Interview: Ceci est UPLA!

 You're walking down the streets of Paris, near Café de Flore and your eyes glance over at an effortlessly stylish women wearing a chic, classic, shoulder bag. In a few seconds you find yourself overwhelmed with questions. "Where did she get it? When was that bag first invented? Is that the secret behind her style?" And if you just keep walking a couple more blocks, you'll find all of the answers in  a 300m2  boutique-studio named UPLA  in the heart of Saint-Germain-des-Près. You enter the shop and are fascinated by all of your choices. The bag that the woman was wearing is available in 25 models and 60 versions each with a different color, material or pattern. 
And how can the UPLA style be described? In four words: "cool, chic, timeless , and so Parisian".

Now, let's return to reality...

Sabine Perring is currently the creative director of UPLA and kindly offered to answer a few questions.I am not going to ruin the surprise for you. Just keep reading and I hope all of your questions will be answered.

 UPLA'S classic "besace du pêcheur"

 1 - Upla is a famous for its classic messenger bag called a "fisherman's pouch" also known as besace du pêcheur in French . How and when was this timeless bag born ?

The Upla brand is born in 1973 in the district Les Halles. This is a symbolic place of the seventies, quite “underground”. The creators were so "avant-gardists" because they have invented the first thematic corner shop, with all the products they loved. You could find Dutch bikes, Crabtree and Evelyn perfumes, such as organic jam, Smith’s carpenter pants, Swedish pull-overs... That’s in 1975 that they invented the fisherman’s pouch. It’s an immediate hit: men and women no longer want to wear a bag on the shoulder, they’re libertarians and want to show a new way of life. This place becomes a must.

2 - The brand was first created in the 70s. Do you think the costumers have changed since then ? 

Yes and no.

No, they have not changed. There is an affective link between our female customers and their pouch: they have become attached to it. Some women follow us since our inception, and we never disappointed them.

And yes, they have changed in the way that our pouch has changed. Now the pouch can be seen on girls from high school or university, at chic parties, with high heels and a little dress. Or you can see it on mothers at the square, who use it to carry the baby bottles and the children snack. These are style completely different by the pouch always looks fresh.

UPLA during the 70s

 3- Seeing strangers wearing one of your bags must still be exiting. How do you fell about that?

  

It makes me very proud to see our bags crossing the boundaries. I can’t help thinking these people have found in our collection something that they really liked.

These are proofs we are right to think about moving to the other side of the Atlantic next year.

4 - As artistic Director of the brand, what does your job consist of? 

First of all, I am surrounded with a very close team, very involved and so bustling with energy. We keep an eye on the tendencies, but we don’t want to lose our identity, our roots, and so we feel free to take only what we want in fashion.

Our first motto is to stay faithful and true to our brand.

My role is quite similar to a conductor: I do anything from the choice of the collection to the production.

 UPLA's atelier

5-Who makes up your design team in your boutique-studio in the heart of Saint Germain-des-Prés?

 We actually have a great commercial space in the heart of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, near the corner of the café de Flore.

For the winter 2011 season, we took the decision to work with some young designers around the pouch. We can’t wait to see the results.

6-Do you think the economic crisis has changed your way of working ? Did it have any impact on the brand ?

 Not really. Women come back to values, and our brand is timeless. They wear our bags, they store them, buy a new color or choose leather instead of cotton, but they always love bringing their old bags out again. It is because they are still in.

 7- Upla's style is simple, chic, elegant and heavily influenced by Parisian style. What kind of woman would wear one of your bags? What does this style represents in terms of personality ?

 A determined woman, who thinks the it-bag is out, and who is not blinded by fashion. She picks up in fashion what she wants, what she thinks is good for her. She is not a prisoner of the trend, she is precise and she prefers safe bets.

She is realistic.

 8-Finally, how would you wear the basic pouch ?

These days, I wear my pouch long, under my haunch, with jeans and a Chanel jacket, with high heel boots. That’s my Saint Germain chic street style.


