hemlines

Sheer Madness

2011-07-13T23:29:00.000-07:00

As far as I can tell, the general reaction to the current trend for sheer fabrics falls into two categories: those who embrace it whole-heartedly, proudly baring their best underwear while conservative mothers try to distract the innocent eyes of their children, and those who think it’s vulgar, and sniff loudly in its general direction whilst determinedly buttoning their coats up to their neck to avoid catching a cold.

On second thoughts, perhaps so extreme a generalisation is rash of me – I think there’s a lot to be said for conservatism in fashion and realistically, it’d be a sad state of affairs if choosing not to show your knickers was deemed ‘conservative’. Lagerfeld reminded us of the beauty of tradition with the Chanel Couture Fall ’11 show last week; Coco’s tweed blazers still have pride of place (that is to say, in beautiful window displays, firmly out of reach of the general public) in today’s industry, and despite the uproar they once caused, they’re nothing now if not a pinnacle of tradition at its brilliant best.

Still, in the same way that I love flyaway silk slips and beautiful vintage satin bustiers as outerwear, (check out Tommy Ton’s shot of Daisy Lowe at Paris Fashion Week, working the look beautifully) there’s something about layers of translucency, shimmering to reveal a lace strap underneath, that creates a kind of romantic sensuality – and I’m sorry Coco, but you just can’t get the same reaction wearing tweed.

This season has seen sheer midi length skirts and blouses all over the shop, ballet tutus reworked at Chloe, and both mesh and lace have been dominating the high street for several seasons now. Even Kate Middleton donned a sheer dress to win Wills’ heart on the catwalk, which just goes to show that sometimes putting it all out there can bag you a prince.

Certainly, there are rules which should be followed. If you’re planning on donning a mesh top, an opaque bra is probably for the best – the more structured, the better. Sheer skirts are most modest when paired with some serious coverage underneath; think cycling shorts, a miniskirt, even those heaven-sent Bridget Jones pants – anything that will ensure your grandmother doesn’t stop sending you birthday cards.

Images from Sara Zucker, Style.com and Tumblr.

Clueless

2011-07-13T22:13:00.000-07:00

I’ve been sat contemplating reasons I could use for blogging about Clueless. So far I’ve come up with: the McQueen tartan currently on display at the Met vs. Cher’s penchant for the yellow variety, the reappearance of the preppy white collar in Chanel’s Fall ’11 couture collection that kind of matches the look that Dionne’s going for (no, really! Look), and the white crochet hat she wears when they accidentally drive onto the freeway, that vaguely resembles Dolce and Gabbana Spring/Summer ’11.

Feel free to take any of these excuses – I think all of them are fairly valid. The fact of the matter is, Clueless is brilliant. The computerised wardrobe! The impeccably dressed gay best friend! The matching outfits, the dungarees, the hats… Oh. I completely forgot how brilliant it was until we stumbled across it on TV the other night, and then proceeded to watch it twice in a row.

In case I’m making you nostalgic, here’s the perfect excuse for a night in...

Love Letters to Shirley K. Mason

2011-07-12T12:18:00.000-07:00

We went for a wander in Williamsburg yesterday - the easy sunday afternoon atmosphere there is unrivalled by anywhere else in NY, it's my new favourite place to get lost, eat some food, chat to some friendly people, and then get found again.

I was doing exactly that at the Brooklyn Flea the other day when I stumbled across an old wine box marked marked 'Love Letters'. It was such a treasure - pages and pages of 'sweetheart's and 'darling's and tame declarations, all written to one woman. I'd have loved to have bought the whole box, and documented all of her love affairs with sailors (it seems she was hot stuff) but I contented myself with bringing this little gem home, instead.

I wish I could sit down with Shirley K. Mason and a pot of tea and tell her that she deserves better, and that she doesn't need a man's permission to travel to California. She can do that with a car and some good friends and a couple of cassette tapes.

Buffalo Exchange

2011-07-10T19:30:00.000-07:00

Eco-friendly fashion is a tough business. The fashion industry generates billions of pounds annually by perpetually demanding more content, and more means by which that content can be consumed. As the categories of Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter have evolved to allow room for pre-collections , cruise collections, ready to wear and capsule collections, it seems hard to believe that anybody involved is able to implement environmental consciousness, with any real effect. In addition to this, environmentally conscious designers and boutiqes have got their work cut out discarding the image of ecologically sound fashion that doesn’t include a swarm of models running round in hemp sandals and hessian sacks. Until ‘eco-fashion’ stops being a niche and becomes the standard, it seems it will always be approached gingerly.

