ARE YOU FEELING MOD? I AM

Posted by Fashion Editor at Large
Additional research Bethan Holt

Last week we explored aspects of Teddy Boy style. This week we delve into the even more influential-for-now Mod style...

Incidentally, British high street fashion retailers have reacted to the Mod influence shown in pre-fall and catwalk collections for Autumn/Winter 2011, so be prepared for an onslaught.


The Mod and his Moped were inseparable (image from 60smodfox.blogspot.com)

 The Mods (i.e. Modernists as opposed to Traditionalists) can truly lay claim to having permanently changed  the British cultural landscape. Their key stomping ground was Carnaby Street where they would all meet up on a Saturday to spend their hard-earned cash on sleek Italian tailoring and Parkas to protect said tailoring as they sped about town on their most important accessory- the moped. The shopping destination of choice was John Stephen's 'His Clothes' from where trends were dictated. Here is Stephen himself telling us his key pieces for the wannabe Mod.  Particularly interesting is his response to the analysis that Mod fashions might be effeminate. For his generation, no, he says: that is the old thinking which he and his peers are seeking to challenge. These sentiments are so key to the events which would come to give that decade its ‘Swinging Sixties’ moniker- swinging from the old school, stiff upper lip to a sexual revolution  which ultimately came to be expressed in the hippie movement.

The Beatles in moddish mode with their sharp suits and chelsea boot/winklepicker hybrids (image from last.fm)

The details here- the contrasting lapel and skinny collar- scream Mod (Celine Pre-Fall 2011)

In 1966, The Kink's 'Dedicated Follower of Fashion' signified just how much the Mod generation had permeated the national consciousness- they had become so big that they were now worthy of a highly public mocking. According to The Kinks, Mods were all 'eagerly persuing the latest fads and trends' and could alter their attire at a moment's notice- 'one week he's in polka dots, the next week he's in stripes'. 

The Mod look has proved a huge source of inspiration for the AW11 collections.To perfect the Mod look, there are several key pieces which your wardrobe must contain. An extremely slick overcoat, preferably of the parka or trench variety, slim fit trousers, crafted using the very latest in Italian tailoring techniques and a skinny collared shirt- the specific colours and patterns would have changed on a weekly basis for the 60s Mod. but for AW11 it seems that Celine's geometric blue will set the standard.

One of the four amazing parkas from Joseph Altuzarra's AW11 collection



The sharp lines of the trench, with it's exaggerated epaulettes, and peep of tailoring in Burberry's AW11 collection
recall the Mod silhouette

Celine's generous and precisely tailored coat from the Pre-Fall 2011 collection is perfect for emulating the Mod's preferred cover-up while also encompassing vibes of the Italian tailoring worn underneath

The perfect moddish shirt- Celine Pre-Fall 2011

 On the shoe front, the Teddy Boys' beloved winklepicker was also a Mod favourite- a chelsea boot or desert boot will also do the job nicely. And finally, it won't fit in your wardrobe, but to carry off the Mod look to perfection, a moped, preferably a Vespa (Italian clothes, Italian wheels) is essential.

A Chelsea Boot try on session (Image from thesongsthatpeoplesing.wordpress.com)

Burberry and Celine are the go-to labels for the AW11 interpretation of the Mod look but be prepared to see plenty of high street references too. The Mod's sartorial signature soon gained a more futuristic and geometric slant. Silhouttes became bolder and colours brighter. This was also when the female Mod look really came into its own, with mini lengths and the Vidal Sassoon five point hair cut . At Balenciaga, there is a nod to this brighter aesthetic but the Italian tailoring and longer length coat still dominates.

Celine's Pre-Fall 2011 trench seems to bridge the gap between the 'classic' mod look and the progression to colour and geometric construction

Balenciaga also showed space-mod influences for AW11

Balenciaga AW11

Images courtesy of Catwalking.com and Style.com

FASHION JUNIOR'S TOP TEN OUTFITS FOR SS11

Posted by Fashion Junior at Large

As you might expect, my choices are somewhat different to the Fashion Editor at Large!

David Koma:
Caters to my inner ballerina. Simply graceful.

Givenchy:
I've always been a leopard print fan, and this updates it for summer. Plus - white leopard print will always super trashy, in a wonderfully 80s way.

YSL: For when I'm feeling ladylike again, this sheer dress combines my favourite colour with just enough vintage styling. 

Moschino Cheap and Chic:
My ideal outfit for Fashion Junior-ing in.

