The Wardrobe Edit

Moving cities has forced me cram my beloved wardrobe contents and pack it into a suitcase, picking only my favourite items until my clothes are reunited again. It made my reaccess my thoughts on my wardrobe and I actually decided that I didnt like half of it – so I’m ditching the rejects and starting afresh. How wonderfully exciting, but where do I start? Who do I want to be, dress like, what do I want to say?

The answer is I’m not sure…. I have aways dressed how I feel on the day; girly, tomboy, rocker, cool kid. So maybe I should just jazz up my wardrobe with some key pieces for Summer and get on with it. Here is my wishlist;

ASOS

River Island

River Island

Miu Miu

Topshop

Monki

 

Drapers Next Generation.

Yesterday I was lucky enough to be invited to the Drapers Next Generation seminar, which was a very informative and encouraging day. Opinions and interviews from industry experts such as Jane Shepherdson, Harold Tillman, Peter Ruis, Mark Bage, Nick Robertson and Matthew Williamson to name a few.

It was really a great event, all attendees were in their first, second or third jobs in the industry and it was all about giving them inside knowledge and how to succeed careers. It was truly inspiring, I felt so determined when I left for the day to reach the career goals I had always set myself.

There was also lots of opportunities to meet new people in the same area of work, buyers, buyers admin’s, assistant merchandisers, marketers etc with it was good to see how other companies worked and how much people enjoyed their jobs.

Also when you get a bunch a fashion insiders in a room together, it is all about outfit spotting and yesterday did not dissapoint!!

So I would definitely advise to apply to go next year either through your company or through Drapers themselves, you will not regret it.

The Olsen Duo

I am of the Olsen generation, I grew up watching them in films and on tv and got excited at their first range with Wall-mart. Since we all have grown up a little since then, they have become two of my style icons. The understated ease with New York attitude has always been appealing, they just know how to dress. The Row followed by Elizabeth & James are two of my favourite NFW moments, I am the girl who the label was designed for. They cover this month’s ELLE UK and you can either pick Ashley or Mary Kate on the cover, beside some gorgeous shots in the mag – the article I found really interesting. After growing up in the spotlight, they have pushed it aside to work behind the scenes and are  now super business women. They are super talented and work incessently, but they are very different people – the impression I got from reading the article is they are two halves of one person – they work and think differently but can never be separated. My friend who also moonlights as an Olsen super fan informed me the way to tell them apart is by the shape of their eyes, Ashley’s are rounded and Mary-Kate’s are more almond shape – wait, is it the other way around? So not only gorgeous girls but dedicated successful business women who should be thought of in that way, not only in way they wear on the red carpet. Now Elizabeth is following in their footsteps…

 

 

 

London fashion week thoughts.

London fashion week is always my favourite, not because its my home country but because it’s always so new and exciting and this year had me on the edge of my seat. Trends seem to be leather, velvet, fur & deep purple – oh yes all of my winter favourites – faux fur of course. New personalities on the scene were Moschino Cheap and Chic, McQ and a Stella presentation like no other. My personal highlights were; Burberry, Mary Kantrantzou, Michael Van Der Ham, Topshop Unique and McQ.
McQ, MaryKantrantzou, Louise Gray and Giles all had theatrics and show stopping pieces in their collections, from autumnal leaf catwalks, to vivid QR code graphics or taking on a burning country house theme.
Burberry, Micheal Van Der Ham, Topshop Unique, Paul Smith, Twenty8Twelve, Erdem and Kinder Aggugni – to name just a few – had gorgeous wearable looks that have wide appeal as they are accessible. Just beautiful clothes.
And Mary Kantrantzou, well she is just in a league of her own in my book, telephones, spoons, pencils who thought they could ever look so good???


McQ

Striking QR Graphic Prints

Burnt Elegance at Giles

Temperley

Kinder Aggugni

Topshop Unique

Burberry

Erdem

Monumental

Last month I had to create mood boards with key trends for AW12/13, one of my main trends was ‘Monumental’ to which everything is oversized and extorting the human contures into differing silhouettes, so it was nice to see the trend visible on the Marc Jacobs mainline and Marc by Marc catwalks, hopefully the trend will live on throughout the next three fashion weeks.

Original Mood Board

1&2 Marc Jacobs

3&4 Marc by Marc

New York Fashion week AW12 Round Up

New York fashion week has come and gone in a blur, now the dust has settled and everybody has jumped on planes to London, I wanted to share my personal highlights and favourite looks. I have already praised Victoria for her job well done on her collection, Preens’s was another collection that stood out as it had a clean, fresh feel about it using bright colours and florals prints resembling Erdem’s work. Marchesa as always was stunningly beautiful with amazing craftwomanship, my particular favourite was look 2 paired with gold brogues and socks giving a girly accent. My heart has always gone to the Olsen’s twins labels and The Row this season did not let me down, alike so many other girls my age the label encapulates all that we desire in a range. Rag & Bone and Theysken’s Theory also had some gorgeous looks that are completely wearable and my kind of outfit.

 Spring feel at Preen

Undeniable genius with angelic tendencies at Marchesa

Understated cool at The Row and Elizabeth & James

 Inspirational looks for next season from Theysken’s Theory and Rag&Bone.

Fashion Ambassador Beckham

Well done to Victoria, not only getting through two collections this week in New York but know becoming a British Fashion Ambassador where I’m sure it will be full of lovely jobs and talks about fashion. Victoria has suprised me and I have watched her collections develop each season and I have grown to love what the label is now, understated elegant clothes that have a subtle luxurious element – oh and she does a great coat! The unveiling of the Victoria by Victoria Beckham range to did not fail my expectations, I was impressed by the campaign graphics and playfulness and the dresses are exactly what they are meant to be; Victoria’s little sister.

 

Designer Focus; Michael Van der Ham

This designer is making waves, a reasonably new designer in his own right but he has already worked for Sophie Kokosalaki and Alexander McQueen. As all greats a Central St Martins graduate at only 24, is part of a new clan of new London designs that is turning more and more heads. I like his approach and collections, they have great personality and use multiple parts of garments cut up to make new garments that give a great college effect, stocked at Browns Focus, Net-a-Porter and Liberty . With six collections under his belt, he will be one of my ‘one’s to watch’ this impending London Fashion Week.