LET‘S GET LOST - ESPRIT DIOR IN SHANGHAI

As you know I am still on my holiday in Asia and I just came back from Shanghai last week. Visiting some of my favourite select stores, I also got a short period before brunch to visit a Dior exhibition which just launched in MOCA Shanghai. The exhibition covers illustrations to the classic couture pieces in 9 different themes, from the iconic design of Christian Dior to the John Galliano's decade and also the Raf simons' era. The only one thing that turned me off is Galliano's name has not been mentioned but the introduction kept showing too great regard to Simons' work. I couldn't really feel the esprit of Dior after the exhibition and I started thinking of the glamourous Dior pieces before 2012. (The biggest surprise of the whole exhibition is a perfume bottle in puppy shape!)

LET'S GET LOST IN ROTTERDAM - JEAN PAUL GAULTIER REFRESHING MY SOUL

Phew! I was away for the whole week and just back from my 8 days trip to Antwerp (again), Rotterdam and Amsterdam. I was a bit tired of fashion after the recent LFW and just wanted to get away from the city and everything I was working on. I planed to go to visit the Keukenhof in Netherlands but It was too cold and windy there so I gave it up at the end. Finally I had a quite fashionable trip (as always). I noticed there was a Jean Paul Gaultier exhibition holding in Rotterdam in the Eurostar magazine when I was on my way to Antwerp. I didn't expect too much although I am quite into his Couture collections. However, the exhibition is the biggest surprise during my trip and the most impressive fashion exhibition I have ever seen.

LET'S GET LOST - THE EVOLUTION OF LULA BY GARY CARD

If Gary Card have his own fans club, I think I will be one of the oldest members in the club. Start following him since 2008, I try to visit every work he does - the Levis installation, Joseph's window, Topman swim shorts and even the amazing LN-CC. After a short break from the JW Anderson small world he created, I have resumed my Gary's journey with the latest exhibition.

LET'S GET LOST - THE COLLEGE SHOP BY LONDON COLLEGE OF FASHION

I don't know if you visited the LCF College shop last year when it worked as a pop-up in Carnaby Street but I did have a great experience being there. I also don't know if it is going to be an annual event but I love what LCF did for their graduates. I found some interesting pieces last year so I ran to the shop when I noticed they were coming back again this year, at the same please but biggest side, better store design and surely more designers.

J.W. ANDERSON X TOPSHOP INSTALLATION AT OXFORD STREET

Nothing much to say but my favourite piece of the collaboration is the set design by Gary Card. Please Jonathan please ask Gary to make some t-shirts for your  next Topshop collection, Please! (and Yes, the little fan asked Gary Card for a photo with this weird face)

I will go back for the window shots later so come back for them soon!

LET'S GET LOST(TAIWAN SPECIAL) - 0416 X 1024

My story with 0416 X 1024 started with my first Taipei trip for visiting my friends who met in London in 2008. They had a store in the Red House in Ximen and there was a some area for new brands to sell their own designs. The only brand attracted me was 0146 X 1024’s screen printed t-shirt with those fun illustrations and colourful background. Since then I visit their store every time I travel to Taiwan and always brought some cute t-shirt back to Hong Kong with me when my trip was over. I always wanted to introduce their store on my blog but I didn’t think I was ready so I didn’t contact their staffs in my previous visit in 2009 and 2010. They opened a flagship store in Zhongshan area last year and it’s such a big store with a gallery space. I came across it last summer and I really like it so I think I am ready to make this report during my Taipei trip this summer. You may think it’s a bit boring to share a store only selling t-shirts, ceramics and some accessories but they have more then 14000 followers on facebook which can show their popularity directly. The brand 0416 X 1024 stands for the birthday of 2 founders and the "X" means their relationship and collaboration (there are few brands launching in store beside the 0416 and 1024 brand)

LET'S GET LOST (TAIWAN SPECIAL) - SHAO YEN ACROSS THE WAVES EXHIBITION

As I mentioned in my last post, Shao Yen is back to his birthplace, Taiwan, with his FW 2012 collection. To celebrating the launch, The Goodz Collete store held a small exhibition named Acress the Waves displaying his pieces from his five collections - from Waver, Skin, Goddess, Seeddog and Class. I would say it's just a great opportunity for the Taiwanese (and some regular Taiwan visitors)  to know more about what actually fashion is. Most of the Taiwanese believe British fashion is only about symbolic elements tartans, Union Jack or even Harrods. I am sure at least they will know British fashion is about the mixture of craftsmanship and freshness (and yes, not all the British designers love to use tartan and Union Jack to design).

Although there are only 5 pieces (one of each collection) displaying, The making-of and the show videos will help you get some feeling of the Shao Yen brand. I always believe fashion is not only about what you wear but what you want to project. The best example is I never want to be too serious looking so I never own a formal suit!

