5 Foreign Films you Must See

Whether it’s the subtitles which keep our eyes fixated on the screen or those unfamiliar, far away filming locations, there’s something impossibly endearing about foreign films.

From Spanish melodramas to stylish French features, leave the chick flick for a rainy day, cosy up with your girl friends and get lost in the best foreign language films. Here are five of our favourites:

#5 Volver

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Any long-time fans of the Spanish actress should consider Volver essential viewing. Cruz plays Raimunda, a stylish young mother who willingly takes the rap for her husband’s suspicious death. Released in 2006, the kitchen sink drama is full of intense emotion, vivid characterisation and infectious charm which will have you laughing and wincing in equal measure.

#4 Dans La Maison

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Claude Garcia isn't your average 16 year old. Sneaking into his best friend’s house at random intervals, Claude writes a series of shocking essays based on what he sees. When Claude’s bored literature teacher Germain realises his pupils stories are based on real life and not fiction, he gets more than he bargained for. Dans La Maison is a fast moving, voyeuristic thriller that will keep you guessing up to the very last moment. And who doesn't love a French accent?! 

#3 The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

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It’s the sort of scenario people have nightmares about, but for former Elle magazine Editor Jean-Dominique Bauby the stroke which alters his life was startlingly real. The film is based on a poignant memoir written by Bauby himself over a period of 10 months. Physically paralysed and unable to use a pen, Bauby wrote the entire memoir just by blinking. Sounds unbelievable right? You’ll need tissues to get through this one.

 #2 Headhunters

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On the surface protagonist Hennie is a regular guy - corporate head hunter by day, flash socialite by night. Scratch beneath the surface though and there’s more to this city slicker than meets the eye. Not content with his high-paying day job, Hennie also works as an art thief, a position he abuses to fund his lavish lifestyle. As you’ve probably guessed, it’s all about to go horribly wrong for the Norwegian fox.

Headhunters is the highest grossing Norwegian film of all time, watch out for Nikolaj Coster - Waldau (otherwise known as Jaime Lannister in GOT) who features heavily.

#1 Amélie

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It would be impossible to compile a list of must-see foreign films without including one of the best French features of all time. If you haven’t seen Amélie already, then, drop all of your Netflix recommendations at once and put aside the best part of 2 hours to watch it.

From the zany soundtrack composed by Yann Tierson to Audrey Tautou’s radiant onscreen presence, it’s hard not to fall in love with this story of a shy waitress who sets out on a mission to make others happy and find a boyfriend in the process. 

Do you have a favourite foreign film to add to our list? Share them with us in the comments section below or tweet us @Nica_Handbags.

#NicaDesignAPrint: Lili Price Takes Over Nica's Notebook

Remember our #NicaDesignAPrint winner who won the chance to have her bag design turned into reality and sold as the Lili Price satchel at Nica.co.uk? For the last few weeks she's been over at Nica HQ doing some work experience, and so, she's written this blog post to tell you all about what she's learnt! Take it away Lili:

I loved the whole experience, especially travelling up to London each day and getting to visit different areas after work with great food and atmospheres. The whole experience was very interesting and everybody was really lovely. It inspired me with my own business too, and I want to make mailers, lookbooks, and generally just run my business more professionally. 

One of my favourite parts of the work experience was working with the Graphics Department and seeing how they work. They had really cool work stations! I learnt a lot of different skills and all of the designers gave me a huge amount of advice regarding graphic design. It was also interesting for me to see exactly what it'd be like to work within a Graphics Department, seeing how they interact with other departments, how they meet deadlines, and learning about the print process. 

I also loved going to the photography department. They had amazing equipment! I had no previous photography experience, so, it taught me a lot from discovering new software to photo retouching, and learning about lighting.

I felt like I was given a lot of creative freedom during my work experience, and I even got the chance to create my own collection of bags as practise. I loved researching and looking at all the different sources which identified fashion trends. I then hand drew all my elements and edited them on Photoshop and Illustrator. 

The perfect ending to my fantastic work experience was when the whole team surprised me on my birthday with a cake, and the Senior Designer Nica Kim gave me a lovely book with such beautiful typography. 

Love Lili! 

- x - 

The TrèsQueentastic Blog Shows Us What's Inside Her #NicaHandbags

This week, we were treated to a What’s in My Handbag post by the wonderful TrèsQueentastic blog, who opted to show us exactly which essentials she stores inside her Natalie grab. 

It’s the perfect size for storing your essentials and then some, and she explains that ‘it makes things so much easier and convenient when I'm out and about'. 

