BORDEAUX I LOVE U

Hello! 

I know I've been away for a while, but I'm back now. I wanted to post a little something about my trip to Bordeaux, France a short while ago, but faced some technical issues concerning the pictures, but now all is good. I hope you enjoy these!

So, it used to be weird saying, "I'm French, but I've never been to France." This summer, this finally changed, because I got to travel to my 2nd homeland, France, to attend Vinexpo, with Chateau St Thomas.

Chateau St Thomas is a Lebanese winery that I'm super proud of, and very loyal to, that also happens to be my own family's winery- a whole other blog post will be dedicated to this, where I'll be explaining everything and will be giving you a detailed tour, and closer looks -and that has been part of it since 2003.

 In case you didn't know, Vinexpo is the world's most prestigious wine fair, happening every 2 years, that gathers all wine buyers and producers from all over the world in one place, which obviously meant that my week in Bordeaux was already super busy. But, I still had a few hours to discover some of the must-visit places, in Downtown Bordeaux, that I got to visit. 

So, here they go:

1- Take a walk in Rue St. Catherine, known as the longest pedestrian street in Europe. This street is also full of small boutiques, to satisfy all of your shopping needs. All of my favourite shops in one street, super close to one-another, could it get any better?

2- Visit Le Grand Theatre, a historical monument in Downtown Bordeaux.

3- Tour Place Des Quinconces, known as one of the largest city squares in Europe. "Quinconces", because the trees there are planted in Qincunx, which is a geometric pattern consisting of five points arranged in a cross, with four of them forming a square and a fifth at it's centre. The statue next to the fountain, represents liberty, and the whole monument is mainly in memory of the Girondists- members of a political sect during the French Revolution- who fell victim during the French Revolution period. Loads of details, I know. Moving ooon.

4- Unleash your inner child, at Les Maneges De Bordeaux, 2 minutes away from Le Grand Theatre, for a spin on the carousel's ponies & kitties - oh and for great pictures haha.

5- Place De La Bourse, one of the most recognisable sights of Bordeaux, where also is Le Miroir D'Eau, the world's largest reflecting pool, reflecting the buildings of Place De La Bourse.

6- Tour La Cite Du Vin,a museum that's architecture looks like no other, it resembles wine twirling in a glass, which is really fascinating. This place allows you to know more about wine located in Bordeaux, which is really interesting, PLUS the tour ends with wine tasting of an international wine of your choice - Chateau St Thomas is even available there, proudly representing Lebanon.

 

7- Make sure you stop by and have diner/lunch at the original L'ENTRECOTE,I promise you'll fall in love with their famous secret sauce, and you will definitely come back again before your flight back home. 

Not to forget about the yummy Canelés, which are the specialty of Bordeaux. These French bakery confections are little fluted cakes with a rich rum and vanilla interior enclosed by a thin caramelised shell. 

The mini cake in the middle is a Canele

I was lucky enough to have a thrift shop, more of a vintage mini shop, next to the hotel where I was staying, that sells everything you could possibly think of, LITERALLY. From clothes, to bags & accessorises, designers' and regular ones, and ended up grabbing a pair of vintage black and gold YSL clip-on earrings, that show a bit in the picture below.

Hope you enjoyed! Thanks for reading! <3 

To Be Honest,  Bordeaux isn't to be missed, you should all add it to your bucket list.

Video and pictures are taken by Mathieu Fontana you can check his shots over here : https://www.instagram.com/mgfon/. 

Mathieu & I at Le Grand Theatre

TbhJo

UR'E NOT IN FASHION

Hey my loves! So, lately I've been posting some shots on Instagram taken from a collaboration I worked on with SAYA Productions, and the brand chosen to be featured and shown was:

UNIF Clothing, a lifestyle  brand from Los Angeles California, founded by couple Eric Espinoza & Christine Lai. 

