Good taste, bad taste or no taste at all!? Reading and Q&A at Soho House with Pindrop

Where do you draw the line? I'll be doing a little monologue reading and Q&A in conjunction with Pindrop studios next Wednesday 21st September at the Soho House and it's all about style, seeing as we've just had London Fashion Week. I'll be giving you a glimpse into my background and philosophising about how my life has led me to some entriquing style conundrums in the present day. 

http://pindropstudio.com/narrator/princess-julia/

My London Collections: Men SS 2017 Round Up!

There's just so many clothes in the world to choose from I find. Every London fashion season I endeavour to go and see some shows and as London Cllections:Men SS 2017 has just had its gamut of presentations and wot not I had a whizz around supporting what I could. Here in London we're known for our unique take on style with often quirky ensembles on the catwalk. We're also known for our tip top craftsmanship, cut of cloth and traditional tailoring.

So, with much interest I gate crashed the Topman show (I'm a bit useless at organising myself at times). This is a sort of showcase collection, not sure if much of it gets into the stores tbh. They did a sort of seaside theme referencing a nostalgic trip to Margate - and other resorts which have become somewhat of a trend to upping sticks and moving to. It was cute take and I noticed a return of the longer length Teddy Boy drape jacket which I liked. 

I always go to the MAN show, (no actual physical ticket again), and this was a treat! Fantastic installation from Tony Hornecker upon arrival at show space Ambika 3. Loads of mattresses piled high with models slumped against this haphazard heap dressed in flowing blue denim trews teamed with cotton drill shirts who then wheeled the whole thing off. Who was the designer? 

I was watching out for Charles Jeffrey's 3rd MAN catwalk show and once again he came up with the sort of stuff I live for. He said to me something about 'drunken tailoring' a while ago. Actually this wasn't so drunken, just a bit slightly tipsy I'd say because the tailoring was all very fluid feeling, fitted and swishy very good indeed. Models walked in Dr Marten customised block heeled hoofs and then these great clodhoppers of wooden platform shoes scraped their way down the rose petal and salt strewn catwalk to quite an abstract soundtrack of music. Clothes wise from the beginning the tipsy tailored looks progressed with knitwear laced into abstract jumpers, those sort of trousers we used to call a 'peg', rolled up and a sweatpant ensemble with a fully fitted corset. It's all very gawd er, yeah, can I say this? Yeah why not, unisex... A real dressing up box of a show which ended with a floor length blue trapeze line coat topped off with a big old crystallised looking head piece. 

I then managed to cage a lift over to 180 The Strand (show spaces were kind of a rigmarole to get to this season) for the Bobby Abbley show... Oh gawd no physical ticket again! Bobby is hooked on these Disney films, Alladin was his theme and as always he brought an element of fun and optimism to the equation. Using neoprene, sequins, slogans and bold shapes it was sexy and you walked away smiling. We like that!

Okay what next? Oh yeah in between all that I somehow went to the Barbour presentation which actually quite fascinating as I recently explained to Ludo at Sabrinas house the other night. They had the original battered Barbours pinned up with text explaining this and that while the models wore the updated versions. I found it quite informative and wanted to touch the originals as did everyone else.

Blimey then, I crammed a lot in, back to Baker Street where I discretely slid in for Craig Greens show. Layers and layers of signature quilting delicately washed out and strung together formed the backbone of this collection but it was the elements of tailoring that caught my eye at the onset of his show. Very nice indeed. 

Back up to the Strand space and after we went for a lemonade top entered the world of Henry Hollands 90s rave inspired collection. It was great the way you passed through 3 rooms, the first as though you were entering a club then the second where a DJ was banging out the tunes then finally ducking through a curtain you entered the presentation. Boys very casual and chatting to us, we liked that as they happily posed for pictures. Some great pieces here, a t-shirt with nipple rings. Embroidered denim, sweats emblazoned with smiley motifs and oh even some pearl button appliqué. 

