Man About World

Man About Hong Kong: A stroll around Sheung Wan and respect paid to the temple of Lane Crawford

2010-04-06T12:57:00.000+01:00

Above: In a city obsessed with signage, a few words that make sense

After a couple of weeks of total submersion in the new world order of Shanghai, Hong Kong provided a welcome dose of anarchy. It's not that this creativity comes from above: everywhere there are signs telling you what not to do, what to do and how to do it to a degree that's only matched by Singapore. Nonetheless, it seems in Hong Kong you can't keep a good thing down and there is still plenty of exciting movement surging up from the cracks between the newly paved streets.

Above: Culture Club Gallery
Below: The huge toy sculpture framing the window of Chocolate Rain

The hotbed of activity is centered around Sheung Wan, to the West of Soho on Hong Kong Island. After rolling down the forest path from Victoria Peak I followed the well-trodden path to the art galleries and antique shops of west Hollywood Road. But meandering off the beaten path just a little rewarded me well. I discovered a hive of independent boutiques and funky multi-use spaces brewing gourmet coffee while they chop your hair or serve you up fresh dose of Chinese art.

Above: Sample store Muchacha

Below: Fang Fong Projects

My favourite corner has to be around Peel and Staunton - a real one-stop shop to replenish your mind body and soul. Want European womenswear? Head to sample store Muchacha (24 Peel St) which is rammed full one-offs from labels like Karen Millen, Agnes B and Moschino. Fancy trying some local threads? Go to Fang Fong Projects boutique (69 Peel Street); it's their only store but they've got a very wide collection and helpful director Lai Fan Wu will make sure you find what you're after. If it's art you're after, check out the Culture Club Gallery. They specialise in affordable pieces by emerging artists. Just as well because you may have blown all your cash on the excellent coffee they stock including the world's rarest variety: Kopi Luwak, which is harvested from the droppings of Asian Palm Civet. And if you're a bit more broke you needn't lose out: I suggest grabbing some street food at Leaf Dessert on Elgin. Make sure you finish with their red bean sweet - it's surprisingly tasty...

Above: Dalston-Berlin-Hong Kong; that international symbol of cool rears it's hairy face again in the form of a very stylish menswear shop named simply 'Moustache'. What else?

Above: Delightful hand-customised Kegs at Moustache

Below: I bought one of these pastel shaded cotton 'map of HK' scarves by Moustache. apparently they're just what you need to wipe away the HK summer humidity. Am tempted to go back to try it out.

Moving further west along Hollywood Road away from Central, blokes on the hunt for some new ready-to-wear cloth should pop into the recently opened Moustache. Designed by ex-New Yorker Ellis Kreuger, their casual collection is understated and subtle yet on the money with international trends and wouldn't look out of place in Saville Row's B Store. For bigger label menswear in Sheung Wan I'd recommend a stroll up Sai Street. The anonymous hair salon at number 51 doubles as a stylist's sample shop. They had gear from Dior Homme and Comme des Garcons going cheap when I visited. If you've got a bit more time to get kitted out in Hong Kong but want to avoid the hawkers selling run-of-the-mill tailored suits from the streets of Kowloon, I suggest a visit to J A Daye on Hollywood Road. This was the initial enterprise by Ellis Kreuger and offers beautifully made-to-measure seasonal collections crafted by genuine old-school Hong Kong tailors in a two-week turnaround time. If you don't have that long but still fancy trying their service you can self-measure from home using their detailed online how-to videos and time your visit to HK for the fittings.

There are a ton of other cool joints to discover in between Soho and Hollywood Park. Spend a half day wondering around those streets and I guarantee you not to be disappointed...

Above: Hair salon/menswear sample sale at 51 Sai Street.

Lane Crawford

Finally, no trip to Hong Kong would be complete without a pilgrimage to the fashion mecca which is Lane Crawford. With three designer emporiums spanning both sides of the harbor and fashion by Givenchy rubbing sharing racks with the most directional cuts from Cheap Monday, I couldn't help but be impressed with the icon of HK designer fashion. With as many LV and Cartier shops as there are Starbucks in London, I felt mildly overdosed on luxury more than once during my stay there. But I instantly fell in love with the presentation at Lane Crawford which was creative and inspiring, eschewing the borderline gratuity evident elsewhere. I particularly enjoyed a mannequin display combining current fashions with pieces from international tribes styled by the great Michael Costiff and a wonderful fantasy mens boutique curated by Judy Blame. I really felt LC is pushing our expectations of what a design department store should be offering. Since getting back I've heard my friends over at Bitching and Junkfood are also supplying my new favourite place. Proof if ever it was needed that Lane Crawford still has its finger well and truly on the pulse.

On the slate...Man About Vienna, Leipzig, Beijing and Shanghai

MAW at London Fashion Week: Autumn/Winter colour trend report

2010-03-01T19:23:00.010Z

Amidst the familiar sea of black there were a few colour tendencies that shone out during the week. Metallics were big again but this year bronze, copper and brass are finally starting to push out the silver and gold as shown at Bryce Aime, Chrisian Blanken and my pick of Vauxhall fashion Scout: Iris Van Herpen.

Above: copper zippered bondage at Bryce Aime

Below: With her bronze leather slashing Iris van Herpen's show was a highlight of Vauxhall Fashion Scout

These warmer metals can be linked to a wider trend for natural autumnal shades which pretty much dominated anything outside the digital printing camp from Burberry Prorsum to Kinder Aggugini via Nicole Farhi and Rocksanda Illincic and on the main runways.

Aran knitwear from recyclers Goodone (above) and knitwear company North Circular

Perhaps inspired by the taste for vintage fabrics I detected the emergence of a trend in Aran knitwear too. Unsurprisingly this featured highly in the showrooms at Esthetica, the ethical designers space with brands like reclycers Goodone and knitting specialists The North Circular showing their own modern takes on the look. And when Julien Macdonald sent his models down the runway in oversized off-white cable knits, the trend seemed to solidify.

Above: Dark blue wide cord ruled James Long's catwalk

Below: Topman Design also favoured the blue hue

Finally, dark blue looks set to be huge next winter. If we got a feel for this during womens fashion week on catwalks from Jonathan Saunders and Louise Goldin, its future dominance was seemed certain during mens day in strong shows from the likes of Topman Design and James Long. I can't help thinking we've still got Alber Elbaz to thanks for all this. After all it was the elegance and aggressive red-carpet uptake of his collections a few years ago that first alerted us to the power of dark blue and black. What we're seeing now is yet more filtering down and experimentation of his aesthetic which at the time was really brave.

On the slate...

MAW at London Fashion Week: Digital Printing goes 3D

2010-02-28T14:09:00.007Z

Above: Chunky jewels take over on the Osman catwalk

This season will be looked back upon as he season that the huge digital printing finally matured. With so many British designers having made their name in this genre over recent seasons, there was a definite of sense of needing to move it up a gear in order to keep up a designer level and ahead of the high street. The solution was many of them picking up the needle and thread and adding embroidery and stitched and glued jewels onto their cocktail dresses. I lost count of how many of the highly influential young British designer pack including Christopher Kane and Erdem that added serious stitch work to their womenswear with lots of embroidery and in the case of Mary Katrantzou with quilting.

Above: Katrantzou's jeweled designs

Elsewhere, the Svarovskification of recent collections seemed to be giving way to an influx of bigger jewels in perspex and cut glass. I've been blogging jewellery specialist Holly Fulton's talent for this for a couple of seasons now but she was joined this time by the likes of Felder + Felder, Issa and Osman, both of whom plastered them all over their footwear.

Above: Holly Fulton shows her jewelry design pedigree with the embellishments on her symmetrical designs

Below: Mary Katrantzou's quilting

Since both of the developments of the printing trend – into embroidery and jewel embellishments - are about adding real texture to the surface, I suppose it's not surprising that the majority of designers in this camp are now opting for trompe l'oile designs for the clothes. Their moving away from the abstract florals and techno prints towards realistic photos of flowers and jewels on the items which work with the embroidery and embellishment.

If anyone could get away with sticking to digital printing without the need for more texture it would be Basso and Brooke, who made their name with so the groundbreaking way their pleated digital print designs fit together like puzzles when cut into dresses. But even on their runway their was the addition of a new layer of texture through their use of crafty patchwork inspired patterns.

The common theme between these three developments in digital printing is an increase in interest in traditional craft aesthetics. This can be traced back to the craze for all things crafty last year as part of the wider make-do-and-mend mania that seemed to sweep the UK. With these designers, many of whom have made their names in the high-tech world of digital prints, now taking on craft looks, you get an idea of how far-reaching this trend has become. Over recent months I've done a few interviews and written articles for trade magazine Craft Business on this very subject.

Above and below: Peter Pilotto's layered tube prints

But it also points to an increase of interest in 3 dimensionality amongst the digital printing clan. Whereas this Spring/Summer designers were happy with basing entire collections on extravagant flat prints based around one theme, now there's a definite sense of needing to offer more texture. Away from the craft aesthetic, Peter Pilotto added another dimension in his own creative way by rolling two pieces from tubes of fabric.

On the slate...colour report from London Fashion Week

Alive and kicking in Buenos Aires: AY Not Dead

2010-01-21T22:47:00.000Z

Above: send a balloon and make a wish at the AY Not Dead store launch party.

On a recent TV shoot in Buenos Aires I ended up filming at the launch party of the new AY Not Dead store in the Argentine capital's hottest area: Palermo Viejo. After three weeks trawling the BA streets in search of creative looks to snap I finally felt like I'd found my place...With the help of a few double espressos, the next afternoon I strong-armed the creative brains behind the operation, Noel Romero, into telling me the story so far.

For a designer of a label whose narratives scream proudly from their collection titles: 'Pray for Us', 'Les Fleurs du Mal', 'Le Freak c'est chic'...Noel Romero is surprisingly secretive about the origins of AY Not Dead's name: 'Some people think our name refers to a shady Argentine politician who got up to no good and is thought to have come to a sticky end after he disappeared...I prefer not too confirm or deny this stuff.' But as I chat with Noel in her neighbourhood coffee bar in Recoleta, it's not long before I realise that AY Not Dead's not short on romantic stories and, after all, when did a healthy dash of mystery not help the romance to blossom?

Above: AY Not Dead's Noel Romero in one of her own designs

Noel and a friend kicked off the label that became AY Not Dead under a different name on their return to Buenos Aires from Central St Martin's in 2001. Interested in creating prints, they discovered a batch of beat-up printing frames which they renovated and put to work producing commercial fabrics for more established Argentine designers to use. With the proceeds they gave birth to their first collection: 'Now I Love an Argentinian Girl' - an homage to the legendary Argentine rock band Sumo and an acknowledgment to their apprciation of being back on home turf after their training in London: 'We love London and still go back their nearly every year but that was a sign to everyone that for now we wanted to concentrate on Argentina'.

Above: a feel of London at the party and a selection of T-shirt prints from the AY Not Dead archive

It took a couple more years though until they started to really feel the love coming back to them. 'In 2003 we tried to get onto the Buenos Aires Fashion Week list but they turned us down'. Perhaps the elaborate stories they laced around their collections were too gothic for the taste of the fashion council at the time? Their early off-schedule presentations included titles like Rega por Nosotros (Pray for Us), a wry comment on religious fervour common in South America and the slightly macabre 'Fire in the Japanese Park'; neither particularly outlandish by European standards but perhaps a little acidic on the delicate stomach of the Argentine fashion establishment. Unperturbed they applied for fashion week once more, this time with the help of Noel's siblings. Their collection was a celebration of underground culture: 'Le Freak c'est Chic' and it went down a storm 'That's when we launched the label. We made a lot of noise at fashion week and finally got lots of attention from people'.

Above and below: AY not Dead's third store, now their sales outlet, Paradise Garage in Palermo Soho

Very soon Noel and co opened their first boutique in the venue of an infamous 90s rock club in the undiscovered barrio of Palermo. More outlets followed and by the time they were partying in the newest edition to their small chain the night before my interview, they had a lot more to celebrate: their womenswear collections are now available on the racks of Urban Outfitters and Selfridges in London and they have various movers and shakes from the states sniffing around too.

Above and below: looks at the launch party

So, what is it that's making the foreign buyers travel all the way to BA to knock at their door? At first glance their silhouettes and cuts don't stand out from a lot of commercial fashion that's available much closer to home. As Noel herself admits she's 'not so interested in the craft or the elegance of fashion'. For me, AY Not Dead's unique pulling power is the cultural depth of the designs and the fun with symbol-laden narratives season after season. In AY Not Dead's symbolic universe there's no distinction between high and low culture: everything's valid. This ethos has helped create Black Jesus, a fictictious band which released a real album for their collection 'Africa Meets Heavy metal' inspired by a poster of an African Jesus Noel dug out at Dalston market; a selection of jokey fake t-shirts of iconic European designers that don't sell their work in South America; and a collection of international tribal prints in Les Fleurs du Mal. It sounds like a cliche but the result is a line that could only come out of the long-term cultural crucible which is Buenos Aires, situated as it is so far from everywhere yet sometimes with it's back to the rest of the world and looking over it's shoulder. 'I'm much more interested in the social process of fashion. So I am always exploring that and the culture it sits in' Noel explains.

Above: Argentine designer and backer of AY Not Dead, Maria Cher

Towards the end of the interview I try to slip back to that mystery of the name, hoping by now I might have softened her resolve to keep things secret...'We were smoking a lot of pot at that time!' Noel confesses... I definitely don't make myself fully in charge of it!'. Fair enough...

Below: more partygoers at the AY Not Dead store launch

On the chalkboard: ManAboutWorld at fashion weeks...

