Much ado about BAGS !!!

A chance encounter with this quintessentially British label has made a big fan out of moi, my friends and colleagues. I used to be an ardent fan of the english romantic label LAURA ASHLEY but Cath Kidston has swiftly taken over its place and now ranks high on my "to buy" list. Japan now boasts at least 3 stores so I am pining away for them to set up at least one store here in Singapore! I would be the first to join them in a flash. This store would give me a chance to use all the fashion, visual merchandising and retail skills garnered from my colorful career in the past decade. The candy inspired colors, childlike graphics are like the equivalent of Roald Dahl's stories to the world. Serve up english florals on endearing pastels, throw in age old polka dot classics, jazz things up with some stars, stripes and florals and there you have it! An irresistible getaway for the urban romantics out there! This is the reason why me and my friends stalk out Kinokuniya bookstores for the latest Cath Kidston magazines, and freebies bundled along with it.
Its much cheaper to buy them from Tokyo itself but be prepared to lug back the heavy magazines along with your spanking new Cath K freebies! While the popular "Fie Japan" accessory shops here bring in a limited range of Cath's goodies at considerably marked up prices, I much prefer going online to check out the loot or make my usual pitstops at the Daikanyama or Maranouchi stores for a quick browse. I am so enamoured with my LONDON print box bag purchase in my Tokyo trip in Dec 2009. This roomy bag is made from oilcloth and absolutely great for keeping my belongings dry during rainy days. Perfect for the gloomy and rainy weather of London.Sign up for the free catalogue so you can savour the latest must-have collections in your idle moments on the train or in a queue.

While Cath Kidston is for the hopeless romantic filled with childlike wonder, Kate Spade fills the need for clean and bold design and striking colors amongst the well-heeled fashionista. Strong contrasting colors like its signature green and pink combo. Both labels have inspired such a strong desire for these colors that I have picked out yarns in the closest possible shades to make my very own version of Cath or Kate collectibles. My trial and error sessions over the past year have given birth to items like ipod, iphone and camera pouches, buttons, rosettes. With the help of a fellow crafter who introduced me to the wonderful world of freeform, I also discovered tge joys of creating as we go with yarn scraps that can be transformed into works of art with a little bit of imagination, a good eye for color and lots of patience.

I am just itching to showcase my creations and start to take orders for customised items for the x'mas gift giving frenzy just months down the road. I just have to get them photographed nicely before loading them up for your viewing / shopping pleasure. My crochet works aim to put some fun back into accessories. My crochet pieces are centred quality wool yarns to ensure the best hand feel and color combinations.

Customisation is gaining popularity and previously limited to once in a lifetime occassion like weddings. Now even brands like TIMBERLAND are recognising that well-travelled and fashion savvy shoppers these days appreciate just that extra exclusivity with custom matched colors/trims/etc.. Put some personality into your bag/outfit. Couture is not so daunting after all. Bespoke on a budget is now much easier to achieve with a little bit of creativity, and some clever manipulation of colors, patterns and theme.

One can never have enough accessories as they can update our wardrobe or decor with the latest trends in small doses while being friendly on the pocket at the same time. I started making my own accessories out of boredom and also as a way to destress after a hard day's work and I believe I have inherited the traits of my grandfather who is very good with handiwork. He made his own fishing nets, bamboo containers, etc... Crafting with your hands gives you a kind a satisfaction that not only satisfies the sense of sight but also that of touch. The pattern created from the yarns provide a different texture that heightens the sense of touch on our fingertips when we are blindly looking for something in our bottomless bags. There is a major movement in abroad on supporting handmade creations called "Buy Handmade". Items crafted by hand will always have that extra touch that is missing from commercially profit driven goods sold at cheaper prices to get the biggest market share. Even online sites like ETSY (founded by Robert Kalin) is now valued at 9 billion whopping dollars with the plethora of crafters eager to peddle their wares online. Having an online shop is irresistible as this shop opens 24 hours on end for shoppers in every corner of the world who has access to internet. Beats the high rentals, inventory and staffing problems that typical shopowners face in the fickle retail economy of today!

So get those fingers moving and support handmade today!

Go GREEK for God's sake!

Monsters and beasts never looked so cool ! The recent onslaught of movies like PERCY JACKSON & THE LIGHTNING THIEF + CLASH OF THE TITANS 2010 remake are but a couple of the latest offerings in tribute to Greek mythology.

Eye candy from the 2010 remake of Titans include Gemma Arterton http://www.gemma-arterton.net/ , who first caught my eye in Bond’s 2008 remake-Quantum of Solace. Even though she only had about 5 mins on screen as one of Bond’s agent girls, she made a deep impression here with her rubenesque-like beauty portraying the wise and beautiful Io (cursed with agelessness after rejecting a God’s advances) and romantic interest to Perseus. A perfect contrast of vulnerability to the tough heroes in their quest of the titans, she outshines co-star Alexa Davalos (Princess Andromeda) hands down with her asymmetrically draped costumes designed by award winning Lindy Hemming.

