27th Jul2012

The shoe is my oyster

by Vercess

Women and men have worn shoes and high heels as a symbol for power and royalty and more openly since the sexual revolution.

Through time, shoes is one of the most loved accessory but on hindsight it is also one of the most things that we take for granted.

Think about it, they are the ones that step onto dirt, get scratched and step into things thay are not supposed to step on…

Shoes protect our feet and are there to serve us and shield us from the outside world. But as shoes protect our feet, sometimes shoes can do harm to the health of our feet. Namely wearing stilettos can cause varicose veins and calf muscle pains. But women despite on all these health warnings still wear sky high platforms. For reasons such as social pressure, tools of attraction or just a satisfaction of the inner psyche.

And choosing the right shoes for the right feet is essential to our health and well-being. Make sure that the shoes you wear are not too tight or too lose. Note that there are different rules for leather or non leather shoes. Leather shoes expand so its just normal for them to feel snug on your foot and after a few wears they will be a perfect fit. Non-leather on the other hand must fit well at first try.

The most comfortable heels must be 4cm high , anything over that (if there is no platform to support it) can be uncomfortable. Also to know if shoes are good quality, you can pinch the back of the shoe or try tiptoeing , if they are very hard then most likely they will hurt but if they are flexible then it will be more comfortable as they follow the normal movement of the feet.

Wearing the right shoes for the right feet is just a simple step in saying thank you to your shoes and for your shoes to extend their thanks to you.

22nd Jul2012

Brand Spotlight: RAMARIM

by Vercess

Gone were the days when ridiculous foot binding, sky high platforms or killer shoes were worn to represent beauty or status. Nowadays, women seek comfort more than anything else. But pretty shoes and still feel comfortable? Now, that’s a tough choice. But tough choice no more when you wear a Ramarim shoe.

Ramarim has been one of the prime Brazilian brands in the industry for the last 50 years. I confess that I fell in love with this brand when these shoes and my feet first touched. The sublime feeling of the soft cushiony layer, the flexible upper that hugged my toes so snugly, the beautiful smell of new leather… ok I won’t go into too much detail. What I mean is not only it is like walking on clouds, the style and the design is also to die for. One of the comments I heard is that wearing a Ramarim high heel feels like wearing flats!

But what makes Brazilian shoes, eg. Ramarim so special?

Ramarim holds extensive research into creating the most comfortable shoes from handcrafted production to  producing 60,000 pairs of shoes a day! They are one of the largest Brazilian companies at the forefront of the fashion industry.

All of Ramarim shoes are made of genuine leather and they create a benchmark in fashion research, comfort technology and innovation to provide women that choice. Where style meets comfort.

02nd Jul2012

FassionCave Launch – VIP Shoe Party

by Vercess

To launch the birth of FassionCave, we decided to host a family and friends event in a form of a Shoe Party. I have never heard of this word myself, in fact I envisioned that it would be a perfect idea to hold a party that includes food, drinks, music and shopping.

We were lucky to find a venue at Oxford Hotel that accomodated 50 guests in a beautiful sunken cellar. The feeling that I  got from this venue is “cave-like” with its stone walls and that feeling of discovery as soon as you go downstairs. It was the perfect venue albeit the weekend band and dim lighting – it gave such a fun and vibrant atmosphere.

Here are some of the photos from the night, with happy faces from the ladies.

We were able to showcase the selection of boots, high heels , ballet flats and wedges from our brands: Perth local designer -VanGoh Shoes and Brazilian Brands- Ramarim, Vizzano, Moleca and Beira Rio.

Fashionistas

Shoe lovers

Shoe enthusiasts

Trend setters

Where fashion is timeless

The team at FassionCave

Special guests from the venue

Co-founders of FassionCave

Check out our sweet video that sums up the event. Fantastic video courtesy of Daniel of Visual Formation.

FassionCave Shoe Party Video

FassionCave hopes that this is a start of something great. I would like to extend my thanks to the guests, friends and family that supported us and made it such an event to remember.

We had a great party and looking forward to having more celebratory events in the future.

25th Jun2012

FassionCave Winter Photoshoot

by Vercess

It was a beautiful and sunny day in Perth, Australia yesterday and how lucky are we to have the photoshoot planned on this day after a long week of cold and stormy weather.

