Category: fashion comment

July 7, 2016

Swedish Hasbeens x

So I’m running away to the sun today a week earlier than expected as my father has broken his elbow – there’s no time to write new blog posts, instead I offer you summer re-runs..some of the best posts from times gone past. Until we meet again – enjoy!

I was aware of fashion from a very early age …rolling down my hated knee socks in primary school in longing of cute ankle ones – and lusting over those nearly not there socks with the pom-pom at the back? Sigh. And there was the utter object of my desire..navy blue clogs. I’d watch those lucky girls nonchalantly flick them off to do cartwheels on the grass..before sliding them back on and jauntily walking off with that bone dry rhythm. I knew it was wrong to be fiddling with a buckle.

Time has made a difference..and I just got me some new summer shoes…CLOGS! A long held desire has been appeased and a wrong has finally been righted..Do you know the brand Swedish Hasbeens? They have a lovely story..(although it has given me visions of Anita lighting up a four-legged beast from the desert)..

The story

Her name was Anita and she was the hottest mum in all of southern Sweden in the 1970’s. While smoking Camel she screamed at her kids until her curlers fell out and just looked fabulous in her white high-heeled clogs.One summer day in 2006 we found the shoes she wore (300 pairs of red, white and black beautiful clogs from the 70’s) in the basement of an old clog factory in the neighboring village and brought them to Stockholm. So for all these people that shared our love for Anita’s wooden shoes and for ourselves we started Swedish Hasbeens.Our ambition is to continue to release more incoherent and fun shoes and stuff inspired by Hasbeens that once ruled the planet.The Hasbeens toffels, bags and belts are based on original 70’s models and are made of ecologically prepared natural grain leather since it’s the most beautiful and the highest quality at the same time as it’s environmentally friendly.They are still handmade with respect for people and the environment in the old traditional way, and in small factories that have made shoes for decades. Our production methods and material are kind to nature and people. Happy toffels make happy people.

The designs are delicious…

inspire10_s A clunky shoe that’s elegant..want this one. Love this colour – they also do in canary yellow! Want these. And some more retro style ads from their website:

I went for simplicity and a lower heel – I’ve never worn Hasbeens before and I suspect a wooden sole takes a bit of getting used to, also I was ordering off the internet…and truth be told – I’m not too good on really high heels and I want these as regular day shoes..the colour is divine…not white, but a soft, buttermilk.. they’ll go with everything..

But if they suit…and they become my best-ever-summer-shoe-purchase-since-the-arrival-of-flatforms..guess where they’ve opened their first UK shop? Only in Hanbury street in Spitalfields…I hear a siren call..

Laters, Kate x

P.S. Tip from Anna, the half-Swedish girl who knows..to wear them in (the leather is good n strong) start wearing them in the house with extra thick socks!

July 4, 2016

Holly go brightly..

Today marks the last Monday of term and school prize day – a day to avoid if ever there is one. I swore last year, after three hours of clapping in heavy, muggy heat that I would never go again – and that was after the mornings two hour session. But, there’s no emotional escape from the kids need to know you’re there..in world economics it’s a price too high to pay not to go, so it’s time to slap on the smile and don the nonchalance for one more time. I’ll be sitting there, checking out the colour combinations and trying to work out why some things work that really shouldn’t..and the reverse.

Think of me.

Laters, Kate x

May 9, 2016

Ace & Jig x

Ace and Jig is a fusion of street cred and hippy, contemporary and classic folded together with indian cottons and hand dyed fabrics.

The label was started by Cary Vaughan and Jenna Wilson and is based in Brooklyn, New York. The two met more than 10 years ago as fashion design interns and instantly bonded over their shared love of antique textiles..from ancient, french feedsack bags to Japanese boro quilts.

They believe in the power of the stripe.

And they believe in being different. Just delicious.

Laters, Kate x

February 18, 2016

Rosie x

There’s something rumbling in the air: Apparently Isabel Marant opted out of sharing her pre-season pictures with anyone until as late as possible. She said it was less to do with the threat of copying than over exposure – ‘There’s just too much stuff’. A notion that is starting to infiltrate and seep through the runway shows at New York fashion week…It’s becoming too obvious, too controlled..and the designers – crowned icons of creativity – are starting to rebel and explore other avenues to present their collections. It’s about time.

Rosie Assoulin presented her collection at the Meatpacking District (I like her thinking) with her usual chutzpah and personal style.

She sees a hemline and moves it up further… a gather becomes a statement.

A simple stripe is now a conversation of pattern and geometrical possibilities.

Exposure is about dreams, not exploitation.

Extravagance, strength and femininity all simply and elegantly pulled together with beautiful tailoring.

(All pics Vogue and Pinterest)

Now a stalwart of fashion week, she’s still a breath of fresh air.

And I love her candles.