The film’s version of Medusa is also by far the sleekest and most beguiling version so far. This serpentine rendition is swift as the wind. And its lair makes for one of the best arenas for a 3D gamer. One that tests the agility of your senses and speed of response with its labyrinth-like ruins, made so precarious that victims free fall to smithereens from one careless glance at the deadly stare of Medusa. ( ps: their heads amazingly kept intact for the big screen to identify which warrior has succumbed to her deadly gaze) Do we? Mere mortals ever find the MEDUSA in our lives to kill that dreaded and seemingly invincible beast of our worst nightmares? Every hero in the legends seem to have used Medusa’s powers one way or another, alas its rattlesnake tail always the dead giveaway to its own demise. An elusive creature so adept at archery but yet reduced to its beastly state under the wrath of another beauty’s jealousy. A woman’s hatred is indeed far more dangerous than the venom of the most poisonous creatures. Check out this link for videos of 1981’s version of Medusa versus the CGI 2010 version in Clash of the Titan’s & Uma Thurman’s rendition in Percy Jackson & The Lightning Thief. http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2010/03/27/clash-of-the-titans-medusa-is-ready-for-her-close-up/tab/article/

Serpentine beasts have always brought out the dark and mysterious side in mythological epics. Used to good effect in other films like Harry Potter. How about a game of “Snakes and ladders” in the next movie? This game somewhat makes a most befitting metaphor for the dirty game of politics in the corporate world? Maybe a life sized version for a theme park will make team building activities. Other creepy crawlies that make our hair stand include scorpions, centipedes & slimy toads which never fail to bring up the “eek” factor for viewers !!!

Pegasus(winged horses) and Hermes’s winged slippers are also one of the few godly gifts that many desire and long to behold. Flight empowers its beholder freedom at will and thus makes it the perfect antidote to the oppressing dark powers of the underworld.

Hell is sort of cool to behold in these 2010 remakes, with hell's gateway strategically located right in the heart of Hollywood sign, a glittering highway of lost dreams floating below Percy Jackson’s hell ride and the amazing hell boat in the Titans.

I am looking forward to a whole wave of mythological inspired theme parties complete with accessories, furnishings, fashion to match! Beat the heat with that Grecian inspired draped dress and sandals. Just check out these lovely creations from OCT 2009 GIVENCHY. And how about naming your favourite pets after these Greek legends. Hermes for your Chihuahua, Athena for your pet robin and Poseidon for your pet turtle. Go on and have fun!Its cool to be “GREEKalicious” for a change this season!

BYOB i/o MYOB

It's in to be GREEN! Well, many a naysayer will probably tell me to MYOB (mind your own business) on any eco=friendly effort. For the record, I am no hardcore eco-enthusiast. Just your average plain jane, bludgeoned daily by the numerous "green efforts" campaigns and taglines from big brands cashing in on this new wave of eco-consumerism!

I recall in my high school days when recycling efforts were already in the pipeline, only to see more concrete plans more than a decade later materialise in the form of public campaigns and better designed recycling bins in the town areas. Let's face it! Modern day conveniences inevitably create more by-product waste from the use-and-throw amenities we all need daily. Using them is not a crime but the problem arises when they are not recycled properly in the garbage dumps (coz everyone just dumps everything together without seperating the trash properly) ! Let's touch on this touchy topic in another blog post for brevity's sake.

The BYOB ( bring you own bag) movement is not new and already a common practice in neighbouring asian countries like taiwan, seoul and japan. To drive the message home further, shoppers are charged a minimal amount for the plastic or paper bag along with every purchase. Though nothing you can't afford, every little cent adds up, unfortunately like the amount of plastic bags endlessly clogging up landfills and oceans, decimating precious marine animals and wildlife worldwide.

When I visited Seoul & Japan in 2008, I got into the habit of bringing foldable cloth bags that weigh next to nothing when i went shopping. One simple act like this actually saved myself from accumulating close to a dozen shopping bags for a full day's retail therapy. Not only that, it probably saved up enough pennies for a good ol' cup of kopi-o or teh-si to recharge after a gruelling shopping bonanza. Not too bad a bargain considering the tiny,tiny effort it takes to just throw in a foldable pocket-sized eco-bag into your handbag before you hit the stores.

Ever since, BYOB for me has become such a habit that I get extra peeved at myself whenever I fall short of my trusty reusable bag (eg. on days when i leave the house hands free without my usual carryall , eg. lunch break at work, grabbing a quick breakfast on the weekends, on my morning walks,etc.. ) Every umpteenth time I get to tell the supermarket/bookstore cashier smugly " I don't need a bag", it brings on a wave of triumphant euphoria followed by bemused looks from the cashier. I admit this cheap thrill is getting quite addictive and what a great way to put a spring in your step when you leave the stores "one plastic or paper bag lesser" ? Cashiers in Singapore are still all too ready to whip out a plastic bag and seconds to double them up for heavy items. High time to re-train that muscle reflex!

Durable and reusable bags are aplenty with savvy retailers dishing out reusable carriers for your precious purchases. Should you prefer non-logo emblazoned bags, take your pick from a wonderful selection going from as cheap as S$2 at DAISO outlets islandwide, to the chi-chi versions touted by brands like MOTTERU, ECOBAGS. The fashionably hip need not despair. Grab some one-of -kind versions from the likes of vegetable dyed earth toned stringy versions sold at WOODWOULD or quirky,designer assembled eco-friendly versions fashioned out of discarded sailcloths/newspapers/metal cans peddled on crafty sites like ETSY (check out Ella Vickers) .

Go on and reap the benefits that "BYOB" brings! The feel good factor that follows only serves to extend the the adrenalin rush that retail therapy brings! What's more? For the recessionistas out there, when your eco bag is looking overstuffed, it makes for a great wake up call to call it quits on the day's shopping spree! What a great reminder not to burst your budget, don't you think? Happy shopping everyone!