London goes 'Baaaa-rmy' for Wool Week!

I am sure you all have heard of Fashion Week, but have you ever heard of Wool Week?

Last week London was overrun with sheep themed celebrations and events to mark the very firstNational Wool Week; an initiative headed by Prince Charles to help struggling sheep farmers and the wool industry by raising awareness of the vast beneficial qualities of the fleecy fabric.

On Monday 11th October, Flocks of sheep invaded London’s renowned tailoring district, Savile Row, blocking off all traffic for a ‘country field day'. The street also presented the public with an exhibitionby R Cledhill; the British woolen yarn spinners whose yarns create the cloth that is used by Savile Row tailors to create their bespoke suits.

Over fifty fashion and interior brands supported the cause and many dedicated their store windows for the week to create special wool themed displays. The Lyle and Scott store in Covent Garden Piazza displayed four brightly colour sculptures of the woolly creatures with their traditional Golden Eagle logo stamped on their rump, whilst Selfridges did one better by dying a real flock of sheep their signature sunny yellow, which were released outside the department store’s front doors.

Wool week may have come to an end but it’s not too late to get involved in such a good cause; simply get wrapped up for winter in your snug jumper dress and chunky knit scarves and support the wool industry!

The Fashion Scout

SS '11 Fashion Films...

A while back I blogged about film being used as the ‘number one’ form of showcasing a latest collection as apposed to conventional runway shows, but it seems to be more relevant now than ever. Interestingly during Paris Fashion Week, Jefferson Hack interviewed designer and pioneer of fashion film, Gareth Pugh about presenting a collection through the digital form:

JH: There’s been a strong reaction from the press and critics on the collection and the film. Are people starting to accept fashion film as an alternative to catwalk shows? For the record, what was your motivation for making a film and not traditional show?


GP: It was about bringing it to a wider audience and about having complete control over what I bring to that audience. So many things can go wrong with a show and so many things can go wrong in a film but people don’t see those mistakes. It was about taking back control and showing them what I want them to see.

JH: Did the experience match the motivation/expectation of how you wanted it to be received? And also the emotion of it, the feeling of the audience afterward?


GP: Obviously when I do a show there’s a big release at the end. You feel a sense of elation or ”Oh, it’s finished we can get drunk.” We kind of had that when we finished shooting. Then it was two weeks of editing. So there were less peaks and troughs in my mood. Which I think was good. The show is a very small part about what I do as a designer. As soon as the show finishes it’s straight into sales and this time I was able to concentrate on getting that side of things right. It’s often forgotten, or I often forget, that the show is one part of that but, this week, starting from today actually, is where the business happens and I could concentrate on that more.

JH: It is as expensive to make a fashion film as it to stage a show, is that right?


GP: Yeah. I think a lot of people don’t realize that. They consider the option of doing a film as secondary to doing a show because it’s a cheap cop out.

JH: I think you’ve proved the complete opposite. Done at the level at which you do it, is a very clear and viable alternative for you and your brand and your vision.


GP: I think it’s about the choices that you make with regards to the amount of money you spend on things to communicate your brand. To do a show in front of 300 people maybe doesn’t make as much sense to me as making a film that we can present to, potentially millions of people around the world that can see. The idea is not diluted or edited in any way as it can be when you see pictures on sites like style.com. It’s basically what I want people to see. I think the investment…you can reap those benefits. It’s worth the money...

Some designers are now opting to create a fashion film in addition to a traditional runway presentation, but is this just another ‘trend’ that they feel they have to follow…?

SALEM...

There isn't much to say (these guys have an air of mystery about them, just like the sound they produce) just that their records are pretty cool...

Read Dazed's October Issue for a full length featured interview with the trio...

Vogue's Fashion Night In...

VOGUES Fashion Night Out… I get that, and in fact I went along last year - running around London’s West end from store to store, drooling over clothes I could never afford and taking advantage of the free champagne and gin offering - it was fantastically fun! VOGUES Fashion Night In however I do not get… Am I really going to be putting my gladrags on, sipping cocktails with my girlfriends just to be huddled around a crowded computer to online shop… Probably not! The most likely scenario is that I’ll stumble wearily into bed around 10pm (it is a Monday night after all!) and maybe, just maybe, have a little peak at ASOS’s new black range and benefit from Kurt Geiger’s 25 % off! But saying all that, it is for an excellent cause and I do encourage you all to shop; a percentage of all sales etailers make during the night will be donated to the children's charity KidsCo.

