Mulberry AW13

I remember writing my post about the Mulberry SS13 collection after attending their press day back in October and musing on how strange it was to be thinking about summery pastels and chiffon delights in such bitterly chilly weather. Well, I’m mildly depressed to say that it feels entirely appropriate to be thinking about super chunky knits and thick tweed overcoats in London right now. For any overseas readers not currently suffering seasonally inappropriate semi-tundra weather conditions a) can I come and stay with you please? and b) it’s absolutely bloody freezing here in the UK. Given that the pre fall collections start arriving in stores in May, I’m tempted to give up on summer altogether. But enough of my miserable whinging and back to the matter at hand, Mulberry.

Our feet may have barely recovered from fashion month but this week, press day season began. Not that I’m complaining of course, spending my days looking at lovely clothes and catching up with my favourite fashion folk is hardly a chore, although all that mincing does leave precious little time to actually get any work done. Yesterday’s press day line up was a pretty fantastic one and despite feeling ever-so-slightly fragile after an evening of over indulgence at the Fred Butler Easter Bonnet Parade (followed by ill advised cocktails at Soho House, oops) I found myself so swept up in the Mulberry magic that my headache very nearly subsided.

You may or may not remember my post about Mulberry’s SS13 collection. To summarise, I fell head-over-heels in love with absolutely all of it and was convinced that not even Emma Hill repeat the performance next season. Once again I was proved wrong, and I didn’t mind one bit. As anyone who read my London Fashion Week diaries will recall, I absolutely adored the Mulberry show but in the flesh those clothes were even more delectable. Think luscious leathers in rich shades of emerald, navy and chestnut so buttersoft you couldn’t help but stroke them. Green tweeds applied to immaculately cut overcoats and cute bombers with laser moulded leather cuff detailing. Preppy chic platform loafers in delicate ostrich… And then there were the bags, oh the bags. My beloved Willow tote has been given an AW13 update in hunter green and cobalt blue hues and super luxe crocodile and calfhair skins.

The latest addition to Mulberry’s handbag clan in the Suffolk which, between you and me, is vaguely similar to the Alexa but better. Falling somewhere between a satchel and a doctors bag, the Suffolk is both exquisite and practical. There’s a handy shoulder strap for when you’re lugging lots of stuff and it’s structured enough to avoid the dreaded “bag sag”. Another fave was the Bayswater shoulder style complete with super sweet ladybug hardware.

As per always, I left with a wish list the length of the Nile… Friends and family if you’re reading, it’s the Willow I’m after.

Love Ella. X

Posted on March 28, 2013 by Ella Catliff in Fashion 2 Comments

Introducing: Cobra Society

As on so many occasions, I may or may literally be “introducing” you to the brand in question. Cobra Society is now in its fourth season but it is only recently that I really learnt anything much about them and I thought their’s was a sartorial story worth sharing. Before deciding to write this post or even looking at the label’s website I’d heard the name and seen the designs in countless fash mags and on the feet of various style setters. At first glace Cobra Society appears to be all about brights, eclectic patterns and putting a city chic twist on ethnic influences. Of course, it is all these things, but also many more besides. The rich hues, jazzy colour combinations and an air of haute bohemia inherent in the brand’s style isn’t just “inspired by” global wanderings and traditional artistry, it’s quite literally the product of it. During her travels designer Alex Davis became so enamoured with North and Central African culture that she decided rather than try to replicate the local artisans’ aesthetic, she wanted to support and nurture it… Not to mention, bring the real deal back West so that the rest of us could appreciate it.

Since launching Cobra Society in the autumn of 2011, Alex has employed locals from villages in North Africa and the Middle Atlas Mountains to create the hand dyed and woven Kilim rugs used for each and every accessory she produces. From a strictly style-oriented perspective, this results in a hand-crafted yet luxurious feel and each pair of boots or smoking slippers being ever-so-slightly different from the others. On a larger, or at least rather more worthy scale, Alex’s policy of using (and paying for) the time tested skills of these villagers help support communities living a very different life to the fashion forward females wearing their work in London or Los Angeles. And if the ethical aspect and craftsmanship behind Cobra Society doesn’t convince you that each design is deserving of its distinctly designer price tag just remember that Jessica Alba, Jennifer Lawrence and HRH Beyonce are fans… Yep, totes worth it.

Love Ella. X

Posted on March 28, 2013 by Ella Catliff in Fashion 1 Comment

Goodbye Glossies?

