> BLOG is DEAD!

> Pool Beauty Essentials

Summer heat, beach parties, inflatable donuts (!)... here we are again!
As much as I love the SSF trinity (Sea, Sun, Fun not Sacred Saint Family;-), my skin though tanned, dries quickly, my hair looks awful with chlorine and mostly I can never put anything to enhance my look except waterproof mascara... Right? WRONG!
I had the chance to work on the latest issue of Samoa Tendances and now I'm the Pool Yodaaaaaa:

 Well yes Samoa have lots of pool friendly makeup and a huge palette of colors!

So here's what you do: 

1- You read the mag online here

2- You shop the looks online on Feel22 and you get them straight to your door in 24 hours

3- You get a super discount, simply by adding my code MAYAMETNIFEEL22 !

This Velvet Lips page above is actually my favorite; It really embodies what I always say about Art Direction: be it a huge conference, a fun event, or simply art direction on a photo shoot followed by a neatly designed page, if you're doing it right you get the same adrenaline rush...

Summer 17 Tendances marks our last collaboration this year with Samoa. You must have heard of the #Samoa40andFAB campaign, the blogger collabs, the fun online management with JoesBox... We really enjoyed this opportunity and look forward to new adventures.
Till then, stay cool while you're twisting' by the pool!
SaveSave

> Behind the scenes of #Samoa40andFAB

This campaign has been so overwhelming, and with so many highlights that I don't know where to start!!

Samoa Cosmetics has been on the Lebanese market for 40 years! 

I discovered it when i was a kid in my mom's vanity, and was always amused by the image of the samoa woman, confident and cheeky at the same time... Then the years passed and somehow it was always part of the scenery, but in a more demure way.

Therefore i was more than excited when Samoa reached out to me for the #Samoa40andFAB campaign!

So i unleashed my glitter and sparkles and had fun all the way!!

Creating the image of the campaign and the whole set of packaging...

Collaborating with Joe for the online strategy, we sent 40 countdown gifts with a daily personalized message to beauty and fashion bloggers across the country, and i loved playing Mr Darcy !

We also added a Style page to the Samoa Website, where you can check the latest trends and how to match them with your makeup:

And the official campaign launch happened at Memory Lane, where we had even more fun than our guests:

The next surprise is a blogger collab for the holiday season, but I will not reveal it now: keep following Samoa's insta and fb for more. Also, make sure to share your favorite product with the #Samoa40andFAB hashtag for a chance to win the fabulous collector box or even the FAB PARIS TRIP!!

> Guest blogging about Men's Fashion

I did say I would blog more regularly, and I am! But not here ;-)
I was invited by Joe's Box to write about style for men and I already did 3 posts:

> The evolution of men's fashion lately
> The elements of style, or the devil is in the details
> Sock it up young man!

Enjoy reading...

> The evolution of men's clothing in the past 5 years

I must say, working in a field that revolves around fashion is quite fun and very inspiring. I've learnt a lot since my childhood years when I used to devour my mom's ELLE, through my college years, and up till this very day... In fact, i cannot remember a season or a day when I found my job boring, or that fashion is repeating itself... True every season we have an "époque revival", inspired by movies, series or life in general (Gatsby this year, Downton Abbey two years ago etc...), but it is never a mere direct application. There is always a plus.

However, all these trends are much more visible in women's fashion, since women have a playful way to adapt catwalk style to their daily lives. But in the last five years I witnessed a MAJOR change in men's fashion, and more importantly, in men's attitudes towards fashion! They are not afraid to try new things, they are playful, creative, and we definitely feel that they are having fun putting together their daily outfit, just like we women do. HURRAY!!! Finally ;-)
Style is not solely reserved to the gentlemen in touch with their feminine side, it is your right messieurs! Claim it. It is sheer pleasure for us to see you dress (and undress) and the fact that it's now giving you pleasure as well makes you even sexier to our eyes.

 So what has changed exactly? Once again, social media! Thank God for Tommy Ton or the Sartorialist (among others) who have shown the world how the smart men in Pitti (the world famous fashion trade show) dress. And it has started a "boule de neige" that exploded all over the collections, even on the high street brands.

