Right said Fred

Yesterday the ingenious Fred Butler visited our little class and allowed us into her kaleidoscopic world of toy robots, eye watering colour and her refusal to be defined.
Although Fred is vague about what it is exactly that she does for a living, she can be described through a medley of definitions as a fashion prop stylist or an art director, and she can now add the title of accessories designer with her new S/S 09 range of adaptable origami style pieces. Which of course she was wearing when she arrived, with two geometrical cubic pieces pinned to her head, setting off her white blonde hair.

From her softly spoken voice and polite manner, you wouldn't have expected her to have been so bold as to go to New York on her industry year, as part of her Brighton based degree in fashion, and to seek out some little known designers called 'As Four' and promptly become their first intern. Or to have phoned up Shona Heath, an art director and set designer, to ask her 'just a few questions on a project I was doing. I had to ask her how much she earned! But she did offer me a job after the conversation' and she then worked for Shona for a 18 months, painting plants gold and making giant sweets from cellophane.

Although us students and Penny Martin, ex Show Studio editor in chief, battered her with questions Fred was completely unfazed and at ease. She only became excited when someone nailed her perceptions of her work; how she likes to place the set on the body, tries to get as much humour into her work as possible 'my friend wanted me to put a joint in the photo but I don't think Kickers would have gone for it, but I managed to sneak in a flag with the word cannabis!', and how she loves children's memorabilia.

Explaining her working method and haphazard approach to finding inspiration, she mentioned how she cannot go to the library and just consume visuals or read but has to pick things up, touch stuff and fiddle with everything in order to be intrigued by something.

This intrigue is also surrounding Fred unconsciously as she is many things; a hoarder, a magpie, a tactile touchy-feeley person, an artist, a surrealist, a believer of magical realism, and most definitely unaware of her inspiring others.

Betty Jackson: LFW

These are a few pics I took at the Betty Jackson show this morning, I was late and had to blag my way in hence the poor position I was in!

Jourdan Dunn looking stunning, even when wrapped in felt!

I particularly liked this design with the (faux?) fur stole and the autumnal colours, very austere and country chic.

The Ones to Watch: LFW

London Fashion Week kicked off yesterday and everyone dragging on a cigarette behind dark glasses could be heard muttering about the ridiculous number of kids running about outside the Natural History Museum (it's also half term for school kids)

Yesterday was a monumental day as it was my first fashion show, it was like being the new kid on mufty day at school and worrying if your Kappa popper trousers are cool enough, except in heels and coiffed hair.

The show was 'The Ones to watch' with new designers Lu Flux, Kamiko Watari, Studio_805 and Alice Palmer.

Lu Flux is an ethical designer and works with salvaged and vintage clothes to remake new and original designs. The collection had a very folksy feel about it with wee willy winker style knitted caps, long patchwork smocks for the girls and tweed jackets and trousers for the boys all accompanied with picnic style woven baskets for bags.

Next up was Kamiko with an all womenswear collection which had every model strutting down the runway with over sized bobble hats perched on their heads. cosy! The collection had a sort of childish theme of nighties with Victorian prints or red and blue koala designs on large t-shirt dresses.

The most fashion forward and in your face designs was definitely by Studio_805 who produced a loud unisex collection with dazzle boat patterns of jagged shapes in a limited palette of red and white. Every model had either large lego blocks round their necks as necklaces and huge cubes on their heads matched with censor style placks on their lips. Though this collection was really fun and arresting in its attention seeking designs, it perhaps lacked the quality of a well constructed design which Miss Palmer had in spades.

My favourite of the evening the knitwear designer, Alice Palmer, showed a refreshingly calm collection in subtle shades of grey, cream and moss green with flashes of metallic chrome.
The collection had a feeling of the medieval about it with felt smock dresses livened up with random panels of chain mail style knitted shapes in metallic tones.
All the models wore chain mail knit hats which wouldn't have looked out of place with Arthur of the round table with cut out eyes or hearts at the back.
Structured shoulders were complimented with tinsel-esque brooches and one dress was half cape-half dress with an interesting design of the arm pinned to the body. One armed beings across the country are clamouring for her insightful dresses as you read this!
A beautiful black model (the only black model in the entire show) closed the collection in a stunning floor length felt gown with ruched sides and a low back in charcoal grey, which was lifted with a diamond back section of her trademark chain mail knit.

