FIRST LOOK AT URBAN OUTFITTERS' SS10 COLLECTION!

Posted by the Fashion Junior at Large

Fashion Junior at Large was flying solo at the Urban Outfitters press day this afternoon, as Fashion Editor at Large was super busy with other important and exciting projects.

I utterly heart Urban Outfitters, and these are the top ten pieces I saw today

I thought I was the only one in the market for bumbags, but Fashion Editor at Large quite fancies this one as well.

Seems a shame to hide this set away under clothing doesn't it? Might not have to though if the underwear as outwear trend continues to gather momentum.

Sheer, simple, pretty - the perfect canvas for some creative inter-seasonal layering no?

Leather shorts are the absolute number one on my spring shopping list, and these tailored ones are definitely hitting the spot.

Umm, AMAZING! French brand Shourouk was created by a former Lanvin jewellery designer, which pretty much says it all.

Loving the bare shoulder effect on this Surface to Air number. Tees with a twist are always a winner.

Wonderful Acne always manage to make the most plain designs lovable. The wide neck line gives it a little something as well.

Plaid shirt from Wrangler - the authentic cowboy brand according to Ms Fashion Editor at Large. It couldn't be any cooler really.

Revamped Cheap Monday jeans with mesh panelling (left), and leather inserts (right). Very special indeed.

Note to self: don't cancel the gym membership yet. Crop-tops ain't goin' nowhere.

FASHION & WISDOM FROM JANE SHEPHERDSON

Posted by the Fashion Editor at Large

My favourite black trousers from Whistles SS10

Last night I honoured an invitation extended by London College of Fashion (of which I am an alumnus) to sit on a debating panel to discuss whether women can succeed in the world of fashion. My fellow panellists were Jane Shepherdson, CEO of Whistles, Zowie Broach one half of Boudicca and Danielle Scutt. The debate was chaired by Professor Penny Martin, who also happens to be the editor of forthcoming new womens's magazine The Gentlewoman (from the same publishing house as Fantastic Man). We had a full house of eager students.

You might think, as I did, when I first heard the topic for discussion "yeah of course women can succeed in fashion, fashion is mainly a woman's arena." I was wrong to think that. When I relayed that thought to Rebecca Munro of LCF she batted the below back at me.

"The talk is timed to coincide with Women’s Enterprise Day on November 18th, which is part of a national campaign, Global Entrepreneurial Week UK (identical weeks run globally) and is all about celebrating successful female entrepreneurs and business leaders to inspire our students (the majority of whom are female) to take risks and be confident in their careers choices. Although I agree women are a dominant force in fashion – the majority of shareholders and CEOs are male and many women in fashion (like many other industries) have experienced some sort of discrimination during their careers. Of the 4.7 million UK enterprises, only 15% are led by women which I think is one reason why we have to encourage our students, especially our female students, to not be afraid of setting up businesses and turn their skills into money making enterprises."  

Very interesting, no?

ANYWAY. The debate turned out to be lively, compelling and I found it genuinely inspiring. Jane Shepherdson had a lot to say. All of it very telling. Here are a couple of her choice comments. All food for thought.

ON HOW SHE GOT TO THE TOP...
"I had to buy my own business to be a CEO; that's how hard it is to run your own company in fashion."

ON THE GLASS CEILING...
"I came up from buying and merchandising to become a CEO.  At Arcadia Group 95.5 per cent of the buyers and merchandisers are women. But when you go upstairs to see who is running the business, it is all men."

ON HOW TO SUCCEED...
"Be single minded. There will be shit, deal with it. Think "I'm going to show them". Do it your way. Accept confrontation."

ON THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WORKING WITH WOMEN TO MEN...
"Women work harder and spin more plates. They tend to be more collaborative."


And while we are on the subject of Ms Shepherdson, here is more from the SS10 collection of Whistles.

The fashion junior at large put these on her wishlist for SS10.

FIRST LOOK AT TOPSHOP'S SS10 COLLECTION!

Posted by the Fashion Junior at Large and the Fashion Editor at Large.


Just came in from the Topshop press day and couldn't wait to report back. Feast your eyes on our favourite things from the SS10 collection...

Love the clogs. Chanel better watch out!

This washed leather jacket with no sleeves made me want to dump my longtime leather love Rick Owens for a spring fling.

According to Karen Bonser the design director of TopShop this jacket uses a technique called cornelli. Don't you love the way the light catches this?

