Restart!

I had to stop the blog some weeks, ‘cause a terrific pc crash that made me lose almost all last year’s data, even sl pics! I’m trying to recover them through the downloaded ones in my sl inventory or by my friend whom I did give them. Now I save my data copies every day, in a lot of devices (dvd, pen—drive, external hd…): this is the punishment for distracted people who don’t care to save regularly copies of their data; AFTER the disaster, they become maniac with copies and storage devices 

Well, thanks to my friends like Sharron Schuman, that allowed me to use some of her beautiful pics to make my fashion show posts less boring than a simple calendar, I will be able to restart posting, and I’ll do it very soon.

To make this post less tragic, I will stop for a bit the history of my work at MEB and I’ll jump to present time, to show some astonishing outfits of the new Fall Collection, released by MariaElena in these weeks and that was shown yet at the International Fashion Day (managed by Glance) and at Modavia Fashion Week.



In the sequence, I’m mirroring Sorbonne, an outfit that recalls the intriguing atmosphere of the French bistrot, but that - if worn with jewels and proper hair - can be an elegant interpretation of casual wear, thanks to the precious silk of the pants and the soft color of the sweater.
No doubt about the elegance of Riviera: once more wool and silk, but in smoother and lighter colors and a touch of provocation in the tight and short line of the top.
Tiffany is the feast of the contrast: black velvet and cream silk for an outfit made by a straight jacket and a soft pleated midi skirt: I wear it in a ballroom, there, despite it is thought for the elegance in the work days.
In the last pic I put Penny on a stormy background. It’s to say that even rainy weather can be agreeable if we wear this wool traditional kilt, made original by the asymmetric line and paired with a velvet dark brown jacket worn on the naked skin. Boots are the natural complements of such an outfits, and MEB Grunge ones are exciting with their wonderful rawhide texture and their comfortable heels.

Everyday life in MEB

The manager’s life is not only work, of course, but even in my private life I feel very well wearing MEB clothes . I play with the single items to experiment new outfits, but the play risks to be endless. Once I wrote that MEB catalogue is like a painter’s palette, from which people can choose colors (and shapes) to “paint” his own wardrobe. Here are some pics to show how I use these dresses in my everyday life (and to show my friends, my places and my vanity) ;)

At the theater with my beloved friend Alexin, an Italian designer who shares with me her SL since our very first days. I wear the Pandi black outfit, made more elegant by pearls, white hair and black stockings.In the second pic, I play modeling with Laura18 Streeter in the astonishing Striking poses store. She wears MEB Jennyfer, while I did compose an outfit by joining the Saigon blouse and the Rodeo white pants.Below, a moment of relax at MEB store. MariaElena is talking with our friend Ergosumma23 Amat, and she seems not aware that her CEO is relaxing ;) She wears a brown version of Pandi outfit, while I’m wearing Barbara, one of my favorite casual ones.Again Ale in the last pic: we are on the top of a lighthouse, after dancing in a 50s style parlor at Mandalay. My outfit is one of MEB best seller, Giselle, that I wear with black pearls by Jennyfer Miles and white boots by Bax Cohen (I have been an amateur photographer, so I love so much black and white…)


How a manager does look in the night? MEB leather jacket Baires or Gold, sunglasses, foulards… what a difference with the bottom left picture, token before going to work, were I wear the Pepe jacket, with its almost military look! Top right I’m wearing the Romy sleeveless outfit, without accessories, for a walk in the nice market land Macos Mall, where MEB holds one of its stores.

A New MEB Main Store (April 2009)

Being the old MEB main store too small for the growth of the brand, MariaElena decided in April to renew the palce. Thanks to the genius of Aiyki Takakura, the builder, a new big store born in few time. Two floors, smooth colors and an astonishing tubular structure to bear a modern glass roof, in the same place in which the old store was (CZESTATE, Kua Nui).


Ground floor is dedicated to show MEB classics and new collections and decorated by two nice fountains and by a cascade; at the right center of the space lays a runway, a promise for the many forthcoming events that the brand will organize.
First floor shows casual clothes, separates, accessories and an exposition space called Fashion & Art. As usual, a large corner of the first floor hosts the nice Pandora Runo’s furniture shop. Thanks to our friend Zhora Maynard, sculptress of lights and shapes, the store shows also some of her works.

The new store, a more comfortable space for receiving customers and spend time chatting and watching clothes with them, was opened with a nice party, where all MEB’s friends were invited, and where the models Giada Oh, Maura Taurog, Kellykelly Vendetta, Beckybloom Beaumont, Silviax Johin and Memole Giha have been testimonials of the brand wearing some of the best known MEB outfits.

MEB Staff (MariaElena, Melusina, Pandora) in black clothes, dancing at the opening party. Below, thwo artworks by Zhora Maynard: Dragon Power and Esencia

Maura Taurog wearing the MEB beige raincoat; Giada Oh wearing the elegant dress Austen

Main entrance, a moment of the party, one of the fountains, and a pic of the old store.

MariaElena proudly walking on the new store’s runway

MEB models (2): Giada Oh, MEB Face 2009

Winning a contest, best voted among other 30 awesome avies, Giada Oh became the MEB Face 2009. She wears MEB clothes with natural feeling, so she became protagonist of ads and books promoting the new collections, and represented MEB on many runways. It is a pleasure for me shooting Giada, whose poses and expressions give worth to MEB clothes.

1. The very first pic of Giada, wearing Tayra jacket,
the night she won the MEB Face 2009 Contest
2. Giada wearing the evening dress Demoiselle

Giada wearing the three different versions of the Pandi outfit

MEb Fashion Shows (2)

To present the Spring Collection, besides other outfits, was LookElite, the model agency leaded by Fia Bonetto and managed by my close friend Laura18 Streeter. In the framework of its splendid sky runway, its models - among which was Laura herself - gave a crowdy public the taste of MEB Spring.

