David's View

Fashion's Merry-Go-Round

2011-12-27T08:12:00.000-08:00

Fashion can be a very tough industry and in today's increasingly challenging retail markets, fashion houses can live and die by good and bad editorial reviews - or so we are led to believe. However, as a consequence of this nervy senior management have fallen into a habit of 'all-change' with it's senior creative teams in the past 18 months. Many designers have found themselves going up and some going out altogether. Just to recap on what has been happening in the world of fashion;

Christopher Lemaire formerly of Lacoste was appointed Creative Director of HERMES in May 2010 replacing fellow Frenchman Jean Paul Gaultier.

Sarah Burton was named Creative Director of the House of Alexander McQueen in May 2010 following the tragic and untimely death of it's founder Lee McQueen.

Raf Simons is believed to be very close to signing a contract to take up the Creative Director slot at Christian DIOR after months of speculation following the demise and removal of John Galliano from the role. Simon's is currently Creative Director of Jil Sander [owned by PRADA group] and designs his own label.

Stefano Pilati worked under Tom Ford at YSL until Ford's departure in 2004 and was then made Creative Director. However there have been countless rumours and specualtion that Pilati is difficult to work with and that his days may be numbered at YSL, all denied by the senior management of the company.

New boy on the block Olivier Rousteing a mere 25 yrs old was catapulted into the post of Creative Director at Balmain [April 2011] following the removal due to health problems with his predecessor Christophe Decarnin.

Phoebe Philo who in 2001 replaced Stella McCartney as Creative Director of Chloe has subsequently made her mark at the House of CELINE where she is currently Creative Director.

Joanna Sykes was appointed Design Director of British heritage brand Aquascutum in May 2010 replacing design duo Michael herz and Graeme Fidler who have now moved to head up design at BALLY.

Claire Waight Keller having been Creative Director at Pringle of Scotland since May 2010 resigned for personal reasons and was then appointed Creative Director of Chloe in May 2011 replacing Hannah MacGibbon who had also been ex Chloe.

Any Colour as long as it's Blue- Menswear Spring11-12

2011-12-16T13:44:00.001-08:00

Images courtesy of Tommy Ton -GQ.com

Strolling around Florence, Milan, Paris and London this Summer there was definitely a myriad of Blues in menswear! The colour ran from light, chambray, sea, mid, royal and navy with the entire spectrum of blue in between. The nautical inspiration was prevalent but relaxed tailoring in cotton, lightweight twills, denim, and linen all featured heavily. jackets worked in a relaxed formality worn with denim jeans and with tailored shorts, as well as splashes of colour with bright cotton twill jeans. Multi patterned and tone on tone elbow patches also worked well as did under-collar linings and trims.

MARNI for H&M Collaboration - Spring 2012

2011-11-29T01:50:00.000-08:00

Fashion Editors and dedicated followers of fashion sat bolt upright today on the news of the next H&M collaboration- MARNI. In fact the Twitterverse was aglow today with retweets at the first glimpses of the video and new pieces. Created by Consuelo Castiglioni the MARNI label has always been considered as a sort of the anti-fashion, fashion label, that set itself apart from the mainstream designers brands. Its focus on collage style, print on print, colour-blocked aesthetic, often in rather complex or boxy shapes has been its trademark! 'Under the radar', 'elusive', 'hard to find' are some of the terms used to describe this brand by those in the 'fashion-know'. It is quite a surprise then to read that founder and creative director Castiglioni has taken the golden shilling and thrown her lot in with H&M- mega-fast fashion chain, to collaborate on a S/S12 capsule collection due to launch worldwide in March 2012.

It also begs the question who the ultimate winner will be in yet another High Street/Designer collaboration? The consumer, H&M, MARNI? My money has to be on H&M who have positioned their brand alongside some of the most enterprising fashion brands in recent years- Lanvin, Jimmy Choo, Matthew Williamson and more recently Versace.

With the ink hardly dry on the Versace contract or even proper Press images of the entire collection released yet, it does beg the question why MARNI and why so soon after the Versace collab?

Fast Fashion is not having a good time and retail is having a rather challenging time in the current economic climate, so H&M are rather cleverly keeping their brand in the spotlight as much as they can and why wouldn't they. For a relatively small [by H&M standards] investment, these collaborations do two things, they create unprecedented online activity - think Twitter, Facebook et al about the brands in question and more importantly it drives both new and existing H&M customers into the stores - more footfall results in more impulse purchases even if the customer will not buy the MARNI print [as it may be too edgy] they will more than likely buy something else in the store, so a win-win for H&M! Add to this the global exposure for the H&M brand when fashion editors, business journalists, fashion bloggers all write about the news of yet another collab. This must be worth hundreds of millions of pounds worth of marketing and brand exposure for H&M- not bad eh?

The exposure for MARNI to a more mainstream audience might have an impact on MARNI sales for this season or in the short term, but can it really impact significantly on the sales given the rather high price points the MARNI mainline collection commands- I suspect not. Then consider the brand ethos and careful positioning that the MARNI label has striven to achieve since its creation and whether or not it will lose some of its shine when the brand becomes associated with a fast-fashion high street chain such as H&M. I guess only time will tell!

Coach - Bond Street, London Flagship Store.

2011-11-25T02:25:00.000-08:00

Images Copyright David Watts

I attended an event this week at the Coach Inc Bond Street Flagship store in London and experienced first hand the latest ranges for men and women. I have always been a fan of Coach buying it when on trips to the USA, but it is a brand that had never really crossed the Atlantic until recent years. They did have a small retail site on Upper Sloane Street about 7 years ago but it was a very limited and tiny offering that really did not promote the range of the brand. In 1999 Fashion Designer Reed Krakoff joined the company as President and Executive Creative Director to oversee all product design. Under his creative leadership Coach has transformed both it's product offering and brand strategy which has resulted in phenomenal sales growth in recent years. This has certainly been addressed in the Bond Street store design which is a temple to clean lines and neutral palette of putty, taupe, sand with flashes of red accent walls that perfectly complements the luxe leather goods. The address of the Bond Street store is Number 41 which coincidentally is the year that the business was founded [1941] - lucky happenstance perhaps? There is also an exclusive product range of a Tote and Weekend Bag called '41' which is only available at the London Bond St store.

I do feel that some of the product lines are very American market focussed and I feel that Coach are missing a trick by not developing product specifically for the EU market. European customers have a different taste level to that of our U.S cousins and some of the womenswear is a tad too 'girly' and 'fussy', with way too much hardware. Simpler, more minimal lines would be better received by both Fashion Editors and consumers alike! Product highlights for me are the butter-soft putty coloured leather tote, and the suede 'converse' style footwear in acid-green and taupe colourways. I suspect I will be sporting a soft leather Tote any day now and Coach are making an interesting addition to the luxury leather goods market in London.

Any Colour as long as it's not BLACK- S/S12 Menswear

2011-11-23T09:51:00.000-08:00

Images courtesy of GQ.com

The fascination for 'colour' was started last year by the irrepressible Raf Simons for Jil Sander Menswear who presented a rainbow-hued colour palette for the collection at Pitti. Well of course where Mr. Simons leads many others follow namely [Nautica, Marlon Gobel, Richard Chai, Carlos Campos and Michael Bastian] and is reflected in the burst of colour across fashion and accessories for S/S12. Bring it on.......

Fashion Imitating Art Imitating Life- Alexander McQueen A/W11 Ceramic Dress

2011-11-23T08:52:00.000-08:00

It's not every day that you literally get stopped in your tracks passing a store front and seeing a piece of fashion that transcends anything you have seen before! But it happened to day as I passed the Alexander McQueen Boutique on Bond Street, London.

The dress in question is a piece from the A/W11 collection that comprises of hundreds if not thousands of tiny pieces of painted ceramic that have each been drilled with tiny holes on all sides and then threaded together to create the bodice of this dress- which then goes over a mille-feuille [thousand layers] of engineered pleating and concertinaed organza/chiffon that creates the skirt- totally amazing and worth going to see the store windows for that alone.

Sarah Burton has proven beyond any doubt that she can lead the vanguard of the aesthetic and genius that was Lee McQueen for the next generation of fashion followers!

The Rise of Chinese Luxury Brands.

2011-11-09T04:23:00.000-08:00

At the end of the Financial year 2011, China accounted for one quarter of the World's Luxury Goods consumption equating to more than $10 billion in sales. China's Luxury market is clearly dominated by international brands but there exists huge opportunities for home-grown Chinese Luxury brands, who have easier access to second, third and fourth tier cities in mainland China which in time will move up in profile and size. This video discusses how some of the Chinese Luxury brands are developing strategies for new products that appeal to the Chinese consumer as well as International markets and some of the challenges they face in the market place today.

Designer Bora Aksu collaboration for Armaggan

2011-10-23T06:57:00.001-07:00

Celebrated London based Turkish Designer Bora Aksu has launched an exclusive luxury fashion collection for Turkish Retailer Armaggan. The collection was launched at a glittering event in the retailer's Flagship store in Nuruosmaniye, Istanbul this week and the cream of Istanbul society turned out for the Gala. International guests and Media from Paris, New York and London were also in attendance. Specialist textiles were developed using traditional techniques from natural dye research and have been hand-crafted by Turkish Artisans in the Armaggan Ateliers, the cornerstone of the philosophy behind Armaggan and it's product ranges. Armaggan explores traditional Turkish heritage and craftsmanship for products such as silver, marble, ceramics, leather, glass and textiles presenting each product in a contemporary setting with a modern twist on traditional craft.

Bora Aksu has developed a 40 piece collection which contains his signature design aesthetic of hand made laces, embellishment, knit and texture brought together in a subtle palette of dove gray and ashes of roses. There will only be two pieces of each design produced for the store and they are being considered as 'new heritage' pieces to be passed on for generations to come. The collection arrives into stores from December 15th, 2011.

Jonathan Adler arrives in London

2011-10-23T06:17:00.000-07:00

Known for his 'happy chic' interiors, Jonathan Adler, American Interior designer, Potter, Furniture maker and textiles designer is causing ripples of delight with the Brompton Cross set with the arrival of his eponymous retail store on Sloane Avenue, London. Adler developed his eponymous furniture collection in 1993 and then opened his first retail site in NY in 1998. The brand known for it's 'colourful quirkiness' has gone from strength to strength with retail sites in all of the major fashionable cities in the USA. The product range includes, tabletop, bath accessories, furniture, rugs, bedding, candles, decorative objects, lighting and more besides and is a cornucopia of colourful delights.

Adler's life partner is the equally exuberant Simon Doonan- 'Ambassador at Large' of luxury fashion retailer Barneys New York, where he has been the Creative Director of visual merchandising for more than 20 yrs and famous for his irreverent and sometimes racy window displays second to none!

Certainly Adler's colourful style should inject some fun into the London Interiors scene when their Textile collections arrive next month - worth checking out methinks and certainly one to watch!

Lana Del Rey- rising recording star!

2011-10-13T00:38:00.000-07:00

Lana Del Rey is a new recording artist from the USA but based here in London and causing a big ripple of excitement in the music industry. Her debut double-A sided singles released on 16th October 'Video Games/Blue Jeans first came to our attention when it was chosen by the ever 'on-it' Christopher Kane for his recent womenswear S/S12 show, with it's haunting melody and almost baleful tune making people stop and ask 'who is this song by' 'what is this voice'? Fashion rumour [altho' believe actual fact] also suggests that no less than Anna Wintour Editor-in-Chief of American Vogue was heard asking her team after the Christopher Kane show to find out who this artist was? Art imitating life imitating art or what?

