Put On Your Denim Armor and Be a Peaceful Warrior – MAGGIE Will Save the World!

Studying Gender Studies did not turn me into a feminist, yet it does make me have faith in the power of women to change the world. When I first got to know about this Italian fashion denim brand Maggie at FashionCamp Milano 2011, I was exhilarated by its brand mission statement “women will save the world” that I found in line with my beliefs and values which shape the way I live my life in a way that I think will make me become an independent empowered woman. Maggie originated in Urbania, an area in Central Italy also known as the “Denim Valley” in the mid-1990s. To create a typical Maggie who is courageous, confident, conscious of her self-identity, unafraid to change ways and thoughts, and has high self esteem, Maggie has used super stretch denim, a strong and durable fabric combined with luxurious leather, viscose denim, high gloss black denim, etc. to design a smart urban chic collection offering a range of contemporary trendy pieces from perfect fit jeans and smart casual tops and jackets to urban chic trenches and denim jumpsuits, which exudes a daring and heroic quality of the tough modern women who struggle to overcome challenges in life every day.

Maggie Fall/Winter 2011 runway, featuring an urban chic, Maggie combined the modern cosmopolitan style with romantic feminine elements, giving birth to Maggie's signature image which has character and strong personalization, yet stylized with a sense of feminine grace. Women choose to wear Maggie to show off their attitude and create a statement that seems to say “hey look at us! Yes, we are women, and we are conscious of the power of femininity and not afraid of showing it and of displaying our sexiness. Let's dress ourselves up with Maggie and we are ready to conquer the world!” Isn't it cool? Are you one of them?




The Maggie booth at FashionCamp Milano 2011


Denim cell phone covers as promotional event giveaways, I've got one for myself.






This Cubic Lorena jacket with a shiny effect from the luxurious Extremely Maggie line is the perfect companion for any evening occasions.


This pair of leather coated denim jeans also belonged to Extremely Maggie line once worn by Lady Gaga in her concert tour.


My most favorite military trench coat “Renata” made of heavy 21 oz denim from Maggie Superior line allows women's persevering spirit to shine in their everyday lives.








Maggie held a contest in July to select a blogger who is being sponsored to travel around Europe for one year to explore and report stories about women saving the world. Maggie has been looking for its new Maggie all over the world, and Maggie(s) are just right there. Three remarkable women's effort and perseverance striving for the safety of women and for women's rights by non-violent means in their countries where women's social status is rather low have paid off. Africa's first female elected head of state, Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Leymah Gbowee, a Liberian peace activist, and Tawakul Karman, a leading figure in Yemen's pro-democracy movement jointly won the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize. It is absolutely the best example of women displaying courage and faith to change the status-quo. I cordially suggest Maggie to sponsor our three heroines to celebrate their fearless spirit and everlasting faith for women's rights to live in dignity and equality. What a marketing strategy! It can't ever get better than this. Think about it.


The 2011 Nobel Peace Prize Winners, Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Liberian Leymah Gbowee, and Tawakul Karman of Yemen. Photograph: Alex Wong/Getty, Frederick M Brown/Getty, Khaled Abdullah/Reuters

That's What the Dream Combination is Meant to be

At FashionCamp Milano 2011, I saw the dream combination of style and artistic creativity, which was Giulia Boccafogli's contemporary leather jewellery, Annapaola Rapacciuolo's exquisite miniature jewellery with a vintage flavour, and Chiara Salvioli's high quality, detail oriented fashion pieces being proudly shown off in one go. The three brilliant and enthusiastic designers from different parts of Italy got together in Milan to pursue their dreams of getting known to the world with their one-of-a-kind designs which illuminate with expertise, uniqueness, and craftsmanship. I have so http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifmuch respect for you guys!

Being an architect-turned-designer, Giulia has designed jewellery collections which fully reflect proportional beauty, strive for aesthetic and structural harmony, and play around with the use of materials. Her latest collection of exclusive leather jewellery showcased at the camp is called “Leaves.” Producing this signature flower leather necklace required a lot of hand quilting and collage techniques, which took a long time to complete according to the designer and therefore no two pieces are exactly the same. Customers do not only pay for the design which is uniquely theirs, but also for the designer's passion for perfection and handcraftsmanship.
Accessorizing Chiara's one-piece dress with Giula's flower leather necklace was the best way to manifest the gracefulness and tastefulness of European women.


