Winter has finally stepped in.

I'm writing this blog because I have a friend in Paris who about a week ago complained that winter is kicking in and I have not yet posted any blog showing winter wear for men. (apparently he needs to go shopping and my blogs help in clothes selection). Sigghhhhh.... feels good to know that at least one person reads my blog and gets inspired ;)

Anyway, since I have not yet gone out for winter shopping (my bank account has hit rock bottom) I decided to watch and re-watch the fashion shows and read the articles that I have been receiving and put together the best of what I feel could be stylish this winter.

Wearing big coat ruins the look. Whats the point of wearing something good when you can't see it yourself. That is why layer up this winter.
Your thin sleeveless jackets inside your blazers or a thin high neck sweater inside your tux would be a good choice.

I know some people who think wearing sweater is so blahhhh... but I guess they need to re-think that thought.

  I personally love wearing scarfs. It goes well with both formal as well as casual outfits. It protects you from getting soar throat in style. 

"I am into leather" (wink wink) I'm sorry. Let me rephrase that - I like leather jackets. It always saves you from the agony of wearing two or three layers inside.

and for those chilly days when long coat is the only option. 

Meet Madeleine.... a runway model from the 80's

A coincidental form of inspiration.

Everyone has one of those days when they do not want to think about work or studying and just don't want to do anything but sit back lazy all day and when night comes, jump into their pyjamas and watch a movie with a cup of coffee and later cuddle with their snuggie.


Well, it was a simliar night for me but thank God I didn't end up doing any of the above. If I had, I would never have had the chance to meet Madeleine Rusche.

A runway model from the 1980's now a mother of two- a stroke of good luck for me! I was forced to attend a wedding- something I generally prefer to stray clear of... The thought of walking around and giving people fake smiles makes me sick. But to my surprise, this particular wedding turned out to be happening and interesting!

As I was having dinner with a few friends, a special guest was brought over. Before I knew it, a tall, well mannered, beautiful woman, elegant and in perfect shape( must be in her early 40's I was thinking) was seated by my side.

As a fashion lover, I'm  always in search of someone who stands in a crowd and sure as I'll ever be, this woman was one of them!

We were eventually introduced and I immediately started inquiring about her background. I'm not exactly sure how, but we got into a conversation about Paris and Milan. This is when I told her I blog  and my curiosity was put to rest.

Madeleine: Oh so you are a fashion blogger? I was a runway model.

Me: OMG! Really?

Madeleine: Yes

                            

The next day I went to meet her again so I could interview her for my blog and she is one of the most humble women I have ever met.

(So, when did you start your modelling career and how long did it last?)

Madeleine: I started modelling in 1982 in Austria and Germany. I was a model for 20 years. My career lasted until 2002 when my second child was born.

(Where are you from?)

Madeleine: I am Austrian. I am from Salzburg.

(How do you think fashion and fashion industry has changed since the 80's?)

Madeleine: Back then, we had a lot of boutiques and every small boutique had a fashion show. The fashion business was much easier then as there was less competition and getting rich was easy. Fashionable clothes were extremely expensive- unlike today, where we have ready-to-wear brands that sell affordable stylish clothes like H&M, Zara, Mango, etc.

(Are there any specific things that have changed a lot since then?)

Madeleine: In the 80's, we had a trend of wide sweaters and extended shoulders. We did not have a lot of accessories. We just had rings- lion rings by Cartier, for example. We kept our hair big and had curls to match.

(In the celebrity world, who do you think is the ultimate trend setter?)

Madeleine: Without a doubt....Madonna!

(Your all time favourite runway model?)

Madeleine: Linda Evangelist, Cindy Crawford, Claudia Schiffer and Naomi Campbell.

(How different was walking on the runway then as compared to now?)

Madeleine: We had a lot of actual choreography involved. Walking the ramp was not just walking to the top of the stage and walking back. It involved actual dancing. For example, if the chosen song was Thriller by Michael Jackson, then we were taught to dance like shown in the video. Our shoes did not have heels as high as we have now.

(As a wife and a mother, how important is fashion for you now?)

Madeleine: Fashion is still an important part of my life. It helps me to express myself. I like the fact that nowadays, we can mix and match and create our own style and this makes me feel good. I still buy fashionable clothes, I exercises and keep myself fit. Fashion is more fun now, it is totally international with mixed cultures. I like the fact that today, even men are into fashion.

Thank You Madeleine.

I complemented Madeleine on her Yves Saint Laurent watch, felt her fabulous Louis Vuitton handbag and ended my interview. 

"Chanel No 5" created in 1921 is still one of the best selling perfumes in the world.

For the first time in the history of fragrances a man agrees to represent the most feminine of all fragrances. Find out who?

The greatest perfume of all times "Chanel No 5"  by Coco Chanel. A woman's perfume with a woman's scent. Secret of No 5 is still a mystery to be solved. The perfume had such an impact that Marilyn Monroe at the height of her stardom in 1952 said that she wears just a few drops of No 5 before going to bed every night.