Lana del Rey is certainly a recording artist to watch!

Penhaligon's - Juniper Sling Fragrance

2011-09-01T06:40:00.000-07:00

Penhaligon's celebrated the impending arrival of its new fragrance 'Juniper Sling' at its London Flagship Boutique this week, with a fun and festive shindig. Inspired by London Dry Gin, this crisp fragrance features top notes of Juniper berry, Cinnamon, mid notes of Black Pepper and Cardamom and base notes of Black Cherry and Vetiver. Harking back to the roaring 20's and the beau-monde of the London Set, party revellers at the Covent Garden locale danced the night away to the Charleston and sipped delicious gin-based cocktails, especially created for the evening. Juniper Sling will arrive at Penhaligon's boutiques on September 5th and is sure to be a resounding success with both men and women.

Missoni x Target Stores US collaboration

2011-08-25T04:13:00.000-07:00

Missoni x Target Stores collaboration is due to arrive in the US on September 13, 2011. Here Margherita Missoni discusses the collaboration and highlights some of the 400 strong piece collection. Missoni Home was launched in 1981 in collaboration with the family business of Rosita Missoni. In 2005 a deal with Rezidor Hotel Group was agreed to build 'Hotel Missoni'- a lifestyle Boutique Hotel chain, with 30 hotels slated in the coming 5 years. To date, Edinburgh and Kuwait have launched, with Muscat, Bahia, Brazil and Belek, Turkey all due to open by 2013..

There is a Missoni x Target Pop-Up store launching at 1095 Sixth Avenue , New York on September 8th, 2011 which is also Fashion's Night Out. Founded in 1953 by Tai and Rosita Missoni the company is run by Margherita Missoni.

2011-08-14T08:59:00.000-07:00

Dallas- new 10 episode TV series for Summer 2012 on US Channel TNT. The new series continues the family saga and includes reprising their roles Linda Gray as Sue-Ellen, Larry Hagman as the evil JR and Patrick Duffy as his brother Bobby Ewing. New cast members includes Josh Henderson as John-Ross, and Jesse Metcalfe as Christopher Ewing. DALLAS first aired on CBS in 1978 and ran until 1991.

Aesop - London

2011-08-14T02:52:00.000-07:00

Images Aesop.

Founded in 1987 from Australia, Aesop cosmetics have become a favourite of many in the know and now have flagships stores in London, Paris, Honk Kong and throughout Australia and the US. It's mission is to only use the finest plant-based ingredients and non botanical elements such as anti-oxidants. Aesop are passionate about design and its impact on lifestyle so have developed a policy of collaborating with local talented architects and designers on store design/interiors.

The latest London Shoreditch location is decorated using reclaimed furniture and antique muted green that works with the East London neighborhood vibe.

It is rare to be pleasantly surprised with exemplary levels of service in retail in London these days but on a recent visit to the Aesop Shoreditch store their sales person [John] was most helpful in suggesting key products and explaining the ingredients and their uses. The Purifying Facial Exfoliant Paste with its polished quartz crystal that slough off skin cells is gentle but effective and the Mandarin Facial Hydrating Cream with mandarin, tamarind and tangerine rind is a light non-oily moisturizer that smells incredible too. His product knowledge was first-rate and in no way did I feel I was being 'sold to', which was very reassuring. If this level of service is the norm for Aesop stores then they certainly deserve to succeed.

Aesop 5a Redchurch Street, London E2 7DJ

Ports1961- Menswear Collection S/S12

2011-08-04T08:20:00.000-07:00

Images courtesy of Style.com

Second season for the Ports1961 menswear collection under the creative control of Canadian designer Ian Hylton, former fashion director at Department Store Holt Renfrew as well as Editor at Canada's Flare magazine. The collection was shown during Milan fashion week and clearly and indication of how seriously they want their new menswear to be taken.

The collection is not pushing many design boundaries and looks like it is going after the Hermes, Salvatore Ferragamo and Z Zegna customer, who wants a a little style with their 'classic' choices, without looking like a slave to fashion. Tailoring was the order of the day with suits both single and double-breasted as a mainstay, with some sporting a more oversized lapel. All of the added detailing that a certain gentleman customer comes to expect such as working button holes, hand stitched detailing, but these suits were still not by any stretch 'classic'.

Pieces such as the sleeveless trench coats are possibly a little too fashion forward for the average customer but add that touch of spice for the editors and fashion-forward.

Ports1961 menswear is an evolving story and it will be interesting to see how it does after the new print media campaigns break in Vogue and Fantastic Man in the Autumn season.

Menswear Designer- Todd Snyder

2011-07-31T05:44:00.000-07:00

Newcomer Todd Snyder is no stranger to menswear having spent a long and fruitful career in fashion. His experience runs from Polo- Ralph Lauren where he was a tailoring assistant to Gap and on to J. Crew where he was Vice President of Mens' Design. The A/W 11 debut menswear collection will be sold in selected stores such as Odin in NYC and Tommorowland in Japan. The collection's sensibility is British Savile Row tailoring meets Downtown New York utility.

Pitbull- ft Ne-Yo 'Give Me Everything'

2011-07-24T11:16:00.000-07:00

Pitbull ft. Ne-Yo - 'Give Me Everything'

Model Boys at Play- S/S 12 Models

2011-07-19T12:06:00.000-07:00

The Model Boys of the S/S 12 Collections at play

Menswear Comes of Age - Samuel Membery

2011-07-19T08:20:00.000-07:00

Images copyright Dominic Tschudin

London based menswear designer Samuel Membery is a graduate of The Royal College of Art 2011. His work is an exercise in pairded-down styling and quite minimalist in execution. Already being touted for greatness word on the street is that he may have already been snapped up by a tour de fource Menswear brand based in Milan, Italy. Samuel is definitely one to watch on the emerging British menswear scene.

TOM FORD talks Fashion!

2011-06-05T02:21:00.000-07:00

Tom Ford talks Fashion. Segment from a CNN Interview.

A New Vision of Fashion.

2011-05-26T13:42:00.000-07:00

Sometimes a brand drops off your radar for no apparent reason and I was reminded of this recently on seeing a flurry of Blog posts about a particular retail concept store here in London.

KIRK Originals is the optical brand created by Jason Kirk and his partner Karen. The brand has been around for 20 years and I met up with Jason at his latest concept Flagship store on Conduit Street London to talk through the collections and to hear about his philosophy on selling spectacles.

He is third generation in the business and started out after discovering some wonderful vintage frames that belonged to his grandfather. Nick Coleman and Ally Capellino are just a few of the people who snapped up these frames back then and Jason realized that were they led others would follow and he was right, building up a steady following of design savvy fans over the years.

Jason Kirk believes that glasses are not just a utilitarian product but that spectacles should be fashionable and fun and that we should all have more than one pair! He has created a first class collection which seems to draw of classic shapes but introducing both colour and technical innovations like lenticular images, that clearly move ordinary frames to another level.

Add to this the uber-cool store that moves the goalposts on shop-fit for opticians and in fact throws away the rule book. Already hailed as an modern marvel the store makes shopping for spectacles a fun and fashionable eye-catching experience. A sunglass collection is also debuting.

KIRK originals is a brand that many in the know have been following for years and one only imagines that the following is going to grow in the coming years and definitely worth checking out.

6 Conduit Street, London W1S 2XE

So what's broken at GAP?

2011-05-06T03:19:00.000-07:00

News announced this week that Creative Director of GAP Patrick Robinson had been removed from the role with immediate effect could be both good and bad news for the brand! Robinson who has headed up Design at GAP for four years has failed to turn around the downward spiraling sales and lack-lustre reception GAP has faced for years now.

So what's been going wrong at GAP? I would suggest that it is not one specific factor but a whole host of different issues that has come together to undo the customer's interest in what was once an iconic brand. Essentially GAP grew old with its customers and lost sight of who their customer is and what that customer might want to buy. Nobody came close to touching GAP in the early 80's - it was a destination shopping experience with its uber-cool basics namely Chinos and Sweats, but it appears the business just sat back confident in the fact that their customer would always keep returning and buying the same products- at their peril! The customer got savvy to fashion trends, as the internet and media bombard and dictate tastes, styles and fashion on a daily basis. Whilst there is nothing wrong with basics, there is something wrong in just presenting them in the same old way.

Some might say that if finger-pointing is required then it's the fault of senior management at GAP and perhaps too much management! US mega-brands are notorious for the many layers of management that in effect can have a detrimental effect on the process of delivering a product to market. "Design by Committee" whereby many levels of management have input and say as to how a finished product should look can be disastrous. It might also be said that it is a challenge for a designer/creative director, even that of Patrick Robinson's calibre to carry the load of an entire men's and womens' offering across so many product ranges, and that perhaps the role should have been split.

Then there is the product offering itself. GAP had it's core basics, such as the Chino, the Sweathshirt and the Denim Chambray shirts and less so the Denim jean [although some may argue that point]? All of these products have been 'refashioned' in the last 10-15 years and alas GAP never quite saw the need to do this, once again choosing to rest on it's historic laurels. The exception being back in the late 90's when they introduced their "1969" range- a very specific and targeted denim offer that hit the nail on the head and embraced both lifestyle and fashion whilst appealing to a GAP customer and I suspect was hugely successful. However, that fell by the wayside and over time became a badge that went onto more general product ranges thus diluting the impact and one suggests killed off sales..

Patrick Robinson has faced a monumental task to turn the product offering around, with both his own design team and by introducing designer collaborations that included one with the Italian Luxury Fashion House Valentino- but some would suggest that the disconnect between customer, product line and core GAP values was far to great for this to add value to GAP! Shouldn't they have been trying to win back and impress their own customers first?

We live in an age where image and retail environment are also crucial to success. Take a look in GAP stores wherever you might be and they have not moved on either since the 90's. The stripped wooden floor and plain white/silver shop fittings have moved from what might have been considered utilitarian and spare in the 80's to just basic and boring in the 21st Century. It seems that the management of GAP have totally lost sight of the customer, the customer's needs and what customers engage with on the High Street. Add to this, it's media and ad campaigns- which used to have people sit up and applaud- the amazing Christmas TV segments were groundbreaking- not anymore. Look at social media today and the impact of Facebook and Twitter and how those web portals are changing the way consumers both engage with brands and how they spend money both online and in retail stores. I recently discovered that in spite of having more then 40,000 followers on Twitter, that the GAP official Twitter page is only following 40 people! If that's not a clear case of a brand that does not 'get' it's customers or social media then nothing is. Missing a trick, I would certainly say so.

In recent months GAP experienced an unprecedented backlash from both the fashion/creative industry and consumers alike to it's rebranding exercise, when it planned to throw out the original GAP logo/branding and replace it with a new updated version. The poorly executed redesign caused a storm of bad publicity and negative press for GAP forcing them to throw out the new logo and revert to the classic branding. Interestingly though, it also showed how much good-will the consumer still has for the GAP brand and that in itself should be encouraging to the senior management of the business.

However, it still begs the question how can a billion dollar company with all of the money and resource at its disposal continue to get it so wrong for such a long time.

Something drastic has to be done and soon or this iconic brand will disappear into the mists of retail history which would indeed be a shame.

