Menswear – Page 2 – AmeliasMagazine

Amelia’s Magazine | Royal College of Art: Fashion Design Graduate Show 2011 review. Menswear.

RCA Graduate Show 2011 Calum Harvey by Sam Parr
Calum Harvey by Sam Parr.

Fine tailoring appears to be an RCA speciality, find and several students had collaborated with high end Italian brand Brioni to produce a series of gorgeous tailored coats in shades of fawn, here dust, greyhound and sharp reds.

RCA graduate fashion 2011-Brioni photography by Amelia Gregory
RCA Brioni collaboration. Coat by Alexander Lamb. All photography by Amelia Gregory.

RCA graduate fashion 2011-Brioni by Peter Bailey photography by Amelia Gregory
Brioni coat by Peter Bailey.

RCA graduate fashion 2011-Brioni by Rebecca Neary photography by Amelia Gregory
Brioni coat by Rebecca Neary.

RCA graduate fashion 2011-Brioni by Zac Marshall photography by Amelia Gregory
Brioni coat by Zac Marshall.

RCA graduate fashion 2011-Brioni by Benedicte Holmboe photography by Amelia Gregory
Brioni coat by Benedicte Holmboe.

RCA graduate fashion 2011-Brioni Zac Marshall photography by Amelia Gregory
Brioni coat by Alex Mullins.

Over-sized round shoulders and trench coat styling was the order of the day, all worn with dark shades. Loved it all. Especially the ones above.

RCA graduate fashion 2011-Aleksandra Domanevskaya photography by Amelia Gregory
Aleksandra Domanevskaya opted for a colourful collection based around stripey woven shantung silk in peach and caramel shades, also worn with moody sunglasses.

RCA graduate fashion 2011-Sol Ahn photography by Amelia Gregory
Sol Ahn created a sports casual collection, with inspiration taken from baseball jackets, faded denim, school boy shorts and traditional duffel coats. I liked the way that big waist rope ties became integral features of the look.
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RCA graduate fashion 2011-Calum Harvey photography by Amelia Gregory
Calum Harvey‘s collection was a clear standout amongst a sea of great talent. Riffing on traditional shapes and fabrics he showed high belted tweed suits and long boxy coats in peachy shades, accessorised with wide shaggy collars and jaunty hats. I particularly liked the wide trousered grey tweed suit. Very stylish indeed. Check out Calum Harvey’s website here.

RCA graduate fashion 2011-Josefine Jarzombek photography by Amelia Gregory
I wasn’t so keen on Josefine Jarzombek‘s collection, mainly because she did the fur sponsorship thing, but also because those orange leather gloves with the maroon silk shirt were a wee bit scary.

RCA graduate fashion 2011-Bennet Loveday photography by Amelia Gregory
Bennet Loveday produced some wonderful print effects on the inside of long cardigan and kagoul-like lightweight coats. Loved the slouchy shapes and tie-waist detailing (again).

RCA graduate fashion 2011-Samuel Membery photo amelia gregory
Samuel Membery‘s collection combined tailoring with casual wear with varied success. I liked the marled grey knitwear. Catch him on his blog and website.

RCA graduate fashion 2011-Emily Jane Murray photography by Amelia Gregory
Emily-Jane Murray‘s obsession with sandy coloured suede or suede type materials paid off in a very dapper collection. She has a website here.

RCA graduate fashion 2011-Yejon Park photography by Amelia Gregory
Yejon Park launched his collection with an amazing tailored and zippered striped jacket, which was followed by some deconstructed tailoring and a fun bi-coloured jumpsuit.

RCA graduate fashion 2011-Stefan Orschel-Read photography by Amelia Gregory
Stefan Orschel-Read has already been on my radar for some time as he is represented by Felicities PR and he’s also an old pro when it comes to catwalk shows. He showed an immaculately cut collection of sharp suits with intriguing detailing such as knitted shoulder cutouts and unusual collars. I loved the grey marl shorts suit.

Fah Chakshuvej by Sandra Contreras.

RCA graduate fashion 2011-Fah Chakshuvej photography by Amelia Gregory
Fah Chakshuvej closed the menswear selection with a regal looking collection that included metallics, heavy embossing and laser cut detailing. High collars and horns completed the look. His website is FahChak.com and he has a twitter feed too.

Don’t forget to check out some excellent menswear knitwear design here too.

