Flawlessly Fast Fashion

One of the things that amaze me about the current fashion industry is the sheer speed in which spectacular looks can be designed, made and put out onto the red carpet.

   A prime example of this is the gown that Lady Gaga wore on the red carpet for the VMAs 2013. This exact gown was designed, made and fitted within the very 48 hours before the event. The word pressure doesn't quite describe it considering this would be Gaga’s first red carpet appearance since Born This Way.

  The genius behind it? Prabal Gurung. A self-confessed Gaga fan himself, I can’t imagine the excitement/anxieties he experienced within those 48 hours before.  “I think she is one of the most important artists of our time, I love her music and what she stands for. She is one of the most vocal celebrities on gay rights.”

   This look was definitely more toned down than the infamous meat-dress she wore to the 2010 VMAs, but was well suited to the natural Gaga look that we have seen a lot of recently. Personally, I am really into seeing Gaga stripped back like this. The long brown hair, swept to one side, looks so elegant in my opinion with this perfectly balanced asymmetric gown.

   With New York Fashion Week fast approaching, tensions are certain to be running high at the fashion label but it must be relief for them to know that Gaga’s gown went down a success. Also, it is very likely that this dress is a nod to the kind of looks that will be sent down Gurung’s runway in New York next week. 

Something About SQUIRRELS

Taking my inspiration from somewhere slightly different today... As I sat an watched 'The Great British Bake Off'', the beauty of one cake stood out for me, and that was the 'Secret Squirrel' cake made by whimsical baker Frances. 

   Those who know me well will know that I love all things fury and or feathery. Aside from owls, which I will always adore, my new obsession for this winter is going to have to be SQUIRRELS!
   I love how cute and kooky a squirrel print can be and found that Orla Kiely's AW13 collection makes use of this perfectly. The 60's looking collection uses squirrel print modestly on knitwear to give an autumnal and kooky feel to the outfits.
   Whilst there isn't much out there at the moment when it comes to squirrels (sad face) I am going to be keeping my eyes peeled for squirrel print fabrics and vintage items to add to my winter wardrobe this year.

The Great British Bake Off is on BBC2, Tuesdays at 8pm.

Fashion On Stage: V Festival 2013

   After not being able to get a ticket to this year's festival, I figured the best way to make the most of it would be to select a few of the most stand out on stage looks from the weekend. 

   Beyonce definitely 'stole the stage' so to speak. With a huge 6 outfit changes throughout her set, each look was completely flawless. I love how she easily pulls of elegant long dresses and trouser suits without looking to 'mumsy', but on the other hand can also look stunning in short hot pant leotards without looking slutty. Oh and how could I not mention the new bob, which I have grown to LOVE!

   There were a lot of crop tops at the festival worn on stage and off, which is fine with it being summer etc, however I'm not quite struck on the crop top and high waist pants that Jessie J wore. The modern, graphic construction of the top is very fashion forward but with the pants, the whole look didn't flatter her figure or in my opinion, look attractive. Jessie J has quite a boyish figure and, especially with the short hair, needs to be extra careful with how she dresses it. The look that Ellie Goulding wore on stage was a much better and more flattering version of what I think Jessie J was trying to achieve.
    My favourite dress however, was worn by Paloma Faith. The dress may in fact be from Dolce and Gabbana's A/W13 collection and Paloma looked so elegant in it, especially with the tonnes of accessories she put with it. Beautiful. 

Pyjama Trend

Clockwise from top left: Stella McCartney S/S12, Louis Vuitton A/W13, Marc Jacobs A/W13, Antonio Marras A/W13, Florence Welch in Moschino and Alexa Chung in JW Anderson pyjama style bottoms.

Pyjamas have been edging their way onto the catwalks for some seasons now, mostly with bad reviews. However, it seems that this odd trend has been one that designers over the past few years have been eager to crack and may just have done so this Autumn/Winter.

   This controversial trend is one of which you will either love or hate. Taking a very confident sort of woman to pull it off and an imaginative, open mind to see the beauty behind it, I can easily see why this idea has been dismissed by the majority of people.

   Personally, I have finally come to terms with the splendour of the idea. I mean what could be more sensual and self-assuring than being draped in comforting silk and being able to slouch into the laid back silhouette without a care in the world? However, in saying that, this is still a risky look to pull off. We are not talking about rolling out of bed in your silky La Senzas and walking out into the street, this look must be styled and accessorised in the appropriate way for it to be socially acceptable.

