House of Holland SS12

House of Holland this season was all daring print combinations and beautiful use of sheers. I love the macro-leopard (or cow?) print, ombres, and those amazing pastel colour-blocked sheer collared shirts. And what a brilliant way to use python print! The bleached denim looks like clouds in a very blue sky, and I love his clever take on tartan. I’m hoping to get my hands on those faux snake suspenders.

Photos via Style.com

Jean-Charles de Castelbajac SS12

I was very surprised by Jean-Charles de Castelbajac this season….although there were some of his trademark over-the-top cartoony pieces, such as the Mickey Mouse dress and the grid coat, this collection seemed a lot more somber than he is known for. I was a bit disappointed that his collection was less fun and zany than usual, but I think he does serious well; that little star and cloud dress with the sheer is beautiful, as were all of his wonderful coats and jackets and armour-inspired pieces. I’m just really hoping that this isn’t a permanent change of focus for him, because he is one of the rare designers who infuses a genuine sense of fun and playfulness in his work.

Photos via Style.com

Meadham Kirchhoff SS12

Meadham and Kirchhoff, always a highlight of LFW, delivered clown chic at its best for their Spring 2012 show in an explosion of pastel candy fluff coats, sequined and fringed hotpants, lacy trim, tartan and teddy bear appliqués. WINNING COMBINATION, I daresay. I really wish I’d seen this show in person, it looked like a massive party with balloons, streamers and ballerinas at the end.

Photos via Style.com

Betsey Johnson SS12

I feel like Betsey Johnson gets a lot of criticism for being “tacky”, over the top and intentionally oblivious to trends, but that is exactly what I love about her designs. This year her collection was a bizarre combination of old fashioned nightgowns, french maids, punk rock flare and trashy track looks, a good percentage of which I would happily wear (in public, too!). I love the chartreuse and fuchsia look, I need to immediately incorporate more of these colours into my wardrobe, and as far as I’m concerned, bone print never gets old. The same goes for sheer+stripes+ruffles (see third look).

I’m not entirely comfortable with the fact that some of the fabrics look like they were snatched off McQueen‘s cutting room floor, but I would still wear that adorable romper (above).

Graduate Fashion Week – Kingston University

Here is my last article about Graduate Fashion Week, this time for for the Kingston University 2011 Catwalk show. P.S. This is my 600th post on Drooling Isn’t Pretty! I did a video for the Kingston show as well, watch below;

Throughout my coverage of Graduate Fashion Week, I am finding myself using the word “fringe” over and over again. Clearly fringe is a trend among the 2011 graduate designers, and by far the best use of this technique was Kingston University designer Nicola Burrows, whose tartan and knit womenswear collection was a joy to watch. Fringe-cuffed leggings with a raw-edged tartan skirt and top, fringed sleeves, fringed scarves, pom pom beanie hats with eyeholes and mixed stripes made for a playful show. One look featured a long topstitched denim coat with yellow tartan panels, worn over a candy-cane striped turtleneck dress with contrasting fringe on the sleeves, with yellow, blue and red geometric printed leggings. All the models wore blue suede brothel creepers and the pieces were fun yet wearable, and not over the top as separates.

Another trend at Kingston was the use of quirky accessories. Francesca Armstrong’s whimsical collection featured birdcage handbags to complement her feminine black and white looks with long trains and lots of tulle. Camilla Woodman opened the show with a steampunk-esque oversized necklace with what appeared to be a small television as a pendant (inspired by the “house-bound lifestyle” and technology)….and Bethany Borrough had her models holding glossy skulls in powder blue and chartreuse.

Mark Williams received a loud round of applause for his theatrical collection of heavy fur, mixed luxury fabrics and bold shoulder and sleeve details, all in red, black and sheer and worn with studded fur helmets. Jaskiran Hare’s menswear-inspired women’s collection was all deconstructed tailoring and tuxedo elements in oversized dresses and coats, with tulle underskirts and low necklines to add a touch of femininity to what could have been a severe collection. Overall, the Kingston designers demonstrated strong individual visions in varying styles, which made for an inspiring catwalk show.

Written by Emma Freed

Video by Emma Freed

1883 – London College of Fashion 2011 Catwalk Show

I was very proud to attend my college’s undergraduate show and cover it for 1883 Magazine. The designs were really impressive and I can’t believe how much work much have gone in to each collection. Here is my article 1883 Blog.

You know it was a good fashion show when the runway is left strewn with bells and the buzz from the audience is louder than the music. Undergraduate designers delivered one powerful collection after the next in the London College of Fashion catwalk 2011 show that was bursting with colour, creativity and raw talent.

