Fashion Archives - Page 12 of 17

London Fashion Week FW17: VIN + OMI Present Submerge

VIN + OMI are known for their elaborate show sets during London fashion Week and as a brand famed for its couture, it draws in a pretty impressive crowd. For FW17 the brand has partnered with the iconic Michelle Violy Harper to produce its first ever ready to wear collection. Exciting stuff right?

With Violy as their muse, VIN + OMI have created a fresh aesthetic with new silhouettes and shapes to flatter form. Bold new patterns and colours reflect a fantasy waterworld, using fabrics made from recycled plastic collected from the ocean alongside the highest quality silks, sustainable latex and wool. The duo are always exploring new methods of fabric manipulation and fabrication and with Submerge for FW17, they’ve produced their most relatable and wearable collection yet.

“The collection is for that international, creative, art loving woman, with a sprinkling of menswear in there too. The collection has a balance of light pieces and heavier winter outerwear, pastel shades and bold colours. Global temperatures are changing and people are jumping on planes more often. Seasonal collections need to reflect this.” VIN + OMI

In a fully immersive London Fashion Week show staged at The Sanderson Hotel packed with the fashion elite, celebrities, and me, models walked the boards of the Perrier-Jouet enchanted garden before taking to the sidewalk to showcase the collection. A co-ed show saw both men’s and womenswear together on the runway, topped off with VIN + OMI’s signature quirky accessories including oversized silk mittens and zip tie jewellery in uber bright colours as well as hand drawn shoes. Oversized proportions and elongated shoulders and sleeves have been a favourite with many designers in the FW17 Showcases and these extreme shapes managed to remain flattering to the female form at VIN + OMI.

“My obsession with creating clothes that are avant garde, and steeped in the fantasy of the awe inspiring underwater world inspired me to work closely with VIN + OMI to create a collection that both challenges and delights. I was drawn to their work because they push boundaries and are able to explore and translate not only concepts, but also feelings.” Michelle Violy Harper

Radio 1 DJ Jo Whitley took to the runway for the finale alongside her two sons and daughter Coco, who led the finale, saying “well they got me out of Doc Martens!” As she closed the show.

Every Fashionista worth her Himalayan Pink Salt knows that London Fashion Week is where we look to find fresh new shapes, silhouettes and colours, it’s where most emerging trends come from and the VIN + OMI show provided a hotbed of inspiration for the high street. Come September, expect to see chiffon and mesh daubed with watercolours and frills (already huge news for SS17) on a high street near you.

Pixie xo

Professional images taken by Christopher Daw, all other images taken by me.

Menswear Fit for a Duke

When it comes to menswear things can get a little tricky, sure it looks simple enough for a fashionista looking in but when it comes to dressing men, silhouette is key as everything is loosely based on one main aesthetic – a trouser paired with a top.

With the emergence of more and more menswear design talent through LC:M and NYFW Mens, the options for male dressing are widening however these groundbreaking shows are more about pushing boundaries than setting seasonal trends. As much as Men’s Fashion Month is an major event in the fashion calendar, it mostly gives me inspo for my own wardrobe.

We all know that Fashionista’s move in tribes. The key difference is that men often aren’t aware of the theory of fashion tribes, or of which tribe they fall into; whether they’re a Classic Aesthetic (jeans and tee), Sports Luxe (relaxed fit jeans / sweatpants, sports tee & sneakers), Wide Boy (skinny sweats & vest) or Urban Gentleman (tailoring with all the trimmings), it’s not usually a conscious decision. Whether aware of it are not, men are unwittingly influenced by fashion.

You’ve seen The Devil Wears Prada, you know the theory behind the cerulean blue sweater – in a nutshell, every purchase you make on the highstreet, every throwaway notion or bargain bin selection, is directly influenced by the elite runway shows at the top of the chain. Fashion is everywhere and influences most of your day to day decisions around clothing, makeup, accessories and shoes, right through to the way you style your home.

If you’re a guy who naturally favours suiting and consider a pocket square to be the ultimate accessory, then congratulations! You fall into the Urban Gentleman tribe, (and there are definitely a few of you out there who follow me), it’s likely that you already know that tailoring is your best friend. The high street can work with tailoring to a certain extent but the clue is in the name people, tailoring only achieves its MO if it’s made to fit. Yes, I get that budget is a huge factor and can recommend some off the rack retailers for tailoring but trust me, going made to measure will change your life.

