Phoebe's Peonies Please

I've never seen my London apartment so clean and tidy since I first moved in, it's a shame I didn't get to sit back and enjoy it for long before hoping on the next plane back home. Though I did do a little 360 hands out spin like Maria in The Sound of Music in the center of my flat (hoping the neighbors across didn't see, then again their probably used to it...seriously). Nothing's changed much back here in Hong Kong (mind you I was here during April for a bit), the usual summer heat is surprisingly invigorating considering how much I hate hot weather as it leads to profuse sweating, but keep in mind I AM typing all this in my air-coned room with just the right amount of the sunny blue sky reflecting glare onto my screen. I know it's passed midsummer's day, but on that very special day, I did celebrate and decide to toss on something rather "festive and fitting" and popped by the inner circles of Regent's Park. Little bird told me all about how lush it was over there, where all the pruned flowers have now kicked into full blossom mode. So catching a rare glimpse of sunlight even at 7pm (love those long summery days), I frolicked amongst the flower beds with glee as the foreign pedestrians continue to pass judgement to my odd antics. You would think that with all the weird dressers and 'fashion freaks' spawning all over London that the locals would be at least somewhat jaded to their quirky get ups, but no... Maybe we could start charging our looks as a spectacle like those street performers in Convent Garden, you know.. The silver tin man, Captain Jack Sparrow, those guys where you snap a pic of them with your iphone and don't pay them? Yep those unfortunate fellows...

blazer & trousers CÉLINE, shirt VINTAGE

BUMP

In the midst of running last minute errands, picking up lovely belated birthday pressies (thanks Jay, Mich, and Gina), planning imminent summer events, and packing my soon-to-be overweight suitcase, I found myself oddly relaxed to the point I tense up again. Yes, I know that sounds ridiculous but I'm generally an anxious person which actually helps deal with stress and allows me to be more productive work wise. So when all of a sudden I'm free, I feel a bit.. lost? Perhaps it's simply post-school blues or what not, but I'm sure it'll all dissipate once I head home in 2 days and distract myself with shiny new things and spoil myself with good food, ie. proper sushi! As I mentally prepare my routine replies to the inevitable questions my family and friends would undoubtedly ask like "How was studying in London?" or "What is it like to do fashion?" etc. which I slightly dread after repeating (even slightly varying just to keep it fresh) the same general answer over ehh... 87 times, allow me not to bore you with coffee banter and move on to more 'enlightening' topics.

So hopefully before you go scrolling down, just for your information, no fabric was used for this project that you're about to see, and even though we were given a three week period (actually a bit less due to the Queens Jubilee taking up Monday & Tuesday) for the entire project, sourcing/preparing materials and filming/editing took up an entire week in the beginning and the end, so these six garments were completed in less than 6-7 days. We chose to keep the shapes and silhouettes simple as the concept of the film and what the individual garments represent was more important. The film will be uploaded right after some secondary re-editing, so for the mean time...

Leslie and I proudly present our final project of the year - "BUMP"

BA fashion first year's final crit... notice our matching presentation ensembles?

the top is knitted entirely out of candy necklaces, and is surprisingly heavy!

BEHIND THE SCENES/THE MAKING OF 'BUMP'

the three tone 'candy' hair was made out of three wigs and individually cut and carefully layered to create this look

extensions were used around the eyes along the blue bop to evoke sadness as they look like tears

no worries of getting it wet (the material is completely waterproof!)

concepts & designs NATHAN MOY & LESLIE COHEN-AMON
 all images copyright ©

Featured

I was awaken by a loud buzz text from my phone during one of my mid-day snoozes the day after school ended. It was a text prompting me to check my Facebook. I was sooooo surprised to see that not even within 24 hours of finishing the project at school, Leslie and my work was on the Vogue Italia website! Thanks to dear friend Shelley who helped make all this come true, we were chosen to be featured. Even though we ended the final day of first term on a slightly anti-climatic note (frantic presentations from all first years around tightly packed corridors), THIS is how I will remember ending the school year.

 Special thanks to Shelley and Leslie for this amazing collaboration!

