Glasgow's Very Own: Chouchou Couture

"The Chouchou woman is no slave to trends and the flamboyant designs are driven instead by lifestyle to be worn with a wink and a grin."

Chouchou's "Hollyhood"
100% Wool Tartan Hood - £39.00

If you haven't already heard of the Glasgow based, Italian fashion designer Silvia Pellegrino then perhaps now is the time to sit up and take notice. Silvia's label Chouchou was set up in Rome in 2008 with each garment produced by hand using both contemporary and vintage textiles. Silvia combines her Italian flair with a love of travelling, free-spirited flamboyant women and unusual beauty to create her designs, resulting in a collection of looks that are unique, feminine and oh so very stylish.
One such design that proves a staple and best seller for Chouchou is the "Hollyhood". Named after their very first customer Holly, they are the perfect accessory to any outfit, whether it be as the hood as styled, or on the shoulders as a scarf. There are a range of designs to choose from, however I decided to feature the tartan hood as it shows my love for Glasgow - as well as the fact that it makes classic tartan look amazing to say the least.
Although the label is only four years old, Silvia has taken huge strides in creating a name for the brand with ASOS Marketplace placing Chouchou on the list of "New Labels We Love". The recognition received from ASOS has subsequently landed Silvia with a phone call from the world famous magazine British Vogue; resulting in a feature in their March edition this year. The editor of Vogue, Alexandra Shulman said that the tartan "Hollyhood" was the item which caught her attention and ultimately lead to her interest in Chouchou.
The current collections are: Marianna SS10, Lola AW11, Amber SS11 and there will be a new SS12 edition to add to the list launching next Thursday (5th April) - Unfortunately I will not be able to attend the launch as I will be in Paris, however I do plan on doing a post on the new collection once I get my hands on some photographs, as it is one that I cannot wait to see!
For the purpose of the post, I have chosen to focus on two of the garments currently available to purchase on the Chouchou store @ ASOS Marketplace. First up is this vintage chiffon pussy bow blouse;

Front View.
Pussy Bow Blouse; £63.50

Back View.

This electric blue, sheer blouse is one of my favorite pieces; the flower detail on front, with the pussy bow and cropped back detail is just gorgeous. Wondering how to style this little number? Silvia's style advice is to pair it with a sleek pencil skirt, high waisted palazzo pants or leggings for maximum impact. Currently envisioning how you would wear this piece? Why not head over to the online store and buy it for yourself!
Lastly we have this light pink vintage cropped jacket:

Pale Pink Vintage Crop Jacket
£56.00

Back View.

I can't look at this jacket without falling head over heels in love with it. It's romantic, contemporary and right now features highly on my current shopping wish list. The raw edges and beaded applique collar and genuine leather front panel are the features which sold it for me personally, as it combines just the right amount of girly and punk-edge to suit my style. Styling tips from Silvia are to wear it over tube dresses, high waisted pencil skirts and any other style combos that you can think of; the possibilities are endless. If you, like myself just have to have this jacket in your wardrobe then you can buy it over at ASOS Marketplace here.
One thing that's for certain is that both Chouchou and Silvia have a bright future ahead of them, and looking at how far they've come in such a short space of time is utterly remarkable and inspiring. What makes my love for the brand grow even more is just how sweet and kind Silvia Pellegrino really is. It's easy to say that I will be a fan of her for a very long time that's for sure.
For up-to-date news from Silvia & Chouchou, you can follow on twitter and facebook. Alternatively, you can check out the website here.