Credits
Melissa Carew – Editor
Olivia Phillips – Features Editor
Jacqueline Anyanwu - Associate Features Editor (Designer’s Spot)
Fiona Aber – Editorial Assistant
Kati Chitrakorn – Features Assistant
Amy Guthrie – Contributing Producer
Sarah Bonser – Senior Staff Writer
Alexa Hall – Senior Staff Writer
Sarah Kwong – Staff Writer
Lydia Patyra – Staff Writer
Katie Rose – Staff Writer
Aurore Pelisson – Senior Graphics Designer
Sonja Yekinni – Graphics Designer
Guy Abdallah – Graphics Designer
Claire Pepper – Contributing Photographer
Cristine Leone – Contributing Photographer
Giovanni Martins – Contributing Photographer
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Introducing: Ramzi Musa
Designer Profile: Ramzi Musa ‘Garments are an interesting way of presenting art’- Ramzi Musa It’s rare that you hear Cinderella fashion stories. Like the one about the designer who created his capsule collection for one of the UK’s biggest e-tailers before he’d even completed his degree. Step forward Ramzi Musa, 21 year old wonderkid artiste and 3rd year Fine Art student at Leeds University. Musa’s first collaborative SS11 collection with Browns Focus hit stores in February and his digitally-inspired designs have been getting fashionistas in a right old spin since. We sat down with the man himself to chat about not studying fashion, graphic novels and loving H&M… Hi Ramzi, so tell us where you’re from and what you... Continue »
5 things every designer should know: Maria Alvarez (FAD)
‘No effort is ever wasted’ – Maria Alvarez, FAD. Having worked for the UK Fashion & Textiles Association advising British fashion companies on strategies to expand business for the past 10 years, Maria Alvarez, Executive Director and founding member of Fashion Awareness Direct (FAD) has been helping young people bridge the gap between education and industry. We sat down to pick her brain about business, Markus Lupfer and good old-fashioned self promotion. Here are her 5 things every designer should know: • It is essential to have experience within the fashion industry before trying to establish your own label. Working in the industry is your best stepping stone. Work hard, it always pays off, and know that no effort is ever... Continue »
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A Journey Into …Giovanni Martins
Welcome to our brand spanking new feature ‘A Journey into…’ where we sojourn into the minds of the über creative. We’ve kicked-off our inaugural post with Giovanni Martins, photographer extraordinaire; we ask him to share about life, love, and photography, starting with his 5 best-loved images of all time. 1. ’Tom Ford For Men’ - We all know that sex sells especially when it comes to the fashion and beauty world. I just love how photographer Terry Richardson is able to ‘commercialize’ sexual narrative in his work and is able to translate this into campaign images, which ironically ends up on billboards for the whole world to see. 2. Dutch photographer Erwin Olaf is one of my biggest inspirations, period. His imagery is provocative, conceptual,... Continue »
Bad Romance
Sometimes, love is not a walk in the park… Photography by Cristine Leone Art direction and Styling by Melissa Carew His: Hoodie by Izzue; Waistcoat by Todd Lynn; Shirt by Zara; Trainers by Converse Her: ‘Love’ T-shirt by Izzue; Dress by Bitching & Junkfood;Necklace and Earrings by Culietta;Boots by Office His: T-Shirt by Izzue Her: Vintage mohair jacket by Beyond Retro; Silk top by Kumiko Watari; Shorts by TWO WEEKS His: Jacket and jeans by Snake and Dagger Her: Sweater dress by Fam Irvoll; Necklace by FAM/A&C = SANT; Boots as before His: T-Shirt by Izzue Models Alma and Thomas T @ M+P Models Photography by Cristine Leone Art direction and Styling by Melissa Carew Hair & Make Up by Mira Parmar using Nars and Bumble... Continue »
A day in the life of: Matthew Zorpas
What better time to find out exactly what Britain’s second best-dressed man gets up to than on the first day of London Fashion Week? We followed Matthew Zorpas around like a lost puppy, shadowing his fabulous, front row-filled day… “This season I’m wearing new, up-and-coming designers throughout LFW; Liria Pristine, Dimos Natar, Harald Lunde Helgesen and DanDan to name a few. It’s always exciting relaying feedback and the overall buzz about their creations to the unassuming designers, and there’s no better place to showcase their work than at LFW! Today I’m wearing a gold suit and customised gold and silver bauble-cuff shirt by Marios Alexander. Marios’ collection is shaped around the idea of the ‘role’ and explores how clown... Continue »
LFW Day #6: Men’s Ones to Watch
WHO: Men’s Ones to Watch: C/Bruerburg, A.Hallucination, Mr Lipop and Asger Juel Larson WHERE: Vauxhall Fashion Scout @ Freemasons’ Hall FRONT ROW: Paul Weller, Vogue’s Jessica Bumpus, LFW regular and fashion writer Yu Masui and stylist Richard Pickard WHAT: First up C/Bruerberg, whose collection had a chic hippie-festival influence – neon green silly string-style headgear and woven tops, muted greys and shiny black tracksuit bottoms and leggings with knitted ponchos. Next, A.Hallucination’s modern take on 70′s suits; doing what they do best, the collection focused on black, brown and navy and comprised stunning blazers with knitted sleeves, duffle coats with two-tone colours and white bow ties. Mr Lipop’s collection was a more minimalist take on suits; burgundy-purple, collarless and simply with... Continue »
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LFW DAY #5: FAD
2011 FAD Competition winner: Milly Jackson WHO: FAD WHERE: Vauxhall Fashion Scout @ Freemasons’ Hall FRONT ROW: Members of the FAD panel: founder Maria Alvarez de Toledo, Wendy Dagworthy, Head of Fashion and Textiles at the RCA and Whistles CEO Jane Shepherdson. WHAT: The fifteen finalists of the FAD competition presented their responses to the brief: ‘Escape (from the everyday)’. Each designer presented two looks which had to show an original interpretation of the brief and could work as a mini collection in its own right. Our favouite looks from each collection included Annie Vallis’ mountainous prints, muddy red shorts and translucent trench coat with harness; Emily Booker’s bright knit balaclavas with oversized bobbles; Emma Clifton’s surreal cartoon-esque pieces: a grey jacket... Continue »
LFW Day#5: Alice Palmer
WHO: Alice Palmer WHERE: Vauxhall Fashion Scout @ Freemason’s Hall FRONT ROW: Courtney, Laura and Lucy from Forward PR, Phoebe Frangoul, Kelly Morris from Running in Heels, the Masquerade magazine team. WHAT: Alice Palmer’s signature quirky knitwear dresses were taken to the next level with her AW11 collection ‘Into the Void’. Set to an electronic soundtrack, a kind of ying and yang black and white duality kept the looks strong and unified. With gold as an accent colour, there was a robotic glitzy vibe undermined by messy thick kohl eyeliner. The oversized, slouchy shapes were layered with three-dimensional textures; conical, triangular fabric jutted out on the front of the frocks and spherical cutouts gaped to reveal the small of... Continue »
LFW DAY#4: A LA DISPOSITION
WHO: A La Disposition WHERE: Vauxhall Fashion Scout @ Freemasons’ Hall FRONT ROW: Amelia Gregory, Kelly Morris from Running in Heels and the Fashion Monitor team WHAT: Entitled ‘The Utopian Aviary’ and set to a soundtrack of classical music and flapping birds’ wings, the collection was beautifully Victoriana-inspired and took its silhouette quite literally from bird-like forms. Dresses and shirts in copper, burgundy, pale turquoise and emerald green sloped downwards at the back into stunning coattails to mimic wings, shoulders were ruched and everything was high-necked and buttoned-up. Black and white vertical stripes lent shirts a certain mod vibe and furry trousers and capes in naturalistic black and white stripes played up the birds of paradise theme. Birds-nest hair and red contacts gave... Continue »
LFW DAY #6: D.GNAK
WHO: D.GNAK by KANG.D WHERE: Vauxhall Fashion Scout @ Freemasons’ Hall FRONT ROW: Paul Weller, Prince Cassius, Leroy Dawkins of Diary of a Clothes Horse and from Camille of Karma Style blog WHAT: For his collection ‘Cracks’, Dong Jun Kang presented a kind of schoolboy-meets-Paddington Bear look. Mustard corduroy jumpsuits and trousers, blazers and shirts made for a classic masculine aesthetic, shaken up with modern interpretations for a more casual take. Brown or blue plaid, olive tweed, corduroy and a heavy glug of burgundy made for an accessible colour palette, but it was the details that took these pieces to the next level. Jackets were constructed with two constrasting fabrics - mustard cord and olive tweed, a blue puffa jacket with wool... Continue »
