Revista B magazine - Basso and Brooke article

Click on below link to see the latest edition of revista b magazine. This is the article I wrote for the magazine on Basso and Brooke.
http://issuu.com/revistab/docs/b30

Early Morning Rebel - Cool band from LA at LFW

Josh (drums & Key board ) Nathan ( singer & song writer ) Dustin( lead guitar) 

Photo taken by fashiontent after a Vauxhall Fashion Scout Bernard Chandran show just before the band were off to play live at a gig recording for MTV

EMR front row at Francesca Marott'a brilliant show

Dustin and Nathan talking to Francesca Marotta 

Interview for my PLASTIK magazine article on LFW

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The band like Radio Head and David Bowie 

Sophie Hollin's fashiontent's girl about town with Josh, EMR's drummer
 

EMR's Lifeboat - available to download from itunes now.

Based in LA and flying home on Friday the band have been in London on a promotional merry go round of high profile gigs and media interviews during London Fashion Week. Cosmo magazine has called them fashion's new 'it' band. Listen to their music and you can't fail to be impressed. 

Early Morning Rebel or EMR is seriously going places. They have already had their hit single Lifeboat used on the successful American TV series 'Greys Anatomy'. As I write this they are recording a TV interview and sound check for a Channel 4 music programme to be aired tomorrow called 'Freshly Squeezed.'http://www.channel4.com/programmes/freshly-squeezed

Their new single 'Burn us Down' will be out in April when they return to London to play some more gigs and promote the new release...

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Photos Schelay McCarter & Sophie Hollins Please credit

LFW - Reports and reviews to follow soon - Day 5

It has been a Mad but wonderful Week. The fashion jungle drums have been beating with great rhythm. The show collections have been extraordinary and I have met some amazing people in line and when seated.  There are four more shows to go and then I have articles to write and prepare for Plastik magazine and lots of material to blog. Each season seems to get better at London Fashion Week. There is so much new fashion talent emerging in London at the moment.  Watch this space. 

Issa London A/W 12 LFW - Daniella Helayal homage to Catherine Windsor

The coveted Issa London show invite which arrived this morning.

Coat - Duchess of Cambridge inspired?

Classic Issa London jersey dress, a body clinging staple silhouette for the South American heritage designer brand

sweet fur trim 

Knitted Cape, styled with legging looks good.  

Russian Doll print

Emerald green print loose cape top and matching leggings, a relaxed and comfortable look  

We British have been attracted to South America's 'hot' colouful culture since Mario Testino recreated his native Peruvian 'look of money' in the late 1990s for Vogue editorials and brands such as Gucci and YSL, culminating with an exhibition of his work in the National Portrait Gallery. South America seemed very exotic then and now, carefree in comparison with cold, repressed England. However weird it may seem England is attractive to South Americans! - human nature craves what it is not familiar with - the unfamiliar seems cool and interesting.
I have been mapping Daniella Helayel's rise in the London fashion pecking order for four seasons now. I interviewed her for an issue of revista B magazine this time last year. She was enjoying the patronage of a certain Miss Catherine Middleton at the time - her colourful and demure figure hugging jersey dresses looked great on Kate and helped her bag her Prince perhaps.
This recent A/W 2012 collection though taking inspiration from the rich and colourful textile and style heritage of Russia also pays homage to Kate in the form of two distinct pieces, a navy blue dress coat and the long emerald green evening gown. Modelled by kate look alikes this reference is hard to miss!  Catherine was a powerful fashion icon before her marriage into the Royal family,  now she is a Windsor 'stratospherically' significant, currently 'the' most important fashion icon in the world today. 
Using print is nothing new for Issa London. It has always played an important role in defining Issa London's brands' DNA. Like a Basso and Brooke print an Issa London print is a clear trademark and adds cache. Another bold and very wearable collection from Issa London this season which is bound to do very well commercially.


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Francesca Marotta - a sensational collection at London Fashion Week

Look at those fabulous bell sleeves and breast panel..

 The show invitation.

Francesca and I having a chat after the show.

We loved this outfit, note the lace detail on the shoes

loved the fluted skirt wing detail, very sexy and elegant

Fabulous texture and pattern contrasts work well here.

Wow! We loved Francesca Marotta's A/W 2012 show collection seen today in the lavish surroundings of the Goldsmith's Hall on Foster Lane in the City of London. Exquisite! Francesca Marotta is originally from Sicily went to The London College of Fashion and lives and works in London. This was her 2nd Collection. Clever pattern cutting ( done by Francesca herself she confided)  and attention to details such as what will inspire but at the same time work commercially made this show a real winner.  The incredible black lace widow's wedding dress was stunning.  To describe the vision in filmic terms think 'The God Father' meets 'Twilight' with Kristan Stewart playing leading lady. All the pieces were so wearable and we wanted them all. Francesca understands how to mix textures and pattern to create aspirational, luxurious and covetable clothes. When I asked Francesca where they would be sold she said she would let me know - so watch this space. More images and copy will follow. Brava Francesca!

Basso and Brooke A/W 2012 London Fashion Week

The Basso & Brooke show this evening was really worth the long wait. In any case time passes quickly in Show queues as there are always interesting people to talk to. I got chatting to the shows' shoe designer Julia Lundsten of FINSK. She studied at the RCA with ERDEM. 
The show was rammed with the signature bold print of Bruno Basso's origination. The collection was broader than S/S12 in that there were more pieces on offer in particular some very striking dresses and wide legged trouser and top ensembles , no jumpsuits this time though. I particularly liked this geometric 1970s print in the top photo. This collection would brighten up any dull Autumn or Winters day. 


