Archive for September, 2009

Hosted at New York’s Radio City Music Hall, The MTV video music awards staged last Sunday 14th have been the talk of the last few days seeing stars such as Madonna opening the annual event with a moving speech dedicated to the late King of Pop Michael Jackson followed by a dance tribute featuring Michael’s sister Janet Jackson. Other stars to perform included singers Beyonce Knowles and Katy Perry, rock band Green Day with rapper Jay Z closing the show. Lady Gaga and Beyonce stole the show with the most awards, with Beyonce taking home ‘best video of the year’ and ‘best choreography’ among others and Gaga taking ‘best new artist’ and ‘best art direction’ for her single Paparazzi. Other artists to win included US rapper Eminem for ‘best hip hop video’ and Green Day for ‘best rock video’.

The stars were out to impress, wowing the press in their most stylish ensembles most notably Lady Gaga never failing to amaze making an impressive 5 outfit changes during the show. An extravagant white shimmering mini dress and lace Victorian-like headpiece won the shock factor for us here at Mpdclick while other outfits included a moulded shell like all-in-one as well as an Edwardian-esque black lace dress complete with corset, feather and bejewelled neck piece, half face mask and velvet hat. Other notable style credentials are awarded to Beyonce Knowles sporting a striking  red ruffled mini dress by Roberto Cavalli, and country singer Taylor Swift in sleek Kaufman Franco jewel encrusted one shouldered number.

The talk of the show however has been dominated by rapper Kanye West’s controversial overhaul of 19year old country singer Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech for best female video. West took the microphone and began expressing his views on how singer Beyonce Knowles should have won the award. Leaving the stage to a roar of boo’s, West has since been slammed for his outlandish behaviour by critics and peers alike, although this is not the first time he has expressed his disruptive views at awards ceremonies.

Image source: Rex Features

Pictured from top to bottom: Lady Gaga, Beyonce Knowles, Taylor Swift, Green Day.

Untold partners The London Design Festival for the third year in celebration of the electrifying creativity that exists within design and fashion in London today. We invite you to ‘sit back and watch as these stories are Told…’

This season, Untold takes residence in the quaint and historic Borough of Kensington & Chelsea with the event spanning two locations. We also team up with Creative Fruits to present Moordesign: The Design Salon – a gathering place where creative meets industry for designers, artists and creative entrepreneurs, housed at the V&A Sackler Centre.

Meanwhile, the Untold London Boutique ‘pops up’ at The Kensington Rooms, for one day only, for all discerning followers of unique and quirky fashions. This is the place to be; press, industry and buyers are welcomed into the exclusive Designer Lounge – an eclectic mix of catwalk shows, exhibition, fashion market and cocktail lounge. An oasis of calm amidst the excitement and bustle of London Fashion Week!  Six emerging designers will showcase their collections in an exhibition during the day and catwalk show in the evening, with ample opportunity to be immersed in their creativity. A stone’s throw from London’s Earls Court and Kensington areas,  Moordesign: The Design Salon will be held at the V&A Sackler Centre, with the Untold London Boutique and Designer Lounge a short walk away at The Kensington Rooms. Untold will again provide an innovative and creative platform from which these creative stories will be Told.

Founding Director Maame Baryeh says, “Untold is set to be an even more exciting event this season. With a collaborative team of creative and dynamic designers from fashion to jewellery, the venue takes visitors to a different chapter in our story and a new level of creativity – think lounge in the literal sense. We’re taking the stress out of Fashion Week and slowing down the pace.” 

About Untold

Untold was born through the desire to succeed and progress in the cut throat world of fashion. Financial constraints make it difficult for designers and artists to platform their work. Untold changes this and ensures that designers are seen, heard and understood to make their vision a reality.

Source: Untold

Many illustrators like to establish a signature style within their work to gain a recognised position in the industry. Meanwhile German illustrator, Lars Henkel prides himself on his impressive versatility, allowing him to indulge in many different styles from haunting ink illustrations that hold dark, mysterious connotations to intriguing collages that suggest hidden symbolism while holding a strong feeling of re-generated sobriety. Mpdclick notes Lars Henkel as a key artist supporting our forecasted ‘Sobriety’ trend for spring/summer 2011, providing inspiration for potential graphic styles.

