Looking for Christmas gifts?

The festive end of the year is coming closer.

Now is also the time to start looking for that unique special gift

 or indulge yourself ...

Just click below

 

 

 

Kristien

Art on bags.

I saw these bags in a magazine.
They are from Longchamp Paris, made in collaboration with British-American artist Sarah Morris,

 who was asked to reinterpret the iconic Longchamps bag "Le Pliage" for its 20th anniversary.

 

Le Pliage Limited Edition, 125 signed, square calfskin leather totes

 

Le Pliage Eclipse features Sarah Morris painting: Total Annual Solar Eclipse

 

This painting is one of the 'Rio ' paintings.

 

 

Here is an interesting link if you want to know more about the artist.

 

It is not the first time Longchamp collaborates with artists.

 

 

Have a look at their twitter account and their website!

 

After seeing these bags I looked for more art on bags.

Some examples :

 

 

Eugenia Woods

 

Ava Cross Body Bag,Art Bag by Artist Joanna Gregores

Eco Art productions

 

 

Art Bags

 

 

These are works of art...

made by Kathleen Dustin

 

Beautiful art isn't it?

What do you think?

Have a lovely weekend.

Kristien

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 





Football mania...

Belgium is slowly going crazy.
Football / soccer is not my favourite sport; but the World cup match between Belgium and the USA yesterday evening was exciting and impressive, of the highest standard.

 

In short, it cannot better be described as Ricky Gervais did in a tweet:

 

Very warm regards

Kristien

The art of tying a scarf.

Scarves are an essential part of my wardrobe.
They brighten up everything you wear.

The Hermes carré is one of my favourites.
Some pictures from there website:

 

 

Here are some examples of how to wear them:

 

You can download the silk knots app from there website.

 

Just click below.

 

 

And then there are of course the Liberty scarves..

They are just gorgeous .

 

 

 

 

If you want some ideas on how to wear your scarves, here is an interesting tutorial:

 

Enjoy .

Warm regards.
Kristien

 

 

Colours of the earth.

Yesterday, April 22nd, was international Earth Day.

Earth day was first organized in 1970 to promote ecology and respect for life on the planet as well as to encourage awareness of the growing problems of air, water and soil pollution.
I came accross these beautiful pictures.
Have a look at the astonishing, colourful beauty of our planet!
Who would not want to preserve this?

 

Danxia relief, China

 

Pamukkale, Turkey

 

 

Tulip fields, The Netherlands

 

 

Paria Canyon, Arizona US

 

 

Yuanyang,China

 

 

 

Grand prismatic spring, Yellowstone park

 

Amazing isn't it?

Warm regards

Kristien

 

 

The craft of the "Plumassier" .

What is a "Plumassier"?, I asked myself when I heard about the "Birds of Paradise" exhibition.
Here is a blogpost about it.
A Plumassier is an exceptionally talented artist, mastering the art of feather handling and embroidery.  He or she treats, dyes and applies the fragile feathers which frequently embellish haute couture garments and various stage costumes.
In the late 19th century , in Paris , there were more than 300 plumassiers.
Today, there are almost no plumassiers left in Paris, or anywhere else.
Those remaining, are working together with big 'Haute Couture ' houses like Chanel, Givenchy, Nina Ricci, and Jean-Paul Gaultier.

 

Bolero by Nelly Saunier for Gaultier 1997

 

'Maison Lemarié' , founded in 1880, was purchased in 1996 by Chanel.

They have a huge stock of feathers, some of them dating back a century.

 

An original Maison Lemarié shipment box . Inside: exquisitely constructed feather pads and imitation wings from around the 1920s.

 

Exotic birds are protected species now; the remaining stock of these feathers are very precious. They cannot leave France and are only used for unique pieces.

The feathers of swans, peacocks, vultures and ostriches are imported from South Africa.

 

Some examples:

In 2009 Karl Lagerfeld designed a costume worn by prima ballerina Elena Glurdjidze, a senior principal dancer with the English National Ballet. She danced the role of 'The dying Swan'.

The costume required more than 100 hours of work, many of these at Lemarié.

 

 

 

 

 

The dress worn by Nicole Kidman for the Chanel N° 5 Advert:

 

 

 

Alexandre Vauthier dress haute couture autumn - winter 2013-2014

 



 

Want to know more?
Some interesting links:

http://www.lemarie-paris.fr
http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2005/jan/28/fashion.hautecoutureshows
http://culturebox.francetvinfo.fr/le-travail-minutieux-des-plumassiers-sublime-les-robes-haute-couture-139463

Enjoy your Easter holidays
Warm regards
Kristien

 

 



Feathers, fashion and art: Birds of paradise.

Last week, an exciting exhibition opened in the fashion museum (MoMu) in Antwerp (20/3 - 24/8/2014):

 

 

"This exhibition is a tribute to the elegance and refinement of the application of plumes and feathers in fashion and haute couture. Through a mixture of 19th-, 20th- and 21st-century accessories, garments and couture dresses, the different characteristics of the various plumes and feathers are highlighted: sophistication, femininity, lightness, wealth, luxury".

Some pictures:

 

Dries Van Noten

 

 Marlène Dietrich's swan's down coat

 

 

 

 

Roger Vivier

 

 

British artist Kate MccGwire makes sculptures with feathers:

 

 



 

Want to see more?

Have a look Here and here: the MoMu facebook page.

Here is a short video:

 



 

"Plume embroidery is typically used in haute couture and evening wear owing to the costliness of the feathers, their elegant form and the technical refinement of feather embroidery. 

The exhibition also covers the craft of the 'Plumassier' and the diverse techniques of feather embroidery."

More about this in my next post.

Enjoy

Kristien