Cocktails & Cashmere With J.Crew

Cocktails and cashmere with J.Crew… Seriously, what more could anyone possibly want from an evening? Scratch that, what more could anyone want full stop! After a quick pitstop at the Vince Camuto ‘do it was back on the tube (oh the glamour) and northward bound to King’s Cross where J.Crew were hosting a two day pop-up shop. I definitely, definitely don’t need to tell you how much I adore the All American purveyor of all things preppy. Aside from the fact I wax lyrical about the brand at any available opportunity, I did devote an entire wish list to them just the other week. Not so long ago I would have been having a panic attack at the thought of pitching up solo but after three years I’ve finally got to the point where I can feel relatively sure that I should, fingers crossed, know at least someone at any London based fashion event. Plus, it was J.Crew, I was going even if I had to hang out on my lonesome, twiddle my thumbs and play with my phone all night. Luckily that unsatisfactory possibility was erased when I bumped into blogging pals, Abi Marvel and Ella Gregory at the station and it was with a spring in my slightly sore step (cab-to-curb-only footwear, bus pass budget) that I arrived at the venue. On the subject of said venue, J.Crew have recently partnered with my own alma mater, Central Saint Martins to offer one MA student a scholarship every year for the next three years. So evidently Jenna Lyons is stylish beyond belief and a supporter of the arts… amazing, anyway I digress.

For some unknown reason I thought this event was going to be a low key thing, after all the launch of a 2 day pop up shop doesn’t usually warrant the entire London fashion elite’s presence. Then agan, this was J.Crew we’re talkingabout… As the fash pack’s current favourite label, it’s adored by Caroline Issa, Michelle Obama, Olivia Palermo and a million other style setters alike so OF COURSE everyone from British Fashion Council Chief Exec Caroline Rush, Vogue stylist (and extreme wardrobe crush of mine) Martha Ward, Yasmin Sewell and Style.com’s Tim Blanks were present, correct and chic beyond belief. After nabbing a glass of something sparkling (champagne, duh) I set about ogling the knits and my, weren’t they pretty. Florals, neons, stripes and embellishment galore… If the tills had been open that evening I would now be completely bankrupt. After finally managing to tear myself away I set about indulging in perhaps my favourite pastime, yep, mingling.

Despite having decided I was just going to briefly “show my face” before heading home for a very early night I was still there two hours later having an absolute ball, sipping mojitos and catching up with loads of my favourite fashion friends who oh-so-luckily happened to be there. Eventually I decided to tear myself away but there was no way in HELL I was leaving without at least attempting to meet Jenna Lyons. With the kind of confidence only achieved through multiple cocktails I slunk up to where J.Crew’s legendary Creative Director was chatting with friends and, spotting a gap in the conversation, shamelessly introduced myself. I’m delighted to tell you that on top of being gorgeous, stylish and a freaking fashion GENIUS Jenna is completely and utterly charming. Despite a few less-than-thrilled glances from her colleagues (sorry guys!) the lovely Ms Lyons happily chatted to me about everything from her latest collection to my studies and British weather. I left the party with an even more gargantuan girl crush and an almost irrepressible urge to grab my laptop and purchase the entire J.Crew collection. The London store opens in less than six months… Roll on November!

Love Ella. X

Posted on May 30, 2013 by Ella Catliff in Parties 2 Comments

J Crew

Creativity V Commerce

Gareth Pugh & J.Crew SS13

As you no doubt gathered from the million and one times I’ve mentioned it, the issue of creativity V commerce has been a hot topic in fashion circles of late. Admittedly I’m pretty new to the industry but I do get the impression that, not so long ago commerce was something of a dirty word for designers and journos alike. To call a collection ‘commercial’ would be to insult it. No self respecting Central Saint Martins graduate would want their creations referred to in tawdry terms lie that.

Looking back at the tradition of “visionaire” designers-slash-artistes and the age old struggle between “creatives and suits”, it’s easy to see why design ingenuity and business acumen aren’t necessarily viewed as going hand in hand. But, during the course of the two years I’ve spent studying Fashion History and Theory at the aforementioned arts school, I’ve learnt that in fact this is not, and never had been, the case. Contrary to what I previously believed, many of the great Haute Couturiers – especially those who’s legacy lives on today – owe their success as much to intelligent business and marketing practice as they do to their talent for design. Charles Frederick Worth has been hailed both as the father of modern fashion and, by many accounts, a marketing genius. Almost seventy years after it’s inception, Dior remains be one of the most prestigious and profitable fashion houses in the world, were it not for the aggressive expansion strategy insisted on by the young Monsieur Dior’s financial backer, Marcel Boussac would that still be the case? I doubt it. A combination of carefully executed licensing deals, sophisticated international marketing strategy and customer driven production enabled Monsieur Dior’s exquisite creations to transcend the elite world of Parisian Haute Couture and create a global brand. I won’t bore you by regurgitating more of my thesis research but trust me there are infinitely more examples besides.

