A personal infusion of aesthetic.

A great British designer with a true sense of timeless, English style is often hard to come acros. However Margaret Howell not only proves that British style is still in its prime - she also seamlessly transitions her lines year on year, collection to collection.

After having my personal style compared to her vision of an ever graceful, stylish and just plain gorgeous English gentleman, I was of course feeling good about myself - so decided to do a little segment on her latest campaign, just to air my thoughts on her contemporary pieces.

1976 saw the true birth of the brand as Howell opened her first menswear store in London - followed by a store containing her complete collection in 1980. A true dark horse in the British fashion industry - Howell has seen ups and and downs in the game but always prevails victorious. Her minimalistic style; combining smart tailoring with casual knitwear and essentials was the must have look of the decade, even now men flock to her store in hope of grabbing an identity with the captivating style she so effortlessly churns out.

It has only been recently that the brand has started to adopt more trendy additions to current seasons. Obviously for me this isn't a positive, and as much as I love the brand and the image perceptive of that - I don't see a 70's gentleman walking around in a dock jacket. Hopefully the label doesn't fall into consumer righteousness and stoop to a high street level.

For now let's all appreciate and hope the style will forever remain, as a traditional empathy of the British industry.

Kendall Jenner - Runway queen or runaway child?

            

Arguably one of the talking points of this year - Kendall Jenner defying 'reality' family and going into a real career, as a runway model? Hard to believe if you don't follow the starlets roller coaster family onscreen, but believe it or not she's surprisingly good. Even I want to slap the bitch for looking that good. Although I can't complain, I've spent all day catching up on Desperate Housewives instead of exercising, starving myself and spending cool millions on looking good - trust me, it would be millions.

Those of you who have tuned into 'Keeping up with the Kardashians' will at some point know that Jenner has wanted to be a model for quite a while, dating back to the first season [Oct 2007] in fact, and she does deserve a round of applause. Be that for looking fabulous or just avoiding the road her older sister took, and releasing a sex tape to become famous, and if you read this Kim [highly unlikely! I know] yes! we all know it wasn't intended for public release...cough. Now enough with the bitching, and let's have a look at Kendall's 'influential' moments in fashion. Although she doesn't Denver that seat next to Anna Wintour, just yet anyway.

 

Hard to believe that only a few months ago, we all knew her as Kim Kardashians younger sister, and fast forward four weeks and she's turning her eldest sister green in the face. Making her New York fashion week debut - Jenner took to the runway on Feburary 14th to represent the FW14 Marc Jacobs collection. Sporting bleached eyebrows and a generic brown bob, Kendall looked a million miles away from her normal Hollywood look, although it does look super fabulous. I know which look I would choose!

Fast forward a couple of weeks and we see Jenner, yet again on the runway. This time with a completely different look in Paris, for Givenchy. Strutting alongside Saskia de Brauw and Joan Smalls - she yet again embellished bleached eyebrows with her usual hair scraped back and split to mirage a sleek, 90's pixie cut, which went very well with the FW14 collection. Especially this full length, reptile print bodice.

Agreeably a great career choice for the teenager, but will it last. Sadly for her - I think not, and true to my word I think the likes of Kendall Jenner represents an evolving society which focuses more on a body type rather than a look. Of course Kendall is beautiful, potentially far too good looking to be a model, so a comment like this isn't directed her way. However the fact she is most likely only a model due to her family's social status is. One thing is for sure - she sure looks a damn sight better than Kylie Jenner, remember that trashy show her sister did only a few years back? Well here is a reminder. [sensitive viewers please look away now].

Remember the good old days with models such as Cindy Crawford, Linda Evangelista, Helena Christensen and Karen Mulder? Perhaps it's time to bring back models with real sex appeal - Although the ideal of Cindy Crawford taking to the runway in 2014 is a potentially terrifying though - or has Halloween come early?

Goddess of love - the worlds new G.U.Y?

A worldwide rush of excitement is in the air, as earlier this morning Lady Gaga surprised us all when she released teasers of her new video for the latest single G.U.Y. I thought it would be interesting to try and predict what this video would me made up of. Take the concept... Aphrodite surrounded by her servants or lovers? I think not... Look a little more in depth and you will realise that Gaga is actually posing as Aphrodite (the goddess of love) surrounded by her offspring (Himeros and Eros). 

