Fashion Voyeur

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Categories: The Archives, The Fashion Closet

Christmas Shopping with Metrocentre

Whilst most of the focus has been on the imminent closure of House of Fraser and the headline grabbing antics of Mike Ashley, you might have missed a whole batch of brand new stores that have popped up at Intu Metrocentre recently.  See these guys don’t like to shout about it when they have us to do that for them…

This week Intu Metocentre invited eight of its centre Bloggers along to take a tour of some of the latest additions to the shopping mall and see some of those famous Christmas trees that go floor to glass ceiling.  Sounds pretty good right?  Well throw in one Santa Express Train and things just got awesome! 

train Ticket for Snta Express at Intu Metrocentre December 2018

So, as we boarded the train, champagne flutes in hand, we set off on a tour like no other, with a few little surprises along the way.  First stop,  Hotel Chocolat, not a new store but with some beautifully festive windows and a quick refuel with some coconut ice-cream and mini chocolate reindeer, we were ready to head off to visit our first new store.

Jack Wills

This is a huge win for Intu Metrocentre, the varsity brand bridges a gap that appeals to teenagers and students as well as twenty somethings and beyond.  In order to capitalise on the Christmas trade, a pop up store launched on the ground floor whilst the permanent store was being fitted ready to launch December 5th and I’m told the shop fit will be the typical Jack Wills aesthetic.  Think dark wood flooring, monochrome tiling, exposed metal fixtures and those signature blue and pink stripes.  If you’re looking for gifts for teenagers then you’re bound to find something here whether it’s a rugby shirt, a scarf or a simple beauty gift.  On leaving the pop up store we were gifted a roll on perfume in handbag size which would make the perfect stocking filler, and a cute pair of thick ankle height socks, perfect for wearing with chelsea boots in the colder weather.

  • Blue Jeans on display at G-Star Raw Intu Metrocentre in December 2018 at the store launch (Fashion Voyeur Blog)
    G-Star Raw
  • christmas Gifts at Jack Wills Intu Metrocentre - Fashion Voyeur Blog
    Jack Wills
  • The women's denim department at G-Star Raw Intu Metrocentre store launch event - Fashion Voyeur Blog
    G-Star Raw

G-Star Raw

I gotsta be honest Voyeurs, this is a store I know of because I see it on Tottenham Court Road when I’m working in London, but I never go in because I always thought it was a men’s store but after hearing a little bit more about it, it’s piqued my interest and here’s why.  Sustainable Denim.  That’s right, G-Star Raw is a huge part of the sustainable fashion movement and each piece it makes is ethically sourced and sustainably made.  The store itself is a denim lovers paradise, the biggest hurdle is getting through the door and it’s easy to see why you might be put off because looking through and into the space it’s just piled high with denim.  Once you’re in however, staff are helpful and knowledgable, cuts are easy to understand and sizing is generous.  In terms of pricing for denim it’s middle of the road, the average pair of G-Star Raw jeans is £80 which is comparable to Seven for All Mankind, Paige or And/Or.  Only with this brand, you’re part of a positive movement.  You’ll find this store on the ground floor opposite Flannels and The Disney Store.

The Couture Club

You’ll find The Couture Club in the Red Mall towards Debenhams, its dark frontage and red logo make it stand out as a streetwear store.  Once inside you’ll see the store is divided into premium and more affordable streetwear as well as some premium sportswear.  The shop-fit is simple and dark with wire fixtures and decorative skulls, this one is definitely a brand for fans of wearing a logo.

  • Glitter Body Spray Bottles at Victoria's Secret Intu Metrocentre - Fashion Voyeur Blog
  • Victoria's Secret Wings Photo Opp Intu Metrocentre
  • Victoria's Secret Tartan Ribbons Intu Metrocentre

Victoria’s Secret

This is the one you’ve been waiting for, so, it’s finally here, the store the North East has yearned for for years, Victoria’s Secret has landed and man is it good.  The store itself is a double walkthrough store – meaning we get Victoria’s Secret and we get PINK and they link through into one 10,000sqft store which combine Victoria’s Secret, Victoria’s Secret Sport, PINK, PINK Sport, Sleep and Lounge wear as well as the whole beauty and makeup offering which is pretty amazing right?

