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.

http://cathufton-aworkinprogress.blogspot.com/

You can always judge a person by their shoes

London and Berlin-based photographers Kate Bellm and Dylan Donv are the visionary artists behind their new exhibition “In their Shoes”, currently showing at Galerie M. H. Karst in Paris. With an eye for an interesting photo the pair were inspired by a pub carpet that was, you guessed it, covered in shoes. They then set to work snapping the footwear of models, friends, homeless people, strippers, celebrities and even Prince Michael of Kent’s tassled brogues. Dylan says, “It could be someone close to us, or a total stranger. It doesn't matter as long as the picture is interesting. The great thing is that if you shoot a stranger’s or a celebrity’s feet at some party, they don’t even realize or care, because it’s not in their face. For the "In Their Shoes" coffee-table book I want each picture to give the name of the person, the shoe brand, location and the date. I think it’s interesting to see who used to wear what and where. Imagine in 15 years time you will see a shoe picture of Madonna in front of some restaurant in New York and you will be saying "Yack!", was she really wearing those horrendous shoes?”.
The exhibition is running until the 30th November, 30 rue de Malte, in the 11th arrondissement)
For more of Dylan and Kate's work go to; http://dylansbackstage.tumblr.com/
and http://katesworld.tumblr.com/

Stars in the making

Shot by Matt Irwin for Dazed Digital.com, this short video celebrates a host of the young and sexy Brit Pack who are marked as the next big thing in film. Watch out for Skins actors Kaya Scodelario (Effy)and Nicholas Hoult (Tony).

http://dazeddigital.com/Video/Default.aspx?CategoryId=0&VideoID=159

Audrey forever

"All the responsibility for the way Audrey looked is hers. She made the selections.”
Givenchy





I am more than a little excited to hear that 30 dresses from my ultimate fave's wardrobe, Miss Audrey Hepburn are going to be auctioned off in December as part of Kerry Taylor’s Passion for Fashion event. Lucky buyers can snap up one of Audrey's Valentino cocktail dresses, an Elizabeth Arden gown she wore when she met her first husband Mel Ferrer and pieces by her all-time favourite designer and friend, Hubert de Givenchy. The only thing to ruin such a truly momentous occasion would be if Mrs Beckham (or Cheryl Cole for that matter) decided to buy themselves an early Christmas present. Rumour has it that the ex-Spice girl, turned designer has pre-ordered the lot catalogue. Somehow I don’t think Audrey would have approved of wags in fake tan.
The auction will be held at La Galleria in Pall Mall on the 8th of December.

The mighty M & S

Traditionally known as the home of fuddy-duddy clothing, sensible underwear and nice knits, Marks and Spencer has never been at the height of cutting-edge fashion. So, on a recent shopping trip with my mum I wasn’t filled with joy when she asked if we could have a browse around. Even with Twiggy, Erin and Lily giving the brand a glamorous marketing boost, I still couldn’t shake the image of dowdy twin sets and sensible pants. Much to my surprise I left with a beautiful faux-fur coat and super-soft knit for a little under £100! A bargain and dare I admit it, (I’m turning into my mother) very good quality. Marks and Sparks, I’ll be seeing you very soon.

Confession time

I have a confession. I have a little bit of a penchant shall we say, for a completely unobtainable kind of man. He is so well dressed you want to go home and change, he challenges the most smouldering of film stars and he is more than happy to have a good old bitch. My confession is that I absolutely love gay men. Not all of them of course – think Will Young, Rupert Everett, Marc Jacobs and that lovely Danyl from XFactor. These men are the new metrosexuals – they know how to dress without looking as camp as Christmas and exude a kind of confidence that I just can’t get enough of.
Over the weekend I spotted two very hot and very well dressed guys outside the Electricity Showroom in Old Street. Dressed in skinny jeans (not too skinny), worn leather jackets and a swagger that made me stand and stare at them for a good few seconds, I was quite in awe of how super cool and stylish they were. (Until they kissed of course, and the illusion was broken).
"Don’t be stupid" I thought. "Straight men don’t dress like that". If they spent that long getting ready they’d end up looking like, well, a bit of a twat really. Forget the rugged rugby type that we’re all supposed to be obsessed with. Give me a well-groomed, well dressed and slightly sensitive man any day. Now where can I find one of those?
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I like your style

Gritty soul singer, actress and emerging fashionista, the slightly bonkers Paloma Faith rocks a style that is kooky and cool and celebrates all things English and eccentric. When questioned about her style today on This Morning, she said that she hates girls who talk endlessly about their clothes, she just likes dressing up. I think I have a girl crush!
http://cathufton-aworkinprogress.blogspot.com/