Monday 10 October 2011

On hiatus…

Its been a while since I last updated this blog. A very long while… unfortunately that predicament is set to continue as I reassess priorities in my life. With so many unexpected things occurring right now (both good and bad) , I have made the decision to focus on ME for the time being.

But don't worry peeps, I'm still freaky for Diesel as ever, that will never change Winking smile.

 

xoxo

DIESELFREAK

Friday 19 August 2011

Land of the free, home of the brave…

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Less than 24 hours to go till I’ll be flying of to the US of A!

I still cant believe that I will finally be going there, after so long applying for the month-long course since January. Getting excited now visit all the places that I have seen only in print, tv and movies: the nation’s capital and the Big Apple. With my shiny new camera on tow, I Intend to snap all of the interesting where’s where and share it (just so to make you green with envy, hehe). Of course, what is a trip without a little shopping! I don't have a wish list per se, but I am eyeing a few uniquely American brands to bring back home Winking smile. And for certain, ill be sure to make a pilgrimage to the Diesel mecca that is the Diesel Planet Flagship store @ 5th Avenue, New York. Land of the stupid, home of the brave… here I come!

Friday 12 August 2011

Diesel FW2011 Advertising Campaign: Diesel Island

 

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Diesel continues their ‘Diesel Island’ marketing campaign for a second season with this set of ads for FW2011. Having reached the promised land for six months now, the Diesel Island pioneers began the all-important work of laying the foundations of nationhood: the writing of the constitution. Enacted laws have included:

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Photographed by Guy Aroch and Nacho Ricci and commissioned by Agency Santo Buenos Aires, the campaign features models Andrew Smith, Jonas Kesseler, Josh Beech, Matteo Martari and Zhao Lei.

Tuesday 2 August 2011

My new shiny toy…

 

With my Washington DC / New York trip just three weeks from now, I figured its high time to replace my old crummy digital camera for a new one. Back then in 2004, my 4MP Canon IXUS served me well, but technology being what it is has evolved so fast, bringing higher imaging quality and more consumer-ready features, rendering it literally obsolete… Hence, now is the time, like Beyoncé always says: lemme lemme upgrade u!

I did only some cursory research on what type of camera that would suit my needs and budget. I have no designs to be a professional or photographer enthusiast, so the DSLR types would just be too bulky and screams of ‘tourist’. So I settled for the next best thing…

Presenting my newest shiny toy; the OLYMPUS XZ-1

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Winner of the TIPA awards 2011 for the Best Expert Compact Camera and the reddot design award 2011, this ‘semi-pro’ premium compact digital camera offers the right balance of performance and portability. Do not be fooled by its 10 mega pixels image density, for image quality does not depend on bits alone. More importantly is the ability to satisfactorily shoot pictures in low light conditions such as indoors or night time. And this is where the XZ-1 truly shines, by offering an ultra-bright 28-112mm equivalent f/1.8-2.5 aperture range as well as 4X Optical zoom lens courtesy of its heritage Zuiko range lenses which used in all high-end Olympus cameras. Also, the images are made crisp thanks to its larger than average 1/1.63 inch CCD imager with sensor-shift image stabilisation. Equally coveted features are its two control dials (including an S90-style dial around the lens) for manual fine-tuning, the generous 3” brilliant OLED screen and HD recording capabilities. The camera normally retails for RM1,799… but thanks to the PIKOM Digital Lifestyle Expo held last weekend, I managed to obtain the gadget at RM300 less (i.e. at my maximum intended budget) plus loads of accessories and freebies Smile.

 

The proof, of course, is in the pudding. So to test out the camera’s capabilities, I snapped this night-time picture of the majestic Stadium Nasional just outside my window… without the use of flash! (Pretty impressive eh)

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Naturally my kitty Stokin’ also did not want to miss out on all the fun. And I am more than happy to make her my ANTM model, hehe… (btw, do you think she is preggers or just simply getting fat? Winking smile )

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Overall, I am quite satisfied by this camera and felt that I have made the right purchase. Cant wait to learn all of the features, especially the basics of apertures and shutter speed. Now I am ready to go snap happy when strolling down the White House or Time Square (and Zurich too!)

