Fashion Moves into London

For as long as I can remember fashion has been more than just designing amazing clothes or even catwalk shows.  To ensure a customer for life, brands have to sell a lifestyle, an attitude and overall an identity.  Nothing expresses this more than the brands store which could be online or bricks and mortar.  Take for instance Burberry and Gucci, both leading fashion brands with incredibly accessible, interactive and creative web stores however I still enjoy a good old fashioned shop, boutique, store whatever you call it; there is nothing better than walking through a store surrounded by all the things you love about that specific brand or concept.  Perhaps this is why London has recently seen an influx of brand spanking new stores for us to explore!!  From Celine to JCrew, Karl Largerfeld to Christopher Kane, London is brimming with amazing new spaces by the World’s leading names!  With some just open and others to come, I think its necessary to don those new Nike’s (comfort first) and get shopping…..

Celine London Mount Street Store

Celine London Mount Street Store

Karl Lagerfeld Store, London

Saint Laurent, London

Saint Laurent, Lodon

*Some Images taken from Wallpaper* Magazine

Edie Campbell’s Season

Could it be the dramatic new hair cut or are insiders simply wanting to be one step ahead of the Cara craze?  Whatever it is, on closer inspection the modelling world has and still is being dominated by another young Brit….step forward Edie Campbell!  Since 2011, Edie has been shooting seasonal campaigns for Burberry, her face has been seen on many a catwalk and even featured in Hedi Slimane’s first campaign for Saint Laurent.  However this year has seen Campbell chop off her strawberry blonde locks in favour of a choppy (almost mullet like) black crop; moving out of the shadows and firmly into the fashion spotlight!  It seems the whole industry has taken note and watched this girl morph from the perfectly sweet, doe eyed, sixties inspired dolly girl to an edgy, raw, cool 22 year old.  Campbell opened AW13 shows for influential brands such as Marc Jacobs, Jill Sander, Louis Vuitton and Burberry, not something to be taken lightly.  Soon you won’t be able to miss Edie as she is the new star of AW13 campaigns for Lanvin, Jill Sander and Marc Jacobs!!  It really is Edie Campbell’s season, get in girl!!

Edie Campbell for Lanvin AW13 shot By Steven Meisel

Edie Campbell for Lanvin AW13 shot By Steven Meisel

Edie Campbell for Lanvin AW13 shot By Steven Meisel

Edie Campbell Look 49, Closing the Burberry AW13 Show

Lily McMenamy and Edie Campbell, Marc Jacobs AW13 Campaign shot By Juergen Teller’s

Edie Campbell, Look 1, Opening the Louis Vuitton AW13 Show

Edie Campbell for Jil Sander AW13 Campaign shot By David Sims

Edie Campbell for Jil Sander AW13 Campaign shot By David Sims

Freja – Back to Her Best

Since her first starring role in the Gucci by Gucci fragrance campaign, I have been slightly obsessed with Danish model Freja Beha Erichsen!! From long to short hair, her look inspired designers and made her the iconic model of the last 5 years.  However, recently, perhaps over the last 2-3 seasons, she seems to have disappeared from the limelight….that is until now!!  Freja is back, and obviously being a lot more selective with her work.  Savvy choices see her staring in the iconic new Saint Laurent and Prada campaigns and man, does she looks good….that girls still got it!!!  Freja has reaffirmed her position as the definition of cool and she doesn’t need an Instagram account to prove it….move over Cara and let a pro show you how its done!!

Freja Beha Erichsen for Saint Laurent AW13 shot By Hedi Silmaine

Freja Beha Erichsen for Saint Laurent AW13 shot By Hedi Silmaine

Freja Beha Erichsen for Saint Laurent AW13 shot By Hedi Silmaine

Freja Beha Erichsen for Prada AW13 shot By Steven Meisel

Paris AW13 RTW

And so to the final AW13 fashion week, Paris was as au-inspiring as always, the fashion pack were out in force looking fabulous and as the Chanel show set represented, fashion or at least Chanel is now a dominating force in every corner of the globe – perhaps the World does revolve around fashion after all?  In Paris, you wouldn’t be far wrong; seas of beanies and round sunglasses, sculptured Rupert Sandserdon shoes galore and a whole load of Celine coats adorned the pavements.  Luckily the glamour outside was matched inside as the likes of Celine, Dior, Chanel, Saint Laurent, Chloe, Balenciaga, Valentino…to name but a few, all delivered, some were even the best ever!

Celine RTW AW13: Look 6, Look 18, Look 25 and Look 34

Chloe RTW AW13: Look 8, Look 15, Look 16 and Look 26

Carvan AW13 RTW: Look 9, Look 23, Look 32 and Look 35

Valentino RTW AW13: Look 16, Look 20, and Look 26

Wrapping up 2012…

2012!! It’s flown by and I am struggling to remember key factors!  Already we’ve seen the pre AW13 collections, we are currently working on the AW13 shows and looking forward to SS14! Fashion; it moves fast, so you better keep up! Once I took a minute to think, how could I really forget?  Here is a round up of my best bits of 2012:

From space age materials at Balenciaga to the retro 90’s sweatshirt comeback at Kenzo; microtrends ruled and fashion was suddenly fun again!!  The Gucci fedoras and Louis V hand-cuff’s of AW were packed away and we were ready to go head to toe in print by the new Queen of LFW Mary Katrantzou followed by dinner in our oh so chic pyjama suit!  Needless to say it was another Fabulously Fashionable year and one that will go down in history for the ‘New Era’ beginnings at the newly named Saint Laurent, Christian Dior and most recently Balenciaga.

So long 2012……

Strong Motif’s made a comeback and with them wardrobe staples you couldn’t miss:

Motif LtoR: The Givenchy Dog, Balenciaga Space Age Jumper and the Kenzo Tiger

I literally feel lost without a ridiculous amount of rings, all day, every day.  Luckily, Phoebe Philo seemed to agree….

Celine Knuckle Duster’s – Street Style by Tommy Ton

Raf Vs Heidi as the two fashion houses went all out to show they had made the right move – They both looked pretty good to me!

Christian Dior Pre S/S13, Saint Laurent S/S13

Shaping shoes for years to come; shoe of the year arrived in the form of the Valentino Rockstud Slingback!

The Valentino RockStud Sling Back, Street Style

Victoria’s Secrets landed in the UK and the show…Exploded!!

Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, Finale 2012

Happy New Year!!