Croatia Online - Highlights & Soft Landings?

As we get ready for a trip back to the UK it's back breaking work loading up the car with (only the best of) the literature we've accumulated this time round.

When we first arrived in Croatia six years ago, there wasn't a lot of information on the web and blogging was as undiscovered as Croatia was. Now it's so much easier to find what you want on the internet but the tourist offices are still big on brochures and information. Sometimes, off season, in the more remote locations you have to dig it out a little but it's worth it and it's a travesty to throw it away until it is properly read and digested. Regular readers therefore have plenty of blogging to look forward to during the UK break, whilst we consolidate the information and catch up on the ones that temporarily got away whilst we were enjoying ourselves too much. Of course there's no substitute for exploring in person and talking to the locals, so we have plenty of notebooks to sift through as well!

There have been so many highlights, over the first few months of 2009, of a personal and professional nature, and a number of people who have found the time and made the effort to help us discover more of Croatia and still feel welcome and a small part of it. This is not the place for private or professional thank you's of a general nature but the least we can do is give a plug and a link to some of the websites that belong to those who have made a big difference, and just a short note on some of the things they do that we have seen in the last couple of months!

In alphabetical order:

Apartment Maris (Luxury Apartment, Split Centre)

Black Cat Bistro (Restaurant, Split)

Etnoland (Dalmatian Discovery Park)

Olynthia (Olive Oil Tours)

Sailing School Croatia (Sailing School!)

Secret Dalmatia (Roman Ruins, Caves, Special Views)

Sokolarski Centar (Falconry and Conservation)

Trinity Croatia (Croatian Property Experts)

Val Tours (Bird Watching with Expert Guide Robert)

Zara Adventure (Caving)

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Just a short plug as well for John Nash, co-author of the Croatia Cruising Companion. John runs Marina Facility Solutions from his base in Kaštela and you can read more about his recent successes, in an ongoing campaign to help Croatian Marinas keep the sea clean, by following this link MFS a Key Advisor In Croatia's First Integral Marina Pump Out Solution. To go straight to the latest issue of Euromarina that featured his work at Marina Preko, click here.

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Many thanks to Eko Centar Caput Insulae for today's photo of a Griffon Vulture Landing. Apart from their conservation work with this rare bird, they also arrange bird watching trips too and we'll tell you more about those soon.

Because Even Alexander McQueen Gets Sick of Fashion

“You know, it’s hard enough doing this job — I don’t have to live it as well. I’d rather sit at home watching ‘Coronation Street.’ ”
Alexander McQueen

Croatia Online - Natural Order

Olive trees and cross generational family standards thrive in Croatia - perhaps something to do with good roots and making the most of challenging terrains and frequent interlopers. We've recently learnt that olive trees respond well to natural hazards and threats if they have some space and care. They're amongs the longest lived of fauna and produce a fruit that is rightly revered for its efficacy.

Dalmatia is a land of "small holders" demonstrated very well by the scattering of its olive groves and the quality and distinctiveness that results - in a world of mass produced olive oil that doesn't quite have the kick, the taste, or the traceability of the best of its Croatian peers, its something to fete!

Similarly the world might again come round to the enduring ethics and traditions that have left Croatia perfectly poised to continue to carry on apparently regardless, but mindful of the chaos going on elsewhere and the need to find its rightful place on the 21st century political and geographical map.

Croatia, so strategically, and often precariously, situated between east and west, has a seasoned history of seeing many great powers come and go, and seems to grow stronger from it, and more faithful to its soul and roots.

There has been much talk in the western world about family values, now as if it were a fantasy, a decade or so ago as something really important to try and hang onto. Croatia, particularly Dalmatia, walks the talk. It's a secret a foreigner can't properly share but can continue to admire warts and all. The greater the discovery process, the greater the admiration and the understanding of the blemishes.

We wouldn't be surprised to learn, in a few years time, that the Olive tree wasn't in fact introduced by the Greeks and/or Romans to Croatia, but they just kept better records and so took the credit!

Luxury Executives Preach Sustainability

NEW DELHI — Luxury goods and sustainable development are not mutually exclusive, according to luxury and retail titan François-Henri Pinault.

Speaking at an International Herald Tribune luxury conference here Wednesday, Pinault asserted that “more than ever, people want to return to genuine values such as timelessness, sincerity and exemplary standards.”

Pinault, who is chairman and chief executive officer of PPR, parent of Gucci Group, said in a keynote address that his version of sustainable luxury — the conference’s theme — encompasses ethics, collectivity and conservation. Conservation of the world’s natural resources is desirable, but also the continuation of knowledge and respect for craft and materials, he said.

Luxury is not superfluous, as it protects trades and skills, the sustainability of which is a necessity for human endeavor, he argued.

“The duty of luxury is not only to act, but also to mobilize,” he said. “I believe luxury is not just sustainable, but responsible.”

Pinault also took the occasion to trumpet PPR’s new foundation for women and the PPR-produced documentary “Home,” slated for worldwide release on the Internet, television and in theaters on June 5, World Environment Day.

How luxury brands can sustain their growth of the last 15 years is a hot topic at the two-day conference, hosted by IHT fashion editor Suzy Menkes.

Sustainability has become the most important ingredient of fashion now, said Nicolas Ghesquière, creative director of Balenciaga. He said he chose to make his new Los Angeles store eco-friendly and energy efficient, and it will serve as the model for all his future boutiques.

Dries Van Noten, who has been getting his clothes and accessories embellished in Indian ateliers for 20 years, said he has invested in improving the working conditions and income of his embroidery workers in Calcutta. Earlier, it was not possible to produce white garments, as the workshops were too dirty. Recently, the Belgian designer used white in his collection and had the clothes produced in India.

“Time is required to achieve deep luxury,” said Christian Blanckaert, executive vice president of Hermès International. He asserted that in times of economic recession, people prefer to spend money on quality, durability and timelessness rather than fast fashion.

-Mahlia S. Lone

CNN's Revealed: Carine Roitfeld

Croatia Online - Best Souvenirs of Croatia

As we think about getting ready for a month or so in the UK, it seems timely to consider what represents Croatia best in terms of quality gifts for English friends and relatives.

Unfortunately most of what is best about Croatia can't be packaged, bottled and taken away. The flavours, tastes sounds and smells can but are not always so easy to transport. Good on Croatia for not going too far down the route of tacky souvenirs and for staying true to its soul.

So what can you practically take back to England for an original and thoughtful present, representing the essence of your best experiences of Croatia? Here's our top five:

1. A small, well packaged, bottle of the best extra virgin olive oil and details of its history and origins. The gift recipients won't want to taste another olive oil. There are many organic producers with an eye for quality but only a few with websites so we're citing our most recent discovery - Olynthia.

2. A bottle of good Croatian wine - splash out a little in relative Croatian terms and your french friends may be surprised.

3. A jar of fig jam - we haven't discovered any small local entrepreneur producers yet so SMS is still our favourite.

4. A CD of Croatia's folk music - Klapa. Take some advice to get the best.

5. Honey - check the lables for the brands of exceptional taste and quality

A little more flippantly we'd suggest a copy of the Croatia Cruising Companion and a ticket to Croatia.

