Best of LFW: Craig Lawrence

Craig Lawrence: s/s 2012

On the Saturday I had several clashes and it was a busy day, running from show to show in the rain, but one thing I would not miss was Craig Lawrence. In the stuffy, hot, and crammed full Portico rooms, bloggers and journos alike gathered to see what the new knitwear king had spun for spring. I loved the beautiful Rose Gold pieces, soft and feminine, with loosely draped yarn all entwined with Swarovsky Crystals, a result of the designers recent collaboration. The colour palette was nudes, golds and cream, a perfectly serene take on spring/summer 12. The lattice headpieces too were intricate and really complemented the collection. Make up was fresh and pretty, glowing skin with a shimmer of bronzer, simple eyes and a classic red lip. Gorgeous.

Best of LFW: Malene Oddershede Bach

So along with the rest of the fashion world I have been manic the past few weeks in the run up to London Fashion Week, as well as working mental hours during fashion week. Finally, I have had chance to go through my photos and drag my arse back to blogger as I am desperate to share with you some of my favourite collections from the shows....

First up, a newby... see above

Malene Oddershede Bach

Malene unveiled her debut collection for spring/summer 2012 at LFW and showed as part of Vauxhall Fashion Scout's Ones To Watch. I fell in love with her quirky use of colour and print as it was so unusual and visually arresting. Malene told me "I like to use prints and images that aren't what they seem, things that aren't visible to the human eye". For several of the pieces, she combined the image of mouse intestines with the scales of a butterfly wing (last image, far left). In my eyes, this is a designer that's going places- Watch this space!

(Images by myself, bottom image from Fashion156.com)

Love the label: Finders Keepers

Last week I attended the Greene & Sheppard press day only to discover the agency had a number of achingly cool, directional brands. To name a few, Village Bicycle (which I LOVE) Rebecca Taylor, Kat Maconie, One Teaspoon and Jervoise- seriously check them out, but one that really stood out was Australian label Finders Keepers. Think floaty, feminine pieces, sexy, yet relaxed at the same time. The emphasis is on simple, wearable pieces with a fashion forward edge; leggings with black leather panelling, playful prints, floaty chiffon skirts and softly draped dresses, this is a label to die for. Above are a few of my favourites from the lookbook, and I think my favourite has to be the coral printed playsuit, a stunning piece perfect for a daytime or evening look. Desperate to get my hands on a piece to see if they looked and felt as good on me, I decided to try one of the pieces and do a little style piece. I LOVED the black Fallen Angel playsuit I tried, the floaty chiffon sleeves were flattering and feminine, and the backless detail gave the necessary dose of glamour. I loved the witchy, crafty feel to the piece, so added a cross pendant by Topshop, and rings by Urban Outfitters and Forever 21, oh and not forgetting my new Office platforms- little bit in love with them. So what do you guys think? Check it out at: http://www.finderskeepersthelabel.com.au

Liberty London wish list

Having just moved house I am obsessed with all things 'home and interiors' at the moment, and the Liberty Christmas Press day presented many ideas. I love the gorgeous hand-painted tea pot, as well as the eclectic range of cushions in a series of interesting prints. I love vintage crockery and teacups at the moment and the Liberty teapot will fit nicely with my collection. Is it wrong to start writing my Christmas wish list in August?

Forever 21 - London Launch Party

Last Wednesday night was the Forever 21 London launch party drawing in the coolest of crowds from the London fashion scene, a tasty mix of models, bloggers, PRs, journos, you name it, a million familiar faces were there. Still being fairly new to this and the whole attending events thing, I have to say I was amazed. It was like walking into an indoor festival (just as well it was indoors as it was pouring down outside) with two huge ti-pis, a traveller's caravan, a huge dancefloor, a holographic fashion show, and would you believe, a merry-go-round! The child in me went mad. I drank, I danced, I ate, I got a henna tattoo, I mingled, and I got some stunning jewellery courtesy of Forever 21. Huge thanks and well done to the girls at Shine Communications who did a fantastic job! Can't wait to see whats in store when F21 opens later this week!

x

Home is where the heart is...

Just a few cheeky snaps of my new home.... still a bit of a mess with boxes etc but couldn't feel happier! x

Dune Christmas Press Day

Apologies for not posting for a while, I've just emerged from the most hectic three weeks of the year, having finally moved in to my dream flat. A beautiful, spacious 2 bed in the heart of Stoke Newington Church Street, it is literally perfect. Anyway this has made time for blogging pretty tricky, though I have a fair few posts lined up and pictures to share, the above being from the Dune Christmas press day. And it looks like block colours and wedges aren't going away anytime soon, but this can surely only be a good thing. LOVE the three tone suede courts above in plum, tangerine and fuchsia pink, but my faves are definitely the black shoeboots. The combination of black suede and leather with laces and a good chunky wedge heel make these babies an autumn/winter staple. Available from September, and just in time for running around at London Fashion Week!

