Summary of London Fashion Week AW 2013

Over the last few years we have seen a rise of London as a capital of fashion. Brilliant designers, enormous number of young talent and recent graduates from prestigious fashion schools really bring fireworks of excitement during London Fashion Week. It seems that, the London’s talented fashion kids really set up the new direction in design, whether they are trying to break the boundaries with the new shapes and the design or to connect contemporary with vast history of costume we have in our heritage. Without sounding pretentious, London can really state it has it’s own new wave. Creating summary of London Fashion Week using blogger layout is really hard, because you could really publish a book every season. No matter how you try, you will hardly find even one show that is not good. 

Just look at the AW 2013 show of the “youngest”, the Central Saint Martins MA Fashion graduates. They are all brilliant and have their own fresh design and fashion ideas. This year, I found designs of Jaimee McKenna most interesting. Jaimee, knitwear designer and ex freelancer for Mark Fast, played with pleats in attractive forms using monochrome blue dress as a base. Designer’s powerful blue felt like The Blue Epoch of Yves Klien walking on the catwalk. 

Simone Rocha is one more young designer that has proved the status she earned last season with her eponymous label. The fact that she is coming from the family of designer (John Rocha) she takes to try harder. Simone Rocha’s AW 2013 show entitled Respect Your Elders had the task to respect the cut and refined details of clothes. Her connection of unconnected things, also demonstrated she did that pretty well. Risky combinations of heavily embroidered lace, faux fur, pink, leopard pattern can be dangerous for many designers. But not for Simone. Like an experienced designer, she created balance between that teenage edgy vibe and ladylike outline and created the minimalistic outcome. Accessories as loafers in velvet, patent, leopard or glitter, quirky glasses and refined headdresses were topping on the Simone Rocha’s excellent cake. 

Last season, except Simone Rocha, I fell in love with Eudon Choi’s work. The AW 2013 collection from Eudon Choi, which was inspired by Russian women who kept their families together during the Russian revolution, turned me into a big fan. Designer that is initially trained as a menswear designer has an excellent sense for romantic but still powerful womenswear. This nostalgic trip to Russia, brought also amazing collaboration with milliner Piers Atkinson, that created amazing headwear; bloom-filled scarves. 

One more successful attempt of subtle romance was Giles show. It was enough creepy for Addams family and enough romantic for medieval princess. Dramatic huge locks in combination with long shiny and silky dresses with bishop sleeves, created beautiful catwalk story. The kings of creating stories on catwalk, Meadham Kirchhoff duo, showed once again there are two meanings of the word kitschy. Their kitschy is the other one, a good word. In their magical Helter Skelter they connected almost everything; Harlequins, Rococo, Mary Poppins, Goth princesses, Louis IV and Victorian maids. And what can we say except admire them and history we have. 

More Moment to remember: Burberry hearts, Ashley Williams collection as part of Fashion East, John Rocha’s blossoms, Emilia Wickstead’s tartan ensembles.

PHOTOS VIA SHOWSTUDIO

Chanel pre-Oscars dinner party 2013

The 85th Annual Academy Award last night caused lot of buzz. Billion viewers watched their favourite winners and nominees and their moments on the red carpet while fashion critics observed the dresses. Except Anne Hathaway, I didn’t see anything exceptional at Oscars 2013 fashion parade. Anne’s pixie haircut perfectly matched pale pink color of her Oscars Prada dress with elegant narrow silhouette. The “bodice thing” itself caused a lot of controversy so last night someone even set up twitter account with name Anne Hathaway nipple. I thought we would see more of Valentino or Chanel at Oscars 2013, but celebrity stylists stayed on the team of the same designers and similar dresses. However, I found lot of beauty at Chanel Pre-Oscars dinner last night. Andrea Riseborough, Kate Bosworth, Ginnifer Goodwin, Chloe Moretz looked pretty in Chanel Spring 2013, while Felicity Jones was absolutely stunning in Chanel black dress with white collar and cuffs. Hamish Bowles, with his casual gentleman thing, looks as he never tries too much, which makes him a really best dressed man of Condé Nast family.

New York Fashion Week Fall Winter 2013

In these days when photographs from fashion weeks are popping up everywhere, for fashion lovers (including me) who are not able to see the shows in personal this complete excitement can be little annoying. Images rarely give the full portrait of fashion show, the clothes and all the details that are crucial in many ways. Although many sites that cover fashion weeks provide images of details and live streaming, usually this is the case with major shows, which I reckon it’s pretty unfair for emerging designers. 

I almost gave up so many times from my examination of this jungle of images from fashion shows, but even If I am not obligated to see the show or I don’t have a gig for article or review fashion is an excitement that I cannot resist. 

