From Russia, with Love...

Can you guess where I went just by looking at this photo?

I was pleasantly surprised to see these seats outside the restroom of SM Megamall (near the Atrium). Cool, huh? :)

Now why was I in Megamall? I had to go buy a few more clothes for baby J (gotta prepare for his growth spurts), and visit my friend KZ's newly-opened shop, Kira Plastinina.

Everyone in the fashion industry is quite familiar with this Russian teenager who successfully launched her very own clothing line at the tender age of 14 back in 2006. Her dad, Sergei, who’s only 40 years old, supported his daughter’s dream of turning her design sketches into actual clothes. Not everyone is as lucky as her to have a dad for a tycoon, but that’s only the first step. Her passion, talent and entrepreneurial skills are what made her brand a hit among the young and stylish. Now 17 years old, Plastinina juggles work and studies like an old pro. The only designer of the brand, she is able to come up with regular pieces every two weeks that are delivered to the stores. Amazing, isn’t it?

Since 2006, “Kira Plastinina Style” has a whopping number of 73 owned stores and 20 franchises in Russia, Ukraine, and Kazakhstan. More than that, this Russian heiress has also achieved a lot of accomplishments within the span of less than three years. These include her being awarded as the “Glamour Woman of the Year,” “Designer of the Year,” and “Breakthrough of the Year.” Her designs were also showcased at the Moscow, Rome and Milan Fashion Weeks, with international celebrities like Paris Hilton visiting her store. She even designed the holiday uniform for the students of Moscow Cadet Corps by the Russian Ministry of Defence. Such a great resume!

The good news? Stylish Pinays can now avail of these stylish goods at SM Megamall, and we’re mighty proud that our country is the first in Asia to franchise this global style brand. The store opening was held earlier this month, with close friends and members of the press getting first dibs on the new arrivals. Again, I wasn't able to attend since I was due any moment at that time. So, I paid KZ and her shop a visit instead and this is what I found...

I was greeted with a sea of pinks and blacks. I felt like a giddy schoolgirl inside, as my fave color dominated the store :) I went straight to their counter to wait for KZ (she was in her office at the back), and saw this cute perfume.

Smelled a bit like the beach, with hints of coconut. The scent didn't surprise me, as Kira loves to windsurf. I was kinda overwhelmed with all the fabulous finds, and asked KZ and her sales staff to recommend to me their top picks and best sellers:

Striped hoodies in velour fabric—great for chilly days.

These skirts are just toooo cute!

This almost-sheer hoodie tee makes for great layering with you fave shirt.

These metallic skinnies with zippered detail is for the rockin' gals.

Ahhh... dresses have always been close to my heart. Love the pleated details...

Pretty "fantasy" skirts :P

There are so many more pieces that I want to take photos of. You just have to check out the store yourself—2nd floor of Building B (where Linea Italia is). That's Kira Plastinina on the left. And see the dress on the right? It's not a dress, actually. When you look closer, there are two holes at the hem for your legs. It looks like a pair of jodhpurs/onesies/jumpers, but not.

Of course, I just had to have one of these. It also comes with hidden side pockets—I love it! And they're great for my post-preggy body, too! ;)

*Warning: Kira Plastinina's clothes are targeted for tweens and above, so the sizing is from XXXS to M/L. Don't feel bad when you find extremely small sizes, and if you fit into a M or a L, ok? You're not alone hehe... :D