FROM EDITD: THE BUZZ TO KNOW FROM SS12

Posted by Fashion Junior at Large

Over the past month, we have been completely bombarded by images, tweets, reviews and blog posts from the SS12 shows. We've had a ball, but sometimes you need to pin down what's really important- what do people LOVE? What will we be wearing next season? Which brands are doing the right stuff to get themselves loved? And, most crucially, should I be channelling Little Mermaid or Mr Potato Head next season?

Theyskens' trousers for the city mermaid

We've blogged about our geeky appreciation of Editd before, but their SS12 report has really helped to focus our minds and given us an insight into the reality of next summer's fashion rather than just what has stuck with us because we, personally, love it or hate it. Really you MUST read it. I've extracted a few things which jumped out at me as fascinating/ baffling or any other adjective of great strength.

1. Yves Klein Blue

We noticed the blue, of course. I have also become a bit obsessed with Richard Nicoll's 'Laura Palmer' blue but I am also a big fan of Yves Klein blue which Editd have underlined as the key way blue was done. I'm so glad there are more imaginative names we can apply than dark blue. This hue was featured in 36 shows across all four fashion weeks, a key indicator that you'll be seeing more.

Yves Klein- Blue Monchrome, 1961. Image from moma.org

Diane Von Furstenburg SS12

Stella McCartney SS12

2. Florals

This print hit has been brewing for some time but the fact that it was seen in an astonishing  107 collections means we'll be flooded in flowers of all shapes, sizes and mainfestations next year. In my opinion it was London designers who pushed the boundaries here, taking quite a standard feature of a Summer collection and giving beautiful, innovative and surprising new leases of life.

Christopher Kane's sticker flowers

Erdem- flowers fit for a country garden

Mary Katrantzou- digi floral

3.Where is real online fashion buzz generated? Celine vs Chanel

Although fashion insiders might bang on about Alexander Wang and Celine being must-have labels, it seems the real excitement is still generated by the big players like Prada and Chanel who were by far the most popular in terms of the content they generated online over the past year. I suppose with their big budgets and massive product ranges (perfumes make a brand infinitely more accessible) this is not that surprising but you do wonder if there'll ever be a time when the balance could shift. 

Celine SS12

4. Getting Your Five A Day

After the success of the Prada banana for SS11, Dolce and Gabbana have got in on the food themed act by using vegetable prints in their collection. EditD say this is one of the key looks from the shows and so could become an overriding image of SS12.  As we've previously reported, a deep sea mythical world popped up across several key shows including Alexander McQueen and Chanel so actually next Summer might be more about mermaids than wearing your 5 a day. 

Dolce and Gabbana SS12

5. Retro Versus Feminine 

Flounces and ribbons made McQueen the epitome of femininity

Gucci's 20s references

Lastly, some of the stats are a bit confusing. Take 'retro' - this is stated as the top style as calculated by the sentiment and buzz it created - i.e there were lots of 60s and 20s inspired clothes. Fair enough. But then we're told that 80% of responses to retro styles were negative. Whereas 75% of reactions to feminine clothes were positive. What does it all mean? Only time will tell.
All images from catwalking.com
EditD.com

HOW WILL YOU WEAR YOUR GUIPURE?

Posted by Fashion Junior at Large

Lace is nothing new on our fashion radar, in fact it is rarely off the agenda. For next Spring/Summer, there is a particular sort of lace which we have been seeing again and again on the catwalks. Let me introduce you to GUIPURE. This is a chunkier lace than the flippety, delicate pieces we might be used to. The technique for creating it is thought to originate from darning onto fishing net, which will give you some idea of the sturdier nature of this lace in comparison to, for example, a chantilly. The word guipure means a thick cord over which thread is twisted; guiper can mean 'to wrap' en francais. 

Thakoon SS12 

 Throughout New York and London, we heard the word guipure enough times for it to stick. And then Miuccia Prada used it as an overlay throughout her collection. This cements guipure's status as a key texture for SS12. It is also highly versatile- it can be used as a trim (as on hems at Clements Ribeiro), an overlay (see Thakoon and Prada) or in an entire garment (see the Preen pencil skirt below). We've also seen designers (like Clements Ribeiro's dress below) take the guipure lace pattern and print it onto garments. This achieves the same balance of prettiness and chunkiness with the fussiness of dealing with the lace itself. So, there is clearly no one way to work your guipure- we're excited to see its many manifestations next Spring/ Summer.

