Make your own Hermés!

Since ages, Hermés is one of the most popular brands speaking about handbags.. Owning an authentic 'Kelly' or 'Birkin' is an experience only a few women can tell you what this feeling is about..


The unreachable thought of this brand makes it even more popular around the world. Millions of replicas are for sale and even though it is officially not approved by the fashion world, every fashionista will let that behind for once while showing a piece of Hermés's finest designs..


Since Hermés has just celebrated it's 175th anniversary with an exclusive exhibition in London, they also offer us (bag-and Hermés addicts) the chance to make our own special Hermés bag..  No waiting list for months, no empty bank-account after your purchase, etc, etc..  Well, don't take it too seriously. This design is only suitable as a display in your closet, bag-wardrobe or a nice gift!


The design is inspired by the famous 'Jigé' clasp clutch. A very easy DIY: Pick your favourite colour and print the 'paper' design. After this, start folding, cutting and glueing the way it is written into the DIY manual.
You can download the pattern here..


Let it dry for a while and your 'self-made Hermés' is ready to be used!


Really.. Don't take it outside in the rain, it will get a very poor and weak bag..;)

If you want it, you'll have it! (Photo:talkiesmagazine)

Munich, stylish city in Germany..

By spending the weekend in Munich you would think of a few days full of beer, ‘Lederhosen’ and big fat sausages.. Well, if you go to the city during Oktoberfest you will..

Visiting the city in another state of mind, you will be amazed by the style and beautiful buildings that this city has to offer.  Money is a thing that is slightly present in this city. Noticed by the amount of luxury cars on every corner of the street. BMW, Mercedes, Ferrari, Lamborghini are just a few names that pop into my head by visioning the streets of Munich.

We stayed at Sofitel hotel, next to the main train station of Munich. A good location to explore the city by feet or to get a cab just in front of the hotel.. The main shopping streets are located near the central station.  The Kaufingerstrasse is a street filled with chain stores like H&M, Mango, Pimkie, Bershka and more.. Don’t forget to check out ‘Hirmer’, a big fashion store with men-clothing from  a lot of popular brands, Beautiful building and perfectly set up interior.

Also, don’t miss the warehouse Galeria Kaufhof! Nice way to explore the German popular brands brought together in a few departments.

Kaufingerstrasse, shopping street of München

For exclusive and sophisticated shopping, go to the Theatinerstrasse and Maximilianstrasse. More our kind of street.. As well for the adorable boutiques and the beautiful shopping centre ‘Fünf Hofe’  where you will find patisseries, home-deco stores and many more hidden things.

Stlish interior in Fünfhofe shopping center.

We were so lucky to have a sunny weekend with an average temperature of 28 degrees. Hanging out at hotspots and cosy bars is a definite must-do when you are in Munich. The city has a lot of great spots to offer where you can sit outside and enjoy a great glass of beer or an Aperol ( Prosecco, orange liquor, soda).

For breakfast, we found a cute little bar at the corner of the Schleiβheimerstrasse and Gabelsbergerstrasse. It’s called 'Café Lotti' and it seems like you are in a giant dollhouse with all the little white chairs, pink cushions and cosy atmosphere. The owner brings her English inspirations into this tiny café and serves English dishes joined with some German specialties. I had a delicious plate of Yoghurt with fresh fruit, granola and berry sauce. Perfect start of the day;)

Pink interior @ Café Lotti (Photo: cafe-lotti.de)

Next to Café Lotti, i found this vintage authentic LV! @ Exclusive, vintage store.

In my opinion, Germany is the number one country of manufacturing fast and good-looking cars. Once in München, you have to experience the world of the ‘Bayerischer Motor Werke’ Also called.. BMW.

This magnificent museum filled with all the models BMW has made through history, is a must-see for every person that has a passion for cars.. You will feel like a little child exploring a candy factory! For me, it was interesting and amazing to see how technology has developed so fast in the last century. And still.. Nowadays they are still working very hard of inventing all kind of new technologies to make cars faster, lighter, saver and whatnot. Want to explore one of the newest BMW models? You are able to rent the BMW car that you want for a few hours and take it for a drive around München. A great initiative from them, seen most people are dying to ride in of the cars after visiting the exposition! Note: We were too late.. Obviously everybody wants to take a ride, so it is better to make a reservation online before. Next time, we will.. For sure!

