Detour

Detour
by Kayleigh Hendrassen

Detour is a great shop that carries products enriched in quality and style. Offering both mens and women's items Detour's selection of casual and elegant footwear is extensive. From their Jaywalker Sneaker($350L per colour) to their Glamour Metallic Pumps($350L per colour), or their classy Mistress Boot($400L per colour) to the cute little Layback Flipfliops($350L per colour), there's a style of shoe here for everyone. Detour is also a shop for lovers of quality hair, hair that looks soft and natural, and hair that moves beautifully. Unfortunately, if you're not a brunette then Detour probably isn't going to be one stop shop for hair styles. Their selection of lighter tones is limited to say the least, but if you're into the darker colours then this is the place for you. Their newer styles like In Bloom, Whisper and Dahlia(among many others) will run you $450L per tone, where older styles fetch for around $350L per tone. Among Detours other products are Eyes, Skins, fashion apparel and other various accessories all quality made and beautifully designed.

Nex-Core Fashion Show

Nex-Core Fashion Show @ Vanity Universe
by Kayleigh Hendrassen

If you weren't in attendance at the NEX-Core Fashion show at Vanity Universe, don't feel too bad, you can still access all wonderful designs showcased at the event. With amazing new creations from Victoria V, Aoharu, (Nova), Clio-pret a porter, Shai and BiancaF there was something there to please everyone's tastes. Starting off the show was designer VictoriaV McMillan, along with SL, as well as RL, partner Vasgez McMillan, they've work hand-in-hand to bring their company slogan to SLife. VictoriaV has numerous shops around SLife, specializing in elegant gowns, bridal, and formal wear, their designs are flawless and beautiful. Next on the catwalk, Machang Pichot owner of Aoharu, with her latest outerwear fashions, just in time for fall of course. Japanese inspired printed furs, stylized trenches, all slick designed coats and jackets for every boy and girl. Next to hit the runway was (Nova) and their Enchanted Collection, beautifully designed gowns with soft, silky fabrics and amazing flowing movements. There are tons of colours too choose from and the prices are exceptional. Dresses for the girl who wants to feel, and look, like a princess. Following (Nova) was Clio -pret a porter- , formerly 'CCard's... designs by Clio Cardiff', Clio creates clothes for herself and for those who like her style and simple lines. Without the use of RLife photographs, Clio produces all her own designs by digital drawing. Her gowns are pretty and unique with all lace work and shadings hand drawn Clio's inspiration comes from the world around her. Casa del Shai, located in the Casa del Shai sim is owned my Shai Delacroix and with 5 buildings, you can find outfits for any occasion always with perfect texturing and amazing style. Designing both formal and casual wear for men and women, Shai showcased her beautiful evening gown collection and was received well by the crowd. Last but not least was Bianca Foulon’s latest collection. Bianca F’s design sensibility is, above all, fashion forward. Combined with the trendy, straight-off-the-catwalk look of Bianca F’s line is a liberal dose of sensuality. The fabrics run from sheer to glittery to shiny patent to sequined, in a variety of textures and colours (forget basic black, Bianca does colour in saturated, brilliant tones). In my opinion the show was a great success with SLife fashion having a very bright year ahead of itself and i think we're all in for a treat. All skins were provide by Free Speerit and their beautiful new skin line which was actually released that very night.

Sweetest Good-bye

Sweetest Good-bye
by Kayleigh Hendrassen

Offering products for both male and female, Sweetest Good-bye is the perfect store for people who love very stylish, everyday fashion. Countless styles of tops ranging from simple T's to spaghetti straps, poofy sleeves, to sweaters and much more(from as little as $70L to $300L+), all beautifully designed and quality made. Their pants are just as fab with Ripped Heart denims(only $160L w/ a cool single leg option), adorable baggy Bombom's(parachute style - Capri length for $200L), and several others all at amazing prices. One of my favourite Sweetest Good-bye products is there cute as hell School-Girl/School-Boy outfit, only $350L and ranging in several classic colour combinations. Another favourite is their Japanese Kimono style dress Breeze($700L for each colour combo), a truly gorgeous outfit that's sure to turn some heads. Their Jacket/Tie combos are a must have and are amazingly priced at $250L and are offered in several styles. So if you're looking for style but hate flashy, then Sweetest Good-bye may be just for you.

