Michael Van Clarke Reviews Glastonbury Hair Choices

Renowned for its ground-breaking music, awesome atmosphere and sea of crowds; Glastonbury is always an incredible place for spotting upcoming trends. But not just in the world of music; hair, fashion and beauty trends are just as legendary, making it a haven for trendspotters from around the world.

 

From stylish plaits, to messy topknots and all out beach babe waves, we have got the low down all the must-have hair styles from our favourite celebrities at Glastonbury this year!

 

By far the show stopper, the ultimate headline act of the year, Beyonce wowed the crowds as she brought Glastonbury 2011 to an electrifying close. What better way to storm the pyramid stage than with a dazzling gold, sparkling ensemble and a hair-do that screams independent woman! The bootylicious babe commanded the stage with a fierce mane of untamed, uber volumous locks. Sporting tight, golden curls with this season’s on trend, centre parting, Beyonce confirmed her status as a style chameleon as she rocked high fashion glamour with a dash of festival chic.

Beyonce performing at Glastonbury 2011

Festival favourite Jessie J was definitely holding the torch for a spot of glamping! Even with a broken leg and unglamorous crutches, Jessie looked far from the damsel in distress as she sported her trademark blunt fringe and ‘lob’ for a sensational performance. A pioneer for this season’s must-have do, the long bob, Miss J’s shining locks were the envy of the crowds as they glistened on the Other Stage (what can we say, she must be using 3 More Inches!) 

Jessie J performing at Glastonbury

Keeping it cool for all the yummy mummy’s rocking out the Glasto experience, Coleen Rooney kept it simple and stylish with soft curls and elegant twists. Perfect for festival fashion, Coleen’s angelic tresses scream femininity, copy the look and add delicate floral clips or accessories for an extra touch of boho magic.

 

Coleen Rooney at Glastonbury 2011

(Image Source: Image One: www.company.co.uk, Image Two: www.yahoo.com/news, Image 3: www.catwalkqueen.tv)

Nutmeg Couture - Photoshoot

Sneak Peak behind the scenes at the Nutmeg Couture glamorous photoshoot.

Introducing Letizia Morandi

We caught up with Italian handbag designer Letizia Morandi to find out more about her, her fashion career and her eponymous label handbag label.

Tell us about your new self titled handbag range?
The spring summer collection is made up of a few styles not only driven by some new fashion trend but inspired instead by the need to express my personal point of view on bags. The whole collection is based on rounded and wrinkled lines and swollen volumes and the materials are light and smooth. The idea was to create some bags that are elegant and feminine but easy use and that are modern, trendy and will hopefully attract a celebrity clientèle.

How has your background helped your career?
I think everybody gets influenced by one’s own background.Since I was a child I have always liked to draw and sketch. But also, my parents owned a tailoring laboratory where they produced silk garments for some brands such as Ferragamo and Gucci.I used to spend a lot of time there and I liked to observe how to make paper patterns and how to turn fabrics into finished shirts and garments.I was really fascinated by watching people working with their hands creating beautiful pieces. And this obviously influenced my way of considering fashion. This helped me a lot because I learnt to appreciate the quality of products. This experience made me curious about the process of making things, whether they are pieces of garments or bags or jewels or anything else.

As a handbag designer, do you follow trends when designing?

Fashion trends are important guide lines for all designers but I also think it is important to follow my own taste and try to make something that really reflects me more than fashion trends. I would like to create something that stands out from the crowd and people can recognize that is the Letizia Morandi brand.

Where do you get inspiration for your designs from?
There is not a specific way or moment where and when to get an inspiration. I think everything I see or taste or hear is inspiration. But I work very hard to achieve really good innovative designs.

After working with such prominent brands, what is the most important 
thing you have learnt?

Of course I have learnt a lot since I started as a sketcher of jewellery and accessories. During the past ten years I have worked on many different products and with many brands, including with the wonderful Jimmy Choo. This was a great experience anyway. But to have 
the chance to work closely with a lot of producers and suppliers is what I consider to be the most important and exciting thing I experienced during my career.
Describe the type of women you design for?

I am not actually thinking of a specific kind of woman when designing. I think instead, that bags are not simple accessories of women’s wardrobe but main pieces. I think they reveal a lot of who’s carrying them.So, I like to consider my perfect target client to be a very self 
conscious woman who’s aware that it is not necessary to keep up with the latest fashion trends to be elegant and original. My ideal client woman is looking for quality rather than quantity and she perfectly knows that you don’t need to be showy to be noticed.

How do you incorporate the Italian craftsmanship to your designs?

All the raw materials and hardware are Italian as well each bag is produced in Italy by small craft factories and skilled hands.The whole production process is serial of course, as it would be impossible to keep up with timing and schedules. But both the factories and the work process are still organized following traditional craftsmanship methods simply improved by using modern technologies and faster machinery, though the handmade component is still a great part of the whole process.

