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The Wax Bar Newcastle Official Launch Party

You’ll have heard me waxing lyrical (see what I did there?) about The Wax Bar, a recent addition to the beauty scene in North Jesmond and you’ll know that I’ve visited the salon for intimate waxing and LVL Lashes (two essentials for your beauty maintenance regime). Now the salon may have been operational since December 2016, but after establishing a loyal North East client base, The Wax Bar threw open their doors this weekend for their official launch party and I was invited along. Obvs.

A live DJ provided the tunes and the salon was set up to provide complimentary treatments including nail polish and stencilling, HD Brows, threading, tinting and my favourite, a braid bar, with added glitter station. Fresh pizza, pasta and doughballs from Pizza Express Jesmond were served, from Pizza Express along with sweet shop sweets and super cute bespoke cupcakes (of which three mysteriously appeared in my kitchen the next morning). Prosecco and Pimms were on tap all night and the party was in full flow when I rocked up fresh com a runway show.

First stop: The braid bar, I was sat in front of a lit mirror and given a selection of styles to choose from, I opted for two top Dutch braids into wrapped ponytails which the Stylist did in record time. Sidebar, The Wax Bar will have a resident hair braider working in the salon once each month offering single or add on appointments. I can vouch for her talent too, she’s young, hip and dresses like a rockstar, oh yeah, she does awesome braids too.

If you haven’t already visited The Wax Bar, the salon is modern and minimalist. With it’s cool grey and white colour scheme (with added Wax Bar branded metallic balloons for the party) it has a fresh, urban feel and the pop of fuschia pink in the branding is uniform throughout the each salon.

New and existing clients had a chance to chat about the treatments and products on offer at The Wax Bar as well as putting forward suggestions to the business – a real nice touch to involve potential clients in shaping the business to suit their needs. Kudos. Owner Nicole Peterson and Area Manager Claire travelled From Edinburgh for the party; saying they’d been nervous and excited for the past four weeks. Nicole told me that after doing some research on Jesmond and learning about its huge student population, she wanted to cater for that because it’s unfair to price out such a huge chunk of the market, to combat this, The Wax Bar offer 25% discount to students on qualifying days.

I chatted to the staff who told me that throwing a launch party works so well in beauty because it offers a great opportunity to meet potential new clients and learn more about existing clients.

These guys are the holy grail of hot waxing; resident hot waxer Gemma has her technique nailed and can have you stripped, Hollywood waxed and out again fuzz free in 20 minutes. The salon also offers a range of other treatments including men’s waxing, gel nails, LVL Lashes, HD Brows and lash extensions amongst other things. Each Therapist has her own specialty so you can rest knowing you’re in good hands. All treatments booked at the official launch party were offered at 50% off but fear not Voyeurs, there are regular rotational offers on treatments and there’s a loyalty club too which allows clients to collects stamps leading to free treatments.

So, long story short, aces launch party, friendly professional staff, free parking outside the door and good coffee. What’s not to love?!

Pixie xo

To book an appointment at The Wax Bar call 0191 2812183

Categories: The Archives, The Fashion Closet

London Fashion Week FW17: David Ferreira Presents The Freakball

As you know Voyeurs, Fashion Month’s FW17 season has been fresh and exciting and full of new talent as well as big changes for established labels. Mulberry took a bold step for FW17 with a collection like nothing we’ve seen in seasons gone by and David Ferreira took us to the circus with his awesome Freakball showcase at London fashion Week.

I had a front row seat for this exclusive look at the Lisbon based designer’s first collection following his prestigious Les Etoiles Mercedes Benz win in Paris in 2016.

Inspired by the strikingly unusual and unique, Ferreira’s FW17 collection entitled The Freakball, was a rollercoaster from start to finish. Fuschia pink, baby pink, chartreuse yellow and cobalt blue collide in a vivid, texture rich collection that’s a real treat for the senses. Models were painted up to look like a clown / doll hybrid to great effect and they posed as they walked giving off a circus freak show vibe. (It’s no surprise that Bjork is a fan).

Research for the collection began at the circus and its origins, but it was in sideshows and freak shows that he found his true inspiration for his FW17 showcase.

Even though the foundation of the David Ferreira Fall / Winter collection lays in the film Freaks (1932), the book Freak Show by Roben Bogdan, The Victorian Freak Show and the work of photographer, Joel-Peter Witkin, the collection isn’t a literal inspiration of human deformities and biological rarities, instead it is a celebration of the beauty of singularity, of individuality and of rarity.

These days we know that uniqueness is the true definition of luxury. Exclusivity and rarity are highly covetable and we all know there’s nothing more exclusive than the singular. Ferreira’s pieces play with the shape of a woman’s silhouette by creating a visual spectacle that blurs the lines between garment and person, using uniqueness and rarity as the driving force behind the collection, as the thing most coveted. My standout piece from The Freakball was a pale pink fitted, duchess satin dress with a point of ruffles at the front.

