Mugler, Van Noten, Pugh create tensions in fashion

Opposites and contradictions fuel contemporary fashion, as seen in the second day of Paris ready-to-wear shows.

Wednesday saw an abundance of such contrasts in style, fabric, tailoring and even in location that gave the start of the fall-winter 2013-14 season a dynamic lift.

Whether it be in Dries Van Noten's ode to Fred and Ginger, which captured his signature flirtations with menswear on girls, Guy Laroche's fierce versus the feminine, or Damir Doma's perfect twinning of slouchy and sophisticated, tensions littered the catwalk. They were often delivered with an ironic wink.
To playful gasps from onlookers, down the grand salon of 19th century townhouse Hotel Salomon de Rothschild, Gareth Pugh gave his show a postmodern kick by sending models wearing shredded polythene trash bags down the catwalk. They shivered like luxuriant black plumes.

Even the Mugler show, the day's most unified, featured plays between sheen and fur, and midriffs versus shoulders — a reminder that tensions are inescapable.

Thursday's shows include Balmain, Barbara Bui, Rick Owens and Lanvin.

DRIES VAN NOTEN
Dries Van Noten thinks fashion is far too serious. That's why he explored his usual menswear-womenswear tailoring this season via the frivolity of ballroom dancing, feathers and the two-some Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.

Wednesday's show was proof again of the Belgian designer's mastery when it comes to the art of clashing styles.

Who better to represent the Van Noten universe, where men's and women's styles merge together, than one of the most iconic and inseparable male-female couples in Hollywood history?

Ostrich feathers in midnight blue, faded gray and tea rose billowed like 1930s boas with large vivid embroideries and vintage fur alongside men's baggy pants, club stripes and Prince of Wales check.

One fantastic look said it all: a sumptuous navy feathered skirt (Ginger), and a large white tuxedo shirt (Fred.)

In Van Noten's world, like in Hollywood, there's no man without the woman, no Ginger without the Fred.

GARETH PUGH
To discordant music and hellish mist, Gareth Pugh went to the gates of the underworld, bringing back with him an inspired collection of dark angels.

Starting in white and ending in black, the 49 looks saw the London wunderkind further explore the long, flared and otherworldly silhouettes seen last season.

Here it came with stiff cowl and giant shawl collars, or fold-over jackets with exaggeratedly large lapels.
Each look was fastidiously tailored.

At times, it looks as if Pugh had made a pact with the devil and channeled the full-skirted proportions of the 1950s, with their tights waist and full collars, but with dark excess.

But in Wednesday's show, Pugh saved the best till last: a series of impressive black creations billowing with shredded black polythene.

They fluttered by malevolently like feathers, as if the models were half-human, half-raven.

DAMIR DOMA
Croatian designer Damir Doma was back in top form for fall-winter in a show that saw his slouchy style get an unexpectedly elegant makeover.

"Neo-corporate" was how the Raf Simons alumnus described his smarter looks backstage.

Although cropped futuristic tunics and zippered shift dresses aren't exactly run-of-the-mill office attire, the sleek long silhouettes were a welcome turn that saw Doma's vibe get more sophisticated.

But if there's any worry that the Antwerp cool-kid is now grown up, mature and boring, fear not. The usual Doma DNA was still here, if muted.

Boxy jackets and classical menswear touches, such as stacked Chelsea boots, as well as masculine fabrics in perforated wool and lacquered leather, kept up the edgy fashion contradictions.

MUGLER
In a tight show of only 27 looks, designer Nicola Formichetti served up a collection of feminine, cocoon-like silhouettes.
Slick was the word.

The gentle rounded shoulders and softer skirts, in soft gray, blue and peach, evolved away from the angular, insectoid-obsession that's been almost haunting Mugler's recent collections.

It was a welcome change, which made for a ladylike vibe — in line with this season's trend.

Contrasts, such as soft peach fur on champagne satin, made one gentle look sparkle.

The odd geometric print — used sparingly — added the signature futuristic edge, as did neat bonnets on the heads.

Keeping it simple seems to suit Formichetti: it's one of the strongest collections he's done.

GUY LAROCHE
"It's the story of women, women who don't need men," says Guy Laroche's designer Marcel Marongiu of his brash, even kinky offering.
With this mantra, the Franco-Swedish designer explored a whole new terrain this season.

See-through lingerie shifts, rock-and-roll leather and even fierce bondage straps moved on quite dramatically from the classical codes of the house.
The sumptuous evening wear was still here though, in shocking pink and purple silk gowns, and several looks in blinding navy rhinestone.
He cited the style of Jimi Hendrix and Prince as inspirations — seen in the revealing sexuality of exposed nipples.
There were some great statement bombers, another nod to the fall trend: coats as the new accessory.

