MFW SS13: WILL YOU WEAR PRADA'S NEW LEATHER SOCKS?

Posted by Bethan Holt, Fashion Junior at Large and Kasia Hastings

Leather socks at Prada (image from vogue.com)

Sorry, what we mean when we say "socks" is "flats that were essentially kid-leather ankle socks with a bifurcation to separate the big toe were slipped through a dainty harness of pastel satin". Thank you Vogue's Hamish Bowles for providing the correct definition of one of the big talking points of Miuccia Prada's SS13 collection, shown in Milan yesterday. As always with Prada, there's a lot to say about what we saw. Much of it revolves round the Japanese geisha influences and allusions to the hard/ soft elements of female character. If there were ever a collection to get intellectual about this would be it. But our minds are mostly on THOSE socks, which tie up in a neat little package exactly what Mrs Prada does best- shows us something utterly alien, seemingly unworkable  and makes us want it a little bit and then a little bit more until its filtered down to the high street and we're all completely mad for it.

The Prada socks look (image from vogue.com)

What's kind of fascinating about these socks though is that, in their current form, they are entirely unworkable. Could you dance in a club or run for a bus in them? Not so much, unless you're up for having shards of glass stuck in your feet. They remind of Courrèges space boots- clearly in space you don't really need to think about litter and the such.

Courreges space boots from the 60s (image from veralustina.blogspot.co.uk)

 They could also pass for a souped up version of the Vibram barefoot running boots our colleague Stu has recently been sporting, although those boast "quidfurcation", a made-up word for every toe having its own individual hole. There were far more viable seeming styles which involved the sock inserted onto a rocking-horse like jewelled platform and reinforced with extra ribbon-y straps. This is exactly the kind of thing we can imagine uber keen fashionistas wearing next season. In fact, Susie Bubble has just tweeted "My feet will buckle in these but I'll still do my damn hardest to get them come January... #prada" along with this picture:

Meanwhile, The Telegraph's fashion team confimed "#mfw #prada the leather socks you slip into hobbling-high platforms will be sold, said miuccia p: "but reduced". Whether the socks alone will be up for grabs is still anyone's guess. We're thinking a thin sole could perhaps be added, giving them a kind of minimal boxing boot look. And they'll undoubtedly spark a move on from the fash crowds' current love of a grey/ navy sock to metallic styles, possibly with an added ribbon. It's definitely a Marmite debate, but Elle's Stacey Duguid spoke for the "love it" team when she tweeted "Just popping back to the hotel to spray paint my socks silver". A quick fix way to get the Prada look now, will you or won't you? One thing we're betting any of you shaking your heads in disgust, you'll probably have come round to the idea by next Spring. That's the kind of magic spell Mrs Prada is so adept at casting.

WILL YOU WEAR THE 'BLOGGER' TREND?

Posted by Bethan Holt, Fashion Junior at Large

Yes you read right, we have identified a season defying trend quite simply called "blogger". Gone are the days when just having a blog was trendy enough, now it's all about getting the look of a blogger. That is, piled high with as many designer pieces- preferably borrowed from the catwalk collection- as is physically possible. Where once, one stand-out item would have done, it's now time to adopt the mantra, 'Why wear one, when you can wear five?'. Where a few years ago Kate, Sienna et al made it fashionable to look like you hadn't actually tried too hard, that you'd sort of just thrown on skinny jeans and ballet shoes and made them look stylish, now it's all about being high maintenance, blatant and unashamedly fashion mad.

Susie Bubble with her clashing patterns and cute accessories (image from style.com by Tommy Ton)

Bryanboy with brilliant trousers, shoes, clutch, sunglasses (image from www.bryanboy.com)

There are three solid examples from across the fashion industry which confirm to us that the blogger look is proving to be just as influential as catwalk shows when it comes to setting trends. In fact the blogger look is a new way of dressing, a whole attitude change.

CASE IN POINT #1: River Island's Blogger trend for AW12

River Island held their press day last week. At these events, we're told what the store will be doing for coming season. Alongside the big, to-be-expected trends inspired by the catwalk shows (e.g. Baroque and Futuristic Goth) was another called, quite simply "Blogger". The press release describes this look as 'organised chaos' and 'freestyle'. The words 'exaggerated', 'fun' and 'clashing' all feature- 'it's disorganised but carefully put together'

Pile it on was the message at River Island

Of course, these boots must be worn with above cap if you're to work the blogger trend in the right way

By pointedly using this as a seasonal mood, is River Island saying this is a moment for the so-called blogger- I prefer 'street style star' but it's not so catchy- look? Or is it here to stay as a code we use to style ourselves?

CASE IN POINT #2: Vogue loves bloggers

When one of the world's most authoritative fashion magazines commissions a shoot on a trend, we know it's important.

I am  a camera... from British Vogue, February 2012 (image from thebostonbazaar.wordpress.com)

British Vogue's February issue (image from thelicenciate.com)

(image from thebostonbazaar.wordpress.com)

CASE IN POINT #3: Anna Dello Russo designs for H&M

ADR works her version of 'blogger' (image from guardian.co.uk)

Until now, H&M has collaborated with some of the most influential designers in the world-Versace, Stella McCartney, Lanvin.... So the fact that their latest project is not with a designer but a person, Anna Dello Russo, really means something. It's a sure sign that H&M believe that the Vogue Nippon Fashion Director, blogger and street style favourite has the same wide ranging appeal as a big designer label as well as the look that everyone wants to get. It's interesting that what Dello Russo wears has become so attached to her rather than the labels she wears. It's how she wears it which H & M are packaging and selling as a commercial product. It's also highly astute from a business perspective because in order to get the Anna look, customers will have to buy several pieces. ADR seems to be acutely aware of what's going on, she said last week, "this is the sign of an important evolution in fashion and I am both thrilled and humbled to be the one chosen to lead it".

Some of the items which will form  the collection (image from telegraph.co.uk)

Anna models her designs (image from telegraph.co.uk)

Do you agree that this is really how bloggers dress? Will you be wearing "blogger"?