Posts in January, 2014
If everything is hunkydory, it means everything is going fine . It's going well, but not spectacularly, nor terribly either. Hunkydory's AW14 collection exemplified the brand's name - it was a pleasant, collection of wearable pieces for a young clientele, but it hardly blew you away (nor perhaps intended to).Loosely themed around Ziggy Stardust (Bowie kept cropping up in various guises at Stockholm Fashion Week), the show was set in... ...READ MORE
I really like Carin Wester. She is a champion of the androgynous aesthetic and always presents a clean look made up of interesting shapes and distinctive prints. Every Scandi in town owns one of this seasons fox-tail print dresses, and her SS14 collection of voluminous bomber jackets, wide lapelled suit jackets and boxy shirts will inevitably be worn with equal enthusiasm. This season though, Carin Wester has elevated herself above... ...READ MORE
WHYRED market themselves as a brand that marries art, music and tailoring - like so many fashion brand these days, they've elevated themselves from "fashion brand" to "art collective", offering consumers a lifestyle in addition to clothing. The Swedish brand create collections for both sexes, often featuring unisex pieces and sharing fabrics, prints and cuts across their menswear and womenswear lines. WHYRED has had a turbulent few years, yo-yoing financially... ...READ MORE
My first show of Stockholm Fashion Week was BACK, the brainchild of designer Ann-Sofie Back. Ann-Sofie Back is somewhat of a Swedish fashion Demigod. She set up her own label Ann-Sofie Back in 2001, then launched BACK (her more affordable line) in 2005. In 2009 she became joint creative director of Cheap Monday (another of Sweden's retail success stories) and somewhere along the way she also found time to edit... ...READ MORE
I have been umming and aahing for sometime now about whether or not to hop on the trainer trend bandwagon. I love the look, but had been struggling to find a pair that didn't make my tiny feet look like little stumps at the end of my legs. Menswear has been rocking the style for a while now, but I've only just begun to spot womenswear models to rival them.... ...READ MORE
Whilst parent brand H&M partner with the likes of Isabel Marant and Lanvin, & Other Stories' image is a far quirkier, less mainstream one. The Scandinavian high street label offers an incredible in store experience, hanging polaroid pictures from their rails and laying out jewellery in a minimalist fashion - its like a physical manifestation of your favourite fashion bloggers instagram account. The brands campaigns are equally immersive. Back... ...READ MORE
At the tender age of twenty-seven, the Olsen twins' brand The Row feels wildly more mature than the design duos years. Known for clean lines, elegantly crafted basics and masculine inspired tailoring, The Row is a refined luxury brand for an understated dresser (with a generous budget). The Row is an exclusively womenswear label, but I believe of relevance to menswear enthusiasts as its aesthetic is rooted in the masculine... ...READ MORE
[caption id="attachment_2978" align="aligncenter" width="400"] Joseph: SS14[/caption] Have you heard the news? I'm a few weeks late to the party to be honest, but there are a few very exciting changes occurring over at Joseph. In womenswear, the latest is that the brand will be showing at London Fashion Week next month. Topshop Unique is now a firm favourite on the calendar, and Whistles too has joined the fashion foray, so... ...READ MORE
Boys, how many times have you fallen in love with a luxurious pair of leather brogues and then almost had a seizure when seeing the price tag? All mens magazines will insist that the well dressed gent invest in a high quality, premium pair of lace-ups, but often the pair of shoes they direct you to are way out of your price range. Its one thing to spend a hundred... ...READ MORE
1. Their Resort Collection (featured imagery) is breathtaking. Since 2008, when Jane Shepherdson parted ways with Topshop and became Chief Exec at Whistles, the brand has gone from strength to strength and shows no signs of slowing down. The Resort Collection is full of fashion forward pieces that ooze "designer", but like the rest of Whistles' womenswear they are accessibly priced. Minimal, clean lines, with masculine polish, here are my... ...READ MORE
You've probably read the February issue of Vogue, Elle and Esquire back to back by now, and are eagerly awaiting next months glossies. The March issues are up there with the September ones if you ask me, because March marks the beginning of Spring/Summer, and all things shiny and new that come with it. Unlike a lot of people I love the first 20pages of my fash-mags. I savour the... ...READ MORE
Not so long ago I wrote a post about the history of the tuxedo, accrediting the birth of this slinky eveningwear alternative to legendary designer Yves Saint Laurent.The fashion house conjures images of androgynous silhouettes and timeless Parisian cool, and is one of my most coveted luxury brands. As you may have guessed, what I love most about the brand is their impeccable tailored pieces, which is why I am... ...READ MORE