Laters, Kate x

January 12, 2016

Clothes List x

Weather update in London: Drab, grey, definitely cooler than December but still not cuttingly cold – not a true frost to be seen, instead lots of rain, puddles and mud. It’s when I miss the twinkling lights of Christmas and long for spring – which is still a good six weeks away.

Clothes are still transitional – I wore my big winter jumper for the first time today, but that’s probably more because we have no heating as the boiler is being moved. To go out, all I needed was a light wool jacket – which sums up the weirdness of a winter that’s never progressed: It’s a time of mashing up opposites – skinny jeans with giant cardigans, long wool coats with no socks….floaty skirts and enormous jumpers.

(Pics: Pinterest)

Just keep a brolly handy.

Laters, Kate x

December 9, 2015

Starlight Express x

At a Christmas party we went to at the weekend, there was only one lady wearing a full length dress. It was jade silk chiffon with a plunging neckline and long, billowy sleeves caught at the wrist. As she wafted past I told her she looked knock out. Like an expensive thoroughbred there was a shake of the head in acknowledgement…before she made a beeline for the champagne.

But it goes to show, a good dress is always a good dress – maybe even more so when you do your own thang. All these are from the Vilshenko range where there’s been a move away from the bright, Ukrainian embroidery of the summer.

To a more parred back sophistication.

Yet they still remain a folk-related potent force.

If I had the wallet to match, I’d take one in every colour,

Laters, Kate x

November 24, 2015

Hats Off!

Hats are having a moment..the humble bobble is back big time..so maybe there’s hope for the rest hitting the mainstream again.

It would be fun. Hats may not speak, but they say volumes about an outfit.

All of these tempting delights are by the talented Karen Henriksen, a milliner working in London who’s perfected the tightrope between modern and timeless.

(All pictures Karen Henriksen and Pinterest)

Oh to have a few precious hours trying them all on and pouting in a fetchingly foxed antique mirror. Such stuff dreams are made of.

Laters, Kate x

October 5, 2015

Another Garde x

One of the great joys from this daily ritual of Blogging are the people you meet, drawn together from across the world through the magic of the internet and the love of great design. It’s how I met Soumountha – a very funny, fearless and edgy French-Lao-mum-to-3-kids-slash-blogger-and-entrepreneur who’s been looking for the perfect vehicle to focus her creative high energy, because Soumountha is a tigress with a deep motherlove who knows that to feed herself spiritually she needs that creative outlet. And now, with a perfectly executed flying kick, she has leapt into the fray with her own online boutique for emerging fashion brands: Another Garde. I wanted to know more…so we in between her hectic schedule we sat down, dressed in our imaginary finest with the perfect bottle of virtual wine to cut to the chase on the latest about her new fashion baby…

I’m so excited you’ve opened your own online boutique! I looove you’re style – so tell me, Soumountha, do you have an imaginary woman you’re selling to?

Yes. She is the unflappable woman. I like to describe her as ‘a complex, witty, mature, free and confident woman who breaks ceilings and kicks out of boxes, screams and smiles, has chipped nails and remains elegant and wonderfully modern.’ I like to think that she is owning her imperfections with inner and quiet confidence and a ‘so what?’ attitude.

What do you think she would she eat for breakfast…and where??

She would probably not eat anything for breakfast because she hardly had the time to comb her hair, but then would have a hearty omelette and a cappuccino – her strong espresso days are behind her – around 10.30am. She would eat this at work or at her local bodega trying to sort out the beautiful mess that is her life with her IPhone…hahahaha! I’m getting deja vu!

What did you look for in your emerging designer’s?

That’s a tough one. It is a very complex process that includes both tangible and less tangible factors.

Another Garde wants to develop partnerships with brands that are interested in releasing styles throughout the year – just like we are doing with our private label, Another Garde. The designers, Enda (Enda.us) and Moses Nadel (mosesnadel.com) on our site fall also into this category. The biggest challenge is to stand out in the crowd and I feel that as a group, we increase our chances of success if we leverage our resources and collectivize our risks etc. So being a team player is a key aspect of being part of Another Garde 🙂

That does not mean that we do not work with brands that are operating within the Fashion calendar – some brands are too amazing not to work with.

So more generally I think –

– their aesthetic needs to hang well with other designers’ viewpoint. I do favor a somewhat unaffected elegance, feminine and feminist silhouettes, great details and finishes, and minimalist cuts.

– I like designers who have an acute understanding of who they are and who they are not and what it is they are saying to the world. Schai (schaischai.com), a brand that we will soon feature on our site, is a universe in itself . You get drawn into it through her designs but also her words, her imagery, her story and her personality. The moment I set my eyes on her creations I fell in love full stop. She is also a pretty kick ass woman #swoon

– I love designers who are creative and resourceful from a marketing perspective to a design development perspective. For example, I have been stalking Linie (linienyc.com) for a while now because the designer is excelling at zero waste pattern making.

