My points are ladders...

Recently I have noticed a trend for laddered tights. Infact I have started noticing a lot of ladders in various garments, which I’m really liking at the mo.

Kate Moss has laddered tights in her new Topshop ads, which looks edgy and sexy even though it looks as if she hasn’t been home yet, although as its Kate its always cool.

Outside LFW we noticed a couple of ladies with laddered tights looking lovely.

I know they aren’t really ladders (that could be the inspiration?) but I’m loving these Rad Hourani leggings.

Laddered tights could have started as an accidental trend or maybe the credit crunch is hitting people very hard at the moment, either way I think it is quite the sexy stop out look, and I think it will grow on people (literally). Either way I have already laddered mine, although I decided to ladder them into a pattern so they look more like stripes.

Laddering also seems quite popular in knitwear at the moment too. Topshop has quite a few laderry (apologies for my made up words) jumpers. Also as you’ve also probably noticed on the High St, there are lots of Madonna style and print clothing available, this is to do with Madonna releasing her Greatest Hits, celebration CD and DVDs. After seeing Louise Goldins S/S 10 collection I couldn’t help draw comparisons over those pointy boobs.

And as we are talking about tights and bras I had to upload this image of Agent Provocateurs new windows. We are loving the forceful powerful image of lingerie they portray.

Loz xx

Catching Alice

Alice In Wonderland has always been a popular theme, especially within fashion, for giving things a fantasy feel. These photos by Annie Leibovitz are a beautiful example.


And with the new Tim Burton film on it’s way, Alice seems set to take off in a big way. The new film is going to be based on a combination of the original book (which I adore) and the animated Disney film.

Although the new Alice isn’t out until March 5th 2010, it is already starting show it’s influence. This shop window for Jigsaw is very down the rabbit hole.


With so many directions and ideas that can be taken from the theme of Alice In Wonderland it’s not surprising that it’s a popular theme. I’m hoping for…
Pinafores
Alice bands and bows
Playing card themes
Rabbits
Tea-Parties

So with the main characters looking like this…



Keep your eyes open for their influences on fashion.

Nadia xx

First Lady Looks

Politics seems more interesting at present, maybe it’s just that I’m getting old and actually enjoy reading the newspapers and watching the news. But personally, I think it has something to do with all the fashion-conscious first ladies and political women that are around. Women like Carla Bruni, Michelle Obama and Sarah Brown seem to be always in the spotlight at the moment and are fast becoming almost as famous as their husbands. Their style continues to echo that of Jackie Os back in the 60s, elegant and sophisticated, a true lady of class and style.

Pearls, suits, hats, matching handbags have filtered into current trends. The granny chic look has also emerged following the release of ‘Coco Before Chanel’. I have noticed many iconic Chanel garments making a come back. The Chanel jacket has been the most obvious and definitely a trend I think will stick around into next year.

Lucy. x

Liberty of London

Who Said Florals Were Just For Spring?

We noticed Liberty has become just a little bit wrapped up in them with this pretty patterned wallpaper exterior.

Liberty Of London.

Hannah. xx

Ruffles and Bubbles

At London Fashion Week I spotted two trends, that I think will be popular for s/s10.


On the catwalk there was an abundance of round skirt that shoot out at the hips.


Here at luella:




And again at basso and brook:


And with a variation on structure but retaining the rounded shape using an exiting pleat technique at Gavin Douglas.



I personally love this trend. It’s fun, flirty and girly which is perfect for spring.




Another trend I spotted at LFW for the more fashion forward (or confident) was for statement neckpieces, particularly neck ruffles. The key to this look is to go soft and feminine rather that a stiff Jacobean look. Too wide ruffles are awkward to wear and look costume-y. Think soft and romantic not Queen Elizabeth I.

Here at Betty Jackson


Peter Jensen also worked the ruffle look with this knitted ruffle teamed with a cardigan for a more discreet lady-like look.



And it’s not just on the catwalk I saw this trend. The boy was also wearing this trend (as well as the new LV bunny ears trend!) How cute does he look!

This look isn’t for everyone, but I personally love it.


Nadia xx

Style: Brick Lane

After a menswear morning at LFW we decided to head off and do a little vintage browsing in the East end, where we met some lovely people who really caught our eyes with their original style.

We loved her vintage sequin and bead cardigan and she made her leggings herself!

We loved Staceys bohemian style with floral prints and matching DMs. All her jewelry was either customised or vintage. Look at her beautiful statement tribal necklace!!

This lovely couple had also been to LFW, their favourite collection was Jeremy Scotts Flintstone themed S/S10 collection.

Loz xx

Style: Outside the Catwalk

It wasn't just the catwalks showcasing fantastic fashions. We took these snaps of well dressed LFW goers.

What a fantastically, colourful swimsuit-typed piece of clothing!

Fashion Week twins! Everything matched, from their heart-shaped haircuts to their leopard print suitcases.

Lucy. x

Nadia's LFW Picks SS 10 (Part 2)

Here are some more of my favorite picks from LFW.


