Bringing the farm to the city

As soon as we have a bout of nice weather you suddenly start to notice all of the green spaces tucked away in London. There’s something about the way that the sun soaks into grass and makes it smell really good that makes me wish I lived in the countryside, kept my own chickens and grew my own vegetables.

The good news for us city dwelling, secret ‘The Farmer Wants A Wife’ watching folks is that city farms are becoming more and more common. I visited Surrey Docks Farm recently, and couldn’t get over the idea of all those business people in suits slaving away at their desks just across the water while a goat tried to eat my bag. We petted sheep, laughed at the geese, talked in annoying baby voices to the cute piglets and made resolutions to buy fresh, locally farmed eggs, honey, meat and vegetables whenever we could. (Knowing where it comes from makes it taste so much better than standard Tesco stuff.)

It all sounds very much like Marie-Antoinette with her toy farm, except these animals hadn’t had their coats washed before we came to visit. Perhaps it is a little indulgent for urbanites to sample a pared down taste of farm life without even having to leave the city, but then again it is also a way for people to reconnect with the origins of the basic ingredients of their every day lives. (If this idea interests you, check out the Slow Food UK organisation.) Surrey Docks farm is predominantly an educational centre, welcoming large groups of children and teaching them about growing vegetables and where their meat comes from. It’s hard to imagine for a girl raised in rural Oxfordshire, but some inner-city children grow up without ever seeing a cow. Now I just think that’s sad.

The view of Canary Warf from the farm

Trend Alert: 1920′s reign supreme

There is nothing like a major motion picture to spark off a solid catwalk trend.  I do believe this may be one of the first seasons in a long while where there’s not been any reference to Alice in Wonderland (thank goodness).  So I have not been overly surprised seeing the shimmering 1920′s influence hit the catwalk running. 

Already emerging as a key player for SS12, the likes of Alberta Ferretti, Caroline Charles (as my noted colleague Sophie Caldecott has already pointed out) Mark Fast and Spijkers en Spijkers, all got in to the swing of things at London and Milan Fashion Weeks.

It is no secret that Baz Luhrmann’s epic adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s ‘The Great Gatsby’ would have no doubt triggered this trend in to place, and no doubt will trickle through in to the next few seasons as well.  The decadence and the romanticism of the 1920′s make it a powerful aphrodisiac for inspiration, and it is already clear so many designers have slipped in to bed with it for SS12.

With Paris Fashion week the last stop in the calendar, let’s see how many times we can play i-spy Gatsby in the coming week.

Images courtesy of style.com.

Films for October – see these in between Gossip Girl marathons

Tyrannosaur – out October 7
Paddy Considine’s directorial debut tells the story of a woman trying to leave an abusive relationship – and it won big at Sundance.

Contagion – out October 21
I’m a firm admirer of any film that kills off Gwyneth Paltrow in the trailer but otherwise this looks like pure doomsday escapism: a virus is spreading across the globe affecting actors like Matt Damon, Kate Winslet and Jude Law.

Anonymous – out October 28
If you like a bit of Elizabethan England, you might enjoy Roland Emmerich’s very non-disaster movie outing. Rhys Ifans plays the Earl of Oxford – but has he been writing all of Shakespeare’s plays?

IN PHOTOS: Orla Kiely’s sunbathing models

On the Friday of London Fashion Week, while the rest of the Style & Then Some team were at other catwalk shows (or, in my case, still at work) our photographer friend Katie Mogridge went to the Orla Kiely SS12 presentation, where she took these beautiful photos of the models as they spun slowly on rotating plinths and reclined on sun loungers. The collection had a demure, almost school girl vibe, which perfectly matched the summer holiday themed presentation and the short film  by Mercedes Helnwein that was on show (you can see some stills from it below) – they even served ice cream and adorable pink macaroons. The good old-fashioned British seaside escape was also an inspiration for both Daks and Mulberry at LFW this season. You know what that means: three’s a trend.

All images: Katie Mogridge

Sister, Sister back on TV? Almost…

‘When did this happen?!’ and ’Why was I not informed?!’ are two questions that have been plaguing me this past week, when, lo and behold, I walked straight up to a poster on a telephone box in New York advertising a new Tia and Tamera, a.k.a Sister, Sister show! 

