THE EMPEROR 1688 FFWD3: BREATHING COUTURE IN MENSLINE

Another season, another style romance from Emperor 1688. One would yawn with ennui if they didn’t consistently deliver a spectacle. Designer brothers revivalist strengths were  highlighted in this season’s ode to subdued silhouettes in an English bespoke tailoring.

The Golkar’s brief  depicted the charms of tartan, wool , tweed and splash of other fabrics thrown together to create a modern interpretation of the new Emperor 1688.

Creating minimalist details like the leather belts felt like a natural process, avoiding lavish ensemble thus  creating  a collection that never went over the top.

The monadistic feel was unforgivable but the finish was impeccable. Gone were the varsity pink boys in short trouser last year that screamed “Loud”, here was the gorgeously flattering ensemble for men donning with an ascetic simplicity.

The double-breasted suit is back with an excitement and  once a staple in every man’s suite wardrobes, the double-breasted has become a rather elusive creation of such a sartorial splendor, only recognizable by the advocates of high-end menswear connoisseurs . The Emperor 1688 reintroduced the double-breasted suit  and had  been modernized , leaner  but just as masculine, powerful and elegant as before.

We saw military type of the jackets paired with six-bottons vest as well, in gray, navy blue and black. And the girls..yes, the Emperor Girls, unsurprisingly they complimented the over-all  look, urban girls who are not afraid to show some skin and enjoying their kind of evolution.

PHOTOGRAPHY: ELMER MAGALLANES JR.

 

 

 

 

 

Zareena S/S Fashion Forward3: The Czarina of High Couture

 Dubai, April 15, 2014

 

Celebrated Emirati fashion designer Zareena Yousef presented her Spring and Summer 2014 collection on the concluding day of Fashion Forward at Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai on Sunday (April 13). At the show, she impressed the participants with her latest line of 50 creations in different colours, patterns and materials.

 

Characterized with extreme elegance, overwhelming chicness and innovative simplicity, the new collection features an amazing mix of materials, patterns and colours.

 

For the first time, Zareena veered from her purely Oriental line to introduce a hautecouture-like collection that brings different civilizations together in a harmonious and attractive way.

 

On a trip to Lebanon, Zareena visited the Jeita Grotto -the longest cave in the Middle East- located near Beirut and was amazed at how nature would create what she calls one of the nature’s most creative features. The inspiration for the collection comes from nature’s ability to deliver beautiful scenery from random single creations when put together in a magical way.

 

Zareena’s main theme is abstract shapes and lines that become works of art when combined and placed on the designs in an artistic manner. Zareena’s sense of placement and choice of colours are marks of her brand that any enthusiast would recognize. Zareena does not like to confine herself to certain colours, therefore, within any of her collections you will see a wide range of daring colour combinations. The fabrics always have the sense of flow and femininity in them. She uses natural fabrics for her collections.

 

Following the theme, Zareena has three groups of designs within the collection, the whites, which portray nature’s beauty personified in flower formations, the abstract formations with its cornucopia of colours, and the gold, nature’s ultimate precious belonging.

 

The collection, which lends its flavour to the deceptively simple elegance concept, blends simplicity with enduring chicness and can be worn by ladies not only in high-end events but also for the special occasions.

 Zareena is well-known for her attention to small details. A lot of her designs shows a passion for chiffon, miniature flowers, golden lines and woven emblazonments that goes hand in hand with the apt and skilful works.

 

The collection includes long dresses, two-piece designs and lavishly ensemble sets, a group of distinguished overall designs, soirée dresses. Colours varied between orange, green, red, brown, gold and beige, etc.

 

Commenting on her participation in Dubai Fashion Forward, Zareena said: “It is a very important step for me, taking into consideration that Dubai Fashion Forward Week is an international fashion event and every designer seeks to spread his designs geographically as wide as possible.”

 

Describing the identity of her new collection Zareena added: “I tried to reach for women’s needs generally in terms of materials, cuts. I did not confine myself to the Eastern women only, the Oriental spirit can be felt, but the collection still appeals for women from a wide range of nationalities and tastes. We should always bear in mind that designers does not know beforehand what they want, it’s rather a process of innovation, inspiration and uniqueness, to which the designer should add her personal touch of imagination experience and professionalism.”

