BLEU06 - Details FW12 #1

Summer here in the UK has pretty much been a write off so far. It looks like I we won’t be needing my summer wardrobe after all or am I just being pessimistic? Anyway, with that in mind I thought it would be a great time to re-visit some of my favourite Fall/Winter 12 collections. I’m not going to churn out another review as I’m pretty sure we’ve all seen enough of those. Instead I want to zero in on the tiny details that we don’t always see during the runway shows. This week I’m starting off with arguably one of the most prominent fashion houses of the moment. GIVENCHY.

Forget the minotaur graphic print tops and the stars and stripes that seem to be EVERYWHERE at the moment, one of my personal highlights from the Givenchy Autumn/Winter 2012 collection was a pair of bejewelled brogues. I really loved the contrast of the traditional suit and the camp, over-the-top luxury of the shoes. Each stone was hand set and arranged in alternating sizes, the level of craftsmanship is something that I’ve come to expect from Riccardo Tisci. If I had to walk down a yellow brick road (or any other type of road for that matter!) I’d much rather wear a pair of these bad boys. 


Here’s a quick reminder of the rest of Tisci’s FW 12 collection, what piece(s) were your favourite?  

Images via: HommeModel

IT’S OFFICIAL!! - H&M x Maison Martin Margiela Fall/Winter 2012 Collection

Marni, Lanvin , Versace, Jimmy Choo. H&M have been collaborating with big names for their  Autumn/Winter collections for a couple years now and this year is no different. Today H&M announced that MAISON MARTIN MARGIELA will be creating this year’s AW 2012 collection for Men and Women. MAISON MARTIN MARGIELA is known for their timeless and conceptual approach to style. The Maison believes in the absolute importance of the collaborative nature of its team rather than the individual, where its ideals are founded in the desire for concept and creativity.


Here’s what H&M’s creative advisor, Margaret von Bosch had to say about this new collaboration:

“MAISON MARTIN MARGIELA is one of the most important and influential fashion houses of the past three decades. I am so excited by this collaboration which will give fashion lovers around the world the chance to wear special pieces by MAISON MARTIN MARGIELA. This collaboration will be a great and memorable fashion moment“

 MAISON MARTIN MARGIELA released a statement too:

“We are very happy to present MAISON MARTIN MARGIELA pieces with H&M, offering a new interpretation of our vision. The democracy of our fashion has always been at the centre of our creativity, and the collaboration with H&M allows us to push this instinct further. We will bring together the contrasting universes of the two houses in ways that will surprise all.”

Some fashion purists might disagree with H&M’s ‘celebrity’ collections but I think it’s great that the general public get to experience both high and low forms of fashion. I loved that the Marni collection from earlier this year still managed to embody the unique sense of style that has made Marni so iconic. I’m quite confident that both labels will create a tasteful collection that will probably sell out fast! I’m definitely gonna start saving up.


The H&M x MAISON MARTIN MARGIELA collection launches online and instore on 15th November 2012.

The Team

Shapes and Volumes

Process of Tailoring

Images via H&M

The Faces of Menswear Fall/Winter 2012/13

Am I the only one feeling slightly nostalgic now that the fashion week buzz is slowly dying down? Anyway the lovely guys at Luisaviaroma have put together a great round-up of behind the scenes footage featuring the people that made the various fashion weeks so amazing — the models! So whether you were there or like me, were part of the digital fashion audience, I hope you enjoy taking a look at The Faces of Menswear 2012/13.

London Fashion Week AW 2012 - Agi&Sam

Agi & Sam’s show yesterday in London was by far one of the most creative and vibrant collections presented during Menswear day. As usual, prints featured prominently in their show in outrageous shades of colour. My favourite looks had to be the white suit with printed birds all over it as well as the blue printed jacket over a blue two-button blazer and a turtle neck sweater. The way they mixed the prints with block colours was really quite inspiring. The off-white overcoat with drawstring detail was brilliant too. I loved the way they experimented with slightly longer shirts under jackets.

I think what they do so well is present crazy prints in a way that makes them ultra wearable and eye-catching at the same time. I’m going to have to put the whole collection on my wishlist!