LFW Day #3: Charlie Le Mindu
WHO: Charlie Le Mindu WHERE: On/ Off @ Mercer Street Studios FRONT ROW: The great and good of fashion’s glitter underground; rainbow hair, butt-less latex chaps, Pandemonia, Natasha Khan from Bat For Lashes, Diane Pernet from A Shaded View On Fashion and – every designer’s dream FROWer – Daphne Guinness. WHAT: Nothing if not the quintessential showman, Charlie Le Mindu again proved his inimitable knack for provocation and exquisite shock tactics. Who knows, perhaps he’s posthumously after Alexander McQueen’s enfant terrible crown. Fittingly, McQueen’s muse and all-round fashion royalty Daphne Guinness even came to show her support. If that’s not a sign of a legend-in-the-making, then we’ll eat our new-season lace hat. Charlie’s penchant for cult 70s movies transitioned... Continue »
LFW DAY #3: ENYA PATRICIA
WHO: Enya Patricia WHERE: Strand Palace Hotel FRONT ROW: Aston from JLS and children’s author Ellie Daines WHAT: ‘Obsession’, the second collection from emerging 21-year-old designer Enya Patricia, was rich in texture and evoked the charm and character of a 1920′s Berlin cabaret. Bowler hats, sweeping streaks of eyeliner, fur muffs and sequinned masquerade masks with jewelled tassels evoked the heady glamour of the stage, epitomised, of course, by Liza Minelli. Asymmetric, layered fabrics (velvet, cotton and leather) over shift dresses, all with elongated scarves, undercut any vintage vibe to give way to a more contemporary look. HIGHLIGHT: The paper-bag waist leather shorts and fur coat with a drawstring waist – a fabulous skirty shape that smacked of military... Continue »
LFW Day#3: Pam Hogg
WHO: Pam Hogg WHERE: On/ Off @ Mercer Street Studios FRONT ROW: Boy George (and a companion wearing black PVC lingerie), Jaime Winstone and Dr Who himself, Matt Smith, there to watch girlfriend Daisy Lowe walk. WHAT: To the strains of an industrial punk soundtrack, Hogg opened with a run of long black leather coats with multiple brown leather belts fastened across the body, straight jacket-style. Black leather hats (if that’s what they can be termed) perched like giant liquorice allsorts, held in place by the same brown belts, on the heads of models who walked disconcertingly slowly. A typically frightening start for Pam, but where were the second skin jumpsuits for which she is famed? We needn’t have... Continue »
LFW DAY#2: BRYCE AIME
WHO: Bryce Aime WHERE: On/Off’s stuffed-to-the-gills Mercer Studios. Not only were to benches packed, but the standing crowd was four people deep. FRONT ROW: Harold Tillman, chairman of the British Fashion Council, attended the after-party at the Mayfair. WHAT: With this collection, entitled Militarium, Bryce Aime keeps one foot in the avant-garde while dipping the other one into the commercial fashion world. The avant side found expression in the black-irised contact lenses worn by the models (unnaturally coloured contacts apparently being the shorthand for spacey and spooky this season) and the intermittent appearance of silvery multi-pointed headdresses which rather gave the models the appearance of intergalactic triceratopses. It is these which will doubtless keep his most famous client, Lady... Continue »
LFW DAY #5: Joanne Hynes & Helen Steele
WHO: Joanne Hynes and Helen Steele WHERE: Vauxhall Fashion Scout @ Freemasons’ Hall FRONT ROW: Claudine Keane, wife of footballer Robbie and well-known patroness of avant-garde design. WHAT: Joanne Hynes’s show was a mess, but a glorious one. Intriguing but infuriating, various looks shared a kinship with Matthew Williamson, (psychedelic prints in tropical colourways, crystal encrusted collars), J W Anderson (Swarovski-studded cricket jumpers, glittering diadems) and 90s womenswear designers like Helen Storey (long bias-cut shift dresses in earth tones). The good looks, and there were many, managed to be good in completely differing ways, as if they’d come from separate collections. Anderson is probably the closest point of comparison, another Celt with an obsession with pastoral mythology in all... Continue »
LFW Day#2: Kiki Kamanu
WHO: Kiki Kamanu WHERE: The Strand Palace Hotel FRONT ROW: Sebastian Bassong from Tottenham Hotspurs and a whole host of up-and-coming bloggers. WHAT: Kiki intertwined Chinoiserie elements with an African aesthetic to create a vibrant and ambitious collection. The show started with pieces with serious shoulder embellishment falling into chains over the back and t-shirts with shirt ‘bibs’ attached by the collar. Orange, purple and chartreuse, with contrasting lining and snakeskin panels, appeared on dresses with seriously layered leaf-like hems and kimono-style jackets with oversized arms and scalloped edges. The palette changed somewhat as harem trousers, leggings and clingy asymmetric dresses with a black, white, orange and blue triangular print were worked into the collection. Meanwhile, striped dyed fur bags were the accessory of choice... Continue »
LFW Day#2: CARLOTTA GHERZI FOR SADO
WHO: Carlotta Gherzi for Sado WHERE: Vauxhall Fashion Scout @ Freemasons’ Hall FRONT ROW: Roger Michael, illustrator Emma Block, stylist Camille from Karma Style, Rachael Oku from Amelia’s Magazine and the girls from The Clear Agency WHAT: Against a pop soundtrack, this light-hearted, refreshingly feminine collection seemed rather spring-like for AW11. The colour palette was as pretty as a picture: crème brûlée, panna cotta, powder pink and dusty blue, all accented by ditzy flower prints and playful paint splatters. There were dangerously seductive asymmetric dresses with bum-skimming hemlines, big, slouchy off-the-shoulder tops and huge woven knits over other knits of the same hue. As if to contrast with the prettiness of the first few looks, the collection also featured... Continue »
LFW Day#2: Olivia Rubin
WHO: Olivia Rubin WHERE: Jalouse, 17 Hanover Square FRONT ROW: The girls from The Only Way is Essex, Konnie Huq and the team from Stylist magazine WHAT: We were packed into this underground club a stone’s throw from Vogue House for the latest offering from designer darling Olivia Rubin. The models precariously walked on a marble table top around the club and the vibe was excitable and chirpy as the after-party was to start as soon as Olivia had taken her bow; everyone had a cocktail in hand. Olivia’s signature brickwork print adorned fuchsia, purple and caramel dresses and separates and was combined with black and white florals and lashings of leopard print. Though this sounds visually hectic, it... Continue »
LFW Day #3: Masha Ma
WHO: Masha Ma WHERE: Vauxhall Fashion Scout @ Freemasons’ Hall FRONT ROW: Stylist Stuff blogger Rebekah Roy WHAT: Now in her second season with VFS, Masha Ma presented an elegant and mature collection. In glacial tones of white, duck egg blue and eau de nil, her show opened with a collection of divine tailored coats and jackets which betrayed her continuing fixation with architecture. Waists were nipped in, and cut almost into an Elizabethan stomacher-style V shape, from which asymmetric scrolls and pleats of fabric sprang, accentuating the hips and bodice. Skirts were tightly tapered and calf-length, while the semi-undone exposed zips which ran from waist to hem brought a welcome touch of sensuality to the severely beautiful looks.... Continue »
LFW DAY#2: Jayne Pierson
WHO: Jayne Pierson WHERE: On/ Off @ Mercer Street Studios FRONT ROW: A fabulous mish-mash of all hair bright and beautiful, spiked headbands, studded lapels, bold baroque prints on white trousers and, lest we forget, battered briefcases and vintage satchels as far as the false-lashed eye could see. WHAT: With Victoriana-esque up-dos, devilishly dark lips, licks of leather and lace and a strict uniform of black-on-black – interrupted only briefly by striped linens – Jayne Pierson’s AW11 collection was sharply focused on the silhouette – flattering the sinister femme fatale form and embracing a school ma’am moonlighting as a dominatrix. The Welsh designer played with themes of sixteenth and seventeenth century anatomists, namely Flemish-born Andreas Vesalius, the photography of... Continue »
