Now what is so special about crystal? Scientists have proven that the difference between crystal and glass is that the former contains lead oxide, which adds magnificent optical effects, a special breaking of the light and certain softness. Crystal can be cut, polished and further processed, since it does not chip as easily as glass. Because of the added lead, crystal is surprisingly heavy, which gives it even more appeal. Cutting makes crystal beautiful, while polishing makes it shine even brighter.

After studying this process carefully and with Apple’s leading market shares, CalypsoCrystal, a company based in Ljubljana, decided to release their CrystalDock, which is a crystal iPhone and iPod Touch stand for charging and synching the devices.

Read on to find out more about this luxurious desktop accessory and how to win one handcrafted beautiful model by CalypsoCrystal.

Nolan Miller, born on 8 January 1935, is an American fashion designer, television costume designer best known for his work on the long-running 1980s series Dynasty, its spin-off series The Colbys and the 1991 miniseries Dynasty: The Reunion. He has collaborated on many projects with television producers Aaron Spelling and Douglas S. Cramer.

As noted by Christopher Schemering in the book The Soap Opera Encyclopedia,  Nolan Miller creations became so popular that Dynasty spawned its own line of women's apparel (and later a men's fashion line). The Dynasty Collection was a series of haute couture designs based on costumes worn by Joan Collins, Linda Evans and Diahann Carroll. From 1983 to 1986, Miller was nominated four times for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Costume Design for a Series for his work on Dynasty; he was also nominated in 1985 for the Elizabeth Taylor television movie Malice in Wonderland and in 1987 for The Two Mrs. Grenvilles starring Ann-Margaret and Claudette Colbert.

Miller also maintains a career as a private couturier in Beverly Hills, California with clients including Sophia Loren, Elizabeth Taylor and Joan Collins. As well, he designs a line of jewelry for QVC.

German designer and trend forecaster Michael Michalsky invited the Qompendium Crew to take a glimpse behind his show and witness a spring summer collection that not only flatters the women silhouette but also embraces a romantic side in men and draws attention to three very special yet unfortunately endangered species.

Michael Michalsky does understand the architecture of creating interesting show concepts perfectly curating a blend of fashion, pop, show and premium entertainment. He offered his 1.000 guests a world
premier on the 9th of July at the Tempodrom, in Berlin. Alongside his own collection Michalsky invited Maharishi to co-star his show.

Hours before the happening, the heart beats pounded, we were more than delighted to be backstage and see how Michalsky works with the models, stylists, seamstresses. He was at his best temper, attentive, witty and in a brilliant mood, unlike many other designers we have met backstage.

According tho the encyclopedia the word mongrel refers to mixed ancestry. In botany, a mongrel may refer to the offspring of varieties of a species which was in contrast to a hybrid. Among pets, one whose parentage is of unknown or mixed breeds as opposed to purebred. Among humans, mongrel and mongrelize are derogatory terms for the mixing of races, known as miscegenation. And in fashion terms there is a German label "Mongrels in Common" Livia Ximénez Carrillo und Christine Pluess, claiming to stand for fusion of different cultures and the results are surprisingly good.

Mongrels in Common
Spring/Summer 2011 Fashion Show

Thursday, july 8 2010 – 7 pm – reception 6 pm
By invitation only.

Qompendium is giving away an invitation to the fashion show.
Join our Facebook discussion to win. Read on.

Twenty-nine-year-old Jean-Philippe Gawronski launched I and D in 2007 with the ambition of creating an ecological, contemporary and sophisticated range of shoes and accessories.

Jean-Philippe's concern for protecting the environment is omnipresent and he is particularly saddened by the destruction of a large part of the Amazon rainforest. Having adopted "organic" consumption practices, he noticed that very few brands of clothes and accessories, particularly on the luxury market, use organic production processes. So he decided to rectify this by creating his own brand and humorously naming it Imitation and Disguise.

After spending his childhood in Brazil where he was immersed in the world of fashion his mother worked as finance director for some of the large high-street fashion chains before creating her own couture house – it was natural that Jean-Philippe would take up a career as a model. However, his enthusiasm for fashion went beyond appearances, he was more interested in design and so in 2001 he decided to go to Paris. He joined the Malhia Kent couture house where he worked as an assistant for two years, then he continued his apprenticeship by becoming chief assistant to Carlos Miele in Sao Paulo, then in New York and lastly in Paris. He moved to Paris permanently in 2006 and worked for Martin Grant while studying at the Studio Berçot. In 2008 he went to work for Lanvin alongside Albert Elbaz for almost a year.