First off, our tremendous bad for MAYSAA getting overwhelmed by traffic.  We sort of passed out with so much love and attention, but now we’ve had our smelling salts and come round, we’re back on our feet.  And because of that dizzy spell we’re extending the sale another day!

And so to my last pick of the sale.

No.1 Stripe Cropped Cardi

It’s deliciously comfortable, made out of cotton modal, and a great coverup for warm weather.  The fact that it’s cropped means you can wear all sorts of fancy stuff underneath and have it peek out.  I love it, a lot.

Was £24 NOW JUST £15 get yours HERE

‘The Selby’- words that fall off the tip of my tongue whenever I hear “do you know any good websites for..?”  even if it’s unrelated, or not my conversation, I have been known to interject and break vows of shy silence just to share my most favourite site.  I have felt utterly spoiled recently by two stunning little films, this one for Zara and the other you can find on my tumblr. How beautifully life and fashion exist within one another.

The picture stories of people in places are captivating, and anyone who likes interior design, or likes living in a building will do well to drop by.  I have a desktop folder almost exclusively filled with images from here.  And if not for The Selby I would never have seen this…

For more of this wonderful photo set go here now.

There is also an Edible Selby (delicious things and wonderful characters beautifully photographed) and The Selby on twitter which I avidly follow for post updates.

(image credit: The Selby)

The all out Americana, leather-booted, sportswear influence has mellowed in to this beautifully subtle display.  There are still the raglan sleeves and the odd built up shoulder, but in fabrics that would flounce away in a flurry of petticoats at the first sign of a muddy ball headed their way.  And all of this can be summed up in shoe form, or rather boot-form…

(Glancing over the pictures) “My, those black leather boots look sturdy and practical” I can almost hear my mother approving.  So naturally, I check in at Liberty to meet them, skin to skin.  Now I’m not afraid of a little height (I’ve been known to trek around London 5 inches from the ground.) But these, these boots are insanity itself, tempting you with the lure of comfort and functionality, before asking your ankles to sign an insurance policy..  ”Yeah… but I’d still give ‘em a go.”

So you see it is a collection that is impractically perfect around the edges, and perhaps actually practical at its core (note the beautiful trousers).  It is probably best that this remains firmly out of my price range else as I still value my feet, and my friends might not appreciate being impaled on my sleeve.  Because, in spite of that, I still want it all.

p.s. I think I love Tao Okamoto just a little bit.

p.p.s. I think the many contradictions in my observations are inspired by the collection itself, at least, that’s my excuse.

Today felt like a day for Ackermann, you know, if you feel like having your heart strings played something like Nina Simone. All the important juxtapositions are there, simplicity / complexity, classic / innovative.  It’s not one of those collections that comes bolting through the door singing and dancing, more the one you catch a glimpse of through the glass and spend the rest of the day lusting after… in other words, it’s subtle.  But jeez that guy can cut cloth and wrap cloth.  He doesn’t make dresses, and trousers, he makes category crossing things.  Is it a tux? Is it a dress?  Why would you want to decide?

(images: style.com)

You’re gonna love me for this one, at least deflected love for Bibo Aswan as I found it posted on his wall just moments ago. If there’s a better cure for the blues than Alber Elbaz shimmying in a wide brim hat I haven’t found it yet.

I’ve put it here for easy ‘repeat’ action, as I shan’t be watching anything else for at least a week.

I was working on my studio this week, it’s almost there, it has something of a soul now.  Photo’s of my papa at work, my brother’s photographs, Maysaa collections, a passport sized photo of Haider Ackermann and that tomato red McQueen feathered dress.  Every time I see it, I get butterflies.. it reminds me of the possibilities, the blurring of lines between that dream-like wonderment and reality.  Watching this video was the most inspiring thing I’ve seen for a while, a body of work that has been the backdrop to my(designer)self.

I found these huddled together in a folder, and I wondered how they’d managed to get there.  The thing is I’d collected them at different times wondering if I’d ever find a use for these beautiful pictures so it seems right that I keep them together.  The subtle differences in their silhouettes create these characters, each an incarnation of their own time. …sorry, that was such an art school comment, I couldn’t help myself.

1/Viktor & Rolf cut-out dress SS2010 __ 2/ Givenchy Haute Couture SS2011 __3/Vintage dress

Less talkie talkie, more lookie lookie.

Those lengths, those textures, it’s all so masterful.  I know it’s an oldie (and yes the observant amongst you will notice I used one of the photos for a maxi dress moment), but it’s been hanging out in my ‘LOVE’ folder for a while ready for today.  And today is a very special day. x

I do so many mirror self portraits I’m fast running out of titles, so please forgive me if I ever accidentally repeat myself.  So I am back home home, the house that I grew up in home, and staying in my sister’s room.  She may be unaware of the kind hospitality she is providing me.  It’s also bloody cold.  A friend gifted me a sweater on hearing about my trip back “It’s always cold there, you could use it”, to which I replied “Oh how silly of you, it’s summer!  It’ll be beautiful and sunny and…”

So far I’ve had 1.5 sunny days (yes we’re counting half days), I think perhaps summer is a season Britain likes to ease itself into, maybe it read OK magazine and just wants to shed those last few pesky pounds before breaking into bikini weather.  Still, it gave me the excuse to wear this sweater which is perhaps the best thing ever.  My papa read the handwritten label (it was in Japanese) and apparently its previous owner went to school in Tokyo, curiouser and curiouser.

P.S. Canon, please sponsor me.  Look how proudly I display you.

I love these shots, and now the desire for print and palazzo pants is overwhelming.  This is possibly a good thing, now that I’m trying my very best to acquire few but perfect items, the rest I shall make.  We’ll see how well my determination holds once I’m back in Malaysia, but as of now I’m resolute to make what I wear, and wear what I make.

More updates soon, this is something of a filler. x