Fashion Collection

Archive for the ‘Designing a Fashion Collection’ Category

Estethica is the eco-friendly fashion showcase of London Fashion Week and SS10 was sponsored By Monsoon for the fifth season running.  Eco designers not only have to create beautiful pieces that will set our hearts racing; they have to ensure the environment is not damaged, the rights of workers are fair and resources are not wasted.  Tough call but as you can see below, they have pulled it off:

Not dragging their feet are two eco-friendly shoes designers: Beyond Skin and Nina Dolcetti.

Beyond Skin are vegan shoes designers using PU plastic rather than leather. Their SS10 collection introduces a capsule evening wear range. They are excited about the US store Anthropologie arriving soon in to the UK (Regents St.) because they will be stocking their new pumps  ”Beyond Skin Sole”.

Nina Dolcetti designs leather footwear but only uses left overs, off-cuts, old colour swatches and any other unwanted pre-consumer waste to create her shoes. Left over leather soles are used from other shoe companies, re-cut and re-stamped with the correct size.  All the shoes are limited editions as the design and colour depends on the left overs.  So if you want to be ethical but can’t bear to give up your leather shoes – this is your kind of brand.

Hats off to Pachacuti who design fedoras and panama hats whilst ensuring just remuneration for current weavers, ensuring sustainablilty and training a new generation in weaving techniques.Their SS10 collection was inspired by the painters and sculptors of St. Ives in Cornwall, with the interweaving diamond shapes drawn from the sculptures of Barbara Hepworth.  Vivid colours and intricate detailing keep the authenticity of the Inca heritage.

Makepiece spins a yarn with their SS10 knitwear collection “the Matrimony” which was inspired by  Nicola Sherlock’s (the designer) own wedding this year. This collection sees delicate fine knitwear with ruffles, ruching, ribbons and plaits creating a romantic feel. Light airy colours of sky, petal, lilac haze and cream mingle with more earthy colours of evening green and dark earth.  The knitwear company is based in the Yorkshire Pennines where they take the natural yarns from their own sheep, spin them as locally as possible and knit them in their own community.  Buy from Stella, 5 Upper Market Hall, Camden Lock, London.

Anatomy’s SS10 collection shows tailored pieces in navy with an accent of red in buttons and buckles. Fabrics used are bamboo for their denim pieces; hemp and cotton blend for their fun stripey pencil skirts and jackets ; and a linen silk blend. Best sellers are their fencing styled waistcoats and jackets which flatter the figure and emphasise or give the illusion of a waist. A perfect brand for the woman who prefers her clothes structured. Buy online from www.devidoll.com

The Bees Knees – Designer Ada Zanditon created a Buzz with her SS10 collection “The Colony”. Inspiration came from bees. Main palette is red and navy. Hexagonal shapes were widely used  in patterns (as seen in the red tunic dress on the hanger) and to make 3D sculptural pieces such as the navy interlock skirt & cape. All fabrics used are organic and natural. Her designs can be bought from Digitaria, 60 Berwick St. London.

Soaring high is Christopher Raeburn’s SS10 collection made of re-appropriated military parachute fabric. The garments are brought to life with splashes of rainbow colours – red, orange, yellow, green ,blue, indigo and violet, with circle cut outs appearing on lapels and around hoods for decoration. Mainly designing outerwear such as parkas, bomber jackets, macs, capes and ponchos, Raeburn has created a capsule collection of dresses for SS10 with his orange creation being worn by Hilary Alexander to Downing Street.  Also this season, he has introduced the “jellyfish” bag made of woven netting with parachute fabric and cord .His designs for men can be bought from Liberty and for women in Browns Focus.

Elena Garcia’s SS10 collection is called “ Silk Safari” and was inspired by the films The English Patient and Lawrence of Arabia. Colour palette is chocolate brown, charcoal and ivory to capture the romance and the earth tones of the landscape in these films.  Garments come in one size but can be adjusted by means of ribbons or shell buttons – great concept when you’ve eaten too much for dinner!  The garments are made from organic and peace silk.

