Shades Of White...And Some Thoughts...

What happens when you have to work almost 12hrs per day and then you go home and you just can't stop thinking about the next day? I guess, you either call a doctor to give you some pills or you try to find secure paths that will lead you to calmness. 

Even though summer is officially here, i can't stop making plans for my next project which leads me to discover i have to do some extra job for the following days...? On the other hand, i dream of the day i am going to relax and rest next to the sea.This summer is going to be full of surprises and so very different from what i used to know till now.

Then again, i feel so blessed that i can work and do what i really love and stay true to my principles, the more i grow the more i feel good doing things my way and ignoring what seem to be in trend, the mainstream culture of everything. Working upon a plan you have created because it seems to be right for you and not because it's catchy, it's the most relieving way of doing a job. Being myself, staying true and following my instincts make me find all the strength i need, to work and to create my identity.  I know a lot of you who do so, it is so inspirational to meet people who are pure and creative because they follow their hearts and support their choices in good and hard times.

Maybe life is to precious and short to compromise....

Have a beautiful and clam day

Love, K.

main image cocoandsilk summer15 collection/detail/studioverve.gr

all other pics via here

Make My Friday - The Low Key Aesthetic

Every time i visit Scandinavia i come back home having that awkward feeling like...getting reed of almost half my possessing, bad ha?

It is not that i own so much stuff, actually it is that particular low key aesthetic Scandic people have in their lives and everything that hugs it which creates an enviable calmness. Soft colors and clean lines are good for the eye and for the soul, at least my soul! Every day i am bombed from hundreds of pictures and my brain has to consume a lot of information pretty fast, so when i go back home, or when i get to work, i really need a clear and calm place, with no distractions and no fuss, an environment that will help me to put my thoughts in order and my work in place.

I am not the most tidy person on earth when it comes to my work area, so the more low key i get the better it is.

The days i spent in Gothenburg were a bliss, i could not have enough of their shops and cafes and restaurants and hotels and museums, you name it  - i loved everything about this city. I even loved their bright midnight sky, for many people this might be a problem, for me it was a sweet white light that was never leaving the horizon and made me feel secure and calm. Do not ask me about Scandinavian winter and how i could survive it, odds are i couldn't.

But, i can certainly carry a small part of a northern heart with me... here in Greece, the part that i love the most, their famous, amazing, wonderful way of approaching design and color and this for me is enough!

Have a wonderful weekend

Love, K.

images via Elle Denmark

Beautiful Gothenburg ...And The Concert

One of the reasons we visited Gothenburg - among other things - was to watch the One Direction concert, with my daughter. The first two days were split between work and pleasure, our last day was totally dedicated to the long awaited concert of C's favorite band.

I had a wonderful time spending our last evening in a stadium full of lovely teenagers - mostly girls -  crying, singing, dancing and screaming of course, while the boys were singing! 

All in all it was a  wonderful trip, this city really gave us everything, interesting people to meet and talk, a lot of new ideas, time to relax , wonderful shopping districts, amazing shops and even more amazing coffee shops, lovely weather, sunny days and bright north nights and finally a beautiful concert to remember!

Thank you Gothenburg for being so kind and generous to us, i believe we will meet again soon!

Have a wonderful day

Love, K.

  

images by cocoandsilk

Greetings From Gothenburg

Hello and have a lovely week. 

For me, it's actually the first small brake of summer as i am in Gothenburg (work and pleasure) to watch with my daughter the One Direction concert here in Sweden.

It is the second time in a year i am visiting the country - see here - and i can tell i am so in love with Scandinavia and Sweden in particular! 

The city is so very beautiful and calm, green and human friendly, easy and well organized transportation, beautiful parks to walk and relax, chic cafes, design shops and excellent restaurants with Mediterranean dishes together with Swedish traditional cuisine. I am in love with the white nights of Scandinavia, even during midnight we still have some light, for a southern person like me this looks pretty amazing!

