Magnan & Tse: French-Chinese Fashion Fusion

In a wonderful quiet corner in the heart of the city, I found this chic boutique with a strong character owned by a Parisian-born Chinese architect turned fashion designer, Tse Yuen-Man. Tse started her career as an architect until two years ago in 2009, she launched the precious apparel brand Magnan & Tse. That explains why Tse's designs exude structural beauty and focus on silhouette. In one word, her design style is Chinese in spirit with French basics.



From the moment you step through the front door, your eyes will automatically be attracted to the comfy signature “jewel-T shirts” with hand embroidery and rhinestone motifs on the window mannequins, which reflect the designer's design philosophy that the perfect attire for modern women should be easy to carry, simple yet not without delicate details; feminine yet modern and chic, and of soft and comfortable high quality and with exquisite craftsmanship, which allows busy working women to feel confident in it during the day and look enchanting with gorgeous accessories in any evening functions.



If you are a huge vintage fan like me, I suggest you pick your favourite pieces in Tse's recycled and handpaint vintage collection of bold colours and spectacular prints and patterns to fill up your wardrobe. Magnan & Tse has got a full hanging rail of 60's Go-Go retro style dresses to which the designer introduced variations and embellishments and made alterations to create a modern interpretation of the groovy 60s mod fashion. Are you ready to be a modern 60's Go-Go dancing queen, girls? Now get yourself a wig and rock the party!





In addition to the signature “jewel-T shirts” and the recycled vintage collection, Tse has just added a computer print line using a high resolution technique for technocolour rendering to her brand. I personally reckon some of the prints showed hints of Vivienne Tam's early designs. The bright and vibrant oriental colour combinations always make my heart and those who fancy adding a bit Chinese touch to their styling happy.



If Tse's “jewel-T shirts” appear a little too casual to you for the evening, why not try her trendy, elegant and equally comfy beaded embroidered cocktail dresses which are ideal for both formal and casual events? The flowy silhouette is perfect for pairing heels to sexily sway your body on the dance floor.





At Magnan & Tse, you can choose from a wide range of handmade accessories, envelope clutches, daytime bags and shoes to complete your look, which will make you look stunning day and night.





Though I missed out on the “Forever Better with Miele, by REDRESS” VIP fashion show on the 16th June which aimed at raising public awareness of the importance of recycling used-clothing and textiles and advocating for a fashionable revival of second-hand clothes and textile recycling (what a pity!), I was happy for and so proud of Yuen-Man as one of the participating designers who created two Mandarin inspired, one piece Cheongsam dresses out of second-hand clothes for the show, which best represented her Chinese origin and showed her keenness for recycling clothing. Respect! Please click into http://magnantse.blogspot.com/2011/06/so-hot-down-there-but-i-had-great-night.html for the review of the show.





Magnan & Tse
G/F 15 Aberdeen Street. Soho
Hong Kong

“Starry” by Esther Li: Let the Beauty of the Jewels Speak for Itself

By the time I finished photoshooting at Starry, I knew right away that I didn't need to write a long attractive text for this unique handmade jewellery boutique. I decided to let the jewellery pieces sold at Starry speak for themselves as their beauty is simply beyond words to describe. When I popped into Starry by chance four days before photoshooting, I was entirely dazzled by the display showcase filled with a lot of really stunning bits that I couldn't take my eyes off it. Esther Li is an amazing local Chinese handmade jewellery designer for whom designing is an opportunity to satisfy her passion. She doesn't mass produce products; each design is individually handcrafted in a very small quantity and is therefore totally unique, so in other words each piece is made a true rare masterpiece, which surely makes the wearer feel privileged. Esther aims to come up with original designs which can strike a balance between the designer's distinctive signature style and the needs of the market, and I would say she made it.

