Prada Post #7

The Prada epicentre - this first in Manhattan - subvert the familiar idea of a flagship as a grandiose headquarters building. Here a new customer experience comes into its own, with the integration of retail and performance space.

The result is an enhanced shopping event and better customer service, going beyond the commercial and becoming a visual and sensory encounter. These innovative and progressive ideas have been realised through a fusion of opposites... The building which houses the epicentre is a 19th century, cast-iron façade landmark, while the interior is very much designed for 21st Century shopping.

Located in the heart of New York City’s trendy yet historic Soho district, Prada’s actual retail space occupies approximately 24,000ft², using both street and cellar levels. Courtesy of arup.com





The inside look of the Prada Epicentre in Manhattan.



Stockist Info:
Prada Pochette, PM
Neutral Canvas overall + Prada logo emblem embossed on the front + Zipper top + Calf leather lining
Price: Approximately 400SGD
Place of Purchase: Prada, Paragon
Year of Purchase: 2007
Status: New / In-stock

Prada Post #6

In the 1980’s, other labels were creating designs that played on sexuality. Frilly, lacy, brightly colored garments that were low cut on top and short on the bottom were popular. Prada hit the runway in 1989 with its prêt-a-porter collection, with elegant, simple pieces featuring clean lines, luxurious fabrics, and basic colors. The fashion world took notice, and Prada’s popularity skyrocketed.

By the 1990’s, Prada was a leading force in fashion. The garments and accessories were smart, sophisticated, and extremely high quality. Luxurious fabrics and simple styles, mostly in blacks, browns, grays, greens, and creams, became the signature Prada look. The apparel was sexy and spoke of confidence without revealing too much skin. Accessories included skinny leather belts, elegant high heeled shoes, and of course, the classic handbag.

In 1992, Miuccia presented the more affordable Miu Miu line, which targeted a younger consumer. More flowing shapes and earthy colors and prints set this collection apart, although the simple designs and classic appearance continued the quality of the Prada label. Soon after, the Prada Sport label was created, followed by a line of men’s wear and a lingerie collection. Courtesy of nvo.com



The woman who got all of us, Prada-philes worshipping for each season's accessories. I could just go on and on about the coveted triangular tags.



Kirsten Dunst for Miu Miu campaign.



Stockist Info:
Prada Pochette / Clothes Organiser / Filofax, GM
Black nylon overall + Triangular tag on the front + Zipper top
Price: Approximately 700SGD
Place of Purchase: Prada, New York
Year of Purchase: 2008
Status: New / In-stock

Prada Post #5

Miuccia Prada had been making black waterproof backpacks since 1970, out of a nylon fabric called “Pocone”. She unveiled the classic Prada handbag - simple, sleek, black nylon – in 1985 and became an overnight sensation. The bag was functional and sturdy, practical and fashionable. The high price tag that accompanied the handbags caused an onslaught of designer knock-offs, which only helped to make the genuine Prada articles more in demand.

The Prada look has certainly evolved over the years, and Miuccia is credited with many innovations in fabric and design. She has added everything from mirror fragments to beaded latex to her garments, and experimented with new and unique fabric blends. Even with all of this experimentation however, the caliber of the finished product has never wavered. Courtesy of nvo.com



Prada Spring / Summer Campaign 2008



Prada Fairy Bags Campaign in 2007 through 2008. This fairy bags were so in demand back then that the local Prada stores had a hard time keeping up with the demand. Many of Prada-philes were placed on the wait-list.



Stockist Info:
Prada Pochette, PM
Blue saffiano leather overall + Triangular tag on the front + Zipper top
Price: Approximately 400SGD
Place of Purchase: Prada, Paragon
Year of Purchase: 2007
Status: New / In-stock

Prada Post #4

Prada is considered one of the most influential clothing designers in the fashion industry. The label is synonymous with opulence and quality, and is widely regarded as a status symbol. First opened as a leathergoods shop in Milan in 1913, the Prada label was taken in by designer Miuccia Prada in 1978 and transformed into the luxury goods, fashion house recognized today. Courtesy of wikipedia.com



The symbolic tag of Prada in almost all of its accessories and some clothings. It was so coveted then, and everyone goes by "Oh, it's that triangular brand!".



Stockist Info:
Prada Denim Sling Bag, GM
Blue denim overall + Prada emblem embossed on denim front + Triangular tag on the side + Adjustable carrying strap
Price: Approximately 1800SGD
Place of Purchase: Prada, Paragon
Year of Purchase: 2007
Status: New / In-stock

Coach Post #1

The year was 1941. In a New York City loft the founder of the Coach family business was inspired by a quinessential American icon - the baseball glove - to create a legacy of his own. To his eye, its distinctive markins and deep glowing burnish held potential beyond its origin.