For a detailed review of what she carries inside her bag, why not head over to the TrèsQueentastic blog?! Where there's also an exclusive #NicaHandbags discount code for readers, and plenty of #OOTD inspiration featuring her Natalie grab throughout. 

What do you keep inside your #NicaHandbags? Why not show us and share your photos with us @Nica_Handbags on Twitter or @nicahandbags on Instagram?

3 Must-See Artists to Catch at This Summers Festivals

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As festival season heats up, most of us are laying our hats in music fields across the UK. But when it comes to scouting out the latest artists and bands, sometimes there just aren’t enough hours in the day.  Festival line-ups are a minefield and when you don’t recognise any artists on the bill it’s often a case of “that band's name sounds pretty, let’s check them out.”

That’s why we’ve compiled a who’s who list of must-see bands and artists, so you can rock up to the venue and catch the highlights. From racy solo artists to infectiously good breakthrough bands, stay up to date on all things music with the help of Nica.

Kurt Vile

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Playing at: Jabberwocky, Green Man, Pukkelpop

Sounds similar to: Neil Young, Bob Dylan

Best song: Walkin’ on a pretty day

Those looking for intense guitar riffs peppered with powerful lyrics won’t find it in Kurt Vile’s music; he’s as laid-back as they come. Allow yourself to get carried away by his charming tunefulness and nostalgic words which are effortlessly complemented by down tempo psychedelic folk. It’s a sound that will make you feel awash with happy nostalgia- ideal to listen to on balmy summer days alone or with friends.

Blood Orange

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Playing at: Way Out West

Sounds like: The best party you’ve ever been to

Best song: You’re not good enough

Blood Orange is the side project of British cool cat turned New Yorker Dev Hynes- a slicker than your average musician who has worked with the likes of Florence and the Machine, Solange, and Mutya from Sugababes (remember her?).

Now with his latest release, Hynes has spanned the genres to craft 11 outstanding tracks with each one as contagious as the last. From the rap centric High Street to breathy love song Clipped On right down to the supremely stylish You’re Not Good Enough, the Cupid Deluxe album is a tour de force of dance hall beats and ultra-smooth hits.

With the lion share of Blood Orange festival dates already over for this year, you might have to settle for singing into your hairbrush while watching live clips on YouTube. But if you’ve yet to organise a festival for this summer, latecomers can head to the uber stylish Way Out West Festival in Sweden to catch Blood Orange alongside music superstars Robyn and Little Dragon. 

Wolf Alice

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Sounds like: Sweet bon bons seasoned with fizzy cola bottles

Best song: Heavenly Creatures

On stage front woman Elle Rowsell has the demeanour of cutesy girl next door but there’s a fiery underbelly to this English rose which might come as a surprise to those unfamiliar with their sound. The 4 piece make intoxicatingly sweet melodies doused in grungy riffs and bitterness. Still relatively new on the scene, Wolf Alice are yet to release a feature length album which is refreshing for new listeners because it won’t take long to get acquainted with their 2 (brilliant) ep’s.

We’ll let you into a little secret too, Wolf Alice have been known to perform a particularly lovely rendition of Chris Isaak’s Wicked Game live. Catch them on tour at Benicassim, Reading, Leeds or Bestival.

We’re always on the lookout for fresh new music to add to our Nica office playlist. Leave us a comment listing your favourite bands or tweet us your recommendations @Nica_Handbags.

Discover Nica's Favourite Places: Holidaying in Kos

As my S/S 15 collection is being finalised, I managed to grab some time to go away on holiday and relax, opting for a short break on the beautiful island of Kos in Greece.  

Now, although, this wasn't a working trip for me, I never really stop searching for design inspiration for future collections, and so, I took plenty of photos, which I know that I’ll look back to for inspiration in the future.

One of the reasons why I decided to holiday in Kos was because of its spectacular scenery which is defined by its endless sandy beaches. You can choose between enjoying the main sea fronts or hide away in one of its hidden bays and coves. I tried out both! 

When I visit new places, I like to experience as much as possible, and so, whilst in Kos I decided to split my time between two different hotels, the Aqua Blue boutique hotel and the Palazzo del Mar as to properly experience different parts of the island. One of my favourite luxuries was a glass side swimming pool. 

I spent my days reading some great books in the sun, exploring the island, and enjoying delicious local food.

So, now that you've seen what I've been up to over the last couple of weeks, why not show me where you’re taking your own #NicaHandbags this summer by tagging your photos @Nica_Handbags on Twitter or @nicahandbags on Instagram.