Trend Report in the style of COMPANY magazine.

It's a trend: Dolly Darling

Fashion goes girly this spring with fanciful flowers, frills and fondant hues.  Achieve pastel perfection and look better than ice cream this spring.  

The S/S catwalks everywhere enchanted us with whimsical designs that evoked memories of the cutest girl in class.  Ravishing ruffles, beautiful bows, and dainty floral prints beautified garments from a variety of designers, proving that this youthful, feminine look is going to be big news for spring.  

A complete contrast to the strong, minimalist looks seen at the A/W 2010 shows, this trend is a definite backlash against androgyny.  To celebrate the arrival of spring, sugar shades have replaced drab, dark hues to brighten up your wardrobe.  This trend combines the ideal mixture of being prim and proper, with an essence of fun and flirtatiousness. 

Pretty, girly styles have cropped up time and time again over the decades.  This season there is a strong sixties influence; think models Penelope Tree and Twiggy in their prime for inspiration.  What makes this trend current is the choice of gorgeous milkshake shades and fantastical details that adorn the garments.       

For her sweet as sugar diffusion line, Alice Temperley revealed that Marie Antoinette was her source of inspiration.  The French queen’s “Let them eat cake” attitude shines through with her frivolous embellishments and dusty palette.  Roksanda Ilincic followed suit, creating sweet wrapper dresses in the softest of silks, pairing dove grey with the sweet peach and candy pink.  Whilst at Nina Ricci, Peter Copping designed fairy tale pieces, which were scattered with rosettes and daisy chains for extra girlish charm. Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana take the biscuit for the daintiest collection at D&G.  Dress upon dress of ruffled floral indulgence made us go weak at the knees in admiration, longing to be as cute as a cupcake like the Dolce girls.     

    

With her ivory skin, candyfloss hair, and love of sorbet shades, Nicola Roberts is the ultimate icon for this trend, nailing the look as she promotes her appropriately named makeup line, Dainty Doll.  The Girl’s Aloud singer shows us that girlie is gorgeous with cute-as-confectionary dresses and dramatic dolly lashes.    Follow in her footsteps with River Island’s feminine flower top and a pair of equally adorable heels.    Head to Topshop or Miss Selfridge to be spoilt for choice, as you will discover an array of adorable tops, skirts, dresses and shoes that appeal to even the sweetest tooth.  Similarly, Accessorize offer a wide selection of vintage style treats including delightful charm bracelets and fascinating hair bands which will add the cherry on top to your ensemble.  

If all of this girliness is making you giddy, work the trend alongside your own personal style like Alexa Chung and Fearne Cotton.  These two style icons are known for mixing up child-like, pretty dresses with edgy heels with leather jackets on top, to add their own quirky twist.  Still too twee?  Try incorporating some pretty accessories in lollipop colours or add a flower in your hair as a nod to the dolly darling aesthetic. 

All you need to do to complete the image is to exaggerate your eyes with larger than life lashes.  Add a flush of blush to brighten delicate porcelain skin and you’re ready to go.   Ideal for any occasion, this trend can be dolled up as little or as much as you like.  Forget childhood tea parties, Company predicts that this delicious look will entice you all to take a bite.  

Catwalk Report - Marc Jacobs S/S 2011

Marc Jacobs sends us to the sweet shop for Spring/Summer 2011

For his own label, Marc Jacobs references the seventies in a breathtakingly bright palette.

Bold sorbet shades dominated Jacobs’ latest collection, which was shown in New York with Vivaldi’s “Summer” as its dizzying soundtrack. Hailing a return to the seventies with printed silks, peasant blouses and flared legs, the dynamic designer evoked memories of a young Jodie Foster in Taxi Driver.

Models including Jourdan Dunn, Freja Beha Erichssen, and Alessandro Ambrosio strode around a large golden orb as fast as their glitter platforms could carry them. With their crimped candyfloss hair billowing behind them and eyes rimmed thick with kohl, the models oozed fierce, sexy feminity. Oversized orchid and hibiscus flowers were placed around the neck, on elaborate belts around the waist and entwined into hair, adding a playful floral theme as well as extra volume to the varied silhouettes within the collection. Floppy, wide brimmed hats and large sunglasses further contributed to the retro glamour, creating a strong look.

