Isabel Marant!!

Isabel Marant her designs are young and wearable, which is exactly what I want my collection to evoke too! So after having a look at her spring 2011 Ready to wear collection, it made me think of how I could make my collection contemporary and fresh like hers so that young women would want to buy! I also love that she uses lots of bright colours and prints in her collection !

Images: Look Magazine-6th December 2010 issue

Keeping it warm with caramel !

caramel the new fall colour trend, which it is quite nice compared to the usual darker shades! Saw these photos and love the coats and looks very stylish but warm! Designs by Italian company Arnaldo Bassini

and some leopard print to brighten up a cold day! Source & Images from allkpop.com

The journey of .....the Vest top

This is the vest top is going to be with outfit 1 which is the blazer jacket and high waisted shorts. Had troubles with it at the being because the folding over technique can get confusing at certain points.

But I figured it out in the end with the help from my tutor, had to change my original pattern and was kinda strange but turned out nice I think ! Photos by Vig

The Collection so far...

Photos feature my beautiful friend Charlotte Messer in my toiles, Thank you! :)

Fashion Feast From the East

Today I visited the Future Beauty:30 Years of Japanese Fashion

This is the first exhibition in Europe which displays the avant-garde Japanese fashion, from the early 1980s till now. Showcasing the pioneers of Japanese fashion which mainly concentrated on Comme Des Garcons's Rei Kawakubo, Yohji Yamamoto and Issey Miyake, there was also work by the next generation of designers including Junya Watanabe, Jun Takahashi, Tao Kurihara and Mint Designs who all offer a true contemporary vision towards fashion.

One of my favourite piece has to be Rei Kawakubo Beige wool felt coat for the Comme Des Garcons’s Autumn/Winter 1983-84. I just loved the shape and Silhouette of the coat, it was beautiful and it was fascinating how the garment looked like when it was flat and not displayed on the body. Makes you think how does it actually work?!

A very simple drawing I did of the flat shape of the coat.

This section blew me away, it features Issey Miyake's work which is actually quite recent (2010) : it's polyester fabric pressed with metal foil and the collection is called 132 5. Which is a series of intricately folded polygons made from recycled PET (polyethylene terephthalate which transform into clothing when placed on the body. It is just amazing!! Not only are the garments itself beautiful and innovative, it also seem quite wearable plus its made from recycled material ! I just have to say the man is a genius to be exact!

Source: Barbican.org.uk

Images from Dezeen.com & Phaidon.co.uk

Planning to see 30 YEARS OF JAPANESE FASHION!!

Planning to go to this exhibition tomorrow after marketing! Very exciting cos it looks really good and a remarkable exhibition to check out! Especially when many of the Japanese fashion designers are very creative with pattern cutting as well as having a strong aesthetic to their vision towards contemporary fashion. Also check out the short video from telegraph.co.uk for a better understanding what the exhibition features:

Image from wornthrough.com

Video from Telegraph.co.uk/video

Valentino For GAP !

Hmmm..when I first read the Title on Vogue.co.uk I was like really?!... but seems like high street retailers are pulling in well known fashion houses to help them boost sells for the Christmas season. After having a look at the clothes, they actually look really cool and contemporary but very accessible for the high street shopper. As Vogues describes 'Valentino reworks Gap classic basics - the parka, the hoodie, the T-shirt and the cargo pant - for its new collaboration.'

Check out some of the pieces below:

Source & Photos from Vogue.co.uk

Lavin Arrives At H&M !!

Trendy high street retailer H&M once again makes high street history by having another collaboration with fashion house LAVIN. Check out the video (from Vogue.co.uk) below of shoppers hitting the store to get their affordable designer wardrobe!

The journey of .....the dress

I made up the first dress and it didn't turn out they way I wanted, also didn't really like it and it didn't go that well with the rest of my collection. So I designed a new dress and made the pattern but my tutor said that I should make it as one piece with , which I thought could be cool . Then I started sketching and came up with this idea , then made it up with calico. I actually really love the dress because it simple but interesting and I can imagine people wanting to wear it !

Photos by Me

Wrap up warm in BOHEMIAN ^.^

Keep warm in a chic bohemian style for the winter, Love this concept as it's casual but quirky at the same time also very on trend with the faux fur! You can look good but stay warm at the same time!

Source + Photos: Nate (Elle Girl Korea)

Leighton at the CMA

Leighton Meester at the 44th Annual Country Music Awards on November 10th and stunning in Emilio Pucci. I love the way there's a sophistication but also a sweetness to the dress as well as the silhouette in how it's short at the front but has a train in the back.

Photo from Getty Images

Working Process

Working process of my collection, still have lots of changes to make but it coming along!

Photo by ME !

"The September Issue" - Official Trailer [HQ HD]

No Way ! There's a film documentary that goes behind the scene of what happens with the editor in chief of Vogue- Anna Wintour, it was filmed during the September issue in 2007 and the film was actually released in 2009 but I just found out about it now, because I don't think they properly released it in the UK. But no harm in watching now !

