The Belgians: An unexpected fashion story #bozar

In the beginning of september, I went to see the exhibition 'The Belgians: An unexpected fashion story' at the Bozar in Brussels - I even think it was one day before it actually ended - but I totally forgot to share the images I made from that visit… but finally: here they are! Don't you think it's actually better that I'm posting them just now? I know you're all big fashion lovers and probably went yourselves... so no spoiler alert by me!;) And for those who weren't able to make it, please enjoy a sneak peek inside - to my opinion - one of the best exhibitions brought by the centre for fine arts Brussels in the last couple of years. It gave us a unique historic overview of the DNA of Belgian fashion, starting with the legendary Antwerp Six and working up to the individualistic creations of for example Martin Margiela, A.F. Vandevorst and Raf Simons. Next to that, it also highlighted the works of several influential players in various fashion and art disciplines. There was also one room dedicated to the importance of the fashion academies from Belgium, especially the Antwerp Fashion Academy and La Cambre. I really enjoyed my visit and am looking forward to the next fashion related exposition! 

Boy means sweater

Today just a picture from a while ago with one of my favorite sweaters… with a funny joke that only the Belgians from the west of Flanders understand ;) 

#westflemishforbehinners 

Pinko @ Brussels

Hurray hurray, there's a new shopping hotspot in Brussels! Pinko opened a new shop orientedon one of the nicest shoppingstreets - the Louisalaan - in our capital. I got an invitation to come and celebrate the opening and I was so happy I could make it! I must say, I was really impressed by the building: the spaces in the shop are so wide and clean, and there's even a small garden in the back… So cute! The shop is exactly what a shop should be like in the year 2015. 

The Italian brand Pinko is really one of a kind, and the collection this season blew - as usual - my mind. How I looooove their coats and skirts… They really caught my attention and I almost went home with one (but then my wallet started to scream...) Next time, because I'm sure that I will be back very soon…

Thanks Pinko for the nice evening!

Essentiel flash event

Last week, it was again that time of the year: the Essentiel Flash event! Essentiel released their new flash collection in Leuven on Thursday the 15th of October. I invited my summer school bestie Eef to join me for some fancy shopping - because who doesn't like shopping with a glass of champagne in their hand?! Another advantage that night was that you could buy at a reduction of 20 percent - yes, your ears are working… 20 PERCENT! - so it was the perfect moment to buy that one piece you always looked at when you were doing some window-shopping the past few months and your wallet was a bit empty... To see what I've bought you have to check my instagram account -> click here (oh yes I want to make the blogging experience more interactive! :p) 

The flash collection was dominated by the colors black and red, which are not really my kind of colors. But still, it was a typical Essentiel collection, staying true to its DNA: a lot of printmixing, nice fabrics, and funny slogans. As you guys know, I'm a huge fan of the brand Essentiel, but this flash collection is just not my cup of tea. I personally like the other collection more (OMG, look at the bag on the second picture below!!!<3) 

Here some pictures that I took during the event, and indeed, we got ourselves some fake tattoos as well! 

Opening LN Knits flagshipstore

Ellen Kegels is the founder of LN Knits and sells fair-trade and handmade knits. She is known for her cardigans, scarfs and beanies made from 100% baby alpaca wool, that she gets from the Peruvian Andes. Baby alpaca wool is super soft - it is one of the most delicate fibers in the world - what makes it an amazing fabric to wear. Funfact to know about the alpacas is that they graze at an altitude of 3500 m to 5000 m above sea level. But that's not all: not only is the quality super duper, on top of that you can buy the clothes without feeling guilty because they're made in the best human conditions. With LN Knits, Ellen is providing a lot of jobs in Peru: more than 180 Peruvian ladies earn a steady income thanks to her. One of the quotes of Ellen is that 'beauty is in the simplicity'. And I totally agree with that statement: actually the garments are so simple that they become sophisticated. And that is the kind of fashion that I like…  

Miss Kegels is having one hell of a booming business, so the end of August was the perfect moment to open the first LN Knits flagshipstore, located in the Leopoldstraat in Antwerp. I went with some fashion buddies to the opening night and it was so much fun: a nice beat, little snacks, cointreau fizz and beautiful clothes… What better way to end the day… Congrats Ellen! 