Written by Amelia Gregory on Wednesday June 15th, 2011 12:19 pm

Categories ,2011, ,Aleksandra Domanevskaya, ,Alex Mullins, ,Alexander Lamb, ,Benedicte Holmboe, ,Bennet Loveday, ,Brioni, ,Calum Harvey, ,Coats, ,Embossing, ,Emily-Jane Murray, ,Fah Chak, ,Fah Chakshuvej, ,Felicities PR, ,Fur, ,Graduate Fashion Show, ,Italian, ,Josefine Jarzombek, ,menswear, ,metallics, ,Peter Bailey, ,rca, ,Rebecca Neary, ,Royal College of Art, ,Sam Parr, ,Samuel Membery, ,Sandra Contreras, ,Sol Ahn, ,Stefan Orschel-Read, ,tailoring, ,traditional, ,Tweed, ,Yejon Park, ,Zac Marshall

Amelia’s Magazine | London Fashion Week S/S 2012 Menswear Day Presentation Review: SIBLING

Sibling S/S 2012 by Antonia Parker

I had raced around the Fashion East installations in record time to ensure that I had the opportunity to have enough time to look around the Sibling presentation.

All photography by Matt Bramford

I loved the Sibling A/W 2012 collection so much – a whistle stop tour around East End boozers – that I was a little concerned that they couldn’t top it. Where do take it from there? To the fairground, of course! Entering the room they’d been assigned was a bit like a trip to the fairground itself: a dodgem car was positioned in one corner, in which a mannequin had a TV for a head. It was all part of Sibling’s slightly mysterious world. Enormous illuminated letters spelling out S I B were casually leaning against another wall, and rollercoaster graphics adorned the walls.

Sibling S/S 2012 by Rebecca Strickson

As per usual, there wasn’t a single piece in this new offering that I wouldn’t buy instantly. Each piece evoked childhood memories of fairgrounds and all their kitsch connotations: delicious but dirty food, the rides that satisfy thrill-seekers’ pleasures and the boys you shouldn’t really fancy but who spin you on the waltzers so hard that you occasionally revisit that hot dog that you just ate.

Knitwear was on top form as usual, including cardigans with Argyll prints in edible sorbet colours and the show piece: a grey sweater with a wonderful embroidered pattern, cramming in as much fairground action as possible.

S/S brings an exciting t-shirt range, with LOVE and HATE logos, an I HEART HOT DOG motif, and various other fairground-themed designs. It was a little like fantasy shopping. I particularly like the Waltzer print on a pale blue t-shirt, should anybody wish to buy me a gift.

This season sees the trio collaborate with artist Yuko Kondo, who is responsible for the tattoo-like design on aforementioned sweater and the I HEART HOT DOG logo. Pastel-coloured leopard print sweaters are also a real winner. Playful LOVE and HATE t-shirts are sure to be everywhere come next summer, thanks to this wonderful collection. Last, but not least, I think the denim jacket with Kiss Me Quick emblem speaks for itself.

Sister by Sibling S/S 2012 by Matt Bramford

The weekend before saw the launch of womenswear line SISTER. I didn’t get much time to peruse this offering, such is the jam-packed weekend of London Fashion Week, but what I did see (a girl mounting a carousel horse) had the same fashion-as-fun ethos. Kondo’s emblems, sequins, foil prints and the dreamy leopard-print pattern in similar sorbet tones were the mainstay, proving that Sibling’s unique vision translates from menswear to womenswear with ease.

See highlights from the Sister presentation here:

Written by Matt Bramford on Friday September 30th, 2011 12:43 pm

Categories ,Antonia Parker, ,Argyll, ,Cozette McCreery, ,Dodgems, ,Fairgrounds, ,Hate, ,Hot dogs, ,Ice Cream, ,Joe Bates, ,Kiss Me Quick, ,knitwear, ,London Fashion Week, ,Love, ,Matt Bramford, ,menswear, ,Menswear Day, ,Newgen, ,Presentation, ,Rebecca Strickson, ,review, ,Rollercoaster, ,Sibling, ,Sid Bryan, ,Sister by Sibling, ,Somerset House, ,Sorbet, ,T-shirts, ,Waltzer, ,Womenswear, ,Yuko Knodo

Amelia’s Magazine | London Fashion Week S/S 2012 Menswear Day Presentation Review: U.Mi-1

U.Mi-1 S/S 2012 by Gareth A Hopkins

Walking through the hallowed halls of the Freemasons’ building, salve I couldn’t help but think I was actually appearing in an episode of BBC One’s Spooks. Heals clip-clopped on marble flooring, cialis 40mg echoing around the grandiose interior, help darkened wood, glass cabinets filled with associated paraphernalia. I couldn’t shake the feeling I was actually there to meet with the Home Secretary; that Harry Pearce was lingering somewhere in the shadows. He wasn’t, of course, he’s fictional; and I was dressed *way* too good to be doing such silly business as saving the world from terrorists.

