DFWZ: Ada the fierce & amazing Capara sisters!

Last two evenings of Dreft Fashion Week Zagreb I have decided to review in retrospect as due to my active involvement in organization as a representative of main sponsor I didn’t have time to do additional research and write a solid, detailed show review as these talented young Croatian and international designers deserve to get.

Consciously, I choose not to comment the event organization itself as it obviously wouldn’t be fully objective, but what I can guarantee it that the whole organizing team worked hard for months to make sure that the whole crew and most importantly event visitors feel welcome, comfortable and to have a good quality representation of domestic and foreign designer’s collections for upcoming fashion season.

So, I shall start from Saturday, the last night of the DFWZ shows where my favorite shows were with no doubt Capara sisters and Ada Zanditon for womenswear and Toni Rico as for menswear collection.


I will write a separate post on Toni’s and other men’s collections as menswear is truly quite neglected in Croatia despite the obvious talent we have in this department.

ADA ZANDITON

Ada has done a presentation of this collection in London and she presented the same movie here in Zagreb which helped us to get in the mood for the show.

Styling was different in Zagreb vs. London, here she again partnered with well known hairstylist and wig-master Christian Landon, whose pink afro looking wigs were attached on top of slick hair, pulled back and colored in white to match pale white colored model faces. The hair and the makeup were quite androgynous and futuristic looking, making models look like mythical creatures which perfectly matched the name, designs and the theme of the collection.

Ada stayed true to her environmental friendly making, immaculate tailoring and gorgeous prints, you can see more on her work in my previous post.

I have selected the three style groups: first set is quite wearable; I would say “business chic”, flirty black crochet pieces and gorgeous floppy zipper jacket.

Second look is more floaty and dreamy with my favorite being the mini dress with gorgeous pink diagonally layered waves. I think it would be interesting to see this dress in nude with pink as well.

Lastly, as you know I adore maxi skirts and dresses as I am quite tall and love the way these fit me. I fell in love with this white open back dress with a nice tail and tuxedo jacket cleavage, while this gorgeous print maxi skirt can be worn dressy or casual, it looks quite comfortable and wrinkle free so it seems like one could pull multiple wears out of this one.

CAPARA SISTERS

Capara sisters work I didn’t know as good as I did Ada's work, which I follow for a while now, my previous research about these two ladies work you can see here.

My overall impression and expectation was that I will see a quite strict, focused and precise collection but I was absolutely mesmerized by the quality of the fabrics, amazing tailoring, focused and well developed and carefully thought threw collection I have seen from Capara sisters yesterday. Very elegant presentation, simple and natural make up with hair slicked back and the only stand out being chunky 80's inpired chain necklaces dressed over slicked hair.

All photos: (c) 2010 Borna Čavrag Photography

Capara sisters talent is vast, SS 2012. collection is very sellable and obvisouly wearable, it can surely cover various target groups from business professional, to young and elegant, any shapes or sizes will find it flattering and I cannot imagine why some of the big fashion retail brands haven’t contacted them yet for cooperation on limited edition collections.

I have again selected some for me most memorable looks, lovely laser cut prints were inspired by French couturier Madame Gres, layered silk and gentle wavy shapes were contrasted with geometrical prints and sharp cut tailoring and graphic print. 


Previously I have written about my love for mint and mustered colors, so this was also my thinking behind the grouping of photos shown above. I grouped them by trend and style. For me, this collection stands for smart, rich and elegant dressing. Bravo ladies!

How did you enjoy this seasons Dreft Fashion Week lovelies?

Dreft Fashion Week Zagreb blogger survival kit

Ok, so 17^th Dreft Fashion Week Zagreb is in order this week…I have been a part of the organizing team in a way for the organization of the last 6 Dreft Fashion Weeks, prior to that I have interned on 2 New York Fashion for some of the busiest NYC showrooms and last year I attended Milan Fashion Week for business purposes…

So…after fainting from exhaustion 3x, getting very sick with a fever numerous times and losing about 5 kg if I added it all up I have decided it might be a good idea to take some precaution measures this time in order to prevent a total body and mind collapse during these 3-4 days of shows and more than a month of intense preparation for it (some people from the organization who I spent most time on the phone talking to this week might relate to this post ;) ).

My precaution measure is to plan my snacks, sleep time, comfortable clothingand posting time for a hectic few days ahead or if we want to make it fancier sounding I have put together my “Dreft Fashion Week Zagreb blogger survival kit” which maybe can serve as an inspiration or just a reference to some of the other bloggers or multitaskers (bloggers, organization members and fashion columnists) like me attending this years DFWZ.