Last Monday the British Fashion Trust invited me to hear Alexandra Shulman in conversation with Tom Chapman. The Editor of British Vogue talking designers, shopping and style with the Co Founder of Matches? I certainly didn’t need to be asked twice! Given the calibre of the speakers I imagined some sort of lecture theatre scenario with hundreds of eager bloggers and journos in attendance so didn’t stress about pitching up solo after my plus one dropped out last minute. However, when I arrived at Claridges I was ushered not into a vast banquet hall but escorted up to an intimate space on the 6th floor. “Intimate” would indeed be the best word to describe the situation I found myself in. Think British Fashion Cheief Executive Caroline Rush, Kim Hersov, and a handful of other editors and major industry names sipping champagne, looking unbelievably chic and chatting amongst themselves. I very nearly turned around and fled but by the time I’d gauged the situation and kicked myself for going alone it was too late to escape without looking like a total moron. So I steeled myself, grabbed a glass and stayed… Boy, am I glad I did.

As Alexandra Shulman reminded us, “house rules” applied so I probably shouldn’t repeat the whole thing word for word. However I reckon I can probably get away with saying that the conversation revolved largely around the increasingly editorial bent of e-tailers and the effect this has, or doesn’t have, on glossies. The past 12 months have certainly seen a huge surge in the amount of editorial content produced by stores, both online and on Bond Street. At the same time increasing numbers of editors have left fash mags to take on roles in retail. Harpers Bazaar lost Lucy Yeomans and Carmen Bornogovo to Net-a-Porter and My-Wardrobe respectively, while Vogue waved goodbye to Fashion Coordinator, Tilly Macalister Smith who recently joined Tom’s team at Matches. So does the fact that virtually every fashion emporium on the planet now produces their own online and/or print magazine spell doom for the glossies? Has the likes of Bornogovo and Macalister Smith moving over to retail created an atmosphere akin to “the Wild West”, as Shulman joked that rainy evening at Claridges? Are the lines between editorial and retail eventually going to end up so blurred that it’s impossible to decipher one from the other? The resounding message I got from Alexandra Shulman and Tom Chapman’s discussion was no, there is still a place for both and many people still want their monthly dose of fashion delivered to their doorstep, not their iPad.

The iPad issue raised another very interesting point, namely how far should fashion magazines be about selling products? Grazia, for instance, recently released their app which allows you to “click to buy” pretty much every garment featured, an idea that’s both ingenious and lethal for your bank balance. So if magazines can be used for shopping, and online stores are packed with articles, editorials and trend reports where does one end and the other begin and do we really need both? For all her innovations, Shulman is a traditionalist in this respect. She feels ”very passionately that a magazine isn’t just something to sell product through” and argued that “you have to be careful as a journalist… that you don’t start catering your content to what people are interested in.” According to her, Vogue and it’s ilk should still predominantly be about inspiring, mesmerizing and telling people what’s chic, not just showing them stuff you think they’ll buy. This is a trap that, on a much MUCH smaller scale, I constantly try not to fall into. In between “weekly wish lists”, affiliate marketing and “ohmigod look at these shoes!” type posts, as a blogger it’s easy to inadvertantly find yourself flogging clothes which isn’t really what the whole thing’s about.

Another point that cropped up was cost, always a contentious subject. If the likes of Matches, Net-a-Porter and My-Wardrobe are offering magazine content free of charge won’t people just do their reading online instead of paying £4.10 for Vogue? According to Shulman, that’s not the case for the simple reason that the online user is “not the same” as the print one. Personally I’m not sure that’s entirely true but I certainly don’t think that having the option of finding out about the latest trends on Net-a-Porter will result in widespread magazine subscription cancelletions (tongue twister alert!). In order to survive retailers need people to buy their products so, unlike traditional magazines, their editorial content is about engaging the customer but ultimately the point is to encourage them to make a purchase. That’s not to say e-tailers aren’t offering up top quality stuff, God knows if the likes of Lucy Yeomans are in charge it will undoubtedly be fabulous. But from where I’m sitting it seems that one approaches the Matches website in a different way to, say, the latest issue of Harpers Bazaar. If you’re shopping, be it on My Wardrobe or ASOS the editorial content serves the purpose of helping you decide what to buy, which of the featured brands to support and seasonal trends to buy into. A monthly glossy isn’t so much about finding a new pair of jeans or getting the latest fashion news, it’s about enjoyment, inspiration and experience. Digital devotee though I am, personally I’d always rather curl up with a cup of tea and a magazine than my iPad.

