Matthew Zorpas: LFW AW11
Two of the most incredible things about having started this blog have been that it has provided a platform to highlight new talent and has given me the opportunity to meet some great people. My encounters with Matthew Zorpas encapsulate both these features perfectly. We met just over a year ago and, in the short time that I've known him I've realized, he personifies everything I adore about fashion. Daring with what he wears, motivated to promote new generation designers, and always willing to take you along for a crazy ride... he is my most beloved fashion week friend.
Matthew's outfits during London Fashion Week always cause quite the stir. You'll never spot this boy without a hoard of photographers around him. He was, after all, voted Britain's second best dressed man by Esquire. Because I was curious about how he puts together an outfit for the city's most hotly watched event, I documented his wardrobe over the course of London Fashion Week. Below you'll find our favourite shots of Matthew's outfits and comments by the designers he chose to wear each day.
Day 1: MariosAlexander
'The suit is shaped around the idea of the 'role', fully emerged within the clown personal engaging the concept of modern living. Clownland reflects the life of the modern man and with its contemporary feel creates an alternative perspective on luxury clothing. Inspired by the history of performing arts and the idea of the role, this suit explores how costume can be transformed in order to create a fashion statement. With references to the clown character and influenced by the work of Charlie Chaplin, this collection captures an essence of romanticism and projects a sensitive man.' - MariosAlexander
Matthew wears: Suit and shirt by MariosAlexander.
Day 2: Harald Lunde Helgesen
'Denim's totally on my mind. The material of the masses and the material of the greatest global fashion impact since leopard prints and fake fur! Denim 2011, can it add anything new? I think so - D E N I M M X I ! Slashed, shredded, perforated and knitted - that's my suggestion for wearing denim next. Single Denim, double denim, triple denim.' - Harald Lunde Helgesen
Matthew wears: Shirt, waistcoat, jacket, jeans, and shoes by HLH Harald Lunde Helgesen.
Day 3: Dandan Zhang
'The pure white shirt with huge high collar, increases the sense of the mystery of men. Elegant design with exquisite details, creating a pure, bright, eternal and ultracool garment. The special shirt with leather decoration is from Dandan Zhang 'A Men's Toy' collection and the inspiration comes from vintage cars, like original sedan cars, vintage Beets and other classic cars.' - Dandan Zhang
Matthew wears: white shirt by Dandan Zhang, Cos jeans, Sanders shoes, and bag by Gianfranco Ferre.
Day 4: DimosNatar
'This season, I use knitwear as second skin, and vibrant colours disturbing the nude ambience. Mettalic yarns are used to produce pieces in seductive silhouettes. Neon colours are combined to produce a magnificent palette, with connotations of an underwear kingdom.' - Dimos Natar
Matthew wears: Suit and t-shirt by MariosAlexander, cardigan and scarf by DimosNatar, and Sanders shoes.
Menswear Day: MariosAlexander
Matthew wears: Shirt, waistcoat, and jacket by MariosAlexander. Jeans by Cos and Sanders shoes.
'My selection this year wanted to push the fashion boundaries but still look elegant and sophisticated. I chose designers who had a story to tell, a strong research and philosophy behind their brands. Many of the pieces were for the first time shown beyond the catwalk. It was a great experiment and a process to collect and mix them together. I loved every moment of this story. Fashion Weeks, especially London Fashion Week, is an opportunity for young designers to showcase the creative side of their collections. We, as influencers or insiders, should support them and get them out there, give them a chance within the industry.' - Matthew Zorpas
Things I've learned from Matthew: Sometimes more can definitely be more. Don't stick with one jacket when you can sport two. Layer thermal fleece under your fashion week outfit in the winter. It's cool to be nice to people. Speaking a foreign language will get you far. And, always have a surprise up your sleeve.
Happiest in...
Wearing: Madewell jacket, Alternative Apparel Rocky Eco-Fleece Zip hoodie, American Apparel Unisex Fine Jersey Short Sleeve V-neck, Urban Outfitters pink vest and black jeans, black Converse, Alexander McQueen bag, and Retro Super Future Lucia Havana Glitter sunglasses.
p.s. I promise the whole of Zurich isn't covered in graffiti.
Breakfast with the birds.
Why, hello there sunshine.
