BLOG #009: Final Fantasy VII Extra Knights

Admittedly, I also like collecting certain nostalgic toys and action figures in addition to my collecting of clothing, accessories, makeup, and books.  When you are a kid, you are somewhat limited in purchasing or collecting certain toys that were available while you were growing up due to lack of money ($3 allowance only goes so far) or parental prohibiting.

Fast forward to 2011 where eBay can make all things possible!

Last week I had a sudden urge to make good on one of the items I've always wanted: an original Cloud Strife Extra Knights Bandai action figure.  Final Fantasy VII is hands down my favorite and millions of others favorite game.  Ever since 1997 I saw these action figures at a HMV, but my broke 12 year old self wasn't allowed to buy them.

Well look what came in the mail today!

Me and my Final Fantasy VII Extra Knights Bandai action figure set c. 1998

I'm such a happy fan girl right now <3
Originally I was just going to get myself the Cloud Strife extra knight, I didn't care if it was opened.  However through my master searching skills I was able to find an unopened box set with Cloud, Barret, Tifa, and Aerith for a little more than the unopened Cloud and opened FFVII Extra Knights set.  I wish I could open them and play with them, but the good news is that  they will be worth lots of  $$$ money in the years to come.  Guess I have to collect the rest of the characters to make my set complete.

Are there any toys you always wanted but didn't get when you were a child? What were they? Tell me in the comments section :]

BLOG #008: New Website Redesign!

Hello!  Lisamalanij.com is back up and running complete with entire redesign including video, scrolling photo galleries,  and integrated blog!  Major props to my designer Mike Stone for the site facelift.
I’m very happy to have a cohesive place to promote my professional work and musings all in one site.

For the moment I am working two jobs (I am a Beauty Advisor for Clinique and temporarily working at my local gym) plus my freelancing  so life is a bit hectic and my design work has been temporarily on the back burner.  I have a new conceptual collection that has evolved into something  into two collections, as well as my upcycled 3xHearts line.

But never fear, I will be updating my blog frequently.  Watch over this space for updates through the blog for local events, trends, fashions, outfits, and of course current projects, illustrations, items for sale, and Lisa fashion news.

It’s good to be back!

TREND ALERT #002: The Undercut

Hate it or love it. THE UNDERCUT.

Variation 3: All Under = Connecting Sides + Back of Head (Kate Lanphear, style editor of ELLE)

Blurring the lines between feminine and masculine. Beautiful and ugly. An extreme cut that looks good on both boys and girls, curly or straight, medium, short, or long hair! It also is a commitment and a b**** to grow out.  The undercut trend has been around originally and again more modernly among the streetwear styles in places like London, Germany, Stolkholm, Japan, NYC's most edgy for a while and now is becoming more prevalent in the midwestern states thanks to celebrities rocking this 'do.

TREND ALERT #001: Pastel and Ombre Hair

This ain't your manic-panic 'do from high school.  I'm talking about the colored hair trends that have been prevalent on the runways, style blogs, and fashion mags of Spring/Fall 2010.

Turquoise and platinum ombre hair.

Ombré, from the French ombrer meaning "to shade," is a dip-dye effect given to fabric (or hair!) in which the color is graduated from light to dark.  In the past months I myself made a leap of faith and jumped aboard the grunge/pastel hair color train.  In fact, I am currently redying my hair a shade of Manic Panic's Bad Boy Blue as I type this post.  I had been coveting the girls of the Proenza Schouler S/S 2010, Scalpture.com, or the I<3Fake Magazine's #17 Grunge Issue.

LISA LOOK #001 TOXIC TEETH

Hey girls and guys! Lisa LOOK outfit post #001!

One of current contest Lookbook.nu is running is Sony PIIQ Music Inspires Fashion contest.  A neat contest where you can post your music inspired look along with your own 8tracks.com mix to enter.
So on top of making custom mixes, you can show off your awesome fashion style.  So if your stylish and love making playlists, give it a whirl!  You can also have more than one entry.

I'll be posting my looks in the future. For now, check out my first entry and themed playlist titled: TOXIC TEETH!
Make sure to click the "HYPE" button to give me lots of Hype. More Hype gets me more attention!
Listen to my specially crafted playlist for this look too!: TOXIC TEETH 8track Playlist: http://8tracks.com/llvlss/toxic-teeth

http://lookbook.nu/look/1188211-TOXIC-TEETH

BLOG #007: Lisa Malanij on LOOKBOOK.NU

For those of you familiar with the fashion style collective, LOOKBOOK.NU, you know it's one of the best open access style sites on the web.  As a designer and trend hunter, I check Lookbook.nu often to assess the current pulse of streetwear and it's style movements.  Many Lookbook posters wear and display new trends and styles that haven't reached the dreaded common mainstream yet, and display new ways to layer, wear garments and show off their individuality.  Chictopia.com is also a similar open access fashion site.