Those twins were my absolute Nickelodeon faves, and I followed them until the bitter end (the more dramatic uni days).  And so of course my inner freak went a bit wild when I saw the promo poster in Manhattan.  However, when I researched further in to this rather exciting TV caper, it turns out there will be no reunion of  the girls, Lisa, Roger and Ray, but is in fact a reality show following the twins which is already moving in to its second series.  Mmmm, slightly less enthused now.  And after watching a couple of clips on youtube, it’s no wonder this slipped under my radar.  I mean, if there ain’t no ‘go home Roger’ gag reel, then I ain’t that bothered. 

 

Either way, it did get me thinking.  What other childhood shows could come back into our lives and fill them with tweenage joy again?  Imagine a new Sabrina the Teenage witch!   Or Kenan and Kel?! Just hold the reality shows and bring back the fictional nonsense please.

 

How do you plan on changing the world? A speech every woman should hear

Admittedly, I’m a bit slow on the uptake with this one, since it was delivered in May, but Sheryl Sandberg’s speech is essentially listening if you ask me. Watch it below.

Addressing the graduating class of New York’s Barnard college, Facebook COO Sandberg focuses on gender equality, and the lack thereof, which she calls ‘this generation’s central moral problem.’ She urges the all female class that in order to close the gender gap, particularly in the workplace, they’re going to have to be ambitious and believe in themselves. Hardly groundbreaking advice, but some of the studies she quotes from are astonishing e.g. evidence that women will attribute their success to external factors but men will believe it’s because, basically, they’re awesome. She also answers the question I posed back in April, do girls really run the world? You’ll never guess – it turns out they don’t. Yes, it’s a little bit cheesy at times, but ultimately this is an incredibly inspirational speech that every woman (and man for that matter) should hear.

9/11 Memorial tributes at St. Paul’s

America is, as they say, the land of dreams.  That’s why so many people still flock there every single year to persue a career, find love, a better future, or to find freedom.  I went to New York last week purely for fun and shopping (call me shallow, I really dont mind).  But my trip did coincide with the ten year anniversery of the Twin Towers attacks, and I found a city truely still in mourning. 

With the Freedom Tower rising from the foundations of Ground Zero, it will one day stand as a mark of defiance, and the strength of the American people.  But with this still being a building site, it was interesting to explore the neighbourhood surrounding the area on my travels.  St Paul’s Church, which stands just one block from Ground Zero, apparently was somehow saved from any damage whatsoever on September 11th, 2001.  Whether an act of God, or merely a lucky escape, the Church set up camp for the Firefighters, Police, volunteers and survivors for ten months after the attacks, providing shelter and food 24 hours a day.

When I visited, it was almost unbelievable to think that ten whole years have already passed.  The emotional messages written on white ribbons and tied to the Church gates spoke words of unity and remembrance, defiance and love, rather than hate and bitterness.  A country still deep in mourning, yet whose unity will never waver.

Topman SS12 in photos

VIDEO: Topman SS12 at LFW menswear day

#TodayImWearing – Menswear Day at LFW

We’re on the home strait. It’s day six of London Fashion Week and the first time I’ve ever stayed for menswear day, which they dramatically term MAN day (watch out for show reports coming soon). My outfit is basically an amalgamation of several of other pieces I’ve worn in the past week. Maybe this is a massive fashion faux pas, but you try coming up with six equally fashion week worthy ensembles in a row OK?

Zara blazer, vintage pussy bow blouse, skirt and clutch, H&M boots and socks.

I also drafted in my boyfriend Alex to be my photographer. He’s wearing a bow tie I bought him for his birthday and got photographed outside the Topman show by GQ because of it. Double style win I reckon.

H&M blazer and shirt, Burton trousers, Sanders shoes, vintage bow tie.

Hitchcock and robots: Joanne Hynes SS12

What? Joanne Hynes at London Fashion Week

Where? Vauxhall Fashion Scout, Freemason’s Hall

When? Tuesday 20th September, 3pm

I had never heard of Joanne Hynes before but more fool me it seems because this show was incredible. It immediately reminded me of recent collections from Prada, Miu Miu and Balenciaga, but not in a rip-off kind of way. It was exhuberant and fun with lots of sequins and latex plus metallic and patent leather in lipstick red, neon pink, orange and lime green. Yet the silhouettes (oversized baseball top-style tunics and tight pencil skirts) ensured a sense of ladylike restraint amongst all the busy colour and texture, as did the messy Hitchcock heroine up dos (in another nod to the director the theme from Psycho soundtracked the show). The jewellery was another talking point - huge robot pendants that were fantastically fun and just the sort of thing the East London fashion pack will love.

