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By Alan, on May 11th, 2013
The Gordon Brown law firm in Newcastle have teamed up with logonstyle.com, an internet fashion site based in Durham, to raise some much need funds for the Chronicle’s ‘Sunshine Fund’ by holding a fashion event in Newcastle. The companies are working together to boost the coffers of the Go Bananas appeal, where people are encouraged to hold events with a banana theme to bring in money to buy special equipment for disabled children throughout the north east.
Businesswoman in the are are literally going bananas in their bid to get hold of tickets for what is set to be a prestigious fashion event. Representatives from the companies involved in the organisation of the event took to the streets of Newcastle this week dressed in yellow to raise awareness of the both the appeal and the event, which is to be held on the 20th June at the Babucho restaurant on Dean Street.
Amy Whyte is the law firms business development officer, and she has said that the event was her idea as she has been wanting to do something for the Sunshine Fund for some time and as they had already held a fashion show for a different charity which went down extremely well, she thought it would be a good idea to do one for the Go Bananas appeal.
She added that the show would embrace those ladies and businesswomen who did lunch, and that she hoped the sun would be shining on the day so the restaurant doors could be opened while the event took place. The target for the day is to raise £3000 for the appeal, which should be achieved given the enthusiasm of the organisers.
Carroll Herd, the director of logonstyle has said that they are committed to helping charities that are local and particularly passionate about keeping the funds they raise within the north east and could think of no better charity that the Sunshine Fund for their latest venture.
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By Alan, on May 8th, 2013
Adored by the hipsters at Coachella and much worn by style icon Victoria Beckham, the midi skirt with its mid calf then that was once dismissed as dowdy is the perfect garment for the unpredictable British weather and is set to be the unexpected fashion must have for summer 2013. With the British summer suffering yet another false start, this latest trend is growing, and fast.
Three unlikely factors have come together to make this the skirt of the season; the blustery weather that has made any shorter impractical, the fact that Mrs Beckham has been snapped in so many of them and the glut of pictures from the Coachella festival in California showing hipster musicians and fans in them.
The skirt has even made a red carpet appearance when, earlier this week, actress Carey Mulligan appeared at the Met Ball in New York wearing a midi length dress from Balenciaga to much critical praise. Katherine Ormerod is the senior features and fashion news editor at Grazia, and she says the the midi is a grown up length that is also slightly subversive, which together creates a winning combination.
Another fan is Jane Shepherson, the chief executive of Whistles the high street fashion brand, and she has said that the midi length has been ignored for quite a while but women have now discovered it. Retailers across the board are seeing a rise in sales of midi length clothes that are both practical and stylish and according to the latest figures from net-a-porter.com, the high end e-tailer, they are selling 10% more midi skirts than any other length.
Asos, the popular online fashion outlet, have also reported that their midi sales, featured on the front page of their website and listed as a “right now piece”, are up by more than 200% on this time last year.
By Alan, on May 3rd, 2013
Kimberly Wyatt is best known for her grungy style, but at the Star Trek premiere she managed to turn quite a few heads and shock many fashion commentators when she popped up looking quite glam and polished. An ex-member of the Pussycat Dolls, she showed up in a tribal body con dress that looks like it could have actually come off the set of the film.
The 31 year old singer appeared at the screening for Star Trek with her boyfriend Max Rogers who nicely matched her look with a three piece suit. The opening took place at the Leicester Square Empire in London.
Her body con dress had tribal patterns of tan, dark tan grey, and black mixed into it with points of black nicely aimed at the centre of her hops helping to nip in her waist and draw attention to her very curvy body. The short dress also showed off her perfectly toned legs and her nice bright red lipstick played well against her bleach blond hair. The only recommendation that anyone could possibly have offered the bodacious blond is a gentle reminder that she needs to touch her roots.
The dress was an affordable choice for those who like it priced at only £129 from Celeb Boutique. She paired it with thick heels and chunky toes that really helped to play up the muted effect of the dress. Max’s tie was a mismatched suit that was a mix of a dark jacket pinstriped waist coast, and jeans. He spiced up his look a bit by tossing on a tie that had star prints in the same muted colours as Wyatt’s dress.
By Alan, on May 1st, 2013
Rita Ora may be known for her music, but she is also known in fashion circles for her great sense of style. The star confirmed this week that she plans on creating her own fashion line. At the young age of 22, the R&B star has plenty of experts that she can turn to for help as well. One such expert is her best friend and stunning model friend Cara Delevingne.