   With this trend being the one that is pushing the boundaries of fashion most at the moment, be prepared to make mistakes and for stares from passers-by.  Looking back at the 2012 NME Awards, Florence Welch stepped out bravely in a Moschino pyjama suit and was unfairly ripped to shreds by the media, landing her spot on many worst dressed lists.

   Stella McCartney’s block-printed silky pyjamas were one of the firsts to be brought to the catwalk last spring, offering an innovative alternative to her traditional trouser suits. Fashion muses to many, Tilda Swinton and Rihanna were soon to catch on and from there on the pyjama hype has risen…And if anybody could improve this look any more it’s Marc Jacobs, his AW13 collection for Louis Vuitton doing exactly that.

   So with look being huge for this winter I’m certainly on the lookout for the perfect pyjama suit. I just have one concern- silk isn’t the warmest of fabrics. Any chance dressing gowns will come into fashion sometime soon? 

Winter Florals

FREYA DALSJØ SS14 Collection

Although Copenhagen, Denmark, isn’t one of the fashion capitals of the world, it definitely has some strong talent. Over the past few years the short 3 day fashion showcase has seen a positive increase in popularity. With more and more and shows each year, this one has definitely been the best yet.

    The most interesting of them all for me would be the cleverly created 3 model show by FREYA DALSJØ. With supermodel Lindsey Wixon opening the show, the trio of catwalkers were seen draped in luxurious silks, spaghetti straps and 90’s influenced deep necklines. The originality in the production of the show was that each of the 3 models piled on layers upon layers of coloured silk gowns throughout the duration of the show, finishing off for the finale in colour blocked oversized robes with a sports-luxe vibe using neoprene detail (see centre image).

    I couldn’t help but see reference to the AW13 show by Louis Vuitton in which the looks were full of laid back gowns and silks. This pyjama-like trend is one that has been brewing for a couple of years and designers have been eager to pull it off in a serious and elegant way. In my opinion FREYA DALSJØ has succeeded in this just as well as Marc Jacobs has done for Vuitton.

    This show has really opened my eyes to new talent coming from European designers that are usually ignored. I must admit, I had never heard of FREYA DALSJØ before this but I am captivated by the way in which she finds beauty in contrast of colours, fabrics and texture. Describing her design aesthetic, the ideal of FREYA DALSJØ is a woman who doesn't uniform herself with clothes, but frames herself in it. After looking at her archive of work I am hooked and will definitely be waiting to see what she pulls out next.

Teen Choice Awards 2013: Best Dressed

It’s that time of year again and the Teen Choice Awards has been and gone. The awards ceremony celebrates the hottest teen icons in music, film, sports, etc. and so with all of the young stars attending to collect their awards there’s always some fresh fashion on display!

We always see fashion risks, with the young and famous, which can either fly or flop…and that’s why this red carpet is one of the most interesting for us to look at.

The main trend I noticed for this year was bold colour and print. Designer Fausto Puglisi’s palm tree print was seen on two celebrities on this year’s blue-carpet. Lily Collins went for a more classic take on the print, sporting a plain black top with a printed mullet hem skirt. Whilst this looked flattering on her, I thought that Bella Thorne’s version of the Puglisi palm print had more of a wow factor (see second from left).  For me, the print works a lot better on this more street-chic style dress and the styling of hair and accessories was more suited to the occasion. The heavy sleeves on this dress work well in my opinion as they balance out the A-line skirt, drawing further attention to her tiny waist. Personally, I would have worn this with a wedge, maybe with a pop of colour to draw away from too much black but overall this look works well.

Speaking of ‘a pop of colour’, I am in love with the Chirstopher Kane dress worn by Chloe Moretz (see middle). For a sixteen year old, this young actress has serious style! The off the shoulder neckline looks great with her laid back hair and the cut out bits of the dress are in all the right places for her age. The primary colours are fun and the fact that she didn’t overdo it with accessories adds to how chic it already is.

Proving you don’t have to bare all to look sexy were Vampire Diaries actress Nina Dobrev and 'Crazy, Stupid, Love' star Crystal Reed. The printed J. Mendel jumpsuit worn by Nina (see far right) stood out for me because of the laid back elegance it gave her. Although the print was all over she carried it off effortlessly without it looking too garish. I love the subtle peplum around the waist too which added form to her otherwise boyish figure. Similarly, the Carolina Herrera trouser suit worn by Crystal Reed (see far left) worked just as well.

Overall, the blue carpet at this year’s Teen Choice didn’t fail to deliver the fashion front. With print and colour being the main focus it makes me want summer to stay around for a little longer.