Where other stores try, Buffalo Exchange is taking the stereotype, discarding all preconceptions, and handing the public a simple and convenient method of recycling old clothes, and trading them for well-chosen vintage. Taking the expression ‘one man’s trash is another man’s treasure’ very much to heart, Buffalo Exchange have been trading clothes for almost thirty years. Quite simply, you take whatever you might have lying about in your wardrobe to the ‘sell’ desk, where you can either exchange it for cash, or trade it for something you have found in the store. The result is a Williamsburg warehouse packed to the brim with vintage gems. It might take some rummaging – there are perhaps more cast-off vest tops and bobbly t-shirts than necessary on the shop floor – but the idea is without fault.

Head to any of the stores to see exactly what I mean. The chain now has 43 stores and 2 franchises in 15 states of the U.S., and it is still growing, so if you’re based on this side of the Atlantic then you shouldn’t have to go too far.

Raymond Chow

2011-07-08T13:27:00.000-07:00

Raymond Chow of the Art Institute of New York City’s graduate collection is a unique implementation of two dimensional design, manipulated to obey the limitless dimensions of the human body on the catwalk. Sheer black fabric is draped fluidlike over the female form, creating a subtle peepshow of layers overlapping to reveal and hide in quick succession. Subtlety, in fact, is key to the designs, as they shift and change with movement, perpetually transforming to obtain the elegant and edgy ideal.

Fashion Film: Raymond Chow from Eddie Pages on Vimeo.

I caught up with Raymond for a few minutes to talk about his stunning collection.

How did you first get into design?

It started with my older sister. She began drawing when she was about 6 years old. Being a little brother, I always copied what she did, so I also began to draw when I was 5. I became interested in drawing pictures of anime and cartoons and such, but eventually became influenced by fashion; I remember seeing a fashion sketch online and I thought it was so beautiful. I was inspired to draw lengthy, slender bodies with evening gowns and pretty dresses. As the years went by, sketching became my hobby and I would looking into magazines like InStyle and Vogue to come up with ideas of different designs of evening gowns.

What are your main influences and points of reference in your work?

When I first started at the Art Institute of New York City I was influenced by the classic haute couture designers such as Valentino and Galliano, and the romantic, draped silhouettes of evening wear. I loved how the dresses hugged the body in the perfect places, and how it made women look so elegant and beautiful. But quarter after quarter, my professors taught me to experiment with different designers. Eventually, I became influenced by avant-garde designers such as Alexander McQueen, Rick Owens, Gareth Pugh, Junya Wantanabe, and Issey Miyake. My graduated collection was influenced by the works of Issey Miyake, and how he took a 2-dimensional pattern, then cut and draped it into a garment.

Your designs are centred on layers and swathes of sheer black. What made you decide to work solely with black for the collection?

When I design a collection, I usually stick with one color story. I love monochromatic colors. I’m not very experimental with colors. I feel safe with black. It’s very edgy, yet elegant. Working solely with the black fabric allowed me to experiment more with the draping of the garment in different silhouettes. It gave it cohesiveness. My collection is somewhat avante garde, the black makes it much more subtle, yet intrigues people to take a closer look into the drapery and cut of the design, rather than focusing on whether they like the color or not. Everyone likes black. It’s a necessity. It’s universal.

The combination of draping and translucency in your pieces creates a kind of ‘peekaboo’ effect, where skin, curves and shoulder blades emerge, only to be hidden again. What kind of role does the female form play in the design process for you?

When I created this collection, the female form wasn’t the top priority of my creative process, it was second to my interest in 2-dimensional patterns. I was interested in the geometric shapes that could be draped and cut from the pattern. What I had thought was, if I cut out a pattern, I would slip it onto the dress form, and let the fabric take shape from the female body on its own. The decision to use the sheer black fabric allowed it to be draped and molded onto the shape of wearer in regards to her own body. The sheerness of the fabric allows the wearer to feel covered head to toe, yet able to feel mysterious and sexy because she’s revealing only some parts of her body. The woman wearing my collection is confident, and not afraid to show off her body.