Henkel’s ‘Tape’ collection of work focuses on styles that fall similar to the Western Prairie and Pilgrim time period. The collages depict gentlemen, typewriters, tailoring references, animals and handwritten script. The imagery is overlaid with scientific/mathematical workings out and delicate botanical illustrations that form intriguing patchworks of art in tonal combinations of dove grey, dusky blue, burnt orange and aged yellow. These particular works challenge visual perspectives; distorting size and meaning of the various subjects shown creating surreal compositions that holds hidden symbolism.

The tonal colour palette combined with vintage elements that stand within a surreal template presents a fresh interpretation of the ‘Sobriety’ trend that we here at Mpdclick love. Click here to visit Lars Henkel’s official website.

One of the most exciting events running alongside New York Fashion Week has been Vogue’s Fashion’s Night Out parties that popped up across city last Wednesday. The events were part of a global initiative to promote retail, restore consumer confidence, and celebrate fashion.

Retail outlets across the city were taken over by a host of brands and stars, where fans and press alike could chat, photograph and party with their idols. Victoria Beckham was signing t-shirts in Bergdorf Goodman, while the Olsen twins served cocktails. Vogue Editor in Chief Anna Wintor showed her support for new best friend P Diddy at the Sean John store (main image), while Charlize Theron sat and chatted with fans at the Dior flagship store. Perhaps the most unusual of the parties was Diane Von Furstenberg’s impromptu aerobics session with trainer to the stars Tracy Anderson – the fashion icon herself even joined in with her boutique full of visitors.

The event also ran in other countries including Italy, France, Russia, Japan and the UK. The British capital London saw Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie act as shop girls and even help move the visitor barriers at Tods’ store on Old Bond Street. Meanwhile hot British pop act Little Boots DJed in Marks and Spencer’s flagship, while Prime Minister’s wife Sarah Brown and designer Henry Holland worked on the Brown’s shop floor for the evening.

Many stores across the globe recorded record sales from the evening, while brands, designers, celebrities and Vogue are all promising bigger and better things already for next year’s Night Out.

(All images: Rex Features)

Seeing him at work it’s hard to believe Joel, 19, only started designing a year ago. Inspired by singer, Santigold, he is about to see an outfit he created for his muse showcased on the London Fashion Week catwalk later this month.

Joel is just one of 23 talented teenagers, from London and Salford, who have made it through to the final of 2009 FAD Junior Awards, organised by creative charity FAD. Now in its fifth year, this unique event will take place at Vauxhall Fashion Scout on Tuesday 22nd September.

Originally selected from 130 young people who participated in FAD’s Fashion Futures 2 workshops earlier this year, the young finalists spent a week at FAD’s Summer School, held at Central Saint Martins in July. Supported by a team of tutors, technicians and student mentors, the 17 – 19 year olds had just 5 days in which to develop and construct their finished designs for the London catwalk.

Citing musical muses including Michael Jackson, Pharrell Williams, Lily Allen and Solange, the teenagers have brought together traditional ‘Arts & Craft’ influences from the V&A with their own edgy commentary to create an accomplished collection.

The project is heavily supported by industry with representatives from River Island, WGSN.com and John Lewis taking part in this year’s jury. The winner of the 2009 FAD Junior Awards will be revealed on the evening of the catwalk final, where the 23 finalists will be competing for the top prize – a placement in industry.

In addition to the show, the teenagers will be taken on a fashion tour of London including visits to the design studios at River Island and John Lewis, a session with trend forecasters WGSN.com and a behind the scenes visit to Vauxhall Fashion Scout.

FAD believes that through fashion young people, especially those from less advantaged backgrounds, can gain the confidence and transferable skills they need to succeed in the future. To date FAD has worked with more then 4,000 young people across the UK. As a direct result of taking part in the Junior Awards, past finalists have gone on to study at institutions such as Ravensbourne, London College of Fashion and Chelsea School of Art & Design.

About FAD:

FAD (Fashion Awareness Direct) is a creative charity supporting young people to bridge the gap between education and the fashion industry.

We specialise in running professional fashion workshops and competitions for 13 – 25 year olds, working with creative young people throughout their education from secondary school and college right through to university.

Our aim is to provide young people with a realistic insight into what it means to work in fashion. From hands on workshops and industry days to high profile catwalk events, they learn important practical skills while also developing the confidence and experience they need to succeed in the future.

