Hongdae

Hongdae is actually a clubbing district in Seoul but there are lots of tiny shops and street stands. Hongdae offers such a unique vibe - there are hardly people over thirty and the area is full of young musicians running around with their guitars. I became so fond of this place..and yes, it is a hello kitty coffee shop ^^

When there's snow on the ground, I like to pretend I'm walking on clouds

earstuds - idae (seoul, south korea), necklace - vintage, scarf - no name

shirt - dongdaemun (seoul), blazer - gift, jeans - tally weijl

A cup of coffee when it's minus 10 degrees outside = ♥

boots - express bus terminal, subway shopping (seoul)

My favorite shoes at the moment.

This nude blazer was a xmas gift. I love it!

So these are my latest purchases. I still couldn't lay eyes on the perfect winter coat though, but I'm pretty sure that I will find one at the Dongdaemun Night Market. Thanks to a friend I got to know the night market, which is well-stocked with shopping malls and keenly shoppers rummaging for the ideal piece. And the best thing about this market: the malls and shops are open till six in the morning! If you want to see stylish retailers and crazy shoppers DDM Night Market is the place to be!

♥

Charles Vögele Fashion Days Zurich: Closing Night Missoni F/W 2010

The last day of the fashion days wasn’t all that exciting: two fashion shows with a music act in the end whom I didn’t even know before. As I don’t write about stuff I didn’t like (mildly put) on the blog, let’s just move on to Missoni’s Fall/Winter 2010 collection.

Missoni F/W 10

The models walked in to a music which was really up-beat and just made me happy. They kind of looked like tribal warriors with adorned necks and dark lips, wrapped in big slouchy coats. Of course the patchwork knit dresses, cropped tops and pinned skirts where also part of the collection with interesting zipper details. You can watch the entire collection in this video.

Missoni F/W 10

Missoni F/W 10

Missoni F/W 10

Missoni F/W 10

Afterwards I also stopped by at the Kostume No 3 fashion show, which got so much bigger since their first a year ago (see the post of Kostume No 1). I suppose there’ll be pictures of it on Fashion Bits and Bobs soon!

I definitely got my need for fashion satisfied for some time and look forward to doing things which don’t have anything to do with this surreal world. Having said this, I wish you a wonderful Sunday. I’m going to spend mine studying and baking cookies. ^^

Istanbul Fashion Week: Day 5 Özlem Süer

Özlem Süer’s show was held at a beautiful location in the early evening that suited very much the collection we were presented. On the Maiden’s Tower, which is located in the Marmara Sea between Europe and Asia, a very decadent atmosphere awaited us.

Before the catwalk show we had a chance to see all the models together, who wore creations that would have pleased Marie Antoinette very much. But not just her, even I, who normallywouldn’t be attracted to such girly attire and rococo inspired setting, was mesmerized by the sight of them!

I'm sure this dress would have enchanted my soon-to-be-bride friend Leyla as well!

Istanbul Fashion Week: Day 4 Bahar Korcan

Listen

I took a step without knowing the name
Can’t see.
Broken lenses got mixed with the sand
Too much light, too little existence
Stop!
Turn to yourself
Open your soul to the universe
Listen!
Listen to every speck around you, every soul on a leaving journey
Close your eyes, listen!
Listen to the air
Listen to the soil
Listen to the time
Listen to the game
Discover the end

I rarely get a seat that good so I tried to take as many pictures as I could focusing on details. Bahar Korcan's show was quite different to the ones I attended so far beacuse it also involved a light show and a performance by the rapper Fuat.

I don't see myself as qualified enough to make profound statements about fashion and it's deeper meaning so you take from it whatever you want to. A couple of days earlier though I attended a panel at which the designer herself said that she had a rather critical approach to fast fashion and consumerism and wanted to remind people to slow down, "turn to themselves"and only surround themselves with things they really love as opposed to being insatiable. Even if I didn't like the creations that much (the details were intriguing though) I liked the theatrical touch of this show.

Jewelry shopping in Istanbul

I often get asked where I buy jewelry in Istanbul, mostly by people who are soon about to make a trip there and want some information about it. Well first of all, I'm not a local and my taste might not be yours but when I'm here I tend to look for "exotic" pieces, be it rings, necklaces or whatever.