Croatia Online - Šolta, Martinis Marchi

We couldn't complete the latest run of postings on Šolta without a little more information on an outstanding hotel and restaurant, Martinis Marchi.

The castle in which both are housed was built by the Martinis brothers in the early 18th century to help protect Split's mainland and islands from pirate attack and to develop a community to work the land. Since then it was allowed to decay, and suffered a modest earlier renovation to serve a short life as a 50 bedroom hotel and occasional restaurant.

Now it's been returned to its fomer glory after massive time and investment by its relatively new owners under the guidance of local Croatian heritage architects and advisors. The six hotel suites vary in size and are individually designed and furnished, both to be true to the castle's original design and to offer the ultimate in quiet elegance and comfort. The reception rooms are equally impressive, the courtyard houses a heated open air swimming pool and there's a heliport in the extensive grounds that display equal care and nurturing. As if that wasn't enough, the restaurant terrace has great views over the bay and west facing Maslinica makes for the perfect location for a quiet cocktail at sunset.

Internet, heated bathroom floors, air conditioning, etc, are all of course standard in the suites. Four poster beds are a feature and the largest suite occupies the whole tower on five floors – ground for the main reception room, first for the office and music room, second for the vast bathroom and a wall of cupboards in the hall, top for the master bedroom, and the stone walled basement for the konoba/kitchen area. This one costs €1,500 a night but you can stay in equal comfort, with varying space, for €420 to €750, in the other suites. The bathrooms and bedrooms are all enormous, and the common areas are of the grandeur and functionality you would expect.

The test of the restoration is that the Šolta islanders are proud of it as well and 2009/10 should see the upgrading of Maslinica’s harbour to a marina of similar style.

Croatia Online - The Secret and Adventurous Art of Blogging on Croatia

Whilst Croatia Online has been living it up, working hard, and exploring Šolta out of season (see postings below) we notice that the best of the Croatian blogging world has also been prolific.

Šolta has provided a number of great learning experiences, not least of all is some insight on how to live life in a small community. Šolta may lie very close to the much bigger and more cosmopolitan community of Split but it's still essentially a very special kind of place where everyone knows their neighbours, and strangers out of season are welcomed with just a little curiosity but open arms. An illustrative example of the generosity of spirit was when we were walking round Donje Selo trying to follow up a hot tip. Our look may have been starry eyed but it might have been interpreted as lost (although getting lost is very difficult on Šolta). A car driver stopped to ask if he could help, we told him what we were looking for, and he gave us a lift to the family's house.

He knocked on the door, carried out an introduction, and we were invited in to sample a glass of the local Dobričić wine and given a few details on the family business - wine and olive product producers as well as providing authentic konoba dinners. To share a similar and perhaps more in depth experience with the Kaštelanać family (with or without the kindness of introductory strangers!), telephone 021 658 109 or mobile 098 385 376.

We digress - the subject of this posting is the art of blogging in Croatia, especially Dalmatia; we used Šolta as an introduction for four reasons:

1. It is very fresh in our minds

2. It will remain very special in our memories of Croatia

3. It's a small island with a number of even smaller villages

4. We were reminded that, especially in a close knit community, embracing the competition and the collective good is more important than self interest

The blogging world in Croatia is still small but it's a lot bigger than when Croatia Online started nearly 300 posts ago. Šolta provided a timely nudge to remember that what is good for the whole, is generally good for the best of its component parts. Whilst many Croatian blogs are now just regurgitating facts, often without due credit, from other blogs and websites, or vying to trick google with as many keywords as they can make fit a sentence, two are quite special for their unique and original first hand information and insights:

Lifejacket Adventures - who's latest postings include a Buddhist Centre in Split, current news on the renovation of their traditional wooden boat, and a new sandwich shop in Split who's name needs some explanation.

Secret Dalmatia - who have enlightened readers recently on Octopus lunches, the significance of the Bura wind in March and the Babić wine of Primošten.

Croatia is full of Catholic churches but may still need time to become catholic in the wider sense of the word - all embracing, broad minded and tolerant according to just some of the dictionary definition. However island life, as it is lived on Šolta, side by side with its visitors from Split and elsewhere, might have a lot to teach those of us who think we are experienced in world living.

Today's photo is of one of the reception rooms in Martinis Marchi in Maslenica. Given that we are widely told that the new owners have restored the castle, with great care and no mean investment, according to original plans, we'd like to think that the Martinis brothers used their dining room to stay in touch with their modest number of early neighbours drawn from all walks of life in the common interests of the day.

Croatia Online - Šolta In Pictures

After three days on Šolta we've already written a number of posting on this and sister site Croatia Cruising Companion. We will probably write many more but to give our readers a break here are just a few images that capture the diversity of Šolta, one of Croatia's smallest inhabited islands and just a short ferry trip from Split.

Croatia Online - Šolta The Island Of Olives

One of the most interesting parts of our trip to Šolta was a tour provided by Olynthia - various stops amidst their scattered olive groves near Donje Selo; along a track to the south side of the island for a spectacular view of the Adriatic and Vis island (see previous posting); and back to their olive oil processing plant for a tasting and to see how the fruits of one of the Mediterranean's hardiest and most versatile trees, turns into a liquid of exceptional quality that is good enough to drink, let alone drizzle over your food. In the summer season, or by arrangement, the tour also includes a cooling swim, lunch or dinner, and can start from Trogir or Split, or direct from Šolta. At around 350 kn including a feryy or boat trip from the mainland, it's a snip.

From the start to the end of the tour you will see that the best olive oil comes from a perfect combination of tradition and technology. Purists may question their own values - whilst it might be "quaint" to see olives being pressed in time honoured style, you will discover that doesn't make for the best elixir. Premium extra virgin olive oil comes from olives that are processed with minimum exposure to light, heat and air. Technology however is only the watchword in the processing of the olives; the growing and care of the trees and groves, to produce the best fruit, relies on traditional principles and expert knowledge, passed down the generations through centuries. That means extensive rather than intensive cultivation, no chemicals, preparing the ground properly to take out the rocks, careful pruning so that each branch has maximum exposure to sunlight, cutting the grass regularly around the trees, and watching out for any disease. The way olives are picked also has a bearing on the final quality of the oil - all of Olynthia's olives are hand picked, rather than shaken and collected off the ground and the picking is timed to get the fruit at its very best and process it as quickly as posible.

Native to Asia minor and perhaps the oldest known cultivated tree in the world, Šolta's olive trees were probably first planted by the Greeks in the 4th Century BC and thence started the legends and history that reflect their incredible attributes and significance. Olive trees don't demand the same care that grapevines do and they withstand Šolta's rocky terrain, droughts, winds and heat. More than that, the roots survive periodic wildfires and the longevity is renowned - see Croatia Online - Croatia's Oldest Olive Tree? for a picture on one of Dalmatia's oldest specimens.