First full day in my new city of Zurich and everything feels refreshingly new and so beautiful, in a way that is completely separate from England. The sun came out this afternoon and I took a walk with my best friend* down to the river and into the centre of town. We're staying in a temporary flat for the next couple of months until we find something more permanent. Our very cool landlord, who I'll hopefully tell you more about soon, gave us a little tour around our neighborhood this morning and there are so many places to explore. Zurich seems to be such a mash of competing ways of life... from the strictest of bankers in pinstriped suits, to the carefree girls in converse riding bikes... from the Hasidic Jews wearing incredibly high fur hats, to the boys in tracksuits eating kebabs on street corners. There is more diversity than I expected and while I've heard that the different groups in the city don't mix I'm hoping this isn't truly the case.
Just want to send out a big fat THANK YOU to everyone that has sent well wishes over Twitter, Facebook, e-mails, etc. - they have been so encouraging. Already missing everyone back home.
Wearing: vintage green hat, Madewell jersey biker jacket, Cabbages and Roses striped top, Next maxi skirt, vintage fur stole, Monki boots and American Apparel large leather clutch.
* and by 'best friend' I mean husband
Grand Life.
Beauty 101 - Spring 2011 edition: bright lips and long lahes. Enough said.
Wearing: hot pink lipstick by Models Own, lashes by Lash Lab, leather jacket by Paul and Joe Sister and necklace by Jacey Withers (both courtesy of HPR London).
p.s. off to Zurich in the morning... see you there.
I want you.
Oh Zara, how I detest your messy shops and unhelpful staff. You're customer service is a shocker and the amount of faulty items I've seen strewn across your floors could stock an Oxfam twice over. I've got to say though, each season you've got me drooling over your pieces that are painfully spot on. The quality is questionable and the fabric composition makes me sweat but when you've got pink trousers, orange skirts, and pleats galore I find it impossible to resist your allure. So until I've got the funds to afford the Prada and Marc Jacobs that I truly want, your brights and neutral pieces will keep me feeling hot.
I could easily drop a grand in Zara right now. They've got my spring wardrobe nailed.
Just call me...
Currently obsessed with this Elizabeth Lau jumper from her AW11 collection. Perfectly suited for letting people know who's boss.. Cockney style. More photos coming soon. Taken by Kit.
Backstage: KTZ
Backstage at KTZ on menswear day it was all bold stripes, bright colours and baubles but worn with quite minimal makeup. The show was something from an entirely surreal world with graphic printed balaclavas pulled down over faces, oversized Wonka infused circular bracelets, latex galore, and a touch of '80s tribal multi-coloured print thrown in for good measure. The collection showed a mesmerizing transformation of character. If you haven't seen images of the KTZ AW11 collection yet be sure to check it out. It's utterly wild when seen worn all together but the pieces are totally mesmerizing and have got me wanting to ditch my fluorescent brights for a range of primary colours.
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Show Me Your Doughnut
When four dozen hot pink and purple Krispy Kreme doughnuts landed at Somerset House on the last day of fashion week people went mental. Food at fashion week? Surely everyone would shy away and nibble on their inner lip rather than be seen stuffing food into their face in public. Not so, these little babies were too good to resist and it was impossible for anyone to take themselves too seriously while biting into one.
In celebration of Glamour's 10th anniversary the magazine has teamed up with Krispy Kreme UK to produce the... wait for it... GLAMOUR Glaze which is modeled off every girl's favourite accessory: lip gloss. This limited edition doughnut is currently available at Krispy Kreme shops across the UK. It is pretty similar to a normal glazed doughnut but with a slight strawberry or black current taste. Yumm.
p.s. while they might be modeled off lipgloss I don't advise actually attempting to wear the glaze as lipgloss... a few of us tried and it was quite the messy ordeal, although, it was very tasty to lick off.
Big thanks to Remy for providing the doughnuts and Abi for picking them up.
Post fashion week crash
London Fashion Week is over, one week from today I'll have moved to a new country, and all I really want to do is pull the covers up over my head and sleep until this house has packed itself up and moved on its own. Where's my magic wand when I need it most? At least for the time being this scarf pretty much hides my face from the world... I promise I'll be back on regular form soon.
Wearing: Jack Wills scarf, M&S grey jumper, white vest/black jeans from Urban Outfitters, YSL arty ring and large Boat and Tote zip top bag by L. L. Bean that strangely got a lot of attention when I brought it to LFW on the final day. And yes, it's embossed with my last name...
Thanks to Kit for taking this photo.
Where To Go: Anthropologie Shoe Launch
While the much loved American brand Anthropologie may have opened in the UK a few years ago it hasn't had a space to properly show off its range of footwear. That will, however, all change tomorrow with the opening of the first Anthropologie shoe-only store in Europe. This evening I got the chance to have a little preview of the space which is small, cosy, and exactly what you would hope from the company whose visual aesthetic will make you want to ditch your own home and move straight into their store. A custom built shelving unit wraps around the walls of the store creating a display that can be changed and manipulated. There are over 80 styles that are presented next to flowers, illuminated by the soft light being dispersed by countless vintage lamps. More like a library of sorts than a shoe shop, the Anthropologie shoe space is inviting, enticing, and, after just one quick visit, left me thinking it was the kind of little treasure trove where you would always find something delightfully unexpected.
