THE MUSICAL HIGHLIGHTS OF LFW AW12

Posted by Bethan Holt, Fashion Junior at Large

There's a thing called the #lfwtimeline. If you have a look at this hashtag on twitter you'll see that it tells you how late (or not) a show is running. We've worked out that this timeline is perhaps not the most reliable of sources- its default setting for each show is "the XXX show is running 10 minutes late' even though sometimes it is 15 mins and others it's 30 mins. Anyway, when you do manage to be punctual, there's almost always some cool music playing and setting the tone for what you're about to see. And once the show begins, the music has a massive impact on how you start to interpret the collection.

Here are a few of our favourite songs from the week...

Azealia Banks hasn't even released a single yet but that hasn't stopped her becoming a YouTube hit, as well as being enlisted to perform for Karl Lagerfeld. She also appeared at last night's Topshop party, celebrating ten years of NewGen. Her 212 song was heard all week, including at House of Holland, Mulberry and Topshop Unique.



One of the Fashed's favourite tunes at the moment is 'I'm His Girl' by Friends. We heard it at Emilio de la Morena and Felder Felder among others.



In terms of music, last LFW was rather overshadowed by a certain Lana del Rey and her (then) fresh new voice in 'Video Games'. We still heard this song a few times over this season including at Aquascutum. Oh, and in case you hadn't heard by now (where have you been?) then Mulberry have named their new bag, the Del Rey, after the former Lizzie Grant. Plus she rocked up at their show, but we didn't need to tell you that did we?



Meadham Kirchhoff were bound to deliver on the music front, given their obsession with teen girl tunes. Their show closed with Abba's Dancing Queen.



The new Muppets movie is out now. What with Miss Piggy guest editing Grazia, it's hardly surprising it was on the mind of designers. Mulberry closed their show the Ma Na Ma Na song.



Hanna Hanra took charge of the music at Louise Gray. before the show began, she played some Whitney. The show was all about 90s house music, including Work It Girlfriend by Jack and Jill.





Pringle's show took place to the sound of INXS 'Need You Tonight'...



And finally, Marios Schwab's entire show was based on Mahler's Adagietto from Symphony no. 5.

THE WEEK IN FASHION: OCTOBER 31st- NOVEMBER 4th

Posted by Fashion Junior at Large

Another week has gone by in the wonderful world of fashion, so here are all the stories which have caught our eye this weeek...

Tate Liverpool's Alice in Wonderland exhibition begins today and that theme seems to fit in perfectly with some of SS12's whimsical, back to childhood themes- think Christopher Kane's flower sticker coats and Meadham Kirchhoff's sugar sweet homage to girlishness.  But it seems that the exhibition offers a truly in-depth look at all the aspects of Alice's Adventures which have caused so much debate for so many years- What were Carroll's true motives? How are we to read into certain elements of the plot? If we happen to be anywhere up North before 29th January then we will definitely be dropping in for a look around. If you manage to go, do let us know how it was for you.

Alice Pleasance Liddell, the little girl said to have inspired Carrol's book. This is a picture he took in 1859, from amadelio.org

The story of the House of Fabergé is inextricably linked with the History of Europe. In 1917, Peter Carl Fabergé and his family were forced to abandon their business to flee from the Bolshevik uprising. In the ensuing events, they lost the rights to use the name upon which they had built their fortune, creating bejewelled eggs for some of the most prestgious families in Europe and Russia. However in October 2007, the House and the family were reunited once more. They are now making jewellery which heavily references the classic Fabergé with its incredible detail and use of the most intricate of techniques. Now, Mario Testino has worked alongside Carine Roitfeld, producer Camilla Johnson-Hill and Fabergé's Creative Director Katharina Flohr to create the house's first advertising campaign. Essentially, this is the tale of the most old school of brands reinventing itself for today. We might think of Fabergéas something we would see in a mueseum or a book, but maybe we should be prepared for those preconceptions to be thwarted. Their model is Bee Gee- I had to read that detail several times, I was thinking that I was about to see Maurice Gibb in an egg pendant- who apprently encompasses the Russia/ Europe relationship which Fabergé wants to enhance. If they have the Carine/ Mario power team on board, they could hardly fail, could they?

Bee Gee, decked out in jewels befitting of a Russian Grand Duchess, or Oligarch's wife

The BFC showrooms have continued their world tour, which have so far seen British designers exhibiting their SS12 colllections in Paris, LA and New York, in Hong Kong this week. They received a warm welcome from the Chinese fashion industry with Angelica Cheung, Editor of Vogue China, hosting a tea for them. Lane Crawford, one of Hong Kong's biggest department stores, also put on an in-store event followed by a big party in Victoria Harbour. All this seems proof that everywhere in the world right now, there is a buzz about British desingers and the BFC is doing a very good job of capitalising on that. Louise Gray told Vogue "It was great - I got some brilliant new stockists over there"- job done.

