Amelia’s Magazine | London Fashion Week S/S 2012 Catwalk Review: Aminaka Wilmont

Aminaka Wilmont show LFW SS2012 by Gemma Sheldrake

Aminaka Wilmont S/S 2012 by Gemma Sheldrake

The title Changeling on the poster-sized invitation to Aminaka Wilmont’s show – the last womenswear show in the BFC show space at Somerset House during this London Fashion Week’s season – already prepared me, cost before actually seeing the collection, illness for some allusions to legends and folklore. Of course the designers behind the Aminaka Wilmont, Maki Aminaka Löfvander and Marcus Wilmont have a wealth of such otherworldly inspiration to draw from their Swedish, Japanese and Danish cultural backgrounds.

Aminaka Wlimont LFW SS12 by MattBramford

Aminaka Wilmont show LFW SS12 by Maria Papadimitriou

Aminaka Wilmont show LFW SS12 by Kristina Vasiljeva

Aminaka Wilmont S/S 2012 by Kristina Vasiljeva

The first thing that struck me when the show begun was the way the models had their hair styled with a mid-parting and straight bands of hair placed hanging in front of their ears, which immediately reminded me of Neyriti’s hairstyle in the movie Avatar.

Aminaka Willmont show LFW SS12 by Gemma Sheldrake

Aminaka Willmont S/S 2012 by Gemma Sheldrake

Interestingly, afterwards I read that Aminaka Wilmont were partly inspired for their Spring Summer 2012 collection by Ori Gersht’s photographs of dark landscapes and high mountains which look very much like Pandora’s Hallelujah Mountains in Avatar. The dove grey tones we saw in a lot of the outfits evoked the colour of karst limestone formations found in some of Gersht’s work and on the chinese Huang Shan Mountains which inspired the Hallelujah Mountains.

Aminaka Wilmont show LFW SS12 by Maria Papadimitriou

Aminaka Wlimont show LFW SS12 by Matt Bramford

Aminaka Wilmont show LFW SS12 by Maria Papadimitriou

Perhaps following this line of thought, the designers had placed white orchids – which often grow under geological conditions such as those described above – on the front row seats while the pure white colour, and innocence of the flower was reflected in a number of simple white chiffon dresses.

Aminaka Wilmont show LFW SS12 by Maria Papadimitriou

Aminaka Wilmont show LFW SS12 by Vasare Nar

Aminaka Wilmont S/S 2012 by Vasare Nar

Violets and shades of brown dominated in abstract floral prints where again one could see Ori Gersht’s influence. Jersey assymetrical dresses featured cut out panels and custom-made Merve Tuna shoes came in mermaid blues and greens that alluded to creatures of an ambiguous identity. I really enjoyed the chain vial necklaces that contained something which looked like a magic potion in various bright colours.

Aminaka Wilmont show LFW SS12 by Maria Papadimitriou

Aminaka Wilmont show LFW SS12 by Maria Papadimitriou

Aminaka Wilmont show LFW SS12 by Maria Papadimitriou

Aminaka Wlimont show LFW SS12 by Matt Bramford

Aminaka Wlimont show LFW SS12 by Matt Bramford

In line with this ambiguity of the theme of the Changeling was also the duality expressed through the use of leather in the jackets versus sheer chiffon in the dresses and skirts as well as through some bottom halves that were pants-length versus long trains hanging at the back. Indeed here I should add that I felt one should really own an otherworldly pair of legs or simply be a fairy to be able to sport some of the shorter pieces…

Aminaka Wlimont show LFW SS12 by Matt Bramford

Aminaka Wilmont show LFW SS12 by Maria Papadimitriou

Aminaka Wilmont show LFW SS12 by Maria Papadimitriou

Aminaka Wlimont show LFW SS12 by Matt Bramford

Aminaka Wlimont show LFW SS12 by Matt Bramford

Of course the most beautiful and startling contrast was between the masculine/aggressive and feminine which was revealed in the final pieces in the collection; floral printed body armour pieces with 3D flower forms sewn onto them as if the armour was blossoming. Intriguingly the designers cite as an inspiration ‘the Hayflick effect’ or limit – which is the number of times a normal cell population will divide before it stops – and I thought that at times the models looked, walked and had an expression on their faces, especially at the end when they all walked together in a huddle, like they were hopefull warriors or amazons – perhaps determined to survive in a world where the cells do not have that many more times left to divide?