After defining the leather by making it softer, yet maintaining its strength, durability and character. The first Coach bag was created. Six artisans handcrafted the first Coach collection. Courtesy of coach.com



Courtesy of coach.com



Stockist Info:
Coach Document Bag, GM
Black canvas + Calf leathr handles + Leather trimming + leather base + detachable carrying strap
Price: Approximately 700SGD
Place of Purchase: Coach, New York
Year of Purchase: 2008
Status: New / In-stock

Prada Post #3

The strength of the Prada show was that it was not only on the sports track. The designer defined the clothes as "a bit hippie and a bit strange." The most indigestible part was her obsession with turning bags into clothes — already preempted in her well-judged Miu Miu line. Here, a stiff tweedy canvas, with Prada monogram, made angular coats and dresses with wavy-line appliqués. It would be wiser to buy the purse.

But Prada's take on her favorite hippie era was smart, because she reworked for the 1990s the mirror embroidery, now wafting through Milan like the smell of joss sticks. As if blown up by the computer, those twinkling fragments became flat glassy surfaces cut into leather skirts; or a bunch of them dangled from skirt fronts alongside paper leaves. Weird it was, but compelling.

And of course there were the easy pieces: the fine knit sweaters with a drawstring thread under the bust to underline the show's raised-waist silhouette; zippered nylon tops; pleated skirts that didn't look like fashion origami; and a hefty new boot with a rocker-shaped heel and sole. And however awkward and ugly Prada's clothes can be, there is always a sense of fashion's forward march. Courtesy of www.iht.com





Items taken from the Prada Sports range. I remember selling one of the similar but a small sling handbag version of the bag shown in first picture to a dear friend of mine, Cer for a nominal sum. I so wanted her to carry a Prada bag. She totally rocked the little arm candy!



Stockist Info:
Prada Sports Duffle / Overnight Bag
Greyish blue canvas + Silk interior + Front pocket zipper + Zipper top for main compartment + detachable carrying strap velcro
Price: Approximately 600SGD
Place of Purchase: Prada, Milan
Year of Purchase: 2008
Status: New / In-stock

Prada Post #2

Prada which shot to fame in the Eighties with the nylon bag, stormed into the sportswear arena and pulled rank. The concept range Prada Sport was launched and, unsurprisingly, the rules have all changed. Sport suits are reinvented in semi-transparent or silver nylon piuma (that's quilting to you or me) with details like drawstring bottoms, storm pockets and velcro. Shoes are toggled, not tasselled. Neoprene skirts are for walking. Bum bags are out, and arm bags are in.

It appears that much of the new sport-fashion hybrid is smartly tailored enough to have convincingly become a new kind of clothing for work. For a new generation of workers, it may well prove to be liberating in the way. This is not to say that a new wave of people strutting around in Prada power will radically change relations of power. For now that sports concept clothing has flooded the high street too, the fashion labels will continually be looking for ways of keeping ahead of the game. To pinch a phrase, no one wants to walk around with the same arm bag as the cleaner. Nonetheless, there is cause for celebration for, in their wake, traditional notions of suitable dress and the stereotypes that go with them will be redefined. Courtesy of thingsmagazine.net





The campaigns of Prada Sports. Courtesy of rocketrend.wordpress.com



Stockist Info:
Prada Sports Reporter Bag
Greyish blue canvas + Silk interior + Front pocket zipper + Zipper top for main compartment + adjustable carrying strap velcro
Price: Approximately 450SGD
Place of Purchase: Prada Pacific Plaza
Year of Purchase: 2001
Status: Gently used / Sold
Price Sold: 164 SGD

Gucci Post #4

Accessories are part and parcel of dressing up. It could be that tiny clutch, that necklace, that wristlet or even that hair band. We could not deny that these accessories do spice up a little portion of our dressing everyday. It could be done in a subtle way, or in the most eye-catching fashion ( I know, you all logo-maniacs out there who worship brand logos like me! ).

What I look forward each season are the accessories that a designer would "churn" out from his / her collections. Some of the accessories are timeless like the Salvatore Ferragamo hairband, that remains a best-seller worldwide. I do dabble a bit in buying these accessories.



