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?

LFW September 2013 NEWGEN

Now the London Collections are over it's time to start thinking about September London Fashion Week - The January of Fashion.
This year it'll be running from 13th-17th September. The BFC have selected 9 lucky up and coming designers to show this September in the new designer initiative, NEWGEN sponsored by Topshop.

Five of the designers have been sponsored to show on the catwalk, four for a presentation and one for an exhibition. One of the first catwalk sponsors is Jackie Lee for J J.S Lee. The Korean born designer is described as being 'chic' and a 'minimalist.' Another lucky winner is Brazilian Lucas Nascimento who graduated from the London College of Fashion in 2008 and has spent the last three seasons showing in Rio Fashion Week - didn't even know that existed! He likes working especially with knitwear and enjoys created silhouettes that you wouldn't expect to see from it. Thirdly, Marques'Almeida, the design duo that are Marta Marques and Paulo Almeida. (The next Dolce & Gabbana? We'll see.) They met at fashion school in Portugal, where they both graduated with Distinction. They both then moved to London and gained experience at vivienne Westwood. There work has been described as 'raw', 'young' and 'effortless.' Fourthly is Simone Rocha who's work is 'modern, strong and romantic' The Dublin based designer also graduated from Central St Martins. Sister by Sibling has three co-designers; Sid Byran, Joe Bates and  Cozette McCeery. They're from London, Leicester and Yorkshire and have said expect everything to be knitted - I'm intrigued by these three.

One of the first Presentation sponsors is 1205 by Paula Gerbase. Another graduate of CSM, she has 5 years experience working on Savile Row. So we can expect immaculate tailoring from this girl. Secondly, Nazir Mazhar - who I've previously mentioned in a post (this guy is doing well for himself.) And Lastly, Sophia Webster, who has been the design assistant at Nicholas Kirkwood since graduating from RCA in 2010. Expect, feminine lines, and single soles.

The one exhibition winner is Liam Fahy due to his innovative shoe designs. While studying at DeMontfort he won the Drapers Footwear Designer of the Year, so we can expect some major shoe poor from this guy.

Over all looking through some of the designers work, I'm excited to see what they pull out of the this September. I may also have the chance to work during the week as I'm now a uni student, which is such an exciting opportunity which I missed out on back in January. Will keep you posted if I do or not but definitely look up these lucky designers.

Major Players

I briefly mentioned The Times Fashion Rich List in a post last week and I decided to do some more research into some of the big big earners that have graced the list this year.

Heading up the list at number 1 is Galen and George West and family who own Selfridges and Primark. Before reading, I was only aware of them owning Primark and thought cor-blimey I'm surprised Primark is top, but the fact they own Selfridges as well kind of explains it seeing as Selfridges graces 3 cities in the UK alone and other stores worldwide include Russia, The United Arab Emirates and Japan.

 

Not far behind this is Sir Philip Green, who of course owns the Arcadia Group which includes Topshop/Topman, Dorothy Perkins, BHS, Miss Selfridge, Evans, Burton, Outfit & Wallis. Thats a lot of shops. Philip recently added Etam UK to the Arcadia family and paid £850 million for it. He repaid the £805 million he borrowed to finance the deal in a mere 2 years of buying it, so he's certainly still making a hell of a lot of money and clearly deserves his place in the top 3.

Number 3 surprised me slightly. Sir David and Sir Frederick Barclay who own Littlewoods have that position. They originally bought the company off of the Moores family for £750 million and then sold off what was left of the Liverpudlian stores to make it a remotely online service. Along side this they also own Yodel, the couriers, which is notorious for its poor server which consequently cost them £130 million in 2011. Poor them, I'm sure they'll live with the other 2.25 billion that they're worth.

Mike Ashley of Sportsworld and Sportsdirect is next which again I question because it seems to me lately a lot of sports stores have been going under. This might be because Sportsworld is thriving so much it's putting everyone else out of business! Every sports shop I've walked past in the past year seems to either be having 75% off sales or closing down sales but I guess they're not lying to me.

One thing I have noticed by researching more into these people is a lot of them seem to be tax dodgers. If you're a high earner (and thats putting it lightly), you need to pay your tax naughty people!!

High Heels Out, Kitten Heels In

Yes, I'm just as shocked you are. I don't know who thought that kitten heels were EVER okay but apparently the era of the 'slag' heel is over. Who states this? None other than Catherine Deneuve. In her latest book she has revealed that 'one cannot walk properly in very high heels.' Okay, that is nice for you but why do you have to ruin it for the rest of us Deneuve!!

Catherine is probably best known for her role in Belle de Jour, where she plays the housewife of bourgeois, who turns to afternoon prostitution to relieve her bordem. She wears seemingly high heels in the film, but it's only coming out now about her true footwear preference.

Kurt Geiger has revealed they've had a significant rise in sales of smaller heeled shoes compared to the extreme heights of some of the shoes they sell. To me, the shoes heels (below) don't scream 'sexy' at all. Actually they don't scream anything but frumpy. Even Louboutin has dabbled in a slightly, I say slightly, smaller heel compared to usual sky high heel, and even that is estranged to me.

1. // Topshop £42 2. // Stella McCartney £590 3. // Louboutin £395  

4. // Zara £69.99  5. // Kurt Geiger £85

For me, kitten heels will never be an option. I feel because I'm shorter I can get away with extremely ridiculous shoes that give me a few more inches or 6. If I were an above average girl I think I'd feel different. However, celebrities are bringing it back in which ultimately is what influences women. Flats or even smaller heels don't have to be frumpy it just depends on how you style them. What does everyone else think?

Easy VS Joni

Just about everyone and their mother knows or has heard about the American Apparel Easy jean, but how could you not, they are stunning. However, what is not so stunning is the price tag. At a whopping £64 (and I thought toppers jeans were pricey for what they are, but clearly not) they are at the higher end price range for jeans. Yes they do look amazing on, they're figure hugging in all the right places and similar to their disco pant they seem to suck you in which is always a plus.  The only thing which I don't love is the length. They don't vary in leg lengths which mean you have to spend more money having them taken up if you don't like that scrunched up effect by your ankles which I personally don't. The assortment of colours they come in however is great. They have anything from your standard light and dark denim to light wash pink and turquoise.

And then along comes Topshops 'dupe' version called the Joni jean. I couldn't say I wasn't curious so had to check them out. I'm personally not a denim lover so for me this was a real test. They come in both the standard range, tall and petite which I really like because I'm only 5'2 and find the petite length 28 is perfect for me so I snapped up the black pair. They arrived 2 days ago and all I can say is I've been converted. These jeans are amazing. They mould to your body shape, just like the AA easy jeans say they supposedly do, they are high waisted and look EXACTLY the same. These also come in a range of colours which is nice for SS13.

So for me, purely because of the price, I'd go for the Topshop ones because you're getting exactly the same jean, potentially a better leg length for us taller and shorter gals for half the price. So if you've loved the easy jean but couldn't afford the price tag, pick up the Joni's asap, it's definitely worth it.

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