Britain loses a fashion legend

Last week a rumble of chatter worked its way around the office. “Oh my god” someone said. “Alexander McQueen has died”. In a stunned group reaction of utter horror and complete sadness, the news spread that this awful rumour was really true. As we welcome yet another London Fashion Week with the excitement it warrants, it will no doubt be overshadowed by the loss of such a talented British legend. Always excited by his sensational runway shows, I admired Lee’s bold showmanship, brave sense of rebellion and limitless creativity. Here are some of my favourite McQueen moments.

British Fashion awards 2001

AW collection 2003

Lee with Kate at the Mario Testino exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery


AW collection 2009

Paris 2009


Beyonce wears McQueen at the World Music Awards 2008

AW collection 2008

McQueen with designer Philip Treacy 2007

McQueen shows support for Kate Moss after she lost fashion campaigns for Burberry and Chanel 2005

Lee and SJP, Costume Institute Gala in New York 2006

Lee and his beloved mum

Best of British

Brighton boy, Derek Lawlor is fast becoming one of the London’s most exciting new designers. His signature wax-cordworking techniques combined with traditional cabling and intarsia have been so well received by the fashion pack that Vogue’s Sarah Mower described his MA debut in 2009 as ‘fabulous knitwear’. An amazing accolade for a graduate straight out of St Martins.
Lawlor presented his second progressive collection of floor-length evening gowns, directional separates and figure-hugging dresses in an off-schedule show last Friday at London’s Somerset House. ‘I wanted to introduce the idea of different textures within my new collection, “ says Lawlor. “Combining mohair, Cashmere, Mole Skin and Wax Cotton has allowed me to manipulate different compositions and produce sculptural pieces to offer an edgy, modern take on bespoke knitwear.’
In a muted palette of blue and grey, Lawlor has certainly been working hard to create an impressive second collection. Watch this space..

Hooray for Ga Ga!

I had quite a heated debate with a friend of mine at the weekend over the legendary Lady Ga Ga.

“She’s awful, “my friend said.

“What are you serious?” I replied, “Have you seen her videos? Her Bad Romance video? She wears a pair of those mental Apocalyptical McQueen shoes! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?”

“I just don’t like her!” she said. “I think she’s crap!”

I could see my plight for Ga Ga was bordering on useless, I had more chance of fighting Osama bin Laden’s corner. Maybe the reason I feel so strongly about this subject is that Lady G is quite clearly a pop sensation and a fashion guru of the highest calibre. She brought pop music to the world in a slick package of high fashion, creative eccentricity and some pretty catchy songs to boot. Yes she’s utterly bonkers with a capital B, and no I wouldn’t want to be left in a room with her for too long but Ga Ga embraces fashion with such vigour I challenge you to find a fashionista that doesn’t like her on some level.
On Sunday, Lady Ga Ga stepped out in a truly show-stopping creation at the 2010 Grammie awards. Accented with her newly-dyed yellow hair and always sky-high heels (that should probably come with a health warning), Ga Ga stole the show in her fabulous sculptural Armani dress and showed the world what it is to be a true style icon! Now that’s what I call a party dress!

N.B some events in this blog may have been exaggerated for dramatic effect.

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Spring Couture 2010

After slightly forgetting about my poor old blog, I am back on the case and promise to be more of a loyal blogger. Unfortunately I don’t have a good enough excuse but January is a crap month, and the ridiculous snow situation, lack of money and therefore inevitable lack of social life may have added to me going through the month in somewhat of a daze. That was however until the event that gets every fashionista’s heart racing, Spring Couture week. Forget the recession, forget the 6 week month, this is the dream that fashion was made of, and the more opulent, luxurious and deliciously decadent it is the better. What the hell, someone out there can afford it! Still felling gloomy? I have one word for you. Chanel.

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