Thursday, February 24, 2011

Christopher Kane for J Brand

Christopher Kane has announced a collaboration with J Brand for his 2012 Resort collection and will see him designing an entire collection.
The Jean collection will be available to but at the beginning of next year so we'll have to wait until then to see what the BFC's Fashion Designer of the year comes up with; previous work suggests we should expect great things from Christopher Kane so better start saving for the collaboration now!

Chloe x

Triumph and Felder and Felder - Lingerie Show LFW and shapewear review

On Monday I found out I was lucky enough to have won a competition to attend the Triumph London Fashion Week show at The Show Space.

The Show was to promote 125 years of Triumph and their new shapewear range. Felder and Felder had customised the collection (to match the Felder and Felder mainline) with goat hair - a lot sexier than it sounds!- and leather straps amongst other things.

The collection was grown up and very sexy with a vintage feel; it was my favourite underwear collection I've seen for a while ( and it's well known that I have a slight addiction to matching sets so that's saying something!)

On the ever so slight down side the models, however beautiful, defnitely didn't need reshaping - in some instances the spandex bagged slightly. This definitely isn't true for the non models of the world - In the gift bags alongside a Style magazine ( my personal favourite supplement) we each recieved a sample shapewear product.
They came in small (allegedly a size 10ish) so I received the top (smooth sensation) and inherited the bodydress (Retro Sensation) from my mum's goody bag.
Yesterday I tried them - in the name of research-and FYI there was definitely no bagging with the spandex on my body!
 They did do a nice job of smoothing  out my lumps and bumps but on the top it also flattened out my bust.. nearly completely. Maybe the medium doesn't do this but my advice would be to get the skirt or vintage style undies or wear the dress as an under-bust piece unless you're in the market for a bust-minimiser in which case you need to grab one of these babies!

Massive bonus was that the models were actually allowed to smile at this show - and looked a million times better for it; like they genuinely enjoyed the job and wearing the underwear :)


The show however was fabulous and, to top it off we ( myself and Nadine from Spot the sugarettes) managed to have a photo with the very lovely Felder twins - my personal highlight of fashion week!

Now its less hectic I'll hopefully have more time to look at the shows properly and pick my favourite looks for A/W'11.

My camera wasn't the most obliging on the night so rather than put you through bad pictures I'll borrow some good ones instead!

So what was your highlight of Fashion Week?

Chloe x

Here's my favourite (despite dodgy faces all round)...



Me and Nadine with the Felder twins


Credit: Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images

Credit: Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images 

go to The Belfast Telegraph for more catwalk pictures of the night

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Me on the front row.. of the statue of Eros steps

Ok, so not quite the ideal front row for the Burberry show but nonetheless, minus a few technical hitches, a very good view of The Burberry A/W show. Am completely in love with a see through raincoat to protect my own red un-Burberry mac.. well a girl can dream!

I did appear in a picture of the event in the Metro.. not exactly Vogue but not bad!
there's me sticking out like a sore thumb in my aforemetioned red mac (Miss Selfridge not Burberry)
Credit: Metro




Anyway, here's a few pictures from the fashion first of a live streamed Picadilly Circus show and remember, you can watch all the London Fashion Week live streams right here on thrills frills and fondue.

Chloe x







Monday, February 21, 2011

Christopher Kane A/W'11

Christopher Kane showed his A/W'11 collection today as a far more subtler incarnation of his usual style. Instead of royals on acid or neon bandage Kane showed a series of crocheted outfits, much like a subdued palette (much less glitter wool) of the House of Holland pieces seen a few days earlier. These came in fitted pencil skirts, low neckline maxi dresses and top sets.
Kane also created simple, well cut black dresses with colourful plastic detailing, almost like jewellery and a different take on the sheer trend with the designer himself referencing lava lamps as their inspiration. Wet look blue-hued leather pieces also made an appearance and there were recurring square patterns on much of the collection. Sheet sequin numbers made up the evening element of the collection , making the models look like ethereal mermaids as they shimmied and shimmered down the catwalk like a shoal with delicate colour graduation in the sequins.
Christopher Kane went for something grown-up and very wearable this season, without diminishing his credibility as an inventive young designer and the best of British.

Chloe x


Christopher Kane A/W11

The Christopher Kane show is about to start and already the tweets are thick and fast with details on fashion editors (Anna Wintour is backstage with christopher) and celebrities (Alexa Chung has opted for a very brave nude sheer dress and bare legs on a chilly, grey London day).

clearly the creme de la creme of the fashion scene have turned out to see what exciting creations the BFC Designer Award Winner has come up with this season!

what's your favourite Christopher Kane look?

