In celebration of its 40th anniversary, OPI returns to its birthplace with the Hollywood Collection! Featuring 12 red carpet-ready colors in four different formulas, the Hollywood Collection celebrates «then» with a nod to vintage Hollywood glamour and «now» with the season’s most trendsetting colors. High-intensity, deeply saturated reds and pinks evoke classic Hollywood style, while sporty blues offer a trendforward palette. Refreshing, subdued hues of pale lemon, slate blue, bubblegum pink, and kelly green radiate positive energy. Warm neutrals in cream, terracotta, and mauve shades provide natural elegance.

OPI first made its big screen debut in 2001 with product placement in the iconic movie, Legally Blonde. From here, OPI became the first nail care brand to collaborate with films, going on to work with productions ranging from Alice in Wonderland to Fifty Shades of Grey. Working with movie studios provided a natural segue into working with celebrity brand ambassadors, a trend OPI pioneered. Having collaborated with actors, musicians, and athletes including Katy Perry, Kerry Washington, Serena Williams, and so many more, OPI’s out-of-the-box partnerships cemented the brand’s position in pop culture.

«Over the past 40 years, we’ve taken women on a wonderful tour around the world with our destination collections. Now, to mark our anniversary, we’re headed home to the homestate of OPI, with the first stop being Hollywood,» remarks OPI Co-Founder and Brand Ambassador Suzi Weiss-Fischmann.

«We’re introducing a beautiful mix of neutrals paired with pops of color,» adds OPI Global Director of Color Collections Jill Bartoshevich. “This collection really brings together diva extravagance and old school glamour. We’ve reinterpreted classic styles and given them a new twist, which is epitomized with the launch of I’m Really an Actress, an updated version of the iconic bestseller I’m Not Really a Waitress.”

«In Los Angeles, ‘I’m not really a waitress – I’m an actress (or singer/model/artist)!’ is a well-known mantra,» remarks Weiss-Fischmann. «The name exemplifies that we’re more than just our job. It speaks to anyone laboring for a dream, offering a reminder that our goals are worth pursuing. With the shimmery red ‘I’m Really an Actress’, we’re giving a nod to today’s self-empowered woman who is not just working for her dream, but living it.»

All 12 of the Hollywood Collection shades will be available in GelColor, Infinite Shine, Nail Lacquer and Powder Perfection* (select shades) formulas, including:

Suzi Calls the Paparazzi*
A pop of pretty persimmon pink to hit the tabloids and create nail fashion frenzy.
I’m an Extra
Extra special that is! OPI brings us extra-ordinary passionate pink to please any nail palette.
Movie Buff*
OPI is on the big screen! Featuring a provocative kiss of color that will make nails blush.
Hollywood & Vibe
Your nails will stop traffic. A vibe-rant combo of ravishing pink roses and lilacs.

Bee-hind the Scenes
Special props to a sunshine yellow sure to brighten any movie or manicure set.
Destined to be a Legend*
Ready for your close-up? This brilliant blue makes your nails the stars that legends are made of.
Rated Pea-G
Approved by all audiences, OPI premieres a glamorous green gleam of color. Get in line!
Oh You Sing, Dance, Act and Produce?*
OPI fans want it all! Enjoy a blockbuster blue that never skips a beat.

Award for Best Nails goes to…*
Nails sparkle with winning color to capture the essence of legendary Hollywood.
I’m Really an Actress*
Got a plum part! My nails will star in OPI’s newest, hottest Hollywood Collection. My role? I’m Not
Really a Waitress.
15 Minutes of Flame
A lush and luminous fuschia that makes nails famous forever, not minutes!
Emmy, have you seen Oscar?
The hunt for the perfect red ends as OPI rolls out the red carpet.

GelColor provides a salon-perfect finish with up to three-week wear, while Infinite Shine offers a highshine finish and traditional lacquer application. Nail Lacquer features a highly-pigmented, rich formula for even application without streaking.

