SWAROVSKI LFW PREVIEW: J.W. ANDERSON

Posted by Fashion Editor at Large

Fashion week previews are a privilege afforded to very few fashion journalists. However, it is something I have been doing unofficially for years. It helps me understand the season if I understand where the designer is coming from, and the designers themselves like a sounding board who offers both constructive criticism and positive encouragement as well as downright admiration.
This season for the SS11 shows in London Swarovski wanted to know if I would like to blog about the young designers they work with, and since I was doing some of them anyway, I agreed.
Tonight I start the previews by sharing my visit to see J.W Anderson at his studio/apartment. J.W shows his womenswear on Saturday at 5pm, and his mens next Wednesday.

Jonathan with his hunk of Swarovski off-cut that he used to make his LFW film look psychedelic

"I'm not here to change fashion - I just want to give it a narrative."

I first met Jonathan W Anderson (above) a few years ago when he was still doing jewellery and was fresh out of a relationship from Rufus Wainwright, for whom he designed stage costumes. Back them he was finding his path as a menswear designer. Now he has a growing menswear business, a new womens label,  and has recently signed two successful straight from the runway sales deals with Liberty for his womens clothes and Oki-Ni for his mens.

He is unlike any designer I have met in many ways - number one among them is that he completely embraces digital culture and social media. His blog gets 1500 hits a day from people around the world, (when I was there he was answering an email from a fan in Chile). I've just been watching on his blog the nattily edited film from yesterday showing how to bleach Liberty Print, set to Miles Davis.  

In addition Jonathan is trained in drama, and this, combined with having an English teacher for a mother means he name-drops Joyce and Dostoevsky more readily that Prada and Comme.

This is Jonathan's mood board of William Gedney images from the photographers Nantucket series

S/S 11 INSPIRATIONS:
"My new collection is about a girl and a boy running away from a privileged upbringing to take a road-trip across America, experimenting with LSD (which I have never tried, but would have liked to!). Unsung photographer William Gedney's images of a Nantucket family have also been a huge inspiration. Gedney was photographing during the 50's and 70's, and was taught by Diane Arbus but his work is not widely known. Both collections have been based on a smorgasbord of youth culture, as seen in Karlheinz Weinberger's book of photographs of German teenagers recreating American teen stereotypes, and Patrick Frey's collection of Swiss punk and new wave images in the book Hot Love (both below). The colours of the collection were inspired by 70's sugar crystal trees and the way light refracts and diffuses through crystals. I asked them for off-cuts and asked for the giant lumps of crystal from which they carve crystals...they thought it was an eccentric request, but we used this lump (the one he is holding above)to make our video look trippy. We also asked them for crystal leftovers, and so got a lot of random bits and bobs which we upcycled."

   Page view of Karlheinz Weinberger: Photos 1954-1995

JWA PHILOSOPHY:
"There is always a storytelling element to my collections. As well as that, the fact that we design for a London audience means we have to consider two extremes: the work has to be avant garde and exciting, but also a viable prospect for buyers. We like to keep our buyers informed during every step of the design process.

I don't want to keep my work private, I want to let people in - and it seems that people want to know more about us. Canon have sponsored us and the amazing cameras they have given us mean we can make videos of the creative process (how to bleach out Liberty print fabrics, how to add the Swarovski crystals to our shoe designs and the casting videos). We have also created a fashion film as our womenswear presentation, which was shot by shining light through giant crystal off cuts into a dark room filled with powder, which achieved the magical LSD effect."

"The film we've dome for LFW was shot by Sherif Hamzar, Steven Klein's old assistant. Robbie Spencer styled it."

"I wanted to revive the lost art of doilie making, so I've sent my team out to find old ones. They take days to make. I'm using them to create T-shirts." (below)

"This dress is inspired by my friend Yasmin Sewell."

"A bra top from the womens range covered with the leftover Swarovski crystals"

  "I found this kid on the street in Copenhagen, his name is Ben and he will be opening my menswear show on Wednesday."

"My team"

From Karlheinz Weinberger book

All photos: Fashion Editor at Large

BEING A DICKHEAD IS COOL?

Posted by Fashion Editor at Large

This guy has a blog called Kate Loves Me

The hipsters (but don't call them that) of east London are all up in arms/finding hilarious/burning with shameful recognition (delete as appropriate) at the video at the bottom of this post (yet another one) parodying their social habits and belief-system. It is hilarious.