Clements Ribeiro SS12

Prada SS12

Prada SS12

Preen SS12

I cannot confirm that this IS guipure but it looks a lot like it to me, trapped between layers at Simone Rocha SS12

All images from catwalking.com

MY TOP TEN LOOKS FROM MILAN

Posted by Fashion Editor at Large

One word can sum up the entire spring/summer 2012 catwalk shows so far, and that word is optimism. Everything is bright and sunny, light and airy, jolly and upbeat, go-getting and fun. You get the picture. Yellow is the colour of Spring 2012, and if a floral print is not your thing, god help you.

The main thing about Milan, was, well it was very Italian. Molto Italiano. Looking at Pucci, Gucci, Cavalli, Dolce with their big bouncy haired models, exuberant prints and multiple-colours, there was no where else in the world you could be. And, as this is a season of optimism, the Italian designers were ten times more jolly about it than London and New York was.

Well, apart from Prada, Jil Sander, and Marni the triumverate of  thoughtful greatness that resides in the city. Without further ado, here is my top ten which veers away from that Molto Italiano vibe focusing on Fashion. Amazingly there is only one dress - its all about separates in fashion these days.

Divine Arizona Muse at Marni. Love the craft and layering.

No 21 by Alessandro dell'Acqua. All over print but done in cool way.

Sporty, youthful and feminine chic by Christopher Kane for Versus

Dolce Gabbana, just beautiful no matter how you look at it 

Pucci's only beam of cloistered purity in a show of steamy prints

Fashion's man of the moment Raf Simons at Jil Sander asked the Picasso family for permission to use this face - taken from some of the artist's pottery - for this sweater which is top of my wish list for SS12

This Jil Sander look by Raf Simons is perfection itself. Love this neon paisley.

Guipure lace embroidered coat in a colour clash last seen on my childhood duvet cover at Prada.

Prada, taking it to the limit in its uniquely cerebral way. What may jar with you now will trranslate to gold in the shops next Spring. Trust.

You can't do Milano without some Mr Lagerfeld at Fendi. This outfit is luxe and relaxed

All photos by Catwalking.com

What is your top Milan Fashion Week look and collection?

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PRESS PLAY FOR PRADA

Posted by Fashion Junior at Large (Bethan Holt)

So here I am, posting for the first time as Fashion Junior, and who better than Prada to ease us into back into the fashion mojo after a long Summer break. The brand is still riding high on the massive fashionista love-in sparked by the genius concoction of stripes, baroque motifs and bananas in the SS11 collection. The video released yesterday to showcase their AW11/12 campaign does little to abate our crush on Miuccia's quirky aesthetic. This is just a quick post as I'm still getting to grips with the whole having my own desk/ first day at work thing. So on this balmy afternoon in London I leave you with Steven Meisel's depiction of Miuccia's exotic skins and phosphorescent frocks as modelled by the ethereal Kelly Mittendorf, Frida Gustavsson, Ondria Hardin and Antonia Wesseloh. I don't know about you but the haunting soundtrack (which despite extensive research and calls to the Prada Press Office, is still unidentified, making it all the more eerie) gives me goosebumps.

Film courtesy of Prada

THE WEEK IN FASHION 13TH JUNE-17TH JUNE

Posted by Fashion Junior at Large
Additional research by Bethan Holt

Here's our weekly round up of the goings on in fash-land over the past five days. While most of the fashion press have been obsessing over the resort collections (more on those to come!) these were the news stories that caught our eye this week.We kick off, fittingly, with a quote from the High Priestess herself...

1. Famously anti-tech Anna Wintour gave the perfect five word acceptance speech for Vogue's People's Voice Award at the Webbys: "Sometimes geeks can be chic." Got it in five, Anna - and come on, like we didn't know that already!


2. The fashion hackers have struck again, and it's Beyonce (in kinky Vuitton) vs. Christina  Aguilera (in, well, not a lot) on the leaked covers of this month's W magazine

 3. Alexandra Shulman stepped into the ring for the racism in fashion debate, following the recent racism related lawsuits involving Naomi Campbell and Cadbury and Rihanna and Gucci. In response to Liz Jones' claim that the industry is 'inherently racist', Shulman pointed out: "There have always been black players on the scene — at the moment look at the stylist Edward Enninful, make-up artist Pat McGrath and [models] Jourdan Dunn, Liya Kebede and Joan Smalls, who are at the top of the tree."The Vogue Editor also hinted that she has two black cover stars lined up for future issues - Michelle O, perhaps?