Talking to the songbird: Jacob Kimmie SS12

What? Jacob Kimmie at London Fashion Week

Where? Vauxhall Fashion Scout, Freemason’s Hall

When? Saturday 17th September, 1pm

All images Faraz Pourreza Jorshari.

#TodayImWearing – Katie and Helene on day four of LFW

It’s day four of London Fashion Week and with the weekend over Team S&TS is considerably depleted. Most of our gang have gone back to work but LFW continues apace for photographer Helene and I. Today I was excited to be premiering a new blazer I got especially for fashion week (don’t believe anyone who tells you they don’t make extra effort with their outfits for the shows) and I’m not gonna lie, I was pretty pleased that I got snapped by about 5 street style photographers after the Michael van der Ham show (which you can see a video of over here).

Katie – Zara blazer, H&M shirt, J+ Uniqlo trousers, vintage shoes and bag.

Helene – Muji cape, Urban Outfitters shirt and boots, H&M leggings.

Not exactly the highpoint of our London Fashion Week: House of Evolution SS12

What?  House of Evolution at London Fashion Week

Where? Vauxhall Fashion Scout, Freemasons Hall

When? Sunday 18th September, 6.30pm

Who? No one famous, which is always a bad sign.

If a show is 15 minutes or so late (that’s basically industry standard) I can deal with it. If it’s 45 minutes late on a Sunday night when getting home to catch up with two episodes of X-Factor is all I want to do (don’t judge, it’s great TV) I start to get mildly annoyed. If it THEN turns out the show is abysmal, I really get annoyed. That’s what happened yesterday. Katie Mogridge and I queued outside and then got herded in the ‘holding area’ for ages only to have to stand through a half hour long show (the usual is about ten minutes) featuring three designers in which the clothes got progressively worse.

It didn’t start off too badly to be fair. First up was a harmless, at times even quite pretty, collection of billowing Grecian inspired dresses with rope detailing. Some of the bright saturated colours were lovely.

The second collection was so forgettable I honestly can’t remember what was involved, and my photographer Katie Mogridge didn’t deem any of the photos interesting enough to send over, which I think says a lot.

The third and final collection was really something to behold. Bird calls squawked irritatingly on top of the soundtrack and the models wore huge feather false eyelashes. There were feathers aplenty on the clothes too, and just in case you hadn’t worked out there was an avion theme going on, one of the models spread her ‘wings’ theatrically at the end of the catwalk.

There were a whole host of ruffly, badly cut outfits, but the finale look was the piece de resistance. The lights went down and a glow of blue appeared at the top of the catwalk. I wish the lights had stayed down because when they went back up they revealed a sprawling, open, ivory lace coat which had been shot through with blue fairy lights. It looked like a decaying wedding dress, which could have been kind of cool in a Miss Havisham sort of way, but why the fairy lights? I have no idea, which basically sums up my feelings about the entire show.

VIDEO: Michael van der Ham SS12

We’ve just got back from the Michael van der Ham spring summer 2012 show at the Topshop venue in the Old Eurostar Terminal at Waterloo. It was a beautifully light and fresh collection with lots of van der Ham’s signature prints. Full review and photos coming soon, but in the mean time here’s a video of the final run through.

 

Dancing down the catwalk: Jayne Pierson SS12 (VIDEO)

What? Jayne Pierson at London Fashion Week

Where? LSO St Luke’s, Old Street

When? Sunday 18th September, 5pm

Who? Pandemonia, the latex blow up doll-woman who has become a bit of a LFW institution, and fashion week veteran and journalist Caryn Franklin.

I like it whenever fashion week gives me the opportunity to visit a building I would never normally get to. Today I got that chance when the Jayne Pierson spring summer 2012 show was held in LSO St Luke’s on Old Street, which I thought was a regular old church. Turns out it’s now the home of the London Symphony Orchestra, but today it had been kitted out with a catwalk. Adding another twist, it wasn’t models that walked the show but ballet dancers. And they didn’t just walk – they swirled, twirled, pirouetted, jumped and teetered delicately en pointe. Pierson, who is now in her fourth season at LFW, studied performance art and drama before turning her hand to fashion, which probably explains the dramatic production. My photographer for the day, Katie Mogridge, and I sat up on the balcony and got a birds eye view of the show, but for a show this action packed video was more useful, so I shot a few clips.