Marc by Marc Jacobs: If I manage to go on holiday next year, I would like to look exactly like this, thanks.

Erdem:
Absolutely dreamy, I would pretend I was the romantic heroine of a movie while wearing this.

Burberry Prorsum:
Because you can't be girly all the time.

Richard Nicholl:
for sheer outrageousness.

Preen:
Bringing elegance back to the fore.

SOOO CRAZY FOR COCO

Guest Post by Fashion Junior at Large
(George Langford)

Coco captured by Mert & Marcus for Love Magazine in 2009. Those eyes!

Fashion Editor at Large and Fashion Junior have this week realised we have developed a significant style crush on Miss Coco Sumner, who you will already know to be a key player in the London scene, lead singer of I Blame Coco, and the daughter of some old bloke called Sting (but we don't mention that part).

There have been rumblings of interest about this singer/songwriter for a while, and her striking look first came to our attention in a Burberry campaign last year:

That's Coco in the middle. Doesn't she scrub up nice? Photo by Mario Testino

However, this talented 19 year old is not content with a life in front of a camera. She is carving out a musical career with her band I Blame Coco and recently played the first in a string of summer festival dates. Sumner's unusual, husky voice (some of that musical DNA helps!) blends with 80's influenced electro-pop-rock, which makes for a very distinctive sound. However, where her music may stem from influences 30 years old, her fashion sense is fresh, new and very much her own.

In true fashion speak, her style would probably be described as a grunge-preppy hybrid, but basically, she is a bit of a tomboy. Rarely seen with makeup (aside from the statutory rock n'roll eyeliner), her hair is a tangled mess of dark, natural curls that infer she has been on a beach all day -  you get the impression Coco doesn't do 'high maintenence'. Whatever the outfit or occasion, she loves to cover up with a big hoodie/parka/wax jacket, and is a big fan of the new Barbour styles we posted about recently.

Red carpet event? Forget couture, Coco cracks out the wax jacket!

This is also a girl that doesn't do heels, and she is amassing a pretty impressive collection of vintage ankle boots, Doc Martens and Church's brogues (also the Fashion Ed's favourite, she has increased her collection from one to three pairs in the last month). Her style may be more on the scruffy side of casual, but she chooses strong, classic pieces with a masculine feel. Her super slender frame allows her to carry off tougher, over sized looks whilst still looking elfish and feminine.

Coco (and her scarf) perform at Glastonbury last weekend

 One key Coco piece is the woolly scarf, preferably of the type worn by public schoolboys, draped casually round her neck come rain or shine (she was even rocking one in the 90 degree heat at Glastonbury!). This makes a very refreshing change from the usual Afghan scarf/pendant combo still seen on many festival goers, with the added bonus of making her easy to spot in a crowd. She also favours a classic, plain button down shirt, which continues the androgynous theme but is pretty chic at the same time.

Fashion Editor at Large is wearing an almost identical outfit today. Spooky

It is extremely rare to spy Coco in any form of skirt, and she wears the recent mannish trouser trend with aplomb. Comfort and practicality obviously factor heavily in her outfit choices, but at the tender age of 19, she is already impressing us with her unique and innate style. Everything about her fashion sense exudes self confidence and an assured manner beyond her years. If nothing else, these straight talking, directional looks compliment her dynamic songwriting, which if the hype about her debut album 'The Constant' is to be believed, is where her true talent lies.   

Watch Coco's latest video for single Selfmachine (available to download from the 11th July)





**UPDATE** Funnily enough, just a few hours after we had posted this, I had the pleasure of witnessing Coco perform up close at the Lula/Harvey Nichols dinner yesterday evening (more to follow on that). She was just as beautiful in the flesh, wearing the same outfit that she had performed in at Glastonbury, and super tiny - she is a proper waif. She performed brilliantly and sounded even better live than on the radio, which is no mean feat! A genuinely talented, unique character.

Coco before she performed at the Lula/Harvey Nichols dinner - that's some attitude!

www.iblamecoco.com
www.burberry.com
www.thelovemagazine.co.uk
http://www.church-footwear.com

(Images: Love magazine, Burberry/Mario Testino, Rex Features)

BE STILL MY BURBERRY HEART

Posted by the Fashion Editor at Large

My coat

My American friend called the Burberry show Tuesday a "fashion-gasm". That about sums it up for me too, but not for the same reasons. The show was a triumph. It created need where there was none. It set trends and was dramatically staged with celebrities and plenty of pomp. Of particular note was the outerwear and leather accessories. Burberry is as Burberry does.  