Using the finest semi-precious gemstones, Swarvoski crystals and vintage components, Esther creates a timeless collection of handcrafted jewellery and vintage inspired accessories, which features a wonderful selection of beautiful bangles, earrings, necklaces and brooches. I especially like the multi-coloured crystal embellished bangles with which I bling my eyes out. There is absolutely nowhere else you can get such exquisite designs, excellent craftsmanship and luxurious materials at an affordable price better than these in Starry, perhaps yes in some reputable department stores like Lane Crawford at double the price.







It was in fact very hard to pick a favorite as all the designs were so jaw-droppingly gorgeous that I couldn't make up my mind what to purchase. What do you think?





Esther's design style is considered to be a perfect fusion of vintage and modernity with sophisticated elegance which appeals to women of all ages who are tasteful, classy, and love wearing accessories which would accentuate the best parts of their body.



The designer searched worldwide for these Chinese wedding dragon phoenix candles for the window display. Not only are westerners obsessed with the exotic Chinese customs, so am I.





If you happen to be in town, do drop by Starry or click into www.starryintl.com.hk to experience in person the enchanting design journey of Esther.

Starry
Shop 341J, Level 3
Metro Plaza, 223 Hing Fong Road
Kwai Chung, NT, Hong Kong

Explore More Treasures of Bita Pourtavoosi

Do you remember her? Yes, she is Bita Pourtavoosi the New York fashion handmade jewellery designer featured in my another post entitled “Bita Pourtavoosi's Metropolitan Design: Less Is More” published two weeks ago. If you can't get enough of Bita's simple, fresh, and clean designs, here is your chance to explore more treasures of Bita Pourtavoosi. Come follow me to tour around the latest catalogue of the designer's fantastic collection and get dazzled.

Bita's signature stacking sets which consist of a wide range of beautiful, high-quality gold plated sterling silver and brass jewellery pieces such as a fine selection of gemstone ring sets and jeweled bangles are especially worth a mention. Each stacking set allows the wearer to mix and match and creates a unique piece of jewellery all her own that matches her individual personality. What is more, almost every stacking item is embellished with colourful semi precious stones combined with glittering crystals and even elegant fresh water pearls – green amethyst, white howlite, pink coral, red coral, synthetic rose sapphire, tiger's eye, turquoise howlite, Swarovski crystal, you name it. Such amazing designs made with exquisite craftsmanship featuring rich colours and luxurious materials surely blow your mind.

High Scale Glimmer



Make Me Blush



Bubble Gum Pop



Warm Turquoise



Even if you are not a big fan of stackable jewellery, I'm sure you can still pick something you like from Bita's equally stunning classic designs. The style is simple yet elegant and everlasting with the best features of modern sophistication. You effortlessly exude the New York chic by accessorizing with Bita Pourtavoosi.

A Big Chunk of Stone Ring



2 Jewels Hammered Hoop



Pyramid Necklace



Machine and Chain Necklace



Come visit artistspringboard boutique for the complete collection of Bita Pourtavoosi. You will discover even more surprises. Now you can purchase Bita's best sellers at a hot price at Ideeli.com. The discount offer will be up for two to three days starting from the 7th June. All items will be up to 70% off. Shopping at Ideeli.com is easy; all you need to do is to sign up for a free membership. Enjoy!

Hey Girls, Let's Get Changed and Ring In Spring!

Listen up! This is GV Miao's first official blog post written for artistspringboard.com Yeah it's OFFICIAL!

Spring is in the air and if you got sick of the dullness of your thick winter coats, why not fill up your wardrobes with Britt Beale an up-and-coming British designer's cheerful spring collection, and let the designer transform you into a floral fairy? Britt's designs exude irresistible girlish charm and sweetness. The beautiful floral patterns and special prints and the pastel colour palette, both cool and warm ranging from lilac to tangerine win the hearts of the girls obsessed with idyllic romance and fantasy. On top of that, the collection is mainly made out of comfy and feminine fabrics like cotton and lace with exquisite embellished details such as frills and ruffles, which would surely make the perfect companion for a spring garden tea party. You want to catch people's eyes during any moment in this elegant outdoor event? You know what to wear.

