Rebel stylist: Caroline Baker – the woman who invented street fashion



Rebel Stylist - Caroline Baker for Vogue - photography Harri Peccinotti

If you’re struggling for killer fashion gift ideas, allow me to make a recommendation.

I’ve just received my copy of Rebel Stylist*, a fantastic delve into the story of fashion styling straight from the lips (and visual archive) of the lady who invented it all, Caroline Baker. Caroline is a legend in the industry. She has worked for everyone, from Nova magazine to The Face, Vogue and i-D, as well as with iconic designers and brands including Benetton (the Toscani ads), Katharine Hamnett and Vivienne Westwood. Not to mention photographers – Helmut Newton, Hari Peccinotti, Sarah Moon, Guy Bourdin, Saul Leiter. Every mainstream trend you can think of – layering, military surplus, power dressing, underwear-as-outerwear – she was there first, trailblazing well before most of us were in nappies. (more…)



(Back) on my radar: Jigsaw AW21



Jigsaw AW21 trousers

I found myself in Jigsaw a few days ago and was very impressed with the new direction. I’ve not been in for quite some time and to be honest it had dropped clean off my radar.

The coats, knits* and trousers are especially strong (more…)



Did blogs change the fashion industry?



blogs in Vogue

Sad but true, blogging is considered something of a retro curiosity. Now that everything 2000s is trending, we’re seeing quite a few nostalgic deep dives into the early days of fashion blogs, aka the grass roots movement that upended the publishing industry.

Vogue US has a podcast here, which uncovers the anonymous online identity years, the democratisation of fashion shows and early Fashion Week street style (throw back to that time Tommy Ton’s team mobbed my friend at LFW for a photo of a hole in his sleeve!). (more…)



The Culture of fashion: an oral history of Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette



Sofia Coppola Marie Antoinette

Can you believe that Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette film is 15 years old this year? It’s such a fantastic piece of cinema and Vogue thinks so too. It has managed to compile an astonishingly lengthy oral history speaking to the actors, music consultants, costume designers and even Thierry Boutemy, the famous Belgian florist, breaking down every element of inspiration, technical specs and – of course – fashion detail in this over-one-hour long read. (more…)