Denim Days

We are fully emerged in Festival season and sadly it is soon to come to an end so what should one wear to those last fun filled festivals and glimpses of potential sunshine.

I picked out two of the more interesting denim looks from Coachella to illustrate and inspire your fashion choices. One girl is rocking a white denim skirt paired with a 1990’s tank top, an excellent ode to the 90s here. The second girl is wearing a frilled denim bodice to accompany her wide-legged red trousers and of course those big frames, which wouldn’t look out of place on the Gucci runways these days.

My advice is to hit the charity or second-hand shops and look out for denim items, the beauty of denim is the quality, its lasts a lifetime. Denim was originally worn by lumberjacks and railroad workers hence the durability of the fabric, it never ages. I was lucky enough to get a vintage Wrangler denim jacket in Harlequin, a vintage shop in Dublin about fifteen years ago and I picked up a  high waisted Levis denim skirt in a vintage shop in Barcelona a few years back, both look as good as new. You can pair denim skirts with a body suit or a polo neck for those cooler nights. And there is always double denim if you are feeling daring. If you do stumble across a long denim skirt  you can modernise it by cutting a slit up the front depending on how much leg you feel is appropriate for you. Alternatively if you have a sewing machine and enjoy a little experimenting why not try to cut up some jeans to make into a skirt or denim shorts, which never look out of place at a music festival. The joy of the trip to the charity store or second-hand shop is that you may find that one unique gem that no one else has and you can accessorise it and style it up in your own individual way. Denim skirts look great with bomber jackets and vintage t-shirts, which you can get in a variety of colours. When in the charity shop just keep an open mind there are many great finds if you dig deep enough.

I chose some street style images found on Pinterest to inspire some every day looks with denim. Fortunately Denim can be paired with almost anything so a white shirt if you fancy a more put together look or a patterned blouse for a pretty look. The deconstructed dress is a big favourite of mine, this is made from hand picked vintage denim. It is from Assembly .

Be inspired by the Coachella girls above and style your denim with your favourite pieces for an original look. Be comfortable and more importantly have fun in whatever you wear.

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Michele’s Menswear

An abandoned train station  in Milan saw the return of Gucci’s Alessandro Michele and his Autumn/Winter 2016 menswear collection. The setting, accompanied by a haunting soundtrack, was lit in crimson reminiscent of a scene from David Lynch’s Twin Peaks. It was host to a gender ambiguous collection, with heavily accessorised  models of both sexes walking the runway. In true Alessandro Michele style there was a mix of patterns, textures, formal and informal, again with a nod to the 70’s. The kangaroo fur-lined loafers made a reappearance in a new plaid pattern paired with an animal-inspired chullo hat and a black choker. Clothes were embellished with embroidered butterflies, insects, flowers and cartoon characters such as Snoopy and Woodstock made an appearance. The late, great and eternally inspiring David Bowie was even at the party. There was a black cardigan with Bowie embroidered on it, surrounded by peacocks and hearts, worn by one of the models. Hari Nef, who had previously taken over Gucci’s snapchat the previous day, took to the runway in head-to-toe red. It was a collection of feminised menswear with pussy-bow blouses, velvet robes trimmed with fur , button-covered pearly king jackets and a pink crocheted shawl. This collection was not about trends it was about breaking down the boundaries of gender in fashion. It was about renewal, revival and the future of Gucci. For photos of the collection please click here.

