Due to the nature of my job as a fashion & watch stylist, I often had to scour the internet for related content, be it about watches or fashion materials to inspire styling ideas, I go through countless images on a daily basis. Every once in a while, a watch design may dig up a memory of a dress I seen before with a little more than just some similarities, and vice versa. Over time, I realised there’s more parallels between the world of fashion and horology than I thought.
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Whenever I manage to make a pairing of a watch and dress that looks almost identical, I’ll post in on my own Instagram account as a way to share these fascinating watch designs and the stories behind some of these wrist-machines.
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‘Dress / Watch’ is the title given to this ongoing series, interpreted literally as ‘dress’ on the left, ‘watch’ on the right, with a slash symbol in the middle, reflecting also similarly in pictorial form of the posted image. However ‘dress watch’ also refers to elegantly looking, mechanical strap watches designed to be worn usually with a formal attire, for both men and women.
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Hope you enjoyed exploring these little discoveries!
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DRESS / WATCH
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SWAN LAKE
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Georges Hobeika FW 2018 Haute Couture /
Vacheron Constantin ‘Métiers d’Art Eloge de la nature: Swan’
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Inspired by the timeless love story, Swan Lake, a melody of floral embroidery, shimmering crystal beading, feathery accents and floating organza magically graces the runway of Maison Georges Hobeika’s Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2018/19 fashion show.
One-of-a-kind his-and-hers creations, the Vacheron Constantin ‘Métiers d’Art Eloge de la nature: Swan’ timepieces portray a perfect, harmonic artistry of fine craftsmanship: engraving, guilloche, enamelling, gem-setting and watchmaking.
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DRESS / WATCH
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GOLD DUST
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Viktor & Rolf Spring Summer 2017 Haute Couture /
Vacheron Constantin Métiers d'Art Villes Lumières - Geneva
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Fashion artists Vikor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren, designer duo behind Vikor & Rolf continue to explore “conscious design”, upcycling vintage forgotten garments and past collection’s scraps into an array of elegant couture looks modelled during the Spring Summer 2017 Haute Couture show.
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Vacheron Constantin has some of the world’s most beautiful Métiers d'Art timepieces. From romantic florals, M.C. Escher-inspired tessellations, and to illuminated night time aerial cityscapes presented at this year’s 2017 Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (SIHH) , impossible is simply nothing.
The new Métiers d'Art Villes Lumières collection features 3 iconic cities - Geneva, Paris and New York. For the first time, Grand Feu champlevé enamelling along with Japanese artist Yoko Imai’s artisanal technique of hand-applied precious powder are used together on a watch dial to create these magical masterpieces.
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DRESS / WATCH
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DIAMOND DREAM
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Georges Hobeika SS 2019 Couture / Graff Hallucination
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With more than 100 carats of extremely rare, candy-coloured natural diamonds, the Graff Hallucination is definitely an eye-opener ( not just because of the high sparkles ). Once a surreal, fantasy idea from the mind of Laurence Graff, and after thousands of hours from the jeweller’s team of designers, gemologists and master craftsmen, it became a reality.
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DRESS / WATCH
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BIRDS OF A FEATHER
FLOCK TOGETHER
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Valentino Pre-Fall 2016 /
Jaeger Le-Coultre Master Grand Tourbillon Enamel Crane
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From folklores, literature, art and even in dance, the elegant crane remains a popular theme and motif. Especially so in Eastern culture and mythology, the crane possess great importance, signifying elegance, immortality and happiness. In Chinese painting, when cranes are coupled with other symbols,
they represent a myriad of ideas and notions. Cranes with lotus express purity, while 2 cranes flying together is the ultimate symbol of longevity.
Left: Valentino Pre-Fall 2016 dress with wabi-sabi embroidered flying cranes.
Right: Jaeger Le-Coultre Master Grand Tourbillon Enamel Crane (Limited Edition 18 Pieces), featuring a red-crowned crane alongside lotus leaves, created by a combination of guilloché and grand feu enamelling techniques.
