The year is coming to a close and we’re already gearing up for the next 12 months ahead. In honour of the number twelve, here’s a personal kind of list of 12 good things:
The year is coming to a close and we’re already gearing up for the next 12 months ahead. In honour of the number twelve, here’s a personal kind of list of 12 good things:
In just over 24 hours, I will be getting on a plane to cross the Mediterranean for Rome. From there I will eventually make my way down and over to Sicily: the ball that the boot kicks, the haven for Italian mafia, the island of volcanos and waters in brilliant blue. In anticipation of such an adventure (and as I sit staring at an empty duffle bag) here’s what my ideal Sicily-bound suitcase would contain…
If you’re a regular visitor to this blog, you’ll notice that I have a soft spot for ethical fashion. And while this is certainly a big reason to love the Ghanian-inspired, Australian-based brand Yevu, I loved the punchy prints before I even discovered that the brand also had an ethical back-bone. After a year living in Ghana, the designer Anna Robertson, left with a vision to create a print-focused label of clothing. Wandering through the West African marketplaces of wax-print fabrics, Anna “just kept picturing the things [her] friends in Sydney would want to wear.” With print-on-print suiting in trend this season, Yevu’s vibrant collection arrived just in time.
I came across Ölend the way one usually finds beautiful things: by accident. And when I discover something this unique, I go to great lengths to find out all about it. Adriana Dumon and Fran Rios started making backpacks by hand for their friends. They loved doing this so much that they turned it into a business. Ölend is an example of the comeback of slow fashion – a return to small-batch production and the use of locally-sourced materials. The Barcelona natives’ love for the craft is what keeps their young entrepreneurial spirits alive, despite a dismal Spanish economy that does not readily support young business owners. Inspired by the alpinist’s packs of the 50s, each canvas backpack is made-to-order, and all colors and trims are picked by the customer. People are catching on and business is flourishing. Even in the midst of a full schedule of orders, Adriana still took the time to answer my questions.
Since this blog knows few boundaries when it comes to subject matter, it was only a matter of time before a beauty-related post appeared (I am a human-being with skin, after all). I always like reading about what other people use, recommend, prescribe… This is how we find the products that work for us (or don’t, which is probably more important). So I figured I would do the same, and share what I have been using recently for my problematic face – it’s stubborn, trust me. Of course, it wouldn’t be like me to just brag on about a single product which is the holy grail of all skincare. Instead, I use globalization to my advantage, and source my pomades from around the world, resulting in a pretty diverse mix.
In crossing my neighborhood park one day, I paused in front of the boarded up mint green windows of what is now this cool, clean, fresh concept store: The Broken Arm. They’ve only been open for 2 weeks, but are already the hippest kid on the block in NoMa (Northern Marais).