LFW DAY#2: LAKO BUKIA
WHO: Lako Bukia WHERE: Vauxhall Fashion Scout @ Freemasons’ Hall FRONT ROW: Blogger Aizak Buyondo looking particularly fabulous wearing a grey cape, silver chain epaulettes and a big a red ‘fro and back-braid combo. A rather colourful chap channeling his inner Disney with a Minnie Mouse ears hat, buttons on his collar and a painted black nose. WHAT: Inspired by the Georgian National Ballet’s Men’s ‘choxa’ costume, AW11 is set to be a romantic one for the Lako Bukia woman. With lashings of chiffon floating away from the body, satin skirts whispering around knees and super- soft tailoring, it was minimalism at its prettiest. But it wasn’t all dreamy silhouettes and diaphanous dresses though, as a slightly pervy proposition was subtly hinted... Continue »
LFW Day#2: Julian J Smith
WHO: Julian J Smith WHERE: On/Off @ Mercer Street Studios FRONT ROW: Beth Ditto, Diana Vickers looking tanned and wholesomely pretty in a coral dress from Julian’s current collection. WHAT: Based on horror films The Blair Witch Project and Sleepy Hollow, Julian’s collection was an exercise in restrained menace. With a muted palette of maroon, black and emerald green, the dresses he presented eschewed whimsical gothickery for something far more elegant and conceptual. Constructed from a range of fabrics including leather, silken fringing and felt which had been slashed into strips and curled, pieces were panelled and patchworked together in graphic contrasts. Hemlines ranged from mini to floor length, and silhouettes went from bodycon tubes to neat A-lines, but... Continue »
LFW Day#2: Louise Amstrup
WHO: Louise Amstrup WHERE: On/Off @ Mercer Street Studios FRONT ROW: Nicola Roberts of Girls Aloud fame blowing bubbles with big black sunglasses and even bigger hair. Lots of boys in ‘Sunday Best’ suits, girls with dip-dyed hair and a rather furry looking dandy in a honey-monster-come-Bunmi-Koko-inspired jacket, with shoulders so huge he took up two spaces. WHAT: There was an uprising in the air at Louise Amstrup. Stomping the catwalk in an anti-establishment rage to the beats of Bjork, Massey Mix and Beth Ditto, structured silhouettes and sharp zoot-suit jackets stood for the real life radicals and empowered female rebels of the world. Juxtaposed with the severity of patent leather panels, angular darts and coarse wool in mélange grey, were the hyper-feminine... Continue »
LFW Day#4: Susana Bettencourt
WHO: Susana Bettencourt WHERE: Fashion Mavericks @ The Strand Palace Hotel FRONT ROW: Two rather flamboyant men; one sporting a green and gold blazer and the other promoting an unusual display of pink and blue face paints. WHAT: Susana Bettencourt’s show was perfectly wearable but lacked slightly in the ‘groundbreaking’ stakes. Rope-like embellishment in vibrant, copper tones lent knitted dresses sex appeal but sadly, the collection felt more confused than coherent. Heavily adorned black and grey knitted mini-dresses were obvious standout pieces but fell separate to the main body of the collection. Body-con knitwear in earthy hues, complemented by a tribal soundtrack and bronzed jewellery, felt straight out of Africa and dominated the catwalk. However, this was very much... Continue »
LFW Day#2: Fyodor Golan
WHO: Fyodor Golan. A duo; Fyodor Podgorny and Golan Frydman. WHERE: Vauxhall Fashion Scout @ Freemasons’ Hall FRONT ROW: Fyodor’s mum, who was rushed through the queue WHAT: The signs weren’t promising. Before this season’s show schedule, few people had heard of Fyodor Golan. Then there was a press release, which, in advanced Fashionese, announced that their AW collection was inspired by Renaissance Portraiture and the West African tribal tradition of ritualised scarring. At best, it sounded a mess, at worst, borderline racist. Yet it worked. The show was one of the most remarkable this fashion week so far and heralds the arrival of a fascinating new talent. The African references eschewed cliché and managed to convey scarring via... Continue »
LFW DAY#2: JACOB KIMMIE
WHO: Jacob Kimmie WHERE: Vauxhall Fashion Scout @ Freemasons’ Hall FRONT ROW: Fabulous drag queens with blow-up doll lips, midas touch mammoth crucifix necklaces, and huge blonde beehives decorated with jeweled tiaras. Also, The Artist – formerly known as Prince’s – identical twin,wearing huge plumes of feathers as a collar. WHAT: Protesting against the banality of mainstream ideology and celebrating radical philosophy, the self-proclaimed saviour of British fashion cemented his reputation as a creative genius in a fearless approach to the future with gothic sacred themes. Finding its breath in Peter Hugo’s “Hyena Men,” Leon Bonnat’s Martydom of St. Denis, Robert Mapplethorpe’s White Gauze and the eroticism of The Borghese Hermaphrodite, Kimmie’s “Martyr” collection was never going to be... Continue »
LFW DAY#2: GEORGIA HARDINGE
WHO: Georgia Hardinge FRONT ROW: Nicola Roberts in all her violent violet blazer, towering heels and cigarette jeans glory – minus the sunglasses. An optic shock of colour – whether on the heads, faces or bodies of the buzzing crowd – despite the torrential rain and oppressive skies outside. WHAT: Pushing the parameters of her signature architectural aesthetic with a focus on contour and sculptural forms, Merit Award winner Georgia Hardinge presented her macabre take on the contemporary female with top-heavy proportions, lashings of bonded pleats and 3D fishscales to club beats and a bit of Bjork. Integral to the ‘Spined’ collection was the designer’s marked exploitation on internal vs. external. Inspired by the unorthodox photography of Joel Peter... Continue »
LFW DAY#2: Pierre Garroudi
WHO: Pierre Garroudi WHERE: The Pierre Garroudi Gallery @ Crucifix Lane, London Bridge FRONT ROW: A handful of bloggers and PR types like Natalie from Who’s Jack magazine and Leon from IUnderEye WHAT: For the sixth season running, Pierre Garroudi kept it monochrome, this time choosing a very bright and appropriately regal purple for the entirety of his ‘Royal collection.’ Regal maybe, but demure this was not. The first half dozen dresses were constructed from a loose lattice fabric that left plenty of flesh on show. Even a V-neck dress that wasn’t quite so revealing managed to fall off the model’s shoulder. We lost count of the number of visible nipples. Equally distracting was the hair. A violet hair... Continue »
LFW Day#1: Dans Le Vie
WHO: Dans La Vie WHERE: EastGallery @ Brick Lane FRONT ROW: There wasn’t one as such, although the living, circulating, wine drinking models certainly caused a stir. WHAT: The private view of Tokyo–based collage queen Rira Sugawara’s first UK collection. She certainly didn’t disappoint as far as eclectic influences were concerned – her cut and paste aesthetic collided Keith Haring-esque graffiti, religious iconography, splashy florals and inter-cultural (Japanese/New Yorker) imagery in eye-popping combinations. The products which predominated – mainly bowling bags and shoppers were as peppy and fun as the prints promised – we would love to see it used on this season’s echt-hip backpacks, too. HIGHLIGHT: It was the more outré, less obviously commercial pieces that really caught... Continue »
LFW Day#2: Elliott J. Frieze
WHO: Elliott J. Frieze WHERE: The Watergate room @ The Charing Cross Hotel FRONT ROW: Cosmo’s Natasha Guiotto, Bumpkin Betty’s Betty Land and milliner Alison Tod WHAT: A masterful collection of 70′s classics reinvented for 2011. Think biscuit corduroy trenches and jumpsuits, chocolate cord flares and trench dresses worn with white shirts. Mid-way through the show the lights went out briefly; as soon as they came back up again a model in a baby blue maxi dress and cropped black blazer introduced the second half of the collection – less coffee, more Secret Agent black, plaid and powder blue (for which Frieze seems to be famous). The bags were also a talking point; satchel-style clutches and oversized doctor’s bags.... Continue »
LFW DAY#1: JASPER GARVIDA
