Introducing: Winser London
It might be Fashion Month but life isn’t all about Marni-esque print and wacko Celine ‘fur-kenstocks’. Sometimes you want a palate-cleanser, a just-so silk shirt with double cuffs for example, or a high quality trench that will travel with you from spring to winter without the Rue Saint-Honore price tag. Continue reading
M’oda ‘Operandi: pre-tail to etail
Pre-tail site, M’oda ‘Operandi has been going for quite a while now and even though I’m still a novice online shopper when it comes to fashion (honestly, I can count my total clothing purchases on two hands), I do think it’s a clever concept.
For me it works as a research tool. It bridges the gap between seeing things on the runway (styled to the hilt as per the designer’s vision) and seeing them on a rail in store. We get to see clothes ahead of season styled in a more wearable way, including those by some of the lesser known designers. This week’s ‘trunk shows’ (the M’O name for its limited-time pre-order sales) includes Bouchra Jarrar’s winter couture collection (a designer I love, who was shortlisted for the Balenciaga gig and M’oda ‘Operandi’s first ‘couture’ designer) and J.W. Anderson pre-fall.
But like a lot of start-ups, it seems the plan is to develop the concept beyond its original, well, moda operandi. Since December, the site has also offered conventional, in-season etail in its ‘Boutique’, giving the M’O consumer the option to buy their favorite pieces and wear them the next day. As CEO Aslaug Magnusdottir says, “We want to better serve our current customers and reach a new customer base. We’ve been able to establish a name in various pockets of the world and we want to take advantage of our positioning and build our market share quickly.”
You can pre-order Bouchra Jarrar’s winter couture collection until 5th Feb and J.W. Anderson Pre-Fall 2013 until 4th Feb. Happy shopping!
Bouchra Jarrar
J.W. Anderson
Mr Porter collaborates with young British designers for London Collections: Men
Today, the second day of London Collections: Men, saw the release of Mrporter.com’s commercial collaboration to support independent British designers. Katie Eary, Sibling, Richard Nicoll and Matthew Miller each created three exclusive pieces for Mr Porter and every one of them is a thing of beauty. Continue reading
Introducing IDA by Donna Ida
If the blouse-n-trouser-jean is 2013’s new day-to-night uniform (and I reckon it will be), then that’s good news for Donna Ida Thornton. Because this month Ms Thornton launches her eponymous jeans line, IDA, and it pivots around that very look. Having nailed the denim-centric retail sector with her Donna Ida jeans chain, Thornton has gathered her customer feedback and poured it into a tightly focused own brand. Key to which is a ‘true’ high waist – no butt-crack flashing here – a response to many a request from her dedicated customers.
All the jeans in the debut collection are fairly snug on the thighs, with varying widths below the knee from the ankle-gripping, zip-hemmed ‘Audrey’, to the flared ‘Martha’. (I hear a boyfriend jean is in the works too.) My favourite (by sight – I’ve not tried them yet) is ‘Jeanie’, a sophisticated cigarette jean named after Thornton’s most loyal customer, “who’d come in asking for high-waisted jeans. She’s clear about what she wants, and if we didn’t have it, she’d say ‘Well, why not?” says Thornton. “I’ve named the cigarette leg after her because that’s what she wants to wear.”
And about those blouses. They fit in with Thornton’s ‘quintessentially British’ vision for the brand, so for a little elegance, there’s the neat-shouldered ‘Out of Africa’ silk shirt with patch pockets and deep cuffs, or for the full power-bow effect, there are bell-sleeved ‘Mrs Thatcher’ blouses in soft cream, pale pink or a rather apt Tory blue. The collection launches this month and can be pre-ordered now at Donnaida.com.
Last chance for Farfetch X Meadham Kirchhoff
I never know quite what to make of Meadham Kirchhoff. Fiercely independent, one minute they’re anti the fashion system, the next they’re playing the game – but strictly on their terms. The Topshop extravaganza was their first big foray into the mainstream, followed by a collaboration with Amazon (Amazon? You can’t get more mass than that!) and now a neat project with Farfetch.com.
Along with Gary Card, Margot Bowman and Melinda Gibson, Benjamin Kirchhoff and Ed Meadham have created custom festive giftwrap (above) for the curated online marketplace and to go with, cooperated on a behind the scenes video. Farfetch managed to get a pretty good insight into the design philosophies, inspirations and processes from the famously prickly duo.
The giftwrap is a lovely way of adding some Meadham Kirchhoff magic to Christmas wrapping (especially as their RTW line is not cheap) and even more so if, ahem, you’re the self gifting type. But be quick, the custom wrapping paper is only available until 19th December.
Guest post: Mr DRG on Dehen Varsity jackets
Mr DRG spends even more time browsing shopping sites than me, so I occasionally ask him to write about his menswear finds. Here’s what he has to say about Dehen jackets…
Well… a home-run scored by Coggles, which is the only UK stockist of Dehen jackets.
As with most things in life, authenticity is key, and when it comes to Varsity (AKA Letterman) jackets, the Oregon brand has it in spades. Continue reading
Filippa K ss13 campaign images and a jolly nice jacket
Filippa K is one of those labels that I see at press days but not really in shops. And as it’s pretty low key I don’t actively seek it out. But I love what I’ve seen for ss13, especially this softer version of an MA1 jacket with rose gold detailing, shown on Julia Stegner (one of my favourite models, look at that swanlike neck!). Continue reading
Buy it now: Posh pyjamas with a twist from Poplin
OHHHHHH! How fun are these posh pyjamas with a twist from Poplin? An exclusive collaboration with Avenue32, I loved this story from Avenue32′s Erin Mullaney; “we wanted to create a collectable timeless illustration for the pyjamas that was both festive and stylish. When I was a little girl, we always got to open one present on Christmas Eve and without fail, ‘Santa’ always gave us Christmas pyjamas that we would wear the whole next morning and that would be captured in photos for the rest of time!” Continue reading
Have you heard of Bow Tie Club?
My clever friend and crafter Bella B from BOW TIE CLUB has been busy fashioning dozens of these darling bow ties for Brixton’s Crafty Fox Market this weekend. Continue reading
Warehouse Christmas SOS film – recognise yourself?
Warehouse has upped its digital game considerably since relaunching its etail site a few months ago. As well as a much fresher looking site with the full complement of social sharing buttons, the British high street brand has embraced the power of the fashion film.
This sharply observed ‘Christmas SOS’ film, produced to promote its 90-minute delivery service (er – wow), is brilliantly executed and top contender to upstage last year’s Walk Of Shame viral (remember the work of genius from Harvey Nichols?).
Watch and cringe…
