Egg3 sale in Singapore

If you happen to find yourselves in Singapore in the next couple of days, do go to this wonderful store Egg3 who are having their end of season sale with discounts of up to 50%. It’s a treasure trove of unique and quirky homeware, tee-shirts and gift accessories. Whenever I go back to Singapore, this is one shop, I never fail to visit. Besides the original shop at Erskine Road next to the ubercool Scarlet hotel, they have now two more sister shops at Haji Lane called Salad and another Egg3 in the Eastern suburbs in Joo Chiat.

Call 0065- 6536 6977 for more info.

Jessica Kagan Bangles at S*uce

Inject some sass into your wardrobe and make an artistic statement with these gorgeous Jessica Kagan bangles available exclusively at S*uce. The ivory bracelets that have some cheeky phrases and quotes from old movies or books are hot amongst Hollywood stars such as Lindsay Lohan.

S*uce at the Village Mall, Dubai 04 344 7270

S*uce at Marina Mall, Abu Dhabi 02 681 8650

Fashion and architecture

 

Skin + Bones: Parallel Practices in Fashion and Architecture is back with a new installation, venue and different designers. The exhibition that will open in April 2008 will feature Vivienne Westwood, Alexander Mcqueen and Hussein Chalayan among other designers and will focus on the visual and conceptual similarities between fashion and architecture since the 80s. The architecture fraternity will be represented by Frank Gehry, Zaha Hadid, David Adjaye and Thomas Heatherwick. The installation has been designed by some of the most edgy designers such as Boudicca, Comme des Garcon, Martin Margiela, Victor & Rolf, Yohji Yamamoto and Junya Watanabe.

It’s intersting to note that some of the most famous fashion designers originally trained as architects such as the late Gianfranco Ferre and former Gucci creative head Tom Ford. Last year the exhibition ran at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles.

The exhibition will run from April 24 to August 10 2008 at Somerset House, Strand, London. For more information visit www.somersethouse.org

Jimmy Choo’s art bags

Is it a bag? Is it a piece of art? It’s art in a bag. Shoe designer to the A-listers has teamed up with artist Richard Phillips to launch a range of Limited Edition art-bags- Nuclear Tote bag and Riot print clutch.

 Available at Jimmy Choo stores from January 2008 and Harvey Nichols in Dubai.

Trend-setters at Pecha Kucha Dubai

                                                              

Row 1 from left: Manabu Ozawa with a friend; the lady in white is always dressed in quirky accessories, I must get her name next time.

Row 2 from left: White-tee clad girls; and girls engaged in a deep conversation

Row 3 from left: the gorgeous girl in houndstooth dress always turns up in funky outfits, again I must get ther name next time; Melina Mitri of stylish boutique S*uce; Greg Bong (in blue jumper) and Yvonne Courtney of Gulf Interiors; Nadine Kanso and Patricia Millns doing the Waltz. If anyone knows the name of people in these pictures who haven’t been mentioned, please write in to let me know. All information received will be greatly appreciated.

Here are a few more pictures from last week’s Pecha Kucha. Like I said earlier, lots of white-tees (is white the new black?).

Pecha Kucha Dubai snapshots

Clockwise from top left: Louis Vuitton’s corporate communications manager Ruth Bradley (in black) enagaged in conversation with a friend; gorgeous girl checking out the Pecha Kucha guide; aaUAE board member Kashani Wijetunga in a reflective mood; Rasha Shaath presenting Nadine Kanso’s work; two jolly fellows chillin’ on bean bags; Laura Trelford of art Dubai; two very cool people; Pecha Kucha in full swing.

It’s taken me a week to write this post about the Pecha Kucha night in Dubai that was held last Wednesday at The Third Line Gallery, who are one of the organisers besides Traffic design gallery, Architectural Association of UAE (aaUAE), S*uce and 9714. The well-organised event was a great success and the superb attendance probably surprised the organisers as well.  Dubai’s hottest and the hippest turned out in full force and it was also a night to spot trends. White-tees, chunky jewellery, big bags, skinny jeans, funky scarves and sneakers et al. Audience were seated on the supercool Konstantin Grcic designed chairs (courtsey Traffic gallery) and the bean bags were brought in when the chairs couldn’t accomodate the enthusiastic attendees.

The speakers were great too. Hani Fallah, Huda Smitshuijzen Abifares, Lamia and Ahmed Bensouda, Mark Pilkington, Manabu Ozawa, Mohammed Somji, Nadine Kanso (who got last minute stage fright and had her friend Rasha Shaath present on her behalf instead, but Rasha did a great job), Noah Alireza, Wael Hattar and Zahed Sultan.

The sushi that they served prior to the event was great too. The next event will take place in March and the call for entries will be announced soon. Stay tuned for more information. You could be the next Pecha Kucha speaker!

Design and the virtual world

Here’s a new online bookstore devoted exclusively to art, architecture, design, lifestyle, photography, and fashion books with an extensive collection that you could add to your bookshelves at the click of a mouse. www.designartabooks.co.uk

I have to admit that there’s something about these beautiful coffee-table books that can’t be compared to the web-based content. Check out the Valentino hardcover book that comes in a box sheathed in satiny red cloth-signature style of the Italian designer who recently celebrated 40 years in the industry and then retired in style with a grand fashion show.

Man-dals?

Carrie Bradshaw’s favourite shoe designer Manolo Blahnik is adding some pizzazz to men’s shoes with his latest six-piece capsule collection. The leopard print sandal- Bir, is my absolute favourite, grrr. The designer who was recently awarded the CBE for his contribution to the fashion industry has given the classic styles a modern twist. Check out the red Oxford brogue, aren’t they gorgeous? Carrie would definitely approve.  

Cool messenger

Are men too prone to ‘It’ bags of the season? And we thought it was only the fairer sex who made getting on a waiting list for a super expensive bag sound glamorous. Personally, the waiting game doesn’t do it for me. While the latest isue of GQ would have us believing that the old-fashioned Wall-street accessory- the briefcase is back (even a version with Swarovski crystals- can’t think of anyone but Snoop Dog carrying it even) and that the messenger bag doesn’t quite pronounce sophistication like the briefcase. Well take your pick, here is Knomo’s latest lime green pony skin Lyndon laptop bag for too cool for school dudes. The eye-catchy man accessory is available at Harvey Nichols for Dhs 1610 only. The bag also features interior pockets for every possible gadget you could think of such as PDA, iPod, mobile phone, keys, pens etc. Leave the briefcases for the pin-striped variety. This one wins hands down.