WHO: Jasper Garvida WHERE: Vauxhall Fashion Scout @ Freemasons’ Hall FRONT ROW: Some of our favourite bloggers! Style Slicker, Park & Cube, Fashion Foie Gras and Amelia Gregory from Amelia’s Magazine WHAT: Last season’s Garvida girl hasn’t just grown up. She’s grown up, found a sugar daddy and acquired a taste for impeccable tailoring. She probably speaks French and smokes Sobranies, too. But how did last season’s coquettes metamorphose so swiftly into the sophisticates we saw gracing the catwalk yesterday? The press release pointed to Alessandro Baricco’s ‘Soie’ as the reasoning; a late 19th Century-based romance novel about a Frenchman who, on a silk-finding mission, becomes enchanted by the East. This beguiling inspiration was made literal through Garvida’s use... Continue »
LFW Day#3: Hamra Alam
WHO: Hamra Alam WHERE: Stand Palace Hotel FRONT ROW: Susie Eldred from yours truly. and Mon Polkadot Cheri, Rachel Charlton from Take-out In Couture WHAT: This Manchester-based Muslim designer toyed with conventional notions of Islamic fashion presenting her collection ‘Unveil’. Floor-length, high-necked jackets with contrast patterned pockets, slit up to the belly button and worn over jeans seemed coy enough at first, but eventually the collection became more and more sheer. Although all long-sleeved and floor-length, jackets were worn open over sheer black chiffon and covered in sequins. At one point a model came out wearing a bodice and jeans which revealed her belly button. Translucent white animal prints and lace were the fabrics of choice, while hoods and... Continue »
LFW Day#1: Falguni & Shane Peacock
WHO: Falguni & Shane Peacock WHERE: On/Off @ Mercer Street Studios FRONT ROW: Birkins, blondes and blow-dries a go-go, as well as a good few Louboutins and Diana Vickers who rocked up fashionably late and sat right opposite us. WHAT: One glance at our show notes after Falguni & Shane Peacock and you’d think we’d been annotating from inside a Soho phone box; SEX, BONDAGE, KINK were all scrawled across the pages; a visceral response from the show’s powerful collection of party dresses for good girls gone bad. The language of sex was all there, spoken loud and clear through the Indian-based designer duo’s use of leather, studs and body-con cuts that sensually clung to every curve. But it... Continue »
LFW Day#1: Bora Aksu
WHO: Bora Aksu WHERE: BFC Space @ Somerset House FRONT ROW: Twiggy, Marina Diamandis, Nicola Roberts, Laura Whitmore, ex-Sugababe Keisha Buchanan, Beverly Knight, and DJ and model Lady Lloyd. Star-studded or what? WHAT: Fabrics clashed and fought for attention on the Bora Aksu catwalk (much like the heaving crowd!); lace, wool, sequins, chiffon and bodices, it was all in the mix. Metallic tweed and silver corsets under sheer threads made for a futuristic Barbarella feel, whilst deconstructed grey tuxedo dresses with bow ties gave the look a space-age disco fever. Cellar Door magazine have been tweeting about ‘the perfect green shirt’ that featured; in fact green was the colour that punctuated the silvery-grey palette as it made appearances on hemlines, belts, skirts... Continue »
LFW Day#1: Eudon Choi
WHO: Eudon Choi WHERE: Vauxhall Fashion Scout @ Freemasons’ Hall FRONT ROW: Susie Bubble, Caroline Issa, Amelia Gregory of Amelia’s Magazine and Team ELLE who were out in force. WHAT: Last season’s Merit Award winner and a previous One to Watch, Eudon certainly didn’t disappoint or diverge from his signature look; the ‘Haute Ecole’ collection was classic masculine meets feminine. Uniform hues of navy, tan, chocolate and charcoal, a crisp white shirt and exaggerated rounded shoulders and sweaters all underlined the scholastic influence – all welcome developments to his edgy but effortless aesthetic. Yet it was the usuals that made us swoon; apron-like skirts, equestrian-inspired harnesses and buckles and minimal fuss. It was utility gone romantic. HIGHLIGHT: We shared a moment with ELLE’s... Continue »
#LFW Day1: Ones To Watch
WHO: Ones To Watch WHERE: Vauxhall Fashion Scout @ Freemasons’ Hall FRONT ROW: Caroline Issa, Editor of Tank, Style Bubble’s Susie Lau and pop songstress Diana Vickers rubbed shoulders on the FROW. WHAT: Four designers showcased concise collections, each as gorgeous as the next. Kirsty Ward’s characteristic transparent cellophane-esque dresses, layered and looped with structured fabric were to-die-for alone, never mind with the addition of beau/designer collaborator David Longshaw’s geometric jewellery. Anja Mlakar presented a paintbox palette of cut-out statement dresses and structural pieces adorned with colour-clash tubular piping. Tze Goh’s collection was a lesson in beautiful understatement; with references to Japanese masters such as Yamamoto, subtle exaggerations made this collection extraordinary. Sloping shoulders, tiny cut-outs and soft luxury,... Continue »LFW DAY #2: TOSHA
WHO: Tosha WHERE: The vestibule showroom @ Vauxhall Fashion Scout’s Freemasons’ Hall FRONT ROW: Amelia Gregory and our very own Olivia Phillips and Melissa Carew WHAT: ‘Paint It Black’ – ten beautifully understated LBDs. Designer Tamara celebrated the female form with clingy dresses made of 100% wool with an Egyptian silk lining. This was glamour that didn’t have to try hard. Hemlines started off high, but gradually dropped to the floor in a crescendo of sculpted femininity. OTT ruching and ruffles and a fishtail-shaped dress (mini at the front, maxi at the back) made a thoroughly modern statement. Hair was slicked back and make-up barely there bar the glossy blackberry lips. GOODIE BAG: A black Vauxhall Fashion Scout/Georgia Hardinge tote... Continue »
LFW Day#1: Aminaka Wilmont
WHO: Aminaka Wilmont WHERE: BFC Showspace @ Somerset House WHAT: Aminaka Wilmont’s show was sleek and commercially viable. Featuring a reoccurring faded rhubarb and custard marbled print, it was sharply-edited and meant business. The models had their hair braided into skinny, brittle plaits and all wore yellow contact lenses giving them the look of photographer Paolo Roversi’s feral muses. While there was no wild deviation from last season’s formula of elegant draped shapes and subtle graphic prints, it’s a trademark they are honing to perfection. Indeed, with their Rick Owens-esque distressed leather jackets and fluid separates, they are one of the few brands showing at Fashion Week whose pieces one can as readily imagine in one’s working wardrobe as... Continue »
LFW: FAD Finalist Preview
Renown for being a charity supporting aspiring designers, Fashion Awareness Direct (FAD) has been empowering young talent and ‘bridging the gap between education and industry’ for 10 years. Each year 15 finalists show at LFW, competing for work placements with esteemed designers such as Paul Costelloe and Margaret Howell, with the winner and two runners-up receiving cash prizes. Past winners and runners-up have included Rasa Abramaviciute who won 6 months with Vivienne Westwood, and Vera Thordardottir who has dressed the likes of Lady Gaga! To celebrate the charity’s 10 year anniversary, FAD invited us to preview the illustrations of the entries to be showcased at LFW from their 15 finalists. This year, FAD asked them to design 2 outfits... Continue »
#LFW Day1: Prophetik
WHO: Prophetik WHERE: Vauxhall Fashion Scout at Freemasons’ Hall FRONT ROW: Hilary Alexander in a huge black-feathered ruff, celebrity stylist Joél Dash , Amelia Gregory, founder of Amelia’s Magazine and Livia Firth, ethical fashion devotee and wife of a certain Colin. WHAT: Music came courtesy of a songstress wailing operatically, a roving violinist and accompaniment from the London Tafahum Orchestra – all before a model had even stepped foot on the catwalk. For his ‘Artist Wonderment’ collection, Prophetik’s Jeff Garner was inspired by the frivolous court of Louis XV, which meant tight bodices and sweeping skirts aplenty; sexed up even more with the occasional bare midriff. One emerald green strapless gown, when paired with a sweeping purple silk cape,... Continue »
LFW Day#2: Craig Lawrence Presentation
WHO: Craig Lawrence WHERE: The Portico Rooms @ Somerset House FRONT ROW: No famous folk to speak of, but because this was an intimate salon show, a microphone wielding narrator perched on the end of the row. Hey, if salon style is good enough for Victoria Beckham’s New York Fashion Week show, who are we to argue? WHAT: Give Craig Lawrence a fabric, and he shall knit with it. That could be the subtitle to this collection. Crushed velvet, cotton tape, cellophane, and something called gimp yarn (not quite as kinky as it sounds) were stitched, woven and blended into a 15 look show that was essentially a masterclass in knitwear innovation. Clearly someone is taking note, because this... Continue »