Leakage

Woah... A full day of shooting really takes it out of you. Super early-morning prep work and being on location lugging industrial-sized suitcases is arduous to say the least, and I think I lost track of how many caffeine injections I took just to say conscious. Yep, it's an espresso shot straight in the veins, better than Redbull I tell ya. The exhaustion resulted from three short but full weeks of intense work, and it all boils down to one day, please excuse me for looking haggard. I won't disclose any further details yet about the shoot but it involves a whole lot more than the one picture I chose to leak (as always). Completing this final project was the best way to wrap up the year, whether or not people like the outcome, I'm already extremely pleased with it. Fingers-crossed the masses would too! I know it's hard to tell exactly where we were in the photo since it looks like we're in the Amazon or something. Maybe we were, maybe we weren't... *rolls eyes & shrugs shoulders*

Casual Scouting

As I am currently working on my final project of the year, it's really shocking how fast a year flashed by. I know it's cliche to say this but I couldn't help but look back on how much I've accomplished and learned over the last eight months both in and out of school. Overall... A pretty damn good year I would say. A little older, hopefully a lot wiser, haha. It's a real good thing that this school year went so well because I hear that second year in CSM is a nightmare, or at least, exponentially less enjoyable due to certain... ehh... inevitable conflicts during group projects which is unnecessary drama I am not looking forward to, but from what I heard, it's really random. Some group chemistry works greatly like symbiosis, while unlucky others trigger a civil war.

While I'm still on the topic of CSM, I took time to browse around final year exhibitions. In the 3D studios, it's amazing how some works stand out sharply as if you can smell the imminent success upon certain students. Like spotting the brightest bulb on the Christmas tree, which makes it a whole lot easier if you don't have all the time in the world to go through every single person.

In the fashion studios, one of my favorite things to do is to see works up close and personal (to spot the mistakes or unfinished details, haha) since runway shots help make most garments look glamorous and "flawless". The one thing I didn't like was how overwhelming it all was as in I was drenched in an ocean of wild concepts and manufacturing techniques, making it hard to focus. The best way is just to pick your favorites and digest their work. Unfortunately I think I was only able to sneak in some snaps without alerting authorities in one room, but still one of my favorite collections is by Hind Matar, his intricate futuristic sci-fi embroidery vaguely reminds me of Balenciaga's SS07 metallic robot leggings, but what Matar has done here is stunning, with loads of embroidery samples in his sketchbook, you can really see how he progressed and resulted in a mind blowing collection. I want to wear them so badly....

CSM's new fountain display... not only did the sky rain that day, so did the ground.

H&M-argiela

If you've been reading my blog for sometime, you'd probably notice my love for Maison Martin Margiela in the captions of my outfit posts as it is one of those strong "niche-brands", and even after the elusive Belgium designer/founder left office back in 2009, I've still made my pilgrimage to his atelier to hunt down some conceptual show pieces (if you recall my ivory/blonde goat hair gilet). So I was just as shocked as most people to find out today that Maison Martin Margiela will be next in line to collaborate with high street giant H&M. I'm not at all excited to see what they'd come up with because there's so much damage being done to MMM through this collaboration it's not even funny... Danica Lo retweeted "This hurts my soul" in reference to many fashionista's tweeting about how a mass collab would "seem antithetical to everything Margie is about and would take away from it's special-ness and it's in-the-know niche status." I totes agree.

If it does happen, and I fear it will... I'm gonna be like that little kid in the corner of the sandbox with fingers plugged in his ears and eyes pinched shut repeating "never happened, never happened, never happened..." denying this collaboration. Why am I so against this? Well.... Have you seen how people treat the collab clothing at H&M? They treat these like can-foods during hurricane season... grabbing, fighting, pulling them apart like wild animals. Sometimes, these H&M collaborations just seem like double-barrel gun pointed straight at a random designer's head. Boyyyy..... I'm just glad Martin left, he's the smartest one of all who knew when his time was up to never feel the sting.

