What's with the fish fuss

Today's editorial of the Big Fish features five Greek fashion bloggers above the title "New media avenge themselves (but they do it in style)". Myself, The Soho Symposium, Life Full of Fashion, Battered Couture and Life in Athens were the sample chosen to represent the growing community of fashion bloggers that do not aim to judge or guide, but share and discuss.

An honour, no question, especially as it came so unexpectedly. Had never thought of what we so naturally do every morning as influential or world changing, but indeed, independent fashion blogging is a snap back to reality, a shout out to those that often forget that fashion is there to serve real people.

If this was your first dive into fashion blogging, hope you took a deep breath: the clicks are endless.

Sunday Fish

Thank you, Big Fish.
Interview by: Zoe Dimitriou
Photo by: Yorgos Yerardos
Hair & Make-up: Demi Stamatopoulou
Wearing: Mary Wants A Purple Dress

The 14th GGD, dedicated to fashion blogging

Last night, somewhere in Athens, the 14th GGD took place and it was dedicated to fashion blogging. Girl Geek Dinners is a Microsoft Innovation Center initiative, focusing on as well as encouraging women's involvement in the challenging online business environment. Here's the panel of fashion bloggers, giving a new, stylish meaning to the word 'geek':
From left to right, Margarita Gourgourini (superficial intelligence), Maria Papagrigoriou & Eleni Stasinopoulou (oh, so chic), Elena Pakou (Life Full of Fashion) and Haritini Krezou (The Soho Symposium). Each blog very different, yet all focusing on fashion through their own point of view, backgrounds and aspirations. What they do is definitely worth your clicks, even though the international audience will be able to make sense only of the last two.
Among the audience, fashion designer Dimitris Petrou, right above him snapping a photo Lopi (Fashion Architect), next to him in smashing lilac tights Christiana (Fashion Paths), then Thalia (Life in Athens) in the black t-shirt, then Xenia Kourtoglou, Managing Director of Focus Bari and openning speaker for this GGD and far right in red, Vicky Kolovou of Ermoumag.com.

(I couldn't help but noticing Hari's wonderfully matching suede shoes and Elena's (yet another!) statement necklace)
What stayed with me from this (well) worth attending evening was:

a) Men tend to use both technology and the internet more that women, though this gap is closing fast (Focus Bari Research). However, I am wondering -and regret not asking- if this is based on research involving the online gaming activity.

b) (Fashion) blogs are websites in their own right, they are in most cases daily updated, they have rich content and a growing, noticeable readership, they have URLs. They are not minor in any way just because owner, editor-in-chief and author are the same person. On the contrary, that makes them fast and flexible.

c) Fashion blogs are becoming the new favourite target for pr and advertising companies. And that is both good news and bad news for a medium that has been successful because of its independence. Let's say it's food for thought.

d) Dimitris Petrou will not be showing at any of the soon to follow fashion events, but is planning his own private catwalk. This blog likes Petrou's work a lot so dear all, I will elaborate in this piece of news on a different post later in March.

I don't mean to make this post too long so that's it for now, hope you all have a lovely weekend.

Dukas, s/s 10

As I was saying a couple of posts ago, I am in the mood for platforms these days. Happy to see that so is Dukas.
My point of view would certainly change on a pair of these.
By 13 centimetres to say the least.
(So up for it.)

Fashion Week Athens, the poster

The poster for FWA has just arrived too.
It's a button.

P for Spring

There are three P's I am looking forward to this Spring:
Prints, Platforms and a good Party to throw the last ones off my feet.

(dress: random, twistedly high platforms: Bertie)

And on this happy note, let me take a minute to thank dear Angie (FashionXpose) for passing on to me this lovely award the other day.
Utterly sweet, thank you!
I am meant to award some people too now, so here's five dolls I am currently into:
*Sugahspank
*Magpie Girl
*PinkGameGirl Rocks
*LifeInAthens
*FashionPaths

Fashion Week Athens Official Dates

The official dates for the next FWA are now set.

The (full) Press Release:
"Hellenic Fashion Week, Fashion Week Athens, Winter 10/11, from 25th to 28th March 2010, 'Technopolis' Athens, (Pireos 100, Gazi)".

None of the two major events (FWA and AXDW) have announced their schedules or line-ups yet. Awaiting...

Tell a Story time

Just three days before the 6th Tell-a-Story begins, its founder and organizer Anna Polydorou, fills us in.
(bag by Emma.nuella)
What's new this season at Tell-a-Story?
The new collections of designers that we have got to know through this exhibition, like Vlieger & Vandam, Daniela Pais, Akira Mushi, Alexia Kirmitsi, KRV KURVA, Emma.nuella, ne_ne by Marina Nicolaides (she won first prize at last Cyprus Fashion Week) but also of well known Greek designers like Grace Atelier De Luxe, Meet the Cat, Matalou @ home and Euangelia, whose continuous presence at the exhibition strengthens its style and particular character. Latest additions, the leather bags designer Ippolito, the jewellery designer Kores and accessories designer Strigles.
(womenswear by Akira Mushi)
In which ways is TaS different to other fashion events?
It is an event that supports the work of indepentent designers with limited edition collections, particulat yet easy to wear. Through the minimal and direct presentation, Tell a Story focuses exclusively on the work of each designer.
(bags by Ippolito)
Which is ideally the goal for this 6th Tell a Story?
This season Tell a Story becomes a showroom. It will take place on the second floor of Myga multispace and it will be exclusively targeted to buyers, journalists and people directly interested in the field of fashion and design. It focuses on the real goal of the exhibition which is presenting and showcasing the work of designers to the Greek buyers.
(womenswear by Alexia Kirmitsi)
How does Tell a Story perceive the place of Greek fashion next to foreign designers?
I believe that each country has its own design force to show. Greece is not a minor in that sense. It really lacks though the financial support which is inexistent. Considering the fact that in Cyprus, Germany, Denmark, Portugal and other European countries theres are programs promoting designers work by financing up to 75% of the participation costs in international exhibitions, thus supporting their presence and exports, then you realise how much talent goes to waste before it even has a chance to make a beginning.
(necklace by Meet the Cat)
Why the lack of days open to the public this time?
As already said, this season Tell a Story becomes a showroom. The fact that is 'climbing' on a floor and at a quite restricted space would make it too difficult to satisfy both the public and the buyers. So we had to draw a line... That is why the exhibition dates just be Saturday, Sunday and Monday. As for the public, they can keep up to date though http://tellastorytradeshow.blogspot.com/, through our facebook page as well as the personal website of each designer.