Penhaligons- LONDON

2011-04-13T13:34:00.000-07:00

Perfume is liquid emotion....and so began the magical journey tonight into the world of frangrance. Pehaligon London launched its latest collection of products and new perfumes onto an eager blogasphere and Twitterati at sultry cocktail bar and speakeasy 'Callooh Callay' in trendy Shoreditch to great effect. Being transported 'Narnia' like through an old wardrobe with an individual key tied with pink ribbon- what awaited us on the other side was pure wonderment!
A highlight was the personal 'Frangrance Profiling' carried out by the ebullient Richard [ General Manager of the Flagship store] who took me on a journey of high and low notes from dark coffee to cardomom to ginger and even condensed milk- I kid you not. My journey ended at a fragrance called 'Zizonia' and I am hooked! I have to admit that my pre conceptions of the Penhaligon brand is that of a slightly fusty, rather old-fashioned British cologne maker and nothing could be further from the truth. Penhaligons are embracing their history and boldly going forth with beautiful product amazingly presented and I am sure are attracting a new, sophisticated and younger customer and deservedly so. They are creating a 'new heritage' and I for one am a convert and shall be stopping by the Penhaligon Flagship store in Wellington St for some goodies!

The Liberty 'Best of British Design' Open Call Day.

2011-04-09T10:28:00.000-07:00

The Liberty Best of British Design Open Call Day happened for the third year earlier this month at the store here in London. Hundreds of talented London designers waited for hours to have an opportunity to present their collections to the Buying teams of Liberty. It is a fantastic initiative launched by Liberty three years ago and continues to grow in profile and the standard of designs shown. Due to the incredibly high demand there will be another Liberty Open Call day held later in the year [August 2011] and details are available on the Liberty website, as designers will need to register their interest.

Brooke Roberts- The Appliance of Science and Wool!

2011-03-14T07:40:00.000-07:00

Images Philip Meech

Brooke Roberts is an innovative knitwear designer whose work involves programmes from x-rays and CT scans, body-mapping and contouring to achieve striking graphic effects through colour and texture. This London based Australian designer has several years' experience creating knitwear in Italy where she mixes yarns to great technical effect. Her knitwear combines cashmere, wool, cotton, silk, techno-plastic, metallic and retro-reflective yarns.

The A/W11 collection was inspired by X-ray films- which takes grey scales according to exposure and with ingenious application transforms these into structured knitted jacquards that mix multi-tonal yarns in grey, camel and natural cashwool. This programming can take days and weeks to finesse and is a testament to the dedication of the designer, who will settle for nothing less than perfection. The wood and Perspex accessories have been created in collaboration with Eye of The World Designs featuring some clear PVC belts, and wood toggle fastenings for the coat. This new collection has been shot by noted photographer Philip Meech who picks up on the knit detail and graphic lines to great effect!

As an emerging designer in London Brooke Roberts is already getting a cool following and has featured regularly in Vogue Italia. Her S/S11 collection will debut in Browns Focus for High Summer- May 2011.

Is Social Media a Fad?

2011-02-27T06:03:00.000-08:00

The statistics that reveal many facts about 'Social Media' and the speed it is taking over communication in the World today.

Claudy Jongstra - Art in Textiles

2011-02-24T13:36:00.000-08:00

Claudy Jongstra is an internationally recognised artist working with natural materials such as wool and silk, utilisiing all natural dyes extracted from plants grown in her own laboratory garden. Plants such as delphinium, red clover and dandelions result in brilliant colours. Beginning with her own flock of Drenthe Heath sheep (a rare Dutch breed) she has been developing the process of felted wools for fourteen years and has turned this once humble product into a contemporary material. In addition to developing fabrics for top fashion houses like John Galliano, Christian Lacroix and Alexander van Slobe, she also takes commission for wall hangings and installations. Her work has featured in The Dutch Embassy in Berlin, and the Lincoln Centre for Performing Arts in New York.
I recently met the artist here in London where she has collaborated with the Willer Showroom/Gallery on a range of textiles for home furnishings and interior design. Creative Director Miles de Lange has know the artist for many years but it has only been in the recent months that a collaboration has been possible resulting in a beautiful collection of textile products. Jongstra is as passionate about the process - design, carding, dyeing and her art as much as she is about the dye plants and her flock of sheep and strives to work in an ethical and sustainable manner.
Her work with a dedicated team has taken a craft with innovative processes along with her artisan's design aesthetic and has elevated it to an artform!

Photographer- Bill Cunningham's New York

2011-02-16T06:28:00.000-08:00

Bill Cunningham New York

a film by Richard Press
80 min
“When fashion fans talk about street style these days, they’re likely to drop the names of Scott Schuman, Yvan Rodic aka The Facehunter or Garance Doré . But most of them forget about a true pioneer in this field, 80-year-old New York Times photographer Bill Cunningham, who now gets the credit he deserves in new documentary Bill Cunningham New York.”

- The Independent (UK) (“ New documentary honors streetstyle visionary”)

Greg Lauren- Declares 'War' on Menswear!

2011-02-16T04:40:00.000-08:00

Images : Barneys New York

There is no question if your last name is Lauren and you are related to the eponymous fashion dynasty, it might get your new venture on the radar of the fashion Press. However, Greg Lauren who is Ralph’s nephew has a design aesthetic and unique point of view where his menswear offering is concerned. This is certain to get the interest of the Press on it's own merit. The Designer who hails from a formal Art background, has in the past created installations, paints nudes and illustrates ‘Batman’ comics and certainly brings a unique sensibility to his craft.

The collection is tailored but utilises deconstructed and decommissioned military uniforms and army duffle bags which the designer has collected from flea markets, vintage collectors and yard sales. The collection consists of Jackets and scarves in black, white and khaki. There is a tailored ‘new Tux’ featuring distressed and washed silk faille and puts a new take on luxury deconstruction.

Lauren’s collection has just been launched in Barneys New York with an impressive installation and is bound to draw the interest of both fashion savvy ‘Manhattanites’ and vintage collectors.

Marlon Gobel - Menswear A/W11

2011-02-13T07:04:00.000-08:00

Images: GoRunway
Images: Neilson Bernard/Getty Images

New York based designer Marlon Gobel presented his fully fledged Menswear collection during New York Fashion Week [A/W11]. This designer whose pedigree includes stints with menswear supremos Thom Browne and Michael Bastian clearly knows how to network in the industry. The collection was rich in textures with corduroy, painted velours, shearling and chunky cable knits and whislt had a confident air about it one feels that Gobel needs to find his own take on that 'urban man-about-town' menswear offering. There is no question that the Michael Bastian and Thom Browne influences are ever present, which is also evident in how the show was styled. That said it was an impressive offering with enough interesting pieces one imagines to get the Buyer's attention.
He has pulled off a major coo by having shoe designer extraordinaire Christian Louboutin design an exclusive range for his menswear show! Eagerly anticipated the shoes did not disappoint and perhaps were at times in danger of 'upstaging' the fashion.
Gold spiked Slippers along with Violet coloured suede slip-ons complete with gold bauble ornamentation more than hinted at Louis XIV and the golden age of decadence. It also played with the Trend of 'Victorian Dandy' which was spotted in Italy during the menwear offering.
Whether this shoe collection will ever make it into production is anyone's guess, but one suspects that if it does there might be some fans who will happily pay for these outlandish creations.

Christopher Raeburn- Victorinox Collaboration A/W11

2011-02-13T05:41:00.001-08:00

Images : Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images N.America

Christopher Ræburn is a young UK designer known for his pioneering work creating ethically aware and innovative men’s and womenswear collections from re-appropriated military fabrics. An MA graduate of the prestigious Royal College of Art in 2006, Ræburn launched in 2008 his label utilising decommissioned military stocks of uniform and parachute fabrics to create functional, intelligent, and meticulously crafted garments. Ræburn’s namesake designs are proudly REMADE IN ENGLAND in his own East London production facility.

Ræburn’s intellectual aesthetics, exceptional quality and fastidious attention to detail caught the eye of Victorinox, creators of the Original Swiss Army Knife. The brand commissioned him to create a REMADE IN SWITZERLAND capsule collection for Autumn / Winter 2011. Ræburn first visited the Victorinox factory in Ibach, Switzerland. He also explored several ‘Liq Stores’, as local military surplus stores are known, to source fabrics and inspiration for the capsule collection.

Ræburn conceived a capsule of 8 items, each to be produced in a hand-numbered limited edition of 100 pieces. ‘The project is a fantastic opportunity to align the innovation and individuality of the Christopher Ræburn brand with the heritage and quality of Victorinox’, says Ræburn. ‘Built to last, the resulting garments constructed from re-appropriated Swiss military fabrics are a celebration of craft and a reaction to fast fashion. REMADE IN SWITZERLAND is truly unique’.

This collaboration was presented with an installation during New York Fashion Week [Feb 2011] at the Eyebeam Space in NYC.

Designers to Watch - LFW A/W11 Season

2011-02-10T09:31:00.000-08:00

Image Christopher Raeburn A/W11 Menswear

London Fashion Week kicks off on the 18th February 2011 and I will be seeking out the following brands as I consider them all to be a fantastic crop of emerging London based design talent that needs the support and deserves to move into the spotlight any day now.

Brooke Roberts- Knitwear, J.JS Lee- Womenswear, Holly Fulton- Womenswear, LiLee- Womenswear, Kang-D- Menswear, Hermione de Paula- Womenswear, Georgia Hardinge- Womenswear, Eudon Choi- Womenswear, Ada Zanditon- Womenswear, Christopher Raeburn- Outerwear, Yasmin Kianfar- Womenswear/Lingerie, Lislee Yeung-Womenswear, Nicole Murray-Womenswear, Co Operative Designs-Knitwear, Lu Flux-Womenswear/Menswear, George Angelopoulos- Accessories, Viking Wong-Womenswear, Jordan Askill-Jewellery/Accessories, Felicity Brown-Womenswear, Mode en Module-Accessories/Jewellery , Jade Kang- Womenswear and J.W.Anderson-Menswear/Womenswear. Many of these designers are regularly featured on the Fashion156 website which continually supports British design talent.

'Fashion Alchemy' Manish Arora - the new face of Paco Rabanne

2011-02-06T03:42:00.000-08:00

Images Style.com

News reaches us that fashion house Paco Rabanne has a newly chosen Creative Director- Indian designer Manish Arora. There is no doubt that Manish Arora is an incredibly gifted designer with a very specific aesthetic -Central St. Martins trained. However, whilst he might be revered in his native India I would suggest he may not be the right fit for Paco Rabanne. His work is unquestionably innovative and colourful but in many ways he can take it to the 'extreme' in so many ways.
One suspects that Puig (Spanish parent company) are looking at the bottom line from Day 1 which may or may not be short sighted. Luxury fashion generates incredible revenues when it works, but that now consists of building a global brand that will develop much larger returns on perfume, eyewear, accessories and other high-margin product lines rather than some loss-making fashion collections (for the most part). However this strategy can take several years to pay dividend and increasingly becoming more challenging.
Puig - not known for patience when it comes to their fashion portfolio - just ask the incredibly gifted Olivier Theyskens who as Creative Director at Nina Ricci produced some magnificent collections, to great Press acclaim and immortalised in the documentary film 'The September Issue' which takes a fly on the wall look at U.S. Vogue, for him only to be shown the door and the label shuttered after one year, as it did not make the forecasted commercial return for Puig!

