PARIS AW12: THE HAIDER ACKERMANN EFFECT

Posted by Melanie Rickey, Fashion Editor at Large

Its been a funny old weekend. While I am out in Paris my other half is getting written about in the press,  then by extension my personal life has been dragged into the tabloids too. Surreal to say the least. At this stage of Paris (i.e the very last leg of the month long fashion show caravan that began in mid February in New York - it all ends Wednesday), everything is getting surreal anyway.

Haider Ackermann's show this weekend (via style.com)

In fact it has got to the stage where I don't say hello to all the people I know anymore because, well, we see each other every few hours at shows, so a nod will do. Even with work colleagues I'm at the stage of necessary conversation only, and companionable silence is preferable. This is how it is for all of us doing this job right now.

Need I say more: Haider Ackermann kills it for Fall/Winter 2012

There were some truly magical fashion shows in Paris over the weekend. On Friday night Lanvin designer Alber Elbaz celebrated his 10th anniversary at the house with a raucous show and party, well covered by mainstream online media. Then, on Saturday morning, came Haider Ackermann. Regular readers of Fashion Editor at Large will know this is one of the few labels in the world that make me come over all fan girl. I profiled Haider a year or so ago for POP, (scroll down to the second page of the link to read the full profile) just before his current fashion fame, and knowing so much about him, gives me even more delight in his aesthetic and his success.

Over 15 years, I've seen a lot of fashion. Not as much as the true veterans of the runway circuit, but long enough to know when something is not just good, or great, but truly awesome in a shivers-up-the-spine and an emotional reaction in the pit of the stomach kind of way.

(via catwalking.com)

This happens at every Haider show; its a lot to do with the music he chooses, often a very moving classical piece; he loves a bit of Schubert... Here's an excerpt from my piece that explains:

What is happening with the cult of Haider now is that the American press and store buyer corps are obsessed with him. They love him; they sing his praises by releasing a torrent of lyrical prose to explain how they feel about his idiosyncratic clothes with their elongated silhouette, that music, those intense colours. Haider's is an aesthetic that splices North Africa and Belgium, but its the emotion they are reacting to as much as anything. Here is a little more background to explain.. 

Last night I was eating dinner in my hotel restaurant when I got chatting to a fellow solo diner, who happens to be a prominent American department store fashion director with an eye-watering budget to spend on clothes for her  all-American woman. She told me, "It is all about Haider. We believe he is the man setting the fashion agenda for the way American women want to dress. The nipped jackets, long tube skirts, opulent fabrications and his vivid colours - the pumpkin, dark purple, russet - are pretty much the template for how we will move forward. Plus he is influencing a swathe of designers who are following his every move.." 

We talked on, I was enthralled by the power a buyer and director of a large store group such as hers has, and with the simplicity of how such a seemingly complex and multi-layered vision like Haider's could be rendered so simple and commercial.

Haider Ackermann (via The Daily) 

Until now Haider Ackermann has been the insiders secret; but if the current spike in interest follows through beyond the current hype come Autumn 2012, he could begin to reach the critical mass of his potential audience. That I would very much like to see. 

What do you think of Haider Ackermann's work?

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POP: THAT GUCCI GIRL

Posted by Bethan Holt, Fashion Junior at Large

Just before Christmas, the lucky Fash Ed got to spend a day in Rome with Gucci designer, Frida Giannini. The resulting feature is in the new issue of POP which is out now. As we looked through the shoot this morning, we thought there was something very AW12 about the look of this collection, like it skipped over SS12's pretty pastel girliness and instead acts as a precursor to the dark, gothic elements which were so strong in Milan.

And the interview, though I may be biased, is a must-read insight into Frida's ability to combine the archives at her fingertips with the commercial edge for now.

