Autumn/Winter 10-11 | cheriecity.co.uk

First Look: Natascha Stolle online!

February 26, 2010 by cheriecity

Fashion East designer Natascha Stolle is set to launch her stunning new online site at the end of the week. Chérie was given a secret password to have a gander around the site before going live, so here’s a preview of the delightful things to come…

Handcrafted by rehabstudio, NataschaStolle.com is more than just an online lookbook, it is a reflection of her cool, kooky design philosophy, with a nod to her awkward teen muses.

Natascha Stolle won the inaugural rehabstudio Design Award in collaboration with Fashion East and her prize was to have a bespoke website created by rehabstudio.

The homepage opens with on an Americana-style prom scene, but the smooching couples and sea of meringue ball gowns have been replaced with Natascha’s troupe of unamused geek chic girls. The scene is dimmed and you can move the spotlight over each of the girls, who then pose, shrug their shoulders or check their watch. The models were sketched in 2D, dressed in key pieces from Natascha’s past collections10 collection and shot on video.

The black and white sketches were produced by renowned illustrator Charlotte Mann and brought to life by rehabstudio’s digital creatives, bringing animation with the user’s mouse movements.

Natascha said: “By combining the cut and paste approach of Charlotte Mann’s signature black line illustrations of girls wearing my clothes, with the humorous and highly personal environment that rehabstudio have creatively animated for the girls to inhabit, they have engineered a website unlike any I have ever seen before and I can’t wait for everyone else to see it!”

Although the design is really sophisticated, the website is easy to navigate, with everything you could hope to find – past and present collections, press coverage, latest news, international stockists, a bio and contact info.

American designer Natascha Stolle studied English Literature at university before moving to London and gaining a placement with Peter Jensen, with whom she stayed for 10 years. After graduating from Central St Martin’s Fashion Design M.A course in 2008, she was snapped up by Fashion East founder Lulu Kennedy and in September 2008 her debut SS09 collection was showcased at London Fashion Week.

Natascha has worked with Asos on an exclusive collection of luxe jersey, chiffon wide-leg trousers and bangle detail leather gloves, and has consulted for b Store. She also exhibited as part of NEWGEN at London Fashion Week, in Somerset House’s East Wing.

Her Autumn/Winter 10-11 grey marl, jersey, twisted chiffon leggings, knotted jersey, slouchy tailoring, rainbow smudge prints, and funnily enough, studded mules – perhap’s they’ll be next season’s clogs!

Designers, Fashion, London, London Fashion Week

LFW Day 3: Harriet’s Muse presentation

February 22, 2010 by cheriecity

After spending the afternoon trawling around central London’s H&M stores for some serious Sonia Rykiel shopping, I headed back to Vauxhall Fashion Scout for the the Harriet’s Muse presentation. At first I thought I’d missed all the action, with fashion folk toasting a handful of dresses and a vacant gold backdrop.

About 20 minutes later, Sophie Anderton and two impossibly lithe models took part in a live photo shoot to showcase the garments. Sophie has been a regular on the front row at the Vauxhall Fashion Scout shows this season and is taking an interest in emerging designers.

Despite her ‘train wreck’ reputation, Sophie cut a statuesque, dignified figure in her photo shoot and showed off her amazing body with some angular poses. It seems like Sophie is making a statement this season by trying to shake off that tacky reality TV image and getting back to the industry that made her famous – fashion.

Harriet’s Muse was a wise choice of designer for Sophie to be associated with, as it’s strong, sexy and ultra feminine. The Autumn/Winter 10-11 collection, entitled Armoured & dangerous is inspired by the idea of body armour and the durable, abrasive shell of a beetle.

This is achieved through sharp tailoring, quilted textures and hand-embroidery in metallic thread. Each look had a different silhouette, focusing on pointed, jutted out hips, nipped in waists and volume around the legs.

The make-up was severe femme fatale (ignoring this season’s no mascara trend) and the messy up-dos with statement silver hair pins added to the spiky, insect-inspired aesthetic.

The asymmetric, scale-effect corsets were a great addition to otherwise very simple black party dresses. There appeared to be a few too many black cocktail dresses in somewhat unoriginal shapes that would have benefited from some more inspiring detailing or finishes from the designers.

Similarly, the deep teal silk dresses were beautifully cut, but they needed something extra, other than the lovely embroidered beetles to make them really stand out.

The highlight of the collection was the artfully tailored, belted tulip coat with asymmetric quilted detailing. It evokes 80s Yves Saint Laurent ‘Le Smoking’ and uses sophisticated draping with good use of volume.

This voluminous batwing dress also caught my attention for its minimal, Grecian silhouette. The shoulder bow lifts the garment and stops it becoming too dense. The dress was in deep contrast to the next look with a luxurious black satin corset and full skirt that just screamed seductive pirate girl.

Illustrator Stephen Stone was on hand to sketch the dresses and he even did some portraits of the audience before the show started. The minimal, fluid line drawings with lucid splashes of colour are so beautiful, I’d love to cover my walls in them!

Harriet’s Muse Autumn/Winter 10-11 collection is cohesive and somewhat commercial, with a strong focus on partywear. The use of luxurious fabrics and accomplished tailoring are designers Cheryl and Craig’s strong points and their following is sure to increase with this playful, vampy collection.

