From today I’ll be on maternity leave until 1 April next year. It’s been a pleasurable and exiting year with lots of extraordinary and exiting experiences, and I cannot wait to get back next Spring.
Until then, take care and hope you will enjoy the posts from the carefully selection team of guest bloggers who will blog twice a week while I’m gone.
Yours,
//Charlie x
And it’s about time! — the world’s most influential fashion magazine is late to the online game. For the better part of a decade, Vogue’s online presence has been limited to a shout-out on Style.com (originally dubbed “the online home of Vogue and W”.
And now finally they launch their own site. Anne Wintour said this about the launch and content, “The Vogue reader is completely engaged in the world of technology…I felt it was crucial that in this era we take the authority, quality, and beauty of Vogue and bring those values to the digital realm. The fashion world moves so quickly now, everyone here at the magazine wants to be able to bring it to the Vogue reader on an hourly, not just monthly, basis. Also, there is just so much — too much, almost — out there on the Web. Vogue.com isn’t going to be covering everything — just the right things.”
Future plans for vogue.com include the launch of Vogue Archive, a searchable database of the magazine’s archives (from 1892) in 2011 and a Vogue-centric encyclopedia called Voguepedia.
No expense was spared insiders has said Condé Nast has spent significantly more on the ‘re-launch’ of vogue.com than it has recently on any other site.
A selection of Camilla Skovgaard's hoes - nominated for this years British Fashion Awards
On 7 December 2010 the annual British Fashion Awards will take place at a glamorous event at London’s Savoy Hotel. And although this event is a little over 3 months away the nominees have just been announced.
Nominees for the grand DESIGNER OF THE YEAR price are Christopher Kane, Erdem and Phoebe Philo for Céline, and I’m proud to announce that Danish Camilla Skovgaard is nominated in the ACCESSORY DESIGNER catergory.
See below full list of nominees:
1. EMERGING TALENT AWARD – ACCESSORIES
An innovative and directional accessories designer who is emerging as an influential force in British fashion in the Accessories category. Nominees: Charlotte Olympia, Husam El Odeh and Jessica McCormack
2. EMERGING TALENT AWARD – READY-TO-WEAR
An innovative and directional designer who is emerging as an influential force in British fashion in the Ready to Wear category Nominees: Mary Katrantzou, Meadham Kirchhoff and Michael van der Ham.
3. DESIGNER BRAND
A leading British designer brand that has excelled and made an impact on the international stage over the past year. Nominees: Burberry, Mulberry, Pringle of Scotland and Victoria Beckham.
4. MODEL
A British model who has emerged as a leading name in the modelling industry and is making a strong mark on the international fashion scene. Nominees: David Gandy, Lara Stone and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley.
5. ACCESSORY DESIGNER
The leading British designer of shoes, jewellery, millinery or accessories within the past year. Nominees: Camilla Skovgaard, Emma Hill for Mulberry and Nicholas Kirkwood.
6. MENSWEAR DESIGNER
A leading British designer of ready-to-wear and bespoke tailoring who has been instrumental in enhancing men’s fashion in the past year. Nominees: Christopher Bailey for Burberry, E.Tautz, Margaret Howell and Paul Smith.
7. ISABELLA BLOW AWARD FOR FASHION CREATOR
A British stylist, make-up artist, photographer, art director or producer whose creativity has been a major inspiration and influence in the past year. Nominees: Nick Knight, Nicola Formichetti and Rankin.
8. DESIGNER OF THE YEAR
The ultimate accolade, which recognises an internationally acclaimed British designer of couture, ready-to-wear, knitwear or accessories who has made a significant impact in the past year both in the UK and internationally. Nominees: Christopher Kane, Erdem and Phoebe Philo for Céline.
9. BFC OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN FASHION
An award recognising one designer who throughout their career has influenced and inspired the global fashion industry. Winner announced on the evening. No shortlist available
10. BRITISH STYLE
An individual who embodies the spirit of British fashion and is an international ambassador for the UK as a leading creative hub for fashion.
On 9 September H&M will unveil their newest scoop – the designer collaboration 2010. Rumor says that the Swedish fast-fashion giant will unveil a project with Lanvin and its creative director, Alber Elbaz.
On Tuesday, H&M launched a viral video campaign on YouTube to build curiosity about its annual holiday designer tie-up. A series of black-and-white videos features stereotypical fashion designer types: a man in a skinny dark suit; a woman in an outlandish blouse and chunky jewelry.
The video ends with the date Sept. 9 — presumably when H&M will unveil details of its latest collaboration, which have ignited retail pandemonium annually since the retailer first partnered with Karl Lagerfeld in 2004. Other designers to have collaborated with H&M include Rei Kawakubo of Comme des Garçons, Stella McCartney, Roberto Cavalli and Sonia Rykiel.
A project with Lanvin would be a coup for H&M, given Lanvin’s status as one of the fastest-growing designer firms in Europe, and Elbaz’s drawing power as a fashion personality.
Count down to the 9th has begun…
Autumn is always full of interesting fashion/design/art exhibitions, creative and stimulating books launches, film premieres etc. And what is perfect than attending these kind of arrangements followed by a coffee enjoying the last warm sunbeams of the year.
No matter if you are in Copenhagen, Stockholm, Amsterdam, London, Paris there will most certainly be one or more interesting creative adventures.
One of the things happening in London is the launch of book and exhibition portraying British designer Matthew Williamson. Colin McDowell himself has written the book, with forewords by actress and devoted Matthew Williamson fan Sienna Miller.
