Dior Cruise 2011 – Parisian Chic in Shanghai, Barbie’s Dream

The ideal accessories to Dior’s Cruise 2011 collection will be a doll house and a pink Cadillac. Although the collection was shown in Shanghai, the clothes have  little oriental touch.However, Galliano has his own way of explaining it, that “I didn’t want to come here and present a Chinese-inspired collection to my Chinese friends”. And indeed, Galliano does what he knows best and as he has Godard’s girls on his mind, the clothes exudes every bit Parisienne. The ready to wear are chic, girly and colourful. The thin silhouette will require a diet of fine wine and cheese to pull off the looks.

The heavily 60s influenced clothes also have little reinventing in question. The outfits are pulled straight off the pages of the sixty’s fashion magazines, and put right back on a good cast of models. Nonetheless, the collection will score high marks in the eyes of all fashion lovers, for the series of clothes are beautiful , very very pretty indeed.

The good news is, the collection is very wearable. In the current economic climate when even Alexander McQueen’s brilliant collection doesn’t render a profit in his own house, it is expected that the clothes will sell like a dream. Presented in Shanghai, the cutsey frocks and the reinvented and younger looks of the house’s highly sought after Diamond bags will bid in well with the Asian market.

Although Galliano didn’t bother to do any research on the Chinois look, a remote reference to Shanghai has been paid with the combo above. Styled like a mobster in an old Shanghai gangster movie, a top hat and a tweed coat is followed by a loosely fitted turned-up suit trousers. The weapon of choice is a pair of sky high stiletto and a Diamond bag.

Treading into the evening wear territory, madamoiselle Dior turns into a prom-belle. Some dresses carry the shadow of Dior’s AW08 Haute Couture collection. Nevertheless, the pale palette looks very pleasing to the eye. The collection, no doubt, will expand Dior’s client portfolio to cover a much younger generation.

The wardrobe of Barbie is every girl’s dream. And seems like Galliano has done well in capturing the hearts of the heiresses.

Cannes Film Festival Picture Special

Forgive me if you’re craving for my wise words. But I guess the Cannes gowns are best left for your own eyes to see. The only thing I want to point is the the prominence of the red lips and porcelain skin. Gucci couture seems to have dominated the red carpet as well, as seen on Kate Becksindale, Camilla Belle and Salma Hayek.

Chinese actress Fan Bing Bing below dons a beautifully Empirical China influenced frock, which stands out from the crowd. Let me go and find out who designed it.

My Crazy World List. Brand or No Brand – High Fashion Changes Lanes

The news one hears one day can sometimes be hard to stomach. I am compiling a list of Crazy World news on Twitter (#CrazyWorld), and we’ll see when will the world get sick of the randy brand diversion eh?

1: Valentino designs T-shirt. It’s pretty tough to believe the house which produces £8000 mink throw, £100,000 couture gowns and dresses for Elizabeth Taylor will come to designing accompaniment to mine workers’ jeans. Read more on fashionologie.com.

2. Gucci to design couture gowns. Last time I check a house can only call their products “couture” if they can pass the stringent criteria set by the official couture board in France. I want to know: how much of a gown is handmade and secondly, will Gucci flex their fashion muscles to hoax the strict Frenchmen into accepting their propositions? On a completely different note, Frida Gianni has dressed Selma Hayek, Kate Beckinsale and Camilla Belle on the Cannes red carpet. These are possibly the best walking mannequins you can get to promote your company’s new agenda eh? Crazy, crazy!

3. Ashley Olsen to design furnitures? Running a successful multi-million pound fashion house, The Row is clearly not enough to fill the Olsen twins’ insatiable appetite in world domination. Some has even suggested that they will find somebody else to design their fashion, and the siblings will focus on their furniture. Gosh. What’s next?

4. While we’re on entertainment, Beyoncé has plans to design homewares. Maybe if I were a boy, I’ll want a Beyoncé spoon so I can spoon her whenever I eat. Now seriously… Beyoncé and household chores? Designing a butler maybe a more credible job for you hun, for a doubt you even know how do kitchen utensils fit in the dishwasher…

5. Harrods is sold? I cannot imagine Harrods without al-Fayed. And for him to not mill around the shop floor whenever he fancies and greets shoppers anymore, that just takes away the fun of shopping at Harrods, no? But £1.5 billion, which is £1,500,000,000 if you must, I guess al-Fayed can buy a very nice retirement place indeed!

6. Prada tea? The editors such as Jo Elvin of Glamour, Jess Cartner-Morley of Guardian and Lorraine Candy of Elle have been boasting the calmness a little Prada tea bag brings. Following the brand’s expansion into mobile phone in collaboration with LG, don’t know who makes the Prada tea? Care to place a bet? PG, Yorkshire or Twinnings? Don’t think it’ll be Tetley, if I’m honest!

