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Of hopes and dreams

This year, I hope that it would be better. But, it will only be better once you work hard for it. Things don’t just fall into place. In some way, at some point, whatever you do dictates your fate. Things don’t just happen.

Sometimes, you need take a step. Big or small. A leap. For the better.

This year, I am thankful. Some do not make it through 365. Some of them get lost in the journey. Some of them just give up. Be thankful. Not everyone makes it through. If you’re still reading this, you’re one of the lucky ones.

Whether you did not like the way this year turned out to be, be thankful. Another year has been laid out for you to do those things you weren’t able to. Spend it wisely. Make it count.

You’ll wake up today with a brand new feeling. Take the time to stop and breathe. Ask yourself, “How do I want to spend this year?” The answer doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter until you wake up a year later, and you can say that you spent the year the way you wanted to spend it.

Whoever you are who is reading this, I only have one wish for you. I wish that you’ll be brave. Brave enough to face what lies ahead. Brave enough to always do the right thing. Brave enough to love and live and be happy. Brave enough to stand up for yourself.

I hope this year, you will be fearless.

“I hope you will have a wonderful year, that you’ll dream dangerously and outrageously, that you’ll make something that didn’t exist before you made it, that you will be loved and that you will be liked, and that you will have people to love and to like in return. And, most importantly (because I think there should be more kindness and more wisdom in the world right now), that you will, when you need to be, be wise, and that you will always be kind.” - Neil Gaiman

Happy New Year!

Photo credit

The first life vs. the second life

Last day of last year

It has been quite a long time since I've written anything personal here. Well, basically anything, for that matter. And with the time that has passed, a lot of things have changed. Myself included. And I must admit that I have failed my promise to update often. I got burned out. With all that has happened, it is a miracle that I'm still sitting here and writing.


This blog was never meant to be personal. I've always stated that I dedicate this to all the stylish, confident, and fearless women of Abu Dhabi that I encounter everyday. It was. It still is. But then I realize that this blog is mine. It is a great tool, a creative outlet. It should have been my creative outlet. I do not express remorse for the past year that I have done work for this blog. It may have exceeded (or not) others' expectations, but unfortunately, not mine.

I should have done more. It is one of the things I deeply regret, not being able to do more for those things I love. I love writing. And I've always had a fashionable state of mind, if there is such. But, the first life had other plans for me. There were a lot of things on my plate already on top of everything else. And although at the back of my mind I know that it was too much for me to handle, I still did my best and survived. But, not unscathed. I am always a person who loves challenging herself. I don't settle. I never settle. And as bad as it may sound, I'm someone who doesn't get satisfied easily. Especially with what I do. I always believe that I can do more, and that I will always succeed. Yes, I'm that optimistic. Positive thinking gets you places, they say.

But even with all the optimism in the world, reality never spares anyone. To cut the long story short, I did survive during those past months. I aced school as usual, and I'm a semester away from graduation. Finally! If I have anything to thank for, I'd thank God that I was able to stay sane enough to pay attention to my studies. But other than school, I don't think I was able to succeed in my other adventures the way I wanted to. There were so many factors to consider. And sometimes, I still get that pang of guilt and regret, especially since I wasn't the only one affected. But I do my best to shrug them off and just think that the whole experience will come handy in the future. We fall. We get up. That's how we roll.

So, where does this leave me now?

I am left with nothing but this blog and my creativity to make it through the day. It's hard to pick up the pieces from where I left off. So yes, this is my way of getting up. This is my way of starting anew, because it's the only thing I can do. With that being said, this blog will be more personal. I would still talk about fashion and style. After all, it is a big part of my life.

Fashion is my first life. During the past months, my life has now been categorized into two: the first life and the second life. The first life consists of reality and everything else that comes with it. My second life, however, is a bit more complicated to explain. It's a whole new world that may or may not be suitable to your liking. So, I suggest a reader discretion: Read at your own risk. Haha.

