Kenzo : Fashion in Motion

A couple of weeks ago I got a notice saying the fashion company Kenzo were putting on a free (YES FREE!) fashion show at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, to celebrate 40 years in the fashion business, wowee doesn't time fly!! It was part of the museums "Fashion in Motion" series, so when we found out, Rosie stayed on the phone to the V&A for a good twenty minutes, bare in mind we had a photo shoot that day but some things are just far more important!

Now for all of you who might not know who Kenzo is, the company was started by Takada Kenzo who was originally from Japan, during 1970 and opened his first boutique in Paris, as well as Women's wear they also do collections for men and children! So there is something for everyone!

But anyway back to the night itself...

Rosie managed to nab 4 free tickets for this show so we grabbed a couple of chums and made it a girls night out with cocktails, do I hear Sex and the City? Yes we were trying to figure out which one each one of us were, apparently I'm Carrie?? Hmmmm I'll let you followers decide!
Anyway we got to the V&A rather early so we got a couple of cosmopolitans down us and had a good ole catch up. We decided to make the effort as Uni does kind of drag the glamour out of you! So I decided to put on my prize dress from winning the Hemsby pin up contest, which was my "Bettina" dress (yes you did hear that right!) designed by the gorgeous Bernie Dexter

Wearing my lovely Red Bettina dress whilst sipping a cocktail, I've done my hair in a 40s style up "do" with mock Victory Rolls as I've not quite grasped it yet!

So it came to near on 8pm and we started queuing up for our seats and oh my it was so exciting, the queue seemed never ending! We sat in our seats, 3 rows from the front so I had a cracking view to take some shots! The show, like any main fashion event started late but once it started, oh my we were all in awe!! I've never seen anything quite like it, girls wearing very floral printed garments with African inspired head dresses and Japanese Geisha inspired shoes, I didn't know where to look  and couldn't seem to click my camera quick enough!

Models wearing pastel pinks with over layering effect and hoop inspired skirts

I love the shades of green and pink in this collection it was just magnificent customising it with vintage styled bra's I love it!

This seemed so African inspired, the fabric looks really exotic and the colours are quite calmer compared to the previous

I  wanted to steal the jacket off this model, it was so nice and is actually wearable other than on the catwalk!!

I found that the darker collections seemed more wearable than the pastel colours, the fabric in this dress seems quite Japanese because of the wave print, very Oriental.

What a Finale! The girls and I did wonder whether the models were doing rather quick changes, but with those head dresses and all that layering I think they would have been there until next week!

So my first Designer fashion show, it made me appreciate the course I am doing at University and made me also realise I am on the right career path, when I was there the atmosphere was unreal and has made me think I want more!
So next Fashion in Motion here I come!

Oh yes before I forget! We had a invite to the Kenzo store in a fortnight for a cocktail party, I may have to check my diary but you know I think I may just go.

Until next time

Toodle pip

xxx

What has happened to the designer??!

As London fashion week has just gone, I thought I'd talk about my main love, that is of course; Fashion. Now I am a great lover of the designer and all things designer, especially Louis Vuitton (god bless you Marc Jacobs for your divine tribute to the fab fifties!) and I would love nothing more than to carry a Vivienne Westwood bag on my shoulder or wear a Chanel Dress down to the shops but due to lack of funding of being a student... this isn't happening anytime soon.
   Which leads me onto the subject of my latest entry, in today's world of labels and brands, is Designer losing its individuality and its edge? I currently live in Chatham, most of you know this and as I was walking through the town centre recently, I noticed several ladies sporting Louis Vuitton handbags, we all know the famous design and yes we would all love one, but I was surprised of all places to see them in Chatham, because its not one of the most "up and coming"  towns and definitely isn't known for its designer stores. But it made me think, designer labels such as this, were once for the well off or a special treat for ones self on pay day at the end of the month. Now it seems everyone is wearing designer, be it make up, jewellery, sunglasses or an actual garment.
    I'm not sure if I like this, if its like this it seems to lose its authenticity because it is so accessible, people can now feel part of a certain crowd which they never did before and without having to go out and get a second mortgage! Which of course to these people is a brilliant thing, but to me, I see it as something to strive and work for, when I've bought something from Vivienne Westwood or YSL, I know I've hit the big time, its an achievement. People don't see buying a £20 Dior Lipstick as an achievement, they see it as an essential, why? Because it is simply now affordable.



Is this the next step for designers?



    

This is probably what designers are aiming for, of course the more people that buy their brand, the more known they become, and the more money they earn. Surely though, they would still want to keep their morals and values for clothing, otherwise they would simply become high street. With everyone wearing the latest Prada shoes and carrying this seasons Stella McCartney purse, is this a sign of things to come? They still keep the prices on their garments because of course they use the finest fabrics, so what is it? Do people now have bigger bank balances? Or are designers making themselves more accessible for lower earners by designing for high street stores such as H&M, this of course is another way people can grab themselves a bit of designer for more than half the price and quality.
    I don't know, I'm just as confused as the next girl, has the fashion world gone mad? Only time will tell.
Until next time

Toodle Pip

xxx