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DRESS / WATCH
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COLOURFUL LIFE
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Elie Saab Spring 2017 RTW / Limited Edition Ian Davenport ‘Wide Acres of Time’ Swatch Watch
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'Wide Acres of Time' incorporates a rich array of colourful stripes, alike works from the iconic British artist's ‘Puddle Painting’ series. In ‘Puddle Painting’, paint drips from the top of a tilted canvas, until a pool of marbled paint forms at the bottom over time. In this case ( pun intended ), the colours come together
right in the heart of the watch dial.
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DRESS / WATCH
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COLOURS OF THE WIND
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Tommy Hilfiger Spring 2016 /
Hermès Arceau Pocket Voilier Pocket Watch
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Using an ancient filigree technique known as plique-à-jour enamelling, a delicate, spinnaker-like skeletonised framework is first cut, then filled with enamel before firing in a kiln. The final result showcases a colourful stained glass-like design of a sailing ship bellowing in the wind.
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DRESS / WATCH
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DISCO PARTY
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Ashish AW 2018 RTW / La D de Dior Colour
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Ashish’s Fall 2018 fashion show featured an eclectic mix of colours, patterns and textures - from stripes to florals to American brand iconography ( with a twist ). Diversity was also celebrated and seen in the cast of models who walked the runway.
The whimsical La D de Dior Colour is crafted with a clash of rainbow-colour stones and white diamonds, in an array of
colours identical to the colour wheel.
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DRESS / WATCH
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A WHOLE NEW WORLD
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Gucci Spring Summer 2016 / Girard Perregaux 1966 The Chambers of Wonders Collection - The New World
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The Chambers of Wonders Collection from Girard Perregaux featured 3 extraordinary watches portraying antique maps of the world from 3 different eras. The watch here illustrated a reproduction of Novus Orbis, a world map drawn up by German cartographer and cosmographer Sebastian Münster depicting the New World. The watch dial was artistically created with micro-mosaic precious stones and miniature painting.
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DRESS / WATCH
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FLOWER POWER
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Naeem Khan FW 2017 RTW / Dior Grand Soir Botanic Watch
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Naeem Khan is best known for his dazzling embroideries, embellishments and texture-rich masterpieces. The Fall Winter 2017 RTW fashion show featured a diverse collection of looks and styles. It kickstart with high-glam, blinged out lounge wear and and lace bralettes then evolving into an oriental floral extravaganza. In the later part of the show, we see a mix of stunning Studio 54-equse glamour and art deco elegance.
At Baselworld 2017, Dior presented 8 one-of-a-kind botanical-themed timepieces. Each unique timepiece features a delicate, intricate display of flora and fauna, set with all kinds of precious gemstones - rubies, sapphires, diamonds, aquamarines, garnets, onyx, etc. Other than the work of art in the dials, i personally love the use of the denim textured watch strap. Super genius in the mix of high end luxury with this everyday sort of ‘street style’ material. Surprising, it goes amazing well together.
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DRESS / WATCH
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BLUE IS THE WARMEST COLOUR
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Comme des Garcons Spring Summer 2016 /
de Grisogono Grappoli S02
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De Grisogono’s Grappoli collection is made up of colourful, jewelled timepieces pave-set using the maison’s unique highly-dense technique with precious diamonds and gemstones. I must admit, when I first saw this timepiece, it was nothing quite like any high-jewellery watch I ever came across. Some designs grows on you, the more you see it, this is one of those watches for me.
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DRESS / WATCH
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METALLIC LOW POLY
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Nicolas Jebran Fall Winter 2016 RTW /
Audemars Piguet Diamond Punk
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Nicolas Jebran FW 2016/17 RTW | Known as a visionary couturier, every creation from Nicolas Jebran's collection is sophisticated and empowering for the modern woman. The edgy mosaic-inspired dress from his FW 2016/17 ready-to-wear collection is no doubt a stunning show-stopper.
