Mary Katranzou

Why should only the fashion editors and celebs have all the fun at Fashion Week? It’s a question that’s being asked by many designers this season, with a number of them like Alexander Wang, Burberry, Rodarte and Proenza Schouler all streaming their shows live on the net (and in Wang’s case, projected on Times Square).

TOPSHOP are continuing the democratic trend with a flurry of amazing events at their Oxford Circus flagship store from 19-23 February. Whether you’re doing the rounds at Somerset House or glued to SHOWstudio, you can stop by TOPSHOP to get nail art done by the coolest nail techs in town, demolish some cupcakes and get insider tips on how to create a hit fashion blog. They also will be streaming the shows that they support as part of New Gen, straight from the catwalk.

Dalston-based WAH Nails are setting up a pop-up concept salon, where the technicians will be recreating looks from the catwalk or anything you could possibly dream of, they really are THAT good.

With a huge presence of bloggers gracing the London Fashion Week shows (your truly included), TOPSHOP have invited some of the luminaries of the blogosphere to share advice on how to create and maintain a must-read blog. Leading the workshops will be Oh Elle, Coco’s Tea Party and one of my fave bloggers, Disneyrollergirl.

But even with all the fashion madness going on, we still need sugary treats to keep us going. I reckon even weary and famished fashion editors won’t be able to resist a ‘couture cupcake’ from pop-up store, Ella’s Bakehouse (founded by supermodel-turned-baking goddess Lorraine Pascale).

During London Fashion Week, it’s all about new creations, so it’s easy to forget about the joys of vintage garments. Vintage experts Claire Nicholls and V&A curator, author and fashion historial Judith Watt will be showcasing a hand picked collection of vintage pieces by icon designers such as Jeanne Lanvin, Chanel, Ossie Clark, Azzedine Alaïa and Balenciaga.

Together they form The Vintage Acadème, specialising in sourcing the very best twentieth-century women’s fashion and haute couture. Clare and Judith will be on hand to give advice on the history of the garments and their designers. You’ll be able to try on some of the pieces – with tips from a TOPSHOP Style Advisor – and some items will even be for sale.

The Fashion Wall will be playing shows by TOPSHOP Unique and long-term designer collaborators Meadham Kirchoff, Christopher Kane, Mary Katranzou, Richard Nicholl, Marios Schwab, Louise Goldin and more.

The impossibly gorgeous Erin Wasson will also be teaming up with Blake Mycoskie, founder of ethical footwear brand TOMS, to host the first ‘Style Your Sole’ workshop, providing ideas to help you customised your shoes. TOMS’ mission is to match each pair of shoes sold by donating a pair to a child in a developing country and fans of the brand include Karl Lagerfeld and Sienna Miller.

Providing the soundtrack throughout the week will be live DJ sets from Stricken City, Peggy Sue, Esben and the Witch, Wet Dog, Bleech, Chew Lips and Samual and the Dragon.

As if that wasn’t enough, every time you spend £80 in store (lets face it, that’s not too difficult), you receive a free gift – just visit the Fashion Wall to see what prize is on offer. Gifts include free WAH Nails manicures, new season accessories and loaded gift cards to spend in store.

Visit the TOPSHOP website for details and event schedule.

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Erdem seems to be etched onto my subconscious at the moment and I reckon it’s a sign from fashion gods to go forth and take my love of floral dresses to the next level.

I love the fashion warrior look, with the studs, spikes, chains and whatnot, but I always seem to drift back into floral tea dress/grunge territory. It takes a special kind of girl to rock a floral dress, patterned or embellished – see floral fans Helena Christensen, Chloë Sevigny, Eva Green and Erdem girls Keira Knightley and Thandie Newton for reference.

Thanie Newton wearing Erdem

It’s all about picking interesting colours, an attractive pattern and the right shape and hem length (oh, and a statement lip colour always helps). But enough fashion rambling and on to the real crux of the matter…Erdem is bring fashion to the people!

Erdem is the latest designer to show his favourite pieces in a series of catwalks shows, as the focus of the V&A’s Fashion In Motion. This year’s Fashion In Motion events have already seen Giles Deacon and Stephen Jones present their catwalk collections to the public and the initiative has been running for an impressive ten years.

Erdem showed his first collection at the V&A and it is a perfectly timed collaboration, as they unveil their new major exhibition, Decode: Digital Design Sensations.

erdem blue

Erdem has been one of the first new British designers to use technology to his own advantage, incorporating digital printing (pioneered by Basso & Brooke in 2004), which has also been adopted by Marios Schwab, Mary Katranzou and William Tempest. The results are crystal clear precision and a vibrant, more eye-catching effect. It is also a more economical technique, as there is no minimum printing run to break even, and the big fashion houses are now catching on to the trend.

erdem catwalk

The popularity of Erdem’s collections lie in him creating a number of different silhouettes, meaning there is an Erdem look for every shape. Everything is extremely wearable, with Jonathan Saunders-style panelling to complement curves and no unnecessary cut-out detailing or low-fastening.

Erdem has been compared to Christian Lacroix many times and his pieces described as ‘semi-couture’, but there is none of the old-world gaudiness, as Erdem looks towards the fashion of the future.

erdem florals

But while Erdem is one of the main east London players (he’s a fellow Hackney lad), he has further strengthened his more conventional links and collaborated with Bond Street stationers Smythson on a covetable, limited edition range of diaries and notebooks.

erdem diaries

The diaries feature whimsical colour block line drawings engraved and printed on goat-skin leather. There are also a range of notebooks that are covered in Erdem’s signature floral prints with added flower motifs and dashes of gold. All books and diaries are lined with beautiful silk from Erdem’s resort 2010 collection and two pages of illustrations. Prices start at an eye-watering £115 for the Panama Diary, but my guess is that you’ll carry it around with you everywhere and will thus be more organised than ever!

Admission to Fashion In Motion at the V&A is free but booking is essential
Tickets will be available from Monday 30 November
To book call +44 (0)20 7942 2820£115

London Fashion Week comes to TOPSHOP!

Erdem comes to the V&A!