Define ‘normal’

Who’s the Sheikh of Chic?

Perhaps no other designer of the last century could be so globally recognizable by a handful of visual cues than the designer nicknamed “The Sheikh of Chic”. In his 45-year career as a Rome-based couturier, he created such an image of romantic excess in his clothes and in his life that he became known professionally by only his first name.

Check out the pictures and guess who it might be!

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There is the yacht perpetually moored off of Capri,there is the French-Asian chateau,there are the manicured gardens,the fashion pugs, who enjoy functioning as models( …or not?!)their permanently suntanned lover,with his philosophy of a private world of endless glamour

and then

there is

RED

& BOWS

and .. more RED

So it’s Mr. WHO?

of course..!

When you think of Valentino Garavani, almost immediately the signature crimson red color comes to mind. His legendary crimson gowns are the brand’s trademark and his collections are worn by the world’s wealthiest and most glamorous women including stars like

Jackie Kennedy

Anne Hathaway

Gisele Bündchen

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Since October 2008 Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli have been appointed Valentino Creative Directors.
The two talented designers worked in close contact with Valentino Garavani for a decade,contributing to the international success of the brands’ accessories

Ever since they express their new vision of the Valentino muse: an extreme elegance that affects her entire way of being.
Fragile and dangerous nature interweaved with a cult of uniqueness and distinction, are all elements captured for their creations.

Their creativity was well-received right from the start, obtaining unanimous approval in the world of fashion.

Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli’s strong leadership style, their professional and creative approach -highly characteristic of Valentino’s corporate identity- joined to their extremely talented in-house team of designers, allowed them to make the most of Valentino’s iconic style.

Not excited about  F/W12-13’s new trends yet?

– You should be!

Your Goals, too high?

Melted Peppercheese Egg

Ingredients for 1 portion:

1 whole egg+ 1 egg white

1 slice low-fat pepper cheese (or cheese of your choice)

Non stick frying pan

Veggies

Bread

Preheat a non stick frying pan. If you don’t have one you can take a piece of kitchen paper add some olive oil and wipe out the pan (no need to use much oil for this recipe because you’ll get enough healthy fats already from egg yolk and cheese).

Fry the eggs first then sprinkle the cheese over them, after that flip as to make an “egg over easy”, wait until cheese starts melting then flip again and take from the hot plate.

(If you use pepper cheese or any other that is very aromatic you won’t need to add any additional salt, pepper or other spices!)

Serve either with salad or some whole wheat bread, pita, toast with flax seed or whole grains.

The recipe is super fast to prepare and most important very delicious!

Closed Minds, Close Mouths!

Tie life to a goal

Rosy Lamb with Creamy Balsamic Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

Salad: Any fresh vegetables of your choice (here white onion, tomato,cucumber)

Sauteed Veggies: Asparagus, Green beans, Broccoli, Cauliflower, they go well with lamb! (in the picture i used some of lunch’s leftovers: Bell pepper, Red onion, Garlic, Soy sauce)

Dressing: Creamy Balsamic Vinegar mixed with Dijon Mustard

Meat: Lamb fillet

Heat olive oil over a medium heat. Season the lamb fillets with salt and pepper and pan fry until nicely browned on the outside, and soft medium pink in the middle — about six minutes a side. Remove from the pan and set aside to rest.

Prepare your desired veggies & salad, cut your fillect in slices & place on top, then add the dressing and serve!

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I’ll never be perfect..

Egyptian art- How long will it last?

-Couple

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Weaam El-Masry

Since the fall of former president Mubarak’s regime, Egypt’s art world is anticipating somewhat of a crisis.
Issues formerly regarded as taboo, such as corruption, sexuality and poverty, are now openly presented in Cairo’s art galleries.
There is, however, deep uncertainty as to how long it will last.

Local artist Weaam El-Masry, whose nude paintings are hazardous regarding the new forming tendencies, says she is worried about the prospect of the new government.

“They think art is forbidden.” says El-Masry.
Now what’s left to do is hope for the best, wait, see and paint.

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-Dance in Paradise

Motherhood

-Pregnant

– Untitled

Last look on Prada’s summer 2012

Prada SS12

The glamourouse Hollywood of the 50`s was the leitmotif of Prada`s SS2012 campaign.

Marilyn Monroe`s legendary pleated dress and accessories used in this fashion period found their revival.

Features of Cadillac and Hot Rods could be seen in some of the prints, leather skirts and bandeau`s, dresses and purses which marked the area of Boogie-Woogie and Rock`n` Roll. One of the creations highlights is the “Hot Rod flamed” shoe.

Pink and blue summer coats in crochet or lace were displayed along with signature sunglasses from MM.

All in all a felicitous, feminine clothing line which unveils the diva in women.

