Tuesday, 16 August 2011
Noir's McQueen
In a seamless segue from the last post to this, I shall continue as if I never left my keyboard and get on with talking about the latest Noir event, which saw Summerhall transformed into a quirky and slightly macabre setting for the McQueen-themed evening. The old university vet building is a great addition to the ever-growing list of Edinburgh Festival venues, and the many different rooms of all shapes and sizes could be utilised to great effect. The deliciously named Dissection Room was a fab choice for the event - a spacious hall with bar (woohoo), winding raised catwalk installed and an overseeing balcony. Huge projections of images of McQueen's past collections were emblazoned on the wall for the whole evening, just in case you got too drunk to remember where you were.
As this is a fashion-oriented blog, I shall start talking about that, mostly. The exciting flyers promised a night of cutting-edge-everything and as they expressly said the event would be a tribute to the late legend, I was not surprised when I saw that nothing on the catwalk was McQueen. So I wasn't expecting a Savage Beauty-esque collection of garments but I was still intrigued as to what Harvey Nichols and the creative team behind the show could muster, due to the outrageously bizarre and wonderful source material they were to take inspiration from. Well, one thing I couldn't fault was the music. Composed especially for the evening, it was haunting, creeping and melancholic as only a cello could be, and the models shuffled along at funeral march pace, while the audience observed them under spotlights. So the scene was set and while the atmosphere was definitely impressive and the clothes beautiful, I could not help thinking it really didn't deliver on what was promised. The garments were solely from Harvey Nichols Edinburgh, with a few millinery additions from Joyce Paton. Nice dress after nice sweater after nice coat after a few nice dresses, it became clear that the tributee's creativity was nowhere to be seen. A lot of black looks were sent down the walk to reinforce the solemness of the show but compared to the guests that were present at McQueen's funeral (yes, I'm thinking Daphne Guinness), these looks were decidedly less tribute-like, especially given the now-obvious premise of the event. Understandably, the stock available at an Edinburgh store limits the extravagance of the main pieces for each look but there was no accessorising or styling that would tug at the corner of my mouth into a smirk of recognition of a reference to one of McQueen's quirks or traits, or make me even begin to utter even the teeniest gasps of awe. Essentially, this was an assortment of clothes from various designers strung together with the heavy reinforcement of the surroundings that this was, indeed, a tribute to McQueen. If walking in blind to the event during the darkness of the show, without the visual aids, you would be hard pressed to know the reason for all the fuss.
Ferret heads in your beaded fur stole, anyone?
As this is a fashion-oriented blog, I shall start talking about that, mostly. The exciting flyers promised a night of cutting-edge-everything and as they expressly said the event would be a tribute to the late legend, I was not surprised when I saw that nothing on the catwalk was McQueen. So I wasn't expecting a Savage Beauty-esque collection of garments but I was still intrigued as to what Harvey Nichols and the creative team behind the show could muster, due to the outrageously bizarre and wonderful source material they were to take inspiration from. Well, one thing I couldn't fault was the music. Composed especially for the evening, it was haunting, creeping and melancholic as only a cello could be, and the models shuffled along at funeral march pace, while the audience observed them under spotlights. So the scene was set and while the atmosphere was definitely impressive and the clothes beautiful, I could not help thinking it really didn't deliver on what was promised. The garments were solely from Harvey Nichols Edinburgh, with a few millinery additions from Joyce Paton. Nice dress after nice sweater after nice coat after a few nice dresses, it became clear that the tributee's creativity was nowhere to be seen. A lot of black looks were sent down the walk to reinforce the solemness of the show but compared to the guests that were present at McQueen's funeral (yes, I'm thinking Daphne Guinness), these looks were decidedly less tribute-like, especially given the now-obvious premise of the event. Understandably, the stock available at an Edinburgh store limits the extravagance of the main pieces for each look but there was no accessorising or styling that would tug at the corner of my mouth into a smirk of recognition of a reference to one of McQueen's quirks or traits, or make me even begin to utter even the teeniest gasps of awe. Essentially, this was an assortment of clothes from various designers strung together with the heavy reinforcement of the surroundings that this was, indeed, a tribute to McQueen. If walking in blind to the event during the darkness of the show, without the visual aids, you would be hard pressed to know the reason for all the fuss.photos from the Noir Blog, by DN Anderson and Mike Byrne
So taking the event as a whole and sweeping aside the inadequacies and disappointments of the show (which is, arguably, the central attraction to the event), the DJs, people and even the wee exhibition right at the very back (pics below) helped to make the evening enjoyable (for pics of the party people and the rest of the pics of the event, go to Noir's blog). Perhaps this whole experience is quite a good warning against overblowing the awesomeness of the content of your main attraction, but it also shows that at least Edinburgh is trying to compete with the multitude of fashion gatherings happening most weekends a mere 40 miles away...