We wanted to showcase our models with their smart workwear as well as casual weekend look to complement FassionCave’s heels and boots to wear for work and play.

Kate is wearing the Ramarim leather heels in Guava and Lyella is wearing the Ramarim leather heels in teal. I love how the shoes lift and compliment their workwear.

 

Kate is wearing the Ramarim Texas Brown leather boots and Lyella with the Vizzano Paris black boots. Even our models said that the  shoes are very comfortable!

 

Kate is wearing the Ramarim Brown lace up boots and what a pose, its so chic!

 

I am very thankful to have such stunning models and talented crew for this photoshoot. More photos to come soon for FassionCave’s LookBook!

 

Models: Kate Watts & Lyella Perez

Photographers: Edwyn Tiew & Fooky Goh

Make-up: Serena Fong

Hair & Styling: Vercess Caina

FassionCave Pty Ltd

10th Jun2012

What a match!

by Felicia

Have you often thought of trying to do things differently for a change? It could be my monotonous day job, that makes me want to break out of routine as frequently as I can. Cliche as it may sound, it’s always the little things I make an effort with, that count. On some days, instead of taking the train, I’d catch the bus to work. I try to make my weekday breakfast interesting by serving up a bowl of leftover Chinese congee or soup from dinner, rather than the usual soggy cereal or plain bread and butter toasts. Instead of relying on my usual Nespresso capsules, I would treat myself to freshly roasted/grinded coffee, prepared in a plunger, on some weekend mornings.

Being so passionate about fashion, I’ve much bolder takes on new styles and colours. Doing things differently helps me to break into fresh perspective, and thus to be able to concoct new looks from my existing wardrobe without trying too hard, or get into the excuse of, “I have a bursting wardrobe, and yet, I have no idea what to wear!”.

Just a couple of days ago, I thought to myself, “Since I have always started with what I put on my body, why not try matching up my heels and handbags first?”

So, that was what I set about doing, before heading out for my big weekend plans.


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I just bought a ridiculously loud clutch, at an equally ridiculous low price. No doubt, it was an impulsive purchase. Rather than letting it sit in the closet, I have decided that I need to bring it out for at least once. Then, I thought about the red heels I have so much wanted to get more mileage out of. They were just a perfect match! I had a white top worn with camel-coloured pants, to go with the shoes and clutch.

 

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Being a fan of nautical look, I thought it would be an interesting change to create the colour scheme with my rather under-used kelly bag, and the neglected creamy white Nine West heels. With that, all I pulled out from my wardrobe was a white shirt and blue jeans, to complete the look!

Do you have a favourite hangbag/shoes match?

 

16th Apr2012

Shoe wardrobe frenzy

by Vercess

 

I finally have my own shoe wardrobe, thanks to my lovely fiance for creating one for me. So far I have counted to have about 77 pairs and have bought another 8 on my recent holiday. Talk about women not having enough shoes!

But to share the guilt, let’s have a sneak peak into famous people and celebrities’ shoe wardrobes!

Christina Aguilera

Christina Aguilera

I love it how her shoe wardrobe is painted pink. And her son that stares at the camera, better watch out he might think these shoes are his…

Eva Longoria Parker

Eva Longoria Parker

Eva looks sexy in her 133 square foot master closet in her LA home.

Khloe kardashian shoes wardrobe

Khloe kardashian shoes wardrobe

Khloe’s shoe collection looks bright and colourful, I would love to see them up close!

Paula Abdul

Paula Abdul

Oh my, when I saw Paula she looks like a shoe fairy, she seems to love sandals and strappy heels!

Mariah Carey has over 1000 pairs of shoes all arranged by colour, material and event. I think it will take me more than an hour to decide what to wear!

I can’t stress enough how addictive are shoes and how great they look when organised in a shoe wardrobe!

 

12th Apr2012

Shoes as Investment

by Vercess

There comes a time in your life where you should be building your shoe wardrobe from the basics.Cheap shoes hurt your feet, easily fall apart and they can smell! There is no good thing about inexpensive shoes unless you want something that will give you blisters and a bad odour. A solid collection of high quality footwear should be a priority for every woman making a shoe investment in her wardrobe.