Emma Watson- Fashion Evolution

With Emma Watson gracing the cover of yet another leading fashion magazine, W, I decided now would be a good time to look back on how the young Harry Potter star became the fashion muse that she is today.

In this beautiful editorial, styled by Edward Enninful, the now mature 23 year old effortlessly pulls off the latest Louis Vuitton night gown inspired look which would drown many others (image: see 12 o’clock). In the interview she talks to W Magazine about how she denied that she was famous up until the age of 18 saying, “I would take the Oxford Tube. Then it got to the point where the fact that I was on the bus would spread from one end to the other. I’d think, ‘Why am I doing this to myself?’” I still see this kind of attitude in her today because despite her mega-success, she has managed to stay grounded and focused which is something a lot of child stars (Miley Cyrus for example) struggle with.
Upon searching her name on vogue.co.uk I see that she has hit the Best Dressed of the Week list on countless occasions. This comes as no surprise to me. After braving the pixie crop hair style back in August 2010, her fashion style has evolved. Wearing labels such as Marchesa, Valentino, Calvin Klein and Oscar De La Renta, to name just a few, all of the designers want to dress her. Most importantly it’s not Hermione Granger from Harry Potter that they want to dress, it’s Emma Watson. It seems she has handled being a child star extremely well and has had no trouble breaking away from the character we all knew her as. Using fashion as her main tool to do this, I look at her in admiration.
Maintaining her poised and elegant image at all times, Emma Watson has made it onto many ‘Top 100 Sexiest Women’ lists without having to reveal too much skin. She once quoted, “I find the whole concept of being ‘sexy’ embarrassing and confusing.” This is what I love most about her style. She is a young elegant lady who experiments with fashion to her advantage.
Set to star in Biblical fantasy Noah in 2014, alongside ‘The Perks of Being a Wallflower’ co-star Logan Lerman, I'm excited to see how this role will influence her style.

Moncler M

    With the summer season drawing to a close, we should all be on the lookout for a staple coat to get us through the wintery months. Luxury Italian outerwear label, Moncler has just the thing thanks to their collaboration with the master of print, Mary Katrantzou.

    In this capsule collection, we see the maximalist shapes and kaleidoscope prints that Katrantzou is known for really ooze with the luxury always seen in a Moncler jacket. This collection consists of coats, jackets, skirts and trousers, all of which are perfectly balanced with boldness and elegance.

    My personal favourite out of the collection is the blue, orange and white digital print coat (see bottom right). The structure of this jacket is flattering to the figure and the pleats from the centre front waistline add to its elegance.  The design is kept fresh and modern with the high neckline, seen throughout the collection, which is a practical feature for winter and gives an empowering feel.

    With prices starting at €650 however, the bold print on a jacket may be less practical with your wardrobe and so a more sensible splurge of your money would probably be on one of the quilted jackets. The contrast of fabric textures in these jackets looks expensive and will be sure to keep you warm. Whilst the silhouette is oversized, a big trend for this winter, these jackets still come across as classic and feminine.

    This limited collection will be available at Moncler boutiques worldwide this month. Make your decision quickly because this is a collection sure to be a sell-out.

Mulberry AW13 Campaign

This autumn, Mulberry showcases English nature and wildlife to its best. Their new campaign is shot by Tim Walker and stars British model Cara Delevingne with a stunning selection of owls.

    Mulberry has a reputation for its kooky yet sophisticated look, (remember the yeti from AW2012?), this is very much portrayed in this campaign using the contrast of nature against English heritage. Cara Delevingne was the perfect casting for this campaign, in my opinion, due to the pure English rose appearance that she pulls off oh-so-well.

   The deep palette of black, emerald and red wine tones are set beautifully against a fresh white walled room of Shotover House, a dilapidated Oxfordshire manor. Set designer Shona Heath cleverly ‘planted’ a tree with flower-tipped branches in the centre of one grand room. I think that the tree adds a majestic aura to the images and relates to the ‘Alice in Wonderland’ vibe that was taken from the runway show back in February.

   What I love most about this campaign is that even with the dozens of eyes looking at me in the images; my attention is still drawn to the classic beauty of the Mulberry bag. Getting the balance of simplicity and disorderly spot on, I love how the images are enticing to the eye. I would usually express ways in which this campaign could be improved however, and I rarely say this but Mulberry have carried out complete impeccability.

I’m not surprised though, as photographer Tim Walker, known for his fairy-tale-like imagery, never shows anything but perfection.- Charlotte Roden 08/08/2013