Elusive Glamour. Hillier Bartley SS16

February 20, 2016February 20, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

The beginning of London Fashion Week for autumn-winter 2016 season begins with… a spring-summer 2016 collection coming straight from Hillier Bartley‘s studio. The brand, formed by Katie Hillier and Luella Bartley, breaks the fashion system with the philosophy of “see it now, buy it now” – but don’t mistake this statement with Jeremy Scott’s Moschino sweatshirts which appear on-line a few minutes after the fashion show. Hillier Bartley looks at retail in a very realistic and smart way – the summer collection appears right now in the stores, and it feels just as fresh as the AW16 outings we see now from the other designers – the thing is that you don’t need to wait six months for one of these divine silk blouses or adorable tassel bags!

The London-based label’s second collection is as desirable, as inspiring One thing’s sure – David Bowie is present in these beautifully decadent, alluring clothes. As Luella Bartley told Vogue, “Talking about Bowie’s influence on myself or any other creative person is like talking about how oxygen influences the breathing process. Bowie, as the Thin White Duke in a double-breasted linen suit, felt particularly apt to illustrate a vague idea we had to imbue the Hillier Bartley woman with a louche ’30s glamour.” Just like the legendary musician, the Hillier Bartley woman has a fashion tendency of androgyny – note the importance of English tailoring, from the linen blazers to high-rise trousers. However, the designers behind the brand introduced something much more feminine, like the satin skirts and fringed crepe dresses we’ve seen in AW15 look-book. Hillier Bartley redefines “sexy”, but in a totally different, very elusive way.

The collection is available here.

Men’s – Future Vamps. JW Anderson AW16

January 11, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

Jonathan Anderson takes his brand, and his creative vision, to a totally undiscovered and widely misunderstood field. You can love it, hate it, ignore it or praise it – but still, J.W. Anderson is the most absorbing brand coming from London. The city buzzed about the menswear show for autumn-winter 2016 season a long time before the show-day – it was reported that the brand will live-stream the fashion show on a dating-app, Grindr, presenting the show within a few seconds to about seven million people. Just like that. Without much effort.

Maybe the PR of Anderson are genius – but surely, the brand knows how to excite in the media sphere. However, streaming the collection on a dating app is not such a strange idea. The codes of the brand are focused on “future”, and “perversity” – somehow, a dating app is all about sex and modern way of life, right? And the collection for men definitely didn’t lack any of those. The looks, which fused the everyday basics, like a chunky cardigan or a simple, British mackintosh coat, had something modernistic about them – new, over-sized silhouettes, high-tech fabrics (take a look at this transparent, organza-like piece, printed with a dog called Bonzo from the 20s) and the seriously ugly planet-Zenon trainers with pastel-pink toe. But still, these techno vamps had something to do with a perverse, clubbing manner – the models’ hair, which was held back, looked dirty from a hard night out. Some wore perspex chokers, modestly ornamented with silver studs – and some had those cheesy hoop ball earrings on. To make even more extraordinary, one look was focused on a camel coat, worn over a naked body, and a pair of, again, Zenon shoes.

But looking back at the animals in the collection – everybody noticed the turquoise snails, which were lazily stuck to a rabbit-fur jacket and a white pea-coat. Was Jonathan trying to convey a message? SLOW DOWN? The frustration of fashion’s speed, which made Alber and Raf say “bye” to Lanvin and Dior, is a struggle for most of young designers, as they need to be creative for 24/7, do their best to afford pre-collections and have a perfect, on-time stock for the retailers. Or maybe, Anderson ironically said “catch me if you can” to all the others in the industry? This guy is a real propeller of ideas, so why not show it off in the most bright and bold aspect of the collection?

Men’s – Contemporary Uniform. Casely Hayford AW16

January 10, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

If talking of London’s menswear brands, Casely Hayford is the closest to my heart, style and wardrobe. I just love how this fashion-family duo, Charlie and Joe, reconstruct daily basics into something exciting and beautiful. The best example is the MA1 inspired parka above. Definitely, this piece totally changes the meaning of a jacket / coat – it’s both functional and mind-blowing with its elongated silhouette and the “unfinished” manner. Masterfully styled with these sleek, burgundy pants and a simple black top, this look might be called the contemporary uniform. Just like most of the collection – see the patched-work denim, psychedelic prints on casual suits and uber-cool sweat-shirts. To give a military swing to the collection, Casely Hayford nailed two looks with an ornamented, officer collar – a bold detail which makes this collection blur the everyday clothes with something much more bold and unexpected.

Modular. JW Anderson Pre-Fall’16

December 20, 2015December 20, 2015 | Design & Culture by Ed

Jonathan Anderson never fails to deliver a provoking and literally mind-blowing collection for his own, eponymous label. For pre-fall 2016, the J.W. Anderson woman is continuing her wardrobe musings from the summer outing – the remarkable, leg-of-mutton sleeves and bra-like crop-tops blurred with the stereotypical appeal of fish-net tights. “Modular” is what he called his lookbook, meaning the way the silhouettes overlap each other and the Edwardian-like sleeves which are a minimal nod to the past. However, “modular” might also mean the interesting way Jonathan mixes different textures and elements – strips of fur are combined with cloud-like pillows, creating a very sculptural jacket. Just to make it even more extraordinary, take a note of the shoes – the nylon covered, 90’s studded boots make this collection even more… unexpected. And surely one-of-a-kind!

All About Helen Bullock

December 18, 2015 | Design & Culture by Ed

If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you might noticed that I had an interview column (by the way, I am planning to revive it in 2016!) and I wrote about the super talented, London-based artist Helen Bullock. Her vivid fashion illustrations and bold prints felt so full of life and attitude. And now, this unique personality launched her own bags line, printed with her signature vibrant prints. The limited edition collection is a selection of custom canvas tote bags, with hand stitched leather straps, and contrast print pockets. Hand printed with bright and bold gestural marks and her favourite colour pallete including, Lizard, Grape, and Traffic Cone Orange, these totes are roomy, and “even roomier for the weekend” as she told me! Alongside these, there is a collection of Limited Edition Giclee Prints – all in editions of 20. The original fashion illustrations were seen in magazines including AnOther, and CNN Style. You can buy all of these goods in her new on-line store, www.helenbullock.com

I feel Helen’s must-haves are good tips for arty Christmas presents! And, you can read our interview here.