JSPR grand opening

JSPR is a Dutch furniture design brand, which is founded by a good friend of mine: Jasper van Grootel. JSPR is specialized in creating very remarkable product series and furniture, like the Plastic Fantastic chairs and the Arctic Rock collection, which are very well known. Today the company has various creative designers – like my BFF Sylvie Meuffels – working for JSPR and they opened their brand new office/studio/showroom in Eindhoven. Honestly, I'm really impressed.

They love ‘simpleness’ and surprise by unexpected touch - and quality which brings smiles on peoples faces. They do not profess sophisticated products and styled designs, but pure products featured in those materials which always offer people more than they expect. Check it out!

Dutch Design Week 2011

Dutch design is very popular and the Design Academy in Eindhoven has been called the "best design academy in the world”. So it’s a major breeding ground for Dutch designers. The city - renowned as the birthplace of electronics giant Philips and home of football team PSV - plays host each year to Dutch Design Week.

Lamps, furniture, pots and pans, fashion, textiles, architecture, graphic design, websites, bicycle racks... Around 1,500 - mainly Dutch - designers are showing their work in the southern city.

Unfortunately I didn’t had a lot of time to see the exhibitions – you need more than one day for that – but I was very happy to see the area of Piet Hein Eek. It reminded me of a bit of Andy Warhol’s factory, where all kind of different designers were participating. There’s also a great shop and a restaurant! If you haven’t been yet, go there!

Dreamteam Clothing

I've been using more and more tote bags for the casual days. They almost fit with every outfit and my laptop fits in there! So I collected over 15 bags in the last couple of years and one of them is this Party&Bullshit bag, from Dreamteam Clothing (DRTM). For some reason I totally fell in love with this lyrics (and I’m not a huge fan of the Notorious B.I.G.) and I even used it as inspiration for my birthday invitation...

New store in town

Filippa K just opened their fifth store in The Netherlands at the Wolvenstraat in Amsterdam. Yesterday the store was packed with people and I could hardly see the clothes, but we had fun though! And I love love love the army inspired mat silk shirt, which Lauren Verster was wearing (see picture above). This beautiful shirt is simple, tough and very elegant in one. Wannahave!

Portfolio

Yesss! After weekends and evenings of working on my very own website, I can finally present to you my online portfolio! Check it out here!

Picture of the Day

I just can't stop looking at this picture! It’s the new Elie Saab ad for her fragrance and it catches my eye every time I see it… The dress, the face, the power, the sensuality, the colors, the wind: It’s mind-blowing! And I love Anja Rubik as well. I don’t know about the perfume yet, but it can hardly be bad.

Last day of summer!

Probably this first day of October was the last day of summer and since we had a lousy sunny season, we try to celebrate every day the sun shines! So I’ve put on my most summer-looking dress and found myself at the beach before noon. Enjoy to the max at Aloha, Wijk aan Zee.

A Splash Of Curacao!

Since I’ve lived in Curacao for two years, I got this so-called ‘Island Fever’. It’s actually a constant desire to be there, or go there. The easygoing lifestyle, the lovely weather, no rush to do anything and just enjoy your time as much as possible. It gets addicting!

So Marc Jacobs found a solution for me! A new collection of refreshing colognes - The Cocktails Splash Collection - featuring the fresh tropical fragrance: Curacao. It’s a vibrant watery sweet smell of summer and exotic tropical paradise. It opens with citrus notes of lime and orange. The heart notes of violet, apricot and pear are laid on the base of white musk and moss. As it dries down, it takes on a modern sheer ambary character, with the aquatic notes contrasting pleasantly with the crisp mossy accord. Very appealing and easy to wear.

The moral of the story? It’s a perfectly lovely summer blend, so I can wear a splash of Curacao on me every day! Yeeey!

And the winner is...

… I went to see the recordings of the Project Catwalk finale! Actually I didn’t see any episodes of the current season that’s on TV right now, so I didn’t know any of the participants. But that wasn’t a problem at all! It even gave me a clear point of view I guess. And yes… of course now I know who the winner is! But you all have to wait till the 7th of November. I'M SORRY!!

Lara shows her roots

In the current New York Times Style Magazine our own Lara Stone is showing off with a shoot in The Netherlands! She's posing in front of a windmill, on the canals of Amsterdam and in the garden of her parent’s house. She’s even telling in the interview about her youth, which got a little vague. Lara: “I smoked so much weed here, I can’t remember a lot.” Haha, I love the honesty of this girl!

