo

Finally, after a really long wait, I found out that my illustration is uploaded on the Marie Claire Concurso site. Phew! I was absolutely anxious before, checking my mails every now and then. The Marie Claire competition is open to anyone around the globe to submit a fashion illustration under the theme ‘Ethnic’  for the Spring Summer trend of 2010. One of the conditions is, that it should be drawn only by the natural skill of one’s hand – means you cannot use any computer software to create the illustration. There are almost a thousand illustrations sumbitted, and I am representing Maldives-in fact I am the only Maldivian at the moment !  The winner gets a scholarship to study a summer course on Illustration – Idea, Concept and Image with a 100% grant which also includes accommodation. There will be three winners and their illustrations will be published on the Marie Claire magazine, June and July issue.

Well, here’s me working on the sketch some weeks ago.

My mediums were pencil and water colors. The inspiration behind my work and how I visualize the ‘Ethnic’ Spring Summer trend of 2010 is written on my page.

So my dear Famushu readers please vote for me and drop a comment. I need your support to win this competition. A big Thank you for all of you who have already voted! And keep voting everyone!

xxx

Here’s the link to my illustration page:

http://marieclaire.iedbarcelona.es/participation/ethnic-celebration_349.html

I’ve posted pics of 10 items that I bought from different stores in and around Kuala Lumpur. These items can be worn as a day-into-night look (meaning you could wear it in the day time as well as in the evening with almost anything from a t-shirt to a frock dress).

1:  Huge rings are still big as a trend and this one in silver is perfect since it can glam up anything from a simple tee and jeans to a lovely black number for the night. When I am getting ready to go out shopping or etc I use the ring to accessorize my black shirt dress and white beige shorts and it’s a look that says “causal, comfortable”. I don’t  have to worry about how far my tummy sticks out after gorging on a big lunch at Nandos in Pyramid

2: How could I leave this lovely silver necklace with my name on it in the store! It’s chic and simple.

3:  Ear studs; these studs are just super cute and stylish! And it’s all the rage in Malaysia at the moment…all the guys sport it and a few girls too. It comes in different styles and colours and it’s a unisex accessory although it is more of a ‘boy thing’ here. I bought a pair that can be transformed from a rock n’ roll accessory to an elegant one with just the change of outfits.

4: Charm bracelets are another one of those girl’s-must-have accessories and I got a simple silver chain bracelet to add to my collection.

5: Rusted Gold Hoop earrings and owl necklace; these two items are eye catching and yet it doesn’t make me look like I am over accessorizing or anything. The owl necklace definitely gets the attention from both the guys and the girls, this nocturnal creature with its black beady eyes staring out; gives the effect of some tribal neck chain worn to ward off evil spirits. The rusted gold suits my olive brown skin and blends well with almost any clothing.

6: These are super comfortable wedge shoes from’ Vern’s in Sunway Pyramid’. And aren’t they adorable?

7: This is a classic piece. The white elephant hanging on a gold chain reminded me of only one place: India and India means exotic to me, it is a wonderful accessory to bling your safari shirt or your chiffon ponchos while vacationing in a resort.

8: It gets exceptionally hot at times in Malaysia and let’s not forget that it rains like cats and dogs too.  While I did not buy an umbrella, I did get an elegant black fan from the central market in Kuala Lumpur. I loved the simplicity and it was a stylish way to fan off when the temperatures get searing hot.

9:  These black earrings with its intricate detailing inside the circles are ideal to pair with a halter dress or a sleeveless one.

10: I had some fun wearing the multicolored bright bangles with my tee shirt and jeans. I mostly choose certain colours in order to match them with the t-shirts I want to wear and I also use some black bangles so that it goes with the black jeans.

That’s all for now

Be back with some more posts

xxx

Hello everyone! Yes, I am back after two whole months in Malaysia and back to blogging again too. But rather than rejoicing this reuinion I would like to express my deepest condolences to Alexander Mcqueen’s family. He was always one of my biggest inspirations and fashion-designer-idols, it’s devastating and I’m still in shock to hear that he has passed away at the age of 40. I hope to see his collections  in Paris this year… and for the years to come of course… but it will never be the same, it won’t be how Mcqueen would imagine from his beautiful creative mind…

R.I.P McQueen

Hey everyone! I am off to Malaysia to visit my brother and do some sight seeing too. Hopefully I will post you about fresh taaza news on fashion (if I do get the time that is :p hehe) I will be back in the Maldives after one month.

