Enchanted

It’s not far-fetched to say that art, performance and a little bit of magic are key elements when it comes to the joys of fashion. So what could be better than a magical journey involving these three activities?

No, we’re not talking Disney Land, but your best childhood memories are sure to come back when visiting Enchanted Palaces at Kensington Palace, home to some of Britain’s most famous royals. As part of a £12 million pound renovation, the prettiest of the Historic Royal Palaces is having a beautiful and multi-sensory spectacle in collaboration with a Cornish theatre company named Wildworks and six of the most successful names in British fashion: from the ground-breaking Vivienne Westwood to milliner Stephen Jones, along with newer talents William Tempest, Aminaka Wilmont, Boudicca and illustrator slash set designer Echo Morgan.

The theme? A search for the seven princesses who resided at Kensington Palace, ranging from Queen Victoria to Princess Diana. All of these fascinating ladies lived, loved and shed more than one tear throughout their stay in the mysterious walls of the Palace, proving that fairy tales don’t always have a happy ending.

Here comes the best bit: to find out more about the princesses, you’ll receive a map at the beginning of your journey and be guided throughout the rooms of the Palace by some very helpful guardians, and so we’ve heard, the whispers of long gone servants. The princesses’ lives have been interpreted in the shape of weird and wonderful installations, and each room is a world of its own created by the mentioned fashion designers along with Wildworks. Some of the highlights are Westwood’s fleeting dress inspired by the rebellious Princess Charlotte (1796 -1817), Tempest’s creation is a flying origami dress, whilst artist Echo Morgan got her hands on the Enchanted Palace’s Cabinet of Curiosities.

Prepared to be moved – this is a dark, emotional fairy tale for grown-ups come true. Enchanted Palace will be on until January 2012 – can you wait that long?

01.04.2010 / 1 response / Category: Fashion Newsroom

LFW: Friday

The frenzy of fashion week is slowly, but surely starting to wind down (cue the rain).  With blistered toes, and stronger legs (gotta love those heels), we bring you our glimpse of London Fashion Week over the next few posts and several days.  The slightly glossier (read:professional/clear/undoubtedly better) photos from British Vogue will show you the details in the looks compared to our meagre shots.  We promise no’t to inundate with you blurry images for too many more posts.

Maria Grachvogel’s show opened with sounds of thunder and lightening riveting around the mirrored room inside the Waldorf Hilton.  The line was sleek, draped and utterly sophisticated, with necklines plunging as low as the waist, silk jumpsuits and structured dresses.  A leather cape stood out among the fur jackets, appearing to armour the model’s slight frame.  Several printed dresses of crashing ocean blue and green were cut to sweep along the ground or worn short and loose-fitting, whilst our favourite had an open back with ruffles.  Grachvogel incorporated several structured marigold-coloured dresses amidst the granite grey palette.

The Scandanavian duo behind Aminaka Wilmont always brings an interesting edge to their shows, last season it was antlers, this season it was feathers– though not in that heavenly ethereal way, instead the feathers poked out as headpieces.  In a collection of predominantly black and white and grey (is a trend developing, or is this just a London/ NY thing here?), the prints were bold and the knits, fierce.  Sure there were splashes of blue on figure-fitted silk canvases, but the tone of this collection was decidedly dark.  Sweaters were wrapped and dangling with cords.  A haunting voice sung “Don’t rain on my…” as yet another show alluded to our dreary autumn forecasts.  Well, at least the clothes are something to keep up our spirits!

Bora, Bora, Bora…we have to hand it to the man. Bora Aksu successfully wove colour–and not just any colour, we’re talking pastels here friends– into his line for autumn/winter.  The show opened in uncomfortable darkness, with a spotlight slowly growing brighter focused on the model waiting beneath its glare.  Then there was a flood of baby blue, followed by a maize of pinks–rose, mauve, lavender– all blending together in tassels wrapping across the body.  Aksu paired light chiffon with soft knits effortlessly, juxtaposing delicate fabric with rugged, torn designs.  Remember spring’s multi-coloured leggings that fit together like puzzle pieces with shimmery glue?  Well they’re back, but in darker hues for autumn.  Aksu also worked in bronze trousers and metallic separates, adding a little shine to the line.  From where we were seated, Bora’s autumn looks a lot rosier than the rest.

22.02.2010 / no responses / Category: Autumn Winter 2010

Big, bad boots

I’m stepping back into Autumn for the moment, because while I’m wishing every night for an early spring, I need to deal with the number one issue on my mind: what kind of shoes to buy this season.  Presently, I’m obsessed with over-the-knee boots.  To be honest, I wasn’t prepared to like this style of footwear at first.   I mean they’re practically pants. A friend of mine in the States has been raving about her pair for the past year, and they did not sound appealing for the first 300 days I listened. I was imagining Julia Roberts strutting around downtown L.A., red tangles and short mini in tow.  All it took was a visual aid in the shape of A/W 09 runways to change my tune.

I would wear these Stella McCartney boots every single day for the rest of my life. With anything and everything: leggings, skinny jeans, a mini or 3/4 length skirt for that matter, there are really no limits.  They would look amazing peaking out of a cropped trench.  Added plus, Ms. McCartney famously refuses to use animal skin in her designs, so this is truly guilt-free fashion at its best. Admittedly I would spend the first few days staring at my legs, tracing these divine patterns, before I fully owned them. Sad, I know. Moving on…

I adore this suede variation from Chloé by Hannah MacGibbon, especially the frilly lace-up heeled Bluebell boots. Because it wouldn’t be Autumn without a gorgeous suede boot, and Chloe happens to offer two beauties, it’s quite necessary to view both the flat riding- and evening out-options.  Hannah MacGibbon has certainly set the bar high with her first collection for the French fashion house.

More on suede, but this time of the extravagant and rust orange variety, courtesy of Vivienne Westwood. Westwood reworks the high-reaching heels, hititng her stride in this firey number.  I like how they’re fitted around the thigh, yet somewhat still slouchy lower down the leg.  And to our right, we have Peter Pilotto, who takes an interesting direction with this heel-pant hybrid (that, and I had to point out this one shoulder orange-azure dress). Not quite a boot, and yet not exactly connected to your waist, but innovative nonetheless–sort of reminiscent of what Aminaka Wilmont was doing here. You can shop this dress and more pretty prints from Pilotto here.

This party-perfect boot from Guiseppe Zanotti is chic and fresh. Zanotti introduces rainbow detailing to the influx of studded footwear that swept Autumn runways with a brighter twist.  Ideal for going out, these thigh-highs look like they would fit the leg perfectly–banning unintentional scrunch!

Shop more over-the-knee boots here.

30.09.2009 / no responses / Category: A/W 09 Runway

Hot purSuit

I want to a) figure out when, and b) decide how best to wear these over-the-knee pseudo pant legs from Aminaka Wilmont. Once determined, I will be one happy shopper.  The conceptual line developed by Maki Aminaka and Marcus Wilmont is a sweet synthesis of androgynous suiting and feminine draping–mixed with some experimental footwear, naturally.   I am all for the deconstructed suits, especially with pops of rose, seafoam and marigold (see below), which shake up an otherwise straightforward runway of grey and black. The layering is ideal for Autumn and perfect for day-to-night dressing.  Lose the blazer, and I’d be set with the perfect cocktail dress.

I cannot get enough of pronounced shoulders this season (that applies across the runways), and the designers’ playful take on suiting is fresh and youthful. Please note the jewellery hanging from the models’ necks: stunning. LynkU has some of the swirly silk dresses and structured jackets, click here to shop.

15.09.2009 / 1 response / Category: A/W 09 Runway