Archive for July, 2009

The spring/summer 2010 runway season is well underway, and Mpdclick is already brimming with hundreds of inspirational images and insightful overviews. So far we’ve covered the spectacular menswear shows along with the first glimpse of the new wowenswear collections from Brazil and Miami. However the best is yet to come and we can hardly contain our excitement with the ‘big four’ female fashion weeks just around the corner. September is set to be a thrilling month with premier designers from New York, London and Milan showcasing their latest collections and Paris Fashion Week rounding off the season in grand style this October.

At Mpdclick we are staunch supporters of the innovation and talent that emerges from Britain and are particularly looking forward to London’s esteemed fashion week. Taking place from the 18-23nd September, this season’s event is set to be bigger and better than ever before. Now featuring a separate menswear day, after trialling the idea to great success during the fall shows in February. This year LFW is proving to be an un-missable event on the fashion calendar.

Even more exciting is the news that London Fashion Week is welcoming back some national favourites to their impressive schedule, including Jonathan Saunders, Clements Ribeiro, Burberry Prorsum, Amanda Wakely and Matthew Williamson; who are all embracing their roots and reliving a little ‘Cool Britannia’.

Supporting fresh talent like no other fashion event, LFW will once again present its NEWGEN winners who receive sponsorship from retail giant Topshop and a prized place showing on London’s notorious runways. Established in 1993, it has become one of the world’s most internationally recognised talent seeking schemes and boasts an impressive alumni including Alexander McQueen, Giles Deacon and Christopher Kane.

Look out for Mpdclick favorites Mark Fast, Mary Katrantzou and Peter Pilotto this September who have all received sponsorship from the inspired scheme. If you are as excited as we are about the upcoming shows visit London Fashion Week’s official website for an exclusive look at the pre-collections of a handful of top names including Basso & Brooke, Erdem, Christopher Kane, Giles and many more. We were delighted to note that the clothing, on all accounts strikes a happy balance between innovation and the all important wearability factor.

The much anticipated biopic, Coco before Chanel, is set for release this Friday 31st August 2009 amid mixed reviews but with one common credential, a beautiful aesthetic to the stylist’s credit which will have any fashionista queuing up at the box office. The film offers an intriguing insight into Chanel’s younger years in which she discovered and invented herself.

The film follows the formative years of Chanel’s life, from cruel beginnings, through love affairs, to renowned designer. Audrey Tautou brings Chanel to life with her critically acclaimed performance along with Beriot Poelvoorde and Alessandro Nivola who portray the love affairs.

London saw a private screening held at the luxury Charlotte Street Hotel last Wednesday night, with a wealth of the industry’s celebrities wanting to be first in line to see the flick. Model’s Erin O’Connor, Twiggy and daughter Carly Lawson were joined by designer’s Lulu Guinness, Stephen Jones and actress Emilia Fox, to name but a few.

The film provides a rare intimate look into the trials and tribulations that led Chanel to the household name status that she holds today. A must see film for anyone with a passion for all things fashion.

Image source: Rex Features

In a few short seasons Jaeger London has evolved from an insiders’ secret to the go-to destination for women who crave an intelligent connection with fashion. With its flair for architectural silhouettes and high-tech fabrics, this is a label forging an international reputation for an intrinsically British sense of style and luxury.

This winter those silhouettes get an extra kick, via intricate curved seams that create a moulded, almost cocooning structure, and bold juxtapositions of colour, from barely-there shades of pistachio, parchment and cement to kiwi, damson and blackcurrant. There’s plenty of black, and black on black too. Monochromatic layers and banded appliquéd stripes, both inspired by the graphic lines of Russian Constructivism, Mondrian and Art Deco, acquire a highly practical purpose: contouring the body and serving as a restrained form of embellishment that’s both Modernist in mood and modern in attitude.

Constructivism isn’t all that’s been reworked. The power shoulder is updated, courtesy of a newly remodelled and utterly un-scary diminutive shoulder pad. It’s incorporated into boxy, cropped jackets, coats and dresses, for an effortless impact that’s guaranteed to sort the women from the girls. This is power dressing that has nothing to do with the clunky belligerence of the 1980s and everything to do with a sleek, sophisticated sculpting that looks completely contemporary, thoroughly understated and very Jaeger.

