Inspiring | Prabal Gurung

Symphony favourite Prabal Gurung doesn’t just make beautiful gowns which grace the red carpet and win him accolades such as his recent honour of receiving the 2011 CFDA Swarovski Award for Womenswear. Oh no. He gives back! The lovely Mr Gurung has been named Goodwill Ambassador of Maiti Nepal – a charity which was founded in 1993 by CNN Hero Award recipient Amuradha Koirala. In March this year Gurung travelled to his native Nepal (along with Demi Moore) and visited Maiti Nepal’s schools and orphanages. He also visited a shelter with 23 young girls whose mothers are in prison – some for falling victim to human trafficking; a huge and distressing issue for Nepal’s innocent women and children.

Prabal takes in the views of the awe-inspiring Mount Everest in Nepal

Speaking of his involvement with Maiti Nepal, Prabal said: “the suffering of millions of women and children, who have been trafficked and subject to various forms of exploitation can be reduced by those who realise that they have resources and abilities to support anti-tracking initiatives.” Gurung believes that the campaign against human trafficking must be given a platform, “A society free from human trafficking is possible and we must realise that it is our responsibility to make this world a better place for all mankind. By simply stating our desire, we sow the seeds of great change”, continued Gurung.

Maiti Nepal is of the view that this symbolic agreement with Prabal Gurung is a starting point to offer support to the initiatives of Maiti Nepal by engaging public advocacy, public awareness activities and generating resources to address human trafficking and the suffering of children and women in Nepal and elsewhere. Feeling inspired? Want to do something? Find out how you can help here

xoxo

Amy Winehouse performing Valerie live on BBC Sessions

Today’s Music Monday is dedicated to the late, great Amy Winehouse. Rest in Peace Amy xoxo

We love….

…Lauren Conrad’s Rainbow Dip-Dye!

Images courtesy of LC’s lovely website The Beauty Department

xoxo

Meet our intern Cleo!

World meet Cleo, the lovely young lady who has been helping us out at Symphony Style HQ. Read on to peep her cute style and find out what she has learnt whilst interning with us***…

No-one can accuse Cleo of being anything but well read!

Full name:  Cleo von Siebenthal
Age: 17

Currently studying at The American School of Dubai.

Hi Cleo! Where do you live in Dubai? What do you love about that area of town? I live in Deira.  This is normally when people raise their eyebrows and ask me, “Why do you live on the other side of the world?!” 30 years ago, “the other side of the world” was “the only side of the world.”  A lot of people don’t realize that the true charm of Dubai lies in this part of town.  There’s a lot of character in the old souks and narrow two-lane roads that used to make up this city. It’s nice to be able to step away from the skyscrapers and highways that today’s Dubai is renowned for.

Why did you want to intern at Symphony Style HQ? I picked up a copy of the Symphony in-store S/S ’11 magazine and instantly fell in love with every single page of it.  I also really liked the concept of the store and it felt like a place where I could see myself working in the future.  I also happened to have a few extra weeks of free time and I figured that I might as well make the best out of it.

What do you want to be when you “grow up”? Anna Wintour would be a bit of a stretch, right?  I think for now, I’ll settle for a more realistic goal and say that I’d like to be the next Grace Coddington.  Wait… that’s still a stretch.

What music is currently on replay? I’m a pretty big indie junkie.  Currently, I’m listening to artists like Florence and the Machines, Two Door Cinema Club, Bon Iver, Mumford and Sons, Cut Copy, Foster the People, Friendly Fires, Lykke Li, Ra Ra Riot…I’ve got an online playlist at www.hypem.com/claydohhh that you can check out if you’d like.

Where do you like to eat in Dubai? The Thai Kitchen at the Park Hyatt; hands down my favourite restaurant in Dubai!

What do you think of Symphony? From  the moment I enter the boutique, I feel as if I’ve stepped into another world.  From the gorgeous high ceilings and girly dressing rooms to the carefully selected pieces that adorn the racks, Symphony is a place that every shopper will fall in love with.

What has been the best thing about interning at Symphony Style?
The best part has definitely been realising that I want to be a part of the fashion industry.  The whole experience has been so amazing and educational – it’s amazing how much you can learn from flipping through hundreds of magazines and newspapers until your fingers turn black!

Who is your favourite designer and why? This is always such a difficult question to answer because I can never pick one!  Marc Jacobs is definitely one on the list – he never fails to bring a sense of freshness and youthfulness to the runway. Alexander McQueen, of course – Sarah Burton has certainly continued his legacy of creating beautifully crafted masterpieces.  I love the effortlessly edginess of Alexander Wang’s collections.  When it comes to dresses, Elie Saab has my heart. 3.1 Phillip Lim, Tibi, Erin Fetherston, and Jason Wu are also some of my favourites.

What are you coveting for Autumn/Winter 2011? A pair of sparkly Miu Miu heels; I’m going through a bit of a sequin/glitter obsession.

Which up and coming designer do you recommend we check out?
Having amazed the fashion world with her line of digitally printed dresses at London Fashion Week in February, Mary Katrantzou definitely tops my list of up-and-coming designers.

