Fashion Voyeur

People will stare, make it worth their while.

Categories: Fashion, Uncategorized

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: Fashion

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: Fashion, Uncategorized

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: Fashion, Uncategorized

SOE Jakarta FW18 at London Fashion Week

You all know my love of discovering emerging design talent and one of the best places to do just that is at Fashion Scout.  Scout plays host to some of London Fashion Week‘s blossoming new talent as well as some of the more well established names like Dr Pam Hogg, but one of the most exciting things to witness at Scout is a designer’s debut.

FW18 has seen a plethora of new designers take to the vestibule of Freemason’s Lodge, from Amy Thomson‘s whimsical childlike wonderland, to Kristel Kuslapuu’s knitwear protest, Fashion Scout has got it going on.  One of the most anticipates debuts was from designer Monique Soeriaatmadja and her label SOE Jakarta whose FW18 collection The Unexplored Woman, was inspired by the works, life and style of American artist Georgia O’Keeffe.  Inspired by Georgia’s exhibitions in London and Brooklyn, the designer was drawn to the juxtaposition between Georgia’s personal style and her art.  Her wardrobe consisted of androgynous black and white; something of a stark contrast to her wildly colourful floral paintings.

SOE Jakarta is by no means new on the fashion scene, whilst the label is new to Scout, SOE Jakarta is actually in its sixth season and was born out of a love affair with hand woven textile and classic, timeless style.  The brand is committed to reviving the art of weaving in Indonesia and mixes local artisan techniques with technical fabrics to produce a collection which is as beautiful as it is wearable.

The FW18 collection features handwoven denim made on traditional Indonesian Manual looms which makes SOE Jakarta the first brand to bring this technique to London.  The yarn is dyed using natural dye Kayu Tinggi to create warm tones of brown, khaki and sand, reminiscent of the decor and surroundings of O’Keeffe’s New Mexico home.

The look is doubtlessly androgynous, loose fit dresses, jackets, trousers, skirts and shirts dominate the collection in handwoven cotton, crisp poplin and silk organza are layered to create both fitted and oversized shapes which lean towards a strong masculine silhouette.  In contrast, feminine detailing is seen on cinched in waists and drawstring detailing.

Designer Monique Soeriaatmadja

If the Indonesian influence wasn’t obvious enough, the collection features Batik textile stamp printing in a motif derived from one of O’Keeffe’s blue period paintings entitled ‘Blue Nude’.  The combination of O’Keeffe’s love for blue tones and kimono style dresses sees SOE Jakarta translate this into a wonderfully modern oversized shirt dress featuring this very Batik textile print.

For a collection that has been concentrated on such a restricted colour palette, it’s one that has produced some of the most wearable looks of day four, the split front denim pinstriped pant suit and thick bustier jumpsuits layered over loose fit polo necks piqued my interest in terms of styling.  Definitely one to watch for future seasons.

Pixie

 

Categories: Fashion

Fortie Label FW18 at London Fashion Week

After another rather bland and boring New York Fashion Week the baton has been handed to London and we’ve come to learn that over the past few years now, London is where Fashion Month really hits its stride.  What with it’s awesome street style, emerging talent, and well rooted, established designers, London Fashion Week has something that every fashion lover can appreciate and aspire to.

My start to London Fashion Week is always the same: severe train delays resulting in over half a day lost  and the FW18 show season was no different.  After an epic delay in excess of two hours, I finally arrived in the capital and met up with some familiar faces.  After checking in, I hotfooted it to my first show of the season, Fortie Label to find that I had one of the best seats in the house…

Show Pack FW18
Look 1 at Fortie Label FW18

If you’re thinking you’ve heard that name somewhere before, that’s because Rihanna commissioned this urban-luxe brand to produce part of her Anti world tour wardrobe; and if you haven’t heard of it yet, you’ve most definitely seen some of their designs on the likes of Jorja Smith, Kelela or Chaelin CL.  For their FW18 collection, Fashion Scout Merit Award winners Fortie Label drew inspiration from Forty Thieves, an all female London crime syndicate who were famously known for their antics through the 19th and 20th centuries.

Fortie Label FW17

The collection is an ode to female sexuality and empowerment and with its fierce girl gang aesthetic, it’s not hard to see why they were selected for the much coveted Merit Award.  Oversized boiler-suit silhouettes fashioned from stiffened voiles are paired with elements of the sports luxe trend, urban glamour and hints of resort wear.  Cropped hoodies, sheer tracksuits and high PVC shorts cement Fortie Label firmly on the radar of every hip, youthful female artist out there in 2018 and it won’t be long before you’re spotting pieces on MTV.  FW18 saw the return of the brand’s signature triple hoodie alongside a revamped corset fashioned from denim.  A collaboration with swimwear designer Louisa Ballou resulted in a base layer of overlay bikinis with bamboo detailing.

The colour palette for the entire collection was a warm mix of caramel tones with accents of tangerine, indigo and blue with textures ranging from denim, to tulle and faux fur.  Fortie Label founder and designer Essie Buckman demonstrates her meticulous eye for detail with this collection which was produced through traditional textile development and construction techniques rather than resorting to cheaper, mass production.

As far as Fashion Week openers go, Fortie Label put in a strong show, with a hip hop dance finale and Fortie Dollars flipped all over the runway from the opening act, this is a show that was never going to be boring.  One thing’s for sure, New York Fashion Week may have only been a few days ago, but it’s long since forgotten as London picks up the slack.

Pixie xo