After seeing the V Avenue Shoe Repair’s show at Stockholm fashion week, and reading an article recently titled “3D no longer only in cinemas”, I got intrigued and fascinated by the part 3D printers will play in the fashion industry and for the consumer. The Swedish brand mentioned above used one of these printers to create jewellery for their collection - gold-coloured, claw-like creations. This is not the first time the technique has been used, last year the brand Continuum created the very first bikini in nylon with a printer which is currently on sale (on their website).

If you’re wondering how all of this will works, you’ll download a three dimensional “print”, and then the printer will do the rest of the work; re-creating it layer by layer (an item can also be scanned in a 3D-scanner). You will be able to colour parts of the object but not in any material. In the near future people will be able to have 3D-printers at home, they’re getting cheaper as times goes by. Which means people who enjoy creating DIY-accessories will be able to print everything from necklaces to sunglasses - even a pair of heels.

There are endless possibilities for the creative mind but there’s unfortunately a negative aspect to it as well: it will be big business for people who make a living copying designer handbags and other accessories. Of course there are limits to which designs are in the danger zone, not everything is made in materials which can be copied. It’s hard to say how widely it’s going to affect the market and what the consequences will be for the industry.

I don’t want to speculate if there’s any similarities with what the music industry has gone through during the last decade, losing roughly half of their sales to downloading. It seems far-fetched to say a 3D-printer will make more people productive also wanting to print the things that are more easily bought. Many people buy fashion items for the quality and others for the brand name, which can never be replicated with a printer.

Nick Knight is known all over the globe for his fashion editorials, and for this he’s been awarded countless times. Knight is undeniably a British national treasure when it comes to fashion photography and film. He’s also the director of the website SHOWstudio, which is dedicated to online fashion broadcasting. He started the site in 2000, long before everyone else was doing it, and since then it has revolutionized live interactive projects and fashion films.  

If you were lucky you popped by the site and watched a live stream when he was standing behind the camera shooting a fashion film starring super model Karlie Kloss. The film celebrates a decade of Topshop sponsoring the British Fashion Council's NEWGEN scheme. Showcasing the very best of ten years of talent with garments from the one-off collections created for Topshop by some of the greatest of British fashion. (TIP: don’t forget Mary Katrantzou’s stunning collection for Topshop launching today in their stores.)

To stay informed we suggest you follow SHOWstudio on Facebook; then you can see when they’re live streaming. Another great stream they recently had was from the photo-shoot with Lara Stone called “ Power-dressing”, styled by Carine Roitfeld. If you sat in front of the computer that day, you got to see Roitfeld live in action when she picked out outfits for Stone to wear. Such a rare occurrence that ordinary people never get to see up-close and behind the scenes.

Mary Katrantzou for Topshop
Image Courtesy of Graziadaily.co.uk
 

This is not the only reason we highly recommend you to check out the site, they also have a lot of interesting “In Fashion” interviews. Today just in time for London fashion Week A/W 2012, which starts with Central Saint Martins MA show, they befittingly uploaded an interview with renowned Professor Louise Wilson OBE. She’s influenced designers as diverse as Alexander McQueen, Christopher Kane and Mary Katrantzou. There’s a rumor that if you don’t get on her good side then you won’t make it to the top class of the fashion industry. There might not be any truth to it, but it makes it even more intriguing to watch WIlson discuss her work with journalist and author Hywel Davies.

Watch the interview here.

It would have been easy to quickly dismiss Robin Givhan’s piece in Newsweek, headlined “Lagerfeld is Overrated”,  with its sole purpose not to inform but to sell copies. Then there’s the fact that the article itself is built on no strong arguments; the things the Pulitzer prize winner writes are only backed up by a few hand-picked sources (one should reflect long and hard on why she selected these people to out their opinions). A large group of the fashion industry would have nothing else than praise for the multi-talented artist Lagerfeld.

Foremost one can see why somebody would want to write an article about Lagerfeld's choices in business. One can ask the question why he does so many collaborations as the one with Coca Cola and Magnum ice cream... He doesn't need more money, so why? But this story is not written about the businessman Lagerfeld, but about the designer. When you're heading into deep water and you know you're in a rowing-boat you should be careful. Givhan is clearly fishing for people to purchase a paper magazine that's losing income. As Karl himself put it:

”I feel sorry for Tina Brown that her paper is really going down. It’s so skinny, it’s really what we call a ‘diet issue’ because it has no advertising and she certainly will not get advertising with this kind of article.”

This is what Givhan writes about Lagerfeld's work for Chanel:

"What Lagerfeld did not do is add to the vocabulary itself. If a great designer is judged by a silhouette he has popularized, a sensibility he has nurtured, or an aesthetic that is unmistakably his own, then Lagerfeld has failed."