 

Olympus XZ-1 specification highlights:
  • High Sensitivity 10MP CCD sensor
  • 28-112mm equivalent lens
  • F1.8-2.5 maximum aperture
  • CCD-shift image stabilization
  • Twin control dials, including one around the lens
  • ISO 100-6400
  • New TruPic V processor (as used in the company's PEN series)
  • Large 3.0" 621k (VGA equivalent) OLED display
  • 720p movie mode (30 fps in Motion JPEG format)
  • Micro HDMI connector
  • 6 Art Filters (As per the PEN series)
  • In-camera RAW conversion
  • Built-in flash, hotshoe and remote flash control
  • Built-in ND filter

Thursday 7 July 2011

Diesel Black Gold SS2011 Menswear Collection preview

 

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Diesel Black Gold have revealed their Spring / Summer 2012 menswear collection.

The collection dives deeper into the brand’s DNA, emphasizing and expressing the nomad soul of this metropolitan hero. This season, the sea is his natural element and his language. The garments stand for fluidity and freedom, paying homage to the world of navy. Holes and breaks mark the collections with traveling pains of everyday use. Re-adaptation and re-contextualization through dyeing and patchworks; constructed and functional apparel decorated and customized with floral and marine stitching-print-laser-stencil. The S/S 2012 menswear collection will be introduced with an exclusive presentation at Diesel Penthouse in Milan on June 19th, and during trade shows such as Tranoi in Paris.

 

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Thursday 30 June 2011

Diesel Black Gold 2012 Resort Collection

 

NEW YORK, June 14, 2011 // By Brittany Adams // www.style.com

Diesel Black Gold's Resort collection felt lighter and more accessible than Fall and Spring, which were, dare we say, a touch too rock 'n' roll for even Diesel's flashy customer. This season was about feel-good prints, with seemly doses of leather and denim (a fabric surprisingly absent on recent runways) mixed in. Designer Sophia Kokosalaki showed a psychedelic, "mineral-inspired" pattern on parachute silk, which she whipped into various blouses, and a sporty jacket that was very Members Only.

On another vibrant note, there was a series of color-blocked knit looks that had Tetris-like charm. Leather came into play on a dress bodice that could be detached from its jersey skirt. And as far as denim goes, we'd skip over the poncho jacket but go for the boyfriend jeans that had just the right amount of slouch and a slight pink tint. While you could certainly find similar ones for less, there's no way they'll have been washed, treated, blasted, beaten, and painted like this pair.

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Friday 24 June 2011

New Diesel scent for her, and a reincarnation for him

Diesel Loverdose

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Diesel spices up its perfume line with the new edgy edition named Loverdose in a game of words that be interpreted as "Lover Dose" or "Love Overdose”. The fragrance is announced as a beautiful but deadly weapon of seduction, made to ignite passions like never before.

Diesel Loverdose allegedly possesses molecules that stimulate hypothalamus, the part of the brain responsible for attraction and lust.

The very composition is floral – spicy, opening with star anise and mandarin. Sambac jasmine, licorice and gardenia petals form the core of the composition, placed on an oriental base of amber, vanilla and woody notes.

The bottle is symbolically designed to resemble a heart – shaped diamond pierced by an arrow, colored in intense shades of purple. The face of the fragrance is a young model Ashley Smith. Diesel Loverdose is available as 35, 50 and 75 ml Eau de Parfum.

 

Only the Brave: Captain America

o_9861Diesel Only The Brave has often been advertised as a ‘hero’ fragrance and now Diesel are taking that image to the next level by collaborating with Marvel on their newest limited edition: Diesel Only The Brave Captain America. For a limited time only Diesel Only The Brave will be available in a special Captain America flacon, decorated with the icon from Captain America’s shield and patriotic metallic blue.

The clenched fist bottle design is perfectly suited to Captain America’s muscled superhero image and is sure to become a collector’s item. This limited edition will be available from July 2011, just in time for the release of the new Captain America movie – Captain America: The First Avenger.

Like the original Only the Brave and the red Iron Man Limited Edition, the juice itself is exactly the same so don’t expect anything new there – this is more of a collector’s item, available as a 75ml eau dea toilette later this year.

Friday 17 June 2011

Dewa****1/2

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Malaysian soul diva Ning Baizura unleashes her 8th full length solo Malay album DEWA after a wait that seams almost an eternity. In a span of seven years since her last Malay opus ‘Erti Pertemuan’, significant changes occurred in the chanteuses life. On a personal level, she has found and married the love of her life while professionally, she broke free from her previous management and pursued to chart her own career path independently. 