#TodayImWearing: Katie and Sophie Day Two of LFW

Well, that should really be ‘yesterday I was wearing’… You’ll be glad to hear my camera has been fixed after its adventures out and about London Fashion Week with Style and Then Some, so I can share a little bit more of our LFW style.

Our ever stylish editor Katie, below, mixed a vintage M&S 80′s shirt with a high-waisted vintage skirt from Blitz on Brick Lane with H&M boots and socks.

I played it safe in a navy wool maxi dress from ASOS, worn with a pair of scruffy lace-up old boots. No running in heels for me.

Another sign that 1920′s is going to be a HUGE trend next season: Spijkers en Spijkers SS12 (VIDEO)

What? Spijkers en Spijkers at London Fashion Week

Where? Il Bottaccio, Grosvenor Place

When? Saturday 17th September, 1.30pm

Who? Our friend @Katie_Jane_Rose, who is working with Liberty London Girl herself Sasha Wilkins this season, was seated nearby. Katie kindly let us jump in her cab to the Zoe Jordan show after.

We had to venture a bit of a way off the beaten LFW track yesterday to get to the Spijkers show – but it was worth it. Not only is Il Bottaccio a beautiful venue, all chandeliers and white stuccoed ceilings, but this was a very well-executed and desirable collection.

Twin sisters Truus and Riet Spijkers took Queen Scheherazade of the One Thousand and One Nights tale as their starting point. You know how the story goes, big bad King guy takes a different bride and beheads her each morning, but clever Scheherazade tells the King such gripping, cliff-hanger stories each night that he chooses to keep her alive and, lo and behold, falls in love with her in the process. Using that premise, the backbone of the collection was a glut of silk dresses formed from black and white oriental geometric shapes in something called Penrose tiling, named after an English mathematician, Google informs me. Colour also came into the equation, delicately at first with powdery tones of jade, peach and rose, and later in punchy coral and violet. There was tailoring, too, but it was relaxed and hung off the shoulders rather in a boyish way rather than clinging to the body.

In spite of the occidental mathematical influence, the overall effects was decidedly 1920′s, thanks in part to the tassels that hung from the zig-zagged hems of those silky frocks. The flapper effect seems to have crossed the Atlantic from Ralph Lauren’s New York fashion week show, and  it’s only going to get worse: Baz Luhrmann’s remake of The Great Gatsby is due in cinemas next March so come 2012 I think all the high street stores will be jumping on the roaring twenties band wagon. I wonder if the Spijkers twins know this? If they don’t someone should tell them, because it’s a stroke of luck that could stand them in good stead next spring.

Words: Katie Wright Photos: Sophie Caldecott

#TodayImWearing: Katie, Katie and Helene Day Three of LFW

Frantically swapping tickets after an envelope mix-up disaster, the (extended) S&TS team found a little downtime between shows for LFW posing. We’ve always got energy when someone points a camera at us..

Coat from John Lewis Kids (!), vintage boots, H&M bag and new hair

 

That's a Whistles cardigan, Topshop shoes and H&M skirt and tee

 

Working Urban Outfitters boots and blazer with Gap shirt and H&M leggings, accessorised with a Fashion Scout pillar

Born This Way: Dans La Vie SS12

What: Dans La Vie SS12

Where: Vauxhall Fashion Scout, Freemasons Hall

When: Sunday 18th September, 4.45pm

The lights dim and pre-show chatter shushes. The opening gospel of ‘Like a Prayer’ lends its atmosphere, as the first girl comes down the catwalk.

Dans La Vie’s SS12 is inspired by Tokyo in the aftermath of the earthquake in March, the theme ‘Clash Beauty’  and what are termed the Four Pop Madonna’s: Madonna (obv), Amy Winehouse, Rihanna and Lady Gaga and the show is split into four sections by this soundtrack.

Breton stripes met pop in plastic coated outerwear, with Da Vinci inspired prints. As Back to Black blared out from the soundsystem, more sombre hues appeared – complete with cross motifs and see through chiffon.

My favourite piece was a floor length prom style black skirt with a hint of off-duty sugar plum fairy. Vey wearable, if you’re six feet tall.

The Gaga finale track announced a tit tape and balloon skirt combo with bright blue lips – another highlight.

The last look seemed to sum up the collection: a gorgeous headdress with a hint of the ecclesiastical, a barely there blouse and 50s/Pop inspired skirt. Don’t be a drag - just be a queen.

Words Helene Charara.