I know I haven’t really come to much of a conclusion, to be honest I don’t have the knowledge to do so. But I think, and certainly hope, that the next few years will see fantastic editorial driven e-tailers and our favourite glossy magazines continue to co-exist. What do you reckon?

Love Ella. X

Posted on March 25, 2013 by Ella Catliff in Fashion 2 Comments

LPA Styles It: French Connection Trend Injection

I definitely don’t need to tell you how much I enjoy writing about clothes. Anyone who’s read (or attempted to read and fallen asleep halfway through) one of my 1500 word fashion week reports will be well aware of the pleasure I take in sharing my sartorial musings. Well, my other favourite fashion related activity (aside from shopping, obvs) is styling. Whether it’s with myself, my friends, my long suffering boyfriend, a personal styling client or an unsuspecting randomer in Selfridges who definitely didn’t ask for my advice, there are few things more fun than playing dress up. So when French Connection invited me and 5 other bloggers to style their Trend Injection line I leapt at the opportunity.

On tuesday the ground floor of French Connection’s Oxford Street store was transformed into a studio complete where a full hair and makeup team, two photographers and about six shop assistants were on hand to help me get my style on. As you might have gathered from recent weekly wish lists and tweets, I’m absolutely LOVING the label’s current collection so was like the proverbial kid in a candy store as I frolicked around grabbing as many floral frocks and broderie anglaise blouses as I could physically carry.

The initial plan was for us to style 5 to 10 looks each but, as is almost always the case on photoshoots, technical difficulties put the whole thing hours behind schedule so we ended up sticking to three. I was seriously hard pushed to choose which pieces to include so I decided to just pick the ones I personally wanted the most!

Look 1

Floral Flirtation Shirt, £55, click here to buy
Spring Bloom Flared Skirt, £65, click here to buy
Pia Platform Sandals, £75, click here to buy
Leather Shopper Handbag, £125, click here to buy

I’m criminally obsessed with this floral skirt and feel it would (and will) be a very necessary new season addition to my wardrobe. What with broderie anglaise and collars being two of my favourite things ever, this super sweet shirt was also an instant hit and together I think they’re just adorable. After deciding on the tan flatforms I considered a cream clutch but then settled on the tan tote… I just love matchy matchy accessories!

Look 2

Bradley Denim Jacket, £95, click here to buy
Elizabeth Embroidered Cotton Dress, £120, click here to buy
Lori Sporty Oxford Shoes, £95, click here to buy
Harriet Cross Body Bag, £50, click here to buy

The general response to the looks I styled was pretty much unanimously “that’s so you!” And yes, every single piece I picked out was something I really wanted for myself. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes it’s liberating to experiment with ensembles far removed from what you wear everyday. I decided this wasn’t one of those times and used the opportunity to indulge my love of all things girly. This particular look is just an absolute picnic-in-the-park-perfect dream. I just hope London ever warms up enough wear it.

Look 3

Bonser Checked Jacket, £110, click here to buy
Bonser Checked Shorts, £65, click here to buy
Classica T-Shirt, £30, click here to buy
Desire Sandals, £95, click here to buy
Multi link Bracelet, £25, click here to buy
Peal & Tube Rope Necklace, £25, click here to buy

Ah the shorts suit… What more can I say really? Shorts suits are the best. Instantly pulled together, a little bit preppy, smart and/or casual PLUS you get major bang for your buck as they also function as separates. I considered pairing this neat blue number with a crisp white shirt but I then settled on a simple tee for a more relaxed vibe.

As you’ve probably gathered, I had an absolute blast on the shoot and having the gorgeous Dani to dress plus the Hob Salons and Vintage Make Up Company teams as my disposal was awesome. What do you think of the looks I styled?

