Black on Black

Top courtesy of Yoana Baraschi, Bruno Pieters x Weekdays skirt, Devaki hat.

Now that I'm in Sweden, where it's already pretty much transitioned to winter, I've found myself reverting, at least temporarily, to an all-black wardrobe.  While I normally prefer more color, it's hard to think outside of black when the weather is permanently grey.  However, black can still be fun, and I've been wearing this Yoana Baraschi feathered neckline top non-stop since I picked it up at her press preview last month.  This is definitely one of Baraschi's less colorful pieces, as the designer definitely favors bold hues and bright prints.  At the preview of the Spring collection, I was particularly drawn to a series of graphic striped knit pieces with a nautical vibe, as well as a group of lace dresses and separates that came in neutrals as well as an eye-popping coral. They're something to look forward to when the spring time comes in six months.

-Tiffany

Gareth Pugh x Melissa

A little while back, those of us who wanted to get a hold of a pair of Gareth Pugh shoes without handing over a month's rent had to make our own (which I did).  It's hardly the cheapest alternative or the easiest undertaking, so I was very happy to hear of Pugh's new collaboration with Melissa Shoes. I'm a longtime wearer of the comfortable, inexpensive, recycled plastic shoes, and the company always manage to nab the most forward thinking designers to work with, including Vivienne Westwood and Alexandre Herchcovitch.  The Gareth Pugh capsule collection includes two styles: a two-tone gladiator flat, and a open-toed flat printed with a radiating set of stars.  The gladiators might not be the most practical purchase during the winter months, but I own another pair of Melissa flats and can testify that they are a year-round must have.  The collection is available at Seven, my favorite New York store, which I can thankfully still enjoy from abroad via their webshop.  Now we can all breath a sigh of relief that we will no longer have to go through the trouble of having to make our own pair of Pughs.

-Tiffany

My Bloody Valentine

While there have been thousands of love songs written about heartache and heartbreak, there haven’t been quite as many jewelry lines that have broached the subject. After all, jewelry is more often associated with ground swellings of intense love: diamonds that say forever, lockets that are filled to burst with your lover’s hair, and, of course, wedding and engagement rings that are wrapped up in promises and vows. Nonetheless, Michelle Ng, designer of Young&ng, was up for broaching the challenge. While her Spring collection is about broken hearts, she approaches the subject with optimism, trying to look for the beauty in unrequited love, as well as finding comfort in the belief that you leave a soured relationship stronger than when you entered it. Rather than basing the resulting pieces on saccharine hearts, Ng instead was inspired by blood cells, and the fractal arrangement of cells serve as the basis for her latest series of necklaces, cuffs, and headpieces. The results are breathtaking, and I’m particularly obsessed with the laser-cut metal pieces, which become lace like lattices once the blood cell patterns are applied to them. I’m sure putting on any of these gems would take the sting out of any breakup.

-Tiffany