About Me

Mijn foto
Welcome! Thank you for visiting my weblog. I am Irene, Elisabeth Pouw, a Dutch blogger. As blogger I am connecting my readers with beauty, style, quality and craftsmanship in various subjects like interiordesign, architecture, haute couture, photography, art etc. I love decorating & bringing beauty and harmony into interiors. I created this blog to share my passion for decorating as well as the many other things which inspire me. From time to time I am also highlighting certain interior designers, decorators, architects, stylists, photographers etc. I hope you enjoy your visit. Feel free to give a comment on my blogs. I will react back as soon as possible. Best regards, Irene Pouw from Holland.

31 oktober 2017

Fashion: Mart Visser 25 years Fashion & Art Exhibition 'Beyond Context' at Artesia, Amsterdam (NL)

Love the couture designs from Dutch fashion designer Mart Visser. Always so chique and elegant to see. From October 17th up to November 19th, 2017, Mart Visser will have an exhibition in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. It's called: 25 years Fashion & Art Exhibition 'Beyond Context' at Artesia, Herengracht 541, Amsterdam (NL). Would love to pay a visit at this exhibition. Be Inspired by his beautiful fashion designs as well as his interesting artwork.
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Source: Mart Visser 
Photos courtesy of Mart Visser.

Furniture design: Luxurious & Sculptural Dichotomy Table by Kelly Wearstler

What a beautiful piece of furniture: this luxurious and sculptural Dichotomy table in bronze. This chic design is available via interior designer Kelly Wearstler. Be Inspired ......
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30 oktober 2017

Be Inspired: Interior photography by Rene van Dongen (09)


Be inspired by these stunning interior photos from the company Herman Peters Interior Design, lensed by Dutch interior photographer René van Dongen. This residential project is a luxurious penthouse in Moscow, Russia. Herman Peters Interior Design designs and develops worldwide luxurious architectural and interior design projects for houses, penthouses and commercial properties including the surrounding gardens and outdoor areas. Additionally, he is responsible for the entire design process, from creating the first sketches to managing contractors and from the aesthetic guidance to the selection of art, furniture and lighting. Earlier I posted some other blogs about René's photography work, see Various Blogs. More photos from this interesting photographer will follow later on.  
More about the photographer René van Dongen
René has a tremendous amount of experience in interior photography, architecture & advertising. He has been an independent, full-time photographer since 1994 with an expertise in interior photography, architecture and advertising. He is trained in photography, graphic design as well as graphic design techniques and has a tremendous amount of experience in this field. 

René always goes for the best result for the client and has a great eye for details and a passion for delivering quality. He analyzes his objects thoroughly: color, structure and above all light/shadow are leading in this. He is working for architects and interior designers, as well as a wide range of businesses that provide products in the interior design industry.

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©photography: René van Dongen and Interior Design: Herman Peters Interior Design
Note: these photos have been placed with approval of the interior designer and the photographer.

Photography: Carolina Herrera's 1979 portrait by Robert Mapplethorpe

Be inspired by this lovely portrait of Carolina Herrera lensed by photographer Robert Mapplethorpe. Source: National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution 1979 The Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation, Inc.
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29 oktober 2017

RUNWAY: Stunning Haute Couture gowns from Fausto Sarli (02)


I am completely in love with these stunning haute couture designs from Fausto Sarli from the season S/S 2010. What a Beauties! Love his excellent feeling for Beauty, Style, Elegance, Creativity & Craftsmanship. Be Inspired ........ I will write more blogs about this inspiring fashion designer. 

Fausto Sarli at a charity event in 2010. Ph. via The Guardian
More about the designer Fausto Sarli:
Fausto Sarli is one of the prestigious names of Rome's high fashion trade. His prêt-a-porter collection is found throughout the world strengthening the prestige and fame of this Italian designer who excels in two fundamental aspects of fashion and elegance: creativity and practicality. 

Born in Naples in 1927, Fausto Sarli abandoned his business studies course at a young age and decided to dedicate himself to high fashion. He gained experience in the world of fashion at successful houses such as Schubert and De Luca. The 29 years old Italian stylist debuts at the Pitti Palace of Florence in 1956. The following year Sarli set up his own atelier in Naples. Encouraged by the success in his hometown, he decided to open a second atelier in Rome's Via Veneto in 1959. Those were the years of the "Dolce Vita" and Sarli's collections were enthusiastically received wherever they were presented. The perfection of his cut and his original styles won over both journalists and customers alike. The world's most demanding and famous women wanted to wear Sarli designs. Shy and modest by nature, the Italian fashion talent did not let his success affect him. He shunned cult status and carried on scrupulously and diligently with his work.

In the Sixties, the Italian label began to appear on TV screens, as Fausto Sarli created the costumes for the Italian singer Mina, as well as other starlets like the dancer Carla Fracci, the top models Carla Bruni or Valeria Mazza, actresses as Liz Taylor and Monica Bellucci, or politicians and authorities. The more the Italian brand's name becomes famous, the more its market spreads: from Japan to Canada, US and South America, Sarli brought the quality and excellence of the “made-in- Italy” everywhere. In 1980 Sarli began a new creative season with his "Studio" collections in which he furthered his stylistic research. In 1984 he launched the Sarli ready to wear collection. Different requirements and methods are the inspiration behind his prêt a porter collections which are studied in every detail, cut, line and are at the same time both comfortable and practical.

