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Haute Couture Blogging amina Bryant newgen mark t Burke

Absolute Final Copy Maven 1 25/08/2011 10:48

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Absolute Final Copy Maven 2-3 25/08/2011 10:48

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“Don’t aim for success if you want it; just do what you love and believe in, and it will come naturally.” Those are the words of Sir David Frost, arguably one of the greatest broadcast journalists of all time. Frost, whose groundbreaking interview with US President Richard Nixon formed the basis of gritty 2008 movie Frost/Nixon, has experienced enormously enviable success in his career. University educated, at Cambridge no less, Frost went on to join the BBC where he both entertained with his mock-satirical tone and captivated with his no-holds-barred journalism. Frost, for me, is an icon and people like him are important role models for those of us just starting out in our chosen careers.

But those that we look up to do not always have to be so legendary. People experience success on different levels – from landing a dream job straight out of university to simply passing end of year exams. Milliner Mark T Burke experienced his own little triumph when accepted to intern for the hugely successful Philip Treacy. Likewise RnB artist, Amina Bryant, couldn’t contain her glee when her single “Jimmy” featured on Radio 1’s 1Xtra playlist. Both Mark and Amina are pursuing lifelong interests in the hope that as Frost says above, their success will manifest organically.

I, too, am hopeful that an interest in fashion combined with a love of writing will lead me to a career that I cannot help but leap out of bed for every morning. When, as an 18-year-old BA Science student, I began to doubt that a life spent playing with pipettes and test tubes was the life for me, I reverted back to what I knew best – languages. Five years, one gap year, a BA degree in English Literature and French and an MA in Fashion Journalism later and here I am editing my own fashion magazine. The journey to this point has not always been straightforward but then very little in life is. I feel privileged to be able to chase my dream of working in the fashion industry. Privileged because not everyone has the luxury of pursuing what they really love in life; what really makes them tick.

Maven magazine encompasses all of those things that make me tick. It has fashion elements, lifestyle elements and music elements, all wrapped up in a writing style that keeps you engaged until the very last page.

Here’s to life’s little successes, big and small. Maven is my latest success – I hope you enjoy it.

Léan Collins

LETTER editor

Fashion and Accessories News: All the latest news from the world

of fashion and accessories. 8 & 9Cruise Control: Is the pressure of the fashion industry becoming all too

much for some designers? 10 & 11Three’s The Magic Number: We meet three of the hottest new style magazines and the people behind them.

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Blog On!: Maven looks at the culture of fashion blogging. 14Lonchamp: A history lesson of the iconic French brand. 15

The Men’s Watch: How chunky gold watches are trending among the

female population. 16 & 17Some Like It Haute: Is Haute Couture really necessary in this day of age? We investigate. 18 & 19

Food Fibbers: If you have a friend who is ‘naturally slim’, are you sure it’s

as natural as you think? 20, 21 & 22Mark T Burke: The up and coming milliner talks Philip Treacy and his

plans for the future. 24 & 25Amina Bryant: The talented RnB singer brings us up to speed on her career so far. 26 & 27

The Kids Are Alright: A look at the new designers on the fashion

scene. 30 & 31Last Word: Editor of Betty Magazine, Charlotte Jacklin, talks fashion faux

pas. 33

MAVEN contents


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marant in londonParisian designer Isabel Marant is bringing her namesake label to London’s Mayfair later this year. This will be the designer’s

first stand-alone store in the UK, with multiple stores already in Paris and New York. Marant is famed for her feminine-cool

collections, popular with style icons Alexa Chung and Sienna Miller. The store will open on Mayfair’s

Bruton Street alongside well-established designers Stella McCartney and Mathew Williamson.

rodarte for opening Ceremony Masters of the creative collaboration, Opening Ceremony, are teaming up with Californian design duo Kate and Laura Mulleavey for a second round of Rodarte for Opening Ceremony. With the success of their first collection for the downtown Manhattan-based store, a second line was never going to be far behind. The sisters stay true to their ethereally feminine roots with this latest offering: knitted skater dresses in cream and burgundy and high-waist trousers in chic floral print. The collection will be available online and in stores from October.

NEWS fashion

NEWS accessories

victor & rolf Hit the trenches

Famous for their iconic perfume, Flowerbomb, which graces the dressing tables of stylish young women all over the world, Viktor & Rolf are now giving their followers something else to fawn over: trench coats. The dapper pair have designed a capsule collection of four coats for SS12, due to hit stores in time for Christmas. This flouncy circle-skirt number, left, is suitably sophisticated and girly, making it a glamorous addition to any winter coat collection.

topshop do Designer Jewellery

Topshop will be adding to the already sizeable jewellery collection at its Oxford Circus branch with a designer collection set to debut later this month. The so-hot-right-now Henry Holland and Piers Atkinson will be be giving the store pieces from their collections such as these to-die pompom earrings from House of Holland, above.

eley kishimoto for tatty Devine Purveyors of all things print, Eley Kishimoto, have teamed up with Perspex jewellery giants Tatty Devine for a collection of jewellery made up of hearts, stars and er, bats? The pieces are fabulously fun, especially the Batmosphere collection. Jewellery pouches everywhere are calling out for the Single Drop Necklace, right, available at tattydevine.com for £33.

Stolen thunder Designed in England, made in England. That is the mantra of jewellery makers Joy Frost and Alice Burlinson aka Stolen Thunder. The pair’s online store stolenthunderboutique.com hosts a wide range of necklaces, rings, bracelets, brooches and even charms, all handmade from wood and a lot of love. Standout pieces include the adorably apt ‘I <3 Tea’ and ‘I <3 Gin’ necklaces complete with gold chain. With slogans like that they are an investment at £23 each.


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For many a fashion follower, Cruise collections tend not to be regarded with the upmost of importance. Perhaps it’s the fact that most people focus on the spring/summer and autumn/winter collections, leaving Cruise to take a back seat. This is not to say, however, that the Cruise collections are not worth investing interest in, as they can often be very useful for finding clothing solutions to that tricky, inter-seasonal period. Furthermore, it seems that of late the Cruise collections are more important to the industry than ever, as Christopher Bailey was recently reported as saying. “The consumer is constantly looking to be excited and inspired when they walk into the store - and this is why we develop several capsule collections in between the main seasonal collections”, says the designer. “Customers really always want newness which is where the concept of the Cruise collections originally started”, he continues. And it would seem that the proof is in the pudding with Selfridges reporting that Cruise collections represent the largest part of their spring/summer womenswear buy. “It’s especially key for customers living in the UK as it fills that transitional period from January onwards where people are looking to update their wardrobes but aren’t ready to wear spring collections yet”, says Laura Larbalestier, Selfridges buying manager for women’s designerwear.