99 shows, 22 countries: Bonjour Paris fashion week

The world's largest traveling circus of fashion editors, models, buyers and journalists has descended on the French capital, clutching their metro maps and city guides, to cap fashion season for nine days of intensive ready-to-wear.

And this fall-winter 2013-14 is the biggest to date, with some 99 "on-calendar" shows that see the week almost tearing at the seams, starting earlier and finishing later than ever.

"There are 12 shows a day. Twenty-two different nationalities this season. With new top designers at work," says Didier Grumbach, president of the French Fashion Federation. "It's an impressive mix, an energy that sets Paris apart from what's going on elsewhere."

Tuesday — day one — saw collections dominated by three up-and-coming Belgian designers: Veronique Branquinho, Cedric Charlier and Anthony Vaccarello, who dressed actress Charlotte Gainsbourg at last Friday's Cesar film awards.
The similarities start and end with their nationalities; all three threw together strong but highly individual collections.

If Branquinho was elegance, Charlier was edgy architecture, and Vaccarello was retro sex-appeal.

In other shows of the day, Le Moine Tricote spiced up the bread-and-butter knitwear with woven fabric.

Wednesday's shows include Guy Laroche, Damir Doma and London's enfant terrible, Gareth Pugh.

ANTHONY VACCARELLO
The no-holds-barred sex appeal for Anthony Vaccarello is not for the faint-hearted.

The third Belgian designer to show on Paris fashion week's first day served up a black-and-white ode to the early '80s in a show that featured micro skirts, chainmail, a lot of skin and lashings of sensual leather.

Strong retro shoulders, asymmetrical, diagonally cut skirts, upturned lapels and cowl collars set the fashion time dial firmly back to the era of the New Romantics.

This was fused with the innate sexiness of his variations on the Little Black Dress.

The best look was a black kimono-style top, which billowed in great contrast to the tight, bright shiny black mini.

Subtle this was not, but then, subtle isn't glam-loving Vaccarello's thing.

VERONIQUE BRANQUINHO
It was the modern bohemian woman on parade.

Veronique Branquinho mixed and matched eclectic references, from wooden African bracelets to Obi-style dresses with belts.

The soundtrack included Marilyn Monroe's sultry "One Silver Dollar" from the Western "River of No Return," which played as cowboy boots and denim studs peppered the looks.

Stetson cowboy hats in Shetland went too far, but overall it was a strong collection for the up-and-coming designer — reined in only by its feminine silhouette proportions and textural contrasts that unified the show.

The graceful, slouchy style, now a Branquinho signature, was seen on several of the dropped waist looks, often in beige and fawn.

LE MOINE TRICOTE
Fall-winter sees bright-eyed designer Alice Lemoine brimming with ideas.
First of all, in the unique presentation of her Le Moine Tricote collection via three different mediums in three different rooms: there were edgy photos, vintage-looking video projections, and the clothes themselves on mannequins.
Second of all, there were new ideas in the direction of the up-and-comer's knitwear line itself, which saw the repertoire this season spun out to include stricter woven fabrics. They provided a subtle but welcome contrast to the more feminine thick-knit tailored jackets in black, beige and gray.

The strongest piece in the show was a fantastic black mid-length coat dress that had pockets, a lapel and sleeves in billowing wool to imitate fur.
Despite sporty flashes, the collection overall remained thoroughly feminine, thanks to the natural roundness of the thick-knit silhouettes.
This season, ladylike is the name of the game.

CEDRIC CHARLIER
Architecture, "art brut" and Dutch Master Brueghel were all inspirations behind Cedric Charlier's diverse show.

The first pieces, among the collection's best, mixed up sharp geometric paneling alongside oversize coats with fluid, rounded shoulders.

Ensembles were made up of several layers, like square navy skirts on top of knee-length leggings with a rectangular bib form hanging down.

There were also some great structured sheaths in silky navy and black leather.
It's a far cry from the more fluid looks seen in Charlier's last collection.
The designer said medieval painter Brueghel inspired the bright colors of some of the prints and patterns, as did an early 20th century movement called "art brut" that celebrated art from shunned circles, like mental asylums.

It was an interesting idea that worked on the more simple silhouettes.

Spanish fashion looks abroad, away from crisis

With Spain stuck in the economic doldrums, the country's fashion designers have redoubled their imagination to conquer new markets in Europe, the United States and emerging economies.

