Fashion news – Page 8

London Fashion Week SS14 at Somerset House

Published on September 17, 2013September 17, 2013 by Alicja JasnikowskaLeave a comment

Yesterday I finally made it down to Somerset House to check out the London Fashion Week SS14 showrooms. The Courtyard houses the main tents where models take to the catwalk in the designers visions for Spring 2014. Yes, just as normal folk are beginning to pull on jumpers and dust off their coats, the fashion folk are projecting what will be the hottest trends when the sun reappears sometime around March. Here is a summary of what I saw and what I loved.

London Fashion Week SS14 New Gen entrance hall

First stop was the Topshop sponsored New Generation hall where the next big things in fashion tout their wares. My favourite shoe designer of the moment, Sophia Webster, showed off a display of her signature candy coloured, kooky heels, predicting bold colours and clever heel detailing for next spring. Oh and jelly heels! My particular fave is the ‘Killer’ stiletto, surely the shoe Bridget Fonda’s rival should have worn in Single White Female…

Shoes, such pretty, pretty shoes by Sophia Webster for SS14

A lot of the New Gen hall was empty as catwalk collections by the likes of J. JS Lee and Simone Rocha hadn’t made it to the showrooms yet, so I headed upstairs to the Ready to Wear Emerging and Contemporary collections.

First stop was Zoe Jordan who showed at the early hour of 9am on Saturday morning, and put out a collection inspired by a grown up skater girl. Expect sports influenced pieces such as white punched leather tees married with printed silk dresses, in a palette of white mixed with bold hues.

Fresh from the catwalk: Zoe Jordan’s ‘Pretty Vandals’ SS14 collection

Christopher Raeburn’s collection also had an overlying sportswear feel (a trend that refuses to go away) with high-tech fabrics worked into chic printed separates.

Christopher Raeburn’s SS14 vision

Georgia Hardinge has this year decided to focus on her buyers and will be presenting a show in Shanghai next week, but for London she was on hand to explain her pretty printed silk dresses and clever pleat inserts. Collaborating with a specialist, she has created intricate origami shapes hidden within her box pleat skirts and tops. Beautiful!

The designer herself, Georgia Hardinge wearing a pleated piece from her SS14 collection

Another brand that caught my eye was Paper London, which featured gorgeous laser cut jackets and wide sculptural garments in a tight palette of white, red and navy.

Paper London’s intricate cut-outs for SS14

Onto emerging talent where Jane Bowler’s hand-cut leather and PVC plastic creations were drawing attention. Strong editorial garments, plus amazing jewellery and reworked trucker caps means this brand will be a winner with the streetwear and music crowd.

Hand cut leather and PVC plastic pieces from Jane Bowler SS14

Finally I loved the pleat work, colour combinations and printwork of Heohwan Simulation’s SS14, who showed off-schedule on Day 1 of London Fashion week. Definitely one to watch…

Monochrome and yellow at Heohwan Simulation SS14

In the afternoon I managed to catch a presentation at the stunning Freemasons’ Hall showcasing the work of Natasha Zinko – a cute floral stage and pretty ethereal vibe in a succinct collection.

Natasha Zinko SS14

I was supposed to attend the dramatic Pam Hogg show at 5pm, but after queuing for over 30 minutes with what felt like half of London my tired feet got the better of me and I decided to give it a miss. I hear it was quite the crazy with magpie hats and more refined silhouettes mixing with the usual latex catsuits.

London Fashion Week SS14 draws to a close today and the crowds of fashionistas in towering heels will move onto Milan for the next round of shows. Although not until they have partied at tonight’s closing parties, put on by the likes of Harper’s Bazaar and Dazed and Confused. When in Rome…

London Fashion Week SS14 runs from 13-17 September 2013 http://www.londonfashionweek.co.uk/ at Somerset House

For further details of featured designers: www.sophiawebster.co.uk; www.zoe-jordan.com; www.christopherraeburn.co.uk; www.georgiahardinge.co.uk; www.paperlondon.com; www.janebowler.co.uk; www.heohwansimulation.com; www.natashazinko.com.

Topman X Black On Black

Published on September 12, 2013September 12, 2013 by Alicja JasnikowskaLeave a comment

There has been a huge expanse of streetwear labels in the last few years, fed by the popularity of hip-hop culture and powered by the strength of social media. Subsequently brands that may have remained small scale have now become a force to be reckoned with. Streetwear label Hype is a fine example of this. With 11,000+ twitter followers and stockists including the influential Topman this fresh label has burst into the limelight.

This week sees the launch of their first ever collaboration – a chic range of black garments, including printed bandanas, gloss textured tees, a cotton sweatshirt and leggings (for men!). Appropriately named TOPMAN X Black On Black, and available exclusively in Topman Oxford Street and General store, online and at www.justhype.co.uk, the collection is clean, effortless and affordable. Each item is limited to a production run of only 100 pieces, with prices ranging from £14.99 to £75. Also their customer service is second to none. When I needed some beanies for a TV show I was work on, a request on twitter was answered within hours. The next day 6 identical beanies arrived at my door. Genius!