Stockist Info:
Gucci GG Lanyard
Blue and brown lanyard webbing + GG Metallic logo + leather ring + detachable card holder
Price: Approximately 390SGD
Place of Purchase: Gucci Paragon
Year of Purchase: 2008
Status: Gently used / In-stock



Stockist Info:
Gucci GG Phonestrap
Green and black webbing + Metallic piece insribed with brand + leather attachment Price: Approximately 250SGD
Place of Purchase: Gucci Paragon
Year of Purchase: 2008
Status: New / In-stock

Bottega Venetta Post #1

TOMAS MAIER cultivates tenacity. If a tree in his garden doesn’t thrive, he simply uproots it and replants. During a fashion career spanning more than two decades, Mr. Maier channeled this pursuit of an elusive perfection into designs so low-key and finely tuned that they often flew beneath the radar. Then a half-dozen years ago, he trained his sights on Bottega Veneta, transforming that once-ailing fashion house into one of Europe’s top-selling luxury brands, with annual sales of more than $500 million worldwide. Courtesy of thefashionspot.com





Today the muted logo-free look that is the brand’s signature is widely regarded as the standard-bearer for a new kind of luxury: subtle, long-lasting and recession-proof. In such a climate, Mr. Maier himself has emerged as a hero, albeit a reluctant one — and, to his admirers, even something of a prophet. Courtesy of thefashionspot.com



Stockist Info:
Bottega Venetta Wristlet
Material: Bottega Venetta signature weaving on green leather + round metallic tag inscribed with brand
Year of purchase: 2007
Place of purchase: Bottega Venetta, Takashimaya Singapore
Price of purchase: 480 SGD
Condition: Gently used / In-stock

Dior Homme Post #2

Does Kris Van Assche feel like a fashion Cinderella when he wakes in the morning? It was decreed that the Dior Homme shoe fit him, and he was granted one of the twenty-first century’s most powerful, influential legacies. His first runway show for Dior Homme, Van Assche cleaved close to the original blueprint: a chiaroscuro spectacular featuring live music and a cast of nonprofessional model boys corralled on the designer's travels. Clothing-wise, he opted to explore a couple of themes until there was simply nothing more to be said about them: an outfit composed of a tiny jacket and trousers with a legginglike cling, and a shirt-and-pants combo that featured a bottom half of multi-pleated harem-pant-like extravagance. Courtesy of men.style.com



Van Assche clearly has great faith in this silhouette, because he's used it before. Still maintaining that slim-cut figure of dressing. Courtesy of men.style.com



This is one of my personal favourite. That long trench with wide opening down the neckline is so tres-chic! In our kind of weather, it seemed like the appearance of long trench as part of our attire is still far away. Courtesy of men.style.com



Stockist Info:
Dior Homme Sling Bag
Material: Dior Homme Logo-ed Embossed fabric + Adjustable carrying strap + Zipper top
Year of purchase: 2007
Place of purchase: Dior Homme, New York
Price of purchase: 2000 SGD
Condition: New / In-stock

Hermes Post #9

Being a frequent visitor to Hermes at Liat Towers, I could not help but wonder why do all these bags appeal so much to me. What is the magic placed in this store that makes interaction with the SAs so easy and amiable? What is the magic that the craftsmen placed into making the bags and makes it stand out from the other labels that we often see? I still do not have the answer. Do you?





The Steve Pouch in Biege and Dark Chocolate Clemence Leather. These are going to be my next big purchases at Hermes. I do hope to buy one in each colour. They do not come cheap ( no Hermes bags are cheap! ), one pop of these gorgy bags is about 11,000SGD. I saw at least 4 of these on the shelves when I visited the Liat Tower store 2 weeks ago. Wicked! You are going into my vice-book for now.



Another sling bag from the most recent runway - The Jypsiere. It's here in Singapore already. I had 2 offers from my lovely SA in Liat Towers. I turned both down because they are not the colours that I want. Being a "cousin" to the Birkin, these Jypsiere price tag are no cheaper, in fact, they go about 14,000SGD per pop depending on the leather type.



One of my personal favourite travel bags from Hermes. This is the Drag bag that the good people at Hermes custom made for me. The Drag bag ( especially the travel version ) are not in production anymore. What you get from the resellers are probably vintage pieces. Don't remind me of the price tag. I could get a few Birkins just by paying for this gem.

Stockist Info:
Hermes Drag Travel Bag
Bleu Calf Leather + Lizard skin embossed + Palladium hardware + lock and key set.
Price: Approximately 34,000SGD
Place of Purchase: Hermes, FSH, Special Order
Year of Purchase: 2007
Status: New / In-stock

Hermes Post #8

Nothing beats the feeling of unwrapping that oh-so-precious Orange boxes from Hermes. The smell, the anticipation, and all that wait ( you do agree that we need to wait for god things to come ) just for our Orange fix.

Like any other fashion house, Hermes do also produce iconic bags from each season. Remember the Lindy? It's a hit after it was shown on the runway. The good people at Hermes now even have the travel Lindy which is big and nice! I do own one of these babies.



