Gatsby Archives - Fashion Voyeur

I’ve been a fan of North East accessories brand Mirror Image Accessories since I discovered it around two years ago, the distinctive llaser cut, Art Deco shapes had me hooked at first sight. I’ve bought a few Gatsby style pieces from M.I.A and have been lucky enough to have been gifted some too, all of them are vacation staples for me because of the awesome way they reflect light.

Each style is designed in house by owner and designer Ellie and sold via her Etsy store before being packed up and shipped. Each style is produced in small numbers meaning that whilst you’re pretty unlikely to bump into someone wearing the same item, but also that if you see something and fall in love with it, you’ll need to act fast. These pieces are a good shout at a family wedding and an M.I.A accessory is always a conversation starter.

Loving the brand as much as I do, I was ecstatic to be asked to front the M.I.A SS17 accessories campaign. Ecstatic, and super surprised to find out that Ellie is a fan of Fashion Voyeur, if that isn’t the perfect fit then I don’t know what is.

We set about creating campaign inspiration boards and ideas of how we’d create the perfect look to fit the theme of the latest collection. With an 80’s glam vibe in mind, Ellie pulled together an awesome all female team to shoot the cocktail inspired collection in a Gatsby-esque waterfront cocktail bar in South Shields.

Styling on the shoot was a real homage to the 80’s with huuuuuuuge hair and super colourful paintbox style makeup, think Elizabeth Shue in Adventures in Babysitting crossed with Young Jenna in 13 Going on 30, and you’re on the right track. We even worked in some experimental lip stripes to to give the first part of the shoot a modern twist.

With fun pin badges, hibiscus chokers & cute mismatched wooden studs, the SS17 collection is kitsch and adds another dimension to the brand, expanding on M.I.A’s usual 20’s style pieces. The Flamingo choker is a vacation essential and the smaller pin badges are a dream on oversized denim. My favourite piece though, is a laser cut deco style necklace that Ellie tells me was born out of an experiment. Needless to say it came home with me to compliment the other pieces in my M.I.A collection.

The full collection launches in the M.I.A Etsy store very soon but for now you’ll have to make do with my behind the scenes shots from the set. With a distinct Summer vibe, the SS17 M.I.A collection is full of vacation must-haves, I’ll be wearing the pin badges on a denim pinafore and the mismatched wooden earrings with braids while I’m sunning myself on Sant Tomas beach.

Keep your eyes peeled for the full campaign Voyeurs, it’s due to drop any time!

Pixie xo

You’ll know by now #Voyeurs that I’m partial to a speakeasy and happen to have visited some of the best ones around, however, I’ll let you in on a secret; a friend of mine runs THE best one in the entire world. I’m talking full scale production with all the minor details taken care of, all you have to do is show up and enjoy…..

“Le SAPE – Where class is more important than swagger.”

Jason has always worked in show business and when you see him, you’ll realise that he was born for this and nothing else. He cuts a dashing figure in smart, edgy attire – think shirt and waistcoat with a pocket watch for casual dress and you’ll be on the money. He’s a charming American with a British sense of humour.

Having worked on the Vegas music scene pretty much forever, Jason has performed with some of the greats, The Four Seasons, Frankie Valli, The O’Jays and Matt Goss to name a few and now he’s bringing his signature style and American charm to the glorious North East and more specifically, a brand new venue, The Roker Hotel in Sunderland.

Never one to bask in the limelight alone, Jason heads up ‘The Society of Ambiance-makers and Persons of Elegance’ (Le SAPE if you’re one of the cool kids), a cool collective made up of eight musicians from all over the North East who take infamous musical numbers from all genres and re-spin them with a little Le SAPE magic to create music you’ve never heard before, except you have…..

So what exactly is Le SAPE Nocturne? in Jason’s words it’s “Equal parts speakeasy, nightclub, live music show, and soiree, stirred briskly and served with extravagant style!” and he’s not wrong. The show is Vegas in a nutshell, it’s big, it’s bold and it’s brazen. Think classic civilised speakeasy with a little cheekiness thrown in for good measure and you’re on the right page.

“When attending Le SAPE Nocturne one is expected to dress in his or her finest and most extravagant attire.”

The Roker Hotel venue marks a new chapter for Le SAPE Nocturne; the production has been resident at the Vermont Hotel for the past year and has been a very well guarded secret that only the coolest kids in the North East know but now that cool collective is expanding, the show is broadening it’s horizon and that means a new venue and a new audience. The hotel itself has undergone a huge restoration programme over the past two years and the famous ballroom will house the show and its followers. Interested……?

The first performance at The Roker Hotel will take place on Friday October 16th in The Six Soldiers Suite and you’re going to want to be a apart of this, there’s no secret knock or handshake for this event, all you have to do is contact The Roker Hotel directly to buy tickets and at £30 per person for a night of dinner, dancing and entertainment, it’s sure to be a sell out. Just one thing before you pick up the phone though, when you’re planning your outfit for this one, go big or go home, think jazz babies and flapper girls, this is one as much for the fashion as it is for the music and trust me – you won’t be disappointed with either….

Pixie x

PS if you manage to get tickets for this awesome event, post up your pictures on social media #LeSAPE and then gloat as you’ll be the envy of all your friends.

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