Listen to afficionados and experts and you will believe that the best Croatian extra virgin olive oil can cure almost anything without any side effects. Pay attention to Olynthia and you will find out where, how and why, as well as getting an insight into Šolta's history and why the olive tree has played such an important role. If you're lucky, you'll also get to taste Šolta's local wine, Dobričić, now discovered to be the genetic forefather of Croatia and California's better known and acclaimed varieties - Plavac and Zinfandel.

To say much more would be to spoil the discoveries you will make on the tour. However, we were left so full of fascinating insights and information that it may be hard to resist another posting or two on the subject.

Thanks to Frane, Anja, Stipe and Robert for enabling this visit - certainly one to be remembered and hopefully to be repeated at another time in the olive tree's cycle. We've already done a little bit of picking and seen the end result - see Croatia Online - Olive Picking In Omis - it would be great to see the olive groves of Šolta in full harversting swing, but the time of year doesn't detract from the quality of the tour.

Today's photo is of the gourmet tasting provided for us at Olynthia and we were lucky enough to return with some of last year's nectar, bottled and packaged, as we waited, in award winning style.

Croatia Online - Šolta Island: Orientation

After six years exploring and writing about Croatia, even the most carefully chosen adjectives can start to sound clichéd, and sparingly used superlatives begin to feel well worn.

It's a relative luxury for us to spend three days on one of Dalmatia's islands, albeit with a working objective. Šolta, at just 19 kilometres long, and 4 metres across at its widest, may be one of Croatia's smaller inhabited islands but it has plenty to keep discerning visitors engaged, even outside the summer season.

Like most of Croatia's gems, Šolta has a fascinating and eclectic history, under a background of subservience to its masters in Split. It too has plenty to show from the seemingly never ending battles between the various great powers that have fought so hard for control over Croatia's precarious and strategic position between east and west.

Like many of its island and mainland neighbours, the oldest settlements and arguably the best of Šolta's heritage, is displayed in the inland towns of Grohote, Donje Selo, Gornje Selo and Sredne Selo. These grew up around the most fertile regions and, despite the never ending battle to clear the terrain of vast quantities of stone and rock, the small quantities of nutrient rich topsoil allowed agriculture to thrive. The olive tree has long been a hero of Šolta - it's one of the few species of flora that can thrive in the rocky terrain, mediterranean climate and on an island where there is nothing other than rain as a water supply - the porous limestone rock sees to that. You can read more about Šolta's liquid gold in our next posting.

Apart from the olive groves and abundance of rock, mostly neatly stacked in dry stone walls, inland Šolta will strike you with its old stone built houses, the smell of rosemary, a lush green vista of woods and bushes, settlements that appear tiny as you drive past them on the main road but hold a wealth of treasures in the narrow streets behind, and the magnificent views of the coast. The highest point, Vela Straža, at 237 metres, provides perhaps the best viewpoint of all.

For wow factor views, Maslinica is a strong contender. Facing west and looking out over a few small islets, the sunsets are hard to beat. Maslinica also has a very special man made asset - its Baroque castle now transformed into an elegant deluxe hotel, Martinis Marchi, after painstaking renovations that have brought it back to its original splendour and design. Here the latest technology required for modern and luxurious living, blends tastefully with an important part of Šolta's heritage, and here you can dine in style on the best of local and international cuisine.

There are no settlements on the south side of Šolta - the rugged and heavily indented coastline, doesn't make it an inviting place to live or prosper. However it hides some of the best and most deserted beaches, ideally reached by boat, but also through the olive groves, on tracks which aren't too hard on car tyres.

On the north side lies Rogač, the main ferry port, linking Šolta to Split four times a day in the winter, and with at least six services in the summer, more on demand. As Šolta is under-rated as an island, so Rogač is under stated as one of its coastal settlements.

Rogač is also the home of one of the islands leading local entrepreneurs, Ivo Bezić, who appears to have the only accommodation suited and open for all year round visitors, Villa Solta (English pages to follow). Ivo also owns one of only two restaurants we found on the island that was open last week, the other being Konoba Picerija Gajeta at the head of the bay in Maslenica. Ivo's hotel and restaurant are a short walk up the hill as you head out of Rogač. The reasonably priced modern accommodation includes large bathrooms, underfloor heating and internet access, and there's ample parking. It sleeps up to 24 in total, in a variety of rooms and apartments of various sizes, but when asked about larger groups, Ivo maintains that he can accomodate any number of people through friends in the village and elsewhere on the island. He's also planning to add another floor to the hotel accommodation when time and finances permit. The restaurant serves up the best of ingredients in traditional Dalmatian style and has a similar menu to the other part of Ivo's empire, Konoba Saskinja in Maslenica which is only open in the summer (for now!). Ivo has also just about completed the renovation and refit of his traditional boat which will accomodate 40 people and has an engine capable of getting to Brač and Hvar in good time, just as easily as pootling around Šolta on a fish picnic.

Elsewhere on the north coast there's Nečujam, once just a bay that was home to Emperor Diocletian's fish pool, with a couple of houses including the island retreat of Marko Marulic, the father of Croatian literature. Now it's rather overshadowed by an out of character resort development, Tourist Village Necujam Centar, complete with outdoor swimming pools and disco bar, though there is a lovely unspoilt bay next door which is a favourite for a swim on fish picnic tours from Trogir. There's also a small private hotel, Sv Petar, towards the end of the east side of bay. Nothing was open during last week's visit.

Stomorska also has its charms - the long narrow bay hosts a number of wooden cruise ships waiting for summer action, and is ringed by pizzerias and konobas about to be made ready for this year's tourists. Meanwhile Gornja Krušica and Donja Krušica, at opposite ends of the island's north coast, provide the base for a number of summer houses, some for let, around small bays and are, no doubt, just biding their time until the secrets of Šolta are truly discovered.

For visitors that need to be entertained, Šolta is probably not the island for you, though the short distances to Trogir, Split, Hvar, Brač, and even Vis, make it an ideal retreat for a day of rest from partying. For those that really do want to discover the Mediterranean as it once was, and take a break from the pace of 21st century living, it's hard to beat. If they enjoy style, comfort and luxury as well, Martinis Marchi is the ideal base. For those on a tighter budget, there's maybe not a wide choice but it's there.

Visitors by boat can read more about nautical matters on sister site
Croatia Cruising Companion

Today's photo is a rather giddy view showing the ubiquitous Šolta stones and rocks being put to good use yet again - this time they are marking the path to the island of Vis.

Croatia Online - Šolta Island

We were lucky enough to have several good reasons to spend some time on Šolta island this week. Even luckier that the weather was brilliant. The downside is that Šolta takes several days to get to know though it's only an island of some 19 kilometres long. We did our best and will be "cold pressing" or "centrifuging" the latest news as soon as we can!

Today's photo is the view from west facing Maslenica - Alfred Hitchcock might turn in his grave!

Kelly Brook

Birthname: Kelly Ann Parsons
Date of birth: 1979-11-23
Birthplace: Rochester, Kent, England, UK
Height: 5' 8''
Nationality: British
Profession: Actress, Model, TV presenter, Producer

Kelly Brook (born Kelly Ann Parsons on November 23 1979) is an English model, television presenter, actress, and swimwear designer.

