There comes a point in every UK fashion-devotee’s lifetime when they must journey across the pond to the Mekkah of New York department stores, Bergdorf Goodman’s.

 This iconic American store, having already starred in “Sex and the City” now introduces its very own documentary; “Scatter My Ashes at Bergdorf’s”. Written and directed by Matthew Miele, it depicts the store’s eventful past and offers a unique insight into many of Bergdorf’s modern mysteries, from the creation of its nostalgic New York window displays to the earnings of its sales associates (which have been rumored to range from as much as $400 to $500 thousand a year).

 The documentary has an all star cast and includes interviews with top designers Karl Lagerfeld, Oscar De La Renta, Christian Louboutin and Tory Burch to name but a few. The documentary is to be released in the US in May and other locations following that.  

Official trailer here.

Image Credit

Image Credit

Text // Louise Baker

Just when you thought it was safe to get back into the water and Madonna’s Swimwear collaboration with H&M had been forgotten, Beyoncé was announced as the new face for H&M’s spring/summer 2013 collection.

The bootylicious campaign, shot by Inez Van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin in the Bahamas, was inspired by nature’s four elements; fire, water, earth, and wind.

However, this is no run of the mill campaign. Beyoncé herself, who has always liked H&M’s focus on “fun and affordable fashion”, was part of the creative process for the collection, which features key summer essentials such as high waisted shorts and form-fitting body-con dresses.

Beyoncé also shot a video commercial, directed by Jonas Akerlund and featuring Beyoncé’s new track “Standing on the Sun”. Both the collection and Beyoncé‘s new track will be available from the beginning of May. 

Image Credit

Text // Louise Baker

Last Friday we met the sidesplittingly hilarious presenter of Fash#tag, The Lewis Taylor. Appearing like a marvelous whirlwind of charisma at our studios in the torrential rain, he had managed to guard his remarkably hair sprayed up-do with what originally could have been a newspaper. We warmed up, sat down and caught up with one of our favorite fashion presenters.

How did you get into presenting?

I come from a very small village in Gloucestershire. I first moved to London when I was 18 to work in retail, which at the time I thought was really really exciting, however the novelty died down and I got bored pretty quickly.

While I was helping this stylist woman try on shoes at work, I told her that I’d always wanted to be a stylist (FYI I’ve never wanted to be a stylist, I just wanted a change) so I scrawled my number on a receipt in pencil thinking she would never call. But she called the next day asking if I’d like to assist her on a shoot.

Luckily for me she ended up being a pretty big deal, she worked for ELLE magazine and a few celebrities,  with her help I was able to land my first internship in fashion. After working for free for what seemed like ages I finally got my first proper job at 1883 magazine.

While I was at 1883 they where planning on filming their fashion editor, this really fun charismatic Italian guy at LFW. However on the day he must of got a bit daunted and without thinking I nominated myself to do it and ended up having so much fun running around with the camera interviewing all the z-listers and watching the catwalk shows. It must of come across pretty well on camera as the videos gained more and more interest and I realised that presenting was what I really wanted to do. (Watch Lewis’s 1883 videos by clicking here oh and also click here)

A month or two later I was contacted by a company on twitter asking if I would be interested in taking part in a new channel called Fash#tag. Fash#tag is part of a new pop-culture fashion channel launched by Gravity Road, they’re part of YouTube’s Uk original channels initiative. Which pretty much brings me up to what I am doing now

What is your least favorite aspect of the job?

My least favorite aspect is that everything is so public. I imagine that back in the day when people where on TV you didn’t know what people thought because there wasn’t the Internet or Twitter and you couldn’t comment in the box below. It bothers me when I think I haven’t done a very good job on a video or it’s not exactly what I like to see myself doing and you know that your boss and family can read the negative comments and opinions. But I guess it’s a case of ‘todays news is tomorrows chip shop wrapper.’

What is your favorite aspect of the job?

Coming into work doesn’t really feel like coming into work, which is really fun. When you are working for free and interning you always hope you’ll reach that point and going to work and having such a great time makes me feel like I have finally got there.

What is the most embarrassing moment during your career?

It was during my first fashion week and I didn’t know about the media pecking order, where you’re meant to let the paparazzi get their shot first. I was running around with a microphone on a cable with a friend filming and Pixie Lott was walking into Somerset house to see a fashion show. Meeting Pixie Lott for me was like meeting the Queen or something, so I ran in front of her and was trying to ask her questions on the mic and all the paps where screaming, yelling and swearing at me to get out the shot. I must have looked like a right dick and I can’t listen to any of Pixie Lott’s music anymore with out cringing.

What do you consider beautiful?

Not Kim, not Kourtney, but Khloe.

What inspires you?

I often find myself sitting in front of the computer like most people and looking down my Facebook newsfeed, and it inspires me to be that person that people see and think ‘WOW that person is doing really well’. I know that sounds really bad but I think to strive to be better than my friends in a non-competitive way and to make the best of what I am good at is really important. I want to be the person to be jealous of rather than be jealous of other people.

Check out the Fash#tag channel by clicking here.

 Rose Moncrieff

It’s been eight years since Karl Lagerfeld for H&M debuted his limited-edition capsule collection and the trend of high fashion designer and mass retailer doesn’t seem to be fading.