For people following me on Twitter, this may not come out as a surprise. I came out of my closet earlier this year. And no, I'm not gay. Try something a little more classy. I have turned into a fan girl. A KPOP fan girl. That's Korean Pop Culture for people who do not know. It's taking the world by storm nowadays, despite the number of people still wondering why most of us are very much hypnotized by the Hallyu Wave. I better stop here before I start to ramble about the pros and cons of being a fan girl.

So yes, for most of this year, I have been trying to find balance between my first life and my second life. It is a struggle. Second life took a lot of my time. I didn't mind, but when realization hit that I could have done more with the time I spent fan girl-ing, that was when I started to stop and take action.

First life should always come first. After all, it wouldn't be called first life if it wasn't, right? let me challenge myself again into becoming a better person. Gone are the years when I can use my 'I am a teenager.I screw up sometimes too.' excuse. I just turned twenty last month. And if it told me anything, it was that in less than a year, I would become a full-pledged adult with more responsibilities. Bigger responsibilities. And if I can't handle what I have right now, I would end up living a life of disappointment. And that's something I can't allow myself to do.

I'm gonna let Steve Jobs tell you what exactly I want to do. ♥

Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary. 

- Steve Jobs

The Return of the TSAR ♥

I fell in love with LAS8 Paris Maison De Couture last February when they sent me an email about their first collection of exotic leather jackets. I have never seen leather jackets this creative and exquisite until I saw their creations. The first collection was an 11 out of 10. Each piece has a personality of its own but still gives off that kind of sexiness that only LAS8 can show. And now they're back again with their latest collection, TSAR. And this time around, each piece is more. Sexier. More exquisite. More creative.


And I am thankful to be able to be one of the first people that gets a peek of this collection. So, I'm sharing it with all of you so may find inspiration just like I did. :)

Opus, the exclusive piece that highlights their collection

And once again, Philippe Anton, one of the co-founders of LAS8 Paris Maison De Couture, was very kind enough to answer a few questions I have for them regarding their new collection.

1. How did you get this inspiration? 

This is never an easy answer. We take inspiration of many things.

I would say that the first source is the leathers we are working with. As we try to work with different type of skins interplays, the reflection on the skins is a serious and inspiring exercise for us. When we decide to work with one specific leather, we have to think about a lot of questions (Is this leather a coherent choice regarding our creations? What can be relevant with this leather? For women? Men? Both ?…) what lead us to a precise model that we can improve. We are always working with a “work in progress” process.

In terms of pure design or details, our inspiration comes from many sources, such as history, cinema, art and architectures, but also famous or important people that we like to “dress”...

Regarding specifically the Tsar collection that we have just presented to you, we can say that we have played with two adjectives that we appreciate in a woman : strong (in terms of personality) and refined. Generally speaking, our creations are always thought to answer one condition: to sublime the woman who is wearing it.

2. Why did you choose crocodile leather for your collection?

First, we work only with rare leathers what leads us to keep looking for new types of skins (in term of color, finition, species). It is important for us to share our passion in our creation with people and provide exclusive jackets with other leathers. For this collection, crocodile skin and stingray leather have been “honoured”.

To be true, we have been willing to work with Crocodile leather for a long time. So it was a priority for us to work and design a model in this wonderful and noble leather, and we created the OPUS jacket.

Crocodile leather is for us very precious. It is a “refined and strong” material. Even if this is not the easiest leather to work with (technically), we truly believe that it reveals a while side to the jacket, while remaining also « classy ».

Then, our clientele is sensitive to crocodile leather, which is one of the most luxuous. This is also a necessity for us to meet our customers’ expectations and to propose creations that will touch them.  

3. How is crocodile leather different from the typical leather? 

Crocodile leather has some specificity which has to be taken into consideration if you want to appreciate it as much as we do.

The design of the skins depends on the species and the differences between the species are obvious when you look attentively at each type of crocodile skin. New Guinea and Niloticus are our favourite.

