London is more fun than all y'all

That's all I'm saying

Runway to Page

The looks in this editorial are way better here than they even were on the runway. This editorial should be unremarkable but man I love it. What is it about it? Maybe it's the stylist. I looked up the lady responsible, Catherine Newell-Hanson and boy does she kill it on the regular. She does do that annoying thing of reproducing entire looks from a show, but there is magic in the air here so I don't mind. 

images from Fashion Gone Rogue and vogue.com

London's Tops

Hello, I'm back, exams are over! Sorry for the three week gap.
So a semi-bumper post looking at my favourite shows from London. Ok so some of these collections are legit good, as in critically approved (Kane, for example), and there are others which I am just personally really fond of, without them being super amazing art or anything (ahem, Mulberry). So let the lowdown commence!

Meadham Kirchhoff

So Meadham Kirchoff this season? The t-shirt says it all:

I'm going to go out there and say that this was the best collection of Spring 2013. This collection actually made me emotional, and that doesn't happen very often. The last time my eyes got a bit moist and my heart quickened just from looking at clothes was Marc Jacobs Autumn 2010. And after viewing the collection I read this review, and it made everything even more emotional and somehow more real, like this collection was part of a story instead of masquerading commerce.

I find it funny that I should love this collection so much, yet last season's left me feeling relatively cold. I guess sometimes you cannot pin down exactly what makes something exceptional.

Mulberry

I'm not going to lie and say that Mulberry was cutting edge or anything, but damn it was fun and I want that hair and makeup and the florals and gold and mint was preeeeeeeeeeety. That is all.

Jonathan Saunders

Jonathan Saunders was way off kilter. Like off the kilter chart kilter. What strange mind puts beige and metallics together, or covering entire dresses in sequins (unless it's for a showgirl or drag queen). And the clothes were all set off by that wonderful/horrifying blow up sex doll lipstick. I swear it's the stuff of nightmares. So kudos to Saunders for achieving that!

One random look in venom green? Genius!

Christopher Kane

Good ol' Christopher. He always delivers. While designers usually supply show attendees with notes about the collection, their inspirations etc, Kane didn't this season. Apparently, it's not about anything at all.

Nothing? It just is? That is kind of... awesome. And for someone who loves the intellectual side of fashion, delving into the source and meaning of things, it's strangely exciting.

What I thought was also kinda remarkable about this collection is that it had not one but many "it" elements. Not only those plastic bows/ties, but also those large stiff folds, as well as that last dash of black censor-strips. This also translates to quite a diverse collection. From these glorious folded pastel dresses through to rubber bows and floating organza. I love that feeling of not quite knowing what will come down the runway next.

Erdem

The reason that Erdem is so often one of my favourites is that he continually surprises me. Obviously not surprise as in "flowers? what a surprise!", but as in he manages to do so much with florals, something different every six months, and something original. 

There is something poetic about the fact that the power went out during the show, yet the colour combinations of the dresses - orange, red, pink, subtle dashes of fluorescent yellow (above) - punch out incredibly bright. Via Tim Blanks' review at Style.com I discovered that Erdem called these brights, mixed with pastels, "uncomfortable colour combinations". It made for, once again, a wonderfully odd London collection. 

all images from vogue.com

One of the Best Things Ever

I'm in a pretty positive mood so I've decided to post one of my favourite *speshul* things. I'm talking a top-five collection no doubt. Fashion's hall of fame without question. One of the best things ever hands down. I am talking... CHRISTOPHER KANE WINTER '09

Ok so of course it's all subjective, I'll concede that this might not be one of the best things ever, but this collection will always have a special place in my heart. I can't pin down exactly why it is so excellent, maybe it's all that modern plaid that reps Kane's Scottish roots, or the metallic velvet and cashmere cardigans, or the stripes and lines that were everywhere, or maybe I've just been swayed by the flat shoes and non-hair and non-makeup. Maybe it's because it's just so damned cohesive! A single wonderful statement. Anyways, I'll leave you to just look at it.

Ooh though I do wanna say that Jessica Stam seemed like weird casting - she's got way too much attitude and is way too sexy compared to all these sullen cool Kane girls. There is angle to her hips! It looks like she's clicking along to music!

Christopher Kane S/S 2012

I've always had a soft spot for Christopher Kane, and out of all the London shows he's who I look forward to most. Unfortunately I build him up in my head each year and am always a little bit disappointed (life lesson: expect the worst in everything and you'll be happily surprised a lot of the time). He hasn't really lived up to my personal hype since S/S 2010 (Lolita in gingham), and I initially had that same disappointment this time around.
But then I was reading a review from fashionista.com which said that the photos didn't do the collection justice at all. This is often the case, so when the photos aren't great you need to watch a video of the show, and luckily models.com already have a one up! It's only one minute long but that's enough, finally you can see the lightness and luminescence that all the reviews were going on about.

 


And you know what? After watching the video, the photos improve too! Because you now understand them - instead of the first few looks just seeming washed out now it's all HOW ABOUT THOSE METALLICS:

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         
and HOW ABOUT THOSE FLORAL METALLICS:

                                                                                                                                                                     

I also like how the other florals are like the reverse of his embroided-leather florals from a few seasons back. One look is totally light, the other is totally dark.

                                                                                                                                                           

And then everything enters another level with the insane beading. I mean it almost rivals the beading in that Chanel Couture show and Kane is just some London newbie! (Relative term, of course)

                                                                                                                                                       

Hmmm in the photos the footwear kinda looks like Zuckerberg-y Adidas sandals, but really they're fantastic. They are very wrong and very right at the same time, which also goes for that one pair of jeans thrown in (so random).

                                                                                                                                                           

This is a prime example of why you shouldn't necessarily report on shows right away! (although I understand style.com that you need to get them out quickly) Had I given you my initial thoughts it would have all been "bleugh' and "meh". And now I'm back to over-hyping Kane's next collections.


                                                                                    all photos from vogue.com