Paris Fashion Week: Guess Who?

Really good fancy dress is a skill I've never quite mastered. I've resigned myself that in this lifetime I take clothes far to seriously to be able to wear them for true comedy value

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Jean Paul Gaultier trod a very fine line between style and parody yesterday when he revisited starts of the Eighties as the inspiration for his catwalk show. All the more poignant as he actually dressed many of the celebrities in the Eighties. So at the very least this show was very clever marketing reminding us just how influential he was in this decade.  

Sounds good: Aluna George

Last night while watching a amazing documentary on George Harrison I finally admitted to myself that most of my music taste has revolved around the look of band or artist and the music, although important was definately secondary

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It was a tough admittance having a boyfriend whose love of music transcends to an almost spiritual level but looking back at George Harrisons life and music I realised that he was one of the few artists that I actually listened to the words of, understood them and connected with while not really caring what he looked like or was wearing.

So for even one of the most superficial music lovers like me there must be hope.

This morning on my renewed quest for exploring my music tastes I came across Aluna George and thought I should share. 

Looks good and sounds good I think, but hey what do I know! 

Paris Fashion Week: Balmain

If you want to set your brand apart as a true luxury brand there's one very obvious way to do it by incorporating exquisite unique embellishment designs

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The embroidered pieces in the S/S13 Balmain Collection shown today in Paris are beautiful works of art. A mad mix of wicker work weave mixed with 3D rococo swirls in patterns so sharp they look almost laser cut

The incredible thing is I know these pieces are quite soft and flexible, contrary maybe to your first impression. 

I'm sure they will have been created in some part by a type of embroidery technique called guipure, one of the most expensive ways of creating embroidery. It involves embroidering onto a dissolvable fabric that is then removed leaving embroidery stitches floating in patterns that look almost hand made.

It's great to see a traditional technique re invented and kept alive in such a beautiful and dramatic way

Paris Fashion Week: Balenciaga

Hello Paris!

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What is this piece popping up in the Balenciaga S/S13 Collection. Under a jacket, with a skirt, topping off trouser.

Could it be the return of the body?

Whatever, it's a classic combination, masculine tailoring on the outside has to be paired with drop dead sexy underneath, lest you forget your womanly curves.

Milan Fashion Week: Roberto Cavalli

I've never thought of myself as a Roberto Cavalli type of girl.

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Well that may be about to change, if I happen to win the lottery in the near future.

Laser cut leather lace mixed with super delicate traditional leavers and chantilly laces. Dresses, dresses and more dresses, wispy, floaty, 1920s flapper silhouettes in overscaled distorted digital prints. My favourite leopard prints mixed in for good measure, disappearing and reappearing on the corners of outfits.

 . . .and it all still manages to look kinda effortlessly rock and roll. yum

Milan Fashion Week: Dolce and Gabbana

When the rest of the fashion world is looking at the bra as a new accessory to an outfit for the S/S13 season Dolce and Gabbana didn't disappoint, well they have been doing it for a while...

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Helena Christensen for Triumph

In my dreams I am Helena Christensen

So I ♡ this latest designer lingerie collaboration between the Danish Supermodel turned photographer and Triumph

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It's great to see an established lingerie company embracing true fashionability and style in their products and photographic style. Her designs are a big departure from the traditional products that Triumph are known for. 

So with this in mind, together with the fit, comfort and functionality of their brand values I'm definately going to take a closer look when it's launched at the beginning of next year.

Doll Face

I've been collecting these odd images of women looking doll like for a while, slightly worrying that it signifies yet more pressure on women to look a certain kind of perfect in the future

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So I was glad to see the cover of Italian Vogue shot by Steven Meisel this month which takes the doll imagery and uses it as a celebration of the multifaceted aspect of womens character. 

The accompanying short video starring Carolyn Murphy is beautifully odd in a kind of imagined Pete Burns world. 

Not everyones cup of tea I'm sure, but the message is right and more preferable to me than aspiring to look like a childs doll 

London Fashion Week: Burberry

Bathing suits, capes and coats of course

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back to New York Fashion Week: T by Alexander Wang

Ok so we all know the roll neck sweater has been creeping back into fashion but what is it about it that makes it look new and fresh this time?

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Alexander Wang has nailed it for me in his T Collection, gorgeous whisper fine roll necks that skim the body with just a hazy peep at a kind of simple triangle 'first bra' underneath. 

More proof to me that sexy is just about exposure

London Fashion Week: Preen

If the the first two cities worth of Fashion Week offerings are anything to go by the bra is going to be an important outfit coordinate next Spring

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Preen, Preen, Preen...back in London town with their own take on the sheer blouse underpinned by block colour bandeaus and soft cup longline triangle bralets.

London Fashion Week: Marcus Lupfer

Last night I managed to pop into the presentation of Marcus Lupfers S/S13 Collection at the Vinyl Factory

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There was a cute Jetsons theme, all cartoon cardboard cut outs and a bubble gun with all the models bleached the same shade of very pale blonde.

The collection is a gorgeous pale and frosty colour palette 

Greens, blues, pinks and greys are worked into super delicate knitwear, metallic yarn wovens and one of the most beautiful snake prints I have ever seen.  

Metallic sequins are placed in polka dot patterns or in block panels on the arms and fronts of simple knitwear sweaters and jersey dresses giving a very wearable futuristic 60s vibe.

A mini film was made to promote the collection and showed a woman falling..........in love.