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Amy Thompson
Don’t think I’m exaggerating when I say I spend at least 70% of my time trawling the vast black hole that is the internet, searching for new things, things no-one else could ever possibly in a million and one years know about. The thrill of discovering something or someone truly innovative (trust me this doesn’t happen everyday!) is what inspires me to continue, inspires me to research every nook and cranny…leaving no weblink un-clicked. But sometimes, it’s nice when someone approaches you directly- and this is exactly how I discovered Amy Thompson, who sent me a lovely email, detailing her exquisite collection.

Amy, who recently completed an MA in Fashion Bodywear at DeMontfort University, uses transparent armour pieces to manipulate and exaggerate the shape of the body. Firstly the fresh colour palette was just the thing my sun-blinded eyes needed on a so-hot-it’s-almost-insane Thursday afternoon.

This collection has delicate and other-worldly feel- the translucent qualities of the polypropylene armour add a softness to the graphic prints, which remind me of Mondrian’s linear, colour blocked canvases. I’ve always been intrigued by the use of unconventional materials, especially when their natural properties complement the design process.

Amy Thompson is certainly one to watch- and the fact that I didn’t have to negotiate four pages of translated text to view her collection was a very welcome bonus.

Contact Amy at aj_thompson@live.co.uk

Posted by Vicki Loomes





McQueen S/S 2010 shoes
Now I am not even a boy but I can't quite contain my excitement here- I’m giving you a heads up now so you can get saving for these beauties for next summer. If we start now we might just make it! That is unless anyone can manage a D.I.Y replica- but I’m not holding my breath though- as the slightly sun bleached colours and the delicate patch work print will be hard to replicate.

More here.

Posted by Catherine Kinsella





Backsatge @ Antwerp RA, 2009

Backsatge @ Antwerp RA, 2009

Backsatge @ Antwerp RA, 2009

Top- Lea Dickely, bottom- Emilie Pirlot, both Antwerp RA 2009.

Antwerp
The Antwerp Royal Academy of Fine Art graduate show is always one to watch. This year one of my favourite shows came from from Emilie Pirlot, whose collection looks like it could well be an interpretation of the Mad Hatter’s tea party. I love the colour palette and the fantastical quality to her work- but there is some incredibly slick tailoring too.

I was also rather inspired by Lea Dickely’s creations- heavily draped and incredibly sophisticated, featuring massive hoods and swathes of fabric around and over the head.

More here.

Posted by Catherine Kinsella





Paris Menswear: On the Streets
With Paris temperatures soaring into the 30’s, any sane person would opted for swimming trunks & the nearest beach. Luckily, fashion folk are anything but, and the 4 days of menswear shows saw a parade of heat-defying spectacles including bright blue fur capes, zebra-print jackets, bondage-tape leggings and American-football sized shoulder padding.

Among the guys, there was a definite age split - the younger crowd were in full Gothic mode, with lots of sheer layers, asymmetric hems and acres of leather. In the front row at Rick Owens, Gareth Pugh led by example in a soft grey biker jacket, while Rad Hourani (the latest name in the frame for the Dior Homme job) rocked his own stunning navy sliced leggings and stack-heeled boots.

Everyone over 25 seemed to be on the laid-back dandy trail, with bowties all around and light summer tailoring, like Thom Browne at Lanvin.

The women were a little more adventurous, with some amazing sculptural shapes and a few splashes of bright print and colour, while Queen-Of-Blogs Diane Pernet calmly ignored through the heatwave, gliding to every show in full Spanish widow mode.

Both on & off stage, manbags had all but disappeared, and sunglasses and jewellery were low-key. Everyone's attention focused at pavement level, where ribboned sandals, skyscraper heels and slouchy boots shouted the wearer's fashion allegiances. Top accessory? For practical value and instant envy factor, it had to be a fan!


