The Business of Trend

I have started an MA in Fashion and Lifestyle Promotion.  Today we had a little introductory session where we all spoke about ourselves.  Name, age, how we got to be on the course, what was the best thing that we encountered on the way, likes/dislikes, who we admire etc.

During this the head of Fashion Design at the university discussed how she loved her job, she loved trend, it didn't feel like work...but that trend itself is like a product.  A product that she doesn't particularly like because if everyone of us brought into it we'd all look the same.  However, what it comes down to is that whether you're a designer or a promoter you are trying to influence people to buy into the trends that you have acknowledged.

Trend is a funny thing.  Designers can get inspiration from anywhere...history, culture, or a cupcake they see in a bakery or trend forecasters.  Trend forecasters scour the land (the whole world!) looking at 'cool' things: a street, a shop, an artist, a subculture that has its own trend within society.  Then they sit back and plan what will happen next.  In the next 2 years, 5 years, 10 years, 100 years.  I love it.  And hate it.

Trend is like marmite.  I sit here in my tapered trousers (the shape of the season don't you know!) and I wonder why I chose these.  I didn't acknowledge they were in trend...I hadn't gazed at them in magazines, I hadn't spotted them on catwalks.  I hadn't planned to purchase that particular style, I'd just gone into the shop and there they were but then subconsciously I might have planned to purchase them.  After all, the designers for that shop had planned it.  They'd researched, developed, seen them on celebrities and cool people at catwalk shows and filtered trend down for the high street where it has been successfully sold to me.

The business of trend is frustrating.  Frustating and wonderful.  It's rather amusing to think how it all comes about.  Especially now, in the last throws of fashion week season with Paris Fashion Week in full swing.  I wonder what makes people plan certain items to purchase and what makes others, like me, do it off the cuff with subconscious considerations.  After all, Oscar Wilde said "fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable that we have to alter it every six months" yet so many people have been dying for autumn to arrive so they can grab their shearling coats, boots, everything...

Trend Repeat

Everyone is blabbering on about Autumn/Winter 2010/11 fashion.  What's more, during this blabbering they are completely disregarding summer (I know it's optimistic but it's August so I'm hoping for more sun) and wishing it away so they can wear long boots, wool coats, shearling etc.  Yes, it looks good, but you know what?  It's been done.

Victoriana, womanly cuts, A-line, fur...  I love fashion but I sure wish people wouldn't go on and on about things being all exciting and wonderful when in fact they are rather similar to last year.  Sorry, I sound bitter, I'm not.  In fact, I love fashion, but is anyone else getting deja vu?

Beauty's going all copycat on us too.  Time to drag out that red lipstick again!  Vogue's rundown of how to wear the look worries me.  " Draw on a deep Cupid's bow.  Take the colour slightly beyond your natural lip line."  Beyond your natural and drawn on reminds me of a clown or a five year old playing dress up.  I'm very blonde, very pale and have teeny rosebud lips... Anyone that knows something about beauty care to offer me some advice on how this is supposed to work?


Dolce and Gabanna Image from Vogue

Embellishments Rule at Emilio Pucci

Boho prints and maxi skirts contrast entirely with the mini-dresses and...more importantly...the embellishments that make a lot of those prints come to life.  Fringing, feathers, sequins Pucci's latest collection is luxurious right down to the colours.  Rich purples and reds nestle next to high shine golds.

Unlike many designers though Peter Dundas' creative direction is all encompassing, including everything from maxi dressea to flirty mini dresses, stopping off along the way to include leather jackets.  All sexy and unique of course.  Scarfs and statements coats make wrapping up for winter seem fun and fashionable.  Though, saying that after the blue sky and sunshine today roll on summer.

Burberry Live

Burberry streamed their latest catwalk live.  In 3D.  And I bloody missed it.  And now apparently I should "return later" if it want to see it post-scheduled time.  My wings feel truely clipped.  I should have staged a walkout and abandoned work in favour of fashion.  One day my job will be fashion and I will be required at catwalk shows.

For now I make do with The Telegraph's teeny tiny video montage...



...it is entirely not the same as a full length 3D feed but hey...for now this will have to do!

Very military in dark khaki's I was pleased to see a splash of rich tones from raspberry to royal blue.  What excites me most though is the contrast between heavy black buckled boots and leather jackets with delicate white fur.

A trip to Burberry HQ has solidified my desire to own a Burberry coat.  This just makes me wish it could be sooner rather than later.

I'll let you know when the full video is up...come on Fred, get on it!  In case you want to check up on it yourself visit the Burberry Live website.