7. This one must have sunken in already cos this is really old news: Armani and Versace both have their branded hotel in Dubai. The last guest you want will be Ross from Friends, seeing how an Armani bathrobe will set you back £200. And will they security tag every items in their rooms? Armani’s rooms have more to lose, as every items can be purchased… Can I have an Armani toilet roll please? Just one bit of info: is the roll made of silk?

8. The size zero issue: Marie Claire UK appoints a plus size columnist, which is a good sign to combat insecurity issues in teenage girls. After all, all of us are born in different shapes and sizes and as a trained Biochemist, I can tell you there’s nothing we can do about our natural and basal metabolism.
At the same time, the country which has produced some of the finest models of our catwalks today – Abbey Lee Kershaw and Miranda Kerr – has asked a 120lb, Australia’s Next Top Model contestant to lose some pounds. Unless she is 4 foot 3 and aged 3 year-old, I’d say the request is pretty immoral. Having said that, Australia is known to be quite tardy in picking up any new fashion trend. Editor in Chief of Vogue Australia condemned the rise of internet bloggers in an article in The Australian. I hope no one reads Susie Bubble’s tweet as she was the one to link the article. But oops, unlikely, and ranging wars against the man is a futile as crying over spilled water. Waste of effort. There, I’m slashing the Australian fashion world. (Those bus stop adverts, what, Aussie Pants? Who gives a fuck?)

9. Models as writers. Modelina has reported that Miranda Kerr is about to finish her book titled “Treasure Beauty”, or something. This one is about all women have insecurities (including the Victoria’s angel herself. Oh really?!) and recipes for healthy eating etc. If I can eat away to look like Miranda I’ll place an order on the hardback straight away.
Tyra Banks is also penning a book on “Modelland”. I read about what the book is about but I forgot. Forgive me. But I don’t think you should look it up.

I am one item away from collecting 10. If you know any crazy news to complete the list, hit the comment button below…

Aganovich 0.3: Classy and futuristic, clothes that play like jigsaw puzzles

There is a time when you see something so brilliant, you feel ambivalent about announcing the awesomeness to the whole wide world because you may selfishly keep the news to yourself. The Serbian designer who is truly international – grew up in Copenhagen and educated in Rome and now finally bases in London, Nana Aganovich, a Central Saint Martin MA graduate, creates a captivating collection that makes me feel just like that. Nana and her partner Brooke Taylor explains this AW11 collection in their own words:

The collection emulates equal portions of a glamourous old movie as well as a futuristic flick. The protagonist could be a lady, chauffeured around in a Karmann Ghia, exiting the car into flashes of limelight. At the same time she can be a feminine commander, marches into a space shuttle, calling through the tannoy, announcing each andriod’s daily duties.

The couture is simple, and the aesthetic is respectful for the natural beauty of a woman. The forward thinking emulates from these clothes and the excellent craftsmanship adds to my enthusiasm for the label.

There is a mathematical quality about these dresses. A precise and executed curve rests on the chest which is reminescent of a camel back. The colour-blocked fabric juxtaposes each other to accentuate the contrast. Asymmetry is the certainly the keyword here, but having the correct balance in pushing such a design is of paramount too.

Take Alexis Mabille, the new ‘enfant terrible’ as an example.By no means I am trying to villify Alexis’ creations – and as a matter of fact I’m rather fond of the collection – but the in-your-faceness somehow hinders the masses to stomach the clothes. Aganovich’s Spring Summer 2010 collection, on the other hand, spelt out the key to an auspicious result: be as adventurous as you want, but never tread too far from wearability.

The magic of the SS10 collection lies in its simplicity. The idea pivots on puzzles. The main dress can be topped with an asymmetric ornament piece – a strong shouldered pelerine like a short cape; a part truncated long cloak which can be cinched at the waist or an oversized single collar. This is a nice concept where one or two top pieces plus a couple of dresses give you an assortment of looks.

This is not to say that the dress in itself cannot survive without the decorative ‘puzzle’. Without the funky top-half, the main body is an elegant structure of fluidity and elegance. To inject the funk, some of the dresses are Kruella styled to split in the midriff: both colourwise, and pleat-wise. Clean pleats, clean decorative lines are all exquisitely sewed on. It’s funny how a combo can look so minimalist, but yet posseses so much details at the same time.

Put it simply, I haven’t felt so excited about a collection in so long. Etro, yeah, yeah. Louis Vuitton, meh. Sometimes I wonder why individual designers don’t get more credits than they deserve. This one here, conjures up so much

excitement I can barely contain myself!

Fact file

Nana Aganovich launched her womenswear label in 2005. In 2006, she showed a collection centered around ‘The Dream of Beef’ in Vauxhall Fashion Scout in 2006.

An activist since she was 15, she and her former partner designed a collection of clothes to take part in the May Day Riot in central London, with the models wearing clown make up.

She now designs with partner Brooke Taylor in Whitechapel with an atelier at a factory outside Hong Kong. The CSM MA graduate is a co-founder of the Missing Sock studio in Hong Kong, as well as a contributor on ShowStudio. Her label is now named Aganovich 0.3 and shows in Paris in the form of sculpture/installation and clothes exhibition. Her website is www.aganovich.com but it is currently under construction.

