Sunday 20 October 2013

öffbeat presents The Shoreditch Fashion Show 2013



The Delightful Delectable Dom & Ink


The Colouring In Wall... so much fun




Vince Kidd



Sun Yin Xiaowen



Aphra Shemza


The fabulous Remotely Fashion girls...







Chic and co-ordinated












Last weekend I had the amazing privilege of attending The Shoreditch Fashion Show - held at The Oval Space - and cover it on the blog, and it was such a brilliant event. Not only was there amazing entertainment and the fashion show that we were there for, but there was work on display from some amazing talents and a doodle wall put on by illustrator Dom & Ink... Which made for much entertainment! The event was filled with fabulous fashiony folk dressed beyond well, so it made for marvellous people watching. Everyone was super friendly and happy to interact so it quashed any misconceptions that fashion is a total bitch fest, and I felt totally comfortable mingling with other bloggers and creative types. I had the chance to meet up with some fellow bloggers that I follow and met the Remotely Fashion girls whose blog you all need to hit up, it was really inspirational being around other bloggers and chatting about what we do. 

Sponsors Batiste had a super cute hair station where you could get your barnet jazzed up for the night ahead, and there were cans of dry shampoo and volumising powder decorating the bathroom so you could create your own styles too. I had a wonderful time and can't Anoushka and the öffbeat team enough for having me there! 


Friday 4 October 2013

Biology Lesson
















 Props to Mr Kane, he hasn't let a little giant conglomerate investment deter him, he still produces one of the coolest collections at LFW season after season, except now he has more pennies to splash on craftsmanship, components and staff and I respect him muchly for that. Actually I think I love him a bit, if he wasn't into dresses more than me I might even fancy him a bit! 

I adored his S/S14 collection, it was Kane all over, in a sea of florals over LFW Kne showed his own skewed version which was total and utter genius! I love that the cut outs seen at the beginning were inspired by sterilised petals and it only got cooler... This then descended into ditsy teeny floral prints in wispy fine chiffons teamed with "PETAL" and "FLOWER" motif sweaters, and the gowns were just as clever, with sequinned flower details and silks that had his über-cool arrows and biological drawings of flowers burned into the fabric that you would miss at first glance. 

I adore that whatever Kane decides is the focus for that season is done in such an original and edgy way, a way that nobody would ever think to do it, and this is what fashion should be about. It is meant to be about showing collections that ignite your imagination and make you dream of the impossible, fashion is meant to make you think and wonder and look a little bit unhinged. Since the recession hit most brands have been all about sales and commercial viability... and every once in a while a designer will come along who surprises you. And for me that is Kane, he has always done it but since everyone became skint and economies are failing he is the one at LFW that season after season chooses a "trend" that most are inspired by or touching upon and completely turns it on its head, makes it what fashion should be about, makes it random, stunning and like theatre. Don't get me wrong Ready-to-Wear is meant to wearable and fit into everyday life, but at the prices designers charge it shouldn't all be about "Made in Italy" and "luxury components" that reflect the price, it should be about art and drama and making your heart beat faster. Like couture but watered down a little... 

I say Chrissy Kane is the King of London... Long may he reign!

Tuesday 1 October 2013

Ain't no one trick pony...

There are two brands from NYFW that have overcome any connotations of 'celeb endorsed/designed brand' and they are Victoria Beckham and The Row. Both have developed and grown into marvels of modern fashion, and I adore both every season. They design collections and product that women want, and do it effortlessly and brilliantly. Now I can't comment on how much pencil gripping and sketching is done by the women themselves but I don't think that matters really, mostly because the product that both brands offer has proven to be desirable, edgy, coveted by women and commercially viable. 

If it was all about the name everyone would be devouring the product, but the price points of both are not as accessible and readily available to the Primark generation, and therefore these brands are pitching themselves at the seriously wealthy and seriously fashion obsessed. I believe you have to be obsessed to spend thousands a season, either that or just extremely fussy about what you wear. 










Anyway, to the collections, VB moved away from her usually structured and tailored offerings and produced a collection that is concentrating mainly on separates, and the mixed textures and fabrics of last season that VB has commented were extremely popular have made a come back in an attempt to please the women that love her product. I am loving that the silhouettes are really flirty, short and cute as opposed to the structured midi lengths that we have come to expect from Mrs Beckham. I loved that the collection had a chic and sporty element to it, and despite being less tailored and a whole heap more undone than she usually does it still looked polished and beautifully put together. 
As always her colour palette was muted, and emphasis was on cut and quality and I guess that is what Mrs Beckham's woman comes back for season after season. I loved that there was a flash of fuschia and oxblood to lift proceedings, the way that VB mixed textures and fabrics was the defining moment. The plastic looking triangle details on shirts was a weird edge that I loved. I especially loved that she has produced some of the classiest mini skirts, like ever! This is one celeb endorsement that gets top marks from me... 










I have always been a little bit obsessed with the Olsens, and have lusted after both their brands for quite some time now... I especially love The Row because it is a sure fire way to be able to look as louche, un-done and well fabulous as Mary-Kate and Ashley and this pleases me greatly. 
For S/S 14 the Olsens offered up their usual softly tailored, and louche elegance via Arabia, and I wouldn't usually dress up in robes and tunics day to day but as usual anything that the Olsen's say is cool pretty much turns out to be. I could imagine most of the looks looking stunning with heels and piles of trinket style jewels and stacker rings and looking more New York or Paris than Lawrence of Arabia... That is the magic of these two arbiters of cool, everything they touch seems to turn to gold and from the prices of this stuff the same goes. I loved that this collection was free from trends and looked absolutely nothing like anything else that other brands and designers offered up, and that's what makes The Row so cool, and proves that Mary-Kate and Ashley are far more than child actresses of yesteryear, they are designers of the most talented and fabulous kind. 


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