As she mentions early on, Lagerfeld has worked for both Fendi and Chloé as well as Chanel, and more importantly, has his own brand. Is she deliberately ignoring the fact that if you take over a fashion house like Chanel, with a former iconic master such as Coco Chanel, you must keep the legacy and essence of her work alive? You must never fail to represent the founder's work with a new twist. If this is removed from an old fashion house it should no longer wear its founder's name.

Chanel Haute Couture
Image Courtesy of urfunked.com

 "Lagerfeld is the personality who guides the Chanel brand. But the designer has never shifted Chanel away from the all-consuming presence of Coco... not in the way in which Sarah Burton is moving Alexander McQueen away from the emotionally freighted yearnings of the individual and toward a more dispassionate corporate entity,” Givhan writes.

It will be impossible to cover all of the brilliant and innovative things Lagerfeld has done during his long stay as creative director. Set aside the religion that surrounds the man, he has never failed to create the most talked-about and admired collections, praised for keeping the essence of Coco with a modern and new twist while mixing in his own dream-like creations.

Image Courtesy of Initials D.B. (blogspot.com)

Givhan is ignoring what Sarah Burton is really doing with McQueen's brand: giving the collections a more feminine touch which means making it more her brand. To cut a brand's bond to its origin is a dangerous path to embark on. She's still kept the craftsmanship of Lee McQueen, which is very important, but has removed the political statements McQueen was known for.

The question is: should we even compare two designers who are different in so many ways and say one is better than the other?
 

There is coming in loads of content from New York fashion week, and not everyone might have the time to look at the live streams from the shows or the massive amount of photos. To make it easy for you, we at TellusFashion have picked the hottest shows that has impressed so far.

First and foremost BCBG Max Azria made a much better collection than in several seasons, even though it resembled the last one’s, it topped them all. They had succeeded in a class of their own with the details of each garment, especially the flaring pleats but also the square pattern. Starting the show by sending out a model in a cool trench with leather pockets made one more intrigued about what to come. The looks that came out after were at first modest, than the heavy artillery came: a lot of color-blocking. As usual all dresses are in knee-length, but if you thought that would remove the hotness think again because see-trough fabric is attached cleverly to hint what might be underneath.

Derek Lam released his Lookbook for the diffusion line 10 Crosby Derek Lam, which had more every-day wear and only a few party dresses. Several wine-red garments, trendy pajama pants and knitted sweaters, which initially means the perfect selection for the fashionable woman. The lower price range makes it more accessible, compared to his other line.

We will end this post with some edge from Libertine who always gives the audience a collection with a feeling of rock’n’roll. The use of grey branches printed on black was reoccurring throughout the show, which looked arty, especially on an all-black transparent top (see photo below). A small selection of cool furs came down the runway, a red one that definitely will stand out in the dark autumn season. But there was one thing that stole the show - the red and black glittering boots.

Almost all of the shows are held at Berns
 

After looking through the photos I took during the three days that Mercedes-Benz fashion week lasted, I evaluated all the looks from the different shows. I came to the conclusion that the two best were Dagmar in first place and secondly Tiger of Sweden. The three sisters behind the brand Dagmar should be tremendously proud of the outcome, every single look stands out and Style.com was as impressed when they wrote:

    "Dagmar was the highlight of the day, if not the week."

Image Courtesy of Mercedes-Benz Stockholm Fashion Week
 

Take a closer look at Dagmar’s long dresses, all art-deco inspired, with a slit showing a lot of leg, some of them with long stripes of transparent fabric revealing skin, another hot element. The knitted sweaters all look as if they could be worn as dresses, one of them stunned the audience when it appeared with Yeti-like arms. In Scandinavia we need warm garments, therefore a fluffy vest is not unexpected, but what was was that it reached down to the feet of top-model Frida Gustavsson, but nevertheless it looked stunning. A black and fierce leather-cut top, suiting for a warrior princess, was the garment that received most attention. This was the only A/W collection that successfully combined daywear and evening wear.

Tiger of Sweden’s collection consisted of more all-around wear than Dagmar’s; a lot of tailored coats, of course a couple of pairs of leather pants and black furry jackets. Many of the models wore black hats which gave a cool effect to the looks, it might also had something to do with that the models walked out in a trio (very powerful). One dark orange colour was returning during the whole show, combining perfectly with black. If one had to choose the best look it must have been a suit in the magnificent orange nuance mentioned above.

If your going to choose what to import from Sweden for next season, it should be any dress or garment from Dagmar’s triumph collection.

Two of my looks at Fashion Week:

The Duchess of Cambridge wearing Jenny Packham at the ARK charity gala

A host of stars, including The Duchess of Cambridge, have turned heads in her designs...but for many, Jenny Packhams’s label has remained off budget. But now the British designer is launching a cut-price collection for high street giant Debenhams.

