Take off.....

I'm off on my summer holidays for a week or so, so I'm not going to be posting for a little while. I was going to do a big post this morning to make up for my absence, but of course I left the packing until the last minute and have been running around like a headless chicken (we all know the woes of packing a suitcase, especially last minute and with the 20kg rules in place). I shall be back soon, posting ideas and inspiration, and maybe even some from my trip (though the main reason of this trip is to forget about fashion and relax...but we know you can never truely forget about fashion).

Don 't miss me too much, Cx

Hats off

How beautiful are these hats? I am completely dumb-founded by the sheer craftmanship invovled, and genius behind them. Nagi Noda is the Japanese artist/fashionista in question, having created adverts and the likes for many media based companies, as well as having his own fashion label collaboration. I stumbled across these in completely unrelated research to Susie Bubble's recent post Frutti Tutti, and even though they are by the same team, the final results are starkly different. I creative talent to be watched me thinks...

The images are shot by Kenneth Cappello, and you can view these images and the rest of his work on his blog. His blog features wonderful behind-the-scenes images of his fashion shoots and experiences.

Kate Moss Samples

Appologies about the poor image - I'm still learning

We got some Kate Moss for Topshop samples in at work recently (as far as I know, they are already in the shops, or have been, so I'm not breaking any rules!) and I am really loving the details and techniques used...all of which I believe could be done by the most novice customiser (except the elaborate machine embroidery, top left).

My favourite one is the viscose blouse with light blue circles appliqued across the neck band, falling down the chest. A great way to add drama, and could be tried with different shapes, fabrics (who says they have to be fabrics?!). The jersey t-shirt with a knotted cross-back - which reminds me of finger knitting as a child - is a wonderful detail, which in my opinion would benifit from a LOT more knotting...almost piled ontop of each other in a random fashion, creating a slightly rugged volume (there I go again about neck/shoulder sculpting).

I think over the next few weeks I shall try out some of these techniques and create small sample pieces (like little pieces of textile) and post them for all to see.

Weather Woes

OK so this is a bit out of character for this blog (so far)...but the weather is really bugging me. It's not quite summer but it's not really winter, and I wouldn't say the grey skies are particularly characteristic of spring! Eternal wardrobe nightmares - I'm either freezing or sweating to death. I work in fashion, which means it's a busy, fast paced studio...however on mornings like today when I've looked out my window and seen rain clouds and moggy London streets, I decide upon a long, baggy cardigan/polo shirt/skinny jeans/leather jacket combo. LEARN FROM YOUR MISTAKES CARL. Aesthetically it works, however in this humidity it really doesn't. By the time I'd spent an hour standing on a packed tube, caught a bus and walked the remainder of my journey I was ready for a dip in the local pool.

Whist flicking through Another Man magazine at lunch I came across these brilliantly stunning combinations which could end my weather woes. Layering thin garments is obviously the key as it keeps in the warmth, even if you are wearing thin layers they say it is better to wear a few thin rather than one thick.

1 - This is an advertisement from Giuliano Fujiwara (I've not heard of him either, but I shall be investigating!)

2 - A Dior Homme creation, and I am completely in love with the trousers. The pleat detail is ingenious, with rounded panels falling off the end of the pleats. I also love the volume it creates, before tapering in towards the ankle. Personally the multi-layered knits would be still too warm for me, but a great look none-the-less.

3 - These floral print cardigans by Prada are delicious. Softly layered like this and combined with Cassie Mercantile jersey trousers, they create the perfect artisan look.

Elizabeth the Golden Age

After a rather heavy Friday night, Saturday was DVD time for me and my housemates. Elizabeth the Golden Age was the film choice and it was absolutely beautiful. Although the story was a little hard to follow, I was kept on the edge of my seat purely by the intricacy and delicate beauty of the costume which gracefully transformed Cate Blanchet into Queen Elizabeth I.

The image above is my favourite from the film. Unfortunately it cuts out the lower half of her body so you cannot see the stunning crinoline/skirt, yet it shows in some detail the veil she wears coming out from her shoulders, falling to the floor from two circular wire structures. This creates great visual impact and adds a simple elegance to such a stunning period costume. As a designer I find the neck and shoulders a great place to experiment with - wonderful things can be done with fabrics and techniques, using the shoulders for support the neck is a perfect shape to sculpt around.

