Fashion Voyeur

People will stare, make it worth their while.

Categories: Fashion, Models, Uncategorized

Bora Aksu FW19 at London Fashion Week

“Once you’ve been in space, you appreciate how fragile the Earth is.” – Valentina Tereshkova

Let me set the scene for you, I’ve just arrived in London, checked into my hotel, changed into an insanely fabulous outfit, been papped twice and have literally pegged it from Covent Garden to The Strand to catch my first show of the day.  I’m a little sweaty, a bit windswept, in a good way, and hella late.  I mosey on into the BFC showspace for the first time this season to find that it’s half it’s usual size and I’m ushered to my front row seat and handed a piece of paper that says this:

Valentina Tereshkova became the first woman to fly in space in 1963.  The daughter of a tractor driver and a textile plant worker, at 17 she had to leave school and began working at the textile plant in order to help support the family.  But she wanted more from life.  She insisted on earning her education and opted to study by correspondence.  At the age of 18, while working at the textile mill, Valentina joined a club for parachutists and wrote a letter to the space centre volunteering for the cosmonaut team.  Tereshkova, a woman with little formal education, was selected as one of five women, all of whom were much more qualified than her: test pilots, engineers, and world-class parachutists.  After intensive training, Tereshkova proved she could make the final cut.

On June 16, 1963, she spent almost three days in space and orbited Earth 48 times in her space capsule. While TV viewers saw her smiling face and her logbook floating in front of her, they didn’t realise that the flight had almost turned into tragedy, a fact that remained classified for 40 years.  In the years to follow, Tereshkova went on to graduate from the Zhuykosky Air Force Engineering Academy in 1969 and earned a degree in Technical Science. She then toured the world promoting science and feminism.  Valentina serves as a role model for all women throughout the world who wish to strive to achieve their dreams.

I mean goosebumps right?!  Forget the shrunken showspace, I’m all in, talk about setting the scene!  So it’s clear before we even get underway that this collection is dedicated to Valentina Tereshkova.  Bora Aksu creates garments that reflect Tereshkova’s space trip drawing on the contrasts of her early life growing up in a small village and her determination in standing against traditional restrictions also provides inspiration for this powerful collection.

It’s a slight step away from the norm for Bora Aksu, there’s an exploration of new silhouettes and materials and the colour palette lends itself excellently to the theme.  The iridescent organza and tulle fabrics appear ethereal in texture and draw gasps of wonder from the baying audience, myself included as this theme hits every note on my pleasure chart.  The combination of soft feminine fabrics and structured shapes add a romance to the bolder silhouettes.  There’s an element of weightlessness which is conveyed perfectly through the use of tulle and organza and the addition of pearl sunglasses created by Halo and Co, specifically for the show add a layer of interest.

If you’re looking to spin this look on the high street, sadly it’s a very tricky one to recreate well.  Needle and Thread do it very well and I’m sure they observed this show very, very closely at the end of a needlepoint, but their pricepoint is high so be prepared to pay above the odds for it.  It’s worth it though, it’s a look that’s guaranteed to turn heads again and again.  I can honestly say, and I know I say it every season, that the first show, straight out the gate, is always the best show of the season.  Bora Aksu, so far, you’re shaping up to be the best show of FW19.

Pixie

Images by Chris Yates Fashion Photography

Categories: Fashion

Paul Costelloe FW18 at London Fashion Week

More and more of the on-schedule designers are going off-piste for their Fashion Month shows.  As Anna Wintour recently said in a video editorial for Vogue Runway: “No longer are we seeing a schlep of anonymous, sad looking models walking the runway in the standard white box, we’re being invited into restaurants, and to new and exciting venues like the Yves Saint Laurent show that took place by the Eiffel Tower on a beautiful evening”.  It’s true Voyeurs, the Karl Lagerfeld effect has massively influenced show season and for us to sit up and take notice, the show itself needs to be as spectacular as the garments we’re there to view.

For FW18 London picked up the baton from a super boring New York Fashion Week and breathed into it new life.  From the emerging talent at Fashion Scout, to the more established on and off schedule houses, London Fashion Week’s FW18 season packed a real punch and with it, came an uplifted, happier vibe.  From the colour and texture driven presentations at Alexander White and Merchant Archive, to the spooky fun Starsica runway show that took a huge step away from the norm cementing it as one of the most memorable of the season, London Fashion Week brought Fashion Month to life.

