Fashion Voyeur

People will stare, make it worth their while.

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

What I Wore: The Perfect Denim Jacket

Love it or hate it, the trend for denim jackets emblazoned with huge motifs is going nowhere.  Embellished denim just won’t cut it anymore, in an age where we paint, embroider and customise our clothes, a simple pearl or diamante is just no good.

These days we’re all looking for that little bit of flair, something that makes us different, and that makes us stand out.  Why?  Because it’s no longer cool to be wearing what everyone else is wearing.  Gone are those school days where we all wanted the same sneakers, where wearing the right jacket gave you a silent seal of approval.  Right now it’s all about individuality, and standing out.  Personalisation came on to our radars in a big way in the noughties, with Nike’s iD Design Lab making it easy to grab a pair of bespoke sneaks.  Not just with your name, but by selecting panels and fabrics meaning you had the opportunity to create something unique and completely bespoke.  In fact, I was asked to create a pair of bespoke 90’s archive Air Max sneaks to display in the New York iD Lab as part of a fashion exhibition, but that’s another story.

So, with individuality high on our agendas, there’s never been a better time to stand out.  Whether you’re sick of conforming, or you’ve longed for a time when you could embrace your individuality; wonder no more, that time is now.  Fashion is changing, the industry itself is changing.  The shift in show seasons is a reflection of that, with some designers opting for the See Now, Buy Now model and others opting to stay within the pre-season format, everything has loosened a little and become less rigid.  Just like gender, fashion has become fluid, and open to interpretation.  You can of course conform, if that’s your jam, but where’s the fun in that?

So, the point of this post, yes, denim jackets.  So, there once was a time where a little lace trim or a carefully placed pearl was considered a fashion risk.  Why would you want to add to denim, it’s perfect the way it is right?  Well yes, but it can be so much more….

Here’s my favourite denim jacket, now just as an aside, I haven’t been paid to write this, I wasn’t gifted the jacket, I bought it at full price and probably the retailer doesn’t even know I’ve written this, but this is my top pick for getting you through Spring and Summer as the most perfectly versatile cover up.  It’s a simple mens fit denim jacket (that means you get the 80’s sleeve rather than the tight fit stretch denim), until you see the back.  This one is from North East independent retailer Flaura Rose, she customises each piece individually and they retail at around £60 depending on the intricacy and size of the design.

fashion blogger Pixie Tenenbaum wears a denim jacket by Flaura Rose with red elephant design on back

I spotted this one on a market stall and fell in love with it, it’s stiff denim so the collar stands up without flopping and it’s the perfect wash.  I’ve worn it with my beloved Daisy Duke’s, these vintage golf trousers and a million other things because that’s right Voyeurs, it goes with freaking everything.  So, that’s it, my ode to the not so humble, bespoke, individualised, crazy freaking awesome denim jacket.  It’s a real talking point to, people always ask me where I got it from, and I never tell them.  Until now.  You’re welcome.

Categories: The Archives, The Fashion Closet

What I Wore: Styling the Racing Aesthetic Trend

The racing aesthetic has been bubbling under for a little wile now.  After appearing on the runways in Spring 2016 it’s been one of those trends that’s gathered pace until it literally bursts through the pack to claim first place.  The Fenty Puma Spring Summer 18 collection saw motocross inspired designs take centre stage, whilst actual motocross riders put on an x-rider style stunt show around the models.

By the time the Fall Winter 18 show season rolled around, the racing aesthetic trend was well and truly cemented.  Designs from Off – White, Supreme, Fenty Puma and the final “See Now, Buy Now” TOMMY x GIGI collection, aptly named “Speed”, featured motocross style pants and chequered flag detailing meaning only one thing:  the high street would soon follow.  Now this is a tricky trend for the high street to respond to, it calls for high quality materials and tricky top stitch and pipe binding techniques – it’s easy to fall short of the finish line if you get this trend wrong and trust me, that’s easy to do.  The look is straight off the 1980’s speedway, get it right and you’re guaranteed a place on the podium, get it wrong however and you’re likely to end up with a ride through penalty and find yourself way down at the back of the grid with zero style points.  The trick to pulling it off?  Something that pays homage to the original style aesthetic and attitude in abundance.  Check and check.

Pixie Tenenbaum wearing GIGI x TOMMY Leather Speed Pant £410

When you’re styling out the race inspired trend steer clear of pleather, vinyl, plastic or any other types of trashy fabrics.  This look works because it stays pretty true to the original aesthetic.  If you’re looking for motocross inspired pants, they’re pretty hard to find.  I have the TOMMY x GIGI Leather Speed pants and whilst they look great, the quality is appalling, at £410 Tommy Hilfiger should be exercising better quality control, I’ve ordered these three times now and the first two pairs arrived with the seams slashed.  The third pair hasn’t fared much better, after just 10 minutes of wear they were already torn.  Not cool Gigi, not cool.  I adore these pants and yeah, I look cool AF in them but I’m seriously thinking of switching to these:

4 images of the Wreckreation Superchargers collection which is a series of items based on the motocross trend and not fitting a specific ideal
WRECKREATION

Wreckreation’s Supercharger trouser is a great alternative and the brand is based right here in the North East.  When it comes to nailing the trend these are probably your best option.  Fashioned from sturdy denim in a whole variety of colourways, these are hardwearing, durable and on trend.

