The Stylist's Rail: Bargain Hunting and Cocktail Sipping Galore

A shiny new fashion event hit the Hoxton Hotel in East London this weekend; The Stylist's Rail was a vintage-meets-new-designers shopping experience, complete with cocktails and goodie bags for the crowds of attendees. I went along to sip and shop (sometimes simultaneously) and report back for you.

 Guests were greeted by quirky displays set against rails of pre-loved or brand new clothing and accessories.

 I couldn't resist snapping these passport covers by Elsie & Fred, made by customising brightly coloured pieces of leather. In fact, I ended up buying the top one.

 A trader showed off her amazingly versatile silk scarves, made in batches of 180.

There was a real mixture of styles available, meaning that you were in no danger of leaving the event empty-handed. From rock chick fringed black leathers to 60s PVC and suede skirts, there was something to appeal to even the pickiest vintage shopper, whilst the new brands on show offered really interesting accessories and outfits, including delicate gold bespoke jewellery and grungy sheer dresses.

 These vintage knitwear pieces caught my roving eye.

 Cocktails were kindly provided by Bloom.

 As you can see, we had rather generous glasses. Chin chin!

The cocktail element of the event was a real bonus. Whilst I'm not normally a fan of gin, I can definitely recommend a G&T made with Bloom, a dry London variety, and served with a strawberry. However, juggling shopping purchases and a glass became something of a balancing act for most of us!

 There was even a DJ to get the party started.

 My +1 was one of my best friends, Katherine, who enjoyed her G&T as well.

 This retro shoe line-up shows just how diverse the stock was at the vintage stalls.

 One of the key considerations when buying vintage at events like The Stylist's Rail is to really go through the rails with a fine tooth comb, so you don't miss anything. We found it helped to do a circuit of all the stalls a few times, just to make sure we saw everything available, and we looked out for eye-catching patterns and textures.

 Jewellery on sale was affordable, blinged up and trendy.

 Some of the pricier pieces were worth splashing out on. I would definitely have taken the plunge and bought these unusual brogue-style trainers (£68) if they'd been in my size.

 Incredibly, this Dolce & Gabbana coat was only £235.

 When checking out designer bargains, it's worth remembering that these items are going to generally be of better quality than your average high street vintage pick, so you won't really be able to haggle as much, because the price will be reflecting the brand name. Also, there will probably be someone willing to give the stallholder the offer they're looking for, so if you really want it then just go ahead and make that designer piece yours.

 A Prada denim twill handbag hung from the rails.

 These colourful bomber jackets were a photo opportunity waiting to happen.

If you wanted something more futuristic and less vintage, this stallholder was happy to oblige.

Having seen the success of this event, I'm sure The Stylist's Rail will be delivering more fashion injections to the people of East London, and I'm looking forward to a similarly eclectic mix of brands and retro bargains.

Photo Essay: Exploring Czech Labels & Friends

A little while ago I was lucky enough to step over the threshold of one of the coolest shops in Prague, during a city break there, and suddenly I was thrown into the achingly cool world of home-grown design talent from Czech Labels & Friends. Just moments from the Old Town Square, this boutique is a breath of fresh air.

 With accessories as good as these, it's hard to narrow down your selection!

The shop's window display was hard to ignore, with a cute replica of the tower on Prague's Petrin Hill being used to great effect. I was also tempted by the range of Melissa shoes in the window - the Brazilian shoe company is the only non-Czech designer stocked here, and her minimalist footwear really compliments the clothing on offer.

 Melissa shoes on display in the window.

 My changing room choices - there's nothing like a bit of cobalt blue.

 The gold detailing on this dress makes it even more memorable.

It's by Libor Komosny, from his m.ona collection.

 Whether you want humbug stripes and florals or bold orange fabric, there's something colourful here.

 This terracotta skirt is irresistible.

 What grabs your eye?

 An asymmetric silhouette and wooden jewellery: I love the combinations at work.

 Clean lines and evergreen basics like these will always be popular.

 Another peek at the windows.

This is the dress I bought, in just one of its many forms; it can be worn in several different ways (even more than what the designer's website suggests - Katarina, who works here, showed me six options).

Not only that, it's by an eco-friendly designer, Odivi.

If you're ever in Prague, I'd urge you to set aside some time to visit this shop, where the team - Katarina and Martina - are really knowledgeable and have a passion for style.

Czech Labels & Friends

Zelezna 12, 11000 Prague.

Dante Does Istanbul: Dilara Findikoglu Creates Her Own Wonderland

Today I've been talking Turkey, with a visit to Istanbul INN London, a promotional event to raise awareness of the city's cultural output, from food and drink to architecture and art. But the section that was strongest was definitely the fashion, where hot new designers showed that Istanbul deserves to be noticed on the international scene.

[Images taken at Victoria House, London].