The “ICON COLLECTION” at Fashion Forward Season 3

Showcasing for the very first time at Fashion Forward (FFWD), ICONIC unveiled ‘THE ICON’ a capsule collection of key pieces that would very easily translate from catwalk to wardrobe. To celebrate this special collection, ICONIC hosted a Selfie party inspired by the worldwide phenomenon that is selfies and ‘THE ICON’ was launched in a unique fashion presentation. ICONIC was also the only high-street label that featured in the interesting line up for Day 1 at the FFWD.

 To set the mood and do justice to the theme, the venue had mirror like reflecting walls that formed the main stage. For the fashion presentation there were island like podiums that were set in three different locations with reflecting surfaces. The models strutted on the podium to a fabulous music mix which also saw a model break into an impromptu jig creating excitement.  The roaring party saw the guests taking selfies against the reflecting walls with #myiconicselfie which appeared live as they posted on special selfie screens that were set up at the venue.

 Inspired by the idea of being in love and expressing yourself as someone who defines beauty and loves to be the center of attention, ‘THE ICON’ is inspired by the latest catwalk trends from the Autumn Winter collections across the world and is a blend of the best styles for the season.

 

Speaking on the sidelines of the ICONIC Selfie Party, Raza Beig, CEO, Splash and Iconic said, “Fashion Forward is the best industry platform to launch a novel concept and hence we decided to showcase ‘The ICON’ to an audience of fashion industry enthusiasts and experts. To make the launch ‘Fashion Different’ a concept that Iconic embodies we hosted a Seflie party and in that a 10 minute fashion flash presentation was done to showcase the line. Staying true to our high-street price points with little variations, the pieces in our collection promise to cater to our audiences’ love for opulence and haute couture with textures and detailing significant to the coming season.”

 

For women glamorous pieces in fabrics like sexy velvets, glamorous organza, taffeta with a tasteful dash of embellishments will ensure you are the talk of the town. Cocoon shaped dresses in Lamé and scuba material, wide leg pants, structured skirts and asymmetric dresses will make an appearance in the collection.

 

For men the focus is on interesting separates created to add flamboyance and panache to their look. Expect to see velvet tuxedos, embellished sweatshirts, bomber jackets, joggers and duffle trench coats in an array of fabrics ranging from textured leather, neoprene, boiled wool and quilted fabrics. Digital sculpture prints with subtle embellishments will also be seen in some key pieces.

 

 

S/S ’14 SPLASH FASHION SHOW: putting ART in Street STYLE

Celebrating the concept of art is fashion, the recently concluded Splash Spring Summer’14 fashion show explored varied possibilities of art applied to garments, where each was seen as a blank canvas for free artistic expression. Titled ‘Art of Fashion’, the show featured this season’s newest works of art which will be seen hanging in all Splash stores across the Region. Held at Dubai Studio City, the show enthralled a 3000 strong audience of style-conscious aficionados from across the Region.

Tugging at the season’s trends Splash presented an inspiring and artful new collection that draws from the bold work of pop art to influences of tribal artistry to the structure of constructivism and the surrealism of prints. The posh, contemporary evening saw 45 international models sashay down the catwalk which was an industrial space created into an art gallery, offering a clean, minimalist and urban feel. The entire set used only three colours white, teal and grey while real colours were added by way of custom-made art installations and the runway collection.

Inspired by the season’s trends and the recently concluded catwalk extravaganza, Raza Beig,CEO, Splash & ICONIC, said,” At Splash we have always strived to work on unique concepts and sets and this season we got inspired by the fact that fashion is an art form and one that is very influential. A season that is all about structure and minimalistic fashion our runway was a mix of pop to abstract art to nuances of tribal art and surrealism as we presented a collection of high street must have.

“With an aim to maximize the reach of our shows and celebrate fashion on a larger scale, we live streamed our 3 shows on all our social media platforms along with other leading online platforms across the Region, where a million or more fans and consumers watched the show.” Raza added further.

