LONDON FASHION WEEK AW12: SIMONE ROCHA - A STAR IS BORN?

Posted by Melanie Rickey, Fashion Editor at Large

Forgive me for that question mark. I am not one to take leave of my senses and start pronouncing a young designer a star on her first official outing as part of the NEWGEN programme at London Fashion Week. However judging by the concise, creative and inspiring outing from the Irish designer Simone Rocha this morning, I couldn't resist the question itself.

As as group of us bustled backstage to congratulate Simone following her show this morning, I overheard buyers from influential London store Dover Street Market saying: "That was good". "No, that wasn't just good, that was magic." I am inclined to agree. It is not easy to follow in the footsteps of a famous father, but St Martins MA graduate Simone Rocha has done just that.  In case you haven't made the connection yet, her Dad is John Rocha.

Simone Rocha's AW12 collection, shown today. (Photos: catwalking.com) 

From sweet collars, child-like shift dresses, and knitted tiaras to chunky brogues with thick wooden soles sandwiching glinting strips of neon, and oversized coats, this collection was a sweet boy/girl clash.

"It was inspired by Ireland," Simone told me post show, between being congratulated and all round mobbed by well wishers. "It started after I found images of a feral tribe from Papua New Guinea called 'New Ireland'  - thats where the densely tufted wools, wild mohair and animal print grey fabrics came from. I was also looking at 1930s photographs of Dublin's street children. The girls in tiny shrunken dresses and the boys in oversized pieces."

I love that she referenced Irish horse racing by getting the model's fringes swept to one side, and plaited through at the back. Apparently when done to a horse, this is called a "Connemara Forelock".

Above are my favourite looks. Personal order for the silver jacket, oversized coat and cream shift dress coming up!

You'll be seeing a lot more of this 25 year old in the seasons to come.

LONDON FASHION WEEK AW12 FW12: FASHION GEEK TIMES WITH J.W ANDERSON

Posted by Melanie Rickey, Fashion Editor at Large

Upon arriving in deepest Dalston (all young designers live in this district of east London) I ring the bell of a large factory building and after a few minutes a fit looking intern arrives slightly out of breath to the door. When I am lead up two sets of stairs, then downstairs, around a corner and down yet more stairs I see what took her so long. If any daring fashion thieves decided to plan a heist in this building in order to steal what may be be the most anticipated NEWGEN designer collection of the season, they wouldn't get far with it.

This shot of model Kirsten Owen is the hair and make-up inspiration for today's show

In the lair of J.W Anderson, London's most talked about young designer at present, things are quiet and appear very organised. It is a week before the show, which takes place today within the now empty former legendary St Martins School of Art building on Charing Cross Road building "I didn't go there, so this is my way of being where creativity used to be," says Jonathan, as he is better known. It seems amazing that the Irish literature graduate who started out doing jewellery, followed by menswear before being persuaded into doing clothes for girls, has come so far so soon, but he is nothing if not ambitous.

All the precious samples..

I can see his new collection (above) glistening and mutedly colourful on a rail in the corner. Stiff flared plaid skirts that appear to be Tweed, but turn out to be felted neoprene jostle with some slightly disturbing mid brown vinyl trousers and a matching V neck top and also fantastically hued bobbly fisherman-style knitwear. On the wall I spot a photograph of the Nineties most quirky supermodel, Kirsten Owen, with a very choppy asymmetric blonde bob. So far, so fashion.

The new FW/AW12 collection

Then Jonathan plops himself down. He is buoyed by his current success, (sales quadrupled after the last show, American Vogue have featured him in six recent issues) yet is allowing the pressure to produce another hit collection propel him further down the path of creativity. "I am pushing my ideas as far as they can go. People didn't expect it last season [he means they didn't expect a show so chock full of new ideas] and I got attention. So I'm taking that to another level with this collection. Its difficult top crop up as new in London and stay new; it takes a lot of stamina.

"I think we have overdosed on print, so I am using texture and shape to create a new form of decoration. Print from texture, I guess. I'm using pinstripe, quilting, the felted neoprenes and thick knits, and am working with car fabric manufacturers to develop padded fabrics. I am shuffling my vocabulary to make something the same but different; I guess my main message is the idea of monolithic shapes; you only need two pieces to make a look. An old shape meeting a new shape."