What type of materials do you use?
I source only the fine quality materials. This collection is made of lamb nappa leather and genuine python skin. Nappa is of finest quality. The touch is very smooth and the finishing is totally natural to keep the soft touch and light weight. Python is natural finished as well. The 
touch is soft and light. The hardware used are totally brass platinum and pink gold finished.

What advice would you give aspiring handbag designers?
To focus on learning as well the technical aspect and the production process not only on hand sketching or computer design, but spend as much time as possible inside factories.
Describe your bags in 3 words.
Elegant, lightweight, classy.

Letizia will be debuting the latest collect from the label at the LGN Events Summer Showcase on July 8th 2011 to RSVP please email joy@lagenevenorth.co.uk


For more information visit: www.letiziamorandi.it

Yay! Another luxury designer to reach out to the high street shoppers as Versace designs for H & M

High Street brand H&M have managed to lure Versace into designing a collection for them. Versace is of course one of many designers that have designed for H&M. Creative director of the Versace brand, Donatella Versace said this morning. "The collection will be quintessential Versace, perfect for H&M and Versace fans everywhere." There is no doubt that this collection will sell out within minutes, as it offers the people with the not so luxury budget to get a taste of the lavish fashion and own a reasonably priced designer item.                  

The designer brand Lanvin was the latest to merge with H&M and it did so successfully, as did the likes of Jimmy Choo and Stella McCartney. So can we expect more lavish designers brands to become accessible in the high street? Designers have of course been reluctant to the merge of luxury and high street fashions, perhaps it threatens their brand identity, but one thing’s for sure this collection will be a huge success, great brand awareness for Versace and great publicity for our good old H&M! 

(Image credits: www.vogue.co.uk)

Malam to return to London Fashion Week.

We caught up up with Emmanuelle, the creative force behind french fashion label MALAM to find out more about her, her label and what to expect for the S/S 2012 collection.

How did you come up with the name of your label? 

I wanted to find a short name which was easy to remember, and did not mean anything specific in French, so I just mixed up letters of my name, and voilà!

How does it feel to be returning to London Fashion Week?

I am really excited to showcase the collection again. It was a great experience last year, and I find it very interesting to concentrate on making many new designs in a row – since it is totally not the way I work all year long. Plus I love London, so I'm really happy to come back :)

Has the label changed since you last showcased in London?

The label itself has not changed, I still work the same way, and with the same vision. Although it's still growing : since the last show, I gained a lot of new customers, and have seen more interest from boutiques as well, in France and abroad.

What is the most challenging thing about being a fashion designer?

I guess in my position, the most challenging thing is to be able to manage everything, from creating to selling, in the short span of time of each day! Every day is a new challenge:) More generally, it is also the ability to renew oneself, while remaining true to one's own style and vision.

What is the most difficult thing about designing one of kind pieces?

I love making one of a kind pieces, because I get to use so many different materials, and I make what I want to make, when I want to make it. I like this so much more than working during a whole season with such and such fabrics, and then change the next season, and so on... I love having just one line, forget about a design, and remake it again a few months later looking totally different because I followed another inspiration, used other material, colours, findings... What really is the most difficult is the choice of the size I'll make the piece in. I basically have to guess the size of the person who will see it, like it and wish to buy it :) Of course, I also do a lot of custom work and creating a piece for someone is very interesting, because I have to interpret the customer's wishes & requirements with my own vision.

How has living in France influenced your fashion label?

France is great for finding vintage and old materials, there are so many opportunities to buy new treasures... And this is the base of my work. Apart from that, being in France sure helps me export my pieces abroad, it must be the « French appeal » :)

You spent some of your holidays at your great grandmother’s castle. Would you say this instigated your love for historical clothing and fairytales?

I spent nearly all my holidays there for the first 16 years of my life, with my (many) cousins... So yes, being surrounded by elegant old portraits, antique furniture, the musty smell of cupboards and old books, looking forever for secret hidden rooms we never found, dressing up with fancy frocks from the old trunk, getting a bit scared in narrow and dark corridors, at the end of which was the most beautiful old pink bedroom with the four-poster canopy bed and so many antique little things on the shelves... That's probably where it came from!

You mentioned that you are inspired by children stories. What is your fondest memory from your childhood?

I can definitely say I had a happy childhood – there are too many great memories to put just one forward:) But it's true that when you're little, your imagination has no boundaries, and you can find magic in anything, this is what I like to keep doing !

The last time you showcased in London, you had music made especially for the Show by the band Underemployment. Should we expect the same this year?What can we expect from the new collection?