Acne Studios had me at hej hej, but the team led by Creative Director Jonny Johansson, have truly outdone themselves this season. In my humble opinion this is their strongest collection to date. For AW14, the brands menswear collection is themed around the cool and tortured coastline of their Swedish homeland in the winter - cheery right? But actually the collection itself doesn't feel sombre at all. In a palette... ...READ MORE
There's been a footwear revolution on the couture catwalk this season. Where sky high stilettos traditionally reigned, the flat has stepped in - and not just any flat, the ultra-casual flat. Chunky sandals at Schiaperelli, rock-pool shoes at Christian Dior and then yesterday sneakers skipped down the runway at Chanel - Mon Dieu! Women of the world rejoice, the current sportswear zeitgeist means its perfectly accessible to pair your comfy... ...READ MORE
I'm not normally one for an inspiration post, but I couldn't resist putting this picture up today. Taken from Swedish brand, & Other Stories' Facebook page, this image captures my mood perfectly. Clean faced, loosely fitted white shirt, tailored trousers and an on-season pointed flat - this look is understated and androgynous, without being overtly masculine. No menswear here granted, but this is the kind of look that could lure... ...READ MORE
Here's the thing, I don't skateboard - well not since I almost broke my ankle trying to ride one down a vert on my butt aged 13 (I think I was listening to Papa Roach at the time *cringe*) - but I do Isabel Marant. I do Isabel Marant, very well. Despite my inability to ride in style, my tomboy self can't help but covet these Heritage Paris x Isabel... ...READ MORE
When I was at London Collections Men last week I had the opportunity to pop backstage with the Academy of Freelance Make-up (AOFM) to see how the make-up team completed the various designers' visions. Unlike Fashion Week, where article upon article is produced instructing us how to mirror the catwalk looks, the menswear shows have a more subtle impact on trends. Don't get me wrong though, the menswear looks for... ...READ MORE
Early Morning Rebel have been christened the 'darlings of the fashion world', which for a three piece indie-electro band who have been together for little over two years, is a pretty admirable accolade. Touring the fashion circuit, LA-based Dustin, Josh and Nathan are regular attendees of the catwalk calendar, whether they be providing the soundtracks or seated for the shows, they could give most editors a run for their money... ...READ MORE
AGI & SAM Agi & Sam have been the darlings of British menswear for a while now, and as the winners of Emerging Talent: Menswear award at the BFAs last year, the pressure was on to maintain their stella reputation. So did they manage to awe their audience once again? Yes. More than ever before. Agi & Sam have matured since their TFL-inspired SS14 collection, abandoning the rambling story lines of... ...READ MORE
CHRISTOPHER RAEBURN Christopher Raeburn is the champion of sustainable fashion, and for his commitment to marrying aesthetics with ethics he has stolen this Scandi bloggers heart. Raeburn's invites hinted that the theme for his AW14 'Polaris' collection would revolve around his environmental allegiances, and as ever the British designer created a beautiful collection of functional garments constructed from versatile fabrics. Clothing was made from 100% Merino wool promoting the natural... ...READ MORE
The fourth season of London Collections Men drew to a close earlier this week. The three day event was hosted in three central London locations, allowing easy passage for attendees between shows - a novelty if you've tried to dart across London on the Circle line between shows at Fashion Week. David Gandy, Tinie Tempah, Nick Grimshaw and Dermot O'Leary were regular attendees at the shows as well as hordes... ...READ MORE
I had a bit of a fashion fail prior to London Collections Men this season. I was supposed to go back to Stockholm after Christmas and grab all of my clothing for the fashion shows, but due to unforeseen circumstances (aka a lack of organisation on my part) I ended up staying in London and having to make do with my suitcase that I had packed for a sedate festive... ...READ MORE
London Collections Men has drawn to a close, and as I sit on my flight back to Stockholm curating all my notes and press releases, and fellow bloggers and journalists set off for Pitti Uomo in Florence, or to Milan for the next round of shows and presentations, it's hard not to feel a wee bit shell shocked that its all been and gone so fast. Picking up a copy... ...READ MORE
Hello there, and Happy New Year! Apologies for going AWOL for a bit there, it has been a suitably hectic festive period and I've only just re-logged onto my laptop in preparation for LCM next week - hooray! For my first post of 2014, I bring you a top to toe (well not quite toe) menswear outfit shot on a rather blustery and wet day in Surrey. If you... ...READ MORE