I have got my necklace like this one as a gift from Giulia. It goes perfectly well with my white beaded tunic top. Thanks Giulia!




Le Chou Chou adorable miniature jewellery by Annapaola Rapacciuolo can absolutely capture every girl's heart. Inspired by Marcel Proust's Swann's Way, the designer named each item from the "La Petite" collection after the characters and places in the novel. The vintage teacup and cookies bracelet, the most darling whimsical little teacup ring and pendant, the classy teapot bracelet, and the heart shaped chocolate cake ring (yummmm!!!) all reminded of the good old days. How can you not feel the sweetness of wearing any of them?






Chiara's collection is classic, elegant and timeless featuring deluxe fabrics and refined details, and this style is most evident in the design of this printed silk lined jacket made of upholstery fabric. The multicolored printed silk lining and earth-toned furniture fabric used as the face fabric created the most distinct contrast possible in texture and color, which best represents the designer's thoughtfulness and sensitivity which bring creativity stimulation in the fashion world.


Having the chance of meeting face-to-face with the local Italian designers during this memorable fashion trip to Milan made me realize that what really won my applause and eternal respect for these three talented designers was the way they show their devotion and commitment to fashion. They are not in a hurry to quickly design and produce that they sacrifice quality for quantity as a result, nor do they ever go for the second best. Their creativity and originality overflow with abundance; they would only give their customers the best of their designs which are unique and extraordinarily special with typical Italian design flair. Trust me, you'll surely get addicted to the Italian designs like I do after reading this post.

Some Other Cute Goodies I Found@FashionCamp Milano 2011 for Hi-tech Fashion Geeks

Let's see what other cute goodies I found at FashionCamp Milano. Ninja Marketing has launched a Ninja edition collection of Big Bubble Bags – an entire line of innovative eco geek bags made from industrial recycled materials. They come in many different colours and sizes as well as different shapes. What is particularly exciting about the collection is that solar panels are sewn on the large sized bags, which enables the wearers to charge portable electronic devices in sunlight. The Big Bubble Bags are a smart and gorgeous creation from Italy. Eco-geek-chic never looks so good.



We all know that the sun is the most abundant renewable resource we have on the planet, if you are a typical hi-tech fashion geek like me never going out without your notebook, ipad and iphone, you shouldn't miss out on this convenient eco-friendly solar gear which looks cool and stylistic because it surely helps you catch up with the fast-paced world of fashion. The collection will soon be available for purchase online (info@ninjamarketing.it).


The huge fans of Japanese street style should know Ninja well. The team named themselves “Ninja” conveying the spirit of fighting for success.


How do I look?

FashionCamp Milano 2011 Part Four: Isabella Zocchi's Shoe Kingdom

On the second day of FashionCamp Milano, I discovered hidden treasures at the MAYLILY booth. The guest designer Isabella Zocchi approached me warm-heartedly yet professionally with her candy-coloured shoes along with a detailed explanation of her designs, from where she seeks inspiration to the materials used and the production process. Isabella, do you know that your beautiful smiles as bright as summer sunshine can become your signature, which would allow you to make an emotional connection with your customers, thus building brand loyalty? I always have problems buying shoes in Asia; it is due to either the quality issue or too much ordinary stuff not worth the money filling the market. After meeting Isabella at the camp, I know where to buy high-quality wearable footwear of exceptional style with exquisite details. Each pair of Isabella's shoes is handmade using the best quality vegetable tanned leather constructed by an Italian expert artisan. You will surely agree that Italian footwear and the finest Italian leather are a national treasure after reading this post. Are you ready to go on a treasure hunt?

Alice's Land – The Rich Garden Series: Isabella Zocchi Collezioni launched two lines, “Alice's Land” for the girls who are romantic, sweet and sexy and “Eva in the Desert” for the tasteful and stylish working women. Girls like pink. In the designer's own words: “I aim to wow my young customers with the attractive candy colours making them as excited as a little girl in a candy store.” On top of that, glossy patent leather is the main trend this season. I reckon this pair of pink grapefruit patent leather decollete shoes is a summer must-have.