"Abroad difference, quality and creativity are very much appreciated," Nuria Sarda, creative director of Catalan lingerie brand Andres Sarda, told AFP at the four-day Madrid fashion week which wrapped up on Thursday.

"No two countries are alike, each has its own characteristics and you have to adapt," added Sarda, whose brand exports mainly to Europe but also to the United States, China and Russia.

Andres Sarda, Nuria's father, presented his latest collection on Tuesday at the twice-yearly fashion industry event which showcased work made by around 30 designers.

Among those who showed their works was Agatha Ruiz de la Prada, whose colourful and bold designs have made her one of Spain's best-known creators.
Models for luxury jewelry brand Aristocrazy meanwhile wore sumptuous necklaces that descended down to their waists, over black sheath dresses in a cathedral setting.

The Suarez Jewelers Group behind Aristocrazy launched the ready-to-wear jewelry line in 2010 in Spain and is preparing to make the leap to new markets.

The brand has projects underway in neighbouring Portugal as well as in Chile, Colombia and Mexico to respond to the "global interest" which the line has sparked, said 28-year-old Aristocrazy director Juan Suarez.

It promotes itself mostly through blogs. Aristocrazy works with New York-based blogger and fashion photographer Scott Schuman whose fashion website The Sartorialist is considered a major influence on industry trends.

"The brand has invested a great deal in this world. You get opinions about the product from people which are very direct and real," said Suarez.

The value of Spanish textile exports hit a new record in 2012, surpassing 10.35 billion euros ($13.6 billion), an increase of 8.0 percent over the previous year, according to the Information Centre for Textile and Confection.
Clothing exports were fuelled by the success of companies such as Inditex, the world's biggest clothing group, and Catalan high-street clothing chain Mango.
"We must not forget that the Spaniards, with Inditex, Mango, Desigual and other companies are world leaders in clothing, which brings widespread international recognition," said Borja Oria, the president of Acotex, an association of textile and accessory companies.

"Spanish designers are increasingly recognised beyond our borders," he said, giving as examples Agatha Ruiz de la Prada, Josep Font and Miguel Palacio.
De la Prada's 2013-14 winter collection included a short blue skirt embellished with a big red heart, a turquoise dress decorated with a huge white moon and accessories decorated with giant daisies.

"Since the national market has collapsed, what remains is the international market," the designer's manager, Carmen Ayats, said.

Exports of the brand have soared and now account for 75 percent of total sales, against 45 percent before the start of Spain's economic crisis in 2008 due to the collapse of a decade-long property bubble.

The brand takes part in Paris fashion shows to project its image worldwide and its main markets are Japan, Brazil and the Arab countries such as Kuwait, the UAE and Saudi Arabia, she added.

"Movement is happening elsewhere. There is no life here," said Ayats.
Europe is the main destination for Spanish clothes exports but with the continent stuck in recession Spanish designers have turned their eye on emerging economies.

"Forget France, forget Milan. Europe is in bad shape," said Madrid fashion week director Leonor Perez Pita.

Spanish designers should not be afraid and should use new technologies for their expansion, she added.

"It is never too late," said Sarda.
A model displays an outfit by Spanish designer Andres Sarda at Madrid Fashion Week on February 18, 2013. With Spain stuck in the economic doldrums, the country's fashion designers have redoubled their imagination to conquer new markets in Europe, the United States and emerging economies.

A model displays an outfit by Spanish designer Agatha Ruiz de la Prada at Madrid Fashion Week on February 20, 2013. Her colourful and bold designs have made her one of Spain's best-known creators.

A model displays an outfit by Spanish designer Agatha Ruiz de la Prada during Madrid Fashion Week on February 20, 2013. De la Prada's 2013-14 winter collection included a short blue skirt embellished with a big red heart, a turquoise dress decorated with a huge white moon and accessories decorated with giant daisies.

Fashion Fanatics are Welcomed to London by Millennium & Copthorne Hotels, as London Fashion Weekend Arrives!

The home of British fashion, Somerset House, is the perfect location for London Fashion Weekend, which takes place directly after London Fashion Week. The event is sure to be packed full of famous guests, hot trends and new beauty products, so make sure you don't miss out on the chance to attend. Millennium & Copthorne's six stylish London hotels are the perfect place to stay while visiting the capital, and are all within easy reach of the venue.
Over 80 of Britain's best designers will be selling one-off pieces at reduced prices, including Twenty8Twelve, Pringle of Scotland and Linda Farrow, at this unique shop and style event. London Fashion Weekend also supports emerging designers, such as Lost Property of London and Tata Nata, so their collections will also be available for visitors to browse! 