The No.1 Jenny Packham collection will consist of women’s, accessories and children’s clothing designed exclusively for the store, retailing from £85 to £60 and lauches in April. The collection captures Jennys’ signature style across 19 dresses, available in soft metallics, florals, intricate prints and bold block colours all in Packham’s trademark wrapping, pleating and gentle draping in a variety of styles from floor sweeping maxi-dresses to organza prom dresses.  

The collaboration will also see Jenny’s first foray into designing childrenswear, as the woman’s collection is complemented by a capsule bridesmaid offer. The flower girl and bridesmaid dresses take Jenny’s signature elegance and attention to detail, to create lovely pieces for children, featuring georgette, lace and intricate embellishment.

The first eight dresess in the women’s collection will be available in stores and online in April. with the remainder arriving throughout the summer.

The first eight dresses in the women’s collection will be available in stores and online in April, with the remainder rolling out through the summer.

Jenny said, “As a young girl I was regularly abandoned in Debenhams Southampton whilst my parents disappeared off to search for the latest Teasmade or some other ‘must have’ electrical appliance. During this time I lost myself in the rails of 70’s polyester and dreamt of a line in fashion.

“Therefore it is only natural that I have chosen Debenhams to launch my first High Street collection.

“My aim always is to design styles that create glamour and excitement whether it is for the red carpet or a teenage prm.

“My collaboration with Debenhams is a great opportunity for me to offer my signature style at an attainable price.”

Jenny Packham will join designers such as Matthew Williamson, Julien MacDonald, Jonathan Saunders and Roksanda Ilincic who have also created capsule collections for the retailer.

With the luxury brand known for having an elite fan base, Packham’s purse friendly pieces are sure to be a hit with price-conscious shoppers. Stars such as Keira Knightley, Beyonce, Rihanna and Cameron Diaz have been spotted in Packham’s gowns and last year The Duchess of Cambridge chose to wear the designer on three separate occasions, the most memorable of which no doubt being the shimmering gown she wore to the ARK charity gala (pictured above)

TREND SPOTTING 

In the sinister chill that has suddenly descended upon us, it is hard to envision the light at the end of the tunnel. Indeed, between the frost, mist, and 2 pm sunsets, it is a wonder we can see anything at all. But fear not, for as is the circle of life, winter too shall come to pass. Spring, with its promise of early rosebuds and fleeting butterflies, beckons, and with it, a mini-revival within the fashion world. Like a caterpillar emerging from its cocoon a fully-fledged butterfly, the progression of fashion throughout the year is gradual, peeling off each layer until it reaches its core - the very hub of activity where the height of fashion is at its peak and ceases to adhere to circumstantial practicalities. For many, this metamorphosis begins with spring - and looking back on the endless trench coats in uninspired shades of navy and astronaut jackets, it is not difficult to understand why. It is almost as though the fashion world is, slowly but surely, awakening. 

Long months of winter dressing do things to a person. Trust me, I should know. First, you let your diet and exercise regime slip on the wayside (because really, who can see your figure under all those layers anyway)? Then, you find yourself coming up with reasons that justify wearing leggings with every one of your outfits. Slowly, the admirable effort you used to put into accessorizing dwindles until all you are left with is the same thin necklace (only because you can't be bothered taking it off). You become dull, lifeless, limp, stagnant. But rejoyce, for spring is almost upon us, and along with it, fresh hope.

Minimalism

Simplicity is a perpetual theme each spring, and this season it is more apparent than ever, not merely in the most obvious sense (t-shirt and jeans) but as an underlying current interweaving the sub-trends in the fashion arena. It is the foundation upon which most looks are based, the glue that holds the bricks together. Think strong, structured pieces, and let your outfit do all the talking for you. This is a particularly hard concept for me, as I normally prefer the messy boho-chic appeal. Here I share with you my favourite trends of Spring 2012 and how I will be 'decluttering' my fashion sense (at least for the next three months - this is the best I can do).

                                                        
                                                                      (image courtesy of elle.com)

Featuring the eclectic combination of brights with pastels, a tailored peplum skirt that is simultaneously alienesque and wearable, minimal jewellery, a hasty topknot and gladiator heels, this outfit by Jason Wu summarises the essence of Spring 2012 and is ready to be worn freshoff the runway. I am not usually one for ladylike elegance, but this is definitely a look I will be rocking. If only I had the resources to afford that exact piece...

                                                         
                                                                      (image courtesy of elle.com)

Again with the peplum detailing and neon-and-nude pairings... was I wrong? Not only does Yves Saint Laurent pay homage to the hottest trend of the season, but we are also given a dose of monochrome revision (a budding trend that made its mark in Autumn 2011), a technique that consists of varying different shades of the same colour in a single outfit. Something tells me that this is indicative of bigger things to come this Summer...