Instead, for this presentation by menswear label U.Mi-1, the room we were in was filled not with MI5 Suits, but with boys wearing oversized-blazers, and girls who all seemed to have more-hair-than-clothes; all clutching man-bags or purses, cameras, notepads and complimentary herb-infused juice drinks. I’ve no idea why they were ‘herb-infused’. One assumes it was to give the idea that they were laced with vodka. It worked.

All photography by Matt Bramford

Upstairs, on the first floor, in the room we had converged in, was a presentation that felt more like a piece of theatre than it did a fashion show. Divided into two rooms, the first was lit only by the light from a projector on the wall; while the over-zealous pouring of the aforementioned juice drinks gave a heavy, over-burdened incense-like smell to the proceedings.

U-Mi.1 S/S 2012 by Rukmunal Hakim

The projector reel showed images two models at one time against a white wall. Standing side by side, the two boys would interact, not so much with each other but with their clothes: laughing as they pulled at button holes, braces, hemlines and creases, before changing to two new boys in two new outfits.

In the second, brighter room, the same models were present, only this time in the flesh and frozen: scattered across the back of the room to create a tableau of gorgeous fellas. This only heightened the theatricality of the event, thanks in part to the fact that the growing crowd (us included) were standing around the models as if there were a barrier between us and them: them on a stage, us an audience.

It wasn’t until, as we pulled out our camera, easily the biggest one there (size matters), that some man with a clipboard informed us we could get closer and the rigidness of the event shifted into something more real: journalists writing notes, models moving from one statuesque pose to another. And we lead the way, pioneers that we are. We twice contemplating striking a frozen pose in the centre of the room, hoping that revellers of the collection might confuse us for an eighth model.

The collection on offer was mostly made up of muted colours and pastel shades, simple lines and classic cuts. At one point I saw a girl jot down The Great Gatsby as a footnote, but she’d obviously never read F. Scott Fitzgerald‘s classic: these boys weren’t Jay Gatsby, they were the boys in Brideshead, dipped in sepia tones and burnt sienna, like something from a Sofia Coppola movie. Seams had been piped in contrasting colours, discreet checks were teamed with pale pastels and styled with thick-rimmed glasses and brown leather loafers.

Outside, still caught up in the spring-like warmth of the collection, my PA duties to Matt Bramford had drawn to a close. I could’ve lingered all day, only he then actually started calling me Alex Forrest (Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction) and I had to bid adieu to Fashion Week for another year; all Brideshead illusions truly shattered.

Written by Matt Buttell on Monday September 26th, 2011 2:39 pm

Categories ,Alex Forest, ,Brideshead Revisited, ,checks, ,F. Scott Fitzgerald, ,Fatal Attraction, ,Freemasons’ Hall, ,Gareth A Hopkins, ,Glenn Close, ,Gozi, ,Harry Pearce, ,London Fashion Week, ,Matt Bramford, ,menswear, ,MenswearSS12, ,MI5, ,Piping, ,Presentation, ,review, ,Rukmunal Hakim, ,S/S 2012, ,Sofia Coppola, ,Spooks, ,Suits, ,tailoring, ,The Great Gatsby, ,U.Mi-1, ,Vauxhall Fashion Scout

Amelia’s Magazine | Matthew Miller: London Collections: Men S/S 2014 Catwalk Review

Matthew Miller S/S 2014 – all photography by Matt Bramford

‘I AM NOT THE ARTIST. YOU ARE‘ declared Matthew Miller‘s press release, distributed along the white benches of the Victoria House, London Collections: Men venue. It was my penultimate show and the fatigue induced by fashion shows had well and truly set in. I needed something to perk me up if I was to make it to Xander Zhou at the end of the day.

Miller‘s ethereal show opening was just the ticket. Instead of music, a woman with dulcet tones harped on about the world through the speakers. An intense gent appeared, wearing only white tapered jeans, his back penned with the gallery cliché ‘UNTITLED MIXED MEDIA‘. The philosophy of the art world was to become Miller‘s branding for this season and was swiftly followed by a long-haired model with the same motif tattooed onto his chest. He carried a skateboard and wore jeans of a similar cut, this time in jet black. I liked the drama of it all, but I did ponder how long I could sit watching shirtless models wearing staple denim stroll past.

It wasn’t long, though, before Matty Miller‘s unique approach to menswear came to life. The relationship between fashion and art is a constantly evolving theory. Is fashion art? Is art fashion-led? Miller explored this concept by utilising the stark visuals of a gallery’s environment and interpreting it through clothing. His aim was to bring the haute pretensions of the art world down a peg or two.