  

It all began when he spent his late nights hand dyeing and sewing, making and designing clothes for friends, instead of partying; meanwhile, the creations were widely disbursed via Lai - cool chick blogger in the game. Their love for odd fashion concepts  grew in no time into more than a hobby, when the demand for their work rose, not long before the start of the designing process of full collections for their own brand that was far away from boring,that was worth all of the insane risks took. The line ended up giving fashionistas across the globe an alternative to traditional fashion apparel. Espinoza brings the sarcasm while Lai is responsible for the brand's dresses, ponchos and brightly coloured accessories. 

"Ur'e Not In Fashion" AKA UNIF, is inspired by underground techno and culture. The brand has been shaking the online and offline fashion community with their darker approach to fashion. They're super famous for their shredded, distressed cotton tanks, muscle tees, with weird and-UNUSUAL- quotes printed on them, just as seen in the pictures below. 

TBH, the brand is addicting. You have one of their tops and you're into them for life. literally haha. My first purchase was made 2 years ago when I first discovered the brand by mistake online, and ended up getting the famous "Mary Chains" 
platform studded heels - shown in some shots - that I got since that they looked really weird and funky-UNUSUAL- also them being limited edition. However, I never found the appropriate occasion to wear them. My 2nd purchase was a distressed cotton tank, with the emo quote "Hi. F*** you, always", later on I've brought the "Believe in your selfies" t-shirt, followed by the 
"Partier" cotton distressed tank, with a font similar to the famous jewellery brand "Cartier". 



My favorite thing about owning UNIF pieces is that each one is so unique. They don't mass produce as well, so everything made is already special. You can make any type of outfit stand out with one UNIF item, without overdoing it. A simple, yet extraordinary T-Shirt/Tank with a funky slogan or print with bare jeans or pants, and that's it; nothing too over-the-top, but something that looks different from everyone else's street style. 







The fabric used is very pretty and soft on one hand, dark and weird on the other. This is what makes the line recognisable no matter the prints. The designers' goal in the fashion industry is NOT to be mainstream or "the next DIOR", but  to stay true to the grunge roots. 

Makeup done by myself,

special thanks to SAYA Productions for the cool shots! x 
Thanks for reading! hope you liked it ! xo

TbhJo

Discovering Inouي Beyrouth

Hi my loves! 

A few weeks ago, I discovered a Lebano-French creative label called "Inouي Beyrouth". Safe to say, I fell in love when I got to know the story behind the brand and designs. That's why I wanted to share  my findings with you.


 Inouي Beyrouth launched in July 2016, with the aim of promoting  Lebanon and its crafts through affordable fashion, with a strong desire to produce 100% Lebanese products.

All the fabrics used are from Lebanon, and the factory producing the items is a family business, located in the North of Beirut. Also, the t-shirts are embroidered by hand by the grandmothers of the owners, and by women from ASHGHALOUNA, a community center. 

Inouي Beyrouth chose to include handmade embroidery in order to promote a very famous know-how that us, as Lebanese, are loosing with our way of consuming fashion; also, cause it helps building a community, by involving people so they feel that they belong to something happening.

Their items are not revolutionary and grand; they go for simple and effortless basic pieces, the white t-shirt and the grey sweater, which are made out of delicate comfy fabric with the best finishing, what makes them wearable in all seasons.

They focus on the embroidered words, that are a mix of Latin and Arabic alphabets, and designs referring to Lebanon, to mobilize the Lebanese sense of belonging.

Every item is unique,and uniqueness is something poetic to the brand itself. 

  It is well an object of pride for each person wearing it, and a tool to promote the country and it's culture, supporting Lebanese production.

I got a "Habibي" white t-shirt, an Arabic word, with the meaning of "my beloved". It is commonly used in Lebanon, making it well known. And TBH, I personally use it a lot, so it was my perfect match.

Feel free to check their designs online on their social media pages and at Sodeco Square, at Boutique Hub Beirut. Their items would make really cute, custom gifts.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inoui.beyrouth/?hl=en 

Points of sale: 

Website: https://www.inouibeyrouth.com/

Boutique Hub Beirut's Website: https://www.boutiquehubbeirut.com/

Meet The Mukhis with TbhJo

Hi guys! I'm back with a recent collaboration that I made with the "Mukhi Sisters". 