    Henry Hollands rave boys

We then went to see the floating jewellery and installation of Alan Crochetti, which very cleverly William Farr had conceived. Alan was so cute getting those faux rocks spinning just right he even did a little bit of filming for me!

Anyway oh yeah, the Fashion East presentations taking place in a disused shop space in Charlotte Street was a total fave. (And my physical ticket arrived in the nick of time!) In the basement the Rottingdean Bazaar got me all ooing and ahhing with their crammed in corner spilling out with ideas. They do these badges - Badge Taste they're called on Instagram, then they had these t-shirts, top and sweat tops that they'd somehow embossed with actual things like ecru panty hose and fag ends pressed onto. They've done the same thing with real actual flowers too. There was an embellished  chair and lining a wall panel these clocks with fag ends in place of the numbers, yeah I definitely wanted one of those! 

Got to mention they had some delish Bloody Mary's on the go and some very delish artisanal cheese and chutney buns from A Little of What You Fancy, the restaurant on Kingsland Road. I took some for my mum to sample much to her delight. 

    Rottingdean Bazaar at Fashion East

Here we go again, running across town in the pouring rain back to 180 The Strand I got the number 1 bus this time and with an actual ticket sat down for Lou Daltons show. She's so sweet inviting me and this was a very well thought out collection of spot on tailoring, fabric and cut. Looked very chic. A spot of tangerine colourfulness accenting her colour palette the whole thing was so what the modern man wants to wear, and a few pieces us girls wouldn't mind as well!

I didn't get to go and see the Sibling show but it looked a riot online, hot boys and girls  (they've combined their men's show with their womenswear I case you didn't know) really fantastic graphic knits and shapes in primary colours, it all looks really fresh and optimistic which in these times is what we really need quite frankly! 

And I didn't get to see Christopher Shannon's show this season either, what a flake I am, anyway he's hit the nail on the head with his fab take on hashtag slogans I must say.

MAY 2016 TALKS & MORE TALKS!

Last May I went to a number of talks. I've outdone myself with panel discussions, presentations and interviews.

On Monday 16th May I checked into Fashion Street (where else!) just off Brick Lane and the Isituto Marangoni  where said fashion journalist Jessica Bumpus and international milliner, dear friend and ex flatmate  Stephen Jones held court at this rather chic Italian fashion college. Stephen has a coach load of fantastic stories to reveal, I could listen to him all night tbh. Loved hearing about his friendship with Anna Piaggi who often asked for hats at a moments notice. I credit Stephen with putting hats back on the map in the late 70s after studying fashion at St Martins when it soon became clear his forte lay in the realm of head gear. He diligently established himself as he went about reinventing jaunty angles throughout the 80s, 90s, 00s and up to the present day where he's never been busier. 

On Tuesday 20th I managed to gate crash the legendary mime, dance choreographer Linsay Kemp’s evening soirée at the Miranda in the basement of Shoreditch’s Ace Hotel. Omg! This was too much. Interviewed by Marc Almond and biographer Nicholas Pegg the 2 hour presentation consisted of rare archive film and performance but it was Lindsay Kemp’s honest accounts that had us howling with laughter as he recanted a past so astounding we audibly gasped! This talk centred around his work with David Bowie at the beginning of his career in the late 60s and 70s, how they met and their love affair. Lindsay delivered a colourful and camp line of repartee in the most adorable way. His legacy of visionary moments is as relevant today as it was back then I'm pleased to say. 

Archive photo of Lindsey Kemp by Joe Gaffney

This next excursion is a regular occurrence on my ‘go to’ calendar. Not strictly a talk as such but a presentation and one not to be missed. It's the MAC Cosmetics trend report hosted by the super charismatic and talented make up artist Terry Barber. That was on Wednesday 18th. I just can't get enough of Terry explaining the inspirations behind the looks we see on catwalks the world over. Each season Terry oversees the moods of face painting from the pallet of MAC for the season ahead. So we're looking at A/W 2016… MAC do a lot of shows and it's fascinating the way designers work with makeup artists to create a look. Guesting the brilliant Marion Newman the mother of all nail technicians. Her inventive take on nail art is a continual reinvention. Top tip... It's all about long nails and an added back of the nail embellishment this season! 

