When you are invited to a crazy high tea party with a bunch of the coolest fashion people in the country, you know this is gonna be even better than the Mad Hatter’s festivities!
For me it was a little sweet dream coming true: Since I had my eyes on Jacqueline Loekito’s fashion for the first time at Mode Suisse, I craved wearing these genderfluid creations of the Indonesian born designer. Jacqueline studied fashion at Kingston College and the UCA in London. She moved to Switzerland for love, did her master at the FHNW and founded her own label. As well she works as a coach for students doing their master.
Jacqueline’s clothes are voluminous, oversized and consisting of materials like PVC, tulle, and velvet. One of the aims of Jacqueline is to bring pink back into the wardrobes of men because she believes it can be a very masculine colour. Her collection “Papin Madness” is inspired by the disturbing story of the Papin sisters. Those two French girls were convicted of the gruesome murder of their employer’s wife and daughter in 1933. The two victims had been beaten over the head until they were almost unrecognizable and their eyeballs were removed.
Knowing the story of the Papin sisters reveals the hint of horror hidden beneath sweet layers of pink and red of the fashion collection. But who doesn’t like a good horror story?
This one is dedicated to all the strong women out there. To the women who made history because they went their way without being stopped, not listening when people said they should behave, shut their mouths, busy themselves with being pretty and live a conventional life.
A few of them turned into icons and those are the ones who inspire thousands of women, including me, day after day to keep their back straight when they feel weak and vulnerable. I want to name three of them in this post:
Hatshepsut
who ruled Egypt as the second female pharaoh. She is considered the first great woman in history and one of the most successful rulers of Ancient Egypt. Hatshepsut made herself immortal with a breathtaking temple, showing her power.
Frida Kahlo
the surreal Mexican painter refused being stopped by livelong chronic pain, several miscarriages, and fatigue after a horrible bus accident that changed her life. She put all her soul and heart into her surreal and very personal art and had herself carried to her own exhibition with her bed when her legs didn’t carry her.
Umm Kulthum
the Arabic singer who dressed as a boy at the age of 12 to sing on a stage. She became the most famous Arab voice of the 20th century and no other Arabic singer ever reached the glory of this diva. When she was buried in 1974, more than four million people attended her funeral in Cairo and until now, her songs are loved by a lot of people.
There are many more female icons I l admire and I intend to tell you about more these very soon. But let me tell you one more thing: Besides the famous women and not less important are the amazing women I can call friends and family. Yes I mean you out there, you don’t build temples or have millions of fans, but you master the difficult task called life day after day. You are independent and even if you don’t have an easy time you are kind and have always an open ear and a shoulder to lean on for your girls. We laugh together and sometimes we cry together, then lift our chin and face what we have to face without fear in our eyes.
You are heroines in my eyes and I adore you and your stories! Let’s continue to empower each other, share support and watch each other grow! I couldn’t be more grateful for having you in my life what makes you better than Hatshepsut, Frida, and Umm!
Let’s start with a typical question a child might ask with big wide eyes: How many tiles are to be found in Lisbon’s houses? I seriously don’t know, tried to count them but got carried away by their beauty while the numbers only got bigger and bigger. I wish I could turn back the time and wander those beautiful streets again, bathed in warm golden light and pastel colours.
Oh, how much visual happiness is in this place and how well African Wax Prints correspond with the geometric patterns of the tiles!
If I only had a few of Lisbon’s houses in Zurich, I knew where my preferred photoshoot spots would be. I ask myself what inspired the people of Lisbon to make their city colourful, while the citizens of Zurich seemed to be inspired to go for a rather different choice and prefer grey… If I knew I’d instantly bring it here and I’d enjoy with a wide grin on my face the emerging of a new Zurich.
Until I find the answer, I think I have to continue to use my body as a canvas: African prints have become one of my favourite things to wear for a while now. I’ve always been fascinated by the looks of African ladies and think they look like queens with their strong colours, turbans and amazing dresses. But only recently I allowed myself to dive in deeper and especially: Wear the African creations with their idiosyncratic, rhythmic prints as a not African girl. Might this be a tiny little step into the future of a colourful Zurich? I keep on hoping forever!