Frilly jersey hot pants printed with roses and lacey cut off leggings with a frilly hem: Britt's collection is full of stunning pieces in which I especially like these white lace leggings, which can effortlessly stylize and glam up any outfit while add a sexy touch to it.



Sheer lilac frilly zip top printed with roses and floral sailor dress: this romantic purple floral cotton dress nicely coordinated with the sheer frilly jacket in the same colour tone can easily transform the wearer into a floral fairy, and make her the focus of a spring garden party. The floral dress is definitely worth the buy. It feels so comfy and cozy. It is simple yet not without lovely details. So don't miss out!



Fifties style vintage print dress: a very 1950s silhouette, style and attitude this dress has and reminds me of always elegant Jackie O. A retro print of light blue and red flowers blossom on a white cotton background is speechlessly fabulous.



Pretty white ruffled shirt with bird motif and patchwork print vintage cut shorts: the girlish shirt design and the cheerful tangerine patchwork print shorts certainly kick the greyness of winter away. What are you waiting for? Let's get changed and ring in spring!



I am totally into Britt Beale's fancy girly collection which would enable me to feel the freshness of spring by wearing it. How about you? Come visit artistspringboard boutique and bring your favourite items home.

Bita Pourtavoosi's Metropolitan Design: Less Is More

This is GV Miao's second trail post blogged for artistspringboard.com scheduled to be published in May after the Royal Wedding. Have a preview here and leave us your comments, appreciated!



Diann Valentine, a world renowned event designer and wedding planner famous for having organized internationally acclaimed weddings for celebrities like Usher, Toni Braxton, and Boyz II Men crooner Shawn Stockman just to name a few wearing a New York fashion handmade jewellery designer Bita Pourtavoosi's “Big Chunk of Onyx Ring” and “3 Hoop Earrings” effortlessly demonstrated modern metropolitan style by accessorizing with jewellery. And she looked just jaw droppingly gorgeous. I reckon no one knows the meaning of cosmopolitan chic better than Bita Pourtavoosi whose designs project the typical New York-style simplicity, freshness, and cleanliness yet not without details and the amazing attention to superior materials and unsurpassed quality workmanship.

Big Chunk of a Stone Ring: the design is simple with subtle details. The ring features a large tiger's eye with stripes framed by an exquisitely textured 24K yellow gold plated brass frame. By wearing this on your finger, you surely share minimal fashion taste of New Yorkers.



Hammered 3 Hoop Earring: one of my favourite pieces which best projects cosmopolitan chic. These 24K yellow gold plated brass earrings are hand hammered to perfection, which reflects the designer's dedication and passion for her craft, art, and design.



Bita Pourtavoosi's collection consists of a wide range of striking jewellery items that are perfect for almost every occasion. Each of the fashion jewellery pieces from Bita is handcrafted by the designer herself using semi precious stones, which makes her designs even more luxurious and unique as no two pieces are exactly alike, ensuring each owner that they end up with a unique piece of jewellery all their own that matches their individual personality.

Stacker Bangles with Cabochons: a definitely interesting piece which allows you to mix and match and create a set that is all your own as you desire. Each gold bangle is embellished with three semi precious stones – green aventurine, turquoise howlite, gold plated pyrite, white howlite, and tiger's eye just to name a few. The beautiful colour combinations can certainly brighten up the dull grayness of city life.



Bita Pourtavoosi's jewellery collection is a must-have for every metropolitan girl like you and me. Don't hesitate to come visit and shop with us at
artistspringboard.com See you there!

Help GV Miao Fashion Blog Achieve our Blogging Career!

It's the very first time GV Miao fashion blog was approached by artistspringboard.com (the UK) that we may be granted a paid offer based on the hit rate on this first trial post on Sheena Bulsara's jewelry label "Handmade with Love." Pls click into http://artistspringboard.blogspot.com/2011/04/sheenas-handmade-with-love-cleopatra.html and leave us your comments. Help us achieve our blogging career!


Let's keep CLEOPATRA legend alive!

When I first saw the luxurious jewellery collection by Sheena Bulsara the award winning London based designer of Grant Riley Styling and Geoff Reardon Competition, I saw Cleopatra.