After reading all this you're probably wondering what does UPLA mean. It stands for
Union des Produits Laitiers et Avricoles (Union of Milk and Poultry Products). If you're curious to know more and see all of the bags, don't think twice and check out the official website of UPLA! You can also purchase any of UPLA'S bags online on their e-boutique. You can also follow UPLA in Facebook. I also wanted to thank Sabine Perring for taking her time to answer these question. Merci!

*All of the images are copyrighted to UPLA















NOTE: Come back soon because I have a surprise for all of you!

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Interview with Emilie from My Little Fashion Diary

Have you ever wanted to read someone else's diary? What if I tell you that the person who owns the diary attends all kinds of fashion events, goes to Fashion Weeks, meets celebrities, and inspires you with the pictures of her "Looks of the Day" that she keeps inside it. Would you read it? Well, if you answered yes (and I hope most of you did) Emilie,gives us the key to her Little Fashion Diary and lets us know more about her world beyond fashion.

Emilie photograped by StockholmStreetStyle

The Trendy Fashionista (me): 1-Tell me something about your life, educational background, and family. What do you actually do for living?
Emilie: 'm French, I studied Marketing and Communication and worked in Paris in fashion during 2 years.
Then I met someone in Luxembourg and moved there. 
I'm now the manager of a real estate and I'm in charge of the Communication department.
TTF: 2-How did you become interested in the world of fashion?
E: I think I've always been interested in fashion, even when I was a child :)







TTF: 3-You have recently been to Paris Fashion Week , attended amazing shows including Dior, Sonia Rykiel, Valentino, and meet many other fashion bloggers, magazine editors, and legends of the fashion
industry. How did you have that amazing opportunity that millions of girls out there would die for? What is something you will never forget about that adventure?
E: Going to Fashion Week is amazing.
You are there, running around, going from a show to another, meeting great bloggers, photographers, models, designers, it's a wonderful experience for any girl who loves fashion!
And it's always amazing to watch all the great looks in the street during this time of the year!
Is there anything I will always remember about this season? Well, at the Valentino show I met Alexa Chung... and she came to me to tell me how much she loved my outfit! I died!

TTF: 4-Everyone knows that during PFW, there are many street style photographers, icons of the fashion industry, and celebrities. So what are a few things to keep in mind when you have to decide what to wear to PFW?
E: The great thing is that during fashion week you can play with clothes and dress as you want! You can be creative and express yourself!
I always stick to my style and wear my favorite items like the Chanel suit or the Balmain jacket you may have seen in my posts! 
I've got some great pieces I use a few times, but in a wonderful way!


TTF: 5-From your blog’s name I’m sure many of your readers wonder if you actually keep a diary or if you have ever kept one in the past. Do you?
E: Yes, I kept a diary when I was a teenager! I really wonder where it can be now! It would be funny to read it!

TTF: 6- What or who inspires you when you style an outfit for some of your posts?
E: I take some inspiration from fashion magazines, street style blogs, my favorite is Stockholm Street Style ( I was so happy to get featured there during Fashion Week), and I like to express myself through my outfits!




TTF: 7- Autumn, your favourite season, is here. What trends are you
definitely following this season?
E: This season, I'm loving shearling, aviators jacket, leopard accessories, brown and camel tons!
TTF: 8- Do you have any dreams you would like to see become true in the next few years?
E: I would love to work for a fashion magazine ;)
 




Do you want to learn more about Emile's fashion world? Then hurry, visit her blog! You can also follow My Little Fashion Diary with Bloglovin', FaceBook, and Twitter.


A big THANK YOU to Emilie for taking her time to answer these questions!






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Interview with Belén from B* A LA MODA

How many of you wished you had a personal stylist at home? Well, if you do, you will probably be thrilled to know that it is possible. 
When I first came across Belen's blog  ,B* A LA MODA, and discovered all its amazing style tips and videos,  I thought that Belén was just like having a stylist home. In her posts she would tell you what to wear on special ocations ,like a job interview, or give you quick tips on how to make the most out of your belts. Today she'll tell us a bit about herself, her life, and her passion for fashion. 






1-How would you describe yourself? What is something about yourself that your readers don’t know yet?