Shearling aviator jacket,  olive parka coat, navy cadet peacoat. Thigh-high boot, buckled shearling ankle boot, ruched snakeskin thigh boot. These fashion jewels kept on coming and all excited desire.

Desire like this once created, demands to be sated and the sooner the better. Burberry knows this. So how to satisfy when the collection on show will not be on sale for six long months?  This brings me to the point of this post. My "fashion-gasm" if you like. Sarah Mower reported on Style.com yesterday that Burberry were to allow fans instant gratification by offering an online pre-order option for 80% of the collection.

It took me a minute to click through to Burberry and there were all the coats from the runway collection, shown on a model who moved and turned the coat or jacket seductively when clicked upon. Until 28th February she is there for you too, and she will tantalise you with that piece you want. It takes a few clicks to order and pay. Delivery in six to eight weeks. THAT is a fashion-gasm: a totally new way to access the nerve center that controls my shopping habits.  It is creating a new neural pathway in my brain as I write.

"Every step forward changes or challenges past mechanisms" one of my sage fashion critic friends emailed today. She is right. Still, I would very much like to buy the coat in the manner above, without touching it or trying it on. It costs £2,795.

Below is the jacket (£2,195) purchased yesterday by Rachael Proud the buyer in charge of designer collaborations at TopShop. She is a very happy girl today, as this jacket is fabulous and will suit her down to the ground. She followed the same path as me upon reading Mower's review on Style.com, except she sealed the deal. ""Their returns policy is as normal, so if I don't like it, I can return it," she said with audible relief. 

 

Rachael's jacket  

Kate Hudson's coat (and the dream coat of every fashion editor in the world) £5,495

During the show on Tuesday night I happened to see Kate Hudson mouth the words "I want all of it" to her neighbour. However according to my sources, she settled on this coat;  it reminds me of what she wore in 'Almost Famous.' My source at Burberry also tells me that this quilted jacket is the runaway best-seller so far. Interesting, no? If you want one the advice is to buy it one size too big. 

 

The most-clicked and bought pre-order jacket from Burberry's AW10 runway

    Kristen Stewart's coat

Back to the coat that started all this; as my finger hovered above the "click and buy" button a wise and practical friend of mine pulled me roughly to my senses. "What if you're over it before the Autumn kicks in?" And the clincher: "Isn't that half the budget for your wedding?" 

FASHION JUNIOR'S LFW ROUND-UP

Posted by Fashion Junior at Large

TRENDS TASTER:

 The conspicuous zip...

 

Burberry Prorsum

Bryce Aime

Anything sheeny, shiny and metallic...

 

Aquascutum

 

Matthew Williamson

The shearling jacket...

Julien Macdonald

Burberry Prorsum

FASHION WEEK FUEL:

Fashion week sponsors, Mercedes Benz, put these much appreciated hampers in the boot of their cars. I think everybody had one too many jelly babies. Thank god also for the coffee carts and the Topshop Hot Choc Stop in the courtyard at Somerset House.

FASHION EXTREMEISTS:

These two were causing quite the reaction all over town. Who are they? What do they do? I'm desperate to know!

COOLEST INVITATION:

Ashish's paper boat was my favourite.

MOST CONTROVERSIAL COLLECTION:

 

Fashion Editor at Large loved Meadham Kirchhoff's AW10 collection for its brave rawness. Others were not so keen.

BEAUTY TRENDS:

Firstly buns - every other person was rocking one. This was my effort.

Secondly red hair. At one show I counted 10 redheads in my immediate vicinity. Is Florence Welch to blame?

SECRETS OF THE FASHION WEEK VENUES:

Underneath all the gloss this week I saw flashes of London's history. Down in the under-belly of Somerset House - in the passages which host the Fashion East show - are graves. In the deeds of the building this area is referred to as 'The Dead House'. Creepy!

Vauxhall Fashion Scout moved to the Freemason's Hall this season, and the girls who write the VFS blog spotted this. On first impressions it's a painting of King Edward VII, but look at it in a different light and a second face appears.

LIFE SAVING PRODUCTS:

Fashion Editor at Large and I both use Lucas' Pawpaw Ointment, and it was a lifesaver in this week's icy weather. Forget 8 Hour Cream, this is the new cult product that should be in your handbag.

Pic Credits: Chris Moore / catwalking.com, thefashionscout.com