PRADA'S REAL FANTASIES SS12: ARE YOU A HOT-RODDER OR A GOLFER?

Posted by Bethan Holt, Fashion Junior at Large

It's not too often that a look book comes our way which takes the collection it's showing us into fantastical, nostalgic realms beyond fashion. So, when images from Prada's Spring/Summer look book, a continuation of the Real Fantasies series, pinged into our inbox this afternoon we had to share.

There's a video to accompany the look book which Prada have made available exclusively to their 1.6 million Facebook fans- check it out here (and below). Given that Prada's social media presence was virtually non-existent a couple of years ago, a Facebook fan base that massive is really rather impressive, if unsurprising. Also, this is the savviest time for reminding us all that Spring/Summer is only just beginning. Fresh from the AW12 shows, we'd almost forgotten that there's plenty of Summer fun to come before A/W descends.

We all know by now that Prada SS12 was all excessively pretty, jewel encrusted coats, skirts and dresses mixed up with flaming car motifs and prints. AMO-OMA, the architectural partnership which has collaborated closely with the Prada brand for a few seasons now, have devised a series of handmade collages which integrate the SS12 collection with kooky references to golfing, hot-rodding, playing board games- basically anything which recalls the idealised mid-century era which the fashion references but with a fun twist. We like!

All images courtesy of Prada

Credits:

PRODUCTION / ART DIRECTION: AMO / Ippolito Pestellini Laparelli, Fausto Fantinuoli

ARTWORK: Jeroen Koolhaas, Lok Jansen

PHOTOGRAPHY: Phil Meech

VIDEO DIRECTION: James Lima

MUSIC: Frédéric Sanchez

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Max Brun – Hi ! Production

EDITING: Brian Vincent Durkin

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SS12's SILVER LINING

Posted by Bethan Holt, Fashion Junior at Large

I’m going to confuse you horrendously now because instead of telling you about fashion weeks and what you might be wearing in six or eight months time, I’m going to talk about SS12 a.k.a what to wear and buy right now. September and February are both months which require seasonal gymnastics in the minds of fashion lovers because we're obsessed with what's coming out of the fashion weeks- see yesterday's and Monday's posts- but we're also feeling that now is the time to shop for the months ahead which means rewinding to the stuff we were getting excited about back in September. Silver is what I want to buy right now.

Silver ruffles at Sarah Burton's Alexander McQueen SS12

There’s rarely a time when metallics are distinctly unfashionable, after all they’re fun, good for evening party dresses and go with pretty much anything. But for Spring/ Summer, if you want to be in fashion then sheeny silver is the metallic to go for. In my book, silver is the nonchalant and much cooler younger sibling to revved up. full watt glam gold. 

 The sheen element which lots of designers gave silver for SS12 is very important. It taps into two of the season’s broader trends; Modern Sportswear and Under the Sea. The subtlety which comes from a sheen is much more in keeping with these moods.  Chanel's drawstring maxi silver skirt is the ultimate case in point. The fabric and cut is techy and futuristic, while the floor skimming length conjures the modern girl's version of a mermaid's tail, especially when styled with a translucent, gilled vest.

Chanel SS12

Olivier Theyskens did a similar thing at Theory. For those of us who are not good with full on dressed down, and therefore a bit worried about embracing sportiness in our wardrobes, Theory is a good place to go because the silver in this slouchy tee takes it up a notch or two in the dressed up stakes. The silver looks amazing next to denim too.

Theyskens Theory SS12

At Givenchy, the slithers of silver flounce trims bring to mind the lights bouncing off the fins of deep sea fish.

Givenchy SS12

Andy Warhol's Silver Clouds, 1966

Giles SS12

There were hints of silver at countless SS12 shows, but the most dedicated to the cause was Giles Deacon. His set resembled walking into a roll of tin foil (in a good way!). It was apparently inspired by Andy Warhol's room of Silver Clouds. Giles used numerous silver and swan inspirations in a collection which was really quite opulent. Having said that, this dress is super simple- the shape nods to sportiness. But the more-than-sheen-silver makes it properly beautiful.

At Christopher Kane, the use of silver was more sparing but it illuminated a collection which was about 'the girls you hated at school'. The metallics transported the initial inspirations of bullies and peeling council house wallpaper into a infinitely more angelic and heavenly realm. That's the power of silver.

Christopher Kane SS12

So, what to buy in silver? To my great regret, I will be limiting my personal silver purchases to accessories. This is due to a traumatic childhood experience in which a silver dress I wore to be a star in a nativity production was confiscated because it 'drained' me. Even though I now have access to blusher, I still can't face the memories. For those of you still able to wear silver, I've mixed in a couple of brilliant silver basics.

