LFW TREND SPOT #1: WITCHCRAFT IS IN THE AIR!

 Posted by Fashion Junior at Large

 As the shows of London Fashion Week get well under way, I have noticed something decidedly spooky in the air. It seems that in their quest for inspiration, designers have thrown away their sketchbooks and turned to spellbooks instead!

The devil is definitely in the detail with this trend, as Maria Grachvogel sent models out in swathes of draped black silk, with decidely deathly makeup (black lipstick, pallid skin with an ethereal glow) and chunky, talisman-style silver jewellery. A ruff of jet back feathers appeared to have been plucked straight from a raven's back.

Maria Grachvogel AW11

This mysterious theme continued at Bora Aksu,where sheer black chiffon was gathered around heavy stitching which gave the impression of voodoo dolls, accompanied by bandages as hair accessories. This intriguing, severe look has distinct echoes of images of the Salem Witch Trials in Massachusetts, USA in 1692.

Bora Aksu AW11

 Detail of “Salem Witch Trial Courtroom Scene”
© Bettmann/CORBI

The Puritanical fashions of 1692 are obviously having an effect on designers in London today...

My suspicions were further confirmed at PPQ's brilliant show, closing day one of LFW. The Salem inspirations continued, with crisp puffed sleeves, fabric combinations of starched cotton and gothic black velvet, Quaker style high collars and gold buttons, not to mention the spooky cat hats (everyone knows a witch isn't worth her salt unless she has a black Familiar)

 PPQ AW11

It was impossible to miss the style icon that provided the reference for the hair in their show; none other than my childhood heroine, Mildred Hubble, of the Worst Witch books by Jil Murphy. I'd recognise those plaits anywhere.

Mildred Hubble, off for a day at Miss Cackle's Academy for Witches. What a style icon.

We had a feeling something witchy was going on ever since Meadham Kirchoff's show invite dropped through our letterbox. No doubt their Tuesday show will have more spookiness to add to the (cauldron) mix.

Meadham Kirchoff show invite

After day one of the shows, it is clear that this Autumn is going to be the Season of the Witch*.

*No relation to the utterly rubbish Nicolas Cage movie of the same name.

ORLA KIELY ATTRACTS A FLOCK OF BIRDS TO FASHION WEEK!

Posted by Fashion Junior at Large

If you go down to Somerset House today, you are in for a big surprise...the very lovely Orla Kiely, along with her friends at Relative MO, have set up a breathtaking installation in the Portico Rooms. In the midst of the hustle and bustle of the Exhibition and street-style photographers snapping everyone, they have created an adorable woodland setting, complete with garden sheds and a host of feathery friends hidden in the branches of the trees. The purpose of this oasis of calm? To present Orla Kiely's AW11 collection, which was inspired by The Birds, perhaps Alfred Hitchcock's most iconic film.

If you venture in to one of the sheds, there are vintage benches and stools for you to 'perch' upon while you watch a short film shot by Mercedes Helnwein, an incredible fine artist and director who is a close friend of the designer. The film features sweet 60's chicks dancing and playing in a room, wearing the collection, set against a backdrop of Kiely's prints and accompanied by an original soundtrack composed by the director's brother, Ali Helnwein. The sudden closeups and choppy editing all add to the Hitchcock-inspired spooky atmosphere.

I managed to find the designer herself between the trees, so we had a chat about the collection. Apparently she has always adored The Birds, although as a child, found it pretty terrifying! She wanted the AW11 looks to capture the essence of the movie; the girlish silhouettes of the early 60s and the elegance of Tippi Hendren.

All of the prints she designed for this collection either feature birds or were inspired by them, such as a peacock shape that evolves into a more graphic wave shape. The little suits and high waisted skirts are all entirely covetable, and the magic touch of Leith Clark, who styled the collection, is clear to see.

The triple collar blouses and bird printed bodices were particularly pretty details, along with a colour palette of cream, green, navy and orange. My tip for LFW: take a moment today to take a break from the madness and relax in the Orla Kiely woodland, as well as admiring the gorgeous photos of the AW collection. It's worth it, if only to giggle at the seagull perched atop one of the sheds; not quite your usual fashionable 'bird'!