The work of this leather requires specific skills, especially for the cutting process. We work with specialized workshop that guarantees us the best quality and finishing.

In term of design and style, the crocodile skin offers a lot of opportunities: lot of finishings are proposed by our tanneries (shining…), the older the crocodile was, the bigger is its skin  and its “shells”. For this collection, we choose to work with quite old crocodile skins, which are rare and also more “precious”.

4. Why did you choose to name your collection 'TSAR'? Is there a story behind it?

Regarding the name of our collection, it represents a lot of symbol for us. First, the Tsars were great art collector, with the wish to get a unique and prestigious collection. Our fashion house shares this spirit and we like to think our creations like “art” and the prestigious leather we work with are the key of this reflection and of the unique side of the model. 

Each of our models is considered as an artwork, whose owner is the ambassador. 

We end up with the name of TSAR at an exhibition about the ROMANOV’s art collection in Paris. With the name TSAR, we refer to the illustrious and legendary history of Russia, which exerted its influence on a large part of the world and which is still a worldwide symbol.

The TSAR collection definitely exceeded expectations. And this just made me excited for their upcoming collections. Truly, LAS8 Paris Maison de Couture, as their name suggests, never fails to come up with the next (big) thing.

Smart Bag for the Smart Girl ♥

Bags have captured my heart recently. And I find myself always on the lookout for the perfect bag. Aside from it being an accessory, it is also a necessity. Bags are like shoes. You need to get it right for the perfect occasion. And most of the time, if one neglects the importance of the bag, a totally perfect look could go wrong.

Most women look for bags for practical purposes. They want something sturdy, big, and spacious. While some chooses pretty over practicality. But there are also some women who want both. It's a cross-over of Practical meets Pretty. The Smart Woman. And what a smart woman needs is a smart bag.

Catherine Membre's VEHLA bag is the answer to all the Smart Woman's bag needs. The VEHLA bag is not your ordinary bag. It is very versatile and has a lot of uses. It is an essential accessory for the modern, stylish woman.

Aside from its practicality, the VEHLA bag is also stylish and can be paired with any look. Its size is not too big, and you can fold it onto itself through its internal pocket.



Photo courtesy of www.parkandcube.com





You can use it as a handbag, or a bag organizer inside your bag. It is also sturdy because the materials they used are chosen carefully by Catherine Membre herself. It is made with noble and high-quality materials: 100% Authentic Liberty of London Cotton and Superior quality 100% Silk lining, which makes it lightweight and resistant, but at the same time, with enhanced seams.

The luxurious shopping bag is handcrafted with utmost attention in Catherine Membre's workshop in France. But you don't have to go all the way to France to purchase this one-of-a-kind bag. It is now available on Dubai's Art and Fashion online boutique, Aura-B. You can visit Catherine Membre's website, or log in at Aura-B to get your hands on the VEHLA bag.

All photos are property of Catherine Membre, unless otherwise stated.

Stand Out ♥

Photography by Rodel Corpuz
Hair and Make up by Kris Napenas
Model: Icee Codilla

Finally. It has arrived. The fruit of everything I've worked hard for the past few months is finally here. :) These are just 2 pieces from my first-ever collection entitled, STAND OUT. The full collection will be available for sale at Si Fashion Galerie, Jumeirah, Dubai starting from the 25th of May. ♥ 

Official invitation to the exhibit on WEDNESDAY
Drop a line on my email for any inquiries: themazuona@gmail.com

An invitation entitles the guest to a 20% discount on ALL ITEMS in the boutique valid until JULY 31, 2011 :)

The past few months have been a really crazy roller coaster ride for me. I can't put into exact words how I felt during the time, and I can only wish that I was able to document each moment. Regardless, I have learned so much from the whole experience. And I can't wait to start anew. It's not yet the end, but I just want to express my never-ending gratitude to all of you.