Designers, Fashion, London, London Fashion Week

LFW Day 3: Doii Paris at Vauxhall Fashion Scout

February 22, 2010 by cheriecity

It’s the third day into London Fashion Week and the majority of the fashion industy has swapped vertiginous heels and blazers for flat military boots and wool coats. Perhaps the sartorial shift had something to do with swapping Sunday morning in bed with coffee and the Sunday Times Style for a typically delayed show or the pouring rain outside, but the coquettish Doii Paris show quickly lifted everyone’s spirits.

This is the first time that Korean designer Doii Lee is showing at London Fashion Week and her show was arguably one of the prettiest, among a sea of asymmetric panel dresses.

Doii’s Autumn/Winter 10-11 collection was inspired by her favourite Russian fairytale, Babushka, and the folklore influences are present on all of the striking, bohemian pieces.

The first part of the collection was all about bold rose print dresses with translucent sequins, coats trimmed with white faux fur, rose covered headpieces and those shoes! These gorgeous cherry red, platform courts with printed silk ankle-tie were awarded their own post on The Fashion Scout daily blog, as they really are just so stunning!

The models looked impossibly fresh, with tumbling curls, red lips, rosy cheeks and dewy skin – no slicked-back androids there!

The Doii Paris collection reminds me very much of Blumarine’s colour-bursting prints, Moschino’s bold romanticism and KENZO’s crafted, patchwork-inspired detailing.

The purpose of the digital prints is to tell a story and Doii does this with playing cards, winter landscapes, skulls and even bottles of wine. It is a style also seen in Romeo Pires’ Spring/Summer 10 collection, which featured a collage of checkered flags, skeletons and apples.

The second part of the collection focused on an adorable coral, red and turquoise print depicting birds and monsters. The whimsical print featured on very feminine and wearable trench coats, romantic ruffle dresses and a full-length gown.

Next up was more detailed, abstract digital prints in floaty silk dresses and an Eastern kimono-style shift dresses panelled with grey jersey.

Then came the lace – a delicate lace party dress with a structured bodice (very Daisy Lowe), a lace wool two-tone coat and a 50s minimal lace dress with bell sleeves and contrasting printed detailing.

Metallics also featured with this dainty drop-waisted, printed dress with soft-spun gold cuffs and waistband and translucent sequins. Wool coats also got the Doii treatment, with colourful fabric-covered buttons, polka dot lapels, faux fur trims and printed tie-belts.

The show culminated with a model dressed in a black fur and embroidered print coat with an oversized fringed bonnet – very elegant, old world Parisian. I wonder if Doii took inspiration from that other stylish Parisian, the inimitable Diane Pernet, with her signature black veil…

Doii Lee graduated with BA Hons in Fashion Design and Knitwear from Central St Martins in 2002 and soon after started her career with John Galliano in Paris. The next year, she was approached by Antoni Marras, the new art director at KENZO, and worked for KENZO Défilé Studio.

She presented the first collection of Doii Paris during Paris Fashion Week, October 2006 and is now based in London. Doii’s work is so intricate, exquisitely tailored and optimistic, which is a real breath of fresh air this season!

* All photos by Chérie City

Designers, Fashion, London, London Fashion Week

LFW Day Two: Iris Van Herpen @ Vauxhall Fashion Scout

February 21, 2010 by cheriecity

Dutch designer Iris Van Herpen really knows how to create an atmosphere, from the cinematic, industrial music down to the models’ other-worldly, meditative expression. The attention to detail is absolutely mesmerising.

Iris Van Herpen left a lasting impression on me from last season’s Blow Presents… show and her Autumn/Winter 10-11 collection, ‘Synesthesia’ succeeded once again in leaving me temporarily speechless.

‘Synesthesia’ describes a state of dual cognitive senses, such as hearing colour, smelling motion or feeling sound and this perplexing condition characterises Iris Van Herpen’s Autumn/Winter 10-11 collection.

The winding knots, twists and volume of the leatherwork creates a trompe l’oeil effect and manipulates the senses.

Iris Van Herpen is a true fashion architect and her sculptural garments are painstakingly intricate and beautifully crafted. She creates those long, slinky strips using metallic leather and continues to work with Ecco Leather.

The Autumn/Winter 10-11 palette centres around bronze, gold, taupe, nude and black and dark purple, with many of the garments creating a two-tone effect. Her dresses externalise the inner bodily composition while exaggerating the female form with voluminous hips, curved busts and nipped in waists.

The accompanying look of the models was lucid and clinical with bleached eyebrows, pale glossy faces and milky lips and eyes. The cloud-like angel hair was styled by James Brown and added to their look of just being hatched from a laboratory pod.

After graduating from ARTEZ Institute of Arts in 2006, Iris Van Herpen assisted Viktor & Rolf and Alexander McQueen. She’s obviously taken inspiration from both designers’ artistic concept mixed with semi-couture detailing.

Iris Van Herpen brings drama, concept and intrigue to London Fashion Week and her shows continue to be among the most fixating, intense and awe-inspiring.

* All photos by: Chérie City