The heavy use of trimmings (thus the bells left on the runway), and mixed materials can be explained by the Barnett Lawson “best use of trimmings” award and the Biddle Sawyer Silks award for “most innovative use of fabrics”. The former went to Charlotte Barry, who created a collection of intricately embroidered and embellished dresses in simple silhouettes with a mustard yellow and burnt orange colour scheme. The latter was awarded to Stine Riis’s “Decadence and Decay”, a very wearable collection of separates featuring dyed fur coats, high-waisted two-tone trousers and panels of patent leather to contrast with luxurious classic fabrics like wool and fur.

Creative use of textiles was a theme throughout the show. Angela Brandys womenswear collection was a beautiful pastel rainbow of colours and textures; dyed fur trim on cuffs and collars, shoulder cutouts, chains details on sleeves, foxtail clips, buttons, straps, d-rings, clear plastic, pink, turquoise, red, mint, orange, and beige somehow held up as a unified collection of tops and skirts, worn by tattooed models with dyed hair and eyebrows. Among the menswear collections, Brett de Jager’s “Punx on Safari” was a vibrant, tribal-inspired collection with a 70’s punk edge. Red tie-dye shorts over bright blue tights, tartan over stripes, and paint-splattered fabrics with multicoloured beads on exposed chests were Jager’s proposed uniform for the well-traveled subcultural man.

Although London College of Fashion has clearly turned out consistently brilliant student designers, there was one that stood out from the rest. Wun Wun Nova Chiu, winner of the Collection of the Year award, was responsible for the deserving “Shangri-Ladida” winning collection. The print heavy, ethnic-inspired collection of embellished dresses, beaded and bell-covered leggings and bold colour combinations was meticulously executed and seemed to exhaust every hand technique from dying to embroidery.
The range of inspirations and attention to detail displayed at the 2011 LCF catwalk show was genuinely encouraging; not only is it clear that London College of Fashion hasn’t lost its touch, it is clear that the future of fashion is being left in capable hands.

Read on 1883 Blog

Written by Emma Freed

Photography by Millie Liveing

1883 – Free Range: Arts University College Bournemouth 2011

I covered the Free Range Art & Design: Arts University College Bournemouth 2011 fashion show for 1883 Magazine. Read my article on 1883 Blog.

The Arts University College Bournemouth Fashion Design and Technology catwalk show took place on Truman Brewery, located in London’s trendy Brick Lane in front of an equally fashion forward audience. After a short film viewing, (‘The Flux’ by Nancy Hamshire), the 2^nd year collections took over the runway as part of Bournemouth’s “Season One” debut.

The show opened with Lara Skowronska’s “A box of Delights”, a very nude womenswear collection of sheer body suits with panels of glittery fabric, beaded fringe or a sparkly waistcoat, as well as some more wearable designs like the flowy metallic tunic worn over leggings. Next was a menswear collection entitled “Fleshtone” by designer Rory Payne; the colour palette was strictly nudes, beige and white with wide and lowcut necklines, pointed shoulders on crop tops, satins and exposed torsos.

Other 2^nd year collections included Hannah Bingham’s “Circus Freak” men and women’s looks, (using classic materials such as red tartan and grey pinstripe with unusual details and silhouettes),  and Esme Bradshaw’s “Gothic Glamour” women’s collection of black satin and lace eveningwear.

The loudest round of applause and easily the highlight of the show was when 3^rd year honours kidswear designer Emily Knight‘s crew of child models took the runway looking like a toddler version of Where’s Wally? With preppy striped red white and blue pieces, accessorized with headbands, a straw hat and Wally-esque round glasses, the collection, (entitled “Hangin’ Out”) was young and playful yet stylish.

Another strong collection among the 3^rd year students was “Medusa”, a womenswear collection by Ivy Santos that closed the show with bright red and orange hues on floaty fabrics contrasted with solid grey pieces and tights. Inspired by jellyfish, the collection featured bubble hems, ruching and draping on flowing dresses, grey bloomers paired with an oversized two-tone peasant top and tentacle-like red ribbons on the model’s ankles.

1883 Magazine

Written by Emma Freed

Photography by Matt Parfitt

Ashish AW11

Ashish AW11 was basically what my ideal wardrobe would look like; Shredded jumpers, tartan, creeper shoes, slogan jackets, bone shirts, cobweb tights, harem trousers, slouchy shorts, oversized men’s shirts, sweater vests, and sequined shift dresses.

More photos after the jump;

Rag & Bone

Loving the plaid and beautiful blues at Rag & Bone AW11. The jacket from look five is great, it reminds me of the Opening Ceremony x Tron Legacy collection.

Photos via Style.com

I Don’t Speak German

As tired as I am of fashion films with Lady Gaga soundtracks, (*cough* Gareth Pugh *cough* Show Studio) the House of Mugler short film that features her new track is, in a word, badass. However, after the initial “oh my gosh, fashion eye candy!” viewing, I can’t help but cringe a little more with each successive viewing. Yes its cool to look at, the runway shots are exciting and the faux facial tattoos are visually striking, but its also nauseatingly trendy with its formulaic use of black and white, low-key lighting and slow-motion. And I just KNOW this song is going to be playing everytime I walk into Topshop for the next three months.