Thank you to all the people who has supported me along the way! Starting off with my parents who, despite all the misfits and mishaps, stayed with me all the way. I hope that whatever comes out of this, I have made you proud. ♥

To my Seoul sister and little brother, who I have put in so much stress by going back and forth to Dubai during a weekday (exam week, i might add), thank you! ♥

To my family here in Abu Dhabi and in the PH, thank you for showing your love and support! Lolo, Lola, Titas, Titos, and my cute, not-so-little-anymore cousins, thank you for always standing by me. Can't wait to see you all! Wish you were all here. ♥

Friends from all over the world who have also showed their support, thank you! PH Friends: too many to mention but you guys know who you are! See you all soon! :) ABU DHABI Friends: KIC Family (friends, classmates, teachers), Prestige Jet family, family friends, thank you for the never-ending support! My lovely Manal BB and Tagy, thank you for letting me cry when I need to. :) My lovely Mercilita, Fatima, Khaled, and Ittaf: you guys are the best second family I could ever ask for. Thank you for always being there. ♥


To my Yeobo who, despite the distance and time zone differences, has never left my side. I'm so glad to have found a friend in you. Saranghamnida. ♥ :)

To Kuya Rodel, Ate Kris, and Ate Icee: Without you, these people right here wouldn't know this collection existed. Haha. Photos look amazingl if it weren't for all of you. I hope to work with you again soon! All the best! ♥

To the management and staff of SI FASHION GALERIE, thank you for giving me this opportunity! I have learned a lot from the experience and I will strive to be better from now on. Thank you again for opening your doors to emerging designers like myself. All the best to you! :)

Yes I have to mention, to SHINee, B2ST, U-Kiss, and Super Junior. Thank you for your music. Haha. You are my inspiration. Without your music, I wouldn't be able to go through this. ♥ Onew, Jonghyun, Key, Minho, and Taemin, thank you for pushing me to reach for my dreams. Thank you for making me fly high. :)

To my Heavenly Father who has given me the strength to go on despite the obstacles I need to face. Thank You for always picking me up when I fall down and urging me to go on, because You are the light. Thank You for this talent and passion. But most of all, thank you for blessing me with all the people I have mentioned above. I love You Lord. :)

And to you Mazuona, this is for you. ♥ :)

Pre-loved. Not Pre-owned.

Every girl has a dream to own the 'It' item. Whatever 'it' is. Whether 'it' is a bag, an accessory, a pair of killer shoes, or a must-have dress. But these must-haves doesn't always have to be new.

Nowadays, vintage items are gaining popularity. I believe that they have more value than brand new ones. And in my personal opinion, vintage items have more meaning. For all you know, you could be buying an item that was previously owned by Audrey Hepburn, or even the Queen. Regardless of the previous owner, each item has a story. And each story is a source of inspiration.

 But how do you know if a certain vintage item is genuine? Are vintage items more expensive than brand new ones? Where can you find reliable vintage shops? If you think shopping is an adventure, then vintage shopping is a war. You have to be prepared and be aware. But most of all, you have to be prepared for competition. There's a lot of people who are also on the lookout for unique vintage pieces, so you have to be quick on your toes.

So how do we simplify and make vintage shopping convenient? This is where Rewind Vintage enters our life.

Rewind Vintage is an online vintage boutique that sells unique vintage pieces dating back from the 1950s up till the present. Founded by friends, Claudia Ricco and Yasmina Khanlari, Rewind Vintage is capturing fashionistas' hearts all over the world with their wide range of vintage branded items, focusing mainly on bags and accessories. They have a great selection of items from top brands like Chanel and Hermes.

But why should you opt for vintage items in Rewind Vintage?

Rewind Vintage has been created for women who want a little more out of their shopping adventures. In their own words, they want high-quality vintage fashion to be more accessible to women who want to 'look outside the box' when shopping. Aside from that, purchasing from Rewind Vintage, is enabling you to recycle fashion which will help us preserve the world. On top of that, a vintage is still a vintage. It's like wine. The value increases over time.

