Friday, August 30, 2013

SOMEONE BOUGHT A $79,500 HERMES BAG ON M'ODA'OPERANDI

Posted by Bethan Holt, Junior Fashion Editor at Large

Just casually browsing through M'oda 'Operandi's latest auctions, as one does, I stumbled into the vintage Hermes auction. Clearly with zero ability or intention to buy. It's a wonderful place to be nosy because of course there is only one of each style featured so "Sold Out" effectively means "Somebody bought this". Quite a few of the vaguely more affordable handbags have gone. You know the ones which come in at about $20,000. But then I also noticed a "Sold Out" label on a 35cm Beton Matte Alligator Birkin with a price tag of $79,500.

So there's your proof that when it comes to shopping on the internet, our budgets and limits for what we might have once liked to see and buy in person know no bounds. Maybe the person who bought the Birkin knew it already and had previewed it in advance of logging on? Or perhaps they so implicitly trust the notion of buying online now that it seemed just incredibly convenient to so easily purchase a bag which might usually be so tricky to hunt down rather than astounding in any way.

The $79,500 bag (via M'oda 'Operandi)
Personally, I have my eyes on a Constance. Alas, I'm not sure I'll find the $45,000/ $99,500 in the four days before the auction ends.


The Ficelle crocodile Constance... $45,000 (via M'oda 'Operandi)

The White gold and diamond blue jean crocodile Constance (via M'oda 'Operandi)

Thursday, August 29, 2013

CHARLI COHEN: SPORT MEETS YOUNG TALENT

Posted by Bethan Holt, Junior Fashion Editor at Large

When was the last time you heard about a young designer doing sportswear? Not fashion sweatshirts and tees but expertly cut stuff which would hold out for a 5-mile run, high intensity circuits class or hard session at the gym. Probably a long time ago, if ever. The sportswear market is dominated by big brands which have huge teams dedicated to discovering the next big thing in technology which is brilliant, obviously. But it's also why I so admire Charli Cohen, a super fit young designer and personal trainer who, with backing from Lycra, has launched her very own high performance sportswear. Charli is a one-person powerhouse whom I first encountered via Twitter. Her ever-enthusiastic responses and advice are often enough in themselves to leave you feeling a bit more energised and a quick glance at her feed is evidence of her awareness that great communication can take a new start-up brand a long way.




A few weeks ago I finally got to meet Charli in person at the launch of her collection, entitled VIS. It's a year since she completed her degree at Kingston University and the flurry of activity which ensued after being nominated for some of the biggest graduate fashion awards including Vauxhall Fashion Scout, Graduate Fashion Week and the WGSN Global Fashion Awards. Now she's pulled together a pretty slick selection of grey and neon yellow sportswear which feels like the kind of thing which would power you through a particularly gruelling spinning class but also beg to be worn just for the suberbly-flattering-hell-of-it on a rest day. One of the most interesting things about Charli though is that her approach is so holistic; she is just as interested in how to eat well as how to dress to do sport. She comes along at the perfect time really, now that your latest juice combination or fitness class discovery carries just as much cachet as a new designer purchase or ingenious styling combination. I asked Charli a few questions about how she got where she is today and how on earth she manages to bring it all together...

Yoga/ Dance demo at the VIS launch

 Why did you choose sportswear design?

I was seeking a way to consolidate my two passions - fitness and fashion are often seen as mutually exclusive. Sportswear was a logical outlet and I saw a huge gap in the market for stylish, luxury performance-wear.

You're a personal trainer as well as designer. How does that influence your design decisions?

Movement and physiology are my key inspirations. From a creative perspective, they inform the silhouettes and style lines of my designs. In terms of function, my work as a PT enables me to understand the practical needs of performance wear, how to make the garments ergonomic, supportive and flattering.

Why did you choose  to start your own line and how have you achieved it?

I’d never really considered anything else! I started my own T-shirt line aged 15, then had a womenswear capsule collection made before I started uni. When it came to my graduate collection, I decided to create a complete brand identity rather than just designing the clothes - I wanted a strong platform to move forward from after Graduate Fashion Week. I was fortunate enough to be awarded part-sponsorship from Invista (creators of Lycra). This funding enabled me to get stuck straight into my own line a few months after graduating. I was determined about what I wanted to do and it seemed to fall into place!