The singer announced the fact that she is working on her own range at the British Designers Collective that took place in Oxfordshire. She was surrounded by many other designer friends including Peter Pilotto, Henry Holland, and Christopher de Vos.
Ora explained that she can see herself working on a range in the very near future, but she would have to take some time to think it through first. She also went on to explain how fashion is very important to her because of the way that it goes hand in hand with music.
She explained that it is another side to one’s character that allows you to play many different roles with clothes. As a musician she went on to explain that she likes to try out various styles while performing and has also always been drawn to clothes that are considered vintage.
The fact that British fashion is unpredictable also makes it related to music for her because it allows her to try on different styles and roles and she likes the idea that music and fashion both feed off of each other to create the perfect results. At the moment Ora is working on a follow-up album but after she finishes its release in the next couple of months she might turn her attention to a new fashion range.
By Alan, on April 25th, 2013
The term ‘adaptive’ in the fashion industry refers to clothing that is specifically designed for men and women who have physical disabilities which make it difficult to put on clothes and and uncomfortable to wear conventional garments.
These may include confinement to a wheelchair, loss of a limb and many other challenges to getting dressed by themselves and looking good when they’ve done it.
Adaptive clothing is seldom considered to be high fashion, but a few designers such as Ann Oliver are working to change that perception. Mrs. Oliver was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) some years ago, and the disease progressed to the point that she had to use a wheelchair and was having difficulty changing clothes.
A former architect, she came up with her own solution; she began designing clothes for herself, and that developed into her specialised line, the Xeni Collection.
Ann says that she understands the problem as only someone who is in her situation could. She was unable to find fashionable clothes that were easy to put on, not to mention maintaining their impact when worn. Her collections feature magnetic fastenings, as opposed to buttons, snaps and zips. Coats and jackets are cut so that they drape comfortably and don’t ride up over the shoulders when the wearer is seated.
She also designs trousers that are ‘open seat’, meaning they’re cut out in the seat, with a higher back and no complicated fastenings, thus they’re easy to get into and fall properly into place in the seated position. There are evening gowns that accentuate the wearer’s shoulders and upper body, and she’s working on a jewelry collection that will be easily accessible to those with limited hand movement.
Adaptive clothing is not just about fashion; it’s also about self-image and confidence. Medical professionals who work with physical disabilities agree that adjusting to limited mobility can be very difficult, especially for younger people. Attractive, stylish clothing can make a big difference in personal confidence, and that in turn can promote the kind of rehabilitation that leads to a full and rewarding life.
By Alan, on April 24th, 2013
Victoria Beckham is a success story to write home about. From top-of-the-charts Spice Girl to the launch of her own clothing and accessory lines, she is recognised worldwide as a fashion icon and a hugely successful businesswoman. Last year the judges at the British Fashion Awards named her clothing line Designer Brand of the Year, but she’s not about to rest on her laurels.
In June of 2010, Victoria became a Creative Design Executive for Range Rover, and earlier this year she was at the 2012 Beijing auto show to unveil the Special Edition Range Rover Evoque, a wildly popular new model that she helped design. Now she has announced her latest venture, which is a stand-alone shop and e-commerce site to launch in London. Up to now her line has been carried by luxury department stores and online boutiques.
Victoria says she really wants her own store, and though it will probably start up in London, she’s looking at the Asian market as a very attractive area of expansion. Hong Kong, she said, is possible in the ‘not too distant future’, but she wants to proceed with caution and not get ahead of herself by expanding too rapidly. She’s already one of the wealthiest women in Britain; she can take her time and move at her own pace.
The fashion icon told interviewers that one of her biggest thrills was dressing Oprah Winfrey; she said it’s exciting to design clothes for women of different ages, shapes and sizes. ‘VB’ surely has the talent and flair to beautify a wide variety of women, and she’s still honing her skills. There’s no telling what will develop in the future.
By Alan, on April 12th, 2013
Some fashion trends sound awful; in fact when you first hear about them you wonder how they could ever be attractive. For instance, a couple of years ago the idea of bright mustard and pea green would not have been appealing, but now the vibrant bright colours are everywhere. The following are a few fashion trends that are tricky to pull off, but great when they are mastered correctly.
One easy trend this season that sounds odd but works great is matching accessories. It’s not enough to just match a colour scheme, but try to get shoes and bags that literally match your outfit print exactly. In the end it will really actually help you stand out in a very brilliant way.
Another trend that is coming back into fashion once again is grunge. In order to master this trend just think nineties grunge but add in some slicker fabrics then just flannel. For example, you can go with a sloppy sweater and some torn jeans, but pick out a bold heel to go with the outfit to set it off. Slogan shirts, maxi skirts, and plaid are all great ways to get the look easily.