This lavishly illustrated monograph will cover the designers work, life and achievements in a definitive volume and celebrate the collaborations Matthew Williamson has executed over the years with seminal artists, photographers, architects and designers, and features word and image contributions from luminaries of the fashion world, including Alexandra Shulman, Anna Wintour, Zandra Rhodes, Joan Burstein and Sir Paul Smith.
The book will be sold internationally from Monday 18th October and will be accompanied by a display at the recently reinvigorated centre for visual arts, Somerset House, in London.
Matthew Williamson, Sommerset House, London, 13 October 2010 – 30 January 2011
Grace Coddington, creative director of Vogue plans to publish her memoirs. She has teamed up with former Men’s Vogue editor in chief Jay Fielden and together they are preparing a proposal for her autobiography. “We’re just starting, and I think it’s going to be a really fun project,” Grace Coddington told WWD, adding: “I’m hoping it’s going to be very rich in fashion history. It’s more than just about me.”
According to WWD the book will cover Coddington’s early life in Wales, her modeling days in Sixties London, the car accident that changed her career path and her ascendancy through fashion’s ranks as a stylist and editor at British Vogue and, later, its American counterpart.
This is not a first-time collaboration between the two. Jay Fielden helped out with the writing and editing of Grace Coddington’s 2002 coffee-table book, “Grace: Thirty Years of Fashion at Vogue”
Lately, the two of them have been spending a lot of time together. Jay Fielden accompanied Grace Coddington to the Paris couture shows in July and has also, according to sources, been interviewing her network of friends, as well as colleagues.
They plan to shop the finished proposal to publishers this fall, so I guess mid next year would be good guess for a launch date – I cannot wait!
Copenhagen Fashion Week kicks off on Wednesday and as always the there are new happenings and events on the agenda, but sadly also one of the heavy Danish brands, Designers Remix Collection, has decided not to show at Copenhagen Fashion Week this season and moved their show to London Fashion Week in September.
Nevertheless, this year’s Copenhagen Fashion Week will host other exciting events that hopefully will ‘make up’ for the loss of The Designers Remix Collection’s show.
44 shows are on the official show calendar plus all the side events including a ‘Blogger Camp’ with speakers such as blogger Yvan Rodic from Facehunter, heavenly tasty and beautiful cakes by Ole Yde and Conditori La Glace, David Andersen’s show at Royal Copenhagen, Liam Gallagher’s (from Oasis) label Pretty Green and The World’s Greatest Catwalk event with Helena Christensen as patroness and first model on the long catwalk running through central Copenhagen.
Watch this space for show reviews, up-dates and news from Copenhagen fashion Week.
Our very own Freja Beha features on the front cover of British Vogue this August issue – and it’s about time! Freja has long been one of the most popular faces both on the catwalk, for editorials and last but not least in campaigns (Chanel, Balenciaga etc.). Even this years Collectioni had multiple images of Freja from various aw10 shows; Hermes, Balenciaga, Chanel and Dries van Noten, just to name a few. And now British Vogue finally had the courage to feature her distinguished face on their front cover.
Ps. I’ll be on holiday for the next three weeks – see you on 9 August up-loaded with new energy for all the SS11 fashion weeks, trends, news and much much more.
Have a great summer //Cx
Madonna, the world’s biggest pop star, is gearing up for the launch of her new fashion line, Material Girl, in collaboration with one of America’s biggest department on 3 August. She will be yet another (of at least a dozen!) celebrity-turned-designer launching a collection within the last couple of years – does this ever come to an end?
The Material Girl collection includes apparel, footwear, handbags, jewellery and hair accessories. Speaking of the design and merchandising strategy behind the first deliveries of the new line, Madonna says: “It’s not complicated. It’s dressing in layers. It’s not looking like you took too much time thinking about what you’re wearing.”
All the campaign images were photographed last month in a studio and on the streets of Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Lourdes (Madonna’s 13 year old daughter) helped style the shoot and Madonna stepped in and photographed some of the pictures herself. The not yet revealed celebrity face of Material Girl will attend the national retail launch of the line at Herald Square In New York on 3 August.
Asked to sum up the Material Girl customer, Madonna described her in this way: “A Material Girl is a girl that is interested in fashion and interested in music and interested in fun. She has a sense of humour and is an adventurous human being.”
I wonder who’s next?
Outfit from the Material Girl collection
The Goyard Book
Some might say the it-bag era is dead, but with their forthcoming 150 years anniversary and the release of The Goyard book the understated yet super exclusive Goyard brand might be the next big luxury brand to experience a revival period.
If this book doesn’t triumph them all, I don’t know what will: the exquisite large format book will be printed by Devambez, one of the oldest and finest publishers/engravers in Paris, and housed in a custom made trunk. And art director Pierre Tzenkoff worked on the book for more than 7 years, collecting images and conceptualising the project.
Every little detail is carefully thought off; the watermarks on the pages, the way the pictures are imprinted to make it feel three dimensional and the paper used for the book is made from the same cotton linen and hemp which covers their trunks and bags.
Destined not just to capture the house’s near 150-year heritage, the book, which will be donated to France’s Bibliothèque Nationale, is a mission statement and a reminder of what luxury once was.
233 copies will be made, after Goyard’s historic and current address at 233 Rue St Honore in Paris an will be on sale by appointment only at €6,000/45.000 DKK (€5,000 if you order before 30 June 2010).
For more information, visit the amazingly beautiful site at http://www.goyardbook.com/.