What sports do you most enjoy?

Weight lifting – I’ve been training for about six years now and I absolutely love it. It’s the ultimate stress relief and the only time I can switch off from everything else that’s going on!

 I noticed that your sportswear is Made in Britain, how important and useful is that for you?

Manufacturing my collection in the UK means I can maintain control over both the quality and the accurate development of my designs. I'm also keen to support local industry - fashion manufacture is slowly picking up again in Britain and it's nice to know I can contribute to that in some small way.

 How do you balance fashion with performance?

With certain garments – leggings, tank tops etc. - you’re very limited with the silhouette, so it’s about what you can do inside that with colour and panelling. It’s also really important for me to have great, versatile outerwear pieces that can be worn over performance baselayers. Although I create these in functional, technical fabrics, I have far more scope for design and can take more of a ready-to-wear fashion approach to silhouette.

There's been a huge move over the past few years towards sportswear being fashionable as well as functional. I get the impression this has influenced you a lot, can you elaborate?

There’s been a huge movement towards well-being in general – people are now starting to seek a sustainable healthy lifestyle rather than a quick fix. There’s far more fitness and health related content in fashion media than ever before and because we’ve (largely) moved on from diet and exercise fads, it’s not going to go away. Retailers are picking up on this too and an increasing number are adding activewear brands or at least lifestyle/leisurewear brands to their ranges. It’s perfect timing to be doing what I’m doing and that’s very exciting!

What are your ambitions for the future?

Like any brand, I aim to be stocked internationally – a global reach would be fantastic. In a few seasons’ time, I’d like to branch out into accessories and menswear and it would be amazing to collaborate with one or two of the big name brands on footwear or a diffusion line.

You're incredibly entrepreneurial and self-motivated. Do you have any tips or advice for any other young designers out there?

Thank you! My key pieces of advice:

Be super-organised. When you’re running a business (especially a fashion business) if something can go wrong, it probably will. You need to be on top of everything all the time - leave nothing to chance.

Be open to every opportunity: even if you’re not sure it’s right for you or that it’ll lead anywhere, have the conversation and find out more. You never know what might come of it!

And finally, don’t give up! It’s not easy but if you have the talent or product people want, perseverance, determination and passion will take you far.

Charli's VIS collection is available to pre-order now here

Images courtesy of Charli Cohen

Friday, August 23, 2013

THE WEEK IN FASHION: AUGUST 19th-23rd

Posted by Bethan Holt, Junior Fashion Editor at Large

Almost time for a three-day weekend, perhaps summer's last hurrah. Before we all escape to beaches/ carnivals/ pubs etc. let's get up to speed on this week's fashion happenings.

Anna Wintour's first Instagram portrait 
Anna Wintour made her Instagram debut with a pretty clever #voguestagram campaign initiator photo by Taylor Jewell. The famous shades and shoulder-draped Chanel jacket were perfectly in place as Wintour peeked over the top of the 900-page September issue, fronted by Jennifer Lawrence. Cue a flurry of imitators including Oscar de la Renta, Jenna Lyons and Caroline Sieber.

In many ways, Wintour's #voguestagram moment is a sign that clever digital ideas are being embraced at the highest levels of publishing. In fact, the past few months have been a landmark time for digital being taken seriously. Eva Chen, who recently took over as editor of Lucky magazine, has been hailed as the first digital native to edit a major title. She spoke to Business of Fashion about her vision for Lucky this week which is a really interesting read.  Also this week, Hearst (in the US) laid off the online editors at Elle.com and Cosmo.com before immediately announcing the appointment of Leah Chernikoff (formerly at Fashionista.com) and Amy Odell (formerly at The Cut and Buzzfeed) respectively in their place, just in time for fashion month. It's a brutal tale of the way publishing companies are seeing the value of digitally at home editors in an ever more competitive environment.

