Cos I want to….

The other evening I happened across the Cos Ss12 lookbook while doing a bit of a tidy. On top of that smug feeling you get when you (I) hang all your (my) clothes back in the wardrobe, put all the books back on their shelf and rearrange your makeup and stuff into some semblance of order, I was happy to see this little lookbook. First up I love the fact that it is an object, and a beautiful one at that. While i love the availability of such a multitude of information online, there is something tacitly better about printed images. Especially when the printed images are of such cool clothes. I would be a better person in these outfits. All put together and considered and made up of beautiful pieces. They strike that difficult balance of being serious without being boring, and fun without being flippant. They are, in short, right on the money. There’s also an 90′s style off shoulder neoprene top in forest green that I just can’t get out of my head, it’s delish!!

And finally, someone give me a boy to play dress up with. I really want to know someone who wears this outfit, how Marlon Brando and awesome is it. In fact, their menswear is perhaps even better than their women’s offering, but that debate is for another day.

Karla Otto Press Day

I stopped by the Karla Otto SS12 press day last week for a perve on some amazing collections.

My primary reason for attending was to check out Cos, who had very kindly invited me to the Dublin day, and then even more kindly extended the invitation across the water. And as per usual, I was not disappointed with their offering. Interesting shapes, great fabrics, simple yet exciting. I would happily dress head to toe Cos every day of the year. My favourite piece was the quilted neoprene, collarless jacket, but I was just as taken with their off the shoulder neoprene top. I am a massive fan of neoprene, especially when it is used like this. Also, the off the shoulder neckline is very ’90′s and I think I’m having a bit of a moment for it…watch this space.

Cos SS12

I was pleasantly surprised by Bally. Their collection was strong, true to the brand, but with an edge I was not expecting. The way they integrated fabrics was fresh, and had a very modern feel, without selling out their heritage and refined nature, and their colour palette was just right.

Bally SS12

I am having a huge menswear crush at the moment, so it’s no surprise that a lot of my favourite pieces were on the mens rails. Some of it I want to wear – Givenchy sweaters step forward please. But while a bit of androgyny is great, I think mostly I just really appreciate the nuances of menswear design. It is just so…practical. But still FASHUN. It’s just such a whole other thing to womenswear.

There were a few names that I was new to, Neil Barrett for example, whose collection was considered and beautiful – and his shoes were amazing. Kris Van Assche, a Paris based menswear label also really impressed me. His website is also pretty cool.

Neil Barrett SS12

And if that wasn’t enough, there was Edun. And GIVENCHY. And Margiela. And Bally, and Marni and a whole host of others. I did my usual press day trick of getting really hot and bothered and nervous and a bit stupid. So I took about 4 pictures, and left in a bit of a flap, unsure of what to say to anyone. Good work Jane. I wouldn’t even mind, but I didn’t even have a coffee beforehand. And I STILL got caught in the door on the way in…..

So, to recap, I will be buying as much Cos as I can afford over the next while, and will be dreaming of Givenchy. Quelle suprise.

Cos SS12

London Calling

Things I saw in London last weekend…

Acne. In EVERY deparment store. Everywhere. I guess I never really thought about it, but I suppose they are pretty much on the money – great shapes in interesting fabrics, and lots of black. It’s funny, because I generally like their stuff but never seek it out. And by the looks of it, I’m on my own there.

Acne Resort 2011

 

Acne AW10

Acne AW10

images via style.com & Acnestudios.com

Gruau & Dior in Somerset House. René Gruau is a really famous fashion illustrator, his use of line and composition is unreal. It was amazing to see his original paintings, that have become iconic campaigns for Dior. If you are unfamiliar with his work, I highly recommend you check him out, you will not be disappointed.

Selfridges shoe gallery. For about two hours…. It’s another world. I spent most of the time being quite sad what with the prohibitive price tags and heel heights. I consoled myself with a pair of patent punched leather chelsea boots from Topshop. I originally had my eye out for a pair of black loafers, but I didn’t see any I liked, and boots make more sense for winter. Win.