When it comes to race inspired clothing the Forever 21 x Honda collection is pretty damn good and very authentic looking.  Remember, the idea is not to sex up the look, it’s to try to keep it pure.  If you start throwing PVC and stiletto heels in there that’s a whole different ball game.  Primark are likely to pick up the trend if you’re on a budget, expect lots of black and white race themed flag detailing and leggings with go faster stripes down the side.  Remember, show season is a full season ahead of the high street so you can expect to see this trickle down over the coming months.

Handy with a sewing machine?  Grab some ponte style leggings (like a heavier jersey style) and add your own coloured panels with brightly coloured fabric – it’s something I’ve done before and it’s definitely not as easy as it sounds, this is definitely one for people who are confident at sewing and crafting, oh yeah, and uber patient.  If it pays off they look great, mine definitely had a short shelf life!

Found something awesome that fits the racing aesthetic?  Then hit me up and I’ll see you on the grid….

Pixie

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

What I Wore: To the Duke Ata Clubhouse Launch

Voyeurs, this event has been a long time coming.

A good friend of mine, and one of my most favourite people in the whole world, has finally opened his bespoke menswear studio: The Duke Ata Clubhouse.  I can’t tell you how many times Duke and I have sat down to discuss plans for creating the most perfect launch event, all culminating in a home for his made to measure tailoring business, Duke Ata Bespoke.  You’ve heard me talking about Duke, we affectionately refer to each other as “my favourite” and I kind of feel like if you were to assign someone with the title of my Work Husband, Duke would be the proud bearer of this title.  Suffice to say, we’re good mates.

When Duke called me to first berate me for not keeping in touch over the past two months, and then tell me that he’d found the best location for his new studio I was psyched.  Well, less so about being bollocked for being a shit friend but the bit about the studio rocked my world because he’s been searching for what feels like forever.  As Duke and his awesome team knuckled down and got to work refining the space and creating somewhere that would feel like a real escape, I got to searching for the perfect outfit.

Duke specialises in mens tailoring, in a similar vein to Joshua Kane (without the dramatics) Duke’s work is classic, distinguished and instantly recognisable.  From the cut, to the finishing details, he’s a perfectionist and if you’ve never met this dude, he’s like a slicker, more tidy version of Andre 3000, he plays football on a weekend – I’m positive he does it in a suit.

An image of Blogger Pixie Tenenbaum wearing vintage Dieter Heupel from Trendlistr at the launch of the Duke Ata Bespoke Clubhouse in Jesmond

So, back to my outfit, when my invite landed I knew I couldn’t rock up in my usual scruffy chic and by total chance, found this vintage Dieter Heupel tailored jacket at vintage hotspot Trendlistr.  The fit is perfect and the cut is clean, it’s not my usual neckline as I usually avoid anything with a deep V, or anything that exposes my chest but the print is just too good to not wear it.  I opted to wear it as a solo piece with a black cage bra underneath to max out on that perfect fit.  As the jacket is midnight blue with varying shades of blue throughout, I paired it with a midnight blue velvet sock boot and some polished latex trousers from a fetish store in Soho.

With my pink hair and signature MAC Heroine lip, I’m chalking this up as a pretty awesome lewk.  High five, air punch emoji, winky face.

Pixie x

Categories: The Fashion Closet

Merchant Archive FW18 at London Fashion Week

After the bore-fest of New York Fashion Week (and I’m going to go on record and say that it seems to get more boring with each season), London Fashion Week brings a cooler, more youthful vibe to Fashion Month.  I’m not slating the NYFW collections, although some of them are, well, a bit samey, but the production can feel very repetitive.

Then, when you least expect it, the show of your dreams comes along and it’s just perfection.  The location, the staging, lighting and the collection itself is all just so well planned and packaged that it sets your world on fire.  It doesn’t happen often that a show stands out and you’re thinking about it long after Fashion Month has passed, but when it does, man it’s awesome and it gets you psyched for the next season when you can spot high street pieces clearly inspired by that one awesome moment that you got to be a part of.  Prepare yourselves for a barrage of beautiful imagery…

Pixie Tenenbaum wearing a floral dress & baker boy style hat at the Merchant Archive FW18 presentation at Lancaster Gare during London Fashion Week

Front of pack for the FW18 season was the largely underrated Merchant Archive.  On the final day of London Fashion Week I schlepped through the rain in a floral SS18 Topshop dress and pleather tifler, to a disused hotel in Lancaster Gate immediately after the Minki presentation, to attend A Common Thread – the label’s presentation for the coming season.  On approach, the building is tired and lacklustre, but hidden inside is a breathtaking space that’s been frozen in time.  Somewhere between rack and ruin, perfectly poised to provide the most beautiful backdrop that never overshadows the collection we’re gathered here to view.