It seems that Mia Farrow must have been one of Marc Jacobs’ muses, when she played the wonderfully whimsical Daisy Buchanan in the 1974 film adaption of the classic novel, The Great Gatsby. With her weightless summer dresses and large brimmed hats, Daisy would have been in vogue and the ultimate Marc Jacobs girl for the upcoming spring/summer season.

Key looks include a powder pink sleeveless coat with exaggerated ruffles around the shoulders, tied with a large bow at the neck and teamed with contrasting micro hot pants and vest. The flowing tangerine jumpsuit was unmissable due to the plunging neckline and bold magenta sash, as were the elegant chiffon dresses that appeared towards the end of the show.

Flashes of black contradicted the otherwise colourful show, including a ruched bandeau top which was paired with wide legged high-waisted trousers of the same ebony fabric. Floaty chiffon dresses and sheer barely-there tops showed a delicate side to the collection, ready for when the sun does shine once again. Four luxurious gold ensembles ended the show with a lasting impression, adding some eveningwear sparkle with sequinned palm tree motifs and glittering tiger stripes.

A large majority of the looks were accessorised with a bold clutch or small shoulder bag. Jacobs ensured that his girls looked well prepared for a night of dancing at the notorious Studio 54 nightclub, which was ever popular in the seventies due to the attendance of icons such as Mick Jagger, Jerry Hall, Debbie Harry and Michael Jackson. The front row of the spring/summer show was similarly sprinkled with celebrities, including the likes of Alexa Chung and Courtney Love. Jacobs described this season’s creations as “sensuous”, using mostly linens and silks to create the nostalgic garments he sent down the runway. A far cry from the natural neutral tones from autumn/winter 2010, the exemplary designer is sure to have won over fans with his combination of jewelled shades and statement designs.

A handful of the fifteen short descriptive pieces I wrote as part of my uni coursework...

TOO CHIC FOR A GEEK (Dover Street Market) 

He stands anxiously in the elevator; adopting a well perfected awkward stance as his eyes dart to the pair of carefully selected brogues on his feet.  His expertly messy curled hair drops dramatically over one of his eyes which are adorned with ironic thick rimmed glasses.  The shirt and tie combination he wears falls into the perfect balance of smart and casual, whilst his well-tailored trousers fall to an exact height above his ankle bone, which even Ozwald Boateng would approve of.  A distinctly drab, yet surprisingly stylish camel coloured coat completes the look, and warms his purposefully thin limbs. 

The ultimate geek chic, if not for the chiselled jaw and deep brown eyes which betray him as the school heartthrob he once was.  There is a certain air of arrogance and sense of purpose here which doesn’t quite align with the profile of someone who was tormented throughout their education.  His style may suggest otherwise, but he remains part of an elite crew to which only a select few are invited.                 

FRIVOLOUS FANCY DRESS (The Ritz)

Tea at The Ritz isn’t an everyday pleasure; rather a luxurious treat for which most will unwittingly adopt the dress and demeanour of a rather fantastical version of themselves.  Much like delving into the treasured dressing up chest that sits eagerly at the foot of the bed throughout childhood, there is a certain sense of adventure that is not wasted on adults when the opportunity arises to ‘play’ at being somebody else for a while.   

Those enchanted fairy tale garments transform a young girl into a dreamlike state in which she is a mischievous princess who charms all with her innocence and ethereal beauty.   In reality, her fondest imaginations might only be fabricated by a confectionary-esque costume, with a sprinkle of haphazardly selected props and accessories.  But who would deny her the luxury of make believe? In turn, the indulgence of fantasy should not be kept captive from those with their permanent molars.  