Besides the travel Lindy, Hermes also came up with the travel version of the Bombay bag. This is in full clemence leather and available at Liat Towers when this posting is done. Price of this bag is approximately 14,000 SGD.



The 24/24 bag. I have all these in the PM, MM and GM models. It comes in swift and sightings of these bags in crocodile skin is sighted in FSH. If you are going or thought of visiting, let me know, so I could get you to get these crocodile versions for me.



Stockist Info:
Hermes Marwari Shoulder Bag
Toile cream canvas + Palladium Hardware + calf leather sling and closure.
Price: Approximately 1900SGD
Place of Purchase: Hermes, Liat Towers
Year of Purchase: 2008
Status: New / In-stock

Prada Post #1

Dear readers, Prada is announcing its Fall / Winter 2008 end of season sale. For those Prada-philes out there, go grab that favourite bag of yours at a fraction of the price. Saves you from dishing out on the original price tag (gawks) and help our ailing economy as well!



Linda Evangelista for Prada Campaign 2008.



Sales announcement from the good people at Prada Singapore. Enjoy your shopping. I would also be heading down over the weekend to get a few items that I had been eyeing for.

Hermes Post #7

When I travel, I lug everything with me in a big bulky case that’s covered with stickers of all the causes I believe in, and I also take my Birkin bag everywhere. I actually designed the bag on an aeroplane, sitting next to Mr Dumas-Hermès. He made it for me and asked if he could commercialise it, given that it was such a beautiful bag, and I felt proud. Afterwards, it became an enormous success, and people started to say things to me like, “Oh, you’re Birkin, like the bag?” which was annoying.

Now, I auction off my Birkin every year and give the proceeds to charity. I’m glad Hermès lets me donate my bags to a worthy cause. The last one went for £40,000.’ Courtesy of www.timesonline.co.uk

From the mouth of Jane Birkin herself.



Tom Cruise's wife, Katie Holmes with a 50cm HAC, which is a higher version of the Hermes Birkin. Both versions of the bags are equally hot, and so far, I only have one HAC in 40cm. The rest are Birkins.



Stockist Info:
Hermes Travel Birkin, 50cm
Black Togo leather + Palladium Hardware + Lock and key set
Price: Approximately 29,700SGD
Place of Purchase: Hermes, Liat Towers
Year of Purchase: 2007
Status: New / In-stock

Hermes Post #6

The "Birkin" bag is a handbag manufactured by leather goods and ready-to-wear manufacturer Hermès. It is named after British-born actress and singer Jane Birkin, a longtime resident of France.

Press accounts of the bag's genesis differ in details. Jane Birkin told noted fashion writer Dana Thomas that while seated next to Hermès CEO Jean-Louis Dumas in 1984 on a Paris to London flight, she opened her Hermès-made datebook and a flurry of loose notes fell to the floor. Dumas took her datebook and returned it a few weeks later with a pocket sewn into the back (which has since become standard). Birkin went on to discuss with Dumas her difficulty in finding a leather weekend bag and at his prompting, described her ideal. Shortly thereafter, the bag she described arrived at her flat with a note from Dumas. Courtesy of wikipedia.com



A bag named after you....can you imagine what it would be like? I could imagine all the royalty regenerated from the sales of these bags alone. I could live off these bags only! I am currently on the list for more of these delicious bags! You are all going into my vice-book!



Stockist Info:
Hermes Gold Calf Birkin, 40cm
Gold Tan Calf leather + Gold Hardware + Lock and key set
Price: Approximately 24,000SGD
Place of Purchase: Hermes, Liat Towers
Year of Purchase: 2006
Status: Gently used / In-stock

Gucci Post #3

Rihanna and Gucci are giving us a sneak peek of the singer’s ads for the brand’s 4th annual campaign to benefit UNICEF. And talk about looking good while doing good! The series of ads, which won’t hit magazines in December, feature the singer modelling luxe goods from Gucci’s “Tattoo Heart” collection. A portion of proceeds from the all-white line will go towards improving the lives of children in sub-Saharan Africa through life-saving programs. And the singer couldn’t be happier to continue her work with the charity. “The work that UNICEF does in the world is so incredible,” she says. “And I am honored to be able to join forces with Gucci to create this amazing campaign which will contribute to UNICEF. I think the campaign and the sales of these beautiful products can make the difference.” Courtesy of offtherack.peoplestylewatch.com




Some said that Rihanna is just a prop, the real deal are the Guccis that she is fronting. Well, you make the decision. More of the campaign at Gucci's official website at http://www2.gucci.com/int/campaign/tattoo-heart-collection/