                                                           
                                                                     (image courtesy of www.elle.com)

Being not overburdened with height myself, this trend, aptly named the 'drop waist', as exhibited by Giambattista Valli is not one that I shall be sporting. I might find a way around it, maybe by shortening the length of my dress and playing with the position of the belt (trial and error right?) but until I come up with the magical solution (or until Rachel Zoe does), I may just have to resign myself to being a silent admirer of this trend.

                                                            
                                                                   (image courtesy of www.elle.com)

In the parallel world of fashion, the word of Karl Lagerfeld is law. And if the king himself has decreed it to be so, then his will be done. The Chanel runway in Paris this year was transformed into a magical underwater world, with gorgeous waif-like models strutting down the runway looking like mystical creatures from the great unknown. Seashell clutches, coral-coloured fabric shimmering with pearly iridescence and ladylike collar frills designed to immitate the delicateness of foam... this trend is a wave I will be riding (pun intended). In my humble opinion, much of 2010/2011 have been slowly leading up to this trend - chiffon maxi dresses and mullet skirts (differing lengths), for instance, have always had a distinct mermaid-like quality. This is but the icing on top of the cake that is high fashion.

And in case you're not convinced, here is another outfit by Versace to seal the deal. 

                                                              
                                                                     (image courtesy of www.elle.com)

So those are a few of the trends I am most looking forward to this spring. What are yours?

All of the press, buyers and guests are seated and staring at a shining U-shaped catwalk in bronze. A film starts playing showing the jury of the H&M Design Award discussing and motivating their choice. Then they present the honorary.
 
With all of the nominees from different countries attending, the prize of €50,000 went to Stine Riis, recently graduated from London College of Fashion. The moment she realises she's the one they've picked, among so many other striving designers from six top design schools, you could not only see the happiness by the smile on her face but by the eyes shining, not being able to hold back tears of joy.
 
Then the models walk out wearing Riis’ label. The first one in striking blue and red; after a few looks you can see there’s a mix of at least two nuances in every outfit. Elegant furs and skirts with plastic details, half of the pant in one colour and the other leg in another. It is modern and sophisticated and the focus lies on the combination of high-waist pants and sweaters.
 
One could spot Ann-Sofie Johansson, H&M's Head of Design, looking satisfied while sitting with her legs crossed on the front row. And rightly so, the collection is a prime example of well-tailored garments, with cool details like cut-out pieces of PVC. The show ended quickly but the clothes will definitely stay in one’s memory until sold in selected stores this autumn.
 
If we sum up the great outcome of this award it has blessed an up-and coming designer like Riis with both a budget and the media attention that few receive. It is a splendid initiative from one of the most successful retailers in the world which has now given back to the design community.

Front-row from left to rigth: Susie Bubble, Hilary Alexander (The Telegraph), Ann-Sofie Johansson, unknown man, Margareta van den Bosch

 

It’s not easy to pick an outfit for Fashion Week, the first day is always the most tricky. But later you’ll find ideas are popping up, you’ve gotten lots of inspiration after seeing all those creations coming down the catwalk, worn by models displaying them in the best possible way. Not to forget you’re observing and constantly around the well-dressed press and buyers.

Below you can see what I picked: an all-black look, mixing leather with a shimmery patent fabric (skirt) and underneath my jacket a transparent frock-like garment. This in contrast to my red gloves, plus a silver bag to top it off. The black see-trough that I wore underneath danced in the air beautifully as the wind blew while I walked, which gave an extra spark to the already complete outfit.

The inauguration of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week was as always held in the golden halls of Berns, with hugh chandeliers hanging from the celling, grand sky paintings and balconies overlooking the runway. The surroundings makes one dream of decadence... Swedish movie star Noomi Rapace (Sherlock Holmes 2) was invited to cut the ribbon at the opening ceremony. I had a front-row seat opposite of her at the Altewai Samoe’s show, the brand whose design duo Natalia Altewai and Randa Saome received the Max Factor Award. We got a goodie-bag with great content.

Their A/W-12 collection had eye-catching and detailed embroidery on both skirts and cuffs but it wasn’t enough to over-shine their last one, which got tremendously good critique - every single garment stayed in one’s memory, fresh and chic. You’ll be able to read a full review of the show in our magazine shortly.  

Later another highlighted show was on the schedule - Whyred’s.  We traveled from the beautiful Berns where most of the shows are held to a large art gallery named Liljevalchs. Within these halls they had their show in a circle of Persian rugs and the band Forest was playing its mystical tones from a staircase high above the crowd (a great complement to the green trees projected on the wall). Afterwards we moved into a large exhibition space where everyone mingled (I spotted Susie Bubble and Facehunter) among the models, champagne in hand. You’ll get more photos and news here on the blog this week, so be on the lookout.

 Belfast’s best loved vintage shopping event, Frock Around The Clock Vintage Fair returns this Sunday with an abundance of vintage glamour, just in time for Valentine’s Day.