Thurs 19th Feb: Sneaky Peep

I have lent out one of my new pieces pre-preview. That was scary.......... handing over a hat box containing a laboured love, hoping to God it would return in one piece........otherwise my stand at fashion week would look a little sad. But thanks to fashion156 it came back in good shape and Im really chuffed with the outcome which is online today. My hat is teamed with a dress by Tim Ryan which was very intuitive of the stylist as my collection also features purple and some pom pom action! But not giving too much away yet...........check out the site for lots more 1st glance exclusives of many designers........

Plus a write up about whats showing this season accompanied by images from my S/S collection shot by the fantastic duo Mishkin:

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For accessories, look no further than Fred Butler, who will also show at the New Gen exhibition, under her own label. Fred’s sculptural accessories marry rich textures, graphics and contrasts, seen through in her signature vibrant palette. Her rainbow coloured ‘Happy 2009’ eyelashes were the final word for many a style-blogger around the world. With an eye to adding some colour to a grey London, her collection is sure to be the first word in accessories this year."

Weds18th Feb: Welcome to the asylum

Whilst the fashion pack are about to make a skip across the pond from NY fashion week to London, the city has already been warming up the runways..........or at least the studios of CSM. Foundation student Ben Fern helped his course organise a fashion show last week and here is his report from the next - next generation:
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"We had a week to put together the show, which you would think would be simple, however it was a nightmare, but was very well executed in the end I think! A dark gloomy set with a white sheet where the models were to walk through to catch a silhouette which sadly didn't come out on camera. All the clothing items were made by the group, fashion communication people I'd like to add, no fashion designers!
Black, white, beige were the themed colours, which I think worked quite well too. The event was packed with people!"

Weds 18th Feb: Time Out

Its that time of year for an influx of fantastic magazines to plough through. I cant keep up, I keep seeing a new title every day. Has anyone else noticed how nice looking the new format Harpers is? Im not allowing myself to purchase that heavyweight until Ive finished dissecting all the profiles in i-D............of which there are a staggeringly satisfying amount, hooray! BUT the exception to my plan yesterday was picking up the Fashion Special Time Out because Im too excited about fashion week to miss anything. Time Out has really stepped up in the last year and this is an excellent issue with a bonus guide to the East End. BUT the best discovery was to read the credit that Annie Collinge shot the portraits for the feature on London's new uprising talent. Rock on Annie, the most modest mouse in photography land who secretly scurry''s around on prestigious portrait commissions without ever letting on. The last time I saw Annie was in November when we bumped into each other on Broadway (please don't gag at my overtly "Sex In The City" inconceivable saccharine anecdote - its just fate and fact). Annie has left London to reside in the Big Apple this year but came back for an exhibition last month and it seems managed to slip in a few jobs whilst here..........never one to rest on her laurels, check out http://anniecollinge.com/ for what else she has been up to ..........

Thanks to Annie for sending over these outakes from the shoot

Mon 16th Feb: My name is K A B I R

A couple of years ago, I was wearing one of my iridescent circle hairpins at a fashion week party and got accosted by an outrageously bedecked reveller who wanted to know where I got it. This is how I 1st met K A B I R, who went on to take me under his wing and introduce me to the clubland of London which I had never discovered being a doormouse, doormat 24/7 assistant. The rest is history and we have since collaborated on set as well as off, out and about on the dancefloor (and bar at Boombox). At last his boombastic portfolio is online and open to public view. Its great to see everything together in one place. From styling Paloma Faith and Roisin Murphy to devising show piece collaboration with Fleey Ilya to most recent look-book for knitwear label Sibling. Here are a couple of images from the most recent Drama magazine where he used my Bambi Blinkers on Lykke Li and my archive zipper necklace in a JCDC special. (images Ram Shergill)