The store offers free bra measuring and those girls will run around after you all day long if needs be to find you the right bra, or they’ll leave you in peace if you want to choose your own.  Whatever you tell them, they’ll do.  Victoria’s Secret has one method of training and it rolls out across all stores so as long as you make your wishes clear at the outset, these Angels will do what they can to make them come true.

There are also seasonal offers which change pretty frequently and they’re real good.  from their recent two bras for £40 (yes you read that right) through to 30% off all sleepwear, there’s pretty much an offer on in-store everyday.  If you’re not a fan of the lingerie, and there are some of you out there, then the gym wear can’t be beaten.  Some of the best gym wear I’ve ever had is from Victoria’s Secret Sport and with three lines, that means three price points and even the entry level range is every bit as good as Nike’s Dri-Fit running tights.  True story.  There’s also the obligatory Victoria’s Secret Wings photo opportunity tucked away underneath the closest escalator to the store too, you’re welcome Voyeurs.

Quiz Clothing

This one is more of a mover than a brand new store, Quiz has taken a bit of a hiatus from Intu Metrocentre whilst the new store was being remodelled in the Red Mall.  It’s come to be be known as a total sparkle-fest and when we arrive that’s evident as the store is piled high with sequinned Christmas party dresses and shimmery jumpsuits all endorsed by the girls of TOWIE (including my lush mate Chloe Lewis). 

We were very kindly given £40 to spend in-store on a party piece and as you know sparkle isn’t really my thing, I make it my mission to find something Christmassy, but not with too much sparkle and end up going way over budget and spending an additional £34 of my own money too on a ridiculously sparkly and very off brief floor length skirt, a houndstooth check jersey dress and an amazing skirt that looks like a 3D Christmas tree which I never would have found if I hadn’t been invited to this event, so thank-you Intu Metrocentre.

  • Pixie Tenenbaum wearing a green pleated skirt with a 3D effect that looks like a Christmas tree from Quiz Clothing at Intu Metrocentre - Fashion Voyeur Blog
  • Pixie Tenenbaum wearing a houndstooth checked mini dress from Quiz Clothing at Intu Metrocentre - Fashion Voyeur Blog

So, if like me, you’re yet to even think about starting your Christmas shopping, then Intu Metrocentre is a pretty good bet.  With all your usual festive favourites (err Marks & Spencer anyone??) as well as some brand new amazing destination stores such as Victoria’s Secret and Jack Wills to check out too.  

Pixie

Categories: The Archives, The Fashion Closet

On Trial: The iPhone XS Camera

When it comes to cameras, I’m one of those Bloggers who uses a cellphone for everything and there are a few reasons for that, the main one being that my EDS and Fibromyalgia just don’t like lugging round more equipment than the bare minimum.  These days with cellphone cameras packing a pretty decent punch, they’re keeping people like me pretty happy when it comes to taking decent pictures and building in edit-ability.  The front runners as we know are always Samsung and Apple (Apple fangirl over here) but Huawei are coming up trumps with their latest offering and the camera capability is even being compared to that of a DSLR.

With Apple now churning out two Key Notes per annum and with it that usually means two specs of iPhone, one on the “budget” end of the Apple spectrum and one more high end, products have never been more accessible.  For 2018 Apple have focussed more on the iPhone X spec and scrapped its previous fascia for this new edge to edge design.  When Three UK invited me to East London to take an iPhone XS out for a spin I jumped at the chance to photograph some of the most vibrant street art in the UK, after all, where else does the art change as quick as the staircases in Hogwarts?

Arriving at Old Street I was given a quick tour of the new functionality in the iPhone XS, basically if you shoot in Apple’s Portrait Mode (a Blogger’s staple) which blurs the background and sharpens the foreground – nine times out of ten, the iPhone XS floods this mode with light and allows you to sharpen or thicken the level of blur enhancing the effect.  Pretty neat right?  It’s a small change, and it’s the only change, but trust me, it makes a huge difference.  Just the amount of light that makes it into the shot is worth it.

