Fashion Voyeur

People will stare, make it worth their while.

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 Archives, The Glorious North East, The Lifestyle Edit

Cocktail Tasting at Tapas Revolution

Almost a year ago to the day I was invited to the launch of Spanish restaurant Tapas Revolution in the newly revamped Grey’s Quarter of Intu Eldon Square.  Since then, Grey’s Quarter has become a destination for those seeking quick, easy access to great quality food and drink in Newcastle and it’s not just Spanish food on offer either.  The addition of The Alchemist has ensured that Grey’s Quarter stays open long after store closing time and has meant that surrounding outlets have had to seriously up their game when it comes to their drinks menus.

Fast forward to a year after an evening of tapas tasting and I’m back at Tapas Revolution for the intimate launch of their brand new cocktail menu which aims to offer something for everyone, along with a flavour of Spain…

Bo and I arrived at Tapas Revolution fresh from another launch event and were a little flustered.  We were greeted by our Bar Tender Marco and shown through to a private booth in the bar area of the restaurant which looks out over Old Eldon Square – it’s only a little thing, but it makes eating or drinking in the shopping centre a way more attractive prospect when you can actually see outside.  Once we were seated and decidedly less flustered, we were given a menu and asked to select three cocktails each which we decided to drink in rounds, rather than have on the table all at once.

First of all let’s address my awesome outfit, I wore vintage Pringle golf trousers with a topshop tee and a super cosy faux fur tee, might not sound like much but these are literally my current favourite trousers so any excuse I get to talk about them, I’m taking it.

On to the drinks.  The menu has had a significant revamp and it’s split into the traditional Spanish style Gin and Tonic menu which I was thrilled to see included two of my most favourite and difficult to find gins, Larios and Xoriguer (if you haven’t tried Xoriguer gin I urge you to find it, you’ll never look at a bottle of Hendricks again) all served with Fevertree tonics of varying flavours. Next to that you’ll find the cocktail menu, there are eight Spanish inspired cocktails to choose from and a selection of three Sangrias.  Cocktails vary from short to long and each has a strong vacation vibe in that you could easily imagine yourself sitting on Sant Tomas Beach watching the waves roll in sipping on one of these bad boys.  Even though the menu is concise, it’s difficult to make a choice because they’ve managed to select drinks that are very different from one another but you know, in the name of duty we managed it.  We went for:

ESPRESSO BLANCO MARTINI £8.50

Espresso Blanco Martini, Tapas Revolution Newcastle
ESPRESSO BLANCO MARTINI £8.50

Served in a traditional Martini glass, this smooth drink comprises Veterano brandy shaken with cold brew espresso, milk, dark chocolate liqueor, Kahlua and Frangelico.  Basically all the sugary alcohol that tastes like no alcohol at all.  It’s super easy to drink because of the added milk which makes it smooth and not as bitter as some Espresso Martinis you’ll find in Newcastle.  This was my favourite and truth be told, I ended up having three.

PASSION FRUIT & MARZIPAN BATIDA £8.50

Passion Fruit & Marzipan Batida, Tapas Revolution Newcastle
PASSION FRUIT & MARZIPAN BATIDA £8.50

A blend of vanilla and marzipan flavoured vodkas, condensed milk (yes really), tigernut milk and passionfruit juice shaken with pimento dram and Disaronno amaretto to create heaven in a glass.  This was Bo’s favourite and listen up Voyeurs, they should rename this one Lethal Weapon, it’s stealthy because it’s like sippin’ on a more-ish shake.  Creamy yet refreshing.

PIMENTO & MANDARIN DAIQUIRI £8.50

Pimento & Mandarin Daiquiri, Tapas Revolution Newcastle
PIMENTO & MANDARIN DAIQUIRI £8.50

A short cocktail served in a short stem class with a blend of Bacardi rum, mandarin, melon and pimento dram, shaken with caramelised pineapple and lime.  This one tastes as it sounds, it’s a little bitter and whilst it’s less exciting than the two above, it’s still a refreshing cocktail.  What you won’t expect though it the crunchy pieces that sit in the liquid, those tiny pieces of caramelised pineapple and lime give this drink some much needed bite.

