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There's no denying how huge a role high street brands play when it comes to delivering the latest fashions to us mere mortals. Sometimes they work around key styles - using them as references but making them their own (or just more wearable and realistic) - while some other times they just stick the whole thing in the photocopier and stock up their stores in all those polyester clones we love (yet temporarily):

So which one's Gucci and which one's Mango? The big dolla' version is on the left, while on the right you have one very sad-looking young lady wearing Mango's take on this charming floral number. (Cheer up, love.)

Hard to tell these twins apart, eh? So the one's on the left is called Uterque, and the one on the right goes by the name of Miu Miu. They look identical but you can easily tell them apart simply by looking at the price tag.

You guys, remember back in the day, when trainers were made by sports brands? yeah, neither do I. Anyway, a while ago I was having wet dreams about those weird-ass looking Dior trainers, which I obviously never got because 850€. Sadly, my burning desire faded in the meantime, just when "designer" Sarah Summer has given the world a 260€ version of the same crazy shoe. In the exact same colour palette as Dior too.

But wait! Ms. Summer isn't alone on the replica business: see those tweed Chanel sneakers on the bottom left? They also exist in a budget-friendly version, and you have Elena Iachi to thank for that.

And a last one for the road: another massive coincidence if you look at Isabel Marant's ethnic-inspired jacket and Zara's ethnic inspired jacket. What a small world. 

Candids on tapestry

These are works by a young american artist called Erin M. Riley. They're all tapestries representing the type of image we're all bombarded with everyday on facebook, tumblr, instagram, films and popular culture in general. The girls are anonymous and faceless, because that's how this image bombardment operates: depersonalizes the depicted and desensitizes the viewer (Andy Warhol had warned us about that). But then it's their technique - tapestry - that gives them their much needed gravitas. One the one hand it's a celebration of vulgarity, while on the other hand it's carefully crafted like you'd expect from representations of classical themes, where the female body materializes only the purest of virtues. 

Click here for Erin's website.

satisfying associations

Came across these pieces from MM6's recent jewelry collection:

 Inflated brass bracelets

And was immediately reminded of Jeff Koons' inflatables: 

Fashion. Art. Fartshion.

The two things I love most in life are fashion and visual arts, so I honestly cannot conceive anything more exciting than a combination of the two.

If this is the kind of thing that also rubs your fancy, make sure you follow @copylab on Instagram, and prepare yourself for some intense liking action as you scroll down its amazing feed, full of embellished iconic art-historical images with trending designer accessories and logos.

Original: Henri Matisse's "Madras Rouge." Added: Fendi Micro Peekaboo Bag

"Jesus' Diaper Bag." Original: Botticelli’s “The Virgin and Child Enthroned." Added: Hermes Birkin

Original: My Parents by David Hockney. Added: Vuitton x Murakami trunk and bag.

#NapoleonEmperorDefeatedAtFontainebleau by #PaulHippolyteDelaroche. Added: #Givenchy Rottweiler Shirt

 Original: #TheWave by #WilliamAdolpheBouguereau. Added: #Chanel Canvas Graffiti Backpack

Overalls.

Overalls are the chillest thing you can wear; you just kinda let everything hang out because overalls  won't tell anyone you've just inhaled a massive lunch (it's all nicely hidden there). These ones are Zara from last year, tshirt is The Kooples, bag is Faux-yard (that's a fake Goyard, fyi) and ballerinas are by Josefinas. Also, I'm thrilled with my recent discovery that white nail polish actually looks so cool. Wish I was wearing some big fat latina earrings but I was too late and sleepy to think of that in the morning. 

btw, if you like this background, it's a painting by brilliant 20th century Op artist Bridget Riley. Look her up.

And here are some chicas looking lovely in their overalls. I like them mostly with ballet flats, trainers and loafers, as the heels kind of take away from the carefree vibe given by dungarees. Threw in a cute crop mariniere by APC and some more Josefinas flats just 'cus.

Cultural patterns

It's interesting how we lean towards the idea that it's culture that sets us apart from others. There's a common discourse saying culture is that unique aspect that binds us together to create a shared identity, when in fact there are countless examples of cultural manifestations that are common across different nations and peoples. After all, we've always learnt from each other and people's curiosity for what's beyond has (since probably the dawn of humankind) ended up resulting in cultural transferrals and shared knowledge and aesthetics.

Dolce & Gabbana have recently released a collection inspired on ceramic tiles, Sicilian ones more specifically. I can't help but see my country's ceramics reflected on this collection; after all this is quite a dominating element of Portuguese culture too (has been so for over 500 years).

Dolce & Gabbana

Sicilian ceramics

Carmo church, Porto

Pottery from Porches, in the Algarve

Tile panel from Lisbon

Excuse me, but have you got anything darker?

Black is beautiful, and it is both all thing at once and the absence of everything. Helmut Lang, Vans, Jaguar E-Type, Rick Owens, Mark Rothko, Bottega Venetta, MM2, La Perla. 

Joana Vasconcelos

Richard Serra

Jason Martin

Rui Chafes