Tagged: AW14
The Girl with the Pearl Clothes…
I will love you, Mother of Pearl AW14, but I will hate you at the same time..because I could never afford your prices…
Your witty take on William Morris, courtesy of the collaboration on the Collection with Richard Saja, brought willingly to the twenty first century with neon embroidery has stolen my breaking heart.
There’s the game changing take on tartan..
And ingenious print..It’s not just about what you want to wear, but who you want to be. If I wore this, I’d be myself – but a bit better: I’d waft. And wonderful phrases with many syllables would flow like liquid gold from my happy lips, making even Sparrows smile….
The little touches, the fabulous shoes..how could nude ankle socks ever look so chic?
And this is actually a dress..a surprise..
(Photos by Style,com and Kristabel Plummer)
One by one they follow the shape of my heart…and walk on by…
Laters, Kate x
They Came Out to Play…
Sarah Burton. Her time is now. Producing the eye-searing clothes that would’ve had Isabella Blow dragging on her ash-dripping ciggie with uncontained pleasure..
A femininity of drama without being frilly with the power to take us on flights of fancy away from grey pavements and cramped tube carriages.
Blurring the lines between couture and ready to wear, the workmanship is sensational – like elves and fairies have been at work.
Pushing the boundaries, McQueen’s never been ordinary or suburban. In a unique niche, it always has to be more. More than the High Street with the power to defy industry molds.
A bird of paradise brought to life in the urban jungle. You just want to stroke it’s gentle plumes and calm it’s beating heart.
The perfect Oscar dress?
Cate Blanchett?
And all this from the woman with one year old twins?…I doff my vermillion ostrich feathered Tracey to her..but I also want to give her a cuddle…and a nice cup of tea with a biccie on the side..
Laters, Kate x
Dying for Dries..
Dries Van Noten AW14. The Clothes you know Blondie would wear. No more to be said…
Laters, Kate x
Ironic Iconic..
(Photo from Marie Claire)
The Moschino AW14 show was rather over-shadowed by the tardy arrival of one of it’s models, the pop singer Katy Perry. Some say her showing up late was the behaviour of a spoilt brat. Other’s argue she was set up or let down by others and it wasn’t her fault. The audience certainly weren’t happy and made the fact known. I say, if you are late, take it on the chin and have the grace to apologies. Swearing shows a distinct lack of humanity.….although Jeremy Scott, the King of Junk Culture was probably more than happy, sitting in a dark corner chuckling to himself, lapping all the media exploitation straight up like a rich tabloid milkshake..
Once started, he proudly paraded the Macdonald’s golden arches down the runway ‘homaged’ as potent tongue-in-cheek representation of Chanel’s iconic logo.
More caricatures of Chanel statement pieces were served up in quick succession.
This was ‘fast fashion’ in a satirical multi-layered pret-a-manger sandwich with extra relish. A brilliant parody of high street and designer, bright, stand-out and ‘of the moment’ this Collection needed to hit the shop floor running – and that’s exactly what Jeremy Scott did. A soon as the first model stepped onto the runway select pieces of the Collection became available online. No six month wait. No time for copies or ubiquitous ‘interpretations’, Jeremy Scott had done all the handwork, taken all the risk..after all the mocking and the finger waving, buried underneath the crowd pleasing a slick machine was at work..with style and showmanship he triumphantly demonstrated that fast fashion can be designer fashion…and be quick as well.
There’s one thing no-one can deny – Jeremy Scott is a man who understands the fashion world through and through…and is prepared to run wild with the times…
Laters, Kate x
The Star Stella Jean.. x
Here we go! The vibrant, eclectic, charismatic Collection from Stella Jean AW14..
Full of bohemian chic, Stella Jean draws her inspiration from her two diametrically opposite cultures.
The Wax material represents her maternal roots – her Creole heritage from Haiti, the first independent black republic in the world.
The stripes stand for her father, Italy, Turin and convention.
More than a simple apology on behalf of competing factions, she sucks the marrow from both to create a diversity that is utterly thrilling as it weaves and wefts together.
She dances away from the Dinner party generality that has rather bled our souls of colour.
Till the cold tug of winter has been burnt away.