I love to see a good fashion show. Good fashion show gives me butterflies. I love to catch a glimpse of good old passion that is substituted by profit quite often nowadays. These butterflies remind me why I chose career in fashion. They remind of my early teenager days when I used to run from the school after the ring of the bell to record on VHS tapes my favourite fashion shows. I used to get butterflies so often in those days, despite the fact that fashion trends of the 1990s were awfully ugly. 

From hundreds of shows that fashion designers presented during New York Fashion Week for fall 2013, Delpozo show was one of those that gave me butterflies. Josep Font, creative director of this Madrid-based label that is newcomer on New York Fashion Week used embellishments and architectural forms to create a modern Victorian era of our days. (Delpozo was founded in 1974 by famous Spanish fashion designer Jesus del Pozo.) 

Honor this year left me breathless. Giovanna Randall, the designer, created feminine silhouettes that were many times embellished with crystals and stylist Leith Clark wrapped up everything in perfect ensembles adorned with pointed flats and white hosiery. 

Above in the collage are the rest of my butterflies’ creators. Suno, Karen Walker, Creatures of Comfort, Band of Outsiders, Lauren Moffat, Tocca etc. reminded me once again why I love the fashion.

PHOTOS VIA STYLE.COM, CALIVINTAGE

Brunette days

Dear readers,

I know I’ve been awfully lazy with outfit posts here on misslikey and I promise to change that in future. (I have this problem with posing and I am very nervous in front of the camera, but I decided to get rid of my phobias in this year.) 

It has been almost two months now that I am walking on this planet as brunette, and I have to tell you this has been a really big change for me. However, I fell more serious now but the little blonde wants to come out all the time. That’s why I spend awfully lot of time talking to my hair and that usually sounds like this; "Hush, little flirty blonde, we are much better without you now" or "Keep quiet, stay in". When I don’t have conversations with my hair, I spend my free time dreaming, meditating, reading and turning the globe on my favourite antique toy that is present from a dear person. I also can’t get enough of Frankie magazine issue 51. It has haunted me ever since I first saw it in my hands. It’s another smart, witty and pretty issue of dearest Frankie.

P.s. I finally opened my etsy shop. Take a look here. 

I am wearing Zara loafers, Zara burgundy pants and blouse embellished with some of my favourite vintage brooches

In love with...Rosemary Hall

I am in love with Rosemary Hall, editorial photographed by Kelsea Kosko and styled by Jaclyn Bethany from Audrey Grace boutique. The two girls with Karen Walker, Alexandra Grecco, Stretsis and Vivetta clothes created school playground full of pretty scholars. Stylist Jaclyn told us few things about this pretty editorial you can see on Odalisque Magazine.

M: Inspiration behind editorial?

JACLYN: The editorial was inspired by schoolgirls and films I have seen like An Education, Tanner Hall, etc. I am very interested in adolescence, femininity and innocence and I think these photos reflect these themes.
M: Is this the first time that you are working with Kelsea Kosko?

JACLYN: No, Kelsea and I have worked together since November and she is an amazing collaborator! She's only 19, and unbelievably talented
M: Where these beautiful pictures were taken?

JACLYN: Central Park, NYC

p.s. and how wonderful is House of Holland tartan jacket paired with Stretsis dress in heart print and Lolita braid. 

What to get your girlfriend for Valentine's day

Laduree treats; Alexandra Grecco If I only had a heart dress; Oh la la paper straws; QuillandFox card; Truffles at Liberty

Dear boyses,

I usually don’t write posts for you, but since I want to make sure that my mademoiselles readers have a smile on there face, I want to share with you some tips how to make your pretty babe happy for Valentine’s day.

See, the trick is that Valentine’s Day is awfully cheesy, and we (the cool girls) usually claim we don’t like it, but still we do want a sign of attention. 

(Never ask why.) 

Always remember, the most important thing is to stay visually focused, so please avoid bears, cheap cards from post office shops, kitschy bouquets and ugly wrapped chocolates. And please don’t buy your girlfriend kitchen equipment of any kind on this day - heart apron is cute, but we will buy it ourselves. 

(Again, don’t ask why, if you didn’t understand why.) 

Also avoid lingerie if you don’t know which lingerie label she loves. To be honest, with those underwear sets most of you usually buy you would probably even offend madams from the other side of the law. (Cruel, I know.) 

Still, the biggest mistakes happen when you are buying classical Valentine gifts like chocolates and flowers. To avoid that, read the instructions below carefully. 

Chocolate; If you don’t live in the city with Laduree shop (see this list to check), go to specialized shop and find something that is really pretty. Doesn’t have to be expensive, but it has to look expensive. If you are not sure what to buy, remember that more pale and less red is better. Keep it simple. 