LFW Day #2: Charing Cross Hotel
WHO: A La Mode WHERE: The Charing Cross Hotel WHAT: Up-and-coming designers Alana Hale, Belinda Liu, BEVZA, Dima Ayad, Gloria Wavamunno, Vjera Vilnik and Birthday Suits. Siren red commanded our attention as it was sent out first in this showcase of fresh new talent. Blending a contemporary sensibility with traditional printed African fabrics, Gloria Wavamnunno produced a collection of pleated mini skirts, blazers and body-con separates. Dima Ayad showed tri-coloured maxi dresses whilst Alana Hale made her mark with touches of copper fishnet and heavily feathered shoulder pads. Louise Walleneit’s German line ‘Birthday Suit’ comprised of a variety of fabrics from faux hair to leather and silk. The creative selection of outfits unveiled met the season’s needs, from lace blouses and trench coats perfect for workwear... Continue »
Introducing: Matthew Zorpas
PR impresario, designer muse and general fashion aficionado, Matthew Zorpas is definitely fashion’s man of the moment (not forgetting Esquire’s second best-dressed British man)! To celebrate all things fashion month, we’ve asked Matthew, known for championing up-and-coming designers to guest edit our Designer’s Spot. We took a walk in his avant-garde shoes, joined him on fittings and found out which designers we NEEDED to know about, right now… LFW outfit preview: Appointment with Liria Pristine We caught up with Matthew a few days before fashion week and joined him at a fitting appointment. ‘Two months before fashion week I do my research and check for new blood in the industry. Graduation fashion weeks, fashion directories and small fashion festivals are... Continue »
LFW Day#1: ASHLEY ISHAM
WHO: Ashley Isham WHERE: On/Off @ Mercer Street Studios FRONT ROW: Paloma Faith in cream silk slacks and Girl Aloud Kimberley Walsh. WHAT: There was an honest-to-goodness glamour at the Ashley Isham show which Piers Atkinson’s chopstick, tulle and tassel headpieces only served to exaggerate. In the midst of On/Off’s typically high-concept, defiantly avant-garde schedule, Isham provided a sequinned sugar rush which, in the context, was more disconcerting than any amount of androgyny, nudity or violence. Taking inspiration from the Raffles Hotel circa 1930, colourways were luscious and jewel bright – jade green, heliotrope, lapis lazuli, while bias cuts and clever draping gently enhanced the models’ curves. It’s no wonder that Isham is a declared admirer of Galliano –... Continue »
LFW Day#1: The A La Mode LFW Showcase
WHO: The A La Mode LFW Showcase – Annah Stretton, Berit New York, Rajadano, UsTrendy presentsRumpleMunkeh, Majinjoo, Rehmali and Cristina Nitopi:, Berit New York, Rajadano, UsTrendy presents RumpleMunkeh, Majinjoo, Rehmali and Cristina Nitopi. WHERE: The luxurious Charing Cross Hotel FRONT ROW: The runway was a loop, so almost everyone was seated front row. WHAT: Annah Stretton: Starting with a patched gingham dress, looks evolved into chiffon and tulle skirts, floral headpieces and a plethora of prints. Fit for a quaint country cottage. Highlight: A red plaid jacket with a yellow rose on the back paired with a red tulle skirt. Divine. Berit New York: Complementing the intense bass beats, models strutted out in vampiric capes, velvet, and lace corsetry, all... Continue »
LFW Day#1: Ada Zandition Presentation
WHO: Ada Zanditon WHERE: On/Off’s Mercer Studios FRONT ROW: It was hard to tell who was a member of the FROW as guests piled in to witness Zanditon’s video-come-art installation. We did, however, manage to grab a chat with ‘turntable goddesses’ Nisha and Amber (aka DJ duo, The Broken Hearts) who were there to support their friend Ada. WHAT: Ada Zanditon’s salon presentation drew quite the crowd. Friends and family packed in for nibbles and champagne whilst the avant-garde mingled and eyed up the impressive ice sculpture, static collection and film produced by twins Andrew and William Ho. The Running in Heels girls nicely summed up the impressive outfits seen at the presentation with a Tweet: ‘Some brilliant/wacky dressers... Continue »
Quick, Love Laura!
She’s the Hackney-based northerner “cutting off the fru fru” and concentrating on strokes of genius with a client list from New Zealand to New York. Not to mention being one part of the dynamic three-piece responsible for bringing editorials off the page and into achingly cool illustrated film. Breathing life back into an art considered to have been superseded by fashion photography, Laura Quick’s layering of colourful graphics and winks at make-do-and-mend war-time Britain has taken contemporary advertising back to the future and seen collaborations with fashion big-wigs, Hermes and Browns – to name but a few. Often touching on the surreal but with a penchant for observation, Quick’s subjects can be anything from models dancing with bulls and... Continue »
Introducing: Alex Mullins
Blazing a trail in the menswear market with a paint-box palette of primary brights and a slew of eclectic headdresses, Alex Mullins is exploding the myth that menswear is just a four-button cardigan and a pair of camel chinos. With cartoon proportions inspired by superhero characters and kaleidoscopic designs depicting Hunter S Thompson on acid, suffice to say that his stuff isn’t for the faint hearted. But if you’re looking for the perfect curly-chest vest, or a brilliantly elaborate inflatable puffer jacket, then the talented Mr Mullins is your go-to guy. Can you summarise your life so far? I grew up in Fulham, South West London, which is where I still live. I was never very good at academic... Continue »
I-Designer: PLAQUE
Welcome to our inaugural I-Designer feature, our fabulous new vlog spot shot by the designers themselves! We’ve scoured the land to bring you the hottest upcoming labels and asked them to squash everything you need to know into 3 minutes – hurrah! Kicking off the series are PLAQUE, a design duo hailing from Manchester. Christopher Parnell and Romy Townend joined forces in 2010 to create their womenswear label that focuses on dresses, denim, knitwear and jersey, including a range of unisex T-shirts inspired by antique fairs. Best let them do the talking: BLOWonline: We Are Plaque from BLOWonline on Vimeo. Continue »
Spotted: Jessie J
If it’s even possible, Jessie J has just gone up in our estimations. In her latest video for ‘Price Tag’, she’s wearing a striking gold wing ring from BLOW‘s very own jewellery label, Bjorg. Check out the video to see it in all its glory… Jessie J Ft. B.o.B. – Price Tag from Hip Hop on Vimeo. Continue »
Georgia Hardinge Wins The Vauxhall Fashion Scout Merit Award
Last season’s ‘One to Watch’ Georgia Hardinge has won the much sought-after Vauxhall Fashion Scout Merit Award. Chosen by a panel of industry experts, she will now receive sponsorship for her catwalk show, exhibition space during both London and Paris Fashion Weeks and a bespoke mentoring programme. Although, truth be told, Hardinge already seems to know exactly what she’s doing… A graduate of Parsons Paris School of Art and Design, London-born Hardinge began her career by winning ‘The Golden Thimble’ award for her graduate collection. Upon her return to London in 2009 she launched her eponymous label. In her inaugural season she was chosen to take part in Caryn Franklin and Erin O’Connor’s ‘All Walks Beyond the Catwalk’ project... Continue »
Thierry Mugler: Going Underground
Grungy and packed full of attitude – it’s no wonder Nicola Formichetti, new creative director of Thierry Mugler, handpicked Underground England, the streetwear label best-known for its heritage footwear, to create shoes for the AW11 menswear show that just took place in Paris. Based on Underground’s infamous creeper sole, the collaboration embraces Underground’s trademark but comes with a Thierry Mugler aesthetic – stamped with buckles and eyelets for an edgier appeal. The British shoe brand kicked into life in the 1980s when punk ruled. Today, Underground maintains that initial rock ‘n’ roll energy and upholds a strong music-inspired vein in its design. Underground’s current range is available at Topshop and Urban Outfitters, as well as Underground-England.co.uk. Words: Kati Chitrakorn Continue »
Spotted!
