Aziz Bekkaoui Catwalk Fashion Show Amsterdam SS16

“There will be a surprising guest-model walking down the runway tonight”, Dutch tv-host and male model Dirk Taat revealed a few minutes before show time. That already started many rumours about the opening show of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Amsterdam. And it was up to artist and designer Aziz Bekkaoui, who has his roots in Morocco, to warm up the fashion audience. And it seemed to be the follow-up of his last season show. While his fall collection was all about love, named United Hearts Now, this time it was about United Origins. His aim was to redefine everyday lines, squares, colours and symbols that have been around us for ages, surrounding us in the streets and in the media. Sometimes it’s good to look at regular things from a different angle, change your perception and see it in a new and refreshing daylight, considering them more than just a colour or solid constitution. The result was a clean graphic pallet of black, white, red and blue held together by golden cement. In some outfits a bold orange caught our eye, in others the British flag peeped out, perhaps the epitome of his message. Some outfits looked modernly clean, others were richer, more accessorised or slightly preppy. Oh and not to mention those white sneakers. Any guy who wouldn’t want to wear those crispy whites during summer time? We kept on flipping the pages in our ‘How to Stay Cool During the Summer’ guide, which was underlined by Amy Winehouse’s Back to Black and an upbeat Dutch hip hop finale song, which was a direct link to that mysterious guest on the runway, Dutch rapper Yes-R. One thing’s for sure; Aziz gives you a one way ticket to a cool urban attitude.

Viktor&Rolf Haute Couture FW15 Backstage

Take a look backstage at the Viktor&Rolf Haute Couture Fashion Show yesterday at the Palais de Tokyo in Paris.

Model focus: Alexandra Elizabeth Ljadov

We felt quite obliged to shine our light on Alexandra Elizabeth Ljadov, as she’s well on her way to becoming a real star in the fashion theatre. Michael Kors, Louis Vuitton, Miu Miu, Prada, Saint Laurent Paris, Jil Sander, Chanel, Proenza Schouler; the biggest fashion labels are fighting over this 17 year old Estonian beauty who was discovered while eating at a grill festival (how charming). And this is not even half of the list. Alexandra is front runner in the list of models who walked the most runways for spring summer 2015 (a little under 70) and fall winter 2015 (74). There’s power in numbers, so it should come as no surprise that this long-legged blonde with prominent cheekbones made it to the top 10 most in-demand cat walkers of spring summer 2015, has been named as the Top Newcomers ánd transformed herself in a true Instagram queen, where she’s more than pleased to keep you updated with the most fascinating and enviable behind-the-scenes pics from her life on and off the runway. Ones she’s not walking the runway, she’s probably working on yet another major fashion shoot. Saint Laurent Paris? Check. Gucci? Check. Jil Sander? For sure. Vogue? Can’t get enough of her. Zara? Yes, that was her! And as Women’s Fashion Week SS16 is about to go down soon, for this mysterious vixen there’s only time left to clear the decks before the catwalk madness starts once more and we can start counting again.

Streetstyle icon: Jenna Lyons

She has been named one of the most influential fashion people over the last few years. Why? 1. As creative director and president she had no small part in upgrading J.Crew from preppy into a stylish go-to for guys of all ages. 2. She made quirkiness the new hipster (who can actually do that?!) 3. We obviously adore her immens wardrobe and every single piece of it. It’s a little bit offbeat yet very feminine and cool. 4. We really liked her part in GIRLS, as she very convincingly plays Hannah’s boss as GQ editor-in-chief. We want a boss like that too. 5. If we could switch for one day with someone else, it would be Jenna. For sure. If only so we could wear all her clothes and live permanently in NYC.

