Yearly Archives: 2014

Louella Odié

Louella Odié by mother and daughter design team Karen and Lauren Mead, is fast becoming known for its artworks and other lovely products to swoon over. Hong Kong-born Karen is a trained print-maker and her collection of lithographs are sublime. Everything is done by hand and there is always an ‘East-meets-West’ twist in her work. Her floral lithograph that hangs in her workshop is a constant on my wish-list. Karen studied her craft in Britain; daughter Lauren started in fashion branding, and was working for UK label Jack Wills before she went into business with her mother. Now based on Hong Kong’s Lamma Island, the pair has certainly come full circle, and neither could imagine working with anyone else. A ride over to their atelier and workshop is guaranteed to produce delight at their interesting body of work.  

Why Louella Odié? 

Karen: As an artist I am never going to stop making my personal work, but I have to be realistic about finding an outlet for it. I recognised within my work there was a commercial element and I’ve chosen to develop that into Louella Odié.

Lauren: I’ve always wanted to work for myself, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity. 

How did the name Louella Odié come about?

Karen: On the first day I met someone who is now one of my very good friends, she said I didn’t look like a ‘Karen’ and named me ‘Louella’ instead. The name stuck with a large group of my UK friends and I have been Louella ever since. Odié is my mother’s maiden name and as we have a history of creative women in the family we wanted to reflect it in our business name. 

Some of the things you might do in a day?

Karen: I try to make sure I draw every day, even if it is just a quick sketch or a scribble. Drawing calms me down. I often spend an entire day working on a print, but could just as easily be found walking around Sham Shui Po looking for fittings for bags. I also teach classes at the Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre, so once a week I am with my students in the studio there. 

Lauren: Louelle Odié is a small company, so every day is different for me. Some days I spend locked on my computer organising things for a big trade fair we are going to in September. Other days I spend walking around meeting retailers, or – my favorite – meeting bloggers who we can collaborate with!

Describe your style?

Karen: I have no clear idea what my style is, but I am always drawn to extremes, even though I don’t go that far myself. I admire people whose style is decidedly quirky, such as Charlotte Olympia or Lulu Guinness. 

Lauren: I now live and work on Lamma Island which has meant a change in style. Gone are the high heels, jackets and pencil skirts, suddenly I am channeling laid-back resort wear that is perfect for island living. 

Can you name your three best traits?

Lauren: We’ve decided to pick for each other (so clearly, trust is one trait we share). So, for Mum, I think her three best traits are her intuitive nature. Mum often picks up on body language, colour trends and subtle clues that come from her ability to be permanently observant, even when she isn’t consciously aware she is doing it. Secondly her sense of the ridiculous – Mum can always see a disgusting joke in everything. Finally it goes without saying that Mum is creative, but more specifically her creative problem solving abilities are key to our business. She can create something out of nothing and see solutions I would never spot. 

Karen: You soon realise when you meet Lauren how driven she is, to the extent that you wouldn’t stand in front of her for very long because you’d get squashed. She is organised and makes paperwork and all the stuff I hate look easy, but she has a great sense of fun and I love to see her dissolve into giggles. 

Who or what inspires you?

Karen: I get visual inspiration from everything around me, but in Hong Kong I particularly like the juxtaposition of the man-made and the natural. 

Lauren: I have a number of business women I look up to and am inspired by. This would include Stacey Bendet, the founder of Alice and Olivia, for her own driven nature and her ability to beat to her own drum in terns of style. I would also include Tamara Mellon and Tory Burch on my would-like-to-meet-list. 

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Beautiful Bonsai

Bonsai really do capture the whole concept of peacefulness. I don’t know what it is about them but they can make such an impact – one single bonsai just sitting on a windowsill or a few of them outside on a rustic table looks so beautiful. Even though bonsai is a Japanese word it actually was originally a Chinese practice and it came from the Chinese term penzai, which means ‘tray plant’. I think anything minature makes your imagination take hold – they can even be thought of as little sculptures.

If you are living in Hong Kong there are numerous places to buy a Bonsai – even a visitor will love looking at all the different ones available. Our favourite streets to hit are Yuen Po and Playing Field Road, Mong Kok, Kowloon. Sun Kee Trading Co, 5-7, Yuen Po Road, Mong Kok. Tel: +852 2830 8331 sells exquisite little gates, bridges, white standing cranes and hanging monkeys so you can put your styling skills to work to create your own mini world. Shop H2 Ground Floor Kam Ming Court, 12 -14 Playing Field Road, Mong Kok. Tel: +852 2392 4568 has large and small bonsai available. The nursery in Happy Valley also has an amazing array of bonsai and they will happily tell you how to care for them. Known to have a reputation to grow as old as humans – these little trees can fit into even the tiniest of apartments – all they take is watering and love. 