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PLASTIK Magazine

There is a talented creative team working at award winning PLASTIK magazine.
http://issuu.com/plastikmagazine/docs
http://plastikviusalmagazine.tumblr.com/
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Issue 12 is out at a news stand near you now.


Fashion Editor: Ryan Houssari
Creative Director: Eli Rezkallah

http://issuu.com/plastikmagazine/docs

Prabal Gurung - My New York Fashion Week Favourite

I absolutely love the simplicity of this outfit - the use of the show stopping electric blue satin skirt combined with an embellished cotton sweat shirt and elegant black leather gloves with the sexy electric glossy blue shoes really does it for me. In fact the whole of Prabal Gurung's minimalist and magical collection was near perfection, I have a thirst for 'less is more' and simplicity of line at the moment, this inspirational collection offers it in spades. Here are some more of my favourite outfits from his show. The electric blue and black combination runs like a thread throughout the collection, whilst gold and white run through the other half forming the Good side opposite. To see more click here. http://www.vogue.co.uk/fashion/autumn-winter-2012/ready-to-wear/prabal-gurung# 
Without sounding like I am using Star Wars speak I clearly like the dark side of his inspiration. 

texture play a theme of the collection

reminded me of Tom Ford's first collection for Gucci

Gorgeously wearable peplum skirted with trousers, sexy and warm look for winter.
Black is so commercial in a down turn too.  

Simple lines, matt and gloss sheen and shine opposites

An empowering yet feminine  silhouette for the modern woman

Sumptuous detailing 

Mary Quant at the V&A

The iconic Mary Quant is speaking at the V&A on the 16th March. Wow! I went to listen to the amazing Celia Birtwell a few years ago at the V&A and it really was inspiring hearing her talk about her time in the 1970s working with and being married to Ozzie Clarke. Quant was as much part the swinging 60s as Bailey, Shrimpton, the Beatles and the Stones and it was she who developed the Mini skirt and hot pant which formed the then new and revolutionary stylish, sexy and emancipated silhouette reflecting the growing confidence of women and their role in society.
Mary Quant was born in my native Blackheath and educated at Blackheath High School for Girls. She went on to study Illustration at local Goldsmiths college. in 1963 she won the The Times international fashion award and was voted woman of the year. The Swinging 60s began. 

Sophia Coppola - Marni and H&M launch Film

   

Following the success of the uber cool Versace and Lanvin fashion promotion films, friend of Marc Jacobs, and all round talented film director Sophia Coppola has endorsed the integrity of big name brands launching democratic collections for the proletariat High Street by directing the new Marni H&M fashion film. The model looks remarkably like Coppola herself who openly admits that her inspiration came for staying in the very same location with friends. Sophia is a perfect fashion muse for the brand.  Clearly the Art director wished the narcissistic connection with Coppola herself in the same way that Donatella Versace took a lead role in the Versace H&M film ( reviewed on a previous post.) These collaborations are a clever marketing strategy as it boosts H&M's cache as well as bringing awareness of the Marni brand into a new customer orbit that may decide to splash out on the real thing at some stage. The buzz created also attracts new customers into H&M that otherwise would not choose to shop there. Whilst Zara copies, H&M collaberates and respects the design ethos of the brand. It tends to work with high end brands that are suffering a slight dip and need a boost - a win win situation for all involved.


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New Trend - The Celebrity Kiddle ( Couple)

Stella and daughter in coordinating outfit - note the shoes

Being a Kiddle is more than the child being a fashion accessory! - it indicates closeness and nurture, maybe different when you are part of brand Beckham!

A close kiddle tendency here with Katie and Suri

mother and child a style unit matching colour again

Amber Valetta and son both in decorative trim jackets.

Claudia and daughter in matching red 

Claudia and daughter in matching taupe

Liz and Damian matching colours

White trouser match here

Coordinated styling - almost like Damian is her consort

Sweet matching jackets for Gwen and son

red popular for kiddles, confident and matching

Note Gavin and son in jeans kiddle, Gwen and Gavin Koople

Gwyneth and daughter in matching dresses

A rare image of Madonna matching her offspring

The celebrity Kiddle ( a style co-ordinated Mother/Dad and child couple ) is a definite trend at the moment. In the visually literate world we live in mothers have become more confident about styling themselves as a unit with their children - It tends to be with their children under the age of 12. What it signifies I will ponder in depth later, but one thing is for sure Victoria Beckham, Liz Hurley, Gwen Stephanie, and Katie Holmes like to do it regularly with their off spring. Madonna, doe it rarely now as her daughter is older and has independent style preferences maybe . Stella McCartney, Gwyneth Paltrow and Claudia Schiffer have been known to do it once in a while and when they do it looks great. 
To see more of the kiddle trend from ordinary mums check this link ...http://fashiontent4kids.tumblr.com/

The Kiddle trend could reflect the growing trend of division bluring of fashion across age groups and indicate closeness and nurture as well as creating a visually protective mechanism of camouflage as seen when the colours worn are the same, maybe saying this child is mine, is wearing 'my team' style, we are a tight unit. 
It will be interesting to see how Kate Middleton dresses her Royal off spring when they arrive. My prediction is that she and William will start a family soon and there will be an announcement this year.


what do you think?


Words by Schelay McCarter