Waoo Mademoiselle Chanel.

   

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

                

TAKE A PEEK AT THE COLLECTION

Treat your shoes like you would your Jewels

       

Yet another sleepless night for me but hey, its worth staying up when your watching Jimmy Choo fashion show (little behind the time though). The fall/ winter 2012-13 collection is out of the world. Jimmy Choo has shown a wide range of collection,inspired by the legendary guitarist Jimmy Hendrix who settled in Mayfair London in the late 1960's. 

The collection as you can see shows a wide range. Specially designed for suiting all kinds of occasions, you will see a colorful mix of comfy sneakers, classic leather boots, easy slippers, velvet touch loafers and flamboyant glittery slipons.  

I have always been a footwear lover (my shoes are my Jewel was and still is my one liner - wink).  It is very important for me to finish the look of my outfit with the right pair of shoes and now my eyes are on all these fabulous pairs and if I could get just one pair, it would be a dream come true (this is one of those moments when I wish Santa was for real - but too bad ). 

Too expensive for me now but hopefully one day it will be on my feet.

Introducing Sergio Carvajal

(re-post from 3.11.2012)                    

Meet Sergio. A 18 year old boy from Barcelona, Spain.  He maybe just 18 but he for sure knows how to define fashion in his own way, generally seen in simple T-shirts and jeans. Talk about pulling a look off..............our boy knows it all.

Its funny how sometimes life can change in just split seconds. Sergio was discovered while he was walking on Plaza de Catalunya ( a large square in the center of Barcelona that is generally considered to be it's city center).  In January 2012 Sergio signed for Sight Management Studio. Ever since then  he has worked in editorials with XEVI MUNTANE (New York: DE FACTO). He was also the cover boy of EY! magazine (Electric Youth Magazine).

With his well defined body, stunning hairstyle, jaw dropping looks, and breath taking aura Sergio has made quite a market for himself.
Unlike other models he is not a regular tweeter (started tweeting approximately three and a half months ago) but still with his first 4 tweets he had more than 70 people following him and reaching 1000 likes on Facebook fan page. He has also been featured in Carbon Copy Magazine and Fiasco Magazine. Recently he has been working with Swarovski. 

This Spanish boy for sure will turn out to be an inspiration to a lot of youth out there aspiring to becoming models and why wouldn't he be?  He's got all the reasons to and from where I see it, He is not very far from being the cover boy of Vogue magazine. 
Way to go guapo!!!! 

Introducing David Franco

(re-post from 24.10.2012)                     
                          

Meet David. A simple Spanish boy from Bilbao now living in Madrid. Who knew that he would look so good in front of the camera?

I happened to meet him while walking on the streets of Chueca, Madrid. It was a total coincidence.
As we sat to have our first drink I found out that David is actually a model and hey what do you know?  He models for Park Avenue and Ray ban. Quite a catch for a fashion blogger like me ha? 

At first it was little difficult for me to have a conversation with him because of the language difference but then I tried throwing in my bad Spanish and some broken French to find out what I actually wanted to.
Wishing I had an interpreter and abusing myself for not asking any of my Spanish friends to come along with me, I started firing questions at him--

DAVID:
I am not too much into fashion. I like to keep it simple. I just want to look good and presentable, not for others but for my own self because it gives me confidence. I never planned to become a model but it just happened. I started as a freelance model and I still am, I don't want to make it my mainstream profession because I have my own business to take care of. I own a pub/club in Chueca and that's what I love doing. I like to see people have a good time in my pub. I also like to dance. I am a gogo dancer too and if you come to my pub on a New Year's eve this year then you probably would see me dance crazy on GAYNGAM STYLE.

(How do you keep so fit? Whats the secret behind your amazing built?)

DAVID:
I work out. I am in a profession where I need to be fit. I am saying this not because I need to pose in front of the camera but because I need to look presentable for my business and also because I  gogo dance (wink wink). I run almost everyday, I swim and I watch my portions and calories and even though I have a pub to run, I try not to drink.

(Who do you generally wear? any style secrets?)

DAVID:
I wear whatever I feel comfortable in. No specific designers. I wear designer clothes only when I walk on the runway. I am very comfortable with my body and I like to wear clothes which fits me well like rite now this vest that I am wearing is what I bought from a store on the streets. 

(Do you also like to travel? Have you ever been to India?)

DAVID:
Well I like to travel. I have traveled around Europe quite a bit and no I have never been to India but I would love to go there. I love Indian food. I like to eat curry. It's spicy and delicious. I sometimes go to Indian restaurants in Madrid to have nice food.

and with that I ended my very unplanned interview session with David. I invited him over for dinner the next day and cooked Indian. Spicy he said and he got a little taste of original CURRY.