Run into spring in Converse X Marimekko!

While most of my fellow fashion bloggers continuously praise various gorgeous designer shoes with sky-high heels, I will shamelessly declare love for the shoes I actually love to wear (and not just look at) - CONVERSE! I mean of course I do wear more elegant footwear, but nothing gives my feet such a feeling of freedom as a cute pair of those famous keds. And I just got yet another reason to love Converse - their newest spring collection-collaboration with Marimekko - a Finnish brand known for its cool printed textiles. So I give you a sneak peek of CONVERSE X MARIMEKKO spring 2011 collection as well as the video that tells the story behind it!

Frida Gustavsson in H&M spring 2011 campaign

Swedish model FRIDA GUSTAVSSON joins Gisele Bundchen, Freja Beha Erichsen and Raquel Zimmermann in their quest to spread the love for H&M's spring 2011 collection. She strikes girly sexy poses wearing brand's romantic outfits in the photo session by Asa Tallgard.

Gisele on French Vogue April cover

Behold: GISELE BUNDCHEN on the cover of April 2011 issue of FRENCH VOGUE, modelling the lacy/see-through spring trend - a.k.a. a dress by Dolce & Gabbana - against a somewhat bucolic background. It's also Emmanuelle Alt's first edition as chief editor. What do you think?

Natalie Portman for Miss Dior Cherie

Natalie Portman is ever so adorable in this ad campaign for Miss Dior Cherie. In the video she's portrayed as a classy and chic French mademoiselle. Well, it was certainly about time - after all she played two of her most famous roles (in "Leon" and "Black Swan") alongside French actors and is about to merry a Frenchman.

Kate Moss smoking stunt at Louis Vuitton: Bold or Fail?

Kate Moss just added yet another one to the long list of scandals starring her by walking the catwalk at Louis Vuitton autumn-winter 2011/12 show while puffing on a cigarette. Aside from the fact that smoking in Great Britain is illegal at all public places (which certainly includes catwalks), the incident also took place on March 9, which happened to be Britain's annual No-Smoking Day.

Indeed, Marc Jacobs made it quite clear that the new collection and the show was all about breaking the rules, crossing boundaries and expression of personal freedom. But while chain-smoking may be Kate Moss's personal choice, it's hardly something to be promoted, especially among younger generation that is greatly influenced by Louis Vuitton as a brand, Marc Jacobs as a designer, and Kate Moss as a style icon.

So what do we make of this? Was it Moss trying to declare that with her history of drug and alcohol abuse, and dating the baddest boys out there, she can easily get away with just about anything? Or was it Marc's way of rooting for his now ostracised colleague John Galliano by staging a scandal of his own?

Emma Watson for People's Tree

I'm totally loving EMMA WATSON in this photo shoot (and video) for People's Tree organic clothing brand spring 2011 campagin. It just feels so summery, casual and lazy, while it's still so chill outside my window right now. Like 30 Rock's Liz Lemon likes to say: "I want to go to there!"

You may see more of Emma's very own collection here http://www.peopletree.co.uk/category/emma-watson/girls.

Everything is repetition ... or reinvention?

That was exactly my thought when I first saw trailer for "RANGO." Johnny Depp ... as a lizard ... in the dessert ... wearing a Hawaiian shirt - that's like a full-on homage to Raoul Duke a.k.a. Hunter S. Thompson a.k.a. one of my favourite writers ever! And in fact ... I could easily imagine him being reborn as something like Rango. I'm sure he would have loved this character.

"Satellite" by Lelia Broussard

I discovered Lelia Broussard among 16 unsigned artists currently competing for the honour of being featured on the cover of the Rolling Stone (you can check them all out and vote here http://www.rollingstone.com/choosethecover). Her music is rather simple pop, but it's melodious and feathery light like a breeze of fresh air and her voice is pleasant and clear. And I also like that she doesn't have those typical model looks - a singer with a personality.

Style obsession: charm bracelets

CHARM BRACELETS is the old love of mine and one of my favourite accessories... Long before I became the slightly obsessive fashionista with a special passion for cool modern costume jewellery, I was totally in love with this charm bracelet a friend of mine had. I really wanted one too, but couldn't find anything quite similar to it. And then, finally, probably around four or five years ago I stumbled upon this one while visiting a friend in Hamburg. I cannot express my delight when I first saw the bracelet as well as the price which proved so affordable, I didn't need to give it a second thought. Since then I have worn it so often that almost a third of its "lucky charms" came off and were lost but I'm still fond of it:

Now this is a much more recent purchase - I got it this fall at STRADIVARIUS in ATHENS. At the store the two bracelets were wrapped together so tightly it made them look like one heavy rock-chic bracelet. I didn't realize I actually got two bracelets until I got home!

Finally this precious little thing arrived in the mail from Amazon just a couple of weeks ago as a PRESENT for my birthday from my Ukrainian girls! I was more than pleasantly surprised. Finally someone knew exactly what to get me (honestly it doesn't happen that often). This charm bracelet is less bulky than the others, but it's also real SILVER. It proved so very shiny for my poor old camera, that I failed to make a really decent photo of it no matter how much I tried - believe it or not, this is the best I managed (I know I need to work on my photography skills).

Since my collection is quite small so far, below I enclose pics of other original and gorgeous charm bracelets I stumbled upon online - I would love to get them all!

DSquared2 fall/winter collection is True Grit-inspired

I was just thinking that I totally forgot to include "TRUE GRIT" in my Go Wild West post, when DSQUARED2 presented its fall/winter 2011-12 collection, with models looking like they walked right out of this Oscar-nominated epic cowboy drama. Like all of the best COEN films "True Grit" is all about real places and real people, and DSquared2 fully carried its spirit. Their version of the wild west chic takes the cliche pop-culture cowboys in tartan shirts and pointed boots completely out of the picture, replacing them with moody dwellers of the harsh land, whose clothing protects them from rough weather during day and keeps them warm when sleeping under open skies at night. Those outfits simply emanate comfort and confidence - just what we need for the cold days in the city.