• Armani Privé Spring/Summer 2019

    Written by Pari Damani

    Beauty Look ss2019

    On the notes of Bernardo Bertolucci’s The Conformist, in that world of beauty represented by Chinese lacquer and shrouded in the timeless perfection of craftsmanship, Giorgio Armani has taken the aesthetic of Art Deco as his inspiration and declared it in a collection with a lacquered effect.

    Linda Cantello interprets Armani Privé Spring Summer 2019 in make-up:
    “To complement a retro-inspired collection, graphic strokes of red, applied just under the eye in a painterly fashion, give a nod to the illustrations of Erté and accent the beaded cloche hats.”

    The models faces were prepared with Armani Prima Glow-On Moisturising Balm, ensuring the cream was absorbed before adding the foundation, Power Fabric, to create a pale porcelain skin. Then using Neo Nude A-Contour in shade #20 to the cheekbones to sculpt and define the face. Smooth Silk Lip Pencil, #8,  was used to draw a broken, straight line under the eyes. The eyelashes were curled before putting on Eyes To Kill mascara on top lashes only and to finish the look Linda Cantello used Ecstasy Shine Lipstick in #400.

    Giorgio Armani’s award-winning Power Fabric Foundation range adds two new skin perfecting products, while adding 8 new colors to the original liquid foundation. Two years since the debut the Power Fabric collection is expanding with: The Power Fabric High Coverage Foundation Balm and Power Fabric High Coverage Stretchable Concealer.

    Key to this sensorial formulation is the mineral perlite, which combines with soft, spherical powders to maintain a matte complexion on-the-go perfect for the urban nomad. The balm’s combination of waxes and oils, together with volatile oils, creates a soft, comfortable application, with a fine, non-greasy finish on the skin. The balm with it’s double transformation from balm to cream powder is composed of 12 velvet longwear shades. Dressing the skin and enhancing facial features, the Power Fabric line creates an effortlessly flawless complexion.

    The Power Fabric High Coverage Stretchable Concealer is a combination of blendable qualities of a foundation with the coverage of a concealer - has been formulated to hide every possible type of imperfection, from dark circles to redness to blemishes. Together with the foundation, these two new products create a complete long-wear, matte, high coverage look -yet still weightless and luminous finish. The concealers concentration of pigments provides high coverage while it’s formula releases oils over time.

    “Perfect for those wanting a heavier coverage, who still want their skin to remain natural looking. And for those looking for an even heavier level of coverage, a liquid cream concealer that will effectively cover imperfections, such a rosacea, broken capillaries and scars” -Linda Cantello, Giorgio Armani International Make-Up Artist.

  • Chanel Spring-Summer 2019 Haute Couture

    Written by Meghan Scott

    The Grand Palais was transformed into a colossal Mediterranean garden,with a pool surrounded neatly by plant species indigenous to the aforementioned region. Karl Lagerfeld was inspired by the 18th century; marchands-merciers and the savoir-faire of the artisans of French Luxury. Flowers play an important role and are the heart of CHANEL’s Spring-Summer 2019 Haute Couture collection, they appear embroidered, painted, in lace, in feathers, in resin and also in ceramic, and even appear as hair jewels. ‘They explode in bouquets of pastel pink, prairie green and sky blue, and in games of black, white, beige, navy blue, iridescent gold and silver. “It’s a serene, ideal, timeless collection, that’s absolutely now, with new shapes”, says Karl Lagerfeld.’

    ‘Two silhouettes stand out, perched on strappy pumps revisiting an 18th century shoe. The first is long and slender: the head held high above wide boat necklines and supported by shoulders split with a hollow fold, both slightly rounded and pointed, highly graphic. Following the line of the body, lengths run to mid-calf. The second is more flowing with voluminous bell and corolla shapes, full skirts and the bust enveloped with straight or balloon sleeves.’

    With the refined looks such as shouldered jackets with boat necklines and skirts falling  calf-length, ‘wraparound skirts cut to the knee, the braid quite literally melts into the fabric: embroidered into the tweed, the lamé wool or the grain de poudre, it further amplifies the pure line of what Karl Lagerfeld is calling “the new CHANEL”.’