Eva Chen's Instagram is basically a blue print for a successful fashion social media account 

Opinion has been divided about Marks and Spencer's flashy new ad campaign. On the one hand, how could you not love a set of pictures which feature such a stellar selection of women? The likes of Helen Mirren, Tracey Emin, Jasmine Whitbread and Katie Piper were all wooed to take part in Annie Leibovitz's "fantasy dinner party"portraits which M&S says represent a new "Womanist" era for the retailer. But, would Grace Coddington or Karen Elson really ever wear M&S? Does the M&S customer really feel an affiliation with Emin, or does she just want a nice cashmere jumper? Mary Beard observed the lack of grey haired ladies in the ad, surely a key demographic for M&S?


Don't quite see why jan moir says I "moaned" about no grey in M&S ad. I sharply observed in a single tweet. No room for moaning!

Women in new M&S ad are a great & feisty bunch. But unless I have mistaken H Mirren's blonde, don't spot a whiff of grey. Women go grey M&S!

The new AW13 collection, overseen by Belinda Earl, has received a pretty positive response. Plus, as has been pointed out many times before, many of the department store's problems are to do with distribution, sizing and store layouts. Problems which no amount of glossy womanist campaigns will solve.


The M&S AW13 line-up of fabulous women (via thesundaytimes.co.uk)
In other news this week...

After a shortlived tenure at ASOS, Kate Bostock is heading to Coast. Our advice? More of these ultra-chic, little bit Dior type outfits PLEASE.


Gisele Bundchen is the world's highest paid supermodel for the seventh year in a row. Lucky Gisele.

Lindsay Lohan has launched her own fashion website which seems to include a mix of straight fashion news stories, posts related to Lohan's eclectic (ahem) style evolution and her musings on stuff she likes to do e.g spinning at Soul Cycle.

Cher is planning a mega farewell retirement tour and has enlisted her old friend Bob Mackie to make a sequintastic array of costumes. Speaking to WWD, Mackie declared that It’s not like dressing a regular person — it’s like dressing a crazy goddess”. Bring on the glitz!

Cher with Bob Mackie (via whatgoesaroundnyc.com)

TO DO...

Tomorrow (Saturday 24th) Hush House Super Market is coming to the Bussey Building in Peckham. There will be great workshops on topics including "Starting a creative business" plus stores from young creatives doing all manner of exciting things from tailoring to screen printing and jewellery printing. Sure to be inspiring. 

NEWGEN protégés Marques'Almeida are opening a pop-up shop next week in The Hackney Shop, a great initiative which gives retail space to young designers. Head over from Wednesday 28th to Sunday 1st to get your hands on the duo's signature, sure to be collectible, frayed denim. 


Thursday, August 22, 2013

THE FASHION CONSPIRACY: 1988-2013

Posted by Bethan Holt, Junior Fashion Editor at Large


Huge apologies for the lack of meaty posts of late- we are very busy with a big consultancy project but should be back to normal next week. In the meantime, I've picked out some pertinent quotes from The Fashion Conspiracy, a commentary on the fashion industry penned by esteemed journalist and now President of Conde Nast, Nicholas Coleridge. I read this book while on holiday earlier this Summer and was struck by its meticulously researched breadth of the fashion world from sweatshops to couture clients. Most interesting though was how much everything has changed since then when the biggest spenders in Paris were Americans and Europeans. I've pulled out a few quotes which I love... some are very right, others so wrong. I wonder what the fashion industry will be like in another 25 years, and if the things about which we feel so sure at the moment will be rendered meaningless over time?

'It's actually become quite scary how big Calvin and Ralph [Lauren] have gotten,' says an American Elle fashion assistant. 'It's like you can't get away from them wherever you are. They're like Mr T and McDonald's.'

"If you want to break into fashion now yourself, it's pretty well impossible. The established names have sewn up the market, so new ones haven't got a prayer."


John Fairchild: "I feel very strongly that there are only four great designers: there is Yves Saint Laurent, there is Ungaro, there is Valentino and there is Giorgio Armani. Those are the power names. They're the ones where we see the influence coming from."

"The character of the English woman, and her apparent resistance to buying clothes, is the shaky foundation upon which the entire designer enterprise rests...The English woman, in fashion lore, is a distressing creature, congenitally tight with her money."

