New York, New York…

This season I was lucky enough to make my New York Fashion week debut and whilst I feel a tad disloyal to my beloved hometown saying this, I fell absolutely in love with “the city that never sleeps”… not to mention the seemingly endless array of incredible designers that live, work and show there. After two days of non-stop shows, dinners and various press engagements we had an afternoon to kill until our flight back to London. And what did I do with these precious spare hours? You guessed it, I hit the shops. Like the rest of the sartorial community, Style.com serves as something of an online Bible especially during Fashion Week season when excess champagne and chronic lack of sleep can cloud even the most discerning eye. But lovely though it is to check out the latest looks online or on the catwalk, you can’t truly judge a designers work until you’ve seen, touched and, let’s be honest, tried it on in the flesh. Well that my friends is precisely what I did during that blissful day in New York and as a result came home with a whole new array of collections to covet. London may have spawned McQueen, Galliano and Mary Katrantzou but the Yanks certainly aren’t lacking in homegrown fashion talent of their own. Here are a few of the New York natives I’m obsessing over after my trip…

Milly

Milly SS12

Yigal Azrouel

Yigal Azrouel SS12

Nanette Lepore

Nanette Lepore SS12

Love Ella. X

Posted on November 6, 2011 by Ella Catliff in Fashion Leave a comment

Front Row and Fabulous: Olivia Palermo

I know I claimed that I wouldn’t be featuring pointless FROW-ers in these posts but how could I not include Olivia Palermo? I mean, does anyone even care whether or (more likely) not she ever works a day in her life? The girl is so ridiculously pretty and sickeningly stylish she was simply made to sit in the front row and no doubt will continue to do so for many seasons to come. After all, what good is having perfect cheekbones and world’s best wardrobe if you’re not going to spend your time getting papped?

My first close (well, close ish) encounter with Olivia was at the Tibi show in New York where she and Emma Roberts nearly caused several PR’s to be trampled by hoards of stampeding paparazzi. I then spotted Olivia again at the Jaeger show in London and am sorry to announce that she really is every bit a gorgeous as she looks on The City. I’ve heard through the grapevine that she isn’t actually as much of a bitch as she seems on the show which I personally find a tad disappointing but that, my friends, is another story.

No matter what continent she’s on or which show she attends, Olivia Palermo always looks the part. Her’s is the kind of style that a lucky few are simply born with and she mixes classic staples with statement pieces as only the pro’s know how. Olivia may not be a role model in terms of climbing the career ladder but my God can she dress to impress.

Love Ella. X

Posted on September 30, 2011 by Ella Catliff in Fashion 2 Comments

Front Row and Fabulous: Anna Wintour

Ok, so I may not be going to Paris or Milan this season (sob!) but that sure as hell doesn’t mean I’m going to be letting go of Fashion Week anytime soon. This magical time comes but twice a year so whether you’re attending the shows or viewing them from the comfort of your own home I say let’s make the most! Now we all know that the point of Fashion Week is really the collections. Ultimately we’re all there to check out the clothes in store for next season but no matter how inspiring they are, their beauty sometimes pales in comparison to the fabulous faces on the FROW. Thinking about who to feature in my first ever front row post, the answer was pretty blooming obvious. Who else could I possibly begin with than the Queen of fashion herself, HRH Anna Wintour.

Unlike other serial FROW-ers I could mention, La Wintour is not just there to pose. Anyone who’s watched the Septmber Issue (and if you haven’t I command you to stop reading and YouTube it NOW!) will be well aware that Anna has the power to make or break a designer’s career. A nod from her and you’re sorted, a scowl and you may as well pack up and go home. Having spent the entire Meadham Kirchoff show trying to get a snap of her instead of looking at the collection, I can understand why Anna is such paparazzi fodder. Aside from the fact she’s top of the fashion food chain, the Editrix extraordinaire never looks anything less than perfection. Ever immaculate but never boring, sensationally stylish and a little bit terrifying, Anna Wintour certainly knows how to work a FROW.

