London Fashion Week.

Hey everyone!!

So it's been a pretty intense couple of days since I've come back from Barcelona! Yes, I went to Barcelona as well - my friend Alice is currently living there because she's interning at the amazing Arts Hotel Barcelona (in case you're going to Barcelona and are looking for a fab hotel, you can check this one out here).

Since the fashion month has started and since I'll fly back to the Uk on the 5th of September, I thought I better apply to help backstage during London Fashion Week (in case you were wondering which designers will be showing or what the schedule looks like this year, here's the link to the official page).

This would be my second time experiencing LFW, and I obviously couldn't let the chance slip away. So I've spent the last couple of days emailing companies and sending my CV and cover letters around, and..... I'm happy to announce that from the 12th to the 14th of September I will be interning for Marchesa.

Images by Norman Jean Roy (on http://www.bellanaija.com/2013/01/26/bridal-inspiration-from-magic-kingdom-marchesas-georgina-chapman-feature-in-american-vogue-february-2013-issue/)
Vogue US February 2013 – “Magic Kingdom”

I have always admired this high-end womenswear brand, as it brings together timeless elegance and innovation - no wonder many Hollywood stars have chosen it and still choose it for their Red Carpet looks.

This is the first time the brand, established in 2004 by Georgina Chapman and Keren Craig, has chosen to present their new (SS 2015) collection abroad - they usually show at New York Fashion Week.

This year they decided to move the catwalk show to London, city that it's growing day by day as a Mecca for all of us fashion addicts, partly because it's a metropolis that still maintains its European charm.
So I will report back to you guys what's going on backstage and I will tell you how my experience will go - which by the way I am sure will be amazing as I will not only be participating in LFW but also working for a brand that I admire this much!



Until next time,
x, Val.

Valentina goes to Shanghai!

Hello everyone!

I'm officially back!

Sorry for the lack of new posts of the blog, I have to admit I haven't been writing anything at all because I really needed to take some time off from any kind of work. The last project in uni, the one with Tommy Hilfiger Denim, has been pretty intense and tiring, so decided to take some time for myself and refuel after all the hard work. In the next few days I will write a post about this exhausting yet amazing opportunity to collaborate with such a great brand and show you guys the resulting collection my group and I came up with.

I have been travelling around quite a lot this summer so I really wanted to share some new experiences and amazing photographs with you guys.

Since finishing uni last May, I went back to Italy to see my Italian friends and family and then I flew all the way to China to visit the other half of my family. It's been a pretty good summer and I've been collecting some really good memories, plus I've been taking lot of photos so that I can have material for my Final Year Collection!

So far yet so close, my 3rd Year Collection will start coming to life this year, so I need as much visuals and inspiration as possible. This summer's been great in that sense, cause I've been travelling a lot and that allowed me to widen my horizons and draw inspirational imagery and ideas from many different sources on two different sides of the world. What could a designer possibly want more than the possibility to travel and explore?

One of the most satisfying things was exploring Shanghai in more depth; I've been to this A M A Z I N G city many may times, but never really 'explored' it in the non-tourist kind of way; this year I decided I really wanted to get lost in its alleys, and visit some less known places and areas I had never been to, allowing myself to be a real 'Shanghainese' in a way.

One of the most surprising and interesting places I went to was a place that sold lots of antiques, not really definable as an antique market, but more like a massive warehouse with lots of antiques, varying from memorabilia, decorative objects, bags, clothes to furniture and vintage electronic devices.

Ready Steady Cut - Project Runway style!

Hi everyone!

I wanted to talk to you guys about this completely insane two-days 'challenge' called Ready Steady Cut, which was a two days workshop I had as part of my course. We were divided in groups and were given a designer each - my group got Riccardo Tisci for Givenchy! I was so happy about it because he's definitely one of my favourite designers - his aesthetic is one of the most interesting out there at the moment, and the quality of his work is impeccable.