    Jackets are lengthened, others are collarless with a folded lapel, some belted high from a peplum, and ones with aged leather and some shorted like a spencer jacket, some adorned with feathers.

    Unique braiding highlights the graphic structure of the silhouettes on the dresses. , reverse pleats appear on the bust and on the hems of the dresses. Big bell skirts in matt satin are pulled to the waist opening like flower petals at the front and over the hips. A second colour appears as lining.


    On the dresses, reversed collars give the impression of a bolero. Here the braiding highlights the hyper graphic structure of the silhouette. The reversed pleat reappears on the bust and the hem of the dresses with big bell skirts in matt satin: pulled to the waist, opening like petals at the front or over the hips, they are lined with a second colour or with floral seedlings.

    ‘Other dresses in sequinned silk faille are adorned with a lateral train inversed and flounced in lace, raised to the waist. A big dress with a pink lace skirt painted by hand has balloon sleeves finished with flat bows and ruffles cut into the serrated edge of the lace. Another in hand-painted blue lace is embroidered with ribbons laid like stripes. A flounced godet lengthens a skirt worn with a peplum top. The skirt of a suit in crêpe lamé is embellished with a burst of torn tulle.’

    Each dress took up to 350 hours of work; flowers made from feathers, organ pleats are gathered thread by thread, hand-sewn lozenges of silk blouses are held in place by 650 beads and an entire sequinned suite in patterns inspired by the porcelain of the Manufacture de Vincennes are all incredible works of art. And a finally the finale look, à la Karl Lagerfeld where the bride breaks all the rules, an embroidered swimsuit and swimming hat under a silver sequinned white veil.

    Smokey eyes of petrol blue were complimented by a signature Chanel Red hue on matte skin with sky-high 18th-century style bouffants with a rock-n-roll edge dominated CHANEL'S couture runway this season.


    ‘The CHANEL Spring-Summer 2019 Haute Couture show was applauded by the ambassadors Kristen Stewart, Pharrell Williams, Tilda Swinton, Marine Vacth, Anna Mouglalis, Alma Jodorowsky and Caroline de Maigret, as well as the director Sofia Coppola, the actresses Tessa Thompson, Marion Cotillard and Carole Bouquet and the singer Chris.’

  • A PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT – A NARRATIVE DIVERSITY OF LUXURY

    Written by Ksenia Rundin

    A Public Announcement’s (APA) founder and designer Viktor Söderholm brings together his creative Swedish spirit with the virtuous style configuration of New York City. Connecting characteristic animalistic images such as an elephant or a lion, the designer creates a number of polysemic messages for the customers. The imagination is the limit. The superior quality and clean design construct a unique assumption of the contemporary luxury accompanied by a sustainable production model.

    The dynamic virtue of the patterns leads the associative thought back to the days of Andy Warhol and the all-encompassing creative community of the 1970s in New York. Furthermore, an intriguing reference to the Swedish functionality and laconic simplicity could also be recognized.

    Thus, the brand signifies a unification of two cultures, each possessing own particular features. These features are turned into physical garments with own cultural combination, adding a narrative diversity to the contemporary aesthetics. We at Odalisque Magazine have asked Viktor a number of questions, which we think might be interesting for you. Please enjoy the interview!

    Please tell your story from the idea to the launch of the brand? How did it start?
    Like much in, life the idea behind A Public Announcement came from a coincidence and curiosity. I was traveling to Ulaanbaatar capital of Mongolia, on a business trip and I had a day off and went to something called the black market (it is not what it sounds like) and I came across beautiful silk, yak yarn and of course pure cashmere. Before I knew it, I was sitting in a conference room with a renowned Mongolian cashmere production company, discussing ways how to make my non-existing idea at this point, to reality.