One of the Italian fashion designer's peculiarities is that he followed every collection through its various phases of creation as a team of dressmakers, modelers and cutters works on his models just as the Italian fashion school ruled. His models represent the result of true dedication and continuous research and have come to be a standard-bearer of the Made-in Italy.

For his hard work, Sarli has received a number of prizes in his career. Among these is the "Golden Lion", a prize that had only previously been awarded to Valentino Garavani and Mila Schön and which he won in 1987. For its 50th anniversary the Italian maison was also awarded with the Marco Aurelio prize in the occasion of a special show hold in the magic scenery of the Campidoglio Square. Just before his death in 2010, the Italian designer was gifted with a reproduction of the Lupa Capitolina by the city of Rome, to thank him for having brought the Italian fashion industry around the world. His designs can now be seen in the Guggenheim Museum of New York, which hosts a special collection created for the actress Eleonora Duse, as well as in the Museo della Moda of the Mondragone Foundation in Naples.

Fausto Sarli died in 2010 and his name received the highest authorities and figures homage. The Italian maison is now under the control of the Vanitex Srl. While the creative lead is hold by Alberto Terranova, the right-hand man of the Italian stylist. The High-Fashion house has expanded through the last decades with ready-to-wear collections and a special wedding dresses line, for which the Italian label is highly appreciated in the whole world. Fausto Sarli is the evidence that dedication, hard work and good taste always bring their positive results.

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26 oktober 2017

RUNWAY: GEORGES CHAKRA HAUTE COUTURE S/S 2016


Today I spotted this beautiful Haute Couture collection from the Beirut-based Lebanese fashion designer Georges Chakra for the season S/S 2016. I am a huge fan of his chic, elegant and feminine designs. Since 2001, he has presented collections at Paris Fashion Week. Be Inspired ......
More about the fashion designer
Georges Chakra, a creative and eclectic artist, has lent his mind to the fashion world creating a modern, feminine, and confident allure. As a fashion and interior designer, sketch artist and painter, Georges Chakra has mirrored all the facets of his self into his unique collections. An artistic mind with an essential need for perfection and attentiveness to detail, Chakra creates fluid art through cuts, embroidery, and prints that radiate confidence and modernity.
Georges Chakra, fashion designer
Fascinated by the world around him, Georges Chakra captures this delicate intensity within the frame of his artistry. Beginning his work in a war-clad Beirut, after his graduation from Canada, Chakra set up his small working studio within the living room of his home, sketching and sewing the garments himself. In the Fall of 2002, Georges Chakra expanded his workshop to Paris for the Haute Couture Fashion Week, debuting his first collection on the French runway. In February 2009, Chakra launched Edition by Georges Chakra, a luxurious ready-to-wear line, which was presented in New York, as part of the official Mercedes Benz Fashion Week. This collection was an extension of the couture captivating the female confidence, glamour and sophistication.
Being featured in the 2006 hit movie The Devil Wears Prada, starring Academy Award winning actress Meryl Streep, fortified Chakra’s decision to start showing his collection in New York. “It was an honor to be one of the chosen few included in this pop culture and iconic movie.” Georges Chakra has since then become a favorite of celebrities such as Dame Helen Mirren, Katy Perry, Blake Lively, Jennifer Lopez, Sofia Vergara, Li Bing Bing, Zhang Ziyi, Carrie Underwood, Queen Latifah and Tyra Banks to name a few.
Chakra’s brand signature combines elaborate and intricate back details coupled with modern and bold fabrics. “The back is my canvas, it expresses women’s motion and emotion with strength and certainty” Chakra says. With a fresh eye, sophisticated allure and an evolving style, Georges Chakra continuously unveils his aesthetic concepts through his couture shows during Paris Fashion Week.
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Sources: VOGUE FR and Georges Chakra

24 oktober 2017

Quotes: About Happiness ........

Wishing you a great Weekend! Have a lovely time together with family and friends.  
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Source: Quote Diary. 

22 oktober 2017

Rugs: Abstract rug 'Seafoam' in blue hues by the company Orley Shabahang

Be Inspired by this beautiful blue abstract rug design called 'Seafoam' from the company Orley Shabahang. What a Beauty to see! Love the color combination as well as the use of the fluent lines. I wrote earlier another blog about this inspiring company, will post the direct link later on.  
More about the company:
Orley Shabahang elevates contemporary carpet weaving to the highest form of functional art. Implementing traditional artistic methods, Orley Shabahang creates its own collection of Persian and Indian carpets — sure to be the antiques of the future.
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Source: Orley Shabahang

19 oktober 2017

Glamorous Red Carpet photo from Sophia Loren at Cannes Film Festival, 1955

Cannes Film Festival is undoubtedly one of the most glamorous red carpet events of the year. In honor of the 70th anniversary of this iconic film festival, we're looking back on the most impactful gowns to walk la croisette. Below you will find the gorgeous photo from style icon Sophia Loren in Cannes, 1955. Be Inspired .........
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Source: Harper's Bazaar