Showcase on Florian Jayet AW12/13

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There is a certain je nais sais quoi about designers who manage to construct their clothes in an aesthetically beautiful AND flattering way. Florian Jayet is one of them. A trained biologist turned designer, Jayet knows the female form inside and out and a flattering structure is an occurring theme throughout Jayet’s entire body of work.
The collection was presented in an air of grandiose with the Freemasons Hall being the setting. From the preset, the girls took their time strutting across the catwalk indulgently, complimenting the luxurious and striking craftsmanship of the pieces. Structure and craftsmanship takes centre stage and each piece seems to be executed architecturally even down to the serious headwear that was heavily featured.

Again, the colours are dark which seems to be a popular theme across the board this season…see PPQ or Francesca Marotta for example

 

The splashes of bold colour in amongst the noir makes it ever more striking nestled in amongst the tribal patterns (another popular theme). The fabrics are luxurious and for me the final piece was the perfect show stopper. A beautifully striking white gown, the only white piece in the collection, with highly tailored, patterned top and a sheer, flowing skirt.

 

The standard of work in each piece is breathtaking and i’m very much anticipating the next collection from such a talented designer.

 

 

Keshini xx

 

 

Ashley Isham’s AW12 collection | London Fashion Week

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In keeping with his signature style of soft draping fabrics ebbing with a touch of couture, Ashley Isham’s AW12 collection contemporises both the bold monotone and bright floral prints seen from his last catwalk showcase.

With embellished detail to his floor-sweeping Grecian dresses and the shorter pleated skirts, Isham’s latest designs punctuate the feminine frame, nipping in flowing fabric around the waist, below the breast and lower back, creating an elegant silhouette.

The Singaporean designer’s contribution to London Fashion Week with his ‘My Beautiful Fashion’ set saw the revival of a metallic theme, with clouded sequined strapless dresses to rich bronze tones sweeping the stage.

The models were styled with slicked back hair curled underneath the ends and the make-up unified the metallic undertones of the evening.

Against the shimmering floor-length assymetrical designs, Isham infused a chatter of green floral and fish-scale prints, adding a fresh outset to the collection but re-enforcing his preference for pretty soft-flowing styles.

And it seemed, he was uninterested in hiding the seam within his creations, instead thick zips trailed along the models back, or seduced the eye towards the lacey top-half of his dresses.

A memorable look from the Saturday 18th February show was a full cream-coloured lace ensemble, which delicately wrapped the head yet gripped the body to the waist, before retreating away from the legs towards the floor.

Simple yet stylish, it infused Isham’s trademark Western look with an Arabesque layer, perhaps a subtle digression for future runways.

But, what I have come to respect Isham for is his high-street friendly designs, with the style and cut of his collection fit for the catwalk yet which also easily translate to the wardrobe favourites for the average fashionista.

Despite a power-cut at the start of the show which meant the music was off for a couple of minutes, Isham should be proud of his 2012 achievement, rather than humbly welcoming the applause before quickly sliding out back stage.

By Paloma Kubiak

Flipping Pancakes On Their Heads

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It’s pancake time and Frost has new Ocado recipes to tickle your taste buds this Shrove Tuesday

Ocado is mixing up more than batter for Pancake Day with a range of quirky recipes to excite the taste buds. Whether you’re a traditionalist looking for a twist which isn’t just lemon, or fancy yourself as the new chef on the block, there’s a crepe recipe to suit all palates and cookery skills this Shrove Tuesday.

Baked Pear and Caramel Pancake Pudding

Using the nation’s burgeoning obsession with baking as inspiration, the Ocado Baked Pancake Pudding is an ideal recipe for all those Great British Bake Off fanatics. Created by Ruth Clemens, runner up of the 2010 series, this scrumptiously sweet and fruity pancake pudding is sure to be popular with all the family.

Lemon Curd

Putting a spin on an old favourite, the traditional lemon and sugar pancake, Ocado has created an exceptionally more-ish lemon curd cold topping to add real zest to your Tuesday treat.
Ham Hock, Gruyere and Duck Egg Galettes

Pancakes aren’t just for desert you know. This crispy, grilled Galette is truly tasty and a great dinner for those who prefer savoury treats. It looks pretty fantastic too – one to impress your Pancake Day dinner party, for certain.

Ban Xeo

If you have an adventurous palate, take on the Ban Xeo. Bursting with flavour this traditional Vietnamese spicy chilli, chicken and prawn pancake has a truly exotic edge. Invite loved ones over to celebrate your skill as well as those popular pancake festivities.