Luscious sweaters really perked me up and I would never be able to decide which one to buy. A white crew neck had a subtle off white panel applied to the front and featured a gallery caption square on the reverse. Others carried a circular design making use of the ‘untitled’ motif, this time in a vinyl relief. I really enjoyed those. A stand-alone black version had the crowds launching their cameras into the air; a white version peaked from behind rigid denim. A black sweater with thick monotone blocks descending to white also stood out.

Sportswear is always a key factor in his collections (that’ll be his time at Umbro) and elements of this genre featured on most garments. Paper-like tops had hoods and front pockets. Trousers were cropped at the ankle. Black leather jackets with concrete toggles complimented these looks and reminded us of Miller‘s unique approach to materials.

Shapeless silhouettes in slim, straight fabrics came in a super-light grey, teamed with matching shorts, and this technique saw Miller show womenswear for the first season – smock-like dresses used darts to form angular shapes across chests.

It was left to raw denims, cracked paint finishes and unfinished hems to complete this visually stimulating and thought-provoking collection.

Written by Matt Bramford on Tuesday July 2nd, 2013 1:35 pm

Categories ,art, ,canvas, ,caption, ,catwalk, ,denim, ,Destroy to Create, ,fashion, ,Gallery, ,LCM, ,LCMSS14, ,London Collections Men, ,Matt Bramford, ,Matthew Miller, ,menswear, ,Radical Prototypes, ,review, ,skateboard, ,smocks, ,Sportwear, ,SS14, ,sweatshirts, ,Victoria House, ,Womenswear

Amelia’s Magazine | Matthew Williamson Exhibition Review

Illustration by Mina Bach

When Flo and I waltzed into Somerset House on a sunny Saturday afternoon, web nurse we were shivering with excitement. An entire exhibition devoted to Matthew Williamson, the King of boho chic? The man who practically invented Sienna Miller’s wardrobe, and garnered serious fashion kudos for bringing a rich, India inspired palette of colours onto the catwalk after years of nineties minimalism? We braced ourselves for a carnival of colour, with endless displays of amazing outfits, and sketchbooks of his designs to drool over.

How wrong we were. The exhibition is free, which should have been a sign it wasn’t going to match up to the epic Victor and Rolf exhibition at the Barbican way back in 2008. Based on the coffee-table tome published by Rizzoli, the show is basically an extension of the book – a couple of blown up photos from across Williamson’s career, some choice quotes from admirers in the fashion industry, and one or two sketches and backstage snaps thrown in for good measure. Quotes came from all the usual suspects: Anna Wintour, Alexandra Shulman and Lucy Yeomans all sing his praises on typed plaques alongside the photos. One of the more interesting observations made by Wintour was her admiration of Williamson’s ability to understand lifestyle as well as style when designing his collections. Comparisons to Celia Birtwell and Zandra Rhodes followed and I think that it would have been great if more had been made of the quotes and the points they made.

All very nice – but with the book splayed out on a sofa for you to flick through, we couldn’t help feeling slightly cheated by the whole thing. Granted, it’s cheaper than buying the book, and the photos do look lovely on the walls – it was fun to see his first catwalk show with all the ‘supers’ lined up in a row, and there are some nice personal shots too – but it took us about five minutes to walk around the whole thing. We left feeling none the wiser as to what makes Matthew tick (more what other people think make him tick). Where was the back story behind his collections, or better still, samples of the clothes themselves? I can’t afford a Matthew Williamson dress, so to just catch a glimpse of his archive would have been nice.Compare that to Viktor & Rolf, where we were treated to a giant room of eerie dolls wearing every single collection they had designed, with the crazy design concepts explained, and videos of the finished look on the catwalk. Pure fashion escapism.

It just seemed that with this exhibition, there was a missed opportunity. I just hope the Dior Fashion Illustration show at Somerset House fares better!.That’s £6 to get into so hopefully the money will go to making the exhibition feel like more of an planned project rather than a marketing tool for the book. So for a window into Williamson’s world of bohemian glam – buy the book – and if you don’t want to fork out forty quid, do go and see the exhibition. Also, If you do, we spotted many autographed copies of the book in the exhibition shop looking rather lonely…

Written by Lauren Smith and Florence Massey on Monday November 8th, 2010 4:08 pm

Categories ,Central Saint Martins, ,fashion, ,fashion exhibition, ,Gallery, ,london, ,london designer, ,Matthew Williamson, ,menswear, ,museum, ,photography, ,review, ,Somerset House, ,Womenswear

Amelia’s Magazine | MOSCHINO: London Collections: Men S/S 2015 Catwalk Review

Moschino S/S 2015 by Krister Selin

Moschino was the hottest ticket during London Collections: Men, and the 300-strong queue outside Lindley Hall was testament to that. Inside, the wall had been branded with a huge Moschino decal; cameras whirled above our heads on enormous tripods. The noise was deafening. Everybody seemed a bit sexier and they all had Moschino french fries iPhone cases.