One stop shop for all your summer shoe needs

The French shoe staple Robert Clergerie joined the likes of Chloë Sevigny, Spike Jonze, Pendleton, Levi’s, Timberland and Keds to join force with the global trendy retail store Opening Ceremony. The collaboration results in an admirable laced up espadrille, the bread and butter of the season’s casual wear.

Albeit seemingly under eulogised, the label’s creations frequent titles across America and Europe (Italy, Germany, the UK…) In fact, I’m going to do a lot of praising here!

Truth to be told, prior to the return of this season’s 70s hedonistic shoes, many digital-age kids wouldn’t dream of paying Robert Clegerie’s site a visit. Their priority at producing comfortable shoes is dismissed as a dated approach to shoes. Think high end Clarks, think wedges with a 1 degree inclination and gold buckle fastenings.

But people forget about the real job of a shoe, which is exactly Robert Clergerie’s simple ethos: to produce comfortable and walkable shoes. The inanity of the whole shoe industry hits home when I saw this with my own eyes the other day: a 5 ft 3 woman in South Kensington, outside the porch of her lush pad, carrying bags and bags of shopping, sans shoes… I could understand why the pair of 4-inch Louboutin – worn by the super models in last issue’s Love – were ditched on the roadside.  These are limo-shoes. These are – to put it crudely – fuck me shoes. These are shoes for posing. These are shoes for Carrie Bradshaw’s shoe lounge. There’s only so much love you can give a 2.5 inch stiletto courtesy of Jimmy Choo, Giuseppe Zanotti. The love affair pretty much ends after 100m of walking, when love turns into hatred.

So I’m best pleased when I stumbled upon Robert Clergerie’s catalogue last week. Efforts have been put into attracting a younger clientele. No moral has been forsaken along the way. Painted organza heels, bang on trend, are coupled with a reasonable sized platform and hence a realistic arch. Wedges, one of Clergerie’s best repertoire, veered into a more complex territory. You may argue my fondness for Clergerie’s current season stems from the serious return of the 60, 70s aesthetic, but let’s not deny pretty much every shoe have wished this season can be realised at Robert Clergerie. Clog? Tick. Oxford brogue (with an edge)? Tick. Printed organza shoes? Tick. Grandma’s wedges? Tick. Espadrille?

Innovation and attention to detail has always been on the agenda of the French shoe maker. As early as in 1981, Robert Clergerie introduced a female version of the laced up Oxford. Before then, the shoe had always been a man’s copyrighted shoe. Every year since, the shoes are being polished and revamped. And such is the current season edition of Robert Clergerie’s Oxford. Much deviated from the original staidness, the shoe featured Robert’s best piece of innovation: the sole. It has always been the wedge or the bottom that always get a face-lift… Remember the three-tiered wedge on the black sandals last season?

Some glamazons – who are used to the thin heeled and glossy finished shoes – may scratch their heads when it comes to a face-off with these minimal designs with a chunky flooring. The June issue of British Vogue reinvented the 50s housewife glamour, featuring the sepia styling of the 70s. The sock and sandal combo is the only way forward without looking a retirement home inhabitant. After years of over sexualisation, a bit of demureness surely does make a nice change?

Some of you may scratch your heads when it comes to ‘what do I do with these granny wedges!?’. Fret not, for the June issue of British Vogue has done a shoot featuring the sepia style of the 70s. The sock and sandal combo is the only way forward with these without looking like a retirement home inhabitant.

Clergerie’s offerings are plenty, considering the brand has been around since the 80s. But if your banker will only consent to one pair of expertly made shoe this season, let’s forget about the non-funtional shoe candies, shall we? This pair of organza printed heels is the summer of love. Red socks, blue socks, white socks and no socks. Jeans, circle skirts, pencil skirts, black tuxedo. The possibilities are endless.

As always, I do too much talking. I’ll let you browse Robert Clergerie’s wearable shoe art.

Sexy, Strong and Care Free – Guilty Brotherhood.

While I was sorting the lookbooks in the fashion cupboard, a little catalogue fell from the shelf. It was as if god wanted me to read it. The clothes were striking, very strong and sexy. They are a combination of rock and roll and curiously, serenity. It helps when you’ve got a model who has an enviable body, a very expressive face and a palpable attitude. The eye-catching  clothes – strong and soft at the same time – have schoepentoetered my curiosity.

But try to sequester information about the brand. Aside from the little bits and bobs on variuos blogs that are ripped off from the French brand’s website, not much at all. This is deliberate. Guilty Brotherhood’s designer, a young Parisian called Kevork Kiledjian, created the label 2 years ago. The designer has lived in New York for a few years in the 1990, hanging out with Cypress Hill. He was travelling a lot during this time –  New York, LA and Asia – and it was around this time when he created his first label called Triiad, selling chic streetware, in Paris.