Step forward Duke Ata Bespoke. Duke’s self titled label focuses on luxury, made to fit, with all the trappings of a modern, urban gentleman. Everything Duke produces has flair, from the signature wide lapels and polka dots to the wide shouldered cut of his jackets, a Duke Ata Bespoke piece is recognisable by its artistry.

With a background in Blogging, Duke’s knowledge of menswear in particular led him on an eerily similar journey to mine. Styling wedding guests and curating wardrobe overhauls for years gave him a clear idea of pieces that would work for clients. It wasn’t long before Duke turned his hand to design himself, and ultimately, tailoring. Inspired by classic elegance, the gentleman’s silhouette and the craftsmanship of Savile Row, Duke has developed a peculiar and recognisable style which has been forged into the Duke Ata brand.

His first collection – Vol.1 – sees classic tailoring married with an urban twist. Duke has a penchant for unusual fabrics and is super particular about the quality, threadcount and finish – I can say that, we’re friends – basically, if it’s not perfect, it’s not Duke Ata.

The fitting service offered by Duke Ata Bespoke is a step above tailoring. A tailor will take an existing suit model and make it fit the client (think Tim Gunn in How I Met Your Mother), with a bespoke service fabric selection, shape, cut and fit are all handcrafted to the needs and expectations of the client. It’s a different ball game. The cost is high, but then that’s not news. For anyone considering something bespoke there’s a price to pay, but business is booming.

Duke’s clients tell me that there’s nothing like the feeling of putting on a Duke Ata Bespoke suit, it’s like The Emporer’s New Clothes, they fit so well that you feel like you’re wearing nothing, but you just know you look awesome.

You’ll recognise his aesthetic too, Duke recently dressed footballer Jamie O’Hara for his Celebrity Big Brother 2017 entrance, and Body Fixers Dr Esho only wears Duke Ata Bespoke. Natty credentials indeed. Duke doesn’t shout from the rooftops about his brand, he’s quietly confident. Charismatic and charming, it’s no wonder his clients are fiercely loyal.

With a series of low key, invite only events around his home town of Newcastle, he let’s the pieces he creates do the talking and is quietly building momentum in both the North and in London where he takes regular fitting appointments. When we discuss the theory of fashion tribes he agrees with me saying “I know my tribe, I stay in my lane. I don’t try to force tailoring on to people it won’t work for, I’m particular about my clients.” With bespoke tailoring on the rise and Tom Ford recently stating “My suit is my uniform, I feel weak in trainers”, it’s an aesthetic that more and more men (and women) are aspiring to. Well Voyeurs, it just got a little more accessible to the Urban Gentlemen of the North East – you know who you are.

Pixie xo

For appointments email appointments@dukeata.com

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

Dress Me Luxe Launch Night

If you’re a fan of fast fashion then online boutique Dress Me Zara is a must for your Instagram feed. Currently undergoing a relaunch as Dress Me Zee, with its fast paced style turnover and an inhouse designer ready to replicate the latest high end pieces at high street prices, this is one secret you need to know about.

The brainchild of Jessica Broomfield, a girl from the North East who started designing dresses in her bedroom long before the brand became the business it is today. Dress Me Zee is the fresh, funky signaturen line, whilst new addition Dress Me Luxe adds high octane glamour and serious sparkle for high end, red carpet dressing. Heavily influenced by Balmain and the Kardashian/Jenner sisters, it’s full of sparkle, tassels and body con, perfect for occasion dressing.

I went along to the pre-launch runway show at Aveika last night to see the brand new Dress Me Luxe collection, along with the best festive pieces from signature line, Dress Me Zee, proving there’s something for every budget across both collections. The night was hosted by the gorgeous Sophie Gradon who also walked the runway, and the best bit? A pop up shop offering showgoers the chance to snap up a piece of the action before anyone else. (Apologies for the quality of the pictures, Aveika is notoriously difficult to photograph).

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Amongst the many standout pieces were Yonce worthy double split fronted gowns in black and rose gold, and cool mini dresses with high necks and long sleeves. Oh yes, and a super cute little harlequin playsuit with just the right amount of sparkle.

When Jessica put the event together, she told me she was keen to support charity Cancer Research UK and made the admirable decision to donate £5 from every clothing purchase made on the night, to the charity. She made sure she came armed with enough stock in different sizes to cater for everyone and where stock wasn’t available, Jessica beams her gorgeous smile at me and says “No sweat, we’ll post it out the next day”.