Biography

After leaving school in Rochester, Brook studied at the Italia Conti stage school in London for three years before becoming a professional model.
She is currently engaged to actor Billy Zane, having previously dated actor Jason Statham.

Model

Brook's modelling career began at 16 after winning a beauty competition, her early work was in a range of advertising campaigns, including for the new "Bravissimo" company that specializes in bras and lingerie for full-figured women, and for Foster's beer. Brook is 5 feet, 8 inches (172 cm) tall, and her voluptuous figure (Brook's bust measures 32E) caught the eye of the editorial team of the Daily Star who began featuring her as a page three girl.
Brook's picture soon began appearing in other lad mags such as FHM (repeatedly landing in its list of the "100 Sexiest Women of the Year") and Loaded. She topped the 'FHM 100 Sexiest Women in the World 2005' list, which was said to have polled 15 million people. In a poll over 5000 women in April 2005 for Grazia magazine she was considered to have the best British female body. She ranked 5th at 'FHM 100 Sexiest Women in the World 2006' list.
Brook has also done a large amount of commercial swimwear, sportswear, and hosiery modeling, and a limited amount of nude & semi-nude modeling. Recent modelling work for Triumph Bras caused quite a stir because of specially commissioned 50-foot high billboards of Brook's bust.

Presenter

In 1997, still barely 18, Brook started getting work presenting youth television programmes on MTV, Granada and Trouble TV.
Brook had a breakthrough into mainstream presenting in January 1999 when she was chosen to replace Denise van Outen as the female half of The Big Breakfast presenting team, alongside Johnny Vaughan. Brook remained for half a year and then parted company with the show in July 1999 after resigning.
Brook picked up roles presenting for MTV again.

Actress

Brook has appeared in minor roles in a string of movies including Sorted and Ripper. She played the girlfriend of Clark Kent/Superman's best friend Lex Luthor in four episodes of Warner Brothers' Smallville during the show's first season (2001 - 2002). She has also completed assignments as a movie actress in Canada and made a short appearance as Lyle's girlfriend in the 2003 movie The Italian Job. In 2004 she played character Nikki Morris in the video game Need for Speed Underground 2, alongside Brooke Burke. Brook first starring role was in School for Seduction, a 2004 film.
In 2005 she appeared in the Philippe Vidal film House of 9, a thriller about nine seemingly unconnected strangers captured and locked in a house together. The people are forced to compete against one another, in order to survive.
She recently starred in a Miss Marple drama on ITV. She caused a minor controversy over her most recent film Survival Island (previously known as Three), in which she co-starred with fiancé Zane, when Brook and Zane requested her nude scenes be excised from the final cut, which the producers refused to do.

Theatre work

In December 2000, she played Anya, a lap dancer in the play Eye Contact at the Riverside Theatre in Hammersmith, London UK. This role gathered considerable tabloid publicity as the finale of the show involved Brook stripping naked.

Croatia Online - Omiš: Photogenic Croatia Explored

Omiš didn't even get a mention in yesterday's posting on Croatia's ability to provide a picture postcard shot on almost all occasions and in all locations. It's not really on the new breed of tourist's radar yet and that just about sums up how undiscovered Croatia still is.

Omiš is the champion of Croatia's traditional Klapa folk music; has the spectacular gorge of the Cetina River running behind it; boasts a history of courageous pirates battling on, in Robin Hood style, with great ingenuity and resourcefulness, in the face of adversity; and has plenty of historic hilltop fortifications, a great boutique hotel, Villa Dvor, good beaches and some of the best opportunities for river rafting.

The high street may be a little reminiscent of the tourism of yesteryear but you don't have to look to hard to find the real Omiš, and the combination of the two could make for that perfect great value Mediterranean break.

Croatia Online - Šibenik in Spring

A marvellous spring day has energised us into not one but three postings on Croatia Online and our sister site Croatia Cruising Companion. In fact its impossible not to find new things to write about here, especially in Dalmatia, and a day like today just invites exploration and photo taking; and demands that we share Croatia's highlights with readers.

This blog, and our sailing book, the Croatia Cruising Companion, is peppered with references to Croatia's photogenic coastal and island cities, towns and villages. That's before we even start to think about inland Croatia.

Šibenik has to be one of the most photogenic mainland coastal cities amongst very worthy competition including Zadar, Split and Trogir. When you start thinking about villages and islands, where do you stop?! Vrsar and Sucuraj on Hvar Island, Primosten, near Šibenik, Korčula, Vis?

Inland, Varazdin, and a number of spots in Inland Istria are hard to beat.

That's enough....! What started as a celebration of a spring day, has turned into a trawl through our thousands of photos and hundreds of blog postings to try to illustrate and reference readers to Croatia's bounty. A timely reminder that there are still hundreds of places that we've been to but haven't blogged yet.

Whilst you're waiting for Croatia Online to get it's act together, at least you'll find a comprehensive report, including photos charts and detailed information, for all Dalmatia's cities, towns, villages and bays that can be reached from the Adriatic, in our Croatia Cruising Companion. This last link is to the book on Amazon's site with apologies to readers for trying to make it easier for them to buy! All other links are to postings on our blogs.

Today's photo is, of course, of Šibenik.

Croatia Online - Krka Estuary, Zaton

Today was a lovely early spring day, which we used to full advantage to get updates for our Croatia Cruising Companion. That meant exploring a bit more of the Krka estuary and Krka National Park and revisiting the towns of Zaton and Rasline. You can read more about these two towns on Croatia Cruising Companion - Krka Estuary Revisited

Today's photo is of what looks to be a brand new hotel, almost ready to open, in Zaton.

Fashion master or mentor? An agonizing choice for young talents

PARIS: Stretching, floating, spreading like ectoplasm or retreating into an oval shape -Gareth Pugh's collection was a screen full of inspiration. The clothes were unmistakably his dramatic and graphic vision; but the diamond patterns, sun-ray pleats, inserts of studs and even the model's floating ponytail slowly spread and then evaporated.

After a dramatic menswear runway show a month ago, the 27-year-old British designer took his collection to video, offering an intuitive expression of his world. And on the first day of the Paris autumn/winter 2009 season, he chose a different, off-the-runway approach.

"I wanted to express what we wanted to do with the collection," Pugh says. "Even if it did look more like a long perfume ad!"

When - and surely it is not "if" - this hyper-talented designer builds his brand, he will produce fragrance, handbags, makeup or even home furnishings. But for that he will need big money. And like all start-up designers in their 20s, he is faced with an agonizing choice: master or mentor?

Since he graduated from Central Saint Martin's fashion school in London in 2003, Pugh has been taken under the wing of the designer Rick Owens and his partner, Michele Lamy. Although Pugh's first collections were more show biz than business - making it as costumes for Kylie Minogue's tour - his extreme club clothes, with their inflated shapes and checkerboard patterns, have been turned into a buck.