So we were given a picture of a garment from one of the designer's previous collections, and we had to make an inspiration board, illustrations and technical drawing and remake the whole outfit from scratch (to look as similar to the real garment as possible).

Image by Sam Chick on http://fashiondesignrochester.com/ready-steady-cut/.

How to make a shirt - Tutorial.

Food & Co.

Hello everyone!

So I wanted to write a post about my day yesterday. I stayed home for the whole morning to pack - tomorrow I'll leave from Rome (Italy) where I've been staying most of the summer, and I'll go back to London :)

I am actually really happy I'm going back; during the whole (academic) year I've got used to living on my own, being able to do what I wanted when I wanted. Independence is addictive: once you get a taste of it, you just can't let it go. Or at least that's how it worked for me...

Anyway as I was saying, I spent the whole morning packing my things, and then I went out for dinner with some friends and family to a new Chinese Restaurant called "Platinum": it was a very nice place, with great interior design and very nice food. The atmosphere was lovely, and the karaoke corner we had in our private room was so fun! I wanted to post some pictures of the restaurant and food, and then show you guys what I wore for the occasion :)

Zara blazer

Zara trousers

(Zara's website)

Aldo hat

(Aldo's website)

What do you guys think of this place and what do you think of my look?? Do you like hats? I personally love hats! Someday I'm gonna write a post about them, and I'll show you all the hats I've got :)

x, Val.

Goodbye Tailored Jacket: an autopsy.

I know it sounds really weird and kinda creepy too, but this post is not about what you might expect. For the summer I've been given a "Made-to-Measure" project about tailoring. In the long list of things to do for research there was the deconstruction of a tailored jacket in order to see the multitude of hidden techniques and details in a garment. We also had to take lots of photographs to document our autopsy and record the process through detailed notes in our sketchbook.

I wasn't that excited at first - the idea of tearing into pieces a tailored jacket wasn't high on my list of favourites - but I need to admit I've changed my mind as soon as I started the process. It is time consuming, but like all things we have a passion for, it got me completely. I found myself cutting through paddings, linings and pockets, literally craving for more details and interesting ideas.
I ended up with sleeves looking like fabric patterns of a tailored jacket, padding and interfacings barely recognisable and a more than ever vivid interest in the art of tailoring.

I thought you might be interested in how a jacket is on the inside, under the lining that covers all the magic happening underneath; so here is a short visual reportage of my "findings".

So this is how the jacket was before the process...

Inside pocket and lining visible here.

This jacket had just one central vent. You can also find jackets with two vents or with no vents at all. The positioning of a vent on a jacket helps the tailor to give the perfect fit to the jacket and to allow freedom of movements.

Front darts visible in this picture.

Lapel seen from the "other" side: it's made of felted fabric, which helps the collar to hold its shape and have more structure.

What's on the shoulder, underneath the lining.

Shoulder pads.

The sleeve is made up of two separated patterns.

Flap pocket.

Bodice patterns (Front).

Front dart on main bodice shown from the inside. The darts help create the curves that allow the garments to fit on our bodies.

Have you ever wondered "what's inside" a tailored jacket or - more generally - your garments?? I think it's really fascinating to know how a garment is constructed.

x, Val.

Made in Italy.

I've already published a post about my summer holidays in South Italy, but I haven't talked about the sweet city of Otranto, Puglia.
I wanted to dedicate a whole post to this place: first of all it's a very nice place to visit, it's full of small souvenir shops and there are plenty of shops offering typical and traditional products (as the delicious "Taralli" - see pic below).

One of the most visited, famous and original shops in Otranto is a handmade leather sandals shop called "O di Otranto" (website link here).

They sell amazingly well crafted sandals and ballerinas in black, dark brown, light brown and dyed leather 

and they also make some more decorated and "modern" pieces.

Now going on to the city itself, here are some pictures I've taken during my days there.

Do you guys like handmade leather sandals? And do you have any?

x, Val.

Liebster Award!

