British Designers I Love
27 March 2015
Eldwick, Bingley, Bingley, West Yorkshire BD16, UK
His fashion sketches were fearless fiving him a reputation for creating shocking and challenging ideas. He was an inspiration for creativity. Lee McQueen mastered six methods of pattern cutting after leaving school at sixteen. He went on to create collections such as "Highland Rape" and "Nihilis" as he believed "British fashion is self-confidence and fearless; it refuses to bow to commerce, thus generating a constant flow of new ideas whilst drawing on British heritage."
The signature 'bumsters' made an early appearance which proved McQueen's clear talent for challenging tradition. The brutally sharp approach of his collections mix bold imagery with extreme beauty. His clothes were priased for the unqiue interpretations and technical mixtures, including him in the roster of the most creative designers in the country. By 1996, McQueen was one of the most respected designers in the world, recognised at an international level for his extraordinary shows.
The fashion sensibility of Burberry is enhances by the Prorsum collection. The label has become a beacon for global luxury brand, Burberry, The collections create a mix of classic garments and high fashion style. Set up in 1856 by Thomas Burberry, the first London sotre opened in in 1891 and by 1895, Burberry was making the uniforms for the British Army. Queen Elizabethh II granted the signature paid lining brand a Royal Warrant in 1955.
Burberry Prorsum ('forward' in Latin) began as a high fashion line in 1999 adding a modern twist to the classic luxury brand. Christopher Bailey joined Prorsum as creative director in 2001 after experience at Donna Karan and Gucci. Prorsum was transformed into a relevant fashion brand without sacrificing any of it's originality, helping it to continue defining classic styles and shapes on the runway. Bailey is inspired by Englishness alongside Burberry's heritage, showcasing the original shadow with quirky and youthful touches to keep the brand alive.
Creating a fashionable hodgepodge of sports, street-wear and exciting animation. Designed by Carri Mundane, the collections are a combinations of magic and colour, favoured by London's club kids. Mundane's vision is energetic, inspired by real and virtual worlds. Her clothes present a youthful spirit captured by a kaleidoscope of colour in menswear. Mundane's designs are described as "graphic, future, positive and primal, almost like a virtual media in the industry. Mundane confirms that contemporary methods of communications hugely influence her pieces.
Despite the garments being presented on men, Mundane described them as "mixed wear" - essentially clothes than can be worn by both genders. Ettore Sottsass, Keith Haring and Versace are among her design icons. The collections are known to have florescent colours and signature prints which I adore. Mundane believes street fashion is fashion in it's purest form.
Mundane is also a stylist, contributing her colourful visiton to magazines such as i-D, Dazed & Confused and Super Super, redefining a luxurious industry for a new generation.
The designers of beautifully refined clothes and bright, sexy and dynamic designs. Creatively fusing colour, print and fabric, Kane is at the forefront of British fashion design. Inspired by the ingenuity of John Galliano from an early age, Christopher Kane received praise from Donatella Versace after a graduation from Central Saint Martins, landing a consultancy role at Versace in September 2006. Kane showed his first independent show at one of London's Fashion Weeks. Skin-tight pieces referenced the work of Gianni Versace, Azzedine Alaia and Hervé Leger. Kane captured the modern essence of London's fashion, with a working ethic of "working hard and trying to do something interesting". He states "I want women to feel really special in my designs but my ideas on aesthetic change like the weather." Kane's work is inspired by his own memories and interpretations, beginning at drawing, then working on a mannequin and on the body to edit the garments. For Kane, the fashion show is the most exhilarating part of his work. He certainly helps fill the quote for British designers creating on excellent international reputation for being visionary.
Her clothes combine quirky femininity with exquisite detailing, retro styling and rich textures. Cook's appreciation for using directional prints and unique character in her garments was noted by the British press who focused on her unique attention to detail after her 1999 graduation from Central Saint Martins. That very charm has come to develop and define Cook's work. After winning a Vidal Sassoon Young Talent Award, Cook produced her own collection at LFW for S/S 2001.
Despite Emma Cook's collection being described as 'girlish', they are always graphic with very strong construction techniques. There are often visible themes of natural or artistic references such as foliage, birds or animals and flowers. Cook designs her pieces to be worn over and over again - not just for the time of the year. Cook ensures that her collections present original twists on contemporary fashion by developing a girly but not cute aesthetic. The most rewarding part of her job is seeing people wearing and enjoying her clothes, despite the phenomenal designer and perfectionist never feeling satisfied.