Images: FJAL

MY TOP 10 LOOKS FROM NEW YORK FASHION WEEK

Posted by Fashion editor at Large

Its the return of our photo-shopped big-heads! Doing this is so much fun. Its amusing to see your own head on top of a models body in order to do a bit of "trying-on". To be honest New York Fashion Week never blows my mind. To my eye there are relatively few actual NY shows that have relevance in the European market; Marc Jacobs, DVF, Proenza Schouler, Jason Wu and Rodarte are the exceptions. Whereas non-catwalk labels like J Brand, Helmut Lang, Theory (though Theyskens by Theory does have a runway show) really make an impact over here. It took a while to wheedle out these 10 looks from the crowds of images, but I like them a lot, and am dreaming of these looks for my Autumn/Winter 2011 wardrobe.  Thought I'd better get these posted before London Fashion Week coverage takes over the blog, which it will in about an hours time with the Fashion Junior's report on Orla Kiely's fabulous installation over at Somerset House....

 This Marc by Marc Jacobs fake fur coat manages to look cool and street, and can be worn with boyish footwear. This therefore makes it a shoo-in for my winter coat.

Marc Jacobs focused mainly on a pencil skirt silhouette, which I liked and it will be very commercial. However, I loved these button up sailor pants, they are so flattering and god knows its hard to find the perfect trousers, I'm still looking for my SS11 perfect pant.

The Ohne Titel girls trained with Helmut Lang, not the label - the man himself (one of my all time favourite designers and a lovely guy) and their work has shades of his urban elegance attitude along with excellent knitwear skills. I've noticed a trend for jackets to have arms of a different fabric to the body of the jacket. In many instances in NY the jacket has what I'm calling "Gorilla arms". As does this one, and I'm fairly sure the curly hair is sheep, not mink, fox or rabbit.

Proenza Schouler - just LOVE

Rodarte's take on Mid-Western prairie style was nostalgic and in some instances - like this one - truly beautiful and uplifting. This party dress is sensational.

I really liked Jason Wu's American West inspired collection, this jacket/dress and shirt combo would be my perfect Milan fashion week look. It being sexy and a bit fierce all at once

Daryl K has that urban elegance thing down; this is pretty much how I dress most days

Jason Wu - in my dreams I turn up to the events looking like this

 

Diane von Furstenburg's new designer Yvan Mispelaere is doing a good job. This Seventies inspired ensemble is very of the moment. This outfit would be perfect for a high powered fashion meeting

At times Alexander Wang's show and collection looked too busy and complex, but this - one of the final exits - was elegant, modern, simple and can walk straight off the runway and into my life.

MODEL CRUSH #1: MEET SUZIE BIRD

Posted by Fashion Editor at Large

This is Suzie Bird.

Now and again a model pierces my consciousness as "one who will go far, fast". Suzie Bird is one such. The five-foot-eleven-inch tall Parisian turned 21 this month and so far is enjoying a great catwalk season chalking up Marc Jacobs, Marc by Marc Jacobs, DVF and Band of Outsiders. It wasn't until I researched into the name behind the imperiously elegant little face that I realised she is also the be-chignoned beanpole who stars in the Celine Pre-Fall lookbook. I expect we will see a lot more of Suzie Bird in the next few weeks.

Polaroids

At Marc Jacobs

At DVF

For Celine Pre-Fall

Photos: Style.com

MY PICK OF NEW YORK FASHION WEEK AW11

Posted by Fashion Junior at Large

In our feverish excitement two days before London Fashion Week, we are getting to grips with the trends coming out of New York. While we edit the collections, it's becoming something of a tradition for us to 'try on' our favourite looks - so brace yourselves for the return of the Big Heads...

Here are my choices, which as per usual do not involve any trousers. I'm still on a quest to discover a pair that truly inspire me, maybe LFW will offer some better choices! Tune in tomorrow for the Fashion Editor's no doubt superb selection.

 The ultimate date outfit: A stand out look from the incredible Marc Jacobs collection. The stunning details, perfect colour combinations, sheer sleeves and peter pan collar are so. flipping. hot!

Weekend romanticism courtesy of Rodarte. I can't imagine a more perfect dress to wear with wellies and a cardigan and go kick leaves in. It's a little bit 70's, a little bit country and western, and a lot Little House on the Prairie. 'Anne of Green Gables' hair plaits optional. 