For dinner, we went both nights to great restaurants.  Just one block away from the hotel, we arrived at L’Osteria. On a warm Saturday night, with a crowded terrace. It looked nice, delicious and fun so we were willing to wait for a seat at the bar.. And it was worth it. A giant pizza and delicious salads accompanied with prosecco and cocktails.. Together with the noisy Italian waiters we had the ultimate summer feeling;)

On the second night we consulted Tripadvisor for good restaurants.. We found ‘La Brasserie’ at the 'Hirschgartenallee'. A romantic little restaurant in the west of München with the cutest sitplaces outside ever! The restaurant is owned by a French guy who met his German wife and decided to bring some French cooking specialties into the city. And again, we enjoyed the night outside with some good French wine and similar food! As a dessert: Tarte Citrón.. hmm.

Never expected a city like this. Behind the ‘Biergarten’ and ‘Oktoberfest’ there is so much more to explore in this beautiful city! It’s definitely the Milan of Germany;)

(Photo: hetoktoberfest.nl)

Marrakech, 1001 Arabian nights..

Last weekend, my friend and i went to Marrakech for a  4-day citytrip. We had some ideas of what to expect, because we have visited Istanbul once before. These two cities are not the same, but they both share an Islamic culture.

Marrakech is 3,5 hours of flying from Amsterdam. The airport is very close to the city, what is a huge plus! In aprox. 30 minutes you will be able to check into your hotel. Be aware of the time difference in summer (2 hours) and winter (1 hour GMT time +1).

The city is located in the west of Morroco and is very near to the ‘Atlas’ mountains. By arriving at the Menara airport, you will be amazed by the view on the snowy tops of these mountains!

Menara airport, with in the back.. Atlas mountains

Our hotel was in the ‘New city’ district. This modern district is built to keep the authentic and old centre of Marrakech, with its famous square: Djemnaa el Fna and the surrounded souks.

The new district is divided in two parts: Hivernage and Gueliz. You can find many luxury hotels, clubs and trendy bars in these places.. Shop-addicts can find their way to the ‘Place de 16 Novembre’ for a lot of European chain stores mixed with Arabic ones. If you are into fashion definitely pay a visit to one of the Marwa stores. This Morrocan fashion store is in prices comparable with H&M and Zara and offers adorable trendy blouses, tops and pants with matching accessories.  A must see for fashionistas would be the ‘Rue de la Liberté’  as well. This street is filled with small boutiques of amazing designers. Take a lunch-break at the trendy  Kechmara café on its great roof-terrace!

This café is owned by a French guy, which is noticeable in the delicious variety of the menu..

We like to enjoy our evening while having a good glass of wine, nice atmosphere and delicious food. Of course you can enjoy the real Morrocan kitchen on the big square and experience the ultimate Arabic atmosphere, while having a cheap but delicious dish of Couscous, tajine, or soup with lentils.

If you are not into that, do like us.. Browse through the trendy hotspots, make some reservations and decide later on where you would like to go;) Works best for us and you even have the possibility to discover some new, trendy bars!

Because we both like Sushi, we decided to visit the Red Sun restaurant. This Japanese restaurant has also 2 branches in Holland and is known for its delicious food with a great atmosphere and bar.

Entrance of the Red Sun, Marrakech (Photo: theredsun.com)

The Djemaa el Fna square is filled with snake charmers, story tellers and artisians. Later on, in the evening the place is used for Morrocan people to come together and enjoy a typical Morrocan meal. You might think that hygiene is not a common thing around this busy area, but the government pays a lot of attention to this important subject. Around the square you will find tons of artisans with their little shops and selling all handmade products, like leather handbags, ceramic tajines, ashtrays  and typical bachouks (cotton shoes for men). Remember, lower your price as much as possible!;)

Djemaa el Fna square

Handmade bags

Morrocan spices..

Typical Morrocan 'babouches'

After walking around the souks all day, we found a great restaurant in a beautiful setting. It is called Café Arabe. You can sit at the roof terrace, take place on the comfortable cushions, or enjoy a great dinner in the courtyard downstairs. We even had our own lounge sofa and enjoyed a meal of couscous, pasta and grilled vegetables.

