The highlight: Prada Fall 2013

With the constant stream of shows from all the fashion weeks it's hard to keep up and near impossible to document them all but Prada's show in Milan was too good to go unreported. It was distinctly Prada with the belted waists, oversized bags and overcoats but this time round it seemed more wearable - perhaps due to the sense of dishabille featuring layering and dresses slipping off shoulders, which really shouldn't work but somehow did. It all came together perfectly, leaving me with an unrealistic glimmer of hope that if I were to rock the dishevelled wet hair look I might achieve the same sexy yet sophisticated, glamorous yet effortless look that this collection mastered...

Images from style.com

Anya Hindmarch: 'Cascade' creation

These days it's as much about the show as it is about the collection and each season has to outdo the last but Anya Hindmarch has provided my favourite spectacle from LFW so far. Standards were set high from her first runway show, which featured a working sweet factory and then we moved on to a moving carousel for SS13 so it was inevitable that Hindmarch's AW13 was going to be revealed in an impressive manner but little did we know that it was going to involve all this lot:

And this was the amazing result:

Now the question is, how can she topple this creation for the next show?

Chanel SS13 Public Garden

A black and white movie directed by Karl Lagerfeld to showcase the spring/summer 2013 collection and being Chanel it is very pleasing on the eye - enjoy!

Gatsby gets greater

Miucci Prada has revealed four costume sketches for the film adaptation of The Great Gatsby which we are all eagerly awaiting this summer. As mentioned in a previous post Prada is woking in collaboration with costume designer Catherine Martin to create over 40 looks for the movie which will deliver the 1920's glamour and elegance. The designs include crystal embellishment, sequins and fringing in luxurious hues of topaz, gold and jade emphasising the importance of texture and ornament in that era.

"The fashions of the time saw the development of a dichotomy between those who aspired to the privileged, Ivy League look of wealthy Long Island and those who were aspiring to European glamour, sophistication and decadence. Our collaborations with Prada reflect the collision of these two aesthetics." - Catherine Martin

Images from vogue.com

p.s. You can probably tell how much I'm looking forward to seeing these costumes come to life!

Debutant Darling

Think proper ladylike dressing, think gossip girl and think pretty. The little things make all the difference so don't miss out on the details - break the rules: in this case more is definitely more.

1) One Vintage 2) Lanvin 3) Biyan
4) Topshop 5) Chloé 6) Topshop

The verdict: Valentino Exhibition

I finally took my long-awaited trip to Valentino: Master of Couture exhibition the other day - determined to see it before I head back to university and as predicted in my last post it proved itself to be a 'must see' exhibition.
The main aspect which you really can't appreciate unless you see the dresses along the catwalk is the craftsmanship of couture and the pain staking detail which has gone into every single one of the designs. It came as a shock because we're simply not used to it; as Valentino said himself, 'Fashion has become so mass market, with copies [of designer items] in every department store - maybe that's why there is an interest in something that is unique and difficult to get.' It is only when you  watch the videos and see the samples, which demonstrate the needlework and techniques embellishing the designs, that you fully understand the exquisite work of Valentino and the story behind the designs worn by some of the most iconic women such as Jackie Kennedy and Julia Roberts.

The must see: Valentino Exhibition

The Valentino: Master of Couture exhibition opened this weekend at Somerset House demonstrating the intricate glamour and craftsmanship of couture which has been worn by a whole host of Valentino's highly regarded clients which spans decades.

Fashion illustrations have a simplicity and elegance that I absolutely love and these Valentino illustrations epitomise why. They emphasise the iconic use of red and flattering fit of the dresses and  over 130 of these hand-crafted designs are exhibited along 60 metres of a couture catwalk. This is a highly anticipated exhibition for all fashion lovers that can not be missed and I can't wait to see and share my verdict.