MONDAY BRANDAY

As a fashion buyer and a fashion blogger, there is always one thing that makes me so focused whenever I go out on shopping. Yes, the new brands.

MARY KATRANTZOU

If you are looking for a hottest designer in 2013, it would undoubtedly have to be Mary Katrantzou.

Have you guys seen her collection? Mary Katrantzou has been the most conspicuous collection in luxury multi-stores for sometime. And as if to increase its attention, it showed a collaboration work with Moncler recently as FW13 Moncler M collection. Not sure if it's a great success as Moncer X Sacai collaboration work(Moncler S), but it sure is experimental.

<FW13 Moncler M Collection>

All images from Moncler.com

And suddenly, street fashion in Paris and Milan was dominated with Mary Katrantzou Ready to wears. 

Then who is this Mary Katrantzou anyway?

 

Mary Katrantzou was born in 1983 in Athens, Greece who now lives and works in London. She was born to a very fashion forward family with her mom as interior designer and father trained textile engineer.

Firstly, she moved to US in 2003 to attend Rhode Island School of Design to study architecture. After that, she transferred to Central St. Martins where she completed both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degree. In 2008 on her graduation show, she already have achieved her recognition enough to open the show. After the great show, her collection was nominated for the Harrods and the L’Oreal professional award. And thanks to her sponsorships, her first Pret-a-Porter Collection was finally shown in FW2008 London Fashion Week.

Mary’s signature look can be described to be inspired by her interior sense and trompe-l’oeil. (*trompe-l’oeil : An art technique that uses realistic imagery to create the optical illusion that depicted objects exist in three dimensions-wikipedia) It started with the heavy jewelry on jersey-bonded dress, which gave the illusion of wearing a heavy necklace. Her first collection was a huge success even with a very small collection(only had nine dresses in the collection) and huge buyers like Browns, Joyce and Colette were all over her.

And now, you can literally see her collection everywhere. Over 200 high-end luxury fashion shops carry Mary Katrantzou and is known as a few designer brand that was sold out after a few days of its release. Nobody can doubt that she is the hottest designer these days.

Autumn Winter 2013 Cult Classics on MATCHESFASHION.COM

And for S/S 2014 collection, footwear inspired Katrantzou. Katrantzou ripped the shoe apart and reinvented it as a total look. The details of footwear became decorative means to outline the female form.

My favorite looks from S/S 2014 Mary Katrantzou Collection

images from official Mary Katranzou website

Innovative as she is, how can we not wait for her next move?

Love, Victoria

CARVEN

My next brand to discover is Carven, which currently is one of my favorite Ready-to-wear brand.

Carven began in Paris in 1945 as a haute couture house designed by Madame Carven Mallet(whose name originally was Carmen de Tommaso) and flourished in the 1950's and 1960's. Interestingly, the house name "Carven" is the contraction of her own first (Car of Carmen) and aunt's surname Boyriven (ven of Boyriven). 

It's first collection was a great success with famously known green and white striped summer frock named "Ma Griffe" (which also is the name of Carven's first perfume). An enthusiastic traveler, Madame Carven went around the world several times and was inspired by her travel to become one of the first designers to use African and Indian motifs in her work.

By 1950, Carven had achieved global success but from 1970~1990's, the house's early success had died down and was bought and sold several times by various companies. Finally in 2008, company named SCM bought the house and put an end to the house's haute couture collection, appointing young designer, Guillaume Henry as creative director for the ready-to-wear collection to bring young and fresh spirit to the storied house.

Basically, Guillaume Henry's work is based on its haute couture heritage in a style that he brings up to date with an aristocratic elegance that is very NOW and this is what I love about Carven so much.

Guillaume Henry, Carven Designer

Interesting thing here, is how Carven started her fashion career. She studied architecture and interior design originally but after that, went to fashion because of her small size(known that she was 1.55m) and felt it was hard to dress for her. To make up for her height, Carven began to create simple, slender designs which continues till now. 

I think this is why Carven dresses are so very popular among Japanese(and Korean, which is me!) women cause it might give us a few centimeters we may lack. 

<FW13 Carven Collection>

I just can't believe how someone can use so many pastel-toned colors and give the same vibe. Guillaume is just rocking it this season! This is why whenever I fly to Paris, I'm back packed up with Carven. Carven is not publicly known to Koreans at the moment, but I think it's a matter of time! Why don't we try a piece of Carven in FW13?

Lastly, my favorite AD cut from FW13 Carven.

Love, Victoria

EK THONGPRASERT

Ek Thongprasert is very hip, Belgian-based jewelry brand setter up by thai designer Ek Thongprasert. He set up this gorgeous jewel brand immediately after graduating from Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp. Created in collaboration with his friend, jewelry designer Noon Passama, Thongprasert's conceptual collection carefully combine the graphic forms and vibrant colours of traditional South Asian jewelry with contemporary materials such as silicone and sophisticated production techniques. Due to this, if you visit it's official website you can see their concept pictures prior to the lookbook of the products. 

Below picture is from the concept, Ethnic part 1.

(Above images from EK THONGPRASERT official website)

They offer all kinds of jewelry but most of them are costume jewels, or fashion jewelry, meaning manufactured as ornamentation to complement a particular fashionable costume or garment as opposed to "real" jewelry. -wikipedia

It's quite fun to go through the collection of Ek Thongprasert because I love how fun (and fake) they look and what they present. Young and Fashionable. 

Of course, I also love "REAL" jewels but I have to admit that they are not as fun and hip. (Can't afford them but that is not my main reason not collecting them) One might think, accessories from Ek Thongprasert are not worth investment unlike real jewels, but I beg to differ. I think they are perfect investments if you love fashion and enjoy anything fun.

Ek Thongprasert focus on a customer who knows how to appreciate unique and timeless products, which the value is transmitted not only through high quality self developed material, sophisticated handicraft and production technique but also essentially through the individual philosophy and conceptual aspect behind Ek Thongprasert's collection.

Here are some photos of the products which you can feel their energy.

(Above images from EK THONGRASERT official website)

Aren't they just amazing? I love how colors are used in such a vivid way.
Here are some more photos.

(Above images from Moda Operandi official website)

There also are collaboration work with Natasha Goldenberg, who has been my favorite editor ever since, i don't know, forever.

(Above images from Moda Operandi official website)

If you ever have extra money, why don't you spend it on the heavenly-colored Ek Thongprasert jewels?

Love, Victoria