London Fashion Week: Antipodium AW13

Fashion Week is all about being seen and seeing, right from the pieces worn by models on the catwalk to the audience’s choice of wear, all of which are under constant scrutiny. Creative director Geoffrey Finch cleverly uses this act of surveillance as his inspiration for Antipodium’s AW13 collection. With Sex, Lies & CCTV as the theme of the show, Antipodium peeps breathlessly into private worlds and presents a contemporary uniform of modern classics deftly subverted – clothing fit for a life under constant watch of the eye of the camera lens.

While designs were decidedly prim with polo necks and soft preppy collars, outfits hinted the underlying sexuality of the draped female form underneath – tough masculine outerwear in patent leather and faux pony hair fabrics were juxtaposed against a subtle flash of flesh and translucent silk shirts. 

Known for their instantly wearable pieces, what sets them apart are the delightfully jarring colour combinations, which echo street lights and city life – acid brights paired with softer hues of pistachio, tobacco and velvety reds together with icy metallics, all in cleverly clashing textures.

Images by fashionising.com

My piece above is published on www.theglassmagazine.com where I contribute regularly.

Yiqing Yin Spring Summer Couture 2013

Chinese-born French designer Yiqing Yin delivered an avant-garde collection, channelling Russian architect Naum Gabo’s kinetic art influences through a number of her pieces. The collection saw dresses sculpted from thick, dark red ropes, through to delicate numbers with contrasting thread-work hanging on the body like second skin – reminiscent of the blood-pumping network of veins that keep us alive.

Yin maintained the decorative and constructed display with skilled pleated constructions via intricate silhouettes ranging from two-piece suits to plunging mini-dresses. The notable theme of thread-work extended as far as partially covering models’ faces with long silver strands right through to the finale – a shredded shroud encasing and transforming the model into an almost otherworldly being.

Images courtesy of fashionising.com

My piece above is published on www.theglassmagazine.com where I contribute regularly.

Jean Paul Gaultier Spring Summer Couture 2013

There was not a trace of doubt about the theme at Jean Paul Gaultier’s couture show – with the catwalk bathed in warm amber light, guests seated in sections named after famous Indian dishes and Edith Piaf’s song La Vie En Rose in Hindi played in the background, it was clear inspiration was drawn from the exotic – India.

It was a case of two different worlds – quintessentially Parisian couturier meets the spices of the East – gracefully colliding into one another.  The collection began with a tight colour balance before swiftly bursting into a fanfare of flame, saffron and chartreuse. Patchwork gowns, lavish embroideries and Indian style layering were all present, as were some of Gaultier’s trademark pieces – the trench coat in shimmering gold snakeskin and of course the Blonde Ambition corset.

While Gaultier did not necessarily break new ground, he did have one surprise up his sleeve for the finale – the bride’s structured overblown skirts lifted to give birth to four sweet little children.

Images courtesy of style.com

My piece above is published on www.theglassmagazine.com where I contribute regularly.

Miu Miu Women’s Tales #5: The Door

Miu Miu continue their love affair with self-expression through film with their fifth episode entitled The Door by Ava DuVernay, which was unveiled today on their website. The short film is about sisterhood – a celebration of the transformative power of female bonds – and is a symbolic story of life change. 

The Door follows The Powder Room, by Zoe Cassavetes; Muta, by Lucrecia Martel; The Woman Dress, by Giada Colagrande and It’s Getting Late, by Massy Tadjedin in The Miu Miu Women’s Tales series. Each short film combines credible filmmaking themes and strong feminine points of view with fashion directed by and starring the fairer sex – quite arguably so. 

Inspired by the strength and vulnerability of Miu Miu’s designs, director DuVernay decided on a story about a woman who is at a vulnerable time in her life who leans on the strength of friendship. Using clothing as a symbol of renewal, each change of costume charts the heroine’s emergence from a chrysalis of sadness. 

All five films from the project can be viewed on a dedicated area of the Miu Miu site, alongside exclusive interviews and behind-the-scenes footage. 

Miu Miu's fifth and latest tale can be viewed here.

