The Style Soliloquist

Louis Vuitton L'Aventure Pop-Up Store Paris

Whilst in Paris during September, my visit coincided with the the opening of Louis Vuitton's travel dedicated pop-up store 'L'Aventure' on Avenue Montaigne. Naturally, I had to pop in for a look!

Craftsmanship is at the heart of the Louis Vuitton philosophy, and it's monogrammed luggage represents the epitome of quality and style for the discerning global traveler. Designed in collaboration with Monocle magazine's editor Tyler Brûlé and his creative team, the pop-up store offers visitors a fascinating glimpse of the intricate behind-the-scenes craftsmanship that characterises Louis Vuitton's most covetable 'objets voyeurs'.

Whilst browsing the latest additions to the Louis Vuitton luggage collection, you can observe skillful artisans as they work; painting, stitching and personalising, it is the human touch which makes these products so exquisitely timeless and unique.Yet the store is as much about offering special personal services as it is about exclusive products, and highlights include 'the art of packing' demonstrations, repairs and bespoke monogramming options.

One of the most striking features of the store interior is a large wall painting by Dutch illustrator Letman, which is made up of multi-coloured monograms inspired by the Louis Vuitton archives. Leather hammocks and palm trees add a relaxed, exotic feel to the store, and I love that you are supposed to feel as if you have stepped into a glamorous age-old travel agency as you browse.

I couldn't resist helping myself to a small selection of the 26 collectors postcards, representing an A-Z of travel destinations with recommendations of restaurants, bars and hotels on the back of each one. I also treated myself to a Louis Vuitton Tokyo city guide ready for my trip in February...

Harvey Nichols London Collections: Men Tour - Manchester

Last month I attended the London Collections: Men A/W 13 Tour presented by Harvey Nichols in Manchester to view a preview of some of the brightest new names in British menswear. Travelling from London to tour Edinburgh, Leeds and Manchester, the event featured Autumn/Winter menswear collections by Casely-Hayford, James Long, Christopher Shannon, Katie Eary, Lou Dalton, Mr. Hare and Bernstock Speirs. With most of the designers in attendance, it was wonderful to chat to them about the inspiration behind their work and the growing momentum of the rapidly-evolving menswear industry.

The nature of many menswear labels associated with London Collections is somewhat ‘London-centric’, so it is fantastic to see a selection of exciting LC:M labels gaining recognition further afield; especially in the North of the country! Introducing a new audience to the strength of the design talent currently emerging from London, Harvey Nichols buying manager Darren Skey describes how the tour was a ‘chance for us to firstly create wider recognition of these brands and secondly test our regional markets to understand their thirst for them with the intention, if successful, of rolling out in the future’.

Set in the contemporary music, arts and cultural exhibition space of Manchester’s creative Northern Quarter 2022NQ, an endless supply of complimentary cocktails, inventive canapes and upbeat live music encapsulated the creative energy of the London catwalks. It was brilliant to talk to Harvey Nichols fashion director Paula Reed at the event, who commented ‘that energy is reflected in dynamic sales growth in all our [Harvey Nichols] stores’ and ‘in respect of menswear in particular, the interest in British designers is not limited simply to a niche of fashion mad customers in capital cities’.

I love a mix of classic and contemporary design, and although all of the collections are impressive, some snapshots below show a selection of the pieces that stood out to me from Mr Hare, Casely-Hayford and Katie Eary:

Mr Hare

Casely-Hayford

Katie Eary

The London Collections: Men designs are available to buy online from harveynichols.com and at selected Harvey Nichols stores.

Talking Menswear with David Gandy

‘Fashion is fuelled by passions elsewhere.’

Delighted to be a guest at The Industry London’s exclusive networking event last Wednesday, it was fascinating to listen to David Gandy in conversation with Hilary Alexander, answering questions about his successful career as the world’s only male supermodel. However, with a keen interest in the growth of British menswear and the future of men’s global fashion, there were a number of menswear-related questions I was eager to ask him myself...