Click Here to view the whole collection

David Downton, pourquoi pas?

David Downton

Since 1996 when the Financial Times commissioned David Downton to draw at the couture shows his name has become well known in the world of fashion.

Before entering the market of fashion illustration he worked for 12 years on a wide variety of projects ranging from advertising and packaging to illustrating fiction and cook books.

Besides that, Downton launched the first-ever journal of Fashion Illustration ‘Pourquoi Pas’ in 2007.

*David’s commercial client list includes: Tiffany & Co, Bloomingdales, Barney’s, Harrods, Top Shop, Chanel, Dior, L’Oreal, Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, V Magazine and the V&A Museum. Moreover his portfolio includes portraits of models Erin O’Connor, Lily Cole, Linda Evangelista and Carmen.

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Cate BlanchettPaloma Picasso

Dita Von Teese

Anna Piaggi

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Short Super Intense Ab Workout

If you don’t know an exercises is done check out the Basic Exercise page you’ll find them all in alphabetical order.

Exercises Breakdown:

1) Crunch all-your-abs (1.straight legs variation)
2) Crunch Bicycle
3) Plank around-the-world
4) 1Tuck Jump & 1V-up
5) Crunch all-your-abs (2.Cross-under variation)

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Those 5 exercises = 1 cycle
Repeat this cycle of for 2-(3) times giving your max effort during 50sec.(=try to complete as much reps as possible)  then rest for 10sec.(use those small breaks to write down your reps so that you can keep track of improvement) and move on to the next exercise.

*Tip:

Most important thing when training your abs is to tuck in your belly button as hard as you can in order to activate your “power house” (=those ab muscles that work like a corset) this really does the trick to feel the burn and get those flat abs.

Try it, it’s worth the sweat!

10 Steps closer to a Stressless Life

Worrying exhausts

…And God Created Gisele

Gisele Bündchen

Gisele Bündchen is a sixth-generation German-Brazilian top model, born on 20.7.1980, in Horizontina, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, where she grew up with her five sisters.

In 1993, 13-year-old Gisele  joined a modeling course with her sisters Patrícia and Gabriela, at their mother’s insistence.

Although Gisele had set her sights on a career as a professional volleyball player or a veterinarian, she was discovered by Brazilian model scouts at the age of 14 while eating a hamburger in a diner during a school trip in Rio de Janiero.

Despite her father’s disagreement with her career choice, Gisele moved to the city. Two years later, she found herself in New York City.

The arrival of Gisele on the international fashion scene, in 1996, was seen by many in the industry as the beginning of a new move away from the look-of-the-moment trend of harsh, edgy images into a softer, sexier phase. Actually, Vogue editor Anna Wintour crowned her the “model of the millennium,” that same year Vogue called her “The return of the sexy model”. Rolling Stone declared her “The Most Beautiful Girl in the World” in 2000 and Vanity Fair published an article titled “…And God Created Gisele” in 2009.

In 2000, Bündchen was dubbed the “Boobs from Brazil” for inspiring the 36,000 breast enhancement surgeries performed that year in Brazil.

It was at that time that Bündchen became one of Victoria’s Secret Angels (from2000 until mid-2007)

Besides modeling Gisele is also a very successful business woman. She has her own line of sandals called Ipanema Gisele Bundchen (pair of flip flops sell for as much as 230$) and is also the owner of a hotel in South Brazil, the Palladium Executive.

In July 2007, earning an estimated total of $33 million in the past 12 months, Forbes magazine named her the world’s top-earning model in the list of the World’s 15 Top-Earning Supermodels.

On 26.2.2009, Bündchen married New Englands Patriots quarterback Tom Brady in a small ceremony in California. In December 2009, Bündchen gave birth to a boy, who they named Benjamin Rein Brady.

In 2011, AskMen.com revealed their Annual “Most Desirable Women” list of which Bündchen along with Angelina Jolie and Beyoncé Knowles being the only women to make the list every year for ten years in a row.

In Spring 2012, she won three major spring campaigns – Versace, Givenchy, and Salvatore Ferragamo.

And we all hope that there will be much more to see from our supermodel on top!

 

Coco n’ nut – pearls

Ingredients:

Unsalted Low Fat Cottage Cheese

Coconut flakes

Cinnamon powder

Crushed Almonds

Honey or Mango Juice

Mango

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Form pearls out of low fat unsalted cottage cheese.

Take a plate and put some coconut flakes on it.

Lay the pearls on the plate and roll until each pearl is fully covered with coconut.

Now sprinkle some cinnamon powder on top of each and a blob of honey or some mango juice (if the mango you use is ripe it’s very sweet so you shouldn’t be in need of the honey!!)

