FAVOURITE TWO-TIME UNKNOWNS : LFW (IV).

Biggest regret of LFW: not getting their details down. Can anybody help me identify them?

Absolutely enchanted by the two distinct styles; one being a look similar to my own which I would wear day to day, and the other being how I would dress ensured that I was gutsy enough- you're welcome to guess which photograph pairs with which description.

Sifting through photographs from LFW and missing the flurry of madness and excitement that the week bought to London- nothing ever compares. The countdown to the next LFW will begin, but for now, we are left with the beautiful remnants of Christopher Kane and Peter Pilotto to cherish and the excitement of MFW and PFW!

LFW OUTFITS.

• Photographs 1-3: (SUN) Being photographed for Phoenix Magazine street style. H2T: Shirt- Ralph Lauren, Trousers- Topshop, Belt- Charles Rodin, Heels- KG by Kurt Geiger.
• 4: (TUES) Heels- Topshop, Chiffon maxi- American Apparel.

Many thanks to Vicki Lee for the photographs!

YANLOI: NAIL SKILLZ.

Yanloi Mak my go-to girl for beautiful nails. And no, this isn't the work of a proffessional but of a seventeen year-old student. Jealous? I know the feeling.

Primping nails like a boss.

LFW: PASTEL PERFECTION.

Fell in love with the hair and dress compilation. Something rather Erin O'Connor-esque about her...

[If you were kind enough to let me photograph you at LFW, please email me at habin@hotmail.co.uk and I will send you the photographs asap]

TUES LFW STREET STYLE: HELEN VU.

 

Another trip to Somerset House today bound me a lovely encounter with Helen Vu- a recognised face from the street fashion blog 'FASHITECTS'. I am green with envy of her beautiful Jeffrey Campbell Lita heels, which have been a staple 'must-save-up-for' on my wish list for the last few seasons. The tangerine blazer and the glitzy statement shoes caught my eye from far away, and I loved the minimalistic quality of her outfit!

Stop by her blog here.

[If you were kind enough to let me photograph you at LFW, please email me at habin@hotmail.co.uk and I will send you the photographs asap]

SUN LFW: ROSALIND JANA (III).

One of my highlights from Sunday, meeting and taking Roz of Clothes, Cameras and Coffee's photograph! The name ring a bell? Roz was this year's UK Vogue talent contest winner, and after reading one of her submissions, rightly so. She is just as (if not more) beautiful in person and her articulateness is more than justified too. Her outfit as always was elegant yet brilliant.

Click here to read Roz's latest post- a chance to read her article celebration or denegration? A true piece of art, and incredibly witty too! 

[If you were kind enough to let me photograph you at LFW, please email me at habin@hotmail.co.uk and I will send you the photographs asap]

LENNON LENSES AT SUN LFW (II).

Round rim glasses- a personal favourite and a popular option on Sunday at LFW.

[If you were kind enough to let me photograph you at LFW, please email me at habin@hotmail.co.uk and I will send you the photographs asap]

SUN STREET STYLE AT LFW I.

Sifting through photographs from LFW Somerset house. Sighting Erin O'Connor, Hamish Bowles, Hayley Atwell, Susie Bubble, Rosalind Jana to name a few. Expect many more photographs from today.

Indulging myself by flicking through LFW's collections so far would be the ideal cure for a draining weekend, alas, as always school work is in the way!

Til next time.

[If you were kind enough to let me photograph you at LFW, please email me at habin@hotmail.co.uk and I will send you the photographs asap]

CREATURES OF THE WIND.

With LFW now underway, I simply couldn't pass NYFW by without sharing one of my favourite collections: Creatures of the wind. The collection is an eclectic and more elegant spin-off of what I could best describe as Ugly-Betty chic. The looks are modest and brave- with contrasting textures and bold patterns. Much of this collection reminded me immediately of Tavi (from style rookie)'s style.

Apologies on the quick post, I am in the midst of getting ready for LFW, Somerset house. Pop by and say hi, i'll most likely be doing some street-style papping.

*** A special mention to Lucy Clacher- check out her cover of Foster the people's Pumped Up Kicks and show your support!

GOOD EVENING MR GATSBY.

Just picked up The Great Gatsby once again, will always be reminded of these from the 1920's night a while back now.

[Standard 35mm film, taken on a Pentax Zoom]

JASON WU.

Jason Wu's NYFW collection could not have ticked more of the right boxes: elegant, feminine, young and eclectic. The collection was fresh, with classic pussy-bow and high-neck collared blouses being teased with high-waisted "roller-girl" hot pants. The shapes were exciting - although admittedly not new - and could easily appeal to the masses. The sleek elegance of the compositions of the bottom two are the highlights for me- the feminine and modest striped blouse being offset by a pair of statement shorts, and with the addition of subtle accessories what is there not to like?

