Magical Mary Katrantzou

Name: Mary Katrantzou
Origin: Athens, Greece
First Show : Autumn Winter 2009
Twitter: @marykatrantzou
Facebook: Mary Katrantzou

I have to admit, I am a bit of a print-phobic. I feel much more comfortable wearing an entirely black outfit (so I often do), and being a fashion student, I should really start to take some leaps of faith. After discovering Mary Katrantzou, I have been inspired. What an amazing designer. Being someone who is always careful not to clash prints and colours, I am diving head first into my wardrobe and going clash crazy.

Here are a few of my favourite pieces from this season and next season’s collections.





Make sure you check out the rest of the collections...





Or if you want to click through them...
Autumn/Winter 2011
Spring/Summer 2012

Here’s just something I found that I thought was awesome and very representative of her talent...



Currently wearing: Purple open knit jumper over lace print dress (my one day of wearing prints this week), with some chunky ankle boots.

Currently listening to: Coldplay’s new album Mylo Xyloto, specifically Paradise.

Currently coveting: Anything from Mary’s collection! Or these Topshop Glitter Boots. Yum.

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Post written by Stephanie Shaw @stefidoo

Zahair Murad: Prince of Couture

From London to Paris: Sitting on the third row in the Salon Vendôme at the Hôtel Ritz, Paris, the lights go down and Zuhair Murad’s Couture Runway show for S/S 2011 commences. Unlike his minimalist and modern colour palette of white, cream, beige, nude, gold and red, and shorter length gowns seen in his previous couture collections “Romantic Intimacy” A/W 2010 and “Officer’s Muse” S/S 2010, Murad took couture back to the 70s (such as the S/S 2011 Prêt-à-porter lines did with the neon colour palette), with a multicoloured palette and XL floor length gowns. At the same time, Murad took us back much further than the 70s, several centuries in fact, with his elaborate incarnations of Athena, Hera and Theia: Greek Goddesses. I found this to be the theme for his S/S 2011 Couture line entitled “L’Hymne au désert’ which saw jewellery as armour for the body and the dresses themselves, including gold arm bracelets, XL gold wrist cuffs, and jewelled waist belts. Of course, the runway finished with Murad’s signature bridal couture…feel like getting married tomorrow? I do not blame you! If Haute Couture had a royal family, Zuhair Murad would certainly be a prince!

Voilà, I present to you my ‘Coups de Coeur’ from this collection:

Post written by Miriam Kildare

Berry Good Indeed

It’s all very well and good having the perfect autumnal outfit, but us girls (or guys, if that’s what you like) are sometimes pushed to find a great make-up palette to go with it.

For the colder months ahead, you need look no further than the runways of London Fashion Week, where ‘just bitten a berry’ lips were the name of the game. Not only do plum and berry shades look amazing with this season’s camels, but they tend to suit all skin tones as well. Unlike most lipsticks, the issue with darker berry hues isn’t really finding the right shade, but applying it properly, so take these handy hints with you next time you’re in Boots:

• Invest in a clear lip liner to prevent your lipstick ‘bleeding’ beyond your lipline. It’ll come in handy for your other lipsticks too.

• A slick of liquid eyeliner can look striking at night with berry lips, but this look works best when the rest of you doesn’t look too ‘done’. Nude eyes and skin - with dishevelled hair and no more than two coats of mascara – make sure that the focus is maintained on the lips.

• Don’t paint on dark shades. Instead, try dabbing the lipstick on your finger first and then pressing it onto your lips, as you would when applying lip balm. This will give your lips that natural, flushed look, as opposed to looking too gothic.


Click for a bigger picture.

Now wearing: High waisted indigo jeans and black body.

Now playing: In The Aeroplane Over The Sea - Neutral Milk Hotel

Now coveting: All of Illamasqua’s make-up on www.illamasqua.com – too beautiful!

Post written by Mary-Jo Hamer ahumandadrum

A couple of great finds...

Now, I hope that because you have clicked on this link, the following post will have some relevance to you and hopefully inspire you to change the way you look at your own style. Recently I have come across a couple of sites which have encouraged me to expand my fashion horizons and given me some ideas about how to reinvigorate my wardrobe.

If you are partial to a bit of vintage (and who isn't?!), you should find this first blog very inspiring. A woman from America has given up high street shopping in exchange for buying one garment from a thrift store everyday for a year. She then takes the garment home and reconstructs it. Here's the catch, her budget for each day is $1.

http://www.newdressaday.com/


An example of a before and after.

Another fantastic project I found is 'The Uniform Project'. I posted this on facebook a while back but thought I would put it in a blog because I love it so! A woman in NYC wore the same dress everyday for a year and basically accessorised like MAD. Oh how I wish I had her wardrobe, creativity and fearlessness! The current project sees a different woman taking on the challenge each month so check it out for some serious inspiration!

http://www.theuniformproject.com/


Click for a bigger picture.

In relation to our previous blogpost, this woman has a seriously enviable collection of socks and tights!!

Now wearing : Baggy t-shirt and leggings....oh how inspiring...

Now listening to : Mountainhead - 65daysofstatic

Now coveting: Anything from Cos but more specifically, their camel double breasted cape. Yum.

Post written by Stephanie Shaw @stefidoo

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