Although i am very anxious about all the things i left behind, i can not deny i am having a wonderful time and i so much realize i needed this small brake, this year is tough for me and the pressure of work is really huge! But summer is full of small escapes instead of a looong vacation which i never find easy to enjoy, blame me for being wrong but i can't leave things behind for more than a week - unless i am visiting Australia!

So till Tuesday - day of concert - i plan to explore this lovely city and get recharged together with all the beautiful teenage girls who are coming here to support their favorite band!

Have a wonderful day!

Love, K.

images by cocoandsilk

Make My Friday - Building A Sustainable Wardrobe

I remember years ago, when i was a young girl, fashion was a lot more than just wild consuming. Those days my mother used to buy heavy fashion magazines, choose the fabrics and after a lot of thinking she could make up her mind and decide with two things in mind: elegance and sustainability. She used to love and respect her clothes, take extra care of them and she was always well dressed.

These days, we do not shop because we would like to invest in something we are going to wear for a long time but we do this, mostly because we like to consume.... We do not care about what we wear, in fact, i know people who do not wash their clothes because they believe it's a waste of time, instead they prefer to throw them away and buy new ones.

The way we approach fashion cannot be just this: a cheap piece of fabric. Too many people work hard around the industry, people we do not know and probably will never meet or listen to their stories.

I admit to myself - and to you - that till recently these thoughts did not occur to me, like the majority of us, i used to buy stuff without caring a lot. It took me years, a lot of searching and finally the personal experience through my job to realize that profit cannot and should not be above everything.

Building a sustainable wardrobe means i know what makes me look and feel good, invest in a classy piece and respect those who worked for it!

Enjoy your weekend

Love K.

P.S see you in Gothenburg on Monday! 

main photo by cocoandsilk, next two via here

'The True Cost' ... Of Fast Fashion

Earlier this year i learned about this movie after receiving some tweets from a friend. Like me, she is working for fashion and was very upset with what was the movie about, even though it is a common secret!

The film is strong and make us all ask ourselves as consumers : is it really cheap - a cheap piece of clothing or is it a higher price paid here? I kept on asking myself cause i may work for my small fashion brand and try hard to work the ethical way,  but i am still a consumer, i still buy clothes of other labels, i do the same for my daughter, i write about fashion and stuff that i like, right here on this blog therefore, i can not pretend i am innocent!

Perhaps it is time for all of us to start asking ourselves, what is the true cost of fashion, what is the cost of producing cheaper and cheaper fast consumed clothing, do we care about who made our clothes, where and under what work conditions?

I would really appreciate your opinions.

Have a beautiful day

Love, K.

main image via here

Living With Neutrals

I often ask myself what is really the need that drives some people to live, dress and decorate their places with strong and vibrant colors while others go with a more calm and neutral choice...If i could, i would change a lot of stuff at home, replacing them with neutrals.

The neutral home seem to be a restful and calm place while color distracts me from being focused and relaxed. But of course we are all different...thank god!

For you my neutral color lovers i have a list of objects that are so beautiful and cutting edge, they could make the biggest color groupie say....i do! 

Enjoy your day

Love, K.

sofa / chairs / table and stool

concrete container /  copper cup / table lamp

Make My Friday - Paper Beauty

 

Hello there!

A few days ago i had the first visit  from a potential customer. It was then i realized that something had to change in my work space. I really love this place as it was always and still is my sanctuary, i literally designed and built this place with my own hands! For many years it was an architect's office (ups! that's me again), a lot of paper stuff, urban houses plans and projects around...but, this place has to change cause it is where i work for the cocoandsilk.com new project. Now it is all about fashion and people coming and visiting the place, make appointments and even try new clothes so i want it to be more sophisticated and female, yet still minimal! Anyway, as i was looking for something new to add to my walls i accidentally fell upon the paper empire, and oh! i do love paper!

Strong colors is not an option for me but this lovely illustrations are so beautiful and irresistible...even the birds!

Sometimes i have the feeling i live an eternal transition, changing colors at home - not completed  yet, my job is at the very beginning and now i am planning to redesign my office...Ok!

