DO THE LANVIN DANCE!

Posted by Fashion Junior at Large

You've mastered the macarena, the YMCA et al, but really we wouldn't dare crack out those routines wearing Lanvin. Well, now the label's dance challenge positively encourages a little foray into cheesy moves. Alber Elbaz is letting us know about it in a fun-filled video which also just happens to showcase the capes and cocktail dresses which dominate the AW11 collection- a feast for the eyes and ears.

Raquel Zimmerman and Karen Elson (who loves a party- she even threw a joint one with her ex Jack White to celebrate their divorce) are joined by Lowell Tautchin and Milo Spijkers in this manifesto for having fun in your high fashion. Elbaz himself was obviously loving Steven Mielsel's shoot so much that he makes a cheeky cameo, can you spot him?

Never fear, the fun is not reserved for the lucky models. Those of you who will be in New York on September 8th (when Vogue's Fashion Night out is taking place) can bust a move at the Lanvin boutique in a bid to win prizes, surely the chicest dance contest ever? And if you're not in NY then any dancefloor/ bedroom will do.

FASHION GETS INTO THE GROOVE

Posted by Fashion Junior at Large

Jigging about and getting energetic is probably the last thing on everyone's mind on Monday morning, but it seems that the fashion industry has other ideas. Having been perusing the Resort 2012 lookbook images, it couldn't escape our attention that a heck of a lot of the models seemed to be leaping around like they are hardcore members of Pineapple Studios.

Gone are the days of boring studio shots - busting a move seems to be the future. Not that we are complaining, it sure makes sorting through the new collections more fun. Now what we want to know is this: when are the images going to become GIFs? Even more enjoyable!

Here are our fave Resort 2012 shots featuring models on the move.

Max Azria

Chloe - shot on the streets on Paris, these pics reminded us of film stills, or particularly chic paparazzi shots.

Lanvin (above and below) Daphne Groenveld not only wafts around showing off the garments to their maximum potential, she's also clearly not afraid of a good 'hair swish' or three.

Missoni: slightly more sedate, but nevertheless,  having a model stride through the incredible backdrop made these looks come alive.

Theysken's Theory

Giles' multi-fluro-patterned-craziness for Ungaro looks incredible in these wind-machine shots. Glamour to the max.

It's Daphne again, striding about for Versace. Can this girl not sit still?

Vionnet: showing us the best way to model a skinny flare.

And finally, Lindsay 'The Pout' Wixon turns senorita for Z-Spoke. You can just see her ruffling that skirt and salsa-ing off the page!

So there you have it: for Resort, it's all about models who move. Fashion has dictated that it's time to start throwing shapes that would make Louie Spence proud...

RESORT 2012 - FASH JUNIOR GETS BIGHEADED!

Posted by Fashion Junior at Large

Following on from the Fash Ed's Resort 2012 selections, I too had a go at our favourite 'dress up dollly' game to model my own top picks. Judging by these choices, I will primarily be wearing sky blue, hot pink, black, white and gold over the next few months, and acting like a starlet in a Sixties movie.

 Celine's hot hot hot pink throw-on shirt dress. For those 'I feel like Barbie days'.I'd probably have to pair it with a LOT of eyeliner or something to balance out the Pretty in Pink-sugary-sweetness...

 ...and would definitely NOT wear it at the same time as this flipping incredible Michael Kors coat. Wowzers.

 Marc by Marc's dreamy 60s party dress, for the Betty Draper days (and nights)

Whilst Roksanda's crossover playsuit is just classic cool.

 Richard Nicoll's gold dress has spot-on Sixties Sophia Loren style. Could also be teamed with sheer pale tights for an even more Carnaby Street feel, but I'd rather wear it whilst sitting at a cafe in Cannes (note: I am not a member of the Made in Chelsea cast. I'm talking about 1960's Cannes, with Brigitte Bardot posing on the beach in a bikini)

Back in Blighty, with a complete lack of summer weather, this more appropriate Stella McCartney ensemble is simple yet highly effective, Mod-ish awesomeness.  I'd swap the shoes for a nice patent loafer for extra Quadrophenia points.

 Bobby socks? Patent heels? A full tulle mini skirt? A JUMPER WITH A GOOGLY STRAWBERRY ON IT? Nobody does cute like Mulberry do cute. Did I mention it has a strawberry on it?!

 Peter Jensen has produced my favourite Resort images by far (above and below), ostensibly inspired by a silver-haired Meryl Streep, looking cool (as always) in various New York locations. Weirdly, my hair is the same colour as the model, which makes these Big Head pics look even more odd. Seriously though, the clean lines, pastel colours, loafers and general Sixties NY gal perfection made me fall in love with Jensen just a little bit more.