My naivety, and inability to attend fashion weeks other than London-based ones, meant that I felt like I had been transported to a Versace show in Milan in the 1990s. My absolute favourite kind of fashion is trashy Italian fashion – the style of unashamed glamour that the Italians do so well, introduced in the 1980s and infamous in the 1990s. It brought us supermodels, leather chaps on the runway and more ghetto gold than you can shake a stick at. So when I found out that Moschino were to show at London Collections: Men, in our great city for the first time, I knew I’d bend over backwards to get in. Luckily I didn’t have to do that.

Moschino S/S 2015 by Krister Selin

Nobody seemed to be getting in from outside, and as I stood next to a woman dressed head-to-toe in that ridiculous, brilliant McDonald’s inspired ensemble, I envisaged a mass scrum and hours of waiting. I was surprised the show began a mere 20 minutes late. What happened after this is a bit of a blur, the atmosphere was so electric that I think I may have blacked out from excitement at one point.

All photography by Matt Bramford

Dishy models that must have been shipped in from Italy, or perhaps paradise, strode out to the sounds of a 1990s playlist. The first section turned soft drinks and pop culture into suits, t-shirts and swimwear. Then came brightly coloured tops, sweatshirts and bikinis emblazoned with enormous Moschino type.

Chanel 2.55 knock offs with gold Moschino letters replacing the interlocking C’s eveloped one model (above), one of my favourite looks from this show.

Next, on the World Cup bandwagon and a 1990s tip, models wore prints that were happy hardcore smiley faces featuring international flags. More 90s ephemera came in the form of oversized sweatshirts, nylon bomber jackets and black mesh pieces, with a yellow tailcoat tuxedo thrown in for good measure, naturally.

Then came a sort of homage to a range of luxury fashion houses – a mock Louis Vuitton monogram print appeared on jackets and trousers, the LVs replaced with serif Ms. A ‘Fauxchino‘ motif, added to my wishlist, looked so trashy that it could have been bought from a seaside market.

Want to dress like an Hermès carrier bag? Well now you can with Moschino‘s bright orange denim jacket and jeans with black Moschino logo strips. If Hermès isn’t your bag, perhaps a Versace-esque black and gold suit will suffice?

Rhinestone dollar signs and logo sweaters completed this collection:

I love the shocking, shameless abuse of other designer brands to glorious end. That’s a somewhat difficult sentence to type amidst outrageous alleged cases of high street copycats and even fashion powerhouses ripping off London designers, but Jeremy Scott and the label pull off the plagiarism with such panache that nobody seems to bat an eyelid. This blatant disregard for intellectual property has been at the heart of the brand since Franco Moschino launched his eponymous label in 1983. And, if this collection is anything to go by, Scott is without doubt the best person to take the Moschino crown. I’m praying he brings his army of merry men and women back next year.

Written by Matt Bramford on Friday June 27th, 2014 11:18 am

Categories ,1990s, ,catwalk, ,fashion, ,Gucci, ,Hermés, ,Italian, ,Jeremy Scott, ,LCM, ,LCMSS2015, ,Lindley Hall, ,London Collections Men, ,Louis Vuitton, ,menswear, ,Monogram, ,Moschino, ,pop culture, ,review, ,SS15, ,Swimwear, ,Versace, ,Womenswear

Amelia’s Magazine | Northumbria University: Graduate Fashion Week 2012 Catwalk Review Part 1

Graduate collection by Emily Edge

It will be ten whole years in September since I started university at Northumbria University in Newcastle. Gulp. However old I may feel, I’m still incredibly attached to Northumbria and I’d never, ever say anything negative about their talent – not that there is ever anything negative to say (and I’m not just saying that, know what I’m saying). Yet again they didn’t fail to dazzle with their wondrous collections. I chatted with Chris Hodge, senior lecturer at Northumbria, who told me I was in for a surprise and that more than half of the collections this year represented menswear. When I asked why, he said there’d been a shift in interest towards menswear; maybe that it was a more career-viable option, and that teaching had focussed on cut, texture and material.

I took my seat and as I reviewed the show notes an over-enthusiastic student came jogging by me, tripping over my camera case and going arse-over-tit right in front of the photographer’s pit. It was both hysterical and extremely worrying – it was an ambulance-chasing CLAIMS4U-style nightmare and I buried my head into the handouts hoping that the girl was okay. She was.

