Archive for the ‘the shopper’ Category

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SUMMER SOUNDS

Monday, April 20th, 2009

I have this habit.

When I’m in a restaurant, or bar, or a shop, or a club…and I really like what’s playing overhead, I really will go up to the DJ, ask the waiter, or the shop girl for the title and artist of the song that’s playing. Do you do that?

Anyhow, when I got a copy of Folded & Hung‘s promotional CD for the summer I thought to myself, what a grand idea. (I’m always tapping my foot to the dance music playing in their stores, anyhow.)

The disc is called Anthems of Summer 2009 and it was compiled by SOUNDSGOOD (They’re the crew that hosts those cool music nights at M Cafe. Check ‘em out at www.soundsgood.ph.) I wonder if this means it’ll be a regular thing.

The 11-track CD is filled with feel-good, dance-y tunes that are ripe for the summer. It’s not for sale though. It comes free with a minimum single receipt purchase of P1500 on regular items in the store. So you get a soundtrack to go with that summer wardrobe. Not too shabby.

The promo started last April 17 and you have until June 14, 2009 to get a copy.

Happy listening!

Isha.

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Le Sigh!

Thursday, April 16th, 2009

I received these photos in the mail from the nice ladies at Jul Dizon Jewellery.

Pink and yellow sapphires, a double gold band…it’s purty!

Here’s a much better photo of the coral ring from the Kris Aquino collection that I mentioned in my previous post. I love how it feels ethereal and enchanted, as though it belongs with all the Prada Fairy Collection clad girls on Preview’s June 2008 cover. If I ever became a forest elf (think Arwen and Galadriel), this would be my token charm.

Sigh.

Isha.

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Retail Therapy: Longchamp’s E-Boutique

Wednesday, February 25th, 2009

I found myself in an unusual situation yesterday. I was wandering through Greenbelt 5 in need of some retail therapy, not looking for the perfect new shoe as I always do, and instead hunting for a new bag.

Note: I’m really no bag hag and on the rare occasion I do buy a relatively pricey pouch, I’ll run it to the ground before replacement.

Anyhoo, I couldn’t seem to find the right piece to soothe the gloom that’s been (and possibly will continue to be) hovering. So sad.

Cousin dearest brought me happiness ten minutes ago, though, pointing me in the direction of the Longchamp Paris E-boutique.

Background note: I was toying with the idea of picking up a new Le Pliage in black (simple, understated and in my eyes, just so chic). I mentioned this to she-who-just-purchased-a-Twiggy-at-Balenciaga and she got all excited talking about wanting a custom-made Le Pliage.

Custom made? How? (Finally, something to be excited about.)

http://www.eboutiquelongchamp.com/catalog/index_en.php

Apparently, you can customize a Longchamp in a way similar to Goyard or a Louis Vuitton Speedy. It’s so much fun!

Step 1: You start with the size, which ranges from extra small to a large weekender. I want a medium-sized one that will let me carry my closet and vanity on my shoulder.

Step 2: You can choose between short, hand-held straps or longer shoulder straps. We decided that since we were getting medium-sized totes, it would be easier to carry the weight on our shoulders.

Step 3: Now the fun part–picking out the colors and clasps. You can pick a base color and a contrast stripe or have the whole thing done in one color. You can even choose the color of the puller, whether you prefer gold, nickel, or bronze.

Note the accumulated price as you pad on all these extras is shown in the box on the lower right-hand corner of the screen.

Step 4: Finally, you can have your initials embossed or have your name embroidered onto the bag. I personally like how the embossed letters look. They can insert up to four letters (perfect for my name!).

It takes about three weeks for this to be finished. Can’t wait!

Retail therapy does bring that little bit of happiness.

Isha.

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Stephen Sprouse at Louis Vuitton

Tuesday, January 27th, 2009

Sigh.

That’s literally the sound that emanated from Pauline and I (or was it a soft pitched oooooh!) when we walked by Louis Vuitton in Greenbelt 4 the other day. The graffiti roses on that Keepall just called out to us.

