NEW WEBSITE LAUNCHING SOON

I know its been a while since i've posted, but I haven't neglected my blog; I'm re-vamping the whole thing! New name, new layout, new posts... Keep your eyes peeled because it's all due to launch very soon! In the meantime, keep updated on my opinions and views via my Twitter and Instagram.

Marium x

Are you a Chanel sheep?

You're all sheep. Well, not all of you, just most of you. Don't deny it. You're all Chanel sheep.

To understand what I mean by a Chanel sheep, you have to be a general sheep. I'm a general sheep, and there is no shame in admitting it. You can't live without being a sheep. I follow trends and bounce off others' street style, and incorporate it to my own style. A Chanel sheep, in my words, is someone who follows and likes, or even loves Chanel because of the fact that it is Chanel. Ring a bell? Yeah, that's pretty much you, or someone you know.

After getting a notification on one of my social network sites by someone who has named herself, 'IamCocoChanel', my first thought was literally, 'Fuck off no you're not'. Then, it got me thinking how much does she actually know about Chanel? Now, I could be completely wrong here and be jumping to conclusions, which i'm sure I am, but I bet she doesn't know our beloved Gabrielle as well as she thinks she does. Naturally, as one thought led to another, it got me thinking- how many of us do actually know about our fashion? Chanel is my main target here because it is the one brand that everyone instantly recognises, simply because everyone who claims to 'love' fashion, or any random scrub from the streets says they 'love' Chanel, when really, they don't. You see, I think most people are in love with the idea of Chanel. Just as you can be in love with the idea of being in love and not actually love your partner... understand? I hope so.

I myself could name a 'Chanel sheep' or two, and it simply aggravates me to think that people fall in love with the idea of Chanel, and the 'glamour' and expense you see with it. Now, for those of you who may not know, who i'd assume would be the less knowledgable about fashion, Chanel is a tarnished brand, with a history linked to the German Nazi's of the second world war. It really is common knowledge, but i'm just pointing out that a lot of those annoying people that constantly claim 'I love Chanel!' probably actually don't. They just love it because they think it's an amazing brand, which of course it is- but that is beside the point.

I'm not saying that you shouldn't love Chanel because of Gabrielle's history- what's done is done and there is no changing that, but how many of you can honestly say you love every thing that the brand has produced? Of course, Chanel is an amazing brand which has completely dominated the fashion world, and Karl Lagerfeld himself is a genius... But I can admit that I love him more for his work with his own brand and the set's for Chanel's fashion shows rather than the actual clothing... Simply because not everything is to my taste.

I guess what i'm trying to say is this: There's too many people in the world, and too many amateurs who have their toes in the fashion door, who are all sheep. Not just Chanel sheep, but fashion sheep in general. Don't love fashion for the name, love it for its products, for its contribution to world, and more importantly, because it actually appeals to you. You're not fooling anybody; just yourself.

Marium x

Once Upon A Time- By Karl Lagerfeld

Coco Chanel- what's not to love about her? Let us forget that she worked in alliance with Nazi's (which led to her downfall before her comeback in the mid 1900's), and remember instead that she brought fashion independence to us women. Jersey jackets and pant suits, Gabrielle Chanel is an icon that is still idolised globally, today. 

As creative director for the House of Chanel, Karl Lagerfeld has brought to us a short film about the revolutionary Chanel, titled 'Once Upon A Time'. Starring the beautiful Keira Knightley as Coco herself, we see cameo's from many of the brand's faces, including models Lindsey Winxson and Stella Tenant. Personally, I think it is a little work of adorable genius. 

Watch here: 

Marium x

The Met Gala 2013; Chaos to Couture.

The annual Met Gala, which is held to celebrate the annual opening of the Metropolitan museum's fashion exhibition at the Costume Institute, is quite possibly THE red carpet event of the year- perhaps even surpassing the Oscar's. This year, the theme for the event was Punk; From Chaos to Couture... And it seems that it was a theme that most celebrities, who can PAY people to make them look good, just didn't. The meaning of Punk must have been lost, as most people tried to mix punk with red carpet glamour. However, despite many disastrous outfits, there were a fair few that did manage to please.