"We sell the clothes - we really do," Julie Gilhart, design director of Barneys New York, said after congratulating the designer and making a showroom appointment to see the clothes.

But it is no secret that Bernard Arnault, chief executive of LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, sponsored Pugh's menswear show in Paris in January and that his people have their eyes on this designer. Asking for anonymity, a person familiar with the situation said that, after Karl Lagerfeld advised Arnault to scoop up Pugh as a major creative talent, the LVMH team approached Pugh and Lamy.

"LVMH is a very big company with lots of people, and they saw something in me that they wanted to bring out," Pugh says, adding that he is extremely happy with the Rick Owens collaboration and wants to "tread water" in these difficult times, having the confidence in himself "that I am going to get to a certain level." Asked if he would ever join the corporate club, Pugh replied: "If someone came along and it was right - never say never."

It has been 25 years since Lagerfeld joined Chanel, setting in motion the idea that, to reinvent themselves, famous old houses had to tap fresh designers. Since then, high fashion has swallowed dozens of burgeoning talents - most famously John Galliano, firstly at Givenchy and ultimately at Dior. But also Alexander McQueen, also first at Givenchy (owned by LVMH) and then at the corporate rival PPR, where the designer has his own line.

Any fashionista could chant a litany of these two-prong careers, those who are working for a big house and also for themselves, kicking off with the famous collaboration between Louis Vuitton and Marc Jacobs and embracing the more recent fashion hookups, as when Riccardo Tisci gave up his own Italian label to design for Givenchy.

Now that the economic climate is rougher than ever for fledgling fashion companies, it is a brave designer who would turn down the corporate blandishments.Kris Van Asscheis a case in point. On Wednesday, the Belgian-born designer sent out a poetic collection of masculine/feminine clothes, illuminated with metallic torques and bangles. Mannish tailoring, like wrap coats or a four-pocket jacket, layered over soft gaucho pants (slightly too many of them) made for a good and wearable collection.

This latest play on the man/woman theme expressed - not least in the program notes that quoted the French poetBaudelaire's "Les Fleurs du mal" - an elegiac romance. And it could not be more different from Van Assche's other day job at Dior Homme, which gives him the finances to keep alive his own men's and women's lines.

Delphine Arnault, daughter of the founder and an executive at LVMH, was sitting front row. "I've always liked young designers - I find it super interesting, and, anyway, Kris works for us," Arnault said.

As the first generation of the "two-prong" designers reaches maturity, it is easy to see what has happened. Although Jacobs has recently (after an open clash with LVMH) grown his own brand, it is still light years short of the Louis Vuitton sales numbers. The Galliano brand is puny compared with Dior, and the collapse of Ittierre, Galliano's Italian manufacturer, will put thebrakes on any hope of rapid expansion.

The story continues at The International Tribune Online

Croatia Online - Šibenik For Fine Dining?

Things started looking up for international cuisine in Šibenik with the opening of Pelegrini a couple of years ago. Whilst Peperoncino can’t compete with Pelegrini on location it’s certainly looks poised to give it a run for its money on menu. It’s very good news for Šibenik and seems likely, once it settles into its stride, to attract diners from much further afield.

Croatia Online - Spring Is In The Air

Lucky for us that we've made some good friends that have helped us to identify the early signs of spring.

Behind the coast the Almond trees are blossoming and Secret Dalmatia can tell you a little more about them.

The Year of the Newcomer

The past few weeks have been filled with bad news for the fashion industry; cancelled shows, declining sales and company layoffs, have cast a dark shadow on days normally filled with back-to-back shows, fabulous parties and star-studded front rows. But the news is not all doom and gloom, as one group stands to profit from the collective misfortune: cue the up-and-comer.
Cost-conscious buyers are taking a new look at more moderately priced new brands and are keen to be the first to find the next Alexander Wang. Take for example the great turn-out for an indie fashion show in New York's artsy Long Island City neighborhoodowd that during New York Fashion Week. The same has been true for the increased interest in fashion school graduate show's, such as the Bunka Fashion College in Tokyo. Let's hope some fresh talent will be enough to revive the industry's dampened spirit-




Subdivision Fashion Week NYC 2009 from stephen on Vimeo.



"Starting now is difficult ... there is less demand now because of the economic circumstances, but the fashion industry is always looking for new ideas, new talent, fresh things ... It's important to stand out." Alessia De Pasquale, designer


"It's going to be a lot more about relying on personality and experience, instead of cash." Andrew Buckler, designer



Bunka Fashion College Graduate Fashion Show 2009

McQueen Goes to the Dark Side

Staying Gorgeous in Ugly Times

“I think a new ‘make do and mend’ subculture will evolve, where we’ll be hunting for bargains, mixing vintage with new clothing — and recycling. These times will bring out experimentation and the eccentric in all of us.” Julien Macdonald


Well it might be time to get creative if you would like to maintain your fashionista lifestyle on a recessionista budget, but luckily, three great sites, Swap Style, Dress Vault and The Closet Bureau, allow anyone to look fabulous without spending very much, and in some cases you might end up with a little bit of coin in your changepurse.

Dress Vault
The Basics:

A fashion network for dress borrowing, that also doubles as a social network, connecting style soulmates. Dress Vault allows members to lend, borrow and buy/sell dresses.

How It Works:

Both lenders and borrowers create profiles in order to participate. If you are looking for a dress, simply browse the photographs and contact the owner if you're interested. The only downside is that you'll only have the dress for one week (including shipping back and forth). The good news is that lenders are protected against damages and late shipments.

Why It's Great:

Because you'll never be photographed twice in the same dress



Swapstyle
The Basics:

Big on style, but short on cash? Swapstyle allows you to use your unwanted clothing, accessories, cosmetics and shoes as currency to buy what you really want.

How It Works:

To get started swapping, create a free profile with photos of all the items that you would like to swap. You can also make a wish list of the things you would like to have. Shop other members profiles and contact them if you're interested in swapping. Likewise, other members will contact you if they would like to swap for one of your items.

Be sure to check the "Swaplifter" list to avoid dealing with less than savory swappers.

Why It's Great:

Because you don't have to spend a dime to get your shopping fix



The Closet Bureau
The Basics:

If you've discovered that your love of designer clothing is taking up too much space and money, The Closet Bureau is ready to hep you clean out your closet and replenish your shopping fund.

How It Works:

Arrange for The Closet Bureau to pick-up your old designers duds, and they will take a care of the rest. You'll receive a payment for the proceeds once your items are sold.

Why It's Great:

Because it's all the benefits of selling on Ebay without any of the hassle

Because Karl Never Disappoints

On the runway: The Man/Woman Meld

Dries van Noten A/W 2009

By Suzy Menkes
Photos by Giovanni Giannoni for WWD

PARIS: The emotion of womanhood married to a casual masculine confidence - that is the message from an exceptionally powerful Paris season.

It has been spelled out in specifics over fashion's long weekend of shows. Liquid drapes for womanly shapes have taken over from girly dressing - most often shown with tailoring as the distaff side.