Like. Love. Want. All their books!

Hallelujah! My favorite book publisher Taschen opened its first flagship store in Amsterdam. Finally! I’m a huge fan of their books and I’m seriously trying to build up an impressive collection… But the problem is: I rarely buy the limited editions or XL books because they’re so expensive. But that is going to change!

Yesterday I talked to Benedikt Taschen himself and I’ve learned that it’s a really good investment!!! Helmut Newton’s SUMO was limited sold by a price of $1,500. Today the same book is worth $15,000! So the price increased one thousand percent! And even the Kate Moss by Mario Testino book has already tripled its value, since the launch in 2010.

So my next savings will go to the PC Hooftstraat 44. Just so you know. :)

Sneak Preview

Soon online... My portfolio!

Ra Ra Superstar

I fell in love with Ra Superstar! From the moment we arrived in our villa in Ibiza, these paintings catched my eye. Super colorful and super sweet lyrics… I super like!

"It's said love only comes around once

But if you believe in butterflies that once a day,

once an hour, once a minute, once every second, once a breath.

Love is endless. It was once said."

"You are so beautiful

You inspire me

I want to paint you

So I can play with you

Toy with you

Bring you to life

With a splash of color you become my wife"

Press

That's my colleague and me at the opening soirée of Amsterdam International Fashion Week! Photographer and friend Simon Bosch took these images and send them to a few magazines, like ELLE and Miljonair. Saweet! But the nicest part for me was to show these images to my grandmother. She gave me the green ostrich leather handbag and I’m so happy with it… It’s a real vintage beauty and I wear it proud! With this LBD and Bulatti jewelry, it’s a great eye catcher!

Coming soon...

…66 AVENUE! A new high-end fashion store at the Willemsparkweg 66 in Amsterdam. With brands like Vanessa Bruno, Jean Colonna, L'Autre Chose, and Sophie#1234567+, it will be really unique.

Lazy Sunday Morning Recipe

My Perfect Sunday looks like this:

- Getting up early

- Open the curtains and discover the sun is shining

- Prepare a healthy breakfast

- Stay in my pajamas

- Switch on the iPod docking station

- and start reading a pile of September issues!!!!

Next Monday's Hangover

Last Sunday, Overdose hosted its very first own festival: Next Monday's Hangover - Out in the open (named after their weekly night life guide). The hangover is slowly fading away now and I can truly say: it was exactly how a festival is supposed to be! The weather was perfect, the crowd was beautiful, the music was good and the vibe was extremely relaxed.

One of my favourite DJ’s Joris Delacroix played a wonderful set, while the sun was shining right in my face. Pure enjoyment! And I even had a great time while sitting on the side, just watching all the pretty people walking by. Seriously, I did not see one ugly person!

Besides dancing, the people were chilling in bathtubs (with cushions), sharing cocktail buckets, getting their faces painted and shopping at one of the fashion booths. I even scored two amazing hand-painted bracelets, a great souvenir so I will never forget this lovely day.

Gay Pride

American Apparel is super gay friendly! They just gave me this t-shirt for free and I wasn't even buying anything!! Tomorrow it’s Gay Pride in Amsterdam and this is their way to support that.

American Apparel believes that sexuality should be celebrated, not condemned. They believe in freedom, expression and equality, things that are inherently condemned in the prohibition of gay marriage. After printing a few hundred Legalize Gay t-shirts for a rally near their factory in downtown Los Angeles, the company received thousands of requests from people all over the world who asked for them to expand it.

Apparently they did and they were handing them out in one of the American Apparel stores in Amsterdam. Unfortunately I’m not in town tomorrow, but I’ll wear it anyway. Legalize gay!

I ♥ FAKE

Finally, ILOVEFAKE magazine is coming out in a print version. This first tangible issue - full of beautiful photo shoots by Jolijn Snijders - will be launched at SPRMRKT in Amsterdam today and to celebrate this lovely occasion, Amsterdam-based T-shirt label Zoe Karssen comes with an ILOVEFAKE T-shirt. The limited edition T-shirts are exclusively available at SPRMRKT from the 4th of August. I love!

Bye Bye Souldiva

Amy Winehouse (1983-2011)