The Anthropologie team are hosting a celebratory opening weekend so be sure to head down to the Kings Road to check out the launch or pop down next time your in London town.
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After viewing the shoe gallery I skipped next door to the main shop. Despite Anthropologie being one of my favourite stores to visit whenever I'm back home in the US I've never actually been into any of the London stores. I was absolutely blown away by the space which included a strangely therapeutic wishing fountain, lots of fun letters and stuffed animals to play with, and a whole host of girly books and treats to explore. Just incase you aren't familiar with Anthropologie, I've included some images below.
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The Anthropologie shoe store is open from the 25th of February and can be found at 131-141 Kings Road, London SW3.
Thank you Charlotte for inviting me along to this event!
What I Wore: Day 6
I finally caved and went for an all black combo (hoody included)... sometimes it's just the only thing that will see you through the day. Opted for a bit of a kick on my feet with Patouf's Coco shoes in bright yellow. I absolutely love that you can just throw these on with an otherwise quite boring outfit and it's suddenly something special. Someone commented earlier that it was like ending the sentence with an exclamation mark. On a separate note I am obsessed with this black leather jacket by Paul & Joe. How is it that I don't even own a black leather jacket?! It has officially been added to my birthday wish list.
Wearing: Paul & Joe leather jacket (HPR London), Patouf Coco shoes, American Apparel grey hoody, Jigsaw snood, H&M black dress, and Next tights.
London Fashion Week: Day 6
The Buzz
You didn't think it was over yet, did you? It was the final day of London Fashion Week today and loads of people were exclaiming on twitter, 'Fashion week is not over! It's menswear day! Get to Somerset House.' By the time menswear comes along a lot of people have already headed off to Milan or decided their cozy bed was too difficult a thing to resist. I'd never stuck around to see menswear but it was not at all what I had expected. Why was I thinking the courtyard would be filled with dapper Savile Row types stroking their mustaches and twirling their brolies while debating which print tie to buy for next season?
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Although I've shared a lot of my photos from LFW with you already there are still some special features that are yet to come... including the 5 days of Fashion Week with Matthew Zorpas, a Krispy Kreme medley, backstage at KTZ, what I wore Day 6 and more. Stay tuned little chickens... for now, I'm off to bed and it's not 5:30am! Yesss.
What I Wore: Day 5
Well hello there. Apologies for the radio silence and for the lack of pictures from Day 5 at LFW. Turns out that after four days of madness (getting to bed at 5am, forgetting to drink any water, living off a burger a day plus the overbearing amount of adrenalin that is pumping through your body) I accidentally slept in until 4 pm. I woke up thinking that I must have missed my first show but that hopefully I'd make it in for the next one then flipped open my laptop and saw the time. I didn't anticipate fashion week would be as shattering as it has been or that I'd be as busy or as totally loopy. I attempted to do a bit too much which resulted in letting a few people down. In the future, I know only to commit to what I am really passionate about during fashion week. Early starts, late nights, deadlines for people, plus trying to post on your own blog and still get in a few hours of sleep is difficult.
With that said, I have had such a blast and wouldn't change it for the world.
But hey, always good to be reminded that you're only human.
Wearing: dress from Flying A, leather jacket by Paul & Joe & Jacey Withers necklace worn around wrist (both courtesy of HPR London) tights by Next, Monki shoes. Just running out for the last day of fashion week (Menswear day!).
Photos taken by Jackie.
London Fashion Week: Day 4
Got off to a slow start today. I didn't have any shows and so decided to just take it easy and recover a little bit. Headed into Somerset House in the late afternoon to see the lovely Elizabeth Lau. Also spent some time in the courtyard people watching and laughing at Kit who got asked to have her photo taken with someone because they liked her psychedelic print combination so much (this isn't a normal thing). There were loads of tourists around and so, shortly after, made a beeline for some nearby sushi.
Here's a selection of photos from today. Just friends and photographers who were hanging out in the courtyard. The above chap had on the most insane outfit and was my absolute favourite. I think he photographs for Japanese Vice. Next is Lexie from My Labyrinth who was wearing some killer Alexander Wang heels. She is my go-to girl for backstage photography now and her site is one of my new favourites. Also included is Jennifer from Style East, Kit, and Imogen.
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