Beauty is the goal, for this autumn 2009 season has drawn a definitive line under the "ugly" aesthetic. You could say that fashion has reached a certain maturity, but that sounds stodgy - the clothes are not heavy, even if solid fabrics have often taken over from the ethereal.

The overall impression is that, in a time of world economic crisis, designers have emphatically staked out their own territory, giving each woman, in the free spirit of liberty and equality, the right to choose.

Feminism is not really a fashion issue, but at Comme des Garçons, Rei Kawakubo makes it so. Her collection trembled with emotion, as her models, flesh-colored veils marked with a kiss of sparkly, scarlet sequins, worn over shocking pink sausage-curl hairdos, created a whimsical wardrobe. It was based on solid coats, often in khaki with images of windows sketched as pockets. The childlike drawings complemented shoes with toes drawn on the outside.

Commes des Garçons A/W 2009

"Wonderland," Kawakubo said backstage after an ovation greeted this mystical meld of sturdy checked blankets folded into the tailoring, khaki, denim and knitwear - all embraced by a collection that ended where globules of pearls lay under an ethereal coating of tulle layers. The designer also called it her "secret garden," and it was a wondrous display of clothes embellished not with mundane accessories, but with the unfathomable dreams of a great designer.

Yohji Yamamoto's vision was more immediately accessible: outerwear, streamlined but with subtle challenges to the design status quo. One side of a long coat displaying the shorter hem of a peacoat or a graceful jacket and long skirt with twin zippers slicing the back.

The show's focus was red shoes - soft as slippers and bright as the lipstick that was a slash of color between head and feet. The color came later as patches of scarlet, as if the material had been dip-dyed.

Yamamoto's new collaboration with Ferragamo, melding two companies that both have iconic status in Japan, brought out the best in Yamamoto, whose clothes have always been dedicated to a serene beauty. That was expressed this season through a quiet exploration of intriguing fabrics, some slightly transparent, others with a raw edge and with little, but strong, color bleeding into black.

Yohji Yamamoto A/W 2009

Backstage, Yamamoto described the Ferragamo collaboration as an inspiration, with the shoemaker's technique that created soft boots without a seam. The designer's description of "so much quality - something to last" defined the shoes, his own approach to fashion and the spirit of current times.

"Feathers," said Junya Watanabe backstage to describe the inspiration of a collection of such beauty and grace that it had cynical photographers roaring "bravo." The proposal was the down coat - not so new in itself. But with "Tosca" soaring on the soundtrack and the elegant, shapely long coats and dresses, the show was in striking contrast to Watanabe in his more aggressive, rock 'n' roll mood.

It was perhaps a show on one note. But the designer turned that into an aria, as his noble women, with upswept hair, paced slowly, unfurling a short jacket into an ankle-length coat. The central idea of lightness - even when metallic chains were inserted in the puffy down - was underscored by pleated skirts and draped dresses. And if there was a hint of the Yohji Yamamoto look in the long coats, this was not a fashion echo chamber, but something Watanabe evolved in his own spirit.

The Maison Martin Margiela is certainly in need of help, after its founder has gone on "extended leave," as corporatespeak has it. The mix of intellect and instinct that made the Belgian designer's collections a fashion pacemaker have now become a parody - or even a travesty - of Margiela's vision. Based on a flesh-colored bodysuit and shown in a stadium filled with floating balloons of light, some acceptable, pieces, like trench coats with cutouts, were interspersed with dresses that turned to show a back naked except for a visible bra. Of Margiela's rigorous exploration of a personal vision, there is no sign and Renzo Rosso, chief executive of the "Only the Brave" company that owns his Diesel empire, needs to do something fast.

Sensual Sobriety at Lanvin

by Suzy Menkes

Marching purposefully down the wet road of a runway, the women - mostly black clad but one in a scarlet suit - waved at the Lanvin audience.

It was a defining moment in the autumn 2009 season, when bias-cut tailoring, fur stoles circling the shoulders and boldly studded dresses with just a soupçon of the 1980s spelt out the new fashion message: sensual sobriety.

The clothes that the designer Alber Elbaz sent out were an ode to women - not that romantic, ethereal creature of male dreams but a modern woman who can take a curve-heel shoe in her long stride; one who needs a suit, with jacket belted above a slim skirt; and whose idea of exposure is a soft cowl swooping below a bared upper back.

Lanvin has become a byword for modern glamour that responds to the female body, rather than controlling, or even torturing it.

Elbaz was on top form, with his nonchalant way of cutting a plain coat so that it covers but never smothers; or using stretch fabrics, on the bias, with never a hint of vulgarity. He seems to get inside the skin of a 21st century femininity, which is about a flurry of feathers crowning a scooped-back pony tail and the way a bodice is tamed into a big flat bow.


Two factors stood out: First, the technical skill that, as with traditional couture, made complex cuts seem oh-so-simple that the actress Kristin Scott Thomas sighed over a silver gray satin dress and imagined herself inside the scarlet suit.

The program even baptized the outfits with names from Arlette to Violette. You almost expected to hear them called out over the soundtrack.

The choice of fabrics also was exceptional, with the introduction of burnt-out dévorée velvet to give substance to surface, while the dresses remained so light.

Above all, this was a wardrobe of clothes from a designer who understands a woman in her different moods - gentle, aggressive, power worker, mother, lover - and makes fashion to embrace all of that.

Berlin Welcomes Eastern European Style

By Cathrin Schaer

BERLIN: White and red fluorescent tubes dangled from the ceiling, and art depicting male genitalia rested against the wall. Strange videos flashed across spray-painted computer monitors, and weird gold fabric caught the eye amid the racks of one-off fashions, mainly black, by young designers you have never heard of.

Gundega Lasmane-Gecs, the boutique's owner, stood in the middle of it all, surveying her domain. "Sometimes I wake up in the morning, and I wonder what the hell I'm doing here," she said in her perfect but accented English. "But then I think, well, it just feels right."

Four months ago Lasmane-Gecs and her husband, Agris Gecs, opened a trendy little boutique called Talka in the fast-becoming-fashionable Friedrichshain district of Berlin. Such places are far from unusual in wildly inventive, uber-creative Berlin.

What is different about Talka's owners and its stock is where they come from: Latvia.

The Gecs and the designers they work with are part of a small but growing movement of fashion designers from Eastern Europe coming to the West.

And, for many, the first logical stop is Berlin.

"Milan does not have an avant-garde scene, Paris is very expensive, and New York and London are so much further away," explains Ulrike Möslinger, who directs marketing for the French department store Galleries Lafayette in Berlin and is on the board of Create Berlin, an advocacy group for local design. "Düsseldorf has more industry, but the infrastructure for young designers is better here in Berlin. The rents are not expensive, and it's very easy to open a store."

Retail rents in central Berlin are around €2,600 per square meter a year, or $310 a square foot, while similar space in Paris could be as much as €8,000 per square meter - and it is likely that startup stores or young designers would seek even less expensive property, further out from the center into what was formerly East Berlin.

