London Fashion Blog Week

Huzzah! We’ve reached the final instalment of my LFW Spring Summer 2017 illustrations series! I really hope you’ve enjoyed them. I’m quite exhausted as they do take a while to finish, and that’s without the write-up on top. Let me know which was your favourite in the comments! 

~ MARQUES’ALMEIDA SS17 ~

Another collection for LFW that is heavy on the brocade front, as well as the oversized front too. That’s actually something that has surprised me for this upcoming spring/summer season – there’s a lot of heavy weighted fabrics and fits. It’s more masculine in a sense, which perhaps stems from the idea of gender fluid collections.

Marques’Almeida, just like Richard Malone, is fairly new to me, even if it isn’t to others. I think it’s always exciting to discover something new to your own eyes, because you can get a fresh take on what everyone else is already in the know of, and I’m excited to see more of what they have to offer. This was one of my favourite looks, above.

~ TOGA SS17 ~

Something which I always find interesting is when collections are all about the structure and genuine design of the pieces. What I mean by that is; you can see the structure of how things are made. You can see what should be on the inside, on the outside. It’s like a construction drawing come to life; all the lines that were originally sketches, left and not touched.

A mix of influences made up Toga SS17, and once again, the textures and fabrics were unlike the usual spring/summer choices. Everything is tough and substantial, but frills and pleating add that touch of, well, femininity.

~ WHICH COLLECTION WAS YOUR FAVOURITE? ~
Day #1 // Day #2 // Day #3 // Day #4

I’m going to be taking a quick breather from blog posts for now (I have just worked my socks off with these illustrations), so I’ll be back soon! I guess my drawing tablet and I will see you next season?

The penultimate instalment of my LFW Spring Summer 2017 illustrations are here! Featuring Burberry, ASHISH and yes, you read that title correctly – Crocs; Christopher Kane Crocs to be exact, because the idea seems so novelty to me, I couldn’t miss out on discussing it. Make sure you’re caught up on the past three days here, here and here. 

~ BURBERRY SS17 ~

I think I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m quite a fan of Burberry and it’s menswear, but the great thing about this SS17 season is the fact that we don’t even have to label it menswear. It’s all a part of the whole see-now-buy-now collection (another new expectation for designer collections, I suppose) – gender fluidity; all the lines blurred.

It’s a collection of comfort and Georgian styles, with curtain tassels on velvet capes, as well as 1920s influences. It’s all very soft and flowing, but of course, not lacking in outerwear. Although as I said, we don’t need to class it as menswear specifically, I do tend to gravitate towards the usual Burberry’s menswear line in general – there’s just something much more satisfying in every piece.

~ ASHISH SS17 ~

I’ve always had more respect for ASHISH than other designers, mainly because every collection is always so bold and creative, yet cohesive and wearable from start to finish; but also because of the diversity within their models and the influences and inspirations behind the shows.

ASHISH SS17 is all about Ashish’s Indian roots, and the idea of how love, devotion and faith blend into today’s world and multi-culturalism. The staging was beautiful with coloured lights above head, and a blind traditional musician playing live. It was majestic and gripping and was a true and respectful look into Indian culture. There’s so much controversy around cultural appropriation, but when it comes from the knowledge of someone who is personally involved within the roots of where it all came from, it’s always so much more powerful.

If there’s one collection you click off and take a gander at – it should be ASHISH.

~ CHRISTOPHER KANE X CROCS SS17 ~

And now, of course, the Crocs. A small addition to my illustration series, because I genuinely wanted to discuss the concept and get some feedback from you. What are your thoughts? Is it a true design collaboration? Is it a publicity stunt? Will we be seeing DIY tutorials on how to recreate the look for next summer?

In my opinion, they don’t look terrible, and I am perfectly happy with anyone choosing to wear a pair. I’m just intrigued to see how they work themselves into high fashion organically, and whether we really will be seeing the concept go further than just the Christopher Kane line. Rip-offs (as much as I hate them) are bound to happen, right?

What do you think of the Christopher Kane Crocs? Do you believe in cultural appropriation? Let me know in the comments! 

Make sure you’ve caught up on my previous LFW Spring Summer 2017 illustrations here and here! I’m illustrating two of my favourite looks per day. This time we’re taking a look at Paul Smith and Peter Pilotto…

~ PAUL SMITH SS17 ~

A collection based around photography and an English country garden, it’s quite a different style for Paul Smith, but it works just as every other season does; perfectly. Full of colour and prints, it’s bright and summery and the loose fit and cuts make for perfect pieces to run through fields of wildflowers (which lined the catwalk).