Items coveted by the Rewind Vintage

Rewind Vintage has made vintage shopping easier for all of us. It's true that vintage shopping is more difficult and more risky compared to shopping directly in shops. How can we guarantee the product's sustainability and quality? Rest assured that Rewind Vintage only gets from top-of-the-line sources they have all over the world. In fact, you can be one too!

some of the items they have on hand

Aside from that, they take meticulous measures to assure the product's quality. They grade them from 'Gently Used' to 'Pristine', so clients will know that the product they are buying is in good condition.  From the moment they received the items up to the moment they deliver it in front of your doorstep, Rewind Vintage makes sure that everything is carefully taken care of.

After all, it's Pre-loved. Not Pre-owned.


For more information, please do visit their website: http://www.rewindvintage.co.uk

Pulp Fashion

Who would have thought that paper can be used to create these amazing dresses?

Three of Isabelle's lovely creations

Well, Isabelle de Borchgrave definitely thought about that. A lot. Last April 4, Isabelle had a lecture about her amazing paper dresses entitled, Pulp Fashion, at Al Maamoura Auditorium. It was a full 2 hours worth of inspiration and information about how these paper dresses were done. And we will be forever thankful to Isabelle for opening our eyes and hearts to the vast possibilities that the world of fashion is offering us.

Isabelle painted this fabric to give it a lace effect

Matching shoes!

You are not hallucinating. It's really paper!

I attended the event with my KIC Fashion Department family, particularly with my Fashion Styling and Merchandising classmates, along with our professors, Mr. Samer and Ms. Rakhi Gupta.

KIC Fashion Design Department with Isabelle de Borchgrave
(L-R: Mercy Lamosi, Ms. Rakhi Gupta, Isabelle de Borchgrave, Mr. Samer, Khaled Al Jenaibi, Lama Edris, Hala Edris, Fatima Ezzahra)

Me with Isabelle de Borchgrave

One more thing that Isabelle said that I won't ever forget was this:

"You need passion. Passion, passion, passion! Once you're in the world of art or fashion, it's hard to escape. Whatever happens, you will always come back."

And I believe in that so much. She is actually not a fashion designer. She's an artist who uses her creativity to create these one of a kind paper dresses. So, to hear that from someone who has achieved so much in the industry, is really refreshing. I wish I could meet her again.

The evening ended well with the delicious dinner that One to One Hotel prepared for the guests. I guess I was too hungry that I wasn't able to take photos of the food. :-) This event was also a good opportunity for socialization. We met a lot of really cool people who are also fashion enthusiasts in Abu Dhabi. 

Bumped into Wella! The first reader that I've met. Thank you! :-)

Mercy and I with our new found friend, Khawla! :-) She's one of the coolest girls I've met. :-) 

It was nice seeing everyone. I hope to bump into you guys soon! Let's all meet at the next fashion event, yes?:-) We're almost halfway into the year, but fashion events are just starting. So be sure to catch them!

Paper Fashion

acclaimed Belgian artist, Isabelle de Borchgrave

Good news to the mazuonas of Abu Dhabi! Isabelle de Borchgrave, acclaimed Belgian artist, will be doing a lecture on how she uses paper to create her amazing signature traditional dresses.

Here are some of her creations:

Those are just teasers, you can find more of her lovely creations on her website: http://www.isabelledeborchgrave.com

Or better yet, go to her lecture tomorrow entitled, Paper Fashion, in the Al Maamoura Auditorium at 6pm to see all these for yourself. For further details, please contact:  anas.a@admaf.org, or call 971 2 6510334. You can also go to the event's official website.

This event is part of the Abu Dhabi Festival and is sponsored by  Mubadala, Abu Dhabi Culture & Heritage, and the National, to mention a few.

Thank you to our friends from Hellwa Fashion and to Kristina, my mentor, for the heads up! =)

See you there Mazuonas! <3