Spring 2018 in a Karen Millen silk floral dress.
Text & Photo © JE Nilsson, CM Cordeiro 2018
A mix and match of office wear: Patrizia Pepe, Karen Millen, Mango (MNG) and Wolford
Short grey wool coat from Patrizia Pepe. Red cardigan by Karen Millen.
Photo for CMC by: Jan-Erik Nilsson © 2009.
Outdoors today is as much grey as what I am wearing in this post, though my mood is distinctly chirpier than the frightful weather outside.
In this office mix ensemble, I am wearing a short grey wool coat from Patrizia Pepe over an intensively red, short cardigan by Karen Millen.
Patrizia Pepe is one of my favourite designers, especially for outerwear such as coats and jackets. The clean lines in the design and the crisp, clever cutting of material allows for Patrizia Pepe’s outerwear pieces to sit well on the shoulders – details in design and make that I much appreciate when it comes to outerwear.
The cardigan can be worn in a variety of styles, unhooked and open in the front or hooked closed and the tassels tied twice around the underbust to produce a kimono effect.
In this ensemble, I’ve tied the tassles short on their own on each side and hooked up the front. I’m into all things draped at the moment, not being too much a fan of squared-off, stiff and padded shoulders, so the soft slopes and ruched shoulders of this short cardigan suits my look mood perfect.
The red short cardigan is on top of a grey bodysuit by Wolford and the pants belong to part of a pantsuit by Mango, MNG, purchased in Singapore. This pantsuit is something I’ve owned for several years now since I began executive work. A quick browse through my wardrobe also indicates that I’ve so far favoured pantsuits over skirt suits.
In a tartan dress by Karen Millen
Freezing cold! Things you do for fashion!
Dark tartans give me the impression of a mellow festive feeling, a feeling of comfort. I’m quite a fan of Karen Millen because the cutting of the clothes seem to fit nicely on my frame. Well perhaps not all items would sit well on my frame, but most do and that’s enough to keep me going back to the shop. Continue reading “In a tartan dress by Karen Millen”
Spring sunning in Karen Millen and Brazilian beachwear
Warm cat in a green and teal sequined tunic from Karen Millen and under the tunic, a beaded orange bikini from OK Brazil.
The days are getting longer in the nordic region and at 10 deg C outdoors in the shade and slightly warmer under the sun, the season seems to promise some very good bikini and beach days up ahead. I got a ‘preview’ of the summer ahead today, the sun on my nose made me feel like a cat, warming and basking.
Continue reading “Spring sunning in Karen Millen and Brazilian beachwear”
Modeling a Heideggerian Valentine’s
Roses, also in Karen Millen for Valentine’s 2017.
Text & Photo © JE Nilsson, CM Cordeiro, Sweden 2017
For philosopher Martin Heidegger (1889-1976), human capacity to think cannot be the most central quality of being, since the very act of thinking is in itself but a reflection of what in essence is. For Heidegger, the human being is intrinsically structured by Time and our relationship with Time [1]. Human beings are in essence existing at the edge of possibilities-for-being. If considered in that light, humans tend to exist in a mode of constant intersubjectivity [2], between tending to the pressures of the external world and of other minds, and of themselves experiencing tending to the external world and other minds. In my view, the essence of Heideggerian philosophy resonates much with J.A. Wheeler’s one particle theory, and Werner Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle. And it is this constant play of intersubjectivity in Heideggerian perspective, that forms the spacetime fabric of the possibilities-of-being.
Postcards from Philadelphia, USA
In Chinatown, just outside the restaurant Penang in Philadelphia, USA. It was colder than usual for this time of year in Philly with temperatures hovering around 0C. In this picture on me, a beige wool coat from Patrizia Pepe, a mole coloured wool knitted scarf by Isabel Benenato, both Italian designers. Brown denim jeans from Warehouse, a deep pink wool sweater by Karen Millen. Boots are from Clarks.
J E Nilsson and C M Cordeiro-Nilsson © 2011
Cherry blossoms were supposed to be in full bloom during this time of year that is end of March in Philadelphia, USA. In fact, Washington DC is right now celebrating its Cherry Blossom Festival, but where I was in Philadelphia, it was chillier than usual with temperatures hovering between -3C and 3C.
The University of Pennsylvania or UPenn has got remarkably beautiful grounds. In fact, their school’s Quad is featured in the movie Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, 2009.
I was in Philadelphia on conference as one of several invited speakers, to be part of a panel discussion on Singaporeans living and working abroad. The conference was held at Wharton, University of Pennsylvania, where I thought the univeristy grounds were breathtakingly beautiful, despite the chill.
