Sunday 16 September 2012

TOPSHOP Unique Live

I just watched the live stream of the Topshop Unique show on their website, and I loved it! That's not to say it was my favourite collection that they've done, because it wasn't, but I loved the actual experience of watching it. 

At the risk of sounding far too old and boring, it was really beautiful to see so clearly how our experience of fashion has been affected by modern technology and social media. While you watched the live stream in the centre, you could also buy what you were seeing on the runway, buy the make up that had been used, take pictures from the show and publish them straight to Facebook, and directly download the soundtrack from iTunes. All from the same page. Call me old-fashioned, but I thought that was pretty incredible. 

As for the actual show, I loved the atmosphere, with the spaceship-esque runway and the eerie music, but I couldn't help feeling that the clothes weren't that exciting in comparison to previous years. I know they were going for simple and minimalistic, but I think it came off a tiny bit boring. Having said that, I did love the manly, oversized jackets and trousers, and the muted colour scheme with bright yellow every now and then was amazing. My absolute favourite look was the black and white chiffon-y dress with the yellow jacket (third picture down).  

Anyway, I hope you're all enjoying LFW, and I'll probably end up posting again soon, since there are so many shows I'm looking forward to! 

P.s. I'm sorry about the fairly awful picture quality, but I "shot" them myself, according to the Topshop website, so I felt obligated to use them. 







Thursday 13 September 2012

Inspiration Friday: Je ne sais quoi.

I thought it was high time I brought back "Inspiration Friday", because it has been far too long, and hey, I'm feeling inspired. 
With my new hair (which is even shorter now), everyone keeps telling me that I look French. I take this as a big compliment; everyone wants to look French. When I say "French", I mean the good kind of French. I have been to rural France enough times to know that not everyone wears sleek black roll necks and block heeled ankle boots, and has the skin of a baby angel. But you know what I mean. 

And now that I think about it, I have been wearing an awful lot of stripy t shirts lately... 

So here is an homage to my hair, to stripy t shirts, and to what I think will be a lifelong dream of turning into Marion Cotillard or Audrey Tatou overnight. 







Sources; weheartit.com, A.P.C., the Chanel apartment in Paris, Audrey Tatou in Coco Avant Chanel, Parisian street style from The Sartorialist.

Wednesday 12 September 2012

Summer School at CSM: A Photo Diary

As I mentioned a couple of posts ago, I did a course at Central St Martin's again this summer, and it was incredible! Although I enjoyed my first one the year before, it was a pattern making course and was very technical. It was brilliant in its own way, and I loved learning those skills, but it didn't allow for a lot of creativity.

This year, I took part in their Street Style course. I had SO much fun, loved the work and met some amazing people. I got to experience the whole design process, from research to making, and it really rekindled my motivation for getting into a great art school.

Day One: Brainstorming and collaging to come up with ideas on the theme "Signs and symbols"


Day Two: Research trip to Brick Lane




Day Three: Fashion illustration class (my own drawings)



Days Four and Five: Design, making and presenting finished product. 






Friday 7 September 2012

Fashion's Night Out!

 Hi everyone!

I've finally sorted out the camera issues I've been having, so I can actually put photos onto my computer now, and all in time for FNO!

I love Fashion's Night Out; I think it's such a brilliant idea, and having gone every year since it started, I think that each time the atmosphere just gets better and better. Highlights this year included...

  • Seeing BB from Dirty Sexy Things for the second year in a row, that man looks like a statue, I'm not even sure he's real. 
  • The pink grapefruit cocktails at Vivienne Westwood.
  • Talking to the sales assistant at DKNY. The people they employ are always the friendliest people in the entire world. 
  • The swing dance show outside Hermes. 
  • Bumping into an actor my auntie knew serving champagne at Dior (she's a casting director).
  • Getting 20% off the most incredible new coat on the planet at Cos.
  • Having Alexandra Shulman walk right by me!!!


Here are a few photos I took in between all of the champagne drinking and shopping...


Bond Street at sunset


The DJ at Vivienne Westwood 

A gorgeous woman (who I didn't get the name of!) who looked so fabulous in the Vivienne Westwood suit and top she was trying on


The Hermes swing dance show, which turned into a street party


Darkwah Kyei-Darkwah, of Staple For The Cool Kids, wearing his own designs. He was absolutely lovely, go check out their website!


An accordion player on the corner performing the French national anthem (?)


The crowd at DKNY waiting to pounce on the champagne servers


And finally, me at DKNY!
Boots, Deena & Ozzy; Shorts, Zara; Silk Top, The Kooples