SHOW AND TELL: TOPSHOP AW12

Posted by Bethan Holt, Fashion Junior at Large

Every time I enter Topshop Oxford Circus, my heart flutters a little, well quite a lot actually. This is because Topshop was the first place I got properly excited about clothes, a place I could go and drown entirely in the possibilities and options calling out to me across those three huge floors. Autumn/Winter 2012, and this summer for that matter, are going to be seasons to get really excited about a trip to Topshop. In fact, those of us lucky enough to go to the Unique show during February's LFW have been in a thrall since we saw the luxe military, shearling and bomber coats parading past us as part of former Vogue Fashion Director Kate Phelan's first collection as Creative Director.

I went along to Topshop's press day this morning where I heard plenty of fashion press discussing which jumper/ coat/ trouser they'd be ordering.

The neckline on this red crosses jumper is going to look bang on for AW12.

Melanie is ordering one of these

That low polo neck again, this time sportier. I wanted to wrap myself up in this quilted, animal-y jumper.



One of the best things about the Unique collection is the heavy, layered up theme which runs through. It makes it look and feel properly high end.

Melanie's favourite bomber, she wants the coat version too (greedy girl)

My personal favourite- zippy shearling...

Double breasted bomber.... Genius. 

AND there were highly covetable accessories...

It wasn't just the Unique collection on show today. Richard Nicoll has worked with Topshop on a small collection of bridal wear which is going to launch in June. There are no pics allowed yet, but expect baby doll and nightie shapes in wedding white as well as sweet pastels. A very refreshing alternative to frou frou frothiness and really rather bargainous at around £300.

Next Friday sees the launch of Maarten Van Der Horst's collaboration. If you like the Fashion East designer's Hawaiian shirt spin offs and bright colours then you'll love the Topshop line. I've got my eye on the tailored Bermuda shorts. Alex Fury wrote all about the trend for Hawaiian prints in last Sunday's Indy.

Finally, if you're still searching for perfect pyjama then never fear, Boutique is coming to the rescue. I immediately made a mental shopping list for the red overblown paisley print tee and shorts which will hit stores in May.  Oh Topshop, you do spoil us. 

All images by Fashion Junior at Large

RICHARD NICOLL'S VERY MODERN TIMES

Posted by Melanie Rickey, Fashion Editor at Large

Ask a fashion editor at the end of a busy day of attending catwalk shows what he or she enjoyed today, and you will be met with something a bit like this. "I...er...em.. Oh God, wasn't it Balenciaga this morning? Or was that yesterday? Er, sorry today is just a blur." It happens to everyone, but occasionally great or surprising fashion experiences stand out from a day of shows. Louis Vuitton's awesome steam train with the Marc Jacobs clad models and luggage laden uniformed porters trotting alongside them will stay in my mind for a long time. In London, Richard Nicoll's presentation for AW12 stood out for being totally unexpected and clever.

Nicoll, a feted member of London Fashion Week's young establishment normally presents a conceptual fashion show experience in a modern architectural space. For his Autumn/Winter presentation Richard threw out the so-called fashion show rule-book and set up a space he called "The Factory"at the Institute of Contemporary Art on Pall Mall, to show his collection monikered "Modern Times," in a tongue in cheek reference to the 1936 Charlie Chaplin film.  Before you carry on, why not open another window and click this link so you can listen to the music that was playing on the day, created by Daniel Lea at Golden Hum.

Nicoll created a fashion factory, where make-up artists, dressers, photographers, technicians
 and himself were workers producing the models

To help you decipher what is going on here, observe the rectangular runway. Models walked
 it before stopping to have their photo taken for Richard's lookbook by Jermaine Francis. 
Within the runway is the hair and make-up area and two Mac terminals to record all the
 pictures. Around the runway hangs all 24 outfits from Richard's collection, and behind 
the plywood backboard models changed before walking out again.  

A model, with earphones in, stops on the conveyor belt catwalk to have her picture taken.

Unlike at a fashion show, when generally the designer is backstage stressing out, Richard was 
out front, relaxed and chatting away. First he told me what the idea was conceptually inspired
 by,"I thought about modern work habits and looked to constructivism, Jacques Tati’s 1967 
film ‘Play Time’ and industrial factory wear for form and colour references,” he explained. 
Hence the workman orange, cobalt blue, and neon yellow coloured clothes. 


