Fashion Voyeur

People will stare, make it worth their while.

Categories: The Archives, The Fashion Closet

Apu Jan FW18 at London Fashion Week

Apu Jan is one of those stalwarts of London Fashion Week, one which never fails to deliver something new, whilst remaining true to its fairytale telling stylistics.  Each season brings with it a new story to be told through the garments and for FW18 the theme ‘Drifting in a Million Stars” conjured images of galaxies, space and clouds before I was even through the huge brass doors of the Grand Temple.

The Grand Temple floor

The collection is heavily influenced by science fiction literature and the swirling colours depicted in galaxies viewed from lightyears away.  As always, the Apu Jan silhouette is simple and timeless and knitwear is present throughout.  The designer is known for their unique knitwear techniques and use of luxurious wools such as cashmere (the holy grail of wool), merino and lambs wool and can make these appear as thin as silk.

As with previous collections, the soundtrack to the show was provided by DJ Question Mark and a string orchestra to set the scene, ready for take off.  I was a huge fan of the Apu Jan SS18 showcase and managed to bag a front row seat, this time I rocked up with a banging migraine (it was day 3 after all) and the kerfuffle and clanging of seats in the moments leading up to the show almost finished me off but I persevered, and I’m glad I did.

The collection was laden with intergalactic and swirling star prints which would have benefitted from an additional presentation format post show so guests could really appreciate the craftsmanship within the collection.  The drum & bass music that accompanied the show created the perfect ambience for a collection that had some serious standout pieces including a hat that has Beyonce written all over it.

A still from the Apu Jan FW18 show at London Fashion Week in the grand temple of freemason's Hall

The palette of navy and black with the odd accent colour was simple enough that it led the focus to the expert craftsmanship and tiny details in each piece.  Layered silk and elongated sleeve shapes are something we’ve come to expect from Apu Jan season after season and they were present for FW18.  However a hint towards a sleeker silhouette made a play in the show too with a couple of styles leaning toward something more tailored to the female form.

Each look was paired with simple platform, lace up shoes and pared back, natural makeup accentuated by a slick of shimmering white highlight under the eyes.  Models’ hair was scraped back into a tight, Chinois style topknot mirroring the simplicity of the shapes within the collection.  In all honesty, Apu Jan is a show you go to, to appreciate and highlight the details.  Those wonderful little details that can’t be appreciated until you see them in the flesh and it’s this that Apu Jan consistently does so well.  There are no bells and whistles, no weird and wonderful shapes to make you gasp, just good old fashioned awesome design that works on and off the runway.

Pixie

Categories: The Archives, The Fashion Closet

Up Close & Personal at Victoria’s Secret

The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show is a huge deal in any fashion lover’s calendar, it’s become an unmissable fixture owing to its unobtainable glamour, its Angels old and new and those world famous wings.  The show has come a long way since it made its debut in New York showing little more than affordable basic pieces to the full blown spectacle it is today.

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Whilst you might be familiar with the show itself and be able reel off the names of its most famous assets, did you also know that some of those famous costumes are actually available to view up close and in person?  I was invited along to the newly refurbished and extended Victoria’s Secret Bond Street store in London to find out more.

The costumes and wings that aren’t repurposed and made into new pieces are held in a secret ‘Trophy Room” before being put on display.  Each piece is fitted to a mannequin in its original form before being adjusted for fit (some of them have to be made bigger to fit classic mannequin proportions) and assigned a tag which includes details of which show it was featured in, its wearer, and their home town.  These pieces tour the few flagship Victoria’s Secret stores for fans and wannabe Angels to visit and they’re only in each location for a limited amount of time before moving on to their next temporary home.

VS Traveller
VS Bejewelled

If you’re looking to feast your eyes on the best outfits from the most recent Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show in person the you need to head to the flagship store on Fifth Avenue, New York.  With it’s secret Retrospective museum that tales up the whole third floor of the store, it’s the next best thing to a front row seat at the show.  In there you’ll find not only the outfits but a roster of every model to ever walk the show, and a set of ‘wall wings’ for your very own turn as a VS Angel, on Instagram at least.

Currently the Bond Street store is home to the show stopping outfits shown in Paris as well as a few other famous pieces from years gone by, if you’re looking for the Fantasy Bra section however then you’re headed for disappointment as these multi million dollar ensembles are put up for sale for a period of twelve months and if they aren’t sold, they’re broken down and repurposed.  Yes really.

Worn by Bella Hadid in Paris 2016
Worn by Bella Hadid in Paris 2016
Worn by Karlie Kloss in London 2014
Worn by Taylor Swift to perform in London 2014

So, what can you see at the Bond Street store?  Well, sadly you won’t be given access to the Trophy Room but in store you’ll be able to view iconic pieces from the Victoria’s Secret Hall of Fame such as Bella Hadid’s jewel encrusted two-piece with wings from the 2016 Paris Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show and Karlie Kloss‘ controversial Tinkerbell wings from the 2014 show in London.  You’ll find Taylor Swift’s iconic Union Jack performance costume from the 2014 London show as well as some London themed accessories which were crafted specially for the show including white gloves and some fabulous “crown jewels” that you might have otherwise missed.