4. It has been a week for campaign releases, as Tom Ford poses with Lara Stone in his new make up shots
...

 

Lara and Tom try to out 'good face' each other in the Tom Ford makeup campaign

5. ...while Angelina Jolie poses in Cambodia (birthplace of her son, Maddox) for Vuitton 's core values campaign

6. Jess Cartner-Morley declares this the summer of intentional bad taste fashion, all thanks to a Prada banana

Prada SS11, and the banana skirt that started it all...

7. Aggy is back in the business! Everyone's favourite leggy blonde Agyness Deyn has re-signed with her old agency, Select Model Management, and is hoping to stage a comeback. Shouldn't be too tricky when you look like this...

Aggy shot by Tim Walker for the May issue of Vogue. Beautiful!

8. What  has Stefano Pilati been up to while his mate Kate was on her hen weekend on the Isle of Wight? Designing costumes for a new Harold Pinter production, of course! With Kristen Scott Thomas taking the lead in The Betrayal, this will be one dramatic fashion statement.

9. You thought the V&A Vivienne Westwood exhibition had covered it all? Well, now her iconic shoe designs have an exhibition all of their own

 The Gillie shoe, most notorious for bring Naomi down to earth with a bump!

10. Mulberry have had a very, very good year, reporting a 69% increase in revenue.Those cute woodland creatures from their last show are obviously hiding some savvy business sense..

 Mulberry Resort 2012. They don't just do handbags, y'know. It's all about the doggy RTW.

11. A very dapper Jonathan Saunders deservedly picked up Designer of the Year at the Scottish Fashion Awards - even though the win took him by surprise, having just been "texting Chris Kane saying 'Sam Cam's wearing your dress, you're definitely going to win it!'"

 Designer of the Year Jonathan Saunders picks up his SFA in a trendy teal tie.

11. Following the news that K-Mid's wedding dress is going to go on show at Buckingham Palace, across the pond, the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame have included Gaga's infamous Meat Dress in their 'Women who Rock' exhibit. Thankfully, the meat has been preserved so that the now well-past-it's-sell-by-date flesh dress won't pong out the exhibition! Tasty.

 

12. Stella Tennant presented the Devonshire Cup at Royal Ascot (she's related to the historic English family). On Ladies Day she was sporting a brilliant trilby avec taxidermy birds, designed, of course, by Stephen Jones. Only Stella and Stephen could make dead birds look this good! 

Stella Tennant and Stephen Jones during the design process for Ascot's chic-est headgear. Photographed by Robert Fairer

13. And finally, over the past five days we have continued to be baffled and bewildered by Bip Ling's blog posts and Tweets. A choice example from @BipLing:

"YUPP having a great holidayyyyyyyy SHUVS AND FOREST ARE GREAT FUN YAR YAR YARRR LOVE ITTTT :-) BOOM BOOOM xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx"

What?! Does anyone speak Bip and can help us out?!

And that, fashion fans, is the week that was...

Images: Catwalking, Vogue UK, Style.com, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, US Vogue.

THIS WEEK IN FASHION- 6TH-10TH JUNE

Posted by Fashion Editor at Large.
Additional Assistance from Bethan Holt

1. Gareth Pugh is to create a range of make-up with MAC. Gareth has been extremely canny and global about his trajectory from gothic costume designer at London Fashion Week to a junior global player with mens and womens shows in Paris and events in Florence as well as his brilliant fashion film presentations with ShowStudio. Though he now sells his collection globally, Gareth admits he still grapples with the commerciality of creativity in fashion.

Gareth and his artist boyfriend Carson, by Nick Knight (via ShowStudio.com)

'If you, as a fashion designer, you do shows but you don’t sell, it kind of becomes a bit of a vanity project,’ he admitted recently. ‘You know, that’s kind of how I started and that’s how I got going but... the two need each other, business and creativity. I’ve made my peace with that.' (Elle.uk.com)

So who is Gareth Pugh for Mac Make-Up for? And what will it do for the person wearing it?  "You put on make-up and your transform yourself, " Gareth told Alex Fury in a ShowStudio.com film last year  "from something that you are, to something that you want to be. The crux of what we do, I think, is selling people a dream to be something they haven't been before. As a designer I don't sell things that complement a lifestyle [laughs a bit to self] I create things that make your lifestyle a little bit more interesting." Hear hear to that! I'm very much looking forward to seeing what is revealed next month in New York when Mac and Gareth Pugh unveil their collaboration in make-up.