As the 20 minute action on the ramp came to a halt, the art gallery setting of the show was instantly converted into the after party arena where guests danced into the wee hours of the night on the latest hits. The VIP show was attended by UAE’s crème de la crème where Raza Beig walked the red carpet for the finale along with Nisha Jagtiani, amidst a thunderous round of applause. Continuing with the lineup of the two consumer shows, fashion followers and Splash customers also got a taste of the season’s most awaited runway action across 2 shows earlier in the evening.

With the SS’14 blockbuster trends already at the top of every fashionistas shopping list, the Splash runway married themes beautifully with each other to offer high-voltage fashion. The show started with Popism, a trend that exhibits the surge of pop inspired fashion and is influenced heavily by the likes of Andy Warhol and Roy Litchenstien. Application of artwork to garments with a strong primary colour palette and bold geometric patterns this was one of the boldest collection so the runway. Next in line was Sketch Art where freedom of expression is key with sketching, paint splatter and scribble inspired prints forming the core. Just as art combines opposite textures on a canvas, the Splash collection included combinations like sheer with solid, shiny with matt and embellishments with strong clean modern lines, bringing a whole new dimension to clothing. Dominating the runway were trends like cubism and constructivism which are key for the season in terms of shape influences and introducing a clean minimalist fashion future.

The season promises to be print dominated with the most conversational prints and bold designs where photo-real surrealist collages are fashioned and applied to formal jackets, casual tees and sweaters. The mixture of abstract art and visually impactful brush strokes are applied to garments as if painted by hand offering a line-up of head turning pieces. Last but not the least is Tribalism, a popular theme that is reborn in a whole new form. Bold and bright ikat tribal designs with flashes of neon with a big emphasis on body conscious silhouettes are must haves. Not to be left behind are accessories with particularly artful designs like fruit adorning neck pieces, clutch bags with raffia fringing and oversized tassel decorations.

photography: ELMER MAGALLANES

BEHIND THE SCENES AT SPLASH S/S 2014: the ART OF FASHION

All things bright and beautiful seems to be the mantra this Spring/Summer 2014 SPLASH FASHION SHOW.Opting for quirky mismatched separates and eclectic accessories, it was the best street-style. It’s bold and adds the right amount of shine to your summer ensemble.

With the seasoned stalwart RAZA BEIG of the READY-TO-WEAR industry showcasing a fashion extravaganza with great anticipation, the show did not fail to impress, it was obviously a cut above the rest.
Here are some exciting high octane photos behing the scene.

 

 

 

 

FACE OFF : Furne One/Dolce & Gabbana 2014

FURNE ONE/DUBAI

DOLCE & GABBANA

DOLCE&GABBANA

ESSA’s Oh Sauvage Collection: Decoding a Brilliant Mind

STYLEMONGER

Reviewing the works of ESSA is like  reading poetry in 3D, full of  emotion and angst that translates  into his design palette, defying definition and stereotyping. His flamboyant collection  undeneath, are the clues about his brilliant madness..how he thinks  and  works.

Arrogant. Rebellious. Eccentric.

ESSA’S signature looks  surprisingly find their sources in his personal nuances, while the interpretation is seen more in his ability on  precise crafting, his inspiration stems from his style connect with his Indian roots’ diversity and his contemporary style chaos in Dubai. His label, was born  and was instantly sourced by high end stores like SAUCE*.

ESSA’s traditional and contemporary reference is inherent to its ethos. His inextricable link  of  sleek and structure define ESSA’s inherent sensibility. That, his art is beyond the physical. That its sensibilities in something more unreachable and inscrutable, the mystique of which is known only to him…

ESSA’s aesthetics come from his passion and his creative…

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STYLEMONGER’S BIRTHDAY @ARMANI

The world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, got my landmark birthday last March 11, 2011 at an exclusive hotel by designer Giorgio Armani.

ARMANI HOTEL

MAIN LOBBY

Living it up the Armani dream. The Italian couturier’s first foray into the world of luxury living, includes upscale design walls decorated with handmade Florentine leather, Japanese tatami on the floors and green Brazilian marble.