Chloe x

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Christopher Kane fashion focus for LFW

Well, today is the day that London pulls out the big guns and shows my two favourite shows of LFW, the recently returned Burberry (that attracted the likes of Anna Wintour) and the talented Christopher Kane (whose first ever show saw fashion editors sitting on the floor to get a closer look!).

Burberry will be streamed live from Picadilly Circus whereas Christopher Kane is keeping it a little more secretive.

In my opinion this year's London Fashion Week started off with very muted catwalks, only to get more riotous as the week goes on; whether we see Kane doing "princess Margaret on acid" or hauntingly Gothic again remains to be seen but I, for one, cannot wait to hear the snippets of gossip come 11:45 and the start of Kane's show.

Who's your favourite for fashion week?

Chloe x

Fashion Week Fatigue

Now.. I've heard of fashionistas getting fashion week flu and fatigue after days filled with shows and nights filled with after parties but I must be in an exclusive cache to manage to get symptoms without even a sniff of a catwalk or next season trend!
ah well, so apologies for the lack of Fashion week reports and synopses over the last couple of days but never fear - I promise to make it up to you lovely people with some London action tomorrow and a never released exclusive piece of Christopher Kane for Topshop clothing :).. plus reviews coming soon!

Until then here's the highlight video of day two and my favourite day three catwalk: Mulberry.

what's been your favourite LFW moment so far?

Chloe x





Saturday, February 19, 2011

London Fashion Week Live Streaming and on demand video





videos courtesy of www.rightster.com

Day 1 Highlights : London Fashion Week A/W'11


PPQ A/W'11


Bora Aksu A/W'11


Sass & Bide A/W'11


Felder.Felder A/W'11


Jean-Pierre Braganza A/W'11


Corrie Nielson A/W'11


Jena Theo A/W'11


Amnika Wilmont A/W'11


Friday, February 18, 2011

Caroline Charles A/W'11

The standout outfit from Caroline Charles was most definitely the finale piece. Like a more colourful copy of something Helena Bonham Carter might wear, the juxtaposition between masculine bowler hats and feminine skirts lend a strength to the collection. It all had a very Victorian feel in my opinion. My favourite elements are the matching berry tights and lipstick and the sleek shiny ponytails.

How about yours?

Chloe x




Credit: www.rightster.com

Maria Grachvogel A/W'11

The floor length dresses in cottons and silks, both the block colours and the nature-inspired silk prints are my favourite things of fashion week so far. I loved the free flowing shapes and fluid lines of the elegant but wearable collection.

what did you think?

Chloe x



Credit: www.rightster.com

Paul Costelloe LFW A/W'11

Don't you just love the russets and greens and the textures that remind me of an autumnal woodland? red manic panic wig a la Tavi's aqua one is clearly a must this autumn/winter.

Chloe x



video courtesy of www.rightster.com

London Fashion Week Live Streaming and on demand video

Live stream of London Fashion Week shows




Thanks to the lovely people at www.rightster.com
you can watch London Fashion Week shows live, streamed through Thrills, Frills and Fondue!

Videos of the shows will also be posted soon after they happen for all of you people that have real lives that revolve around friends and work and aren't stuck ill in bed with only a cat for company when you really should be in London tasking part in the several awesome events going on.

I had planned my day around these said events, hopefully I'll be well enough to take advantage of them over the next few days but in the meantime here are my recommendations for great London Fashion Week events.

Stylist Magazine and Swarovski have teamed up to create the SWAROVSKI CRYSTALLIZED™ series of events including exclusive jewellery viewings from their designer collective including the likes of Christopher Kane and Johnny Rocket, styling advice, champagne, makeovers and much much more. Go to Stylist to reserve your tickets.

Topshop also have some fabulous events on over fashion week including fashion drawing classes today and a live Qand A with designers - be there or be square!

The Design Museum also has some great fashionable installations so why not pop in and of course there's the Somerset House (Home of London Fashion Week) Exhibition.

Credit: Antonio Berardi SS11 © Christopher James


So what else do people recommend doing for fashion week if front row seats aren't an option?

So go and enjoy yourselves for the most fashionable week in the London calendar.. If the hot lemon and honey works I'll be seeing you there!

Chloe x

It's official! London Fashion Week is underway!

Paul Costelloe had the honour of starting LFW this morning with the next 5 days promising some spectacular shows.
Bring On London Fashion Week!