Acne's pistol boots have become pretty ubiquitous and much copied. They are the boot to buy if you need a one item route to looking on trend. So, we were pretty thrilled to see that MyTheresa has a limited edition run of 50 silver pairs since yesterday. They're not sold out just yet, but hurry.

Silver Acne pistols £400

 I bought a pair of wedges similar to these in Topshop's sale. I think they're great for taking the super sweet edge off a lot of what we'll be wearing this season.

Topshop £75

River Island £40

Alexander McQueen at Matches £560

Topshop £22

All catwalk images from catwalking.com

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HOW NEWGEN TOPSHOP T-SHIRTS HELPED SAVE LONDON FASHION WEEK

Posted by Melanie Rickey, Fashion Editor at Large

When I first started out in this career in 1996 Topshop wasn't the fashion hero it is today. Designers moaned about how high street stores like Topshop copied their ideas without paying for them. And they were right to moan. High street stores did copy, often brazenly. For designers, the high street was the Big Bad Wolf come to gobble them up.

Back in 1998 two visionary women working at Topshop decided to see if they could reverse the dynamic. Jane Shepherdson, then Brand Director of the store (now CEO of Whistles) and Sarah Mower MBE, esteemed American Vogue fashion critic and nowAmbassador for Emerging Talent for the BFC was then Fashion Director of Arcadia Group. They had the bright idea to invite designers to collaborate with the store, giving them the opportunity to reach new consumers and make money to help grow their businesses. Topshop also part sponsored their catwalk shows.

"Young designers had zero tolerance of the high street and it was my mission to make sure that [if they collaborated with Topshop] they wouldn't be raped [by the experience]. Over  my dead body," Sarah Mower, told me this morning. "Among the first designers we worked with were Hussein Chalayan and Clements Ribeiro.  We had a dream that London would become the world number one centre for emerging talent. Today when I look at the number of people that have come though NewGen, like Christopher Kane, Erdem and Jonathan Saunders, I feel we have achieved that."

Spookily enough, while researching further into this story I came across a piece I wrote in 1998 in the Independent about the advent of Topshop's work with young designers. (I worked at the Indy as fashion writer from 1996-1999.)

In 2002, seeing further mileage (and now doubt enjoying its rehabilitated image as the saviour of young designers, rather than the usurper) Topshop began its headline sponsorship of the NEWGEN program. Today it not only sponsors NewGen, but also Fashion East and it has created the Topshop Show Space at London Fashion Week, which offers a free venue and production for the hottest young British designers. This brings us neatly to the photos you see here, the store's way of celebrating their 10 years of supporting NewGen.

On February 17th on the first day of London Fashion Week, Topshop owner Philip Green is scheduled to do a presentation that will outline his plans for his next ten years of fashion industry support.  Also on the 17th these T-shirts launch in-store and online at topshop.com. In the meantime enjoy 10 of the 20 £30 T-shirts shot by Scott Trindle on a selection of new models (all profits go to homeless charity Centrepoint) and decide which one/s you want to get your hands on. I love the Erdem, Chris Kane and Mary Katrantzou tees... What about you? You can catch the other 10 T's in this weekend's edition of The Times.

                                                                        Francesca wearing JW Anderson

Ashleigh wearing Erdem

Mia wears Marios Schwab

Grace wears Christopher Kane

Georgina wears Jonathan Saunders

Sara wears Peter Jensen 

Olga wears Meadham Kirchhoff

Agnes wears Holly Fulton

Natasha wears Mary Katrantzou

Jaz wears Roksanda Ilincic

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SHOW + TELL SS12 : MANOLO PUMP POWER

Posted by Melanie Rickey, Fashion Editor at Large

For those of you too young to remember when shoes were not gimmicky, odd-looking, everything-but-the-kitchen-sink affairs with platforms, wedges, frills, multi-colours and ugly heels, here's a surprise. Once upon a time not very long ago, high-heeled fashion shoes were simply beautiful. They had sleek lines, no gimmicks and were generally a joy to behold. You slipped then on, they elevated the body by a few inches, lengthened the legs pushed out the hips at a certain sexy angle and that was it - good for a sexy sashay, and if needs be, to sprint a bit too.

