Geeky Chic

It is with great pleasure and tremendous excitement that we announce the launch of our online fashion and design magazine, The Genteel ( www.thegenteel.com ). It’s almost hard to believe we’re finally here. We have come a very long way in such a short amount of time. My partner, Irene, and I have worked very hard to create a product that is founded on our deep passion for fashion, journalism and life! And here we are, curtains drawn back. We could not be more thrilled and proud of our baby. 

This online magazine is the definitive source for informed men and women such as yourselves, who desire global, in-depth, and intelligent stories on fashion and design. 

We could not have done it alone. Our global team of contributors shape The Genteel. On a daily basis, the publication dispatches thought-provoking and insightful articles from the streets of Oslo, Toronto, Beirut, Moscow, United Arab Emirates, Seoul and beyond. Today a contributor from Tokyo joins us! 

I always said that The Genteel is to be viewed as a fashionable “Economist” publication. Our daily bulletin includes stories told through the lens of Business, Culture, Society, Design, Best Kept Secrets, Commentary and Street Style. 

At this point I invite you to visit The Genteel [ www.thegenteel.com ] and enjoy a new perspective on global fashion and design. We also encourage you to “Like” our Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/TheGenteelMagazine and follow us on Twitter @thegenteel as we will be promoting stories as they come in. 

Sincerely yours, 

Mona Chammas 
Editor-in-Chief, The Genteel

The Genteel magazine editorial calendar for September and the first two weeks of October is packed! Though we’re missing male contributors as the line up is dominated by female correspondents (not a bad thing!) If you or anyone you know is interested in contributing to The Genteel, please let us know at contribute@thegenteel.com. Local (Canada) or international. For more information on The Genteel, see previous post. 

Thanks

Mona

—-

Mona Chammas

Editor-in-Chief

The Genteel

Hi all, 

You’ll notice a slight hiatus on Geeky Chic. This is because i’ve been busy with the production and editorial line up for The Genteel, my new online fashion magazine to be launched on September 20th. A little about The Genteel for those of you who are new to the idea. 

The Genteel is bringing something fresh to fashion publication. We’re all about bringing quality fashion journalism to our readers through an international lens of business, culture, society and design. We are global in scale, reporting from the ground-up, beyond the fashion hubs of Paris, New York, London and Milan. We (as writers, readers, fashion enthusiasts, life-long learners and engaged citizens) would love to find and read content of this depth and subject matter, and we strongly believe there are readers and writers who feel the same. What does this mean for this blog? Well, it will eventually dissolve. Good news is we are bringing it with us to The Genteel as a street style column. I am heading up The Genteel as Editor-in-Chief, and Irene Kim, my business partner, as Editor-at-Large

Since we are a global magazine, not only are we looking for international writers, but local writers who want to scale their repertoire. We’re are also about stories that discuss fashion in various contexts across cities. In addition, part of our vision is to be a platform from which writers can build their brand and profile. 

Anyone who is interesting in joining our growing network of foreign correspondants can e-mail contribute@thegenteel.com. Please send us your storie ideas and pitches. We’d love to hear from you. 

Otherwise, see you on September 20th! 

Today I turned 30, and while I’ve knowingly beaten that fact into most of your heads, it’s a monumental age for me for so many reasons. When I was but a youngling I would often gaze out the window of my overly cramped and tiny school bus wondering what it would be like to be 30. I also had this provoking sensation that I was meant to do something tremendous. I felt different as a child, and obviously I didn’t know what that meant at the time or what it would translate to. All I knew is that I did that weird thing in the bus when I would just shut you out, peer out and wonder about my life. I guess that’s not such an uncommon thing to do when you’re a kid who’s insanely introverted. Nevertheless, I felt different and at times was labeled weird, which in retrospect is a compliment.