Aminaka Wlimont show LFW SS12 by Matt Bramford

Aminaka Wilmont show LFW SS12 by Maria Papadimitriou

Aminaka Wlimont show LFW SS12 by Matt Bramford

Aminaka Wilmont show LFW SS12 by Maria Papadimitriou

Aminaka Wlimont show LFW SS12 by Matt Bramford

Aminaka Wlimont show LFW SS12 by Matt Bramford

All photography by Matt Bramford and Maria Papadimitriou

Categories ,Aggressive, ,Aminaka Wilmont, ,Armour, ,Avatar, ,british fashion council, ,Changeling, ,Chiffon, ,collection, ,Danish, ,Dress, ,fairytales, ,fashion, ,Feminine, ,Folklore, ,Gemma Sheldrake, ,Hairstyle, ,Hayflick Limit, ,Jackets, ,japanese, ,jersey, ,Karst limestone, ,Kristina Vasiljeva, ,leather, ,London Fashion Week, ,Maki Aminaka Lofvander, ,Marcus Wilmont, ,Maria Papadimitriou, ,Masculine, ,Matt Bramford, ,Merve Tuna, ,Necklaces, ,Neytiri, ,Orchids, ,Ori Gersht, ,Swedish, ,Vasare Nar, ,Womenswear

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Amelia’s Magazine | London Fashion Week: English Eccentrics ‘Miss Magritte Met a Vampire’

In the words of Public Enemy – “Don’t believe the hype”. This is my mantra for all fashion shows following the Ann-Sofie Back show. My first warning was when they served tiny little portions of mushroom risotto out to the waiting audience. I hate mushrooms, order buy and they had no alternative. It was a bad omen, but I was prepared to excuse as the venue was pretty cool. The Topshop show space in the University of Westminster was a vast warehouse with as much potential as Andy Warhol‘s Factory. Then the lights dimmed, the music started and I knew we were all doomed for the next 20 minutes. First the music: it literally didn’t make any sense. It was a comedy sound-scape that could well have been the backing music to a Laurel and Hardy film. It had no rhythm, no progression and no point.
Then came the clothes. Ann-Sofie Back gave us a collection inspired by OK! and Heat. No, I’m not joking, these are the actual words that she uses in the press release. Any designer that references Britney Spears “pixelated crotch” as inspiration is one that needs sectioned.
All the clothes looked as if the hem had come down, got caught in a revolving door and then been chewed by a dog. Apparently this was homage to Kate Moss’s disintegrating Dior dress at the opening night of The Golden Age of Couture at the V&A. On one particular dress the unravelled hem attached to silver anklets around the models leg. Oh, and some of the models had garters around their thighs. It was all a bit wife-swapping-in-the-suburbs for my liking.
If Ann-Sofie Back is determined to use the C-list celebrities as her inspiration, then who does she hope to dress other than these fame hungry vultures that haunt the weekly gossip magazines? Just as Britney inspired Justin Timberlake‘s Cry Me A River, this collection made me want to weep. Ann-Sofie is definitely not bringing sexy Back.

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Alexei of JoFo with a terribly inaccurate flier outside the Liverpool Barfly. (Ed’s Note: There is no one called John or Johnny Foreigner in the band.)

Johnny Foreigner have, approved like so much British Beef reared talent of late, had huge amounts of exposure and press without as of yet releasing an album. However on the back of this near- perfect little EP Arcs Across the City I would say all the digital chatter is fairly justified. JoFo essentially play noisy, cluttered and down right chaotic indie pop at its best, never allowing themselves to forget that it is imposing rhythmic vocals that are needed to win an audience over.

The opener Champagne Girls I Have Known hurtles into view in a way which epitomises the frenzied feel of the band, messy guitar and sporadic drumming opening up, and then getting into swing with a controlled form of chaos. What makes the song – and indeed the band – truly special, is the perfectly balanced duel vocals of Alexei and Junior which compliment each other beautifully. There are perhaps even elements of the ignoble Mark E. Smith in the haywire shouting, the words sounding occasionally uncontrolled and existing independently of their creators. Balancing this on the other hand are the wonderfully melodic lines and segments that arrive out of the clutter, on Suicide Pact, Yeah the vocals sound particularly fine, with a perfect little refrain appearing as girl and boy come together to sing “I’ve got nothing to lose“. The self cited influences of Dismemberment Plan and Q and Not U are glaringly present but JoFo are by no means simply an amalgamation of the two, creating as they have a genuinely unique sound, same but different if you will.

Johnny Foreigner sound as though they have somehow captured the musical zeitgeist at this present time, components from hand clapping to synthesisers to glockenspiel are all present however where lesser bands might use these tools in a derivative or tired way, JoFo integrate many elements together in a manner which is not at all forced. Almost in parallel to fellow new comers Los Campesinos! it feels as though they have been coming for a long time, an amalgamation of trends of the current time, drawing on so many influences yet somehow remaining fresh.

