ADVENT DAY SIX: DOMINUS DOMINIC

Posted by Melanie Rickey, Fashion Editor at Large


Dangling Cross earrings, £230, made from 23 carat gold plated brass. At Net-a-Porter

 I adore Dominic Jones and his jewellery. I've known him since he's started out and remember really clearly being at the launch of the milliner Steven Jones' perfume for Comme des Garcons at Dover Street Market in 2009 and chatting with a boy who dyed his hair grey who was telling me all about how he wanted to make designer jewellery accessible to his own age group by using non-precious metals as a base. That was the beginning of my friendship with the talented Mr Jones, who I swiftly put on the pages of Grazia. Probably a bit too swiftly, as the shops he had sold to hadn't taken delivery of his talon earrings and claw rings thast became an instant hit. It has all turned out really well. Dom is an original talent and his creative output has improved season on season. These "Dangling Cross" earrings are edgily beautiful, and I sincerely hope they will be dangling from my lobes on Christmas day, The relevant family member has been informed!

"We can play it safe, or play it cool, follow the leader, or make up all the rules, whatever you want, the choice is yours, so choose.." Beth Ditto, The Gossip, from "Music For Men" Track 1: Heavy Cross



This is Dominic's Autumn/fall Winter 2011 fashion film, starring his old friend Florence Welch.

SS12: UNDER THE SEA

Posted by Fashion Junior at Large

JW Waterhouse's The Mermaid. This season's collections are moving the image on

As one might expect from Spring/Summer collections, we have seen a myriad of references to all things seaside related during this fashion season; Mulberry took us on a seventies day out at the British beach, Daks (amongst others) was all fifties riviera, Craig Lawrence used sand as his starting point and Jonathan Saunders was all about Miami. But in Milan and Paris, some of the key collections have left the familiarity of the waterside and plunged to the mythical depths of the ocean to draw inspiration from sea creatures, shells and mermaids. 

Givenchy SS12

At Givenchy, Riccardo Tisci served up a streetwise version of mermaid-ness. There was the irridescence of a pearl scattered seabed and a scaled effect which echoed a translucent ocean dweller but the addition of a blazer and flash of leg meant these did not descend into being unwearable back on dry land.

Givenchy SS12

At Versace, Donatella referenced her brother's signature baroque prints and presented a sexed up modern mermaid,who looks like she might be off to the Marine Bar to sit on a shell and scout out the sea horse talent.

Versace SS12

Versace SS12

Versace SS12

At Alexander McQueen, it was all about drawing comparison to the textures of coral and pearl for Sarah Burton. Padded hips and fishtails, not unfamiliar features of a McQueen collection, leant themselves to the creation of  a mermaid silhoutte. The lace caps, called fetishistic by some, emphasise the other worldly, sea bed effect.

Alexander McQueen SS12

Alexander McQueen SS12

Alexander McQueen SS12- This looks like it's slicked in sea water

Finally, at Chanel, Karl Lagerfeld drew on one of the house's most important symbols, the pearl, and paid homage to its oceanic origins not only in the clothes but also on the pure white, ocean floor set. The pièce de résistance was Florence Welch, singing from inside a giant clam shell, 2012's incarnation of the Mermaid fantasy. 

Chanel SS12

Chanel's ocean floor set at the Grand Palais

Florence serenades the audience from her shell stage as the models encircle the set, spines encrusted with pearls.

All images, aside from The Mermaid (from JWWaterhouse.com), from Catwalking.com

FLO THE ARTISTE IS BACK

Posted by Fashion Editor at Large

As someone who greatly appreciates the creative oeuvre of Florence Welch, (+ her Machine) I am massively delighted that her new video celebrates her as an artiste, not a fashion icon.

It's great that Flo wears Gucci on tour, and that Valentino designers Paolo and Maria cite her as their muse in this months Vanity Fair, its even great that there's rumours of a TopShop collaboration. But enough already!