The 2012 Cruise collections encapsulate the functionality and wearability that inter-seasonal dressing is all about. At 3.1 Phillip Lim, there was a nod to the ease and comfort of summer holidays with luxurious cotton jumpsuits in grey marl

and pale caramel. Celine demonstrated the spirit of summer in head-to-toe floral suits and eye-wateringly bright electric pink pencil trousers. Meanwhile, Richard Nicoll showed us that the colour block trend of the past spring/summer season would very much remain with us through to 2012 with block panelled shift dresses in pink and pink and camel stripe. One colour that seems to be emerging trend-wise is terracotta, seen in dresses at Bottega Veneta and flared trousers again at 3.1 Phillip Lim, while ankle-skimming trousers seem set to be the trouser of the season, featured prominently at Jason Wu.

But despite the glamorous collections, it is not all plain sailing where Cruise is concerned. Tunisian born designer

Azzedine Alaia believes smaller collections such

as Cruise risk pushing designers over the edge. “There’s a fatigue in fashion, I think. Designer fashion is different now. Designers cannot create so many collections - Cruise and pre-fall, accessories - when normally two-a-year is more than sufficient.” “A designer simply cannot invent something new every two months or so. It takes six months of research and work to build a new silhouette. Personally, I know it’s not possible. That’s the reason

why fashion today does not change very much. There is no time to think, to invent something new. You can no longer be excited or surprised. Rarely is there any freshness.” Perhaps this constant churning out of collection after collection is the reason why more and more designers are choosing to step away from this very fast-paced industry.

Betty Jackson, the great British designer and stalwart of London Fashion Week, announced last month her decision to take a gap year and therefore not show at the SS12 presentations this September. Amid speculation that this spelled the end for the Jackson brand, the designer quickly noted in an

interview last month, “we are not closing the company and I am definitely not retiring”. Jackson was adamant to note that her decision was “unaffected by market forces, health or anything other than our desire for change” and although the development came as quite a surprise to many industry professionals, is it really any shock considering the immense workload placed upon designers today?

Each year sees designers face at least four major collections. However, most undertake far more than this with highstreet collaborations, Couture collections, diffusion lines and not to mention the endless advertising campaigns. There is undoubtedly a great deal of pressure on today’s designers to constantly deliver great collections. But for some, the pressure can all become too much.

It was reported earlier this year that Creative Director of Balmain, Christophe Decarnin, was suffering

from a nervous breakdown after missing his bow at the end of the Autumn Winter 2011 ready-to-wear presentation in Paris last March. According to Balmain’s owner, Alain Hiveslin, Decarnin was “tired, after working on the collection. No, he’s not retired. He’s just tired. He didn’t go to bed until 5 a.m. He’s not here, he’s resting.” It was widely speculated however that Decarnin was experiencing personal problems with reports suggesting he may even have been treated for depression. Along with Decarnin, John Galliano too seemed to crumble under the pressure of the industry with his catastrophic breakdown earlier this year. Accused of making anti-semitic and racist remarks to members of the public in a Parisian bar, he was fired from his position at

Dior and remains out of the spotlight to this day.

Not all designers bow to the pressure, however. Karl Lagerfeld, Creative Director at Chanel, Fendi and his own label, Karl Lagerfeld, believes that there is a simple solution to avoiding the inevitable crash and burn syndrome. “I’m not like those designers who think they are pressed too much, that their creativity is so fragile. It’s very simple, no? Don’t take the job if you think you cannot do it. Bad football players do not play in the first league. Swimmers who cannot really swim never win. I mean you have to know if you can do this kind of sport on that level. If not, forget about it. But you cannot expect people to cry about you, that you are so overworked, so pressed. Nobody

presses me.” Lagerfeld makes a valid point – designers need to reduce their workload in order to reduce their stress levels.

For Marc Jacobs, who is head of design at his own label and also Louis Vuitton, it is the individual that is at fault and not the industry. “Blaming is such a complete waste. I mean it’s so pointless”, said the designer. “To say, you know, my mother was absent and therefore I ran amok, it’s ridiculous”. Whatever the reason for a designer choosing to take a step back from the industry, there is no denying that they work in intense environments. And with more and more importance being placed on so-called minor collections such as cruise, it seems as though there will be many more a designer “mayday” to come.

Feature cruise controlCruise collections may seem like just another notch on a designer’s belt,

but amid nervous breakdowns and erratic behaviour, are designers simply cruising out of control?

“Don’t take the job if you think

you cannot do it. Bad football

players do not play in the first

league. Swimmers who cannot

really swim never win. I mean

you have to know if you can do

this kind of sport on that level.

If not, forget about it.”


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Walking into most newsagents’ magazine section usually involves an assault on the senses. Commercial magazines are one in the same: bold, brightly coloured and possessing a glossiness that a girl could reapply her eyeliner in. If you’re bored of the average glossies, then listen up. Here are three magazines set to save you from the sartorial slump and reignite your faith in the fashion and style genre. Ponystep, Velour and b Magazine may all be newcomers to our newsstands but the people behind the pages are far from novices.

Paul Tierney – contributing writer, Ponystep magazine.You started out in fashion PR. How did you make the move to journalism?I only worked in PR for a short while and soon got bored with the process.

we have succeeded in pulling together an impressive first issue. It’s quite loud and irreverent. Do you still love fashion as much today as when you first started out in the industry?I’m not sure I do ‘love’ fashion. I find it interesting and inspiring but have always been wary of some of its participants and chancers. When it’s good it’s great. When it’s it’s bad it’s depressing. What is your favourite magazine and why?At the moment I like Candy, Vogue Hommes International, French Vogue and Richardson.

Dal Chodha – editor, b MagazineCould you tell me briefly about your background in the industry?I graduated from Central Saint Martins and began working as Brand Manager for British leather accessories label

Jas M.B. immediately. I spent two years working on collaborations, re-positioning the brand’s PR and also working on defining the brand’s visual identify in terms of online and magazine placement. Alongside this I was contributing to various small writing projects when I had time and worked as Fashion Features Editor at the now shelved title, SAM magazine. Jason Hughes (who I create b Magazine with) started SAM and working with him on the title helped me to realise how important it is to remember whom you are writing for. The magazine focused on young, London design talent – something that the Internet does so brilliantly now; SAM stopped when we all went online and started to consume fashion information much faster. Jason and I now create b Magazine together for London’s b STORE. You studied Fashion Communication & Promotion at university. Was writing something that you fell into?After completing my Foundation at London College of Fashion (which at the time was the only specialized Foundation course in the country) I knew I needed to be able to write and express myself lyrically with my work. I could draw, I could make clothes, but I could write too – skills that often cannot be pulled together into a viable career opportunity. Working in magazines was the only place for me to use all of these skills so I had no interest in pursuing anything else. I remember my A Level art teacher commented that I was far too dogmatic in the way I worked, but I really feel that this paid off in the end. I saw it as focus.

