Atami Hanabi!

This weekend I attended the Atami fireworks (hanabi)! They were so beautiful! It was definitely an out of this world experience in terms of how clean the beach was and how peaceful and happy the crowd was! It was an amazing experience and I am so lucky to have had a chance to see them! Festival weekend is now over and it is on with the summer! Two more weeks until Obon vacation! Hiroshima, Shikoku and Shiraishi Island here I come!

(Entrance to the beach)

(Hanabi!)

A Very Cool Thrift Store Find

I have been playing around with photo collages! It is all still very new to me. I would like to learn a bit more but here is one of my test trials! I have been using the program shape collage 2.1. What do you use to create your fabulous collages? I would love to hear.

This is a really cool purse I found at a thrift store in Fuji! It will definitely be only for a more formal evening but I couldn't resist it! Even if I never use it. It is so different! Thoughts?

Spend on Trend Contest is still open until July 31st. Click here to enter. You don't need to be a member of blogger you can also email me at clothes line finds @ gmail . com

800 yen or about 7 dollars CND

A Buyer for Christian Lacroix?!

The fabulous Christian Lacroix might be saved this coming Monday the 27th! Bernard Krief Consulting, a French Management-Consulting firm will make an offer for the label. The Company's President Louis Petiet says that if the offer goes through he plans to increase sales five fold for the company. According to New York Magazine, the Lacroix label has not been profitable in its twenty two year history.

(Image via Style.com)

Lacroix Has a Buyer! -- The Cut: New York Magazine's Fashion Blog

A Donna Sgro Update

Last March I had the privilege of meeting Donna Sgro at Japan Fashion Week where she was a featured designer at the Shinmai Creator's Project. You can view the interview here and see a review of her collection from Japan Fashion Week here. Her collection and showing was very successful in Japan and her label is doing very well. Here are a few updates!

Showing in Paris

Donna Sgro will be showing her portfolio and current range in Paris this September. She has been chosen for the Texworld "Designers and Fashion" business exhibition." She is cuurently seeking partnerships to assist with her showing in Paris.

Isetan Launch

Donna's Octopus's Garden range officially launched in June at the Isetan Department Store in Tokyo. The collection has been sponsored by Elle Japan. It was presented on the first floor stage along with a video from the SHINMAI Creator's Project Show and Elle TV interviews.

Octopus's Garden Now Available Online!

New designs are now available on Donna's website at www.donnasgro.com. Some of the most popular pieces are the hooded scarves and relaxed pants. In the next few months Donna will be visiting various markets in Sydney as well.

Congratulations on your successes this year Donna!

Climbing Fuji San!

This past weekend I made the trek up Mount Fuji. I have to say it was one of the most difficult things I have ever done in my life! We took the Subashiri route which is one of the most beautiful but difficult trails! We bought walking sticks at the bottom of the mountain and you can get them stamped as you arrive at each station. We were so exhausted that we ended up getting them on the way back.

We began our hike up the mountain at 3:30 pm on Sunday afternoon. When we arrived at what we thought was the sixth station, we thought we were making great time! That was until we realized that we were at the new sixth station and the old sixth was still an hour away. It was here that we met Koji, Satoshi and Yuuki who we would end up hiking with all the way up and down the mountain! When we arrived at the seventh station I thought I wasn't going to make it. The elevation was making it difficult to breathe and I had a headache and was not feeling very good. My friends encouraged me to take a rest, eat something, take some oxygen and keep going! We arrived at the eighth station at 9:30 pm where we slept (not really) for about three hours.

At 2:00 am we rose to begin the hike up to the top. The winds were strong, the trail was slippery and it was freezing! We were not in the best of moods that's for sure. I really didn't think I was going to make it. It was so difficult. It was kind of eerie to see the city lights miles below and the stream of headlamps and flashlights swaying up the mountain along with us. Everyone was encouraging each other to keep going. There were hundreds of people making the trek up the mountain. I cannot even imagine climbing during August, the peak season!

At 2:00 am we began the final climb to the top to see the sunrise. I thought it was the most difficult part of the trek. It wasn't fatigue that affected me, it was the lack of oxygen. It was extremely difficult to breath and we were all taking oxygen on the way up. It doesn't seem like it is very high from the pictures but Fuji is actually over three thousand meters high! In the end we made it just in time for sunrise at 4:00 am. Phew!

When we got to the top we enjoyed some ramen noodles and hot chocolate! It was the best food I ever ate, of course! The sunrise was magnificent. There were hundreds of people at the top admiring the beautiful sight. We couldn't believe that we actually made it! I really couldn't believe I made it! Our hike down the mountain only took about four hours and we got our Fuji hiking sticks stamped at the stations along the way. We enjoyed soft ice cream and bought omiyage for our co-workers and families at the fifth station. It was a truly wonderful experience and now that it is over, I realize how many great memories we made. I survived Mount Fuji!!

