Dear Viviane, I didn’t know you, but I imagine you were beautiful, strong and smart. Sadly you passed away before your time, cancer stole you from this world.
While the world is a more silent place without your laugh, your memory stays with us. You found immortality through fashion, in Jacqueline Loekito’s collection Viviane’s Last Kiss that is a celebration of your life. And what a collection it is: Full of colours, bold shaped and the unambiguous message “Fuck Cancer”.
Here I am, Sara, standing in a (more or less) enchanted garden in your city Basel, wearing the wedding dress from your homage collection. My face is hidden behind a pink veil, so I am halfway Sara, halfway Viviane – like a ghost between the worlds. I’m borrowing you my skin for a moment, turn into a symbol of you for a few minutes captured by the camera to remember the people who loved about you. I step into your shoes and walk a path your feet might have touched when you visited your friend Jacqueline. Dear Viviane, what we have in common is the love for pink, a dear common friend called Jacqueline and the kiss of a pink veil.
Thank you, Viviane, for letting me be the bride for an afternoon.
How much time do you spend doing what fills you with joy and how much is taken for obligatory tasks? Does the ratio feel balanced or do you wish to be less exhausted or overwhelmed by numerous demands and to-dos?
Honestly, I often wish I had more time for myself or imagine there was a second me who could take care of certain things in my life. Most of the time it’s not the others who put pressure on me, but myself. I want to have a clean home, perfectly died hair, ironed bedsheets, healthy food, and perfect Instagram pictures, while being a good friend, daughter, girlfriend, neighbour and much more at the same time.
Sometimes it’s frustrating that it seems impossible to fulfil all the roles in my life to the hilt and I end up running after things while cutting the time I have for myself on behalf of other tasks. I don’t read the book I anticipated to read for ages, I don’t turn on my telly to watch that movie from my watch list or skip my weekly face mask or don’t turn up at the gym. Even worse: Sometimes I forget to enjoy the fun while thinking of my long to-do list awaiting me when I come home. But then I ask myself why don’t we grant ourselves more time to just do what makes us utterly happy or gives us pleasure and peace? Because in the end isn’t it that what counts? Nobody cares if your laundry is not all ironed or if your windows are spotless.
So let’s stop the guilt of not ticking off all the bullets on the to-do-list and spend more time enjoying. Live your life and don’t let the task lists rule!
This post is an example for taking the time: We shot the pictures a few weeks ago when there was still snow on the ground and I got very excited about how well the colours of my hair and the coat fit with the location. I haven’t shown them to you until now because of prioritizing to edit looks with gifted items. So here we are, the snow is gone and I finally I took the liberty of showing you my dream winter coat while everybody is longing for summer already. But you know what: I feel great and that’s priceless. Next time, I shall do what I love earlier!
My Outfit Coat: Shrimps, Top: Nina Yuun, Skirt: Vintage, Boots: Dr. Martens, Hat: Manor, Bag and Choker: H&M x Moschino, Tights: Calzedonia
Wow, Switzerland you amazed me again! Last weekend, I attended the Doing Fashion Graduate Show in Basel by the Institut of Fashion Design/FHNW Academy of Art and Design and it was bolder, wilder and better than anything I expected! 21 graduating students (aka players) presented their powerful creativity in the parking lot of the Grand Casino Basel and they took the risk of not being afraid to leave the paths of commercial demands.
The whole show, I was sitting on my chair with a big wide grin when collection after collection passed the catwalk to drumming beats and not a single one was about simplicity. Yes, the topics of the moment such as playing with genders and sustainability were present too, but not in a dull or oversaturated way. This is what I wanted to see for a long time in Switzerland. Players, you used your cards very well!
Let me share my favourite moments with you:
Janine Reitmann What you have killed you must also love
One of the most iconic moments of the show was when the model wearing this look stepped on the catwalk. It was like an unknown painting by surrealist painter Magritte has come alive and started to breathe. Most models had their faces hidden behind fabrics and there was a melancholic beauty in the air. Were they beautiful corpses or artworks coming alive? Either way it was absolutely magical, theatrical and a moment of fashion that will linger on my mind for a long time!
Victoria Waltisperg You say Witch like it`s a bad thing
A very strong collection about sisterhood, feminity, and sensuality. The models looked like mystical goddesses, wearing Victoria’s creations and the symbol of the all-seeing and the closed eye was omnipresent. Witches see the outer and the inner world and this is the fashion for strong, confident women. “Poor are those who cannot see,” it said on a veil and I’d say who doesn’t see the beauty of this collection is poor indeed.
