M&S Back in the Game

Due for this Autumn M&S have produced a newly designed womenswear collection which you will all want to grab your hands on! Fusing high-quality fabrics with contemporary cuts this collection displays an easy elegance aesthetic. The collection features flattering dresses, beautifully cut coats and luxurious knitwear.

Coupled with this, Marks & Spencer have also put together an extremely captivating new campaign in order to celebrate this new exciting collection and features some of this countries most inspirational women.

The campaign was shot by renowned photographer Annie Leibovitz and focuses on 12 different women all from very diverse backgrounds and professions such as Grace Coddington- former British model and long-time creative director of US Vogue, Ellie Goulding- singer, songwriter and skilled instrumentalist and also Hellen Mirren- multi-award winning actress. View the campaign in the video featured below.

Topshop Pop Up Market!

Always managing to stay one (high heeled) step ahead in fashion, Topshop have as usual not failed to disappoint with a new savvy idea to entice consumers into their flagship store at London's Oxford Circus. Amongst three floors filled with the lastest fashion trends you will now also find situated on the second floor a Pop Up Market for a limited time only displaying selected boutique brands showcasing their seasonal collections.

Currently you can find brands Queenie, The Whitepepper, We are Hairy People and Never Fully Dressed which will be featured there until the end of the week. After this two more rounds of four concessions will be placed here for three weeks!

Exciting news, below is a preview of the current collections on display:

Images courtesy of INSIDE-OUT (Topshop Blog) 

Selfridges Drive-Through Service

The renowned high end department store which has been open to the world since 1909 otherwise known as 'Selfridges & Co' have recently unveiled that they will be opening the worlds first ever luxury drive-through service for their customers, which will be open from January 2014. The service will be operating from their flagship store situated on Oxford Street in London (the second largest shop in the UK).

Today, shops are becoming extremely dynamic, constantly competing on innovation in order to attract and appeal to consumers. This new strategy is incredibly ingenious, taking luxury to new levels as it allows shoppers to purchase via their online website before collecting their gifts from a reception area behind the store- meaning customers won't even have to get out their car!

Selfridges multi-channel director Simon Forster, claimed;

  "It will not just be the first drive-through service, it will be the best."

The British Designers' Collective 2013

(Left to Right) Yasmin Sewell, Rita Ora & Henry Holland

Today the 'British Designers' Collective' re-opens at Bicester Village which showcases some of the best  of home-grown British fashion talent. The pop-up boutique has been transformed over the last few days in order to launch the 'Future Vintage' theme which exhibits these established and emerging talent collections which will be open for the next eight weeks - with all items up to 60% off!

In collaboration with the British Fashion Council, the one-stop boutique is now open for its fourth year and featuring designers including House of Holland, David Koma, Peter Pilotto, JW Anderson and Roksanda Illincic. Each year a new British face hosts the big launch at the Collective and this year they featured stylish singer Rita Ora.

‘The concept of the shop is about future vintage, it’s really about an era of British fashion, It wasn’t about stock from a previous season or that you may have seen before, it’s  about gathering pieces from the best of British talent in one space. When you see it all right here it’s just great product and it becomes seasonless.’ 
Brand Advisor and Retail Consultant Yasmin Sewell, who curated this year's collection.

'10 of London's Top Young' Fashion Creatives'

As you may have already gathered from reading other posts on my blog, I am extremely passionate in hearing about the freshest undiscovered up coming design talent to hit the scene, therefore when I heard my phone buzz at precisely 06.01 in the morning updating me with my complimentary daily email newsletter from The Business of Fashion i was particularly intrigued by the subject heading; '10 of London's Top Young Fashion Creatives'.

The article demonstrates how London is a hub of creative talent, showcasing a wide and vibrant community of designers, stylists photographers, hair and make up artists, art directors and other fashion creatives (the list could go on forever). It celebrated how top tier design institutes and numerous support schemes across the UK help to support, nurture and establish these young entrepreneurs and BoF managed to speak to some of these rising talents to discover how hard work and determination has got them where they are today.

One of the 10 young flourishing creatives which particularly caught my attention was Matthew Josephs, a stylist from Finsbury Park who first realised his admiration for fashion at just the young age of thirteen! when he noticed John Galliano's AW'03 collection for Dior.

Matthew explains how he went to Central Saint Martins to study womenswear, but soon realised it wasn't the clothes he loved making, but instead creating the powerful looks.

Today Matthew has styled for a long list of renowned publications including i-D, GQ, Style, Vogue as well as consulting for young up-coming designers including Meadham Kirchhoff and Nasir Mazhar.