Keepall 50 Roses

That’s right, the tribute to Stephen Sprouse collection is currently in store. Look at the pretty graffiti roses! It’s like they’re glowing! (Day-Glo and neon accents are a big thing for Spring ’09. Have you gotten a copy of Preview’s Trend Report yet? It comes free with the January-February 2009 issue.)

Also available:

Rose pumps in suede goat leather beside the Neverfull MM Roses.

Accessory Pouch Roses

Rose Stole

Graffiti Gym Set

I figured the Speedy would get the most attention (the wait list is already THIS long), so i took the liberty of taking photos at varying angles for all of you who are curious. Special thanks to the nice folks at Louis Vuitton for letting me take photos. (FYI: It’s pricier than the usual with a tag of about P69,000.)

Speedy 30 Roses

From the side.

At an angle.

Graffiti Bag Accessory.

Doesn’t the bag charm just seal the look? They have bangles and pins with the graffiti logo too, for those who are fond of those sort of trinkets. Personally, I’m one for subtlety and discretion when it comes to branding but I think in this case, my fetish for roses on accessories won.

In other news, did you know that you could have your Speedy or Keepall personalized?

You can choose the color combination and stripe pattern and have your initials painted on as well. The idea is a tad Goyard, yes? But I suppose it all boils down to your purse preference.

We ran into Juana Manahan-Yupangco browsing through the possible options (note the handy album in her hands). Just browsing for now.

So do you think you’ll get a Sprouse? I have to admit, it’s sorely tempting.

Day-Glo roses!

Sigh.

Isha.

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The Style Bible Trunk Show

Wednesday, December 10th, 2008

Finally, our first-ever Trunk Show is actually happening this Saturday at the Columbus room of the Discovery Suites. (Click here for more details.) 9:00am to 4:00pm stop by and shop, shop, shop!

So i was lucky enough to get a sneak peek at the goods. Here’s what I’m excited to see up close and personal:

The Bags

Tiramisu‘s heart purse.

The Aranaz petal clutch. Love!

An earthy, tribal print hobo from Cathy.

The Clothes

Moonshine

Moonshine‘s bustier dresses.

I love looking at them. I’ve been seeing bustiers and sweetheart necklines around too.

Divine Lee at the Folded & Hung Streetcast Act 2 show.

Amanda Griffin-Jacob at the Rajo Red! Gala.

Tina Arguelles at the U-Boat Launch.

Dia Lacaba at the Shu Uemura boutique opening.

I’m still deciding if I can pull it off. Only way to find out is to try it on, I guess.

Charina Sarte

Charina Sarte‘s slippery(-looking) silver dress.

It makes me think of the tulle Lanvin dress that Natalie Portman wore to the Oscars in 2003.

Only the Lanvin is made in a soft, princess-y tulle and Charina’s is all slick and updated for today. (It’s also got her stamp of sexiness all over it.)

Rajo Laurel

I’ve been in love with this sequined frock ever since I saw Sam Laurel wearing the black version of this dress at Rajo’s Grey Goose Party. It really hit’s my 20s sweet spot.

I like this little brocade short suit as well. Cute! Especially with the right pair of flats. Maybe the Steve Madden ones I’ve been eyeing, just to keep it all understated.

photos from www.style.com

Though I’m still of the mind-set that brocade looks beautiful embellished with jewels. Flats similar to these from Prada‘s S/S 2003 collection (probably one of my favorite collections by the designer, EVER!) should compliment Rajo’s light suit nicely.

Molako

This mini-dress looks like a cool vintage piece that you can get minus the actual effort of having to thrift.

Note: If you’re a fan of www.seaofshoes.com.

I especially liked Molako‘s leggings with its leather-like, latex-y sheen.

I’m so behind on the whole leggings thing. I tend to get rebellious and resistant when everyone’s wearing something. I actually got my first recent pair (since the ones I had in the late 80s and early 90s) around July this year.

These are pretty cool though. Now I’m going through major leggings-envy.

Eunice has a pair.

Raya has a pair. (photo from her Chictopia Blog)

Natalia Vodianova has a pair! (photo from www.my.opera.com) Though this was actually taken a while back.

See! So lag! I still love the look though.

The Accessories

I love these new necklaces by Happy David. They’re dressy but they’d also look great with a simple, gray tee (which I’ll probably wear on lazy days with my new latex-y leggings!).

