Daredevil

Lately I've been obsessing over these sneakers by Isabel Marant, which leads me to my other obsession: really trashy, time-wasting phone apps. Simpsons Tapped Out is my favourite, and Captain lance Murdock's daredevil costume reminded me so much of the details on those shoes. Finding links between fashion and components of pop culture satisfies my idiosyncratic tendency to catalog things in order to make sense of the world around me.

It's the most, wonderful time of the year

I know, I know, we've just finished celebrating Halloween and Christmas has become the latest meme but I'm actually really excited to be celebrating Christmas this year! Aside from being able to use this holiday season to plan new content (both here and for science websites) as well as long-term employment, I've made so a lot of new friends this year. It's usually at this time of year that it's important to plan your events (including on whether to host or not!), organise Christmas card lists and the season's hottest accessories. I've been crushing on this metallic green dress from Asos and Christmas themed phone case from Skinny Dip, but what I'm most excited about is creating handmade cards for my friends, family and peers. I've also been toying with the idea of what my dream party invitation would look like, if you know, I weren't still living at home in a tiny house in the suburbs. I mean, a girl can dream, can't she? In lieu of a party invitation, I did create a mini Christmas-themed moodboard (expect more seasonal inspiration soon!) For party invites inspiration and cards without the snail mail, Paperless Posta have plenty of card designs for all occasions- including the silly season.

Tom Guy 2013

When trawling through the Westminster Graduate archives I discovered the work of Tom Guy. The accompanying zine Guy made for this collection is truly something special, but first I wanted to curate this collection. The three-dimensional flowers and combination of sheer rhinestone decorated bodysuits exist in the same realm as Prabal Gurung 2012 and that dress Beyonce wore to the Met Gala. But the moodboard by way of small handmade publication proves Guy was inspired by something entirely different and is not derivative. In fact this pearly, iridescent wonderland was inspired by Britannica and satirically features the Queen of England and Buckingham Palace embezzled in gemstones rather than another designer. This of course thrilled my inner child, a magpie for all things shiny and plastic. To state the obvious, I loved each and every piece from this collection. I was charmed by that bombastic, flower embellished helmet which opened the show and from then on was smitten. It seems that as a graduate it seems that each designer can more easily achieve cohesion and as a result a bigger impact in terms of aesthetics.

*Images via Westminster Fashion

Chloe McDonald 2015

I've long maintained that graduate collections are among the most interesting and innovative but it seems the next generation from Westminster are proving that they are ready for commercial success as well. I was instantly reminded of Japanese designers such as Comme Des Garcons as well as the artistic flair of Claire Barrow. It also marked a badass transition from the typical winged eyeliner which every 20-something year old was obsessed with. Aside from the biker jackets, spontaneous use of tinsel and metallic threads I loved the thick strapped sandals. They reminded me so much of Agyness Deyn's collaboration for Dr Martens released a few years ago which simply reinforces this idea of the London fashion scene being a tight knit community. Obviously the shoes were the icing on some kind of extended metaphor about a cake because the biker jackets were without a doubt the centre of attention. Although it seems that each look is simply derivative of a single idea, if you look closely each jacket was made from a different designs. I did a little sewing as a sophomore in high school but I can only imagine how difficult it would be to work with leather. That's part of the reason why McDonald is seriously deserving of praise and accolades.

*Photos via WestminsterFashion

Gucci Resort 2016

Just about everything I've read so far about Gucci drew comparisons with Wes Anderson and I would tend to agree that there is something very Anderson-esque about these characters. That term by the way was coined by the legendary Roger Ebert who penned many essays on Anderson's work which I highly recommend. When combined with those lush Persian carpets used to line the runway it evokes scenes from the director's opus The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) as well as stills from Hotel Chevalier (2007). There's so much more going on though it seems almost an insult to simplify the collection even when it parallels the work of one of my favourite artists. For one thing, this collections seems to hark back to 2009, i.e. the golden years before blogging had made waves in social media and fashion was both frivolous and fun. Outfits were less focused on curating the work of the latest IT designer and more about experimentation. The blogosphere was a tight-knit community of women genuinely interested in sharing ideas and catchy taglines such as "follow for follow" had not yet been coined. Frankly, we were all the more richer for it. 