Merchant Archive FW18

Dressed with wild flowers, heather and fern leaves in perfect disarray it’s the first time I’ve ever looked at a venue and been able to see the synergy between the surroundings and the collection.  If you’re not impressed by my description of it then just check out my pictures, all taken on my iPhone X, no filters applied, it really is that beautiful, and yeah, my outfit matched the surroundings perfectly.

The presentation itself spanned three main rooms of the old mansion house hotel.  One strewn with quirky chairs, another dressed with balls of wool suspended from the ceiling in a grid, and the last displayed the garments on thick, cubed metal rails.  We were also treated to a breakfast of champions with freshly backed pastries, shortbread and some of super posh and instagrammable biscuits which I’ll admit, kept me there longer than planned.

Merchant Archive FW18

One of the really great things about this non-static presentation was the steady flow of models through the bottom floor of the hotel, allowing you to capture the garments from every angle.  The collection itself centred around a patchwork blanket found on the last page of children’s book The Paper Dolls by Julia Donaldson.  A book which designer Sophie Merchant reads to her young daughter every night.

“Colours imagined in hues with the help of the passage of time.  The loving hands of a kindly grandmother.  These muted tones are interspersed with inspired punches interjected from a 1930’s crochet cushion found in a market in Somerset.”  Sophie Merchant

The Merchant Archive FW18 season collection sees the reintroduction of knitwear in cashmere blends, using four feature knit stitches to create a patchwork with arun references.  When you see it in front of you, the simplicity is what makes it so bold – ironically that’s exactly why it stands out from the crowd.  The prints in this collection speak of the journey taken by the Paper Dolls in the story book and that childlike reference is present in the form of a dab dot paint spot which resembles that made on a page by a young child.  The collection is one that explores both the start of life and the wisdom of later years, both of which are visible in the key pieces, the shapes are simple and fluid and the venue complements this perfectly allowing the colours to lift from the backdrop.

Basically, it’s just beautiful.  All of it.  There aren’t many great Fashion Moments any more outside of The Grand Palais, but the Merchant Archive FW18 presentation, this was one of them.

Pixie

Categories: The Archives, The Fashion Closet

Apu Jan FW18 at London Fashion Week

Apu Jan is one of those stalwarts of London Fashion Week, one which never fails to deliver something new, whilst remaining true to its fairytale telling stylistics.  Each season brings with it a new story to be told through the garments and for FW18 the theme ‘Drifting in a Million Stars” conjured images of galaxies, space and clouds before I was even through the huge brass doors of the Grand Temple.

The Grand Temple floor

The collection is heavily influenced by science fiction literature and the swirling colours depicted in galaxies viewed from lightyears away.  As always, the Apu Jan silhouette is simple and timeless and knitwear is present throughout.  The designer is known for their unique knitwear techniques and use of luxurious wools such as cashmere (the holy grail of wool), merino and lambs wool and can make these appear as thin as silk.

As with previous collections, the soundtrack to the show was provided by DJ Question Mark and a string orchestra to set the scene, ready for take off.  I was a huge fan of the Apu Jan SS18 showcase and managed to bag a front row seat, this time I rocked up with a banging migraine (it was day 3 after all) and the kerfuffle and clanging of seats in the moments leading up to the show almost finished me off but I persevered, and I’m glad I did.

The collection was laden with intergalactic and swirling star prints which would have benefitted from an additional presentation format post show so guests could really appreciate the craftsmanship within the collection.  The drum & bass music that accompanied the show created the perfect ambience for a collection that had some serious standout pieces including a hat that has Beyonce written all over it.

A still from the Apu Jan FW18 show at London Fashion Week in the grand temple of freemason's Hall

The palette of navy and black with the odd accent colour was simple enough that it led the focus to the expert craftsmanship and tiny details in each piece.  Layered silk and elongated sleeve shapes are something we’ve come to expect from Apu Jan season after season and they were present for FW18.  However a hint towards a sleeker silhouette made a play in the show too with a couple of styles leaning toward something more tailored to the female form.

Each look was paired with simple platform, lace up shoes and pared back, natural makeup accentuated by a slick of shimmering white highlight under the eyes.  Models’ hair was scraped back into a tight, Chinois style topknot mirroring the simplicity of the shapes within the collection.  In all honesty, Apu Jan is a show you go to, to appreciate and highlight the details.  Those wonderful little details that can’t be appreciated until you see them in the flesh and it’s this that Apu Jan consistently does so well.  There are no bells and whistles, no weird and wonderful shapes to make you gasp, just good old fashioned awesome design that works on and off the runway.

Pixie

Pixie Tenenbaum Editor's signature with fashion illustration graphic