Growing up what did you want to be?I’ve wanted to do what I am doing now since I was old enough to talk.

Would you consider yourself a fashion lover? I’m not sure I love fashion, but I

certainly love creativity and creative people. There is a sense of escapism that fashion brings of course, but I am a realist. I write about clothes, I write about people; I’m much more interested in seeing a Celine dress being worn in a hardware store than I am seeing it on a red carpet. Is there anything you hate about fashion?I hate the sense of authority everyone seems to have today over fashion. Everyone sees himself or herself as some sort of expert. We’re not all able to do what Jason does, or what I do, or what any of the fantastic editors and stylists and writers do. The current culture allows for too much false praise and misconception about what being in this industry really takes and means. What is your favourite place to shop?For homewear, I go to Darkroom on Lambs Conduit Street. For clothes I tend to buy vintage pieces from Agnes b or Issey Miyake and I wear lots of denim with Marni and Dries Van Noten. I wear the same things all of the time.

Eddie Bovingdon - editor, Velour

Could you tell me a little about how you became editor at Velour?I started out doing a BA Degree in Photography at the London College of Printing. I am a fashion photographer by trade and have been working in the industry for over 15 years now. My first job was a lookbook for a jeans company called Nobody, art directed by Velour’s Editorial Director, Robert de Niet.

What inspired/propelled you to set up your own magazine?I believed that I was from a generation of new, talented, gifted people and I wanted to produce a magazine where we could showcase the work of this new generation of talent.

Where did the name Velour come from?The name Velour just came to. It was weeks and weeks of brainstorming and writing things down. I had been playing with the idea of design and words, plays on words, things relating to fashion that rolled off the tongue nicely. In the end it just came to me.

What do you hope to achieve with Velour?I would like to be able to say that we gave a lot of opportunities to people and helped them go on to bigger and better things. Overall though our aim is to simply produce something that has integrity.

You’re boarding a long haul flight. Which magazines do you take with you?Wallpaper is a definite choice - I like reading about architecture and design. The Gentlewoman is very informative with great articles. Photo 8 Magazine is also great. It’s the only 100 percent photo reportage magazine, something that is a big passion of mine. I love looking at new photographers and great imagery.

Although the company, Jean Bennett, was one of the best in the business (we did the press for John Galliano) I was more interested in working for a magazine and had my sights set on becoming a writer. I was told by a girl working for the company that London College Of Fashion offered a two year BTEC/HND course in Fashion Journalism, which seemed perfect, so I applied and got one out of only 15 places, which I was very proud of. Also, Jean Bennett was right next door to i-D magazine, which, at the time, I found very inspirational and later went to intern at.

You’ve written for such publications as The Independent and Fantastic Man. Could you tell me a bit about Ponystep and your role in it?I used to work for Ponystep when it was a ‘webzine’. I’d known the editor, Richard Mortimer, for a few years and found him very engaging and ambitious. Although he could never pay me he always said that if it turned into a publication I would be involved. True to his word that’s what happened. Ponystep is a young, stylish magazine with no pretensions or great regard for anything else on the market. Richard and his peers are part of East London’s clubbing fraternity and have their own thing going on. I liked the idea of it not bowing to current trends or comparing itself to anything. There seems to be an abundance of fashion magazines both online and in print at the moment. Why should readers pick up Ponystep over the rest?There’s a lot of thought and effort put into the magazine. We’re new and independent so we have to try really hard to get what we want but

Feature three’s the magic number

“I’m not sure I do ‘love’ fashion. When it’s good it’s great. When it’s bad, it’s depressing.”


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oPinion blog on!

Fashion blogging has been quietly bubbling under the mainstream fashion scene for quite some time now, but of late it seems that anyone worth their fashion salt has gone and gotten themselves their very own fashion blog. I too have hopped on the blogging bandwagon; posting my looks on the ‘collective fashion conscious’ that is lookbook.nu. Lookbook, you see, is perfect for me and here’s why. Firstly, it’s a style blog so all I have to do is post my look of the day and leave it to simmer with fellow users who can then ‘hype’ it if they like it. Secondly, it is a commitment-free blog, meaning I can post at my leisure and never have to worry about leaving my readers high and dry on the content front because with thousands of other users, style stalkers will never get bored.

Lookbook is just the tip of the iceberg where is blogging is concerned, however. Type ‘fashion blog’ into Google and you will receive a massive 92,100,100 results. Fashion blogging has definitely arrived, but with all of the debate over the credibility of those behind the blogs, should we even be giving them the time of day? Regardless of whether we should, it seems as though we already are.

Online media has become so popular over the last few years that it’s really no surprise that fashion blogging has taken on such a life of its own. Once upon a time going online was almost a privilege; nowadays it’s hard to imagine how we ever survived sans Internet. More people than ever are logging on to the world wide web, and the inevitable shift from print to online media spells happy days for all the little bloggers furiously typing away on their laptops as more people online means more readers. But it’s not all doom and gloom in the media world. So the days of buying the daily paper are coming to an end - the world of online media makes for a very intriguing substitute.

In terms of the world of fashion, this shift in media can be seen as a very welcome, on the one hand. Gone are the days of parting with absurd amounts of money to flick through the glossy pages of high-end fashion magazines in order to find some sartorial inspiration. These days all major fashion publications are cashing in on the lucrative online industry, with online resources offering anyone and everyone a free of charge fashion fix.

This in turn affects the blogosphere, whereby once unknown fashion addicts playing dress up in their bedrooms are now being touted as figures of authority where fashion is concerned. Take Tavi Gevinson, the 14-year-old wonder blogger who has become a front row fixture, popping up at shows around the world for designers such as avant-garde Japanese mastermind, Yohji Yamamoto. Tavi’s blog is now one of the most widely read fashion websites, making this once unknown American teen, with her neatly bobbed hair and penchant for glasses, the equivalent of fashion royalty. Perhaps it’s absurd that we are now taking our lead from a teenager who dresses like she’s just raided her mother’s wardrobe, but it is also hilarious that this pintsized Anna Wintour seems to have more influence than the ‘ice queen’ herself. Other bloggers such as Bryan Grey Yambao – that’s Byranboy to you and me - and Susanna Lau of Stylebubble fame are receiving similar recognition, and with Lau’s recent recruitment to the British style bible that is Dazed & Confused magazine, is it any wonder that we’re all flocking to set up our own blogs in the hope that one day maybe Dazed & Confused will call us too.