Love Ella. X

Posted on March 22, 2013 by Ella Catliff in Fashion 3 Comments

Art plus Fashion at The Whitechapel Gallery

At the risk of sounding like a colossal arse, last week was absolutely fabulous. Given what’s coming up over the next few days I may be repeating this statement next monday so apologise in advance for that. Having partied hard with Marc Jacobs on Monday and seen a bizarre yet brilliant re-imagining of classic opera in a Shoreditch warehouse on Wednesday, by Thursday I was relatively tempted to spend the evening curled up in a small ball watching Gossip Girl re runs. Given the calibre of the event I had lined up, there was no way in HELL I was staying in so as darkness fell I donned my fave Peter Pilotto peplum top and trotted off in the direction of East London. I’ve bored you with my views on/obsession with the relationship between art and fashion more times than either of us probably care to remember so on this occasion I’ll try to keep rantage to a minimum and focus on the awesomely A List event in question. Just to give you a bit of background, Art Plus is an annual event hosted by The Whitechapel Gallery which “explores the dynamic fusion of the visual arts with other mediums including drama, dance, film or music, culminating each year in a one-night only party and performance event”. In layman’s terms, this means fundraiser, auction and all night extravaganza attended by London’s elite in the name of celebrating creativity while raising big bucks for the gallery’s Education Programme. Having already done drama, opera and numerous others besides, this year The Whitechapel Gallery teamed up with Swarovski and Harpers Bazaar to host Art Plus Fashion.

On Thursday I had the most hectic day imaginable (and fell over, scraped my knee, smashed my iPhone and cried in the process) so was seriously ready to let my hair down, mingle and enjoy an evening of fine wine, gourmet canapes and great company. After doing having a few pictures taken and grabbing a glass of Champagne I was relieved to spot the lovely designer Eudon Choi and made a beeline for him and his husband. After spending a happy half hour catching up and looking at pictures of their adorable miniature Shnauzer (my new fave dog breed) it became clear that the auction really was about to begin so we let the now slightly stressed PRs herd us to the second floor with the promise of an upstairs bar. I’ve never actually attended an auction before and was worried that it might turn into a repeate of the Peter Pilotto pre order party incident (2 glasses of Prosecco = 1 full PP catwalk look + 1 very empty bank account) and find myself joining in the bidding. Once the first couple of lots went for multiple thousands I realised that even I wouldn’t be tempted on this occasion and sat back, dreaming of the day I could casually drop £40K on a painting. I was very impressed to overhear that Chairman of the Whitechapel Gallery board, Rob Taylor would be matching the fundraising pound for pound so doubling the amount raised by the whole event.

Exhilerated by the auction experience, I made my way back downstairs for the third installment of the evening, oysters and champagne followed by a speech from Harpers Bazaar Editor-in-Chief Justine Picardie and the announcement of the London College of Fashion’s writers prize award winner. The gallery had invited Harpers’ Fashion Features Director, Avril Mair to select the LCF MA journalism graduate with a piece worthy of publication on HarpersBazaar.co.uk. In the end, Avril couldn’t choose between Babette Radclyffe-Thomas and Ginger Clark so it was decided that they both deserved to win. Read their incredible entries here. In retrospect, this evening sounds like something of a marathon but at the time it seemed to fly by in seconds! Next on the agenda was a much anticipated fashion show featuring four of the hotter-than-hottest young designers in London. All MA graduates of Central Saint Martins or The Royal College of Art (AKA seriously talented) and multiple award winners already, the innovative creations of Trine Hav Christensen, Hiroaki Kanai, Sabina Bryntesson and Craig Green were showcased on a crystal shaped runway alongside the work of four equally wow-some contemporary artists to rapturous applause from the audience. The show culminated in a spectacular UV lit finale and almost before we’d caught our breath, it was time to party.

Trine Hav Christensen & Ursula Mayer

Craig Green & Simon Payne

Sabina Ryntesson collection with Swarovski Amplify Chandeliers

By this point I’d established that there were in fact rather a lot of people I knew in attendence (something I’d been fairly nervous about) so I rounded them up and off to the bar for a spot of people watching. You’d think that I’d get progressively less of a kick out of seeing big names at close proximities but at an event like this, it’s kind of impossible not to be a little bit awestruck. I spied everyone from Jasmine Guinness, Marios Schwab and Phillip Treacy to Greta Scacchi, Tiphane de Lussy and Dinos Chapman. Ashamed though I am to admit it, my personal highlight had to be Nancy Dell’Olio. Having celeb spotted enough for one ~~evening~~ lifetime we joined the hoards of guests who’d already climbed up on to the catwalk and danced the rest of the night away to the smooth grooves of legendary DJ Norman J.

Nancy Dell’Olio

Jasmine Guinness & Philip Treacy

Bella Freud, Marios Schwab & Nadja Swarovski

Clockwise from top left: Grea Scacchi, Me & Eudon Choi, Tiphane de Lussy & Dinos Chapman and DJs Norman J & Dan Lywood