Audemars Piguet Diamond Punk | Add a little seventies-style raw punk attitude, a rebellious spirit, along with the creativity and expertise of some of the world’s most highly skilled artisans, designers and watchmakers in Audemars Piguet, the result -Diamond Punk, a high-jewellery cuff watch with a slide back cover which discloses a secret watch beneath.
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DRESS / WATCH
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LOVE LACE
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Iris van Herpen Fall Winter 2016 Haute Couture /
Harry Winston Premier Lace
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A friend in the architecture industry once told me about 3D printing many years ago, sharing how this technology is used to create 3D building models for architecture projects. As the years gone by with technology advancing expeditiously, i begin to hear about countless new forms of 3D printed creations. From jewellery to hardware tools, sports helmets and personally my favourite successful 3D printing development so far - medical prosthetics.
In July 2010, Iris Van Herpen sent the first ever 3D printed garment down the fashion runway during her Spring Summer 2011 ready-to-wear show. The association between 3D printing and the Dutch fashion designer became inseparable ever since. One particular look stood out in her Fall Winter 2016 Haute Couture collection. This white and black 3D printed dress, which resemble the cut of a Chinese cheongsam, fitted to the model’s body. The intricate line pattern reminds me of Cluny lace, a type of plaited lacework, usually with geometric designs.
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DRESS / WATCH
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LIGHT CATCHERS
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Sadie Williams SS 2016 /
Hublot Classic Fusion Vitrail Stained Glass Ceramic
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Sadie Williams Spring Summer 2016 collection was funky and playful, inspired by her teenage days at boarding school, and how she used to make her own party clothes for school discos. You can expect a 90s nostalgic-spirit of mini skirts, halter tops and metallic fabrics.
Stained glass art dates back thousands of years in history and most commonly seen on centuries-old cathedrals and religious buildings. Within the Hublot watch collection, exists some very special watches. Among them is an one-of-a-kind picturesque, stained glass window-liked timepiece. The watch dial is made up of laser-cut, tiny coloured glass pieces fitted using O-rings into a skeletonized framework. Now we know, stained glass is not meant only for windows and suncatchers.
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DRESS / WATCH
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ON LINE
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Issey Miyake Pre-Fall 2017 /
Ara Swiss Watch by Seraina Lareida
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Everything starts with a line. People relationships begins with a line, a dialogue in this instance. Writing starts with lines, producing alphabets and words, progressing into sentences ( lines of words ). A drawing starts with a line, a moving dot, a path, to create curves, edges and forms. A race also starts with a line ( the starting line ). So yeah, everything kinda starts with a line.
Issey Miyake is recognised as the founder of Japanese Avant-Garde fashion and widely known for transforming the shape of fashion and clothing. Miyake’s most successful commercial collection, Pleats Please was launched in 1993. With 1 technique, he literally reconstructed clothing, allowing fabric to contour and transfigure in response to the body’s movement and silhouette.
Ara Swiss is a collection of minimalistic wrist watches designed by industrial designer Seraina Lareido. The hands of the watch and striped discs generate intersections with each passing second, alike an ever changing moire effect. ‘Time’ is altered every time. Ara Swiss is a prototype watch design submitted for the iF International Forum Design Award and by the way a super cool watch design.
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DRESS / WATCH
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CELESTIAL BEINGS
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Valentino Pre Fall 2015 RTW / Van Cleef & Arpels Poetic Complication ‘From the Earth to the Moon’
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The Pre Fall 2015 Valentino Collection was quite a refreshing, pleasant surprise of girly, bohemian twist to the usual classic gowns. Towards the end of the collection, an array of whimsical, astronomy themed styles appears, bringing the collection to a starry, romantic finish.
Van Cleef & Arpels have some of the world’s most fascinating Métiers d’Art timepieces. I believe you will agree with me on this. The whimsical Poetic Complication From the Earth to the Moon is a piece unique watch, made specially for the Only Watch charity auction in 2011, sold for a staggering 215,000 Euros. The astronomy-themed dial features mini planets, stars and even a super cute rocket.