With plenty of focus on the waist – often positioned quite high and emphasised with cropped jackets or shiny belts – there’s a plethora of trouser shapes, including stirrup pants, high waists, slouchy androgyny, and cropped or full length styles. Further definition is provided by clever colour blocking and gentle tulip shaped skirts. Jaeger London’s Head of Design, Karen Boyd, has clearly worked out how to give women body-conscious clothes without the self-consciousness.

“I’m very excited to see tailoring make a come-back,” she says. “It’s all the more appealing because this is about finding an unconventional solution to suiting. It’s about new ways with separates and layers.”

Naturally, luxury remains a priority. Plush alpacas bring warmth to an array of wearable and seriously desirable statement coats; felted and bonded jersey emphasise the structure of some of the dresses; boiled laminated wools, shiny on one side, matte on the other, produce an intriguing and durable synthesis of the traditional and the state-of-the-art; hammered silks and outsize hydrangea prints and shards of glass so huge they become almost abstract, add a subtle evening dimension to the equation, while circular skirts and shaggy sheepskin shrugs bring a playful aspect. One way or another, texture is edging out prints and extraneous surface decoration.

Accessories are stronger than ever: wooden cone heels on almond toed platform shoes and banded boots keep things interesting, as befits a brand favoured by fashion rebels from Kate Moss to Marianne Faithfull. Swarovski shard-shaped, mirrored cuffs and necklace pieces inject some high definition drama.

Jaeger always works brilliantly when there’s a modernist feel in the air. And as Stuart Stockdale, Jaeger’s Design Director concludes, “Our archives remain a fertile source of inspiration that is relevant yet never overwhelming. For a fashion house celebrating its 125th anniversary, Jaeger continues to present a truly modern and confident outlook.”

Source: Jaeger

Ever wondered how washing your clothes could become an easier and more time efficient exercise? Well thanks to designer Louis Filosa you need wonder no more. The rather talented designer from West Lafayette, Indiana has come up with the novel idea of Eletrolux Renew. It works by using two steam blades to blast your garment clean. By scanning your garment through the infrared and RF-ID receiver it enables vital cleaning information to be gathered to work out the best cleaning method necessary. The user is able to use the touchscreen to be interactive with ‘renew’ as well as learning more about their clothing, which of course a traditional washing machine would not tell you.

This amazing new invention creates a great alternative to the washing machine and encourages a more knowledgeable generation, in turn encouraging people to care more about things around them and not just cost.

Image source: louisfilosa.com

Brit singer Lily Allen yesterday, 27th July, invited guests from the media and fashion press to afternoon tea at Claridge’s in order to promote her brand new line of jewellery.

Wearing a black tux with a corset underneath, and dusky blue YSL Tribute Two heels, Lily modelled one of her creations – two gem-encrusted panda pendants from the creatively titled ‘Lily Allen’ line.

The nine different ‘Lily Allen’ jewellery ranges are said to be a mix of various gem-studded animal and flower designs.

The range will be available from September 2009, and will be aimed at female fans aged 14-40.

The Bright tradeshow in Frankfurt has established itself as a great venue for streetwear, sneakers, fashion and boardsport brands in Europe. The individual location as well as the product-orientated framework, consisting of an innovative contest/artist program, support the characteristically fun atmosphere of the off-show. Skateboard culture and the relating side-events are important features of the tradeshow; still the commercial aspect takes a primary position. With its concept, the Bright tradeshow offers a very positive and comfortable atmosphere without neglecting the function as an interface between distribution and retail.

Mpdclick visited the show, camera in hand, to capture the atmosphere. Here we share a selection of the hottest looks from the event. Click here for our full coverage: female; male.

Beth Jeans Houghton is more than just another aspiring pop star; she is a nineteen year old acoustic songstress, whose guitar skills are self taught and whose alternative stage-attire is self made. The teen-folkie has been previously described by major music magazine, Mojo to have “a considerable talent, with a remarkable voice and rare star quality.” Mpdclick notes Beth Jeans Houghton to be at the forefront of a new sub genre of music labelled neo-folk, a key influence with many more to follow.