Magazine Man About Town hosted a fascinating glimpse into the archive work of punk maverick Malcom McClaren at the ICA on Friday 20th. MAT have created a beautiful spread within its pages of the latest issue with photography by Alasdair McLellan of McClaren and Westwoods early 80s collections before they went their separate ways. As the keeper of Malcom’s intellectual archive Young Kim (his partner of 12 years up until his death) introduced a series of monologues covering the continual reinvention of the Kings Road shop from Let It Rock into Sex, Seditionaires and finally Worlds End. Joining Young on the panel editor of Man About Town Ben Reardon, writer & archivist Paul Gorman and last minute addition architect Simon Withers (who replaced designer and archivist Kim Jones who as director of the ICA Gregor Muir explained was unable to make it). Simon worked closely with Mclaren and Westwood in the early 80s as they pioneered their fashion concepts. His insightful take added the missing link in the story of how their work was perceived at the time, an insiders view so to speak. Decades later we are still looking at these collections which are as relevant today as they were back then with a sense of discovery. 

A recent trip to Helsinki to DJ for a runaway show after party which took place on an actual flight runway in association with Finnair took me the next day to a great talk at Helsinki arts college on 25th May. An Aalto Fashion seminar with a panel consisting of A Magazine editor Dan Thawley, stylist and style icon Lotta Volkova, artist and model Paul Hemeline, Lou Stoppard who writes and chairs talks at ShowStudio, fashion designer Thomas Tait and book lady Lucy Moore director from Claire De Rouen. I always find chats about process fascinating and this lot certainly go about their business with an open eye within their respective areas. The fact that not only do their disciplines cross over and compliment each other but also create new platforms on how we choose to express ourselves. 

Picking out things over fashion week AW 2016

Most days I spend a couple of hours scrolling down my social network feeds clicking on likes and linking up to the stories that fascinate me, obsess me and that are just amusing. I fill my brain with stuff, so much stuff I never knew existed, loads of stuff I do know, some I don't or have forgotten about and the tales of people's lives and my own in a never ending trawl of notes in the form of imagery, film and word. I heart the things that grab my attention on a whim, I leave short amusing comments and sometimes impart a modicum of information or view point. I just do what everybody else does and while the hours away looking and posting. I do go out into the real world and if the mood takes me, whipping out my phone and recording the moment. I’m always obsessed with style and fashion, the people who make it, the people who wear it and the people who write about it. 

London Fashion week is where I'm at and this season I helped out at Sibling with some big hand knits, it's sort of like a bit of therapy nipping up their East London studio and knitting away. I went to see Ryan Lo who I adore, Claire Barrow's art installation at the ICA. Popped by Peter Jensen who also did an presentation at the ICA. I took my place at Holly Fulton, Ashley Williams and Gareth Pugh... And of course Fashion East with newcomer Mimi Wade. I basically just go to my friends shows though. Either I'm in the supporting role or iD mag ask me to write a short review, which I love doing. I'm the sort who likes things on the basis of ‘would I wear it?’, yes that old chestnut, I just can't help myself, I pick out things I want and sometimes pick out things for friends, then I take a picture for reference or to post. 

Sibling... Yeah I knitted those humongous cowls.

Part of Claire Barrows vitrine installation at the ICA

Mimi Wade at Fashion East

Last month I learned a sector of the fashion world are saying that something has to give on the fashion calendar, seasonal showing dates and whatnot. I'm wondering if it will change? What do you think? Also I'm seeing the continuation of clothes for shows speeding down the catwalks… BIG showstoppers designed to wow us. Who wears these creations in real life? I know a few that would, but really we all know that designers like to throw a few bits of imaginative pieces in to up the anti and grab some choice moments on our news feeds as well as column inches and well keep us interested in the craft of dressing I love to pursue… And maybe you do too.