Image by Brigitte Lacombe for Miu Miu

My piece above is taken from www.theglassmagazine.com where I contribute regularly.

On Aura Tout Vu Spring Summer Couture 2013

With a name that means “you think you’ve seen it all”,  design duo Livia Stoianova and Yassen Samouilov begin the show with what initially appears an absence of their signature sparkle. We are instead presented with tame prints which gradually evolve into full shine and shimmer – perhaps a reflection on their growth after having celebrated ten years of couture just last season.

The collection sees inspiration taken from spring fauna, namely the beetle, which heavily influenced designs throughout.  The duo’s totem animal is used to its full capacity – transparent PVC sleeves reminiscent of the hind wing, shoulders and necklines with collars are sharp and angular, while elytra embellishments are from the beetles themselves. 

The upper body saw tailored volumes, particularly to the shoulders – a common theme so far during Couture Week - along with revealing lower halves, while gowns were balanced with fitted iridescent bodices and floor-sweeping skirts. While perhaps not the most haute compared to their couture counterpart, the show comprised of interesting pieces avoiding the common flora cliché of the season.

Images courtesy of fashionising.com

My piece above is published on www.theglassmagazine.com where I contribute regularly.

Valentino: Master of Couture

How very apt, I think to myself. The name given to Valentino’s current exhibition at Somerset House, that is - a conclusion I reach after leaving the final set of doors. 

Here is a man who personifies la dolce vita, creating works of art in the form of elegant dresses for glamorous women, from Jackie Kennedy to Audrey Hepburn. Offering a rare glimpse into the inner sanctum of Valentino’s world, the exhibition is staged in three parts. The first room delves into Valentino’s private life, showcasing previously unseen personal photographs, couture invitations, sketches and words of thanks from the industry’s most feared and admired - who knew Anna Wintour would have such enormous bubble-esque handwriting. 

The centrepiece of the show sees the transformation of the long Embankment Gallery into a catwalk of Valentino’s 138 hand-crafted creations. In a clever reversal of roles, the “audience” is in fact made up of mannequins dressed in the priceless couture we have all flocked to see, and it is we, the viewers, who are on the runway. While the dresses are not placed in the centre of attention literally, our attention on them remains quite so - their positioning on the side of the catwalk does not distract us from their beauty and diversity.

The third and final part of the show takes us behind the seams at the atelier through a series of specially made films, showing the painstaking artistry of the couture techniques that go into making a Valentino gown, some of which are unique to Valentino - awe-inspiring indeed.

Valentino and his dresses 

Photo by Peter Macdiarmid

A/W 2002, 2003  HC romantic Valentino Red taffeta evening gown © Valentino Garavani

Photo by Virtual Museum

Valentino dress from S/S 1969, 2000 

Photo by Ruven Affanador

Wedding dress of Princess Marie-Chantal © Valentino Garavani

Photo by Peter Macdiarmid

Catwalk of dresses © Valentino Garavani

Photo by Peter Macdiarmid

Running until 3rd March 2013 at Somerset House 

Admission: ￡12.50, Concessions ￡9

www.somersethouse.org.uk    

My piece above is published on www.theglassmagazine.com where I contribute regularly.

A house of a group of friends: The Michelberger Hotel, Berlin

A new year brings with it a burning desire to plan as many holidays as physically – and most importantly, financially – possible. At least that’s the case for yours truly. At present, in no particular order I have New York, Stockholm, Thailand, Italy, Turkey and Paris in mind. So far. And out of the bunch only two have a 99% chance of materialising, while the rest are just up in the air could-be ideas.

When speaking to friends about holiday plans, Berlin popped up – a place where some of us plan to visit or have already visited. I belong to the latter. We discovered that we’d all stayed at The Michelberger Hotel, or were planning to. We either have incredibly similar tastes, are super cool people, or there are no other hotels/hostels left in Berlin.

It’s the perfect blend of hotel meets hostel, inspiring interiors for a very modest price; a place not just for sleeping. If you haven’t yet discovered this little gem, fear not – take a peek at my post at the Glass Magazine… 

Here are a few photo teasers for now:

Images by James Mackenzie