Philadelphia warms my heart. And I’ll be back in short, with why.
Neutrals from Winter 2010 to Spring 2011
For Milan, it’s not just neutrals for winter, but for Spring 2011!
Photo © J E Nilsson and C M Cordeiro-Nilsson for CMC 2010
I’ve always loved Milan fashion showings with its cutting edge technology in fabrics, colour, cuts and shapes! And while winter hasn’t even hit Europe, looking at various fashion magazines and style columns in the Swedish news, I think we’re all pretty much excited about the up and coming fashion trends for Spring 2011.
Part of what contributes to this excitement for Spring 2011 in Sweden is that Milan, known for their more flamboyant colours styles with the likes of Pucci, Just Cavalli and Gucci, have this time around come up with surprisingly neutral shades with minimalist shapes – a very Swedish, very Scandinavian take when it comes to design. A number of daringly solid black for spring outfits are also showcased in the collections of Bottega Veneta and No. 21.
Some things completely Singaporean…
Things that make you smile
Every time I’m back in Singapore, I am immediately stunned at how much has changed since my last visit – new high rises that have plugged yet another green area, new roads I’m unaware of that make finding my way back home like a tour of the neighbourhood, an old favourite coffeeshop is gone etc., and then I am struck at how much that’s still and perpetually, the same.
First of all, all these well meaning information signs that are there to make us all feel happy and safe, while in reality perhaps create more confusion than help, such as this pedestrian sign that embellished a building site area in great numbers.
Helpful signs, adding to the confusion.
Photo © JE Nilsson and Cheryl M. Cordeiro-Nilsson for CMC 2010
And then the obsession with perfection, that everything here has to be neat, clean and tidy. There are new and neat litter bins everywhere and not enough litter to go around. So even the insides of the litter bins are clean.
Clean on the inside as well – that’s efficiency on a whole new level.
And for exercise – shopping!
And then there’s Singapore’s national sport above and beyond everything – Shopping. That every year when the Winter rush and the New Year’s rush and the Spring rush is over, businesses think it is time to spice things up with the Great Singapore Sale. Regardless of your intentions there is no way not ending up buying at least something. Everything from designer clothes to hopelessly outdated electronics (from last month), shoes and household items alike, are on sale.
Continue reading “Some things completely Singaporean…”
Nowruz at the Rösska museum in Gothenburg Sweden: in celebration of spring and the Persian New Year’s
One in the crowd, listening to Tina & Ice Band’s rendition of Persian songs at Rösska’s Now Rooz exhibition .
Photo © Jan-Erik Nilsson and Cheryl Cordeiro-Nilsson for Cheryl Marie Cordeiro 2010
Nowruz signals the first day of spring in Persia and the Persian New Year’s. In celebration of this event that begins tomorrow, the Rösska museum of Gothenburg has set up Now Rooz, a 3 week long exhibition (13 March to 18 April 2010) of the fashion and design of the Persian culture during their New Year’s celebration (also featured in GP).
Continue reading “Nowruz at the Rösska museum in Gothenburg Sweden: in celebration of spring and the Persian New Year’s”
Swedish Christmas tradition in its julbord: Sjömagasinet 2009
Dining at Sjömagasinet’s Christmas table or julbord.
Outfit is a Karen Millen tartan dress.
Photo for CMC © JE Nilsson, CM Cordeiro Nilsson 2009
It’s funny how impressions of festivities change with time the longer you’ve been in the place. When I first arrived in Sweden, slightly more than 7 years ago, I thought it strange that Swedes did not celebrate Christmas with quite the same pomp as Singapore. I rationalized that Singapore, as a multi-racial society, took pride in celebrating all festivities of its races with splendour, lighting up various parts of the city country, Geylang during Hari Raya and Orchard Road during Christmas for example, depending on the festivities, while Sweden being rather secular, played down Christmas as such.
A silver and white Christmas tree suspended from the ceiling of the restaurant, Sjömagasinet.
I’ve found over the years though that contrary to what I believed at first, Sweden did indeed celebrate Christmas as much as Singapore, but in a manner that needed much observation and understanding of its people and culture – an aspect that one, with a quick visit to the country over a few days might wont to miss.
Christmas wreath and candles alongside the julbord.
Sweden celebrates Christmas with profound rootedness in the Swedish tradition with hand crafted frocks, decorations and not the least in the cooking of Swedish festive food.
Continue reading “Swedish Christmas tradition in its julbord: Sjömagasinet 2009”