A real mixture of fabrics, with a sports luxe feel, clashed with historical prints.

Inspired by Dante's Inferno, Turkish designer Dilara Findikoglu has created a totally unique and unforgettable collection which reminded me slightly of Mary Katrantzou (in her use of intense prints) and Alexander McQueen (in the careful attention to corporeality and also in using antique religious drawings as a basis). 

 There's something for every type of dresser - from the daring harness wearer to the shift dress lover.

And I still can't get enough of those prints...

The collection is known as 'Dante's Islamic Inferno', due to the repeated references to Islamic architecture, such as beautiful glass or tile patterns, but also lettering in the prints. Other recurring motifs are as diverse as skulls, interlocking hands and palm trees, as well as the occasional anatomical heart and a miniature Medusa painting. 

 You just know this collection would look amazing dressed up or down. Or just styled in a photo shoot in an abandoned warehouse.

Dilara studied fashion at Central St. Martins College in London and has also been a stylist and fashion editor for several magazines, so she's got a strong creative background, but she's also incredibly young (yep, just to make you feel like an underachiever!). Aside from Dante Aligheri, she says that she's inspired by 'parapsychology', 'Katie Shillingford' (of Dazed & Confused - one of my hair icons!) and 'flowers'.

The exhibition space was set up in this sort of homely-cum-creepy atmosphere, with armchairs and books but with clothes strung up like pieces of meat. I loved the contrasts.

My only gripe? I CAN'T FIND WHERE TO BUY THIS AMAZING STUFF. Seriously, I'm being tortured here. If you want to see more of Dilara's work, check out her Cargo Collective account, but otherwise you'll have to hold tight and wait for it to go on sale somewhere soon. I'm crossing my fingers for a pop-up shop...

Finchittida Finch Christmas Pop-Up Shop at Boxpark Shoreditch

Last Thursday night I wrapped up warm and made a festive pilgrimage to Boxpark in Shoreditch, where cutting-edge jewellery designers Tida and Lisa Finch, of Finchittida Finch, were celebrating their Christmas pop-up shop (complete with beautiful snowflake-print walls and decorations). I know the girls from school and college (ah, memories of A-Level Art!) and they've always been immensely talented, so it was great to catch up over some Beerlao and see what they've been up to. 

 Making a statement in silver and gold.

 Arm yourself with some eye candy.

Specialising in intricate laser-cut statement pieces that have been sported in music videos by the likes of Ashanti, Mele and Lianne La Havas, you'll probably find that their work looks distinctly familiar, and you should be prepared to see much more of them in 2013. 

 Each piece was set in a screen-printed jewellery box.

 A necklace and body chain on display.

A large part of their inspiration for the current Monozygotic Talismans collection comes from their Lao heritage and fascination with Lao culture, which is transposed into symmetrical forms such as oversized earrings, body chains with multiple panels and quirky tribal alphabet initial necklaces, in a wearable colour palette of gold, silver and black. 

 Decisions, decisions...

 [Image via the girls themselves] L-R: Tida and Lisa, of Finchittida Finch.

 Their Tumblr blog shows recent celebrations of the Lao festival, Loy Krathong. 

 How fun and colourful does it look?! (Meadham Kirchhoff would totally love this).

 One reason for their use of symmetry is that Tida and Lisa are twins (hence the 'Monozygotic' reference). I loved the fact that they'd used the snowflake - yet another symmetrical design - as the basis for their Christmas shop.

 Judging from this photo, the letter 'S' is immensely popular amongst alphabet pendant fans.

You can see how the different tiny sections are cut to create the finished piece.

 Here's what I bought: a P, obviously... (as worn at home by my battered cherub statue).

Finchittida Finch will be hitting Boxpark with another pop-up stint throughout January. If you're in the area then make sure you check them out and bag yourself a unique piece of jewellery. For those of you unable to get to Shoreditch, head to their profile on ASOS Marketplace.

Top 3 Illogical Celebrity Fashion and Beauty Lines of 2012

There's nothing like a celebrity scent. Who knew singers had such great olfactory skills?

[Image via Digital Spy].

Without further ado, it's time for a little 2012 review of those strange but true celebrity product launches that sometimes make you wonder if you're just having a strange dream. 2011 was the year of Myleene Klass' nail wraps, but this year these famous names excelled themselves when it came to hidden talents. 

1. Cher Lloyd's perfume - If there's one person I hope to smell like, it must surely be Cher Lloyd. Her intoxicating blend of top notes including whining, pouting and being difficult in interviews, mixed with base notes of chav and reality TV, made for a memorable combination that was bound to be a success. Apparently One Direction will be the next out of the starting blocks to conquer the market, though no word as yet whether the most prominent top note will be Harry Styles' little black book of older women or Zayn's fags. Let's just hope none of the boys watch the film Perfume and take inspiration from Ben Whishaw's dedication to the cause of a perfumier, or the Twittersphere would truly implode with underage girls offering themselves up for sacrifice.

