Fantastic evening gown by fashion designer Mark Bumgarner S/S 2017

Be Inspired by this stunning evening gown designed by Filipino fashion designer Mark Bumgarner for the season Spring/Summer 2017.

Fashion designer Mark Bumgarner

More about the fashion designer

Mark Bumgarner is a fashion designer born and based in the Philippines. Established in 2014, the fashion house has been creating timeless and elegant dresses for select local and international clientele. Through his sharp, structured yet feminine silhouettes and utmost attention to detail, Mark has been steadily making a mark in the industry as a young designer to watch. Proud of his American and Filipino roots, Mark chooses to base his studio in the Philippines. His dresses are proudly Filipino made, with his 30 strong artisans helping him bring his every story and dreams to life.

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Sources: TATLER ASIA and Preview

Furniture Design: The Alpha chair by Made in Ratio

While surfing on internet I found this elegant furniture design. It's the Alpha chair designed by Made in Ratio. The Apha chair is a classic, sturdy, solid wood chair that’s made from the latest production technologies. Made in Ratio, founded by designer Brodie Neill, used CNC routering technique to be a high-production tool rather than just a prototyping technology. The chair even uses digital sculpting, rather than forming it from a mold. Its strong, A-shaped structure gives it a seamless appearance, which contrasts with more traditional furniture where joinery is visible. All components join organically into one, smooth chair. I hope you're inspired ........

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Sources: Design Milk and Made in Ratio

MFW: Ralph Lauren S/S 2027 Menswear, Part 2

Highlights from the fashionshow of Ralph Lauren for S/S 2027 Menswear, seen at Milan Fashion Week. Earlier I wrote more blogs about Menswear, SEE HERE Be Inspired ........

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Sources: RALPH LAUREN and Tom en Lorenzo
Photos: courtesy of Ralph Lauren

Homes to Inspire: Stylish Renovation of a French villa by B+ Villas Renovation Interiors

Today I spotted these stylish interiorphotos from the company B+ Villas Renovation Interiors. They renovated this classic French villa in the place Oud-Heverlee, Belgium. What a beautiful renovation! Love their focus on beauty, style, quality and craftsmanship. This blogpost was published earlier on 14-05-2017. I republished it today. Be Inspired ........ 















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Sources: Hoog.Design and B PLUS
Note: these photos have been places with approval of B+ Villas Renovation Interiors. 

Decorating: beautiful antique gold Morocco wallpaper from Schumacher

Inspired by traditional Moorish architecture and printed on a shiny metallic ground, Morocco in antique gold is a timeless geometric wallpaper pattern that evokes the beauty of hand-carved marble screens. Be Inspired .......

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Source: Decorator's Best

Flashback: Beautiful collection from fashion designer Zang Toi for F/W 2014

Sometimes I get really excited while doing blog research. On 02-11-2016, while surfing on internet, I saw this elegant and sophisticated collection from the Malaysian fashion designer Zang Toi. Zang Toi is a renowned fashion designer who has built a tradition of elegance for over 30 years. Just have a look below to see his stunning designs. This blogpost was published earlier. I republished it today. Be Inspired .......

More about the fashion designer:

Zang Toi is a renowned Fashion Designer who has built a tradition of elegance for over 30 years. Coming from humble beginnings, Zang was born and raised in a small village, Kuala Krai in Kelantan, Malaysia. He was the youngest of seven children of a local grocer. Zang landed in New York City at the age of 20 where he studied at the distinguished Parsons School of Design. In August 1989, he opened his atelier and soon after, U.S Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour featured Zang in March 1990 issue and was one of the first Asian designers championed by the renowned editor. 

In 1990, Zang was awarded the Mouton Cadet Young Designer of the Year which recognizes the top, young, U.S. designer of the year. In a Newsday article published in 1991, Frank De Caro enthusiastically noted of the Malaysian-born designer and his success, “If anyone is THE NEXT BIG THING, it’s him.” (Newsday, New York, 29 April 1991). Since that time, Zang's work has been featured in major publications such as Vogue, Vanity Fair, Time, Newsweek, The New York Times, Financial Times, etc. Not only has he dressed Hollywood celebrities such as Sharon Stone, Elizabeth Taylor, Farrah Fawcett, Kristie Alley, Patti LaBelle, Gong Li, Eva Longoria, Fergie (Black Eyed Peas) and Heather Graham, but has also created luxurious wardrobe for philanthropists and royalty including Melinda Gates and Saudi Princess Haifa Bandar Al Saud. 