I highly recommend reading this article of these 10 talented individuals it is both inspiring and motivating! Read the full article here.

Cheap VS Chíc

It's all about shining bright in foil fabric for S/S13, the coloured metallic trend noticed earlier this year on the catwalk for designers such as Burberry Prorsum, Dior and Jonathan Saunders has stuck around with all sorts of garments filtering into stores and online in a mixture of rainbow shades.

As seen above, there are many ways to wear this 'space' themed trend with a wide price range, so whether your shopping the high street or have a special occasion coming up where you can afford to splash out a little more (or have a very kind bank account) then there are plenty of options to choose from. I have picked out just a few of my favourites of the above that I have noticed online and in the shops!  

1. Burberry Brit, Metallic Leather Bomber Jacket, £1,295.00
2. & Other Stories, Leather Mini Skirt, £79.00 *LOVE THIS!
7. Sophie Hulme, Metal Tab Document Clutch Bag, £440.00 *LOVE THIS!
11. Bex Rox Jewellery, Exclusive Gina Twisted Chain Necklace, £450.00

3. Maison Martin Margiela, 4. Zara, 5. See By Chloe Shoes, 6. Topshop. 8. IRO, 9. Versus By Versace, 10. Zara, 12. Zara, 

Now, it would't be right to cash in on these wonderful trends without accompanying them with the perfect make-up! I have picked out below some of my all-time favourite beauty brands in suited colouring which would go perfectly to match this trend. These metallic accents can also be used all year around with any outfit to help amp it up a little and add a luxurious boost to your look!

Favourites:

1. Rimmel, London Glam Eyes Gel Eyeliner, £6.49
5. Bobbi Brown Metallic Long-Wear Cream Eye Shadow,  £18.00  *LOVE THIS!
7. Topshop, Eye Palette in Atmosphere, £12.00
10. NARS, Velvet Matte Lip Pencil, Tender Night, £17.50  *LOVE THIS!

2. Bobbi Brown, 3. Chanel, 4. NARS, 6. Topshop, 8. NARS, 9. NARS, 11. Chanel,

The Cools, (New York) officially open to the public!

Throughout my final year at university, I have been focusing on conducting heavy research and analysis into the Independent market sector, specifically within fashion. So when I came across this article from The Business of Fashion website on 'The Cools' who are a curated marketplace showcasing independent fashion and lifestyle brands based in New York, I was extremely interested and so I thought I would share it with anyone reading!

Following a similar approach to ASOS Markeplace but with a much higher price point, The Cools is a social marketplace where you can discover and buy from influential independent brands, boutiques and sellers. The Cools originally launched in June 2011 as a members-only platform, however they recently have decided to expand to the public via their online website in order to offer more exposure to these emerging brands and inspiring designers.

The marketplace connects approximately 50,000 active users and due to market feedback the company has shifted its overall strategy and refocused on soley providing fresh, young, up and coming brands which will inevitably offer them a direct business-to-consumer channel. 

Womenswear Examples:                                          Menswear Examples:

To view more, visit The Cools here.                                        To view more, visit The Cools here.

Imagery courtesy of The Business of Fashion and The Cools. 

Georgia Hardinge for River Island

As part of River Island Design Forum, London-based designer Georgia Hardinge has partnered up with the renowned high street retailer to launch her S/S13 Collection which hit stores on Wednesday 3rd April 2013.

The design forum - which last season saw the partnership with William Tempest aims to give emerging designers the opportunity to showcase their collection within River Island to be able to target a wider audience. 

The SS13 high street collaboration showcases Georgia Hardinge impressive and well known designs including her use of contrasting soft and feminine fabrics abstract prints and monochrome coulour palettes, following the aesthetic of her mainline which features both garment and accessories. The fourteen piece collection will be displayed in store, online and in windows of River Island stores nationwide. 

I am a huge fan of Georgia Hardinge's work, I love that she has teamed up with River Island to launch her collection and think it is a great opportunity for new designers to be able to take part in these schemes such as the design forum in order to become established. 

View the River Island collection by Georgia Hardinge here.
View all of Georgia Hardinge collections, from her website here.

The Vogue Festival

Due to the first year of success the 'Vogue Festival' event is back for 2013, hosting a two day fashion extravaganza on April 27th - 28th held at the prestigious Queen Elizabeth Hall at Southbank Centre, London.