Com Des Garçon pile it on.

In London we talk endlessly about ‘street style’ but what is that nowadays? I'll leave you to ponder that one. In Milan there's a sense of business to fashion with an innate Italian chicness to consider, even when it's slightly wacky. In Paris it's all about the certain craft of cut and adornment at its core. New York considers the big sell but everywhere has taken to conceptualism to fashion highs. 

In the space of mere seasons Vetements is where our attentions lie right now what with the Balmain post of designer Vetements collective. What did you think of the drag coming down the catwalk? I have to say I was rather taken with some it and amused with other pieces of rather frumpy looking ensembles. Think they might have overlooked the diversity card though, there's a lot of chit chat online about the casting.

I saw a lot of things I wanted this a/w 2016 season I wanted I must say. I also thought some things were, dare I say it, designed with me in mind. I’ve been known to feature on a mood board or two, I’m not just making that up, I've actually seen it! This Gucci fella Alassandro do dah, bet I'm on his, I don't know him but every collection I've seen has a touch of the PJ’s to it. Where's my drag? What about Marc Jacobs, Margiela and Mui Mui, yeah I must be on their mood boards as well. I'm expecting a few care packages then!

    A bit of Margiela for you.

Oh we're most taken with the old (Yves) St. Laurent this season in my camp circles! Just look at what designer Hedi Slimaine has been rummaging around in… None other than the bottom drawer of an 80s disco fan and the drag queens of Shoreditch. Girl's are a bit on thin side but that's Hedi innit, he likes a very slender model and this lot looked stunning as they wobbled around.

   Campness over at Hedi Slimaine's St. Laurent drag box

Finally the king of fashion who's longevity never ceases to amaze me, good old Karl (Lagerfield), a mesmerising character, who saw Suzy Menkes having a dance with him on Instagram? Aside from that he's still got all the enthusiasm for his craft after decades of fashioneering, for that I salute you! 

Mostly obsessed with a/w 2015 season of illustration on fashion...

Is it only me but have you noticed the way illustration on fashion is a thing for the coming season. I'm a regular supporter of London fashion Week and keep an eye what's going on further afield...

Let's start off with James Long and James Davison's transported work. James has been busy sketching away on the front rows this season but for James Davison his drawings became part of the fabric. Davison says he felt quite detached once he saw his artwork being worn. Personally I like the way artwork takes on another life away from the flatness of paper. 

James Long menswear LC:M a/w 2015 with James Davison's illustration.

James Davison's sketch for Sibling menswear a/w 2015

For a/w 2015 Claire barrow, a prolific painter, created collection 'High Flyers'. Her signature work is key to her  designs. She paints onto everything, leather, silk, prints and embroidery feature everywhere. 

Most wantable, Claire Barrow's emblazoned leather trench coat a/w 205

Swirling faces on silk, Claire Barrow a/w 2015

Over at Kim Jones' house, delving into his passion for Christopher Nemmeth Kim created a menswear collection for Louis Vuiton using a homagé of imagery.

Kim Jones for Louis Vuiton featuring the work of Christopher Nemmeth a/w 2015 

I have to include the fact that Peter Jensen used my own watercolours this season...

Peter Jensen wool crepe dress with detail a/w 2015

Hanging out with Peter Jensen

As you might know each season Peter Jensen chooses a muse to base hand inspire a collection. A/W 2015 and it's me... He's also used some of my artwork as prints. So here's a sneak peek...

Catch up with Peter at peterjensen.co.uk  

Some favourite moments from London Collections:Men A/W 2015

Lovely time running around LC:M last weekend, here's a few of my best moments...

First up MAN show and Liam Hodges, we're in love with his patches which are a recurring theme and pop up in inventive ways. Slogans and sandwich boards featured.

Here's Owen modeling for Liam he usually makes music btw.

