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.

Behind the Scenes

Today has been a great, if long, day! Had a really fun shoot this morning for my new Jane Alexandra lookbook to accompany my new collection that will be available in Om Diva soon! With the help of stylist and general lovely bird Lisa Lú, and Kimberley and Martha in front of the camera, I am really happy with the results.

Here are a few snaps of the behind the scenes action – getting my candid shot practice in for FASHION WEEK ON SUNDAY, WOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

ahem.

A big big big thank you to the girls, they were all so great to work with – that wonderful mix of professional and super fun. Gah I love shooting, wish I did it more!

The Manley Interview

I came across Emma Manley’s designs when a make-up artist friend of mine posted images on facebook of a shoot she had recently done. I was immediately struck by the beautiful, confident simplicity and construction of the garments, and assumed it had been done in London. Shame on me though, as Emma is Irish and working in Dublin. Being the busybody that I am, I got in touch with her to talk about Manley, her brand, and how she finds running a fashion label in Dublin.

Emma Manley A/W 12

JK: What’s the best thing about running your brand from Ireland?

EM: The constant support I get from family and friends who are always there urging me on. Working alone can be somewhat lonely and its pretty hard to be 100% enthused at all times, so having that support system really helps me to keep in top form and pushing Manley forward.

Emma Manley A/W 12

JK: And the biggest challenge?

EM: I suppose right now it’s the current economic climate. With the limited spending power out there it’s pretty evident that most start up’s wont survive. I suppose its a case of only the strongest will survive and I hope I can make the grade.

Emma Manley A/W 12

JK: What is your favourite part of the design process?

EM: Whats nice about the design process is that no process lasts for very long. Your researching, designing, then you’re sampling and finally you’re in production and all of a sudden the process needs to start all over again. It’s quite a controlled operation for something so creative! I’m never in one process long enough to grow board of it. Right now my favourite part is the embellishment work. I suppose it’s also the most gratifying part for me too. Studding work is a pretty tedious and time consuming task but I love how it transforms the garment and gives it attitude.

Emma Manley A/W 12

And we love the results! There is a confidence in the garments and their design that hints at great things for this young lady. Manley herself tells me that it’s an exciting time for the brand, and while she won’t be pinned down to specifics, I am more than happy to stay tuned to find out. Manley is currently available in Bow Boutique, Powerscourt Townhouse, a wonderful store run by another brave and incredibly talented Irish-based designer, Eilis Boyle.

Emma Manley A/W 12

And in case you were wondering, Emma is currently listening to Joanna Newsom, Goldfrapp’s Seventh Tree, Fight Like Apes and Villagers. Great taste all round then.

Emma Manley A/W 12

All images courtesy of Manley

like her on Facebook here

Dream Team

It is always amazing and exciting to work with people, but there is something very special about creating images with people close to you. Two such pals are Triona O’Neill and Julie Flynn, with whom I collaborated to produce a lookbook for Triona’s prints, who had been used in Triona’s pal Aine’s collection for Om Diva. Phew, that’s a lot of pals!

Anyway, Jules modeled and I took the photos. We went for a sort of playful-sporty type vibe, to match Tri’s fun prints. Apart from having a lot of fun on the shoot, I feel like we got the images that really show Triona’s work off well. I can’t wait to learn more about lighting so I can manipulate it a bit better, so if anyone wants to teach me I’ll make you a really nice cup of tea! xx

All images:

Photographer: Jane Kenny

Model: Julie Flynn (@Morgan the Agency)

Clothes: prints by Triona O’Neill, for Aine’s label, available at Om Diva, Drury Street, Dublin 2

The Cavalry Are Coming…

So I am a very bad blogger at the moment, and finally help is on the way. No, I still have to do dreaded finals, but I am getting a few beautiful fellow bloggers to do a couple of guest posts for me! Woop. I am happy. Now I’m going to stop saying words, and show you what I wore on Easter Sunday.

xxxx

j

The reason it’s like this is because I posted it to Lookbook (lame I know, but hey, let he without tumblr cast the first stone), and I am too lazy (ahem, I mean I am far too busy) to go back and change the pics again…..