Manolo Blahnik: "The best thing for me about the English woman is that clothes are something she buys as a necessity... I find men much more refined and extravagant and dashing in their way. When an English girl has style, forget about French girls, forget about American, but there are so few."

"The British have always been a peculiar race, willing to die for their country but equally willing to die for another country's merchandise."

"The English are curious people. Our newspapers scrutinise the Princess's (of Wales) new clothes with a fascination normally reserved only for war: the new designer hero at the front, the sudden and unexpected reverse in a couturier's fortunes, the strategic retreat of a hemline."

Karl Lagerfeld: "'I came in [to Chanel], a wolf among the lambs,' he told Vanity Fair. 'And I'll very probably leave out of boredom. The mood of the salon de couture doesn't suit me.'"

"A season without Laurent is like a season without God."


Wednesday, August 21, 2013

HOW FABULOUS IS JOSEPH ALTUZARRA'S FIRST CAMPAIGN?

Posted by Bethan Holt, Junior Fashion Editor at Large

Joseph Altuzarra has created his first ever campaign off the back of the CFDA/ Kate Spade branding initiative which he won in February. The ads appear in the new September issue of US Vogue and stars brilliant Brit supermodel Stella Tennant. Altuzarra recruited Inez and Vinoodh to interpret his uber luxurious AW13 in campaign form. So glamourous


Tuesday, August 13, 2013

BELLA FREUD'S CUTE BARBOUR JUMPERS

Posted by Bethan Holt, Junior Fashion Editor at Large

Who doesn't want a Bella Freud jumper? Emblazoned with irreverent slogans like "Fetish" and "Ginsberg is God",  Freud's knitwear is cult and I can well-imagine that it will feature in the fashion history books as being among the items which the coolest girls of the day would most certainly have in their wardrobes. See Kate Moss, Alexa Chung and many more. The new chapter in Freud's knitwear is not so much about her way with words but her sweet sketches of references to her childhood country adventures in Sussex.



Bella has collaborated with stalwart brand of Britishness, Barbour on the collection which features birds, sheep, stalks of lavender and daffodils. "I was really just thinking about walking through the forest in Sussex and seeing all the animals and things I was obsessed with" Bella told me at the launch of the collection a couple of weeks ago. Her personal favourites include the rabbit because "he's quite Bauhaus" and the grey lambs "which feel quite Andy Warhol". Wildlife with a modern art appeal.

In fact, it's not just country japes which have informed Freud's designs but many other elements of her life too. She tells me how one of most inspiring recent experiences was visiting Sotheby's in advance of a big sale. "My friend works there and he was showing me around and we came across these extraordinary murals which had been transferred somehow. They looked so ancient. It's such a joy to come across those things" Freud enthuses. Then there is her whimsically beautiful observation about  blossoms coming out on the trees "like ghosts" in February. These myriad visuals somehow end up feeding into seemingly simple jumpers.



This isn't the first time that Freud has collaborated with Barbour. There was a t-shirt collection last year but knitwear somehow feels like a more integrated step into the brand. "I feel very connected to Barbour's Britishness" Freud muses, "I really admire all the manufacturing which they do here. It's nurturing something". In turn, there's a definite feeling that this collection is another step in bringing a bit more fashion edge to Barbour. Obviously, everyone adores a classic wax jacket but the South Shields based family firm is making itself newly relevant with collabs with fashion-y names like Lady Amanda Harlech, Alice Temperley and, of course, Bella Freud- "I love that they are reaching out to embrace modern design and trends". And surely an outfit comprising a classic Beadnell coat and Freud knit is rather ideal for anyone's weekend?


Many designers speak of muses. Freud refers to her vision of "a young girl running around her country house in the moonlight in her slouchy jumper bearing that moon silhouette. It's so pretty but also sexy". It's a story which gives just the right dose of frisson to Barbour's wholesome image. According to Bella, this girl is Billie JD Porter who is "clever, pretty and deadpan". They met when Bella helped to re-design Billie's school's uniform and they stayed in touch. Now Billie is a model and presenter who works at Vice and would be "gorgeous and rebellious" wearing one of Bella's jumpers. There's a fashion fantasy to spark our Autumn/Winter shopping imagination.