Gilded Angels 2014
2014 crown Jewels
VS Loves Kimono

If you’ve already visited the Bond Street store, you’ll know that the windows are filled with some of the more iconic (but less valuable) creations to appear in the show, these are moved once a year and no matter when you choose to visit, you’ll always find someone there photographing this awesome collection of bespoke, one of a kind couture.  Because that’s exactly what it is.  These pieces have been worn for a super limited number of times, and aren’t likely to be worn again, unless Ed Razek is planning some sort of Victoria’s Secret Greatest Hits / Alumni show at some point in the future – now how awesome would that be?!  I think I might be on to something here Voyeurs….

Pixie

Categories: The Archives, The Fashion Closet

Starsica FW18 at London Fashion Week

In the run up to London Fashion Week‘s FW18 show season I was asked a few times who I was most looking forward to seeing and as I thought about the previous season, there was one name that kept jumping out at me: STARSICA.  The fledgling brand showed as part of Fashion Scout’s Ones to Watch for SS18 and put together a striking and playful collection featuring neon, cutouts and 90’s style logos.  It’s a show that really stood out and one that I was definitely looking forward to this season.

FW18 saw designer Ike Seungik Lee produce his first full collection and like anyone else, I wondered how this would stand up against some of the more established designers who had shown before STARSICA on days one, two and three.  I needn’t have worried, the STARSICA show was an absolute doozie and even now, it’s one of the one’s that stands out in my mind as being one of the strongest shows of the season in terms of the collection, the production and the darkness.  Oh the darkness…..

The show, entitled “Seirēn sings for a Mad King” takes its inspiration from learning the phenomenon of otherness.  The idea behind the collection is primarily derived from observing the behaviours of the unspecified masses around us and Lee does this to perfection.  From the eerie opening to the jerky music box soundtrack, the show had me captivated from start to finish.

There is an inherent sense of humour and futility in the collection that is the DNA of STARSICA, displaying distorted aspects of our society in conceptual symbols.  The models walked as exaggerated versions of themselves with jerky motions and through theatrical breaks and interactions with the audience they left us wondering if, in essence, we are all the Mad King.  We utilise the vision of those who interpret the egos and lives of others through their own subjective perspectives.  With this in mind, the collection constitutes a sense of dramatic construction, and draws on reinterpreting Greek tragedy as a fashion monologue.  It truly was a sight to behold and truly if you weren’t there, you missed out.

Starsica FW17

STARSICA’s models took on the appearance of siren-like dolls, a little like the Monster High dolls a child would play with, eerily made up to fit a distorted ideal.  They carried with them pieces from the debut STARSICA accessory line in the form of three dimensional coffin shaped bags which reinterpret the portable bags carried by the Mad King himself, hand mirrors and even bird cages.  Semiotic symbols adorned a grey suit which stood out in a collection where every piece was saleable.

The playful motifs in wings and soft fur which can be understood as symbols of Siren, the troubadour, have been reinterpreted with a modern twist and found in the prints of Lee’s own paintings and the patterns created by embroideries.  These echo the essence of mythological elements such as the star, bird and semiotic signs, the collection is as fun and uplifting as it is spooky and eerie.

Inversely, the Mad King is portrayed through the gothic arched lines in wearable suits and hard reliefs on coats.  The primary colour for the Mad King is dark purple, while grey is used to describe the Mad King’s power.   Finally, glen check patterns and wide sleeves create the juxtaposition of fabrics and colours to express intertextuality and cohesive characteristics of Siren and the Mad King.  These pieces are highlighted with romantic silhouettes on tail edges, scribble prints and splashes of gold which reflect the sense of sadness brought about by the death of the Mad King, perhaps the reason for the models appearing so tortured.  I loved every minute of it and left feeling like this was probably going to be the most memorable show of the season.  I wasn’t wrong.

Pixie

Categories: The Fashion Closet

Cassey Gan FW18 at London Fashion Week

As one of Vogue Italia’s “Future generation of talent”, Malaysian born Cassey Gan’s FW18 presentation was hotly anticipated at London Fashion Week.  In fact, her graduate collection was one of just twenty five womenswear collections selected by London College of Fashion for its external press show in 2012 – not bad for someone who began her higher education reading Chemical Engineering.

A shot of the crowd in Freemason's Hall at Holborn for the Cassey Gan FW18 presentation at London Fashion Week

If you read my post on the Kristel Kuslapuu FW18 presentation at Fashion Scout, you’ll know that my top tip is to head in around 15 minutes before close for the best views and angles of the collections, not the case with Cassey Gan.  The interest for Gan’s FW18 collection was peak and even right up to close, the hall was pretty much full.  Gan’s collection is pure, clean and striking.  She plays with dimensions which challenge the perception of each individual garment, whether it’s an offset shoulder, or an asymmetric cut that isn’t quite obvious at first glance, the collection seeks to challenge our self perception.  The presentation itself was a lot easier to navigate than some of the others, despite being static, the models used the stage and raised blocks in the room to ensure that even if you weren’t right up close, you still got a decent view of the garments.  Or at least the top half of them.

