The Traveller’s Guide to Fashionable Resort Wear
Planning the perfect holiday wardrobe involves striking a balance between style, comfort, and practicality.
How Personalised Sneaker Prints Are Transforming The Scene
The fashion industry is constantly evolving, and one of the latest trends making waves is personalised sneaker prints, where creativity and technology meet.
LOOLAYY: Dunhuang Culture-Infused S/S24 Collection
A wealth of traditional Chinese culture and unsurpassable artisanal craft have been LOOLAYY's features for its Spring/Summer 2024 fashion collection presented at the Chinese Cultural Centre in Paris.
GANNI x Ace & Tate: A Capsule Eyewear With Inclusive Ethos
GANNI and Ace & Tate join forces to create an eyewear capsule that celebrates both brands' fun, responsible and inclusive ethos.
Helen Kaminski's To The Horizon S/S23 Collection
Australian fashion brand Helen Kaminski is thrilled to announce its latest Spring/Summer collection: To The Horizon.
5 Ways to Style Pantone's Colour of the Year 2023
Pantone has announced which shade will colour and shape our 2023: Viva Magenta. Described as a colour that is rich, regal and full of life, it is an “animated red that encourages experimentation and self-expression without restraint, an electrifying, and a boundaryless shade that is manifesting as a stand-out statement”.
Soft Colour Blocking- Inspiration you need to try it out
Colour blocking is the sartorial art of blocking colours together in a stylish way without being unappealing to the eye. The latest spring summer collections were beaming with colour blocking outfits during fashion week. Soft colour blocking seems to be the most desirable look but not so obvious in how to achieve it.
We reveal how inspiration plays a role in the art of colour blocking and where you can draw ideas.
Check out the different ways colour blocking can look both soft and endearing this season, without travelling too far to feel inspired.
Pick colours that are not too contrasting
To make colour blocking “soft”, you simply pair neutral and pastel colours rather than bright colours. In other words, make sure that the hues that you’re blocking reside in the same camp: in this case pastels with pastels.
Pick Elements Of The Colour Wheel
For colour blocking, it’s often useful to pick certain areas of the colour wheel and pair these colours together. For example oranges and reds will pair well together as they lie next to each other on the colour wheel.
Add colour through accessories
If colour isn’t your go-to when selecting your outfit, but you feel like you want to start including it in your style, then adding colourful accessories is the best way. It fully embraces the soft colour blocking trend as well as broadening your outfits.
Try Tonal Colour Blocking
One of the most effective looks of colour blocking is tonal focusing on one specific colour. If pink is your favourite colour, then try not pairing vibrant pink jeans with a pastel pink top for the perfect summer look. It's dramatic and combines the coveted “soft” element.
Jo McLaren, Head of E-Commerce at N.Peal a luxury cashmere brand commented “...This summer it’s time to dial it down a bit and opt for soft colour blocking with pastel and neutral tones. Our tips can help you nail this latest fashion trend, without worrying that you’ve overdone it.
If you don't feel inclined to consult the colour wheel, look to nature. Particularly flowers such as tulips for pastels and vivid tones inspiring you this season.
N.Peal have recently launched a range of colourful clothing with Pantone, in celebration of all things colour. Find their pastel palettes to romance the soft colour blocking trend this season on the N.Peal website.
We think you'll love pairing pastels with knitwear brands this season, right this way for other brands to dazzle the eyes.
Met Gala looks that promoted sustainable fashion
Vintage fashion has never been more popular than it is at the moment, especially on the red carpet. Rather than creating brand new garments, stars are digging into the archives and bringing new life to iconic pieces from fashion history to create a one-of-a-kind moment.
Ph. Robert Bye (Unsplash)
Gilded Glamour, a theme that inspired many celebrities to go for sustainable fashion.
