Shoot

I did this with Bella for Platform.

readplatform.com/style

ra ra roma lolzz

The first time I watched this I actually almost wet myself laughing. I'm back into Lady Gaga, and although the song is just plain weirddd, the styling is amazingggggg.

My favourite new designer

I really do think that everyone who works in fashion waits until the press days to actually make up their mind whether they like a collection or not. A lot of the time, especially in this case, if I don't go to the show I do a quick once over on catwalking.com and i'm on to the next. I think it's a case of four consecutive weeks of new shit hitting my brain and turning it to mush. Obviously things fall through the cracks, and that's why we spend another four consecutive weeks traipsing round press offices getting up close and personal with this new shit.

I was actually kicking myself, and letting out stupid girly noises, when I re-came across Elliot Atkinson's new collection at the Haynes press day. I DID actually look at this show but was probably too drunk or tired to focus on what was actually in front of me, and in my defense, I really don't think the photos circulating the web from this show actually do his designs justice. It's not until you actually see his creations in front of you that you realise that his is probably one of the best collections from a new designer that you will have seen in a LONG LONG time. Elliot was one of four designers shortlisted for the Fashion Fringe award at London Fashion Week this season, and although he didn't win (it's judged by Donatella Versace, go figure) I really don't think it will have any hindrance on him whatsoever. Every piece in this Barbie inspired collection is incredible, his tailoring is beautiful, and he is definitely the next male designer to come out of the London fashion education system that gets what girls want to wear.




I also tried to take a photo of his shoes on my blackberry, but due to the adverse lighting in the Haynes press office, and my 0.2 megapixle camera you can only just about make them out. Still, seeing these was when I left out the most retarded noise. footwear is a risky prospect for a new designer as there is no room for error, but the beautiful black suede straps, chunky zip, and mirrored panel inside the 6 inch heel was complete perfection. Unfortunately I will never own these, and the fact that they may never go into production is a crime. If anyone from Brown's is reading.....



Please.

Oh my god

Thank god for catwalking.com. Alexander McQueen has blown my mind. I can't even write anything clever about it because it's 2am.

London

London fashion week is over. I have a delayed five day hangover, haven't seen any of my friends since last thursday and my feet now resemble something definitely not foot like. I also broke my vow to never set foot in Bungalow 8 ever again. Twice. Topshop threw the best parties, I narrowly missed an over-weight Bryan Ferry playing Roxy Music classics to sir Phil and friends but the "100% anything you want" free bar at the Ivy club definitely made up for it. The MAN party in the vaults at somerset house was a sweat fest but the bar staff did well at pouring equal measures of gin to juice and whoever decided to order enough pizza to go round at midnight saved my life. Jonathan Saunders had the best drinks, all though I almost choked on the pretentious rose petals they slung in martini glasses, and the endless supply of fairground attractions and candy floss at Mulberry made up for the hell at the door. Westwood was vapid, Prisim introduced me to mixing Lychee and Vodka, and we parked ourselves right by the flow of sashimi beef at ShowStudio.

I'm half relieved it's over, but Fashion week is never as good as your first time. When I first started interning I had no look in at shows so it was all about the parties. Getting as drunk as possible and dancing on as many tables, but these days I always have the 7am wake up call in the back of my mind. After a day of running round London in a haze of temperature fluctuation and wishing I was rich enough to invest in party feet all I can think about is lying in bed watching X Factor with my boyfriend. I long for normality to kick in, but the urgency to get as many free drinks down my neck always prevails. I have to make the most of it as after all, it's only two weeks out of 52 that it's a free for all.

I've spent the week being impressed and equally as bored, so here is what I think you need to see. If you haven't already.

After showing in Berlin last year, I am so glad the Felder twins have come back to London. Annette and Daniella are beautiful, generous and stupidly talented, and they make clothes for girls who want individuality as well as a massive amount of sex appeal.





Ed Meadham and Ben Kirchoff win me over every time. This seasons play on their usual boyish, street wear inspired sillouhette, layered with romantic pleated dresses and deconstructed bomber jackets had me biting my lip in excitement. I literally almost cried when I saw the tulle dress covered in tiny velevt bows that looked like a swarm of moths creeping down the catwalk. London has some serious contenders at the minute, and these two are front runners in my eye's. I even agreed with the pink. I hardly ever agree with pink.





Hannah Marshall is a genius. I'm guilty of writing her off previously for being somewhat obvious, but this collection stunned me. Using a fabric like chiffon to create structure, and, this may shock those who know me, the incorporation of electric blue and cream to her staple black architectural tailoring made for probably one of my favourite shows of the season.





I am gunning for Krystof Strozyna big time.

An a whata?

So we all remember that scene, Cher gets ditched by Elton and gets held up at gunpoint in a valley liquor store parking lot by a mugger and he orders her to get on the ground and count to a thousand. She protests because he doesn't understand, her dress is an ALAIA. he's like, an a whata? Basically it's a really important designer. I can probably guess that Alaia went in one ear and out the other of 80% of the girls watching at sleepovers in the late 90's, but for some reason, for me, it always stuck. This was obviously before the internet, and before my fashion vocab stretched beyond bliss and sugar magazine, but the moment I discovered a world beyond trashy teen reads and Tammy girl I remembered said scene and remembered that Alaia was indeed a very very very important designer.