She’s called ‘the woman who dresses America’. For some pretty good reasons. One of her most -if not the most- clients is First Lady Michelle Obama. Yes, pretty impressive indeed. And it all started with the ‘cardigan-gate’ in April 2009 when Michelle Obama stepped out in a cream-coloured ‘crystal constellation’ cardigan and started a knitwear riot. That same day the cardigan had completely sold out online, caused an endless waiting list and there was only one question to be answered that same hour: “Who’s that brand?” The Answer: J.Crew. The woman who caused all this fuzz: Jenna.

Besides giving others an envious wardrobe, it isn’t any news that Jenna has enviable style herself too. Her signature ‘borrowed from the boys’ looks have been on our fashion radar ever since we first spotted her. If anyone knows how to dress for fashion week, its preppy-with-a-twist-queen Jenna. The trick is to find a balanced mixture between boyish and female and expensive and cheap. And don’t be to perfect, something she praises Lena Dunham for. “I think she’s one of the most courageous women in television today, partially because of that—and she takes a lot of hits for it, too. She looks beautiful, but you can see her skin and you can see that she’s human. That humanness is something that we’re always striving for with J. Crew”, she explains to Into The Gloss. Jenna knows all about imperfections, as she was born with incontinentia pigmenti, a genetic disorder that led to scarred skin, patchy hair, and lost teeth, requiring dentures as a kid.

Some Jenna facts: her wardrobe counts 300 pairs of shoes. She has so many clothes, she needs storage spaces to actually stow it away. One of her indulgences is good underwear (we feel you Jenna). She seems to have an insane collection of ice cream in her fridge (we want to be her best friend). About three years ago her famous Moscot Mensch glasses became unintentionally her signature look, as she needed new glasses and the woman at the store suggested these. She wanted to work in fashion because of her Vogue subscription and her grandma who gave her a sewing machine. And we can’t thank her enough for that.

Trend Report SS15: The iPhone generation

Bags. Shoes. Glasses. Accessories. Cats. Men. Oh yes, we women have enough important accessories in our lives. But there’s one more appreciated, overly used and crucial accessory that secretly made it’s way to our top priorities and it sometimes even wins over having a lovely (offline!)dinner with your date: our phone. Yes ladies and gents, it seems to be one of the most persistent and denied addictions these days.

When we go on the hunt for our favourite street style icons, crawling down the streets of the fashion capitals, our eyes come across hundreds of models, fashion editors and style influencers holding their phones like it’s their new it-bag they’ve just picked up from the store. Keeping it close to them like it’s matter of life and death, which is true (crossing the street while texting or calling on your bicycle) when it comes to the rapid world of fashion. That small boxy thing that we call our phones, nowadays stores our complete lives in it: phone numbers, pictures, videos, agendas, music, secret messages, important notes, creative ideas, not to mention the incredible amount of time we spent on posting every single bit of our utterly interesting experiences, foods and OOTD’s on social media. And we spent even more time on following our favourite fashion icons and editors.  Sometimes that often, that we seem to forget we actually also have a online life to live ourselves. So what about you? Are you still able to spend a day without your phone?

Model Focus: Diana Moldovan

Her name might not immediately ring a bell, but it’s pretty sure you have seen Diana strutting down one of the many runways each season or striking on one of the huge billboards in the city. This 28 year old Romanian model, known for her doe-eyes and film-noir esque appearance, is growing bigger every year, leading the Romanian fashion pact as no other and captured a sturdy spot in the top 50 models.

It all started in 2006, when she signed a model contract with IMG in New York and Storm Management in London. It catapulted her right away to the top named models; it was even the same year she opened the spring Jil Sander show in Milan and was named as one of eight new girls of the season by WWD magazine. Followed only a year later by V Magazine and Style.com, marking her as one of the seasons hit girls. It turned all eyes on her. The result is an impressive resume packed with glorifying names such as Giorgio Armani, Clarins, Yves Saint Laurent, Blumarine, Cacharel and Chanel and numerous magazine editorials and covers (Vogue! ELLE! Harpers Bazaar!). And when you go looking on Pinterest for beauty images, there’s no doubt you’ll quickly stumble upon her pretty face. Or just Google #modelcrush and you’ll find your way out.