First up, Anne Hathaway. The 'Devil wears Prada' actress revealed her new platinum blonde locks, while stunning us in a sheer Valentino dress. Though not as 'punk' as she could have been, the new hair and makeup complemented her outfit perfectly.

Up next is Cara Delevingne, who despite her over-exposure and frankly, now boring public persona, never fails to wow. Obviously, she wore Burberry (no complaints- I love Bailey and Burberry), and looked gorgeous in a studded plunge-neck column dress, accompanied by Burberry accessories. Her heavy Burberry beauty make-up look added to the punk theme, as did her hair; plaited on one side. 

Blake Lively was another blonde red carpet pleaser. As a muse to the genius Karl Lagerfeld, the actress wore a Gucci Première strapless gown, with feather embroidery. There's no complaints about this look- she looked absolutely divine... Despite not exactly looking very 'punkish'. 

Katy Perry was a surprising crowd pleaser with her choice of outfit to the Met Gala. The singer chose to wear a Dolce & Gabbana dress, complete with a crown from the AW13/14 collection. She accessorised her outfit with David Yuman jewellery and definitely stood out amongst the other famous faces that surrounded her. 

The Topshop girls of the night included Chloe Green, my favourite model Jourdan Dunn, and Ashley Madekwe. They all wore custom-made Topshop (who knew the high-street would ever make it to a red-carpet event?) and yes, they all looked gorgeous. It has to be said though, Jourdan looked the most 'punk' from all three of them (and also very stunning). 

Best dressed male of the night goes to 'Birdsong' actor Eddie Redmayne, who looked dapper and divine in a Dior Homme navy blue suit and white shirt... Just a little bit of British man candy. 

For me, worst dressed at the gala was either Kim Kardashian or Elle Fanning. Firstly, I find it absolutely barbaric that Kim was even invited in the first place, but as her current inflated, pregnant self can never seem to look good, it wasn't much of a surprise that she yet again, looked awful. However, innocent face Elle Fanning was a surprise. The lucky young actress doesn't usually make much of a fool of herself when it comes to dressing, but it's obvious that she had a bit of a struggle trying to combine punk with glamour. She looked disastrous in her Rodarte gown, and I don't think there really is any explaining the makeup... I don't think she made anybody's best dresses list. 

Overall, i'd say it was an interesting night for the Met gala. Despite the many poor efforts, we did see a few beauties... I just think that they should stick to a more 'do-able' theme next year. 

Marium x

So Dior.

Never one to disappoint, Parisian luxury label Dior has brought itself to Harrods for a short amount of time, in the form of an exhibition titled 'So Dior'. I exaggerate not when I say it is one of the most beautiful fashion exhibitions I have ever seen... 'Why don't I live here?' were the only 5 words I kept repeating throughout.  

Including a café, exhibition, window displays and a pop up shop, the entire project took over 18 months to create, and was apparently inspired by the brand's long term relationship with the London store. 

"This isn't a marketing tool, It's a transmission of couture. Customers look for more today, they want to hear about the brand history - they need to understand more. Harrods and Dior share the same goals, the same concept of luxury and the same level of service. We need to explain why and how we do what we do. I want people to understand the passion, the innovation and our commitment to excellence. When I come into this room, it works so well. Mr Dior is doing something - he is here." - Sidney Toledano via vogue.co.uk

The exhibition has taken over a fair amount of space on the fourth floor of Harrods. As you enter, you'll see a giant doll's house, no window empty. Dior fragrance bottles are to be seen everywhere, and elsewhere in the exhibition, you'll come across a variety of installations, which are all a bold representation of the brand. There is also a section devoted to the coveted Lady Dior bag, as well as an entire 'Fashion Theatre' that features miniature versions of Dior designs- all of which were re-created in the Dior Haute Couture ateliers. 
Dresses worn by Princess Diana, Elizabeth Taylor, Marion Cottilard, and others are on display, and visitors can also stop to watch various fashion films with archived footage, that discuss the history of the brand. The gorgeous dress worn by Charlize Theron in the J'adore Dior advert is also on display- surrounded by dozens of perfume bottles. 