It seems to me that innovative design and sound business practice have always been equally important ingredients in ensuring the success of a fashion brand. So why, somewhere down the line, did “commerce” get such a bad rep? I suspect the myth surrounding the design genius who creates whatever he fancies, irrespective of press, customers or production lines is to some degree just that. Couple said stereotype with the fact critics started using “commercial” as a byword for boring, and its easy to see how the confusion happened.

Mary Katrantzou SS13

Because of course, appreciating and understanding the commercial aspects of fashion doesn’t necessarily make for dull clothes. As everyone from Natalie Massenet to Victoria Beckham drummed home at Vogue Festival, that’s not the case today at all. UK designers in particular have traditionally been praised for creating fantastical collections that thrill the critics but pay little heed to what consumers want to, or in some cases can, actually wear. But in fact it seems to me that today’s Brit taught talent know full well that they need to be business minded and aware of everything from budgets and brand management to retail environments, social media and visual merchandising if they want to have any hope of surviving. Mary Katrantzou may concoct mesmerising tromp l’oiel masterpieces tantamount to wearable works of art. But she counterbalances those wondrous runway-to-red-carpet creations with mega hit separates and collaborations with Topshop and Current X Elliot, slowly but surely growing her label into a global fashion player. London’s Centre For Fashion Enterprise is entirely devoted to teaching the city’s newest design talent in the ways. With programmes ranging from “New Market Entry” to “Building Brand Equity” and alumni including Marios Schwab and Simone Rocha, it stands to reason that besides being undeniably talented, our up-and-coming sartorial stars are also spread sheet savvy.

In the end it’s not even about the clothes, it’s about the fact that designers can no longer afford to solely be creative and it appears that both they, and the industry is appreciating and emphasising this as never before. Ultimately I don’t think it matters whether you’re J.Crew or Gareth Pugh. It’s not about whether you’re creating plaid cigarette pants or rubber masks, it’s about running a fashion brand as a 21st century business and understanding everything that involves. Like so many of my recent posts, this isn’t a straightforward conclusion kinda thing (sorry!). I just find it very interesting that fashion forerunners ranging from Peter Pilotto to Alexandra Shulman are acknowledging the importance of commerce, and specifically designers embracing it, like never before. Given the financial ~~shit storm~~ difficulties of the past few years, I reckon this bodes well for the future of fashion, especially here in London. But then I may well be talking total rubbish, what do you think?

Love Ella. X

Posted on May 27, 2013 by Ella Catliff in Fashion Leave a comment

Look Du Jour: Boy Girl Thing

What: Boyfriend jeans: Paige Denim (c/o), Shirt: Gap, Belt: Black & Brown London (c/o), Shoes & Bag: Vince Camuto (c/o)

Where: Vince Camuto Store Launch Party & J.Crew Cocktails & Cashmere Party

If ever there was an occasion where pulling out all the sartorial stops was necessary, meeting J.Crew’s Creative Director Jenna Lyons would be it. Given Jenna’s well known knack for androgyny with a playful, girlish twist, I decided to resist the urge to reach for my usual after dark failsafe, the cocktail dress. I wanted to look cool, chic and fashion forward but with just the right amount of prep. In other words, I wanted to look J.Crew. So I opted for boyfriend jeans which, having never EVER worn them before was something of a risky move for me but after last week’s punk (ish) experience I was feeling daring. Plus it was waaaay too cold for bare legs and I have an extreme aversion to black opaques in May. The evening was fabulous and I managed to chat with Jenna, causing my girl crush to reach stratospheric levels. More gossip from the party will be coming your way soon but for now, what do you think of my look?

Love Ella. X

Ps) Apologies for the lack of weekly wish list today, things are a bit mental at the moment and I still have my thesis proposal to write… HELP!