Little did I know when I was 11 or so that whatever that feeling of being different was would ALL unfold in my 20s. In light of this, I’d like to dedicate some time to virtually pen an ode to my 20s.  Oh, 20s. You have been so harsh and so kind. You gave me my first experience away from my parents, far, FAR away at 21. You made an independent out of me. You outed me to my family at 22. You gave me my first, honest relationship the same year. It ended in turmoil. The next one ended similarly, and so did the one after that. Good times! You also taught me to love deeply for the first time, and so on. You made me move to 4 different cities across oceans, on my own, and to move homes 8 times.  You taught me to get far, very quickly. I got hired a WHOLE bunch of times, and got fired once. You taught me to follow my dreams, by starting a business, which brings me passion and happiness beyond what I thought would be the case when I was 11, contemplating 30.

Want to know why else turning 30 is momentous? I’ll tell you. When I was 11, I was petrified of my father. Those of you who grew up with me in that sleepy island of Cyprus know how scary he was when he would yell at us from within his bedroom that overlooked the pool, where we would jump and splash around, for disturbing his daily siesta. At 20 I was distant from him, and he from me.  There was love for sure, but distance undoubtedly. I remember one day in my early 20s I made fun of my father for sticking to archaic ways of running his publishing business. I wanted him to go digital, and he just didn’t get it. So what he proposed instead was for me to run his publishing house using technology to evolve and innovate. How do you think I responded to that proposition? Yep, I dismissed the idea before it could settle. My father always peppered in the notion of me becoming a journalist when I was younger. I said no. He offered me his publishing company based on in depth reporting on oil economy and country risk profiling in the Middle East. I said, hell no! And now, my friends, I am 30. My father and I have never been this close. I am also the owner and CEO of a publishing company. I am the Editor-in-Chief of a global online fashion magazine to be launched late September. Have I come full circle? Perhaps. What I do know is I ran away from something my father put in front of me for 28 years, until that one pivotal year in which I yielded. In fact, I came to what seemed most natural to me on my very own, in my very own way. I’ve never felt more connected to my Dad even though we don’t speak regularly.  You know what? I’ve never felt more connected to myself.

So, yes, turning 30 is momentous and I plan on milking it for as much as it’s worth. Here’s to an epic 30 years ahead! I truly love and cherish all who have supported me on my journey to get here.

Yours,

Mona…

Your daughter

Your friend

Your colleague

Your Editor-in-Chief

Your sister

Your cousin

You aunt

Your CEO

Your future girlfriend

Your future wife

Like Mona, I have had my share of girl crushes before, but have you ever had a family crush? You know, where you have had to think twice about breaking-up with an ex because you would have missed his/her kin? Melissa and I spotted Stefanie and her family (mother, father, aunt and uncle) taking a stroll on a hot Sunday afternoon in Toronto. We started chatting, and as it turns out, all are involved in the arts in one way or another - actors, interior designers, screenwriters.They were all very warm, the ladies very fashionable (sorry dad!) and also very supportive of our upcoming magazine, The Genteel!

Naturally, creative expression runs through Stefanie’s veins – she studies fashion design, shuffling between Toronto and Paris to learn and develop her craft. She looked positively angelic in a radiant summer white dress, with a chic gamine cut to match! Her pop of colour a la clutch and scarf completed her look perfectly. Stefanie, I am looking forward to following your work!

Writing by Irene Kim, photos by Melissa Sung

——

The Goods: 

Dress, Line
Shoes, Aldo (not shown)
Bag, Louis Vuitton
Scarf, Ted Baker
Sunglasses, Ray-ban 

Make-up artist Ashley Lovsin is a photographer’s dream - striking, stylish and a radiant spirit to boot.  First, her hair.  I have always appreciated a great short cut on a woman and looking at Ashley, how could one not appreciate it too?  The cut highlights her features and captures her personality beautifully.  She has done many variations of the short cut in the past, and this one in particular was inspired by an unlikely coupling.  The side shave was inspired by talented Swedish pop star, Robyn (“doing amazing things these days!”), and the platinum white by the dignified elegance of ladies of a certain age.  I love hearing from where people draw their style inspiration as it reminds me that inspiration can literally come from anywhere.   