This piece caught my eye because it’s a more three-dimensional take on plaid and checks – the pink squares on this shirt dress have a slight ruching to them which adds to the draping effect of the whole dress. I love how casual it is, and the mix-match style footwear. Really stunning and a fresh new take on Paul Smith’s usual British style.

~ PETER PILOTTO SS17 ~

Sometimes it’s nice to focus on the more fun elements of a collection, but in all; this whole Peter Pilotto collection was fun. It was a floral twist on baroque styles with gold and metallics throughout, as well as embroidered pieces, which were all set alongside bolder, tropical pieces and shapes.

I loved the ‘presence’ this dress came with, but how it still presented itself as casual and wearable with the knitwear on top. Bold colours are always fun to illustrate, and it matches the trend I’ve started to notice for SS17 – primary colours.

What do you think of LFW Spring Summer 2017 so far? Let me know in the comments!

If you didn’t read my last post, then you won’t know that for each day of LFW Spring Summer 2017, I’m going to be posting a couple of illustrations! It’s a more personal way of covering the shows which I, unfortunately, can’t attend this season, so I hope you enjoy taking a look as much as I do making them!

~ MOLLY GODDARD SS17 ~

I’m always in awe of what Molly brings to the table just because she is such a genuine talent and has so much potential and opportunity waiting for her at only 27, and this season definitely didn’t disappoint. It was slightly more wearable than previous seasons in my opinion, with patchwork style hoodies included. It was also a catwalk rather than a presentation like her previous collections have been, which brought to life certain pieces and textures used throughout, like the knitwear and graphic tees.

Although as I said, the collection is more wearable (which I prefer), there were some really eye-catching pieces like this tulle number. The hair and make-up was also really beautiful, so I thought it made for an excellent illustration. Hats off to Molly once again!

~ RICHARD MALONE SS17 ~

As I mentioned in my AW16 LFW review, Richard Malone is a relatively new discovery for me, but a great one nonetheless. Inspired by uniforms across different industries, specifically nursing (notice the NHS blues?), it’s full of simple cuts and tailoring, and lots of small details like easy to access popper closures, as well as the striking Malone stripes and fitting figures.

It was bright and colourful, but in a minimalistic and themed way, and I can’t scratch away that feeling that there’s an underlying hint of Bowie throughout too (or maybe that’s just the makeup)? I’m actually genuinely interested in seeing how many collections pay tribute to him in some way… I guess we’ll have to wait and see!

What are your thoughts on LFW so far? Which illustration is your favourite? Let me know in the comments!

For this season of LFW, I thought I would try something a little different in my coverage of the collections. I usually review the collections using images from elsewhere seeing as I, unfortunately, am unable to attend due to travelling, but I liked the idea of making it more personal to my blog, so for the next few days and for the duration of LFW Spring Summer 2017 (what a mouthful!), I’m going to be posting a few illustrations of some of my favourite stand out pieces from all sorts of designers. To kick things off, I have two sketches based upon Bora Aksu and Teatum Jones…

~ BORA AKSU SS17 ~

I don’t think I’ve actually focused on Bora Aksu in any of my recent fashion week reviews, mainly because I like to mix things up and focus on a variety of different styles, and often with designers which focus on traditional processes and fabric, things can become a little stagnant and uninteresting, but for this summer, it seems like they’re reigning me back in!

I’ve explained this before, but some collections truly are like pieces of art. One of my first thoughts was honestly just, ‘beautiful’. The textures and shapes used are so intricate, and I think that’s a huge selling point for me and designers these days. The idea that a piece can be so thoroughly thought out is actually quite inspiring because it pushes me to think more deeply about my own designs. With woodland and fairy-like themes throughout, it’s no wonder that each dress and garment feels like a fairy tale in its own right, and this yellow number is no exception.

~ TEATUM JONES SS17 ~

I’m so drawn into shows and presentations which have a deeper meaning to them, so I couldn’t not focus on Teatum Jones this season. The show started with a short film about diversity and sexuality; embracing who you are and not letting anyone stand in the way of who you define yourself as and who you love. It was genuinely interesting to listen to, especially as it was coming from real people (all from Glasgow, in a tribute to Scotland). It was interesting to see how it worked its way into the collection itself… in fact, it wasn’t until closer inspection that I saw words like ‘intersexual’ across the backs of jackets.

