Focus on: Dune Shoes at Very.co.uk

Throughout my endless web wanderings, I found an interesting and promising shoe brand which I've been dying to share with you. They're called Dune and I've found a great selection at Very.co.uk, an online store which sells everything from clothes to electronics. 

Dune is a shoe brand launched in 1992 by Daniel Rubin who comes from a family with a strong tradition in the shoe business: "his father owned a ladies fashion shoe factory , his grandfather arrived in London from Lithuania at the end of the 19th century and opened a small shoe factory and his great grandfather was a cobbler in the back streets of Vilnius". Talk about family traditions!

Their products can be bought in the UK stores, through their website and through online stores like Very.co.uk.

The Dune shoes selection that Very.co.uk carries is very wide. They have them in different styles - wedges, stilettos, flats, platforms or kitten heels. Therefore, there's something in there for all of us.  Also, they have various shoe styles suitable for different occasions, different seasons, so everybody can find what they're looking for.

Here's my favourite picks:

 Jerica Platform Shoe Boots in brown featuring a lace-up style. They're not only very feminine, but also versatile and practical thanks to the laces. The colour is also a big plus since they're not as basic/plain as black, but not too daring either. They would be perfect for work or for more official meetings.

 

Jiant Chandelier Heel pumps are more on the creative side and feature a stiletto heel with a chandelier like base. They come in black and light brown patent leather and would suit for a night out, for a festive evening, for a celebration and, why not, a fancy event.

 

 

The Jag real suede bow back sandals are an urban take on lady-like shoes. The net piece is very fresh and brings attitude to the shoe. All in all, a great combination for a modern young lady who cherishes both femininity and a strong message. 

The Peep Toe pumps come in two different colours: gold and fuchsia. The colour is great, they can bring a dash of colour and optmism to any plain outfit. Also, the fact that they're not that tall makes them suitable for every day use, without hurting your feet.

 The Sullivan Over-the-knee boots are a classic take on the style, with clean simple lines, a back zipper and a staple to complete the look. Useless to say that they are literally meant for every day use. 

Unfortunately, Very.co.uk ships only within the UK, Channel Islands and Isle of Man. However, if you have friends there you might be able to arrange something. Or, in some more fortunate situations, I hope you'll find the store while travelling in the UK.

What do you think about this brand? Which ones are your favourites?

photo source: www.very.co.uk

Berlin Fashion Week: Mihaela Glavan official photos

You know we covered last week's Romanian shows at MB Berlin Fashion Week. I've just received the official press release and some new official photos that I want to share with you.

It's really interesting to see what the designer had to say about the shoes she sent on the German catwalk. According to Mihaela Glavan's point of view, the collection is "a cognitive take on equilibrium as a state of mind, as one that is inside every person. 

The static-dinamic melange reflects the complexity and multitude of feelings. The static details can be found in the shapes and the very well defined  and graphic cuts, in the structural interpretations of the leather, as well as in the cut outs and the shoes' lines. The dinamism illusion is very well created by the repetition of the pieces and deconstruction."

Some pretty technical terms, but the designer's insight is very much needed and appreciated. As well as these close ups:

I'm very happy to know that the designer received a lot of attention from the media and buyers when she participated throughout the fashion week at Premium Messe, a fashion fair attended among others by Hugo, Guess and A.F. Vandervorst.

Your thoughts on Mihaela's explanation? Do you like the new photos?

c

Tabu Magazine, the February 2011 edition: Controversial Editorial with Razvan Ciobanu

The February edition of our local Tabu Magazine is on the newstands starting today and you'd better start reading it since the controversy is only beginning.

This edition has been highly anticipated ever since editor in chief  Cristina Bazavan announced on her Facebook page that the interview + editorial they were preparing for the next issue would create a buzz. And I couldn't agree more. 

The concept of the editorial is great, the photos are mindblowingly original and creative and the interview is very professional and well constructed. Cristina Bazavan managed to get Razvan Ciobanu, the currently outcast Romanian designer, to get comfortable enough to say the true story of his decadent, depressing and broke last 2 years.

The editorial features the designer among nude godesses and gods, like a creator among his muses. It was shot in Casino Palace/Casa Vernescu by Bogdan Stanga and styled by Laura Cirnici. The stars of the editorial, as far as fashion is concerned are, of course, the shoes. Thanks to Andreea Vasile, editor at Tabu, we have some photos of the shoes that starred in the praised editorial:

Louboutins

 Yolanda Spikes Christian Louboutin

 

Lace On Boots Moschino

Moschino

Marylin Pump Moschino

Red Carpet F/W 2010/2011 Collection, Casadei

Diamond F/W 2010/2011 Collection, Casadei

Pollini

 What do you think about the editorial + interview? What do you appreciate about it most? Which shoes are you favourite?

photos courtesy of www.bazavan.ro and andreeavasile.wordpress.com

Ruleta ruseasca marca miniPRIX - reduceri incepand cu 50%

Incepand de maine, 27 ianuarie, magazinul-minune miniPRIX  lanseaza una dintre cele mai interesante promotii in aceasta perioada cand ofertele au impanzit toate magazinele.