Where do you plan to go from here?

I’m taking a break as I’m typing this. Two years of non-stop fashion school is tough. I’m taking a one month break back in my home town of Oneida, Tennessee, but as soon as my break is up, I’m going back to New York to promote my collection. I’m going to work as a freelance fashion designer to make and sell my collection. I’ve been talking to a friend of mine about starting an online website, and having our collection mass produced as we begin to receive bigger orders. I already have professors wanting a few pieces of my collection, so I will be making it for them when I return after my break. I also hope to work for a larger company to gain experience in the industry. I plan to sell the pieces from my collection to customer orders as a side job, while working to find a career that will allow me to gain further knowledge about the industry and move up to being creative director of my own label, or somebody else’s.

Follow Raymond Chow on tumblr, or email him for more information regarding his collection.

HBO Film Festival at Bryant Park

2011-07-08T12:44:00.000-07:00

Every Monday night from June 2oth until August 22nd this summer, Bryant Park will fill with expectant movie goers, sprawled on blankets, drinking wine and laughing with friends whilst they wait for the sun to go down. Last week Alice and I went to see The 39 Steps, by Alfred Hitchcock. The crowd gathered on the lawn from the early evening, and when, at 9pm, the floodlights from the neighbouring skyscrapers were switched off plunging the park into darkness, hundreds of tiny ‘oohs’ of anticipation echoed across the green. HBO kicked the evening off with an old looney tunes sketch which had spectators giggling like children, followed by the opening titles of the film, at which the audience jumped ceremoniously to their feet to applaud, and… dance? We were kind of lost at this point, but we leapt up to clap anyway.

Dancing aside, I’m sure there’s no better way to watch a Hitchcock film than laid out on the grass in the middle of the city, watching lights from phones dance across the crowd like fireflies, and listening to Robert Donat and Madeleine Carroll argue their way through a murder mystery. A star or two even shone through the Manhattan fog for the occasion.

Central Park

2011-07-08T10:21:00.000-07:00

Isn’t Central Park beautiful? I can’t get over how you can be in the middle of a forest, in the middle of a city. Alice and I decided that we couldn’t wander around the Jackie O reservoir in Central Park yesterday without at least something of a tribute to the first lady. My Chanel two piece was at the dry cleaners (ahem) so I made do with oversized shades and a midi skirt and a lady like twirl wherever possible.

We’re going to make our way through American style icons! Next up, Salt’n'Pepa…

I'M HERE

2011-06-29T16:27:00.000-07:00

Please excuse the unashamed google image grab - I got excited, and this was the best I could do right now.
Keep an eye on frockOn to see what I'm up to interning out here! It's going to be a busy month.

Le Dîner en Blanc

2011-06-29T10:03:00.000-07:00

Last thursday Paris's annual secret 'White Dinner' took place in front of Notre Dame, in the latin quarter. It seems like as good a reason as any to post pictures from last year, when I was lucky enough to be invited to dine with ten thousand others in front of the Louvre. You can read my post about it here.

ICU - IN PARIS: Charlotte Martyr, II

2011-06-09T07:09:00.000-07:00

I couldn't put down the skeleton ring from Charlotte Martyr just yet - here's a nighttime look, to balance out the determined 'summers day in the city' from my last post. These trousers were an absolute bargain, tucked away forgotten in a desolate corner of Topshop. To my delight they came to less than a fiver, and they're perhaps the floatiest, most voluminous item of clothing I own. Surprisingly practical to dance the night away, too, once I'd gotten the hang of holding them up so that they don't get trapped in the escalators on the tube.

I tried on various different combinations of rings and necklaces, but in the end it seemed to make the most sense just to keep jewelry minimal with just a couple of silvers bangles, and let Charlotte Martyr's sweet little ring rule the roost. The heavy detail balanced out the swathes of printed silk beautifully - I can't wait to team it up with layers of translucent peach slips and lacy nighties and some serious silver hardware this summer.
Skeleton ring designed by Charlotte Martyr, available at ICU – IN PARIS.

Crop top and leather jacket both vintage, trousers from Topshop, boots Jeffrey Campbell.

Photographs by Misli Akdag

Prairie Style

2011-06-08T02:09:00.000-07:00

Forgive me if this is pushing it a bit, but it's all about subtleties. Collars buttoned all the way to the top, floral prints and midi lengths, cinched waists, wide brimmed hats, sleek centre partings, braids. The inhabitants of the little house were working it out on the prairie!