Yep, succes seems to be her middle name right from the moment she started out as a model. For this pretty face the only way is up. On and off duty that is, as in 2006 she won another lot out of the lottery: male model Sean O’Pry (ohlala!).

Round Up Milan Menswear SS2016

It’s a man’s world. For a little while, if we may say so. We’re in the middle of the Spring 2016 men’s show hurricane. The Italian runways getting wrapped up again and the fashion scenery is moving on. But boy oh boy, Milano has given us some pretty good things for next summer season. Time to look back on some of the most inspiring and exciting trends to have on our future plate.

What can we say? It seems BLUE is bubbling up as a main theme of the season. It’s one of the strongest and coolest colours for men. And we’re not talking small details here, that’s for sure, get the whole package. Dress in blue from head to toe, layer it down and let the details, fabric and silhouette do the talking. Also seen at: Etro, Bottega, Calvin Klein.

Men may not always show it, but just like every human, they also have a SOFTER side. And for SS16 they’re not afraid to show it.  Velvet continues to pop up, just as silks and even lace was part of the deal. And who else than Miuccia Prada to turn men’s fashion week in Milan upside down. You can’t call the season until Miuccia has shown what she’s thinking. And she was thinking about soft silken shirts open to the belt and part-tucked in. Also Gucci opted for silken suits with a comfy pyjama feel to it and Versace’s strong men showed their mild side in bomber jackets. Also seen at: Etro, Burberry, Prada.

To master the art of proportions is one of the most important thing for men’s fashion. For a few seasons now we slowly shift away away from tighter, form-fitting tailoring and see more voluminous and RELAXED SILHOUETTES based on the traditional basics in a men’s closet. Also seen at: Vivienne Westwood, Marni, Versace.

Several fashion houses took us across the world, TRAVELING through cultural differences and details. Tomas Maier’s collection for Bottega Veneta showed his army of men ready for a walk up into the Bavarian Alps, that included Lederhosen on lambskin suede trousers and sandals featuring rope details or even hiking boots, all worn with wool socks. Missoni designed a collection based on the modern-day nomad. But aren’t we all, nowadays? There’s seems to be an interesting fashion conversation between the Eastern and Western world which is translated into long beads, tunics, big scarves, Chinese flower prints, and travel footwear. So get packing fellas, we’re about to go on a trip. Also seen at: Versace, Dolce&Gabbana, Jil Sander.

Bomber jackets, graphics, colour splashes and childish symbols; the more playful and BOYISCH, the better. Why always act like proper adults? Prada was all into racing cars, rocket ships and Energizer Bunnies, all the while Ferragamo was spelling out the alfabet on it’s sweaters. And what about the bold patch trend seen at Moschino? Say it all out loud, dear man. Also seen at: J.W. Anderson, Antonio Marras, Coach.

Already this one seems to be the look of summer/spring 2016. Whether your jacket is patent leather or suede, it doesn’t really matter as long as you can ZIP IT UP. Wear it super clean and office-ready or a bit off-shoulder. Seen at:Neil Barrett, Prada, Emporio Armani.

Let’s keep it SHORT: it’s obviously a huge trend on the catwalks and a summer classic. Don’t be afraid to show off your legs gentlemen, whether you go to the beach, having a stroll around the park or even taking the dogg out. Seen at: No 21, Marni, Coach.

Hot List: 21 shades of…

Summer officially starts within a week. You can see and feel it in everything; nature’s buzzing, festivals are popping up, Nike running sessions all over and the gym and yoga classes are overbooked (of course we do our exercises too. Promise!). But if you haven’t yet started with building your ultimate summer wardrobe, why not start now? Beach ready or not, the streets are craving for some new season fashion highlights too. Your shades may not be the starting point, but consider them to be the cherry on the cake. Picking the right pair is as significant a style marker as finding you the right pair of shoes for your first date. And maybe even more important: no summertime Instagram photo feels complete without a striking pair of sunglasses to get that double-tap from your followers. So choose wisely when it comes to size, colour and fit. Oh, and before we forget: leave your modestness at home, it’s gonna be a bold and quirky SS15.