Every bit the rebel he is, the glamourous creations are crafted by a man who has never attended formal art school. But the design juice runs in the family blood – Kevork’s father was a couturier for Lanvin in the 1950s.  As a designer, Kevork draws references from architecture, films and the urban lifestyle.

The clothes – hard-edged, with an undercurrent of elegance; one can possibly draw reference to Yves Saint Laurent’s masculine tailoring, Balmain’s reinvented man-eater style as well as DVF’s Upper East Side casual chic. So is it any wonder that it has already accumulated a celebrity following? Kate Moss, Nicolas Roberts and Doutzen Kroes were spotted in Guilty Brotherhood. The brand boasts Abbey Lee Kershaw on their Spring Summer 2010 campaign. Not to mention the numerous coverage in Vogue Paris, V magazine, Numéro…  Not bad for a brand which is only two years old, and hasn’t even had their a first catwalk yet! But fret not, more glamour is to come, Guilty Brotherhood has already put a catwalk on their agenda and it is likely to be in October this year.

Whether or not this catwalk will happen in Paris – the brand’s birthplace; or New York – where the company’s headquarters locates, remains to be seen. Although it is likely and wise for Guilty Brotherhood to debut in the fashion capital of Europe.

Expect some serious world domination by Guilty Brotherhood. From day one, Kevork Kiledjian has been planning and treading a carefully planned route for the brand to expand. The lack of online and offline information originally has built some intense mysteriousness about the brand. When Guilty Brotherhood’s website launched in August in 2009, the site looked so professional, glamourous and grown up that it is hard to believe the clothes were only available at carefully selected locations. Initially, to get your mitts on these clothes you have only 5 stores to choose from. These privileged places include the USA (Los Angeles for celebrity following and New York for some serious big spenders), France (Paris and Rodez)  and Hong Kong. The fleet of stockists now extend to South America in Domenican Republic and Australia. Now the brand is the Arctic and the Antarctica short of collecting their presence across seven continents.

Guilty Brotherhood’s flagship store is expected to open in 2011 in Paris on Rue Saint Honore. Anything less than spectacular will not be associated with the label. Hence the multistorey store is designed by – none the other – Jean Nouvel, whose bulky and impressive portfolio has led him to an architecture Oscar, the ‘Pritzker Prize’

So much for the intro. Indeed with such a meteroric rise of a label in such a short time span does not happen everyday, a bit of a rambling is needed to emphasise the bravura of all this. So, so much for the clothes eh? But to put it in Kevork’s own words, they want people to ‘see the clothes for themselves’. If the tactic of hush-hushing their press/online presence was to limit any damage bad critics may cause, the tactic may just as well not exist in the first place. Because the clothes do speak for themselves. And without further ado, I’ll let you see them. From AW09/10 to current season SS10.

The Surrealist’s Accessories

 Who says black dresses are not in season at all? With these comedy pieces of brooches, earrings and handbags, you almost forget the need for digital prints and colourful pieces in the real world. Yazbukey is the company that produces all these caricatural 2D and 3D accessories.

Based in Paris, the designers behind the scene are two sisters, who always model their own collections.Yaz and Emel, descendants of Mehmet Ali Pasha King of Egypt (woooooah) churn out two imaginative collections a year – spring and summer. They have done so since 2001. And so far they have 18 collections in the archive. All of them magical and very out of this world.

Enter the magical world of Yazbukey, and you can immediately feel the anti-reality of it all. Yaz and Emel dress boldly in colour-blocks and wear tasteful make up like a MAC advert, tongue poking out, dogs here and there. You’ll know they are in for a good joke.  Much like a Tim Burton film, even a poignant theme like the Corpse Bride don’t channel sadness at all. So a sexual rolling stone lips? Not really that sexual at all. So a serious Karl Lagerfeld? Not so philosophical at all.

The real gem are their 3D pieces. Totally anarchic and poking fun at the staidness, the most genius of it all is their brief case. Luxurious no less, turn to the back and poof, it’s Ratatouille!

 

Their current collection is dubbed Happy Birthday. It centers around the birthday party. Who do you want to bring to the bash? Lady Gaga? Check. Karl Lagerfeld? Check. Barbie? Check! King George the IV? Check! Oh and the best of all… Princess Diana!

How can the fun end there? More brooches and necklaces feature party food: cake, ice cream. Entertainment: clown and endless conversation (in the shape of a speech bubble). Presents: that decorative bow… How ratatouille got an invitation, I have no idea.

 This year, the sisters have launched a handmade collection. Slightly more serious and grown up, the elegant necklaces, bracelets and alice bands are based on winding roads, where a lost commuter struggles to go home but find fun along the way, picking up gems and stones.

The whole web-browsing experience is super exhilarating. If you want to join Bjork, Danni Minogue, Courtney Love, Mick Jagger and the like, Yazbukey’s accessories can be purchased online at shop.yazbukey.com. Alternatively, their UK stockist is at Blue Bird on Kings Road in West London.

