Saturday Sept 29th: Hats by Noel Stewart for Hussein Chalayan SS13

Wow, wow, wow.  When Noel Stewart conjured up iridescent visors for Hussein Chalayan last Spring Summer, I was in heaven and now this season he has made a range of colour peak hats that stack up to form a rainbow.  Separately each headpiece formed an awning for the show lights to cast a cosmic hue shadow across the girl's face like a buttercup reflection on your chin.  Here are Noel's shots from prepping backstage and if you head over to my AnOtherLOVES you can see the spectrum slotted together.  There you will also see the other stunning headwear collaboration that Hussein made with Palladium for silver metal hair wigs which are equally genius.

Prior to Hussein Chalayan's show, Noel was on set of the Gareth Pugh presentation with the long flowing sheer Mantilla veils that formed the silhouette of the opening sequence.  Now he is holding a showroom for his own SS13 collection which you can see in the final shot here ............. at 54 Rue Du Faubourg Saint Honore 75008 until 3rd October, 10am - 7pm by appointment only.  (Thanks to Noel for his beautiful backstage imagery)

Friday 28th Sept: "Birdland" Kim Jakobsen To - Private View at Rove Gallery

"Birdland"  Kim Jakobsen To

KENNY SCHACHTER / Rove Gallery 
Lincoln House
33-34 Hoxton Square
London N1 6NN

28th Sept - 14th Oct

Thurs 27th Sept: LFW SS13 - Craig Lawrence

For SS13 Craig Lawrence steams ahead with his subtle slinky knits but this season brings back some signature other-wordly silhouettes with layered coils of fibre-optic antennas.  He has integrated silver yarn into transparent panels with tetris art deco detail shards running up centre back and highlighting elbows and necklines.  Each garment constructed from glow-in-the-dark filaments that illuminate like radio active creatures from the deep sea when snapped with a flash or left under black (UV) light.  Its a slick and sophisticated sheath to slip on for comforting and empowering sex appeal or a liberating fun disco showstopper when the lights are turned off.  That pretty much sums up the Craig Lawrence brand to me - feminine elegance with an undertone of reckless and cheeky joy de vivre.  There aren't many designers who can reference crustacea and come out with a cracking body-con construction fit to win an Oscar as much as the starlet who might wear it down the red carpet.

Craig is showing the collection at the BFC Paris Showroom which opens today for a week until 4th October.............. go and touch the wonders for yourself and have a chat with one of the nicest characters in the industry!

Weds 26th Sept: LFW SS13 - Meadham Kirchhoff

Straight after Nasir Mazhar's presentation, a second set of his exquisitely crafted headpieces were being pinned to the models across the lawn, backstage at Meadham Kirchhoff .  The Space Odyssey neon strip lit space of the Top Shop runway pavilion had been overhauled and taken back to a fictional slice of Rococco France via Tony Hornecker's fun and fittingly incongruous set.  Jacquard upholstered screens divided up the causeway decorated in swathes of silk, pales of pink peonies and stacks of Pomp De Franc pastel iced cakes................ whilst the entire arena scented with Pehahligon "Cornubia".  The ornate, layered couture style collection emerged with girls in character  sashaying and slaloming between the slides, scooping up cupcakes and licking sticky fingers on their return.  Each laced, boned, bejewelled and bow-tied corseted construction was topped off with either a hair pin of hydrangea or a Nasir bonnet like a flying saucer from a Marie Antionette saga in outer space.  The whole experience was a masterful feet in displacing you into the Château de Versailles with models gone arry from inhaling crystallised sugar coated rose petals in their sweets.  Earlobes also dripped in crystals as encrusted chandelier droplets and talon nails sparkled with diamante manicures.  Bosoms peeped out over embroidered basques and oversize pearl bracelets clustered and collected above lace frilled gloves.  The season entitled "Cautionary Tale" told us that the season will dictate us to accessorise our Minnie Mouse t-shirts with a brocade jacket and switch the hair straighteners for curling tongs for trestles of bouncing locks. 

Weds 26th Sept: LFW SS13 Nasir Mazhar

Whilst Headonism is a static exhibition of avant-garde millinery from the emerging masters, Nasir Mazhar lifts his hats into the realm of movement with live installations.  This season Nasir launched a line of apparel to match his headwear and created a large scale set design for his models to inhabit, conjuring up a comic book barber shop.  Like my musical presentations made possible with the help of Red Bull Catwalk Studio, Nasir also works with the company to align his style to sound and had a live soundtrack performed by  MCs Merky Ace, Kozzie, Faze Miyake, NoLay, Marger and  Flirta D.  This is what makes London unique and exciting for international visitors - even for us London fashion folk who loiter in the same East End streets with the familiar backdrop of nocturnal barbers.  Nasir is always an absolute highlight of the schedule and I can't wait to see how his clothes line flourishes........ have a look yourself at the Paris showroom over the next 10 days - details here.

Weds 26th Sept: LFW SS13 - Headonism

J. Smith Esquire

Noel Stewart

Piers Atkinson

William Chambers

Charlie Le Mindu  

Kosher Dreams SS13 from Charlie Le Mindu on Vimeo.

Headonism = London's leading young milliners in one seasonal showcase at Somerset House, selected by Stephen Jones and snapped here for the blog by another of the capital's talented new stars Keely Hunter.  Check out Charlie Le Mindu's SS13 collection in this fashion film by Mari Sarai supported by the BFC's new Fash/On Film initiative.

Weds 26th Sept: LFW SS13 - StreetStyle

(Girl wearing Una Burke neck piece,  Cynthia Lawrence-John and Delilah, Kim Howells, Anna Trevelyan & detail, Yu Masui's feet, Sarah Mower's assistant Hannah)