1. Keeping it fresh on hot summer days – Classic white frames

2. Saturdays’ hangover – Oversized, yes please!

3. Feeling your Dutch roots – Orange fever

4. Cultural weekend break – Powerful frames

5. Late summer nights – Ombre-effect

6. Aviator attitude – Hot child in the city

7.  Bold red – Why only a red lip when you also have red sunglasses?

Trend Report SS15: Not over(all) it

Overall, “pair of overalls”, bib-and-brace overalls, dungas or dungarees. So many names, so many functions. Who would have ever thought this casual attire would ever make it to the center stage of the fashion scene? Well, start believing it now because this golden oldie has been revamped and ready for action this SS15.

With denim being one of the biggest trends for this season, it’s likely you already have one overall in your closet. The two of them have been intertwined since forever and seem to dominate our wardrobe every few years as they go way back. The first pair of jeans were created in 1873 by Levi Strauss. He created an affordable denim version of the overalls silhouette once used by the British Army in the mid 18th Century. In the 19th century, the overalls became the uniform of the day laborer, worn by miners, mechanics, railroad workers, and farmers.

The ’90s were a big moment for overalls as it became the personal style of hip-hop artists like Tupac, TLC, LL Cool J and DMX. Wearing them without a shirt on underneath or better yet, one strap unbuckled and tucked in their Timberland boots. And the garment’s popularity extended to an even bigger stage when it started to appear in popular tv series like Beverly Hills 90210, Friends and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. And can’t we all remember TV style icon Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) wearing her fitted overalls on a trip to the country on Sex and the City? She was a hot child in the city, for sure.

No wonder the fashion pact began to sell one-piece overalls -taking it from practical to posh. Dungerees have proven their fashion charm beyond toddler domain and have evolved from functional clothing and runway favourite into our favourite summer gear and the ultimate festival compagnon (especially with shorts). The easy, wear-it-with-anything is playful and casual, but can also be dressed up very chic (in leather). No time for considering; let your imagination flow as these classics are the new chic.

Hot List: 21 Midi Skirts

We probably don’t have to tell you why skirts work so well on women. And we surely not have to explain you why it works so well in summertime. Perhaps so that the warm wind can easily blow across your bare legs and the sun is giving you plenty of vitamine D for free. Here in Holland there’s even a special day, mostly in april, tributed to skirts, as it marks the beginning of summer. But here’s a another reason why we’re talking you into a skirt: it’s one of the season’s biggest trends.

In general there’s a very strong 70s influence, while keeping a modern twist on them (of course, it’s 2015). By far the most fascinating thing to happen is the tea-length skirt, better known as the midi. The reincarnated classic is making it’s comeback on the runway and in the highstreet. For weeks the fashion pact was buzzing over the Marks&Spencer suede midi-skirt and it-girls Alexa Chung and Olivia Palermo had been wearing it on their tiny hips already weeks before sale. What was all the fuzz about? It was the ultimate epitome of what spring 2015 is about: midi length(score), slit at the front (even better) and made out of suede (ding ding ding, jackpot!). The best example we can give you for this season. It feels chic, bon ton, hippy and cool at the same time and the slit makes it even easy to walk (or cycle). Plus, if you’re not ready yet for mini skirts, this one’s a good warm-up for the real hot summer days.

On the downside, the midi is a difficult one to style. Key is finding the right balance between different volumes. Don’t get to excited and keep your upper body clean and minimal, wearing a top in the same colour or fabric (denim on denim) or a simple white shirt. Scroll down and take a look at these dazzling women for some tea-length inspiration, and set the date for your own day of skirts. Let’s get cracking ladies, before summer ends.

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