Menswear Monday: Elliot Bergman

Bohemian but smartly dressed, Elliot Bergman, is one half of the Chicago musical duo, Wild Belle. He sings one song on their album Isles, leaving his sister Natalie to sing the lyrics. What he lacks in vocals he makes up for in his instrumental capabilities whilst also having an impeccable sense of style.

It is quite simple, he does nothing out of the ordinary and in fact his clothes although extremely beautiful are nothing you or I cannot own. The secret is, he knows which styles work best for his body shape and he combines this with a look he feels comfortable in... et voilà. A style icon is born.

Whilst interviewing Elliot for a feature in issue 3 of Moda de la Mode magazine, he spoke of his favourite shopping locations. In London this consists of the small independent vintage boutiques that are nestled neatly along Portobello Road such as the 282. Whilst he sat on the sofa, chatting away to us about life on the road, he was dressed casually in black jeans. A dark patterned shirt, unbuttoned to show some chest accompanied the jeans and the whole outfit was topped off with a silver pendant, hanging around his neck.

The relaxed outfit matched his down to earth personality perfectly. His clothes told a story, not just of his sartorial taste but of his travels. Each item of clothing had been carefully hand picked from boutiques across the globe but when worn by Elliot they possessed a friendly, rock and roll quality as if they had been part of his world for years.

This proves that not only is Elliot a style icon but also it is not what you wear, but how you choose to wear it.

Moda de la Mode Issue 3 Launch

The Moda de la Mode team would like to say thank all those who attended our Issue 3 launch party last night. Our Twitter feed has been off-the-hook with your kind messages about the magazine and the event.

Huge thanks to The BlackWhite for performing and Malenya for DJing, and we would like to thank our sponsors Microsoft, FIJI Water, Dr. Hauschka, Jelly Belly and Apartment 58, who without their help the event would not have been quite as fabulous!

If you weren't able to attend the event, you can read the press release here. The magazine launches in 10 days, so keep an eye out on the Moda website for details!

Moda de la Mode Issue 3 Launches

Here at Moda de la Mode we are really excited to finally launch the third issue of Moda de la Mode magazine. The launch will be held at Apartment 58 with The BlackWhite performing an exclusive live set along with DJ Malenya. Goodie bags will be given out to guests on the night and of course the magazine will be unveiled for the first time to attendees.

Looking forward to seeing all your faces there.

Chris Bracey at Scream Gallery, London

There is something calming about the electric hue of neon lights. The slight buzzing sound they give off when they get too hot and the hint of nostalgia that emanates from their kitsch design gives a feeling of reassurance to those who walk by them on city streets.

Scream Gallery, hidden away on Eastcastle Street, has recently become the temporary home to a bright array of neon light installations created by artist Chris Bracey. These installations with their gritty undertones are inspired by Soho in the 1970's and the fairgrounds where Bracey watched his father work on the neon signs that adorned the rides. They make up the exhibition titled, 'I've Looked Up To Heaven and Been Down To Hell' which is showcased at Scream until the beginning on June. Bracey comments“Like any work of art, itʼs got spirit. Neon is only happy when itʼs on, when itʼs alive”. The work has titles like 'Love and Hate' and 'Paradise Lost' linking them to tattoo culture and the down and out lifestyle of Las Vegas.

Chris Bracey has worked with some of the biggest names in the fashion and film industry. Stella McCartney, Vivienne Westwood, David LaChapelle, Martin Creed and Kubrick are just a handful of his clients and the list carries on.

The exhibition is a juxtaposition of heaven and hell. A sculpture of Jesus will be stood next to neon Soho style sex, tattoos and rock and roll iconography but this reflects Bracey's own heaven and hell journey through life. Having shown his work extensively throughout the United States, this will be his first UK exhibition. It must not be missed.

The works of art can be viewed at Scream Gallery until the 1st June 2013. Visit the Scream Website for more details.

Images: Courtesy of Scream and Chris Bracey

Menswear Monday: The Bohemian Man

Image: Mercedes Benz by Katja Hentschel

Following the previous post on 'The Boho Man' which appeared on the site last month, it appears that Bohemianism has captured the minds of many a city dweller. Everywhere you look there are signs that more and more people are embracing bohemianism, be it a cyclist with flowers in her hair or a dandy bohemian man wearing silk scarves and paisley shirts. 

Stereotypes pushed aside, there really is a shift in mentality occurring throughout the world's cities. The photo above, taken in July 2011 at Berlin Fashion week clearly illustrates this free spirited and creative vibe. The bohemian style shows a wealth, not of designer labels but of experiences and knowledge. This style is not about telling the world where you shop or how great your bank balance is, it is about taking a walk down the road less travelled and revealing your findings through your clothes. 

It is all about feeling great in your own skin, creating a sphere all of your own and radiating a creative energy which will carry you blissfully through the madness of city life. Designer labels like Saint Laurent, Etro and Diesel understand this mentality and have drawn inspiration from it in their autumn/winter 2013 collections. However, this style is all about discovery and individuality. That means the key ingredients for embracing the bohemian way of life are:

EXPLORE | BE FREE | DISCOVER

Designer Spotlight: Dana Levy

There is nothing better than bold, bright colours, precious stones and a fascinating story that involves mystical foreign lands. Dana Levy's latest collection is exactly that.

Inspired by her Grandfather, who worked as a diamond and precious stone dealer in Jerusalem, Dana has produced a range of accessories inspired by middle eastern culture and folklore. Originally training at University of the Arts, London, Dana moved to Jerusalem where she immersed herself in creating a luxury jewellery range based on creativity, beauty, culture and love.

The mix of high end, luxury materials and bohemian yarns which add a shot of colour make these bracelets totally irresistible. The question is, will you choose to ward off evils with an evil eye or a Hamsa hand?

See the entire Dana Levy collection here

Menswear Monday: Prince Cassius and Ted Baker

Ted Baker are taking inspiration from the 'blogger' for their Spring Summer 2013 collection and who better to base a collection around than Prince Cassius? 

Known for his loveable charisma, theatrical afro and internationally successful blog, Prince Cassius has put his creativity into designing two ranges of shoes for Ted Baker. The first range, called 'Jamfro' (a mix of Jambo and afro) comprises of a casual brogue that comes in a variety of warm pastels and chalky light colours. The second range takes its name from Prince Cassius himself. 'Cassiuss' takes the form of a Debonair shoe giving a formal edge to the collaboration. The shoe comes in two colours, a black and grey two toned shoe or a cream and tan two toned shoe. 

The collection takes inspiration from Prince's love of detail and classic styling, something which has contributed to his fame and even enabled him to win GQ's 'Best Dressed Gentleman' award. 

The shoes are the perfect accompaniment to a stylish summer wardrobe and will look good with a well cut pair of jeans or some smart chinos. 

The shoes are now available in Ted Baker stores, Selfridges, House of Fraser, ASOS and John Lewis.