LFW

On Friday 8th March 2009 I, along with a good friend, Celia, attended London Fashion Weekend. This being my first experience of an event like this in London, having previously only attended Birmingham’s Clothes Show Live, I was excited at the prospect of sampling some of this years best designers, the goody bags and being in the tents usually reserved only for the fashion pack.

As I embarked upon the sloping path down to the tent’s entrance I could already see a sea of girl’s dressed in this season’s most publicized trends; wet look leggings with oversized t-shirts and heels. I, personally decided to play it partly safe by wearing a pair of Topshop tailored trousers, rolled up to flood length to expose ankle, Topshop photographic ‘it’ dress of the season, tucked into my trousers, vintage Moschino belt and Emma Cook Spring/Summer ’09 pale green zip ruffle heels.
Celia and I then eagerly made our way to the goody bag desk where we found greatly appreciated snacks, Elizabeth Arden make up and Tony and Guy hair products amongst other delights.

Fashion Weekend shopper in hand we proceeded to the champagne area to lap up our complimentary glass of pink champagne, sure to get us in the shopping mood. After a lap of the downstairs area we proceeded upstairs to sample the clothing delights. With stalls presenting Vivienne Westwood, John Galliano, Luella alongside brands such as Sass and Bide we were not at a loss for choice. Having told myself I was to only purchase one item I limited myself to two Luella garments. At a 70% reduction it would have been a crime not to! I left the clothing shopping area, ready for the ensuing catwalk show, with a Luella Autumn/Winter ’07 dress and cardigan, happy purse and happy heart.

This year, with Fashion Weekend being granted the use of the London Fashion Week catwalks for the first time ever the show promised to be the biggest and best yet.
Louise Roe, the energetic journalist and presenter of VogueTV, opened the show to hordes of excited teenage girls, anxiously perched on the edge of their fashion seats, camera in hand, ready to snap their favoured looks of the upcoming season.
The show took inspiration from cinema, religion and all aspects of popular culture. The trends showcased on the 450-seat catwalk were labeled American Idol, Domestic Goddess, African Queen and Ethereal Nude. Designers shown included Luella, Matthew Williamson, Tommy Hilfiger alongside high street shoe names Kurt Geiger and Office.

As we left the event, sponsored by Elle magazine, I felt myself especially lucky to have been able to access so many respected designers and classic labels in one room. Events such as this not only give one access to retail but to experience a world of it’s own, for one evening anyone can be part of the fashion industry.
London Fashion Weekend 2010 is definitely a recommendation to anyone.

Blogging is a medium in which one can simply type down their thoughts on any given topic and know that at least one other person in the world will be thinking exactly the same thing. One can express themselves through words, pictures or even video (vlog) through technologies such as YouTube.

Blogger Tommy who founded Jakandjil (http://jakandjil.com/blog/) a blog unashamedly about aesthetics and what ones idols are wearing to take their seat at a particular fashion show. Tommie’s particular favourites at the moment are Carine Roitfield, Editor of French Vogue, Emanuelle Alt, fashion director also at Vogue Paris and Kate Lanphear, style director at US Elle. Readers are given the chance to see the backstage antics at Fashion Week in London, New York, Paris and Milan. The blog predominantly features photographs with simple, one-line explanations.

With the rise of personal blogs comes the emergence of the next step in blogging: micro blogging. Websites such as twitter allow users to communicate with friends, family and famed celebrities and voice their opinions on topics such as the weather, television or even just what they are having for their dinner. Particular favourite ‘tweeters’ are Stephen Fry, Jonathon Ross (‘Wossy’) and Dominic from band The Others, who relishes in telling ‘followers’ his daily meal intake and how many of his five-a-day he is yet to consume.

The majority of companies, be it specializing in clothing, food or simply media products, have their own blog. Through the use of these, companies are able to access a large number of consumers easily and without cost. This method of communication benefits the consumer through establishing a bond, which is then further increased through retail store and advertising campaigns. This will build an increased connection for the consumer helping them feel they are in a special clique in the company; this will then increase sales, thus revenue, for the company as one will want to buy into the brand further.

Clothing company American Apparel, the increasingly popular Los Angeles brand famed for its simple designs have cashed in on a revolutionary idea through mixing blogging with fashion, culminating in advertisement campaigns for their regular American Apparel lines and their new vintage stores, California Select. Karla Derass from blog Karla’s Closet (http://karlascloset.blogspot.com/) wrote in December 2008, “I was approached by Shawn from American Apparel last week to do some sort of campaign which is basically an advertisement banner.” Through campaigns such as this consumers feel an increased involvement with the company, not only can they wear the clothes but also could even model in the advertising campaigns.

In the world of amateur fashion blogging, be it daily outfit posts or simply scans from favourite magazine editorials, trends are apparent. With the slow emergence of the Spring/Summer trends arriving in high street stores one can see trends throughout each individual stores line. Previously this would have been the first sign of that season’s trends one would see if that had not been avidly following the shows the previous season. However, this season a noticeable amount of blogger’s have been speaking of studs, most famously the Rodarte and Balmain studded sandals, and helping readers to create the look themselves through a simple method of gluing haberdashery bought studs onto plain black items. Now the high street has brought out a number of similar versions, most noticeable the Zara Balmain replicas at a price of £90, although sold out they are now selling for over £300 on eBay. However, it brings up the question that the high street may be in fact too late on the trend.



Images: google, jakandjil,karlas closet & netaporter.