David Gandy. Photo Credit: Sam Atkinson for The Industry

It can be a common misconception that the fashion world exists in isolation, so it was great to hear David talk about his equal passion for fashion and cars and how fashion can relate to men through other industries. As a self-confessed car aficionado, modelling is only one aspect of David’s life, and he admits that one of the best things about his job is the other opportunities and interests that modelling has enabled him to pursue.

Arriving at The Old Sorting Office for last month’s London Collections: Men driving a classic Morgan car for example, David demonstrated how effortlessly the worlds of fashion and motoring can coalesce. The extraordinary excitement generated around the car during his arrival and departure shows that fashion is indeed enriched by other passions; proving to men that fashion is neither scary nor inaccessible.

Photo Credit: The Morgan Motor Company
http://www.morgan-motor.co.uk

Photo Credit: The Morgan Motor Company

Writing a popular blog for Vogue.co.uk, contributing as a writer for Man about Town (one of my personal favourite men’s publications) and reviewing cars for GQ, David establishes a voice through which he can express and unite his interests in cars, fashion and other passions in his life, without being in front of the camera. As part of the discussion on Wednesday I enjoyed hearing his animated account of a recent Jaguar trip with Yasemin Le Bon, in which the duo participated in The Mille Miglia in Italy, racing 1000 miles in what David described as one of the toughest but greatest adventures of his life.

Keen to ask David about his observations of the augmentation of the menswear industry, until the inaugural London Collections: Men, he had noticed a gradual expansion of the menswear market since the start of his career. However, thanks to the resounding success of LC:M, he has seen interest in British menswear explode in the last few years.

LC:M attracts incredible global attention to British fashion talent, and David commented that the Asian market is a very important menswear market, not just for the world, for Britain, too. David believes that when it comes to individuality, British designers have the edge over anywhere else, with a wealth of young, fashion-forward designers shaping the future of innovative British design, fuelling a market which continues to get bigger and better.

Interested in emerging menswear designers, I asked David which menswear brands he thinks are particularly exciting for the future, and right now he believes that one of the best tailors in the world is Thom Sweeney. I have a thing for quality suits and tailoring (those who know me well will vouch for this!) and Thom Sweeney first really caught my attention when David Beckham arrived at the London 2012 Olympics in a speed boat, wearing an exquisite Thom Sweeney two-piece wool suit and silk tie.

Thom Whiddet and Luke Sweeney. Photo Credit: Thom Sweeney
http://www.thomsweeney.co.uk/#/about/index.aspx

Photo Credit: Thom Sweeney

I love how every Thom Sweeney suit is perfectly tailored to the personality and individuality of each client, whether the client is a lawyer, journalist, model, financer, T.V presenter or artist. The exhilarating new world of bespoke which has been created by Thom Whiddet and Luke Sweeney encapsulates the ultimate in luxurious craftsmanship and quality, and as David pointed out, if you turn on your T.V and see a great suit, it's most likely Thom Sweeney. I could go on to say a lot more about Thom Sweeney tailoring, but I will save further thoughts for a dedicated post!

David is an ambassador for Thom Sweeney, but he is also determined to keep men’s fashion accessible to everyone and he has long been a devoted advocate of M&S. Proud of British heritage, he is particularly excited by the M&S Best of British range to be launched by M&S in autumn in partnership with the British Fashion Council. First presented at LC:M in June, there could not have been a better occasion to showcase the modern yet unapologetically British collection characterised by tweeds, checks and British materials to celebrate the best of British design and manufacture.

David mentioned that a lot of men aren’t aware that this sort of style and quality exists on the highstreet, and of the 44-piece premium collection modelled by Oliver Cheshire (excellent casting), the double-breasted men’s overcoat and Donegal-tweed two-piece suit are a few of my favourite capsule pieces. Encompassing a broad range of classic consumers as well as an increasing growth in the under 35 market, the M&S brand is pushing their style aspect further with this collection and it will be interesting to gauge its popularity when it goes on sale in October 2013.

Donegal-tweed suit. Photo Credit: M&S.

