The boy is new in town

Making your way to the top by designing the perfect Tee obviously requires a sense of style and feel of fashion that would justify your name being praised among luxury brands and Hollywood’s jet set.


Well, James Perse did it and did it well! Up to now I have always relied on high street fashion to stock on my basics and I was glad I could purchase that whit tee for a very modest amount as I obviously had to repeat the ‘ritual buy’ at least every couple of months to make up for the poor quality not resisting my ‘delicate wash’ cycle.

However , the ‘LA kid’ has now made his way to this side of the ocean with his first store opening in Notting Hill, on the very chic side of Westbourne Grove, last month.

So here I come: stocking on my first ‘eternal’ basic tee. I love the texture, the feel, the shape, the colors,…The only drawback? Won’t be that easy to justify my repeated addictive ‘ritual buy’ at James Perse as the only reason to drive me into store would be the very egocentric need to treat myself and stock on my favourite basic in six different colors and at least three different neck shapes. You could potentially find solutions to the problem though: opening a James Perse savings account and filling it up by giving up your daily starbucks’latte; finding a very generous partner; be patient and allow yourself only exceptional purchases you will enjoy looking forward to.

James Perse offers indeed a very comprehensive core designs collection which will always be waiting for you.

If you visit the store to get your revenge on your ping pong match against one of the super nice sales assistants while listening to ‘Thin Lizzy’, well, it is a complete different story…

http://www.jamesperse.co.uk/

A denim love story

As an official ‘fashion freak’ I love shopping, but it never takes me long to realize that in the end I always tend to buy the same styles in different brands and colors: the art of duplication is indeed a very subtle one and it requires enough detail orientation to make sure you can justify your multiple shopping sprees by actually being conscious of that touch of “difference” and “uniqueness” that distinguishes all your pair of jeans.

But let me tell you about my favourite ‘closet lover’, the ‘guy’ I would never betray, the perfect partner who knows how to make me feel beautiful and confident, sexy and feminine. His name won’t be unfamiliar to some of you: the JBrand waxed denim in rust!

Our relationship began when I purchased it on Shopbop.com last year, out of love at first sight, and since then our story has relied on mutual trust and faithfulness.

I could not believe how striking the resemblance with a pair of leather trousers was, without the price downside of course and without the risk of falling into a ‘trashy rock’ look. I thought it was the perfect trade-off for a gentle rock’n roll style and I was right. Since then it has been with me several days a week and several nights as well: because thanks to his flattering color it is the perfect versatile trouser that would fit my day in the office when coupled with a flared shirt and a cashmere v-neck or that would make you look terrific as a ‘sexy rock chick’ with a sequined tank, a leather blazer and biker booties for my clubbing nights.

Like every fashion piece, whatever I buy, I buy because of the feeling I get when wearing it: I need to feel good in my outfits, but I also need to feel that I am staying true to my personality and to who I am. Fashion to me is exactly this: displaying who you are because you have nothing to hide about yourself.

My JBrand allows me to do just that and whatever mood I am when waking up, it’s there for me to cheer me up and reminding me of who I am and why I am in love with it. When I want to make my day I know what to do: get my partner, wear it and enjoy. Surprisingly enough, I never feel like my body is altered by it and simply adding a plain white t-shirt does the trick. I have had amazing moments with it: my best nights out in Shoreditch and the best looks I could have asked for, obviously my bright red lipstick totally helped.

It joined me to The Guns ‘n Roses gig last week where for a second I felt I could have almost stepped on stage and fit among Mr Fortus and Dj Ashba (ignoring my lack of tattoos obviously); it was with me on my first day in the office at ASOS where I knew it was a right choice when the fashion editors came to me and asked me where it was from. It also made my day when my flatmate, slightly envious, pretended I was looking like a perfect East London “hipster”.

Yes, I love it and if I had known I would have bought ten pairs of it. But then again it wouldn’t have been a once in a lifetime story would it? I know it is meant to stay with me for a little longer as our love story is nowhere close to an end yet.

Rock ’n’ Roll still rocks

I made one of my dreams come true when I managed to buy tickets to the Guns n’ Roses gig at the O2 in London. As a super last minute buy I cannot tell you how much my hope to see Axl was long gone.

On that Friday morning I had the great idea of checking out Ticketmaster and was lucky enough to grasp a few tickets.

