ASOS SS14 PREVIEW

The mighty ASOS has truly outdone itself for next season.

This is a brand who, many moons ago when I started my days of work experience in the industry, was a small, lesser known label called As Seen On Screen, and did rather cheap-looking copies of Paris Hilton's party frocks.

Cut to about 12 years later and this brand is leading the way in young British Fashion. Up there with Topshop, ASOS is creating it's own trends from it's observations of music, travel, culture and everything cool in Britain, and around the world.

I really love this brand.

I may have started to drop out of their demographic (the amazing ASOS magazine for which I used to work really is aimed at a younger audience than a thirty something like me) but from a Fashion Editor's point of view this is one of the best brands to be shooting right now. Exciting, standout and fun.

Their fantastic SS14 collections that we previewed at the Press Day today saw a few of the favourite ASOS themes remain; a heavy sporty influence, plenty of neoprene, colourful ethnic print (Indian and Hawaiian this time), digi patterns, but the grown-up ASOS White collection was a little modernist haven for the more demure dresser. And the new ASOS Salon collections were beautiful Summer wedding outfits sorted.

Accessories were also show stealers. Cool-as-they-come sunnies, crazy chunky sandals, fun logo bags, and then also more delicate, fine-looking jewellery for those of us that don't necessarily want to scream trends. (Although why not?!)

I cannot wait to see this stuff hit the site and start shooting it. Well done ASOS.

Here are a few phone snaps from the day...

Love this!

ASOS White

ASOS Salon

Behind The Scenes | The making of a Press Day

Whilst away in Barbados, PR agency Lee Publicity contacted me to ask me to work with them on their upcoming Autumn Winter Press Day for one of their biggest clients, Littlewoods. 

They wanted me to edit the new Autumn Winter collections (including their regular celeb ranges from Myleene Klass and Coleen Rooney), style up all the mannequins for the show, and select what goes on the rails for the London Fashion Press to view at the show - which was held earlier this week.

It was a really great opportunity to help the PRs understand what we as Fashion Editors want to see at events. You'll often find journalists snap/Tweet/Instagram/Facebook the same pieces at press shows, that's because we are all looking for the same things - key pieces that really represent the new season, items that will photograph well - whether on a model or on a still life shopping page - and things we know readers will want to buy. 

So it was fantastic to have the chance to work with an agency to select the winning pieces and style them into outfits that will catch the press' eyes. And I really wanted the Littlewoods product to look as cool as any High Street fashion brand.

When I arrived at the venue, The Hopsital Club in Covent Garden, the day before the event this week, my first task was to get to work on unpacking the huge trunks of clothes. I needed to establish and understand visually the brand's 3 key trends for AW13; Campfires, Full English and Urban Uniform. From there I worked the rails into outfits, and then had an edited rail of selects to sit next to each visual display for the press to browse through.

Each trend had it's own area at the event space to tie in with the trend. 

The first trend, Campfires, was all about comfy check shirts, chunky knits, navajo details and lots of denim, so had an area covered with patches of canvas and littered with tea lights in mason jars.

The next, Full English, highlighted traditional British looks like wax and quilted jackets, mixed with vintage-looking tea dresses and quirky prints and had a stand decorated with old books and vintage lampshades.

The final, and biggest, trend, Urban Uniform, was a modern urban collection with a monochrome and khaki palette, big on stripes, including maxi skirts, combat trousers and cool jersey. It had it's very own zebra crossing to work with.

The event went brilliantly the following day with lots of compliments on the styling. Hurrah!

It was a busy day so just some phone photos to show some behind the scenes of the making of a Press Day...

Hello ladies!

Starting the set-up operation

Unpacking and sorting into trends

Campfires

Steaming

Full English mannequins

Campfires and Full English mannequins done - props getting added

Books 

The Urban Uniform girls await their set

The making of the zebra crossing

In their place!

Urban Uniform

Myleene Klass suit and shirt

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It's the TOPSHOP SS13 preview!

So it wouldn't be much of a blog if I didn't give you a peek at what I saw at the Topshop SS13 press preview, right? RIGHT.

I'm meant to be your eyes and ears for the latest High Street fashion, and seeing as practically the whole world and her sister shop at the mighty Topshop, here is an essential insider preview of what you'll all be buying in the Spring.

Note that some pieces are customized samples so they won't be identical to what goes into production.  Some of what we see at press days are raw designs by the creatives before they get the High Street tone-down treatment.

So, here are some snaps of my favourite new pieces from one of my favourite brands. Just got to wait for them to hit the rails now...

 

Spring preview at Exposure

So much to see, so little time! Here's a few snaps from the SS13 press event at Exposure HQ...

Dr Marten's Spring looks

DMs go fluoro-geek

Claire's have some cracking shades for next summer. A bit cheaper than Ray Ban's too...

Claire's

Pile 'em on at festival time. Arm candy at Claire's.

New Nikes. Swoosh shwoo!

Love these!

Sexy wellies at Hunters.

Clever shirt solutions for summer from Mr. Start.

HPR: SS13 uncovered

I thought I would show you a few snaps from HPR's press day at their office in Soho this week as they had some really exciting new-to-me brands as well as established desginers like Paul & Joe.

I love discovering new brands - I always need new and interesting designers to keep the shoots I do looking up-to-the-minute and, well, just a bit different. There were some great pieces perfect for cover shoots. Really interesting jewellery designers like Sophie Breitmeyer and Kyle Hopkins (check out the crown he custom-made for Rihanna below), and also great lingerie from Marlies Dekkers and the rather amazing  I.D. Sarrieri. 

On a personal level I fell in love with To Be Adored's new collection. Definitely keep an eye on this brand if you don't already!

Electric blue metallic leather at Faith Connexion. Wow.

The most amazing bra in the world by Marlies Dekkers. (Oh and hello reflections, sorry!)

Stunning. I.D. Sarrieri corset.

Rih Rih's crown! By Kyle Hopkins.

Gorgeous cuff by Sophie Breitmeyer.

Tamzin Lillywhite's hand-crafted leathers.

Paul & Joe favoured cat print for Spring.

...and some Jungle Book action.

Fabulous footwear by Sophie Gittins.

Aaaah...To Be Adored.

Simple luxe shapes with a sprinkle of sporty sparkle at To Be Adored.