From the toile's that show how a design is constructed, to the projection of today's Dior stars over dresses they have worn, there is no disappointment in this wonderful exhibition. It's open until April 14th, and I couldn't recommend it enough. You won't regret it; C'est tres belle.

<3

Miniature Dior creations in a theatre.

Dior toile's.

Dior in London!

SJP projection over a Dior dress.

Close up of the Dior dress worn by Charlize Theron in the
J'adore Dior advert. 

Dior doll's house.

Dior illustration.

Miniature Dior. 

Window display in Harrods.

Marium x

A/W'13 Fashion Month.

Fashion week is evidently the best week of the year that comes around twice a year, but much to my dismay, this season's collections for the coming winter weren't as riveting or exciting as I was hoping. It seems as though everything has already been done, and so designers were revisiting past archived collections to get inspiration. This of course, isn't a bad thing, but the minimalist theme that was seen throughout was in most cases, quite boring.

Despite my less than enthusiastic attitude to the fashion month as a whole, this isn't to say that there weren't the fair few shows that I absolutely fell in love with. We saw a considerably less amount of peplum, which hopefully means we won't be seeing it for a while... Unless you're a late adopter. The main trends that were seen on most of the catwalks consisted of a lot of fur, leather, oversizing and minimalism. Orange also seems to be THE colour to wear this fall, which is never a bad thing for me as it's one of my favourite shades...

New York Fashion Week, A/W13.

As usual, we were introduced to fashion week with New York kick starting the busy month. We saw subtle chic here, with 70s office girl at Marc Jacobs and contemporary futurism at Michael Kors. Galliano was also half of the genius behind the Oscar de la Renta collection, and his influence in the designs was apparent as we saw subtle hints of Dior. Proenza Schouler played up to the key theme of monochrome and oversizing, with big white coats over black leather trousers. Victoria Beckham, queen of minimalism, displayed various mid-length outfits with gorgeous silhouettes, while DKNY introduced orange in excessive amounts and taught us (in case we'd forgotten) how to layer.

DKNY

Marc Jacobs

Oscar de la Renta

Proenza Schouler

London Fashion Week, A/W'13.

Snapped on the first day of LFW by a
photographer.
Sweater- Brian Lichtenberg
Jeans- Topshop
Metallic heels- Topshop

London Fashion Week was perhaps my favourite of the month, not just because I got to go to a few shows myself (Zoe Jordan, KTZ, Bora Aksu, Felder Felder and Nina Nautsdal), but also because I felt it had some of the best shows that truly represented British style. My favourite label Burberry, with my favourite ever creative director (Christopher Bailey) did not let me down, with its cute collection of heart-adorned trench coats and use of rubber. Other favourite's included Mary Katrantzou, Marios Schwab, Julien MacDonald, Giles and Osman. The graphic prints and gorgeous silhouettes at Mary K led me to fall in love with what I think is one of her best collections to date. Giles is always one of my favourite designers at LFW, and his timeless collection was not disappointing. As a lover of all things embroidered with gold, the white and gold combinations at Osman all made for a perfect ready-to-wear collection. As for the shows that I attended, Felder Felder had to be my favourites, as the German duo introduced rubber trench coats and gorgeous berry tones.

Mary Katrantzou

Marios Schwab

Giles

Osman

Burberry Prorsum

Felder Felder

Milan Fashion Week, A/W'13.

Third up to showcase its genius was Milan Fashion Week. I absolutely fell in love with the perfect collection at Dolce & Gabbana, as I do every season. The crowns, opulent religious homage and stunning red at the end of the show was simply to die for. The amazing duo always know how to do accessories well, and this season was no exception; you can count on me to be rocking a crown this fall, for sure! The prints at Just Cavalli and opulent era-inspired collection at DSquared2 were more favourites of mine, with the gorgeous designs at DSquared2 appealing to my glamour-nostalgic self. 

DSquared2

Dolce & Gabbana

Gucci

Just Cavalli

Paris Fashion Week, A/W'13.