But you cannot mention style blogs without mentioning The Sartorialist himself, Scott Schuman. Schuman revolutionised fashion photography. Unlike the bloggers mentioned above, he doesn’t photograph himself (although

he has been known to do this on occasion), instead he chooses to act as a fly-on-the-wall photographer, capturing the exquisitely stylish individuals of cities such as Paris, London, Seoul and New York. Scott presents us with images of ordinary people, going about their daily routines, but with an almost ethereal elegance. His straight-up-and-down shots are the eye candy of the fashion photography world. Schuman’s blog lead to hundreds of similar blogsbeing set up in his trail. In fact so popular is The Sartorialist that there is a guide entitled ‘Oh Snap! How To Get Shot By The Sartorialist’, a tongue-in-cheek look at how to get photographed by the man himself. Scott Schuman is very much the leader of the blogging brigade. And because his blog focuses on his subjects and not himself, we never run the risk of tiring of him – something that is an inevitability with Bryanboy et al.

To all the fashion followers out there, perhaps the appeal of Tavi and Susanna, and the many inconnus of The Sartorialist, is that they are Average Joes. We, like them, take great pleasure in embarking on shopping sprees and coming home for that all important private fashion show in front of the mirror. The only difference is that most of us don’t photograph our looks. Thanks to Tavi and Susanna’s blogs, and indeed Scott’s, we now get to see fashion on a more relatable level; there is no multi-million Pound photoshoot involved, no 6 foot tall model, no airbrushing, no lighting, no Mario Testino or Patrick Demarchelier, sigh…. This is fashion at its most transparent. And in an age where seemingly everyone aspires to be an Amazonian goddess, people like Susanna and Tavi offer us a reassurance that fashion savvy comes in all shapes and forms, from youth to old age. So even when I do bore of all of the above, the beauty of the fashion blog is that there’ll still be another one out there to garner my interest again.

BRAND ICONS longchampWandering around the city of Toulouse on my year abroad, I become accustomed to the canvas-looking handbags that drape from the shoulders of seemingly every other ‘Toulousaine’. Each shoulder sports a different colour, from duck-egg blue to chocolate brown, reflective of the owner’s taste and personality. But while the colours change, the bags remain the same: nylon embossed with leather. It takes a while for this utilitarian style to grow on me, but grow on me it eventually does. Then one day a friend commented on these bags – “Longchamp” he called them. Two bags later - I am now in the market for a third - and I cannot fathom a life without them. To the unaccustomed eye they can seem somewhat shabby, cheap even. For nylon is a material typically associated with wash bags and raincoats. During World War II it replaced silk in the making of parachutes and flak vests. It is not, then, customarily related to the design of fashion accessories. There is no doubt, however, that Frenchman Philippe Cassegrain was on to something all those years

ago in Paris. Stemming from a desire to create a luggage range that offered style at no extra weight, le Pliage bag was born. The concept was simple: canvas, a flap with a snap button and two lightweight leather handles. In a couple of seconds the bag can be neatly folded and put aside until it is next needed. It is no surprise then that as recently as April of this year David and Samantha Cameron were spotted at Stansted airport with two larger sized le Pliage bags in tow. Stylish yet practical; these bags appeal to all - both men and women alike. For the male contingency, the ‘clutch’ or ‘handbag size 1’ are the most commonly carried styles. While female wearers can take their pick of six different styles, ‘coin purse’ to ‘handbag size 4’. Even the names of the different sized bags suggest a no-nonsense approach. But the le Pliage bag is just that – no nonsense. It is a simple bag yes, but it is this simplicity that makes it so chic and popular with everyone from the PM to your grandmother.


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TREND the men’s watch

Observe the wrist of any hip-hop mogul and your gaze is sure to be met with a very expensive wristwatch. These men wear a watch, not because they need to, but simply because they can. The wristwatch is for many of these music heavyweights the ultimate symbol of wealth and therefore success. In the 21st century, very few people have any real need for sporting a watch, especially one that costs as much as those worn by our friends above. Mobile phones, iPods and more recently iPads have taken on the role of timekeeper, leaving the conventional wristwatch to be worn by the more traditional amongst us. Until now that is.

A descendant of the pocket watch, the wristwatch first made an appearance in the late 19th century as an

ornament on a lady’s bracelet. Back then it was also a symbol of one’s social status. But when digital displays replaced the customary hour-and-minute hands, prices of the once costly wristwatch began to tumble. The combination of the hand-and-minute display with quart accuracy in 1983 however saw the return of the original wristwatch design to its former glory. And perhaps this in itself was a lesson in that age-old adage: “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. For nowadays, why just have a watch to tell time? Why not have one that uses Apple iPod Nano technology? Or one that acts more like a computer than a timepiece? What ever happened to having a watch that does what it says on the tin and not a single thing more?

Recently, the popularity of

vintage clothing has meant that many a fashion maven is finding a new, often nostalgic, appreciation for the wristwatch. Purveyor of preppy fashion, American Apparel, stocks a range of some 205 wristwatches in their online store – from delicate vintage gold watches to classic leather-strap variations complete with faces displaying New Kids On The Block and MC Hammer pictures – as good a reason as any to become a watch-wearer again.

But what is it about a man’s gold watch wrapped neatly around a woman’s wrist that exudes such perfection? There is undoubtedly something effortlessly chic, cool even, about the combination of a chunky gold watch on a dainty little wrist. A battered men’s Seiko lies destitute on my dressing table at home. Bought for the handsome

price of $20 in New York City’s Chinatown last year, it instantly adds interest to any outfit. Like the watches of the aforementioned rap superstars, a vintage gold watch can bring an element of bling to the table - an understated bling that is. A vintage gold watch is not garish or overpowering, it is stylish. And with so many out there to choose from – is it time we all went back to basics on the timekeeping front?


18 19As models sashay down the catwalk of French couturier Stéphane Rolland’s presentation at the V&A, the audience is hypnotised by the couture creations on show. Dresses are made of velvet so luxurious some spectators have to restrain themselves from reaching out in front to touch them and silks so pure they glimmer like gold dust under the blinding spotlights. It is not hard to get the appeal of couture; extravagant, intricate, captivating, expensive, opulent – these are just some of the words that spring to mind when reminiscing on that magical show. Of course, reminisce is all that can be done because haute couture (“high sewing” literally) does not come cheap. A simple blouse can fetch in excess of £10,000 whilst an evening gown may cost upwards of £50,000. But, prices aside, there is another reason why many a couture admirer, has a look-but-do-not-touch attitude when it comes to couture, and that reason is wearability.