When creating her FW18 collection, Gan explored how social media has caused society to create almost fictional versions of ourselves in the pursuit of perfection.  As beauty standards become more pronounced and culturally accepted, the line between fiction and reality becomes blurred and we tend to forget our true selves, constantly self editing until the line between truth and untruth is no longer detectable.

In addition, Gan also considered the works of Maria Svarbova when developing her concise collection – where a seemingly picturesque utopia is juxtaposed by the dullness of Svarbova’s subjects – Gan used the visual aspects of these pictures as a direct reference in her choice of print and textile.  With repetition as the common denominator, ripple patterns cascade the collection in pastel blues with accent hues of tomato red.  Detachable layers held together by gold metal fixtures also give a nod to art deco.

With the macro trend for clashing prints showing no signs of abating, Gan has taken this to the next level by combining multiple prints in one garment.  The collection seems rooted in style over fashion by using classic layering, wearable and interesting accessories and bold primary colours as it’s M.O. and it’s one that will no doubt be plagiarised by high street stores who have a hand in their own print design.  It’s only a matter of time before Zara are passing these striking yet wearable prints off as their own.

Pixie

Categories: The Archives, The Fashion Closet

Malan Breton FW18 at London Fashion Week

Malan Breton is known for putting on a spectacle of a show at London Fashion Week.  His shows are filled with gowns, drama and the occasional raciness and the audience is as interesting as the show itself.  For FW18 Breton’s Omega collection was something of a departure for the Asian designer’s self titled label and guests were treated to a show of calculated decadence rendered in a division between strength and seduction.

You’ll have to forgive my imagery for this show Voyeurs, Malan Breton is a show that is packed to the rafters and so seating is thin on the ground.  I was offered a third row seat but opted to stand closer to the back so I could get as decent a view of the collection, as I could of the opposite front row.  Seated opposite me were Fleur East, Rob Beckett and Romesh Ranganathan (if you know me IRL you’ll know that I’m a huge fan of Ranganathan and his solo show Asian Provocateur which saw his mum and young cousin steal just a little of his limelight).  Lindsay Lohan was tucked away at the opposite end and a few other big names that aren’t really as interesting as my TV husband Romesh Ranganathan.

Anyway, back to the show, you came for the fashion so let’s start with that.  Ok so my images aren’t so good but I wanted to include the show because it was so eclectic and unexpected.  There are a few designers who fall into the same bracket (Mimi Tran, Zeynep Kartal, Rohmir et al) and sometimes the impact of the look can become lost, this season Malan Breton broke out of that pack.

Malan Breton FW18 Fashion Scout London Fashion Week Fleur East, Rob beckett and Romesh Ranganathan on the front row

You’ll have most certainly seen Breton’s designs, they’re worn on the red carpet for premieres and award ceremonies all over the world so his Omega collection was something of a departure from the grand gowns we’re so familiar with.  The first look saw black silk tulle juxtaposed with leather to toughen the feminine silhouette.  If this was the opening gambit from Breton, then what was to follow would see each look explore femininity a little further until it reached the epitome of female empowerment and exploration with an S&M couture bride clad in black leather flanked by two stripped down male bridesmaids who held the cape flowing behind her.

Opening look at Malan Breton FW18

“This collection, has been a journey of self realisation, a point of gaining one’s hope back in humanity.  Rebuilding one’s shell, one’s armour, one’s heart.  Love lost, valour, and watching gluttony and greed change humanity for the worse.”  Malan Breton

The journey from opening look to closing look was one filled with chatter and frantic shoulder taps from the audience.  Brocade suits in shades of grey and opulent red topped with bow ties stood out from the collection and red was a commonality through the centrepieces – from full red organza gowns, to the flecks of detailing in chinoiserie inspired pieces.  Renowned for his theatricality and artistic flair, Breton delivered a collection with depth and soul, taking inspiration from Edwardian tarot, Merlin, Chinese astrology and the myth of the four horsemen of the apocalypse.  Put simply, I dig it.

The staging of the show was almost indicative of the leather clad finale, just as the delicate, intricate pieces in the first half of the show hinted at the softer side of femininity, the amber and red pieces hinted at the sudden darker twist ahead.

This was Malan Breton sexed up to the max in a dark and pleasing way whilst the designer remained true to his asian roots by using weaving, embroidery and surface dying throughout.  Strong and seductive, empowering and personal, this is surely Breton’s darkest and most personal collection to date and it’s nice to see him sticking with his technique of using recycled bottles to create irregular paillettes instead of shunning this for more modern and readily available techniques.

Malan Breton FW17

If Omega signifies the end of a journey to one’s clarity and self, then this is without a doubt the real Malan Breton laid bare.  One of my FW18 season highlights, but I guess you had to be there for the vibe.  Oh and I totally caught Romesh and Rob laughing at a model who lost her footing on the runway.  Busted.

Pixie

Malan Breton FW18 Fashion Scout London Fashion Week Romesh Ranganathan, Pixie Tenenbaum & Rob Beckett

 

Pixie Tenenbaum Editor's signature with fashion illustration graphic