[ CIO CIO SAN ] Vogue Russia August 2012

 

 

It saddens me that may days of perpetual summer are, for the meantime, over. I've been back from my Slovenian sojourn for but a week and the shops are already full of darker tones and chunky knits. I've not seen a proper English winter for over a year since I've been wandering the globe, sunning myself in the likes of India, Laos, Malaysia....the list goes on, and as you may have guessed, I am somewhat reluctant to embrace the cold. That and the fact that I think I may have actually forgotten how to dress for Autumn/Winter. Nevertheless I find solace in the idea that even though the days may be shorter and the nights colder, there will always be inspiration from afar to send my mind spiralling back into my days of wandering. 

Thus, in true cross-season spirit, I spent ages trawling the web for recent editorials that don't leave me thinking that summer's actually, official over and I found this very on trend Geisha inspired shoot by Sebastian Mader for Vogue Russia, August (because we still have one day left...).

Covering almost all of AW 2012's biggest trends from print on print and convex curves to gothic grunge and my favourite, brocade, stylist Natasha Royt rocks the Geisha vibe with an accessory rich oriental opulence meets all-Russian ritz. 

A polar opposite to Marie Claire Australia's interpretation in The Flower & The Willow back in July, no?

Images: Visual Optimism

[A SLOVENIAN ADVENTURE] 10 Things To Do In Slovenia (willingly or not) Pt2

6. Take a wine tour in Bizeljsko

So, we're already on to part two of our '10 Things To Do In Slovenia' feature, and if you're still with me then my powers of persuasion must be working and by now you'll be thinking of a trip to Slovenia? Right? Well, if you need a little more persuading than what better way than to entice you with glass half full...of wine! Forget Germany, forget Spain (but maybe not France because that would be sacrilege), Slovenia's got its very own wine regions and some pretty kick ass scenery to boot. So get ofF that mountain and head east down to sunny Bizeljsko in the Lower Sava Valley. Of course there's always The Drava Valley and The Littoral regions, but if your friend's family own a vineyard, why would you go anywhere else?! 

I was lucky enough to have my own personal tour around the Berkovic estate, by Sarah who, even being the youngest of the family and holding preference over studying Chinese than learning about wine, knew a phenomenal amount about the production. Later I was taken to 'la casa de Berkovic' - where the magic happens. Over a dinner of srnji golaž (deer goulash) I was given an introduction to the art of wine making (and luckily, wine tasting) by Mr Berkovic himself, and the next generation of Berkovic wine makers, Saha and her boyfriend Jacob. A wine tour is a 'must do' on your Slovenian escapade, and I'm sure you'll take to such an activity very willingly. If you do, be sure to look up the Berkovic's!

7. Marvel the rustic beauty of Štanjel

I feel asleep in the car and I awoke to the sight of the towering walled village of Štanjel. Groggily stumbling up the hill, my mood started to brighten as the beauty of this place started to resonate with me. Narrow sloping streets lined with terraced stone houses featuring dilapidated windows of long vacated homes, creeping with vines, wild flowers and crumbling paint work. Almost completely deserted, this is is one of those jem's you just don't read about in a guidebook. Aptly referred to as the 'jewel of the Karst region', Štanjel was originally settled in Roman times and later fortified to defend against the Ottoman raids. A few centuries later along came the Counts von Cobenzl who built the adjacent castle, followed again by Italian habitation in the 1920's when local architect Max Fabiani was commissioned to create a garden on the outskirts of  Enrico Ferrari's elegant villa. If you're heading on down to the coast, make sure you stop off in this pretty little town. 

