Chanel Spring/Summer 2016

I used to be the biggest fan of Chanel. I think it is fair to say that I much prefer Chanel show spectacles like the Supermarket from the Fall 2014 collection rather than the actual pieces in the shows.

My general feeling about Lagerfeld at Chanel is that he's lost his touch, completely. Don't get me wrong: we still have a reference to Coco - sharp structured tweed suits in now a multitude of newly developed sporty neoprene fabrics and garish marbled colour palettes; somewhat ruining her pioneering, signature looks, however.
 
Saying all this, Karl seems to have a tendency to push everything out of proportion. In a typical prêt-a-porter show, we normally see a strong 40-50 looks that fit perfectly into a set theme or incentive. However at Chanel, we see a frankly lack-lustre 90 or more looks, most of which are the exact copies of the ensembles we have seen prior to that specific collection. 

 

 

 

To buyers and editors, enthralled would be an understatement; they feed off the giant branding sets which today took the shape of a Chanel Airport. A set which we have seen in the past, to be exact Spring/Summer 2012 Couture- Cara Delevingne's runway debut, was the collection which allegedly showed the future for Chanel's Haute Couture. 

However, I digress. This season's Chanel was all about the jet-setting life of the super-rich (hence the presence of Kendall Jenner who closed the show).

photo 1-1

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The clothes simply did not radiate quintessential Coco or even the basic essence of Chanel for that matter; they emitted a futuristic angle which was more tacky than anything: giant orange mirrored aviators covered the faces of the models paired with flat-formed plastic drawstring boots and bubble-gum PVC coats.

 

 

 

 

In contrast to my rather pessimistic point of view, there were some undoubtedly beautiful pieces- the sour-toned checked tweed jumpsuit which opened and the layering of kick flares underneath full chiffon or leather skirts, dabbled with the ideas of classicism meets the digital era. The branded wheelie luggage bags and petite airplane brooches will definitely get the global e-commerce soaring.

 

 

 Kick flares which sat loosely under full-skirts

 

There was a definite sense of diversity, albeit eclectic, in relation to the overall execution of the show; diversity was shown through the model casting and the new, fluid silhouettes sent down the runway.
At this point in time, it seems that futurism is the only theme that Lagerfeld can bring to the Chanel check-in desk. For example, those trainers he put in one of his Couture shows, or those crushed Camellia flowers which emblazoned a tweed overcoat. I'm sorry to say this, but I do believe it is time for a change. The brand is in need of a new lease of life, Karl has led an incredible legacy, but he's coming to the end of his time.

 

Please note: I do not own any of these images, courtesy of Vogue.com & edwardlewisstyle.com,

There’s Dirt on Our Uniforms from Chasing All The Ants and Worms- (College Street-Style Part 4)

Letting a bunch of teens mean mug a camera in impeccable outfits in front of a very talented young photographer was always going to be a good idea, but when it is actually executed, it’s better than you would ever think. Plenty of girls and boys glaring faux-threateningly into a camera, wrapped in heavy sheepskin coats, trompe l’oeil kagools and thigh length flannels. These are the kids you sit next to and hope to get cooler by osmosis, the ones whose wardrobes you dream about and the ones who look effortlessly cool even on a Monday. Enjoy these photos of some seriously enviable human beings in seriously enviable clothes:

 
Joe Swainson:

The Iron Maiden leather! The chinstrap beard! The faultless composition! Rock looks don't come any better than this. It is rare to see Joe without his leather jacket and one honestly can’t blame him, its perfect. Look at the badges, the jungle of buttons and zips, the impractically placed pockets, and (best bit) the technicolour logo on the back. This is the leather jacket to end all leather jackets.