Here an instruction on how to cut the mango in proper form

Getting back up is living.

The pretty side of Burberry

The pretty side of Burberry = Burberry Prorsum by amarami

Personally I’ve never been a great fan of the luxury brand Burberry-

Everyone who is keen on looking super fashionable has to have that purse, scarf or whatever other item that screams: I am damn expensive!- and not because i am actually unique or outrageous, but because I am Burberry!!

Seeing the beige striped pattern printed over and over again in copied and original designs, for me it became boring and most of all the symbol of nouveau riche naff, if you overdo it.

But then the spring 2012 collection of Burberry Prorsum appeared.

Prorsum means ‘to move forward’ in Latin which is basically what this line of Burberry is doing (unlike -Sport, -Brit and -London) . It keeps moving Burberry forward..

Burberry Prorsum is a bit more expensive than the rest of the Burberry brands but it’s at least versatile so the money spent is at least well spent.

Be someone not something – Coco C.

Coco Chanel’s life timeline

COCO CHANEL

1883 – Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel is born in Saumur France on 19th August.

1895 – Coco’s mother dies and her father refuses to take care of the 5 children. Therefor Gabrielle (12years) and her older sister Julie are shipped off to an orphanage.

1900 – At age 17 she leaves the orphanage and is sent to a convent in Moulins, France.

1905-1908 – Gabrielle adopted the name Coco during a brief career as a cafe and concert singer at Moulins. There she met the young French wealthy textile heir Etienne Balsan and became his mistress for the next three years. It was a life style of self-indulgence, Balsan lavished Chanel with the beauties of “the rich life”— diamonds, dresses, and pearls. His wealth and leisure allowed Coco the cultivation of a social set in the high society.

1909 – Chanel moves to Paris and starts designing hats for friends. This is when she realises that she belongs in a world of opulence and she makes friends with artists and writers living in Paris. Her hat designs are clean and simple and are favoured among young women who are rejecting the elaborate hats that are in vogue.

“… two gentlemen were outbidding for my hot little body.”

1910 – Now Chanel’s new lover, Boy Chapel a friend of her ex-liaison Balsan throws some money at her and she opens a hat shop on rue Cambon in Paris. She has a crisp white awning out the front of the shop with ‘Coco Chanel’ painted on it in black letters and this marks the beginning of the famous double ‘C’ Chanel logo.

1913 – Again with the help of Boy Chapel, Chanel opens a second store selling sportswear in Deauville France. Women are beginning to despise their restrictive under garments and Chanel begins developing clothing in new shapes that don’t require the re-positioning of a women’s internal organs.

1914 – Chanel uses her business brain to cash in on the war – Realising that women now need to work she designs simple, classic clothes that women can work and play in. She uses men’s designs and adapts them for women. Pullover tops, cardigans and sports jackets are her most popular pieces and modern young women flock to buy her comfortable, practical and stylish designs.

1915 – Chanel opens a third shop this time in Biarritz, a resort town on the coast of France. She recognises that the wealthy vacationers of this town have plenty of money to waste so she creates one-of-a-kind evening dresses that sell for exorbitant amounts. She imports trimmings and fabrics that are not available in France due to the war. The decadence and rarity of her designs are sought after amongst those that can afford them.

1916 – Chanel’s stores are so successful that by the end of the year she has three hundred staff in her employment. Her success means that she is able to pay back her loan from Boy Chapel and becomes totally and completely financially independent. For a woman in 1916, this is a remarkable achievement. Apparently Boy Chapel was surprised to get his money back as loans made to women back then were considered gifts rather than loans. She is the first designer to use jersey in outer garments as well as underwear and is fast developing a radical reputation for herself.

1918 – Chanel is devastated as after an 8 year relationship with Boy Chapel he grows tired of waiting for her to marry him. So he marries the daughter of an English pioneer, Diana Wyndham. Boy Chapel and Chanel remain close friends. Around this time Chanel takes the shape of the chemise undergarment and designs one of the first 1920′s drop-waist ‘sack’ dresses. She is becoming a fashion icon herself and young women are starting to copy her look – slim, elegant and youthful with short, neat hair and bright red lipstick.

1919 – Boy Chapel dies in a car accident.

1921 – Chanel has a new man in her life, Grand Duke Dimitri Pavlovich. At age thirty-eight Chanel launches her most famous perfume – Chanel No.5

1925 – Chanel meets the Duke of Westminster in Monte Carlo, marking the beginning of their 5 year  relationship.

1929 – Chanel opens a boutique for her accessories and Chanel No.5 is established as the leading scent in the world. She is the first designer to make costume jewelery fashionable, even desirable. Before Chanel it was considered tacky to wear anything other than real gems.