Jana Colic It will be once upon a time
My fav look of the whole evening was part of the pastel-coloured collection of Jana, who created her own world driven by nostalgia and gratitude for the two worlds – Western and the Serbian – where she is at home. I fell in love with the dichotomy between voluminous shapes transforming bodies and the cheekiness of revealing skin. And of course this wonderful cloud print. Can I wear them, please?
Lida Nobakht More is More
What better thing could happen than when your life motto is turned into a collection? Lida wanted to create sovereignty by adding more fabrics to her looks and came up with a colourful and playful collection. She was inspired by Iranian artist Monir and her mirror artworks as well as the love for Iran, where Lida’s roots lie. A bright collection with artful accessories that unites heritage and modernity. I’m sure Lida’s idol Monir would love it too!
Eva-Maria Schmid Revue
A collection dedicated to a new club called Revue, where the bouncers wear colourful clothing and all guests are dressed in the vibrant creations of Eva-Maria. For sure all eyes would be on the girl dancing to rave music while wearing this amazing voluminous dress with the wild print mix. She would be the star of the club. This is how a modern, techno-crazy Marie Antoinette would look!
Last but not least: I love my fashion gang
If life would be a never-ending fashion show I’d be the happiest girl on earth! When the hammering music fills the halls and the models walk in I’m excited. But not just because of the inspiring looks that are far from what you see on the street, but as well since wherever there is a fashion show, my gang is not far away. Thank you Jacqueline Loekito, Gerold Brenner and Cherry Greta for being my quirky crowd!
What’s hot 2019 in Switzerland? We all asked and Mode Suisse answered in their 15th edition, showcasing curated designers and schools. Hammering beats opened a show that let forget Switzerland’s not a forward fashion country.
Newspapers might ask where the market for this edginess and forwardness might be, I say this is just what we need: Bold inspiration, designers that are not afraid of stepping out of mainstream boredom and create for the sake of fashion as an art instead of seeing their trade as a money machine. Let me show you my favorite moments:
Amorphose: New Silhouettes for Heroines
Designer Giancarlo Bello put the audience under a spell with his feminine and dramatic collection. His play with the silhouette and his vision of women as strong yet beautiful creatures is extraordinary. Especially the red futuristic look (worn by Toni Dreher, winner of Germany’s Next Top Model) who surrounds its wearer with a kind of a red shield was amazing in his freshness and visual boldness.
Jacqueline Loekito: Heartbreak in Pink and Red
Dedicated to a dear friend who died from cancer, Jaqueline Loekito’s collection is not what you expect from a traditional mourning outfit: The Basel-based designer stays true to her favourite colours red and pink and her habit of breaking gender rules. Statements like “Fuck Cancer” and broken hearts are part of the bittersweet looks. Long lives the hope that the most extraordinary knitwear on the catwalk will heal hurt hearts!
Rafael Kouto: Upcycling the future
The collection of Locarno-based designer Kouto is a wild fusion of cultures, colours, shapes, and fabrics: Africa meets the West in his upcycled creations made of mass-produced and discarded garments. It was refreshing how new old can be in a throw-away society. We need more of this as an alternative to current production!
Mourjjan: The Roaring Times are Back
Zurich/Mykonos-based designers Roland Rahal and Raphael Muntinga presented their creations of luxury, glitter, glam and chic. The new collection featured their take on a beaded flapper dress bringing up pictures of the Roaring Twenties and this showstopper of a dress. 20s meets the now and it’s wow!
Forbidden Denimeries: A new approach to masculinity
If you ever doubted if men should wear skirts, here is the final reason why they should! Newcomer Mikael Vilchez shared a new vision of a modern man that was refreshing and far from stereotypes with us. This denim look and how it combines sportiness with feminine masculinity is what dreams are made of!
Quynh Bui: Fading in Vibrance
While the collection of Head Genèva alumni Quynh Bui was inspired by 19th- and 20th-century workwear and featured a lot of denim, this orange splash of an outfit excited me most. The designer combines used and new materials, giving a new life to the existing pieces. The whole collection is sustainable and wants to bring awareness to a fabric that is a major contributor to pollution.
Last but not least: The company
Besides being thrilled by the shows, what I love about events like this is the company of like-minded fashion people. It’s like a family meeting where everybody gathers together, like Christmas in fashion. I spent the eve with two of the best people in the universe, Gerold Brenner and Cherry Greta and enjoyed to see a lot of lovely faces during the eve. It was a blast, thank you Mode Suisse, please come back soon!
Pictures: Mode Suisse Edition 15 Alexander Palacios/Eduard Meltzer
Every time my parents call, one of their first questions is “And, how is the weather?”. Usually, this makes me look out of the window and check because let’s face it: I’m not noticing the weather a lot unless my feet get wet or I have to organize a foto shooting and worry about light conditions. I’ll never understand why talking about the weather seems to be number one small talk opener in millions of chats. Can we please talk about something else? I couldn’t be more bored.