The Malaysian music scene has also evolved tremendously during that time span as well. The rise of indie bands and talented singer-songwriters had invigorated the flagging local industry, bringing much needed freshness and excitement. To remain relevant, long established performers like Ning did not simply rest on their laurels and stick to what is known and familiar. Instead, like she always does, continued to reinvent and adapt to the changing status quo. As such, in her latest offering, she took considerable risks by changing her sound to feature edgier production and the use more of her lower vocal register in lieu of her signature soprano. Yet she did so with such confidence and panache that the set is destined to become a credible contender for best album come the end-year accolades.

As with her English release ‘EastToWest’, Ning expanded her love for electronic and dance music in the new album,  while at the same time elevating her forte of pop, R&B and soul to the next level. In hindsight, perhaps it is indeed fitting that her special collaboration with Jac and Shila on ‘3Suara’ released early in the year offers vestiges of her ‘old’ sound as a final reminder for fans, acting as a prelude prior to unleashing her latest transformation.

DEWA, which means ‘light’ in Sanskrit is truly a reflection of Ning’s present stage in her career, love and life. While producer extraordinaire Audi Mok very much created a sonically forward landscape for the new, self-funded album, it is also as much a retrospective of some sorts: Ad Samad and Nurfatimah seems to have the uncanny ability to tap into the diva’s psyche and penned highly intimate lyrics that offers insights and glimpses of what defines her as an artiste, a wife and a woman. Also, there is a deep sense of spirituality seeping throughout the album, most apparent in the slower numbers.

Perhaps no other song defines the new Ning sound more effectively than the lead single, MAMA PAPA, a miasma of heavy bass beats and edgy synths designed to complement her digitized delivery about the ups and downs of marital relations. An infectious chorus and clever wordplay by Ad Samad made quite the impact on local airwaves. The groove continues with the second single, the blistering club banger RAKSASA. Here, Ning showers unbridled adulation to her love and praises his confidence and larger than life persona. However, not one to mistake that confidence with cockiness, she cheekily reminds her man not to get ahead of himself: Awas langkahmu, jangan terpijak orang berjiwa kecil. Meanwhile, the edgy PROPAGANDA, with lyrics written by Ning herself is addressed specifically to all the duplicitous individuals throughout her career who abused her trust by offering sweet lies and empty promises. The ‘angry’ vocal delivery, lashing almost, should serve as a stern warning to all who dare take advantage of her again.

The three up-tempo tracks are counterpointed with a curated selection of ballads. An interesting side note here are the tracks SAMPAI and BILA, which are basically two sides of the same song. Audi Mok produced both versions in two interesting yet distinctive directions, while Ning’s expertly reinterprets her vocal delivery accordingly, revealing the subtle nuances of Nurfatimah’s verses about regret, acceptance and moving on. On SAMPAI, Audi created a futuristic and almost militaristic soundscape, with the diva’s singing serving as a rallying call and personal anthem to women in particular. But if the first version finds Ning on the offensive, the latter finds her on the defensive. On BILA, the version ultimately selected as the third single, the production is contrastingly paired down to a rock ballad vibe, with the singing warmer, more emotive and vulnerable yet belies an unwavering strength: Sampai bila harus ku sabar? Sampai bila harus ku dengar perbalahan dua jiwa? Pergelutan hati  perasaan.

Perhaps the most sophisticated and accomplished track in the whole album is the ethereal and utterly sublime slow burning number PENCARIAN. Featuring a lush and sweeping string arrangement, Ning’s vocals are a master class in understated elegance: starting off in her low, husky tones and eventually soaring high towards the climactic end. Delivering some of the most intimate lyrics on the set, here we find her in a position of a wizened sage, one that after having amassed a lifetime of experiences can she dispense the wisdom that the only never-ending journey and conquest in life is to find true love. 

As mentioned earlier, there is a spiritualistic vein that runs deep in the album. And no other song enunciates that sentiment more beautifully than the inspiring and optimistic ballad ALHAMDULILLAH, easily the beating heart of the entire set list. Set against a piano accompaniment and gradually building in instrumentation, Ning’s vocals are clear and soulful and features some off her best R&B vocal runs to date (you know it when you hear it). The track is indeed a joy to listen to and is sure to uplift the mind and senses. The album bookends with AKU BUKAN DEWA, another autobiographical number with a strong declarative message that now is time to be herself having nothing left to prove and that, like everyone else, is only human and not without flaws.