 

Joe Swainson, where do you get your style inspiration from? I guess i’m inspired by a lot of bands I listen to, but I'm not really influenced by much, I just wear what I enjoy wearing. Why leathers? I wear leather a lot because its connoted with the metal/alternative scene, and I like to wear my musical taste on my sleeve, I want everyone to know who I am by looking at me. Do you think that there's an importance in finding a uniform and sticking to it, like Steve Jobs and his turtle necks, or will you experiment till the end of time? I think what you wear kinda defines you, and it all depends on how you want to be viewed, I like having an 'image' of sorts, but there's no harm in straying outside your comfort zone and experimenting once in a while. Do you think our generations does that, is less afraid, than previous ones? Definitely, I think nowadays people are less afraid to experiment as some social stigma of past generations has faded. What do you like now? I like music, guitar and horror movies.

 

 

Ella Pepperell:

Ella’s outfit is majestic when photographed, admittedly, but in real life, in person, it is monumental. This could be because of some inimitable aspect of Ella’s personality, her lack of fear in dressing, her innate knowledge of combinations, and her total faith within her choices. She picks items that one wouldn’t usually bat an eyelid at and yet makes everyone ask where its from, she ties green ribbons in her hair, she can pant flawless eyeliner whilst in a moving car (!!?!). In conclusion, its not just her clothing that makes us want to photograph her, but there's something about Ella Pepperell.

 

 

 

Ella Pepperell, where do you get your style inspiration from? Urm well I don't really pay attention to the celebrity fashion scene apart from the sporadic appearance of some kardashian on my Instagram feed :-‘) I'd say Pinterest is a pretty good one for me, there aren't really specific styles as such but it shows you how to wear things to look a certain way and properly 'polished' I guess. I'd say my favourite posts are bohemian fashion but in England's climate I have to also consider warmth so rarely I wear anything like that at all. Basically if I see an outfit I like in a picture I remember it when I'm shopping. Do you think self confidence is more important than style? Looking good is about feeling good. I think when whatever outfit is put on you need confidence for it to be noticed and for me what I wear plays a huge part in the amount of confidence I have. When I'm happy with what I'm wearing I'm happier with myself, for me it isn't a thing about keeping up appearances, mostly I'm just selfish and it's for me because once I'm wearing something I like it makes me feel better and the compliments and recognition are just a bonus ;-) I also find being more adventurous with clothing, though deemed something requiring a lot of confidence is the biggest self-esteem booster for me. Buying something different and wearing it is much better than grabbing something from topshop that looks just as good but assures that someone will be wearing exactly the same thing. I'm sure everyone will agree that when they haven't made as much effort as usual they feel worse for it as well. but with the rise of fast fashion, looks being able to be bought straight of the catwalk, ease and practicality are becoming a lot more essential than beauty. do you think classic style is dying out with our generation? I think now that mass production with row upon row if the same T-shirt or jumper being displayed in shops means people buy what is easy. After all people are attracted to things other people confirm. Take cavemen hunting for example, in a way someone else wearing uggs is a sign that 'this way is fine'. People find them comfortable and everyone wears them so there is no room for criticism. I think mostly though it's the fact that people are lazy, going outside the normal is a lot of effort and let's face it a lot of websites with original and interesting styles are ridiculously over priced because its so hard to find 'different'. Recently also being interested in clothes has been associated with vanity which I think could maybe play a part in it. If someone looks like they haven't made an effort if they look bad it can't be criticised. If you don't try you get by. So was there a particular turning point from you where you decided to where exactly what you liked, disregarding everyone else, or  have you always been very individual in your tastes? Urm I think I know the exact time actually. Mum and I were shopping in Tk Maxx. (I hate it in there because I can never find anything but mother loves it) and we were walking out of the shop when I saw a tailored over the top floral jacket that I just loved And mum got it for me which was a babe. Once I bought that and wore it a few times i kind of realised having cool patterned pieces in an outfit means the rest of it can be quite plain. Being out there with fashion is also a lot more exciting. So yeah I basically had a jacket frenzy for six months haha.