 

winter trends 2015

We are steadily approaching Christmas and the new year is just around the corner so I thought I would have a look back at some of the winter trends for 2015. If you are short of ideas for Christmas nights out and want less run-of-the-mil style this may be your answer. I’ll start with Gucci, which I have recently posted about, less glamour more geek-chic with an air of romanticism and slight eccentricity. Alessandro Michele’s girl loves her oversized glasses, pompom hats and fur-lined horse bit loafers. Maison Margiela’s aesthetic is hard to define, but crimped hair, a strong make-up look, a plaid mini, a long luxurious coat coupled with  a floral choker will transport you into the world of Mr. John Galliano.  Miu Miu at the wonderfully creative hands of Miuccia Prada  shows a lot of clashing  animal prints and patterns, houndstooth, oversized floral jewellery and layering which always works for winter. Finally to Saint Laurent, which is a more rock and roll vibe, think punk, think glam, think 70’s Parisian club kids, add plenty of heavy eyeliner and you are ready to hit the stage. These are a couple of fresh ideas for the festive season but more importantly have fun whatever you wear.

 

Dressed fresh

 

Music and fashion have always gone hand in hand, but what music genre has influenced our style today? Recently I went to see Fresh Dressed at the Lighthouse Cinema, it is well worth a look for music and style fanatics alike. The documentary by Sascha Jenkins traces the rise of hip-hop style from the streets to mainstream trends today. It starts off by looking at the style of  gang culture in New York,  and how after the death of peacemaker Cornell Benjamin rival gangs decided to call a truce. Instead of physically fighting they started, “Spitting” and having “Battles”, this was the beginning of rap music. Image and identity were an important integral part of the culture for all B-Boys and B-girls. Each borough of New York had its own individual fresh look.  Many Designers are interviewed in the film such as the legendary and innovative Dapper Dan, who dressed many artists like L.L Cool J and Fat Boys. The self-taught designer  is compared to a DJ as he sampled and remixed luxurious designer labels and logos with a street wear silhouette. The documentary goes on to examines the rise and success of such designers  as Cross Colours, Karl Kani, Fubu and Sean John. My illustration above is RUN DMC, who are featured in the film, and their Adidas.

Adam Selman

He is famously known for his portrayal of the bad girl.

Adam Selman’s Spring  2016 Ready-To-Wear

collection at New York fashion week was a

combination of 70’s hippie and 90’s grunge girl,

two of my favourite fashion eras. The runway was

awash with long  flowing skirts, billowing trousers,

floral chokers, floral patterns and pretty hairs bows.

The models donned DIY-style, reworked converse.

Gucci

Geek chic, retro youthfulness, nerdy glamour, quirkily romantic. These words all spring to mind when you see, new creative director, Alessandro Michele’s collection for Gucci. Both collections display a mixture of silhouettes, fabrics, flouncy ruffles, with oversized glittered glasses and a beret on top. Either collection would not look out of place in a Wes Anderson movie, more specifically on Suzy Bishop in Moonrise Kingdom and Margot from The Royal Tenebaums. Alessandro Michelle has brought his contemporary vision to Gucci and wrapped it up in a polished vintage bow. The former accessories designer has used many ideas in his collections, a veritable dressing up box with parrots, pineapples, ladybirds, clashing colours and tromp l’oeil.  It is a world away from the Tom Ford in-your-face sexiness. If ,like me, you absolutely can not afford the high price tags I’d suggest getting on down to your local charity shop or vintage store, mix and match and this look is easily achievable. 70s style is all over the high street shops, combined with vintage accessories and a little imagination (maybe watch Fargo, Kirstin Dunst’s character for inspiration) you can look just as polished as the Gucci girl and even more individual.

agi and sam

Agi Mdumulla and Sam Cotton met while working at Alexander Mc Queen,

Sam worked on prints and Agi on the menswear team. Agi had studied Fashion Design

at Manchester School of Arts and Sam studied Illustration at University of Lincoln.

They set up their business in January 2010, with a strong focus on bespoke print,

humour and tailoring.

They have designed a collection for Topshop, Liberty and were crowned Best Emerging

Menswear Designers in 2013.

The illustrations above are of the Autumn/Winter 2013 collection and Autumn/Winter 2014.

Check out this behind the scenes documentary following the creative duo preparing for a catwalk show,

cutting patterns in their studio and discussing the challenges facing them as young Designers.  here