Overcoat. Photo Credit: M&S

Men's fashion is ever-expanding, with more men taking an interest in their personal style and an increasing number of high-profile men from different industries such as sport and acting becoming closely associated with fashion. Asking him about role models, David thinks that the topic of role models in fashion is interesting; he’s not sure you can aspire to be in fashion as much as an industry such as sport for example, however, he believes that fashion can still be incredibly inspiring for men.

There is now so much inspiration out there for men with an interest in style that it can seem quite intimidating, so David tries to make fashion tangible for everyone, conscious not to alienate any man from fashion. What he has always tried to do is to simplify fashion for men, and his style guide app serves to provide some much needed straightforward advice on how to build a wardrobe for every occasion.

Women have long had access to a preponderance of information about fashion, where stylish celebrity and street-style looks are regularly recreated for different budgets in 'Get the Look' type edits. Yet men also look at contemporary style icons and often think ‘how do they do that?’, so it is a brilliant idea to make shopping and style as uncomplicated as possible for men, too. Of course, some men enjoy styling for themselves, but many are grateful to have complete outfits edited and pieced together for them so that all they have to do is go online and click to buy.

Compared to the saturated womenswear market, the fast-growing, underserved menswear market looks set for a dynamic and lucrative future. I agree with David that there aren't many stores dedicated solely to menswear; however, as the emergence of men’s-only flagship stores across the luxury segment begin to pave the way for the burgeoning menswear market, there's a good chance highstreet stores will follow suit, to give men more choice than ever before.

Thank you to The Industry for hosting the event; it was wonderful to meet David in person and I am extremely grateful for his insightful answers to my menswear questions. Thank you, David!

A Dangerous Obsession With Science and Beauty - Diversity NOW! Winning Journalism Entry

I was surprised but delighted to win the journalism category of the Diversity NOW! Competition in association with i-D Magazine with my award presented to me at Graduate Fashion Week a few days ago.

The journalism brief was a piece of energetic writing, charting a thoughtful and adventurous journey through or about image. It was to include a brief analysis the current culture of beauty and body ideals from your perspective and be no longer than 800 words. The aim of the competition was to empower the next generation of creatives, from design, film, photography and journalism to create a fashion future that promotes a broader range of body and beauty ideals to truly celebrate individuality.

Fashion media is an increasingly powerful source of inspiration, information and comparison, and taking part in this thought-provoking competition has changed my perspective on the notions of beauty and the way that fashion is communicated. In a world where the boundaries of science, technology and beauty are becoming increasingly blurred, I think that it is vital to communicate a positive message that the future of fashion should embrace diversity and different types of beauty.

My winning entry is below:

Modern society has developed a dangerous obsession with science and beauty; a combination of powerful forces which, when combined, are alluring, seductive and mystifying. It is human nature to be seduced by beauty and to strive for self-improvement; to push the boundaries of humanity to become stronger, faster and more desirable. We live in an innovative, progressive society, constantly chasing the reward of the future, yet consequently, we are barely aware of the beauty of the present. Amidst our rapid race to move forward and improve ourselves, it is poignant to stop and think. About beauty. About the future. About humanity.

With eclectic channels of creative expression permeating the world around us, it seems incongruous that we should limit ourselves to portraying images which promote narrow ideals of beauty, endorsing unrealistic expectations of bodily perfection to define socially acceptable appearances.

What about diversity?

Such is the destructive nature of projecting images of digitally constructed beauty in the media, body dissatisfaction is now considered a normative discontent. Considering that we live in a society which prides itself on empowering and inspiring its population, it seems repressive and dysfunctional that women in particular are resorting to dangerous practices of self-destruction, putting themselves at risk in pursuit of what they are led to believe is the perfect body.

Cosmetic surgery procedures and eating disorders are rife and self-esteem is at an all-time low. This is at odds with the image of an empowering society. In the Western World it is engrained in our beliefs that we, as individuals, are responsible for ‘making it happen’, and in contemporary culture this ‘it’ is increasing associated with achieving physical perfection. With each one of us held responsible for our successes and failures, the value of success should be re-evaluated, with less emphasis placed on appearance as the dominant formula for personal achievement.

