Event | Kipling has opened in Malta!

Last Wednesday I was invited to attend the official opening of Kipling in Malta at Baystreet Shopping Complex.

Marija and myself - Photo by Patrizia Madiona for Kipling Malta

I had heard of the brand before but I have never really got to see their bags up close so if you're new to the Kipling brand, like me, keep on reading to see what it is all about!

Photo by Patrizia Madiona for Kipling Malta

It all goes back to the spring of 1987 (yes, Kipling is celebrating 30 years this year!) when three designer friends from Antwerp, Belgium, discovered crinkled nylon with a stroke of luck. From then on, they never looked back and got to work on creating stylish and functional bags that are now favourites with women from 65 countries all around the world!

Why was the brand named Kipling you ask? Well, the designers compared their happy accident in discovering the crinkled nylon material with the story of Mowgli in 'The Jungle Book' which we all know has a happy ending, thus they decided to name the brand after the author of the story, Rudyard Kipling!

Now for bags and the Malta store. As already stated, the shop is located at Baystreet St. Julian's and houses an extensive selection of bags tailored for everyday needs. In fact, all Kipling bags are water repellent, and the brand plays around the philosophy that their bags are 'hands free' because of their practicality. All of the bags' features are quality tested - from the seams to the zips and each bag comes with 2 years warranty. Each bag also comes with a furry monkey keyring whicih I think adds a unique touch touch to the bags. What's more? Each monkey has it's own name and they are named after people who work at Kipling or are big fans of the brand!

Apart from backpacks and handbags, Kipling also has some luggage and school bags as well as a range of wallets and tote bags which can be folded away conveniently to fit inside larger bags. Some bags can even be expanded and they double up as hand luggage! My favourite ranges are the Tropical Bloom and the Corn Bloom.

Limited Edition bags to celebrate Kipling's 30th Anniversary. The bags were designed by artists from countries in which Kipling is most popular
L to R: Japan, UK, Brazil, China

The shop is very inviting with white and pink interiors and the staff there are very helpful too! I know where I am heading to buy my next hand luggage the next time I'm travelling!

Thank you Kipling for having me at your party and thank you for the nice gift! Looking forward to visit again soon!

Brand Spotlight | DESIREE

The name DESIREE is swiftly gaining ground within the local fashion industry; and with good reason! I had blogged about Desiree and her designs on shoes and bags after I was introduced to her work during this year's edition of the Mercedes-Benz Malta Fashion Week & Awards. You can check out that post here.

Some of the work DESIREE exhibited during the 2016 edition of the Mercedes-Benz Malta Fashion Week & Fashion Awars
Cushions are also hand painted by the designer

Fast forward a few months, and the extremely talented interior-designer-turned-fashion-designer has opened a shop on St.Mary's Street in Sliema. I had the pleasure of visiting the bubbly Desiree with my friend Marija from Pocalocca and we were head over heels in love with her new collection of clutch bags as soon as we stepped inside her shop!

Myself, Marija and Desiree :)

First things first - the shop is a haven for interior design aficionados which is understandable as Deisree is an interior designer by profession. The mix of old and modern features along with Desiree's own personal touch really give the little shop a warm feel :)

Her latest collection, it consists of clutch bags adorned with hand-painted paisley prints as well as 4 one-off lip shaped handbags with powerful motivational slogans. My favourite pieces have got to be the black satin bag with turquoise paisley print, the transparent acrylic ones and the 'One Life Live It!' slogan lip bag.

All of Desiree's designs are of course hand painted, which is in fact what makes every piece unique and besides her own collection of shoe and bag designs, she is also open to customer requests for customisation. I especially love her cushion designs and look forward to having a couple in my own place!

Desiree also stocks floral tiaras designed by La Fleur which will make lovely statement pieces to complement your outfits :)

Here I am wearing one of La Fleur's tiaras :)
Apparently I was in the mood for turquoise on the day!

Desiree has also just showcased her latest collection at Serbia Fashion Week 2016 thanks to a collaboration with Malta Fashion Week. I truly wish this gorgeous human being the best of luck with her work and owning a piece or two will definitely take your love for shoes and bags to whole other level!

Desiree is located at St.Mary's Street in Sliema (just down the road from Soap Cafe'), do pay her a visit, I promise you won't regret it ;)

 

June Collective Haul

I know I am a little late...again on the end-of-month haul but I still wanted to show you what I got anyways :) I'll start with fashion related items first, then move on to beauty.

I bought this pair of wedges from Aldo shoes and I have already worn them countless times - they go with so many outfits and are oh so comfy!! I have also found this grey holographic clutch bag on sale and surprisingly, I have worn it quite a few times as well.

I got some tops and a pair of red jeans from Stradivarius during a trip to Valletta. I never seem to be able to leave the store empty handed and some basics never hurt anyone ;) I also got these two cute tops from Dorothy Perkins as I find them very versatile for summer when you need to smarten yourself a little but still keep it comfy :)

I went a little accessory crazy this month with this Dorthy Perkins bucket bag which I am totally in love with, a pair of sunglasses and some bangles and bracelets from Promod as well as more bangles and rings from Born Pretty Store.

Next up are the beauty items, most of which are nail related. I bought backups of the Nivea eye makeup remover and the Lycia makeup remover wipes, both of which I can't be without. I also bought an array of nail embellishments and tools from Born Pretty Store (some of them were actually sent for review purposes). I also bough Sally Hansen Nail Growth Miracle which totally works and I'm in love with and three Sinful Colors Pinata Blasts from ebay. The shades I got are Mamacita, Fierce Fiesta and Baila Baila.

Lastly, the boyfriend treated me to a new nail drill kit, some Oumaxi acrylic paints and an assortment of nail decorations :)

Tag: 8 Most Worn Things

I saw this tag on a blog I follow (sorry I can't remember which one it was) and I decided to do it! I think it will all get us pondering about or most abused items!! :P

1. Lipstick ~ I prefer lip glosses to be honest so I am going to cheat a bit here and show you my worn lipstick and gloss... Maybelline Water Shine 02 Beige Glace & e.l.f. Super Glossy Lip Shine in Goddess.

2. Earrings ~ I generally wear these simple pearl studs for everyday, but to jazz up my going-out outfits I really like these Peacock earrings!

3. Sweater ~ comfy, cute label and all in my fave colour! Bought it like two years ago from Peacocks as well.

4. Nail polish ~ this is tough, but if I had to choose only one, I'd say Cranberry by e.l.f. Cosmetics.

5. Shoes ~  this is even tougher! The most worn shoes for everyday at this time of year are this grey pair of boots and this pair of ballerina pumps, both from Peacocks.  My most worn going out shoes is this pair of bow heels from Dorothy Perkins:

6. Hair Product ~ this no name brand hair spray that keeps my hair in check all day! (review will be up next week).

7. Perfume ~ Kate Moss Velvet Hour & Guerlain Insolence

8. Bag ~ I really love this Tally Weijl bag as it is roomy and I get to carry all my essentials with me wherever I go :)

I tag the following bloggers to do this post if they are up to it + anyone else who feels like it!

Enigma

Dyna

Stavroula

Gertrude

Nicoletta

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