Dungarees are usually associated with small children, but this season they are going to come back into fashion in a major way. Whether you choose a floral print or double denim pair these jumpsuits with a lacy camisole and you can turn these tomboy clothes into a girly ensemble. You can even toss in a high heel for some extra boom or roll up the hem line a bit to show more leg.
The old fashion rule of thumb has always been that horizontal stripes will make you look fat, but the good news is that you can now wear stripes with a slight twist anyway you like. The trick is to choose wide and bold chunky stripes and a loosely fitted top. The end result is that you will likely end up looking taller which is great for petite girls! Just keep in mind that if you go loose on top; wear tighter pants to balance out the effect.
By Alan, on April 8th, 2013
The baguette bag is definitely not a new fashion idea and since its inception back in 1997, there have been over 1000 styles of the bag released. They have been appearing in many famous people’s hands for a long time, as well as notable TV shows such as Sex and the City.
In order to celebrate this type of bag, a recent book has been published about it which is over 250 pages long. Inside this book you will find many photographs of how the design has evolved over the last 15 years and it really is a remarkable transformation.
Sarah Jessica Parker comments about the bag in an interview, “When this bag first came out it was a big deal to have one. It was seen as one of the first things you would buy and in many ways it was important for my character on the television show to have one. In sex and the city, Carrie is very fashion conscious and it was really her purchase of this bag that was a gateway into buying everything else.
The character had a certain ability to spend more money on her fashion items than she did on her rent or home furnishings.” When the bag first came out it had a rather simple design, and this book highlights how over the years the design has become more embellished. The writing in the book is excellent and it really offers an insight into the history of this part of fashion.
By Alan, on April 6th, 2013
Manchester has never really been a name instantly associated with fashion due to it being so well known for its football teams and TV shows. This could all be set to change somewhat and Manchester may have a new, more fashion-related reputation come October when the Manchester square becomes the venue for the world-wide celebration of fashion and shopping, hosted by no less than Vogue magazine.
London has been the home of Fashion Night Out for the last four years. The event has always been known as the place for stores and shoppers to come together in the effort to increase the sales of many high-end boutiques and stores.
Since London is known as the nation’s fashion capital, there was no question in anyone’s mind why the event was always held there. However, in the last four years, there has been some amazing growth in Manchester’s fashion industry.
Manchester is known to shoppers for its boutique outlets and charming vintage shops. The shopping in Manchester has also garnered a positive reputation, as everything found in London, shops wise, has also made a home in Manchester.
Now, Vogue is finally paying attention to the progress that Manchester has made, and have decreed that the famous Fashion Night Out will be set in the very heart of Manchester. Some retailers who have already confirmed attendance to the fashion event include Harvey Nichols and Selfridges.
On October 10th of this year, shoppers can also expect a number of galleries, museums, and even restaurants to set up shop in Manchester when they come and participate in the biggest fashion event ever to take place in the city. Finally, after plenty of years of just paying its dues and waiting to be recognised, it looks as if Manchester has arrived, and will be taking a very well-deserved spot on the fashion map of the world.
By Alan, on April 2nd, 2013
When talks turn to fabrics normally used for fashion, everyone is quick to mention the satins and the silks, and even more eco-friendly choices such as hemp. However, the latest fashion fabric discovery seems to be leaning towards the downright strange, with the introduction of … the hagfish.
The hagfish is actually an eel-like creature that has been around since prehistoric times. Now what is fascinating about this fish is that it reportedly produces some sort of protective slime that has the ability to expand when something tries to bite it.
Researchers have taken some samples of the slime and have declared it to have some potential to be turned into fabric, as when this slime dries, it supposedly turns into a very stretchy and silky substance. With this turn of events, it will be of no surprise to all if us if in the future, a lot of our clothing items will be made out of this slime.
However, to those who find the idea utterly gross, there is help in the form of other innovations on the way. For example, material created from recycled plastic bottles has also recently been introduced, as well as goat’s milk that has been applied to silk-spinning treatments.
These two new innovations and techniques are also being looked at to replace the more traditional lycra, or to at least provide more alternatives when looking for synthetic and stretchy fabrics. Many designers are excited about all of these new materials, especially since they will provide a lot of solutions to everyday problems.
The industry is embracing this “open” philosophy and is hopeful that this will only be the beginning of many more fabric and material innovations. Designers are certainly not discounting this hagfish slime, as icky as it may sound, and are keen to experiment to see what they can make with it.
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