Because of the Islam culture, alcohol is kind of a no-go in these countries. Although, Marrakech is a modern city, in a lot of trendy bars and restaurants you can enjoy a glass of delicious Morrocan wine or a home-made cocktail.

Beautiful interior @ Café Arabe

The upper east side of Marrakech, is called ‘Hivernage’. Here you will find big lanes with proper buildings and houses, surrounded by big palm trees. A small shopping area is build, with shops like Louis Vuitton, Missoni and La Perla. Hotels that you will find in this area: Sofitel, Club Med, Novotel and other nice places to spend your high-class holiday.

For a cup of coffee, or an afternoon tea.. Visit café Extrablatt on Avenue Echouhada. With its big terrace that is always filled by the trendy high-class society. Next to this café you will find ‘Le Comptoir’. This restaurant/night club offers drinks and cocktails and has a huge interior for many people to spend their night in style. On Wednesday and Sunday, live bands will play all night long..

A yet undiscovered hotspot would definitely be ‘Azar’ restaurant. On the corner of Rue de Yugoslavie and Avenue Hassan ll, you will find this trendy restaurant/ bar with delicious Libanese/ Arabic dishes. We shared a plate of hummus, tabouleh accompanied with Turkish bread and a salad of Artichokes and goat cheese. Even your visit to the toilet is an experience.. Check it out yourself! In the night, Dj’s are playing and belly dancers will seduce the men;)

Lunchbreak @ Café Elite..

For lunch, we loved to sit every day at ‘Elite Café’. Next to the Place de 16 Novembre, with all the big chain stores like Zara, Mango etc. After shopping, a perfect break to relax on the terrace and spot the people on the streets!

For more impressing culture: Visit the tanneries on the outside of the centre.. Here you will find a small village with families working together to finish all the leather skins that will ultimately be used by the artisans in the city that makes bags, accessoiries and clothes of them. People are working in the old way by only using their hands!

After, take a taxi to the 'Majorelle' gardens of Yves Saint Laurent. Definetely can't miss this beautiful garden with colorful trees, ceramics and flowers.. 

After all, a unique an inspiring city to visit and discover the magical atmosphere of Northern Africa!

Spring is in the air.. Kick off by Glamour, today!

Today, Dutch magazine Glamour is kicking off the Spring season by many discounts in selected stores..
This time, the online world is joining as well.. 


Online stores like vimodos.nl and welikefashion.com are offering an exclusive discount of 20% by entering the discount-code online.

A selection of stores where you can shop with a 20% discount:


Riviéra Maison
Cinderella
Rituals
Hunkemoller
Men at Work
Björn Borg


and many more..


The stores who are selling their collection through an online store as well, are participating online as well!
Last chance to get this discount is to buy Glamour magazine today;)




For all participating stores:


www.glamour.nl


See you! I'm off shopping..

Antwerp, a stylish city, full of inspiration!

Yet, another great city that needs to be brought among fashion minded people that are inspired by new, exclusive developments in the big, big fashion world..




Belgium, a country that is hidden between Holland and France. A country that owns two languages and is known for its delicious Belgian chocolates. But there's more.. The fashion capital of Belgium is definitely Antwerp. Only a 30 minutes drive from Holland and 2 hours from France, this city provides the best hidden designers, boutiques and upcoming talents. 

A lunch break with a 'Laurent Perrier' view.. We love bubbles..

The tiny, cosy streets and little restaurants are worth being mentioned as well. The old and historical buildings makes this city a definite must see! What can't be missed, is the main shopping street 'Meir'. Big chain stores have found their way into the crowded street and are all located in this area. Even Forever 21, the American chain of clothing stores have opened their first amazingly bog store in Antwerp. This concept is a must-go for every fashionista. The well organised departments of the store are divided into different concepts of style. For a really affordable price i would be able to buy a whole Spring wardrobe here, without looking a bit as 'one of a kind'

Just an impression of the Forever 21 flagship store, Antwerp (Photo: Nieuwsblad.be)

You could picture forever 21 as a mix between H&M and Primark. I see a lot of potential for yet another chains of stores that, if you like it or not, are slowly but rough taking over the city-streets. Because of this stores, little boutiques are living a hard life at the moment, since a large number of average people do not want to spend a lot of money on trendy clothes. They rather spend it on vacations, gadgets etc.. It's a pity!