JOFO are TOURING EXTENSIVELY NOW

Photograph by Christel Escosa

Upon one very monotonous day in college, pharmacy I received a call from my partner in crime ranting some inaudible words, but my ears pricked up when I heard the words ‘Skins Premiere Party‘. Much to the envy of all my companions I discovered that yes, I indeed was going to the infamous Skin’s party in London town and you my friend, are not; cue smug face. My mindset was expecting a wild dancing orgy full of drugged delirious crazed ape faces due to excess consumption of everything wrong under the sun, courtesy of those captivating E4 TV ads which suck me in like some sort of turbo powered straw.

My comrade and I arrived at an old, beaten-down theatre with an exterior attacked by florescent chip-shop style skins banners. Armed with three drinks tokens, I spied with my little eye my first celebs, Michael Bailey (Sid) and April Pearson (Michelle). One to get star struck all too often, even by Paul O’Grady, I decided to opt out of the risk of much personal embarrassment and headed upstairs for the premiere screening of the first episode from series two. The derelict but grand pavilion with wooden steps for seats housed us skins devotees and after a tedious wait the exclusive screening started with screaming fans to my left and my right. The long-awaited episode captured everything a rebellious young’n could and would do, and was greeted with an enthusiastic response all round. But personally, I was more interested in working my dancing shoes – I did not put on my hooker heels to watch a giant TV screen, and was the first to scramble my way out to the main room when it’d finished in search for music and alcohol.

The Teenagers opened the live performances, but perhaps since it was so early on in the night the audience seemed to have unjustly fallen asleep in their drinks. The troopers still made the most of a bad situation and hammered away at their instruments with exuberance and by the end of their performance, I was beginning to wonder if all the publicity was one big scam.

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Hats off to the fighting Teenagers for dealing with this crowd (see girl on far left)

Next to brave the merciless audience was MC/Beat boxer/Multi vocalist Kila Kella, and I’m not sure whether it was his high-pitched vocals, or perhaps his ‘give Justin a run for his money’ beatboxing talents, but he finally got a response from the audience! Hurrah! The hype-man he was, stirred the animals within and there was no turning back; the party had started at last and we all didn’t give a toss about our bleary eyed disco dancing. Mylo and Kissy Sell Out took over for the rest of the night and served up tunes that had zealous effects over my body as I proceeded to thrash my cheap wine-fuelled body around without any breaks, which left me feeling rather delicate come Sunday afternoon. Kaya Scodelario and Mitch Hewer aka Effy and Maxxie, left their celebrity status’ behind and joined in the fracas, living up to their controversial on-screen characters.

When all the other weaklings that couldn’t take the heat had left by midnight, my trustful crunker and I were still raving like the Skins kids we are at heart ‘til closing time. No I did not participate in an orgy, no I did not sniff any of the white stuff, and no I did not dry hump all the boys on the dance floor – but an evening, which started out rather placid, spiralled into an alcohol-induced mental rave like no other, topped off with a somnolent night bus journey home, cheese on toast and toilets filled with said cheese on toast.

In reference to Catherine’s (fashion ed) Public Enemy slip-in, when it comes to Skins parties – do believe the hype.

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Apologies for the poor focus but this photo was the best depiction of the crazy monkeys of the nightime

Sur-re-al: (adj) suggesting or having qualities associated with surrealism, stuff for example, approved bizarre landscapes and distorted objects.

Surrealist, viagra indeed! For English Eccentrics‘ a/w 08 show, time almost stood still. In true Dali style, clocks warped, chandeliers shattered, and cogs exploded. ‘Miss Magritte’ was bitten.

Schoolgirl pleated skirts worn with hold-up stockings were far from childish. Top hats, bells, knives, clocks, revolvers, and birdcages emblazoned the buttoned up silk blouses in white and old rose. Borrowed, black bowler hats from Rene Magritte‘s masterpiece ‘Son Of A Man’ defined the crisp, white shirt collars, infested with ants. Large, black silk ties were knotted, like your grandfather would have, perfectly.

Hair was slick, gelled, and parted to the side, and occasionally, black spiders crawled through it. Metal cogs decorated the black patent, stiletto heels. Short, velvet dresses in deadly nightshade and slate grey were layered over white Edwardian shirts, and cropped, thick knits in grey/white layered over corseted waists and little shorts.

Chandelier prints made with crystals and beading adorned magenta mini dresses with long sleeves. Necks were decorated with jewels, an elegant touch to the cobwebbed lace and black, hooded coat, which gave a more gothic vibe. The moon shone bright on the cyanide blue silk dresses, whilst silhouettes of the night were pierced with white lightening bolts. The clock struck midnight and time became lost in a fantasy. A fantasy that drove innocence away, bringing tainted behavior to its audience.

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Categories ,Fashion London Fashion Week English Eccentrics Surreal Style Tie Hair Dress Jewels

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