All images from POP SS12 edition

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FASHED GOES TO THE BFAs

Posted by Melanie Rickey, Fashion Editor at Large

The Savoy is surely the most glamorous location in London. Fitting as I've never seen the gathered fashion industry look as glammed up as they did last night. Theres nothing like economic gloom to inspire people into their gladrags. I spent the evening at a table hosted by Topshop with designers Nasir Mazhar, Michael van der Ham, and Mary Katrantzou, Alex Fury of Showstudio.com as well as Kate Phelan, Mary Homer and Sheena Sauvaire from TopShop. I love the images Bethan has gathered below, they sum up the night brilliantly. Hooray for Twitter. Now onto a few observations of the evening.
*Kristen McMenamy (below) was my best dressed of the night. She looked insanely brilliant.
*As Laura Craik of The Times pointed out on Twitter, with their girly slightly cockney accents Kate Moss and Victoria Beckham sound very alike.
*Alexa Chung needs to eat a bit more
*Ed Meadham of Meadham Kirchhoff rocked a pink feather boa, making him the campest designer of the night
*Victoria Beckham is cute when she cries.

Kristen McMenamy (from http://www.graziadaily.co.uk/)

Here's what I wore, taken by Mary in our kitchen. Oh the glamour! I liked it, but I'm not sure I'll be having a Gatsby moment again anytime soon. Its just too retro. I like modern. Still, it worked for the Savoy. The dress is vintage 1930s from Lucy in Disguise, shoes Louboutin, and John at Daniel Hercheson did my hair, he also did Charlotte Dellal's of Charlotte Olympia. Anyway, thats the last you'll see of me for a while!

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GIRL CRUSH: MARY KATRANTZOU

Posted by Bethan Holt, Fashion Junior at Large

Today is 'We <3 Mary' day here at FEAL HQ- last night I was lucky enough to meet the fabulous Greek designer herself at an event hosted by My Daily. This morning, the FashEd and I have been singing the praises of her bubbly, all-embracing approach to interacting with her fans, as well as her talent for combining print and shape in ever more visionary ways. Basically, Mary Katrantzou is our new girl crush because she can be a consumately professional design extraordinaire and a really nice person all at the same time! In this spirit, Mary has joined My Daily as a Contributing Editor; alongside her avid tweeting and enthusiasm to build the best possible website this makes her one of the most web savvy, and accessible, young designers out there.

Me, the Fashion Junior, with Mary Katrantzou

 MyDaily editor Libby interviewed Mary last night and they covered everything from Mary's switch from studying Archtitecture in the US to Textile Design in London to the difference between a size 10 Mary dress and a size 14 ('the bigger the lady, the more print she gets'). Mary had plenty of snippets to divulge about how her business will grow in the future. Next June, she is hoping to launch her first pre-collection. She also wants to respond to all the interest men have shown in her designs- her SS12 blazer has been a popular order from the boys- by launching her own men's line in time. Bigger ambitions include a stand alone store in the middle of London, in a space which she can change all the time to suit the prevailing themes of her designs.

This blazer was inspired by simple Helmut Lang shapes from the 90s (image from catwalking.com)

Actually, Mary is a big fan of London. She claims that she would not be in fashion at all if it weren't for the world-renowned MA course at Central Saint Martins; she was tempted to stick to Textile Design but couldn't forego the opportunity to study under the guidance of Professor Louise Wilson whom she says 'gave me the confidence to talk about my work and forced me to develop a signature'. Mary was adamant that she'll be staying in London and showing her work in the young design context of London Fashion Week rather than trying to compete with bigger labels in other cities.

The final look from Mary Katrantzou SS12- The shape of a flower was the silhoutte which underpinned this collection (image from catwalking.com)

After the interview, I asked Mary how she was feeling about the timing clash of London and Milan fashion weeks in February. She acknowledged that it would be difficult but her spin made me think about situation differently. From a buyer's perspective, she suggests, London designers are currently among the most attractive because they pose less risk and can be more flexible than big, well-established labels. In the current economic climate, in which retail is taking quite a bashing, buyers like the fact that they can negotiate more on delivery times and minimum orders with the smaller labels, many of which are based in London. Crucially, their commerciality and growing reputation as exciting designers mean it's not a compromise for customers. Mary was also quick to point out that her designs and those of her peers are frequently being included in big editorial shoots around the world. The Katrantzou show is usually scheduled for the Tuesday of fashion week, by which time 'all the models have left for Gucci' so facing obstacles because of schedule clashes in nothing new for the Katrantzou team to deal with.