And finally, in true fashion show tradition, the bridal couture...

...er, not really! But this Lanvin number would definitely help me get my Jerry Hall on. Or look like a debutante. Either way, Alber strikes white gold with this one.

RESORT 2012: THE BIGHEADS ARE BACK!

Posted by Fashion Editor at Large

Oh, I just couldn't resist the lure of a Big Head post! What better way to celebrate my favourite looks from the Resort 2012 collections, I ask you?  It is a bit "look at me" as so many blogs and fashion editors columns are these days but Susie Lau, Lisa Armstrong, Jess Cartner Morley and Polly V have so much fun starring in their own personal fashion shoots, why not join in? This way I get to be skinny and jump around a lot in nice clothes without lifting more than a few fingers on photo-shop (well, ahem the Fashion Junior does that, so I can't lay claim to the effort). I've been confined to bed all week due to a rather unexpected turn of events so have had ample time to peruse the resort SS12 collections and formulate exactly where fashion is going. Here are my top ten personal picks.

Max Azria

The easy cotton shirt, tracksuit-ish trousers and little retro looking pumps are so SS12. Trust that sporty vibe

Celine

Phoebe is still leading the pack with her work. Love the trilogy of shirt, trouser and sporty jacket in an all over wallpaper print on black.The sporty track jacket is delicious.

Celine

Mmmmmmmmmmm.... Makes me want to break out  my copy of White Women by Helmut Newton

Gucci

I am a confirmed fan of Frida Giannini's work.Think what you like about that, as I'm not your cookie-cutter Gucci girl. This dress is proper great. I'm also in the market for a Gucci handbag. I haven't bought a designer bag for over a year because I cannot find anything I like enough.

Kors

This outfit has my name all over it, except the shoes. NO to them. I still love pink trousers, a year after first seeing them

 

Preen

Thea, Justin? Remember when I saw you the other night and said I loved your Resort coll? Well, this is my favourite outfit. OK?? (Mel, stop fantasising)

 

Vuitton

Marc has been doing patterned pajama's at Vuitton for a while. A lot more people are doing them now (Celine, Jonathan Saunders, Thakoon, Gucci to name a few) but his are still my favourites. I could do with a pair of these now, for looking stylish against the pillows, and enable me to pop up for yet another blood test looking cool)

Jason Wu

This guy is fast shaping up to be my second favourite New York designer

 

Lanvin

This is luscious

Lanvin again!

If you're going to buy a jumpsuit, this one with a matching turban has to be the ultimate. Looking at it makes me dream of the social events I might attend in it, and the things I would get up to and sod that its white. 

Photos: style.com

UNIQLO’S CHARI-TEES SAVE JAPAN!

Posted by Bethan Holt and Fashion Junior at Large

Charity t-shirts are not always the coolest – harsh but true. However, everybody knows the place to go for cool t-shirts is Japanese wonderbrand Uniqlo. So it makes perfect sense that Uniqlo have teamed up with Vogue Nippon to help Save Japan. Unveiled at the brand’s AW11 press day yesterday, this latest t-shirt project is one we feel is worth investing in, not only for the cause but because they are very good T-shirts. The creatives behind the T-shirts include Queen Gaga and everyone’s favourite Uncle Karl. The 10 tee designs will be available in store from 25th June, and Uniqlo have pledged a donation of 100 million yen (approx £750,000) towards relief efforts in the areas most affected by March’s earthquake and Tsunami.

We were really impressed by the unique designs, the common thread in all the designs is the message of love, solidarity and hope. Some are more fashion-y others are more conservative. Weirdly, one of the coolest is by 80s icon Cyndi Lauper (LOVE her). It’s bright and cheery, embodying her inimitable personal style. It is perhaps a little known fact that Ms. Lauper is a huge fan of all things Japanese and visited Japan in the wake of the recent disaster. 

Karl Lagerfeld’s design is somewhat of a departure from the formal Chanel aesthetic; he has fused the Japanese flag design with a sunny, happy landscape, and written the simple message ‘Love’. Meanwhile, Alber Elbaz has added a little Lanvin fun to proceedings with a his sweet personal message decorated with cute hearts.

UN goodwill ambassador Nicole Kidman’s expressed her inner Picasso with a beautiful design featuring an outreached hand offering love and support to Japan.

Blake Lively, Charlize Theron, and Orlando Bloom also leant their scribbles to the project, along with Victoria Beckham and Gwyneth Paltrow. Nicola Formichetti (who worked with Uniqlo pre-Gaga, and still styles their seasonal lookbook) posted a picture of himself wearing his customised Gaga for Uniqlo design.

The tees will be on sale from 25th June 2011 at £12.99 each.