Beautiful Soul specialises in creating pieces from Japanese vintage kimonos (dating back to the 1940’s)  and has named her SS10 collection ”Miss Butterfly” after Puccini’s Madam Butterfly. Another source are vintage saris, and other fabrics used are peace silk, organic jacquard, handloom cotton and bamboo jersey. Although the designs can be reproduced, each garment is exclusive due to the fabrics used originating from a limited source of vintage kimonos and saris. Beautiful Soul is happy to create commissioned pieces and for you to select your own Japanese vintage kimono for the fabric.  You can buy  from Junky Styling , 91 Brick Lane, London.

Article 23 in the UN Declaration of Human Rights states “Everyone who works has the right to just and favourable remuneration ensuring for himself and his family an existence worthy of human dignity”. And this is the commitment for Paris based fashion brand Art.23 whose garments are made in India where they ensure the most fundamental rights of the workers are upheld and their vital needs are seen to. Art.23’s SS10 collection was inspired by “Alice in Wonderland”- invoking the spirit of Alice for adventure in their women’s collection and a minimalist man in Wonderland who is ready for any occasion in their men’s collection.  Coral for women and mauve for both are the SS10’s colours to join their basic black and white palette. Truly playing in Wonderland sees the introduction of the Unisex collection with t-shirts, shirts and the unisex fantasy trench coat sporting six engraved buttons with closing for man & woman. SS10 also sees the introduction of peace silk jersey to their fabrics of organic cotton.  Buy  from  KJ’s Laundry, 74 Marylebone Lane, London .

Fifi Bijoux’s SS10 collection is in ethically mined silver and romantically called “Two Hearts Collide”. This is the first time they have introduced silver usually creating delicate pieces in gold. This is for the woman who prefers luxury timeless jewellery.  They also specialise in ethical engagement and wedding rings. Buy in London from Charles Fish, Canary Wharf; Cerise, 94 Columbia Rd, E2; Eco Age 213 Chiswick High Rd; Equa, 28 Camden Passage, Islington; or Nude, 36 Shepherd’s Market, Mayfair .

Estethica designers have shown that we can maintain our fashionable individual style; whether it is tailored, structured, romantic, bold, casual, quirky or glamorous; and keep the environment safe, ensure no-one is exploited and resources are not wasted. We can now strut our stuff happy with the knowledge we not only look great on the outside, but we feel good on the inside.

For help with eco-friendly personal shopping in London and image consultancy visit frumpytofunky’s website: www.frumpytofunky.com

SPRING FASHION 2008

Part One – The Racing Season

It’s time to drop the heavy winter coats and kick off the furry boots. Spring is here! In the fashion world, soon the darker hues of grey and navy will be replaced with splashes of bright colours and floral prints. The onset of spring marks the beginning of Melbourne’s racing season, also known as the urban fashion parade. This year, forget cheap and tacky polyester and nylon-laden dresses. Look your hottest in a classy silk gown hand-made by a selection of fine local seamstresses and boycott the Chinese sweat shop products.

Spring fashion is traditionally known for its vivid colours and floral-based prints. For Spring 2008, experts are predicting that the main “ins” for the season are bright-on-dark floral designs, washed-out denims, and unique mixtures of pastels with bright colours. The Spring Racing season will be launched this year at the 2008 Melbourne Spring Fashion Week. For racing fashionistas who plan to work the upcoming Melbourne Cup and Spring Racing carnival circles, an extensive range of fashion wear awaits.

Major fashion labels already have their racing season clothing on display. However, for the fashion-smart girls who want to stand out and truly be unique at this year’s Spring Racing Carnival, specially tailored dresses are the way to go.

The latest spring colours and designs have already caught up with d’Italia, a Melbourne exclusive designer fabric store which directly imports its fabric from Italy and France. It currently boasts a range of new Spring-based prints in silks, linens and French laces. In line with the anticipated trends for the season, bright geranium pinks, blue violets, dandelion yellows, Hermes oranges and tomato reds are plentiful. To create multiple effects, the available colours can be found in a silk burnout fabric. This unusual and clever mix of silk woven in a combination of sheer chiffon/georgette and solid satin creates a visually stunning designer’s dream.