BRIC (Russia, India, China, Brazil) countries are being watched closely but India is still at a very early stage of the global luxury cycle, and whilst Manish Arora is revered in his own country, I am not sure if that can translate into driving the Paco Rabanne brand globally.
To make a successful fashion brand work today is like finding a 'magic formula'. Components such as the Creative talent, the infrastructure and finance for that talent to grow are all crucial but eqaully important is the vision and business talent of the CEO who heads that company. Examples are Burberry's Angela Ahrendts with Christopher Bailey, Marc Jacobs and Robert Duffy with Mr. Arnault at Louis Vuitton both huge success stories. But having all those elements line up is almost like 'fashion alchemy' and does not always succeed. Think back some years ago to a then lesser known designer who was creative director for YSL- it transpired he was not the right fit and soon replaced. Fast forward to 2011 and that designer heads up one of the most profile luxury fashion brands on the Planet- namely Alber Elbaz at Lanvin!
One hopes that Manish Arora may work his colourful magic at Paco Rabanne and only time will tell!

Alexandre Plokhov- Menswear A/W 11- Paris

2011-02-03T23:12:00.000-08:00

ALEXANDRE PLOKHOV FALL/WINTER 2011 Directed by Douglas Keeve from ALEXANDRE PLOKHOV on Vimeo.

Menswear designer Alexandre Plokhov is looking to take men's tailoring to another level. Edgy, contemporary and innovative he is attracting a younger customer who is looking for cool tailoring but not interested in the classic or staid suit! Plokhov was a co-founder of the 'Cloak' label and has done his time at the house of Versace (menswear). His Aututm/Winter 11 collection presented in Paris includes some stand-out pieces like the wool overcoat with the peeled back front panel that reveals a leather biker jacket underlayer- brilliant! The film is directed by Douglas Keeve and presents the collection in a clean, uncluttered way which seems to be in keeping with the designer's aesthetic.

Dirk Bikkemberg- South Africa - Underwear Shoot

2011-01-31T13:35:00.000-08:00

Designer Dirk Bikkemberg takes a football team of models or a team of model footballers to the desert in S.Africa for a week to shoot his underwear campaign with some rather striking results.

The Model Boys of Milan & Paris Menswear A/W11

2011-01-27T01:09:00.000-08:00

Jak an Jil's collab Video - The Model Boys of Paris & Milan Menswear shows have fun!

Siki Im - Menswear Designer

2011-01-26T09:04:00.001-08:00

Images copyright Pete Deevakull and David Smith

Designer Siki Im has had an interesting journey en route to the fashion industry. The 33 year old is German born, but has lived and studied architecture in London then finally ended up in New York. Working as a architect in the first instance he then gravitated to fashion by way of work experience at Helmut Lang. His menswear can be best described as 'conceptual' but exectued with great finesse and attention to detail it adheres to Western influenced tailoring but balanced with Eastern influenced sensibility. He recently collaborated with Leong Leong a cutting edge architectural design agency in NY who created a radical concept pop-up store made of foam. Known as "Building Fashion" the project was meshing work from fashion and architecture. The site was on 24th street in Chelsea NY.
Last we hear Siki Im is yet to be stocked in London but I imagine it's only a matter of time before canny retailers such as LN-CC, Hostem or Browns Menswear are swayed!

Thom Browne - Menswear Fall 2011

2011-01-24T05:56:00.000-08:00

The Peter Pan of designer menswear Thom Browne showed a triumphant collection A/W 11 in Paris this weekend. With his usual disregard for anything conforming, Browne used volume and scale to emphasise his take on a ‘Victorian Dandy’ by way of Americana- read that as a varying palette of grey plaid fabrics. Mixing and matching scale, colour and size he also did a take on Victorian Mourning- with several all black looks too. Again using his now trademark red, white and blue grosgrain tape trim on some of these styles to great effect. One look in plaid also looked to be using ‘spotted owl’ feathers on a tunic piece!

I am a huge fan of Thom Browne and respect that he has a very unique creative vision which he seems not to want to compromise about. But this season, as with last season I ask the question will any of this collection actually sell in stores and who is the customer? I believe the mark of a true fashion entrepreneur is to develop their creative vision within the realms of the industry in order to make commercial sense and ultimately to make sales. Nobody doubts that Browne can push the envelope and challenges how we engage with menswear. He can single-handedly take credit for the ‘shrunken suit’ and ‘cropped suit trouser legs ’ that has worked its way into the menswear psyche. It costs a lot of money today to be at the vanguard of menswear fashion and whilst being innovative and 'out there' with his design, sales must be at the heart of any fashion buisness trying to succeed. Sadly Thom Browne has already had his business fail once before and one asks is it necessary for him to start producing more commercial collections in order to survive? It would be a great shame if such a creative talent as Browne went the way of other genius designers such as celebrated couturier Christian Lacroix who lost his Fashion House in 2010!

Hermes- New Concept Store- Paris

2011-01-04T05:02:00.000-08:00

Hermes- The latest addition to the Hermes family is the new concept store located at 17 rue de Sevres, Paris. Situated in what was an 'Art Noveau' swimming pool and featuring a cafe and a florist, this beautiful open space certainly captures the imagination. Impressive sculptured wooden latticing is formed into unique pod shapes that showcase the collections. Certainly worth a visit if you are in Paris.

Hermes - 17 rue de Sevres, Paris.

TOM FORD- S/S 11 Salon Presentation

2011-01-02T08:51:00.000-08:00

TOM FORD S/S 11 Salon Presentation - New York

Fashion Designers to Watch in 2011.

2010-12-27T03:14:00.000-08:00

Image: Hermione de Paula S/S 11

Some of the collections I saw and liked during LFW last season S/S 11 including some debuts and in no particular order of merit include Brooke Roberts- Knitwear, J.JS Lee- Womenswear, Holly Fulton- Womenswear, LiLee- Womenswear, Kang-D- Menswear, Hermione de Paula- Womenswear, Georgia Hardinge- Womenswear, Eudon Choi- Womenswear, Ada Zanditon- Womenswear, Christopher Raeburn- Outerwear, Yasmin Kianfar- Womenswear/Lingerie, Lislee Yeung-Womenswear, Matteo Bigliardi-Menswear, Nicole Murray-Womenswear, Co Operative Designs-Knitwear, Lu Flux-Womenswear/Menswear, George Angelopoulos- Accessories, Viking Wong-Womenswear, Jordan Askill-Jewellery/Accessories, Felicity Brown-Womenswear, Mode en Module-Accessories/Jewellery , Jade Kang- Womenswear and J.W.Anderson-Menswear/Womenswear. Many of these designers are regularly featured on the Fashion156 website which continually supports British design talent.

I predict that many of these emerging fashion brands will have a bright future and I will be following their progress with continued interest.

Image: Hermione de Paula S/S 11

Uniqlo- Trouble Brewing?

2010-12-07T06:13:00.000-08:00

Financial reporting on Bloomberg states that “Fast Retailing’s shares have plunged 26% in 2010, sales in stores open more than one year fell 25% in September, continuing to slide through November and the company forecast its first profit decline in four years”. So all is not right in the ‘World of Uniqlo’! Over the past 26 years Uniqlo has become Asia's biggest clothing retailer.

The Jury is still out on the success of the latest Autumn/Winter 10 +J collections that launched in Oct/Nov but comments suggest that the womenswear offering was far better received than menswear. It must also be noted that the price points were noticeably higher then previous collections for the +J range - the collaboration that brought profile Designer Jil Sander on board as Creative Director.

The suggestion is that Uniqlo has take its eye off the ball and have begun to chase High-street retailers such as Zara and Hennes & Mauritz with stocking more fashion-forward collections. By trying to deliver very trend led fast fashion as these competitors do, Uniqlo has moved from its core mission and company strength which is the mass purchase of fabric to produce large volume of basics and a more functional clothing offer. That’s not to say that Uniqlo cannot offer some fashion items but this should be used as a marketing draw and not as a core business offer. I guess time will tell to see if Uniqlo can get itself back on track in the coming seasons.

Vogue Diaries- Lady GaGa photo shoot.

2010-12-04T10:01:00.000-08:00

A segment from the photoshoot for American Vogue styled by Grace Coddington and photographed by Annie Leibovitz and featuring the one and only Lady GaGa along with supermodel Lily Cole.

Glee- New Season 2- Never Been Kissed

2010-12-04T06:28:00.000-08:00

The new season of Glee (second) has been showing in the U.S with several new characters joining the cast including Blaine played by actor Darren Criss...who originally auditioned for the part of Finn way back before Glee aired. This version of the Katy Perry song 'Teenage Dream' is sung by him and the Dalton Boys School Glee Club in the episode entitled 'Never Been Kissed'.

Cornfield - Ryuji Nakamura

2010-12-02T12:20:00.000-08:00

Installation created by Japanese Architect Ryuji Nakamura for the National Museum of Modern Art in Tokyo. Entitled 'Cornfield' the work is built entirely of paper and glue.

Monocle/UK Trade and Investment- London Fashion Designers

2010-11-28T09:53:00.000-08:00

Monocle Magazine showcase the creativity and talent that is London Design today and showcases some of the emerging fashion brands to watch including the talented British outerwear designer Christopher Raeburn.

Rhythm

2010-11-27T08:44:00.000-08:00

"They are made simply by one craftsman, stitch by stitch like the rhythm of a heartbeat" is so described the hand made leather accessories of Japanese designer Shoichiro Ibushi's brand 'Rhythm'. Having started working with leather as a hobby, his pasttime has developed into a small business now with his own Atelier. The designer feels that the products should have a strong ident but not get caught up in fashion! Beautiful, timeless quality leather goods that will last a lifetime and only improve with age.

www.rhythm2010.com

Filson- U.S Outfitters

2010-11-26T07:29:00.000-08:00

Filson is a leading U.S. outfitter for outdoor enthusiasts and continues to present day to provide high quality apparel and accessories since it was founded in 1897. Using their own specialist heavy wools, robust cotton and bridle leather they occupy a unique place in the American general goods market and is passed down from generation to generation. Filson produce their goods in a factory in Seattle, Washington State and have a dedicated following of fans. Their heavyweight Tin Cloth and rugged Mackinaw Wool can withstand the worst outdoor elements and encompasses tough yet sought after comfortable garments. This brand is a well kept secret but more Europeans are getting to know it and what great products they produce.

The Johnny Cash Project

2010-11-26T03:15:00.000-08:00

The Johnny Cash Project is a unique web portal that combines crowd sourcing technology with music and art. Simply put this interactive website allows users to select a single frame from a Johnny Cash music video and then by using an art toolkit draw their own style of the image which is superimposed on the frame. This in turn is then uploaded and edited into the video and then becomes an integral part an ever evolving music video. You don’t need to be a fan of the man in black but it helps!

www.thejohnnycashproject.com

"Away We Stay"- W Hotel - Leicester Sq.

2010-11-12T05:36:00.000-08:00

‘W’ Hotel Group have premiered a new film written and directed by Edoardo Ponti entitled “Away We Stay” to launch their latest hotel in Leicester Square, London. This 10 minute film features former supermodel Helena Christensen and the world’s first male supermodel David Gandy in a cryptic tale of romance, attraction and the choices we make in life. It also features a cameo by British actor Tom Hollander. Shot on location at the new ‘W’ Leicester Square - the film is a very stylish introduction to the new hotel which is due to open on St.Valentine’s Day 2011.

