Karl Lagerfeld x Chanel Cruise 2013

Kaiser Karl is in Singapore. Singapore is finally on the fashion world map as he chose our little island to host the Chanel Cruise 2013 Collection. Invites to this fashion show (may I dare say the biggest in Singapore fashion history) are hot like freshly made waffles.

Finally, 9th May 2013! There are two shows for the day. The first show in the afternoon is for customers, while the evening show is for media. As a faithful customer of Chanel for the past years, I managed to score an invitation for two to this amazing show.

Seat number has been handwritten on the card to avoid fashion stampede on site.

The seat at the fashion show venue also bears my name. No identity theft allowed.

On site at the venue just hours ago... Chanel converted an old army barrack for the Cruise show.

Here's an exclusive sneak peek...

And if you are wondering if Karl was at the show, the answer is yes. I even had the opportunity to be standing right in front of him when he took a bow on the runway. Lucky devil I am. Look, he is even smiling in the photo :)

The question now is what did I wear? Well, I was inspired by Karl and kept it simple with a structured white shirt, black jeans and fingerless black leather gloves. Seen here with some good friends whom I always see at Chanel shows!

I love My Kanken!

It was love at first sight when I saw it in the pages of Grazia UK. Having collected most of the 'IT' bags, it has been a while since I have lusted after a bag. In fact, it came as a shocker to me that my latest desire is a utility backpack that has been around for half a century and costs slightly over S$100!

The first time I laid my eyes on Fjällräven Kanken bags was in the pages of GRAZIA.

There is a size and colour to suit everyone.

I had my eyes set on the Forest Green and Graphite. Can't wait to receive my order soon!

Fjällräven is a Swedish company that specialises in outdoor gear and the name means arctic fox. It was founded in 1960 by Åke Nordin.

 

I also love Fjällräven's I Love My Kanken Facebook page where it encourages its fans to post pics of them using their favourite bags. Here are some snap shots that caught my eye...

I am sure I will be sending pics of me and my Kankens to the official Facebook page when I received my order. If you are keen to get your hands on a Kanken, you can do so here on their online store: www.ilovemykanken.com

PFF Report - Ae'lkemi

It was instant fashion chemistry when I met Alvin Fernandez a day before his big show at PFF. Over a chat at his boutique at Claremont Quarter, we found out we have lots in common. Not only are we both from Singapore, we are both trained as fashion designers and are perfectionist Virgos. Even our company names are similar - my PR agency is called Alchemy (inspired by Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist) and his label Ae'lkemi! Heck, what's scary is I also found out that we both grew up in the same neighborhood in Singapore!

I fell in love with this dress that was meant for his fashion show the next day. I paid for the dress in full immediately and literally bought it off the runway. I could spot a star designer and a star dress when I see one. *wink*

 The same dress on the runway at PFF

The same dress on me at PFF's 'An Evening With Flannel' event. What's amazing about this dress is the sportswear-like construction in stretch fabric but covered in sequins. It feels light in weight and doesn't even have a zip!

The star power of the dress. Definitely worth wearing to any red carpet event. It looked like liquid silver on me. A match made in fashion heaven.

Here are some of my top picks from Ae'lkemi's Spring/Summer 12/13 collection. (Remember the fashion seasons in Australia are opposite from the international ones). Mixing old world opulence with visually seductive surfaces and textures, this collection is "an exotic, colourful reflection of the 1970s Morocco", according to Alvin.

I bought this dress too!

For more information, please visit www.aelkemi.com

PFF Report - Restyle

Sorry for the delayed blog entries. I was cut out from the cyber world while in Broome. Now that I am back in fast-paced Singapore, I am back on track with my blogging, thanks to the ultra high-speed internet connection at home. Perhaps that is why we occasionally need to head to the outbacks to chill and slow down our living pace.

One of the most dramatic fashion show moments for me happened at the Restyle fashion show. My tears flowed non-stop while sitting front row at this groundbreaking show. It was a good thing I was wearing my Ray Bans Aviators.

With Mariella Harvey-Hanrahan, director of Perth Fashion Festival, sitting front row at Restyle.

At the Restyle show, the first segment featured the 10 bloggers who took part in '30 Days of Restyle', an innovative initiative where the 10 local bloggers shopped, styled and modeled the outfits that they bought from 7 selected charities. A perfect illustration to show how one can restyle the wardrobe for less and support the community at the same time. 

Louise Momber from Channel 9 hosted the event wearing a $3 dress from the Salvation Army! Proof that you don't need to be rich to be stylish!

I went backstage to congratulate the bloggers for the excellent showcase.

The second segment featured volunteers from the selected charities - Save the Children, Anglicare, DrugARM, Good Samaritans, The Salvation Army, The Red Cross and St Vincent de Paul. Check out the amazing outfits that one can find at the op shops!

The highlight of the show were visually-impaired sisters Erin and Claire and their guide dogs. Watch their pre-show interview for more details.

 Backstage with the sisters and their dogs

This is truly one unforgettable show for me. The most heartwarming and touching fashion show ever. PFF broke new grounds by having blind sisters Erin and Claire, and their guide dogs on the runway. A world's first! PFF clearly led the way in giving back to the community through fashion. A refreshing change from the usual glamor and commercialism of international fashion weeks.