I’m Featured in ‘Describe Your Style’!

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Describe Your Style

It’s always nice when I am contacted by various people in the industry, who wish to either do an article on my work or my personal style.  Tiesha Harrison, founder of Describe Your Style, wanted to do both and you can read the feature here-

http://describeyourstyle.wordpress.com/2013/01/30/fashion-stylist-writer-biki-john-describes-her-style/

Thanks for your lovely words Tiesha!

My Stylish Tribute To Donna Summer

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Donna Summer Hair Ideas, Donna Summer Makeup Ideas, Donna Summers 70s Style, Donna Summers 80s Style, Donna Summers Style

It was with great sadness that I learnt Donna Summer passed away earlier today.  Since I was a teenager, one of my birthday dreams is to have a party, where for the entrance, I am lowered down from the ceiling sitting astride a giant disco ball as Donna Summer’s legendary, ‘I Feel Love’ is playing.

My favourite era of ‘The Queen of Disco’ was the 70s and 80s where she spawned hits like, ‘Love to Love You Baby’, ‘Hot Stuff’ and ‘Could It Be Magic’; everything about her at that time oozed luxuriously, decadent glamour and sex appeal.  There is no denying that till today, several artists pay tribute to some of her iconic looks.  For example, her look for this below cover was to be later imitated by Kelis-

Cdandlp.com

Xolondon.blogspot.com

Being a huge fan of ‘Extravaganz-A’, I just love the way Donna Summer pulled off outfits that had ‘a lot going on’, and were heavy on embellishment.  She always managed to do so without the outfit ever wearing her, and without looking like she had been styled to the very last inch of her life, which is the case now with so many artists of today-

Disco-diva.com

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Such was Donna’s versatility in music and style, that she could go from blatant raunchy costumes as seen above, to toning it down but still looking the business.  On a side note, this dress fits in very nicely with the current floral print trend-

I also adore this retro number-

Strictlymixes.blogspot.com

Here is eclectic, mismatched parings at its best-

Strictlymixes.blogspot.com

From a style point of view, there is no doubt that Donna Summer was ‘Every Woman’.  But she also left her mark on the beauty industry too, in the 70s and 80s she was well-known for her big hair and statement eyelashes-

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Thegreat70s.com

Why I find this news especially sad is that for the past few months, I have a ritual in Berlin where I play the below Donna Summer video before I go out at night.  I loved the energy she emanates, and how she worked that leopard print dress with net tulle detailing-

Barbie and Ken, Revamped & Revisited

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Barbie and Ken, Dina Goldstein Photography, Factory Art Berlin, Not Only 2012 Project Berlin

Last week, I went to the Factory Art Berlin to see the 2012 Project, ‘Not Only’ exhibition.

I was given a press release before I attended the event, which I must confess I did not read.  Maybe I should have as after circulating the exhibition two times or more, I came to the shameful conclusion that although I could appreciate the craftsmanship and imagination that went into what I saw, I really didn’t understand most of it.

But there was one piece I did understand, the Barbie and Ken photographs below which were created by photographer, Diana Goldstein.  At the exhibition, one of the exhibitors came up to me and asked me the dreaded (to me!) question- so what do you think of what you saw?  And I truthfully replied that the only thing I understood were the Barbie and Ken images.  At this he laughed and said something along the lines of ‘You are girl, you like pink’; to which I negated stating that coming from a fashion editorial background, there was more for me to understand and appreciate like the message, the set, the styling details (like Ken in stilettos!) etc.

Everyone knows Barbie and Ken, for whatever reason and for good or bad, they are names/brands deeply rooted in Pop Culture.  I’ve never cared much for either being a Cindy girl myself, but I’ve always thought that Ken was a bit of a….erm, how do I say this with the right amount of political correctness- a raving poofter, more likely to be seen in the passionate, oily embrace of ‘Fabio’ than Barbie.  So I loved seeing him in these stilettos-

Also we or I, grew up seeing Barbie in commercial press looking very ‘put together’ so it was great to see this 90′s ‘The Face meets ID’ shot of her on the toilet with her knickers down-

I do love those pink glitter stilettos, that’s what I want to have dressing my feet when I go to Oz-

And just one more time for effect, aaah Ken, you preppy Slut!!!-

Where Can You Get The Best New York Cheesecake in Berlin?

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Katie's Blue Cat Cafe, Top Berlin Cafe's

I am sure all dessert lovers who either live or plan to visit Berlin, have asked themselves this question at one moment in time.   Well, my sweet-tooth friends, I have the answer- head to Katie’s Blue Cat cafe in Kreuzberg.

Since discovering this ‘Heaven on Earth’, although I live all the way in Prenzlauer Berg, I make it a point of duty to frequent the cafe as often as I can for their scrumptious home-made cookies, cakes, pies and cupcakes.

Yesterday, I met up with a friend and decided to try their New York cheesecake and you know that feeling when you eat something so delicious that you shut your eyes,  exhale, make some unintelligible sounds and for  a few brief moments all is right in the world?  Well that is how you feel when you try Katie’s Blue Cat cafe’s New York cheesecake.