ICU - IN PARIS: Charlotte Martyr

2011-06-01T16:37:00.000-07:00

I have boutique ICU – IN PARIS to thank for the second glances I’ve been getting out and about this week, by virtue of this skeleton ring by Charlotte Martyr. The Lyon-based sculptor-turned-jewelry designer creates charm-like pieces which she describes as ‘small powerful sculptures, whom children would confer magic powers as courage and protection’, which is perhaps the best appropriation of jewelry I’ve ever heard. Her experience in sculpture, too, is more than evident in the details of her work, which possesses a kind of enduring, otherworldly beauty. This sweet little skeleton won’t be leaving my hand for while.

The skeleton ring feels weighty and theatrical enough to balance out the floaty translucent shirt (somehow made to seem much less translucent by the elusive London sunshine, which was nowhere to be seen) without being bulky or cumbersome. Sunshine or no sunshine, I couldn’t be more excited to finally push my 80 denier tights to the back of my wardrobe in the naive hope that they might stay there until october. Socks were a reluctant compromise.

More to come grâce à Charlotte Martyr! In the meantime, make the most of the flash sale over at ICU…

Skeleton ring designed by Charlotte Martyr, available at ICU – IN PARIS.

Leopard print shirt, black crop top, trusty Levi’s shorts and belt all vintage. Hat from Failsworth (via TK Maxx), sunglasses Urban Outfitters, clogs Jeffrey Campbell.

Photographs by Misli Akdag

Türkiye

2011-05-07T13:40:00.000-07:00

Real procrastination requires travelling to an entirely different continent with three of your favourite people and spending a week swimming in the ocean, rattling around the western mediterranean coast in buses, braving Turkish beauty salons, buying all the silver accessories and drinking raki like a local. We've got it down, I think.

Have I missed something?

2011-04-26T14:15:00.000-07:00

I'm all for brights, but after weeks of putting these out on the shelves at work, I can't help but think that the new range of Cambridge Satchels are a bit of an eyesore. Literally - they make my head ache to look at. Suddenly walking down the accessories aisle is like a night at a nu-rave party; all it lacks is Skins-esque outfits, glowsticks, an argos smoke machine and some bacardi breezers and I'd feel fourteen again. On top of that, the leather on these satchels is so tough that it grazes my fingers just to prise the buckles open.

What almost makes it worse is that I know that one of these days I'm going to see a well dressed, satchel-toting type strutting down Oxford Circus, and I'll be questioning whether I was too quick to dismiss them. Do I need to stop being so grumpy and embrace fluoro luggage?

Sold at Dover Street Market and Urban Outfitters.

Wildsuga

2011-04-26T07:44:00.000-07:00

Sarina Mantle has some powerful ideas. She's a fashion designer, a singer/songwriter, the creator of eco-luxury brand Wildsuga, and she is perpetually glowing with the inspiration that she gathers from every aspect of the world around her. The pieces she creates - vintage inspired, delicately put together and yet full of reckless abandon - seem to encompass her spirit entirely. 'The core philosophy of Wildsuga is to design and create quality pieces with a conscious heart,' she explains, 'which are friendly to the environment, and made to be treasured for life. My mantra is "wild spirit, strong mind, soft heart".'

I asked her a couple of questions for frockOn about about her stunning new vintage inspired-collection and the short film that showcases it, the evolution of Wildsuga, and her plans to make the world a more beautiful and more environmentally-conscious place.

How did you first get into designing clothes?

I loved making things as a child – you would rarely find me without a pair of scissors, pen or paper in my hand. My mum was a dressmaker from St Lucia so I often found buttons, thimbles and pieces of fabrics, and my older sister collected various pattern blocks and sketches which i remember being fascinated by. Slowly my sketches improved, and I learnt to translate 2D drawings into 3D samples on a mannequin, by draping and pattern cutting.

How did this evolve into Wildsuga?

A few years after I finished university I decided to follow my love for designing, and sought help from the ELSBC (East London Small Business Centre) to help me set up Wildsuga. I then received funding from the NES (New Entrepreneur Scholarship) and bought hangers, fabrics, a rail and so on in order to start my first collections, which I sold at the market.

