Catwalk beats: Kreayshawn

Ok, so I’m a sucker for fashion-themed music, and when I heard Kreayshawn’s ‘Gucci Gucci’ on the radio with it’s ‘Gucci, Gucci, Fendi, Fendi, Louis, Louis, Prada’ chorus the other day I just had to look into this.  It is just screaming out to be sampled for the next Ashish show (fingers crossed), I mean Cazwell’s ‘I seen Beyonce at Burger King’ circa SS11…it just shouldn’t have worked but it DID.

Either way, Kreayshawn has got game, even if you don’t know half the stuff she’s bleating on about – I’m not going to pretend I know either.  One thing’s for certain, you aren’t going to catch Cher Lloyd being allowed to declare she has ‘swagger pumping out my ovaries’ – and I don’t think she’d dare.

On a slightly more random note, Kreayshawn has been rumoured to be directing the Red Hot Chili Peppers new video.  Yeah, I don’t get that either.

Wrap up with Jil Sander AW2011

Location: Milan

Designer: Raf Simons

Soundtrack: Hitchcock, hip-hop

Shapes: cocoons, cropped sleeves, volume, tulip skirts, tunics

Inspiration: Louise Dahl-Wolfe imagery, Balenciaga tailoring

Palette: Bright primary colours, neon red lipstick, black

Hair: sculpted chignons

Illustration by Helene Charara

See the whole collection over on style.com

Visit the Jil Sander online store

INTERVIEW: Keeping up with Corby

Picture: Rose-Marie Caldecott

There’s an air of maturity about Matt Corby that belies the Australian singer-songwriter’s 20 years. Corby left school when he was 13 to tour Australia when a band picked him up after hearing him sing Amazing Grace at his local church. With an ethereal, remarkably pure voice reminiscent of Jeff Buckley (he laughs and rolls his eyes when I point this out – it is a comparison that has been made before), it is easy to see why he was singled out as something special at such an early age. At 16 he was catapulted to fame when he was voted runner up in the hit TV talent contest, Australian Idol. Despite the whiskey and lime he’s drinking this afternoon in the pub garden of the Prince Albert in Notting Hill, despite his chain smoking and stubble, every now and again he gives a flash of his Peter Pan smile and he suddenly looks his age.

“Going in for Australia’s Idol was the biggest mistake of my life,” Corby grimaces. “I wasn’t ready for fame on that scale. It absolutely ruined me, it really did.” Corby tried to bring his own style to the project, but recalls how his choices for song covers barely made it through. “It was quite cleverly controlled by production. I did Death Cab and Damien Rice, which were a bit alternative, but they wouldn’t let me do a song that I wanted to do from a New York band called As Tall As Lions.”

Coming to London and playing at open mic nights has helped Corby to escape the music snobs who only saw him for his Australian Idol reputation in his homeland. The indie label and production company, Communion Music, has provided Corby with links to like-minded musicians. “People really get what I’m trying to do here.” The perfect antidote to his experience of commercial music as a fresh faced 16 year old, it seems.

While he’s released three EPs, and is finally making some headway in the very circles that once turned their noses up at him, he’s not in a hurry to release his first album. “I’m still really young, I have a lot of time and I want to do it right. I don’t want to release something because I’m being pushed. I’ll have something next year, and I’ll be able to say that I worked really hard on it. It’s going to be an interesting year.”

Brand Alert: The lesser known side to Havianas

To be honest I never really buy in to things like flip-flops…I mean, if I need them on holiday I’ll grab the cheapest pair I can find (usually accompanying a magazine as a free gift at the airport).  They aren’t exactly a ‘must-have’ when it comes to our British climate.

However, this year I decided to finally invest in a decent pair despite myself, and as it turns out, I’m kind of kicking myself I didn’t bother sooner.  Having splashed out a little bit more money than what I would spend on Glamour mag, I got my hands on a decent pair of Havaianas.  And I would thoroughly recommend them. 

 

Now, I’m not going to bleat on and make this sound like product advertisement, but having looked more into the actual brand, here are some points on Havaianas that are slightly less known:  

A few little factoids:

• They have been around since 1962…that basically means they are a heritage brand by today’s standards.
• They are actually given out at the Oscars to nominees.
• They have launched a Wellies range this year to rival Hunters, so they can get a slice of that Winter/festival action too.
• From 2000 AD (obviously) you can get Havaianas in over 60 countries.  Not bad going really.
• They are inspired by Zori (traditional Japanese sandals using rice straw soles).  That’s why all Havaianas have a textured rice straw pattern on the foot bed!  Bet you’ll go and check now.   

I’m just now clutching on to what is left of this pathetic British summer to wear them again.

VIDEO: Asger Juel Larsen AW2011

Last week the sweltering fourth floor bar at Shoreditch House played host to ‘Uncle Sam,’ a new short film from Danish menswear designer Asger Juel Larsen.