For the girls wanting more sleek than sedate, a range of metallics are also in store. The selection of crystal silvers, oyster/pewters, and glossy golds are a foreseeable upcoming trend, which will soon diversify the Spring collection for the year.

Go to d’Italia’s store and get yourself a completely unique and perfectly fitted dress or suit that will simply stun the boys.

Men’s catwalk exploded the runway with fireworks emanating from designer collections at Paris Fashion Week. The week just got over on 29th of June lightening the sartorial load on the ramp with ultra light fabrics. Bold prints, harem pants, slim fitted trousers, tailored look and beefy sailor looks ruled the runway. Cuts came through at Hugo Boss from a 1980′s take on tailoring. The German suit maker also sent out a collection fit for the beaches of a chic French beach resort. Heavy metal sequins covering several well-cut jackets sparkled like scales. The looks were eye-catching, but gave even style maverick Adrian Brody look.

Colour took centre-stage at the Paris-based Japanese label Issey Miyake, as designer Dai Fujiwara sent out Turkish-inspired harem pants and short suits in turquoise, ceylon and Persian blues; embellished with geometric mosaic designs and eye-popping tulip prints. Triangles and hexagons woven into a cotton fabric turned a generously cut summer jacket into a delicate mosaic.

This time, translucence was the key for Calvin Klein. The opening outfit set the tone- a transparent onyx parka over Lycra shorts, in keeping with what has become the Zucchelli tradition of extreme sportswear. If the designer’s signature collection was an exercise in adult restraint, this outing felt like an experiment in quirk. Emporio Armani show cased wrinkly things, scaly designs, burgundy leather mesh, sober suits, and lots of orange, deluxe oriental fabrications; long johns, models on BMX bikes and a tiny child in pinstripes.

Givenchy adopted for a flying wedge of his peers and gave the clothes a ferociously sexy athleticism using high-performance fabrics in a mosaic like print founded on the star motif. The short-over-leggings silhouette was predominant in his version of a sports uniform.  John Galliano as bizarre as ever, showcased the usual wall-to-wall spectacle, with an unusual cast of thousands, painted and garbed to resemble anyone but themselves. Separately all pieces are wearable. The theme was Napoleon’s rise and the Napster being a character that Galliano effectively identifies with the show’s arc.

Massimiliano Giornetti is known for his expertise in sublimating his inspirations into the grander design of Salvatore Ferragamo. This season he was influenced by the colours and textures of Africa but in transforming his impressions, he managed to produce a collection that was unutterably Italian. The recipe for the new Lanv in collection this season was Lightness, colour, desire and a lot of work. A tiny bow on a neckline, another at the waist, kimono-cut shirts, high-waist khakis, a green coat in what looked like crepe, puff sleeves, shorts in tie silk are the feminine flourishes that distinguished the label.

This time Yohji Yamamoto show cased simple clothe with little details. The palette, fabrics, silhouettes were much the same as always- black, indigo blue, linen, cupro and oversized. But the designer had slipped in a little subtext, his name written in Cyrillic script inside the breast pocket of jackets. The audience for Raf Simons’ show was sitting in a beautiful garden, looking at a snake or at least a snake printed on a pair of jeans. The belts woven around the bodies of the be suited Adams were also serpentine. The logo on the backside of the jeans was with the snake coiling in an S shape.

The design included knit torso with cloth jacket shoulders and jackets whose sleeves were slashed open like something from the Renaissance. The unlocking key of Stefano Pilati’s latest enigmatic collection was the T-shirt he was wearing when he took his bow. Pilati introduced the collection with a short film made by director Samuel Benchetr it. Yves Saint Laurent jackets were cutaway, low in front, higher in back, which gave an illusion of urgency, like the models were leaning forward. Over all, it was a fun and colourful voyage to menswear fashion at the Paris do.