The collection was a mix of botanical and watercolour inspired floral prints (which I haven’t done much justice in my sketchy illustrative style), alongside primary colours and paint splatters which I can only presume was a nod to ‘painting your own canvas’ and making what you want out of what you have. The textures were beautiful, with silk and merino wool being the main focus. An interesting clash of ideas, but the message behind it all made it fit perfectly together. It’s awesome to see Teatum Jones back in the menswear realm, too!

What are you excited about for LFW spring summer 2017 so far? Let me know in the comments!

Another season, another collection review! This time, it’s London Fashion Week AW 15. Unfortunately I didn’t get to watch as many shows as I’d have liked as I have been pretty busy these past few days, but I’m still happy to share my thoughts as usual. Don’t forget to tell me what you think about each collection and if you had any other favourites. Images all via VOGUE!

ANYA HINDMARCH
RATING: 10/10

Oh. my. WOW. Another collection which has completely blown me away. To some people it may all seem quite basic but I love the way each season is put together. There is something so satisfying about the way the bags look (and feel, I bet). Hindmarch takes something so simple and makes it into a bold and striking theme. Not only are the accessories divine, but the clothes are too. I especially love the printed jumpsuits (they might be 2 pieces, I can’t tell), and the nods to Little Chef (mainly because my family ate their the day before I was born… haha!). It’s just such a cool collection that is just so appealing and satisfying to look at.

ERDEM
RATING: 7/10

For this season I was really impressed. I think when a designer can really nail a signature style on the head, yet pull in so many different influences and make it work, they’re doing the right thing. Erdem always feature opulent fabrics and show-stopping numbers, but I felt like this season was toned down, yet vamped up all at the same time. More colour and texture than previous seasons. Intricacy and small details add to the charm of each piece and make them feel like a precious heirloom to which anyone would be honored to own.

FYODOR GOLAN
RATING: 7/10

I like the feel of this collection. It still feels like the good old SS 15′ collection which Fyodor Golan curated, but with a more casual and laid-back feel. My favourite elements were the slimline silhouettes and grey and pastel hues. The striking green platform heels keep it fun and alive… just like the My Little Pony character which is featured in a few of the looks. It’s a cool and fuss-free collection but is still dramatic and daring enough to keep us all interested.

HOLLY FULTON
RATING: 9/10

WOW. Holly Fulton has actually won me over for the first time in a long while. This collection was gorgeous. To me it feels like Barbie all grown up, when really it’s meant to feel like a throwback to sixties glamour, which I think sums it right up. It’s playful but elegant all in one. It’s the sort of collection that works for anyone; your style and personality decides what the dress should look and feel like. More grey tones with bold, minimal prints. I love this collection, do you?

JONATHAN SAUNDERS
RATING: 6/10

I feel like the fashion industry just keeps going back to the archives at the moment. One moment we’re going forward and the next we’re going back the other way. Jonathan Saunders’ is still fairly new to me, so I don’t really know what to expect. Another nod to 60’s mods; fun and minimal but hidden naughtiness in lace up boots and flashes of skin. I will say it again, I adore structure and smooth lines so the shapes included are appealing to me. It’s an ‘easy’ collection in my mind…

MINNAN HUI
RATING: 10/10

A brand new designer to me, and I am OBSESSED. If you can show me colour, shape and texture all in one, then I’m sold. How beautiful?! It may not be the most wearable of collections for the everyday gal’, but some elements are just awesome. Abstract shapes, not only in print but in the way the clothes are worn too, mean that there is always something new to look at. A few of the looks sort of remind me of David Bowie and his Ashes to Ashes costume… big shoulders and overflowing material layering over each other. A big thumbs up to Minnan Hui… I shall definitely be taking a further look into previous collections!

TOPSHOP UNIQUE
RATING: 6.5/10

Ahhh Topshop. I feel like I can express my personal opinion upon this collection, so here we go! I like it. Ha! I don’t think it’s anything too special. So many designers are still clinging onto current trends, and perhaps Topshop should let go. It’s too similar to everything that is already around. Topshop Unique is meant to be worn by a specific shopper in mind, and I believe this limits them sometimes. Do you get what I mean? Let me know!

