Maria Gibson, at Midsummer’s in traditional folkdress

Maria in a traditional Swedish folkdress, hand-stitched and sewn. Photo by Robbie Nordin, Robbiesphoto.com.

For some years now, I have observed that Swedes have several forms of folk dresses and a National Costume, that they use on special, festive ocassions such as Midsummer’s. Sverigedrakten lends a good history of the folk dress, where the dresses displayed the wearer’s province of origin, their distinct style of clothing, their culture and history. Folkdresses went out of fashion around the mid-1800s, where these days, they can fetch enormous prices at auction houses due to that the textile to the dress was usually hand-loomed and then the dress hand-sewn. An approximate cost to a folkdress today would be around 15,000 kr to 20,000 kr, which is about USD $2,500 – $3,000 or SGD $4,000 – $4,500. Continue reading “Maria Gibson, at Midsummer’s in traditional folkdress”

Happy Birthday Stephen Bruce at Serendipity 3, Upper East Side, New York

Stephen Bruce and myself, Serendipity 3, New York.

Yesterday I took the opportunity to visit Serendipity 3 and meet with Stephen Bruce, the owner and one of the three founding Princes of New York’s legendary dessert restaurant and boutique. Continue reading “Happy Birthday Stephen Bruce at Serendipity 3, Upper East Side, New York”

Saturday inspiration: Lynda Carter

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I think most people would remember Lynda Carter as Wonder Woman when the TV series aired for 3 years during the 1970s.

When I was a child, I think I made sure to have watched Wonder Woman regularly, nevermind if her character was boring and not as comprehensively depicted as perhaps that of Batman or Superman. I remember I liked most everything about Wonder Woman, from her tiara, her big hair, to her red, blue and gold colour scheme in her superhero costume. I think I dreamt I might grow up to become Wonder Woman one day. Well, today, I know I can, at costume parties. Continue reading “Saturday inspiration: Lynda Carter”

Miss Landmine in Angola: demonstrating the heart and soul of beauty pageants


Miss Cuando Cubango, Generosa Cassinda, 30 years old with two children, a contestant in this year’s Miss Landmine Survivor, Angola.

A world event of sorts is today held in the capital of the war torn country of Angola. The initiative to hold a beauty pageant for land mine victims in Angola, was taken by Norwegian artist Morten Traavik who whilst visiting Angola noticed two things – the abundance of one legged and crippled people about and the population’s great interest in beauty pageants. Continue reading “Miss Landmine in Angola: demonstrating the heart and soul of beauty pageants”

Meeting ‘Rocky’ aka Martin Kellerman at Bokmässan, Göteborg

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Today’s article in DN, about Rocky being turned into a film made me remember my meeting with the soft spoken creator, Martin Kellerman at the Swedish Book Fair at Swenska Mässan in Göteborg in September 2007. There among about one million visitors drifting from one pile of books to the next, were indeed a few highlights. At the Kartago publisher bookstand I found Martin Kellerman, the talented cartoonist and creator of the Rocky comic strip.

One thing I had noticed was that quite a few Asian girls in his comic books are drawn as birds. I couldn’t help asking Kellerman how come? Martin just laughingly told that he really didn’t know why any of his figures turned out as they did.
Continue reading “Meeting ‘Rocky’ aka Martin Kellerman at Bokmässan, Göteborg”

Meeting with Anthea Chan of ‘Perfect in Black’

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Seated in Anthea’s Perfect In Black shophouse along Kim Yang Road, Singapore

It was the usual sweltering afternoon in tropical Singapore, still I couldn’t hold my excitement as I anticipated meeting Anthea Chan, creator and owner of the label Perfect in Black. I have previously shown some of her fashion show pictures from last year’s Singapore fashion festival, by Kevin, and I couldn’t wait to see her latest collection in real life! Continue reading “Meeting with Anthea Chan of ‘Perfect in Black’”

Pottery works by Adrian Cordeiro

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Stoneware Pot, free form. Size: H 35cm X W 18cm. Glaze: Transparent with oxides staining. Method: Coil

The piece is asymmetrical with a slight twist and
change in direction from foot to rim. I am more
interested in form and texture for visual and tactile
stimulation. With its variation in textures,
a blind person should be able to appreciate this piece.

– Adrian Cordeiro

Continue reading “Pottery works by Adrian Cordeiro”

Saturday inspiration: Cyd Charisse

Have you ever watched someone dance that so inspired you to want to dance and be all that she is?

The inspiration I would like to share today is Cyd Charisse.

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I believe the first time I watched Cyd Charisse was in Singing in the Rain. Most people would remember Debbie Reynolds in that movie but I wasn’t all too drawn to her doll like looks in that movie. I watched that movie instead, for Gene Kelly and my love of dance. But when Cyd Charisse came on screen, I was mesmerized. I thought she was one of the most beautiful woman I had ever seen – a svelte figure with legs that went on for miles. And when she moved, I wished I were in the same room as she were.
Continue reading “Saturday inspiration: Cyd Charisse”

Personality and individual style in pictures

I think if I ever wished to get to know a person without approaching the person and talking to them, one could just sit and observe. Apart from how people interact with others in their surrounding, their sense of style will say a lot about their personality, who they are or possibly want to be. When this is not intentionally the purpose, the message comes through anyway, just as language is a reflection of your thoughts. This we can also observe through photographs.

I’m posting two sets of pictures. The first set taken in Sweden and the second in Singapore, all by Kevin Cordeiro.

A picture of three teenage girls, Sweden.

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Photo: Kevin Cordeiro, 2006.

Continue reading “Personality and individual style in pictures”