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Quatorze Juillet

If you are in the market for cool antiques and vintage European furniture then you should definitely head over to French born Elvire Girault’s pop up shop Quatorze Juillet in Square Street, Sheung Wan. After completing her Masters in Art History at Ecole Du Louvre in Paris, and working in a gallery in St Germain des pres in the Antiquaires’ district, Elvire definitely developed a lovely eye for finding tasteful and unique pieces. She has always been interested in art and antiques,”It probably comes from my dad’s family, they had very beautiful pieces in their big home that came from the family. The mansion itself was for me the perfect place for treasure hunting and telling myself ghost stories. I naturally grew up loving old stuff,” she says.

The pop-up is carefully curated with interesting lighting, furniture and beautiful curiosities. Personally I am currently obsessed with a 70s wielded brass table lamp in the shape of a pineapple that she sourced from France. Don’t worry if you can’t get to her pop-up before the 28th of May, Elvire is opening a permanent shop in a months time.

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Cupcakes

Cupcakes are a fun alternative to the traditional cake for a party. As you can see from our recent shoot we also found that Perspex trays are the perfect way to bring out the child-friendly potential which makes them a hit for anyone with children or a youthful sweet-tooth. Shop for all your cupcake needs at New Chun Fat, 277 Shanghai Street, Yaumatei, Kowloon. Tel: +852 2388 5318. Here you will find a treasure-trove of patty-pans, small stainless steel tins and other bits and pieces you might want for the perfect cup-cake. I Love Cake, G/F 188 Wan Chai Road. Tel: +852 2671 2644 in Wan Chai has all the toppers and candles you could imagine, plus little cake tins. At my house there are always personal garlands – paper doilies, strips of wool, fabric, and colourful string – which give character to any party. Keep the icing simple, add fresh flowers – how could you refuse anything as pretty as that?

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Spotlight on buckles, buttons and collars

We love the personal details that create original style. You can change old buttons on a favourite high-street blazer, or hand sew badges or quirky lapels on T-shirts or jackets. Look for luxe buttons on Nam Cheong and Tai Nan streets, Sham Shui Po, Kowloon – mother-of-pearl, brass, patterned, textured, brass, fabric and wooden ones are available at key stalls in these streets. Search for delicate collars and embellishments to add to a top at 80 Nam Cheong Street, Sham Shui Po, Kowloon – and here you can pick up some wonderful brooches as well to make any outfit more appealing. Customizing items from your wardrobe will definitely give definite party appeal. For day-time style sew a pretty lace collar to a cotton or woollen pullover. The sweaters at Uniqlo will not disappoint. For those of you with skirts with a dull hemline, cut a section of the end off and replace with some hand dyed matching lace. After all this, no one will ever look predictable.

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Reverie

We love to search for vintage pieces, and I base my looking on the texture, feel and quality of the fabric plus the name Chanel, or Gianfranco Ferre, or Lanvin can also inspire me to add a new beautiful bag, jacket, skirt or dress to my collection. I noticed in the early nineties there was very little in the way of vintage European pieces in Hong Kong, but finally vintage clothing and accessories have caught on here. Now I’ve cast my eye over the pieces available in Reverie. The owner, Hannah Sutton, sources with her sister who is based in London. The boutique is in a fabulous location on Duddell Street, Central – right next to Rennie Fensham’s hair-salon Hollywood Hair. So once you’ve picked up a Chanel classic flap you can then pop over to Rennie’s for a quick blow-dry.

Why Reverie?

I have always had a passion for fashion and all things vintage. In Europe vintage has been very popular in the last few years but not so in Hong Kong. I’ve always dreamt of owning my own vintage shop and realised there was a gap in the market here so my sister (who is based in London) and I made the decision to make our dream a realisation last November by opening Reverie. But it was a few years in the making.

Some of the things you might do in a day?

Each day is different. But my day always starts with getting my children ready for school, followed by exercise. I am in the shop most day’s and you never really know what the day will bring. There can be a photo shoot, an interview, viewing private collections, searching for unusual new stock, getting ready for a fashion show, model fittings and the more boring necessary things like paper work, catching up on Emails, admin etc. But I always manage to fit in seeing friends for lunch or coffee at some point most days.