As for her outfit, Ashley’s black could very well have been white.  The combination of sheer materials and delicate details resulted in a feel that was far from somber, but rather sweet and light!  

But, even Ashley, with her bold style, feels security with a little length on top of her head.  I understand where Ashley is coming from, but I say to go with whatever she wants - her instincts are right on! 

Story by Irene Kim, photos by Melissa Sung
——
The Goods:
Top, Sirens
Skirt, Value Village ($2.99!)
Shoes, Spring  

Hello everyone! Geeky Chic, Inc is looking for fashion journalism interns and writers from Toronto, Montreal, NYC, Beirut, Seoul, Paris, Berlin… OK, our upcoming magazine is global so we’re really looking for contributors everywhere. Can you point me in the right direction as to the journalism schools I can contact to submit a job posting for interns? You can send me your recommendations to mona@geekychic.ca

Thank you! 

Mona

White on white is definitely a colour matching situation that is hard to pull off, at least in my books. Safer circumstances in which women can go full on white is typically in the summertime and even then you’d be hard pressed to find an outfit that does not look tacky. Not in this case, not even close. Both Angela and Irene look spectacular in white. 

The linen shorts on Angela (above) and Irene are incredibly summer chic, and this is a measurable attribute, people. Amidst the scorching heat we seem to be enduring, these shirts and knitted shorts make their owners look breezy and comfortable next to their hot and bothered neighbours. The cool (pun intended) trick to both Angela and Irene’s white outfits is they feel delicate, but their materials, which are made of heavier fibres, feel comfortable and practical at the same time. Notice how both their tops have longer sleeves! And the only glisten to be had is of the variety that seeps from their style. White, comfortable outfits are in full throttle here, and I need an encore.

Photo credit: Irene Kim

——

The Goods: 

Angela

Shirt, The Gap

Shorts, Club Monaco

Shoes, H&M

Bag, Aldo

Dog, King Charles Cavalier (my favourite!) named Finn

Irene

Cable knit shirt, Banana Republic

Shorts, Club Monaco

Shoes, Marc Jacobs

Bag, Gucci

Sunglasses, Marc by Marc Jacobs

Comptoir des Cottoniers is a French brand that captures the French aesthetic of effortless chic, an essence closer to “jolie laide” in the sense of unconventional attractiveness than to stilettos and mini skirts striding along cobble-stone boulevards. One could peg the likes of Charlotte Gainsbourg as a leading lady of this style, with her simplicity and ardor wrapped in Balenciaga.

I felt like a mini-celebrity entering Soho’s CdC, as all of their sales associates approached me to point out that I was wearing one of their dresses!  One of the associates who approached me was Thea Murvanidze, a Georgian-born, New York-based artist with an effervescent personality and dressed head-to-toe in CdC (with Frye boots). Not surprisingly, Thea’s craft inspires her fashion and, most likely, vice versa.  In her fashion choices (and her art, perhaps?), Thea said that she likes to mix and (un)match textures and colours, and the masculine and feminine, with interesting and surprising results. True to her word, she chose to wear her very feminine and flowery jumper with heavier leather boots and aviators - in true jolie- laide form. (I loved Thea’s jumper so much that I ended up buying it for myself!)

The Goods:

La Combi-Pantalan, Comptoir des Cottoniers

Boots, Frye

Ballerinas, Lanvin

——

Photos and story by Irene Kim

This post marks my last of the current inhabitants at Starch in Beirut. Though I am looking forward to seeing what new labels arise from the boutique-cum-design incubator, I want to pay one last homage to the crew.  

