Zuzu Style

For my first style post I wanted to start out with my most ancient of inspirations, Cleopatra Queen of Egypt. Throughout history there has been few female icons more represented in art and writing. She has inspired artist for centuries with her mysterious lore and enchantment of two of the most powerful men of her time, Caesar and Marc Anthony. During the 18th and 19th century Orientalism became romanticized and Cleopatra’s form became a popular theme to paint. Most often she is gently wrapped in sheer linen, partially exposed with her gigantic jewelry only appropriate for a queen, or a girl caught in a dream from Kansas.

Maxfield Parrish’s Cleopatra

A recurring fashion staple of Cleopatra’s time is the use of linen. Linen is one of the oldest fabrics ever produced dating back to 8000 BC. Made of flaxseeds, linen was highly praised in ancient Egypt for its coolness on the Nile and desert heat.
While there is nothing left of Cleopatra’s Alexandria, I was able to draw upon inspiration from other travels.

Lawrence Alma-Tadema’s Anthony and Cleopatra

Among the many countries I‘ve had a chance to visit, I am never more inspired by fashion then when I am in Italy. A couple of summers ago while shopping in Florence I kept coming across the most amazing linen pieces; long dusters, palazzo pants and dresses. I had always wanted to embrace linen but had only come across pieces that were boxy and covered the body; linen can be layering and cascading without being shapeless. This was my goal when designing the ZuZu Apparel Spring 2012 collection, Cleopatra Queen of Egypt combined with contemporary Italian linen.

Pisa, Italy, wearing s large hat.

I have several clothing pieces I want to feature for the season. One of my favorites is the Cinque Terre dress, this white linen dress is a must have for the summer. I already have plans to wear it while vacationing on the Mediterranean, but a fabulous garment to wear on any hot summer day.

Cinque Terra Dress by ZuZu Apparel

The second piece is ZuZu Apparel’s Coastal Pant. 

These linen palazzos are high waisted with a full wide leg that’s airy and cool. They are fabulous paired with our Nicole Snake Skin Platforms.

The animal print trend is something I’ve never fully embraced but I love a little snake skin, it goes with everything and adds a great dimension of texture. Last but not least are our dusters. Our Firenze Jacket and our Bohemia Jacket (seen with our Rome Pants) are amazing summer layers. I love them as swim suite cover ups, but pair them with either of our ZuZu pants and some jewelry and they make a refreshing business day out.

Firenze Jacket by ZuZu Apparel

Bohemia Jacket & Rome Pant by ZuZu Apparel

Now for accessories, I’ve already mentioned our Snake Skin Platforms by Nicole; another Egyptian inspired shoe is the Desert sandal by OTBT.

One of my favorite excursions while in Egypt was to Hurghada on the Red Sea. From there I took a quad bike into the desert, then a camel farther in to reach a village of nomadic people, the Bedouins. The Bedouins like many nomadic people make amazing textiles and jewelry; these sandals remind me of those textiles, the desert sand and Red Sea coral.

Now for jewels, I was fortunate to find a collection of Egyptian Noir inspired jewelry by Scarlet Garnett. My favorite in the collection is the Desert Falcon necklace and earrings.

Last but not least the snake skin inlay necklace is a fabulous everyday piece.

I will continue to post my style inspirations from random thoughts and travels, but please visit our website to see the entire collection of ZuZu Apparel and other clothing lines as well as an assortment of accessories at
zuzuapparel.com