 

Izzi Grace:

Let’s look at Izzi’s nose ring. No actually, lets look at her chokers. Wait no! its the military jacket and flannel! Izzi’s banquet of an outfit is too much to handle, it’s sublime. She has perfected micro-layering in the multiple pendants and crystals, or the potpourri of rings adorning her fingers and her hair too is effortless, the sort of natural ‘do that mere mortals can only dream of.

 
 

Izzi Grace, where do you get your style inspiration from? A mixture of time periods, predominantly the 90s and Matt Healy because he's god. what do you think it is about that era that draws you to it? The fact that there was less definition between male and female clothing... Women could wear baggy jeans and chunky docs without being questioned. So was there a turning point for you when you realised this, that you don't have to dress the way you're expected to? I always dressed differently, it just took a while to settle into a style I was comfortable with. So self-confidence over style? Definitely! I don't wear my clothes to please other people, I wear them because that's what I feel comfortable in. What do you like now? Prawn crackers with mango chutney it's an odd mix but I'm completely addicted. Tortoises are also fab, they scream when they have sex, which is oddly adorable🐢🐢🐢

 

Archie Burton:

Camera presence is difficult, but Archie’s got it in bounds. He’s not scared, not at all, he’ll stare you down, shift his weight from foot to foot and have the photo in 5 seconds. He wears his sheepskin coat, with shearling leaking out of the seams, with such charisma its hard to not feel intimidated by his confidence. Creatively, Archie is fantastic also, with a curiosity for graphics, skate culture and carefully chosen idols. And yet despite the intense influences, Archie manages to stay completely original. It's a miracle.

 
 

Archie Burton, where do you get your style inspiration from? Dylan Rieder, Ben Nordberg and Matt Healy and then I just put my tweaks on it I guess. do you think fearlessness is a trait that you are attracted to in terms of your idols/an important trait? Yes most definitely as Ben Nordberg and Dylan Rieder are the only skaters to also be major fashion brands models. Do you feel you’ve developed fearlessness or is it inherent? Well to be honest I just only care on what I think of my style compared to anyone else. Why do you think fearlessness is important in fashion? Because it allows people to be innovative and brave when exploring ideas. What do you like now? I really like wine, skateboarding and partying.

 

Caitlin Rawe:

Caitlin compares her haircut to a portobello mushroom and her best outfits akin to those of toddlers but as derogatory as that sounds, thats kind of the point; playfulness. Her game plan is to show as little cleavage as possible, to wear shoes your mother might have chosen for you age 2 and to generally subvert any claim that women dress for men. It works out pretty great. Her kagool actually looks edible and her japanese-tourist clogs add irresistible charm. She dresses as characters, goth trainspotter today, antique curtain specialist the next, and no one could do it better than Caitlin.

 

Caitlin Rawe, where do you get your clothing inspiration from? Umm people like Grimes and Billie JD Porter, then just people I see on the street. Why are children/youthfullness a clothes aspiration for you? I think that toddlers clothes are just so cute and comfy. I like to dress fairly conservatively and it's kind of a way of dressing that way but still being hella cute, also when you are a kid no one really judges you're outfits so they can often be more wacky and unusual. Do you think fun is important in fashion? Oh yeah definitely, I don't like to take it too seriously. Sometimes I know I look kinda silly but I don't really care that much. What do you think of the claim that women dress for men? I guess some do, but I don't really like that because I wouldn't really be using the way I dress as an expression of my personality and likes. I don't dress for males and I often find that guys don't really comment or necessarily love how I dress, it is usually girls who compliment my outfits and often say that they wish they could dress like that/pull it off which I think is sad because they can they are jut worried about being judged. What do you like now? HOT SUGAR my best babe (aka. nick koenig)

 

 

 

 

Tom Cohen:

Tom’s clothes were so nice we had to shoot them twice. One day he wore mod parka and flannels, the next he wore a grandpa shirt and skinnies, with his nose ring, the hair and an out-of-season tan, it’s easy to see why we wanted them both. What is extraordinary about Tom (and all the other boys we have on this feature) is that they have consciously decided not to dress like everyone else, which can often be a fate for most teenage boys. Rather than wear what is typical, comfortable, practical, boys like Tom decide to wear clothes that are stylish, rather than trendy, and doesn’t it pay off?