This year's Met Gala was a little different than usual. There are some comments going around social media that many celebrities did not follow the dress code and the theme. I guess the celebrities interpretation of the theme was different than what most of us, but that is what fashion is for - expressing ourselves. One thing that stood out was all the vintage and sustainable outfits we saw on the red carpet
Emily Ratajowski
Model Emily Ratajowski opted with vintage instead of having something new made. Dressed in colour, cutouts, and throwback silhouettes, she presented her interpretation of Gilded Glamour on the red carpet. Taking us back to the 1992 Atelier Versace spring/summer collection. The colourfully beaded Versace outfit was originally worn by former supermodel Yasmeen Ghauri on the runway. The colourful skin-bare dress comes with a halter-top adorned with beading around the neck, a voluminous embellished silk skirt with a dramatic train, and a voluminous embellished sash. Emily commented, while on the red carpet: "I feel very lucky to be wearing this look."
Shawn Mendes
The singer and songwriter Shawn Mendes walked on the red carpet in a consciously crafted Tommy Hilfiger red and navy coat with gold buttons and structured, high-neck collar made of deadstock materials. On the inner lining of the coat you could see his initials embroidered. One thing he also highlighted during his interview was the matching nail polish that also had the logo of the brand. After removing his jacket, Mendes revealed a navy suit underneath, along with a dark turtleneck he was wearing as a base layer. The inspiration behind his look was “Navy Captain” but his fans have other suggestions. Some commented that he looked like a real-life Disney prince, but many have also said that he channelled Mr. Darcy. It is also reported that the look is a preview of an upcoming collaboration between the designer and star, so if you’re a fan keep an eye for some exciting news.
Emma Stone
As she was deciding what to wear to the 2022 Met Gala, Emma Stone took a look inside her wardrobe for inspiration. The actress ended up re-wearing her wedding reception dress, giving a chic twist to Gilded Glamour. As we all know a wedding dress is to be worn once on your special day, but the actress decided to give hers a second life. Embroidered with white feathers and lace detail, the dress was a bespoke Louis Vuitton design. The brand also shared that the creative director, Nicolas Ghesquière, and each ambassador or friend of the house that walked the red carpet wore “an archival or previously worn look with a twist for the occasion.”
Steven Kolb
The chief executive officer and president of the CFDA, Steven Kolb, arrived at the Met Gala with a tuxedo reworked with braille letters and embroidered onto a 10-year-old tuxedo from Shipley and Halmos. The 7,000 Swarovski crystals on the tuxedo were hand applied by Runa Ray, fashion designer and environmentalist. The crystals actually spell a chapter from one of Kolb's favourite books, Khalil Gibran's "The Prophet '' in braille. Kolbe shares that they decided to upcycle the jacket before knowing what the theme was, but he “felt particularly attuned to the universe’s gift of making sure he was on trend walking the red carpet.” If you have been following CFDA’s work recently that would come as no surprise. Working closely with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, they have committed to supporting more sustainable fashion.
Billie Eilish
A completely upcycled Gucci gown made from pre-existing fabrics was spotted on the red carpet. It was worn by none other than Billie Eilish, who had shown her dedication to sustainability many times and didn’t fail to follow her heart even at the Met Gala. “We didn’t have to waste a bunch of stuff. It all already existed. I just wanted to be as eco-friendly as possible,” said Billie as she revealed her Met Gala look featuring a corset, lace sleeves, and ruched skirt during the Vogue red carpet live stream. The dress was made specifically for her by Gucci’s creative director Alessandro Michele, but it was made from entirely upcycled fabrics.
Nothing beats seeing celebrities on the red carpet channelling sustainability and promoting climate positivity. They have shown us there is nothing more rewarding than wearing something that makes you feel good and does good for the planet. These are only a couple of the sustainability garments so make sure to have a look at all the outfits of the night.
The Met Gala and what to expect for this year
It is that time of the year when creativity and thinking out of the box is being embraced by all haute couture houses with many opportunities for new designers to take on the fashion industry. It is a time celebrated by all the fashion fanatics out there: the announcement of this year’s theme for the Met Gala, the biggest night of the year in the fashion world.
Ph. Vanderlyn Panorama
The museum announces this year’s theme of the Met Gala and the topic of the exhibition is, In America: An Anthology of Fashion, and the gala marks the celebration of its opening.
What is the Met Gala?
