Some favourite stories

We're starting on February's resort issue but I thought I'd start the year looking back today as it ended on such a high note. Here's a recap of some of the best images published in 2010.

Birthday Cards

I thought I'd share my fashion collage I received from Samm Jordan for my birthday. We often look at the collections, and talk about the collections and sometimes we take inspiration from the collections.

Even though Burberry is not a sustainable company I still enjoy the craftsmanship that goes into the pieces and remain hopeful that they will use more naturally processed fabrics in the future. All in all if you do purchase from Burberry the quality will last a lifetime making it some what sustainable.

Vivienne Tam

In these past weeks of worldwide fashion shows technology giant HP (Hewlett Packard) and fashion designer Vivienne Tam unleashed the first in designer computer notebooks. Tam’s a digital clutch notebook is gleaming red and bursting with pink and purple peony flowers.

Tam hopes that her design would convey calmness and tranquility. She also included an embroidered sleeve with the clutch notebook to help keep the exterior protected.
Adding to the mood, the enter key on the digital clutch notebook includes the Chinese symbol for double happiness.

Tam explains that she chose the peony design because they are the most beautiful flowers and have many layers of unfolding blossoms — much like the layers of a busy woman's life. This design combination with a technology company promotes reliability and multi-tasking for a busy woman’s life, but still upholds the importance of femininity and beauty in a small, compact and lightweight device.

This notebook will be incorporated into Tam’s spring 2009 line of clothes, as well as the invitations to her show and a new notebook carrying case she'll be selling in her stores. Will more combinations in fashion technology be seen in the future? You bet.

Collaborations I would like to see: BlackBerry, Apple. A line of laptop bags.

text: Vanessa Voltolina

Haya Al Houti

Kuwaiti fashion designer Haya Al Houti made her debut in the U.S. in February 2007 at New York City's Couture Fashion Week, and returned again for the 2008 Couture show.

A prominent designer in her native country, Ms. Al Houti has become recognized for her beautiful bridal and evening gowns, with clientele including an array of Saudi Arabian and Qatarian princesses, as well as prestigious dignitaries, socialites and VIPs throughout the Middle East. She utilizes fine satins, silks, taffeta, chiffon, organza, tulle and lace with rich beading and jeweled embellishments.

Houti says her inspiration comes from the ocean, as her homeland, Kuwait, is bordered on the east by the Persian gulf. While inspired by the ocean, her designs aren't a typical navy and white, nautical theme, but colors, textures, and geometry/structure from underwater creatures such as seahorses, corals and fish.




Her most known wedding dress, resembling the structure of an octopus, is a blatant example of her sea-focused designs, and has received mixed reviews.

Collaborations I would like to see: Hermes, Vera Wang

text: Vanessa Voltolina

Zoran Dobric

Serbian born designer Zoran Dobric has been steadily coming into his own with his self named label. Residing in Toronto where his designs have been slow to understand, his work has been published in online magazines such as Noovo, Flip-Zone and New York Moves magazine.


Director Floria Sigismondi who has worked with David Bowie and Bjork has been a loyal client. Celebrities he would like to dress are; Tilda Swinton, Isabelle Hubert, Beth Gibbons from Portishead.


A designer with his roots firmly planted in art, he creates his own prints through his hand painted signature style inspired by the renaissance and tudor periods. There is a powerful dark, whimsy that almost always remains.

Collaborations I would like to see: Missoni, Prada, Comme des Garcons

Ailanto

Twin brothers Iñaki and Aitor Muñoz graduated from the Fine Arts at the University of Barcelona UB and started the Barcelona-based fashion company, Ailanto, in 1992.

Similar to Barcelona's bold, fun climate, Ailanto clothing uses bright color combinations and geometric forms, creating clothes that are retro and chic. The brothers have actually said that designing in purely black and white is a challenge for them.

Their distinctive designs, likened to '70s throwbacks with Studio 54-appeal, are complimented with the use of natural materials, making this label recognizable worldwide. Recently, Ailanto fashion was part of the runway show on Super Modelo 2008.

text:Vanessa Voltolina

Collaborations I would like to see: Coach, Hermes