           

Fluffy shorts

Looking at this awful drizzly weather - autumn really seems to have arrived - it is time to go back a while and talk about a sunny and happy outfit that I found in my summer archive. I didn't yet have the time to share this super cute pair of shorts with you because I had such a busy summer. But now is the time - read: before it gets too cold and it is not done to talk about bare legs anymore - I really really really wanted to show this particular piece of my closet that I adore so much! People who know me personally are themselves well aware that I'm a sucker for shorts… I have loads of them, so for me each and every time it is about finding that one pair that really blows my mind. And this exemplar from Sandro is definitely such a pair. When I entered the shop in London it immediately caught my eye and I - and of course it - was sold in a sec! I love the color that is so simple and is perfectly balanced with the fluffy part. It is eccentric but not too eccentric. It is an eye-catcher but not too much of an eye-catcher. It is fluffy but not "so fluffy I'm gonna die" ;). 

What do you guys think? 

Outfit: shorts Sandro - blouse Zara  

MODEinOOSTENDE #2

About three weeks ago, Belmodo had its second edition of MODEinOOSTENDE. Last year was a blast, so this year I expected the shopping weekend to be even more fabulous. I was invited to the private afterparty hosted by Belmodo for the partners who cooperated in this event, so I asked my friend Marie to join me for a day of shopping and a night of partying. We started the Belmodo-parcours in the late afternoon which was really fun because shopping for clothes after 6 PM is not something that you can do every day. We enjoyed some fashion shows in Lily and Ferm and got spoiled with a Lady White in Pied de Poule and gin based cocktails in Ferm, made by the best bartender in Belgium, Jurgen Nobels. Of course, I couldn't resist buying something but that I will share with you guys later. From 8 o'clock onwards we spent our night in Beausite - one of my favorite places in Ostend - for the after party. As a conclusion, I could say this edition of MODEinOOSTENDE was again a wonderful event to show all the things that Ostend has to offer (and that is a lot!) so…. SEE YOU NEXT YEAR!  

Stan Smith: edition 'ribbed'

The iconic Stan Smith sneakers are having one of the biggest fashion revivals... you just see them everywhere! I hope that you guys, as co-fashion lovers, already know the real origin of this shoe? If not, please do read further… 

Stanley Roger "Stan" Smith was a famous American tennis player during the late sixties and seventies. Because of his big success, Adidas approached him in 1971 to ask permission for naming a shoe after him. The shoe changed from being solely used in tennis in the beginning to a real fashion item nowadays. Fun fact: it is said that this contract between Smith and Adidas is one of the most influential sneaker sponsorships in sports history. 

What is very remarkable about this sneaker, is that - unlike most of the other Adidas sneakers - it doesn't have the typical 3 stripes on the side. Instead of that, there are three rows of external perforations. 

When the Stan Smith hype started in 2014 with the re-launching of the sneaker - they were taken out of production in 2012 but returned in 2014 with an option to customize your own pair by adding your name or all kinds of colors - I wasn't really sure if I wanted to join or not… At a certain point everybody was wearing them, even the people who normally never wear sneakers! But actually I must admit I've always liked the design: it is very simple and you could say that the Adidas branding on the shoe itself is quite minimal. During my time in London a few weeks ago (see my earlier post), I spotted these beauties in the official Adidas shop and was finally convinced to join the hype: the ribbed fabric distinguishes this pair from the typical one and just adds something extra. 

What do you guys think of the Stan Smith sneakers? Are you a fan or not?

Savage Beauty - Exhibition Alexander McQueen London

A couple of weeks ago I went to London just for one day. Main goal: seeing the Alexander McQueen exhibition. This visit was standing very high on my to do list for quite a while and the clock was ticking fast and loud as the first and largest retrospective in Europe of McQueen's work was almost over... So during the exams I decided to book a train ticket to pay the Victoria and Albert Museum a visit and - lucky me - a shopping day during sales in my favorite fashion city was attached! ;)

Although I'm not really a fan of McQueen's creations, he was a truly remarkable person in the fashion world and the creator of some iconic pieces that will be remembered forever (think of the skull-print scarfs that have nestled around the necks of several celebrities during the past few years or the armadillo shoes that  became really famous because of Lady Gaga wearing them in her video Bad Romance). For me this exhibition was a wonderful homage for McQueen, who tragically died in 2010. It perfectly represents the evolutions that his collections made and the way in which his creative thinking changed over the years. 

But the passing away of McQueen didn't mean the end of the brand. Until today the brand Alexander McQueen still exists, having Sarah Burton as the creative director. I'm a really big fan of her designs (think of the beautiful wedding dress she made for the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton) and personally I think she makes the new 'Alexander McQueen creations' more accessible and wearable.  

During the exhibition, it was strictly forbidden to take pictures but I just couldn't leave without having a memory of this stunning exposition. I - very sneaky - tried my best to capture some moments for you guys: ENJOY! And if you want to visit the museum yourself, hurry up, because it ends in 2 days…