The collection as a whole makes me pine for simple times when billowing, vintage pieces could be worn with the latest trends as seen from the high street and pairs of kooky oversized glasses were inching their way into fashion. The latter have of course become synonymous with the archetypal Manic Pixie Dream Girl (a term which still lingers much to creator Nathan Rabin's displeasure) but it's interesting to note how quickly they have been revived. This is largely due to the Internet expediting the rate at which we share information and ultimately consume trends. So basically everything that was old or tired has become vintage within the span of less than a decade and we are all time-travelers of our own making. I feel like Doc Brown but without the messy clumps of wild white hair but I suppose those puppy dog eyes will look only larger and even more sad behind grandma's glasses. 

For me growing up Gucci was never synonymous with the most up to date trends but rather handbags and inevitably cheap knock-offs. I'm starting to realise there is a renaissance within the fashion world in terms of traditional houses experiencing life anew, or when scrawling through archives online, that these brands were always cool and sophisticated. I was just unable to appreciate their beauty until now. Although logos experienced their moment in the sun only a few seasons ago I feel that without omnipresent logos chasing me up and down the street I am at ease with a brand's personal image. For Gucci that meant the occasional appearance of their signature stripes of hardware details appearing on some shoes and handbags. In many ways this replaced the monogrammed luggage carried by the Whitman Brothers across India on their shared journey of self-discovery. It allowed me to become comfortable with the collection and adopt the position of an observed, rather than a potential consumer. 

One final thought on the collection was the transformative nature of the humble beret and accessories as a whole. Without them any echo of Suzy Bishop- possibly Wes Anderson's finest troubled teenager would be all but lost (sorry Margot). Suzy's mother Laura Bishop also made a cameo appearance in the Gucci collection in the form of fashionable glasses, head scarf and the dreamiest quilted satin coat imaginable. This outfit has been etched into folklore as the "leaving your husband/ family outfit" and really nothing could look more classy and yet cold-blooded. It is as iconic as stills from Thelma & Louise and derivatives including but not limited to Marge Simpson's friendship with Ruth Powers. This outfit is typically worn by women portrayed as callous or with selfish motivations which seem all the more jarring given how feminine and therefore vulnerable their attire. Housewives are more powerful and influential than many can imagine and it is for this very reason that they are oppressed by the men who pretend to love them. And on that note, I'll leave you to ponder the universe.  

1- 7 via Fashion Sizzle, 8- 28 via Footwear News.

Emily Giles Graduate Collection

I accidentally stumbled upon Emily Giles when she posted a pair of shoes from her graduate collection entitled 'Ride Away' on a Facebook group I'm on. That lead me to her profile on Not Just a Label and the rest as they say is history. I was particularly interested in Giles as a newly graduated fashion student from the Queensland University of Technology and having grown up in a small rural town. While it's not uncommon for me to discuss graduate collections there has been a notable absence from the class of 2014 (I hope to rectify this). It would seem that isolation nourished her creativity rather than stamped it out and in response to a lack of commercially available clothing she focuses on traditional handy crafts. The kind which are passed down from generation to generation. As a result many pieces within her collection feature a cacophony of embroidery, knitting, weaving, beading and quilting. I've always been rather jealous of anyone who could knit and was taught by a relative and felt like it was something missing from my own life. However, these techniques are far from gentrified and instead reinvigorated by an experimental veil of colour and mystique. 

'Ride Away' was heavily influenced by the 1953 film, 'The Wild One', hence the interplay between masculine and feminine elements as explored through over sized proportions and dropped shoulders. This idea of identity shifting through time was also emphasized with the number of different coloured wigs used throughout the photo shoot. The large coats and cigarette motif reminded me of espionage films and the film noir genre re-imagined with generous colours and layered outfits. I loved how the subtleties of the details on this coat in particular were highlighted using metallic thread and draped across the shoulder but the pink jacket was what captured my imagination and fueled my passions. All the pieces were made using natural fibers including wool, silk and fur. From afar the texture of these pieces is indeterminate but on closer inspection different materials have been so well matched one element blends seamlessly against another. One can only imagine the wonders Giles will go on to achieve and what joys her next collection may bring, whatever that may be.