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CHANEL Resort 2018 Collection – Modernity of Antiquity

10 May, 2017 Nelia Leave a Comment

I’ve been meaning to write about the CHANEL Cruise 2018 show for a few days now, but life and work got in the way…until now. Unlike many of the CHANEL resort shows, this year’s Modernity of Antiquity collection was presented in Paris instead of the destination which inspired the designs. But of course, that just meant that the Grand Palais was transformed into Karl’s vision of Ancient Greece, complete with weathered columns and crumbling rocks, sparse greenery, and a headless statue of Venus (a copy of Coco Chanel’s own statue that I was lucky to see at her rue Cambon apartment in Paris). The collection itself was both very true to the spirit of CHANEL, but with many subtle (and not to subtle) nods to its Hellenic inspirations.

The palette consisted of neutrals and blues, punctuated by pops of gold. It’s not my personal preference when it comes to clothing, but I did appreciate the intricate vine embroidery and vase-inspired prints. Traditional CHANEL tweeds were transformed into chic togas, strappy heels had Greek columns for heels, and plenty of covet-worthy jewels were on display – from dainty chokers to stacked cuffs and armbands. Standout accessories included a gold coin clutch, gilded laurel leaf sunglasses (NEED!!!), and statement belts, though my personal favourite was probably the metallic backpack in what appeared to be pleated leather. Just like with the CHANEL Cuba collection, I predict the CC logo t-shirt to become yet another best-seller, both wearable and so uniquely CHANEL.

What did you think about CHANEL Cruise 2018 collection? Share your thoughts in the comments.

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Wishlist: CHANEL Fall 2017 Bags and Accessories

29 March, 2017 Nelia 2 Comments

Leave it to Karl Lagerfeld to put a rocket ship in the middle of the Grand Palais and still make it about fashion. With space as inspiration, the CHANEL Fall 2017 collection certainly left me star-struck. Astronaut, planet and constellation prints, moon and star jewelry, iridescent tweeds, and even textures imitating planetary surfaces were all part of the dreamy “Ground Control” collection. And while the majority of the pieces were created in a classic palette of black, silver and white, the dreamy midnight blue tweeds studded with beads and pearls (and reminiscent of starry skies), as well as metallic green leather pieces added the exciting pops of colour to the collection.

For me, the standout accessories included the adorable rocket minaudiere, the beautiful CHANEL SPACE constellation clutch, and the star and moon brooches and necklaces. It seems that backpacks are also firmly back as part of CHANEL’s regular offering, as several styles of backpacks were shown on the runway – larger and sportier than the classic quilted leather ones of prior seasons, so perfect for interstellar exploring or the more mundane air travel. Most models rocked various versions of the square-toed glitter boots on the runway, paired with the embellished wool headbands and Brigitte Bardot-inspired hairstyles – lending the show retro 60’s vibes…and perhaps a cheeky nod to the 60’s Space Race.

Scroll through the gallery below and let me know which pieces caught your eye, and whether you loved the stellar CHANEL Fall 2017 collection as much as I did.

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Shopping: Sosken Studios Fall 2016

14 November, 2016 Nelia Leave a Comment

Last fall, I attended the Sosken Studios fashion show at what ended up being the final season of Toronto Fashion Week. It was a highlight of that fashion week for me, with clothing that was both practical and beautiful to look at. Designer Maria Minicucci created a perfectly chic collection of modern outerwear that any woman would be excited to have in her wardrobe, outerwear that could elevate any outfit.

I was lucky enough to be one of the first few who got to own a Sosken Studios piece, and I selected this beautiful camel Bali coat. I’ve now worn it too many times to count, and while I have many other coats in my wardrobe, I find myself wearing this one over and over again, because it is both warm and goes with everything. If you’re still looking for a stylish coat this season, check out the Sosken Studios Fall 2016 lookbook – this Canadian brand may be new, but the beautiful coats they create are timeless.

What do you think of Sosken Studios? Share in the comments.

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Wishlist: CHANEL Spring 2017 Collection

6 October, 2016 Nelia Leave a Comment

As a huge fan of CHANEL and all things colourful, I really loved Data Center CHANEL Spring 2017 collection. With vibrant tweeds and prints aplenty, this collection made me wish we could skip winter and just get to spring again. But alas, at least we have something beautiful to look forward to.

CHANEL Spring 2017 collection was inspired by technology and all things digital. Models dressed as robots walked the wired-up runway, wearing clothes in a variety of electric prints like colour bursts and pixels. Some handbags had embedded LED displays with animated customized messages, while the signature minaudiere from the Spring 2017 collection was shaped as the cutest robot ever – these bags will surely become collectors’ items as soon as they arrive at boutiques (and sell out immediately).

And while I won’t be wearing a sideways cap any time soon, I am more than happy to embrace the underwear as outerwear trend that CHANEL and Karl Lagerfeld seem to be on board with for spring. Lace slips and silk PJ bottoms – garments that are usually relegated to the bedroom, or worn discreetly under our clothes – were on full display, and I’m totally into it. It seems that I’ll be getting lots more wear from my camisole dresses after all.

What did you think of the CHANEL Spring 2017 collection? Share in the comments.

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What I Wore: Juicy Fruit

29 March, 2016 Nelia 1 Comment

I try to wear as many Canadian pieces as I can during Toronto Fashion Week, but sometimes the cutest options in your wardrobe are from Zara and you just have to go with it. With the exception of a few accessories this entire look is from Zara…from that fun yellow moto jacket to the colourblock shoes, and I love it all. The hem fringe on the jeans is very trendy right now, the striped sweater is a new MVP in my wardrobe, and paired with my trusty faux fur Prada stole, the jacket looks a lot more expensive than it actually is. Funny enough, if my hair wasn’t a unicorn-technicolour-dream, I probably wouldn’t wear so many bright colours together all at once, but for some reason, having rainbow hair has given me a new kind of DGAF attitude, slime sunnies and all.

