Chunky knit is a micro trend seen on the runways of London Fashion Week. As featured in the collections of Julien McDonald and Betty Jackson, it is a very versatile trend which can be worn with skirts, trousers or bare legs and chunky boots.
Invest in some key knitwear now and it will carry you right through until next February. Here is what we have to offer on www.refashionable.com, click on images for further details…..
What you’ll need. . .
note* as you wear it the edges will curl a little …which actually makes it look better
for a cropped look, pull it back more or cut the center shorter
Voila!
Head-to-toe is the newest way to wear denim this Spring/summer season. The trend also heralds the return of the dungarees. Love it or hate it you will have a hard time avoiding it.
Stay ahead of the fashion pack this Spring\Summer by checking out the fantastic denim range on offer at www.refashionable.com. Click images for further details…
Fashion house Burberry has become the first major design house to screen a catwalk show in 3D across the world.
Burberry, founded in 1856, is famous for its classic looking designs
Watch the show here.
Burberry’s chief creative officer said the 3D show was evidence the label has embraced the technology of the 21st century.
“This unprecedented event will allow people to experience the energy and atmosphere of this event from around the world,” Christopher Bailey said.
“3D will bring out global audience into the London show space, allowing them to see the colour, fabrics and be a part of the moment when it all comes together.”
Own your own piece of vintage Burberry from www.refashionable.com. Click on the images below for more details…
Red is emerging as a micro trend at London fashion week. Aquascutum, Julien Macdonald, Jasper Conran, Julien McDonald, Margaret Howell and Eley Keshimoto have all featured red in varying degrees.
React fast to this trend. Here is a selection of the best items available on www.refashionable.com ready to make their way from your computer to your door in days at a fraction of high street prices…….. Click on images for further details.
I have recently stumbles upon the blog of Livia Firth, wife of Colin Firth and owner of green boutique Eco Age in Chiswick. Livia has decided to take to take a green challenge to the red carpet, documenting this seasons appearances with her husband wearing eco- friendly beauty products and re-purposed dresses.
Livia and Colin firth at the recent Golden Globe awards. Livia is wearing a refashioned Christiana Couture wedding dress.
‘The re-purposed Christiana Couture wedding dress was a HUGE success in the sense that I don’t think I’ve ever had so many compliments for a dress in one night. But people here do not seem to understand the concept of ethical fashion – they loved the dress but when I revealed the origin they sort of switch off as if it’s not cool anymore because it was once a wedding dress. It’s made me realise that although repurposing and vintage are great, we need to go one step further and make a really strong ethical fashion statement. Which means I now have to find the perfect dress for the Screen Actors Guild Awards in exactly a week.’
http://www.vogue.co.uk/blogs/livia-firth/
Also following hot on the heels of Livia Firth is James Camerons wife, Suzy Amis Cameron. Mrs. Cameron, launched a competition to find an unknown designer who works with eco-friendly, green fabrics to create her Oscar gown. The contest, called Red Carpet Green Dress, just concluded, and the winner was Jillian Ganz, a senior at Michigan State University, where she majors in apparel and textile design.
In an interview on YouTube, Ganz talks about the future of sustainable design and her excitement over winning the contest: “I would say that sustainable design is becoming quite a trend in the fashion industry. Going to MSU with it being a green school, we’re trying to focus on that a lot more in our classes — the fashionable, sustainable design. It’s just becoming popular to be eco-friendly, which I think is great … I just can’t wait for the Academy Awards to watch Suzy on the red carpet … until I see her wearing it on the red carpet, I won’t even realize what it means to me … seeing my design up there … it just means so much.”
In a press release, Cameron talked about choosing Ganz’s design as the winner. “Jillian’s design was stunning and had that something special. It’s a beautiful combination of sustainability and style. I’m excited to promote the talent of this young designer.” Jillian’s creation will be brought to life by designer Deb Scott, and Ganz will be flown to Los Angeles to assist with fittings the week of the Oscars. The final garment will be revealed at the Global Green Pre-Oscar party, which Amis Cameron is co-hosting with her husband.
Cameron’s efforts don’t stop with her Red Carpet Green Dress challenge; however, the contest also served as a fundraiser for MUSE, a non-profit elementary school in California she co-founded with her sister.
Screengrab courtesy of YouTube.
Do you have a special occasion or red carpet event coming up? Why not follow Livia Firths example and wear a recycled or pre worn item from one of the many we have available at www.refashionable.com.
We have beautiful dresses, new and vintage as well as vintage men’s items such as the classic Tuxedo from British heritage brand Aquascutum.
Here is a selection of the red carpet items we have available. Click on the image for further details.
Monsoon Silk Dress
Tightrope dress
Amanda Wakeley wrap dress
Ball gown and wrap
Debut dress
Denim and silk dress
Kurt Geiger shoes
The men’s pea coat has remained a staple in men’s outer wear since the early 19th century and continues to stand for class, strength and manliness.
Originally men’s pea coats were double breasted and made of 30 oz of wool. Today you can find these coats single breasted and made with anywhere from 22 -32 oz of wool. The styles haven’t changed much because the original design is still aesthetically pleasing and appropriate for any activity. These versatile coats can now be found in any number of colors and materials including wool, leather and corduroy, albeit the originals were always dark blue.