Hype X Topman Black on Black tops, both £28

Today sees the launch party of the range at Topman General store in Shoreditch (5-8:30pm), where DJ Cable will be spinning the tunes as you shop. An after party follows at Casa Negra hosted by @ShorebitchUK, so be sure to pick up your wrist bands in store. Exclusive clothes, beer and an after party – what more could you want from this rather dull Thursday?

Launch party tonight at Topman General Store, 98 Commercial Street, Shoreditch (5-8:30pm); after party at Casa Negra, 54-56 Great Eastern St London, EC2A 3QR (9-2am).

Or visit www.justhype.co.uk or www.topman.com to shop the collection.

All images from the Topman X Black on Black range, courtesy of Hype Clothing.

One for the kids

Published on August 23, 2013 by Alicja JasnikowskaLeave a comment

If you have children, or nieces and nephews that you love to buy clothes for, then you’ll be excited to hear today’s news. One of my fave stores Uniqlo – the Japanese brand that has been bringing us staples such as merino wool jumpers in a Pantone style range of colours for several years – is launching a range of kids wear. I am a huge fan of Uniqlo, and have long extolled its virtues – their jumpers and flannel check shirts are 100% cotton and a snip at just under £20. So it’s safe to say I am very excited about today’s store launch.

The collection includes adult favourites such as their poly filled down parkas and colourful skinny jeans being downsized for kids up to 12 years old. Jackets come with name labels sewn into the interior so you can ensure your mini-me returns home with their new duffle coat (a clever touch considering these pieces will be the envy of the playground). Many trousers also come with adjustable waistbands for ultimate comfort and reinforced seam pockets to reduce tears.

Furthermore, next Saturday (31st Aug), three key Uniqlo stores will host a special event to celebrate. Head to Uniqlo in Bluewater, or Westfield Stratford or White City and enjoy an interactive photo experience and if you’re lucky, a free kids goody bag (available to the first 100 customers to purchase from the collection on the day). If you’re not near London, you can still get your hands on the lovely range as all items are available online. Ready, steady, shop…

Kids wear collection launches in store today. Or shop online at http://www.uniqlo.com/uk

All images provided by Uniqlo

Going Geometric

Published on July 25, 2013 by Alicja JasnikowskaLeave a comment

This week saw the online launch of the Sarah Angold for Freedom at Topshop jewellery range. With an MA in Constructed Textiles from the RCA and clients including Selfridges and Hussein Chalayan, Angold is a name to watch in the world of accessories. Her main range employs techniques such as laser cutting and acid etching to create unique architectural pieces, with her team utilising the finesse of watch-making to craft all the pieces from her East London studio.

Freedom at Topshop, £52

Angold has not compromised on quality with this diffusion range for Topshop – each item in the collection is handmade in her studio and engraved with an individual production number. Having arrived at the Oxford Street store 2 weeks ago, fashion fans outside London can now grab a piece of the action online. If you like your necklaces to make a statement then this is the range for you. Bold, graphic and futuristic, these pieces are perfect for a hedonistic night in balmy Ibiza. Or, closer to home, add one to your outfit for this weekend’s Secret Garden Party.

Sarah Angold for Freedom at Topshop. Prices range from £30-£60 http://www.topshop.com

For her stunning main collection and lighting designs go to http://www.sarahangold.com

Freedom at Topshop, £32

NB. Speaking of partying, a pair of Angold’s striking earrings wouldn’t go amiss at the V&A’s Club to Catwalk exhibition, which highlights the clothing of the crazy 80s London clubbing scene. With a resurgence of 80s influenced garments currently in stores, and neon brights doing the fashion rounds, you can get inspired by the New Romantics or warehouse party looks of a bygone era. Just leave the glow-stick at home.

Club to Catwalk: London Fashion in the 1980s at the V&A London runs until 16^th Feb 2014 http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/exhibitions/exhibition-from-club-to-catwalk-london-fashion-in-the-80s/about-the-exhibition/

Another cool campaign from French Connection

Published on July 24, 2013 by Alicja Jasnikowska1 Comment

Cute clothing – check. Amazing photographer – check. Great concept – check, check, check. Iconic British clothing brand French Connection has pulled out all the stops with their latest Autumn/Winter 2013 campaign. Shot by the infamous Rankin (a dab hand at injecting an element of cool into a shoot) and featuring a novel ‘Sketch to Store’ concept, the ads look set to garner similar levels of press as the notorious ‘FCUK me’ campaign. Produced by Rankin’s new creative content agency The Full Service, the ads feature near naked models with garments sketched on top, alongside corresponding images in the actual clothing.

Rankin commented: “I’ve always admired the brand for striving to push boundaries, and for their fearless approach to captivating campaign concepts. I hope the ‘From Sketch to Store’ execution by The Full Service continues their history of stand-out campaigns.”

Indeed French Connection have a history of innovative marketing campaigns – from the recent ‘I am Woman; I am Man’ to the divisive 1990s play on the FCUK lettering. There is a strong emphasis on humour in their advertising and they have often earned praise from the press and claimed awards for their marketing. Aside from being clever and striking, I also have a particular interest in this brand as I featured them as a case study in my university dissertation. Cheeky, stylish and modern – this new campaign is French Connection to a tee.