LET'S GET LOST (TAIWAN SPECIAL) - GOODZ COLLETE

YES I am in Taiwan again and I am sure you know I always see Taiwan is my second home. I always love their food but never thought of introducing a fashion store in Taipei. The London based Taiwanese designer Shao Yen is always my ones to watch and I follow what he does and just found a store in Taipei selling his latest collection. Since I am having a visit to Taiwan again, I visited the store and would love to share this little new designers' wonderland.

LET'S GET LOST - ANGELA FLANDERS

Although I am in Hong Kong right now, I visited some lovely stores when I was still in London for my London tour guide. I visited Angela Flanders, a store for home-made perfume since 1985. I always walk pass the store when I go to the Columbia flower market and always curious what it is about. They are having a jubilee special window with a portrait of the queen. Did I mentioned they just won the best new independent fragrance award 2012 from the Fragrance Foundation? I am sure you would like to know more about them now.

LET'S GET LOST IN HONG KONG - JOYCE BY ROMEO GIGLI

I haven't updated my blog for a week but I am not being lazy at all! I am just working for a big feature for a HK magazine and the graduate special is coming out as well! Because of the Cosmopolitan, I just got a chance to interview the classical Italian designer, Romeo Gigli besides those 2 projects. I was born at the end of 80s in Hong Kong and my parents know nothing about art and fashion. So It's not very surprised that I didn't know who Mr Gigli is with my 5 years fashion age. I didn't even know he is the one who taught Alexander McQueen. Meeting Mr Gigli in person is a totally amazing experience!

Within the interview, Mr Gigli told me (and the other editors) many things about his life and point of view about fashion. I can't tell you much about the interview (you can read it soon in the Cosmopolitan HK) but I really like how he see designing clothes as self expression and how he loves the individuality of people. I totally agree he mentioned fashion is not just about clothes (he even doesn't like we call his pieces as garments) but about the attitude and the connection with the people. This is what I found out after moving to London and also the reason I wear new designer's clothes. The Joyce flagship store also exhibits some of the pieces from the archive. I was amazed by those outfit made of special materials and remember! they are all from the 80s and 90s but still looking cool now! My favourite piece is the grey ruffled dress with paper like material. Sorry if I make it wrong but I still have to find out what it is! 

To know more about the Joyce by Romeo Gigli collection please visit their website or their online store



And actually I did something really silly after the interview...asking Mr Gigli for an autograph. I wish one day when I am rich enough I can afford a Romeo Gigli piece since I really love his personality and passion of fashion. We need some romance for our boring fashion world filling with craps and meaningless designs.

(Special Thanks for my dear friend Cath for the opening photo!)

LET'S GET LOST IN LEEDS - MARY SHORTLE

As I said, I am in Hong Kong now. But I had a very nice weekend last week before coming back in Leeds with sun shine and nice hotel (and super strong wind). It was a random opportunity for visiting Leeds and I found the main streets are very similar to London. I was bored walking through an area selling high street labels but just spotted a very cute store with the bright pink entry and loads of baby dolls in the window. I first thought of babies wear or babies products but actually they are selling the babies. Come closer and you may be surprised what they do!

LET'S GET LOST - WORLD'S END

I've written about the World's End before when I just started running this blog. It has just finished the refurbishment and having an air-conditioner now! As the first store of Vivienne Westwood, I would say it's a real treasure for all the Vivienne's fans and some punk kids. Last time I just wrote about how to go there and introduced the sexy store manager, Lisa. I know it's probably not enough to be a guide. I got a chance to work with a big publication this time and finally get a chance to do a more detail introduction of the store. Come with me and I will be your pirate guide!

LET'S GET LOST - SHOW+ING EXHIBITION

I am sure visiting exhibitions is one of the extracurricular activities for all the students like me. After visiting many different modern art exhibitions I finally got an invitation from a Chinese art exhibition. The Show+ing exhibition got a great debut last year and comes back with more than 10 different artists presenting their development and changes while staying the the UK. It's a great chance to have a sneak peek of the Chinese modern art today.

LET'S GET LOST (AGAIN) - WOLF AND BADGER

After visiting the new Dover Street store and having a small interview with the store owner. I am very interested in the Notting Hill store of Wolf and Badger(They call it The Lab) and their designers. There are new name coming in this new designers' platform every 3 months. I went to the store again after their new designers launching party last week and found some brands which I've never seen in the shop. Come with me and I will show you a bit of what I discovered.

LET'S GET LOST - WOLF AND BADGER

I've heard of the brand name, Wolf and Badger, a few times when I am in London but I still haven't visited their Notting Hill store. Supporting new designers, they created a special "serviced retail" concept with letting store space to them and be their first platform for displaying and selling the collection. With the great success of the idea, Wolf and Badger just opened a new store at Dover Street for giving a brand new opportunity to the up-comers. The new store carry best sellers from the Lab (the Notting Hill store) and some ones to watch designers who base in London. I am super excited to see some of my favourite designers there so I invited the co-founder of the store, Mr Henry Graham to share the whole idea of Wolf and Badger.