Turning 21

From the week building up to my birthday, I have been desperately trying to finish my project which was also due on my birthday. Plus with all the hype about the Queen's Jubilee I never really had much time to sit around and ponder about turning 21. Actually, just 5 hours before the clock stroke 12 declaring my birthday, I had a photoshoot "celebrating" my 20th year of life. So with the last few hours left on being 20, I took inspiration from the concept of maturing, sloth, self-inflicted damages, and a bit of perverse ideas (and several old film references) into a photoshoot that I can look back on in the future remembering my 20 year old self (I'm still deciding whether or not to post them haha). 

I'm never one to celebrate and throw a massive party in my own honour since... well, it's just not my style. Besides, I was perfectly happy with last night's cozy intimate birthday dinner with close friends at The Ivy. It was such a energy-draining day that I felt this was just the right amount of excitement to end my birthday. I'd prefer re-celebrating this weekend when I've regain my strength. Looking back on the year, I've had quite a successful year. In many ways, it was an extremely memorable year filled with amazing memories and for that I'm eternally grateful to all those who contributed to my happiness. Thank you.

 A big thank you to all of your kind birthday wishes and birthday presents! They were lovely! Oh and since some of you requested to see how my new quirky Prada sunnies would look on me, well here it is!

sunglasses PRADA SS12, earring GIVENCHY SS12, mohair jumper J.W. ANDERSON

Don't Reign On My Parade

Just like many Londoners who wished for cooler weather, I don't think none of us expected the quick drop of 15 degrees prompting us to toss on our winter coats once again. Buuuurrrrr...... Poor Queen has to endure the bitter cold and rainy weather while waving and smiling for hours at her fellow subjects, what a trooper! I love her so much! She is too cute!! London has been kind to me, and if it weren't for the new deadline and awful climate, I'd be charging out waving English flags too while joining the masses in saluting the Queen! Speaking of deadlines and school, I guess it's been a while since I mentioned anything about uni, so let me fill you in on a bit. Two of the main inspirations for my current CSM project are fifties housewives' aprons and the invention of nylon stockings during the period, so it's only fitting that I got the new Prada SS12 sunglasses inspired by the most iconic motor vehicle of the fifties - The Chevy. Now I can put them on and really channel this decade's vibe and start churning out some hot designs, or better yet hot wheels. Since my birthday is this Wednesday, I fully consider these sunglasses to be my little birthday present to myself (this time I'm not rationalizing, it's a legit reason, plus I've been on these sunglasses waiting list for a month now, finally! haha).

sunglasses PRADA SS12

Galaxy

They say April Showers bring May Flowers, but I say May Mails predict June Sales... It's the time of year where rampant sample sales sprout out in otherwise abandoned studio spaces all around London. Yours truly has had quite the joy reaping and exploiting these mad discounts (actually, more like they were exploiting me). Ever since the DSM sale, I've been craving more, but the thrill just wasn't wild enough to quench my lust for over-the-top shopping every now and then. Either improving my skill of strategic shopping has in fact numbed me or I just don't get off on the three-dimensional shopping experience anymore (as in you just want to buy, not shop). I love sample sales like comic-book nerds love Sci-fi conventions, but is it me, or have anyone else realised that London's shopping circuit (especially these sample sales) have been dominated by gaysians and their hags? I'm scared....

Even though I didn't leave yesterday's JW Anderson's sale empty-handed, the selection was so limited and the studio room so tiny the experience was just awful. Like trying to maneuver around 30 people in a cramped walk-in-closet, yuck.... And some bitch took the jacket that I was gonna buy.... But, I was pleased with Christopher Kane's sample sale. There weren't much of a wide selection, but they were the right ones. Managed to leave with some SS11 galaxy printed pieces and two aqua clutches (since I couldn't decide which one I wanted more, as always). Also got the chance to briefly meet other UK bloggers at the sale. It's silly but it was quite surreal seeing them in person after seeing them simply through pictures. Kind of like when you meet your friend's friend for the first time and you recognize their face during your Facebook photo stalking sessions.

top, cardigan & clutch CHRISTOPHER KANE, trousers RAD HOURANI, horn earring GIVENCHY, knuckle duster ring ALEXANDER McQUEEN, shoes BALENCIAGA