Challenging myself to create the modern image of Cleopatra, I would still make the young Elisabeth Taylor playing Cleopatra, the legendary female Pharaoh of ancient Egypt in an evergreen Hollywood classic “Cleopatra” as an ideal model of beauty and power the icon of Sheena's label called “Handmade with Love” but restyle her with Sheena's jewellery, which design I reckon is a perfect blend of vintage and new, luxury and down-to-earth wearability, and of the empress' nobleness and ladylike grace. How do you like my idea to advertise your brain-child and I will be thinking of more, Sheena?

Vintage jewel components and modern craftsmanship are the signature of Sheena's design. This Sunken Treasure Necklace displays the beauty of a vintage piece with high style and superior craftsmanship updating the styling, quality and value for the modern image of Cleopatra.

Read more...

Not a Research Paper: A Brief Scrutiny of the Macro and Micro Environments of the Fashion Industry (based on the situation in Asia)

Fashion retailing/garment manufacturing has always been one of the most competitive industries; it is largely due to its complicated and dynamic macro and micro environments which closely link, and at the same time interact with each other. Externally, the economic downturn caused by the financial crisis once sweeping across Asia, the advanced technology and sophisticated manufacturing development, as well as a swift change in taste and fashion have stroke a strong impact on every unit involved, and influenced the marketing atmosphere generally. Internally, a firm's relationship with its stakeholders - how it enhances its market share, or even strives for the position of the market leader by gaining preference from its suppliers, cultivating customers' loyalty and dominating its competitors creates a unique marketing culture in the fashion/garment industry. In the following, I will scrutinize how both of its macro and micro environments play an inevitable role in shaping the distinctive features of the rapidly shifting fashion business model.

In light of the economic environment, Asia in general has once suffered from the economic recession which badly shook consumer purchasing power and spending patterns and caused high unemployment. Clothing under such a poor economy can scarcely be regarded as a luxurious product for self-expression but a basic necessity, as nobody would squander considerable amount of money on a certain best-known designer brand. That explained why Gucci and Armani which under no circumstances would offer any discount would make a compromise at this point unwillingly. Offering the best discount is one of the most effective ways to let the business go on in the market. Moreover, owing to the changes in income, many customers shrunk their spending as their income declined and tended to more cautious buying. For example, they might pay more attention to garments' quality instead of its branding. As a result, in the fashion retail market when the economy is down, sustaining the premium quality and reasonable price instead of playing with an illusive image of the designer brands should always be a pre-requisite for success.

In addition, technologically, the creation of new fibres such as polyester and viscose by new technology enables garments to be manufactured at a lower cost. Since then, artificial fibres have performed an essential role in garment manufacturing alongside with natural fibres such as cotton, silk and wool. Furthermore, the appearance of these new fibres gives rise to a great variety of outlook and handfeel. For example, polyester is a highly potential synthetic material readily to be converted into leather-like, silk-like, and even shearling-like qualities by fully utilizing different ways of finishing. Consequently, the new technology for producing artificial fibres at a lower cost has become particularly important during tough economic times, when the production cost has to be maintained low. Realizing the benefits of the advanced technological development in garment manufacturing, many fashion retailers have stimulated customers' desire to buy by appealing to their eagerness to try out new and interesting qualities being sold at an affordable price such as metallic, burn-out, etc. The trend-conscious competitors are willing to revolutionize their products so as to stand out in the market.

Last but not lest, in light of the cultural environment, a swift change in taste and fashion plays a part in constituting a unique marketing atmosphere of the fashion industry. Fashion is a cultural product which reflects the basic values and beliefs of our society, and people’s perceptions and behaviors over a period of time. To cite an example, “China heat” and “mysteries of ancient Egypt” once fascinated the designers. Vivienne Tam and John Galliano for Christian Dior, just to name a few mixed western and eastern elements in their designs, which has set the trend in the culture of fashion.

Christian Dior Spring/Summer 1999 runway show