Healthy Spelt and Buttermilk Baby Pancakes

Ocado’s baby pancakes are a lighter option for those who aren’t looking to overindulge in the Shrove Tuesday festivities. These little wonders are topped with poached dried fruits, Greek yoghurt and sweet honey for a healthy touch. Delicious.

For further information on recipes and ingredients visit www.ocado.com.

Blogging = Fun

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It seems that everyone has their own website or blog these days, and why not? It is life enhancing to have your own blog. Just find your own niche and you can shape people’s lives for the better. If you are a good cook then write recipes and guides, if you are a lawyer then write about legal matters. It connects you to the world.

All anyone need to start a business or their own magazine these days is some web hosting. Though it is good to shop around for your web hosting. If you get a bad one, or one with too many restrictions it will be a false economy. You will usually be tied to your web hosting company for a year, so you better get along!

You can read a web hosting guide at this site. It has some other information too. One of the best things I have ever done with my life is start Frost. It has been an amazing experience that has connected me with so many people.

Negarin at LFW: Day One

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As Kate mentioned in her article, LFW kicked off yesterday in spectacular fashion and the air was rife with the escentric and the well and truly artistic. Amongst the schmoozing and ahem Champagne, were some extremely talented designers presenting us with their new collections. One of the presentations I had the pleasure of attending was the Negarin Presentation. Negarin herself, was born in Iran and studied in New York, now based in London, the collection is very much inspired by her travels and Middle-Eastern influences. The concept of the label is to provide luxurious fashion for the busy woman something which was explicit in the short film presentation.

Beautiful Stylist Marian Kihogo In Negarin

The previous collection I found was very fitting to the season with vivid yellows and oranges and bold prints. This season, the collection has not failed in emulating the general hues and tones we associate with autumn. We are presented with autumnal Browns, Navy and muted pastels. Of course, with Negarin’s exotic style, we also have striking bursts of Mustard and which beautifully compliment the Navy’s and Browns we get in the collection. The pieces are luxurious, silk shifts made with Italian fabrics and tailored jackets with matching accessories.

 

 

There appears to be a piece for everyone and I got rather excited when Marian introduced me to the intricate accessories. Sadly, I didn’t manage to get any pictures but in particular two iPad cases, (one is shown in the picture with Marian), with a similar design to the coat she wears. I don’t know about anyone else, but I will most definitely be nabbing one of those when they are on sale.

More excitement to follow…

Keshini.x

For all the latest on LFW check out Kate and Catherine’s postings

 @keshinimisha

London Fashion Week Kicks Off: Corrie Nielsen.

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First day of London Fashion Week and I was offered champagne before 10am, yes, I love it. Fashion week is brilliant. People can say whatever they want about ‘fashion people’, but Somerset house was full of wonderfully dressed, creative, and amazing people.

I went to Corrie Nielsen’s collection and it was brilliant, any other show will find it hard to top it. The American designer moved to London in 2000 ,but her collection was inspired by Scotland and it takes inspiration from Vivienne Westwood. Though it wouldn’t be fair to say her clothes are not original. It is a nod to Westwood. The show was set to bagpipes. A strong Scottish theme in reference to the designers roots.

There was a lot of structure, the clothes were grand and there was lots of tartan. I loved the hats and the fascinators and the veils covering the models faces. This was grand, statement clothing. I would have bought the entire collection if my bank balance would allow.

Nielsen says her inspiration was “My Scottish great, great, great grandfather John S. Burns who emigrated from Scotland to the United States about the same time as the Revolutionary War; he settled in Arkansas. I’m also inspired by Scottish clans that produced unique hand-woven tartans representing a particular family name, as well as medieval English and Scottish forms of dress and lifestyle.”

And stylish Frost writers Keshini Misha and Kate Hollowood looked glam in the press lounge….

LFW – and so it BEGINS!

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London Fashion Week (LFW) is finally here and the event kicked off today with English flare and eccentricity! Cameras didn’t stop flashing for a second, capturing all the delights the day had to offer as well as snapping people in their carefully selected outfits. The runway shows were creative and innovative giving designers such as Antoni & Alison, Corrie Nielson and PPQ a platform to really show off their latest Autumn/Winter collections. With buyers, press and fashion addicts alike, flocking to Somerset House eagerly anticipating each presentation and show, the atmosphere was electric.