"Ruleta ruseasca" functioneaza in felul urmator:

- toate produsele benefeciaza de promotie
- reducerile vor fi initial de 50% si vor continua sa creasca catre 80%, pana cand stocurile produselor din "colectia" 2010 vor fi epuizate

- reducerea se va aplica la trimiterea comenzii sau facturare (nu va panicati, asa cum am facut eu la prima mea comanda cu ei, daca nu va apare reducerea si nu ii bombardati cu mailuri panicate)

-  promotia se aplica atat in magazinele fizice, cat si in cel online. 

Ceea ce apreciez eu la aceasta campanie este faptul ca are un concept, nu e doar o soldare de dragul de a epuiza stocurile vechi. Ca sa ilustreze si mai bine acest concept, cei de la miniPRIX au gandit si un slogan simpatic "La noroc, cumperi acum sau… nu mai gasesti!" Tentant, nu?

Ma indoiesc de faptul ca ar putea fi printre voi persoane care nu cunosc brand-ul miniPRIX sau care nu au cumparat macar o data ceva de aici. Dincolo de pretentiile peste care unii poate nu pot trece si care nu le dau voie sa recunoasca, cu totii am fost entuzismati atunci cand, dupa cautari indelungi printre umerasele inghesuite, am gasit aici haine de calitate la preturi foarte mici. Mie imi place mai mult varianta on-line, ma scuteste de inghesuiala si am mai mult rabdare sa le iau pe toate la rand. Dezavantajul ar fi ca nu are stocuri atat de bine puse la punct, dar cu putin noroc, gasiti produse minunate.

Si ca sa nu ma credeti propagandista, iata o dovada ca eu cred in acest brand: rochia Atmosphere cumparata cu 2 zile inainte de Revelion, pe care am purtat-o cu mult drag in seara dintre ani cu un plic newspaper print MiteMite de la Tuxedo Confessions.

Stilul nu tine de etichete, ci de curajul si abilitatea de a combina! Asa ca indrazniti si grabiti-va, daca vreti sa mai gasiti marimile voastre! Spor la shopping! 

NB: Dear foreign friends, I aplogise for having written in romanian, but the fact is that you're not able to benefit of the offer, so it seemed rather useless.

Berlin Fashion Week: Stephan Pelger's Eisblumen Collection

Today was another important day for Romanian fashion in Berlin. It was the day that Stephan Pelger presented one of the most long awaited shows of the German fashion week. 

Eisblumen is the collection dedicated to fall/winter 2011/2012 and its inspiration is the delicacy, transparency and shimmer of the ice flowers. Styled by Ovidiu Buta, the collection is very feminine and mixes delicate and quality fabrics like silk, cashmere, fur.

Stephan's collection was complemented by none other than Mihaela Glavan's shoes. In daring heights, the shoe collection comes as patent leather black pumps. They're sleek, they've got attitude and they trigger the sexyness factor instantly, but keeping things within limits. 

We've been seeing Mihaela's shoes - for both the Sepala and Mihaela Glavan lines - going up with each season and I'm getting even more attached to her designs now since  she's obviously decided to keep women at a height which gives them a certain attitude and posture.  It's that height that makes women confident and empowered.

All in all, Eisblumen talked about a modern lady who dresses in delicate luxurious fabrics, wears her hair up like a 60s woman, walks in killer sexy platforms and channels her inner pin-up girl in a classy kind of way.

And here's a video too, so you can see these amazing shoes and pieces in movement:

Now that BFW has ended for us, we can draw a line and say that the Romanian designers shows were more than a success. They proved their strong vision, the quality and the seriousness of their work. Great things will come and we couldn't be happier for them!

What do you think about Stephan Pelger's collection and Mihaela shoes, especially? What's your favourite piece?

photo source: www.zimbio.com, www.demotiximages.com

Fashion Events for the Weekend: Idelier @The Ark and Sales in Bucharest @Margo Lounge

If you live in Bucharest and haven't decided how to spend your weekend or didn't spend all the funds you had for the Sales period (though I highky doubt it), then there's two events you might be interested in.