Make sure to tell me what your favourite collection was and if I missed out any gems! I’d love to know 🙂

(Featured header image via London Fashion Week)

Hello, hello! How are you? Today’s LFBW post is something I hope you are interested in… beauty! You guys are always asking me to feature more make-up on this blog, and although I don’t personally love it that much, I thought I would give it a go! I actually quite enjoyed putting this together, so I hope you enjoy reading it too. Here’s a little round-up of some AW 15′ beauty trends. All images via VOGUE!

MUTED PINKS –

I’m a big fan of natural beauty as you can tell, so this is probably my favourite trend I have spotted so far. Muted pinks, dewy plump lips and minimal coverage in terms of foundation, bronzer and all that kinda’ stuff. I think this a perfect day-to-day look and for the colder AW (Autumn & Winter) months when you don’t want to make too much of an effort, it’s even more perfect and fuss-free. The additional strong brow adds the frame to the face, which I also think is a big hit once again.

THE UNEXPECTED ‘POP’ OF COLOUR…

We’re still on the dewy, minimal face trend, but with an added twist. Bold, bright lips, or a sneaky brightly coloured eyeliner added for an unexpected ‘pop’ of colour. Adding a pinch of drama and a clash of colour, I love it! I think the coloured eyeliner trend is becoming more and more popular and I’m all for it! I personally think my favourite way to wear a pop of colour is on the lips. It adds colour and light  to your whole face and can work all year round. What do you think?

PURPLE GREY…

Of course, this season being AW, there had to be a darker set of tones and colours. My favourite combination is purple grey. Lilacs and blue toned purples seemed to be a ‘thing’ this season with a mixed in nude shade lipstick and a hint of grey. A lovely dark but neutral colour palette that suits all skin tones. Interesting…

What do you think of these trend predictions? Are there any that are up your street? Let me know in the comments!

One thing which I love about LFW (and fashion weeks in general) is the catwalk music. I love all the different beats and rhythms that are used to really enhance the mood of each collection, so I thought today I would put together a little playlist for you to listen too. I think it’s really cool to see what music is merged together and sometimes you can discover some awesome artists….

I don’t know about you, but music which is used for catwalks and fashion shows always has something so special about it. It’s the way the music all glides together so perfectly, and the beat in the background which moves exactly in time with the feet of the models. I just love it. I love the feeling it gives me, it’s just something special and I know that may sound weird, but you have a listen. Close your eyes and imagine a flurry of texture and colour, drifting effortlessly down the catwalk.

In this mix of songs, I think my favourites include Wuthering Heights (Kate Bush), Sunset (The XX) and Go Slow (HAIM). They’re all really cool songs, with totally different vibes. I think it’s interesting to imagine some form of collection going along with them… so why not tell me what type of collection would go along with each song? Or maybe you have another song in mind? Just let me know in the comments 🙂

…for those of you interested, my next ‘London Fashion Blog Week’ post, is beauty related *shout from the hill tops*

If you weren’t following my blog last September (why not?) you probably won’t remember ‘London Fashion Blog Week’. I’ve decided to take up the challenge again and write some more London Fashion Week related content. If you are wondering why London specifically, it’s just because I feel like I can relate to it more… I obviously still adore looking at NYFW, and PFW, but for me LFW is my fave. So, just to clarify, my next 4 blog posts will all be LFW related and will be posted every other day 🙂 Today’s post should be taken with a pinch of salt… I’ve always wanted to do a little jokey post, so here is my first ever one…

A big question on the minds of every fashion lover and fashion week attendee is, ‘What should I wear?’, so I’ve decided today, to answer that question. Remember what I said at the start of this post… pinch. of. salt.

#1 – Buy clothes that you would never usually feel comfortable in wearing, to attract as much attention as possible.

#2 – Wear high heels and don’t wear blister plasters because even though you’ll be walking around hours on end, you still want to look stylish and professional.

#3 – Speaking of high heels, find the highest pair you can find. Models are tall after all, so you’ll blend in perfectly.

#4 – Make sure you have one piece of designer clothing on you, even if it’s a fake rip-off. You don’t want to look like you came straight out of Primark.

#5 – Don’t carry a camera around with you, otherwise people will think you are the street style snapper. You want to be the one in front of the lens after all, right?