Man About Berlin: Cocktail d'Amore

2010-01-09T11:38:00.002Z

Around this time I often head South: TV shoots or pleasure trips usually take me down to the Mediterranean where you get a couple more hours of sunlight and a few degrees warmer for your buck. But this winter I've been getting familiar with the cold streets of Northern Europe, spending weeks in Leipzig, Vienna and Berlin.

Obviously these cities are freezing this time of year...I was prepared for that: I had my thick wool Dries van Noten trousers that are far too warm for a normal winter in London packed in my carry on and even dug out my secret weapon long johns. But nothing could have prepared me for the deserted streets that would face me in each place. Where was everyone? The restaurants and bars were dead, often appearing to have been closed since the summer and there didn't even seem to be much of a light emanating from people's home windows...

The puzzle was part-solved one night when I was dragged around a few of Berlin's more raw nightspots by a new friend who seemed to know where to find the buzz. Armed with his mobile of contacts we set off and club hopped from one speakeasy to the next. We strode down the most unlikely of dark streets and knocked on doors with the most subtle of signs - just enough to tell those in the know that they'd found the right door without giving the game away to unwelcome visitors.

My pick on that cold night in Berlin was Cocktail D'Amore, a monthly party, celebrating it's 3rd happening. It was rammed to it's light industrial rafters with a familiar polysexual crowd of moustached marys and out-there girls getting down to retro electro and wholesome techno. This delightful German cocktail is mixed by Berlin regular Boris together with Discodromo's Giaccomo and Giovanni. Venue trends change in Berlin at least as quick as anywhere else in Europe and not long there'll be another night taking it's mantle. But for now this place gets my money and I thoroughly recommend you track it down if you're in the German capital this Spring.

On the slate...Man About Buenos Aires

The see-through story continues: more sheer, transparency and lace

2009-10-17T21:19:00.008+01:00

Above: Lesser-known designer Tim Soar played a clever card by showing his collection back-to-back with B Store on schedule at London Fashion Week. He used the chance to show many sheer items including this nylon trench.
Below: Louise Gray's colourful layered translucents at London showrooms in Paris. Her current collection is available at James Jeanette's store on Redchurch Street.

OK, so we all know that transparency, sheer fabrics and lace layers are going to be even bigger next summer. I was so excited about the use of these textures back at Graduate Fashion Week that I said it would be a future trend and dedicated a full post to it.

In actual fact it’s been bubbling under for a whole lot longer than that. It first came to my attention nearly two years ago when I was filming a fashion makeover show in India. The presenter chose a gorgeous layered dress with white sheer inner and black lace outer to dress up the awkward contributor. And even that was a high street knock-off inspired by earlier layered lace by Prada.

But I saw SO much of it again in London and Paris that I thought it was worth another look. Here’s my pick of the best examples of the next chapter in this ongoing trend which I've spotted on my travels, mainly taken from next summer’s collections.

Above: Over-laid lace panels at the Goldie SS10 show, off schedule London Fashion Week.
Below: There's a hole in my coat...Macedonian-born, Bali producing designer Marjan Pejowski's cool transparent trench. Just don't expect it to keep you dry!

When one of London's most directional brands puts themselves firmly nehind one trend you know it's hot: House of Holland's SS10 collection for Women (above) and men.

Above: Erdem's SS10 collection features these intricate overlaid lace numbers along side his trademark digital floral prints.

Below: It all started here...or at least she was there before. One of many of Madeleine Vionnet's amazing exploration in transparency on show at Paris' Musee des Arts Decoratifs till 31st January

On the slate...

Ain't no party like a Westwood party... Westwood Vs Westwood/London Vs Paris

2009-10-15T01:24:00.012+01:00

OK, so it may seem a little unfair to compare what was essentially a staff party bolted onto a small Parisian club night with a full-on rave in the generously sponsored Red Bull sorting office with free bar for hundreds of press, mates and blaggers (above), a little light-hearted competition is always fun in my book... So I thought it would be a good idea to compare the shots I took at the respective after-show parties that brand Vivienne Westwood threw this season following her Red Label and Gold Label shows in London and Paris respectively.

Who’s got more style? You decide…

You're SO cool London!

All photos taken at Vivienne Westwood Red Label after party, Red Bull space, September 20th

Above: the ever-creative Dan Lismore goes ethnic.
Below: Breakdance candy bar.

Above: London, Paris, New York...Berlin. This type androgynous look is hot everywhere right now.
Below: Performer Masumi Tipsy Saito in slinky 40s chic with slimline hat and fur shrug.

Above and Below (M from Bitching and Junkfood) : Hair you like it...in London you don't have to be a floozy to like a good shag these days.

Above: A reveller in Comme des Garcons short culottes. Hot last season, bigger next...
Below: It's a Westwood party! Didn't they get the message? ManAboutWorld and another Galliano fan remind everyone that Westwood's not the only British designer to keep coming back to the man's skirt.

Tu est TROP chic Paris!

All photos taken at ChaCha club Friday 2nd October during the Vivinne Westwood Gold Label after show party.

Above: A Parisian party-goer toes the Westwood part line.
Below: an Italian friend sports his trademark intelectual thanks to much help from Comme.

Above: French guy funks it up with drop crotch pants and on trend double belting
Below: Sleek jerseys given some edge with a navy hat.

Above: Westwood intern Sharlene sports her maitre's tights and a vanity bag that gave me some serious envy.
Below: Vacationer from Oz, Mitch sports a contrasting plaid kilt and cream leggings. Inspired...

Above: Not a look you see everyday in Paris. Love the dressed down guard's jacket and navy hat (again...).
Below: Layers of black, studs and tassel shoulder detail. Tres now...

On the slate...Paris street fashion and more cool stuff from my walk around the showrooms...

Hussein Chalayan Spring Summer 2010

2009-10-12T03:21:00.013+01:00

At 18 I left my small town of Matlock in Derbyshire and moved to Madrid. Madrid was all things that Matlock wasn't: clubbing all night and then all day in the underground after-hours clubs, afternoons spent in sun-drenched plazas drinking Mahou and endless journeys of discovery in contemporary art around the recently opened Reina Sofia Museum.

It was in the Reina Sofia that I first came across the slashed canvases of Lucio Fontana. The fascination was instant but it took me some time to realise that it was the suggestion of another world behind the slashing and stabbing of the canvases that intrigued me. For me, these incisions alluded to a land beyond the canvas that was just out of reach.

Above: Lucio Fontana, Concetto Spaziale, Attesse, (Spatial Concepts) 1965, courtesy Guggenheim Collection
Below: Photo of Lucio Fontana by Ugo Mulas

Hussein Chalayan's Spring Summer 2010 catwalk in Paris last week, entitled Dolce Far Niente (translated by himself as Doing Sweet F*** all) came in a year when Chalayan could hardly have been criticised for resting on his own laurels. Following last year's appointment to the Creative Director role at Puma, he had a hand in the curation of the first major retrospective of his work in the UK at the Design Museum earlier this year, took part in various associated events as well as countless other projects around the world for both his own brand and for his new position at Puma. During the three visits I made to the Design Museum exhibition, my jaw ended up on the floor on various occasions. I was particularly awestruck by the landmark moment the models turned the coffee room set into furniture in AW2000 collection, After Words and the amazing animatronics in his SS2007 collection One Hundred and Eleven, neither of which I'd seen on a big screen before. I was left wondering what a mind-blowing experience it must have been to witness these shows, which had made me think about fashion in a completely new way, in person...

Above: the austere surroundings of the Couvent des Cordeliers.
Below: the backstage area across the convent courtyard

So it was with much excitement that I arrived at the Couvent des Cordeliers in Paris last week for Chalayan's Spring Summer 2010 catwalk. Once inside I perched next to the band and noticed a handsome figure decked out in a dinner jacket, somewhat nervously standing at a lectern at the other side of the stage from me. It was Hussein, with rather more hair than usual. When the show started and as the models entered, he announced key points in the collection in French. I fear subtlety of meaning some of this was lost on me but in any case I loved the element of refined showmanship. Every season Hussein seems able to bring an element of show to his collection but always with originality and always imbuing it with cool in the most unpredictable ways.

Below: Hussein in a dress suit announces the looks

And so to the collection.

Where the work of Fontana intrigues me for the other worlds hinted through the incisions in the layers of paint and canvas, Hussein's new collection excited me through the subtle revelations of flesh offered by the repeated slashes, transparency and pointed layering. Having blogged my interest in transparency a few months ago and seen a lot of it on other catwalks over the last few weeks, it was great to see Hussein use it in a mature and highly original way. Here, the long sheer, feminine dresses were contrasted dramatically by unexpected gentlemen's tailoring-inspired details and surrealist hands gripping the fabric, twisting it from below, from the world beneath the dress.

As I kept watching I saw more evidence of hidden forces and private territories below the surface of the clothes. Many looks featured pointed bras which poked themselves to the surface of the sheer outer layers. Backs had cutaway panels, maxi length dresses were slashed at the waist and holes were cut in the hats for visors to drop-down with characteristic Chalayan techno-charm. I saw a world beneath the dresses, bodies that were looking to escape; but this was carried out with subtlety and suggestion which left me fascinated and wanting to know more about this force rather than being visually assaulted by the over exposure we saw on so many catwalks the week before in Milan.

Thanks for showing me this world Hussein: once again you have taught me to look at clothes in a new way.

See videos from all Hussein's show and a walk through the Design Museum exhibition on his official site.

And keep up-to-date with all things Chalayan from 3rd party collection reviews to sample sale news on his label's blog.

Find out more about Lucio Fontana.

On the slate...more to come from ManAboutParis and a Vivienne Westwood London Vs Paris party-off.

Transformer bags part 1: Benedetta Bruzziches' shows off her transformable box bag

2009-10-06T09:19:00.007+01:00

I've been interested in transformable clothing since my mid 90s Gaultier obsession. This fascination has been re-kindled this year with new designers in both clothing and accessories using 2 or 3-in-1 designs to conceptually satisfy the demands of our recession-hit lifestyles. I'll be doing a full post on this soon but for now here's a fun video I shot yesterday with Italian designer Benedetta Bruzziches who showed her first leather accessories collection in Tranoi, Montaigne this week.

On the slate...back stage, in the clubs, on the catwalk and the street...ManAboutParis

Man About Paris Part 2: Pick of Tranoi Carrousel du Louvre Showrooms

2009-10-02T20:14:00.009+01:00

The other day I popped into one of the three Tranoi showrooms (the one at Carrousel du Louvre) to check out the array of mainly European designers selling womenswear and accessories. Here's my pick of the coolest stuff from their Spring Summer 2010 ranges. Much more to come from Paris including catwalk, street and club looks and more trend forecasts from the best showrooms.

Above: OK, so I'm no Lady Gaga but these shade from the projects range have gained instant icon status and the black frames make them wearable.
Below: Out of House of Holland's collaboration comes these single coloured 'fashion glasses'. unfortunately to keep the colour unified they had to lose the UV protection.

Linda Farrow

Tracy Sedino and Co keep expanding their reach and are now without a doubt the strongest brand for designer sunglasses tie-ups. Their impressive range encompasses both established names like Dries Van Noten, Matthew Williamson and Eley Kishimoto and with lesser established names under their Projects banner often producing more experimental and directional pieces. Their space was one of the most popular there and I saw lots of assistants scribbling away at order sheets...

Above: You know I'm a sucker for masks so I love these Jeremy Scott Batman glasses.
Below: A little bit early 80s Cazals, a little bit late 90's clubwear, Peter Pilotto's frames are more subtle but very cool.

Earthbound/post-apocalyptic trend continues...

Sure there's lots of colour coming through for SS10: but there were sill plenty of suppliers from Italy and Asia pushing the Armageddon look that I've been talking about so much on here. This expressed itself through distressed lambs leather, shawl cardigan, long jackets, all in monochrome and styled with lots of layering as shown in these pics taken at the stand by Japanese brand, Golem:

Trend: Flags and antique fabric

Another British stand that was teaming with buyers on order missions was Bolongaro Trevor. I've been a regular visitor of their off Carnaby Street store for a while. Their designs which combine lots of vintage styled fabrics and flag designs with sharp and inventive cuts give an overall look which is part nouveau-boho, part cool Britannia. While I was in Tranoi, Westwood was across town showing her Gold Label collection of vintage draped, DIY inspired clothes. This makes me think it's a trend to watch and an interesting alternative to the the two biggest movement: bright digital prints and dark post-apocalyptic draping.

Below: Hong Kong based Hidy N.G. were showing a simlar nouveau-boho/vintage fabric look through Showroom Romeo.

Above and below: When Qasimi showed at London Fashion Week a few Sunday's ago their catwalk created a big impact. After missing that I had a good chat with some of the people behind the brand. I was amazed to here that they make everything in Dalston, London. With fans like Lady Gaga pushing their designs, I reckon their name will profile will continue to grow and their next collection will be eagerly awaited. I was impressed with the price point to - the red biker jacket will retail at around £1,000. With realistic prices like that they deserve to get the retail sorted...

Finally some real colour: transparency from Osklen, Brazil (above) and the mature yet fun digital prints of Italians MSGM.

On the slate: the pick of Paris fashion from the catwalk, the street and in the city's most exiting clubs...

Man About Paris Part 1

2009-09-30T23:52:00.011+01:00

Above: I'd been wanting to pay homage to 31 Rue Cambon for years. And after loving the few menswear pieces that Dover Street Market had in their Chanel special collection last year, I was also really looking forward to seeing the new collection as it's usually the only place in the world that sells any of it. They don't even have it on show: I had to ask for a discreet wardobe door to be opened and they closed it as soon as I finished trying things on. After I left and just as I was taking some exterior shots of the house, Karl Lagerfeld and Anna Wintour popped into frame...