The iPhone XS also seems a little more intuitive when you ask it to focus on something too, obviously the iPhone X was almost a prototype for Apple, it was completely new technology and as an iPhone X owner I’m a fan, but having used the iPhone XS I can see those refinements in action and see how well they work.  What the iPhone XS is good at doing is picking up depth and both perceiving and translating that into an image.  It’s also able to filter light across an image to great effect in the same way you might use it in a selfie to create a halo, by splitting the colours like a rainbow.

Shooting with the iPhone XS as a point and shoot camera is a dream.  There’s no facility to shoot in raw like there is with the Huawei P20 Pro or Mate 20 Pro so it comes down to weighing up what you use the phone for in its entirety.  Personally I’m an Apple fan girl through and through and I’m not sure anything could make me part with any of my Apple products; even when I’ve hated them, I always end up loving them.  Apple’s choice of apps and ease of use far outweigh those of the Android platform for me.

The iPhone XS though is one of those that you just click with, the absence of the home button might frustrate legacy iPhone users for around two hours, then you’ll forget you ever used one.  Editing images is easy within the camera software itself, however if you’re an avid photographer caught without your camera and find yourself shooting on this device, you can always shoot on raw via the LightRoom app; something photographer (and now mate) Rob Percy taught me.

Basically if you’re wondering whether it’s worth an early upgrade then it comes purely down to affordability.  I loved it and the ease of use and slick new touches were great, it’s less of an upgrade and more of a refinement, to me, it’s what the iPhone X should have been when it was released last year.  If you can afford it go for it, if you can’t then wait, there might be something better round the corner when your upgrade is due.

Pixie

Categories: The Archives, The Fashion Closet

Kicking off the Festive Season with Mulberry Lights

Is it just me or does it feel like Christmas has snuck up on us out of nowhere this year?  I think with every year that goes by, I feel a little less ready, and a little less prepared – which I’m sure  is the exact opposite of what life experience teaches us.  Anyway, this year for most of the last few weeks I’ve been up and down to London working on a top secret project meaning that I’ve been to lots of different and exciting events whilst I’ve been in the capital.

In the run up to Christmas London is an exciting place to be, first up I got to go to #MulberryLights.  It’s a festive light installation from Mulberry (yes the English heritage brand behind the bags), they’re a brand I’ve worked with quite a bit over the years, from the days of Emma Hill, right through to Johnny Coca and that period of uncertainty in-between.  A few seasons ago Mulberry even created my own custom backpack for me which is still one of my favourite pieces for travelling.

So, #MulberryLights.  A completely new concept for Christmas 2018 tapping into the art market, it’s basically a series of illuminating interactive experiences that celebrate how light, colour, shapes and people come together to create a modern British Christmas.  It was a celebratory event that kicked off the festive season on Regent Street right before the Regent Street switch on which saw those gorgeous fluttering angels make a return to the shopping district.

The series is basically a giant sensory room using light and music as one big art installation.  Eerie readings from Dr Seuss’ The Grinch are performed over 90’s trance music to light projections at 100 Regent Street.  It’s a pretty amazing sight to behold, but one that’s very difficult to explain, basically, I could have spent hours and hours in there, it’s completely transfixing and sadly one with a super limited run.

The creative in me loved everything about it, the concept, the modernity and the fusion of fashion, art and inclusivity.  With Mulberry’s direction still not fully realised, perhaps this is a hint at a new market for the brand.  With share prices at an all time low it’s about time this English stalwart tried something new.

Pixie

Categories: The Archives, The Fashion Closet

Jayne Pierson SS19 at London Fashion Week

This season Jayne Pierson showed her Spring Summer 2019 Collection ‘Because de Change’ as part of the British Fashion Council’s London Fashion Week at the Conde Nast College of Fashion and Design.  Known for her art driven collections, for SS19, Pierson literally took the canvas to the body and let the art do the talking.

As with every season, this runway show told a story, award winning designer Pierson used a diverse cast of models to tell and conceptualise the story of the contemporary woman who refuses to conform to societies outdated expectation.  Pierson seeks to redefine what it means to be a woman who has her own aspirations and what it means to fulfil them.

