A summer sweater

Yesterday it occurred to me that I had completely forgotten to post pictures of the goodies I got at the Acne Archive store when I was in Stockholm a couple of weeks ago.  The place was brimming with cut-price one-offs and items from past collections, and I had to exercise considerable restraint not to overspend.  In fact, I managed to control myself so much that I only left the shop with the two pieces which I really loved.  The first was this sweater which I decided to wear yesterday. 

I like the semi-nautical look and relaxed, slouchy feel the sweater gives to my outfit.  Since it was a sunny but sometimes windy day yesterday, I used the jumper to add a little warmth to an otherwise summery ensemble, pairing it with my Mjölk pleated shorts (which always remind me of boyscouts, not that I was one...), the grey Kurt Geiger gladiator sandals and my faahbulous Prada sunglasses.

And for going to work, I thought this was the perfect opportunity to crack out my Topman canvas and leather knapsack (I always think that sounds so much classier than backpack or even rucksack). 



As for the other purchase from Acne Archive - you'll need to wait until after the weekend, when I'm wearing it to my Great Aunt's 90th!  And maybe I'll have someone else take my picture for a change, rather than my trusty tripod and remote...

xxx
Duck

Christian Blanken SS 2011 Preview

Sometimes I like that my academic research distances me from the fashion world, allowing me to view it from afar and keep a clear head about things, not get too caught up in the sometimes crazy trends and jaded tastes.  Other times, however, it is just depressing how little time I have on a day-to-day basis to devote to all things mode.  This is one of those melancholic times.  London Fashion Week is coming up in just a few short weeks, and I am going to have to miss half of it because of a professional development course I am taking in Oxford!  Luckily, I will be able to go to the Fri-Sun shows and events, but I will be missing all the goings-on for the subsequent three days.  Realising this is making me reconsider doing Paris womenswear this season again, just to get my six-monthly fashion fix :)

One presentation I would loved to have seen this month, but sadly will miss, is Christian Blanken, whose Spring/Summer 2011 collection photos have just been released.  Taking inspiration from classic street- and sportswear, the Dutch (but educated at CSM) designer has given us deconstructed anoraks and bomber jackets in contrasting nylon, jersey and suede, worn with leather leggings (yes, they're still here) and fabulous jewellery designer by one of my faves, Maria Francesca Pepe.  The black and off-white colour palette is exactly my style at the moment, and the little metallic hints help to inject some pizazz. 

Particularly enjoying the funnel necks to shield against those March/April winds, the array of zips to play with (and goggle at, magpie-like), and the parachute skirts...

Christian is presenting on Tue 21st September, if any of you are free to go, you lucky sods, but at least I'll get to see the items up close and personal at the exhibition over the weekend.

xx
Duck

Georgy Baratashvili SS10

I guess I'm always a tad out-of-date when it comes to posts like this, but when I like something, I like it, and I can't always stick to the rigid season schedule the fashion gods (aka Anna Wintour and her minions) have handed down to us.  Take, for example, Georgy Baratashvili, whose SS 2010 collection has only just come to my attention thanks to the système D website.  The Georgian-born but Russian-raised designer may have been working steadily since his graduations from LCF and CSM, but I have only just come across this gorgeously draped, dance-inspired collection from last season.  I am completely in love with the slouchy feel of the shiny, almost technical fabrics he has used, and the combination of metallics with sheer black transparencies.  It has a classic touch and yet is undeniably sexy (especially the S&M-style bondage highlights...). 

You can see the elements of Georgy's dance background refined by his sophisticated viewpoint developed through positions in costume design, freelance styling, and collaborations with both Preen and Puma.

I would particularly like to get my hands on the black semi-transparent shirt (blouse?), the silky black pants with a draped crotch, and a darkly erotic tie-dyed vest-top (better work on those arms...).

You can also see the collection in motion in this video installation Baratashvili produced for the On|Off exhibition at LFW a year ago:

Looking forward to what else Georgy has in store for us,

Duck
xxx

The Truth is in the Dirt

For some reason I can't find a video version of this to embed here, but I recommend watching this video for red-head supermodel-turned-country-star Karen Elson's latest song, and then watch this video from Rodarte's A/W 2010 show below.  Does anyone else agree this is the route Karen should have gone down?  Just sayin'...

xxx
Duck

Mincing around München

Sorry for the lack of postage over the weekend, I have been travelling across Germany from Düsseldorf to one of my favourite cities in the world, Munich, to stay with my friend Noka.  I would have written a couple of blog posts on Saturday on the train (given that I splashed out for the luxury of a first-class ticket), but unfortunately I left my power converter in my luggage...  I have been having such a fun weekend with Noka (above) and her gay flying whale, Shamu (below), hitting up the local gay bars and such like.  And today I have an internet connection grâce à Starbucks, so am catching up on some work and some blog posts that I have been dying to write the past few days.  And I just discovered that my fave designer Khalid al Qasimi is in town today too... :)

VG
Duck
xxx

Abbey in Alexander

Abbey Lee Kershaw stars in the Inspiration fashion video for Alexander Wang's AW 2010 collection.  Not only does she look h-o-t-t, but I think this video really sums up my feelings for the Fall season this year.  So now.  If only I could afford to buy the velvet dress for all my female friends...

xx
Duck

Eloise Chong

Never mind the scanned-in quality of the pic, this girl, Eloise Chong, is the shit.  Nobody does retro-chic painful teenage grunge like her.  Also loving the psychedelic McQ logo...

xx
Duck

Lake Titicaca

Soon I will be in Munich visiting my friends this weekend, one of whom is pregnant.  I always think of the this episode when I hear about a pregnancy.  Watch it up to the 2:40 mark...

xx
Duck

SPOT: Ellis Scott

Eeek I know it's a bit late notice, but if you are around London today, I would highly recommend popping into the SPOT pop-up showroom off Brompton road (details below) to have your stylish portrait taken by master-photographer, Ellis Scott.  Having shot for hip magazines like Vice and Dazed and Confused and photographed Gareth Pugh's and Alexander McQueen's collections, he is sure to be able to give you that cool London vibe, if you don't have it already yourself :)  His personal site appears to be down at the moment, *sad-face*, but he does have a blog which I would recommend checking out for candid snaps of club kids, models and, of course, Jodie Harsh...

If I weren't still working just outside Düsseldorf right now, you know I would be there...  But luckily one of my best friends from Glasgow, Eve Barlow, who now writes BOOMerang Kid and works for Q Magazine is going, and hopefully she'll be able to give me some photos to post up here!

The deets:
10am - 10pm (drinks after 6pm)
SPOT Pop-Up Showroom
8 Egerton Garden Mews
SW3 2EH

xxx
Duck

Moomin Mania

OK, you may not know this already, but I have a sickness.  I am addicted to Moomins.  Those cute, cuddly, little hippo-troll cartoon characters that nobody outside Finland, Japan and Sweden has ever heard of drive me crazy.  I don't know what it is - their adorable faces? Or shockingly Scandinavian melancholic stories?  Or their hilarious names like Snorkmaiden, Hemulen, Little My and Sniff?  I just don't know, but Finland and Sweden are crawling with the blighters and I couldn't stop taking pictures of them.  I share but a few with you now...   

Perhaps even more astounding than the fact that my ferry from Finland to Sweden was sponsored by The Moomins (where I did, in fact, meet a live Moomin-mamma - just waiting for my parents to send me the photo!) is that I found an advert for a 3D Moomins movie!!  There are no words.  Actually, quite literally, since the bloody thing is in Finnish and will probably never get translated for us...

Moomin-love,

Duck
xxx