But one thing occurred to me: If people say the weather is good, the opinions about what good weather is are very different. Obviously, people refer to sunny weather as good weather very often. But if you ask me when I plan a shooting, the best weather is dry and a little bit cloudy for smooth shadows. Ask a farmer on a dry summer he might imagine a rainy day as the best thing in the world. So who is right about what good weather actually means?
When I work on my computer, I completely forget about the outside world and focus my mind on concepts, pictures, and ideas. My horizon melts to the screen and the labyrinth of my thoughts. The screen becomes an instant window to everywhere in the world, unlike the window of my room. What does the weather matter anyway if you can be in sunny Australia or have a look at Capetown by night in just one click without lifting a foot? Isn’t there every weather somewhere at the exact same time? So what point is it to occupy the mind with questions about the weather then if you want to do small talk?
So my plea: Please stop to talk about the weather and move on to more exciting topics. Let’s get creative in how to make bridges and start chats, there are millions of ways, and if you end up enjoying yourself you might actually forget about the weather just like me!
My Outfit Skirt: Tufafii from Hanimanns, Shirt: Vintage, Shoes: Sandro, Backpack: Bally bought at Fashionfish, Beret and Necklace: From markets, Socks: Becksöndergaard, Earrings: Dakota Rae Dust, Sunnies: Old House of Holland
Pictures: Marco Borromeo. This post contains sponsored products.
(Nonsense poetry inspired by my beret which says “get soy sauce” in Chinese. In China, it’s the everyday business to get soy sauce from the local store. As a man was asked about a pop singer’s sex scandal by Chinese telly on the street his answer was “What’s that got to do with me? I’m just here to buy soy sauce.”. The phrase went viral and became slang for saying “mind your own business”.)
Pop Art, an art movement rebelling against the notion of tradition that emerged in the late 1950s, redefined the idea of original and copy with its focus on mass production and repetition. Andy Warhol, the probably biggest icon of pop art, said “I used to drink. I used to have the same lunch every day, for 20 years, I guess the same thing over and over”.
If any fashion label in the world embraces the spirit of pop art and keeps it alive, its Moschino! Jeremy Scott’s bold and iconic designs that always come with a humorous twinkle could even be considered as the legacy of pop art.
Therefore Moschino, this year H&M designer collaboration, is THE perfect choice: While pop art embraced mass production, H&M brings Moschino to the masses with a collection full of fun. Moschino [tv] H&M features Jeremy’s favourite Disney cartoon characters, MTV-logos, the iconic Moschino logo, golden bling bling and fancy novelty bags (omg a condom shaped bag).
The collection will be available online and in selected stores worldwide from November 8. If you are planning to visit Zurich, you might encounter me in my pink Moschino [tv] H&M coat queuing early in the morning.
Make space Warhol, Jeremy claims your throne as king of reproductive art!
Why yellow is the most warm, noble and closest to the bright light; why Blue is that mix of excitement and serenity, so far that it evokes the shadows; and why Red is the exaltation of Yellow and Blue, the synthesis, the vanishing of the bright light into the shadows
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
This is what Goethe wrote to South American revolutionary Francisco de Miranda in a letter, referring to the flag of Colombia which has the same three colours as my jumpsuit in this look. Reading Goethe’s words gives my look another dimension and reveals the philosophy behind colours.
As a true colour enthusiast, thinking about the meaning of colours is one of my favourite topics to keep my brain cells busy on some calm evenings. A lot of interesting questions and hypothesis are linked if you allow yourself to open up your mind: What is colour actually? Let’s start with the fact that colours don’t have a physique, you can neither touch nor taste them. They only exist in dependence of light and change in different light situations while complete darkness makes them disappear as well.
Colours only emerge within our perception of objects, people and in nature, which leads to the question if they only exist in the eye of the beholder. To make the topic more complex we have to consider the fact that every observer experiences colour in a different way: The exact shade of red of my bag might be seen differently by every one of you. How would you describe it: Maybe as a bright red, a firefighter red, the perfect lipstick red? What feeling does it evoke in you: Is it warm, aggressive, female, powerful or dangerous? Maybe some of you are colourblind and experience it as a shade of green.
How would an animal with its very different way of seeing colours perceive my bag? Dogs and cats see mostly in green and have an especially poor vision when it comes to red tones, for example, butterflies see colours we don’t perceive and vipers don’t even have eyes but “see” with feeling the heat of objects.
Let me finish with the ultimate question of the day: Imagine if we would live in a world of blind people or a world without light: Would colours just stop to exist without somebody capable of perceiving them? I am curious to hear your thoughts about this…
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?
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!
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