Fred Butler for Lazy Oaf

When I heard about the collaboration between Fred Butler and Lazy Oaf I couldn't wait to see what they had come up with. For those that don't know of her, Fred Butler is renowned for her quirky, bold accessories and jewellery as well as her work with artists including Patrick Wolf, Little Boots and Lady Gaga (remember the telephone headpiece? That was Fred). At the launch event we sipped on summery strawberry kopparbergs and ate the beautiful Butler inspired fairycakes (that were delicious by the way!) whilst browsing the new line. The offering from Butler is a small range of colourful perspex pieces including a floral hairpiece and dodecahedron necklace, sure to enliven any outfit. I have a bit of a thing for bold oversized-geometric-art deco style jewellery (a la Holly Fulton) so Fred Butler's pieces are right up my street, and with prices starting at £30, it'd be rude not to buy, right?!

Wishlist

1. Selection of pendants from Regal Rose, £9 each.

2. Topshop wedges, £70

3. Urban Outfitters Sandals, £25 sale

4. Urban Outfitters floppy 70s hat, £24.

Due to the fact I am moving house in 2 weeks time (yay! *does a little dance*) I have zero pennies for some summer shopping and so many things I want... here are my pick of just a few of the things on my wishlist. Also, I promise to post some outfit pics soon as last month (before the hefty deposit for new house was made) I did make a few great purchases...

London College of Fashion BA Grad Show: Review

PRs flapping, parents nervously beaming, journalists poised with pens ready, and of course the usual front row fashion darlings, this year to include Jodie Harsh, Jo Wood, and, ahem Belle Amie. Yep, it seems only yesterday we were working our arses off with the rest of them at London Fashion Week, and now Graduate Fashion Week has come around again. A graduate of the London College of Fashion myself, I had high expectations from the BA students from the Womenswear, Menswear and Surface Textiles courses, and I certainly wasn’t disappointed. The catwalk was awash with bold colour, daring cuts and outrageous proportions, as well as some of the most innovative embellishment and detail I have ever seen, serving to highlight exactly what it is I love about London and the calibre of designers it produces. London College of Fashion graduates aren’t afraid to experiment, to be ironic, to make a statement, and to just have fun. This was clearly visible in the collections produced this year. On the runway we saw sportswear, tailoring, eveningwear, and casual day wear, each design confident in conveying their personal vision, each striving to impress the audience of 500 influential industry insiders. For me however, there were a few designers that offered more than just a spark of something special, displaying such accomplished skill and creativity you could almost feel the goose bumps of the awe-struck audience. On the night, three of the graduates were honoured for their efforts. Charlotte Barry took home The Barnett Lawson Award for Best Use of Trimmings, praised for her beautifully embroidered sequinned and studded dresses, providing plenty of texture and movement through tassles, pleats and fringing in shining hues of golden yellow. Copenhagen born Stine Riis won the Biddle Sawyer Silks Award for her innovation with textiles, juxtaposing sheer shirts and fur boleros with patent leather panelling and wool. The much coveted Collection of the Year award however, went to Nova Chiu (pictured with designs) from Hong Kong, whose vibrant and eclectic collection featuring fur, tie-dyed skinnies, bell adornments and oriental fabrics impressed the judges, taking inspiration from Shangri-La and her Chinese heritage. The phenomenal technical detail and unabashed creativity and imagination displayed by Nova left the hairs on my arms standing on end, followed by the unmatchable feeling that there, in the studio, I had witnessed the beginning of the next big thing. There was plenty more talent in the sea though, with other ‘ones to watch’ including Kathy Lam, whose clean, preppy collection of shirts, skirts and separates in icy blue and white tones add a modern touch to day dressing, while Ya-Chiao Sung’s feminine collection of sheer blouses and full floaty skirts, toughened up with corsets and plenty of gold embellishment combined wearability, with sex appeal. Menswear designers to take note of include Nair Afonso Xavier who opted for a playful sporty aesthetic, adding a modern twist with clashing neon colours and accessories, as well as Sean McGirr who was all about the detail, finishing workman boiler suits and denim pieces with chains, badges, pins and lots of layering. Indeed, the London College of Fashion’s BA Graduate show was a decorative, colourful affair with only the freshest of talent, affirming the capital’s place as a fashion hotspot for creative genii.

Reiss a/w 2011

Reiss is without a doubt one of my favourite high street brands, and whilst it can be a little pricey, it offers luxury and desirability with some fantastic workwear, and accessories. If ever theres a Reiss sale, I'm always the first in line! Or the last, in the case of the London Reiss sample sale yesterday for which hundreds queued... but I emerged with two pairs of absolute beauties at just £40 for both! (Outfit post soon to come). But, I digress, this post is about the autumn/winter 2011 collection. Similarly to Hobbs, the brand made a play for colour, with bold blazers in turquoise and magenta, as well as sleek eveningwear, a favourite piece being the sequinned trousers, and of course a number of staple winter pieces done in a very 'Reiss' way. Camel trench coats featured, as well as smart leather jackets and luxury wool coats. Additionally, the brand is releasing 15 limited edition anniversary pieces to celebrate its birthday, including luxury coats, evening wear, and plenty a glam accessory. For autumn/winter 2011, as always, Reiss is on top of its game.