"Berlin sees itself as the middle-European capital, a bridge between East and West and, although I don't know if all Eastern European designers see it that way yet, I think it has that potential for them," said Silvia Kadolsky, director and owner of the Berlin branch of Esmod, the private international fashion school founded in Paris in 1841.

At least one Eastern European designer agrees. "I think there are more possibilities for me here," says Agné Kuzmickaité, a young Lithuanian with three collections to her name, who won a year's accommodation and use of an atelier here in a competition last year. "I think in France it would be very hard for someone like me. To me it feels like Paris is yesterday - and Berlin has the potential to be tomorrow."

And while the streets of Berlin are not lined with stores stocking the latest from Lithuania or the Russian Federation quite yet, there is plenty of evidence of the trend.

Labels like Penelope's Sphere, whose designer, Tamari Nikoleishvili, is from Georgia, and Mareunrols, created by Marite Mastina and Rolands Peterkops of Latvia, hang next to the work of designers from Germany, Sweden, Japan and England on racks around the city. And new boutiques like Talka, Access and Redspective specialize in Eastern European design.

"For me, starting a store here was a really easy decision," says Cynthia Carson, co-owner of Redspective - where alongside fanzines from the Czech Republic and music compilations from St. Petersburg nightclubs, they stock what they describe as "urban clothing" designed in collaboration with street, graffiti and other artists from Eastern Europe. "There is no other city in Europe that draws such a line between East and West."

But, as with any fashion label in any big city, it's not all easy going in Berlin.

"It's a good place to live and work, in fact, it's a great place. But not such a good place to sell," says Nikoleishvili of Penelope's Sphere, who worked for Vivienne Westwood and Marjan Pejoski in London before coming to Berlin.

"I have people who love my stuff, but the most expensive things are always bought by tourists," Nikoleishvili says. Her top-end designs sell for several hundred euros, an extravagance for many in a city with slow economic growth and high unemployment.

Mastina and Peterkops, who design Mareunrols, understand the problem. "On one hand Berlin is possibly the best city in Europe for young fashion labels to be based as it has a thriving arts scene and relatively cheap rent," they said in an e-mail interview. "On the other hand Berlin poses many challenges to a label like ours, which is catering for the top end of the market."

Croatia Online - Secret Dalmatia

Yesterday, we had the privilege of a day out with Alan Mandić, the visionary behind Secret Dalmatia. In the course of six short hours we realised just how much we had been missing during the six years we have already spent exploring Croatia.

"Undiscovered" is a word that has frequently been applied to Croatia over the years. Visitors to the more popular tourist resorts now may question the adjective, but you only have to go just a few kilometres inland to realise that the coastal resorts and islands are just the icing on a very special gourmet cake. We sampled just a very small slice of it yesterday but here are two of the flavours.

1. Nature

All of a sudden, the almond trees have come into full bloom and adorn the landscape with their pink and white blossoms. Just after the snows of February it's a welcome herald to the joys of springtime Croatia. That was just the prelude to some of nature's other magnificent displays. Down an unmarked track, we gained a superb view of Croatia's second highest waterfall. And not just one waterfall but a series of the Krka river's cascades leading to it. Up another track, we climbed steadily to find a parking area, café and other facilities (closed outside the season). We took a short stroll along a laid path and saw an unbeatable vista of Croatia's best islands; one after another, sprouting out of the Adriatic. Our vantage point was the recently organised viewpoint behind Lake Vrana and, after all the years of climbing up various hills to look at the view, we'd find this panorama hard to beat.

2. Ancient Cities and Historic Ruins

Tucked away inland, behind Biograd, are Ottoman inns, Roman cities and roads, Medieval ruins and traditional stone built houses, all in various stages of discovery and preservation. Most of them are up unsigned roads and tracks that you'd never find without a local expert. Once you get there, prepare to be amazed by the scale of the ruins, the range of archaelogical discoveries and the stories behind them. It needs an expert to describe them properly, and even if we had managed to find them on our own, we'd have only experienced 20% of what they have to offer.

It's not just the wealth of local knowledge and expertise that makes Secret Dalmatia so special. The business is founded on three simple commercial tenets - quality of service, reliability and value for money - Croatia does the rest, for those that really do know it well, and have a passion for showing it off at its best.

The tours are designed to provide something that you really won't be able to find on your own - the clue is in the name - and the organisation only works with tried and tested long term partners who hold the same principles. Unusually Secret Dalmatia doesn't look to exploit these relationships by taking hefty commissions, but does expect its clients to get the very best of service.

If you're looking for luxury, you'll get to stay in the best hotels and eat in the best restaurants. If you want your own, tailor made tour, then just let them know what you like. The itineraries on the website will give you a better idea of the wide range that's on offer - gastronomy, culinary and wine tours, for example. For a taster of more of the secrets, keep an eye on the Secret Dalmatia Blog. Did you know, for example, that Von Trapp, of Sound of Music fame, was born in Zadar?

Regular readers will know that Croatia Online is written for fun, without any commercial aims or interest. Secret Dalmatia features regularly in it because of the intensity and variety of experiences it offers to uncover Croatia, and for its enthusiam and dedication to sharing it with others. We've not come across anything quite like it, and are convinced it will still be sharing new secrets successfully, with visitors to Croatia, for many years to come.

Today's photo is a small part of the panorama of the islands from the Lake Vrana viewpoint. It seems that the only thing that Secret Dalmatia is unable to organise, is perfect lighting and sunshine at that very moment when you need it most! Even that's not a problem though, when they saw our original photo, they very kindly sent us a sunset shot of their own which does the view infinitely better justice.

Thanks to Alan Mandić for giving up his Saturday for a busman's holiday and providing such an enriching, diverse and enjoyable experience. Alan obviously has a continuing passion for learning about his homeland, and preserving the best of its history and culture for all to enjoy. Lucky for us that Alan's existing base of knowledge is leagues ahead of most of the rest of us!

Croatia Online - Unparalleled Diversity In Croatia

A short but hectic two weeks of travelling around Croatia has provided yet another opportunity to reflect on its diversity and appeal. Our last two weeks has encompassed the Zagreb Boat Show, a flying visit to London, and the Sajam Gast in Split - an exhibition devoted to Croatia's gastronomy.

The Zagreb boat show is a very well organised tribute to the importance of Croatia's nautical tourism - history, growth and prominence. Not only does Croatia have one of the best cruising grounds in the world, but also a very successful boat building industry.

The flying vist to London served as a brief reminder that whatever problems Croatia has, they are very small in comparison to elsewhere.

Split's "Sajam Gast" shows that Croatia is still very focused on its tourism industry and has a very strong interest in making quality count. A visit to the Osijek tourist board's stand is also a prime illustator of Croatia's diversity. Osijek lies close to the border with Hungary, and is continental rather than Mediterranean. It has a huge amount to offer and may suffer somewhat from Croatia's "branding" as the Mediterranean that once was.

Croatia really does have it all - the sooner it realises it, the quicker it breaks away from its comfort zone, and away from familiar ties and "politics", the easier it will be for everyone to do good business and succeed.