I, for one, felt very proud to be British, to see the talent on display and the attention to detail to all aspects of the event. The exhibition, which is where the designers display their collections, is nicely spread out giving each label enough space to play with. The shows vary in all aspects, some transporting you almost to other worlds whilst others keep things nice and simple. Many now include some form of art installation and other forms of media to emphasise certain aspects of the collection and to add drama of course! Also all catwalk shows are streamed LIVE on LFW TV giving everyone the chance to see their favorite designers first hand. It has made LFW more accessible than ever and I personally feel it starts to bridge the gap between members of the fashion world and members of the real world! As well as live streaming, designers have agreed to take part in live Q & A’s on Twitter where as many questions from people all round the globe will be answered directly from the designers themselves. All you have to do is keep your eyes out on @LondonFashionWk and look for the #AskLFW!

I was not wrong in my expectation of those “too-cool-for-school” fashionistas making a lowly writer/actress like me feel like I am wearing a bin-bag! There were certainly some very well and very wacky dressed people out to impress today and they add to the spirit and fun of the event. I have snapped a few pictures of my favorites to share with you!

There are also a lot of fashion-geeks geeking out in the press lounge, tap-tapping away on their laptops, iPads and tablets, uploading their photos, thoughts and impressions the moment it happens. In fact the press lounge is a brilliant place to hang out; with MAC offering to fix our faces and Tony & Guy offering to sort out our hair…for FREE…we get a taste of the models life too!

All that is left for me to say is, bring on tomorrow!! Detailed overviews of today’s shows are on there way from Catherine, Keshini and myself but first we need a glass of wine and a lie-down…man, LFW is exhausting!!

Kate x

Follow me on Twitter for my live ponderings on LFW @k8hollowood

How To Pose For Photographs

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FIND YOUR FASHION FACE WITH CHAMBORD AT LONDON FASHION WEEKEND. Fabio Affuso tells you how to pose for photographs.

 

– Chambord Returns to London Fashion Weekend for its 11th Season –

– Leading fashion photographer Fabio Affuso is back in the Chambord Platinum Club Lounge, showing guests how to shine in photos –

Chambord, the ‘spirit of fashion’, will be making a welcome return to London Fashion Weekend in February 2012 for its eleventh consecutive season, bringing with it an added touch of French chic to London’s exciting fashion scene.

 

Chambord black raspberry liqueur is proud to be the spirit sponsor of the main bar and the Chambord Platinum Club Lounge.  London Fashion Weekend visitors will be able to enjoy Chambord’s finest cocktails including the classic Chambord Royale and French Martini.

 

FIND YOUR ‘FASHION FACE’ IN THE CHAMBORD PLATINUM CLUB LOUNGE:

Back by popular demand Chambord is once again teaming up with leading fashion photographer Fabio Affuso to show you how to find your ‘Fashion Face’.  Fabio will share his expertise in the Chambord Platinum Club Lounge; showing guests how to strike a fashionable pose ensuring that guests always look their best in photos.

 

The sessions with Fabio Affuso will run on at the following times:

Thursday 23rd: 8.45pm – 9.45pm

Friday 24th: 12.45pm – 1.45pm and 8.00pm – 8.45pm

Saturday 25th: 10.15am – 11.15am and 5.45pm – 6.45pm

Sunday 26th: 10.30am – 12.30pm.

 

If you are a Platinum Club Lounge ticket holder, there is no need to pre-book these sessions. Guests at the Chambord Platinum Club Lounge will receive a complimentary Chambord and Champagne and a canapé reception to enjoy while you practice your ‘Fashion Face’.

 

You will also have the chance to win an elegant Alison van Der Lande handbag.  You’ll be given the chance to have your photo taken with the bag, and the one that is judged to have the most fashion flair will win the bag*.

 

To get you started, here are a few of Fabio’s top tips:

1. The most important thing is to relax and feel good about yourself.  If you feel fabulous you will look fabulous too!

 

2. Everyone feels most comfortable with one side of their face, and most likely that is their better side.  Discover your best side and make it shine!

 

3. Light is a very important aspect. Position yourself so that the light shapes your face and highlights your best side.

 

4. Some people love to pucker their lips and brows, but don’t overdo it.  It can look good with some faces, however if you do it all the time soon your pictures will look all the same.

 

5. Remember to have fun!

 

THE CHAMBORD BAR:

After viewing some fabulous designer collections, why not relax in the Chambord Bar and indulge in the spirit of fashion’s rich velvety taste with the signature serve, the Chambord Royale.  Made from black raspberries, and hints of Madagascan vanilla, Moroccan citrus peel, XO cognac, honey and delicate herbs and spices, Chambord will be the perfect drink for fashionistas everywhere.