Ph. LucieMonnay
The Met Gala is a major fundraising event with celebrities being part of every single aspect of the event. Organised with Anna Wintour as a chair of the event and attended by celebrities like Rihanna, Kim Kardashian and Liza Koshy, the gala displays outfits by all the famous luxury fashion houses like Balenciaga, Prada and Gucci. However, its importance extends far beyond the huge amount of money raised and all the social media presence. At the event we see the intersection of art as fashion and fashion as art, demonstrating how they are essential components of our cultural fabric. The theme of each year is based on the topic of the exhibition and the gala marks the celebration of its opening.
What makes the Met Gala important?
Ph. Halston
The Met Gala is mostly known for fashion and the display of over the top memorable celebrity looks. We should not forget that it is also a charity event that raises money for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute thanks to the standard ticket purchase. The party and exhibition are sponsored by various names and brands that support the fashion industry and all of the money from ticket sales go to the Costume Institute. This department is the only one from the Metropolitan Museum that is self-funded because ever since the Costume Institute was established, there have been debates about whether fashion is a form of art. The goal of the event is to highlight all those aspects of designing a garment that makes it an art piece.
SS22 BestDressed VIPs
Attention all fashionistas, the most anticipated event of the year was on, London Fashion Week brought together everyone who is anyone. We spill the tea on what they wore during Fashions Finest long anticipated catwalk show. Take some mental notes, or maybe even actual notes if you are really committed, to learn from the best and enhance your own styling with our run down of the best celebrity/VIP fits.
They are the trendsetters in the fashion world, always among the first to be seen wearing a new inventive style in public before it hits the mainstream, determining tomorrow’s hottest trends.
They are effortlessly glamorous and what they wear during London Fashion Week is always almost as much anticipated as the designer’s collections themselves.
We played spy for you and kept a very close eye on the first row during Fashions Finest catwalk show. Find out what our VIPs were wearing, for the chance of picking up some upcoming trends before they launch. It is time to get out of those comfy sweaters and drastically dress up, for when if not during fashion’s biggest event of the year?
Milly Zero and rapper Ransom
Photographer Peter Hogan
Milly Zero certainly did not shy away from colourful and quirky pieces. She wore a miscellaneously coloured knitwear set, consisting of a cropped jumper and high waisted miniskirt. To confer the outfit some edge and youthfulness, she matched it with a pair of Knee high chunky black combat boots, thereby creating an offbeat like contrast to an otherwise cute and very girly outfit. Hairstyling and accessories once again went more into the girly direction with space buns on each side, tied in by ‘90s inspired scrunchies and colourful hair clips, adding a pinch of retro in there. A small black handbag with imprinted smiley faces complemented the look. To adapt this style, you can throw together different knitwear pieces, the more colourful the better. It does not necessarily have to be a brand-new set, neither does it have to be the exact same pattern. Be creative and try to work with pieces you already own, in order to create something truly unique.
Her boyfriend rapper Ransom appeared much more toned done, not stealing her spotlight in real gentleman manner. The upper body was kept light with a basic white-collar shirt and crème white jacket. A pair of Kaki toned trousers fit together with simple white, green, blue embellished chunky dad trainers. The real highlight for his outfit was a pair of small black tinted rounded sunglasses.
Birkin Boy
Photographer Peter Hogan
Influencer Israel Cassol, aka ‘Birkin Boy’ on the other hand had no intentions of toning it down. He deliberately drew everyone’s eyes with a vibrant pink oversized longline button up shirt. Simple grey short trousers, tennis socks and white trainers made it a fashion week worthy look. Of course a Birkin bag could not be missed, as he is notorious for his vast collection. This time he opted for a classic beige smooth leather model. A pair of sunglasses was a given with all the hustle and bustle of the photographers, press, and people eager to get in.
www.instagram.com/israel.cassol
Lindsey Peel
Photographer Peter Hogan
Actress Lindsey Peel, best known for starring in the show “Webcrawler” kept it simple but surely not boring. She opted for an all-black look. Black high waisted cigarette pants, a long blazer, sharply pointed shiny black slingback kitten heels, and a lace bodysuit with a plunged V-neck, which optically elongated the torso while simultaneously highlighting certain areas of the body. Its additional straps on each side in corporation with the romantic lace created a beautiful playfulness between cute and seductive. Classic and chic jewellery in muted gold nuances , such as a small pair of hoops helped keeping the focus on the wonderful bodysuit. Black is notorious for being remarkably flattering and suitable for all kinds of occasions. Sometimes this is all that is needed and playing it safe is rewarded.