I found that the initial concept for the video has a slight connotation with this thesis by William Blake Richmond (1953) then again, this is a fashion blog and not a history blog.

Looking at some of the outfit Gaga presents in these teasers, we see two swimsuits... A black, PVC, panel cut swimsuit and also a metallic gold, ribbed, fibre flaked swimsuit... Both of which bear string resemblance to this old outfit, which I sure you don't remember...

That's right, she's bringing out the old guns again. Will this mean another hit, or will people sense that's she's desperate to make it back again with another outlandish yet stylish video? One thing for sure is that she will be taking influence from Donatella this time. Of course I love this woman, and Donatella just as much, but I'm sure your career outside Versace still exists.

Here are a few photos to refresh your memory when it comes to Versace and their sleek, panel tops and dresses, and again with the sketches Donatella thought up way back in the day, for all of those who think the Gaga-tella trend is brand new.

End of life crisis?

An amazing designer he may be, however in my eyes this is the fashion equivalent of Paris Hilton bringing out her own line... Overrun and saturated. From an advertising perspective, it's pretty unclear to make out whether the label formulates of just accessories, or whether a full spread line of clothing has been produced.

 However if you're lucky enough to wander into a Lagerfeld (brand) store by accident, you'll come across a wilderness of I sorted and somewhat misplaced garments. The mens collection is somewhat reminiscent of the back page in a Boden catalogue. Certainly not to my taste, however the shirts are embossed by a pattern I thought died at the birth of Superdry's 'washbasket shirt'

something that could be best described as a 'Darren Shirt' (inside joke).

Staring out of the window and trying to remember the last time it rained, analysing droplets run down the window creating an ever so subtle spectrum is the best way I can describe the boredom I feel with this brand. Surprisingly Karl Lagerfeld himself didn't have complete control over what was produced, his team, know as the LAGERFELD brand pride themselves on their work and never let us forget it.

Transcending into the womenswear and my heart somewhat lifts, seeing a Chanel-esque touch. Not so much the Lagerfeld era but what I feel could have been an Ode to CoCo, or perhaps Karl had no idea what was being approved, and by so doing purge himself of the ability to design freely for the brand again. Or perhaps I'm getting too psycho-analytical?

An urban feel dominates the womenswear, with a very slight sweep of class... Not much though. Although a damn sight better than the mens it could still be a campaign for a new River Island collection. It's a little odd in my opinion, to start your own brand and not tailor to the consumer, by producing a line you would wear yourself. Forgive me but I can't remember a time when Lagerfeld wore anything but an 8 year-old boys suit. 

An ever long bus journey reminds me of a sobering fact, and that is no matter who you are, investing in your own brand at a career mid point is a sure way to credit ultimate demise when it comes to your image. Never the less, who is to say this won't be the next big thing? Oh wait, me.

Fabulous in human form.

True to her word, 'Trip the Light Fantastic' is a fantastic album, so after accompanying me on my daily morning commute through London, I decided this bitch is just too fabulous. Not only is she known for her eclectic music career, but she is also known throughout the fashion industry, be either for her unique sense of style, her perfect advertising complexion or just a look that would even turn Kate Moss into a green eyed monster.

Asides from her music, Bextor has truly adopted a unique sense of style, (remember this was a decade ago, so those of you dressing like this now, you're not trendy, you're old). Designers love her, photographers love her and so we do, but it's not just because she's drop dead gorgeous, or multi talented... It's because clothes love her. Behind the camera she is dressed in anything, from boxy shapes to low cut and loose vee dresses, she makes the cut. On the other hand, her day to day life suggest that she doesn't spend all of her money in designers boutiques. Broke bitch? I think not, she just knows how to dress amazing on a budget... On second thoughts, maybe she is broke. Hope those album sales are raking in!

No matter what you think of her music or attitude you can certainly agree that clothes love her, perhaps a modelling career? You heard it here first! No matter what I can safely say this girl is fabulous in human form. I mean for fuck sake she even looks amazing getting off a bus, snap a candid of myself and you'll see a sweetly mess, dropping coins and spilling coffee all over people...