 

 
 

 

 

Tom Cohen, where do you get your style inspiration/influences from? ooh umm, well anything that catches my eye really... i like shiny things, and fur! I don't really go looking for inspiration, I guess i kinda envy stuff i don't have when i see it in the street! so anyone could be influential for me, but they've got to be cool and a bit wacky i guess. When did you decide to be individual/not dress how you're expected to? well I've never quite understood individuality- the idea of intentionally dressing in ways that you think will be different to others seems quite odd, everyone's different and that can be seen in people's outfits whether they consciously dress in one way of whether it randomly just happens. So is the influence of trends bad? in that people can be blinded as to what they like, what is individual, and decide to dress how other people say? i think it probably effects people in different ways I don't often think about how others will fell about what I'm wearing, i guess I'm too busy thinking about food or ducks or napoleon dynamite. Why do you think men's style has always been met with less fanfare/celebration than women style, and do you think it should be equally celebrated? I'm not so sure really, personally i guess i never celebrate style i just appreciate it in the moment, maybe guys spend too much time watching football or doing handbrake turns, i guess girls styles are generally more diverse so theres more to talk about. men need more styles maybe, put a man in a dress and there would be a lot of hype about it. Do you think our generation is less afraid than previous ones? no, generations have never been afraid with style, thats why things go in and out of fashion (whatever that means), but today theres more styles for people to go into, that might make us seem more brave. Is there a particular generation you think changed fashion the most? I'm not sure, the 90s were cool, i'd go back to then if i could, house music, punks and the stone roses. Does music influence the way you dress? I'm sure it does, idols from bands especially- alex turner, harrison koisser and Yannis from foals are definitely favs. What do you like now? i like the freedom in this question although it scares me a little! uhh i would have to go for fur, big hair and milky way bars

 

Molly Brown:

Can anyone wear a camel coat better than Molly Brown? Probably not, her only rivals in the field being Caroline de Maigret and Ashley Olsen. Cocooned under the folds of tan that matches her perennially tanned complexion is a dress which looks as though it has been designed by Chanel in collaboration with Wednesday Addams, perfectly tousled hair tumbles over the dress collar. Molly could wear all classic clothes at once and easily manage not looking like she’s learned style out of a book, classics come naturally to her, as does an intrinsic and impeccable sense of style.

 

 
 

Molly Brown, Where do you get your style inspiration from? I would say mainly my friends. What do you think makes a classic piece of clothing? Something that doesn't date so you can wear it now and in 10 years time, something that is possibly a plain colour too like a leather jacket/ white t shirt. So do you follow trends or is your style defined by something ageless/eternal? Yeah I would say it's more timeless, and I don't tend to follow trends. Do you think 'classics' is something that has gone extinct, or will go extinct, particularly since our generation favours uggs, leggings and  hi tops etc? Not really I think classics will never be lost or become extinct, because there is always constant and will come round in circles.

 

 

Maddie Earle:

This is the second leather jacket in our line up and its nearly as awesome as the first, and now including fur and a zip-purge. Added to this, Maddie’s layering technique is majestic; see the white linen shirt and paisley vest, one of many combinations she formulates literally every day. Can we also talk about her makeup and how totally great it is? The silvery corners, the perpetually perfect eyeliner and the cheekbones-carved-by-angels bronzer. Sublime doesn't even come close.