There will be catwalk shows, both designer and trend, from a wide selection of designers showcasing four main trends: Graphic Art, Urban Lifestyle, Eastern Promise and Doll's House. There will also be goodie bags handed out by Radley, and the events sponsors include Toni & Guy, Elle Magazine, Canon, Elizabeth Arden and Kinder Bueno, so there are sure to be some great giveaways on offer!
There are a variety of tickets available online, offering access to different areas, starting from just £15.50. It promises to be a weekend to remember, so why not make your stay in the city unforgettable by staying in one of Millennium & Copthorne's London hotels, which offer convenience, style and luxury.

Fashion Week Geeks Out with Couture 3D Prints, Stitched-In Chips + More

Technology and fashion.  Those two words may be the least likely combination you’ll ever come across, but as technology invades every facet of our lives, it’s not so absurd.  Given the growing interest retail has shown in technology applications with the help of Big Data analytics, it was only a matter of time before new tech invaded the holy grail of fashion.

Fashion Week is a bi-anual, week-long event held months in advance of the season so designers can show off their upcoming collections.  The participating fashion capitals of the world are Paris, Milan, New York and London, with Madrid gaining popularity.

Just as Fashion Week offers a glimpse of the colors, patterns and cuts that will be popular through 2013, the global event also hints at the emerging services fashion will employ with the right technology in order to market and appeal to buyers.  So how has technology injected itself in today’s fashion?

Personalized fashion chips
.

Burberry launched a new initiative at London Fashion Week by embedding digital chips that deliver bespoke information regarding the new season’s coats and bags.  The idea is to entice consumers to pre-order items as they hit the runway.

The name of the game is personalization.  Consumers can pre-order coats and bags and have bespoke metal nameplates stitched into the lining of the item they want.
With the aid of a smartphone, the chip displays the story of the coat or bag, from its beginnings in a sketchpad to the runway.  The same technology can be found in its flagship digital store in Regent Street, London.  The chips will prompt the information to appear in its large-scale mirrors that turn into screens.

Burberry will reveal more information about the technology in about 9 weeks.

Fashionable hackathon
.

In New York, Decoded Fashion, a company that bridges the gap between technology and fashion, launched a hackathon that brought together hundreds of graphic designers and software developers.  The result was the creation of 78 different fashion apps.

SWATCHit, the “mobile-web communication platform that manages coordination between designers and artisans in emerging market textile industries,” took home the $10,000 grand prize.  Aside from the cash prize, Ramzi Abdoch’s team also took home a $2,900 Donna Karen New York (DKNY) shopping spree, a strategy lunch with the Refinery 29 founders at their headquarters, a private Macallan tasting, and a commitment from the Council of Fashion Designers of America to actually build the app.

Haunting haute-couture finishes off London Fashion Week

Spectral outfits and chilling winter prints capped off London Fashion Week on Tuesday, as the fashion season baton moves from the British capital to Milan.
London, one of the four major international fashion hubs alongside New York, Milan and Paris, attracts more than 100 million pounds ($154.43 million) in orders each season, according to estimates from the British Fashion Council (BFC).

Britain is also increasingly drawing high-profile names to its fashion industry, which has a direct value of 21 billion pounds ($32.43 billion) to the Britain's $2.5 trillion economy, BFC figures show.

American designer Tom Ford made his catwalk debut in London this week, while pop-star Rihanna chose to launch a clothing line with British retailer River Island.

Ghostly girls in white Edwardian lace and black veils circled the vast space of the Tate Modern museum's tanks for Anglo-French design duo Meadham Kirchhoff on the final day of fashion week.

The predominantly monochrome collection, which included outfits of black velvet with white collars and long silk skirts, was inspired by lyrics from the Beatles song "Helter Skelter".

A spokeswoman for Meadham Kirchhoff declined to comment on whether using the song for a show at the Tate was a deliberate reference to Charles Manson, whose interpretation of it as a prophecy of racial war led him to go on a murder spree 1969 that included the killing of actress Sharon Tate.

The pair told Elle UK it was an obsession with perfection that inspired the designs.

"I was thinking about perfection, being the perfect homemaker," Meadham told the publication in an online posting.

"People want to trivialize women's interests...I bake all the time; keep my home clean. I'm obsessed with perfection; that's what got me going in the first place," he said.

Belgrade-born Roksanda Ilincic echoed the mood at her show, where models in pale pink and black drifted down the catwalk.

