I Want Candy

I realise that these images taken from the Australian Vogue X David Jones editorial are literally so last season but I've been drawn to pastel tones and clean lines. This has largely been fueled by Susie Lau's comprehensive archive, Plastic Candy but also comes by way of J.W. Anderson's most recent collections and mainline Jeremy Scott, as well as Moschino. But before I can delve into any of that I felt it necessary to describe what inspired those works and revisit S/S 2015. Spring/ Summer 2016 promises so much and it feels like designers are willing to create the collections they've always dreamed of, experiment with new techniques and invest in the weird and wonderful. Although there's a lot of black and white in this editorial in particular I feel like this dichotomy of hot and cold will play a major role next season. Also I just really admire it and feel that Grimes would totally be on board with this if you added say, fingerless leather studded gloves or something like that?For her it's all about accessories and these outfits are the skeleton of street style magic.

Mormo Fall 2015

We've waited well over six months for the release of Mormo's exciting monster-themed bag collection, with a few last minute technical glitches acting as the final barrier. I stumbled across this brand when flicking through Instagram and was instantly transfixed by the concept as well as realistic features of each bag. The account in itself is as good as any micro-blog and undoubtedly it's one of the driving reasons behind the brands success and hype. Mormo also strive to deliver a niche, luxury piece with a quirky sense of humour. Since I have a penchant for stuff that looks like other stuff, so naturally I wanted to explore the site more. There I found a lookbook which incorporated elements of a kid's restaurant menu, as well as vintage pastel gogo boots. Although it seems the lookbook has been ready for months now, but the production of these limited released backpacks and leather totes was much more complex. Mormo have not compromised on craftsmanship, an inherent element of the design of each bag.

The three mascots somewhat reminiscent of Nickelodeon's "Aaahh!!! Real Monsters" (come on, who else remembers that show raise your hand) include Spike, Snotty and Drool. While you'd hardly call them charming and I expect someone more conservative like my mother to cringe, each certainly has a unique character and unique element incorporated as part of its design. They certainly make a lively addition to any wardrobe, and serve as a delightful alternative for someone like me who is by no means a bag snob and relatively new to that aspect of fashion blogging. I've somehow managed to avoid purchasing a sensible quality handbag and continue to delight in discovering unique, alternative design. Although I was first attracted to the sleek patent leather and shackle-like hands of the Drool backpack I think I'm beginning to like Spike more! While it's not the most imaginative name, he does come with three different collars PLUS his namesake was a Buffy the Vampire Slayer heartthrob. You can totally see the resemblance, right?

If there's one thing I can't stand it's a copycat- whether it be an academic cheat or someone without an ounce of originality still able to achieve commercial success. I admire those brands who are able to ensure their designs remain relatively untouchable by combining their love of fine materials and quality. This is intrinsic to Mormo's business model, but one wonders what will be next once their much anticipated Fall 2015 collection launches. I suspect much of it will depend on the reception of their first drop, and concentrate efforts to meet demand should it exceed any and all expectation. Possible future direction for the brand include the expansion upon some of their motifs from this collection and possibly make leather cuffs or a pair of snotty earrings. This is all just conjecture because I have no idea what Mormo will do next or what they're capable as a brand. They came out of nowhere and I have the fear that they could fall into obscurity just as easily. I'm just hoping that they prove me wrong and create something even more spectacular. 

Images via Mormo

Fendi Resort 2015

The silhouettes so often employed by the trendiest fashion bloggers and editors meets colour and imagination, finally. Fendi has created the embodiment of twenty-first century chic while simultaneously injecting colour and substance, as the continuation some of their more successful motifs from Spring/ Summer. The familiar alligator tails in leather can be seen on some of the bags, as well as the owl bag charms alongside some of Fendi's signature totes. Accessories aside, this collection had a greater emphasis on the tailoring of the pants and aforementioned silhouettes exaggerated by the slightly unnatural poses of the model. Don't get me wrong I love being sold on the idea of transcending all human capabilities and never feeling awkward or uncomfortable but when attempting some of these slouchy gravity-bending poses, in reality, they look far less spectacular.  Jibes aside I was intrigued by those statement jackets and long skirts combining the best of troupe-like obsessions with the splendor of high fashion.

Although it's only a short collection, I feel like Fendi were able to curate a number of different ideas and execute them well. Each outfit was holistic in its approach, but lacked cohesion necessary for either Spring or Fall. In many ways it was a composite of some of the house's more decadent, as well as their more well-received pieces all rolled into one. There was also some tentative experimentation with texture in addition to those spectacular colorways. On a completely unrelated note, after staring transfixed at the mysterious floating model, as well as circular designs featured on a number of shoes that there are explicit mod references within this collection. Of course, it's all so subtle and with the pseudo-uppercut featured in a number of different looks it all feels so modern. In reality the collection does not belong to a particular decade or heavily borrow from a specific place- it exists across all time and outside it. Fashion collections have that kind of mind-altering affect on me, especially after I have spend hours staring at coal or have had very little sleep. Floating models don't help that either.