MAISON MARGIELA HAUTE COUTURE FALL 15 - ANDROGYNY IN FASHION

Hi everyone, 

Who's seen Maison Margiela's Haute Couture Fall 15 collection? Isn't it just startling? To be honest I've never really been a big fan of John Galliano ever since he moved to MM from Dior, but I must admit that I was positively surprised by the pieces here. Let's not forget the level of androgyny, as a few of the models were actually males including John Whiles. It takes a creative person to create such a collection which one may or may not agree is not entirely haute couture, however, Galliano pulls it off perfectly and once again surprises the fashion world. Whether you like him, his collections or you dislike either one of them there's no doubt that you'll end up talking about them either way. 

We're talking about beautiful abstract draping, chunky and overly decorated coats, contrasts both with colours as well as materials. Taking a look at the more beauty aspect of this collection - the make-up is not one you can't notice. Whether it's the thick blue eyeliner/half a face mask or it's just a very neutral look with an emphasis on the eyebrows, the statement being made definitely came through. My main reason for picking exactly this collection out of all the others including, Elie Saab, Fendi etc. is the fact that Galliano proves that androgyny is still alive in fashion! 

Now isn't that a good thing? If you take a look at the beginning of fashion, there was never such thing called women's wear or men's wear. It's just a notion, which eventually evolved. So thank goodness for designers such as John Galliano who still embrace the idea of androgyny! 

What do you guys think about the collection? 

I hope it was a good read! 

Until next time, 

Mell O. 
Photos from Style.com

UPDATE | D&G

Hi guys,

I know it's been ages - university and work has been keeping me so busy, but I'm finally back on track and yes, I've missed blogging! I do, however, promise to blog more now that I just finished my first year of uni. Wow, this year went by so fast - I just had to pause for a moment and realise that. 

Anyway!

As I've been enjoying working and loving London's summer weather, I could not help but to keep updated on SS16 Menswear. Let me just say: I LOVE MENSWEAR! I do tend to hear: "Oh, but isn't menswear just the same things over and over again?" and I do get the point, but it really isn't. There's so much more to menswear, than just a suit and a tie. With that being said, Dolce & Gabbana is really doing well! I must admit that I'm not a big fan of D&G in general but I do love this collection! 

The Asian and Italian influences mixed together - wow, what a combination, right? Admittedly, it turned out so nicely with the kimonos, two pieces and even the espadrille looking shoes! Oh and the materials; silk, silk and more silk - I just love it! And let's not forget the tailoring! I especially love the details and elegance, which in many ways is typical D&G, but I just feel like they've upped their game a bit more. Or is it just me - what are your thoughts? 

I hope it was a good read!

Until next time, 

Mell O. 

LFW THROWBACK: 'FOAMTASTIC KATRANTZOU'

Hi guys. So, it’s been a while – my deadlines are over and I have been trying to relax, but I always find myself doing everything else but that. Anyway, as I was super busy under London Fashion Week, I wasn’t able to do an update on the shows I liked the most. Therefore, I thought why not do it now?

I fell in love with one particular designer’s fall 15 collection. What I admire the most about her is her ideas, which to be honest are quite different from most designers, however she is always able to create amazing pieces.  A designer who isn't afraid of colour, texture and alternative styles - yes that's the first things that pops in mind when I hear the name Mary Katrantzou.

The Central Saint Martins graduate Mary Katrantzou has done it again. With pink nuances and incredible prints, the Greek fashion designer left the crowd wanting more after seeing her fall 15 collection.

Using pink foam padding as a catwalk, Katrantzou took the audience into a new world. Known as the queen of digital print, Katrantzou started her career in London in 2005, where she graduated in Fashion at CSM. 

However, fashion wasn’t her starting point, as the Greek designer first moved to America to study architecture at the Rhode Island school of design, where she later on got transferred to CSM to complete her bachelors degree in textile design. Katrantzou’s architecture background is seen in a lot of her designs, as she is particularly interested in the way in which printed textiles are able to change the shape of a woman’s body: “Prints can be as definitive as a cut or a drape and allows a woman to filter beauty found in design in a subversive way.”

Playing around with prints and various effects, she has been and is still able to create a world of her own, which is also evident in her most recent collection.

 Mixing and matching different materials to create unique looks seems to be an easy task for Katrantzou as seen in the pictures about. Furthermore, the multitalented Katrantzou has collaborated with Topshop, Swarovski and most recently Adidas where she designed sportswear with her famous 3D like prints. Now if she isn’t a talented designer then I don’t who else is. What I adore the most about Katrantzou is her humbleness towards her work and everything else she decides to lay her hands one, which makes her one of my most favourite designers.

I hope it was a good read!
Until next time,

Mell O.  
Photo creds: here.

BETTER LATE THAN NEVER

What I'm wearing:

H&M Turtle Nech T-shirt 

ZARA Trousers 

ASOS Coat 

PRIMARK Bag

NEWLOOK Boots 

CLAIRE'S Bodychain

Hi guys. I apologise for not being able to update my blog. Deadlines and LFW has been all over my agenda. With almost everything handed in and London Fashion Week over I can now update you on how it went. This isn't going to be one of my random rants, but a little update on Fashion Week and my closet, lol - better late than never right! As you may already know this was my second time attending. It was so different this time around - I actually felt like I knew what was about to happen unlike last time where I was as confused as the word. I was fortunate enough to attend two shows, one by CSM graduate C.J. Yao and another by Fyodor Golan.