He gestures to one wall, which has the looks for today's show drawn up; sure enough it all about two-piece looks. Jumper/skirt; trouser/top. Colours are in single blocks of burgundy and beige, cream and red with plaids and padded fabrics thrown in. The knits will become fashion hits in five seconds flat. I don't fancy squeaking around town wearing JW vinyl, but I know a few girls who will.

The imagery created by stylist Joe McKenna and photographer David Sims dominates the J.W Anderson moodboard 

We look at the other wall (above) - oh how I love wall-gazing with designers! - and begin to ooh and ahh over his main visual inspiration the work of the stylist Joe McKenna and photographer David Sims. "Its the idea of conflicts,"he says, but as a fan-girl of their work myself, all I see is the beautifully off kilter intelligence of the imagery. It suits Jonathan. 

The spring summer collection of J.W Anderson is available at www.brownsfashion.com among others. 

For further information http://j-w-anderson.co.uk/

The AW12 J.W Anderson collection is taking place today at 1pm, at the former site of St Martins School of Art in London 

LONDON FASHION WEEK AW12 FW12 PREVIEW: DOMINIC JONES

Posted by Melanie Rickey, Fashion Editor at Large

When Dominic Jones started out in 2009, he was a 23 year old with an inspiring talent and a brilliant idea that no one had thought of before. He wanted to create fine jewellery his generation could afford.  To that end he plated brass renditions of his sculptural work with gold and created punky-chic  fashion jewellery that was more affordable than its shiny golden exterior suggested.

Dominic Jones at his Dalston studio with a painting by flatmate Tom Campbell in the background and his collection of jaws and skulls on the racks beside him

Fast forward to today and Dom, now on his sixth collection, is an older, wiser person and also a wildly successful young designer who has built an excellent business with global stockists - net-a-porter.com is his biggest retail customer - and a dedicated fan base of cool women and men of all ages. "I've cracked Europe, Japan, Italy and my next step is the States," he says. He has new projects too; a diffusion line "DJ" is due to launch next month, and in September he will debut a collaborative collection with Lady Amanda Harlech. Wow.

Polishing up the samples

I'm over at his Dalston studio which he shares with the two Toms: Tom Campbell, a painter who is in the only light-filled area of this basement apartment, and Tom Beard, a photographer and film maker who regularly works with Florence + the Machine. So how did he get from there to here? "Its funny, I have learnt my market now and it is not the customer I originally thought it would be," he says. "The woman I'm selling to is more like you - (he means a thirty-something career woman) - than Alice (he means Alice Dellal, the young punky model who gave him the seed money to get his business started)."

So, now onto the new collection for Fall/Winter or Autumn/Winter, which goes on show at lunchtime today alongside a short film by Rafael Diallo starring Jessica Brown Finlay (Lady Sybil, from Downton, no less). This is significant,  because also this morning a new jewellery initiative launches at London Fashion Week named Rock Vault, and Mr Jones is not taking part. Why? Dominic has made the decision to be a fashion jeweller; he wants to create two collections a year alongside the clothing collections, and show them at the London Fashion Week shows. "I was the first jeweller on the London Fashion Week schedule, and I'm proud of that."

Dominic Jones AW/FW12 moodboard

So what's the story for the Autumn/Fall range? Dominic works with his hands and his heart. He is not one to spout words to deliver meaning or inspiration. A glance up on the walls of his studio tells one story. I see ancient images of Indian jewellery; Islamic Art, gnarled golden horns, spiralled antlers and Moorish architecture. Then I spot some new ink on the designers forearm.  Its a narwhal, one of those incredible whales with a spear  (well, actually a corkscrew shaped long tooth) for a nose. "My favourite film when I was a kid was "When The Whales Came", he says by way of explanation. Sure enough one of the spiral horn rings (worn between the fingers) closely resembles the narwhal tooth.

Dom's latest tattoo, the narwhal inspired by his favourite childhood film "When the Whales Came"

"I'm loathe to mention specific references because in the end the work is more organic," he says. "I free form each piece by sculpting it in wax, I make it up as a go along." The tiny wax sculptures he shows me are beautiful; little works of art that instantly tell you they are by Dominic Jones.