When I entered the O2 I couldn’t help but smiling: like a kid queuing to get in at Disney World (I still do get excited about that). I was very curious to see those ‘old generation’ guys who nevertheless marked the era of Rock forever: musicians motivated by a quest for perfection and experimentation and a lead singer playing with his voice and pulling on extraordinary energy.

Axl is now the last one remained from the very original band, Slash is gone, but Bumblefoot remains and the last two additions are certainly no mistake, in every way! Dj Ashba and Richard Fortus have an amazing stage presence and you wouldn’t believe one is 45 already and the other close to his forties..

They obviously love what they do and definitely know what they are doing! I was mesmerized by their solo performances and the numbers of Gibsons carried on stage: a ‘Guitar runway show’.

Dj Ashba relies on a caricatured look: big hat, torn jeans, very sparkly guitars, black khol, striking blue eyes…Richard more on the Ronnie Wood's side of things: very skinny and fit, shorter hair, great smile, laughing eyes,..

And there it goes: it all helps me remember why I love Rock so much! I am now definitely going to take those guitar lessons I’ve always wanted to.

They are truly inspiring artists: looking for perfection, they are not signed exclusively with Guns’ , but they also play in other bands, showing their quest for perfection in what they do. They are not ‘tabloid junkies’, they are professional inspiring artists who make me respect what they do even more.

Growing in small towns and coming from almost nothing and very modest backgrounds they perfectly embody the American dream, but they are also the proof that one needs to believe in his/her dreams. The only true questions are: ‘How bad do you really want it? How hard are you ready to work for it?’. Nothing is impossible.


Thank you Guns n’ Roses for this very inspiring moment!

Stock up on your leather outfit

If you love leather but never dared wearing it before, be relieved as you can easily go for it! Designers are giving us a treat with their AW12 collections, so be braver and smarter and start buying that leather skirt right now, before everyone else does.

Rock it or make it smart as all the choices are offered to you: some references will be unmistakable as they have proved to us they’re absolutely mastering that ‘leather chic’ touch. Rick Owens, Helmut Lang, Haider Ackermann, D&G and even Wang who is playing it more sporty…we have enough choice to display leather whatever way we like.

The smart trick lies in starting to stock up your favourite pieces: you might be surprised in finding out how many leather designer pieces are currently available in the sales: among my favourite destinations are The Outnet, Shopbop and Yoox.

Check out these amazing favourites!

…and don’t forget: you won’t go wrong with a Natalia Brilli's necklace and cool leather Converse.

Bluffer's guide to film noir

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I consider Film Noir the most unique form of art within cinematography. Rooted in the German Expressionist's film age, the Noir genre was first coined by films' critic Nino Frank in 1946 to depict a new cynical and melodramatic black & white genre that took inspiration from the years of the Depression and the new American Crime Fiction School.


Fully defining the genre comes as a challenge though, as several critics like to emphasize on the attributes of the characters and the stories, whereas others more on the visual effects and the settings that create the typical atmosphere of the genre. Raymond Borde and Etienne Chaumeton defined "Noirs" as dreamlike movies and sometimes brutal in their 1955 'Panorama du film noir américain 1941-1953', allowing inclusion within this category of a very broad fiction's spectrum.

Some directors are true icons of the Noir genre and left a remarkable legacy; from Fritz Lang, to Michael Curtiz and later Jean Renoir and to certainly the best known of all, Alfred Hitchcock. Despite the strong ties to the European cinema culture of the '30s and '40s, Hollywood hosted some of the biggest classics of the genre.

There is something typical about film noirs, which has been so well depicted by the pioneers of this cinematographic style: powerful atmospheres which take you to the extreme of human social conditions, hidden and suggested behind intense and thrilling stories.

The characters are often going through an introspective journey, which most of the time culminates in extreme actions such as murders.

A very good example of such characteristics is in Jean Renoir's 1938 'La Bête Humaine', based on the respective 1890's novel by Emile Zola where Jean Gabin's acting is strongly pushed to a state of powerful authenticity to reveal a touching character taken to commit extreme actions in the name of his secret love.

Hitchcock's first US production, 1940 Rebecca, offers again a very interesting adaptation of Daphne du Maurier's 1938 novel where the traits of the characters strongly focus on the fear of remembrance and the fear of living in the shadow of a souvenir: this is what takes the young Joan Fontaine to fear the image of Rebecca, deceased, but still alive in everybody's mind.

1964 'Marnie' is also a great example of a striking performance by Edren who is forced through an introspective journey and an understanding of her condition by Connery.

