Collection 17

I always get an invite to the Barbara Í Gongini shows, and I always regretfully cannot attend. Thanks to MUUSE though, I discovered that I can at least pretend I was there by watching a (shortened) video of the S/S 13 show at Copenhagen Fashion Week last Friday. I also discovered that Barbara is a red head! Who knew? Anyway, the lemon-yellow, grey, and black pallette remind me of the Marie Saint Pierre boutique, so I'm happier than a clam right now (particularly with the outfits at 2:35 and 2:51).

BÍG is definitely my favorite high-end basics label, and I've been agonizing over what piece I should put on my credit card to celebrate my scholarship (particularly as I missed that sale and have a budget). Any suggestions?

Frequently re-orient the disoriented.

1) I noticed the first time I saw kOs on an iPad that this blog is not optimized for mobile devices. And as, according to Google Analytics, the large number of you access this blog via mobile devices, that needs to be remedied. I looked up various tips on how to prepare a site for an iPad specifically, but without one to play around on, I can't really put those to use just yet. However, I found out that Blogger has an option to have a mobile version of each post, and likely some of you have noticed that I turned this on a couple days ago. Even though this option negates all the photo sizing and specific formatting I do, and just plain doesn't look as pretty as I'd like, it at least lets you see entire photos (albeit very small versions), and makes the text easier to read (if you're into reading words) without doing the two-fingered zooming thing. Please let me know what you think. And, though mobile users likely know this already, please take note that, at the bottom of each mobile version post, you can switch back to the desktop version. At least I can on my man's iPhone.

2) This week has been entirely bizarre. First of all, it was -40 at some point every day, meaning it was 40-50 degrees colder than last week. Starting today, however, it's going back up to nearly spring-like conditions. I'm telling you, the bunnies are thoroughly confused. Secondly, in a previous life, I would've called in sick to avoid walking through such cold to my place of employment; in this life, I simply put my layering skills to use. Thirdly, my man had a surgery consult on Monday, and knee surgery yesterday. Most people have to wait a year or more to have surgery, not to mention having to pay for said surgery. There are problems with the Canadian health system, but this week my house is not aware of them.

3) This collection by Central Saint Martins grad Minky Ha is based on capitalism. That's quite a loaded statement, if you think about it. Read more about it here.

(Photos via MUUSE.com, post title via Grey Nuns Community Hospital's tips to prevent falls, as posted in Unit 44)

MUUSE

This morning I stumbled upon an interesting website called MUUSE which features a fantastic selection of new fashion grads from various schools around the world, and which allows these emerging designers to sell their designs. I know, not a new idea, as NJAL and ARCADEMI both do that. MUUSE also does a similar thing to FashionStake, where a piece needs a certain amount of votes before it's put into production and available for ordering. Such a design might not even exist as a sample before it gets the go ahead from MUUSE's visitors and potential customers, and may only be a conceptual drawing until that point. However, the thing MUUSE does that is different and, I must admit, a wee bit perplexing is that MUUSE employs their own duo of tailors to both sew and ship (in/from their studio in Copenhagen) every piece that is ordered, meaning that the designer's involvement stops at the design. It may just be that I'm too used to my favorite designers on Etsy who design/market/sew/ship/everything their own designs. And I know that a lot of designers don't have the time or money (and sometimes don't have all the required skills) to be involved in the production aspect of their work. But I can't help but think that it's a bit weird to have the same two tailors recreate (with permission) the works of dozens of different designers, especially when it's not a mass production/sweatshop situation. And, having said that, I have no idea how the fashion world works outside of Etsyland. Thoughts?

Anyway, these are a couple of my favorite pieces that have received enough votes to be available to purchase from MUUSE. The above is a waxed cotton origami coat by London College of Fashion grad Holly Somers. I could see myself wearing this nearly every day (especially since I never got a hold of that blazer by kOs favorite Dori Tomcsanyi). And the below is a wool jacket by Antwerp Fashion Academy grad Nathalie Fordeyn. I quite like the idea of the collection, entitled 'Puppets', though the person-on-a-string look may mean I wouldn't get a lot of wear out of it. Though maybe it would be perfect for the winter, as it definitely has some room for a nice thick scarf in there. Hmm...