This is my second piece on Deena Wassef, Lebanese Egyptian designer for Emily Cremona. Make no mistake, she is a force to be reckoned with. Such is the case with her S/S 2011 collection. Ah yes, the collection, with it’s greige tones, asymmetrical lines and deconstructed volume. Where Danielle from Deviations designs for the playful princess in women, Deena designs for her counterpart, the pale and deranged princess. Such is the look that is Emily Cremona, an intended contradiction in it’s own right among the mainstream in Lebanon. If you check out the collection in store (hurry! the collection will not be at Starch for much longer) or on the website, you get the sense that the inspiration is somewhat akin to a rather despondent Alice in Wonderland, both physically and mentally lost in the depth of the woods. This visual genius stemming from Deena Wassef is worth keeping tabs on as she is takes her first steps as an independent local designer. 

I have some exciting news for Geeky Chic. On Wednesday, Geeky Chic became Geeky Chic, Inc. Yes, people, we’ve gone corporate. This is not to be confused with the suit wearing, stuffiness that is often associated with the word. In fact we incorporated Geeky Chic to start making magic, the kind that will take the street style blog to a whole new dimension. I cannot divulge much at this point because we are in early stage development of this exciting new venture, but I will tell you some. First of all, who is this “we” I speak of, you ask? Quick story behind that: on a fine winter’s day I spotted a beautiful tartan wearing woman whose picture I had to take. So I did, and immediately after that we forged a friendship based on almost identical outlooks in life(style), ambitions and dreams. Months later I approached her to become an integral part of this idea I had for a business and through a series of conversations she joined me. She is now a partner and driving force behind Geeky Chic, Inc.

So why Geeky Chic, Inc? Well, it started with the blog. The one differentiating factor behind it are the stories and depth of content behind every picture I take. It’s what you all like about the blog too. So I took that notion and ran with it towards an idea that extends it in scope and scale. I decided to start a global online magazine based on niche, quality and in depth fashion journalism. Up until this point, I cannot reveal more but believe me when I say, this is something I am over the moon about. I’ve put a great deal of thought, planning and HEART into this, and i’m beyond excited to launch and reveal it. This won’t happen for another two to three months.

I’d like to close by saying that a substantial portion of my inspiration to go forward with this idea is the feedback and love you all have given me behind the stories i’ve endeavoured to tell on Geeky Chic. This blog is not going away for the time being, and when the magazine launches we will find it a home in the magazine. 

So for now… thank you and stay tuned!

Mona

These women come in a pair, along with those pants. I first spotted them at Starch boutique in Saifi Village, hobnobbing around as close friends joined at the hip. When I caught up to them afterwards, they immediately assumed I wanted to do a story in ridicule of the fact that they both wore fuchsia pants at the same time. Far from the truth. In fact I actually marvelled at how similar they looked with their fuchsia pants, relaxed buttoned blue shirt, clutch in hand and their perfectly imperfect tousled hair, yet each one looked exceptionally unique. I saw these ladies again on my flight back to Toronto, during the Beirut to Paris leg of the trip (tiny world, I know!). No doubt these best friends spend a lot of quality (shopping) time together, which may attribute to looking similar style-wise. Whatever the case may be, they looked individually wonderful, chic and comfortable, ingredients that seldom live together in harmony.

(Photo: The Travel Case)

Artisans in Lebanon are a dime a dozen. If you are lucky, however, you stumble upon those precious gems whose story is as enticing as it’s manifestations, i.e. the product. Ghita is one such character I had the pleasure of meeting during my yearly pilgrimage to Starch, a boutique with a to die for concept likened to an incubator for young Lebanese designers. Ghita’s road to becoming an artisan is not unique per se. The majority of designers I met in Beirut typically studied something completely different in university, followed by taking a sharp turn towards their true calling. Story of our lives? What makes Ghita unique are the concepts and stories she’s made a grab for in the spirit of developing a very personal collection. 

