London Fashion Week - Homecoming Kings

By Katie Wright

The first of the return of the natives – Brits coming back to show in London after seasons abroad – was Antonio Beradi. (Yeah, I know, I thought he was Italian too.) As sleek and sophisticated as the marble floor upon which the girls catwalked, this was power dressing for the noughties: strong lines and sculptured silhouettes that were still potently feminine.

Following later in the week, how did Christopher Bailey mark his homecoming? He took the Burberry blueprint and twisted, knotted and layered it on a heavenly assortment of supershort trenches and cocktail dresses in muted tones of camel, mustard, mint and taupe, then crowned it with a couple of sparkly tinselly cocoon jackets.

And as they returned, so I am leaving. Only for a vacation mind. I'm heading to the Big Apple (too late for fashion week, I know :( ) so I've lined up some more of the best of LFW for the next week.

Coming soon: Find out if Italians really do it better at Milan Fashion Week. xxx

Credit Crunch Chic….

By Aime Kewley

These are trying times for fashionistas everywhere. We’ve all been credit crunched, it would seem, and are in the grip of the fallout from pre-seasons spending up wildly on spur of the moment pieces which now seem more than a little passé. So, what’s a recession hit style maven to do?

Winter fashion is always tricky, notwithstanding the fact that 99% of outfits are shrouded by a coat (Tip: make it a stylish one. A cocoon coat in a neutral tone should see you right this winter, and keep you snug to boot.) Of course, winter means layers, by dint of which, means more clothes, and ultimately, more to buy. However, a few crafty purchases, carefully edited and selected, can turn your winter look around, even on a budget.

Elicit the use of a few good friends and go on a charity shop spree. Don’t be shy, now is not the time for wallflowers. Get stuck in and search for classic pieces-anything in cashmere will keep you warm as well as looking supercute. Men’s v-neck jumpers look sublime belted at the waist, with a cute little peter pan collar underneath. Add a skinny tie and harem trousers (wear tights underneath if you feel the chill) and work a very kicky and very now androgynous look. Well, if it’s good enough for Chanel…

Skinny jeans are always in fashion…is there anyone who doesn’t own a pair? Funk them up royally for evening…distress them using bleach and a cheese grater (tried and tested) or visit your local haberdashery for studs and rivets. Just a few scattered around a pocket adds a gorgeous little something to otherwise jaded denims, for practically zero pence. The same applies to jackets…changing the buttons works wonders (pick up embossed brass ones from your haberdashery to add a very now military-esque feel). Also whilst you’re there, grab a couple of shoulder pads to channel pure Balmainia.

If you can, refresh your accessories for winter: a statement bag, a fancy belt or killer boots can lift your look entirely and breathe new life into pieces you’ve had for aeons. Key pieces like gauntlets (long leather gloves) may seem unwearable but pop them on under your charity shop cashmere, push up those sleeves, and hello catwalk.

Lace is also a huge hit for AW09/10, and is so easy to work into your look: try sewing (or fabric gluing, if you are a liability with a needle, like me) a strip of black lace around the collar of a plain white tee, or, if creativity just isn’t your bag, tie a piece around your head and tuck the ends in for a super stylish headband. Simples!

Fashion is so permeable…catwalk looks filter down and become diluted and sometimes lost on the high street. Go back to the roots of style, essentially, choose what you like, wear it your way. Use resources around you to create a look that’s all your own. Be bold, be brave, be beautiful, and work it!

Africa Calling Gloria Wavamunno

By Lucy Berry

Gloria Wavamunno

Established as recently as January 2009, GW/Glamour within Africa is a privately owned Ugandan company based in Kampala. Behind it is Gloria Wavamunno, a Ugandan national who studied in the UK and at the American Intercontinental University, graduating with a BA in Fine Arts in June last year.

Gloria's motto is "To provide and supply the highest quality of garments and service that our clients will come to expect from this brand. Accomplishing this through the unique individual style and design this brand has to offer. Creating and spreading glamour within Africa and globally. "Making a individual woman feel just that: Individual."

Her designs beckon openheartedness and warmth - see what i mean...

Alphabet Fashion

By Helen Shaw

A is for Abstract.

The quality of ‘abstract’ is one in which is perhaps diverse, oxymoronic and fundamentally flawed. On one hand, to be ‘abstract’ is to be absolute; it is everything which is not, abnormal, overt, and even dangerous. It is complex in its varied form, indefinable in its concrete meaning. Abstract can be flawed, imperfect and above all, inspirational. Abstract art, architecture and fashion all collate to create a stance, an empowering collection of beliefs, ideas and forms which deviate from the mundane realities of an otherwise banal existence. Abstract fashion allows us to move away from convention, encompassing modernity and the avant-garde to embrace creativity, to grasp the ‘other’. Art has never been so prolific in fashion design, take Yves Saint Lauren’s literal translation of Piet Mondrian’s compositions as seen above. Abstract is transferable and interchangeable, moving from art to mode fluidly.