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What I Wore: Pins and Brooches

25 March, 2016 Nelia 4 Comments

I picked up this T by Alexander Wang bomber during The Outnet’s clearance sale, and loved the simplicity of it. But when it came time to wearing it, I found that it was missing something…turns out it was missing several pins and brooches. After arranging a few of my faves on the jacket, it finally looked complete!

The rest of the outfit came together like a charm thanks to a few stand-out accessories – my new fave Bulova watch – so elegant and timeless, my old fave fuzzy Prada clutch – a perfect match to Odessa Paloma Parker’s Shrimps stunner, and the most amazing choker from Jenny Bird – the one you probably have seen a million times on my Snapchat (@styleblogca if you want to check it out). With other accessories, this would’ve been a completely different look, but I am pretty happy with the way this one turned out. What do you think?

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What I Wore: Sosken Studios Coat

21 March, 2016 Nelia 3 Comments

After a few very spring-like weeks of bare ankles and leather jackets, Toronto received a bit of a reality check. With temperatures plummeting, I had to re-think my fashion week outfits in order to avoid the dreaded fashion week flu. And secretly, I was actually a little excited, because instead of my usual leather jackets, I got to wear my new Sosken Studios Bali coat instead…straight off-the-runway! The new line designed by outerwear expert Marisa Minicucci is a glorious addition to the Canadian fashion landscape, with elegant silhouettes, luxurious fabrics, and a great selection of colours. I’ll write more about the collection itself later this week, but in short, this collection is THEBOMB.COM!

And while I don’t usually go for muted shades very often, I fell in love with this oatmeal topper – it’s a classic piece that will stand the test of time, and will surely endure all of my future hair colour changes too. I love this coat so much, I feel a little sad that spring is coming. But regardless, this awesome coat is going to be in my closet waiting for temperatures to drop again. And when they do, I’ll be ready!

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What I Wore: Daisies

17 March, 2016 Nelia Leave a Comment

Toronto Fashion Week is back and so far it’s been great! This season, I decided to take it easy and not jam-pack my schedule, dress in warm and comfy clothes, and not stay out too late. On Monday, I wore this outfit, which is as comfy as it gets. I am literally wearing a sweatshirt dress underneath…but you can’t tell because of the coat.

I’ve been trying to get my hands on this Topshop coat forever, and I finally tracked it down! Thank goodness for eBay! More looks from fashion week are coming soon. And if you have Snapchat, make sure to tune in @styleblogca to see all of the snaps from Toronto Fashion Week!

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Paris Fashion Week: CHANEL Fall 2016 Collection

8 March, 2016 Nelia 5 Comments

CHANEL Fall 2016 collection was presented at the Grand Palais this morning in Paris, and everyone in attendance got a really good look at the garments thanks to the “Front Row Only” set up reminiscent of the way couture houses showed collections in the good old days. But while the usual over-the-top decor may have been missing this season, Karl Lagerfeld and his design team more than made up for it with cat emojis, oversized bowler hats, and pearls galore. Leave it to Karl to make emojis chic. I don’t know about you, but I am obsessed with the bejeweled cat emoji bracelets, cat emoji bags, and cat emoji skirts. I’m going to need at least one of those in my life…and the sooner, the better! We can probably thank Choupette for this prominent display of feline love, and I’m definitely not complaining.

The rest of the collection was classic CHANEL – signature tweed jackets with touches of denim, an abundance of drool-worthy bags in tweed and leather, models dripping with pearls, quilted anoraks, elegant long coats, and ruffles on ethereal gowns. Instead of transforming the venue into yet another extravagant set, this season, the focus was squarely on the CHANEL Fall 2016 collection – on the beautiful clothes and accessories, without distractions and unnecessary bells and whistles. It was a refreshing change, although I’m sure next season will have a fantastical new direction (after all, Karl does not like to repeat himself).

What do you think about the CHANEL Fall 2016 collection? Share your thoughts in the comments.

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Paris Fashion Week: H&M Studio Fall 2016 Collection

3 March, 2016 Nelia 1 Comment

After taking a break from Paris Fashion Week runway presentations, H&M was back in full force this season, throwing a grand runway show at the Bourse de Commerce in Paris to preview the H&M Studio Fall 2016 collection. With celeb guests like Emma Roberts, Ciara and Kate Mara, and notable models that included Amber Valletta, Jourdan Dunn, Freja Beha Erichsen, Ashley Graham, and Soo Joo Park strutting their stuff on the runway, this was definitely one of the hottest tickets of Paris Fashion Week.

“This collection is about the strength and beauty of women, and how we express that power through our style. I love the contrast of strong tailoring with handicraft touches of Swedish heritage and folklore,” says Ann-Sofie Johansson, H&M’s creative advisor. Being a bit of a magpie, I was drawn to the more eclectic pieces like the chain-embellished velvet gown that closed the show, beautiful striped blue velvet, as well as folklore-inspired embroidered pieces. But even if you’re not so into velvet and chains, there were plenty of classic garments that would enhance any modern woman’s wardrobe – from the beautifully-tailored coats, to masculine pantsuits. The collection will hit the stores on September 8th and will be available in 200 stores worldwide.

What do you think of H&M Studio Fall 2016 collection? Share in the comments.

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