Ralph Lauren 10th Anniversary Digital Media Installation Video

2010-11-10T23:46:00.000-08:00

Ralph Lauren celebrated 10 years of digital mapping technology last night by staging what is being hailed as a 4D installation experience at it's Madison Avenue(NYC) and New Bond St (LON) flagship stores last night. It is reported that a large team spent months developing this digital spectacle at a cost of up to six figures which once again puts Ralph Lauren at the forefront of marketing and brand development in this digital age. Using giant beamers strategically positioned, large images of product, perfume bottles and live polo matches all played out seamlessy and larger than life on the exterior of both buildings which had been carefully been mapped out brick by brick featuring digial mapping technology. As the giant perfume bottles appeared on the building the air was being pumped with the new frangrance creating an extra sensory experience for most spectators. Whatever the cost, this remarkable spectacle reflects just how important digital media is becoming for Luxury brands and is set to continue in the future.

Lanvin/H&M Collection- Film

2010-11-02T07:43:00.001-07:00

Louis Vuitton - The Art of Travel

2010-11-02T05:21:00.000-07:00

Currently running at the Musee Carnavalet- Histoire De Paris is a splendid exhibition entitled ‘Voyage en Capital - Louis Vuitton & Paris’ which showcases the art of travel for 150 yrs as seen through the hand-crafted luggage created by its eponymous founder in 1854. Highlighting the history of the house of LV, the craftsmanship, collaborations and even the trademarking documentation for the original LV ‘Monogram’ logo in 1905, which has remained virtually unchanged today. The exhibition also shows the global reach of the LV brand and its approach to image and architecture which showcases examples such as the Tokyo- Ginza store in Japan to the historic façade of the Taj Mahal Palace & Tower in India. This fascinating exhibition runs from 13 October- 27 February 2011 and is a must see for fans of Louis Vuitton.

Musee Carnivalet- Histoire De Paris 23, rue de Sevigne, 75003 Paris.

Martine Rose- Menswear S/S11

2010-10-14T08:53:00.000-07:00

Another London based menswear designer I have been following for several seasons now is Martine Rose whose career began with fashion label LMNOP, but who has been developing her men’s shirt collection with gusto for some time now! She presents her latest collection ‘Cut and Paste’ for s/s11 as part of the ‘MAN’ showcase. This designer has grown in stature and develops the label into a complete offering that includes some radical outerwear and separates including Parkas, cargo pants and jeanswear. Combining technical fabrics with sportswear influences she brings an engaging silhouette that is totally original. Genius classic shirt shapes that are fabric blocked with white shirting and techno parachute fabric to great effect!

Added to this mix tone on tone brocade fabrics and classic shirting and the result is a radical but tightly edited offering that exudes elements of hip-hop, and street style.

Martine has collaborated with Wallpaper and Timberland in the recent past and is set to make a big impression on the London menswear scene and is definitely a new menswear brand to watch.

Images courtesy of Vogue.com

Street Cool

2010-10-14T05:57:00.000-07:00

British Fashion's 'Next Generation'.

2010-10-13T04:53:00.000-07:00

Images Eudon Choi s/s11

Now the curtain has been lowered on the theatre that is Fashion Week S/S11– the time has come to unpick the offerings of many designer collections. The month long frenzy of activity draws to a close and follows Fashion editors, Fashion Bloggers, Models, hair and make up artists, stylists, and those mercurial creatures known as the ‘Buyers’ from New York to London, on to Milan and culminating in Paris. So it’s now time to consider what happens next.

Reading reviews about countless high-profile Designers and ‘Fashion Houses’ that take centre-stage and fight for column inches, it is also important to consider the next generation designers and fashion brands that need some ‘editorial’ light focussed on them. These designers are the future of the British fashion industry and in the current economic climate face incredible odds against succeeding. As I have said before, British design talent is considered by many to be at the forefront of creativity and the UK is where some of the most innovative fashion labels are born.

I am always surprised and dismayed that most of the mainstream Fashion media seem to overlook so many emerging and burgeoning fashion designers who also show their collections (off-schedule for the most part) but something that continues to establish itself as an increasingly important platform for the industry. Noteworthy exceptions are GQ.com (part of the conde nast group) who showcased reviews and images of many British menswear designers showing under the ‘MAN’ day collective at the BFC’s venue at Somerset House and Vogue.com who under direction of Editor Jessica Bumpus gives coverage to emerging womenswear design talent.

Organisations such as Vauxhall Fashion Scout and On/Off are pivotal in giving emerging talent a platform for exhibition and presentation space, as well as catwalk show space during LFW and act as a magnet for media and buyers from around the World but still struggle to get mainstream media coverage on its home turf! It’s time that high-profile fashion editors take note and start featuring ‘next generation’ designers more often.

Some of the collections I saw and liked during LFW including debuts and in no particular order of merit includes Brooke Roberts- Knitwear, J.JS Lee- Womenswear, Holly Fulton- Womenswear, LiLee- Womenswear, Kang-D- Menswear, Hermione de Paula- Womenswear, Georgia Hardinge- Womenswear, Eudon Choi- Womenswear, Ada Zanditon- Womenswear, Christopher Raeburn- Outerwear, Yasmin Kianfar- Womenswear/Lingerie, Lislee Yeung-Womenswear, Matteo Bigliardi-Menswear, Nicole Murray-Womenswear, Co Operative Designs-Knitwear, Lu Flux-Womenswear/Menswear, George Angelopoulos- Accessories, Viking Wong-Womenswear, Jordan Askill-Jewellery/Accessories, Felicity Brown-Womenswear, Mode en Module-Accessories/Jewellery , Jade Kang- Womenswear and J.W.Anderson-Menswear/Womenswear. Many of these designers are regularly featured on the Fashion156 website which continually supports British design talent.

I predict that many of these emerging fashion brands will have a bright future and I will be following their progress with continued interest.

Frater Menswear S/S 11

2010-10-11T07:55:00.000-07:00

Making his debut this season with a contemporary urban label (with a twist) ‘Frater’ Creative Director Michael Brown draws upon influences from his home town of Manchester and the city’s creative heritage. This S/S 11 capsule collection features T-shirt, polo shirts, knitwear and underwear and focuses on unique detailing on collars and cuffs. Another part of the collection features a range of graphic print T-shirts with influences from the artist Eugene Delacroix and the French Romantic school paintings. Whilst targeting a decidedly urban customer the ‘Frater’ brand also suggests elements of Americana such as Pendleton and draws on Native American themes and retro classics- pieces such as the De Nimes shirt lined with cream corduroy and contrast patch pockets and the N1 Deck Jacket in heavy waxed cotton should have a broad appeal. The brand's recurring logo is a feather which again harks back to classic Native American imagery.

A promising debut and it will be interesting to see the collection expanded into a full menswear offering for A/W 11/12.

www.fraterclothing.com

D.GNAK by Kang. D

2010-09-28T06:43:00.000-07:00

Hailing from Korea and making his debut at London Fashion Week this season, Menswear designer Kang, Dong-Jun presented for S/S 11 a master-class in understated tailoring on the catwalk at Vauxhall Fashion Scout’s Freemasons Hall venue.

A very concise and carefully edited collection of 25 key pieces, which includes a double breasted cape and beautifully crafted db Trench. The premise of the S/S 11 collection is a deconstructed tailoring story embracing casual elements with details such as asymmetric hemlines on shirts and tailored jackets. Carefully edited slits in lapels and sleeves give a quirky and innovative styling opportunity. Drawstring detailing in trouser legs, trouser creases and jacket sleeves add softness to the tailoring without getting too casual and works extremely well. Add to this a mostly neutral colour palette of dove and silver greys, taupe and stone in quality wools and expertly crafted garments make for a most interesting and rewarding result. The ‘Twisted Suit’ featuring slashed sleeve seams gives a very challenging take on the classic suit and suggests multiple ways of wearing it.

A promising and inspiring debut for this exciting menswear designer and one we look forward to seeing again next season.

Sales: Emma Crosby sales@vauxhallfashionscout.com PR: Daniel Beckman daniel@iroquois.co.uk

All is not 'quite 'right with British Menswear!

2010-09-21T23:46:00.000-07:00

Images Christoper Raeburn S/S11

London Fashion Week draws to a close today with the recently established 'MAN' day. This is a showcasing opportunity for emerging and more established menswear fashion designers to present their S/S 11 collections to Media and Buyers (hopefully)!
NEWGEN MEN is an initiative sponsored by Topshop and facilitated through the British Fashion Council's venue at Somerset House. Launched in September 2009 the MAN day is helping to profile some of the new crop of British menswear talent coming into the industry. Designers like Carolyn Massey, James Long, Omar Kashoura, JW Anderson, Christopher Raeburn, Tim Soar, Sibling, Matthew Miller and Christopher Shannon are presenting first class menswear and given the current state of the fashion industry will welcome an opportunity for the British and in fact World's media to shine some light on their collective creative talent.

However there is something not quite right with the state of British menswear. Whilst the 'MAN' day as part of London Fashion Week gives these designers a platform to showcase their collections it is really only half the battle! It should be pointed out that the Buying season for Men's Designer collections begins in January ( for A/W season) and July (for S/S season) and takes place in Milan, Florence and Paris with an offering from some New York labels. This will be when most of the established and some emerging fashion labels present their collections to the Key Buyers and influencers who will stock their ranges. LFW takes place in late February and September so for menswear labels waiting for LFW can mean that the key Buyers have already seen and bought for the season and with only a slim chance that they will have any budget left over makes getting orders rather hard. Add to this if British designers keep their order books open 'just in case' the likelihood is it can negatively effect their production schedules and ultimately can mean late deliveries - never a good thing.
Britain does not have a formal menswear schedule and does not participate for the most part in the formal selling season- something that even a few menswear designers are unaware of!

Creativity, presenting collections via the catwalk, showcases etc., and editorial coverage is crucial and vitally important for emerging fashion labels in order to be taken seriously in today's media driven society. But even more importantly is 'sales' and getting orders from Buyers and important retailers who will stock these menswear brands. If British designers do not show on the formal calendar (and many don't) then they are missing the real selling opportunity vital for their businesses future survival.

So what's to be done? Well for starters 'British Menswear' needs to be taken seriously by the British Fashion Council who until recently would not permit menswear to be shown at London Fashion Week! There needs to be a showcase event here in London to coincide with the formal menswear calendar January and July ( Milan/Florence/Paris). Historically there may have been an argument that there were just not enough designer menswear brands to warrant a standalone London event but not anymore. The Chairman of the British Fashion Council Harold Tillman himself owns two British profile heritage Brands- Jaeger and Aquascutum. So why doesn't he consider showing in London on a formal menswear schedule? Christopher Bailey -CCO of Burberry whilst championing what is now a Global brand is quintessentially by its heritage a British label- why doesn't he show his menswear in London at a menswear event? Just those three brands together would be an impressive draw for key industry U.S Buyers and Media. Add to this the Savile Row sartorialists, E.Tautz, Richard James, Kilgour, Gieves & Hawkes and numerous other bespoke brands who have also started to show RTW collections.

Now of course this will cost money and the challenge is to find a key sponsor willing to take up the challenge and support British menswear! It would also possibly mean having to entice key Buyers from the USA to come to attend the catwalk shows and buy the collections as already happens with Womenswear!