Trend-wise, it was fun to see people playing with the classic French navy/white stripe cliche while the garment of the week seemed to be Lanvin's beaded-collar t-shirt, which appeared at least once daily in varying colours - Dazed's Robbie Spencer and Japanese Journalist Yu Matsu seemed to have the whole spectrum between them . . .

But if one trend had caught on like no other it was Luke's stud-customizing idea - while German GQ's Klaus modelled the original Prada brogues, there were plenty of fashionistas working their glue-gun magic on bags, jackets and jeans. The smaller the stud, the better it looked - at the Vibskov show on Day 1, there was a guy with a battered black biker jacket totally covered with a tiny grid of metal squares. If I had to shoplift one thing from Paris, either on or off the catwalk, that would have been it!

Posted by John-Michael O'Sullivan

Images taken by John-Michael O'Sullivan, Jak and Jil, Facehunter, Garance Dore, Nast, 10 Magazine, Sonny Vandevelde, and Easy Fashion.














Julie Verhoeven for Versace
Everyone’s favourite illustrator Julie Verhoeven has done another magnificent collaboration, this time with Versace, I nearly lost bladder control when I saw this, because I (like most people) LOVE Julie Verhoeven.

I’m not usually the biggest lover of Versace but this collaboration has sent Donatella up massively in my estimations! With Louis Vuitton leading the way in innovative collaborations- such as the recent Takashi, Richard Prince, Stephen Sprouse- and of course Julie's oh so sweet bags from a while ago AND James Jean's enchanting illustrations for Prada…well maybe this collaboration was a little overdue.

Posted by Catherine Kinsella






Demand Action Till You Go Blue In The Face
Oxfam in conjunction with the fashion photographer Rankin launched a new campaign to combat climate change at Glastonbury, which will continue over numerous festivals this summer. Big names from music such as Norman Cook/Fatboy Slim, Jarvis Cocker, Tom Smith From the Editors and Little Boots were filmed and photographed in blue paint advertising Oxfams' latest petition against climate change entitled "Demand action till you go blue in the face."

Festival goers can join the visual petition by painting themselves blue and getting photos taken of them at the Oxfam tents. This blue face petition will then be presented to the UK Government ahead of the Climate Change summit in Copenhagen in December.

So if you fancy getting blue and messy, then I can't think of a more worthy cause.

Posted by Adam Hunt





Omar Kashoura, SS2010

Omar Kashooura, SS2010

JW Anderson, SS2010

Top- Peter Jensen, SS2010, bottom Carola Euler, SS2010

David David, SS2010

Preview of Coming Attractions
Away from the frenzy and fun of the catwalks, Paris was crammed with British designers showcasing their Summer 2010 collections at venues across the city. The heatwave meant I unfortunately didn't drag myself as far as Rendez-Vous to see Horace, Unconditional, Carolyn Massey &  Pauric Sweeney's wares. But I couldn't resist a trip to Capsule, in a beautiful Marais mansion near our flat, to get a sneaky preview at what's going to be hitting the catwalks at London Fashion Week in a few months time!

JW Anderson
Painting and beachcombing combined in JW Anderson's Impressionist-inspired collection, which looks from what was on the racks like it could be one of the highlights at MAN this September, with Louis le Brocquy prints and sensual shell neckpieces nestled alongside a rainbow of soft silks and cashmeres. The shapes echoed that laid-back feel feel that a lot of next year's collections are targeting, with slouchy rolled-sleeve t-shirts, ankle-length trousers and lightweight sweaters.
 
Carola Euler
Pictures really can't do justice to Carola Euler's effortlessly simple pieces. She'd clearly had a premonition about the soaring Paris temeratures, with immaculate pale grey tailoring in nylons and light cottons which had the linings stripped out so they were thin to the point of translucency. Though she's now Berlin based, Carola's maintained the loyal UK fanbase she built up over a few seasons at LFW, and is kept busy responding to one-off commissions from over here! Her vision for the collection was almost like a series of toiles, which could be customised to produce bespoke colours and fabrics for individual retailers.

