Art-iculate: Catwalk to Cover – a front row seat

 A couple of weekends ago I ventured down to one of my favourite Central London spaces, the Fashion and Textile Museum to see the exciting new exhibition Catwalk to Cover – a front row seat. Looking back from the first ever globally reported ready-to-wear catwalk show to the recent SS12 shows, Catwalk to Cover – a front row seat documents the magic of the fashion spectacle; with fashion week street style, intimate backstage snaps of models, a guide to who’s who of the frow – from editor to blogger to celebrity – and the resulting production streamed to millions of hungry eyes the world over.

A relatively modern phenomenon, the catwalk show can be dated as far back as fashion parades that took place in Paris couture houses in the 19th Century, however it will come as a surprise to many that designers didn’t really consider going it alone and showcasing en masse until the early ‘90s, with NYFW being the first collective stage established in 1993.

Spotlighting an exclusive and aspirational sphere, this fly-on-the-wall exhibition aims to shed some light on the inner-workings of the fashion machine, conveying the heady combination of chaos and creativity, paying particular attention to how it is marketed and presented to the world, detailing what happens behind the scenes and which opinion formers make a designer’s collection global news.

Featuring over 1,000 high-octane images from the most prolific catwalk photographers of our time, this sprawling display also features some breath-taking archive samples from the most famous names in their field: Christian Lacroix, Osman, Lanvin and Vivienne Westwood to name but a few.

What is most compelling about Catwalk to Cover – a front row seat is that it simultaneously dispels several myths about fashion, with one crucial misconception being that designers are among the most influential and envied creatives’ in the world. The truth is that designers have to work to extreme deadlines, rely on the talents of the team around them: creative directors, models, hair stylists, make-up artists etc. and the support and endorsement of the influentials: fashion editors, top tier bloggers and celebrities.

Over the past five years there has been a slight shift seeing bloggers and photographers increasingly relied upon to interpret the designer’s message and play a pivotal role in the distribution of imagery via social networking sites and blogging platforms.

Offering all fashion enthusiasts and professionals alike an opportunity to experience the view from the front row, Catwalk to Cover – a front row seat is a captivating insight into the inner-workings of what is one of the world’s most successful and glamorous industries.

Catwalk to Cover – a front row seat is showing at the Fashion and Textile Museum until 26th February 2012.

Brand Of The Week: Harold Kensington

Images throughout courtesy of Harold Kensington/ LCF and Catwalking. The above are photographed by Sean Michael. All images below are photographed by Christopher Moore.

Entitled ‘Samburu Gathering’, Kensington’s eye-catching autumn 2011 collection consists of strong rouched stripe detail dresses and sophisticated separates topped with thick boiled wool coats, complimented by unfinished swathes of draped fabric in bright, block colours. Capturing my imagination to the full, Kensington’s models sashayed down the catwalk looking like far-flung nomadic tribal goddesses, oozing luxury, class and elegance.

Created on what one would expect to be a tight, student budget, ‘Samburu Gathering’ is fittingly ‘inspired by the turmoil and depression of the 1940s, mixed with African tribal stripes and layering’. An intriguing collection that incorporates Kensington’s love of photography juxtaposed with different interpretations of the humble stripe, my favourite look would have to be the first to hit the catwalk; an 80s silhouette luxury woollen burgundy coat and canary yellow/ stripe detail blouse paired with the 'Bodi' high-waisted two-tone blue and baby pink trousers with a slightly dropped crotch and side buckle detail.

What really impressed me most about this collection was the level of attention to detail and superior intrinsic design that shone throughout, being particularly evident in the accompanying accessories. The bags were divine: coming in a variety of low-slung and shoulder designs, each made in red/ yellow or red/ blue leather, complete with studs on the base to rival the finish of any top designer. Shoes were painted (with stripes naturally), wooden block platforms with leather and metal detailing, that followed through beautifully in a variety of chokers and cuffs.

Speaking of his collection Kensington says: “My initiative explores projects that create new possibilities of fashion through the discovery of forms and mediums it exists in. I have the ability to reinvent fashion archetypes and basic shapes to create interest; this is a vantage point in an industry where it is central to stay relevant. I feel it is imperative to grow, revise and realize my ideas through recurrent analysis and critique to enable a suitable/wearable product for the Kensington woman, also to define idiosyncrasy as a contemporary luxury designer.

With the notion of novelty as a brand value I pull references from an extensive research pool covering cultural, historical and contemporary influences to form a body of explorations shaped by design process as well as my opinion. My style is informed by oversized fit translated into refined wearable womenswear; delivering a quality assured/luxury collection amidst the exploration of new surfaces, fit and creativity.”

Aged just 21, BA Fashion and Technology graduate Kensington currently works for Holly Fulton as a designer and pattern cutter, and with an ambition to design for a luxury fashion house such as Lanvin in the future, I have every confidence that the world is Mr Kensington’s oyster.

LFW Diary AW11: Felicity Brown

A designer whom I’d heard great things about last season through Fashion East’s talent platform; Felicity Brown is certainly ‘one to watch’. Her inaugural collection for SS11 featured a plethora of hand-dyed silks and ruffled dresses, inspired by Japanese origami, Bedouin women, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec’s paintings of showy girls in disheveled, provoking dresses, as well as her own study of flowers – creating an overtly feminine collection with layering at its core.

Repeating her signature design aesthetic for AW11, the NEWGEN sponsored designer really caught my eye during LFW, incorporating what looked to be subtle tribal prints to great effect. First spotted during her Royal College of Art graduate show – from which the collection was selected to be exhibited at Sotheby’s of London - Brown went on to design for Alberta Ferretti, Loewe, Mulberry and Lanvin before setting up her own label based in Brick Lane. Highly influenced by tribal designs from around the world, Brown told Vogue.com: “I like looking at tribal costumes from all over the world and the way tribes mark themselves. I find that much more fascinating than minimal tailoring. I made each individual piece that forms each dress separately. At the last minute I smashed it all together and that was it.”

AW10 Press Days: Part Eight

Last week I attended well over 30 press days in three days, and whilst tiring I have to admit that I loved every minute of it. Kicking off the first day with a bang was the Moschino press day held just above the beautiful Conduit Street store, hidden away behind a chic red door.

For me the AW10 Moschino mainline and Cheap and Chic collections had many highlights and key pieces, with the fringed leather jacket (above) being a firm favourite.

I love it when you realise that your preconceived notions of what constitutes good and bad colour palettes for example, are totally wrong, which happened when I loved how they had tastefully worked lots of gold into a predominantly black collection.

I really aprreciated the subtle nods to Chanel present in the use of pearls, tweed mixes and heavy deatailing. I also like the gold chain print on black which reminded me very much of the likes of Lanvin and Celine. Whilst certain pieces in particular clearly reminded me of pieces by other designers, I quite liked this as it added a playful feel, and I don't think there's anything wrong with channelling something as long as you either do it better or put your own spin on it - which Moschino certainly did.