Brown’s Focus. For some reason I’ve never been in it before, but the place is unreal. I think my favourite piece was the Hussein Chalayan pleat sweatshirt. It was just the right combination of wearability & Chalayan’s forward design. Sadly the price tag wasn’t so wearable so it stayed in the store. Sigh.

Vogue Oct2010

Cos. I’ve mentioned this store before as a favourite place, and now there’s a concession in BT2. However, I wasn’t really impressed with the selection the BT buyers brought over, so I visited the much bigger and far-more-my-style Regent Street store. Got an amazing thick rib oversize cardigan. It’s a great shape, but the knit really makes it special. I can’t even figure out how it’s done, it’s like double knitting or something. I also had to stop myself from buying their collarless long blazer, it was divine, but that would have been a step too far. I wish Cos would sort out their website though – it’s pretty slick to be fair to them, but it’s a pain in the ass to use.

Pizza East. There was a summer-long running joke in our flat about going to Pizza East, and we never did, so I finally got Pizza East pizza on Sunday. It was pretty tasty, although we got take away so it was a bit cold :/ Next time, maybe. It’s in a pretty sweet space in the Tea Buildings. I’m not one to go on about food, but it’s pretty cool.

Columbia Road Market. Again, this is something I meant to do during the Summer, but the Sunday morning early wake up call meant it never happened! I managed to drag myself out of bed this Sunday (surprisingly enough, everyone else told me where to stick my flowers when I suggested they join me in the rain early in the morning) and headed over. It was the only time during the weekend I actually remembered to bring my camera out with me, so here’s what I saw.

Sunday Up Market. I lived around the corner from Brick Lane over the summer so I was so sick of it after the first couple of weeks I avoided it like the plague, but I had time to kill this Sunday so I went for a wander and got a giant Lion ring for a pretty nice price. Bargains are really hard to come by on Brick Lane/Spittalfields these days, so I was happy.

Friends. Nothing beats hanging out with friends and there was lots of that as well as the fashion things, epic win.

I came home very tired and pretty sick (my awesome new Cos cardigan is not waterproof even a little bit, sadface) but pretty satisfied with myself. WIN.

Modern Life is Rubbish

Fashion makes me irrationally happy. Some people like food, some people like cars, some people like, well, actually, I don’t really give a shit about some people, I love fashion fashion fashion. BUT. Big ugly annoying BUT, I am hardly gonna go about my daily business in a Marchesa dress. Oh, to have the occasion for a Marchesa dress….No, sadly I am not an oligarch with fancy social engagements. I am a regular person, with regular sartorial requirements. As a design student, my clothes often get wrecked from various dyes and pigments and chemicals (the corrosive kind, not the fun kind…). As I drool over my fantasy wardrobe, I’ve put together a selection that is closer to what I actually wear on a daily basis. This whole ideal self/actual self stuff is really interesting actually, especially when you think of it in commercial terms. It’s the reason why designers like DKNY make such a killing – they dress our actual selves. Isabel Marant, one of my favourite new designers, does this exceptionally well, taking wearable pieces and making them just nice enough that we don’t put them up in the “fantasy clothes” category.

So, for those of us who don’t have fancy lunches, charity committee meetings or debutante ball invitations coming out our ears, here is a bunch of functional, well cut, wearable outfits. You will find similar versions all over the place, though you are probably too busy drooling at the fantasy clothes. I recently discovered COS, an awsome shop that sells what I would describe as designer chic clothes – clothes that people who work in design and creative industries would wear. Anyway, it’s great and pretty affordable, so I highly recommend it.

Is there a huge difference between your ideal wardrobe and your actual wardrobe? Or are you some level headed anomily who aligns your ideal self and your actual self? Or maybe you are an oligarch, and your ideal wardrobe is your actual wardrobe? Luck b*^£”!

J. Crew

Acne

Dries Van Noten

Isabel Marant

Michael Kors

Sykes

Thakoon

Vanessa Bruno

Images via style.com