Louis Vuitton Cruise

Set in the Japanese mountains, at the Miho Museum, the Louis Vuitton Cruise show had the audiences captivated before any models took to the picturesque catwalk.

Clearly inspired by the Shigaraki landscape, Nicholas Ghesquiére’s collection had Japanese references throughout- artistic prints (which were designed in collaboration Kansai Yamamoto) and kimono style tailoring were the most standout.

 

Kabuki make-up, samurai armour made for powerful looks, again reinforcing Ghesquiére’s love for the Japanese culture.

 

 

There was a 90s nod in the form of structured shoulders, bold animal prints and short hemlines. My favourite Look from the collection was #10-  The contrast of the leopard print boots and the almost wallpaper-esque skirt and jacket shouldn’t of worked but it did! The peeping green, suede waistcoat completed this look perfectly.

 

All images courtesy of Vogue.com

NYC

Last week I spent a few days in New York City meeting family,catching up with friends, taking in the sites and most importantly,shopping!!

We arrived to a rainy NYC evening so we went straight to the hotel bar.The venue, titled Maple, was really nice & judging by the crowd it was popular with non-residents also;a good sign for a city central spot.

After a good night’s sleep, we fuelled up on breakfast at the Blue Fin Restaurant @ The W Hotel. Quite pricey & the service was average but the food was definitely top notch.I went for the waffles and seasonal fruit.

Next up was the Natural History Museum which had a beautiful butterfly exhibition running.I also popped next door to the Historical Society where I had made off the ‘Tattoed in New York’ exhibition and it did not disappoint. 

The next morning we decided to catch the East River down to Wall Street and it was a great way to get some stunning views of the city. The Q for the Ellis Island ferry was crazy long so we relaxed in Battery Park and grabbed a drink at the nearby Dead Rabbit Bar. 

I finally managed to get shopping and visited a gem of a store, Metropolis Vintage where I picked up my new favourite warbrobe item: an amazing quilted bomber. I also went to the nearby Flight Club which I was really excited about and picked up a new pair of Jordans.

After a quick pit stop in Urban Outfitters (and a lighter wallet) I met up with some friends and chilled out in Central Park which was perfect with the balmy weather and a great escape from Times Square.I love NYC but it can be a little too hectic (even for me!) I’m really looking forward to going back and spending some time outside Manhattan and exploring the rest of the city. 

Until next time!

Paris Fashion Week

As show season draws to a close, I found my favourite collections coincided with my favourite city, Paris!

First up is A.P.C who celebrated their 30th anniversary this week. As always, the collection was simple and accessible without forgoing creativity.

Denim played a big role in the Fall 2017 offering, from jump suits to ankle grazing jeans to mini skirts (so mini that there was a peeping white shirt at the hem).

More refined pieces included trenches in khaki and cream and the leather boots, especially the rich bordeaux pairs, added sophistication to the collection overall. The clothes were simple (and affordable) and therein lies their beauty. The editorial favourite of the moment, the Hiver 87 scarf, made an appearance and can be seen below on my favourite look of the show, 10.

Before the show kicked off, Jean Toutiou, made a thinly veiled criticism about modern fashion houses, stating ready-to-wear is “not ready-to-be-worn anymore” highlighting the refreshing accessibility that A.P.C brings season on season.

Next up, the much anticipated Fenty x Puma collection which sees Rihanna collaborate with the sports giant for a second season on the apparel line. Rihanna’s own history of breaking the uniform rules at her high school seemed to influence this collection  ( & staging) immensely, which took placed at the Richelieu-Louvois Library.

Plaid and tartan were seen throughout the collection from loose shorts to thigh skimming baby doll dresses and most notably in the opening look- a floor length sleeping bag coat donned by model of the moment, Slick Woods

Sports-luxe was an apparent inspiration for the singer turned designer. Guys could be seen in tracksuits and baseball shorts, which were oddly paired with loafers. Knee high sports socks were dotted among the looks and oversized teddy bear backpacks added a fun twist to the offering.

 

Last but not least, Stella McCartney. McCartney never fails to deliver and this multi-themed collection was one of her most intriguing yet. Tailored dresses and luxurious tracksuits offered a touch of masculinity to to the show with delicate embroidery and thigh skimming, suede dresses creating the perfect balance. Soft leather clutches and square toe, metallic pumps complimented the collection perfectly.

McCartney added a touch of heritage to the collection with look 6-a quilted jacket paired with a silk scarf. Very regal!

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Bottega Veneta AW17

After a 12 month hiatus I am back and I have looked to the runway of Milan for my first post of 2017.

Tomas Maier paid homage to the 40s (whether intended or not!) in his latest collection.In ultra contrast to his SS17 collection of luxury sportswear,bold macs and modern glamour, AW17 consisted of belted dresses and jumpsuits and the shoulder proved to be a major focus “..is like it has been drawn, starting from a precise shoulder line, as if you can see the pencil mark on a sketch” Maier

 

The collection had an overall vintage feel with Sarah Mower of Vogue stating ” All in all, it was the kind of collection that would of kept Helmut Newton very happy in his heyday of shooting Yves Saint Laurent in Paris Vogue”

While the menswear seemed slightly our of sync with the rest of the collection, it nonetheless possessed a similar polished, glamour with the male models donning various tuxedos, tailored trenches and sleek accessories.