The moment I’ve (not) been waiting for has come: I received three invitations for Christmas events last week, an unmistakable sign that people start to wave goodbye to summer and the time of falling leaves, gingerbread cookies and cuddling with fluffy scarves is almost here.
Some are excited about the change of season, but not me, not yet: I see summer as a lover who is leaving, and I don’t want to let him go. Oh, my love, dear summer, you can’t escape through the back door, not without another kiss, please just one more time!
I went out with all my floaties and my best summer music for a little party in summer’s honour. Gosh, I can’t believe how good the sound from my new tiny Wonderboom speaker is. And the design of the waterproof speaker goes so well with my pastel wardrobe. In my opinion, styling is only perfect when you manage to match everyday objects to your style. Fun fact: This Wonderboom is called “unicorn,” and I carry it in a unicorn backpack.
Yes, the backpack is stolen from the kid’s department, but seriously: Growing up has nothing to do with losing the ability to love cute things I can’t say enough. Act grownup, look just as ridiculous as you like and never, never ever stop believing in unicorns!
We are all driven by hope, it keeps us going: The hope that tells us there is a place in this world for every crazy fruit, hope to discover the colour nobody has ever seen before, hope to steal a smile from somebody dear, hope to reach a better place and last but not least: A lot of hope that dreams can become more than just wishes born in the depths of the subconsciousness.
Thousands of new ways and junctions are ahead of us day after day. We are constantly facing decisions such as if we wanna go ahead bravely, make a u-turn and reconsider or just stop. Sometimes the mind and the heart don’t share the same opinion and we can only hope to consider well what both say.
I believe there is no such thing as THE one and only way to do things or to find happiness in life, but a big sea of possibilities bringing happiness, pain, and love. All of them together turn into your unique story. Every choice means the birth and death of possibilities on the complex map of life.
But we shall never give up hope, no matter life is perfect or a total mess at this moment: There is hope the journey from the here and now is going to be a very good one. So let’s be brave and face it!
Hi, this is Sara without the H, a girl captured in Zurich in an LA-style setting while wearing gorgeous African wax prints mixed with designer pieces and high street fashion.
Quite a clash isn’t it? And totally where I do feel home: Dancing over borders, always looking for moments when different cultures, styles, and worlds come together, unite and melt into something new and beautiful. An entity is nothing but the combined amazingness of all its parts. Something as mundane as street style can become an expression of a life philosophy if you look twice and don’t think clothes are nothing more but the fibres they are made from.
“What is Sara is in Love with about?” I got asked quite often. Well, I think this post shows it especially well: It’s about building a world seen through my eyes, a joyful place of colours where individuality and being different is embraced, it’s the empire of a crazy fashion chick sourcing inspiration from a globalized world.
I want to help to empower all the creative weirdos out there: It’s ok to not fit in, just use your energy to change the world according to your visions and most important: Create and go your own way till you discover all the drawers they want you to put in have got too small.
I believe no matter where you are, you can find beauty in a place if you just keep looking hard enough. I heard bloggers complaining that we don’t have such colourful and pretty walls as in LA over here: Look at my post, we do! It might have been more work to find them and capture them the way I imagined, but the harder things are to find the more precious they are!
My Outfit Top: Tufafii from Hanimanns, Skirt: Massimo Dutti, Bag: Marc Jacobs, Bangle: Bally from Fashion Fish Factory Outlet, Sunglasses: Craig&KarlxLeSpecs, Shoes: Sophia Webster, Belt: Vintage
Pictures: Marco Borromeo. This post contains sponsored products.
Let’s move together, evolve with every blink The future is fluid so promise to come with me Our 1000 faces in perpetual motion from pink to black, yellow, green and back
Let’s make our minds wide, wide open With big eyes, we are facing endless possibilities Can you feel the teasing wind carrying our hearts? An outbreak of joy is the liberty of restlessness
Let’s fall in love with the new We cross the word routine from the vocabulary We are tiptoeing on futuristic paths with light feet Experiencing colours never seen before
Let’s be fearless and bold Our minds are dancing when we jump from the wall We are floating rainbows in the sky Always ourselves, never the same again
When thinking about Mood ring and its connection to change – an essential part of my life philosophy – it might happen that this girl writes poetry instead of praising her newly achieved item and how cool it is that this ring doesn’t stand still, just like me. The minimalistic steel base can be combined with a huge range of add-ons and gives you the freedom to express your mood.