I would describe myself as a passionate person, courageous, family oriented and with a strong will. And very Gemini! 

There is something really important my readers don´t know yet but I will unveil it next Thursday in my blog. :)

2- When and why did you become interested in fashion?

I have always been interesed in some way. I like every aspect of it. I have tried the design, production and sales departments in different companies. Of course, I love wearing clothes too.




3- You started blogging in September 2009. What inspired you to do so?

I started it for professional reasons mainly. My husband and I are in the internet business and we needed to have our own project and understand how it works. We like producing entertainment too, since we are a production company, and that is why we decided to do a video blog.



4-In your blog you say that “there are things that I care more about than fashion”. What are those things?

My family, my friends and my beliefs. 


5-How did you come up with the idea of doing videos with style tips and where do you get them?

Doing videos is something really natural for us. We are shooting almost every day and are used to it. So it came out naturally. Regarding the ideas for the videos, I have to thank my followers for that since they give me the best suggestions you can imagine. 

Video with tips on how to make your legs look longer.




6-Have you ever planned on writing a book with all of your tips?

Yes, we have thought about it, but in order to do it I feel like I should have a valuable opinion. And I am far from that at this point. My husband thinks about this kind of things more than I do. We want to take the project to all the possible levels. We are enterpreneurs by heart and are always thinking about the next step.


7-If you could own someone else’s closet, whose would it be?
Sarah Jessica Parker or Withney Port.

8-What is the best style tip anyone ever gave you?
I can not come up with one at the moment. I am thinking that I haven´t received that many tips. Could you give me one, please? :)





If you are dying to get the best out of your looks, check out  B* A LA MODA for tons of style (video) tips! You'll see yourslef going back there every day. And if you don't want to miss any of the new tips and posts follow B* A LA MODA with Twitter and Bloglovin' and subscribe to the YouTube channel.


Thank you for everything Belén!!!




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Interview with Ana from ABATABA

 When you go inside a bakery, the warm smell of cupcakes, cookies, and cakes invades your nose and welcomes you inside. In Abataba's online shop, there's a good dose of creativity and originality that welcomes you to see the delicious jewelry that Ana makes.  What makes Abataba's jewelry delicious is that it is shaped like cakes, cookies, macarrons and anything you would love to eat at a bakery. If you're hungry to know more about Abataba, read my interview with Ana below.

1-The Trendy Fashionista (me): Why did you first become interested in fashion and especially in designing jewelry?  

Ana: I’m a fashion stylist, so I love fashion. I’ve been ‘designing’ (not in a professional way) jewelry for me and for my friends & family for so long, but three months ago approx., partly motivated by them, I decided to start this project and sell my designs professionally. When I started it, I was looking for something different, unique, because sometimes I felt bored of what I used to be in Fashion.

2-Why did you choose Abataba as your brand’s name? 

 I discovered this name in a palindrome’s book by chance when I was looking for the definitive brand’s name. I really liked it and I chose it.

3-Many of the jewelry you design is shaped like candy or sweets. Do you have any favorite bakeries you often go to where you get inspired?  

Not really. I love sweets but I don’t have a favourite bakery. I try to discover new shops which can inspire me, or I look for interesting and inspiring pictures, films, magazines, books. I think inspiration can be everywhere.

4-Where and how are your items produced?  

All of them are produced in Madrid (Spain). They are all handmade. I make them one by one, that’s why they are unique. And also, my sister Marta helps me a lot.

5-Among all of the multiple designs in your online shop, such as the cookie ring and the cake necklace, which one is your favourite? What is the best-selling product? 

 My favourite... I don’t know... I like all of them, but if I have to choose... maybe the chocolate sandwich necklace, the coffee ring, the silk bracelets.... that’s a difficult question :). Regarding the best-selling product, the tart rings, the chocolate sandwich necklace, croissant earrings...

*I have to say that www.abataba.com is in Spanish and English!

6-In your online shop there is a page for Personalized Orders. How does that work?  

