The Big Smoke.

The Big Smoke.

Thursday 29 September 2011

Having a love-affair with Bex Rox, Jewellery

How GORGEOUS, and how much fun are these trinkets?? Elephants! On a knotted gold chain: genius.
I read in O: Quarterly Fashion Magazine by Tank the humble begins of this girl's design label, and how from an undiscovered talent, but a certain natural flare, an organic idea took shape. A little creativity and an individual slant on the 'preconceptions' of jewellery design, has seen Bex Rox go far in creating a much loved - Alexa Chung is a big fan apparently - brand. 

She has now become one of the leading contemporary jewellery designers out there.

These glorious pieces are from the new AW11 'Ski Safari' range, with elephants, thick chains: which have become her signature twist; rhino horns and a mix of metallics to tantalise even the most prudishly traditional of us into a little eccentricity in the jewellery department.



I heart conversationals. I've always wanted to go on a safari, I'm not sure i need to now. I'm quite happy with these beauties.

See the full range and drool a little yourselves at http://www.bexrox.com/



Sunday 18 September 2011

London Calling! London Fashion Week has arrived: Basso and Brooke, Jaegar, Issa and Vivienne Westwood Red Label set the bar.

Let's unashamedly - patriotically - say 'yey!' London Fashion Week is here, and what a superb few days I hope it will be.

These are the shows that are setting the standard high on only the first day for SS12.

Basso and Brooke: digital, psychedelic, aggressive, and punchy as ever for the London design house. Basso and Brooke left us feeling underwater in their colourful aquatic dream.


Jaegar: looking gorgeous! Strong colour blocking is teamed with pretty polkadots, cut work and a sophisticated palette of black, duck egg, burnt sienna and nude for the always understated but directional label.

Issa re-lives the annual Brazilian carnival i think. Over-sized tropical leaf and conversational fruit prints add humour to a holiday-lux-shop of a show. Hello Summer! You may have to be a supermodel to wear some of these, but hey, who cares?



It's fun, fabulous and vibrant. A real kick-start to the shows. I love it.

Vivienne Westwood Red Label delivers signature style, and new - if not predictable - anarchy good enough to start a party and a riot with. High hair, Victorian silhouettes, eccentricity and exaggerated collars; all the things we love the iconic Westwood for.


Hello London and LFW!

Within the next three days we will have the likes of Mulberry, Burberry Prorsum, Nicole Fahri, Paul Smith and the wonderful Erdem. 

Enjoy!

New york: The good, the bad, and the ugly...

A round-up of the last few NY shows gave us extremes of taste. Here are some of my delights, and distastes...

The Good: The beautiful.

Ralph Lauren took us to The Hampton's for a weekend in feminine florals clinging to the body in slinky silks and opalescent hues. The pastel trend - where if you think ' pretty cosmetic tones' you won't be far off - continues throughout to New York to be the leading trend in colour for SS12.


The full length florals reminded me of Ophelia drowning...

Lauren teamed lady-like dress with feminine suiting that even Coco Chanel herself would have loved to wear, along with 30's style Orient Express hats and broaches. It sounds like mix of looks but the show is quite simply exquisite in it's flawless finish.

Also 'good', Ellie Tahari gave us models epitomising Grecian goddesses for Spring. Gold, iridescent and pearl added a tint of opulence to incredibly simple silhouettes and clean looks. Gold collars  and cuffs along with reptile skin brought Greek mythology of Medusa and her snake's to mind. This is when men - the duo behind Tahari - can dress women beautifully.


The bad?


While there were some aesthetic elements in Alberta Ferretti's show, I couldn't get past the heroin-chic emaciated look of the models personifying the collection, I'm afraid, and it's a shame.
And the ugly.


I was incredibly disappointed in the Anna Sui catwalk show, usually a favourite of mine, i thought it looked overall: tacky. Sorry Sui! But i think 'creative' doesn't mean aspirational.


And finally Proenza Schouler: what happened? I failed to find anything i admired here. Again usually an utter favourite designer of mine, i found it harsh and unattractive.

The key trends to remember for SS12 from New York so far, are pretty pastel shades, iridescent finishes, feminine floral's, illustrative bird prints and reptile skin. Lovely, I know.