British Fashion Awards 2015

DISCLAIMER: I do apologize if you are offended by my thoughts on some of these celebrities, it's just an expert's opinions.

It seems the Brits came out in full-form for the red-carpet of the British Fashion Awards a couple of weeks ago, in some cases worse than we had expected. It was a night to celebrate everything great about our countries' strongly developing fashion industry including the work produced by British designers, and that was definitely achieved.

Now I am aware that you, my darlings, adore a red-carpet critique- so here goes:

Firstly we have Georgia May Jagger wearing this incredible custom Alessandro Michele creation for Gucci. Why is it so incredible, do I hear you ask? Well let me explain. For Michele is currently using these new modern techniques, including the invoking of trompe l'oeil, which was certainly one of the main focus points in last season's collection and now here in his evening-wear. Trompe l'oeil literally means 'deceives the eye', with this in mind Michele simply takes a normal cut transparent piece of fabric and puts this special print or embellishment over the top of it, appearing to us will be an object in three dimensions, however this is just an optical illusion. Quite clever I think. Not only is it a truly beautiful gown, it also had a giant snake emblazoned on the back of it, certainly quirky.

Even Salma Hayek who wore a trompe l'oeil creation by Gucci, looked outstanding.

Moving onto Rita (wh)Ora. Yes, yes I know, shock horror. I actually like what Rita is wearing for once! Perhaps because she looks far more conservative than usual and also her assets aren't exposed which we all know proves to be the major challenge for Rita. 
Love the utilitarian, military nature of this Chanel gown, downplayed by that midnight blue velvet and gold leaf details. Radiating pure Parisian luxury and elegance.

Next we have Cheryl Versini-Fernandez aka Cole. Here she is wearing this very unusual combination consisting a Topshop Unique floral overlay + bralet and Sergio Rossi thigh-high boots. Firstly, why on earth is she wearing this in the winter may I ask? And what are those boots?! Yes we all like to dream that we can splash out on a pair of embellished suede boots costing £2500, don't we? But unfortunately Chezza, we cannot.
Don't get me wrong, I'm all about the hype associated with Topshop at the moment. I think it is quite remarkable that the clothes giant is expanding so rapidly, whilst producing clothing that is so accessible for the masses and yet bringing such a high level of quality without the worry of the price tag.

We have come to the worst dressed of the evening. I present to you Poppy Delevingne wearing this sickly Emilia Wickstead gown. Can we just address the fact that this is wrong on so many levels. Firstly, let us establish that she's wearing flats?! There's a rule against flats on a red-carpet; even Karlie Kloss who stands at 6ft2 was wearing some Manolos. Next we move onto the dress itself which actually resembles a battenburg cake, how unfortunate. Breaking it down I think that the fabric choice was completely incorrect. For we have a rigid satin gown which is totally unflattering for her figure, with the addition of a hefty amount of rouching placed too high up her torso creating what looks like a baby bump alongside a lot of creasing and sagging, not a good look. Lastly, we have that horrendous collar which totally does NOT bring the whole outfit together. This outfit defines tragic.

Rosie Huntington-Whitely shows us what it means to be a celestial vision. She chose this Burberry Prorsum gown complete with a plunging neck-line, simply exquisite in my view.

Can we just establish that Lady Gaga looks NORMAL. Donning this red sequined column Tom Ford with a hexagonal-cut overlay and matching gloves. Totally in love with everything she is doing right now.

 

It's no surprise that Alexa Chung made it onto my best dressed list, she just kills it every time. Here she embodies the Victoriana trend which has been delicately encapsulating the catwalks over the past two seasons. Despite giving off that hessian sac vibe, this dress carries a scruffy classicism that we are all currently craving. I applaud you Alexa.

 

Kate Bosworth was also sporting a pale blue period-inspired Erderm dress. Chiffon, ruffles, pleats, diagonal waterfall layering, buttoned seams, patchwork and a black ribbon- talk about a true romantic.

 

 

 

Next we have Karlie Kloss in this Chanel Couture number. I'm sorry but how flawless is this woman? She epitomizes the All-American supermodel, think Cindy Crawford or Christy Turlington-Burns. I have mixed views about this look- I do admire Lagerfeld's way of transposing 30s Chantilly lace onto tissue-thin laser-cut fabric, but then again I feel like we are prevented from appreciating the full beauty of this dress; simply because of that addition of those heavy embellished rings which sit around her hips and upper torso.

 

 

 

Why is Mollie King here? In my opinion this dress is simply unacceptable. She is wearing a summer gown with a groin-high slit and a severely plunging neck-line, god help us. She is literally baring everything and we all know that no one wants to see that, EVER. Sorry my darlings, but it's a no from me. David Gandy, on the other hand, looks sensational.

 

 

My my, I think Naomi Campbell thinks it's still Halloween. This is positively frightening. Here she wears a Burberry concoction including a baby-doll dress swamped in a lace cape. How very odd, I hear you mumble..