8. Uncover hidden springs & falls

If you marvelled at Bled, you'll be blown away by the dazzling sight of its source. The Radovna River which thrashes through gorges, rushes over waterfalls and cuts into the mountainside on it's way down to that emerald-green pool, is something of a spectacle in itself. If you're keen to get back up into those mountains, take a trip up to Vintgar Gorge (only 3.5 km from Bled) and walk the 1600m of rock-hugging wooden paths, galleries and bridges that hang, at time precariously, over seemingly bottomless crystal pools though which the Radovna flows smoothly before cascading over the Šum, Slovenia's highest river fall. And if you're still hungry for more powerful displays of nature, try Savica Waterfall, one of Lake Bohinj's primary inflows. This awe-inspiring fall is complimented, again, by its beautiful setting: a gushing 51m of water cutting vertically through the Komarča rockface, feeding a beautiful expanse of crystal clear emerald green water. Just watch out for that 20 minute up hill climb!

9. Get active on the Soča

I'm not one for launching myself willingly into ice cold water but I have to say, despite the loss of feeling in my limbs, getting active on the River Soča was one of the highlights of my trip. You can do this by way of kayak, raft or even canyoning. Our group chose rafting, which cost only €30 per person for a two hour escapade. As it was mid August, the rapids were only at a level 1-3, but it was still pretty thrilling nonetheless, and great for first-timers (like me!). The company gave a great introduction, showing us the ropes and even stopped at points for us to jump off seven metre high rocks into the 13°C water (brrr is an understatement). I haven't any pictures of the actual rafting experience - there was no way my 7D was coming with me, so you'll have to *insert imagination here* for this one. So, willingly or not, I urge thee to raft the Soča! You won't regret it!

10. Seek out Salt in Sečovlje 

It seems the end is night for our Slovenian mini-guide, but last but not least, in at no.10 is the salty pans of Sečovlje. Sounds rather boring, yes, but I bet you don't know how salt is made? Huh? Didn't think so. Laying on an expanse of brackish land on Slovenia's (very short) coastline, just a ten minute drive from Portorož, the area has now been cornered off as a nature park. It's tranquil yet somewhat eerily barren panorama holds numerous deserted, crumbling stone houses, randomly dotted across the pancake-flat landscape, bar one little house in which a man waits to guide you through the Muzej Solinarstva. The Museum of Salt-Making (regarded by the government as a cultural monument of national importance, don't you know) pays tribute to a time when the area and activity of salt production was one of the most lucrative money-makers in Europe. So not only will a visit promise you beautiful vistas and reflective photographic delights (cut late afternoon sun and shadows on the water), you'll also learn something about that essential, everyday cooking ingredient. Just a shame its such a long walk from the car...

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Well that's about it for Wandering Thread's Slovenia travel recommendations and I hope it has not just convinced you to put this marvelous little country on your list of places to visit, but inspired you to take a chance, climb a mountain, jump off a rock (into water, obviously) and experience something new.

As always, post your comments, questions and suggestions below! And for more Wandering Places, click here. 

[A SLOVENIAN ADVENTURE] 10 Things To Do In Slovenia (willingly or not) Pt1

So it's finally arrived, 'the Slovenian post' you've all been waiting for (hopefully), and it comes shaped as The Top 5 Things to do in Slovenia (according to Wandering Threads). WARNING: this is going to be a long one so I've split it into 2 parts. Now before we go any further let me warn those of you who prefer to 'people watch' from quaint little cafes and sunbathe your holidays away (I.do.not.blame.you), Slovenia is not a country where you can't say "No. No thanks, not for me." Uh-uh. 

I experienced this first hand whilst being made to climb the sheer face of a mountain side (sans harness), jump 7 metres off a rock into a 13°C river and force fed globules of fat in the form of meat in cream sauce with dumplings (x1000). No, Slovenia is not a place where you can 'just sit that one out', because if you do you will miss out on, well, everything. I learnt this the hard way from my seemingly superhuman Slovenian tour guides, Matevž and Sarah who regularly climb mountains for kicks. So, like it or lump it, in true traveller spirit (but maybe not so much 'wanderer' spirit...) you've got to dig out those hiking boots, train up those calves, wave goodbye to any notion of putting your feet up, and get ready to activate (!), if you want to experience the real wonders of Slovenia.
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1. Wander the streets of Ljubljana