What colour and shape would fit your current mood best?
Since I am wearing a skirt so short and tight I wouldn’t have chosen it last year; I think it’s the right moment to talk about self-confidence and my relationship with my body! I am telling you those things because I hope some of you might find comfort or inspiration for more self-love in this article.
Let me go back to the times when I was a teenager till my early twenties: At this time I used to feel very disconnected from my body and didn’t consider it as an inseparable part of me, but more as a vessel I haven’t chosen but was given without having a choice.
Sometimes I saw it even as a cage that kept me from being who I’d like to be and doing what I wanted to do with its restrictions. When I listen to the song “My body is a Cage” by Peter Gabriel I can still feel a hint of my emotions from back then. Living like this is not easy, I am sure everybody who experienced the same will agree.
Only in my mid-twenties, something changed: I came to recognize that there is nothing wrong with my body. I told myself even if it might not be the best body in the world, that’s fine since I can work on it and we can be a good team.
I never had a particularly unhealthy lifestyle – I’ve been a Vegetarian since I was fourteen, never smoked and didn’t drink excessively – but now I started to look even better after me. I began to eat more consciously, started to do sports and came to recognize and accept the stop signals my body sent me when I was using up my energy and resources without taking care of myself. I live plant-based now and genuinely enjoy working on myself.
Today I believe that the way people react on you is to a significant part based on what you radiate: If it’s excitement and positive energy, chances are good you get treated with those emotions too. From my own experience, I can say, that being kind to yourself and working on your positive energy is a powerful weapon that makes you happier and stronger.
Get 25% on all tops till next Sunday at Cléo Ferin Mercury with the code SARAISINLOVEWITH.
So please girls: See the good in you and work on yourself instead of spending your time being unhappy!
A few days ago, Jeremy Scott presented the Resort 2019 collection of Moschino in Los Angeles and it was a brilliant, all circus-themed fun show. The runway – of course a big tent – featured everything people anticipate to see in a circus: Balloon artists mingled with juggling stilt-walkers next to caged (plush) tigers, there was a Ferris wheel and of course cotton candy.
But the highlight was, of course, the fashion. While everybody was saying for years that fashion is a circus, Jeremy took this literally and turned it into a fabulous freak show.
My latest look doesn’t include any Moschino, but I think I could have smuggled in my primary-coloured rainbow style without any problems. Yes, I am in the circus already, cause what could be more fun than being where the breathtaking stunts, the incredible magic, and amazing wonders happen? For me, circus means the opposite of grey and boring, a world where people can stop worrying and being serious all the time. It’s a whimsical world full of colours, joyfulness, and happiness.
Call me a fashion clown if you like. I don’t care but show you my red-lipped smile and continue having fun. I am sure my favourite fashion showman Jeremy would approve this attitude!
A few days ago I lost my favourite earring, a giant purple squid. I was sad, almost like when a good friend just left and I was alone, wishing that person back with me.
This might sound silly because I am just talking about a pair of earrings, a silly piece of plastic and metal, something purely material. But I had them for a few years and wore them quite often. I got a lot of compliments and people asked if they might touch them, even strangers. They traveled with me to London, Barcelona, Amsterdam and Lisbon, my squid companions.
I tried to find the quantum of good in my misfortune and told myself it was just a pair of earrings and it might be time for something new. I consider myself as a person who embraces change in many facets of life and this is no difficult lesson in proving that. What a lucky girl I must be if nothing worse happens to me but me losing some earrings!
The empty space my squid left got already filled: Two pairs of earrings from Berlin label Tukadu arrived to bring back a broad smile on my face. Designer Roberta, her son Tilman, and their team create unique and quirky pieces since 1993. I think both pairs I got are just as special as my squid, unicorns, and birds. So let’s start adventures together, let’s travel and see what looks we can create! Let’s go far together, come back and catch people’s eyes!