So I throw down the gauntlet to fashion industry powerhouses such as Nick Robertson- Chief Executive of ASOS.com and Justin King- Chief Executive of Salisbury's and suggest what a fantastic opportunity to support British menswear this could present and what untold marketing/PR opportunities this would bring their companies as a lead sponsor to such a pivotal menswear event. It would also be crucial to have a Media partner and none better then the first-rate editorial team behind GQ Magazine- Editor Dylan Jones and his team already feature many of the above listed designers in their magazine and online at GQ.com during fashion week and champion many emerging British designers.

We recently read in the media about the 'Value of Fashion' report commissioned by the British Fashion Council and that the British fashion industry accounts for £21bn annually. London Fashion Week is reported to bring in £20m for the capital and £100m in orders (for womenswear for the most part) so it's time to give British Menswear a better fighting chance isn't it?

Britain's Got [Design] Talent

2010-08-10T07:19:00.000-07:00

British fashion design talent is considered to be at the forefront of creativity and the UK is where some of the most innovative fashion labels are born. However, as a fashion business adviser it is clear by the increasing numbers of designers seeking my help that there is a clear growing need for sound business advice.

As head of the fashion division at East London Small Business Centre - an agency offering free fashion business advice and mentoring to designers in London - my role is to provide long term business advice to fashion designers and fashion brands. This includes addressing planning and strategy, choosing which retailers to target and developing an action plan for future growth and access to new markets. Some of the most common problems are cash flow, lack of financial support and manufacturing limitations. The reality is that unless designers develop a sound basic knowledge of how a business operates, they will face untold problems from the outset.

In this day and age it is not enough to have incredible creative talent or a unique design aesthetic - the business is producing a product that you must cost, make, market, sell and deliver to a retailer. This takes time, energy, know-how and money, make no mistake.

Add to this the current economic downturn and the fashion industry is facing its toughest trading times in many years. Footfall has dropped alarmingly for many retailers and buyers have had budgets cut and being more risk-averse are less likely to take a gamble on a new or untried fashion label. Then consider those emerging labels that have managed to survive into their second or third season, have secured orders, found the money to produce the goods, shipped to the stores and then face the prospect of not getting paid by cash-strapped retailers. It is imperative for designers to carefully consider a proper plan of action to run their business and to understand how much money it will make. Running a proper business involves real financial understanding- knowing how much money you are spending and most importantly costing your products correctly.

However, in spite of times being tough there are some amazing fashion talents moving into the spotlight right now. Clients I have worked with in the recent past and new clients I continue to advise include Christopher Raeburn, OSMAN, Tim Ryan Knitwear, Carolyn Massey, Manjit Deu, Ada Zanditon, Brooke Roberts, SOAR London, Co Operative Designs to name but a few. Already many of these innovative fashion labels are being courted by key retailers like Liberty’s, Browns, Harvey Nichols in the UK and Barneys, United Arrows, 10 Corso Como and Isetan overseas. Britain definitely does have [design] talent!

Images :Christopher Raeburn

Maison Martin Margiela Exhibition- Somerset House

2010-07-15T03:21:00.000-07:00

I recently went to see the Maison Martin Margiela ‘20’ The Exhibition, a major exhibition at Somerset House celebrating 20 years of one of contemporary fashion’s most influential and enigmatic designers. Martin Margiela and his business partner Jenny Meirens established Maison Martin Margiela after graduating from the Antwerp Academy in 1988. The now cult label is known for its deconstructivist approach, its fashion shows in unexpected places and its taste for recovery and recycling materials.

Highlights for me are the ‘Trompe L’oiel’ display which recaps the 1996 collection made up of simple cut, fluid garments, overprinted in black, grey, sepia and brown tints with old photographs of antique garments such as cocktail dresses and jackets. Another impressive display is the ‘Artisanal Collection’ ranging from 1991- 2009 which showcase the ‘garments remodelled by hand’ items made from recycled and reused components. The fur jacket made from blonde wigs and the jeans constructed from the belts of leather coats present remarkable attention to detail and avant-garde vision.

This show is not on a large scale but has been carefully and thoughtfully constructed to pinpoint the key elements and unique design aesthetic of this duo. Definitely worth going to see this unique fashion exhibition.

Until 5th September 2010 - Embankment Galleries, Somerset House, London

Woolrich Woolen Mills- Spring 2011- Menswear

2010-07-02T04:14:00.000-07:00

Since 1830 Woolrich Inc. has called itself ‘The Original Outdoor Clothing Company” which embraces the outdoor lifestyle. Established in the mindset of the older customer, Woolrich needed to attract 20-30 year olds and has in recent years undertaken a comprehensive range of products, that include, Footwear, Accessories, Outerwear, Hosiery and Homewares. To move the brand into a more contemporary fashion arena they licensed Italian company W.P Lavori to produce a collection of men’s and women’s sportswear under the brand Woolrich Woolen Mills which is presented during menswear fashion week.

Under Creative Director Daiki Suzuki the Spring/Summer 11 collection which is his last presentation is based on a 70's collegiate theme. Suzuki has recently been replaced in the role of Creative Director by Mark Mc Nairy formerly of Ivy league style brand 'J. Press'. Mc Nairy has been quoted as saying he will introduce more utility and military influences into the collection.

Menswear Spring 2011- Thom Browne

2010-06-28T08:50:00.000-07:00

Moving from Italy where he showed a collection for Moncler ‘Gamme Bleu’ to France where Thom Browne showed his eponymous menswear S/S11 collection in the modernist Communist Party headquarters in Paris this weekend. Never one to disappoint when it comes to a spectacle the show began with models entering the space in astronaut suits which when they stepped out of revealed the impeccable tailoring Mr. Browne’s label is synonymous with. The shape was a boxy cropped 2 button jacket with slim cut shorts breaking just above the knee presented in a myriad of fabrics and textures, ranging from sequined, to plaid to classic worsteds and tweed. As always, the devil is in the detail and anyone who knows Thom Browne’s tailoring will understand it’s these details which sets his suits, jackets and overcoats apart. Admittedly, many of these designs are not for the faint-hearted and will remain in the archives of fashion editorial, and with prices running into the high four figures for his suits, one hopes that Browne can deliver enough commercially successful products to keep his label in the black this time ‘round. He has already declared Bankruptcy in the past. Menswear needs mavericks and innovators like this designer to keep pushing the boundaries of fashion!

Images GQ.com

Menswear Spring 2011 - Italy

2010-06-21T08:45:00.000-07:00

Moncler ‘Gamme Blue’- Under the innovative and sometimes radical gaze of designer Thom Browne comes an activewear (cycling to be exact) inspired collection like never before seen. Presented in the usual way-out style Browne is famed for (on a racing track with models on racing bicycles) all things cycling; shorts, leggings, zip pulled jackets, parkas, gilets, knits and coats have been revved up to the max and cross over into formalwear with clever use of retro style prints, gingham fabrics, tapes, bindings, and elasticated tabs.

There is no doubt that Thom Browne has singlehandedly changed the face of menswear fashion originally with his own eponymous brand and now as Creative Director for the Moncler ‘Gamme Bleu’ range. Cleverly moving beyond some of the wacky and editorially showcasing pieces in this collection that will end up gracing the pages of GQ and Vogue Homme the additional pieces in solid black are certain to make this a very successful commercial range for Moncler.

Images GQ.com

Menswear Spring 2011 - Italy

2010-06-21T07:54:00.000-07:00

Prada - where to start. For a fashion ‘powerhouse’ who pride themselves on always leading and never following fashion, the menswear collection was hard to fathom. Denim on denim was not in any way modern or trending. In fact, Prada did beautiful denim tailoring last Spring/Summer and many have followed suit since so it was surprising to see it on the catwalk for next S/S 11 season. Shapes moved from slim fit three button suits/jackets to boxy, slashed neck or oversized and square, not the most flattering at the best of times and large baggy shorts to the knee never look good on any body shape! With the exception of an orange blazer, some blue slim fit tailored jackets and crisp white shirts with a blocked colour stripe down the front facing, everything else went astray. Knitwear in odd colour striped combo’s looked disjointed and mismatched even for Prada and decidedly wintry even in bright colours. Editorial is reporting that they were very directional and new - I disagree! Prada was playing it safe and commercial and it backfired!

Images GQ.com

Menswear Spring 2011 - Italy

2010-06-21T07:19:00.000-07:00

Costume National approaches menswear with a more contemporay take and with a younger customer in mind. Suits and classic tailoring feature but with soft unstructured fabrics like linen and cotton in a neutral palette of soft grey, khaki and white. Slim-cut single breasted suits and blazers appeal with a much more urban edge when worn with cobweb fine knits. Narrow cut trousers, rolled cuffs or cropped brings the look bang up to date!

Images GQ.com

Menswear Spring 2011 - Italy

2010-06-21T07:04:00.000-07:00

At the other end of the spectrum the Jil Sander label under the careful eye of Creative Director Raf Simons runs riot with a kaleidoscope of primary colours executed in classic shapes (belted jackets, coats) worn in multiple layers. He also showed chevron and fine striped knits that were presented in a fresh and innovative way. Certainly not a collection for the faint hearted or colour-shy but once again shows the daring of Mr. Simons and his efforts to move menswear from being mundane to being fun!

Images GQ.com

Menswear Spring 2011 - Italy

2010-06-21T06:50:00.000-07:00

Pitti Uomo – First stop Florence this weekend and then on to Milan where the worlds’ menswear fashion media and buyers come to be inspired and wooded by the fashion offerings of the major Italian houses.

Salvatore Ferragamo presented a sophisticated and polished collection reminiscent of resorts and luxury yachts in Capri or Cap Ferrat. Beautifully crafted blazers, jackets (boxy double-breasted are trending), pleated wide-legged trousers and knitwear in a rather formal colour palette of midnight navy, cream and white all worked well. Hollywood style but this time for the men- 50’s style icons such as Cary Grant and Spencer Tracy spring to mind. Ferragamo is to Italians what Hermes is to the French - unabashed luxury, sumptuous fabrics, impeccable traditional tailoring with a suggested nod to contemporary living-bellissimo!

Images GQ.com

Five Top Tips for Fashion Designers.

2010-05-26T02:38:00.000-07:00

1. Think more Creatively.

During a downturn economy the knee-jerk reaction is to focus solely on salvaging the business, making sales or cutting overheads! Creativity can lead you to better times and does not have to be costly.

2. Be Exclusive.

As a smaller fashion brand you are in a much stronger position to develop capsule collections exclusively for key retailers.

3. Do Your Research.

Know your retailers and the product mix they buy- and never assume! Go see the stores, check the product mix and price points, then ask yourself whether your collection fits in their retail environment. If you believe the Buyer will consider your collection, think how you go about introducing your brand to them.

4. Build Relationships.

It is important that you establish good working relationships with buyers and retailers if you wish to develop your business. They need to understand what what your brand is about, so get to know their taste and buying patterns.

5. Understand your Industry.

Read newspapers, magazines and trade press that focus on the 'business' of fashion. Search the web for editorial on similar brands, competitors and business trends in the market. If you want to survive in the fashion industry then you must know what is going on it it!

Image courtesy of Brooke Roberts A/W 10/11

Not just your average 'Tote Bag'!

2010-05-04T05:46:00.000-07:00

The ubiquitous 'Tote' bag which is a staple in the wardrobe of our American cousins is finally making its presence felt in the UK this Spring/Summer season. From the basic cotton canvas to luxury leather, many designer brands from Gucci to Marc Jacobs are jumping on the ban wagon this season with their own versions of this handy staple. Less well known (U.S.) brands here in the UK are Ernest Alexander (New York) and Filson who are certainly worth checking out if you are going Stateside.