 

I am particularly impressed with everything Victoria Beckham continues to produce for her fashion house. Her aesthetic is minimalist, distinct yet super modern. She makes clothes that are easily wearable for every situation and more importantly she makes clothes that every woman aspires to wear. Here she proves that women can look effortlessly sophisticated yet slightly androgynous in this oversized tuxedo jacket with matching trousers. It's a 10/10 from me.

 

Lastly we have Jourdan Dunn, who won the well-deserved Model Of The Year Award. She concludes my best-dressed list at the number 1 spot. Here she wears a breathtaking Thierry Mugler bi-colour monochrome gown. I literally have nothing bad to say about this look. It's the definition of perfection. 
 

 

 

                                                

 

Please Note: Picture Courtesy of Vogue.co.uk

Gucci Spring/Summer 2016

From the deconstructed images of dated maps that plastered an iridescent skirt to the kaleidoscope trompe d'oeil ruffles and pussy bows that sat loosely around the neck. Yes, this season's Gucci collection was, without a doubt, the most beautiful art installation I've ever seen.

 

As you probably all know, I was apprehensive about Alessandro Michele taking the Gucci reigns from Frida Giannini. Their difference in styles and aesthetics are huge. Giannini was one to create an illusive, dark yet romantic Gucci woman, however Michele's vision for the house is far more experimental- 70s, androgynous, eclectic and nerdy.

Now, I have to say, I absolutely adored this collection. Talk about going big or going home. 

It was definitely a spectacle, we saw practically every piece seen last season, reimagined and reworked- taking on a new form of Michele's modern techniques. For example the invoking of the trompe l'oeil was certainly one of the main focus points in the collection. Now for any of you wondering, trompe l'oeil literally means 'deceives the eye', with this in mind Michele uses this as a technique, simply by taking a normal cut transparent piece of fabric and putting this special print over the top of it, appearing to us will be an object in three dimensions, however this is just an optical illusion. Quite clever I think.
Take the pink sequined skirt with the trompe l'oeil ruffles imprinted on it, anyone would have thought that was just a chiffon skirt, however we are wrong.

 

The clothes also felt more historical than ever. Perhaps it was those 70s bejeweled glasses, those boxy crocodile handbags which reeked 50s glamour or even the opulence from the graphic images which slathered onto a whimsical column dress.

 

 

As always the styling was unusually executed. You could tell that Michele was more bothered about the pieces individually and the fabrics and textures, more so than anything else. Lace, lurex, silk, chiffon, organza and eel skin, believe it or not- the list was endless.

my favourite pieces included the leather biker jacket with embroidered serpentine and oriental motifs, the python A-line midi-skirt with the red panel which sat on the hem, those garish primary studded strappy sandals that accented the geek-chic idea and lastly those psychedelic 70s wallpaper prints that gave a brand new definition to the word nostalgia.

 

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

Gucci Cruise 2016 NYC- Retro Jungle

With the sudden departure of Frida Giannini at Gucci last year, after an intense decade of striving to increase the house's profitability, a new man was welcomed onto the forefront of the Italian fashion scene- Alessandro Michele.

The first collection Michele produced for the house somewhat shocked the industry. The Gucci Girl seemed to be non-existent with questions circling Michele about her gender and individual identity. A seemingly strange contradiction to Tom Ford, the man who brought the house of Gucci back to life in the early 90s, presenting us with a evidently strong, sexy and powerful Gucci Girl.

For Michele's second collection for the house, the Gucci Girl resembled almost a mirror image from last season's character. Firstly, we had that intensely garish colour palette (in contrast to the ubiquitous ones shown by other designers for the Cruise collections), including the strange playfulness of metallics and audacious primaries put into one look. The extreme 70s grannified image that continues to douse every model, contributing to this generally OTT mish mash of abnormality. 

 

As I said in my last review, the styling let the execution of the show down, but perhaps the lack of styling is deliberate in the mind of Michele? Lastly we still had this sense of the Gucci Girl being, infact a man, from the nerdy looking models who paraded down the Moroccan souk rugs in androgynous tailored suits, comprising of suit trousers which sat low on the hip and boxy, oversized blazers that did not complement the form. Some looks like the PVC coated skirt with the Gucci belt and a sheer lace tank top had been brought back, exactly the same, however in a more intensely unwearable colour combination. 

 

Fortunately we didn't have to lay our eyes on those awful Horsebit, fur-lined slippers, but instead we saw something new- outrageously shimmery granny loafer stilettos, only something that Grayson Perry or perhaps drag royalty- Rupaul would be seen to wear. 

 

One particular look stood out for me, this sunshine yellow lace gown with all manner of motifs splattered across it. How one could describe it, "just Frida Kahlo on cheap acid" as said by Stella Botes, and I think we all very much agree. 

 

I could eventually see two types of girl Michele was trying to depict. Firstly the girl who walks out of a vintage shop victorious- draped in mink and dripping in luxe iridescent fabrics and secondly, the girl who takes the time to create her own wardrobe from slashing her grandmother's toile du jouy upholstered armchairs, stealing her shoes and fashioning a ruffled maxi out of her floral curtains. 

I can now see Michele's effort to send the house into his new direction, however I am still unsure what the house wants to represent as a global luxury brand.

 

                       Picture Courtesy of Vogue.co.uk