Last, and in some cases least, was PFW. This for me was the most disappointing of the four, probably due to the very tragic collection at Saint Laurent Paris (Read my blogpost on that abysmal show here). Dior and Balmain were my highlights for the week, while Elie Saab, Valentino, Louis Vuitton and Chloé also managed to capture my attention. Raf Simons at Dior is just proving to be a more and more potent decision as this season, he bought his genius to us in mixed textures by recreating and modernising old, classic Dior silhouettes. The jewel tones, with yet more mixing of textures and thick gold belts at Balmain were beautiful and didn't stray too far from the classics of the label. Valentino also brought to us some chic and romantic feminine pieces, whilst adhering to the minimalism calls of this season. 

Chloé

Dior

Elie Saab

Louis Vuitton

Balmain

Valentino

As i'm still getting over the tragic death of Saint Laurent Paris, i'd say there are definitely mixed feelings and decisions over fashion month, but the collections mentioned above give me hope that fashion isn't dying (thank fuck!).

For a full review of the shows I attended (excluding KTZ & Nina Nautsdal) check out my published articles on The Upcoming;
Zoe Jordan
Bora Aksu
Felder Felder
Morella Sassoon

Marium x

Ain't Laurent without Yves.

I hadn't planned on doing an individual post on any of the shows that were featured during the spectacular 'fashion week' month, but after the car crash we saw at Saint Laurent on Monday 4th at PFW, I simply couldn't resist... So yes, Saint Laurent, you get a special mention here on Anna Wintour's Heir, but unfortunately, it's not for good reason. 

YSL- Tuxedo Suit

Hedi Slimane. You take over at the helm of an iconic brand, and although we understand it may be hard to live up to Pilati's standards, I don't think anyone could have expected what we saw... All I ask is, was it a joke?

I think it is pretty fair to say that tragic is the correct word to sum up the collection. The atrocious catwalk looks resembled grunge high street; the type of clothing that you'd expect to find in the wardrobe of a 16 year old 'emo' girl (yes, I am being slightly stereotypical). In no way, would fashion lovers all across the globe have expected the legacy of YSL to be destroyed in a matter of seconds, with one catwalk show. 

After an astonishing, but not so surprisingly negative response from the public on twitter, many were quick to defend Slimane's actions, claiming it was his version of 'a tribute to 90s rock and roll' with his muse being Courtney Love. This may be so, but was it really the right move for Saint Laurent? The label, which is credited for its elegance, and creating the tuxedo suit for women? Definitely not. 

No other words aside from Vile.
- Saint Laurent Paris AW13.

The knicker shorts, checkered shirts and biker boots may well have been inspired by 90s grunge, but they were definitely not appropriate for a label such as Saint Laurent.  Since WHEN did denim skirts become a thing for the brand? I feel for Slimane, after being the target of many bitchy and nasty tweets, but he can't have had his head screwed on tightly enough when putting this collection together. It seems as though he must have forgotten which brand he was working for... Either that, or he intentionally planned on surprising us all with a horrific collection, just to wow us next season (please oh please let this be the case!).

Slimane's intentions may have been to bring about a new (positive) look for the brand, but after rebranding the name and the logo not even an entire year ago, i'd suggest he slows down before giving us any more surprises (and heart attacks). This collection is more of a collection of high-street garbage, but even then, Primark isn't even this bad. Though it may be a nostalgic step back into the 90s, Slimane ought to remember just who his client is, and more importantly, who he works for. 

I can now, with more assertiveness and assurance than ever before say that no, it most definitely ain't Laurent without Yves.

Marium x

Boo, you [brand] whore.

Brand whores, who likes them? The false pretension, making out as though you're a dedicated follower of fashion, when in fact, you like to wear pretty things that simply scream 'LOOK AT ME I'M DESIGNER'. These are the people who have much more money than sense, and to be fair, they're ridiculous. 

The way in which this blog post could be interpreted varies, depending on your point of view. I'm not accusing anyone and everyone who has a 'designer' product of being a 'brand whore', but there is a slight difference when you buy things for the quality, and when you buy things simply to prove to your 'haters' that you have money...