 

Maddie Earle, where do you get your style inspiration from? Well I get them from all over the place as I don't think I have a set type of style, but I love the stuff that Kylie Jenner wears the edgy/grunge type look. Do you think that one's style is better when young or does style get better with age? I think style gets better with age, definitely. Has your personal style always been this perfect? Haha I definitely wouldn't say it's perfect, I work with the stuff I can afford, but my style has definitely improved over the last 2 years where I've grown to know what I like and what style I want to have. What do you think makes someone ‘stylish’? I think it's something one would learn because I don't think you inherit the same taste from say your parents, however if your parents dress you well as a child I think you continue to dress well as you get older but for me it was definitely something I learnt. What do you like now? Hozier, art and macaroons.

 

 

Joey Drozario:

Joey and I have bonded, nay united, over style, and its mostly because I'm totally in awe of his. Firstly, he does the unthinkable: makes the man bun beautiful. He braids it into intricate plaits and masters the whole ‘effortless-but-with-a-lot-of-effort-hair’, it particularly works thanks to Joey’s feline features, the sort of cheekbones that architects would study along with perfect skin, eyebrows and lips. The tight polo neck clinging endearingly to his wrists counters the contours of the blanket poncho finished with just-shiny chelsea boots. It would not be an understatement to say that I have rarely met anyone better dressed.

 

Joey Drozario, where do you get your style inspiration from? Well I don't have particular influences. I take inspiration from people I see on the street,. I like to mix formality with casual. But I like to dress sort of French. If you know what I mean? For example roll-necks are a staple for me. Do you think there is value in the trends that arise in modern fashion? I guess trends can make dressing fun. But if someone conforms to a specific trend that whole season, it just becomes too boring and common. For example us Brits are known for our uniqueness, but then again we are known for dressing exactly off the mannequin, we're obviously very diverse in that sense haha. I digress, It's more comfort for me (well except when it comes to shoes). Of course you have to play around with trends to sort of discover your style identity. When do you feel you discovered your style identity? Probably when there is nothing you really want to buy or when you feel. But I think it’s a life long process, one can never fully achieve it. Do you think that classic style has died out in our modern age? Oh no way! It's just simply been adjusted to suit our individuality. Classic style will never die out. It's eternal. What do you like now? Iris Apfel and JW Anderson at Loewe.

 

A huge thank you to everyone who took part in this project. Special mentions go to Stella Botes and Immy Done.

Alexander McQueen Spring/Summer 2016

This season Sarah Burton drew from the archive at McQueen, re-imagining some fundamental ideas that Lee himself used through his
unfortunately cut-short career. Focuses: romanticism, naturalism, alongside a seemingly integral historicism - which we have been seeing a lot of all through this fashion month.

It was a rather surprising collection, there was nothing dark or grotesque, no harsh latex masks encapsulating the model's faces and, remarkably, no unique fabrics like synthetic hairs or impala horns.
 

Instead, we were presented with an array of simply beautiful, classic clothes. Fluid, floral printed gowns draped in cascading blush pink ruffles and Lee's signature 16th-century red military tailored jackets which sat over a sheer tiered skirt, asserted a gentle regalia mood over the engrossed spectators. 

 

Alongside that we saw Bohemia inspired by English Folklore. From the slashed blue jeans paired with a heavily embellished top of roses, to a delicate French laced top with a ruffled trail stratified over a pair of white slouchy trousers and white trainers (a look similar to the Givenchy Heroine).

 

 

Despite these pieces containing so much fragility and ethereality, there was an underlying fetishistic tone- corsets and chained harnesses mixed an unlikely combination of Bohemia and Victoriana, featured in the evening gowns.

 

 

 

 

There was also an idea of age and decay. Let's take the silk faille floral jacquards and the frays on the hem-lines- they felt to me like they were unfinished works of art, like a wilted rose subjected to years of abandonment. However nothing was actually incomplete with this collection, it was all done within the McQueen aesthetic and perhaps that's what made it feel so cleverly distinguishable.



silk faille floral jacquards

 

 

Please note: I do not own any of these images, courtesy of Vogue.com

Céline Spring/Summer 2016

As expected with a Céline collection, it never fails to let us down. This season was a retrospective of everything we love about Phoebe Philo (creative director for the house). She is able to create clothes that women actually want to wear and could wear (despite the price tag). Asserting the idea that clothes can be easily adaptable to the way women want to live their lives, instead of feeling victimised by fashion.
However today, Philo played more with the ideas of femininity, gently moving away from minimalism with the introduction to prints and a wider array of fabrics.
Femininity through the more accentuated silhouettes and voluminous dimensions- crepe trousers and puffed up shoulders; cinched in waists and severely sartorial structures.

