British knitwear designer Craig Lawrence underwater themed SS13 show was a particular highlight of London Fashion Week. The clothes were metallic with a lot of different textures. Lawrence said that he ‘craved purity’ after his last colourful show and this entire collection was silver or white. Lawrence used kyototex metallic yarn and techno fibres, and as the camera’s flashed the clothes glowed. Absolutely beautiful.
I walked into Bedford Square to see JW Anderson’s SS13 collection and was awed by the venue. The marquee built in the square was beautifully designed and there was a beautiful reception to greet the press and celebrities that were there. Daisy Lowe, Pixie Geldof, Corrine Bailey-Rae and Nicola Roberts were all FROW, as was legendary fashion writer Hilary Alexander.
The clothes were divine. Metallic clothes with the occasional splash of colour and geometric hemlines were the order of the day. Frost Magazine has an interview with JW Anderson here and some backstage photos. 
“the collection draws it’s inspiration from the couture shapes of the 1960’s , combined with an ongoing fascination with the work of Lucio Fontana’s ‘slashed’ canvases, and the development of textile techniques and finishing unique to the label.’
On Tuesday morning I headed over to see Adam Andrascik round the corner from Somerset House. The shows was held in a room with the models standing around its edges so the audience could walk up, take photos, admire the clothes and drink champagne!
Sadly, this was the time my camera chose to run out, so I had to make some quick sketched of the collection to give an idea….
The collection made up of clean, elegant clothing. Shirts and A-line skirts featured in a futuristic but feminine a style, as we have seen in a lot of shows over this S/S13.
Classic shapes and silhouettes at the front of the garments give way to bellowing sheer fabric at the back, creating a twist to familiar cuts.
Shiny and sheer fabrics mixed together to create each look. This, combined with the models swept back hair, dark eyebrows and clean make up created a futuristic and alien feel.
Adam Andrascik S/S13 collection, is beautiful, wearable and sophisticated. Perfect for the modern day woman.
http://adamandrascik.com/
The finale to London Fashion Week S/S13 was Fashion Fringe, a platform set up to help young design talent to display their collection.
As a design student myself I am always glad to see young designers being helped by those already established in the industry, and i know and appreciate how much work and dedication goes into making a collection and starting up a business.
For Fashion Fringe ten young designers are chosen from thousands and those ten are then whittled down to three. The winner is then announced at the end of the show.
This years finalists were Haizhen Wang, by Haizhen Wang, a graduate from Central Saint Martins who has previously worked for Max Mara, Boudicca and All saints before establishing his own label in 2010. Wangs S/S13 collection is inspired by architect Santigo Calatrava and Japanese amour. It featured precise lines and had echos of both femininity and masculinity. 3D digital printing was also used on the collection adding a futurist feel to his work.
Teija by Teija Eilola. Eilola, a graduate for RCA and previously head of women’s wear at Ted Baker. Her S/S13 collection “All that is Solid” was feminine and sophisticated with soft, earthy colours and luxurious fabrics swishing down the catwalk. The trench coats and outwear had exiting cuts and shapes with with large silhouetted sleeves. Personally this was my favourite collection and I loved the contrasted use of draping mixed with pattern cutting.
Vita Gottlieb, by Vita Gottlieb, a Fine Art Graduate from Central Saint Martins set up her label in 2012. You could never tell but she has no formal fashion training and has instead taught herself. Her Fashion Fringe S/S13 collection is entitled “The night garden” and is an explosion of cultures and textures coming together, with interesting silhouettes and bright colours making her collection stand out. With amazing fabrics and shapes Gottlieb’s collection is truly unique and beautiful.
As the last show of S/S13 there was a sense of excitement in the air and as the show ended everyone waited with baited breath for the winner to be announced. Each designer was so different and each collection so powerful it would a hard decision to make.
This year Christopher Bailey, Chief Creative Office of Burberry was judge of the competition and presented the awards.
In the end he chose Haizhen Wang collection. As Wang came on to collect his trophy, made by jewellery designer Jessica McCormack, it was clear as he lifted the trophy over his head in triumph how ecstatic and happy he was to have won.
It was a lovely end to a great fashion week, with everyone looking forward into the future for new young talent and a whole new generation of designers.
Frost caught up with super talented visionary director/actor/producer Jason Croot. [disclaimer: I play Grace Holloway in this film]
What was the idea behind Meeting Place?
Hello frost readers, We wanted to create something original and after having several ideas we kept it simple [by] not have any back story and filming actors who create there own scenes I love improvisation and Meeting Place is 100% improv.
Tell us about the film.
The film is a montage of conversations edited together a day in a London Cafe the twist is 80% of the conversations are between 2 actors who are the same person which gives the film a certain unique edge
How did you cast?
I like to work with actors I’ve worked with before also new actors fresh out of drama school we have a real mix in the film and some fab acting displays
What was the hardest part of the process?
Dare I say it the now getting people to watch the film I don’t have the funds to market like the big boys since giving my first feature away for free which as notched up 10,000 views in 8 months, I hope people will enjoy Meeting Place it’s a entertaining film
You act, write and direct. What is your least favourite thing to do when making a film? How hard is it to juggle everything?
I love directing and the process of filmmaking it is time consuming but rewarding when you receive good feedback and reviews, the acting is with me and I strive to keep learning and improving
Do you have any favourite characters in it?
I was blown away by some of the improvisation and have so many scenes I like I can’t really narrow it down
What did you shoot on?
We shot on a Sony HDV
What was your main inspiration for the film?
Jim Jarmusch’s Coffee and Cigarettes we did not try to copy it, but it is a great film and very simple but watchable
Where can people see the film?
I have had a few enquiries of distribution but I’ve decided the best method for this film is stay in control and I stumbled on a few good online mediums we will anounce the sites on our facebook page http://www.facebook.com/#!/
What’s next for you?
I have few irons in the fire on acting and the directing front but always looking for new productions to work on
Fashion we
ek always approaches quickly, do you get excited?
It is an exciting week and it obviously gets a bit stressful but it’s all part of the process. Everything always happens at the last minute!
Your new collection has just launched at Topshop, are you pleased with it?
I am super pleased with it. The store layout is incredible and it was so exciting seeing hundreds of people turning up. It was amazing to see everything from blankets, jumpers to iPhone cases selling so quickly!
What is the key concept behind your Spring/Summer 2013 collection?
It centers around the idea of filling a white canvas which then becomes part of the garment. I have tried to combine extremely technical methods with a feeling of heritage.
What’s your secret to keeping cool and focused during fashion week?
Drinking lots of water and eating lots of fruit. I also try to keep my phone turned off, as it means I can really concentrate on the task in hand and keeps me from getting distracted.
What’s your secret to success?
Believe that it has already happened and a lot of hard work!
What are you looking forward to most at Fashion Week?
That minute before the show!
How do you keep fit / looking so good?
Drinking lots of water and turning off for 2 hours of the day
Why are you working with BRITA?
The is such an innovative product and is a cost effective alternative to drinking bottled water when you’re out and about. I don’t think you should have to pay for water. It should be everyone’s right, but it should taste good.