For decades couture has been the pièce de résistance of fashion design. From its beginnings in 19th century Paris where it was pioneered by Englishman Charles Frederick Worth, nicknamed the “father of haute couture”, to John Galliano’s fantastical creations at the helm of Dior. The couture arena has always been seen as a playground for fashion design’s greatest talent, allowing them the creative freedom to produce the most extraordinary garments that the imagination can possibly dream up. Couture represents the very excess of the fashion industry, with a hierarchical system set in place that ensures an impossibly high standard of design and execution.

Traditionally, couture is not the type of clothing designed to afford the wearer ease or practicality. In the second half of the 19th century, when haute couture was at its height, European royalty and international dignitaries flocked to Worth’s studio at 7 rue de la Paix to be adorned in his silk and satin creations. So complex was the task at hand that clients often had to attend numerous fittings over a series of weeks in order for one gown to be completed. And no expense or extravagance was ever deemed too much with many of Worth’s

designs incorporating the most intricate embroidery and the most delicate lace. Over the years it would seem that the cost and impracticality of couture has led to its decline in popularity and subsequent closure of many a famous couture house. The House of Lanvin withdrew from haute couture in 1993 while in 2002 Yves Saint Laurent’s retire from the world of fashion design saw him take his couture house with him. All of this leads one to question if haute couture is just a dying art or if it does have any real purpose in 2011?

For Dennis Nothdruft, curator of London’s Fashion and Textile Museum,

couture is not as important today as it once was. “I think couture’s place in the industry is slightly less influential today. This is a continual situation with couture though – it seems to go in and out of relevance with some regularity. In some seasons the collections seem really exciting and designers seem to have their finger on the pulse but other seasons not so much. I don’t think it is a dying tradition but it could do with a reinvention like Savile Row.”

It was reported earlier this year that several luxury brand CEOs had indicated that couture was not only worthwhile but it was a flourishing sector of the fashion industry and most importantly it was profitable. Some argue that the only real purpose of couture nowadays is as a marketing tool for selling a brand’s more affordable products such as accessories, perfume and cosmetics. Designer Oscar de la Renta was recently quoted as saying “today the houses that make haute couture don’t make couture to sell couture, they make it to sell other products. They do extravagant collections that no one wants to put on, and they sell perfume, cosmetics, and lots of other things – but they are not selling couture”. De la Renta makes a valid point. After all, couture is not made for the masses. Its aim has always been to offer the wearer a garment that is borne of great skill and care and crucially that offers them exclusivity. More recently however couture has been less about the extravagant collection that de la Renta describes above, but one that will stand the test of time and therefore offer value for money to the wearer. And no collections demonstrated this more than the recent A/W Couture shows in Paris.

At Valentino designers Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli demonstrated simplicity when it came to the cut and shape of their garments, yet the house retained its couture status in the luxurious velvets and glittering sequins used on its dresses. At Azzedine Alaia fabric use was also key to the collection with python skin coat-dresses, fur lined skirts and a lot more velvet. Alaia’s designs were a more obvious homage to the couture of yesteryear, with bell-shaped skirts reminiscent of the bustle skirts of the Belle Époque and nipped-in waists to accentuate the body in a way that only Alaia knows how. At Chanel the classic tweed suit made its usual appearance, this time modernised with tweed boater hats, famously revolutionised for women by Coco Chanel in 1908. It was at

Givenchy however that the true spirit of modern day couture really shone through. Models were draped in sheer floor length confections in shades of white and beige. At first glance the designs appear refined, demonstrating an understated elegance, but upon closer inspection it is the exquisite workmanship that really steals the show; layers of tulle adorned in crystals, rosettes and dégradé beading. For Ricardo Tisci it appears no stone was left unturned. Yet despite all of the painstaking embellishment not one of Tisci’s designs warranted the “couldn’t wear it in real life” statement that is so often associated with couture. Tisci managed an extraordinary feat: combining the ethereal with the wearable.

The ability to create a garment to couture standard without compromising any of its wearability is perhaps why 21st century couture is recently enjoying a boost in sales. British designer Antonio Berardi was recently reported as saying “Some designers are a bit afraid of the idea of couture because they think, shouldn’t we be more modern? Should we be looking at the past? Should it be fantasy? Designers are afraid to show fantasy because they feel that the general public is looking in and thinking, this is not utilitarian enough, it isn’t wearable enough.” Fantasy was certainly on show in Paris but it was a more down-to-earth fantasy, one that the fashion designer and fashion lover could both appreciate.

Controversial designer John Galliano famously said in 2009 “of course I’m aware of the credit crunch but it is not a creative crunch”. This in essence sums up couture’s place in the fashion industry today. An outlet for the greatest fashion designers from Jean Paul Gaultier to Giambattista Valli to Lagerfeld at Chanel, couture remains fashion’s fairytale world. These days, however, with a shift in wearability, this fairytale is fast approaching a reality.

Feature some like it haute

“Models wre draped in sheer floor length confections in shades of white and beige.”


20 21

We are all aware of the intense pressure that the media places upon women to be slim. From extreme airbrushing to the constant criticism of those deemed too thin to others deemed overweight, there seems to be no end to the incessant merry-go-round that is the media’s obsession with weight. But what happens when it is not just the media alone that is at fault but the celebrities it features. With many female stars attributing everything from good genetics to hectic lifestyles to their wafer thin physiques, is it time that they stopped fibbing and admitted that maintaining an impossibly slim figure often requires a lot of discipline and some very hard work?

In an appearance on US chat show Jimmy Kimmel Live in June, celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay stated that the ultra slim Victoria Beckham “eats like a horse”. “She eats incredibly well,” Ramsay said at the time. This, all despite her often emaciated appearance. It’s no surprise then that this culture of fibbing has seeped into the mainstream. Nowadays it is not just the celebrities who are denying having Botox or being on a diet, it’s the average women too. But these women, while they might appear to eat whatever they want when in the company of others, go home to a very restricted diet in order to maintain an effortlessly slim image.

According to a recent report published by the NHS, there is an acute rise in the amount of children now suffering from an eating disorder. Statistics show that over 2,000 children have

been treated for some type of eating disorder over the last three years. Figures such as these are worrying. So instead of “naturally slim” women fibbing about their food consumption, shouldn’t we be admitting, given the statistics, that sometimes being slim is not natural to every woman and instead it often takes a lot of hard work?