A section of the Fall/Autumn Winter 2012 range by Dominic Jones

From these miniatures develops the collection, which for the Fall/Winter 2012 season includes crenellated miniature dome rings and matching earrings; Moorish graphics transposed into pendants, grooved horn rings and simpler corkscrew spiral bands. Making a return, albeit in spikier form, are his mini daggers that serve as pendants and dangle from fine chained necklaces. Just looking at it is enough to make me want several pieces, and I'm sure I am not alone in this.

Dominic Jones is available at www.net-a-porter.com
Dominic Jones shows his collection and film today at The Library, Two Temple Place, London WC2.


ALL PHOTOGRAPHS, COPYRIGHT: FASHION EDITOR AT LARGE

WELCOME TO LFW AW12

Posted by Bethan Holt, Fashion Junior at Large

Yesterday we enjoyed at gentle introduction to the AW12 shows and got to know our lovely driver José who has been conjured up for us by the lovely people at Mercedes- Benz. He'll be helping us dash between as many shows as possible. On Saturday the fun really starts; we wouldn't want you to miss out so, just like last season, you can watch loads of the shows on a live stream, just by clicking 'play' on the video below- click here to plan your viewing. Of course, we'll be keeping you updated with all the latest fashion week news here and on our twitters- @fashedatlarge and @BethanHolt. Have a fabulous fashion week!

A SNEAK PEAK AT MANUELA DACK AW12

Posted by Bethan Holt, Fashion Junior at Large

Manuela Dack is a woman on a mission, with a clear vision carrying her label- which she began after graduating from Middlesex in 2010- from the rack of beautifully crafted pieces which represented her SS12 collection towards a brand offering everything from bespoke commissions to jewellery and small leather pieces. Her lady likes classic, beautiful fashion, with a contemporary edge which Manuela seems to be nailing fast. 

Manuela at her studio

I first met Manuela at the SS12 Vauxhall Fashion Scout, back in September. I was immediately taken with her soft colours and beading details which all seemed very accomplished for a label which was only on its second collection. I wasn’t surprised that The Shop at Bluebird decided to buy up lots of the light as air column dresses in fresh ivory and mint green.  Earlier this week, I went to visit the 25 year-old at her East London studio to take a sneak peek at the AW12 collection which went on show today at the VFS exhibition.

One of the most popular SS12 pieces, a stingray leather print dress £820 at Avenue 32

Grey sweatshirt and wool skirt from Manuela Dack AW12

Navy tee with foil print, inspired by wood carvings

 Manuela’s designs have always been influenced by her childhood growing up in the Cayman Islands (see the stingray dress, above), as well as her family’s interest in interior design.  However, for an Autumn/ Winter collection, incorporating those elements from warmer climes is perhaps not such a straightforward task. One of the stand out pieces is a short suede dress. A panel of suede, laser cut into an  intricate pattern and backed by bright cyan blue and orange Batik fabric runs down the front. It’s sexy for sure, but also a clever way to incorporate the more summer-orientated elements of Manuela’s references into an A/W collection.

The skirt made using the same techniques and Manuela's signature stepped up hem

The AW12 mood boards

 I also visited Manuela just before Christmas. Then, she showed me lots of images of wood carvings which she’d been looking at.  I get the sense that Manuela's obsession with interiors and furniture might eventually lead her to becoming a complete lifestyle brand.

For now, those mood boards have developed into the laser cut effect which appears throughout the collection, mostly on suede skirts and dresses, but also on a grey sweatshirt where the jersey cut out has been backed with chiffon to create a luxe-sport effect.  This sits alongside another  beautifully cut grey sweatshirt- both are a new foray into a more casual aesthetic.

One of the collection's two sweatshirts

Manuela comments that the whole collection has ‘the same elements as Spring’ but it’s ‘stricter, more like a uniform with lots of angles and layering’. Stepped- up hems on skirts and dresses are becoming a signature of Manuela’s work.  As well as the Batik, foil effect leather which twinkles through the carved panels makes an appearance.