Anyway, as I plot my asylum elsewhere, here’s a rundown of Northumbria’s best talent:

Emily Edge

Graduate collection by Emily Edge

Emily opened the show with her astonishing menswear collection and Chris’ comments immediately made sense. Rich yellow jackets were teamed with digital print tailored shirts, which also appeared on a blazer and trousers. With emphasis on the aesthetic properties of materials and sharp cuts, I wondered how anybody was going to match such a strong start. I’ve since learned that Emily’s been shortlisted for the Gala show (this evening) and I wouldn’t be surprised if she doesn’t scoop the award for menswear.

All photography by Matt Bramford

Oliver Moores

Oliver Moores followed with more exemplary tailoring. Exaggerated lengths, contrasting colours and luxurious materials made for a well produced collection.

Felicity Bradshaw

Felcity placed her emphasis on the silhouette, showing body conscious, sexy numbers alongside more shapely pieces. A cropped top with a light under it seemed a little out of place but provided interest, nonetheless.

Charlotte Sowerby

Charlotte’s collection drew inspiration from the angst-ridden youth sub-cultures of the past and, diversely, scrap yards. Creeping metal patterns were found at the base of shirts, and a rust-coloured coat stood out amongst her strong tailoring.

Rebecca Byers

Graduate collection by Rebecca Byers

Rebecca’s architectural collection of chunky knits and golden conceptual pieces was a delight. I have endured so many ‘fashion’ shows where the quality of the craftsmanship and the uniqueness of the designs don’t even come close to this.

Zoe Eastham

Graduate collection illustrated by Zoe Eastham

Zoe presented a sophisticated menswear collection, taking inspiration from aviation and, interestingly, folds created by origami. Cue aviator leathers, rich knitted sweaters and a light grey shirt with triangular darts running down the front that I’d rather like to get my hands on.

Kellie Fountain

Graduate collection by Kellie Fountain

Kellie also used aspects of aviation as inspiration, but with a whimsical, playful approach applied to womenswear. Bright, vintage-esque colours worked wonders on playful skirts and structured coats. Perspex aeroplanes added even more fun to this stand-out collection.

Chloe Horsfield

I adored Chloe’s take on 1990s hip-hop culture and her use of big and bold prints. Patchworks formed from pre-worn garments and vibrant knits had me clinging to my seat to avoid jumping onto the catwalk and stealing the lot.

Amelia Smith

Graduate collection by Amelia Smith

Amelia sought inspiration from the architecture in Moscow’s Red Square. Shapely frocks were decorated with intricate monochrome patterns and gold embellishments that mirrored each piece’s silhouette.

Written by Matt Bramford on Wednesday June 13th, 2012 9:12 am

Categories ,Amelia Smith, ,catwalk, ,Charlotte Sowerby, ,Chloe Horsfield, ,Chris Hodge, ,Earls Court Two, ,Emily Edge, ,fashion, ,Felicity Bradshaw, ,Graduate Fashion Week 2012, ,Kellie Fountain, ,knitwear, ,Matt Bramford, ,menswear, ,Newcastle, ,Northumbria University, ,Oliver Moors, ,Rebecca Byers, ,review, ,Sunday, ,textiles, ,Womenswear, ,Zoe Eastham

Amelia’s Magazine | Northumbria University: Graduate Fashion Week 2012 Catwalk Review Part 1

Graduate collection by Emily Edge

Anyway, as I plot my asylum elsewhere, here’s a rundown of Northumbria’s best talent:

Emily Edge

Graduate collection by Emily Edge

All photography by Matt Bramford

Oliver Moores

Oliver Moores followed with more exemplary tailoring. Exaggerated lengths, contrasting colours and luxurious materials made for a well produced collection.

Felicity Bradshaw

Charlotte Sowerby

Rebecca Byers

Graduate collection by Rebecca Byers

Zoe Eastham

Graduate collection illustrated by Zoe Eastham

Kellie Fountain

Graduate collection by Kellie Fountain

Chloe Horsfield

Amelia Smith

Graduate collection by Amelia Smith

Written by Matt Bramford on Wednesday June 13th, 2012 9:12 am

Amelia’s Magazine | Northumbria University: Graduate Fashion Week 2012 Catwalk Review Part 2

Gary Wilson by Janneke de Jong

Here’s our second round-up of Northumbria’s incredible fashion line-up this year. It just kept on coming…

Kathryn Iddon

All photography by Matt Bramford

Kathryn’s Urbane Modification collection was influenced by street cults of the 1960s and 1970s. Indefinitely wearable, it featured tapered trousers, luxurious wool coats and modern shirts with a vintage flavour.