Fashion Week Promo Video from www.rightster.com

Thursday, February 17, 2011

New York Fashion Week

Tonight is 'christmas eve' for London's fashionistas as tomorrow marks the first day for London Fashion Week!
I've flown back from Switzerland in order to be here [unfortunately not to attend buyer/fashion editor/fashionable celebrity style, although if any Fashion Willie Wonkas with access to golden tickets are reading, you know where to find me! ;-) ], on a plus note there will be daily highlights and live streaming at venues all over London with a digital schedule so no missing your favourite designer :-)
however, in order to contain my excitement I'm going to focus of the New York Runways that kick of the seasons schedule.

My top three favourite shows from New York were


3. Herve Leger by Max Azria

Max and Lubov Azria make beautiful fitting clothes in sumptuous fabrics, be it for the main line, BCBG or Herve Leger. bodycon dresses and flippy sixties/school girl style skirts were the order of the day in classic neutral and metallic colours. There were strappy embellishments, slightly Greek, quite equestrian and a touch bondage style but all done is tasteful ways as well as select detailing.

Credit: The Telegraph (Fashion Section)

2.Rodarte

A largely neutral colour scheme it is the interesting detailing, geometric shapes and patterns that make this collection so wearable. the stand out pieces for glamour are the full length silk dresses with scarf-esque neckline and corn field print at the bottom. Soft woollen coats also make up part of the collection to take the lighter coloured clothing into a more winter-friendly and wearable range. full skirted 50's inspired skirts and dresses graced the catwalk alongside tailored trousers to make a fully covetable, entirely wearable collection.

Credit: Grazia MSN

1.Marchesa

Georgina Chapman and Keren Craig cited their inspiration as Charles Dickens' Miss Havisham from Great Expectations this season, trying to convey the Gothic, tragic bride elements of the novel.This was a fantastically dramatic show; imagine you're favourite fairytale characters, come to life and dressed in fabulous fabrics. It was little red riding hood, Maleficent, Odette and a fairy godmother in one fashion story down the runway. The palette was limited to blood red, pure white, jet black, and a few ethereal off white tones, made too look like soft clouds. And all that drama made me want every single piece despite the fact that I rarely have occasion to dress like a princess, especially not a dramatic one!

Credit: Australian Vogue




So who was your favourite for New York Fashion Week?
and is everyone as excited for LFW as me?!


Chloe x

Monday, February 14, 2011

The 'V' word..

I love valentine's day.

There, I've said it. I know I'm supposed to hate it, to lament the corporate Hallmark scam, there to try and make us standardise our romantic gestures and conform to the yearly ritual.
I know I should say this.. but I can't.

I'm a romantic at heart and it's the atmosphere I love most of all. watching men anxiously clutching bouquets this morning when I dropped my mum off at the airport, seeing the painstaking effort primary school children put into making their heart-shaped cards, covered in glitter, seeing beautiful flowers absolutely everywhere as a romantic spring reminder and having an excuse to dress up in my most unashamedly girly dresses be it a rose print 50's full skirted number or the one I'm wearing today (this caramel coloured dress if anyone was wondering! )

Credit: Alex Styles Photography

Credit: Alex Styles Photography

It's also exactly one month until my birthday today so even if I'm single Valentines Day, it has always signalled the coming of spring and the moment I sprung into the world.. so I like to think it means the coming of good things!
either way being able to show you love someone, be it a partner, best friend, sibling, parent or whoever in an unashamedly kitsch and girly way is never going to be a bad thing in my book so today I'm spreading the love!

how are you spending the day?

for all of you on facebook ASOS and Reiss have some great V Day give-aways going on all in the name of love whilst Stylist has a perfect selection of evening events for single ladies in London.

I personally will be spending my day visiting a tropical garden, then cooking a lovely meal for myself  and the Boyfriend :)

Whatever you're doing today have a fabulous time doing it!

Love Chloe x

Friday, February 11, 2011

Feeling Blue? .. why not update your wardrobe with a slip of cerulean silk

Here in Switzerland the sun has been shining and the sky has been bright blue all week so I've put off indulging in the New York fashion week shows as I'm not quite ready to get my head around the buttery leathers and thick lambswool that the rest of fashion world will be appreciating.

Instead I've decided to think forward to days spent on the lake feeling the warm sand and the cool water, picnics in the park with crisp salads and juicy strawberries and balmy summer nights where cardigans are shrugged off and women wander the streets in simple sun dresses and slips of silk, like brightly coloured tropical fishes, darting in and out of shops and streets. It makes me excited to just think about it :-)

So in homage to the beautiful blue sky I'm going to look at some of my favourite blue S/S11 outfits, the ones that make me want to fly away to the nearest tropical island and languish in dresses the same colour as the ocean :) i think I'm having a bit of a floaty moment because all three dresses are floaty, ethereal and there's not a body-con skirt in sight!