Tuesday, 9 August 2011
Me on the Internet
So, I had almost forgotten about the possibility of my face appearing on the internet due to the abundance of photographers at fashion week. I'm sure you now know I'm not so keen on the sheer number of them BUT it's not like I'm going to act like a cold bitch by slapping their camera out of their hands as they try to take my picture - plus some of them actually had good chat and insight about fashion, but even they agreed that the streetstyle blogging market is "over-saturated". I'm a follower and lover of such blogs myself but obviously not all of them are of a great quality and personally I prefer the focus to be more on the shows during FW (I also tend to grumble at the celebrity culture surrounding womens week especially but that's perhaps a rant for a later post). Who knows, maybe there's a perfectly good explanation for their numbers - obviously there has been a growing demand for moremoremore pictures of snappy dressers on the streets - and other people are still loving it and don't see it as a minor annoyance like I do?
I have no idea if my images have been popping up elsewhere - Tank were kind enough to tell me who there were and where I could find myself - and even then I only just came across this. Not so easy when not everyone spoke English.
Not very used to smiling on cue so feel free to snigger at my lame attempt at the end of the vid.
In other news, exciting event going on in Edinburgh this weekend. The McQueen tribute bug has hit Scotland and Noir have dedicated their latest event to an evening of McQueen!
I will be there with camera in hand to document all the debauchery!
I hope you're excited...
Still, despite my moaning, it is nice to know that others enjoy your style (but it means less when others take a shot of you just because they see someone else being polite and approaching you..) so I was pleasantly surprised when I saw that my interview with Tank Magazine had been published. Popular outfit that day - not forgetting the lovely shot Jonathan took of me and the boif (linked in my last post - shall not milk it).
I have no idea if my images have been popping up elsewhere - Tank were kind enough to tell me who there were and where I could find myself - and even then I only just came across this. Not so easy when not everyone spoke English.
Not very used to smiling on cue so feel free to snigger at my lame attempt at the end of the vid.
In other news, exciting event going on in Edinburgh this weekend. The McQueen tribute bug has hit Scotland and Noir have dedicated their latest event to an evening of McQueen!
I will be there with camera in hand to document all the debauchery!
I hope you're excited...
Friday, 5 August 2011
I Miss Fashion Week
Finally, the time came when I had to upload my pictures from Paris, even if it took me all night (and it did), unless I wanted to save them for a rainy day for a cheeky reminder nearer to the next season. But I decided that since it's been so long since I've been on holiday, or done anything Fashion related, I would use a few photos in a blog post to remind myself and let everyone else know what I enjoyed most about Mens Fashion Week. We've all seen the shows and reviews (remember that excellent article in the latest issue of Slave Magazine?)so this is merely just a wee trip down a smooth and uncobbled memory lane for all the less than comfortable shoes worn by all the women - the true victims of fashion...
As it's August, I'm already looking forward and ready to request invitations for London Fashion Week in September, and clinging onto the memories of the last one will no doubt make me more eager for the next..
Also, it's always nice to remind ourselves of what sunny weather is like - I'm starting to forget already...
The crowds:
What I like about Mens Week (while others will disagree) is the notably calmer atmosphere. While the carnage and feather-ruffling of Womens Week is entertaining, it is also irritating in equal measures. While you'd like to commend their effort, the words "try" and "hard" inevitably come together for some. You know something is wrong when photobloggers outnumber buyers in their thousands... I like the abundance of black at Mens Week - it's rarely boring when most of those wearing them are effortlessly cool and often mature attendees.
As it's August, I'm already looking forward and ready to request invitations for London Fashion Week in September, and clinging onto the memories of the last one will no doubt make me more eager for the next..
Also, it's always nice to remind ourselves of what sunny weather is like - I'm starting to forget already...
The crowds:
What I like about Mens Week (while others will disagree) is the notably calmer atmosphere. While the carnage and feather-ruffling of Womens Week is entertaining, it is also irritating in equal measures. While you'd like to commend their effort, the words "try" and "hard" inevitably come together for some. You know something is wrong when photobloggers outnumber buyers in their thousands... I like the abundance of black at Mens Week - it's rarely boring when most of those wearing them are effortlessly cool and often mature attendees. Mr Spock at Juun J:
Wait, did I not already talk about this jacket when JP Braganza designed it for his AW 11 collection...?
Wait, did I not already talk about this jacket when JP Braganza designed it for his AW 11 collection...?