Michael Curtiz's 1945 'Mildred Pierce' once again takes Joan Crawford through a tortured journey where she finds herself caught between a greedy daughter and a murdered husband.

Fritz Lang's 1936 'Fury' offers a wonderful Spencer Tracy caught within a net of flimsy evidence accusing him of child kidnapping. A truly shaking story on the

sway and irrationality of mankind.

Noirs, however, are not to be confused with Horror and Action movies, as they are not primarily centered on special effects' technology and extreme science fiction. They have led to a modern version of the genre, proving how much the first wave has actually influenced Hollywood.

Neo-noirs have taken over some of the great spotlights in Hollywood in the '80s, '90s and 2000s.

From De Palma, to Tarantino, to Lynch and Scorsese just to name a few, neo-noirs have indeed acquired Technicolor technology, but the importance of characters' personalities and their tortuous introspective journeys are still the leitmotiv of new productions.

Hanson's 1997 'LA Confidential', sets the scene for one of the most influential neo-noirs where LAPD gets involved in a filthy investigation rotating around corruption, narcotics, sex and political involvement. Kim Basinger simply seems to appear as the new Crawford… or Hayworth.

David Lynch's 1997 'Lost Highway' takes the spectator through a mysterious surrealistic thriller, where reality and dreams simply seem to merge to the point where reality is not important anymore: the only thing that matters is how characters perceive their own version of the truth.

Similarly, his 2001 Mulholland Drive depicts a captivating Naomi Watts who gets lost within her feelings for another woman, until her imagination takes over to leave us with the eternal question of which is the actual ending of the story, which is the truth.

Brian De Palma's 2006 'The Black Dahlia' probably marks one of the latest typical neo-noirs where Hartnett surrenders to his obsession and passion while investigating Kirshner's murder. The story highlights the difficulty of separating personal emotions when involved in a case that becomes part of your life.

Noirs are powerful emotional movies where characters are shown acting in the name of their deepest feelings and fears. Settings seem to become a supporting detail, carved by their own imagination where technology and special effects are not required. A truly unmistakable genre that has become a true form of art.

When true events compete with fiction on film

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Cinema not only draws on fiction, but on true stories and historic events which are reputed entertaining enough to become part of the multi-billion industry. Here are a few personal favourites that are blockbusters in my eyes when it comes to adapting true stories for the big screen.


1. The Social Network (2010)

Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook success explained. Even though the integrity of Mr Zuckerberg may be implicitly questioned, David Fincher once more proved his talent as a director. This is the captivating story of how the largest social network was born and I bet we were all intrigued by it. It is even more striking given that nothing was actually really planned: an incredible series of events fabulously interpreted by Jesse Eisenberg, Rooney Marra and Justin Timberlake.

2. The Farewell Affair (2009)

Cristian Carion directed Emir Kusturica and Guillaume Canet in this espionage thriller loosely based on the actions of the KGB agent Vetrov who was held responsible for passing Soviets information to the French regime in the 1980s. Numerous lists of Soviet spies and secret information were passed to the government of Mr. Mitterrand. A beautifully interpreted acting with a true James Bond's flavour and a Cold War taste. French cinema confirms its experience with the noir genre.

3. Changeling (2008)

The American drama, directed by Clint Eastwood, is based on the true murder and kidnapping events that took place in 1928 and are remembered as the "Wineville Chicken Coop" case. Angelina Jolie finally shows her talent as actress by playing Christine Collins: a single mother who was disillusioned in the alleged recovery of her missing child by LAPD. The recovered child was indeed not her real son (actually murdered), but a cover up story put in place by LAPD to gain media attention. An intriguing thriller that shows now much political factors are intertwined with reality when it comes to federal investigations.

4. Titanic (1997)

Certainly the movie that led to the three-hour long shows' mania revealed once more James Cameron's innovative talent and his passion for sea exploration technology. How could the largest ever built transatlantic sink and be remembered as one of the most tragic accidents in history? Overconfidence in technology and the megalomaniac visions of Mr. Andrews were not to be taken for granted. A fictional romantic story that propelled Kate Winslet and Leonardo Di Caprio to the verge of success set on the narration of 1912 true events beautifully enhanced by the unforgettable special effects. A 3D comeback doesn't come as a surprise.

5. Apollo 13 (1995)

Being passionate about astronomy this was an inevitable choice that reminded me of my childhood dream which sounded more or less like this: "As a grown-up I want to be an astronaut and walk on the moon and explore other galaxies…". The true story of the moon-bound Apollo 13's mission and the challenging return on Earth shows once more how much nature is stronger than humans and totally unpredictable. Ed Harris, Bill Paxton, Kevin Bacon and Tom Hanks proved again to be a great cast under Ron Howard's direction. A classic not to be missed.