Images: Uniqlo/Nicola Formichetti

MY MOST IMPORTANT TRENDS FOR SPRING/SUMMER 2011

Posted by Fashion Editor at Large

Apart from being a fashion writer and editor for Grazia and POP I'm also an occasional trend consultant. Upon returning from the shows I geek out with my show notes and compile trend reports. Originally this was done as a hobby - a bit like my blog is now - then one of my friends who is a creative director asked to see one of my trend reports, so it kind of become proper, though it still feels like a labour of love. Anyway. Though me and the Fashion Junior laid these trends down last October, now is exactly the right time for me to share my top ten new trends of Spring/Summer 2011 with you. 

                                      1. MINIMALISM

Jonathan Saunders

(also seen at Celine, Chloe, Stella McCartney, Philip Lim, Calvin Klein, Alexander Wang)

 

 2. MAXIMALISM

Marc Jacobs

(also seen at Louis Vuitton, Giles, Prada, Dior, Burberry Prorsum, Christopher Kane, D&G, Michael van der Ham)

3. LONG

Peter Pilotto

(also seen at Lanvin, Givenchy, Fendi, Ferragamo, Unique, Vuitton, Chanel, Pucci, Richard Nichol)

4. SEVENTIES

Derek Lam

(also seen at House of Holland, Richard Nichol, Halston, Marc Jacobs, Sonia Rykiel, Anna Sui, D&G, Alberta Ferretti)

5. COLOUR

Lanvin

(also seen at Jil Sander, Prada, Roksanda Illincic, Fendi, Mulberry, Theory by Olivier Theyskens)

6. NOVELTY

Prada
(also seen at Holly Fulton, Giles, House of Holland, Unique, Mary Katranzou, Louise Gray, Mark Fast, Moschino Cheap and Chic)


7. GRAPHICS

 Celine

(also seen at Holly Fulton, Giles, House of Holland, Unique, Mary Katranzou, Louise Gray, Mark Fast, Moschino Cheap and Chic)

8. FLORALS

Jil Sander

(also seen at Jil Sander, Erdem, D&G, Cacherel, Dries, Jaeger, Clements Riberio)

9. GEISHA

Roland Mouret

(those shoes are absolute winners too. Worn with every single look in the collection they looked good with everything from trousers to evening dresses)

(also seen at Marc Jacobs, Louis Vuitton, Haider Ackermann, Philosophy)

10. SUGAR &SPICE

Miu Miu

(also seen at Mulberry, Chanel,  Rykiel, Erdem, DKNY, Marc by Marc Jacobs)

Photos: Catwalking.com/Christopher Moore

FASHION'S COLOUR OF THE MOMENT: EMERALD

Posted by Fashion Editor at Large

A wave of bright colours are to make their way into our wardrobes for spring/summer 2011. While Summer 2010 fashion was characterised by pale camel and blush tones, this year expect every concentration of pink (my all time favourite colour) from candyfloss to cerise, multiple shades of blue thanks mainly to Armani's La Femme Bleu collection, and saving the best for last - green. Not any shade of green; one very specific hue: emerald.

This colour has lightened my mood all week. Drinking it in feels like I'm getting my vitamin D or something. It started when I bought an emerald silk blouse from Urban Outfitters sale for £20 two weeks ago (sadly, no longer available). Then at the Golden Globes Angeline Jolie, Mila Kunis and Elizabeth Moss all chose to wear emerald tinted gowns. In my Golden Globes blog post I initially referred to the shade as forest green, and was corrected by someone commenting on the blog, she suggested emerald and she was right. The colour is that of the precious jewel and it has become my colour of the moment. Am looking forward to buying and wearing more emerald coloured items - especially from Celine and Lanvin. Also for leaves to bud and days to become lighter and brighter. Until then I will simply enjoy the colour.

Lanvin's emerald silk dress for SS11, available from Matches

I particularly like this by G. Stolyarov II, a science fiction novelist, independent philosophical essayist, poet, amateur mathematician, composer and Editor-in-Chief of The Rational Argumentator. He says on his website "This work of Abstract Orderism depicts an arrangement of layered regular polygons (polygons with all sides of equal length). From the center outward are depicted a triangle, square, pentagon, hexagon, heptagon, octagon, nonagon, decagon, hendecagon, dodecagon, tridecagon, tetradecagon, pentadecagon, hexadecagon, heptadecagon, octadecagon, nonadecagon, and icosagon (polygon with 20 sides). As the polygons become larger, increasingly darker green colors are used, thus giving the painting a three-dimensional appearance -- as if one were viewing an emerald from one of its poles."

The new Celine advertising campaign by Juergen Teller with Daria Werbory 

The Emerald City of Oz