And I just found out that my post “In harmony with nature” has been featured on Global Voices and two more other sites:

http://globalvoicesonline.org/2009/12/14/dispatch-from-copenhagen-demands-for-climate-justice/

http://elitestv.com/pub/2009/12/dispatch-from-copenhagen-demands-for-climate-justice

http://add-links.eu/blooog/2009/12/14/dispatch-from-copenhagen-demands-for-climate-justice/

Have a fashionable holiday you all!

XXX

fast sketch - 80's look

I used pencil colours to make this sketch and it is inspired by the 80’s looks, with the make-up and big earrings reminiscent of the 80’s Joan Collins.

Joan Collins 80's

image credits

A sketch: 'in harmony with nature' - hoping that the cop15 summit becomes effective

The COP15 summit has begun at Copenhagen, Denmark  and everywhere around the globe the same voice “save our planet – seal the deal” echoes.  My home Maldives is one of those helpless and fragile countries that are  at the frontline to be affected by global warming, at this very moment we can only hope that the COP15 summit becomes effective, ‘cos the responsibility rests on the shoulders of those countries who emit large amounts of CO2. However, each one of us should take the responsibility to care and nurture for our mother earth – switch off the lights, chargers etc if you are not using ‘em, plant more trees and walk, ride a bicycle or use public transport systems : opt for a ‘greener life’ everyone.

Can you talk about your jewelry all day long? Well I’m sure if you have a little history behind that necklace or bracelet then it will be a conversation starter. I was browsing through the National Geographic website the other day and saw this section below on their home page: ‘clothing and accessories’ – the first thought that occurred to me-: “what the? What is this doing here??!” I mean this is NatGEo after all and the last thing that could occur to one is ‘clothing and accessories’. But, I was glad to see it there anyway.  It is understandable since NatGeo documents the livelihoods of ancient times and different parts of the world and jewelry and clothing are vital aspects to the documentation.  So as I went through their all-around-the-world jewelry collection, I was simply blown away by the array of traditional jewelries from Bhutan, Egypt, China and Kashmir! They were so yummy that I felt like trying all of them on! The best part about it was that they had given a brief description on each piece regarding it’s traditional historical origin and how it was made.

I’ve posted some pictures of the pieces that I loved from the National Geographic jewelery collection:

last emperor vintage jade earrings

The maori stone jewellery. As I mentioned  earlier each piece comes with a little description of it’s history, for this one it’s said :

“The koru spiral (left) is a stylized fern frond and represents new life and rebirth, growth, and a deep connection to the earth. The moana (right) is a repeating pattern based on the ocean waves and serves as a reminder of the importance of being in harmony with nature. Each carved stone hangs from an adjustable waxed cord.”

tibetan blue sky jewelry

silk road bracelets

Carved Chinese cinnabar bangels

“These ornate cinnabar bracelets are reminiscent of those once popular in the imperial court of China. An ancient art form, the creation and carving of these lacquer bracelets is an intensive process requiring much artistic skill and patience…”

personalised egyptian cartouche pendants

Himalayan earth and sky necklace :

“In Tibet, turquoise (called gyu) and coral are two of the most highly valued materials. Turquoise has been used as currency, and coral is a precious trade object in this landlocked mountainous country…”

gold-vermeil roman glass jewelry

carved jade chinese necklace

kashmiri floral bangles

Conversation starters can of course be your jewelry; like those times when you are surprised by your excited friend who shows off a shining white diamond crowned on a silver band and screaming “He asked me to marry him!!” and this can start off a huge conversation.

image

But the history behind that one beautifully cut diamond that was bought to adorn the finger of a lovely lady can be quite appalling. Ever heard of ‘conflict diamonds’ or ‘blood diamond’? No? Then here’s the thing:

image

There was once a time when people did not bother to find out about how the sparkling white diamond on the engagement ring originated. The many innocent people who died because of that diamond was unseen;  until on December 1^st 2000 the UN general assembly adopted a resolution to stop the role of diamonds in building conflict among the different parts of Africa – like Sierra Leone. The brutal rebel groups who slaughtered families and took children to train as child soldiers are fuelled by the funds they gain from selling conflict diamonds. They use the money they earn from these diamonds to buy arms. Once these diamonds are brought to the markets their origin is so difficult to trace since it has been infiltrated by then. Asking the jeweler whether the diamond you  are purchasing is ‘conflict free’ and checking whether they have a ‘certificate of origin’ is a good way to support the abolish of diamonds that are at the cost of  many innocent people’s lives.

So, as NatGeo says-:  “think again”