italiandesign – modacarta

Knit It

January 8, 2017February 4, 2017Posted in TrendsTagged Accessories, design, fashion, italiandesign, italianfashion, knitting, knitwear, moda, pussyhat, scarves, styleLeave a comment

Knitting is a great past time for winter and also a creative way to add original accessories to your wardrobe. I tend to stick to small pieces that I can finish in a short period of time. Scarves, capelets, and cowls are all fun projects that can be completed quickly. I am currently working on a shrug in shades of turquoise. It’s chilly in my office and I thought this was a great way to stay warm without bulky layers.

Commuters

I’ve seen a lot of girls knitting on the train. It’s a great way to pass the time during a long commute. Using circular needles keeps the work close to you and doesn’t jab the person sitting next to you.

Knitwear Kings

My fav knitwear designers are Missoni and Brunello Cucinelli. I love the colour and pattern of Missoni knitwear while Cucinelli cashmere is the ultimate luxury. Both brands are based in Italy which is country known for its’ knitwear industry.

My Mom knit me this extra warm, grey infinity scarf so of course the doll had to have one as well. I used crochet to create the doll’s infinity scarf because I had the yarn and the hook readily available. It took 10 minutes because it was such a small piece.

I just joined the resistance and started knitting a pussy hat.

Italian Haul

October 12, 2016Posted in Brands, shoppingTagged Accessories, design, Fall, fall fashion, fashion, fashion blogger, handbag, italia, italiandesign, italianfashion, jewellery, madeinitaly, shoes, shopping, style, thehaul, travelLeave a comment

I’ve been back for a couple of weeks from my trip to Italy and as always I was depressed to leave la dolce vita and return to my everyday vita. That being said, my everyday vita allows me to live la dolce vita for short periods of time. On to the fashion and the shopping…

ITALIAN STYLE

Having visited both the North and South on this trip I can say the style language is very different. The North boasts Milan – fashion capitol of the world and mecca for modern art and design. Northern Italian woman love their jeans and even if they are ripped to shreads, they are styled with lovely ballet flats or neat, clean sneakers + a blouse or crisp white shirt. You won’t see a pair of dirty, grungy Converse anywhere. You see neat, tidy Converse or Stan Smiths.

The South is totally different. It was still full summer in Sicily. Women were more bohemian in dresses and frilly tops paired with flat sandals and high heels.

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THE HAUL

Shopping was not the number 1 priority but I did take advantage of every opportunity made available. My primary shopping was done at Foxtown in Mendrisio, Switzerland. It is about a 40 minute drive from Milan and on every Asian Tour of Italy package. It is no Great Lakes or Sawgrass or any other big outlet Mall you can think of, but the quality of high end designer stores is what makes it famous.

I focused my attention on handbags and footwear. Specifically Gucci. I wanted to celebrate the completion of my certificate in Digital Strategy from U of T with a Gucci Bag. I did my research so I knew what styles I liked and I definitely wanted the double GG canvas. I love the rose gold trim and fold over closure on this bag. It holds a ton and also has a cross-body strap. It’s the perfect Forever Gucci bag at less than 1/2 price. This style has been updated for 2016 but the fine straps and hint of pink add a touch of elegance and femininity to this bag.

I scored on ballet flats at Tods. I love Tods shoes. Their driving loafers are famous for comfort and pedal to the metal grip but I’m not a loafer girl – I’m a ballet flat girl. I chose a tri-colour suede and leather combo in royal blue, charcoal and black as well as a deep rose patent leather. These were marked down twice so I basically payed for a regular pair of no-name leather flats but got Tods quality instead.

If you’ve been reading my blog you know I have been searching for a dark green blazer. My favourite Italian brand Benetton came through. This blazer is soft and drapes well. I know it will look great this fall. Especially when I pair it with the chunky stone necklace I bought in a local market.

FASHION DOLL

I couldn’t leave her at home. I had fun shooting the doll in Italy. Thanks to Elena for your patience and help setting up the shots.

Italian Edge

January 10, 2016Posted in Industry Profiles, UncategorizedTagged 80s, Accessories, designers, fashion, handbag, italiandesign, italianfashion, mariovalentino, moda, paper art, style, vintageLeave a comment

Recently I purchased a Valentino handbag. Not “the Valentino” of Rockstud shoes and dark floral boots fame but Mario Valentino.

Mario Valentino was a leather craftsman from Napoli and his fame as a fashion designer peaked in the 80s with edgy leather clothing, and sky high shoes and boots. Helmut Newton shot a lot of the brand’s iconic ads. I took inspiration from these 2 ads for my paper design in this post.

Since the founder’s passing in 1991 the brand has focused on handbags. I purchased this one at the Saks Off 5th. It’s great size for going out because it will carry a full size wallet and a larger sized phone.

Paper Art

This black outfit was inspired by the halter style on some of Valentino’s leather outfits. I love tight skirt with over-skirt and billowy pockets. I added some printed black paper to take away the starkness of the outfit.

Blurring the Design Lines

July 26, 2015July 26, 2015Posted in BrandsTagged fashion, function, GABS, handbag, italiandesign, madeinitaly, style, transformyourbag1 Comment

When a handbag is well thought out, functional and beautiful it blurs the lines between fashion and product design. That is exactly what happened when Franco Gabbrielli created GABS. GABS is a play on the word bags and the designer’s name. These bags are a smart design because they transform from a tote bag to 2 different handbag styles and sizes. They have the distinctive MADE IN ITALY mark and are crafted from soft, supple leather in a range of fabulous colours and prints. The transformation is patented so copycats beware.

I was introduced to GABS at De Catarina Leather in the Manulife Centre (Toronto). The sales associate HOOKED me when she demonstrated how the bag transforms by folding it and snapping it in place.

Here’s GABS in action!

The trapezoid shape is made by snapping the bottom and then, by snapping the top, you make the small handbag. This is a great bag to take your files to the office in the morning using the tote bag and then you can snap it down to the small handbag to go out after work. Genius! What’s also great is all GABS come with a hard leather piece to form a solid bottom for the handbag styles and also a shoulder strap to wear them cross-body. As well, there is a folded nylon tote that hooks inside the bag so you are always ready for shopping. Modacarta loves this bag! I have slight buyer’s remorse from choosing a neutral tan colour but a second GABS in a fun colour would be a good investment in function and style.

Paper Bag (Art) – just for fun

I found this great scrap of paper and thought the print would work really well as a GABS-type bag for the doll. I will definitely use it again as an accessory.