Lanvin for H&M hits stores tomorrow. See all the pics here
By Andrea Petrou on November 22nd, 2010
Archive for the ‘Designer Fashions’ Category
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Mandatory Credit: Steve Searle/WENN.com
Fashion Crush: Diana Vickers wears design by Charlotte Taylor to the launch of her new single
By Andrea Petrou on November 2nd, 2010
By Emily Borrett.
At the single launch of "My Wicked Heart" wearing a design by Charlotte Taylor
Who remembers how Diana Vickers used to look? The birds’ nest of hair, the crazy-lady nightgowns and her trademark clawed hand? Those fashion faux-pas of the past seem a terribly long time ago for Vickerz, who has a new single on the way and, we assume, a much better stylist. No longer does she dress like a poor man’s Stevie Nicks – like a butterfly, she’s emerged from her chiffon-and-patchouli cocoon as a sleek, fierce creature of fashion.
Top marks to the singer for turning up to the launch of her new self-penned single “My Wicked Heart”, wearing a kooky printed outfit from up-and-coming designer Charlotte Taylor, one of our favourite designers who showed at Vauxhall Fashion Scout earlier this year. Bright blue and yellow penguin-print is difficult to pull off unless you’re already a well-established bizarre fashion bitch, but Diana made it look effortless, teaming the print with a scruffy up-do and metallic blue loafers. We love.
We’ve been fans of Charlotte Taylor’s designs for a while now, and seeing pop’s girl next door pull it off has inspired us to try and rock them too. To take a look at the ready-to-wear pieces from her A/W collection, click here. You’ll have to save up, though.
As a celebration of Miss Vickers’ new found extroverted sense of fashion, we’ve compiled a gallery of some of her best recent looks. Shiny Style loves you, Diana!
Designer Fashions, Designers, dresses, Gallery, Paris Fashion Week
Paris Fashion Week highlights: Valentino
By Andrea Petrou on October 6th, 2010
By Emily Borrett.
As soon as the first dress came down the runway yesterday at Paris Fashion Week, it was immediately clear that the RTW collection wasn’t going to be lacking in romance. Oozing Frenchness, it was a gorgeous, nude over-the-knee dress with a sheer layer patterned with flowers with a slip underneath, and a pleated black waistband tied in a bow at the front. Departing entirely from their trademark scarlet evening glamour (though of course, there was a bit of that – it is Valentino) for a more understated femininity, it’s the kind of dress that makes me glad that I was born a girl.
Along with the Left Banke-style party dresses that were of the collection, there were also some more understated dresses, tied at the neck, in similar nude tones in simple shift shapes that I for one am coveting. When it came to evening wear, sheer polka-dot blouses and dresses in black and cream were present, as well as floaty chiffon gowns in champagne and nude fabrics.
As for outerwear, there were some beautiful (if not entirely practical) jackets made out of panelled black leather, velvet and ribbon – the one made with the high velvet collar was especially gorgeous – with sheer chiffon sleeves, as well as one classic cream skirt-suit with the teeniest wasp-waist imaginable. Check the gallery above to see Shiny Style’s favourites from the collection.
Designer Fashions, designer pick of the week, Gallery, Paris Fashion Week
Paris Fashion Week highlights: Chanel
By Andrea Petrou on October 5th, 2010
By Emily Borrett.
When we think of Paris Fashion Week, the first designer that instantly comes to mind is Chanel, the timeless French fashion label that every girl covets and admires. Creative director Karl Lagerfeld always puts on a good show (recent memorable shows have featured a giant barn with models cheekily rolling in the hay, and last season, models in yeti-like furs stomping around a melting iceberg), so everyone was waiting with baited breath today for what they knew would be a spectacular show.
And yes, as you can see from the photos above, it was classic Chanel grandeur and flamboyance all the way. In typical Lagerfeld style, the floor space was decorated like a French garden complete with fountains, with what seemed like every supermodel ever working in the show. It was hard to believe that this was the ready-to-wear show and not couture, as the lines between the two became blurred in the beauty of the collection.
There was breathtaking detail in the clothes; tiny beaded embellishments that gave the collection’s box jackets an iridescent appearance, rich-looking classic tweeds in silvers and pale ice-cream colours, fringing and feathering, sheer lace midi-skirts and some of the most fantastic looking costume jewellery that I’ve probably ever seen. Any French woman would kill for this level of Parisian style.
Best show of Paris Fashion Week so far? In fact, best show in all of the past month’s fashion shows, full stop? Yeah, I think so..