David David
David Saunders was nestled into an all-white alcove on the first floor, basking in the afterglow of having sold his whole collection, as well as securing a collaboration deal with a major Hong Kong store. His fragmented kaleidoscope prints in punchy blues, greens and pinks jumped out from the darker collections either side, and should look just as strong in the studio presentation he's planning for London in September.

Omar Kashoura
Kashoura's intriguingly titled "Popeye in Trouville" flyer had me anticipating sailor trousers, anchor tattoos and spinach (with maybe a few Olive Oyl-style red & black numbers on the side), but turned out to be a collection full of evocative seaside references, in turquoise blues, oranges and purples. The oversized Jarah Stoop knapsacks, tinted plastic birdwatcher capes and hazy pebble-prints scattered with frolicking crabs gave the collection a real humour and charm.

Peter Jensen
On the way out, I got sidetracked by Peter Jensen's playful hand-drawn prints and punchy colours, which introduced a brilliantly retro basket-weaving pattern alongside the already much-loved rabbit motif. It was great to see a menswear and womenswear collection side-by-side that had a common conceptual trigger but then bounded off in quite independent directions - I loved the rabbit cardigans and giant-striped blazers.

And this is just a quick taster of what's on the way for next year - through sheer laziness I didn't get to speak to the guys at Lou Dalton, Oliver Spencer, Mjolk or Chris & Tibor, but trust me - there's a lot of good stuff to come once we get through this winter's fashion Black period!!

Posted by John-Michael O'Sullivan







Party Monster
After watching Party Monster again recently I did a little Google search to remind myself about London’s own uber styled party scene. A photography project by Hakan caught my eye- the photos capture some really inventive peeps from the London club scene from a night called ‘Slave to Fashion’ at Beach Blanket Babylon.

With all too obvious comparisons to Ponystep it made me think about how I missed out on the BoomBox Book with M.A.C (I’m currently waiting for it to turn up on Ebay). It just reminds you what you can do with a trip to the fabric shop/charity shop and an old sewing machine.

Posted by Catherine Kinsella







Bursts of colour for any weather
Although we are currently basking in glorious sunshine we have all experienced the unpredictable British summertime and no doubt and with that comes a great deal of style head scratching. John Smedley’s SS10 menswear collection uses fabrics suitable for anything thrown at it during the British summertime. New mercerised cotton creates a range of crisp, lighter styles for warmer weather, cool merino wool for the milder days and new superfine merino jersey which will be great for layering.

In a recent piece in the Guardian which looked at the rise of men dabbling with colour, Head of Menswear Design Nick Thomas (who you may recall was awarded joint top prize at River Island Graduate Fashion Week in 2007) declared that "colour can be quite medicinal, I think. Even if the weather is dark and gloomy, wearing colour rather than blending in with the clouds is much better - escapism even. A great colour can help lift your mood." This collection looks set to lift any mood regardless of the weather and I can certainly get on board with that.

Similarly, for womenswear,  the SS10 collection is a smooth transition from the edge of winter to the height of summer using a bold colour palette which makes you stand up and take notice.  It is sensually luxurious with a quirky traditionalism that translates classic shapes into a more feminine and flattering shape. Taking inspiration from the modernist movement and expressionist art, the primary trend reflects abstract influences.  Geometric forms create colourful volume shapes and the colour blocked sweaters are bold.

For more information visit John Smedley.

Posted by Steve Salter











Hellz Bellz
A little something for our international readers. I love the two-tone lipstick and mini boater hats in this collection; lately my head is feeling very bare. This label has bags of energy and I love the personality injected into the look book.
A very wearable range for girls about town.

Find out more here.

Posted by Catherine Kinsella






The Zia Necklace
I haven’t had that much time to feed my Etsy addiction lately but given the chance I can spend hours and hours endlessly clicking away on the site, looking at all kinds of things. I have long admired sellers such as Angie from iheartnorwegianwood and the neckpieces at Giia, and am always wanting to find some more talent on the site.