The variety here is truly amazing: you can find everything ranging from historic Ottoman designs to traditional yellow gold, diamonds or other precious stones to contemporary pieces in silver. For a quick jewelry fix I mostly reach out to silver or gold-pleated ones but to be honest, mostly mine are just metal. If you take them off when washing your hands and don't spray perfume on your necklace you can keep them for quite some time.

So where should you go? The one place with the largest variety is probably the Grand Bazaar, which by the way is the world’s oldest shopping mall, having been established in 1453. Since it's a touristic hot-spot the prices are higher than somewhere else. The bazaar is so large that you probably won't be able to enter every street of it but once you get out of it the street east of the bazaar on the way to Sultanahmet is also lined with jewelry shops.

The Egyptian (Spice) Market also has several jewelry stores but I mostly buy mine in the streets surrounding the Spice market. But be aware that there are also many stores who only do wholesale. If all that fails, you probably end up at one time or other on Beyoglu's Istiklal street anyway so you might as well shop there...

Istanbul Fashion Week: Day 2

Bora Aksu S/S 2011

On the second day I only attended two shows, the first one being Atil Kutoglu and the second Bora Aksu.

London-based Turkish designer Bora Aksu has been part of the official schedule of London Fashion Feek since 2004 but this was his first catwalk show in Istanbul. The inspiration for his collection comes from Istanbul and its light, as the designer explains himself: "For me one of the best parts of Istanbul is the light that changes every single hour..." Consecuently the fabrics and colors chosen were also inspired by it: pastel colors that are divided by strong color blocks that create a strong contrast on light-reflecting materials like silk tulle, organza or brocade.

As much as I enjoyed the two shows I've been to today, I have a feeling that what I experience outside the shows is so much more fun than waiting in lines to get into the venue, for instance. Today I met Pelayo amongst others and had a really good time!

A little note for my sister :)

I love buying rings in Istanbul, this one is my newest.

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Istanbul Modern revisited: Dice Kayek Istanbul Contrast exhibition opening

Before visiting the newest exhibition at the Istanbul Modern by Dice Kayek called "Istanbul Contrast" I couldn't help but take another look at Hussein Chalayan's exhibition. Since it was the opening of a new exhibition, this time around I snapped some pictures.

This picture isn't a part of any of the exhibitions I talked about so far but the bookworm I am was totally in awe walking under those books hanging from the ceiling... But let's move on to what's really new at Istanbul Modern:

In the exhibition "Istanbul Contrast" Dice Kayek interprets the different and sometimes contradicting faces of the glorious history of Istanbul, one of the most beautiful blends of past and present. There are 26 designs under 12 different themes, each symbolizing a different vision of Istanbul.

Dove

"Doves are among the oldest residents of this city - free, serene, peaceful... They talk in a language of their own, live in a world of their own, beyond and above the hustle and bustle of the crowds. Birds coo and strut around the plazas. Some of us walk past them without paying any heed to their beauty while some others stop to talk to them in the language of doves.."

Dome

"The sunlight that reflects from Istanbul's myriad domes gets into your eyes sometimes. You stop and stare at the city, a serene smile etching itself onto your face. As chaotic and complicated is the urban landscape, the domes are always calm and peaceful."

Topkapi

"The residence of Ottoman Sultans for 400 years, a palace of splendor, glory, beauty and never-ending stories. Its home to magnificent tiles, courtyards, gates, gardens and gems... and secrets still waiting to be discovered."

Istanbul by Night

"Under the dark liquid sky while one Istanbul is fast asleep, the other Istanbul is fully awake. That is why they say this is a city that never sleeps. The cab drivers working night shifts know the many faces of Istanbul by night - it's colors, melodic contours, vigorous rhythm and strong will..."

Istanbul Flowers

"No one knows about love like the flowers of Istanbul... Since time immemorial they are the silent witnesses of our stories of love and longing. They are life-long companions in celebrations, greetings, joy and friendship. And among all the flowers that are dear to us Istanbulites, it is the tulip that this city loves most and we believe, tulips love this city too..."

Exhibition duration:
August 26 - September 19 2010