LFW – Stylitz

Stars, sleeves and copious amounts of colour at London Fashion Week AW17

Published on March 3, 2017March 4, 2017 by Alicja JasnikowskaLeave a comment

First of all Happy Friday everyone. Only a few more hours until you can break free from the shackles of the office and let loose for two whole days. If, like me, you find yourself a little distracted on a Friday afternoon, perhaps I can interest you in a little melange of fashion to carry you through until home time.

If you caught my post on Wednesday you will know that this season I am actually planning three blogs about London Fashion Week. I have already covered all the selfies with my last ‘What I wore’ piece. Today I will show you what I saw on the AW17 catwalks and tell you a little about the labels that I loved this season.

FASHION SCOUT – ONES TO WATCH

Ones to Watch is always a great way to start Fashion Week as it highlights some of the newest talents breaking through. By far my favourite of the quartet of designers showing was the gorgeous Krasimira Stoyneva, whose fringed statement jackets and star motif prints were a colourful crowd pleaser. Her signature use of synthetic hair is supported by her hashtag: #WearHairNotFur. Do not be scared this is not real hair or real fur!

https://krasimirastoyneva.com/

MARK FAST

The Canadian knitwear designer Mark Fast showed a bold and beautiful collection featuring a colourful clash of purple, fuchsia and orange fringed dresses, balanced by delicate, pastel feathered and beaded frocks. Renowned for his use of plus size models at previous fashion weeks, it was interesting to see the designer revert to the industry norm, allowing the clothes to be the talking point this season.

http://markfast.net/

PAUL COSTELLOE

Held at the prestigious Waldorf Hotel, the delightful Paul Costelloe show featured all his signature show stoppers – exquisite cashmere coats, metallic silk jacquard baby-doll dresses and a stunning sheer-print leather finale gown. A nod to the Tudor period came in the form of exaggerated bell sleeves and multi-layered ruffled collars and hems. Beautiful!

http://www.paulcostelloe.com/

EDELINE LEE

Eschewing the traditional catwalk and opting instead for a presentation, Edeline Lee showed her AW17 collection against a backdrop of raw brick walls and abstract hand-painted panels at the Oxo Tower Barge House. Inspired by the collage artist of the Dada movement Hannah Hoch, Lee’s strong play on proportion, cheeky feminist references and exquisite use of colour (think saffron yellow, muted aqua and brick red) made this one of my favourite shows of LFW.

https://edelinelee.com/

ASHLEY ISHAM

Always one of my favourites on the LFW Fashion Scout schedule, Ashley Isham didn’t fail to disappoint with a jaw-dropping medley of prints, statement ruffles, hand-beaded embellishment and oversized looping headpieces (is it a hairband or is it an earring?). I was particularly in love with all the bold clashing prints and the fab gold star jumpsuit.

http://ashleyisham.co.uk/

MALAN BRETON

By the time Malan Breton showed his gorgeous collection, my phone battery had died and my back-up rechargeable battery had also run dry. Fashion fail! However, the eye-catching metallic brocade suits, leather frilled dresses, velvet tux jackets and clever play on sharp masculine tailoring for women was definitely worth a mention.

http://www.malanbreton.com/

ASPINAL OF LONDON

A strong presentation of all the styles that we have come to expect and adore from Aspinal of London. Next season’s new additions include a kooky Breakfast at Tiffany illustrative print and, channelling fashion’s obsession with customising and monogramming, their fabulous Mini Trunk can now be emblazoned with your favourite phrase or initials. Magic!

https://www.aspinaloflondon.com/

CLIO PEPPIATT

A favourite of Kylie Jenner, Lady Gaga and Lena Dunham, the presentation by 24 year old South London based Clio Peppiatt was a far cry from the usual catwalk parade. Here models perched, chatted and danced around a cavernous space beneath The Strand in a youthful clash of faux fur, sheer embellished dresses, cheeky prints and Converse high tops. Kitsch, sassy and above all fun, this is definitely one for the cool kids. Oh and it featured my current colour combo obsession – bubblegum pink and red!

http://cliopeppiatt.co.uk/

ALEXANDRA MOURA

Portugese designer Alexandra Moura showed her collection at the glorious Banking Hall in the heart of the City. The grand location provided a fine backdrop for her oversized romantic ruffles and deconstructed tailoring. Half-worn, half shoulder-robed jackets featured underlying cross-body straps, which doubled up as rucksacks. These were juxtaposed by gorgeous gold lame jacquard prints, inspired by traditional Indonesian fabrics. The earthy brown, mustard, russet and cornflower blue colourway was stunning as were the gorgeous exaggerated sleeves (I smell an AW17 trend coming). A well-executed, beautifully romantic collection balanced by strong, masculine tailoring. I truly loved this show!