That brings me on to my search for the perfect summer neckpiece, during which I came across the Zia necklace by Anonymous Agent, above. I find myself particularly drawn to the coral piece – from the pictures it looks like it has quite a cushiony feel, providing a real sense of fun! Definitely an item to put on my wish list and another Etsy seller to watch.

Posted by Emily Chan














Alice in Wonderland
Just in case you missed it last week…. these oh-so-fabulous images gave us a taste of what to expect from Tim Burton’s remake of Alice in Wonderland, which is due for release in March next year. I’ve always been a big fan of both the Disney film (as a child I watched it repeatedly) and Lewis Carroll’s 19th century fairytale, absorbed by the strange and rather perplexing characters and the unpredictable story.

Burton’s remake is almost like a sequel to the original story, as it takes place ten years after Alice’s first visit to Wonderland. I love the vibrant colours and the attention to detail…the white eyelashes, the grimacing roses- eccentric, unique and fantastical- just what you expect from a certain Tim Burton.

Warning- staring into a certain Mr Depp’s eyes for an extended period can result in severe hallucinations. I am however going to blame the ridiculous heatwave London is experiencing.

Posted by Vicki Loomes





Missoni Resort 2010
Missoni have continued their love for layering from their A/W ’09 show that had the models covered up in chunky knits into their Roesort collection for 2010. Each look is slouchy, easy to layer and looks incredibly comfortable.

I love the way Missoni have mixed their signature house print with a subdued colour palette, especially on the head-scarves and bags. The ‘bum bag’ style accessory looks so easy to wear and style. The subdued earthy tones give the collection a light, airy feeling that makes me want to jump straight on a plane and head to the beach.

Posted by Clare Potts











Sweet Escape
After 4 days of blistering heat, hard concrete pavements and pounding soundtracks, Qasimi bought a welcome burst of the Mediterranean to the 11th arrondissement this afternoon.

And with familiar faces from Blow on hand, and an all-too-rare free champagne bar, you could almost have been back in London again!

Opening with Mariano Vivanco's dreamily sensual sun-bleached video (see last week's behind-the-scenes diary), the audience were confronted with an eerie masked figure seated among blocks of driftwood and stone.

The clothes that followed mixed a feeling of easy grace with a sense of something ancient and mythic, with flowing shapes mixed with geometrical detailing and bursts of deep crimson and gold.

Each piece seemed to have a real imaginativeness, from the translucent shirts layered with cut-out skeletal shapes to the intricately gathered and folded trousers.

Posted by John-Michael O'Sullivan









The Big Blue
To be honest, Masatomo could have sent out absolutely anything for their show and I'd have been perfectly happy - the setting, in the courtyard garden of the Hotel St. James & Albany, was absolutely gorgeous, and after a few days when brands seemed hell-bent on finding the hottest venues in the city the shady courtyard couldn't have been more welcome.

Luckily, the clothes were pretty good too, from the intensely blue underwater print that ran through the whole collection to the amazing slashed monochrome striped tailoring and national-flag trousers. And while menswear collections can sometimes become monotonous through repetition, every single outfit here seemed to explore a new direction.

Posted by John-Michael O'Sullivan







Song Zio SS2010
Song Zio was the show I'd been most excited about seeing in Paris - I'd loved the sculpted luxury of their last collection, and couldn't wait to see what they had in store for 2010.

So the fact that we were running massively late and found ourselves miles from the show venue provoked a strop of giant proportions as I realised I might miss out!

One white-knuckle taxi ride later, the lovely folk at Tranoi Homme - clearly assuming our lateness meant we were somebody important - squashed a disgruntled line of front row quests together to give us a prime perch! It felt good (and a little bit evil…)

Seconds later, the show kicked off, and for once I didn't even think about taking lots of snaps - the clothes were so stunning the audience just seemed to go silent and drink them in.