We love Rihanna here at BLOWonline but after having seen her video for new single, S&M, we want to be her more than usual. Check it out on her official YouTube page to play spot the BLOW designer. Our very own William Wilde takes centre stage with his super-haute latex creations, not to mention Piers Atkinson’s cheeky cherry headpiece which offsets RiRi’s flame-red mane to a T. Rihanna S&M from Hipflow Online on Vimeo. Continue »
Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration (ACOFI) Book Launch
WHO: Amelia Gregory and the team behind Amelia’s magazine launch Amelia’s Compendium of Fashion Illustration WHERE: 123 Bethnal Green Road, an eco and vintage fashion shop FRONT ROW: VIP invites went out to illustrators, bloggers and journalists who all came in the afternoon for a cake and tea party in the basement Bunker Café. WHAT: Although it’s been on sale since December, the official launch of ACOFI brought together almost all of the featured illustrators, many of the ethical fashion designers and a whole host of bloggers and journalists. The afternoon Pukka herbal tea was served in beautifully mismatched vintage teacups and saucers and guests had their portraits drawn by some of the illustrators featured in the book. In... Continue »
Bright Young Things
After the glut of Christmassy tradition and nostalgia, Selfridges has dedicated the first two months of 2011 to a palate-cleansing celebration of the decade’s sparkiest, freshest young design talents. As a mark of their continuing commitment to nurturing creatives from the beginning of their careers, the store’s buyers have invited their twenty hottest tips to moonlight as window-dressers and impose their artistic vision on the shoppers of Oxford Street. The only brief is this: their display must convey the essence of their brand. No small task considering some of these designers graduated less than a year ago. It’s notable that, as well as fashion designers, Selfridges has chosen to recognise prop stylists, footwear designers and illustrators, doubtless in recognition... Continue »
Charlie loves Colette
What do you get when you cross everyone’s favourite Haute Coiffurier with everyone’s favourite Parisian port of call? Charlie Le Mindu‘s formidable creations in the windows of Colette, of course! Sponsored by L’Oreal Professional and styled as iconic Parisian monuments, the mannequins will be displayed until the end of Couture Week. Oooh la la! Continue »
QUOTE OF THE DAY
Artwork: Sonia Yekinni Continue »
Dancehall Danceoff
Dancehall Danceoff from Sarah Doyle on Vimeo. Continue »
5 Things Every Designer Should Know
Introducing 5 Things Every Designer Should Know, a new regular feature where we quiz industry insiders for top tips, practical advice and general pearls of wisdom that they can offer emerging designers. Get ready for golden nuggets aplenty… “Being a fashion designer is a long term investment” – Becc Gray, Bloody Gray PR. Kicking off the series is Becc Gray, director at Bloody Gray PR. Small, unconventional and on the BFC’s radar, Bloody Gray has become a network of creatives who nurture and help each other. “If one of my clients doesn’t know something, I put them in touch with another who’s gone through it… it’s simple really!” says Becc. Here are her 5 things that every designer should... Continue »
Quote Of The Day
Artwork: Guy Abdallah Continue »
Introducing: Hasan Hejazi
What’s not to love about Hasan Hejazi’s video collaboration with Rankin? The Mancunian rising star has teamed up with London fashion photography’s elder statesman to produce this teaser for his label’s Spring/Summer 11 collection. Combining the body-con curves of the early nineties glamazons with the spirit and silhouette of seventies disco queens, Hasan nails both the micro-mini fit-and-flare skater dress and the floor-length goddess gown with aplomb. Sharpening everything up with silver clasp-clip belts and exposed zippers, the contrast of athletic shapes and ditzy chiffon circle skirts means that his dresses and bodies are as suited to Central Park Ice Rink as they are to Studio 54. It’s no wonder that he’s gained a major league fanclub – Marina... Continue »
Underground Calling
Shoes are the start of many a great adventure, but forget Dorothy and Cinderella. Losing a glass slipper and clicking ruby kitten heels together is about as exhilarating as watching paint dry compared to the escapades you could get up to in a pair of switchblade Winklepickers or Suede Wulfrun Brothel Creepers. For those who’ve always got something to rise up against, these are the original accessories for the rebel with a cause. Inspired by the very people that challenge the conventions of style, there’s no shying away from experimentation. And if the bigwigs behind the brand aren’t reworking classics or chipping away at a new spin on an old shoe, then they’re going down an unknown road in... Continue »
Introducing: Qasimi
On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me…the launch of an online store for Qasimi. The brainchild of Khalid Al Qasimi, Qasimi’s menswear line made a debut at London Fashion Week back in early 2008. He cemented his name in fashion as Erin O’Connor closed his 2009 womenswear show in a dramatic couture dress. The online store will feature a selection of items from his autumn/winter 2010 collection, where sensual luxury is a signature style. Expect cashmere and virgin wool-mix coats and rugged oversized pullovers in sophisticated muted tones paired with slim-cut leather trousers. Prices range from £65 for jersey pieces to £750 for jackets with leather detailing. Visit their online store at www.qasimi.com. Words:... Continue »
BLOWonline’s Best of the Web
Behold the internet. Who doesn’t use it these days? There’s a jungle of voices talking over your shoulder; from video tutorials to personal blogs, who do you listen to? We’ve narrowed down the best of the web; the ones who publish art, news and observations—all from an unconventional perspective – each without being constrained by a 140 character limit. Clothes on Film Love fashion and film? You wouldn’t be the first. Led by former online film editor Chris Laverty, Clothesonfilm.com is a small team of experts who examine clothes and identity in the movies. Each post is acute and detailed, paying close mind to outfits which are integral to the story. Tron Legacy, Black Swan, The American, you name... Continue »
BLOWonline’s SS11 lookbook
We select our very favourite looks for Spring Summer 11. Move over Autumn/Winter! Continue »
Introducing: Adam Andrascik
Born in Pittsburg and based in Hackney, Adam Andrascik might just be the US’s finest export since Jack Daniels. Pushing the parameters of womenswear, he’s got us salivating over his fashion-meets-art Dali-esque aesthetic, and positively aching to be layered in his delicately avant-garde designs. What is Adam Andrascik’s message? How do you want the brand to be known? I’d like the brand to be known for its modern approach to silhouette and detail through the utilisation of new finishing techniques and fabrications. Are you inspired by anything in particular? I’ve always had an interest in things that looked a bit strange in an engaging sort of way. I guess that’s why my last two collections have been about a... Continue »
Crunch: The Art & Music Festival
EVENT: Crunch: The Art and Music Festival WHERE: Hay on Wye, Herefordshire, UK SPEAKERS: Bianca Jagger looking glamorous and snug in a fur-trimmed coat, Brian Eno, Paul Morley, BBC Arts Editor Will Gompertz, art shaman Matthew Stone and member of 80s dragistocracy Donald Urquhart. WHAT: With many heavyweights of the art world gathered in one place for the Tate-partnered Crunch festival, the ideas were flowing as freely as the mojitos. A series of well-structured debates and discussions (for example Marc Quinn with Bianca Jagger, Paul Morley with Brian Eno), meant everyone was sure to get their fill of cultural nourishment and intellectual stimulation. But the programme wasn’t only concerned with the cerebral. The evening entertainment spanned from the mysteriously named... Continue »