During this time I was planning and developing the label, and testing the market with various styles of design. My passion for eco-recycling was at the forefront of my mind, so with another source of help from LYST (London Youth Support) I bought loads of curtains and transformed them into a quirky geek-chic collection, and showcased them. I made cute waistcoats and dresses with large collars, playsuits and vintage inspired pieces. The response was so positive that I decided to rebrand Wildsuga into an eco-luxury vintage-inspired label. And Wildsuga was born…

Why the name Wildsuga?

When I chose the name Wildsuga I based it on what I felt represented two attributes of a woman. I would often think of a woman who is so commanding that she can send chills down your back, yet so gracious and beautiful that her femininity was as light and alluring as the petals of a flower. I felt it was a great balance of total reckless abandonment; a wanderer, an adventurer, yet equally something so sweet, beautiful, and alluring to the mind.

What’s your aim with your brand?

I aim to create one of a kind vintage inspired designs for individuals who love wearing garments which no one else has. I believe in handmade clothing made by the designer’s hands, or a small creative team, with a conscious responsibility to help the environment along the way. My love for music (I’m a songwriter and singer in my other world) allows me to network with singers. I have a deep passion for artists who grace the stage and bare their soul, so combining music and fashion allows me to collaborate on bespoke projects with artists.

What are your main points of reference when it comes to designing?

I tend to reference Edwardians, black Victorians, nomadic lifestyle, africa, mexico, peru, india, world travel, eras such as 1920′s, 40′s, 70′s, 80′s, music, art nouveau, films and nature… I do alot of research – from vintage teacups to ageing door handles, covered in floral patterns. I’m always inspired by the vintage and handmade fabrics I find in hidden charity shops which are crocheted, embroidered, patterned, etc.

My mother was a dressmaker, and I am greatly inspired by her, home and family life. She taught herself how to design and dressed up in her creations everyday; something which I aspire to do. I have pictures of her in the 1960s in beautiful dresses, and I love how precious and sentimental these photos are to me. I draw most of my inspiration from my family home, the ideas of struggle and poverty, and what it means to experience opulence. I love the idea that poverty can create wealth, that people can make something from very little. It drives me to stay curious.

How important is the environment to your work?

It is the core of what I do, who I am and how I live. It’s more than fashion to me; it’s a lifestyle which I hope to pass onto my children. We are our environment and the choices we make affect our present day and future so I hope for the world to continue to awaken to the reality that we cannot continue taking from the earth with out heavy consequences. I believe in recycling, reusing and cutting back on wasting in general. There’s still a long way to go, but for me it’s getting better every day, and I’m still learning.

What can we do to give environmentally-aware British designers the shout out that they deserve?

Continue wonderful blogs like frockOn! Include environmentally aware designers in fashion publications, see more boutiques stocking these collections, teach people about what is happening to the environment, publicise eco-events, and support and funding in general for positive projects.

How do you see Wildsuga evolving further?

I’d like to have Wildsuga featured in more editorial magazines, continue to incorporate film and fashion, to launch a new collection for January 2012 and throughout this year collaborate with selected singers to feature on the WS website, start my first book and documentary currently called sentimental treasures. Eventually, the goal is to open a eco, vintage and ‘handmade’ boutique, housing Wildsuga, vintage clothing and supporting other eco designers in different mediums, such as ceramics, art. The aim is to keep fusing fashion with other art forms, collaborations with singers and branching out into other creative expressions, such as fashion illustration, and writing a book. Most of all, I want to have fun, while turning all my dreams into reality!

Click here to see Doll, the short film made by Wildsuga to encompass the new collection.

For more details on the collections, contact details or to shop Wilduga, go to Wildsuga.com.
To keep up to date, follow Wildsuga on tumblr, on twitter, and model mayhem.

Hippy Hippy Boho

2011-04-18T01:04:00.000-07:00

All I want is to dress like a character from Hair all summer, and walk absent-mindedly around London humming Aquarius under my breath. Can I? Can I please?

Sunrise Palette

2011-04-06T15:15:00.000-07:00

Every shade of rusty burnt orange, soft coral, pale seafoam green and turquoise that I want to cover my body with this summer is in these photographs. Taken very, very early one morning in Paris last year.

