New York Fashion Week: Alexander Wang

Alexander Wang is fully aware that if people want something enough, they'll go out of their way to get it. I really respect his 'controversial' decision to show the A/W 2014 Ready to Wear collection in a Naval Yard, in Brooklyn. He forced the fashion pack out of their comfort zone, admittedly they might not have loved it, but for fear of missing out they were determined to get to the warehouse (even when it was so remote that it doesn't even show up on Sat Nav). During fashion week there's a constant stream of catwalks and collections so designers are under pressure to make theirs the one to remember and Wang ensured his was, whether for the right or wrong reasons.

 "He dragged us all out to Brooklyn on a wintry Saturday night—it had damn well better be good" 

I don't massively love the collection, which I'd describe as practical and utilitarian - a refreshing change from a lot of fashion but the theme of extreme conditions and survival reminded me too much of Hunger Games. To me it seemed cold and lifeless; consisting of an excessive number of holster-style bags covered in zips and pouches, prepared for every gadget you could ever need. 

However the finale was enough to change my opinion. The final 12 looks entered the rotating catwalk in monolithic black but changed before viewers eyes as heat activated pigments revealed technicolour paisley patterns. The general consensus seems to be that this was the redeeming factor but I think Wang's innovation and risk-taking can be all too easily overlooked and he deserves credit for the successful fusion of technology with fashion and the setting played a pivotal role in consolidating the overall theme.

All images from style.com and video from Fashion Channel

Back to work...

It's been an embarrassingly long time since I last put up a post. So long in fact that fashion week's are practically upon us again, which gives me the perfect opportunity to share my opinions on the good and the ugly, the weird and the wonderful, that are inevitably going to grace our catwalks in the upcoming weeks.

But before I get started I thought I'd share images of the window display from Harvey Nichols Knightsbridge that is based upon the theme of 'Fashion School'. They've taken an entirely innovative approach compared to their usual slick displays, not to say I don't think that it is effective, as the mini doll like mannequins add a far more playful element. Each window illustrates a different lesson and incorporates humour to evoke a sense of nostalgia as viewers reminisce about their own school day memories. All the scenes incorporate seriously well dressed students wearing Christopher Kane and Alexander McQueen uniform but also successfully integrate accessories and cosmetics into the classroom environments.

Revealed just in time for fashion week this provided me with the inspiration required to get back to (blogging) work and now I'm all set for a lesson in NYFW style and ready to report back within the next few days.

All images from harveynichols.com 

Paris Fashion Week: Dior's Secret Garden

There have been some amazing sets for Paris Fashion Week (my next post will be on Chanel's Art runway) but I couldn't let Dior's Secret Garden for Spring Summer '14 go amiss without sharing it with you.

I think the environment of the show makes a huge impact on the collection and with so many simultaneously being debuted during fashion week it's in the designers best interest to make their show spectacularly memorable. Raf Simon's mastered this amazingly with the beautiful surroundings complementing the fresh, modern collection. Now what will he think of beat a garden within a garden for next time?

Image of the Day

Aspen Glen-Cross in a Lego dress designed by Anne-Sophie Cochevelou

Image from Vogue

Hot Air Balloon Experience

The other day I was lucky enough to go in a hot air balloon organised by Virgin experiences. It was a treat from my Dad that he had booked right at the beginning of the summer but as it happens he couldn't have picked a better day for it. We spent what was probably the last summer day for this year enjoying the beautiful English countryside from dizzy heights. I've decided I could get quite used to travelling in a hot air balloon on a regular basis and arriving at events in style!

Batik Workshop

One of the things I really wanted to do whilst in Indonesia was to try my hand at their traditional batik art form. So when we were in Ubud we spent a day at Widya's Batik Workshop where we had the opportunity to create our own work of art. Our hotel owner had recommended this place to us and I would definitely do the same. Luckily, it was quiet on the day we chose so we received a lot of help and attention but nevertheless the cost included all the materials for the day, so like most things in Bali it was amazing value for money.

Prior to going I'd found a few batik designs that I liked on Pinterest but my composition went out the window as soon as we arrived because they had loads of templates and stamps available so I ended up just free styling. Widya made the wax application using the chanting tool look so easy but the reality was very different... My attempt on a scrap piece of cloth resulted in loads of drippy wax blobs so for speed he waxed my pattern and then I applied the colour but it took me a while to get my head around how the wax resistance would turn out! After the colour had dried Widya completely transformed my piece by jazzing it up with swirls, dots and filling ever space with pattern - whilst I just watched mesmerised at his skill. Finally, I dipped the whole thing in blue dye which completely altered the colours but it provided a multi-layered effect and I am really pleased with the outcome.

If you ever find yourself in that area of the world make sure you don't pass on the opportunity to give it a go because it was one of my trip highlights and now I have my own custom made batik to constantly remind me of the experience.

Destination: Indonesia

I'm suffering from post holiday blues, badly.

I've spent the last few weeks travelling around Indonesia and I never wanted to leave, but I guess all good things come to an end... When my friend suggested Indonesia as a potential destination, it immediately conjured up exotic images of idyllic beaches and without knowing much more about it, I was sold (it was these daydreams that got me through the long Edinburgh winter, exams and hours of work to pay for the trip). However as the trip approached we decided that an itinerary was essential to make sure we maximised our time and as we consulted Lonely Planet it became apparent that Bali and Lombok had the perfect balance of beaches, culture and nightlife.

We started our trip in Kuta, Bali and despite our initial reservations there's a tacky charm to the place which we ended up becoming rather fond of. Whilst we were there we learnt to surf and indulged in the spa but many of our mornings had a groggy start courtesy of the nights at Alleycats... We hired a driver, who ended up sticking with us for 3 days and taking us to Ubud which was a refreshing change to the beach scene and there we filled our days with a cookery class, yoga and a batik workshop.

Next up was a ferry journey to Lombok, which has a very different vibe to Bali. It was quieter (less traffic and tourists) and we fully embraced this relaxed pace to life by hiring bikes to explore the beaches along the south coast. We spent our final week in Gili Trawangan and I had high expectations for this place due to the recurring description of 'paradise' we had heard from fellow travellers en route. However, as soon as we arrived on the island I understood why. Here, you needn't do more than sink into a bean bag on the beach - well, that's pretty much all I did with the exception of diving.

I believe a picture holds a thousand words and we did far too much to include everything in this post so here are some photos to keep you going and there will be more to follow...

Bingin Beach

Gili Trawangan

Penang Penang surf competition

Uluwatu Temple

Tanah Lot

Rice fields at Balian

Ubud

Cookery class in Ubud

The Yoga Barn, Ubud

Paddle boarding in Nusa Lembongan

Sunset point, Gili Trawangan