Oh and if you thought the term hipster (don't call them that!!!) was something that went out with 1970s, think again. If you don't know what a hipster is, read the short "send-up" below of what they stand for (taken from the Hipster Handbook), and know that every cool kid you know who wears nerdy glasses and a funny moustache secretly, or sort of secretly identifies as one. For the record, if I were 24 again I would probably be part of this social group who have become extremely influential during the recession. In fact, I would be so bold as to say that the talented among this generation are this decades next creative, fashion and maybe even intelligentsia A-list.

The hipster kids are also top of the inspiration agenda for the most fashiony and forward of fashion designers. Tom Ford's eyewear campaign owes everything to Hipsters.  Marc Jacobs might have given up the look for himself when he went into rehab, but his brand DNA follows the Hipster Fashion Cycle, below, exactly.

Definition of a Hipster
Hipster - one who possesses tastes, social attitudes and opinions that are deemed cool by the cool. The Hipster walks among the masses in daily life but is not part of them, and shuns or reduces to kitsch anything that is held dear by the mainstream.

T

Now watch this funny video, taking the total piss out of them. On Friday when I first saw it only 300,000 people had seen it, now the figure is approaching 1.4 million. Proving to me that this hipster phenomenon, is a lot bigger than the hipsters (shaddap calling them that) themselves realise.





IMAGES: West of Wabsania and Prince Pelayo of Kate Loves Me

DAVID KOMA ON THE UP

Posted by Fashion Editor at Large

Last night  I spotted Natalia Vodianova at a Vogue Fashion Night Out party wearing this incredible dress by fellow Russian, David Koma. Seeing her in it, it struck me David is fast turning into a shooting star of British fashion.  Celebrity endorsement by a girl who doubles as a fashion icon, really is a fast-track to fashion fame.

The brilliant tailoring, worked structure and sculptural detailing look fantastic on Natalia - better, even, than when I spotted it backstage at his AW10 show in Feburuary.

 David Koma AW10

Koma has been on the up London Fashion Week since Cheryl Cole and Beyonce wore his designs shortly after he graduated from St Martins last year. Earlier this year we on the NEWGEN panel invited him onto the offical London schedule. You may remember my interview with him just over a year ago, posted here on this very blog:

David snapped at the NEWGEN party back in June

Back then he was still adjusting to life as fashion's hottest rising star, but it is clear that Koma's designs are now becoming a firm favourite with tastemakers and trendsetters alike. The goddess herself, Kylie Minogue, along with her loyal stylist Willy Baker picked a David Koma design for the opening shots of her latest video 'Get Outta My Way', and as she writhes around with laser accessories looking typically fabulous, it's obvious why she chose to work with this young designer.  

Watch the full video here:
She wore yet another custom David Koma dress (based on his current collection) for a performance on America's Got Talent.



Now it is all we can do to contain my trepidation for his S/S11 show, on the Monday 20th September. Check back then for my impressions of the show, and we will also be getting a sneal preview of his collection at the weekend. In fact next week is dedicated to previews - I have teamed up with Swarovski to get amazing access to all of the LFW designers they collaborate with.

David Koma is available at Browns

(Images: Daily Mail, Fashion Editor at Large, Kylie Minogue)

AUTUMN/.WINTER 2010: THE ULTIMATE EDIT

Posted by Fashion Editor at Large & Fashion Junior at Large

While getting ready for the fashion show season, we compiled our fantasy Autumn/Winter shopping list. One each. Twenty things. This has been a long time coming.
FASHION EDITOR AT LARGE
This season I'm mostly having a boot thing, a blouse thing, a leather thing and a red thing. Throw in a sexy dress and some mannish tailoring, and one (oh please Lord) a Solange Azagury Partridge Ram ring and I will be in style heaven.


Heeled hiking boots by Alaia at Net-a-porter

Surface to Air's 'Packer' wedge boots at Browns

NDC's new-style Chelsea boots from Net-a-porter

 ACNE structured silk shirt

Pale pink silk shirt by Equipment at Harrods

Lace blouse by Christopher Kane at Net-a-porter

Jacket with tails by Givenchy at Selfridges

DKNY's crombie coat at Net-a-porter

Vionnet printed silk dress from Net-a-porter

 Isabel Marant fringed leather mini

Leather trousers by Givenchy at Matches

YSL clutch from Net-a-porter

White 'Toy' Watch

Solange Azagury Partridge 'Aries' ring

Antonio Berardi at Matches

FASHION JUNIOR AT LARGE
The overall look I will be going for this winter my usual slightly subversive, grunge style, updated with beautiful knits and glamourous accessories.
Before it disappears from the high street, I have to get my hands on a pair of these American Apparel dancing shoes!