Cheesecakes et moi have not always been the best of friends, because I often find the top layer so creamy and rich that I get queasy afterwards or the biscuit layer too stodgy.

I have in fact only enjoyed a New York Cheesecake twice in my life- once (ironically) in New York and the second time was at Katie’s Blue Cat.  And the main reasons for this was because the creamy top had just enough decadent lightness, whilst the biscuit base had a lovely, crumbly texture that melted in my mouth, thus creating the perfect balance and harmony of ‘hard and soft’.

I urge you to treat yourself in this cute, homely cafe if ever you get the chance!

Courtesy of Foodieinberlin.com

Courtesy of Foodieinberlin.com

Pre-Berlin Fashion Week in Pictures

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Berlin Fashion Style, Menswear Tweed Coat, Oriental Brocade Jacket

Last night there was a Berlin Fashion Week Opening party at HBC put together by projektGALERIE, to celebrate the start of Berlin Fashion Week A/W 12.

I wore this ensemble-

As I’ve said many times on my blog, when it comes to dressing, Berlin has a ’casual and laid back’ vibe, and that’s all well and good but sometimes, and especially during Fashion Week- I despair over this.  Why?  Because I love to look at people and feel inspired, and it’s hard for me to turn cartwheels when I see non-descript Grandma jumpers paired with equally non-descript jeans.  I have to add here that I don’t need to see club kids and Lady Gaga minions to feel inspired; I can turn giddy when I see something as little as a strategically placed antique brooch.

At the beginning of the HBC party, looking around the room, I did begin to panic but as time went on, I was able to find a few people who did catch my eye.  In my quest for style, I even took a little walk around the streets that surrounded HBC to see if I would find some stylish beings wandering around- and as the saying goes: Seek and you shall Find-

Black jumpsuits seemed to be a popular choice that evening as the image above and below illustrate.  I particularly loved the embellishment on the lady’s black velvet jumpsuit below-

And just look at this twosome of cuteness.  P.s I never get tired of seeing Mickey Mouse T’s-

Pssst! Don’t tell anyone but this dude is wearing his mama’s jacket, and might I add is carrying if of S-wonderfully!

I do love a good tweed coat…

This lady shows how to work a pair of statement tights, I would so loved to have seen her in coral-red stilettos instead, tsigh-

She gets an A for effort-

I took this picture purely based on the fact that I thought the guy on the left was kinda hot-

I exhaled in vintage rapture when I saw this beauty-

And how dare this cutey-cute try to out-do me in the ‘Hair Statement’ department-

I saved the pièce de résistance for last, my favourite find of the night is this gentleman below and here are my reasons why.  First we will start of with the fact that for a while, I was trying to determine whether he was male or female and I love ‘is it a he/she’ connundrums.  Secondly (and I blame Matrix for this), I love a boy in a coat that can billow behind him as he strides confidently going about his business.

Not only was he wearing a great coat, when he took it off, he revealed a fantastic oriental brocade jacket which I just adored.  Upon seeing the statement jacket, I asked him whether he worked in fashion and he replied that he didn’t.  So I give him extra kudos for his confidence and style- Bravo!

Dinner and Art

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Berlin Paintings, David Roosenberg

If there’s one thing I love, it’s a good surprise and I also relish in killing two birds off with one stone.  Not so long ago I was invited (well I tagged along really) to a dinner party, and although I was hoping to enjoy good food and the company of a new group of people, one thing I was not expecting was to walk into a mini art exhibition.

However, it was a great visual treat to see the colourful, emotive paintings that decorated the flat.  I later learnt that the talent behind them was David Roosenberg, who studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Masstricht.

Dāwūd Roosenberg

Here are some of the paintings I took pictures of in the flat that evening-

 Being a huge fan of colour and shapes, I really liked this painting-

 

Ahhh, more delightful colour, I would love a silk kimono with this detailing-

 

Now don’t you agree with me that it is a crime that David has not yet got the opportunity to exhibit his work?

All that is going to change, it’s 2012 and ‘good things will come to talented artists who wait’, or who quite frankly, have waited too long!  Over the weekend, I was pleased to learn from David that he is looking into how to exhibit his work in Berlin,  and until that fine day happens, I will be featuring his work sporadically on my blog.

Massai- THE Berlin restaurant to go to

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African cuisine in Berlin, Massai Restaurant

One afternoon as I stood on a platform waiting for a train I happened to look up to see a poster advertising a traditional African restaurant in Prenzlauer Berg, called Massai.  As I tend not to dine in African restaurants, I made a mental note to break tradition and as a special treat to myself, I decided to dine in the restaurant on my birthday.

Having gone to Massai (which happens to be a hop, skip and jump from my flat) last weekend for my birthday dinner, I have a few words to say- if you are in Berlin, you MUST go to this restaurant.  At the moment it is definitely my favourite restaurant in Berlin. 

The cuisine includes the culinary habits of West Africa (e.g. plantain), East Africa (e.g. exotic meats like Ostrich), as well as other treats and delicacies prepared by their cooks who come from all parts of Africa, including Ethiopia and Madagascar.