Anyhow, this is just a glance over what’s in store for Saturday so I do hope you all come by to shop with us. The first 100 shoppers get free (reusable) shopping bags from Style Bible and free perfume samples too!

Come and shop! See you there!

Isha.

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Shopping at Kashieca

Wednesday, December 3rd, 2008

I got a text last week inviting me to guest on QTV‘s “The Sweet Life.” Lucy Torres is granting wishes for her special birthday episode and I was asked to help give one of her fans a dream makeover. The episode will be aired on December 11 so try to catch it.

Anyhow, we were shopping with Izel, the lucky makeover beneficiary, at Kashieca last Sunday for the show. I couldn’t help but notice a number of great finds.

It seems that since the Bench group tookover the brand has gained some major style cred. The looks are still sweet and girly but they’ve got a bit of a bite to it now.

I actually bought this on the spot. Cotton and lace top, P1695.

Doesn’t it remind you of this dress from Roberto Cavalli‘s Spring/Summer 2008 collection?

The fabric is a sort of shiny parachute material that is so hip and futuristic. The metal stud buttons give the sweet silhouette an edgier feel. It also comes in black. Blouse, P899.

I’m so in love with full, circle skirts and crinolines right now. Don’t you love that extra bit of tulle that peeks beneath the cotton skirt? Balloon skirt, P1199.

I saw Bea Alonzo wearing this in one of the in-store photos and I thought it was darling. It’s so English Rose and Garden Party-ish. I must be going through an ultra-feminine phase in my head. Dress, P1499.

If you haven’t seen the bilboard yet, or been to the store lately, you should have a look at the “Best-Dressed” line that Lucy and Kris (Aquino) co-designed for Kashieca.

Look out for this special tag to know which pieces the duo designed.

This tunic has a cool, military feel to it. It gives a long, lean line to the body when worn. It works with both skinnies or tailored wide-legs. Tunic, P1499.

I take after my mom in how I seem to collect denim skirts. I love the bell shape and belt of this one. So affordable too! Skirt, P749.75.

Even the interiors are extra cute. It’s a shame I wasn’t able to photograph the toile dressing room curtains.

Victorian prints border a mirror.

I’ve always thought this paper cut lamp by Dutch designer Tord Boontje was awesome. I think it’s still available in Dimensione.

Check out the Store Directory to find the nearest Kashieca branch.

I guess limiting my spending this Christmas is rather out of the question. I managed to squeeze in some gift shopping after the shoot. Is it just me or is the traffic crazier than usual?

Isha.

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Rafe Totengco at Rafe New York Greenbelt 5

Tuesday, October 28th, 2008

Today I’ll break from my usual shoe obsession and rave about bags instead.

The dapper designer inside the Rafe New York boutique in Greenbelt 5.

I met designer Rafe Totengco for the first time last Saturday at a little shopping tea party held at his store in Greenbelt 5. I second Rajo’s opinion when he mentioned in his last blog post that Rafe is one of the nicest men you’ll ever meet. He’s so refreshingly pleasant.

The one thing I found especially cool was how he really stopped to chat with each of the women who came by that day, going over the neat design features of his Fall 08 collection.

Rafe showing Celine Lopez and Wendy Puyat the detachable snaps on the Emma.

Waldorf Emma convertible shoulder bag, Rafe New York, Greenbelt 5..

I love bags that have an old world feel to them. Rafe pointed out that the strap of this particular purse can be removed, turning it into a nicely over-sized clutch.

Rockefeller Sophie long flap clutch, P26,999, Rafe New York, Greenbelt 5.

Lifting the flap of this purse reveals a handy mirror and an inner pouch with a kiss closure (to keep your things safely locked in). “So you don’t have to keep getting up to go to the bathroom when you need to check on how you look in the mirror,” reveals Rafe. The top flap is broad enough to let you do a discreet touch-up too!

The designer explaining the closure of the Leighton clutch to Dawn Zulueta-Lagdameo, who was toting a gold Rafe purse that day.

Leighton envelope clutch, P21,999, Rafe New York, Greenbelt 5.

