Friday 30 April 2010

Love Let Me Go

Dennis is an online pen pal of mine, and he orchestrates a fantastic menswear site called 'We're Worth It Too'. And judging by his enriched and up to date trend reports, the online magazine is definately worth a handful of time to scroll through. Take this lookbook of Philip Lim's style. Grey has stemmed its way through the pallete of most designers recently; a colour that at first glance seems a faded season away from the recent good weather. But it looks refreshingly light and romantic for a man, particularly when matched with vintage brogues and crisp shorts. While I'm still to polish this inspired look, I've picked up some karki Jaeger cardigans that come close to fitting the bill. Hope you like it, and be sure to check out http://wereworthittoo.blogspot.com/




Tuesday 27 April 2010

Dusty Pinocchio

I mentioned in a recent post how much I love the dusty romantic colours that the likes of Topshop Unique have embraced this Spring. And since then I've been looking for silky pearl like materials in a masculine acceptable pallete. Thankfully Lookbook is on hand to show trends from every spectrum and village street in the world. Below are some truely unique looks that tick this romantic vintage aesthetic I'm craving. There's high waisted trousers that are rich in colour and
metalic-crisp to the touch; like 70's office wear that's been personalised by an offbeat businessman from the future. The slouched tops and vests that have a faded creamy texture to them that I love so much, reminding me of recent collections by Philip Lim. Overall, my imagination sketches up a marriage of office geek chic with a pinocchio puppet vibe that I couldn't resist trying out.




Saturday 24 April 2010

In His Dreams He Was A Werewolf

I was a fool for aligning my loyalty with the winter drapes. Because this recent sunshine has sparked an unexpected playful side of me. While my favoured designers such as Rick Owens indulge the dark depths of androgynous shadows, I'm starting to see the treasure in a rich coloured flavour. It seems the UK's general tendency is to go all 'literal' when Summer comes, bringing out the tacky flip flops, inapropriately opened shirts, and shades from a corner shop. But this Summer I want to reverse this disillusioned tradition, showing that layers and texture can still be summer sweet.

Take the shoot I did in Bristol at an abandoned drug den, where the thick grass looked like light splinters, and the clothes were knitted snakes that travelled around me but still retained a sense of movement. I also came across the editorial below which I'm so enchanted by. There's a delicacy to the expressions, and the offbeat use of texture is still so relevant for a fairytale Summer. The white wool Burberry coat looks like dirty dusty snow that has been dragged into the next season and looks so airy and cloud like. There's something wild about the outfits, as if a Wizard Of Oz crow has flown into an acid trip woodland and come out tattooed. I love the idea of mixing bohemian flare with military and city trends, because after all, Summer is best experienced in hazy fields with only the blue sky as a neighbour. So it would be irresponsible to neglect the folklore beat entirely. And this editorial takes the wolves out of the forest into the urban streets. Amazing comes to mind!

Let me know what your Summer style intentions are, and have a great weekend too. For UK readers, I'm heading to Bristol today to be a part of Alexa Chung's T4 show 'Frock Me.' Exciting times!












Wednesday 21 April 2010

Together We're Stranger

Hey everyone! For starters, thankyou so much for the great vibes and compliments given to my editorial writing. It really makes my day and keeps my quill scribbling! On that note, if any designers, brands or magazines ever come across my page and want to collaborate with me and my pen, dont shy away from getting in touch! Anyway, I've had quite an overwhelming week. The UK has been drowned in glorious sunshine, leading me to laze in wheelbarrows in pinstripe trousers and collect imagination from fairytales. Then I went to London to meet the exceptional menswear designer Carolyn Massey. She was a delight to talk to, and I've been offered a position as her Press PA. Highs like so are always riddled with comedown lows though, as the reality of 'normal' life bullies me. Finance is always a nemesis of mine, so I need to spend the next month sketching together a way of living in the big city with pennies and pounds to my name. Wish me luck! Or alternatively pop to my Ebay page where some of my high fashion pieces are being painfully kissed goodbye to new homes ; http://shop.ebay.co.uk/chewie_cm/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=&_trksid=p4340




Sunday 18 April 2010

Asger & Androids

I was recently in touch with London based designer Asger Juel Larsen. His clothes ticked all of my aesthetics, and he kindly sent me a visually intoxicating lookbook of the recent collection with a story behind it that could have been found on a military scroll from a fantasy war.

As a logic continuation and self-constituting element, Asger evolves his sci-fi scenario for Autumn/Winter 2010. In this chapter, the hero is confronted with the raw industrial architecture of a future past, where Cables, tubes, shafts and elevators pervading the building like bones and veins.

Synthetic rubber, PVC, lame, neoprene and quilted leather build the delicate surface of defence. Contrasting this is expensive and soothing materials such as cashmere wool, thick wool silk cotton and soft lam leather. The silhouette of the 20 pieces collection is wide and stretched in outer layers but tightly fitted at the body with knitted tops and second-skin trousers. Exaggerated lapels, contrasting collars, cuffs and hems in green leather add to the dramatic comic-esque feel.

I personally find that there's a romantic and military marriage, where the model looks like a fragile fairytale character that misted out of an eery lake in futuristic army boots. The material shines so darkly it looks like electric tar. Then there's the cardigans that waterfall down so effortlessly, with snoods that hang and drape like shadowed seaweed. The jacket stands as the titanic impact and strength of the collection, with scale like armor on the shoulder and sleeves. it looks heavy and metalic, but with a sense of movement still evident and alive. The mesh top is a maze of torn and distressed black, with shredding so intricate it practically melts away into the models bare chest. It could be mistaken for gothic coral, truely magical to the eye. The jeans are a particular highlight for me, with wires delicately veined around them that gives an Edward Scissorhands feel. The collection is futuristic with an androgynous military innocence, and I urge you all to enter the android world of Asger through his site.