It should come as no surprise then, that London’s patriarch of fashion, Paul Costelloe, put on a runway show, presentation and live performance rolled into one for FW18 that brought a little Parisian chic to the UK capital.  Costelloe is to London Fashion Week what Lagerfeld is to Paris Fashion Week.  A stalwart and powerhouse who evolves with each season, reacting to not just expectations in fashion, but also sustainability, technology and the time in which we live.  For FW18, the house of Paul Costelloe invited a select group of the global fashion media and buyers into the Waldorf Hotel for a breathtaking show which saw the typical Costelloe textures injected with a youthful edge.

Secretly Livid

I arrived at the show at The Waldorf Hotel on the wettest day of Fashion Week.  Not only that, but moments before entering the hotel I was covered head to foot in puddle juice after a truck saw a roadside opportunity not to be missed.  I was wet and pissed off Voyeurs, and looked like crap.  I spent about three minutes attempting to dry my hair under a hand dryer only to discover that it looked worse than when it was drenched with London puddle and after booking an emergency blowdry at SHOW Beauty I thought fuck it, I’m going in….

I won’t say I wasn’t huffy, I was, and there’s photographic evidence to support that.  But like a pro, I took my seat and waited to see what Paul Costelloe had in store for us.

Paul Costelloe FW18

The co-ed collection from the fashion giant is a subtle reflection on an Irish heritage of leaving homelands in search of new life and new dreams, disembarking from the landing stage of Ellis island, ready to join millions of others in search of a new identity and creating a culture of endless diversity.

Key pieces in the collection feature heavy plaid tweeds from Magee of Ireland’s County Donegal alongside Costelloe’s signature tailoring.  The British and Irish narrative is worked into full length coats and high waisted trousers which echo that American aesthetic of the 50’s.  Distressed jacquards from Lanificio di Sordevolo in the Italian province of Biella compliment this International offering.  The room lends itself perfectly to the show in this format, models walk the runway four at a time in choreographed steps in order to give a fully immersive view of each piece.  In a London Fashion Week first, the whole event was filmed and broadcast via Insta360 allowing the viewer into the show as if they were right there in the audience.

The custom prints featured in the show came from second generation Costelloe by way of William Costelloe Design, making it feel like we were experiencing something truly special.  If you’re a fan of Costelloe’s work, you’ll know that texture is a huge feature, often used as a total juxtaposition throughout his body of work, FW18 saw heavy tweed paired with polished latex and leather to create a new branch of Costelloe DNA.  As a live band played, the looks kept coming and once the show was over, guests were invited back into the room for an informal presentation.  As far as shows go, this is the most chilled I’ve been to in a long while.  Models came out on to the floor wearing key looks from the collection on rotation and guests we able to touch fabrics and really get up close and personal with the pieces.  Trust me, you’ve never felt a tweed weight like the one on this amazing swing coat, it’s to die for.

Paul Costelloe FW17

As the band played an awesome cover of the Old Crow Medicine Show version of Wagon Wheel, I got a chance to have a little chat with the man himself who paused mid-sentence to yell for the band to “keep playing”.  So what did he tell me?  Well we talked about tartan, heavy denim, Paris and the collection obvs.  But most memorable?  That would be when he told me my eyebrows were “amazing” and left me with the parting words: “Never let anybody tell you to change your eyebrows, seriously, don’t let anybody force you to change them, they’re amazing.” and with that, Paul Costelloe danced away into the crowd…

Pixie x

Categories: Fashion, Models, Uncategorized

Hellavagirl Presents Human Meat Freaks for London Fashion Week SS18

During London Fashion Week there’s always one show standout show.  It’s one that’s usually hotly anticipated because of the spectacle of previous shows, for SS18 that show was Hellavagirl Couture.

If you’re not familiar, British designer Helen Woollams has created a brand synonymous with gothic, macabre glamour and fetishism.  A label that celebrates the weird and makes the outsider then norm.  It wasn’t too long ago that Hellavagirl Couture was given it’s big break, with Woollams named Designer of the Year in February 2016, this is one brand That’s rising with velocity and establishing it’s very own niche at London Fashion Week.

