Sat 27th Feb: Blogalicious

Literally living for Yu.............post LFW, he's still posting..............

(this is when I snapped him logged on,  locked in and up-loading,  moments before the Marios Schwab show)

Sat 27th Feb: Swarovski for VOLT on FTAPE

Here is the original portrait shot by Benjamin Lennox for the cover of the 4th issue of VOLT magazine which I customized for an exhibition alongside Craig Lawrence, Holly Fulton, Dean Quinn, Katie Eary, Gemma Slack, Manjit Deu and Hannah Marshall  ............now up for auction and on view at the Swarovski lounge opposite Liberty's until 14th March.  F.TAPE have taken a close-up of my iridescent landscape and used it as the backdrop on their homepage now which is brill, thanks guys!  Thanks also to Jess Meek who helped me make this and Camille Jacquemart for helping devise the technique in the first place last summer! 

Sat 27th Feb: Matthew Miller

For the final day of London Fashion Week the women were swept away with a wave of radical menswear.  The New Gen exhibition space within Somerset House was gutted and transformed over night for the "Fashion East" men's installations.  Highlights were Florian, Husam el Odeh and this unexpected set up of a designer that I don't yet know about.  Matthew Miller accessorized his models with great fun bulsa wood 3D specs and felt applique robot bibs.  I want to find out more about this witty new kid on the block.............

to see more from the different designers on how, check out Lulu's blog.....

matthew miller A/W10 exhibition from alex johns on Vimeo.

Here is a film of the collection by Alex Johns

Fri 26th Feb: Colin Henderson for Christopher Shannon

I was hyped about going to see Christopher Shannon's show again this season as he is one of my favourite (if not the one) menswear designer in London.  I bumped into Colin Henderson on my way in and we had a close look at the  fantastic invite with his friend James Dawe who had designed it..........my instinctive blog radar activated, and I wanted to know more (to follow.......).  Little did I know that Colin himself had designed the print on the actual garments awaiting backstage, which was a key element to the collection.  This Modest mouse never offers up any self publicity about his own projects but my Danger mouse nose caught a whiff of this stinking Stilton secret and sussed out the artist behind the print which wreeeeked of the digital Henderson.  He wasn't going to get away with withholding this information, so Ive been in touch now to procure the following info and pictures to share with everyone else the background to this brilliant embossing:

"Basically Chris wanted me to try and do 2 paisley patterns (one repeat and one that was like a gradient that gets smaller) and an embroidered emblem based on the paisley, so I looked at alot of paisley and tried drawing out these flowers over and over and over, which incidentally look like snowflakes. If I remember rightly, it had to be sent to the printers and embroiderers the weekend after meeting Chris, so it was one of the quickest jobs I've worked on but I'm really happy with how it's turned out - hope everyone else is into it too!  I've attached the pattern, how I mocked up the pattern to show Chris and then a couple of Blackberry and iPhone pics from Leeds and Chris that they sent to me."

I also got in touch with Chris to ask a little bit about how the idea came about.......to which he kindly replied:

"Collaborating with Colin was fast and straight forward which is the best way for me to work. I had all these snowflake and paisley patterns in my refs and also wanted a logo in there too. I'd been playing around but needed someone to bring it together with less tired eyes. We emailled back and forth for days, I thought at one point I'd asked him for too many tweeks and alterations that he may get bored. I always need someone to help me realize what Im thinking for the print and help me get it done and this season Colin was definately the right choice."

Apologies to Colin for being bossy about this, but really the world needs to know!  Its so gooooood.........check out the official pictures at Fashion 156 or GQ to see the final outcome.......or watch the actual show here.

Fri 26th Feb: Marina's Family Jewels

To coincide with Marina and the Diamonds album release this week, the March issue of ASOS.com magazine features the artist in its Music special.  Here she is in the shoot wearing the Orient Calf Stars that I made for the SHOWstudio SHOP as part of my Christmas installation.  Ive seen them worn to full effect in the hair but never styled like this and its a great take on my design, I love it!   If you go over to the site you can watch a video of the shoot to see the styling which also shows Marina wearing one of my A/W headpieces/necklace actually on her arm.............that's exactly what its all about..........in the mix..........thanks to her stylist on the day Scott Clark and his assistant Bianca Swan.

Fri 26th Feb: On a NOKI tip @ SHOWstudio SHOP

Whilst we're at it, here is another phone pic pinged to me by NOKI last week when he had just installed one of his hats at SHOWstudio.  The new exhibition in the SHOP is "Headress" which features work by a few of the capital's best milliners for a moth - Nasir Mazhar, Charlie Le Mindu, Stephen Jones and Jordan Askill.  Here is the NOKI creation "Pinkpin-Punkpinhead" from its initial incarnation as modelled by Judy Blame in i-D, shot by Tyrone Le Bon..........surely this entry wins on its name alone!   Genius!!  However if you are a Gaga fan, click over to check out a couple of her iconic headpieces up for grabs............