Speaking of cavalry, what did we think of the royal wedding? Didn’t Kate look great? I also love the significance of choosing McQueen/Sarah Burton over a nicer, softer label. But these are thoughts that I will think about another day. xx

We will shortly resume normal procrastination…

Do you care that I am too busy to procrastinate (much)? Probably not. But I am. ish. I am on lockdown til the end of the month, which means that I am starting to climb the walls. So I started a Lookbook. I don’t know how I feel about it, but I did it anyway. My justification is that I am doing my thesis on blogs and user generated (fashion) content, so it’s like research. Lookbook is weird. It should be called areyouprettyandisyourfriendagoodphotographerwithphotoshopbook, because often the clothes are (how do i put this nicely…) not noteworthy. But i suppose lookbook has a better ring to it.

Also, Lookbook seem to hate wordpress because they have badges for blogger and not for us. Samsies with google connect, which is really annoying. So if you want to laugh at my lack of prettiness and good photographer friends with photoshop, here is my lookbook. If you ever see me posting something with long grass and hedgerow, feel free to track me down and slap me! Seriously. No offence to people who do it, but I mean, I live in the city. Where there are buildings, and streets, and lawnmowers.

This is what I look like almost all of the time at the moment. This is the print studio I spend almost all of my time in. It is very warm, so we don’t need jumpers. And it’s messy, so we don’t need clothes that will get wrecked.

I think I’m going to die my hair red.

Inspiration Interlude

This week has been MENTAL in college, I have deadlines coming out my ears. So here’s a collection of things that have caught my eye over the past little while I think they are pretty and hopefully so might you! Happy Weekend, hope you are taking it easy and not tits-deep in dreaded thesis work…..FAIL!!!! Have i mentioned that it’s due on Valentine’s day too? HA!

images via behance.net, designsponge.com, and patternobserver.com

The brand above are called Seneca Rising, and images from their lookbook were on Pattern Observer. I think their aesthetic is really strong, and I love the way they make graphic prints look quite soft. And the colour and styling is really gorgeous too.

So, there you go. Little mini post til I sort my life out!

xx

get me to the shops on time…

So, a whole bunch of my friends have decided that they are going to get married. Which is great and happy and lovely and blah blah blah. Except for the fact that now I’ve to find something to wear. Anyone who knows me even a little bit knows that wedding-wear is the kind of thing that sets me into cold sweats. Karen Millen. Oasis… Coast….Pashmina.Shawls. That putrid cyan blue taffeta……..Ok I’ll stop, I’m only upsetting myself. Anyway. Weddings are a formal occasion because they are special, and while I am totes like FASHUN and stuff, I fully embrace the tradition and I’m not going to turn up in black mesh and a topknot (which reminds me, I still need to post my NYE look…). But you can stick it if you think I’m going to wear a dress from Coast. Even the thought makes me throw up a little. I want to look like ME. Only me that’s wedding appropriate, although it remains to be seen if such a thing exists.

So…..what the FOOOOK am I going to wear? Oh and did I mention that the first wedding is going to be ULTRA glam, so I HAVE to look great?? Bollox. However, I just had a little peek at Asos’s SS11 Lookbook and I spied not one but TWO looks that have potential.

source: Refinery 29.

The first one is pretty standard Jane aesthetic, I can pretty much see the outfit already. And it’s lilac, which is a traditional wedding colour, so it fits right in. So unless it turns out it’s made of some awful fabric, or that it’s just plain on the back (as happened with a friend’s new sequin-mesh…sneaky jersey back number before christmas), I’l probably get that. However, I just love the second look. It’s so fresh, and pretty and just like, wedding appropriate, but without being a bog standard wedding outfit. And it would be lots of fun for the summer.

So, I don’t know. I’l probably buy one of those, but then maybe I’ll find something better. In the mean time I need to lay off the Cadbury’s Roses. The stress. And that’s just the guests, ha!