At Betty Jackson the mood was romantic and sweet, perfect for a spring romance. I loved this dainty and feminine look that features floral prints and ruffles.


At Jenny Packham the romantic mood was continued with soft colours, feathers and more ruffles. I also like the ribbon bows on necks that can easily be achieved by fashionistas on a budget.

And my favourite collection of LFW was at Luella. A sweet and girly collection with a humorous Minnie mouse twist that stops it from being too sickly.


Polka dots, bows and puffy skirts…all my favourite things.


I love the structure on this polka dot top.

A super-sweet apron inspired dress.


And these trousers and top which gives a 50’s pin-up feel.



Blue-on-Blue florals give a sophisticated twist to a dress that reminds me of a party frock.


And finally probably my favourite piece of LFW this amazing heart cut-out dress.

A simple black dress that could be worn for any occasion made special by the heart.
This is the must-have of LFW, and I think it's going to be super popular.
If I could have one outfit from all of the catwalk collections at LFW this would be it.

And that was my favourite looks, collections and designers from S/S 10 at London Fashion Week.

Interactive Design

SHOWstudio Fashion Revolution

This week was a particularly busy one for London’s Somerset House. As well as playing host to London Fashion Week Nick Knight’s new exhibition, SHOWstudio Fashion Revolution would be opening. For more information about the exhibition you can read Loz’s post but for now, I want to draw your attention to a piece at the exhibition called Naomi.

It features a 3-D polystyrene sculpture of Naomi Campbell’s body triplicate and had been produced using complicated 3-D scanning techniques and sculptural rendering technology. Whilst the sculpture itself is more than impressive, it’s main objective is surely to explore the idea of interactive design and the creative process, a theme concurrent throughout the exhibition.

Light is projected on to the sculpture whilst viewers can use light boxes with a basic Paint like program to draw their designs that are simultaneously projected onto the model’s body. I found this interactive approach to be rather fun and much less conventional than the traditional idea of what you would expect a fashion exhibition to be. It would seem that this use of technology is being adapted for similar purposes by high street store Nike.

Just the same afternoon Nadia and I found ourselves exploring the shops around Covent Garden when our attention was drawn to Nike stores window display complete with a video and touch screen. When presented with a touch screen your immediate reaction is to do exactly that! Similarly to the Naomi at the Nick Knight exhibition shoppers could choose colours themselves for various Nike clothing and footwear items and be presented with their choice and colour options straight away on the video screen.

Whether this is a gimmick from Nike to merely occupy small children whilst their parents do the shopping, or a genuine design tool, I cannot argue with the fact that it made me want to get involved.

It is a fact that fashion designers are influenced by exhibitions and in turn the high street is essentially led by what major designers are producing. So could it be that Nick Knight is paving the way for an interactive British high street where shoppers are designing for themselves? Who knows? In the mean time check out our video and picture and decide for yourselves!

Hannah. xx

Lovin' LFW

There seems a real buzz around London Fashion Week this autumn. Maybe it’s the fact that it’s in its 25th year and big names such as Burberry and Matthew Williamson have chosen to return home to show their collection. But it is also taking place in a new location, Somerset house and seems to have attracted a lot of influential people, from Anna Wintour to Boris Johnson.



Suzanne Clements from Clements and Ribeiro reckons that LFW, “has really got itself together. Now, with this venue it finally feels like it has a home.” And thinks, “it’s the best it’s been.” A celebration of both the last 25 years of British fashion and an insight into what is to come in the future, it manages to cram in practically everything and anything to do with fashion over six days. There is an incredible variety of styles, and what I think is great is the support for emerging talent. New designers are able to show alongside established houses.



Exhibition stands were housed in the main building surrounding the courtyard and along the road at 180 Strand. These included accessory, shoe and NewGen sponsored designers. Looking round, there were a few that particularly stood out. In the NewGen exhibition, Louise Gray’s ready to wear garments were completely eye-catching. Soooo colourful and mad, they were covered in loud prints, flashes of different coloured pieces of fabric and an overall look of something creatively home-made. From the accessories exhibition, I feel that two people deserve a mention. Atalanta Weller, shoe designer, had created some really impressive looking footwear. Of course, as with most outlandish footwear, it is probably completely impossible to wear but I think it is definitely worth a look. What I really enjoyed was seeing more that just a pretty dress at LFW. Hat designer, Piers Atkinson, showed some bizarre headgear under the collection name of ‘sex on the brain’, which featured hats starring bananas, cherries and Barbie dolls. Definitely a very exciting London Fashion Week, promising some very talented new blood.



Lucy. x

Christopher Kane's Top Shop

Christopher Kane For Topshop

No doubt one of the most talked about happenings on the high street right now is Christopher Kane’s collection for Topshop.

An entire window display dedicated to showcasing some of the collections key pieces can be found at the flagship store on Oxford Circus.

The collection consists of sheer fabrics, one off crocodile prints and flashes of neon colour amongst predominantly black and silver garments, which are embellished with shiny circular bits and bobs.

Hannah. xx