The clean eye-make up yet statement coral orange lips were perfectly tamed by the mainly monochrome palette. Shoes too were kept simple but they seemed to work perfectly with every outfit.

The femininity of the collection stands out through the sharply articulated waist lines highlighted by the shorts and many rippling peplum skirts. I have never been much of a pattern lover so i must stress that I have deliberately not displayed the many disc-printed garments which were shown.

The photo directly above shows my favourite of the collection- a hard-shouldered leather jacket sinched in at the waist to create a beautiful peplum shape. The edgy-ness of the leather has then been offset with a delicate emerald collar- perfection. The jacket epitomises the type of leather item I am looking for this Winter.

This has been one of my favourite collections so far and has definitely influenced me to re-think what to wear to LFW!

     

STREET STYLE PHOTOGRAPHY INSPIRATION FROM TOMMY TON

Street style from New York, only a few days until the madness begins in London.

Needless to say that I am excited.

NYFW BEGINS WITH SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW, SOMETHING BORROWED, SOMETHING BLUE...

The highlight out of the collections released yesterday (the first day of New York Fashion Week) for me is definitely Tara Subkoff for IOC - Imitation Of Christ, (a bizarre label name I agree.) The relaunch for the label showcased renovated vintage pieces as well as hand-made garments from scratch. The collection saw pastel lace fabrics with excessive draping and elegant cut-outs, many of the dresses held a hint of the flapper style too, looking as if they had come out of The Great Gatsby. The hand-made floral headbands and embroidery details really topped off the show.

At this point (if you have not read the show's review yet) you are most likely wondering about the absurdity of the title choice, because the real highlight? Lydia Hearst (the beautiful American actress and socialite) got married before the show began, genuinely. The photograph on the top right is hard evidence for you; although I still can't decide whether it would be nice to have your wedding right before a fashion show or not, but then again it is NYFW.

The 'nomad-like' yet dainty elegance of the collection immediately reminded me of a photo shoot titled 'Runaways' by one of my favourite photographers Anne He. This collection of photographs perfectly summarises the IOC collection- a small dip into the Tim Walker-esque world that we all dream of visiting.

“Three years ago, I picked up a camera. In wonder of the possibilities of light and color and movement, I quickly became obsessed. My hungry mind devoured the works of photographers old and new—Sally Mann, Anne W. Brigman, Tim Walker, Paolo Roversi, Candace Meyer. I fell down rabbit holes and found myself wandering amongst tulle gowns the color of cotton candy, washed ashore where little men in top hats danced around a mammoth cardboard swan. I melted into the rich silver sepia of the American South, letting its gnarled roots and misty tendrils embalm me in ether. All of it was so achingly beautiful.”

-Anne He.

Would you believe me if I told you she was only seventeen? Yep, thought so.

THE WAIT IS OVER

And in a week's time we will be embraced with some of the world's most statured characters in the fashion industry as next season's "must-haves and faux pas's" are revealed: London Fashion Week. There is something undeniably unique when it's London's turn- the quintessentially British way in which the entire nation get's involved, whether it be blogging, street-style or for those who are lucky, doing the task of sitting front row at a show. September's fashion season is one that I look forward to every year and my high hopes are always raised by the never-ending ideas which designers seem to have and their collections - however weird and wacky. 

I am more than excited (to put it lightly) to go to LFW (Somerset House) again this year, the street-style shots and interviews on Elle TV in light of the build-up to next week has been enough to start off the buzz of fashion week. I look forward the most to Monday's shows: Burberry Prorsum, Erdem and Christopher Kane, must I say anymore? I am also intrigued to see the outcome of collections from the houses of Louise Gray and David Koma. One of my highlights of fashion week is rushing onto Style.com to flick through the show reports and photographs from each day only to discover collections that you can't get enough of from designers that you'd never heard of before. My most prominent experience of this, that I can recall, would be discovering Charles Anastase's collection and falling for the subtly gothic shapes immediately.

Of course we all wait eagerly tonight for news from New York- with the state-side's fashion week beginning today. One thing's for sure, although I admit I prefer Milan/Paris/London Fashion week, NYFW never fails to suprise.

I thought i'd take a step back from this essay, ten steps back to fashion ten years ago. It's interesting to make comparison's to fashion from a decade away and to see how far fashion has come (as well as feeling completely chuffed with yourself when you spot a style that was revived in more recent collections).

Alexander Mcqueen AW 2001-2002

Christian Lacroix AW 2001-2002

Gianfranco Ferre AW 2001-2002

Russell Sage AW 2001-2002

What/Who do you predict will be the highlight show-stopper this season?