JAC//STYLE

SS12: Florals!

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 16:35:28 +0000

Florals, while hardly groundbreaking, are a dependable and trustworthy way to update your wardrobe for Spring. Designers, this time around, have shown a number of great pieces, ranging from handbags to blazers to full-length dresses. The trend was blooming and bountiful, walking along many of the international runways including Etro, Ralph Lauren (available direct) and Sportmax. Here are a few of my favourites, as well as where you can buy them—

The Erdem RTW SS12 collection is available at Selfridges from £450.

Prada RTW SS12, available from Saks Fifth Avenue.

This dress, from Marc by Marc Jacobs, is £555 from Net-a-Porter.

The D&G RTW SS12 show featured florals, and is available at The Outnet.

SS12: Tailoring

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 10:50:22 +0000

If you are considering investing in a strong piece for the coming season, why not take a look at some tailoring? The Spring shows offered up some fantastic jackets, with the variety of shapes and styles- from nautical to night- meaning that you’ll have a lot to choose from. Preen, available at Net-a-Porter, was feminine, and the label’s lemon sorbet suiting was a breath of fresh air. Stella McCartney was bold, crafting a softly cut tangerine number that would provide a pop to whichever outfit it is paired. Here are a few of the best, available to get your hands on right now—

Preen RTW SS12, from Net-a-Porter at £1,170.

Stella McCartney RTW SS12, available direct for £995.

ADAM RTW SS12, availably to buy from Harrods at £335.

Emilio Pucci, from Net-a-Porter at £1,285.

SS12: The Great White Shirt

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 15:09:00 +0000

There are few pieces in the fashion vocabulary that are as seminal as the simple white shirt. A beacon of grown-up elegance, the white shirt is dependable and is a loyal staple in the wardrobe of many. For Spring, the international collections featured the piece in its plenty—from floaty and feminine at Diane von Furstenberg, to oversized and draped at Maison Martin Margiela. Here are some great options that you can purchase online right now:

Marc Jacobs RTW SS12, available at Matches for £430.

Stella McCartney RTW SS12, priced at £480 from Selfridges.

Dolce & Gabbana RTW SS12, from Net-a-Porter at £175.

SS12: Neon Handbags!

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 21:56:20 +0000

Are you struggling to update your wardrobe, particularly with the seemingly constant dreary weather? A good way to inject energy into an outfit in an easy but striking way is to show off a fabulous new handbag in an eye-poppingly bright colour! Neon accessories made their way along the runways everywhere from Juicy Couture to Balenciaga, so there’s been no better time to treat yourself to a little colour! Here are a few of my suggestions that are available to purchase right now:

Christian Louboutin RTW SS12, priced at £495 from Net-a-Porter.

Proenza Schouler RTW SS12, from Harvey Nichols at £915.

Stella McCartney RTW SS12, available at £495 from Selfridges.

SS12: Pastels!

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 12:09:13 +0000

It is a bright day in London today, and, I, for one, am rejoicing in all the things that the fairer weather will undoubtedly bring: the warmth, the colour and, of course, the clothes! So— what to buy?! For Spring, the international collections offer us a number of options, ranging from mixings of textures to eclectic pairings of prints. For the tamer you, consider colouring yourself in in some chic pastels— you won’t be disappointed! Here are a few suggestions.

3.1 Phillip Lim, RTW SS12

Mulberry, RTW SS12

At 3.1 Phillip Lim, the designer created a restrained collection of minimal, timeless pieces which would feel at home in a simplistic wardrobe. Elegant, light suits were shown alongside more technical pieces, and the entire show was carried off with a muted confidence. Lim can be purchased over at Net-a-Porter. More playful clothes were presented at Mulberry, where crayon pastels created a spirited and jovial atmosphere. Shop the collection at Selfridges.

Prada, RTW SS12

Givenchy, RTW SS12

There was a ladylike gentility at Prada, where Mrs. Miucca showed multi-tonal dresses alongside a more rock-‘n’-roll groove. Over at Givenchy, available at Harrods, Riccardo Tisci honed in on tailoring, crafting a collection that was, in a word, sublime— a spectrum of pastels brought a lightness to the show’s determined elegance. The best example was a skin-clinging trouser suit, presented in a pale blush.

Calvin Klein Collection, RTW SS12

Other good examples came from Chanel, from Francisco Costa at Calvin Klein Collection and from Valentino.

CTR SS12

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 12:08:54 +0000

The haute couture collections are the jewel in fashion’s crown— twice yearly, they form the crème-de-la-crème of what is possible for one’s wardrobe. This past week in Paris, a veritable parade of stunning gowns, intricately designed dresses and lovingly crafted ensembles made their way along hallowed runways, with particularly good offerings coming from Valentino, Alexis Mabille and Bouchra Jarrar.

Valentino, CTR SS12

Alexis Mabille, CTR SS12

Smart suits were shown alongside more profuse frocks at Chanel, which saw Karl Lagerfeld create a show that harked to the airline industry—there were, after all, one hundred and fifty shades of blue in the collection, and the whole set itself resembled an aircraft. The show featured a number of outfits that had different-than-usual shapes, seeing the Kaiser fly a little further away from his usual conformity and experiment perhaps more with a different silhouette.

