Event | UNOde50 Store Opening

A couple of weeks ago, I was invited to join in the celebrations at the newly opened UNOde50 jewellery store opening in Sliema. I had only seen fleeting references to the brand before so I was curious to discover what it is all about and get a closer look at their jewellery.

The store is located on Tower Road in Sliema and it houses an exclusive collection of stainless steel pieces which are in turn plated with silver or gold. UNOde50 is all about edgy jewellery pieces for men and women, that you won't find anywhere else.

UNOde50 is a Spanish brand and as a matter of fact, all the pieces are 100% handcrafted in Madrid. The name translates to 'one of fifty' transcends from the brand's original concept - that of creating unique, original jewellery with a few units (50) of each piece, and in acquiring one, you technically own one of fifty!

José Azulay is the brains behind the brand and he is committed to creating jewellery with style and personality and each of the materials he utilises in his creations bears a message - the metals whose curves reflect a countless number of emotions, their magnificence, their strengths. With the leather that represents the beginning of time and life, nature in the primitive state. The crystals symbolize the joy of living, positivity, fantasy and glamour.

Upon entering the shop, I couldn't help but admire the set-up and well-lit displays which allow each piece to shine. I will return to the shop for sure and I'm sure if I treat someone (or myself) to a gift from UNOde50, they will love it for years to come! Here are a few of my favourite pieces available in the current collection.

What are your preferences when it comes to jewellery? Do you favour edgier pieces or the more dainty ones?

Time to update our wardrobe with fashion picks from Rosegal

Part of the fun of changing seasons is updating our new wardrobe with new fashion pieces; but, more often than not, we may find ourselves in situations where we don't want to spend a fortune on pieces that will most likely be in fashion for just one season. Moreover, if like me, you live in a country where summer lasts longer, you need transitional season pieces as much as the air you breathe!

Browsing the Rosegal website, I came across some fabulous new pieces such as these maxi dresses which are perfect to wear under a leather or denim jacket at this time of year and they won't break the bank! This pink one is my favourite one to wear during the day whilst the monochromatic number is perfect for a date night out.

Layering an oversized knit over a denim shirt dress is another great way to up your style game - bonus points for the embroidery details on the sweater too!

This year's blouses come with cold shoulders and ruffle details along the edges. Try wearing a block coloured one or a pretty striped number such as this one and team it with a nice pair of jeans and a statement bag.

Do you agree with these picks? Which is your favourite transitional season style?

Feeling Good in Grey

I've said it countless times, I prefer summer over winter but the change cannot be averted, so I try to do things that still make me feel good. I can't help but feel a little down when I wake up to dull weather (it's currently 9:30am here but the skies look like it's 9pm) but I still have to go on with my days and make it a point to have something good to look forward to every single day.

Feeling good to me is all about being in harmony with yourself and the closest ones around you. Trying on new things, even though they might be out of my comfort zone, more often than not end up in happy experience that make me feel good. For this outfit post, I am embracing the fishnet-tights-under-ripped-jeans trend, which is not something I would go for in a whim but it ended up being an outfit that I felt good in! Read on to see why :)

Sweater, earrings & sunglasses, & Other Stories | Jeans and shoes, Zara
Clutch, ALDO | Chunky ring & bangles, Mango | Midi-rings, I AM Accessories

I am not a fan of excessively ripped jeans - I feel they don't really tie in with my style and personality but this pair from Zara is just perfect! It only has a few rips here and there and I really like wearing it just because it is so comfortable. For this outfit, I took a page of the cool girls' book and tried wearing fishnet tights under my ripped denims. I must admit I really like how it turned out and I felt so good in this outfit, I would definitely wear it again!

Speaking of feeling good, the top I am wearing in these pictures is probably one of my most comfy ones and has definitely helped with the feel good factor. I got it last January from & Other Stories in Milan I usually stick to buying accessories from the brand as their clothes tend to fit quite loose on my petite frame and I honestly feel like I'm drowning in the clothes but I guess this sweater is an exception. I love that the collar stands firm and the fit is everything! Grey is one of my favourite colours and I really do feel I am in my element whenever I am wearing it. Another important element of an outfit for me to feel really good in, is a good pair of heels, thus, it goes without saying that pairing the outfit with one of my favourite pair of shoes at the moment brought everything together, going on to show that basic doesn't have to be boring!

This outfit ticks all the right boxes for me to feel good in, a good pair of jeans, heels and a comfy sweater, plus trying on something new - you never know, you might end up liking it! Good feelings are contagious - smile more, appreciate the small things in life and wear pretty clothes! After all, life is too short to wear boring outfits!

Unboxing Burberry Classic Check Cashmere Scarf with Monogram

Those of you who follow me on Facebook and Instagram know that I have treated myself to one of the Classic Cashmere scarves from Burberry for my birthday and some have even asked to see what it looks like. Well, without further ado, here's an unboxing post!

I have been eyeing the scarves for quite some time and after consulting my dearest friend who already owns one, I decided to get one too :) Of course I had it monogrammed (no extra cost) to add a personalised touch. I chose Stone Check as my main colour and Parade Red for the monogram. I chose the Gift Packaging option (also free) which meant gold carton on the inside of the delivery box and a ribbon tie made from the same material as Burberry's trench coats. In my case, the ribbon was red which I think is the perfect complement to the scarf colours.

I ordered the scarf at 10:30 in the morning and after just 6 hours, I received a despatch email and everything was delivered via UPS the next day, how's that for efficiency?! Upon opening the box, there was the gift-wrapped scarf together with two matching envelopes bearing the embossed Burberry house name logo in gold, containing a card and the order note. I just can't stop stroking the scarf - it's oh so soft!! And the monogramming has been executed to perfection! It's my new favourite accessory!