Introducing: Agi and Sam
There have been countless dynamic duos over years. Dolce & Gabbana, Sonny & Cher, Pinky & Perky…but few have pledged a future of world domination at ASDA prices, and none have ever questioned what the world would look like if native Americans had been the colonisers instead of the colonised. Launching us into the fashion stratosphere where folklore-inspired leggings made to look like buffalo intestines are the limit, Agi&Sam are ambushing mundane menswear with kaleidoscopic designs and an uncompromising colour palette. You’ll never have to fear looking like every other Tom, Dick or Harry again. Fill us in on the Agi&Sam saga so far…what were you doing before the brand? We first met while interning at Alexander McQueen Menswear.... Continue »
Twinkle Twinkle
Christmas is a mere 36 days away which means but one thing. Stuff. Hopefully of the sparkly variety. And who better to inject some glamour into our stockings this year than the crystal queen herself, J.Maskrey? Collaborating with Swarovski, these two have put their heads together and come up with a glittering, indulgently encrusted selection of hand-made rings, keychains, bag charms, brooches and J’s renowned skin jewellery, all to be sold in House of Fraser. Affordable, fun and just in time for the festive season. We knew we liked those two. Continue »
QUOTE OF THE DAY
Fashion, as we knew it, is over... Continue »
BLOWonline’s 5 Key Pieces for Spring/Summer
We asked 5 of our favourite illustrators to draw 5 of our favourite pieces for Spring/Summer. The resulting post? One of our favourites so far. Funny, that. Piers Atkinson’s Dalston hat – Illustration by Caitlin Shearer www.caitlinquiet.blogspot.com Bora Aksu’s cocktail dress – Illustration by Sonia Yekinni www.yekinni.co.uk Charlie Le Mindu’s poodle wig – Illustration by Kate Wilson www.littledoodles.net Fam Irvoll’s lip shoes – Illustration by Zarina Liew www.cobaltcafe.co.uk Ashley Isham’s feathered gown – Illustration by Charlotte Hoyle www.charlottehoyle.com Continue »
Interviews with Disney Roller Girl, Fat Fashion Assistant, Style Slicker…
Jeanie Annan-Lewin from Fat Fashion Assistant What was your favourite piece in the showroom? Hmm…the Piers Atkinson hats for Ashish What’s on your shopping list for Spring/ Summer 2011? A banana-print shirt from Prada – I need it in my life. What are your tips for surviving press day madness? Coffee and comfy shoes. Tahira – Freelance Stylist for Italian Vogue and Grazia What was your favourite piece in the showroom? I’m loving the latex pieces by William Wilde – I just think it’s so interesting to use latex in a non-sexual way to make it look beautiful. And the J.Maskrey crystal crowns – it’s only a matter of time before we see Gaga in one of those! What’s... Continue »
New In: MORPHE by Amit Aggarwal
Theatre. Drama. Imagination. It’s these principles on which the art of fashion is built. So when we come across a label that embodies all of these and more, we welcome them with open arms to the BLOW family, get a bit emotional about their pieces and then bang their drum all over town. Case in point, New Delhi-based womenswear designer Amit Aggarwal and his line MORPHE – the latest addition to the showroom and already a firm favourite of ours. Ranging from the commercial to the conceptual, Amit’s designs offer something for everyone – whether that’s a wearable, contemporary take on an asymmetric Grecian gown, or a sculptural, avant-garde dress that doubles as an objet d’art. Evoking an immediate... Continue »BLOWonline @ BLOW SS11 Press day: Live footage
BLOW PR SS11 Press Day from BLOWonline on Vimeo. Video & Editing : Claire Pepper Photography: Cristine Leone Continue »
SHOWROOM STYLE AT BLOW
Street style? Pah. It’s all about showroom style these days, darling. Check out what the fabulous and the fashionable were rocking at BLOW’s press day today… Photography: Cristine Leone Continue »
LIVE AT BLOW PRESS DAY
WHAT:BLOW PR PRESS DAY WHERE: BLOW SHOWROOM WHO DROPPED BY: To name a few…Vogue Italia, Love, Plastique, 7th Man, Elle… GOODIE BAG: Qasimi scented candles, Ganic aroma water, Ferrero Rondnoir chocolates, Jelly Bellys and teapigs tea. HIGHLIGHT: Molly Bakes’ scrumptious mannequin lollipop cupcakes, Alibi pretox – our new favourite drink and trying on the most amazing pieces from SS/11! More pics here…BLOW PRESS DAY GALLERY Sittings Editor: Melissa Carew Photography: Cristine Leone Contributing Picture Editor: Veronica LAN Continue »
Future Beauty: 30 Years of Japanese Fashion
WHAT: Future Beauty: 30 Years of Japanese Fashion WHEN: 15 October 2010 – 6 February 2011 WHERE: Barbican Art Gallery Weaving your way through sheaths of sheer linen fabric, you feel like a child playing peek-a-boo in a rather grownup establishment. But what these diaphanous drapes reveal and conceal are some of the most definitive designs of our era, as well as a snapshot of history, fashion and culture colliding. The Barbican’s new exhibition, Future Beauty, surveys 30 years of Japanese influence on the fashion landscape. What you observe is the indelible trace of a culture that revolutionises as it unsettles the terrain. Thanks to spearheading Japanese designers throughout the decades, the fashion industry has been made all the more diverse... Continue »
QUOTE OF THE DAY
Never in the history of fashion has so little material been raised so high... Continue »
5 Club Nights You Should Probably Remember
Kindly guest posted by fabulous DJ duo, The Broken Hearts, today’s feature is a run-down of nights out that you really can’t afford to miss. Who needs X Factor when you could be here on a Saturday night instead? Circus The fiercest party in town, Jodie Harsh’s legendary nightclub has become a London classic. From its not-so-humble beginnings at Soho Revue Bar, Harsh has enforced a ‘dress to impress’ code that has club kids, drag queens and socialites pulling each other’s wigs off for a spot on the guestlist. Next: A Nightmare in New York, Sunday 31st October Paramount Bar, 103 New Oxford Street, WC1A 1DD 9pm – 4am £12 in advance/ £16 on the door Bonk Holiday Freakend... Continue »
Lazy Oaf Press Day
WHO: Lazy Oaf Press Day WHERE: Their store, Fouberts Place, W1 CROWD: Freelance stylists, East End hipsters and some Charlie Le Mindu fans who were toting their canvas bags from last month’s show around. Good choice, people. WHAT: If you, like us, are a sucker for primary colours, borderline-rude slogans and offbeat illustration, then kitsch connoisseurs Lazy Oaf are your guys. One part pop art to two parts irony, the East End-based label design everything from graphic tees to cheeky stationery. The result is unashamed, feelgood fun. In our opinion, the best kind. HIGHLIGHT: Chatting to the lovely head designer Gemma about pear cider, Fresh Prince and Jazzy Jeff prints and our mutual love of Filofax’s 90s FunFax. Buy... Continue »
Quote Of The Day
Art: Guy Abdallah Continue »
Nailing It
Not since the heady days of Chanel’s Rouge Noir have nails created such a hoo-haa. In the last 12 months we’ve come to know our Paradoxal from our Particuliere, our Minx from our mani/pedi and can spot some WAH handiwork at 50 paces. We’ll admit it, we thought we knew it all. So when The Nailympics were brought to our attention, we wept a little inside. But only in a good way. A nail aficionado’s wet dream, The Nailympics are held annually at Olympia and play host to over 350 competitors from 24 countries. There are 6 categories in which they can battle it out; everything from the perfect French manicure to the Mixed Media division. Nope, not a... Continue »
Top 6 Spring/Summer 2011 Trends
Don't panic, here's our rundown of LFW... Continue »
5 Prop Stylists You Should Probably Remember
An increasingly sought-after commodity, Prop Stylists are now more than ever being employed to add oomph to editorial and pizzazz to shop windows. Here’s our run-down of the ones you need to know about... Continue »
Fix Up Look Start!