Martin Percival

Martin, like a number of designers during Menswear Day in February, celebrated Captain Scott and was inspired by his adventurous endeavours. Heavy outerwear, made for survival, featured chunky knits. There were some suspect materials here – referring to the notes suggests fabrics were locally sourced – but that better not be real fur.

Katie Tomlinson

Graduate collection by Katie Tomlinson

I was already on Katie’s side when I glanced through the gorgeous graduate brochure before the show and noticed an ‘I heart Yorkshire’ motif, a statement I agree with wholeheartedly. Katie combined her Yorkshire roots with the works of sculptors Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth – the result being architectural pieces with dramatic silhouettes and contrasting organic shapes, made from rich wools and cashmere. A mix of heritage colours and vivid brights also had me grinning.

Hannah Harrison

Graduate collection by Hannah Harrison

Hannah’s collection sends style blogger Susie Blogger on an imaginary journey around South-East Asia. To the sounds of Santogold’s Creator, this was a vibrant, exciting collection from start to finish and injected a riotous burst of colour and contrasting materials. Screen printing, foil, flock, procion dyes, digital prints, laser cutting – you name it, Hannah had thrown it at her designs: in the best possible way, of course.

Hannah Harrison by Janneke de Jong

Kamille Davis

I loved loved loved Kamille’s quirky menswear inspired by Scottish fisherman. This was smart tailoring in rich browns and blues with yellow accents – a modern version of the fisherman’s jacket being one of my favourites.

Jennifer Decarteret

Jennifer effortlessly combined smart tailoring with sportswear, transforming the grey marl tracksuit bottom (a staple of the chav) into hipper, wearable trousers. Dereliction of buildings influenced segments of distorted print that appeared on shirts and drawstring bottoms.

Katie Briggs

Katie’s collection carried gorgeous pastel colours and a cute 1970s vibe. Playful but serious, wearable but exciting – this was an extremely polished collection with fun jackets, bell-bottomed trousers and figure-hugging playsuits.

Ying Xu
Ying’s was the final menswear collection sought influence from codes of dress by royalty in both Great Britain and China. A pleated shirt dress, knits like armour and quilted jackets featured in rich colours and aesthetically appealing materials that contrasted.

Gary Wilson

Gary closed the show in futuristic style. Fembot-like models wearing bobbed wigs that covered the eyes slowly graced the catwalk in a slightly terrifying manner. Leather dresses clung to their bodies and featured high-contrast patent leather and gold zips. It was a wonderful ending to a glorious show.

Written by Matt Bramford on Wednesday June 13th, 2012 12:55 pm

Categories ,2012, ,catwalk, ,Earls Court, ,fashion, ,Gary Wilson, ,Graduate Fashion Week, ,Hannah Harrison, ,Janneke de Jong, ,Jennifer Decarteret, ,Kamille Davis, ,Kathryn Iddon, ,Katie Briggs, ,Katie Tomlinson, ,knitwear, ,Martin Percival, ,Matt Bramford, ,menswear, ,Northumbria University, ,review, ,Womenswear, ,Ying Xu

Amelia’s Magazine | London Fashion Week S/S 2012 Menswear Catwalk Review: Asger Juel Larsen Vs t.lipop

t.lipop LFW SS12 menswear by Faye West

t.lipop S/S 2012 by Faye West

Asger Juel Larsen versus t.lipop – not the first time to appear together – showed at Vauxhall Fashion Scout on the last day of London Fashion Week and gave me my most interesting queueing experience during this season. Upon arriving there was a multitude of cool young things waiting to go in – to my delight a lot of them were boys wearing big chunky jewellery! – while a little later the marvellously coiffured Prince Cassius joined the queue behind me, nurse quickly to be noticed and taken inside by the Blow PR girls. While I felt a little saddened that my co-queueing with Prince Cassius was so brief, approved I overheard a girl saying ‘oh, there is Kate Moss!’, which quickly distracted me from my loss. Immediately the whole queue, as if choreographed, leaned to the right to take a peak and of course a few cameras pointed towards her and husband Jamie Hince.

Asger Juel Larsen LFW SS12 menswear by Gemma Sheldrake
Asger Juel Larsen SS12 by Gemma Sheldrake

Asger Juel Larsen LFW SS12 menswear by Matt Bramford

After being seated in the packed space inside, Asger Juel Larsen‘s models started coming out fast and aggressively. I really enjoyed elements such as the slightly twisted animal prints or the spiked prosthetic beards – reminding me of Bearded Dragons under threat – both of which impressively spelt out ‘wildness’. One of those spiked beards worn by a girl as well as a glorious chain mail army style headpiece with bull horns added the notion of the ‘beast’ to the collection. I am all for a little bit of bearded ladies and mythological creatures such as the Minotaur!