Redgrave

Redgrave
by Kayleigh Hendrassen

Redgraves is the place you want to go if you like really high quality product at very reasonable prices. Specializing in look-a-like skin Redgraves offers amazing quality and ultra exotic skins resembling todays hottest celebrities. It may sound tacky, but that actually couldn't be further from the truth. Minus the famous blueprints, the skins themselves stand alone as a superb product and most, if not all, come in either pale and tanned shades. For both male and female, a single make-up(or facial hair) skin will run you $990L, and the bundle is a fantastic deal at $2,990L. Unfortunately, they only carry 4 male skins, but there are countless female characters too choose from... and my god, those lips! If you're not in the market for a skin then you're still bound to find something in their extensive collection of apparel and accessories. This is where the men get treated as Redgraves selection of men's fashion product is ultra hot. Pants, jackets, tops, T's(all from $250-500L) and a gorgeous layered suit($1,200L) with endless outfit combinations. So if you're not super rich and feel like treating yourself, stop by Redgraves.

Kalnins Fashion Sunglasses

Kalnins Fashion Sunglasses
by Kayleigh Hendrassen

Located in the luxurious Life Is Beautiful shopping centre, Kalnins Fashion Sunglasses are just what you've been looking for - if you're looking for great eye wear that is. With styles too numerous to mention there is definitely something here that will suit even the most picky of shoppers(like me?). Starting at $275L and going as high as $500L per pair Kalnins' most impressive feature are the one click menu options. Adjust the reflection, the tint, set the glasses on your head, even activate the facelight or auto-smiler with a simple click of your mouse. The one area I feel Kalnins falls short on is the 3 dimensional look. Up close the glasses look very 2-D, almost flat actually and there's no depth to back up the detail. Which is a huge shame because the styles themselves are unique and beautiful. From a normal distance though they look amazing and this writer believes the styles and options alone are worth the purchase.

FNKY & Cake

FNKY & Cake
by Kayleigh Hendrassen

I can't help but be biased when writing about FNKY & Cake as it's one of my absolute favourite shops in SL. Separated, FNKY offers more men's skins($1,850L - $3,000L for pack) and various fashions like apparel, shoes, hats, watches and more, but also carries several items like women's pumps($400L - $1,200L for pack), and unisex glasses($300-400L - $1,000 + for packs), all top quality. Cake is more female oriented with skins and shapes( avg $1,250L - $3,000L for pack), numerous fashion apparel, and glasses. Cake's speciality is hair, offering both men's and womens styles it is some of the highest quality SL has to offer. Their newest styles(and favourites of mine) run for $375L per colour and $3,000 for the packs. The hair is beautiful and very natural looking and you're bound to pull in a compliment or two... I know I've referred at least a handful of people since purchasing my first style not so long ago.

Stiletto Moody's

Stiletto Moody's
by Kayleigh Hendrassen

If you're looking for ultra sexy, ultra fabulous and ultra quality shoes then ladies look no further then Stiletto Moody. High fashion is the immediate sense one gets upon entering Moody's and the store set up is ideal. Large, detailed replicas stand high on display table that are painted with the styles and colours offered in each of their beautifully stunning designs. Boots, booties, platforms, pumps, wedge. open toed, closed... I'm not kidding when I say there is something here for every girl, of course, there is a price for fabulous; Isn't there always? The average price tag for a Moody original is $1,000L(for each colour), of course, the prices vary depending on the style. For instance the gorgeous Patent Croc Tall Boots will run you $1,499L per colour where the Bitch Booties(so hot!) will cost a mere(a mere?) $875L. The details are impeccable, the designs unique, and with their patent red soles with pink heart everyone will know you're wearing Moody's. But be forewarned, you will be addicted after purchasing your first pair... I know I was. :P