What better way to ease yourself into your Slovenian sojourn than to flex those legs on a stroll around one of Europe's most picturesque, pint-sized cities. Yes it's the capital, but you won't find traffic jams and honking horns here. In fact, Ljubljana is so laid back that the only thing you have to listen for is the chiming of bicycle bells from behind you as you stop to take your 100th photo of the day. If you're feeling fit, take a walk up the hill to Ljubljana Castle and watch the sun set over the terracotta rooftops of the Old Town. And if you're visiting in summertime you can even watch a movie, al fresco, under the stars, in the scenic setting of the castle courtyard (Click here for details)!

2. Swim in Lake Bled

Ahh Lake Bled. A tranquil alpine oasis of emerald-green, bordered by pine covered mountains, towered over by Bled Castle and home to the infamous Bled Island church. This is the definition of picture-postcard beauty, if it's not raining that is. Time to get active (whilst still easing into things...), strip down, and dive into that crystal clear pool. Don't worry its not totally freezing, best if you just let you boyfriend push you in, in an almost voluntarily manner. I wasn't so lucky, and I wasn't so warm either. If you're not into swimming (but like I said, you shouldn't be saying NO!), take a boat out onto the lake, give those arm muscles a work out, and row over to the island for a better view of those beautiful surroundings. NB: yes you will be visiting those peaks in the background later, and I don't just mean by car...

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3. Capture Piran in 'The Golden Hour'

Whether its with a camera, a pencil, a box of paints or simply your mind's eye, you must visit Piran and capture its enchanting atmosphere. Not only am I absolutely insisting you visit this wondrous little gem of Venetian Gothic architecture, cobbled streets and scenic vistas, I am urging you to visit on a late summer's afternoon (aka The Golden Hour for those photographers out there). So get yourself a homemade ice cream (only 1 € from the chirpy Italian fellow by the harbour!), a cool glass of Union beer (not to be mistakenly pronounced 'onion' like one repeated offender I know) and while away  those afternoon hours before picking up your weapon of choice and heading off through the narrow passages to create a masterpiece.
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4. Climb a mountain

Yes, you saw it coming, the mother of all exertions, the polar opposite of 'desirable holiday activities' (well, for me anyway): it's the mountain trek. I literally could not think of something I want to do less on a two week holiday in the sun, but nevertheless I always seem to find myself on top of one. No joke. Last year, before you could say 'tallest mountain range in the world' I was 3200m up in the Himalayas on a three day trek, three months later I was trekking up a mountain in Laos and now, once again I find myself on top of another bloody mountain. Why this keeps happening to me I'm not sure, I don't even like trekking! 

Needless to say, my superhuman Slovenian friends do this regularly for fun. Apparently Peca (2125m), as pictured here, is 'like a walk in the park' to most Slovenians, and so, it seems, is climbing the sheer face of said mountain without a safety harness (cue a lifetime of British safety standards). Matt (red t-shirt above), who climbed Triglav (2864m), Slovenia's tallest mountain when he was just 7 years old, somewhat under exaggerated our climb, referring to it as a 'half day trek'. Yeh, right. Anyway, enough of the moaning, just go and climb a mountain. If I can do it, so can you. I have to say the views were pretty awesome and the the exercise definitely burned off some of the 60,000 calories Matt's grandmother forced upon us the night before. Which brings me to no.5...