Along with his passion for glamorous fashion, Zang has been an avid supporter of the Lance Armstrong Foundation (LIVESTRONG) and has raised over USD $700,000 to help in the effort in finding a cure for cancer. He was recognized by the foundation in 2008/2009 when he was presented with the Lance Armstrong Foundation Top Fundraiser Award. Zang's continued success was most recently recognized by VividMagazine where he was named as one of the Top 8 most influential Chinese Americans (June/July 2011 issue). Today, the world continues to recognize Zang's passion for timeless beauty as he builds on a strong tradition of elegance.

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Source: ZANG TOI
Photos: courtesy of Zang Toi

Note: In 2016 I found information at these magazines: Elle, NYMAG + MBFashionweek. However, these links are not active anymore.

Beautiful Art by Dutch artist Margo van Erkelens (02)

A few pieces caught my eye this week, like this beautiful painting called 'Lost in Love' from the Dutch artist Margo van Erkelens. Love the atmosphere as well as her refined techniques and coloruse. Just take a look below for inspiration. Earlier I wrote already another blog about this inspiring lady, see here BLOG 01. This blogpost was published on 19-04-2017. Today I decided to republish it again. Be Inspired .......

More about the artist:

This is what Margo writes about herself: 'I spent my youth in Goedereede: a small town close to the coast. A major source of inspiration for my landscapes (of dunes) and seascapes. The scents, memories, colours of the seasons, briny and sweet…; it forms the source for my land- and/or seascapes. In my other figurative or abstract work, these memories do not play such a role, but rather my great love for colour. 

I grew up with love for colour and atmosphere. The warmth of a colour, the tones and shades and combinations between each other ravish me and give me the drive each day to shape my creativity. Each time my work is very different in the end. The main challenge is to leave out the most recognisable. Only having the pure experience of shape and colour to remain is what I try to achieve, allowing imagination and fantasy to have no bounds. This puts more importance on ‘feeling’ rather than ‘recognizing’. 

This makes a painting a story without words; an invitation to travel through landscapes; a reminder to footsteps; fantasising about an image; to imagine and to feel. I am not trying to control my work: the process can take its course! I combine the numerous layers of paint with everything that is available: sand, soil, fabric, pigments, gypsum, etc.

The paint is scraped away to allow other layers to surface. My best paintings come into existence through mistakes underneath the top layer. The ‘accidents’ that originate from previous layers are used gratefully by me and help me to let go of a clearly defined image. To let it ‘happen’ rather than to ‘steer’. This remains a challenge until the end, because when is a canvas ‘finished’? Leonardo da Vinci put it very aptly with his famous quote: “Art is never finished; only abandoned!” '

Margo van Erkelens (1969)

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Source: Margo van Erkelens

Note: these photos have been placed with permission of the artist. 

Fashion: Elegant soft pink hat designs by Philip Treacy S/S 2023

Would like to share with you these elegant soft pink hat designs from milliner Philip Treacy. Aren't they lovely? I am a huge fan of his sophisticated hat designs. The designs are from his S/S 2023 collection. Earlier I wrote more blogs about 'Hats', SEE HERE Be Inspired ......

About Philip Treacy
Philip Treacy has become the world's most in demand hat designer. His hats are as popular with European aristocrats as with Hollywood royalty. Widely credited for changing the perception of the hat, he designs hats to flatter and enhance the wearer.

Philip Treacy, hat designer

“I have had the greatest pleasure of having the opportunity to challenge people's perception of what a hat should look like in the 21^st century. I make hats because I love hats. It's an enigmatic object that serves the human purpose only of beautification and embellishment, and making one feel good, whether you’re the observer of the spectacle or the wearer”

— Philip Treacy

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Source: PHILIP TREACY
Photos: courtesy of Philip Treacy