Highlights S/S (F/W) 2013

There have been so many exciting collections for s/s 2013. From Alexander McQueen inspired by honey bees to Anne Sofie Madsen's couture embellished showpieces. I, personally, have found this season's offerings to be a vast pool of inspiration. That said, here are some of my highlights from this season.

 Alexander McQueen






Sarah Burton has, yet again, managed to wow the crowds. She successfully proved herself a worthy successor of the late Lee McQueen and it is great to see her relaxing and letting her imagination fly away with her in this collection. As cheesy as it sounds, the strong references to honey bees just brings a certain pun to mind - McQueen Bee. Honey combs, bee keeper's headgear,

beehives and not to forget the all important Bees were all featured in the conceptual collection. Towards the climax of the show the dresses developed into large floral creations drawing the bees in. Many of the garments were decorated with little bee ornaments.

Louis Vuitton









Louis Vuitton has put a fresh, contemporary spin on it's traditional style. Although I have never been a big fan of yellow in general, brightening up the collection

with a healthy dollop of the garish colour has made it fun and joyful, so I don't mind it.

Dries van Noten







Dries van Noten is renowned for his traditional hand made embellishments and this has not changed this season. He has combined hand made flowers and embroidery with flower

prints and a variety of plaid. Van Noten's talent for separates is clear as is his eye for mixing print, colour and texture.

 Anne Sofie Madsen






I have been a fan of Anne Sofie Madsen for a while. She's relatively new on the scene and her attention to detail and couture tendencies have captured my attention Her obsession with dark fairy tales just brings her work alive. This collection is just another example of her genius. The skeletal dresses and
embellished show pieces are complimented with the odd informal sweater giving the collection that extra dimension.

Electric Holiday

Ok so here's a bit of early christmassy fun for you. If you love Disney and have an interest in fashion you will love this...

This short animation is the result of a collaboration between Barney's New York and Disney. All of your favourite characters, from Minnie Mouse to Tinker Bell, rubbing shoulders with the big names in fashion. Of course there have been complaints about making the characters 'skinny' but if you watch it all of the way through you'll see that minnie has no problem with her real figure. You'll know what I mean when you see it. Regardless of that, it is a bit of fun and I couldn't help trying to name all of the famous faces as they popped up. The fashion world has been given a magical touch.

Enjoy...

Jin Kay - In Praise of Shadows

Jin Kay won the Parsons Designer of the Year award this year and I am not surprised. His designs are exciting, innovative and multifunctional all in one go. I am inspired!

Kay's inspiration was the definition of beauty in the east compared to the west. In the east, beauty is defined by the mystery beneath the clothes, to cover your body entices intrigue. In the west however, beauty IS the body, the aim is to expose and reveal. His collection, I guess, enables both desires. The wearer can be creative with the garments, wear them in any which way they like. The materials used are varied and contrasting, the wool provides a base while the chiffon creates a new dimension, casting shadows, hence the name of the collection.

Take a look at Jin Kay's video to see for yourself - Jin Kay : In Praise of Shadows