Chanel, CTR SS12

Givenchy, CTR SS12

Riccardo Tisci’s presentation at Givenchy was, unfortunately, disappointing compared to his last, but the work that went in to his creations was undoubted: the ten gowns were a technical marvel, even if their somewhat darker aesthetic seemed a little lost. Elie Saab’s show was pastel-perfect, with the collection encompassing dresses of varying length and extravagance in a way that has become synonymous with the designer.

Armani Privé, CTR SS12

An honourable mention should go to Giorgio Armani, who, at his Privé show, continued with a futuristic element with mesh and crocodile. Splashes of neon and a contrast in his colours helped the collection come together. Jean Paul Gaultier created controversy after his show referenced the late, great Amy Winehouse, showing beehive-d models in every shade of the rainbow, kitted out in outfits that ranged from grungy to just plain cheeky.

Jean Paul Gaultier, CTR SS12

Overall, this season was another wave of brilliant on the couture catwalks— the shows may, its true, be only for a small, chosen elite, but we can still all marvel in these truly wonderful creations.

RTW SS12: Less is More

Sat, 14 Jan 2012 16:34:38 +0000

If you’re the sort of person who prefers to wear an ordered, more sober ensemble in your day-to-day life, rest assured that the Spring shows were not just a maze of clashing brights, headache-inducing prints and complicated shapes: the order of the day, at some houses, was minimalism, minimalism and minimalism. MaxMara, available at Harrods, was strong in presenting the label’s clean aesthetic through restrained pieces, the best of which included flattering jackets and simple dresses.

MaxMara, RTW SS12

Another label which one can rely upon to produce sincere, subdued clothing that is still both beautiful and timeless is Chloé. In Claire Waight Keller’s first collection for the label, the house showed attractive pieces that were utterly sublime: the calm palette of whites, creams and dusty pinks- as well as pops of colour along the way- hosted clothes that were both breezy and enviable. The best pieces were those that were embroidered with flowers- an interesting choice for Chloé, whose designs usually stick to minimal embellishment. Buy at Net-a-Porter or at Selfridges.

Chloé, RTW SS12

RTW SS12: The Power of Print!

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 01:24:09 +0000

A veritable tornado swept across London, Paris, Milan and New York at the Spring shows, bringing with it winds of animal print, multi-coloured stripes and dizzying florals. Every house from Acne to Wang was blustered with motif, and this particular writer, for one, is pleased! Wearing a print is one way of making an outfit more outrageous, or more refined- the possibilities are endless. Here are a few of the best from the international collections, and scroll down to see where you can get your hands on some of these pattern-perfect garments!

Jil Sander RTW SS12

Proenza Schouler RTW SS12

Prada RTW SS12

Uma Thurman wears Louis Vuitton RTW SS12

Burberry Prorsum RTW SS12

Shop the printed delights of Miu Miu, Bottega Veneta and Yves Saint Laurent at the one-stop shop for luxury retail online, Net-a-Porter. On the high-street, Topshop is having fun with Hawaiian florals, and Forever 21 are taking a leaf out of Mondrian’s book. Experiment!

Leather Jackets from SS12

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 00:33:34 +0000

Over the next few months, more and more people will embrace the changing season and resort to their trusty leather jackets for chic protection from the varying weather. They are ideal in periods of transition, and can be the perfect option when it’s still too cold to venture out in just a blazer, and too bright for your already-hibernating winter coat. Luckily, there are some stylish choices from the international collections to choose from—

D&G RTW SS12 at Harrods, £975

Muubaa RTW SS12 at Liberty, £285

Mulberry RTW SS12 at Selfridges, £595

Alexander McQueen RTW SS12 at Net-a-Porter, £2,795

Helmut Lang PF12

Sun, 08 Jan 2012 23:40:17 +0000

One might feel a chill when one peruses Helmut Lang’s latest presentation for Pre-Fall. The Colovos design duo has crafted a collection that, while in tune with the house’s trademarks of both simplicity and quality, darkens the label’s aesthetic a little. Spider webs were, after all, the inspiration that led the couple in their inspirations while forming the collection, and one doesn’t have to look too far to see how.

From severe-yet-sensuous trouser suits to complex, multi-texture draping, the show encompassed much of what Helmut Lang was about: the black leather and the strong jackets were a key component of the collection, and the stonewash in some of the fabrics—as well as the use of sheer— brought an apocalyptic air to the show. This felt right, though, and several different coloured prints and a splash of popping pales helped to draw the whole thing together.

Can’t wait to inject some of this moody atmosphere into your wardrobe? Why not try BDG at Urban Outfitters, who have created a great pair of died denim jeans. Also appropriate would be this leather jacket, by Rick Owens. Helmut Lang is stocked, however, at Liberty.

