Confashions From Kuwait

One of the things that excited me when I was on a buying trip earlier this year was discovering what's hot and new for next season by brands that are not carried by the retailer I work for, simply for my personal pleasure. I came across this perfect summer bag by  Ancient Greek . The bag is made out of colorful woven textile with canvas lining and cute antique multi charm accents. It was everything that I want for a beach bag, it was light, charming, colorful, roomy, and simply easy to pair with everything! Six months later and the search is still on for this simple bag. I found other versions of it but in blue and pink. They just didn't do it for me. So I settled for  Kayu's  St Tropez mini pompom-embellished woven straw tote , and more which I plan to share in future posts.  What's your favorite go-to summer/beach bag? 

Oh no! Another Elephilphil to obsess about! And this time it's tinier and bright in one of my favorite shades, yellow! This cute little coin purse from Loewe , makes the perfect gift for your fashion savvy friends. I spotted it at the brand's boutique in Dubai while I was searching for my pink Elephilphil. Now that I found my pink elephant, I'm contemplating to get the yellow one, you know, to keep it company. 

My 8 years old son is obsessed with elephants. I kid you not when I say he has at least 30 stuffed elephant toys laying down on his bed. All named and all loved equally the same. One of the nicknames that stuck to my mind is Elephilphil . I don't know if it's because I'm his mother, but I absolutely find the nickname so creative! And ever since he introduced me to Elephilphil , I became just as obsessed with elephants, maybe a little less than he is. So when I saw this cute little cross bag from Loewe shaped as a pink elephant , I just couldn't not get it! And I'm glad I did, the bag is perfect in size, the leather is buttery soft, and it's so light! The perfect summer and travel bag! You can buy it online here . Catch it before it's gone!

If there is one thing I regretted not buying from the Spring/Summer 2016 collections is this Rosie Assoulin crochet jug bag. I had the opportunity to pre-order it but I was a bit hesitant of its practicality. I wish I didn't hesitate and went for it, because I've been looking for it for months now and it's sold out technically everywhere! It would have been the perfect match with my Ramadan caftans. Oh well, if you happen to know a place I could still find out, please do let me know!  Moral of this post: When you heart stops a beat at an accessory or a piece of clothing you really really like, go for it (provided that you have the means to splurge that it).

First of all, have I been living under a rock lately?! How come I never knew about Aspinal of London having its own store in Kuwait, in the Avenues to be more precise?!!! I discovered it by coincidence on my way to dropping my kids to Kidzania . And the next surprise was finding one of the hottest collaborations of the season on display right there in front of me! être cécile , the uber-cool brand created by one of my style icons Ysamin Swell , has teamed up with Aspinal of London , designer, manufacturer and retailer of luxury leather goods and accessories for men and women, to present us with a collection of handbags, backpacks, and leather goods that blends the classiness and luxury of Aspinal and the quirky coolness of être cécile . I was hoping to see the famous plaid backpack, made noticeable thanks to Yasmin Swell during fashion week, but unfortunately it wasn't ordered for Kuwait. My 2nd favorite pick is the multi-colored box bag shown in the photo above. It's k...

Here's a quick review of some of the handbags that caught my attention the other day while shopping at Prestige, in the Avenues. Loving the color combo! I say yes to these timeless Chanel shoulder bags. Next.... Chanel bag... cute? Very!! Worth the investment? KD 990 for a fabric bag which hardly fits my junk? No thank you. Maybe it's best to invest in something of value like the ones here . Another drool-worthy bag! The matryoshka bag of the season: Prada's Inside Bag. I'm still debating whether I should go for it or not. I love the color, the concept, and the feel of the leather it self! Keeping this one on my wish list for now. The cutest mini monster bag charms by Fendi Cute! But I would only buy thisstyle if it was on sale... for 50% off no less!

I am 100% dedicated Céline fan (and no this is not a sponsored or paid post, thank you). I could buy, use, and abuse almost all of its merchandise... If I had the spare money of course! I recently passed by the boutique to check out their pre-fall collection. It still amazes me how enthusiastic I get when I see Céline's regulars like the luggage bag and the box bag. Every season I tell myself I'm over the bag, but come new season, and I'm dragged again to that obsession hole. When the Céline box bag hit the scene, it quickly reached "It-bag" status. The shoulder/cross bag became highly coveted and highly carried by street style icons. To this day, I still find this box so appealing and classy! And the pre-fall designs offer new drool-worthy variations, like the burned dark chocolate one with the contrasting yellow stitching and the one with the exotic skin in a beautiful mustardy shade. The shoes? I oddly fell in love with the white leather square-toe pair ...