Love Lace, Love Outerwear

I can’t believe ‘love it or hate it?’ is even a question when it comes to this sheer Marchesa AW10 ready-to-wear frock. SJP wore it to ShoWest in Las Vegas on 19th March and I fell in love with it immediately. Just looking at its front doesn’t do the dress any justice. Check out its back!

So the lace/tulle/black and white and underwear as outerwear phenomenon has become the high street force next season. High street stores have pumped full throttle on this overtly romantic trend. Even Tesco’s F&F line has pushed a 8 piece lace collection underneath its Womanswear domain. So fret not, you need not be a millionaire of a  girlie girl to work this.

See our Wacky Chief guide to mix and match designer and high street. Cheap chic is the way to go, it doesn’t harm your relationship with your banker, so read on!

And I came across this outfit on a Doll-House website. The dress is made of black tulle and a knitted halter neck blouse. Can’t afford the newsest season Marchesa? Maybe a doll outfit? Read the collage below to work the Lace theme. You don’t have to be obsessed with underwear to love this lace trend! Go fierce!

British Designer Collective! 50% off Hottest Designers!

Bicester Village will be so much more than the average Jimmy Choo and Matthew Williams this easter. The British Fashion Council has started a new initiative to promote Britain’s hottest and brightest designers. The BFC will install a pop up store in the famous designer outlet village, showcasing some of the most talented designers, such as Erdem, Hannah Marshall, Mark Fast, Preen and Todd Lynn. Visitors will be able to purchase ‘key fashion pieces’ at a whopping 50% discount. I have a feeling this trip down Oxford is going to hurt our purses!

There’s yet no news on how the shop is going to look like or what items will customers be able to purchase. Let’s keep our fingers crossed and wish that these pieces will boast a 50% price tag on the rails?

Erdem

Mark Fast

Todd Lynn

 

The shop opens on the 31st March until the 7th May.

Comprehensive list of designers to showcase at Bicester Village:

Atalanta Weller

Bora Aksu

Emma Cook

Erdem

Felder Felde

Fiona Paxton

Georgina Goodman

Graeme Black

Goat

Hannah Marshall

House of Holland

Jean-Pierre Braganza

Julien MacDonald

Louise Armstrup

Mark Fast

Maria Francesca Pepe

Markus Lupfer

Osman

Preen

Sykes                                   

Todd Lynn

Designers for High Streets

Omg I loathe myself oh so much. Oh so, so, so much.

How did I completely miss Mary Katrantzou’s line for Topshop? It was released on the 19th Feb, 2010 and a month and a bit on. I only found out yesterday from… an unknown source.

So I nipped down the closest Topshop to my home this morning. Only to find. They only sell them at the Oxford Circus store. Which is bazillion miles from West London. So ok, the easiest way would be interneting it. Nope, I think the collection has completely sold out on the Topshop site too.

To be honest they are not exactly the top-top notch trompe l’Oeil that’s so nicely done on her authentic range. But if only I had learnt earlier. And the dress is only… £55…

 

And then I want to beat myself with a bat. For missing Ashish’s Rihanna inspired spike jacket (above left) for £150. It was lauched on 3rd Feb… Omg. Where have I been? Just, where?

So it has been rumoured and then confirmed last September that Mark Fast would do a collection for Topshop, due to be launched this Feburary. His collection is nowhere to be seen and when I inquired the shop assistant replied, ‘Who?’.

So I’m guessing it won’t be soon then. But then, the wake up call is – a Topshop newsletter is crucial. There.

Another of my favourite designer, Giles Deacon has put out another collection with New Look. Nope, the clothes hardly resemble the mastery you’d get on his runway. So it has been disappointment through and through. I won’t be a penny out of pocket for any of these… pretty simply because…they’re pretty but they’re not Giles. They are branded Giles. But not very much. Did he even pen these blearhhhrerr?

More news: Stella McCartney has launched her new range with Gap Kids on the 16th March. The collection will hit the stores coming Monday, the 29th. If you’re a petite girl. I’m sure there will be a few bargains to be had! Good luck, folks!

A New Woman to Put on Fashion Front Page

Hailed as the Anna Dello Russo of Vogue Turkey, we welcome a new IT girl in the fashion field. While Anna Dello Russo is famed for dressing the best of all runways, Ece Sukan, the editor at large at Vogue Turkey fame for defying the fashion rule book or trends.

An ex-model turned stylist and now an editor, Ece Sukan also owns an admirable Vintage Shop in her native of Istanbul. The shop only sells top brands like Miu Miu and Yves Saint Laurent, it has become a fashionista’s top agenda in their itenaries in Istanbul.

She is a heroine of mix and match – vintage and off-the-runway accessories. Her long legs and slender figure takes on anything from a poker-printed dress topped with a fur coat. Vintage Balmain style heavily shoulder padded one piece leather dress with miliatry detailing is just another day.

Recently she heralded on style.com with a 50s style green jacket cinched at the waist with a brown belt and a fur jacket not dissimilar to the Rick Owens design two seasons ago.