(Complete this sentence) Without Fashion….. the world would be content
with wearing Crocs and sweatpants.

What are your plans this weekend? I’ll be taking a ride on an Emirates A380 en route to Thailand!

Alright for some! Finally, tell us something unusual about yourself. I’ve moved a total of eight times and have grown up living in hotels.  I guess that’s not something you hear every day.

Cleo plays dress up at Symphony, The Dubai Mall selecting the new Autumn/Winter 2011 ankle-grazing Anna Sui velvet dress with dusty gold Charlotte Olympia ‘Greta’ Platforms ♥ Just how adorable is this ensemble?

Cleo wearing Anna Sui and Charlotte Olympia** at Symphony*

It is Cleo’s last day interning with us. We will miss you Cleo! ♥

The Charlotte Olympia Autumn/Winter 2011 Greta Platforms**… sigh!

Bisous
♥♥♥

*Dress and shoes available at Symphony, Ground Floor Fashion Avenue, The Dubai Mall, T: 04 330 8050 for more info.

**Charlotte Olympia is exclusive to Symphony, The Dubai Mall in The UAE ♥

***Do you want to intern with us? Email info@symphonystyle.ae with your CV and covering letter.

Meow!

Today we’re wearing blue silk pyjama pants and Charlotte Olympia Autumn/Winter 2011 Kitty Heels.

Said heels are available at Symphony now call 04 330 8050 for more info.

Charlotte Olympia Autumn/Winter 2011 is exclusive to Symphony in the UAE. Full pictures and prices can be found on our Facebook Page.

xoxo

Music Monday

Music Monday | Antony Hegarty takes on Beyonce with this breathtaking cover of ‘Crazy in Love’ ♥

Finally! A snippet of Tim Walker’s, The Lost Explorer

Back in September, at London Fashion Week, patrons of the Mulberry post-show party were treated to a screening of Tim Walker’s directorial debut, The Lost Explorer. Until now, those not fortunate enough to have attended Mulberry’s soiree or any of the few film festivals that it has screened at, have been left in the dark as to what a Tim Walker film might look like… although fans of his photography can probably imagine how fantastical and magical it could be. However, today is your lucky day Walker-Fans! The photographer has just posted the trailer of the said film on his website and the 59 second teaser does not disappoint…

Walker, who shot his first story for Vogue sixteen years ago at twenty-five years young, chose to film a mystical story taken from Blood and Water and Other Tales by Patrick McGrath, who Walker refers to as ‘the apocalyptic Roald Dahl’. The Lost Explorer begins with a child, Evelyn, played by 14-year-old Olympia Campbell,   stumbling on a tent among brambles at the bottom of her garden. Inside, an   explorer is dying of malaria and clutching a revolver. ‘The Lost Explorer’ is played by Richard Bremner, he of Harry Potter fame (Lord Voldemort).

One scene from the film, which is unfortunately absent in the above trailer, features a cloud of 300 flying canaries; a testament to Walker’s illustrious imagination. The inspiration for this mesmerising shot came from Walker’s memory of a tale of Victorian times;  ‘Ages ago someone told me how, in Victorian times, there were canary clouds over the Atlantic’, Walker commented, referring to the days when a taste for exotic birds meant that clippers sailed back from Africa loaded with cages. Halfway home, they would release the birds, which would soar over the sea, until, too tiny to reach land, they would drop back down to the ship and a life of captivity. Walker, who is by no means challenge-shy (often using wild animals and elaborate props in his photography work), was determined to capture this idea on film; ‘it was the toughest scene,’ he commented, ‘we could only afford 300 canaries, and at the end, the animal wrangler retrieved 287. He put down nuts and seeds and five more appeared, then another seven. By the time the last one came down, it was dusty brown from being up in the rafters.’

…Fingers crossed we get to see this and the rest of the twenty-minute film very soon.

An example of Walker’s exceptional photography: Lily Cole and Giant Fish, Northumberland, England 2004.

♥

Music Monday

Music Monday | Cliff Richards and The Shadows – Summer Holiday

Are you off on your Summer Holiday? Today’s Music Monday is for you. Summer Holiday is a British musical released in February 1963 starring Cliff Richard. We love the old-school London bus! ♥

A look at Haute Couture Autumn/Winter 2011

The Haute Couture shows are something of a mystery; elusive and beautiful, just like a unicorn, or Norma Jeane Mortenson - a fairytale idea that does not feel “real” if you will. These magnificent fables appear suddenly twice a year and stop us in our tracks; leaving one feeling inspired, elated, confused and deflated all at once. Why the confusion? Because we have just been looking at lovely Cruise 2012 collections; Haute Couture Autumn/Winter 2011 is a chronological step back that simultaneously feels thousands of steps forward. What’s with the deflation? Well, mostly because you, the voyeur, quickly become very aware that you will most likely never own that stunning Riccardo Tisci creation – the best thing that you have ever seen, will never be yours to own, to touch, to wear. But we can still ooh and ahh at the beautiful pictures right? … and ooh and ahh we will…

Alexis Mabille

Inspired by La Fontaines classic animal fables, featuring interpretations of ‘The Ant’, ‘The Swan’ and ‘The Grasshopper’ amongst others.

