Handwritten Eco Fashion at Brown Thomas Dublin

Ghost founder Tanya Sarne is launching her new label, Handwritten, in Brown Thomas Dublin this weekend. She founded Ghost in 1984 and sold the company 22 years later. During this time she developed machine-washable Viscose and brought Ghost to the forefront of British fashion. Two years ago she founded Handwritten and the focus was again on fabrics she was using as well as design. This time though, the fabrics are ecologically friendly; bushes are grown specifically to enable their wood to be used to make cloth for the brands collections.

I don’t know about you but I always think of itchy sack-cloth when I think of this kind of eco-friendly fabric, but in the case of Handwritten, I couldn’t be father from the truth. Tanya Sarne has created rich, luxurious pieces in vibrant colours. I love how the whole collection is made up of stand-alone pieces that could easily be introduced to most wardrobes. As Tanya herself says of the brand, “This is a collection for all women, of all ages, shapes and sizes;“I design to de-stress and give women confidence in their femininity and daily lives.”

This jumpsuit is an amazing mix of causal urban design and rich sleek fabric, that will do me very nicely thanks.

This quilted, hooded coat is utterly gorgeous.

London Fashion Week Inspiration

… or just a few of my personal favourite photos from this week.

I apologise in advance if by this stage you’re a little fashion week-ed out, it is often the way. I have tried my utmost to avoid looking at too much coverage until now that it’s all over. I just fancied giving myself an alternative, perspective on all goings on. I looked at Vogue.co.uk and Style.com this afternoon / evening to view the LFW slide show images and best-dressed lists ; there were a good few shows / images that grabbed me immediately. To reduce the number of images down, I’m only posting those that show pieces that I would simply love to wear. It’s a kind of Fashion Week inspiration post, one that I hope I’ll still be referring to long after the summer.

As is often the way with trends and seasons I realised that my choices developed into a couple of themes, firstly Navy-blue and Navy-blue wool;

Aquascutum

Burberry Prorsum

Topshop Unique

There were the winter pastels / nudes, they are more textured and embellished than summer nudes

Burberry Prorsum… seriously these boots make me sigh

John Rocha

Topshop Unique

And I loved the stand-out classic shapes created by sleek black silhouettes

Sass & Bide

Antonio Berardi

Burberry Prorsum

There was also a LOT of fur, faux or otherwise and a good few Aviator jackets. This was the one that I loved though, the sheer size of it, the cuff detail and epaulettes, the oversized collar, the boxiness of the cut and all in fur.

Burberry Prorsum… Seriously these boots… Ah you know.

Finally a few party candids to make us realise just how fabulous fashion really is darling:

MK Olsen dressed to perfection at Burberry Prorsum LFW AW2010. I love that what she is wearing almost reflects what was on the runway and its perfect understated chic.

Pale and interesting, Roisin Murphy and Jodi Harsh

Love Cat Deeley’s dress, love that what she and Matthew Williamson are wearing matches monochrome background sensationally.

Read all about it. Bonnie & Clyde for Harpers Bazaar

Anna Selezneva & Wes Bentley for Harper’s Bazaar US

I love this shoot, I’m sure I can’t imagine anyone who doesn’t go a bit gaga for the dark romanticism of this pair of vigilantes. The bank-robbing rampage of  Bonnie Parker & Clyde Barrow during the Great Depression epitomised rebellion and thus appealed to the disillusioned, unemployed public of America. Their story has continued to influence popular culture; in the late sixties Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway portrayed the pair in a critically acclaimed film. Since then the story has been even more romanticised and glamourised turning the couple into a pair of 20th century Robin Hoods.

Although Peter Lindbergh did a similar shoot for Harpers in 1993, this editorial has particularly apt timing. It looks to have been styled (by Aleksandra Woroniecka) more on the 1967 movie; though it undoubtedly refers to the real Bonnie & Clyde. Speaking of fashion, the shoot uses this season’s penchant for femininity to the extreme. Posing with pistols, next to an actor in slacks, braces and a Trilby, Anna Selezneva couldn’t fail to look lady-like. The masculine trousers and shirts look equally as feminine as the pretty florals, high-heeled brogues and soft knits that feature so heavily in this shoot.

The real Bonnie & Clyde

Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty as Bonnie & Clyde in the 1967 movie of the same name.

Whisty Turns One

… “A very, very un-birthday to me!”

I’m delighted to say that this here blog turned one this here week. On February 16th 2009, I wrote the first post and the rest is, well, all in chronological order I suppose. Randomly, I decided to celebrate Whisty’s first birthday by throwing on a big frock and tiara and holding a tea party, 4 days late, but still. I designed the dress myself for a black tie event a couple of years ago, the petticoat is pulled from a collection of my Mum’s and the pocket watch is vintage, as is the gorgeous china tea-set.

More photos and outfit details on herapparel.wordpress.com

Narciso Rodriguez Designs Capsule Collection for eBay.