Describe your style?

My style can vary – and I go through phases. But I’m always on the look out for the latest trend and the latest must have item.

Can you name your three best traits?

You would have to ask my friends and family for an honest opinion. But I would like to think they are loyalty, a sense of humour and great determination.

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Kotur

Fiona Kotur Marin’s talent was obvious when I first met her in the early 2000s. The project she was working on with Tory Burch was just the beginning of a mythical ascent. Her own brand Kotur, started in 2005, sprang to life when, on one of her sourcing trips, she noticed the extraordinary vintage brocades at a mill owned by a 90-year-old craftsman. These unique brocades were key to her debut collection of minaudieres and clutches. Now a leading player in the fashion world, Kotur has recently launched a shoe line as well. Kotur Marin is adept at creating collections with a high-low mix, and clients have included Tilda Swinton, Gwyneth Paltrow, Christy Turlington, and Scarlett Johansson. Family is also key to Kotur Marin’s creations; she is a mother of four boys and her mother, Manhattan-based painter, fashion illustrator and interior decorator Sheila Camera Kotur, lends her talent to Kotur’s seasonal illustrations. Which makes every shoe box her shoes come in a charming piece of collectible art illustrated with the precise and distinctive hand of her mother. 

Why Kotur?

Because I once tried to find a little bag with big personality and just couldn’t find it, so I made it.

Some of the things you might do in a day?

Early morning call with New York, visit metal supplier in Kwon Tung, pick up vintage beads in Cat Street market, school meeting in Braemar Hill, math homework in the kitchen, dinner at Cipriani, emails from bed.

Describe your style?

It’s all about the accessories….

Can you name your three best traits?

Creativity, Persistence, and Loyalty.

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Googg Bakery

Just a quick post today. We recently discovered Googg Bakery, not far from the buzz of Hong Kong’s Sham Shui Po, the bakers here are making fresh biscuits into novel shapes – Stylebrief particularly loves the ring, horses and alphabet ones. Their delectable handiwork can also be found at Unar Coffee at the Star Ferry in TST. 

Googg Bakery, Shop 12, Ground Floor/ Cheung Fai Building, 401-405 Po On Road, Cheung Sha Wan, Kowloon. Tel: +852 3460 3304

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Indian spices

I love the day-to-day living in Hong Kong. It’s an international mix of people: my neighbour is French; another friend is Spanish (she has the best sandals from San Sebastian); I buy my stationary from the delightful Hong Kong local Mr Ho at Po Man’s in Happy Valley, and when I’m looking for authentic spices to make an Indian dish I visit Chungking Mansions in Kowloon. The building is far from glamorous – design circa 1960s, but inside is a series of stalls selling all the herbs, spices, ghee and flours you would need for an Indian feast. I asked an Indian friend for her chola masala recipe. She explained that chloa masala is a northern Indian dish and that it’s mostly had with Batura (deep fried Indian bread) but following her suggestion, we served it with roti as she explained it was the healthier option.

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Chola Masala

Chola Masala
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Ingredients
  1. 250 gms chickpeas (soaked in water overnight)
  2. 4 cups water
  3. 1 medium size onion chopped
  4. 1 medium size tomato chopped
  5. 1 teaspoon ginger paste
  6. 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
  7. 2 tablespoons of oil
  8. 2 bay leaves
  9. 1 1/2 tablespoons Chola Masala (These are small packs of Masalas you can buy from any Indian store)
Instructions
  1. Soak Chola (chickpeas ) in warm water overnight (about 8 hours)
  2. Cook Chola in a pressure cooker/ in a closed vessel till they become soft.
  3. Take 1 teaspoon of oil, sauté the chopped onions till they become light brown.
  4. Remove onions from the pan, cool and grind them to a paste.
  5. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons of oil in a pan.
  6. Add bay leaves, onion paste and sauté for 5-6 mins, now add ginger paste and garlic, sauté for another 3-4 mins.
  7. Once done, add the finely chopped tomatoes and sauté till the tomatoes are fully cooked.
  8. Add Chola masala and after 10-15 seconds add cooked chola.
  9. Add salt to taste
  10. Cover the pan and cook for a further 5-10 mins
Notes
  1. Serve with Naan bread or Roti.
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