When I gave my blog the rather grand title Man About World I did it semi tongue-in-cheek but also to refer to the globe-trotter-like way that I spend some years. Working as a factual TV producer/director I’m used to grabbing my carry-on luggage and a camera kit and being handed an itinerary which tells me to jump straight in a cab to the airport and just has a list of hire car references and hotel bookings for some city or country I’ve never been to or maybe even never heard of before.

It’s pretty ironic then that is the first time I’ve made use of my passport since starting the blog a full fashion season ago. Since then it’s been more Man About London than anything else. Anyway, today I arrived in Paris. Yes, it’s Paris fashion week and I'll be going to a few shows and showrooms but what actually brought me here was a long-standing need to reconnect with my nearest neighbouring capital and one of the most important fashion cities after a 14 year absence…

After getting settled into my friend’s flat and shoving an amazing steak frites down my eager gullet, I headed out for a stroll starting at Les Halles and ending several kilometres and a few hours later at L’Etoile Arc du Triomphe.

These are some of the things I saw and thoughts I had along the way…

Above: Anna made a point of pointing out something from the grass green tweed collection.

Above: 31 Rue Cambon, home of the strongest name in fashion
Below: Upstairs, where about 400 people work in the offices and put the haute couture together in the ateliers.

Above: The window of Colette. Mannequins wear layered shear silk crepe covering other fabrics and the same fabric thought over their faces. The lace face covering and layers are still around, as seen by Lady Gaga in her red lace outfit which she accepted an MTV award in recently. But we’ve seen so much sheer and translucent finishes on the catwalk in the last few weeks (from menswear designer Tim Soar’s ripstop nylon in London to Versace’s transparent minis) that I think the flat translucent fabrics will takeover in a major way over the next 3-6 months. Both is these were trends I was interested in back at Graduate Fashion Week in June.

Below: I love the line given by belting men's jackets at the moment. From Thom Browne's 70s safari-inspired wide belts in the fabric which matched jacket to these thin leather ones styled by the visual merchandiser at Kenzo, it's a directional look which is smart yet fun.

Above and below: inventive window displays at Lanvin

Above: Braided black leather jacket in the window but sold out at Zara Champs-Elysees and allegedly every other branch...now will they learn to take a few more risks on statement pieces like this or do they still believe men want to hide away in ill-fitting blandness?

Below: A great men's cape in Givenchy...but then you know I love capes already...

Below: I can't take off these rough cotton drop-crotch chinos from All Saints since I bought them last week. The loose on top, tapered aesthetic which probably started with Nichloas Guesquierre's jodhpurs for women 4 seasons ago has finally filtered down this far and is giving men an alternative to the skinnies and straight legs which have been most guys uniform since Slimane at Dior about 4 years ago.

On the slate...

Trend report: Women's Geometric and Crystalline Jewellery

2009-09-28T11:12:00.011+01:00

Above: Irregular crystalline wrist pieces and oversized earings still managed to make a big impression despite the extreme prints and shapes on the Belle Sauvage catwalk.

Women fighting back: the story so far...

As I've mentioned here before, a lot of people have spent the last 9 months complaining that womenswear is not as exciting as menswear this year. Now it seems people designing women's clothes are coming to a consensus that the best way to fight back and create interest is through exciting accessories.

As men borrow more and more from womenswear - the long dress-shape knits form many designers but best executed by Rick Owens this season, Topman's long-awaited expansion which has allowed them to begin to appeal to the more experimental among us, the creatives behind women's fashion and the girls themselves are grabbing extreme accessories as totem protectors of the femininity. This is the last in a series of three posts, from material shot during London Fashion Week and before, focusing on specific women's accessories trends which I'm excited about right now.

Above: I've been shooting these geometric necklaces for a while now but this is a particularly nice example from designer Lucy Huchings, represented by Robinson Pfeffer and modelled by one of their agents in 180 The Strand last week.
Below: This fashion journalist's bright clothes and explosive neckpiece was a welcome respite to all the dark uniforms most people at LFW were wearing.

Take it in the neck...or on the wrist

Elsewhere the trend will be for anything as long as it's large but with a further increase of the geometric trend and plastic jewellery. At first glance this clean, techno look goes completely in contrast to the post-apocalyptic trend I've written about previously. In many ways it's everything the earthbound look isn't: colourful, untextured, synthetic and often symmetrical. But what is really fascinating for me is that they actually converge in their loose referencing of tribal motifs and shapes, particularly on the neckpieces.

Above and below: a jewellery tutor from Edinburgh School of Art shows of one of her own geometric designs incorporating plastic and crystals. Shot at Graduate fashion week at Earl's Court in June.

Above: Sister of St Martin's shoe design student Nina shows that, when it comes to accessories this season, for her, more is more.
Below: These colourful designs combine the trend for bright, geometric jewellery with the tribal fashions which are also coming through strong.

Above: Flat, pressed metal pendants are the more wearable way of hitting the geo trend. These were on display during LFW at 180 The Strand but cheaper similars are already on the high street.
Below: If in doubt, put it on your shoulders: a designer at On/Off shows that any trend these days can convert into shoulder details...

On the slate...

Trend report: Accessorageous...Womens Hats

2009-09-27T11:11:00.001+01:00

Above: Little Shilpa! I finally got to check out her one-off pieces at the LFW showrooms. I was blown away by the exciting cultural references with inspiration taken from anything and everything. A full pret-a-porter collection of unisex accessories is also available. Contact Blow PR for details.

Women fighting back: the story so far...

As I've mentioned here before, a lot of people have spent the last 9 months complaining that womenswear is not as exciting as menswear this year. Now it seems people designing women's clothes are coming to a consensus that the best way to fight back and create interest is through exciting accessories.

As men borrow more and more from womenswear - the long dress-shape knits form many designers but best executed by Rick Owens this season, Topman's long-awaited expansion which has allowed them to begin to appeal to the more experimental among us, the creatives behind women's fashion and the girls themselves are grabbing extreme accessories as totem protectors of the femininity. This is the second of three posts, from material shot during London Fashion Week and before, focusing on specific women's accessories trends which I'm excited about right now.

Hats

Something tells me we'll see more and more women wearing hats over the coming seasons. It's another territory currently under-explored by the men and I reckon women and the creatives behind women's fashion will seize on this fact to differentiate them from the blokes wearing women's jackets and guyliner.

Above and below: more out-of-the box headgear from Little Shilpa

Above and below: J Smith Esq's bespoke millinery designs, showing at Somerset house, represented by Blow and produced in Soho, London. Inspired by shipwrecked bodies and washed up treasures, the naturally toned collection makes a heavy use of rope, feathers and shells.

Below: Hat designer and author of the book Fashion Fabulous London, Tracy Rose, shows off one of her own designs. Each she impressed with another extravagant creation.

On the slate...

Trend report: Accessorageous...Womens footwear

2009-09-26T12:31:00.001+01:00

Above: Fresh from her collaborations with Henry Holland, the super talented Atalanta Weller was kind enough to allow me to photograph her samples for SS10.
Below: Some even more dramatic designs made by Atalanta.

Women fighting back: intro

As I've mentioned here before, alot of people have spent the last 9 months complaining that womenswear is not as exciting as menswear this year. Now it seems people designing women's clothes are coming to a consensus that the best way to fight back and create interest is through exciting accessories.

As men borrow more and more from womenswear - the long dress-shape knits form many designers but best executed by Rick Owens this season, Topman's long-awaited expansion which has allowed them to begin to appeal to the more experimental among us, the creatives behind womens fashion and the girls themselves are grabbing extreme accessories as totem protectors of the femininity. This is the first of three posts, from material shot during London Fashion Week and before, focusing on specific women's accessories trends which I'm excited about right now.

Heels

Since these accessories are about women staking their claim to their femininity and their wardrobe it's no surprise that something which has traditionally been a no-go area for men has become the main weapon of choice in this sartorial battle of the sexes. For me, footwear is the most exciting sector of womenswear right now. Similar to the effect of the new CAD programmes used for Frank Ghery's Bilbao Guggenheim which were then simulated by architects all around the globe, it's the one area where technological breakthroughs such as rapid prototyping and centrifugal molding are having a huge effect on the shape of the products and all this is feeding back into the imagination of the designers whether or not they're using those specific techniques. The result is sharp shapes and sculptural forms that blend feminine curves with Zaha Hadid-esque angles.

Above and below: One of the many highlights of this year's RCA graduate show was the display of Chau Har Lee's women's footwear. Unsurprisingly she caught a lot of people's attention with her avant garde designs. Following graduation, she won the Its 8 award which will be funding another collection from her and Manolo Blahnik also picked her out for a prize in his award collaboration with the Royal College.

Above and below: Central St Martin's masters student, Nina's designs as worn to the B Store after party at Kettners last week by the designer and her sister...

Below: Stefano Pilati at Yves Saint Laurent is producing my favourite internationally available shoe designs right now. Hot on the heals (pardon the pun) of the my favourite shoes of last season - the soon-to-be iconic Cage design, the originality of these AW09 Bandage shoes comes from the inset stiletto which gives a cantilever effect. Available in YSL now.

On the slate...

London Fashion Week on schedule show: Wintle SS10 Finale Video

2009-09-24T23:50:00.004+01:00

Here's the finale video from Wintle's SS 2010 collection shown on schedule at Somerset House yesterday, humbly delivered via my Lumix...

I wasn't exactly knocked off my seat by the originality but when given the main references were the last few McQueen summer collections (pastels, dip dye cottons, fine knits, sheers) and Lanvin (two-textured brogues, mauve) their designs were still a delight to see go down the ramp. There'll be more looks from the show in future posts.

In case you're new to this brand, you can get them in one of my favourite South Molton Street stores, Vertice.

London Fashion Week, Vauxhall Fashion Scout Show: Belle Sauvage SS10 Finale Video

2009-09-24T23:22:00.004+01:00

I loved the Belle Sauvage show this week at Vauxhall Fashion Scout. In fact the only complaint about Virginia Ferreira and Christian Neuman's ranges is that they don't do a high end men's range: only a simpler diffusion line with less detail on the prints.

Expect to see more from their show up here soon. Meanwhile, enjoy the hand-held finale video...

Scarlett Etienne with a bit of help from Peter Breen and Alexander McQueen

2009-09-23T00:16:00.010+01:00

When Scarlett Etienne burst onto the catwalk at Ziad Ghanem's hotly awaited and extremely buzzy show, she excited the crowd in a way that gave the designer's colourful prints and wacky, spiky cut denim a real run for its money. Up till then the mood had been pretty sombre: the models expressionless speed-walks contrasting heavily with the drama of the clothes. But as soon as she appeared Scarlett's magnetic energy shook up the whole audience, waking them from their blase slumber and sending a bolt of lightening through the room!

So I was really glad to bump into her tonight at Stavros Kar's shop, Digitaria's drinks party hosted by Johnny Blueeyes. Without realising this was the live wire I'd seen strut down the ramp a couple of days before and no idea who she was yet a great deal of respect for her outfit I asked her for a few shots. Not only did she let me pap her but we popped across the street and ended up spending the next 15 minutes comparing fashion week notes, our love for McQueen's Faithful line and realising that we were practically old friends having met under slightly more sordid circumstances a few months back at a Japanese bondage festival in Bethnal Green's Resistance Galleries.

Scarlett explained that she's been spinning electro pop/techno disks for 9 or so years now as well as playing live gigs. I'll definitely be campaigning my local MP/promoter mates to get her some slots at my favourite hangouts as soon as possible... But when it comes to style she claims she'd be nothing with Hackney Wick based stylist Peter Breen.

Above: Scarlett out partying in McQueen and chatting with me at the Digitaria store party tonight on Berwick Street.

Below: The gloves and boots, both from McQueen's faithful collection.

Above: First impressions...Scarlett at our first brief encounter at Resistance Galleries Hentai Festival

Below: Gimme the bag Scarlett...you've got far to may already...

Above: OK, so the streets of Soho are dark places...here are Scarlett's/McQueen's Faithful booties in CU.

Below: As I've previously blogged, I love two-in-ones and all convertible clothing right now. So my personal favourite item from the Faithful collection is this clutch with Scarlett's bike glove integrated. FIERCE! And ManAboutWorld's only ever forked out more than £1,000 for a bag with skulls on it...enough said.

Below: Scarlett's stylist Peter doesn't let the side down either. The first time I met him was at a New year's Eve party about 5 years ago. Then he was wearing a rubber duck in his hair. These days he usually keeps things more monochrome...

Credits...

Scarlette Etienne

Alexander McQueen Faithful

Digitaria

Peter Breen

Resistance Gallery

On the slate...more from London Fashion Week

The Fashion Scout: Street style outside Belle Sauvage - Ed Thomas

2009-09-23T00:16:00.000+01:00

The Fashion Scout: Street style outside Belle Sauvage - Ed Thomas

MAW's short film for Alexandra Groover's SS10 presentation at Vauxhall Fashion Scout

2009-09-21T22:27:00.009+01:00

The last few weeks have been manic: a full-time contract directing for a BBC architecture series which has seen me shooting on location pretty much every day, nightly filming for a documentary I'm making about Iranian-born fashion designer Pierre Garroudi and preparing for the run-up to London and Paris fashion weeks... Somewhere in the middle of all that I made this short film for Alexandra Groover's Vauxhall Fashion Scout presentation.