Christina Smith shooting the AW12 look book 

When you speak to Manuela, you can’t help but be excited about where her label is going.  She already has a store on Avenue 32, but she is also planning to have her own e-commerce store where her fans can pick up jewellery, scarves and leather goods which she is currently developing.  She already does belts which she tells me are selling really well. For AW12, there is one crafted from thermocromatic leather so that it changes colour as you touch it.

Manuela's belts

Like many designers Manuela also notes that “Made in Britain’ is a key appeal of her clothes. After noting that is was the more expensive pieces of her collection which sold best, Manuela began to realise that she was tapping into a market which wanted a unique, keep forever investment piece. To that end, she will begin offering a bespoke service where clients can use the look book as a ‘menu’ for their orders, perhaps changing a colour/ fabric/ length here and there as they like.

There's a lot going for on for Manuela. Ultimately though, she is adamant that anything she does, she must be do ‘really, really well’.  This woman is a perfectionist, and nowhere is that more clear than in her beautiful clothes.

If you want to take a closer look at Manuela's AW12 collection, you can visit here at The Vauxhall Fashion Scout venue, on until Wednesday, at Freemasons’ Hall, 60, Great Queen Street, WC2B 5AZ. Alternatively, she’ll be at the VFS Paris showrooms from Thursday March 1st to Tuesday March 6th at 18, Rue de 4 Fils, 75003.

HURRAH TO ANOTHER TEN YEARS OF TOPSHOP AND NEWGEN!

Posted by Bethan Holt, Fashion Junior at Large

Not only is today the first week of London Fashion Week Autumn/Winter '12 but it also marks the tenth anniversary of Topshop's sponsorship of the NEWGEN scheme. This morning, the fashion world's collective heart was in its mouth as Sir Phillip Green announced that 'the ten year sponsorship has come to an end'. Surely not? However, in the next breath the Arcadia boss confirmed that the partnership would continue for the next decade- what a great start to London Fashion Week!

Topshop have made a timeline of their Newgen sponsorship at topshop.com

Topshop's sponsorship will not just be about catwalk shows. The high street giant will also be working with the British Fashion Council and the government to look at ways to grow British manufacture. Over the past three years, there have been signs that a revival is beginning to take place.  The BFC's 'Future of Fashion' strategy claims that 'where gaps exist, action must be taken to fill them, for example through carefully designed apprenticeship programmes'. Furthermore, 'our fashion education system needs to be marching in step with the needs of our fashion industry'. Phillip Green is clearly dedicated to this cause; 'we need as much focus on the new generation of production talent as there has recently been on new design talent'.

This is all about taking the incredible leaps which British fashion has made in recent years and consolidating the benefits it's already reaping. London can now keep its best designers at its own fashion week rather than losing them to Paris, Milan and New York. So, why not MAKE the clothes here too, rather than losing the business to other economies just because they're better equipped to cope with the demand?

To celebrate ten years of NEWGEN, Topshop teamed up with SHOWstudio to create a film starring Karlie Kloss. Kate Phelan, who recently joined as Topshop's Creative Director after twenty years at Vogue, and Nick Knight collaborated on this brilliant showcase of work by designers who've come through NEWGEN in the past decade. It's an inspiring reminder of all the designers London is proud to call its own...

OUR FASHION WEEK FARFETCH SPREE

Posted by Melanie Rickey, Fashion Editor at Large and Bethan Holt, Fashion Junior at Large

How much time and money would it take to travel to over 100 boutiques from London to Berlin to Milan to, er, Dallas? Not as much as you might think now that we've started using Farfetch.com. Shopping for designer pieces online is no new phenomenon but what we love about farfetch.com is what it puts back into our online buying experience. By this I mean that every time you buy an item from the site, your purchase is coming from a small, carefully edited boutique be it Start in London or Mode de Vue in Paris. For us, farfetch.com is a one stop shop for getting pieces picked by a massively varied group of buyers, all with very different customers in mind. Ultimately, it's a good way to expand your shopping horizons.

At this fashion week time of year, a site like Far Fetch is particularly welcome. We've been scouring their products, which at 35,000 is three times the number stocked by most other designer e-tailers, for the best finds for fashion week and Spring/Summer. The mix is immense; there is no one prevailing mood so a bit more scouring than usual is required. The nicest way to browse is via each boutique- you get a small description of the store and an image of the retail space alongside all the products they have available on farfetch.com. The nostalgic shopper in us loves the idea of eventually visiting a boutique where a much loved item came from.