Posted on May 24, 2013 by Ella Catliff in Look Du Jour 2 Comments

Weekly Wish List: The J.Crew Edition

Every season when I come back from New York Fashion Week, I inevitably get asked which collections were my favourite. I’m not ashamed to admit that J.Crew always features pretty highly. While you can’t honestly claim that Jenna Lyons’ preppy-with-a-twist creations are up there with Alexander Wang in terms of design innovation, the all American retail giant’s playful prints and eye-popping separates are among the garments I most want to rip off the models and keep for myself. As you can probably imagine, I’m supremely, embarrassingly over excited about the opening of J.Crew’s first London store. Originally rumoured to be arriving in May, J Day – as I’ve decided to dub it – has now been postponed until autumn (click here to preview what new season goodies they’ll be selling) but luckily the label beloved of Mrs Obama and Caroline Issa alike had decided to appease us Brits by opening a pop-up shop later this month. However, patience isn’t something I’m big on so instead of waiting a whole fortnight, I decided to compile an edit of my favourite J.Crew SS113 picks for you (and me) to ogle right now. Enjoy…

1) Amanda Cotton Tweed Jacket, £270, click here to buy
2) Cafe Embroidered Capri Pants, £305, click here to buy
3) Darby Printed Loafers, £143.12, click here to buy
4) Biennial Medium Satchel, £275, click here to buy
5) Neon Tweed Dress, £285, click here to buy
6) Crystal Embellished Merino Wool Sweater, £285, click here to buy
7) Toothpick Printed Cropped Skinny Jeans, £128, click here to buy
8) Everly Mirror Metallic Pumps, £217.24, click here to buy
9) Postage Stamp Embroidered Mini Skirt, £150, click here to buy
10) Tippi Neon Fine-Knit Cashmere Sweater, £190, click here to buy

Love Ella. X

Posted on May 10, 2013 by Ella Catliff in Shopping Leave a comment

New York Fashion Week AW13: Day 6

No matter how much you adore clothes, parties and general fabulousness (in my case, a LOT) New York Fashion Week is a bit of a marathon. By day 6 I my limbs, eyes and just about everything else were aching, in short I was shattered. Despite having dragged myself away from the Phillip Lim party before 1am it took every ounce of willpower I had to force myself out of bed, into my heels and over to Lincoln Centre. Aching limbs, or no aching limbs, there was no way in hell I was going to miss that morning’s first presentation…

I wore… Shirt & Sweater: Theory, Skirt: Carven, Coat: A.P.C, Hat: Vintage, Bag: Anya Hindmarch, Shoes: Nicholas Kirkwood for Erdem.

J.Crew may have chosen to showcase their AW13 collection in about the most basic format imaginable (two lines of models, boys on one side, girls on the other) but Head of Womenswear Design, Tom Mora’s creations don’t need fanfare or spectacle. With J.Crew, the clothes themselves do the talking by way of vivid prints, kalaidescopic colours and plenty of spatkle. But beyond the initial “ohmigod I want it” gorgeousness of it all, the brand once beloved by soccer moms still delivers fundamentally practical pieces, albeit in very pretty packaging. This time around we were treated to brocade cigarette pants, snazzy skirt suits in bright tweed and embellished collars galore. Knitwear and coats were excellent as expected, a particular favourite of mine being a delectable double breasted camel number complete with sheepskin collar and bling trimmed lapels. As expected, I left the J.Crew presentation having put every single look on my AW13 wish list which is looking to be a mile long after this week.

J.Crew AW13

After a much, much needed trip to Starbucks I hopped on the subway (major lack of funds by this point) and made for midtown. Next on my schedule was the Victoria, Victoria Beckham presentation. The venue was a fair schlep to get to but despite my surprisingly uncomfortable Nicholas Kirkwood’s, I made it. The show notes promised a “new androgynous feel” and given SS13′s super girly aesthetic I was excited to see the results of this new direction. I have a lot of respect for Victoria Beckham as a designer and businesswoman and judging from her FROW I’m certainly not the only one. Anna Dello Russo was there sporting a full Prada catwalk look. Other important attendees included Harvey Nichols’ Fashion Director Paula Reed who, being basically the loveliest person in fashion, made a point of coming over to say hello, and LOVE Magazine Editor Alex Fury, funnily enough a former student of my course at Central Saint Martins. Victoria had promised us a departure from last season’s overt feminity and that is precisely what she delivered. The collection was a masterclass in elegant understatement while still retaining the youthful feel you expect from a diffusion line. Silhouettes were simple and lines clean with embellishment kept to an absolute minimum. Everyday separates and immaculate shift dresses came in a palette of neutrals, monochrome shades and rich autumnal hues while fabrics such as softest cashmere, tailored wool, boucle tweed and silk kept things strictly luxurious. Subtly styled with crisp shirting, glossy leather boots and oversized beanie hats, the collection exuded an air of effortless insouciance, no doubt forcing those who voiced their doubts about Victoria Beckham’s design abilities to promptly take it all back.

