Winter Exhibitions :)

The end of 2012 has seen some fantastic fashion and costume exhibitions, some of which I didn't manage to get to, namely, the 'Hollywood Costume' exhibition at the V&A, in London, which finished this week.

The museum showcased a collection of several iconic movie costumes from a century of filmmaking, exploring the central role of costume design in cinema storytelling. I am devastated that I missed out on the opportunity to see clothes worn by characters such as Scarlett O'Hara, Holly Golightly, Darth Vader and Indiana Jones.
http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/exhibitions/exhibition-hollywood-costume/about-the-exhibition/ Maybe next time!

I have, however secured myself a ticket for the current Valentino exhibition at Somerset House, and I can't wait! http://www.somersethouse.org.uk/visual-arts/valentino

I watched the latest catwalk show on-line a few days ago, as the Haute Couture collection 'Enchanted Garden' debuted in Paris http://www.elleuk.com/catwalk/designer-a-z/valentino/couture-ss-2013/collection
Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli have created a beautiful range of flawlessly tailored garments in crisp cream cloth, some with piped decoration in swirls and linear formations which allude to that of ornate garden gates. Fine ball gowns with fitted bodices and full and flowing below the waist, ring true to the strong elegant and feminine silhouette which epitomizes the signature style of Valentino heritage. Exquisite beading embellishes a light day-dress, each intricate detail beaded slightly differently from another. Cara Delevingne models an incredible dress consisting entirely of crocheted florals inspired by vintage fabrics from the 19th century.  http://www.elleuk.com/var/elleuk/storage/images/catwalk/designer-a-z/valentino/couture-ss-2013/collection/valentino-couture-ss13-020-valentino-paris-couture-ss-2013/15006747-1-eng-GB/valentino-couture-ss13-020_CA.jpg

One particular piece in the collection, a long robe made from Tulle, took 2,500 hours to stitch with silver and gold thread. That's 105 days!  

I'll be combining my visits to a few London museums with a day of cloth shopping for my own fashion business Moda Mi, as I build up a range of gorgeous fabrics to accompany my lively Summer print developments! : )
I'll be heading down to the Design Museum to check out their new range of 400 fashion garments from the likes of Chanel, Vivienne Westwood and Givenchy, which have recently been donated by one of the museum's trustees. I'll also be checking out the work of selected Scandinavian designers at Somerset House, in an exhibition created for London Fashion Week, which hones in on up and coming designers from Denmark, Sweden and Norway.
There's a collection of Oscar gowns from Anna Karenina being exhibited in Richmond too! Having spent the weekend being totally spoilt by fashion nostalgia, I hope I make it that far out of the city with such a busy fashionista schedule!

http://www.vogue.co.uk/news/2013/01/25/anna-karenina-costume-exhibition---jacqueline-durran-oscar-nomination-best-costume-design---ham-house
Updates to come!...

Get Emmy that dress!!!

My fave pics from the Emmys 2012...

Julie Bowen in Monique Lhullier - Fab colour!

Lake Bell in Andrew Gn - Love the sleeves!

Sofia Vergara in Zuhair Murad - I'd kill for her body, and this dress!

Morena Baccarin in Basil Soda - So elegant!

Padma Lakshmi in Monique Lhuillier - beautiful silhouette!

Christina Hendricks in Christian Siriano

Ace of Lace

Really glad to see that lace is a big hit on the catwalks at London Fashion Week as it's one of my all time favourite fabrics despite some types being quite tricky to sew! I've just finished a corded lace dress in a dusky lilac which looks great for S/S or A/W!

I use a supplier called Harrington Fabric and Lace for wedding attire, who do the most beautiful laces and they supply endless varieties of the most beautiful all-over laces and flounces. They're British too, which makes me want to buy from them more! Lustrous Guipure (below) - a definite A/W must-have... http://www.harrington-fabric-and-lace.co.uk/

Lace @ LFW - Clements Ribiero

Christopher Kane

Kelly Brook at the Philip Treacy show

King Bailey of Burberry!

I adore Christopher Bailey - he stands for everything I love about clothing and style and his eye for fabrics, colour and cut, in my eyes is exquisite! also one of the best catwalk openings I've seen. Watch the s/s 2013 show!!!

http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/contest.show?id=360886&type=details

Todd Lynn

Clicking on to the LFW website every now and then to see what's happening over the weekend! Absolutely loving Todd Lynn's collection - and he also gives some great tips on places to go in London which I will definitely be checking out next time I head down there! http://www.londonfashionweek.com/designers_profile.aspx?DesignerID=296 Worth a look! xo

Print Revolution

Mix 'n' match parades and brash neon brights - usually not my bag! but the mish mash of a clashing Spring catwalk, I must admit is growing on me... or is it just that it's hard to ignore?

Much of this trend owes itself to the age of the digital print, an era in fashion I think will stand the test of a pretty significant length of time! I absolutely loved Basso & Brooke's collection at London Fashion Week. To me, their prints are lively and inspiring. As a piece of art work in a gallery, the colours and shapes in each presents unique ideas to which the individual reacts with personal thoughts or daydreams of...well...the most random sorts of things! So creative!

What do you imagine?

See? RANDOM!

Basso & Brooke won Fashion Fringe 2004 and have been showing independently since 2005. When asked to name three inspiring things for last Autumn/Winter - they responded..."Dichotomy, birds and walls"!!!

Basso & Brooke Spring collection 2012, London Fashion Week

Mary Katrantzou has produced some bobby dazzlers too!
Check out these vibrant beauties from her Spring (which has obviously sprung) collection!

Other masters of print....Marni

Having produced my own digital print work in a menswear collection at London Graduate Fashion Week a few years back (mainly in black and white) - this stuff makes me look pretty tame! but it also proves that digi is diverse - lending itself to more subtle uses. It can transform a simple or complicated image or motif into a really effective repeat pattern very quickly, and us CAD geeks can experiment with scale and colour possibilities to our hearts content!

Digital prints from my own collection based on the Japanese military...

The original drawings...

Repeat patterns which were later done as digital prints...
Firstly, Japanese tigers based on the larger shirt print above, and secondly more geometric ideas based on the Moscow tube map.

Fashion Clash!

In British Vogue this month, Belgian model Hanne Gaby Odiele is featured in a range of clashing looks from a pick of designer legends!

http://www.seemanagement.com/2012/03/frances-tulk-hart-in-british-vogue/

She muses..."I like things to clash a little."

I think we'd agree!!

She also talks of her habit of 'collecting' - picking up bits and bobs admidst her travels which she later combines within a single outfit. How wonderful to have such a unique sense of style AND be so strikingly attractive! Do we hate her?!? No, we love her actually! A self made icon perhaps?

Speaking of a look made up of anything and everything, brings me to a slight tendency of mine in recent weeks towards the more eccentric in life! I have always wished I was one of those colourful characters with an odd, eyecatching style, slightly weird but wonderful, and one which people would stop and stare at in either admiration or deteste! but...it simply is not me!

This is more me infact! However, I do adore such people and hope that old age (if there's not too much else about it to look forward to) will bring me eccentricity without me noticing it has happened!

Eccentrics we love!...
Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, Vivienne Westwood and Iris Apfel!