Next time you slip into something black and body-con, remember that before Hervé Léger there was Azzedine Alaia. The elusive godfather of cling who has the balls to shun Anna Wintour and make even the most important people in fashion come to HIM. I've always wondered why I had never seen a beautiful double page Alaia campaign in Vogue, and it's because he doesn't need to. Whilst Balmain, Lanvin, Chanel and the likes are ripped off and watered down on every high street season after season, the fact that his works remain untouched by designers that bang out trends more regularly than I change my knickers, really go to show that he is an artist, and even a ripped off alaia jacket would probably be too exquisite to sell on the floor of a high street chain. Anyone who works in the industry knows that Fashion is still a business. Even the most avant-garde and conceptual publications still have to please advertisers with features and product placement in editorials. With that said, and his decision to by back the rights to his clothing from the Prada group, for me Alaia's business strategy is even more punk than even Dame Viv could ever imagine to be. I think this could be the reason his clothes are so desirable. That and the fact even a cropped knitted jumper can give my little B cups a natural boob job.

Terry Richardson for Purple. I am not obsessed with Abbey Lee.. much. Literally lesbionic.











Fashion week woooo.. not

Boring?

I am so bored of New York Fashion week. Preens excuse for not coming home for the 25th anniversary of London Fashion Week was that showing in NY has increased their business both internationally and in the UK. That's all well and good, but I often find that designers that fly across the Atlantic bank on the fact that American's LOVE the U.K. They usually loose the thing that gave them the opportunity to show in NY in the first place. I came back from my Cornwall paradise holiday all excited to look on style.com and see what I can expect to drool over for the next six months, and to be honest, even Alexander Wang BORED the hell out of me (obviously only half bored, when I took a look at the details I cried a bit). Maybe I'm falling out of love with wearable designs, maybe the over saturated world of blogging, where every single one will have exactly the same format every single fashion week, is starting to wear thin on me. I mean, I can not be bothered to look at another skinny ass girl posting pictures of herself in something that resembles something Wang did and a pretty decent knock off of the seasons "must have" shoe. That's a half lie, it's definitely my biggest guilty pleasure after True Blood and Gossip Girl, but I want to be EXCITED. I thought I was in love with simple formulas and beautiful wearable clothes, but I think, just now whilst sat in my kitchen, I've decided I like a good concept and a shit load of drama. I am looking forward to Phi and to Rodarte, but even with them I feel like the love affair could be wearing thin. I could totally eat my words, but until then here are some things I do love.

Beauty is a religion

Alex and Lou behind www.beautyisareligion.com literally know it all. You should read it and basically worship it because they know what is good when it comes to your face and your do. beauty news, tips, trends and a nice level of exploration into peoples (both in the industry and out) opinions on beauty and style. They asked me a few questions about my tattoos, which you can find on there too. They both shoot for publications like Dazed Japan and i-D and have an amazing perspective on style and trends, it's probably one of my new favourites.




find it here http://www.beautyisareligion.com

DIY or Buy?

I have been drunk and stressing about shoots for a week, but I did come across these amazing pieces from Jennifer Bher's a/w collection. If I wasn't so lazy I'd probably attempt to make the liberty spike one.

oh hi perfect

Rad by Rad

How does this guy know exactly what I want to wear? Now he's gone and done a diffusion line that is probably affordable, not that I can't afford anything i haven't subsequently "swapped" on ebay. My brain is swimming with things that are about to be loaded off the back of lorries and onto the rails of shops I love but won't go in for fear of not being able to eat for a year let alone a week. Whatever, if you're a fan of Rad, you'll be a fan of Rad by.... Rad Hourani duh?






available at my favourite Feathers (mainly because of the beautiful buying director Tiffany) from Nov time.


http://radhourani.com/
All images theived from http://jakandjil.com/blog/

123WASH OUT

what a wash out. This is us looking sad. I was too tired to take photos.

Palladium. I miss my boots.

I've spent about three months typing shit like "canvas heel boots", "canvas lace up", "kill me now" etc etc into ebay trying to find these shoes I had when I was about 11 or 12. I can't remember when or how I got them, probably another one of my mums genius ideas, but they were amazing. Lace up cream and black canvas hi tops with a heel an a chunky toe. I now know who makes them. Or did, as I can't seem to find the exact pair I had with the heel. Ugh, these are exactly what I want though. They cost about 60 quid too. Ebay.






Palladium Boots

Acne Wedgessssss

Went to the Yellow Door press day today to see some the pre spring Acne collection. also didn't see the wedges the first time round from a/w. Been trying to shoot these for ages now but they NEVER have them. The plastic trousers too. They are incredible!



Need these.



and these.





Printed inside-out body.



Bit J-Lo, but there is nothing wrong with that. My "in a relationship" ass wouldn't agree.



I am obsessed with long dresses. I have this incredible Topshop boutiqe one that took forever to get used to. There was only about 10 bits of the collection, an I had no space on my camera to take more. You'll have to wait.