Even the most snobby discerning of East End men can now take pride in their ready-to-wear suit. Mr Start, Start London’s menswear branch located on Shoreditch’s Rivington Street, is the perfect place for an off-the-peg revival. The eclectic environment brings an updated Savile Row vibe to the bohemian boys of Hoxton, giving them every excuse to get suited and booted. Owner Philip Start has also ensured that the dandies amongst them can also order to bespoke specifications, all with a proper cup of tea at hand. The industrial red walls and niche artefacts instantly draw you into the store, whilst above the counter, top hats have been reinvented as neat lampshades and multiple shelves of fabric swatch-books ensure the... Continue »
Ash’s favourite things
We asked London fashion darling Ashley Smith to share his favourite things with us here at BLOWonline. A man who loves 80s hair as much as we do? Ash, you’ve won our hearts forever! Continue »
Come Fry With Me
What’s more English than a big, fat fry-up? Er, the pissing rain, actually. Now you can combine these two cornerstones of our rich and glorious heritage with London Undercover’s Full-English umbrella. Jolly marvellous. londonundercover.co.uk Follow @LDNUNDERCOVER Continue »
The Man Behind The Meat
Lady Gaga’s outré ensembles are arguably more notorious than she is. From her Kermit-covered frock, to her more recent raw meat dress, she is, without doubt, a style icon unlike any other. However, incongruous to the attention-grabbing looks he creates, her stylist is comparatively a bit of a dark horse. So who exactly is the man behind the meat? Cue Nicola Formichetti – consultant, fashion stylist and creative director. This worldly gentleman is indeed the culprit, responsible for conjuring Gaga’s fabulously avant-garde attire. Born in Japan in 1977 to an Italian father and a Japanese mother, Formichetti grew up between these two divergent countries. His unique style is a direct result of his upbringing: eclectic, modern, international, traditional, Eastern... Continue »
We Love Love
She’s collaborated with everyone from Zac Posen to Frank Tell, played assistant to painter Francesco Clemente and moonlights as a drummer in rock band Scorpio Rising. Habitually dark and yet strikingly positive, jewellery designer Pamela Love has sharpened her perennially stylish claws – literally – taking a firm grip on the horns of cutting-edge cool with the latest instalment from her talismanic accessories line. Since launching her eponymous label in 2006, Love has been touted for pushing the boundaries of what constitutes jewellery. Taking the macabre element of nature and fusing it with a hint of eldritch sinisterism, she designs with a memento mori aesthetic – reminding us of mortality and indulging in a little handcrafted barbaric elegance at... Continue »
In The Zone
For Seth Bradley, it’s emotional. The 26-year-old owner of Zone 7 Style is more than just passionate about vintage sportswear, he knows it inside out – quite literally, in most cases – waxing lyrical about construction and fabric as well as the importance of good design. And like any great aficionado, what he knows, he can’t wait to share, enthusiastically passing on tidbits and anecdotes and stories one after the other as you browse the rails in his East London showroom. Would we like to see some original Versace catalogues from 1994, he asks. Er, yes we bloody well would. And what about a one-off early 90s North Face hat that never went into production, or a pair of... Continue »
A SLICE OF THE BIG APPLE…
- by Lala Lopez ERRO The night before the official NYFW kick off, Anna Larson of Erro presented a collection where a provocative undertone was balanced against a sporty streetwear vibe. Plush suede provided a contrast against slashed second-skin jeans whilst head wraps were paired with cut-out bodysuits and industrially molded bra and brief sets were grounded with chunky, don’t-mess-with-me wedges. BILLY REID On the first day of NYFW, American GQ’s Best New Menswear Designer, Billy Reid gave new meaning to the classic Americana trend with a strong Southern influence. His collection showed light layers, bandana neck ties, relaxed trousers, pops of plaid and preppy canvas tennis shoes. PORTS 1961 Freja Beha Erichsen opened Ports 1961’s Spring Summer show... Continue »
Shoe Business
Yes, these are the most fabulous pair of boots you’ve ever clapped eyes on. Handcrafted in Italy from nappa leather and python, they are the product of Crisian & McCaffrey’s second-to-none Corwainer’s training and signature edgy elegance. Super high and super luxe, we’ll be stamping our (non boot-clad) feet until we have them in our clutches. www.crisianandmccaffrey.com/ Continue »
Erotic @ The Barbican
An evening of surreal and bawdy adventures in a big green house? No, it wasn’t a Midsummer Night’s Dream; it was the highly anticipated event, ‘Erotic’ at London’s Barbican. Curated by super stylist Johnny Blue Eyes and The Whoopee Club’s Lara Clifton, the venue hosted a string of performance, poetry and pole dancing by the capital’s underground art and music scene. Counting Lovefoxx and Scissor Sisters as a few of his clients, the inimitable Johnny took some time to chat to Blow… Interview: Johnny Blue Eyes and Lara Clifton, at the Barbican from Blow PR on Vimeo. Words: Iona Sugihara Photography: Claire Pepper Art Direction: Alisa Afkhami Video: Alice Masters Presenter: Emilyne Mondo With special thanks to Johnny, Lara... Continue »
Memento Mori
Only in London could you find taxidermy and couture in the same sentence. Perhaps that’s why it’s here that LA-native Reid Peppard has pronounced home – firmly rooted in a city that celebrates the weird and wonderful alongside the bright and beautiful. A committee member of the UK Guild of Taxidermists as well as a Central St Martin’s graduate, Peppard’s fashion and art backgrounds culminate in visceral designs spanning from an arresting crow-turned-clutch bag to an unsettlingly whimsical mouse head bow-tie. In brief, a hybrid of classic accessories and London’s best roadkill. Her RP/Encore studio presented the ‘PARK’ collection this past week – not one for those of a delicate constitution, but certainly a captivating, if controversial, fashion statement. www.rpencore.com Words:... Continue »
Blow by Blow – The Story of Isabella Blow
Blow by Blow, a biography about the late Isabella Blow penned by husband Detmar, is a personal account of the fashion paragon’s inimitably eccentric life. Following seven suicide attempts over a period of eighteen months, the infamous style doyenne eventually came to peace on the 7th of October 2007. Her life, although agonised by extreme lows, was anything but dull. Widely recognised for discovering the likes of Alexander McQueen and Sophie Dahl, as well as cleaning her boss’ desk with Perrier and Chanel No. 5, her career also included a stint in New York as assistant to American Vogue’s Anna Wintour. Tatler (of which Blow later became Fashion Director), Vogue and The Sunday Times Style are just a few... Continue »
Benetton’s Back
Last week, casualwear Behemoth Benetton announced its return to London high street prominence with a refreshingly stylish relaunch of their flagship Oxford Circus store. Gone was the outdated, 90s-preppy feel; hello to sleek, bright, spacious design that gives the new range of vibrant clothes room to breathe. Blow dropped by to capture the style highlights… Who: Benetton Why: Flagship store relaunch Where: Oxford Circus, London Guest List: Models, bloggers, stylists, buyers, Benetton’s new faces Vibe: A live DJ playing everything from Donaeo’s ‘Party Hard’ to Lady Gaga’s ‘Telephone’, unlimited flutes of champagne Goody bag: The new Benetton perfume, a pack of multicoloured felt-tips, a bright blue shopping tote and a Benetton mug Overheard: Soraya Khalil; one of Benetton’s New... Continue »
Blonds Have More Fun
“Our garments attract women that have strong self confidence and, needless to say; a sharp wit. Any woman could wear this dress and have an amazing adventure.” – David Blond Continue »