http://www.alexandramoura.com/1617/?lang=en

J. JS LEE

On the final day of London Fashion Week, I had the privilege of sitting FROW at the beautiful J. JS Lee show (another personal favourite of mine). Held at the main LFW venue – with it’s super-sized catwalk – the show was inspired by the childhood urge to dress up in adult clothing. This play on scale took the form of oversized tailoring, dropped shoulder lines, elongated lapels and cute knot detailing. All in a delicate colour palette of charcoal, pistachio, camel, rose and white. A delightful collection from a wonderful designer.

http://www.jsleelondon.com/

And that concludes today’s post about London Fashion Week. Please do let me know your thoughts and comments. And keep an eye out for this weekend’s post where I will give you the low down on the designer stands, with close up details of all the fabulous accessories. Enjoy your weekend!

With special thanks to Pop PR, Dust PR, Trace and Wolves London for my LFW tickets.

http://londonfashionweek.co.uk/ http://fashionscout.co.uk/

What I wore to London Fashion Week AW17

Published on March 1, 2017March 1, 2017 by Alicja JasnikowskaLeave a comment

So today I FINALLY settled down to write my post on London Fashion Week Autumn/Winter 2017. While the fashion editors are now happily ensconced in Paris, the capital of couture (via a stylish week in Milano), I have been stuck in front of my computer trawling through and editing a ridiculously large number of images. So you’ll have to forgive me for the week long delay. In fact there are so many pics I would love to share, that I have decided to write not one but three blogs over the next few days. Lucky you 😉

Today’s will be a synopsis of my outfits for LFW, so get ready for some serious selfies people. Details of the shows I attended and all the gorgeous clothing I saw will follow later in the week, but for now let’s talk OOTD aka ‘outfit of the day’…

DAY 1 – FRIDAY – Channelling my inner Lagerfeld

On day one I decided to opt for a Chanel inspired look combining herringbone, a pussy-bow blouse and a bold faux-pearl necklace.

Pink coat, Dorothy Perkins; Faux-fur collar, boohoo.com; White pussy-bow blouse, Uniqlo; Herringbone dress, Zara; Sunnies, Jeepers Peepers; Necklace, car-boot sale; Bag, Oasis.

My gorgeous friend Davina and I enjoying cake at the Fashion Scout Ones to Watch show. Yes that is actual cake at Fashion Week. Hard to believe I know!

Dashing photographer Paul Allen and I posing in our matching herringbone monochrome outfits at The Waldorf Hotel prior to Paul Costelloe.

DAY 2 – SATURDAY – Savage Youth

On day two I had a number of shows to attend and also was planning to party in the evening, so I opted for multiple layers of floral embroidery, customised denim and my fave pink coat.

Pink coat and collar, as before; Denim jacket, New Look – beautifully customised by Pistache Artists; Floral embroidered dress, Primark; Ankle boots, River Island (available here): http://www.riverisland.com/women/shoes–boots/boots/black-leather-wide-fit-buckle-boots-698635.

A selfie with my lovely little sis Zosia who accompanied me to shows on Saturday. Twinning in our faux-fur collars 🙂

DAY 4 – MONDAY – Checks and tassels

After giving myself Sunday off (naughty I know) my ensemble on day four was a riot of colour – grass green checks, baby pink outerwear and a canary yellow bag.

Jacket and collar, as before; Checked dress, charity shop; Yellow leather bag, Hobbs; Over-the-knee tasselled boots, River Island.

Engraved 18ct gold plated pendant, by Hurley Burley from http://www.NotontheHighStreet.com (similar available now); Star studs, Forever 21.

NB. If your ears react badly to non-precious metal then the gorgeous jeweller Laura Gravestock has 18ct gold plated star earrings here: http://lauragravestock.com/shop-by-item/earring/dainty-star-stud-earrings-1177.html

Necklace, gift; Sunglasses, KG by Kurt Geiger.

DAY 5 – TUESDAY – Leather snake-print skirt and pumps

The final day called for flats and this tonal outfit was just the answer. I balanced a leather snake-print pencil skirt with an oversized Aran sweater and simple trainers. All topped off with a masculine 3/4 length khaki coat, which I found for £5 in a charity shop in Jan #winning

Vintage wool khaki coat, charity shop; Sweater, Mango; Leather snake-print skirt, charity shop; Trainers, Lacoste.