Dr. Maggie Wykes, author of the media and Body image: if looks Could kill, believes that instead of pointing the finger at the media or certain celebrities, we should be looking at the bigger picture – one that revolves around money. “I don’t think you can blame women who are making a living basically out of their looks”, she says. “These women are trying to look as good as they think they can given the contemporary models of what is seen as beautiful. The problem is much more generally in our culture - one that has a very narrow idea of what beauty is and this serves the fashion, cosmetics, diets and exercise industries It is these industries that are creating an impossible ideal for us, which in turn ensures that we spend lots of money in trying to achieve it. It’s all about capital in the end really”.

With current sales in the cosmetics and beauty industry experiencing a 5% increase worldwide, there is no doubt that personal maintenance is big business. But without the media or celebrity culture to promote the abundance of beauty products on the market, would we even really care so much about appearances? For Dr. Wykes this very much depends on the individual. “I suspect the media plays virtually no role in

food fibbersinveStigative Feature

We’re all prone to a white lie now and then, but what if you lied your way to being skinny?

Léan Collins investigates food fibbing.


22 23“Posh eat like a horse? Insofar as she might

crunch an apple every now and again then

nibble on a sugar cube to stop herself

fainting, maybe.”

people’s self-image if those people are relatively comfortable with themselves and can look at the media in a kind of critical way and laugh at some of its peculiar excesses. I think as with so many other things if people are already vulnerable or suffering from psychological or self-esteem problems then they will seek out things that have an impact on them. So in a sense if a young woman is anorexic, she will seek images that validate the way she is behaving whether she goes on websites that are pro-anorexia or worship models that are incredibly slender. All of it is about justifying a particular state of mind that she is already in or very much predisposed to.”

In terms of the food fibbers, we all know someone is capable of polishing off large meals in restaurants while remaining impossibly thin. Is there is a chance that they could be a part of this new fibbing trend? Suzie* is 25 years old and is a size 6-8. When in the company of friends and family Suzie eats “all around her”. But despite the people closest to her not being able to fathom her inability to put on weight, she admits that they have never suspected that she might diet in private. “I always always put it down to my metabolism” she says. “The thing is when people see me eating big meals at restaurants or going up for seconds at the buffet table during parties, they may think to themselves ‘where does she put it?’ but they never question it”. If they were to question it they may potentially find out the truth. For Suzie, although she has been the same size for more or less her entire life, is not so naturally slim. “During university I gained over a stone in weight. Although I didn’t see any problem with it at the time, looking back now I know that I didn’t lead a healthy lifestyle and ate whatever and whenever I wanted. You cannot do that and not put on weight unless you are exceptionally lucky, and those that describe themselves as being ‘the lucky few’ I would even have to question.”

But why does Suzie lie about her diet? And why do so many female celebrities deny having had any help in the looks department when it is so often plain to see. Is this just an example of more of the media’s pressure on women to slavishly follow the trend to be thin? “Well I suppose if these women admit that they have to pay to kind of improve themselves a) it makes them seem extremely vain and b) it makes them also seem rather stupid”, says Dr. Wykes. “I think most people will probably know that they’re buying into a kind of fantasy where they can kind of pretend to everybody that they just happen to be like that. This then permits them to not have to feel uncomfortable with themselves for making decisions that are probably in the end to do with vanity more than anything else.” For Suzie, it is all about maintenance. “I’m in my mid-twenties now so for me restricting what I eat is a way of ensuring I don’t put on any

unwanted weight”. But why hide a desire to watch one’s figure? “I guess my problem is people thinking I am already too slim and therefore if they see me dieting they will have cause for concern. I’m not too vain to admit that maintaining my figure takes some effort but when the majority of people around you are a larger size, holding back at the dinner buffet can, at least for me, seem ridiculous.”

So will we ever see a day when people can freely admit to having had work done or forego the pudding at dinner without being perceived as too vain? “Well I think some people do not pretend that it’s all completely natural”, says Dr. Wykes. “I think some people admit that they look after themselves and they watch what they eat and they exercise regularly but they are probably not at the most extreme end of behaviour. I think if you are at that extreme then it becomes a psychological issue to deal with and much more difficult to admit that you actually have a problem. When someone admits that they are barely eating and over-exercising then they are also admitting to having a problem. So I think that is why people are probably in such denial.”

Denial certainly seems to play a large role in many of these women’s self-image and it is this denial that outrages many

average media consumers. On a popular online female forum one user expressed her sincere doubt regarding the aforementioned claims by Gordon Ramsay about Victoria Beckham. “Thank goodness someone has challenged these celebrities on their ridiculous claims about how equine their appetites are. Posh eat like a horse? Insofar as she might crunch an apple every now and again then nibble on a sugar cube to stop herself fainting, maybe. The thing is I know lots of people who do this, and one of them was a close friend. It was a form of denial about her issues with food. In the same way as an alcoholic will often drink moderately then binge in private to hide the problem, the food fibber gorges in public then abstains in private. It’s annoying as hell for those of us who try and restrict ourselves when out and about but who can’t resist the biscuit barrel at home, I tell you.”

Although it may be annoying to constantly read about slender women’s ‘good genetics’ or ‘fast metabolism’, it seems that it is up to the readers and those that are consuming this information to choose to take it at face value or see behind the immaculate veneers of the women in question. For many, looking good takes a lot of effort. For others, it takes very little – such is the way the cookie crumbles. It seems that learning to be comfortable in one’s skin is the key to not allowing the media or the fibs of female celebrities have any affect.


24 25

ProFile mark t burke

Mark, you have been causing quite a stir on the millinery scene of late. Could you tell us about how you’ve gotten to this point in your career?

My weekend job while at university, studying textile design, was with a local theatre company. I worked on all aspects of theatre including costume. The first hats that I ever made were for a production of My Fair Lady in 2008. I loved making the hats and they got a great reaction from audiences. Things grew quite organically from there – in 2010 I won Accessory Designer of the Year at the Irish Fashion Innovation Awards, a few months later one of my pieces was worn by ‘Best Dressed Lady’ Heidi Higgins at the Punchestown Races. I received lots of press coverage from both of these events. I finished university in May 2010 and then found myself out in the real world. I did a short Business Management course that autumn and launched myself full throttle at it last January. Thankfully, it’s been going very well. This season couldn’t have gone any better.

How important are achievements such as Accessory Designer of the Year and designing the hat for Best Dressed Lady to your career?

