Trendwatch 2011: Mustard Colour

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One of the trends of 2011, about which I have been wanting to write for oh - so much time - is MUSTARD, and what attracts me to this trend is that it unites some aspects which I am passionate about: gastronomy and colour in a season which most of the times sees greys and browns and blacks as main focus.

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"Used mainly as a condiment, mustard is made from ground mustard seeds and may be mild or peppery-hot, smooth or grainy. It is available either as powder for mixing into paste with water, or ready-made, blended with vinegar or wine and other flavourings." (Food Encyclopedia - Good Housekeeping Institute)

It is not with certainty, but mustard probably originated from the Mediterranean basin, where it was used to feed the horses. It was also seen at first as a medicinal plant rather than a culinary one. Pythagoras used mustard as a remedy for scorpion stings, Hippocrates used the plant in a variety of medicinal cures.

The Romans were probably the firs who discovered its culinary qualities and spread the seeds all over the Roman Empire. The original name also derives from two latin words "mustum" - fresh grape juice and "ardere" - to burn. The original method of mustard processing was mixing grinded seeds with wine into a paste at a high temperature.

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That is all very interesting, and more than that, mustard has been seen lately not only as a condiment, but it has become part of the runway. I consider the colour a very calming one and still inspiring some dynamism, so I looked up some other aspect of life besides fashion that one could have "mustard" in and, being inspired by a friend who's on the point of moving into a new flat, I found some really nice furniture pieces and also some interior decoration. Check them out below:

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(Picture source: http://www.housebeautiful.com/cm/housebeautiful/images/hbx0610-outdoor-yellow-chairs-larette-de-79444699.jpg)

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See what I mean by calm yet energetic? It is the exact reflection of the spice's attributes onto the colour it owns and onto the environment it touches.

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But of course, I could not have finished this entry without showing what exactly mustard has done this season to our wardrobe - made it more yellow-ish. Here's a selection of bags, starting with my favourite Longchamp brand.

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Longchamp

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Dior

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Chanel


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Burberry


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Balenciaga

I consider that, even if there are so many varieties of mustard, such as American, German, Bordeaux, Flavoured, Irish, Chinese, Whole Grain British, Dijon etc. ...one thing is clear - it is widely used all over the world and widely appreciated - probably due to one reason: it fits in many situations, most of them.

This is exactly how I see mustard in fashion: it goes with so many skin types easily, but also fits on so many textures. Be it silk, fur, wool, leather, velvet etc., it all fits - and to prove this opinion of mine, here's a selection of some runway pictures from various designers:

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Dior

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Gucci

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Gucci

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Lanvin

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Acne

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Fendi

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Michael Kors

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To end this story of gastronomic and fashion mustard on a funny note, there is still a difference between the real mustard and the mustard fashion trend: the intake of high quantities of the real mustard can cause nausea and vomiting, which, fortunately the trend cannot.

Hermes Campaign F/W 2011 - by Nick Knight

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Sometimes a picture is worth more than a million words, and so are these by legendary photographer Nick Kight for the new campaign Autumn/Winter 2011 for Hermes. For me personally this is one of THE brands who stand for real luxury, for extraordinary quality and craftsmanship as well as beauty beyond imagination and the power of making dreams real. I dream of that Hermes item which I will own next, and so do other people too (maybe you?).

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At the border between magnificent reality and fantastic dreams is also the video which opens new horizons on the collection of this season:

(Video Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akCxPijp4aI&feature=player_embedded)

DARE TO DREAM!

Gloves for the Smart (Phones)

(Picture source: http://www.thenorthfacejackets.co.uk)

Temperatures are said to drop here staring today, so this seemed like the perfect occasion to present the following product.

To all my friends who use smartphones, especially those that have a touchscreen and those who have passed a winter owning such a device, you all know that it was never simple using your expensive gadget with your freezing fingers. I myself had to cut conversations short or just didn't respond to tome text messages because I could not type with my gloves on and without my gloves it would have been too cold for my fingers. But starting now, all that will change. The "guys" from The North Face have come up with a clever solution: Etip Gloves.

The stretch knit shell has a special coating on the index finger and the thumb, which allows the wearer to easily navigate on the touchscreens from all producers. Also, to provide a good phone/player support, fine nubs of silicone have been added to the gloves. It might seem funny to imagine it, but snowboarding and checking the newest app on snowboards/ski/slopes (or anything else) is now possible, thanks to these gloves. And they come at a cost of around 30 pound sterling...

(Picture Source: http://uk.thenorthface.com)

Gucci Gucci Goooo

I have recently become godmother and besides the blessed moment and the pleasure I get from the small bundle of life, the role as a godmother has brought me into stores for children (or better said, where adults buy stuff for children - oh - and there is SO MUCH to buy)!

One of the things I observed, and what might be the subject of another post, is that there is a whole industry producing for these tiny creatures and most of the items you wonder why they were not made in your size - because they are adorable. Less adorable are the prices, but few can help themselves from the "cute" and "lovely" clothes. So, I am leaving you with a "cute" selection of baby-wear from Gucci (my picture source is their facebook page) for your little fashionista at home: from quilted vest to ballerinas or sleeping bag - they can make your baby's cold season glamorous and warm.

Fancy a Great Coffee? Shanghai Tang for Nespresso - What Else???

(Picture source: http://www.instablogsimages.com/1/2011/10/21/shanghai_tang_nespresso_coffee_set_tmvod.jpg )

2012 is the year of the Dragon (more exactly 23rd of January 2012 to February 9th, 2013), according to Chinese Zodiac. Being the fifth of 12 signs, the Dragon always represented the emperor and power (also seen in other cultures, such as the Korean one). Nowadays however it is regarded as the ultimate auspicious sign and couples who are not yet married hurry to do that, yet other couples hurry to have their child born under the sign of the Dragon because it signifies success and happiness and it is supposed to bring good luck to everyone.

So what better timing than this one for the collaboration between luxury brand Shanghai Tang and Nespresso to create this limited edition of coffee machine (and accessories) ?!

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The Nespresso Dragon collection is a mix of the highly appreciated capsule coffee with the the touch brought by Shanghai Tang, the brand that reinterprets in a modern way the Chinese heritage.

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The collection includes the Nespresso CitiZ Dragon Coffee Machine, a Dragon Capsule Holder with carved stone inlay and Dragon Capsule Holder with silver metal inlay as well as a Ritual Cappuccino Dragon Cup Set.

A frind of mine is moving into her new crib next year and I know she is wishing for a special coffee machine. However, this edition is limited to only 3000 sets and will be available from the 1st of January 2012.

(Picture Source: http://www.luxury-insider.com/uploads/news/2011/10/coffee-lovers-alert-shanghai-tang-for-nespresso-4.jpg)

Asked about why coffee and not tea, Millicent Lai, the designer behind this set, answered the following: "Nowadays, I think the younger generation prefers drinking coffee to tea, especially among Asians. When I go to Beijing, I'm surprised to see so many little coffee shops that are able to do the perfect latte, it's amazing. You don't even see that in Hong Kong. I think nowadays because of technology, you don't really have any boundaries anymore. Coffee, Western food -- it's no longer like, "We're Chinese, we don't eat pasta."(Quote source: http://hk.lifestyleasia.com)

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So, are you all set for 2012 with the best lifestyle coffee? If not, you still have the time to plan it accordingly! Enjoy!