The festival will include talks and panel discussions from some of the most iconic members of the fashion industry giving a unique insight into their own lives and successful careers, including talks from
Natalie Massene, Paul Smith, Alexa Chung, Michael Kors, Victoria Beckham, Mario Testino, Alber Elbaz and Donatella Versace 

The event will also feature panel discussions on the following topics:

So you want to be a fashion designer? 
Can fashion change the world? 
Behind the scenes of a Vogue cover shoot
Mad about the girl
The secrets of creating a British brand
Too fat too thin?

This exciting event is definitely not one to be missed if you can make it! Guests will be able to take part in exclusive activities such as mentoring panels, makeovers, workshops, demonstrations, cover-shoots. You can still purchase tickets from the Southbank Centre website costing roughly £30 for each individual talk.

Dior Wonderland, Harrods

Harrods, one the world's most established luxury department stores have collaborated with Dior to reveal a temporary homage to the luxury label and to showcase a visual history of the renowned brand. Harrods have transformed their Georgian Restaurant on the fourth floor temporarily into a wonderland which exhibits the world of Dior though a cafe, exhibition, window displays and a pop up shop.

Inside the exhibition, you will witness videos describing the concept behind its campaigns, dresses worn by the label's renowned fans such as Diana, Princess of Wales and Elizabeth Taylor, exquisite imagery taken from the brand's archive along with a series of London's top tourist spots each personalised with the Dior label - such as the London Eye and Tower Bridge.

A giant almost-life size doll's house is also featured as part of the project on the fourth floor, which displays tiny furniture made using J'Adore Dior fragrance bottles. The pop-up store also located on the same floor sells a collection of exclusive products to customers.

Take a look at some of the images and a short sneak preview clip from the gallery below.

                     Images courtesy of Vogue and Dior, Facebook

The beautiful exhibition closes on the 14th April 2013. I think this attraction is a great way to excite and entice customers, especially having it located at such a popular destination where they attract large quantities of footfall each day. I will definitely be taking a break from my university work and going down for a visit during the Easter break!

H&M Launch New Label '& Other Stories'

After several months of anticipation, last Friday H&M launched their new high-end label, '& Other Stories' in the Regent Street Store, London.

& Other Stories are a fashion brand who offer women a wide range of shoes, bags, accessories and beauty products in order to create their personal style, or story. They pride themselves on paying great attention to detail and quality, whilst offering an affordable price.


Here are some images below exposing the interior of the store, showcasing the new collection:

The debut collection features simple lines and clean timeless silhouettes as well as showcasing accessories, jewellery and ready-to-wear garments in addition to dedicated shoe and beauty departments displayed across the two-floor space.

"Our diverseness comes from building collections around different fashion stories," 
& Other Stories Head of Design, Anna Teurnell. 

I love this new collection and think it suits H&M's aesthetic to a T, I especially admire the black and white ocean print tailored suit as I am a sucker for anything which contains a monochrome palette. Check out the inspiring video posted at the bottom of the page under the images to see the inspiration behind the ocean print theme.

Below, features some images from the look book of the new collection:

    Images courtesy of Vogue

Ocean Print Inspiration:

ISA ARFEN

I'm always on the look out for new appealing designers (- when I manage to find some spare time that is). It fascinates me to notice how they express their brand aesthetic through their collections and I love to explore their different ideas and where they gain their inspiration from.

Most recently I came across 'Isa Arfen', a new brand which showcases a traditional design aesthetic with quirky cuts and dreamy embellishments. This label was founded by Central Saint Martin's graduate Serafina Sama in late 2011, who grew up in Italy where she gained studio experience working with designer labels including Marc Jacobs and Lanvin before settling as a design assistant at Chloe for two years before moving on to London with intention to launch her own label.

The brand features sensual silhouettes and muted colours yet containing a relaxed, feminine and fun feel as you will notice from the S/S13 collection below, which displays signature pieces including high waists, cropped tops and oversized shirts, main colours include emerald green and petunia pink. Stockists in the UK include Opening Ceremony situated in Covent Garden.

                            Images courtesy of Isa Arfen

Cheap VS Chíc

Although it may only be February and there are no signs of the weather in the UK getting anywhere near close to warm! Spring/ Summer 13 trends have already started filtering through stores, showcasing their energising bright bursts of colour in order to try and give us a little boost of motivation that Spring/Summer is on its way!

Bold neon colours are always popular when it comes to Summer, so it's no surprise that the hot colour of the summer is the admired orange palette, noticed in many different shades including peachy, apricot and burnt red orange. Renowned designers and famous celebs have been noticed accessorising orange into their outfits and embracing the trend.

