Bucharest - Romania style file

Bucharest is the capital of Romania not to be confused with Budapest in Hungary.

Romania has a very rich cultural past.

In the 1930s it was a vibrant, prosperous, fashionable city. Then came the march of fascism and war, the Balkan states of which Romania is one was propelled into uncertainty and chaos. The resultant Communist party post the 2nd world war set about transforming Bucharest with a massive restructuring programme based on the example seen in China and Korea at the time. This meant that vast tracts of the Historical district was bull dozed to make room for enormous and lavish municipal buildings such as the Palace of Parliament. This building post the communist era was reportedly pursued by Donald Trump as a venue for one of his Casinos.  Fortunately this was declined and the vast building, the 2nd largest in the world after the Pentagon in the US, is now used for hosting the present day Romanian Government parliamentary sessions as well as hired out for events and parties. Bucharest has all of the luxury fashion brands in its equivalent Bond Street or Seventh Avenue. There is some indication of economic revival though slow. There are some beautiful buildings based on the architecture of Paris which became very fashionable for up-and-coming emerging powers in the 1930s. It would be a perfect location for fashion shoots. 

Outside Bucharest lie the lands of Transylvania and the Carpathian Mountains. The communists bulldozed 50,000 people out of their homes and rehoused them in factory apartments in the 1980s. In 1989 the regime was toppled and fortunately this rich heritage was saved from more destruction. 
Prince Charles has recognised this wonderful rich unspoilt jewel in the crown of Romania. He has a country house near the Carpathian Mountains. Not many people know the fact that Romania has the richest unspoiled area of naturally sustainable woodland and mountains in Europe, animals and Flora have been able to continue much in the same way they did thousands and thousands of years ago.

Copy and photos Schelay McCarter pls credit

Jean Pierre Braganza BFC London fashion week SS16

It was interesting to experience my first show in the new location of the Car Park in Soho. The British Fashion Council have worked very hard to set up this new venue to showcase London fashion week's sponsored new up-and-coming and established designers. The large cavernous car park arena certainly had the space and seating that was so successful at the previous more prestigious location of Somerset house.  'Whiplashed' SS16 is the third Jean Pierre Braganza show at London fashion week and it didn't disappoint. 

I really loved the way he took men's tailored classics like the tailored waistcoat and mixed with bright floral feminine flirty dresses. JPB also made sure that there were the classic easy to wear silhouettes, wide legged slacks, loose tops that are so commercially popular with in a well constructed collection. Maintaining his unique deconstructive manipulation of tailored structures, he produced very wearable pieces elevating this collection into his most sophisticated and grown up yet. 

Copy and images Schelay Mccarter Pls credit 

Lurvemagazine and fashiontent 

I am looking forward to London Fashion Week SS16

10tree a cool Canadian sustainable brand....

I discovered 10tree in Vancouver BC. On investigation 10trees is very serious about its vision to take action against the world's  rapidly depletiing forests. A recent calculation by an independent data analyst found that as it stands there are 450 trees per person on the globe. This ratio though better than expected needs to increase to keep up with the worlds increasing population. I bought 4 t shirts from 10tree , and this made me feel good because the company guarantee they will plant 10 trees per item sold. So my purchase has contributed 40 trees. The logo design is great ! the sustainable ethos of the company connects with the consumer of today. Check out  http://www.tentree.com

Ascot and Wedding season - Millinery Focus, Grainne Maher

Milliner Grainne Maher
© photograpy Schelay

© photography Schelay

© photography Schelay

© photography Schelay

It is June and that means just one thing if you are a native of the British Isles and that is the coming of Ascot and also the beginning of peak wedding season. From a purely commercial point of view this is the time of year that Milliners pull out all the stops to get orders ready for clients and customers. 
I met Milliner Grainne Maher last year at London Fashion Week. Apart from uber established and talented milliners Stephen Jones and Philip Treasy nothing hat wise really stood out for me until I saw Grainne's stylish collection.
Based in Belfast Ireland Grainne understands that a hat is seen from all angles not just from the front and that the best hats are those that have a simple timeless sculptural integrity. 
She gives you the option to add some discreet embellishment that coordinates with your outfit and is happy to make bespoke pieces. She is totally in tune with the pill box hat trend and the less is more style popularised by Kate Middleton recently.
Grainne Maher's Millinery style is innovative and modern and bound to get you noticed at Ascot, or a Wedding.

Order from her website for a bespoke service - 
House of Frazor stocks Grainnes designs in the UK.
http://www.grainnemaher.com/berets/

Copy Schelay McCarter

Student Photoshoot ' Negative Space' by Art Director Manuela Demuro

Behind the Scenes

The Results

Manuela Demuro a student on my Art Direction for Fashion evening class at Central Saint Martins is a talented visual merchandiser for Stories.com

http://www.stories.com/gb/  

Stories new to the UK is owned by Erling Persson a highly successful fashion retail business magnate, whose golden goose company H&M is second only to Zara in high street sales dominance. Manuela has her own distinctive personal style and is a confident and accomplished stylist in her own right. She booked my Art Direction for Fashion course as she would like to develop her career and quest to fulfil her fashion promotion creative management potential within her much enjoyed position at Stories.

Manuela's initial vision for her shoot Negative Space was to explore the concept of broken down communications in an age where we so heavily rely on electronic communications.

Manuela's style is 'less is more' mixing old with new to create vintage/modern style cocktails. Her favourite brand style is New York born label Proenza Schouler.

https://www.proenzaschouler.com

Art Direction for Fashion course CSM 

http://www.arts.ac.uk/csm/courses/short-courses/fashion-and-textiles/fashion-styling-and-trends/art-direction-for-fashion/

© Manuela Demuro

Copy Schelay @ fashiontent pls credit 

Ashley Isham AW15 LFW DAY 1

This seasons Ashley Isham Autumn winter 15 collection took place on Day 1 of London Fashion Week in Freemasons Hall Covent Garden.

This is the 4th season of Ashely Isham's work fashiontent has viewed. Ashley Isham from Singapore, took inspiration from a Nomadic heroine called Akvyle Ashley Isham's collection wove a story of a wronged woman journeying through a new set of experiences gaining renewed confidence through self discovery. Her new world is opulent, her confidence is reflected in the decorative embellishments and flamboyant textured gowns she dons as she sashays independently on her nomadic personal journey.

http://ashleyisham.co.uk

With thanks to ©Tarmo fashiontent's photographer this season. I have edited this large collection down to the best pieces.

copy Schelay