Happy Birthday Grace!

Time to make a come back!

Once again, a big apology for my absence but I'll try to be more focused by now...

And to return, what a better reason that to celebrate one of the most influential woman in Fashion Industry: Grace Coddington. 

This former model and Creative Director for Vogue is a milestone, she has created the most amazing, fascinating and unforgettable editorials ever.

Check some of my favorites here...

Happy Birthday, Grace!

Royal Ascot 2013

I have always have a thing for hats, caps, headpieces or whatever you can put on your head. I remember that when I started studying Fashion Design my goal was to be a Millinery Designer like Philip Treacy or Stephen Jones but at some point reality hit me and I realize that to be a hat maker I will have to live in England and made just a few amazingly absurd hats per year... Not profitable.

But anyways, whener I made a collection or a design or even a sketch there's always a Millinery element in it. And maybe that's my muse and number one love is always and forever Isabella Blow. 

Royal Ascot is a famous English racecourse related to the British Royal Family, which on Ladies' Day is the perfect excuse to find a good hat and dress up. Here are some photos from the event chosen by me for many reason (fashion, style, awkwardness, etc).

I guess that British do it better!

 Angela Lin - Gucci top and trousers, hat by John Lewis.

Karen Carwin - Hat Locke and Co., Maison Rabih Kayrouz dress, Valentino shoes and Michael Kors clutch.

Larisa Katz - Own design.

Louis Lynn (left) - Martha Lynn hat, Boss dress, Costume National cluth and Stella McCartney shoes.
Martha Lynn (right) - Own design hat, Paula Ka cape, Irish Design Centre dress, H&M clutch and Michael Kors shoes.

 Mimi Theobald - Own design hat, recycled vintage dress, Debenhams clutch and Kurt Geiger shoes.

 

Virginia Bates - Stephen Jones hat, vintage dress, Gucci shoes and Susannah Hunter clutch.

 Florence Calridge.

Mrs. John Quinn.

Random racegoers.

Isabell Kristensen.

Lady Helen - Barbara Casasola outfit.

Ghesquière's.

Nicolas Ghesquière was born in 1971 in Comines. His dad owned a golf course and his mom was a fashion lover... 

In his resumé, Agnès B (aged 15), then Jean-Paul Gaultier where he made an internship with the designer. In 1995, he got hired as a licensed product designer for Balenciaga, making an  approach to the brand. "It's OK. I will go and I will see what the potential is and see what is going on. So it was not the most glamorous way to approach the brand. But it was interesting to work on this license and to see what was left from Balenciaga." Two years after this, he got named as Balenciaga's new creative director.

After this happened, back in 1997, all of his collections started to succeed, giving more reputation to the house and to himself.

"We've developed the brand," he told Interview magazine in January 2010. "I probably feel more solid because the brand is solid and I feel stronger than my years. But I put so much pressure on myself, which makes me very insecure. With my designs and my ideas, I want to please myself first. I'm always very stressed about making a new proposition every season. But in a way, it's a kind of addiction. In another way, it's a crazy pressure. I try to stay quiet about the whole situation, because fashion itself can be crazy, and everyone wants a part of you."

After more than 10 years working for the famous fashion house, he gained everyone's respect and admiration. Every season me, and many more, waited for each Paris Fashion Week to see what Ghesquière's proposal for the season was. And it was always mind blowing. Unique silhouettes, weird/new materials, volume, show... The whole package to make of his show one of a kind.

After all this success, after dressing Nicole Kidman for her wedding, working with Charlotte Gainsburg, getting Twilight's hated Kirsten Stewart as spokeswoman and image for the brand... Ghesquière decides to leave Balenciaga behind.

"With an incomparable creative talent, Nicolas has brought to Balenciaga an artistic contribution essential to the unique influence of the house", said François-Henri Pinault, chairman and CEO of PPR.

Is not confirmed what Ghesquière's future will be. If he would launch his own brand or start with another house... By the moment I will make a little homage to one of the designer's I admire the most. Here's a selection of my favorite designs.

 ♥

H&M and Maison Martin Margiela

Everyone's being dying of anxiety since a gossip started more than a year ago that the swedish retailer, H&M, would open a store here in Mexico... And finally that day came!

With 3 floors, 4200 square meters this store is the beginning of H&M's expansion in Latin America. Starting in Mexico City with zero risk of being a failure, because since they open their first store outside Europe back in 2000 all they keep getting is more and more success, more fans, more clients and of course absurd amounts of money.

The opening is one huge event but for me the biggest, and the one that everyone have their eyes on, is H&M's new collaboration with the Belgian designer, Martin Margiela. A few months ago the news were broke all over the internet, published on NYMag, videos on YouTube... It was all over! And it has been a long long wait since we saw those and read about it and finally there are just a few days before we can get our hands in some cheaper Margiela pieces.

The retailer is known for always offering their customers fashion at an affordable price, trends and of course not the best quality (but at least better than Zara). A few collaborations after, this strategy maintain the growth and success of the house.

Karl Lagerfeld, Stella McCartney, Viktor & Rolf, Roberto Cavalli, Comme des Garçons, Matthew Williamson, Jimmy Choo, Sonia Rykiel, Versace and now Margiela for H&M. Excitement for this collaboration is up to date becuase Margiela created a collection based on his most pieces, from the plexiglass heel shoes, the candy wrap clutch, the oversized coats, the two-dresses-dress... this promess to be a huge success and mayhem at stores worldwide... but anyways, I'll be part of that mayhem to get a MMM piece with friendly price tag, not one with the £3000 on it.

Here are some of my picks from this awesome collaboration.