Alice's Land – The Rich Garden Series: Acid green patent leather slingback high heels go perfect with a slinky and elegant skirt or casual capris.

Alice's Land – The Rich Garden Series: This pair of mandarin patent leather Mary Jane shoes is amazingly adorable and timeless.

Eva in the Desert – Maculato Series: Black patent leather Eva wedge pumps and stingray giraffe print inserts which are a luxury design feature suit for women of taste and style.

Isabella Zocchi the talented Italian couture fashion accessory designer

If you can't get enough of Isabella's designs, click to see the whole collection here http://collezioni.isabellazocchi.com/index.html. Handbags are also available in Isabella Zocchi Collezioni. Watch out! You will get obsessed like me.

Styling: Mari Land
Jewellery by Erica La Starza's MAYLILY

FashionCamp Milano 2011 Part Three: Evelyn La Starza the Vintage Queen for MAYLILY

When I first stepped into the camp venue, I was amazed at the variety of participating brands there was. I looked among them and chose which brand to visit first. My eyes fell on the MAYLILY booth which exuded an aura of romance and nostalgia. Since 2004, when MAYLILY handmade jewellery was founded, the gorgeous designer Evelyn La Starza has meticulously designed and handcrafted each jewellery piece with vintage lace, fabrics, antiqued brass chain, pearls, Swarovski crystals, etc. in Italy. If you love the vintage and retro style as much as I do, MAYLILY's “Vintage Lover” collection will be going straight to the top of your jewellery box wish list. I will show you Evelyn's stunning vintage designs in a bit. In addition to the romantic setting of the booth that caught my eye, having a chance of being photo shooted wearing the jewellery items which were well-matched with my clothes as advised by the stylist made me enjoy myself there. Modeling is something that I never ever thought I could do. Well, a nice try I reckon. What do you think?

Large Vintage Lucite Filigree: The signature round flower cutout earrings and fan shaped retro cut earrings with tiny Swarovski crystals made of Lucite the lightweight transparent plastic are available in an extensive colour palette—lime, olive, tangerine, lavender, saffron—you name it. The 1960s glamorous vintage style combined with a contemporary sensibility created unique pieces which can only be found at MAYLILY and nowhere else.

I've got my own pair of purple violet vintage filigree earrings from Evelyn which went perfectly well with my scarf in the same colour tone. Thanks Evelyn!

The “Vintage Lover” collection is full of highly interesting pieces. You can possibly trace the history of a certain item through vintage materials such as from the 1970s from which it was made. I especially like the antique brass cuff and the cream coloured “Sophie” bib necklace handmade with delicate vintage lace, fabrics and pearls. I truly felt privileged wearing them as each piece is individually handcrafted with vintage components, so that no two pieces are exactly the same. I felt like an elegant European lady of the last century while trying on these favourite exceptional pieces.


Flowers Fascinator: The beautiful one of a kind flowers fascinators made from satin roses, fabric flowers, Swarovski crystals and beads from the “La Vie En Rose” collection surely win the heart of any classy women who are fascinated by exquisite craftsmanship and luxurious quality.

The talented and beautiful designer Evelyn looked fabulous modeling her red flowers fascinator for the photo shoot with friends, Erica (right) and Sonia (left).


I had a model shot for the lilac “Colette” necklace made from antiqued brass chain, vintage lace, grosgrain ribbon and Swarovski crystals, and I absolutely love it.

Did these baby pink and white feathers fascinators remind you of the sensual style of 1920s cabaret costumes?

If you want to dress down at weekends, these printed fabrics bangles are a must-have for creating the casual chic street style.






When I first saw this “Madeleine” necklace at MAYLILY on the first day of FashionCamp Milano, I couldn't help but getting it. It's unique, classic and beautiful. What impressed me the most about it were the 1970s vintage lace and velvet and the vintage resin cameo which attracted people's eyes when I wore it to match my crochet knit dress.



MAYLILY is holding a contest on facebook till the 28th August. €200 cash voucher will be given to the model in his/her best shot receiving the most “likes.” Now show your support by clicking MAYLILY Contest@FashionCamp 2011 and start to vote! Oh, did I mention I'm a contestant?