As usual, once a month I update my blog with a 'Cheap VS Chíc' post, in order to analyse recent trends within the current market, to make a comparison between what's displayed on the high street compared with the luxury high-end market, whilst also demonstrating that you don't need thousands of pounds in your bank to capitalize on trends, however if you do then there are some options here for you too!

Fashion Scout - London Fashion Week

I have just completed working for 'Fashion Scout' for my second season running (In September and February for London Fashion Week). For those of you who don't no much about Fashion Scout they are an International showcase for fashion innovation, renowned for championing creative design talent, where they scout and present in both London and Paris.

Since they begun fourteen seasons ago, they have managed to roll call designers including Peter Pilotto,  Felder Felder, David Koma, William Tempest, Eadon Choi and Pam Hogg. Fashion Scout can be interpreted as a springboard for International design students, enabling them to showcase and promote their work through catwalks and exhibitions, in order for them to emerge and become established by top media and buyers.

I thoroughly enjoy working with Fashion Scout, the atmosphere is always so exhilarating, and the team are all so lovely to work with. During my time with FS I was working as a PR/ Social Media Assistant, so my daily duties consisted of mainly; 

• Constantly checking all socials media sites including  Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and updating them with images/ descriptions from the catwalk shows
• Liaising with house photographers  
• Searching for press articles about Fashion Scout and the designers 
• General assistance - making sure each photographer and blogger knew the daily schedule for where they should be for each catwalk show or exhibition

My favourite part about working for FS is when there wasn't t too much to do I was able to go and watch the catwalk shows. Due to being so busy this season I only had time to visit one show; Phoebe English, however I am a big fan of Phoebe's work so this was an extra special treat!

Being in the catwalk shows really gives off an exciting buzz (even though this may sound a tad cringe). With the music blaring, striking lighting and important familiar faces scattered around the room and of course the amazing outfits strutting down the runway by the extremely talented designers it's fascinating to watch!

For a sneak preview of the catwalk shows, take a look at the clip below from Phoebe English AW13.

Phoebe English AW13


 To see more images and to learn more about each designer and their collection take a look at the Fashion Scout blog.

Dover Street Market Re-Vamp!

Dover Street Market (DSM) is one of my favourite stores in London, offering cutting-edge fashion. For those of you who haven't heard of DSM or don't know much about it I would seriously recommend checking this beauty out, it is well worth it!

Dover Street Market is a market-based department store concept, which was founded in 2004 by Rei Kawakubo, also the owner of private Japanese fashion label 'Comme des Garcons'. Located in Mayfair, the store showcases a range of eclectic luxury brands (including Comme des Garcons) as well as renowned International brands such as Celine, Saint Laurent, Simone Rocha and Alexander McQueen, whilst also offering impressive contemporary art and design installations. 

The interior of the shop is remarkably striking, changing every six months to re-install, they feature very simplistic yet exciting installations to add to the contemporary feel of the store such as a giant gold birdcage that doubles as a changing room. This appealing approach is a great strategy in order to entice customers into their stores to encounter the experience rather than simply shopping online. They also have stores in Beijing and Tokyo, with a fourth opening in New York later in 2013. 

Images courtesy of Dazed Digital

The highly respected and inspirational Rei Kawakubo commented;

   "The more people that are afraid when they see the creations, the happier I am." 

Red Nose Day! 15th March 2013

It's coming up to that time of year again where everyone will be gearing up with their shiny red noses in appreciation of Red Nose Day on 15th March 2013. It's been 25 years since Red Nose Day first burst onto or screens and it always amazes me to see how much money is raised each year, with the whole country getting involved to help change countless lives in both Africa and the UK. Last Red Nose Day raised a staggering £108,436,227 and hopefully this year will continue to reach a similar success!

Every year renowned celebrities get involved to show their support for the charity in many innovating ways and this year is no exception. In celebration of this important day Stella McCartney has designed a capsule collection of T-shirts for both adults and children exclusively to buy from TK Maxx stores and online, with a percentage of profits going towards Comic Relief.

Kate Moss, Alexa Chung and David Gandy are just some of the names who will be fronting the campaign for Stella McCarntney's Comic Relief T-shirt collection. The imagery was shot by supermodel Helena Christensen and photographer Mary McCartney. 

"I admire the Red Nose Day Team and their achievements for this incredible worthwhile cause, to be able to be a small part of supporting that, is extremely rewarding." Stella McCartney

Each T-shirt has been manufactured in Africa using 100% Fairtrade-certified organic cotton, featuring various icons such as Marilyn Monroe, Tommy Cooper, The Beatles and Kate Moss. T-shirt prices start from £5.99 for a children's T-shirt and £9.99 for adult sizes.