Ghita, a Starch boutique baby, is soon to take her first steps on her own as a “grown up” accessories artisan. Recall I mentioned in my original Starch article that the boutique works very much like an art gallery. Burgeoning interior, clothes and accessories designers collectively showcase their work for a given amount of time before the next crop. Ghita was chosen to exhibit her accessories based on her portfolio from Domus Academy in Milan. After two successful collections to her name, literally, Ghita is on a roll. 

(Photo: Saddle Ring)

So what’s behind the collection? Shel Silverstein’s Edge of the World, if you will. Ghita took the notion behind the world being flat and challenged herself to question how flat materials take shape. How does it become voluminous and something of substance? These musings lent themselves to designing accessories, such as bags, that start off flat and then take shape through folding and layers. My favourite is the treasure chest in large and small. Below is the small version. I love how in each of Ghita’s designs on her website she brings you back to the concept in which she designed the bag; from flatness to folding. I urge you to visit her website to check out the rest of her “treasure chests”.

The wonderful thing about global street style is the number of impromptu run ins one comes across with people who are somehow connected to you. Traversing through Gemmayze, an eclectic Beirut district of alternative art, fashion, cafes, restaurants and bars, I approached a woman waiting by an old cobbler. I thought her style was defiantly unique for what I normally see amongst Lebanese women. Masculine lines with bouts of bold and chunky. Danielle’s look is entirely her own, that is to say she designed the clothes she wore that day, minus the Raybans of course. The real story between Danielle and I is that she had been following Geeky Chic for a while and once made a comment of praise on my Facebook page. I was totally unaware of the fact when we met. In fact when I met Danielle in person I did not know who she was and vice versa. We made the connection after I told her I was a street style journalist based in Canada. Moments like these make me feel that the notion of our world being small is widely understated.

Two doors down from the cobbler is Deviations, the boutique where Danielle is the head designer. Before I entered the store, I could not help but notice a giant mirror adjacent to the door. Store owner, Amer, cleverly placed this mirror next to the store entrance to satisfy the narcissist in every Lebanese woman. The idea is that you look at yourself in the mirror, and then naturally at the store’s display of flattering evening dresses, all in an effort to inspire you to check out that sexy yellow number you can now so easily envision wearing (thanks to the mirror). 

The story of Amer and Deviations is an interesting one. It’s a 25 year old brand, born in Los Angeles. The original concept behind Deviations included fetish wear, slits, studs and the like. The inspiration behind the aesthetic of a deviated look so to speak was a marriage between ’80s goth from NYC and Rock ‘n Roll L.A. The line was dominated by lycra to emphasize the woman’s body at all times. Some of Amer’s clients included Cher, Courtney Love and Annie Lennox. Deviants for sure. The advent of 9/11 brought Amer and Deviations back to Lebanon. A small part of the Lebanese culture at the time responded to Amer’s look. It wasn’t until Danielle came in and started designing for Deviations with more volume, colours and details, that more and more Lebanese women started warming up to the brand. These days a good amount of Lebanese women buy clothes from Deviations to wear abroad. 

Deviations today, with Danielle at the helm, is inspired by fairy tales. Such is evident via trims, notions, details and playful colours. Many of Danielle’s dresses are embedded by wires that enable the look of the dress to change according to the woman wearing it. How fun! The brand and Danielle’s fairytales that come with it ensues with a bridal line of hers named Doochi. Doochi has not deviated from it’s mother ship entirely. The line caters to women who are non conformists, unconventional and unique. 

Ever watch the movie, Serendipity? The one with quirky John Cusack and English cool Kate Beckinsale? If you’ve watched it, you’ll know that the title is named after the eponymous café located at a hop, skip and a jump away from Bloomingdales in Manhattan. The café had since become a hotspot for tourists seeking to live a little of it’s charm portrayed in the movie, and who knows, perhaps randomly meet their soulmate? 