SHEER BRILLIANCE...

A new alternative fashion magazine entitled SHEER (What a fabulous name eh?) launched this weekend. As the brainchild of photographer, Daniel Neale SHEER looks to the ‘future of fashion’ by showcasing a new generation of young and talented creatives. Embracing the digital medium, the online publication features a short film, as well as a series of fashion editorials with beautifully composed styling and a strong, striking use of black and white photography. The cover star for the first issue is ‘male model of the moment’, Luke Worrall, who sports the latest collection by Orschel-Read, styled by renowned fashion stylist, Rebekah Roy.

Although its creators and contributors are young and new ‘on the scene’ so to speak, SHEER possesses sophistication, class and quality. If you don’t believe me, then check it out for yourselves: http://www.sheermag.com

The Fashion Scout

Craig Lawrence SS '11 Fashion Film...

Craig Lawrence SS11 Collection Film

...Simply AMAZING!

ONE TO WATCH: SUNVISOR...

With the madness of Fashion Week (or shall I say month!) and blogging daily for Vauxhall Fashion Scout over the summer, I haven’t posted anything about music for a while… But I wanted to tell you about Sunvisor: Their track ‘Sky Dive’ has been stuck on repeat on my iPod’s summer playlist over the past couple months… For lazy summer afternoons relaxing in the garden or walks along the beach in Greece where I vacationed, Sunvisor set the perfect mood and chilled state of mind. The guys from NY, Matt Buszko and Anthony Gerbino, have apparently been working on their debut EP which is set for release soon! Yay!

Dark Romanticism...

Love. Love. Love...

For Givenchy SS ’11, Riccardo Tisci has created a collection of contrasts: Black + white. Sheer silk + wetlook leather. Delicate Ruffles + metallic zip embellishment. Tailored ‘boyfriend’ suit jackets + floor length soft flowing skirts. An androgynous silhouette + a feminine figure… (and all with a bit of animal print thrown in for good measure…)

BOLSHIE BOLSHIE BOLSHIE...

Do not under-estimate 18 year old Rhiannon Jones; she may be young and she may not have a swanky masters degree behind her but my god is she determined. After being asked to leave school at the tender age of 15 when her teachers objected to the way she dressed, Rhiannon packed up and moved to the big smoke where she subsequently launched her career as a fashion designer under the name, ‘Bolshie.’ Now two years on, Bolshie has officially invaded the fashion world with wild wacky prints and structurally shaped garments, all designed and made by Rhiannon herself, in her east end studio.

After catching sight of the glittery gold watch jacket at the VFS preview shoot earlier this month, I just couldn’t wait to meet the girl behind this revolutionary fashion label: Bumping into her at the Vauxhall Fashion Scout exhibition space during LFW, I finally got my chance…

Firstly, the question that’s on everyone’s minds… where did the name ‘Bolshie’ come from?

Describing my ‘bolshie’ rebellious personality, it was a nickname my mum gave me as a kid and it kind of just stuck! It’s a phrase that isn’t really used that much by today’s generation but it comes from the word ‘Bolshevik,’ a political party during the Russian revolution.

Tell me a bit about your SS ‘11 collection: Where did you get your inspiration from?

The way I design normally happens quite subconsciously; I don’t really notice the reason why I have chosen to create a specific design until I’ve done it! For example, on some of the printed pieces from my latest collection I have illustrations of Heinz food tins: I didn’t really know why I started drawing them, until I realised that I’ve been surviving on baked beans for the last few months! It’s quite a random process but there is meaning behind it.

Print has always been a big part of the Bolshie label so I have developed on that a lot more, creating hand drawn illustrations of Coca Cola baby-bottles and guns with a lipstick barrel, printed onto patent leather jackets and cropped baggy t-shirts.

Since my last collection, I have grown, become wiser and more aware of the business, so for this season I decided to create a few more wearable pieces and also some specifically for men, to broaden my market.

Do you have a favourite piece from your new collection?

Definitely - It has got to be the XL gold ‘Big Ben’ headpiece!

And finally, what are your plans once London Fashion Week is over?

I have A LOT of plans. Firstly I am going to go over to Paris to meet a few buyers over there. I also would like to see my pieces stocked in Japan: I think the label will do really well over there and I just love their whole street style culture. But I guess my main aim for now is to build up a really strong fan following to the label.

