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!

And that's a wrap... NYC

By Katie Wright

Two-Day Top Ten As New York draws to a close, here’s a run down of my top ten looks from the past couple of days:

Proenza Schouler. The metallic sheen and jewel tones of this collection full of mini-length hems brought to mind beetles and bugs for me.

Marchesa. Origami pleats and folds were centre stage at the label that might as well be the official sponsor of red carpets everywhere.

Marc by Marc Jacobs. The mood was a lot more playful at Mr. Jacobs’ diffusion line – and he’s still obsessed with the 80s it seems.

Narciso Rodriguez. I wonder if this grey floor-lengther is sold with a giant fan on wheels, for constant billowing effect wherever you go.

Doo.ri. Who says goth-chic is only for winter?

Temperley London. The emphasis was really on the London here. Do Americans know what a pearly queen is? Now they do. And they’ll be dressing like one come spring.

3.1 Philip Lim. You can’t beat a shiny red flasher mac in my book.

Rodarte. I usually adore everything the Mulleavy sisters do, but for next season they’ve gone seriously dark – think primeval warrior woman – and I found myself wishing for a bit more of the prettiness they’re famed for.

Michael Kors. Kors seemed to be gazing into space with star prints and futuristic shapes.

Vera Wang. It was all about accessories here – I’d take the shoes and gigantic necklace over the outfit any day.

New York Fashion Week - day 6

By Katie Wright

Probably the most highly anticipated collection of NYFW, Marc Jacobs was as prolific as ever. A spectacular swarm of references (Japan, gypsies, eighties, Elizabethans and many more) was spread over more than 50 looks. The two unifying factors I saw were the Flamenco-esque ruffles that adorned everything from midi-length skirts to the shoulders of belted blazers, and the pale icy hues throughout.

Check out this particularly genius Marc creation below, it’s as if it’s been scribbled straight on to the model.

Much warmer were the offerings from Carolina Herrera and Zac Posen. The former’s brand of grown-up glamour came in a range of sandy and sunset tones:

And Posen’s mood was fresh and youthful while channelling a sixties vibe. The tinted transparent raincoats and flower-strewn gowns were real standouts.