Flowers; If you don’t know what kind of flowers you girl prefers, don’t mix. Buy a bouquet of same flowers in the same colour. I reckon roses, carnations or tulips would be just fine. Probably, you will buy these in local flower boutique so try not to get charmed by the vendor who will try to convince you that these plastic ribbons in colours are very modern these days. Say no, pick up the flowers (for example 5 roses or 5 tulips or 5 carnations), go to a textile store and buy 1/2 meter of satin ribbon. Pale pink usually goes with everything. 

P.S. if you are kind of boy that will get your babe something like vintage edition of her favourite book or dress from her favourite label, you are very forward and ignore this above. Congratulations, you don’t need advices. And if your babe reads misslikey get her something from the list above. And always remember: Love doesn’t happen because of pretty eyes; love comes as a result of trying.



Dear misslikettes, forward this to your boyfriends.

want want want...Wayward Daughter

Wayward Daughter is known for handmade pretty garments that won the hearts of many with its simplicity and loveliness. The second collection of this talented blogger could easily become the center of wardrobe for every girl out there who loves refined clothing with girly appeal. Frocks and pinafores with simple cuts and delicate prints seem to be so romantic but at the same time are very ascetic. Same is with Daisy and Ruby blouses. 

It’s really hard to make a favourite when every item is impeccable, but I reckon white Hildred dress with navy spots would fit perfect into my idea of upcoming days wrapped in soft sunshine. Leather satchel, cute pair of flats and life would be La vie en rose.

Visit the shop

P.S. Be sure to check out this post on my tumblr to see which are three current coolest giveaways around. Have a happy weekend! xx

Q&A with photographer Vikky Ivie

Vikky Ivie is London-based analogue photographer whose work has been published on Photo Vogue IT, The Pet Fan Club, Noctis, SYN, Zeum, and Glacier. With delicate colors and serene atmosphere that are synchronized together in rhapsody of loveliness, Vikky creates whimsical stories that look like they popped up out of some lost time of indulgence. And somehow you get an idea that intention of these tender and fragile fairytales is fête of female beauty and its power and indulgence. Misslikey asked charming and talented Vikky to tell us a few things about herself and her work… 

Dear Vikky, can you tell us how did you get into photography? 
I have always been interested in fashion and photography, but I personally started taking photos about 5 years ago, but my mum always tells me I used to take photos on disposable cameras when I was a toddler.

Are there any photographers whose work you admire? 
Yes, there are so many I love, in particular Deborah Turbeville, Sarah Moon, Paolo Roversi.

If you could live in any decade, which would you choose and why?
I would have to say the 1700's in France, in the reign of Marie Antoinette. I love anything to do with her. Although I would also say early Victorian London, I always wish when that London still looked like that, stepping into the set of Great Expectations, or Sweeney Todd.

In which publications you would love to see your work? 
I would love to see my work in Material Girl and Lula, these are my favourites :)

If you could describe your photographs in three words, what would they be? 
Whimsical, haunting and melancholic.

 If you could pick one song to describe your photographs, what would it be?
This is a tough one, im not too sure really, but I think that a romantic piano melody would fit quite well; Claude Debussy, Claire De Lune

….And you prefer….. 

 Analogue or Digital photography?
....Analogue - always.
 Dawn or Dusk? ...Dusk, I think it’s more magical.
Professional models or Friends? 
...Professional models, although there are a specific 2 friends I have who I love.
Planned setting or spontaneous one?
...Planned, I always plan.
Working with stylists or styling by yourself?
...Styling by myself, although I have worked with one particular stylist who was lovely and did everything I would, so sometimes it's nice to work with someone else. :)

Find Vikky Ivie on Facebook

Goodies hunt

Since I spent yesterday evening in my online shopping hunt, I decided to share with you some affordable sale finds from Modcloth and ASOS. I usually find on ASOS pretty and quirky shoes on sale, and Modcloth is perfect place for fancy dresses and vintage inspired frocks at affordable price. Clothing is from Modcloth, shoes are from ASOS. Hope you will find something for yourself. 

Have a happy Monday! xx

*Not Your Average LBD Dress; Cafe Rendezvous Top; Floral Eyes On You Dress; Night Flurry Sweater; Precious Medallion Coat; Natalie's Stop Glamour Time Dress
*ASOS MONTY Velvet Flat Shoes; ASOS MARSHMALLOW Loafers with Metal Trim;
Peter Jensen Heart Ballet Pump; Timeless Macey Leather Loafer; London Rebel Flat Lace-Up Ankle Boot; ASOS MACAROON Lace Up Flat Shoes; 
*ASOS SUNDAY Heels with T-Bar in blush; in brown; ASOS ALLURE Ankle Boots; See By Chloe Dusty Bow Shoes; ASOS LAGUNA Suede Ballet Flats

Bonjour, dear weekend

PHOTOS: MY THIS WEEK BLOGS AND REBLOGS ON TUMBLR