(Well Rhiannon, you can definitely add me to your proposed list of fans!)

Eccentric, fun and quirky just like the clothes she creates… we want to party with this girl!

Written for The Fashion Scout

David Longshaw SS '11 Review...

For many designers, inspiration comes from an external source; a piece of architecture, a painting or perhaps a particular person or ‘muse’, but for womenswear designer, David Longshaw, this is not the case... Interestingly David utilises his boundless skills in writing and illustration to create quirky and original short stories as inspiration behind his collections. A few days ago I was fortunate enough to talk to the man himself to discover the story behind his designs for SS ‘11. He told me the tale of a group of youths who break into a stately home. After entering the house, the groups’ initial intentions of theft are soon dismissed after they become distracted and fascinated by a display of period costumes: ‘They start to dress up and the fun soon begins’ explains David.

Ruffles, pleats, feathers, ornate fabric manipulation, and other features you would expect to find upon period attire are all present in David’s SS ‘11 collection. A key colour palette consisting of a light ivory, powder blue and pastel purple is captured on a combination of simple silk camis, tightly fitting mini skirts and wispy summer dresses. Original drawings from the inspirational narrative are also used to create signature prints that are placed onto garments, adding an element of humour and quirk to David’s designs. My personal favourite; an illustration of a stereotypical ‘chav’ bulldog printed onto a beautifully delicate loose ivory dress, creates a wonderfully ironic juxtaposition of ideas.

For accessories this season, David has yet again teamed up with womenswear and jewellery designer, Kirsty Ward, who too has taken the fashion world by storm at late. In keeping with the collection’s theme and soft pastel palette, as well as her own signature style, kirsty has created sets of statement neck pieces complete with fabric ruffs, glass crystals and bullion fringing.

Written for www.thefashionscout.com

Iris Van Herpen SS '11 Review...

With previous experience working for the inspirational Alexander McQueen and the fabulous design-duo Viktor and Rolf, it is no surprise that womenswear designer, Iris Van Herpen, possesses a passion for avant-garde and experimental fashion.

After previewing ten pieces from her SS ‘11 collection earlier this summer at Amsterdam International Fashion Week, Iris recently revealed the complete collection in London and is now on display in Paris at the VFS showroom.

Entitled 'Crystallization', Iris’s latest designs are inspired by the transformation of liquid to solid, or more specifically, water to crystal. With help from Product design specialists, MGX by Materialise, Iris has created 3D features on her conceptual pieces representative of flowing water and icy particles. Panelled, woven and pleated ‘Ecco’ leather in shades of icy white and shiny taupe together form intricate dresses with a futuristic edge. For this season, Iris has also collaborated with United Nude to design and create several pairs of stunning shoe boots, decoratively draped with small silver chains and leather cording, adding a stylistic feature in tone with the entire collection.

For the past six seasons, Dutch born Iris has presented previous collections at Amsterdam and Tokyo Fashion Weeks: Now with support from Vauxhall Fashion Scout, world wide press attention and well received showcases at both London and Paris Fashion Week, word of the Iris Van Herpen label has become international...

Written for The Fashion Scout

Gemma Slack SS '11 Review...

For SS ‘11, British born designer, Gemma Slack, rejects the conventional bright and bold summer palette and chooses to yet again remain ‘noir,’ although hints of colour such as a bruised pink and plum purple are introduced into the collection through the use of print: Erotic photographs of the nude female form are digitally printed onto spandex leggings, bodycon dresses and sheer silk crop tops, to name a few.

Nonconformist in nature, Gemma’s latest collection is heavily focused around leather; a rather unusual fabric choice for the summer season but a feature non-the-less that has become something of a trademark to Gemma’s designs. Panelled dresses, biker jackets, tailored shorts and even swimwear form part of the leather-coated garment offering, all of which reflect elements of a gothic inspired aesthetic whist still maintaining a strong sense of sophistication and femininity.

After a successful collaboration with jewellery designer and fellow Vauxhall Fashion Scout exhibitor, Katie Rowland last season, Gemma has decided to once again include stylised accessories within her collection by teaming up with milliner, Noel Stewart to create a range of delicate head scarves andwide brimmed structured sun hats.

Written for www.thefashionscout.com