Gallery 2020, a Belgian trade fair for fashion is also expanding trough the years. Still, in comparison with the big fairs in Amsterdam, Barcelona and Paris, this looks like the most smallest fair you have ever been.. But, it gives the atmosphere a personal and exclusive touch. Big fashion brands are represented next to small, potential and new designers.. Some of them are known in Belgium for many years, but are trying to move abroad and take the big step to become just as big and succesfull as the brands they look up to..

Report Modefabriek Amsterdam 2012

2 times a year, the capital of Holland is turning into a true fashion madness during exactly 1 week.. Yes, we are talking about the Amsterdam Fashion Week, what is growing enormously the past few years. Since a lot of Dutch designers are expanding their businesses to other countries and fashion is becoming a much bigger thing in this small country, we couldn't expect less!

A few days before AFW is officially kicking off, the 'Modefabriek' takes place. A trade fair for fashion professionals during 2 days, located at the Amsterdam RAI halls. Every year, the Modefabriek is putting a different kind of theme into the spotlights. The main focus about this subject is to bring some attention for 'green fashion'.

A clear vision of the purpose and thoughts about the concept 'Mint'. (Photo:modefabriek)

At Modefabriek 2011, MINT was already introduced on a slightly smaller scale. The fact that it has already been given its own platform at Modefabriek 32 shows how quickly sustainable and green fashion is developing it's way into this special world of businesses . MINT’s positive and innovative vision of the future of fashion, while being conscious, stylish but respectful towards people and the environment, is rapidly gaining popularity amongst all the generations. During this edition of Modefabriek, MINT presented 20 labels as well as five lifestyle brands encapsulated in a cool on-trend concept store, a cafe, an exposition, live performances and Dj's.

Different way of styling for Dutch brand 10 Feet.

Fall/winter collection 2012/2013

The fair was divided into different concepts of brands, style, and audience. These concepts were located in separated halls, called: Authentic, Appearance, Blue-print, Department, Industry, Next & Cutting Edge, Refined.





New, Dutch fashion label Blue Denim Lodge. Sophisticated denim materials and fine details with a high focus on quality and fashion.. (Photo:fashionchick.nl)
































New, amazing brands were presenting themselves by exclusive stand-designs and
sophisticated collections. It surprises me how many brands are developing in this little country.. Each of them has their own signature and future-plan of conquering the big fashion world. It's a hard world, which makes it difficult to fit in once you have started up an own brand. Though it may seem like this, it's a world with an atmosphere and passion I don't want to miss. Every fashion-professional would agree, that he or she is working for it's biggest passion of all: Showing the world that fashion always has a future and is never out of style..

The launch of JcSophie is nearby!

Nowadays we are still surrounded by new and upcoming labels that will find their way to explore the big, hard, but beautiful world of fashion.. Like i have told before, so is JcSophie.. A new fashion label established in Holland, 2011. And yes, the estimated time of launching is still correct! Only approx. 1 more week left before this exclusive label will provide fashion-minded girls luxury and unique pieces of blazers, tops, trousers and more..

One of JcSophie's unique pieces: Leather jackets in gorgeous Spring colors..

Made out of luxury leather, comfortable cotton, sumptuous silk and lovely linen.. A lot of work has been preceded before it was possible to even make it possible to offer a new label in a webshop, that will only be sold through that type of sales-channel. Because of the hand-made details and care for the items, JcSophie will be very exclusive by maintain a limited amount on all pieces and staying low profile.

Exclusive hangtags for each of JcSophie's item.

JcSophie will refresh its collections frequently, what will keep everybody up-to date according the latest trends of fashion. To share her inspriration and passion for styling, JcSophie has several looks available for those who are interested for the combinations in style that can be made.. Looks will vary frequently and are never out of fashion.

Once purchased one of JcSophie's unique items, customers will be amazed by the way items are wrapped exlusively and with care.. In the end, which woman doesn't want to be treated as a special friend and being spoiled with nice, pretty and exclusive things being packed together with an item that will be cherised in a woman's wardrobe for a long, long time..

Some highlights that were published the last few months.

A newsletter will be launched soon, so sign up at www.jcsophie.com, follow her on Twitter: @JcSophie, or like her on Facebook..