If you could jet off to anywhere right now where would it be? and does anybody else have a favourite holiday dress? i'll be posting mine as soon as I'm lucky enough to go on holiday :)

Chloe x

Pucci S/S11 Credit: www.fashionbite.co.uk

 What i love about this dress is that it still has the essence of Pucci in the print but it's deeply sexy from the cut outs, to the slightly sheer skirt but because of the classic colours and flowing shape it's just the right side of sexy.
Jason Wu S/S11 Credit: www.afashionaddictsconfession.blogspot.comphotograph by Stan Honda


 This is quite a dream like dress, again embracing the sheer sexy element in the upper portion but balanced by the modern yet prim high neck detail. The fabric used for the billowing skirt is what makes this dress really special and totally covetable for me.
Matthew Williamson S/S11 Credit: http://www.dazeddigital.com

This dress looks like a lot of fun to wear. It has a slightly kinky bondage element to the straps but ultimately has an almost mermaid like quality. Turquoise for me is the very essence of summer holidays; I can't help but feel  happy in it and the delicate ruching on the bust and intricate but subtle detail over the rest of the dress makes this a perfect holiday show stopper

Friday, February 4, 2011

Go Insane for Christopher Kane..


Firstly because London Fashion Week can't possibly be ignored (it's far too much the wild child of fashion weeks for that!) and secondly because the darling brother-sister duo behind Christopher Kane have just won the BFC/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund, Thrills, Frills and Fondue will be turning into Kane HQ just in time for London Fashion week (you have been warned!).

We will, of course, be keeping you up to date with all sorts of LFW goings on but in honour of the British brand we will be waving the flag for ,and keeping you bang up to date, with all Christopher Kane, news, reviews and show reports.

So, just to get everyone excited for the young designer's hotly anticipated show, here are some of my favourite Christopher Kane looks from seasons gone by..

                                                                                     Chloe x

Credit: www.catwalking.com

Credit: www.catwalking.com

Credit: www.catwalking.com

Credit: www.catwalking.com

Credit: www.catwalking.com

Credit: www.catwalking.com

Credit: www.catwalking.com

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Lingering Lingerie

Now, there are all manner of things I own way too many of; make-up, perfume, handbags to name a few but my biggest guilty pleasure is underwear.

With Spring just around the corner I was prompted into a spring clean and a bit of a spruce up of my bedroom.
This resulted in me finding out I personally owned 96 pairs of knickers and 33 bras; far too many for one girl!
The fact that, if pushed, I was able to go 3 months without needing to wash a single pair of underwear was, well, disturbing to say the least! 

so now, after a serious edit I am down to a slightly more respectable (if not sane) number..

But for everyone who needs a few more slips of silk and lace (especially with Valentines Day right around the corner) Elle have put together a great editors pick of lingerie buys;
http://www.elleuk.com/fashion/editor-s-picks/lingerie

I've also put together one of my own with Valentine's in mind so here's my pick on the most fabulous frillies in the shops right now..
check out the lovely lingerie websites where I got the images (and price information) from to buy the featured items...
          happy shopping!
                                  Chloe x

 What Katie Did

Glamour Corselette £59.50

www.whatkatiedid.com

figleaves boudoir 

  Treat Me 'be My Valentine' Tie Side Bikini £15.00

Elle McPherson Intimates  

Hook, Line and Sinker
 High waisted brief £50.00
 Under-wired bra £55.00








Gilda and pearl

Shanghai Salon
Bra £59.00
Knickers £42.00

www.gildapearl.co.uk




Miss LaLa Presents

Boite Du Chocolat
Padded Bra £74.00 
Deep Pleated Brief £67.00

www.miodestino.co.uk

 

 






Tuesday, February 1, 2011

T.G.I.T (Thank God it's Tuesday)

My blogging unfortunately has taken a back seat after a bit of a hectic few days so now is the time for a deep sigh and relief it's Tuesday... :-)

so I went down to the studio of Alex Style's Photography at the end of the week to get some lovely photos done (ok I may be biased as he is my cousin but nonetheless very talented!)


here are the pictures of my H&M dress brought by my lovely OH, Miss Selfridge shoes and new short hair :-)


Then yesterday I flew back to Switzerland ( a brisk -5) so finally it's time to relax(ish)  :-)



so what's everyone else been doing this weekend? has it been busy or hectic?
hope it has been good either way!

Chloe x