Liene Linke

Hello, Fashion Babes! This is my last post of this year and I am very proud of introducing you the newborned brand from Latvia. LIENE LINKE's 
 first collection came out on the 20^th of June 2015. Liene Liņķe is both the creative director and the main maker of all LIENE LINKE garments.

" Clothing plays a great role in our day to day lives; it is, after all, the closest material thing to our bodies - our second skin,"- says Liene. "It protects us; it helps to convey a certain message about ourselves and sets the mood. Today, life in the city is as busy and fast changing as ever… demanding to always be prepared for the unexpected.  The brand’s mission therefore is to explore the different aspects of one’s lifestyle in the city and create appropriate purpose minded design products for the city dwellers."

 "Liene, can you please tell us about your last collection?" "LIENE LINKE’s latest collection is divided in two parts. The main (Bordo) part continues to explore the functional box pockets and splash patterns ( introduced in collection 01) in everyday wear. "The second part which consists of two reflective outerwear pieces is my first take on the safety and visibility issue during the season of darkness and precipitation.

For the ultimate “city girl” who is always on the go I would say that #BPMx3 is the absolute must-have. #BPMx3 is a tightly fitted mini skirt that can be worn on pretty much any occasion. The high waisted sleek silhouette brings out the feminine shape. It is a fantastic piece to create a variety of looks for every day, work environment or going out by simply coordinating #BPMx3 with blouses, fitted or loose Ts and tops, turtle necks and sweaters, anything really! It is made out of durable and easy to care for cotton and polyester blend which is hand painted in mono and multi-color splash patterns to increase the match ability with other clothes and decrease the visibility of any stains that might appear during the busy and eventful city life. Functionality here plays the utmost role. And there is more to it. This is my favorite part - #BPMx3 features three special purpose box pockets! They are designed to keep women’s most frequently used items during the day at hand and safe. The biggest pocket is for your smartphone, the smallest – for your lipstick and/or chewing gum, the middle size pocket perfectly accommodates your credit cards, entry passes and cash. And those of you, who smoke, will find that this gear too perfectly fits in these pockets. I call #BPMx3 “a girl’s best friend” because it's really  hands-free system that lets you enjoy whatever you are engaged in looking sharp and feminine, and without a care."

 "For a moment You only have a female line?"

"LIENE LINKE has been on the market for only six month now. The first two collections were designed for women; nevertheless I receive many orders from men who buy LIENE LINKE for their girlfriends along with the enquiries about will there be a menswear line. I am very happy that men too appreciate my designs and are eager and waiting for a menswear line. I am excited to say that these requests are taken under the consideration and in near future LIENE LINKE will be available for men too."

 "Fashion advise from Latvia? What does it mean to be fashionable for You?"

"Despite being in the fashion industry, I am quite skeptic about the concept of “fashion” or being “fashionable”. To me it means following the masses, often without much consideration of one’s individuality. A fashionable trend can very quickly loose its appeal and worth due to overuse and misuse.  Having said that, my fashion advice is – be aware of fashion! Know yourselves. Know what you like and what you need, know what works for you and suits you and your lifestyle."

 "Liene, where can we buy your creations?" "Being a freshly baked label on the market it is very important to ensure the top notch quality and sustainable production ethics; therefore all the garments are made to order and are available to order directly through myself via email: info@lienelinke.com 
The range can be seen on www.lienelinke.com

One piece from Bordo collection

 Me wearing #BPMx3 skirt 

Me wearing dress with  splash patterns from Bordo collection

Me wearing Liene Linke top
Special Thanks to Santoro Moda
For my shoes
Photo by Antony C. 

Afyda Antara

 Hello guys! I  never stop to discover new brands. Today I'm gonna introduce Afyda Antara, very talented designer, who has created her own brand. This brand is quite young, it was founded in 2012. "I’m currently based in Besançon (France), my hometown  is near the Swiss border and i’m the only creative designer", says Afyda. 

Afyda Antara produces high-end ready-to-wear clothing, mainly dresses, shirts and jackets for women and a shirt called le COLart (with interchangable leather collars) for Women, Men and Children.

Afyda also designs custom-made clothes and accessories for her clients. 

I’ll launch my first collection of leather jackets for Men in 2016 and a new line of Womenswear and accessories."

"Afyda , tell us about your latest collection. What kind of fabrics and materials are dominated in it?" "I  always use leather in my creations , especially in my latest collection- alone or mixed with different types of fabrics (denim, knitwear, wool, « toile de Jouy »...). For this collection I found inspiration in our european military History - from the Antiquity to the Napoleonian wars, so you’ll find pieces poetically called « Brigandine » or « Aketon » (types of  medieval body armour). The researches and design were quite fun and very instuctive".

 "Which piece of this collection is the must_have?" "The must-haves will depend on your personal taste but the « Hussard » leather jacket  seems to get the most attention. The collection is still incomplete and will be available on January 16. 

 "Afyda, do you also produce accessories?" "Yes, i’m currently working on a new line of bags for Men and Women. The first pictures will be released soon .

 "Can you describe a public that your creations are destinated to?" "My clients are mainly trendsetters and people involved in or addicted to fashion, looking for original one-of-a-kind pieces. Recently, I also try to create more accessible (and affordable) pieces like Le COLart shirt or small accessories like the PaTCH winter cap, which are easier to match with any  everyday look.

You can find  creations of Afyda Antara on  website store.afydaantara.com

 and the first Afyda Antara store is in construction in Tianjin (China). 

Hussard jacket