Click the image to view full video on Stylelist;

Thoughts?

Christopher Kane Resort 2011

I tend to forget entirely about resort collections but OH MAN how could I forget about this one? I would wear every piece (except maybe the galaxy print jumpsuit…ha).

Fantasy Motionbook

I can’t believe I forgot to post this! Prada, pushing the envelope as always, made this great mixed-media “Fantasy Motionbook” as their AW10 video lookbook. Directed by James Lima, the video includes runway footage on sketchy backgrounds, still photos of key pieces and illustrations as well as animation.

Thoughts? I think its great to see something new and different in video lookbooks and I find that it read almost like a magazine spread or a mood board. Also, I might have to adopt the term “motionbook” because “video lookbook” is a bit clumsy.

McQueen SS11

Possibly the most anticipated show of Spring 2011 Paris Fashion Week was Alexander McQueen, as it was their first womenswear show designed in the late Lee McQueen’s absence. It was all eyes on Sarah Burton, the new head designer, yet she somehow managed to deliver under the pressure. It couldn’t have been an easy to job to stick to the house trademarks of meticulous tailoring, dark influences and edgy, otherworldly designs, without simply regurgitating Lee Alexander’s previous designs…but the critics have weighed in and it looks like she pulled it off, all while adding her own flair.

“In an extraordinarily beautiful show, Burton succeeded in both being faithful to the late designer’s distinctive design ethos while taking the label into a new era.” -The Guardian “A tour-de-force that channeled McQueen’s darkly surreal style, remodeling his signature elements into strange and beautiful confections that managed to be at the same time new and reassuringly familiar.” -Associated Press

“A show laden with emotion that was made even more remarkable because of how right she got it.” – Vogue.com UK

“Inspired, this time, by the anatomy of the woman who chooses to wear it and by the flora and fauna of the natural world, it was both technically and artistically perfect.” -The Independent

“Sarah Burton … revived the late designer’s challenging legacy with a brilliant first collection imbued with a pagan, bohemian spirit and featuring spectacular hand-crafted detail.” -The Daily Telegraph

Photos by Sonny Vandevelde via A Shaded View on Fashion

Nicole Farhi Part 2

As promised, here are my thoughts on the Nicole Farhi SS11 show. But first! Check out my final walkthrough video from the show;

I’m really happy I caught Nicole at the end! Read on for runway review;

Look Alikes

Something Else cosmic knit leggings and cardigan vs. Givenchy SS10

Nasty Gal, Zara, Miu Miu SS10

Camuglio Highlights

This was my favorite piece from the David Vincent Camuglio AW10 couture show I went to last week (post here). I love the idea of patchwork with luxurious fabrics, and those shoes!!! The shoes and those dyed fur pieces were so gorgeous…watch the full video I took below.

Photos by pixelformular via The Illuminating, video by Drooling Isn’t Photogenic.

Camuglio Front Row

Today I went to the David Vincent Camuglio AW2010-2011 couture show at Le Theatre Renard in Paris. The collection was absolutely stunning, a mix of glamorous lace, apocolyptic shredded dresses, raw dyed fur pieces and gorgeous patchwork dresses with tartan, silks and loose knits.

The press release described it as “This collection is not strong; It is hard, violent, barbaric…after the Apocolypse, a warrior woman from the 3rd millenium hangs her hunting trophies around her neck. She survives in an urban jungle where Man is Animal…” (this is my translation from the French press release anyway). The theater was a beautiful location for a runway show and I got to sit in the first row which was really exciting.

Check out my front row video below of the final walk through! Pay attention to the shoes they were incredible. (All photos and video by Drooling Isn’t Photogenic).

Kenzooooo

Today I went to my first ever fashion show, Kenzo menswear in Paris. It was such an amazing experience…I’ll post more about the collection later because right now I’m a bit starstruck. I got to meet the amazing fashion blogger BryanBoy, who we interviewed for our new Cohesive TV show, Chic Equipe. Check out my blog for Chic Equipe here for more about Kenzo and what I’ve been working on lately!

My dress is by Cop-Copine and the jacket is H&M.

Nom Nom Nom

Alexander McQueen menswear sneak peek video via SHOWstudio;

Incomparable

I’ve been dying over this AW10 Moschino grommet jacket and looking for something to soothe my hunger for it…will this vintage Chia jacket (right) do the trick?

Nope :( It looks so pathetic and under-grommeted in comparison. I mean I almost feel bad putting the two images so close together, the poor Chia one must feel like a complete and utter failure next to the absolute perfection that is the Moschino one. Its actually a really nice jacket by itself, and I would totally wear it if I hadn’t seen the luxury version of it. It’s just…gah. There’s no comparison.

Sigh. Chia “Holey Grommet” jacket available online at NastyGal, Moschino one unavailable to us normal people.