Clocking at less than 30 minutes, DEWA succinctly yet clearly reflects Ning’s artistic vision and current musical direction. This highly listenable and accomplished album should sustain her legion of fans and even entice new ones into the fold for years to come.

TRACKLIST

  1. Raksasa / Audi Mok; Pam Yuen; Ad Samad*****
  2. Sampai / Audi Mok; Nurfatimah*****
  3. Mama Papa / Audi Mok; Ad Samad****1/2
  4. Bila / Audi Mok; Nurfatimah*****
  5. Pencarian / Audi Mok; Nurfatimah*****
  6. Propaganda / Audi Mok; Ning Baizura****1/2
  7. Alhamdulillah / Audi Mok; Nurfatimah*****
  8. Aku Bukan Dewa / Pam Yuen; Ad Samad****

 

Tuesday 31 May 2011

Return of the goddess…

 

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At long last after seven years, Ning Baizura’s latest Malay album DEWA will arrive in music stores mid-June, in time with her 36th birthday. As an early treat to fans, Olay is giving away 50 copies of the album on the 5th of June di GIANT BATU CAVES @3pm. Fans can also hear snippets of the album at her official website starting tomorrow…

Sunday 22 May 2011

Keeping it in the family…

 

EXCLUSIVE: MyFDB Fuels Up With Diesel’s Stefano Rosso

May 12, 2011 // MYFDBlog

Screen-shot-2011-05-12-at-9_48_23-AMStopping for lunch at the Chateau Marmont wearing a grey sweatshirt with a striking red Diesel Lips sticker on it, you’d never pin the soft-spoken Stefano Rosso as Diesel‘s Head of Strategic Brand Alliance. An FIT graduate, who started his fashion career working with ZooYork and Ecko in 2005, he then returned to his home country of Italy to join the family business. Now in 2011, Stefano, son of Diesel founder Renzo Rosso, is continuing to push the global brand’s influence further. MyFDB joined him at the Chateau to learn more about his position and what’s next for Diesel.

As the Head of Strategic Brand Alliances for Diesel, what exactly does your position entail?
Every time I talk to people about my job, they always ask me, “So exactly what do you do?” It’s kind of simple. I take care of all the collaborations with the company and with other parties. It could be brands, it could be artists or musicians, so we can create new collaborations with the brands. Collaborations that are not technically licenses, they tend to be short term and have an objective that is totally different…We want to keep and add even more coolness to our brand. Meanwhile, technically licenses are just a brand extension to gain extra revenue from the exploitation of your brand. This is what I don’t like to do.

We loved your collaboration with Uffie! Can you reveal any artists or collaborations that Diesel has in the works?
There is something that we are doing right now but it’s at the first stage of development which we will develop into something bigger. We are doing a collaboration with Ducati Motorbikes…so we are now sponsors of the Ducati motor-racing team with the two pilots Nicky Hayden, who is American and Valentino Rossi, who is Italian. It is only the first step of a bigger collaboration, as we want to put the two brands together to do something even more interesting and more exciting.

With Diesel being a well known global brand, how would you describe Diesel’s diverse style influence across the globe?
It’s very interesting…The opportunity [that comes with] being a global brand is that you’re able to deliver one message to everybody, they all get the same message. So, of course this has its challenges as you find yourself limiting your tone of voice or being misunderstood by different cultures. But as a matter of fact, if you really want to leave a mark or a sign, you have to be very consistent with what you say and how you say it. So that’s why we decided as a brand to have only one global collection for the entire world and one global advertising campaign with one product and one tone of voice for everybody. It’s either you like it and you’re into it and then you really stand for something strong…or you like something else.

Since you’re town for the WWD Denim Forum, what denim trends can we expect to see this fall?
This is a very technical question. In the past year and a half, I think we have really invested a lot of time in new treatments. Especially, in treatment techniques that will allow your 5 pocket to look even better and different every single day. We have one patent technique that we are using and [it will] actually be in store this year for the first time. It is called “turbo dying” and it’s a special technique in which the more you wear your 5 pocket, the more it gets used, but it takes half of the time to get the end result of having a vintage denim [look] than a regular 5 pocket. This is because we apply a special treatment that will age your denim in a very fast way. After 60 days you can have a 5 pocket that looks maybe 3 years old.

