Fashion Voyeur

People will stare, make it worth their while.

Categories: The Fashion Closet

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

Categories: The Fashion Closet

Amy Thomson FW18 at London Fashion Week

London Fashion Week is where the eclectics come out to play, it’s where we see some of the best emerging design talent in the world and were some of the most innovative designs are showcased.  For FW18 designer and illustrator Amy Thomson launched her collection ‘Chasin’ Dreams’ inspired by youthful aspirations.  Each look in the collection presents a character based on a profession seen from the perspective of a child.  Thomson poses the question – what does a Princess, Baker and Hairdresser look like through a child’s unaffected eyes?  How are these career paths defined in the mind of a child without any preconceptions?  Love pink?  Get ready for a whole load of it as Amy Thomson’s FW18 presentation is an Instagram dream…

“Telling a narrative and connecting with an audience is very important to myself as a designer.  ‘Chasin’ Dreams’ is based on real muses, real stories and my own and there is no story truer than the one you are living.”  Amy Thomson.

Thomson has created eight complete looks that embody a magical almost fairytale aesthetic, bringing to life the idea of focusing on your dreams.  She creates this magical feel with her larger-than-life hand rendered drawings that hold a distinctive and charming naivety, ensuring no two garments are the same. With dreamlike prints, motifs and her signature illustrations referencing each character appear throughout the narrative of the collection.

The tone for the season is undeniably pink. Thomson has concentrated on using a predominately and traditionally feminine colour palette, featuring fuchsias, baby pinks and vibrant rose contrasting with royal blues and lilacs.  Her use of contrasting and unusual textures can be seen throughout and this serves to add to the playful, otherworldly feel of the collection.  The metallic leather is a particular highlight and something I kinda feel like I need in my life for next season.

The collection is littered with ribbons, bows and frills giving a three dimensional feel to each piece and the addition of headwear pieces designed in collaboration with headwear designer Katie Hamlett of Sassy Freak, sees the accessories really form a part of the whole ensemble.  FW18 sees the addition of printed scarves, motif tights and embellished handbags elevate the clothing beyond that of a collection, to the creation of an imaginary world reminiscent of a dreamscape.

Given that this is only Thomson’s second collection (her first was shown at Graduate Fashion Week) she’s establishing herself within a niche of formidable talent currently dominated by Billie Jacobina.  Personally I’m intrigued by this designer fascinated by the whimsical and am looking forward to seeing how the collection is received by the industry and what could be in store for SS19, this is one label that’s right up my street.

Pixie xo

Categories: The Archives, The Fashion Closet

How do you know if an event is part of official London Fashion Week?

It only feels like a week or two since the SS18 show season ended and here we are on the cusp of season switchover.  For those of you who aren’t au fait with the fashion calendar (and I know you’re out there because you’ve tweeted, messaged and emailed me about this subject), there are two buying seasons which the schedule works around.  Spring / Summer (SS) and Fall / Winter (FW) – referred to in British fashion publishing as AW.

The official London Fashion Week LogoOK, now you’ve got the basics, let’s ramp up the deets.  So, because Fashion Month is geared towards buyers and press, the collections are shown in sample sizes and in advance of the season switchover.  Ergo, Spring / Summer collections are shown in Fall, and Fall / Winter collections are shown in Spring.  Got that?  This gives buyers the chance to select the designs they want to run with in advance of the season and designers the time to make a full collection with pieces in a range of sizes.  This is why the garments you see on the runway might have raw edges or be finished in places with tacking thread – not really visible on the runway but allows for last minute fit alterations.

London Fashion Week is where the magic happens.  I’m based in the UK so you may think I’m biased but I’ve frequented The Big Four throughout my career in fashion and there’s just something special about London.  Whether it’s the emerging talent keen to please, or reinventions of the classics from stalwarts like Paul Costelloe, there’s just so much to take in during Fashion Week in London.

That’s another thing, London Fashion Week is a pretty singular event, it has two main locations for it’s designated show spaces, along with several designer selected satellite spaces for those who want to offer something extra special.  Now this may sound simple but there’s a lot of confusion and exploitation around London Fashion Week‘s name; basically, if it’s not official London Fashion Week, then it’s just not London Fashion Week.  Let me explain, throughout the duration of London Fashion Week, brands, independents, designers, charities and other companies will capitalise on the traffic (both online and physical foot flow) and buzz of London Fashion Week by staging their events at the same time and trading off the name.  Put simply, these are nothing at all to do with London Fashion Week and aren’t affiliated with either Fashion Scout or the British Fashion Council in any way, but they may use the power of suggestion and excellent timing to let you think that they are.  It’s a sneaky and very naughty move that hasn’t gone unnoticed by the BFC who seek to ban any professionals using LFW tags on their non-LFW content, from London Fashion Week events.  Still with me??

