Thursday 31 May 2012

Chanel Dragon 475 Nail Polish


I headed over to Chanel today in need of a beauty pick me up. I must have been hit with jubilee fever, as I couldn't resist this Dragon (475) red polish. 
To be fair, this weekend calls for nothing but red, white or blue. And if you resist?... 
Off with your head. 



Sass & Bide




Fashion's ultimate duo (soz Dolce, Gabbana).

"Casual". Friggin love HH!

COMME des FUCKDOWN


I hardly think I was the target customer when the idea was originally sketched up by Russ Karablin, and actually hate myself for wanting to pair it with a See by Chloe box jacket and Bally pumps.  
Nevertheless, it's in my shopping cart on SSUR


A$AP Mob // Vice



Wednesday 30 May 2012

Intelligent Opulence


As the sun starts to retreat back behind the clouds, and the light breeze we once welcomed to cool down our sun kissed shoulders turns to blustery, hair stuck to lip gloss type gales, I had the perfect excuse to look forward to the looks of A/W '12 and lay down my own view of what the shows had to offer us this February...

Dressing in the face of economic uncertainty, this season’s woman defies the law of most and indulges in intelligent frivolity. Wearing carefully selected pieces to slip seamlessly between the choices of seasons past, opulence still lives on in the form of embellishment, luxury finishes and materials oozing affluence and refinement.


Marking his tenth anniversary at the house of Lanvin, Alber Elbaz provided a delicious array of embellishment and clean lines. Among the rounded contours of leather and velvet lay coloured jewels of Tower of London proportions. Worn like medals of triumph the Lanvin woman, walking to Lesley Gore’s ‘You don’t own me’ sticks a manicured finger up to budget cuts and naysayers alike, and wears her monies earned with pride.

Miu Miu adds a delightful touch of texture with interlocked perspex disks placed playfully over shirts and ties. Pumping extravagance and depth into wardrobe basics, the renewal of last year’s cuts adds the intelligence to the frivolity. 


Louis Vuitton shows that it’s the little things that count, with suited maidens de-boarding a steam train, luxury fastenings running parallel to their first class tickets, providing not only functionality but decoration du jour. An elongated silhouette enhanced by Stephen Jones’ millinery exploits cements the look of pride and assurance whilst flickers of metallic brocade realises the air of exuberance which is worn almost as an accessory of it’s own.  

As if not to be out done, Moschino’s offering of printed golden embroidery provides the perfect host for the regal nature of this trend. A white runway illuminated by blackened out surroundings ensures the perfect stomping ground for the likes of Cara Delevingne, Ruby Aldridge, and Arizona Muse. Walking to the beat of marching band drums, marching strides slowly melt into a muted trance melody. A regimented brigade of Cadbury’s purple and canary yellow, the Moschino girl sports wrists full of gold and a heart to match.


The Salle Wagram was transformed into a cavern of darkness for the McQueen show. Spherical light bulbs hung like illuminated stalactites, highlighting the path to “a beautiful future, positivity, optimism” as described by Sarah Burton herself. Fuscia, blood red and powder puff pinks were sandwiched between swathes of white, providing the perfect habitat for the decoration embedded in the fabrics. A well turned out girl’s girl anchored by heel-less shoes showcased sheathes of tiered chiffon, with a boscage of ostrich feathers literally competing for the attention of the spotlights. Black visors sat anonymously, reflecting the artificial lighting from the ceiling of the listed building. Hiding the windows to the sole, they serve as the perfect shield to weather out the pecuniary storm. 

Luxury’s matriarch, this season’s woman pays no attention to pessimists, indulging in the finest materials and adorned in a treasure chest of jewels. 

A designer is anyone who devises ways to change existing situations into preferred ones. Fashion waits for no recession, but simply soldiers on, shaping the world around it to become a better place.

Lucy
xx






I've decided to start collecting books. Coffee table books to be exact, of the fashion variety.
I made a start during the writing of my dissertation on the covers of Vogue.
A fabulous addition to any room in need of a bit of *pazazz*. 

 I would hug myself for hours in this.
What dreams are made of.

