Fashion Fun Hakaniemi: YSL 1970 Vintage & Aquazzura Leopard Flats at Hakaniemi

Hakaniemi, Helsinki

Hakaniemi is surrounded with several oriental supermarkets and the red brick market hall, contributing as an ideal area to do food shopping and fashion photography. After Chinese lunch, before grocery trip, stop over, strike a post to make the vintage silk robe flow, nothing is more fun to celebrate the sunny afternoon in June. 

Quite some friends of mine know I love High End plus High Street mix and match my outfit of the day; I embrace both fast fashion and luxurious French couture; hence, I usually take a quick look at fast fashion trends after work, and quite often pay a visit to flea markets or vintage store on the days off, indeed, I find bargains a lot, such as this YVES SAINT LAURENT 100% silk shining robe. 

According to the design of the label, this Made in France long robe delivers the style of 1970’s epoch—flapping, smoothly touch, together with the thick, huge, attached shoulder pads. At the first trial, its size 42 makes me wonder to take it or leave it, still, the length of the sleeves are proper enough to be my yet another pseudo but modern kimono, eventually YSL vintage is coming home with me. Under the silk robe, I match with this 1970’s Yves Saint Laurent 100% cotton corset, which, is perhaps the prototype piece, due to the buttons are not engraved any YSL logo. I found the corset at Helsinki Fashion Taivas in 2014 with paying merely 17 EUR, definitely my proudest bargain vintage I possess. 

Seldom a leopard-print fan I am, until I spot this pointed flats at Boutique NINA’S summer sale in Helsinki. The Italian luxury footwear brand AQUAZZURA was co-founded by Edgardo Osorio in Florence, 2011. The colourful designs with uncompromising comfort and craftsmanship have made this Italian house an instantly recognizable household name, the pineapple logo is playful on every detail of it’s footwear collection. The style of my pointed leopard flats, with the leather strings and mini pineapple logo at the outer soles, are trendy together with leggings or fitted slim jeans, to make the whole silhouette clean-cut and elegant. Since the YSL corset and silk robe are basic black, the Gina Tricot jeans is going for washed blue denim. 

For accessories, I definitely go for CHANEL 2017 cruise collection mini flap bag, its navy blue and evergreen hues mix with leopard print for an alternative vintage feel. The sun is shining warmly to reflect the golden patterns embroidered on the YSL robe, while the wind blows occasionally for the flow of the soft garment. 

Special Thanks: Erica 

TOP TIP 1: Pointed shoes are elegant together with leggings or slim jeans to elongate the silhouette 

TOP TIP 2: Leopard prints are good with pure black, washed denim blue or baby pink, try to avoid red or peach hues 

Beauty Boom! Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium Is Mysteriously Oriental Addictive

I always love Yves Saint Laurent. In August 2015, I found a YSL 1970’s black corset at second hand market, costs 17 EUR, perfectly mixing and matching with any leggings or high-waist jeans, since ever I am deeply addictive to collect more of elegant YSL vintage. In July 2016, at the upcoming summer sale, I purchased a monogramme lambskin pouch with old-schooled Rock ‘n’ Roll leather fringes and vintage silver hardware, from the moment I’ve been listing YSL envelop quilt should bag as my next must-have. In this May Day, beyond my overjoy, the most classic YSL eau de parfum, Black Opium, becomes the addictively oriental beauty on my dressing table.

Yves Saint Laurent re-introduced Black Opium in September 2014. Master perfumer Nathalie Lorson and Marie Salamagne, in cooperation with Olivier Cresp and Honorine Blanc, develop the composition of top notes with pink pepper, orange blossom and pear; middle notes of coffee, jasmine, licorice and finally add up vanilla, patchouli, cedar and cashmere wood completed as base notes, altogether highlight the mysterious side of YSL. Black Opium Eau de Parfum owns a grown up gourmand, smells like a romantic evening with a good touch of certain mystery. On my skin, Black Opium lasts around 5 hours, with fresh sillage but not overly sweet. The coffee note makes it outstanding, more of as an eveningwear but daily spray; in my nose Black Opium seemingly contains rum or whiskey but not just jasmine or licorice. It is attractive rather aggressively seductive, reminding me a French romance but still with a little touch of Rock ‘n’ Roll rebellion.

The perfume comes in the bottle with dark and glittering sequins, the shining varnish black cap carved ‘Yves Saint Laurent’, has the coherent colour tone of the parfum drops, which can be seen through the hollow glass of the bottle. The ‘Travel Selection’ packaging comes together with 50 ml Black Opium shimmering moisture fluid body lotion, which the cream contains the paillettes and the smell more of jasmine flowery freshness without caffeine scent.

As those gadgets and gizmos for photography, I find the pastel pink metal palette from H&M Home incarnates the feminine side of Black Opium, both share the same feels of the oriental characteristic and the hues. Yves Saint Laurent vintage Y parfum bottle (7,5 ml, when I was taking the photography I accidentally leak quite some amount of drops on the table) is a lucky bargain from Helsinki Retro & Vintage Market, and the trial 2ml tube is the best travel essential. For the extra decoration, Chanel pearl earrings, Chao & Eero rings, YSL Blush Radiance and nail lacquer Rouge Dada are the golden/burgundy pieces to lighten up the dark tone of Black Opium. Byredo fragranced candle and peonies flowers are always the best adornment for the layout of the photography.

It is commented that Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium is for young, introverted and intellectual women who also has sensual side, perhaps sometimes I am more of mature, extroverted or rebellious who co-habit sense and sensibility within, still, it’s a great pleasure to be addictive deeply to Black Opium by Yves Saint Laurent, to discover the alternative side of myself from the gazes of the others.

Special Thanks: MPJF

YVES SAINT LAURENT