It is important to consider the nature of the society we are creating for younger generations; to analyse the messages we are communicating about the true meaning of beauty and the values of humanity. When I look at an image of a woman that has been subject to hours of meticulous manipulation to erase any trace of imperfection, I don’t see perfection as a result. Instead I see someone who is sterile, sinister and artificial. This goes for the faces I see which have been distorted by plastic surgery in order to imitate the look of a flawless image.

I like to see wrinkles to know that a person has laughed; I like to see scars to know that a person has lived and I like to see flaws to know that a person is real. Reality is not perfect, yet perhaps the most meaningful form of beauty lies in truth.

In the modern, cosmetically altered woman, a monster has been created; her skin is flawless, her lips are plump, her cheeks are well-defined, but her face lacks the capacity to express her emotions. With a countenance that defies her inner feelings, she is barely human.

Advances in technology and science in contemporary culture have enabled the human race to strive towards achieving the impossible. The conflict between nature and culture has been prominent since civilization began, yet never before has nature been defied or pushed to such extremes as it is in our current society. Experimenting with the configuration of the human body, we are dabbling in the unknown. The threatening development of genetic modification for aesthetic enhancement is surely a step too far? Attempting to re-code the very building blocks of our existence is dangerous territory. Push nature too much and she is sure to rebel.

With this in mind, I envision two potential futures; one is an uncertain future in which the face of beauty is homogeneous and manufactured; the other is an exciting future in which beauty is representative of individuality and creativity. It is within our power to shape the beauty of the future wisely, and responsibly, by challenging conventional notions of beauty and promoting images which are beautiful regardless of race, age, size or gender. We should portray images which encourage self-esteem rather than self-destruction, celebrating the eclecticism of natural beauty which cannot be digitally constructed on a computer screen or cosmetically enhanced in a surgery. Let us embrace diversity. NOW.

Bip Ling - Graduate Fashion Week Ambassador for NTU

Before her arrival, blogger, model and DJ Bip Ling didn’t know what to expect of her visit to Nottingham Trent University a few weeks ago. However, after viewing the graduate Fashion Knitwear and Fashion Design collections, she left incredibly impressed by the design talent at NTU.

As our Graduate Fashion Week 2013 ambassador, Bip had the enviable but difficult decision of choosing an outfit from the talented NTU graduate designs to wear at GFW. She loved the structure of a blue jacket by fashion designer Sophie Canning, and the character of a crazy knitted jacket by fashion knitwear designer Danielle Wells, but in the end she chose to wear a beautiful skirt designed by Hayley McBride with a tailored jacket by designer Nay Young Shim. Overall Bip was amazed by the eclectic use of different colours and fabrics used throughout all of the collections, and ‘mind-blowing’ was just one of the many adjectives she used to describe the garments she saw.

Bip likes dressing up in clothes with attitude, and having started to run a club night when she was just seventeen as well as designing T-shirts, she has always been creative. With experience in many different areas of fashion, Bip’s advice on the industry is invaluable. As well as gaining work experience in industry, she stresses the importance of meeting people and sharing creative inspiration. Photography, design, film-making and styling all contribute to creating amazing fashion; see the world and take it all in, then connect to create an explosion!

The highly anticipated NTU graduate show at GFW was an incredible sell-out showcase of a selection of NTU’s most promising designers, and for Bip, the most exciting thing about attending GFW was the chance to soak up the upbeat atmosphere and support unique up and coming designers. Bip’s a firm believer in finding what you like and what makes you happy and going for it; the bolder and brighter the better. An inspirational ambassador for any aspiring creative!

'Dreamscapes' - Tim Walker Exhibition Preview at The Bowes Museum

Long captivated by the enticing fantasy of Tim Walker’s photographs, I was delighted to be invited to the preview event of Walker's most recent photography exhibition 'Dreamscapes' at the beautiful Bowes Museum at Barnard Castle. Having enjoyed the hugely successful Tim Walker ‘Storyteller' exhibition at Somerset House at the end of last year, I was intrigued to see how the esteemed curator, former Turner Prize judge Greville Worthington, would interpret and display the iconic work of one of the worlds most visually exciting contemporary fashion photographers.