Photoshoot with Imogen Seed

2011-03-16T16:33:00.000-07:00

Last week, my friend Jack Anthony Bowden and I filmed a photoshoot with photographer Imogen Seed for frockOn. The footage Jack has edited together is absolutely stunning; he does justice to a process which was very surreal to watch. A little touch of ethereality on a cold night in East London. You can watch it, as well as see Imogen's final shots from the shoot and read a full interview with her, here.

Black leather. And lots of it.

2011-03-05T16:28:00.000-08:00

YSL AW '09

I was recently reading a post of Garance Doré's, 'Cowboy Boots and Very Very Long Hair' on her brilliant blog, (which is incidentally also my favourite method of french revision), in which she chats about all the things she adores on other women, but which her boyfriend really isn't sure of on her; namely, cowboy boots, cropped hair, chunky wedges, shirts buttoned up to the neck, knee-high socks... And how this makes her all the more desperate to try all of the above.

It was at this point that it occurred to me that I, at my post-post-break-up best, (no more nostalgia, no more daily Destiny's Child, far less cheesecake) own enough leather items to make an entire black leather outfit. Head to toe fake animal skin. Undoubtedly, now I think about it, because of my ex's clear uncertainty of me in leather. The outfit goes as follows: a buttery soft faux-leather t-shirt from H & M, my (aptly nicknamed) leather 'ex-boyfriend leggings' from Zara, my beautiful old beaten biker jacket, my Jeffrey Campbell wedges. Omitting underwear and socks, that's one wipe-clean outfit. An intriguing image, no?

Obviously, I then proceeded immediately to try it all on together for novelty purposes, in the privacy of my own bedroom. The overall effect was less YSL, more YMCA, but the idea behind it still excites me a little.

Now, to decide on a reaction to my reaction. Maybe a 180 degree turn back to head to toe florals?

Summer Summer Summer Time

2011-03-02T08:57:00.000-08:00

I always find myself feeling a little torn when to comes to fashion week. Half of me is relieved that, in this one industry as in nothing else, you can have a little glimpse of what the future holds - it's a small compensation for the surprises that seem to knock me down daily, that the powers that be are whispering hints of what I might be lusting after in six months time. As much as I love autumn, though, I've spent every day for the last four or five months layering endlessly; finding small pleasures in heavy, thick, homeknitted scarves and jumpers and toastie winter boots, and cups of tea in pubs with open fires. Right now, I want to think about spring and summer. Trench coats and ballet flats instead of duffle coats and thermal knickers. Coral nail varnish, turquoise jewellry, sheer flowy maxi dresses, beach wavy hair. Corrr. I can't help but let out a tiny little half-sigh of relief just thinking about it.

So, forgive me a moment for sweeping the sparkly new AW collections aside to gush about summer. Marc Jacobs never ceases to create trends, almost relentlessly, and it's his newfound adoration of seventies summers that's got me the most excited about the next few months. I'm planning my holiday outfits already. I'm going to wear an enormous flower a l'espagnol in my hair, and fashion some inspired puff sleeves that are actually more like puff elbows. Ankle length semi sheer dresses with slits that reach from toe to belly button; this new game of peekaboo that seems to be fascinating designers from Jacobs to Wang (okay, one teeny reference to autumn/winter) is doubtlessly going to creep into highstreet displays at the first glimpse of the summer sun.

I adore the seductively long, sheer dresses in deep, delicious crimson and rich terracotta, with dipped hems that hint at a paddle in the Pacific. And the wide leg trousers that hum with the luxury that always seems to surround such multitudes of fabric. Oh, wait, and the straw hats. Who doesn't want a straw hat to keep sip their pina colada underneath this summer?

I blame all this summer excitement on the fact that I bought a pair of exfoliating gloves today; a foreboding realisation that at some point in the months, maybe even weeks ahead, I will actually have to get my Morticia Addams legs out again. I might have to carry round a basket of those funny sunglasses people wear in tanning booths to provide my friends with so that I don't temporarily blind them whilst waiting for my Johnson's moisturiser to 'develop'.

All images from style.com.

Vogue/BFC's Fashion Fund Winner

2011-02-20T12:09:00.000-08:00

Click here to read my new post on the finalists and winner of Vogue and the BFC's Fashion Fund for 2011 on frockOn.