Yes, I am really happy this gives me the opportunity to work with independent musicians. The music of last year's show was exactly what I had wanted, this was just amazing work, and done so quickly as well! By the way, The Underemployed (http://www.myspace.com/theunderemployed ) have an EP coming out very soon which I'm eager to listen to :) This year, it will be quite a different style, the music for the show will be created by Niflheim Seele (http://agonyinmind.free.fr/niflheim.seele/ ). I can't wait …

Also, the models will be once again wearing gorgeous shoes from Portuguese designer brand EJECT (http://www.eject-shoes.com ) , I find they just fit perfectly with Malam's aesthetics, and am really thankful for this partnership.

As to what will be showcased.. let me just say it will be an extension of the permanent collection, featuring more of the same aesthetics, with different designs, different fabrics... lacy, feminine, both structured and flowy.... And I am just so impatient to publish the new designs, it's so difficult to keep them to myself

Malam will be showcasing the latest collection at the 'A La Mode' London Fashion Week on the  16th of September 2011.

For more information, visit: www.malam.fr

Introducing Nutmeg....

Tell us a bit about yourself.
I’m a 21 year old graduate from Glasgow Caledonian University (BA in Fashion Business). During my time at university I worked alongside numerous designers, gaining a wealth of hands-on experience in fitting, fabrics, design, sewing and also the promotional aspects of running a business. I worked with a couture bridal designer after graduating, before branching off to launch NutMeg Couture in October 2010. 

What made you choose to design evening wear?
My designs have always been about beauty and elegance, elements that I feel you can’t truly capture in any other area of fashion. I remember at my own prom, feeling very elegant, sexy and sophisticated – this is something I like to recreate for my clients. I don’t think any woman can deny wanting to feel like the ‘belle of the ball’ once in a while.

Are there any design methods you have to follow when designing evening wear?
All my designs go through an unscrupulous design process – first I do my preliminary designs, make mock-ups, try it on various figures, ensuring that the fit is spot on – sometimes it takes up to 4 or 5 mocks to get a dress perfect, I regard fit to be just as important as the actual design. I have tailor-made my dresses to fit around curves rather than skim over them. 

What are some of your favourite fabrics you like to work with?
I love working with silks, lace, chiffon, and satins. I only use quality materials when I making a gown. I would never put cost over quality.

Your collection includes colours like browns, pinks and blues - Where did you get the idea for this from?
The last collection was kept quite pastel, whereas the new collection utilises colours like lipstick red, electric blue, emerald green and metallic black so it will have a completely different look. I don’t really have a set colour pallet I like to work with, just select colour to suit seasons/style of dresses etc. 

Your designs tend to be backless and fit like a glove. Is there a way you want your customer to feel when wearing one of your dresses?
Figure-hugging is definitely a phrase I would use to describe my dresses.  I like my clients to feel sexy and confident in their gowns. Every woman is shaped differently so I use a different variety of style lines to accentuate their natural curves and hide anything that they may be conscious about. 

Do you design for any specific body type?
For my collections I definitely design for hour glass shapes.  I have always felt that the industry has put too much emphasis on being thin, but to me there is nothing more attractive than a lady with curves. However, with any custom-made dress, you can be working with many different shapes; it’s all about finding the right design for each person. Each client is special and individual, so their dress should be too!!

If you could pick any celebrity to front your campaign, who would it be?
Beyoncé - she is the ultimate woman for me. She is sexy confident and not scared to show off her amazing curves. 

When you're not designing you're... playing Basketball, bizarrely enough.  People would never associate the two but I’ve been playing since High School and have played at the top level in Scotland – I really enjoy competitive sports!

Emerging designer Anna Lukindo’s Vibrant designs to grace the LGN Events Summer Catwalk

Tanzanian born Fashion Designer, Anna Lukindo, will showcase her latest collection from her fashion label Anna Luks on 8 July at the LGN Events Summer Catwalk Presentation in London.


Anna Lukindo, launched her label Anna Luks in 2010 due to her immense interest in fashion and textiles and made her London Fashion Week debut in February 2011.

Having originally worked in her home country of Tanzania as an architectural draughts woman she kept alive her passion and talent of using textiles and creating her own designs. Moving to London, she decided to pursue her passion of working in clothing design which later led on to her graduating from Middlesex University in B.A. Fashion in 2010.

‘Anna Luks’ designs and signature work can be seen and recognised in the use of yarns, ropes, cords, zips, organic fabrics and architectural influences.

Anna says that creating with textiles has always been a passion for as long as she can remember. This allows her to experiment in terms of printing and dying to create unique designs. With the yarns, she creates cords for her fabrics to produce a variety of textures. Using at times a laissez-faire approach to her work as it allows freedom of her imagination to ultimately produce the Anna Luks master-piece.

The LGN Events Summer Designer Show will take place on Friday 8 July at Premier Members Venue Alto. Doors will open at 6.30pm with the show commencing at 7pm.

For more information on Anna Luks visit: www.annaluks.com

To see her current collection as part of this showcase event, please email joy@lagenevenorth.co.uk to confirm a place on the guestlist.