Analog Dog Hair

Analog Dog Hair
by Kayleigh Hendrassen

Arriving at Analog Dog is like nothing you've seen in any RL store, set on a beach in the middle of the water the displays hover high above your head in large translucent discs. And don't let the name fool you, this is far from 'dog hair,' lol. In fact, the hair created by Analog Dog is some of the finest quality I've seen. It moves very well and flows naturally when you perform even the slightest of motions. The hair comes in three textures, straight, wavy and curly(really curly), and there are many styles in each texture. The price is amazing at $350L per style and you get 5 sets of shades which is truly a great deal. They also offer free bangs suitable for many of the styles they sell, in case you want that extra something plus a hair colouring HUD($100L) to fine tune that perfect look. Also provided is a help centre to assist you in fitting and to answer any other questions that might arise.

Nova Fashions

Nova Fashions
by Kayleigh Hendrassen

Upon first impressions one would think this was a Gap outlet, but on closer inspection you will find there are some key differences. The similarities are that the majority of the clothes are simple and trendy, for everyday use and perhaps a night out. Lots of classic denims with cute tops to match, knitted sweaters and sleek button-ups. Okay, so what are the differences from say a Gap franchise you ask? Well, Nova just released a sheer silk Organza Blouse($149L) with high sculpted collar, poofy sleeves and thin belt and bow in back that one would never find at a Gap, and they have two adorable hats to compliment it! A Riding Top hat($129L) and a adorable French Beret($89L). Nova also carries gorgeous sleek evening gowns as a part of their Enchanted collection and all styles are priced at &599L. A simple glance around the store and you will find many functional items such as shoes, bikinis, bracelets and lingerie all at remarkably reasonable prices.

Shine Jewellery

Shine Jewellery
by Kayleigh Hendrassen

Taking the elevator up to Shine jewellery is an experience in itself(why are elevators so slow and rickety in SL?), but upon arrival you're greeted by a delightfully quaint little shop. There's not a whole lot to look at, but it's jewellery so who cares! The store consists of original designs created by Shine Igaly that are unique to SL. Butterflies, Dragonflies, flowers, as well as some more simplistic designs Shine offers detailed pieces of jewellery that hold creative and cute, mixed in with some elegant qualities. The prices vary and average about $200L for the smaller bits like rings and earrings, while the larger pieces go for around $400-$500L. Complete sets of bracelets, necklaces, and earring can run as high as $1500L. Their newest release, The Ice Maiden set is a steal at $650L for the set, which includes 9 pieces of jewellery including a belt! For the thrifty gal, some items can also be purchased separately. :P

GothiCatz

GothiCatz
by Kayleigh Hendrassen

Walking into GothiCatz you would think you were walking into a Tim Burton film, black, grey & mauve are the prominent colours but then again, what else would you expect from Goth? But don't think this is your everyday goth store with depressing models wearing equally depressing fashion, the outfits at GothiCatz are not only colourful & unique, they manage to also keep true to the Goth tradition. The main floor is enormous(a little too enormous maybe?) & most of the outfits hang on the walls - get your wings on because you'll need them - trust me it's worth the flight. But First you'll be presented with the floor displays, the latest in GothiCatz fashion & if you can resist buying those super sexy leather, side-laced pants(Blackout - $420L for outfit), or the numerous pleated mini-skirt ensembles($300-$550L for outfits), or the sheer baby doll dress(FallenAngel - $395L)... my god, i could write 15 articles on the baby doll dress alone!... then you may have a chance to see the wall displays. Plaids, denims, laces, leathers - there's something here for every girl & boy. The prices are fair & you get what you pay for at GothiCatz, high quality & very detailed products, & quality-wise, what you see is what you get, no disappointments.