Yellow leather bag, Hobbs; Berry heart key ring, Aspinal of London (available here): https://www.aspinaloflondon.com/products/heart-key-ring-in-berry-lizard.

Necklace, gift from my sister-in-law (from Accessorize); Earrings, Topshop.

I was also lucky enough to get my hair cut by the lovely Toni & Guy team at London Fashion Week headquarters. They did a fantastic job. Thanks again guys!

BEFORE

AFTER

All in all I had the most fabulous Fashion Week ever. Please let me know your thoughts on all my outfits. Do you have a favourite? Are there any you don’t think work? And also watch out for my posts later in the week with all my images from the shows and a thorough synopsis of all the gorgeous designer stands.

Oh and one more thing… I also had the pleasure of meeting the astonishingly beautiful supermodel and photographer Helena Christensen at a Lights of Soho event. Life goal achieved!

Me and my fave 90s super, Helena Christensen

http://londonfashionweek.co.uk/ http://fashionscout.co.uk/ https://lightsofsoho.com/ http://toniandguy.com/

Cocktail couture

Published on September 26, 2014September 26, 2014 by Alicja JasnikowskaLeave a comment

So it’s Friday (yay!) work is done for another week and you’re probably deciding what to do this evening. Well, if you like cocktails and fashion and are partial to a drop of gin then let me recommend the fantastic Couture Cocktails at One Aldwych Hotel. To coincide with Fashion Week and inspired by the style capitals of New York, London, Milan and Paris, this luxury London hotel has created four special drinks, each with its own unique style and flavour.

Last night I was lucky enough to try all four and my favourite was the delicious Alice Temperley inspired English Rose which combines Tanqueray London gin with rose liqueur and bergamot foam. It was delightful. Top marks also go to the minx of a drink, the Moschino inspired La Dolce Vita, served in a kitsch cat-shaped glass. The cocktails are available for a limited time only (this is the last weekend you can sample these four) so you best get your fashion skates on and head down to the Strand before it’s too late. Mine’s an English Rose thanks.

Alice Temperley inspired English Rose

The Calvin Klein inspired New York New York

Paris v Milan: the chic Chanel Blanc et Noir and the kitsch Moschino La Dolce Vita

Cocktail Couture is available until 2nd October at One Aldwych Hotel, One Aldwych, London, WC2B 4BZ. T: 020 7300 1000. http://www.onealdwych.com/home

London Fashion Week SS15

Published on September 23, 2014September 23, 2014 by Alicja JasnikowskaLeave a comment

With the fashion crowd moving onto the final week of catwalks and the first shows in Paris about to begin, I thought it high time I not only posted a blog (apologies about the huge gap in posts – it was a summer of filming abroad) but also filled you in on what I saw at London Fashion Week this month.

My sparkly Kurt Geiger sliders have an outing at London Fashion Week SS15

Whilst the catwalk shows attract the most media attention, I also like to peruse the designer stands in the stunning Somerset House, looking closely at the collections that have just been shown and speaking to new up-and-coming designers. Despite dedicating over 3 hours to this I only managed to cover one floor this season, focusing on contemporary and emerging talent. Sadly for all shoe lovers I didn’t quite manage the accessories hall. Here is a virtual tour of the designers that stood out for me and what to expect for Spring Summer 2015 (all website details at end of page).

Flying the flag for London

First up the lovely Jean-Pierre Braganza whose SS15 show I also attended this season. A fantastic collection with his signature mix of masculine tailoring, quirky print and fabulous outerwear. Expect monochrome with a little added sparkle. A quick five min chat with the man himself revealed that he had slept a total of six hours in three nights in the lead up to the show. Ouch!

Designs from Jean-Pierre Braganza SS15 (above) and as seen on the catwalk (below)

Another favourite Fyodor Golan pulled out all the stops with neon colouring, oversized sequins and dramatic floral applique. Definitely not one for the faint-hearted, expect to see these designs on celeb fans Rita Ora and Katy Perry pronto.

The delightful Georgia Hardinge showed me around her collection for next Spring, which featured clever architectural-inspired pleating and intricate silk prints, in a particularly strong palette of cornflower blue and chartreuse. Along with five others, Georgia was chosen for this years BFC Contemporary initiative, which included creating a capsule collection for eBay to coincide with Fashion Week. Expect many more exciting collaborations ahead.

