Monday, October 20, 2014

Thought You Knew Fashion? Think Again

2014 is the year of experimentation in fashion. Whilst classic styles were once again present on the catwalks, new creative directions have shone throughout the collections of designers around the world. Cue the Burberry trench, a classic style since it's conception in the 1850s, which was presented for AW14 with shearling adornments and brush strokes to give it a new lease of life, courtesy of creative director Christopher Bailey.

Burberry Prorsum AW14 Show

In an industry that craves newness and refreshed originality, taking a new creative stance is a gamble as the brand risks losing their signature style and the elements that made them attractive in the first place.

However, it would appear to be a risk worth taking. Imran Amed, Editor-in-Chief of fashion news site Business of Fashion, commented on the necessity for a strong creative direction: "BOSS is the perfect example of a large, global fashion brand that nobody really pays much attention to because it's had nothing new or interesting to say, particularly in womenswear, which has mostly existed in the shadows of the company's core menswear tailoring business." He recognises that having exciting creative demonstrating itself in brands' products is more important than having a high-profile creative director who may not produce anything particularly new.

Below are my top 3 picks of brands that have taken a new creative direction this year and, for want of a better expression, nailed it.

1. Coach

Hailed the 'Master of Reinvention' by a recent Business of Fashion article, Coach's new direction for SS15 has surprised and delighted critics. With new creative director Stuart Vevers, the brand's focus is to transform itself into a global lifestyle brand, going beyond its previously strong accessories offering to showcase ready-to-wear and footwear as part of its improved offering.

2. Chanel

Chanel's AW14 campaign is sporty, modern and not what I would usually attribute to Chanel's classic luxury values. The AW14 show itself was set in a supermarket which seems foreign to the brand, but worked perfectly with the collection's fun style. Karl Lagerfeld's input shines in this collection.

3. Burberry

Though mentioned above, Burberry has truly reinvented its classic styles and I was wowed by the AW14 Prorsum Collection. With each product hand-painted, Christopher has made the collection deliciously charming whilst appealing to those customers who favour the bespoke value, as no two products will be the same.

Many of my colleagues agree that fashion has been taking itself less seriously this year. The industry itself is still an extremely important business but the days of re-releasing a classic item in a new hue seem to have diminished for those brands that seek to wow via re-invention and newness. I'm totally on-board with the idea but am intrigued as to how brands such as Moschino will continue to outdo themselves for AW15 after debuting the Barbie-and-McDonald's-inspired collections for AW14 and SS15 respectively.

Reinvention is the current industry climate, but what happens when there's no room for reinvention left? Additionally, are we to believe that each brand's motto should be 'reinvent yourself or fail?' Perhaps it is only a necessity for those brands that need a sales boost, but that is hardly the case for the likes of Chanel. It will be interesting to see how the AW15 collections shape up.

- A.T.

Monday, July 7, 2014

Summer In The City

Unlike most of my friends and colleagues, I'm staying in London this Summer and sadly not jetting off anywhere tropical. With beach and holiday style edits ubiquitous across fashion magazines and websites, I felt I needed to create some summer-in-the-city style inspiration. This Summer it's all about embracing a fusion of tropicalia and chic European city style.


1. In the office

1.  V-wrap back shell top, £34, Topshop
2. Wide leg ditsy print trousers, £17.99, New Look
3. Leather sandals, £420, Chloe
4. Trilogy leather shopper, £1340, Lanvin
5. Smoke and mirrors idiom bangle, £28, Kate Spade

2. Weekend brunch

1. Handmade acertate retro sunglasses, £35, ASOS
2. Strappy v-neck cami, £18, Topshop
3. A-line double crepe skirt, £278, Carven
4. Monogramme quilted leather shoulder bag, £1290, Saint Laurent
5. Sandals, £19.99, H&M

3. Evening cocktails

1. Cross back jumpsuit, £40, Topshop
2. Harlow clutch, £405, Michael Kors
3. Fancay tan sandals, £79, Dune
4. Cookies and cream nail polish, £9, Ciate

This Summer I'm focusing on bringing holiday style to my wardrobe and soaking up the sun in London. When the sun is out, who doesn't love a British Summer?

- A.T.

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

A Choo of Your Own


Jimmy Choo is the latest brand to offer a bespoke service on its products, joining the likes of Fendi, Burberry and Prada who currently offer a made-to-measure service on some of their most iconic products.

Burberry initiated its 'Burberry Bespoke' offering in 2011, allowing customers to essentially design their own classic Burberry trench coat right down to the cut, lining, length and collars. Whilst the bespoke trenches are at the higher end of the brand's price range, they allow affluent customers to have their own take on a product that has been a part of the brand for decades and add to the aspirational value that most luxury brands hold sacred.

As of this month, British label Jimmy Choo is now offering a bespoke service on some of its most popular shoe styles. Sandra Choi, Jimmy Choo's creative director, has selected her favourite styles for the service - the Nouk, Lance, Xenie and Tite models. Previously only available to the likes of red-carpet customers, this move to offer personalisation on Jimmy Choo shoes is a wise move in an industry landscape that is increasingly shaped by the demand for innovation in marketing and design, requiring designers to build on their previous offerings.

Customers can choose from a variety of colours and materials, with an option to have each pair stamped with a monogram of choice.


The Jimmy Choo personalisation service started on May 9 in the Sloane Street store, will be offered in Paris boutiques from May 19 and will roll out globally throughout the rest of May.

How long until we can design our own Manolos?

- A.T.

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Happy Feet (At Last!)

What do you get when you cross comfort with fashion? As well as thousands of smiling fashionistas, cue retailers and designers alike diving head-first into the latest trend of slip-on pumps.


First I noticed Steve Madden's offering, then came along ASOS and Kurt Geiger. Just to assure the fashion crowd that this trend was being taken seriously, Jimmy Choo has now jumped on the bandwagon and released some oh-so-mouth-watering pumps that I do wish I could stretch my pay packet to.

Now I'm seeing slip-ons everywhere and had to invest in a pair of my own. A big fan of the Givenchy floral pumps, and a stickler for finding high street versions of designer items, I invested in some Dockland Plimsolls from ASOS, £20.

What I love the most is seeing people pushing the boundaries with how they wear their slip-ons. I've seen them with sports-luxe trousers, pleated midi skirts and eclectic maxi dresses; I've also seen a few colleagues proudly scuffling around the office in theirs. I too share their smug expression, not just because of the great pattern on my slip-ons, but because they feel so nice on my feet - I see slip-ons as a chance for feet rehab. I'm always a fan of a good heel but when it comes to a choice between the two, if fashion says so, then I vote slip-ons.





(Pictures from Google Images)

How do you wear yours?

- A.T.