Images: Gucci, Ernest Alexander, Marc by Marc Jacobs

Woods and Woods - Menswear A/W 10/11

2010-02-18T03:08:00.000-08:00

Woods & Woods Man is an established brand (internationally) with its sights firmly set on the UK fashion market. The label was created in Singapore by Jonathan Seow in 2001 who having studied fashion in Canada returned to his native Singapore. He went on to present his first runway collection in Paris for the S/S ’05 season and continues to design and produce in Singapore.

The design aesthetic is based on traditional classic tailoring which embraces key sportswear cues as well as contemporary cut. Featuring intricate panelling, seaming details and mixed fabric combinations that all come together to present a very polished and unique offering. Woods & Woods should definitely appeal to fans of Margaret Howell, Etro and Paul Smith who will appreciate the nod to classics with a contemporary twist.

Woods & Woods A/W 10/11 collection is inspired by Russian artist “ Aleksandr Rodchenko” and the paradoxes in both his life and work. Romanticism collides with the rationalist.

www.woods-and-woods.com

SaintPaul- Shirt label by Jungho Geortay

2010-02-15T07:39:00.000-08:00

SaintPaul is a new shirt label that deserves some attention. The Brussels based men's and women's collection is designed by Jungho Geortay who in addition to having worked for Kenzo and Lanvin is also a design consultant for the Paul & Joe brand, whilst launching his own label. The concept is built around individual print ideas that are engineered in very clever ways. There is a short French poem printed discreetly on the shirts and it is this poem that has inspired the print in each case. This combined with beautiful fabric quality and first class tailoring result in a truly special collection. Spring/Summer 10 has some jazzy neon inspired ideas straight out of Las Vegas and Autumn/Winter 10/11 features some equestrian inspired stripes and a chambray print (with trompe l'oeil pockets) that far transcend the ordinary. SaintPaul is available in Paris, Greece, Germany, Hong Kong but not yet in the UK- but I suspect it is only a matter of time before that changes. Having met the charming Jungho Geortay (designer) at new London menswear show 'Stitch' where he was showing his A/W 10/11 collections, I am sure perceptive menswear Buyers will soon be knocking at his door. Certainly worth checking out on your travels too.

www.welcometosaintpaul.com

Tavigate - Storm in a fashion teacup!

2010-02-04T11:13:00.000-08:00

Image courtesy of WWD

Fashion blogger Tavi Gevinson is at the centre of a major fire-storm kicked off this week by an article in The Independent by Susie Mesure entitled " Fluff flies as fashion writers pick a cat fight with bloggers". The story suggests that a number of reputable fashion journos and key fashion industry players are not happy. The reported preferential and in some cases reverential treatment fashion bloggers get from luxury fashion houses like Chanel and Christian Dior is starting to rankle. A tad one-sided the article does raise a number of issues about the changing nature of the fashion writer, whether that is a journalist who writes for a living or fashion blogger who writes as a labour of love.

Putting aside sharp comments such as "blogs have turned into little more than the mouthpieces for fashion brands' and "bloggers like Tavi at at the couture shows and being showered with all kinds of gifts' begs the question what has prompted the backlash?

Most serious fashion bloggers are considered to be those with a genuine love of fashion and who wish to share this passion with like minded followers. As well as being dedicated followers of fashion they champion new and emerging designers who tend to get overlooked by the mainstream fashion media. Their motivation is not to endorse a fashion brand in order to get invited to profile runway shows (although increasingly they do) but is to share with readers their individual and very personal take on fashion.

It is not surprising though that fashion writers might be feeling marginalised as they vie for readership with both traditional print media and online, considering themselves having spent years developing their craft.

It has also been suggested that Fashion Editors face increasing commercial pressure to get more advertising pages in their magazines. This can result in some editors giving highly prized fashion editorial space to those brands taking advertising pages. There may be some truth to this but magazine editors are only as good as the circulations figures and advertising sales they generate and the balance between editorial freedom and commerce is a precarious one. Most fashion bloggers don't depend on magazine circulation figures for their income nor are they answerable to an Editor for their livelihood.

Furthermore, bloggers are increasingly running commercial operations on their blog sites to capitalise on their popularity and position. By setting up on-line stores, utilsing pay per click adverts, publishing deals, this by some could be cited as selling out! Not to say there is anything wrong with bloggers doing this but it does move the goalposts somewhat.

Add to this the fashion industry like most others has a hierarchy and a pecking order. One imagines some embattled fashion journos who consider they have earned their stripes, not looking kindly on being usurped by a teenage girl from the suburbs of Chicago. Just a case of sour grapes perhaps but begs the questions is fashion blogging the media platform of the future and just how much store do you put by the musings of a 13 year old child, even is she does live for fashion?

Menswear Designer- Damir Doma

2010-01-25T04:13:00.000-08:00

Designer Damir Doma is certainly causing ripples in the world of Menswear. This Croatian born designer who grew up in Germany and subsequently worked for Raf Simons seems to making a name for himself, below the radar and is set to burst centre stage any time now. Reports suggest that crowds of people gathered outside his recent show trying without success to gain access.

His design aesthetic is all about complex drapes, folded shapes and sheer soft fabrics combined with oversized blocks and layering. Scarlet red layering and Off-white Linen asymmetric hemmed jackets were a marvel in his S/S 10 collection. Whilst it looks most impressive on the catwalk, one would have to argue that not many men would be able to pull this look off on the high street. Dedicated followers of fashion would argue that his design sensibility is breathtaking and innovative which is true but to me is also reminiscent of the early work of a then little known Alber Elbaz when he designed the Menswear collection for YSL in 1998.

The fact is that Damir Doma’s groundbreaking style and meticulous attention to detail cannot be overlooked, but one believes that if his aesthetic was just reined in a little, akin to what Lucas Ossendrijver at Lanvin and Raf Simons (his old mentor) at Jil Sander are doing, then the possibilities are boundless for this avant-garde designer.

www.damirdoma.com

Woolrich Inc- Menswear A/W 10/11

2010-01-22T08:59:00.000-08:00

The latest Menswear collection for A/W 10/11 has reworked the red check fabric synonymous with the Woolrich image into a dark blue colourway and translated it across its modern design aesthetic.

www.woolrich.it

Menswear Uniqlo +J Collection

2010-01-22T02:56:00.000-08:00

The Future is Here; or so heralds the catalogue for the latest Spring/Summer 2010 +J collection in the collaboration by fashion brand Uniqlo and designer Jil Sander. The second +J collection has just landed in London stores and does not disappoint. Following the recognisable handwriting of Sander - clean lines, uncluttered details and crisp fabric finishes, it locks down the Uniqlo formula for offering well styled basics with a design edge. The collections are manufactured to a high Japanese standard of quality (but in China) thus keeping the prices very competitive. Both collections are priced between £29.99 and £49.99 with the outerwear and suits priced between £59.99 and £99.99. With basics and knitwear priced from £12.99.

‘Tech Satin’- a cotton and synthetic mix fabric features strongly in womenswear in navy, lilac and primrose yellow whilst crisp glazed cottons are used for menswear in neutral colours like sand and putty.

Parka (available February) and Mod’s Coat (available March) are the more trend led menswear pieces that should prove popular with a younger customer whilst slim fit glazed cotton Jacket (available March) and Shirt-dress (available May) for womenswear should hit the mark for women.

http://www.uniqlo.co.uk/

Menswear A/W 10/11 Gianfranco Ferre

2010-01-18T03:21:00.000-08:00

Gianfranco Ferre’s creative directors Robert Raimondi and Tommaso Aquilano presented a very clean, crisply tailored collection for Autumn Winter 10/11 in Milan. With a polished take on larger scale Prince of Wales checks and leather/wool combinations, they managed to present an eminently wearable and dare I say commercial collection sticking closely to a monochrome colour palette. Already there has been some criticism by Fashion Press levelled at the designers for playing it too safe. But I feel this is unfounded as historically the Gianfranco Ferre label has always been slightly below the radar for menswear and the womenswear collection was steeped in the ‘architectural’ influenced DNA of its eponymous founder. Whilst the fashion editors might not be jumping up and down with excitement about this collection, I would be surprised if menswear Buyers were not keeping a close eye on Raimondi’s and Aquilano’s offering for menswear next season.

Images courtesy of GQ.com

Menswear A/W 10/11 Jil Sander

2010-01-17T10:32:00.000-08:00

Once again Creative Director Raf Simons produces for the Jil Sander label those little gems of fashion that happen so rarely these days, especially in menswear. Simons whose eye for the contemporary and innovative whether it be textiles or cut, still manages to push the envelope of men's tailoring every season. This season is no exception with cut outs and overlapped panels (akin to patchwork) that might get over complicated and contrived if done by another designer, but Raf Simons still reigns supreme and some consider is leading the vanguard of the very best menswear today.

The Scented Candle- by Simon Carter

2010-01-05T06:35:00.000-08:00

Known for his sartorial menswear and cuff-link accessories, Simon Crater has now expanded into homeware with this delightful scented candle. Hand poured in the UK using original essential oils and beautifully packaged it makes the perfect gift or wonderful for your own home. Exclusively sold at the Shepherd Market store in Mayfair.

Simon Carter 34 Shepherd Market, London W1J 7QP - Tel: 020 7907 9170 - www.simoncarter.net

Do You Have What It Takes To Run A Fashion Business

2010-01-04T03:09:00.000-08:00

Do You Have What It Takes To Run A Fashion Business?

Having a creative fashion idea for a business is only part of what you need to succeed. Your experience, knowledge and skills are crucial too, so you should consider seeking help or training if needs be. Much depends on your personal qualities also.

If you are certain that running your own business is the right thing for you, you’ll need good self confidence if you are to move things forward and this can be developed over time, but if you are the shy and retiring type then running your own fashion label might not be right for you. Running your own business will require putting in more hours, not less, so don’t do it if you want an easier life.

Entrepreneurial Qualities

Successful entrepreneurs are usually ambitious, competitive and very passionate. They are also creative and resourceful willing to take calculated risks. Determined and naturally optimistic they believe in themselves and their business idea and seldom give up without a fight. You need to be prepared to take the rough with the smooth and not react badly when setbacks occur. Your determination to overcome any obstacle might one day prove the difference between survival and failure.

Starting a business alone can be both lonely and thankful. It is easier if you can count on the support of family and friends but there will be times when you will still feel isolated.

Drive, Belief and Vision

There is not doubt that you are the main driving force behind your new business, which is why you need faith in yourself. If you don’t believe in yourself, you can’t really expect others to. A common quality that links many successful entrepreneurs is vision. You need to be able to look forward and see the bigger picture. You will need to have clear goals and a strategy about how to achieve them. Understanding the market and how your fashion business fits into it.

Communication

Effective communication skills are essential when running your own business. You’ll have to be able to deal with all manner of people in different situations- dealing with irrational Buyers one minute or managing a production crisis the next all the while having to design and develop a new collection.

Communication is not just about talking. You’ve also got to be a good listener. Sometimes you won’t like what you hear, but criticism goes with the territory. Some of it will be justified, some perhaps not, but you can’t take things personally. Starting a business is a steep learning curve. Accept that you don’t know everything. Ask for advice from the right people when you need it and more importantly act upon it.

Realism, Organisation and Discipline

Overnight success stories are rare in business, so you’ll need to be patient and realistic with your ambitions. You’ll need to be versatile, organised and disciplined if you are to get through your daily to-do list. Many people and tasks will compete for your attention (including unwelcome distractions) while you’ll have to organise your own workload. You might not enjoy some tasks, but they must be done.

