Basso & Brooke - yesterday morning

Here are talented British Brazilian duo Basso and Brooke, what an inspirational collection. I loved it all. The clean classic lines clearly influenced by the 1960s and early 70s give way to floating, fluid softness.

Though predominantly short length I liked to see some skirt length variation, so an across the board appeal for all occasions can be achieved. The earthy tones and soft dusty pastel palette are shot through with electric details, the bold patterns were cleverly placed so to flatter the contours of the body giving shape and structure. Particularly liked the jump suit shape, very wearable, works well in the riotous Basso and Brooke print.

Basso and Brooke fashion pioneers of digital print have cleverly explored remixing past influences taking us back to the distant analogue past. Using hand written notes from Da Vinci, Tolstoy, Balzac, Saint - Exupery reveal an interest and respect for methods of recording the creative mind pre digital age.

'The overall effect is one of ghostly traces of secret messages, romantic florals and future retro'

A fabulous collection, what more can I say?

Emily a French Journalist I met queuing clutching her Basso and Brooke invitation, we had great seats on the front row opposite Steven Jones.

Alexandra Shulman waiting for her coffee fix. I saw her whilst queuing for the Jasper Conran show.

Photographs Schelay McCarter copyright

Caroline Charles - London fashion Week Friday 17th Sept 2010

Thank you Caroline Charles for inviting me to another of your wonderful shows. A perfect collection for Spring Summer 2011, commercial and very wearable as always, for a woman who wants to be effortlessly stylish and chic. http://www.carolinecharles.co.uk/

Photographs Nik Lodge & Schelay McCarter copyright

Ivana Basilotta web site

Here is the fashion web site for the talented Ivana Basilotta an eco sustainable designer with a wonderful collection for SS2011 which will be on the site in the next few weeks.

I have been working on the design of the site with Nik Lodge of Komotif.

The new design was launched just in time for London Fashion Week.

http://www.ivanabasilotta.co.uk/

Photographer Paul Weaver.

New face - Rebecca Hall

Rebecca Hall has arrived as a potential fashion icon! She is bright and British and daughter of Sir Peter Hall. She has not made the cover of Vogue yet but my prediction is that she will before too long if these photos are any thing to go by. Rebecca has been in two of my two favorite films 'Starter for Ten' with James McAvoy and Vicki Christina Barcelona. Her beauty is not an obvious one however her intelligence really shines through and there is a hint of the girl next door quality.

If I was creative director of Burberry or any of the high profile brands I would be clamoring to get her to represent the brand. Rebecca in these two wonderful photographs taken for British Vogue this Month by Daniel Jackson has a unique quality that stopped me in my tracks - having leafed through the whole magazine in intense detail looking at all the recent brand campaigns and editorial shoots this one small article really jumped out. There is a 1970s Talitha Getty feel about the shots that I really like. I wonder if it was shot on film or digital?

I realize that there will always be demand for the beautiful Bardot like models like Lara Stone but some are so young that they don't know how to connect and communicate through the lens.
I notice that Alice Dellal's edgy but beautiful look is much in demand at the moment 
(09/02/2012)  and since I wrote this post the Hepburn like Arizona Muse has risen in profile.
It is not a surprise Rebecca Hall is so photogenic, she is a superb actress however surprisingly until now hadn't projected quite this same quality onto photographic stills. 
It may be that she is not interested in going the same way of other actresses who promote fashion. Kate Winslet her current Amore Sam Mende's ex wife has been high profile in this area which may explain why?

Tom Ford to launch a Womenswear collection

Following his success with relaunching womenswear for Gucci the master art director, designer and men's style guru Tom ford has decided to put together his own collection of Womenswear for his label. He is currently working on the collection with a specially selected group of designers.

The collection is likely to be launched in the Spring of 2011. He recently dressed Julian Moore in one of his designs.

I can't wait to see what else he comes up with......

Student show case - Top shop Girls

I want to show you this simple yet very effective brand photography marketing concept an Italian student of mine called Lia created on my summer art direction course for Top Shop Girls.

I liked the clever way she took adults trends and styled them for girls. The silhouettes and shapes are natural and simple and adapt perfectly to the 'mini me' Top Shop Girl.

She found that it was hard to find many good kids model agencies - 'truly Scrumptious' being one of the best

I would also have liked this shoot to have been developed to include the 'yummy mummy' market and to get a Top Shop Family / lifestyle feel working here too - I also think there is lots of potential to develop sub collections such as Christmas / Party wear 'mini me' concepts for the festive season ahead.

Hope you are reading this Mr Green!

Lifestyle trends and aspirations .....

I found this wonderful shop Rosie Bobbin in Haworth in the Yorkshire Dales last week. Haworth is the birth place of Emily and Charlotte Bronte, the famous writers of Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights. The old rectory where they were brought up and where they wrote their world famous books is fascinating to see. Sewing, needle work and embroidery were very much part of a gentle woman's daily routine then. The 1970s is the decade on trend this season with the flared trouser taking centre stage, it was also the decade of a revivalist interest in hand crafts such as crocheting and knitting, and also a time where we did sew and make our own clothes using 'Vogue' and 'Simplicity' patterns bought from John Lewis along with the fabric. Now it would appear sewing your own as well as growing your own is very much back in fashion in 2010. The yearning for a time where one could make and bake and had time to do so has been building up for the last few years, even if you don't - you want to look like you do. This simple little shop says it all and makes me want to get out my old sewing machine and make a dress or at least a cushion cover! maybe I will! if I have time!