Launch in Switzerland: February 15th, 2021.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © OPI #OPIHollywood

The playful pussycat has long been central to Miu Miu’s heritage, finding its way onto everything from ready-to-wear and accessories to pearl and crystal encrusted jewelry. New for the holiday season is the ‘little cats’ capsule collection of Shetland wool sweaters inlaid with some of the most celebrated feline characters in the history of animation.

True to the multi-facetted nature of the Miu Miu girl – and indeed the animal in question – these range in spirit from grand to cute and cuddly, from mischievous to plain mean. The collection celebrates famous kittens from iconic stories including the playfully cute Marie from Disney’s The AristoCats (1970), and Dinah – Alice’s beloved kitten from the magical Disney original movie Alice in Wonderland (1951). Completing the collection is Snowball II, the cat that ironically replaced The Simpsons’ (1990) first family cat, Snowball.

The ‘little cats’ capsule collection of Shetland wool sweaters comes in shades of purple, yellow and green and is available from mid November 2018 in selected Miu Miu stores and at Mytheresa.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Miu Miu and © Disney

Here they are: the most important trends for the F/W 2016 season. Scroll through my forecast to see which styles will be on everyone’s shopping list next season. From statement furs to velvet everything, from extra long sleeves to oversized down jackets, the choice is yours – enjoy!

LoL, Sandra

F/W 2016 TREND 1: VELVET
Akris – Philosophy di Lorenzo Serafini – Giorgio Armani

F/W 2016 TREND 2: CHECKMATE
Chanel – Vivienne Westwood Red Label- Marni

F/W 2016 TREND 3: ALICE IN WONDERLAND
Alexander McQueen – Moschino – Dolce & Gabbana

F/W 2016 TREND 4: BIKER GIRLS
Courrèges – Chloé – Louis Vuitton

F/W 2016 TREND 5: BEIGEMANIA
Céline – Hermès – Max Mara

F/W 2016 TREND 6: ON DUTY
Prada – Maison Martin Margiela – Miu Miu

F/W 2016 TREND 7: SHINY TRENCH COATS
Proenza Schouler – Tod’s – Burberry

F/W 2016 TREND 8: PUFF DADDY
Sacai – Balenciaga – Stella McCartney

F/W 2016 TREND 9: ’80s POWER ONE-SHOULDER
Lanvin – Saint Laurent – Isabel Marant

F/W 2016 TREND 10: CAPES
Elie Saab – Temperley London – Gucci

F/W 2016 TREND 11: BUBBLEGUM
Kenzo – Simone Rocha – Carven

F/W 2016 TREND 12: EXTRA LONG SLEEVES
Marc Jacobs – Michael Kors Collection – Vetements

F/W 2016 TREND 13: TURTLENECKS WITH ZIPPERS
Versace – Dior – Emilio Pucci

F/W 2016 TREND 14: BONDAGE
Gareth Pugh – Loewe – Alexander Wang

F/W 2016 TREND 15: LONG SCARFS
Etro – Missoni – Roberto Cavalli

F/W 2016 TREND 16: PINSTRIPE SUITING
Calvin Klein Collection – Tibi – Trussardi

F/W 2016 TREND 17: TINSEL
Marco di Vicenzo – Jeremy Scott – Emporio Armani

F/W 2016 TREND 18: FUR STOLES
Dries Van Noten – Vionnet – Givenchy

F/W 2016 TREND 19: STATEMENT FURS
Fendi – Salvatore Ferragamo – Mary Katrantzou

F/W 2016 TREND 20: MODERN NYMPHS
Alberta Ferretti – Valentino – Rodarte

While being in Florence, I was able to explore the new Pop Up Greenhouse by RED Valentino which will officially opens its doors today at Piazza Strozzi.

The temporary space will stay until the 17th of June.

It is a beautiful botanical scenario, where you unexpectedly find yourself in a luxuriant, verdant place like Alice in Wonderland.

 

 

In this imaginary greenhouse the young protagonist of the RED Valentino story light-heartedly continues her journey.

Her romantic fantasy and vivid imagination are her means of expression.

 

 

 

A cloud of delicate fluttering white butterflies comes to life, seemingly lifting this airy, magical world and carrying it to a fairytale setting. The decoration is divine.