Few people have all of the necessary skills and personal qualities required when first starting a business but these can be developed over time – but you must have a willingness to listen, learn and move forward.

The New Fashion Vanguard in London

2009-12-02T11:40:00.000-08:00

I am very fortunate to work with many new and emerging fashion designers here in London and in my view are the vanguard of the great fashion talent.

Bora Aksu http://www.boraaksu.com/collections_ss10.html

Dean Quinn http://www.vauxhallfashionscout.co.uk/designers/dean-quinn

Hermione de Paula http://www.hermionedepaula.com/#goto=las-venus-ss10&viewimage=1

Osman http://www.osmanyousefzada.com/ http://www.businessoffashion.com/2008/02/london-fashion-week-the-osman-touch.html

Manjit Deu http://www.fashion.arts.ac.uk/ma/2009/01/manjit-deu-wins-collection-of-the-year/

Brooke Roberts http://brookeroberts.net/

Ada Zanditon http://www.ecofashionworld.com/Designer-Profile/ADA-ZANDITON-INTERVIEW.html

Tim Soar - SOAR London http://cyanatrendland.com/2009/08/23/tim-soar-summerspring-2010-collection/

Christopher Raeburn http://www.christopherraeburn.co.uk/ http://hypebeast.com/2009/10/christopher-raeburn-2009-fallwinter-collection/

Carolyn Massey Menswear http://dazeddigital.com/FashionWeek/womenswear/ss10/article/4981/1/Carolyn_Massey_SS_10

Tim Ryan Knitwear http://stylebubble.typepad.com/style_bubble/2008/02/knitting-from-r.html

Elliot Atkinson http://www.elleuk.com/catwalk/collections/fashion-fringe-elliot-atkinson/spring-summer-2010

David Koma http://www.telegraph.co.uk/fashion/fashionnews/6515130/David-Koma-on-his-new-collection.html

Irving Penn - Photographer

2009-10-27T08:15:00.000-07:00

Clarity, composition, careful arrangement of objects or people, form, and the use of light characterize Penn's work. Penn worked for many years doing fashion photography for Vogue magazine founding his own studio in 1953. He was among the first photographers to pose subjects against a simple grey or white backdrop and used this simplicity more effectively than other photographers. Irving Penn died aged 92 on 7th October 2009, at his home in Manhattan.

Uniqlo- The Quiet Fashion Revloution

2009-09-10T06:23:00.001-07:00

Since its arrival in the UK, the Japanese super-fashion brand Uniqlo has changed it’s approach and profile in the market. The initial offering was value for money, with an almost pile it high and sell it cheap mentality but that has now changed. Uniqlo stores today have been redesigned as bright airy, retail spaces with attention paid to clever and colourful merchandising - as seen in its introduction of A/W super fine merino wool knitwear in a myriad of colours just hit stores.

Well made, competitively priced fashion led products are bringing UK shoppers back to the brand more and is set to give the likes of H&M and Zara a run for their money. New collaborations with high profiled designers such as Jil Sander will also attract a more fashion savy customer. Its +J collection designer by her will debut in stores on October 1^st 2009.

The Uniqlo Group is owned by Tadashi Yanai ( Japan’s richest man) and with its 770 stores in Japan, 90 overseas and an aggressive expansion campaign( 4000 stores within a decade) it is on track to make this label a global household name. The Group also owns US based brand Theory and French brand Comptoir des Cotonniers.

COS (Clothing Of Style) Fashion Chain

2009-09-06T04:40:00.000-07:00

The COS high street chain is set to raise the bar for many fashion saavy shoppers. This relatively new concept is the the brainchild of the Hennes & Mauritz group. H&M are looking to attract an older and more fashion forward customer with their new offering of sharp cuts, in addition to more quality fabrics such as doubled faced wool and cashmere blends. Add to this razor sharp cutting and an amazing attention to detail resulting in beautifully crafted clothes that reflects the styling as shown on the runways of the International collections. Their in-house magazine which doubles as a catalogue for the newest collection also features some impressive interviews and articles with fashion luminaries such as Grace Coddington- Creative Director of American Vogue, who is about to be seen upstaging Anna Wintour in the fly on the wall documentary "The September Issue" and artist/film maker Sam Taylor Wood.
The latest COS addition in the UK is a new store located on High St. Kensington which has a contemporary, minimalist feel to it without being cold or unwelcoming. With 5 UK stores and 16 across Europe and 4 new stores opening in Autumn 2009- COS are definitely a retailer to watch.
www.cosstores.com

Round Collar Shirts

2009-08-02T02:50:00.000-07:00

Originating in the early 20th Century the Club Collar (rounded points) shirt is making a resurgence in menswear. Burberry and Aquascutum's collections are featuring the reworked take on a classic. Fred Perry is also picking up the trend with a new round collared kniot polo shirt. Current styling suggests the club-collar is worn with a tie- the skinnier the better, but it is also original to be worn buttoned up without the tie.

Picture courtesy Aquascutum.

Mr.Hare - Sartorial Footwear for Men

2009-07-31T01:59:00.000-07:00

With a debut collection about to launch in August 2009 Mark Hare is set to cause a ripple of excitement among men who are particular about their footwear. 'Purest Form' is set to be a study on the classic oxford and derby shoe styles but moved forward with a contemporary edge and fine grade skins. The capsule collection under the brand name Mr.Hare is to be stocked in Dover Street Market, London, Beams in Tokyo and online with Ohi-ni.com.

http://www.mrhare.co.uk/

HUMoR

2009-07-16T05:27:00.000-07:00

Hip-Hop Streetwear meets American Sportswear is how best to describe emerging menswear label HUMoR. The brand is from Denmark and cites some if its influences as the underground music scene and Tokyo's Shibuya district. The collection consists of bright, bold geometric prints and textures and is making a 'bold' statement in many ways.

2009-07-13T22:32:00.000-07:00

U.S label Club Monaco is introducing a new suit range to their Menswear collection designed by ex Thom Browne designer Timothy Farah. With his experience at Browne that highlights his ability to cut a fine suit, the shapes are still classic but with a leaner and more narrow, shorter jacket shape. Classic suits with a nod towards a more modern man. Luxe details such as mother of pearl buttons, grosgrain taping ( a Thom Browne trademark no less) and working button-holes on the cuff, it is certainly transcending the mundane of the high-street suit!

Takashi Murakami- Louis Vuitton Animation

2009-06-26T03:42:00.000-07:00

The Japanese pop artist behind some of LV's best-selling bags unveils their newest collaboration. You already know some of Takashi Murakami's collaborations with Louis Vuitton: He's the man behind the multi-colored logo bag that became one of the brand's best sellers a couple years back--endlessly knocked off and toted around by Paris Hilton, among others. Now, he's just unveiled his newest work for the brand, Superflat First Love, an anime short that celebrates their six years of collaboration. Anime-master Mamoru Hosoda directed the film, working from Murakami's ideas and characters, which have recurred throughout his work. There are of course all kinds of charmingly surreal touches, and, of course, a magic portal that happens to be hidden inside an iconic LV trunk:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMKgGJU9B-s

Calvin Klein- S/S 2010 Menswear

2009-06-23T11:19:00.000-07:00

The ultimate Colour-Blocking for contemporary men's tailoring is the offering from Calvin Klein for Spring/Summer '10 season just shown in Milan.

Car Shoe by Prada

2009-06-18T02:43:00.000-07:00

The Prada owned footwear brand 'Car Shoe' have launched a new range called Monogram 1.0 this season. This new collection can be customised to feature not only the colour of your choice, but the fabric and trim as well (suede, nylon, leather) and feature your own monogram or number. The sneaker is being sported this season at Pitti menswear in Italy worn with suits as well as for casual wear with jeans.

A.P.C - New Standard Jean

2009-05-26T02:15:00.000-07:00

French fashion brand A.P.C have continued to produce a classic raw-denim jean called "New Standard". When worn for the first time this raw denim (loomstate) is rather stiff and quite difficult to break in. In fact the jean comes with its own set of laundry/dry cleaing instructions, which include dry-clean, no steam, flat pressed. The 'New Standard' jean is now considered by many dedicated denim followers and fashion editors to be as iconic as the Levis 501 jean- but much more cool!

http://www.apc.fr/

Camper- Footwear

2009-05-16T00:14:00.000-07:00

This two-tone organic cotton sneaker is perfect to go from casual to smart-casual for the Summer months. £50 at Spanish shoe brand Camper.

www.camper.com

Washington DC

2009-05-15T23:14:00.000-07:00

The May issue of Washingtonian magazine in D.C is causing quite a stir this month as its cover picture is one of President Obama stripped to the waist and sporting shorts! Some would say 'why not" he's an attractive man (clearly seen from the photograph) is in very good shape and in a positive way promotes a healthy lifestyle to a nation with more obesity then any other country. Others are outraged!

Richard Avedon- Photography

2009-05-15T05:44:00.000-07:00

Photographer Richard Avedon whose legendary work is celebrated with a new exhibition of his work. The Exhibition entitled 'Avedon Fashion 1944- 2000' runs from 15 May - 6 September 2009 at the International Centre of Photography, New York City.

Entermodal -Leather Accessories

2009-05-15T01:24:00.000-07:00

Larry Olmstead's leather accessories are designed and built to last. This Portland (USA) based company are producing this iconic bag designed to last (50 years , according to the designer). In addition to the detailed, specialist stitching technique, the bag is also lined in Pendleton wool adding to the luxe finish.

Available from Odin Boutique New York.

Deth Killers

2009-05-13T13:44:00.000-07:00

Fashion Brand 'Deth Killers' has relaunched in the USA. Their limited edition T-shirts shock as much as they impress and are produced in editions of 2000. They have radical, revolutionary and anarchic images- all over, literally. On sale in Barney's NYC from July 2009. Each T-shirt comes specially packaged with a trading card, bubble gum and bandana.

www.dethkillers.com

Jum Nakao- Japanese Designer

2009-04-29T06:16:00.000-07:00

The work of designer/artist Jum Nakao transcends reality in may ways. Firstly the collection is created entirely out of paper. Secondly, it is estimated to have taken a painstaking 700 hours of work to create the exhibition. The work on display at MoMu- Modemuseum is worth exploring. The museum in Antwerp, Belgium is dedicated to fashion and displays fabric, embroidery, lace and fashion. The work of Nakao is due to be featured at The Design Museum, London in Winter 2009.

Tony Duran

2009-04-22T07:37:00.000-07:00

Photogrpaher Tony Duran is not one to shy away from bare flesh. With a portfilio of work ranging from commercial glossy to the osscure, this photogrpaher is in demand worldwide.

http://www.fashion-ation.net/

Serge Lutens

2009-04-09T02:45:00.000-07:00

Serge Lutens is the French photographer, make-up artist, filmmaker and art director renowned for his ground breaking creative approach to advertising. His work transcends simple advertising in every way. The Shiseido make-up advertisements perfected by Lutens in the 1990's catapulted the iconinc cosmetic brand into the stratosphere. His career started in Paris in the late 60's when he was spotted by Monsieur Christian Dior and took up the post of colour theorist at the House of Dior. His stark and strikingly beautiful images uses make-up as an 'means of expression' in the same way an artist uses paint. From that period to the present day his work has been cited with setting the high standard for cosmetics companies to reach for.