A Matter of Taste

by Samsara

When stumbling upon my fellow Italian, photographer Fulvio Bonavia’s artwork a few weeks ago,  I wondered how I had missed out on such a creative artist. I also thought to myself “here is a two fold post; photography and fashion accessories!”

Author of the book, A Matter of Taste, Fulvio started off as a graphic designer creating movie posters to later follow his true calling: photography. Because every photographer should be a good graphic designer, both skills go hand in hand. Fulvio is outstanding in both professions. Adidas, Heineken, Swatch, Alfa Romeo, Jaguar, Saab and BMW, just to name some of his clients, Fulvio's work is more than edgy and innovative, I would describe it as mind blowing!

A Matter of Taste is a collection of Fulvio Bonavia’s photographs/assemblages of accessories made with food: fruits, vegetables, pasta, fish and candy... He has worked with flowers and other mixed media as well. Does this make him a sculpture too? You can be the judge of that. I'm just happy he is not a designer, so all us fashion enthusiasts won't be going out on a shopping spree -for once-  for an item of his latest collection! Times are tough.

Here is some of his fantastic work.

Ring a bell?

by Samsara 

There is such a wide variety of rings out there lately aside from our ordinary and classic ones;  cluster rings,  knuckle rings, two finger rings, bubble rings,  flower rings, stacked rings, fringe rings, cut-out rings and many more… Have we always had such an ample choice of shapes, styles and symbols? Dazzling rings encrusted with plant forms and animals -birds seem to be a big trend- rings adorned with not only stones but feathers, fur, wood, enamel and lucite. Then again, animals have been an adornment since the most remote times; a typical representation engraved in Egyptian rings was in fact the scarabaeus; early Christians used the Greek symbol Icthus, resembling a fish. And numerous materials were used even in ancient times. Maybe we haven’t invented much after all, nonetheless we can indulge in these magnificent jewels, stand assured there will be one to fit your style and budget. These are some of my favorites pieces. 

1. Aquamarine & Diamond Ring $6,310 barney.com

2. Rachel Roy $55 rachelroy.com

3. Peridot Ring $88 charmandchain.com

4. Faceted Faux Stone Ring $4.80 forever21.com

5. YSL Oval khaki $295 cultstatus.com.au

6. Raw Jewelry by JLRicci Round Camelian Cocktail $750 maxandchloe.com

7. YSL Saint Laurent Arty glass ring $185 net-a-porter.com

8. Ming by Mango Green Ring $20 jcpenney.com

9. Double Greek Ring in Tourmalines $3.735 yland23.com

10 Labradonite and Quartz Midnight ring $1.580 ylang23.com

11. Coral Slice Ring $15 dorothyperkins.com

12 Decadent Swanky Ring, Moonstone $122 charmandchain.com.

Birds of a feather...

By Samsara

Thursday evening I attended a Lola James trunk show at Liliac&Lilies,  a charming upscale local boutique. Kourtney Kardashian, E News host Giuliana Rancic among other celebrities, have been spotted wearing the trendy jewelry.  Butterfly necklaces, beaded bracelets, drop earrings, hearts, elephants and other good fortune charms.  The jewelry however was not the only highlight of the evening. The boutique carries a hip line of merchandise, I had to feast my eyes on.  I have to admit I was blown away by a theme: feathers. Not that I was oblivious that feathers were going to be a big trend this season, but they were everywhere, on hats, shoes, handbags, earrings.  This was pretty ironic due to the fact that just that evening I was wearing a structured cream blouse and a black lace mini trimmed with…yes, feathers, yet a moment before leaving the house I decided that the feathers were perhaps a bit over the top for a trunk show so I changed into an understated Marc Jacobs skirt!

I guess you can say I chickened out!  Little did I know I would have fit right in.

   All jokes aside, feathers are a dramatic touch and you have to know how to wear them, they can be rather kitschy if not styled well.

We have indeed seen lots in the past few months:  on Natalie Portman in Black Swan, we've seen them on the Catwalk with Dior and Givenchy, Gwyneth Paltrow was gorgeous in her fuschia feather earrings during the Grammys, and finally on Oscar night; Hilary Swank, Sharon Stone, and Naomi Watts wore ostrich feathers w/ such feminine flair and elegance, I am now feeling a little bummed to have been missing out on such a trend!