For those who like their clothing of a Scandi persuasion, the simplicity and clean lines of Swedish brand Deitas should appeal.

Voluminous shapes and luxury fabrics and prints stand out at Fitriani. I love this beautiful collection!

The prints in the Yuzzo London collection really caught my eye. Subtle and pretty, with an Eastern influence, these gorgeous pieces would work well in any wardrobe.

Next up is Zoe Jordan, also chosen for this years BFC Contemporary Initiative. Her use of abstract print, geometric lines and cracked leather makes for a feminine look with an urban edge. This collection was inspired by Berlin and her printed leather dress (as seen below) was spotted on Poppy Delevigne that same week.

Next the urban sport luxe designs of Jamie Wei Huang caught my eye. I was meant to attend this show but sadly couldn’t make it. The unusual use of colour and texture and the quirky menswear detailing make this collection really stand out for me.

A step further into the world of quirky is New York brand Betina. Starting off as a luxury T-shirt line, the label has since expanded and was recently named as one to watch by vogue.com. Combining a Philappino heritage and US sports influences this collection is a riot of clashing textures, contrasting fabrics and embellishment. Cute!

On to Emerging Talent and the clean lines, boxy silhouettes and succinct colour scheme of label Heohwan Simulation caught my eye.

Another emerging designer with an eye for texture is Ming Pin Tien. The hand-knotted tassles that adorn the garments lift the simple shapes out of the ordinary. And I just adore these crazy furry flats. Fab, fun and sure to get a lot of attention.

And just when I thought London Fashion Week had become all clean lines and commercial shapes, I came across the surreal kitsch designs of Yang Du. The Chinese born, London based designer sure knows how to put the fun into fashion. She may divide a room with her bold designs, but with Susie Bubble as a fan she’ll go far. & why the hell not add some colour to your life. Or an animal backpack…

http://www.jeanpierrebraganza.com; http://www.fyodorgolan.co.uk; http://www.georgiahardinge.co.uk; http://www.deitas.com; http://www.fitriani.com; http://www.yuzzo-zhou.com; http://www.zoe-jordan.com; http://www.jamieweihuang.com; http://www.betina-ny.com; http://www.heohwansimulation.com; http://www.mingpintien.com; http://www.yangdu-duyang.com;

What I’ll be wearing to LFW AW14

Published on February 13, 2014September 26, 2014 by Alicja JasnikowskaLeave a comment

With one more day til London Fashion Week starts and the stylish masses descend upon Somerset House, I decided it may be time to start putting together my outfits for the shows. My style is a mixture of girly and masculine, with a strong emphasis on print and colour. And as you can see I’m quite a fan of animal print in it’s many guises. Most of these clothes are trusty favourites from my ever expanding wardrobe, but a few are current and are still available in store. Let me know what you think and which outfit is your favourite. I hope you like…

Look 1: Clashing monochrome prints – I’ll add a white roll neck under the top and pair with high-tops.

Credits: Fuchsia coat, Primark; Necklace and printed top, both New Look; Animal print trousers, H&M.

Look 2: Pretty vintage – I’ll pair this with ankle boots and a masculine black coat.

Credits: Vintage leopard print jacket; Pale pink pleated dress, Topshop; Acorn necklace, NW3.

Look 3: Boy meets girl – I’ll add gold chunky heel courts. Bow-tie or necklace? What do you think?

Credits: Varsity jacket, Urban Classics; Polka dot blouse, New Look; Boyfriend jeans, Nobody; Shoe print bow-tie, Topman; Vintage multi-strand necklace.

Look 4: Parisian chic – worn with fuschia jacket from look 1 and white Converse or flat pink pointy pumps.

Credits: Printed jacket, H&M; White shirt, New Look; Skinny jeans, Uniqlo.

Look 5: Glam meets utility – I’ll add silver courts or a chunky flat boot.

Credits: Faux fur jacket, Therapy at House of Fraser; Necklace, Primark; Boilersuit jumpsuit, River Island.

Shoes (L-R): Vintage black boots; Pink suede flats, Russell & Bromley; High-tops, River Island; Vintage gold courts; Animal print pumps, Hobbs.

Unless you have the luxury of a private driver chauffeuring you between shows, flats and comfy heels are fashion week essentials. Now I just have to decide what to wear when and hope the rain eases up, otherwise my frizzy Monica-in-Barbados hair will ruin every look.