Above: Model Basia peeks out through the ingenious organza visor hat. I loved these and would completely wear them myself. You all know how obsessed I've been with masks, balaclavas and pretty much anything that covers the face but these great head pieces do it in an altogether subtler way. And after Lady Gaga's MTV appearance in a red lace mask, that can only be a good thing.

The simplicity of the clothes were meant to be reflected in the treatment of the video. To be honest though, Alexandra and I only talked for the first time the night before the filming and the video had to be conceived in the half an hour or so while the model went through hair and make-up so anything other than a simple treatment would have been tricky to pull off! The piece was excellently edited by James Herbert who I hope will be one of my editors on the Pierre Garroudi documentary. Inspired by the eerie soundtrack from Stephen O'Malley, I was pleased with the range and pace of effects we used to help keep the interest across the looks without distracting from the minimal yet chic designs.

Above: My favourite piece from the collection... An organza LBD with a panelled hunchback/lizard profile paneled hood. Beautiful, wearable, adaptable yet highly original. Love it!

Below: When Alexandra and Yasu teamed the sleeveless lycra catsuits with capes, I suddenly felt hit by a monochrome update of 60s silhouettes...in a good way. Alexandra's love of circles, translucency and black also reminded me of my favourite womenswear from Comme des Garcons this summer...

Crew shots...starting with stylist Yasu Takehisa and hair stylist Taku Sugawara doing their thing and ending with some idiot called ed wearing one of Taku's horny hats.

Get another view of the presentation including another video on Hannah Kane's Vauxhall Fashion Scout Blog

Check out Alexandra's other work here.

And the work of talented stylist Yasu Takehisha here and here and here .

On the slate...

Yes: I have been squeezing in a few catwalk shows, presentations and parties too. My pick of the most creative things I've seen will be up here soonest...

The Skin Game: Summer Furs...Summer Blog-off with Bitching and Junkfood Continues

2009-08-17T23:39:00.013+01:00

The Story so far…

Since last week ManAboutWorld and Bitching and Junkfood have been hanging out and chewing the fat in our not-so dusty archives. We’ve pulled together key images from London’s underground club scene, this year’s graduation catwalks and the coolest streets in the capital and we’re producing a run-down of the hot trends we’ve been seeing on our travels. If you haven’t already, check out last week’s posts and blog-backs on Men’s Makeup and Post-Apocalyptic style.

Above and below: the inimitable and highly creative Zack Holland at Disco Demolition last Saturday with his trademark suspended short/leiderhosen/skirt; this time in colourful real fur.

Skins

While I was hunting and gathering shots for last week’s Armageddon post I realised that within that trend I had enough shots to warrant a whole post on one part of the trend which is particularly hot (in all senses) right now: summer fur. As with the blanket/layering/shawl trend and most other fashions which emerge at the opposite time of year from when it would normally be expected, the popularity of fur’s likely go through the roof once it’s natural season of Autumn/Winter starts in earnest.

Above: Fake fur luxe jacket outside Slave to Fashion
Below: This combination of bare chest and quilted bag suggest the post apocalyptic and luxe feel of fur both in the same look

As a politicised vegetarian for 17 years of my life, fur isn’t something I’ve had a great deal of personal experience with. I’m fascinated with the fact that it symbolises both the ultimate in luxury, after all where else in fashion apart from jewellery and haute couture will you find standard items costing tens of thousands of dollars? Yet at the same time it takes us back to our caveman roots, pointing to a time both before the existence of Selfridges, Bloomingdales etc as well as a post-apocalyptic future when all things civilised have been wiped from the planet. As such it walks a difficult tightrope between high sophistication and simple subsistence.

Above: Another party goer at Disco Demolition
Below: Fur collar at a Film Noir's June Dalston Superstore party

These extremes are mirrored in the way fur is branded by the industry which reminds us that it’s the material of choice for the high culture of opera goers and aristocrats versus the anti fur campaigners who remind us of the barbarism of the production of the skins. Personally I feel more comfortable buying second hand as I believe it’s a way of using the fur that’s already out there without really supporting the industry in any negligible way. One thing’s for sure, with so many designers from Alexander McQueen to Ann Demeulmeester offering fur this winter we should be ready to see much more of it as soon as the thermometer starts to head south.

Above: Jason Mui Graduation Show (Nottingham Trent University School of Art and design)
Below: Holly Russell Graduation Show (Manchester Metropolitan University/Manchester School of Art)

Above: Nathaniel Parchment shows fur after a night at Vogue Fabrics
Below: My £3 fur collar from an unofficial trader at the Brick Lane street market

If you’re interested in reading more about how the fur reaches the racks, take a look at the propaganda-heavy Campaign to Abolish the Fur Trade website or this article in the Independent which appears to give a more balanced account.

Club credits:

Disco Demolition, hosted by Dan Lismore and Henry Conway, every Friday at 24, Kingly Street

Slave to Fashion, every Saturday at Beach Blanket Babylon

Film Noir, occasionally at Dalston Superstore and every 4th Friday of the month at Ghetto, Old Street

Punk, various parties. Check out Ferofero.com for the best ones

Vogue Fabrics, occasional parties. 666 Stoke Newington High Street, Dalston

OVER TO YOU M....

The End of the World...Armageddon Style. A Blog-back to M from Bitching and Junkfood:

2009-08-13T23:42:00.019+01:00

Bitching and Junkfood's latest post has got me all het up about the end of the world in 2012 and to be honest I'm rather looking forward to it! For me it just seems like yet another excuse to get dressed up... And one thing's for sure: if Armageddon really is coming, I want to make sure I'm wearing the right gear. From the graduate catwalks to East End clubs and streets I've been noticing a huge trend in looks with a Armageddon/Apocalypse theme. These are some of the looks I reckon we should all be rocking when the big meteorite says 'ta-ta' to style-kind as we know it...

Above: Simon Shilton, RCA Graduate collection

Protection: hard as nails...

Psychologically speaking this is the denial stage of Armageddon chic. Instead of facing up to certain doom, people are trying to save themselves with protective gear: spikes, armour, anything they can to fight back against the threat of annihilation. Offence is the best form of defence!

Above right: clubber at kinbaku event in Bethnal Green's Resistance Gallery.

Taking cover

So, you've worn your spikes and you've put up a good fight. But now the end of the world is getting ever nearer and there's no point in struggling...What do you do? If you can't beat 'em: hide! Here, the threat of imminent apocalypse has people heading for the covers: blankets, shawls and layered coats. It ties in with another of my favourite looks of now: homeless chic. Colours are generally muted: naturals, greys and blacks and materials are usually natural too: wool, leather sometimes mixed with metallics. This is the part of the apocalypse trend that fashion forecasters WGSN have been focusing on with their Earthbound trend report...

Above: Jasper Sinchai Chadrapajong's RCA Graduate Collection

Below: Jason Mui, Nottingham Trent University Graduate Collection

Above left: old Indian guy on bus takes cover under his shawl.

Above left: Protester at G20 Bank demonstration
Above right: Clubber at Caligula 1st night

Dreadlocks: Cave Life takes it's toll

With the world's salons flattened and Aveda haircare all but a distant memory we'll be embracing dreadlocks as the low-maintenance hair style of the future. As M pointed out in her post it's not just the Hackney Wickers who already sporting dreads in preparation. I spotted these hot cavegirls around Brick Lane daytime and nighttime over the last few weeks...

Creative Scavenging - sticks and stones and animals

These looks street looks I saw recently also hit the Armageddon trend. This is about scavenging anything we need which can help us in the post apocalyptic world: crystals, bits of computers, tools and animals...

Where are the animals? I reckon fur and feathers is such an important part of this trend, I'll be doing a separate post on this tomorrow. Check then for more Mad Max looks with just a little lux coming through...

MAW Vs Bitching and Junkfood Blog off: No bare faced cheek! Men in makeup

2009-08-11T00:02:00.015+01:00

Part 1 of a bitch-fest-blog-off with M of Bitching and Junkfood...Starting today M and I are blogging on the keys trends emerging from London's highly directional underground club scene. These guys don't follow fashion, they tell it where to go and they make it happen. Let the bitching commence...

Above: Alexandra Moon-Age (left): 'Dem Bitches stole my facepaint!' to Nadir Tejani and Marshall Johnson (behind)

Men in makeup: hardly a new thing...back in the post-disco daze queens were kitting themselves out in face colour and straight guys were borrowing the ladeez makeup whether the women liked it or not.

Above: Claudio Claystl and mates get creative and just a little deranged with their colourful box of tricks. The face colour feeds through to their outfits which mix textures, patterns and colours.

But in recent years blokes, especially straight-ish ones pretty much forgot about makeup and despite market developments like Gaultier launching his own range specifically for men, a quick trackback of the celluloid archives of Boombox et al shows us that colourful faces were the exception rather than the norm...until now.

Above: tireless DJ and sometimes accessories designer Jun Shimbo with his signature liner. The success of Jun's look has inspired me to steal this lately but I struggle to achieve his subtlety...

Below: LCF student buddies Nadir and Marshall's face adornments have blown me away time after time. Their ability to create such drama while restricting themselves so often to a monochrome pallet shows just how inventive these guys are...

With the huge early 80s - early 90s revival, especially new romanticism, and the more gender-bending lens we've slapped onto nu-disco this year, makeup, facepaint and full-on facial accessories have become just another expected part of the look rather than a focus in themselves. From Jon Shimbo's trademark subtle black eye liner to Nadir Tejani's dramatic weekly facial art, the most directional individuals will rarely venture out with barefaced cheek...

Above: Love this look though I prefer even darker and more defined around the eyes so it really looks like a mask. A poster on the wall in the old Ghetto inspired me to try it a couple of years ago and I've gone back to it recently. It's fairly easy to achieve with masking tape. For a non-run effect apply Screenface's Luxe Creme Liner with a wet brush.

Above/below: Don't leave home without it....Men's makeup ain't the drama it once was. It's just as much an ordinary part of the outfit as the boots on yer feet.

Above/below (Andrew Carbery-Row): glam punk...at Dan Lismore's night, Slave to Fashion every Saturday at Beach Blanket Babylon, Shoreditch.

Camp Vamps at Dalston Superstore (above) and Slave to Fashion (below - Alejandro Gocast)

Above: another subtle look
Below: Gage...awesome.

BITCH THAT MARION!!!!

On ManAboutWorld's side of the MAW Vs Bitching and Junkfood slate...

Sex in the Churchyard

2009-08-08T11:27:00.008+01:00

Above: Leo (left) and Jim

Leo Belicha and Jim Warboy’s new all-night, every Friday club Caligula became my end of the week hangout joint when it opened in June. Pretty much whatever else I do on a Friday I usually pass by there for a couple of hours between midnight and 4am. The tunes are fairly eclectic: last week Jim was dropping some great bassy Italo but there are always a team if guest DJs playing anything from Kylie and Beyonce to new electro.

Above: Gabriel Gettman (left) and Bunny Clarke

The crowd’s pretty eclectic too: a polysexual mix of all 18-48 year olds from all walks of life. Leo and Jim are keen for it to be a meeting place. They’ve left the restaurant tables and chairs so their punters have plenty of room to take those looks they’ve been giving each other on the dance floor a stage further and get to know each other a little better. Leo actually cites one of his aims as providing a place where people can have sex. I’ve already seen some couples roll out the doors and take advantage of The Bathhouse’s secluded churchyard location to help Leo achieve this goal.

But despite Leo’s disdain for overly posey tamely-mannered party-goers (‘come and trash your Margiela’ he enthuses us in his invites), the place has also been attracting more than it’s fair share of fashion-conscious dressers. Of these, over the past few weeks, I’ve been most excited by the creations of Gabriel and Bunny. This creative couple have been taking my breath away with their outfits which mix designer with home-made items.

The small glimpse into their lives afforded by the exchange of a few words in noisy places and scanning their facebook pages has got my wondering how these creations come about…Are they a super-rich aristocratic couple who live in some far off castle and employ a team of minions to craft their outfits, descending on EC1 each week on their horse drawn carriages? Are they fashion sorcerers who spend their weeks dreaming up new spells to stitch together fresh outfits leaving us spellbound each week? Do they float down on a cloud, fly in on their brooms or are they teleported from some far off fashion-forward planet to show us the future?

I’ll be finding out the answer to these and other questions when I catch up with them for an interview soon. Also, look out for interviews with Jim, Leo and the other drivers of my favourite East London trashpoints on Bitching and Junk Food soon...

Meantime, here are a few more shots from the last few weeks at Caligula.

Above: Brazilian DJ Lara Gerin is expected back in the DJ cage in September.
Below: I love Gage's eclectic looks: industrial/post apocalypse meets bondage softened down with occasional womenswear accessories.

Above: (from Left) performer/artist Alex Moon-Age in a characteristically colourful and retro outfit. Students Marshall Johnson and Nadir Tejani are constantly coming up with highly original home-customised creations and are not afraid to use their faces as canvases.
Below: Jim Warboy flicks Jodie Harsh's switches.

Above: A well wrapped and layered reveller smiles with his Victorian-inspired kitout.
Below: These guys also make me trip with their dramatic outfits. A mature balance of 60s left-bank and Magic Circle theatricals. (From left: Noah Crutchfield, Kosmo Sang and Lash Day)

Below: Occasional door whore James Ng drapes uses lots of draping of colourful flags to give an original spin on the Japanese black draping trend.

On the slate...

Women's fashion: A New Hope

2009-07-02T17:05:00.000+01:00

In response to my recent blog entry about the excitement around men's fashion and the moans about Women's fashion, many of my friends asked when will we see Women's fashion take off again. Will things ever feel exciting and new again or are we bound to a future of tedious revival and uninspired retro looks?