5. Gobble authentic Slovenian grub

Whether it's at a traditional restaurant like Rupa in Bohinju (pictured above) or some good ol' home cooking, you can't complete your trip to Slovenia without hunkering down on some good, hearty Slovenian cuisine. Expect to pile on the calories, this ain't no Sainsbury's 'Be Good To Yourself' range, and if you're a vegetarian, well, you may as well just get back on a plane home. Expect a whole lot of meat, gallons of cream, more butter than your arteries can handle and enough carbs to make a super model cry - no wonder Slovenians climb mountains! Needless to say I couldn't get enough of it (and I'm still paying for it now). I had great home cooked food thrust upon me daily in an endless menu of delights. To name but a few: ražnjiči (grilled, skewered cubes of meat), čevapčiči (minced beef or pork seasoned, rolled and grilled) filana paprika with pire krompir (stuffed pepper with mashed potatoes), potica (nut roll) and last but certainly not least, the mouthwatering srnji golaž (deer goulash).

So, thinking of taking a trip to Slovenia, or do you need more convincing? Stay tuned for Part 2!

[ LAKMÈ LOWDOWN ] Lakmé Fashion Week Winter/Festive 2012

Whilst I was (reluctantly) climbing the mountains of Slovenia (pictures to come soon - promise!), this lot were happy mingling in the comfort of Mumbai's Grand Hyatt Hotel, busying themselves with chatter of the latest unveilings from the Winter/Festive 2012 collections. Lucky them. Taking place twice a year since 1999, Lakmé Fashion Week  is India's most prestigious Fashion and trade event, acting as a platform for the launch of many of India's most talented designers. So that's the intro done, now for the Lakmé Lowdown...take a look at some of the 'best in show' according to the humble opinion of Wandering Threads:

Yogesh Chaudhary

(As above) Definitely one to watch: an unquestionable mastery of print-on-print styling that is synonymously Indian, but what's that? It's inspired by Pac Man?! Yup, Chaudhary's inspiration went on a whirlwind ride back to the 1960's American Retro Era, where he picked up a sunny colour palette of canary yellow, cherry red and electric blue before propelling himself 20 years into the future to play a bit of our favourite 80's childhood arcade game, then hurling himself back to the present day ready with the one and only 'Miss Pac-in District'. Despite the somewhat nerdy inspiration, this collection's got definite sex appeal: a predominantly lean, body snug silhouette in super-modern block vs digital print-colour fusion's gave a new twist to the sari-choli combo, whilst full skirts paired with traditionally cut choli's created a look which would easily find its place on the runways of western fashion weeks. Enough photo's I need to see this in person Chaudhary! Get thee to London Fashion Week! 

Nitya Arora

Winner of the Grazia Young Designers Award: Best Jewellery Designer 2012, Arora's career seems to be skyrocketing to success at only 24. A graduate of Parsons School of Design in New York, Arora launched her accessory line upon completing her studies in 2011 and has already held trunk shows in Dubai, Egypt and New York. Her LFW W/F 2012 'Nouveau Gypsy' collection saw her trademark oversized statement necklaces embellished with a mishmash of mesh and chain, set with gemstones and enamel in geometric forms on beds of tassel's, while spiked chokers kicked up a 'dare to touch' rock'n'roll edge.

Pinnacle by Shruti Sancheti

Synonymous with the combo of indigenous design and contemporary styling, Sancheti's Pinnacle brand combines traditional craftsmanship with a look desirable of modern day India. With a collection entitled 'Thar', this seasons look was very much a contemporary fashion take on the time-honored textiles of the Kutch region. Combining traditional techniques of Shibori (a unique stitch resistant technique of the Nebsarai Village), Sindhi Tanka or Kutch stitch with negative appliqué, herringbone, chain and buttonhole stitches in a colour palette of richly hued fuschia, sunset orange, mango, indigo and royal blue, Sancheti's seamlessly layered and meticulously crafted ensembles made more than an impact on Indian Textile Day. 

Bodice by Ruchika Sachdeva 

Infamous for her penchant for 'androgyny, structure and  contrast', Sachdeva sure didn't fail on any mark this season with her fluid collection inspired by the Indian Maharaja and the Sadhu. Elegant, sheer and floaty blouses, feminine pleated skirts and billowing harem pants were neatly nipped with sharply cut blazers whilst pretty pastels and feminine, soft shades of berry and apricot where starkly bordered with black belts and collars. Picking up on that distinctly tailored western edge? No doubt a by-product of days spent studying at London College of Fashion and stemming from an impressive resume of experience working with both Vivienne Westwood and Giles Deacon.