To frame the why of this happening Richard was honest, "I didn't want to do a show. 
For me, personally I have a block when it comes to the show. I think of the concept, then
 the clothes. I'm just a kid from Perth, it doesn't fit my personality to do conceptual shows.
 I want the clothes to come first. I wanted to create authentic, simple and sensible clothes 
women can wear in their daily life."

Looks from Richard Nicoll's Modern Times collection (shot by Jermaine Francis) 

"Really what this is all about is, I suppose, me making peace with my commercial side," said

 Richard. "I feel creatively fulfilled. What I am all about now is serving my customer." Then

 he gave me a quick whoosh around his Factory space, stopping at the Mac terminals for a

 gaze at the lookbook shoot...

The photography studio area which was located inside the catwalk loop

Acid colours in Nicoll's AW12 collection 

All the looks from Richard Nicoll AW12

Cards setting out the look for each model.

Nicoll collaborated with Tusting on bags.

...before coming to a standstill in front of these two bags. The one below is the bag that based a wave of hysterical fashion Tweeting because it recharges mobile phones, something I wish my handbag could do, especially during the shows.  Richard created the bag with his sponsors Vodafone, whom he has partnered with for the second time for AW12 "we wanted to create a collaborative product that fused technology and fashion," he said. "So we came up with the idea of doing a charging bag that charges your mobile device on the go, which is especially relevant because this collection is about the notion of work and all its facets in modern times."

To use the bag it must be charged from the mains power using a cable that magnetically attaches to the outside of the bag. Once the bag battery is full, it will charge handsets for at least two days.

If you are thinking Where Can I Get One?? Join the club. To find out I called Richard who is out in L.A with the British Fashion Council presenting at the London Showrooms and he told me the bag is coming in white, orange, blue and black leather and Net-A-Porter have the exclusive on it. Will update further when I get retail price and in-stock date.

Nicoll, Tusting and Vodafone created the bag (above, and below) which charges your phone for you.

THE ULTIMATE NEW EASY

Posted by The Fashion Junior at Large 

One of the biggest trends which seems to be emerging from the SS12 shows is what we at FEAL like to call 'the new easy'. Essentially, this comprises beautifully cut basics in luxury fabrics which you can throw on to feel instantly glamourous and dressed up but also super comfy too. On Saturday, I viewed the new collections from silk shirt stalwarts Equipment and L.A girl about town label Joie (which counts Rachel Bilson, Blake Lively and Kate Bosworth among its fans) Both, in their own ways, have nailed this New Easy. At Joie, there are riviera stripes, jumpers perfect for throwing on over denim shorts on a Summer evening and pleated sundresses in lots of hot colours.

Joie

Joie- These two pieces make a perfect L.A kind of casual summer outfit

Meanwhile, Equipment offers something altogether more classic but still totally lustworthy- the Fash Ed could barely contain her excitement when I told her about their pyjamas for day which come in their own fabulous silk pouch. In my own Summer holiday fantasy, I would mix up the pyjama top and bottom options, throw on some heels and diamonds before hitting the bar for cocktails with Coco Chanel and Elizabeth Taylor.

A pyjama really does sum up this new easy and seems to me to be a very welcome off-shoot of the twenties and thirties references which are threading through many of the keys shows. One look at Greta Garbo or Joan Bennet in their easy, chic pyjama-y get-ups and any sane designer would see they had an instant woman pleasing hit on their hands.

Greta Garbo (Image from Rex Features)

Joan Bennet (image from hollywoodheyday.blogspot.com)

 A smattering from the catwalks:

From this morning's Stella McCartney show (image from guardian.co.uk)

Silky nightdress at Lanvin (from catwalking.com)

Sheer at Richard Nicoll (catwalking.com)

 Unless otherwise indicated, photos are by Fashion Junior at Large.

DUCHESS KATE, WE HAVE AN LFW GUIDE FOR YOU...

Posted by Fashion Junior at Large

Over the Summer, we heard that Anna Wintour had given London based designers a brief: your muse must be the Duchess of Cambridge. It has already been shown that, like it or not, our new royal sells clothes in unprecedented numbers. If she wears it, a certain kind of everyday-stylish blow-dry obsessed girl/woman will want it.

The Duchess of Cambridge is under considerable pressure to wear British designers so it makes sense for them to play to her clearly demonstrated taste levels. But they can't explicitly write 'This is for you, Duchess Kate' on their show notes now can they?