    How would you identify contemporary luxury in the light of your own brand?
    The problem with contemporary luxury is that it is often misinterpreted. I don’t fully agree that contemporary luxury has to be cold, with sharp edges and futuristic which is the opposite to “A Public Announcement”.  To me the contemporary luxury side of APA, is about wearing something luxurious such as cashmere, in the present that is slightly unique from “ordinary” cashmere brands, making you feel anything but ordinary.

    Could you say a couple of words about your business model/-s and the value proposition in it/those?
    Have the guts to go against numbers sometimes. If you feel right about certain key aspects in your business model and you can work around them even though it might hurt you financially or on other ends, do it. 

    How would you identify the aesthetics of your brand?
    We try to create recognition around our designs that are mainly based around animal inspired themes.  From the very first design, the elephant, people’s reaction was great. It kind of gave us an idea on what creative path we wanted to take. What would be the next animal to have on a sweater and what would people like to wear? Since then, every season or should I say every drop, involves new animal inspired knits. Personally, that’s one of the greatest moments of the design part, when you suddenly realize, “Yes, that is what you were doing on our next sweater.” For example, without saying too much, our next drop involves a Bee, a Jellyfish and a Rooster. That’s our aesthetics.

    Some of your items are produced in Italy and some in Mongolia. What is the logic behind?
    We actually moved our entire production to Italy; we only get our yarn from Mongolia. They’re several reasons why we produce in Italy. For starter we have much more visibility in our production when producing in Italy not to mention the craftsmanship is higher. The fact that we are able to buy yarn from renowned producers such as Loro Piana and Biagioli Modesto is also a huge advantage. I mean they are really the high rollers of cashmere production.

    How does the production chain look like?
    It starts with gathering of cashmere takes place in Mongolia on the countryside by farmers. Then, it is being transported to facilities, where it is processed, washed with soap and quality checked. Once the cashmere has been approved, it is being shipped to Italy, where the production takes place.

    Is there any difference in quality of cashmere? How to recognize a good one?
    Unfortunately, to recognize high quality cashmere from not as good is hard by just touching the clothing. The quality is first revealed after being used.  I would say the easiest way to spot good cashmere from bad is after wearing the clothing a few times. You will start to see the fibers, how it reacts to usage. If it peels on certain spots, for example where you have your bag, where there is repeatedly motions, it's perfectly normal. However if it start peeling all over, it means the cashmere threads aren’t long enough, hence the peeling. Those threads/yarn are usually sold to lower price, it is still considered as cashmere but different in quality.

    Wool vs cashmere, what to choose and why?
    Wool is more durable, it's an excellent yarn and we are actually working on a blend in merino wool/cashmere. It is not as soft as cashmere but for everyday use. It works almost just as well. Cashmere is more elegant yarn, which is more fragile but also gives you a more luxurious feel, hence being called “the gold of yarn”

    How do you think the notion of luxury will change during the common years?
    It’s already changing. We are living in an era of social media. When I grew up, I was taught luxury trough magazines, traveling, family and my surroundings. Today anything can go global within a blink of an eye. For the good and the bad. Unfortunately, I think many times the marketing aspects from social media is many times misleading due to the influence or the person sharing the material. For example, our motif sweaters take time to make; they are delicate and made in an expensive yarn. Those are few components that are constituting luxurious clothing to me. Today there are products, made in cotton (keep in mind not even good cotton) branded and worn by some semi celebrity or influencers, and all of a sudden it’s considered as a luxurious piece. I guess to sum it up, before people actually cared about the quality and origin of the product, today luxury goes hand and hand with an icon and not the actual product.

    What distinguishes you from other cashmere brands?
    For sure our patterns but also the fact that we do not compromise in quality. There are cashmere brands out there that also takes quality in to consideration when production their line but far too many are greedy and cutting corners in quality, which sadly sometimes makes it harder for us to justify our pricing. Because a cashmere sweater is a cashmere sweater, right?

    How to create a sustainable cashmere wardrobe? Where to start?
    To be honest, everything doesn’t have to be sustainable but a good start is to at least have something if you’re planning on wearing cashmere. Pay little extra and buy sweater less. APA whole concept is to buy clothing that last.

    See more at: https://www.apublicannouncement.com/

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