Recently, I've started getting more into jewellery. To Be Honest , I barely do wear some, since that I wasn't a fan. SO, if you're a bijoux lover, fan and an accessory person, you're going to love this. 

It all started when their grandfather and his cousins decided to leave India and move to Beirut where they eventually settled, and owned fine jewellery stores as well as oriental works & textile stores.

Their father Chandru Mukhi married Lebanese lady, Effat Kreidieh, owner of "Effy's Jewellery" was born in 1982.

"Reverie On The Vine" pendant.

Who are the Mukhi Sisters? Entrepreneurs, women with a purpose and a vision. Maya, Meena & Zeenat, growing up in family of jewellers, they were always exposed to stories of jewels and precious stones. It all started when Maya, as a child, always knew that one day she was going to have her own company.

In 2009, she decided that she was going to make it happen and she asked her sisters if they wanted to join her on this new adventure, and they agreed, without a doubt!

Why Mukhi Sisters? They wanted a name that wouldn't be a fad,and they were looking for something that would describe them best. Their mission was to bring their personal style to the market and so their name had to be a reflection of that.

Maya, Meena & Zeenat knew that they were going to let you in their world, so they chose to keep Mukhi. It is their legacy & it is a reference in the industry. As for Sisters, they're naturally referring to their sisterhood - in addition to that, the girls are huge believers in women empowerment and all the changes women can do.

"Monocle" pendant with the "Charm Junkie" pendant.

In 2011, they opened their first store in Beirut Souks. Back then, their concept was to have a small boutique. A secret in Beirut, that had a hint of the cave of Ali Baba effect - they believed in the power of more is more and their windows were a mix of styles and colours, and it was up to the clients to create their own mix. Today, they have opened the Mukhi Sisters Fine Jewellery & Concept Store designed to reflect their universe and style into their flagship store, in Downtown Beirut.

Their creations don't only reflect their personal style, but also spread positive vibes, and celebrate women with character and individuality, what did really catch my attention, since that their designs and collections are not the usual ones we're used to see constantly at jewellery boutiques. You can feel the love and care put in each and every creation displayed.

The Mukhi Sisters: Meena, Zeenat & Maya.

Maya on the left, Meena on my right.

On my arrival, Meena and Maya welcomed me in a very friendly way, with Charlie the cute dog the sisters own. I got to see the collections, from precious vintage pieces, to modern ones, and decided to model and show you the ones I loved the most, from various collections that you'll get to see in the pictures below.

Charm Junkie Collection.

First pendant is from the "Reverie On The Vine".
Second one is from the "Charm Junkie" collection.

Earring from the "Dreamcatcher" collection.

Hair buckles part of the "Reverie On The Vine" collection.

Rings from the "Bug Collection"

Mix of the "Queen Vicky" and "Ever Yours" collections.

From the "Charm Junkie" collection.

From the "Reverie On The Vine" Collection.

Earrings from the "Indian Gold" collection.
Hair buckles are from the "Reverie On The Vine" collection.

Also, I forgot to mention that their pieces are very versatile, you can mix and match them according to your outfit, or the style you're adopting. Every piece is unique and holds a story behind it. Once in the store, you can feel the good, positive vibes as soon as you step in. They help you find the "IT" item you're looking for, that matches your style, as well as styling tips that can come in handy.

TBH, it is thanks to them that I'm now more into jewellery and how much it can compliment an outfit so well no matter the occasion, day & night. 

Make sure during your next visit to Downtown Beirut to pass by their boutique and to meet them. As they say, best for last, I would like to thank Meena & Maya for the huge support they showed to me, the motivation they gave me, and the empowerment, I left filled with positivity. It was a really cool collaboration that I'm really proud of. I'm officially a jewellery lover haha.

Anyways, they have upcoming plans for the future, follow their news for jewellery designs and updates on their social media :

Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/mukhisisters/
Instagram  :https://www.instagram.com/mukhisisters/
Phone Number : +961 76 087 729 / +961 1 989 188 

Thank you for reading this! Hope you enjoyed x
Stay tuned for more on the way! so so much love x

TbhJo