the logo for separate fashion event by the independent London fashion week designers association

Completely separate fashion events, which make an independent and one-sided decision, align themselves to the Fashion Week schedule and are allowed to say that they take place ‘at the same time as’ or ‘during but not affiliated with’ London Fashion Week.  Yet you’ll find it’s very rare that they declare this, with the exception of the Independent London Fashion Week Designers Association (ILFWDA) who held their inaugural event in 2018 and stated that their event would take place ‘during London Fashion Week’.  Still a little woolly though right?  Basically if it doesn’t have the official London Fashion Week logo featured on it’s advertising and it’s not on either the ‘On’ or ‘Off’ schedule of Fashion Scout or BFC, then it’s just not LFW.

I’m not saying there’s any shame in running a non-LFW affiliated event or schedule, some independents are capitalising on the foot flow and interest successfully without infringing any of the rules around advertising a fashion event.  Kudos.  There is however shame in claiming that an event is part of something, when it isn’t.  It’s like me turning up to a movie theatre to see Suicide Squad in full Harley Quinn regalia claiming that I should be allowed to see the movie for free because I am in fact, Harley Quinn.  Just for transparency Voyeurs, I have never done this, but for illustration purposes, you get it right?

The reason for this post is that it came up on a night out with a Fashion PR, a couple of Fashion Editors and some other Fash Friends.  We talked about how Influencers are called out for minor things left, right and centre, but never brands for blatantly flouting the very clear guidelines, nay rules, on running any kind of event.  The general consensus is that if a brand is using Fashion Week as a way of drawing your attention to their own event, it’s because they don’t have confidence in their own brand without the security blanket of the London Fashion Week tag.  Basically, if you know anything about the schedule and how easy it is to check, you don’t do it.  Also, it makes you look like a massive douche.

It’s not just fashion either, it’s like your local football club running a kids club during The World Cup, which is great, awesome in fact, but if they claim that kids club is on The World Cup schedule is it still so great?  Yeah, now you get it.  Feel free to stop scrolling so you can facepalm.

Pixie xo

Categories: The Archives, The Fashion Closet

APU JAN SS18 at London Fashion Week

Taking inspiration from the short lives of flowers, Apu Jan presented Before the Last Petal Falls for Spring Summer 2018 at London Fashion Week.  In this collection of 33 garments, Jan uses bursts of colour and texture variation to freeze their explosive beauty and capture the sensation of urgency in their short but fragrant life.  The collection pays homage to O Henry’s ‘The Last Leaf’ and echoes the theme of Edgar Allen Poe’s ‘The Fall of the House of Usher’.  It was also the first show of the SS18 season that saw Freemason’s Hall open up the Grand Temple – something that rarely happens during London Fashion Week and an absolutely unbelievable spectacle when it does.

‘Before the last petal fell, I remembered there was a garden in full blossom ;

Before the last leaf faded, I remembered there was a forest full of green ;

The last snowflake, the last sand grain, the last teardrop…

Nothing gold can stay.

So let me cast a spell for you, it’s necessary to freeze the beauty of flowers, it’s necessary to freeze the fragrance of coffee, and it’s necessary to freeze the fragrance of our youth…’

Using pattern to emote throughout the collection, ‘Before the Last Petal Falls’ takes us on a fantasy journey.  With motifs and patterns including blooming and fallen petals, leaves, trees, snow, ink, and manuscripts, the components play to the theme and the brands core elements of storybooks and fantasy beasts are evident throughout the collection.

The SS18 collection from Apu Jan features more of the designer’s trademark silk knitting which stands out in texture, Jan uses a self developed blend of jacquard and chiffon and varies between machine and hand knitting to create that signature and inimitable mix of chunky and uber fine texture all within the same garment – perfect for the intended season.

Strong oriental influences ring through this collection; mandarin collars, horse-hoof cuffs and 6/8 wide leg trousers with a wide set pinstripe set up the core shapes for a neutral palette of grey, black, white and grey with the occasional dancing pink petal dancing across the landscape.  Towards the finale we saw drop waist and empire line dresses with structured cape detailing imitating orchid type silhouettes and depicting the last stages of life of the flower, and burnout dresses with flute sleeves with a hint of Victoriana.  The standout piece in the collection was a grey dress with a structured capelet that drew gasps from the press as it floated through the temple.

Apu Jan is a master craftsman when it comes to working with printed satin; taking the finest print details and working them into a pattern only determinable at close range, which from afar creates additional texture and shape despite having been crafted in the lightest fabrics.