You might carry this purse as shown in the picture but the clasp you see is actually the top of the bag. When you lay it flat on the table, it lifts outward creating a sizable opening, to make it easier for you to fish for your gloss or money or compact from inside.

I love it! He really puts a lot of thought into what women want and need when he designs. If only all men could be like this. Haha!

I leave you with my favorite purse that’s in the store right now.

Radio City Morgan Frame clutch, P26,999, Rafe New York, Greenbelt 5.

I’m not usually one for evening purses but I adore this one. I love the vintage feel of the purse and the subtle way the sequins flow from black to a light gray. It’s elegant and fun at the same time.

If you haven’t been yet, Rafe New York is at the ground floor of the first phase of Greenbelt 5. You can enter right by Banana Republic and just walk a bit down the hall to find it or you can take the door by Michael Kors and hang an immediate right.

Isha.

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The 10-Way Dress

Tuesday, October 14th, 2008

I was cleaning out my inbox when I found this photo. It looked so familiar because I actually saw this dress up close and personal at Almost Famous. (The store launch was last Friday. More on that later.)

Ten-way dress, P3000, BC Manila at Almost Famous.

I’m curious about the mechanics of this dress. It would be fun to road-test wouldn’t it? Now that the holidays are coming up (they’re already playing Christmas carols in the mall!), how useful would it be to have one dress for every party?

I wonder if it comes in other colors (black is so somber for the holidays). I also wonder if it comes with a set of instructions when you buy it.

It’s fun how more designers are flexing some creative muscle with multi-way this and reversible that. (I once heard of a 15-way bikini for sale at last year’s bazaars in Alabang. Hmm…)

Isha.

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Marni Mary Jane

Tuesday, October 14th, 2008

Saw this at Homme et Femme in Shangri-La Plaza the other day. Still thinking about it. They have it in black too. I’ve been hunting for a stand-out Mary Jane.

I’ll think a bit more.

Isha.

 

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Shop Saigon

Monday, September 29th, 2008

Writing this at the conclusion of a weekend trip to Saigon  with the girls. (There’s nothing like an all-girl shopping marathon.)

The mission was to by fabric for my cousin’s coming wedding. Her good friend Patty Morato-Roa will be designing the entourage dresses and we were given free-hand in choosing the colors, textures, etc. So we set off to Hai Ba Trung St., to comb through a block full of fabric shops.

Thank goodness we had a local with us to translate and set us straight with the price conversion. (Converting $ to VND is mind boggling.)

Cousin decided on plum and magenta with hints of rust as her color scheme.

Peg from www. verawang.com

We found the perfect colors in charmeuse and were able to buy in bulk on the spot.

Floral appliqué on violet tulle

In the next shop we came across the last 2 meters of tulle with a beautiful rust and purple flower appliqué. After much deliberation, and a couple of long-distance calls, we decided that it would be the perfect accent.

Three stores and three checks off the list.

Rows of embroidered, sequined, and hand-painted fabric

One shop had an array of the intricately embellished and embroidered tulle in all sorts of patterns and colors. Most were sold pre-cut (usually 2 meters), paired with satin fabric, for Au Dais (pronounced “ow yay”), the traditional Vietnamese dress. It costs about $40 to have one made and they can get it done in about 3 days if you’re willing to wait.

Embroidered white tulle

Considered using the white tulle in above photo for her wedding dress (it’s beautifully accented with gold threads). But it was vetoed by her wedding gown designer, Joey Samson, after we told him that the tulle of this particular one felt pretty stiff.

However, couldn’t very well leave without buying a piece or two (or in our case more) for future use.

Green sequined tulle with satin

Grey soft tulle with sequins and embroidered roses

There were scores of silks, chiffons, lace, linen and more. Between trying to pick out the best from a gazillion rows of fabric and trying to converse with the not-so-english-profficient sales staff, it was a major adventure.

At the end of it all, we managed to find everything we needed. Even found beautiful lacquer at Dong Khoi St. (usually not a good idea because it’s a main tourist street but the pieces at Saigon Crafts were quite unique).

Got lost and found a hole-in-the-wall shoe store with the coolest shoes. Bought 5 pairs, each! But that’s one find I’m keeping to myself. Teehee!

Isha.

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