Mary Katrantzou AW11, photographed by Sean and Seng for POP

The FashEd interviewed Mary for the current issue of POP- I've included it here and we defy you not to have developed a full blown girl crush by the time you've finished. When I mentioned to Mary that I worked with Melanie, she was full of love for this piece. My Daily is also offering the chance to win a dress from Mary's SS12 collection- and if you're not a lucky winner and budgets don't stretch to the real Mary thing, you only have to hold out until February when her capsule collection for Topshop drops, hurrah!

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POP: PETER COPPING TALKS TO FASHED

Posted by Fashion Junior at Large

Among the FashEd's many guises is her role as Contributing Fashion Features Editor at POP. For the new Autumn/Winter issue, the theme was The Lady. So, it was only right that Peter Copping, Creative Director at Nina Ricci be featured, given that his collections are the epitome of ladylike prettiness. My first job as Fashion Junior was transcribing this interview, strange that such a highlight could come before I'd even made my desk my own. In my humble opinion, you cannot fail to fall in love with Copping after reading this...

Portrait of Peter Copping by Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin

Photography by Ronald Dick, Fashion by Isabelle Kountoure

 POP is out now

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MEET MY PT

Posted by Fashion Editor at Large

The Fashion Editor at Large (in Falke) with The Wedding Trimmer Suzanne Mallaghan (in Sweaty Betty) 

Being naturally tall and slim is akin to winning a genetic lottery. You can happily stuff your face with food, live an inert existence and nothing visibly bad or ugly happens to your body. The downside is running out of breath when dashing for a bus. Then you pass the 35 years on earth mark and everything changes. For me the upper arm wobbles came first. Years of naturally taut and tiny upper arms (a large wrist bracelet was a snug fit up there) collapsed when, over the long winter, a loose hammock of flesh took residence there. Then my 28waist skinny J Brand jeans wouldn't go further than my hips. I did not recognise my own thighs or rear. These physical events wiped out half of my wardrobe, and with it my identity. In a flash I could understand all those women who favour dresses over trousers and wear long tops with leggings. Which makes me sound like a stupid skinny bitch with no idea about what it is like to have a real woman's body; and I was.  

All this forced me to find a personal trainer. With a personal trainer there is no option but to turn up, especially when said PT is pressing your doorbell and saying "come on!" three mornings a week and if you cancel you pay anyway.

Suzanne demonstrates how to build triceps using a Kettle Bell.

My search for the perfect PT ended when I found Suzanne Mallaghan. Suzanne runs two programs - one is straight personal training, the other targets brides-to-be and is more deadline driven. When I began working with her four months ago I was not planning a Civil Partnership this summer. I was thinking of a December event, but when Mary surprised me by setting the date for next Sunday (heyulp!!!) The Wedding Trimmer side of her business kicked into play. Suzanne is a qualified personal trainer and Pilates instructor as well as a nutrition consultant. Being the daughter of a poet plus a brainy ex-city girl and an ex-national league Basketball player I reasoned she would be perfect for me. And she is! The sessions are varied, and fun, and hard. Mary also gatecrashes a session at least once a week.

The Fashion Editor at Large using theTRX resistance contraption

My training has been difficult. I was weak as a kitten at the beginning, Suzanne had to build me up slowly. It took ages to get the feeling I was fit, but at the beginning of April when she announced "You now have a basic level of fitness, next step is to pump out workouts three times a week until D-Day" I nearly cried with happiness. 