The show was set to the beat of DJ QuestionMark and a live orchestra, something that’s been lost in time over the seasons at London Fashion Week and something which created a real atmosphere on the day.  I don’t know whether it was the design talent, the live music or being seduced by the Grand Temple but this was one collection that piqued my interest Voyeurs…..

Pixie x

Categories: The Beauty Cupboard, The Fashion Closet

SHOW BEAUTY BRAIDS BY SHOW DRY

You already know I’m a huge fan of SHOW Beauty, I could wax lyrical about the products all day long.  SHOW Beauty is one of those brands that you’re either aware of because you use and love it, or admire it from afar, or you’ve never heard of it.  If you fall into the latter, then let me give you the skinny:  SHOW Beauty is a luxury haircare brand born out of founder Tamara Ecclestone’s love for beautiful products, scents and ingredients that really work.  In a nutshell, it’s like having your cake and eating it, it’s the very best of the best and it fuses the luxury fragrance industry, with the haircare market to give a truly unique range of high quality, sulphate free hair products that leave you smelling better than Harrods Fragrance Hall.

SHOW Beauty Hair Fragrance Fashion Voyeur

So, you know that there’s a range of products that’s constantly being researched and expanded because you’ve obviously read my posts on the launch of Lux Volume, SHOW Beauty and the SHOW Beauty Hair fragrance right?  Well, London is also home to the physical arm of the business: SHOW DRY.

SHOW DRY is the ultimate blowdry bar.  Not only is it home to some of the best Hair Artistes in the business, it’s also a very cleverly thought out business that’s pitched perfectly to the needs of the client.  Ecclestone frequents the salon herself and every new member of staff inducted must first blowdry Ecclestone’s hair in her signature style, as well as create a custom up do.  That’s quite the test when you think Ecclestone’s hair is literally her crowning glory.

The salons themselves are uniform, the signature black and gold detailing oozes polished elegance, whilst the blush pink cuts through with a feminine edge.  My regular SHOW DRY salon is in Notting Hill and they always ‘manage’ my hair for me throughout each season of London Fashion Week.  I’m not too proud to say that I’ve been brought forward from second to front row because of an awesome braided up do by SHOW DRY during the FW17 show season and if that’s not a high five moment then I don’t know what is.

The SHOW DRY team live and breathe SHOW Beauty.  They know the range inside out, they know the dual purposes of each product and can teach you some hacks that will change your life, like using the Moisture Conditioner as a leave in serum – seriously guys, you blew my mind with that one, cue BOOM emoji.  They can prescribe the exact product from the range for your hair’s needs, but more than that, their styling skills are amazing.

When I first partnered with SHOW DRY for show season, I was coming out of a pretty grim period with my hair, remember my post on Overcoming a Hair Disaster?  Well this was around the time of said hair disaster and I was very limited on what we could create with what little hair I’d been left with.  Because of that, we decided to shoot for some funky braids that would conceal the damage to my hair and still showcase my awesome colour.  Fast forward to the SS18 LFW season and I’ve still never actually had a blowdry by SHOW DRY (although I’ve sat next to Tamara Ecclestone whilst she’s had hers done so can vouch) and I’m back here for another braided creation.

What makes SHOW DRY different than other blowdry bars is that here, your every need is catered to.  Whilst you’re in the care of the salon, you’re very well looked after. Each station has an iPad Mini with the latest magazines downloaded for you to browse, a lightning charger for your iPhone and a range of products for you to peruse.  Your iPad is loaded with a menu from which you can select drinks like Prosecco or custom blend coffee, or light bites like popcorn and other sugary treats whilst you’re coiffed.  The salon is both pet and child friendly too with dog bowls for your furry friend and a mini blowdry menu for your mini me.

In my case, my Stylist and I browse the internet for inspiration and find two styles that will work well on my hair and decide to mash them together to create something urban looking that will last for a couple of days.  She coats my dry hair in a mixture of SHOW Beauty Finishing Oil and Moisture Conditioner to not only tame it, but to also give it some grip, and gets to work on two African / Dutch braids.  Once they’re braided back, she sets about creating two braided buns at the nape and pins them securely.  Within around 20 minutes we’ve got a cool, urban style pinned in position and I’m ready to hit up my first show of the day SEMIR x GREENCODE.

SHOW DRY Braids Pixie Tenenbaum

SHOW DRY isn’t just about the Bouncy Blowdry – which they do amazingly – they’re also able to create bespoke styles depending on what you’re up to and your own personal style.  I’m working on the improving the condition of my hair right now as it’s a little delicate, it did start to thicken up again then had a bit of a dip in both length and condition after misplaced faith in a big name North East hair salon (you can read about that here), but who knows, it may even be thick enough to sport the signature blowdry next season.

Pixie xo

Pixie Tenenbaum Editor's signature with fashion illustration graphic