We can see why Louise Gray went down a treat in Hong Kong (image from Vogue.co.uk)

 We're feeling an all-new Manolo moment coming on, so the news that Blahnik is to receive the first ever lifetime achievement award at the 25th Footwear News Achievement Awards makes perfect sense. When he won Designer of the Year in the same ceremony in 1992, he said '“I do what I do and that’s it. It’s nice I make people happy. If I only do that in my life, it’s great, even if it is only a stupid pair of pumps.” Excellent news then, that Manolo will be recognised for his success in maintaining that exact aim- we take our Mary Janes off to you, Mr Blahnik!

Manolo looking extremely dapper (image from vogue.it)

 Never ones to pass up the opportunity to devour anything Chanel related, we are very excited about Karl Lagerfeld's forthcoming book which pays tribute to the Chanel tweed jacket. Carine Roitfeld has styled some of the world's best known women in the piece to celebrate the timeless quality which Coco captured back in 1926 (when her first tweed jacket was produced). Lagerfeld commented that "Transformation is the secret of survival, but never change."; a cryptic, seemingly nonsensical utterance which actually seems to make perfect sense when applied to this little bit of fashion history.

Saskia de Brauw in  her Chanel tweed (image from Telegraph.co.uk/ V Magazine)

After leaving British Vogue this Summer, it was unclear what exactly Robin Derrick's next move could be. Well, it seems that Glenda Bailey, Editor of US Harper's Bazaar has enlisted him to help revive the title she has edited for the past ten years. We're all aware that the publishing industry is a tough place to be right now and it seems that Harper's is at the coal face, having seen 4.1% decrease in the number of ad pages being bought over the past year. So it makes perfect sense that Derrick be drafted in from a title which is doing pretty well at defying the decline.

Robin, back when he was Vogue through and through (image from vogue.co.uk)

Just as we've got through the SS12 shows, we are reminded once again of the Resort collections as the campaigns are revealed. I completely loved Vuitton's Resort collection (which was done in collaboration with Sofia Coppola) but I do find the campaign a bit disappointing. Although it's NICE it could have been AMAZING given the strong Gatsby/ thirties pyjama influences of the collection. The confusion over what a Resort collection actually is shows too. At Chanel and Prada, the models look like they're off to a Christmas party, while at Gucci and Vuitton it's High Summer, confused much?! In general, these images don't feel quite as exciting as those we see for the main collections, but that's just the spoilt fashion brat in me speaking- we can't have it all, can we?

A thirties look for Saskia de Brauw at Chanel

Karmen Pedaru for Gucci

Arizona Muse for Louis Vuitton

Why have one purse, when you can have six? Lea Seydoux/ Prada

FW11 TREND #4: POLKA DOTS

Posted by Fashion Junior at Large

Each season there is a graphic that feels right for now, even though it is a variation on a classic- think stars, stripes and spots. For FW11, you are going to find it hard to avoid polka dots, that's if you haven't succumbed already- this trend was a goer pretty much the moment the catwalk shows ended, but more of that later.

Marc Jacobs has been known to look to Yayoi Kusama for inspiration. Read all about the polka loving artist here, including her long-time residence in a mental institution

It is a joint effort from Marc Jacobs and Stella McCartney which brings the humble spot print into hot fashion territory this season.  The polka might not be something new but the way we wear it for FW11 is different and perhaps initially surprising for those of us who first think of Minnie Mouse when we conjure the quintessential dotty dresser. Basically, it's all about sex. You could even see this as a subversive, sub-element of the fetish trend which we will talk about another day. 

Polka dots represent a charming, playful innocence but when are they done in rubber (as at Marc Jacobs and Louise Gray) or artfully placed atop a sheer base (as at Stella) then the effect really can be a bit mind boggling- is this supposed to be fun, or sexy, or (can we take this) BOTH? Sexy fun.

David Koma FW11

The flames of this trend have been fanned by the early celebrity endorsements of Stella McCartney's collection. Kate Winslet caused a stir wearing the black sheer polka cut out dress not long after the catwalk shows, as did Liv Tyler. The ad campaign stars Natalia Vodianova. By having the dress etched in our minds from such an early stage, the high street was bound to follow in order to satiate the predictable need to emulate. If you want to splash out on a less celeb-y, but no less in your face,  polka reference then I am rather in love with Louise Gray's thigh high rubber wellies, a bit fun, a bit kinky, so I would point you in their direction (available at Harvey Nichols)

Louise Gray FW11 (style.com)

Natalia Vodianova for Stella McCartney's campaign (stylerumor.com)

Marc Jacobs' peplums and pencil skirts are made in tweedy wools but then you stick a shiny polka on top and ta da, lady becomes fun. David Koma's furry appendages have a similar effect alongside the be-polkaed body con dresses. Stella also used giant paillettes to take the spot pattern a step further, they have a slight delicacy which means they sort of hover threateningly over their sheer underlayers, as if they might drop to a big reveal at any moment.

Marc Jacobs FW11 (catwalking.com)

Marc Jacobs FW11 (catwalking.com)

Stella McCartney FW11 (catwalking.com)

 WE RECOMMEND

BARGAIN DESIGNER DOTS: Balenciaga at Matches £272 (from £545)

Wolford at ASOS £33

Marc Jacobs at Net-a-Porter £825

Topshop £38.50

Warehouse £60