Take Me To Heaven!

If you like the movie you must not miss the musical, if you’ve never seen the movie then you MUST watch the musical!

I’ve heard that Sister Act the musical is sooooo good for soooo long, it took me long enough to wait and I’ve finally watched it last night! Frankly I forgot how the movie is like except a few scenes with the sisters practising in the church. So I was expecting the classics from the movie “I will follow him” and “Oh Happy Day!” when the tunes came out totally unfamiliar yet better! I (as usual) couldn’t help myself singing along (although I didn’t know the songs) and dancing along and clapping and almost standing on my third row middle seat (oh did I mention I got my seat on the day for just 25 pounds? =p)!

It’s the first time ever I got such a lovely seat in a proper musical (school musical doesn’t really count right?), then I realized sitting so close to the stage isn’t really a great idea. Not to mention that I can’t see the cast members’ shoes (haha!), all I can focus on for quite sometime is the microphone hanging on the cast’s forehead (YES forehead!) and the fine line of their wigs. Last time I checked the microphone is still situated on one side of the cheek, so does it mean they have to sing using their head tone (like what my music teacher told us????) And I think the costumes will look so much more amazing from the upper circle where I can only see the bling bling on stage in stead of the actual sequins!

Anyway, I really like the chorus part when they sang a wonderful harmony and really have shown all they’ve got, especially the old nun who sang and danced with so much energy even though you feel like she’s going to fall any second. Everyone’s really good on stage and it kind of reminds me why I like singing and acting on stage again. And I am amazed by how they can keep up the energy and the mood for 7 days and 9 shows a week every week! It’s like you feel like you’re watching a new show every time but the fact is they’ve been doing the same thing everyday. I don’t know how they can do it but they did it.

Too much “Hallelujah” and “gloria ex celsis deo” in my head now that I have to let it out by watching the movie again! Ciao!

The Bluest Blue and The Reddest Red

When the skies are blue and the clouds are high, what could possibly be better than go playing in the field?

MMM ’20’ THE EXHIBITION

It’s been a month now since Avantgarde Fashion House Maison Martin Margiela moved its exhibition from Antwerp to Berlin and finally to Somerset House in London celebrating its 20th anniversary back in 2008.

The Exhibition looks deeply into the different themes and concepts that Maison Martin Margiela has explored during the 20 years of its various collection, fashion shows, presentation and events worldwide. Maison Martin Margiela is known for its “deconstructivist” approach, its fashion shows in unexpected places and its taste for recovery and recycling materials. And the use of white, or better said, all possible shades of white, in the interiors of its offices, shops and showrooms, as White stands for ‘the strength of fragility and the fragility of the passage of time’. I really like their idea of vulnerable white representing history being not denied, but integrated as an indispensable element.

The iconic Tabi

The silhouette of the Shoulders

Trompe L’oeil  The Optical Illusion

The big fashion houses like Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Vivienne Westwood and Viktor & Rolf have held exhibitions in various forms since some years ago. In those exhibitions, they often collaborate with new fashion designers/architects/artists or even charitable organizations. For instance Zaha Hadid, one of the most talented architects in her generation, was chosen by Karl Lagerfeld to create the Mobile Art CHANEL Contemporary Art Container which exhibited 20 contemporary artists’ art pieces inspired by Chanel’s iconic quilted bag. Where as Louis Vuitton wrapped the facade of Hong Kong Museum of Arts with the “After Dark” series by artist Richard Prince, whose collection with Louis Vuitton was also exhibited alongside with Takashi Murakami, Stephen Sprouse in the exhibition ‘Louis Vuitton: A Passion For Creation’. The exhibition also showcased selected works from the Fondation Louis Vuitton pour la Création, bringing together a small number of significant large-scale works (paintings, photographs, video installations) by European, American and Chinese artists.

It seems to me that the fashion business cannot survive solely by selling garments now. The long established labels need to market themselves through new collaborations and exciting events. The exhibitions can popularize the fashion houses by contributing to art and cultural development, not to mention the effect of the press that covers the exhibitions. Well of course they also make their fans worship the labels more. Killing two birds in one stone. Brilliant.