The Freakball collection is a collective celebration of individuality, of not fitting into society’s stereotype of ‘normal’. It’s a collection that takes conventional proportion and flips it on it’s head, amping up the volume with ruffles, godês, gatherings, non conventional pattern cutting and straightened Mongolian lamb hair.

The most exciting part of this collection for me, was the extreme texture clash; silk, double duchess satins, silk satins, silk crepe satins, Mongolian lamb, tulle and woven metal fabric combine for absolute sensory mayhem on the Ferreira runway and the final piece changed the silhouette entirely by adding volume to the waist and nipping in the ankles, an pleasantly unexpected aesthetic and one just wacky enough to make you sit up and take notice of Ferreira. He was awarded the Merit Award by Fashion Scout last year earning three seasons of sponsorship so there’s no doubt the best is yet to come from this exciting, bold designer.

Pixie xo

Categories: The Archives, The Fashion Closet

London Fashion Week FW17: John Herrera

In a fashion Months full of firsts, designer John Herrera showed for the first time at Fashion Scout and debuted with his FW17 collection, Agila. A showcase tinged with tradition and exploration of Herrera’s Filipino roots.

Herrera launched his brand in London two years ago when he was chosen to participate in the British Council and British Fashion Council’s International Fashion Showcase at Somerset House. That same year Herrera went on to win at the London Emerging Designer Awards, also at Somerset House, and showed his winning collection at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in Tokyo. After showing a sensational bioluminescence themed collection and on the eve of LFW’s FW17 season, Herrera was announced as the winner of Britain’s Top Designer award for 2017, a title previously held by Helen Woollams of Hellavagirl Couture.

John Herrera’s Agila Collection presented at Fashion Scout.

For his FW17 collection Herrera harked back to his roots, experimenting with filipino tribal art and tattoos straight out of Luzon. The Philippine eagle which features prominently throughout the stunning six piece collection, was a huge inspiration to the designer, each piece of his hand-drawn, original artwork was transferred to the fabric through dye-sublimation printing in partnership with Epson Philippines, with amazing attention to detail. The result, a sublime kaleidoscopic effect in earthy, neutral tones. I was on the front row and can vouch for just how hotly anticipated and talked about this show was; without a doubt, Herrera’s showcase was one of the most over subscribed shows I’ve been to in years and for good reason.

John Herrera’s Agila Collection presented at Fashion Scout.

The great thing about Herrera as an emerging design talent, is his passion for ethical material sourcing and supporting his hometown where he continues to produce his collections. His staff is made up of women from challenged upbringing and he continues to support his community through his work; Herrera is a designer who has seen struggle and made it work as a positive in his branding.

Next on the agenda for the Filipino designer is a stint at Paris Fashion Week. Agila will be shown as a static presentation at The Westin Paris – Vendome as part of the prestigious So… Couture showroom.

Definitely one to watch Voyeurs, the Agila collection is already up on Vogue Online and will feature in this season’s accompanying Vogue Collections – I’ll be watching for Herrera’s next move as September is always the best show season…

Pixie xo

Categories: The Archives, The Fashion Closet

London Fashion Week FW17: Hellavagirl Couture

Fresh off the back of her 2016 Britain’s Top Designer win, Helen Woollams has created what’s surely her best visual spectacle yet for Hellavagirl’s FW17 showcase at Fashion Scout. I headed out to the Freemason’s Hall in a leather A-line skirt (to protect me from the elements) to share this awesome collection with you. I got to go backstage prior to the show too but that’s a whole other story…..

The Last Dawn on Mars FW17 –A Post apocalyptic inspired couture collection with dark undertones and a regal rock and roll edge, a dys(co)topian future if you will, filled with couture robots to blow your circuits.

The opening look set the tone for the show, a shimmering oversized gown masked the model’s limbs giving the illusion of exaggerated height, topped off with a ginormous flower crown beyond even your wildest dreams, fashioned out of paper by specialist crafters, Tissue Blossoms.

Hellavagirl Couture London Fashion Week FW17 1

Hellavagirl Couture London Fashion Week FW17

A silver two piece consisting of harem pants and a metallic, frilled top dripping with emerald coloured stones (one of my favourite looks) gave off a space age mermaid vibe as an awesome follow up to the opener. From the Frow, in the VIP section no less, I had a fantastic view of this exciting showcase, a collection which tests boundaries and challenges proportions. A glittertastic, brocade wrapped, flower topped collection of couture for confident, powerful women who don’t fall at the feet of men.

Hellavagirl Couture London Fashion Week FW17 Silver

Woollams’ collections are always strong, but FW17 is the dark side of the fairytale. For every wooded tower that hides a princess there’s a gothic witch just wishing she had Hellavagirl on speed dial; it’s exactly that kind of devilishly flirtatious drama. A hybrid of couture and RTW, this is a collection available to buy and wear but it’s not for the faint of heart. Filled to he brim with sequins, sparkle, tulle and brocade, it’s dramatic, confident and filled with personality.

