Only the Marvelous: Summer, Kind of Wonderful

Last week, I was invited for a private lunch by the team of Preview Magazine and of Privato Hotel to give us a very casual (yet absolutely classy... well it's Preview, what else did you expect?) sit-down to get to know each other more and to somehow, get our feedback regarding the new redesign of the magazine and also, to introduce the new cover for April featuring Sam Pinto. It was a nice opportunity to have a sit down and chat about all things fashion (and other things not...) and of course be given such a sumptuous and absolutely flavorful 5-course meal amidst an absolutely sleek and well-designed hotel restaurant which had the bright April sun peeking through its glass windows, highlighting the brilliant design of the place. It was such a delicious sight to behold and I am so glad to be a part of it (with my FOSSIL Dominique Tiu) of course. I think it is always nice to meet new people and talk to those who help shape and reinvent the industry which I belong to. More so, I find it a privilege and an honor that they actually wanted to hear our thoughts as well and pick our minds about how we feel about what they were doing. I highly appreciate and respect people who actually take the time (because they are genuinely concerned) to get feedback from their consumers. I think it speaks volumes on how they are very eager to learn from other people. Ultimately, to be able to preach... one has to have to ability to live curious and also learn... right?

I have always loved Preview for its originality and for the fact that every year, the editors actually take time to redesign and reinvent the magazine to make it more fresh and up-to-date for its readers. Being a long time reader of the magazine (and I mean that in the consistent way,) I am very much in love with Preview's new look. The redesign is so different form anything you see in fashion magazines nowadays, which I think is what exactly makes Preview the country's Style Bible. I love the elements of the redesign- the most obvious one being the more minimalist theme of the cover which I have to say is amazing because it is clean and uncluttered. Personally, I never really read the words splashed all over a magazine's cover. I buy magazines because I am a long-time reader or because I happen to like the cover...not because something in the words scattered all over appeal to me. More so, I feel that despite the minimalist theme, in one look, you already immediately get a glimpse of what is in store inside the magazine.

The way the two new covers (so far) of Preview are such that in one look, you somehow have an idea of what the theme is of the issue with the magazine not having to put so many words splashed on the cover. It is a relief that this bold move was made as it is unlike anything I have ever seen and it actually not only works for me... but it actually appeals to me greatly. Aside from the cover being so clean, concise and artistic and modern, when I opened the magazine, I was so happy to see that redundancy and spoilers were avoided. I love the lay-out and more so, the new font (yes I am one of the people privy to those fine details) is easier to the eye and makes reading it easier and more importantly, more fun. I love the lay-out and how it presents the trends more in a scrapbook manner which makes it more personal and relate-able rather than stiff and too put together. More so, the feature of style iconoclasts in the editorial section is fab. The use and emphasis of adding graphic art in the layouts and photos is absolutely genius! I can go on and on to give praises on the magazine but I guess from my own review, you could surmise, I am all head over heels with this new Preview. Definitely a two thumbs up for me.

I am sure it was a huge risk to take to redesign in such a massive level but in the end, I think it pulled through as it remains true to its name: it gives readers a real and relate-able preview of what's going on in the fashion industry.To relate this to a more personal level, as I look back over the significant teachers in my life, one of the characteristics that consistently stands out is their curiosity. We sometimes think that curiosity is reserved for youth and is natural only in young children. However, I think I had to agree with Eleanor Roosevelt when she sad, "Life was meant to be lived and curiosity must be kept alive. One must never, for whatever reason, turn his back on life." I am sure that if we think about the the people we have known, those that we remember most vividly are those who remained incurably curious throughout their lives. There is an intimate link between curiosity and aliveness. Curiosity appears to be in the gene bank of the human species. Personally, I have to say to myself, that my curiosity is not dead even though it may seem to have been slumbering for a while.

To relate this to my outfit...I wore this on the 1st April... and I know: April Fool's Day. The date couldn't have been more of a coincidence as I sincerely believe that April comes like an idiot, babbling, and strewing flowers. I believe that one of the gifts of life is the changing of the weather and the seasons. April does seem to enter "like an idiot" sometimes... a playful, energetic, sparkling idiot that brings in riots...riots of flowers Summer gives us longer days to enjoy and a time for laziness, if we accept the offers of summer. I think I wanted to portray that acceptance with this outfit which is a tangerine and white ensemble, made more playful and casual by the pretty blue floral blue and white blazer I added on.

Summer is all about being colorful and bright and shiny, thus the ensemble. I believe that in living with the seasons, we receive many gifts. Accepting nature's gift of the seasons is like opening brightly colored packages, loosely tied with crinkled ribbons. Just like the seasons, we find the circumstances of our lives having the ability to change. It doesn't very happen too often, but when it does, it's almost always right. Sometimes, it takes opening up to new people and letting them in. Most of the time, it takes just one resolution to something you have been trying to get right all this time. Sometimes, it takes just one person who is truly afraid to show what they feel and then finally getting the justice they never thought possible. (Ehem, that's me!) And then some things never change. But the end of each season signals in the beginning of a new one... so we find ourselves looking to the future...But you can't deny that there's something in the air that brings out the true colors in everyone...that's for sure.