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DRESS / WATCH
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SPACE ODYSSEY
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Iris Van Herpen Spring Summer 2011 Haute Couture /
MB&F HM6 Space Pirate Watch
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Timepieces from MB&F never fail to fascinate me and often look like futuristic space machines out of science fiction novels. In actual fact, the HM6 was inspired by the 1970s Japanese anime Captain Future and his spaceship, The Comet. The movement in the watch took more than three years of development as nearly every mechanism had to be created specifically just for the HM6 since it has such an unusual, extraordinary design for a modern wrist watch.
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DRESS / WATCH
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LIKE A ROSE
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Jean Louis Sabaji SS14 /
Piaget Altiplano Marquetry Timepiece
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Piaget has now hold the record for thinnest watch in the world for the recent 2018 SIHH launch of the Altiplano Ultimate Concept Watch. One of the most stunning timepiece from the collection is the Altiplano Marquetry watch, combining ultra-thin mechanism and high artisanal craftsmanship. Created by artisan Rose Saneil using an ancient carving technique, hundreds of tiny pieces of wood and mother-of-pearl are cut and curved, then assembled all by hand to form a Yves Piaget rose design, the iconic 80-petal flower motif used throughout the brand’s jewelry and watches.
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DRESS / WATCH
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SPEED OF LIGHT
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Moschino Pre-Fall 2017 RTW / GyroGraff Drive
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Taking cues from one of the world’s favourite comic book series, Transformers, Moschino’s Pre-Fall 2017 ready to wear collection featured an opening series of graphic intergalactic battles of the autobots.
From vast galaxies to iconic landmarks around the world, everything and anything can be an inspiration for one-of-a-kind miniature works of art for Graff. Presenting pioneering technical mastery, the GyroGraff timepiece is the first to house a hand carved three-dimensional moonphase indicator, a double-axis tourbillon and a power reserve indicator. Inspired by the passion of François Graff for modern and vintage cars, the above GyroGraff Drive timepiece is one of 3 watches within the collection to feature hand-painted driving-themed graphics.
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DRESS / WATCH
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TO CATCH A FALLING STAR
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Christopher Kane Resort 2011 /
DB28 Kind of Blue Tourbillon Meteorite
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They glint, and they gleam,
They burn, and they slide,
Into the sphere, Into the floor.
One lucky star, lived the fall,
went on to be, locked in time,
as part of a dial, now no longer wild.
Incarnated into, DB28 Kind of Blue.
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DRESS / WATCH
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SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW
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Burberry Spring 2018 / Gucci Rainbow Plexiglas Watch
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One of the top trends for Spring 2018, rainbows are here to stay for a while. Don’t be afraid to add a little colour explosion and vibrance into your Spring wardrobe.
Christopher Bailey’s final show with Burberry splashed colours all over. Rainbows were everywhere, not just as a celebration to his 17-year long tenure with the British Fashion House, but also as a tribute, dedication and support to the LGBTQ+ communities.
Gucci’s Creative Director Alessandro Michele continues to infuse his creativity and bohemian flair, this time into Gucci timepieces. Crafted from rainbow Pixiglas, mother-of-pearl and crystal studs, this wrist adornment is a perfect complement for casual beach days to holiday party styles.
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DRESS / WATCH
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TAKE TO THE SKIES
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Mary Katrantzou FW 2012 + Fashion Photography by Erik Madigan Heck / Vacheron Constantin Metiers d'Art Pegasus Unique Piece
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Greek mythological gods and goddesses have the weirdest births ever, and pretty complicated relationships. Athena, goddess
of wisdom and intelligence was born from Zeus’ forehead. Helen of Troy, was born out of an egg, after Zeus (in the form of a swan) mated with Leda. Adonis, was conceived from Myrrha and her father Cinyras, and born out of the tree which Myrrha was turned into.
Another peculiar birth is the tale of Pegasus, an immortal winged stallion often depicted in white. Legend has it that the handsome mythology creature was born when the beheaded Medusa’s blood was mixed with the foam of the sea. The birth of Pegasus caused thunder and lightning to pierce through the blue skies.
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