For SS18 Woollams treated us to Human Meat Freaks, a show that brought our deepest darkest fetishes to life in a pre-show ritual featuring circus performers and gravity defying acrobatics.  To the uninitiated it would appear that Woollams is out to shock her audience, we’ve become pretty close over the years I’ve been attending her shows and knowing the designer, the show is more about breaking down barriers and saying a massive Fuck You to society and conformity.  If a guy wants to wear a gown then so what?  In the world of Hellavagirl Couture it’s about owning your aesthetic and topping it off with a crown and a bold red lip.

“Inspired by our love for flesh, fetish and guilty pleasures, gender-less extravagance with a rock and roll edge. Non conformist Fashion for the bold”  Hellavagirl Couture

Human Meat Freaks built on the capsule collection produced for FW17 and made the most of the impressive showspace in the grand temple space at Freemason’s Hall.  The collection gave us bold harlequins with elongated proportions and striking sequins, huge black shredded gowns with an aesthetic reminiscent of Brendan Lee in The Crow and the most diverse cast of models this season.

In the Hellavagirl universe what sets you apart is your differences and that goes for the cast of models too, Woollams has managed to create an expectation for the unexpected and delivered something with undeniable edge.  Think Bad Romance meets Plato’s Atlantis and you’re definitely on the right track, in fact if Gaga is looking for a new tour wardrobe designer then Hellavagirl has her vibe cut, edged and belted with black leather and sequins.

Standout pieces included a two piece checked suit with an exaggerated sleeve detail proving the trend for a differentiation from a regular sleeve is going nowhere for SS18, and a green and black sequinned jumpsuit that I’d literally wear tomorrow if I could.  With white and dove grey added to the palette this season Woollams has proven that her ideas are far beyond the realms of noir.  this is one designer who’s far from a one trick pony, something she’s proving season after season, and that’s tricky to master with a niche that’s so small.  Hellavagirl Couture has fans baying for more and more show related chatter on the front row than most other shows put together, it’s probably the only show I’ve ever been to that got a standing ovation from the audience who pretty much stormed the runway just to be part of the spectacular finale of dancing models.

So how was the fashion?  It was good.  Damn good and surprisingly wearable for the brave fashionista.  Sure it’s out there, it’s big, bold and most definitely in your face, but if you’re suppressing an inner goth, or there’s a tiny part of you with the desire to act out, then Hellavagirl is all about rebellion and shunning the entrapments of conformity and there’s probably a part of you that’s curious about exploring that.  There are certainly pieces from the collection I could see myself wearing during LFW FW18 and lavishing the attention they receive, if fashion is about showing your personality then Hellavagirl is about sharing your deepest, darkest secrets; even if they make everyone around you uncofortable.

Pixie xo

Categories: Fashion, Models, Uncategorized

Ones To Watch SS18 at London Fashion Week

After a rough start to day one of London Fashion Week, I hit the ground running, albeit a few steps behind, with the multi-designer Ones To Watch show for SS18.  The Ones To Watch show seeks to raise the profile of emerging talent globally and the rostered designers are selected from a long list of emerging designers by a panel of industry experts.  It’s a must see show every season and if you’re an LFW regular, then you can guarantee that you’ll see these names cropping up further down the line.  They’re selected on a number of criteria and the resulting showcase is always a very interesting show.

“THE ONES TO WATCH SHOW IS THE PERFECT LAUNCH PAD FOR TALENTED NEW DESIGNERS. THIS SEASON’S FOUR DESIGNERS PRESENT COMPLETELY DIFFERENT VISIONS OF THE FUTURE OF FASHION. THIS IS THE SUCCESS OF ONES TO WATCH AND WHY IT IS SO POPULAR.”  MARTYN ROBERTS, FASHION SCOUT

The Ones To Watch show for the LFW SS18 season featured four strong designers, each with a different focus and style, I was already flustered on arrival after having to hot foot it from Kings Cross but a coffee and a chat with the lovely Donna Air fixed all of that and set me up for a pretty decent show.

NEO DESIGN

With a palette of black, black and even more black, this almost gender neutral collection cast a stark contrast against the all white show space.  The brand was born out of a graduate project and focusses on the manufacture of the garments as much as the appearance of the final product.  This SS18 collection connected the past with the future with a range made for modern warriors.  Leather, quilting and rope combined in the deepest shades of noir to give an untouchable aesthetic making the wearer a force to be reckoned with.  A collection designed to give the illusion of power and one that certainly succeeds.