The Duchess has already dipped her toe in the water of experimenting the current London line-up by choosing Erdem to wear for stepping off the plane as she embarked on her Canadian tour. This initial promise though failed to materialise as she stuck mostly to old faithfuls Issa, Temperley and McQueen for the remainder of her time away (apart from another Erdem dress for morning prayer on Day 3)

Kate, in Erdem, and William arrive in Canada (image from Daily Mail)

So, how did the London crew approach Wintour's call to arms? It is likely that the idea of using Catherine as their woman might grate, she's hardly on the cutting edge of glamour and modernity in those nude heels and fascinators is she? Well, we noticed a number of references to a kind of deranged housewife figure. The next chapter in a book begun by January Jones' Betty Draper. And actually, at the moment, that is how many people see the Duchess because she is overwhelmingly defined in the public eye by her role as wife. We don't know what she thinks or what she's passionate about. So, in my first attempt at replicating the previous Fashion Junior's Big Head feature, I have scoured images from the past few days to see what we might be seeing HRH in next Summer, and she'll have a lot to dress for what with the Olympics and the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations....

Burberry- Kate and Wills were engaged in Kenya so she might be quite taken with this Kanga print

Clements Ribeiro. Lace is a sure hit with the Duchess

She already likes Erdem, florals and shifts so this is a must-buy

Giles does classic Princess-y shapes

Kate is Issa'a number 1 fan but this would be a change from the slinky wraps she usually chooses from the label

Sara Buys, Harper's Fashion Director and a relation by marriage of Kate's, chose Osman for her outfit to the Royal Wedding so surely on the radar

The most Kate worthy dress from Peter Pilotto's offering

Add heels and a fascinator and ta da, a classic K-Mid wedding outfit from Richard Nicoll

Daytime prettiness from Jonathan Saunders

Perfectly demure for a black tie event, again from Jonathan Saunders.

I don't even need to add a head to this, it has vintage Duchess Kate written ALL over it...

Issa

 And what she won't be wearing....

Meadham Kirchhoff weren't bowing to Wintour's memo, and good for them!

Images from catwalking.com

RESORT 2012 - FASH JUNIOR GETS BIGHEADED!

Posted by Fashion Junior at Large

Following on from the Fash Ed's Resort 2012 selections, I too had a go at our favourite 'dress up dollly' game to model my own top picks. Judging by these choices, I will primarily be wearing sky blue, hot pink, black, white and gold over the next few months, and acting like a starlet in a Sixties movie.

 Celine's hot hot hot pink throw-on shirt dress. For those 'I feel like Barbie days'.I'd probably have to pair it with a LOT of eyeliner or something to balance out the Pretty in Pink-sugary-sweetness...

 ...and would definitely NOT wear it at the same time as this flipping incredible Michael Kors coat. Wowzers.

 Marc by Marc's dreamy 60s party dress, for the Betty Draper days (and nights)

Whilst Roksanda's crossover playsuit is just classic cool.

 Richard Nicoll's gold dress has spot-on Sixties Sophia Loren style. Could also be teamed with sheer pale tights for an even more Carnaby Street feel, but I'd rather wear it whilst sitting at a cafe in Cannes (note: I am not a member of the Made in Chelsea cast. I'm talking about 1960's Cannes, with Brigitte Bardot posing on the beach in a bikini)

Back in Blighty, with a complete lack of summer weather, this more appropriate Stella McCartney ensemble is simple yet highly effective, Mod-ish awesomeness.  I'd swap the shoes for a nice patent loafer for extra Quadrophenia points.

 Bobby socks? Patent heels? A full tulle mini skirt? A JUMPER WITH A GOOGLY STRAWBERRY ON IT? Nobody does cute like Mulberry do cute. Did I mention it has a strawberry on it?!

 Peter Jensen has produced my favourite Resort images by far (above and below), ostensibly inspired by a silver-haired Meryl Streep, looking cool (as always) in various New York locations. Weirdly, my hair is the same colour as the model, which makes these Big Head pics look even more odd. Seriously though, the clean lines, pastel colours, loafers and general Sixties NY gal perfection made me fall in love with Jensen just a little bit more.

And finally, in true fashion show tradition, the bridal couture...

...er, not really! But this Lanvin number would definitely help me get my Jerry Hall on. Or look like a debutante. Either way, Alber strikes white gold with this one.