Fashion borrows, steals and imitates the world around us, past and present, delving into forgotten era and falling through time to unlived, futuristic style. Fashion has furthermore become abstract, a concept, and more literally, a reflection between abstract art, sculpture, architecture and modern culture. As the pace of the modern world ever increases to the point of frenzy, the world of fashion follows suit, and as the world grows and metropolis and urban life reigns, fashion can only embrace and enhance a theory of chaos, a mix and match amalgamation of old and new.

Abstract fashion, just as abstract art moved away from the boundaries of tradition and the expected, progresses towards the obscure, imaginative and overt grandeur of abstract ideology. The influence of art and sculpture is now replaced by obscure objects, such as stained glass, vintage treasures and perfume bottles, exactly as seen at A/W 09 catwalk shows by Mary Katrantzou...

As the fashion of the 1950s represented the wholesome image of the traditional, nuclear lives of the people, and the safe cars, safe jobs, safe marriages, the fashion of today represents the unease and unrest of today’s ‘fash pack’ when considering the prescribed uniform of high street stores. The generation of style now is uncomfortable with everyday banality, instead choosing to merge and mix with each other, a sporadic exchange between eras, tailoring, cultural influence and music. When one trend is popularised or ‘Topshopped’, young people now moved on and look towards alternative sources of inspiration. It is chameleon fashion, disposable, interchangeable and raw.
The Generation is Now.
The Generation is Abstract.

Louise vs Louise

By Katie Wright

Louise vs Louise

I know it’s a cheap trick, but ain’t it fun when two people have similar names and you can compare them nicely side by side? A case in point being Misses Louise Gray and Goldin, talented upstarts of the London scene, both showing this week.

Louise Goldin: On the whole, it’s chic, it’s cute, the sherbert colours are sweet, there are some great tattoo-y tights, and the shiny spiky shoes are ace. Plus who wasn’t waiting for the comeback of the cone bra? Good effort, Goldin.

Louise Gray: Talk about inventive. This is what London is all about for me. Half the collection seems to be made out of plastic bags e.g. a giant pendant (or is it a bag?) in baby pink, and a belt made out of those particularly darling blue corner shop bags. Add to that graffiti scrawls, misshapen tulip skirts and cut-outs that reveal coloured belly buttons…and we have a winner.

London Fashion Week - day 3

By Katie Wright

Towering heels and huge hair made Danielle Scutt’s models even more ridiculously tall than your average.. Add to that dresses that emphasised a womanly figure and it all seemed a little bit pantomime to me – but in a good way. Kooky-beautiful is kind of what Scutt does, and she’s done it again here: adorning clingy feminine silhouettes with checks, spots and squiggles.

PPQ’s use of all black models didn’t seem so much a statement about race in the fashion world, as simply the right choice for a collection that could be summed up with two words: ethnic eighties.

At the other end of the spectrum, Osman Yousefzada’s choice of ‘any colour as long as it’s white’ was rather dull, but it did provide the ideal solution if you had to go to a high-end toga party. So, every cloud…

B.O.S.S.*ballad of street style

By Katie Wright

On the day that everyone’s favourite street style photographer, The Sartorialist (thesartorialist.blogspot.com), signes copies of his new coffee table book, here's the first batch of a few choice looks that have caught my eye recently.

Yasmin, accessories designer, wears a trench by, you guessed it, Burberry. Yasmin recommends the new Hobbs NW3 collection www.hobbs.co.uk/index.cfm?page=1309

Doctor Tanya wears a vintage dress from thrift store paradise Beyond Retro www.beyondretro.com/

Photographer Lily wears a batwing mini dress from French Connection. Check out Lily’s amazing photography at http://www.lillianwilkie.co.uk/

Nadine is head to toe in American Apparel with Topshop shoes. Get yours here http://americanapparel.net/ and here http://www.topshop.com/

London Fashion Week

By Katie Wright

So it’s kick off for London Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2010. The capital known for its mix of hot young designers and heritage superstars turns 25 this year, and the whole operation has moved to Somerset House. In a show of solidarity with the ailing retail industry, Downing Street hosted an opening night party on Friday, and morale seems high amongst the Brit fashion pack. Here’s hoping this silver anniversary year is a vintage one…

Identified by Ballad Of’s Gussy as one to watch this season, Mark Fast didn’t fail to deliver on day one. A collection comprised almost entirely of super tight, skimpy, short dresses embellished with the crochet and fringe detailing for which Fast has become known meant for plenty of sex appeal. It may sound unforgiving on the body, but, in the first surprise of the week (it’s already generating column inches) several looks were sported by models who are decidedly ‘plus size’ by industry standards.