Burberry Prorsum PF12

Sun, 08 Jan 2012 23:40:10 +0000

Cara Delevingne, a Bedales-educated Londoner, has shot to fashion fame as the supermodel that faces up the new Burberry campaign. Leggy, blonde and beautiful, the girl has a head-turningly interesting look, and she wears Burberry Prorsum’s Pre-Fall 2012 perfectly.

Christopher Bailey has, once again, come up with an accomplished collection, which comprises the inevitable— and yet, utterly desirable— overcoats and trench-coats, the best of which featured a grey spiral print. A fur-collared, grey tweed coat also stole the show, and the presentation also featured a smattering of new leather bags, shoes and accessories. The autumnal colours were sublime, and seemed to translate to the shapes which Bailey had sculpted.

Velvet and chiffon also opened up another dimension within the collection, inviting clients to experiment with tougher and softer elements in their outfits. The long evening dresses spoke of an age past, but also told us to choose pale colours for the evening. The Spring/Summer 2012 collection has just reached Net-a-Porter, so why don’t you have a look! I’ll be waiting with baited breath for Pre-Fall to arrive!

Calvin Klein Collection PF12

Sun, 08 Jan 2012 23:40:02 +0000

Francisco Costa is known as a wizard, to both the fashion press and his devoted Manhattan clients alike. The designer has cast has spell over the Calvin Klein studio since 2003, and the house’s latest Pre-Fall collection is no exception.

Rather predictably, the palette featured black, grey and camel, with a smattering of catsup-red, but the clothes (trench coats; plain dresses; skirt-suits) were far from boring- fashion needs stability, and Calvin Klein knows that its simplistic, elegant fare is very much in tune with the smart, successful woman of today. Costa was to-the-point, and the clothes were practical—and, yet, the whole collection was enviable.

Shop Calvin Klein at The Outnet.

My Pick: 5 Shoes from Spring '12

Sun, 08 Jan 2012 23:39:44 +0000

The Spring 2012 shows flitted by in a wash of colours and shapes. What is one to wear when one whisks from show-to-show? Here’s a few ideas from the Ready-to-Wear shows to get you started: they’re all a little different, and are all for different sorts of lady.

Balenciaga, RTW SS12

Jil Sander, RTW SS12

Proenza Schouler, RTW SS12

Prada, RTW SS12

Céline, RTW SS12

Photo

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 20:10:56 +0000

Central Saint Martins in London has seen some of the...

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 18:26:00 +0000

Central Saint Martins in London has seen some of the world’s best art and design talent go through its doors, from fashion designers including Alexander McQueen to contemporary artists such as Gilbert and George. The college moved to King’s Cross this year, and- as a student myself- I can truly say the building is amazing! Here’s a video from the launch party, so have a look and see if you can spot yours truly at 1:25…

L/O/N/D/O/N (by James Andrew Cunningham)

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 23:28:39 +0000

L/O/N/D/O/N (by James Andrew Cunningham)

Hello from London Fashion Week!

Fri, 16 Sep 2011 18:44:00 +0100

Video

Fri, 02 Sep 2011 18:15:55 +0100

Self Portrait, Aug 2011

Sun, 28 Aug 2011 16:45:00 +0100

Self Portrait, Aug 2011

5 Looks to Buy Now, Wear Now

Thu, 25 Aug 2011 11:49:00 +0100

Pre-Fall, the season tactically created by the fashion industry to bridge the gap between, rather obviously, Summer and Autumn, has quickly grown into one of the most important collections for designers and their clients, particularly so because of its marketability and retail appeal. For 2011, a number of offerings stood out, from the vastness of Sarah Burton’s creations at Alexander McQueen to Francisco Costa’s sublime show at Calvin Klein Collection. The following are my pick of the more wearable, less winter-y clothes that were presented, being available to buy now, marked down, meaning that they will also look fabulous to wear right now.

Jil Sander PF2011

This look is perfect- it is minimal, chic and classic. A perfect alternative to the trouser suit, this ensemble, created by Raf Simons for Jil Sander, would be a dream to wear to the office, where one would surely be the envy of all other staffers.

Chanel, PF2011

Karl Lagerfeld presented his Pre-Fall show for Chanel in the couture salon of the label’s flagship Rue Cambon store in Paris. This look, ideal for a glamorous cocktail or an edgy dinner party, channels Grecian decadence and a whole lot of sexy daring.

Céline, PF2011

Just the thing for a day in the house with friends, or a drive around the South of Spain in your lover’s vintage convertible, this outfit is casual, cool and collected- just the thing Phoebe Philo is a master at creating.

Alexander McQueen, PF2011

What can I say about this look? The bang-on cut, the super fit and the wowza length make me want to be a 6ft1, leggy supermodel. Sarah Burton is, once again, a dream at Alexander McQueen!

Mulberry, PF2011

The creamy palette of this look, observed over at Mulberry, recalls strolls through leafy London parks, and the ankle boots can easily be considered one of the season’s most enviable pieces. The fabrics are of an ideal weight and the textures varied magically. In a sentence? The ideal look for Pre-Fall.