So trilbies off to Flo and her manager Mairead Nash for making this video go back to her roots as a singer/songwriter/performer and artist doing her thing in the studio, pencil and paper in hand, cans on her ears. In a pleasing turn the clothes in this video - all vintage - are mere accessories to her talent.

Put this on big screen and forget about the world for five minutes.

FLORENCE + THE GUCCI MACHINE

Posted by Fashion Editor at Large

Gucci's was the number one most influential catwalk collection for Autumn/Winter 2011. Frida Giannini is on a roll. From a high fashion perspective it was a slam dunk in evey way - the colours, shapes and silhouette's will have a massive uptake at red carpet events globally for the next six months. And just you wait until you take a stroll to your local high street retailer - those colours, shapes and silhouettes - ops, I mean clothes inspired by them - will be everywhere. I've seen the evidence.

Luckily for us, we can enjoy the purity of the design as it was intended before the stylistas of the world ruin it with overkill, by taking in these rather fabulous photos of Flo on her American tour. I hope Flo brings out some new material soon...in the meantime this new material suits her just fine.

Florence Welch of Florence + The Machine performs on stage at Central Park SummerStage on June 24th , 2011 in New York City.

Flo works her chiffon as she opens for U2 at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, Wednesday, June 29th , 2011.

Flo offers up her best Kate Bush impression at Spartan Stadium on June 26th , 2011 in East Lansing, Michigan.

Photos: Courtesy of Gucci/Getty

THE WEEK IN FASHION 20TH-24TH JUNE

Posted by Fashion Junior at Large

This week in fashion has been all about making up, breaking up, love and hate. It's been emotional.  Here's our look at the goings on from the fashion playground over the last 5 days...

 Galliano's last couture collection for Christian Dior. There will probably never be anything like this ever again.

1) The big one. John Galliano's trial took place on Wednesday at the Paris magistrates court. Just in case you were under a rock/in rehab/on the moon when the scandal broke, Galliano is being sued on moral grounds for an alleged anti-semitic, racist, and generally offensive rant directed towards three people in a Paris cafe earlier this year. He also subsequently lost his job at both Dior and his own label. It's a really sorry state of affairs, which has seen a former shining light of the industry reduced to a shadow of his normal gregarious self; hidden away in a rehabilitation program since the alleged attack, his future remaining highly uncertain and bleak.

He appeared in court to explain his behaviour (apparently a consequence of problems with drink, drugs and stress) and the result of the trial will be announced in September. This is undoubtedly a very dark moment for both the designer and the industry, and the case should be given the coverage it deserves - however is the slew of commentary about the outfit he wore for his court appearance really necessary? With that in mind, I won't be posting a picture. If you do crave a blow by blow account, the Telegraph have it covered in their live blog.

 

Tania Fares, Bella Freud and Lulu Kennedy, all in Lulu &Co

2) In a much friendlier turn of events, this week Lulu Kennedy hosted a lunch to celebrate the launch of the latest Lulu and Co collection. According to a certain Fashion editor at Large who happened to be in attendance, "the whole of London" turned out for the fashion feast, proving that there is a lot of love for Lulu. The new collection will be in stores from August.
 
3) Back to the business of bitching, and Azzedine Alaia has exploded with the outburst to end all outbursts, and the subjects of his disapproval are one Karl Lagerfeld and one Anna Wintour.

 Grace Jones and Azzadine Alaia. Who do you reckon is scarier? Read on to find out...

Lucky it was no-one important, eh? According to Alaia, Karl "has never touched a pair of scissors in his life", and "no-one will remember" Anna Wintour. Despite her scary rep, Alaia claims that when the Editor-in-chief of US Vogue sees him, "she is the scared one." Somehow, we're not surprised! 