www.instagram.com/lindseypeel_
Sophie Tea
Photographer Peter Hogan
The established London based artist Sophie Tea is very much immersed into feminine shapes, with her latest empowering artwork collection ‘WOMEN’ being all about female nude silhouettes and torsos of different shapes and sizes, wherefore she decided to turn up in a skin-tight full bodysuit, by Valentino outlining her own silhouette, similar to what her recent paintings illustrate. The black and white seamless arrow pattern and high collar made it all the more interesting. Blue metallic square block heels rounded it off to be a fantastic bold outfit choice. With such a stunning centre piece she honestly does not need any jewellery, the only thing standing out in this regard was a thin metal belt, which consisted of diverse little signs like stars and shellfish, all being loosely wrapped around her waist. So, what do you take away from this one for your own styling? If your main piece is a stunner take it easy on the accessories and do not be afraid to embrace your body, no matter what size you are because all shapes and sizes are beautiful!
www.instagram.com/sophieteaart
Indira May
Photographer Peter Hogan
Musician Indira May decided upon calm and muted pastel nuances. A leather blazer in '90s model off duty attire created coherence and connection with a pair of chunky black lace up platform boots. In stark contrast to that she wore a mint coloured knit mini playsuit, which incorporated subtle ruffles all over, a collar and V-neck cut out were further emphasised by a chocker length pearl necklace. Half of her hair was bound into a ponytail with a velour thick ruffled '90s scrunchy. This halfway up halfway down approach to hairstyling bestowed it a messy but still obviously styled look, comparable to the likes of 'no make up make up trends'. A pale citric yellowish ruffle bag alluded to last season's Botega shoulder pouch models and finished the singer's statement look.
Annaliese Dayes
Photographer Peter Hogan
Fashion presenter Annaliese Dayes wowed in a matching pastel-coloured high waisted extreme wide leg culotte (almost making it look like a dress on first glance) and button up blouse set. It featured muted rosé, baby blue, lilac, and grey accents on a soft white ground. Huge square shaped golden/copper tinted sunglasses spread retro vibes, while the clear heeled shoes picked up the light shade of the set again to create a connection between upper and lower body. Like so many of her fellow attendees she also opted for a ‘90s designer baguette bag. Jewellery is kept to a minimum, with middle sized hoops, featuring a little pink rhinestone, an arm ring and watch on the wrist and that is it. Working in the industry herself this lady obviously knows how to dress for the occasion!
www.instagram.com/annaliesedayes
Nicky Hambilton-Jones
Photographer Peter Hogan
Last but not least, presenter and stylist Nicky Hambilton-Jones proofs her profound fashion knowledge by combining a long white dress filled with forest green abstract geometrical patterns with orange accessories. Green certainly is the new black this season! Hence, lots of attendees could be spotted with different variations of green handbags, accessories or monochrome fits throughout the ranks next to the catwalk. Hambilton-Jones opted for a more subtle inclusion of it in her dress. It created a gorgeous silhouette by cinching the waist through a bondable belt, letting the fabric fall freely to slightly flare from thereon. The collar and sleeves and button-down middle seam bestowed it a working business woman touch, while colour and pattern, as well as the flowy texture of the material made it effortlessly feminine and chic. Nicky's quirky and playful accessorising turned it into a delightful summer dress, matching and reflecting the sunny weather that day. Perfectly in sync with the last days of this year's summer season she certainly was wearing one of our favourite fashion forward looks.
In the end we saw some overlapping and recurring trends like monochrome fits, all things green, baguette bags, and chunky black combat boots. Nevertheless, each of the above displayed public figures presented an individualistic and creative take on these, leading to some beautiful, awe inspiring outfits. Fashion is all about expressing oneself, be it your personality in general or your mood on the respective day. This mentality was clearly reflected in our VIPs looks and the confidence they sported them with. Hopefully, you were able to take some styling tips from these examples for your own unique looks. We are eager to see what they will turn up in when it is time for our next show in February 2022.