1930 – The Duke leaves Chanel and marries Loelia Mary Ponsonby.

1931 – Chanel begins designing clothes for Hollywood films and signs a lucrative 1 million dollar contract.

1930′s – Chanel’s position as fashion leader is threatened by Italian designer Elsa Schiaperelli. Chanel’s designs are starting to be seen as frumpy and Elsa is cornering the popular youth market. Chanel’s classic designs are seen as boring and the whimsical and worldly ‘Schap’ is taking the fashion world by storm. Chanel becomes romantically involved with artist Paul Iribarnegaray. She also releases a new collection, comfortable in the knowledge that there are elegant and sophisticated women who prefer her designs. Obviously she is correct in this assumption.

1936 – During troubled times in France, Chanel is faced with the strike of at least a hundred of her workers. She fires them, realises she actually needs them and then hires them all back. She reluctantly concedes to their demands but builds herself a reputation as a rogue employer.

1939 – The outbreak of World War II – Chanel declared it was ‘no time for fashion’ and took a fifteen year break from her beloved business. She lives off the royalties of her famous perfume. Chanel closes her fashion houses and starts a relationship with German officer Hans Gunther von Dincklage.

1940′s – Fashion designer Chistian Dior starts to dominate the styles of the time with an exaggerated silhouette and brings back the use of restrictive corsetry. Chanel thought Dior’s New Look was ridiculous and that his large skirted, tiny waisted designs were totally unsuitable for the modern world.

1954 – Chanel, aged seventy, presents a new collection for the first time in 15 years. The reviews are quite critical and many say that Chanel should have stayed in retirement.

1971 – Coco Chanel dies, aged eighty seven.

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Interesting detailes:

•  Chanel sacrificed so much to become the legend that she is today. She had several long love affairs which ended either with the sudden death of her partner or his sudden departure as he found another woman. It’s obvious that her top priority was her business and that she never had the time or desire for marriage and children. Although there have been speculations about her “nephew André Palasse” being Coco’s son from Balsan, it was never proven.
• Coco considered five to be her lucky number and presented all her collections in fives. Her collections would be shown on the fifth day of the month and her famous perfume is of course, Chanel No.5.
• Gabrielle’s nickname “Coco” is possibly based on two popular songs with which she became identified (during her short career as a singer) “Ko Ko Ri Ko,” and “Qui qu’a vu Coco,” or it was an allusion to the French word for kept woman :cocotte
• 1983 – Karl Lagerfeld becomes design director for the House of Chanel and slowly rebuilds the damaged reputation of one of the oldest fashion houses in Paris.

Day dress, ca. 1924
Wool

Evening dress, ca. 1926–27
Silk, metallic threads, sequins

Evening coat, ca. 1927
Silk, metallic thread

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Quotes:

“God knows I wanted love. But the moment I had to choose between the man I loved and my dresses, I choose the dresses.”

“After fifty you have to deserve your face”

“I never looked so much for someone to love, as for somebody to love me”

Day ensemble- The little black dress, ca. 1927
Silk, wool, metal

Day ensemble, ca. 1927
Silk, wool

Shirt, ca. 1935–37
Wool

Evening ensemble, 1936
Ivory silk lace with ivory silk tulle

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Top 10 life and style rules from the fashion icon

1. The Little Black Dress is always appropriate. Creating her signature LBD in 1926, it’s a style staple that lives on forever!
2. Find what works: “The best colour in the whole world is the one that looks good on you.”
3. If afraid of color go for monochrome: “Women think of all colours except the absence of colour. I have said that black has it all. White too. Their beauty is absolute. It is the perfect harmony.”
4. It must look good on YOU: “A beautiful dress may look beautiful on a hanger, but that means nothing. It must be seen on the shoulders, with the movement of the arms, the legs, and the waist.”
5. Make an effort. Always! “I don’t understand how a woman can leave the house without fixing herself up a little – if only out of politeness.” So no more hitting the streets in slippers and rollers..
6. Coco favoured classic pearls but less was always more to her: “When accessorising, always take off the last thing you put on.”
7. Be selective with trends: “Fashion changes, but style endures.”
8. Want to get noticed? Play it chic: “Dress shabbily and they remember the dress; dress impeccably and they remember the woman.”
9. Everyone should own a tweed box jacket. They even smarten up jeans.
10. Make this your mantra: “A girl should be two things: classy and fabulous.”

Evening dress, 1938
Black silk net with polychrome sequins

Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel
Silk

Cocktail ensemble, ca. 1964
Black silk and synthetic pile; ivory polyester blend damask with black nylon jersey

Evening ensemble, spring/summer 1992
Karl Lagerfeld (German, born 1938), for House of Chanel (French, founded 1913)
Silk, cotton, metal, wood