If I were to be honest, it could be argued that almost everyone who owns a labelled product is a brand whore, myself included. Be it a Louis Vuitton with the infamous print as clear as daylight, or a tartan patterned Burberry scarf, we all have items we desire that may be evidently designer. However, we would all by lying to deny the basic fact that we all want to out-do one another. For some (or most), this is done by purchasing goods that are evidently designer. Why we want to prove to others that we can afford luxury items is due to the idea of celebrity, fame, money, fortune and the portrayal in the media that 'money is eveything'. We try to prove to ourselves, as much as to others, that we can afford nice things, all enhanced by the media's constant highlighting of which latest designer a certain celebrity is wearing. Therefore, we feel that showing off that we can afford these (sometimes) overpriced items gives us some means of importance, and perhaps even some authority over others.

The majority of people who buy things evidently adorned with designer motifs, purely for the fact of showing off, are simply people who have been deprived of something or other in their life, and they therefore feel the need to promote themselves in this way to others. There is a huge, evident difference between fashion lovers such as myself, who admire the beauty of a carefully constructed dress with hours of genius behind it, and those who simply like to prove that they are able to buy pretty things worth a lot of money. The 'snobs' of the world, in a sense. 

It is perfectly normal to own a fair few items that are evidently of designer descent, but when that becomes your whole wardrobe... Well love, you need a slap and your credit card taken away. 

Marium x

Topshop talks; When I met Alexandra Shulman.

Alexandra Shulman, editor-in-chief of British Vogue, author and mother is perhaps one of the most influential editors of today. On 31st January, Oxford Street Topshop held a talk with the icon, where she discussed her book 'Can We Still Be Friends', her career and how to make it in the industry. Naturally, as a budding fashion journalist and someone who essentially wants her job, I went along to see what I could dig out.

The evening started off with Alexandra telling us about her book. Her reason behind writing it now, what it's about, and how she relates to the characters. She said that chose now to write her book because although she'd had the idea for a while, she managed to one day just decide to go for it... Despite the fact that it took her 2 years to complete. 

After answering questions on her novel, Alexandra went on to talk about her career; how she got to where she is, her icons, her failed attempt at working in the music industry... That sort of stuff. She told us that she really didn't want to follow in the foot steps of her parents- both two successful journalists. As someone interested in the music industry, Shulman's first two jobs included her working in that particular field. However, after being fired from both jobs before she'd even been there a year, Shulman resorted to seeking help from a job agency. As she was able to write in shorthand (a skill for journalists- something I am now able to do as well!), she ended up working for a magazine... And surprise, surprise, she actually found she liked it! 13 years later, we found a new editor on the throne of British Vogue; Alexandra Shulman.

The editor claims that when she started working in fashion she 'didn't know the slightest thing about it'. She had no idea that fashion was always 6 months ahead and that there were two major fashion collections showcased each year! Now however, the woman has adapted well and is even the editor of the British Vogue iPad app. She claims there are many aspects to her job, but is always thankful to those who buy the hard copy of the magazine- 'if there was no magazine, there would be no website'. Shulman also offered her insight into the ever evolving digital age, and predicts 'in the future, people will be charging for websites, to be able to see the content'.

'Always trust your own judgment.' This is, according to Shulman, key to being a successful editor. She also said that the 'wonderful thing about Vogue, is that we can experiment a little.' Her job, although it seems fabulous includes 'as much hard work as it does glamour'. Well, I don't think anybody would expect being the editor of THE fashion bible being easy! 

Getting my copy of 'Can We Still Be Friends' signed, and
getting some valuable advice from the iconic
woman!

She then went on to talk a little about the Vogue Festival. She expressed her happiness at its success, and also that she is a big supporter of British designers, claiming 'they're some of the best designers in the world'. As for the new Miss Vogue supplement coming out this June, alongside that month's issue of Vogue, Shulman told us it is a magazine 'for those who fell in love with Vogue at a young age' (essentially under 20 y/o). If it successful, the Vogue team may look into producing Miss Vogue on a regular basis!

After, there was a quick Q&A session between the audience members and Shulman. When asked what item of clothing should every woman own? Her reply was a humorous 'knickers!' So what more can we expect from the editor-in-chief of British Vogue? Well, so far, she is contemplating writing another book... And after the success of 'Can we still be friends?' I for one, cannot wait.