After reading the comment from the sweet Julieth (from the must-see blog Glamourattic) saying she nominated me for the LIEBSTER AWARD I felt so happy, privileged and proud!

I haven't been blogging for a long time - it's actually been a few days - but I've wanted to start my own blog for quite a long time but I was afraid I wasn't good enough and didn't have enough to say. When I read Julieth's comment I felt very proud because I knew that my blog had started "spreading" and attracting readers, which meant that I was actually doing something that could get people's attention, dedication and time.

The Liebster Award is given to up and coming bloggers who have less than 200 followers. I think it's a very sweet idea to show your support for blogs you like and to promote them.

The 5 RULES

1. Each nominee must link back to the person that nominated them.
2. Answer the 10 questions which are given to you by the nominator.
3. Nominate 10 other bloggers you like and who have less than 200 followers.
4. Create 10 questions for your nominees to answer.
5. Let them know that they have been nominated by going to their blog and notifying them.

My answers to Julieth's questions:

1. If you could travel anywhere in the world and money was no object, where would you go? I would go to the USA and do a coast-to-coast trip, visiting the major cities of both coasts and of the central states.

2. Favourite designer or brand? Oh well, this is a very difficult question for me because being a fashion design student I've been studying old and new brands quite well and I can't really say which one I prefer the most. I have to say though that Balenciaga (old and new, with the amazing Alexander Wang) has been my favourite among the favourites for a while now.

3. Beauty product you can’t live without. Apart from my moisturizing cream, I would probably say my liquid and gel eyeliner :)

4. What is your favorite season of the year? It used to be summer, but I have to admit now that my new favourite season is Autumn: I love that it's not too hot and not too cold, you can wear both summer clothes and winter clothes (layering up cardigans etc.), you can drink hot tea and chocolate and the colourful leaves make me so happy!

5. Three favorite online shopping websites. Definitely Urban Outfitters website (there are some online exclusive products ;D), Asos and Ebay (mostly for my home accessories and books).

6. Link and/or photo of a handbag that you are currently coveting. 

Valentino Rockstud flap bag.

7. What’s your all-time favorite movie? I have many favourites, it's so difficult to choose just one! I totally love Dead Poets' Society, and I adore Gone with the Wind too. I also like Forrest Gump, Chocolat, Cadillac Records and Sixteen Candles.

8. What is your favorite candy? Uhm.. I don't really love candies, I love chocolate much more, but I have a thing for strawberry candy strips.

9. A must have in your closet. Probably my high waisted jeans for the winter and high waisted (vintage) Levi's shorts for the good weather.

10. What makes you laugh out loud? Old memories of funny moments with my friends.

The blogs I am nominating..

Fashion mumblr

Patchoulii-Flog

Etee

Miss Haribo

Thrifty Decor Chick

Kiki's Fashion

All you need is fashion

Big city to back road fashion

Fashion is my vengeance

Fashion at its fall

Here are my questions for the lucky bloggers:

1. Who would you say is your style icon?
2. Describe yourself in 5 adjectives.
3. Which designer inspires you the most?
4. When you open your beauty case, what are the first three things in it?
5. Which are the top 10 cities to visit on your list?
6. Who's your favourite movie character?
7. What's your favourite book and would you recommend it?
8. If you could be an animal which one would you choose and why?
9. Do you have any tattoos? If yes, which ones?
10. What trend do you think will be more popular for the A/W 2014 season?

Bloglovin!

So today I joined Bloglovin to keep up with the latest posts from my favourite blogs. I think it's a pretty useful platform for bloggers and it's very easy to use - which makes it incredibly popular.
When I went to the Widgets page to look for a nice "like" button to add to my blog, I noticed there were some pretty cool designs available (the three above are the Artist Icons). In the end I chose the first one on the left cause I really like the style in which it is drawn and I feel like it best represents my blog - direct, minimalistic and original.

Do any of you have a blog of their own and have a Bloglovin profile? If yes, leave me your links in the comment section below so I can check your blogs out!

x, Val.