For the Love of God.

For the Love of God - Damien Hirst 2007
source

A platinum cast. 8601 diamonds. Human teeth. 

For the Love of God, this is beautiful. 

A couple years ago I almost bought a gorgeous t-shirt at the Mori Art Museum Shop with a print of this piece by Hirst, but then gave up when I saw the price-tag -16000JPY.

I'm way too obsessed with skulls. All your fault, Alexander. All your fault. 

If you, like me and pretty much anyone else in the whole galaxy, feel like you need a bling bling skull in your life but are unlikely able to spend 50 million pounds on it, 

DO NOT PANIC.

iartistlondon sells a kit that will enable you to turn yourself into Hirst and create your own For the Love of God for a mere 49.9 pounds.   

Sweet, isn't it? 

Since I have some デコ電 (dekoden aka blingin' stuff up in Japanese) experience, I might give it a try.  

La Moda Giapponese

via brunoagostinho

La moda giapponese si presenta ai più come uno spettacolo di teatro Kabuki: chiassosa, esagerata ed incomprensibile. Questo è il messaggio che le famigerate Harajuku Girls passano, quasi con aria di sfida, ad un Occidentale che ancora ama stupirsi di fronte alle stranezze Made in Japan. Spesso si ricordano i grandi nomi nipponici della moda, come Rei Kawakubo e Issey Miyake, mentre meritevoli stilisti emergenti restano purtroppo ancora ignoti al grande pubblico. Ponte tra tradizione e modernità, la moda giapponese accetta il suo passato per affrontare con grinta il futuro, in linea con lo spirito nipponico che con grande coraggio riesce a superare anche i momenti più tragici, ultimo tra i quali il Terremoto di Tohoku. Tessuti che richiamano la ricchezza di preziosi Kimono, tagli concettuali che invocano una profonda austerità, propria della cultura giapponese, che però ben volentieri si sposa con innovazione ed high-tech. Mai scontata, sempre sconvolgente, questa è la moda giapponese.

My thoughts on Japanese fashion in 1000 characters, posted as a comment on VOGUE Italia Editor Franca Sozzani's blog, in which she is asking readers to describe what they thinks about Japanese fashion. Not my best, but expressing what I think about Japanese fashion in 1000 characters is quite challenging.  

Grande Giove.

GRANDE GIOVE

If you love Back to the Future as much as I do and happen to have a couple (or possibly more) thousand dollars laying around, go and bid for a pair of those limited edition Mag Nike shoes here.

And don't feel guilty, it's a charity auction.

Mod&The City

Back in Italy after a short vacation in Sweden, and now getting ready London. But, before that, I'll be spending about 10 days in Munich and experience for the first time the mayhem of Octoberfest. Wish me good luck.
Anyway, the following pictures perfectly express what I'll be expecting from this autumn: city life and mod, a LOT of mod.
Furthermore, Karlie Kloss styled by Giovanna Battaglia equals perfection. Pictures as seen on VOGUE Japan September 2011.




















That Prada dress and that Issey Miyake coat are beyond fabulous.


via Fashiongonerouge.com

My own design comes to life ~ Shoes of Prey Leopard Booties

I was awoken by a rather long earthquake today (epicenter was in Iwate, please can you just leave them alone, Mother Nature?), and a few minutes later mailman knocked my door and delivered me a package containing a lovely surprise... A new pair of shoes!

A few weeks ago I designed a pair of ankle booties on Shoes of Prey, a website that allows costumers find their perfect order-made pair of shoes. It's great for those girls like me, who are always looking for the perfect pair of shoes but can never ever find anything near what they have in mind. I'm absolutely picky when it comes to shoes, as I pay way too much attention to material, design, particulars, comfort and so on. I don't buy too many shoes because it's quite hard for me to find shoes that actually meet my standards but I was pleasantly surprised by Shoes of Prey.

Here's the design...

Hair - Leopard, Suede - Black, 8.8cm Heel

And here's what I got! Sweet, right?

Tatami mats and leopard shoes. Yeah.

The shoes came in a sleek black box, containing a dust bag, paddings and two types of heel cushions and a picture of the shoes I designed. I love how Shoes of Prey wants their shoes to be as comfortable as possible and perfectly fit the costumer's feet, as you can also specify wether your feet is on the wide side.

The quality of the shoes is really nice and they seem to be really easy to walk in, as the heel is not too high (I chose a 8.8cm height, but you can get taller heels as well) and the platform makes things even better. Another bonus point is that Shoes of Prey only uses genuine leather, which is just the best for your feet.

Now, let's talk about the design itself. I am a big animalier fanatic, and as it seems that the whole trend won't fade anytime soon, I chose to use a leopard print for my shoes. I imagined myself wearing those shoes paired with a simple, possibly monocolor, outfit so the leopard print would pop and define my style.