The poster and the LookElite runway

The public and Laura wearing Demoiselle

The Barbara outfit in the runway; MariaElena and Laura smile at the end of the show

A complete set of pics by Tillie Ariantho at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tillie/sets/72157615325728607/

The same collection was then presented at SLCN TV (now Treet TV), in a exciting show made for Fashion Spotlights by the models of Moda Agency and presented by Harlee Lane and Nyte Vargas. You can see or download the entire video at http://archive.treet.tv/moda-fashion-spotlight-meb-designs-0

The TV owner and manager, the designer and guests at the show.
Three colors for the Laura outfit

1. One of the top outfit of MEB formal catalogue: Jane Austen, made by a light lace short dress and by a lace-like short jacket.
2. Tayra blue coat, a classic among MEB afternoon outfits.
3. Giselle, the best seller outfit of the Spring Collection.

MEB Spring Collection 2009 (2)

Some Spring Collection outfit worn by Melu in everyday life.

Leonore, Pandi black, Laura blue

Giada brown, Laura black, Jennyfer

Laura, one of my favorites, with different accessories, skins and hair.

MEB Spring Collection 2009 (1)

Some MEB Spring Collection 2009 outfits:
Pandi black, Juliette, Ballerina and Henriette,
worn by Giada Oh (mannequins); location: Alchimia;

At the very beginning of Spring, MariaElena gave all us the surprise of a new collection. In few weeks she created a lot of astonishing outfits, that quickly became some of MEB best sellers.
That is not surprising, looking at the seductive simplicity of Giselle or Jennyfer dresses, or considering the futurist painting inspired Ballerina and Henriette, or even the elegance of Laura, Giada and Leonore. Complete the collection Pandi and Juliette, set at the opposite points of a scale between provocation and graceful kindness, and the stunning Demoiselle, the only long dress in MEB catalogue.

The MEB Spring Collection 2009
(models: Jennyfer Miles and Giada Oh)

Jennyfer Miles mannequins wearing some Spring Collection outfits:
Giselle, Jennyfer, Laura blue, Leonore.

MEB Fashion Shows (1)

Several shows in the first months of 2009 for MEB, that took part in many ones in different lands where the brand keeps a store, but also proposed its owns, with well known Model Agencies.

Annemarie Perenti is the owner of Best of Italian Style land, a place where you can really find the best of Italian fashion. She did ask MariaElena to present her dresses in a very informal event: no runway, no formal presentation for this Showcase that did look like a tea at home with friends :)
MEB outfits, did match very well to this style, being thought for everyday life.
A photo show of the event was made by the great fashion reporter (and model herself) Sharron Schuman, and is avalaible at http://www.flickr.com/photos/sharronschuman/sets/72157613443609724/.

MEB took part in two important events. First, the Fashion Weeks organized by Runway (few of us in fashion world would believe that these would be the last public event made by that great agency, animated - as well as the Runway Magazine - by the passion of Maggie Mahoney and Ocean Bates).

Then, the great happening called FuturRoma, an homage to the Futurist art movement in the year of its centenary, hold in RL and SL in Rome, thanks to the hard and passionate work by Mexi Lane and Patrizia Blessed.

Runway Fashion Weeks, February 2009: the poster and a moment of MEB show



FuturRoma 2009: the two MEB dresses made by textures from futurist paintings (Henriette, texture by Enrico Prampolini; Ballerina, texture by Giacomo Balla); an image of F. De Pero's New York, whose 3D reconstruction has been one of the frameworks of the fashion show.

MEB Models: Jennyfer Miles

Working at MEB, I had the privilege to make several shoots to Jennyfer Miles, great model and great friend of MEB. Her feeling and her original poses and expressions give special life to MEB clothes. You can see Jenny in most of the vendors and ads in MEB stores.
Working together was the beginning of our friendship.

Jenny wearing some well known MEB outfits: the one that bears her name, Jenny, full of spring suggestions; the gorgeous and elegant Leonore; two lace pattern decorated jackets, Fleurs and Jane, worn on the gorgeous dresses Cameron and Austen.
Below, a giant MEB ad, where Jenny shows different ideas for using Fleurs jacket, from formal to casual.

First 2009 new outfits, in February

Some weeks later, when i was contracted as a manager at MEB, my first task was to compose some outfits for a fashion show. I did realize that MEB catalogue is like a painter's palette and I could "paint" more than one hundred outfits. MariaElena did choose six, shown below. My best reward for that job was that she gave my name to one of them.

In the pics:
Barbara, Black Moon, Romy, the casual based on jeans and nylon sleeveless or leather jackets;
Arianne, Juana, Melusina, the urban style at the best, combining floral and/or lace-like jackets and bodices with simple midi and mini skirts.

At the very beginning...

January 2009:
it's the first time i meet MEB (the brand, the store) and M.E.B. (MariaElena Barbosa, the designer). I fall in love with outfits like these ones.
Prada is a light silk minidress, available in three smooth colors (in the pic, the grey one), simple enough to be innocent, small enough to be provocative.
Tayra is a short coat that easily become an afternoon dress, fascinating by its lovely colors (blue, pink, white or mauve, white and blue).
Audrey is an homage to the famous A. Hepburn elegance, and needs no words to say its charme.



Was I wrong, then?

Let's start

First words and pics here, being Melu in holidays, after almost one year of SL.

Her work as CEO at MEB Fashion in SL can now turn in fun, so she decided to open these pages, gathering pics and thoughts born during the exciting past months.

Enjoy! (I do it ;) )