 

 The pure fashion outfit, for fashion meetings, in fashionable cities, by Preen. The California Art and Crafts movement provided the inspiration for the lovely, colourful patterns, so this outfit gets bonus geeky points for an art reference. Part of me wants to frame it.

 

 Rodarte - again! This collection was too brilliant to choose just one outfit from. I am making a wildcard prediction that dusky blue hues are going to be the colour of the season, and this high necked, delicate dress would be ideal for a special lunch party or for when you want to look particularly intriguing.

 

The red carpet dress by Monique Lhullier. It was love at first sight. I don't have many black tie events to attend this autumn, but if I did, this would be the dress I would like to wear. I will enjoy wearing it in my dreams.

BUY THE CLOTHES FROM MY CLOSET ON ASOS

Posted by Fashion Editor at Large

I think ASOS is really clever. I love that the business is this ever-expanding ever-innovating machine that grows its profits at an unstoppable rate, but in a good way. The gang there - headed up by Caren Downie - are wonderfully talented, passionate and smart-thinking people who really care about what they do. A walk around their press day last November was a masterclass in how a mass-appeal online fashion business should conduct itself. The fashion was spot on in its reaction to the catwalks but also walked its own path. Their own-brand accessories were often incredible - the shoe collection and leather bag collaboration with young designer Thomas Tait made me gasp - the quality to price ratio is awesome. I particularly admire their ethical range ASOS Africa which is created used Kenyan printed fabric and made up by a local craftspeople in the town of Ukunda. The first season of creating the ASOS AFRICA collection helped lift over 240 people out of poverty.

Asos.com Spring/Summer shoes

I mentioned that ASOS is an ever-innovating machine, and this is what makes them most interesting to me. They have fully embraced and understood the evolution of social media and how it has dovetailed with the seeding of fashion globally through street and personal style blogs, Twitter, Facebook and good old insider fashion blogs like Fashion Editor at Large.

Its response was Marketplace which launched at the tail end of 2010. Marketplace is like FaceHunter or Jak&Jil meets online retail of the eBay variety - yes you REALLY CAN BUY THE ACTUAL clothes you can see on the stylistas in the street! Yaysers! "Since the start of 2011, Marketplace has had one million hits," reports my buddy Annette Burke, ASOS's head of PR. I asked if she was joking - but with ASOS vistor numbers really are in the millions. Currently there are 5000 items for sale in the Marketplace area from everyday stylish folk or more established sellers such as Susan Caplan the vintage jewellery collector.

I was beyond delighted that ASOS asked me to take part in their London Fashion Week Marketplace Collective. I'm not very adept at promoting my blog effectively in the online world, so hopefully new people will stumble across Fashion Editor at Large in the process.

So here are the treasured fashion items of mine that deserve a new home, modelled by me, and photographed by the Fashion Junior at Large over at my house - a truly DIY shoot! I think you'll agree Ms Langford did an excellent job. Oh, and I was adopting "traditional style-blogger poses" here with my tongue firmly in cheek, and enjoying every minute.

YOU CAN BUY THESE AT ASOS FROM TODAY!

 J Brand skinny jeans – gifted from J Brand after I met the founders of the company a few years ago. They told me our stories in Grazia helped make their jeans successful in the UK. Vintage printed blouse is floral on black with a wheatsheaf motif - very Rodarte A/W2011. The Richard Nicoll/Jonathan Kelsey shoes are not for sale!

J Brand "Gigi" jeans waist 28 £40 (new £175) Vintage blouse £25.

 

Putty coloured waist-cinch dress by ACNE. I bought this at an ACNE sample sale.

Dress: £50 (bought at sample sale - cost new is £158)

Christian Louboutin platform sling-backs, size 40, (but better fit for a 39.5) bought at sample sale in 2008 to wear to a black-tie event. I wore them for the event, and from that day forward they have been gathering dust. They are truly beautiful and need a good home. Louboutin platform sling-backs, size 40. Slightly worn on the sole, but otherwise in perfect condition: £100

Grey cashmere tube dress by Crumpet. This was a press gift, and is still brand new with all the labels on. I love this dress. I’m selling it because, much as I wish I did, I just don’t feel comfortable in a body-hugging tube of cashmere that shows every lump and bump! If I was 25 with a hard-toned body I would flaunt it around town like a total diva bitch.