 JI WON CHOI

Ji Won Choi’s collection is one of vibrant colour with an underlying message.  The collection, entitled Excessivism, highlights the waste in our closets today.  Swathes of fabric cover the models bodies with exaggerated graphic lines, cuts and strapping.  Ji Won Choi is a designer defying the traditional fashion calendar by showing a seasonless collection, seeking to shift the focus to sustainability over fast fashion.

Bright, playful and clever with elements of wearability.  The message to society is strong with this one…

TRIINU PUNGITS

Pungits is an experienced designer with 13 years of design experience under her sequinned belt.  Normally I’m a fan of her work, a champion of self expression and freedom, her prints are to die for.  This latest collection for me was underwhelming.  Yes, sure there was the whole novelty foam hands thing but it wasn’t consistent enough throughout the collection to be something to sit up and take notice of and felt like it had been added for drama.

I loved the geometric lines, printed leotards and added red heart feature but the whole thing felt a little disjointed for me, especially after the success of SS17 and a meaningful and satisfying collection.  Interesting sure, but more filler than killer for me I’m afraid.  Soz Pungits.

STARSICA

Talk about going out on a high, Starsica SS18 rocked my world and gave Day 1 of LFW an injection of youth and vibrance with that all important wearability factor.  Taking it’s name from the term Star Seeker, depicting a wise man forecasting the movement of the stars and therefore predicting the future, Starsica represents the concept of ‘Everyday luxury wear with the anxiety of modern society’ and it gets it right on point.

Simple shapes and cut out detailing at pivot points gave a youthful edge to the collection and rolled head torches gave a nod to the explorer vibe hinted at in the brand name.  I loved this collection and there’s a space in my wardrobe for that gorgeous human heart sweater and Victoriana ruffle dress.  Despite being a playful collection, Starsica never loses its elegance and stays just the right side of wearable.  Definitely One to Watch.

Pixie xo

Categories: Fashion, Models, Uncategorized

Amira Haroon x Yana Markova SS18 at London Fashion Week

It’s not often we see a partnership at London Fashion Week and on the rare occasion that we do, there’s usually one designer or brand battling for supremacy within the collection. This one however, is a perfectly complimentary relationship and that’s a rarity in fashion.  Beautiful and delicate clothing pieces, complimented perfectly by expertly crafted headpieces.  This Amira Haroon x Yana Markova collection is a match made in fashion heaven.

Amira Haroon showed her American pop culture inspired Spring Summer 2018 collection at London Fashion Week with the late, great Whitney Houston serving as muse.  With a strong focus on the 80’s disco era, the collection was laces with glitter thread, scallop edging and satin, sounds garish but was actually uber cool, relevant and very wearable.  Seven years after setting up her own label, she’s owning the retro disco look with this collection.  It’s a collection that combines the past with the present to great effect and all topped off with some of the most Whitney-esque headpieces you’ve ever seen.  Remember the signature floppy bow that we swooned over in the early 90’s?  This partnership collection showcased a rework of that look perfectly.

Those signature headwear looks were recreated and reworked by rising star milliner Yana Markova (a darling of the Russian beau monde).  The bow, which will be making an appearance on my very own head during SS18, was crafted using a secret milliners fabric coated in iridescent glitter.  The second headwear look created specially for the Amira Haroon show is one you’ll have to double take to spot as it’s so effective.  a chain style headband crafted from dozens of individual, delicate gold chains, sewn together to give the appearance of an Egyptian style golden wig.  Clever huh?

 “I was really excited to be asked to collaborate and was honoured to see my pieces on the catwalk over London Fashion Week. I hope that we can do another partnership. We worked well together and understood each other’s design philosophies.”  Yana Markova, Milliner

This talented milliner has roots in fashion, after training in fashion design at the Ural State Academy of Architecture and Arts and went on to work for some of the largest designer fashion, jewellery and accessory brands for fifteen years before launching her own label. Her first collection was met with critical acclaim and she continued to create a fashion range, before turning her attention to millinery.  Her designs have been featured in some of the most prolific Quarterlies in fashion including Jute Magazine, l’Etoile Magazine and L’Officiel, this gal ain’t messing around and with a celebrity following including Lady Gaga (she produced the headpieces for Gaga’s tour wardrobe), this collaboration is sure to cement her status as one of the best and most current in the business.

If like me, you’re a fan of a crown, or any other elaborate and striking headwear, you’ll be pleased to know that the Amira Haroon x Yana Markova headpieces will be available to buy as part of Amira Haroon’s Spring Summer 2018 collection.

Pixie xo