My answer? 'Ask not what fashion can do for you but what you can do for fashion.' Don't wait for cues from the catwalk or magazines before getting creative and experimenting with new looks. If we are in a time of creative lull, seize the opportunity and use it to out-shine your sisters by being avant-garde! The lady pictured here at the Caligula opening party a few weeks ago is tipping her hat to a few current trends like the Japanese and especially Comme de Garcons-inspired black layering/draping and the stocking/semi-leggings. But, like Richard Shoyemi in my previous post, she adds so much of her own character, largely through the drama of accessories like her cropped leather gloves and monochrome feathered hat, that her look is full of hope of a new fashion direction not mourning over the current supposed lull.

Just as I applaud men who take advantage of the tradition for safe menswear by sticking two fingers up at it and pushing the expected, right now I'd love to see fewer women moaning about the state of their fashion and trailblazing new looks which are there for the taking. This isn't the worst time for women's fashion, this is the best time. If you're bored with the looks 'on offer' reject them, create your own avant-garde and bask in the glory of the spotlight that will shine on you.

Japanese black draping trend as shown by stylist with Eton Group, Hiro (above) and 2nd year LCF student, Tomi

On the slate...

Richard Shoyemi: Trends Remixed

2009-06-23T00:49:00.007+01:00

People who criticise fashion for being a monolithic dictum of the style elite get short thrift at my door. After all, most people who call fashion followers sheep are actually still wearing this or last season's trends with a watered down high street flavour anyway. All VERY yawn inspiring...

Take a look at these snaps of music and celebrity stylist Richard Shoyemi: does he looks like a slave? A fashion clone? Have you seen a thousand people walking down the street with this look?.. Didn't think so. And yet he's rocking so many current and forward-facing trends in his look, its difficult to know where to start... biking mits, studs (ideally giant and square), sequins, chalky colours, 80s details (zips borrowed from bondage trousers), chain jewelery, Doc Martens...

The reason I keep up to speed with fashion trends is not to ape looks I see in magazines but take ideas, mix them up in my own way and experiment with them on my body. In the all-you-can-eat buffet which is our wardrobe, this season's styles are just one counter to pick from. By adding these new ingredients to other basics and our own perennial favourites it gives the overall meal a fresh flavour. When I took these photos on the day of the RCA MA graduation show, Richard took the current trends and put them through his own personal mixing desk, scratched them up and delivered a remix which is pure Richard Shoyemi. For me, this is the work of a stylist at the top of their game and something I suggest those trend cynics should take some precious inspiration from.

Richard's My Space

More reports from MAW at Bitching and Junk Food soon...

On the slate...

Blokes in Cloaks: Caped Style Crusaders

2009-06-18T17:01:00.014+01:00

This year everyone seems to be going around town saying how exciting men's fashion is and how boring womenswear has become. Friends and bloggers have been bemoaning this in reference to both the stock in the shops and the looks on the street and in the clubs usually frequented by London's more sartorially experimental female party-goers. In response I've been countering with the argument that in recent seasons the bar has simply been so much higher for exciting womenswear with such a precident created for strange silhouettes, interesting colour combinations and experimental, hard-to-define articles that are neither entirely skirt or trouser or dress or coat. The effect that this pushing of the boundaries of experimentalism has had on us is a slow dulling of the senses, shown by the fact that we wouldn't so much as turn our heads if a lady were wearing certain items but put the same item on a bloke and suddenly a chemical reaction seems to take place when it comes into contact with his hormones and it will be lauded as fashion genius or at least worthy of note.

This peculiar characteristic of the fashion machine is particularly perverse considering menswear's scavenging habit of following womenswear and taking trends to regurgitate masculine versions of them a season or two later. In this way, just as we get bored of seeing certain looks in womenswear, time and again, the essence is pilfered by menswear designers and stylists and then praised as cutting edge and inspired by all those around. ENTER THE CAPE...About four seasons ago I read an interview with Vivienne Westwood while she was warming up to her anti-consumerist, Resistance to Propaganda period, in which she urged everyone to don home-made capes made from flags and draped fabric. At the time the comments seemed a bit bizarre; apart from the (self-conscious) irony of a fashion designer telling people to make their own clothes rather than buying them, the idea that we were about to see people wondering around wearing capes and draped sheets seemed pretty implausible. But, yet again, a combination of Westwood's amazing prescience which helps her forecast trends and at the same time her influence which molds them meant that in womenswear by last winter cloaks and capes had filtered down from the designers to high street. Sure enough, by the end of winter, we barely turned out head when passing a lady wearing a cape in the street.

Fast forward a few months and to a quiet late morning a week ago on Bermondsey Street. That's when I chanced upon the art film maker, Tristan von Christann, pictured above. Ok, so what made me stop and pap Tristan wasn't just the fact that he was wearing a cape - his striking Manish Arora shades and the intricately embroidered tabi by Ikitabi certainly took his outfit into another avant garde place that the cape alone wouldn't have done. But it's the vintage cape which first caught my eye. There's no doubt that on a girl the cape would have been far less worthy of my camera.

Above: Batwing shirt by Holly Murphy (University of Salford Graduate collection)

Alas, it won't be long before we're a whole lot more used to seeing blokes in cloaks. With Etro, Burberry, Ferregamo and Ute Ploier serving up capes on their designer racks in a couple of months time. This was something British fashion students also seem to agree will be huge with most of the London graduate catwalks this month featuring some play with the winged silhouette in menswear as well as ladieswear. On the milder side this took the form of 80s inspired batwing sleeves, then came cape shoulders with arms underneath - the commercial solution preferred by premium high street last year - and in the most extreme examples there were full on capes and cloaks with no allowance for arm access at all such as those from RCA student Jasper Sinchai Chadrapajong's shown below.

More cape-inspired pieces from the graduate shows in my earlier photo report.

Below: Cape from Jasper Sinchai Chadrapajong intelligent RCA MA graduation collection

On the slate...

Relaxed thrift cool for a ladies(wear) man

2009-06-17T17:07:00.011+01:00

I found this slice of style cake hanging out with his model buddies at Spitalfields. OK, so he may not be pushing the boundaries of the avant garde but I was really impressed with the subtle impact of his outfit. Son we got chatting and I was fast-forwarded to the land of the green-eyed monster when he broke down the whys and how muches:

Old lady’s jacket (£4.99, charity shop in Kilburn)
Lady’s trousers (£14.99, Zara)
Shoes (£3, charity shop in Earls Court)
T-shirt/vest distressed by Chris (under £10)
Shades (£40, Retro, Notting Hill)
Bag (£2, charity shop Kilburn)

The secrets to Chris’ bargain look are plenty of time scouting charity and vintage shops and, judging by his breakdown, not being afraid to dig around the lady’s section while he’s there. Not that you’d have guessed it from the images. Far from looking feminine or giving him an overtly gay vibe, we’re left wondering if he picks up birds while skulking around the women’s clothing racks or pulls the male punters while pulling their pints at the bar where he works. Not even Chris’ dainty pearl bracelet are enough to give his game away.

Apart from having done one single job as a model, Chris has never worked in the fashion bizz. But he does have fashion in his blood: inspiration and an appreciation of male style began early with his father who had been a member of a style group proudly called The Central Posers. Other influences include early-days Andre 300 and Stuart Leslie Goddard (aka Adam from Adam and the Ants). So, while Chris may wear his look with effortless confidence, it’s actually the result of years of learning the subtleties of composing a successful male outfit from a line of icons from his dad downwards. Most of all though Chris learnt that, despite appearances, successful men’s outfits don’t just come together. To look good us blokes need to take care and take pride while dressing and then, if possible, leave all the appearance of effort at home. As Britain’s better version of Tom Ford, Hardy Amies, once said:

‘A man should look as if he has bought his clothes with intelligence, put them on with care and then forgotten all about them’

In any case, as far as this self-confessed label junky blogger is concerned, the fact that Chris can pull off such an effective look for loose change lands him my ‘Envy of the Week’ award hands down.

On the slate...

Brocade: The Further Adventures of the New Romantic

2009-06-12T00:37:00.008+01:00

Back in March I blogged about the rising trend of New Romanticism. At the time the blokes who were willing to go all out on New Rom frills were few and far between. Since then things have got more dramatic. I reckon there's probably some truth in the claim that our depressed economic state has activated our rebellious streak and the pomp and frills are largely a way of us sticking two fingers up at the doom-laden papers and TV news. Of course there would have been other non-retro ways of showing this extravagance. But the New Rom look allows us to further our current love affair with all things 80s in a way that simply buying the latest shade of Balenciaga Giant Lattice City bag wouldn't.

From Tara Farbahi's Somerset College graduation collection

Brocade has also been kicking around on the fringes for a couple of seasons but now it's getting a sudden extra lease of life by striking a deal with New Rom shapes. Check out Tara Farbahi's graduate collection, which I shot on the catwalk at Earl's Court last week. Of course these looks are really dependent on layering and as such are pretty impractical for summer clubbing. The fact that they're still growing in popularity, even as the temperature is increasing, suggests that come autumn they'll expand further, venturing out of London's more creative polysexual nights and onto the high streets and into the more straight-edged clubs.

A couple at House of Diehl's Style Wars event at Proud Galleries, Camden. http://www.houseofdiehl.com/
http://www.proud.co.uk/

Rosie Borcott-Brown's collection at Alternative Fashion Week April 2009
http://www.alternativearts.co.uk/AFW

Kashpoint party at Cable for Mark Moore and Jerry Bouthier's great new monthly/occasional night Can Can at Cable. Details at Can Can on Facebook or here http://www.cable-london.com/

Link back to the original post on New Rom:
http://manaboutworld.blogspot.com/2009/03/new-era-of-new-romantic.html

On the slate...

RCA and Graduate Fashion Week Trend Report: Cut Leather Details and Neckpieces

2009-06-12T00:21:00.009+01:00

A quick reax photo trend report from this week's GFW and RCA Fashion Shows and from MAW's recent London wanderings.

Above: Stephanie Butler (Northumbria University); Below: DJ Natalia Escobar at Caligula launch party, The Bathhouse, Bishopsgate

Above: Kasia Bishop (Ravensbourne); Below: Anna Ruberg (RCA)

Above: Fashion designer/blogger Victor (shot by Marion from Bitching and Junk Food at Stag and Dagger London 2009 ); Below: Nicklas Kunz, Wiltshire College, Salisbury)

http://www.thebathhousevenue.com/
http://www.facebook.com/s.php?ref=search&sid=fea77008c43ad5cb7a1aff66fc5477a4&init=q&q=caligula#/pages/Caligula/85350046497?sid=fea77008c43ad5cb7a1aff66fc5477a4&ref=search
http://www.victorpao.com/
http://www.staganddagger.com/
http://www.bitchingandjunkfood.com/

On the slate...

Yet more fashion trend reports from GFW and Royal College of Art MA Fashion Graduation Shows

RCA and Graduate Fashion Week Trend Report: Transparency and Layering, Lace, Rubber, Silk and Super Fine Knits

2009-06-11T23:18:00.010+01:00

A quick reax photo trend report from Graduate Fashion shows at Graduate Fashion Week, today's RCA Fashion Show and from MAW's London wanderings.

Above: Sian Lendrum (Ravensbourne); Below: Uncredited 1st year RCA MA student from Swarowski/Sophie Hallette 'Transformation' project

Above: Rachel Barrett (RCA); Below: Sarah Brown (Wiltshire College, Salisbury)

Below: Fashion writer Yu Masui wearing Top Shop lace leggings and Givenchy lace shorts

Above: Sylvie Hall (Northumbria University); Below: Fiona Lewis (now one half of Edna Cole with Alison Gaukroger) Graduation 2008 collection, Frill Seekers. Shot during the Edna Cole launch shoot in Brixton May 2009. Contact: fiona@ednacole.co.uk

Above: Girl wearing lace tutu and lace panelled top at ICA event Dance School, June 2009; Below: Sally Ellis (University of Salford)

Above: Singer/songwriter Kate Daisy Grant, wears long Eley Kishimoto lace socks over red tights. Shot after her gig in Soho, April 2009. www.myspace.com/katedaisygrantmusic Below: Liam Wilfred James Catterall (University of Central Lancashire)

On the slate...

Yet more fashion trend reports from GFW and Royal College of Art MA Fashion Graduation Shows

RCA and Graduate Fashion Week Trend Report: Galliano, We Heart You!

2009-06-11T22:04:00.005+01:00

A quick reax photo trend report on the enduring influence of John Galliano on British fashion students. Photos taken at Graduate Fashion shows at GFW and today's RCA.

Above: Simon Shilton (RCA); Below: Luis Lopez-Smith (RCA)

Above: Raine Hodgson (Edinburgh College of Art); Below: Jason Mui (Nottingham Trent University School of Art and Design)

Above: Charlotte Ross (RCA); Below: Faraz Hussain (Manchester Mentropolitan University)

Above: Jennifer Worthington (University of Central Lancashire); Below: Hannah Earnshaw (Northumbria University)

On the slate...

More fashion trend reports from GFW and Royal College of Art MA Fashion Graduation Shows

RCA and Graduate Fashion Week Trend Report: Armless Fashion...more straight jackets, capes and extreme batwings

2009-06-11T21:38:00.009+01:00

A quick reax photo trend report from Graduate Fashion shows at GFW and today's RCA.

