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27 June 2013

Electric Sekki A/W 2013 Collections

Oh boy! I should warn you that this is a loaded post with a ton of enviable womenswear from Electric Sekki for Fall 2013. Invited by the lovely Priscilla l'Anson, a group of fashion bloggers including me travelled to the showroom in Aberdeen to get a preview of the goodies. For the coming season, Electric Sekki presented designers that featured statement outerwear, monochrome staples, soft knits and  a lush colour palette in favour of spring pastels. Scroll below for a commentary of my favourite pieces!

Oh and don't forget to check out their blog for more cool stuff at http://blog.electricsekki.com!


Priscilla gave us the lowdown for bold eyewear from Ksubi and House of Holland. Upgrade your wardrobe with a pair of these babies!

Known for their use of denim, Australian brand Ksubi reached out to those print lovers with a washed denim effect print and Asian motifs.
 
Of course, I couldn't resist trying it on... The jacket, also from Ksubi, was more appropriate for those living in the Northern Hemisphere because of it's thicker knit. Up close, the fabric was embroidered, elevating it's design to a more luxurious market that offered a sporty but refined varsity jacket.

Also worth checking out is the quintessential item from Ksubi: the denim jacket. I'm definitely loving the cool chevron studs at the back and the long proportions that make the jacket fit for both men and women - casual but chic at the same time.
Those who live on colour need to look no further. Eclectic British designer Henry Holland has got you covered with his Fall collection at the House of Holland. Designed for a "punk grandmother who partied in her heyday and wants to do it all over again", Holland satisfies both young and old with shocking bright hues, jewel embellishments and crazy furs.
Here's Maddy Wozencroft of Style Blossom in a fuzzy purple coat from House of Holland and stylish fashion blogger Nicole Chui from The Fashion Wonton in a statement fur cape also from House of Holland.
Grab a clean cut vest from Style Stalker and a pair of Ã¼ber chic reflector shades from Ksubi for a minimal look that suits both night and day.
Of course, sass & bide is a staple for style mavens who want to glam it up with statement pieces. While they're known to show more colour, Heidi and Sarah decided to go for a monochrome palette this season with heavy silver embellishments as seen in the dresses below. Of course, pieces without the embellishments were just as stunning as seen on Nicole who sported a simple white jacket with striped see-through sleeves.

At Chalayan, a well-structured garment can always be guaranteed with his emphasis on tailoring. Some of the amazing pieces can also be seen on the catwalk in my post from the Audi Fashion Festival in Singapore. This includes the panelled leather jacket that Megan from The Exterior Lock is wearing and the colourfully "painted" skirt below.

However, my favourite item so far is a simple green top that, while ridiculously expensive, is perfectly reasonable to anyone who understands tailoring. If you look carefully, the front is actually an entire panel with no seams at the sleeves, making it sit perfectly on your shoulders and contour towards your waist. Definitely a wardrobe staple that you can dress up or down depending on the occasion.
A warm sweater is also something you need for cold winters. Grab this multicoloured jumper from Nanushka to brighten up an otherwise overcast day. Also worth looking at are the bright outerwear pieces from D.EFECT that feature fur trimmings in a variety of ways.
Meet the lovely Fiona who was my Electric Sekki correspondent for the press preview. Her stylish outfit was complete with her well-chosen accessories. Just can't get enough of those nails!
Here's Maddy again but this time in a much more sophisticated coat from Chalayan.

If you're daring enough to try the crop top trend, why not go all the way with one made in black lace? 

Really loving this striped piece from Twenty8Twelve and the colour-blocked leather biker jacket below!
Like this person's style? Take a look at my other street style blog Style on Pottinger for more pics!
I just couldn't resist sneaking a pic of us fashion bloggers on our way to see the press preview at Electric Sekki... (from left, Emily from Style By Emmy, Maddy from Style Blossom, Megan from The Exterior Lock, Nicole from The Fashion Wonton and me)

Peace out!

19 June 2013

[Exclusive Interview] Baptiste G | Co-Founder of Kapok


Here’s an exclusive interview with Kapok co-founder Baptiste G. We had a nice chat over lunch and some of the things really got me thinking about my own blog Cut & Copy. Find out the inside scoop behind the cool concept store below!
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How long has Kapok been open for?
We celebrated our 7th anniversary on Feb 15. The first Kapok store was in Tin Hau for 2 years and we moved to St Francis Yard after that.

Where were you before?
I worked at The Gap in the Bastille area of Paris. Before that, I was working in the music industry selecting music for TV shows.

Opening up in St Francis Yard must have been a great experience. How do you like the area?
We were the only ones for the first year. Sonia [Norman] and Chen Mi Ji Furniture joined us soon after and it was all still very underground. But recently, it's been getting crazier what with Monocle and Carven opening up.  Fortunately, we’ve maintained this very neighborhood attitude which in France we call “bobo” (bourgeois bohême). Those who want the big brands won’t be interested in us.

So how did you end up starting Kapok?
It just so happened that I was looking for a job and saw the opportunity. Everything is possible in Hong Kong because of its efficiency. We started Kapok here because it wouldn’t have been possible in France. I always tell my friends, if you have an idea, start it here. If you don’t but you’re in Hong Kong, you’re just plain stupid. [Laughs] Of course, it’s quite intimidating at first because we were the only 2 Frenchmen on the street. Some customers have told me that Kapok tends to only carry French products because of who we are but that isn’t true.

Have you collaborated with anyone locally?
Absolutely! So... Soap! was one of the local collaborations we did where we got to create a set of bath products specifically for Kapok. We’ve also done international collaborations with companies like French watchmaker Lip, local bag maker Michelle Lai from MISCHA and also a more recent collaboration with Thai swimwear brand TIMO. Whether it’s local or international, the big picture isn’t really where the product is from, but whether it has an interesting concept and good craftsmanship. You can’t possibly say everything from Sweden is good whereas the opposite is also true in China where not everything is bad. It’s about knowing where to look and which products you select.

Speaking of concept, what’s the story behind the name Kapok?
It’s a very simple story [laughs]. In front of the first store in Tin Hau was a tree called a Kapok tree so we named the store after it. I find that the tree itself is a warm reminder that we are a neighborhood store and that we are always influenced by our environment. The interior of the shop, for example, uses a lot of wood and it resembles a sort of tree house so that we get a warm atmosphere.

Name 3 inspiring people.
It might have been because of my previous experience in the music industry so I’m a very music oriented person. I guess the 3 people I admire is an electronic group called Fourtet. Then there’s also James Blake and the American musician Sixto Rodriguez in the movie Searching for Sugarman.

So what’s next for Kapok?
Well we recently opened kapok TOOLS in Tangs Orchard in Singapore but I’m sure we’ll be opening up more shops here in HK. For me, I'll also be working on our own brand of products. We created a wooden pocket watch more than a year ago with the first batch released in last February that sold out instantly so hopefully you'll get to see more of it in the future!

Be sure to check out their online store here!
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kapok
G/F. 5, St Francis Yard Wanchai, Hong Kong  |  Map
T: +852 254 99 254


kapok on Sun Street
G/F. 3, Sun Street Wanchai, Hong Kong  |  Map
T: +852 252 00 114


kapok TOOLS
Shop 101, 1/F, K11 Art Mall, 18 Hanoi Road, TST, Hong Kong |  Map
T: +852 3122 4113