Topshop Rocks LFW

Today as I subconsciously veered towards the Topshop store in Birmingham's Bull Ring I announced: "I love Topshop.  I know that's stereotypical but I do.  And you know what?  There's a reason people see it as stereotypical now...everyone loves it because it's bloody brilliant."

Well...turns out the fashion world agrees with me.  My Twitter homepage has been filled with London Fashion Week tweets but more than any other show Topshop Unique has been the one that's got people talking.  After my last post on Dande Maestre's nature inspired statement jewellery antlers are making their way onto my blog once more...

Topshop Unique's models reminded me of Mulberry's Autumn/Winter 2009/2010 look with bedraggled hair, knitted accessories and beautiful worn leathers.  That and my local forest, Cannock Chase.  As well as the faux fur animal headgear animal imagery is mingled with animal print for a primal, rustic look.

I'm wishing this winter away already but maybe I wouldn't if I had easy access to cable knit tights, contrasting chiffon, lace and leather, faux fur, work boots and bags belted at the waist.  The throw-it-on imperfect look is perfect for me at the minute.  Sure there's more to it than it looks but I'm willing to invest in lots of hairspray and some nature inspired accessories.  I have a bone cuff from Ghana that'd fit in perfectly with this colour palette.

Philip Lim: Androgyny at NYFW

More and more lately I have been pining at menswear.  Not because of the models (well...most the time) but because of the beautiful clothing.  Today it was Philip Lim who grabbed my attention.  Anyone who knows me will know that my curves prevent true androgynous style but I have been throwing on mens shirts, quirky t-shirts, show boots with toe caps and baggy jeans more and more of late.  To complete the look is usually an oversized cardigan because it's freezing.

I was beginning to think that I should go back to a more feminine everyday look and then I saw the photograph's from Philip Lim's A/W 2010/11 menswear catwalk.  The androgyny I saw with the fitted boots, cardigans belted at the waist, longer length gloves and patent leathers made me swoon.  There are not many many that could pull of this look but I am absolutely in love with it.

Couture Fashion Week: Fashion drama at it's best...

There's nothing better than couture to get a person excited about fashion.  Couture is not really high street, it isn't basic/toned down/simple and chic it is dramatic, exciting and ultra impractical a lot of the time.  I have had a love affair with couture since Dior's 2006 fairytale catwalk and they have remained a firm favourite of mine ever since.

This year I have taken in as much as I can of Couture Fashion Week....online of course, sadly I am not important enough to gain an invitation, one day though (a girl can dream)...and decided to do a round up of my favourites.

  

Chanel, Armani Prive, Gaultier, Givenchy and Dior

From feminine fantasies at Givenchy, all ruffles and feathers, to Amazonian creations as John Paul Gaultier takes inspiration from historical world favourites (think 'pirate' hats and structured cage dresses).  There's such a strong contrast of androgynism (tux's and long length gloves) and feminity (Chanel's 'doll' look) it's hard to not want to try out both.  If you're not Lady Gaga it's unlikely you'll be sporting anything like this come Autumn, but I am fully expecting rails full of silver, the return of the tux, more feathers (yay) and hundreds of riding boots.

Once again Dior has completely stolen my heart.  Top hats, billowing dresses, cerise riding blazers contrasting with metallic skirts....I'm in love.  Just pass me a riding crop.

If I get married (and somehow become amazingly rich) I'll be wearing Dior couture.

My favourite shots from Dior's couture catwalk...

Melk Z-Da: Rio Fashion Week A/W 2010/11

I really don't think anyone could moan about Rio Fashion Week...sun, sea, sand and high fashion.  Despite the tragic winter conditions they must have they manage to inspire the likes of us back in snowy/wet England with innovative shapes and use of texture.  Melk Z-Da's catwalk show is my favourite...spikes of fabric and dark, metallic fabrics provide a sharp contrast to the silks, feathers and playful plastics that made up his S/S 2010 collection.

His models almost look like urchins with their 'grubby' metallic faces and short messed up hair, combined with the loose over-sized styles, which sometimes give the impression the clothes weren't originally theirs.  This may sound terrible but believe me it isn't.  Exposed zips, flashes of neon, high volume ruffles and strongly sturctured 'cages' adorn form fitting dresses giving the feminine styles we saw in S/S a harder edge.  Despite the fact I'm not sure some of it would hold any ground off the catwalk (though I'm sure it will adapt itself onto the highstreet) and that some of the more dramatic aspects are things I've seen on our costumes at Design by Janine, I love it.

See for yourself at Brazilian Elle or here...