The designer seems to be able to do incredible things with fabric, making the tiniest cuts and folds to trigger striking silhouettes. Part dancers, part martial-arts warriors, the clothes rippled off the models' bodies like water, with the white suits scored with black details being the standout pieces: giant metal armlets, collars and austere sandals gave the softness of the garments a futuristic edge.

Definitely worth the tantrum!

Posted by John-Michael O'Sullivan









A Painter's Eye
It was back to the Palais De Tokyo for the Wooyoungmi runway, and mercifully the temperature seemed to have dropped since the pressure-cooker experience the previous day.

With one whole side of the room occupied by a giant screen, across which a hand slowly daubed streaks of colour, we knew that - like McQueen's recent Milan collection - painting was going to be at the core of the show.

But when the show started you realised the Wooyoungmi vision was far more about an artist's lifestyle, with rolled-up bags that looked made for paintbrushes, and slouchy jackets over wide-legged trousers. The play on proportions the brand's become known for hadn't been forgotten, with sleeves slashed at the elbows, split-level coats and trousers which zipped apart as the seams moved round the leg.

Like the similarly painterly Gaspard Yurkievich show, it was the finale which pulled everything together, as purples, blues, beiges and greens merged to form a burst of springtime freshness.

Posted by John-Michael O'Sullivan







Good Boy Gone Bad
The Lanvin show early this morning managed to be simultaneously the most manic and yet slickly organised show of the week: despite the huge throng (who between them seemed to be cover every shoe trend around, from Lanvin's ribbon sandals and satin high-tops to a rare real life sighting of THOSE Prada studded brogues) they managed to sweep everyone in to the insanely ornate Salle Wagram ballroom in minutes, even managing to ferry around trays of food and drinks to keep us fortified!

I was back in press-pit mode again - the room was so vast that I was in the "shoes and details" section, hence the low point-of-view!

From the moment the first model emerged it was clear that there was a strong shift from previous seasons, from soft romanticism to something slightly more sinister, as models with card-sharp visors and pencil moustaches snaked up and down the ominously red-lit runway. With skinny ties, dark blazers and green and burgundy striped trousers, the looks progressed from cocky public-school wide-boys to sharp-suited gansters to sinister professors with shocks of Einstein hair and menacing goggle shades. You almost felt as though you were watching characters from an old black & white movie, as Elbaz and Ossendrijver played up each persona's quirks and details.

Silhouettes were less dramatic than last season's much-analysed A-shape, but there were plenty of quirky plays on high-waisted trousers and beautifully gathered coats, as well as a whole new family of covetable footwear to keep you salivating.

Posted by John-Michael O'Sullivan








Michael Jackson: Before the surgery, chimps and allegations.
fashion156 remembers the monumental impact Michael Jackson had on music and style. He will always remain on our playlist!

Smooth Criminal video above is one of our many favourites. 







My Bloody Valentine
Last show on Saturday was the first one where I got to hang with the big guys in the press pit & see the shows from the point of view you normally get to see online. Apart from nearly being deafened by the shouting - (incidentally, I get the impression male models don't respond well to being screamed at . . ) it's the one time you really get to see every detail.

I really liked Petar Petrov's Winter 2009 show, which was a collection of pale greys and whites dipped in neon yellow. This time round the colour came from super-glossy red trousers and bloodstain-spattered vests, mixed in with the clashing faded pastels that have been coming through in so many shows over the last few days.

And while the PVC trousers might have been a pain to wear on such a hot evening, the audience member who'd wrapped his legs in electrical tape over black leggings must REALLY have wanted to suffer for fashion!

Posted by John-Michael O'Sullivan










In the Furnace
The Palais De Tokyo has to win the prize for
most dramatic venue of the week - a huge square concrete box with a
giant void in the middle, and long lines of benches all around.