BLOOD ORANGE & CHERRY ROYAL £7.50

Blood Orange & Cherry Royal, Tapas Revolution Newcastle
BLOOD ORANGE & CHERRY ROYAL £7.50

Another short cocktail vibrant in colour and topped off with fresh mint which I couldn’t help nibbling on.  this one has Larios gin, blood orange, aguardiente de cerezas, pimento dram all shaken up with lemon and topped with cava to cut through the sweetness and add a touch of fizz.  If there’s a drink that tastes like vacations by the sea then this is it, refreshing to the core and definitely one that looks as sophisticated as it tastes.

After we were cocktailed out, we opted for a jug of Sangria, the menu offers a choice of four typical Spanish Sangrias and one Skinny Sangria with 30% less sugar than the others.  We opted for a Sangria with a rose wine base.

BLOOD ORANGE ROSE SANGRIA £16

Blood Orange Rose Sangria, Tapas Revolution Newcastle

Made with rose wine, blood oranges, grapefruit, lemon, orange and lime, this offered a lighter, fresher, more citrus alternative to the traditional Sangria which is made with pineapple, strawberry and other fruits.  Not sure what to expect after conjuring images of drinking Sangria to excess in our high school days, Marco arrived at our table with a jug, a wooden spoon and two tumblers.  As you no doubt know, Sangria gets way stronger the further down the jug you get, no matter how much you stir it.  I stuck to the top of the jug whilst Bo demolished the bottom half.  As a Sangria it’s very unexpected, it’s light and refreshing, where some can be very dark and quite difficult to detect the alcohol, this one had a citrusy top note with a definite rose taste to it.  Pleasant and most definitely Spanish.

When it comes to pricing, the drinks are at the cheaper end of the scale for cocktails and that’s most likely because the primary function of tapas Revolution is as a restaurant.  However, you can visit just for drinks without buying food and even better, if you visit between 12-7pm Sunday to Friday jugs of Sangria are half price, cocktails are 2 for 1, and Larios gin and tonic is also 2 for 1.  That’s way more than a Happy Hour, that’s a Happy Day, and you can’t say fairer than that.

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

 

Categories: The Archives, The Fashion Closet

Minki FW18 at London Fashion Week

Usually towards the end of London Fashion Week the schedule begins to slow down, by day four you find that the days get way easier as there are less shows to hop between.  Not so for FW18.  This season has been crazy in the best possible way.  Day five of show season started early with a runway show followed by a couple of presentations in designer led locations meaning I was out of 180 The Strand and off on an adventure.

The Minki FW18 presentation entitled ‘Who is the most sophisticated creator?’  was set in the Park Chinois which is a hop, skip and a jump from New Bond Street in Mayfair.  With it’s flower covered front and roaring open fire in the entrance, it’s a place that’s full of mystery and intrigue.  The presentation itself takes place down a spiral staircase where a selection of Chinese teas and dim sum available for show-goers to snack on and the dark, red lit, rich interior gives a hint of what’s in store.

The collection is a powerful exploration of gender and binary oppositions.  Minki incorporates feminine bijoux fastenings on mens oversized shirts to provide an oppositional force, the collection benefits from the addition and placement of real precious stones which have been used as raw brooches on coats.  Minki’s FW18 offering is a blend of opposing silhouettes that blend the traditional with the contemporary, heavy pleats in light tulle continue the oppositional trend throughout the collection and Minki plays with texture throughout – heavy quilted outerwear sits over fairy like dresses layered with soft, floaty tulles and voiles.

Minki FW18

Taffeta jackets are part quilted to resemble the reflections that can be seen in precious gem stones and it’s these rocks, minerals and gemstones that form the very foundations of Minki’s designs past and present.  Raw and fragile details such as stone snap buttons from Morocco are paired with heavier materials and shiny velvet trimmings, transparent PVC and furry mohair to create a juxtaposition of texture that works undeniably well throughout the collection.  The check / pleat combo is a personal favourite of mine and the masculine styling of the most feminine pieces is so current it hurts.  Kudos Minki, the FW18 presentation provided a well planned, thought provoking collection that seeks to explore the question: Who has been the most sophisticated creator, nature or man?

Pixie

Pixie Tenenbaum Editor's signature with fashion illustration graphic