Ann Valérie Hash

A reality-check collection. No mystical animals in sight. Rather, the designer has taken good old-fashioned advice from her well-heeled clientele.

Armani Privé

Mr Armani’s beautiful couture collection pays homage to Japan; parasols, far eastern prints and cherry blossoms all feature.

Azzedine Alaïa

Timelessness personified in a perfect collection of beautifully crafted, inspired pieces. Carly Simon’s hit “Nobody does it better” springs to mind…

Chanel

Karl Lagerfeld references Coco Chanel’s life story and preference for tweed twin-suits and yet, keeps her elusive mystery intact with this collection.

Christian Dior

All eyes were on this show, Dior’s first couture show sans Galliano for quite some time.

Elie Saab

The standard Saab offering of Cinderella, fairytale gowns.

Giambattista Valli

A collection that harks back to vintage Valli; the marriage of casual and couture at its finest.

Givenchy

Tisci summed up this offering as “Purity, Lightness, Fragility”. We are not sure the seamstresses that spent hours applying the tigers-eye pearls inserted with crystals, or the embroider who painstakingly applied the tiny silvery-grey caviar beads would agree with the “lightness” part. But that is the beauty of fashion, specifically with couture; fantasy.

Iris Van Herpen

In our humble opinion this is exactly as Haute Couture should be – completely unwearable and bordering on ridiculous but utterly inspiring and fantastical. Vogue.com said it best, “If Lady Gaga and Alexander McQueen ever had a love child it would probably produce someone like Iris van Herpen, the 27 year old designer from the Netherlands has a flare for the dramatic and a sculpture’s eye for design.”

Jean Paul Gaultier

Inspired by Aronofsky’s Black Swan, black feathers and noir-themed looks in abundance.

Valentino

Contemporary romance at its finest. A modern day tale of grace and femininity.

♥♥♥

We caught up with Reiko Kaneko, whose super cute tea sets just arrived in-store at Symphony

We caught up with Reiko Kaneko, whose super-cute tea sets just arrived in-store at Symphony. Reiko Kaneko established her design studio in London’s East End in 2007, having studied Arts and Design at Central St. Martin’s College. She was born in Britain but spent her childhood in Japan, influencing her products in an inimitable blend of English and Japanese style throughout the product ranges. Her love of ceramics has led Reiko to specialise in ceramic design and supplies bone china designs based around her typically British fine bone china tableware and home accessories with a Japanese twist. Her line is coveted by the likes of Vogue Living, House & Home and Elle Decoration. We find out what inspires this young designer…

Symphony: What did you want to be when you were growing up?

Reiko Kaneko: I always wanted to be an artist, “preferably” I thought, “without cutting my ear off”…

Symphony: What do you usually drink out of your creations?

Reiko Kaneko: Green tea – every morning out of my arctic tumblers.

Symphony: Why the lip stains?

Reiko Kaneko: That came out of the project looking into what was perceived as “dirt” and “imperfections”. The idea of embracing these imperfections as part of the object’s beauty is very Japanese – people might recognise it as ‘wabi-sabi’. I was drawn to the feeling that real things are not geometric and straight (at least, not for long) but is marked, pitted and curved. Lip stains are horrible when you get them stuck on a glass, but when it’s a 24 carat gold lipstick mark… well, that’s just nice isn’t it?

Symphony: Quite! Which materials do you like to use in your designs?

Reiko Kaneko: My main focus is English bone china. It’s a wonderful material with its translucent quality and strength. I love to mix in other materials like rope and wood that contrasts with the whiteness of the piece, like ‘The Boat’ and ‘Breakfast
Express’.

Symphony: Do you see yourself branching out into fashion design or any other field?

Reiko Kaneko: I love to collaborate and I have a lot of friends in the fashion world so it’s all possible. I’m currently working with Heston Blumenthal’s restaurant, The Fat Duck on some plates which has been really inspiring.

Symphony: Which movie best sums up Reiko Kaneko?

Reiko Kaneko: The Royal Tennenbaums or Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless mind.

Symphony: What is your favourite quote?

Reiko Kaneko: I collect favourite quotes so I have a lot to choose from. This is difficult, but one of my favourites, by Cathy Haynes who lectured on “how to enjoy free time” said, “Fight for the right to experiment without purpose, without the fear of failure”

I also like the quote David McCandless collated from using the most common words from 4,000 star sign predictions: “Whatever the situation or secret moment, enjoy everything a lot. Feel able to absolutely care. Expect nothing else. Keep love. Family and friends matter. The world is life, fun and energy. Maybe hard. Or easy. Taking exactly enough is best. Help and talk to others. Change your mind and a better mood comes along…”

Symphony: What is the best advice you have ever received?

Reiko Kaneko: In a work context, “Create meaning, not product” and in general life, “you’re a little bit of everyone you’ve ever met”

Reiko Kaneko tea sets are exclusively available at Symphony, The Dubai Mall now. See the Symphony Facebook Page for more images and info ♥