A&K Designs

A&K Designs
by Kayleigh Hendrassen

A&K offers customers average quality hair at above average prices. For $298L per colour and $1698L per pack they aren't exactly giving it away. The hair style is cute, don't get me wrong, but the fact that you can get ultra high quality hair for around $375L, tells me they probably won't have customers tearing down their doors. But the folks at A&K are smart - they've specialized in updos and when you're dealing with hair that only half moves and updo is the way to go... and they have some super cute styles to choose from. A&K is definitely worth a look, with other products like beautiful silk and satan dresses($200-$400L), belts, boa, skins and more i'm sure there's something here every woman would want. On a more sensitive note, they've released a really cute hair/hat combo called 'Sabrina'($298L) in honor of breast cancer month. I'm not sure if any of the proceeeds actually go to fight breast cancer, but it would make sense.

S&M Designs

S&M Designs
by Kayleigh Hendrassen

Apart from the fact it looks like a bridesmaid's nightmare(aahhh, pastels, purples, pinks, everywhere!), there are some little gems at S&M Designs(excuse me, was that a sequence corset I saw?!). I think the main idea here is simplicity, top and pant combos are everywhere and there's a few that are actually really cute... if you have an eye for mis-matching you'll be in heaven(most products are $150-$250L). The one area I feel S&M misses on are their dresses. for instance their new line of Princess Gowns($150L), I can't tell if they're supposed to be victorian inspired or just really bad prom dresses... they'd be great for costume parties! And perhaps that's the idea, the prices at S&M are so low that you could really find tons of stuff to wear here, for practically all occasions. Plus they are presently having their Fall Festival and are offering 50% off various outfitls and shoes... and the freebies, lucky chairs, and contests are too numerous to mention and should be seen in person.

Xtreme Reality

Xtreme Reality
by Kayleigh Hendrassen

If you want beautiful, realistic skins for both men and women there's only one place that I can honestly recommend(and mind you, this is coming from a girl who's very picky), that's Xtreme Reality(XR) in Mystical Island. Since joining SL not so long ago i've been on a manhunt(or is it skinhunt?) for the perfect skin and was relieved to discover the beautiful selections provided by XR. 'Adrianna,' one of their newest products(and my new fav) is available in two gorgeous skin tones and like most of their products can be purchased in a single make-up ensemble or as a bundle pack which includes all 9 make-up shades. I'm not gonna lie to you, the pricetag can(and probably will) run into the thousands - for example, Adrianna's full bundle pack for either the Fair or Tan skin tone will run you $7995L but for any one specific shade of make-up it's a steal at $1495L. The other products vary in prices for different options but all hover around the same figure give or take a few hundred linden. The men's skins are priced much lower but offer the same amazing quality along with your choice of facial hair! So if you're looking for quality and love your avatar as much as I do, then stop by Xtreme Reality and check out their products!


Kayleigh Hendrassen: Hello Mystical Demina, thank you for talking with me.

Mystical Demina: Hi, thank you for asking me.

KH: First off, and in layman's terms(lol), how are Xtreme Reality skins developed?

MD: Well, can't get all the details but can say it took me 6 months to come up with my workflow and techniques. I use techniques that are used in TV animation and video game development that is a mixture of 3D graphic tools and 2D graphic tools. The main thing that I have done is not base the skins on a single mono tone base layer like most skins do. Instead I have a multi-layered approach that I believe gives are more realistic skin texture.

KH: How long have you been developing skins?

MD: It has been over a year now.

KH: Why do you think your product is more unique than other skins on the market?

MD: I believe the luminosity of the skin gives it a unique look that has a more real feeling, and the approach I have to coloration of the skin has a more real feeling than using monotone base colors like many skins do.

KH: How can the general public stay up to date on your product information?

MD: I have a blog at http://www.xrskins.com/. We have a subscription group and an SL group Xtreme Reality. And we use the release services like Fashion Consolidated.

KH: Thank you for your time, any parting words?

MD: Thank you very much for inviting me to have this interview.