"It was really about creating that special modern feel of a haunted beauty - mix of opposites," Ilincic said.
BRITISH LUXURY
British designer Maria Grachvogel printed the skeletal branches of trees in winter onto a sheer white blouse for one of the final shows at London's Somerset House, which hosted John Rocha, Jasper Conran and Issa London to packed audiences.

Grachvogel, who used hues of bone, oxblood and lichen in her 34 piece collection, said London was going from strength to strength as a fashion capital.

"London has always been known for its young creative spirit and its young talent, but I think what's happening now is that the young talent is growing up," Grachvogel told Reuters after the show.

"We've got the luxury brands of the future - we have some already - but it's getting stronger and stronger," she said.

Luxury British label Burberry Prorsum drew international celebrities to its red carpet reception earlier in the week, as did veteran designer Vivienne Westwood's Red Label, another British fashion industry torchbearer.
But London is best-known for its up-and-coming talent, such as Fashion Fringe award winner Haizhen Wang, whose show of sharply tailored separates, draped dresses and quilted jackets served as a finale for fashion week.

Wang, who was mentored by Burberry's chief creative officer Christopher Bailey, follows in the footsteps of former Fashion Fringe winner Erdem Moralioglu, who has gone on to garner international appeal and also presented at London Fashion Week this season.

"It feels exciting and I wanted to see how far I can make it myself," Wang said.

DOMINOES
Anya Hindmarch provided relief from the darker collections of the final day, with an elaborate display of 60,000 dominoes that tumbled around a course of trapdoors and pyramids.

The British accessories designer showcased her collection of satchels, clutches with graphic prints and handbags with giant tassels.

"The whole inspiration behind the collection was about games, so looking at dominoes and backgammon boards and all the kind of amazing graphics and colors," Hindmarch told Reuters.

All eyes now turn towards Milan's fashion week, which kicks off on Wednesday, before the finale of the season in Paris.

Westwood mixes politics and fashion

Few designers so consistently mix fashion with politics, or manage to secure her fans' adoration with the same looks almost every season. But Vivienne Westwood is not any designer.

The flame-haired grand dame of British fashion on Sunday sent her models walking down the catwalk in her signature tight-fitting dresses and nipped-in jackets, then in the finale joined them wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with a giant image of her own face and a slogan that read "I am Julian Assange."

As always, Westwood was less interested in talking about her designs than about climate change, a subject she has long campaigned about.

"There's no latest thing, it's all rubbish," she said, brushing off questions about fashion. Instead, she patiently explained to reporters why she feels so passionately about her climate change campaign.
"Every small thing you do can really change your life," she said. "And the first thing they must do is inform themselves, believe the scientists . then they'll stop being consumers and start being more interested in the world."

It's anyone's guess how many people attending the Vivienne Westwood Red Label autumn collection shared her enthusiasm, but the crowds were clearly taken by the designs shown on the catwalk, which was held at the Saatchi Gallery.

Although the makeup was startling — chalky white faces paired with eyes and lips outlined in stark, cartoonish lines — the clothes lived up to her legendary fame.

Jackets and blazers were beautifully tailored to accentuate the waist and hips, and dresses were draped in all the right places to draw the eye to the curves. The palette highlighted a delicious plum, teals, and metallics.

There were dramatic pieces, for sure: a metallic zebra-stripe was printed on coats and a striking prom style dress with stiff underskirts, and an iridescent foil-like tight biker jacket that shimmered purple and green was paired with harem pants dripping in sequins.

Westwood has been selling the Assange T-shirts to raise support for the WikiLeaks founder, who is living in the Ecuador's Embassy in London. He is seeking asylum from the country to avoid extradition to Sweden to face sexual assault questions.

Ri Ri For River Island: Rihanna Launches Fashion Line At London Fashion Week

Last year Kanye West showcased his first fashion collection at Paris Fashion Week. The reception was mixed at best (“Rap with a capital ‘c’” is how one journalist put it). So when it was announced that fellow music industry darling Rihanna was to debut her collaboration with high-street retailer River Island at London Fashion Week, it was met with a healthy amount of scepticism — this despite Ri Ri’s own excited tweets in the lead up (“My designs will walk the catwalks of London Fashion Week in days!! It’s gonna be MAJAH”).

Rihanna’s show last night certainly added A-list glitz — and bling — to the Fashion Week circuit, but some insiders bemoaned the star for stealing the spotlight from up-and-coming British talent Thomas Tait, whose show was happening at the same time down the road. After all, it took Victoria Beckham (who, at the time of Rihanna’s show, was, coincidentally, in London town and on the judging panel of a Woolmark Prize event), the better part of a decade to transform herself from Posh Spice into a designer with real credibility.