We saw pieces that we would have never of dreamt of seeing at a Céline show. Take the silk slip dresses that have deemed rather popular this season,(seen at Givenchy, Burberry and Calvin Klein)which had lace details that carefully drew attention to the female form. Or perhaps that deconstructed moss green overcoat which Philo re-worked, offering us a confliction between the cinched-in elasticated waist and the boxy, masculinised shoulders.

 

 

Lace silk slip dresses

 



 

Morphed shapes in moss green

 



My favourite looks were the leather tunics that sat over asymmetrical jersey dresses, they just screamed aggression yet downplayed by the fluidity of delicate fabrics. Almost resembling a suit of armour.

 

Leather tunics implied powerful futurism

Also Céline is generally well known for its rather grandiose array of accessories, in particular bags. From the phantom tote to the trapeze, these bags are pure dreams. This season exhibited a brand new selection: pillow bags, the box clutch and those auburn bucket bags.(literally to die for)

 Pillow bag

 

Violet Crocodile box-clutch

Amidst this perfectly conveyed notion of masculine vs feminine, we also had this portrayal of almost quite a pertinent futuristic 'urbanista' as one now calls it. A woman of the utmost class and dignity, who believes only in a non-mainstream and alternative way of dressing. Someone who can easily adapt their style to their surroundings, as it were. Definitely open for interpretation.

For me, Phoebe Philo remains one of my favourite designers. Her visions are simple, raw and dynamic. Season after season she brings us more than just clothing collections, they are art installations.

Please Note: I do not own any of these images, courtesy of Vogue.com

Balmain Spring/Summer 2016

With the Paris Fashion Week Board banning super-skinny models from the catwalks and designers diminishing the infamous 'sample sizes', it would only seem right that Olivier Rousteing would celebrate women and curves in his latest Spring/Summer collection for Balmain.  

Of course being Balmain we saw an extremely opulent colour palette- from warm toffee suedes and chocolate browns to crisp whites and bewitching beiges.
This colour palette also represented a new richer, textural dimension that we were yet to see in Balmain clothing. For example those cut-out skirts layered over harnessed bodysuits reminded me of last season's heavily metallic deluge of crimped lamé bondage dresses, instead these were just a mitigated version of those. Perhaps this muted palette and fabric choice was Rousteing's way of slowly introducing his newly changing silhouettes to us.

 

We were presented to an array of cut-outs, jewelled lattice work and figure-hugging spandex on models of all different body shapes. (Kendall Jenner, Gigi Hadid and Alessandra Ambrosio, to name a few)

                                  Alessandra Ambrosio

                                   Kendall Jenner

                                     Gigi Hadid

My personal favourites were the tiered ruffle trousers (clown pants), the voluminous suede which perfectly complimented the darker skin-tones, as worn by Jourdan Dunn and the weaved macramé which coated the floor-length gowns.
The pieces themselves had lightness and fluidity, accompanied by this fierce sexiness which Balmain will always continue to radiate.

Doutzen Kroes in a white cropped blazer and cascading ruffles

 

 

Jourdan Dunn

                                        
                                detailed macramé work

I have to say that this collection was not my favourite. I felt it lacked that electrifying glamorous nature of which we usually associate with Balmain. However, I do understand that Rousteing has been focussing solely on the much anticipated H&M X Balmain collaboration which will be out next month.

   Please note: I do not own any of these images, picture courtesy of Vogue.com