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Paris Fashion Week highlights: Chloe
By Andrea Petrou on October 5th, 2010
By Emily Borrett.
Chloe has been one of the most-referenced labels when it’s come to the camel trend this Autumn/Winter with their offering of 70s silhouttes, fabrics in camels and gold and sexy Farrah Fawcett-style hair. Well, fast-forward a couple of decades and you’ve just about arrived at the French label’s Spring/Summer collection, which was very nineties and minimalist
The order of the day seemed to be clean, simple – but not prissy – shapes, the best of which was the funnel-necked princess coat which was sent down the runway in both scarlet and cream with some beautifully ladylike gold buttons, fashion’s favourite fastener at the moment.
While everyone’s favourite camel tones were not completely absent from the collection, in the form of buttery-looking leather crop tops and coffee-coloured pleated chiffon, like many designers at the moment Chloe seemed to be repping their love for good old-fashioned Parisian monochrome in cream and black separates. Having said that, the collection was far from generic, with fashion creative director Hannah MacGibbon really making it Chloe’s own. Curve accentuating pencil skirts and pleated chiffon were teamed up with boxy leather crop tops, deliciously girly sheer midi-skirts were worn with extremely mini miniskirts underneath and the classic high-waisted shorts style was vamped up with hella black leather.
Click on the images above to see the best of Chloe’s SS2011 collection.
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Paris Fashion Week highlights: Viktor and Rolf
By Andrea Petrou on October 4th, 2010
Celebrity Style, Designer Fashions, Events, Paris Fashion Week
PFW highlights: Aishwarya Rai, Taylor Swift and Dasiy Lowe turn up for Roberto Cavalli’s party
By Andrea Petrou on September 30th, 2010
Designer Fashions, Paris Fashion Week
Paris Fashion Week highlights: Rocha
By Andrea Petrou on September 30th, 2010
They say Paris fashio is sleeker to that shown at London Fashion Week, this can be said of Rocha’s PFW ss2011, but as well as sleek the designs were skimpy too.
Models marched down the catwalk in bralets and puffy knickers (don’t get me wrong I like them but I can’t help thinking of huggies pull-ups), as well as some very pretty floral bodys.
As a contrast just below the knee 40s style silk patterned dresses complete with the bag and shoes to match the era came into the collection as well as ulitlity style denim dresses (again from the 40s) and black skirts teamed with blouses.
However, Rocha didn’t just stick to the 40s sending other models down in bright yellow 70s jumpsuits.
We have to admit it’s a very refreshing collection and we’re sure Anna Wintour and Vivienne Westwood who were sitting in the front row agree.
Designer Fashions, Gallery, Paris Fashion Week
Paris Fashion Week highlights: Dries Van Noten
By Andrea Petrou on September 29th, 2010
By Emily Borrett.
It was a mashup of feminine simplicity and masculine tailoring on the Dries Van Noten SS2011 catwalk today in Paris. The show was a textile lover’s dream as the models floated down the runway in a mix of peachy and periwinkle silks, Asian-inspired cherry blossom prints, sheer dip-dyed fabrics layered over smart shirts and – mm – some particularly yummy-looking velvet.
The Belgian fashion house had all bases covered when it came to little dresses and separates; flowing high-waisted silk trousers and jumpsuits, sweet above-the-knee skirts, sharp little utilitarian shirts perfect for work and probably the most gorgeous black velvet trouser suit ever made. There was a clear oriental inspiration behind the collection that could be seen in the white silk kimono dress and sparkly kimono jacket, perfect for the evenings. With celebrities in LA like Cat Deeley and Nicole Richie already sporting vintage kimono jackets, I can predict these will be high in demand next year.
Dries Van Noten have got serious game this Fashion Week. Check the images below so that you can get coveting, just like us.
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Ones to watch: Charlotte Taylor
By Andrea Petrou on September 29th, 2010
By Emily Borrett.
At the “talent goldmine” that is Vauxhall Fashion Scout, Shiny Style interviewed Georgia Hardinge, Lilee and now quirky British designer Charlotte Taylor, graduate of Central St Martin’s and former employee of girl-tastic fashion brand Luella. So the girl has all her credentials in place.
When it comes to Charlotte Taylor’s work, don’t expect anything less that a lot of fun clothes – this is the girl whose last collection listed influences such as: “trashy grannies, penguins, old soap operas, moves and the eccentric within”. And eccentric she is – her SS2011 collection didn’t disappoint in the fun stakes. Her latest work featured velvet high-waisted hot pants, big industrial-looking pendants, yellow robot-print fabric and one very sweet powder-blue mini romper suit. When we met she was looking very elegant, despite being completely worn-out by the last-minute rush, and graciously answered our questions for us.
