New in: Loafers

Leopard print studded loafers from Romwe.
Grrr!

DOTS AWAY! YAYOI KUSAMA FOR LOUIS VUITTON

Posted by Melanie Rickey, Fashion Editor at Large

2012 will be a landmark year for Louis Vuitton. Or conversely a big year for us and our interaction with brand Louis Vuitton in ways that involve more than gawping at the runway pictures (or in my case admiration from my ringside seat).

LV's first ever perfume is in progress with none other than Jacques Cavalier-Belletrud the nose behind Lancome's Poeme and Dior Addict at the mixing desk. This pretty much guarantees the fragrance will be sexy and feminine. On March 9th, a day after the close of Paris Fashion week, La Musee des Arts Decoratifs opens Louis Vuitton - Marc Jacobs exploring the parallel fashion stories of Louis Vuitton and Marc Jacobs on their century apart ride through the eras of, respectively, industrialisation and globalisation. The launch party on March 8th will come hours after the Vuitton show which closes Paris Fashion Week.

In addition Marc Jacobs spoke publicly for the first time about turning down the Dior job offer and why he is happy to stay at Louis Vuitton saying "It was best for everyone." :

"It’s a great honour to be considered, and Mr Arnault is a super intelligent man and a very smart man and it was certainly a very great honour for him to know that I was capable – and not only capable but that I am someone that he would have wanted for the job. But I am very happy to be here. There is so much more left to do and building Louis Vuitton into a fashion company is something nobody else can say they really started." (via Telegraph Fashion)

It is utterly enchanting that Mr Vuitton created this trunk, doll and dolls trousseau in 1865

Before all of the fashion week and exhibition hoo-ha, on February 9th, Louis Vuitton steps out as the bold face backer of "Yayoi Kusama" at Tate Modern in London. The exhibition, two years in the making with intense collaboration between the Tate and Kusama, is an epic look at the work of the 60-year career of the Japanese artist as notorious for her prodigious output of polka dot paintings as she is for her mental instability. Looking at 82-year-old Kusama's work is akin to taking a trip, only without putting the LSD on your tongue and getting on the magic carpet...

Yayoi Kusana going dotty (via creativityfuse.com) 

When it was first announced that Vuitton was backing Kusama at the Tate I thought it was a missed opportunity for the brand not to collaborate with her on a special accessories and fashion collection. Anyone who remembers the frenzy and wonder of the collaborations with Murakami and Sprouse can see the dotty possibilities of what a Vuitton and Kusama product might look like.

Murakami meets Louis Vuitton 2003

When I asked the Vuitton team if such a collab was in the offing I saw a glint in their eye, but a denial came from their lips. HOWEVER they were fibbing!

Yayoi Kusama - here's hoping an adapation of this appears on an LV Speedy and a scarf come July

The artist in the 1960s

Vuitton would never miss an opportunity like this. The work of Kusama is a gift from heaven for them, and OF COURSE they are doing a collection. Marc Jacobs is a longtime admirer of Kusama so it really was only a matter of time. The February edition of Vogue confirms it, though the info is buried in Harriet Quick's excellent profile of Kusama. Well, here it is..

In July Louis Vuitton WILL oversee the global launch of its most expansive collaboration ever - bigger than both Murakami and Sprouse. Now that IS big.  It takes a lot for me to get excited about a product launch but this one has got me VERY excited. Now, Louis Vuitton PR team when oh when can we see it? And does it it mean Marc and Lorenzo (below) will have a new set of multi-coloured dotty beach bags, trunks and towels for their next vaycay? Please get back to me on this.

Image from dailymail.co.uk

Yayoi Kusama is at Tate Modern from February 9 to June 5
Louis Vuitton - Marc Jacobs March 9 to 16th September www.lesartsdecoratifs.fr

Navajo

Hi Lovelies, how was your weekend? Today is Sunday and that means it is the last day of my holidays.. I had so much fun and finally had some time to do a bit of relaxing which was nice. But now I must say that I am ready to start working again at my design internship with Addy van den Krommenacker.

About my look; at the moment I am in love with these navajo trousers from Zara, I have been wearing them A LOT lately! I am combining them here with a jacket from Ibana Rouge via LeBallon, a blouse from Zara, a sweater from H&M, a clutch from Beginningboutique, a ring from Versace for H&M, a Casio watch from Dressrepublic and heels from Zara. Have a great rest of the week!

SS12: NEW YEAR, NEW COLOURS FROM GERHARD RICHTER

Posted by Bethan Holt, Fashion Junior at Large

Here at FEAL, we have been enjoying a rather extended Christmas break however I can assure you that normal service will resume on Monday.

I finally got around to visiting Tate Modern's Gerhard Richter: Panorama exhibition this week. I could go on about how Richter uses art to protest, to explore Germany's attitudes the World War Two or his quite beautiful ability to paint pictures as realistic as photographs, but that's not very fashion is it?

 Instead, I want to tell you about his use of colour. After a period of using mostly grey in his work- to express the misery of concentration camps- Richter turned to colour in the 1980s; 'some writers suggested the paintings reflected a period of personal joy and renewed confidence in painting' the exhibition guide tells us. Funnily enough, the prevailing mood of the SS12 collections was happy and pretty and joyful. A hugely positive  message at a time when the world is apparently facing the biggest crisis since WWII as economies across the world struggle to cope. We could be downcast but fashion says No.

We'll be bringing you more in-depth looks at the SS12 trends in the coming weeks but for now, here is Richter and SS12 colour....

FRESH:

Carven SS12

 GIRLISH PASTELS:

Marni SS12

JUNGLE:

Peter Pilotto SS12

And one of my favourite images from the Richter exhibition (only on until Sunday), a portrait of his wife Ema, a response to Marcel Duchamp's 'Nude Descending a Staircase'.

All Gerhard Richter images from www.Gerhard-Richter.com

All Catwalking images from www.Catwalking.com

Romwe X Fashionzen New Year´s giveaway

For this New Year's giveaway, I am collaborating with Romwe again! This time 3 lucky readers will win 3 pairs of tights from Romwe, plus a $30 gift voucher to use on the site!

What do you need to do to? Well, it is really easy:

1) Register on Romwe.
2) Follow Fashionzen with Google friend and like fashionzenvintage on facebook.
3) Leave a comment here with your emailaddress that you used to register on Romwe so I can contact you if you are one of the winners.

The giveaway is open for national and international readers. You have until the 15th of January to enter this giveaway. Good luck and have a great start of the New Year!!

New in: Elie Saab Heels & Parfum

I am a huge fan of Elie Saab and when I saw these beautiful heels I was sold! Perfect pastel salmon color for the upcoming Spring/Summer season! You will be seeing these amazing heels a lot on Fashionzen when the weather is starting to get warmer!
I really love the parfum too, it is becoming my new favourite fragrance; it is magical and romantic like Elie Saab's amazing dresses all are..

Good Intentions

First of all, best wishes for 2012! Thank you for all your support in 2011! How was your New Year's Eve? Hope you had a great time like I had, I spend my New Year's Eve surrounded by friends, dj's, fireworks and many drinks :)
And now I am full of energy to get a new start in 2012 with a lot of promises: enjoy life more, quit smoking etc. What are your good intentions for the year 2012?

My look of the day: leopard dress from Love, fur vest from Zara, leather jacket from Alpinestars , bag from Vj-style and shoes from Nowhere.