Love Ella. X

Posted on September 26, 2011 by Ella Catliff in Fashion 3 Comments

La Petite Fashion Week Diaries: New York, Anna Sui SS12

It’s been a whirlwind trip to New York this season and it seemed like by the time I’d unpacked my oversized suticase and knocked back a cocktail or three I was off to my final show. Sad though I was that my first New York Fashion Week was coming to an end, my excitement at seeing Anna Sui’s latest collection up close and personal was almost overpowering. As a grande dame of the New York fashion scene, Anna’s show was always going to be good but the performance she put on this season surpassed even my expectations. First off there was the front row line-up which included Sophia Coppola, Teen Vogue Editor, Lisa Love, Lisa Marie Presley and Corinne Bailey Rae. Then there were the models. Karlie Kloss, Jessica Stam, Lindsay Wixen, Arizona Muse, Karen Elson… Anna’s runway read like a who’s who of this years “supers” and last but certainly not least came the clothes.

Anyone who accuses fashion of taking itself too seriously need only witness an Anna Sui catwalk show to realise that is definitely not (always) the case. Anna’s SS12 collection came bounding down the runway in a haze of retro fabulousness. Think kitsch prints, vibrant colours and the kind of girlish charm that Anna most certainly does best.

From tiny chiffon playsuits to stunning lace frocks, the collection was a girly girls’ dream featuring feathers, sparkles and ruffles galore. Cinched waists, 40′s silhouettes, ultra glam waved locks and seriously stunning head pieces made for some of the most deliciously feminine ensembles I’ve ever laid eyes on. Androdgny and simplicity be damned, Anna’s new season offerings simply oozed carefree opulence. Embellishment was the name of the game and virtually every look came with a generous helping of sequins. Printed tights, pop socks and glittering accessories were all on the sartorial menu proving that less isn’t necessarily more.

If you like your fashion with a hefty dose of fun then Anna Sui is most definitely your girl. The show was a true performance and her models strutted their stuff to the perfect soundtrack of French pop beats. Ok, so maybe it wasn’t groundbreaking. But you can bet your life that there wasn’t a person in attendance who didn’t have a smile on their face and if it’s not to spread joy then what the hell is fashion even for?

Love Ella. X

Posted on September 15, 2011 by Ella Catliff in Fashion Week 2 Comments

La Petite Fashion Week Diaries: New York, GANT by Michael Bastian SS12

This morning dawned sunny and bright in NYC and rapidly developed into the kind of swealtering heat that us pasty skinned Londoners just can’t handle. Still, I was so over excited to be in the Big Apple I ignored the fact that all eight outfits I’d packed would cause me to break out in a sweat as soon as I left the hotel and headed out into the shabby chic streets of the Meatpacking District. After enjoying a spot of New York style brunch (typical tourist, I know) we set off to tour GANT’s gorgeous downtown stores. A full post on this subject will be coming soon. For now just know that they were utterly incredible. Never in my life have I encountered stores which so embody the ethos of a brand but I’ll save that tale for anther time and get back to the subject at hand… Fashion Week.

I wore… Skirt & Blouse by Whistles, Topshop wedges,
Marc Jacobs handbag & necklace by Anne Bowes Jewellery

After a swift trip back to The Standard for an outfit change it was once again time to brave the heat. Slowely and ever-so-slightly sweatily we made the short journey (not so short in 6 inch heels mind you) over to 18th Street where ultra cool downtown restaurant, The Park had been transformed into a tropical oasis to showcase GANT by Michael Bastian’s SS12 collection. It was hands down the most beautifully designed presentation I have ever seen. We left the humidity of the street behind us and entered what can only be described as a preppy paradise. Obscenely gorgeous, GANT clad models posed louchely amid the foliage whilst equally good looking guests enjoyed ice cool cocktails.

The incredible venue was the perfect setting for an equally inspired collection. GANT’s signature collegiate style had been given a whole new twist with eye-watering brights and retro accessories. Sporty staples and immaculate tailoring reflected the brand’s all American roots whilst tongue-in-cheek prints and kitsch sunglasses gave it’s new season offerings a distinctly European flair. Michael’s Hawaian inspiration was tangible and I’ll bet I wasn’t the only one who found themselves day dreaming of white sand and pina coladas this afternoon.

The overall look was in-your-face but charmingly so with The B52′s “love shack” providing the perfect soundtrack to the collection’s 70′s vibe. The lovely Michael Bastian has truly outdone himself this season making fundamentally practical clothes feel fresh, exciting and every bit as covetable as their high fashion counterparts.

Love Ella. X

Posted on September 14, 2011 by Ella Catliff in Fashion Week 2 Comments

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