Gardening elements become objects for displaying exclusive garments. Scarves are enclosed in transparent glass bulb boxes. Galoshes hang in wood crates while colourful costume jewellery is “planted” in small white flower pots.

 

If you are a romantic woman, you will fall in love with the magical surrounding. The collection was created solely for this fairytale space: each garment and accessory was especially designed and presented in this dreamy, light-hearted setting. Flirty garments and accessories are playfully paired up with garden elements. Work aprons and rubber galoshes becomes whimsical accessories for overalls, while flowers and butterflies embellish the fabrics of dresses, skirts, and accessories, all in a burst of colourful prints.

Even the colours are inspired by nature: rose, hyacinth, and thyme are used on natural materials that are traditional elements of the RED Valentino world.

 

This new chapter in the marvellous RED Valentino fairytale, signed by Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli, will visit next St. Tropez, France from 11-18 July, 2011 at Place Celli. After that, Knokke, Belgium is the following stop from 4-7 August, 2011 at Place Van Brunnen Plein.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

 

Yesterday, Zurich’s best shoe shop Lovers Lane hosted a trunk show to present the gorgeous creations of Nicholas Kirkwood. The British designer is the biggest name in shoes today, known for his craftsmanship and innovative designs, that are instantly recognisable. He also has a lot of celeb fans, among them Sarah Jessica Parker who wore his extravagant designs all the way through the Sex and the City 2 promotions.
The famed footman came extra to the Swiss city for the event last night and I was very lucky to do an extensive interview with him before he left for New York for a meeting with Anna Wintour this morning.

 

You were born in Germany. Do you speak any German?

No, I was just born there because my Dad was living in Münster at that time.

Being here in Zurich today to present your amazing creations, do you have a vision of the typical Swiss woman?

I came to Switzerland quite a lot when I was younger for my ski holidays. We were always staying at the same hotel that was run by lady who was very firm, and very strict, you could never do something wrong.  When we were running around, she would say no-no.

So tonight I am looking forward to meeting another type of Swiss ladies and see how my customers here look like.

Which woman do you have in mind when creating your shoes in general?

One season is more feminine, the other more angular. It is quite open. Therefore I like to do events like tonight. Seeing the shops I sell to and  meeting the women’s wishes. Every market is different. You have to start somewhere.

You logded with the late Isabella Blow?  Has her eccentric style influenced your work?

She was very encouraging. Any new idea, any of her thoughts would make a good idea. And of course, knowing her was amazing, her inspiration and unique character.

Is there a celeb woman that you would love to dress in your shoes that does not wear them yet?

A very interesting question. Let me think. If I was walking in the streets and my cell phone would be ringing and somebody would be asking me for shoes, who would shock me the most? Mmh, Madonna, no… Now I know. Imelda Marcos! I just want her to have my shoes even if she probably can’t wear them anymore.

Lovers Lane sells other brands as well. Which one do you like the best?

I love very much what Charlotte Olympia does. A wonderful girl, very beautiful. I think we sometimes have the same customer, it is a very close but friendly competition.

I know that you are not a big fan of kitten heels. So how did you like this season’s shoe trend? Will we see one day a Kirkwood kitten heel?

I kind of did a kitten heel, but it was very strange looking. There is more a hype, than a reality to it. A lot of people want it to be a trend, are pushing it to be a trend.
The shoes might be not as high as they were in the last few seasons and I might be completely wrong but I just do not see this happen.

You have a signature look that is instantly recognisable . I truly admire that, especially with all the different collaborations you do, like for example Rodarte, Erdem, Peter Pilotto. Now, you are the new creative director for Pollini. You seem to be an unlikely fit for the traditional house. Do you have a carte blanche? How much freedom do you get in creating for other designers?

Pollini is a big challenge and I like it. I have a lot of work and I do not sleep much.

The best collaborations come out of working together. I’d hate it to be just told „do what you want“. The other party tries to bring the most into it. So the final product is the result of both rather than being too heavily weighted on one side or the other.

