my LV slideshow

id est: if i really wanted a Birkin, i would've had one a long time ago. =)

2009: Year of the Baked Bean?

chuvaness just posted horoscopes for the Year of the Ox. mine doesn't look too good:

GOAT
Zodiac’s Nature:
Honest, sincere, creative, peaceful, artistic, playful and amorous. Good natured and generous, but sometimes can be undisciplined and irresponsible. Often feels gloomy and discontented, is also indecisive and at times too passive. Renowned for their grace and creativity and likes luxury.

With their fluctuating luck this year, Goats should be flexible to cope with sudden change. Basically, this will be a rough year for Goats. They will be surrounded by rumours and envy, so they have to be patient and keep a low profile. They should take this challenge as part of their life, i.e. be patient while in darkness waiting for the sun to come out. It is important that they should not put a finger in every pie; they need to concentrate and work with their whole mind and whole heart and strive continuously to make new progress at work. Goats may lose money because of spending, but it is important that they should not act as a guarantor for friends or relatives. In love affairs, Single Goats should be patient with their lovers. If not, they will end in separation. Married Goats should reach mutual understanding with their partner. Goats have to keep away from sharp objects and be cautious on the road. They have to control their diet as well and regulate their blood pressure and prevent stroke. Apart from this, they should not go to funerals and wakes.

yikes!

LV Men's Autumn/Winter 2009 Runway

for this collection, LV Menswear director Paul Helbers has taken cues from the exuberant LV Women's S/S 2009 look of a 1940's jeune fille Parisienne with an African twist. he describes the new collection as "the traveling wardrobe of an African king". Mr Helbers has a penchant for mixing disparate ideas: 50's Cocktail Party in the Moon or Hawaiian Victoriana for example, but not prone to literal interpretations. so instead of going for an outright ethnic look, he opted for a more paired back collection of wardrobe staples that amalgamated high tech and high luxe. a formula that seems to prove successful season after season. thus guaranteeing the Vuitton man wardrobe longevity.

but we all know that in a Louis Vuitton runway presentation, the clothes come secondary to the real stars of the show: the bags.

for Fall'09, we shall see a number of past collections revisited and reinterpreted. first up would be bags and luggages in the classic Monogram Canvas trimmed with black leather:




this unquestionably masculine combination was first seen on the F/W 2004 runway:




for F/W2009, they have also made a more special version in honeycomb matelassé:



which instantly reminds me of the "Rebonds" soccer balls they made back in 1999 in support of Unicef:





the hugely successful Damier Graphite Collection from F/W2008 makes a second appearance in the form of large briefcase-like holdalls:



which to me looks like a slight improvement of the Jørn.


probably the priciest and most desirable of all the bags seen on this runway would be these Monogram embossed leather bags in sombre black:

that Speedy - to me its a Speedy because the straps attaching the handles to the body do not go right around the bag like you see in a Keepall - looks set to be the runaway hit of the entire show. but this reversed (bumps instead of crevices) monogram effect first appeared in the women's Pre Fall 2007 Monogram Bronze Collection:

i was a bit sad that they didn't expand this line since i really like this leather effect. but now im glad it has reincarnated in black for the boys.

they have also included a couple of newbies. one is a line of what seems to be plain black whipcord material (similar to the black fabric used in some Taiga bags) with black matte calfskin trim:

quite minimalist and understated, which reminds me of Prada's signature nylon bags or pre-logomania Tom Ford for Gucci.

but the bags that will definitely polarize LV fans would be these:

looks like they're made from some microfibre material with leather trims. the blue and the burgundy are quite alright, but not too sure about the silver. i like the size, function and simplicity of the shape. im definitely intrigued.


and to finish it up, here are my top 3 personal picks:

a Monogram Canvas bag with black leather trim has always been a dream of mine to have. i really think the sharp contrast works for men especially. this computer bag seems just perfect for my current needs.

similar to the Damier Graphite Tadao (Feature Bag #18), these look like great unstructured totes that seem relatively lightweight and fuss-free.


but the one bag that stood out among all of them to me is this:

its the type of bag you either love or hate. but the feather print - which is quite unlike LV - really appeals to me. through the years i have included a few bags with atypically LV patterns such as the Ouvea (feature bag #3), Canwan (feature bag #19), toile chemise (feature bag #8), Vail Blanket (feature bag #6) and Monogramouflage (feature bag #15). these are the sort of items that do not make a comebck. a one-time only deal. which is what attracts me to the feathers as well. plus i love the surprise people get when they later realize the bag im carrying is a Vuitton.

Fall-Winter 2009 proves to be a VERY promising season. im genuinely excited. what's your pick?

images: Louis Vuitton, men.style.com, always in style.

red or dead: Kanye's kicks make its runway debut

the Louis Vuitton Autumn/Winter 2009 Menswear show has just concluded. among the star features was the official public outing of Kanye West's shoe designs for the luxury brand:

and here's a closer look:

the exaggerated flap at the back is designed to keep your trouser hem off the ground.