Ece is almost always photographed in a variety of edgy sunglasses, posing with a long, slim cigarette. Her deep and magnetic voice just adds to her allure.

She has curated a vintage fashion show in Istanbul, up-beat music accompanies models in maillots and skimpy sequined pieces. The show puts vintage back onto the fashion agenda. For this we need to applause the originality of Ece.

She told the NYT recently, that “Metaphorically, our connection between the West and the East makes us rich with culture… We are starting to combine our history with Western taste to create our own identity.” Although she was accused of plaigiarising from Carine Roitfeld’s editorials in Vogue Paris, her style differs somewhat in her fearlessness in combining the oriental bling to modern dressing.

She was seen getting up close to King Karl and Galliano alike during the Paris Couture shows. Do we have a new power brewing in the fashion world? It remains to be seen. All we can say now is that we adore her boundless styling and her fondness in vintage.

Salute, madamoiselle.

Oscars Oscars! All the best gowns!

I stayed up all night tweeting the who wears what (@kiwibiwi) and waiting for the moment for Kathryn Bigelow to beat ex-husband James Cameron’s ridiculously budgeted (and yet a massisive failure) so called ‘film of the year’.

Firstly, the gowns did not disappoint, many wore Haute Couture straight off the season’s Paris runway. Namely Zoe Sadana (my favourite Givenchy’s final exit, seen on Natalia Vodianova) and J.Lo, Hilary Swank and Amanda Seyfried’s choice of the Moon collection of Armani Prive. It is exhilarating to know I have red-carpet taste!

Carey Mulligan triumphed in her impeccable bejeweled Prada. The cut complimented her blonde short hair so well and you have to applaud her sensibility in wearing a pair of comfy satin platformed-stiletto. Negotiating the never ending red-carpet in a pair of 5 inch Louboutin can prove a disastrous move that will end up breaking your feet in half… Another Hollywood classics, Cameron Diaz ‘the Body’ donned a Oscar De La Renta beige gown that took my breath away.

Another round of applaud goes to Meryl Streep and Helen Mirren. The ever elegant Hollywood veterans dressed extremely respectably and lacked no glamour. There are the proves that women can grow old graciously; radiance doesn’t come with Botox, but confidence and admirable attitudes. These two are the most grounded Hollywood actresses. Definitely a different generation.

Varying degrees of success came about as stars chose Atlier (or just) Versace. Mariah Carey isn’t particularly known for her good fashion sense. The blue frock on the red carpet is what most would suggest a far to safe option. But whatever floats the pop queen’s boat. And rumour has it she is hiding a bump? Are you sure that is a baby bump or she’s just a little…bloated? The winner in Versace has to be Demi Moore! Does this woman ever grow old? Ashton Kutcher is indeed a very lucky man although he was not seen at Oscars last night. Where does Demi’s shoes come from? The satin complimented the chiffon so well. The red-carpet veteran has bags of experience behind her, so what do we expect? A fashion faux pas? Elizabeth Banks also scored top marks in a somewhat similar dress to Demi albeit in a different shade.

I was also most thrilled to hear Sandy Powell has won best costume for The Young Victoria, which has become one of my most favourite film with the gorgeous Emily Blunt playing the 19th century British heroic monarchy. The costumes were absolutelybeautiful – the gowns, the undergarments (lace numbers), the 19th century casual wear… Even the men’s costumes were breathtaking – definitely inspiring. Maybe next season for a 19th century men’s style’s revival?

Sandy Powell and Nicole Ritchie, both fashion fanatics, did not go for the safe red-carpet option. The rather unusual colour and ‘low-key’ 20s clingy numbers nonetheless were refreshing from the largely conservative albeit beautiful dresses. Retro rules!

Please tolerate my mild digression: nothing beats seeing Avatar scooping home three gongs less than Kathryn’s far more superior flick. The Hurt Locker rendered me heart-attacks from beginning to the end, I was clutching my heart, covering my eyes and the film is indeed a thriller through and through. Kathryn Bigelow chose a safe and elegant grey frock embellished with heart-shaped beads. Tina Fey’s Michael Kor evening gown is another safe but dazzling number, comfortable to wear and no worries about fashion disaster. Oprah took cue from Phoebe Philo’s recent runway success and donning ‘navy is the new black’?

Lastly. How can we forget about the men? Gerard Butler… we prefer you all tucked up in a tux…no more flashing of the flabbing tummy. Tom Ford accessoried with Camilla, Coco Chanel’s favourite flower. Jeremy Runner, in The Hurt Locker.

90mm Pistol Heel

007’s latest secret weapon.

Not so much. Karl Lagerfeld’s 2009 Spring/Summer Cruise collection debuted more than a year ago.  At 900 pounds a pop, this pair of killer heels known as “The Miami Vice” can put you at the same league as their famous wearer Madonna.

Giles Deacon V&A Show continued…

The moon lowered down from the backdrop and shone onto the model, vitalising the rest of the show. Wolf wolf!