Magic Colours- Vogue China April 2009

Love this editorial and lives up to the name of 'Magic Colours', colours are stunning and the way it almost brings the clothes alive as well as the use of balloons makes the photo shoot more exuberance but with such sophistication.

Photographer: Sølve Sundsbø
Model: Magdalena Frackowiak

Vogue China April 2009 Issue

Glamour Magazine Flash Mob !

Glamour Flash Mob, Bloomingdale's 59th Street

Wrap up warm in COLOUR ^.^

The photo shoot revolves around the “Winter Story” concept. In preparation for the upcoming season, she shows off a variety of colorful winter accessories such as mufflers, bags, and earmuffs. (Elle Girl Korea)

Source + Photos: Sports Chosun via Nate

I Like this styling of this photo shoot, it sweet and colourful also it quite simple in the background which works in highlighting the boldness in the garments. Even though it's for the winter it feel warm and fresh something to brighten up from the normal gloomy weather during the winter time!

Jeremy Scott Style Icon Awards in Korea

Image from Allkpop.com What made my upload this picture?! Jeremy Scott's Trainers !! His designs for Adidas are surely 'wild' and interesting I must say but these trainers are so amusing to me I actually don't know if I love them or hate them?!!?! But they are quite adorable!
Image from Sneakerfiles.com

Mao Suit !

Man's Navy blue Military style Uniform :1970s Child's Young Pioneer outfit: Zhou Ya was the names of a Russian World War 2 child hero
Women's Beige Lenin Suit:1940s

The Mao suit: ideology expressed through dress
Mao Zedong recognised the power of dress to project nationalism and ideology. On 1 October 1949 at the grand ceremony in Beijing marking the founding of the People's Republic of China, he wore a modified form of the Sun Yat-sen suit. Mao had worn this style of suit since 1927 but it was only after 1949 that it was adopted by the majority of the Chinese population. It is known in the West as the Mao suit.

Source & Images from Powerhousemuseum.com

I Looked at the Mao suit and more 'peasant' clothing to try and incorporate into my collection to give it a minimalist feel and to understand it's not necessary to use just elaborate fabrics, all floral and patterned.

The journey of Shorts/culottes(Part 2)

Improving on the previous design and making it more '3D'

Photos by Virginia Man

Brocade Trend

· Look no further than gilded brocade for some serious opulence.

· The season's trend for statement coats comes into its own with rich, baroque offerings from Roberto Cavalli and MaxMara.

· Go to town with luxe finishes and wear with feathers, velvet, satin and billowing chiffon for an uber feminine look.

Source : Vogue.com

Katy Perry at Victoria Secret's 2010 fashion show

Katy as usual shining in bright and whimsical outfits at the 2010 Victoria secret fashion show, which I've always found so exciting with the way they have live music performance while models are strutting their stuff down the runway which may I add is normally extraordinary. The runway is has always been decked out with decoration in balance of the themes which the clothing or lingerie is denoting. So basically it's not your normal runway, its a show!

Images from Vogue.com

Look Similar ?!?

Image from: Valery Garrett- Chinese Dress: From the Qing Dynasty to the Present- The Cover
Images of Fan Bing Bing from Zimbio.com
Comparing the dragon robe from the Garrett's book cover with Chinese actress Fan Bing Bing's dress at the 'Robin Hood' Premiere- 63rd Cannes Film Festival. Don't you see the similarities !? I actually saw a picture of her from one of my mum's Chinese magazines then searched for it online. I actually quite like this dress for some reason even though it clearly representing the modern version of the traditional Chinese dragon robes, it still look modern and flawless in my eyes that is. Also I read the interview Fan Bing Bing had with Sina Entertainment and loved what she said in the reason behind her fashion choice:

SE: You wore something similar when you signed into Bona Yinglong, do you tend to favor this style of clothing?
FBB: I felt that since this is an international stage, I need to show that I’m from China, not Korea or Japan. Some French had once thought I was from other Asian countries, but with this dress I can express my origin without having to personally explain this to them, so this feeling of nationalism is very important to me.

SE: But in the Chinese mindset, dragons are for males and phoenixes are for females.
FBB: Foreigners think of Chinese girls as gentle and soft beauties, I want to give them a new perspective. Chinese girls can also be powerful, not just sweet or cute. I want to give them something different.

SE: What do you say to Qin Hailu’s microblog on Sina, “[FBB's] so blunt as to wear her ambition in public.” ?
FBB: If she really thinks that’s ambition, then it’s hers, not mine. Fan Bingbing is only a simple person who hopes to show her culture through her dress.

Interview (translated) from: http://community.livejournal.com/aiyatheydidnt/391013.html#cutid1

Toiles I ve been working on this week...

T-shirt

Coat

Dress

Crop Jacket

...but if I'm honest I'm confused as to whats going on now, feeling like a lost soul. Wish it would just come back to me, so I can find some clearance in what I am doing now. Either way I am just gonna try my best to keep going some how and push through. David.P wants me to have 6 garment for thursday, already technically have 6, so should be ok and David.T wants the coat, so I working on that.

Photos by Virginia Man