They are kind of ridiculous...but I would have so much fun wearing these Giuseppe Zanotti boots.

Vivienne Westwood, ladylike, glittery, black. Yes please. (Find it at Liberty)

 This would be my failsafe Topshop AW10 LBD. And it has a touch of leopard print. Winner!

Topshop's kimono jacket for sunny autumn days:

 Gorgeous cobwebby knits by Acne (to channel my inner Kurt):

Leather skinnies - this winter's ideal trouser. By Helmut Lang at Matches:

My dream ring, by Dominic Jones. Tough, yet completely beautiful.

Everyday essential leather, by 3.1 Philip Lim at Matches:

Essential Wildfox Ts for layering inder the ACNE knits (from ASOS and Selfridges):

It's Vivienne Westwood, it's red tartan, it's Christmas!

And finally, the perfect party dress by Marc Jacobs.

THE GILES EMPIRE

Posted by Fashion Junior at Large

Last week saw the launch of the latest 'Gold by Giles Deacon' collection for New Look, and the man himself was at the fashion retailer's HQ to have tea, toast and a chat.

In the studio where the magic happens

(I say this very casually, because uber professionals like the Fash Ed have been meeting designers like Giles for years. I on the other hand, was extremely excited to be in the presence of such greatness!)

Thankfully, Giles Deacon is perhaps the friendliest, most down-to-earth designer working today, and he was more than happy to talk about his future with New Look, that Ungaro job and life as a creative person in 2010.

Here is what Giles had to say...

On the latest Gold by Giles Deacon collection:

"I design for the New Look girl. She is outgoing, individual, and knows her stuff when it comes to fashion. The kind of girl who works hard but then loves getting dressed up and looking great at the weekend. We put as much effort into both the main line and this collection, because they both have their own challenges. I want the New Look collection to be the best that it can be within the constraints set - we spend a long time on the fabric and fit. In fact, we probably do as many fittings for this collection as we do for Giles. I also look at how it works within the rest of the New Look range, trying to make sure it is really, really good.  

The dresses currently in store. 

On whether designer/high street collaborations are helping or damaging the UK fashion industry:

 "They are totally, completely helping. Not just from a business point of view, although the money is an important aspect [Giles is famously honest about the fact that his high street collaboration does help to fund his main line work]. Collaborations are a way of showing another side to your work, but crucially they make good design accessible to all. I firmly believe in the democracy of design. "

On his future with New Look:

"The collections are going from strength to strength and we will definitely be involved over the next two years at least."

The Christmas dresses, for release later in the year.

On the pressure of taking on a third collection, [his forthcoming debut for Ungaro] and managing the workload:

"I am aware of the pressure, but I honestly try not to think about it. I never want to feel stressed or out of control, which is why I am very organised about my work. I have an excellent team who liase between Milan, Paris and my studio here, sorting out the logistics so that I can focus - the more organised everything is, the more creative I can be. I have to set briefs and allocate work and I don't have time for things not to be done -  not that I am a control freak! I have a really good team."

On his first collection for Ungaro:

"It's a big, big range, totally separate from my own.  But we have worked very hard on it. It is always exciting to see how a collection is going to be recieved by the press and the stores, and this is no exception."

Giles graduated in 1992, coincidentally the last time the country was in a major recession. I asked him how he thought the industry has changed, and the advice he would give to those beginning their fashion careers:

"I am fascinated by technological advances, in all aspects of design, not just fashion. It is the new ideas, technology and ways of working that inspire me today, and I am always looking to embrace that.

It was hard, if not harder when I graduated as it is now. But I realised if you want to follow a creative career, in whatever discipline, you have to stick at it and get a solid work ethic in place. It's all about stability, longevity and quality of work. Things will happen, maybe not straight away, but they will, so you have to keep at it. If there is one thing I hate more than anything, it is wasted talent."

And finally, on his dream collaboration:

"Weirdly, I am obsessed with clips of 1970's hot air balloon conventions on the internet. The crazy races where all the balloons are different shapes and colours. I would love to design my own Giles balloon one day."

Now that is a sight we would love to see... 

The current collection is in store now, with special Christmas dresses being added in early November. Items range from £40-£60.

SHOP THE COLLECTION GOLD BY GILES COLLECTION HERE!

Images: Rex, New Look

To all Fashionistas and Swaggalious in town,Eid is around the corner and Kiki's Fashion has New Arrivals for you all..don't be late..Enjoy shoppimg with us..Much Love!