Here's a little history of the Burberry scarf and what goes on into the making of this iconic heritage piece. The scarf originated in an unexpected manner and it all dates back to 1967 in the Parisian Burberry boutique. As it so happened, the manager at the boutique felt frustrated at the monochromatic khaki pattern of the trench coats on display at the store so she turned up the cuffs to expose the Burberry 'house check'. Subsequently, customers began asking for the plaid pattern on other items, hence, the luxurious cashmere Burberry scarf was born.

Burberry scarves are crafted 100% from the finest cashmere in a 200-year-old mill in Scotland. Using 30 different steps, the scarf is woven on traditional looms. The fabric is then washed in local spring water and carefully brushed with teasels for a super-soft finish. The video below gives a brief insight into the production process:

I feel lucky to own such an iconic piece and look forward to wearing it for many years to come. 

Introducing Zadig & Voltaire This Is Her! Fragrance

Perfume is something personal, something intimate. Almost everyone has their respective signature scent. I for one, tend to gravitate towards floral and musky scents and Zadig & Voltaire's newest fragrance, This Is Her! embodies everything I look for in a perfume. Thierry Gillier, founder of the brand, couldn't have said it any better - “I can’t imagine life without fragrance. I like when it leaves behind a trail, asserts a personality. It’s an alchemy between you and someone else.”

About Zadig & Voltaire

I'm sure many of you have heard of the Parisian brand Zadig & Voltaire before especially if you follow the fashion world closely. Zadig & Voltaire is a quintessentially French fashion house, whose name is a reference to the nickname of founder Thierry Gillier, ferryman of the Voltairian mindset.

It all started in 1997 - the rock star destiny of the Zadig hero and his revolutionary philosopher Voltaire inspired Thierry Gillier to create a new French easy luxury brand. Chic and casual. Young, arty, Parisian. Feminine, masculine. More than an everyday collection, it would be free-spirited, with a rock attitude. It would break the mold and embrace modernity. Cashmere for everyone. Updated basics. A new way to wear the jersey with the iconic Henley top. Zadig & Voltaire reinvented knitwear: frayed, boiled, unstructured and oversized, visible seams, raw edging, layers. A style that makes a statement. Capsule collections with contemporary artists and designers. Fashion as a statement, art as inspiration. Just one rule: be yourself, completely. Such is the borderless ambitions of the brand’s fashion manifesto. Easy wear. Easy life. Easy luxury. This is Zadig!

About the Fragrance

Inspired by contemporary art, the minimalist design of the bottle looks like it is cut out of a rock. The feminine fragrance comes in a white bottle while the male counterpart comes in a black bottle - a timeless combination.

This Is Her! is a woody, heady floral fragrance created by Sidonie Lancesseur and Michel Almairac (Robertet). It reminisces of Paris, elegantly wrapped in sensuous silk and cashmere. It has notes of Arabian jasmine brightened with pink peppercorn, chestnut and vanilla. The base note  is an intense, woody and milky base note: sandalwood, the Zadig & Voltaire signature. Confident, unpredictable, irresistible. This is HER!

This Is Me!

I thought of having a play on words and interpret the perfume's name in my own way - This Is Me! The Zadig & Voltaire campaign revolves around a casual, rock chic theme, the concept behind the Zadig & Voltaire brand. While my style is more on the girly side, I sometimes do like to lend an edge to my outfits, a perfect example being the outfit I am wearing here.

We took these pictures in Sicily on our latest weekend getaway; it wasn't really a holiday per se as we had to visit a number of showrooms and home decor stores to furnish up our new place, but on Sunday, we did manage to fit in an hour to shoot some pictures specifically for this blog post just in time before a very heavy downpour! Photos were captured at Villa Casina dell'Etna, the place we were staying at in Ragalna and I think it provided the perfect backdrop for the theme of this shoot, for the rocky walls evoked the perfume bottle's shape perfectly in my opinion, plus I took the 'Be Rock' concept literally here ;)

Zadig & Voltaire has invented a mixed silhouette – lithe, dynamic and rock combined with urban yet rugged influences. It is an attitude of restlessness. Being rock means being yourself. Free, sure of your rebellious elegance, good in your own skin. Just one rule: Always be ready for anything! "Zadig is a lifestyle, a unique look, a feeling of freedom" says Cecilia Bönström - Artistic Director, Zadig & Voltaire.

I chose to wear this black and white check top representing the colours of the men's and women's fragrance bottles and paired it with my new skirt from Purple in my current favourite colour. I think this is an edgy piece and I love the tie at the front which is made to look like shirt sleeves! The whole outfit was brought together with my favourite pair of white sneakers from Michael Kors (at Rebelli) and this leather jacket from Zara. I think this outfit nails the whole Be Rock concept, don't you agree?!

As I said in the beginning of this post, I found this perfume ticks all the right boxes for me. I am currently obsessed with minimalistic designs which I am even going to try to evoke into our home - clean lines, white walls, metallic accents..., thus the bottle was a lovely surprise as it will make a nice decorative piece in my walk-in wardrobe. Also, the side that looks like it's cut from rock reminds me of marble, another current obsession of mine. And to top it all off, it comes from a French fashion house ;)

I find the scent to last me all throughout the day without it being overpowering. I would describe it as a soft, floral scent with a mysterious aura, just like the city of Paris itself! Zadig & Voltaire This Is Her! has become my favourite scent for day and night and people are always asking which perfume I am wearing, with my reply being, This Is Zadig!

Zadig & Voltaire This Is Her! 50ml perfume was given to me as a PR Sample

Zadig & Voltaire fragrances are exclusively represented in Malta by C+M Marketing Ltd.