British retailers were the first in the world to bring named collections to the high street- something that the BFC is particularly proud of – and its is a formula that has proved to bewin a win:

‘There is a symbiotic relationship between the high street and the catwalks in the UK, with responsive feed back loops working in both directions. Otherwise known as a “dynamic demand cycle”, where innovative cutting-edge talent from the catwalks is made available to retail customers at affordable prices, which in turn ploughs resources back into the top of the sector.”

Bearing all that in mind street wear hysteria is upon us and here are some of the upcoming collaborations of 2013.

This month we welcome the latest chapter in the fruitful collaboration between Vans andKENZO. Marking season number four for the project, the series features trainers in a vibrant yet clouded leopard print.

Puma and MIHARAYASUHIRO Spring/Summer 2013 present their three piece Multicoloured Pop Art Camouflage Capsule Collection, trainer, totebag and backpack.

Raf Simons x Fred Perry mark their eighth collection as a partnership, the ‘Collage’ range offers 28 pieces that fuse the best of Raf Simons’ edgy cool with Fred Perry’s laid-back sports chic for Spring/Summer 2013.

Barcelona-based designer Krizia Robustella and David Méndez have officially teamed up on a permanent basis with a new brand called PARAÍSO. The inaugural collection is titled ‘Sweaty Champions’, and features a range of fun, colorful sweaters and backpacks patterned with sporty basketball, rugby and table tennis illustrations.

Stussy has joined forces with the Canadian label, Herschel Supply, once again for the Spring/Summer 2013 season. The collaboration has produced three pieces built with nylon; a Duffle Bag Sutton, a Heritage Harvest Tote, and a Rucksack. Each bag comes in three colorways with Hawaiian floral print motifs.

The rose all over print is one of the key pieces in the new Supreme ss13 collection. Collaborating with Vans these limited trainers utilize original album artwork from New Order’s iconic 1983 release Power, Corruption & Lies. The album’s cover was designed by English art director Peter Saville and incorporates the 19th century painting “A Basket of Roses” by French artist Henri Fantin-Latour.

Rose Moncrieff

British traditionalism with a hip east London twist, House of Hackney has banished the minimalism out of interiors and furnishings and thrown us down a rabbit hole of  ’Coleflax and Fowler on acid.’

If House of Hackney were a book they would be a collaboration of Wind in the Willows and Alice in Wonderland.  Designing traditional well-crafted products with charming yet mischievous prints they’re a reflection of the new generation, bold and nonconformist.

Their elegantly spoiled dip-dyed dresses and smoking sloth printed silk trousers are just a few of their products to salivate over. Therefore it’s not surprising that they’ve worked with the likes of Opening Ceremony and two of our clients Underground and Liberty London to name a few.

The foundation stones of House of Hackney are built on supporting traditional industry. The products are made largely by traditional UK based specialist factories and to the highest standards of craftsmanship.

The creators Javvy M Royale and Frieda Gormley can be found funnily enough in a house in Hackney. They’ve impressively decorated three of the rooms in their home with their designs for show. So you have the option of fully immersing yourself into the world of theHouse of Hackney and fully appreciate their beautifully eclectic prints on all the products available.

It may sound all a bit mad “but I’ll tell you a secret. All the best people are.”

Rose Moncrieff

The use of film means presentations at LFW have become distinctly more dynamic and engaging. We went to see Leuton Postle AW13 at Fash/On Film, it was the first time the designers have embraced film as a medium for showcasing their collection. With Andy Warhol style editing and their signature clashing block colours we were left feeling inspired.

Painting and collage was the inspiration for Leuton Postle. This season they focussed on wearability, embracing pleats and pattern.

 Catherine Teatum and Rob Jones are the designers behind label Teatum Jones. Their AW13 presentation took place in the wonderfully decadent Dorchester hotel. The design duo opted for a whimsical approach to the presentation with models circling and interacting with a set of bookshelves and traditional school desks.

The garments were of an exceptional standard. No surprise, as they had clearly kept to their brand ethos of authenticity, desirability and quality British craftsmanship. In accordance with AW13 colour trends, we saw navy, white, blue and flower prints. We were particularly enamoured with their navy ponyskin biker jacket.

‘LFW is Burning’ was the phrase on everyones lips at Ziad Ghanem AW13. Unusual models strutted to an 80′s soundtrack in the most colourful collection we have seen so far this season. The designer opted for luxurious fabrics with in-your-face prints. The most dramatic finish to LFW AW13 we could’ve hoped for.

Rose Moncrieff

Street style shot at Somerset House.

Rose Moncrieff

Five time New Gen award winner Dominic Jones launched in 2009 with the eponymous debut jewellery collection ‘Tooth and Nail’ which won acclaim from Anna Wintour and propelled his designs to the fashion-insiders choice accessory.

We were excited to see what AW13 has in-store for us as Dominic never fails to create sculptural pieces that we actually want to wear. Last season the collection comprised of sharp talon inspired gold pieces. This season the focus was silver, with a development of his signature tusk pieces, which were crafted into earrings and rings. However, the show stopping pieces for us were the statement necklaces and rings embellished with Celtic inspired disks.

We headed out to the WeAreCollision Party in the evening at the W Hotel to celebrate the launch of their second issue. WeAreCollision is on fast-track to become a national youthnetwork with a recognisable brand identity and a real say in current and future trends within publishing, events, music, art and the fashion industry.

Hosted at the W Hotel’s Wyld bar we danced underneath an oversized mirror ball, sipping Absolut Vodka while appreciating the incredible views across London’s Leicester Square.

Rose Moncrieff