Get to Barbour stores now to get the Bella Freud collection, prices from £89.



Friday, August 9, 2013

THE WEEK IN FASHION: AUGUST 5th-9th

Posted by Bethan Holt, Junior Fashion Editor at Large

It's been a good week for short hair, yay! It's all down to Beyonce who only has to post a photo or two on Instagram and the world goes absolutely mad for the idea of chopping all your hair off. Admitedly, if there were ever anyone who was going to convince you to part with your locks, Bey is the one and she does look stunning. If you fancy a drastic cut, then may I recommend Blue Tit. I got a great 'do in their Dalston salon last week by Pont. Last night, they opened up in Peckham too which you will of course be aware in the new Dalston.

Beyonce goes short (via Instagram)
The latest crop of Brit talent is fast-becoming world-renowned, competing with the designer big guns. There have been investments, collaborations and ever more elaborate catwalk shows but what we need now is shops. It seems they could be on their way. Reports this week suggest that Victoria Beckham, Roksanda Ilincic and Christopher Kane might all be opening soon. Kane is looking, Beckham is "discussing" and Ilincic could be moving to Mount Street.

Rachel McAdams wearing futuristic Roksanda Ilincic this week (via uk.lifestyle.yahoo.com)
Speaking of store openings, J.Crew have announced two further London stores in addition to the Regent Street London flagship which looks like it'll open its doors at the start of November. There will be a dedicated menswear shop on Lamb's Conduit street where we can sate cravings for oversized cashmere jumpers from October 10th, though focus will be on shirts, curated guest labels and monogramming. A Brompton Cross space will house limited pieces from the J.Crew Collection plus a selection of brands including Penelope Chilvers and Comme des Garcons. Bring on Autumn and get in the mood by reading Avril Mair's interview with Jenna Lyons in this month's Harper's Bazaar.

From November we can all look like this. Maybe (via peepmystyles.com)
Racism in fashion. An issue which definitely exists but doesn't get talked about nearly enough. Eric Wilson wrote a brilliant, incisive piece examining the situation state side, including interviews with key casting directors and members of the fashion industry who feel like they have been victims of racist treatment. A must-read. Wilson's article comes in conjunction with Oprah Winfrey discussing racist treatment she suffered during a recent trip to Switzerland. Winfrey, one of the world's richest women, told how she was informed that a bag she had asked to see in Swiss boutique Trois Pommes would be "too expensive" for her.
Oprah (via money.cnn.com)
John Galliano may or may not be getting a permanent job at Oscar de la Renta. "We would love to find  a way to work with him" said Alex Bolen, CEO at de la Renta. Watch this space.


The really sad news about two volunteers in Zanzibar being attacked with acid brought back my own memories of going to Tanzania and Zanzibar for a summer a few years ago. I loved it and really hope this doesn't put anyone off going because the place is beautiful and the people kind and funny. While we were there, we took full advantage of the street side tailors who would run you up a made-to-measure skirt in a wonderful print. I wish I'd known about them before going so I could have taken full advantage of their skill. Afua Hirsch's wonderful column about a similar practice in Ghana cleverly hits on the utter genius of having clothes "made to fit our bodies".

Tailoring at work in Ghana (via fashionghana.com)

"Little Black Dress" sounds like an exhibition worth booking a trip to Paris for. It's on until September 22nd so if you're off to the city of light before then, be sure to make time for it. Whet your fashion appetite (or make up for a missed opportunity) by reading Suzy Menkes' look at the many guises of the item every girl and woman needs in her wardrobe.

The most famous LBD ever. Hepburn as Golightly in Givenchy (via weddingstylefileblog.com)
The recent revival in Punk has clearly been good for Dr Martens. It's reminded us about the stompy boots which have become symbols of rebellion and strength since the first pair were made in 1960. If there was one shoe to define the social change which has taken place over the past 50 years it would surely be these? The brand has capitalised on this sentiment for their new campaign which features 13 proud wearers of DMs. They've made this very cool film which makes you feel like you should really get something done this weekend...