Her music is created with a combination of impeccable guitar work and smooth melodies which is in-fitting with Beth’s own beatific voice. Neo-folk is becoming an ever more popular style of music in recent years, demonstrated by the likes of Fleet Foxes, Bat for Lashes and Bon Iver; who Beth recently supported on tour. Houghton brings an original glam edge to her own form of folk, drawing in various different styles and influences such as the psychedelic sounds in ‘Sweet Tooth Bird,’ which is expected to feature on her up and coming debut album. Beth has been quoted to say “I plan to dip my toes into many genres before I quit this mortal coil.”

Her most recent festival appearance was at Wireless, at London’s Hyde Park earlier this month, where she was seen sporting a military style hat and a black and metallic gold bandeau top, surrounded by her equally cool backing band titled, The Hooves of Destiny. Catch her this summer at a selection of approaching UK gigs and festivals.

Visit Beth Jeans Houghton’s MySpace page here

Image source: myspace.com

What do the Beastie Boys, Radiohead, Pearl Jam and Queens of the Stone Age have in common? Well yes, obviously they’re all immensely popular bands, but they’ve also all had poster artwork done by Emek Golan. Born in Israel in 1970, Emek was raised in a family of five artists, exposing him to artistic creativity at an early age. He went on to study art at California State University, and began his work with alternative rock bands in the early 1990’s, producing iconic pieces for the likes of Tool, Marilyn Manson and The Decemberists.

Emek’s oeuvre is known for being incredibly intricate and detailed; utilising pop culture imagery to convey a very subtle sense of political commentary, he manages to turn something as simple as a promotional poster into a comment on contemporary society. In 2006 The Oregonian dubbed Emek ‘the savior of rock-and-roll. Not the music, but the art” – it is easy to see why Emek’s culturally rich works have garnered such a following.

View his work online click here

Image source: sarahlinhares.files.wordpress.com

The global sportswear company Nike has announced that it is to stop buying leather from the Amazon region of Brazil, following concerns that its shoes and trainers could be driving the destruction of the world’s largest rainforest and contributing to climate change.

The move follows a Greenpeace report, released in June, which exposed how cattle hides from deforested areas were contaminating the supply chains of a number of global brands including Nike, Clarks, Adidas and Reebok. Deforestation for cattle ranching in Brazil alone is now the biggest driver of deforestation anywhere in the world.

A Nike spokesman confirmed the move late last night at their headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon.

A host of British sports stars are sponsored by Nike and wear their products, including Wayne Rooney, Rio Ferdinand, and the entire English Rugby Union team.

Reacting to the news, Greenpeace forest campaigner Sarah Shoraka said:

“Nike has recognised that trampling over the Amazon rainforest to produce leather for its trainers is an unacceptable way of doing business. Preparing land for cattle ranching is now the single biggest cause of deforestation in the world and a major driver of climate change.

“Nike has taken a bold step, and now we need to see other companies follow their lead.”

The Greenpeace report has already caused significant movement within the Brazilian cattle industry, and it is hoped that Nike’s decision will help pave the way for an industry wide moratorium on the destruction of forests for cattle ranching. Greenpeace is demanding that other shoe companies such as Reebok, Clarks and Adidas follow Nike’s lead and support a moratorium.

The policy document that Nike signed today requires all of its suppliers “to certify that they are supplying leather for Nike Inc. products from cattle raised outside the Amazon biome.” This policy will be in place until Nike feels that a reliable system of governance -with full traceability of cattle products which includes the guarantee that those products are not causing deforestation – in place in the Amazon.

These suppliers then have until July 2010 to create a fully traceable supply system, which will provide reliable proof that any leather used for Nike shoes has not been sourced from recently deforested areas.

The Greenpeace report, entitled Slaughtering the Amazon was released on June 1st. It can be viewed here.

The Nike policy is available to view here.

Source: Greenpeace UK

Image source: nikebiz.com