SS: Hi Charlotte. What was the inspiration behind your collection?
CT: The main inspiration behind it was vintage robots. I loved the idea of using a very rusty, metallic palette in both the clothes and the jewellery.
SS: Who are your favourite designers of the moment?
CT: I love Sonia Rykiel because her knits are just really fun. And Marc Jacobs too- everything about the brand is great.
SS: I read that you used to work for Luella – what was that like? What did it teach you?
CT: Working for Luella was fun, but mad. It taught me a lot about the industry and gave me the guts to do it on my own. I don’t actually think Luella’s brand dissimilar to my own, in that being British is a great factor in her design.
SS: Finally, who is your style icon?
CT: Oh, my granny. Definitely.
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Ones to watch: Lilee
By Andrea Petrou on September 29th, 2010
By Emily Borrett.
Continuing on from our chat with fresh talent Georgia Hardinge, we next had a chat with Korean designer Lilee, whose delicate collection was my personal favourite out of all the ones that were shown at Vauxhall Fashion Scout. Lilee (centre in the photo below), whose talent has not gone unnoticed by the likes of Vogue, Elle and InStyle, made her London Fashion Week debut this season.
Lilee’s SS2011 collection was exquisite in its’ simplicity; crisp, pleated little dresses and separates with sharp collars in a neat palette of bright white, navy and greys that seemed to flutter playfully as the models went down the catwalk. A particular favourite of mine was the white midi-length dress towards the end of the collection with the sheer panelled top and geometric bustier. Minimalist heaven. Lilee herself was a pleasure to talk to; all tiny and pretty like a dress-up doll, I wanted to take her home and put her in my pocket.
SS: It’s a stunning collection that you’ve put together, my favourite of the day. What was the inspiration behind it?
LL: It all started with an old photo, a 1930s one, of a woman walking her dog. There was this great sense of spontanaeity and high energy coming off the picture, so much attitude and energy radiating from the woman. That’s what I wanted to communicate with this collection.
SS: When did you first realise you wanted to be a designer?
LL: I don’t really know.. [Smiles] My major was fashion design. I guess I just like making things.
SS: Who are your favourite designers at the moment?
LL: Let me see, that would have to be Jean-Paul Gaultier, definitely. And Ricardo Tisci.
Lilee will be releasing a capsule collection on ASOS.com, set to come online in early October.
Designer Fashions, designer pick of the week, Events, Fashion Crush, Gallery, London fashion week
Ones to watch: Georgia Hardinge
By Andrea Petrou on September 29th, 2010
By Emily Borrett.
The great thing about Fashion Week craziness is all the new talent that emerges each year at Vauxhall Fashion Scout – you may have read of it – termed the “talent goldmine” by Vogue, where some of the best young designers are given a platform to show their work. Leading British motor manufacturer Vauxhall has sponsored Vauxhall Fashion Scout for the last nine seasons in the spirit of showing its support for the British fashion industry and emerging talent – and what talent there was. ShinyStyle went to see the collections of the Ones To Watch winners this year, to check out the clothes and have a little chat with the designers.First up was Georgia Hardinge with her SS2011 collection, entitled La Belle et la Bete.
It wasa beautifully flirtatious little array of clothes that very dreamy and very French. Sent down the runway were frothy, gorgeous white cocktail dresses that looked like whipped cream and sugar, sleek little dresses in liquid-looking prints in silvers and greys and black sheer separates with super-structured hips and bodices. The claps that ensued were well-deserved – it’s easy to see why supermodel Erin O’Connor is already a huge fan.
Unfortunately because of the backstage rush (mental, if you were wondering) after the show we were only able to grab a couple of minutes with her. Despite the obvious stress she was under, with organisers shouting and chivvying all over the place, Miss Hardinge was very friendly and up for a chat.
SS: Hi Georgia, your collection was gorgeous today. Could you tell me a little bit of the inspiration behind it?
GH: I took a lot of inspiration from the French artist Jean Cocteau – he was my muse for this collection – and the idea of old beauty meeting new beauty, French baroque meeting punk.
SS: What first motivated you to become involved in the fashion industry?
GH: I wanted to be an artist or a sculptor originally, actually. But I didn’t want to make things that were just mounted on the wall or in the middle of the floor; I wanted to make beautiful art that people could walk around in. I wanted to make walking art. That’s how I began making clothes.