Jolly Jumper
25 March 2015
Eldwick, Bingley, Bingley, West Yorkshire BD16, UK
There are some items in my closet that I can never let go of, either because they have a sentimental touch or a significant memory I like to remember attached to them. With this jumper, it was the first item I bought on a shopping trip with my friends when I was only twelve. This may not seem like a very big deal, but when I was younger, shopping trips to the city centre were a huge thing, especially when there were no parents. It's a lot different now and tweens seem to be skipping the awkward pink jeans stage I went through. Surprisingly, this jumper still fits as I bought a large size all those years ago. It has stuck with me and stayed in great condition ever since. The sweater slowly became my favourite, and during the winter I would wear it just about everywhere.
Jumper // Topshop
Jeans // Urban Outfitters
Bag // Next
Shoes // Next
Triple Threat
12 March 2015
Eldwick, Bingley, Bingley, West Yorkshire BD16, UK
This pair of boots were my first ever Chelsea boots. I jumped straight onto the band wagon and followed bloggers and celebrities into the leather phenomenon. They're comfy stlish and easy to wear which makes them one of my favourite airs. On a busy day, I lean towards these boots as they aren't too tight-fitting and have a flat but very sturdy sole for me to rush around in. The shape fits my feet perfectly as they're not a wide fit but still leave plenty of room. The basic style helps them pair well with just about everything I own.
I tend to wear these boots to quite formal events, because they can be easily dressed up. The ontrast in heel and material fives them a bit of edge and adds the small contrast in colour to a look. Fortunately, the suede looks great against tights which have helped these boots become a winter favourite. And who doesn't love suede? The heel is high enough for the to be worn with casual attire as well as a much less colloquial setting.
I was first reluctant to purchase these boots due to the pointed toe and unique look. Pointier toes always make feet look longer in my opinion, which is something I have always been concious of. However, paired with jet black or even charcoal jeans they highlight the best in a black on black look with the tiny details in the boots making the outfit seem more exciting and put together with minimal effort. The leather isn't shiny which means it doesn't contrast with common fabrics such as denim or jersey. I love that the boots pair well with dresses as well as jeans, as it's quite difficult to find an ankle boot style that's so versatile.
Girl Crush: Angelina Jolie
10 March 2015
Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK
Her style (as well as make-up) are constantly all over my Tumblr feed, and she's basically red carpet royalty. My favourite AJ looks are her award show dress which always manage to steal the spotlight. Similarly, Mrs Pitt's everyday look are so simple yet appear so stylish. All-black outfits are owned by Angelina.
Sometimes the most effective looks are the ones with much less going on. As the years have gone by, I have learnt (with the help of Angelina) that all-black outfits aren't all bad and extremely busy looks can just be too much. There's no shame in wearing an oversized black tee in the middle of August, but that doesn't mean you can't glam up in a bright green glittery ensemble for a dinner party. She annihilates just about every look she tried, and has a presence that's unique to her personality.
Magical Music Apps
9 March 2015
Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK
SPOTIFY
I tend to use Spotify more as the programme on my computer as I can listen to anything on demand. The mustic list is endless and there are plenty of other users with amazing playlists that I follow and adore. The iOS 8 app works really well (despite adverts and limited skips). It's great for throwing on any old playlist or artist; however if your playlist is too short Spotify with automatically include some extra tracks which can be a blessing or a curse. I have dance around upgrading to Spotify Premiumfor a while as it certainly has it's benefits, such as offline streaming which is great for on-the-go. The price per month is what keeps me from taking the plunge.
8TRACKS
This app is great for discovering new music. Like Spotify, you can create and follow playlists made by other users, but not albums or artists. To find playlists, you can search something to fit your mood, surroundings or activity and narrow the search by selecting adjectives that appear in the list. Spotify also has this feature, including playlists made by Spotify rather than just users, but 8tracks promoted the feature first so I use it more often. There's a playlist for every situation possible and it's one of my favourite ways to find new music to add to my library. There isn't an offline feature for this app, but the website and app do not include sound advertisements despite this application also having limited skips per playlist.
BBC iPLAYER RADIO
BBC Radio 1 and 1XTRA are two of my favourite radio stations. This app is one of the only ways I listen to the radio because my iPod is constantly playing. I use this app to listen to the Radio 1 Breakfast Show in the mornings which helps me to have a great start to the day. The sleek design is one of my favourite things about the app, and the option for every radio station by the BBC is available, including a tab named "find local radio" that will use the location services on your device to find a station near you. The iOS 8 application is extremely effective and has never broken down or stopped responding.
YOUTUBE
The original source of music before new media took over. I don't use YouTube for music everyday, mainly because I can't close the app and keep the video playing. YouTube was my main source for lyric and music videos, before the advertisement days. YouTube has changed a lot from the original iPhone app, and the "Music" tab on the "What to Watch" page is usually where I head to find YouTube Mixes and recommended videos. I can also find videos from artists I'm subscribed to and always find the newest and latest music videos to hit VEVO.
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