6. JFK (1991)

Potentially one of the most discussed investigation cases in history. 'JFK' tells the story behind the events that led to the assassination of John Fitzgerald Kennedy on November 22, 1963 seen through the eyes of former New Orleans attorney Jim Garrison. An inconclusive thriller to leave you with a true question on the validity of the case: facts are objectively exposed for you to think about the dramatic event and draw your conclusions. I truly appreciated the depicted tenacity of Mr Garrison in eagerly trying to solve the case. Oliver Stone is faithful to his talent as a blockbusters' director and relies on the unmistakable cast: Kevin Costner, Tommy Lee Jones, Joe Pesci, Kevin Bacon are all part of the adventure.

My fashion and style rules

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When it comes to fashion and personal style we all abide by our own rules: rules dictated by the shape of our body, by our personality, by our taste and ultimately by our mood and the message we like to convey out there. Over time I have come up with my own fashion and styling rules; these have changed to reflect changes in my age and taste, but there are still a few things that I consider key and definitely non-negotiable if you want to walk past that crowd standing in front of your local pub.


One of my favourite distractions is to sit on a terrace and watch people walk by; I love catching little details and unusual fashion pieces, but I also love counting iconic items worn by trend followers such as trench coats, converse shoes, biker jackets. Nevertheless, I am more interested in spotting the outfit which would be a total rule breaker according to my "style bible". I am fascinated by differences in the perception of fashion and I am not pretending to come up with universal and perfect rules, I am just sharing mine with you, as they haven't let me down so far.

1. Be careful of the socks and sandals.

We all surrendered on that pair of Birkenstock and we are quite happy we did. After all, the Neal street store is always crowded with uber stylish Japanese visitors. However, watch it if you think these are all-year-round shoes: trying to fit socks with those chunky sandals can easily make you look like a doctor on her lunch break.

2. Always make sure to have a tailored blazer in your wardrobe.

Balzers are my favourite pieces: wear them with jeans to dress up or with your LBD for the office. They still look amazing on a white t-shirt with your denim shorts and gladiators for an unmistakable weekend outfit!

3. Invest in the simple pump.

Walking into a Louboutin's store for the first time is a once in a lifetime experience: it is like being taken to a candy shop on your fifth's birthday. The colours and shapes are striking, but be careful if you are considering a long-lasting investment and your wallet doesn't allow you a 3-pair's shopping spree. Invest in pumps that will never go out of fashion: a "passe-partout" colour and a medium heel height. Simple black pumps will look striking with your suit as well as with your Levi's denim.

4. Always wear a slip under your mini dress.

Believe me, it is not the funniest thing in the world wondering why people stare at you. For, as much as flattering this could be, it is not always for the reasons you would hope for. I am one of those people who doesn't really like going for the "balanced version" and with dresses I would go for either short ones or long ones. It was not without embarrassment that I realized wearing a long knit and a huge tote bag over a mini dress is not very safe unless you plan for a slip underneath. Yes, because the movements of your body when you walk and the rubbing of your bag against your dress will literally transform your lovely mini into a t-shirt. So please make sure to get a versatile little slip to keep your dress on the "right track".

5. Wear a belt and avoid thongs with your super low waist skinny jeans.

I love skinny jeans, especially when they are low waist: I hate having to hold my breath just to be able to close my front zip. However, we have all been through the inconvenience of sitting down wearing those super low pants: the paranoia of having our underwear uncovered. I agree, it may look cool on Rihanna or Lady Gaga, but it doesn't look very sexy if you're sipping a cocktail on a terrace with your boyfriend wondering why every man and woman can't get their eyes off of you. Make sure to prevent the embarrassment and those blushing cheeks: wear a belt and avoid the eye-catching thongs!

6. Get the strapless bra for your racer back dresses and tops.

Showing too much is not always an amazing idea: sometimes opting for the invisible and suggestive option is highly recommendable. I still love the '80s: those 'Flashdance' inspirations; Madonna in 'Who's That Girl', but let's face it, times have changed and unless you are still in your teens or planning to attend a rock gig I would advise to hide that bra! Only because you wouldn't want to draw attention away from that lovely racer back Lang's dress, it is best to wear a strapless bra to flatter your beautiful outfit.