In this section, customers tell us what they want and we just make it. For instance, if they are looking for an accessory in a different colour, or if they want something exclusive... they send us an e-mail with their ideas and we come them true.

7-Have you thought about expanding your designs and creating clothes or bags?  

Yes, maybe in the future. We are thinking about it...

8-What other people make up your designing team?  

As I told you before, my sister, Marta, helps me a lot. She always has wonderful ideas!

9-Since this is a blog about fashion, how would you describe your personal style?

I like trends, of course, and it’s part of my job, but I don’t follow all of them ‘blindly’, I adapt them to me.

10-Is there anything interesting you are working on at the moment? 

 I’m always working and looking for new things. We hang up new items every week in www.abataba.com. Now I’m working on more sweet jewelry and new earrings, necklaces and bracelets. And, also, I’m starting to prepare some brooches. Our visitors will discover them so soon!  

11-Do you have any dreams you would like to achieve with your brand? 

 I’ve just started this amazing project, so I have a lot of dreams... I hope they will come true! For the time being, ABATABA is just a dream became true!!

 So, what are you waiting for and check out abataba's online shop. Abataba also has a very inspiring blog and recently joined twitter. You can follow abataba on twitter or become a fan on Facebook and get all of the latest news. I also want to thank Ana for making this opportunity possible. Thank you Ana!

Source of images: www.abataba.com
Second collage from Abataba's blog.
Note: Collages made by me.

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Interview with Sabrina from afterDRK

Looking for new blogs is like a treasure hunt, you never really know what you're going to find.  Once, I was really lucky to come across afterDRK, a blog by a 22 year old Dutch girl named Sabrina. From then on, I keep going back to find to fullfill myself with the inspiration that this amazing blogger  offers. 

Sabrina ,who descrives herself as a "22 year old fashion-addict putting her outfits, cravings and thoughts up and around on the internet", shares what's behind her blog in this opportunity I got to interview her.

1- Since most of your readers probably haven’t met you in real life, how would you describe your personality to give them a clear picture of who you are?

Well, apart from the whole fashion loving person that I am (which you probably all know already), I think the best way to answer this is to give a couple of key words about me. I'm kind of a stickler, if there's something that I want I'm gonna go for it no matter what and don't stop until I have it. What is working a little against me while being a stickler is that I am a perfectionist too. I'm never done with working on something, cause there's always things that can be done better. And I am an extremely caring person. I'm always hoping for the best for everyone and I try to always respect people in a way that they respect me.

2- Why did you start bloging and what has continuously motivated you to do so?

I started blogging because I was getting this big amount of inspiration of other bloggers and I wanted to see if I could give a little inspiration back. For me this is my way to express myself, I used to do this by drawing a lot when I was little and this slowly changed into fashion (though I still like to draw sometimes).

3- How did you come up with After DRK as your blog’s name? Does it have any special meaning ?

AfterDRK means that time of the day right after it gets dark. I chose this name because of something I'm planning to do in the near future, but you're going to have to see.

4- When did you first become envolve in the world of fashion? Why?

When I was a little girl, my mom always used to drag me to all different kinds of shopping cities through out our country. She just loves shopping and everything that has to do with fashion so I think it's kinda in my genes haha. Though my sister doesn't share this interest at all.

5- Besides fashion and blogging what are your other interests?

As I already said I really like to draw, I'm a food loving person, enjoy hanging out with my friend and explore the world.

6- You’re often invited to fashion events like Amsterdam Fashion Week, Elle Beach Boat Parade, and LuisaViaRoma event. What was the best experience you had in those events?

I think to get invited to Florence for the LuisaViaRoma event was the most special, because there were lots of other bloggers that I am following for a long time now and it was a big honor for me to be able to be there with them. Also that I got recognized in London at a really nice party by people that I recognized from tv.

Sabrina at the Elle Beach Boat Parade


7- Anyone who reads your blog probably knows that you are a huge fan of Finsk wedges. What other designers or brands do you like?
This changes from time to time. I'm really into Scandinavian brands such as Acne. Their designs are always so clean, but with that special twist or edge that makes it interesting. There's a couple of Dutch designers that I'm a big fan of like Ilja Visser and Iris van Herpen and internationally I love Alexander Wang, though I didn't like his last collection at all.