The Bowes Museum . Image - Musuem Network UK

It is always a challenge to inspire people to look at things they have seen before in a different way, however, by using lightboxes to display Walker’s photographs for the first time, the innovative Dreamscapes exhibition offers a refreshingly different perspective of Tim Walker’s work. On entering the darkened exhibition room, visitors are able to view Walker’s imagery in an entirely new light. I was already familiar with many of the images featured in the exhibition, but never before had I seen them presented with such an invigorated intensity of colour, illumination and fantasy. The 3D effect of the lightboxes really does bring the images to life.

Inside the Dreamscapes Exhibition at The Bowes Museum

Many photographs featured in the exhibition were taken in Northumberland, not too far north of The Bowes Museum, inside the rooms of Eglingham Hall and outside in the surrounding gardens and countryside. The Dreamscapes exhibition focuses primarily on the concept of landscape photography, but as the title suggests, not on landscapes as we know them. Walker's work is renowned for an ethereal, dreamlike quality, and with roots in traditions of English landscape painting, elements of surrealism juxtaposed with traditional English scenes make this collection of otherworldly images particularly mesmeric.

Guinevere Van seenus and LinderSterling collage, Eglingham Hall, Northumberland (2011)
© 2011 Tim Walker, Dreamscapes at The Bowes Museum

Some of the images in the Dreamscapes exhibition feature models; an eerily beautiful shot of Kristen McMenamy at twilight and a whimsical picture of Stella Tennant and a pink powder cloud are among my favourites, however other images portray intricately crafted scenes which border on surrealism, taking the inside outside and bringing the outside inside. An image titled ‘Snow in Summer’, a photo capturing an ornate, flower-filled room disturbed by a unexpected flurry of snow, seems fitting considering recent, extreme weather conditions!

Stella Tennant and pink powder cloud, Eglingham Hall, Northumberland (2007)
© 2007 Tim Walker, Dreamscapes at The Bowes Museum

Stig the dog and crystal galleon, Stoke Park Pavilions, Northamptonshire (2010)
© 2010 Tim Walker, Dreamscapes at The Bowes Museum

Despite having photographed for the world’s leading fashion magazines, it is interesting that it was never an interest in fashion which motivated Walker to photograph, yet it is through fashion photography that he continues to transgress the boundaries of reality to explore the realms of dreams and fantasy. Although Walker’s work toys with surrealism, the images are very real, created using impressive props and installations instead of digital manipulation. Where the Storyteller exhibition at Somerset House recreated imposing sets in which to immerse visitors in the spectacular theatre of Walker’s stories, the bold simplicity of ‘Dreamscapes’ heightens the sense of mystery and emphasizes the artistic elements of his work.

Opening speech by curator Greville Worthington

Grand entrance of The Bowes Museum

The preview itself was a wonderful event, and I welcomed the opportunity to look around the museum during a drinks reception and before the opening speech. Meeting Tim Walker himself was certainly the highlight of the evening! In his opening speech, Worthington acknowledged that the great turnout of guests who attended the preview event indicated that interest in the creative arts is very much alive and kicking, and for me it was a nice change to travel north to The Bowes Museum to view a prestigious exhibition outside of London.

Drinks reception

Meeting Tim Walker

The Dreamscapes exhibition opened at The Bowes Museum on May 25th and continues throughout the summer until the 1st of September 2013. Worthington’s challenge is to get more people to visit the Dreamscapes exhibition than the Storyteller exhibition; an ambitious aim, but where Tim Walker’s photography is concerned, anything is possible. Marvel at Walker’s stunning interior and exterior landscapes and be inspired by settings where dreams and reality are merged into one.

I would like to thank The Bowes Museum for kindly allowing me to take photos inside the museum on the PREVIEW NIGHT ONLY to provide a small glimpse of this exciting exhibition. To see more, you'll have to visit yourself!