Above: Jasper Sinchai Chadrapajong (RCA); Below: Johanne Anderson (RCA)

Above: April Smith (Nottingham Trent University); Below: Stacey Deakin (Nottingham Trent University)

Above: Yi Le Huang (Kingston University); Below: Ashley Farrall (Manchester Metropolitan School of Art)

Kate Williams (Ravensbourne); Below: Dulcie Dryden (Northumbria University)

On the slate...

More fashion trend reports from GFW and Royal College of Art MA Fashion Graduation Shows

RCA and Graduate Fashion Week Trend Report: Extreme Shoulders, feathers and fur

2009-06-11T21:06:00.008+01:00

A quick reax photo trend report from Graduate Fashion shows at GFW and today's RCA.

Above: Holly Russell (Manchester Metropolitan University/Manchester School of Art)
Below: Jason Mui (Nottingham Trent University School of Art and design)

Above: Bronwen Marshall (RCA)
Below: Kim Choong-Wilkins (RCA)

Above: Luis Lopez-Smith (RCA); Below: Rachel Lucy Wakefield (University of Salford)

Above: David Fraser (RCA); Below: Yi Le Huang (Kingston University)

Above: Johanne Anderson (RCA); Below: Soifra Murphy (RCA)

On the slate...

More fashion trend reports from GFW and Royal College of Art MA Fashion Graduation Shows

Final 4s Part 2: Short clips from the last few collections at some of the Graduate Fashion Week Shows

2009-06-10T09:27:00.010+01:00

Ravensbourne Graduate Fashion Show Final 4

Featuring: Rebecca Cluett, Marie Molterer (neoprene structures), Amanda Ng (black silk layered evening wear), Fah Chakshuvej (grey menswear) and Hannah Taylor (colourful unisex knits)

Somerset College Graduate Fashion Show Final 3

Featuring: Victoria Griffiths (miner influenced synthetics), Kimberley Startup (toddlers toys), Tara Farbahi (bright architectural silks)

Final 4s Part 1: Short clips from the last 4 collections at some of the Graduate Fashion Week Shows

2009-06-10T02:24:00.010+01:00

Manchester Metropolitan University Graduate Fashion Show Final 4

Featuring Daniel Pollitt (gathered parachute silk womenswear), Faraz Hussain (menswear), Catherine Duncan (knitwear), Holly Russell (flowing silk and feather work)

University of Central Lancashire Graduate Fashion Show Final 4

Featuring: Liam Wilfred James Catterall (suit wools overlayed with transparent dip-dyed silks), Linda Jan Wiliams (silver and black), Jennifer Worthington (menswear with bondage elements) and Dao Minh Nguyen (ladies wool tailoring)

'I'm not crazy, I just like wearing straight-jackets' MAW at Graduate Fashion Week 2009. Trend forecast: Back-to-front tops and rear buttoning

2009-06-10T01:14:00.007+01:00

Over-length knitwear from Catherine Duncan (Manchester Metropolitan University School of Art) is a perfect example of the back-to-front knitwear trend.

Salford student Rebecca Cottrell's hooded men's coat is open back and front.

Below: Mehmet Ali's mature collection was a highlight of the Ravensbourne show. It offered a cohesive aesthetic lacking in many graduates and the cuts were interesting and fresh while having commercial appeal. Note the over-length rear buttoned cardy.

Below: Off the runway: Buenos Aires based model Naomi shows off her transformable back-to-front cardy by her co-patriot designer Jessica Trosman .

On the slate...

More trend predictions from cool kids at Graduate Fashion Week, the Royal College of Art Fashion Show and the streets of London

Man About World at Graduate Fashion Week 2009. Trendspotting: Gimp masks and Balaclavas from the Club to the Catwalk

2009-06-09T22:38:00.006+01:00

Above: University of Salford student Gemma Clements head-to-toe Liberty prints left me breathless. I loved the S'n'M gimp aesthetic contrasted with the feminine floral and tailoring references and think it woild look great in other prints too.

Below: Hannah Taylor closed Ravensbourne's show with whoops of joy from all sides of the audience. Her playful, WL&T referenced knitwear combined the balaclava trend with another common theme: extra long sweaters and over-sizing.

Above: Sally Ellis (Salford) created more juxtapositions of eroticism with the traditional in her use of lace but I was really excited by the use of headgear with Islamic styled scarves and contrasting lace masks.

Below: Nottingham Trent University graduate Sophia Bentley Tongue grabs her entirely black collection by the balls and gives it the Soho gimp effect

Below: The look's already in the clubs...I snapped Ferrel wearing this intricate lace at the Welcome to the Downlow fundraiser after party at The Joiners Arms two weeks ago...

On the slate...

More trend forecasting from the ramp and the street

Dressing for the occasion? Protest Fashion

2009-05-17T22:01:00.010+01:00

Until my early 20s I was still pretty caught up with the presumption that sartorial choices should be governed by the occasion. At Uni I'd get dressed for lectures in the morning, change outfits for bumming around college in the afternoon and then make an effort for going out in the evening. All this changed when I befriended a girl from New York who generally maintained a rule of one outfit per day and usually erred on the side of the evening's dressy outfit than any other. From her, I learnt that if I could loosen the chains of social conformism a little, my satisfaction from expressing myself through clothes suddenly increased and at the same time I could get that vain buzz from being the most interestingly dressed person in most situations. The basics of this theory are not that you go out and buy a load more exciting clothes straight away but just that you start by wearing your dressing up clothes at the start of the day rather than for the evening. There are, however, some specific occasions that offer interesting contexts for dressing up a certain way.

I popped down to the recent anti-G20/anti-capitalist/anti-end-of-the-world protests in bank mainly to see if the protesters would also be anti-style and to see if I could distinguish those who had dressed specifically for protest from those who had come in their everyday gear...

I was really excited when I came across the guy with the black winged jacket. No doubt to some he just seemed like a scruffy guy in old clothes. But a glance down at his trousers completely gave his game away for me. Nobody who's care-free about their clothes goes to the extreme of pinning together ripped and antique patched jeans like this, not to mention teaming them with stripey leggings. His 80s vintage black leather jacket with pads and pleats at the shoulder is bang on trend and the faint black polish daubed on his face is enough to give the air of rebellious spirit while failing to serve any practical purpose of disguise. When I asked him if I could pap him for this blog he first grunted something which I figured was approval, then after a took a couple of shots he sullenly raised his two huge lapels. Unsure if he was doing this to show off his outfit or in a half-arsed attempt at disguise his identity I kept on shooting. The woolly wing-like lapels were so much cooler and avant garde than the standard hoody or balaclava/scarf of the militant protester.

I didn't have to wait long before I spotted another guy who'd dressed for the occasion. If the first guy was ironic for the effort he'd made despite his roughed-up style, the second guy's look was ironic for altogether more obvious political reasons. He's wearing a ripped up jacket which a few years ago would have been worn by someone guarding the royal family combined with his bicorn pirate hat and Vivienne Westwood Pirate boots. As he marched past me I got images of this wearer's past conquests during earlier battles against the machines of monarchy and government; his tattered jacket a battle trophy salvaged along the way from some fallen soldier of the state.

Catch me here soon:

http://bitchingandjunkfood.com/

On the slate...

Rough with the smooth

2009-05-17T18:32:00.000+01:00

In earlier posts I've chatted about messing things up: wearing clashing colours and mixing looks in a way which would conventionally be considered bad taste. But something I always been more excited about personally is fucking with people's expectations around gender/sexuality and mixing up soft and hard elements in the same look.

The secret to our American Desi friend's hot look shown in these pics lies in the contrast of telling a story of two halves: up top sweet and innocent and below, a little bit rocker, a little bit saloon bar hussy. In the first pic the home-spun scene is set by the table cloth fabric and dainty cropped cardigan. The only nuance that things may not be quite as wholesome as they seem is the potentially innocent dropping of the cardy shoulder revealing flesh, and not one but two straps. A quick pan down gives us more context for that shoulder reveal and confirms that it wasn't such an innocent gesture after all. The lace underskirt is a perfect length to offer a fleeting glance from certain angles without being constantly on show and the rebellious feel of the boots is carried through to the other extremity with the arm of her cardigan messily covering half her hand. While the boots wouldn't be my first choice given free reign of the Selfridge's shoe department to choose a pair to go with this look, they're sufficient in exemplifying this contrast of rough with the smooth which makes this outfit such a success.

A less rustic take on the same look could take this in the direction of the geek-freak aesthetic made SO sexy by Thora Birch in the 2001 film version of Ghost World. For me there's no competition between this type of look and a straightforward conventional feminine aesthetic. After all, what could be as erotic as the taste of defiling the innocent, taming the rocker or igniting the undiscovered flame of the geek...

http://www.ghostworld-the-movie.com/macns/index.html

On the slate...

MAW@ Alternative Fashion Week Day 5, Photo report

2009-04-26T10:01:00.008+01:00

Catch my full report of the AFW action at Bitching and Junk Food soon:

http://bitchingandjunkfood.com/

Above and below: Ismail Erbil's avant-garde womenswear collection featured sinister hangman hoods and colourful chord and video tape draping over sexy toga dresses

Chelsea College of Art and Design students' clinical themed pieces. Below: Daniela Daminico shows the sculptural design she developed with Stephanie Deaves (R) and Valeria Olkhova's fungi-inspired outfit.

(Right) Model turned designer Sahhara stirred things up with her heavily accessorised lingerie line. And Gillian Ramsay's denim-heavy grandfather inspired collection offers up my favourite men's all-in-one I've seen this year.

Most interesting detail awards go to Grace Maran who used vertical drawstrings to give adaptability to a man's jacket and Louise Crockett for her use of childrens' toy images from laser-cut leather

I was down with Joanna Tulej's outfits which used clever cuts to lift architectural shapes off the body. Left: Clementine Baxter's original footwear worked well with Tulej's collection.

Catch my full report of the AFW action at Bitching and Junk food soon:

http://bitchingandjunkfood.com/

Man About World at Alternative Fashion Week, Spitalfields Day 4 in pictures

2009-04-23T22:10:00.008+01:00

My pick of the day: Rosie Borcott-Brown's collection is original, wearable and highly humorous.

Check out the cotton bobbins left in the back of the top on left and the knitting bag incorporated into the dress on the left! Centre: model Eunice carries the gorgeous knitwear with buckets of style

Xia Sonia Xiao's leggings dependent collection featured some great abstract prints

Above: Croatian based Zoran Aragovic puts men in tights and pops a trip down everyone's neck with his colourful printed gear

From top left: Hayley Trezise's Raggedy collection makes recycled fabrics sumptuous, Cherrie Camplin's dramatic costumes and Natalie Robert sexes up Catholic collars

Stay tuned for more from MAW @AFW...

Man About World at Alternative Fashion Week, Spitalfields Day 2 and 3

2009-04-22T18:10:00.039+01:00

I've spent the last three afternoons camped out at Alternative Fashion Week in Spitalfields with a small handful of press at my side and a few hundred fashion followers and passers by all around me. Here's my take on yesterday and today's shows...

Each day so far there's been a mix of recently graduated designers showing between half a dozen and a dozen pieces together with a few young international designers and a couple of group collections from colleges thrown in. Moments of genius or at least originality can come from the most surprising places...When I saw that final show responsibilities today had fallen to Colchester School of Art and they'd been given the title 'Grandad We Love You' by their tutors, I actually slipped my jacket on in preparation for a sharp exit. But my low expectations were quickly dispelled when the inspired collection of over-sized, cartoonish pieces arrived accompanied by shrieks of appreciation from the audience. Sure, everyone loves a gimmick during catwalk shows and the sight of each flamboyant septuagenarian trying to outdo the previous one as they came dancing down the ramp was certainly a contributing factor for the spontaneous applause. But the designs took centre stage and showed a lot of intelligence on the part of the young designers to turn the abstract creative brief of relationships with their grandfather's into highly original styles which could actually translate onto the marketable pieces. Unsurprisingly coming from Colchester, many of the themes were militarily inspired, but instead of the predictable woollen military look we were treated to yards of upholstery fabric and leathers from the car industry. On the whole the firmness of the fabrics pushed in the direction of puffy oversized jackets with wide lapels, cuffs and flaps.

Designs by Beck Gaskin (left) and Arif Khan

I particularly enjoyed Beck Gaskin's outfit, which cleverly played with proportion and combined a jacket straight from a comic strip together with her take on the plus four trend. The silhouette of Arif Khan's jacket also stood out as highly original. I reckon his translation of the tent his grandfather sought refuge in during trench warfare into a jacket with an aardvark shape was inspired work.

Najlaa Jabri shows her collection

On Monday I'd been disappointed that imagination seemed sometimes to come at the expense of quality of finish. Many of the young designers I've spoken to admit that they've come to the end of their fashion design degrees with the hunger to learn decent tailoring still not satisfied. In general the attention to detail has been getting better during the last couple of days. Of course, some designers find a way of out-sourcing the more skill-intensive parts of their designs.

Embroidered open front skirt with jacket design (top) and a pair of leggings which took Najlaa two weeks to cover with buttons

Najlaa Jabri achieved the exquisite embroidery on her pieces by taking them for finishing to Moroccan artisans. This freed up more of her time to negotiate the careful balance of 17th century English and Berber Moroccan heritage running through her collection. I'll be watching out for the less theatrical designs she's working on at the moment which will hopefully combine her sophisticated understanding of fashion history with more commercial appeal.