The first one is Idelier @The Ark which is basically a designer fair like many others we have had. The originality is the fact that the concept of this event is meant to be like a  LIVE glossy magazine, which means that every reccomendation will be shown to you live by the "editors". Sound like fun, right? Idelier hosts the creations of: Edita Lupea, Alina Botea, Alice Mihai, Diana Antohi, Iulia Dima, Dorin Negrau, Prochaine, Melissa and Irregular Choice, Amelia Ursache, Alex Nimurad &Silvia Serban, Izzabela Petrut, Raluca Buzura and Alina Carp.

The event will take place at the ultra-hype The Ark, in 150 Uranus, Bucharest, on the 22nd and 23rd of January between 11:00 – 21:00.

The second event is organized by Bucharest in Art and is called Sales in Bucharest. This fair will offer you more possibilities as you will be able to find handmade, designer and vintage pieces at special prices.

The event will be organized at Margo Lounge, located in Str. 29-33 Lipscani str. on Sunday, the 23rd of January between 12:00pm - 8:00pm.

Which one will you be attending? Are you more interested in designer or mixed fairs?



Berlin Fashion Week: Romanian Designers Collections

Yesterday, the 19th of January, 10 PM was a very expected hour for some of us. The Romanian Designers, also known as the dream team that represents Romania at the Berlin Fasion Week sent their models on the german catwalks. 

Despite the late hour and despite being the last on the agenda for the day, the shows had full exposure as the attendance consisting of fashion press (with the big fish Vogue and Elle from Germany, Italy and many more) and also of many buyers was there. Thanks to lovely Dada from Alomoda who is attending the fashion week we know that they were all thrilled. The media was backstage too: editors talking to each of the designers and photographers catching on camera every moment of the magic in the making.

The Romanian delegation consisted not only of the 6 designers, but also of 30 Romanian models, 3 stylists, a make up artist, the magic maker Alexandru Abagiu, and the friend supporters Laura Lazar, Matei Schwartz and Mihai, the man behind BOLD, and Andreea Inankur from Alomoda. The 3 stylists who put everything together and gave all the collections a much needed harmony were Marian Palie ( fashion editor at Elle Romania), Maurice Munteanu (editor at  Elle Romania, ex fashion editor for The One Romania) and Ovidiu Buta (fashion editor for GQ Romania, The One) - our very best male stylists. 

It's such a wonderful statement what they did: they worked in such a great team, putting together everything using genuine Romanian spirit and resources. The fashion show becomes authentic in this way to the extent that it can translate the values of a fashion generation that has proven itself as not only up to date, but also with a valid point of view which can be used to set trends.

Irina  Schrotter explained that the decision to put together an all-romanian show was made in order to harmonize and give unity to the show.

The show was opened by Irina Schrotter, followed by Alina Botea, Andreea Musat and Lucian Broscatean. 

Irina Schrotter's Lost in translation collection which combined silk with leather was acessorized by Mihaela Glavan who provided the shoes, which are part of the Fall/Winter 2011/2012 collection. The key points of this collection consisted of platforms, 15 cm heels, urban shapes, cut outs, wraps, deconstruction, lace, patent leather applications. As thigh highs, ankle boots or pumps, all the shoes had that special Mihaela Glavan urban vibe that is so reprezentative for her designs. Most of the shoes come in black, but there are also some gorgeous nude and gold accents. 

This is what I actually love about this collaboration in particular and about this shoe designer in general: she managed to create a collection that is representative for her brand, but also use the designs to complement to such an extent the collection of another designer that it seems as if it was created especially for him.

 

 

 

 

The next designer presenting was Alina Botea. The shoe collection belongs to Angela Vasiliu from Papucei. Consisting of a more romantic approach, the shoe collection complementing Alina Botea's clothes was made of clogs, ankle wrap sandals, mesh ankle boots, all accessorized with the loveliest warm grey socks that you have ever seen.

 

Andreea Musat's collection which also had a powerful visual impact because of the prints and the necklaces, had a shoe collection a bit more simple, courtesy of the same Mihaela Glavan. Black pumps and ankle boots were there to complement the looks and give the silhouette the certain amount of elegance and femininity that it channelled. 

 

 

The Enclosed Gardens collection that closed the show belonged to Lucian Broscatean and it too featured a simple black shoe collection powered by Mihaela Glavan. Since the message of the clothes was so loud, the stylists choice and the one of the shoe brand was very inspired. Manly inspired shoes, lace ups, all with a very strong cut and line, almost as geometric as the clothes.

News are only now starting to go around about the event. I have a video here for you, made by Euronews, so you can imagine the great exposure the event has had and the benefits (to be read as deals, editorials, fashion shows, bookings ecc) that are to come for these designers especially and for Romanian fashion too.

Berlin fashion zooms in on Romania and Baltics

What do you think about the show? Which designer's collection did appeal to you more and why?

photo source: www.zimbio.com