Thursday 15 April 2010

Lightning Strikes You When You Move It

After a brief hiatus from posting editorials, what better way to melt into a spread than the fantasy world of Tim Walker's mind. His concepts make Tim Burton's ideas look like factual mathematics, and dreams a fragment of monotony. I always love how the clothes he captures have a creature life to them as they stain and creep around the models, and the scenes always mix ice fairy whites with a sinister masquerade edge. I think he's a photographer that sparks imagination and inspiration to anyone and everyone in the fashion industry, making him quite the rarity and treasure. Hope you enjoy the pictures aswell!











Tuesday 13 April 2010

The Fantastic Mr Fox

I love how fashion inspiration can come from the most unexpected origins. Take a lazy day with DVD's. I watched 'The Fantastic Mr Fox', and found myself falling in love with the tailored attire of a charming ginger creature. The 'corrugated' blazers look like stripped bark that has been stitched into something amazing, and the honey yellows and oak oranges were particularly sweet to the eye. If anything, the dusty colours reminded me of Topshop Unique's current collection. So with this pallete in mind, I went to a car boot sale to find some dusty treasures that could become my own male stamp of this unique trend.

I'm on a big high this week, as I've landed an interview with Carolyn Massey next week in the hope of being her Press PA intern. Wish me all luck! Hope your all well too!




Sunday 11 April 2010

Fairground Funk

A Child Of The Jago brings out the playground and circus flare in my imagination. For those that love the crazy concoctions of John Galliano and Vivienne Westwood, this brand injects a drug trip of colour and patterns to revamp conventional attire. The cardigans have kaleidoscope designs that wonderfully distort the eye, trousers pop with adventurous burnt oranges that look like sweet wrappers, and the blazers are a patchwork of tartan that could be a Charles Dicken's novel on acid. The mixture of this vintage tweed with a futuristic feel is particularly inspired. Jackets have psychadelic shapes that mirror the modern day electric dancefloors, making for a relevant but equally unique collection. Inspired by 'The Jago', I've clashed a lot of vibrant colours in the sunshine, which fits in nicely with my recent trips to the beach.











Thursday 8 April 2010

Fever's Piercing Ray

Fever Ray has fast become one of my darkest desire sounds. Her music pierces and drowns my imagination, with songs that echo, suffocate and twist emotions. There is something so beautiful about the haunting depression of 'Concrete Walls' and stripped down art of 'Dry and Dusty.' Inspired by this, I did a shoot by an abandoned lake last weekend with Connie. Soaking up the eery mist and elegance of the landscape, we played with movement and the marriage of sinister and ambient emotion. Hope you all like the results. To see more of Connie's breathtaking photography, head to her blog at www.constance-victoria.blogspot.com
















Tuesday 6 April 2010

Protecting His Heart Truly He Got Lost In Sound

Hey everyone. Just thought I'd kick start the week with a collage of some outfits I've been wearing recently. I really like juxtaposing punk and military attitude with textured countryside flare. A grafiti t-shirt from Zara looks so indulgently distressed with lipstick print when layered under a Victorian waistcoat and bobbled cardigan. And I've also found the 'phunk' in a Reflex jumper, turning it inside out to reveal an intricate and intoxicating red design. With my ever evolving wardrobe however, I'm already moving on to a dusty pallete for the Summer awakening. Some of my old tops, including the Reflex jumper, is on sale at


Hope everyone is well. Let me know what you've been up to!







Saturday 3 April 2010

Under A Honeymoon

I've been guilty in the past of the prejudice that tailored slick looks can easily slip into a predictable appearance. But a designer such as Sjaak Hullekes has shown me that even the most polished and traditional jackets can achieve a 'stripped down' and eclectic feel. I love how the lightweight jacket is tied together as a scrunched Roman style cardigan, and the peacoat has a subtle fizz texture to it, as if its undergone a calming electric shock. The colours are so indulgent and refreshing as well, taking pallete impressions from dusty feminine colours such as creamy silver and aged pink. The mesh jumper is a particular highlight, adding some 'John Galliano' funk to the scene. Sjaak sticks to his swarv' beliefs though with a light metal scarf, crisp trousers and braces finishing off the stunning collection. For more information, head to http://sjaakhullekes.blogspot.com/ and let me know what you think! Happy Easter everyone!



Thursday 1 April 2010

The Dust In The Air Turned Into Fireflies

Hey everyone. I've had a busy week in the countryside, going to jumble sales that were brimming with jewelled tops and bohemian lockets. Sometimes I worry that my 'grandad' jumpers go one step too far into a 'rocking chair and cup of tea' landscape, so recently I've built a relationship with waistcoats and cable knit layers that add a 'hilbilly' edge. Sigur Ros, Cocorosie and Jonsi are some of my favourite artists, where they've created their own language and world that is inhabited by pixies and enchanting sounds. I think the music has rubbed off on me and soundtracked my clothing spirit, because I couldn't resist a festival waistcoat that's encrusted with gems. As always I can't wait for a big city venture with my best friend Connie when finances are alive, but for now, the countryside is keeping me fashionably active. Hope your all well; let me know what you've all been up to. And if you fancy picking up some folklore inspired clothes, I'm selling some clothes that have been featured on lookbook at the Ebay link that follows.