I think I made six visits to the restrooms to try on dresses before settling on the first thing I tried on – typical. A floor length black gown, aptly named ‘Midnight in Paris’. With a double fronted thigh split and the kind of embellishment you could stare at for days. It’s safe to say that I’ll be leaving a trail of glitter as black as my heart in my wake when I wear this beauty. It was a tricky decision, this same dress is also available in gold and is also pretty amazing, at £59.99 I’d say it’s an absolute steal and it comes with the colour matched panties too!

The Dress Me Luxe range will be added to the Dress Me Zee website this week to complement the current collection and with next day delivery, there’s still time to pick up something unique and dramatic in time for your Christmas party to ensure all eyes are on you. The only problem? Narrowing it down to just one….

Pixie xo

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

Love Niche FW16 Collection

Twice yearly, in line with the off-schedule fashion calendar, Newcastle based Fashion Designer Nisha Vedhara curates and prepares a multi tiered collection to present to the fashionistas of the North.

Nisha and I have been friends for a few years now and although I’m probably biased, I speak the truth when I tell you she puts on a formidable show. Each season Nisha partners with a local charity, suicide prevention and support charity If U Care Share was selected as the partner for The Art of Style FW 16, with a proportion of funds raised going to benefit local families affected by suicide. Having been affected by suicide in my family, I can’t give enough props for this. ??

Nisha’s approach to her collection is three dimensional; her signature Love Niche line is actually designed and made by her, from sketch, to completion. She scours the globe for fabrics, prints and anything else she can use in her collections with inspiration coming mainly from India and the vivid, rich colours and textures available there.

Love Niche Fashion Show At Hood Street Club Newcastle Pictures By Alex Alevroyiannis

Love Niche Paris is Nisha’s most popular collection. Curated and bought in according to trends on the runway by Nisha with a focus on the outfit as a whole, rather than single pieces.

Her third, more affordable collection is Love Niche London. A diffusion line selected by Nisha to make the brand accessible, but still desirable.

This year, the Love Niche Fall / Winter showcase took place at The Assembly Rooms in Newcastle and for the first time ever, featured bespoke occasion wear designed and made by Nisha for real clients. Not only was I invited along, but I was actually asked to model in the second part of the show! Taking on a new format, the show was split into ready to wear, worn by models and then after a short interlude, bespoke occasion wear, worn by the women the garments were created for. (i.e. Me)

The show, called The Moonlight Season, opened with Nisha’s own Cruise collection of bespoke kaftans and resort wear. Models walked the candlelit runway wearing striking flower crowns made by Kathryn Russell. Miss Junior Teen Great Britain, Harriotte Lane opened the show and told me afterwards that there were just days to go before she handed the title over to her successor. I took my seat with my photographer pal Hannah Todd, to take in the North East’s premier runway show….

First up, resort wear. A pretty awesome collection of cool kaftans, cover ups and swimwear. From racy fishnet throw on dresses, to soft, floaty full length waistcoats, the collection didn’t disappoint and was a lot more fresh and urban than Nisha’s usual classic offering. With the darker theme this season and topped with flower crowns, models looked like they’d strode straight off a Lana Del Rey video shoot.

Image Credit: Keith Fusco, KIS Studios

Love Niche Paris gave us structured dresses, fur stoles and palazzo pants, armour for the modern day girl boss and like nothing else you’ll find on the high street.

Love Niche London is probably the most anticipated collection purely because of its affordability and wearability. Think runway trends re-spun for the highstreet with a classic vibe. The collection was full of stripes and separates finished off with hats, city gloves and chain belts.

Nisha’s high end signature line, Love Niche was a collection of high octane occasion wear for urban warrior women. Guaranteed to create drama and turn heads, the collection garnered applause and a collective ‘ooooooooh’ from the sell out crowd. The stand out piece? A floor length dress coat with a nipped in waist and flared skirt worn by Miss Durham GB, Taylor Hamilton which opened and flared as she strutted the runway. TDF ?

Next up, my turn. After being asked so many times about her bespoke collection, Nisha decided to enlist the help of the women she’s created one off pieces for. For the first time ever, Nisha’s actual clients took to the runway in one off, show stopping creations designed in collaboration with each client and made by Nisha.

Our outfits were styled in the way we’d wear them ourselves so that the audience could see the versatility and personality in each piece. I wore my long sleeved sequinned top with a full skirt from Coast and a black velvet cape – very gothic princess. The bespoke luxe runway show also featured PR gurus Claire Barber and Sarah Hall and Rita Gray, a lady who’s become a friend of mine after Nisha introduced us a few years back (she calls me Carrie Bradshaw ❤️) and it added a new dimension to the show which showgoers agreed afterwards, allowed the audience to see how Nisha’s creations might be worn in ‘real life’.