Thursday, August 8, 2013

BEHIND THE SCENES AT MiH JEANS (AND WIN SOME TOO)

Posted by Bethan Holt, Junior Fashion Editor at Large

Heaven is.... a bright, airy and huge set of studios near Hammersmith. It is the HQ of MiH (once upon a time known as Made in Heaven jeans). And they have croissants, strawberries, a bar stocked with teas and juices, rails of every kind of jean item you can think of plus the shirts, jackets, t-shirts and skirts to complement them. I went to this heavenly place last week to get a never seen before glimpse of MiH's secret weapon.


Dennis at work with his improvised inner tube and sofa leg pair of legs
The battle to uncover the next big thing in denim finishes and colour effects is co-ordinated from a small, unsuspicious room tucked away down a corridor at MiH's vast space. As you enter, it looks a little bit like I remember the art classroom at school, just add in a few piles of jeans and denim scraps. It smells of paint, wet brushes and bleach. A washing machine whirrs away, stonewashing a batch of jeans as we speak, with actual stones. This is the workspace of Dennis, MiH's resident denim experimenter. "I don't really know what I am" he explains as he starts dabbing black paint onto a swatch which he later washes and dyes over in yellow. I quickly learn that it is down to Dennis to spend his days playing about in this fun room, discovering new things which MiH can apply to their collections. For over three years, he has resided here bleaching, ripping, rubbing, painting, stonewashing and much more to "find new ways to push what we do and show our factories what is possible". He is the ultimate customiser.



Before this super fun sounding job, Dennis worked with brands back in his native Sweden, including ACNE. He originally studied Menswear at Central Saint Martins, completing both the BA and MA courses and getting to show at LFW. Over the years he has built up a reputation as a denim specialist, recruited by brands like MiH to come up with new ideas. It's a pretty secretive business. There are certain things I saw in that room, recipes and samples, which are off bounds here so competitive is the ever expanding (and popular) world of denim.

Potions and paints
Dennis pumping up his fake legs

One of the most fascinating things about Dennis's work is the magical inventiveness of it all. Whoever knew that sofa legs might come in useful when it comes to the jeans you'll want to buy next year? In fact, they are put to good use as part of the fake legs, fashioned from the inner tubes of car tyres, which Dennis uses to keep the jeans he's working on taut. He also has paint rollers (usually used to get good coverage when decorating walls) which he shaves stripes into to create bold lines. There are bottles of cooking oils which is put to good use getting that blotchy almost mini tie-dye effect which has become big in recent seasons. Sometimes he might dip denim in paint and then boil to get an amazing crackled effect. Even shaving foam is an essential tool in Dennis's denim transforming arsenal, who knew?

THE ART OF RIPPING




On a DIY level, Dennis had some useful tips for us on achieving the perfect rips in your jeans. Something which, if you're anything like me, you might have tried and miserably failed at doing before. His best friend for this job is sandpaper which you can get in different grains, depending on how extreme you want the rips to look. Then layer bits of tubing/ plastic/ wood or even an old wine cork underneath the area where you need rips and rub away gently to create the desired effect. Rub as much you like to create any variation between a bit of wear and tear and a properly big hole. Dennis also recommends wearing your jeans for a few hours to get all those creases around the top of the thighs- known as "whiskering"- in place and then rubbing away at them to enhance the lived-in effect.

The day after my visit, MiH sent over the jeans which you see in these photos. Dennis had finished them off with some artful rips in varying degrees of extremity. They're a size 26 version of the Paris jean, but specially customised and therefore completely unique. Send us a tweet (@fashedatlarge) or comment telling us why you should win them and we'll decide next Friday (16th August). Good luck and thank you MiH.

WIN THESE JEANS



Friday, August 2, 2013

THE WEEK IN FASHION: JULY 29th to AUGUST 3rd

Posted by Bethan Holt, Junior Fashion Editor at Large

All the need-to-know fashion news is right here for you to enjoy in one handy place. Your catch-up starts here.