I am suggesting to bring some obvious blogger essentials: laptop (there is a free WiFi in the Hypo Center), camera, business cards, super stylish planner (ženski rokovnik) but also if you are coming from outside of the town or even different country or you will like me be wearing multiple hats during the event like me and will be at the venue all day, it’s good idea to bring some snacks (I take almonds, carrots and honey-sesame bars to avoid eating fatty stuff from bakery all day) and lots of liquid with you, preferably the kind of liquid that will keep you awake for the events and fashion shows during the day and evening, all three after-parties and next day’s early office hours ( lots and lots of coffee, still water and green tea works for me).

Naturally, you should have a big enough and fabulous enough bagto fit it all in like the amazing LeiLou hot pink bag which I have placed in my set.

In terms of the clothing, I would recommend wearing flats or stable heels (I usually do boots) and obviously something warm to throw on while walking around during the day and the evening as they are calling for the snow in Zagreb starting Wednesday, while for the after parties I am sure most blogger will have their party outfits ready and will dress to impress, maybe not Yvan this year but there will be for sure cameras all around ;)

See you on Dreft Fashion Week Zagreb kicking of with a bang by The Rodnik Band! J

From boardroom to red carpet! - Lei Lou SS 2012.

Boardroom to red carpet was the first what came to my mind looking at Lei Lou by Alex Dojčinović SS 2012. Collection. Alex has stayed true to her brand equity, flirting with trends but not being bound by them.

As I wrote in one of my previous reviews of Lei Lou collections, Alex is a Lei Lou women, strong, confident, independent, intelligent, knows exactly what she wants, but still a true lady, polite, kind, warm and romantic, fragile and gentle. This is why she is able to understand and cater to alike women who buy her pieces – she is one of them and she truly knows what they want and need living such a busy, working women lifestyle. 

     So she creates comfortable, multi–wear pieces using best quality fabrications, gorgeous statement accessories which accommodate all of the working women needs  from work day (big purses or maxi envelope bag which fits iPad) to attending after work events (small bright purses & clutches and chunky  jewelry).

All photos via www.moda.hr

This season’s collections common denominators are mint, gold, aqua and nude color pallet, statement clear cut purses and square clutches, perfectly tailored pencil skirt romanticized with mint color lace or suggested floral print worn effortlessly looking with a second skin soft and silky blouses and gorgeous maxi dresses which can be worn with a fitted jacket during the work day and without it for a glam night and a fitted sleavless work dresses with ruffle sleaves.

Shop the new Lei Lou collection by contacting Lei Lou showroom:

 Facebook / Twitter / Showroom.

Brilliant Braganza!

During last Dreft Fashion Week Zagreb earlier this year I had a chance to spend some time with Jean-Pierre. this Canadian designer stroked me as a true creative genius. He really does know what women want to wear and is quite warm, simple and a modest person. Due to some personal engagements I can't be in London right now, but the second I saw the first look shown above I smiled and said "office pajamas" how genius! He did it again!

"What a woman would wear to seduce Ben Nicholson at a party at the Gatsby Estate" – is the way Braganza has described his SS 2012. Collection. 

He kept his sci-fi theme inspiration creating smart collection which many different generations could wear on many different occasions. Plenty of the pieces I would definitely describe as timeless and classic with Braganza twist to them.

He played with traditionally male tailoring creating dresses made out of reconstructed -shouldered collarless suit jackets, jackets alone worn on figure hugging dresses made in soft grays, beiges and dramatic monochrome palettes with emphasized shoulder padding. This somewhat classic color pallet of art deco graphic prints was broken up with splashes of bright coral pink-tangerine colored digital print dresses.

I feel like this was Braganza at its best! Overall, very multi-wearable, smartly tailored power pieces each fashionista would love to have in her closet! This collection takes you from day in the office to lovely business or romantic dinner following a divine gala…and the accessories! Ahhhh these divine sci-fi powerful shoes! But this is no suprise knowing about his now traditional cooperation with Nicholas Kirkwood.You can see bellow some of Kirkwood shoes from previous Jean-Pierre Braganza collections. 

Brangaztic indeed!

Photo source in order top to bottom: www.Style.com , personal archive, www.fashionising.com.

You can see the whole collection bellow on my Youtube channel lovelies.