16 October, 2023

Return of the Soho fashion bookshops

Idea Books London

Interesting to see Soho (London) getting its retail groove back.

I noticed it in the summer with Machine A mark II, Marc Jacobs’ Heaven and Aries (so trendy, I was too intimidated to go inside). Now the niche fashion booksellers are coming back.

Idea Books just announced it’s opening its Wardour Street space to the public. Previously ‘by appointment’ only, it’s expanding to take up a much larger chunk of the building, which is located in the epicentre of Soho. And Isabella Burley’s Climax Books has just opened in Wardour Mews (Thursday-Saturday). Dealing in collectible vintage books and avant-garde erotica respectively, they’re bringing bookish fashionistas back to the beating heart of the city.

In the days when Central Saint Martins was located in Charing Cross Road, all the fashion students would flock to Borders for their expensive style zines (often consumed FOC with a two-hour coffee in Starbs upstairs). (more…)

Disneyrollergirl 0 Comments Art, Books, Business of fashion, Magazines, News, Retail concepts, Trends Bookmarc, Climax Books, Idea Books, Linda Evangelista, retail concepts, retail news, Sofia Coppola, trends

12 September, 2023

Trend report: what to wear for AW23

Johnny Dufort for T Magazine

AW23 is emphatically female-focussed, kicking off with supermodel mania – that Vogue cover, the Apple series and a Linda Evangelista book – and continuing with a slew of women-championing exhibitions. We’ve also got the big Phoebe Philo reveal to come, as well as a focus on revivalist classic fashion (aka gentlewoman style). For this you can easily shop your closet, or consider buying pre-loved – the quality may be better and so may the price. “The connection between instability in the economy and consumers’ desire for classic, quality pieces that retain value is certainly at play, as is the cultural zeitgeist,” Kelly McSweeney, senior merchandising manager at The RealReal, told WWD. (more…)

Disneyrollergirl 1 Comment Books, Brands, Business of fashion, Design, Designers, Events, Fashion shows, Films, Magazines, Online shopping, Shopping, Trends Alaïa, AW23, Banana Republic, books, Bottega Veneta, Chanel, exhibitions, films, Gucci, L'Etiquette, Loewe, Maison Margiela, Metropolitan Museum Of Art, Officine Générale, Peter Do, photography, Prada, Sacai, shopping, Sofia Coppola, Steven Meisel, Taylor Lorenz, Uniqlo, vintage, Wales Bonner, Zara

6 September, 2023

The culture of fashion: kilty pleasures

Le Kilt

It’s 30 years since Marc Jacobs’ fateful Perry Ellis grunge collection, so a good time for one revival in particular. This autumn I’m excited for the return of the kilt, the old money staple that straddles childhood nostalgia and tradition (think school uniforms and the Queen off-duty) and pop culture subversion (70s punk, 90s grunge, Cher from Clueless).

This season, Burberry has cleverly revived it as a youthful house code in an effort to ramp up Daniel Lee’s modern Brit vision. (more…)

Disneyrollergirl 1 Comment Design, Designers, Fashion shows, Magazines, Music, News, Photography, Shopping, Trends Bruce Weber, Burberry, culture, design, heritage, Le Kilt, photography, shopping, Stella Tennant, Steven Meisel, trends

10 August, 2023

On quiet beauty, Prada make-up 2.0 and the end of the glossy girl boss era

Australian Vogue Beauty Garconne

How cool to be quoted in Noelle Faulkner’s article for Vogue Australia on the emerging anti-perfect aesthetic.

In her piece, ‘The Whole Picture’ (in the August issue), she charts the convergence of discreet fashion and beauty, particularly the growing shift away from obvious enhancements in pursuit of so-called perfection (pillow cheeks, snatched jawlines, uber-pumped lips) and towards a more self-accepting, everyday aesthetic. (more…)