In 2009 FAD was presented with the ‘Chairman’s Award’ by Sir Mike Tomlinson, at the London Educational Partnership Awards (LEPA). To date the charity has worked with more than 4,000 young people; 85 secondary schools/sixth form colleges and 46 fashion colleges and universities across the UK. www.fad.org.uk  

Source: FAD

Mpdclick have recently come across Californian based artist Chrystal Chan , with her ethereal fairytail-like style. Her work is submerged in whimsical fantasy with sometimes dark connotations which are a perfectly juxtaposed against a fluid and delicate style of illustration and painting.  Chan’s website presents a treasure trove of endless inspiration which flawlessly supports Mpdclick’s forecasted Fable trend, predicted for spring/summer 2011.

Chan’s oil paintings create intriguing ambience that captures immediate attention. Her pencil illustrations meanwhile showcase her extraordinary attention to detail and brilliant rendering skills. “Her works present subjects in metaphorical situations that are derived from visions, supernatural experiences, and beings. Other works are reflective of feelings and situations placed in the everyday life. Each piece states facts of the physical or the supernatural.” [http://www.chrystalchan.com]

Although Chan’s enthuse for all things supernatural takes pride of place within her imagery, Chan shows great versatility that can cater to all tastes from dark illustrative animal/human hybrids to an endearing gleeful gnome hand in hand with a young girl in a meadow. Animals are key elements within Chan’s work, often seen with mythical qualities such as unicorns and tame deers. Mpdclick notes Chrystal Chan as a key artist to watch within the coming years, currently showing at The Hive Gallery, Los Angeles U.S.A.

Click here to visit Chrystal Chan’s official website.

Mpdclick were recently in attendance at LasVegas’ eagerly anticipated Magic trade fair. The MAGIC Marketplace is America’sprestigious fashion trade event hosting global buyers and sellers of men’s,women’s and children’s apparel, footwear, accessories and sourcing resources.

We spotted our ‘look of the week’ subjects wandering around theshow. On the right, we love the combination of short city shorts (a must forspring/summer 2009, and very apparent on the spring/summer 2010 runways) withan all over printed shirt and canary yellow socks worn with black lace-ups. Onthe left, this style savvy female mixes and matches polka dot platforms withloose-fit grey harem pants, an outsize cut-off tee and geek-chic specs.

Words by Catherine Fuller

Running for the last five years, SW4 takes place every bank holiday weekend on Clapham Common in London. Originally it was through and through hard house and trance but it now also showcases the very best in minimal techno and electro. World-renowned top DJ’s play there along with their summer residencies in Ibiza. It was no surprise that tickets to this year’s event sold out extremely quickly, with the recession still going it was the perfect way to catch some of the best in this genre without spending a fortune on jetting off to the White Isle.

Mpdclick started off in ‘The End presents Shake It’ tent to see Richie Hawtin. The atmosphere in the tent was already head strong by the time we got there (after a long queue getting our provisions at the Pimms bus!). The heat was powerful and Hawtin played an upbeat set for minimal fans. The sun was pelting so we decided to move to the main stage. It appeared that the rest of the festival had the same idea as the main stage was pumping. David Guetta was the first act we saw there and although the least credible of the line up we were surprised at how good the set was (despite the cheesy grin and shameless playing of all of his own tracks!) Next came, James Zabiela, Sandakleinenberg, Eric Prydz and Mark Knight, which due to the electric vibe all rolled into one. Sasha and Digweed went back to back to close the festival. The sun went down during the set and the lasers along with the exceptional minimal, electro and trance mix that they played created a charged and powerful ambiance.

Being a dance festival you would expect to see the usual neon, furry boot, tutu clad ravers, yet surprisingly this was not the uniform de jour. The crowd was a mix of eclectic, style savvy, original dressers. Being set in central London it was no surprise that people took their dressing seriously. Think boho hippy-chic, mixed with new wave ravers with a sprinkle of the strongest summer trends pulled together with a strong sense of individualism.

German sportswear brand Puma have announced another exciting collaboration.  In previous seasons they have produced outstanding collections with Alexander McQueen and Mihara Yasuiro, and this time are to work with the world famous designer Hussein Chalayan who was twice named British Designer of the Year.

Chalayan is famous for incorporating the latest technology into his creations which are often at the forefront of design. His catwalk shows are traditionally mesmerizing, with clothing that has doubled up as furniture and dresses that doubled up as light shows in the past - although this collaboration with Puma is said to be much more wearable.  The range will consist of jackets, trousers and outerwear with functional pockets for the latest gadgets.  All pieces focus on the relationship between fashion and technology.  The collection will be released in Spring 2010 under the title ‘Urban Mobility’.  Puma have said this is to be a long term fusion of minds.