In conclusion? Messieurs, faites vos jeux!

Photos via Tommy Ton & Eton.

>GeekFest Beirut: Register now!

You don't want to miss this! Geekfest 5 is all about fashion & music!
It's going to be at The Alleyway, Gemmayze and there will be great talks by Tony Yammine, Hind Hobeika, Besr Kayyali, Loryne Atoui ...& me ;-)
(Le Geek c'est Chic!) as well as a super fashion show, great music and much more...
Register online here, it's free but mandatory... SEE U ALL THERE!

>See you in PITTI !

I am leaving in a few hours for Florence to cover Pitti Uomo for Rectangle Jaune!

I will probably post some picts from there and get ready for a full report on RJ's blog when we come back...

UPDATE: all the info right here!

>Welcome to RJ in the blogosphere

Welcome to RECTANGLEJAUNE in the blogosphere right here!
The new social media team (soon to be revealed) in collaboration with the visual communication manager (me) will try to keep you up with the latest trends, behind the scene news, style tips and more...
http://blog.rectanglejaune.com/

>Blogs of the week... We need color!

What can I say? I've always had a weakness for bright funky bold colors! And my heartthrobs this week are two scrumptious blogs by mega talented Lebanese designers: Rana Salam & the Bokja duo... Enjoy!

>Oh Joy! A post on Images d'Orient...

The Inspirational blog Oh Joy! just posted a piece on Images d'Orient.. oh joy indeed and many thanks!

>blog of the week: Design Sponge

I know most of you know Design Sponge but what i would like to talk about today is their "living in" feature that talks about the DA (Artistic direction) in a particular movie, and then shows different inspirational stuff to recreate that mood... Especially that the Darjeeling Limited is one of my favorite movies...

>80ies...in the mags...

I am preparing a new series on this blog, a plunge in my mag archives of the 80ies and 90ies, and I was going through the press ads of this period and there is one that I remember quite well, as well as its Tv ad.. It is: "la femme est une île, fidji est son parfum"...
So it was quite funny to see it on Garance's blog today...

>new math

found this via inside out and i love it!

>blog of the week: Chroniques du plaisir...

Whenever i need to breathe, feel like an "escapade" amoureuse, culinaire, musicale.. or other, i just runaway here!
enjoy...

>love this!!!

Via SwissMiss...

>les arroseurs arrosés!

Well two of my favorite bloggers have always been Garance and Scott, i've been checking them everyday for around 4 years now (OMG!)... and i've talked about them here and here.. and now, the two of them have been spotted on the unknown hipster the new blog of the great veteran illustrator himself Jean Phillipe Delhomme... phew. long sentence, lots of links and a lot to share!

>blog of the week: Laura Kicey

Laura Kicey is a Philly based photographer. I'm mostly amazed by her colorful mosaics of random buildings put together in one composition... Explore more here and here...

>les clips bien sapés!

Like one of my favorite blogs, café mode who has a section called "les films bien sapés" featuring the best dressed movies, i would like to show you some of the best dressed videoclips!
My pick of the day is Elli Medeiros' toi mon toit, not only great 80ies kitsch but also great rhythm! So where's the party?
nb: the quality of the video is not great so does anyone have another link?

>welcome to Images d'Orient in the blogosphere...

I'm proud to welcome our friends from eusamex to the blogosphere; you will all now be able to follow closely their design process! It will be hosted by Peggy Dabar, their talented designer, and I will take care of the communication part.
http://eusamex.blogspot.com

>blog of the year!: The Sartorialist

Scott Schuman had 2 passions: fashion and photography... On his free time he decided to shoot stylish people on the streets of NY... Within a year his blog became the most popular fashion blog ever (fashion editors and trend hunters from top notch magazines check it daily!) (me too:) ) and his blog became his job: he is now commissioned to shoot the crowds of Milan, Paris, London etc. during the fashion weeks, and works as a freelance fashion photographer!
Comme quoi: Streets inspire Fashion and Blogs inspire Jobs!
Click here for inspiration...