Stockist Info:
Gucci GG Document bag GM
Sand brown leathery canvas overall + GG logo embossed + calf leather trimming + Zipper top + inside pocket
Price: Approximately 1500SGD
Place of Purchase: Gucci Paragon
Year of Purchase: 2008
Status: New / In-stock

Gucci Post #2

Guccio Gucci (1881–1953) is the founder of The House of Gucci and son of an Italian merchant from the country’s northern manufacturing region. He started the House of Gucci in Florence in 1906 as a small, family owned some leather saddlery shop. Guccio was an exceptional craftsman and began selling leather bags to horsemen in the 1920s. As a young man, he quickly built a reputation for quality, hiring the best craftsmen he could find to work in his atelier. In 1938, Gucci expanded his business to Rome. Soon his one-man business turned into a family-business, when his sons Aldo, Vasco, Ugo and Rodolfo joined the company. In 1951 Gucci opened their store in Milan and two years later, the company expanded overseas with the opening of the Manhattan store. Courtesy of Wikipedia.com



The portrait of Guccio Gucci. The man who started it all, and got homosapiens like us to fall for its GG-logo-ed items! Courtesy of designerstylesonline.com



Stockist Info:
Gucci Travel Bag GM
Silver canvas overall + GG logo embossed + calf leather trimming
Price: Approximately 1800SGD
Place of Purchase: Gucci Paragon
Year of Purchase: 2007
Status: New / In-stock

Club21 Post #1

Club 21, part of the COMO Group, is a luxury retailer of fashion (kids, womenswear, menswear) accessories, homeware and technology. Set up since 1972 in Singapore, Club 21 is a luxury retailer of fashion, accessories, homeware and technology. Courtesy of Club21.com

With Christmas just coming up, why not consider shopping online for your loved ones? Website now offers online shoppings of vouchers (from all labels), hampers and exclusive designed tees (complimentary delivery). Go for it!



Stockist Info:
Club21 Tote Carrier
Cream thick canvas overall + Metal ring to both sides of the sling + Side pcoket + reversible
Price: Approximately 50SGD
Place of Purchase: Club21, Bangkok Erawan
Year of Purchase: 2007
Status: Gently Used / In-stock

Agnes B Post #2

AGNES B opened her first-ever flagship store, La Loggia, in Hong Kong, over the weekend. Devised by Asian design wunderkind Andre Fu and named and modeled after the family house on the French Riviera, La Loggia is also Agnès B's first one-stop store.

The new location includes women's and men's collections, a travel store, a florist, a chocolate boutique and a traditional French restaurant presented in a series of arched and columned galleries filled with flowers and plants, music and art, and wrapped around a sun-flooded atrium with a sky high glass ceiling and French courtyard feel. The store proudly sprawls over 15,000 square feet of the city's tallest building - IFC 2, of recent Batman fame - with a terrace suspended over the city skyline.

The launch event, attended by the city's glitterati and local fans waiting for their chance to be photographed with the designer, was highlighted by a traditional Chinese lion dance and a live concert by Brooklyn indie girl band Au Revoir Simone. Courtesy of vogue.com



Agnes B herself at the opening of the flagship store in Hong Kong recently. Still looking fabulous and trendy ain't she! Courtesy of vogue.com



The sprawling store in IFC. Believed to be one of the largest Agnes B store in the world. Well, one could always find excuses to fly now to Hong Kong and immense in the cool ambience of the store. Courtesy of moodireport.com



Stockist Info:
Agnes B Travel Bag GM
Blue canvas overall + White leather trimmings + Detachable sling
Price: Approximately 450SGD
Place of Purchase: Agnes B, Raffles Shopping Centre
Year of Purchase: 2008
Status: New / In-stock

Agnes B Post #1

agnès b. (born Agnès Troublé, 1941 in Versailles) is a French fashion designer. She is known for her self-named brand, which includes fashion and film interests.

She graduated from École des Beaux-Arts in Versailles. A career soon followed when her personal style caught the eyes of ELLE magazine staffers at a Paris flea market. Her style of dress at the time, which included selections from France's Monoprix discount chain, was inspired less by fashion than thrift, but the magazine liked what it saw and hired her as a junior editor. Courtesy of wikipedia.com



The infamous logo of the Agnes B. Its almost on anything and everything. And I am really a big fan of her whimsical tees!



Stockist Info:
Agnes B Clothes Divider GM
Black canvas overall + Agnes B tag label at corner + 3 compartments (all with separate zippers)
Price: Approximately 50SGD
Place of Purchase: Agnes B, Raffles Shopping Centre
Year of Purchase: 2008
Status: New / In-stock