Susie Bubble has spoken in quite some detail about neck ruffles in the past and I believe it to be a very hard thing to wear, without looking like you've just raided your college costume department. The sort of ruffle seen above (not strictly a neck ruffle as it actually sits on the shoulders and back) is I feel is something which could be worked on and adapted for subtler modern-day wear.

Do the pearls remind you of a recent accessory choice from Madonna?

I cannot actually describe how much I love the costume in this film, and being from a fashion background rather than costume, i don't even understand how they are made...all I do know is I love them and they're beyond beautiful. Don't take my word for it - watch the film for yourself!

UPDATE: Below are some images of one of my previous attempts at ruffles around the neck (rather unsuccessfully however!). If I was to make this garment again, I would super-lock the mini ruffles in the peach organza, with a matching super-lock...maybe even more ruffles going down the capelet?!

H&M's Menswear A/W 08/09 Preview

I have always been a fan of H&M, mainly because of their low prices but more recently because of how on-trend they are. I found the below images on the Fashion Spot (where you can also view the STUNNING women's collection) and on first impressions I was in love. This was last night, and I've woken up this morning not knowing what to make of them. It is all a bit simple and clean - a good look, but surely one which has been doing the rounds this autumn/winter? I like the low cut round neckline of the lilac jumper, and I think the jackets are amazing (I actually want the cropped jacket for myself...now!). I'm also glad skinny belts are back, something me and my friends have been toying with for a while now. Obviously the ones you can buy at the moment in vintage shops are either rather garish, or overtly female - something which isn't true in the H&M collection. I'd be interested to see what other pieces are put in the shops, as this is only a capsule collection. Will they pull it off? I think so!

Jan Taminiau

I first discovered this genius on Susie Bubble's blog (thank you, thank you!) and I am yet again in awe of such a talent.

There seems to be quite a lot of garments out there at the moment which can be used in two ways, reversed or open for customisation by the wearer, and I fully support this idea. With the economic climate being like it is at the moment I doubt I am the only person in this city with less money to spend on fashion (Something tells me the above dress may still be above most price ranges...still we can dream eh?).

The dress is beautiful in both forms, however I can't imagine it being worn in its quilt-like state. I'd love to be proved wrong but I should imagine, if bought, that the woman would only ever show the full version. Or should this be considered as more of an art piece, not to be worn at all but to be exhibited?

On his website, he says this about his art/fashion: "The meticulously constructed creations enable to wearer to experiment endlessly with form. In my quest for the perfect fit I pursue new shapes and unconventional techniques. By weaving and interweaving fabrics I enable a natural form to emerge which drawers character from the wearer. I leave behind the fast-moving and fickle world to return to what is nowadays almost a nostalgic source: security, respect for craftmanship."

It's so refreshing to hear a designer concsiously trying to regain what we have lost in the modern world of fashion - what with Primark et al popping up on high streets all over the country the skill, passion and need to treasure clothing has been lost.

Although beautiful in their own right, I often wonder how designers like Taminiau sell their work. The bigger avante-garde 'brands' like McQueen, Galliano and Westwood branch out into smaller, more accessible items such as handbags and fragrances to bring in the cash. I wish him (?!) the best of luck...may you get the credit you deserve.

Skin + Bones

I realise that every fashion blogger this side of the pond has had their say on the current exhibition at Somerset House, London - Skin + Bones - but after a recent late night visit I was amazed. The exhibition embodies everything that I love about fashion, all in one room! Focusing on the relationship between fashion and architecture; discussing the processes, materials, techniques and theories shared by the two disciplines.

You may not think the two are a very good match, however distant they seem on first inspection they are in fact like cousins. Modern architecture is borrowing techniques from fashion more and more today - in an essay for the shows catalog, Brooke Hodge, Museum of Contemporary Art's Curator of Architecture and Design (Los Angeles) comments that, "A vocabulary derived from architecture has been applied to garments, describing them as 'architectonic,' 'constructed,' 'sculptural,'". Architects, on the other hand, have borrowed some "sartorial strategies," such as "draping, wrapping, weaving, folding, printing and pleating architectural surfaces and materials."