I loved the creative, eye-catching decor, music and food.

Being a huge lover of colour, I greatly appreciated how the food was presented.  So much so that I almost felt guilty when I picked up my fork and began to demolish the food-

I thought that using the coconut shells to cover the rice was pretty clever, my friend had this vegetarian dish-

Whilst I had this lamb, vegetables, rice and plantain dish which was heaven on a fabulously designed plate-

I also couldn’t take my eye of this stunning lady who worked there- pulling of that outfit and headdress is no easy feat-

 My only fear is with this restaurant being a stone throw away from where I live, my no-starch diet is going to go out of the window!

What did you wear to the OE Magazine Party?

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OE Magazine

On Friday, 18th November 2011 I went to the OE magazine 2nd issue launch party which was held at Voo Store, Kreuzberg.  As most of you know who’ve been reading my blog, I was very excited about attending this event as I had styled an editorial in the issue.  I was also looking forward to wearing my Anita/West Side Story meets Like A Prayer (Madonna) dress.

I had a really great time at the party, Voo store has a great space and as I had gone to the event on my own, this made me put my networking hat on and I met lots of interesting people.  Furthermore, I was surprised and pleased to hear the commercial R & B toooones the DJ played, which made me feel further at ease and put an extra bounce in my step.

The following gems caught my eye at the event-

It was great to have the essence of Freddie Mercury in the room courtesy of the extremely talented stylist, Herald Erath-

I loved the gold embellishment detailing on stylist, Dario Cuci’s (www.dariocuci.com/blog) trousers-

I love a good mish-mash of print, textures and colour-

The DJ who ‘saved my life’-

And I was none too pleased to have his beats put to a halt by the alarming, warbling sounds that emanated from these ladies-

Ladies, a simple fashion equation: Leopard Print + Coral Red= HOT.

And now ladies and gentleladies, the moment you’ve all been waiting for- THE EYE CANDY FOR THE NIGHT-

The model below is called Ugar Tuzlali and his racy editorial in the OE 2nd issue makes it a sin for him to ever wear clothes, especially when they cover up the statement tattoos that adorn his very toned, impressive body.  He was also very sweet to talk to which is a rare combination.  And of course he has a girlfriend.  In Australia.  Does that count?  Bygones.

Fashion-wise, there are two things that makes me a sucker when it comes to menswear- trench coats and beanies. Regarding the latter, I don’t know what it is but whatever it is, even Johnny Depp knows their super powers as he is rarely seen without one.

This guy looked like he walked straight out of a Bollywood musical set, where plays a good-looking spoilt prince who….ok I’ll stop…

And what did I wear? I settled on my red lace prom dress and added red lace gloves, red corset belt and a rose crown for good measure.  I will never be the most beautiful or slimmest girl in the room but I will command attention when I Sashay Shante through that door-

 

OE Magazine 2nd Launch Issue mentioned in top blog- Style Marmalade

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OE Magazine, Style Marmalade, Victoria Leeds

Tomorrow is the launch of the 2nd issue of OE magazine, which is a Berlin-based magazine that aims to stand out from the fashion crowd by portraying fashion today solely through images as opposed to words.

I am  incredibly happy and proud to be part of the project and even happier now the launch has been mentioned in one of my favourite blogs- Style Marmalade founded by Victoria Leeds.  Her dynamic and arresting take on fashion has seen her blog be shortlisted for Cosmopolitan’s New Fashion Blog 2011 and her undeniable style has led her to be selected for MTV Style’s, best dressed blogger section.

Read her post on the OE Magazine launch here-

http://www.stylemarmalade.com/2011/11/berlin-oe-magazine.html

And while you are at it, take a browse on her site- her unique sense of style, amazing DIY tips, paintings and great photography will ensure that you become a follower just like I have!

Thank you Victoria for the post! x

Ps. Everyone, tomorrow I will be showcasing the images I styled for the issue so stay tuned.

Silvio Berlusconi comes to Abnormals Gallery, Berlin

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Abnormals Gallery, Menswear Jackets, Silvio Berlusconi

Well on Friday, 11th November, Italy’s infamous ex-prime minister may not have been physically present at Abnormals Gallery, but he was definitely there in spirit.  Reason being, the day marked the opening of a presentation of various artists expressing their views on Silvio Berlusconi’s resignation, which brough to an end a tumultuous 17-year political career, which was marred by sex scandals, corruption allegations and gaffes on the international stage.

Here were some of the pieces that caught my attention-

I thought this was quite witty-

And this made me burst out laughing-

Politics and art aside, I was still on a quest for style, and these culture vultures caught my attention.  Apologies for the quality of the below pics, my camera began to majorly act up.

The following two men show how to wrap up stylishly, despite the increasingly freezing temperature in Berlin-

This guy caught and held my attention for a while, I absolutely loved his style- from his well-fitted tweed jacket to his detailed grooming.  Surprisingly, he was actually very shy and after a few shots I realised that he hated his picture being taken.  When I asked him whether I was correct in my observations, he agreed, so I was super happy that he still allowed me to take my shots.

In contrast, this Italian fire cracker clearly loved her picture being taken-