Hellavagirl Couture London Fashion Week FW17 BRocade

Personally, I adored the show, I was keen to see how Woollams would build on her 2016 national recognition and was pleasantly unsurprised. It’s great to see that she’s stuck to the principles that made her stand out from the crowd in the first place, staying firmly within her talent niche there’s a definite Hellavagirl aesthetic developing. Creating unapologetic proportions and dramatic shapes that scream “Don’t fuck with me” – a bold trouser with added width at the hip, or a voluminous jacket with looping shoulders, the knack for creating these exaggerated silhouettes has become Woollams’ signature and it’s one I hope she’ll keep as she’s edging the pack.

When I started writing this post I knew it had to be image led as The Last Dawn on Mars is a collection that has to be viewed to be appreciated. A distinct Bowie influence makes the collection beautifully bittersweet, but I’ll leave you to make your own assessment. I can’t wait to see what Hellavagirl brings us in September for SS18 and I’ll be waiting with bated breath for another look inside the mind of Helen Woollams. So for now Voyeurs, enjoy The Last Dawn on Mars…….

Pixie xo

Categories: The Archives, The Fashion Closet, The Glorious North East

Sports Luxe Dressing at Silverlink Shopping Park

If there’s one trend that’s gathering pace right now, it’s the Sports Luxe trend. Done right, it’s the epitome of cool, with trailblazers Vetements, Puma x Fenty and Hood by Air leading the pack on the runway. Get it wrong however and it’s a whole other story. So, what exactly is Sports Luxe and how do you wear it?

Vetements

Puma x Fenty

Hood by Air

I was asked by Silverlink Retail Park to compile a trend report on Sports Luxe with some handy tips on how to recreate the look on the high street. IRL the trend is softer and way easier to wear – on the runway it’s harsh and extreme but the high street interpretation lends itself to some pretty awesome looks and it’s a trend that fits my lifestyle perfectly so I was looking forward to getting stuck into this.

Sports Luxe is a trend you can wear for work or play, based around the idea of the practicality and functionality of sportswear, combined with tailored shapes and clean lines to keep it current and stop it veering into scruffy territory. Think chiffon dresses with a soft sweater thrown over the top, or retro Adidas sweatpants with a blouse. Ballet pink and grey are the colours du jour for this trend and functional details such as chunky zippers will score you extra points.

At Silverlink Shopping Park in North Tyneside, there are a surprising number of high street fashion stores in close proximity including Next, New Look, H&M, River Island and Marks & Spencer. The real gem amongst them though is Outfit. One store, seven highstreet fashion brands all from the house of Aurora fashions; Topshop, Warehouse, Dorothy Perkins & Miss Selfridge are amongst the fashion favourites you’ll find in this store and the place is brimming with wearable Sports Luxe garments in a whole array of textures.

H&M came up trumps with these modern wearable takes on the sportswear trend and in this season’s key colours of ballet pink and cobalt blue too, with a pretty wide range, there’s something for all tastes and they’re at the cheaper end of the scale making it accessible for everyone. River Island is great for solid sporty basics, think Beyonce’s leotard microtrend translated to the highstreet, and you’re on the right track. With cotton bodysuits for just £16 they’re up at the top end of my list – throw an embroidered bomber over the top and you’ll be werking Sports Luxe in no time.

Across the Shopping Park in New Look there’s a whole section dedicated to creating the Sports Luxe look, with oversized sweater dresses and shredded hoodies it’s very similar to the Hood by Air aesthetic on a high street budget. Head here for lightweight layering to throw over your Sports Luxe basic pieces. I spotted a soft grey playsuit – technically nightwear – but perfect for nailing the trend in Summer if you’re feeling confident, perfection with chunky boots and a light duster jacket for shrobing.

In Outfit you’re greeted with items that fit the brief as soon as you enter the store and it’s a fresher, more fashion conscious effort at Sports Luxe. With Topshop leading the field (as always) there’s a choice of crossover ballet tops, layered dresses, faux fur slides and velour sweaters (very Vetements) to choose from meaning this is the best choice for North East Fashionistas.

With so many leading high street fashion retailers in one place, its hard not to get carried away, especially seeing as this is one of my favourite trends to emerge from the runways of the fashion capitals. I couldn’t resist the faux fur slides, the layered dress and the sweater on the Topshop mannequin so all of those made their way home with me. I stocked up on calf high Adidas sports socks from JD Sports (which are crying out to be worn with those slides) as these look great with pleated midi skirts, especially in metallic shades.

So, with Sports Luxe being the perfect pan-season trend I’d say you’ve got a whole year to perfect it and work out your take on the look.

Pixie xo