Sabrina and her Finsk wedges


8- What beauty product can you not live without?
Anything MAC, I'm a huge fan of that brand.



9- How do you feel about being about having the whole Dutch fashion world looking at you at the moment?
I don't really see it like that, but it's amazing to be getting a lot of opportunities and be able to do something in this industry that I really love and started all by myself.

10- Now that you have recently graduated, what do you plan to do in your future? Do you have any fashion related goals you would like to achieve?
Yes I do have a big fashion related dream that I'm going for, but I'm not going to tell about it yet, sorry!






I also  want to thank Sabrina for the opportunity and for sharing new things with us. Thank you  Sabrina!
If you're dying to check out her blog click here. You will probably find yourslef eager to see Sabrina's  next post and will be visiting constantly, just like me! :) If you don't want to miss any of her posts you can follow her with Bloglovin'.

Note: All images above belong to afterDRK.


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-The Trendy Fashionista

She's Got the Scrapbook: Interview with Tuuli from Fallie's Scrapbook

There are so many  creative and talented bloggers out there  who can immensely inspire you. Tuuli J is a thirteen year old girl who blogs from Estonia and is my regular source of inspiration. In her blog Fallie's Scrapbook she shares with the rest of the world her daily outfits and some drawings of big-head models wearing inspired garments from famous designer's collections. Even if you are busy now and probably have tons of other things to do, take a look at my interview with Tuuli. You'll be amazed at how creative this girl is. 

Me: You first started blogging in April 2009. Who inspired you to start a blog? 

Tuuli from Fallie's Scrapbook: Mostly my sister, but also tons of other bloggers. When I saw all these amazing blogs, I also wanted to show off my artwork and get feedback from others.

If your real name is Tullie, why is your blog called Fallie’s Scrapbook?

Well, actually my real name is Tuuli, but many people call me Tulli, Tullie or Fallie, but truth is that Fallie was just my username on several social networks long time ago and I started to like this name and used it as my blog title.

Most of your readers know what you do in your blog. Besides blogging what other things do you enjoy doing in your free time? 

I go to art school three times a week, where I draw, paint and study art history which actually pretty interesting. I also like to spend time with my classmates and friends.

A drawing of Alexa Chung by Tuuli. Amazing, uh?

Everyone begins to develop their own personal style when they are around 12, your age. How would you describe your style? 

I've never been able to describe my style, because it’s really changing. One day it’s girly, the other day it’s very boyish again. I think I can say that it is like a chameleon - changes according to its mood.

Where do you get your inspiration for your outfits? 

Most of the inspiration comes from streetstyle pages, lookbook and loads of other cool bloggers. I also like to flip through tons os fashion magazines and art books.

If you could name 5 of your favourite items in your closet, what would they be? 

Striped nautical mini dress, new harem pants, snake-skin patterned assymetrical shirt, high waisted denim shorts, dr. marten look-a-likes and so many more.

Your sister Anni also has a blog called Style Hurricane. Do you enjoy having someone that can share your passion for blogging and fashion? 

Yes, it’s really great that there’s someone who I can share my opinion and passion with. My sister also buys my clothes and takes photos of my outfits.

Drawing of Tavi from Style Rookie by Tuuli

One of the most original things you draw are those big-head models with outfits inspired from designers’ collections. How did that idea pop into your mind? 

When I first started my blog I had this lack-of-ideas period and I just flipped through my sister’s fashion folders. I found an interesting dress from there and just decided to draw it on a sketchy model, but when I started to draw designer clothes regularly I decided to draw a special model for that, and as I didn’t want to draw these usual fashion illustrations I just drew a really big lollipop head to my model.


The army of models:

Miu Miu





Chloé





Givenchy





Burberry Prorsum

 Thanks for reading! I also wanted to thank Tuuli for taking her time to answer these questions. If you haven't visited her blog yet what are you waiting for! Click here. 

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Note: All of the images are from Fallie's Scrapbook