I suppose it's not some kind of mental disorder but i feel at my best when things are changing, change does not upset me, it gives me power to be creative. So, these days i work on changing colors and fabrics at home, organizing a small event to celebrate the cocoandsilk opening in a few days, work on my winter collection ...and redesigning the office, plus a dozen of new ideas! Do you ever feel this way? Somewhere between chaos and joy?

Have a beautiful weekend!

Love, K.

picks via paperempire.com.au

Fashion In The Detail

When i first started to imagine how i could work for cocoandsilk and get involved with fashion, i had three things in my mind:

One, it had to be done local, i wanted to support the small local manufacture units and independent women or men who knew how to really construct a piece, listen to them and learn the old techniques! I wanted to know every single person who would work with us and call him-her with the small name, know their stories and build a relation of trust, common interest and support. Build a family around a small fashion brand with a big vision!

Two, i was not interested at all in the fast fashion culture. Our clothes had to be classy, made with care, sometimes with extra - hand made -  effort, a different aesthetic that would help our clients to build a more sustainable wardrobe.

Three, create a brand that will soon be able to support the weakest members of our community. It is not about charity, it is about creating job offer under respectful and human working conditions, building healthy bonds and not leaving anyone behind...by using the power of fashion!

We want cocoandsilk to be open to the people, it is in our future plans to support collections of new designers who share the same vision and approach fashion as something that can give joy to everyone involved. Be our guests!

Love, K.

cocoandsilk online retail shop soon to come

pics by studioverve.gr

Hey Babe Summer's Here!

There is something about summer that makes it so irresistible.

The days are longer and full of sunlight, the nights are shorter, sweet and warm, people seem to be more relaxed, even food seem to be more tasty! You pick some vegetables and a bunch of herbs, add some drops of olive oil and there you are, a perfect dish!

 Above all are the wonderful summer cocktails! To start counting them is pointless, they are so many and every year a new one is added on the list, they are light, cool, they smell wonderful and they taste amazing, it's hard to order only one. Summer is my favorite season, i can spend the whole time just lying by the sea, reading and clear my mind from all the winter toxins. Unfortunately, this year is not going to be a very restful period, but i can still have my share and enjoy a small escape somewhere amongst the islands of the Aegean sea.

Lately, i find myself daydreaming every single minute and something tells me it's about time to find that old cocktail recipe book and visit the supermarket's spirit area.

Enjoy your day!

Love, K.

images via pinterest

Make My Friday - Hunger Games

Yesterday night i came home so tired and bored, the last thing on my list was to start cooking.

On the other hand, due to my allergies and gluten disorder it's not very easy to grab anything that will comfort my hunger, let alone i am so into healthy eating habits during the last two yeard, so ... i had some fresh green beans bought the previous day from my favorite organic grocery store - this one -  and i knew i had to be ready in 15min - that was my time limit  - put by myself!

You may have already tried this, for me it was the first time it crossed my mind, hunger uplifts imagination, i was sooo proud i thought of it, this is why I'm sharing this with you, like i did something really important, but you know  really important! 

Anyway all i did was to put the fresh beans into boiled water for 10-15min. I added extra virgin olive oil, garlic, salt, balsamic vinegar, unsalted soft white cheese and a some walnuts that i like a lot, and i had a super tasty and healthy salad in no time at all! See, this is the food i like and i could just spend my whole life eating like this!

Have a wonderful weekend you!

Love, K.

P.S. I was too hungry  to do any kind of styling so the pics are super real from my kitchen.

images by cocoandsilk

Day Trip To The Old Capital aka Nafplio City

Last Sunday, after a pretty heavy week we decided to have a day trip to the beautiful city of Nafplio, the first capital of Greece - see here - get some fresh air and enjoy the sea.

Nafplio is one of the most attractive Greek cities , blooming narrow roads, amazing old houses, shops with character, mouthwatering local cuisine and blue crystal waters in walking distance! 

It was many years ago since I visited the city for the last time and I remember to have this feeling that I'm somewhere around Italy, but i was only an hour and a half from home!

We had an amazing time, saw some old friends, walked a lot and spent the rest of the day next to the blue waters! 

Do have a lovely day!

Love, 

K.

images by cocoandsilk