Bringing the romance back into travelling

Bottom to top: Princess case, sports zip bag, and Nandas Travel Box

I absolutely adore these vintage cases by I Love Snackfood. Don't they look just like the kind of luggage your grandparents would've used for their travels?

The good news is, I Love Snackfood has a whole bunch of other cases for sale. The bad news? Their stock runs out super-fast. So if you're interested in picking yourself up some old-world travel chic, hop on over to their website or Facebook page pronto!

8 days to go

The countdown to the official opening of UNIQLO Malaysia has begun. Leading Japanese fashion label UNIQLO recently confirmed 4 November 2010 (Thursday) as the official opening date for its first-ever Malaysian store (which will double up as the label's largest store in South East Asia).

The label's Malaysian team is also hard at work garnering attention via its Facebook page, and is currently promoting a contest in which five ‘All-Expense-Paid’ trips to Tokyo are up for grabs. What do you need to do to put yourself in the running? Click here for more details, easy peasy.

In the meantime, here are some behind-the-scenes photos to whet your appetite:

Tees with attitude.

The leggings collection.

The Uniqlo Jeans (UJ) range.

The heavily promoted fleece shirts.

A good time as any to throw in a Queen reference!

No doubt about it: if KL were more bicycle friendly, I wouldn't think twice about getting a Linus bicycle. I'd be cutting down on carbon emissions and saving a bundle on parking and petrol. And of course, it helps that these bikes look so wonderfully, deliciously retro. Check it out:

Dutchi 1 Speed

Roadster Sport

Modelled after the timeless and oh-so-chic French bicycle designs of the 1950s and 1960s, Linus bikes are marketed as the quintessential "utilitarian city bike" in a bid to reintegrate bicycle riding into urban culture.

Here's the downer, though: despite being widely available throughout the US, Linus bikes are a little difficult to come by in this part of the world. In fact, the closest licensed dealer around here is located in New Zealand. Oh well. Here's hoping Linus expands its dealership network internationally, and soon!

To check out the company's other bike designs, click here.

You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one

German luxury goods manufacturer Montblanc recently announced the launch of a new series of special edition pens, in honour of what would have been the 70th birthday of musician and singer-songwriter John Lennon.

The man. The legend.

Aptly named the John Lennon Edition, the collection pays tribute to the controversial yet enduring icon, and comprises a series of distinctively designed fountain pens, ballpoint pens, and rollerball pens.

What's fascinating about the series is that specific details of each design were chosen to reflect facets of Lennon's life and personality. For instance, the use of blue-toned transparent precious resin in one design references Lennon’s trademark blue glasses, while another design is engraved with the release date of Lennon's best-known single “Imagine”.

The John Lennon Special Edition.

The John Lennon Commemoration Edition 1940.

The John Lennon Limited Edition 70.

In addition to the release of the series, Montblanc will be contributing to selected music education cultural projects and is even collaborating with US-based non-profit organisation John Lennon Education Tour Bus to provide free hands-on programmes for young people interested in composing, playing, performing, recording and producing songs and music videos.

To find out more about the series, click here.

Halloween blues

Yep, Halloween's around the corner. And as much as I secretly believe one night of fun justifies neither the sleepless nights of figuring out what to wear nor the inevitable exertion of running around securing pieces for your ensemble, I've nevertheless begun thinking about costume ideas. (Blame it on my friends, who love any excuse to dress up.)

While I have no intention of getting carried away planning an elaborate outfit for the night, I'm well aware that some effort is required of me. The theme for the night is (apparently) "At the Movies!". So what's the shortlist of costumes-that-won't-take-too-much-time-money-and-effort-to-put-together, then?

Easy. Perhaps too easy...?

Same here.

Ditto. But worth considering.

Hmm...

This has potential.

Doable.

If I have to be someone else for a night, I'd settle for this.

Definitely Top 3.

Now that I think about it, I've always wanted a corset.

Only if I get desperate.

Spotlight On: Things Eye Made

It's not particularly difficult to be enchanted by jewellery label Things Eye Made. Comprising equal parts whimsy and fun, the label's strength lies in jewellery designer Foon's ability to produce artwork that is simultaneously lighthearted and haunting.

Blue Smile necklace

A batch of rings in progress

Of course, there's more to this label than just pretty trinkets. Being unrestricted to any one medium means that Foon's illustrations manifest themselves in a wide range of platforms, including quirky postcards for the previous installment of KLue's all-day arts festival Urbanscapes.

I can't talk

Roxette

Aside from selling jewellery on Tongue In Chic's virtual store, Things Eye Made has been hard at work establishing its presence by participating in several street markets here in KL. (It's likely you would have seen the label's stall at Chic POP 5.)

There's no official word yet on Things Eye Made's upcoming appearances. So keep your eyes peeled for Foon and her wares the next time you're at a street market. Trust me, you won't regret it!

Calling all shoe fans!

Make a beeline for the nearest bookstore and pick up a copy of Manolo’s New Shoes, a compendium of essays and shoe sketches honouring the four-decade career of Spanish fashion designer Manuel Blahnik Rodríguez (better known as Manolo Blahnik).

If you've ever wanted even the briefest glimpse into the mind of this legend, you're in for a real treat. Chock-a-block with over 130 of Blahnik’s witty, seductive drawings collected into one volume, Manolo's New Shoes is organised thematically to express his current inspirations and passions (Africa, architecture, botany, Russia, and urban life).

You can also expect to find contributions from some of the most powerful figures in the fashion industry, including International Herald Tribune's Suzy Menkes, Vogue's Grace Coddington, and Vanity Fair's Amy Fine Collins.

For more information on this book, check out its listing on Amazon (click here).