Check Shoes of Prey website out and design your own, unique dream shoes, and fell in love like I did with my leopard ankle booties.

Snap snap I'm snapping at you.

It's summer here in Tokyo. Me and my fellow Tokyo people are battling the horrible humid summer heat. Looking good in such a weather is quite a challenge, but we still manage to be fab all the time. However, my bangs (yes, I got bangs back in Italy) become quite disgusting from time to time, but no worries, nothing that a shower cannot fix. Showering is the big thing, this summer. hehe.

I've purchased this lovely Cacharel for UNIQLO t-shirt a couple days ago. The print was just screaming my name, I had to get it. I'm all about bold prints lately.

Picture taken by mighty MARIE [BLOG]

Via be.com

By the way, make sure to check out my VOGUE Japan blog, Marie and I have been taking fashion snaps around our university, Waseda University. We are taking snaps of Japanese and International students, boys&girls. I'm really enjoying this experience, as it's quite refreshing for me to focus on street fashion from time to time. I do love high fashion, but as a 20-something student without a steady income I can easily relate to street fashion. BUT, I'm a dreamer, and my dreams are made of Chanel and Alexander McQueen (old school McQueen, thx).

WASEDA GIRLS fashion snaps Part 1
WASEDA BOYS fashion snaps Part 1

Gyaru Anna

via Jak&Jil Blog

Anytime I see this AdR picture I think of those gals who walk the streets of Shibuya, and their phone charms. Gloomy Bear's bloody paw and the Cheshire Cat's psychedelic tail were huge among them, and resemble this beautiful Prada fur (yet, I still don't know how I feel about real fur). Big fat furry charms on Shibuya Gals' cell phones and fluo fur for AdR.

Gimme some Opium.

Dude.
Seems like someone is obsessed with YSL latelty. Truth is that I'm not, but I still believe that everybody should be obsessed with YSL in general.

When I was a kid I used to be fascinated by Opium, the Yves Saint Laurent iconic scent. Kiddo Alice would run to the bathroom and smuggle some Opium. That big, bold and exotic looking flask was just too attractive to me. I still remember holding it. And perhaps spraying it on my clothes feeling like the fairest of the ladies under the mannish bob I had to keep for many years. Back then, I could have been disguised as a boy, an incredibly handsome boy, but still a boy. I had a decent collection of miniature perfumes and samples. Lots of shapes and scents, that kept me busy for many hours. Sometimes I used them to "wash" the bathroom: every tile with a different perfume, resulting in a nauseous smell. But then, there it was. Winking at me in all its glory. Someday the perfume was over and the flask finally gone. The thought of the scent itself was gone as well, and I grew up and forgot about Opium and its world.
But, out of nowhere, the memory of Opium is back, and once in a while I know what to buy for my mother, who was patient enough to let me waste her perfume when I was a kid. Still, I don't feel like calling it "a total waste", since it gave me so much, even though I cannot say what I gained from years of sniffing Opium. And yes, I'm talking about the perfume, you silly!

On a side note for my future partner in crime that I have yet to meet: I demand a flask of Opium for my 30th birthday. I will be ready for it, then. To quote BRITNEY SPEARS (Yes, I just did it), I'm not a girl not yet a woman. I'll be a woman the day I'll be wearing Opium.




Pic via stsfragrance.com

YSL Manifesto 2011

If you are lucky enough to be in one of the following cities, New York, Milano, Paris, London, Hong Kong, Los Angeles or Tokyo, make sure to grab your copy of Yves Saint Laurent, which will be distribuited an original tote bag. Just make sure to be in the right place at the right time. Don't forget to grab a Manifesto for me as well, I think I deserve it.

Image via Vogue.it

This is the third year in a row I miss the Manifesto. I'm missing out way too much this month in Tokyo. Ah, so much for some rest.

Vogue Style Blog

As I previously mentioned on this blog, there are some big news for me~
If you are following me on Twitter (@alicetokyo) you already know what I am talking about.
But, but.

A while ago I was approached by the staff of , and asked if I was interested in becoming a blogger for their portal. Obviously I said yes, and here I am, a VOGUEtte blogger for Vogue Japan's online portal. I believe this experience will be really rewarding and exciting for me, I still don't know why they choose me. Thank you anyway, VOGUEさん!

Alice's Blog
(here's the link)

I will be blogging in Japanese, but even if you don't speak Japanese I suggest you to check it every now and then, since some special contents related to Japan and Japanese fashion and events will be only aviable on my Vogue blog and not on Tokyo Quadrille. On those must-see posts I will add English captions as well, so don't worry about it.



If you want to leave some comments or simply browse the blog, but are not too familiar with Japanese, no problem! Here we go.