I then skipped outside to our MA exhibition called 'Mapping Future Fashion' which in collaboration with the V&A's Sackler educational centre was a great success! Cool dance organiser's 'Work it', which is based in Shoreditch and ran by a classmate, provided the DJs and party atmosphere with trendy people hanging about in fluro prints and sequined hair.
All in all a fun start to the biggest event in a fashionista's diary.

Are you trying to seduce me Mrs Hall?

Old Jezzer the Texan beauty has made a mahoosive comeback after hanging up her modelling shoes in back in 1985 to concentrate on film roles. However the leggy lady with the blonde flowing locks is back teaming with Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel to produce some saucy campaign shots for the label's accessories catalogue.

The theme of the shoot is based on Colette's post-war novel, Cheri, and depicts the story of the end of a six-year love affair between an older woman and a younger man, played by 'so hot right now' male model Baptiste Giabiconi.

Lagerfeld explained, ‘It is this whole idea of seduction that is summarised here that appeals to me. One of a very young man fascinated and attracted by what a woman does: her wardrobe, her perfume, her movements, her allure, etc.'

It seems Jerry has had a long term impact on the white haired gent Lagerfeld, as he recounts how he thought of her for this campaign, ‘I've known Jerry since she was 15 and have always loved her sumptuous and generous side. I love her skin, her complexion, her hair, her overall allure.'

Here's lookin at Choo!

My fashion journo friend Laura kindly invited me to an evening with Tamara Mellon, the company founder and president of Jimmy Choo, hosted by Colin McDowell at LCF.

The evening got off to an exciting start with Tamara giving away bags and shoes to two lucky ladies, the envy was palpable in the room! Though Colin got rather stuck on describing Tamara as 'more Teflon then chiffon', meaning more business minded then creatively driven. Still no-one wants to be compared to a non stick frying pan!

Tamara herself is incredibly chic and glamorous, though as my friend pointed out had limited facial expressions, must be all that Teflon. Ahem! Though not quite hitting Imelda Marcos's shoe statistic of 3000, Tamara did admit to owning over 800 shoes and employed a lady from 'practical Princess' who helps to categorise and store them.

If you're not familiar with the story of Choo, it all began with Jimmy himself in his workshop in East London and his assistant and niece Sandra, until Mafia princess (not that this was part of her heritage was mentioned) Tamara discovered his skills and went into partnership with him.

The brand has since gone global; Michelle Obama is wearing them, they were a key feature in hit series 'Sex in the City' and they won Brand of the Year award in 2008 at the British Fashion Awards.

Photo by Terry Richardson from the Jimmy Choo S/S 09 campaign featuring Angela Lindvall

On answering why she thought the company has been so successful, Tamara reiterated the necessity of luxury fabrics and also that in contemporary society, 'a bag is a status symbol, it shows you are part of a certain tribe, I have this much money, I'm part of this crowd'

Although Tamara clearly has a hard hitting business approach to the company and would be something to be feared in the board room, she was also inspiring for her commitment and drive to a still young brand, her ability to juggle her family and work and her undeniable female strength in a male dominated environment.

Snap, snap, click, click

Browsing our university's blackboard site today I came across a BA Fashion Photographer, Maria Melachtchenko, who had submitted a few pics from her portfolio. This pic has lovely lighting, all shadowy, and the detailing of the Russian hat really gives the model a striking look.

It's a shame Maria hasn't mentioned the stylist she works with because this shot has a lovely retro feel to it with the faded denim jacket and over sized glasses. The quality of light and over exposed style adds to the grainy sense of the image.

Urban jungle turns vicious

This is a pic of my friend's shoe after the escalator ate his shoe and spat it out. Though this pic looks bad, his shoe was already in a poor state, as boy logic went along the lines of 'don't get a new pair until the old ones fall apart'. Literally!