Wednesday 2 March 2011

Carven

Carven is another collection I was excited about seeing as I loved the last and now with Alexa Chung as "cover girl" I wondered if they would carry on the cutesy collars and girly skirts. They did have a couple of looks with the mini skater skirt and have a continuation of collar detail but it was these looks which made me re-excited about Carven's collection.

Carven A/W 11



The silhouette is sleek but it is the contrasting volume in the coats that give the collection a bit more of a grown up feel. The fabrics clash perfectly and the whole finish is a little bit more rock and roll compared to the last. LOVE.

Hakaan Can

Hakaan's collection which showed yesterday during the first day of Paris Fashion Week came as a delightful surprise. The silhouette was loose and masculine paired with flat brogue shoes. The colour palette mostly black, white and red (my favourite combination) and had a few classic skinny mini dresses but it was the oversized coats in leather that I now need, or at least a sweet imitation!
This guy sure can cut a mean basic too, the shape of the loose vests and sheer t-shirts is the answer to my eternal search for the perfect under neath garment..

Hakaan A/W 11
Maria Carla is just so powerful too, she can wear absolutely anything and it's like no one else would ever be able to wear it again! I think I am her biggest fan..

Tuesday 1 March 2011

Italian Glamour

Here is an editorial I assisted Jo Barker with. It was quite a difference in style for Jo as I find her styling is usually quite androgynous and almost hard edged, where as this is much more feminine and a little sexier (if she doesn't mind me saying so) but I think the end result is fantastic.

Italian Glamour - March Issue 2011










Photographer: Mari Sarai
Stylist: Jo Barker
Stylist Assistant: Helen McGuckin
Set Designer: Christopher Wood
Hair Stylist: Kenchi @Caren
Make- Up Artist: James O'Riley @Premier
Model: Suzie Bird @Elite and Leona Ringstrom @Next

Monday 28 February 2011

Born This Way?

I get very excited when these things happen. Like when Nick Knight shot the Kat Marks collection after I had shot it with her a few months before. Well now I find that the multi talented stylist, Nicola Formichetti has had THE Lady Gaga in pieces of the Obey My Demand collection which I shot last July for my own collaborative exhibition The Chopped- Off Heads of Leviathan.

This collection is beautifully designed by Leanne Brook who I had the pleasure to meet as she was wonderful enough to travel all the way to London from Leicester to hand me the collection on the day of our shoot and pick it up from us at the end of the day. This collection and growing company of hers is obviously her baby and I am so happy to see it is getting the recognition she deserves. If you haven't already, have a look at the collection and I am sure you will be queuing up behind other top stylists to get your hands on it now.

Screen shot from Lady Gaga - Born This Way


Images from The Chopped- Off Heads of Leviathan (Pre Illustration)

All Pieces including cuffs - Obey My Demand
Stockings - What Katie Did

Leather and sheer Bodysuit- Obey My Demand
Mirror Ball Shoulder Piece - Rachel Friere

All pieces - Obey My Demand
Wig Sleeves- Rachel Friere

Photographer: Patrick Schuttler
Make- Up: Clare Reed
Hair Stylist: Shinya Fukami

Well I am glad I have shared this.. Who wants to give me a job as an official talent spotter and Fashion Editor please?

Central Saint Martins Lot

Everyone knows that Central Saint Martins produces the finest talent by the bucket load every single year. A lot of designers to come out of CSM go on to work either as independent designers or get themselves snatched up by top brands and designers. I am always excited to see the Graduate collections and once again I was not disappointed with this year's standard.

I have been lucky enough to meet some of the designers and borrow their collections from last year, including the wonderful Thomas Tait whose pieces are featured in the fashion film I styled last December. Thomas has just gone on to design and show his latest A/W 11 collection this London Fashion Week and once again showed his craftsmanship in the perfect cut trousers, classic silhouettes and all with just a monochrome palette to let the design speak for itself.

I have a few favourites from this year's Graduate collections including Jamie Cockerill, William Hendry, Maarten Van Der Horst, Bethan Silverwood and Yeori Bae. Though it was the collections From Phoebe English, Charlotte Smith and Ryan Strong that I wanted to show. These were the looks that I instantly knew I would need to use for my own future projects and I can also imagine them gracing the 'Incoming' feature in Dazed & Confused at some point in the near future.

Phoebe English with her extraordinary hair gowns mixing with what looks like leather, rubber or plastic to create the contrast in fabrics but without losing the figure.






Charlotte Smith's collection astounded with the uneven volume of these black and white pieces.
A whole collection that I just want to touch. Beautifully balanced off (literally) with these amazing block shoes. Yes please..





A continuation of colour from Ryan Strong who brightened up the catwalk with bold, block coloured silks, letting the fit and the drapery do the talking.



I will definitely be trying to get my grubby mits all over these pieces for shoots I have coming up and I hope these designers go on to do wonderful things.