If warmth, style, class and versatility are your goal in a winter coat, the men’s pea coats remains one of the most popular choices.
Vintage Pea Coat £80.00 www.refashionable.com
Definition…A pea coat (or pea jacket, pilot jacket) is an outer coat, generally of a navy-colored heavy wool, originally worn by sailors of European navies. Pea coats are characterized by broad lapels, double-breasted fronts, often large wooden or metal buttons, and vertical or slash pockets….
How to wear….Although easily adapted to a smarter outfit, pea coats are making the biggest statement this season as a key piece in a casual ensemble.
The British fashion designer Alexander McQueen has been found dead at his London home at the age of 40. His body was discovered at his property in Green Street, in London’s West End, shortly after 10am today. Paramedics were called but he was pronounced dead at the scene. A postmortem has been scheduled but police said his death was not being treated as suspicious. They would not comment on reports he had killed himself.
A spokeswoman for McQueen said: “Mr McQueen was found dead this morning at his home. We’re devastated and I hope you understand that out of respect to his family and his colleagues we’re not going to be making any further statement.”
His death comes just days before the start of London fashion week and a month before he was to unveil his new collection at Paris fashion week.
His family asked for privacy to come to terms with the death of McQueen, whose first name was Lee.
His company, Alexander McQueen, issued a statement saying: “On behalf of Lee McQueen’s family, Alexander McQueen today announces the tragic news that Lee McQueen, the founder and designer of the Alexander McQueen brand, has been found dead at his home. At this stage it is inappropriate to comment on this tragic news beyond saying that we are devastated and are sharing a sense of shock and grief with Lee’s family.”
“Lee’s family has asked for privacy in order to come to terms with this terrible news and we hope the media will respect this.”
Alexandra Shulman, the editor of British Vogue, said McQueen had influenced a whole generation of designers. “His brilliant imagination knew no bounds as he conjured up collection after collection of extraordinary designs,” she said.
“At one level he was a master of the fantastic, creating astounding fashion shows that mixed design, technology and performance and on another he was a modern-day genius whose gothic aesthetic was adopted by women the world over. His death is the hugest loss to anyone who knew him and for very many who didn’t.”
Born in London in 1969 as the youngest of six children, McQueen left school at the age of 16 and was immediately offered an apprenticeship at the traditional Saville Row tailors Anderson and Shephard, then at neighbouring Gieves and Hawkes.
At 20 he was employed by the designer Koji Tatsuno. A year later McQueen travelled to Milan where he worked as a design assistant to Romeo Giglis. He returned to London in 1994 where he completed a master’s degree in fashion design at Central St Martins College. His degree collection was famously bought in its entirety by Isabella Blow, a leading figure in the fashion world.
In less than 10 years McQueen became one of the most respected fashion designers in the world. In October 1996 he was appointed chief designer at the French label Givenchy where he worked until March of 2001.
In December 2000 51% of Alexander McQueen was acquired by luxury brand Gucci, where he became creative director. Expansion followed and included the opening of flagship stores in New York, London and Milan.
McQueen was a four-time winner of the British designer of the year award as well as the international designer of the year award from the Council of Fashion Designers of America. He was awarded the CBE in 2003.
Silke Wawro of Volksware takes a more alternative approach to fashion recycling, her scrap clothing carpet is literally a fabric journal, made from “the cloth consumption of a persons’ lifetime.” The carpet is sold by the meter, off a roll, so you can order just enough and have cozy clothing keeping your toes warm in no time.
Much of Volksware’s work takes a similar and equally clever approach to design: use pre-existing objects, engage the user, and sell in customized quantities. Check out her website for a ton of other very cool projects and products.
Mean times are lean times. But fret not, you can learn how to reconstruct your clothes with a novel project from Junky Styling: Wardrobe Surgery, a new book from the namesake ethical label. Founders Annika Sanders and Kerry Seager started buying secondhand men’s suits in the early 1990s, and turned them into stylish, quirky womenswear. In 1997 they launched their fashion label, Junky Styling, and have since shown their recycled clothing collections at London and Paris fashion weeks.
In an extract from their new book, which features simple projects showing how to reconstruct your wardrobe, they explain how to transform ordinary trousers into a fitted top with step-by-step instructions.
Annika Sanders and Kerry Seager made clothes for themselves to wear out to clubs in the early 90’s during their late teens. After extensive international travel and countless compliments on their clothing a business was executed. Junky styling was the perfect tag to attach to their unique style of clothing. Charity shops and jumble sales were the chosen source of second hand traditional suits to deconstruct and then redesign into twisted tailored garments. Now 11 years later, with their well-established shop in Brick Lane and in-house production site just down the road, nothing is holding this company back. Anni and Kerry are still best friends and the same multi-talented crew are putting out new clothing ranges in every direction.
One of Junky Styling’s services is to re-design your old wardrobe. All you have to do is bring your worn out clothes into Junky Wardrobe Surgery situated at the back of the Junky Store for a complete overhaul, customisation or a simple alteration. Be part of the design process and tell the team about the recurring problems you encounter with the cut and fit of regular garments. Junky Styling will breath new life into discarded items or simply make something previously un-wearble into an everyday favourite.