The go-to man for beautiful shoes was Manolo Blahnik. Then along came the very lovely Mr. Louboutin, Mr. Kirkwood, Prada, Miu Miu, YSL and co adding more and more inches to their platforms until the day someone, somewhere said ENOUGH! Marc Jacobs was one of them. For both his Louis Vuitton and Marc Jacobs shows, his shoe designs directly referenced Manolo Blahnik signature mules and stilettos, and they were gorgeous, and now much copied on the high street.

The master at work. (Photo:Michael Roberts)

Mmmanolo!

Another was American Vogue editor-at-large Andre Leon Talley, who told the New York Times in a very prescient feature last October, "Fashion had to turn on its heel and return to beautiful shoes. They're a staple, something you have to have in your refrigerator like butter, or milk." My favourite line in the story was what the writer, Guy Trebay, saved until last. It was a quote from Sarah Jessica Parker, who should have shares in Manolo Blahnik, or at least a lifetimes supply, after she popularised Blahnik through her character Carrie's obsession with the shoes. "I walked in and looked around and saw all these shoes, and then I spotted the Manolos and it was like water in the desert," she said. "I was just so excited to see a simple black pump."

I'm with them. My latest shoe purchase is the "Opyum" by YSL. A beautiful shoe. Or as the Americans say a beautiful "pump".

Opyum 

The other day I was re-arranging my shoe cupboard so I could lend my little sister a pair for a wedding, and I came across an old pair of YSL platform ankle boots. You know the ones with a gold line around the platform?  At one point in about 2006 or 7 every fashion editor I knew had a pair. At the time, they felt like serious platforms. I wiped the dust off them and slipped one on for old times sake. They felt like wearing nothing. To think they once they seemed so high.

For sure, there is now a backlash in place against gimmicky shoes. Perhaps for now they have scaled their highest heights and reached the weight limit for studs and other hardware. That isn't to say I don't love Nicholas Kirkwood's shoes for Meadham Kirchhoff. I LOVE, but I would look like a clown in them.

Nicholas Kirkwood for Meadham Kirchhoff SS12

Louis Vuitton SS12

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FASHION STAPLES: THE BROWNS EDIT SS12

Posted by Melanie Rickey, Fashion Editor at Large

There are fashion staples and there are Fashion Week Staples. This post is about the latter. In 10 days time the New York fashion shows start, neatly followed by London Fashion Week and onto Milan and Paris. I've never been one of those women to dress up deliberately for the cameras at the fashion weeks; I do get snapped occasionally if I'm having a particularly photogenic day at the shows, but I dress for myself really, experimenting as I go. Of course, there are people out there who organise their outfits in advance, borrow clothes from designers and make a big and fabulous show of themselves to fan the flames of their online careers and web fashion fame. Hello Anna Dello Russo, Susie Bubble, Kristin Knox, Fran Burns and co, not to mention the hordes of fashion-obsessed students trying to get noticed. I wish I was more inclined to play the fashion game their way, but I'm not. No matter. Fashion-paparazzo not withstanding these are the clothes I want for fashion week.

I've been logging into all the major fashion websites everyday over the last ten days to see what is on their respective New In pages, and to see what makes my heart beat faster. For the high fashionista that I am right down to my marrow, Brownsfashion.com is hands down the best place to shop right now. Their edit of Kane, Balenciaga, J.W Anderson, Erdem, Carven and Alaia is inspired and I love the way they find labels that even I haven't heard of yet. I respect that their buying team, including Ruth Runberg and Francoise Tessier have the nous to order the printed Erdem trousers, say, not just his signature dresses which all the safe department stores buy. Browns have even bought into Dr Martens exceptionally cleverly, and the white-soled tassle loafers are truly edgy fashion shoes (even if, to you, they look like something a nurse at Broadmoor might wear).  Designers trust Browns and looking at their edit of Spring/Summer 2012, I can see why.  Now, I have to choose which one of these is the most worthwhile to have in my wardrobe. What would you choose?

J.W Anderson shirt

Christopher Kane skirt

Laurence Dacade boots  

Carven dress 

Erdem floral trousers 

Dr Martens loafers 

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SHOW & TELL: MEADHAM KIRCHHOFFS HYPER PRETTY SS12

Posted by Melanie Rickey, Fashion Editor at Large

At this time of year fashion media people start mobilising towards attending fashion shows. The real die-hards will already be on the road in Milan and Florence at the mens shows, and are about to head to the Paris mens shows followed by the Haute Couture and pre-fall. They will soon be speaking incomprehensible fashion. At FEAL we'll be keeping a close eye on these shows while bringing you all that is exciting, new, interesting and thought-provoking in fashion now.