All photos courtesy of vogue.com

LC:M

London Collections: Men are my favourite time of the year on the fashion calender. Having worked in Men’s Fashion it is great to see the event becoming bigger each season and it is awesome to witness such an amazing time for Menswear fashion in an industry that was dominated by Womenswear designers for too long.

Most seasons I am able to admire and appreciate all the collections but this season I have found myself quite envious, in the sense that I want so many pieces for my own wardrobe. From Topman to Coach I found myself having serious wardrobe envy of every lanky, meta human boy that stalked down the runway…and the London shows aren’t even over yet!

Below I have posted my favourite looks so far and I hope I will be able to snag at least one or two pieces for my own wardrobe come Autumn.

 

Topman

 

Oliver Spencer

 

Coach

 

Christopher Shannon

 

It’s not you, it’s me….

Recently, as many of ye have already seen, there has been numerous models coming forward stating they were ‘body shamed’ out of their job. For example see the Charli Howard piece via Dazed Online

I sympathise with them. Having modelled for over 5 years, 2 of those full time, I was constantly told that my hips were too big and I needed to ‘work’ on my measurements. No matter how it is worded, that isn’t a nice thing to hear. To be very honest, while I took it on board and I did feel conscious of my hips (all 36.5cm of them) from time to time at jobs and castings,  I didn’t really do much to slim them down. Much to my agency’s dislike I continued to drink beer (something I was constantly scolded for) and didn’t sign up to a gym. I was, and still am a slim size 6/8 standing at 5’9.

I knew I was never going to be the next Karlie or Kate and I rarely did catwalk work but I still managed to make a healthy salary despite by body ‘flaws’. There are plenty of clients out there who specifically book girls that are fit and healthy, and clearly look it.

With all these models coming forward and people ganging up on the model agencies, people seem to be forgetting two things: Firstly, like many other jobs there is a certain criteria to be a model. You have to have a certain physique ( just like a ballet dancer, gymnast etc). Secondly, if attaining this physique is hard for you and is something that is making you unhappy then don’t be a model.It sounds harsh but why do something that clearly is making you bitter? I completely understand how it can be frustrating to work out everyday,eat healthy and put all your energy into  achieving the goals your agency have set for you, yet you still aren’t getting work.It’s sh*t but you have a choice.

If you feel the industry as a whole needs to change, then by all means voice your opinion but don’t blame an agency or slate them for ‘body shaming’ when they are doing their job and trying to get you where you need to be to get booked for work.

At the end of the day an agency is a business. A business needs to make money. It can be a cold and unforgiving industry but if you don’t want to be a part of it, then leave.

Street Style : SS16 Mens

While the fashion world has moved on swiftly & all eyes are on Couture, I have only just found time to sit down and sift through all the Street Style snaps from the Men’s shows. It is so great, season on season, seeing coverage & popularity of Men’s fashion weeks increase and thus resulting in outfit envy and well dressed men across Europe!

Below I have selected favourite Street Style shots from the SS16 season.

Photos courtesy of GQ/WWD/Highsnobiety

 

Milan

 

 

London

 

 

Q

 

 

 

 

 

Paris

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not Another Catwalk

On Friday, I was lucky enough to be invited to the Universal Works SS16 Presentation as part of London Collection: Mens. Universal Works, together with Nottingham based creative Allan Buxton created a stop motion animation to showcase the latest collection.

The location (St George’s Church in Bloomsbury) was great and the whole set up worked really well with the mixture of video, a live presentation as well as the rest of the collection on display. I have been a fan David Keyte since I first became interested in fashion and had the pleasure of meeting him during my time at the Lyle & Scott  so I was delighted, yet not surprised, to see such a strong collection and to see it showcased in an innovative and clever manner.

Below I have inserted some shots of the presentation and collection and click here to check out the UW site.

“Universal Works make clothing that is internationally universal whilst embodying a distinctly British feel….Universal Works offer clothing that defies the whims of fashion and reflects the personality of the owner” SS16 Press Release.

ThrowBack Thursday

This week I came across an image of a baby faced Karlie Kloss on Pinterest and much to my delight it was from one of my favourite shows. I have been a long time fan of Rodarte and their SS11 collection consists of my ideal wardrobe. Designer duo took inspiration from their native California and offered “every shade of brown you can imagine, seventies suburbia, wood paneling, gold, off colors like chartreuse—basically, a combination of all the things that represent the area to us.”.
Check out some of the pieces below and my favourite Super backstage.

Maison Père

French brand Maison Père has launched it’s first collection for A/W 15. The label is the brainchild of Camille Omerin, who has worked at fashion houses including Chloé, Fendi & Balmain. The collection is based on the philosophy of ‘relaxed couture’ & consists of pleated trousers, shirts,skirts & jackets.

I’ve selected my favourite looks below but you can check out full collection at maisonpere.com