Elsewhere, Bora Aksu showed a different take on the underwear-as-outwear trend, veering closer to pyjama territory, and had the best tights I’ve seen so far – half sheer, half glittery, totally amazing.

Spring 2010 fashion blooms! Get ready for a little romance, and lots of raw sexy styling

By: Anisa Riddell

What's the hottest thing happening in the US? New York Fashion Week, of course!

The week was filled with endless runway designs from the usual suspects. Spring 2010 showed that romance is not dead and vintage 70's/80's glam is back with a vengeance! Here's a taste of some eye opening performances...

Woodstock chic is how Vivienne Tam's collection would be categorized. Can't you just envision ideas of peace and freedom flowing through these delicately patterned dresses?

Photo credits: Style.com,

Vivienne Tam Spring 2010

Environmentally friendly Costello Tagliapietra supported the environment with their eco-friendly line made through a process called Air Dye - which dyes and prints textiles without water (isn't it just amazing what we can do these days?!). Adding to that, some of the designs had Swarovski embedded crystals. Nice!

Photo credits: Style.com,

Costello Tagliapietra Spring 2010

With Marc Jacobs' immense talent, it's perplexing that he has yet to win the CFDA award.

Perhaps his Spring 2010 collection will change all that. We'll see. In the meantime, to sump up the Marc Jacobs collection...think space age meets twisted romance. The collection was filled with ruffles, lettuce frills, and teasing sexuality as models with alien eyes and painted white

faces brought a sexy quirky edge to Fashion Week.

Photo credits: Style.com

Marc Jacobs Collection Spring 2010

In contrast, the Marc by Marc Jacobs collection showcased the fun wacky side of his design aesthetic with the 80's being in full effect against his retro take on Africana.

Photo credits: Style.com

Marc by Marc Jacobs Spring 2010

Making ugly pretty again, yet animalistic at the same time, the Mulleavy sister duo making up Rodarte have done it again. Noting a heavy Gothic them throughout, Rodarte showed the wild side of fashion with their dark styling and tribal tattoos.

Photo credits: Style.com,

Rodarte Spring 2010

Romanticism played a tremendous part at both the Matthew Williamson and Vera Wang shows. Whereas light pastels, flowy florals, hints of leather paired with silks, and crystal embossed dresses played a huge part at the Matthew Williamson show; on the flip side, Vera Wang turned the tables with dark romanticism and a little bit rock n' roll. One word for both: Gorgeous!

Photo credits: Style.com,

Matthew Williamson Spring 2010

A few notable mentions...

Rebecca Taylor, known for flirty dresses yearned for a more solid, structured silhouette this

spring. Carmen Marc Valvo stayed true to his standard designs with floor length, body-skimming gowns. Erin Fetherston started the collection with prim and proper conservatism that transitioned to sexy and wild at the end.

J Mendel's signature furs and floor length gowns were absent this year. He surprised us with a much shorter dress collection, limited gown selection, and not a fur in sight. Caroline Herrera was so transfixed by the ideas of basket cases (her main inspiration for Spring 2010) that she 'wowed' us with suits, blouses, and gowns mimicking this idea. (Who knew you could do so

much with a basket case?) And, last but not least, prints ruled the runway for designers like Thakoon, Zac Posen, Jason Wu, and Proenza Schuler in florals, animals, and dip-dyed colors.

Photo credits: Style.com,

Zac Posen Spring 2010

Although there were mixed reviews from the critics, overall September's fashion week brought something new and different. Designers constantly challenged themselves versus sticking with the norm. Bravo! I say. It's exhilarating to be hit with the unexpected.

For now, we've bid adieu to New York's Fashion Week as it makes its way to London. So, what did we learn from this week long extravaganza?

Photo credits: Style.com,

Donna Karan Spring 2010

If you didn't like the 80's before, too bad so sad, because it's back. Sexy styling will be in the

forms of sheer fabrics which will consistently make your imagination run rampant, and ripped, slashed, beaten forms of the new ugly pretty. Prints, prints, and more prints will dominate as

we say 'goodbye' to neons and bright colors of seasons' past. Spring 2010 is all about red and muted pastels. Hot sexy red and happy pretty pastels. We couldn't of asked for more!

Check out more shows from New York Fashion here at Style.com.

Off to you London!