To leave comments:


Easy, isn't it! Feel free to leave comments in English/Italian/French as well!


Now, let's talk a little about the pretentious picture I'm using as my icon...

You cannot really see it, but I feel like writing a couple of lines about the jacket I was wearing for this shot (which I took myself, by the way). It's a great vintage piece, a Moschino Haute Cuture jacket from the 80's. I cannot take any credit for this awesome thrift, since I just stole it from my friend... She tried it on, and was too big for her. "Hey, mind if I try it on?". And there I am, with a jacket that compliments my curves (euphemism) and looks great on. I need to take a nice outfit picture featuring this baby.

That's all folks, hope to see you on my Style Blog for Vogue, but keep checking Tokyo Quadrille, my little treasure~ Ah, I love blogs way too much.

Ready to wear FF 2010 H A I R

So... I had my hair cut the other day and felt inspired enough to post something related today.
Those hair styles are from the ready-to-wear show FF 2010. Pictures from Style.com

I love love black hair, but I never had enough nerve to go fully black. Well, one time I dyed it black, but it wasn't permanent so I guess it doesn't count.
Tao looks extremely cute in her mushroom cut. It's so Tao.
Agyness as usual looks adorable in her trademark (??) hair-cut. My friend Ayana had a similar style, and I totally love it. Too bad she had her hair cut again~ Ayana go back to the Agyness cut please!
The Chanel style was indeed bigfoot style, but hey, we did not forget that yeti parade.

Sooo, braids for winter. Too bad EVERYONE got already bored with braids, since every fashionista, fashion blogger, and random person already showed off braids in every possible angle.
Miu Miu's two tone hair is indeed tempting cool and all, but I guess my hair looks like that when I'm to lazy to dye (or have it dyed) my hair for too long. And no, I'm not sure if I like some uber-popular fashion blogger's hair I won't name. There's a thin line between boho chic and lazy/borderline homeless.
Freja hair for Chloe' is HOT. And this time I really mean it. I should get a similar hair-cut/perm, since the shape of my face is pretty Freja-ish when I slim down. To bad now I can roll around instead of walking. Ha.

Blonde is pretty.
Should I join the Barbies or stay by the Dark Side of the Power?
I heard they have cookies.

Ok, I just realized this post makes no sense. Or no, wait. Maybe you can consider one of the above hair-styles when having your hair done?

You're sexy&gorgeous.

via Style.com
Ferre' backstage Autum/Winter RTW 2010

Word.
Every woman is sexy and gorgeous.
Yet sometimes we manage to forget it.

Ladies, be strong.

First Day of School

Last Friday I had a very special meeting, but I will talk about it in detail in a week or so. Big news, who knows... he he he. I can only say I'm really excited!

My friend Marie was nice enough to take some pictures of me with her new camera, so after a long time I can post some pictures of my outfit. Thank you dear!


The outfit itself is really simple, and it's loosely based on the uniforms editorial on November's Nippon Vogue. In Italian schools uniforms are not mandatory, and only a few schools actually uses them. I've always liked uniforms, not only because they are terribly cute, but also because students always look neat and tidy for school. I really like this trend, because finally I can wear a "uniform" out on the streets without looking like a complete weirdo. Note the lack of make-up, so not me hahah

shirt n/a - sweater GAP (bf's) - skirt thrifted - shoes Fausta Moretti - bag bf's - criss cross necktie's pin Jiji (Maho no Takkyubin)

Sadly I forgot to ask Marie to take better pictures of my criss cross necktie and the pin I used. It's such a pity because it was so cute!

I don't remember if I was running for real or just posing, but my face is hilarious so I decided to post this one, just for you to have a laugh at my funny face.


My favorite photographer and dear friend, Marie. She's the sweetest and prettiest girl ever, too bad she always hides behind her kickass camera!


That's her trying to cheer up a sad Joe, from the boxing manga Ashita no Joe - Tomorrow's Joe. Random stuff you can only find in Japan, I guess.

Chanel, manga and platform shoes.

CHANEL SS11 shoes. Style.com

I've heard (and read online) a lot of people was addressing Chanel platform shoes as "plain ugly", but I find them so gorgeous I just kept staring at the shoes ignoring the clothing hanging on the models. People keep repeating "Less is more" like it was some kind of mantra, but when it comes to reality everybody looks the fancy clothes and crazy shoes. I've always been extremely picky with shoes. Those Chanel shoes are pure perfection expressed trough a clean and practical design. I can't really imagine my feet hurt when wearing platforms. I just noticed I pasted a pair of sleek leather boots in, without any platform under it, but it was just a reminder for me since those would be the perfect boots I've been hunting for ages. Not that I can afford them, but it's nice to know that THEY DO EXIST.
Platforms might scream 90's, but I do not care, even if I regard the 90's as a big disgrace to the humanity in its whole essence. Ok, I just wanted to exaggerate.