 

Will DEFFO be buying these boots in SS10

The TopShop press day had 101 ways with a denim short. I really liked the way there was pretty embroidery on roughed up denim. Juxtaposition!

A fairy tale skirt done in urban grey chiffon. Wear with a roughed up T and a shrunken leather jacket for the key TopShop look of SS10

 I've been feeling for a rounder sunglass, and TopShop are on the pulse with this one

 A floral long line bra top covered in gold studs. YES PLEASE!

This high-waist floral mini-skirt was laden with lingerie detailing.A clever way to do the lingerie trend. This is the Fashion Junior at Large's favourite

This is a digitized animal print, blown up. Like it.

I CAN'T STOP WEARING...Givenchy wedge ankle boots

Posted by the fashion editor at large

These are things of beauty. I share them with my girlfriend. Oh the joys. We bought them at Joseph on Westbourne Grove at the beginning of the season from a man called Hannibal. Really.  I am properly obsessed with them and will probably wear these tonight to the Prada book launch. Onto wedges in general. I keep trend-spotting girls in wedges. Wedges should not be fashionable. I feel they look a bit medical. But, still, yesterday evening as I walked down into Oxford Circus after a jaunt to TopShop (they have done a fake 80's Versace wall in there which is genius) I trend-spotted a girl in burgundy straight cut cropped above the ankle sta-press trousers, a beige trench (Burberry) with the collar pulled up and black wedge shoes, they looked like ACNE, but could have been Margiela. At that moment I knew the wedge thing is not going away. It's going to get much bigger. By next spring I think it will be a mega-trend. From this moment I am going on a wedge hunt. I have already clutched the three beauties below, also by the lovely Riccardo Tisci at Givenchy, to my heart.  It's the TopShop SS10 press day today...  I will be reporting on what I find there later!

Pics: Chris Moore/Catwalking

WHAT DRESS SIZE IS BEYONCE? You'll be surprised....

Posted by the Fashion Editor at Large

You know who David Koma is, right? That's him, above. He is the just graduated from the Saint Martin’s MA designer dude who in the space of a week had not only the most powerful female musician in the world wear one his dresses, but this followed the “nation’s sweetheart” Cheryl Cole (currently the most famous woman in Britain) also wearing one of this dresses. One wore it well (Beyonce, shown wearing it, top), the other did not (mainly because the metalwork on it weighed the dress down).

ANYWAY. Look, this isn’t why I am writing. All the stuff about David being the Next Big Thing has been said. But, still, he and I were chewing the fat the other day, talking about what it feels like to suddenly be pushed into the limelight when it is something you have wanted for ages. His reaction: “Of course it feels amazing, but the stress!!!"

David, who is 24 and was raised in St Petersburg, told me he was too nervous to actually watch the MTV music awards and celebrate seeing his dress being beamed to an audience of millions. That he went out with his friend and waited for a call to say Yay or Nay. It was too much. He also told me Beyonce’s people found the dress in the September issue of V magazine, modelled by Lady Gaga. It’s gratifying to learn that Beyonce is just like us pointing to a dress in a magazine and saying “Want that one...”

What surprised me most, and it has to be said what Koma also found incredible - having not actually met the Diva in person - is her dress size. Beyonce, the bootylicious, super-curvaceous woman who made many grown men (and many grown women, me included) lose sixty seconds of their lives each time they watched her bogleing in the Single Ladies video, is a UK dress size 6 to 8. Yep. She is tiny. “It’s incredible but true,” says David. "I sent a size 6-8 dress. A model size."

With David Koma what we have seen is just the beginning of what will hopefully become a body of work that will make him a designer to take seriously. “I want to show people there is more to me,” he told me. “I am not about dressing celebrities; I am about dressing strong inspirational women, that is my focus. I want to show good fashion season after season. I want to build a solid background.”

Well, David, you’ve got our attention now. But on the Beyonce front, a few hours after hearing this factoid on her dress size, I am still finding it hard to believe.

Why is this I wonder? I think its because I thought Beyonce was a size 10-12. And that she repped the more curvy women out there.

On reflection I feel both slightly let down by this, and rather inspired. Let down becasue Beyonce is the same dress size as all the "skinnies" despite her curves. Inspired becasue you can look curvaceous and strong, no matter what size you are.  What do you think?

Photo credits:
Beyonce:  PGR Sven Hoogerhuis
Dabvid Koma: Telegraph Group