PRIVATE ROOM

MY FRIENDS

Fashionably chic, Armani’s luxury does not come cheap, the minimalist signature of the hotel offers exuberance not only on fabulous interiors but also on its haute cuisine. Ristorante- the most uber chic in gastronomic tradition of Tuscany culinary delights was our ultimate choice, very private and very exclusive intimate dinner at Enoteca, the Wine Room.

RISTORANTE-ARMANI

EZRA SANTOS

MICHAEL CINCO

BANDOIX FLORES

ALBERT ANDRADA

RENE SANTOS

BUTZ FUENTES

Our Menu:

Starter :Terrina di foie gras e datteri pere e riduzione di espresso

Main Course:Rena pescatrice informata, cannellini, spinacci e pancetta di maiale

Dessert:Tortino di choccolato caldo I pecan caramellati e sorbello alla pera

Champagne, Caviar and Fab FRIENDS on New Year 2011

Party du Jour

Bandoix Flores was the party organizer on our New Year’s soiree. His table arrangements were divinely exquisite….his canapes were to die for……. where everything is elegance personified!!!!

You see, aesthetic is a religion with him, giving every cracker a cut to perfection and topped with cheese, caviar and relish. Highly decorated and mouth watering, it was a temptation island. Grabbing a beautifully prepared white bread with finely chops vegetables and meat, someone howled at me like a cross between a live croc and hyena, catching me point blank when I was about to swallow the most “coveted sin-” cum – bad table manners before new year!!!!!! duh! and duh!!!!!!

BANDOIX FLORES
“Monger!..you can’t eat that yet!!!!! , the food must be prayed first! “screams Bandoix. “Oh my gowhsness!!but errr, excuse me your highness kitchen evil thing, who thinks “CHEF” of all mighty….I was just testing the flavourness of your “work of art”, errr, I mean what ever” I retorted desperately,”…..and c’est vouz plait, por favor, what will be the exact time to glorify this cute, sexy, desirable, delicious and lucious microscopic finger foods might be, before I devour????…. hmmp, I howled back.And by the way Mr. Flores, I am not only a stylemonger if you may, I am also a tasteMONGER…..LOL,!!!!! (translation: surely if your creation pales in comparison with the canape’s of the fab BURJ AL ARAB, or MAXIM’S in Paris, surely my wrath and spit-venom- criticism will surely make your day!!! truly yours, the Gastronomic Snob!!!)

….life is too short honey, but brutally beautiful too!

OF FURS, BLACK SUITS AND KILLER SHOES

The glossy evening was like stratosphoria ” SoMean-in- Black” descends from Paris, the Society Mavens and Collectors of Haute Couture compete to throw each other to the style pit.

Alas, many a party of THE REVILLAS is turning into a competitive arena. Keeping up with the Joneses, the Hiltons and the Kardashians as the case might be, can be mighty nightmare-inducing too…. like Judgment Day.

EZRA SANTOS
Poor host…. La Divine EZRA SANTOS, after rounds of white wines, dance and 7 inches GIUSEPPE ZANOTTI killer shoes wound up in the lounge…while the battlefronts up close and the rest of the HERMES brigade strutted like Chihuahauas on heat!

The most important ingredient for THE REVILLA SOIREE was not the food or the cool-quotient of the assembled guests, but the conversation. They have had enough of evenings where the sole purpose is to see-and-be-seen, perhaps show off a new ensemble of baubles or a freshly sculpted body and redefined, skillfully morphed face.

ALBERT ANDRADA WITH PARTNER RENE SANTOS
As for conversation?? well, there were “CONVERSATIONAL PIECES”…like host EZRA SANTOS wearing an all black jersey JEAN PAUL GAULTIER combo so demure in the front and so sleazy at the back!, complete with 7 inch killer shoes and surprise/surprise, a chic fur coat to end all fur coats!!!!…it’s Dynasty-Meets- SATC!!!!! FABULOUZZAH! ELEGANT! DIVINE…!!!!!!

