Chinese creativity hits London Fashion Week

The “Mountain, Water” themed show brings original Chinese fashion brands, EVE CINA and EXCEPTION de MIXMIND, to the London catwalk.

Eve Group is regarded as China’s leading high-end men’s wear groups. With more than 300 stores in China the group has five brands: EVE CINA, NOTTING HILL, KEVIN KELLY, JAQUES PRITT, and EVE CINA. EVE gains creative inspiration from Chinese culture with a Western style and confidence. The brand’s design signature is delicate traditional culture in modern city life.

Ladies wear brand EXCEPTION is one of China’s longest-established, most successful art and fashion labels. With over 90 outlets across China, its design is original and contemporary. Its popular sister brand, WUYONG (“Useless”), is a leading creative label.

“China is a huge focus for us right now and an increasingly important market for our designers. I hope that China’s creativity will be a highlight of this Fashion Week. London is a creative powerhouse and China has a burgeoning creative industry. If we combine these two I believe great things can happen. This is the goal of the China Britain Fashion Alliance which I launched last August”, says Harold Tillman CBE, Chairman of the British Fashion Council.

“EXCEPTION and EVE are examples of well established Chinese brands that have real potential to build international followings. Let’s hope London will be a platform for them to build on in the future”, said John Walford, director of the shows”.

Celebs gather in Hollywood to celebrate the launch of Marni at H&M

Celebrities gather in Hollywood to celebrate the launch of Marni at H&M

Last night in Los Angeles the great and the good of film and fashion including; Drew Barrymore, Winona Ryder and Milla Jovovich were among the guests who attended a party to celebrate the launch of Marni at H&M. The event was held in a beautiful Hollywood residence and the event was hosted by Marni’s Founder and Creative Director, Consuelo Castiglioni, the Director of the Marni at H&M campaign, Sofia Coppola and Margareta van den Bosch, H&M´s Creative Advisor. As well as Drew, Winona and Milla, other guests arriving at the party dressed in Marni at H&M included Jessica Chastain, Freida Pinto and Andrea Riseborough. The collection will be available from March 8 in around 260 stores worldwide, as well as on-line.

“It has been an inspiring night, surrounded by a perfect setting and a great crowd. LA encapsulated the dream! It is not long before Marni at H&M is in the stores, and I am happy to share these magic moments with everybody.” Consuelo Castiglioni, Founder and Creative Director, Marni.

“It’s nice to see again the people I worked with on the project for Marni and H&M. With the film I just tried to do something that fitted with the mood of the collection, the fantasy and the fun of fashion.” Sofia Coppola

In a classic Hollywood house in Los Angeles, around 200 guests gathered to celebrate Marni´s collaboration for H&M, a collection full of Marni’s signature print and colour arriving just in time for spring. Guests were given the chance to enjoy an evening in an atmosphere captured by Sofia Coppola’s campaign for the collection, as well as an exclusive performance by Bryan Ferry.

Marni’s collection for H&M is all about freedom and experimentation, Marni prints and colours intended to mix and match together in a playful way. Everything goes with everything, making African prints the perfect companion to Bauhaus modernity, and sporty silhouettes sitting with more feminine shapes. The collection also includes a full range of shoes, bags and charming accessories to create a total Marni look at H&M. Meanwhile for men, Marni offers a fresh take on menswear staples, with a subtle use of print and a softened use of colour.


“I love H&M and I love Marni. I love how H&M are bringing the regal, chic clothes of Marni to everyone.” Drew Barrymore

“I’m a huge fan of Marni, I have been for years. I love the whole idea of taking high fashion and making it affordable and accessible with H&M.” Winona Ryder

“Tonight has been magical. It is as if Sofia Coppola’s campaign for Marni at H&M has come to life with this party in Hollywood. It’s been amazing to see so many personalities wearing the Marni at H&M collection. I can’t wait for these looks to go into stores so everyone can wear them for themselves.” Margareta van den Bosch, H&M’s creative advisor.