Behind the scenes of the beauty shoot

This is the grey jacuzzi I was talking about…

the light on the model’s face is actually the reflection of the bright bright sun… how genius

The Crazy World

First day of my London hot summer -WOrkWoRkWorK-

The IDOL team and the amazinge photographer Matilde have transformed the ordinary into extraordinary.

We’re on location at a stylish boutique hotel in the heart of London just off Regent Street.

At First we’re expecting a big blue swimming pool… but all we had is a small grey jacuzzi… so a girl gotta do what she has to do right?

I was talking to the models while they’re getting ready and waiting for their turn, both of them are from the Netherlands and they just came to London since awhile ago. Us girls (the new immigrants) were saying how noisy London is and how fed up we were already with London.

Okay. maybe I should say I‘m quite fed up with the living environment in London.

Imagine yourself giving up all you have from home (empty-handed) and come to the city where chinese leaf can cost you more than a pound. Yes that’s exactly what I’m saying. POVERTY. Never come across the word; never even understand the true meaning of word my entire life until NOW. I don’t think any of my close friends ever have to think about that as well. When you have no idea whether you’ll be able to pay the rent or bills next month, or if you’ll be able to find a decent place to stay at all. Hey no kidding but I’m saying someone with a decent income here already. So has this world become crazy already? People think that their dreams come true doing a job when they’re paying to do it, or work 14 hours a day to claim themselves a professional. No wonder so many people get lost in a glossy magazine!

Photographer: Matilde Travassos @ IDOL House

Stylist: Tanya Gohil @ IDOL House

Make Up and Hair Stylist: Jenny Hellstrom @ IDOL House

Stylist Assistants: Megan Collins and Helen Lo

Hello world! I’m Back on Track.

Soooooo where have I been lately?

Well… Only the glossy world of Fashion!

Long story short, I’ve been interning for IDOL magazine, an online magazine featuring the up-and-comings in Fashion, Music, Art and Culture.

I’ve been all over London assisting shoots, picking outfits, sourcing garments, getting drinks, dressing models, attending press appointments, going to exhibitions and a lot more!

Unfortunately I can only post photos of the shoots after the official ones are out… so you can only imagine the fun of my job for now…

Here are some sneak peek of my recent life.

Travel Through Time…

Lately I’ve been invited to contribute in a vintage fashion blog and it gets me to think a lot about travelling through time…

Seldom do I buy vintage, but when I start looking I like to sail back and imagine what it’d be like to wear them at that time…

Wearing vintage is not like wearing other outfits; it is like wearing someone’s memories or experiences… Sometimes I’ll imagine myself being the lady in that vintage dress who’s being measured and fussed around to be dressed and still be elegant… not like any of us who would scramble into the pile of stinky old clothes just to get one dress that fit us perfectly…

Or the baggy old jeans that was worn everyday as workwear and was torn and washed naturally by some diligent and hardworking factory worker… unlike the ridiculously over-priced man-made washed jeans which was mechanically torn so that the price could even go higher…

I know that things depreciate over time… but don’t those stories and culture behind give credits to the stinky old clothes? So next time when you feel like you’re drowning in a pile of vintage clothes, try to travel through time to look closely for the memories and stories behind each piece of vintage.

This man in Nottinghill knows best about his vintage style…

And of course I can’t resist a bit of vintage on me x

Take a look at the vintage fashion blog I’m contributing! You might find some inspiration there!

5 Things to Go with the Perfect Holiday

I remember one time someone asked me what makes a good holiday. So here we go!

Good weather

It can be quite disturbing to take your umbrella or wear your raincoat especially if you want to travel light; it could even ruin your day if you (or your camera) get showered by rain! Besides bad weather takes no good pictures… so better keep sunshine in your prayers!

Good travel buddies

Again this is crucial because I’m sure you must have been stuck at the airport or even worse (the plane!) for a few hours with washroom the only place to visit, so a few chit chats might be the only solution to get you out of boredom. Plus you don’t want to spend the whole day going somewhere you don’t want to go or getting ready to go at 6 in the morning when you only need a relaxing day by the pool. So I advise you either go with your travel buddy or don’t go at all!