Giles Deacon V&A Show

There’s no doubt that why Giles has won the French ANDAM award now. His show today at the V&A in London was beyond mind blowing.

More pictures to come tomorrow.

Obsessed with the 50s

I wonder how and when have classics or vintage become the new “it”? Or has it always been in the culture – for it is inevitable for time to move forward, and reminiscent is the only way to savour the memories?

I have fallen victim to the obsession to modernism – pop art, electricals with an edge, clothes that rebel, the neatness… I have always known that by going forward doesn’t mean eradication of the past. Learn to grow is a cliche, perhaps mixing the good of past and present gives a future.

Chaotic Fashion

Fashion inevitably recycles. The 70s recycles the 30s, the 90s recycled the 60s. What is so special about the millennium then? We have recycled the 30s,40s, 50s all the way up to the 90s. But we don’t have a set look to accommodate all these. We fry them all up and wear a neon nike jacket over a highly tailored suit trousers. A 60s bathing suit under an 80s’ padded coat. We wear a hippie tie dye dress with a rock, silver studded belt. If you are trying to define a style for us now. Unfortunately it is “undefined”.

Chaos go into our look. But what makes a good mix? There is no fix formula for it. You’d just have to experiment. A good look is messy but yet clean. You look at an outfit and you can still clearly distinguish the pieces. The edge, the colour.

This is an era where outfits scream for attention. Where people dress their personalities and not so much so for the purpose of the clothes anymore. It won’t be long before Dr. Martins are worn with evening gowns. And so far Lily Allen has perfected the dressy look with colourful trainers. Although Lily Allen has attracted many malicious comments about her lack of “style”, most of the time it takes people time to realise this is not a question of “lack of”, but “creation”.

Lady GaGa got on the front page for her high waisted tight PVC A-line skirt in nude coupled with a black leather bra. Having seen so many maillot under coats in reputable collections in this season’s London Fashion Week, you start to wonder when would Lady GaGa look officially arrive on the runway. After all, these mixes share the same sentiment. A chaotic and ruthless mix. It is only a matter of time before the general public starts to understand and accept the forward thinking ideas.
Bikini was a design that has shocked the world. Now you cannot imagine wearing a full body speedo on a beach in Spain. Would you like to ask yourself why?

London Fashion Week – Day 4

17:30 Reem Alasadi, On|Off Exhibition, Science Museum

What Reem – the line which takes the same name as the designer – desrcribes of this era’s fashion trend is probably true for her collection as well. “Fucking chaotic”. But of course in a nice way. A sophisticated level and pleasant mixed style, romatism and quirkiness; a reinvented victorian cropped jacket with a pair of what I can only imagine Iraqi sandals.

The level of details; the intricasy of the craftsmanship; the fabric the collection uses rival the genuine couture houses. Although not all pieces received top notch level of tailoring, the silouette and the creativity is undoubtedly plausible. A self-taught designer and a very articulate business woman, we had a small interview with her and had permission to try on a few pieces!

Kawai: Fashion inevitably recycles idea, what is so special about the era we are in now that we haven’t seen before?

Reem: Fucked up chaos. I mean look at this! (Points to her rapey looking white top)

Kawai: Do you believe in trends?

Reem: I don’t follow trends. But no matter how trendy you are everybody inevitably gets influenced by bits of it.

Here are some of her pieces:

An elephant...scarf? Neck decorating piece? Jacket?

Kawai gets to try on an insane feathery cape. Mixed fabric of expensive feather, murano lace, tulle and with a felt lining. This pretty much spells the "fucking chaotic" philosophy for Reem.

This is how the front of the cape looks like on catwalk. Reem AW08

19:45 William Tempest, Fashion Scout Merit Award Winner.

A new talent’s show being attended by some of the most influential journalists in British Fashion: Colin McDowell and Hilary Alexander. You know this is going to be a heavy show. And this did not disappoint.

The show opened with a few futuristic shoulders that give the impression of a space invader suit.

Space invader shoulder

Recurrent themes include origami hems, beautifully folded and tailored. Neat and tidy 3D shapes. And then again origami lengthy and reinforced pockets folded on the side of a knee length A-line skirt with a corset lined tube top.

Beautifully executed origami hem adds edginess to youthful feminity.

The collection includes a lot of printed fabrics, purple and acidic pink, on what I imagine to be gabardine. Lovely jacket, almost the only short and officious fitted jacket in the show. William worked perfectly around this fabric and attained a symmetric V shape on a bit of tie-dye.

The V-Shaped tie-dye jacket on gabardine.

Gone backstage and chat to the Grandad of William Tempest (oops!) more photos later. Check out William’s full collection here.

Back to the Past

A geek will never fathom the courage to part with their Casio Calculator watch. Not after they have seen this (Don’t tell Hot Chip!):

A watch just slightly better than a bite mark on your wrist. What's the time now? It's time to partay!

Or maybe slip a mixed tape into their crush's locker...

