When you are invited to a crazy high tea party with a bunch of the coolest fashion people in the country, you know this is gonna be even better than the Mad Hatter’s festivities!
For me it was a little sweet dream coming true: Since I had my eyes on Jacqueline Loekito’s fashion for the first time at Mode Suisse, I craved wearing these genderfluid creations of the Indonesian born designer. Jacqueline studied fashion at Kingston College and the UCA in London. She moved to Switzerland for love, did her master at the FHNW and founded her own label. As well she works as a coach for students doing their master.
Jacqueline’s clothes are voluminous, oversized and consisting of materials like PVC, tulle, and velvet. One of the aims of Jacqueline is to bring pink back into the wardrobes of men because she believes it can be a very masculine colour. Her collection “Papin Madness” is inspired by the disturbing story of the Papin sisters. Those two French girls were convicted of the gruesome murder of their employer’s wife and daughter in 1933. The two victims had been beaten over the head until they were almost unrecognizable and their eyeballs were removed.
Knowing the story of the Papin sisters reveals the hint of horror hidden beneath sweet layers of pink and red of the fashion collection. But who doesn’t like a good horror story?
Lalique adds three modern feminine fragrances to their exclusive line Les Compositions Parfumées: Pink Paradise, Electric Purple, and Sweet Amber. Three fragrances, three colours, three emotions.
What unites them is their common inspiration by the alchemy of perfume and crystal-making. Each of them is a fusion of natural and molecular ingredients. The fragrances come in the beautiful, Art Deco-style Les Compositions Parfumées signature bottle with an elegant satin finish.
Pink Paradise: A Fresh Sea Breeze of Musk and Woods
Juicy Citrus meets a pink fluffy cloud of musk, floating on jasmine and heliotrope-filled sea breeze with a dash of pepper. The warmth of amber and sandalwood makes it complete. A scent for a woman with a cheerful and energetic personality.
Sweet Amber: A Whirlwind of Delectable Petals
This fragrance is a bouquet of white flowers – jasmine sambac, tuberose, and orange blossom – sweetened by vanilla and a hint of anise. It’s a new take on a gourmand fragrance, as airy as a perfect meringue. The smell is made for a sensitive, yet powerful and free woman.
Electric Purple: A Sparkling Berry Chypre
Bitter grapefruit contrasts with a spray of green mint and violet leaves, followed by a mix of berries. All are resting on a bed of moss and patchouli. This is a pop approach to chypre and a good perfume choice for a woman looking for a strong signature.
All three Eau de Parfumes come in 100ml bottles and are available at the Boutique Lalique in Zurich (Talstrasse 27) or online.
Pictures: Sara Streule. This post contains sponsored products.
This one is dedicated to all the strong women out there. To the women who made history because they went their way without being stopped, not listening when people said they should behave, shut their mouths, busy themselves with being pretty and live a conventional life.
A few of them turned into icons and those are the ones who inspire thousands of women, including me, day after day to keep their back straight when they feel weak and vulnerable. I want to name three of them in this post:
Hatshepsut
who ruled Egypt as the second female pharaoh. She is considered the first great woman in history and one of the most successful rulers of Ancient Egypt. Hatshepsut made herself immortal with a breathtaking temple, showing her power.
Frida Kahlo
the surreal Mexican painter refused being stopped by livelong chronic pain, several miscarriages, and fatigue after a horrible bus accident that changed her life. She put all her soul and heart into her surreal and very personal art and had herself carried to her own exhibition with her bed when her legs didn’t carry her.
Umm Kulthum
the Arabic singer who dressed as a boy at the age of 12 to sing on a stage. She became the most famous Arab voice of the 20th century and no other Arabic singer ever reached the glory of this diva. When she was buried in 1974, more than four million people attended her funeral in Cairo and until now, her songs are loved by a lot of people.
There are many more female icons I l admire and I intend to tell you about more these very soon. But let me tell you one more thing: Besides the famous women and not less important are the amazing women I can call friends and family. Yes I mean you out there, you don’t build temples or have millions of fans, but you master the difficult task called life day after day. You are independent and even if you don’t have an easy time you are kind and have always an open ear and a shoulder to lean on for your girls. We laugh together and sometimes we cry together, then lift our chin and face what we have to face without fear in our eyes.
You are heroines in my eyes and I adore you and your stories! Let’s continue to empower each other, share support and watch each other grow! I couldn’t be more grateful for having you in my life what makes you better than Hatshepsut, Frida, and Umm!
Many times I passed the Pixi store in Soho/London, adored the beautiful packaging of the products through the windows, but it’s only now that I finally tried them on my own and can let you know my review. Thanks to Marionnaud, Pixi products are available in Switzerland for a while now.
When makeup artist Petra Strand started her brand of youth-enhancing beauty products over 15 years ago, it was her aim to bring out the natural beauty in all women and created innovative formulations that are infused with botanicals and beneficial ingredients. Good to know: Pixi products are not tested on animals.
Let’s have a closer look at my selection of products:
Pixi Glow Tonic
If you wanna try just one Pixi product, it must be the Pixi Glow Tonic! Called a beauty hero by the Vogue and being praised by many bloggers and customers, this has become a cult product. It’s an exfoliating toner that helps to remove dead skin cells, leaves your skin with a healthy-looking glow and minimized pores. I’ve been using face tonics for years and think this one is a very good choice, gentle but soothing and with a wonderful smell.
Pixi Double Cleanser
Another tip is the Pixi Double Cleanse: If you don’t clean double yet, you have to start today and this powerful duo manages to remove even waterproof makeup. While with other brands you end up having two bottles, it’s very handy that Pixi united both in one pot. The only negative thing I have to say is that it smells a little bit weird, almost like candle wax.
Pixi Glow Mist
Got tired dry skin? This mist is an instant refresh and hydrates the skin with argan oil and aloe vera. You can use it before applying makeup or during the day. I love to use it on my naked skin and feel like it really makes my skin glow. For me, it doesn’t work so well on the makeup since it destroys the flawlessness of my foundation.
Pixi Large Lash Mascara
A mascara which is supposed to make the lashes long and add volume. It’s certainly a good quality one and the packaging is cute, but let’s be honest: There are good mascaras and worse, but I am still looking for the ultimate lash blast that replaces lash extensions for real.
Pixi MatteLast Liquid Lip
I love matte lipsticks and this one with rosehip oil is a-m-a-z-i-n-g! It’s easy to apply, long-lasting, nourishes the lips and feels comfortable on the lips. I need to buy one in a more flashy colour for sure!
Pixi Liplift Max Gloss
A volume-maximizing lip treatment with a lovely fresh mint flavour. You can wear it solo or as a plumping pre-treatment for lip colour or on top of any lip colour. I use mine as a base and top it with more colour.
Picture: Sara Streule. This post contains sponsored products.