Alexandra Advice; 'You can always change your mind'. 

Marium x

Celestial Couture

Couture fashion week, one of the highlights of the year and the best thing about January, came to a close on Thursday, and after four days of exquisite beauty in the form of a couture gown, I am sad to see the end of it. 

Divine silhouettes, stunning detail and gorgeous colours were just some of the main highlights. I think it would be hard for me to choose a personal favourite show, as every year, I struggle to decide who deserves to be picked out above the rest, but then you realise it isn't a competition. It's not a race for first place at all, more a chance to admire the beauty of the fashion and the creativity of the designs. 

All week I had been keeping up to date with the catwalk shows via the style.com app for iPhone and iPad. It is one of the best apps I have ever downloaded and I'd definitely recommend it!

So, the four fabulous days kicked off with the Versace show on Sunday evening. I will admit, I was a little skeptical as it isn't my favourite ever collection from the Italian brand- they can definitely deliver more. In fact, I preferred Donatella's couture collection from last year when Versace decided to come back to couture after nearly 10 years! However, there were a few pieces that stood out amongst the rest of the designs which caught my eye. As we stepped back into an 80s vibe, the gold ABBA-esque suit was one of my favourites.

Up next was Dior, and Raf Simons did much better with this couture collection than his previous. This collection focused on the traditional silhouettes and the iconic volumised skirts from the Dior archive, in a much more contemporary way. The colour palette consisted of contrasting mints and burnt oranges, which was accompanied by beautiful and intricate embroidery, that all made for the perfect feminine couture collection. 

After Dior, we saw Giambattista Valli, creative couturier. The label's works never seem to fail my expectations, and though I was very much in love with the previous couture collection, I wasn't displeased with this one. The taming of complex shapes, each made to flatter the figure is not an easy talent, yet Valli some how managed to create masterpiece gowns that define the waist and create a ladylike elegance. My personal favourite was the couture take on the onesie: cigarette pants and a bodice with a trail behind it!

Next up, we saw the obvious favourite: Chanel. Now, it seems to me as though Karl has been trying a little too hard in these recent years to bring back archived ideas and fashions, and add a modern twist to them. I can say that I was pleasantly surprised this time around in comparison to my disappointment in the recent years, as Chanel delivered a goth-meets-romance show. The lace detailing on the dresses which indicated a subtle reminder to Miss Havisham's well worn wedding gown, alongside the heavy black makeup and the feather detailing in the hair, all created the perfect enchanted fairytale. The medieval-like peep toe boots worn with the beautiful yet quite sinister creations highlighted the 'Midsummer's Night Dream' feel that Lagerfeld went for. All in all, it was a magical show, with every piece a structured, show stopping design.

Elie Saab, one of my favourite ever designers showcased his gorgeous gowns on the final day. The usual over-embellishing adorned the dresses, which came in a variety of pastel colours, including lavender, baby blue, white and faded red. On the pretty red-carpet-ready creations, we saw lace and sheer fabrics. Not straying too far from his comfort zone, it is safe to say that Elie Saab's couture gowns were pretty, indeed. 

Another one of my favourites from this amazing week, was the Jean Paul Gaultier show, where the designer decided to look to the Middle-East for his inspiration. It definitely took a different turn from the rest of the collections we have seen, but there is no denying that Gaultier's use of bright colours, bold prints and of course, his iconic cone bras, was pretty amazing. The rich and varied pieces included tulle gowns, luxe tuxedos and patchwork trousers, which all made for stunning pieces that I could picture in SATC2 (the film), and every look differed from the previous. Truly, breathtaking. 

Last, but most definitely not least, we saw the beautiful Valentino. A perfect way to end the four days of exquisite beauty, this show did not fail to bring to the catwalk some stunning designs. I would have to say that this show for me, was the happy ending... The cherry on top of the perfectly iced cake, if you like. The princess-esque designs, all light, intricate and feminine, catered to the taste buds of women worldwide. The simple silhouettes with nipped in waists and high necklines echoed the familiar comfort of Valentino's past designs. After four days of celestial couture, I highly doubt it could have been possible to end on a more beautiful note.  

Marium x