The London College of Fashion annual festive pop-up shop, COLLEGE SHOP, has opened today with the biggest and most exciting stock of student and graduate work in its four year history. I have visited the shop every year - in the vibrant Carnaby area of London - and am always impressed with the creativity of... Continue Reading →
Growing up in the UK in the 80s meant that the phenomenon that is Victoria's Secret has largely passed me by. Even as my lingerie obsession deepened, the iconic US brand still failed to register on my radar until the opening of their first UK store in 2012. I went along to review it and... Continue Reading →
Earlier this month, I was alerted to a new project on the SHOWstudio website, entitled Girly. Created by editor Lou Stoppard and director Nick Knight, Girly aims to unpick fashion's relationship with overt, cartoon femininity and it does so in typical SHOWstudio style via a series of essays and interviews, a fashion film and a... Continue Reading →
As part of the research for my MA dissertation, I headed to Leeds earlier this year to visit the Marks & Spencer Company Archive. Housed in the Michael Marks Building on the University of Leeds campus, the archive contains more than 70,000 items from the company's history, including clothing, packaging and company documentation. On my... Continue Reading →
I first discovered the work of artist Hormazd Narielwalla when he came to talk to my MA group last year about Savile Row. Using discarded tailor's pattern pieces, his artwork brings together many things that fascinate me: the form of the body, the skill of the tailor, death and, of course, art. As Narielwalla had... Continue Reading →
Leather accessories have always fascinated me. Whether it's the luxurious feel of soft leather or the immaculate finish of a polished structured piece, I'm always amazed by what designers can do with this versatile material. Working at London College of Fashion has given me an insight into the processes and techniques that can be employed,... Continue Reading →
Before I went on holiday I introduced you to Collective 205, a group of 20 BA Fashion Contour students and 6 BA Fashion Sportswear students from London College of Fashion who have got together to stage their own exhibition of their graduate collections. Tonight, I popped along to the preview and was extremely impressed with... Continue Reading →
Regular readers of Rarely Wears Lipstick will know how much I love discovering new lingerie designers, so you can imagine how pleased I was when I got an email from a group of 2014 graduates who are showcasing their work next month. 20 BA Fashion Contour students and 6 BA Fashion Sportswear students from London... Continue Reading →
Last month I went to see Jean Paul Gaultier in conversation with legendary fashion editor Suzy Menkes. As they walked onto the stage at the huge Barbican Hall, the entire auditorium erupted into applause and ecstatic cheers as if an international rock star had just walked on stage at Wembley Stadium. I think you could... Continue Reading →
You may have noticed that I have not been posting as much as I have in the past, and that's because I've been busy beginning the research for my MA dissertation. I have already visited the Marks and Spencer Company Archive in Leeds, and the Symington Collection which is held at Leicestershire County Council's Collections... Continue Reading →