Time for some quick fall fashion fix! Some highlights of the very little shopping I did during my trip to London and Paris in the Summer, starting with this arty crafty Chanel shoulder bag. Miu Miu sunnies, you can find online here . Rochas embellished slippers, you can also find online here. Those fringes loafers from Marni ! Heart!Find them online here .

Allow me to introduce you to one of my latest bags additions,  the  Iphis  Marlborough tote bag by Liberty. I came to know about it in Spring 2015, when  Liberty London launched new bag styles from  the  Iphis  line. The Iphis collection with its roots firmly embedded in classic English design, has its signature coated canvas base fabric screen printed with the Iphis monogram like print by-hand in Italy. Iphis is a modern reworking of the much-loved classic Liberty print ‘ Ianthe ’ which is a French Art-Nouveau wallpaper design dating back to c 1902. The print is named after Iphis who according to ancient Greek mythology was Ianthe's lover.  It is worth mentioning that all the bags in the Iphis collection are named after the renowned streets that surround the Liberty store. My  Iphis  Marlborough tote bag was a perfect addition to my wardrobe because a) I fell in love with the creative and artistic use of colors and pa...

What do you think of the new Louis Vuitton's Petite Malle bag? I still feel it's overpriced for a bag that doesn't fit my stuff. Will this little darling of a handbag be the most coveted it-bag of the season? Probably, for hard-core LV fans, but not for me. I do prefer this style though over last season's.  Your thoughts?

The Métiers d'Art Paris-Salzburg 2014/15 bags selection has hit the shop floor at Chanel's boutique in Prestige, The Avenues. I find this collection to be more appealing for people living in colder climates. Yes the brand has brought back its amazing embroidery, liberal use of fantasy fabrics, and great interpretations of iconic pieces. But I still feel they don't have that longevity quality. I don't see myself carrying a bag made out of wool in the middle of the summer in Kuwait, and for my international readers Kuwait's summer can extend until December! This collection to me is more like "You can look, but you can't touch". Even more good news to my husband! What do you think of Chanel's Métiers d'Art Paris-Salzburg collection?

Anya Hindmarch's frosted flakes tote bag is not new I know, BUT! Anya Hindmarch's compact shoulder bag IS! At least new to me! I usually don't get tempted into buying something that was a big hype LAST season, as I know that this sudden passion will soon fizzle before I know it, but this  cobalt-blue textured-leather baby cross bag is giving me a second thought. I know I'm loving it because of it's compact perfect-for-traveling size and the fact that it's embossed with the iconic ' Frosties ' character. So I decided to sleep on it and see if I still want it after 24 hours. Or maybe just settle for the Frosties leather sticker, my savings account would be more happy with that option. Anya Hindmarch's frosted flakes bags are available at Harvey Nichols Kuwait.

If you're looking for something funky fresh to jazz up your caftans, then grab hold of Ramadan style with these leather and fabric clutches dazzled with embroidered golden stars. They're the perfect summer accessory for the polished prepster. Find them at The Pillowcase . The Pillowcase is a lifestyle-led concept brand offering a range of unique homeware to personal apparel and accessories.

I love Instagram takeovers! So I was super excited when I got approached by Trafalgar Kuwait to takeover their Instagram for a couple of days to showcase my favorite picks of their vast network of stores. So I'll be highlighting some of the brands which I checked out for the instagram takeover right here on my blog, starting with Etienne Aigner . Etienne Aigner was my mom's favorite go-to brand for handbags, actually I still have one of her vintage Aigner clutches and carry it every now and then. So when I visited the brand's shop at Harvey Nichols Kuwait, I was surprised to see how modernized the bags look now! This casual-cool satchel bag is a chic way to keep organized during the work week or on weekend excursions. It features a convenient detachable mini backpack too! How cool is that?!

Our first stop in Beirut was to Sarah's Bag showroom in Achrafieh. I'm always mesmerized by the idea of how Sarah's Bag started . It must be a very powerful and satisfying feeling for the founder and designer Sarah Beydoun to be able to work and engage with local artisans and provide a means of rehabilitation and a craft to underprivileged women. The reason for my visit to the showroom is to check out the designer's special piece designed for Beirut Design Week if I'm not mistaken. Sarah's revamped its famous backgammon-inspired Dama bags, which I have previously posted about here on my blog , into this gorgeous plexi box clutch of jeweled tones. I first saw it on her instagram and fell in love with it that I had to see it in person. The clutch did not disappoint in real life. The colorful arabesque patterns make this clutch a work of art. It took the brand 20 days to create each piece. A true labor of love. Unfortunately for me, it wasn't availa...