TWEAKING YOUR STYLE

By THÉRÈSE MARGOLIS    

Whether you are going for sophistication and elegance or playfully casual chic,  the clothes you wear and the beauty products your use express your individual style and are a vital part of your personal brand and recognizable identity.

From that hauntingly memorable perfume that becomes your signature scent to those oh-so-chic, wear-anywhere, wedgies that create a standing pedestal for your inimitable fashion statement, the trendy merchandise you incorporate into your garment and beauty wardrobes become an essential part of who you are and how people perceive you.

And whether you are a fad-obsessed fashionista or an I-prefer-to-stick-to-my little-black-dress traditionalist, there is always room for an update and style revamping to keep your look trendy and on point.

Tweaking your style without major overhaul to your appearance is the secret to staying true to your brand while always being fashion-forward.

It could be something as subtle as a change of scent to a more contemporary fragrance, or it could mean ditching the fire-engine red lipstick and that worn-but-comfortable shirtdress smock for a more modern and flattering coral lip stain and a tailored A-shaped gown with peekaboo cold shoulders.

Not all runway and beauty trends suit all people, but the subtle addition of a few key garments and cosmetics can keep you looking and feeling stylish no matter what your individual fashion preferences.

Here is a guide to some of the most popular new products on the Mexican market that can help you renew your appearance while still keeping intact that personal brand that makes you you.

A Change of Skin

They say you can’t judge a book by its cover, but the same adage doesn’t necessarily hold true for perfumes.

Loewe, the high-end luxury Spanish design house that created such iconic and hauntingly sensual fragrances as Quizás, Quizás, Quizás and Aura for women and Solo and Loewe 7 for men, has always been a trendsetter in fashion, with a close link to the world of art.

Two years ago, the company introduced its opulent Loewe 001 Woman and 001 Man duo, a set of perfumes developed by the company’s new fashion-forward creative designer Jonathan Anderson to interact with one another and reflect the raw sensuality of a romantic couple.

The 001 fragrance duo came in simple, restrained flasks with ash wood tops and wrapped in innovative, handcrafted boxes that opened like books and were decorated with beautiful botanical photographs by the late German botanist Karl Blossfeldt.

The 001 collection was such a success that Anderson decided to revamp the packaging of all Loewe’s heritage scents, giving them a minimalist injection of modern elegance and cultural awareness with a series of photographs of plants and flowers on the boxes by Blossfeldt’s Finnish contemporary, Arno Rafael Minkkinen.

Each of Loewe’s classically refined fragrances remain unchanged, but they now come encased in beautiful boxes that are as timelessly alluring as the scents themselves.

The redesign of the brand’s logos and packaging mirror the company’s unflinching commitment to sophistication tempered with reserved discretion and functionality.

Modern Femininity

Also from the perfume front, Guerlain has just introduced a new fragrance, Mon Guerlain, a sumptuous floral eau de parfum that blends the exotic and intoxicating aroma of Sambac jasmine with a romantically seductive bouquet of peonies in an odiferous tribute to today’s femininity – a strong, free and sensual femininity inspired by Angelina Jolie.

The scent is a dreamy, proclamation of independence and self-confidence, a declaration of personal identity infused with the passionate tradition of Guerlain’s eternal commitment to all women.

The jasmine reflects a woman’s radiance and natural beauty, as well as her determination and strength.

The peonies reflect her subtle elegance and seemingly contradictory nature that allows her to adapt to whatever life throws her way.

Mon Guerlain comes in an iconic quadrilobal bottled designed for the brand in 1908 that echoes an alchemist’s bottle beautifully enhanced by a luxurious glass weight and a golden adornment, imaging the contrast between strong taut lines and sensual curves that are a quintessential and romantic part of contemporary femininity.

Footloose

Nothing says springtime quite like a pair of sandals, those no-toes-barred footwear beauties that liberate your feet and give your outfit a splash of casual charm and understated chic.

Flexi, the comfort-minded Mexican shoe brand that has been producing sandals, flats, dress shoes, casual pumps, platforms, boots and sneakers for men, women and children for three generations, has just released its new spring/summer collection, and it is all about open-toe liberation.

The new collection, inspired by the spirit of close friendships and social bonds strengthened by the broadening experiences of travel and intercultural exchanges, draws on a range of handcrafted motifs and ethnic themes.

The collection includes nature-themed styles with a burst of tropical reds, bright corals and flamingo pinks to brighten up even drab ensembles, as well as skater-enthused sports sneakers with an urban touch of free-to-move three-D textures.

Hand-embroidered detailing and floral patterns with twine-wrapped wedges give the entire collection a relaxed, easy-going polish that makes for footwear that will walk you through both formal and informal settings with an I’m-my-own-trendsetter panache.

Flexi’s innovative new designs blend dernier cri and advanced Recovery-Form polyurethane foam technology to create a uniquely-you fashionable flair with flexible shoes that mold to your feet, bend to your movements and always keep their shape.

Flexi’s new men’s line includes computer-generated detailing for a smart laser effect with street-friendly techy design and maritime silhouettes for a nautical vogue, while the children’s collection has a range of padded ballet slippers and slip-on sandals with fashion-diva bling and sparkles.

Flexi’s new spring/summer collection is now on sale at Flexi boutiques and department stores across Mexico.