Events like these are in valuable to me. Starting off, one of the most difficult things is to get your name out there. Winning Accessory Designer of the Year so early on and while still at university gave me the perfect launch pad for life after my studies. Best Dressed Lady so soon after only strengthened the platform. The press coverage was fantastic and introduced me to a wide audience. Starting out on your own can be quite daunting but getting recognition like that can be very encouraging.

You are a native of Co. Galway, which is also home to Phillip Treacy. Could you tell us a bit about your time working for him? Is his success something that you aspire to emulate?

I was with Philip Treacy for a very short time in 2008. He was wonderful. He was so generous with his time and knowledge. He is a legend in the world of millinery and of course I can only admire and aspire to be as successful as he is.

Given the economic situation in Ireland, it is unusual for emerging Irish designers to remain in the country to pursue a career. Why have you chosen to stay? Do you see yourself moving to a fashion capital such as London in the future?

I consider myself very lucky to be able to stay. Many of my friends have had to head off to Oz and New Zealand. I have great support from my family and indeed my customers here in Galway. Incredible things have happened for me over the last few years but who knows what may be around the corner. I’m very happy where I am at the moment though.

You were featured in Alannah Spark’s Royal Ascot coverage in Grazia in 2010. How did her wearing your design come about?

I think Alannah’s hat was still wet when I posted it over to her in the UK only a few days before Ascot. It was a very last minute decision – I had never met Alannah before – she contacted me via email if I remember correctly to say she was interviewing Stephen Jones at Royal Ascot and she would like to wear one of my pieces. There wasn’t much time to make the piece and ship it off to her. I kept it very simple - black and white with a silver butterfly and she wore it

with a stunning white dress – it really worked out nicely I think!

In terms of inspiration for your designs, how do you come up with ideas?

Ideas come from everywhere and anywhere. Sometimes it might start with the client’s outfit or their particular shape or style. Often I will start off with a nice feather or flower that I have picked up somewhere. Ideas can be rattling around in my head for weeks before I do anything with them and they often end up quite different to how I originally planned. I like nice shapes, nice lines, just nice things! Even a vase or bowl could spark off an idea.

Do you have any upcoming projects or collaborations that you could let us in on?

I have just been confirmed as one of the designers to be involved in a project next month with Brown Thomas. They are doing some really exciting projects with Irish designers and I’m delighted to be involved! I think that’s probably all I can say just at the minute!

Finally, where do you see yourself in five years time?

If I was to step back five years I would never have guessed this is where I’d be now. If I have learnt anything over the last few years it’s that you never know what’s around the corner. I hope in five years time I will be still making hats – more hats! And more importantly that people are still admiring them and buying them! I always said I’d be very happy if I could work with my hands and get up each morning and do what I love doing. I love what I’m doing and I do it every day (and night) so I’m very happy!

Mark T Burke is a 23-year-old milliner from ireland’s Co. galway.


26 27

“Noooooo im goin on by hook or by crook!” – Amina Bryant has just replied to a tweet concerning a gig of hers in Hoxton. It’s Monday August 8th and unrest in central London is escalating. But for this 25-year-old RnB singer, the prospect of not performing doesn’t bode well. In the end, the gig was cancelled. But such is life and such are the highs and lows of a career in music. Meeting up with her a few days later, I speak to Amina about the ‘hustle’, fashion and the benefits of a law degree in the world of music.

Hi Amina! You are an up and coming artist that some readers may not yet be familiar with, so could you share with us a little about how you got to where you are today?Well I’ve been grinding away on the underground scene for some time now, just learning my craft and the industry and experimenting with different sounds and styles. I’ve been in girl groups, mixed groups, you name it. I’ve been working on my music since I was a teenager. At the start of the year I put out a track called “Jimmy” which really connected with people and was added to the BBC 1 Xtra playlist. I was doing a lot of recording in New York and we managed to get the track to Jim Jones, who loved it and decided to feature on a remix. Then I put out a mixtape a few months later that was kind of an introduction to me, it was called “Back To The Future” and showcased some of my influences and inspirations, from Drake, to Soul II Soul. Then I put out a second track called “Why You Do That” which is released next month and just finished shooting a video and have been performing up all around London in the last few months, so it’s been a long journey and a busy year but it’s been well worth the wait.

Your single ‘Jimmy’ is an infectious

pop anthem while your new release ‘Why You Do That’ is RnB perfection. Are there any musical genres or artists in particular that have influenced your music?I think coming from a big family (3 brothers and 2 sisters) and a musical family has meant I’ve been lucky enough to be surrounded and introduced to various different types of genres growing up, which have all influenced me

including, RnB, Reggae, Hip Hop and DrumNBass. My debut single Jimmy was influenced by Mowtowns, Martha and the Vandella’s track “Jimmy Mack” and Why You Do That has a strong reggae influence.

You studied law at university. Was there ever a time when you struggled between law and a career in music?For me, music has always been part of my life, so all through my education I balanced both because it is my passion. When I went to university it wasn’t any different, life is a hustle so you just have to work as hard as you can and try to balance it all. I watched my mum doing that with 6 kids so going into the studio all night and getting up for university was easy! Learning about the law and the industry really helped me to get to where I am today. Knowledge is power and now I can read my own

ProFile amina bryantrecord contracts!

How important is fashion to you as a music artist? Do you have any favourite fashion designers or brands?I think fashion is all part of how artists express themselves, so it’s really important. I like to blend high fashion elements with street fashion because that’s where I came from so you might

see me rocking a designer dress one day and a fitted cap the next, and I think it’s important to represent yourself and not just follow others.

In your spare time, is there anything that you absolutely love to do?I don’t get much time to relax, so when I’m not recording, performing, rehearsing, writing, producing or working out I do like to watch movies. I am a bit of a movie buff; I love sci-fi and horror movies probably the most, so when I can I do love to go to my local cinema and escape from it all for a bit.

You’re 25 years old, which is still very young. How are you finding coping with your recent success? Does it ever faze you?I’m very grateful for all the support and I read every message and tweet of encouragement sent to me, and I really appreciate it. I know this is just the beginning and the more I grow as an artist the better prepared I become for the bigtime. For me, I’m just excited about the opportunity for more and more people to hear and enjoy my music; it’s not really about anything else.

For others starting out, be it in the fashion industry or music industry, what advice would you give to them?Just keep striving for your success, work hard at your craft, love it, grow and improve and push yourself. Do not wait around for anyone to do it for you, you have to take charge of your destiny, and don’t underestimate how hard it is.