The whole shebang did seem more like a concert than a fashion show. A scrub of paparazzi jostled outside the venue while hip-hop beats pulsated throughout. There was a stage in lieu of a runway. And, much to the annoyance of reporters comatose with exhaustion after running around in heels all day, things didn’t kick off until 50 minutes after the scheduled start time.

When it did start, to the blare of Kanye West, Jay-Z and Big Sean’s ‘Clique’, fierce faced models strutted between a series of nightclub podiums. The clothes struck a balance between sexy and sporty, urban and utilitarian. There were hooded jumpsuits, grey marl jersey skirts split at the thigh and mullet (long at the back, short at the front) spaghetti strap dresses. There was a heavy dose of nineties nostalgia too — many a toned midriff was on show and there was lots of denim, including a pair of dungarees. Accessories included backwards caps and hoop earrings. Rihanna’s signature shirt tied around waist look also made it into the collection.

Mighty Burberry Versus Fagin's Fashion Forgers

In this era of e-vites, (yes, we want to save trees), what a rare delight; a truly lovely fashion show invitation.

This is from Burberry.

Yet there is another reason it makes my heart beat fast. The intricacy of the paper-cut skyline, the delicacy of the paper trees; what a challenge to an ardent fashion forger.

I was once one myself.

My greatest achievements include getting eleven people into a Gianni Versace show at the Paris Ritz on a single ticket (and to the after-party too). Of course, John Galliano’s romantic invitations were a gift to one prepared to turn a little hotel room into Fagin¹s Fashion Forgers inc.

One season, Galliano’s show invitation was a battered flute. Too easy; the junior of the fashion team from the British newspaper for which I used to write was dispatched to scour music stores and then buy a hammer in a hardware store on the way back.

An invite featuring an old key and a luggage tag was such a disappointment; we’d knocked out a score of those by lunchtime only for half the team to be thwarted by security posted at the tiny door to the massive mansion that was the venue.

My favourite ever was the pirate map, charred around the edges. Our resident artist was set to work. A pint of milk was purchased, its contents gently brushed over pages. The night porter was coerced to letting us in to the hotel kitchen (“We’re English and must make toast!”)

Happy days.

This morning, I bumped in to David Downton, who is artist-in-residence at Claridge’s and is not, I wish to make clear, the artist cited above. But that’s only because he failed the job interview. Asked if he would be prepared to climb through a toilet window to see a fashion show – surely a reasonable question – he looked startled. Clearly, he was a no.

I do have regrets. Every time I see Mr Downton’s wondrous work (Cate Blanchett picked out in pen on the cover of Vogue Australia, his rendition in paint of Daphne Guinness in Vanity Fair) I feel somewhat like the judge of Miss Teen Niagara, 1978, who failed to notice that Linda Evangelista was going to be a star. But then, while Downton’s skills in portraiture are peerless, frankly he was never cut out for Fagin’s Fashion Forgers.

Which brings us back to cut outs. I do hope that a fashion-obsessed bright young thing is, right now, busy with a small pair of nail scissors. The British Fashion Council is dedicated to nurturing the future generation. By sharing the skills that underpin my career,  I like to feel I am doing my bit.

Travel Postcard: 48 hours in London during Fashion Week

London's Autumn/Winter 2013 Fashion Week runs from February 15 - February 19 and is one of the best times to visit the British capital, abuzz with fresh designs and creativity on and off the catwalk.

Reuters correspondents with local knowledge show how to make the most of a short visit to the British capital and where to find good food, fun and of course fashion.

FRIDAY
6 p.m. - Whether you've just checked into your hotel or spent the day devouring designs from the catwalk, celebrate the first day of shows with oysters and champagne at J. Sheekey Oyster Bar. A stone's throw away from Somerset House - where most of the fashion action happens - you're bound to run into a few fashionistas out on the town.

8 p.m. - The Victoria and Albert Museum of art and design houses the world's largest dress collection and is a must-see for fashion fiends. On Fridays visitors can enjoy live performances, installations, cutting-edge fashion, debates and guest DJs at the museum's late-night exhibition opening.
SATURDAY

9 a.m. - Wake up bright and early to get nimble with a reformer pilates class at Ten Pilates in up-market Mayfair. There's no subscription or joining fee, so it's perfect for those passing through town. Don't overdo it - make sure you choose the right class out of beginner, intermediate and advanced.