Slogans from Liam Hodges

Quick run round the corner to Victoria House in Bloomsbury to have a look at what Kit Neale is up to this season. This was his debut catwalk show, he usually does a presentation. Lot's of fun playing with ideas of childhood toys as inspiration.

Plus a bit of Andrew Logan jewelry.

Kit Neales boys

Alas and woe I never made it to Lou Dalton's show, it was at 10am on Saturday morning, but as ever Lou always impresses me. What's it always being called? Unstructured tailoring... it's more than that though.

Looking handsome at Lou Dalton

The Sibling team, that's Joe, Sid and Cozette went all pink with a fantastic show. We all left smiling, beautiful knits, lot's of attitude. A sense of rebellion in the happiest of ways.

Everything from Sibling

Next up and my beloved James Long. James worked a relaxed tone with bits hanging off, wrapped up and ready to go plus some fabulous prints from artist James Davison... loved! Oh and there's some polo necks peeking through. Love a polo neck.

James Long illustrated

A dash round to Fashion East... Omg Grace Wales Bonner was my fave. Ebonics was her title theme. She presented a group of jeweled up boys dressed rather luxuriantly I must say. Inspired by 70's decadence, poetics and Harlem Renaissance. Right up my street, camp!

Everythings for Real

Boy beauty at Wales Bonner

I didn't get to see Christopher Shannon this season but I wish I had... that man is so clever. Look at his take on 'trash culture'. 

Christopher Shannon's great knit

THAT DOG!

Barney 'Bubbles' La Clar is really my flat mates dog, I never regarded myself as a dog lover, I am now so here are some pictures from Rebecca Thomas of Saturday's Nelson's Head dog fancy dress. We didn't enter as I was compering and the designer of Bubbles' and my own outfit James Long was a celeb judge! Didn't seem right somehow...

James Long and Bubbles

Rebecca Thomas
Nelson's Head
James Long

The Nelson's Head Dog Fancy Dress 2014 'Barks 'n' Laughs'

One of my favourite locals The Nelsons Head is having their annual dog fancy dress parade on Saturday 29th November, and yes I'm the compere.  This is always a real hoot dog lovers! See you there from 3pm onwards...

The Nelsons Head.com 

To enter your dog just turn up... with your dog in the most inventive and fashionable costume!

#MAKEHACKNEYSPARKLE

Lot's to report over the next few months one of which is that I've been asked to dress a Christmas tree for Make Hackney Sparkle this year. What is Make hackney Sparkle? Well I heard about it last year as fashion designer Louise Gray dressed a tree, but it's basically a series of events around Hackney. In this case 5 trees are selected to stand in 5 areas around East London, local designers and creatives are then asked to dress a tree. I'm doing the Shoreditch one this year, James Long is taking part along with menswear designers Lou Dalton and Craig Green. I'm looking forward to what they are going to do.

I've decided to pay homage to the drag, trans, LGBT, dressing up and performance community in the area by dressing the tree with drag heels gleaned from friends and topping it off with some huge gonky wigs. I feel it's very important that our presence in the area is represented... all those years dragging our heels around local hotspots in full makeup helping to make Hackney such a vibrant and cultural and hopefully safe area! I am also thinking about traditional and historical drag i.e. Cinderella and the Pantomime Dame. 
Anyway here are some preliminary ideas so you get the picture...

Lights on 29th November at Hackney Town Hall... 

#MAKEHACKNEYSPARKLE

AT LONDON COLLECTIONS: MEN SS2015

This season London's menswear fashion week was pretty hectic, it's a three day event and we're into S/S 2015... what will you be wearing this time next year! London Collections: Men

Sibling

Martine Rose at Fashion East

Christopher Shannon

Nasir Mazhar

Cottweiler

Craig Green

Alan Crocetti at Fashion East

Kit Neale

Sibling

Astrid Anderson

Sexy 'Jesus' Sandles at James Long

 Edward Crutchley at Fashion East

Moschino

Nicomede Talavera at MAN

Moschino