Meanwhile, here is a Pugh/Box look

2. Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge's wedding dress by Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen is to go on show this Summer at Buckingham Palace. I wonder if it is the actual gown, or a back-up? From 23rd July buy tickets from http://www.royalcollection.org.uk/

3. Frida Giannini 4 Florence Welch. Frida, (she who created the most copied AW11 collection), has long been talking about how much she adores Florence. She cited her as inspiration for her Autumn/winter 2011 show and as a muse for her Spring 2011 show too and now lo! she is to "design" Florence Welch's tour outfits! Though looking at the sketches, these are exits lifted directly from her AW11 show. They are perfect for the very leggy Florence, and will look brilliant on stage where Fl ouses her legs to maximum effect. Don't think those fabulous T-Bar shoes will stay on for long. Flo likes to go barefoot..


Some of Frida's designs (from People.com)

 4. The unstoppable Mary Katrantzou has designed two costumes for a dance for ICA's retrospective exhibition exhibition of Pablo Bronstein's work: Sketches of Regency Living. "It was a great challenge to design the costumes for the performances that Pablo Bronstein has choreographed for ICA," Katrantzou told Vogue. I've never heard of Pablo Bronstein myself, but if Mary K is involved it must be worthwhile. Mary is also doing a talk about her career tonight at the ICA with  head of St Martins Fashion MA, Louise Wilson.

Mary's designs for her Pablo Bronstein collaboration (From Vogue.co.uk)



5. Hussein Chalayan changes name of his company to CHALAYAN and launches diffusion line

A Chalayan design collaboration with Swarovski (from Independent.co.uk)

6. Update on Prada's market plans


The Power of Prada- Anna Wintour in the now iconic skirt from the SS11 collection

 7. One of my favourite designers of the last two decades, Hedi Slimane WILL make a design comeback. Though he is still musing on when and how.

8. I know its week old news, but the new Fashion East line-up is looking good, and I wanted to share

Laura Bailey wearing James Long SS11

See more of denim design duo Marques'Almeida at their site



I love Maarten Van Der Horst's fun Hawaiian frou-frou collections. See more here



9. Helena Bonham-Carter is the new face of Marc by Marc Jacobs. I KNEW her fashion moment was coming when her madcap outfits started to look cool to me about five months ago. 

Helena Bonham Carter has her best fashion moment yet, shot by Juergen Teller for Marc Jacobs (Image from CatwalkQueen.tv)

10. The World's Oldest Supermodel to be honoured by London College of Fashion 

Carmen shot by Ruven for Vanity Fair Italy in March (from Models.com)

11.New Duran Duran super video...Everyone remembers George Michael's Freedom video which starred all the supermodels of the 1990s. Now, Duran Duran are releasing a new single and have gathered together Naomi Campbell and Cindy Crawford for a video and cover shoot for Harper's Bazaar. The cherry on the cake is that Dolce Gabbana are doing the clothes... WE CANNOT WAIT TO SEE THE RESULTS!

Dolce and Gabbana with Naomi, Helena, Eva, Yasmin and Cindy. For more pics see Stefano Gabbana's Tumblr

12. After being honoured at the CFDAs on Monday, the BFC threw a farewell party for Hilary Alexander on Thursday night at the Renaissance Hotel in St Pancras. It was a very moving and fun evening. Suzy Menkes gave one of her heartwarming speeches, and The Daily Telegraph team created an animated precis of Hils career, complete with a cartoon Hilary smoking and drinking wine. Having worked with her all their observations were hilarious, especially when cartoon Hilary was smoking and drinking with one hand, while one-finger typing with the other as the room filled with smoke....

Hils has a chat with an even more diminutive version of herself, a puppet created by Matches and gifted by Tom and Ruth Chapman  (from 10magazine.com)

Fashion Editor at Large with Hilary Alexander

13. It's all change at Vogue as Kate Phelan leaves to become Creative Director at Topshop and Robin Derrick leaves to pursue new projects. At Hilary's party last night TopShop  MD Mary Homer told me "It was time we had a creative on board to oversee all elements of TopShop. The whole team is delighted that she is joining us, as am I." Kate Phelan herself is equally upbeat. "I am thrilled to be joining the Topshop team as Creative Director. Topshop is the most influential, dynamic fashion brand on the high street, a pioneer in both store experience and designer collaborations. I look forward to contributing to Topshop's next chapter" (via Telegraph.co.uk)

Kate Phelan at the shows (from showstudio.com)

Kate Phelan's previous styling for Topshop campaigns (from CLMUS.COM)