The effervescent and impalpable MICHAEL CINCO and the forever STYLE HYSTERIA Bandoix Flores committed the first ever Fashion Paux Pas……!!!! wearing both GUCCI’s Winter 2011- a black trench coat. After much deliberations, they decided to wear them both….in a may-the-best-girl-win-competition!

MICHAEL pulled up some tinnie-winnie ensemble of neck fur, Louboutin shoes and signature POUT to attitude-ized his Parisian chic set. While Bandoix Flores opt for a black fedora hat- Dick Tracy-meets- wacky races boss Dick Dastardly.

And the rest of the gang opted for TALKING PIECES…like ALBERT ANDRADA in black suit and black boots, ditto with RENE SANTOS, JOSEPH CURIOSO, DEVONE VENDER, MICHAEL AMAZON AND THE REST.

It’s food for thought…a culinary fashion fair…..

Parties may wither the REVILLAS a bit, but it does not stop them jumping headlong into the party swirl. The BEEN- THERE-DONE THAT brigade those prone to Page 3 posturing night after night, don’t even mind sharing newsprint with those who have to pay for the ‘privilege’……THE GOOD LIFE!

One magical night: impeccably stylish friends, delicious cuisine and amazing fireworks at the best venue to watch the spectacular view of the BURJ KHALIFA…..WHO SEZ IT’S TOO LONELY AT THE TOP?
……..definitely not!!!!!!

The REVILLAS. The One …the ONLY.

Splashing a “Bieg Heart”-Meet RAZA BEIG, CEO

At the A/W Splash Fashion Show 2010 finale, everyone turns their heads to the man most eyes followed, as he appeared on stage during the curtain call, famous and well loved in the fashion industry, he produced the most eagerly awaited and the most expensive runway show ever in Dubai, in a single day, according to Bong Guerrero, event and party guru who was behind that fabulous show last October2010.

Meet Raza Beig…. CEO of Splash, Iconic and Landmark Group.

Hard working, and extremely driven, Raza Beig is one of the most successful CEOs, and currently considered the top young gun in Dubai’s business circuit. Disarmingly charming and extremely energetic, he combines the retail aesthetic training with entrepreneurial vigour and has travelled a long way –from the humble street of Al Wahda in Sharjah to high end stores in the Middle East, Egypt and Lebanon, Raza Beig’s success story is amazing, yet he makes no bones about it, remaining cool and humble.

A CEO with a big heart, Mister Beig, for the past fifteen years handles the company deeply personal and family oriented…he knows the market and gives consumers the utmost satisfaction, from the quality of the products and best prices, it’s “affordable fashion” with high end quality.

Splash and Iconic lead the high street fashion retailer in the Middle East, with international and in-house designed brands. From apparels for men, women and kids, accessories and lifestyle, the stores stamped its presence in trends and urban fashion.

PHOTO CREDIT: VANSHIKA MEHTA
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Vanshika-Mehta-Photography/130202170323841
In-house designed collections include favorites like Ms, Nexus, Retro, ZYNC, Scarlet and Friday-Kinyobi while Splash’s international portfolio comprises of international brands like Lee Cooper (European denim brand), Arrow (American Apparel brand), Bossini (Hong Kong based leisurewear brand), Kappa (Italian sports brand), Maui & Sons (Californian surf & lifestyle brand), UMM (Italian Music Inspired Brand) and Zodiac (the Business shirt & Tie brand) among others.

The Raza Beig’s Fashion Philosophy is well absorbed by his dynamic and creative team, giving them all the freedom to create the most advance, consumer friendly and highly fashionable designs for age no bar collections.

PHOTO CREDIT: VANSHIKA MEHTA
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Vanshika-Mehta-Photography/130202170323841
Raza Beig’s success story can be awesome to many, but clearly, it displayed leadership with great visions and strategies. He has the touch, the know- how and the qualities of being the boss… he is worth the awe!

The Spring/ Summer Collection 2011 will be on February next year and surely it will be grand and extraordinary….so RAZA….SO BEIG !!!!!!!!!