Shoe quality is made up of several key components. The material, the sole and the overall function and design of the shoe. The material should be all weather proof, especially boots. Winter is coming and your boots need to keep your warm and dry. Their material should be easily waterproofed to keep your feet from getting soaked.

wet shoes

The next key part of a well made shoe is its sole. You need heels or flats with a solid grip on the ground or you will be sliding all over the place. If you are going to be walking all day and every day, then these shoes need to have a substantial base such as rubber  or non slip grips that will not wear down after only two weeks. Cheap shoes will start to come apart at the foot, heel and base if they are used too much.

chocolate high heels

The final aspect of a high quality shoe is its overall function and design. You want your shoe to be worn with everything from jeans to skirts. A high quality shoe will have the ability to transform your look and keep your feet protected in harsh winter weather. You should feel comfortable in them after a day on your feet. Quality shoes are an investment because not only will they keep you from repairing them, but you will not need to throw them out after only one season of use.

*Images are for illustrative purposes only. Please contact us if these images are inappropriate.

07th Mar2012

Red is The Spirit In My Footwear

by Felicia

Red is such a fiery and passionate colour that promises a nice dash of spirit to an outfit. The alluring colour is making its way to my current shoe collection, which comprises the peep toe heels, loafers and ballerina flats.

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Because of the royal attention the colour receives, I tend to avoid wearing red footwear, for the fear of committing fashion faux pas. Over time, through observation, I managed to set myself some loose guidelines to follow. I’m sharing these humble tips, hoping that you will find as much joy as I do, by letting the colour bring out the best in your outfits.

Catch the drops of red

If you have beautiful dresses or tops with floral prints, then red footwear is a great option to harmonise the feminine look, with just the right dose of sexiness to it.

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Add colour to the colours

If you still haven’t caught on with the colour blocking trend, it’s time to pull out your red shoes and experiment! Personally, I think red is most beautiful with camel. So, if you still have reservations about colour clashing, try wearing red shoes with camel bottom, and a striking coloured top.

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The berry sorbet

Ok, pun intended- berry sorbet, in my own vocabulary, refers to a palette of sweet colours in pretty shades of pink, purple and orange. If you are still not entirely convinced on colour-clashing, consider wearing red shoes to add a beautiful punch to the sorbet palette. It’s a no-brainer if you want to look both sweet and sexy.

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Red with black

I personally would avoid pairing red with black, largely because, it brings to mind too much of the femme fatale look for my liking. Also, the two colours look harsh together. But I know of fashionistas who love a pop of colour on the sombre and somewhat boring colours.

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On the other hand, I don’t mind red footwear on black, as long as the outfit is not exactly solid black. Light doses of black details, or even just a tiny bit of colour gradient on the outfit makes a huge difference for me.

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Red with white

Whilst red is not entirely in harmony with solid white outfits (in my opinion), it sure looks a lot better compared to red with solid black outfits. Red shoes tend to add visibility to solid white outfits. A nice way of incorporating red with white is to wear it with something that has white details, such a dress with white stripes, or podka dots. A solid white top with a stronger-coloured bottom may do the trick too.

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Have fun letting the red shoes work for you!

 

27th Feb2012

2013 Trends Sneak Peak

by Vercess

 

Cave Look : Discover 2013 Trends

It is only the beginning of 2012 but designers think way ahead and predict the future trends. I was lucky to sit and listen to the seminar at the Australian Shoe Fair in Sydney about trends for 2013. A great talk to help retailers stock their future collections! It is also exciting as it offers insider information for people in the fashion business and of course I am excited to share it with you!

Here are the key looks for 2013.

1. Sporting life – it is indeed the Olympiad year so think clean palette. Also, zips and draw cords will be popular. For the male clothing department, “shackets” will be a term, it is the mixture of shirt and jackets.

Fashion Dictionary

Fashion Dictionary

For shoes, I have seen high heels that look like sport shoes but that trend has not really taken off just yet. I guess 2013 will be the year for it.

Running Heels

2. Aquatic Story – Think weightless fabrics with underwater imagery. Mermaid tails for tops and skirts, scuva zips and cut outs as well as mother of pearl effects.