Editor's Letter


So as I said, here's the first page of Grandeur. The Editor's Letter. The anchor of the ship. I hope you enjoy!..
Welcome to the first ever addition of Grandeur Magazine. 

It was only a few weeks ago that I was struck with a shiny little epiphany. Where everything I’ve been thinking about for the last year had just nestled neatly into place. 


It was when compiling our ‘The Insider Edit’ page that I was overcome with a sense of realisation. Realisation that the people that are imbedded in this seemingly untouchable world that we call fashion are actually not as untouchable as you may think.

Between editing the pages of their own magazines, dashing from meeting to meeting and boarding planes to destinations far and wide, these people took the time to answer our question. There was no form of payment, no fusspot, neurotic-rich time-poor PA hustling them to their next engagement. It was just me, my trusty Mac, and a bunch of people, experts in their crafts and generous with their knowledge. Moments such as that are the foundations of this magazine. 


A testament to the power of words, about which I discuss on page 54, and the unrivalled potential of Twitter, which inspired Mia Holt  to put pen to paper and discuss this topic on page 42.
The odds are that you have picked up this issue because you want to pursue a career in fashion, and the truth is you haven’t chosen an easy path. There will be years of hard slog and streamlined devotion, where your biggest reward will be the one of knowing yourself what you have achieved. In addition to keeping your head above the murky waters of University life, you will need to intern, probably hold down a part time job and cling on to some sort of social life.

As well as an artistic expression of fashion, art, and the world in which we surround ourselves, I envision this quarterly magazine to be the first port of call, a meeting of minds, and a way of making this path you have chosen a little smoother. Connecting the people who work successfully within the industry to those of you dreaming of working alongside them one day. Our aim is to stop you swimming against the tide and to teach you to swim with the current.

The one thing that connects everyone in this industry is that we are all daydreamers; some of grandeur, some of modest proportions. My absolute favourite saying is that of T.E Lawrence in The Seven Pillars of Wisdom; “Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their  minds wake in the day to find that all was vanity; but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dream with open eyes, and make it possible.”

And as they say, to love what you do, that is the ultimate goal. So here we are…


Lucy Smith

        Editor


Read the whole magazine here.


Tuesday 29 May 2012

MSGM Pre Fall 2012

Created by Massimo Giorgetti, Italian label MSGM is a brand I've been watching for a while. Now available in the UK via Harvey Nichols and ASOS, the brand is often spotted on the back of Chiara Ferragni.

Theres metallic, florals, fur, leather, geometric prints, leopard print, tweed, faux fur, fringing and a bit of 'peplum-ing' all coming together to create an, it shouldn't but it does, irresistible collection.

Spiked heels anchor a mix of tailored trousers and rose adorned skirts. Tweed jackets lined with chain, leather and fur encase floral blouses and and pussy bow necklines.

A collection infused with colour, shapes and lines MSGM is the one stop shop to inject colour, excitement and interest to your A/W wardrobe, ensuring a smooth transition to the colder months.



There is honestly nothing in this collection that I wouldn't wear. The tweed, chain lined jacket and faux fur cuffed gloves are going straight to the top of my christmas list. (Yes.. I have started it already.)

Enjoy at Msgm.it

Fantastico.



Lucy
xx

Week In Pictures

Grandeur

Yoo hoo! Over here! ...Remember me?

I'm the one who blogged about Paris nights, Chanel booties and creating my own magazine. Remember??

Well, I'm back ...And the reason for my 3 month hiatus? I've had a baby..


I've named it Grandeur.
During the last few months of my Fashion Promotion degree I was lucky enough to write my own final major project brief. So, armed with all of the knowledge gained at various internships, passion, drive and some serious market research, I undertook the gargantuan task of creating a magazine.
..And who wouldn't want to live out their dream job??

Lucy Smith : Editor at Large : Grandeur Magazine. YES!

As I discussed in a pervious post, I wanted to create a magazine for fashion students. A little bit of help, a little bit of inspiration, a little bit of love.

It currently resides on issue.com, so please click here and read away. I would LOVE to know what you think!

If you are reading this on an iPhone/iPad, I'll be uploading some of the main articles and features on here so you can have a read too.

Lucy
xx