Friday, February 11, 2011

What's Cookin', Good Lookin'??

Spotted and made me smile: this print screen t of a young Johnny Depp (taken from the 90s camp classic Cry Baby) at the D&G Menswear Spring Summer 2011 collection. Then I clocked it again on French blogger Betty (of le Blog de Betty). We girls (and gays) can now all have a bit of Johnny to cherish! This the stuff teenage dreams were made of. 



As he was ... 


... What a Dreamboat! 

Topshop Unique Spring Summer 2011

Object of desire of the day - these John Lennon inspired sunglasses from the Topshop Unique Spring Summer 2011 collection. Fast fashion fix extraordinaire. Let the sun shine now.




Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Godard's Girls ...

Jean Seberg and Anna Karina: Godard's gamine beauties. Gorgeous.







An Interview with Kamola Malikova of Kamola

Kamola Spring Summer 2011
Kamola Spring Summer 2011
Kamola Spring Summer 2011


Kamola is an up and coming womenswear designer and she has recently been featured as 'One to Watch' in Tatler Russia. Originating from Uzbekistan, Kamola studied media and communications at London College of Fashion, and then achieved a Masters degree from the Istituto Marangoni in Milan. Kamola is currently producing her 3rd collection of evening wear for Autumn Winter 2011. Today I visited the designer in her Kensington studio to discuss the story behind her collections and the Kamola brand; her fashion memories and aspirations for the future; and her opinion of fashion bloggers and modern celebrity. 

What has been the highlight/biggest challenge of your career so far?

Kamola: I think the highlight was when I was mentioned on a radio station called Radio Free Europe/Radiio Liberty and the interview was then broadcast in Uzbekistan.  For me this was a very important moment as I came to Europe at the age of 16. They discovered me and decided to interview me, and for me this was invaluable, because it goes back to my roots, and where I come from. Interestingly this meant more to me than being featured in Tatler ... [Tatler] is fantastic and very glamorous and helped me a lot; however it felt good to gain recognition from my own nation.

As for the challenge, there were a lot of challenges! One challenge was feeling like I was not making progress, but then you turn a corner, for example you read a report, or you get an order, or a blogger writes about you and it gives you the incentive to keep on going. Then there were of course other challenges such as with manufacturing, and sending the collections abroad where you can't oversee the production.  I remember one of the manufacturers trying to take advantage of me; it was a Turkish manufacturer who almost blackmailed me by keeping my collection ransom until I paid them an additional sum which was not even part of the original agreement. I almost considered not going ahead with the collection, but I was happy that I did because of the fantastic response I received from it. 

What is your first fashion memory?

Kamola:  My first fashion memory is seeing a red fedora in a shop window. I was a little girl; I could barely speak. I was with my mother, walking, I don't even remember where I was ... but I pointed at the hat and she bought it and I thought how elegant she looked wearing that red fedora.
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Sunday, February 6, 2011

Katie Eary Spring Summer 2011

British boys do it best?? In January I blogged wanting a candy coloured Jil Sander boy all of my own. Now I'm torn. This is hot: Katie Eary Spring Summer 2011. 1 part Cool Britannia and 1 part fashion boy leopard trousers. Innit. 


Tales from the Powder Room

Enter the world of Miu Miu Spring Summer 2011 via the most intimate of all female sanctums: the ladies powder room. The short is directed by Zoe Cassavetes and stars Audrey Marnay (she is definitely having a moment!); and it harks back to a time when bathrooms were still  elegant and sensuous places called powder rooms. This provides a surprising contrast to the inspiration behind the Miu Miu collection itself, which was the modern obsession with celebrity and fifteen minutes of fame but it works because it is so beautifully shot and is in keeping with designers current celebration of femininity.


Prada Spring Summer 2011

At the moment I am completely obsessed with Prada's Spring Summer 2011 ad campaign. Yes - Arizona Muse. Yes - Mariacarla Boscono.  Love the sunglasses; the pops of coloured fur and the wide - brimmed striped hats. It's fun to play like a Prada girl.

The video:



The campaign:



The Catwalk: 


Totally want these retro/futuristic sunglasses. Too cool.