I use my Lookbook.nu page as a personal catalog of daily outfits.  My way of sharing my personal style back to the style community.  I'm certainly no professional model, but it is fun to showcase my own interesting, cute outfits and ideas with others.  I will even post some of my favorite looks here on my blog.  Though I strongly encourage every fashionista to start their own LB page :]

So fellow fans, friends, and fashionistas, I please encourage you to "Fan" me and PLEASE "HYPE" ME a lot!

SHOW YOUR LISA LOVE! :D
My Lookbook.nu page: http://lookbook.nu/user/147231-Lisa-M

BLOG #006: Pledge on Kickstart for Buzz & Growl - Cleveland Fashion Incubator on Kickstarter

Pledge $1-2000+ to Buzz & Growl on their Kickstarter page!

I just got off the phone with Valerie and found out about another fabulous way besides the Pepsi Refresh contest mentioned in my previous post that you can support Buzz & Growl, Valerie, and local CLE designers!!!

You can pledge any amount of money to Buzz & Growl's Kickstarterer page: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/yellowcake/buzz-and-growl-clevelands-new-fashion-incubator

And as an expression of thanks, gifts will be given to each price level donation, such as $1 will get you eternal thanks, $10 donation will get you listed as a supporter on the B&G website, $20 will get you website cred and a limited edition Buzz & Growl book, $40 will get you a signed one of a kind sketch, so on and so forth.

I personally will be donating in the $20-$40 range.

For more info on the Cleveland Sewing Co-op Buzz & Growl, check out their official website: http://www.buzzandgrowl.com/

BLOG #005: Klaxons @ 9.28.2010 The Basement, Columbus OH

In case you didn't know, the Klaxons are my favorite modern band.  Their breakout album, Myths of the Near Future, won many prestigious awards and earned them many loyal fans alike.  Their magic-realist lyrics and ethereal science fiction subject matter make for all kinds of intellectual cool. Not to mention they are all extremely talented and handsome English gentlemen.

I was fortunate enough to see them play in Chicago during the 2007 Pitchfork Festival.  This time around they were promoting their second album, Surfing the Void.  I was lucky enough to see them in Columbus with my dear friend Miss Megan Anne.  Opening band, Baby Monster brought the lo-fi synthy shoegaze goodness. As for the Klaxons? Oh they were incredible.  I rarely mosh or jump around in pits anymore but I totally let myself go during my favorite song Magick, and Gravity's Rainbow.

Because this is a fashion blog and my work is most inspired by music, I thought it would be cool to post recaps of concerts and bands I like to celebrate the fashion/music/pop culture I so strongly believe in.

All photos in this post are copyright to Miss Megan Anne.  I left all the photo taking to her since she has a fancy Nikon which trumps my Casio Exlim camera.

BLOG #004: Florence & The Machine Design Contest

Hello everyone!

I recently entered a neat little fashion design contest to design an outfit for the musical artist, Florence & the Machine to wear at her Terminal 5 concert in NYC.  I didn't win (due to me not having a humongous internet fanbase... yet) however I wanted to share my design for Florence with everyone since it turned out quite nice for something I whipped up in an hour.

Color illustration of Florence & the Machine costume. Copic markers, micron, colored pencils, gel pens.

As you know, I like avant garde fashion, and my dream job would be styling and creating looks for musicians, rock stars, stage artists, etc.
Here is the Talenthouse contest link: http://www.talenthouse.com/creativeinvites/preview/a367b8a22a951c4f47fc2eba8b0474bb/120

 

Rough sketch of initial design, pencil and micron.

Finished design entry - color and b+w illustration, garment flats.

BLOG #003: Lisa Malanij and 3xHearts Official labels!

I received my official sew-in labels I made and ordered in the mail a few weeks ago, finally just got around to posting pix of them on my blog.  My labels were designed myself through Illustrator and contracted out.  I'm Pretty proud of myself, starting to get for real official!

One label is for my exclusive Lisa Malanij original clothing.  The front is my name logo, and on the reverse is my CIRCLE.SQUARE logo with website. Clever, no?

My 3xHearts label is for my reconstructed, up-cycled garments with a certain Lisa-twist.  (Also a word play on retro video games where a player starts with three lives, usually represented as three heart icons).  More on that later.

Aren't the awesome??? <3