Asger Juel Larsen LFW SS12 menswear by Gareth A Hopkins
Asger Juel Larsen S/S 2012 by Gareth A Hopkins

Asger Juel Larsen LFW SS12 menswear by Matt Bramford

Asger Juel Larsen LFW SS12 menswear by Maria Papadimitriou aka Slowly The Eggs
Asger Juel Larsen S/S 2012 by Maria Papadimitriou aka Slowly The Eggs

I thought the themes of wilderness, fighting and survival suggested by the symbolism described above were brilliantly complimented by a number of woolly hats with different metal letters stitched onto them spelling out the phrase ‘we live’. Further allusions to survival through sexual expression were added by a round stitched logo at the back of a jacket reading ‘happiness is a warm pussy’ and the brothel creepers some models wore – shoes originally worn by ex-soldiers visiting nightspots in London.

Asger Juel Larsen LFW SS12 menswear by Matt Bramford

Asger Juel Larsen LFW SS12 menswear by Claire Kearns

Asger Juel Larsen S/S 2012 by Claire Kearns

Asger Juel Larsen LFW SS12 menswear by Matt Bramford

Asger Juel Larsen LFW SS12 menswear by The Pern

Asger Juel Larsen S/S 2012 by The Pern

Asger Juel Larsen LFW SS12 menswear by Jess Sharville

Asger Juel Larsen S/S 2012 by Jessica Sharville

Asger Juel Larsen LFW SS12 menswear by Matt Bramford

Asger Juel Larsen LFW SS12 menswear portrait by Maria Papadimitriou

The contrast between Asger Juel Larsen and the designer that followed, t.lipop, was seemingly like war and peace. t.lipop favoured a palette of pale blues, camel, white and stone, with a splash of bright orange. It was an array of generally relaxed and flowing pieces that calmed us a little after what came earlier. We saw tailored smart jackets and trousers, minimal tops and long untucked shirts that were far less aggressive, even with feminine touches such as fringed adornments and embroidery.

t.lipop LFW SS12 menswear by Celine Eliott
t.lipop S/S 2012 by Celine Eliott

t.lipop LFW SS12 menswear by Matt Bramford

t.lipop LFW SS12 menswear by Vasare Nar
t.lipop S/S 2012 by Vasare Nar

Looking closer, however, I thought there were similarities in the underlying themes of the two collections. T.lipop’s gentlemanly clothes reminded me of movies starring wealthy imperialists in warm exotic countries – suggesting aggression and war – while the long hair and full beards on the models evoked images of castaways striving for survival. Some of the monochrome outfits with their collarless round necklines looked similar to uniforms seen in hospitals’ operating theatres or emergency units, whilst wide brimmed hats alluded perhaps to field workers, both adding to the – admittedly subtle this time – undertones of struggle and self-preservation.

t.lipop LFW SS12 menswear by Celine Elliott
t.lipop S/S 2012 by Celine Elliott

t.lipop LFW SS12 menswear by Matt Bramford

t.lipop portrait LFW SS12 menswear by Maria Papadimitriou

With so many interesting references and inspirations in both collections, when Prince Cassius tweeted me to say he really enjoyed the show I could only tweet back in agreement!

All photography by Matt Bramford.
Photo portraits of designers by Maria Papadimitriou.

Written by Maria Papadimitriou on Friday September 30th, 2011 3:54 pm

Categories ,Aggressive, ,Army, ,Asger Juel Larsen, ,Bearded Dragons, ,Bearded Ladies, ,Blow PR, ,Brothel Creepers, ,Castaways, ,Celine Elliott, ,Chain Mail, ,Claire Kearns, ,designer, ,embroidery, ,fashion, ,Faye West, ,Fighting, ,Freemasons’ Hall, ,Fringing, ,Gareth A Hopkins, ,Gemma Sheldrake, ,hats, ,Headpiece, ,Jackets, ,Jamie Hince, ,Jessica Sharville, ,jewellery, ,Kate Moss, ,london, ,London Fashion Week, ,Long hair, ,Maria Papadimitriou, ,menswear, ,minimalist, ,Minotaur, ,Mythological Creatures, ,Prince Cassius, ,Prosthetic Beards, ,Slowly the Eggs, ,Suits, ,Survivalist, ,t.lipop, ,tailored, ,The Pern, ,Tweeting, ,Uniforms, ,Vasare Nar, ,Vauxhall Fashion Scout, ,Wilderness

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