LFW AW13: Belle Sauvage

Hi guys,
There was a decidedly East meets West feel to the AW13 Bell Sauvage collection. As always, the outstanding digital prints were the focal point of the collection: this time in rich burgundy, plum, and black and silver tones.
The first thing you noticed were the striking hair styles: oriental style pigtails - long and poker straight, behind blunt two-tone fringes. But that was just frosting to what was actually a show-stopping catwalk collection. I loved the use of faux fur, which was used liberally for capes, collars, and full coats. The peter pan style faux fur collars over cocoon-style dresses in particular got me excited.
Just like at Henry Holland, this very feminine collection had a grungy urban edge. Hooded coats, beanie hats and sweaters were teamed with the same printed jewel patterned silk that was also utilised for the more sophisticated shirt and A-line dresses. This was yet another show that made liberal use of the peplum: that's three, which means this will officially be an AW13 trend!

The turn out was amazing for this show - it was standing room only and none dared breathe out! Despite the fact I had a seated ticket, I still ended up standing at the back. But it was worth a little discomfort to see what was a wonderful show. Belle Sauvage is a brand I always look forward to seeing, and this season they didn't disappoint.

Love Tor xx

London Fashion Week: Bernard Chandran and Belle Sauvage on day 2

Hi guys,

Day two of fashion week started with lots of rain, which lead to an outfit dilemma: comfort or style?! I went for comfort in my skinny jeans and brogues, but still ended up with cold wet feet. This probably has something to do with the hours spent queuing outside in the rain: The Bernard Chandran show was especially late. At least my hair didn't get wet: thank God for my Lulu Guiness umbrella from Brand Alley! The queuing was made much more bearable because I bumped into Jenny from the Style PA enroute to my first show, and we kept ourselves occupied with chatting and gossiping.

The Bernard Chandran show

Although it was delayed, the Bernard Chandran show was worth the wait. I was in the worst possible position to take pictures, so I won't bore you with loads of grainy wobbly shots, and you'll have to make do with description instead:

As this grainy shot shows, the colours were bold and bright, and the collection features lots of hood and capes, even on more formal dresses. Coats and jackets were oversized and quilted with cinched in waists, and this theme was taken into the evening wear with my favourite piece of the show: a floor length quilted evening gown.

Around the waist of almost every outfit was an adornment i'm going to describe as a one sided peplum on a thick black belt. These gave each piece a very structural almost architectural feel, and were a key focus point because, aside from several pieces in vibrant red lace, the embellishment was fairly minimal this season.

The Belle Sauvage show

I love Belle Sauvage, and it's always one of the shows I look forward to. The prints are always phenomenal, and the music and attendees are always too cool for school. (Which I am obviously not, because I use phrases like too cool for school!) I loved everything about this show: the dresses, the modern-rebel hair, the styling.

The prints were considerably more toned down and muted than they have been in previous seasons. The dresses were figure hugging with bold shoulders and slash details. Hems were either super short or ankle length, but I saw enough slender thighs to be able to say the midi will be long gone for Belle Sauvage by this time next year.

As always though, the focus was more about the print than the cut. One thing I couldn't stop focusing on was the shoes: they were epic! Seriously high and severe black wedges with endless embellishment: fringing, studding, chains, you name it! They were exactly to my taste, and truly irresistable!

Love, Tor xx

Sneak peek of the Belle Sauvage film

Hi guys,
I'm a big fan of Belle Sauvage (their show was one of my favourites at LFW this time last year) so i'm really excited to be able to share some stills of their fashion film which will be showcased at the next London Fashion Week (Which I think i've already said a million times starts on Friday!)



I've very excited for the show this season, as it sounds like it's going to be better than ever: "Belle Sauvage return for Spring/Summer 11 adding dimension to their signature vivid, abstract digital prints and slick sculptural silhouettes with full length red carpet style gowns, and flowing ethereal layered silks. Contemporary shoulders and necklines combine with classic draping and floor-length dresses presenting a new yet entirely recognisable direction for the brand. Prints this season are inspired by American abstract expressionism paying reference to artists such as Frank Stella and Jeff Koons. Blended printing combined with appliqué creates relief and texture within the print and the appearance of gold and copper tones running through the prints alludes to the glamour with exotic stones and precious metals as a key theme throughout."

I can't wait to see the full length gowns, and how the prints they use adapt to red carpet styles. I'm also slightly obsessed with the models frizzy thick fringe: it's cool but ugly all at the same time!

Don’t miss the unveiling of the film which is scheduled this Friday at 11.30 am UK time on www.londonfashionweek.co.uk

Love, Tor xx

London Fashion Week SS10: Belle Sauvage

Hi again,
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As you would expect, the prints at Belle Sauvage were bold, bright and brash. But in a good way! As well as their signature graphic prints and lipstick prints (which look even better in the flesh when you see them move in fluid silk) the collection also featured bold block coloured dresses in strong geometric shapes. It was also the first collection I had seen this week that featured swimwear and I was very impressed with the high waisted patterned bikini bottoms.









I was also really impressed with the futuristic spikey plastic jewellery that formed a part of the collection: the oversized cuff in the third picture was one of my favourite pieces. The collection also nodded heavily to the 90s with subtle conical breasts featuring on some of the dresses and sharp exagerated shoulders continuing to be in Vogue next season both in this collection and lots of others i've seen: that shoulder isn't going anywhere!
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I'm heading into town now to go to today's shows and parties, so the rest of this weekends shows will have to be written up tomorrow alongside the shows and parties i'm going to this afternoon and tonight: I haven't decided what to wear yet, but it's now day 4 and i'm so tired i've kind of stopped caring. I have also more than given up on heels- i'm not exagerating when I say there is a massive gash on my right foot that hurts every time I move. Beauty really is pain!!
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Love, Tor x