Vain Lane

Photography by Christoph

Case Study

Subject: Christoph Schaller

Christoph is a fellow blogger. And a pretty good one at that, considering he started in his teens.  Now, at the ripe age of 19, he has recently graduated from kid school and is about to attend university in Berlin studying some form of fashion. As of yet, his easily amendable cranium is unsure where his path lies. Regardless, it is in fashion.

His blog is well followed by a loyal bunch because it is emotion filled and, to some, thought provoking. (It  probably doesn’t hurt that he’s quite a beautiful specimen, with impeccable taste in clothing and music.) It is his life, but he is unwilling to admit its importance. He sees fashion as possibly superfluous and unimportant in the scheme of things. I attribute that to his youth, because I see he lives and breathes it.  As do I. As do many.

I’m not going to preach. Only a little. What we put on everyday is our armor and our revealment.  It’s our truth, and for some, their dishonesty. No its not world peace or like saving the dolphins. But its something. And who made you so righteous and judgmental? Anything that makes your mind jiggle, your senses tingle, and inspires, is important.

It enlivens, brings optimism and energy into, perhaps, an otherwise dull life. It has inspired Christoph, who represents young Germany. From what he has told me, he feels all that has just been mentioned with fashion; enough to inspire an entire blog of his own. He shares. Honesty through blogging.  Christoph wants to inspire and IS inspired by people, music, photography, AND fashion. That doesn’t sound very “not important.”

Additionals:

Blocked in China, but Internationally ChristophWho

Favorite song from ChristophWho Blog, and another

The Cove, Save the Dolphins

World Peace

On June 16th, 2010 I celebrated a milestone called the one year wedding anniversary. And it was my birthday a few weeks prior.

So I received an abundance of my favorite things. Sunflowers, a hand written note from my chow chow, Curry, gym pass from my husband? Cheese, Cheez-It™, home made guava-strawberry jam from the in-laws. AND this amazing oeuvre photography book from the eyes of Tim Walker, fallen fashion photographer. He fell into fashion. And fell for it hard.

Now, I am no authority in photography but, to me, the best shots are usually the most unstirred. There is a sandpaper feel to each page, seemingly to counter the soft warmth you get from the natural sunlight in each photo. Coincidentally, it reminds me of the sandy soft voices from old folklore songs. Raw and untouched.

Nothing i say is of any importance, so these are the photos that made me wide eyed. They also made me smile.  I rarely smile.

Garech Browne, Heir to Guinness Brewing Co.

Lily Cole in Wadhwan, India, British Vogue

Highlander, Papua New Guinea, British Vogue

This 4 feet tall young man does not know his age, but he guesses “maybe” 40 to 50 years old. He is in his own outfit, on his way to ‘tend his garden.’

The Cawdor Clan, Scotland, Vanity Fair

Otis Ferry and his Foxhounds, Vanity Fair

Georgina and White Mice, early photography by Tim Walker

Streets of Bradford and Cecil Beaton drawings, Vogue Archives

Thanks Mister for the gym pass and this wonderful book.

The book: Pictures by Tim Walker

The man: Tim Walker

Photo by Natalie Wang

To be honest, not a huge fan of the outfit. Wishing she had colored wellies on and a different colored bag. I don’t really get the all black outfit. I am sure this is her lazy sunday hangover outfit, to which many of us can relate. But she’s so cute cause she reminds me of my Caucasian friend Corrie in high school, in face and hair. You wonder why I even have to mention Caucasian? Well, this post has now given me a reason to add this blog’s link below…

Real reason for this post.

*Source unknown

Shanghai, with all its international amenities, can still be very wearing on an expat, especially after what will soon be 4 years.  The heat, noise, strange stinky tofu smell mixed with sewage (or is it urine?), the sidewalk air conditioning units dripping dirty water on my head as I walk, the accidental bumping of my shoulder (twice this morning) and the occasional spitting very close to my feet, leaves me feeling plain old exhausted.

But, when I am smart enough to remember, I have a ‘go-to’ image in my head. I actually have a few, coincidentally most are of fashion capitals around the world, but this is one currently most prevalent. Funny because I recently had a bad tiff with a french woman.  Or maybe that is why this is the one in my brain at present.

I think this and I am ok again.

She came into the BeeKeeper shop. She gave me a curious look, with a head tilt, then proceeded to try on some high waisted shorts in the middle of the store. Outside the store, when asked if we could take her photo, she started posing. I suggested maybe away from the telephone?

In our second attempt at a photo we see she has taken it down a notch. Immediately.  She tries to convince us, on the other side of the lens, that she is as demure and normal as anyone else.  But, clearly, that is not the case.  Her outfit may be mediocre to some, but she designed the button up shirt she’s wearing. Much better, I say, than another H&M or Zara piece.  Boring.  My favorite part of this outfit is the invisible pair of high heels she thinks she has on.  She’s practical; she didn’t need to shell out $3600 for a pair of heel-less Antonio Berardi shoes.   On her tippy toes, she has a lot of personality that even she can’t hide. And that is the most fashionable thing a person can wear.

After she was gone, I Google Hong Kong-ed her and found out she is a fellow designer. And that her quirky follows her everywhere she goes, and is in everything she touches.

• Why we Google HK-it
• She is Andrea Crews
• Antonio Berardi
• Non- related article on Antonio Berardi and his beef with Lady GaGa

*source unknown

At first glance you might think that this is the girl who played Randy Quaid’s daughter in the 1996 blockbuster and Will Smith vehicle, Independence Day.  Well, she might be, but I don’t think so.  To me, she’s just an awesome vaguely European hair-blowy girl who has obviously perfected the hard science of blending comfort, elegance and style.  It’s like when Newton invented calculus, but more fashiony.

The belted shirt, a classic updated.

What do you think?  Does she have a PhD in casual chic?