“I like to blend high fashion elements with street fashion because

that’s where I came from so you might see me

rocking a designer dress one day and a fitted cap

the next”


28 29


30 31

For many new British fashion designers, the road to success can be long and arduous. Often straight out of university and with no disposable income, it can take a long time for a designer’s sketches to make the transition from page to wearable garment. But over the years, many support systems have been put in place to ease new design talent into this competitive industry.

The British Fashion Council, founded in 1983, is the leading light in promoting London’s designers. Its aim is to endorse British designers on a worldwide scale and thus increase London’s playing power in the international arena of fashion design. The hard work of the BFC culminates bi-annually at London Fashion Week, where the very best of British design is showcased to the world. But it is probably the BFC’s work with emerging designers that is most exciting. New Gen, Fashion Forward and MA Scholarship are just some of the schemes that the BFC runs to support and nurture new designers. Past New Gen designers have included David Koma, Holly Fulton and Louise Gray – each of whom are experiencing great success in their careers, something Fulton is very grateful to New Gen for: “I feel enormously lucky,” said Fulton in a recent interview. “It’s so good to know that you can ask these really influential, knowledgeable people anything and that they won’t make you feel stupid. I wouldn’t be able to show without the support of NewGen.” For Koma, receiving sponsorship from New Gen has been the highlight of his career so far: “I really wanted this and finally got it - so I am really happy,” said the designer earlier this year.

Along with the BFC, there is Fashion East. Founded by Lulu Kennedy in 2000 – it was set up in response to the lack of funding available for up and coming designers. With prodigies including Richard Nicoll, Marios Schwab and more recently Michael Van Der Ham, there is no doubt that Kennedy has an almost unrivalled knack for hand picking the cream of the talent crop. Speaking in an interview in February, Kennedy noted the importance of a support team such as hers to fledgling designers. “What I first tell designers is that you can’t do it alone,” says Kennedy. “Having a great team around you is the most important thing”. Kennedy admits that when she set up Fashion East almost eleven years ago it was the only real organisation helping out London designers. “When we started, Fashion East was really the lone voice behind young designers. Now the whole of London Fashion Week has opened up to new talent and London is really having a moment.”

And where Fashion East has led, Vauxhall Fashion Scout has followed. Entering its 11th season of showcasing new London-based designers to the world this coming Fashion Week, VFS is responsible for launching the careers of Peter Pilotto, Felder Felder and William Tempest to name but a few. Credited as being a “talent goldmine” by Vogue.com, the organisation plays a pivotal role in the careers of designers who are just starting out in the industry. Their ‘Ones To Watch’ initiative sees them choose four new designers each season who are then given the privilege of presenting their collections to the world’s media at London Fashion Week. The winners of the SS12 season are Alice Lee, Shao Yen, Phoebe English and Malene Oddershede Bach.

FEATURE the kids are alrightmichael van Der Ham

Van Der Ham is known for his deconstructed approach when it comes to his garments and this season was no exception:

a spectrum of crushed velvet dresses from grass green to midnight blue, each one different from the last,

demonstrated fully his workmanship in cut and design. Following this came a series of patchwork style dresses

combining various fabrics such as lurex and mohair in his signiture

stiched-together-at-the-last-minute style.

David koma

Futuristic and feminine - that is how best to describe the latest offering from this Georgian born designer. A series of giant polka dots adorned various figure-hugging sheath dresses, all in hues of black and cream. But while bodycon may have been the silhouette du jour, long sleeves and skirts cut precisely to the knee made this a distinctly demure affair. Fur pompoms in black, yellow, blue and red seemed an unusual addition. Stitched onto dresses with no particular rhyme or reason, they added a fun element to an otherwise, by Koma’s stan-dards, conventional collection.

Felder FelderIt is no secret that twin sisters Daniela and Annette Felder love their rock n’ roll looks. This season was no different with a definite nod to all things punk. Models wore leather jackets, studded collars and bracelets, and fur trimmed sleeves. Complete with black lips and lots of eyeliner, this collection isn’t for the faint of heart. However, there were more wearable pieces in the form of digital print dresses cinched in at the waist with skinny leather studded belts and velvet and silk mini dresses in hues of jade green and midnight blue that just about remained on the ladylike side of punk.

autumn/winter 2011

“It’s so good to know that you can ask these really influential, knowledgeable people anything and that

they won’t make you feel stupid.”


32 33

...wore corduroy flares!

I like to think that I’ve never committed a faux pas but the things I wore when I was a teenager (it was the late 90s) were certainly questionable. Those years were trying times for us all. I was trying to figure out ‘who I was’ which resulted in wide-leg flared trousers that were so big at the bottom. Every time it rained the flared legs would soak up all the water and I would be wet to my knees - not a good or comfortable look. I was about 14 at the time and I was at secondary school. My friends and I all dressed the same. One friend had purple flared cords, which I remember being insanely jealous of, until I found the biggest flares around. It was all fun until it rained....

We were the ‘unpopular kids’. We hung around with the boys who skated and we all listened to Nirvana, Red Hot Chili Peppers and some bad music that I am not admitting to. It was very much a scene at the time; baggy trousers, bright tops and as many plastic beaded braclets as you could fit on one wrist.

There was a shop that was an hours train ride away from the seaside town where we lived so once every few months my friends and I would get the train to the shop in question and go wild! We’d get new cords and flares and tops to go with them, then we would hit the bead shop for more beads to make more bracelets and necklaces.

I can’t remember when we first thought this look would be a good idea, maybe around the age of 13. I just remember knowing I had to dress this way; it was during a time when everyone was breaking into the stereotypical school groups. My friends and I wanted to be alternative. When you’re a teenager there is nothing more important than clothes and music – they mean everything to you.

My mum, bless her, tried her hardest to get me to ditch the look. The more she tried, the bigger my flares got and the more bracelets I would put on. At one point I even died my hair purple. There was never one wake up call, your style just progresses and one by one those dodgy purchases get passed onto friends, charity shops and in some case the bin. I have one pair of brown large flare cords that I have kept, one of my best friends embroidered the pocket and I just can’t bring myself to throw them away.

I really thought my friends and I looked the business back then. I look back at photos now and realize that maybe we didn’t.... Personally I don’t think faux pas are a bad thing, you live, you learn and you move on. My style today wouldn’t be the same had I not gone through that stage as a teenager. I am sure I’ll look back on my style today in ten years time and wonder what I was thinking!

.

LAST WORD i wish i never...Charlotte Jacklin is editor-in-chief of Betty Magazine.


34

Absolute Final Copy Maven 34 25/08/2011 10:48

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