Vanity Fair's Best Dressed list, the world's arbiter of who's putting on the right clothes every time they step out of the door, was published this week. Actress Kerry Washington gained the top spot, with Duchess Kate coming in at number three. Notable absences included Michelle Obama and Samantha Cameron. I love that this list seems a well-considered edit of how those in the public eye are working with designers and stylists, rather than a simple re-iteration of whose most famous right now. There's no Rihanna or Cara Delevingne but Carmen dell'Orefice is at number four while the Chinese President's wife Peng Liyuan makes her debut at no.38.
Kerry Washington in lovely Miu Miu at this
year's Oscars (image via huffingtonpost.co.uk)
Speculation has been rife for sometime about Tamara Mellon's next move following her departure from Jimmy Choo. She'd been teasing with tweets of fittings and meetings. On Monday she unveiled her new eponymous brand to fashion press in New York. The range comprises everything from shoes and handbags to ponyskin coats and cashmere t-shirts. The point of difference? A move away from the schedule of fashion weeks and showing six months before going to retails. It's about e-commerce, immediate satisfaction and monthly drops.

AT THE TAMARA MELLON PRESENTATION...

The Tamara Mellon logo (via @VVFriedman)
via @jimshi809

via @jimshi809
via @jimshi809
Bad news for Topshop this week after Rihanna won her "passing off" case against the retailer. The legal battle was the result of some t-shirts printed with Rihanna's face which Topshop was selling. The singer claimed that it looked like she was endorsing the product when she not. I suppose it was an extra sensitive topic given RiRi's collaboration with Topshop rival River Island. To understand why Rihanna managed to win, read this.

The offending Topshop Rihanna emblazoned t-shirt (via telegraph.co.uk)
Following the news that Reed Krakoff is leaving Coach, it has been revealed that he will also be buying back his own label via a group led by the designer himself meaning that all ties with Coach are cut. Apparently the financial implications of remaining under the ownership of his former employers was too great. The moves paves the way for a new beginning for both parties; Stuart Vevers is set to join Coach from Loewe while Krakoff will concentrate on his own line. We can't wait.

Reed Krakoff gorgeousness in US Harper's Bazaar (via harpersbazaar.com)
GQ's September cover stars are One Direction. Cheekily, the cover line of the issues bearing the angelic face of Harry Styles bear the caption "He's Up All Night to Get Lucky". Sadly, One Direction fans haven't taken too well to this insinuation and have been showing the GQ team exactly what they think through angry tweets and, it seems, actual stalking as documented by GQ editor Dylan Jones this week... Not even Mayfair is safe.


Am currently being followed by a dozen suspicious-looking One Direction fans. In Jermyn Street, too!



One of the Directioners appears to be holding a chainsaw!




Harry Style on GQ (via spin.com)
Kate Phelan is back at Vogue with a chic and refreshing Daria Werbowy September issue cover. This issue would usually show a recognisable catwalk look, a signifier of the new season. Instead this feels different. Daria could feasibly have just turned up in the studio in her (Balenciaga) biker jacket, wearing a fluffy jumper and assorted jewellery and had her snap taken in 2 minutes. That's the illusion anyway. It's unbelievably natural and seems less high fashion, more personal style. I can't wait to see what Kate does next.



Make sure you read Henry Conway's delightful defence of the much discussed male legwear phenomenon that is red trousers. My favourite line... "I know they make me look like a total rah, but they are soft and beautiful and befitting of my Queen Sloane status".

A lot of red (and some) trousers on Lookatmyfuckingredtrousers.blogspot.co.uk
Talking of red, if you're after a modern classic designer investment then make sure you head to Harrods' pop-up Valentino rockstud boutique which opens today on the 2nd floor. Stock includes the exclusive cristal tote (below, £5,110) as well as lots of options on the stud- strewn shoes and sandals, all in classic Valentino red of course. 

Cristal tote, Valentino at Harrods (via vogue.co.uk)


Rockstud rouge shoes £675 at Harrods (via vogue.co.uk)
What happens when Alexander Wang invites everyone to a mystery event which turns out to be a mahoosive giveaway? This video...



Emma Cook has made a delightful video with handmade animation to showcase her dinosaur and flowers themed Autumn/ Winter collection. "The dinosaurs were toys belonging to my son, I thought they looked very cool" Emma told me. Emma made the film in collaboration with Oscar Gränse. It's a whimsical and wonderful start to the weekend.

EMMA COOK AUTUMN / WINTER 2013 from EMMA COOK on Vimeo.