Weds 24th Feb: Guest Image Contributor NOKI @ Child of the Jago

Janette Jackson / Andraus at Jago front row

Jannette , Andrayus , Westwood front row jago

Luke Warrel Kelly Osborne's fiancé walks for Jago

All images pinged over to me live and direct from A Child of the Jago show earlier this evening.......thanks to NOKI!

"The jago show was a revolution on the carosel of fashion evolution.. It was An evening on the edge of town where the gypsies raved on the citys grave... Thank you Joe and Barnsley..  Sustainable taylored love  Dr Noki X"

 

Weds 24th Feb: Craig Lawrence

Whilst creating a one-off metallic stage piece for Skin (Skunk Anansie) Craig went on a dig for gold and unearthed shiny florist foil at a salvage yard in Suffolk.  He fell in love with this discovery, which allowed him to knit meteoric voluminous sculptural garments that moved with a Haley’s comet flash of light on stage.  As materials inform his design process, he continued to explore the medium for his A/W 10 collection.  To contrast the fun playful characteristic pieces there is also a section of stunningly slinky dresses.  These seductive second skins were devised in questioning the sinister side of “dress up” and the connotations of  a child unwittingly donning a crown. Images of Max from “Where The Wild Things Are” were referenced as Craig himself was often found adorned with a self-styled tea towel as a toddler. A family photo of him in his mum’s C&A long floral dress triggered off the instinct to go to maxi length this season.   The statuesque demeanour of standing tall in regalia came from images of Elizabeth I in the Golden Age.  ……….and the whole theme gelled. 

Japanese metallic bound cotton was knitted into loops to create a fur pile texture.  The panels were seamed together with lacing the loops and once again the notion of a “fully fashioned” garment was turned on its head.  Craig collaborated with partner in crime Holly Giselle Hilden and their favourite invention is coined the “cheek peeker”.  This showstopper neatly exposes the female form and encapsulates the vision of their strong and sassy customer…………perhaps a nod to Tilda Swinton who once featured in an iconic image for the brand.

      

Watch his New Gen film directed by Mel Bles and styled by Katie Shillingford here:

Craig Lawrence Fashion Film from AnOther Magazine on Vimeo.

Weds 24th Feb: The Making of "Sunshowers" for ASVOFF

For London Fashion Week I was asked by Richard Sloan to contribute a film to Dazed Digital / ASOS.com and came up with the idea to record the behind the scenes of a shoot I was undertaking for ASVOFF.  Diane Pernet commissioned Elisha Smith Leverock to make a film for her Vogue.It collaboration and we teamed up to create the short with my accessories.  Rosy Nicholas joined the project and produced her own accessories to add into the mix with mine.  You will have to wait for the special preview of the final feature but can check out the documentary that recorded the process directed by Murat Yılmaz Gökmen.

Vogue.It launched today, so head over and have a look...............

top image is a screen grab, bottom image is one of Elisha's actual photos from a rare moment that she wasn't filming.........

Weds 24th Feb: Alice (by Temperley) In Wonderland

Congrats to the Selfridges team for putting on a party like the good old days of fashion week........fantastic set design with an entrance as if you are the White Rabbit escaping down the warren...............great tunes by Alice Dellal which triggered unabashed dancing (rather than the typical atmosphere of too many people looking around the room to see who else is there)........but the dancefloor soon came to a standstill and gridlock as a Goldilocks looking Courtney Love came on stage to sing Bette Davies Eyes.........apparently Slash (G&R) was at the party too.........but I didn't notice as it was a "Mad Hatters" fancy dress theme.........

Here is Yu looking heavenly as ever in a Piers Atkinson cherry headpiece...........and Selfridges pantone smiley shift...........hats off, he's always the most considered outfit!

Tues 23th Feb: Pam Hogg

Pam's gone and turned up the sexometer to ridic'oclock............its not leaving much to the imagination this season with entire bodymapping in mesh with the tinniest of modesty panels in metallics.  Shoulder silhouettes are out of control and head's are adorned with organza pom pom halos...........here is Siouxsie Sioux who was first out to everyone's joy, just look at all those amazed faces...........this is LONDON..........read it and weep, and then get SEXY, oh yes!

