Matt Ford - Fashion outside the Capital - A ten day photographic exhibition

Tonight I got to visit the exhibition of fabulous Liverpool fashion photographer, Matt Ford, and so stylish it was too. The inspiring exhibition celebrates the fashion industry, and its creative talents, outside of the traditional hub of fashion, London.

Matt has work of his on display from the beginning of his career, as well as images taken just a couple of months ago, in a vast room that is stark white, yet full of character. Alongside his photos he also has jewellery, spectacular hats and clothes lent to him by the designers featured, and a beautiful video installation of burlesque performer, Millie Dollar.

I don't want to say much more to spoil the surprise, but I highly recommend that you go and visit the exhibition (The CIC. 57 Jordan Street, Liverpool) before it finishes on 27th November, it is well worth a trip.

Click here to go to event page on Facebook
Or here to visit Matt's own Fashion Blog, Firecracker Fashion.

FD - 24th November 2010 - Lanvin For H&M

A day on, I have recovered.

To be honest, compared to some people's valiant attempts to get their hands on the collection, mine was fairly subdued... But it worked - more on that after I tell you the story!

Unable to get to Manchester, the nearest place to us to be stocking the collection, it seemed online was the only option. So my alarm went off at 6.30am and when I finally remembered what it was set for, I was up, and shortly after, the website was up.

Nervously refreshing until 7am, I got the dress in my basket, and checked out.

Except I wish it was that easy, the checkout crashed and we received the "error" message more times than I can count...

By some miracle (and a long rant to customer services) the order went through and by Christmas, I will be the proud owner of the beauty pictured below.

It's not just any dress, and really, though its beautiful, its not actually the material value that's the main attraction...

Firstly, it's not likely to happen again, Alber Elbaz, the designer behind Lanvin said that he wanted to bring luxury to H&M, not take the Lanvin brand downmarket. "I have said in the past that I would never do a mass-market collection, but what intrigued me was the idea of H&M going luxury rather than Lanvin going public." He went on, 'H&M approached us to collaborate, and see if we could translate the dream we created at Lanvin to a wider audience, not just a dress for less."

These dresses are a part of fashion history, the design perfectly encapsulates the beauty of Lanvin and though I haven't yet seen my piece, I have heard the quality is far more high end than high street. What's more, eBay is already crawling with items from the collection, being flogged for one and a half to twice the selling price...


Excited much?!

Lanvin Flagship Store - 22 Rue du Faubourg St Honoré, Paris

Beautiful.

Kirsty Doyle's new shop!

I've just got back from the opening party of Kirsty Doyle's gorgeous new shop, with cocktails by Santa Chupitos, marshmallows and toffee apples - yum!

I forgot to take my camera which was really clever, so until I manage to track some pictures down, I'll try my hardest to get across how lovely the shop was...

It's bigger than the last one, yet felt smaller in a good way, less like we were rattling around in a spacious box (albeit a beautiful one!). The windows are huge and perfectly frame the parade of mannequins. Luxury taupe flocked curtains and an antique counter look fabulous against the clean white walls and floor, and Kirsty's beautiful clothes hang off industrial silver rails, providing a perfect contrast. I loved the dress she wore tonight, a pale mint green voluminous number, with a leather mini underneath and towering stacked heels. But I also love the fuschia pink draped maxi skirt I spied...

I can't wait to go and visit it again soon when it's fully up and running!

You can visit Kirsty's website here, or visit the shop at 18 Manesty's Lane, Liverpool One. 

31st October 2010 - Paris Diary TROIS

So it's the final post in my series of Paris diaries, and frankly I don't want to go home! But I'm just about to be served dinner on the Eurostar, and the sad truth is that I am on my way back to England...

To get the outfit out of the way first, today's was the most relaxed out of the three, about as casual as I can possibly pull off!

 

Top - H&M

Trousers - Zara

Coat - H&M

Scarf - H&M

Shoes - Wallis

This morning we saw the Eiffel Tower, quite unexpectedly actually, we got off the metro, turned the corner and it was just sort of, there! Very tall and very beautiful, sounds just like my shoes, in an architectural way... We also bought a few too many of those keyrings I mentioned in post UNE, we felt bad on the men, and I kept accidentally doing deals so we had to cough up. If anyone therefore wants an oh so classy Eiffel Tower keyring, you know where to come!

So to keep to the pattern, it was something fashion related for the afternoon, that trip down (a sadly closed) Rue de Faubourg Saint Honoré. Lanvin was imposing and beautiful, spread over 2 stores on both sides of the road and will be getting a post of its own in the near future, the Vogue offices were classy and hidden away, and the door handle of Christian Louboutin was a work of art in itself.

Yes, I did have my picture taken outside just about every shop... here's just a selection!

So this brings me sadly to the end of the Paris Diaries.

In the last picture you will see a carrier bag that contains the all important Vogue and L'Officiel... Look out for posts about them in the very near future!

Au Revoir!

For once there's no essay...

Lanvin for H&M, enough said.

30th October 2010 - Paris Diary DEUX

Today was Le Louvre day... The pyramid was beautiful, the gallery busy, and Mona Lisa bigger than I expected! Never one to stop working, I found myself slightly distracted by the draping of the thousands of marble busts.. (my textiles group will understand!) I can honestly say I have never seen quite so much art, after 3 hours I was withering and in need of food. Food I got, in a chic sidestreet cafe nestled among antique shops, love it.

Afternoon, and it was time for the much anticipated visit to Avenue des Champs-Élysées and H&M! It seemed like I was never going to find it by the time I'd got three quarters of the way down the road and still not got there. I think I actually ran when I saw it, towering smooth stone, chic black lettering and swarms of excitable shoppers clutching white bags. Frankly I didn't really care what I got in my bag, so long as I got a bag. I ended up with a black sequined mini, you know, go to Paris, buy an LBD... Oo it's those stereotypes again!

Today's outfit from the camel/black palette made me feel half french, half 5 year old in Sunday best, in a good way.

Dress - Zara

Top - Zara

Coat - H&M

Scarf - H&M

Shoes - Marks and Spencer

You may also notice I have a new profile picture... That is of course me coming out of the French Vogue Offices, practising for the future, but more of that tomorrow!

Finally, an update on the search for the aforementioned lady with the dog... I saw an off duty version, albeit with voluminous curly blow dry, camel on the top half, jeans and Ugg boots on the bottom, small squeaking dog (on lead) in arms. Day half made!