Here's how I feel about jogging:

2011-02-15T09:06:00.000-08:00

I will not do it, unless I can do it in these.

frockOn Pilot

2011-02-07T15:48:00.000-08:00

The frockOn pilot is almost out of editing! I can't wait to see and share the final result of all our hard work; from what I've seen of it, it's going to be beautiful. In the meantime, here are a few stills that we filmed while I was perched in Melanie's fire escape, having chitchat with some of her Russian neighbours in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn. Thank you to Erez Horowitz for the gorgeous footage.

You can see a little teaser here...

Flee

2011-02-06T14:43:00.000-08:00

A couple of friends of mine spent a week skiing in Morzine, recently, and my friend Jack made this short film. I think it's beautiful.

You can see more of his work on his Vimeo.

Rodarte for Black Swan

2011-02-06T14:15:00.000-08:00

See my new article on Rodarte's costume design for Darren Aronofsky's stunning film, Black Swan...

...And Chloe's own appropriation of dancewear for this spring...

Read the full article at frockOn! Click click click.

Departure Loungewear

2011-02-04T10:47:00.000-08:00

I've always been interested by what people wear to fly. I remember when I was six or seven, my mum came home with two new outfits for me for our summer holiday. One was a little pink gingham dress with heart shaped buttons, called my 'baby spice dress', and the other a navy blue velour tracksuit with a turquoise zip for the plane, my 'sporty spice outfit', the idea being that to travel in anything other than your most comfortable clothes (preferably pyjamas) was outrageous.

I might have come a little way since the days of channelling sporty spice, but I still think comfort is key when it comes to airports. What do you wear to transcend the limits of time and space, in a setting where you're as likely to run into Victoria Beckham (what's that I was just saying about spice girls?) as you are a 'Benidorm' style family from over the estate? These days I stick to layers - anything that can be taken on and off easily and quickly, and take up minimal hand luggage space - jeans, jersey, boots, and the enormous snood that my best friend's mum knitted me, which doubles up as a blanket/sleeping bag in desperate times.

'Vogue girls', on the other hand, do not. The 'In Transit' piece from February Vogue is my favourite shoot for a long time; soft, beautifully styled looks, in a (comparatively) commonplace setting. There's something to be said for an outfit that can be brought to life its environment, rather than by the girl inside it contorting herself into unnatural, if beautiful, positions in a perfectly lit, purpose built studio. Especially love the Vuitton fleece blanket. No room for nasty, synthetic freebies here, no sir.

All images from Vogue.

Portobello Market

2011-02-02T02:43:00.000-08:00

Luca

2011-01-18T02:00:00.000-08:00

Luca is an online brand selling high-fashion inspired, handpicked, affordable vintage. I recently interviewed London-based Felicity Davies about Luca, her knack for predicting the next high street trends, and the brand’s quickly advancing aesthetic. Come check it out at frockOn!

HauteNYC

2011-01-16T14:10:00.000-08:00

When I was in NY earlier last month my gorgeous fellow frockOn writer Angela Samartano snapped a couple of shots of me in my best Charlie's Angels look on the lower east side for her Haute Chicks feature. To see exactly what’s going on in the city at moment, check out her fabulous blog, HauteNYC.

New York, New York

2011-01-10T06:39:00.000-08:00

For the last six months or so I've been writing for a New York based blog called frockOn. It's run by an incredible team of women based predominantly in New York, with writers in LA, Pittsburgh, Michigan, Vancouver and (ahem) London, who hold events, do styling work, interview and promote designers, bloggers, models... More or less anybody they can get their hands on. The business is growing rapidly, and has huge plans for the next twelve months, and that, coupled with all the ambition in the air, make it a very exciting project to be a part of.

So a couple of months ago, when I received an email asking if I'd like to go to New York for a couple of days in december to film the pilot of a reality TV show, about the fashion industry, the blogosphere and exactly what frockOn is doing in the city, my response was pretty much 'Uh, yeah? I'm on the next plane.'

What followed was four days of being followed by cameras, exploring, meeting new people, interviewing and giving interviews all over the city. Final results are still to come, and I could not be more excited to see them.

In the meantime, here are a couple of pictures I took when we were out and about.

So this is the New Year

2011-01-06T12:47:00.000-08:00

Sparkly new year, brand new blog. I tend to go a little overboard with resolutions, so this time let me just say this. It is going to be a beauty.