To kick off our coverage of the Spring/Summer 2012 collections I want to start with our old NEWGEN gang members Edward Meadham and Ben Kirchhoff of Meadham Kirchhoff who are deservedly and swiftly gaining a cult following. I've been following their work since pretty much the beginning of their careers. Their S/S '12 collection of hyper femininity was a social and fashion media triumph which disseminated through the Web and found a home in the hearts of disaffected teenagers and Riot Grrls of the old and new school around the world.

The Riot Grrrl manifesto 

Theres a lot of women and girls out there who don't buy into the idea of what a modern woman is supposed to be according to the fashion and mainstream media. With their work Ed and Ben give those woman a connection to catwalk fashion they would not otherwise get. By signposting their way to Courtney Love, Tavi Gevinson the Riot Girl manifesto and the Japanese Lolita subculture, MK are giving disaffected alt. fashion lovers a home.

                                               Meadham Kirchhoff SS/12 ( images: topshop.com)

"Its a celebration of girls. Of the ridiculous artifice and expectation of female beauty. A celebration and disgust of it. So yeah...the normal." - Ed Meadham

Since airing this collection last September the designers have been picked up by the London office of New York based marketing company Black Frame whose other fashion clients are Rodarte and Visionaire. Currently the designers are simultaneously creating both their Autumn/Winter 2012 collection and the next edition of "A Magazine Curated by ".  I'm looking forward to both; especially as one of my best friends Brix will be in their magazine.

A "Lolita" girl in Tokyo wearing the brand Angelic Pretty 

The Angelic Pretty Dolls.

Meadham Kirchhoff have been considered a bit like Marmite in the fashion media up to now; but 2012 will be their year to go global as they now connect to their fans and therefore to their marketplace.  Not long ago an A-list editor said to me in an exasperated tone "I can't understand why you like Meadham Kirchhoff". Now they feature prominently in her magazine's editorials. That says it all.

There is much to appreciate with the work of Ben and Ed this season, both intellectually and fashion wise.  But don't look too far beyond the cupcake platforms and Hello Kitty inspired knits. They are too brilliant not to be enjoyed.

Meadham Kirchhoff Spring/Summer 2012 shoes by Nicholas Kirkwood. Whats not to love?

I do want to share the fabulously incongruous first drop of their S/S 2012 collection with you though. Interestingly, rather than commence the season by displaying their luxurious high-end pieces (with their equally luxurious prices), Net-a-Porter.com have smartly realised (as has Topshop who tapped them for two previous collaborations) that MK's fan base is not your average high ticket fashion consumer lady. She is definitely more punk rock than glossy fashion maven. Hence Meadham Kirchhoff fans will appreciate a hyper sweet T-Shirt perhaps especially if they have to scrape their pennies together to buy one. Anyway, here they are. Which one do you want? I adore the "Love is Revenge" T-Shirt. (P.S I've just checked and they are already selling out fast, especially in smaller sizes)

Love is Revenge t-shirt £130

Kitty tee £130

Riot Not Diet £130

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SHOW & TELL: TOPSHOP SS12

Posted by Melanie Rickey, Fashion Editor at Large

While the other brands within the Arcadia group sink further into obscurity (400+ stores closing in next two years and lack of personality driving them), thank God the brilliant creatives at Topshop (and Topman) work it to maintain their pole position as the coolest fashionistas on the British and international high street. 

There's no denying Topshop is an exciting and innovative fashion brand. Yesterday while other stores are sea of sale signs and packed rails, its Oxford Circus (London) store was a palace of pretty pastels and streety sportswear. Their plans to celebrate Topshop's 10 years of NEWGEN support gave me a thrill when I heard them - ten years worth of amazing collaborations, revisited in special luxe T-shirt collection. Yes please!

Last Autumn TopShop brought Kate Phelan in as Creative Director of Topshop from her senior position at British Vogue. I wanted to share her advertising images from the new Spring collection. The photographs by Josh Olins, and Kate's studied (colour) and beautifully insouciant (black & white) styling are a perfect introduction to the new season.  

This model looks like the younger sister of 30-something Belgian model Anouck Lepere

This jacket is on my shopping list 

My summer look 

Jacket + silver mini rucksack please!

I'll be pulling together a look like this asap

Topshop Spring/Summer 2012

Stylist, Kate Phelan
Photographer, Josh Olins - CLM
Hair, Sam McKnight- Premier
Makeup, Hannah Murray - JW
Manicure, Jenny Longworth- CLM
Production, CLM

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