For the latest news on the diversity of Croatia "from the sea" please go to our sister site Croatia Cruising Companion

Olivier Theyskens Goes Out With a Bang

Is Olivier Theyskens about to leave Nina Ricci? Fashion’s worst-kept secret was for all to see as the Belgian designer glumly waved farewell after his ready-to-wear show tonight.

Backstage the press people kept mum over the months-long swirling rumors that Mr. Theyskens is poised to leave the fashion house. The company has declined to comment for months.

Yet when the designer was asked whether this was an emotional evening for him, the long-haired designer stared at the ground, simply replying, “Yes it is.”

The show wasn’t exactly a cheery affair either. Hard piercing music played as models with scraped back hair trundled down the runway wearing huge platform shoes. Big shoulder pads abounded as did black trouser suits with loose pants. Equally popular were double-breasted coats with high collars.

The occasional splash of color was provided with the odd gold flowing dress and purple evening gown. But on the whole the collection stuck closely to Mr. Theyskens’ nighttime theme. “It’s about that nocturnal feeling,” said Mr Theyskens. “It’s not about going out to party…It’s more about nocturnal moonlight” he added.

Actress Milla Jovovich was somewhat more straightforward. “Those girls were like something from a space age dream world,” she said. “It’s like what I would wear on stage.”

This was a far cry from the romance and classicism that made Nina Ricci a hit in the past. Gone was the glamorous show in Paris’s Tuileries Gardens. Instead, the fashion crowd was welcomed into a dark warehouse in the 13th Arrondissement.

Since Mr. Theyskens arrived at Nina Ricci in 2006, he has been hailed as a genius by critics. But perhaps in these tough economic times, genius isn’t enough.

— Max Colchester Heard on the Runway, Wall Street Journal blog

"High Tech is Over" Balencianga A/W 2009

Photo by Giovanni Giannoni
“High tech is over,” Nicolas Ghesquière declared before showing his Balenciaga collection. “And the clubbing.” True and true. But not the way Ghesquière puts forth a bold manifesto to spectacular effect.

He said he wanted to keep the collection very French; hence his change of venue from an in-house showroom all slick and tricked out with edgy lighting to a series of salons at one of Paris’ most storied hotels, the Crillon, with its glorious views of the Place de la Concorde. The setting, it turned out, was only part of the ultrachic Frenchness of a show with shades of both Yves Saint Laurent and Emanuel Ungaro. Ghesquière took what became the bourgeois standards of both — Saint Laurent’s impeccable tailoring and color play; Ungaro’s draping — pushing, manipulating and, in the case of the latter, exaggerating it big-time. And despite his protestations to the contrary, he infused the results with an element of the futuristic audacity that has become his hallmark. It made for a collection both powerful and plenty savvy, as the newly relaxed constructions should have broader commercial appeal. (Which is not to say they’re for chubbettes.)

Photo by Giovanni Giannoni
As always, Ghesquière honed his message for crystal clarity. He showed only a few silhouettes, almost all centered on the voluptuous, hip-focused draping. Skirts came in black-based or luminous, icy color mixes, the fabric gathered lavishly from the center or one side. One beauty, in tones of silver and black, was paired with a faux tweed top crafted entirely from caviar embroidery. Others got loose, sensual blouses worn over lace bandeaux. Ghesquière also showed gorgeous jackets, strong and clean through the shoulders with abundant hip festoons, over sari pants — an innovative evening proposal inspired by a piece in the house archives — or classic trousers. One stunner: a smoking in a discreet mix of black with deepest navy. When Ghesquière opted for less draping, he went for printed punch in a group of dresses, a number of which, it turned out, weren’t prints at all, but intricate embroideries. And if some of these were dizzying to excess, a fab tuxedo jacket over mannish striped trousers offered spare relief.

- WWD staff

Gareth Pugh Fall 2009

Croatia Online - What Global Crisis?!

It was only a matter of time before the after shock of the west-led financial crisis hit Croatia. Though there's been a certain amount of anxiety since the more serious events unfolded, on the whole morale has been good till now. That seems about to change as the tourist season approaches - after a couple of bumper years, latest reports suggests bookings are 30% down. Now of all times is the moment for Croatians, particularly Dalmatians (most of whom have some interest in tourism), to keep their heads. Croatia has a lot going for it, it's still barely spring, and a bit of steel nerve, and a sensible strategy could reap huge rewards.

The UK newspapers are full of Croatia as a good value holiday destination. It's not in the Eurozone (but the Croatian kuna is strongly linked to the Euro), and it's just a two and a bit hour flight from the UK, with increasing numbers of low cost airlines choosing to provide routes. What's more there's a huge choice of destinations and a wide range of options to suit all budgets. OK, a new car or house might be shelved for a year or two but, in current times, people still need to cheer themselves up with a holiday, and in Croatia you can do it in style or on the cheap.

An article in the Sunday Mirror in January includes Croatia as one of the best budget breaks around and quotes the Post Office as saying it's one of the ten cheapest holiday destinations in the world. It's perhaps a little unfortunate that the new emphasis on value for money coincides with Croatia's focused drive to take its tourism offer upmarket. However the two are far from incompatible and the great thing about Croatia is there's something for everyone, if you know where to look and who to ask.

Top ten tips for budget travellers:

1. Avoid the already developed towns like Dubrovnik and Hvar - though they have plenty to recommend them, these two cities have largely gone for the upscale traveller and the cost of living can be 50% higher than neighbouring places.

2. Be flexible and open minded - you can have just as much fun in a small village, or perhaps inland by a river, than you might have in a developed resort.

3. Avoid the high season if you can.

4. Try going inland in Dalmatia - you're never that far away from the coast.

5. Go camping - Croatia has a good network of campsites - perhaps not the deluxe style that you'll get in France, for example, but it could be fun for a change.

6. Check out Slavonia - Osijek, Varaždin, Kopački rit, etc - it's a continental climate rather than a Mediterranean one, and can get very hot in the summer, but there's just as much to discover and it's fairly quiet as most of the inhabitants will be down on the coast.

7. Try a sailing holiday - if you weigh up the cost of accommodation and the other expenses of a land based holiday, and compare that to chartering a boat with a skipper, you might get a pleasant surprise, particularly if you can get together the right size of group. Or one of the wooden cruise ships.

8. Research carefully and shop around - a few phone calls could save you a fortune and you'll get a lot more information than you would by email.

9. Consider arriving on spec - you can drive a harder bargain if you stand outside an empty apartment to let with a wad of notes in your hand.

10. Make a local friend and find out where the best value restaurants and bars are.

Croatians have really only just come to terms with the resurgence of the country's popularity as a holiday destination and there are still just a few with their heads in the sand (or more accurately pebble). You will therefore find some very isolated cases of profiteering, but if you shop around they'll be quite easy to spot. On the whole, accomodation prices have remained quite stable over the last three years and several new apartments have been built which the owners will be anxious to fill. The long standing private tourist agencies are generally excellent and will help you find the right apartment for your budget as well as assisting with all your other needs.

Don't skimp on the summer cheer - you're money will go a long way in Croatia if you do your research properly.