In the Stars

October 14, 2014 | Design & Culture by Ed

Something a little offbeat always happens in Mona Kowalska’s A Détacher collection. And it’s a welcome weirdness. A few days before her Spring show, Kowalska spoke about an Italo Calvino quote that resonated with her: “‘Childhood boredom is a special kind of boredom.’ It leads to this world of fantasy, daydreams, and innocent fun,” said Kowalska. But my favourite thing about the show was the make-up. Tiny, shiny stars were sticked to model’s chins, creative a naive, infantile mood. This one might really cheer up your day!

The Elder Statesman

October 11, 2014October 12, 2014 | Design & Culture by Ed

I am so into niche labels lately and The Elder Statesman has just appeared on my favourite list. The Los Angeles based brand designed by Greg Chait doesn’t do mood boards, but thinks of the vibe amd wearer. For the SS15 line-up, The Elder Statesman offers dyed ponchos, amazing, but really amazing denim, and beautiful tops. It really has a cool, whatever-like mood. Although the prices hurt my heart (the quality is truly high, with all those cottons and cashmeres), the collection is perfect for her and him. It’s simply fine! Dying for these sweaters…

Bad Girls. Miu Miu SS15

October 5, 2014October 5, 2014 | Design & Culture by Ed

The 50’s bad girls went down the runway at Miu Miu SS15 show… with their eyebrows to match. cropped tops, bustiers, checks, pencil skirts, pastel coats and kitten heels- those are the Miu Miu girl attributes. The silhouette was Miuccia’s well-versed version of the housecoat, the pencil skirt and the ruffled prettiness up on top. Miuccia had them trussed up in finery – 18th century style floral silk and cloqué, counter balanced with fraying wool check and murky shades of leather. Lady goes vamp. Tarts and vicars. Runaway girls. They don’t give a damn about their ex boyfriend. They keep up together and get high together, but in style and chic.

Frenchie. Chloe SS15

October 3, 2014 | Design & Culture by Ed

Gaby Aghion, the creator of Chloe, passed away one day before the SS15 show. And the summer collection is dedicated to her big role in French fashion. It just couldn’t be more french- by happenstance, the designer Clare Waight Keller sent out a collection that is the closest she has come yet to capturing Chloé’s free spirit. It may now be a label for international – rather than specifically French – young women, but the British-born designer has reached a point where everything is working well. The clothes had loosened up. A lot of the inspiration seemed like hippie-de-luxe from the Seventies – a trend for Summer 2015. But the high quality of a fresh, full-sleeved white shirt worn with tailored shorts, or a shorts outfit in saffron and rust suede, put Chloé in a class all its own. The denim here looked designer-worthy – especially a skirt with the denim-blue dyed into a sweater. And what the designer called her minimum and maximum looks – billowing long dresses and short ones – created a nice balance. Surely one of the strongest Chloe collection up to date.

Under The Palm Tree. Isabel Marant SS15

September 28, 2014 | Design & Culture by Ed

“My girl’s got a city to run,” Vampire Weekend frontman Ezra Koenig intones on SBTRKT’s “New Dorp. New York.”, the soundtrack to the Isabel Marant show, and the collection is all about that woman. A city girl in tailored but textural shapes, accented with elements from her travels to Africa and exotic islands. Tailored trousers and pleated, tiered mini skirts mixed with knitted shag coats and fringed tabarts, wrapped and tied at the waist. Maybe that wasn’t the best Isabel Marant collection, but you can’t say it was bad. It was french, and it felt like a good take on beach walk. It was very Parisienne, and at the same time ethnical.