Head candy this season...

Couture Hats new collection for SS14. 

What a better way to get a head start on making heads turn with a unique head piece this party season!

Animal Beret

Drbunsun

Drop dead Johjos x

We definitely welcome the new fusion accessories range brought by Johjos, created from wax cotton and inspired by the vibrant African continent.

                                         Pyrrha Clutch

   Neptune Wrist Pouch

New brand added to artistspringboard’s shop. We love it!

African Fashion Show in Hong Kong: All Are Equal; All Are Welcome!

The fact that big name editors, top international bloggers and celebs are so proud of sitting in the front row of the “Big Four" fashion-week shows indicates that the whole idea of fashion, by its nature, is hierarchical, which means only the elite fashion circle is entitled to enjoy the privilege of watching the glamorous world of high-end fashion on stage at a close distance. Exuding the democratic and harmonious spirit of traditional African culture, the African fashion night co-hosted by Amina Lamarre, the French-African businesswoman turned amateur fashion designer and the French jewelry designer Virginie Villa was like a breath of fresh air among the status oriented fashion occasions. The event taking place in Amina's Makumba Africa Lounge, the first authentic African bar in Hong Kong (she has been running Makumba since I first met her a few years ago in Hong Kong) was open to all, regardless of social background or status, title, occupation or age. While waiting for the show to start, the guests could feel free to enjoy moving their hips to the passionate African live music while sipping a drink.

  

Not a big fan of dancing? The venue was lavishly decorated with brightly colored African handcrafted works. The guests could leisurely browse the beautiful displays of African fabrics, wood and other colorful handmade works and kept themselves in a delightful mood for the show.

 

More guests flocked to the bar fifteen minutes before the show started. After a short while the music stopped and the MC came onto the stage to announce the start of the show with a speech in praise of the designers' creativity and the beauty of the models. Wows could be heard as each model came out in her stunning look. The models did not grace a typical runway; they catwalked through the audiences showing warm smiles and friendly gestures and welcoming close-up snapshots by the crowd. The African fashion show was all about everyone, no matter who they are enjoying and participating in a fun and fabulously chic party on an equal basis. So who cares about Anna Wintour?

 

To read the full article "African Fashion Show in Hong Kong: All Are Equal; All Are Welcome!" please click on La Mode by GV Miao - an Oriental Perspective.

Heidi Mottram’s clutch bag

Nicola Stapleton spotted on the red carpet with Heidi Mottram’s clutch bag!

Heidi Mottram's bags are available in artistspringboard's shop

Let's Talk About Love: Tif & Tiffy Valentine's Day DIY Blogger Event Celebrates the Spirit of True Love

I found this quote widely shared on Facebook around Valentine's Day which inspires us to reconsider the meaning of Valentine's Day:

Valentine's Day is not just for couples,

it's about love to share;

so think about the people you love,

and let them know you care.

On this year's Valentine's Day, I spent the sweetest moment ever with another 29 bloggers and friends invited to Tif & Tiffy Valentine's Day DIY Workshop where we used our creativity and aesthetic sense to DIY with love a winter accessory chosen for our beloved friends and families (or ourselves). Launched in 2007, Tif & Tiffy is a local brand specializing in high quality knits and furs, first starting with the European retail market and now expanding its business back home in Hong Kong and China.

Fall/Winter 2012 collection

Tif & Tiffy is the brainchild of Ms. Kitty Poon who shared the story behind the brand inspired by her close relationship with her two daughters, Stephanie and Tiffany after whom the brand was named.

Derived from the loving mother-daughter relationship, the brand's core philosophy is to embrace and celebrate the tasteful life which is built on a foundation of love and of healthy human relationships.

 

Tif & Tiffy X Keenable Crossover Tote Bag: Tif & Tiffy shows love, compassion and support for the disadvantaged people by collaborating with charitable organizations such as Keenable Creation, a non-profit social enterprise with a mission to promote the disabled artists in Hong Kong and sell their artistic creations, and explore opportunities for them to expand their creative talents to the full by which their quality of life can be enhanced through participation in art and design to convey humanist values that everyone, whether they have a disability or not should be equally entitled to the freedom to create and enjoy their own life full of love and happiness.

We were as excited as kids in a candy store when we saw tons and tons of beautiful colored DIY materials – glass beads, crystal rhinestones, fabric buttons, brooches, you name it placed before us for our selection.

Considering that I spend much time per year in Europe with my beloved partner, I chose to DIY this adorable pair of knitted ear muffs to keep our ears warm in the winter months while my friend, Caroline picked these stylish purple striped gloves.

 

After almost an hour of “hard work,” ta-da! ladies and gentlemen, my debut DIY ear muffs were finished! I glamorized the headband with matching colored crystal beads and rhinestones of different shapes and decorated the right side of the muff with a super cute butterfly brooch. How do you like them? My friend in the US offered to buy them. What a nice surprise!

 

It was totally out of my expectation that Kitty picked my ear muffs as her favorite among other DIY designs. Another nice surprise for me! Thank you, Kitty.

 

When I entered Asia's Top Glam Bloggers Contest, I was asked to describe my favorite fashion moments. This Tif & Tiffy Valentine's Day blogger event celebrating the spirit of true love was undoubtedly one of my picks. 30 bloggers including me had all become the most beautiful angels as we shared love with others through fashion, and from which we might even inspire and enlighten the world through creativity. Such core values should exist in each blogger.

Long live love! Everyday is Valentine's Day.


Originally posted on La Mode by GV Miao - an Oriental Perspective 

MelikaM

One to watch is the new brand MelikaM label that brings luxurious and original creations to the high street.

Each piece in the MelikaM collection is imbued with Melika’s diverse cultural influences and real excitement for wearable, fun, confident fashion.

More pieces of the collection available at www.melikam.com

Be the Chinese New Year Masquerade Party Queen Wearing Jade Chiu X Muffinhead Oriental 3Dragons™, In One Word, Exotic!

Chinese New Year is the most important of all the festivals for Chinese people. Traditionally, the celebration of Chinese New Year lasts for fifteen days, starting on the first day of the first Chinese lunar month (January 23 for this year) and ending with Lantern Festival (Chinese Valentine's Day) which is on the 15th day (February 6). The year of 2012 is the Year of the Dragon according to the Chinese horoscope, which makes this year particularly special and become “the year of years” when dragon babies are expected to hit Chinese communities worldwide in droves throughout the year. Chinese people consider themselves descendents of the dragon, the symbol of the emperor and hence of power, authority, nobility and auspiciousness in Chinese culture in which year babies born are believed to be not just smarter but more brilliant.



Just like Christmas in the west, Chinese New Year is a time for gathering with family and friends. Let's grasp the last chance to throw a Chinese New Year masquerade party to celebrate this special Year of the Dragon before it's too late. My Taiwanese born designer friend, Jade Chiu, graduated from Parsons School of Design has got an amazing idea for turning you into a party queen this Chinese New Year. She collaborated with Muffinhead, the New York pop culture artist to launch a versatile exotic accessory collection 3Dragons™ inspired by the Year of the Dragon. The plexi laser-cut pieces can be worn as necklaces or eyepatches at a masquerade party.

Ming collection: I especially like the pendant which is like the Ming princess' crown. The 3Dragons™ collection comes in several colors: gold, purple and red which represent wealth, royalty and happiness in Chinese culture.






Dragon Kiss collection: How about wearing the geisha white make-up to enhance the oriental look? It's absolutely my style.

Tai-Pow collection

Start the Dragon year with an exotic glam look and it brings you good luck all year round. Xin Nian Kuai Le! Gong Xi Fa Cai! Happy Chinese New Year!