I am a fan of Press Days because there is the opportunity to see many things up and personal then ask questions. It is a fashion meet and greet between agencies and editors. What is new? Trends? During these two days it is a chance to meet designers or discover new labels and brands.P
Images by Canon Camera
If you happen to be in Milan this week make sure you have a chance to see a monumental fashion collection titled Italiana at the impressive Palazzo Real Milano, located in the centre of the city beside Duomo. The exhibition spans the the story of fashion the city from 1971 to 2001 with looks drawing from the cities wealth of designers. Highly impressive and inspiring for anyone who loves fashion. There is no doubt Milan deserves its place as the CHIC CAPITAL of world. I had goose bumps walking from room to room.
This is the last week, ending on the 6th of May. HURRY!
Images powered by Canon Camera
Hats are debonair for men, the ultimate charm or dramatic accessory for women. Borsalino has been making hats since 1857. The brand’s most famous is the one worn by Humphrey Bogart in the final scene of the film classic “Casablanca”.
Black and Paper viewed the latest collection of head pieces in Milan during Fashion Week in Feburary 2018.
Image made with Canon G1X Camera
The Fall Winter Collection for 2018/19 incorporated 5 elements from the shoe designer based on a Glamorous Past.
Go West is the 1990’s reinvented from the brand’s references using spotted pony, multi colored stones and cowboy looks.
Blade is about architecture and design. The X Blade is modern stiletto heel.
Couture Oversized capes, a clean looks to create a stiletto based on romance.
New Modern is all about a strong heel influenced from the 1960’s of Italian Summers, metallic fibers in the form of boots and shoes.
Black and Paper viewed the Casadei Collection during Milan Fashion Week February 2018.
All images were captured using the Canon Camera G1 X
Spring Collections will soon be in the stores. This is what Vogue editor Anna Wintour thought of Milan Fashion Week Spring 2018.
Shopping for a bargain is always an adventure. I call these outings “Fashion Expeditions”. My latest expedition took me to the Ingolstadt Village in the south of German, located in this center are over 130 stores from many top designers and brands. 
The center is architectural fairytale kitsch painted in soft pastel colors designed with a simple one trail layout of stores on both sides. Europeans may find it a bit plastic but being an American, I felt at home.
When shopping for bargains or at outlet centers it is important to do a bit of research. Check prices at local sales outlets then make a plan. Buying the first thing you see is not what I recommend, explore first to see what is on offer. I usually go from store to store for a first round venture to check out what store has what. For me, 
50% off the retail price is minimal incentive to shop at an outlet center because they are usually outside city centers, meaning the savings have to be worth the travel.
My Store Experiences:
Ralph Lauren– This store had a large selection of men’s and women’s fashion.. Were the prices good? On some items, yes, I bought t-shirts and underwear. The prices were comparable to TK Maxx but with many fashion choices from the designer label, a shopper could not go wrong. The customer service was excellent. I spent 72 euros.
Bally-The Swiss luxury brand outlet store had great discounts up to 70% off, but sadly for me, nothing in my shoe size. I really wanted a pair of leather trainers at 75 euros in blue or black.
Tod’s-I was hypnotized in the Italian luxury shoe wear brand’s store. Blue leather hi top trainers or round toe suede ankle boots 70% off. I decided on the round boots, classic style for only 125 euros but there was a bit of remorse about leaving the hi-tops.
Trussardi Jeans-This brand’s menswear collections was on hit for sweaters and jackets. A button down wool sweater and slim cut pants were on my menu at 70%. The fit was perfect. The sales staff was very patient to say the least. How many sweaters did I try on? A LOT! I am sure I drove the sales people to the nearest bar at quitting time.
Sunglasses-I wandered into this small store on the corner by accident, a nice selection of brands and styles. The sales lady was welcoming telling me the store had a reduction on many designer frames. I ended up buying a pair of Marc Jacobs sunglasses for a steal at 65%.
Gant-A spacious store divided by one side for womenswear, the other for menswear. The premium brand had many items at deep discounts. I was looking for a gift. I found the perfect outerwear in the form of a 100% wool poncho at 80% off.
Gucci-The top luxury brand retained its status even at a discount. The boutique was first class all the way from service to clothing on hand, temptation on every shelf. I wanted a bag. I saw a jacket all at a major discount. I had to walk away on blow my budget. When a person says, “GUCCI AT A BIG DISCOUNT” it is hard to walk away without feeling shaken.
A very productive shopping outing at the Ingolstadt Village, my fashion needs were met without breaking my wallet. If you are planning a “Fashion Expedition” in Europe put Ingolstadt Village on your list.
For more information go to: Ingolstadt Village
Stay Warm, But Look Cool!
Luxury outerwear brand Moose Knuckles sets a high bar for jackets and parkas with many details including Duck Down for insulation against the hardest weather conditions.
Moose Knuckles is available in fine stores worldwide.
During London Fashion Week Men’s we met Nadja Solovieva, the creative director of luxury scarf brand Vassilisa based in London’s Knightsbridge area. Black and Paper asked her a few questions about her collection.
When you design a collection, what do you think about?
The brand Vassilisa has an overall unique brand DNA / Concept. Besides each collection has a number of themes of inspiration, which are developed and interlinked, and relate to the main brand concept. It is a typical St Martins method or working by sketch book, these creative processes are not always straight forward to explain to public.
Now you are designing menswear looks, why did you branch out?
We started noticing men increasingly buying our scarves, it has been an organic process of observing the demand.
Your scarves are strong, can you explain these looks?
These scarves are a design-led product, each collection has a story.
What materials do you use in the scarf collection?
We manufacture with the finest mills in Italy, materials are silk, cashmere and modal, this is an amazing yarn, highly ecological, made from beech tree cellulose, which has amazing thermogenic qualities in cold and also most perfect for hot weather. We work with finest materials and craftsmen.
For more information go to: Vassilisa.com