Grey cashmere "Kate maxi dress" by Crumpet. with tags on £65 (new for A/W10 £175)

Tomas Maier (the designer of Bottega Veneta) dress – bought from Brix Smith-Start at her Start boutique on Rivington Street in Shoreditch in 2006. It’s a special dress because Brix and I started chatting that day and became friends soon after. We have been friends ever since! We (that’s me and my other half Mary Portas) haven’t worn it for a couple of years, hence it’s got to go to a more loving home. It’s in perfect condition!

Tomas Maier (the designer of Bottega Veneta) dress £75 (bought for £450)

Photos: Fashion Junior at Large

https://marketplace.asos.com/boutique/marketplace-collective/collection from Thursday 18th February

FURTHER INFO:

The Marketplace Collective is a temporary designer boutique which will exist within the newly launched ASOS Marketplace trading site during London Fashion Week.  The ‘Collective’ refers to a short list of London’s most stylish fashion editors and influencers, who will be parting ways with a small selection of their much-loved wares by selling them online at marketplace.asos.com, with a percentage of profits going to charity through the ASOS Foundation. Shoppers have the chance to buy into the personal wardrobe of Melanie Rickey (Grazia’s fashion editor-at-large), Yasmin Sewell (fashion consultant), Vanessa Coyle (senior fashion editor, Harpers Bazaar), Susie Lau (Style Bubble), Gillian Wilkins (contributing fashion editor, VOGUE) and Steve Salter (Style Salvage - menswear).

All garments being sold have been photographed on their seller ‘street style’ to illustrate how they personally style the garment and will also come with a brief explanation describing when, where and why they bought the garment and also why they have decided to part ways. Launching on the 18th February and running throughout to include the menswear day on the 23rd, ASOS Marketplace Collective gives offers the chance to buy some truly unique and hard to find pieces from London’s most stylish set, including items from Balenciaga, Chanel, Margiela, Louboutin, Preen, Acne, amongst others.

IN THIS WEEK'S GRAZIA...

Posted by Fashion Junior at Large

...we fantasise about the wardrobe that will be inherited by the fourth Beckham bubba, if it does turn out to be a little girl! Victoria has often spoken about her longing for a baby girl to play dress up with, and we can't even imagine the quantity of amazing labels that child will have in her wardrobe (and how much it is all going to be worth by the time she is old enough to wear it.) There are VB's iconic Spice Girl outfits, the maximum glamour of her WAG phase, not to mention the own-brand gowns, priceless jewels and formidable collection of Birkins. And of course, there are those leather suits!

FLORENCE IN GIVENCHY HAUTE COUTURE....

Posted by Fashion Editor at Large

On my return journey from Paris after the Spring/Summer 2011 catwalk shows in Paris, I bumped into Giles Deacon and his design team in the buffet car of the Eurostar. They were unwinding following his Ungaro debut and much merriment was occurring. Much of it involving a toy lamb. Some if it involving a jumper worn by Bistroteque co-founder David Waddington.  (I recorded it on Twitter - see "Florence + the Sheep".)  One of the highlights of this journey came when Florence (onboard with her stylist/friend Aldene Johnson) said "hi" to Giles, then in a whisper to Aldene (which I overheard) she sighed "My Paris is complete now." That made me think ahhhh what a doll. She is such a fashion fan, and gets excited about the shows and meeting designers, exactly what any other 24 year old fashion-fan would do. Just that she is well, Florence Welch. This happening made me feel really pleased for the fact she got to wear this most incredible Givenchy Haute Couture dress to the Grammy's last night. She didn't win a Grammy, but she had the best dress on by miles.

If meeting Giles set her pulse racing, imagine what wearing this did to her! That Florence posed to display both the intricate front-view and beautiful highly-worked back vista indicates she may be following instructions from Givenchy designer Riccardo Tisci. At the presentation in Paris a few weeks ago the garment was displayed in still life, and photographed with both back view and front view - why? Beacuse hand-work of this nature is almost extinct in fashion, and needs to be shown, that's why.

"Long dress in nude stretch tulle embroidered in front with matt sequins in shades of pale beige and behind with vermillion coloured geometric hand cut sequins and glass tubes"

Photos: courtesy of Givenchy Couture