Category: Designer Brands
Red Valentino x
For me..
For Bella.
Laters, Kate x
Kule x
Kule – not a clever play on words, but designer Nikki Kule’s highly appropriate name.
Offering a modern, classic luxury, ‘preppy luxe’ aesthetic thats easy on the eye and edgy in look.
It sits perfectly in that aspirational ‘smart casual’ part of the wardrobe..that essential area that’s surprisingly hard to fill…
Mi piace.. xxx
The Outside Edge x
Moncler Gamme Rouge is a thick layer of visual lust spread across the page..
Rene Ramillon from Grenoble, France made the leap from making sleeping bags to fashion when he turned the technique for making sleeping bags into coats. The rest is history.
Giambattista Valli is the brains behind this couture inspiration of the urban, utilitarian style and the man happily playing in the proverbial sweetie shop..
A collection that tempts and teases..
Street cleaner neon, shearling, and firefighter silver all braought together in a heady vision of aspiration..
Big, bold and beautiful but also utterly wearable and wonderfully practical…just a shame I’d have to sell the house to buy one!
Laters, Kate x
Rachel Rachel x
The appeal of perusing the latest catwalk offerings is thinking you are getting ideas hot off the sewing machine..
Except of course you’re not..large flotsam of inspiration comes for the likes of you and I just walking the streets with a strange consortium of bits from vintage sales and jumbles..so there’s a rather wonderful organic life force with no-one having a monopoly, a wave of responding and creating that the Designers then put a spotlight on..and then we think it’s brilliant all over again, but maybe in a different way..
Except the way something influences and what processes then happen is up to the individual, which can be truly enlightening, particularly if they have a strong voice..
Amplifying, creating opposition, accepting, asking for more or leaving a loose edge – utilitarian wear in posh fabrics, it’s all in the interpretation..
At Rachel Comey SS15 you can taste the strength – there’s a simplicity reflective of a confidence in what she sees..
With masterful strokes of clashing patterns, eras and colour. But does she influence my style? – or do I fly to her light because there’s a kindred understanding?
I can’t really say why her silhouettes appeal so much..
(Although I find it hard to resist a good beltbag..)
Her designs are far from the traditional feminine shapes..
(photos courtesy of Style.com)
But then, I’ve always preferred sexy to be a suggestion of shape – and fashion to be style rather than trend…and maybe that’s why she makes my eyes sparkle…
Laters, Kate x
Stepping Forward x
Fashion: It doesn’t have to be flattering – just capture a mood. But sometimes it does both.
Derek Lam 10 Crosby SS15 with it’s efficient dynamic of form translated into movement is grounded in the classics..but then given wings..
It’s the details that do the talking..the cut of a sleeve, the place of a pocket…it’s a perfectionists attitude fused with giddy moments of occasional laughter..
( All pictures from Style.com)
It’s authentic, wearable and timeless with a clever nod to the memorably wearable..
Laters, Kate x
Flying Fur x
Firmly in the faux-fur camp, Shrimp is the tongue-in-cheek, slightly eccentric and definitely witty British brand founded by the rather wonderful Hannah Weiland.
The lady herself..
The Collection is inspired by such deliciousness as picking daisies, cartoons, school uniforms and playing with fluffy animals..it’s pretty..surreal..and unexpected..
They have a unique sensibility to transform the mundane..
You can’t look away – it’s like being intriguingly bathed in sunshine and smiles..
And who would Hannah like to see in one of her coats? The irrepressible Grayson Perry no less!
I just want to hug her..and her coats..
Laters, Kate x
Scotland Calling..
No joke..since the remains of Hurricane Bertha blew through, the temps in London have kept falling..we were down to single figures this morning – but it does make looking at autumn clothes that much easier…
Like the new, vibrant ready-to-wear collection by Barrie, the historic Scottish cashmere manufacturer now owned by Chanel.
Chanel purchased Barrie Knitwear in 2012 saving the jobs of all 176 employees when it went into administration at a time when it seemed mass-produced synthetic fibres would rule the world.
This is their first ready-to-wear collection, designed by Odile Massuger and it magically weaves all the best elements both Companies have to give: Quality, luxury (3 fleeces used per jumper), care (they bathe their yarn in Sottish river water to make it softer) and cutting-edge design that’s allowed to take risks: clashing colours and mashing patterns..camo with fair isle, modern with old..
Take this scarf...the front..
But lets not forget the back..all in all, it’s an incredible, edible combination..
Laters, Kate x
Classic Cashmere x
(Agnona cashmere sweater, Emanuel Ungaro trousers)
Classic cashmere, that into autumn staple…soft, warm..but still light. But there are two important questions: Are you a round neck or a Vee girl? And do you love your inner fifties goddess or does an inner eighties over-sized boyfriend jumper call your name?
Me? It’s eighties all the way with a tantalising vee..this one from Equipment is pretty damn perfect.
(Equipment in grey)
The essential colours: grey and camel..
But blue is cool..
And who can resist the pastels with their flower-like nod to fading summer?
And white?..there’s always white, ready and willing to make a statement…
Choices, choices, choices….
Laters, Kate x
Laid back Layering..
The cooler air of autumn is seeping into London. Rumour has it the heat could yet return, but the aroma of moist leaves and wet earth make the mind turn to thoughts of jeans and easy cover-ups.
It’s not that one wants to dive into thick winter layers..it’s more about wanting to embrace that transitional phase, pairing summer favourites with something slightly warmer: Jeans with sandals, shorts with jumpers. These Frame Denim jeans hit the spot – made in collaboration with Supermodel Karlie Kloss they have the perfect legs that never seem to end..a bit like the model herself…
Overlaid with a Chloe Cape as those darker evenings close in. The cape is going to be a key piece this winter…at £2445 a pop this one – probably the most iconic of them all – has all but sold out already. It’s easy to see the appeal: Throw over a summer dress now..or later, over a winter coat when the snow storms hit. But I look at it and can’t help thinking…it’s a fairly basic pattern – in fact it’s the basic pattern that adds to it’s appeal…curve the corners, bind the edges it can’t be that hard…and you’d have you’re own designer version for a fraction of the price…
Anyone game?
Laters, Kate x
Dream Team x
Young British Designers started with a small group with a real thirst to pursue a brave new vision for design and has kept on growing.
It’s pure British design with it’s inbuilt ability to understand the rules..and then break them with a smile.
They don’t care about age – you could be 70 and a new designer with flair, the youth is in the brand. They acknowledge there’s limited experience, but YBD want to give young designers a chance on a retail stage.
And it gives us the chance to see the emerging talents – even spot them – before their ascension to the land of Fashion Gods and silly money.
Which means there are loads of things to look at – men’s included – it’s not about one voice, one style but a rich smorgasbord of everything brought together, everyone made stronger by the other’s presence.
And they’re have an awesome sale at the moment – including these 2 coats..just in time for the coming colder season…
Laters, Kate x
Maison Bentley Style 