The biggest change is in how I hold myself; my posture is improved, I feel more together and confident, and I can get my arms out again. They don't look like SJP's, but rather appear just like how they used to. I can run for 30 minutes no problem, and also be able to conduct a conversation while running after 30 minutes and sound normal, not remotely out of breath. My strength is now considerable, and I can booty dance and bogle to Beyonce and Dizzy like the best 22 years olds, but obviously only do this home alone. 

The Pilates work is the most difficult, and where I need to focus my energies. My stomach is not wash-board by any stretch, but come next Sunday, I'm ready for my close up.  

 

WHAT I DO WITH SUZANNE:

We do three sessions a week incorporating cardiovascular, resistance,  flexibility components and she splits sessions according to muscle groups

Day 1: Cardio = boxing, Resistance training = chest, triceps, shoulders

Day 2: Cardio = interval training (walk, jog, run), Resistance. Training = back, biceps

Day 3: Cardio = hardcore kettlebell training mixed with ladderwork, stepwork etc. Resistance training = legs, core, abs

What I like about the sessions is that while they are working set muscle groups, the work itself is extremely varied. She says it is to keep me distracted while I work hard. So we might be using TRX suspension training, weights, kettlebells and resistance bands one day, and medicine balls, dumbells, a bench press, skipping rope or ladder the next time. Suzanne loves to go shopping for new equipment; she gets as excited about a new contraption - eg. TRX I am using above - as I do about a new Celine handbag. So it is all good.

The Wedding Trimmer

So there you have it. The best kept secret PT in London is no longer a secret.

http://www.suzannemallaghanpt.com/

http://weddingtrimmer.co.uk/

Photographed on location in Paddington Recreation Ground by Fashion Editor at Large

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MY DAD & THE FUTURE FASHION ME

Posted by Fashion Editor at Large

Like I said earlier on Twitter, my dear Dad Mr. Robert "Roy" Rickey passed away last Friday. He wasn't ill, in fact he remembered to post my birthday card the night he died, before going to the pub (he was extremely sociable), and coming home to settle into his favourite chair and watch TV. He didn't see the morning, and died in his sleep. (I'll know why later today.) I'm OK with this. Not OK with the fact he was just 62; he would have turned 63 this Friday.

My feelings are up and down, but I've a handle on how grief operates having been through it before. One minute you can be laughing fondly about the person you have lost and then, as I did today, dissolve at the sight of a man walking down the street who, from a distance, could be him even when you KNOW it is not. It's irrational.

HOWEVER.  How can one reconcile grief with work and the work mindset? I've been mulling this over, and decided not to mull it over any more!  This - journalism, blogging, trending - is what I do, and I can no sooner disentangle my work mind for the matter at hand, as I can't not breathe. Not everyone could align themselves to this approach, but I know it is the Rickey Way and steeped in the DNA.  I will be digging up 'Dad Style Through the Years' in the next few days. He looked like a movie star when he was young.

Back to what has been on my work mind. Having digested the ENTIRE show season - my 300 page trend report is *humble cough* the most comprehensive of my career to date, and been declared a "triumph" by a colleague. I can safely report that the AW season represents a huge and positive change in the way we will be dressing. This change is what I am calling a return to "practical desires" (tm). Never have I wanted a camel jumper and pair of flared black trousers more than I do now.
So here, three long weeks after getting home from the shows, are the ten looks I just cannot get out of my head. These clothes represent the future fashion me. I will be dressing like this next season. In fact I think these ten outfits could see me through the entire winter -well, these and at least TEN jumpers, a Celine "classic" handbag, some yeti boots and a pair of kitten heels from Manolo. Thinking about winter is all too easy on this bleak, FREEZZZING day.

       FASHION EDITOR AT LARGE'S PERSONAL FASHION TOP TEN FOR AW 10

by Philosophy

by Celine (Pre-Collection)

by Bottega Veneta

 

    by Christopher Bailey for Burberry

 

by Dries Van Noten

by Julien Macdonald

                                                              by Behnaz Sarapfour

by Celine (Pre-Collection)

by Rochas

           by Peter Som (the coat of my dreams!)

Photo credits:

Catwalking.com

Celine

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