Londoners Life 25 by Phil Ryan

Well the snow didn’t hang around thank goodness. But it’ll probably blast back in March! Right now I’m trying to avoid the Mayoral election nonsense. It’s very simple really. All of them are pointless to a large degree. Ken and Boris are arguing about high tube fares who’ll put them down or up – the fact of the matter is that whatever they are far too high and the service is lousy and continues to be lousy. And the fringe candidates are basically invisible. The mad Green woman who looks like a bush was spouting off about punishing car drivers again to save the planet. The failed ex-cop was going on about more police. Er that’s about it. So we’ll get stuck with a fight between two fools who are all about self-promotion and self-advancement. I’ll never forgive Ken for many things but his most offensive crime was building that hideous City Hall building opposite the tower of London.

Desecration. They should lock him up in the Tower Of London and force him to watch Londoners blowing it up as he’s pelted with rotten fruit! And Boris’s ludicrous billion pound buses will arrive soon. Why don’t the pair of just set up a permanent photograph of themselves being laser beamed onto the clouds above London. We get it guys. You love yourselves and couldn’t care about Londoners. Under both of you everything went up, life got harder, travel got worse, more taxes appeared and ultimately you have bugger all power. Remember folks your vote is essentially worthless. Nothing ever gets better or cheaper. Remember that. They could make one of the Muppets Mayor at least it would be entertaining and cheaper.

Travel in London really is getting to be a soul destroying experience. This Friday I had the horrible experience of arriving back at Victoria by train at around 6.30pm. Trying to get to the underground across the station was like swimming in a tide of bodies. Angry depressed bodies who were rooted to the spot necessitating a weird ducking and diving route – it was like a giant desperate game of pacman. And when I finally got to the tube the platforms were pleasantly six deep. Apparently two other tube lines had gone down (the usual reasons – aliens at baker street – a wave of indifference at St Johns Wood – badgers with guns at Charing Cross) and now Victoria was reduced to holding back groups of commuters behind gates a completely common occurrence the miserable and clearly suicidal guard guy told me (I think they’d taken away his laces and belt before they stuck him on the platform with his little microphone). It certainly wasn’t for the faint hearted. London’s underground system seems to just swallow tons of public money now and I honestly can’t see much difference. It’s over-priced and over-crowded (I’m sure that will improve during the Olympics with the expected six million extra journeys they’ve predicted – oh joy)

Talking of our much anticipated London Olympics we now learn that this money sponge for the amusement and enrichment of corporate sponsors and construction companies is into another revelatory moment again. Turns out that the ticket fiasco continues with an American ticket printing company getting the contract to print the tickets instead of a British company, the second revelation that most of the merchandise and goods are produced in China by Chinese companies and just when they couldn’t break anymore promises and commitments we now find out that they’ve let an American company sell tickets to Americans that we Londoners can’t get hold of! I notice that we grabbed back Mr Fred Goodwin’s title what about Lord Coe. If the guy told me it was the morning I’d check with five other people plus look out the window. For a London event paid for in the main by Londoners the guy has simply lied to us time after time. Virtually everything he has promised Londoners hasn’t materialised. And don’t get me started on the LOCOG bunch. Slightly darker in the way they operate than the Syrian regime they have been quietly flogging off the buildings and land to foreign property developers and foreign corporations. The London Olympics? I don’t think so. It’s the International Greed Olympics with all the gold going out the country to everyone except Londoners and Great Britain. But it’s a done deal. Nothing can be done. That’s total corruption with complete government backing for you.

But to finish on a positive point I’ll return to my usual trend spotting game. It really is the new Korean revolution alongside the sushi invasion. Loads of places called Bim Bam Bong and Noodle Beng Bim Bom Bang (Okay I am making these up) seem to be popping up. Udon Noodles are now the order of the day. Just an FYI Udon noodles are those fat disgusting long ones with the consistency of rotting slugs and a similar discomforting sensation when swallowed ( not that I’ve swallowed rotting slugs but go with me on this one) They have also copied that clever Japanese canteen style of making you sit on a cold and cement hard plank like wooden bench. This of course causes people’s buttocks to go numb at the same time that their stomachs are being paralysed with tasteless horror food. All together more of a punishment than a dining experience. But hey it’s fashionable. And in London we like our variety. And when I asked some people I was jammed next to recently in a Korean restaurant what they thought of the food they all told me it was challenging! Very London. And despite the pointless mayoral elections and Olympic fiasco do any of us truly care. No. We just get on with our lives. Why? It’s a London thing.

Showcase on Florian Jayet AW12/13

 

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

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

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

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

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