Still no response from them? Mix again.

Well, at the end of the day, they are geeks afterall. They never take NOs badly, because they can retreat to the world of Nintendo.

These crazy little wallets are made by a Californian girl who has an AA in Fashion Design. Lindsey, who is known as the BraveMoonman on her Etsy shop sells purses in styles ranging from Floppy Disks to Keyboards.

LONDON FASHION WEEK – DAY 3

Sunday morning 8:30am I’m already in the Press Centre at the BFC tent in Natural History Museum.

SD card is still in Work Laptop! But the nice people at Canon lent me (or basically just gave me) a card…

9:15 Betty Jackson: First solo show in 1981; won British Fashion Designer of the Year in 1985. Once a visiting professor at the RCA; current trustee of V&A and an MBE and CBE. Has she shown design fatigue?

The show kicked of with bouncy Ambience music and a short homespun woollen wrap tied as a huge bow in front. It looked so sloppy that I suspected if an accident happened to the piece shortly before the show and Betty had to hide the flaw with this hideous…scarf/cape/wrap/thing.

More work could have been done to the cape to make it look tidier.

The show was pleasant. Afterall 28 years of experience the show won’t go wrong massively. Some old ideas has resurfaced here, 70s look, large and loose trousers. Cropped cashmere/merino wool short sleeved jumper that won’t make a woman with even a small belly happy.

There are some interesting pieces however. Velvety full length dress with squared and heavily padded shoulder was quite surprising. The buldging folding on the side was clean and tidy.

An overall dress that captured a little bit of femininity with the 90s over-the-top shoulder and careful folding on the sides. Not a dress for the faint hearted though.

It is a Betty Jackson show, so you won’t miss her printed fabric classics. Recurrent theme being high-waisted but loose and cropped trousers tied with a bow mixed with a mini merino cardigan as discussed above.

Accessories:

1) Looped and looped long earrings that touch the collar bone.

2) Beautifully crafted thin strapped backpacks of different shapes and sizes.

All in all, the show was good but lacked the spice that makes you feel fully satisfied.

The aforementioned cropped merino cardigan with typical Betty Jackson art print fabric seen here as loosely fitted trousers.

Little crafted bags with smaller pockets lightly attached to the bigger one on the back is a recurrent item in the show.

10:30 Falguni and Shane Peacock.Mumbai fashion duo almost annoymous in the European circuit. After their first show in London last year in September, Harrods started to stock their dresses. Emerging Dolce and Gabbana!

Utterly jaw dropped at the sheer quality and detailed embellishments on all of their dresses. Insanely chaotic decorative embroidery but cooperated extremely well. In fact if weren’t for the top craftsmanship and the sharp desinger instinct at the add-ons the dresses would have looked boring and tedious.

The cutting and design of the dresses themselves didn’t let the embroidery take all the limelight. Exotic huge bare backs comes in slitted diamond shape or kite shapes. Golden zips gives dresses a strong and hardened edge.

So many different fluidy type of fabric have been used I have difficulty listing them all. All in all, perfect match of fabric, lovely and orderly blend.

Getting used to the cutting edge and creative ideas on bold colour and bold tailoring on the LFW main circuits, this show featured typically sexy dresses in lovely details. Bulky side pockets that don't compromise the body hugging shape of the dress.

A surprise to see rather busty models in a show, the dresses heavily celebrate the curvaesous and the sexy shapes of women. Perfect evening gowns to grab attention.

Lovely painted fabric triangular shaped jacket with egg-shaped sleeves and hem.

A shockingly sexy gown with an ample train. Fabric used round the breasts and the back are nude. Gives you the impression that the model is wrapped round the chest by an X shaped cut and baring the breasts.

General:

Had difficulty sneaking into the Betty Jackson show. If I didn’t stop at the door and looked at the PR I probably would have gone through much earlier than I finally did. Got asked for ticket and obviously I didn’t have any and the PR shocked me by saying “Stand By is upstairs”…

When seated I saw her!

Margy Kinmoth and daughter at the Betty Jackson show!

Margy produced The Secret World of Haute Couture for BBC3. I watched it twice on the BBC iPlayer and I admired what Margy has done here. Tracked down the billionairess who are secretive about their identity. And then moved on to interview prestigious designers such as Karl Lagerfeld – who almost never gives interview and John Galliano.

Well done Margy!

To be honest I have no idea there are shows in the Science Museum. I saw these promoters in white laboratory coats carrying huge white umbrellas that says “ON|OFF” – a name I recognised to do with young fashion but had no idea what exactly it is. Anyway, walked past a PR who doesn’t really know who I am or what I do. Got into the boiling museum and a gentleman urged me to “Go that way. THE SHOW IS THAT WAY!” After a minute with the bouncer, who gave me a hard time, asked me for tickets and “by invitation only” blah blah. I got into a half empty show, thinking it’d be shit. It’s in fact, by far, the best show I have ever seen! Dolce and Gabanna in the making?