Original Artwork by Yazawa Ai, pictures from here

Those pictures come from the Japanese comic "Gokinjo Monogatari" by the mangaka Yazawa Ai.
Note the platform shoes and sandals. It's pretty funny, because whenever I find myself sketching shoes I only draw platform shoes, platform boots and platforsm sandals. Ha.
To be honest I do not read manga (excluding Ushijima-kun. Loan sharks, oh yes.), but I've always liked Yazawa's illustration and sense of style. Probably you've heard before of a manga/anime called "Nana". One of the two main characters, Nana, was a huge fan of the British designer Vivienne Westwood and could often be spotted wearing her rocking shoes and orbs were EVERYWHERE. My boyfriend bought the whole Nana manga collection in Japanese a while ago, but I still have to read it. My bad.

Back to Paris

Fashion Show pictures Style.com - Collage by me

It's late, I should be already sleeping because tomorrow it's going to be a pretty intense and hopefully worthwile day (and big news may follow, hehe).
But... I HAD to give birth to this post, because Hermès just left me speechless. Jean Paul, you do deserve my unconditioned love for this. I should write something about his label as well, but as for now, I'm all about Hermès ss11.
Dusty gunfighters and masked avengers wrapped in leather, oh yes. Everything was so much Back to the Future Part 3, Wild Wild West and Zorro. I loved it, the whole Spaghetti Western feeling and the sudden need to shot some beans jars just for fun.



Anyway... Some Best of the Best spotted as well~

Martin McFly (with poncho)


Indiana "Indy" Jones


Sancho Panza

El Zorro

Take Ivy

Take Ivy, in other words the World before the Sartorialist took over the industry of classy street snap-shoots.

Pictures from "Take Ivy", collage by me.

Take a bunch of Japanese gentlemen passionate about American prep fashion in the '60, and lot of well groomed young American men, studying at top class institutions and you will get Take Ivy, once a legendary and mysterious fashion bible and now one of the thousands of books avaiable on Amazon. Oh, you Internet, made everything so immediate and somehow boring.

This post is also dedicated to my American friend Ross. Seeing him on campus was always a pleasure, because of his great taste in clothes and peculiar personality, which always remembered me of the fine young men I could admire on Take Ivy (and made me wonder if Ross had a DeLorean hidden somewhere). This World, and Waseda University in particular, needs more refined people like Ross (and with the SAME taste in shoes, please).

Jil Sanders x UNIQLO

Open the future
Luxury will be semplicity.
Purity in design, beauty and comfort for all.
Quality for the people.
Basics are the common language.

The future is here: +J

A new collaboration between the Japanese UNIQLO and the German designer Jil Sander, in the name of democratic luxury. Despite being ridiculously cheap (a pair of denim can cost as low as 990Y), UNIQLO offers a great deal in terms of quality and price. This new collection is indeed minimalist and defined by clean lines, typical of Jil Sander.
The collection will be avaiable from October 15 (JAPAN) in selected UNIQLO stores.

The +J campaign features Raquel Zimmerman and Christan Ochsenfahrt

#04 Wool Flannel Chesterfield Coat

#01 Wool Tuxedo Jacket


For more pictures and information please visit UNIQLO +J website.

Random.

Spontaneous rainbow featuring my dirty black Converse, proving that everything can be beautiful under the right light.

The Best of The Best 2011

If you already are a follower of this blog you might know of my obsession in connecting fashion with pop-culture. Here's a new episode of "The Best of The Best", completely dedicated to S/S 2011 (which was quite a disappointment to me). More to come, I hope, but as for now enjoy~

Betsey Johnsons meets The Smurfs
Because y'all know you need a Smurf outfit in your wardrobe. Just don't ask me WHY.

Jeremy Scott meets ハードゲイ　(Hard Gay)
Leather pants+thong. Nuff said.

Jil Sander meets the Jocker
Jil Sander like clean lines, and so does the Jocker. WHY SO SERIOUS, SANDER?

Just Cavalli meets Poison Ivy
Animalier got boring, so let's try with plants this time. And I've got a rush just by looking at the pictures of the show.

Prada meets the Cheshire Cat
THIS IS MADE OF AWESOMENESS AND MAGICAL PUSSY. How many Cheshire Cats did they kill to make that massive fur tail? Me wants, me needs.

Victoria Beckham meets Victoria Beckham and Victoria Adams aka Posh Spice
OH YOU, POSH SPICE.

My hopes are all reposed in Victor&Rolf now.

Check out the old BEST OF THE BEST 2010 (Episode One & Two).