What would happen if you took the essence of Serendipity, stripped it of it’s tacky interior decor and created a chic rendition to the umpteenth degree in Beirut? Well I have news for all ye folk in and around Beirut and those interested to travel to Beirut. If you covet the beguiling little corner café with promise of character and warmth you must not miss Sugar n’ Lace. 

Sugar n’ Lace is one of those cafés you cannot help but peer through the door and windows to catch a glimpse of the delectable looking cupcakes, croissants and cakes. The interior is laced with, well, lace. You’d be hard pressed to not want to seat yourself on the garden tea room-esque furniture. 

Perhaps what dazzled me most about Sugar n’ Lace where the arcades in traditional Lebanese stone. It transformed a quintessential Western chic corner cafe into a Middle Eastern one. What other little café can simultaneously look so grandiose? I have not seen this affect anywhere else, and trust me, i’ve been to many cafés in many cities. 

As for what’s on the menu, you can mostly find the usual cupcake, croissant, coffee, tea and hot chocolate variety. Those of you who know me are more than aware of the fact that I do not deviate from my typical café fare, consisting of some sort of croissant and the house hot chocolate. Without a shadow of a doubt, the hot chocolate at Sugar n’ Lace was one of the best I’ve ever had. The chocolate sprinkles gave the drink a slight crunch, which admittedly was a foreign feeling to begin with, but the concoction did a great job balancing sweet levels. 

Beirutis, neighbours and the travel elite: take sanctuary from the hustle and bustle of the city at Sugar ‘n Lace. Order the cappuccino or the hot chocolate, and pair it with a crispy croissant, plain cupcake with blueberry toppings, or whatever tickles your pastry sensibilities. You will not be disappointed. 

Nicosia, the last divided capital in Europe is commonly characterized as a pastiche of old and new. One of the world’s oldest cities, Nicosia has rapidly been playing catch up ever since Cyprus has joined the European Union in 2004 along with Malta. Developed infrastructure such as chic resto-lounges, wider streets, a newly renovated airport and of course a blitz of Café trottoires, of which you’ll find the majority of the Cypriot population at all hours of the day, are among many indicators that this once sleepy island is now turning into a maturing European hub.

But what about the pockets of Nicosia that have remained intact and untouched by cosmetics? Incubated within Nicosia, they are not within a proverbial wall, but an actual one. Old Nicosia lies within the Venetian built walls, initially constructed in 1567 to protect it’s people from imminent Ottoman attack. Much of the wall remains, as does the culture and lifestyle of the Cypriots within it. 

Old Nicosia is a time warp in it’s finest form. Narrow streets and old houses with ornate balconies extending from sandstone walls, and craftsmen in small workshops practice trades unchanged for centuries.

As for street style, the divide between old and new Nicosia is eye opening. Instead of running into brand hugging, trend following Cypriots most notably found smoking cigarettes and drinking frappés at modern cafes, I found types who prescribe to counter culture and alternative (life)styles. 

They call him Butterfly (below). He is a political philosophy writer whose personal style is in such conflict with the growing establishment of Euro chic Cyprus. 

My guide, Pascal (below), who also happens to be my brother in law, lies at the intersection between the inner and outer layers of the wall. He is tired of the hoi polloi of the “new Cypriots” as I like to call them, so he retreats every once in a while within the walls for some authenticity found in the people and the tiropita. He often marvels at the people he sees among him on the street, often asking himself where these people come from?

My sojourn within the Venetian walls of old Nicosia was an adventure in time, culture and style. In my first 16 years of living in Cyprus, I had never ventured this deep. Although I was pleased that such a micro world existed within Nicosia, and that almost 100% of it was preserved from centuries past, I was hoping for it to be less isolated from Nicosia at large. For one, i’d like to see more modern boutiques set up shop within the walls, while maintaining and respecting the cultural and architectural integrity of the area. I saw few examples of this within the more outer layers of the wall, bordering new Nicosia. I definitely think it would sprout a whole new dimension on a fashion front as an inspirational backdrop for burgeoning Cypriot designers.