The fiftth station-Beginning.

Tiffany, Makensie, Me and Leah.

Fuji-San

An amazing cloud.

Sunrise.

Me at sunrise. Four in the morning..ugh!

Tiffany, Koji, Satoshi, Yuuki, Leah, Makensie and Me!

Everyone trying to capture the moment.

Wonder and amazement.

On the way down.

There were many coins inserted
into this Tori. Many many wishes.
I made one too!

Spend on Trend Contest!

Spend on Trend is coming back to Vancouver again this year! You can view the link from last year's event here. This year I am having a contest to win tickets for the event. I have two sets of tickets. If you would like to win tickets to attend this fun event featuring local designers, just leave a comment about who your favorite Canadian or Vancouver designer is.

A little bit about Spend on Trend. It features the work of Canadian designers including: Catalyst Reaction, Davie and Chiyo, Nate Organics, Togs Design, Filou Designs, Megan Kathryn, Two of Hearts, and many more. Not only that, but the first 25 people through the door each day receive a gift bag, with awesome stuff like a copy of FASHION magazine! The event will be taking place at the Scotia Bank Dance Centre at 677 Davie Street Vancouver.

Contest Closes July 31st!

Here are the dates and times:

Friday, August 21: 5-9pm
Saturday, August 22: 10am-7pm
Sunday, August 23: 11am-6pm

If you miss the contest, here is the ticket information!

$5.00; Tickets available at the door.
$3.00 online in advance at www.spendontrend.eventbrite.com

Don't miss out on this fun event and the chance to discover new Canadian designers!

Just one example of a great find!

A Few Pieces from the Urban Outfitters Fall Catalog

If there is one store I miss here in Japan it is Urban Outfitters. It's really unfortunate they don't ship overseas. Nevertheless they have some great pieces in their early fall catalog collection.

I climbed Mount Fuji this weekend..pictures coming in the next day or two.

Silence and Noise Boyfriend Blazer.
$78

Levi's Leather Moto Jacket
$298

Deena and Ozzy Suede
Zip up Bootie
$78

Matiko Lace-up Sandal
$148
(Images via Urban Outfitters)

Couture 2009 Highlights

Here are a few images and thoughts of the Fall 2009 Couture Collections. There was a definite sense of concern in all of the articles written about the collections for the future of Couture. With Christian Lacroix's financial difficulties this year, we all continue to wonder what is going to happen next. Many of the collections were small but there were some definite show stoppers!

Christian Lacroix

It's now no secret that the house of Christian Lacroix is in serious financial trouble. He had to dip into his ribbon stock to create this colllection and paid the models out of his own pocket. Badges were being handed out at the show that read "Christian Lacroix Forever." Financial backers are being encouraged to send letters of intent this month. We can only hope that someone will rescue this magnificent label. If the label does survive, Lacroix will begin creating looks in September. Of the fall looks he said:

"For next autumn-winter, it will be "close-fitting silhouettes, sexy but gentle, with something going on at the back, bare shoulders under scarves which highlight them, black tone-on-tone embroidery... the classic repertory of the house, what is left, the hard disk." (via NyMag)

His collection consisted of elegant skirts and jackets. Each item was impeccably designed but it was clear that this was created to lure potential buyers. Nevertheless it brought the models to tears and a standing ovation at the end of the show.

(Image via NyMag)

Jean Paul Gaultier

The collection was a little bit difficult to follow. There seemed to be a variety of themes all thrown together. The collection included corsets, trenches, body suits, gowns and jackets in Matrix styled blacks and a patchwork of golds.

Gaultier's take on Priss
from Blade Runner?

Can anyone else picture Lady Gaga in this look?

Elie Saab

Elie Saab's collection was a stunner but his show concept did not go over very well with fashion journalists and industry insiders. He chose to present his all white collection at the Rue Cambon bank where Karl Largerfeld showed his all white collection for Chanel back in January. The similarities were too close for many. The collection consisted of tailored jackets and short dresses and skirts all elegantly embroidered and embellished.

Armani Privé

Giorgio Armani featured a multitude of pant suits in this couture collection. It was a new and more modern take on the traditional pant suit. There were unique cuts, fastenings and lines in each and every one of the looks. He also featured some amazing gowns that could be worn on any red carpet.

(Images via style.com)

Christian Dior Couture Fall 2009

This season John Galliano was inspired by behind-the-scenes photographs taken in the 1950's of Monsieur Dior dressing models for shows. He presented his collection at the Christian Dior headquarters in the Avenue Montaigne. While the crowd was more intimate, there was definitely no lack of drama to the clothes! A beautiful collection and a superb presentation of hats. Vibrant colors, accentuated wastes, corsets, bows and ruffles were prominent this season.

(Images via style.com)