Mr West on the front row wearing a similar pair:

i think i prefer the white ones. but they all seem rather promising so far.



there will be a separate feature on the LV Men's F/W'09 runway show soon.


related entries: Kanye's kicks, in his footsteps.


source: LA Times

do i dare?

unless its all black or grey, i don't normally go for the matchy-matchy head-to-toe look. but i have this linen shirt in lime green i've been wanting to wear all summer. its pretty much an exact match to the green of the Graffiti Pareo. now about the thongs.... Havaianas are an Australian staple. people here practically wear them all year round. yes, even during winter - me included in a handful of occasions. this one in particular has a slightly similar print with bits of colour that coordinate as well.

today we're going to check out the Charles Darwin Exhibit on display at the National Museum of Australia here in Canberra. its a lovely summer's day with a "mild" 25*C. no rain forecast, so the chance of me getting struck by lightning wearing too much neon is minimal. =P

so do i dare? what the heck... YES!

my Monogram Graffiti Pareo

originally meant to be a wrap or a sarong, the Monogram Graffiti Pareo is fast becoming a very popular scarf instead. and i sure am going to wear it as a scarf. made of finely woven cotton, its actually very light and soft. it has the perfect weight for trans seasonal or temperate weather.

it has that same look as the very popular Leopard or Monogramouflage Stoles, but slightly shorter and less prone to snags. but at around 6ft long, there's enough material to wrap around my neck twice so it won't be purely ornamental during a sudden cold snap.

i like how the tag is also green to match. nice touch.

it is cotton so it will crease when in use. but if you hang it out for a while, the creases practically disappear. i don't see the need to iron this each time at all. nor would i even think of sending it to the cleaners. hand wash with cold water should suffice.

the street-inspired print primarily dictates a more casual attire:

strangely just a few months ago i bought a bunch of Lacoste polo shirts in the brightest, almost neon colours - which is uncharacteristic of me. back then i just felt like i needed that punch (or assault even) of colour into my wardrobe. now i know why. the one above is a very brilliant orange-red by the way. im sure you think i'll be a walking traffic hazard, but pairing them with a denim jacket and smart chinos will reign these colours in.

but the good thing i've discovered is that it also works pretty well neutrals or more sombre palettes like browns, greys and greens.

im amazed how it even works with different prints and patterns such as Prince of Wales check and florals. as long as they are within the warm earthy colour range.

it works for me anyway.

wouldn't it be wonderful if they made these in other colours like blue, black or white too? im very pleased with it and i highly recommend it to anyone who's interested.

so guys (you know who you are), go get yours quick before they run out.

The Stephen Sprouse Book (LV Edition)

this is the first major book to feature artist-designer Stephen Sprouse. written by brothers Roger and Mauricio Padilha, its is a exhaustive review of Sprouse's life and work. it chronicles his development as a street artist and fashion designer to his climactic and world-shaking collaboration with Louis Vuitton. that resulted with the iconoclastic Monogram Graffiti Collection which not only made the Sprouse name widely recognizable, but it also kick started Vuitton's (in)famous artistic collaborations.

this special edition are only sold in LV boutiques worldwide. besides the exclusive Louis Vuitton Graffiti sleeve, it also contains an additional section covering Sprouse's work and influence at Louis Vuitton:

among the photos are Sprouse's original sketch for the rose print first used the clothes of the Spring 2001 collection:



and a prototype Pochette Accessoires in blue graffiti:



as to why Marc didn't use this colour for the Tribute Collection stumps me.

this book is a definite must-have for any LV Collector, Sprouse fan, fashion or art junkie.

retail price: AU$100.

Trousses Voyage

i have been searching for the perfect pouch to use in some of my bags. the Tobago Shoe Bag in particular doesn't have any pockets so a pouch not only organizes the bits and pieces together, it protects the bag's lining as well from key scratches or pen marks. i've been considering various LV pochettes from the standard Monogram or Epi Pochette Accessoires to limited editions such as the Monogram Scuba Clutch (orange would've been a the perfect complement to the blue Tobago). then i found these:

called the Trousses Voyage, they are part of a collection desinged for travel. done in grey washable cotton, these small pouches comes as a set of two. the smaller pouch measures 8in x 6in, while the bigger one is 10in x 7in.

you might think they're rather plain to look at, but few really escape the LV Monogram:

another feature is the convenient mesh "window" for a quick view of the contents:

and the best part, they retail for AU$180 (US$130) only. quite affordable from Vuitton especially if you factor in their cost-per-use ratio. other models available are shoe bags and shirt envelopes. those are already on my shopping list.