4) As far as fashion relationships go, this week has been more on and off than Made in Chelsea's Caggie and Spencer (oh! the drama!). After joining in the whoops and hollers that followed the announcement of a Versace and H&M collaboration, the industry was subdued by the news that Jil Sander will no longer be designing for Uniqlo, and the next J+ collection will be the last. There were audible sobs emitting from fashion editor's offices across the city. If you are a fan of the Sander/Uniqlo collab, you better start preparing for the last offering now; it will no doubt be elbows at dawn when it hits stores.

Jil Sander: no longer + Uniqlo

5) Florence Welch 'got the love' from Nylon magazine (sorry, that was terrible) when she hosted a party at the Mondrian Hotel in New York, to celebrate their music issue, of which she is the cover star. Florence can do no wrong in my eyes; she is consistently beautiful, inspiring and unique. Her choice of this quirky Anna Sui dress for the party has divided opinion, but the people who don't like it are, well, wrong.

Flo: it's good to see you back. New music soon please!

6) Fashion doesn't get much more friendly than bestest buds Leith Clark (Ed of Lula) and Kirsten Dunst, who are rarely seen at events without each other, and have obviously been having a bit of a girly week out and about in London town. These two are so close, they are even co-ordinating outfits like schoolgirl best friends do - but you know what? They are so cool, they can get away with it.

 Leith and Kirsten looking demure yet achingly stylish at Wimbledon  (nice sunnies, Ms Clark!) ...

...and just a little bit naughtier as they skip out of The Box in matching trenchcoats. Kirsten&Leith4Eva!

7) And finally, a little bit of eye candy to put a spring in your step this sunny Friday afternoon. The SS12 Menswear shows have been happening over the past week and yesterday's offerings from Paris were causing ripples all the way over this side of the Channel. Friend of the Fash Ed, Kim Jones, sent his debut Louis Vuitton collection down the catwalk to rave reviews, with critics hailing his arrival as the best thing to happen to the label since Marc Jacobs.

 Louis Vuitton SS12

However, before Kim Jones took Paris by storm, one other designer had got everyone hot and bothered. Twitter exploded, pictures were being sent round the world, journos who normally pay no attention to the menswear collections were suddenly clicking onto Style.com like there was no tomorrow.

Five words: Nicola Formichetti, Mugler, ARMOUR BOY.

Mugler SS12

Images: Splash, Getty, AFP, Style.com

FLORENCE IN GIVENCHY HAUTE COUTURE....

Posted by Fashion Editor at Large

On my return journey from Paris after the Spring/Summer 2011 catwalk shows in Paris, I bumped into Giles Deacon and his design team in the buffet car of the Eurostar. They were unwinding following his Ungaro debut and much merriment was occurring. Much of it involving a toy lamb. Some if it involving a jumper worn by Bistroteque co-founder David Waddington.  (I recorded it on Twitter - see "Florence + the Sheep".)  One of the highlights of this journey came when Florence (onboard with her stylist/friend Aldene Johnson) said "hi" to Giles, then in a whisper to Aldene (which I overheard) she sighed "My Paris is complete now." That made me think ahhhh what a doll. She is such a fashion fan, and gets excited about the shows and meeting designers, exactly what any other 24 year old fashion-fan would do. Just that she is well, Florence Welch. This happening made me feel really pleased for the fact she got to wear this most incredible Givenchy Haute Couture dress to the Grammy's last night. She didn't win a Grammy, but she had the best dress on by miles.

If meeting Giles set her pulse racing, imagine what wearing this did to her! That Florence posed to display both the intricate front-view and beautiful highly-worked back vista indicates she may be following instructions from Givenchy designer Riccardo Tisci. At the presentation in Paris a few weeks ago the garment was displayed in still life, and photographed with both back view and front view - why? Beacuse hand-work of this nature is almost extinct in fashion, and needs to be shown, that's why.

"Long dress in nude stretch tulle embroidered in front with matt sequins in shades of pale beige and behind with vermillion coloured geometric hand cut sequins and glass tubes"

Photos: courtesy of Givenchy Couture