It’s not just Sonia Rykiel who is launching a capsule collection collaboration this week. Narciso Rodriguez‘s New York Fashion Week show on Tuesday came the day after he launched his first capsule collection… on eBay.

His Fall 2010 collection, according to Style.com, comprised  “dramatic coats and eye-grabbing, short, color-blocked and ombré (shaded) dresses”.

His eBay collection reflects the same elements and certainly the same  colour palette. There were some orange and green tones in the runway collection, but in general the palette was simple; black, white and red. The 8-piece eBay collection is mostly Italian jersey with a denim two-piece and a reversible trench coat to complement it.

The designer says of the collection, “For me it’s always been about dressing many women of all ages, all types, all sizes, and this special collection on eBay is a unique opportunity to reach a broad global audience.” Certainly the prices will have a more universal appeal; set at €48 – €258 (bidding not applicable) they are a fraction of the £600 – £1200 of his main line dresses.

One of my favourite things about fashion design is mood boards and designer sketches. I love seeing how pieces translate from a drawing into reality. Though I particularly love to see exactly how a designer envisions a piece looking when it is being worn. More often than not, it ultra-feminine. I have included the sketches from the Narciso Rodriguez collection alongside the final pieces after the jump.

A Few Snaps…

… OR, look how pretty red and gold look when the sun shines on them.

…OR, That?… Oh, it’s just a hat.

I’m literally just uploading them because these random snaps ended up being quite pretty pictures, plus, I miss the sunshine. The photos are of accessories and vintage pieces I have in the wardrobe; this is how they looked this afternoon.

The red feathered hat is from Oxfam vintage; both the feathers and veil created some lovely shapes in the sun. The rings are gifts or cheapo high-street and the gold lamé top is one of my absolute fave vintage pieces.

I love the way some of the fine feathers look like tiny little fireworks exploding.

The feathers in this picture look like red ice under a microscope.

The watch was a gift from my Mother, it was her Mother’s. I added a longer chain so it comes down to my waist.

There is also a pin-striped blazer just to the left of this picture which I love; but, I wanted to keep the colours light and bright in the photo so it got cut...

This photo is a little dark but I love the way the net looks in it and how the sun behind the feathers has made them nearly transparent.

Stars in (and all ’round) their Eyes.

or “I was made for loving you, baby…”

I was having a bit of a spring clean-out, of my make-up bag trunk this morning, and found loads of multi-coloured / sparkly shadows, liners and pencils that I’d kind of forgotten I had. While I was doing said Spring-clean I had this weeks Top40 countdown on MTV and realised how much I love the revival of dramatic eye / face make-up in pop music at the moment. Apart from Lady Gaga who is pretty much leading the way when it comes dramatic anything, there are loads of other ladies grabbing the glitter pen too:

Lady Gaga

Lily Allen

Florence Welch

and Ke$ha (above & below).

…are all doing their own awesome versions of dramatic / stage eye make-up. (Love this last picture!)

Not forgetting, either, the men that led the way in the 70′s.

Gene Simmons, KISS

David Bowie, Aladdin Sane Album

… so I thought, I’d have a go at this myself … one subtle (ish), silver and glitter pattern over one eye later and what do you know, I kinda like it.

I’d just prefer something a little darker and more dramatic…

Now we’re talking, Plus I like it so much I have to keep nipping off to the bathroom to have a look, it’s so sparkly! Close-up:

Julie Christie a Style Icon.

Julie Christie won the leading actress Oscar for her role in the film ‘Darling‘ and was nominated for the same award a further three times; most recently in 2008 for ‘Away from Her‘. Most of these photographs are stills from her earlier films with a couple of editorials and a candid in the mix too. Even in the film stills, where what she is wearing is all part of the character she’s playing, you can see how absolutely of the era she was.  Not to mention how beautiful she is, her hair is also amazing; every shade / style seems to suit her perfectly. Personally I like the more natural look, her hair in the second picture with Warren Beatty is loosely waved and long. I also love the volume and ruffled look of her hair in the third photo down, plus I reeeeeeally want the jumpsuit she’s wearing in the last photo.

Images via, Google and Flickr

Alexander McQueen 1969-2010

R.I.P.

The saddest news…

Sunshine and Stripes

Hey All,

How amazing was the sunshine in Dublin today?

Apparently we’re in for more of it over the next few days too. I know it’s still bitterly cold but it just felt so bright and springtime like. I bought a pair of very-purple jeans from Pepe in Dundrum last week and it was such a nice change to wear them today instead of tights.

I love this striped shirt and I know the hat is wholly inappropriate for such windy weather but sunshine gets me a bit carried away. The new boots are still seriously comfy and while it’s not especially on-trend to wear heels at the moment, unless you have the gamine legs of either a new-born foal or Kate Moss, skinny jeans make them a must.

The necklaces are both vintage, the cameo a gift and the cross I bought from Monte Christo Jewellery in Powerscourt Townhouse, D2. Both are so delicate and are a nice contrast to the more masculine shirt and straw Trilby (which I modified with a man’s tie from a charity shop).

More pictures and all outfit details at Her Apparel.