Robbie wished his mates would be a bit more talkative sometimes.

[Image via the Daily Mirror].

2. Robbie Williams' clothing line inspired by his granddad - Those of you with a spare £500 will be pleased to know that you needn't let it burn a hole in your pocket any more. You can exchange it for a Pilot's Leather Jacket, or perhaps dip into it for a cable knit cardigan which will set you back a paltry £135 from the Farrell brand. Ok, so kudos to Robbie Williams for using quality materials in his clothing, such as lambswool, but not many a fan of Rudebox and Candy will have the disposable income to match his price points. Meanwhile, those of you who regularly drop half a grand on a jacket will probably not see Williams as a style icon. 

It Starts With An Idea (ISWAI) clearly wanted its models to be totally unique. 

These three slightly horsey looking blondes tell me that Caggie is the one on the right.

[Image via MTV].

 3. Caggie from MIC's fashion brand - Posh reality TV star Caggie Dunlop (you know, the one who hangs about with people called Binky and Hugo), is all about keeping it real, apparently. That's why she has launched a fashion line that's all about being unpretentious and involves working with upcoming designers (plebs, yah), and - according to MTV - deals with 'themes close to Caggie’s heart: New York, Rebellion, Religion, Da Vinci and The Universe'. That's right, guys, she just can't stop thinking about Leonardo Da Vinci's anatomical studies and black holes and Brian Cox, in between filming that deep thinking existential show, Made in Chelsea. If only the producers would let her have more screen time to discuss her thoughts on Stephen Hawking or perhaps to incite a current affairs debate on the issue of women bishops. Oh, and if you'd like to buy a less cerebral piece from the ISWAI collection then there's a bright pink 'Keep Calm and Caggie On' t-shirt for just £22.

I really do despair for humanity sometimes. Here's to 2013, when we should brace ourselves for yet another onslaught of stylish celebs astounding us with their entrepreneurial nous.

Illustrations: LFW S/S13 Hellen Van Rees

Some quick drawings I made on my lunch break using the Paper app, based on the work of Hellen Van Rees at London Fashion Week's Exhibition as part of Vauxhall Fashion Scout.

I love the deconstructed threads of Van Rees' pieces and how the colours blended together: grey, aqua, acid yellow and black. Those boxy structures around the collarbone and down the side of the top were fantastically 3D and worked incredibly well as both a talking point and something you could imagine being worn - perhaps not in everyday life, but in a more surreal environment, where fashion is artistic rather than functional (i.e. not in the middle of Asda).

What also struck me is how democratised her work seemed: it would look just as impressive on a size 8 as it would on a size 18, because the structural forms are where the focus lies.

This piece felt like a play on the peplum trend, and it definitely worked (my sketch, less so, but you get the general idea).

Van Rees stood out for me as being willing to take risks and really experiment with texture and space - not just bringing out a collection of black space age garments and expecting everyone to think she'd reinvented the wheel. What she brought was innovation and a sense of fun; I could imagine Lady Gaga wearing her designs for a night out as much as a serious model in an editorial shoot.

LFW S/S13 - A Snippet of Street Style

 A typically eclectic slice of menswear from the courtyard at Somerset House.

[All photos my own.]

 Kate Nash arrives at London Fashion Week, dressed as a space marshmallow. 

 Ada Zanditon shows her new collection, Tigress Reign, with a Kill Bill-inspired video to boot.

 The Exhibition drew me to plenty of fascinating accessories - this is just one of many. 

More photos to follow.

 Stylist Alexis Knox listens to the soundtrack for the Phannatiq video at the Felicities PR event.

 Last year's Fashion Fringe winners, design duo Fyodor Golan, stood next to me!

 This lady was incredibly stylish and I couldn't resist a snapshot.

 2012 Fashion Fringe winner Haizhen Wang lifts his trophy as one of his models looks on.

Here's a selection of what I brought home.

There are so many images still to upload onto the blog, so please do bear with me. I'll eventually put everything on Flickr as well, because there are far too many photos to include on here (yes, really!). 

Some of my catwalk shots did disappoint me, as strangely my fresh-out-the-box Nikon P510 bridge camera wasn't as effective as my Canon SX210IS, where I can always manage to rely on the fail-safe 'Kids and Pets' mode if it all goes tits-up in terms of bright lights and fast moving models. Instead I've ended up with lots of ghostly white outlines of the clothing and the camera has paid too much attention to what the crowds were doing, which is a shame (and doubtless my own fault) but is something I will be rectifying by illustrating what I saw instead. If all else fails, turn to pen and paper. 

Anyway, stay tuned for more LFW images throughout the next few days, and some doodles too.