London Fashion Week AW 2012 - Oliver Spencer

I really enjoyed Oliver Spencer’s AW 2012 collection. Inspired by Art House and the 50s Beatnik movement, he presented a collection that was as broad and diverse as the models who walked in his show. I thought that his collection was fit for a man of any age or social class. This was reflected in the cut and the fit. One of my favourite pieces was the red varsity jacket which reminded me of something similar I saw in Junya Watanabe’s AW 2011 collection. I also loved the brown jacket with red panels, I would have liked to see that in some other colour variations.

TOPMAN DESIGN - AW 2012 - LIVE STREAM

Here’s your invite to the TOPMAN DESIGN AW 2012 show tomorrow at 12.15PM (UK Time). TOPMAN DESIGN will be following in the footsteps of another well-loved British label with their very first Topman Tweetwalk. After seeing Burberry’s fantastic Tweetwalk yesterday, which featured cinemagraphs instead of still images, it’ll be really interesting to see if TOPMAN can raise the bar even further. Make sure you’re following @TopmanUK to get involved, your tweet may be featured on their live tweet feed. The hashtag for tomorrow’s show will be:
#TOPMANLFW
Hit the play button bellow to watch the show

Paris Fashion Week - Fall 2012

Here’s a round-up of all my favourite looks from the shows in Paris last week. I’m breaking it up into two parts because there are quite a few. Let me know what you thought about the collections shown in Paris and Milan over the last few weeks. 

 I loved Acne’s Fall runway show for many reasons. First of all I loved how Jonny Johanssen subtly incorporated faux leather and fur amongst more luxurious fabrics. The colour pallette was full of deep tones like rust red, moss green as well as pastels, which really added a light touch to the collection . I really loved the way the looks were layered, especially the cropped shearling lined leatherette (yeah you heard right, fake leather!) jacket and the quilted jacket worn over yet another quilted jacket. I love the way they played around with length as well. Altogether I’d say it was one of the collections that really captured the modern day man’s wardrobe in a successful and playful manner.

Milan Fashion Week - Versace Fall 2012

Versace’s Fall collection was a return to what made the iconic fashion house so popular in the first place. Donatella went back to the days of Miami glamour and excess. The collection went from Versace’s signature studded denim and leather to psychedelic floral patterned jackets with fur trim. It had a definite 90s feel to it as seen in the boxy silhouette of the suits and jackets and the denim on denim combos.

Some of the stand-out pieces for me were the suits with contrasting pinstripes in pink and the sky blue cardigan with a matching fur collar. The Swarovski-embroidered blazers added a real sense of glamour to the collection.

Versace’s collection was probably one of the most daring and adventurous shows of Milan Fashion Week, I love the way they toe the line between garish and gorgeous so effortlessly. I feel that Donatella produced a collection that every die-hard Versace fan will be anxiously waiting for.

Milan Fashion Week - Salvatore Ferragamo Fall 2012

Masimillano Giornetti’s Autumn/Winter collection was the definition of male power dressing. Giornetti’s silhouette for this collection was strong and sophisticated and almost cold at times. The cut of the suits was sharp and the upturned, exaggerated collars on the coats and jackets reminded me of the sinister villains in classic Alfred Hitchcock films.

The colour palette for this collection featured darker tones of grey and rich berry tones with hints of rust as well. The textures in the outerwear and evening jackets range from plush velvets and silks to speckled wool and tweed, producing a versatile, wearable collection. The genius behind Giornetti’s latest work is how he has balanced luxury and practicality to create a cohesive, well-tailored look that will certainly make it’s rounds in many fashion editorials to come.

Milan Fashion Week - Burberry Prorsum Fall 2012

No one celebrates being British more than Christopher Bailey. His latest Fall collection for Burberry Prorsum was a true celebration of a contemporary gentleman, fully suited in quilted leather and tweeds and just as comfortable in the country as he is in the hustle and bustle of the city.

In this collection, Bailey laid great emphasis on the suit as one the most important components of a man’s wardrobe. The form fitting suits featuring double-breasted jackets and well tailored trousers again proved why Burberry is known for it’s sartorial brilliance. Bailey stuck mostly to the grey tones for his tweed and herringbone suits but also included more luxurious velvet suits towards the end of the show. Cropped bomber jackets and flashes of vibrant colour in the shoes and bags gave this collection a really fresh, modern feel.

The collection had enough to make both the urban city slicker and the country gent grin from ear to ear and I’m sure it will be another greatest season for one of Britain’s finest exports.

Images courtesy of: HommeModel