The woman who wears Jayne Pierson is complicated, just like the designer herself.  Her stream of consciousness is sublimated with her seemingly random set of doodles and scribbles on her garments but these actually seek to convey her most inner self.  Her deepest thoughts and feelings are displayed and valued as contemporary art.  She wears these garments as an armour to empower and celebrate herself, ourselves and our sublime differences.

Because de Change explores the recent criminalisation of hate crimes based on sexuality, disability, race, religion and gender and serves as a platform to talk more widely about consent, harassment, hate crime and the abuses of privacy and trust.  Digital prints for SS19 are historic but surprisingly topical looking at very current and political subject matter such as up-skirting, religious iconography, motherhood, the gender pay gap, and size-ism.

Pierson is known for pushing the boundaries and taking conversation into her collections, as a lot of designers are now doing.  This season we’ve seen Teatum Jones take their round table discussion to the mainstream accompanied by a presentation for SS19 with similar topics up for discussion.  More and more designers are using their roles to bring the discussion to #MeToo, #TimesUp or discrimination and it’s becoming more widely accepted that this is now just a part of the fashion industry.

The Because de Change Collection is inspired by organic shapes created with perfect symmetry and balance.  The silhouettes in this collection are crafted in the spirit of luxury and pay homage to re-appropriation and the cultural process of reclaiming artefacts.  Luxury takes on a brutal harmony, exploring and reabsorbing subcultural styles and commodification.

Jayne Pierson creates directional, luxury womenswear that redefines the female form in empowering and uncompromising garments in leather pleating, luxe woven fabrics, future print, silks and draped leathers. Juxtaposing innovative material directions with avant-garde details inspired by a warped sense of history and intangible glitches in space and time, where historical references get confused and hybrids emerge, the collection encompasses high-end details and signature premium finishes.  Because de Change SS19 integrates hand-painted leathers with engineered historic digital prints and woven painted fabrics. Delicate hand embroidered tulle, mesh and lace, silk jersey and lace lingerie contrast with structured architectural silhouettes. Colours are bright yellow, teal blue, lamb nappas and a pop of primary red leathers.

More over, Pierson bucks the fashion industry norm when it comes to models and puts together a diverse cast every season – and that’s what was on everyone’s lips as the vestibule emptied out after this show.

Pixie

Categories: The Fashion Closet

Tata Naka SS19 at London Fashion Week

To showcase their Spring Summer 2019 collection, Tata Naka designers Tamara and Natasha Surgulaze chose Dartmouth House as the most fitting setting for their Roman inspired pieces.  The design due were influenced by Roman and greek statues and Roman Emperors Augustus, Tiberius and Titus in particular.

They also drew inspiration from the clothing worn by Roman soldiers; draping togas and tunics along with heavy pleating which represents the pteruges which were worn by greek and Roman warriors.  It’s a strong collection which works well in its rotation presentation format and is complimented by opulent surroundings and a soundtrack provided by a solitary guitar player in the corner of the room.

When Brian and I arrive at the presentation we hustle to the front to avoid catching our own reflections in the huge mirror in any of our photographs, the first thing we notice is how poor the lighting is.  On the plus side however, because of the presentation format we’re able to take advantage of an editorial set up and catch an outfit change too.

The pieces are beautiful, prints include hand drawings of Roman busts, these have been replicated and drawn in a classical style and coloured in Tata Naka’s signature, bespoke style.  There are also marble and leopard prints throughout the collection on uber light fabrics including silks, linen, lurex and jacquards meaning the drape fits the style perfectly.

Symbols associated with ancient Greek mythology such as Gorgoneion and Griffins are also woven into the collection.  Lifted from the armour of Roman and Greek warriors these ancient symbols provide the imagery for antique gold embroidered appliques, ornamental needlework in which pieces of fabric in different shapes and patterns have been sewn together to form the pattern.

For SS19 there’s also a capsule collection of jewellery in collaboration with Angela Puttini in Capri featuring enamel drawings of Tata Naka prints in black gold with natural pearls and coloured stones.  It really is a beautiful collection, it’s just a shame the lighting wasn’t great otherwise these pictures could have been fantastic.  All of these images were taken on an iPhone 8 Plus kindly loaned to me by Three UK for the duration of London Fashion Week.

Pixie

Pixie Tenenbaum Editor's signature with fashion illustration graphic