At first the concept of Sunita Nar's exploration into cultural attitudes of covering and exposing the body seemed like a bit like a bullshit concept and I didn't really expect great things. So I was delighted to see some highly original raw silk hooded tops which, perhaps with a minor adaption could translate into really interesting yet wearable pieces. The hoods came out of her research into Muslim traditions of covering the head and hair which she combined with unexpectedly body conscious trousers. This struck a particular chord with me, having been interested by the contrasting attitudes towards exposing different parts of the body while living in India last year. Over there it's perfectly acceptable, even in the most formal of occasions, for women to swan around with their midriffs on full show; but wear anything tight around your derriere or show a lot of cleavage and everyone in the room will be branding you a hussy. While South Americans are obviously generally more likely to flash flesh, it's generally the 'cola'/tail which gets priority billing and the midriff is the last thing to be shown off... Anyway, in the end I came away convinced that yet another seemingly iffy concept had produced some rather decent threads...

Day 2

Colourful fun with a touch of S n M by Penny Baker (top two) and the effervescent designs of Nelly George Hipkin

My picks from yesterday's ramp shows were the oh-so-fun Inspector Gadget on acid menswear from Nelly George Hipkin and Penny Baker's futuristic and sexy freakish sportswear.

Nelly's been adding to her collection for a couple of years but it still stood out as one of the most original menswear collections I've seen so far this week. Mixing classical tailoring with acid colours, satin fabrics and high contrast polka dots and checks, the pieces bubbled out all over the runway; the serious demeanor of the models only acting to heighten the comedic impact. Nelly also showed a mature understanding of the male body and I was pleased to hear that she's sticking with the menswear for her next collection which uses Renaissance floral prints. I really hope she continues developing her sense of comedy in the new collection and look forward to seeing it and...who knows...perhaps picking up some pieces myself.

The statue of the models wearing Penny Baker's designs served to heighten the superhero feel of the outfits. At times reminding me of Princess Leya as Jabba the Hut's slave, her colourful designs stood out from the rest by taking sportswear as a fruitful starting off point for some avant-garde designs. I was also impressed with the attention Penny showed to details like embellishments on the rear of socks and dramatic conceptual accessories.

(From top left) Mary Ratcliffe's recycled overprinted plus fours, Arctic inspired white and blue raw silk by Finnish designer Teija Vartianen, Emma Parker takes us to a Shanghai Boudoir, Off- the-wall Cretan drama by Italians Baldini and Franceschini aka Fuckyouverymuch and Jenna Moore goes back to the English gent look for her sexy preppy womenswear

Watch this space for reports from Days 4 and 5...

MAW @London's Alternative Fashion Week Day 1

2009-04-20T16:32:00.024+01:00

Just dashed back from Day 1 of London's Alternative Fashion Week and time to share a few of my picks of the first dozen or show designers to take up the ramp duties...

Overall I thought the quality was mixed. What excited me most were the cuts and silhouettes of a few designers' work. But even then, often the quality of fabrics and finish of the samples was fairly basic. I think it's fair to say that the AFW prides itself on offering a platform to designers who consciously don't follow fashion trends. But the schizophrenic magnet of fashion has a habit of pulling even as it pushes and many of the designers did reflect current trends to some degree.

Before the show began I was drawn to the work of a couple of current students from City and Islington College. Anyone who's ever had a tight creative brief dictated from above will appreciate how difficult it is to tap into one's creative juices under such artificial imposed circumstances so I was pleased to see the results that the Russian Tsars theme had produced (see top photo). Lianne Latouche's winged shoulder blouse looked regal, androgynous and sexy all at once. Eva Pospisilova's courtly panelled jacket walked a similar tightrope of restrained sex appeal helped by being beautifully modelled by Evie. The fabrics and finishing on these student designs was better than many of the more established designers.

Coming towards the end of the schedule, Hannah's Kille's country gents womenswear hit me like a fresh shot of robusta to waken me from my slightly jaded stupor. Inspired by some photos she discovered of the turn-of-the-century lesbian author Radcliffe Hall decked out in gent's garb, the mature collection mixed traditional men's tailoring with liberty print harem pants and one of my current fave trouser cuts: plus fours. There was plenty of contrasting loose and body-con cuts within outfits, with the tight lines across bust and hips giving a very sexy feminine take on the overall gent look. The slouchy styling and sassy attitude of the models worked the gender/soft and hard play to the max and cool Edinburgh model Eunice (in the liberty print harem pants blow) was a particularly good choice.

If I was impressed during the show, my membership to the Hannah Kille fan club was confirmed when I caught up with her afterwards and she told me that this was in fact her Birmingham City University degree show and is over a year old already. She was working on it before Dolce and Gabbana's recent Queen look and I can only imagine how fresh it would have looked back then. So, top marks to Ms Kille for last year's production, a little slap on the wrist for not giving us something new... and lets hope her current time in Paris spawns more original looks.

Gemma Garnham and Lenka Padysakova do the balloon shoulder thang

In terms of trends, the balloon shoulder with cut at the elbow to give a tight forearm was a bit of a common theme. This look was shown best by Gemma Garnham's black lace numbers and Lenka Padysakova, though I reckon Lenka saved her best design for her own outfit which I snapped below. She explained the popularity of this sleeve design by comparing it to the jodhpurs we've all been loving since Nicholas Guesquiere reminded us how cool they could look for Balenciaga all those seasons ago (AW 07/08).

A few more highlights...

Fuller-figured ladies get slappy-happy in Robert Miller's designs

I loved the textured bronze fabric New York based Cassie Kogler used for these leggings

Aaron Ray Dowie's shows us the shape of things to come with his cropped double breasted jacket

Better photos tomorrow...perhaps...

Today's list in full:

City & Islington College
Gemma Garnham
Manjit Sangha
Jayant Kumar
Robert Miller
Laura Booty
Aaron Ray Dowie
Lenka Padyasakova
Cassie Kogler
Hannah Kille
Tim Rhys-Evans
Kensignton and Chelsea College
Chantal Gibbs-Jones

Cosplay or the Highway?

2009-03-29T19:10:00.010+01:00

Recent fellow Blogger/Twitterer So Stylistic set my mind thinking this week. She posted a blog (link below) in which she admired a guy for the honest effortlessness of his geek-chic style. She stressed the difference between the genuine article she thought she'd snapped at a highway service station and those geek impostors who are self-aware, constructing their look self-consciously. This made me think about the age-old debate of the relevance of motivation in art. If this is interesting in other art forms, it's especially fascinating in fashion given the fact that the person is so inextricably tied-up with their creation. The effect of someone's look is so dependent on the way the wearer 'wears' the clothes which includes their body language when alone, their facial gestures and how they carry themselves with others.

It's usually those looks which subvert the status quo in some way that are the most closely bound up with this sub-text of wearer motivation. Manners of subversion include pushing the 'uncool geek' vibe, using deliberately clashing colours or combinations of patterns or items which received wisdom says should never be seen together. In London, Brick Lane's been the centre of fashion subversion for over 5 years now. A few years ago one of my female colleagues' favourite topics of conversation would be the girls they'd on The Lane mixing up stripes with polka dots and unlikely combinations of floral patterns, their outer contempt laced through with a generous streak of envy.

I saw this guy hanging out on the Lane a couple of weeks ago. I admired the daring originality of his eclectic look which I thought was a great example of the 80s tinged bad taste trend which is going around this Spring. To be honest, based purely on the aesthetics, I still struggle to appreciate the point of putting clashing items together in this way. But, by opening my eyes to more than the surface appearance, and looking more at the lines of motivation and how he's wearing the look, I can enjoy the look in another way.

I suppose in some ways this clash-dresser is the antithesis to SoStylistic's geek. While I'm very excited by the subtle charm of someone who 'doesn't know their potential yet' I also love the self-consciously over-the-top fashion wearers (Anna Piagi, the late Isabella Blow...) who shuns any pretence of subtlety in the name of experimenting. Personally, I love playing with this continuum of deliberateness in choosing my look. Although my style is less extreme, I feel naturally driven towards the Haranjuku/Cosplay end of the spectrum; a very deliberate way of over-doing a look in contrast to the relaxed chic of the French and Italian kids I used to envy during summer holidays on the Med. Ironically, it is a light version of this overdone, unnatural look which actually feels most natural and genuine to me.

So Stylistic's Geek post
http://blog.sostylistic.com/2009/04/little-bit-of-style-envy.html

Anna Piagi, this Milan
http://www.modepilot.de/?p=34211

Colourful Isabella
http://www.hilary.com/blog/2007/05/isabella-blow-fashion-svengali-to-many.html

Cosplay
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosplay

On the slate...

Off fruits at Borough

2009-03-26T00:58:00.012Z

It wasn't till I was well into my twenties that I realised what a poor understanding of colour I had. My girlfriend at the time moaned disapprovingly as I went around shops grabbing as many things as I could in the same general colour expecting them to work well together. I remember returning from one shopping trip I made alone having discovered the colour green. Her face when I tried on my military green cords with a pea green shirt and black v neck sweater with jade flecks was a picture... After many wrong turns, she gradually managed to steer my stubborn mind towards the realisation that the key to matching colours successfully is actually to focus on tone and not colour at all. Unfortunately, I think this lack of ability to match colour skillfully is all too common in us blokes who's everyday clothes are often either monochromatic or centred around jeans with a splash of colour. It always amuses me that even men who wear a suit 5 days a week, still agonise for hours over the only colour co-ordination responsibility they have: that of the tie and shirt...and still they often get it so wrong!

In contrast, I though this female actor I snapped in Borough Market was a shining example of skillful tone matching. Her colourful ensemble stood out a mile from the drabness of the other shoppers while being tied in nicely together by all coming from the same off-colour tone. Last year we were told to expect an invasion of these off-colours but it never really kicked off to the degree we were promised. Perhaps that's because it's so hard to mix them with colours from other tonal groups and most people would need a completely new wardrobe to pull the look off. Since the start of this season we've been told repetitively that 'colour is in'. And sure enough, as soon as the good weather arrived a few weeks ago, Londoners were quick to don outfits as colourful as the blossom which appeared at the same time in Regent's Park. For the time being, according to the style cognoscenti, it seems any colour or tone is deemed to be good...as long as it's matching.

As for what's next, if Henry Holland's AW09 show is anything to go by, it'll be chalky colours (see Karen Dacre's linked article for the Standard). I was highly dubious until someone tweeted this photo to me of next season's Preen Dresses: http://img503.imageshack.us/img503/980/preen11sz7.jpg I think these milky tones will be just as difficult to co-ordinate with colours from people's existing wardrobes as the off-colours have been, so the chalky revolution's probably going to be just as subtle as that one was.

But some people will never learn. True to form, I've been enjoying wearing acid pink jeans with a clashing primary red hoody. When I put them together I smile to myself remembering that before I would have thought they went together. Now I allow myself the buzz from the very fact that they don't.

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard-pictures/House+of+Holland+show+at+London+Fashion+Week-latest.do?id=23368349&page=2

On the slate...

Sir, I think you've forgotten your trousers! Men in tights...

2009-03-25T01:03:00.008Z

A couple of years ago, there was only one place I wanted to go on Sunday nights. If I could get a few friends together who didn't mind starting the week bleary eyed, I'd head to Hoxton Bar and Grill for Boombox. Like it or loath it, while it was going, Boombox was a great melting pot of sartorial experimentation. For me, a few hours there could be as inspiring as a trip through the archives at the V&A. Every week there was a sizable contingent of precocious Central St Martins students who colonised the back of the stage shouting youthful confidence from every hand-sewn tuck. Their individual outfits put together on the cheap easily slayed most of the designer clobber worn by my generation and made most of look bland and predictable by comparison.

In the middle of this creative maelstrom, I remember one young chap who sometimes wore an outift based around a pair of black leggings. This was probably the first time I'd seen a man in tights outside of Saddlers Wells and it struck a firm chord of admiration and jealousy. They were made from a light matt cotton-elastane mix with a subtle sparkle. He wore them with smart patent Oxfords, a t-shirt, black cardy and black framed glasses with foppish hair. I think both of the guys pictured here share quite a bit with the Boombox boy and they all look good on it. The look works by keeping the footwear light and thinly soled - lightweight Oxfords or Converses. The most difficult area is around the waist and crotch. The problem's nicely diffused here by both our guys wearing mid length shirts with attractive tails. I think the key is to keep the top light and relaxed, for example with a long pocketed cardy or boiled wool blazer with enough length to cover at least half the rump.

And if you're brave enough to try the look but it leaves you feeling somewhat exposed? Don't worry, I have it on great authority that this is something even models face. When chatting with a Maison Margiela attendant in store the other day he told me of the collective embarrassment as the models were parading around the shop in their mirrorball leggings. Below is a link to the Margiela publicity shots. Notice how the models modesty is maintained in the photo, one of them looks like he's straight out of a penalty defence wall! Low and behold, their entire stock sold within a week of the leggings arriving on the shelves...

http://www.212dressingroom.com/blog_more.php?id=284

On the slate...

New Era of the New Romantic

2009-03-23T23:30:00.013Z

A lot of people I know find my interest with the latest thing in fashion distasteful . They see trends as the tedious dictum of the self-interested style elite which stifle creativity and should be adamantly ignored. I admit that there are certainly many maverick dressers who look amazing while defying all fashions that happen to be floating around at that particular moment. But personally, I think there's a lot to be gained from the trends of the season, especially if they are taken, fucked with and put back on the body with creative interpretation by the wearer. If I was to rigidly refuse to partake in the season's fashion, I'd be denying myself all the enjoyment of playtime with the new toy of inspiration that's been thrown into my playpen. And when the trends are as colourful and outlandish as a revival of the New Romantic look, I have every reason to be excited. So, as it gradually dawned on me last week that a new era of New Rom is on it's way, I got very excited about where things are headed.

