Battle Of The Brands

As you know, Isabel Marant has collaborated with H&M and Kate Bosworth was relived by Topshop. But it hasn't seemed to stop there. Topshop have now endorsed their 4th designer collaboration with Meadham Kirchhoff! The high street brands are really going at this Christmas to get shoppers out of other brands and into theirs - and rightly so, it is the season for good will and all that, but nothing wrong with a healthy bit of competition is there...

The collection is just 'cooky' to say the least, with goofy monster faces on knits to flaming headbands. If you would describe your style as minimalist you better stay well clear. Topshop has had many a success with its designer collabs in the past and I'm sure this one will follow suit. Whether you'd pick your office Christmas party outfit from the range? I'm not sure, but there's certainly a market out there for it. On the Topshop website, it describes the collection as 'kitsch' and kitsch it is.

So who did it best? Isabel for H&M of Kirchhoff for Topshop? Personally, I feel Kirchhoff will do better, sales-wise, but Isabel is more my style. What do you guys think? 

Kate Bosworth For Topshop

Kate Bosworth is back with her new A/W13 collection for Topshop. I remember her Spring festival capsule collection she did which wasn't too my taste so much but however this collection has pulled at my fashion heart strings. The use of silver and black, two of my favourite colours, is so minimal and effortless I just love it. However, what I do not love so much, is this wet-look hair. It just looks greasy and un-sleak. However I can just cover her face and admire the clothes haha. Nothing against her face, just purely the hair.

What do you make of the new collection?

Kate Returns To Topshop

There was pandemonium back in 2007 when Kate first launched her collection for Topshop. It sold out and eager buyers put it straight online to sell it at an extortionate rate, so it's no surprise to me Philip Green wants another collection from her.

The collection is set to launch April 2014, and consist of over 40 pieces including ready-to-wear, accessories and footwear which will be sold in other 40 countries. Although there are no sketches to be seen as of yet, Kate apparently has started work on her designers already. She says- 'I have really missed being involved in the design process and working with the Topshop team.' Mr Green also seems eager for Kate to be back with the Topshop family - 'The first time around was so much fun and she has been sorely missed.' He has mentioned the global aspect of the collection, saying there will be pop ups in department stores around the globe - how exciting!

There are still a few unanswered questions however; will Mossy be fronting the campaign? Will she still be the face of it or is Cara on the cards? (It is possible) and will she potentially be in the shop windows around the global like the first time round? We'll all have to wait and see.

I was only 12 when her first collection came out, but boy did I want a piece of it back then. Because of my age I never got to own a piece so this time round, if something tickles my fancy I will be right down there in line to buy. The collection first time round really reflected Kate's style I feel, girly with a punk-ish edge so I'm so intrigued to see what she brings to the table now! Are you?

Beckham Belstaff

David Beckham - dare I say more? He was on hand last night (Suday September 15th) to launch the new Belstaff store on Bond St. He saucily arrived on a motor bike in a sort of brigade with a group of other men and women. For some reason I thought I might have dreamed this before.. but anyway back on topic...

I think this is really clever marketing on Belstaffs behalf. It's hot topic right now that men buy clothing not fashion, and are just as easily influenced by celebrity endorsements as any women. It's no surprise to anyone that David Beckham is a handsome chap and men would be lying if they didn't want to be him, so what's the easiest way to do this? Buy the clothing he is seemingly seen to be wearing! Of course if he's been used by the brand he will all of a sudden be caught wearing everything and anything of their latest collection so men will see this, and be more intrigued by the brand.

Of course Beckham must have liked the brand otherwise he wouldn't want to put his name to it otherwise. It's also important that they launched during LFW, a crucial time for any brand. Clever Clever Belstaff. The amount of times I've written Belfast in this post by accident!

McCartney X Goop

Gwyneth Paltrow and Stella McCartney's fashion line is here! The duo have paired up to create a line for Paltrows Lifestyle site Goop. Officially named McCartney X Goop, the line launched September 12th and is said to echoes Paltrows style; 'timeless and effortless.'

At first glance, I expect there to be a lot more. It definitely defines 'capsule', or even smaller to be honest and there are only currently 6 items available on her site (www.goop.com) two of which are bags. However, the pieces that are there are timeless. It includes a black blazer, black staple pair of jeans, black jersey trousers and black jumpsuit. All I can say is black. And seeing as I love black of course it's a hit in my book!

As well as liking the clothes, I also quite like the graphics of it. I like how they've kept Stella's signature dotted font paired with Paltrows 'Goop' font from her site. The pink X ties it all together and is easily recognisable. All in all, it gets a thumbs up from me, and I'd be intrigued to see what else they bring out in the near future. It's a shame it's all CRAZY expensive with the blazer being £1,895 - tad out of student budget once again.

It Would Be An Honor

New York label Honor has come to the UK! It will be available via the designer online store Matches and is available as I type.

The brand is said to be similar to that of Miu Miu, but more affordalble. With the cheapest item being a silk blouse at £575, I wouldn't exactly call that affordable but compared to a similar tee from Miu Miu which is around a similar price, it could be seen as that to people who buy designer on a regular basis.

Taking a sneaky peak at their runway collection from last years New York Fashion Week, it's a brand packed full of colour, and fun colour at that. Giovanna Randall, who founded the brand back in 2010, has used a range of pink hues, pretty prints and girly trims.

I can definitely see a resemblance to Miu Miu, specially with the use of embellishments and I have my eye on a really fun twin heart blouse with matching trousers. But at $950 each, its slightly out of a students price range. What are your thoughts on the brand?

WANT WANT WANT

Trying To Make It's Mark

Marks & Spencer's have been a well loved well established brand for a while now, but over recent years have seemed to have lost their way a bit. They as a company can see that and as a new ditch attempt have created this new 'Leading Ladies' campaign. Shot by Annie Lebovitz for a reported £100,000 a day, you'd hope for them they'd bring something out of the bag. And I don't think they've failed in doing so.

I won't lie when my mum came back from a shopping trip with a friend with a HUGE M&S back recently I did think all she'd pull out where basic crew neck jumpers and t-shirts but I was pleasantly surprised. She informed me of how much she liked in there and was also very surprised and things she saw. She pulled out an oversized biker jacket with faux leather trimming, a red leopard print jumper, also with faux leather trimming around the sleeve and bottom edges, some contrast heel boots and many other faux leather laden goodies! After seeing all this I did a bit of googling and found the campaign and also took a quick look at the collection. It is fair to say they've really tried to up their game. I know they have a few different collections within the brand aimed at different age sections such as Per Una and Autograph and you can tell they've catered for everyone within each one of these but still kept the focus very much on the fashion.

My mums comment would be that she absolutely loves the new collection and campaign, she has since the shopping trip bought more things and is on the look out for a few others which seems to be unavailable online. She has also checked out local stores, none of which have the items in stock either. This is the only thing which she doesn't like, the collection seems so popular it's either out of stock or not even available in our stores yet. The first bits she got were from the Marble Arch branch which may be why as they're a flagship so get things before other smaller stores. But she is very impressed which I guess is a good sign from them, well done M&S!