The Moonlight Season was certainly darker and a lot more edgy and relevant than previous seasons. The collection felt like more of a ‘journey’ than it has done before. Maybe it was the venue, or the fresher cast of models but the show seemed slicker and told the story of the collections effortlessly. Resort wear was a highlight, it was clear from the first outfit that Nisha had upped her game and come out stronger than ever before. With a whopping 83 outfits on show at The Midnight Sessions, I can’t wait to see how she tops this in Spring / Summer 2017.

If you fancy checking out the ready to wear collections, then head to Love Niche Studio, a show space that feels a world away from the busy city and the hustle of the Grainger Market beneath it. Nisha also offers her bespoke dressmaking service from here or a personal styling service if you’re not sure where to start and she’s her own best advert, she rarely wears anything other than Love Niche and damn, can she put an outfit together.

Pixie xo

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

Trendlistr Curated Vintage Popup Shop

You all know that I have my own unique style when it comes to occasion dressing but I also have a bit of a penchant for vintage, as long as it’s good vintage; and that’s the trouble with buying preloved clothing, you never know if it’s any good.

When it comes to styling and dressing, I know exactly what I want. That in itself can be a problem because sometimes the thing that I want doesn’t actually exist, that’s why I hack sleeves off tees, add in fabric and draw on clothing – I like to look unique. Buying vintage is great because it allows you to keep your individuality – you’re very unlikely to bump into someone wearing the same thing – and there are styles available that aren’t repeated on today’s high street.

One of the tricky things about buying vintage, is that you never know if what you’re buying is ‘good’ vintage, genuine or what it’s history is and that’s the risk you take. Sure vintage fairs are great, (my absolute favourite, Britain Does Vintage, tours the U.K. seasonally and makes three stops across the North East) but if you’re that person who really doesn’t know what they’re looking for then Trendlistr might be the solution you didn’t know you needed.

Ok, so first you have to establish that you’re interested in vintage clothing, if you’re not, then maybe I can convince you. Cuts, quality and sizing is different (vanity sizing didn’t exist back then) in vintage clothing, with a focus on quality over quantity, things weren’t sold in high volume so if you find a piece you love, buy it, keep it and cherish it. Good designer vintage in decent condition retains its shape and its value pretty well on this day and age, with some rare pieces (Hermes Kelly anyone?) increasing in value.

Louisa Rogers and I have been following each other for some time now and last night we finally met in person at her Curated Vintage Popup Shop in House of Smith. Louisa spotted a gaping hole in the market for a Curated vintage service that links up clients like you and I, with vintage pieces which have been sourced, checked and verified. This was the inspiration that led her to start setting up her business Trendlistr.

Louisa is super passionate about vintage clothing, but it has to be as close to perfect as it can be to pass her vigourous testing. Sourcing from all over the world, she’s built up quite a collection of eclectic pieces and had a small selection of clothing and jewellery on show at her popup.

Trendlistr will operate in a similar way to eBay which offers a marketplace for third party sellers to showcase their vintage items, minus the auction. Louisa tells me she has aspirations for it to become the ‘ASOS of vintage’ and she has faith in her brand. She talks about the importance of getting it right first time and is currently in the process of photographing and cataloging the collection ready for the website going live.

I scoured the collection last night and scavenged a preppy zip through Roberto Verino dress and a Moschino tank – picked for me by Louisa herself as she says she’s clocked my style and thinks it’s very me, she’s not wrong. Amongst the collection I found a pair of very on trend midnight blue velvet Yves Saint Laurent cigarette pants and a flower camo Salvatore Ferragamo pencil skirt, sadly neither were my size. Boo!

Is Curated vintage worth it? Yes, if you’re interested in vintage then it takes all the hard work out of finding really great quality preowned clothing. If you want to try vintage but don’t know where to start, then Curated vintage is your gateway drug, but be careful, it’s addictive.

I’ll always visit vintage fairs there’s no doubt about that, but Trendlistr offers a third dimension, a way to source items in a particular size, colour or style. A way to request dealers to look for a particular item when they’re out topping up their hauls, rather than just shopping off the rack.

When Trendlistr goes live in early 2017 I’m predicting a vintage revival of sorts….

Pixie xo