I managed to steal the snap above of Georg at the Mooch London launch party at the weekend. I like his layering on top from the two close fitting vest and upturned collar shirt to the cropped over-sized jacket. His over-sized Vivienne Westwood Alien-esque trousers were tucked into deep red high boots. The impact of his look depends heavily on the natural tones of the fabrics and his accessories: the vintage necklace, scarf and a belt which is worthy of being on display. Through it all he's managed to maintain a relaxed, slouchy unpretentious vibe through soft fabrics and collars and loose cuts. Not the easiest thing when you're going clubbing dressed as a pirate...

If you're in London and looking for some New Romantic inspiration, I'd start with a trip to the Westwood shop in Conduit Street. For men, they've got various styles of loose crotched trousers and £140 bat-wing shirts which would work. Their current Anlgomania range (for women) has great dresses in an exploded version of her classic Pirate print which would be a happy centrepiece for an N R look at about £240. Perhaps best of all, friendly manager/buyer Stuart has finally brought a small stock of her better value, rarer and largely New Romantic World's End collection and is offering them for sale in the Conduit street store. This should make the traipse down the King's Road a thing of the past for all but the most die-hard Japanese Westwood pilgrim...

http://m-ooch.com/

http://www.viviennewestwood.com/flash.php

On the slate...

Men's footbags: Loafers, Moccasins and Deck shoes

2009-03-23T23:16:00.000Z

A few months ago I was deliberating over a pair of two tone blue/white brogues in Church's. For those unfamiliar with the brand, they still make everything by hand in England's shoe capital, Northampton. This is in contrast to rival Grenson who make their premium line there but also put together a cheaper and lighter range in India. While I was in Church's Conduit Street store I noticed a range of shiny, almost patent moccasin loafers with an amazing patina which I was told is built up over various weeks and 6 coats of colour. It now seems hard to believe that this was the first time I've ever considered getting a pair of loafers, a style which until that day I pretty much abhorred. Next stop on my shoe journey was a viewing of Frost/Nixon - a movie about Italian loafers, loosely framed around some interview between an English dandy and an old mafia don, for me to see that loafers were going to be this year's brogues. Enlisting my friends in a brogue/loafer debate it was suggested to me that brogues, as the most proper of proper men's' shoes are always in style. I doubted this theory as I reckon it's one of the unfortunate facts of the mechanisms of fashion that even if one's been wearing a classic fashion in a maverick way for years, once the style's been as thoroughly colonised by the masses as brogues have, one ceases to become a maverick and quickly becomes simply outmoded.

Vivienne Westwood puts the penny back into the penny loafer

Anyway, by this stage I'd agonised over my brogues/loafers decision long enough to become jobless and realised that I really shouldn't be spending £300 on any footwear. Initially disappointed I was saved by the amazing buyers of the vintage stores of Brick Lane. Their skill in sourcing racks of vintage versions of this seasons fashions always blows me away. They've currently got a great selection of brogues, loafers and various different types of moccasin type things. Of course you won't get the acid colours that the new versions come in, which are great for quirking up plain outfits (see Paul 'classics with a twist' Smith below). But worn-in shoes are actually easier to wear with most of the looks around at the moment. I picked mine up for £35 and christened them the other day with some sky blue Falke mercerized cotton socks (see top photo).

So, what's next? This summer the moccasin's cousin, the deck shoe, has already joined the men's shoe race. And further down the line distressed Oxfords ('Balmorals' in the US) are already looking pretty good on the shelf and will probably become the most popular choice to keep feet warm and dry after summer's come and gone. But if you're looking for something dressy and you haven't discovered monk straps yet, now could be a good time to invest ( http://manolomen.com/2007/04/17/big-shoes-to-fill/ )

On the slate...

Irish lads loafing in Hoxton

2009-03-22T13:56:00.000Z

I found these three handsome young Irish chaps lounging in Hoxton Square last week. When I asked them what they were planning on doing with the rest of the day they replied: 'Just hang around and get stoned'. Luckily for me they put their tight looks together before their day disappeared into a cloud of smoke.

I saw the guys on the left and instantly wanted to snap them as they're sporting a look I'm really enjoying at the moment: close fitting checked shirts (they've stuck around since Brokeback Mountain) or utilitarian tops, cropped or rolled up low-rise skinnies and loafers , deck shoes or dsitressed Oxfords (last year these were more likely to be brogues). Their hair completes the look: a good 3 to 5 inches kept easy and wavy with wet-look gel on top and close back and sides. The whole appearance is 50s inspired and goes well with the smoking, drinking, rebel without a cause vibe but beer guts are best avoided: this look really requires a gamin shape to carry it off successfully. The most exciting thing for me is the way the trend crosses sexuality and gender lines. Seeing a guy walk down the street sporting this look is no indication of where he gets his sexual kicks and looks equally hot on twenty something girls too, Aggy being a pretty good example.

On the slate...

Geffrye Museum Takeoever starring Central St Martins 1st year students

2009-03-21T21:43:00.008Z

Wondering through the Geffrye Museum the other day I came across a group of rather fashionable young ladies who's photos I wanted to take for MAW. I decided I'd pluck up the courage to ask them after seeing the rest of the exhibition. On returning through the museum, I came across them again but this time they were themsleves in full shooting flow all photographing one of them who had got dressed up. Turns out they were 1st year Central St Martins Fashion and Jewelry students recording some of their own coursework. I got their
permission to hijack their shoot...

The two-sided design of the wedding dress reminds me of Vivienne Westwood's amazing 1992 Watteau wedding gown: http://www.vam.ac.uk/vastatic/microsites/1231_vivienne_westwood/focus_08.html This was the highlight of the V&A organized Westwood exhibition which opened at the V&A a few years ago and traveled the world before closing in Sheffield last summer. But the fitted body, shorter length and traditional ivory silk obviously give it a completely different feel. I liked the mummy-esque strapping and overlength single arm too - they reminded me of the favourite sweater from Junky I mentioned in a previous blog. There's definitely something that makes one feel sexy when wearing a tightly fitted overlength arm...Not sure what to make of the sea of pearls neck furniture. What do you think? Is this an outfit to get married in?

East London's gets ready for Michael Mania

2009-03-20T03:05:00.003Z

With out-of-date posters around the London Underground still advertising Michael Jackson’s originally modest project of 10 farewell concerts (these have now increased to 50 gigs, all of which sold out within hours of going on sale), London is bracing itself for Jacko fever once again. Not all the side-effects are positive: on BBC’s ‘I’ve never seen Star Wars’ tonight, viewers had to endure the excruciating results of a white haired newsreader (John Humphreys) being taught to moonwalk by show host Marcus Brigstocke.

In fashion, this Jacko revival does of course fit into the wider craze for all things 1980s. The 80s was, after all Jackson’s most successful decade seeing the release of his and, at the time, the world’s two biggest selling albums. Anyway…back to our Brick Lane bad guy: we’ve got a campification of the look sported by Michael on the cover of his late 80’s album Bad. The camp levels are hyped up through putting the whole look through a gold and silver filter, adding a fake pearl-laden bolero and leggings over which he’s wearing those leg warmers and micro skirt. So it’s primarily through borrowing these styles more normally associated with the early 80s that Brick Lane Michael has camped up his late 80s core ensemble.

Bow tie and loafers at Design Museum Debate

2009-03-12T12:48:00.003Z

This is the smiling proof that the secret to stylish menswear is much more about inventiveness and courage than it is about forking out wads of cash. Take away the bow tie, unbutton the shirt and lose the glasses and there's nothing to mark this guy out from the crowd. All blokes need is the most minute accessory and a little chutzpah and we'll get bucket loads of style cred simply because most of our fellows fail to exhibit these. Using black from the feet up ties everything in nicely with his Mediterranean intelligentsia hairdo and well-maintained facial hair. And coming back to those feet...those understated brogues tell us this man is right on the moment but feels confident enough not to have to shout about it.

All-in-one at London Design Debate

2009-03-12T12:46:00.002Z

The day after this was taken Beyond Retro held a special shopping event at both their London stores (Cheshire Street and Great Marlborough Street). The guest of honour at the events? The ladies' one-piece. Like polka dots, the one-piece was one of the bubbling under not-quite trends of last year. This year we'll see more and more of them, as they travel west from Brick Lane to Soho and beyond...

London Design Debate with Hussein Chalayan Shoreditch Town Hall March 09

2009-03-12T12:37:00.003Z

A few years ago I very nearly splashed out £450 on a (men's) super long Yohji Yamamoto jumper. It was, to all intents and purposes, a jumper dress with a few buttons up the side. But it looked killer with the straight leg jeans I was wearing at the time. Since then I've lamented the lack of over-length knitwear for men. Thankfully last winter a few items creeped into the high street, or at least the side street, with Eley Kishimoto's unisex and Agnes B's men's long cardies. Sometimes we can get away with just wearing something from the women's floor but generally there's too much feminity expressed in the detail for most men to feel they can get away with that. We can but hope the choice widens next A/W. By the way, note the leggings...

Junky Styling Show London Feb 09...pink patchwork knitwear

2009-03-08T23:42:00.000Z

I've never been a great fan of Junky's knitwear (but then I find it pretty hard to get excited about knitwear period). The exception is my slim-fitting black patchwork sweater which has extra-long arms with mummy-style bandages wrapped around them and a bias cut waist. Which, I happen to wear ALL the time...Another exception could be this pink number. The knitwear in this collection was mostly based on diamonds, giving a mild jester-like look to them. Obviously the success or failure of the outfits were very much dependent on the palette chosen. And this one which was coupled with shades and shown off by one of the show's best models was the hottest of the night.

Junky Styling Show London Feb 09...Women's purple coat

2009-03-08T23:41:00.000Z

This is one of the most striking women's pieces from the show: a wool and velvet dress which I think was recycled from a dress (the velvet section) and a women's coat. It was last seen in the window of the store but it's probably sold by now, despite the fact that it's a winter coat and this is March...One of the great things about Junky's gear is that it can usually be worn for several years without too much risk of looking out of fashion. Thanks largely to Junky doing what they do so well, re-cut vintage has really taken off in London in the last couple of years, enabling them to raise their prices and other less experienced designers to sell their own watered down version of the look, often as close as around the corner in Brick Lane's Upmarket and Spitalfields every Sunday. But thanks to Junky's years of experience of creating cleverly recycled cuts, their quality usually shines through and items are put together in an intelligent way that surpasses the trend of the moment or sometimes (eg in their men's hooded blazers) creates it's own trend. What does all this mean? That you can buy next winter's coat in March safe in the knowledge that it'll look just as good when the cold weather returns.

Junky Styling Show London Feb 09...3 piece becomes 2

2009-03-08T22:33:00.006Z

For me this is classic Junky: vintage menswear re-cut into a stylish look which is 'now' without the likelihood of it being 'then' in season or two's time. Here we've got a new invention of theirs for this 'season' (whatever a season is in Junky Styling speak): taking entire 3 piece suits, popping the waistcoats on the outside of the tails, jazzing up the shape and details like collars and just sprucing up the legs. It seems I wasn't the only fan of this piece...When I popped in to see how the show went down a couple of days later, Kerry told me that this was the first look they sold from the show. Someone laid out the required £400 for it the very next day. Kerry and Annie promise to make more soon though...just as soon as they can find some good 3 piecers...http://www.junkystyling.co.uk/

Maaike Mekking London Off schedule Sept 08

2009-02-23T22:53:00.001Z

Attending Maaike Mekking's off-schedule show in a room above Beach Blanket Babylon was a fun in fairly uneventful evening. I was most interested in the striking black circle make-up which gave a dehumanising effect from the front and a more feline feel in profile. Take a look also at the cream trousers. At first I thought they were just Maike's take on the low crotch/hareem pant obsession. But actually they're Thai fisherman's trousers making another comeback. The last time they surfaced was about 4 years ago, but like so may fashions that never quite made it to the 'so ubiquitous we're all sick now' stage, they're back once more demanding their own place in baggy-crotch-trouser history.

Manish Arora Delhi Fashion week AW 08/09

2009-02-15T00:32:00.000Z

The Indian fashion scene is a pretty wierd place and certainly none of it's output is more extraordinary in a sublime way than Mr Manish Arora's. When I chatted Indian fashion with a London based fashion journalist friend recently she told me that she associated it with all that is bright, colourful and expressive. Manish's designs are certainly all of of the above, but in actual fact the local taste is much more varied. On home turf, top designers like Rajesh Pratap Singh, Ashish Soni and Rohit Ghandi and Rahul Khanna all sell much subtler, largely monochromatic collections in comparatively high numbers. And when I went to a big party to mark the launch of Manish's travel programme at the Park Hotel, I saw loads of people having fun but didn't see a single outfit of his on any of the revellers. It seems though, that outside India we prefer our Desi designers a bit more extrovert and luckily this has lead to Manish having his own single rack at Dover Street Market and a handful of other outlets for a good few seasons. The show I attended in Delhi took its primary references from ice queens and armoured nights as well as the designer's old favourites: aliens and cyborgs.

When I lived in Delhi I think I confused the middle-aged shop attendants by making regular homages to Manish's boutique at Crescent Mall. I'd return again and again, partly to marvel at the amazingly intricate hand-stitched 'western and traditional' (ie Indian Sarees, Salwar kameez sets etc) ladieswear and partly in the secret hope that one day he might decide to drop in an item of menswear. Finally, after a year of visits, I was able to make my first Arora purchase: a characteristically multi-coloured silk scarf printed with a Bollywood love scene, a speech bubble which reads: 'will you marry me?' and a cheeky relief of Delhi auto-rickshaws which you can only notice at an intimate distance...http://www.manisharora.ws/