Iridescent Laboutin High Heels

Iridescent Laboutin High Heels

Bodycon dresses will still be a trend as well as wave inspired hemlines. For shoes and accessories it will be the iridescent finish. Check Chanel bag and Louis Vuitton bags and shoes.

Aquatic Inspired Shoe

Aquatic Inspired Shoe

3. The glamorous 50′s- fashion does reinvent itself and 2013 is the year of candy inspired colours, of longer length skirts and dresses, pastels and duster coats.

50's Inspired fashion

50's Inspired fashion

All the dresses are mostly below the knee, it’s fun, flirty and fantabulous

Candy Inspired shoes

Candy Inspired shoes

4. The Tribal Artisan – north African influences as well as Egyptian inspired dresses, think gold and royal colours as well as more earthy tones.

Tribal Dior Shoes

Tribal Dior Shoes

2013 will be rejecting technological overloads instead a come back to nature and the basics. Anything asymmetric and beading will be the next big thing.

Tribal shoes

Tribal shoes

So look out for these trends, however the future is unpredictable, you might set a new trend that designers will follow instead!

 

 

Disclaimer|These are sole opinions and analysis according to the worldwide trends and new collections by the worldwide designers. Any intention to shop is not the writer’s intention. Images are for illustrative purposes only.

16th Feb2012

Sydney Shoe Fair 2012

by Vercess

Australian Shoe Fair

I have just visited Sydney for the annual Australian Shoe Fair exhibition. This event was on for 3 days (12-14th of Feb 2012) at the Sydney Exhibition Centre. Although the price was quite dear to fly from Perth to Sydney, I thought that this event will be the perfect opportunity for me to see before we launch Fassioncave in the next few months.

Vercess at Sydney Shoe Fair

This is me at the entrance of the expo on the very first day. I also met up with my business partner and co-founder Fredy that flew from Melbourne to Sydney for a day!

I’m very excited as there are hundreds of exhibitors and the expo was also a combination of the Fashion Exposed and Bags and Accesories fair. Entry was only limited to ABN holders and business buyers so I feel lucky to be able to go to my first Shoe fair.

The highlights of the expo for me was going to complimentary seminars that talked about the Trends for 2013, E-commerce tips for online businesses, Effective Business tips and much more.

I was able to meet wonderful people on the industry and possible suppliers of women’s shoes for Fassioncave.

Here’s Fassioncave’s 5 hot list for possible suppliers.

1. VanGoh Shoes – Proud to say they are the only one I met from Western Australia during the expo and they sell customised shoes beautifully designed by Vanessa Goh. They have a store at Subiaco and some in Claremont and in Perth CBD. They have beautiful leather shoes and quite trendy too! My favourites are their unique and comfortable sandals with good craftmanship.

Macanna Shoe

2.Macanna Shoes –  Beautiful Italian shoes created by a Taiwanese designer. Their shoes are so beautifully outrageous and unique. All their shoes are handmade and every little detail speaks of innovation. They have over 70 retail shops in Taiwan, 40 in China and some in Japan, they are exploring the western market and we are hoping to meet up with them when we visit Taiwan next month.

Ramarim Shoes

Ramarim Shoes

3. Easy Life Shoes – Their shoes are designed and produced in Brazil. After trying on their high heels, I just fell in love. Their high heels and boots are to die for. It is made in cow leather and the insoles are unimaginably soft, and they mold to your feet. We are looking into stocking some of their shoes! It is very addictive!

California Comfort

4. California Comfort – We met a lovely american couple from Brisbane and Kristy designs the shoes herself. The beauty about California Comfort shoes are the insoles that make it seem like you are walking on cotton. They also have interchangeable upper and you are able to add different shoe blings to the shoes. Talk about total comfort and innovation!

Cocorose London Ballet flats

Cocorose London Ballet flats

5. Cocorose London – When practicality meets fashion. Cocorose London ballet flats are foldable and is perfect for a travelling companion. Their shoes are designed by a UK designer and the shoes are so trendy and useful.

I am looking forward for the next Australian Shoe Fair in Melbourne in August! Will keep you posted on our ventures!

 

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