Tues 23th Feb: New Gen - Mary Katrantzou

For the first time Mary has gone 3D direct on her surface pattern and wants to brandish the departure before she is tagged with the graphic print title for the rest of her career.  She wants to subvert her own symmetrical statement and has done so by layering lace and jewels between motif panels.   Her "thematic" approach has investigated paintings from the 18th Century this season, in particular Madame de Pomadour.  She visited the National Portrait Gallery and trawled reference books to mimic the painterly quality in her new prints by collaging exciting elements.  The collection is split in 3 compartments ......

a)  Officers and their medals (as seen here in trompe l'oeil print)

b) The embellished resplendent dresses worn for grandeur to signify social status in the paintings  (implemented with the lace, frills and bows)

c)  Snuff boxes (interpreted with the crystals, jewels and jewellery)

Mary wanted to decode the dress history of decadence and pair it down to be wearable for the modern edgy woman.  For those of you that have desires to purchase these pieces but perhaps not the paycheck to do so, keep faith.  The power that is Top Shop has commissioned Mary to design a range of accessible t-shirts, shifts and a brilliant bodysuit!  It launched on the 18th to mark the start of LFW in store and is available to be snapped up NOW.

Thanks to Mary for sitting down to explain this all to me with her generous kind nature...........of course this was made possible by her mum standing in and looking after her New Gen exhibit..........the most famous mother of fashion week..........quite frankly, I would be extremelydisappointed not to see her appointed this task for a subsequent season...........its become an institution!

Tues 23th Feb: " We Have Band" Have it going on!!!!!!!

Tues 23th Feb: Marios Schwab

Tues 23th Feb: Cooperative Designs A/W 10

Cooperative Designs are a luxury label creating knitwear that you want to completely replace your existing wardrobe with.  It’s instantly distinctive in its graphic direction and immediately accessible with its flexible appeal.  The duo behind the brand are breaking into the industry with military precision and perceptive patience akin to a mould such as Peter Jensen (where coincidentally Annalissa once worked). 

This is their first season showing with the support of iconic Italian knitwear brand Stefanel.  The girls have earnt their stripes previously showing within the New Gen scheme and consulting for Hussein Chalayan.  Now they have harnessed those stripes and literally created a collection that is going to become an omnipresent optical illusion for A/W 2010.  Not content with focusing on just the range of enveloping special seperates, their energy has extended to an all – encompassing production.  The nature of “Cooperative Designs” is to tap into the network of skills surrounding them and join forces for a greater good.  Today’s presentation had an intimate salon style catwalk showing to best effect hats by Noel Stewart and jewellery by Corrie Williamson. An accompanying exhibition curated by their muse Amy Gwatkin featured portraits of  London’s creatives wearing an assigned piece from the new line.  The images submitted by the likes of Iekeliene Stange were also amassed and arranged into a deftly artworked zine.  Every angle of how to translate a new range had been locked down in an enviably conceived format.  From the angles of the checkboard set by David White to the printed poster invitation keepsake……….I’ll be keeping mine and counting my pennies to invest in these incredible pieces.

Originally written for The Daily.

Mon 22nd Feb: Yu LOVES.............

My ultimate streetstyle case study always has, and always will be Yu Masui...................and now I discover that he is blogging too!  Woo Hoo!  Here is from Friday wearing all Ann Sofie Back having just come from the TopShop Unique show where he was the unwitting embodiment of the aesthetic..............fur feet and all!  If you want to know what everyone else will be wearing next season, just look to Yu last season.  He had been wearing this bag as a little tribute to Ann Sofie for the 2 days before her show as a little joke to those in the know and see who else would notice.........he's a walking talking sartorial time bomb and its about to go off over on his blog!

Mon 22nd Feb: New Gen Part 2 Natascha Stolle

Yum!  I Love the new Natascha Stolle collection!  Sexy cream box jacket and bum hugging mini skirt combo........cute baby pink knit leggings.........peacock blue satin tailored pants..........acid yellow sheer shifts..........all topped off with this boombastic print.  Natascha has screen printed a pattern derived from the goggly eyes of her very first collection and handpainted bright marks within the blocks.  You can see in the shirt above that its sewn inside out with the top side of the print peeping out on the turned up sleeve.  I WANT!

Sun 21st Feb: Eley Kishimoto Pattern Lab

I first met Mark Eley in Santiago De Compostela at a fashion festival curated by Diane Pernet.............it seemed only serendipitous that I should arrive at the all day EK presentation at the exact same time as Diane..........so fortuitous infact that i got this lush snap of the two friends in the reflection of the pattern lab mirror installation.

Next portal on the EK pattern lab collection tour will be taken to Paris between 4th-11th March @  Galerie jeanroch Dard, 13 Rue Des Arquebusiers 75003