#6 – Carry a big bag. You’ll need to be able to have enough room to carry around all the freebies, snacks and drinks you collect. Don’t worry about how heavy it is, count it as a fashionable arm workout. 

#7 – If a hat or view-blocking high bun is part of your outfit and look for the day, ignore complaints that people in the row behind you, can’t see. It’s fashion, and they should know that.

#8 – Your outfit should be made up of as many colourful and printed items as possible, this will also help with attracting attention.

#9 – Ditto that for texture (faux fur, mesh, patents etc).

#10 – Wear a massive coat, because they’re all the rage at fashion week.

#11 – Distressed jeans are all the rage, so bring a pair of scissors and a mini grater to distress them even more throughout the day… you want to go for that whole ‘naturally distressed’ look (?!!!).

#12 – Cover your face in glitter and sequins or dye your hair neon. You want to look like you just stepped off of the runway…

#13 – …or you can wear super casual clothes; skinny jeans, a boyfriend coat, trainers and a slick back ponytail. Add black out sunglasses for the full ‘model off-duty’ effect.

#14 – Bring a change of outfit. You don’t want to be wearing the same thing all day because you’ll never get noticed. Update what you’re wearing as much as possible to stay up-to-date with all the latest happenings.

#15 – So photographers don’t have to ask you for your details, wear a badge with your Instagram, Twitter and Facebook links. You haven’t got time to stop and chat!

#16 – Ignore all of the above because it’s all just rubbish!

…like I promise, it’s all rubbish! I hope you enjoyed this haha, just a bit of a laugh but I totally disagree with all of the statements. I just feel like people really go over the top stressing over what to wear. In my opinion, just wear what you want. Don’t feel pressured to dress to a certain ‘level’ just because it’s a special event. Be you, and be comfortable being you 🙂

Howdy folks, how you dooooooooing? I’m great, thanks for asking! Today we have the last post in my London Fashion Blog Week series… *dun dun dunnn* It’s been really fun to post every other day and sort of a little challenge! Unfortunately I won’t be carrying on like this but if you want me to do it again next season, then do let me know! Today  I have a few designs inspired by the collections from London Fashion Week SS15 (that’s a mouthful!), and I hope you enjoy… 😀 Please don’t copy/use/create my designs as they are my own.

Sequin Colour Block Dress (Left) – 
When watching the live shows I realised that a lot of the ‘LBDs’ (little black dresses) featured sequins, so I decided to do my own version. I combined the sequins with another SS15 trend, which looks like it will be ‘shape blocking’… not necessarily colour blocking, but I think shapes will be a big hit… The dress would be quite short, and just a simple pencil mini dress with spaghetti straps. I think back would be just the same with more colourful sequin shapes. A side zip would make it easy to get in and out of.

Patent Stripe Cape & Lilac Tulle Skirt (Right) – 
Another trend which I am predicting is patent everything… from shoes, dresses, bandeaus and skirts, I believe that the shiny stuff is back… yay! I also noticed that there wasn’t that many prints this LFW, although stripes made a big appearance. I decided to mix my love for stripes in general and the patent trend together to create an oversized back-to-front style cape. The back-to-front comes in with the fact that there would be buttons down the back rather than the front. Certain stripes would be patent PVC as well as the high neck. Another reoccurring trend is tulle (you know how much I love tulle!), so the skirt would a light floaty above knee style. You can see it in orange below…

Monochrome Squiggle Dress with Mesh Cut-Outs (Left) – 
Another big trend for SS15, looks to be mesh cut-outs, so I decided to mix that with the monochrome trend for next year (I’m pretty sure that will be one too!) for this cute, rather risky little number. I probably drew it a little too short but you can probably get what I was trying to portray. I actually really like the white squiggle detail… I think it’s kinda’ cool! What d’ya think?

Crop Shirt with PVC Bandeau & Yellow Tulle Skirt (Right) – 
I decided to another patent piece, with this cropped shirt (part of the tailoring vibe I picked up whilst watching the shows), which is more like a shoulder shirt as it is finished off with a bright pink bandeau (also PVC!) The waistband of the skirt again is my favourite shiny material and tulle like in the other design from earlier on.

So there we have it! The end of London Fashion Blog Week! Did you enjoy it? Let me know in the comments and also let me know your thoughts on these designs, I’d love to know! Speak soon! 😀