SUGAR, SPICE AND ALL THINGS NICE (Harrods)

Harrods, how you tempt me.  Row upon row of delicately coloured delights perfectly positioned.  You know that it only takes a glimpse of all those gorgeous cakes to make my mouth water and the hungry butterflies in my stomach begin their most dramatic dance yet. 

Fanciful frosting, wonderful wrappers and tantalising toppings are literally the icing on the cake, the cherry on top.  My life would be complete if only for one of your heavenly cupcakes. 

Travelling up several floors I discover you have gone one step further.  Pupcakes – a beautiful edible treat for my pampered pooch which is equal in perfection to my own sweet fancy.  Logic tries to tell me this is ridiculous; the dog won’t know any different.  It fails.  I’m too caught up in the lure of luxury at every step in your store.  Encapsulated in the fairy tale of your sugary fantasies, I don’t want to believe that it’s an elaborate web of lies yarned by flattering lighting, bedazzling food colourings and wickedly steep prices.  I’m happy to believe, if only long enough for a daydream.    

LULA GIRL (A Child of the Jago)

Impossible to ignore, she looks like she has sprung from the pages of a quaint photographic spread in Lula magazine.  Settling her teal pea coat on her left arm so that she can browse more freely, she reveals a delicate floral vintage tea dress which despite its obvious history, looks like it has been lovingly made just for her.  A lust worthy pair of pirate boots encase her feet, and her wrists are stacked high with an array of heirloom charm bracelets. 

Endless auburn curls, like a modern day Rapunzel, dance lightly down her back.  Blissfully free of suffocating makeup, her freckled, ivory skin contrasts to the thick, heavy eyelashes coated in mascara, which add to the doll-like quality of her face and give her a whimsical charm. 

Selecting items as they take her fancy before quickly returning them to their rightful place, she soon leaves as effortlessly as she arrived, leaving a last impression on all that have noticed her.  

Cupcake!

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I Want Candy!

Some old images from my photography AS level at college.  This particular shoot was sugar and sweetie themed!

Reccomendation page (yet another piece from the LCF course!)

RECCOMENDED BY SOPHIE SEYMOUR

D.I.Y. ANTIQUE FURNITURE

(CROWN ‘FASHION FOR WALLS’ FLAWLESS POWDERS IN ‘SKETCHBOOK’) 

 


From vile to vogue in only a few days.

 







Since my early days of watching Disney’s Beauty and the Beast only to admire the dancing vintage white furniture, I have longed for a set of my own. Favouring one of a kind, tastefully battered pieces with a history far older than my own, my tastes have rejected mass production, appalled at the idea of two identical pieces and total lack of individuality. Unfortunately, I had ended up with a vile red desk from Ikea and a cheap pine bed from Argos. It was time for a change.

Whilst price ranges permitted me from purchasing the items I longed for, the cost of paint, and a little bit of elbow grease was within easy reach. Alas, a trip to B&Q was in order. This filled me with a sense of fear as a result of being forced to traipse round it for hours by a certain ex-stepdad. He would pay regular visits to gather tools and other uninteresting items, trailing me behind. The things we do to try and bond!

With little effort, I selected a small tin of white paint with a hint of pink from Crown’s ‘Fashion for Walls’ range. Admittedly, it was chosen for the name… ‘Sketchbook’ took my fancy!

Out to the garage I went. Armed with value sandpaper (false economy), paintbrushes, the boyfriend (for anything requiring strength), and my shiny tin of antique possibilities, I was ready to transform something unremarkable. Two nights of lying on a pile of mattresses and three coats of paint later… voila! Despite some minor worries at first, I was delighted with how the finished piece looked.

So satisfied at giving my furniture a facelift… I have since made over an old dresser of my mothers. (The first piece of furniture she herself had ever bought!) And yes, that does mean that the awful Ikea desk has finally been discarded! 