11.30 a.m. - Head to Liberty London, known locally as "Liberty's". The department store's founder nurtured the Arts and Crafts and Art Nouveau scene and it is famed for its floral and graphic prints. Nowadays Liberty's Tudor-style beams are home to irresistible designer collections. Get a blow-dry and manicure worthy of London Fashion Week's front rows in the atelier of celebrity colorist Josh Wood, recently launched in store.

4 p.m. - For more avant-garde designer pieces, sashay down to Dover Street Market near Green Park underground station. Brainchild of Comme des Garcons founder Rei Kawakubo, it stocks London Fashion Week favorites Christopher Kane, Erdem and Simone Rocha.

5 p.m. - Around the corner is the Royal Academy of Arts where you can admire Japanese sculptor Mariko Mori's critically acclaimed exhibition "Rebirth".

6 p.m. - Tuck into a pre-theatre ceviche at the Peruvian restaurant of the moment Lima before catching Helen Mirren resume the role that won her an Oscar in 2006. In a limited season, she stars as Queen Elizabeth II in "The Audience" - a play about the monarch's private meetings with British prime ministers.

10:30 p.m. - The stunningly designed Sketch restaurant and bar on Conduit Street is sure to be a fashion week hangout for those in the business. Go late doors to soak in the atmosphere and have a few cocktails. The gallery, created by Turner Prize winner Martin Creed, is one of Sketch's five spaces and is at once an exhibition, an artwork and a restaurant.

SUNDAY
11:30 a.m. - Join the long line of hipsters queuing at the inconspicuous door of the Breakfast Club tucked away on Artillery Lane in Spitalfields. Sip a "morning mojito" spiked with gold rum alongside your eggs royale.

If you find yourself there in the evening, sneak behind the big SMEG fridge door - and you'll be in basement speakeasy The Mayor Of Scaredy Cat Town.

1 p.m. - The London fashion experience would not be complete without a vintage find - Clerkenwell Vintage Fashion Fair (www.clerkenwellvintagefashionfair.co.uk) takes place on the Sunday of Fashion Week at the beautiful Old Finsbury Town Hall.

4 p.m. - Stop by the brutalist Barbican to experience what it's like to control the rain in Random International's popular art installation.

7 p.m. - Round off your trip with some modern British food at trendy Hix at the Tramshed, run by seasoned English chef and restaurateur Mark Hix. Not one for vegetarians, the menu is cheekily echoed in a large, specially commissioned art work by British artist Damien Hirst in the middle of the restaurant - a cockerel perched on a cow in a glass tank of formaldehyde.

Rising Stars Tailor Dreams From The Ground Up

When designers show off their collections at New York's Fashion Week it's a big deal. With fashion press and buyers from all over the world on hand, high-profile designers treasure their coveted spots under the tents.

But for many emerging designers like Adrian Alicea, the long road to fashion's walk of fame starts in a Harlem apartment with clothes literally hanging off the walls.

"There isn't a lot of attention given to new designers because of the mainstream designers but there is a lot of talent out there that needs to be recognized," says Alicea.

Alicea is daring and thinks outside the box. His 2012 couture collection is aptly called "exotic birds". The former model who started designing in 2000 has devoted fans.

"Sophistication, glamour...just everything. I'm always astonished what I see when I come into the showroom," said one fan.

Thomas Woodard also has legions of fans. He worked behind the scenes learning the ropes for 15 years at major fashion houses like DKNY, Anne Klein, Ralph Lauren and Nautica. Now he's striking out on his own with his ready to wear label, Thomas LaVone. He's even styling cover models like Alek Wek.


"The vision is always about redefining yourself, always making yourself better. I took that personal and also took that for the line," says Woodard.
NY1 recently met the rising star at MIST studios in Harlem where he gave us an exclusive look at his latest styles.

"He's a technical designer and he makes glamorous clothes. He can make anything," says Fashion Avenue News Publisher Sofia Davis.

Both designers are showing their latest collections at different venues around the city, but fashion insiders believe that a tent at Lincoln Center is in their future.

Locals to go behind the scenes at Fashion Week

When Entertainment Tonight starts rolling footage of Mercedes Benz Fashion Week or Vogue magazine prints photos from the event, people might be seeing the work of a Carlisle hair stylist and a makeup artist.

They just won’t know it.

Rachael Brooke, a professional make-up artist and aesthetician, and Jaime Freet, an Aveda certified colorist and stylist, who work at Tranquility salon are among only 15 people to be chosen to be on the hair and makeup teams for Aveda at fashion week, which starts Thursday in New York City.