I didn’t stay long at the event (heat, humidity and a lack of free booze meant the crowd petered out pretty quickly) but I did get a glimpse of the film, which showcases the London-based designer’s autumn/winter 2011 collection. Obviously focusing on the editorially extreme end of this twisted American Dream aesthetic, pale skinnyboy models strode about moodily in tasseled top hats and crop tops that resembled American football kit. And in light of the US of A’s disastrous week (if you don’t know that the Yanks lost their AAA credit rating on Friday then you ought to pick up the Financial Times instead of Vogue a bit more often) a giant blackened American flag looked eerily prophetic . Watch the full video below.

ASGER JUEL LARSEN presents UNCLE SAM from Theo Prodromidis on Vimeo. Via the Blow PR blog

Photo: Ellis Scott

Trend Alert: Nineties Nostalgia…AB FAB style!

 I recently saw a photo of a girl sporting a canvas bag emblazoned ‘I refuse to take part in the recession’.  And to be honest, she might be kicking off a trend here.  With many luxury brands seeing rising sales recently, dare we, nay, can we say we are nearly over it?  Like a bad boyfriend, can we finally stop fretting it might return?!  I hope so anyway, because, and I don’t think I am alone here; I am DONE with the minimalist look already.  Bored, bored, bored.

Lets face it, indulgence is fun, and it might be time to start taking style tips from the likes of Ab Fab’s Patsy once again.  Mock if you will, but if you look closely, 90s nostalgia is already creeping its way back in to our jewellery boxes – giant door knocker earrings anyone?  Massive look at me cocktail rings sweetie?! – and it’s only a matter of time before it hits the catwalks running (Italians, you are exempt from this, as clearly you don’t give a damn and I love you for it).  So dust off the lurex, shine up the gold, and let’s bring the ‘Lacroix look’ back darling!

                                                                                                   

Would you spend £1500 on a pair of pajamas?

When it comes to high end fashion, I understand the appeal of the ‘investment purchase.’ Spending a few hundred pounds on a classic leather handbag in a neutral colour, for example – a bag that will last a lifetime, go with everything and garner a million compliments. Fair enough, your price-to-wear ratio is going to work out alright in that case. But pyjamas for £1,485? My mind boggles. Admittedly, these Lanvin printed silk pajamas on Net-a-Porter are cute, what with the tiny kitty cats printed all over and the little silk pouch they come in, but they could hardly be called an investment buy. Unless you’re a professional slumber party planner the fact is that hardly anyone is even going to see them. Heck, you can get a Lanvin dress that can actually be worn outdoors, where people can see you, for less  – I like this cream draped number personally. As for those pyjamas, I’m going to file them (along with anyone who has actually purchased a pair) under More Money Than Sense.

My new favourite lip colour: Une Sheer Lips Balm

The stuff you get in goody bags is rarely blog-worthy, but I’ve made an exception for the brilliant Sheer Lips Balm by Une – a tinted lip balm that actually delivers what it promises.

I’m not a big fan of wearing lipstick during the day. I love a bright red or fuschia every so often for a night out, but for weekdays at work I tend to go with just a slick of lip balm. In search of something slightly more substantial, I actually came up with a my own homemade concoction of Maybelline NY Dream Soft Blush in Plum mixed with a fingerful of good old Vaseline – intended to give moisture but with a hint of colour. But I can now stop my amateur makeup mixology because it turns out such a product already exists. I came across it in the goody bag from the Boutique 10K run that I did a few weeks ago: Une Sheer Lips Balm is a moisturising lip balm that also gives a touch of colour. It comes in eight natural tones and is available on LoveLula.com for £7.99. The balms may look opaque, but the colour is a lot more subtle on application, and it genuinely has a hydrating effect, unlike many lipsticks which promise both moisture and colour but are actually quite dry on the lips.

I had never heard of French beauty brand Une before. According to their website, Une are all about organic ingredients and the majority of their products are certified by the Ecocert label (they also don’t like anyting to stay still, apparently). With an emphasis on natural beauty, the range is definitely worth a look  if you’re a devotee of the ‘barely there’ school of makeup.

Photo courtesy Lovelula.com

Forever 21 Store Launch: Oxford street’s newest offering

Last week saw one of the U S of A’s biggest chains open up its new British flagship on Oxford Street.  With Bip Ling fronting the advertisement campaign, it is kind of obvious the type of people they are hoping to attract i.e. not your mum.

And with over 500 stores worldwide, and already having opened their first UK branch in Birmingham’s Bull Ring last year, you would assume from all the hype this is the start of Forever 21’s ascent to becoming Queen of the High Street.  Well, they’ve already started jumping into HMV’s grave, giving Forever 21 their final break into the West End’s high street….

The store itself is actually mighty impressive.  Spanning three floors and keeping quite a modern layout, the Visual Merchers have done somewhat of an awesome job.  However, the clothing does seem a tad ‘glorified Primark meets H&M’ and I cannot say I wasn’t devastatingly disappointed.  I was day dreaming of an American Apparel meets Urban Outfitters super store.  Mind you, some of the footwear and accessories weren’t bad, and prices are ever so low (perfect for the discerning shopper).  The problem is, is there even room in the UK market for this type of store?  And is our ‘Great British High Street’ somewhat drowning in a tidal wave of American brands at the moment?  Just don’t get me started on Hollister…