Victoria, Victoria Beckham AW13

My next port of call was Pier 59 for the Diesel Black Gold show. Inconvenient though the piers are to get to on the subway, they provide such an awesomely atmospheric venue that I had to forgive Diesel for “forcing” me to take another taxi. While getting ready that morning I had spotted someone’s tweet about how much warmer it was and foolishly dressed accordingly. By the time I got to show number three I was absolutely frozen and vowing never again to put such faith in social media! Luckily I was doing backstage so the lovely PRs whisked me straight inside and I got to watch the model run through while sheltering from the cold and using the venue’s WiFi. It wasn’t long before my fellow attendees began pouring in and I was in prime people watching position. Like last season, the Diesel FROW was pretty major with everyone from uber blogger Chiara Ferragni to Editors Emmanuelle Alt, Carine Roitfeld and Giovanna Battaglia. As with most shows, all us European press were seated together so I got to catch up with my friend and former boss, VELOUR Magazine Fashion Director, Violaine. Twenty minutes chatting later the lights went up and it was time for the first model hit the runway wearing a long line black tux jacket, stark white roll neck and skin tight leather trousers; a high fash bad girl look that set the tone for what was to be an achingly cool show. I don’t know whether you know this (I didn’t) but Diesel Black Gold recently hired a new Creative Director. Having previously worked everywhere from Yves Saint Laurent to Calvin Klein, Andreas Melbostad is about as good as it gets and he certainly brought his A game this season. Sharp shoulders and sleek tailoring in monochrome shades were combined with all manner of treated fabrics ranging from distressed denim and waxed cotton to resin-treated wool and well worn leather. Indeed, leather played a crucial role in the collection applied to everything from badass boot cut pants (a far cry from those favoured by the Duchess of Cambridge) to ultra mini mini skirts and of course, many a motorcycle jacket. Studding was another key component of Diesel Black Gold’s new season aesthetic and every inch of the final look – a drop waisted, short skirted, body conscious dress/jacket hybrid – was covered in them. At the risk of sounding like a wannabe America’s Next Top Model judge, it was seriously fierce and left me pondering how to attitude-up my look for AW13.

Diesel Black Gold AW13

After going backstage to meet Andreas (who FYI is utterly lovely) I made for the subway as quickly as my throbbing feet could carry me. Luckily I had a few hours to kill so I decided to go home for a breather. As darkness fell and my fifth (or was it sixth?) coffee of the day began to kick in, I slipped into an evening ready ensemble (and considerably more comfortable heels) before heading uptown for my last show of the day, Oscar de la Renta. Oscar’s show was a major highlight for me in September and this time around I was even more excited because, as you probably already know, John Galliano recently joined his design team. My state of fashion giddiness reached new heights when I arrived and found myself seated on the second row next to former Vogue Features Director Harriet Quick and directly behind International Herald Tribune Editor Suzy Menkes. As for the FROW itself, I hardly know where to begin. It was basically a “who’s who” of the international fashion elite ranging from Emmanuelle Alt and Justine Picardie to Grace Coddington and Anna Wintour. There had been some speculation about whether or not Galliano, who started in Oscar’s studio less than a month ago, would be working on the AW13 collection. Our question was answered the second the first look hit the runway – a cinched waisted wool coat in richest azure, the sculptural silhouette of which was unmistakeably Galliano.

Oscar de la Renta AW13

Oscar de la Renta is renowned for his gorgeous gowns but this season’s offerings really did take it to the next level. Every exquisite embellishment and fine fabric imaginable was employed to concoct a succession of painstakingly crafted, couture worthy creations. In a colour palette spanning everything from lime green and magenta to barely-there shimmering nudes, the collection was the embodiment of every girl’s (or at least my) ultimate fashion fantasy. Extended cloche hats and elbow length, organza evening gloves added an almost other worldly air, resulting in an aesthetic that was less Upper East Side housewife and more serious style maven. Just when I though things couldn’t get any more mesmerising, Karlie Kloss closed the show in a embroidered, purple silk floor sweeper that felt positively regal.

Oscar de la Renta AW13

Leaving the show it was clear that everyone else felt as awestruck as I did. No matter how physically, mentally and financially broken you are by the end of fashion week, seeing a show like that makes it all worth it.

Love Ella. X

Posted on February 17, 2013 by Ella Catliff in Fashion Week 5 Comments

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J Crew

Cocktails & Cashmere With J.Crew

Creativity V Commerce

Look Du Jour: Boy Girl Thing

Weekly Wish List: The J.Crew Edition

New York Fashion Week AW13: Day 6