They were both so different but I really enjoyed them - they had such newness in their collections and I remember telling my friends that Fyodor Golan's collection was a proof that   fashion isn't all about black. It was so colourful on so many levels and what I liked the most was how they had worked with different fabrics and materials which I think was the "newness" I mentioned earlier. As much as I tried to properly plan my outfit this time, I failed once again. My newfound love for the normcore style is beginning to really show. I do need some colour in my closet, I won’t lie but I just find myself buying more grey and black than ever before. I do promise though, that that is going to be my next project. A colourful closet! By the way, I'm so sorry for such the pictures being such bad quality. 

I hope it was a good read! 

Until next time, 

Mell O. 

FIRST POST OF 2015 | WHY FASHION DESIGNER COLLABORATIONS WITH HIGH-STREET SHOPS ARE RISKY

Hi everyone. I hope you're all doing great, I'm back again: New Year, new concept and new post. It took me some time to figure out what exactly I wanted to do with my blog, so I actually had to relaunch it. As one of my goals this year, I will do my absolute best to update my blog more frequently. So on to my first blog post, which is actually a feature I just over the Christmas. I've always been interested in designer and high street retailer collaborations so I thought, why not research it more and write a feature about it, now that I had a chance. 

Collaborations are frequently seen in the fashion industry, whether it’s between designers alone or retailers and designers, but the question here is whether or not these collaborations are purely fashion related or just a good marketing strategy?

 American fashion designer Alexander Wang launched his sports themed collection last month in collaboration with H&M. After their recent collaboration with French designer Isabel Marant the Swedish company took another turn for this year’s designer collaboration.

Inspired by autumn colours and Wang’s sporty style, the collection seemed quite different from what H&M normally does.

According to Press and Communication Assistant Claire Wakeman from H&M, the brand always seeks to collaborate with significant and relevant designers.

 She said, “With each designer collaboration, H&M wants to capture the true DNA of the designer.”

Admittedly, the Wang x H&M pieces sold out the same day it was launched, and most importantly, the collection brought a whole new look to H&M. It even had costumers queuing several hours just to have a feel of the collection.

The brand has since 2004 worked with designers such as Karl Lagerfeld, Roberto Cavalli and Stella McCartney, however mixing high street fashion with designer collaborations can sometimes become a dangerous affair. Furthermore, this has not always been a successful aspect for the Swedish brand, according to a research done by EDITD, it is proven that the Maison Martin Margiela x H&M collaboration wasn’t quite a hit amongst the consumers. After the collection being launched in November 2012, it was shown that 22 pieces were reduced more than 50% of it’s original price without it even being put under the sales category.

Even though there is always a risk behind these collaborations, it is still an on-going annual event for the high street shop.

20-year-old H&M employee and student, Joana Akoto found the launch itself to be very disappointing, because of the items being sold so quickly. But also because of the prices, which according to her were incredibly high compared to the brand’s usual price range, as a pair of leather joggers are £179.

“I got to the store around 10:30 am and everything was pretty much sold out, there were only a few pair of jeans, jackets and shoes left, but the items I was looking for were all gone. So after looking in different departments and some of the fitting rooms I concluded that there was not much to do than just to head home. On my way out, I actually did find an item that was on my list, just randomly hanging in the men’s department,” she says.

It’s arguable though, if the collection really was worth all the hype or if costumers saw the collaboration as an opportunity to invest in designer wear for a reasonable price.

Admittedly, 20-year old Akoto had not seen much of his previous work. “I have not seen much of his previous collections, but I really like the few ones that I have seen. I think it’s because he is very minimalistic and that’s more my style,” she said.

Looking at the collection and Wang’s sort of minimalistic style, it’s no surprise that this must have been a risky team up for H&M to do, as they’re known for their rather diverse clothing. However, it’s a situation where fashion designers get a chance to aim at and also create a different target group than their usual. Which is also another reason why H&M chose Alexander Wang. “His fashion-forward tailoring with a sense of ease perfectly corresponds to H&M this autumn,” said Wakeman about the American designer.

This sense of ease is also recognised by 20-year old Akoto, who thinks that the American designer was just the right designer for H&M this year. The 20-year old H&M employee said, “I loved it. I think it was unique, very his style with the dark colours. I loved the material and the small details on them. My favourite item has to be the sweatshirts, which complements my muscular arms so well.”

“The good side of H&M x Wang was the fact that it became a huge success. People waited for hours to get in on the launching day and most of the items were sold out within a few ours,” said 20-year old Akoto.

Although Wang is known for designing street wear, this was his first time actually making sportswear so the collection was just as important for him as it was for H&M as Wakeman stated, “the collection is full of experimental and cutting-edge techniques, such as laser-cutting, embossing, foam-injecting and bonding.”

While this particular collaboration was a risky one on both sides, it was proven to be a success and is also considered a good marketing strategy, which is one of the key aspects of designer collaborations.

I hope it was a good read. 

Until next time, 

Mell O.  

Sources: Wang x H&M / The collection