(Tell-a-Story will take place on Saturday, 27/2 from 11:00 to 18:30, Sunday, 28/2 & Monday, 1/3 from 11:00 to 21:00, at MYGA, Aisopou & Mikonos 13, Psurri, Athens)

The One T-Shirt project, s/s 10

Fun and fresh Spring tees, no?
But it is actually much more than that. One T-Shirt is a project of communication through fashion. These prints stand for poetic and politcal affirmation. The project was named after the limited numbers of its models but also because the range aims to make personal statements.

The theme of this first collection is the historic and current battle between war and peace. All prints explore motives of war, identified by an aesthetic object: technical drawings of the elements of dissected weapons, written instructions on how to assemble or use arms, etc. set against an opposing romantic motive: illustrations of flowers, birds or insects.

Interestingly, the project is signed by Carlo Ninchi and Vittorio Locatelli (LO STUDIO, Milan), a duo involved in different artistic backgrounds, from architecture and design to photography, global workshops for image, design and research.

The website www.onetshirt.eu features models trying the tees on video and is an active space that continually evolves.

*in Greece, One T-Shirt will be available exclusively at Tsantilis stores.

Where was your shoe made in?

By now you already know that I am very interested in the made in tags of my clothes and what each purchase means because of that, besides looking good. I admit I was never too picky on this matter with shoes, mainly because when it comes to that, there is only one rule: they have to make my feet happy. Yesterday though, I was choosing a pair of shoes for a very particular shoot and all of a sudden I became very curious on where my final selection was made in:

Topshop

MARNI

Sante

I was (happily) surprised:
a) My affordable Topshop shoes were made in Italy, the queen of shoe makers in my opinion - no wonder they are so comfy and have survived my lifestyle for the last 4 years.
b) MARNI produces locally. You know I support that. (remember this?)
c) Sante produces locally too, in Greece! I thought shoe making had become extinct on this side of the world.

For some reason, now I like them all a bit more.
Do you know where your shoes were made in?

Dassios s/s 10 & boutique opening

It would be quite precise to say that his handbags and vests are the jewels of (Greek) fashion. Dimitris Dassios' work is marked by luxury materials and precious stones in the most eye-catching ethnic art-y executions. This is a sample of his Spring-Summer '10 collection, only days before the opening of his very own boutique in the heart of Athens.

It is scheduled for February the 23rd at 20.30 and the event will include the presentation of his a/w 10 collection, titled 'November'. It will then travel to Milan and Paris to be exhibited at White Show and TRANOI Femme as part of the respective fashion weeks. In the meantime, the boutique is located at 7 Xanthou str., Kolonaki - should you wish to indulge.

Construction site fashion

The title was a joke between me and friend who shot these photos in Milan the other day. How true though, in that city, even construction sites have to somehow be "dressed" in style. And why not? They are going to sit there all covered in scaffolding, disturbing our view for quite a while. On the other hand, it shouldn't be too hard for advertisers to capture the audience with such a loud antithesis.
Pretty or tricky, here it is:

Angelos Bratis s/s 10 shoot

Angelos Bratis is in for a reflection game this Spring. The designer chose to show the world his new collection through mirrored images and took the time to fill us in on the basics.

photos JOHN MITROPOULOS
styling SOFIA TSAKIRI
hair MICHAEL TZIVITZIDES
make up GEORGE HATZIIOANNIDES

1. What is the theme of your Spring collection?
The theme of this collection is a kaleidoscopic game of geometric shapes in electric colours. It resulted from my need to work on an optimistic base.

2. What's going to be the characteristic of this season?
The element that will mark the Summer season (always should) is the sense of freedom.

3. Have you scheduled your next show? Will you be participating in one of the forthcoming fashion weeks?
Our next show in the sense of an exhibition (showroom) is scheduled for the days between 4-7 March, in Paris.

4. Where can we look for your clothes?
At our atelier, located at 24 Mpousiou str. in Athens (Katehaki metro station). To book an appointment, please contact +30 210 6982536.

MWAPD s/s 10 preview

I'm excited. This is a preview of Mary Wants A Purple Dress s/s 10 collection, making it's first ever public appearance through this blog. Dimitris Kaidantzis, the designer who is MWAPD, is already a personal favourite for his toned down avant-garde shapes and immaculate fits.

Apart from the two exclusive shots from his look-book, I have another reason to be impatient for his collection. It's called "Milkofil". It's the white fabric pictured above, consisting of milk proteins (!). The designer chose this high-tech, new age material as the basis of his collection.

I was told it feels like powder upon touch, it's friendly for the skin as well as the environment and has undergone no chemical processing, thus the pure white colour it only comes in. Can't wait to touch it!

Saying that, latest addition to MWAPD selling points:
21 The Fashion Market in Kifisia, Athens.