Look of the Week: The Cocktail Party

After much thought and a whole lot of patience, I'm proud to announce a new aspect of this blog. It is one thing to see collections from different designers and another to actually put together a great look using pieces from different collections. I've therefore decided to do the hard work for you. Each week (if my laziness doesn't get the better of me) I will make a fashion collage/moodboard showcasing designs from mostly Middle Eastern designers paired with elements from other Middle Eastern designers to produce a complete outfit. Each collage will have a theme and the names of the designers along with a brief description of the designer and the products will be put under the collage.

This week's theme is my favorite: the cocktail party!

Dress- BODYAMR Four Ways Dress

Cuffs- BODYAMR

Clutch- Dareen Hakim

Shoes- Azzedine Alaia

BODYAMR is the London based label of Omani-born Amr Ali, who launched BODYAMR in 2005. He designs beautiful womenswear and his collections are not new to London's Fashion Week.

Dareen Hakim is the Beirut-born, U.S. based designer behind the line of handbags that bears her name. The Arabic calligraphy and dramatic hues of her bags represent her Lebanese upbringing

Azzedine Alaia is the Tunisian-born courtier and shoe designer whose designs are world renown. His shoes and clothing designs have been worn by the world's most famous personalities including Michelle Obama and others.

Kage Cinema Collection

Kage, a womenswear brand created by childhood friends Arwa Abdelhadi and Basma Abu Ghazaleh has produced yet another great collection after their successful launch in 2009. Based in Dubai, the designers describe their new Cinema Collection as a tribute to the style iconettes of the 1950s and 60s with a modern twist. The pair have matured in their designs but the collection still remains playful and fun. The structured tops with shoulder embellishing are particularly pleasing. I am also a fan of the boyfriend-like button down shirts that are given a feminine touch with beautifully done black cuffs. Kage puts a spin on the Little Black Dress (LBD) by creating their own version, entitled the Little Kage Dress. The collection keeps it simple and does not go overboard in details which is refreshing. I am also quite a fan of the ad campaign used for this collection. The images are flirtatious, sexy and sassy. Well done Kage and congratulations on your newest collection! The label can be found all over the Middle East including Boutique 1 in Dubai, Kitsch and Cream in Beirut, and Closet Candy in Kuwait.

Mjölk Homme Spring/Summer 2011

I'm in love with the designs of Danish designer Lars Stoten who designs under the menswear label Mjölk.

For his Spring/Summer 2011 collection, he keeps the designs simple and clean cut but the creativity shows in the detail of the cut. I love his oversized shirts paired with more fitted pieces. I love his color choice as well because he effortlessly pairs muted colors with more vibrant ones. And I adore the sandals as they are hand cobbled. His work is genius and he recently just moved his work from Melbourne to New York. Check him out here: Mjolk

Look du Jour

I love the structure and details of this jacket by Lebanese-born designer Dima Ayad. Check out her whole collection at S*uce boutique in Dubai or Cream in Beirut.

(click pictures for larger image)

Song of the Day/Week/Month: Kentphonik- Hiya Kaya (Rocco Deep Mix)

Here's a nice loungy and deep house number that I've been humming for the past week. Enjoy!

Abed Mahfouz: Couture Fall/Winter 2010-2011

Hats off to another great Lebanese designer! Lebanon native Abed Mahfouz, like many other Middle Eastern designers started off his career as a child surrounded by a family of tailors. He quickly learned from his sister how to design clothes and then began to expand into his own beautiful style of designing. We can see the payoff today in his Couture Fall/Winter 2010-2011 collection. The collection is diverse in style and color but cohesive in theme. The almost metallic-like look of some pieces is offset by the more free flowing and softer silhouettes of others. The attention to detail in the pleated pattern of the pieces is amazing as well. Each piece can be seen as a variation on that pleated theme. The juxtaposition of rigidly pleated pieces that are fashioned into a certain shape and the cascading drapery in other pieces that use softer fabric is perfect.

Mahfouz is not new to the international fashion game and has shown yearly at the fashion shows of Rome and recently showed at New York fashion week. Hopefully we'll see more of him around the world.

Here are some favorites from his Couture Fall/Winter 2010-2011 collection: 

Achraf Amiri: Illustrator of the Underbelly

In the Bio section of his blog, Achraf Amiri states "I am the hidden son of the Addams family." Looking at his haunting illustrations, one gets the feeling that he's right. The Belgian artist does not shy away from controversial themes and his not so subtle artistic critique of pop culture, fashion and other aspects of society are refreshing. 

The 22 year old up and coming artist studied graphic design at Saint-Lukas University in Brussels. His illustrations however show a more unique and creative character. Amiri says he draws mostly from fashion but also from Art Nouveau, and old Flemish paintings. I absolutely love the dark humor behind his illustrations. 

Following are a few favorites from his blog which can be viewed here: 

Diwali Delights from Louis Vuitton!

Happy Diwali everyone! Follow in Louis Vuitton's footsteps and celebrate the Festival of Lights in style this season. This year, the luxury brand created a magical re-editing of 40 pieces from its Spring/Summer 2010 and Fall/Winter 2010 collections using fabric from authentic vintage saris sourced from all over India. Louis Vuitton even went a step further by decorating its store windows with Diwali inspired decorations in collaboration with famous artist Rajeev Sethi. This unlikely pair showcases how traditional India can blend seamlessly with modern fashion rules. 

The pieces from the Luis Vuitton Diwali collection are sure to wow guests at any Diwali celebration! Boisterously colored silk wonders are featured alongside more muted pieces creating a great range of color and style choices. And how better to promote these beautiful creations than by having Bollywood's own starlet, Priyanka Chopra, donning a piece from the collection on the cover of Vogue India's November issue! I say buy the magazine AND a piece from the collection while you're at it.

Think about the bank later:

Song of the Day: Stromae-Je Cours

Stromae ALWAYS does it for me!

Bidoun Celebrates the New York Art Book Fair!

Join Bidoun Magazine tonight as it celebrates the New York Art Book Fair! There will be music by Azizaman and Tim Dewitt.

Bidoun is a quarterly magazine that is dedicated to filling the gap of art and culture from the Middle East and its diaspora. For more information, visit their website: http://www.bidoun.org/

So come out tonight and support both art and the Middle East!

Thursday November 4, 9-12 Midnight
The Jane Hotel
113 Jane Street
New York
RSVP REQUIRED rsvp@bidoun.org