The well-used venue of the Maison des Métallos, a really interesting building, except when it's boiling hot and it feels like it was the designer's intention to cook his guests alive. Then I'm not that keen on it.
Friends at Julius:
While the show was so-so (what can we expect, though, if the clothes are only "secondary" in the multidirectional art...thing that is Julius?), it is always pleasant to see friends abroad, as Jonathan rightly said, and due to their front row status, Garçon Jon and Michael appeared in many of my pics. It was very inconsiderate of them, really.
While the show was so-so (what can we expect, though, if the clothes are only "secondary" in the multidirectional art...thing that is Julius?), it is always pleasant to see friends abroad, as Jonathan rightly said, and due to their front row status, Garçon Jon and Michael appeared in many of my pics. It was very inconsiderate of them, really.If I could get my hair to look like this, I would. With Autumn coming up, I could just stand outside in the wind and rain for a few hours. And then just lightly spritz with hairspray to hold. That should do it.
A dark and somewhat disappointing Boris Bidjan Saberi, but highlights included sitting next to mysterious and old cowboy man, allowed into every show, while the reason always eluded me and the names of designers always eluded him. Who is he? Sadly, no photo due to impossibility of taking a photo of someone squeezed in next to you in a dark room without being really obvious with the blinding flash of light as you take a photo of part of his face.
Was happy to see the odd splash of colour here and there, there is a lot of waiting around (everyone's obsessed with being fashionably late) so I spend a lot of time playing with my zoom lens and still not being able to focus when I get into a show.
This guy always had a Hawaiian shirt on. A different one every day. The boif said it was like a big "screw you" to all the solemn fashion folk in their serious blacks. I think it's because they flatter his figure so fabulously. Also would like to know who he is.
This guy always had a Hawaiian shirt on. A different one every day. The boif said it was like a big "screw you" to all the solemn fashion folk in their serious blacks. I think it's because they flatter his figure so fabulously. Also would like to know who he is.The beautiful boys of Demeulemeester. Favourite venue. Favourite show. Will definitely gush more about her in later posts..
Yellow hair at Songzio. A very accomplished collection with beautifully cut jackets. Shame the heat made it difficult to be in an appreciative mood.
Lovely patterned suits at Qasimi. Rest of the collection was a bit too literal at times but these were definitely my favourite. Also the genius notion of having the show in an airy and open pavilion made me even more susceptible to his offerings. Will I get the boif into one? I hear giving up black is hard...
And so we've reached the end of my highlights so far. Did and saw so many other fun things but this was only meant to be a quick tour of my Mens Week experience. Maybe one day I will learn not to wait until I have 600 photos and no free time to get around to processing them all.
As punishment, I have included the most embarrassing portrayal possible and summary of my time in Paris. The sun was shining, the city was romantic, I was on my way to a show and most importantly, I was stuffing my face as usual. Until next time...
Thursday, 4 August 2011
Note to Self - Blog is Back On!
Sooo I would not blame anyone for thinking that this blog more or less (more) defunct now but then I surprise you with another post about how I plan to turn things around very soon. And I am telling you now that I do indeed plan to turn things round with this blog, with new and fresh ideas that I will try my utmost to realise - if I don't, please restrict yourself to one hate mail per reader.
My only poor and feeble excuse about my now well-extended sabbatical is the interference of other aspects of my life - namely graduating and the almost never-ending search for a career job (for now). With that all out of the way, I can finally put myself back in the blog game without feeling like I should be looking for a means to my next meal...
So why have I decided to continue boring the internet fashion community by maintaining my blog? Mainly because it's fun for me (it's all about me me me) but also I have had positive feedback so why the hell not. I have come to realise that a lot of my favourite blogs are more personal, rather than just a review show, so maybe I shall aim to achieve this and show you exciting things from my life, if and when they pop up..
Right, grovelling apology over, what can you expect when you stumble across this sacred URL?
- I intend to add actual pages to this blog and have my portfolio on here too. Model Mayhem was great but not too professional as the only source to my port..
- I WILL start invading other people's wardrobes again and bringing the photographic evidence to you - definitely more to be explored there.
- More personal stuff and maybe even delving beyond the realms of fashion. Then you can decide that actually, I'm not that interesting and a little bit irritating.
- At least one post every week. I'm going to regret adding this to the official list of commitments. I could easily re-edit this post and remove it. A list of three looks better anyway...
All of the above is basically a wordy 'note to self' about how I want this blog to be, but in writing and published so it makes me feel even more guilty about not fulfilling it.
I'm not even going to say something generic like I usually do like "watch this space" because I feel like I need to do a real post imminently or people will never bother with this again, after having read this without some kind of reward at the end...
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