Here are Melanie's fantasy farfetch.com purchases...

I've been hankering after this cuff ever since I first saw it at Balenciaga's showroom in Paris last October. It's my birthday next month if any friends/family are reading this!

Balenciaga cuff £264 from Al Duca d'Aosta in Italy

Every woman needs a black silk blazer in her life, and they don't come as smart or with as much edge as this one by Maison Martin Margiela.

Maison Martin Margiela blazer £1049 from L'Eclarieur in Paris

I buy my summer sandals in February every year. These are the ones for 2012 for me. Love the mix of glitter upper and utilitarian sole

Glitter sandals by Givenchy £510 from Bernard in London

A lace bell skirt from the most formal and most elegant designer in NYC, Mr de la Renta

Oscar de la Renta skirt £1199 from L'Eclaireur in Paris

A Chanel quilted rucksack – the perfect fashion handbag for this spring.

Vintage Chanel rucksack £1650 from Rewind Vintage Affairs in London

And Bethan's fantasy farfetch.com purchases...

Perfect pyjama shirt by the Olsen twin's label The Row

The Row silk shirt £394 from George in Austin, USA

Mad but fab floral trousers from Dolce and Gabbana- I could happily spend my summer in these with a loose white vest and some wooden heeled sandals. 

Dolce and Gabbana trousers £259 from Spinnaker Women  in Italy

Tortoiseshell is my favourite pattern for sunglasses. I love the added bonus of the purple lens on these from Henrik Vibskov.

Sunglasses by Henrik Vibskov £116 from the Henrik Vibskov boutique in Copenhagen

I could get through the whole summer in these Chloe two tone block heels- the height is perfect.

Chloe sandals £345 from Biondini in Paris

NEW YORK FASHION WEEK AW12: HIGHLIGHTS FROM TUESDAY & WEDNESDAY RODARTE! PROENZA SCHOULER!

Posted by Bethan Holt, Fashion Junior at Large

New York is over for another season, save a few presentations taking place today. Here at FEAL, we're gearing up for the first day of London Fashion Week tomorrow. In the mean time, here are some of our favourites looks from the final few days in NY.

RODARTE

The Mulleavy sisters adopted the mid-century silhouette which has been prevalent for SS12. There were plenty of thick wools and knits alongside pretty prints and delicate frilled evening gowns. The show's first section had a Little House of the Prairie feel, but this gradually toughened up to include shearling and leather on more structured silhouettes. The show ended with two hand print full length chiffon dresses which are as beautiful as they are unnerving.

RODARTE FRONT ROW...

Tavi with roses in her hair

Dakota Fanning, who apparently put on dark
 glasses  a la Wintour to watch the show.

Beautiful loose up- dos backstage

MARC BY MARC JACOBS

Marc by Marc Jacobs was trussed up geek chic, with the addition of f**k of studded bags, satin prom dresses, thick black frame glasses and...

...big, bright red lips

Xiao Wen gets her lips done...

NARCISO RODRIGUEZ

The Rodriguez show was mostly an experiment in colour block dresses in hot tangerine, oxblood and sage green. However, my personal favourite look is this two tone drop waist coat- the collar bone exposing v-neck is very chic, either bare or with a polo neck. Plus, I'm developing something of an obsession with mid-calf boots.

REED KRAKOFF

This show began in black and ended in a series of creamy white looks, via orange and maroon. The play with layers and slightly varying tones ups the appeal here. Light, bright runway looks are lovely but whether they translate to the pavement is another question.

PROENZA SCHOULER

Another show inspired by Asian art and embroidery (also see Jason Wu), specifically the fabrics which the designers picked up on a trip to Nepal. Highlights include the quilted bird jackets and panelled skirts and dresses. Amongst those eastern influences were big, cosy leather coats which have winter in NYC written all over them.

Backstage at Proenza Schouler...

Acid trip meets Hindu make-up at Jeremy Scott

hi-top wedges

Jeremy Scott in the new novelty jumper- Bart print.

All catwalk images from catwalking.com. All other images from our favourite NYFW tweeters