The event, which runs through Feb. 14, features top designers and models and attracts celebrities from around the world as high fashion takes to runways around the city.

“Mainly, it’s the most popular trends of the upcoming season,” Brooke said.

And she doesn’t mean spring – she means Fall 2013.

Fashion week won’t be a place for the two women to show off their own creativity in their

selected fields. For both hair and make-up, team leads will show the stylists and makeup artists how to do the look one time. It’s up to the artists to recreate the look identically.

“I think we’re both pretty much into fashion. We’ve both been inspired to do fashion week,” Freet said.

The Aveda representative who checks in with the salon and keeps it up to date on new products and classes recommended the two women for fashion week and put them in touch with the right contacts to take the next step.

“What we had to do was complete a two-part classroom prep course in fashion runway (looks),” Brooke said.

The class was held at Aveda Advanced Academy in Soho, New York City, where they were taught all the logistics and techniques they needed to know to create high fashion looks. The classes also included etiquette instruction to prepare the two for the high pressure atmosphere – and personalities – that come with fashion week.

Etiquette translates to keeping cool despite the high pressure and the potential arrival of celebrities backstage. It also means remembering the models are human beings getting dragged around from place to place. They’re young and some won’t even speak English, Brooke said.

After finishing the workshop, Freet and Brooke were invited to fashion week. They will continue to be invited back every year unless there’s a problem with their work this year.

Brooke will be working on a team lead by Janell Geason, celebrity make-up artist and Aveda’s Global Artistic Director for Makeup. Freet will work with Jon Reyman, an Aveda instructor who has traveled around the world styling hair for celebrities and for models in runway shows for top designers.

“When we get there, we already have a lot of shows booked,” Freet said. They also have to be ready for any shows that pop up.

Freet said they will have to be prepared for anything as the models will be coming in from other shows. Makeup artists will have to remove and reapply makeup while the stylists will have to work with hair that may already be full of styling products.

Both hair and makeup are being done at the same time. “It’s like a team working on someone,” Brooke said.

The institute included a video to offer a taste of what it would be like at fashion week, but the women know the real thing will be much more intense as they work in small spaces.

“People are literally crowding you,” Freet said. “There’s a lot of pressure and I’m sure it’s not for everyone.”

“That’s what’s going to set apart the girls from the women,” Brooke said. “I want it so bad that I’ll make it be what I want it to be.”

The women said the instructors were clear on the fact that the two will be at fashion week as representatives of Aveda, not to promote themselves or to try to meet celebrities.

“It’s not about us. It’s about pleasing our leads,” Brooke said.

Freet and Brooke will be staying in the heart of the city during the event. “New York City is known for high fashion and it’s just going to be completely nuts that week,” Brooke said.

Brooke said the experience will set the two apart not just in the Carlisle community, but also statewide. They will bring back experience working in high fashion and with a variety of ethnicities. People will be able to request those high fashion looks.

“Unless you’re working in New York City, I don’t know where you’re going to get that,” Brooke said.

Both will continue to do classic looks for proms, weddings and other special occasions. “We will also have the ability to supersede and intensify looks,” Brooke said.

But, both women have goals that go beyond the first weeks back home after a whirlwind fashion week experience.

“I’m just looking forward to gaining knowledge and wisdom in this industry to get me to another level and be the best I can be,” Brooke said.

“I would love to be an educator and be known for my work,” Freet said. “I think we both would aspire to something like that.”

Kourtney reveals post-baby bikini bod

How does Jane Fonda get her age-defying body? Which singing star is trying to lose weight? A round-up of all the major fashion-related news right here.

Kim Kardashian, Kanye West want fashionable baby

Reality TV star Kim Kardashian says her rapper boyfriend Kanye West wants to dress their baby
up in fashionable clothing including chains and leather trousers.

The 32-year-old socialite and West already have big plans for their unborn child, who is due in July, and are going to kit the tiny tot out in custom-made clothes so it can look as fashionable as them, reported E! online.

Speaking on chat show Jimmy Kimmel Live, Kim said, "If anyone knows Kanye, they just know how into fashion he is, and I think he's going to have things, like, specially made. I don't think hand-me-downs are going to work. I think it has to be, like, really fun stuff."

Asked what fashion-forward items it will be wearing, Kim added, "Chains... leather pants!"

While the baby was unplanned, Kim confessed that West, 35, is over the moon about becoming a father for the first time.

"We talked about it, but it was a nice surprise.... He is so excited, it's really cute how excited he is," she said.