The exhibition features over 50 world renowned designers and architects (including Alexander McQueen, Yohji Yamamoto, Rei Kawakubo, Vivienne Westwood, Eley Kishimoto, Martin Margiela, Boudicca and Hussein Chalayan), whose work will leave you gobsmacked. Whether you have an understanding about the constuction of garments or not, the collection on show will leave you baffled. My personal favourite was the shaved tulle dress from Hussein Chalayan's 2000 Spring/Summer collection. The intensity of the folded, twirling tulle seems impossible to create and it is then laser-cut around the body to create a cocoon shape surrounding the wearer. It transforms the woman to 4 or 5 times her usual size, but surely you cannot deny it's beauty....

Polly Morgan

I received a call from my Dad last night with the news my cat Suki, had been put down. Although initially quite sad, I picked myself up with the fond memories we had together in the 20 (human) years she was alive - 90 cat years! Something I wouldn't feel quite right doing to a beloved pet is getting her stuffed to sit on the mantelpiece for years to come. However, taxidermy as an art form is a beautiful way of preserving an animal which would otherwise be forgotten.

Polly Morgan is an artist who uses the bodies of donated animals to create beautiful works of art, presenting these animals in a very modern, beautiful way. She alters the common surroundings we would associate with the animal, creating still lives in unique situations and asking the viewer to reconsider their preconceptions about the animal.

The still lives (quite literally) are extremely peaceful, and almost make me forget the animals in question were once living creatures. I think her work is amazingly unique, bringing a contemporary edge to an age old British skill. Though it seems I am not the only one - counting Kate Moss and Sharleen Spiteri as collectors of her pieces, she has made taxidermy cool again!

Geisha Extremes

I'm used to getting various emails forwarded to work from colleagues and friends (usually quickly browsing through them and continuing with work), but on this occasion I am genuinely shocked.

I am a sucker for all things Japanese - the food, the street style, the wave of designers from the 1980s - to name a few. However, I find the world of the Geisha truly fascinating. After reading 'Memoirs of a Geisha' and watching the film of the same name I almost wished to be transported back in time to experience it for myself - the beauty, the classical art and music, the Saki, their highly adorned kimono with an extravagant obi - all so delicately graceful. This however is NOT.

Admittedly I was probably only seeing the fantasy, below are images which show the reality of living your life as a Geisha. I knew they slept with their necks supported by wooden pillars to protect their hair, and bound their feet to give the appearance of smaller feet - but this shocked me to the core.

WARNING - DISTURBING IMAGES BELOW. Continue reading at your own risk!

Leaves you speechless doesn't it?

EDIT: I have been informed by a Chinese friend of mine that these are infact Chinese!

"My Greatgrandma had those feet. You are right about the beauty of small feet...they are wrapped like this so that the women take small steps, which represented wealth! Old China believed that if a woman was to be a wife she shouldn't step out of the house more than an inch. The Japanese don't wrap their feet, they just use wooden shoes and tight Kimon to walk naturally beautiful."

Clinton Lotter

Clinton Lotter was in the 3rd (and most recent) season of Project Catwalk here in the UK. Unfortunately due to the batteries recently running out on my poor TV I missed that season, so cannot comment on his performance, but I am informed he proved himself...until getting booted out on the 7th episode. Check out the images below, and his website to make up your own mind. Whether he is simply the first from the show to present his woes to the world or not, if his latest collection is anything to go by he should have won.

His distortion of body shape in this jacket I find pure genius.

Exquisite fabrics - is that a PVC lace?

J. W. Anderson

A new discovery of mine (albeit an envious one - his being the same age as me) is J. W. Anderson. Having recently graduated from the London College of Fashion he has launched himself into the fashion world with critical acclaim. His textural, theatrical take on menswear is brave, yet works extremely well. Although some of his looks would best suit a shoreditch 'fashionite' I would feel proud to walk down the street in his heavy felt coat, with spinal decoration. Oh Anderson...