Perfect outfit

ok! ok! I know that holidays are supposed to be relaxing hence taking a break from the fashion whirlwind… but do you want to look like crap in your vacation photos? NO, right? Start packing then, stick to a simple palette (like VOGUE said) so you can wear everything with anything!

Good food and wine

What’s the point of eating crap when you’re having the perfect holiday? You can say you’ve been to La Tour Eiffel, but so what I’ve seen it all in the postcards! But what can you say about the taste of that rare steak and that stack of pancakes with homemade ice-cream from Stockholm? (ok…have to admit La Tour Eiffel is still better in “person”, but you know what I’m saying =p)

See? You can never know how good that pancakes and ice-cream are unless you try for yourself!

Friendly locals

It’s definitely a pro when local say “beware of your camera!” or using all the sign language they could possibly use to show you the way than to giving you the “eye-rolling” when you’re already trying to understand “who-knows-what-they’re-saying” menu.

So what makes your perfect holiday?!

DENHAM the Jeanmaker

I was instantly attracted by this denim store when I walked in the heart of 9 street neighbourhood in Amsterdam.

I have to say the interior design looks very much like a Japanese boutique. The store is so bright (even on a not-so-sunny-day) and neat with a hint of woodwork in it. And I’m very impressed by their meticulous attention to detail. There’s a big glass cupboard at the cash-counter that contains all kinds of accessories for your tailor-made jeans, from a button to the leather badge at the back of your jeans.

Right next to the store is the design studio…

I was forbidden to take any pictures in the store because the store assistant told me that I could find literally “everything” in their website…

So I went to their website… and it was even more impressive!

I was too busy secretly taking pictures of the shop and asking the shop assistant for some interesting facts so I didn’t really look closely at the garments… The assistant told me that the owner has a partner from Japan so they import the finest denim from Japan and Italy and hence the “Japanese” style…

but their website really intrigued me a lot and makes me wonder around for a whole hour! Their concept of their designs all come from the utility-tailoring approach, meaning the designs are originally for certain purpose, then they altered and re-immersed them into what they have now.

I particularly like this denim “Boro Kimono” which originally was made and worn by Japanese workers who travel from place to place in World War 2 and the 3D sleeves of these coats.

The “Wavell” is a reversible spring jacket inspired by the fencing doublet.

“the Genie evolves” is perfect for spring and summer with the light colour and texture; the seasonal khaki fabric is a must for the fashionista!

(photo courtesy of Denham the Jeanmaker website)

You know there’re many poles in the streets of Amsterdam, and each of them has “xxx” on it. Denham cleverly promote themselves by making covers for the poles outside the stores with their signature scissors on it.

When I walked out of the store… the only thing I keep thinking is “How can the store be so perfect?”

Money?

Right… you can hire people to design and develop every detail of the store and all the products for you but then it won’t be YOUR shop…

Talents?

But if you have all the concepts and designs in your mind and without the money you still can’t produce anything…

My conclusion is there’s no easy way to be perfect…

SO get your ass moving and work if you have all the talents in you!!! =p

La romance!

This year I had the most delicious (and of course the sweetest) birthday cake I’ve ever had – the Ispahan by Pierre Herme… and better yet…

I was expecting to see the first glimpse of sunrise on my birthday, the next thing I know… I was in PARIS!

Isn’t it the most romantic thing in the whole wide world???

No. This is.

To have a lover who knew you want to go to Paris…

To have a lover who booked a hotel in Paris even though she had no idea where exactly that hotel is

To have a lover who secretly sneaked all your stuff in your backpack when you’re sleeping…

To have a lover who tried not to sleep just because you don’t want her to even though she (secretly) knew that there’s a 6 am flight to catch the next morning…

To have a lover who took you to a local Parisien restaurant even though she couldn’t read the menu (only in French)…

To have a lover who wants to wonder in the streets of Paris with you even though she’s freezing/ tired to death…

To have a lover who took pictures of you even though she hates taking pictures…

To have a lover who hold your hands when you’re shaking in the cold…