Do you have any other exciting plans while your in Los Angeles?
You know it’s very strange, because LA is a glamourous city…but I actually came for a very private reason. I came for my sister’s graduation from college, so it was a family moment. I probably will spend more time with my family in these four days than in the past two years.

Lastly, What advice do you have for aspiring fashion industry hopefuls?
Do everyday what you really really really love and if you think something is good, its nice, you believe in it; just do it. Don’t ever go to compromise because nowadays if you compromise, you’re just doing something that somebody else is already doing. So you’re never going to win… The only way you are going to win, is if you have a strong idea and go all the way through with it.

Great advice indeed and we can’t wait to get a pair of turbo dyed jeans. A special thank you to the team at Diesel and Stefano Rosso for sharing his insights with MyFDB.

Saturday 7 May 2011

Diesel bits, here and there…

Its the weekend and I'm all cooped up at home, thanks to the extremely balmy weather of late. Sigh, makes me wish I was back in Europe where the its nice and pleasant. Speaking of which, I'm sharing a few more Diesel related pics from the last months trip. 

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The For Successful Living by Diesel home collection at Galleries LaFayette, Paris. Lots of interesting and eye-catching furnishings on display. Hope to get a few for my future abode

 

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The Diesel store in downtown Amsterdam

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Accessories on display. The Mowie motorbike helmets are most definitely the in thing of the season.

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I wanna get lost in Diesel Island right now…

Friday 22 April 2011

Welcome to the Mother ship

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After months of planning, waiting and damn right fantasising, I finally fulfilled one of my longstanding dreams of a return visit to jolly England, and set foot to the continent across the channel for the first time. On 31 March – 8 April, I and three other of my best mates went on holiday to London, Paris and Amsterdam. Fun would be an understatement... it was downright a joie de vivre voyage de la fantastique!

One of my main missions there, apart from enjoying the sights, sounds and smells, the cuisine, culture and club scene, is making a pilgrimage to Diesel stores in all three cities: Dieselfreak is finally home, baby. Talk about variety, I managed to set foot in both flagships in London, a shop-in-shop in Paris and a major downtown store in Amsterdam... and a bought several goodies along the way, of course ;p. This entry focuses specifically on my London escapades.

ps: special thanks to Yusof and Aidil for the covert (and by right illegal) pics, without them, everything i write in this entry are merely rumours, gossips and hearsay. Luv ya lots!

 

LONDON: COVENT GARDEN

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L: The Convent Garden flagship… 4 floors of pure Diesel heaven. I am truly in awe. The store opens 11pm on a Sunday at yet eager shoppers and staff are already waiting patiently at the front door.

R: Somebody please pinch me, Im really here :)

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The attention grabbing window displays, teasing passers-by with a sneak peak of the goodies in store

Enough about the exterior, I wanna go inside! I hear you loud and clear…

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L: Welcome inside…

R: The basement floor is were the men's section is located

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L: Bags galore

R: Staircase leads to the women's section upstairs

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L: For a limited time only, the Adidas-Diesel sneaker collaboration. I spot something interesting here, hehe…

R: Shoes and shades for spring and summer. Note: they are ‘not made for running’

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L: So what did i buy? this T-SITE T-shirt

R: As well the awesome FORUM MID DIESEL TXT sneakers

 

 

 

 

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Portrait of a happy camper Winking smile

LONDON: NEW BOND STREET

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L&R: PPC in the luxurious store… some of SS2011 collection in the backgrounds

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L: Enjoying the window display featuring runway creations by creative director and designer extraordinaire for Diesel Black Gold, Sophia Kokosalaki

R: I Bought something, hehe…

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Wanna know what I got from here? The TOMINOVY-ELOGRAM short-sleeve T shirt and the GELSOLY jacket. My annual dinner getup is sorted!

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But not without a test run first…  in Paris! Because there one must always dress like une chic Parisien  Winking smile

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PS: Of course , one must also buy Louis Vuitton when strolling down its legendary mother ship in the famed Avenue des Champs-Élysées, hehe…