– And last but not least, I only work with designers who share our values when it comes to mature and confident women i.e. Designers who celebrate these women’s needs, their achievements and aspirations and understand what ageing with grace means and requires. In short, there is an underlying feminism behind what we do at Another Garde so I would probably not work with creatives who do not get it. (At this point I have to stand up and applaud..woah! woah! woah! finally!)

How did you find your designers? can anyone approach you?

We are doing a lot of scouting to find brands and also get referrals so YES anyone can approach me soumountha@anothergarde.com

The fashion industry is notoriously tough – do you think the young/new designer of today has the time to learn the ropes of this industry or are they, with the level of competition out there, expected to hit the ground both perfectly formed and running?

Because it is such a competitive industry, I feel that there is a general acceptance that there are more and more valid and legitimate journeys to own and run a label: from launching your first collection straight after fashion school to having a full time design job in a major house while experimenting with your label on the side to returning to work for an established company, if your label is struggling or relying on private orders only.

However, from the customer perspective, mistakes are not easily forgiven. It is competitive out there and it is so important to build trust with your clientele. My take away so far is this: make less creations but make them perfect for the people who really matter to you.

So my answer is yes designers have the time ,if they take this valuable time and develop A, B and C plans in their overall journey as creatives. At the end of the day, you are a creative and there is no lesser way of being one.

Do you see yourself as a mentor?

Since we are releasing our own collection for the first time, I see myself more as a peer who is experiencing the same journey as some of the other designers on our site: handling cash flow challenges, weighing the pros and cons of bypassing the fashion calendar (on a daily basis but still sticking to my guts for now), going through the ups and downs of collection design and development etc.

Having our own collection is our way to walk the talk but this has also become a truly humbling experience. We are just another brand working hard at finding our women.

Because I want to do my best at articulating partner designers’ vision to our target customers, I do ask a lot of questions. I hope these questions do help them to think hard about their brand, their positioning, their pricing, how they produce and sell etc.

Whose wardrobe do you lust over?

Phoebe Philo. Clean lines, feminine and masculine silhouettes, chic tonal palette; it is never boring but most importantly it ALWAYS authentic. There is a quiet rebellious character in her wardrobe.

And she is British, so that’s the icing on the cake 🙂

You’re based in New York..Will you be shipping internationally?

It’s something we’re hoping to introduce very soon – watch this space!

(All Photography by Carolina Palmgren, Styling is Another Garde)

What’s the last thing you bought…and why?

The Zoe dress by Brooklyn-based Swedish designer H.Fredriksson (Hfredriksson.com) (pictured above) who works with sustainable fabrics and creates very modern and perfect silhouettes for women like me who are trying to come to terms with the various changes in their bodies. All her prints come from her personal drawings and paints. Zoe’s print is a special one because it is a drawing from her late husband who passed away before or during collection development. I was already in love with the dress but when I learnt about the heartache and strength behind the creation I just had to buy it. Helena has kids so this has really touched me: I just cannot imagine what she has been through. Every time I wear it, I feel her strength.

As we feel yours Soumountha! This pocket rocket warrior woman is fighting the couture clash with her flair for the international all beautifully moulded together by the wit and gristle of the streets of New York City and personally…I love it! Go Soumountha!

Laters, Kate x

September 11, 2015

Paper Bag Pants..

Sometimes you need something in your wardrobe with a little bit of rock ‘n’ roll on the dashboard.

How about a pair of tie-up trousers? A real shout from the eighties when they were attractively called paper bag trousers…

There’s something about them..cut short..

Or with a big belt..

(All pics from Pinterest)

You can feel the force. Throw up or throw back, does this mean high wasiters are really coming back?

Laters, Kate x

September 8, 2015

Style Icon x

Carla Sozzani, a truly remarkable woman.

An italian, born in 1947 she was a longtime fashion editor at Vogue and Elle before spreading her wings into writing books, staging exhibitions, retail and design.

In 1990, she opened Galleria Carla Sozzoni at 10 Corso Como, Milan. Originally a vacant garage, it was intended only as an exhibition space, now it houses a bookstore, fashion and design store, roof garden, hotel and cafe and is a true cultural sanctuary.

In collaborations with others, there are now three other 10 Corso Como’s in the world, in Tokyo, Seoul and Shanghai.

She says she got into retail through the editors desire to communicate, to share and get feedback. ‘I cannot please everybody, but it is important to have one eye.’

(All pictures Google)

Sozzani dresses in a simple way, functional, yet full of character. There’s a sense of permanent calm at the heart of a storm. Happy in her own skin, with strong personal integrity, she knows what she likes and shines with contentment and understanding.

Rare combinations.

Laters, Kate x