SS: I was nerdily reading up on you earlier and found out that you studied fashion design in Paris. Are French women really the best-dressed women in the world, or is that a myth?
GH: [Smiles] No, that’s not a myth. They really are better dressed.
Designer Fashions, Gallery, Milan Fashion Week
Milan Fashion Week highlights: Jil Sander
By Andrea Petrou on September 28th, 2010
By Emily Borrett.
Germany-based fashion label Jil Sander may not be famous for frivolity or jolliness in their designs, being especially famous for extreme minimalism and extreme tailoring, but they showed everybody in Milan that they’re ready to have a bit off fun next S/S, too.
It was a fun, modern show, as the models stomped down the catwalk with slicked-back hair and bubblegum coloured lips. While in the past, the brand has favoured very neutral, minimalist shades like stone, cream and grey, creative director Raf Simons’ seems to have opted for statement block colours of shocking pink, orange and electric blue, florals and geometric stripes. The classic Jil Sander shapes were still there, however – teeny and fitted on top, with explosions of volume in the form of maxi skirts and wide-legged trousers.
If you thought maxi-skirts looked dowdy before you saw this collection, you won’t anymore. Jil Sander’s SS2011 collection is going to be the most fun way to work volume, length and colour next Spring.
Designer collaborations, Designer Fashions, dresses, Gallery, Milan Fashion Week
Milan Fashion Week highlights: Versus
By Andrea Petrou on September 28th, 2010
By Emily Borrett.
Christopher Kane’s SS2011 collection, shown at LFW last week, was always going to be a hard act to follow. But the Brit designer has outdone himself in the S/S clothes for Donatella Versace’s diffusion line Versus, which graced catwalks at Milan Fashion Week.
Everyone’s favourite fashion Glaswegian is a big fan of slightly perverse, little-girly Lolita styling, as we saw last Spring in the form of lots of babydoll dresses in gingham, with some very high side-splits that were practically knicker-flashing. It’s no surprise then that the Versus show this week saw models sent down the catwalk looking like they were getting fitted for their summer boarding school uniforms. The catwalk was decorated to look like a school playground – it even had swings. Mr. Kane is a very cheeky man.
He’s graduated from little-girl gingham to Catholic-school plaid for Versus’ SS2011 collection, as shown in the little flirty-skirted dresses that we’ve come to know and love from the designer. Just pop on some knee socks and a straw boater and hey ho, the perfect playtime outfit. Worked into the plaid fabrics were cute tiny floral prints that helped the collection progress to a more summery atmosphere, while flashes of bold pinstripes kept the “head girl” look going strong. My personal favourite from the collection was the separates outfit (picture 9 of 12 in the gallery) which showed off some adorable floral capris, a matching cardi complete with a vivid pink school badge and – this is Christopher Kane we’re talking about – an incredibly sheer black blouse worn underneath for more than a cheeky flash of skin.
Donatella, you made a good choice when you asked Christopher to design for you. Keep Versus coming at us – we can’t wait to see AW2011.
Designer Fashions, dresses, Events, Gallery, Milan Fashion Week
Milan Fashion Week highlights: Missoni
By Andrea Petrou on September 28th, 2010
By Emily Borrett.
Italian knitwear label Missoni is one of my all-time favourite designers, so it was a treat to have a look through the Spring/Summer 2011 collection and see what they’d come up with this time. And what they came up with was super-fun.
Somebody said (I don’t remember who) a couple of years back, “it’s impossible to be unhappy in a poncho”. Well, I don’t know how it would feel to actually wear one the Aztec-printed, eyewateringly bright ponchos that got sent down Missoni’s catwalk (I’d probably just explode) , but I sure felt pretty happy just looking at them. With lots of Milan Fashion Week shows churning out plenty of euro-glamour and not much else, it was lovely to see that Missoni weren’t taking themselves too seriously.
The iconic brand showed us exactly why they are famous for their knits and use of colour, using what looked like an awful lot of inspirati0n from Native American and Mexican textiles for the collection, which proved to be a happy poncho jamboree. Perhaps a little silly, yes, but there was also a lot to wear for those of you who don’t fancy completely channelling the Speedy Gonzales look, with beaded midriff-baring tops and little miniskirts in the same prints that were far more wearable and easier to integrate into your wardrobe.
I for one think it’s great to see designers having so much fun with their clothes. After all, that’s what dressing up is about – fun. I might dig out my childhood poncho now.
From:Pictures: 2012 British Soap Awards - Best dressed, Michelle Keegan, Jennifer Metcalf and more