So elegantly put together..it’s about embracing what you love and living life to the full.
Laters, Kate x
Throw on the Throws..
The stand out item on the Burberry AW14 Collection was the blanket cape thrown with nonchalant ease around the models shoulders. You just know it’s going to be a big look next winter as the perfect armour against even the thought of another onslaught from the Polar Vortex, stylishly layering layers on layers. But I do have a little confession….I thought Christopher Bailey was making a political statement against the treatment of cows in the UK..or maybe in support of vegetarians? Who knows – but I just thought..jeez..this is radical!!
You could hear the penny clang when I read later they were actually Cara’s initials..which, honest to God, is a totally awesome concept….just maybe her’s weren’t the best to send out first!
Laters, Kate x
Oh Joy! x
The thing I ask myself when looking at a Collection for the first time is ‘what is the intrinsic quality that makes my heart beat faster’? For Peter Pilotto AW14 it’s all wrapped up like a beautiful multi-layered present, a waterfall of ideas whose soul is dedicated to colour, texture and verve. Pour yourself a large glass and just revel in the visual delight of a show that sings and delights at every turn.
The colour choices are unexpected..as if my daughter has reached into her dressing up box and paint box at the same time whilst wearing a blindfold..but the patterns of dominance and submission, empathy and detachment are all so smoothly integrated that they appear utterly cohesive and complete.
The colours, patterns and proportions are perfectly balanced so the right spotlight falls on the best accent to compliment the silhouette and the feeling of movement.
When the unexpected is brought together there’s a special magic – ideas that should repel instead harmonise in union. It’s true mastery and workmanship.
This coat could live in my wardrobe for decades and I’d never tire of it. That’s great design.
Or this one. Dress it down or dress it up, it would always turn heads.
Oh. My. Heart….
There’s hardly time to breathe as the wonder just keeps coming…we should be suffocating under a sea of colour clash and texture overload. Except it feels refreshing, desirable and exciting.
(All photos from Style.com)
When I dream, these clothes are there….an now I’m off to buy a winning lottery ticket..
Laters, Kate x
Woolly Wonders..
Halfway through the winter and I’ve reached that point where my jumpers are no longer in a good place; The life and soul has been worn and washed out of their sorry, bobbly seams. And it certainly doesn’t help when I see objects of desire like these from Pringle of Scotland AW14.
Which is odd, because when I was at Secondary school we were all divided into tribes depending on what we wore, the main two being ‘Trendies’ and ‘casuals’ – Trendies were the middle class kids who wore their baggy, ripped, holey clothes as a source of pride. Whilst the Casuals – the rougher kids on free school meals – revelled in the allure of Designer labels. Their uniform of choice was a Burberry-check box-pleat skirt, Pringle twin set and knee high riding boots set off with layers and layers of heavy gold chains, worn with the same intent as medieval weaponry.
But after nearly two hundred years in the business, Pringle is moving with the times. Massimo Nicosia is pushing boundaries and experimenting with innovation whilst still retaining a relatable Collection.
He’s recruited Architect and material engineer Richard Beckett and started working with 3d printing.
(All photos from Style.com)
Weaving together heritage with modern flair he’s made a seamless leap to the future.
I think it’s time I looked ahead too….
Laters, Kate x
Coming up Roses..
I am a speck of dust hanging gently in the air as I breathe in the expectation of this Collection: Rosie Assoulin AW14, eager to get close to the flame.
Waiting to feel that magic touch of satisfaction.
She doesn’t disappoint: She has a knack of designing wearable hyper-potent scene stealing pieces that ooze cool glamour like a smoking tea infused cocktail.
This I would happily waft the rest of my days in. Rolled up and poshed with kitten heels or laid back with white sneakers.
There are more pieces in this Collection than SS14 and (as Julius Caesar flashes neon in my mind) it’s not all perfect, but I tell myself: Don’t linger on the negatives…and I love the trousers.
There’s always a reference to the classics but then the heat gets turned up with unexpected references and clever tailoring.
Until I find myself dancing in a light and sun-drenched land, where puddles are figments of the imagination and umbrellas are objects of curiosity…
Laters, Kate x
Maison Bentley Style 