Erdem Wins Prestigious British Fashion Council Prize

Congratulations to Erdem Moralioglu who today, scooped the prize for the British Fashion Council/Vogue Fashion Fund. The competition included fellow London Fashion Week designers Christopher Kane, Richard Nicholl and footwear designer Nicholas Kirkwood .The prize is two hundred thousand pounds for Moralioglu to develop his creative label into a global fashion brand. Priceless mentoring also makes up a part of the prize. A selection of high level fashion industry insiders, including Harrods fashion and beauty director Marigay McKee is on board to help take the label to the next level. The Erdem Autumn Winter 2010 collection was the strongest to date and was well received by the press and buyers. French Vogue's Carine Roitfeld was in attendance at the show in London's Senate House last February. Her presence underlines his importance in fashion and the prediction that Erdem is the next future fashion star to rise onto an international platform.
Top left: Erdem long gown autumn/winter 2010
Top right:Erdem placement print cape autumn/winter 2010
Bottom: Erdem Moralioglu

A/W 10 International Round-Ups- Capes, Coats and Totes

Totes.The bags of the season feature minimalist detailing. Clean, simple lines and a practical body strap as seen at Jil Sander. At Louis Vuitton the Doctor's bag gets luxury make-over in alligator and crocodile finishes. And at Marni ladylike handbags come in pretty peach shades to offset the nudes and beiges popular in fashion this coming winter season. Add a pair of gorgeous gloves to your Capes, Coats and Totes look to complete the neat ladylike vibe.
Top left: Bag- Marni
Top right: Gloves- Marni
Bottom left: Jil Sander
Bottom right: Louis Vuitton

A/W 10 International Round-Ups- Capes, Coats and Totes

And now for.... Coats!.Regardless if it's big, fluffy, knitted or furry, outerwear comes nipped in at the waist with a neat and tidy belt. Neutral and pale palettes are a big trend for next season and its doesn't get more pale and neutral than winter whites. The white rabbit fur jacket at Isabel Marant was gorgeous and wearable while the white puffa-effect at Giambattista Valli is a modern take on a sixties style coat. And the off -white seventies style coats at Marc Jacobs were totally want-able.
Left: Giambattista Valli
Right: Marc Jacobs

A/W 10 International Round-Ups- Capes, Coats and Totes

So here is the first of the trend round-ups from the international shows. I am starting with Capes, Coats and Totes. Outerwear featured heavily on catwalks this show season. Maybe because we have had one of the hardest and coldest winters in a long time and designers are understanding our need for plenty of warm, practical but stylish outerwear. Capes were the big story in all of the cities from New York to Paris. Ranging from wrapped blanket style at Missoni and collared,tailored and belted at Ann Demeulemeester, in dramatic brocade at Alexander McQueen and even a cape/coat hybrid seen in a sixties style at Giambattista Valli. And how to wear? with a pair of elbow length gloves and a stylish doctors bag, satchel or tote. You will end up in a tangle trying to hook this seasons across the body bag over your shoulder in a flapping cape.
Top left: Ann Demeulemeester
Top Right: Giambattista Valli
Bottom left: Alexander Wang

Spring Make-Up Looks

Has Spring sprung? Maybe? For Good? Who knows? So for now lets just enjoy the bright sunshine, still air and of course those unforgettable scents of spring. Freshly cut lawns, sun-warmed new spring blossom and the warmer air. And time to put away a little bit of winter. Although as gorgeous as the last couple of days has been its still just too chilly to pack away the winter coat ,woollies and wellies just yet. Moving into spring make-up is a perfect way to ease in to the new mood . After watching and being inspired by the make-up worn by Julianne Moore in A Single Man I decided that the way to loosen up last winter's smoky eye looks would be to take her sixties doe-eyed look and make it more modern. I was fascinated too when leafing through issue 10 of Lula magazine to spot an alternative version of this sex kitten make-up. The original look can sometimes come across a bit pan-sticky and one dimensional . A modern take would be to use a white shimmer powder or gloss on the lower lids. Violets and lilacs are a fashionable colour for eye shadow this season and would make a great alternative when used on the crease line and upper lid. This weekend it's the vernal equinox so you have from now until then to practise the perfect kohl -crease line before its time to officially face spring.
Pictures
Left:Julianne Moore in Tom Ford's A Single Man

Right: Make-up by Hiromi Ueda for Issue 10 of Lula Magazine

A/W 10 Paris Fashion Week Picks

The Paris ready-to-wear collections are week packed full of big international houses and labels. The news is the silhouettes and retro references designers are drawing on for next season. The 50s/60s was a popular starting point as was the seventies era. Silhouettes were cocoon shaped, over-sized with well defined waistlines. Outerwear however big, fluffy or chunky comes with a neat tidy belt around the waist. The skinny pant is still being showed although the freshest shape for trousers are the high-waisted flares, either very wide and long or kick-style. Styling details include long black leather gloves, the perfect accessory to wear with next seasons capes, which were also a big story in Paris. Footwear takes it styling cue from the 50s and 60s. Isabel Marant has had waiting lists for seasons with her take on the studded boot and this season she nails it once again in the shoe department with her pointy toed pumps with bow detailing. In fact Isabel Marant just nailed it. End of. Her collection didn't break any new ground or set new rules but the looks which were sent down the catwalk could just walk right off that platform and on to any street in London or Paris.
Pictures
Top left. Glove love at YSL
Top right. Isabel Marant
Bottom. Lanvin

This Charming Man

Whilst out and about in London recently I have spotted a new breed of Fashionisto. With their floppy quiff, turned-up 501 jeans, old men's cardies and Donkey jackets they reminded me of retro style icon Morrisey from his days in The Smiths. Expect to see these guys dashing around town this summer in baggy, rolled -up sleeved shirts in washed denim, stripes and floral prints .This spring the delicate and faded Liberty print has made a return and can be found on lace-up brogues and even rugs. My favourite spot however was the rail of vintage Cacharel and Naf-Naf shirts all lined up with ready-rolled sleeves in the Mint vintage shop in Covent Garden. Your one -stop shop to get the look of This Charming Man.
Pictures
Top: Morrisey holds his hands up to instigating the recent look for London Lads.
Bottom: Liberty Print style shirts at Mint Vintage http://www.mintvintage.co.uk/

Milan Fashion Week Picks

The Milan catwalks were bursting with fresh trends last week including some of the best accessories and beauty directions for next Autumn/Winter 2010. Although I am going to save some of this for The International Reports (coming soon) . For today, however, here are my picks of the standout trends from Italy. Prints were big news in Milan. Miuccia Prada of Prada and Raf Simons, the creative director of Jil Sander revisited and revived the prints from the brand's nineties archives. In the nineties, prints were inspired by the seventies. So I am calling these collection of bold checks, blurred tartans, tweeds and block graphic prints 70s/90s prints. They were also popular at Marni and Missoni. In London and New York, designers have been drawing focus to the waistline. Focusing on this area with long wrapped belts or 'paper-bagging' waistlines. In Milan designers took this styling detail and ran a mile with it. They were paper-bagging and cinching everthing from chunky knits at Prada to fur coats at Fendi. Hot handbag in Milan is The Satchel's big grown-up sister, The Doctors bag. Best examples of fine italian craftmanship in arm candy form can be found next autumn at Fendi in striking yellow and more neutral shades of leather at Bottega Veneta, Marni and Dolce e Gabbana.

Yellow Doctors bag - Fendi
Check Shell Top and Skirt- Prada
Graphic Print Coat and Bag- Marni