How did the pop-up e-commerce shop go? (The runway shoes he created for Peter Pilotto and Erdem were available for just a few days during London Fashion week.)
Would you do it again?

I think we will do it again. It was a great experiment.
In some ways it is the future. Probably sad to say but that is the way things are going to go and we like to keep ahead of the game. Burberry did it with clothes. I might be wrong, but with shoes we were the first.
Fashion is so quick. Something can seem old before it even hits the shops.

Will there be a Nicholas Kirkwood online shop soon? Do you dream of your own stores?

Yes, but we are not there yet.

In 2009, you created jelwery in collaboration with Swarovski? Will we see more Kirkwood in the future? For example handbags, menswear and more?

Men’s shoes, handbags, jewlery and sunglasses, yes! Soon…

Do you like things to be matchy-matchy? Like matching your bag to your shoes?

No, hate it. Similiar colour that is o.k..

Experimenting with heel shapes, negative spaces and shoe shapes might be pretty expensive. Do you have some base models you always start working with?

I try to always do something new. As soon as I have finished the collection, I start over again. I re-start and also keep something. Partly it is mostly somewhere close of what I have just done.  Fashion is too quick to always change.

I read once that you do not like fastenings and excess, do you still agree with that? Has your focus changed or developed during the last years?

No, it is not that I do not like it. There is sometimes a need to have a buckle and sometimes I try to think of other solutions than a buckle. But it is also nice to have those elements in there. When you are at a young stage, you start out on one tune.

Now, I am trying to expand the range, become more obedient to different types of customers, to become more of a shoe brand not just a niche for a small community.
Those details will become part of the collection more and more. There will always be my signature in it, but probably just not so in your face.

Is there a creation that you find horrible today?

Oh yes, especially a shoe that comes out crooked. I normally try to hide and burn it without anybody seeing the disaster.

Did you ever see a woman wearing your shoes and you did not like what you saw?

Sometimes, when I see somebody wearing my shoes completely beaten up. But on the other way, it is a sign that she very much loved them.

I hate it if they are wearing the wrong size and the toes are hanging out.

Have a you ever made a shoe in which it was impossible to stand or walk?

Yes, especially for photo shoots. You could stand in them for 10 seconds and that was it.

The Alice in Wonderland shoes that I made for Printemps in Paris, you could probably not walk in them because of the little hanging porcelaine cups.

Do you have a favourite of your designs?

In some ways I am never satiesfied with anything. Sometimes I am very happy with the way things come out. But once the shoe is made, I am over it. I have seen the process for so long, it gets kind of boring after a while.

It is like recording an album. You are listening to the same thing for such a long time, that by the time it is finished, you can’t stand it.

Your shoes melt contemporary art and fashion? Best example is the upcoming Keith Haring collection. Do you see yourself as an artist?

No, not at all. I am more of a product designer. I studied fine arts at St. Martins. I am a big fan of art. It is a completely other thing. You do not replace it so easily like a piece of fashion. It has more of a longevity to it. There are similiarities to it like the way  people get excited.

I feel a little like the art world looks kind of down on the fashion world, a little bit of a high brow.

Could you imagine to do a collaboration with H&M? Or to create a more budget-friendly second line?

Not yet. I have been approached by similiar kind of things. I always like to promote the quality manufacturing and made in Italy. That is what I sort of believe in. It is different with the ready-to-wear. Regarding footwear, you will really notice a cheap pair of shoes . I don’t want to say that I will never do it. (Laughs…) I will wait until I can make a hell out of money out of it for a one-time-thing. And make a big party after.

I mean, there are a lot of people out there, not everything has to be accessible to everybody.

I don’t say that I will never,  there is just no need at the moment unless I will be forced by a powerful editor who says you have to.

Like the one you are seeing tomorrow (Anna Wintour)?

Laughs again. No, not her.

I hope that you have liked the interview. I had a blast talking to Nicholas as he is such a sweet guy. The party at Lovers Lane was really great. I took some photos for you to get an impression.

And gentlemen, sometimes it is worth going shoe-shopping with your wifes or girlfriends. There might be a little treat for you, too.

LoL, Sandra