Yesterday
it would also have won the hottest spot in Paris prize, as we slowly
wilted in the afternoon heat, wedged together into a giant sandwich of
sequinned leggings, capes and bowties.

You envied the models
their flowing drapes, in Doma's trademark soft asymmetric outlines,
which had a really Japanese samurai feel in the flesh.

In the
stark Brutalist setting, the lushness of the folds really popped,
especially when the colour switched from pale whites and greys to
bloody red and finally to decadent, glossy black

Posted by John-Michael O'Sullivan





Tillman Lauterbach
Tillman Lauterbach were considerate enough to put their show on in a little gallery round the corner from our flat, so for once I was able to saunter in relaxedly rather than arriving in a sweat-soaked heap.

With a slowed-down version of Kate Bush's Running Up That Hill in the background, the models breezed round the rooms in loose head-to-toe toning layers, starting with peach before switching to greys and blacks. The 4 womenswear looks that were mingled with the menswear actually felt like the most interesting pieces, with looped drapery, rope detailing and viciously sharp heels!

The afterparty, late last night in a Montmartre backstreet club, turned out to be a masked ball -  a bit like Eyes Wide Shut, but with a free bar . .

Posted by John-Michael O'Sullivan

Images from mimiandthecity.





Morning in Paris
For most English kids, Saturday mornings centre round a trip to Homebase, followed by a pub lunch if you're lucky.

If you're a Parisian enfant, though, you get togged up in your designer best, swan off to the morning shows with your glamorous maman, and toddle round the catwalk as the free pre-show entertainment.

And the U-NI-TY show itself was just as laid back, with light, crinkled fabrics, wide trousers and jaunty hats. We even had a model/shoe malfunction, though a sandal fliping off doesn't quite have the impact of Naomi tripping over in 7" platforms!

Posted by John-Michael O'Sullivan.







An American In Paris
There's been a lot of excitement in the US press about New York designer Tim Hamilton's relocation to Paris to showcase his collection: fresh from winning the prestigious CFDA Swarovski Menswear award, his show managed to combine an All-American athletic simplicity with some very European shapes and textures.

It can be pretty dull to view sportswear on the catwalk, but Hamilton's fluid, abstract spin took it up a level. In the intimacy of the Tranoi show space, digital-print leggings, sheer rainwear and ruched shorts all jumped out, lifting the simplicity of the monochrome pieces and making the seemingly basic items feel incredibly luxurious.

Posted by John-Michael O'Sullivan






Big Love
After escaping from the dark bunker of the Rick Owens Show, the Walter Van Beirendonck presentation at the decadent Bataclan theatre provided a welcome dose of sunny optimism.

The once-infamous Belgian designer has been pretty quiet of recent years, but yesterday came back with a bang, using a parade of non-models of distinctly beefier proportions than the waifs we're used to seeing on the catwalk. From muscular to stocky to downright voluptuous, the guys strutted their stuff in neon pinks, greens, blues and oranges, before stripping down to well-stuffed Y-fronts for the finale!

And while the image of male perfection often feeling pretty unattainable , it was great to see someone being a bit more celebratory and playful about the average body for a change. It even seemed to prompt quite a few fashionistos (me included) to hit the greasy spoon round the corner straight after the show!

Posted by John-Michael O'Sullivan







Gothic Summertime
Rick Owens and Summer aren't necessarily words you'd put together - the L.A. designer's sense of austere Gothic drama always feels more suited to storms and wind than sunshine and surf!

But in a funny way, the collection - shown in what felt like a giant nuclear shelter at the Palais du Sport - managed over the course of the show to evoke a sense of lightness in the middle of all the black and grey.

Instead of his usual curved forms, the garment cuts were segmented and geometric, which initially looked disconcerting but actually moved really amazingly, like armour across the body.  Slashes of lighter colours, from inky blues to beige and white, sliced across the body so it felt like the clothes were being peeled apart at the seams.
 
Posted by John-Michael O'Sullivan