Another LCF homework piece

Richard Avedon – Fashion Photographer



Twiggy, Paris Studio, January 1968

Gazing up, as if looking into another world, Richard Avedon has captured the infamous Twiggy Lawson with her long, thick hair fluttering effortlessly up and around her pixie-like face. Taken in the height of her career as a supermodel, two years after she was signed in 1966, this photograph shows her truly ethereal beauty. In Avedon’s Parisian studio, we see Twiggy against a neutral, plain background so as not to detract from her striking features and impossible amount of hair. Light falling from above, highlights the depth of her tresses and her youthful, porcelain skin. The black and white image has its lightest tones on the skin of the model; with darker shades only in the background and the many layers of her hair. Pale, delicate skin allows deep, dark eyes to catch your attention. Her endless thick eyelashes, a signature look, stand out against the soft focus of the rest of the photograph.

The style of the image is very simplistic and yet is not a straightforward portrait. Twiggy looks delicate and other-worldly. This photograph shows all eyes on her and Avedon has caught the supermodel in a pure state – she looks flawless, serene. The natural look reflects the ideals of the hippie 60’s era in which this image was taken. A time of love, not war.

Twiggy has said that her modelling career “was like a dream come true, a fairy story”. Richard Avedon’s image certainly confirms this dream-like life. She appears both entranced and distracted. The viewer can only begin to imagine what she is looking at. Possibly off into another realm, fabricated only by imagination. If her success as a model was a fairy story, it seems that Twiggy herself is the magical creature in the tale. Looking at this image: the models slim neck, narrow shoulders and large eyes, Avedon portrays her as an enchanted spirit. She is full of life and grace as her hair dances, framing her perfectly dainty face.

Avedon was truly a brilliant photographer. He has illuminated Twiggy Lawson’s pure beauty, captured her magic. This photograph is a breath of mythical fresh air.

Very old piece I found from an LCF course I attended on my gap year

FILM AND FASHION

FABRICATED BY SOPHIE SEYMOUR


Alice in Wonderland

“I’m late. I’m late. For a very important date.
No time to say ‘Hello’.
Goodbye. I’m late, I’m late, I’m late.”

The frantic time schedule of Alice in Wonderland’s famous white rabbit is not the only thing shared by the film and the fashion world. Many designers, including John Galliano for Dior, often carry a statement fairytale theme through their collections. This ranges from one-off couture dresses, to quirky buckles on the seasons latest boots. It appears that it is not uncommon for those at the forefront of fashion to gather inspiration from the Disney films many of us grew up with.   

Vivienne Westwood cast Peaches Geldof as Alice in the reading of her Manifesto: Active Resistance to Propaganda. Annie Leibovitz shot an Alice in Wonderland themed spread for Vogue in 2003, featuring model Natalia Vodianova tumbling down the rabbit hole. In 2007, Vogue also printed Tim Walker using Alice’s favourite phrase for his “Curiouser and Curiouser” shoot with Coco Rocha. The oversized white glove from which, was recently included in his exhibition at The Design Museum. My personal favourite of late, has to be Chanel’s fanciful merry-go-round stage for F/W 2008. We are all going crazy for the little girl in a blue dress, who was dubbed a ‘weed’ by an array of musical flowers. 

Not only is The Telegraph telling me about Antonio Marras for Kenzo opting for an Alice-inspired runway at Paris fashion week for S/S 2009, but the pages of every fashion magazine show a trend for doll-like, young models. Lily Cole and Gemma Ward in particular stand out; sporting porcelain skin, long hair and doe eyes.

As we all know, a typical idea of beauty has often included blonde hair, blue eyes, and immaculate presentation. Whilst not all of us are blessed with the good looks of Disney’s Alice in Wonderland, we can all enjoy the colourful creativity that this and similar fairytales provoke. Whether it be a whimsical dress sense, ballerina pumps (as worn by Alice through the entire film), or just the craze for everything to be made smaller and smaller. No “Drink Me” bottle required. 

The prettiest blog out there....

 

Just thought that I should really share with you all the most beautiful blog page I have ever found online.

 It features the most gorgeous photographs I've seen in a long time, and makes me think of Tim Walker images (which is always a good thing!)

I highly recommend going and having a browse yourself.

http://www.thecherryblossomgirl.com/ 

Enjoy! x