Pia Pauro

Mara Hoffman eat your heart out! There's a new kid on the block and she certainly stole the show this season at Lakmé with her Mexican Folk Art and Aboriginal inspired prints. Aptly named "Espiritu de Mexico", Pauro's collection IS the perfect holiday wardrobe (NB for those of you yet to leave for your summer vacations). Brightly hued beach shorts were paired with printed cami's, easy-wear patterned jersey dresses featured appliqued Mexican motifs and for that evening transition Pauro provided bead encrusted, heavily embroidered mini tube dresses. Oh and she's a graduate of London College of Fashion, can you tell? 

For more information on Lakmé Fashion Week, click here.  

[ INSPIRATION INTERIOR ] Jerome Dahan's Eye-Popping Ethnic Pad

Hello wanderers! Sorry if you've been eagerly awaiting a new post for the past few weeks, but if you're good followers you'll have read my previous announcement regarding my Slovenian sojourn. Wait but a day longer and you shall have a treasure trove of Slovenian imagery to wade through. Exciting times. In the meantime I thought we'd start the week with some good ol' ethnic inspired design. I came across Citizens of Humanity and 7 For All Mankind denim mogul Jerome Dahan's eye-popping pad in yesterdays Sunday Times Style and predictably felt the need to share it. It's like someone robbed a Moroccan souk, time travelled back to the 1960's, got high on acid, fast forwarded back to the modern day, shook up their finds and voilà: a mish-mash explosion of texture, cultural references and colour, aka contemporary ethnicity meets western pop-chic. Confused? Yeh...me too.

Fancy having a crack at this styling your own home like this madman? Here's a few ideas to get you started. Click on the links to buy!

1. Howell Wingback Linen Armchair by Anthropologie 2. Ikat Pillows by Islimi on Etsy 3. Day Bed by MyDeco.com 4. Birdcage Mirror by MyDeco.com 5. Pottery Hookah by Mudcafe on Fabulloso 6. Vintage Southwestern Mexican Striped Ethnic Blanket by SonadoraInLove on Etsy 7. Overdyed Terai Chair by Anthropologie 8. Hand Woven Antique Turkish Kilim Rug by kilimwharehouse on Etsy 9. Macabre Carved Calaveras Skull on Spanish Moss 10. Graywash Antique Style Crystal Embellished Decorative Table Lamp by CC Home Furnishings 11. Kilim Stool by kilimwarehouse on Etsy

[ WANDERING THREADS ON VACATION ] Slovenia 2nd-16th August 2012

1. Lake Bled beautifulplacestovisit.com 2. Ljubjanica River by Lonely Planet 3. Julian Alps by Lonely Planet  4. St George Hill by Lonely Planet 4.  5. Rock Mountain Stone Castle by getintravel.com

They say that a vacation 'is having nothing to do and all day to do it in', but I'm not sure that entirely applies when you've got a 7D, a country full of towering castles, beautiful Balkan coastline, medieval towns and mountains worthy of the Sound of Music. If you hadn't guessed already from the title, I'm off on vacation to Slovenia for the next two weeks, personally guided by an expert countryman (and lady!) who I had the pleasure to meet in China during my big Asian Adventure last year. 'Just another day in the life of Wandering Threads' I hear you sigh, well sort of. I'm stressing the term 'vacation' as I'll actually be laptop free for this one, so if you like what you see already, make sure you check back in in a couple of weeks for a Slovenian overload on Wandering Threads. 

In the meantime, as well as perusing past posts, you can keep up to date with my Slovenian wanderings by following me on Twitter, Facebook and of course, the WanderGram (thanks iPod Touch).